Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Further insight into BRUTUS domain composition and functionality

ABSTRACT BRUTUS (BTS) is a hemerythrin (HHE) domain containing E3 ligase that facilitates the degradation of POPEYE-like (PYEL) proteins in a proteasomal-dependent manner. Deletion of BTS HHE domains enhances BTS stability in the presence of iron and also complements loss of BTS function, suggesting that the HHE domains are critical for protein stability but not for enzymatic function. The RING E3 domain plays an essential role in BTS' capacity to both interact with PYEL proteins and to act as an E3 ligase. Here we show that removal of the RING domain does not complement loss of BTS function. We conclude that enzymatic activity of BTS via the RING domain is essential for response to iron deficiency in plants. Further, we analyze possible BTS domain structure evolution and predict that the combination of domains found in BTS is specific to photosynthetic organisms, potentially indicative of a role for BTS and its orthologs in mitigating the iron-related challenges presented by photosynthesis.
Pulmonary vascular endothelium: the orchestra conductor in respiratory diseases

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) Research Seminar entitled “Pulmonary vascular endothelium: orchestra conductor in respiratory diseases - highlights from basic research to therapy” brought together international experts in dysfunctional pulmonary endothelium, from basic science to translational medicine, to discuss several important aspects in acute and chronic lung diseases. This review will briefly sum up the different topics of discussion from this meeting which was held in Paris, France on October 27–28, 2016. It is important to consider that this paper does not address all aspects of endothelial dysfunction but focuses on specific themes such as: 1) the complex role of the pulmonary endothelium in orchestrating the host response in both health and disease (acute lung injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high-altitude pulmonary oedema and pulmonary hypertension); and 2) the potential value of dysfunctional pulmonary endothelium as a target for innovative therapies. The central role of pulmonary endothelial dysfunction in respiratory diseases http://ow.ly/tVgK30iiZ1S
Individualised training at different intensities, in untrained participants, results in similar physiological and performance benefits

ABSTRACT This study compared effects of training at moderate, high, or a combination of the two intensities (mixed) on performance and physiological adaptations, when training durations were individualised. Untrained participants (n = 34) were assigned to a moderate, high, or mixed group. Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), power output at V̇O2max (MAP), time-to-exhaustion and gross efficiency were recorded before and after four weeks of cycling training (four times per week). The moderate group cycled at 60% MAP in blocks of 5 min with 1 min recovery, and training duration was individualised to 100% of pre-training time-to-exhaustion. The high group cycled at 100% MAP for 2 min with 3 min recovery, and training duration was set as the maximum number of repetitions completed in the first training session. The mixed group completed two moderate- and two high-intensity sessions each week, on alternate days. V̇O2max, MAP, and time-to-exhaustion increased after training (P < 0.05), but were not different between groups (P > 0.05). The mixed group improved their gross efficiency at 50% MAP more than the other two groups (P = 0.044) after training. When training is individualised for untrained participants, similar improvements in performance and physiological measures are found, despite marked differences in exercise intensity and total training duration.
Social influences on eating and physical activity behaviours of urban, minority youths

Abstract Objective Social relationships can impact youths’ eating and physical activity behaviours; however, the best strategies for intervening in the social environment are unknown. The objectives of the present study were to provide in-depth information on the social roles that youths’ parents and friends play related to eating and physical activity behaviours and to explore the impact of other social relationships on youths’ eating and physical activity behaviours. Design Convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Setting Low-income, African American, food desert neighbourhoods in Baltimore City, MD, USA. Subjects Data were collected from 297 youths (53 % female, 91 % African American, mean age 12·3 (sd 1·5) years) using structured questionnaires and combined with in-depth interviews from thirty-eight youths (42 % female, 97 % African American, mean age 11·4 (sd 1·5) years) and ten parents (80 % female, 50 % single heads of house, 100 % African American). Results Combined interpretation of the results found that parents and caregivers have multiple, dynamic roles influencing youths’ eating and physical activity behaviours, such as creating health-promoting rules, managing the home food environment and serving as a role model for physical activity. Other social relationships have specific, but limited roles. For example, friends served as partners for physical activity, aunts provided exposure to novel food experiences, and teachers and doctors provided information related to eating and physical activity. Conclusions Obesity prevention programmes should consider minority youths’ perceptions of social roles when designing interventions. Specifically, future research is needed to test the effectiveness of intervention strategies that enhance or expand the supportive roles played by social relationships.
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor antagonist (S,R)3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazole acetic acid methyl ester attenuates inflammation and lung injury in rats with acute pancreatitis in pregnancy

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is an inflammatory cytokine involved in many acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. However, its role in acute lung injury associated with acute pancreatitis in pregnancy (APIP) has not yet been elucidated. The present study was undertaken to clarify the effect and potential mechanism of MIF antagonist (S,R)3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazole acetic acid methyl ester (ISO-1) in the development of acute lung injury in rats with APIP. Eighteen late-gestation SD rats were randomly assigned to three groups: Sham operation (SO) group, APIP group, and ISO-1 group. All the rats were sacrificed 6 h after modeling. The severity of pancreatitis was evaluated by serum amylase (AMY), lipase (LIPA), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 and assessing the histopathological score. Lung injury was determined by performing histology and inflammatory cell infiltration investigations. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expression of MIF, phosphorylated and total P38 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) protein in lungs. The results showed that MIF was upregulated in the lung of APIP rats. Compared with APIP group, the intervention of ISO-1 alleviated the pathological injury of the pancreas and lungs, decreased serum AMY and LIPA, attenuated serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, reduced the number of MPO-positive cells in the lung and inhibited the activation of P38MAPK and NF-κB. These results suggest that MIF is activated in lung injury induced by APIP. Furhtermore, the present findings indicate that the MIF antagonist ISO-1 has a protective effect on lung injury and inflammation, which may be associated with deactivating the P38MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathway.
Species Adaptive Strategies and Leaf Economic Relationships across Serpentine and Non-Serpentine Habitats on Lesbos, Eastern Mediterranean

Shifts in species' traits across contrasting environments have the potential to influence ecosystem functioning. Plant communities on unusually harsh soils may have unique responses to environmental change, through the mediating role of functional plant traits. We conducted a field study comparing eight functional leaf traits of seventeen common species located on both serpentine and non-serpentine environments on Lesbos Island, in the eastern Mediterranean. We focused on species' adaptive strategies across the two contrasting environments and investigated the effect of trait variation on the robustness of core ‘leaf economic’ relationships across local environmental variability. Our results showed that the same species followed a conservative strategy on serpentine substrates and an exploitative strategy on non-serpentine ones, consistent with the leaf economic spectrum predictions. Although considerable species-specific trait variability emerged, the single-trait responses across contrasting environments were generally consistent. However, multivariate-trait responses were diverse. Finally, we found that the strength of relationships between core ‘leaf economic’ traits altered across local environmental variability. Our results highlight the divergent trait evolution on serpentine and non-serpentine communities and reinforce other findings presenting species-specific responses to environmental variation.
The bidirectional relationship between anxiety disorders and circulating levels of inflammatory markers: Results from a large longitudinal population‐based study

Although there has been abundant research on chronic low‐grade inflammation as a potential mechanism underlying the link between mood disorders and cardiovascular risk, less is known about the role of inflammatory factors and anxiety disorders. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the bi‐directional associations between inflammatory markers including interleukin (IL)‐6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, and high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) with anxiety disorders and its subgroups.
bdrmap: Inference of Borders Between IP Networks

We tackle the tedious and unsolved problem of automatically and correctly inferring network boundaries in traceroute. We explain why such a conceptually simple task is so hard in the real world, and how lack of progress has impeded a wide range of research and development efforts for decades. We develop and validate a method that uses targeted traceroutes, knowledge of traceroute idiosyncrasies, and codification of topological constraints in a structured set of heuristics, to correctly identify interdomain links at the granularity of individual border routers. In this study we focus on the network boundaries we have most confidence we can accurately infer in the presence of sampling bias: interdomain links attached to the network launching the traceroute. We develop a scalable implementation of our algorithm and validate it against ground truth information provided by four networks on 3,277 links, which showed 96.3% -- 98.9% of our inferences were correct. With 19 vantage points (VPs) distributed across a large U.S. broadband provider, we use our method to reveal the tremendous density of router-level interconnection between some ASes. In January 2016, the broadband provider had 45 router-level links with a Tier-1 peer. We also quantify the VP deployment required to observe this ISP's interdomain connectivity, with 17 VPs required to observe all 45 links. Our method forms the cornerstone of the system we are building to map interdomain performance, and we release our code.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Injections for the Treatment of Perianal Crohn’s Disease: Progress Made and Future Directions

BACKGROUND: There has been a surge in clinical trials studying the safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of perianal Crohn’s disease. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work was to systematically review the literature to determine safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of refractory perianal Crohn’s disease. DATA SOURCES: Sources included PubMed, Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase. STUDY SELECTION: Studies that reported safety and/or efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of perianal Crohn’s disease were included. Two independent assessors reviewed eligible articles. INTERVENTION: The study intervention was delivery of mesenchymal stem cells to treat perianal Crohn’s disease. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells used to treat perianal Crohn’s disease were measured. RESULTS: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Three trials with a comparison arm were included in the meta-analysis. There were no significant increases in adverse events (OR = 1.07 (95% CI, 0.61–1.89); p = 0.81) or serious adverse events (OR = 0.53 (95% CI, 0.28–0.98); p = 0.04) in patients treated with mesenchymal stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells were associated with improved healing as compared with control subjects at primary end points of 6 to 24 weeks (OR = 3.06 (95% CI, 1.05–8.90); p = 0.04) and 24 to 52 weeks (OR = 2.37 (95% CI, 0.90–6.25); p = 0.08). LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by its multiple centers and heterogeneity in the study inclusion criteria, mesenchymal stem cell origin, dose and frequency of delivery, use of scaffolding, and definition and time point of fistula healing. CONCLUSIONS: Although there have been only 3 trials conducted with control arms, existing data demonstrate improved efficacy and no increase in adverse or serious adverse events with mesenchymal stem cells as compared with control subjects for the treatment of perianal Crohn’s disease.
A longitudinal study on psychosocial causes and consequences of Internet gaming disorder in adolescence

Abstract Background In 2013, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) was incorporated in the current version of the DSM-5. IGD refers to a problematic use of video games. Longitudinal studies on the etiology of IGD are lacking. Furthermore, it is currently unclear to which extent associated psychopathological problems are causes or consequences of IGD. In the present survey, longitudinal associations between IGD and adolescent and parental mental health were investigated for the first time, as well as the temporal stability of IGD. Methods In a cross-lagged panel design study, family dyads (adolescent with a parent each) were examined in 2016 (t1) and again 1 year later (2017, t2). Overall, 1095 family dyads were assessed at t1 and 985 dyads were re-assessed at t2 with standardized measures of IGD and several aspects of adolescent and parental mental health. Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM). Results Male gender, a higher level of hyperactivity/inattention, self-esteem problems and IGD at t1 were predictors of IGD at t2. IGD at t1 was a predictor for adolescent emotional distress at t2. Overall, 357 out of the 985 adolescents received a diagnosis of IGD at t1 or t2: 142 (14.4%) at t1 and t2, 100 (10.2%) only at t1, and 115 (11.7%) only at t2. Conclusions Hyperactivity/inattention and self-esteem problems seem to be important for the development of IGD. We found first empirical evidence that IGD could prospectively contribute to a deterioration of adolescent mental health. Only a subgroup of affected adolescents showed IGD consistently over 1 year.
A randomized controlled trial of a Return-to-Work Coordinator model of care in a general hospital to facilitate return to work of injured workers.

BACKGROUND Return-to-work (RTW) programmes for injured workers have been prevalent in Western countries with established work injury management policies for decades. In recent years, more Asian countries have started to develop RTW programmes in the absence of work injury management policies. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of RTW programmes in Asia. OBJECTIVE Return-to-work coordination has been found to be an important facilitator in RTW programmes. This study seeks to determine the effectiveness of a Return-to-work coordinator (RTWC) model of care in facilitating early RTW for injured workers in Singapore. METHODS A randomized controlled trial was used. 160 injured workers in a general hospital were randomly allocated to either control (receive usual hospital standard care) or intervention (assigned a RTWC) group. The RTWC closely supported RTW arrangements and proactively liaised with employers and healthcare professionals on RTW solutions for the injured workers. RESULTS At three months post injury, workers in the intervention group RTW 10 days earlier than the control group, with a higher proportion of workers in the intervention group returning to modified jobs. There were no significant differences in the quality of life measures between the two groups. CONCLUSION The addition of a RTWC into the hospital model of care is effective in facilitating early RTW for injured workers. This could be a potential model of care for injured workers in Asian countries where work injury management policies are not yet established.
Anonymous Three-Party Password-Authenticated Key Exchange Scheme for Telecare Medical Information Systems

Telecare Medical Information Systems (TMIS) provide an effective way to enhance the medical process between doctors, nurses and patients. For enhancing the security and privacy of TMIS, it is important while challenging to enhance the TMIS so that a patient and a doctor can perform mutual authentication and session key establishment using a third-party medical server while the privacy of the patient can be ensured. In this paper, we propose an anonymous three-party password-authenticated key exchange (3PAKE) protocol for TMIS. The protocol is based on the efficient elliptic curve cryptosystem. For security, we apply the pi calculus based formal verification tool ProVerif to show that our 3PAKE protocol for TMIS can provide anonymity for patient and doctor while at the same time achieves mutual authentication and session key security. The proposed scheme is secure and efficient, and can be used in TMIS.
An integrative approach to delimiting species in a rare but widespread mycoheterotrophic orchid

In the spirit of recent calls for species delimitation studies to become more pluralistic, incorporating multiple sources of evidence, we adopted an integrative, phylogeographic approach to delimiting species and evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) in the Corallorhiza striata species complex. This rare, North American, mycoheterotrophic orchid has been a taxonomic challenge regarding species boundaries, displaying complex patterns of variation and reduced vegetative morphology. We employed plastid DNA, nuclear DNA and morphometrics, treating the C. striata complex as a case study for integrative species delimitation. We found evidence for the differentiation of the endangered C. bentleyi (eastern USA) + C. striata var. involuta (Mexico) from the remaining C. striata (= C. striata s.s.; USA, Canada, Mexico). Corallorhiza striata involuta and C. bentleyi, disjunct by thousands of kilometres (Mexico‐Appalachia), were genetically identical but morphologically distinct. Evidence suggests the C. striata complex represents three species: C. bentleyi, C. involuta and a widespread C. striata s.s under operational criteria of diagnosability and common allele pools. In contrast, Bayesian coalescent estimation delimited four species, but more informative loci and a resultant species tree will be needed to place higher confidence in future analyses. Three distinct groupings were identified within C. striata s.s. , corresponding to C. striata striata, C. striata vreelandii, and Californian accessions, but these were not delimited as species because of occupying a common allele pool. Each comprises an ESU, warranting conservation considerations. This study represents perhaps the most geographically comprehensive example of integrative species delimitation for any orchid and any mycoheterotroph.
Approximate Multicommodity Flow for WDM Networks Design

The design of WDM optical networks is an issue for telecom operators since the spreading of this technology will not occur unless enough performance guarantees are provided. Motivated by the quest for efficient algorithms for the Routing and Wavelength Assignment problem (RWA), we address approximations of the fractional multicommodity flow problem which is the central part of a complex randomized rounding algorithm for the integral problem. Through the use of dynamic shortest path computations and other combinatorial approaches, we improve on the best known algorithm. We also provide directions for further improvements.
Intelligent Retrieval Model : Object Oriented Search

Information handling through improved search mechanisms is and will remain the driving force behind rich patterns of access to web contents. Keyword search offers only an imperfect solution to information discovery over web as it misses many relevant documents of today’s users. By its fundamental nature, keyword search is sharply focused to find the exact terms specified in the query. The proposed Intelligent Retrieval Model exploits the object oriented concepts for information representation. This kind of conceptual modeling of web based inheritance boosts data structuring flexibility and caters to the density of diverse web information needs. The guiding principle of proposed model for intelligent retrieval over World Wide Web is the adequate representation of relevant complex relationships between the various entities in the real world. The result approves better hierarchical relationship recognition among web objects leading to less complex computing.
Personalized survival predictions via Trees of Predictors: An application to cardiac transplantation

Background Risk prediction is crucial in many areas of medical practice, such as cardiac transplantation, but existing clinical risk-scoring methods have suboptimal performance. We develop a novel risk prediction algorithm and test its performance on the database of all patients who were registered for cardiac transplantation in the United States during 1985-2015. Methods and findings We develop a new, interpretable, methodology (ToPs: Trees of Predictors) built on the principle that specific predictive (survival) models should be used for specific clusters within the patient population. ToPs discovers these specific clusters and the specific predictive model that performs best for each cluster. In comparison with existing clinical risk scoring methods and state-of-the-art machine learning methods, our method provides significant improvements in survival predictions, both post- and pre-cardiac transplantation. For instance: in terms of 3-month survival post-transplantation, our method achieves AUC of 0.660; the best clinical risk scoring method (RSS) achieves 0.587. In terms of 3-year survival/mortality predictions post-transplantation (in comparison to RSS), holding specificity at 80.0%, our algorithm correctly predicts survival for 2,442 (14.0%) more patients (of 17,441 who actually survived); holding sensitivity at 80.0%, our algorithm correctly predicts mortality for 694 (13.0%) more patients (of 5,339 who did not survive). ToPs achieves similar improvements for other time horizons and for predictions pre-transplantation. ToPs discovers the most relevant features (covariates), uses available features to best advantage, and can adapt to changes in clinical practice. Conclusions We show that, in comparison with existing clinical risk-scoring methods and other machine learning methods, ToPs significantly improves survival predictions both post- and pre-cardiac transplantation. ToPs provides a more accurate, personalized approach to survival prediction that can benefit patients, clinicians, and policymakers in making clinical decisions and setting clinical policy. Because survival prediction is widely used in clinical decision-making across diseases and clinical specialties, the implications of our methods are far-reaching.