Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Post-traumatic growth and psychosocial adjustment of daughters of breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To examine post-traumatic growth, or positive life changes, and its correlates among adult daughters of breast cancer survivors and to compare their psychosocial adjustment to women with healthy parents. DESIGN Descriptive, cross-sectional survey. SETTING Outpatient oncology units in two urban hospitals and two breast cancer organizations. SAMPLE 30 adult daughters of breast cancer survivors (mean age = 38.1 years) and 16 women with healthy parents. METHODS Participants were recruited by hospital or research staff or responded to an announcement in a newsletter. Respondents completed the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory and standardized assessments of psychosocial adjustment. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Post-traumatic growth and demographic, stressor, and psychosocial variables. FINDINGS Women who cared for their mothers following breast cancer diagnosis and perceived their mothers' illness to be stressful reported greater post-traumatic growth. Life satisfaction, social support, emotional processing strategies, and problem-focused coping strategies also were positively associated with growth. Women with maternal histories of breast cancer and those with healthy parents did not differ in psychosocial well-being, including affect, life satisfaction, and social support. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that some daughters of breast cancer survivors experience positive life changes following their mothers' illness. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING For nurses seeking to adopt a holistic approach to practice, the personal growth of women following life-threatening familial illness warrants attention.
A 38 kb segment containing the cdc2 gene from the left arm of fission yeast chromosome II: sequence analysis and characterization of the genomic DNA and cDNAs encoded on the segment

A genomic 38 kbp segment on the c1750 cosmid clone containing the cdc2 gene, located in the left arm of chromosome II from Schizosaccharomyces pombe, was sequenced. The segment was found to have five previously known genes, pht1, cdc2, his3, act1 and mei4. Among 11 coding sequences (CDSs) predicted by the gene finding software INTRON.PLOT. , four CDSs, pi007, pi010, pi014 and pi016, had considerable similarity to 40S ribosomal protein, glycosyltransferase, cdc2‐related protein kinase and α‐1,2‐mannosyltransferase, respectively. Another unusually huge open reading frame (ORF) (pi011), consisting of 2233 amino acids, existed, having significant homology to α‐amylase, granule‐bound glycogen synthase and the Sz. pombe YS 1110 clone product at the N‐terminal, middle and C‐terminal regions, respectively. All the predicted 11 CDSs were experimentally analysed by RACE PCR. The sequencing of the RACE products revealed that there were two small overlaps at the 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) between pi004 and pi005 (17 bp) and between pi007 and pi008 (2 bp). The distances between 5′ end of the 5′UTR and the putative translation initiation codon varied from 10 to 302 nucleotides (nt) among the nine CDSs successfully analysed by 5′‐RACE. The expression level of each CDS on this clone was determined. Among the 16 genes on this clone, the previously determined genes, pht1, cdc2, his3 and act1, were found to be most highly expressed. Finally, cDNAs of all the newly identified genes were detected by RACE, proving the actual expression of these genes. The nucleotide sequence has been submitted to the EMBL database under Accession No. AB004534. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
“I'm healthy, I don't have pain”- health screening participation and its association with chronic pain in a low socioeconomic status Singaporean population

Background We sought to determine the association between chronic pain and participating in routine health screening in a low socioeconomic-status (SES) rental-flat community in Singapore. In Singapore, ≥ 85% own homes; public rental flats are reserved for those with low-income. Methods Chronic pain was defined as pain ≥ 3 months. From 2009−2014, residents aged 40−60 years in five public rental-flat enclaves were surveyed for chronic pain; participation in health screening was also measured. We compared them to residents staying in adjacent owner-occupied public housing. We also conducted a qualitative study to better understand the relationship between chronic pain and health screening participation amongst residents in these low-SES enclaves. Results In the rental-flat population, chronic pain was associated with higher participation in screening for diabetes (aOR = 2.11, CI = 1.36−3.27, P < 0.001), dyslipidemia (aOR = 2.06, CI = 1.25−3.39, P = 0.005), colorectal cancer (aOR = 2.28, CI = 1.18−4.40, P = 0.014), cervical cancer (aOR = 2.65, CI = 1.34−5.23, P = 0.005) and breast cancer (aOR = 3.52, CI = 1.94−6.41, P < 0.001); this association was not present in the owner-occupied population. Three main themes emerged from our qualitative analysis of the link between chronic pain and screening participation: pain as an association of “major illness”; screening as a search for answers to pain; and labelling pain as an end in itself. Conclusions Chronic pain was associated with higher cardiovascular and cancer screening participation in the low-SES population. In low-SES populations with limited access to pain management services, chronic pain issues may surface during routine health screening.
Real-Time SURF-Based Video Stabilization System for an FPGA-Driven Mobile Robot

Mobile robots are used for search and rescue purposes in emergency informatics. The robots typically carry a vision system to gather information about the environment and pass on to remotely located rescue teams. When the robot moves, in view of the uneven nature of the terrain, the camera is subjected to vibrations and as a result, the transmitted videos tend to be unclear. Further, real-time data collection and processing are critical for quick action by rescue personnel. In this paper, we explore a robust and high-performance approach for video stabilization. In particular, we develop a systolic array for interest point detection and description, key phases in the speeded-up robust features (SURF) approach for finding point correspondences between two images of a scene. The systolic array is then used as part of a pipelined architecture for video stabilization. The entire architecture is ported on to a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for real-time video stabilization on a mobile robot. Experiments with the FPGA-driven robot in our laboratory and institute corridors validate the efficacy of the proposed strategy.
From Water and Ions to Crowded Biomacromolecules: In Vivo Structuring of a Prokaryotic Cell

SUMMARY The interactions and processes which structure prokaryotic cytoplasm (water, ions, metabolites, and biomacromolecules) and ensure the fidelity of the cell cycle are reviewed from a physicochemical perspective. Recent spectroscopic and biological evidence shows that water has no active structuring role in the cytoplasm, an unnecessary notion still entertained in the literature; water acts only as a normal solvent and biochemical reactant. Subcellular structuring arises from localizations and interactions of biomacromolecules and from the growth and modifications of their surfaces by catalytic reactions. Biomacromolecular crowding is a fundamental physicochemical characteristic of cells in vivo. Though some biochemical and physiological effects of crowding (excluded volume effect) have been documented, crowding assays with polyglycols, dextrans, etc., do not properly mimic the compositional variety of biomacromolecules in vivo. In vitro crowding assays are now being designed with proteins, which better reflect biomacromolecular environments in vivo, allowing for hydrophobic bonding and screened electrostatic interactions. I elaborate further the concept of complex vectorial biochemistry, where crowded biomacromolecules structure the cytosol into electrolyte pathways and nanopools that electrochemically “wire” the cell. Noncovalent attractions between biomacromolecules transiently supercrowd biomacromolecules into vectorial, semiconducting multiplexes with a high (35 to 95%)-volume fraction of biomacromolecules; consequently, reservoirs of less crowded cytosol appear in order to maintain the experimental average crowding of ∼25% volume fraction. This nonuniform crowding model allows for fast diffusion of biomacromolecules in the uncrowded cytosolic reservoirs, while the supercrowded vectorial multiplexes conserve the remarkable repeatability of the cell cycle by preventing confusing cross talk of concurrent biochemical reactions.
Papillary thyroid carcinoma with BRAFV600E mutation: sonographic prediction.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to assess the clinical and sonographic findings that can predict the presence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation of a papillary thyroid carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included 135 consecutive patients with surgically confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma. All patients underwent ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. The BRAF(V600E) mutation was determined using allelespecific polymerase chain reaction and direct DNA sequencing from fine-needle aspiration samples. We retrospectively compared the clinical and ultrasound findings of nodules with and without the mutation, including size, margin, shape, calcifications, echogenicity, and ultrasound diagnosis. RESULTS Of 135 patients, results were positive for the mutation for 106 patients (79%) and negative for 29 (21%). Among the patients with the BRAF(V600E) mutation, the ratio of men to women was 1:5.2 (p = 0.156), and the mean age was 47 years (range, 26-73 years; p = 0.326). The mean tumor size was 0.9 cm (range, 0.3-4.0 cm; p = 0.099). On ultrasound, papillary thyroid carcinomas with the BRAF(V600E) mutation tended to show a taller-than-wide shape, but this finding was not statistically significant (p = 0.055). The BRAF(V600E) mutation was not associated with the presence of calcifications (54% vs 71%; p = 0.032), although it was not an independent predictor. There were no significant differences in tumor echogenicity, tumor margin, and ultrasound diagnosis between the two groups. CONCLUSION Papillary thyroid carcinoma with the BRAF(V600E) mutation tends to be taller than wide and is not associated with the presence of calcifications on ultrasound. However, these findings are not specific enough to predict the presence or absence of the BRAF(V600E) mutation of a papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Wearable GPS patch antenna on jeans fabric

In this work a wearable GPS adhesive copper sheet patch antenna on jeans fabric is designed, simulated and tested including the human body impact and specific absorption rate (SAR). The proposed textile antenna operates at the GPS L1 band (1575.42 MHz) and it has been designed by means of the commercial full 3D electromagnetic CST Microwave Studio simulator. The original textile antenna presents a -13.6 dB return loss at the GPS L1 frequency band with a fractional bandwidth of BW = 3% (at S11 = -10 dB), with a gain G = 1.7 dBi and efficiency η = 23.1%. A homogeneous phantom has been considered in order to simulate the SAR in the leg of an average human body. The impact of the human body on the antenna performance implies a detuning frequency of 1.6% and G = 1.2 dBi; η = 19% at the GPS operation frequency. In addition, several bending scenarios have been simulated to determine the degradation of the return loss, realized gain and efficiency. The proposed antenna is compliant with specific absorption rate (SAR) requirements from the IEEE C95.3 standard.
Somatic mutations of the lysyl oxidase gene on chromosome 5q23.1 in colorectal tumors

Lysyl oxidase (LOX), a copper‐dependent amine oxidase, has been implicated in tumor suppression and cell growth regulation. The chromosomal locus of LOX, 5q23, is affected by loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in colon cancer, suggesting that the LOX gene could be affected by LOH and consequently, loss or reduction of LOX function contribute to the tumorigenic process. Identification of microsatellite markers within the LOX locus has allowed us to map the LOX gene within the 5q23.1 region. Analysis of this locus and flanking loci in matched tumor and blood DNA samples from a panel of colorectal cancer patients, demonstrated that 38% (16/42) of informative samples were affected by LOH or allelic imbalance. Furthermore, 75% (6/8) of these tumor samples were shown to have significantly reduced LOX mRNA levels. Similar reduction in LOX levels were detected in a panel of matched normal colon and colon tumor samples. Tumor samples demonstrating LOH by RFLP, were subject to mutational analysis, including RT‐PCR, exonic deletion detection by PCR, cDNA and genomic DNA sequencing, and were found to have a spectrum of alterations and mutations affecting the LOX gene. These results confirm that loss or reduction of LOX function during tumor development is a direct consequence of somatic mutations and is associated with colon tumor pathogenesis. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immune responses to Epstein–Barr virus lytic proteins in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Immune responses to three Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) lytic proteins, DNase, thymidine kinase (TK), and BMRF‐1 gene products (50/52 kDa diffused early antigen, EA‐D complex) were determined in EBV‐infected control individuals and patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Immunofluorescence assays (IFA) were used to detect their humoral immune responses using recombinant EBV lytic proteins expressed in a baculovirus system as antigens. Cell proliferation assays were performed to evaluate their cellular immune responses by monitoring 3H‐thymidine incorporation. Seventy patients with NPC and 32 non‐cancer controls were analyzed. The results of IFA showed antibody titers to all three EBV lytic proteins to be higher in the patients with NPC especially for the IgA class. Positivity rates of the three IgA antibodies also were higher in the patients with NPC population. Furthermore, the profiles of the IgA antibodies correlated with those to total early antigens (EA) expressed in the early phase and viral capsid antigen (VCA) expressed in the late phase, of EBV replication. The most interesting finding was that antibody titers to the three EBV lytic proteins were associated significantly with metastases of cervical lymph nodes in patients with NPC. As for cellular immunity to the EA‐D complex and DNase, weak responses were observed in the cell proliferation assays. Peripheral blood cells from most individuals could not be stimulated to proliferate, except for a few patients with NPC whose antibody titers against the EA‐D complex and DNase also were very high. J. Med. Virol. 73:574–582, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The isolation of heavy-metal resistant culturable bacteria and resistance determinants from a heavy-metal-contaminated site

In this study we performed a phylogenetic analysis of a culturable bacterial community isolated from heavymetal-contaminated soil from southwest Slovakia using 16S rRNA (16S rDNA) and heavy-metal resistance genes. The soil sample contained high concentrations of nickel (2,109 mg/kg), cobalt (355 mg/kg) and zinc (177 mg/kg), smaller concentrations of iron (35.75 mg/kg) and copper (32.2 mg/kg), and a trace amount of cadmium (<0.25 mg/kg). A total of 100 isolates were grown on rich (Nutrient agar No. 2) or minimal (soil-extract agar medium) medium. The isolates were identified by phylogenetic analysis using partial sequences of their 16S rRNA (16S rDNA) genes. Representatives of two broad taxonomic groups, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, were found on rich medium, whereas four taxonomic groups, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, were represented on minimal medium. Forty-two isolates grown on rich medium were assigned to 20 bacterial species, while 58 bacteria grown on minimal medium belonged to 49 species. Twenty-three isolates carried czcA- and/or nccA-like heavy-metal-resistance determinants. The heavy-metalresistance genes of nine isolates were identified by phylogenetic analysis of their protein sequences.
Anãlise comparativa de heurísticas para avaliação de jogos digitais

Heuristic evaluation can potentially identify issues related to the interface and playability of digital games, as long as an adequate set of heuristics is used. However, heuristic sets proposed in the literature have an excessive number of items and some are not specific enough to reveal issues. In this work, we propose a set of compiled heuristics for digital game evaluation. We compared the performance of the novel set with a set from the literature and conclude that, even though the novel set has roughly half the items, it allowed the identification of the same number of issues in two games. The description of the identified issues was slightly more specific.
Burkholderia cenocepacia Requires the RpoN Sigma Factor for Biofilm Formation and Intracellular Trafficking within Macrophages

ABSTRACT Chronic respiratory infections by Burkholderia cenocepacia in cystic fibrosis patients are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but virulence factors determining the persistence of the infection in the airways are not well characterized. Using a chronic pulmonary infection model, we previously identified an attenuated mutant with an insertion in a gene encoding an RpoN activator protein, suggesting that RpoN and/or components of the RpoN regulon play a role in B. cenocepacia virulence. In this study, we demonstrate that a functional rpoN gene is required for bacterial motility and biofilm formation in B. cenocepacia K56-2. Unlike other bacteria, RpoN does not control flagellar biosynthesis, as evidenced by the presence of flagella in the rpoN mutant. We also demonstrate that, in macrophages, the rpoN mutant is rapidly trafficked to lysosomes while intracellular wild-type B. cenocepacia localizes in bacterium-containing vacuoles that exhibit a pronounced delay in phagolysosomal fusion. Rapid trafficking to the lysosomes is also associated with the release of red fluorescent protein into the vacuolar lumen, indicating loss of bacterial cell envelope integrity. Although a role for RpoN in motility and biofilm formation has been previously established, this study is the first demonstration that the RpoN regulon in B. cenocepacia is involved in delaying phagolysosomal fusion, thereby prolonging bacterial intracellular survival within macrophages.
Distribution and Organization of Auxotrophic Genes on the Multichromosomal Genome of Burkholderia multivorans ATCC 17616

ABSTRACT The Burkholderia multivorans strain ATCC 17616 carries three circular chromosomes with sizes of 3.4, 2.5, and 0.9 Mb. To determine the distribution and organization of the amino acid biosynthetic genes on the genome of this β-proteobacterium, various auxotrophic mutations were isolated using a Tn5 derivative that was convenient not only for the determination of its insertion site on the genome map but also for the structural analysis of the flanking regions. Analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that 20 out of 23 insertion mutations were distributed on the 3.4-Mb chromosome. More detailed analysis of the his, trp, arg, and lys mutations and their flanking regions revealed the following properties of these auxotrophic genes: (i) all nine his genes were clustered on the 3.4-Mb chromosome; (ii) seven trp genes were organized within two distinct regions, i.e., a trpEGDC cluster on the 3.4-Mb chromosome and a trpFBA cluster on the 2.5-Mb chromosome; (iii) the leu gene cluster, leuCDB, was also located close to the trpFBA cluster; and (iv) lysA and argG genes were located on the 2.5-Mb chromosome, in contrast to the argH gene, which was located on the 3.4-Mb chromosome. Southern hybridization analysis, allelic exchange mutagenesis of ATCC 17616, and complementation tests demonstrated that all of the genes examined were functional and existed as a single copy within the genome. The present findings also indicated that the 2.5-Mb chromosome carried various auxotrophic genes with no structural or functional counterparts on the remaining two chromosomes.
Antioxidant enzymes, glutathione and lipid peroxidation in peripheral blood of children affected by coeliac disease

Background: Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of coeliac disease. The aim of this study was to examine the modulation of the biochemical response to oxidative stress in untreated and treated coeliac disease. Methods: The study involved peripheral blood samples from 39 paediatric patients (18 with active, 11 with silent form of the disease, 10 on gluten-free diet [GFD]) and 30 control subjects. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as the concentrations of total glutathione (GSH) and lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) were determined in patients and controls. Results: In comparison to the controls, a significant increase in SOD activity was found in the active group (P<0.05), while CAT activity was elevated in GFD group (P<0.05). GPx activity was lower in patients than in controls (active and silent, P<0.001; GFD, P<0.01). GSH contents were significantly reduced in all patient groups (P<0.001) as well, while the concentration of LOOH was elevated in active and silent group (P<0.001). The concentration of LOOH correlated negatively with the activity of GPx (r = -0.32, P<0.01) and the concentration of GSH (r = -0.70, P<0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between the concentration of GSH and the activity of GPx (r = 0.57, P<0.001). Conclusions: The results show evidence of increased oxidative stress in untreated coeliac disease. Although LOOH were not significantly elevated in the GFD group, changes in antioxidant enzyme activities and GSH content demonstrate that oxidative stress persists even in treated patients.
Genotypic differences in partial resistance to crown rot caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum in relation to an osmoregulation gene in wheat

Both crown rot and osmoregulation are expressed when wheat plants undergo water stress. A possible genetic linkage between high osmoregulation and partial resistance to crown rot was investigated by using lines that had been bred for high osmoregulation (or gene) from parents with low osmoregulation and varying crown rot resistances. Analysis of the incidence and severity of the disease showed no association with the presence or absence of the or gene.
Resuscitation of a Defective Prophage in Salmonella Cocultures

ABSTRACT Widely studied Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strains ATCC 14028s and SL1344 harbor a cryptic ST64B prophage unable to produce infectious virions. We found that coculturing either strain with an isogenic sibling lacking the prophage leads to the appearance of active forms of the virus. Active phage originates from reversion of a +1 frameshift mutation at a monotonous G:C run in a presumptive tail assembly pseudogene.