Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk of endometrial cancer in relation to individual nutrients from diet and supplements

Abstract Objective Intake of nutrients may influence the risk of endometrial cancer (EC). We aimed to estimate the association of intake of individual nutrients from food and from food plus supplements with EC occurrence. Design A population-based case–control study conducted in Canada (2002–2006). Setting Nutrient intakes from food and supplements were assessed using an FFQ. Logistic regression was used to estimate EC risk within quartile levels of nutrient intakes. Subjects Incident EC cases (n 506) were identified from the Alberta Cancer Registry, and population controls were frequency- and age-matched to cases (n 981). Results There existed little evidence of an association with EC for the majority of macronutrients and micronutrients examined. We observed a statistically significant increased risk associated with the highest, compared with the lowest, quartile of intake of dietary cholesterol (multivariable-adjusted OR = 1·51, 95 % CI 1·08, 2·11; P for trend = 0·02). Age-adjusted risk at the highest level of intake was significantly reduced for Ca from food sources (OR = 0·73, 95 % CI 0·54, 0·99) but was attenuated in the multivariable model (OR = 0·82, 95 % CI 0·59, 1·13). When intake from supplements was included in Ca intake, risk was significantly reduced by 28 % with higher Ca (multivariable-adjusted OR = 0·72, 95 % CI 0·51, 0·99, P for trend = 0·04). We also observed unexpected increased risks at limited levels of intakes of dietary soluble fibre, vitamin C, thiamin, vitamin B6 and lutein/zeaxanthin, with no evidence for linear trend. Conclusions The results of our study suggest a positive association between dietary cholesterol and EC risk and an inverse association with Ca intake from food sources and from food plus supplements.
Rapid flow cytometric bacterial detection and determination of susceptibility to amikacin in body fluids and exudates

A flow cytometry-based method for rapid and quantitative detection of bacteria in various clinical specimens and for rapid determination of antibiotic effect is described. Achieving such a measurement with high sensitivity required discrimination between bacteria and other particles which were often present in clinical samples in high concentrations. This discrimination was facilitated by detecting the bacterial characteristic light scatter and fluorescence signals following staining, e.g., with the fluorescent nucleic acid-binding dye ethidium bromide, as well as by measuring bacterial proliferation during short time intervals. Antibiotic susceptibility was measured by observing the inhibition of such proliferation. The method was applied to 43 clinical specimens from various sources, such as wound exudates, bile, serous cavity fluids, and bronchial lavage. Bacterial detection, achieved in less than 2 h, agreed with results of conventional methods with a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 88%. Susceptibility to amikacin was detected in 1 h in 92% of 13 positive specimens.
The various impacts of the hepatitis C virus core protein upon hepatic oxidative stress after common bile duct ligation and partial hepatectomy

Abstract Introduction: Although it is uncertain how the hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein influences hepatic oxidative stress after partial hepatectomy and common bile duct ligation (CBDL) this may be crucial for the prognosis of patients with HCV infection who have undergone hepatic resection, or who have complications due to a biliary tract obstruction. Materials and methods: A group of double transgenic mice (DTM) that express both the tetracycline transactivator (tTA) and the HCV core, with conditional, acute expression of the HCV core in the context of the mature liver were subjected to 43% partial hepatectomy and CBDL. The levels of thioredoxin-1, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) were evaluated in liver samples taken 3 days after the operations. Results: The DTM had significantly higher TBARS levels than mice that were transgenic for only tTA (i.e. single transgenic mice; STM) and non-transgenic mice (NTM) after a sham laparotomy, CBDL and partial hepatectomy. Of the DTM, the TBARS levels were higher in female mice than in males after a sham laparotomy (P = 0.02) and CBDL (P = 0.0001). 4-HNE staining data were compatible with these results. Furthermore, male DTM exhibited higher levels of thioredoxin-1 than female DTM after sham laparotomy (P = 0.012) and CBDL (P = 0.008). Conclusions: The HCV core increases hepatic oxidative stress in vivo and female DTM are more vulnerable to the oxidative stress caused by acute core expression with, or without, CBDL. The fact that the female DTM had lower thioredoxin-1 levels may account for this observation.
An Association Between Montessori Education in Childhood and Adult Wellbeing

Wellbeing, or how people think and feel about their lives, predicts important life outcomes from happiness to health to longevity. Montessori pedagogy has features that enhance wellbeing contemporaneously and predictively, including self-determination, meaningful activities, and social stability. Here, 1905 adults, ages 18–81 (M = 36), filled out a large set of wellbeing scales followed by demographic information including type of school attended each year from 2 to 17. About half the sample had only attended conventional schools and the rest had attended Montessori for between 2 and 16 years (M = 8 years). To reduce the variable set, we first developed a measurement model of wellbeing using the survey data with exploratory then confirmatory factor analyses, arriving at four factors: general wellbeing, engagement, social trust, and self-confidence. A structural equation model that accounted for age, gender, race, childhood SES, and years in private school revealed that attending Montessori for at least two childhood years was associated with significantly higher adult wellbeing on all four factors. A second analysis found that the difference in wellbeing between Montessori and conventional schools existed even among the subsample that had exclusively attended private schools. A third analysis found that the more years one attended Montessori, the higher one’s wellbeing as an adult. Unmeasured selection effects could explain the results, in which case research should determine what third variable associated with Montessori schooling causes adult wellbeing. Several other limitations to the study are also discussed. Although some of these limitations need to be addressed, coupled with other research, including studies in which children were randomly assigned to Montessori schools, this study suggests that attending Montessori as a child might plausibly cause higher adult wellbeing.
Spectral edge frequency of the electroencephalogram to monitor "depth" of anaesthesia with isoflurane or propofol.

To determine threshold values, sensitivity and specificity of the spectral edge frequency (SEF) of the electroencephalogram (EEG) that indicate intraoperative movements, we studied 49 patients undergoing, elective laparotomy. Extradural analgesia was used in all patients. To maintain general anaesthesia, patients in group 1 (n = 23) received 0.4-1.2 vol% isoflurane and patients in group 2 (n = 24) propofol 3-5 mg kg-1 h-1 i.v. During operation and emergence from anaesthesia, spontaneous purposeful movements were documented. The EEG was recorded continuously in the awake state until the end of anaesthesia. Power spectral analysis calculated the SEF and power in the delta, theta, alpha and beta bands and the delta ratio. Adequate anaesthesia caused a statistically significant decrease in SEF from 16 to 12 Hz. Power in the beta band decreased and power in the theta band and total power increased compared with the awake state. Before and during movements observed in the intraoperative period or during emergence from general anaesthesia, SEF increased from 12 to 18 Hz, the power in beta band increased and theta power decreased compared with the state of adequate anaesthesia. A threshold value of SEF 14 Hz to predict movements during anaesthesia had a sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 82%.
Routine administration of oral polio vaccine in a subtropical area. Factors possibly influencing sero-conversion rates

SUMMARY Poliomyelitis is an important problem of public health in warm-climate countries. Studies of serological responses to vaccination in these countries have given conflicting results but in many investigations the rates have been considerably less than in countries with temperate climates. In this study three possible factors influencing sero-conversion were investigated – the season of the year when vaccine was given, the social status of the mother (as indicated by the number of years of schooling) and the presence of non-poliomyelitis viruses (NPV) in the gut when vaccine was given. Over 200 children about 2 months of age were included in the study. Each was given three doses of trivalent vaccine at 6-week intervals. The sero-conversion rates of the groups fed in winter were excellent but were slightly less good in summer. The differences were greatest in children in the lower socio-economic groups and in children excreting other enteroviruses. The conclusions are that, provided a potent vaccine is used, the factors which diminish the effectiveness of immunization in warm-climate countries can be overcome: (1) by giving three doses of trivalent vaccine; (2) by beginning vaccination at the earliest possible age (when enteroviruses are fewest); (3) by concentrating special attention on the lower socio-economic groups and if necessary by giving a reinforcing dose several months after the third dose has been given – preferably in the colder months.
Adaptive Modulation In MIMO System with AFE Constraints

MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) configuration is a popular method for high data wireless transmission. In this paper an adaptive modulation scheme for MIMO channels was addressed. Assuming a block fading channel model and perfect knowledge of channel state, we invested adaptive modulation scheme that provides better throughput under the constraints on the power of each antenna analog front-end (AFE) which is the case of applications. Our analysis is based on the convex optimization. Then a low-complexity iterative bit-loading algorithm implementing this solution is also developed. The performance of the scheme is also examined through analysis and simulations
Expression of LMP1 in epithelial cells leads to the activation of a select subset of NF-kappa B/Rel family proteins

This study demonstrates that the Epstein-Barr virus protein LMP1 activates a specific subset of NF-kappa B/Rel proteins in the C33 epithelial cell line. Western immunoblot analysis used to analyze the intracellular distribution and abundance of the proteins present in these complexes demonstrated that levels of the p50 and p52 proteins were significantly elevated in the nuclei of LMP1-expressing cells. The data also suggest that LMP1 facilitates the translocation of p50 to the nucleus and may affect the processing of the p100 and p105 precursor proteins or the stability of p52 and p50.
Load balancing with bounded convergence in dynamic networks

Load balancing is an important activity in distributed systems. At a high-level of abstraction, this problem assumes processes in the system begin with a potentially uneven assignment of “work” which they must then attempt to spread evenly. There are many different approaches to solving this problem. In this paper, we focus on local load balancing — an approach in which work is balanced in an iterative and distributed manner by having processes exchange work in each round with neighbors in an underlying communication network. The goal with local load balancing is to prove that these local exchanges will lead over time to a global balance. We describe and analyze a new local load balancing strategy called max neighbor, and prove a bound on the number of rounds required for it to obtain a parameterized level of balance, with high probability, in a general dynamic network topology. We then prove this analysis tight (within logarithmic factors) by describing a network and initial work distribution for which max neighbor matches its upper bound, and then build on this to prove that no load balancing algorithm in which every node exchanges work with at most one partner per round can converge asymptotically faster than max neighbor.
Neuroinflammation and Tau Interact with Amyloid in Predicting Sleep Problems in Aging Independently of Atrophy

Sleep problems relate to brain changes in aging and disease, but the mechanisms are unknown. Studies suggest a relationship between β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation and sleep, which is likely augmented by interactions with multiple variables. Here, we tested how different cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for brain pathophysiology, brain atrophy, memory function, and depressive symptoms predicted self-reported sleep patterns in 91 cognitively healthy older adults over a 3-year period. The results showed that CSF levels of total- and phosphorylated (P) tau, and YKL-40-a marker of neuroinflammation/astroglial activation-predicted poor sleep in Aβ positive older adults. Interestingly, although brain atrophy was strongly predictive of poor sleep, the relationships between CSF biomarkers and sleep were completely independent of atrophy. A joint analysis showed that unique variance in sleep was explained by P-tau and the P-tau × Aβ interaction, memory function, depressive symptoms, and brain atrophy. The results demonstrate that sleep relates to a range of different pathophysiological processes, underscoring the importance of understanding its impact on neurocognitive changes in aging and people with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.
An Investigation of Alternative High School Students’ Perceptions of Barriers to Education

In recent years, research has investigated the phenomenon of high school drop outs. Research has been conducted at the local, state, national, and international levels. Data have been gathered on the gender, socio economic status, ethnic and racial status, to name just a few of the categories. Information has also been gathered about the various identifiable risk factors (Belfield, 2007; Chapman, 2007; Swanson, 2008; Gleason & Dynarski, 2002). There has been little research about dropping out from the perspective of the potential dropouts themselves (Harvey & Housman, 2005). Most research focused on solid quantitative data, resulting in scores of informative facts and figures. While these hard quantitative data have provided an informative statistical landscape, they only provided part of the total picture of the high school dropout. Several researchers have written about the lack of scholarly information that encompasses the viewpoint of the high school students themselves (Garnier, Stein, & Jacobs, 1997). Investigators cited the need for more research to be conducted to examine the viewpoint of the student (Bridgeland & Dilulio, 2002). There was a lack of research on students’ perceptions of how alternative high schools can help students stay in school. This study used qualitative methods to examine alternative high school students perception of barriers to education and how their alternative high school helped them stay in school. This study used archival data from the school, field observation notes, and interviews with 10 students. This research attempted to answer two questions: What do alternative high school students perceive to be barriers to education? How is the alternative high school helping students to stay in school?
Annexin A1 mediates the anti‐inflammatory effects during the granulocytic differentiation process in all‐trans retinoic acid‐treated acute promyelocytic leukemic cells

Annexin A1 (AnxA1) originating from mature neutrophils and their microparticles (MPs) plays an important anti‐inflammatory role during the resolution phase of inflammation. However, the role of AnxA1 during the process of granulocytic differentiation is still unknown. All‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) can induce acute promyelocytic leukemic (APL) cells to differentiate along the granulocytic lineage and has been used successfully in treating APL patients. In this study, we investigated whether or not AnxA1 contributed to the anti‐inflammatory properties of ATRA‐treated APL (NB4; ATRA‐NB) cells using the transmigratory and adhesive assays. We found that ATRA was able to enhance the surface expression of AnxA1 and its receptor (FPR2/ALX) and the release of AnxA1‐containing MPs from ATRA‐NB4 cells, while the expression of annexin V was not elevated on the latter cells. Further studies demonstrated that exogenous AnxA1 could inhibit ATRA‐NB4 cells in their transmigratory activity and adhesion to endothelial cells. In addition, the transmigratory activity of ATRA‐NB4 cells can be significantly enhanced by pretreatment with a FPR2/ALX neutralizing antibody, suggesting that endogenous AnxA1 may contribute to the anti‐migratory effects. Finally, ATRA‐NB4‐derived MPs could also inhibit recipient cells in their transmigratory and adhesive activities and these anti‐inflammatory effects could be inhibited by pretreatment of MPs with a specific anti‐AnxA1 antibody. Flowcytometry studies further demonstrated that FITC‐labeled AnxA1 could be transported from MPs to the membrane of recipient ATRA‐NB4 cells. We conclude that biologically active AnxA1 may play a role in the anti‐inflammatory properties of ATRA‐treated APL cells during the process of granulocytic differentiation. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 3661–3669, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Studying toxic behavior influence and player chat in an online video game

Many online collaborative games, e-sports in particular, heavily rely on teamwork. However, players can act in an antisocial way during the match, creating dissent into the match. This kind of behavior is referred to as toxic. We aim to discover the influence brought by toxic behavior in a popular e-sport, League of Legends, through the study of communication patterns of players during the match. We discovered that different communication patterns exist, and that they are directly related to player performance and level of toxic behavior. We also propose metrics to analyze players' performance and the toxic contamination level, which measures the negative impacts of the toxic behavior. Our analysis contributes to shed light on how players behave in an online game, and opens ways to provide a better ambience on the online video game community.
Host selection by Anopheles arabiensis and An. quadriannulatus feeding on cattle in Zimbabwe

Abstract In the Zambezi valley, mosquito females of the Anopheles gambiae Giles complex (Diptera: Culicidae) were collected from a hut containing pairs of cattle distinguishable by known DNA markers. DNA was extracted from the blood‐fed mosquito abdomens and primer sets for ungulate and mosquito DNA loci were used to identify the mosquito sibling species and individual host source(s) of their bloodmeals. The 67 mosquitoes comprised a mixture of An. arabiensis Patton (31%) and An. quadriannulatus Theobald (69%). DNA from one or both of the cattle present in the hut was detected in 91% of samples. When the hut contained an adult and a calf, the percentage of bloodmeals from the adult, the calf and adult + calf were 58%, 27% and 15%, respectively; the trend towards meals from the adult host was consistent but not always significant. When the pair of cattle comprised two adults of roughly equal size and age, then mosquitoes generally showed no significant bias towards feeding from one individual. There was no significant difference in the pattern of host selection made by An. arabiensis and An. quadriannulatus but the former had a significantly higher percentage (20%) of mixed meals than An. quadriannulatus (9%). These two members of the An. gambiae complex appear to be less selective in their choice of cattle hosts compared to day‐active Diptera such as tsetse and Stomoxys, possibly because the hosts are generally asleep when Anopheles are active and there is therefore less selective pressure to adapt to host defensive behaviour. The slight bias of Anopheles towards older and/or larger cattle may be related to the host's larger surface area.
A Novel Trypanosoma cruzi Protein Associated to the Flagellar Pocket of Replicative Stages and Involved in Parasite Growth

The flagellar pocket constitutes an active and strategic site in the body of trypanosomatids (i.e. parasitic protozoa that cause important human and/or livestock diseases), which participates in several important processes such as cell polarity, morphogenesis and replication. Most importantly, the flagellar pocket is the unique site of surface protein export and nutrient uptake in trypanosomatids, and thus constitutes a key portal for the interaction with the host. In this work, we identified and characterized a novel Trypanosoma cruzi protein, termed TCLP 1, that accumulates at the flagellar pocket area of parasite replicative forms, as revealed by biochemical, immuno-cytochemistry and electron microscopy techniques. Different in silico analyses revealed that TCLP 1 is the founding member of a family of chimeric molecules restricted to trypanosomatids bearing, in addition to eukaryotic ubiquitin-like and protein-protein interacting domains, a motif displaying significant structural homology to bacterial multi-cargo chaperones involved in the secretion of virulence factors. Using the fidelity of an homologous expression system we confirmed TCLP 1 sub-cellular distribution and showed that TCLP 1-over-expressing parasites display impaired survival and accelerated progression to late stationary phase under starvation conditions. The reduced endocytic capacity of TCLP 1-over-expressors likely underlies (at least in part) this growth phenotype. TCLP 1 is involved in the uptake of extracellular macromolecules required for nutrition and hence in T. cruzi growth. Due to the bacterial origin, sub-cellular distribution and putative function(s), we propose TCLP 1 and related orthologs in trypanosomatids as appealing therapeutic targets for intervention against these health-threatening parasites.
A one‐locus model of androdioecy with two homomorphic self‐incompatibility groups: expected vs. observed male frequencies

Androdioecy, the occurrence of males and hermaphrodites in a single population, is a rare breeding system because the conditions for maintenance of males are restrictive. In the androdioecious shrub Phillyrea angustifolia, high male frequencies are observed in some populations. The species has a sporophytic self‐incompatibility (SI) system with two self‐incompatibility groups, which ensures that two groups of hermaphrodites can each mate only with the other group, whereas males can fertilize hermaphrodites of both groups. Here, we analyse a population genetic model to investigate the dynamics of such an androdioecious species, assuming that self‐incompatibility and sex phenotypes are determined by a single locus. Our model confirms a previous prediction that a slight reproductive advantage of males relative to hermaphrodites allows the maintenance of males at high equilibrium frequencies. The model predicts different equilibria between hermaphrodites of the two SI groups and males, depending on the male advantage, the initial composition of the population and the population size, whose effect is studied through stochastic simulations. Although the model can generate high male frequencies, observed frequencies are considerably higher than the model predicts. We finally discuss how this model may help explain the large male frequency variation observed in other androdioecious species of Oleaceae: some species show only androdioecious populations, as P. angustifolia, whereas others show populations either completely hermaphrodite or androdioecious.