Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sunitinib prevents cachexia and prolongs survival of mice bearing renal cancer by restraining STAT3 and MuRF-1 activation in muscle

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, affecting angiogenesis, have shown therapeutic efficacy in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The increased overall survival is not fully explained by their anti-tumor activity, since these drugs frequently induce disease stabilization rather than regression. RCC patients frequently develop cachectic syndrome. We used the RXF393 human renal carcinoma xenograft that recapitulates the characteristics of the disease, including the growth in the mouse kidney (orthotopic implantation), and the induction of cachexia with subsequent premature death. Sunitinib prevents body weight loss and muscle wasting and significantly improves the survival of RXF393-bearing nude mice. The anti-cachectic effect was not associated to direct anti-tumor activity of the drug. Most relevant is the ability of sunitinib to reverse the cachectic phenotype and rescue the animals from the loss of fat tissue. Body weight loss is prevented also in mice bearing the C26 colon carcinoma, classically reported to induce cachexia in immunocompetent mice. Among the mechanisms, we herein show that sunitinib is able to restrain the overactivation of STAT3 and MuRF-1 pathways, involved in enhanced muscle protein catabolism during cancer cachexia. We suggest that off-target effects of angiogenesis inhibitors targeting STAT3 are worth considering as a therapeutic option for patients who develop cachexia, independently of their anti-tumor activity.
Different patterns of rDNA distribution in Pisum sativum nucleoli correlate with different levels of nucleolar activity

We have used in situ hybridization with probes to rDNA, labelled either with digoxygenin or directly with fluorescein, to determine the arrangement of these genes within the nucleoli of Pisum sativum L. root cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to image the three-dimensional structures revealed, but we have also compared this technique with deconvolution of conventional (wide-field) fluorescence images measured with a cooled CCD camera, and have shown that the results are remarkably similar. When the deconvolution technique was applied to the confocal data it gave clearer images than could be achieved by confocal microscopy alone. We have analysed the distribution of rDNA in the different cell types observable in root tips: the quiescent centre; active meristematic cells; and relatively differ entiated root cap, epidermal and cortical cells. In addi tion to four perinucleolar knobs of condensed, inactive rDNA genes, corresponding to the four nucleolar organizers in P. sativum , which were the most brightly labelled structures, several characteristic patterns of intranucleolar labelling were apparent, including bright foci, large central chromatin masses, and fine, decondensed interconnecting fibres. The larger and more active the nucleolus, the smaller the proportion of con densed perinucleolar rDNA. In some large and active meristematic nucleoli, all the internal rDNA is decon densed, showing that transcription cannot be restricted to the bright foci, and is most likely to occur on the decondensed fibres. SUMMARY
Antimicrobial Activity and Characteristics of Bacteriocins Produced by Vaginal Lactobacilli

The aim of this study is to test the production of bacteriocin in vaginal Lactobacilli and determining the characterization and antibacterial activity of this bacteriocin. For this reason 100 Lactobacillus strains were isolated and identified from vaginal swab samples of 75 women who attended obstetric and gynecology clinics. It was determined that six of 100 Lactobacillus strains produced bacteriocin. The antibacterial activity of bacteriocins was examined and found to be effective on vaginal L. gasseri, L. acidophilus, Gardnerella vaginalis ATCC 14018 and Pseudomonas aeroginosa ATCC 10145. We also found that bacteriocins were sensitive to proteinase enzymes and alkalinity, but resistant to catalase. Two of them, TL059a and TL080, were resistant to chloroform and 1 h boiling. It was observed that adding 1% NaCl to medians increased bacteriocin production and it was also found that mitomycin C induced Rogosa SL media was more suitable than MRS (Z = -2, p < 0.05).
Lipid Profile Abnormalities as Predictive Factor for Electrocardiogram Changes and Coronary Artery Disease among Sudanese People in Shendi Locality

Coronary artery diseases (CAD) remain the leading cause of death. Dyslipidemia is an important risk factor for the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis and is strongly associated with Coronary artery diseases. This study was a prospective, observational survey study conducted at Shendi locality to estimate the Lipid profile Abnormalities and Electrocardiogram (ECG) Changes in the period between (2010) and (2012). The study included (100) volunteers selected randomly, aged between (2560 years). The study showed (44) subjects (group 1) with normal lipid profile and (56) subjects (group 2) with abnormal lipid profile. In this study, we found a highly significant statistical difference (P < 0.05) between lipid profile in group I and group II. In (group 2) 6 subjects (10.3%) were with ECG changes. When comparing the anthropometric characteristics of the two groups there was no statistical difference with respect to weight, height and body mass index. The same was for Systolic pressure and diastolic pressure (‘p’=0.558, ‘p’=0.430, ‘p’=0.345, ‘p’=0.729 and ‘p’=0.420 respectively). Abnormal lipid profile can be considered as predictive for Electrocardiogram Changes and Coronary Artery Disease. Keyword: Lipid Profile, Coronary Artery Diseases, Electrocardiogram, Sudanese.
Efficacy and Safety of Alirocumab in Japanese Patients With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia or at High Cardiovascular Risk With Hypercholesterolemia Not Adequately Controlled With Statins　- ODYSSEY JAPAN Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND The ODYSSEY Japan study was designed to demonstrate the reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) by alirocumab as add-on to existing lipid-lowering therapy in Japanese patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (heFH) or non-FH at high cardiovascular risk who require additional pharmacological management to achieve their LDL-C treatment goal (<2.6 or <3.1 mmol/L, depending on risk category). METHODSANDRESULTS This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, 52-week study was conducted in Japan. Patients (n=216) with heFH, non-FH at high cardiovascular risk with coronary disease, or classified as category III were enrolled. The prespecified safety analysis was done after the last patient completed 52 weeks. Patients were randomized (2:1, alirocumab:placebo) with stratification for heFH to s.c. alirocumab (75 mg every 2 weeks [Q2 W] with increase to 150 mg if week 8 LDL-C ≥2.6/3.1 mmol/L) or placebo for 52 weeks plus stable statin therapy. At week 24, mean±SE change in LDL-C from baseline was -62.5±1.3% in the alirocumab group and 1.6±1.8% in the placebo group (difference, -64.1±2.2%; P<0.0001); the reduction was sustained to week 52 (alirocumab, -62.5±1.4%; placebo, -3.6±1.9%). No patterns were evident between treatment groups for adverse events at 52 weeks. CONCLUSIONS In high-risk Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia on stable statin therapy, alirocumab markedly reduced LDL-C vs. placebo and was well tolerated over 52 weeks. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1980-1987).
Large Deviations for Processes with Independent Increments

Abstract : The establishment of the large deviation principle (LDP) has had important implications in various areas in statistics. It has been used to obtain the asymptotic efficiencies of tests and estimates and to obtain the asymptotic behavior of functional integrals associated with solutions of stochastic integrals. It appears in the evaluation of the 'free' energy in statistical mechanics. It is also intimately related to certain types of laws of large numbers. This paper studies the LDP for a stochastic process with stationary independent increments with no Gaussian component and obtain complete results.
The development of personal information system: A case study in the faculty of industrial education and technology, King mongkut's university of technology thonburi

This study was aimed to analyze the quality and to study the satisfaction of users towards the personal information system. The sampling group in this study consisted of administrators, human resource staff and personnel in the Faculty of Industrial Education and Technology, totaling 64 persons, chosen out of the population through the sample size method by Krejcie & Morgan. The statistics used for data analysis was mean and standard deviation. The research results revealed that the majority of the respondents were male for 59.37 percent. Their age group was between 41 and 50 years for 67.19 percent. Most held a Master's degree for 51.56 percent with over 5 years of working experience. The study showed that the quality of the personal information system was at moderate level (X̄ = 3.28 , S.D = 0.45). The input to personal information system was at moderate level (X̄ = 3.20 , S.D = 0.59). The operation process of the personal information system was at moderate level (X̄ = 3.35 , S.D = 0.52). The display of information concerning the personnel was at moderate level (X̄ = 3.21 , S.D = 0.42). The study on the satisfaction showed that the satisfaction towards the personal information system was at high level. (X̄ = 3.61 , S.D = 0.51). The input to personal information system was at moderate level (X̄ = 3.26 . S.D = 0.66). The operation process of the personal information system was at moderate level (X̄ = 3.47 , S.D = 0.53). The satisfaction towards the display of the information concerning the personnel was at moderate level (X̄ = 3.35 , S.D = 0.67).
BIOECONOMIC MODELLING: IS THERE ROOM FOR SEAMLESS INTERDISCIPLINARITY ?

A partir de trois etudes de cas de modelisation bioeconomique d'exploitations agricoles, l'objectif de cette communication est de tirer des lecons concernant le defi de l'interdisciplinarite entre sciences biophysiques et sociales. Le resultat des etudes de cas illustre le benefice qui peut etre attendu de ces etudes bioeconomiques. La communication se base sur ces experiences pour discuter des difficultes provenant de l'interdisciplinarite. Certaines de ces difficultes peuvent etre maitrisees simplement en pretant attention a la construction du respect mutuel et de la confiance entre membres de l'equipe, ou plus generalement en reconnaissant que si le travail est plus difficile il faut lui allouer davantage de ressources et de temps. Mais l'interdisciplinarite peut introduire des problemes de pouvoir plus subtils a manipuler, bien que des cadres theoriques soient disponibles pour cela. En tout etat de cause, pretendre reussir des etudes interdisciplinaires " sans couture ", simplement grâce au choix des bons outils et ressources humaines, risque fort de produire de nombreuses cicatrices, au moins dans la memoire des participants. (Resume d'auteur)
Overcoming barriers to the successful adoption of mobile commerce in Singapore

"Prediction is very difficult," wrote Nobel laureate Niels Bohr, "especially about the future. " This is clearly the case in the emerging market of mobile commerce (m-commerce). Many pundits believe that m-commerce will be huge. This belief is based on the assumption that, if you merge two services that are already popular, you will inevitably create a third that is even more popular. Mobile telephony is one of the most pervasive forms of modern communication and the internet already has more than 300 million users. However, experience to date has not matched up to expectations; m-commerce is moving relatively slowly. But we are still in the early stages of the mobile innovation wave. Like any innovation, there will be "moments in time when irrational exuberance rules the day, as well as moments when extreme pessimism reigns". We believe that m-commerce does have the potential to revolutionise our lives, and is thus an important topic for study. By disconnecting their equipment, people are becoming increasingly connected. This research study seeks to gauge the current receptiveness of consumers towards m-commerce; to determine the concerns consumers have about m-commerce; to determine the factors that would facilitate and encourage the adoption of m-commerce; and to determine the kind of mobile internet services that appeal to consumers. Our study deals with these issues with a focus on consumers in Singapore. From our research, we found that high costs and slow speeds were prime concerns. Low costs and improved connection speeds were cited as important factors that would facilitate the adoption of m-commerce. E-mail, ticketing, entertainment and news were the m-commerce services with the highest appeal. Predicting consumer behaviour is far from an exact science, but by analysing emerging trends in technology, latent customer needs, markets and other areas, we hope our research can contribute to the future success of m-commerce.
Alagille syndrome in a Vietnamese cohort: Mutation analysis and assessment of facial features

Alagille syndrome (ALGS, OMIM #118450) is an autosomal dominant disorder that affects multiple organ systems including the liver, heart, eyes, vertebrae, and face. ALGS is caused by mutations in one of two genes in the Notch Signaling Pathway, Jagged1 (JAG1) or NOTCH2. In this study, analysis of 21 Vietnamese ALGS individuals led to the identification of 19 different mutations (18 JAG1 and 1 NOTCH2), 17 of which are novel, including the third reported NOTCH2 mutation in Alagille Syndrome. The spectrum of JAG1 mutations in the Vietnamese patients is similar to that previously reported, including nine frameshift, three missense, two splice site, one nonsense, two whole gene, and one partial gene deletion. The missense mutations are all likely to be disease causing, as two are loss of cysteines (C22R and C78G) and the third creates a cryptic splice site in exon 9 (G386R). No correlation between genotype and phenotype was observed. Assessment of clinical phenotype revealed that skeletal manifestations occur with a higher frequency than in previously reported Alagille cohorts. Facial features were difficult to assess and a Vietnamese pediatric gastroenterologist was only able to identify the facial phenotype in 61% of the cohort. To assess the agreement among North American dysmorphologists at detecting the presence of ALGS facial features in the Vietnamese patients, 37 clinical dysmorphologists evaluated a photographic panel of 20 Vietnamese children with and without ALGS. The dysmorphologists were unable to identify the individuals with ALGS in the majority of cases, suggesting that evaluation of facial features should not be used in the diagnosis of ALGS in this population. This is the first report of mutations and phenotypic spectrum of ALGS in a Vietnamese population. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Predictors of dementia in Parkinson disease

Objective: We investigated an array of possible markers of early dementia in Parkinson disease. Methods: We performed a comprehensive assessment of autonomic, sleep, psychiatric, visual, olfactory, and motor manifestations in 80 patients with Parkinson disease who were dementia-free at baseline. After 4.4 years’ follow-up, patients were evaluated for dementia. Predictive variables were assessed using logistic regression adjusting for disease duration, follow-up duration, age, and sex. Results: Of 80 patients, 27 (34%) developed dementia. Patients destined to develop dementia were older and more often male (odds ratio [OR] = 3.64, p = 0.023). Those with baseline mild cognitive impairment had increased dementia risk (OR = 22.5, p < 0.001). REM sleep behavior disorder at baseline dramatically increased dementia risk (OR = 49.7, p = 0.001); however, neither daytime sleepiness nor insomnia predicted dementia. Higher baseline blood pressure increased dementia risk (OR = 1.37 per 10 mm Hg, p = 0.032). Orthostatic blood pressure drop was strongly associated with dementia risk (OR = 1.84 per 10 mm Hg, p < 0.001); having a systolic drop of >10 mm Hg increased dementia odds 7-fold (OR = 7.3, p = 0.002). Abnormal color vision increased dementia risk (OR = 3.3, p = 0.014), but olfactory dysfunction did not. Among baseline motor variables, proportion of gait involvement (OR = 1.12, p = 0.023), falls (OR = 3.02, p = 0.042), and freezing (OR = 2.63, p = 0.013), as well as the Purdue Pegboard Test (OR = 0.67, p = 0.049) and alternate tap test (OR = 0.97, p = 0.033) predicted dementia. Conclusion: Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction, REM sleep behavior disorder, color discrimination ability, and gait dysfunction strongly predict development of dementia in Parkinson disease.
Previous success and current body condition determine breeding propensity in Lesser Scaup: evidence for the individual heterogeneity hypothesis

ABSTRACT The decision to breed influences an individual's current and future reproduction, and the proportion of individuals that breed is an important determinant of population dynamics. Age, experience, individual quality, and environmental conditions have all been demonstrated to influence breeding propensity. To elucidate which of these factors exerts the greatest influence on breeding propensity in a temperate waterfowl, we studied female Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) breeding in southwestern Montana. Females were captured during the breeding seasons of 2007–2009, and breeding status was determined on the basis of (1) presence of an egg in the oviduct or (2) blood plasma vitellogenin (VTG) levels. Presence on the study site in the previous year, a proxy for adult female success, was determined with stable isotope signatures of a primary feather collected at capture. Overall, 57% of females had evidence of breeding at the time of capture; this increased to 86% for females captured on or after peak nest initiation. Capture date and size-adjusted body condition positively influenced breeding propensity, with a declining body-condition threshold through the breeding season. We did not detect an influence of age on breeding propensity. Drought conditions negatively affected breeding propensity, reducing the proportion of breeding females to 0.85 (SE = 0.05) from 0.94 (SE = 0.03) during normal-water years. A female that was present in the previous breeding season was 5% more likely to breed than a female that was not present then. The positive correlation between age and experience makes it difficult to differentiate the roles of age, experience, and individual quality in reproductive success in vertebrates. Our results indicate that individual quality, as expressed by previous success and current body condition, may be among the most important determinants of breeding propensity in female Lesser Scaup, providing further support for the individual heterogeneity hypothesis.
Variant tricarboxylic acid cycle in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: identification of alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has adapted its metabolism for persistence in the human macrophage. The adaptations are likely to involve Mtb's core intermediary metabolism, whose enzymes have been little studied. The tricarboxylic acid cycle is expected to yield precursors for energy, lipids, amino acids, and heme. The genome sequence of Mtb H37Rv predicts the presence of a complete tricarboxylic acid cycle, but we recently found that alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KDH) activity is lacking in Mtb lysates. Here we showed that citrate synthase, aconitase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, fumarase, malate dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase, but not KDH, are present, raising the possibility of separate oxidative and reductive half-cycles. As a potential link between the half-cycles, we found that Rv1248c, annotated as encoding SucA, the putative E1 component of KDH, instead encodes alpha-ketoglutarate decarboxylase (Kgd) and produces succinic semialdehyde. Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase activity was detected in Mtb lysates and recapitulated with recombinant proteins GabD1 (encoded by Rv0234c) and GabD2 (encoded by Rv1731). Kgd and GabD1 or GabD2 form an alternative pathway from alpha-ketoglutarate to succinate. Rv1248c, which is essential or required for normal growth of Mtb [Sassetti, C. , Boyd, D. H. & Rubin, E. J. (2003) Mol. Microbiol 48, 77-84] is the first gene shown to encode a Kgd. Kgd is lacking in humans and may represent a potential target for chemotherapy of tuberculosis.
Effect of water adsorption on the dielectric properties of polymer nanocomposites

In this paper, the effect of the water absorbed by inorganic nanofillers (e.g. during the manufacturing process prior to the extrusion) on the electrical properties of a thermoplastic polymer based nanocomposite is studied. Particularly, it is shown how the absorption of water by the nanofiller can affect significantly the nanocomposite electrical properties. Two nanofillers, i.e. fluorohectorite and bohemite, with two different levels of water content, were used to study the effects on electrical properties, in particular space charge accumulation, electric strength and conduction current.
Parametric oscillation in a vertical microcavity: A polariton condensate or micro-optical parametric oscillation

Semiconductor microcavities can support quasiparticles which are half-light and half-matter with interactions possessed by neither component alone. We show that their distorted dispersion relation forms the basis of a quasiparticle ‘‘trap’’ and elicits extreme enhancements of their nonlinear optical properties. When driven by a continuous wave laser at a critical angle, the quasiparticles are sucked into the trap, condensing into a macroscopic quantum state which efficiently emits light. This device is thus an optical parametric oscillator based on quasiparticle engineering. In contrast to a laser, macroscopic coherence is established in the electronic excitations as well as the light field. This paves the way to new techniques analogous to those established in atomic and superconducting condensates, such as ultrasensitive solid-state interferometers. Parametric oscillators are nonlinear resonators in which a coherent pump wave is converted into coherent ‘‘signal’’ and ‘‘idler’’ waves of different frequency, thus forming the basis for broadband tunable sources and mixers. 1 They have found widespread application in both microwave and optical frequency regions, as well as providing a ‘‘quantum testbed’’ for some of the most profound demonstrations of nonclassi