Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Urinary miR-183 and miR-205 do not surpass PCA3 in urine as predictive markers for prostate biopsy outcome despite their highly dysregulated expression in prostate cancer tissue

Abstract Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have shown to be promising novel biomarkers in various cancers. We aimed to translate the results of an own previous tissue-based miRNA profile of prostate carcinoma (PCa) with upregulated miR-183 and downregulated miR-205 into a urine-based testing procedure for diagnosis of PCa. Methods: Urine sediments were prepared from urine samples collected after a standardized digital-rectal examination (DRE) of patients undergoing prostate biopsy with PSA (prostate-specific antigen) values <20 μg/L in consecutive order. According to the sample-size calculation (α=0.05, power=0.95), 38 patients each with PCa and without PCa were randomly enrolled in this study. PCA3 (prostate cancer associated 3) in urine as Food and Drug Administration-approved assay was determined as reference standard for comparison. The miRNAs were measured by RT-qPCR using TaqMan assays and normalized using different approaches. Results: Both miRNAs were correlated to the mRNA PSA concentrations in the sediments indicating a relationship to the released prostate cells after DRE. However, they had no discriminating capacity between patients with and without PCa. In contrast, PCA3 clearly differentiated between these two patients groups. There was also no significant correlation between miRNAs and standard clinicopathologic variables like Gleason score and serum PSA. Conclusions: The data of our study show that miR-183 and miR-205 failed to detect early and aggressive PCa despite their highly dysregulated expression in cancer tissue. Our results and the critical evaluation of the few data of other studies raise serious doubts concerning the capability of urinary miRNAs to replace or improve PCA3 as predictive marker for prostate biopsy outcome.
Intrinsic Disorder in Pathogen Effectors: Protein Flexibility as an Evolutionary Hallmark in a Molecular Arms Race[W]

Effector proteins represent a refined mechanism of bacterial pathogens to overcome plants’ innate immune systems. These modular proteins often manipulate host physiology by directly interfering with immune signaling of plant cells. Even if host cells have developed efficient strategies to perceive the presence of pathogenic microbes and to recognize intracellular effector activity, it remains an open question why only few effectors are recognized directly by plant resistance proteins. Based on in-silico genome-wide surveys and a reevaluation of published structural data, we estimated that bacterial effectors of phytopathogens are highly enriched in long-disordered regions (>50 residues). These structurally flexible segments have no secondary structure under physiological conditions but can fold in a stimulus-dependent manner (e.g., during protein–protein interactions). The high abundance of intrinsic disorder in effectors strongly suggests positive evolutionary selection of this structural feature and highlights the dynamic nature of these proteins. We postulate that such structural flexibility may be essential for (1) effector translocation, (2) evasion of the innate immune system, and (3) host function mimicry. The study of these dynamical regions will greatly complement current structural approaches to understand the molecular mechanisms of these proteins and may help in the prediction of new effectors.
The State of Research on Communication and Literacy in Deafblindness

In a synthesis of the research, the authors present findings from communication and literacy studies conducted with children and youth with deafblindness, ages 0–22 years, and published in peer-reviewed journals, 1990–2015. Findings are organized within the structure of the four aspects of communication: form, function, content, context. The studies implemented child-guided and systematic instructional approaches. Studies on form addressed tangible representations, gestures, pictures, and technologies to increase expressive communication rates, and included research focusing on specific functions. Most of the research on context addressed the coaching of adult communication partners to improve responsiveness. Research on communication by children who are deafblind has focused almost exclusively on improving expressive communication. Therefore, there is a need for research on receptive communication and comprehension. In the area of literacy, studies are needed on emergent literacy and reading and writing interventions for children who are deafblind.
Efficient sidelobe suppression for OFDM systems using advanced cancellation carriers

The concept of cancellation carriers (CCs) has been proposed in the literature for sidelobe suppression for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. Subcarriers at the edges of the OFDM spectrum are used for sidelobe reduction while the remaining subcarriers are used for data transmission. Existing CCs techniques require performing complex optimization that should be applied for each OFDM symbol which is not suitable for real-time applications. In this paper, we propose a heuristic approach for CCs. The proposed algorithm involves few computations compared with all other techniques proposed in the literature. Simulation results show that sidelobe reduction performance can be close to the optimal. Moreover, the proposed algorithm is implemented in a software defined radio and implementation results prove that it can be introduced for real-time applications.
Seasonal influenza infection and live vaccine prime for a response to the 2009 pandemic H1N1 vaccine

The robust immune response to a single dose of pandemic 2009 H1N1 vaccine suggests that a large segment of the population has been previously primed. We evaluated the effect of seasonal (s) H1N1 infection, s-trivalent inactivated vaccine (s-TIV), and trivalent s-live attenuated influenza vaccine (s-LAIV) before immunization with a pandemic live attenuated influenza vaccine (p-LAIV) in mice. We compared serum and mucosal antibody and pulmonary CD8 and CD4 responses and the virologic response to challenge with a wild-type 2009 pandemic H1N1 (p-H1N1) virus. Two doses of p-LAIV induced cellular immune and robust ELISA and neutralizing antibody responses that were associated with complete protection from p-H1N1 challenge. A single dose of p-LAIV induced a cellular response and ELISA but not a neutralizing antibody response, and incomplete protection from p-H1N1 virus challenge. Primary infection with s-H1N1 influenza virus followed by a dose of p-LAIV resulted in cross-reactive ELISA antibodies and a robust cellular immune response that was also associated with complete protection from p-H1N1 virus challenge. A lower-magnitude but similar response associated with partial protection was seen in mice that received a dose of s-LAIV followed by p-LAIV. Mice that received a dose of s-TIV followed by p-LAIV did not show any evidence of priming. In summary, prior infection with a seasonal influenza virus or s-LAIV primed mice for a robust response to a single dose of p-LAIV that was associated with protection equivalent to two doses of the matched pandemic vaccine.
Cardiovascular risk factors in predialysis patients: baseline data from the Chronic Renal Impairment in Birmingham (CRIB) study.

BACKGROUND Patients with end-stage kidney failure have a greatly increased risk of developing premature cardiac and vascular disease. However, little is known about the evolution of cardiovascular diseases in individuals with less severely impaired kidney function. METHODS The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and of suspected cardiovascular risk factors was studied in a group of 369 individuals (median age, 63 years, 67% male) with various degrees of impaired kidney function (calculated creatinine clearances 6 to 105 mL/min), in 103 patients with angiographically proven coronary artery disease, and in 103 apparently healthy individuals. These patients are being followed prospectively. RESULTS Of those patients with kidney disease, 34% had a history of vascular disease and 21% had left ventricular hypertrophy on electrocardiogram at baseline. Traditional risk factors were prevalent, with a history of hypertension in 76% of kidney disease patients, diabetes in 15%, and dyslipidemia with reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, elevated serum triglycerides, and decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. Other possible cardiovascular risk factors include elevated concentrations of plasma homocysteine, as well as low serum albumin and hemoglobin levels. Patients with more severely impaired renal function had lower diastolic blood pressures, lower LDL and HDL cholesterol levels, were more anemic, and had higher plasma homocysteine concentrations. CONCLUSIONS Vascular disease and left ventricular hypertrophy are prevalent among patients with chronic kidney disease not requiring dialysis. In addition to traditional risk factors, other features of the uremic syndrome such as anemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, and inflammation (suggested by hypoalbuminemia) may contribute.
Identifying Intimate Partner Violence during Pregnancy in Prenatal Care Settings

More than 324,000 women each year are estimated as having experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy. Correctly identifying women experiencing all forms and severity of IPV is necessary to inform the implementation of interventions to prevent and treat IPV. This can optimally be accomplished with data from accurate screening instruments. The United States Preventative Services Task force has recently recommended that all women who are pregnant should be screened for IPV over the course of their pregnancy and postnatal visits. Currently, clinical practice and research are hindered by the lack of validated IPV screening measurements for a pregnant population. The current review examined accuracy measures of empirically tested IPV screening measures, and evaluated them for use in prenatal health care settings. Based on the information collected and presented, recommendations regarding which screens are, and are not, appropriate to use in prenatal care settings to identify IPV were presented. Further rigorous studies are needed to identify and evaluate screening measurements and procedures to increase sensitivity and suitability for use in a variety of clinical settings for pregnant women. Available at: http://dc.etsu. edu/ijhse/vol3/iss1/3 Language: en
Transdermal delivery of zidovudine (AZT): The effects of vehicles, enhancers, and polymer membranes on permeation across cadaver pig skin

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of vehicles, enhancers, and polymer membranes on 3-azido-3-deoxythymidine (AZT) permeation across cadaver pig skin. Four binary vehicles (ethanol/water, isopropyl alcohol/water, polyethylene glycol 400/water, and ethanol/isopropyl myristate [IPM] were tested for AZT solubility and permeability across pig skin; ethanol/IPM (50/50, vol/vol) demonstrated the highest AZT flux (185.23 μ/cm2/h). Next, the addition of various concentrations of different enhancers (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone [NMP], oleic acid, and lauric acid) to different volume ratios of ethanol/IPM was investigated for their effect on AZT solubility and permeability across pig skin. The use of 2 conbinations (ethanol/IPM [20/80] plus 10% NMP and ethanol/IPM [30/70] plus 10% NMP) resulted in increased AZT solubility (42.6 and 56.27 mg/mL, respectively) and also high AZT flux values (284.92 and 460.34 μg/cm2/h, respectively) without appreciable changes in lag times (6.25 and 7.49 hours, respectively) when compared with formulations using only ethanol/IPM at 20/80 and 30/70 volume ratios without addition of the enhancer NMP. Finally, AZT permeation across pig skin covered with a microporous polyethylene (PE) membrane was investigated. The addition of the PE membrane to the pig skin reduced AZT flux values to ∼50% of that seen with pig skin alone. However, the AZT flux value attained with ethanol/IPM (30/70) plus 10% NMP was 215.30 μg/cm2/h, which was greater than the target flux (208 μg/cm2/h) needed to maintain the steady-state plasma concentration in humans. The results obtained from this study will be helpful in the development of an AZT transdermal drug delivery system.
Identification and sequence analysis of the Bacillus subtilis W23 xylR gene and xyl operator

The xyl operator of Bacillus subtilis W23 was identified by deletion analysis of the xyl regulatory region as a 25-base-pair (bp) sequence located 10 bp downstream from the xyl promoter. The outer 10 bp of the xyl operator exhibit perfect palindromic symmetry, while 5 central bp are nonpalindromic. It was demonstrated that the penultimate base pair near the end of this sequence is important for repressor binding. The location of the xylR gene encoding the repressor was determined by its ability to mediate xylose-dependent repression of a xyl-cat fusion on a multicopy plasmid. The nucleotide sequence of 1,355 bp from this DNA was analyzed and contains an open reading frame with a coding capacity for 384 amino acids leading to a protein with a calculated molecular weight of 42,270. A mutant with a deletion in this reading frame showed no repression of the xyl-cat fusion. The coding sequence is preceded by a suitable ribosome-binding sequence and uses GTG as a start codon and TAA as a stop codon. The relationship of these results to corresponding data obtained from B. subtilis 168 is discussed.
Identification of the gene (aroK) encoding shikimic acid kinase I of Escherichia coli

DNA sequence analysis has revealed that an unidentified open reading frame (ufr1) is present immediately preceding the aroB gene of Escherichia coli. The predicted protein product of urf1 contains a consensus ATP-binding-site sequence and shows 34% amino acid homology to shikimate kinase II in a 97-amino-acid region. Inactivation of urf1 by insertion of an antibiotic resistance gene had a polar effect on aroB, indicating that these two genes constitute a transcriptional unit. The auxotrophic requirements of a strain mutant for both urf1 and aroL (encoding shikimate kinase II) are consistent with shikimate kinase deficiency. We propose that urf1 encodes shikimate kinase I and that it be designated aroK.
The Prevalence of ADHD

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of ADHD in communities using a DSM-IVTR case definition. Method: This community-based study used multiple informants to develop and apply a DSM -IVTR-based case definition of ADHD to screening and diagnostic interview data collected for children 5-13 years of age. Teachers screened 10,427 children (66.4%) in four school districts across two states (SC and OK). ADHD ratings by teachers and parent reports of diagnosis and medication treatment were used to stratify children into high and low risk for ADHD. Parents (n = 855) of high risk and gender frequency-matched low risk children completed structured diagnostic interviews. The case definition was applied to generate community prevalence estimates, weighted to reflect the complex sampling design. Results: ADHD prevalence was 8.7% in SC and 10.6% in OK. The prevalence of ADHD medication use was 10.1% (SC) and 7.4% (OK). Of those medicated, 39.5% (SC) and 28.3% (OK) met the case definition. Comparison children taking medication had higher mean symptom counts than other comparison children. Conclusions: Our ADHD estimates are at the upper end of those from previous studies. The identification of a large proportion of comparison children taking ADHD medication suggests that our estimates may be conservative; these children were not included as cases in the case definition, although some might be effectively treated.
Protective Effects of Jasonia montana Against Lipid Peroxidation in Liver and Kidney of Iron-overloaded Rats

Massive iron deposition in parenchymal organs, particularly in the liver, causes organ dysfunction, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and also hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of the present article is to investigate protective activity of Jasonia ethanolic extract against liver and kidney damage induced by iron-overloaded in adult rats in an attempt to understand its mechanism of action, which may pave the way for possible therapeutic applications. In vivo determination of antioxidant and chelating activities of the extract were employed. Orally administration of ferrous gluconate as a source of iron at 10 mg/kg b.w. /day for 21 days to rats induced hepatocellular and renal cell damage. Oral administration of Jasonia ethanolic extract at a concentration of 150 mg/kg b.w. daily to rats treated with iron for 31 prior to iron overloaded-administration significantly prevented the increase in liver, kidney and serum iron, serum ferritin, serum transferrin levels, �-GT, �-GST and �-GT activities as well as serum NO and TNF- � level and hepatic MDA level as compare to iron-overloaded treated rats. The treatment also resulted in a significant increase in hepatic and kidney SOD, GPx, GR and CAT activities compare to iron-overloaded treated rats. High content of flavonoids and phenolic compounds was found in ethanolic extract, which may be responsible for free radical activity and as molecules of natural origin may serve as a template of new biologically active compounds possess capability of chelating iron. The results clearly suggest that the aerial parts of J. montana extract may effectively normalize the impaired antioxidant status in iron-overloaded rats model experiment. Thus the extract may have a therapeutic value in iron-overloaded-induced haemostasis.
Changes of haematic parameters, redox status and mitochondrial complex activity in the heart and liver of broilers fed with different density diets under low ambient temperature

This experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of dietary nutrient density on haematic parameters, oxidative status and mitochondrial complex activity in the heart and liver of broilers under low ambient temperature. Eight-day-old male ROSS-308 chickens were randomly divided into two treatments fed with normal (control) and high metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein density (H) diets. A high nutrient density diet increased body weight gain and reduced the feed conversation ratio during the first 3 weeks. Increased ascites-related mortality (weeks 4 to 6), right ventricle/total ventricle (week 6), blood haemoglobin (weeks 2 and 4) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (week 2) were observed in treatment H. Levels of malonaldehyde and protein carbonylation were increased at week 4, and activities of glutathione peroxidase at week 4 and CuZn superoxide dismutase and catalase at week 6 were decreased in the heart; only malonaldehyde (week 6) was increased in the liver in treatment H. Relative mRNA expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 (heart) was increased and heme oxygenase-1 (heart and liver) was decreased at week 4 in broilers fed with high ME and protein diet. Activities of mitochondrial complex III and IV (week 6) in the heart, and complex I (week 6) and complex III and IV (week 4) in the liver were decreased in treatment H. In conclusion, high levels of dietary ME and protein resulted in oxidative stress and high incidence of ascites in broilers under low ambient temperature. Heart dysfunction was primarily attributed to ascites development, in which oxidative injury and inhibition of mitochondrial complex activity were involved.
Scenario planning for construction companies

Ability to understand the future holds the key to sustained competitive advantage. The key question is how to embed this ability into the strategic management skill-sets of companies using appropriate tools, techniques and processes, and involving the appropriate stakeholders. Futures methodology literature suggests that scenario planning is a powerful technique for looking at the future that is rarely used in construction. An implementation framework for company scenario planning is proposed derived from relevant parts of the literature and evolved through a series of interactions with industry. The framework emphasises that the awareness of external factors and industry scenarios, and the extent of stakeholder engagement throughout the process will determine the overall efficacy of scenario planning. Benefits will accrue from having a common understanding of alternative futures by explicitly capturing perceived future events, drivers and pathways in scenario mapping exercises. This should place companies in a better position to navigate their future and deal with potential threats and opportunities.
Degradation of p22phox and inhibition of superoxide generation by Ehrlichia chaffeensis in human monocytes

Ehrlichia chaffeensis is an obligate intracellular bacterium which replicates in monocytes or macrophages, the primary producers of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, effects of ROS on E. chaffeensis infection and whether E. chaffeensis modulates ROS generation in host monocytes are unknown. Here, E. chaffeensis was shown to lose infectivity upon exposure to O2– or hydrogen peroxide. Upon incubation with human monocytes, E. chaffeensis neither induced O2– generation by human monocytes, nor colocalized with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase components. Instead, it actively blocked O2– generation by monocytes stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate and caused the rapid degradation of p22phox, a component of NADPH oxidase. These effects were not seen in neutrophil, which is another potent ROS generator, but a cell type that E. chaffeensis does not infect. Trypsin pretreatment of monocytes prevented the inhibition of O2– generation by E. chaffeensis. The degradation of p22phox by E. chaffeensis was specific to subsets of monocytes with bound and/or intracellular bacteria, and the degradation could be reduced by heat treatment of the bacterium, lipopolysaccharide pretreatment of monocytes, or the incubation with haemin. The degradation of p22phox by E. chaffeensis and its prevention by haemin or protease inhibitors also occurred in isolated monocyte membrane fractions, indicating that host cytoplasmic signalling is not required for these processes. The amount of gp91phox was stable under all conditions examined in this study. These findings point to a unique survival mechanism of ROS‐sensitive obligate intraleucocytic bacteria that involves the destabilization of p22phox following the binding of bacteria to host cell surface proteins.
Online Crowds Opinion-Mining it to Analyze Current Trend: A Review

Online presence of the user has increased, there is a huge growth in the number of active users and thus the volume of data created on the online social networks is massive. Much are concentrating on the Internet Lingo. Notably most of the data on the social networking sites is made public which opens doors for companies, researchers and analyst to collect and analyze the data. We have huge volume of opinioned data available on the web we have to mine it so that we could get some interesting results out of it with could enhance the decision making process. In order to analyze the current scenario of what people are thinking focus is shifted towards opinion mining. This study presents a systematic literature review that contains a comprehensive overview of components of opinion mining, subjectivity of data, sources of opinion, the process and how does it let one analyze the current tendency of the online crowd in a particular context. Different perspectives from different authors regarding the above scenario have been presented. Research challenges and different applications that were developed with the motive opinion mining are also discussed.