Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Paralogous Genes PDR18 and SNQ2, Encoding Multidrug Resistance ABC Transporters, Derive From a Recent Duplication Event, PDR18 Being Specific to the Saccharomyces Genus

Pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) family of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play a key role in the simultaneous acquisition of resistance to a wide range of structurally and functionally unrelated cytotoxic compounds in yeasts. Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pdr18 was proposed to transport ergosterol at the plasma membrane, contributing to the maintenance of adequate ergosterol content and decreased levels of stress-induced membrane disorganization and permeabilization under multistress challenge leading to resistance to ethanol, acetic acid and the herbicide 2,4-D, among other compounds. PDR18 is a paralog of SNQ2, first described as a determinant of resistance to the chemical mutagen 4-NQO. The phylogenetic and neighborhood analysis performed in this work to reconstruct the evolutionary history of ScPDR18 gene in Saccharomycetaceae yeasts was focused on the 214 Pdr18/Snq2 homologs from the genomes of 117 strains belonging to 29 yeast species across that family. Results support the idea that a single duplication event occurring in the common ancestor of the Saccharomyces genus yeasts was at the origin of PDR18 and SNQ2, and that by chromosome translocation PDR18 gained a subtelomeric region location in chromosome XIV. The multidrug/multixenobiotic phenotypic profiles of S. cerevisiae pdr18Δ and snq2Δ deletion mutants were compared, as well as the susceptibility profile for Candida glabrata snq2Δ deletion mutant, given that this yeast species has diverged previously to the duplication event on the origin of PDR18 and SNQ2 genes and encode only one Pdr18/Snq2 homolog. Results show a significant overlap between ScSnq2 and CgSnq2 roles in multidrug/multixenobiotic resistance (MDR/MXR) as well as some overlap in azole resistance between ScPdr18 and CgSnq2. The fact that ScSnq2 and ScPdr18 confer resistance to different sets of chemical compounds with little overlapping is consistent with the subfunctionalization and neofunctionalization of these gene copies. The elucidation of the real biological role of ScSNQ2 will enlighten this issue. Remarkably, PDR18 is only found in Saccharomyces genus genomes and is present in almost all the recently available 1,000 deep coverage genomes of natural S. cerevisiae isolates, consistent with the relevant encoded physiological function.
Comfortable and Efficient Travel Techniques in VR

Locomotion,the most basic interaction in Virtual Environments (VE), enables users to move around the virtual world. Locomotion in Virtual Reality (VR) is a problem which has not been solved completely since existing techniques have a specific set of requirements and limitations. In addition, the uncertainty about the impact that virtual cues have on users perception complicates the development of better locomotion interfaces. A broadly applicable locomotion technique that is easy to use and addresses the issues of presence, cybersickness and fatigue has yet to be developed. Though optical flow and vestibular cues are dominant in navigation, other cues such as auditory, arm feedback, wind, etc. play a role. The proposed research aims to evaluate and improve upon a set of locomotion techniques for different modes of locomotion in virtual scenarios, as well as the transitions between them. The outcome measures of the evaluations of the different scenarios are usefulness for spatial orientation, presence, fatigue, cybersickness and user preference. The envisioned contribution of my thesis is research towards the design of a locomotion technique that is easy to use and addresses the shortcomings of current implementations.
Negative urgency and the dual pathway model of bulimic symptoms: A longitudinal analysis

OBJECTIVE This study extends the dual pathway model (DPM) of bulimic symptoms by considering the bidirectional effects amongst symptoms of depression, dietary restraint, and bulimia. We also assessed the influence of negative urgency, a personality construct associated with bulimic symptoms, on the DPM. METHOD Participants were 244 females (Mage = 23.77 years) from the general community. Variables pertinent to the DPM as well as negative urgency were assessed at baseline, and symptoms of depression, dietary restraint, and bulimia were reassessed at 1-month follow-up. RESULTS Excellent model fit was obtained once modifications were made to the DPM and the extended model that included negative urgency. Cross-sectional paths replicated the DPM as hypothesized, with the exception that time 1 (T1) body mass index failed to predict T1 body dissatisfaction. Although no bidirectional effects were observed, T1 depression predicted dietary restraint at time 2 (T2). Negative urgency was shown to provide incremental predictive utility of T1 pressure to be thin, T1 body dissatisfaction, and T1 and T2 depression. CONCLUSION Findings lend support to the DPM and suggest that depression might be a risk factor for later dietary restraint. The results are also consistent with the notion that negative urgency may be an independent risk factor for symptoms of bulimia. However, short-term longitudinal effects of these putative risk factors require further evaluation.
Tetracyclines Modify Translation By Targeting Key Human rRNA Substructures

Apart from their antimicrobial properties, tetracyclines demonstrate clinically validated effects in the amelioration of pathological inflammation and human cancer. Delineation of the target(s) and mechanism(s) responsible for these effects, however, has remained elusive. Here, employing quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics, we identified human 80S ribosomes as targets of the tetracyclines Col-3 and doxycycline. We then developed in cell click selective crosslinking with RNA sequence profiling (icCL-Seq) to map binding sites for these tetracyclines on key human rRNA substructures at nucleotide resolution. Importantly, we found that structurally and phenotypically variant tetracycline analogs could chemically discriminate these rRNA binding sites. We also found that tetracyclines both subtly modify human ribosomal translation and selectively activate the cellular integrated stress response (ISR). Together, the data reveal that targeting of specific rRNA substructures, activation of the ISR, and inhibition of translation are correlated with the anti-proliferative properties of tetracyclines in human cancer cell lines.
Active Authentication on Smartphone using Touch Pressure

Smartphone user authentication is still an open challenge because the balance between both security and usability is indispensable. To balance between them, active authentication is one way to overcome the problem. In this paper, we tackle to improve the accuracy of active authentication by adopting online learning with touch pressure. In recent years, it becomes easy to use the smartphones equipped with pressure sensor so that we have confirmed the effectiveness of adopting the touch pressure as one of the features to authenticate. Our experiments adopting online AROW algorithm with touch pressure show that equal error rate (EER), where the miss rate and false rate are equal, is reduced up to one-fifth by adding touch pressure feature. Moreover, we have confirmed that training with the data from both sitting posture and prone posture archives the best when testing variety of postures including sitting, standing and prone, which achieves EER up to 0.14%.
Comparison of quality of sleep between medical and non-medical undergraduate Pakistani students.

OBJECTIVE To compare the quality of sleep between medical and non-medical undergraduate students. METHODS The comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2017 at different universities and colleges of Rawalpindi/Islamabad cities in Pakistan. Pittsburgh sleep quality index questionnaire was distributed among undergraduate students. Comparison was made between the global and component scores of medical and non-medical students. Excel 2013 was used for data analysis. RESULTS Of the 606 students approached, 520(85.8%) responded. Among them, 266(51.1%) were medical students and 254(48.9%) were non-medical. Also, 327(62.9%) were females and 193(37.1%) males. Overall mean age of the subjects was 20.25±1.54 years. Among the medical students, 179(67.3%) and among the non-medical 128(50.4%) subjects were classified as poor sleepers with mean score of 6.386 ± 2.923. The scores were significantly higher among medical students, indicating poorer sleep quality and were higher still among female medical students (p<0.05). However, no gender difference was found among non-medical students. CONCLUSIONS A considerable proportion of Pakistani undergraduate students have disturbed sleep patterns that tend to deteriorate further among medical students.
Effectiveness of Deep Neural Network Model in Typing-based Emotion Detection on Smartphones

Typing characteristics on smartphones can provide clues for emotion detection. Collecting large volumes of typing data is also easy on smartphones. This motivates the use of Deep Neural Network (DNN) to determine emotion states from smartphone typing. In this work, we developed a DNN model based on typing features to predict four emotion states (happy, sad, stressed, relaxed) and investigate its performance on a smartphone. The evaluation of the model in a 3-week study with 15 participants reveals that it can reliably detect emotions with an average accuracy of 80% with peak CPU utilization less than 15%.
Beyond competencies: Practice standards for emergency nurse practitioners—A model for specialty care clinicians, educators, and employers

Background/purpose: The growth of advanced practice nursing specialties requires additional expertise for practice that goes beyond entry-level competencies, knowledge, skills, and abilities. A practice standards model for specialty nurse practitioners (PSMSNPs) is introduced that differentiates entry-to-practice population foci competencies from advanced specialty practice standards. Objectives: (a) Differentiate competencies and practice standards in context to specialty NPs using the emergency specialty as the exemplar, (b) articulate the process to develop the PSMSNP that evolved from an evidence-based practice analysis of NPs working in emergency care, (c) apply the PSMSNP for adaptation to other specialties, and (d) provide implications for the utilization of the PSMSNP by educators, clinicians, and employers. Data sources: American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board’s Practice Analysis of Emergency Nurse Practitioners, Consensus Model for APRN Regulation, Future of Nursing report, Peer Nursing Report, Strong Model of Advanced Practice, Entrustable Professional Activities, Emergency Medicine Milestones Project, and the Advancing Healthcare Transformation: A New Era for Academic Nursing report. Conclusions: The PSMSNP has been defined and adapted to other specialties and threaded through other models of practice for educators, clinicians, and employers. The adaptability of this model differentiates the core population foci and unique practice variables of specialty NPs. National boards of nursing, hospital credentialing committees, colleges, and universities can use this model to establish standards for specialty evaluation and guide clinical practice. Implications for practice: The implementation of the PSMSNP will support the delineation of the specialty. This model will fulfill the American Nurses Association and Consensus Model specialty constructs.
Tablet-based disclosure counselling for HIV-infected children, adolescents, and their caregivers: a pilot study

Background: Overwhelmed, under-trained medical staff working in resource-limited settings need efficient resources for HIV disclosure counselling. The objective of this study was to describe providers’ experiences using tablet computers for disclosure-related counselling with HIV-infected children and their caregivers in western Kenya, with additional perspectives from adolescents. Methods: A qualitative study design was implemented at three HIV clinics in western Kenya (Bumala, Busia and Port Victoria) within the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) partnership. Twenty-one healthcare providers involved with paediatric disclosure were recruited and enrolled in the study. Initial interviews focused on understanding current disclosure practices and barriers. Tablets containing disclosure-related resources were distributed. Resources included short narrative videos created in this context to highlight issues relevant to child HIV disclosure. Results: Providers reported tablets improved disclosure, child participation, and medication adherence. All reported that reviewing materials increased their knowledge and comfort with disclosure. The most frequently used materials were the narrative videos and an animated video explaining the importance of medication adherence. Time was a major barrier for using the tablet. Clinician self-education persisted at one-year follow-up. Adolescents expressed enjoyment from viewing the tablet resources and had a better understanding of the importance of medication adherence. Conclusions: Tablet computers containing resources for disclosure are an acceptable and potentially effective resource to help providers support families with disclosure. Further work is needed to train the clinical providers in using the resources in a developmentally appropriate manner, and to develop new resources on adolescent-specific and HIV-related topics.
Simultaneous sensing, readout, and classification on an intensity‐ranking image sensor

We combine the near‐sensor image processing concept with address‐event representation leading to an intensity‐ranking image sensor (IRIS) and show the benefits of using this type of sensor for image classification. The functionality of IRIS is to output pixel coordinates (X and Y values) continuously as each pixel has collected a certain number of photons. Thus, the pixel outputs will be automatically intensity ranked. By keeping track of the timing of these events, it is possible to record the full dynamic range of the image. However, in many cases, this is not necessary—the intensity ranking in itself gives the needed information for the task at hand. This paper describes techniques for classification and proposes a particular variant (groves) that fits the IRIS architecture well as it can work on the intensity rankings only. Simulation results using the CIFAR‐10 dataset compare the results of the proposed method with the more conventional ferns technique. It is concluded that the simultaneous sensing and classification obtainable with the IRIS sensor yields both fast (shorter than full exposure time) and processing‐efficient classification.
Microcystin-LR Enrichment from Freshwater by a Recombinant Plant-derived Antibody Using Sol-Gel-Glass Immunoextraction

Eutrophication of water bodies can promote cyanobacterial (blue-green algae) blooms, which has become a source of increasing concern for both recreational and drinking water use. Many bacterial species can produce toxins that pose threats to wildlife, domestic animals and humans. Microcystin-leucine-arginine (MC-LR) is the most frequent and most toxic microcystin congener. For the first time, lab-scale investigations were performed to test the application of a recombinant plant-derived anti-MC-LR antibody immobilized on an immunoaffinity support material to selectively extract the toxin from spiked freshwater samples. As a comparison, its hybridoma-derived counterpart (murine monoclonal antibody) was evaluated. The antibody-doped material was prepared via an optimized sol-gel process; its stability and binding efficiency of MC-LR in spiked freshwater samples were thoroughly tested using the ELISA and orthogonal LC-MS methods. For removal, two column-based procedures with sequential or continuous cyclic sample addition and a suspension mode (moving adsorbent) were tested. Noteworthy the results obtained with a crude antibody fraction were fully compatible with the highly purified preparation. This study paves the way for further investigation being focused on novel applications of plant-derived anti-MC-LR antibodies in bioremediation to selectively deplete the toxin from freshwater: a green and promising technology without secondary pollution.
Effects of hydration status during heat acclimation on plasma volume and performance

The impact of hydration status was investigated during a 5‐day heat acclimation (HA) training protocol vs mild/cool control conditions on plasma volume (PV) and performance (20 km time‐trial [TT]). Sub‐elite athletes were allocated to one of two heat training groups (90 min/day): (a) dehydrated to ~2% body weight (BW) loss in heat (35°C; DEH; n = 14); (b) euhydrated heat (35°C; EUH; n = 10), where training was isothermally clamped to 38.5°C core temperature (Tc). A euhydrated mild control group (22°C; CON; n = 9) was later added, with training clamped to the same relative heart rate (~75% HRmax) as elicited during DEH and EUH; thus all groups experienced the same internal training stress (%HRmax). Five‐day total thermal load was 30% greater (P < 0.001) in DEH and EUH vs CON. There were significant differences in the average percentage of maximal work rate (%Wmax) across all groups (DEH: 24 ± 6%; EUH: 34 ± 9%; CON: 48 ± 8%Wmax) during training required to elicit the same %HRmax (77 ± 4% HRmax). There were no significant differences pre‐to post‐HA between groups for PV (DEH: +1.7 ± 10.1%; EUH: +4.8 ± 10.2%; CON: +5.2 ± 4.0%), but there was a significant pooled group PV increase, as well as a 97% likely pooled improvement in TT performance (DEH: −1.8 ± 2.8%; EUH: −1.9 ± 2.1%, CON; −1.8 ± 2.8%; P = 0.136). Due to a lack of between‐group differences for PV and TT, but pooled group increases in PV and 97% likely group increase in TT performance, over 5 days of intense training at the same average relative cardiac load suggests that overall training stress may also impact significant adaptations beyond heat and hydration stress.
Examining interpregnancy intervals and maternal and perinatal health outcomes using U.S. vital records: Important considerations for analysis and interpretation

Abstract Background Numerous studies use birth certificate data to examine the association between interpregnancy interval (IPI) and maternal and perinatal health outcomes. Substantive changes from the latest birth certificate revision have implications for examining this relationship. Methods We provide an overview of the National Vital Statistics System and recent changes to the national birth certificate data file, which have implications for assessing IPI and perinatal health outcomes. We describe the calculation of IPI using birth certificate information and related measurement issues. Missing IPI values by maternal age, race and education using 2016 birth certificate data were also compared. Finally, we review and summarise data quality studies of select covariate and outcome variables (sociodemographic, maternal health and health behaviours, and infant health) conducted after the most recent 2003 birth certificate revision. Results Substantive changes to data collection, dissemination and quality have occurred since the 2003 revision. These changes impact IPI measurement, trends and associations with perinatal health outcomes. Missing values of IPI were highest for older ages, lower education and non‐Hispanic black women. Minimal differences were found when comparing IPI using different gestational age measures. Recent data quality studies pointed to substantial variation in data quality by item and across states. Conclusion Future studies examining the association of IPI with maternal and perinatal data using vital records should consider these aspects of the data in their research plan, sensitivity analyses and interpretation of findings.
Analysis Tools for Large Connectomes

New reconstruction techniques are generating connectomes of unprecedented size. These must be analyzed to generate human comprehensible results. The analyses being used fall into three general categories. The first is interactive tools used during reconstruction, to help guide the effort, look for possible errors, identify potential cell classes, and answer other preliminary questions. The second type of analysis is support for formal documents such as papers and theses. Scientific norms here require that the data be archived and accessible, and the analysis reproducible. In contrast to some other “omic” fields such as genomics, where a few specific analyses dominate usage, connectomics is rapidly evolving and the analyses used are often specific to the connectome being analyzed. These analyses are typically performed in a variety of conventional programming language, such as Matlab, R, Python, or C++, and read the connectomic data either from a file or through database queries, neither of which are standardized. In the short term we see no alternative to the use of specific analyses, so the best that can be done is to publish the analysis code, and the interface by which it reads connectomic data. A similar situation exists for archiving connectome data. Each group independently makes their data available, but there is no standardized format and long-term accessibility is neither enforced nor funded. In the long term, as connectomics becomes more common, a natural evolution would be a central facility for storing and querying connectomic data, playing a role similar to the National Center for Biotechnology Information for genomes. The final form of analysis is the import of connectome data into downstream tools such as neural simulation or machine learning. In this process, there are two main problems that need to be addressed. First, the reconstructed circuits contain huge amounts of detail, which must be intelligently reduced to a form the downstream tools can use. Second, much of the data needed for these downstream operations must be obtained by other methods (such as genetic or optical) and must be merged with the extracted connectome.
Stunting and its associated factors among 6–7-year-old children in southern Iran: a nested case–control study

Abstract Objective Height-for-age shorter than 3th percentile or 2 sd below the median of the National Center for Health Statistics/WHO growth reference is known as stunting. The present study aimed to measure the association of several factors with stunting in a cohort born from 2009 to 2010 in Shiraz, Iran. Design/Setting/Subjects Nested case–control study conducted on pre-school children in 2016. Participants were 200 children suffering from stunting (case group) and 200 children with normal height (control group). Results Results of multivariable logistic regression analysis suggested a significant relationship (adjusted OR; 95 % CI) between stunting and mother’s occupation (employed v. housewife: 3·58; 1·73, 7·39) and chronic diseases (yes v. no: 2·93; 1·25, 6·88). In addition, significant associations were found between family income (<10 million v. >30 million Rials: 5·63; 2·46, 12·87), diary consumption (very little v. high: 5·93; 1·74, 20·18) and animal protein in diet (low v. very high: 2·42; 1·13, 5·19) and stunting among children. Also, chance of stunting was inversely associated with birth interval (<2 years v. first child: 3·13; 1·45, 6·76) and duration of exclusive breast-feeding (18–24 months v. formula only or breast-feeding for <18 months: 0·53; 0·30, 0·92). Conclusions Mothers being housewife, possibly due to having more time to take care of their children, childhood diseases and consumption of dairy foods are strong and modifiable factors which can positively affect Iranian children’s stature. Higher family income is another important factor in stunting but under less parental control.