Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the Entire Cystatin Gene Family in Barley and Their Target Cathepsin L-Like Cysteine-Proteases, Partners in the Hordein Mobilization during Seed Germination1[W]

Plant cystatins are inhibitors of cysteine-proteases of the papain C1A and legumain C13 families. Cystatin data from multiple plant species have suggested that these inhibitors act as defense proteins against pests and pathogens and as regulators of protein turnover. In this study, we characterize the entire cystatin gene family from barley (Hordeum vulgare), which contain 13 nonredundant genes, and identify and characterize their target enzymes, the barley cathepsin L-like proteases. Cystatins and proteases were expressed and purified from Escherichia coli cultures. Each cystatin was found to have different inhibitory capability against barley cysteine-proteases in in vitro inhibitory assays using specific substrates. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed that inhibitors and enzymes present a wide variation in their messenger RNA expression patterns. Their transcripts were mainly detected in developing and germinating seeds, and some of them were also expressed in leaves and roots. Subcellular localization of cystatins and cathepsin L-like proteases fused to green fluorescent protein demonstrated the presence of both protein families throughout the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex. Proteases and cystatins not only colocalized but also interacted in vivo in the plant cell, as revealed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation. The functional relationship between cystatins and cathepsin L-like proteases was inferred from their common implication as counterparts of mobilization of storage proteins upon barley seed germination. The opposite pattern of transcription expression in gibberellin-treated aleurones presented by inhibitors and enzymes allowed proteases to specifically degrade B, C, and D hordeins stored in the endosperm of barley seeds.
Pediatric hydrocephalus: systematic literature review and evidence-based guidelines. Part 7: Antibiotic-impregnated shunt systems versus conventional shunts in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECT The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to answer the following question: Are antibiotic-impregnated shunts (AISs) superior to standard shunts (SSs) at reducing the risk of shunt infection in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus? METHODS Both the US National Library of Medicine PubMed/MEDLINE database and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were queried using MeSH headings and key words relevant to AIS use in children. Abstracts were reviewed, after which studies meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. An evidentiary table was assembled summarizing the studies and the quality of their evidence (Classes I-III). A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model to calculate a cumulative estimate of treatment effect using risk ratio (RR). Heterogeneity was assessed using the chi-square and I(2) statistics. Based on the quality of the literature and the result of the meta-analysis, a recommendation was rendered (Level I, II, or III). RESULTS Six studies, all Class III, met our inclusion criteria. All but one study focused on a retrospective cohort and all but one were conducted at a single institution. Four of the studies failed to demonstrate a lowered infection rate with the use of an AIS. However, when the data from individual studies were pooled together, the infection rate in the AIS group was 5.5% compared with 8.6% in the SS group. Using a random-effects model, the cumulative RR was 0.51 (95% CI 0.29-0.89, p < 0.001), indicating that a shunt infection was 1.96 times more likely in patients who received an SS. CONCLUSIONS We recommend AIS tubing because of the associated lower risk of shunt infection compared to the use of conventional silicone hardware (quality of evidence: Class III; strength of recommendation: Level III). RECOMMENDATION Antibiotic-impregnated shunt (AIS) tubing may be associated with a lower risk of shunt infection compared with conventional silicone hardware and thus is an option for children who require placement of a shunt. STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION Level III, unclear degree of clinical certainty.
Evaluating the Roles of Ethnicity and Performance in African Elections

While many scholars argue that ethnicity drives voting behavior in Africa, recent quantitative work finds government performance also matters. But under what conditions do Africans use ethnicity or performance to inform their vote? We argue that the importance of ethnicity and performance is conditional on whether voters evaluate co-ethnics and incumbent candidates. We hypothesize co-ethnic voters will coordinate and form blocs, whereas non-co-ethnics are more likely to divide their support between candidates. We also hypothesize that while incumbent performance matters to all voters independent of ethnicity, citizens will forgive their co-ethnic incumbent’s poor performance. Tests using data from a nationwide exit poll we conducted during Kenya’s 2007 national election strongly support our hypotheses. Our results are robust to analyses concerning the potentially confounding relationship between ethnicity and performance.
Midweek Effect on Performance: Evidence from the German Soccer Bundesliga

The home advantage phenomenon is a well-established feature in sports competitions. In this paper, we examine data from 1,908 soccer matches played in the German Bundesliga during the seasons from 2007-08 to 2015-16. Using a very rich data set, our econometric analysis that is based on matching methods reveals that the usual home advantage disappears when the game is in the middle of the week instead of being on the weekend. Our results indicate that, since the midweek matches are unevenly allocated among teams, the actual schedules of the Bundesliga favour teams with fewer home games in midweek. The paper also shows that these soccer-specific findings have some implications for the design of contests in general.
Trends in Poverty with an Anchored Supplemental Poverty Measure

Note: We are grateful for funding support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation and from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) through grant R24 HD058486-03 to the Columbia Population Research Center (CPRC). We benefited from research assistance from Nathan Hutto and Ethan Raker. We are also grateful to seminar participants at CPRC and Russell Sage Foundation, as well as many colleagues who provided helpful insights and advice, in particular,
Community Reactions to a Syphilis Prevention Campaign for Gay and Bisexual Men in Los Angeles County

“Stop the Sores” (STS), a humor-based syphilis prevention campaign, was implemented in response to increasing syphilis prevalence among gay and bisexual men in Los Angeles County. In 2004, 564 men completed surveys measuring exposure and reactions to the campaign and syphilis testing. Mean age was 39, and men of color comprised a significant proportion of the sample (46.8%). Most men reported being HIV-negative (79.3%). Overall, 7.8% of the sample reported ever having syphilis; HIV-positive men were six times more likely to report this. Over one half of the sample (58.5%) reported exposure to the campaign. Men reporting any recent unprotected anal sex were twice more likely (than those who did not) to see the campaign. Men of color were twice more likely than White men to report wanting to speak to their friends about it. Finally, 39.1% of men exposed to the campaign reported being tested for syphilis as a result. Factors related to higher likelihood to test for syphilis included HIV seropositive status, any recent unprotected anal insertive sex, recent use of methamphetamine, recent use of “poppers,” and recent use of erectile dysfunction drugs. Although STS was somewhat effective, outreach efforts to particular subgroups may need to increase.
Liver ischemia-reperfusion increases pulmonary permeability in rat: role of circulating xanthine oxidase.

Reactive oxygen species play an important role in pathogenesis of a variety of pathological processes, e.g., ischemia-reperfusion, acute viral infections, thermal injury, hepatic diseases, and acute lung injury. Xanthine oxidase (XO) may be a significant source of these cytotoxic oxygen species. We tested the hypothesis that hepatic ischemia-reperfusion releases xanthine dehydrogenase + XO (XDH + XO) into the circulation and that circulating XO damages isolated perfused lung. Isolated liver + lung preparation was perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer to minimize confounding effects of circulating neutrophils. In one group, livers were rendered globally ischemic for 2 h and then reperfused (I/R). In another group, livers were pretreated with allopurinol and perfused with buffer containing additional allopurinol (I/R + Allo). After 2 h of ischemia, an isolated lung was connected to liver, and liver + lung preparation was reperfused in series for 15 min. Liver reperfusion was terminated, and lung was recirculated with liver effluent for 45 min. Capillary filtration coefficient (ml.min-1.cmH2O-1.100 g lung dry wt-1) was 2.0 +/- 0.3 and 1.9 +/- 0.4 in control and I/R + Allo lungs, respectively, and 9.0 +/- 1.2 in I/R lungs (P < 0.001). Lung wet-to-dry weight ratio in control and I/R + Allo lungs was 8.6 +/- 0.3 and 9.1 +/- 0.5, respectively, and 14.9 +/- 1.1 in I/R lungs (P < 0.01). Control and I/R + Allo bronchoalveolar lavage protein content was < 1.0 mg/ml compared with 32.6 +/- 8.4 mg/ml in I/R group. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Transcatheter embolization of a large aneurysm in a congenital coronary cameral fistula from the left coronary artery to the right ventricle

A congenital coronary cameral fistula (CCCF) is characterized by left ventricular dysfunction, electrocardiographic changes due to a reduced left coronary blood flow and impaired physical activity. CCCF's with a giant aneurysm are very rarely seen. The presence of a giant aneurysm imposes even greater health risks. We report a case of a CCCF from the left coronary artery to the right ventricle with a large distal aneurysm in a 20‐year‐old woman that we closed percutaneously with coils for the closure of ventricular septal defects (VSD) and persistent ductus arteriosus (PDA). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Growth performance and quality properties of meat from broiler chickens reared under different monochromatic light sources

1. Quality properties of breast and drumstick muscles of female broiler chickens reared under different light sources were evaluated using a total of 480 female chicks (Ross 308). 2. After hatch, the chicks were randomly divided into three lighting treatment groups: control (daylight; mini incandescent lamps), G-B lighting group (green light monochromatic (MC) lamps for first 3 weeks switching to blue MC lamps for remaining 3 weeks), G-GB mixed lighting group (Green MC light for first 3 weeks, switching to Green MC light + Blue MC light mixture for remaining 3 weeks). 3. Feed consumption, body weight and total muscle weight values of the muscles from G-B and G-GB mix lighting groups were significantly higher than those of incandescent (control) lighting groups. 4. The breast and drumstick muscles from control lighting groups had a lower pH and water-holding capacity, but higher cooking loss values than those from G-B and G-GB mix lighting groups. The muscles from G-GB mix lighting groups exhibited the softer structure than those from other lighting groups. 5. We suggest that G-B or G-GB mix lighting during the rearing period of female broilers would improve body and muscle growth and then meat quality properties.
Up‐regulation of COX‐2 by inhibition of COX‐1 in the rat: a key to NSAID‐induced gastric injury

A recent study demonstrated that inhibition of both cyclooxygenase (COX)‐1 and COX‐2 is required for the development of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID)‐induced gastric lesions. However, the role of COX‐1 or COX‐2 inhibition in the pathogenisis of these lesions remains unclear.
Sexual Violence in Civil Wars: Strength, Organizational Control, and Rebel Groups

Why do some rebel groups engage in acts of sexual violence while others do not, and what accounts for variation over time? The existing literature suggests that sexual violence should be less common among strong and cohesive groups and more prevalent in weak, disorganized groups. Because preliminary research in this field focused on systemic-level factors, only recently have some scholars begun to include rough measures of organizational dynamics in quantitative studies, and no one has yet linked multiple measures of rebel strength to a comprehensive dataset on wartime sexual violence. This thesis does so for the first time, and finds a pattern inconsistent with previous claims, showing a positive association between rebel strength and sexual violence across multiple measures in cross-rebel analyses. Case studies on the All Tripura Tiger Force and the National Patriotic Front of Liberia provide insight into how this relationship operates, and which organizational characteristics especially predispose a group to use or refrain from sexual violence. The finding that stronger rebel groups have a higher propensity toward sexual violence, controlling for numerous variables such as pre-war conditions and intensity of fighting, holds important policy implications for international organizations. Human rights groups may seek to preemptively intervene in conflicts and locations that pose a distinctive risk to the civilian population, especially where hierarchical and well-armed rebels control territory in areas outside of their support base.
Liver function tests of recipients with hepatitis C virus infection after bone marrow transplantation.

We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determine the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA in serum samples obtained from 19 patients with leukaemia or severe aplastic anaemia and investigated the correlation between HCV status and the results of liver function tests after bone marrow transplantation. PCR analysis of serum samples obtained before transplant showed that 10 of 18 patients were HCV-RNA-positive; 5 of these patients had developed acute post-transfusion hepatitis 1-11 months before transplant. An additional patient was HCV-RNA-positive on post-transplant day 62. Eight HCV-RNA-positive patients had pre-transplant GPT levels above the upper limit of normal. In these patients the GPT decreased significantly from a median of 104 IU/l (54-822 IU/l) pre-transplant to 23 IU/l (15-56 IU/l) on post-transplant days 8-12. In 9 of 11 HCV-RNA-positive patients, the GPT increased transiently from days 40 to 50 and again increased after day 100. Two of these patients died from hepatic failure; the GPT levels normalised in 3 patients after day 300 but continued to fluctuate in 4 patients. In the remaining 2 HCV-RNA-positive patients, the GPT remained close to the normal range throughout the follow-up period. Three HCV-RNA-positive patients became HCV-RNA-negative after 1-3 years. In these patients, the GPT remained normal for > 3 years after day 300. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Eating disorder pathology in elite adolescent athletes.

OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate eating disorder pathology in German elite adolescent athletes. Evidence suggests that eating disorder pathology is more common in adult elite sports, especially in female athletes and in sports emphasizing leanness. There is a scarcity of studies in elite adolescent athletes who are in a vulnerable developmental stage and are affected by general as well as sport-specific risk factors. METHOD Our data was derived from the German Young Olympic Athletes' Lifestyle and Health Management Study (GOAL) which conducted a survey in 1138 elite adolescent athletes. In this sample, we assessed body weight, weight control behavior, body acceptance and screened overall for core symptoms of eating disorders, depression and anxiety. We performed a tree analysis to identify high risk groups for eating disorder pathology. RESULTS High risk groups comprised (a) athletes competing in weight dependent sports, and among athletes competing in disciplines other than weight dependent sports (b) athletes who are high on negative affectivity, (c) female athletes and (d) male athletes competing in endurance, technical or power sports. Athletes competing in weight dependent disciplines reported wide spread use of compensatory behaviors to influence body weight. Athletes reporting eating disorder pathology showed higher levels of depression and anxiety than athletes without eating disorder pathology. DISCUSSION Increased psychosocial burden in athletes with eating disorder pathology suggests that eating disorder symptoms should not be accepted as an unproblematic and functional part of elite sports. The prevention and management of eating disorder pathology is especially important in weight dependent sports. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:553-562).
Genetic disparity between morphologically benign cysts contiguous to ovarian carcinomas and solitary cystadenomas.

BACKGROUND Ovarian carcinomas occasionally contain large, histologically benign cysts contiguous to the clearly malignant areas (cystadenocarcinomas). The question of whether such cysts are remnants of pre-existing benign tumors (cystadenomas) or constitute integral components of the carcinomas is important in clarifying the role of cystadenomas in ovarian carcinogenesis. It is also important for our general understanding of tumor heterogeneity, a phenomenon thought to result from the gradual accumulation of genetic abnormalities in initially homogeneous tumors. This question is also pertinent to the clinical management of ovarian cystadenomas, which are frequent in women of childbearing age and are usually treated surgically based on the possibility that they may give rise to carcinomas. PURPOSE Reasoning that molecular markers of ovarian malignancy would be confined to the histologically malignant portions of cystadenocarcinomas if the morphologically benign portions are in fact pre-existing typical cystadenomas, we sought to verify that mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are markers of malignancy in ovarian tumors and to determine the distribution of such mutations in cystadenocarcinomas. METHODS We used immunohistochemical and DNA-sequencing techniques to analyze 46 ovarian carcinomas, 21 ovarian tumors of low malignant potential, and 16 solitary cystadenomas for the presence of p53 mutations. We then used similar techniques to examine the distribution of such mutations in different portions of cystadenocarcinomas. The observed differences in mutation frequencies were analyzed by the two-tailed Fisher's exact test. RESULTS Mutations in the p53 gene were present in 24 (52%) of the 46 carcinomas, but they were absent in the 21 tumors of low malignant potential (P < .0001) and the 16 solitary cystadenomas (P = .0002). Six of six cystadenocarcinomas with p53 mutations showed the presence of the same mutations in the adjacent, histologically benign cysts. The mutations were seen not only in cells immediately adjacent to the carcinomas, but also throughout the morphologically benign cysts. Twenty (83%) of the 24 cases showing mutation of one p53 allele also showed loss of genetic heterozygosity, suggesting that the other p53 allele was deleted. Such allelic loss, if present in morphologically malignant portions of cystadenocarcinomas, was also observed in the contiguous cysts. CONCLUSIONS Ovarian carcinomas can be distinguished from ovarian cystadenomas and tumors of low malignant potential by p53 mutations. The fact that the mutations were present in histologically benign cysts contiguous to ovarian carcinomas suggests that such cysts are not typical cystadenomas and may carry a genetic predisposition to carcinogenesis that is not present in ordinary cystadenomas.
The Rutgers open access policy goes into effect

Purpose From laying the groundwork for the successful passage of a university-wide open access (OA) policy, through the development and planning that goes into a successful implementation, to “Day One” when the official university policy goes into effect, there is a long list of factors that affect faculty interest, participation and compliance. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The authors, Mullen and Otto, having detailed earlier aspects of the Rutgers University OA policy passage and implementation planning, analyze and share the specifics that followed the rollout of the policy and that continue to affect participation. Findings This case study presents some strategies and systems used to enhance author self-archiving in the newly minted Scholarly Open Access at Rutgers (SOAR) portal of the Rutgers institutional repository, including involvement of departmental liaison librarians, effective presentation of metrics and a focus on targeted communication with faculty. Originality/value Roadblocks encountered as faculty began to deposit their scholarship and lessons learned are a focus. Early reaction from faculty and graduate students (doctoral students and postdocs) to various aspects of the policy as well as the use of SOAR for depositing their work are included.
Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Food and Food Products of Poultry Origin in Germany

ABSTRACT During a survey of fresh chicken and turkey meat as well as chicken and turkey meat products for the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates in Germany, 32 (37.2%) of 86 samples were MRSA positive. Twenty-eight of these MRSA isolates belonged to clonal complex 398 (CC398), which is widespread among food-producing animals. These CC398 isolates carried SCCmec elements of type IV or V and exhibited spa type t011, t034, t899, t2346 or t6574 and either the known dru types dt2b, dt6j, dt10a, dt10q, dt11a, dt11v, and dt11ab or the novel dru types dt6m, dt10as, and dt10at. In addition, two MRSA sequence type 9 (ST9) isolates with a type IV SCCmec cassette, spa type t1430, and dru type dt10a as well as single MRSA ST5 and ST1791 isolates with a type III SCCmec cassette, spa type t002, and dru type dt9v were identified. All but two isolates were classified as multiresistant. A wide variety of resistance phenotypes and genotypes were detected. All isolates were negative for the major virulence factors, such as Panton-Valentine leukocidin, toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, or exfoliative toxins. In contrast to the MRSA CC398 isolates, the four ST9, ST5, or ST1791 isolates harbored the egc gene cluster for enterotoxin G, I, M, N, O, and U genes. Although the relevance of contamination of fresh poultry meat or poultry products with MRSA is currently unclear, the presence of multiresistant and, in part, enterotoxigenic MRSA emphasizes the need for further studies to elucidate possible health hazards for consumers.