Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
p95-HER2 and trastuzumab resistance in metastatic breast cancer; is immunohistochemistry appropriate?

PURPOSE Unraveling the mechanisms underlying the resistance to trastuzumab is important for amending the prognosis of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive metastatic breast cancer. Experimentally, it has been shown that p95-HER2 positive breast tumors are resistant to trastuzumab. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive and prognostic importance of p95-HER2 expression by immunohistochemistry in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab. METHODS Only patients who had a histological diagnosis of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and who had received first line therapy containing trastuzumab were enrolled in the study. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze p95-HER2 expression in the tissue blocks of the patients. RESULTS The study was performed on 38 patients aged between 30 and 84 years. In 14 patients (36.8%), p95-HER2 was positive, whereas it was negative in the remaining 24 patients (63.2%). There was no significant correlation between p95-HER2 expression and overall survival, response to trastuzumab, and progression-free survival (PFS). CONCLUSION Unlike previous reports, there was no correlation between the p95-HER2 expression and resistance to trastuzumab. It may be argued that an analysis using immunohistochemistry is inadequate for determining p95- HER2. In order to ascertain whether immunohistochemistry is an appropriate method, studies with larger patient groups are needed.
Puerperal Psychoses: A Long Term Study 1927—1961

There exists a vast literature on the puerperal psychoses. Most of it is incomplete in that rarely is any definition of the “puerperal period” made; frequently there is no attempt to differentiate between the various clinical syndromes seen when aetiology is considered, and little consideration is given to the extent of constitutional predisposition to psychiatric illness in the probands.
CARACTERÍSTICAS DO COMITÊ DE AUDITORIA E O GERENCIAMENTO DE RESULTADOS: UM ESTUDO NAS EMPRESAS LISTADAS NA BM&FBOVESPA

O estudo teve como objetivo verificar se caracteristicas do Comite de Auditoria refletem no Gerenciamento de Resultados (GR) das empresas brasileiras listadas na BM&FBovespa. Foram analisadas 31 empresas em 2010 e 33 empresas no ano de 2011. A populacao corresponde as empresas listadas na BM&FBovespa, totalizando 415 empresas. Foram excluidas as instituicoes financeiras e as empresas que nao possuem Comite de Auditoria, restando um total de 61 empresas. Desse total foram excluidas as empresas que nao possuiam as caracteristicas estudadas, tamanho, expertise e independencia, e aquelas que nao possuiam informacoes completas para o calculo do gerenciamento de resultados pelo modelo Jones modificado, restando a amostra de 31 empresas em 2010 e 33 empresas em 2011. Os resultados apontam que a maior parte dos Comites de Auditoria sao compostos por ate tres membros e com ate dois membros considerados independentes. No que tange a expertise constatou-se igual distribuicao de frequencia para empresas com um e dois membros formados na area contabil ou em areas afins da area financeira, o que totaliza aproximadamente 50% das empresas. Na relacao do GR e as caracteristicas do comite de auditoria, no ano 2010 constatou-se que apenas tres variaveis, alavancagem, auditoria e setor contribuiam significativamente para o modelo inicial. Averiguou-se que apenas a variavel alavancagem apresentou influencia sobre a variavel dependente. Ja o ano 2011 demonstrou que nenhuma das variaveis independentes estudadas apresentou relacao com a variavel dependente denominada GR. Concluiu-se que nenhuma das caracteristicas do Comite de Auditoria estudadas apresentaram influencia sobre o GR.
Diverse Hepatitis C Virus Glycoproteins Mediate Viral Infection in a CD81-Dependent Manner

ABSTRACT We recently reported that retroviral pseudotypes bearing the hepatitis C virus (HCV) strain H and Con1 glycoproteins, genotype 1a and 1b, respectively, require CD81 as a coreceptor for virus-cell entry and infection. Soluble truncated E2 cloned from a number of diverse HCV genotypes fail to interact with CD81, suggesting that viruses of diverse origin may utilize different receptors and display altered cell tropism. We have used the pseudotyping system to study the tropism of viruses bearing diverse HCV glycoproteins. Viruses bearing these glycoproteins showed a 150-fold range in infectivity for hepatoma cells and failed to infect lymphoid cells. The level of glycoprotein incorporation into particles varied considerably between strains, generally reflecting the E2 expression level within transfected cells. However, differences in glycoprotein incorporation were not associated with virus infectivity, suggesting that infectivity is not limited by the absolute level of glycoprotein. All HCV pseudotypes failed to infect HepG2 cells and yet infected the same cells after transduction to express human CD81, confirming the critical role of CD81 in HCV infection. Interestingly, these HCV pseudotypes differed in their ability to infect HepG2 cells expressing a panel of CD81 variants, suggesting subtle differences in the interaction of CD81 residues with diverse viral glycoproteins. Our current model of HCV infection suggests that CD81, together with additional unknown liver specific receptor(s), mediate the virus-cell entry process.
Interconnects and substrates for thermal considerations

Novel and emerging packaging technologies expand the designer's toolbox. Metal coated polymer spheres (MPS) for ball grid array (BGA) assembly is a promising interconnect technology improving reliability, while high thermal conductivity substrates, e.g. AlSiC and AlN, is interesting for enhanced thermal performance. But new tools bring along new challenges in the design phase of innovative packaging solutions. Knowledge of how these tools influence the system characteristics is therefore key; e.g. electrical, mechanical and thermal performance. This study reports on the thermal performance of several novel and more traditional interconnect and substrate technologies. It comprises a relative thermal impact study of individual technologies. The system consists of a power dissipating silicon die assembled onto different substrates with varying interconnect technologies. The study was performed with finite element analysis (FEA) assisted with a compact model and is scheduled for comparison with identical fabricated systems. The results show that it is possible to utilize FEA efficiently on a system scale during the design process with sufficient accuracy. It also reveals that the combination of interconnect and substrate technology should be chosen with care, especially regarding the system's thermal performance, disclosing potential reliability issues and illustrating cost-benefit tradeoffs.
Correction: Structural and Functional Similarity of Amphibian Constitutive Androstane Receptor with Mammalian Pregnane X Receptor

The nuclear receptors and xenosensors constitutive androstane receptor (CAR, NR1I3) and pregnane X receptor (PXR, NR1I2) induce the expression of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and transporters, which also affects various endobiotics. While human and mouse CAR feature a high basal activity and low induction upon ligand exposure, we recently identified two constitutive androstane receptors in Xenopus laevis (xlCARα and β) that possess PXR-like characteristics such as low basal activity and activation in response to structurally diverse compounds. Using a set of complementary computational and biochemical approaches we provide evidence for xlCARα being the structural and functional counterpart of mammalian PXR. A three-dimensional model of the xlCARα ligand-binding domain (LBD) reveals a human PXR-like L-shaped ligand binding pocket with a larger volume than the binding pockets in human and murine CAR. The shape and amino acid composition of the ligand-binding pocket of xlCAR suggests PXR-like binding of chemically diverse ligands which was confirmed by biochemical methods. Similarly to PXR, xlCARα possesses a flexible helix 11’. Modest increase in the recruitment of coactivator PGC-1α may contribute to the enhanced basal activity of three gain-of-function xlCARα mutants humanizing key LBD amino acid residues. xlCARα and PXR appear to constitute an example of convergent evolution.
Physiological and Genetic Mechanisms for Nitrogen-Use Efficiency in Maize

Due to the strong influence of nitrogen (N) on plant productivity, a vast amount of N fertilizers is used to maximize crop yield. Over-use of N fertilizers leads to severe pollution of the environment, especially the aquatic ecosystem, as well as reducing farmer's income. Growing of N-efficient cultivars is an important prerequisite for integrated nutrient management strategies in both lowand high-input agriculture. Taking maize as a sample crop, this paper reviews the response of plants to low N stress, the physiological processes which may control N-use efficiency in low-N input conditions, and the genetic and molecular biological aspects of N-use efficiency. Since the harvest index (HI) of modern cultivars is quite high, further improvement of these cultivars to adapt to low N soils should aim to increase their capacity to accumulate N at low N levels. To achieve this goal, establishment and maintenance of a large root system during the growth period may be essential. To reduce the cost of N and carbon for root growth, a strong response of lateral root growth to nitrate-rich patches may be desired. Furthermore, a large proportion of N accumulated in roots at early growth stages should be remobilized for grain growth in the late filling stage to increase N-utilization efficiency. Some QTLs and genes related to maize yield as well as root traits have been identified. However, their significance in improving maize NUE at low N inputs in the field need to be elucidated.
Outbreak in Alberta of community-acquired (USA300) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in people with a history of drug use, homelessness or incarceration

Background: The USA300 strain of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) can cause severe infection and is increasingly recognized as a cause of community outbreaks. In 2004, an outbreak was identified in the Calgary Health Region (CHR). Methods: MRSA isolates were identified with standard methods at a central regional laboratory and typed via pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Isolates were tested by PCR for mecA, Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL), SCCmec, and spa genes. Cases were defined as such if a clinical isolate of the USA300 strain was noted between January 1 and September 30, 2004, and the patient had lived or traveled in CHR within 2 years before symptom onset. Demographic, clinical and risk data on all such cases were collected from several sources for statistical analysis. A case was defined as high-risk if the patient had a history of drug use, homelessness or incarceration. Results: Of 40 isolates with the USA300 PFGE pattern, all tested positive for PVL, SCCmec type IVa and spa type 008. Almost all infections (39/40, 98%) involved skin and soft tissues, except for 1 death from necrotizing hemorrhagic pneumonia; a notable proportion (38%) required hospital admission or intravenous antimicrobial therapy. The outbreak centred on the high-risk population in CHR (70%; risk ratio 169.4, 95% confidence interval 86.1–333.0). Interpretation: People with histories of illicit drug use, homelessness or recent incarceration were at highest risk for infection with CA-MRSA. The emergence and spread of this virulent strain has important implications for treatment and public health in Canada.
Alterations within the activation domain of the sigma 54-dependent activator DctD that prevent transcriptional activation

Rhizobium meliloti DctD (C4-dicarboxylate transport protein D) is a transcriptional activator that catalyzes the ATP-dependent isomerization of closed complexes between sigma 54-RNA polymerase holoenzyme and the dctA promoter to open complexes. Following random mutagenesis of dctD, 55 independent mutant forms of DctD that failed to activate transcription from a dctA'-'lacZ reporter gene in Escherichia coli were selected, and the amino acid substitutions were determined for these mutant proteins. Amino acid substitutions were distributed throughout the central domain of the protein, the domain responsible for transcription activation, but most of the substitutions occurred within three highly conserved regions of the protein. Selected mutant proteins were purified, and their activities were studied in vitro. All of the purified mutant proteins appeared to have normal DNA-binding activity and interacted with sigma 54 and core RNA polymerase, as determined from protein crosslinking assays. Proteins with amino acid substitutions in a region spanning amino acid positions 222 to 225 retained their ATPase activities, whereas proteins with substitutions in other regions had little or no ATPase activity. Taken together, these data suggest that the region that encompasses amino acid residues 222 through 225 probably functions in coupling the energy released from ATP hydrolysis to open complex formation rather than as a major determinant for binding to RNA polymerase.
The Historical Loss Scale: Longitudinal measurement equivalence and prospective links to anxiety among North American indigenous adolescents.

OBJECTIVES Thoughts of historical loss (i.e., the loss of culture, land, and people as a result of colonization) are conceptualized as a contributor to the contemporary distress experienced by North American Indigenous populations. Although discussions of historical loss and related constructs (e.g., historical trauma) are widespread within the Indigenous literature, empirical efforts to understand the consequence of historical loss are limited, partially because of the lack of valid assessments. In this study we evaluated the longitudinal measurement properties of the Historical Loss Scale (HLS)-a standardized measure that was developed to systematically examine the frequency with which Indigenous individuals think about historical loss-among a sample of North American Indigenous adolescents. We also test the hypothesis that thoughts of historical loss can be psychologically distressing. METHODS Via face-to-face interviews, 636 Indigenous adolescents from a single cultural group completed the HLS and a measure of anxiety at 4 time-points, which were separated by 1- to 2-year intervals (Mage = 12.09 years, SD = .86, 50.0% girls at baseline). RESULTS Responses to the HLS were explained well by 3-factor (i.e., cultural loss, loss of people, and cultural mistreatment) and second-order factor structures. Both of these factor structures held full longitudinal metric (i.e., factor loadings) and scalar (i.e., intercepts) equivalence. In addition, using the second-order factor structure, more frequent thoughts of historical loss were associated with increased anxiety. CONCLUSIONS The identified 3-factor and second-order HLS structures held full longitudinal measurement equivalence. Moreover, as predicted, our results suggest that historical loss can be psychologically distressing for Indigenous adolescents.
The ettringite – superplasticizer interaction and its impact on the ettringite distribution in cement suspensions

Synopsis: In terms of workability of cement based materials, ettringite formation is of major importance. Thus, the interaction between polycarboxylate-ether based superplasticizers (PCE) and various pure cement clinker and hydrate phases is investigated by means of rheological, adsorption and zeta potential measurements. Microstructural analysis of fresh pastes is carried out using cryo-microscopic methods. The rheological results reveal that the ettringite phase is dominating the workability properties of cement suspensions as the PCE shows high affinity to adsorb onto ettringite surfaces. The dispersive effect of PCE in cement suspensions is mainly governed by electrostatic and/or steric repulsive forces evoked by the PCE molecules. This effect can be observed by cryo-microscopy on high-pressure frozen cement suspensions. Without PCE, ettringite tends to agglomerate with the tricalciumsilicate rich clinker particles due to their opposite zeta potential. Therefore, the ettringite is inhomogeneously distributed in the OPC suspension. This distribution pattern changes completely in the presence of PCE, where the ettringite crystals now are mainly present in the interstitial pore space. These results underline that the ettringite phase and its dispersion in the fresh cement paste is acting as the major key mineral concerning workability issues for cement applications.
Investigation of End Effects in Linear Induction Motors by Using the Finite-Element Method

In rotating machines, no end effects occur because of their cylindrical geometry, which has no ends in the direction of movement. In linear motors, however, either the rotor or the stator has a finite length, and end effects occur because of the part having finite length entering or exiting the magnetic field. End effects occur as magnetic waves having attenuation, and play a major role in the performance of linear induction motors (LIMs), especially at high speeds. As the speed increases, efficiency decreases because of longitudinal end effects. This decrease in efficiency has a braking effect. In high-speed maglev devices, such as trains, the efficiency and performance of the LIMs become very important. We report on our investigation of end effects by the finite-element method.
hMSH 5 : A Human MutS Homologue That Forms a Novel Heterodimer with hMSH 4 and Is Expressed during Spermatogenesis 1

MutS homologues have been identified in nearly all organisms examined to date. They play essential roles in maintaining mitotic genetic fidelity and meiotic segregation fidelity. MutS homologues appear to function as a molecular switch that signals genomic manipulation events. Here we describe the identification of the human homologue of theSaccharomyces cerevisiaeMSH5, which is known to participate in meiotic segregation fidelity and crossing-over. The humanMSH5 (hMSH5) was localized to chromosome 6p22-21 and appears to play a role in meiosis because expression is induced during spermatogenesis between the late primary spermatocytes and the elongated spermatid phase. hMSH5 interacts specifically with hMSH4, confirming the generality of functional heterodimeric interactions in the eukaryotic MutS homologue, which also includes hMSH2-hMSH3 and hMSH2-hMSH6.
Characterization of the M1(Ala213) type of alpha 1-antitrypsin, a newly recognized, common "normal" alpha 1-antitrypsin haplotype.

alpha 1-Antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) is a highly pleomorphic 52-kDa serum glycoprotein that functions as the major inhibitor of neutrophil elastase. Of these, the most common normal alpha 1AT haplotypes identified by isoelectric focusing (IEF) of serum are those of the M family, including M1, M2, and M3. In the course of studying the alpha 1AT type Z gene, we identified a restriction endonuclease BstEII polymorphism in the M1 gene that predicted the existence of a previously unidentified, but relatively common, haplotype of M, referred to as M1(Ala213) [Nukiwa, T. , Satoh, K. , Brantly, M. L. , Ogushi, F. , Fells, G. A. , Courtney, M. , & Crystal, R. G. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 15989-15994]. In this study we have cloned both alpha 1AT genes from an individual heterozygous for the M1(Ala213) and M1(Val213) haplotypes. Sequencing of the coding exons of both demonstrated that they are identical except for the Ala-Val difference at residue 213. The codominant transmission of the M1(Ala213) gene was demonstrated in a family study. Evaluation of 39 genomic samples of Caucasians with the IEF haplotype M1 demonstrated haplotype frequencies of 68% for M1(Val213) and 32% for M1(Ala213). alpha 1AT serum levels of individuals inheriting the M1(Ala213) gene in a homozygous fashion were in the same range as those for homozygous M1(Val213) as was the rate of association of the M1(Ala213) protein with neutrophil elastase. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Relation between carotid intima media thickness and vitamin D in hypertension

Purpose: Subclinical atherosclerosis defined as endothelial dysfunction, coronary calcification, and increased carotid intima media thickness is related to cardiovascular events independent from blood pressure. There are data showing possible relation between low vitamin D levels and subclinical atherosclerosis. In this study we aimed to find out the relation between vitamin D level and intima media thickness and the presence of atherosclerotic plaques. Materials and Methods: Fifteen male and 148 female subjects with essential hypertension aged between 30-76 were included to the study. Intima media thickness was measured and the presence of plaque was evaluated by real time B mode ultrasonography (MyLab 70 XVG, Esaote SpA, Genoa, Italy) using 4.0-13.0 MHz linear probe. Serum parathormone was measured by chemiluminiscence immunoassay and 25 OH vitamin D level by radioimmunassay. Results: Eighty patients (49%) had plaques. Seventy three patients (45%) had severe vitamin D deficiency defined as level below 10 ng/ml and 64 (39%) had insufficiency, (10-20 ng/ml). Vitamin D levels were similar in plaque +ve and –ve groups (p=0.44). Intima media thickness was positively correlated with age (r=0.399, p=0.0001), fasting glucose (r=0.165, p=0.036), and Hemoglobin A1c (r=0.384, p=0.002). There was no correlation between intima media thickness and vitamin D level (p=0.75) and LDL (p=0.581). Conclusion: We did not find any relation between vitamin D level andintima media thickness in hypertensive subjects. The lack of significance may be due to high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.
Recognition of gray character using gabor filters

In this paper, a novel Gabor filter-based feature extraction method for low resolution gray character classification is proposed By applying Gabor filters to a character image, dominant orientation matrix is obtained and used to form feature vector for recognition. We compared our Gabor feature with other Gabor features. Experiments show that the proposed feature extraction method achieves high recognition accuracy and is also not sensitive to noise and other distortions. This method has been used in a Vehicle License Plate Character System.