Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Derivation of Myogenic Progenitors Directly From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Sphere‐Based Culture

Using stem cells to replace degenerating muscle cells and restore lost skeletal muscle function is an attractive therapeutic strategy for treating neuromuscular diseases. Myogenic progenitors are a valuable cell type for cell‐based therapy and also provide a platform for studying normal muscle development and disease mechanisms in vitro. Human pluripotent stem cells represent a valuable source of tissue for generating myogenic progenitors. Here, we present a novel protocol for deriving myogenic progenitors from human embryonic stem (hES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells using free‐floating spherical culture (EZ spheres) in a defined culture medium. hES cell colonies and human iPS cell colonies were expanded in medium supplemented with high concentrations (100 ng/ml) of fibroblast growth factor‐2 (FGF‐2) and epidermal growth factor in which they formed EZ spheres and were passaged using a mechanical chopping method. We found myogenic progenitors in the spheres after 6 weeks of culture and multinucleated myotubes following sphere dissociation and 2 weeks of terminal differentiation. A high concentration of FGF‐2 plays a critical role for myogenic differentiation and is necessary for generating myogenic progenitors from pluripotent cells cultured as EZ spheres. Importantly, EZ sphere culture produced myogenic progenitors from human iPS cells generated from both healthy donors and patients with neuromuscular disorders (including Becker's muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). Taken together, this study demonstrates a simple method for generating myogenic cells from pluripotent sources under defined conditions for potential use in disease modeling or cell‐based therapies targeting skeletal muscle.
Identification as Gifted and Implicit Beliefs About Intelligence

The current study investigated whether the developmental timing of a student’s identification as gifted (i.e., when a student is first identified) was associated with later implicit beliefs about intelligence, and whether this relation is moderated by academic ability. A sample of 1,743 high-ability college students reported on whether and when they had been identified as gifted, academic ability (SAT scores), and implicit beliefs of intelligence. Timing of identification was unrelated to implicit beliefs; academic ability was the only significant predictor. Higher ability students who had been previously identified as gifted at any point in time reported implicit beliefs more toward entity beliefs than relatively lower ability students who had also been identified; however, this effect was quite small. Implicit beliefs did not vary by ability level for nonidentified students. These findings suggest that identification as gifted at any age modestly (but not necessarily meaningfully) relates to implicit beliefs for high-ability students.
Reexamination of ultra-thin nipple shield use, infant growth and maternal satisfaction.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The primary objective of the multi-site, international study was to examine trends in weight gain for term infants breastfed with and without ultra-thin silicone nipple shields to determine the effect of nipple shield use on infant weight gain over two months. Additionally, the study examined maternal satisfaction with nipple shield use using a structured survey. BACKGROUND The nipple shield may facilitate successful breastfeeding outcomes when indicated. There has been question regarding infant weight gain with nipple shield use. A published pilot study using within-subject design indicated no significant difference in infant test weights and maternal prolactin levels when breastfeeding with and without nipple shields. The current study builds and expands upon the pilot study. DESIGN Prospective, multi-site, non-randomised, between-subject study. METHOD Maternal-infant dyads (n = 54) who used a nipple shield for breastfeeding were studied. RESULTS Results demonstrate no statistically significant difference in infant weight gain at two weeks, one month and two months between infants who breastfed with and infants who breastfed without a nipple shield. A majority (89.8%) of the women reported a positive experience with nipple shield use and 67.3% of the women reported that the nipple shield helped prevent breastfeeding termination. CONCLUSION Infant weight gain was similar in maternal-infant dyads using nipple shields for two months compared to those not using the shields. Maternal positive report of nipple shield use lends to the clinical importance of nipple shield use when appropriately indicated. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Nipple shield use may facilitate breastfeeding when clinically indicated in maternal-infant dyads without risk of decreased infant weight gain.
Role of protease inhibitor 9 in survival and replication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mononuclear phagocytes from HIV-1-infected patients

Objective and design:Predisposition to opportunistic infections by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is a concomitant of HIV-1 infection and occurrence of tuberculosis is independent of circulating CD4+ T-cell count in HIV-1-infected patients. Infection of mononuclear phagocytes from healthy individuals by virulent MTB is associated with expression of the antiapoptotic molecule protease inhibitor 9 (PI-9), and PI-9 contributes to successful parasitism of macrophages by MTB. Here we studied the contribution of PI-9 to successful MTB infection of monocytes from HIV-1-infected patients. Methods:Blood monocytes obtained from HAART-treated HIV-1-infected patients (HIV+) and healthy controls were assessed for support of MTB H37Rv growth by assessment of MTB 16S ribosomal (r)RNA in cell lysates on day 1 and day 7 by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. PI-9 expression in monocyte cell lysates was assessed by ELISA and by reverse transcription-PCR. Inhibition of intracellular PI-9 was achieved by siRNA to PI-9 and compared to control constructs. Results:Monocytes from HIV-infected patients supported higher MTB growth [MTB 16S rRNA (d7/d1)] as compared with monocytes from healthy controls. Both PI-9 protein and mRNA were significantly higher in monocytes from HIV-infected patients as compared with healthy controls. PI-9 protein levels prior to MTB infection correlated with MTB replication on day 7, and with plasma soluble CD14 levels. Silencing of PI-9 by transfection of monocytes from HIV-1-infected patients with PI-9-specific siRNA prior to infection improved intracellular containment of MTB. Conclusion:Increased intracellular PI-9 activity in mononuclear phagocytes from HIV-infected patients contributes to successful intracellular infection by virulent MTB.
Students' opinions about characteristics of their desired mathematics lessons

As part of a larger project, we examined how students describe their ideal mathematics lesson. We found that the students’ comments were similar to the characteristics that are often used by researchers to delineate the features of effective teaching. In particular the students liked clear explanations, they recalled lessons that used materials that allowed connections to their lives, felt the mode of grouping to be important, and many liked to be challenged. There was diversity in the types of lessons that they described indicating that variety is also important. Teachers are encouraged to pay attention to opinions of students on the pedagogies they value.
A Story to Tell: Bullying and Mobbing in the Workplace

Bullying and mobbing are secretive, targeted, and widespread forms of abuse in the workplace (European Foundation, 2002). This behavior is designed to ostracize, isolate, undermine, and eliminate the person(s) being targeted. For reasons as yet unknown, this behavior appears to occur more frequently in the social service, health care, and educational sectors. Targets, often the most creative members of organizations, experience emotional and financial costs. Due to the loss of talented employees, a decrease in productivity, and staff demoralization, the costs to the organization are high. Multiple factors that create vulnerability are explored, as are potential points of intervention. Leaders, feeling helpless to intervene, may reinforce the culture of abuse. This phenomenon is a complex one that can only be addressed through systemic response and change in organizational culture. A framework for multi-level analysis and remediation is presented.
The Importance of Scabies Coinfection in the Treatment Considerations for Impetigo

Background: Skin infections account for a high disease burden in indigenous children living in northern Australia. Although the relationship between impetigo and scabies is recognized, the prevalence of scabies in children with impetigo is not well reported. We report the prevalence, demographics and treatment success outcomes of impetigo and scabies coinfection in indigenous children who were participants in a randomized controlled trial of impetigo treatment conducted in remote communities of the Northern Territory, Australia. Methods: Of 1715 screening episodes for impetigo, 508 children were randomized to receive intramuscular benzathine benzylpenicillin (BPG), twice daily co-trimoxazole (SXT) for 3 days (4 mg/kg trimethoprim plus 20 mg/kg sulfamethoxazole per dose) or once daily SXT for 5 days (8 mg/kg trimethoprim plus 40 mg/kg sulfamethoxazole per dose). A clinical diagnosis of scabies; tinea of the skin, scalp or nail; and head lice was made on all children. Scabies presence was not confirmed using diagnostic scrapings. In a post-hoc analysis, we determined whether coinfection with scabies had an impact on treatment success for impetigo. Results: Of children randomized to receive treatment for impetigo, 84 of 508 (16.5%) had scabies. The presence of scabies ranged from 14.3% to 20.0% in the 3 treatment groups. Treatment success for impetigo with and without scabies coinfection, independent of the treatment groups, was 75.9% and 86.6%, respectively, absolute difference 10.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): +1% to +21%]. Treatment success for impetigo with and without scabies coinfection in the BPG group was 69.6% and 88.0%, respectively, absolute difference 18.4% (95% CI: –1% to +38%). In the pooled SXT groups, the treatment success for impetigo with and without scabies coinfection was 78.6% and 86.0%, respectively, with absolute difference 7.4% (95% CI: –4% to +18%). Treatment success in the pooled SXT group with scabies (78.6%) was higher than in the BPG group (69.6%) with scabies, absolute difference 9.0% (95% CI: +0.1% to +18%). Prediction of treatment success for impetigo is dependent on the presence or absence of scabies and for scabies coinfected impetigo it was higher in the group treated with SXT. Conclusions: The burden of scabies in an impetigo trial for Indigenous children was high. Treatment success for scabies coinfection was lower than for impetigo overall, with a higher success seen in the SXT group than the BPG group.
Atherosclerotic Lesions and Mitochondria DNA Deletions in Brain Microvessels as a Central Target for the Development of Human AD and AD‐Like Pathology in Aged Transgenic Mice

Abstract: We have studied the ultrastructural features of vascular lesions and mitochondria in brain vascular wall cells from human AD brain biopsy, human short postmortem brain tissues, and yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) and C57B6/SJL transgenic positive (Tg+) mice overexpressing amyloid beta precursor protein (AβPP). In situ hybridization using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) probes for human wild type, 5 kb deleted, and mouse mtDNA was performed, along with immunocytochemistry using antibodies against amyloid precursor protein (APP), 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐guanosine (8‐OHG), and cytochrome c oxidase (COX). There was a higher degree of amyloid deposition in the vascular walls of the human AD, YAC, and C57B6/SJL Tg (+) mice compared to age‐matched controls. In addition, vessels with more severe lesions showed immunopositive staining for APP and possessed large, lipid‐laden vacuoles in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells (EC). Significantly more mitochondrial abnormalities were seen in human AD, YAC, and C57B6/SJL Tg (+) mouse microvessels where lesions occurred. In situ hybridization using wild and chimera (5 kb) mtDNA probes revealed positive signals in damaged mitochondria from the vascular endothelium and in perivascular cells of lesioned microvessels close to regions of large amyloid deposition. These features were absent in undamaged regions of human AD tissues, YAC and C57B6/SJL Tg (+) mouse tissues, and in age‐matched control subjects. In addition, vessels with atherosclerotic lesions revealed endothelium and perivascular cells possessing clusters of wild and deleted mtDNA positive probes. These mtDNA deletions were accompanied by increased amounts of immunoreactive APP, 8‐OHG, and COX in the same cellular compartment. Our observations demonstrate that vascular wall cells, especially their mitochondria, appear to be a central target for oxidative stress‐induced damage.
Racial/Ethnic Variation in All‐Cause Mortality Among United States Medicaid Recipients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Hispanic and Asian Paradox

The incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is disproportionately high in nonwhite patients compared with white patients. However, variation in mortality according to race/ethnicity has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to examine all‐cause mortality according to race/ethnicity among SLE patients enrolled in Medicaid.
Sinomonas humi sp. nov., an amylolytic actinobacterium isolated from mangrove forest soil.

Strain MUSC 117(T) was isolated from mangrove soil of the Tanjung Lumpur forest in Pahang, Malaysia. This bacterium was yellowish-white pigmented, Gram-staining-positive, rod-coccus shaped and non-motile. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence, strain MUSC 117(T) exhibited highest sequence similarity to Sinomonas atrocyanea DSM 20127(T) (98.0 %), Sinomonas albida LC13(T) (97.9 %) and Sinomonas soli CW 59(T) (97.8 %), and lower (<97.6 %) sequence similarity to other species of the genus Sinomonas. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed a low level of DNA-DNA relatedness (less than 27 %) between strain MUSC 117(T) and closely related species. Chemotaxonomically, the peptidoglycan type was A3α, containing the amino acids lysine, serine, glycine, alanine, glutamic acid and muramic acid. The whole-cell sugars detected were rhamnose, ribose, glucose, galactose and a smaller amount of mannose. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and five unidentified glycolipids. The major fatty acids (>10.0 %) of the cell membrane were anteiso-C15 : 0 (39.4 %), C18 : 1ω7c (17.7 %), anteiso-C17 : 0 (17.2 %) and iso-C16 : 0 (11.4 %). The predominant respiratory quinones detected were MK-9(H2) and MK-9. The DNA G+C content was 67.3 mol%. A comparison of BOX-PCR fingerprints indicated that strain MUSC 117(T) represented a unique DNA profile. Results based on a polyphasic approach showed that strain MUSC 117(T) represents a novel species of the genus Sinomonas, for which the name Sinomonas humi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Sinomonas humi sp. nov. is MUSC 117(T) ( = DSM 29362(T) = MCCC 1K00410(T) = NBRC 110653(T)).
A Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant with increased virulence

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, bakers' yeast, is not a pathogen in healthy individuals, but is increasingly isolated from immunocompromised patients. The more frequent isolation of S. cerevisiae clinically raises a number of questions concerning the origin, survival, and virulence of this organism in human hosts. Here we compare the virulence of a human isolate, a strain isolated from decaying fruit, and a common laboratory strain in a mouse infection model. We find that the plant isolate is lethal in mice, whereas the laboratory strain is avirulent. A knockout of the SSD1 gene, which alters the composition and cell wall architecture of the yeast cell surface, causes both the clinical and plant isolates to be more virulent in the mouse model of infection. The hypervirulent ssd1Δ/ssd1Δ yeast strain is a more potent elicitor of proinflammatory cytokines from macrophages in vitro. Our data suggest that the increased virulence of the mutant strains is a consequence of unique surface characteristics that overstimulate the proinflammatory response.
Effects of online repetition practice on promoting mora awareness: Focusing on vowel length

Suzuki, Natsumi. M.A., Purdue University, May 2015. Effects of Online Repetition Practice on Promoting Mora Awareness: Focusing on Vowel Length. Major Professor: Atsushi Fukada. Japanese learners often have a difficult time in acquiring both accurate perception and production of Japanese special moras. Since errors on Japanese special moras can change the meaning of words, it is important to promote mora awareness in an early stage of the learners’ language learning process. However, pronunciation practice including that on special moras is often dismissed in the classroom due to time constraints and other reasons. That is why an online system, available outside the class time, could be beneficial in promoting students’ awareness of special moras. This study investigates the effectiveness of online listen-and-repeat practice to promote learners’ awareness of special moras, focusing on long vowel production. The effectiveness of online practice is compared to when the practice is done in a classroom setting. In this research, 20 words containing long vowels and five fillers were selected. The subjects were 27 first-year Japanese students and were randomly divided in three groups; 1) Online Audio-Only group, 2) Online Audio-Visual group, and 3) In-Class Choral Repetition group (called In-Class from this point onwards). All three groups received a pretest, listen-and-repeat practice, a posttest, and a delayed posttest.
The Activity of Ketoconazole and Itraconazole Against Aspergillus fumigatus in Mixed Cultures with Macrophages or Leukocytes/Die Aktivität von Ketoconazol und Itraconazol gegen Aspergillus fumigatus in Mischkulturen mit Makrophagen oder Leukozyten

Summary: Concentrations of ketoconazole of 10−4 and 10−5 M and of itraconazole of 10−5 to 3.10−7 M strongly suppress the development of Aspergillus fumigatus in Eagle's minimum essential medium. Itraconazole is about 100 times more potent than ketoconazole against the growth of A. fumigatus. Leukocytes are able to delay temporarily the germination and mycelial development. Ketoconazole (10−5 M or lower) and itraconazole (10−6 M or lower) do not affect the leukocytes. At these concentrations the compounds show a synergistic effect with leukocytes in delaying outgrowth.
[Assessment of degree and extent of resorption of incisor roots adjacent to impacted maxillary canines].

UNLABELLED The object of the study was to assess the degree and extent of root resorption of incisors adjacent to impacted maxillary canines on the basis of CT examination, as well as presenting the effect of patient's age and localisation of the impacted canines upon the resorption process. MATERIAL AND METHOD The study comprised 65 patients with suspected impaction of permanent maxillary canine. In all of the subjects pantomographic x-rays were performed. 44 patients aged 13-31 (average 17.1 +/- 4.5) were found to present with an overlap of the crown of impacted canine over the incisor roots, in which case a CT scan was performed. The patients under study were divided into three smaller groups according to age: group I (13-15 years of age) comprising 18 persons (40.9%) with 23 impacted canines (42.6%); group II (16-18 years of age) with 14 persons (31.8%) and 18 impacted canines (33.3%), and group III (19-31 years of age): 12 persons (27.3%) and 13 impacted canines (24.1%). The CT scans (including multiplanar and 3D reconstructions) were used to localise the impacted canines as buccal, palatal and horizontal. Also, the condition of the roots of lateral and/or central incisors was assessed. Moreover, the effect of impacted canine position and of the patient's age on occurrence and extent of incisor root resorption was analysed. RESULTS Of the total of 54 impacted permanent maxillary canines, 41 (75.9%) were positioned palatally, 10 (18.5%) buccaly, and 3 (5.6%) horizontally. There were 31 cases (64.6%) of lateral incisor root resorption, of which in 18 (58.1%) resorption was deep, and in 13 (41.9%) it was light. The most damage (86.9) was found in the youngest group. There were also 8 cases (44.4%) of central incisor root resorption found primarily in the second age group. Statistically significant association between the position of the impacted CONCLUSIONS A CT scan allows assessment of degree and extent of the resorption of lateral incisor roots adjacent to impacted maxillary canines. Age of patients is a significant factor which has an effect on occurrence of damage to incisor roots. Also the position of impacted canines has an effect on the process of resorption of incisor roots. Computed tomography still remains the method of choice in assessment of root resorption in teeth adjacent to impacted teeth.
Localized standing waves in inhomogeneous Schrödinger equations

A nonlinear Schrödinger equation arising from light propagation down an inhomogeneous medium is considered. The inhomogeneity is reflected through a non-uniform coefficient of the nonlinear term in the equation. In particular, a combination of self-focusing and self-defocusing nonlinearity, with the self-defocusing region localized in a finite interval, is investigated. Using numerical computations, the extension of linear eigenmodes of the corresponding linearized system into nonlinear states is established, particularly nonlinear continuations of the fundamental state and the first excited state. The (in)stability of the states is also numerically calculated, from which it is obtained that symmetric nonlinear solutions become unstable beyond a critical threshold norm. Instability of the symmetric states is then investigated analytically through the application of a topological argument. Determination of instability of positive symmetric states is reduced to simple geometric properties of the composite phase plane orbit of the standing wave. Further the topological argument is applied to higher excited states and instability is again reduced to straightforward geometric calculations. For a relatively high norm, it is observed that asymmetric states bifurcate from the symmetric ones. The stability and instability of asymmetric states is also considered.
Resistance to Chloroquine Unhinges Vivax Malaria Therapeutics

After 6 decades during which it was almost completely neglected, malaria workers have begun to acknowledge that vivax malaria poses a serious threat to human health. Nearly 3 billion people live at risk of the infection, and 100 to 400 million suffer clinical attacks each year ([21][1], [23][2]).
Peristaltically induced motion in a closed cavity with two vibrating walls

We consider incompressible, viscous fluid confined in a rectangular cavity. Both the bottom and top walls are made of thin membranes. Traveling waves with the same amplitude and frequency but opposite phase are transmitted in these membranes and induce peristaltic motion in the fluid. The induced velocity profiles are determined analytically for small-amplitude waves (e) and numerically for waves of any amplitude. The analysis consists of a perturbation expansion in terms of the wave amplitude (e) up to O(e2). Solutions for large-amplitude oscillations are obtained through the use of a finite element code that employs a moving grid. The numerical code is verified by critically comparing the simulations’ predictions with analytical results.
Abstractive Sentence Summarization with Attentive Deep Recurrent Neural Networks

ive Sentence Summarization with Attentive Deep Recurrent Neural Networks Alex Alifimoff aja2015@cs.stanford. edu Author’s note: I liberally use plural pronouns. Most of my projects are group projects so it is now naturally my writing style. Sadly, I was the only one who worked on this project.