Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A novel modification of poly(L-lysine) leading to a soluble cationic polymer with reduced toxicity and with potential as a transfection agent

Chemical modification of poly(L-lysine) by hydrogen transfer addition of N,N-dimethylacrylamide to the primary amino groups results in new water soluble derivatives with reduced cell toxicity which maintain basic properties. Kinetic studies on the addition reaction were performed using model compounds, and a reliable kinetic model was obtained which proved to be valuable also in the case of poly(L-lysine). A peculiar feature of the addition reaction of poly(L-lysine) on N,N-dimethylacrylamide is that, starting from partially protonated poly(L-lysine), the reaction stops after that all the unprotonated units originally present have reacted. Toxicological studies on modified poly(L-lysine) in comparsion with parent poly(L-lysine) showed that the modifying reaction leads to a reduction in toxicity.
Variation in forest inventory field measurements

Field crews from the North Central Forest Experiment Station independently measured two forest inventory plots in Michigan's Upper Peninsula; one plot was measured by eight crews and the other was measured by nine different crews. For 61 trees, the variation in measurements of diameter at breast height (DBH), crown ratio, and site index is described. For DBH, the distribution of field crew mistakes and the distribution of measurements without mistakes are described separately. For crown ratio, the distribution of differences between individual estimates and the most frequently occurring estimate for corresponding trees is described. For site index, the distribution of differences between individual estimates and the mean of plot estimates is described. Coefficients of variation were less than 5% for DBH, approximately 73% for crown ratio, and 13% and 16% for site index for the two plots. The effects of variation in measurements on 20-year predictions of basal area and cumulative basal area growth were est.
The Future of Capsule Endoscopy: The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Other Technical Advancements

Capsule endoscopy has revolutionized the management of small-bowel diseases owing to its convenience and noninvasiveness. Capsule endoscopy is a common method for the evaluation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, Crohn’s disease, small-bowel tumors, and polyposis syndrome. However, the laborious reading process, oversight of small-bowel lesions, and lack of locomotion are major obstacles to expanding its application. Along with recent advances in artificial intelligence, several studies have reported the promising performance of convolutional neural network systems for the diagnosis of various small-bowel lesions including erosion/ulcers, angioectasias, polyps, and bleeding lesions, which have reduced the time needed for capsule endoscopy interpretation. Furthermore, colon capsule endoscopy and capsule endoscopy locomotion driven by magnetic force have been investigated for clinical application, and various capsule endoscopy prototypes for active locomotion, biopsy, or therapeutic approaches have been introduced. In this review, we will discuss the recent advancements in artificial intelligence in the field of capsule endoscopy, as well as studies on other technological improvements in capsule endoscopy.
Clusters of Adolescent Physical Activity Tracker Patterns and Their Associations With Physical Activity Behaviors in Finland and Ireland: Cross-Sectional Study

Background Physical activity trackers (PATs) such as apps and wearable devices (eg, sports watches, heart rate monitors) are increasingly being used by young adolescents. Despite the potential of PATs to help monitor and improve moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) behaviors, there is a lack of research that confirms an association between PAT ownership or use and physical activity behaviors at the population level. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the ownership and use of PATs in youth and their associations with physical activity behaviors, including daily MVPA, sports club membership, and active travel, in 2 nationally representative samples of young adolescent males and females in Finland and Ireland. Methods Comparable data were gathered in the 2018 Finnish School-aged Physical Activity (F-SPA 2018, n=3311) and the 2018 Irish Children’s Sport Participation and Physical Activity (CSPPA 2018, n=4797) studies. A cluster analysis was performed to obtain the patterns of PAT ownership and usage by adolescents (age, 11-15 years). Four similar clusters were identified across Finnish and Irish adolescents: (1) no PATs, (2) PAT owners, (3) app users, and (4) wearable device users. Adjusted binary logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate how PAT clusters were associated with physical activity behaviors, including daily MVPA, membership of sports clubs, and active travel, after stratification by gender. Results The proportion of app ownership among Finnish adolescents (2038/3311, 61.6%) was almost double that of their Irish counterparts (1738/4797, 36.2%). Despite these differences, the clustering patterns of PATs were similar between the 2 countries. App users were more likely to take part in daily MVPA (males, odds ratio [OR] 1.27, 95% CI 1.04-1.55; females, OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.20-1.85) and be members of sports clubs (males, OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.15-1.62; females, OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.07-1.50) compared to the no PATs cluster, after adjusting for country, age, family affluence, and disabilities. These associations, after the same adjustments, were even stronger for wearable device users to participate in daily MVPA (males, OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.49-2.23; females, OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.80-2.82) and be members of sports clubs (males, OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.55-2.88; females, OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.71-2.52). Significant associations were observed between male users of wearable devices and taking part in active travel behavior (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.04-1.86). Conclusions Although Finnish adolescents report more ownership of PATs than Irish adolescents, the patterns of use and ownership remain similar among the cohorts. The findings of our study show that physical activity behaviors were positively associated with wearable device users and app users. These findings were similar between males and females. Given the cross-sectional nature of this data, the relationship between using apps or wearable devices and enhancing physical activity behaviors requires further investigation.
Distinct eGFR trajectories are associated with risk of myocardial infarction in people with diabetes or prediabetes

The relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) trajectories and myocardial infarction (MI) has so far been unclear in people with diabetes or prediabetes. We aimed to identify common eGFR trajectories in people with diabetes or prediabetes and to examine their association with MI risk.
Stability analysis in a mosquito population suppression model

In this work, we study a non-autonomous differential equation model for the interaction of wild and sterile mosquitoes. Suppose that the number of sterile mosquitoes released in the field is a given nonnegative continuous function. We determine a threshold for the number of sterile mosquitoes and provide a sufficient condition for the origin to be globally asymptotically stable based on the threshold . For the case when the number of sterile mosquitoes keeps at a constant level, we find that the origin is globally asymptotically stable if and only if the constant number of sterile mosquitoes released in the field is above .
A Rare Complication of Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Catheter: Perforation of Sigmoid Colon by Migrating Tip of Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter

Patient: Male, 12-year-old Final Diagnosis: Colonic perforation Symptoms: Rectal prolapse Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Surgery removal Specialty: Nephrology Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has benefits over hemodialysis (HD), including the ability of daily performance at home without interfering with important activities such as school attendance in children. However, there are risks and complications associated with it. This is the third pediatric case report of a dormant PD catheter tip perforating the colon and protruding through the anus, but without peritonitis, as would be highly expected. Case Report: A 12-year-old male with ESRD secondary to obstructive uropathy received a pre-emptive deceased donor kidney transplant that failed within a few days due to thrombosis secondary to factor V Leiden deficiency. Transplant nephrectomy was performed and several months later he was started on PD. Subsequently, due to multiple episodes of catheter drain failure, the modality was switched to HD with a plan to remove the PD catheter later. Two months after discontinuing PD, he presented to the Emergency Department with the catheter tip protruding through the anus and he was asymptomatic. Abdominal X-ray (AXR) and CT scans were performed. The PD catheter was removed and the colon was repaired by proctosigmoidoscopy and laparotomy. Five years later, he continues to be on HD by preference, with arteriovenous fistula (AVF), without any complications of perforation. Conclusions: There are 2 cases previously reported in children with colonic perforation by the tip of a PD catheter without signs and symptoms of peritonitis, but those patients were on immunosuppression after kidney transplant. Our patient is unique because he was not on immunosuppression.
Combined targeting of G protein‐coupled receptor and EGF receptor signaling overcomes resistance to PI3K pathway inhibitors in PTEN‐null triple negative breast cancer

Abstract Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) has poorer prognosis compared to other types of breast cancers due to the lack of effective therapies and markers for patient stratification. Loss of PTEN tumor suppressor gene expression is a frequent event in TNBC, resulting in over‐activation of the PI 3‐kinase (PI3K) pathway and sensitivity to its inhibition. However, PI3K pathway inhibitors show limited efficacy as monotherapies on these tumors. We report a whole‐genome screen to identify targets whose inhibition enhanced the effects of different PI3K pathway inhibitors on PTEN‐null TNBC. This identified a signaling network that relies on both the G protein‐coupled receptor for thrombin (PAR1/F2R) and downstream G protein βγ subunits and also epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) for the activation of the PI3K isoform p110β and AKT. Compensation mechanisms involving these two branches of the pathway could bypass PI3K blockade, but combination targeting of both EGFR and PI3Kβ suppressed ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation and exerted anti‐tumor activity both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting a new potential therapeutic strategy for PTEN‐null TNBC.
Low serum levels of bone turnover markers are associated with the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Accumulating evidence demonstrates an association of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its microvascular complications with increased fracture risk. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationships between serum concentrations of bone turnover markers and the presence and/or severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) among patients with T2DM.
Effect of COVID-19 on Tuberculosis Notification, South Korea

After South Korea raised its infectious disease alert to the highest level in response to coronavirus disease emergence, tuberculosis notification during the first 18 weeks of 2020 decreased significantly from the same period for each year during 2015–2019. Adequate measures to diagnose, control, and prevent tuberculosis need to be maintained.
Comparative analysis of cytotoxic effect of aqueous cinnamon extract from Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark with commercial cinnamaldehyde on various cell lines

A thorough comparative analysis of cytotoxic effect of an aqueous cinnamon extract (ACE) from the bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum L. (Lauraceae) with that of commercially available cinnamaldehyde was performed on various human as well as mouse cell lines and primary cells. The aqueous cinnamon extract (ACE) proved to be more cytotoxic to cancerous cells at concentrations just above 0.16 mg/mL (containing 1.28 μM cinnamaldehyde) around which the commercial cinnamaldehyde (1.6 μM) had no cytotoxic effect. At a critical concentration of 1.28 mg/mL (containing 10.24 μM cinnamaldehyde), ACE treatment resulted in 35-85% growth inhibition of the majority of the cancerous cells, whereas at a similar concentration (10 μM) commercial cinnamaldehyde treatment resulted in 30% growth inhibition of only SK-N-MC cells with no effect on other cell lines. These results suggest that ACE had a significant inhibitory effect on the majority of cancer cells and thus may prove to be a chemotherapeutic agent.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE OF HABROBRACON HEBETOR SAY (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE) TO VARIOUS DENSITIES OF THE HOST, PLODIA INTERPUNCTELLA HÜBNER (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

The effect temperature on the functional response of Habrobracon hebetor Say attacking different densities of fifth instar Indian moth, Plodia interpunctella Hubner was examined. Three temperatures (20, 28 and 35°C) and seven host densities (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24and32) were used. A type III functional response model was fit to 20°C and 28°C, respectively. Type II functional response model fit to 35°C. Parameter b, which describes the change in attack rate with host density of H. hebetor was 0.011, 0.025 and 0.002, respectively. Handling time calculated was 2.045, 0.77 and 1.69 h, respectively. The results indicated that handling time and instantaneous search rate varied with temperature.
Molecular diversity of the calcified red algal genus Tricleocarpa (Galaxauraceae, Nemaliales) with the description of T. jejuensis and T. natalensis

Wiriyadamrikul J., Geraldino P.J.L. , Huisman J.M. , Lewmanomont K. and Boo S.M. 2013. Molecular diversity of the calcified red algal genus Tricleocarpa (Galaxauraceae, Nemaliales) with the description of T. jejuensis and T. natalensis. Phycologia 52: 338–551. DOI: 10.2216/13-155.1 Tricleocarpa (Nemaliales) is a calcified, dichotomously branched red algal genus currently with two recognized species, T. cylindrica and T. fragilis, both widely distributed in warm temperate and tropical seas. We evaluated the relationships of Tricleocarpa using molecular markers, including 35 rbcL and 32 cox1 sequences, from specimens in the western Pacific, the Hawaiian Islands and South Africa. Our results demonstrated the presence of seven genetically distinct groups. The range of T. cylindrica was confirmed to include the West Indies, the Hawaiian Islands, and Asian waters, and specimens referable to T. fragilis were found in Asia. On the basis of our molecular analyses and detailed morphological examinations, we were able to discriminate two taxa that we here describe as new species: T. jejuensis sp. nov. and T. natalensis sp. nov. Tricleocarpa jejuensis, known from Korea, Japan, South Africa, and Taiwan, was distinguished by the presence of three to four cortical cell layers with elongated to compressed subsurface and innermost cells, monoecious sexuality, spherical cystocarps, and paraphyses intermixed with gonimoblast filaments. Tricleocarpa natalensis from Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa was characterized by three layers of elongate cortical cells, monoecious sexuality, hemispherical cystocarps, and paraphyses rarely intermixed with gonimoblast filaments. Our phylogenetic analyses indicated that three further clades were recognized at species level, but these were based on a few specimens and were not morphologically distinct; further sampling is needed in regions outside Asian waters before additional taxonomic revisions can be proposed.
Identification of a restriction endonuclease (SacC1) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

SacC1 is a novel restriction endonuclease from Saccharomyces cerevisiae that recognizes the palindromic sequence 5’CTCGAC3’ cleaving both DNA strands upstream and downstream of its recognition sequence and makes a staggered cut at the distance of five bases from the recognition sequence on the upper strand and at the seventh base on the complementary strand. It shares similar characteristics with Sac I from Streptomyces achromogenes as well as Sst1 from Streptomyces Stanford and Psp124B1 from Pseudomonas species. It has been purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis, and gel filtration using phosphocellulose, DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-100 with an optimal pH range (7.5-8.5), active at 37°C and dependent on Mg +2 or Mn 2+ which increases its activity by 4- and 2-folds, respectively, while other cations decrease its activity to some extents. Cleavage on both sides of the recognition sequence is characteristic of Type IIB systems but all IIB enzymes studied so far have been found to recognize discontinuous sites and a distinctive subunit/domain organization that is not present in the SacC1 enzyme. There are similarities between SacC1 and other homing endonucleases belonging to the LAGLIDADG family such as a requirement for Mg 2+ (or Mn 2+ ) for cleavage to take place, optimal activity at alkaline pH and stimulation of the reaction
Book Review: Ordinal Measurement in the Behavioral Sciences

This book begins with a tenet and a criticism. The tenet states that (a) most scales in the behavioral sciences are no better than ordinal and (b) ordinal scales are what is needed in most cases of assessment and testing. The criticism states that neither classical test theory nor item response theory are capable of delivering what they promise, that is, interval-level scales. Although it is hard to believe that many would consider the criticism anything more than a provocation, the tenet is plausible and appealing. Many decisions are based on rankings. For example, we hire ‘‘only the best,’’ regardless of how much better the candidate is than the other candidates. In addition, the authors note that there is no mathematical proof or empirical evidence that would support the assumption that phenomena are normally distributed. The two main aims of this book are (a) to create meaningful scores from such simple data as judgments, comparisons, or responses to test items and (b) to provide a test theory that avoids the idea of a latent trait. The authors suggest that rank orders are these meaningful data. In its second chapter, the book discusses scales and the definition of scales. A fundamental typology of data is presented, including binary data and Coombs’s (1964) system of dominance relations. Although interesting and easy to read, this chapter lacks a section on levels of measurement. Yes, most readers will be familiar with the four Stevens scale levels. However, there has been an interesting discussion on the general usefulness of these four levels (e.g., Hand, 1993; Velleman & Wilkinson, 1993). This discussion could have been incorporated here, as it sheds light on the characteristics and status of the scale level that the authors favor. Types of assessment are covered in Chapter 3. This chapter discusses types of test items and their administration. More interesting and important for the mission of this book are Chapters 4 through 9. Chapter 4 discusses creating total test scores from dichotomous items. Here, for the first time in this book, classical concepts such as internal consistency, reliability, and validity are used, and a dichotomous scale equivalent of coefficient α is identified in Kendall’s coefficient of concordance, W. This section is so important for this book that one wonders why the concepts and coefficients are covered in such cursory fashion. There are typos (e.g., in the first line after equation 4.3), very limited definitions are presented (e.g., reliability is defined by [and confounded with] retest reliability), and some concepts are only vaguely defined (e.g., validity). In addition, some equations are introduced only after sample applications (p. 63).
GENETIC VARIATION AND POPULATION GENETIC STRUCTURE OF MUSKRAT, ONDATRA ZIBETHICUS, AT DIFFERENT SPATIAL SCALES

Understanding the factors and processes that influence intraspecific genetic variation are essential to better understand evolutionary processes. In this research, I examined patterns of gene flow and their effects on the distribution of genetic variation and spatial genetic structuring at different spatial scales. I used a combination of population genetics, spatial analysis, morphometrics and phylogeography in order to understand the patterns of genetic variation and their resulting phenotypic variations in a semi-aquatic species, the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus). In order to investigate intraspecific genetic variations, I isolated and characterized 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci. These neutral genetic markers were highly polymorphic and presented moderate to high levels of genetic variability which make them useful for the study of contemporary population genetic structure and patterns of gene flow. Some of these microsatellite loci amplified in several rodent species and may be useful in the study of patterns of genetic variation in these species. The results from the cross-amplification confirmed the higher success of amplification in species more closely related to the muskrat. At a fine spatial scale, I assessed the influence of landscape features on patterns of gene flow and population genetic structure in muskrat among three watersheds near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Contrary to my hypothesis, the landscape heterogeneity did not prevent dispersal. A single genetic cluster was identified and no genetic differences were detected among the watersheds as a result of high levels of gene flow. Using a least cost path (LCP) approach, I found a positive relationship between individual pairwise genetic distances and least cost distances when roads were considered as corridors for movements.