Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Secretory phospholipase A2-IID is an effector molecule of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells

Suppression by natural CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) is one mechanism by which tolerance is maintained. However, the way in which Tregs mediate suppression is not well understood. Here, we show that secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2)-IID is selectively produced by Tregs. sPLA2-IID is a potent mediator of Treg function, because it strongly suppressed proliferation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in vitro and in vivo in a manner independent of its catalytic activity. Furthermore, sPLA2-IID promoted the differentiation of Tregs, presumably via attenuating signaling through the PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Importantly, administration of a sPLA2-IID-Fc fusion protein inhibited disease development in murine models of colitis and multiple sclerosis, suggesting that sPLA2-IID's immunosuppressive function might be exploited therapeutically.
Reconfigurable vision processing system for player tracking in indoor sports

In recent years, there has been an increasing growth of using vision-based systems for tracking the players in team sports to evaluate and enhance their performance. Vision-based player tracking has high computational demands since it requires processing of a huge amount of video data based on the utilization of multiple cameras with high resolution and high frame rates. In this paper, we present a reconfigurable system to track the players in indoor sports automatically without user interaction. The proposed system can process live video data streams from multiple cameras as well as offline data from recorded video files. FPGA technology is used to accelerate this player tracking system by implementing the video acquisition, video preprocessing, player segmentation, and team identification & player detection modules in hardware, realizing a real-time system. The teams are identified and the players' positions are detected based on the colors of their jerseys. The detection results are sent from the FPGA to the host-PC where the players are tracked. Our results show that the achieved average player detection rate is up to 95.5%. The proposed system can process live video data using two GigE Vision cameras with a resolution of 1392×1040 pixels and 30 fps for each camera. A speed-up of 20 is achieved compared to an OpenCV-based software implementation on a host-PC equipped with a 2.93 GHz Intel i7 CPU.
Manipulating the permeation of charged compounds through the MscL nanovalve

MscL is a bacterial mechanosensor that serves as a biological emergency release valve, releasing cytoplasmic solutes to the environment on osmotic downshock. Previous studies have recognized that this channel has properties that make it ideal for use as a triggered nanovalve for vesicular‐based targeted drug‐release devices. One can even change the modality of the sensor. Briefly, the introduction of charges into the MscL pore lumen gates the channel in the absence of membrane tension; thus, by inserting compounds that acquire a charge on exposure to an alternative stimulus, such as light or pH, into the pore of the channel, controllable nanoswitches that detect these alternative modalities have been engineered. However, a charge in the pore lumen could not only encourage actuation of the nanopore but also have a significant influence on the permeation of large charged compounds, which would thus have important implications for the efficiency of drug‐release devices. In this study, we used in vivo and electrophysiological approaches to demonstrate that the introduction of a charge into pore lumen of MscL does indeed influence the permeation of charged molecules. These effects were more drastic for larger compounds and, surprisingly, were related to the orientation of the MscL channel in the membrane. —Yang, L‐M, Blount, P. Manipulating the permeation of charged compounds through the MscL nanovalve. FASEB J. 25, 428–434 (2011). www.fasebj. org
The Ability of the Quadruple Test to Predict Adverse Perinatal Outcomes in a High-risk Obstetric Population

Objective To determine the ability of the quadruple Down's syndrome screening test (quad screen) to predict other adverse perinatal outcomes (APO) in a high-risk obstetric population. Setting A tertiary medical centre in West Virginia. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 342 obstetric patients with quad screen data from a single clinic. The quad screen included maternal serum levels of alphafetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG), uncongjugated oestriol (uE3), and inhibin A. The risk of APO was compared between patients with at least one abnormal marker versus no abnormal markers and ≥2 abnormal markers versus <2 abnormal markers. Abnormal markers were determined by cut-off values produced by Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves and the FASTER trial. Unadjusted and adjusted effects were estimated using logistic regression analysis. Results The risk of having an APO increased significantly for patients with abnormal markers by about three-fold using ROC and two-fold using FASTER trial thresholds. Conclusions The quad screen shows value in predicting risk of APO in high-risk patients.
An Action Model of Socially Disruptive Behaviors Committed by Persons with Severe Mental Illness: The Role of Self-reported Childhood Abuse and Suspiciousness-Hostility

Abstract ESPOUSING an Action Theory approach (Brandstadter, 1998; Lerner, 1982), the authors hypothesized that socially disruptive behaviors committed by people with severe mental illness will be at least partly influenced by incidents of childhood sexual and physical abuse. They further hypothesized that this effect of child abuse on disruptive behaviors in severe mental illness will be mediated by patients' suspiciousness and hostility. Structural equation modeling analyses conducted on data collected from 109 people with severe mental illness provided support for this mediating model. Our results encourage further exploration of the role of childhood maltreatment in the adaptation of people with severe mental illness.
Pharmacokinetics of Prednisolone During Administration of Sirolimus in Patients with Renal Transplants

The pharmacokinetic interaction of multiple oral doses of sirolimus (rapamycin) and prednisone were evaluated in 40 stable patients with renal transplants receiving concomitant multiple doses of cyclosporine. Nine sirolimus dosage levels from 1 mg/m2/ day to 13 mg/m2/day were studied and compared with placebo. Plasma concentrations of prednisone, prednisolone, and cortisol were measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography and analyzed by noncompartmental methods. Mean pharmacokinetic values of prednisolone found before sirolimus administration were as follows: peak plasma concentration (Cmax) was 187 ng/mL; time to peak plasma concentration (tmax) was 2.03 hours; rate of reaching peak plasma concentration (Cmax divided by the area under the concentration‐time curve [AUC]) was 0.149 hour−1; terminal half‐life (t1/2) was 3.60 hours; AUC was 1206 ng · hour/mL; and apparent clearance (Cl/F) was 0.094 L/hour/kg. During the 2 weeks of concomitant administration, prednisolone elimination decreased in relation to sirolimus dosages. These changes were modest, with mean increases of 18% in Cmax and 27% in t1/2 and mean decreases of 27% in Cl/F for the groups receiving 6 mg/m2/day to 13 mg/m2/day. Most patients initially had plasma cortisol concentrations indicative of adrenal suppression. With sirolimus treatment, the Cmax of cortisol did not decrease further, but the AUC (8:00 am‐8.00 pm) values were significantly lower, independent of sirolimus exposure. The AUC for cyclosporine did not correlate with sirolimus and prednisolone exposure. A 2‐week course of sirolimus showed a slight pharmacokinetic interaction between sirolimus and prednisolone/prednisone/cortisol in stable patients with renal transplants.
An examination of bilateral J-curve: Evidence from Turkey and her 20 major trading partners

There are two methods to determine the impact of real exchange rate on balance of foreign trade. While previous studies, which aim to uncover the nexus between foreign balance and real exchange rate, use foreign trade statistics to measure the volume of foreign trade, some other recent studies utilize bilateral trade statistics. By following current literature, this study draws from the model of Rose and Yellen (1989) and analyzes the relationship between the volume of bilateral foreign trade and bilateral real exchange rate in Turkey and her 20 major trading partners for the period from 1995 to 2015. To this purpose, the presence of cross-sectional dependence among the countries was investigated, and long-term coefficients for each country were obtained with the Mean Group Estimator (MG) method developed by Pesaran and Smith (1995). In conclusion, the findings revealed that bilateral real exchange rate has a statistically significant negative effect on the bilateral foreign trade balance in 10 out of 20 countries in the panel. This negative relationship means that depreciation of the Turkish Lira (TL) against the currency of trading partners improves bilateral foreign balance, and thus, the J-curve effect in these countries is verified. Moreover, Canning and Pedroni (2008) panel causality test results indicate that bilateral real exchange rates cause bilateral foreign trade balance in Turkey with her 14 trading partners.
Characterization of the nucleotide sequence of the groE operon encoding heat shock proteins chaperone-60 and -10 of Francisella tularensis and determination of the T-cell response to the proteins in individuals vaccinated with F. tularensis

The groE operon of Francisella tularensis LVS, encoding the heat shock proteins chaperone-10 (Cpn10) and Cpn60, was sequenced and characterized, and the T-cell response of LVS-vaccinated individuals to the two proteins and the third major chaperone, Ft-DnaK, was assayed. The cpn10 and cpn60 genes were amplified by PCR with degenerate oligonucleotides derived from the N-terminal sequence of the two proteins. The sequence analysis revealed the expected two open reading frames, encoding proteins with estimated Mrs of 10,300 and 57,400. The deduced amino acid sequences closely resembled Cpn10 and Cpn60 proteins of other prokaryotes. The genes constituted a bicistronic operon, the cpn10 gene preceding the cpn60 gene. Upstream of the cpn10 gene, an inverted repeat and motifs similar to -35 and -10 sequences of sigma70-dependent but not of sigma32-dependent promoters of Escherichia coli were found. The inverted repeat of the operon resembled so-called hairpin loops identified in other characterized prokaryotic groE operons lacking sigma32-dependent promoters. Primer extension analysis disclosed one and the same transcription start, irrespective of the presence or absence of heat or oxidative stress. After separation of lysates of the F. tularensis LVS organism by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, DnaK, Cpn60, and Cpn10 were extracted and used as antigens in T-cell tests. When compared to those from nonvaccinated individuals, T cells from individuals previously vaccinated with live F. tularensis LVS showed an increased proliferative response to DnaK and Cpn60 but not to Cpn10. The present data will facilitate further studies of the involvement of the heat shock proteins in protective immunity to tularemia.
Performance limits of ICA-based heart rate identification techniques in imaging photoplethysmography

Imaging photoplethysmography is a relatively new technique for extracting biometric information from video images of faces. This is useful in non-invasive monitoring of patients including neonates or the aged, with respect to sudden infant death syndrome, sleep apnoea, pulmonary disease, physical or mental stress and other cardio-vascular conditions. In this paper, we investigate the limits of detection of the heart rate (HR) while reducing the video quality. We compare the performance of three independent component analysis (ICA) methods (JADE, FastICA, RADICAL), autocorrelation with signal conditioning techniques and identify the most robust approach. We discuss sources of increasing error and other limiting conditions in three situations of reduced signal-to-noise ratio: one where the area of the analyzed face is decreased from 100 to 5%, another where the face area is progressively re-sampled down to a single RGB pixel and one where the HR signal is severely reduced with respect to the boundary noise. In most cases, the cardiac pulse rate can be reliably and accurately detected from videos containing only 5% facial area or from a face occupying just 4 pixels or containing only 5% of the facial HR modulation.
The crown joules: energetics, ecology, and evolution in humans and other primates

Biological diversity is metabolic diversity: Differences in anatomy, physiology, life history, and activity reflect differences in energy allocation and expenditure among traits and tasks. Traditional frameworks in primatology, human ecology, public health, and paleoanthropology view daily energy expenditure as being more variable within than between species, changing with activity level but essentially fixed for a given body size. Growing evidence turns this view on its head. Total energy expenditure (kcal/d), varies relatively little within species, despite variation in physical activity; it varies considerably among species even after controlling for the effect of body size. Embracing this emerging paradigm requires rethinking potential trade‐offs in energy allocation within and between species, assessing evidence of metabolic acceleration within lineages, and abandoning activity‐based estimates of total energy expenditure. Difficult and exciting work lies ahead in the effort to untangle the ecological and evolutionary pressures shaping primate metabolic diversity.
Active Transcription of rRNA Operons Is a Driving Force for the Distribution of RNA Polymerase in Bacteria: Effect of Extrachromosomal Copies of rrnB on the In Vivo Localization of RNA Polymerase

ABSTRACT In contrast to eukaryotes, bacteria such as Escherichia coli contain only one form of RNA polymerase (RNAP), which is responsible for all cellular transcription. Using an RNAP-green fluorescent protein fusion protein, we showed previously that E. coli RNAP is partitioned exclusively in the nucleoid and that stable RNA synthesis, particularly rRNA transcription, is critical for concentrating a significant fraction of RNAP in transcription foci during exponential growth. The extent of focus formation varies under different physiological conditions, supporting the proposition that RNAP redistribution is an important element for global gene regulation. Here we show that extra, plasmid-borne copies of an rRNA operon recruit RNAP from the nucleoid into the cytoplasmic space and that this is accompanied by a reduction in the growth rate. Transcription of an intact rRNA operon is not necessary, although a minimal transcript length is required for this phenotype. Replacement of the ribosomal promoters with another strong promoter, Ptac, abolished the effect. These results demonstrate that active synthesis from rRNA promoters is a major driving force for the distribution of RNAP in bacteria. The implications of our results for the regulation of rRNA synthesis and cell growth are discussed.
Neuroendocrine Consequences of Fasting in Adult Male Macaques: Effects of Recombinant Rhesus Macaque Leptin Infusion

Fasting inhibits the gonadotropic axis and stimulates the corticotropic and somatotropic axes. Since leptin is a product of fat cells that has been implicated in the control of both reproduction and metabolism, we hypothesized that the decrease in leptin observed during fasting was responsible for these effects on reproductive and metabolic hormones. Recombinant rhesus leptin (rrhLep) produced in our laboratory was infused (100 µg/h) into fasted adult male rhesus macaques (6–9 kg) beginning at midnight after the first missed meal and continuing until the end of the study. Bioactive luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, cortisol and growth hormone (GH) were measured in plasma from samples collected at 15-min intervals for the last 15 h (42–57 h) of the fast. We analyzed pulsatile LH and GH secretion by deconvolution analysis and the orderliness of pulsatile LH and GH release by the approximate entropy (ApEn) statistic. There was no difference in LH pulse frequency between control and fasted groups, but there was a significant decrease in the mean concentration of LH released (7.6 ± 1.4 ng/ml control vs. 2.7 ± 0.65 ng/ml fasted) that was not relieved with rrhLep infusions (2.8 ± 0.83 ng/ml). Model-free Cluster analysis confirmed these inferences and also indicated that the peak height was lower in the fasted (4.6 ± 1.0 ng/ml) and the fasted + rrhLep (2.85 ± 1.0 ng/ml) groups compared to controls (16.3 ± 1.4 ng/ml). Testosterone levels reflected those of LH. Fasting resulted in an increase in GH secretory pulse frequency (5.3 ± 0.95 pulses/15 h control vs. 12.8 ± 1.4 pulses/15 h fasted) and this increase was not affected by rrhLep infusion (12.5 ± 1.4 pulses/15 h). In addition, fasting also increased the ApEn (decreased the orderliness) of pulsatile GH secretion, and this characteristic was not relieved with rrhLep infusions. Cortisol levels in fasted animals were 2- to 3-fold higher than those observed in control studies, and this increase was particularly pronounced at the time when the animals expected their first meal of the day. The increase in circulating cortisol observed in fasted animals was not affected by rrhLep infusion. Glucose levels at the end of the sampling period were 80 mg/dl in controls, 48 mg/dl in fasted animals and 58 mg/dl in the fasted + rrhLep group. Circulating leptin levels averaged 1.2 ± 0.37 ng/ml in control animals, 0.7 ± 0.2 ng/ml in fasted animals and 10.1 ± 5.6 ng/ml in fasted animals infused with rrhLep. These studies suggest that intravenous replacement with homologous leptin does not reverse the acute changes in GH, LH and cortisol secretion observed with fasting in the adult male macaque.
Long-term effects on other fungi are studied in biological and chemical stump treatments in the fight against Heterobasidion annosum coll

The effects on mycoflora of Norway spruce stumps of biological and chemical treatments in the fight against Heterobasidion annosum coll. were investigated two yr after applications of these treatments. The biological treatments were Hypholoma fasciculare, Phanerochaete velutina, Vuilleminia comedens, Trichoderma harzianum and both the conidial suspension and culture filtrate of Verticillium bulbillosum; propiconazole was used as chemical treatment. Samplings were performed on 130 stumps, including controls with (C1) and without (C2) an autologous wood disk. Forty-nine fungal taxa were isolated, and most were Deuteromycetes. Trichoderma harzianum significantly reduced the number of taxa versus controls (three versus 25), while the other treatments showed more limited qualitative and quantitative effects. Cluster and correspondence analysis differentiated three groups of treatments: one including the three Basidiomycetes, V. bulbillosum and C1; one comprising propiconazole and C2; and one composed of the treatment with T. harzianum only. Because the same stumps already had been sampled one yr after treatments in a similar study, comparisons between data were possible and were very useful in the investigation of the temporal evolution of the effects of each treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that the strong effects of T. harzianum on stump mycocenoses increased over time. Transient effects were shown in most treatments (i.e., the three Basidiomycetes), whereas V. bulbillosum had the least impact on naturally occurring mycoflora.
Rapid and Inexpensive Drug Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with a Nitrate Reductase Assay

ABSTRACT Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is an increasing public health concern in many parts of the world, especially in low-income countries, where most cases occur. Traditional drug susceptibility testing is either time-consuming, such as the proportion method on solid media, or expensive, such as the BACTEC 460 system. We have evaluated a new nitrate reductase assay (NRA) that depends on the ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to reduce nitrate to nitrite. The reduction can be detected using specific reagents, which produce a color change. We tested a panel of 57 M. tuberculosis strains with various resistance patterns. The bacteria were inoculated on Löwenstein-Jensen medium, either without drugs or with rifampin, isoniazid, streptomycin, or ethambutol and with potassium nitrate (KNO3) incorporated. After incubation for 7, 10, or 14 days, the reagents were added and nitrate reduction, indicating growth, could be detected by a color change. Sensitivities to and specificities for drugs as determined by the NRA method compared to those determined by the BACTEC 460 method were 100 and 100% for rifampin, 97 and 96% for isoniazid, 95 and 83% for streptomycin, and 75 and 98% for ethambutol, respectively. The results were in the majority of the cases available in 7 days. The evaluated method is rapid and inexpensive and could correctly identify most resistant and sensitive M. tuberculosis strains. It has the potential to become an interesting alternative to existing methods, such as the proportion and BACTEC methods, particularly in resource-poor settings.
DETERMINANTS OF DEMAND FOR MORTGAGE FINANCE IN KENYA: A CASE OF NAIROBI COUNTY

Purpose : The purpose of the study was to determine the determinants for the demand of mortgage finance in Kenya. Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population of this study was applicants for mortgage finance. Random sampling technique was used. The sample size was 384 respondents. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. The collected primary data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted. The Pearson Product was used to analyze the data. The findings from the analysis were organized and summarized in form of percentages, means ratios and frequencies and presented using tables and pie charts. Results: The results indicated that the likelihood of cheap mortgage substitutes resulting to low demand for mortgage finance in Kenya was 4.911 times higher than more costly mortgage substitutes. The findings further indicated that the likelihood of high legal cost and high stump duty cost causing low mortgage demand are 2.550 and 2.274 times higher than when the costs are low. The findings also indicate that the likelihood of low income levels causing low demand for mortgage substitutes was 6.369 high than high income levels. Finally the findings indicate that the likelihood of lack of promotion causing low mortgage demand was 5.808 higher than having promotion. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommended that mortgage financing institutions should consider the cost of mortgage substitutes, cost of mortgage, income level and promotion in order to increase the demand for mortgage finance in Kenya.