Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE SYSTEM AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

The mammalian Natriuretic Peptide (NP) system consists of neuro-hormones, such as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), c-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), and the N-Terminal fragment of BNP (NT-pro-BNP). In response to some cardiovascular derangement the heart (acting as an endocrine organ), brain and other structures secretes natriuretic peptides in an attempt to restore normal circulatory conditions. Their actions are modulated through membrane-bound guanylyl cyclased (GC) receptors. They induce diuresis, natriuresis and vasodilation in the presence of congestive heart failure. These neuro-hormones also play a role in the suppression of neointimal formation after vascular injury. In addition, they act as antifibrotic and antihypertrophic agents preventing cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction. Further, NP have diagnostic and prognostic role in heart failure, vasoconstriction, left ventricular late remodeling after MI and others. At present, some drugs such as Nesiritide, NEP inhibitors and vasopeptidase inhibitors were synthetized from NP, to antagonize these cardiovascular derengements. In future, it will be possibile to elaborate some drugs similar to petidase inhibitors and some CNP-like drugs able to reduce many symptoms of cardiovascular derangements without significant side effects.
A New Construction of Exact-Repair MSR Codes Using Linearly Dependent Vectors

Regenerating codes focus on the efficient repair of node failures. In an [<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$d$ </tex-math></inline-formula>] regenerating code system, any <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula> nodes can retrieve the original data and any <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$d$ </tex-math></inline-formula> nodes can repair a failed node by giving out <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\beta$ </tex-math></inline-formula> pieces of data per node. For minimum storage regenerating (MSR) codes, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${d \geq 2 k - 3}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> has been proved. However, as far as we know, there is no construction of exact-repair MSR codes with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${d= 2 k - 3}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\beta = 1}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> at present. In this letter, we give the first construction of [6, 4, 5] MSR codes with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\beta = 1}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, which can perform exact repair of all nodes. Employing the technique of linearly dependent vectors, our codes can be constructed over a small finite field <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${F_{4}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>.
A Reliability Test System for Educational Purposes-Basic Data

The IEEE Subcommittee on the Application of Probability Methods (APM) published the IEEE Reliability Test System (RTS) [1] in 1979. This system provides a consistent and generally acceptable set of data that can be used both in generation capacity and in composite system reliability evaluation [2,3]. The test system provides a basis for the comparison of results obtained by different people using different methods. Prior to its publication, there was no general agreement on either the system or the data that should be used to demonstrate or test various techniques developed to conduct reliability studies. Development of reliability assessment techniques and programs are very dependent on the intent behind the development as the experience of one power utility with their system may be quite different from that of another utility. The development and the utilization of a reliability program are, therefore, greatly influenced by the experience of a utlity and the intent of the system manager, planner and designer conducting the reliability studies. The IEEE-RTS has proved to be extremely valuable in highlighting and comparing the capabilities (or incapabilities) of programs used in reliability studies, the differences in the perception of various power utilities and the differences in the solution techniques. The IEEE-RTS contains a reasonably large power network which can be difficult to use for initial studies in an educational environment.
Cold Tolerance of C4 photosynthesis in Miscanthus × giganteus: Adaptation in Amounts and Sequence of C4 Photosynthetic Enzymes1

Field-grown Miscanthus × giganteus maintains high photosynthetic quantum yields and biomass productivity in cool temperate climates. It is related to maize (Zea mays) and uses the same NADP-malic enzyme C4 pathway. This study tests the hypothesis that M. × giganteus, in contrast to maize, forms photosynthetically competent leaves at low temperatures with altered amounts of pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) and Rubisco or altered properties of PPDK. Both species were grown at 25°C/20°C or 14°C/11°C (day/night), and leaf photosynthesis was measured from 5°C to 38°C. Protein and steady-state transcript levels for Rubisco, PPDK, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase were assessed and the sequence of C4-PPDK from M. × giganteus was compared with other C4 species. Low temperature growth had no effect on photosynthesis in M. × giganteus, but decreased rates by 80% at all measurement temperatures in maize. Amounts and expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase were affected little by growth temperature in either species. However, PPDK and Rubisco large subunit decreased >50% and >30%, respectively, in cold-grown maize, whereas these levels remained unaffected by temperature in M. × giganteus. Differences in protein content in maize were not explained by differences in steady-state transcript levels. Several different M. × giganteus C4-PPDK cDNA sequences were found, but putative translated protein sequences did not show conservation of amino acids contributing to cold stability in Flaveria brownii C4-PPDK. The maintenance of PPDK and Rubisco large subunit amounts in M. × giganteus is consistent with the hypothesis that these proteins are critical to maintaining high rates of C4 photosynthesis at low temperature.
THARIES Resurfacing Arthroplasty: Evolution and Long‐term Results

The unsatisfactory results of total hip arthroplasty in the young patient led to the development of the concept of hip resurfacing. Total hip articular replacment by internal eccentric shells (THARIES) resurfacing was introduced in 1975, with the primary goal of bone stock preservation and the hope of increased durability in the young patient. Major changes in design and technique include thicker and more uniform acrylic layers, metal-backed flanged acetabular component, and reduction in femoral size for preservation of acetabular bone stock. Of the 584 hips (average patient age, 48 years) with one-to ten-year follow-up study, there have been 72 failures (revision rate, 123%) with 66 cases of loosening (nearly all beginning in or limited to the acetabular side), two neck fractures, and four sepses. Survivorship analysis revealed that the single most important factor related to prosthesis failure is age followed by diagnosis and experience of the surgeon. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis were favorable categories with congenital dysplastic hip (CDH), osteonecrosis, and previous failed resurfacing being unfavorable categories. Experience has taught the importance in preserving acetabular bone stock, providing bone graft for socket coverage in severe dysplasia, and removing dead bone in osteonecrosis. While resurfacing did not solve the problems of the young patient, even those patients who failed often gained time for application of the newer techniques and materials. The femoral component infrequently failed. The head remained vascular. This leads the authors to conclude that the surface arthroplasty concept is a viable alternative to total hip arthroplasty and seems to be ideal for the application of porous technology.
Association Between Reproductive Cancer and Fetal Outcomes: A Population-Based Study

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the impact of maternal reproductive cancer diagnosis on fetal birth outcomes. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study among women with a singleton live birth and diagnosed with reproductive cancer in the state of Florida (cases). We matched cases to cancer-free controls using selected sociodemographic and pregnancy-related clinical conditions. We applied logistic regression with correction for intracluster correlation using generalized estimating equations. Results Overall, 3212 (0.21%) of pregnant women had a diagnosis of reproductive cancer. Affected women had a 24% and 33% elevated risk for low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) infants, respectively. Compared to their white counterparts, black women with reproductive cancer had a greater risk for LBW [odds ratio (OR), 1.83; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.37–2.44], small for gestational age (SGA) [OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.23–2.17], and PTB (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.12–192) infants. Black women with breast cancer demonstrated significantly higher risks of LBW [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 2.37; 95% CI, 1.56–3.60], PTB (AOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.15–2.56), and SGA (AOR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.12–2.64) when compared to women of their racial group with no reproductive cancer. Conclusions Diagnosis of reproductive cancer before or during pregnancy and within 30 days after birth is associated with adverse fetal outcomes (LBW, PTB, and SGA). These results highlight the importance of preconception and intraconception care of women with reproductive cancer diagnosis.
Effects of Hypoxic Training versus Normoxic Training on Exercise Performance in Competitive Swimmers.

In swimming competition, optimal swimming performance is characterized by a variety of interchangeable components, such as aerobic exercise capacity, anaerobic power and muscular function. Various hypoxic training methods would potentiate greater performance improvements compared to similar training at sea-level. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of six-weeks of hypoxic training on exercise performance in moderately trained competitive swimmers. Twenty swimmers were equally divided into a normoxic training group (n = 10) for residing and training at sea-level (PIO2 = 149.7 mmHg), and a hypoxic training group (n = 10) for residing at sea-level but training at 526 mmHg hypobaric hypoxic condition (PIO2 = 100.6 mmHg). Aerobic exercise capacity, anaerobic power, muscular function, hormonal response and 50 and 400 m swimming performance were measured before and after training, which was composed of warm-up, continuous training, interval training, elastic resistance training, and cool-down. The training frequency was 120 min, 3 days per week for 6 weeks. Muscular function and hormonal response parameters showed significant interaction effects (all p < 0.032, η2 > 0.288) in muscular strength and endurance, growth hormone; GH, insulin like growth factor-1; IGF-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGF. The other variables demonstrated no significant interaction effects. However, a hypoxic training group also showed significantly increased maximal oxygen consumption; VO2max (p = 0.001), peak anaerobic power (p = 0.001), and swimming performances for 50 m (p = 0.000) and 400 m (p = 0.000). These results indicated that the hypoxic training method proposed in our study is effective for improvement of muscular strength and endurance in moderately trained competitive swimmers compared to control group. However, our hypoxic training method resulted in unclear changes in aerobic exercise capacity (VO2max), anaerobic power, and swimming performance of 50 m and 400 m compared to normoxic training.
Prognosis of Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Prognosis of 600 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was analyzed in relation to treatment. They were divided into three stages based on four parameters of advanced disease: ascites, tumor greater than 50% of the two‐dimensional size of the liver, serum albumin below 3 gm per dl, and serum bilirubin above 3 mg per dl. Stage I had none of these signs; Stage II one or two signs, and Stage III three or all signs. Of 600 patients, 98 had resection, 333 had nonsurgical treatment (158 treated by intraarterial chemotherapy, 94 systemic chemotherapy, 77 transcatheter embolization, and 4 others) and 169 no treatment.
DNA probe specific for Legionella pneumophila

A procedure for preparing a DNA probe to be used in the specific detection of Legionella pneumophila by dot or colony hybridization has been devised. When total DNA from L. pneumophila was used as a radioactive probe, cross-hybridization occurred with DNA from many other species belonging to various families (including Legionellaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, and Vibrionaceae). Cross-hybridizing restriction fragments in L. pneumophila ATCC 33152 DNA were identified on Southern blots. When unlabeled DNA from strain ATCC 33152 was cleaved by endonuclease BamHI, the DNA fragments cross-hybridizing with the labeled DNA from all of the other species and genera tested (or with Escherichia coli 16 + 23 S RNA) had a size of 21.4 and 16.2 kilobase pairs (major bands) and 28.0, 12.8, and 10.1 kilobase pairs (minor bands). BamHI restriction fragments of L. pneumophila DNA deprived of the cross-hybridizing fragments were pooled and used as a probe for the detection of L. pneumophila. This probe proved to be specific for L. pneumophila in colony and dot hybridization. It can potentially be used for the detection of L. pneumophila in clinical and water samples. The procedure described can be readily applied to the preparation of probes specific for phylogenetically isolated bacterial species other than L. pneumophila.
DNA Source Selection for Downstream Applications Based on DNA Quality Indicators Analysis

High-quality human DNA samples and associated information of individuals are necessary for biomedical research. Biobanks act as a support infrastructure for the scientific community by providing a large number of high-quality biological samples for specific downstream applications. For this purpose, biobank methods for sample preparation must ensure the usefulness and long-term functionality of the products obtained. Quality indicators are the tool to measure these parameters, the purity and integrity determination being those specifically used for DNA. This study analyzes the quality indicators in DNA samples derived from 118 frozen human tissues in optimal cutting temperature (OCT) reactive, 68 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, 119 frozen blood samples, and 26 saliva samples. The results obtained for DNA quality are discussed in association with the usefulness for downstream applications and availability of the DNA source in the target study. In brief, if any material is valid, blood is the most approachable option of prospective collection of samples providing high-quality DNA. However, if diseased tissue is a requisite or samples are available, the recommended source of DNA would be frozen tissue. These conclusions will determine the best source of DNA, according to the planned downstream application. Furthermore our results support the conclusion that a complete procedure of DNA quantification and qualification is necessary to guarantee the appropriate management of the samples, avoiding low confidence results, high costs, and a waste of samples.
Mutual Coupling Reduction of Two PIFAs With a T-Shape Slot Impedance Transformer for MIMO Mobile Terminals

An efficient technique is introduced to reduce mutual coupling between two closely spaced PIFAs for MIMO mobile terminals. The proposed mutual coupling reduction method is based on a T-shape slot impedance transformer and can be applied to both single-band and dual-band PIFAs. For the proposed single-band dual PIFAs, the 10 dB impedance bandwidth covers the 2.4 GHz WLAN band (2.4-2.48 GHz), and within the WLAN band an isolation of over 20 dB is achieved. Moreover, the dual-band version covers both the WLAN band and the WiMAX band of 3.4-3.6 GHz, with isolations of over 19.2 dB and 22.8 dB, respectively. The efficiency, gain and radiation patterns of the two-PIFA prototypes are verified in measurements. Due to very low pattern correlation and very good matching and isolation characteristics, the capacity performances are mainly limited by radiation efficiency. The single-band and dual-band PIFAs are also studied with respect to their locations on the ground plane. An eight-fold increase in the bandwidth of one PIFA is achieved, when the single-band PIFAs are positioned at one corner of the ground plane, with the bandwidth of the other PIFA and the good isolation unchanged.
Dermatologic Manifestations of Human Parechovirus Type 3 Infection in Neonates and Infants

Background: Human parechovirus type 3 (HPeV3) infection can cause sepsis-like syndrome and meningoencephalitis in neonates and young infants. Although maculopapular rash is a reported clinical manifestation of HPeV3 infection, the frequency and detailed characteristics of rash in neonates and young infants with HPeV3 infection are unknown. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical characteristics of neonates and young infants who received a diagnosis of HPeV3 infection on the basis of real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid specimens at the National Center for Child Health and Development in Tokyo between November 2010 and September 2011. Results: Fifteen neonates and young infants were diagnosed as having HPeV3 infection; median age was 33 days (range: 10–81 days). The most common clinical presentation on admission was fever (80%), the median duration of which was 3 days (range: 1–4 days). Five (33%) children required admission to the intensive care unit for close observation, and 2 (13%) required mechanical ventilation for cardiovascular instability. After hospitalization, all children developed rash, mainly on the extremities, at a mean of 3 days (range: 1–5 days) after fever onset. The most striking finding was that 80% (12/15) of patients developed a distinctive palmar–plantar erythematous rash, which disappeared after a median of 3 days (range: 2–7 days). All patients were discharged from hospital without serious sequelae. Conclusions: Palmar–plantar erythema in febrile neonates and young infants may be a diagnostic clue of HPeV3 infection.
Anger‐irritability as a mediator of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder risk for adolescent alcohol use and the contribution of coping skills

BACKGROUND Research on susceptibility to alcohol use disorder within the attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) population has begun to expand examination of putative moderators and mediators in order to develop effective treatments. Specific dysregulated emotions have been separately associated with ADHD and with alcohol use difficulties. The current study is the first to conjointly study these variables by testing anger-irritability as a mediator of ADHD risk for adolescent alcohol use. METHODS Frequency of binge drinking, drunkenness, and alcohol problems were examined for 142 children with ADHD followed into adolescence and compared to 100 demographically similar youth without ADHD. Parent-rated anger-irritability was tested as a mediator. Behavioral and cognitive coping skills, which are key clinical treatment targets, were studied as moderators of these associations. RESULTS Childhood ADHD was positively associated with anger-irritability and the drinking outcomes in adolescence. Anger-irritability mediated the association between ADHD and alcohol use problems, but not binge drinking or drunkenness. Behavioral and cognitive, but not avoidant, coping played a moderating role, but only of the association between childhood ADHD and anger-irritability. CONCLUSIONS Active coping strategies by adolescents with ADHD may reduce the vulnerability to alcohol problems through a reduction of negative emotions. Future research on additional mediators and treatments that target these skills is encouraged.
Mutant cell lines unresponsive to alpha/beta and gamma interferon are defective in tyrosine phosphorylation of ISGF-3 alpha components

The 84-, 91-, and 113-kDa proteins of the ISGF-3 alpha complex are phosphorylated on tyrosine residues upon alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) treatment and subsequently translocate to the nucleus together with a 48-kDa subunit. In this study, we investigated the presence and the functional status of ISGF-3 alpha subunits and Tyk-2 and JAK1 tyrosine kinases in mutant HeLa cells defective in the IFN-alpha/beta and -gamma response. Stable cell fusion analysis revealed a single complementation group among one class (class B) of mutants. The class B mutants contain detectable level of mRNA and proteins of the 84-, 91-, and 113-kDa proteins, but neither the protein nor mRNA is inducible by IFN-alpha or -gamma. The 91-kDa protein IFN-gamma-activated factor fails to be activated into a DNA-binding state after IFN-alpha or -gamma treatment. In addition, the 91-kDa protein is unable to localize in the nucleus after IFN-alpha and -gamma treatment, and the 113-kDa protein fails to translocate after IFN-alpha treatment. Immunoprecipitation studies document a failure of phosphorylation of the 84- or 91-kDa proteins after IFN-alpha or -gamma treatment. Similarly, no tyrosine-phosphorylated 113-kDa protein was detected after IFN-alpha treatment. The inability of class B mutants to phosphorylate the 84-, 91-, or 113-kDa protein on tyrosine residues correlated with the loss of biological response to IFN-alpha and -gamma. The genetic defect appears to be the absence of the tyrosine kinase JAK1. Our data therefore confirm a recent report that JAK1 plays a critical early signaling role for both IFN-alpha/beta and IFN-gamma systems.
CPAP: Cancer Panel Analysis Pipeline

Targeted sequencing using next‐generation sequencing technologies is currently being rapidly adopted for clinical sequencing and cancer marker tests. However, no existing bioinformatics tool is available for the analysis and visualization of multiple targeted sequencing datasets. In the present study, we use cancer panel targeted sequencing datasets generated by the Life Technologies Ion Personal Genome Machine Sequencer as an example to illustrate how to develop an automated pipeline for the comparative analyses of multiple datasets. Cancer Panel Analysis Pipeline (CPAP) uses standard output files from variant calling software to generate a distribution map of SNPs among all of the samples in a circular diagram generated by Circos. The diagram is hyperlinked to a dynamic HTML table that allows the users to identify target SNPs by using different filters. CPAP also integrates additional information about the identified SNPs by linking to an integrated SQL database compiled from SNP‐related databases, including dbSNP, 1000 Genomes Project, COSMIC, and dbNSFP. CPAP only takes 17 min to complete a comparative analysis of 500 datasets. CPAP not only provides an automated platform for the analysis of multiple cancer panel datasets but can also serve as a model for any customized targeted sequencing project.