Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predictors of breast cancer among women attending a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry-A case-control study

Introduction: The incidence of breast cancer is increasing in developing countries over decades. Breast cancer is a public health problem in India. Identifying the risk factors helps to reduce the incidence and improve quality of life of people in future. Method: A hospital based case control study was conducted among all the breast cancer cases newly diagnosed in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Puducherry. 40 cases of breast cancer were paired with age matched controls from the same hospital (ratio 1:2) with a total of 120 study participants. Data were collected by interviewing the participants using a pre tested structured questionnaire. Analysis was done using SPSS version 24.0 Results: Age group of participants ranged from 35-69 years. Age group of 46-55 years [OR-3.4; 95% CI: 1.1-11.2], homemaker [OR-0.4; 95% CI: 0.2-0.9], Early menarche
Prognostic Nutritional Index, Another Prognostic Factor for Extranodal Natural Killer/T Cell Lymphoma, Nasal Type

Objective: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a significant prognostic factor in diffuse large B cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and other malignancies. The current study aimed to explore its prognostic role in extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma (ENKTL). Methods: Patients diagnosed with ENKTL and treated during 2002 and 2018 (n = 184) were retrospectively recruited. PNI was calculated from albumin concentration (g/L) and total lymphocyte count (*109/L). The association of PNI and overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed in univariate analysis and multivariate Cox regression validated by the 10-fold cross-validation method. Results: Survival analyses showed that both OS and PFS differed significantly between PNI groups stratified by a cutoff value of 49.0. The 3- and 5-year OS were 42.5 and 36.3% in the low-PNI (PNI < 49) subgroup and 70.6% and 63.9% (P < 0.001) in the high-PNI (PNI ≥ 49) subgroup, respectively. The corresponding PFS showed a similar pattern (38.4, 32.4 vs. 64.8, 54.0%, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that PNI was significantly independent for both OS (HR = 0.517, 95% CI = 0.322–0.831, P = 0.006) and PFS (HR = 0.579, 95% CI = 0.373–0.899, P = 0.015). Furthermore, integrating PNI into the models of IPI (International Prognostic Index), KPI (Korean Prognostic Index), and PINK (prognostic index of natural killer lymphoma) could improve the area under the curve (AUC) and reduce the integrated Brier score (IBS) and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) value of each model. Conclusion: PNI was a significant prognostic indicator for ENKTL.
Deoni cattle breed of India. A study on population dynamics and morphometric characteristics

Summary Deoni is an important dual-purpose breed of cattle in Maharashtra. These animals are mainly found in the Latur district and the adjoining area of Prabhani, Nanded and Osmanabad districts of the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. From 1996 to 1999, a systematic survey was conducted in 13 strata involving 69 villages to determine geographic distribution, establish breed characteristics, determine socioeconomic status and existing management practices as well as to estimate the approximate population of Deoni cattle in its breeding tract. The total number of households enumerated was 9 132. The average herd size was 2.5 animals with a range of 1 to 16. About 30 percent of farmers
Arabidopsis Tubulin Folding Cofactor B Interacts with α-Tubulin In Vivo

Microtubule biogenesis requires alphabeta tubulin dimers that are generated from alpha and beta tubulin following post-translational modification by several tubulin folding cofactors (TFCs). Here we report the isolation and characterization of Arabidopsis TFCB (AtTFCB). AtTFCB is expressed in all organs of Arabidopsis. The subcellular localization of AtTFCB is mainly cytosolic. AtTFCB-overexpressing cells have fewer microtubules compared with the controls. Multimode fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy reveals a direct physical interaction of AtTFCB with alpha tubulin in living plant cells. We conclude that AtTFCB interacts with alpha tubulin in vivo and its overexpression reduces the number of microtubules.
The Effect of Internal and External Integration Capabilities on the Performance of Professional Service Outsourcing

To take advantage of low-cost talented labors and gain innovation capabilities, more and more global clients started to outsource professional service processes offshore to emerging markets. The service value chain breakdown in the outsourcing and intensive tacit knowledge involved in professional service impose great challenges in improving the PSO performance. PSO service provider’s integration with global clients can decrease the adverse effects of this breakdown. Moreover, the high-level professional knowledge involved in the service tasks requires effective and efficient internal integration across different functional units within the service provider. <br><br>This study investigates how the PSO firm’s external knowledge integration with global clients, internal integration across various functional units, and the synergistic effects between them in improving PSO performance. Drawing on the theory of organizational learning and knowledgebased view, a conceptual framework is proposed and empirically tested by using survey data from 192 Indian professional service providers. This study contributes to the much-needed efforts in studying PSO, a new and fast-growing cross-border professional service activity, and provides helpful managerial implications to practicing global clients and offshore PSO service providers on how to successfully manage and govern the outsourcing process to achieve expected benefits.
Listeria monocytogenes: A Target for Bacteriophage Biocontrol

Listeria monocytogenes is a growing concern in the food industry as it is the causative agent of human listeriosis. There are many research articles concerning the growth, survival, and diversity of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from food-related sources, elucidating the difficulty in controlling these bacteria in a food-processing facility. Bacteriophage biocontrol of L. monocytogenes strains was introduced in 2006, through the first commercial bacteriophage product targeting L. monocytogenes ListShieldTM. This review focuses on the use of bacteriophage biocontrol to target L. monocytogenes in the food industry, specifically direct application of the bacteriophages to food products. In addition, we discuss characteristics of these bacteria that will have a significant influence on the effective treatment of bacteriophages such as genetic diversity between strains prevalent in one facility. There are many positive results of phage treatments targeting L. monocytogenes in food; however, success of in vitro studies might not be reproducible in practice. Future studies should focus on creating experimental design that will imitate the conditions found in the food industry, such as a stressed state of the targeted bacteria. In situ evaluation of bacteriophage treatment of L. monocytogenes will also be necessary because the presence of these bacteria in a processing facility can vary greatly regarding genetic diversity. The potential use of phages in the food-processing facility as a biosanitizer for L. monocytogenes, as well as the use of lysins to target these bacteria should also be explored. Despite the exciting research avenues that have to be explored, current research shows that biocontrol of L. monocytogenes is feasible and has potential to positively impact the food industry.
An Experiment on Group Effects and Bayesian Rationality

Our lab experiment offers new insights on Bayesian probability updating and the effects of group discussion on risk decision making. We exploit a within-subject experimental setting based on Bougheas et al. (2015). We find that the majority of participants react to conflicting signals in a rational way, while we find no convincing evidence for (reverse) confirmation bias. More importantly, we study how group interaction affects investment decisions and investigate the motives behind the observed group convergence of decisions. We find a range of motives, with a large share of participants exhibiting the effects of persuasion and/or peer effects in that they tend to maintain the group stage investment level. This result suggests that group interactions can modify the individually preferred investment level. We also find evidence for social preferences.
Retrospective Evaluation of Preseason Forecasting Models for Sockeye and Chum Salmon

Abstract Using comprehensive data sets for chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta (40 stocks) and sockeye salmon O. nerka (37 stocks) throughout their North American ranges, we compared the retrospective performance of 11 models in preseason forecasting of adult abundance. Chum and sockeye salmon have more complicated age structures than pink salmon O. gorbuscha, which we investigated previously (Haeseker et al. 2005), and this complexity presents new challenges as well as opportunities for forecasting. We extended our previous work to include two new forecasting models that make use of leading indicators: either the survival rate of earlier-maturing pink salmon from the same brood year (Ricker pink salmon index model) or the abundance of earlier-maturing siblings (hybrid sibling model, a new version of the standard sibling model). No single forecasting model was consistently the best for either chum or sockeye salmon, but the hybrid sibling model frequently performed best based on mean absolute error, mean percen.
Characterization of Curtovirus V2 Protein, a Functional Homolog of Begomovirus V2

Geminiviruses are single-stranded DNA plant viruses with circular genomes packaged within geminate particles. Among the Geminiviridae family, Begomovirus and Curtovirus comprise the two best characterized genera. Curtovirus and Old World begomovirus possess similar genome structures with six to seven open-reading frames (ORF). Among them, begomovirus and curtovirus V2 ORFs share the same location in the viral genome, encode proteins of similar size, but show extremely poor sequence homology between the genera. V2 from Beet curly top virus (BCTV), the model species for the Curtovirus genus, as it begomoviral counterpart, suppresses post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) by impairing the RDR6/SGS3 pathway and localizes in the nucleus spanning from the perinuclear region to the cell periphery. By aminoacid sequence comparison we have identified that curtoviral and begomoviral V2 proteins shared two hydrophobic domains and a putative phosphorylation motif. These three domains are essential for BCTV V2 silencing suppression activity, for the proper nuclear localization of the protein and for systemic infection. The lack of suppression activity in the mutated versions of V2 is complemented by the impaired function of RDR6 in Nicotiana benthamiana but the ability of the viral mutants to produce a systemic infection is not recovered in gene silencing mutant backgrounds. We have also demonstrated that, as its begomoviral homolog, V2 from BCTV is able to induce systemic symptoms and necrosis associated with a hypersensitive response-like (HR-like) when expressed from Potato virus X vector in N. benthamiana, and that this pathogenicity activity does not dependent of its ability to supress PTGS.
Are algal blooms occurring later in Lake Taihu? Climate local effects outcompete mitigation prevention

Using Landsat and Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data, cyanobacteria bloom initiation dates over two decades (1987–2011) in Lake Taihu showed three distinct trends. Initial blooms occurred later each year between 1987 and 1997 and then generally earlier until 2007, when the earliest and most extensive blooms occurred. After 2007, bloom initiation dates occurred later each year. Climate and catchment control over bloom dynamics was observed, in particular winter temperature minima and nutrient ratios.
Analytical Methods for Evaluating Iron Chlorosis in Peach Trees

This study was implemented to determine the appropriate methods to be used in evaluation of iron (Fe) chlorosis in peach trees. For this purpose, three peach orchards having trees various visual chlorosis ratings were selected, and the leaf samples were collected during a 2-year period. The leaf samples were collected from two different positions in the annual shoots: 1) 5th, 6th, and 7th leaves in midpoint position of annual shoots and 2) extremity leaves of annual shoots. The leaf samples were only taken from the trees at 3 stages in the first year of the experiment to determine most convenient date of sampling. The experiment had 3 chlorosis categories (green, slightly chlorotic, and severely chlorotic) in the first year and 5 chlorosis categories in the second year (green, slightly chlorotic, slightly green, chlorotic, and severely chlorotic) with 3 replicates in each of the orchards. One M HCl, 1.5% o-phenanthroline, 0.5 M oxalic acid, and 0.1 M HCl methods in the fresh leaf samples, 1 M HCl, 0.5 M oxalic acid, 0.1 M HCl, and total Fe methods in oven-dried leaves were used for Fe analysis. The data were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the least significant difference (LSD) values were calculated at the 5% level. According to the results obtained from the experiment, 1 M HCl and 1.5% o-phenanthroline in the fresh leaves and 1 M HCl in oven-dried leaves were well related to visual chlorosis ratings and chlorophyll content of the leaves as compared with other methods. The 1 M HCl method seemed to be the method of choice for producing a suitable index of Fe status of plants due to lower cost of analysis and ease in handling dry samples. Concentration of Fe determined by this method from green leaves at the midpoint position was generally ≥30 mg kg−1, which may be accepted as the critical index value for Fe in peach trees. Active Fe in the midpoint leaves was markedly and significantly higher than extremity leaves. To sample midpoint leaves may be recommended in determination of active Fe. There was no evidence to sample leaves on a certain date. This might have resulted from the wide range of sampling interval.
Imaging Biomarkers and Pathobiological Profiling in a Rat Model of Drug-Induced Interstitial Lung Disease Induced by Bleomycin

A large number of systemically administered drugs have the potential to cause drug-induced interstitial lung disease (DIILD). We aim to characterize a model of DIILD in the rat and develop imaging biomarkers (IBs) for detection and quantification of DIILD. In this study, Sprague–Dawley rats received one single dose of intratracheal (i.t.) bleomycin and were longitudinally imaged at day 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 post dosing, applying the imaging techniques magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT). Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was analyzed for total protein and inflammatory cells. Lungs were saved for further evaluation by gene analysis using quantitative-PCR and by histology. Lung sections were stained with Masson’s-Trichrome staining and evaluated by modified Ashcroft score. Gene expression profiling of inflammatory and fibrotic markers was performed on lung tissue homogenates. Bleomycin induced significant increase in total protein concentration and total cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), peaking at day 3 (p > 0.001) and day 7 (p > 0.001) compared to control, respectively. Lesions measured by MRI and PET signal in the lungs of bleomycin challenged rats were significantly increased during days 3–14, peaking at day 7. Two subgroups of animals were identified as low- and high-responders by their different change in total lung volume. Both groups showed signs of inflammation initially, while at later time points, the low-responder group recovered toward control, and the high-responder group showed sustained lung volume increase, and significant increase of lesion volume (p < 0.001) compared to control. Lastly, important inflammatory and pro-fibrotic markers were assessed from lung tissue, linking observed imaging pathological changes to gene expression patterns. In conclusion, bleomycin-induced lung injury is an adequate animal model for DIILD studies and for translational lung injury assessment by MRI and PET imaging. The scenario comprised disease responses, with different fractions of inflammation and fibrosis. Thereby, this study improved the understanding of imaging and biological biomarkers in DIILD and lung injury.
Does Regulatory Monitoring Improve M&A Outcomes? Evidence from Chinese Comment Letters

This study examines whether regulatory monitoring improves M&A deal outcomes. We use a unique Chinese setting where the regulator can issue a comment letter asking for clarification of the M&A filing information. The letter’s content together with the firm’s response are publicly disclosed at the deal announcement. We find that regulators target M&As at higher risk of delivering poor outcomes and the market reacts negatively when a bidder receives a comment letter. Price reactions are higher when a firm receives more than one letter, a relatively long letter, when it is slow to respond, and when the regulator raises more concerns about the bid’s conditions. Firms that receive comment letters also have lower completion rates, lower post-transaction profitability, and higher likelihood of goodwill impairment. Bidder’s political connections reduce the likelihood of receiving a comment letter, however, politically connected firms experience more negative announcement day returns when they receive a comment letter. Our results suggest comment letters increase deal transparency and help investors better evaluate the expected benefits of the transaction.
Some Life-History Consequences of Modular Construction in Plants

The nature and life-history consequences of modular construction in plants are discussed with particular reference to growth, reproduction and survival. Plants grow by the iteration of modular units and as a consequence growth can be described in terms of the population dynamics of these structural units. Changes in size, whether positive or negative, depend on the birth and death rates of modules; however, if the births continue to exceed the deaths, plants then have the capability of attaining enormous sizes, especially if they are clonal. The population nature of plant growth also means that plants of the same age may show large variation in individual size if individuals differ in their relative growth rates. Correlations between age and size are often, therefore, very weak. Constraints on the allocation of resources accumulated during growth have important implications for the reproductive schedules of plants, but the analysis of constraint functions has so far revealed little about the actual detail of these schedules. All the meristems of semelparous plants are involved in or die at reproduction and as a consequence death of the genet follows reproduction. For iteroparous plants, however, there are fundamental differences between the reproductive schedules of plants with a single shoot module and those with many shoot modules. The former demonstrate a relatively constant rate of reproduction from year to year following maturity whereas the latter show a continual increase in fecundity with size and age. The reproductive schedules of clonal plants are further discussed in relation to the allocation of meristems to either growth or reproduction. The pattern of mortality is examined at both the level of the module and the genet. Particular attention is focused on the survival and senescence of leaves and shoots; there is no equivalent regular shedding of organs in unitary organisms. Whereas genet senescence and death are coincident with shoot module death in semelparous plants, there is no evident relation between them in iteroparous plants. The life span of the genet reflects the birth and death rates of its modules and both aclonal and clonal plants that are iteroparous may achieve considerable longevity. The longevity of aclonal plants often seems to be restricted by the accumulation of dead material and the problems of being large. Clonal plants are, in contrast, potentially immortal. It is questionable whether the genets of iteroparous plants show senescence as defined for unitary organisms since there is no separation of germ plasm from soma and since apical meristems do not appear to senesce. Insofar as they retain the capacity for rejuvenescence from apical meristems, genets of modular organisms do not senesce; it is only the constituent organs that show senescence, death and decay.
Survey of Hepatozoon (Apicomplexa, Hepatozoidae) Blood Parasites in Small Mammals and Snakes from the Huyck Preserve, New York

Abstract Currently there is limited information on blood-parasite distribution and diversity in wildlife in North America, particularly for some groups such as reptiles, despite their potential impact on their hosts. Snakes and small mammals were surveyed in the Huyck Preserve, NY, during September 2013. No snakes were infected, but a Peromyscus leucopus (White-footed Mouse) was positive. Similarity of the 18S rRNA gene with data from Gen-Bank indicates that Hepatozoon spp. from snakes and small mammals are related, further highlighting a possible role for trophic transmission.
Investor Behavior at the 52-Week High

Abstract This study uncovers how household investors intensify the effect of the 52-week high (52WH): increased volume and momentum-like returns at the 52WH price. Using daily household and institutional trading data, we find that households sharply increase their selling, particularly with limit orders at the 52WH price. This behavior is indicative of anchoring, as it is robust to past returns and intensified by proximity, market uncertainty, and salience of the 52WH. This uninformed limit order selling at and prior to the 52WH leads to a doubling of unconditional 52WH anomaly returns. Post-event returns benefit institutions, which act as counterparties.
Prediction and Characterization of Cationic Arginine-Rich Plant Antimicrobial Peptide SM-985 From Teosinte (Zea mays ssp. mexicana)

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are effective against different plant pathogens and newly considered as part of plant defense systems. From prokaryotes to eukaryotes, AMPs can exist in all forms of life. SM-985 is a cationic AMP (CAMP) isolated from the cDNA library of Mexican teosinte (Zea mays ssp. mexicana). A computational prediction server running with different algorithms was used to screen the teosinte cDNA library for AMPs, and the SM-985 peptide was predicted as an AMP with high probability prediction values. SM-985 is an arginine-rich peptide and composed of 21 amino acids (MW: 2671.06 Da). The physicochemical properties of SM-985 are very promising as an AMP, including the net charge (+8), hydrophobicity ratio of 23%, Boman index of 5.19 kcal/mol, and isoelectric point of 12.95. The SM-985 peptide has amphipathic α-helix conformations. The antimicrobial activity of SM-985 was confirmed against six bacterial plant pathogens, and the MIC of SM-985 against Gram-positive indicators was 8 μM, while the MIC of SM-985 against Gram-negative indicators was 4 μM. The SM-985 interacting with the bacterial membrane and this interaction were examined by treatment of the bacterial indicators with FITC-SM-985 peptide, which showed a high binding affinity of SM-985 to the bacterial membrane (whether Gram-positive or Gram-negative). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the treated bacteria with SM-985 demonstrated cell membrane damage and cell lysis. In vivo antimicrobial activity was examined, and SM-985 prevented leaf spot disease infection caused by Pst DC3000 on Solanum lycopersicum. Moreover, SM-985 showed sensitivity to calcium chloride salt, which is a common feature of CAMPs.