Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IpgB1 Is a Novel Shigella Effector Protein Involved in Bacterial Invasion of Host Cells

Shigella, the causative agent of bacillary dysentery, is capable of inducing the large scale membrane ruffling required for the bacterial invasion of host cells. Shigella secrete a subset of effectors via the type III secretion system (TTSS) into the host cells to induce membrane ruffling. Here, we show that IpgB1 is secreted via the TTSS into epithelial cells and plays a major role in producing membrane ruffles via stimulation of Rac1 and Cdc42 activities, thus promoting bacterial invasion of epithelial cells. The invasiveness of the ipgB1 mutant was decreased to less than 50% of the wild-type level (100%) in a gentamicin protection or plaque forming assay. HeLa cells infected with the wild-type or a IpgB1-hyperproducing strain developed membrane ruffles, with the invasiveness and the scale of membrane ruffles being comparable with the level of IpgB1 production in bacteria. Upon expression of EGFP-IpgB1 in HeLa cells, large membrane ruffles are extended, where the EGFP-IpgB1 was predominantly associated with the cytoplasmic membrane. The IpgB1-mediated formation of ruffles was significantly diminished by expressing Rac1 small interfering RNA and Cdc42 small interfering RNA or by treatment with GGTI-298, an inhibitor of the geranylgeranylation of Rho GTPases. When IpgB1 was expressed in host cells or wild-type Shigella-infected host cells, Rac1 and Cdc42 were activated. The results thus indicate that IpgB1 is a novel Shigella effector involved in bacterial invasion of epithelial cells via the activation of Rho GTPases.
Molecular and clinical characterization of human respiratory syncytial virus in South Korea between 2009 and 2014

SUMMARY Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause serious respiratory infections, second only to influenza virus. In order to know RSV's genetic changes we examined 4028 respiratory specimens from local hospital outpatients in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea over six consecutive years by real-time one-step RT–PCR; 183 patients were positive for RSV infection. To investigate the specific distribution of RSV genotypes, we performed partial sequencing of the glycoprotein gene. Of the 131 RSV-A specimens sequenced, 61 (43·3%) belonged to the ON1 genotype, 66 (46·8%) were NA1 genotype, 3 (2·1%) were GA5 genotype, and 1 (0·7%) belonged to the GA1 genotype. Of the 31 RSV-B specimens sequenced, 29 were BA9 genotype (87·9%) and 2 were BA10 genotype (6·1%). The most common clinical symptoms were fever, cough, nasal discharge, and phlegm; multiple logistic regression analysis showed that RSV-positive infection on pediatric patients was strongly associated with cough (OR = 2·8, 95% CI 1·6–5·1) and wheezing (OR = 2·8, 95% CI 1·7–4·4). The ON1 genotype was significantly associated with phlegm (OR = 11·8, 95% CI 3·8–46·7), while the NA1 genotype was associated with the pediatric patients’ gender (males, OR = 2·4, 95% CI 1·1–5·4) and presence of chills (OR = 5·1, 95% CI 1·1–27·2). RSV subgroup B was showed association with nasal obstruction (OR = 4·6, 95% CI 1·2–20·0). The majority of respiratory virus coinfections with RSV were human rhinovirus (47·2%). This study contributes to our understanding of the molecular epidemiological characteristics of RSV, which promotes the potential for improving RSV vaccines.
Tuning the Aggressive TCP Behavior for Highly Concurrent HTTP Connections in Intra-Datacenter

Modern data centers host diverse hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP)-based services, which employ persistent transmission control protocol (TCP) connections to send HTTP requests and responses. However, the ON/OFF pattern of HTTP traffic disturbs the increase of TCP congestion window, potentially triggering packet loss at the beginning of ON period. Furthermore, the transmission performance becomes worse due to severe congestion in the concurrent transfer of HTTP response. In this paper, we provide the first extensive study to investigate the root cause of performance degradation of highly concurrent HTTP connections in data center network. We further present the design and implementation of TCP-TRIM, which employs probe packets to smooth the aggressive increase of congestion window in persistent TCP connection and leverages congestion detection and control at end-host to limit the growth of switch queue length under highly concurrent TCP connections. The experimental results of at-scale simulations and real implementations demonstrate that TCP-TRIM reduces the completion time of HTTP response by up to 80%, while introducing little deployment overhead only at the end hosts.
Saving golf courses from business troubles

ABSTRACT Utilizing a discrete choice experiment, this study attempts to provide improved knowledge regarding how golf tourists arrive at complex trade-offs between different golfing constraints and resort to diverse negotiation strategies to attenuate the effect of those constraining factors. With a study sample of Korean golf tourists, we find that respondents place distinctive weights on several golf course attributes representing various types of golfing constraints to attain the greatest enjoyment. Among a range of barriers to golf trip participation, golf tourists place the highest importance on structural constraints associated with limited personal time resources and inadequate access to golf courses. The study results substantiate golf tourists’ heterogeneous preferences for negotiation strategies, which are dependent upon their levels of golf specialization. Multiple management suggestions are developed to help golf course professionals adapt to the gradually challenging business environment.
Clinical Utility of the Mini-Mental Status Examination When Assessing Decision-Making Capacity

The main objectives of this study were to examine the relationship between cognitive deficits, as measured by the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), and decision-making capacity and to determine whether the sensitivity and specificity of the MMSE varied based upon the patient population assessed. Using a sample size of 152 patients and varying cutoff scores, the MMSE demonstrated extremely poor sensitivity. In contrast, the MMSE had excellent specificity when scores of 19 or less were obtained. In our sample, not one patient, regardless of diagnosis, was deemed to have capacity if their MMSE score was below 20. However, reliance on the MMSE for scores above 19 would too frequently lead to misclassification and incorrect assumptions about a patient’s decision-making abilities. Although a score below 20 consistently yielded findings of incapability in our sample, it remains our opinion that the MMSE should not be used as a stand-alone tool to make determinations related to capacity, especially when considering the complexities associated with capacity evaluations and the vital areas, such as executive functioning and individual values and beliefs, which are omitted by the MMSE.
A Drosophila model identifies calpains as modulators of the human leukemogenic fusion protein AML1-ETO

The t(8:21)(q22;q22) translocation is 1 of the most common chromosomal abnormalities linked to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AML1-ETO, the product of this translocation, fuses the N-terminal portion of the RUNX transcription factor AML1 (also known as RUNX1), including its DNA-binding domain, to the almost entire transcriptional corepressor ETO (also known as MTG8 or RUNX1T1). This fusion protein acts primarily by interfering with endogenous AML1 function during myeloid differentiation, although relatively few genes are known that participate with AML1-ETO during leukemia progression. Here, we assessed the consequences of expressing this chimera in Drosophila blood cells. Reminiscent of what is observed in AML, AML1-ETO specifically inhibited the differentiation of the blood cell lineage whose development depends on the RUNX factor Lozenge (LZ) and induced increased numbers of LZ+ progenitors. Using an in vivo RNAi-based screen for suppressors of AML1-ETO, we identified calpainB as required for AML1-ETO-induced blood cell disorders in Drosophila. Remarkably, calpain inhibition triggered AML1-ETO degradation and impaired the clonogenic potential of the human t(8;21) leukemic blood cell line Kasumi-1. Therefore Drosophila provides a promising genetically tractable model to investigate the conserved basis of leukemogenesis and to open avenues in AML therapy.
Circulating MicroRNA-122 Is Associated With the Risk of New-Onset Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes

MicroRNA-122 (miR-122) is abundant in the liver and involved in lipid homeostasis, but its relevance to the long-term risk of developing metabolic disorders is unknown. We therefore measured circulating miR-122 in the prospective population-based Bruneck Study (n = 810; survey year 1995). Circulating miR-122 was associated with prevalent insulin resistance, obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and an adverse lipid profile. Among 92 plasma proteins and 135 lipid subspecies quantified with mass spectrometry, it correlated inversely with zinc-α-2-glycoprotein and positively with afamin, complement factor H, VLDL-associated apolipoproteins, and lipid subspecies containing monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Proteomics analysis of livers from antagomiR-122–treated mice revealed novel regulators of hepatic lipid metabolism that are responsive to miR-122 inhibition. In the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT, n = 155), 12-month atorvastatin reduced circulating miR-122. A similar response to atorvastatin was observed in mice and cultured murine hepatocytes. Over up to 15 years of follow-up in the Bruneck Study, multivariable adjusted risk ratios per one-SD higher log miR-122 were 1.60 (95% CI 1.30–1.96; P < 0.001) for metabolic syndrome and 1.37 (1.03–1.82; P = 0.021) for type 2 diabetes. In conclusion, circulating miR-122 is strongly associated with the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in the general population.
Magnitude and Economic Impact of Inappropriate Use of Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis in Non-ICU Hospitalized Patients

BACKGROUND:Although administration of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) has been recommended for specific patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting, this practice has been extrapolated to care of non-ICU patients without evidence to support need or efficacy.AIMS:To examine the practice of SUP in non-ICU patients in a university hospital setting, with specific attention to resource utilization.METHODS:Retrospective chart review of adult non-ICU admissions to one family medicine and five general internal medicine teaching services over a consecutive 4-month period. Proportion of patients prescribed SUP was ascertained after exclusion of patients admitted on antisecretory therapy (AST) or prescribed AST for non-SUP indications. Annual cost estimates were calculated assuming full compliance.RESULTS:Of 1,769 patient admissions, 22% received SUP and 54% of these were discharged home on AST. None of these patients met evidence-based criteria for appropriate SUP. Inpatient SUP cost $11,024 over the 4 months of the study ($44,096 annually), and outpatient costs based on discharge prescriptions were $16,924 ($67,695 annually), yielding a total cost expenditure of $27,948 ($111,791 annually). CONCLUSION:SUP is overutilized in the non-ICU setting, and patients are often discharged unnecessarily on AST, resulting in significant cost expenditure. Interventions to ensure appropriate use of SUP should decrease resource expenditures without detrimental impact on quality of care.
Effect of beta-blockade on mortality among high-risk and low-risk patients after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND Long-term administration of beta-adrenergic blockers to patients after myocardial infarction improves survival. However, physicians are reluctant to administer beta-blockers to many patients, such as older patients and those with chronic pulmonary disease, left ventricular dysfunction, or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction. METHODS The medical records of 201,752 patients with myocardial infarction were abstracted by the Cooperative Cardiovascular Project, which was sponsored by the Health Care Financing Administration. Using a Cox proportional-hazards model that accounted for multiple factors that might influence survival, we compared mortality among patients treated with beta-blockers with mortality among untreated patients during the two years after myocardial infarction. RESULTS A total of 34 percent of the patients received beta-blockers. The percentage was lower among the very elderly, blacks, and patients with the lowest ejection fractions, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, elevated serum creatinine concentrations, or type 1 diabetes mellitus. Nevertheless, mortality was lower in every subgroup of patients treated with beta-blockade than in untreated patients. In patients with myocardial infarction and no other complications, treatment with beta-blockers was associated with a 40 percent reduction in mortality. Mortality was also reduced by 40 percent in patients with non-Q-wave infarction and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Blacks, patients 80 years old or older, and those with a left ventricular ejection fraction below 20 percent, serum creatinine concentration greater than 1.4 mg per deciliter (124 micromol per liter), or diabetes mellitus had a lower percentage reduction in mortality. Given, however, the higher mortality rates in these subgroups, the absolute reduction in mortality was similar to or greater than that among patients with no specific risk factors. CONCLUSIONS After myocardial infarction, patients with conditions that are often considered contraindications to beta-blockade (such as heart failure, pulmonary disease, and older age) and those with nontransmural infarction benefit from beta-blocker therapy.
Prevalence of Patent Foramen Ovale in Ischaemic Stroke in Italy: Results of SISIFO Study

Background: Although several authors have studied the association between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and ischaemic stroke, the matter is still controversial; few have suggested an association between cryptogenetic stroke and PFO, while others have denied this association. The aim of this study was to evaluate PFO prevalence in the whole ischaemic stroke population, independently from age and stroke subtypes and to identify the characteristics associated with the presence of PFO. Methods: SISIFO study was a multicenter, prospective, single-wave, cross-sectional survey conducted on consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to selected clinical centres. Data regarding vascular risk factors were registered for each patient; all patients underwent computed tomography scan and/or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain; an electrocardiogram and standard laboratory blood tests were performed. A Doppler ultrasound study of extra-cranial arteries was performed too. The cases were classified according to TOAST and OCSP criteria. Each patient underwent transcranial Doppler or transcranial color-coded duplex sonography with bubble test as diagnostic tool for right-to-left-shunt. Where right-to-left shunt was detected, PFO presence was confirmed by echocardiography. Findings: 1,130 consecutive patients were included. We found a PFO in 247 (21.9%; 95% CI, 19.5-24.3%) patients; PFO was present in 23.5% of patients with cryptogenic stroke and in 21.3% of patients with stroke of known causes; this difference was not statistically significant. At the univariate analysis, decreasing age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and atrial fibrillation, and stroke characteristics such as NIHSS, OCSP and TOAST were predictors of PFO presence. At the multivariate analysis, we found a significant interaction between age and OCSP syndrome. Being LACI the reference category, the prevalence of PFO in PACI and POCI decreased significantly along with age, whereas there was no change in TACI. Conclusion: If any relationship exists between stroke and PFO, this is more likely in PACI and POCI at a younger age. Our results are consistent with recent findings that underline PFO alone must not be considered a significant independent predictor for stroke; so the presence of PFO alone doesn't permit rushed causal correlations or ‘therapeutic aggressiveness'.
Developing a Strategy to Define the Effects of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 on Gene Expression Profile in Cardiomyocytes

Insulin-likegrowth factor (IGF)-1 activates intracellular signaling pathways and regulatesmyocardial structure and function. This study used DNA microarray to definethe effects of IGF-1 on gene expression in cardiomyocytes. Despite DNAmicroarray becoming a popular tool for profiling gene expression, thespecificity of DNA microarray results is rarely addressed. Our data showedthat the specificity of a DNA microarray study can be increased by repetitiveexperiments and by excluding minimally expressed genes. In this study, thefalse-positive rates were reduced to <0.2%. Future DNA microarray studiesshould incorporate a proper strategy to minimize false-positive results. IGF-1modulates the expression of genes in 17 functional categories, but most genesclustered around the regulation of intracellular signaling, cell cycle,transcription/translation, cellular respiration and mitochondrial function,cell survival, ion channels and calcium signaling, and humoral factors. Tofurther explore whether extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) andphosphatidylinositol (PI) 3 kinase specifically regulate different sets ofgenes, the effects of IGF-1 were inhibited with PD98059 or LY294002. Theresults showed that the majority of genes regulated by IGF-1 requiredactivation of both ERK and PI 3 kinase. Thus, PI 3 kinase and ERK coordinatelymediate the transcriptional regulatory effects of IGF-1 in cardiac musclecells. These findings provide novel insight into how IGF-1 signaling modulatesthe programming of cardiac muscle geneexpression.
Pitfalls in Systemic-Risk Scoring

We identify a potential bias in the methodology disclosed in July 2013 by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) for identifying systemically important financial banks. Contrary to the original objective, the relative importance of the five categories of risk importance (size, cross-jurisdictional activity, interconnectedness, substitutability/financial institution infrastructure, and complexity) may not be equal and the resulting systemic risk scores are mechanically dominated by the most volatile categories. In practice, this bias proved to be serious enough that the substitutability category had to be capped by the BCBS. We show that the bias can be removed by simply standardizing each input prior to computing the systemic risk scores.
Self-Harm and Suicide Attempts in Individuals with Bulimia Nervosa

Self-harm has been identified as a clinical feature in at least a subgroup of women with bulimia nervosa. We explored how women with bulimia who engage in self-harming behaviors differ from women with bulimia without self-harming behaviors and from women with bulimia who attempt suicide with lethal intent. We compared features of the eating disorder, Axis I and II comorbidity, and Eating Disorder Inventory and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) scores across 19 women with bulimia who engaged in self-harming behaviors, 28 women with bulimia who reported suicide attempts with lethal intent, and 105 women with bulimia with no self-harming or suicidal behaviors. Women with bulimia nervosa and self-harm behaviors reported significantly more laxative abuse and drug abuse in general. Bulimic women with suicide attempts had the highest rates of overall comorbidity across the three groups. Individuals with self-harm scored significantly higher on the self-transcendence scale of the TCI. Bulimic women with self-harming behaviors appear to engage in more drug taking behavior--both associated with the eating disorder (laxatives) and in terms of illicit drug use. Overall, the highest rates of Axis I and Axis II comorbidity were associated with individuals with suicide attempts. High scores on self-transcendence may signal a greater sense of dissociation and disconnectedness in bulimic women who self-harm.
Beyond mere information transfer: The importance of a relational approach to market-related internal communication

ABSTRACT Despite the significance of relationship management in any information provision or exchange, public relations scholarship has typically focused on examining the underlying internal communication processes from a transactional perspective. These processes are frequently associated with organizational information dissemination, overlooking other critical contents to make strategic decisions. This study draws market information processing into the debate about internal communication, providing a greater understanding of how a relational approach can improve market intelligence dissemination. Results show that an effective management of market knowledge requires the use of such an approach, which in turn, cultivates the shared interpretation of market information and innovation performance. The findings stimulate fresh discussion about the nature and development of internal communication knowledge and practice.
Fast decoding of rank-codes with rank errors and column erasures

This paper describes the decoding of Rank-Codes with different decoding algorithms. A new modified Berlekamp-Massey algorithm for correcting rank errors and column erasures is described. These algorithms consist of two decoding steps. The first step is the puncturing of the code and the decoding in the punctured code. The second step is the column erasure decoding in the original code. Thus decoding step is about half as complex as the known algorithms
Reciprocal relationship of social capital and microfinance activities in Nyanga, Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT This article investigates the interactive reciprocal relationship of microfinance activities and social capital among members of the Kufusa Mari microfinance scheme in Nyanga, Zimbabwe. It reports on a study conducted among 146 randomly selected respondents, plus other participants selected for focus group discussions and key informant interviews. A reciprocal relationship between microfinance activities and social capital existed in this case study, but was found to be three-pronged, also involving developmental goals. The community should be encouraged to join the Kufusa Mari group scheme to promote self-initiated grassroots community development and advancement.
Effect of age on adult stereoacuity as measured by different types of stereotest

Aim: To examine how stereoacuity changes with age as measured by a variety of stereotests. Methods: Stereoacuity has been measured in 60 normal subjects aged 17–83 years by a single observer using TNO, Titmus, Frisby near, and Frisby-Davis distance stereotests. Motor fusion was measured at ⅓ metre and 6 metres. Results: Overall stereoacuity measured by all tests showed a mild decline with age (p<0.001 for all tests; Spearman rank correlation). A marked reduction to screening or absent levels of stereoacuity was seen in five subjects aged over 55, but only with the TNO stereotest. All these subjects were able to achieve a stereoacuity of 200 seconds of arc or better with the Titmus test and 340 seconds of arc or better using the Frisby near stereotest. There was a small decline with age in the base out motor fusion range measured at 6 metres (p<0.05; Spearman rank correlation). No subject described difficulty in judging distances for everyday tasks. Conclusions: Although subjects showed some decline in stereoacuity with age by all tests, the large drop in stereoacuity seen in some older subjects using the TNO test was probably due to difficulty overcoming the dissociative effect of the test rather than a true reduction in cortical disparity detection. Results of random dot stereotests should be interpreted with caution in older patients, particularly with respect to their ability to perform everyday visual tasks.