Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
98 VULNERABILITY FACTORS FOR ALCOHOLISM

This is an exciting and challenging time in the search for genes that have impact on the risk for alcohol abuse and dependence (alcoholism). Family, twin, and adoption studies offer solid evidence that genetic factors contribute to the risk for severe and repetitive alcohol-related life problems, and at least 30 genetically influenced characteristics are being evaluated for their possible impact on the alcoholism risk (1–4). Similar to other complex genetic disorders, these risk factors are heterogeneous, and combine to explain an estimated 60% of the variance, often interacting with environmental forces that contribute to the remaining 40% (1–3). Complicating the search for specific genetic influences even further is the probability that most of the characteristics, or phenotypes, are themselves influenced by multiple genes, and the lack of precision of the definition of the broad phenotype, alcohol abuse, or dependence (1,4). This chapter reviews the progress made during the 7 years since the publication of the previous edition (5) in the search for genes that influence the risk for alcoholism. Most of the genetic studies have used variations in two approaches described in more detail in Chapter 99, as well as in additional recent review articles (1,3,6). Candidate gene studies (also called case-control, association, or forward genetic investigations) begin with the hypothesis that a specific gene is related to the characteristic under study (7). If a limited number of multiple forms, or polymorphisms, of the gene are known, the proportion of individuals with and without the characteristic who have the specified polymorphism can be determined. Although this approach is an important step in identifying specific genes related to a phenotype, it is prone to false-positive results that occur if there are additional differences between groups with and without the characteristic (8). This problem, called population stratification, can be overcome by two variations of case-control studies where the relationship between the genetic marker and the characteristic, or phenotype, is evaluated among
Psychometric Approaches to the Identification of LD

Simulated data were used to demonstrate that groups formed by imposing cut-points based on either discrepancy or low-achievement definitions of learning disabilities (LD) are unstable over time. Similar problems were demonstrated in longitudinal data from the Connecticut Longitudinal Study, where 39% of the children designated as having LD in Grade 3 changed group placement with repeated testing in Grade 5. These results show that the practice of subdividing a normal distribution with arbitrary cut-points leads to instability in group membership. Approaches to the identification of children as having LD based solely on individual test scores not linked to specific behavioral criteria lead to invalid decisions about individual children. Low-achievement definitions are not a viable alternative to IQ-discrepancy definitions in the absence of other criteria, such as the traditional exclusions and response to quality intervention. If we accept the premise of multiple classes of low achievers, then we must develop identification systems that are valid and abandon systems whose only merits are their historical precedence and convenience.
The Behavioral Roots of Information Systems Security: Exploring Key Factors Related to Unethical IT Use

Abstract Unethical information technology (IT) use, related to activities such as hacking, software piracy, phishing, and spoofing, has become a major security concern for individuals, organizations, and society in terms of the threat to information systems (IS) security. While there is a growing body of work on this phenomenon, we notice several gaps, limitations, and inconsistencies in the literature. In order to further understand this complex phenomenon and reconcile past findings, we conduct an exploratory study to uncover the nomological network of key constructs salient to this phenomenon, and the nature of their interrelationships. Using a scenario-based study of young adult participants, and both linear and nonlinear analyses, we uncover key nuances of this phenomenon of unethical IT use. We find that unethical IT use is a complex phenomenon, often characterized by nonlinear and idiosyncratic relationships between the constructs that capture it. Overall, ethical beliefs held by the individuals, along with economic, social, and technological considerations are found to be relevant to this phenomenon. In terms of practical implications, these results suggest that multiple interventions at various levels may be required to combat this growing threat to IS security.
COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF ARRANGEMENTS WITHIN AND BETWEEN POPULATIONS OF DROSOPHILA PSEUDOOBSCURA

The third chromosome of Drosophila pseudoobscura is unique in its extensive variety of gene arrangements. At present, there are 22 known arrangements of the third chromosome, three of the X-chromosome, three of the second, and one of the fourth. No satisfactory explanation for this multiplicity of inversion types, particularly of the third chromosome, has been found. The inversion heterozygote suppresses crossing over in the chromosome in which it
The Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on Stress Biochemistry: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract This study examined the changes in cortisol levels and psychological distress symptoms of 83 nonclinical subjects receiving a single hourlong intervention. Subjects were randomly assigned to either an emotional freedom technique (EFT) group, a psychotherapy group receiving a supportive interviews (SI), or a no treatment (NT) group. Salivary cortisol assays were performed immediately before and 30 minutes after the intervention. Psychological distress symptoms were assessed using the symptom assessment-45. The EFT group showed statistically significant improvements in anxiety (−58.34%, p < 0.05), depression (−49.33%, p < 0.002), the overall severity of symptoms (−50.5%, p < 0.001), and symptom breadth (−41.93%, p < 0.001). The EFT group experienced a significant decrease in cortisol level (−24.39%; SE, 2.62) compared with the decrease observed in the SI (−14.25%; SE, 2.61) and NT (−14.44%; SE, 2.67) groups (p < 0.03). The decrease in cortisol levels in the EFT group mirrored the observed improvement in psychological distress.
Extracting Structured Information from Free Text Pathology Reports

We have developed a method that extracts structured information about specimens and their related findings in free-text surgical pathology reports. Our method uses regular expressions that drive a state-automaton on top of XSLT and Java. Text fragments identified are coded against the UMLS. This paper describes the technical approach and reports on a preliminary evaluation study, designed to guide further development. We found that of 275 reviewed reports, 91% were coded at least so that all specimens and their critical pathologic findings were represented in codes.
Keratocan-deficient Mice Display Alterations in Corneal Structure*

Keratocan (Kera) is a cornea-specific keratan sulfate proteoglycan (KSPG) in the adult vertebrate eye. It belongs to the small leucine-rich proteoglycan (SLRP) gene family and is one of the major components of extracellular KSPG in the vertebrate corneal stroma. The Kera gene is expressed in ocular surface tissues including cornea and eyelids during morphogenesis. Corneal KSPGs play a pivotal role in matrix assembly, which is accountable for corneal transparency. In humans, mutations of the KERA gene are associated with cornea plana (CNA2) that manifests decreases in vision acuity due to the flattened forward convex curvature of cornea. To investigate the biological role of the Kera gene and to establish an animal model for corneal plana, we generated Kera knockout mice via gene targeting. Northern and Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis showed that no Kera mRNA or keratocan protein was detected in the Kera–/– cornea. The expression levels of other SLRP members including lumican, decorin, and fibromodulin were not altered in the Kera–/– cornea as compared with that of the wild-type littermates. Mice lacking keratocan have normal corneal transparency at the age of 12 months. However, they have a thinner corneal stroma and a narrower cornea-iris angle of the anterior segment in comparison to the wild-type littermates. As demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy, Kera–/– mice have larger stromal fibril diameters and less organized packing of collagen fibrils in stroma than those of wild type. Taken together, our results showed that ablation of the Kera gene resulted in subtle structural alterations of collagenous matrix and did not perturb the expression of other SLRPs in cornea. Keratocan thus plays a unique role in maintaining the appropriate corneal shape to ensure normal vision.
Traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of Capparis decidua : An Overview.

Since ancient times, plants have been an exemplary source of medicine. Ayurveda and other Indian literature mention the use of plants in trea tment of various human ailments. India has about 45 000 plant species and among them, several thousands have been claimed to possess medicinal properties. Research conducted in last fe w decades on plants mentioned in ancient literature or used traditionally for various disord ers. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review on the Phytochemical and pharm acological aspects of Capparis decidua. Capparis decidua, climbing, thorny shrub, densely branched, spinous shrub or tree, up to 6 meters in height, is widely used in traditi onal medicinal system of India, has been reported to possess carminative, tonic, emmenagogue , aphrodisiac, alexipharmic; improves the appetite, antirheumatic, lumbago, hiccough, cou gh and asthma. It is known as a rich source of alkaloids, phenols, sterols and glycoside s. The innumerable medicinal properties and therapeutic uses of Capparis decidua as well as its phytochemical investigations prove its importance as a valuable medicinal plant.
Caspase-1 targets the TLR adaptor Mal at a crucial TIR-domain interaction site

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are crucial components of innate immunity, ensuring efficient responses against invading pathogens. After ligand binding, TLR signaling is initiated by recruitment of adaptor molecules, a step mediated by homotypic Toll-IL-1 receptor (TIR) domain interactions. Four TIR-containing TLR adaptor molecules are described, all of which are susceptible to modification and strict regulation. For example, caspase-1 is reported to cleave the TLR adaptor Mal at position D198, an event that is indispensible for Mal function. In this report, we use the mammalian two-hybrid technique MAPPIT to study the implications of Mal cleavage. We show that a Mal mutant, which mimics caspase-1 cleavage and a caspase-1-uncleavable MalD198A mutant, are abrogated in their bridging function and lose the ability to activate NF-κB. A MalD198E mutant is still fully functional, suggesting that caspase-1 cleavage of Mal is not necessary for Mal-mediated signaling. D198 of Mal is conserved in MyD88 and TLR4 TIR domains and the negatively charged amino acid at this position is crucial for the interactions and function of Mal, MyD88 and TLR4 TIR. Our data suggest an inhibitory, rather than an activating role for caspase-1 in Mal regulation, and show that the caspase-1 cleavage site in Mal is part of a TIR-domain interaction site.
Increased male mating rate in Drosophila is associated with Wolbachia infection

The maternally inherited bacterium Wolbachia pipientis infects 25–75% of arthropods and manipulates host reproduction to improve its transmission. One way Wolbachia achieves this is by inducing cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), where crosses between infected males and uninfected females are inviable. Infected males suffer reduced fertility through CI and reduced sperm production. However, Wolbachia induce lower levels of CI in nonvirgin males. We examined the impact of Wolbachia on mating behaviour in male Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans, which display varying levels of CI, and show that infected males mate at a higher rate than uninfected males in both species. This may serve to increase the spread of Wolbachia, or alternatively, may be a behavioural adaptation employed by males to reduce the level of CI. Mating at high rate restores reproductive compatibility with uninfected females resulting in higher male reproductive success thus promoting male promiscuity. Increased male mating rates also have implications for the transmission of Wolbachia.
Experimental Verification of an Analytical Interference Model for Bluetooth Networks

In this paper, measurement results are presented providing experimental support for the validity of a theoretical framework for analysis of heterogeneous systems of interfering packet radio networks. Specifically, an analytical Bluetooth interference model is considered in this paper, where calculated distributions of energy quantities from interfering Bluetooth networks are compared with distributions obtained from measurements. The measurements indicate that the closed form expressions for the distributions of the received interfering energy in the analytical model capture important mechanisms in real Bluetooth networks. It is also evident from the measurements that adjacent channel interference must be taken into account when analyzing interfering Bluetooth networks
PROTEOME ANALYSIS OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM AND C. HOMINIS USING TWO-DIMENTIONAL ELECTROPHORESIS, IMAGE ANALYSIS AND TANDEM MASS SPECTROMETRY

Until recently, Cryptosporidium was thought to be a single species genus. Molecular studies now show that there are at least 10 valid species of this parasite. Among them, two morphologically identical species, C. hominis and C. parvum are the most pathogenic identified to date and share 97% of identical genomes. Post-genomic analyses is therefore necessary to explore further the genetic variations among them. During this study, a comparative proteomic approach was applied to analyze the differential expression of sporozoite proteins in both C. hominis and C. parvum. Using 2-DE gels with different pH ranges (3-10 and 47) and automated three dimensional (3D) image analyses, a total of 20 protein spots were shown to be differentially expressed between the two species. Mass spectrometry analyses of these spots identified one hypothetical protein, however, identification of the remaining spots was unsuccessful. Further characterization of this hypothetical protein along with all differentially expressed proteins could provide crucial information in understanding the differential biology of Cryptosporidium spp.
Investigation of coelectroporation as a method for introducing small mutations into embryonic stem cells

We have investigated coelectroporation as a method for introducing minor genetic changes into specific genes in embryonic stem cells. A selectable marker (neo) and a targeting replacement vector designed to insert a 4-bp insertion into exon 3 of the mouse hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) gene were coelectroporated into embryonic stem cells and selected in G418 and 6-thioguanine (6-TG). HPRT-negative clones were obtained at a frequency of approximately 1 per 520 G418r clones. Southern analysis and the polymerase chain reaction were used to demonstrate that 3 of 36 of the 6-TG-resistant clones had the desired 4-bp insertion without any other disruption of the HPRT locus. Initial studies indicated that the other 33 6-TG-resistant clones probably resulted from the targeted integration of a concatemer containing both the targeting construct and the selectable neo gene.
7-Chloroquinolin-4-yl Arylhydrazone Derivatives: Synthesis and Antifungal Activity

Fifteen 7-chloro-4-arylhydrazonequinolines have been evaluated for their in vitro antifungal activity against eight oral fungi: Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. lipolytica, C. tropicalis, C. famata, C. glabrata, Rhodutorula mucilaginosa, and R. glutinis. Several compounds exhibited minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) activities comparable with the first-line drug fluconazole. These results could be considered as an important starting point for the rational design of new antifungal agents.
Homology Modeling of NR2B Modulatory Domain of NMDA Receptor and Analysis of Ifenprodil Binding

NMDA receptors are glutamate‐gated ion channels (iGluRs) that are involved in several important physiological functions such as neuronal development, synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. Among iGluRs, NMDA receptors have been perhaps the most actively investigated for their role in chronic neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases. Recent studies have shown that the NTD of subunit NR2B modulates ion channel gating through the binding of allosteric modulators such as the prototypical compound ifenprodil. In the present paper, the construction of a three‐dimensional model for the NR2B modulatory domain is described and docking calculations allow, for the first time, definition of the ifenprodil binding pose at an atomic level and fully explain all the available structure–activity relationships. Moreover, in an attempt to add further insight into the ifenprodil mechanism of action, as it is not completely clear if it binds and stabilizes an open or a closed conformation of the NR2B modulatory domain, a matter, which is fundamental for the rational design of NMDA antagonists, MD simulations followed by an MM‐PBSA analysis were performed. These calculations reveal that the closed conformation of the R1‐R2 domain, rather than the open, constitutes the high affinity binding site for ifenprodil and that a profound stabilization of the closed conformation upon ifenprodil binding occurs. Thus, for a rational design and/or for virtual screening experiments, the closed conformation of the R1‐R2 domain should be taken into account and our 3D model can provide valuable hints for the design of NR2B‐selective antagonists.
Association between apolipoprotein E4 genotype and human immunodeficiency virus-associated dementia in younger adults starting antiretroviral therapy in South Africa

It is not known whether the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4 allelic variant is associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated dementia (HAD) in a South African population, where HIV clade C is predominant. ApoE genotyping was performed on 144 participants in a larger study of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). There was a lower frequency of the ε2 and ε3 alleles in the HIV-positive group, compared to a group of 300 community-based newborn infants. There were no differences in ApoE genotype across different categories of HAND. The ε4 allelic variant was less common in individuals with HAD than in those without HAD. These findings suggest that the ε4 allelic variant in HIV-positive individuals is not associated with the development of HAD in Southern Africa.
Anaphylactic reaction to intravenous diclofenac

Diclofenac sodium is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug widely used as an opioid sparing agent for postoperative analgesia. Anaphylaxis due to intravenous diclofenac sodium is very rare. We report a case of anaphylactic reaction to IV diclofenac sodium, occurring postoperatively in a 25-year-old primigravida, the clinical features of which mimicked pulmonary embolism. The rarity, clinical importance and the diagnostic dilemma associated prompted us to report this case.
The composition and daily variation of microparticles in whole blood in stable coronary artery disease

Abstract Introduction: The knowledge of circadian variation of microparticles (MPs) in stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the daily variation of platelet-, endothelial- and monocyte-derived MPs in whole blood and their tissue factor expression (TF) in SCAD and whether these MPs were related to other endothelial and coagulation markers. Materials and methods: Serial blood samples from patients with SCAD were collected during one day. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the amount of large MPs 0.5–1.0 μm, positive for annexin, and their expression of CD41, CD62P, CD144, CD14 and TF. The lag time and endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) was calculated by Calibrated Automated Thrombogram and soluble (s)P-selectin, sTF and vWF by ELISA. Results: The majority of MPs in whole blood consisted of CD41 + MPs with no significant daily variation. In contrast, the concentration of CD62P + MPs described a daily variation with the lowest concentrations found in the evening (p = 0.031). CD62P + and CD144 + MPs had the highest expression of TF, 52.6% and 42.9%, respectively, and correlated to the endothelial activity evaluated by vWF. There was a circadian rhythm of lag time (p < 0.001) and ETP (p = 0.001). The CD62P+, CD14 + and CD144 + MPs correlated to the lag time. Conclusion: The different subsets of platelet-, endothelial- and monocyte-derived MPs do not present the same circadian variation and they differ in TF expression in SCAD. The MPs from activated platelets, endothelial cells and monocytes exist in low concentrations in whole blood but are related to the endothelial and coagulation activity found in SCAD.
An ESPRIT-like algorithm for coherent DOA estimation

Conventionally, the approaches to coherent direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation are to eliminate the rank loss of the spatial covariance matrix. In this letter, a new technique is presented from another point of view, which reconstructs a special antenna array model based on the Toeplitz matrix whose rank is only related to the DOA of signals and cannot be affected by the coherency between them. Therefore, the signal and noise subspaces can be estimated properly. In conjoint with the improved estimation of signal parameter via rotational invariance techniques (ESPRIT) algorithm, it is capable of resolving the DOAs of coherent signals as well as uncorrelated signals without peak searching. The numerical examples demonstrate its validity.
Concomitant gradient terms in phase contrast MR: Analysis and correction

Whenever a linear gradient is activated, concomitant magnetic fields with non‐linear spatial dependence result. This is a consequence of Maxwell's equations, i.e., within the imaging volume the magnetic field must have zero divergence, and has negligible curl. The concomitant, or Maxwell field has been described in the MRI literature for over 10 years. In this paper, we theoretically and experimentally show the existence of two additional lowest‐order terms in the concomitant field, which we call cross‐terms. The concomitant gradient cross‐terms only arise when the longitudinal gradient Gz is simultaneously active with a transverse gradient (Gx or Gy). The effect of all of the concomitant gradient terms on phase contrast imaging is examined in detail. Several methods for reducing or eliminating phase errors arising from the concomitant magnetic field are described. The feasibility of a joint pulse sequence‐reconstruction method, which requires no increase in minimum TE, is demonstrated. Since the lowest‐order terms of the concomitant field are proportional to G2/B0, the importance of concomitant gradient terms is expected to increase given the current interest in systems with stronger gradients and/or weaker main magnetic fields.