Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Whole-body photoreceptor networks are independent of ‘lenses’ in brittle stars

Photoreception and vision are fundamental aspects of animal sensory biology and ecology, but important gaps remain in our understanding of these processes in many species. The colour-changing brittle star Ophiocoma wendtii is iconic in vision research, speculatively possessing a unique whole-body visual system that incorporates information from nerve bundles underlying thousands of crystalline ‘microlenses’. The hypothesis that these might form a sophisticated compound eye-like system regulated by chromatophores has been extensively reiterated, with investigations into biomimetic optics and similar supposedly ‘visual’ structures in living and fossil taxa. However, no photoreceptors or visual behaviours have ever been identified. We present the first evidence of photoreceptor networks in three Ophiocoma species, both with and without microlenses and colour-changing behaviour. High-resolution microscopy, immunohistochemistry and synchrotron tomography demonstrate that putative photoreceptors cover the animals' oral, lateral and aboral surfaces, but are absent at the hypothesized focal points of the microlenses. The structural optics of these crystal ‘lenses’ are an exaptation and do not fulfil any apparent visual role. This contradicts previous studies, yet the photoreceptor network in Ophiocoma appears even more widespread than previously anticipated, both taxonomically and anatomically.
Viral load and CD4 cell response to protease inhibitor-containing regimens in subtype B versus non-B treatment-naive HIV-1 patients

We compared the response to protease inhibitor-containing highly active antiretroviral therapy in 175 HIV-1 treatment-naive patients harbouring subtype B versus non-B. No difference in the proportion of patients with viral loads below 400 copies/ml was observed at month 24. However, there was a significant difference in the median CD4 cell increase at month 24. Whether this is caused by viral or immune factors warrants further investigation.
An Analysis of Mobile Banking User Behavior Using Customer Segmentation

This study proposed an integrated data mining and customer behavior scoring model to manage existing mobile banking users in an Iranian bank. This segmentation model was developed to identify groups of customers based on transaction history, recency, frequency, monetary background. It classified mobile banking users into six groups. This study demonstrated that identifying customers by a behavioral scoring facilitates marketing strategy assignment. Then the bank can develop its marketing actions. Thus, the bank can attract more customers, maintain its customers, and keep high customers' satisfaction. Keywords—Data mining; mobile data, mobile banking; customer segmentation Introduction Online banking is increasingly common. Financial institutions deliver online services via various electronic channels, subsequently diminishing the importance of conventional branch networks. The newly emerging channels of online banking and rapidly increasing penetration rates of mobile phones motivate this study (C. S. Chen, 2013). The internet has had a significant impact on financial institutions, allowing consumers to access many bank facilities 24 hours a day, while allowing banks to significantly cut their costs. Research has shown that online banking is the cheapest delivery channel for many banking services (KoenigLewis, Palmer, & Moll, 2010; Robinson, 2000). A number of studies have identified advantages to bank customers, including cost and time savings as well as spatial independence benefits (Koenig-Lewis et al., 2010). According to Gartner’s prediction of leading trends of 2012 in mobile applications, mobile commerce (m-commerce) remains the most important one. Gartner further forecasts that mobile devices will replace PCs as the main device to access the internet. As for the third quarter of 2012, IPSOS indicated that “The era of Multi-Screen has come, and smartphones account for the purchasing behavior of 65% of mobile device users. ” According to that report, 66 percent of the smartphone holders in Taiwan access the internet via a smartphone at least once daily; approximately 57 percent of the customers perform mobile searches; and 40 percent of the customers shop via mobile phones (IPSOS, 2012). These statistics reflect vigorous growth in the scale of m-commerce. However, mobile banking remains in its infancy, and international adoption rates demonstrate the strong potential of m-commerce (FRB, 2012). Therefore, data mining for mobile banking is of priority concern for further developing mobile banking services (MBSs) (C.
Idiotypes as Variable Region Markers Analogies between Receptors on Phosphorylcholine‐Specific T and B Lymphocytes

B ceU(s): bone marrow-derived cells; T cell(s): thymus-derived cells; Ig: immuno^ globulin; V-region: variable region; Ir genes: immune response genes; PC: phosphorylcholine; Pn: heat-killed vaccine of Pneumococci pneumoniae, strain R36A; SRC: sheep red cells; PC-SRC: PC coupled onto SRC; T15-SRC: T15 coupled onto SRC; PFC(s): plaque-forming cell(s); DNP: 2, 4-dinitrophenyl; T15: idiotype characteristic of the PC-binding TEPC 15 myeloma protein of Balb/c origin; T15*: idiotype positive molecules or Balb/c mice which produce predominantly anti-PC antibodies bearing tbe T15 idiotype; T15": idiotype-negative molecules or neonatally suppressed Balb/c mice which produce predominantly anti-PC antibodies bearing nonT15 idiotypes.
Leucine Zipper Domain Is Required for Kaposi Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) K-bZIP Protein to Interact with Histone Deacetylase and Is Important for KSHV Replication*

Background: The repressive effect of K-bZIP on ORF50 and OriLyt promoters is controversial with regard to its importance in KSHV replication. Results: The leucine zipper domain is essential for K-bZIP to interact with HDAC and inhibit HDAC activity. Conclusion: Our results suggested that K-bZIP regulates gene expression through its interaction with HDAC. Significance: The finding is a first step in designing systems or therapies to control KSHV gene expression. The Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV; or human herpesvirus-8)-encoded protein called K-bZIP (also named K8) was found to be multifunctional. In this study, we discovered that K-bZIP interacts with histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1/2 in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-stimulated BCBL-1 lymphocyte cells. K-bZIP appears to repress HDAC activity through this interaction, which we determined to be independent of K-bZIP SUMOylation. We dissected the domains of K-bZIP and found that the leucine zipper (LZ) domain is essential for the interaction of K-bZIP and HDAC. In addition, we constructed a KSHV bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) with LZ domain-deleted K-bZIP (KSHVdLZ) and transfected this mutated KSHV BAC DNA into HEK 293T cells. As a result, it was consistently found that K-bZIP without its LZ domain failed to interact with HDAC2. We also showed that the interaction between K-bZIP and HDAC is necessary for the inhibition of the lytic gene promoters (ORF50 and OriLyt) of KSHV by K-bZIP. Furthermore, we found that the LZ domain is also important for the interaction of K-bZIP with the promoters of ORF50 and OriLyt. Most interestingly, although it was found to have suppressive effects on the promoters of ORF50 and OriLyt, KSHVdLZ replicates at a significantly lower level than its BAC-derived revertant (KSHVdLZRev) or KSHVWT (BAC36) in HEK 293T cells. The defectiveness of KSHVdLZ replication can be partially rescued by siRNA against HDAC2. Our results suggest that the function of K-bZIP interaction with HDAC is two-layered. 1) K-bZIP inhibits HDAC activity generally so that KSHVdLZ replicates at a lower level than does KSHVWT. 2) K-bZIP can recruit HDAC to the promoters of OriLyt and ORF50 through interaction with HDAC for K-bZIP to have a temporary repressive effect on the two promoters.
Borrelia burgdorferi Not Detected in Widespread Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected from White-Tailed Deer in Tennessee

ABSTRACT Lyme disease (LD), caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted in the eastern United States by blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, is classified as nonendemic in Tennessee and surrounding states in the Southeast. Low incidence of LD in these states has been attributed, in part, to vector ticks being scarce or absent; however, tick survey data for many counties are incomplete or out of date. To improve our knowledge of the distribution, abundance, and Borrelia spp. prevalence of I. scapularis, we collected ticks from 1,018 hunter-harvested white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman)) from 71 of 95 Tennessee counties in fall 2007 and 2008. In total, 160 deer (15.7%) from 35 counties were infested with adult I. scapularis; 30 of these counties were new distributional records for this tick. The mean number of I. scapularis collected per infested deer was 5.4 ±0.6 SE. Of the 883 I. scapularis we removed from deer, none were positive for B. burgdorferi and one tested positive for B. miyamotoi. Deer are not reservoir hosts for B. burgdorferi; nevertheless, past surveys in northern LD-endemic states have readily detected B. burgdoreferi in ticks collected from deer. We conclude that I. scapularis is far more widespread in Tennessee than previously reported. The absence of detectable B. burgdorferi infection among these ticks suggests that the LD risk posed by I. scapularis in the surveyed areas of Tennessee is much lower than in LD-endemic areas of the Northeast and upper Midwest.
Effects of ischaemia‐mimetic factors on isolated rat ventricular myocytes

Conventional ischaemia‐mimetic solutions contain several key components for inducing hypoxia, glucose deficiency, acidosis, lactate accumulation and hyperosmosis. The effect of each component on myocyte contractility during cardiac ischaemia was investigated in this study. A video‐based edge‐detection system was used to monitor single ventricular myocytes isolated from the rat. The effect of each factor was compared by preparing the following ischaemia‐mimetic solutions: solution A, containing all of the above‐mentioned factors; and solutions B, C, D, E and F, each with one of the factors excluded. The solutions that contained lactate severely reduced the contractility of the cardiomyocytes, but cell contraction did not differ significantly between the cardiomyocytes in these solutions. The effect of the solution without the acidosis‐inducing component was weaker than that of the conventional ischaemia‐mimetic solution. The solution lacking lactate produced the least depression of cell contractility. Lactate impaired cardiomyocyte contractility in a concentration‐dependent manner. Our observations suggest that lactate is the main contributor to cardiac ischaemic injury and that its effects are attributable to acidosis and are concentration dependent. Imposition of hypoxia, glucose deficiency and hyperosmosis had little impact on the cardiomyocytes.
Characterization of two membrane-bound forms of OmpA.

The insertion of the outer membrane protein A (OmpA) into lipid bilayers was studied by limited proteolysis, polarized Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. In the native state, OmpA is thought to form a barrel of eight antiparallel beta-strands. For the present study, it was isolated in an unfolded form, purified, and exposed to performed vesicles of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC), dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC), dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), and three phospholipids that were brominated in different positions of their sn-2 chains (4,5-BrPC, 9,10-BrPC, and 11,12-BrPC). Limited proteolysis revealed two membrane-bound forms of OmpA, namely an "adsorbed" (35 kDa) and an "inserted" (30 kDa) form [Surrey, T. , & Jähnig, F. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 7457-7461]. Which form was found after membrane binding and refolding depended on the lipids used and on the temperature. Polarized attenuated total reflection (ATR)-FTIR spectra were recorded with OmpA bound to germanium-supported bilayers in both forms. The position of the amide I' band indicated quite large fractions of beta-structure of OmpA in both membrane-bound forms (35-45% in the adsorbed form and 45-55% in the inserted form). Measurements of the linear dichroism of the amide I' bands in the inserted form are consistent with an antiparallel beta-barrel in which the strands are inclined at about 36 degrees from the membrane normal. The average angle of the beta-strands to the bilayer normal is likely larger in the 35 kDa form than in the inserted form. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Molecular Epidemiology of Clinical Isolates of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Taiwan

ABSTRACT During July 2000 and October 2001, a total of 595 clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were collected from six medical centers distributed in northern, central, and southern Taiwan. Specimen sources included blood (n = 279), pus (n = 173), sputum (n = 94), body fluids (n = 21), catheter tips (n = 20), and urine (n = 8). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with SmaI digestion was used to fingerprint these isolates. A total of 31 genotypes with 97 type-subtypes were identified. Subtypes could be identified in 7 genotypes. While there were 6 to 15 genotypes in each hospital, 433 isolates (73%) were shown to belong to a major type (genotype A, with 29 subtypes). This genotype was not only the type prevailing in all six hospitals but also the predominant clone in each hospital, accounting for 46 to 89% of all isolates in each hospital. Genotype C (16 subtypes) was the second dominant genotype, accounting for 9% of all isolates, and was distributed in five hospitals. Genotypes D (11 subtypes), E (5 subtypes), and B (6 subtypes) were distributed in five, four, and three hospitals, respectively. The other 26 types (30 type-subtypes) were minor. We conclude that the majority of MRSA clinical isolates shared a common PFGE pattern, indicating the presence of a single, epidemic MRSA clone prevailing in major hospitals in Taiwan.
Genome-wide analysis of central corneal thickness in primary open-angle glaucoma cases in the NEIGHBOR and GLAUGEN consortia.

PURPOSE To investigate the effects of central corneal thickness (CCT)-associated variants on primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) risk using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) data from the Glaucoma Genes and Environment (GLAUGEN) and National Eye Institute (NEI) Glaucoma Human Genetics Collaboration (NEIGHBOR) consortia. METHODS A replication analysis of previously reported CCT SNPs was performed in a CCT dataset (n = 1117) and these SNPs were then tested for association with POAG using a larger POAG dataset (n = 6470). Then a CCT genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed. Top SNPs from this analysis were selected and tested for association with POAG. cDNA libraries from fetal and adult brain and ocular tissue samples were generated and used for candidate gene expression analysis. RESULTS Association with one of 20 previously published CCT SNPs was replicated: rs12447690, near the ZNF469 gene (P = 0.001; β = -5.08 μm/allele). None of these SNPs were significantly associated with POAG. In the CCT GWAS, no SNPs reached genome-wide significance. After testing 50 candidate SNPs for association with POAG, one SNP was identified, rs7481514 within the neurotrimin (NTM) gene, that was significantly associated with POAG in a low-tension subset (P = 0.00099; Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.28). Additionally, SNPs in the CNTNAP4 gene showed suggestive association with POAG (top SNP = rs1428758; P = 0.018; OR = 0.84). NTM and CNTNAP4 were shown to be expressed in ocular tissues. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest previously reported CCT loci are not significantly associated with POAG susceptibility. By performing a quantitative analysis of CCT and a subsequent analysis of POAG, SNPs in two cell adhesion molecules, NTM and CNTNAP4, were identified and may increase POAG susceptibility in a subset of cases.
MEG reveals different contributions of somatomotor cortex and cerebellum to simple reaction time after temporally structured cues

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to measure brain activity while participants performed a simple reaction to targets after either a random interval (uncued targets) or a series of isochronous warning stimuli with 200‐ms intervals that acted as a countdown. Targets could arrive “on time” or “early” relative to the preceding warning stimuli. Cerebellar activity before any stimulus onset predicted uncued simple reaction time. Onset of activity in somatomotor cortex relative to the target predicted reaction time after two warning stimuli when the target arrived on time or early. After three warning stimuli, when the target arrived on time and was certain to occur, prestimulus cerebellar activity and somatomotor onset were significant predictors of reaction time. When the target arrived early after three warning stimuli, prestimulus cerebellar and cingulate activity were predictive. The cerebellar results may reflect a number of possible factors, including a role in timing, response readiness, prediction and attention. Hum. Brain Mapping 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Relapse rate and outcome of ANCA-associated small vessel vasculitis after transplantation.

BACKGROUND Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody-associated systemic vasculitis (AASV) is a rare disease and frequently leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Potentially fatal disease activity can develop after the onset of ESRD or in transplanted patients despite the immunosuppressive effects of uraemia and rejection prophylaxis, respectively, leading to concern that such patients may have greater morbidity and mortality. METHODS To assess the outcome of patients with AASV following kidney transplantation, a retrospective analysis was performed of nine patients with AASV at our unit who received renal transplants between 1987 and 2000. The renal survival of the patients was compared with a control population who received kidney transplants over the same period for causes other than AASV and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS Nine patients with the diagnosis of AASV (five patients with Wegener's granulomatosis and four with microscopic polyangiitis) received eight cadaveric grafts and one live-related graft after a mean of 44 months from the start of dialysis. These patients had a mean age of 49.2 years at time of transplantation and they were followed up for a mean of 62 months post-transplantation. Two patients with Wegener's granulomatosis suffered a vasculitic relapse affecting the upper respiratory tract at 40 and 50 months post-transplantation, corresponding to a relapse rate of 0.04 per patient per year. The renal transplant function of vasculitis patients compared with 18 non-diabetic control patients who were transplanted at the same time was better in the vasculitis patients at some time points (P=0.054 at 6 months). CONCLUSIONS There is a substantial relapse rate in the AASV population, especially affecting the upper respiratory tract and with increasing duration of follow-up. Nonetheless, renal transplantation is a good option for the treatment of vasculitis patients and their outcome compares favourably with that of other non-diabetic patients following transplantation.
High Cardiorespiratory Fitness Levels Slow the Decline in Peak Heart Rate with Age.

INTRODUCTION Although it is well accepted that peak HR (HRpeak) decreases with age, there is no clear consensus on the rate of this decline and the influence of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) on the rate of decline. METHODS Treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) results with RER ≥ 1.0 from participants (1849 men and 1469 women; 18-80 yr) of a university-based health assessment/fitness program were retrospectively examined using cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs. All subjects were free of overt cardiovascular disease and were not taking HR-altering medications. Only subjects having completed ≥ 2 cardiopulmonary exercise tests with ≥ 1 yr between test dates were included in the longitudinal analysis (418 men and 225 women). Subjects were categorized into CRF categories (high, moderate, and low) relative to age and gender normative classifications. A general linear-model univariate analysis was performed to test the effect of CRF on the decline in HRpeak with age. RESULTS In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, HRpeak declined at a significantly faster rate across the CRF categories (cross-sectional: -0.60, -0.78, and -0.87 bpm · yr(-1), respectively; longitudinal: -0.61, -0.82, and -1.02 bpm · yr(-1), respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that the maintenance of a high or moderate CRF may slow the age-related decline in HRpeak in both men and women. The application of CRF-specific HRpeak prediction equations should be used to improve interpretation of HRpeak from exercise tests.
Dark ice dynamics of the south-west Greenland Ice Sheet

Abstract. Runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) has increased in recent years due largely to changes in atmospheric circulation and atmospheric warming. Albedo reductions resulting from these changes have amplified surface melting. Some of the largest declines in GrIS albedo have occurred in the ablation zone of the south-west sector and are associated with the development of dark ice surfaces. Field observations at local scales reveal that a variety of light-absorbing impurities (LAIs) can be present on the surface, ranging from inorganic particulates to cryoconite materials and ice algae. Meanwhile, satellite observations show that the areal extent of dark ice has varied significantly between recent successive melt seasons. However, the processes that drive such large interannual variability in dark ice extent remain essentially unconstrained. At present we are therefore unable to project how the albedo of bare ice sectors of the GrIS will evolve in the future, causing uncertainty in the projected sea level contribution from the GrIS over the coming decades. Here we use MODIS satellite imagery to examine dark ice dynamics on the south-west GrIS each year from 2000 to 2016. We quantify dark ice in terms of its annual extent, duration, intensity and timing of first appearance. Not only does dark ice extent vary significantly between years but so too does its duration (from 0 to > 80 % of June–July–August, JJA), intensity and the timing of its first appearance. Comparison of dark ice dynamics with potential meteorological drivers from the regional climate model MAR reveals that the JJA sensible heat flux, the number of positive minimum-air-temperature days and the timing of bare ice appearance are significant interannual synoptic controls. We use these findings to identify the surface processes which are most likely to explain recent dark ice dynamics. We suggest that whilst the spatial distribution of dark ice is best explained by outcropping of particulates from ablating ice, these particulates alone do not drive dark ice dynamics. Instead, they may enable the growth of pigmented ice algal assemblages which cause visible surface darkening, but only when the climatological prerequisites of liquid meltwater presence and sufficient photosynthetically active radiation fluxes are met. Further field studies are required to fully constrain the processes by which ice algae growth proceeds and the apparent dependency of algae growth on melt-out particulates.