Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA‐494 sensitizes colon cancer cells to fluorouracil through regulation of DPYD

Chemoresistance of colon cancer cells to the chemotherapeutics is still a main obstacle in treatment of this malignancy. The microRNA (miRNA) mediated chemosensitivity regulation in colon cancer cells is still largely unknown. Here we constructed a fluorouracil (5‐Fu) resistant SW480 cell line (SW480/5‐Fu) and discovered that miRNA miR‐494 was down‐regulated in the drug resistant cells compared with the parental cells. miR‐494 level was found to be correlated with 5‐Fu sensitivity in colon cancer cells, and artificial alteration of miR‐494 affects the sensitivity of colon cancer cell lines to 5‐Fu. miR‐494 also promoted apoptosis of colon cancer cells at present of 5‐Fu. Importantly, as a regulatory enzyme in the 5‐Fu catabolic pathway, DPYD was confirmed to be a direct target of miR‐494 through the interaction of miR‐494 and its binding site within DPYD 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR). miR‐494 also negatively regulated endogenous DPYD expression in SW480 cells. Overexpression or knockdown of DPYD could attenuate miR‐494 mediated 5‐Fu sensitivity regulation, suggesting the dependence of DPYD regulation in miR‐494 activity. miR‐494 inhibited SW480/5‐Fu derived xenograft tumors growth in vivo at present of 5‐Fu. Thus, we concluded that in colon cancer cells, tumor suppressor miR‐494 enhanced 5‐Fu sensitivity via regulation of DPYD expression. © 2015 IUBMB Life, 67(3):191–201, 2015
Catalyst-free growth of InAs nanowires on Si (111) by CBE

We investigate a growth mechanism which allows for the fabrication of catalyst-free InAs nanowires on Si (111) substrates by chemical beam epitaxy. Our growth protocol consists of successive low-temperature (LT) nucleation and high-temperature growth steps. This method produces non-tapered InAs nanowires with controllable length and diameter. We show that InAs nanowires evolve from the islands formed during the LT nucleation step and grow truly catalyst-free, without any indium droplets at the tip. The impact of different growth parameters on the nanowire morphology is presented. In particular, good control over nanowire aspect ratio is demonstrated. A better understanding of the growth process is obtained through the development of a theoretical model combining the diffusion-induced growth scenario with some specific features of the catalyst-free growth mechanism, along with the analysis of the V/III flow ratio influencing material incorporation. As a result, we perform a full mapping of the nanowire morphology versus growth parameters which provides useful general guidelines on the self-induced formation of III–V nanowires on silicon.
Enhancing Multilingual Recognition of Emotion in Speech by Language Identification

We investigate, for the ﬁrst time, if applying model selection based on automatic language identiﬁcation (LID) can improve multilingual recognition of emotion in speech. Six emotional speech corpora from three language families (Germanic, Ro-mance, Sino-Tibetan) are evaluated. The emotions are represented by the quadrants in the arousal/valence plane, i.e., positive/negative arousal/valence. Four selection approaches for choosing an optimal training set depending on the current language are compared: within the same language family, across language family, use of all available corpora, and selection based on the automatic LID. We found that, on average, the proposed LID approach for selecting training corpora is superior to using all the available corpora when the spoken language is not known.
An electrical dissecting method of AC branch with FACTS for ancillary service assessment

This paper presents a new electrical dissecting method of AC branch installed with phase-shifter, which satisfies basic principles and laws of electric power network. With this method, the deep-seated electrical information between sources and flows, such as the contribution information of sources and flows, can be obtained. The dissected sub-branches are equivalent to the initial branch, and the dissecting procedure satisfies the various basic electrical laws. Mathematic formulae of this dissecting method have been presented in this paper. Example shows the method is effective and correct, which can not only provide accurate electrical information to assess ancillary services of phase-shifters, but also provide useful reference to the assessment of ancillary services with other flexible AC transmission devices.
Markov Model Parameters Optimization for Asynchronous Impulsive Noise over Power Line Communication Network

The asynchronous impulsive noise is one of the most crucial factors that degrade the performance of power line communication (PLC) network. Several approaches have been presented to characterize the time domain behavior of the asynchronous impulsive noise over the PLC network. Among them a partitioned Markov-chains model has been validated with measured data. However, its model parameters estimation using the Simplex method can easily trap the final solution into the local optimum. To overcome this difficulty, a new estimation scheme based on the genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed in this paper. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme yields estimates which more closely match the experimental data statistics.
Requirement of the Cytosolic Interaction between PATHOGENESIS-RELATED PROTEIN10 and LEUCINE-RICH REPEAT PROTEIN1 for Cell Death and Defense Signaling in Pepper[W]

This work identifies the pathogenesis-related protein10 (PR10) as an interacting partner of the leucine-rich repeat protein1 (LRR1). It shows that LRR1 expression enhances PR10-mediated cell death that is dependent on the cytoplasmic localization of the PR10-LRR1 complex. Plants recruit innate immune receptors such as leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins to recognize pathogen attack and activate defense genes. Here, we identified the pepper (Capsicum annuum) pathogenesis-related protein10 (PR10) as a leucine-rich repeat protein1 (LRR1)–interacting partner. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation and coimmunoprecipitation assays confirmed the specific interaction between LRR1 and PR10 in planta. Avirulent Xanthomonas campestris pv vesicatoria infection induces PR10 expression associated with the hypersensitive cell death response. Transient expression of PR10 triggers hypersensitive cell death in pepper and Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, which is amplified by LRR1 coexpression as a positive regulator. LRR1 promotes the ribonuclease activity and phosphorylation of PR10, leading to enhanced cell death signaling. The LRR1-PR10 complex is formed in the cytoplasm, resulting in its secretion into the apoplastic space. Engineered nuclear confinement of both proteins revealed that the cytoplasmic localization of the PR10-LRR1 complex is essential for cell death–mediated defense signaling. PR10/LRR1 silencing in pepper compromises resistance to avirulent X. campestris pv vesicatoria infection. By contrast, PR10/LRR1 overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana confers enhanced resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato and Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis. Together, these results suggest that the cytosolic LRR-PR10 complex is responsible for cell death–mediated defense signaling.
Measurement of oceanic wind vector using satellite microwave radiometers

The possibility of retrieving both wind speed and direction from microwave radiometer measurements of the ocean is studied using Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) measurements collocated with buoy reports from the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). A physically based algorithm is used to retrieve the wind speed. The RMS difference between the SSM/I and buoy wind speed is 1.6 m/s for 3321 comparisons. It is found that the SSM/I minus buoy wind speed difference is correlated with wind direction. When this wind direction signal is removed, the RMS difference between the SSM/I and buoy winds reduces to 1.3 m/s. The wind direction signal is used to make global, low-resolution maps of the monthly mean oceanic vector. The wind direction sensing capability of a prospective two-look satellite radiometer is also processed. >
Sapovirus as a gastrointestinal pathogen in febrile pediatric patients with cancer

Human caliciviruses are the second most common cause of viral gastroenteritis after rotavirus in children. Unlike norovirus, sapovirus infection is less well characterized and defined in the clinical setting of gastrointestinal disease, and there are no reports of sapovirus infections in pediatric oncology patients receiving chemotherapy treatment. Stool samples from all pediatric oncology patients presenting with fever and diarrhea at one pediatric oncology unit were tested prospectively for sapovirus by real‐time reverse transcription‐PCR sapovirus genogrouping was performed by nested PCR. Sapovirus was detected in 2 of 100 stool specimens prospectively sampled from 58 symptomatic pediatric oncology inpatients between December 2008 and September 2009. Both patients received low‐dose chemotherapy for their underlying conditions at the time of infection with sapovirus. Genogrouping of the viruses showed the presence of a GI.1 strain and GII.3 strain, unlike the most common GI.2 strain responsible for outbreaks in different European countries. The contribution of sapovirus infection to the morbidity of pediatric cancer patients and its potential for nosocomial spread is discussed. Sapovirus, an often unrecognized pathogen, should be considered along with other viruses in pediatric cancer patients suffering from gastrointestinal disease. J. Med. Virol. 83:2233–2236, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Health-related quality-of-life effects of radical prostatectomy and primary radiotherapy for screen-detected or clinically diagnosed localized prostate cancer.

PURPOSE The current study was undertaken within the framework of a screening trial to compare the health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) outcomes of two primary treatment modalities for localized prostate cancer: radical prostatectomy and external-beam radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort study among 278 patients with early screen-detected (59%) or clinically diagnosed (41%) prostate cancer using both generic and disease-specific HRQOL measures (SF-36, UCLA Prostate Cancer Index [urinary and bowel modules] and items relating to sexual functioning) at three points in time: t1 (baseline), t2 (6 months later), and t3 (12 months after t1). RESULTS Questionnaires were completed by 88% to 93% of all initially enrolled patients. Patients referred for primary radiotherapy were significantly older than prostatectomy patients (63 v 68 years, P <.01). Analyses (adjusted for age and pretreatment level of functioning) revealed poorer levels of generic HRQOL after radiotherapy. Prostatectomy patients reported significantly higher (P <.01) posttreatment incidences of urinary incontinence (39% to 49%) and erectile dysfunction (80% to 91%) than radiotherapy patients (respectively, 6% to 7% and 41% to 55%). Bowel problems (urgency) affected 30% to 35% of the radiotherapy group versus 6% to 7% of the prostatectomy group (P <.01). Patients with screen-detected and clinically diagnosed cancer reported similar posttreatment HRQOL. CONCLUSION Prostatectomy and radiotherapy differed in the type of HRQOL impairment. Because the HRQOL effects may be valued differently at the individual level, patients should be made fully aware of the potential benefits and adverse consequences of therapies for early prostate cancer. Differences in posttreatment HRQOL were not related to the method of cancer detection.
Characterization of the A Component of Streptococcus zymogenes Lysin

By utilizing conventional techniques of pressure ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, diethylaminoethyl cellulose chromatography, and preparative polyacrylamide electrophoresis, the A component of the group D lysin produced by Streptococcus zymogenes has been purified to a state of apparent homogeneity when determined by the techniques of anionic and cationic disc gel electrophoresis. The A component was found to be a protein possessing a molecular weight of 27,000, a sedimentation coefficient approximating 3.2S, and a net negative charge at physiological pH.
The weathering hypothesis and stillbirth: racial disparities across the life span

ABSTRACT Objective: Given that studies have consistently demonstrated increased risk of stillbirth with increasing maternal age as well as race-ethnic disparities in stillbirth, the primary research question is how stillbirth risks within and between race-ethnic groups change with age. Design: Using fetal death (stillbirth) and live birth data from the National Center for Health Statistics 2007–2014. We calculated crude stillbirth rates (per 1,000 deliveries). Using multivariable logistic regression, we calculated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for stillbirth across age groups to examine disparities in stillbirth among non-Hispanic blacks (blacks) and non-Hispanic whites (whites). Results: Rates and risks of stillbirth increased as maternal age increased; however, the magnitude of risk varies by race-ethnicity. Compared to women less than 20, black women age 40+ had a risk of almost 3.5 times (aOR = 3.47, 95% CI = 3.24–3.70) whereas among white women age 40+, the risk was more than 2.5 times (aOR = 2.68, 95% CI = 2.55–2.82). The risk of stillbirth among blacks compared to whites increased, peaking at ages 30–34 (aOR = 2.64, 95% CI = 2.56–2.73). At age 35 and beyond, the disparity in risks declined. Conclusion: As age increased, the risk of stillbirth increased for both blacks and whites. Because the disparity in risk between blacks and whites did not continue to increase with age, stillbirth does not seem to reflect the weathering hypothesis as other perinatal outcomes do.
Web site analysis: structure and evolution

Web sites are becoming important assets for several companies, which need to incorporate sophisticated technologies into complex and large Web based systems. As a consequence, methodologies and tools are required for their design, implementation and maintenance. In particular the possibility for a site to evolve so as to provide updated and accessible information is a fundamental need. Web sites are considered the object of several analyses, focused on their structure and their history, with the purpose of supporting maintenance activities. Structural information may help understanding the organization of the pages in the site, while history analysis provides indications on modifications that do not correspond to the original design or that produce undesirable effects. A tool was developed to implement the analysis of Web site structure and evolution. Its application to some examples downloaded from the Web highlights several areas where the extracted information can improve the control on the maintenance phase and provide valuable support.
Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World

An unusual and authoritative 'natural history of languages' that narrates the ways in which one language has superseded or outlasted another at different times in history. The story of the world in the last five thousand years is above all the story of its languages. Some shared language is what binds any community together, and makes possible both the living of a common history and the telling of it. Yet the history of the world's great languages has rarely been examined. 'Empires of the Word' is the first to bring together the tales in all their glorious variety: the amazing innovations - in education, culture and diplomacy - devised by speakers in the Middle East; the uncanny resilience of Chinese throughout twenty centuries of invasions; the progress of Sanskrit from north India to Java and Japan; the struggle that gave birth to the languages of modern Europe; and the global spread of English. Besides these epic achievements, language failures are equally fascinating: why did Germany get left behind? Why did Egyptian, which had survived foreign takeovers for three millennia, succumb to Mohammed's Arabic? Why is Dutch unknown in modern Indonesia, given that the Netherlands had ruled the East Indies for as long as the British ruled India? As this book engagingly reveals, the language history of the world shows eloquently the real characters of peoples; it also shows that the language of the future will, like the languages of the past, be full of surprises.
Development of a Colony Lift Immunoassay To Facilitate Rapid Detection and Quantification of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from Agar Plates and Filter Monitor Membranes

ABSTRACT E. coli O157:H7 is a food-borne adulterant that can cause hemorrhagic ulcerative colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Faced with an increasing risk of foods contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, food safety officials are seeking improved methods to detect and isolate E. coli O157:H7 in hazard analysis and critical control point systems in meat- and poultry-processing plants. A colony lift immunoassay was developed to facilitate the positive identification and quantification of E. coli O157:H7 by incorporating a simple colony lift enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with filter monitors and traditional culture methods. Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes (Millipore, Bedford, Mass.) were prewet with methanol and were used to make replicates of every bacterial colony on agar plates or filter monitor membranes that were then reincubated for 15 to 18 h at 36 ± 1°C, during which the colonies not only remained viable but were reestablished. The membranes were dried, blocked with blocking buffer (Kirkegaard and Perry Laboratories [KPL], Gaithersburg, Md.), and exposed for 7 min to an affinity-purified horseradish peroxidase-labeled goat anti-E. coli O157 antibody (KPL). The membranes were washed, exposed to a 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine membrane substrate (TMB; KPL) or aminoethyl carbazole (AEC; Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Mo.), rinsed in deionized water, and air dried. Colonies of E. coli O157:H7 were identified by either a blue (via TMB) or a red (via AEC) color reaction. The colored spots on the PVDF lift membrane were then matched to their respective parent colonies on the agar plates or filter monitor membranes. The colony lift immunoassay was tested with a wide range of genera in the family Enterobacteriaceae as well as different serotypes within the E. coli genus. The colony lift immunoassay provided a simple, rapid, and accurate method for confirming the presence of E. coli O157:H7 colonies isolated on filter monitors or spread plates by traditional culture methods. An advantage of using the colony lift immunoassay is the ability to test every colony serologically on an agar plate or filter monitor membrane simultaneously for the presence of the E. coli O157 antigen. This colony lift immunoassay has recently been successfully incorporated into a rapid-detection, isolation, and quantification system for E. coli O157:H7, developed in our laboratories for retail meat sampling.
Arterial stiffness in obese children: Role of adiposity and physical activity

Objective: To explore association of adiposity and physical activity with arterial stiffness and to propose optimal waist circumference cutoffs, corresponding to 90th percentile of NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) for Indian children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: Data on weight, height, waist circumference, physical activity and right Carotid artery Intima-Media-Thickness (CIMT), pulse wave velocity (PWV), elasticity modulus (Ep), stiffness index(β), arterial compliance (AC) were assessed in 250 children (72 normal-weight and 178 overweight/obese) aged 6-17 years from Pune city, India. Body composition was measured using Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: Total, 37.1% normal-weight and 98.2% overweight/obese children had high adiposity (>95th body fat percentile). Positive association of PWV and Ep (r = 0.5) also β(r = 0.25) with BMI (Body Mass Index), waist circumference and body fat (P < 0.05) was observed. Physical activity was inversely associated with PWV (r =-0.2), β(r =-0.13), Ep (r =-0.12) and positively with AC (r = 0.12) (P < 0.05). PWV significantly increased with increasing body fat for each tertile of physical activity (P < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed waist circumference, BMI, body fat and physical activity as independent associates for PWV after adjusting for age (P < 0.05). The cutoff of waist circumference yielding sensitivity and specificity for predicting the risk of high PWV was (−0.43, −0.44) for boys and girls with sensitivity in boys (girls) of 78% (87%) and specificity in boys (girls) 51% (70%). The observed cutoffs are less than the NHANES-III cutoff values of waist circumference for 90th percentiles according to age and sex. Conclusion: High adiposity and low physical activity are adversely related to arterial stiffness in Indian children.
Annual Review of Cosmetic Ingredient Safety Assessments: 2007-2010

This Annual Review of Cosmetic Ingredient Safety Assessments updates and affirms the findings of the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel’s assessment of almost 30 compounds used in cosmetic ingredients. The review also summarizes new findings from epidemiology studies of hair dyes. The CIR Expert Panel’s re-review process is intended to uncover any new data since the last safety assessment. In some cases, newly available data are largely redundant compared with the data available in the original safety assessment. In other cases, new data present new safety issues. If after considering the newly available information, the CIR Expert Panel decides to not reopen a safety assessment, this finding, along with any background material, is summarized and announced publicly. To assure that the scientific community is aware of any new information and the decision not to reopen, this Annual Review of Cosmetic Ingredient Safety Assessments is prepared. A list of reference sources is provided after each ingredient re-review summary that updates the available published literature and includes any unpublished data made available since the original safety assessment. The re-review also captures information on the industry’s current practices of ingredient use, updating the data available in the earlier report. Although this material provides the opinion of the CIR Expert Panel regarding the new data described, it does not constitute a full safety review. The CIR Expert Panel has assessed the safety of over 2100 cosmetic ingredients since its inception in 1976. These safety assessments were published in the Journal of Environmental Pathology and Toxicology in 1980, the Journal of the American College of Toxicology, from 1982 to 1996, and since then in the International Journal of Toxicology. The ingredients the CIR Expert Panel reconsidered during the 2007-2010 period and did not reopen are: Acetamide MEA 5-Bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane Butyl benzyl phthalate t-Butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ) Chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine dihydrochloride, chlorhexidine digluconate, chlorhexidine diacetate 2-Chloro-p-phenylenediamine and 2-chloro-p-phenylenediamine sulfate 2,4-Diaminophenol and 2,4-diaminophenol dihydrochloride Diisopropylamine Disperse blue 1 Disperse violet 1 Ethyl hexanediol HC Blue No. 2 HC Red No. 3 HC Yellow No. 2 Hydroxybenzomorpholine Isopropyl isostearate Lauramine oxide and stearamine oxide Methenamine 1-Naphthol Phenoxyethanol Phenyl methyl pyrazolone N-Phenyl-p-phenylenediamine Polyoxymethylene urea Polyquaternium-7 Quaternium-22 Shellac Sodium and potassium bromate Stearpyrium chloride and lapyrium chloride