Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibitory effects of carvacrol on the expression of secreted aspartyl proteinases 1–3 in fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans isolates

Background and Objectives: Secreted Aspartyl Proteinase (SAP) is one of the main virulence factors in the pathogenesis of Candida. This enzyme is encoded by a family of at least ten genes. Among these genes, the role of SAP1-3 in mucosal infections is evident. This study aimed to investigate the expression of SAP1-3 genes of Candida albicans isolates after treatment with Echinophora platyloba extract, carvacrol and caspofungin drug. Materials and Methods: Vaginal samples of 68 women with suspected vaginitis were obtained and cultured. Canida albicans species were identified using phenotypic and genotyping methods. Spectrophotometry was used to investigate the presence of SAP protein in the vaginal samples, and SDS-PAGE was used to confirm its protein composition. Real-time PCR was performed to ascertain the effects of subinhibitory concentrations of Echinophora platyloba extract, carvacrol and caspofungin on the expression of SAP1-3 genes before and after treatment. Results: C. albicans was found as the abundant species (59.6%), and different amounts of SAP were present in all vaginal samples, which were higher than Candida krusei strain. The protein composition of SAP in C. albicans samples was estimated with the approximate molecular weight of 45 kDa. mRNA levels of total SAP in FLU-resistant isolates (P=0.01) were more than those of FLU-susceptible isolates (P=0.07). The findings indicated that carvacrol is effective in reduction of SAP1-3 expression with a particular effect against FLU-resistant isolates. Conclusion: Carvacrol contains an essential oil (carvacrol); therefore, it can be considered as an alternative effective antifungal compound.
Cost-effectiveness of cycloplegic agents: results of a randomized controlled trial in nigerian children.

PURPOSE To compare the cost and effectiveness of three cycloplegic agents among Nigerian children. METHODS Two hundred thirty-three children aged 4 to 15 years attending outpatient eye clinics in Nigeria were randomized to (1) 1% cyclopentolate, (2) 1% cyclopentolate and 0.5% tropicamide, or (3) 1% atropine drops in each eye (instilled at home over 3 days). Ten children were lost to follow-up, nine from the atropine group. An optometrist measured the residual accommodation (primary outcome), dilated pupil size, pupil response to light, and self-reported side effects (secondary outcomes). Caregivers were interviewed about costs incurred due to cycloplegia (primary outcome). The incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated as the difference in cost divided by the difference in effectiveness comparing two agents. The 95% confidence intervals (CI) for ICERs were estimated through bootstrapping. RESULTS The atropine group had significantly lower mean residual accommodation (0.04 +/- 0.01 D [SE]), than the combined regimen (0.36 +/- 0.05 D) and cyclopentolate (0.63 +/- 0.06 D) groups (P < 0.001). Atropine and the combined regimen produced better results for negative response to light and dilated pupil size than cyclopentolate. Atropine was more expensive, but also more effective, than the other agents. The ICER comparing atropine to the combined regimen was 1.81 (95% CI = -6.31-15.35) and compared to cyclopentolate was 0.59 (95% CI = -3.47-5.47). The combined regimen was both more effective and less expensive than cyclopentolate alone. CONCLUSIONS A combination of cyclopentolate and tropicamide should become the recommended agent for routine cycloplegic refraction in African children. The combined regimen was more effective than cyclopentolate, but not more expensive, and was preferable to atropine, since it incurred fewer losses to follow-up.
Photophysical Properties of Terbium Molecular‐based Hybrids Assembled with Novel Ureasil Linkages

Three silica‐based organic–inorganic hybrid systems composed of hydroxyl aromatic derivatives (2‐acetylphenol [HAP], 2‐hydroxy‐3‐methylbenzoic acid [HMBA], 3‐hydroxy‐meta‐phthalic acid [HMPHTH] complexes) were prepared via a sol–gel process. The active hydroxyl groups of the three ligands grafted by 3‐(triethoxysilyl)‐propyl isocyanate (TESPIC) through hydrogen transfer addition reaction were used as multi‐functional bridge components, which can coordinate to Tb3+ with carbonyl groups, strongly absorb ultraviolet light and effectively transfer energy to Tb3+ through their triplet excited state, as well as undergo polymerization or crosslinking reactions with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), for anchoring terbium ions to silica backbone. NMR, FT‐IR, UV–vis absorption, luminescence spectroscopy was used to investigate the obtained hybrid material. UV excitation in the organic component resulted in strong green emission from Tb3+ ions due to an efficient ligand‐to‐metal energy transfer mechanism.
Acute Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Treated by Thrombectomy in a Patient with Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Severe Thrombocytopenia.

OBJECTIVE Experience on thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy for acute major ischemic strokes in the setting of deep (less than 40,000/mm(3)) thrombocytopenia is limited. METHODS Case report and review of the literature. RESULTS A 63-year-old female with myelodysplastic syndrome presented with left middle cerebral artery stroke within 2 hours of symptom onset. Severe thrombocytopenia (10.000/mm(3)) precluded systemic thrombolysis. However, endovascular thrombectomy provided successful recanalization and dramatic clinical recovery with NIHSS score decreasing from 20 to 2 soon after the procedure. Her modified Rankin scale was 1 at the end of the third month. CONCLUSION This exceptional case highlights that neurothrombectomy could be feasible and of justifiable merit even in the setting of critically low thrombocytopenia if a meticulous procedure is followed in subjects with severe acute stroke.
Association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and recurrent wheezing in infancy: evidence from a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Quantification of the association between the maternal smoking during pregnancy and recurrent wheezing in infancy is still conflicting. Thus, we performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to test the hypothesis that maternal smoking during pregnancy may increase the risk of recurrent wheezing in infancy. METHODS Pertinent studies were identified by a search in PubMed and Web of Knowledge up to October 2014. Random-effect model (REM) or fixed effects model (FEM) was used to combine study-specific results. Publication bias was estimated using Egger's regression asymmetry test. RESULTS Seven articles (3 cohort study and 4 cross-sectional studies) involving 8579 recurrent wheezing infant cases about maternal smoking during pregnancy and recurrent wheezing risk were used in this meta-analysis. The combined relative risks (RRs) of recurrent wheezing infants associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy was 1.491 (95% CIs = 1.329-1.672) overall. Significant associations were found both in Europe [RRs = 1.471, 95% CIs = 1.287-1.681] and other populations [RRs = 1.720, 95% CIs = 1.119-2.644] and cross-sectional studies [RRs = 1.474, 95% CIs = 1.306-1.663]. No publication bias was found. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis indicated that maternal smoking during pregnancy could increase the risk of recurrent wheezing in infancy.
Distributed Model-Based Control and Scheduling for Load Frequency Regulation of Smart Grids Over Limited Bandwidth Networks

An integrated model-based control and scheduling scheme is proposed for the load frequency control (LFC) of large-scale power systems under the distributed structure and uncertainties. Specifically, the limited bandwidth constraint is considered when state observation is exchanged over shared communication networks. Each area controller uses the explicit models of its own and neighboring areas to predict state observations when the actual one is not available. At each transmission instant, the state observation of the scheduled area is broadcasted to the relevant areas and the model-based controllers are partially updated. By properly scheduling the transmission sequence and intervals, the stability of the power system can be guaranteed with a substantial reduction of the bandwidth usage and this is proven by performing a thorough theoretical analysis. Simulation results of a four-area power system verify that the proposed distributed model-based control scheme integrated with a proper scheduling strategy can greatly enhance the performance and the resiliency to parameter uncertainty in large-scale power systems.
Prominent Beta-5 Gene Expression in the Cardiovascular System and in the Cartilaginous Primordiae of the Skeleton During Mouse Development

The alpha v beta (αvβ5) heterodimer has been implicated in many biological functions, including angiogenesis. We report the β5 gene expression pattern in embryonic and foetal mouse tissues as determined by Northern blotting and in situ hybridization. During the earliest stages, β5 mRNA is widespread in the mesoderm. During later developmental stages, it remains mostly confined to tissues of mesodermal origin, although probable inductive effects trigger shifts of β5 gene expression from some mesenchymatous to epithelial structures. This was observed in the teeth, skin, kidneys, and gut. Of physiological importance is the β5 labeling in the developing cardiovascular and respiratory systems and cartilages. Furthermore, early β5 gene expression was observed within the intra- and extraembryonic sites of hematopoiesis. This suggests a major role for β5 in the hematopoietic and angiogenic stem cells and thus in the development of the vascular system. Later, the β5 gene was expressed in endothelial cells of the vessels developing both by angiogenesis and vasculogenesis in the lung, heart, and kidneys. Moreover, the β5 hybridization signal was detected in developing cartilages but not in ossified or ossifying bones. β5-Integrin is a key integrin involved in angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, hematopoiesis, and bone formation.
Dynamic changes in the structure and intracellular locale of the mammalian low-molecular-weight heat shock protein

Mammalian cells grown at 37 degrees C contain a single low-molecular-weight heat shock (or stress) protein with an apparent mass of 28 kilodaltons (kDa) whose synthesis increases in cells after exposure to elevated temperatures or other forms of physiologic stress. Herein we present data demonstrating that heat shock protein 28 exists in a number of dynamic states depending upon the physiologic state of the cell. Biochemical fractionation of 37 degrees C cells in the absence of nonionic detergent revealed that the 28-kDa protein partitioned approximately equally between the soluble and insoluble fractions. The addition of detergent in the fractionation procedure resulted in all of the protein distributed within the soluble phase. In contrast, in cells first heat shocked and then fractionated in the presence of detergent, most of the 28-kDa protein was found within the insoluble fraction. These biochemical results appeared entirely consistent with indirect immunofluorescence experiments, demonstrating that the 28-kDa protein resided within the perinuclear region of 37 degrees C cells in close proximity to the Golgi complex. After heat shock treatment, the 28-kDa protein relocalized within the nucleus and resisted detergent extraction. The extent of 28-kDa protein redistribution into the nucleus and its detergent insolubility increased as a function of the severity of the heat shock treatment. With time of recovery from the heat treatment there occurred a gradual return of the 28-kDa protein into the detergent-soluble phase. Concomitant with these changes in 28-kDa protein solubility was a corresponding change in the apparent size of the protein as determined by gel filtration. While at 37 degrees C cells the protein exhibited a mass of 200 to 800 kDa; after heat shock the protein assumed sizes of 2 MDa or greater. Using immunoelectron microscopy, we show an accumulation of these aggregates of 28-kDa protein within the nucleus. Finally, we show that the heat-dependent redistribution of the 28-kDa protein from the cytoplasm into the nucleus was greatly diminished when the cells were first rendered thermotolerant, and we suggest that this simple assay (i.e., 28-kDa protein detergent solubility) may prove useful in evaluating the thermotolerant status of a cell or tissue.
Comparative ultrastructural study of four reticuloendothelias viruses

The morphology and development of four members of the reticuloendotheliosis virus group were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Virions of duck spleen necrosis virus, duck infectious anemia virus, chicken syncytial virus, and reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T are sperical with a diameter of approximately 110 nm. They are covered with surface projections about 6 nm long and 10 nm in diameter. The center-to-center distance of surface projections is about 14 nm. The budding virions contain crescent-shaped electron-dense cores 73 nm in diameter with electron-lucent centers. After release of the virions the cores apparently become condensed to 67 nm in diameter. Virions were found budding at the plasma membrane and into smooth-walled, intracytoplasmic vesicles of productively infected cells. The distribution of budding reticuloendotheliosis viruses on cells appeared random over the cell surface, and occasionally aberrant multiple forms of budding virions were observed. The virions appear to resemble mammalian leukemia and sarcoma viruses more closely than avian leukosis-sarcoma viruses.
HERITABILITY AT FAMILY MEAN LEVEL

Based on a polygenic system of a diploid species, without epistasis, and a population in HardyWeinberg equilibrium, without inbreeding and under linkage equilibrium, it can be shown that: (1) the narrow sense heritability at half-sib family level is equal to the square of the correlation coefficient between family mean and the additive genetic value of its common parent; (2) the narrow sense heritability at full-sib family level is equal to the square of the correlation coefficient between family mean and the mean of the additive genetic values of its parents; (3) the narrow sense heritability at S n family level is exactly equal to the square of the correlation coefficient between family mean and the additive genetic value of its parent only in absence of dominance or when allele frequencies are equal; and (4) the broad sense heritability at full-sib or S n family level can be used to analyze selection efficiency, since the progeny genotypic mean is, in general, a good indicator of parents, or S n-1 plant superiority with respect to the frequency of favorable genes.
Keratin mutation predisposes to mouse liver fibrosis and unmasks differential effects of the carbon tetrachloride and thioacetamide models.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Keratins 8 and 18 (K8/K18) are important hepatoprotective proteins. Animals expressing K8/K18 mutants show a marked susceptibility to acute/subacute liver injury. K8/K18 variants predispose to human end-stage liver disease and associate with fibrosis progression during chronic hepatitis C infection. We sought direct evidence for a keratin mutation-related predisposition to liver fibrosis using transgenic mouse models because the relationship between keratin mutations and cirrhosis is based primarily on human association studies. METHODS Mouse hepatofibrosis was induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) or thioacetamide. Nontransgenic mice, or mice that over express either human Arg89-to-Cys (R89C mice) or wild-type K18 (WT mice) were used. The extent of fibrosis was evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction of fibrosis-related genes, liver hydroxyproline measurement, and Picro-Sirius red staining and collagen immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS Compared with control animals, CCl(4) led to similar liver fibrosis but increased injury in K18 R89C mice. In contrast, thioacetamide caused more severe liver injury and fibrosis in K18 R89C as compared with WT and nontransgenic mice and resulted in increased messenger RNA levels of collagen, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1, matrix metalloproteinase 2, and matrix metalloproteinase 13. Analysis in nontransgenic mice showed that thioacetamide and CCl(4) have dramatically different molecular expression responses involving cytoskeletal and chaperone proteins. CONCLUSIONS Over expression of K18 R89C predisposes transgenic mice to thioacetamide- but not CCl(4)-induced liver fibrosis. Differences in the keratin mutation-associated fibrosis response among the 2 models raise the hypothesis that keratin variants may preferentially predispose to fibrosis in unique human liver diseases. Findings herein highlight distinct differences in the 2 widely used fibrosis models.
Attempts to recognize anomalously deformed Kana in Japanese historical documents

This paper presents methods for three different tasks of recognizing anomalously deformed Kana in Japanese historical documents, which were contested by IEICE PRMU1 2017. The tasks have three levels: single character recognition, three Kana characters sequence recognition and unrestricted Kana recognition. We compare several methods for each task. For the level 1, we evaluate CNN based methods and BLSTM based methods. For the level 2, we consider several variations of a combined architecture of CNN and BLSTM. For the level 3, we compare an extension of the method for the level 2 and a segmentation based method. We achieve the single character recognition accuracy of 96.8%, the three Kana characters sequence recognition accuracy of 87.12% and the unrestricted Kana recognition accuracy of 73.3%. These results prove the performance of CNN and BLSTM on these tasks.
Human Apolipoprotein E4 Alters the Amyloid-β 40:42 Ratio and Promotes the Formation of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy in an Amyloid Precursor Protein Transgenic Model

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the aggregation and deposition of the normally soluble amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the extracellular spaces of the brain as parenchymal plaques and in the walls of cerebral vessels as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). CAA is a common cause of brain hemorrhage and is found in most patients with AD. As in AD, the ϵ4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene (APOE) is a risk factor for CAA. To determine the effect of human apoE on CAA in vivo, we bred human APOE3 and APOE4 “knock-in” mice to a transgenic mouse model (Tg2576) that develops amyloid plaques as well as CAA. The expression of both human apoE isoforms resulted in a delay in Aβ deposition of several months relative to murine apoE. Tg2576 mice expressing the more fibrillogenic murine apoE develop parenchymal amyloid plaques and CAA by 9 months of age. At 15 months of age, the expression of human apoE4 led to substantial CAA with very few parenchymal plaques, whereas the expression of human apoE3 resulted in almost no CAA or parenchymal plaques. Additionally, young apoE4-expressing mice had an elevated ratio of Aβ 40:42 in brain extracellular pools and a lower 40:42 ratio in CSF, suggesting that apoE4 results in altered clearance and transport of Aβ species within different brain compartments. These findings demonstrate that, once Aβ fibrillogenesis occurs, apoE4 favors the formation of CAA over parenchymal plaques and suggest that molecules or treatments that increase the ratio of Aβ 40:42 may favor the formation of CAA versus parenchymal plaques.
The Rule of Four, Executive Function and Neural Exercises

Deborah Hughes-Hallet has made many significant contributions to Calculus pedagogy. Among the tools she has introduced is the rule of four, which requires successful pedagogy to simultaneously address four approaches to each course concept, verbal, graphical, algebraic and numeric. We explore examples of this rule of X approach in other disciplines: i) Literary analysis is enhanced through the rule of two, a simultaneous approach of grammar and literary analysis; ii) Actuarial mathematics requires a rule of six, a simultaneous approach of verbal, graphical, algebraic, calculator, modules, and English conventions; (iii) Masters of Tic-Tac-Toe and Chess use a rule of two, simultaneously approaching the game positionally and combinatorically. We offer a unified and deep analysis of the rule of X approach by relating it to executive function, the area of the brain responsible for organizing and synthesizing multiple brain areas. We conclude the paper with an illustration of classroom activities that strengthen executive function and improve pedagogy. Our results are content independent, depending exclusively on paths of information flow, and consequently, our analysis is cybernetic in flavor [1].
Impact of interleukin-8 gene polymorphisms and environmental factors on oral cancer susceptibility in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVES Interleukin-8 (IL-8), which is an angiogenic chemokine with a high expression level in tumor tissues, plays important roles in developing many human malignancies including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study was designed to examine the association of IL-8 gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility and clinicopathological characteristics of OSCC. METHODS A total of 270 patients with OSCC and 350 healthy control subjects were recruited. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL-8 genes were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) genotyping analysis. RESULTS Results showed that four IL-8 SNPs (-251 T/A, +781 C/T, +1633 C/T, and +2767 A/T) were not associated with oral cancer susceptibility as well as clinicopathological parameters. But among 345 smokers, IL-8 polymorphisms carriers with betel quid chewing were found to have a 17.41- to 23.14-fold risk to have oral cancer compared to IL-8 wild-type carriers without betel quid chewing. Among 262 betel quid chewers, IL-8 polymorphisms carriers with smoking have a 10.54- to 20.44-fold risk to have oral cancer compared to those who carried wild type without smoking. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the combination of IL-8 gene polymorphisms and environmental carcinogens might be highly related to the risk of oral cancer.
The Autonomous Transactivation Domain in Helix H3 of the Vitamin D Receptor Is Required For Transactivation and Coactivator Interaction*

A ligand-inducible transactivation function (AF-2) exists in the extreme carboxyl terminus of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) that is essential for 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3)-activated transcription and p160 coactivator interaction. Crystallographic data of related nuclear receptors suggest that binding of 1,25-(OH)2D3 by VDR induces conformational changes in the ligand-binding domain (LBD), the most striking of which is a packing of the AF-2 helix onto the LBD adjacent to helices H3 and H4. In this study, a panel of VDR helix H3 mutants was generated, and residues in helix H3 that are important for ligand-activated transcription by the full-length VDR were identified. In particular, one mutant (VDR (Y236A)) exhibited normal ligand binding and heterodimerization with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) but was transcriptionally inactive. Yeast two-hybrid studies and in vitro protein interaction assays demonstrated that VDR (Y236A) was selectively impaired in interaction with AF-2-interacting coactivator proteins such as SRC-1 and GRIP-1. These data indicate an importance of helix H3 in the mechanism of VDR-mediated transcription, and they support the concept that helix H3 functions in concert with the AF-2 domain to form a transactivation surface for binding the p160 class of nuclear receptor coactivators.