Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fibrosis Progression in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

BACKGROUND Fibrosis progression varies markedly in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected individuals. We investigated factors that influence fibrosis progression in chronic HCV infection. METHODS HCV-infected patients who underwent at least 2 liver biopsies were included in this study. Associations between fibrosis progression and epidemiologic, virologic, and disease-associated factors were analyzed using logistic regression and multistate Markov modeling. RESULTS We analyzed 936 biopsy specimens obtained from 378 individuals. Mean age (±SD) at first biopsy was 48.3 ± 9.3 years, 59.3% of patients were male, 59.9% were white, and 86.7% were infected with HCV genotype 1. Fibrosis progression and cirrhosis occurred in 57.4% and 5.8%, respectively. Fibrosis progression between the first and last biopsies was associated with lower fibrosis in the first biopsy specimen (P < .001) and with the occurrence of at least 1 flare in the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level (>200 U/L; P = .007). We found the highest fibrosis progression rate between stages 0 and 1 and the lowest between stages 2 and 3. Increased necroinflammation and higher ALT level were associated with faster progression. HCV genotype 3-infected patients were more likely to progress to cirrhosis (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Fibrosis progression in HCV is not linear but varies according to stage, with the highest progression in patients with the lowest fibrosis severity. Patients who experience flares in the ALT level are also more likely to progress.
GENETIC SYSTEM CONTROLLING THE YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS IN THREE BREAD WHEAT ( TRITICUM AESTIVUM , L . ) CROSSES

This investigation was carried out at El. Gemmeiza Agric. Res. Station , A.R. C, Egypt, during the three successive seasons, 2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 to study genetic variance, gene action, heterosis, inbreeding depression, heritability and genetic advance for grain yield and its components and some agronomic characters. Six populations (P1, P2, F1, F2, Bc1 and Bc2) for three crosses were used in this study coming from (P1x P3), (P2 x P4) and (P3 x P4). Analysis of variance showed significant differences among the studied generations' means for all studied traits. Scaling test showed that most studied characters were significant indicating the presence of nonallelic interaction. Additive type of gene effect was significant either positive or negative for no . of spikes / plant, 100-kernel weight and grain yield /plant in the first and second crosses. Meantime, dominance gene effects was significantly positive for all studied traits except plant height, no. of spikes /plant and grain yield /plant in the second cross . Additive x additive and additive x dominance type of gene actions were significantly positive or negative for all studied traits in the three crosses except for no . of spikes / plant in the first and second crosses and 100kernel weight in the second and third crosses. On the other hand dominance x dominance type gene effect was found to be significant for all studied traits except plant height and 100kernel weight in the first and third crosses, respectively. Heritability for days to heading in narrow sense was high and nearly equal to its corresponding in broad sense. High estimates for hertibility in broad sense were accompanied by moderate value of narrow sense for no. of kernels /spike, 100 –kernel weight and grain yield plant in the three crosses. The third cross gave the highest heterotic effect towards earliness for number of days to heading and number of days to maturity with moderate heritability in narrow sense and with genetic advance being 1.59 and 1.98 days for both characters , respectively . Significant positive heterotic effects relative to better parent was obtained for no . of kernels / spike , 100 kernel weight and grain yield in the second and third crosses . GENETIC SYSTEM CONTROLLING THE YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS IN THREE BREAD WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM, L.) CROSSES 642
Test performance of two‐question screening for postpartum depressive symptoms

Background: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is commonly used to screen for postpartum depression, but it is difficult to consistently administer it to all mothers during busy well‐child visits owing to the fact that it is time‐consuming. The purpose of the present paper was to evaluate the performance of a concise, two‐question screening tool in the detection of mothers with postpartum depressive symptoms who had a high EPDS score.
Loss of protein kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation of HPr, a phosphocarrier protein of the phosphotransferase system, by mutation of the ptsH gene confers catabolite repression resistance to several catabolic genes of Bacillus subtilis

In gram-positive bacteria, HPr, a phosphocarrier protein of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS), is phosphorylated by an ATP-dependent, metabolite-activated protein kinase on seryl residue 46. In a Bacillus subtilis mutant strain in which Ser-46 of HPr was replaced with a nonphosphorylatable alanyl residue (ptsH1 mutation), synthesis of gluconate kinase, glucitol dehydrogenase, mannitol-1-P dehydrogenase and the mannitol-specific PTS permease was completely relieved from repression by glucose, fructose, or mannitol, whereas synthesis of inositol dehydrogenase was partially relieved from catabolite repression and synthesis of alpha-glucosidase and glycerol kinase was still subject to catabolite repression. When the S46A mutation in HPr was reverted to give S46 wild-type HPr, expression of gluconate kinase and glucitol dehydrogenase regained full sensitivity to repression by PTS sugars. These results suggest that phosphorylation of HPr at Ser-46 is directly or indirectly involved in catabolite repression. A strain deleted for the ptsGHI genes was transformed with plasmids expressing either the wild-type ptsH gene or various S46 mutant ptsH genes (S46A or S46D). Expression of the gene encoding S46D HPr, having a structure similar to that of P-ser-HPr according to nuclear magnetic resonance data, caused significant reduction of gluconate kinase activity, whereas expression of the genes encoding wild-type or S46A HPr had no effect on this enzyme activity. When the promoterless lacZ gene was put under the control of the gnt promoter and was subsequently incorporated into the amyE gene on the B. subtilis chromosome, expression of beta-galactosidase was inducible by gluconate and repressed by glucose. However, we observed no repression of beta-galactosidase activity in a strain carrying the ptsH1 mutation. Additionally, we investigated a ccpA mutant strain and observed that all of the enzymes which we found to be relieved from carbon catabolite repression in the ptsH1 mutant strain were also insensitive to catabolite repression in the ccpA mutant. Enzymes that were repressed in the ptsH1 mutant were also repressed in the ccpA mutant.
Extrinsically derived TNF is primarily responsible for limiting antiviral CD8+ T cell response magnitude

TNF is a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by both lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells. As a consequence of the widespread expression of its receptors (TNFR1 and 2), TNF plays a role in many important biological processes. In the context of influenza A virus (IAV) infection, TNF has variably been implicated in mediating immunopathology as well as suppression of the immune response. Although a number of cell types are able to produce TNF, the ability of CD8+ T cells to produce TNF following viral infection is a hallmark of their effector function. As such, the regulation and role of CD8+ T cell-derived TNF following viral infection is of great interest. Here, we show that the biphasic production of TNF by CD8+ T cells following in vitro stimulation corresponds to distinct patterns of epigenetic modifications. Further, we show that a global loss of TNF during IAV infection results in an augmentation of the peripheral virus-specific CD8+ T cell response. Subsequent adoptive transfer experiments demonstrated that this attenuation of the CD8+ T cell response was largely, but not exclusively, conferred by extrinsic TNF, with intrinsically-derived TNF making only modest contributions. In conclusion, TNF exerts an immunoregulatory role on CD8+ T cell responses following IAV infection, an effect that is largely mediated by extrinsically-derived TNF.
Education , Unemployment , Minimum Wage And Health Impact On Poverty

The problem of poverty in East Java is heavily influenced by three main issues namely education, employment issues, and health problems. In the employment problem, there are two major problems namely unemployment and the minimum wage. In this study using a quantitative approach with variable used is the percentage of the highest education attained at the High School level, unemployment rate, minimum wage, and the life expectancy and the percentage of poverty in five districts in East Java province in the period 2012-2016. The analysis technique used is the technique of panel data analysis, and test equipment used is Eviews 10. The results of this study showed that partially that education and unemployment variables affect significantly while the minimum wage and health variables are not significant. And simultaneously all variables significantly influence poverty.
Indirect adaptive model predictive control supervised by fuzzy logic

In order to get correct results using the model predictive control, one must find the suitable values of its tuning parameters. In many case this task is achieved by empirical methods. It's sufficient to control a physical system which internal parameters remain the same. The chosen controller parameters continue to provide satisfactory performances against small system variations. They become quickly inappropriate when strong variations occur in the process. One of the classical approaches consists to identify online the system model to update its controller based on this model. This solution doesn't ensure always best results. In this paper, we show how one can perform a suitable control to a system with variable parameters applying a fuzzy-logic-supervised predictive control. The fuzzy logic supervisor fulfills the online tuning of the predictive control parameters. Thus, we carry out a comparison between these two strategies.
Precommitment Strategies and Entrepreneurs: Intentional Destruction of Secondary Options

Self-control is the capacity to override an impulse and to respond appropriately. It is essential for entrepreneurs who must exercise the self-discipline required to undertake innovative actions. This paper offers a self-control technique called precommitment agreements in which individuals freely make decisions that are intended to bind or constrain themselves in the future. Such directives are often referred to as “Ulysses contracts” after Homer’s story of Ulysses who commanded his crew to fasten him to the mast of his ship and ignore him should he beg to be released after hearing the songs of the Sirens. Sometimes, however, adaptive traits such as self-control have a dark side, and dark traits such as impulsivity have a bright side. This paradox is explored by examining the relationship between entrepreneurship and ADHD.
Effect on carbohydrate metabolism and analysis of acceptability (menstrual cycle control) of extended regimens of the vaginally inserted hormone-releasing system ‘NuvaRing’ as compared with the standard 21/7 regime in reproductive-age women with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Aim. To evaluate the effect of the vaginally inserted hormone-releasing system ‘NuvaRing®’ on carbohydrate metabolism and acceptability (menstrual cycle control) of extended regimens of using as compared with the standard regimen (21/7) in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) in reproductive period during 24 months. Methods. The open randomised study included a total of 109 women with type 1 DM, using ‘NuvaRing®’ in different regimens (21/7, 42/7, 84/7 and 357/7). Average daily insulin requirements, the levels of glycosylated haemoglobin were determined at baseline, after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of contraception. The control group was composed of 22 age-matched women with type 1 DM using no methods of contraception. Results. Using the contraceptive system ‘NuvaRing®’ in type 1 DM women in the reproductive period has proved to exert no clinically significant effect on carbohydrate metabolism in prolonged regimens, as well as in standard regimen. The overall number of bleeding days and spotting days was comparable in different groups. Longer regimens with fewer breaks were associated with fewer days of bleeding but a larger number of spotting days as compared with the shorter regimens, with a tendency towards a gradual decrease in spotting days during a year. Conclusion. The releasing system ‘NuvaRing®’ proved to be a reliable and safe means of contraception for late reproductive age women with type 1 DM.
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in obese Singapore children

We set out to determine the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) among obese Singapore school children and identify risk factors for OSAS. This study was designed as a prospective study in three phases. Parents completed a questionnaire with regards to sleep and daytime symptoms in Phase 1. Children suspected to have OSAS based on the questionnaire and all with a percent ideal body weight (IBW) ≥180 were called for clinic visits in Phase 2. All whose percent IBW ≥180 and those in whom the physicians strongly suspected OSAS were subjected to a polysomnogram in phase 3. The children were recruited from the School Health Nutritional Clinic for obese children. The investigations were carried out at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Experimental Study on Seismic Response Characteristics of Lique fi able Soil Layers

This study evaluates the effect of excess pore water pressure (EPWP) in liquefiable sand sub-layers on the seismic response of the soil profile. A series of shaking table tests were conducted to evaluate the liquefaction performance of a loose to dense subsurface sandy layer on the site effect phenomena. The results confirmed that the liquefied subsurface layer could attenuate or amplify the main characteristics of the seismic site response from 10% to 60%, primarily depending on the level of EPWP and soil softening in the layer. It is important to consider the detrimental effects of liquefaction-induced settlement in these estimations. ARTICLE HISTORY Received 22 March 2018 Accepted 2 January 2019
Development of mapped stress‐field boundary conditions based on a Hill‐type muscle model

Forces generated in the muscles and tendons actuate the movement of the skeleton. Accurate estimation and application of these musculotendon forces in a continuum model is not a trivial matter. Frequently, musculotendon attachments are approximated as point forces; however, accurate estimation of local mechanics requires a more realistic application of musculotendon forces. This paper describes the development of mapped Hill‐type muscle models as boundary conditions for a finite volume model of the hip joint, where the calculated muscle fibres map continuously between attachment sites. The applied muscle forces are calculated using active Hill‐type models, where input electromyography signals are determined from gait analysis. Realistic muscle attachment sites are determined directly from tomography images. The mapped muscle boundary conditions, implemented in a finite volume structural OpenFOAM (ESI‐OpenCFD, Bracknell, UK) solver, are employed to simulate the mid‐stance phase of gait using a patient‐specific natural hip joint, and a comparison is performed with the standard point load muscle approach. It is concluded that physiological joint loading is not accurately represented by simplistic muscle point loading conditions; however, when contact pressures are of sole interest, simplifying assumptions with regard to muscular forces may be valid. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanism of counterattack of colorectal cancer cell by Fas/Fas ligand system.

AIM To determine the role of Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) in the immune escape of colon cancer cells. METHODS Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the expression of Fas and FasL in the tissues of colon cancer patients. In situ hybridization was used to detect the localization of FasL mRNA expression in cancer tissues. Terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and CD45 staining were performed to detect the apoptosis of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Co-culture assays of colon cancer cells (SW480) and Jurkat cells (Fas-sensitive cells) were performed to observe the counterattack of colon cancer cells to lymphocytes. RESULTS Of 53 cases of colon carcinomas, 23 cases (43.4%) expressed Fas which was significantly lower as compared to the normal colonic mucosa (73.3%, P<0.01), and 45 cases (84.9%) of colon carcinomas expressed FasL, whereas only two cases (3.75%) in normal mucosa expressed FasL. FasL expression in the colon cancer cells was found to be associated with increased cell death of TILs. The apoptotic rate of TIL in the FasL-positive staining regions of tumor cells was significantly higher than that in the FasL-negative staining region (54.84+/-2.79% vs 25.73+/-1.98%, P<0.01). The co-culture of SW480 cells and Jurkat cells confirmed the function of FasL on the SW480 cells. The apoptotic rates of Jurkat cells were found to be related with the amount of SW480 cells. CONCLUSION Colon cancer cells can escape the immune surveillance and killing via decreasing Fas expression, and can counterattack the immune system via increasing FasL expression. Fas/FasL can serve as potential targets for effective antitumor therapy.
An Operational State Aggregation Technique for Transmission Expansion Planning Based on Line Benefits

This paper provides a novel technique to represent in a reduced, or compact, way temporal variability in transmission expansion planning (TEP). This reduction is handled by means of “snapshot selection. ” Instead of taking into account all the possible operational states and their associated optimal power flow, a reduced group of them is selected that is representative of all the states that should have an influence on investment decisions. Considering this reduced group of operational states should lead to the same investment decisions as if all the snapshots in the target year were considered. Original operational states are compared in the space of the benefits produced by potential reinforcements considered, which are relevant drivers for investment decisions. The benefits produced by these potential reinforcements are computed based on the incremental change in operation costs resulting from their installation. A clustering algorithm is used to group together those operational states where similar line benefits are realized. Our algorithm has been tested on a modified version of the standard IEEE 24 bus system. The method produces promising results and proves to be more efficient than other snapshot selection methods used until now in computing an accurate enough selection of snapshots representing system operation variability in TEP.
Effect of TGFBR 2 on apoptosis , invasion , migration , and signal transduction in SUDHL 8 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell line

Transforming growth factor (TGF) β signaling plays a tumor suppressive role in many cell types. Although reduced expression or loss of the TGF-β type II receptors (TGFBR2) is reported in several human carcinoma cell lines, its role in lymphoma progression has not been fully clarified. In this study, we sought to determine the roles of TGFBR2 in the progression of lymphoma apoptosis, invasion, migration, and signaling transduction using SUDHL8 human lymphoma cell lines. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis of samples from lymphoma patients as well as SUDHL8 cells revealed lowly detectable endogenous TGFBR2. TGFBR2 constructs were stably expressed in the SUDHL8 cells showing significantly cell viability inhibition, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, accompanied by increases in the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and Fas/FasL. In addition, overexpression of TGFBR2 was also associated with decreased cell invasion and migration in SUDHL8 cells, which dependent on the decreased expression of MMP2 and MMP9, and inactivation of TGF-β/Smad-3 signaling pathway as well. Taken together, overexpression of TGFBR2 suppresses processes favorable to lymphoma cell viability, invasion and migration.
CheW Binding Interactions with CheA and Tar

The initial signaling events underlying the chemotactic response of Escherichia coli to aspartic acid occur within a ternary complex that includes Tar (an aspartate receptor), CheA (a protein kinase), and CheW. Because CheW can bind to CheA and to Tar, it is thought to serve as an adapter protein in this complex. The functional importance of CheW binding interactions, however, has not been investigated. To better define the role of CheW and its binding interactions, we performed biochemical characterization of six mutant variants of CheW. We examined the ability of the purified mutant CheW proteins to bind to CheA and Tar, to promote formation of active ternary complexes, and to support chemotaxis in vivo. Our results indicate that mutations which eliminate CheW binding to Tar (V36M) or to CheA (G57D) result in a complete inability to form active ternary complexes in vitro and render the CheW protein incapable of mediating chemotaxis in vivo. The in vivo signaling pathway can, however, tolerate moderate changes in CheW-Tar and CheW-CheA affinities observed with several of the mutants (G133E, G41D, and 154ocr). One mutant (R62H) provided surprising results that may indicate a role for CheW in addition to binding CheA/receptors and promoting ternary complex formation.
Evaluation of outcome associated with subcutaneous and intramuscular hemangiosarcoma treated with adjuvant doxorubicin in dogs: 21 cases (2001-2006).

OBJECTIVE To evaluate outcome associated with subcutaneous and intramuscular hemangiosarcomas treated with adjuvant doxorubicin in dogs. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 21 dogs. PROCEDURES Records of dogs with histologically confirmed hemangiosarcoma, no detectable metastasis at initial evaluation, and adequate local tumor control were included. Age, sex, number of treatments, treatment interval, radiation therapy, and concurrent use of cyclophosphamide or deracoxib were evaluated for associations with disease-free interval (DFI) or survival time. Three to 6 cycles of doxorubicin were planned. Disease-free interval was defined as time of definitive surgery to time of local recurrence, metastasis, or both. Survival time was defined as the beginning of the DFI to time of death. RESULTS 17 tumors were subcutaneous, and 4 were intramuscular. Median age was 9 years. Median weight was 31.1 kg (68.4 lb). Five dogs received adjuvant radiation therapy. Median DFI for subcutaneous tumors was 1,553 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 469 days to not estimable). Median DFI for intramuscular tumors was 265.5 days (95% CI, 123 to 301 days). Median survival time for subcutaneous tumors was 1,189 days (95% CI, 596 days to not estimable). Median survival time for intramuscular tumors was 272.5 days (95% CI, 123 to 355 days). For dogs with subcutaneous tumors, younger age (< 9 years) was associated with longer DFI and survival time. Dogs with subcutaneous tumors that did not receive radiation therapy had longer DFI. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Dogs with subcutaneous hemangiosarcoma had a more favorable outcome, compared with dogs with intramuscular hemangiosarcoma, when treated with adequate local control and adjuvant doxorubicin.