Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of PCOS on Lipid Profile

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine problem in women of reproductive age, which is multifactorial in etiology. It is associated with menstrual dysfunction and subfertility. PCOS is common cause for hyperandogenism and hirsutism and associated with obesity and with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidemia is the most common abnormality in PCOS patients. So our study includes lipid profile variation in women with PCOS in younger age group with normal BMI. A case control study was conducted in 50 PCOS patients (19 to 25 years age) and 50 normal menstruating women matched for age and anthropometric data. Statistical analysis was done by using student “t” test. Serum Triglycerides, Serum Cholesterol, LDL-C, VLDL-C, were significantly raised while HDL-C significantly decreased in PCOS patients compared to normal menstruating women. As PCOS patients are more prone for atherogenic lipid profile and cardiovascular diseases, so they should be screened for altered lipid profile to prevent complications.
The Activity of the GTPase-activating Protein CdGAP Is Regulated by the Endocytic Protein Intersectin*

The Rho GTPases RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 play a major role in regulating the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. We recently identified CdGAP, a novel GTPase-activating protein with activity toward Rac1 and Cdc42. CdGAP consists of a N-terminal GAP domain, a central domain, and a C-terminal proline-rich domain. Here we show that through a subset of its Src homology 3 domains, the endocytic protein intersectin interacts with CdGAP. In platelet-derived growth factor-stimulated Swiss 3T3 cells, intersectin co-localizes with CdGAP and inhibits its GAP activity toward Rac1. Intersectin-Src homology 3 also inhibits CdGAP activity in GAP assaysin vitro. Although the C-terminal proline-rich domain of CdGAP is required for the regulation of its GAP activity by intersectin both in vivo and in vitro, it is not necessary for CdGAP-intersectin interaction. Our data suggest that the central domain of CdGAP is required for CdGAP-intersectin interaction. Thus, we propose a model in which intersectin binding results in a change of CdGAP conformation involving the proline-rich domain that leads to the inhibition of its GAP activity. These observations provide the first demonstration of a direct regulation of RhoGAP activity through a protein-protein interaction and suggest a function for intersectin in Rac1 regulation and actin dynamics.
Acculturation, economics and food insecurity among refugees resettled in the USA: a case study of West African refugees

Abstract Objectives To assess the occurrence and severity of food insecurity, and examine associations between food insecurity and measures of socio-economic status and indicators of acculturation. Design Structured interviews among a non-probability sample of West African refugees at baseline and 6 months' follow-up. Setting Mid-sized city in north-eastern USA. Subjects One hundred and one caregivers with children under the age of 5 years and who have been living the USA for fewer than 4 years. Results Food insecurity was indicated in approximately half of households (53%). The occurrence of food insecurity was associated with measures of socio-economic status such as income, employment status and participation in the Food Stamp Program (P < 0.05). Measures of acculturation such as difficulty in the shopping environment and language difficulty were also associated with the occurrence and severity of food insecurity, as was time lived in the USA (P < 0.05). Among households who had been in the USA for 1 year or less, food insecurity was indicated in 73%, whereas among households who had been in the USA for at least 3 years food insecurity was indicted in 33%. Conclusions Refugees are a potentially vulnerable group and our results echo others in suggesting a need for more thorough monitoring of the health and well-being of recently resettled refugees. These results also suggest that reliance on employment as the sole indicator of success in the resettlement process may be too narrow an indicator. Future research should focus on a wider range of measures of health and well-being.
[Patterns and risk factors of recurrence in triple-negative breast cancer].

OBJECTIVE To analyze the recurrence characteristics of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and explore their clinicopathological correlations in northern China. METHODS Regression analyses were performed for 4 579 breast cancer patients from September 2002 to September 2007. Among them, there were 787 TNBC patients. RESULTS The median follow-up period was 72 (9-116) months. And 187 (23.8%) TNBC patients recurred and it was significantly different from the recurrence rate of non-TNBC group (17.4%, P = 0.024). The median time to recurrence was 30.2 (4-110) months and 36.3% recurred 2 years while 27.8% did within 2-3 years. The rates of lung, liver and brain metastases to other sites were higher in TNBC patients than those in non-TNBC patients. TNBC patients had higher local recurrence rates than non-TNBC counterparts (2.92% vs 1.56%) (P = 0.009). Age, regional lymph node infiltration, tumor size and pathological stage were all independent prognostic factors of TNBC. CONCLUSION TNBC has unique recurrence characteristics. It is prone to recur shortly with a high local recurrence rate. Metastatic rate is higher in visceral organ than bone.
Software mining and fault prediction

Mining software repositories (MSRs) such as source control repositories, bug repositories, deployment logs, and code repositories provide useful patterns for practitioners. Instead of using these repositories as record‐keeping ones, we need to transform them into active repositories that can guide the decision processes inside the company. By MSRs with several data mining algorithms, effective software fault prediction models can be built and error‐prone modules can be detected prior to the testing phase. We discuss numerous real‐world challenges in building accurate fault prediction models and present some solutions to these challenges. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development and characterization of novel microsatellite markers from the Chinese rufous horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus sinicus) with cross‐species amplification in closely related taxa

We isolated nine polymorphic microsatellite markers from the Chinese rufous horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus sinicus) using an enriched library method. We assessed genetic polymorphism at these loci in 42 individuals from a single population. We recorded high genetic diversity with four to 17 alleles per locus, and estimated expected and observed heterozygosity values ranging from 0.492 to 0.910 and from 0.462 to 0.881, respectively. No locus departed from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium following Bonferroni correction, and no linkage disequilibrium was detected. Most loci successfully cross‐amplified congeneric species. These loci will be used to characterize phylogeographical history of Rhinolophus sinicus in China.
Lectin cytochemistry of rat cerebral and cerebellar neuronal cells

Lectin cytochemistry of normal rat central nervous system (CNS) was performed on formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded sections by using 14 lectins and light and electron microscopy. Hippocampal neurons reacted positively with Griffonia (Bandeiraea) simplicifolia lectin I (GSL‐I), Griffonia (Bandeiraea) simplicifolia lectin II (GSL‐II) and Vicia villosa agglutinin (VVA); neurons in the cornu ammonis (CA) 2 region reacted positively with GSL‐I and GSL‐II, and neurons in the CA2 and CA3 regions reacted with VVA. Cortical neurons reacted positively with GSL‐I and VVA. Cerebellar Purkinje cells and granule cells were reactive with Phaseolus vulgaris leukoagglutinin (PHA‐L). Cerebellar nucleus neurons were also reactive with PHA‐L and VVA. Reactivity with GSL‐I, GSL‐II, VVA and PHA‐L was observed only on the neuronal cell surface. The present findings demonstrate the differences between cerebral and cerebellar neurons in reacting with glycoconjugates.
Methoxypyrazines in Sauvignon blanc wines, detection of addition of artificial aroma.

Methoxypyrazines are the principal aroma components responsible for the vegetative and herbaceous green bell-pepper flavour of Sauvignon blanc wines produced in Moravia. The aroma profiles of 8 samples of Moravian Sauvignon wines were analysed; the levels of 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine varied in the range of 4.7-17.0 ng/l. The commercial Sauvignon aroma preparation Aroma Fantasia S, available in the region, was analysed; the product contained the 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, and in negligible concentrations also anethol and ethylbenzoate. The Moravian Sauvignon blanc wine samples spiked with different amounts of aroma preparation were evaluated by hedonic sensory analysis, to estimate the meaningfulness of such illegal improvement. The most preferred concentration ranged from 5 ng/l to 10 ng/l, which are the natural levels of MP in Moravian Sauvignon blanc wines, therefore the addition of aroma at this level, which can be detectable with difficulties, has no reason. The less sophisticated adulteration of wine, such as the production of artificial Sauvignon blanc wine by the addition of MP into less distinctive wines, is easily detectable according to the aroma profile.
A Real-time Targeted Recommender System for Supermarkets

Supermarket customers find it difficult to choose from a large variety of products or be informed for the latest offers that exist in a store based on the items that they need or wish to purchase. This paper presents a framework for a Recommender System deployed in a supermarket setting with the aim of suggesting real-time personalizedoffersto customers. As customers navigate in a store, iBeacons push personalized notifications to their smart-devices informing them about offers that are likely to be of interest. The suggested approach combines an Entropy-based algorithm, a Hard k-modes clustering and a Bayesian Inference approach to notify customers about the best offers based on their shopping preferences. The proposed methodology improves the customer’s overall shopping experience by suggesting personalized items with accuracy and efficiency. Simultaneously, the properties of the underlying techniques used by the proposed framework tackle the data sparsity, the cold-start problem and other scalability issues that are often met in Recommender Systems. A preliminary setup in a local supermarket confirms the validity of the proposed methodology, in terms of accuracy, outperforming the traditional Collaborative Filteringapproaches of user-based and item-based.
Identification of peptides in milk as a result of proteolysis at different levels of somatic cell counts using LC MALDI MS/MS detection

The somatic cell count (SCC) in milk is associated with increasing proteolytic degradation of caseins and it has been suggested that enzymes derived from somatic cells contribute to a lower yield and poorer quality of cheese. It is essential to increase the knowledge on naturally occurring milk proteinase activities to better understand how to improve the technological quality of milk. The aim of this work was to identify peptides actually present in milk as a result of proteolysis at different levels of SCC and to assign these peptides to potential responsible proteases where possible. Peptide fractions were prepared from acid whey by ultrafiltration at a molecular cut-off value of 10 000 Da. The peptides were separated using capillary reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS/MS). Peptides identified ranged in mass from 1023 to 2000 Da, and originated from αS1-, αS2- or β-casein. Possible responsible proteases that could be suggested when examining the peptide cleavage sites included plasmin, cathepsin B, D and leukocyte elastase. The results indicated that plasmin was primarily responsible for the observed proteolysis in milk at low cell count, whereas the cathepsins and elastase became implicated at elevated cell count. Specificity and activity of cathepsins and elastase has earlier mainly been studied in model systems, whereas less is known about their activities in milk itself. This is also the first indication of involvement of elastase in milk proteolysis through the unequivocal determination of cleavage sites.
Characterization of Serotypes and Outer Membrane Protein Profiles in Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Strains

Twenty‐four Escherichia coli strains mainly isolated from children with diarrhea in São Paulo, and showing characteristics of enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), were characterized by serotyping and outer membrane protein (OMP) profiles. The relationship between these characteristics was evaluated, as well as the usefulness of OMP profiles in the clonal analysis of EAEC strains. All strains presented aggregative adherence to HeLa cells and were classified in two groups based on their interaction with the EAEC DNA probe. A diversity of serotypes and OMP profiles was observed in both groups studied. Although no significant correlation between serotypes and OMP profiles was observed, unique OMP profiles were identified in 80% of the probe‐positive strains which were distributed in only 4 OMP profiles. This result may indicate the presence of a few clones in the probe‐positive group. On the other hand, probe‐negative strains seem to constitute a more diverse group. In general, the observed heterogeneity in serotypes and OMP profiles described in the present study suggest a great genetic diversity in EAEC isolates of either the same or different serotypes and in strains presenting the same EAEC markers identified in our community.
Adjuvant systemic treatment for elderly breast cancer patients; addressing safety concerns

Introduction: The issue of systemic treatment for early breast cancer in the elderly has always been challenging and in spite of the clear evidence of the potential benefits of adjuvant treatment in older women, they are usually undertreated with the potential consequence of worse outcomes. Areas covered: This article will review the evidence surrounding the various systemic options in the treatment armamentarium of early-stage breast cancer in elderly patients. The risks and benefits, with particular attention to a number of newly introduced targeted agents, along with the potential role of incorporating a combined geriatric/oncologic assessment as a routine part of the management of elderly patients with breast cancer are considered. Expert opinion: Administration of available options for (neo)adjuvant endocrine, chemo, as well as targeted therapeutics in fit elderly patients is feasible and tolerable; however, a routine input from geriatric medicine and psycho-oncology experts as well as the training of specialized oncology staff with special interest in geriatric oncology are believed to improve the outcome of elderly patients.
C8ORF37 Is Required for Photoreceptor Outer Segment Disc Morphogenesis by Maintaining Outer Segment Membrane Protein Homeostasis

C8ORF37 is a causative gene for three different clinical forms of incurable retinal degeneration. However, the completely unknown function of C8ORF37 limits our understanding of the pathogenicity of C8ORF37 mutations. Here, we performed a comprehensive phenotypic characterization of a C8orf37 KO mouse line, generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Both C8orf37 KO male and female mice exhibited progressive and simultaneous degeneration of rod and cone photoreceptors but no non-ocular phenotypes. The major ultrastructural feature of C8orf37 KO photoreceptors was massive disorganization of the outer segment (OS) membrane discs starting from the onset of disc morphogenesis during development. At the molecular level, the amounts of multiple OS-specific membrane proteins, including proteins involved in membrane disc organization, were reduced, although these proteins were targeted normally to the OS. Considering the distribution of C8ORF37 throughout the photoreceptor cell body, the normal structure of the KO photoreceptor connecting cilium, and the absence of defects in other ciliary organs of the KO mice, our findings do not support the previous notion that C8ORF37 was a ciliary protein. Because C8ORF37 is absent in the photoreceptor OS, C8ORF37 may participate in the secretory pathway of OS membrane proteins in the photoreceptor cell body and thus maintain the homeostasis of these proteins. This study established a valid animal model for future therapeutic studies of C8ORF37-associated retinal degeneration. This study also shed new light on the role of C8ORF37 in photoreceptors and on the pathogenic mechanism underlying retinal degeneration caused by C8ORF37 mutations. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Inherited retinal degeneration is a group of incurable conditions with poorly understood underlying molecular mechanisms. We investigated C8ORF37, a causative gene for three retinal degenerative conditions: retinitis pigmentosa, cone–rod dystrophy, and Bardet–Biedl syndrome. C8ORF37 encodes a protein with no known functional domains and thus its biological function is unpredictable. We knocked out the C8ORF37 ortholog in mice, which resulted in a retinal phenotype similar to that observed in patients. We further demonstrated that C8ORF37 is required for photoreceptor outer segment disc formation and alignment, a process that is critical for photoreceptor function and survival. This study advances our understanding of the pathogenesis of retinal degeneration and establishes a valuable mouse model for future therapeutic development.
Similarities and Differences in the Career Trajectories of Male and Female Career Development Award Recipients

Purpose To examine the careers of career development award recipients. Method In 2009, a postal survey was conducted of 818 recipients of K08 and K23 awards in 2000–2001 to examine career paths and personal characteristics. Results Of 589 respondents (72% response rate), 211 (35.9%) were female. Women were less likely to have children (P < .001) than men. The vast majority of respondents (89.6%) remained in academic medicine. Among those, over three-quarters continued to spend significant time on research. On univariate analysis, women were not significantly less likely to report promotion, leadership positions, or application for R01 grants. They were less likely to have received an R01 (P = .006) and to perceive themselves as successful (P = .002), and they published fewer papers (P = .001). Overall, 118 women (55.9%) and 274 men (72.5%) met at least one of the following criteria for success: serving as principal investigator on an R01 or grants >$1,000,000 since K award receipt, publishing at least 35 publications since K award year, or serving as dean, department chair, or division chief. In a multivariate model, gender (odds ratio 1.72, P = .003) was associated with the likelihood of success by this definition, and analysis revealed no significant interactions (including with parental status). Conclusions Most of these promising investigators of both genders remained in academia and received promotions. However, gender differences in success existed, unrelated to parental status, suggesting a need for ongoing investigation of the causes of gender differences in academic medical careers.
Patterns of oligodendrocyte pathology in coronavirus‐induced subacute demyelinating encephalomyelitis in the lewis rat

Intracerebral infection of rats with JHM coronavirus induces a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease, which in many respects mimicks the pathology of multiple sclerosis. We investigated the patterns of demyelination and oligodendrocyte pathology in this model. In early stages of the disease infection of oligodendrocytes was associated with a downregulation of expression of mRNA for proteolipid protein in the absence of myelin destruction. When demyelinating lesions were formed infected oligodendrocytes were destroyed by necrosis, whereas oligodendrocytes that did not contain detectable virus antigen or RNA were in part dying by apoptosis. At this stage of the disease remyelination of the lesions was pronounced. At later stages after infection virus antigen was nearly completely cleared from the lesions. In spite of the lack of detectable virus, ongoing demyelination and unspecific tissue destruction occurred, and oligodendrocytes were mainly destroyed by apoptosis. These late lesions revealed only minimal central remyelination, but they were frequently repaired by Schwann cells. Our studies suggest that the mechanisms of myelin destruction in this model of virus‐induced demyelination are complex and that the patterns of tissue damage may change during the course of the disease. Glia 19:1–7, 1997 © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of MoSi Superconducting Single-Photon Detectors in the Magnetic Field

We investigate the response mechanism of nanowire superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) made of amorphous MoxSi1-x. We study the dependence of photon count and dark count rates on bias current in magnetic fields up to 113 mT at 1.7 K temperature. The observed behavior of photon counts is similar to the one recently observed in NbN SSPDs. Our results show that the detecting mechanism of relatively high-energy photons does not involve the vortex penetration from the edges of the film, and on the contrary, the detecting mechanism of low-energy photons probably involves the vortex penetration from the film edges.
Safety of in vitro Diagnostics for Hematology and Coagulation Testing – Analysis of the Reports to the German Competent Authority (BfArM)

The European Directive 98/79/EC on in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVD) stipulates the marketing and postmarketing surveillance of IVD in the European Economic Area. In case of incidents and field-corrective actions related to IVD, manufacturers have to inform the responsible competent authorities. In Germany, the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) is the responsible competent authority for most IVD. Only a small subset of IVD for immune hematological and infectiological testing as well as tissue typing specified in Annex II of the Directive is in the responsibility of the Paul-Ehrlich- Institute (PEI). Until the end of 2005, the BfArM received a total of 653 notifications regarding IVD. From these, 53 and 34 related to IVD for analysis of coagulation and for hematological testing (without immune hematology), respectively, and were subject of this study. Most of the reports came from manufacturers (n = 69, 79.3%), whereas other sources played only minor roles. Product failures of tests and control materials were frequently caused by manufacturing errors and material defects, whereas analyzers were typically affected by software bugs. Based on the investigations of the manufacturers, product failures were confirmed in most cases, and in consequence corrective actions were performed in 71 cases. The latter included frequently customer information, product recalls, modifications in production or quality management, and software upgrades. Our data suggest that the governmental system for postmarketing surveillance is an established and important tool to ensure the safety of IVD.
Children learning to use technologies through play: A Digital Play Framework

Digital technologies are increasingly acknowledged as an important aspect of early childhood education. A significant problem for early childhood education has been how to understand the pedagogical use of technologies in a sector that values play-based learning. This paper presents a new framework to understand how children learn to use technologies through play. The Digital Play Framework is based on the sociocultural concept of tool mediation and Corrine Hutt's work regarding epistemic and ludic activity as basis for understanding play. The Digital Play Framework presents a series of indicators for how children learn to use technologies as cultural tools, first by exploring the functionality of technologies through epistemic activity, and second by generating new content through ludic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]