Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential effects of unaggregated and aggregated amyloid β protein (1–40) on K+ channel currents in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule and cortical neurones

The effects of amyloid β protein on voltage‐gated K+ channel currents were studied using the whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique. The 1–40 amino acid form of amyloid β protein was applied to primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule and cortical neurones for 24 h. Both the unaggregated and aggregated forms of the peptide, which have differing biological activities, were used. In cerebellar granule neurones, 24‐h pre‐incubation with 1 µm unaggregated amyloid β protein resulted in a 60% increase in the ‘A’‐type component of K+ current. Increased delayed rectifier activity was Cd2+‐sensitive and was presumed to be secondary to an increase in voltage‐gated Ca2+ channel current activity. Unaggregated amyloid β protein had no effect on any component of the K+ channel current in cortical neurones. One micromolar of aggregated amyloid β protein had no effect on K+ channel current in either cell type but reduced cell survival within 24 h as measured using the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assays. The unaggregated form of amyloid β protein had no neurotoxic effects when applied to either neurone type for up to 72 h. These data indicate that the unaggregated, non‐pathological form of amyloid β protein causes changes in the ion channel function of neurones, possibly reflecting a physiological role for the peptide.
Maternal thyroid disease and preterm delivery.

CONTEXT Preterm delivery is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in the United States, and its incidence is increasing. The present manuscript reviews the literature on the relationship of hypothyroidism and/or autoimmune thyroid disease to preterm delivery. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A PubMed search was used to identify all relevant articles. A reference search of all retrieved articles was undertaken. All articles identified in the search were included in the review. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Uncontrolled case series were discussed in the manuscript but not included in drawing conclusions from the literature. CONCLUSIONS Hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disease in euthyroid women are associated with preterm delivery. A single intervention trial has documented a dramatic decrease in the incidence of preterm delivery in thyroid antibody-positive women treated with levothyroxine. Confirmatory studies are needed before universal screening and intervention can be recommended.
Website Quality, Expectation, Confirmation, and End User Satisfaction: The Knowledge-Intensive Website of the Korean National Cancer Information Center

Background The fact that patient satisfaction with primary care clinical practices and physician-patient communications has decreased gradually has brought a new opportunity to the online channel as a supplementary service to provide additional information. Objective In this study, our objectives were to examine the process of cognitive knowledge expectation-confirmation from eHealth users and to recommend the attributes of a “knowledge-intensive website. ”. Knowledge expectation can be defined as users’ existing attitudes or beliefs regarding expected levels of knowledge they may gain by accessing the website. Knowledge confirmation is the extent to which user’s knowledge expectation of information systems use is realized during actual use. In our hypothesized research model, perceived information quality, presentation and attractiveness as well as knowledge expectation influence knowledge confirmation, which in turn influences perceived usefulness and end user satisfaction, which feeds back to knowledge expectation. Methods An empirical study was conducted at the National Cancer Center (NCC), Republic of Korea (South Korea), by evaluating its official website. A user survey was administered containing items to measure subjectively perceived website quality and expectation-confirmation attributes. A study sample of 198 usable responses was used for further analysis. We used the structural equation model to test the proposed research model. Results Knowledge expectation exhibited a positive effect on knowledge confirmation (beta = .27, P < .001). The paths from information quality, information presentation, and website attractiveness to knowledge confirmation were also positive and significant (beta = .24, P < .001; beta = .29, P < .001; beta = .18, P < .001, respectively). Moreover, the effect of knowledge confirmation on perceived usefulness was also positively significant (beta = .64, P < .001). Knowledge expectation together with knowledge confirmation and perceived usefulness also significantly affected end user satisfaction (beta = .22 P < .001; beta = .39, P < .001; beta = .25, P < .001, respectively). Conclusions Theoretically, this study has (1) identified knowledge-intensive website attributes, (2) enhanced the theoretical foundation of eHealth from the information systems (IS) perspective by adopting the expectation-confirmation theory (ECT), and (3) examined the importance of information and knowledge attributes and explained their impact on user satisfaction. Practically, our empirical results suggest that perceived website quality (ie, information quality, information presentation, and website attractiveness) is a core requirement for knowledge building. In addition, our study has also shown that knowledge confirmation has a greater effect on satisfaction than both knowledge expectation and perceived usefulness.
Conditional Random Field and Deep Feature Learning for Hyperspectral Image Segmentation

Image segmentation is considered to be one of the critical tasks in hyperspectral remote sensing image processing. Recently, convolutional neural network (CNN) has established itself as a powerful model in segmentation and classification by demonstrating excellent performances. The use of a graphical model such as a conditional random field (CRF) contributes further in capturing contextual information and thus improving the segmentation performance. In this paper, we propose a method to segment hyperspectral images by considering both spectral and spatial information via a combined framework consisting of CNN and CRF. We use multiple spectral cubes to learn deep features using CNN, and then formulate deep CRF with CNN-based unary and pairwise potential functions to effectively extract the semantic correlations between patches consisting of three-dimensional data cubes. Effective piecewise training is applied in order to avoid the computationally expensive iterative CRF inference. Furthermore, we introduce a deep deconvolution network that improves the segmentation masks. We also introduce a new dataset and experimented our proposed method on it along with several widely adopted benchmark datasets to evaluate the effectiveness of our method. By comparing our results with those from several state-of-the-art models, we show the promising potential of our method.
An Integral Equation Approach to the Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations in Two Dimensions

We present a collection of methods for solving the incompressible Navier--Stokes equations in the plane that are based on a pure stream function formulation. The advantages of this approach are twofold: first, the velocity is automatically divergence free, and second, complicated (nonlocal) boundary conditions for the vorticity are avoided. The disadvantage is that the solution of a nonlinear fourth-order partial differential equation is required. By recasting this partial differential equation as an integral equation, we avoid the ill-conditioning which hampers finite difference and finite element methods in this environment. By using fast algorithms for the evaluation of volume integrals, we are able to solve the equations using O(M) or O(M log M) operations, where M is the number of points in the discretization of the domain.
Public Health Expenditure and Health Outcomes in Nigeria

The study investigates the effect of public health expenditure on health outcomes in Nigeria, as captured by life expectancy at birth and infant mortality rates. The result shows that public health expenditure and health outcomes have long-run equilibrium relationship. Furthermore, the results showed that an increase in public health expenditure improves life expectancy and reduces infant mortality rates. In addition, urban population and HIV prevalence rate significantly affects health outcomes, while per capita income exhibits no effect on health outcomes in Nigeria. The findings suggest that public health expenditure remains a necessary component in improving health outcomes in Nigeria.
Characterization of the active site of histidine ammonia-lyase from Pseudomonas putida.

Elucidation of the 3D structure of histidine ammonia-lyase (HAL, EC 4.3.1.3) from Pseudomonas putida by X-ray crystallography revealed that the electrophilic prosthetic group at the active site is 3,5-dihydro-5-methylidene-4H-imidazol-4-one (MIO) [Schwede, T.F. , Rétey, J., Schulz, G.E. (1999) Biochemistry, 38, 5355-5361]. To evaluate the importance of several amino-acid residues at the active site for substrate binding and catalysis, we mutated the following amino-acid codons in the HAL gene: R283, Y53, Y280, E414, Q277, F329, N195 and H83. Kinetic measurements with the overexpressed mutants showed that all mutations resulted in a decrease of catalytic activity. The mutants R283I, R283K and N195A were approximately 1640, 20 and 1000 times less active, respectively, compared to the single mutant C273A, into which all mutations were introduced. Mutants Y280F, F329A and Q277A exhibited approximately 55, 100 and 125 times lower activity, respectively. The greatest loss of activity shown was in the HAL mutants Y53F, E414Q, H83L and E414A, the last being more than 20 900-fold less active than the single mutant C273A, while H83L was 18 000-fold less active than mutant C273A. We propose that the carboxylate group of E414 plays an important role as a base in catalysis. To investigate a possible participation of active site amino acids in the formation of MIO, we used the chromophore formation upon treatment of HAL with l-cysteine and dioxygen at pH 10.5 as an indicator. All mutants, except F329A showed the formation of a 338-nm chromophore arising from a modified MIO group. The UV difference spectra of HAL mutant F329A with the MIO-free mutant S143A provide evidence for the presence of a MIO group in HAL mutant F329A also. For modelling of the substrate arrangement within the active site and protonation state of MIO, theoretical calculations were performed.
Bordetella pertussis Strain Lacking Pertactin and Pertussis Toxin

A Bordetella pertussis strain lacking 2 acellular vaccine immunogens, pertussis toxin and pertactin, was isolated from an unvaccinated infant in New York State in 2013. Comparison with a French strain that was pertussis toxin–deficient, pertactin wild-type showed that the strains carry the same 28-kb deletion in similar genomes.
Faithfulness to partners: a means to prevent HIV infection, a source of HIV infection risks, or both? A qualitative study of women's experiences in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

A cross-sectional study was carried out at a programme to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (MTCT) at a public antenatal clinic in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. The objectives were to obtain information from women concerning their reactions to HIV test results received through the programme, their experiences with faithfulness to partners as a means of primary HIV prevention for themselves and their infants, their relationships with partners, their own and their partners' experiences with HIV testing, and their knowledge of their partners' HIV serostatus. The participants were a purposive sample of 87 women who had received HIV-1-positive test results and 30 women who had received HIV-1-negative test results through the clinic's programme. Eighty-five per cent of the HIV-positive women were surprised by their test result; 52% of those who tested HIV-negative anticipated that result. Nearly two-thirds of those who were surprised to be HIV-positive and a similar proportion of those who expected to be HIV-negative explained their reactions by referring to faithfulness to their partners. Only five of the 117 women interviewed expressed a belief that their partners were faithful to them; and only two, and none of those who received an HIV-positive test result, reported using condoms with partners. No more than one-fourth of either the HIV-positive or the HIV-negative groups of women had been previously tested for HIV; less than one-fourth of the women in each group reported having partners who had been tested for HIV, or knew their partners' serostatus. Relationship characteristics of some HIV-positive women may have increased their vulnerability to HIV infection. Although being faithful to partners can be effective for the primary prevention of HIV infection, the manner in which it was practiced by many of the women in our study may have further increased their risk of infection. Organisations that choose to fund HIV prevention programmes that promote faithfulness to partners, and the programmes that stress faithfulness, must ensure that women are informed about the conditions that can influence the effectiveness of faithfulness as a protective action. However, women need more than information. Prevention programmes, whether concerned primarily with prevention of MTCT or with HIV prevention more broadly, must promote and elicit cooperation from women's sexual partners to support women's efforts to be tested for HIV, to be tested for HIV themselves, to disclose their test results, to reciprocate women's faithfulness and, if HIV serodiscordant or unwilling to be faithful, to use condoms. These steps may increase the likelihood that women will be able to protect themselves and their infants from HIV infection by being faithful to their partners.
Comment on Nolan et al. Insulin Resistance as a Physiological Defense Against Metabolic Stress: Implications for the Management of Subsets of Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes 2015;64:673–686

We read with much interest the article by Nolan et al. (1) on insulin resistance (IR) as a defense against metabolic stress. This is the third in a cluster of reviews beginning with the hypothesis that IR protects the heart from fuel overload in dysregulated metabolic states (2) and coincides with a review by Connor …
Current Knowledge about the Presence of Amines in Wine

This review discusses those factors that have an influence on amine concentration in wine, as well as the vinification stages when these amines are formed and their evolution during the storage of the product. It also outlines the importance of these biogenic and volatile amines both in the sensorial aspect as well as the toxic action. Amines are nitrogenous bases of low molecular weight, which are especially found in food and beverages from the fermentation process, as is the case of wine. Amine concentration in wine can be very variable, ranging from trace levels up to 130 mg/L, so it is difficult to predict the content of these compounds in the product. At present this variability is of some concern in many countries, especially for the toxic effect that some amines can have on people who are susceptible to these substances. Consequently, it is necessary to develop new studies to learn more about the factors, which have an influence on their concentration in wine, and to establish limits for these substances in the product so as to prevent any toxic effects on the consumer.
Single-Nucleotide Primer Extension Assay for Detection and Sequence Typing of “Dehalococcoides” spp

ABSTRACT A single-nucleotide primer extension (SNuPE) assay in combination with taxon-specific 16S rRNA gene PCR analysis was developed for the detection and typing of populations of the genus “Dehalococcoides”. The specificity of the assay was evaluated with 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from an isolate and an environmental sample representing two Dehalococcoides subgroups, i.e., the Cornell and the Pinellas subgroups. Only one sequence type, belonging to the Pinellas subgroup, was detected in a Bitterfeld-Wolfen region aquifer containing chlorinated ethenes as the main contaminants. The three-primer hybridization assay thus provided a fast and easy-to-implement method for confirming the specificity of taxon-specific PCR and allowed rapid additional taxonomic classification into subgroups. This study demonstrates the great potential of SNuPE as a novel approach for rapid parallel detection of microorganisms and typing of different nucleic acid signature sequences from environmental samples.
Long-Term Outcomes, Education, and Occupational Level in Cochlear Implant Recipients Who Were Implanted in Childhood

Objectives: To document the long-term outcomes of auditory performance, educational status, vocational training, and occupational situation in users of cochlear implants (CIs) who were implanted in childhood. Design: This retrospective cross-sectional study of 933 recipients of CIs examined auditory performance, education and vocational training, and occupational outcomes. All participants received their first CI during their childhood between 1986 and 2000. Speech comprehension results were categorized using the categories of auditory performance (CAP) arranged in order of increasing difficulty ranging from 0 to 8. 174 of the 933 pediatric recipients of CIs completed a self-assessment questionnaire regarding their education and occupational outcomes. To measure and compare school education, qualifications were converted into International Standard Classification of Education levels (ISCED-97). Occupations were converted into International Standard Classification of Occupation-88 skill levels. Data from the German General Social Survey (Allgemeine Bevölkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften/ALLBUS) for 2012 were used as a basis for comparing some of the collected data with the general population in Germany. Results: The results showed that 86.8% of the 174 participants who completed the survey used their devices more than 11 hr per day. Only 2% of the surveyed individuals were nonusers. Median CAP was 4.00 (0 to 8). Age at implantation was significantly correlated with CAP level (r = −0.472; p < 0.001). The mean ISCED level of the 174 surveyed recipients was 2.24 (SD = 0.59; range: 1 to 3). A significant difference (p = 0.001) between users’ ISCED levels and those of ALLBUS 2012 respondents was found. Participants’ ISCED levels and maternal educational levels were significantly correlated (r = 0.271; p = 0.008). The International Standard Classification of Occupation-88 skill levels were as follows: 5% achieved skill level 1; 77% skill level 2; 16% skill level 3; and 5% skill level 4. The average skill level achieved was 2.24 (range 1 to 4; SD = 0.57) which was significantly poorer (t(127) = 4.886; p = 0.001) than the mean skill level of the ALLBUS 2012 respondents (mean = 2.54; SD = 0.85). Conclusions: Data collection up to 17.75 (SD = 3.08; range 13 to 28) years post implant demonstrated that the majority of participants who underwent implantation at an early age achieved discrimination of speech sounds without lipreading (CAP category 4.00). Educational, vocational, and occupational level achieved by this cohort were significantly poorer compared with the German and worldwide population average. Children implanted today who are younger at implantation, and with whom more advanced up-to-date CIs are used, are expected to exhibit better auditory performance and have enhanced educational and occupational opportunities. Compared with the circumstances immediately after World War II in the 20th century, children with hearing impairment who use these implants have improved prospects in this regard.
The Ph1 Locus Suppresses Cdk2-Type Activity during Premeiosis and Meiosis in Wheat[W][OA]

This article examines the role of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) activity in pairing of homoeologous chromosomes in wheat (Triticum aestivum), finding that the Ph1 locus suppresses Cdk2-type activity, thus affecting replication and histone H1 phosphorylation. Despite possessing multiple sets of related (homoeologous) chromosomes, hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) restricts pairing to just true homologs at meiosis. Deletion of a single major locus, Pairing homoeologous1 (Ph1), allows pairing of homoeologs. How can the same chromosomes be processed as homologs instead of being treated as nonhomologs? Ph1 was recently defined to a cluster of defective cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)-like genes showing some similarity to mammalian Cdk2. We reasoned that the cluster might suppress Cdk2-type activity and therefore affect replication and histone H1 phosphorylation. Our study does indeed reveal such effects, suggesting that Cdk2-type phosphorylation has a major role in determining chromosome specificity during meiosis.
Volatility Components: The Term Structure Dynamics of VIX Futures

In this study we empirically study the variance term structure using volatility index (VIX) futures market. We first derive a new pricing framework for VIX futures, which is convenient to study variance term structure dynamics. We construct five models and use Kalman filter and maximum likelihood method for model estimations and comparisons. We provide evidence that a third factor is statistically significant for variance term structure dynamics. We find that our parameter estimates are robust and helpful to shed light on economic significance of variance factor model. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 30:230–256, 2010
Automated essay scoring and the future of educational assessment in medical education

Constructed‐response tasks, which range from short‐answer tests to essay questions, are included in assessments of medical knowledge because they allow educators to measure students’ ability to think, reason, solve complex problems, communicate and collaborate through their use of writing. However, constructed‐response tasks are also costly to administer and challenging to score because they rely on human raters. One alternative to the manual scoring process is to integrate computer technology with writing assessment. The process of scoring written responses using computer programs is known as ‘automated essay scoring’ (AES).
The concordance of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infection between sexual partners, in the era of nucleic acid testing.

INTRODUCTION The rate of transmission of Chlamydia trachomatis, by infected males and females to their sexual partners, has been a matter of continued scientific interest and exploration. METHODS We examined the correlation of C. trachomatis infection in sexual partnerships, using Strand Displacement Amplification. RESULTS During July-November 2003, 97 male patients were reported positive for C. trachomatis. Fifty of the female sexual consorts were amenable for contact tracing, 38 of whom were identified as C. trachomatis positive. Within the same period, 93 female patients were C. trachomatis positive, and 56 male consorts were traceable, of whom 43 were positive for C. trachomatis. CONCLUSIONS The concordance of C. trachomatis between sexual partners is in the region of 75%. This strengthens the case for epidemiological treatment for all consorts.