Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
mRNA analysis of several components of the plasminogen activator and matrix metalloproteinase systems in endometriosis using a real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay.

BACKGROUND The plasminogen activator (PA) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) systems are implicated in the establishment of endometriosis. The mechanisms by which these systems are involved in the pathogenesis of this disease are not well defined and controversial results have been published. The aim of this study was to analyse mRNA and protein levels of several components of the PA and MMP systems in endometriotic tissue and endometrium from women with and without endometriosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Real-time quantitative RT-PCR assays were developed to quantify mRNA levels of these components in 57 women with endometriosis and 32 controls. Endometrium of women with endometriosis showed higher mRNA and antigenic levels of urokinase type-PA (uPA) and MMP-3 than endometrium from controls. In these patients, ovarian endometriotic tissue had higher mRNA and antigenic levels of PA inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and MMP inhibitor type 1 (TIMP-1) than endometrium. CONCLUSIONS The increase in mRNA and protein levels of uPA and MMP-3 observed in endometrium of women with endometriosis may facilitate the attachment of endometrial tissue to the peritoneum and ovarian surface, as well as the invasion of the extracellular matrix. This process would lead to the formation of early endometriotic lesions. Once the ovarian endometriotic cyst is developed, PAI-1 and TIMP-1 would increase which could explain the frequent clinical finding of an endometrioma without invasion of the adjacent ovarian tissue.
Learning for Multiagent Decentralized Control in Large Partially Observable Stochastic Environments

This paper presents a probabilistic framework for learning decentralized control policies for cooperative multiagent systems operating in a large partially observable stochastic environment based on batch data (trajectories). In decentralized domains, because of communication limitations, the agents cannot share their entire belief states, so execution must proceed based on local information. Decentralized partially observable Markov decision processes (Dec-POMDPs) provide a general framework for modeling multiagent sequential decision making processes in the presence of uncertainty. Although Dec-POMDPs are typically intractable to solve for real-world problems, recent research on macro-actions in Dec-POMDPs has significantly increased the size of problems that can be solved. However, existing methods are confined to tree-based policies in finite-horizon problems, and assume the underlying POMDP models are known a priori. To accommodate more realistic scenarios when the full POMDP model is unavailable and the planning horizon is unbounded, this paper presents a policy-based reinforcement learning approach to learn the macro-action policies represented by Mealy machines. Based on trajectories of macro-actions, observations, and rewards generated by interacting with the environment with hand-coded policies (demonstrations) and random exploration, an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm is proposed to learn the decentralized macro-action policies, leading to a new framework called POEM (Policy-based EM), which has convergence guarantee for bath learning. The performance of POEM is demonstrated on two domains, including a benchmark navigation-among-movable-obstacle problem, and a newly designed large search and rescue problem. Our empirical study shows POEM is a scalable batch learning method that can learn optimal policies and achieve policy improvement over hand-coded (suboptimal) policies for missions in partially observable stochastic environments.
ESM-1 siRNA Knockdown Decreased Migration and Expression of CXCL3 in Prostate Cancer Cells

Endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM-1), also known as endocan, is a soluble proteoglycan expressed by the vascular endothelium, which also circulates in the bloodstream. Inflammatory cytokines and proangiogenic growth factors increase its expression, and increased serum levels have been reported in several cancer types and immunocompetent patients with sepsis. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression profile of CXC-chemokines and the effects of ESM-1 gene knockdown in proliferation, migration and CXC-chemokine expression in highly metastatic human prostate PC-3 cells. Expression profiles of CXC-chemokines were analyzed in metastatic PC-3 and non-tumorigenic PWR-1E cells. siRNA-mediated knockdown of ESM-1 was performed into PC-3 cells, which were subsequently tested for cell migration and proliferation. Effect of siRNA transfection on CXC-chemokine expression was further quantified at the transcript and protein level. RT-qPCR analysis and sandwich ELISA assay revealed higher levels of ESM-1 and several CXC-chemokines in metastatic PC-3 cells compared to non-tumorigenic PWR-1E. Transfection of PC-3 cells with ESM-1-siRNA decreased cell migration with no effect on proliferation, and it was accompanied by decrease in the transcript and protein levels of the angiogenic chemokine CXCL3. We report here for the first time the ESM-1 targeting in PC-3 cells, which resulted in decreased migration, which may be related, at least in part, to decreased expression of the angiogenic CXCL3 chemokine, whose expression was found to be reduced in ESM-1-siRNA transfected cells. Additional studies are required to ascertain the biological role of ESM-1 in prostate cancer cells and the link with the expression of CXCL3.
A Video Display System for Image Processing by Computer

A core-refreshed video display system that can display gray-scale images of 32 intensity levels on a standard monochrome video monitor will be described. The system can also display flicker-free black and white images of more than 800 000 picture elements. There are special features that allow overlaying black and white images on 16-level gray-scale images and manual cursor control via an X-Y tablet. Multiple reduced size images can be accommodated by features that allow independent manipulation of images in separate areas on the display screen. This permits simultaneous display of images before and after processing.
Advances in and the future of treatments for hepatitis C

Enormous progress has been made in the understanding of the hepatitis C virus and the development of novel therapeutic agents since the identification of the virus 25 years ago. From initial interferon monotherapy providing only 6% viral clearance rate in the 1980s, pharmacotherapeutics has now entered an exciting new era with direct-acting antiviral agents demonstrating viral clearance rates of more than 70%. We are now at the beginning of an era where combinations of direct-acting antiviral agents may pave the way for interferon-free regimens, even improving the viral clearance rate to near 100%.
Bioassay‐Guided Isolation and Structural Modification of the Anti‐TB Resorcinols from Ardisia gigantifolia

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly contagious disease mainly caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37RV. Antitubercular (anti‐TB) bioassay‐guided isolation of the CHCl3 extract of the leaves and stems of the medicinal plant Ardisia gigantifolia led to the isolation of two anti‐TB 5‐alkylresorcinols, 5‐(8Z‐heptadecenyl) resorcinol (1) and 5‐(8Z‐pentadecenyl) resorcinol (2). We further synthesized 15 derivatives based on these two natural products. These compounds (natural and synthetic) were evaluated for their anti‐TB activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37RV. Resorcinols 1 and 2 exhibited anti‐TB activity with MIC values at 34.4 and 79.2 μm in MABA assay, respectively, and 91.7 and 168.3 μm in LORA assay, respectively. Among these derivatives, compound 8 was found to show improved anti‐TB activity than its synthetic precursor (2) with MIC values at 42.0 μm in MABA assay and 100.2 μm in LORA assay. The active compounds should be regarded as new hits for further study as a novel class of anti‐TB agents. The distinct structure–activity correlations of the parent compound were elucidated based on these derivatives.
Consensus and evidence-based Indian initiative on obstructive sleep apnea guidelines 2014 (first edition)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) are subsets of sleep-disordered breathing. Awareness about OSA and its consequences among the general public as well as the majority of primary care physicians across India is poor. This necessitated the development of the Indian initiative on obstructive sleep apnea (INOSA) guidelines under the auspices of Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. OSA is the occurrence of an average five or more episodes of obstructive respiratory events per hour of sleep with either sleep-related symptoms or co-morbidities or ≥15 such episodes without any sleep-related symptoms or co-morbidities. OSAS is defined as OSA associated with daytime symptoms, most often excessive sleepiness. Patients undergoing routine health check-up with snoring, daytime sleepiness, obesity, hypertension, motor vehicular accidents, and high-risk cases should undergo a comprehensive sleep evaluation. Medical examiners evaluating drivers, air pilots, railway drivers, and heavy machinery workers should be educated about OSA and should comprehensively evaluate applicants for OSA. Those suspected to have OSA on comprehensive sleep evaluation should be referred for a sleep study. Supervised overnight polysomnography is the “gold standard” for evaluation of OSA. Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy is the mainstay of treatment of OSA. Oral appliances (OA) are indicated for use in patients with mild to moderate OSA who prefer OA to PAP, or who do not respond to PAP or who fail treatment attempts with PAP or behavioral measures. Surgical treatment is recommended in patients who have failed or are intolerant to PAP therapy.
Group Education with Personal Rehabilitation for Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a group education program with personal rehabilitation for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD). Methods: A single-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, with a pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design. Fortyfour stable, non-demented patients with IPD were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=23) and control group (n=21). Three group lectures on health education specific to IPD were delivered to the intervention group. The theme of lectures was “Not a lonely journey, as your friend, we—experts specializing in IPD— would love to join with you. ” Three domains of the management of IPD were mentioned: “How to manage your routine Meal, Moving and Mood after suffering from IPD” Each lecture was scheduled for 45 minutes (excluding breaks), and designed as an interactive dialogue rather than a traditional lecture. To strengthen the impact of the lectures, relevant information was published on a website: http://www.parkinsonism. cn/. Following the group lecture, individualized and tailored rehabilitation made up of 24 half-hour sessions over eight weeks were provided for the intervention group. Results: The program ran smoothly and IPD patients were satisfied with this program. After only eight weeks, the health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in the intervention group improved significantly (p<0.001). Patients and their caregivers in this group also reported their mood elevations following the program. Conclusion: Group education combined with personal rehabilitation program appears to be a beneficial and practical intervention, not only complementing the medical treatment for IPD patients but also meeting the growing demand for long-term care.
Real-time Scan-Matching Using L 0-norm Minimization Under Dynamic Crowded Environments

We propose real-time scan-matching based on L0norm minimization under dynamic crowded environment. The prior scan-matching methods are based on L2-norm minimization, because the measurement noise follows the normal distribution in static environments. This assumption is unfortunately broken in dynamic crowded environments. We propose to use the idea of Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH) to accelerate the L0-norm minimization, which usually is a time-consuming process. The LSH customized for our issue reduces the calculation time even in the worst cases. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method compared with standard L2-norm minimization and its robust version with M-estimator.
Characterization of rhoptry proteins of Eimeria tenella sporozoites: antigenic diversity of rhoptry epitopes within species of the genus Eimeria and among three asexual generations of a single species, E. tenella

Rhoptry organelles from sporozoites of the apicomplexan parasite Eimeria tenella contain at least 60 independent polypeptides that can be resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Rhoptries from three species of Eimeria that infect chickens share very few antibody cross-reactive epitopes, and there is poor conservation of epitopes among three distinct asexual generations of zoites within the developmental life cycle of a single parasite, E. tenella.
Innovative quartz enhanced photoacoustic sensors for trace gas detection

A detailed analysis of the quality factor, the resonance frequency and the electrical resistance of custom quartz tuning forks (QTFs) having different geometrical parameters is reported. We implemented custom QTFs in a quartz enhanced photoacoustic sensor targeting water vapor detection and compared the fundamental and first overtone flexural modes gas sensor performances.
Mutation in the ap2-6 allele causes recognition of a cryptic splice site.

Mutations in the homeotic gene APETALA2 of Arabidopsis thaliana cause severe developmental alterations, most prominently homeotic floral organ replacements from petals to carpels and petals to stamens in the outer two floral whorls. To date, ten different alleles have been identified conferring phenotypes of various degrees. Of these ten alleles, only three have been characterized at the sequence level. The identification of the sequence alteration in the ap2-6 allele is reported here. In ap2-6 a single G.C to A.T transition occurred at the 3' end of intron 6 (position 1342) which leads to a dinucleotide loss at the mRNA level. This change is consistent with the G.C to A.T transition destroying a conserved dinucleotide motif (AG) required for proper splice recognition and with the resulting recognition of the next available downstream AG dinucleotide which in AP2 is immediately adjacent to the authentic 3' splice site. The dinucleotide loss will cause a frameshift, the translation of three incorrect amino acids and a premature stop codon resulting in a truncation of the AP2 sequence within the AP2-R2 domain. Such a truncation is predicted to impact severely on the function of AP2 and is consistent with the observed phenotype.
A simple circuit model including mutual coupling for dielectric resonator antenna array

A simple circuit model is presented for modeling substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) series-fed dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) array. The mutual coupling between antenna elements is taken into account in the model. A single-element and a two-element antenna structures are simulated first using full-wave solver. The mutual coupling between antennas is then extracted and subsequently plugged into the circuit model for the antenna array. A millimeter-wave DRA array example is used to validate the model. The S-parameters calculated using the model agrees well with the full-wave solver results.
Masturbation, paying for sex, and other sexual activities: the Second Australian Study of Health and Relationships.

UNLABELLED Background This study describes the prevalence of (solo) masturbation, paying for sex and a range of other sexual practices among Australians. METHODS A representative sample of 20094 men and women aged 16-69 years (participation rate among eligible people, 66.2%) were recruited by landline and mobile phone random-digit dialling and computer-assisted telephone interviews in 2012-13. RESULTS Many respondents (men, 72%; women, 42%) had masturbated in the past year. Half (51%) of the men and 24% of women had masturbated in the past 4 weeks. In the past year, more than two-fifths of respondents (men, 63%; women, 20%) had looked at pornography in any medium. Approximately 15% of men and 21% of women had used a sex toy. Digital-anal stimulation with a partner was practised by 19% of men and 15% of women, and oral-anal stimulation by 7% of men and 4% of women. Sexual role playing or dressing up were engaged in by 7-8%. Online sex, swinging, group sex, BDSM (bondage and discipline, 'sadomasochism' or dominance and submission) and fisting (rectal or vaginal) were each engaged in by less than 3% of the sample. Seventeen per cent of men said they had ever paid for sex; 2% had done so in the past year. CONCLUSION Most of the solo practices studied were engaged in by more men than women, but women were more likely to have used a sex toy. Autoerotic activities are both substitutes for partnered sex and additional sources of pleasure for people with sexual partners.
Metabolic syndrome aggravates the increased endothelial activation and low‐grade inflammation in subjects with familial low HDL

Background. Inhibition of cytokine‐induced expression of adhesion molecules is one of the atheroprotective mechanisms of high‐density lipoprotein (HDL). Aim. We investigated whether increased endothelial activation and low‐grade inflammation are present in Finnish subjects with familial low HDL, and which factors contribute to the inflammatory parameters. Method. High‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (sICAM‐1), vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (sVCAM‐1), and sE‐selectin were measured in 91 subjects with low HDL‐cholesterol from 41 low‐HDL families and in 112 normolipidemic controls with comparable age‐ and gender distribution. Presence of the features of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) was recorded. Results. sVCAM‐1, sICAM‐1, sE‐selectin, and hsCRP were significantly higher in low‐HDL subjects than in the controls (sVCAM‐1: 560±147 ng/mL versus 496±95 ng/mL, P = 0.001; sICAM‐1: 247±60 ng/mL versus 215±47 ng/mL, P<0.001; sE‐selectin: 52±20 ng/mL versus 44±16 ng/mL, P = 0.022; and hsCRP: 1.73±2.05 mg/L versus 0.85±1.10 mg/L, P<0.001). Low‐HDL subjects had increased body mass index (BMI) and waist, and elevated insulin and triglyceride levels. Adhesion molecules and hsCRP increased according to the number of the features of the MetS. Conclusions. The presence of the MetS in subjects with familial low HDL‐cholesterol aggravates the low‐grade inflammation and endothelial activation, and ultimately may add to the higher susceptibility for atherosclerotic disease in these individuals.
Predictors of acquiring a nosocomial bloodstream infection on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to identify independent predictors of acquiring a nosocomial bloodstream infection (BSI) during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). METHODS This retrospective cohort consisted of 202 neonates treated with ECMO from 1989 to 1998 at the author' institution. Data collected included patient demographics, primary and secondary diagnoses, white blood cell counts, antibiotic usage, presence of central lines, operative procedures, and outcome. Surveillance blood cultures were drawn daily from the circuit using sterile technique to identify acquired pathogens. Statistical analyses included logistic regression, Cox proportional regression analysis, and discriminate analysis. RESULTS There were 1,245 blood cultures drawn on 202 patients (6.2 cultures per patient), and a nosocomial BSI was identified in 7 patients (3.4%) during this 10-year span. These were infections that were neither present nor incubating on admission. Pre-ECMO diagnoses of patients who had a nosocomial BSI while on bypass included group B beta-hemolytic streptococcal sepsis (n = 2), herpes simplex viral sepsis (n = 1), congenital diaphragmatic hernia (n = 2), persistent pulmonary hypertension (n = 1), and congenital heart disease (n = 1). The median time on ECMO before obtaining a positive culture was 390 hours. The infectious agents responsible for these BSIs included Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 5), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 1), and Escherichia coli (n = 1). The major factor associated with acquiring a nosocomial BSI on ECMO was the duration of bypass (391 v 141 hours, P =.002). Additionally, patients in the BSI group were more likely to have had an arterial catheter in place (16 v 7 days, P =.009) and to have received more screening blood cultures (16 v 6 cultures, P < 001). White blood cell counts, absolute neutrophil counts, and immature/total (I/T) ratios were not useful in predicting a nosocomial BSI. Of the 31 patients who required ECMO for more than 10 days, 7 (23%) had a positive blood culture, and 5 of these 7 infants (71%) died (P =.03). CONCLUSIONS The only predictor of acquiring a nosocomial BSI on ECMO was the duration of support for greater than 10 days. Because classical predictors of infection are unreliable while the patient is on ECMO, the authors suggest that obtaining daily surveillance blood cultures beginning on the tenth day should be performed with prolonged ECMO courses. The authors confirmed previous reports of the association between a prolonged ECMO course and a high mortality rate. However, the authors speculate that, in actuality, the primary diagnosis leads to the prolonged course of support and is the major factor in the infant' demise.
Efficient Induction of Oligodendrocytes from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Oligodendrocytes form myelin sheaths around axons to support rapid nerve conduction in the central nervous system (CNS). Damage to myelin can cause severe CNS disorders. In this study, we attempted to devise a protocol for the induction of oligodendrocytes from human embryonic stem (ES) cells to treat demyelinated axons. Four days after embryoid body formation, human ES cells were differentiated into neural precursors through selection and expansion procedures. Neural precursors were then grown in the presence of epidermal growth factor and then platelet‐derived growth factor to generate oligodendrocyte precursor cells. After withdrawal of the growth factors, the cells were treated with thyroid hormone to induce differentiation into oligodendrocytes. This method resulted in ∼81%–91% oligodendrocyte precursor cells and ∼81% oligodendrocytes among total cells. The ability of the oligodendrocyte precursors to myelinate axons has been verified by coculturing with rat hippocampal neurons, confirming their biological functionality.
Investigation of the nonlinear propagation of ultrasound through a bubbly medium including multiple scattering and bubbl-bubble interaction: Theory and experiment

Understanding of the propagation of ultrasound through a bubbly medium is a challenging task because of the nonlinear dynamics of the bubbles and their effect on the attenuation and sound speed of the medium. The majority of the studies on this subject apply linear models, which will generate inaccurate results, especially at higher-pressure excitations. These studies have also ignored the effect of bubble-bubble interaction and nonlinear multiple scattering.