Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Genetic Variations in Iranian Confectionery Sunflower Landraces (Helianthus annuus L.) under Various Water Treatment Conditions

In order to evaluate morpho-physiological traits of confectionery sunflower under different irrigation regimes, an experiment was carried out under field conditions in Agricultural Research Center of West-Azerbaijan province, Urmia, Iran in 2012. Fifty six confectionery sunflower landraces were arranged in 7 × 8 rectangular lattice design with two replications in each one of well-watered, moderate and severe stress conditions with 50%, 70% and 90% depletion of available water, respectively. Combined analyses of variance revealed significant effect of genotype, irrigation regime and their interaction on studied traits including grain yield, chlorophyll content, grain and kernel weight, grain length and width and kernel/grain ratio. 'Urmia-Anghane 4', ' Urmia-Gharagoz 1' and 'Salmas-Sadaghian' produced the highest grain yield (6310.31), (3778.83) and (2217.95 kg/h), under well-watered, moderate and sever stresses, respectively. In contrast 'Mashhad', 'Piranshahr-Andizeh' and ‘‘Mashhad’’ presented the lowest values. Severe drought stress caused 49% reduction in grain yield compared to well-watered condition. 'Shabestar-Kouzeh Kanan 2' (46.05) and 'UrmiaHeydarlou 1' (19.47) showed the highest and lowest chlorophyll content under well-watered and severe drought stress conditions, respectively. The high grain length was seen in 'Marand-Dizaj-Ghalami' landrace (29.59 mm). Under the well-watered, moderate and severe stress conditions, grain yield had significantly positive correlations with kernel and grain weight and grain width and length. Based on cluster analysis, the studied landraces were grouped in three clusters both in well-watered and severe stress conditions. But under moderate stress conditions, the studied landraces were grouped in five clusters. Considering all studied traits, the landraces 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 49, 55, 56 were superior genotypes under well-watered conditions. In moderate and severe stress conditions, the best landraces were (12, 35, 26, 31, 32, 56) and (2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 18, 22, 25, 27, 30, 31, 42, 43 46, 47, 55), respectively.
Local gas-liquid hold-up and interfacial area via light sheet and image analysis

Particle Image Velocimetry techniques coupled with advanced Image Processing tools are receiving an increasing interest for measuring flow quantities and local bubble-size distributions in gas-liquid contactors. In this work, an effective experimental technique for measuring local gas hold-up and interfacial area, as well as bubble size distribution, is discussed. The technique, hereafter referred to as Laser Induced Fluorescence with Shadow Analysis for Bubble Sizing (LIF-SABS) is based on laser sheet illumination of the gas-liquid dispersion and synchronized camera, i.e. on equipment typically available within PIV set-ups. The liquid phase is made fluorescent by a suitable dye, and an optical filter is placed in front of the camera optics, in order to allow only fluoresced light to reach the camera CCD. In this way bubbles intercepted by the laser sheet are clearly identified thanks to the neat shade resulting in the images. This allows excluding from subsequent analysis all bubbles visible in the images but not actually intercepted by the laser sheet, so resulting in better spatial resolution and data reliability. When trying to analyze image information the problem arises that bubble sizes are generally underestimated, due to the fact that the laser sheet randomly cuts bubbles over non-diametrical planes, leading to an apparent bubble size distribution even in the ideal case of single sized bubbles. Clearly in the case of bubbles with a size distribution the experimental information obtained is affected by the superposition of effects. A statistical correction for estimating local gas hold-up and specific interfacial area from relevant apparent data as obtained by laser sheet illumination and image analysis is discussed and applied to preliminary experimental data obtained in a gas-liquid stirred vessel.
SET-IDENTIFYING RESTRICTIONS, AND ASSET PRICES: A BRENCHMARKING APPROACH FOR ANALYZING SET-IDENTIFIED MODELS

A central question for monetary policy is how asset prices respond to a monetary policy shock. We provide evidence on this issue by augmenting a monetary SVAR for US data with an asset price index, using set-identifying structural restrictions. The impulse responses show a positive asset price response to a contractionary monetary policy shock. The resulting monetary policy shocks correlate weakly with the Romer and Romer (2004) (RR) shocks, which matters greatly when analyzing impulse responses. Considering only models with shocks highly correlated with the RR series uncovers a negative, but near-zero response of asset prices. JEL Classification: C32, E44, E52
University of Dundee Predicting Emotional Intelligence Scores from Multi-session Functional Brain

In this study, we aim to predict emotional intelligence scores from functional connectivity data acquired at different timepoints. To enhance the generalizability of the proposed predictive model to new data and accurate identification of most relevant neural correlates with different facets of the human intelligence, we propose a joint support vector machine and support vector regression (SVM + SVR) model. Specifically, we first identify most discriminative connections between subjects with high vs low emotional intelligence scores in the SVM step and then perform a multi-variate linear regression using these connections to predict the target emotional intelligence score in the SVR step. Our method outperformed existing methods including the Connectome-based Predictive Model (CPM) using functional connectivity data simultaneously acquired with the intelligence scores. The most predictive connections of intelligence included brain regions involved in processing of emotions and social behaviour.
2016A Laera Microbial Cell Advanced Pub

Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown on glucose undergoes programmed cell death (PCD) induced by acetic acid (AA-PCD), but evades PCD when grown in raffinose. This is due to concomitant relief of carbon catabolite repression (CCR) and activation of mitochondrial retrograde signaling, a mitochondria-to-nucleus communication pathway causing up-regulation of various nuclear target genes, such as CIT2, encoding peroxisomal citrate synthase, dependent on the positive regulator RTG2 in response to mitochondrial dysfunction. CCR down-regulates genes mainly involved in mitochondrial respiratory metabolism. In this work, we investigated the relationships between the RTG and CCR pathways in the modulation of AA-PCD sensitivity under glucose repression or de-repression conditions. Yeast single and double mutants lacking RTG2 and/or certain factors regulating carbon source utilization, including MIG1, HXK2, ADR1, CAT8, and HAP4, have been analyzed for their survival and CIT2 expression after acetic acid treatment. ADR1 and CAT8 were identified as positive regulators of RTG-dependent gene transcription. ADR1 and CAT8 interact with RTG2 and with each other in inducing cell resistance to AA-PCD in raffinose and controlling the nature of cell death. In the absence of ADR1 and CAT8, AA-PCD evasion is acquired through activation of an alternative factor/pathway repressed by RTG2, suggesting that RTG2 may play a function in promoting necrotic cell death in repressing conditions when RTG pathway is inactive. Moreover, our data show that simultaneous mitochondrial retrograde pathway activation and SNF1-dependent relief of CCR have a key role in central carbon metabolism reprogramming which modulates the yeast acetic acid-stress response. The transcription factors ADR1 or CAT8 are required for RTG pathway activation and evasion from yeast acetic acid-induced programmed cell death in raffinose Luna Laera, Nicoletta Guaragnella, Maša Ždralević, Domenico Marzulli, Zhengchang Liu and Sergio Giannattasio* 1 National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, Bari, Italy. 2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, USA. # L. L. and N. G. contributed equally to this work. ¶ Present address: Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, CNRS-UMR 7284-INSERM U1081, University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, Nice, France. * Corresponding Author: Sergio Giannattasio, E-mail: s.giannattasio@ibbe.cnr. it
Study of the Correlation of Serum Leptin with BMI (A Nutritional Marker) in Patients of End Stage Renal Disease, Who were on Maintenance Haemodialysis

Introduction: Leptin is a small peptide hormone which is produced mainly, but not exclusively by adipocytes. In the general population, it is believed to be an “appetite inhibitor”. It is partly cleared by the kidney and is increased in the patients of endstage renal disease, who are undergoing haemodialysis. There are conflicting reports in the literature about the relationship of serum leptin with the nutritional marker, body mass index (BMI) and studies which are available in the Indian population, which have explored such a relationship, are sparse. Objective: This study was planned to assess the level of serum leptin and to explore its relationship with body mass index (BMI) in patients of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), who were on maintenance haemodialysis. Methods: Eighty subjects (forty controls and forty ESRD patients who were on maintenance haemodialysis) were taken for this case-control study. A thorough history was taken and relevant clinical examinations including anthropometric measurements were done. All the subjects were subjected to routine haematological investigations and the evaluation of serum leptin. Statistical Analysis: The data which was thus collected was subjected to the Student’s t-test for studying the significance. A correlation was found between the serum leptin levels and the body mass index by using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Observations and Result: Patients of ESRD, who were on maintenance haemodialysis, had significantly higher fasting blood sugar, blood urea, serum creatinine and serum leptin levels; and significantly lower haemoglobin levels vis-a-vis the healthy subjects. Serum leptin and body mass index were found to have a positive correlation (r=0.350), with a p value 0.027. Conclusion: We observed a positive correlation between serum leptin and BMI in patients of end-stage renal disease who were on maintenance haemodialysis, which supported the theory of a reverse epidemiological role of serum leptin in the maintenance of haemodialysis patients.
Geographic Access and Service Use in a Community-Based Sample of Cognitively Impaired Elders

Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine whether geographic access influences service utilization in a community-based sample of older adults with cognitive impairment. Methods: A telephone screener for cognitive impairment was administered to 9,100 elderly Arkansans with caregivers, resulting in a sample with 317 elder/caregiver dyads. Self-reported service utilization was collected for three sectors: home health, physical health, and mental health. Geographic access was measured from (a) self-reported awareness of services in each sector and (b) the travel time to the closest provider in each sector calculated using a Geographic Information System. Results: Travel time significantly predicted home health service utilization while perceived awareness significantly predicted mental health service utilization. Neither measure of geographic access predicted use of physical health services. Discussion: Because rural elders with less geographic access receive fewer home/mental health services, they may be at greater risk for hospitalization or nursing home placement.
EFFECT OF RELIGIOUS FASTING ON INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of diurnal fasting during Ramadan on intraocular pressure (IOP) in healthy subjects. Methods: The study was conducted on healthy male volunteer less than 40 years of age without ocular or systemic diseases who were on religious fasting during Ramadan, 2004. Intraocular pressure were measured at 9 AM and 1, 5, and 7 PM in 2nd and 4th weeks of Ramadan and also one month after Ramadan, except for the 7 PM measurement. Results: Twenty-eight eyes of 14 men were evaluated. Duration of fasting was between 12-13 hours. Mean age was 31.9±4.4 years. Mean weight in the 4th week decreased about 1 kg in comparison to the 2nd week of fasting (P=0.05) and increased about 1.5 kg one month after Ramadan in comparison to the 4th week of fasting (P= 0.008). Mean IOP at 9 AM and 1 PM significantly decreased in the 4th week compared to the 2nd week (1.1 and 1.5 mmHg, respectively). Mean IOP significantly increased one month after Ramadan compared to the 4th week of Ramadan (1.4 and 2.1 mmHg, respectively). Mean IOP at 5 PM one month after Ramadan had a significant increase of 1.6 and 1.8 mmHg compared to the 2nd and 4th weeks of Ramadan, respectively. Mean IOP at 7 PM (after breaking the fast) decreased 0.5 and 0.6 mmHg in comparison to 5 PM (before the time of breaking the fast) in the 2nd and 4th weeks of Ramadan, respectively. Conclusion: Intraocular pressures changes due to fasting in healthy person are not considerable. Evaluating intraocular pressure changes in cases with glaucoma with enough sample size is recommended.
Deubiquitinase USP28 inhibits ubiquitin ligase KLHL2-mediated uridine-cytidine kinase 1 degradation and confers sensitivity to 5'-azacytidine-resistant human leukemia cells

Resistance to the chemotherapeutic drug 5'-azacytidine (5'-AZA) is a major obstacle in the treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The uridine-cytidine kinase 1 (UCK1) has an established role in activating 5'-AZA and its protein level is significantly downregulated in patients resistant to the drug. However, the underlying molecular mechanism for the reduced UCK1 expression remains to be elucidated. Methods: Using mass spectrometry and molecular biochemistry analyses, we identified specific enzymes mediating UCK1 degradation. Human AML cell lines and murine AML model were used to characterize the effects of these enzymes on 5'-AZA resistance. Results: We demonstrated that the ubiquitin E3 ligase KLHL2 interacted with UCK1 and mediated its polyubiquitination at the K81 residue and degradation. We showed that deubiquitinase USP28 antagonized KLHL2-mediated polyubiquitylation of UCK1. We also provided evidence that ATM-mediated phosphorylation of USP28 resulted in its disassociation from KLHL2 and UCK1 destabilization. Conversely, UCK1 phosphorylation by 5'-AZA-activated ATM enhanced the KLHL2-UCK1 complex formation. Importantly, silencing KLHL2 or USP28 overexpression not only inhibited AML cell proliferation but also sensitized AML cells to 5'-AZA-induced apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. These results were no longer observed in USP28-deficient cells. Conclusions: Our study revealed a novel mechanism by which the KLHL2/USP28/ATM axis mediates resistance of AML cells to 5'-AZA by regulating UCK1 ubiquitination and phosphorylation. These results have direct clinical implications and provide a rationale for the combination drug treatment of AML patients.
The Importance of Family Functioning to Caregiver Adaptation in Mothers of Child Cancer Patients: Testing a Social Ecological Model

This study was designed to investigate associations between family relationships, personal-psychological caregiver adaptation (ie, depressive symptomatology, sense of burden), and ability to function within the health care system (perceived doctor-parent relationship) in mothers of child cancer patients. Data were collected through a survey of a sample of 29 mothers whose children were diagnosed with some form of childhood cancer, mainly leukemia. Family functioning was positively related to both caregiver adaptation and doctor-parent relationship. Mothers who reported decreased maternal depression and burden were significantly more likely to report respectively improved spousal relationships and improved spousal communication. Mothers reporting more positive doctor-parent relationships also described themselves as having improved relationships with spouse and child, and improved spousal communication. Maternal well-being and doctor-parent relationship were not directly related. By suggesting that both intrapsychic and instrumental maternal adaptation are influenced by positive relationships in the family, this study provides support for the social ecological model of stress. The possibility that family factors exert a direct influence on both caregiver intrapsychic well-being and instrumental skills argues for the importance of their being carefully considered in any models evaluating caregiver adaptation.
Systematic Review of Outcomes Following 10-Year Mark of Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) for Spinal Stenosis.

MINI: We summarized the 10-year outcomes of SPORT for spinal stenosis through a systematic review. Surgical intervention showed significantly greater improvement in pain and physical function from 6 weeks through 4 years. Between 4 and 8 years, the difference between the two groups diminished, and the benefits in both groups stabilized. STUDY DESIGN We performed a comprehensive search of Pubmed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE for all English-language studies of all levels of evidence pertaining to SPORT, in accordance with Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analayses (PRISMA) guidelines. Keywords utilized in the literature search included: SPORT, spine patient outcomes research trial, spinal stenosis, and surgical outcomes. OBJECTIVE We aim to summarize the 10-year clinical outcomes of SPORT and its numerous follow-up studies for spinal stenosis. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA The Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) was a landmark randomized control trial including approximately 2,500 patients at 13 clinics across the country. SPORT compared surgical and nonoperative management of the three most common spinal pathologies. RESULTS Surgical intervention showed significantly greater improvement in pain and physical function scales from 6 weeks through 4 years. However, between 4 and 8 years, the difference between the two groups diminished, and the benefits in both groups stabilized. Secondary factors investigated showed that smoking was a confounding variable for treatment benefits and a positive sedimentation sign correlated with a greater surgical treatment effect. Obese patients were found to have higher rates of infection and reoperation and less improvement from baseline function. Risk factors for reoperation included duration of pretreatment symptoms for longer than 12 months, increased age, multiple levels of stenosis, predominant back pain, no physical therapy, greater leg pain, the use of antidepressants and no neurogenic claudication upon enrollment. CONCLUSIONS Ten years after its inception, SPORT has made strides in standardization and optimization of treatment for spinal pathologies. SPORT has provided clinicians with insight about outcomes of surgical and nonoperative treatment of spinal stenosis. Results showed significantly greater improvement through 4 year follow up in those patients that received surgical treatment, however the difference between the surgical and nonsurgical groups diminished at 8 year follow up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Low Free T3 Is Associated With Worse Outcomes in Patients in the ICU Requiring Invasive Mechanical Ventilation

Objective: Critical illness causes a decrease in serum free triiodothyronine (T3) levels. This condition, known as nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS), is associated with poor outcomes. The association of NTIS and outcomes in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) requiring mechanical ventilation has not been well studied. This study aimed to determine the impact of NTIS on the outcomes of these patients. Methods: This prospective study included 162 patients in the ICU who underwent mechanical ventilation. Serum free T3 levels were tested on the day of initiation of mechanical ventilation. The rates of in-hospital mortality and ventilator-free days (VFDs) at day 28 after the initiation of mechanical ventilation were compared between patients with low (<2.3 pg/mL) and normal (≥2.3 pg/mL) free T3 levels. Patients who died while on mechanical ventilation were assigned a VFD of 0. Results: Low T3 was present in 60% of study patients. The in-hospital mortality rate of the entire cohort was 39%, and the mean and median VFDs at day 28 were 13.5 and 21 days, respectively. Compared to patients with normal free T3, patients with low free T3 had higher in-hospital mortality (52% vs 19%, P < .001) and less mean and median VFDs at day 28 (10.7 vs 18 and 0 vs 23, respectively. P < .001 for both mean and median VFDs). Conclusions: The presence of low T3 due to NTIS in patients in the ICU requiring mechanical ventilation is associated with poor outcomes.
The anti-IgE mAb Omalizumab induces adverse reactions by engaging Fcγ receptors.

Omalizumab is an anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (mAb) approved for the treatment of severe asthma and chronic spontaneous urticaria. Use of Omalizumab is associated with reported side effects, ranging from local skin inflammation at the injection site to systemic anaphylaxis. To date, the mechanisms through which Omalizumab induces adverse reactions are still unknown. Here, we demonstrated that immune complexes formed between Omalizumab and IgE can induce both skin inflammation and anaphylaxis through engagement of IgG receptors (FcγRs) in FcγR-humanized mice. We further developed an Fc-engineered mutant version of Omalizumab, and demonstrated that this mAb is equally potent as Omalizumab at blocking IgE-mediated allergic reactions, but does not induce FcγR-dependent adverse reactions. Overall, our data indicate that Omalizumab can induce skin inflammation and anaphylaxis by engaging FcγRs, and demonstrate that Fc-engineered versions of the mAb could be used to reduce such adverse reactions.
Family History is Associated with Phenotype in Dementia with Lewy Bodies

It is currently unknown whether patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) with relatives with dementia or Parkinson’s disease (familial DLB patients) have a different phenotype than sporadic DLB patients. In this study, we aimed to examine disease onset, rate of cognitive decline, survival, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers in patients with familial DLB (n = 154) and sporadic DLB (n = 137), using linear mixed model analysis and Cox regression analysis, among others. Familial patients had a shorter survival (8.0 years) and more often elevated cerebrospinal fluid AD biomarkers (47%) than sporadic patients (9.0 years; p≤0.001; 30%, p = 0.037). Our findings suggest that genetic factors are important in DLB and that the identification of new genetic factors will probably improve the prediction of prognosis.