Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HIV Risk Among Men Who Have Sex with Men Only (MSMO) and Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women (MSMW) in Baltimore

Men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) are at high risk for HIV. However, the majority of research on populations of men who have sex with men (MSM) combines MSMW and men who have sex with men only (MSMO) samples, which limits our understanding of HIV risk behaviors and factors associated with HIV risk among MSMW populations. We used the BESURE-MSM2, a venue-based cross-sectional study of HIV risk behaviors among MSM in Baltimore, MD, to examine HIV risk among MSMW. MSMW were less likely to report unprotected receptive anal intercourse than MSMO (6.8% vs. 19.6%, p = .0024). Among MSMW, 43.0% reported unprotected sex with a woman in the past year, but only 19.4% reported unprotected sex with both men and women, representing only 5.0% of the total MSM sample. In multivariate analyses, we found that among MSMW having unprotected sex with women in the past year, disclosing same sex behavior and having a main female partner were associated with unprotected anal intercourse with male partners. HIV prevention programs for MSMW are needed that address the complex partnerships of MSMW and the social contextual factors within which relationships and behaviors are embedded.
Asparagine‐linked glycosylation of human chymotrypsin C is required for folding and secretion but not for enzyme activity

Human chymotrypsin C (CTRC) plays a protective role in the pancreas by mitigating premature trypsinogen activation through degradation. Mutations that abolish activity or secretion of CTRC increase the risk for chronic pancreatitis. The aim of the present study was to determine whether human CTRC undergoes asparagine‐linked (N‐linked) glycosylation and to examine the role of this modification in CTRC folding and function. We abolished potential sites of N‐linked glycosylation (Asn‐Xaa‐Ser/Thr) in human CTRC by mutating the Asn residues to Ser individually or in combination, expressed the CTRC mutants in HEK 293T cells and determined their glycosylation state using PNGase F and endo H digestion. We found that human CTRC contains a single N‐linked glycan on Asn52. Elimination of N‐glycosylation by mutation of Asn52 (N52S) reduced CTRC secretion about 10‐fold from HEK 293T cells but had no effect on CTRC activity or inhibitor binding. Overexpression of the N52S CTRC mutant elicited endoplasmic reticulum stress in AR42J acinar cells, indicating that N‐glycosylation is required for folding of human CTRC. Despite its important role, Asn52 is poorly conserved in other mammalian CTRC orthologs, including the rat which is monoglycosylated on Asn90. Introduction of the Asn90 site in a non‐glycosylated human CTRC mutant restored full glycosylation but only partially rescued the secretion defect. We conclude that N‐linked glycosylation of human CTRC is required for efficient folding and secretion; however, the N‐linked glycan is unimportant for enzyme activity or inhibitor binding. The position of the N‐linked glycan is critical for optimal folding, and it may vary among the otherwise highly homologous mammalian CTRC sequences.
Racial Microaggressions and African American and Hispanic Students in Urban Schools: A Call for Culturally Affirming Education.

This conceptual paper explores racial microaggressions and their effects on African American and Hispanic students in urban schools. Microaggressions are pervasive in our society (Sue et al., 2007), and although often manifested in subtle ways, can be detrimental for their long-term effects on students’ psychological, socialemotional, and intellectual development. Our analysis utilizes extant literature to explore racial microaggressions on a macro level in terms of district/school level microaggressions and teacher level microaggressions. A discussion ensues concerning the effects of racial microaggressions on African American and Hispanic students. Furthermore, we advocate for a culturally affirming education to empower and engage educational stakeholders in the processes of developing cultural competency within our urban schools and communities.
Challenging the IPv6 Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL): A Survey

RPL is the IPv6 routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks, standardized by IETF in 2012 as RFC6550. Specifically, RPL is designed to be a simple and inter-operable networking protocol for resource-constrained devices in industrial, home, and urban environments, intended to support the vision of the Internet of Things with thousands of devices interconnected through multihop mesh networks. More than four-years have passed since the standardization of RPL, and we believe that it is time to examine and understand its current state. In this paper, we review the history of research efforts in RPL; what aspects have been (and have not been) investigated and evaluated, how they have been studied, what was (and was not) implemented, and what remains for future investigation. We reviewed over 97 RPL-related academic research papers published by major academic publishers and present a topic-oriented survey for these research efforts. Our survey shows that only 40.2% of the papers evaluate RPL through experiments using implementations on real embedded devices, ContikiOS and TinyOS are the two most popular implementations (92.3%), and TelosB was the most frequently used hardware platform (69%) on testbeds that have average and median size of 49.4 and 30.5 nodes, respectively. Furthermore, unfortunately, despite it being approximately four years since its initial standardization, we are yet to see wide adoption of RPL as part of real-world systems and applications. We present our observations on the reasons behind this and suggest directions on which RPL should evolve.
Optimal Polynomial Recurrence

Abstract Let $P\in \mathbb{Z}\left[ n \right]$ with $P(0)\,=\,0\,\text{and}\,\varepsilon \,>\,0$ . We show, using Fourier analytic techniques, that if $N\ge \exp \exp \left( C{{\varepsilon }^{-1}}\log {{\varepsilon }^{-1}} \right)\,\text{and}\,A\,\subseteq \,\left\{ 1,\,. \,. \,. \,,\,N \right\}$ then there must exist $n\in \mathbb{N}$ such that $$\frac{\left| A\cap \left( A+P\left( n \right) \right) \right|}{N}>{{\left( \frac{\left| A \right|}{N} \right)}^{2}}-\,\varepsilon $$ . In addition to this we show, using the same Fourier analytic methods, that if $A\subseteq \mathbb{N}$ , then the set of $\varepsilon $ -optimal return times $$R\left( A,P,\varepsilon \right)=\left\{ n\in \mathbb{N}:\delta \left( A\cap \left. \left( A+P\left( n \right) \right) \right)> \right. \delta {{\left( A \right)}^{2}}-\varepsilon \right\}$$ is syndetic for every $\varepsilon >0$ . Moreover, we show that $R\left( A,\,P,\,\varepsilon \right)$ is dense in every sufficiently long interval, in particular we show that there exists an $L=L\left( \varepsilon ,P,A \right)$ such that $$\left| R\left( A,P,\varepsilon \right)\cap I \right|\ge c\left( \varepsilon ,P \right)\left| I \right|$$ for all intervals $I$ of natural numbers with $\left| I \right|\,\ge \,L\,\text{and}\,c\left( \varepsilon ,\,P \right)\,=\,\exp \exp \,\left( -C\,{{\varepsilon }^{-1}}\,\log {{\varepsilon }^{-1}} \right). $
Ginsenoside Rg1 inhibits proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α

AbstractAim:To investigate the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) affected by ginsenoside Rg1 and further explore the molecular mechanism of ginsenoside Rg1 using proteomics.Methods:The proliferation of VSMC was measured by MTS assay kit and flow cytometry. Proteomic alterations were analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis and peptide mass fingerprinting. Differential proteins found in proteomics were confirmed by RT-PCR.Results:The proliferation of VSMC was enhanced significantly after tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) treatment, and ginsenoside Rg1 treatment inhibited proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Proteomic analysis showed 24 protein spots were changed, including 17 spots that were increased and 7 spots that were decreased. Ginsenoside Rg1 could restore the expression levels of these proteins, at least partly, to basic levels of untreated cells. The expression of G-protein coupled receptor kinase, protein kinase C (PKC)-ζ, N-ras protein were decreased, while cycle related protein p21 was increased by ginsenoside Rg1 in TNF-α treated VSMC.Conclusion:PKC-ζ and p21 pathway might be the mechanism for inhibitory effects of ginsenoside Rg1 on proliferation of VSMC.
The Chinese Interbank Offer Market:Basic Features and Impact Factors

This article summarizes the descriptive statistics of Chinese interbank offer rates and transaction amounts with different maturities ranging from July 2,1996 to Novem- ber 4,2005.They are all transaction-by-transaction data.We sum up the basic characteristics of Chinese interbank offer market in terms of transaction times,market share,dealer types, regional distribution of transaction,daily-averaged interbank offer rates and the discrepancies of daily-averaged overnight offer rates.We construct AR(P)-EGARCH models to explore the impacts of liquidity,transaction volume and structural changes on the discrepancies of daily- averaged overnight offer rates with different maturities.We find that liquidity and transaction volume exert significant influence,and there is a structural change in July 1999.The volatili- ty of the discrepancies of overnight offer rates exhibits positive leverage effect,and the first- order difference of the daily-averaged overnight offer rate has a positive effect on the volatility of the other daily-averaged offer rates with different maturities.
Social Contagion and Innovation: Cohesion versus Structural Equivalence

Two classes of network models are used to reanalyze a sociological classic often cited as evidence of social contagion in the diffusion of technological innovation: Medical Innovation. Debate between the cohesion and structural equivalence models poses the following question for study: Did the physicians resolve the uncertainty of adopting the new drug through conversations with colleagues (cohesion) or through their perception of the action proper for an occupant of their position in the social structure of colleagues (structural equivalence)? The alternative models are defined, compared, and tested. Four conclusions are drawn: (a) Contagion was not the dominant factor driving tetracyclene's diffusion. Where there is evidence of contagion, there is evidence of personal preferences at work.
Laparoscopic exposure and sequential observation of the ovary of the cycling bitch

A method was developed to alter surgically the bursa of the bitch to allow sequential observation of the ovary by means of laparoscopy. Adult anesthetized female dogs of three breeds underwent laparoscopic examinations in which each natural bursa slit was lengthened 1.0‐1.5 cm using laparoscopic hook scissors in conjunction with electrocautery. The ovary could be effectively and repeatedly exposed for laparoscopic viewing through the lengthened bursa slit. Neither Laparoscopic surgery nor frequent routine laparoscopic examinations of the reproductive organs had an effect on subsequent ovarian activity. All dogs subjected to the laparoscopic ovarian exposure technique exhibited estrus behavior, follicle development, ovulation and corpus luteum formation.
Vitamin D With or Without Calcium Supplementation for Prevention of Cancer and Fractures: An Updated Meta-analysis for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

BACKGROUND Studies suggest that vitamin D supplementation may reduce cancer and fracture risks. PURPOSE To examine the benefits and harms of vitamin D with or without calcium supplementation on clinical outcomes of cancer and fractures in adults. DATA SOURCES English-language studies identified from MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through July 2011. STUDY SELECTION Randomized, controlled trials (RCTs), prospective cohort studies, and nested case-control studies reporting incidence of or death from cancer and fracture outcomes. DATA EXTRACTION Multiple reviewers extracted details about participant characteristics, including baseline vitamin D status and use of supplements; details of statistical analyses, including adjustments for confounding; and methodological quality. Differences were resolved by consensus. DATA SYNTHESIS 19 RCTs (3 for cancer and 16 for fracture outcomes) and 28 observational studies (for cancer outcomes) were analyzed. Limited data from RCTs suggested that high-dose (1000 IU/d) vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk for total cancer, and data from observational studies suggested that higher blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-[OH]D) concentrations might be associated with increased risk for cancer. Mixed-effects dose-response meta-analyses showed that each 10-nmol/L increase in blood 25-(OH)D concentration was associated with a 6% (95% CI, 3% to 9%) reduced risk for colorectal cancer but no statistically significant dose-response relationships for prostate and breast cancer. Random-effects model meta-analysis showed that combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduced fracture risk (pooled relative risk, 0.88 [CI, 0.78 to 0.99]) in older adults, but the effects differed according to study setting: institution (relative risk, 0.71 [CI, 0.57 to 0.89]) versus community-dwelling (relative risk, 0.89 [CI, 0.76 to 1.04]). One RCT showed adverse outcomes associated with supplementation, including increased risk for renal and urinary tract stones. LIMITATIONS Most trial participants were older (aged≥65 years) postmenopausal women. Observational studies were heterogeneous and were limited by potential confounders. CONCLUSION Combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation can reduce fracture risk, but the effects may be smaller among community-dwelling older adults than among institutionalized elderly persons. Appropriate dose and dosing regimens, however, require further study. Evidence is not sufficiently robust to draw conclusions regarding the benefits or harms of vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of cancer. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Dietary pattern, nutrient intake and growth of adolescent school girls in urban Bangladesh

Abstract Objective: To investigate the dietary pattern and nutritional status of adolescent girls attending schools in Dhaka city and to examine the association with various social factors. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Girls high schools in Dhaka city. Subjects: A total of 384 girls, aged from 10 to 16 years, who were students of classes VI to IX of 12 girls high schools in Dhaka city were selected by systematic random sampling. Nutrient intake was assessed using the 24-h recall method and the usual pattern of food intake was examined using a 7-day food frequency questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of undernutrition among the participants assessed as stunting was 10% overall with younger girls being less stunted (2%) than older girls (16%), whereas 16% were thin with relatively more of the younger girls (21%) being thin than of the older girls (12%). Based on the usual pattern of food intake, a substantial proportion of the girls did not consume eggs (26%), milk (35%) or dark green leafy vegetables (20%). By comparison, larger proportions consumed meat (50%) and fish (65%) at least four times a week. For the intake of energy and protein, only 9 and 17% of the girls, respectively, met the recommended daily allowance (RDA). For nearly 77% of the girls, the intake of fat was less than the recommendation. Intakes less than the RDA were found for iron (77% of the girls), calcium (79%), vitamin A (62%), vitamin C (67%), and riboflavin (96%). Based on the food consumption data, cereals were the major source of energy (57%), thiamin (67%), niacin (63%) and iron (37%). Animal sources supplied 50% of dietary protein. Cooking fats were the principal source of fat (67%) in the diet. Milk was the major contributor for riboflavin and preformed vitamin A (retinol). Leafy vegetables and fruits were the main sources of provitamin A (carotenes). The girls from families with less educated parents were more likely to be thin and short for their age. Those girls from families with lower incomes and less educated parents had a dietary pattern which tended to be poor with regard to egg, milk, meat and fruit, with lower intakes of protein, fat and riboflavin. Conclusion: The findings indicate that the diets of these girls tended to be inadequate both for macronutrients and micronutrients, with significant health implications. There was also a relationship between the family income and the education of the parents with the nutritional status of the girls.
Use of chemical ablation with trichloroacetic acid to treat eyelid apocrine hidrocystomas in a cat.

CASE DESCRIPTION A 7-year-old Persian cat was evaluated for recurrence of multiple cystic periocular masses. A number of cyst-like lesions had been resected from the left eyelids 18 months earlier, with lesions recurring within 6 months after surgery. The cat had blepharospasm and signs of discomfort following rupture of the largest cyst the day prior to examination. Previous histologic examination of the cysts had revealed apocrine hidrocystomas. CLINICAL FINDINGS Multiple pigmented nodules were seen around the skin of the upper and lower left eyelids. The nodules were brownish to black, round, soft, and fluid-filled. Signs of pain were not evident during palpation of the nodules. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME The largest cyst on the upper eyelid was removed by means of a V-shaped full-thickness excision. Histologic and immunohistochemical examination of the excised tissue confirmed the diagnosis of apocrine hidrocystoma. The remaining periocular cysts were surgically debrided and then treated topically with 20% trichloroacetic acid. All lesions healed rapidly without any signs of discomfort. During a recheck examination 12 months later, the upper and lower left eyelids appeared morphologically normal, and there was no evidence of recurrence. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Findings suggested that chemical ablation with trichloroacetic acid may be a useful treatment for apocrine hidrocystomas in cats.
Antidepressant treatment in bipolar versus unipolar depression.

OBJECTIVE Antidepressant responses were compared in DSM-IV bipolar and unipolar depression. METHOD The authors analyzed clinical records for outcomes of antidepressant trials for 41 patients with bipolar depression and 37 with unipolar depression, similar in age and sex distribution. RESULTS Short-term nonresponse was more frequent in bipolar (51.3%) than unipolar (31.6%) depression. Manic switching occurred only in bipolar depression but happened less in patients taking mood stabilizers (31.6% versus 84.2%). Cycle acceleration occurred only in bipolar depression (25.6%), with new rapid cycling in 32.1%. Late response loss (tolerance) was 3.4 times as frequent, and withdrawal relapse into depression was 4.7 times less frequent, in bipolar as in unipolar depression. Mood stabilizers did not prevent cycle acceleration, rapid cycling, or response loss. Modern antidepressants, in general, did not have lower rates of negative outcomes than tricyclic antidepressants. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest an unfavorable cost/benefit ratio for antidepressant treatment of bipolar depression.
Shaking a hornets' nest: pitfalls of abortion counselling in a secular constitutional order – a view from South Africa

There exists an enormous gulf between the aspirations of South Africa's abortion legislation – among the most liberal in the world – and its implementation. One weakness in the provision of abortion services in South Africa is the absence of comprehensive abortion counselling services. On the face of it, the idea that counselling ought, as a matter of course, to be a significant component of a country's termination of pregnancy service provision, seems both straightforwardly sensible and politically innocent. This paper describes how abortion counselling has historically, in many different contexts, been saturated with questionable assumptions about women and their bodies. Counselling has more often than not been deployed, either as the formal policy of states or through informal mechanisms, as a means of curbing the right to abortion rather than deepening the meaning of that right. Differing approaches to counselling emerge as a reflection of contestations over reproductive and gender politics. Specifying an appropriate model for the provision of state-sponsored abortion counselling in the public health sector of a secular constitutional state provokes more of a hornet's nest of dilemmas than is sometimes supposed.
ras Oncogene Triggers Up-regulation of cIAP2 and XIAP in Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Detachment of normal epithelial cells from the extracellular matrix (ECM) triggers apoptosis, a phenomenon called anoikis. Conversely, carcinomas (cancers of epithelial origin) represent three-dimensional disorganized multicellular masses in which cells are deprived of adhesion to the ECM but remain viable. Resistance of cancer cells to anoikis is thought to be critical for tumor progression. However, the knowledge about molecular mechanisms of this type of resistance remains limited. Herein we report that ras oncogene, an established inhibitor of anoikis, triggers a significant upregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins cIAP2 and XIAP in intestinal epithelial cells. We also observed that the effect of ras on cIAP2 requires ras-induced autocrine production of transforming growth factor α (TGF-α), a ligand for epidermal growth factor receptor, whereas ras-triggered up-regulation of XIAP is TGF-α-independent. Moreover, overexpression of either cIAP2 or XIAP in nonmalignant intestinal epithelial cell was found to block anoikis. In addition, an established IAP antagonist Smac or Smac-derived cell-permeable peptide suppressed ras-induced anoikis resistance and subsequent anchorage-independent growth of ras-transformed cells. We conclude that ras-induced overexpression of cIAP2 and XIAP significantly contributes to the ability of ras-transformed intestinal epithelial cells to survive in the absence of adhesion to the ECM and grow in a three-dimensional manner.