Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CELLS AND REGENERATION Lin 28 promotes the proliferative capacity of neural progenitor cells in brain development

Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) have distinct proliferation capacities at different stages of brain development. Lin28 is an RNA-binding protein with two homologs in mice: Lin28a and Lin28b. Here we show that Lin28a/b are enriched in early NPCs and their expression declines during neural differentiation. Lin28a single-knockout mice show reduced NPC proliferation, enhanced cell cycle exit and a smaller brain, whereas mice lacking both Lin28a alleles and one Lin28b allele display similar but more severe phenotypes. Ectopic expression of Lin28a in mice results in increased NPC proliferation, NPC numbers and brain size. Mechanistically, Lin28a physically and functionally interacts with Imp1 (Igf2bp1) and regulates Igf2-mTOR signaling. The function of Lin28a/b in NPCs could be attributed, at least in part, to the regulation of their mRNA targets that encode Igf1r and Hmga2. Thus, Lin28a and Lin28b have overlapping functions in temporally regulating NPC proliferation during early
Skin Disease and Arthritis in a Murine Controls the T Cell-Dependent Psoriasiform A 9-Centimorgan Interval of Chromosome 10

Psoriasis is a complex genetic disease of unresolved pathogenesis with both heritable and environmental factors contributing to onset and severity. In addition to a disﬁguring skin inﬂammation, approximately 10–40% of psoriasis patients suffer from destructive joint involvement. Previously, we reported that the CD18 hypomorphic PL/J mouse carrying a mutation resulting in reduced expression of the common chain of (cid:1) 2 integrins (CD11/CD18) spontaneously develops a skin disease that closely resembles human psoriasis. In contrast, the same mutation on C57BL/6J background did not demonstrate this phenotype. By a genome-wide linkage analysis, two major loci were identiﬁed as contributing to the development of psoriasiform dermatitis under the condition of low CD18 expression. Using a congenic approach, we now demonstrate that the introduction of a 9-centimorgan fragment of chromosome 10 derived from the PL/J strain into the disease-resistant CD18 hypomorphic C57BL/6J was promoting the development of psoriasiform skin disease and notably also arthritis. We therefore designated this locus psoriasiform skin disease-associated locus 1 ( PSD1 ). High numbers of CD4 (cid:2) T cells and TNF- (cid:3) producing macrophages were detected both in inﬂamed skin and joints in these congenic mice, with a complete resolution upon TNF- (cid:3) inhibitor therapy or depletion of CD4 (cid:2) T cells. For the ﬁrst time, we have identiﬁed a distinct genetic element that contributes to the T cell-dependent development of both psoriasiform skin disease and associated arthritis. This congenic model will be suitable to further investigations of genetic strain is available at The Jackson Laboratory (www.jax.org) as well as results from 10 generations of backcrossing. The hypo C57BL/6J (N10) mice were genotyped and no 129-derived fragments were identiﬁed using the 86 microsatellite markers. Although we cannot exclude the presence of 129-derived fragments outside of the PSD1 region in the genome of N10 CD18 hypo C57BL/6J mice, this did not affect the ﬁnding of the PSD1 involvement in the development of the psoriasiform skin disease and arthritis. Six generations of backcrossing were performed onto CD18 hypo C57BL/6J (N10) background, where the donor for each generation was selected based on its genotype according to the speed congenic procedure (35) to keep the donor fragment in the region of interest and to eliminate donor fragments such as those derived from like PL/J, as well as from129/ SvEv, in the rest of the genome. N6 mice harboring PL/J fragments of interest on N10 CD18 hypo C57BL/6J background were intercrossed to gen-erate the homozygous congenic strains for each congenic fragment, respec- tively. To monitor the psoriasiform skin disease clinically and histologi-cally, we used littermate mice from the intercross of N6 or from the N6 backcross generation as control strains. All the control mice for this phenotypic characterization were homozygous wild-type C57BL/6J
Glucose Metabolism, Lipid Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adult Turner's Syndrome: The impact of sex hormone replacement

OBJECTIVE To examine glucose metabolism, blood pressure, physical fitness, and lipid metabolism in adult untreated women with Turner's syndrome compared with a group of normal women and to examine the effects of female sex hormone substitution on these factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 26 patients with Turner's syndrome were examined before and during sex hormone replacement with 17β-estradiol and norethisterone, and an age-matched control group (n = 24) was examined once. A frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test was applied with minimal model assessment. We also performed an oral glucose tolerance test, measurement of 24-h ambulatory blood pressure, and assessment of physical fitness and lipid metabolism. RESULTS Insulin sensitivity (SI) and glucose effectiveness (SG) were similar in Turner's syndrome patients and control subjects, whereas the acute insulin response (P = 0.03) was lower in Turner's syndrome patients, and no change was seen during sex hormone treatment. Abnormal glucose tolerance was found in 50% of Turner's syndrome patients before and 78% during treatment with sex hormones. Fat-free mass (FFM; P = 0.0005) and physical fitness (P = 0.002) were lower in Turner=s syndrome subjects compared with control subjects. During treatment, an increase in FFM (P = 0.001) and physical fitness (P = 0.02) was seen in Turner's syndrome patients. Blood pressure was increased in Turner's syndrome, and a decrease was seen in diastolic blood pressure during treatment with sex hormones. CONCLUSIONS Turner's syndrome is associated with glucose intolerance, diminished first-phase insulin response, elevated blood pressure, reduced FFM, and physical fitness. Sex hormone administration causes a deterioration in glucose tolerance, increases FFM and physical fitness, and has beneficial effects on blood pressure. The deleterious effect on glucose tolerance may be mediated by norethisterone, a gestagen known to have androgenic effects.
Gender- and Gestational Age–Specific Body Fat Percentage at Birth

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that in utero growth has both immediate and far-reaching influence on health. Birth weight and length are used as surrogate measures of in utero growth. However, these measures poorly reflect neonatal adiposity. Air-displacement plethysmography has been validated for the measurement of body fat in the neonatal population. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to show the normal reference values of percentage body fat (%BF) in infants during the first 4 days of life. METHODS: As part of a large population-based birth cohort study, fat mass, fat-free mass, and %BF were measured within the first 4 days of life using air-displacement plethsymography. Infants were grouped into gestational age and gender categories. RESULTS: Of the 786 enrolled infants, fat mass, fat-free mass, and %BF were measured in 743 (94.5%) infants within the first 4 days of life. %BF increased significantly with gestational age. Mean (SD) %BF at 36 to 3767 weeks' gestation was 8.9% (3.5%); at 38 to 3967 weeks' gestation, 10.3% (4%); and at 40 to 4167 weeks' gestation, 11.2% (4.3%) (P < .001). Female infants had significantly increased mean (SD) %BF at 38 to 3967(11.1% [3.9%] vs 9.8% [3.9%]; P = .012) and at 40 to 4167 (12.5% [4.4%] vs 10% [3.9%]; P < .001) weeks' gestation compared with male infants. Gender- and gestational age–specific centiles were calculated, and a normative table was generated for reference. CONCLUSION: %BF at birth is influenced by gestational age and gender. We generated accurate %BF centiles from a large population-based cohort.
Addendum: Minimum Weighted Coloring of Triangulated Graphs, with Application to Maximum Weight Vertex Packing and Clique Finding in Arbitrary Graphs

Efficient algorithms are known for finding a maximum weight stable set, a minimum weighted clique covering, and a maximum weight clique of a vertex-weighted triangulated graph. However, there is no comparably efficient algorithm in the literature for finding a minimum weighted vertex coloring of such a graph. This paper gives an $O(|V|^2 )$ procedure for the problem (Algorithm 1). It then extends the procedure to the problem of finding in an arbitrary graph $G = (V,E)$ a maximal induced subgraph $G(W)$ color-equivalent (as defined in § 3) to a maximal triangulated subgraph $G(T)$ (Algorithm 2). Finally, it uses this latter algorithm as the main ingredient of a branch-and-bound procedure for the maximum weight clique problem in an arbitrary graph. Computational experience is presented on arbitrary random graphs with up to 2,000 vertices.
Posterior Layer Advancement of the Lower Eyelid Retractor in Involutional Entropion Repair

Purpose: To examine effectiveness of posterior layer advancement of the lower eyelid retractor in involutional entropion repair. Methods: Fifty lower eyelids (30 right and 20 left, average patient age 75.5 years) of 43 patients with involutional entropion underwent surgery. All cases were observed for at least 1 year postoperatively. During surgery, after detaching the anterior and posterior surfaces of the lower eyelid retractor, we positively advanced and fixed the posterior layer of the lower eyelid retractor to the tarsus. The anterior layer was used as reinforcement for the posterior layer. When lower eyelid retraction was intraoperatively observed, the suture was changed to fix to a more undercorrected position. Results: Of the 50 patients, only 1, who was the second case operated on, showed recurrent entropion 5 months postoperatively, but following a repeat operation using the same procedure no recurrence was seen in the next 2 years. Three eyelids showed a low degree of ectropion in the early postoperative period, but all improved within 1 month. No postoperative lower eyelid retraction was observed in any patient. Conclusions: Posterior layer advancement of the lower eyelid retractor is useful for entropion repair.
Hybrid Lightweight and Robust Encryption Design for Security in IoT

Pervasive computing is the emerging field that needs ultra lightweight secure designs. In this paper, we have proposed a robust hybrid structure by fusion of RECTANGLE, LED and SPECK. With the help of a hybrid design, we have improved the key scheduling aspect of LED and related key attacks which were neglected in the LED cipher. In this paper, we also aimed at providing robust architecture by reducing footprint area to as less as possible. By using the S-box of RECTANGLE and the bit slicing technique, clustering of linear and differential trails are avoided which also strengthens the cipher. S-box of RECTANGLE is perfectly interfaced with LED design as their combination results in a differential path probability which is has an upper bound of 2 -50 in its first round. The use of Bit slicing technique in this hybrid design results in good differential and linear properties, which provide resistance to cache and timing attacks. LED cipher which uses S-box of PRESENT results in clustering of linear and differential trails as Sbox of PRESENT is specifically designed for compact hardware implementation. Column wise substitution and robust S-box design of RECTANGLE will make LED design robust and secure and enables it to provide resistance against any type of attack. SPECK which is designed by NSA has compact key scheduling and is best suited for our hybrid design, which helps in improving key scheduling of LED. In this paper, we have introduced a novel approach for robust design by amalgam of S-box of RECTANGLE & LED structure, and key scheduling by SPECK. This hybrid cipher design is secure against linear and differential cryptanalysis.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with greater tumor size and poorer outcome in Merkel cell carcinoma patients

Merkel cell polyomavirus has been recognized to be associated with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), but the evolution of this cancer probably depends on various factors. Vitamin D deficiency, defined by serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels <50 nmol/L, seems to influence cancer behavior and progression, but has never been assessed in MCC patients.
Routine quantitative blood cultures in children with Haemophilus influenzae or Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia.

The potential clinical value of quantitative blood cultures determined by a commercially available lysis-direct plating method was studied in 50 children with either Haemophilus influenzae or Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteremia. The magnitude of bacteremia correlated with the severity of the infection; patients with greater than or equal to 100 colony-forming units per milliliter were significantly more likely to have meningitis (P less than .01, chi 2 = 7.5). On the other hand, all patients with S. pneumoniae bacteremia with colony counts lower than 15 colony-forming units per milliliter had "occult bacteremia" with no focus of infection. The data suggest that patients with higher levels of bacteremia have more severe disease. Quantitative blood culture results may be helpful in identifying which children are at risk for invasive disease.
B Cell Homeostasis Role of the Polymeric Ig Receptor in Mucosal

Secretory IgA (SIgA) is the most characteristic component of the mucosal immune system and has long been considered the major protective factor that prevents pathogens from invading hosts through the mucosae. Recent studies, however, have suggested that complete immunity against a range of mucosal bacterial and viral pathogens can be achieved in the absence of IgA. Therefore, to further dissect the role of SIgA, we generated mice deﬁcient in the polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR (cid:1) / (cid:1) mice). As a result of an inability to transport dimeric IgA to the secretions, pIgR (cid:1) / (cid:1) mice are deﬁcient in SIgA and accumulate circulating dimeric IgA, with serum levels 100-fold greater than those observed in normal mice. Examination of lamina propria mononuclear cells showed that pIgR (cid:1) / (cid:1) mice had (cid:1) 3 times as many IgA-secreting cells as C57BL/6 mice. Further analysis showed that these cells displayed the differentiated IgA (cid:2) B220 (cid:1) phenotype and accounted for a 2-fold increase in the number of lamina propria blast cells in the pIgR (cid:1) / (cid:1) mice. Subsequent experiments showed that OVA-speciﬁc CD4 (cid:2) T cell expansion following OVA feeding was not elevated in pIgR (cid:1) / (cid:1) mice. Furthermore, no differences in CD8 (cid:2) T cell tolerance or induction of inﬂuenza virus-speciﬁc CD8 (cid:2) T cells were detected in pIgR (cid:1) / (cid:1) mice compared with controls. Therefore, while SIgA is clearly involved in maintaining some parameters of mucosal homeostasis in the intestine, the mechanisms associated with its barrier function and the
Bradykinin enhances cell migration in human prostate cancer cells through B2 receptor/PKCδ/c‐Src dependent signaling pathway

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in men and shows a predilection for metastasis to the bone. Bradykinin (BK) is an inflammatory mediator, and shows elevated levels in regions of severe injury and inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether Bradykinin is associated with migration of prostate cancer cells.
Location of largest earthquake slip and fast rupture controlled by along‐strike change in fault structural maturity due to fault growth

Earthquake slip distributions are asymmetric along strike, but the reasons for the asymmetry are unknown. We address this question by establishing empirical relations between earthquake slip profiles and fault properties. We analyze the slip distributions of 27 large continental earthquakes in the context of available information on their causative faults, in particular on the directions of their long‐term lengthening. We find that the largest slips during each earthquake systematically occurred on that half of the ruptured fault sections most distant from the long‐term fault propagating tips, i.e., on the most mature half of the broken fault sections. Meanwhile, slip decreased linearly over most of the rupture length in the direction of long‐term fault propagation, i.e., of decreasing structural maturity along strike. We suggest that this earthquake slip asymmetry is governed by along‐strike changes in fault properties, including fault zone compliance and fault strength, induced by the evolution of off‐fault damage, fault segmentation, and fault planarity with increasing structural maturity. We also find higher rupture speeds in more mature rupture sections, consistent with predicted effects of low‐velocity damage zones on rupture dynamics. Since the direction(s) of long‐term fault propagation can be determined from geological evidence, it might be possible to anticipate in which direction earthquake slip, once nucleated, may increase, accelerate, and possibly lead to a large earthquake. Our results could thus contribute to earthquake hazard assessment and Earthquake Early Warning.
Defending Whole Language: The Limits of Phonics Instruction and the Efficacy of Whole Language Instruction.

The Reading Wars show no signs of stopping. There appear to be two factions: Those who support the Skill-Building hypothesis and those who support the Comprehension Hypothesis. The former claim that literacy is developed from the bottom up; the child learns to read by first learning to read outloud, by learning sound-spelling correspondences. This is done through explicit instruction, practice, and correction. This knowledge is first applied to words. Ultimately, the child uses this ability to read larger texts, as the knowledge of sound-spelling correspondences becomes automatic. According to this view, real reading of interesting texts is helpful only to the extent that it helps children "practice their skills. "
Global output feedback stabilization of a class of upper-triangular systems with input delay

This paper addresses the problem of global output feedback stabilization for a class of upper-triangular systems with delay in the input. By using a linear observer, a linear dynamic output feedback control law is explicitly constructed to globally stabilize the system. To dominate the nonlinear perturbing terms and handle the case with a larger input delay, a tunable scaling gain is introduced to the controller by using a coordinates change. With the help of appropriate Lyapunov-Krasoveskii functional and feedback domination approach, it is shown that upper-triangular nonlinear system with arbitrary large input delay can be globally stabilized by the proposed output feedback controller with appropriate gains.
Risk Factors and Neurological Outcomes of Neonatal Hypernatremia

Background: Hypernatremia might lead to neurological and developmental disabilities. This study aimed to determine the frequency, risk factors, and one-year neurological prognosis of hypernatremia in newborns. The findings of the present study may assist the prevention of hypernatremia mortality and complications. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on all neonates admitted to the neonatal ward and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Bahrami Children's Hospital, Tehran, Iran from September 2013 to September 2014. All the newborns, who were diagnosed with hypernatremia (serum sodium>150 mEq/L) were included in this study. The data were collected using a form, which included clinical symptoms and risk factors for neonatal hypernatremia in addition to the laboratory data. Additionally, the patients were subjected to the developmental examination for one year. Another form was used during the follow-up period to collect all the relevant data. Results: A total of 1,923 newborns were examined in the present study. The results demonstrated that 74 (3.8) neonates had sodium levels of >150 mEq/L. Furthermore, jaundice was found to be the most prevalent presentation of hypernatremia, which was reported in 57 of the admitted neonates. Additionally, weight loss was the most common observation on the follow-up examinations. Neonates admitted at older ages (>7 days) had higher sodium levels (160.71±8.98 mEq/L). There were 18 neonates with seizures before or during the hospitalization and 19 (25.7) cases showed abnormal development during the one-year follow-up. Moreover, a statistically significant relationship was observed between the abnormal development and the presence of seizure (OR: 2.543, CI: 1.358-4.763). Conclusion: The findings of the current study demonstrated the critical role of weighing the newborns 72-96 h after birth and monitoring for jaundice in the prevention of the neonatal hypernatremia. Furthermore, seizures in these patients were associated with an increased risk of future developmental problems; however, more studies are required in this regard.
Alcohol's Role in Men's Use of Coercion to Obtain Unprotected Sex

Past sexual victimization has been identified as a predictor of women's sexual risk-taking. In order to develop effective prevention and treatment programs, research is needed that examines perpetrators' characteristics. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine predictors of men's willingness to use coercive strategies to obtain sex without a condom. Male college students (n = 72) completed a survey that assessed past sexual assault perpetration, hostility, past misperception of women's sexual cues, usual alcohol consumption, and usual condom use. One month later, they participated in an alcohol administration study and watched a video about a couple in a consensual sexual situation. Participants were asked to evaluate how justified they would be in using a variety of coercive strategies to make the woman have unprotected sex. In hierarchical multiple regression analyses, there was a significant main effect of past perpetration such that men who had previously committed sexual assault felt more justified using coercive strategies to obtain unprotected sex than did nonperpetrators. Acute alcohol consumption did not have a main effect; however, it interacted with hostility and misperception. Among participants who consumed alcohol prior to watching the video, the greater their preexisting hostility, the more justified they felt in using coercion. Similarly, the more frequently drinkers had misperceived women's sexual intentions in the past, the more justified they felt in using coercion. Based on these findings, several specific suggestions are made for prevention and treatment programs, including targeted communication skills and normative feedback interventions.