Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The kinetic properties of liver glucokinase and its function in glucose physiology as a model for the comprehensive study of enzymes' kinetic parameters and reversible inhibitors

Glucokinase is a key enzyme in carbohydrate metabolism in mammals. Particularly relevant is the involvement of the liver enzyme for the maintenance of blood glucose concentrations. In playing this key role, the occurrence of normal kinetic parameters of liver glucokinase is critical. Modification of Km and/or Vmax results in pathological situations occurring with hypo‐ or hyperglycemia. Based on this, an exercise is proposed in which different mice cell lines with abnormalities in glucose utilization are analyzed to determine the metabolic alteration at a molecular level. The student must determine the cause of abnormality by processing the kinetic data. Also, the characterization of different compounds that are reversible inhibitors of the enzyme from kinetic data is required to identify a drug that can correct the pathology in each case. One major objective of the problem is to learn about the meaning of kinetic parameters of enzymes, as well as the action of different types of reversible inhibitors. © 2001 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
SecureFace: Face Template Protection

It has been shown that face images can be reconstructed from their representations (templates). We propose a randomized CNN to generate protected face biometric templates given the input face image and a user-specific key. The use of user-specific keys introduces randomness to the secure template and hence strengthens the template security. To further enhance the security of the templates, instead of storing the key, we store a secure sketch that can be decoded to generate the key with genuine queries submitted to the system. We have evaluated the proposed protected template generation method using three benchmarking datasets for the face (FRGC v2.0, CFP, and IJB-A). The experimental results justify that the protected template generated by the proposed method are non-invertible and cancellable, while preserving the verification performance.
Neighbourhood and Class

This paper investigates the relationship between neighbourhood cohesion and organisation and class in Hong Kong. It draws on a survey of 1200 face-to-face interviews in an up-market private housing estate on Hong Kong Island, a large, neither rich nor poor public housing estate in the New Territories and a mixed-use, low-income inner-city neighbourhood in Kowloon. Four indexes measure interneighbourhood and intraneighbourhood differences—namely, attraction to neighbourhood, neighbouring and psychological sense of community adapted from the Buckner scale of social cohesion, and social organisation developed by the author. There are significant differences between the neighbourhoods. However, these differences are not duplicated between occupation-defined class within the neighbourhoods, although there are some differences based on self-defined social class. The likely explanation lies in the character of the three neighbourhoods, government policy, the effect of private housing management and the low level of spatial differentiation by income across the city.
Microphytobenthic dynamics in a Wadden Sea intertidal flat – Part II: Seasonal and spatial variability of non-diatom community components in relation to abiotic parameters

The microphytobenthos colonizing the intertidal flats forms an important component of the Wadden Sea. Ten sampling points along a 1-km transect were studied in a fringe area of the Solthörn tidal flat, southern North Sea, in order to determine seasonal differences in the microphytobenthos. An accompanying paper deals with the major component of the flora, the diatoms; here we, focus on the minor taxonomic groups. From May 2008 to May 2009 surface sediments were collected during low tide. Variation of environmental factors as well as microphytobenthic density (abundance and chlorophyll a) were monitored. The area investigated was a mixed-sediment mudflat, with a gradient from coarse to fine. Highest biomass was obtained in summer 2008 with 215.9 ± 12.6 mg chlorophyll a m–2. In late autumn the chlorophyll a concentration decreased continuously at all investigated stations. Lowest values were detected in December 2008. Species abundances varied considerably both along the transect and seasonally, depending on species-specific requirements as well as hydrodynamic conditions (tidal currents). Higher densities of benthic pro- and eukaryotic microalgae were observed in sites characterized by fine sediments. Apart from the diatoms, the most abundant microphytobenthic group was the cyanophytes. Coccoid cyanophytes, mainly Merismopedia sp. , were most abundant during summer, with cell numbers up to 5.72 × 106 cells cm−2, while diatoms dominated in winter, spring and autumn. Filamentous cyanophytes, particularly Microcoleus chthonoplastes, were most abundant during autumn, while coccoid chlorophytes (spring: Chlorococcum submarinum, Crucigenia tetrapedia, Tetraselmis suecica), euglenophytes (summer: Euglena obtusa), dinophytes (autumn: Amphidinium operculatum, A. herdmanii) and cryptophytes (autumn: Hillea marina, Hemiselmis virescens) contributed to the microphytobenthos during warmer seasons. The statistical analysis confirmed that the composition of the microphytobenthos was related to sediment features and to characteristics of particular seasons.
Characteristics and Outcomes of Hospitalized Young Adults with Mild Covid -19.

Background Stormy course has been reported among hospitalized adults with COVID-19 in high- and middle-income countries. To assess clinical outcomes in consecutively hospitalized patients with mild covid-19 in India we performed a study. Methods We developed a case registry of successive patients admitted with suspected covid-19 infection to our hospital (n=501). Covid-19 was diagnosed using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Demographic, clinical, investigations details and outcomes were recorded. Descriptive statistics are presented. Results Covid-19 was diagnosed in 234 (46.7%) and data compared with 267 (53.3%) negative controls. Mean age of covid-19 patients was 35.1±16.6y, 59.4% were <40y and 64% men. Symptoms were in less than 10% and comorbidities were in 4-8%. History of BCG vaccination was in 49% cases vs 10% controls. Cases compared to controls had significantly greater white cell (6.96+1.89 vs 6.12+1.69x109 cells/L) and lower lymphocyte count (1.98+0.79 vs 2.32+0.91x109 cells/L). No radiological and electrocardiographic abnormality was observed. All these were isolated or quarantined in the hospital and observed. Covid-19 patients received hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin according to prevalent guidelines. One patient needed oxygen support while hospital course was uncomplicated in the rest. All were discharged alive. Conversion to virus negative status was in 10.2±6.4 days and was significantly lower in age >40y (9.1±5.2) compared to 40-59y (11.3±6.1) and ≥60y (16.4±13.3) (p=0.001). Conclusions This hospital-based registry shows that mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic young covid-19 patients have excellent prognosis.
Attachment and short-term stalk development of Didymosphenia geminata: effects of light, temperature and nutrients

We measured cell attachments and stalk lengths of the stalked diatom Didymosphenia geminata in situ, using in vivo staining, under different nutrient (phosphorus and nitrogen) and light treatments. Our aims were: (1) to investigate the effects of light and temperature (season) on attachment and stalk growth, including the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which has been suggested as a possible factor favouring D. geminata proliferation; and (2) to test the hypothesis that enrichment with dissolved phosphorus (DRP) inhibits the initial attachment of D. geminata cells. Although low concentrations (below ∼ 2 mg m−3) of DRP appear to be responsible for D. geminata proliferation, its general absence where DRP>2 mg m−3 is not understood. The experiments were conducted in outdoor channels over 14 months, spanning a range of water temperatures and light intensities. Increasing visible light intensity usually had a positive effect on attachment densities and stalk length, but both were depressed by very high intensities. Exposure to UVR generally led to lower attachment rates and shorter stalks. Increasing water temperature with season had a positive influence on the proportion of cell attachments producing stalks. Elevated nutrients (up to 6.6 mg m−3 P, and up to 115 mg m−3 N above ambient) did not affect D. geminata cell attachment unless the treatment channels contained previously colonised substrata. Nutrient enrichment negatively affected stalk length. Earlier findings of a positive role of light and a negative effect of nutrients on stalk length in D. geminata were corroborated, except that photoinhibition was demonstrated at very high visible light intensities. There was no evidence of a positive effect of UVR on D. geminata proliferation at the initial stages of attachment and growth. The results indicated that the absence of D. geminata from rivers with high DRP concentrations is not the result of nutrient interference with initial cell attachment.
Boldness and urban dwelling in little ravens

Abstract Context. To successfully inhabit urban environments, birds must cope with the presence of people and vehicles at high densities. One hypothesised component of such coping is a high level of boldness, which may be inherent in all, or a particular subset of, species’ members as the result of natural selection or achieved through phenotypic plasticity allowing rapid behavioural adjustment to human disturbance. Aims. To determine how much bolder urban little ravens (Corvus mellori) are than exurban conspecifics. To determine whether urban little ravens vary in their boldness as a function of local pedestrian and vehicular traffic volume, an important issue with respect to adjusting to the urban environment that has received little attention. Methods. We assessed the relative boldness of free-living urban and exurban little ravens using the Flight Initiation Distance (FID) paradigm. The boldness of urban little ravens was also tested by measuring the reaction of individuals in areas with varying traffic volumes to a potentially startling sound stimulus (PSS). Key results. On average, exurban ravens approached by a researcher had FIDs nearly 6-fold longer, escaped 1.4 times more by flying and fled >10 m 3.4 times more than urban conspecifics. Urban ravens in areas with varying pedestrian and vehicular traffic volumes had similar FIDs and mostly reacted similarly to a PSS, although retreat behaviour from a human and the PSS was influenced by traffic volume. Conclusions. Boldness seems to be important in facilitating urban dwelling by little ravens. Antipredator behaviour did not appear to be strongly adjusted to local variation in traffic volume within the urban environment, but the reason for this is unknown. Further research with more extensive traffic surveying could help to answer this question. Implications. The results are consistent with little ravens’ urban boldness occurring through initial urban settlement by a bolder subset of individuals. The importance of boldness in coping with traffic should feature more prominently in urban boldness research.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and early onset pre-eclampsia

Introduction: Pre-eclampsia is one of the common gestational disorders characterized by hypertension after 20 weeks of gestation and proteinuria with unknown different etiologies. It is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Human Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can affect uterine villuses and maternal spiral arteries. Therefore this study was designed to evaluate the potential link between Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and early onset pre-eclampsia. Materials and Methods: Thirty nine pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and forty healthy pregnant woman (as control group) were compared with each other in the term of demographic features and serum levels of IgM and IgG anti-CMV with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Also the avidity index for CMV IgG were evaluated and compared between two groups. Results: All the members of case and control groups were seronegative for anti-CMV IgM. Anti-CMV IgM and anti-CMV IgG status did not significantly differ between two groups (P=0.054 and P=0.151, respectively). Both the mean value of anti-CMV IgM serum levels and anti-CMV IgG avidity were not statistically different in patients with pre-eclampsia in comparison with control group (P=0.133 and P=0.238 respectively). Although all the enrolled individuals had positive anti-CMV IgG status, CMV IgG serum titer was lower in patients with pre-eclampsia compared to healthy subjects (174.35 vs. 208.65 Ru/ml, P=0.026). Conclusions: Lower level of anti-CMV IgG serum level in patients with pre-eclampsia represents decreased immune response to CMV infection which might have led to reactivation of chronic CMV infection and uterus vascular injury in the course of pregnancy.
Early life stress and HPA axis function independently predict adult depressive symptoms in metropolitan Cebu, Philippines.

OBJECTIVES Alterations in adult hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity have increasingly been linked with early life stress and adult depression, but a limited number of studies have used longitudinal data to explore HPA axis dysregulation as an underlying mechanism driving the long-term depressive impacts of early stressors. Here we address potential long-term impacts of early life, family-based stress on depressive symptoms among young adults in a longitudinal birth cohort study begun in 1983 in the Philippines. MATERIALS AND METHODS We relate a composite measure of family-based stressors experienced between birth and adolescence to circadian dynamics in adult salivary cortisol and depressive risk measured at 21-22 years of age. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between early life stress levels and risk of adult depressive symptoms, as well as the role of adult diurnal cortisol activity in this relationship. RESULTS Greater levels of early life familial stress predicted more severe depressive symptomatology at age 21-22 in a dose-response fashion (p < .0001) independent of adult diurnal cortisol patterns. Flatter diurnal cortisol slopes are directly associated with higher adult depressive symptoms, an effect mostly driven by evening cortisol levels (p = .004). When considering the cumulative effects of early life stress measures, however, exposure to more of these stressors during development is associated with even higher depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION The long-term depressive effects of early life familial stress extend to this large sample of Cebuano young adults, and early life stress and HPA axis function may shape adult depressive symptoms through independent pathways in this sample. Our findings provide further evidence that HPA axis activity is shaped by early life conditions and is associated with depressive symptoms.
Assessing Diet Quality in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Cohort of Low-Income Toddlers.

BACKGROUND Low-income racially and ethnically diverse children are at higher risk for obesity compared with their counterparts; yet, few studies have assessed their diet quality. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the diet quality of a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of 2-year-olds using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010. METHODS We used 24-hour dietary recall data from caregivers of toddlers (24-34 months) at 4 pediatric resident clinics that participated in the Greenlight Study to calculate compliance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) using total HEI score (range 0-100) and 12 component scores. RESULTS Participants (n = 231) were mostly Hispanic (57%) or non-Hispanic black (27%) and from low-income families. Mean HEI-2010 score was 62.8 (SD 10.5). Though not significant, Hispanics had the highest HEI score. Toddlers of caregivers without obesity, older than 35 years and born outside the U.S. had higher HEI scores. Most had high HEI component scores for dairy, fruit, and protein foods, but few achieved maximum scores, particularly for whole grains (13%), vegetables (10%), and fatty acid ratio (7%). CONCLUSION Despite scores reflective of DGA recommendations for fruit, dairy and protein foods, toddlers in this diverse sample had low quality diets as measured by the HEI, driven largely by low component scores for whole grains, vegetables and ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids.
Surgical Outcome Results From SWOG S1505

Objective: The optimal neoadjuvant therapy for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and the impact on surgical outcomes remains unclear. Methods: S1505 (NCT02562716) was a randomized phase II study of perioperative chemotherapy with mFOLFIRINOX (Arm 1) or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (Arm 2). Measured parameters included resection rate, margin positivity, pathologic response, and toxicity. Results: Between 2015 and 2018, 147 patients were randomized. Of these, 44 (30%) were deemed ineligible (43 by central review). Of the 103 eligible patients, 77 (76%) completed preoperative therapy and underwent surgery; reasons patients did not undergo surgery included toxicity related to preoperative therapy (n = 9), progression (n = 9), or other (n = 7). Of the 77, 73 (95%) underwent successful resection; 21 (29%) required vascular reconstruction, 62 (85%) had negative (R0) margins, and 24 (33%) had a complete or major pathologic response to therapy. The grade 3–5 postoperative complication rate was 16%. Of the 73 patients completing surgery, 57 (78%) started and 46 (63%) completed postoperative therapy. This study represents the first prospective trial evaluating modern systemic therapy delivered in a neoadjuvant/perioperative format for resectable PDA. Conclusions: We have demonstrated: (1) Based on the high percentage of enrolled, but ineligible patients, it is clear that adherence to strict definitions of resectable PDA is challenging; (2) Patients can tolerate modern systemic therapy and undergo successful surgical resection without prohibitive perioperative complications; (3) Completion of adjuvant therapy in the perioperative format is difficult; (4) Major pathologic response rate of 33% is encouraging.
Loss to Follow-Up After Newborn Hearing Screening: Analysis of Risk Factors at a Massachusetts Urban Safety-Net Hospital.

OBJECTIVES This study examines the unique factors that influence loss to follow-up after newborn hearing screening for patients at a Massachusetts urban safety-net hospital. We seek to characterize our patient population, investigate correlations between patient factors and rates of follow-up, and understand gaps in care. DESIGN A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients born at an urban safety-net hospital from January 2015 through May 2018 who did not pass the newborn hearing screening in one or both ears. A total of 197 infants were included in our study. Outcomes of interest included rates and latency of follow-up appointments, infant demographics (sex, race, birth weight, risk factors for hearing loss), and maternal factors (age, marital status, smoking status, number of children). RESULTS From January 2015 through May 2018, 17% (n = 34) of infants were lost to follow-up. Of those who attended an initial audiology evaluation, the median time between screening and appointment was 29 days. Newborns were 3.5 times at risk of being lost to follow-up if their mothers smoked during pregnancy compared to those whose mothers did not smoke. Further, newborns with multiple siblings in the home were less likely to utilize any audiological services. High-risk infants, such as those with an extended stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, were found to have higher rates of loss to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that patients at urban safety-net hospitals require increased support to decrease rates of loss to follow-up. In particular, strategies to aid mothers who smoke, have multiple children, or have high-risk infants can address gaps in care for newborns after hearing screening.
Effects of waterlogging on ion accumulation and sugar, protein and proline contents in Corchorus capsularis L.

Waterlogging decreased accumulation of K + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , NO 3 - and PO 4 3- but increased that of Na + and Fe 2+ in the root, stem and leaves of jute ( Corchorus capsularis L.) . It increased the accumulation of sugar and proline contents but decreased that of protein as well as dry weight. The effect of waterlogging on ion transport, accumulation of metabolites and dry weight was discussed. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/bjb.v42i1. 15864 Bangladesh J. Bot. 42 (1): 55-63, 2013 (June)
A patient with novel MBOAT7 variant: The cerebellar atrophy is progressive and displays a peculiar neurometabolic profile

Mutations in the MBOAT7 gene have been described in 43 patients, belonging to 18 families, showing nonspecific clinical features (intellectual disability [ID], seizures, microcephaly or macrocephaly, and mild to moderate cerebellar atrophy) that make the clinical diagnosis difficult. Here we report the first Italian patient, a 22.5‐year‐old female, one of the oldest reported, born to apparently consanguineous parents. She shows severe ID, macrocephaly, seizures, aggressive outbursts, hyperphagia. We also documented progressive atrophy of the cerebellar vermis, that appeared not before the age of 7. The whole‐exome sequencing of the trio identified a novel homozygous variant c. 1057_1058delGCinsCA (p.Ala353His) in the MBOAT7 gene. The variant is considered to be likely pathogenic, since it is absent from population database and it lies in a highly conserved amino acid residue. This disorder has a neurometabolic pathogenesis, implicating a phospholipid remodeling abnormalities. A brain hydrogen‐magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H‐MRS) examination in our patient disclosed a peculiar neurometabolic profile in the cerebellar hemispheric region. This new finding could address the clinical suspicion of MBOAT7‐related disorder, among the wide range of genetic conditions associated with ID and cerebellar atrophy. Moreover, the documented progression of cerebellar atrophy and the worsening of the disease only after some years open to the possibility of a therapeutic window after birth.