Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum malaria and gametocyte carriage are common in Coastal Kenya

Adequate malaria diagnosis and treatment remain a major problem in rural sub Saharan Africa. Molecular parasite detection has shown that submicroscopic Plasmodium falciparum asexual and gametocytes are common in patients, and can infect mosquitoes in low endemic areas. The significance of the infectious reservoir of malaria in the general population remains unknown. In this study we investigated submicroscopic asexual parasitaemia and gametocytaemia in inhabitants of areas of hypo-endemic and seasonal malaria in which no molecular analysis on malaria survey has been done before. Cross-sectional stuies during the staging of two clinical trials clinical trial in Mokowe and Lamu, Coastal Kenya were conducted in the dry and wet seasons of 2010. Finger prick blood samples used to determine the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum parasites by microscopy, Fluorescence In-situ hybridization (FISH), rapid diagnostic test and real time nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (QT-NASBA). A total of 450 individuals participated in the surveys of whom, 2.7% had microscopically confirmed asexual parasites while 2.4% had gametocytes. In contrast, FISH revealed that 8.9% (29/327) and QT-NASBA 24.6% (59/240) of the individuals harbored asexual parasites and 29.2% (70/240) gametocytes. There were a few cases of mixed infection with Plasmodium malariae , 1.8% (8/ 450) by microscopy and 4% (13/327) by FISH. No age dependency or seasonality was observed in the submicroscopic parasite carriage. In conclusion, molecular detection techniques disclose that carriage of submicroscopic asexual parasite and gametocyte is relatively common in these low transmission areas and that submicroscopic gametocytaemia is likely to be responsible for maintaining malaria transmission in the study area. Keywords: submicroscopic, gametocytaemia, FISH, rapid diagnostic test, QT-NASBA Afr J Health Sci . 2013; 26:314-323
Coding-Complete RNA Virus Genomes Assembled from Murine Cecal Metatranscriptomes

Efforts to catalog viral diversity in the gut microbiome have largely focused on DNA viruses, while RNA viruses remain understudied. To address this, we screened assemblies of previously published mouse gut metatranscriptomes for the presence of RNA viruses. We identified the coding-complete genomes of an astrovirus and five mitovirus-like viruses. ABSTRACT Efforts to catalog viral diversity in the gut microbiome have largely focused on DNA viruses, while RNA viruses remain understudied. To address this, we screened assemblies of previously published mouse gut metatranscriptomes for the presence of RNA viruses. We identified the coding-complete genomes of an astrovirus and five mitovirus-like viruses.
A dynamic charge-charge interaction modulates PP2A:B56 substrate recruitment

The recruitment of substrates by the ser/thr protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is poorly understood, limiting our understanding of PP2A-regulated signaling. Recently, the first PP2A:B56 consensus binding motif, LxxIxE, was identified. However, most validated LxxIxE motifs bind PP2A:B56 with micromolar affinities, suggesting that additional motifs exist to enhance PP2A:B56 binding. Here, we report the requirement of a positively charged motif in a subset of PP2A:B56 interactors, including KIF4A, to facilitate B56 binding via dynamic, electrostatic interactions. Using molecular and cellular experiments, we show that a conserved, negatively charged groove on B56 mediates dynamic binding. We also discovered that this positively charged motif, in addition to facilitating KIF4A dephosphorylation, is essential for condensin I binding, a function distinct and exclusive from PP2A-B56 binding. Together, these results reveal how dynamic, charge-charge interactions fine-tune the interactions mediated by specific motifs, providing a new framework for understanding how PP2A regulation drives cellular signaling.
Model Study of Transient Imaging With Multi-Frequency Time-of-Flight Sensors

As an emerging imaging modality, transient imaging that records the transient information of light transport has significantly shaped our understanding of scenes. In spite of the great progress made in computer vision and optical imaging fields, commonly used multi-frequency time-of-flight (ToF) sensors are still afflicted with the band-limited modulation frequency and long acquisition process. To overcome such barriers, more effective image-formation schemes and reconstruction algorithms are highly desired. In this paper, we propose a compressive transient imaging model, without any priori knowledge, by constructing a near-tight-frame based representation of the ToF imaging principle. We prove that the compressibility of sensor measurements can be presented in the Fourier domain and held in the frame, and the ToF measurements possess multi-scale characteristics. Solving the inverse problems in transient imaging with our proposed model consists of two major steps, including a compressed-sensing-based approach for full measurement recovery, which essentially reduces the capture time, and a wavelet-based transient image reconstruction framework, which realizes adaptive transient image reconstruction and achieves highly accurate reconstruction results. The compressive transient imaging model is suitable for various existing multi-frequency ToF sensors and requires no hardware modifications. Experimental results using synthetic and real online datasets demonstrate its promising performance.
Pivotal Clinical Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of the MANTA Vascular Closure Device During Percutaneous EVAR and TEVAR Procedures

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the MANTA percutaneous vascular closure device in patients undergoing percutaneous endovascular aneurysm repair (PEVAR) or thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Materials and Methods: The SAFE MANTA Study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02908880) was a prospective, single-arm, multicenter trial in patients undergoing endovascular interventions using large-bore sheaths (transcatheter aortic valve replacement, PEVAR, or TEVAR) at 20 sites in North America. Patient selection intended to test the MANTA device in populations without morbid obesity, severe calcification, or a severely scarred femoral access area. Of the 263 patients enrolled in the primary analysis cohort, 53 (20.2%) patients (mean age 74.9±8.9 years; 41 men) underwent PEVAR (n=51) or TEVAR (n=2) procedures and form the cohort for this subgroup analysis. Per protocol a single MANTA device was deployed in all PEVAR/TEVAR cases. Results: The mean time to hemostasis in the PEVAR/TEVAR cohort was 35±91 seconds, with a median time of 19 seconds vs 24 seconds in the overall SAFE MANTA population. The MANTA device met the definition for technical success in 52 (98%) of 53 PEVAR/TEVAR cases compared with 97.7% in the overall SAFE MANTA population. One (1.9%) major complication (access-site stenosis) occurred in this subgroup compared to 14 (5.3%) events in the SAFE population. In the PEVAR/TEVAR group, 1 pseudoaneurysm was noted prior to discharge, another at 30-day follow-up, and one at 60 days. One (1.9%) of the 3 minor pseudoaneurysms was treated with ultrasound-guided compression and the other 2 required no treatment. Conclusion: The MANTA device demonstrated a short time to hemostasis and low complication rates compared with published literature results of other percutaneous closure devices. Time to hemostasis and complication rates were comparable between the PEVAR/TEVAR patients and the full SAFE MANTA study cohort. The MANTA device provides reliable closure with a single percutaneous device for PEVAR/TEVAR procedures.
Key person ethical decision-making and substandard drugs rejection intentions

Substandard drugs are a major public health issue worldwide. Key person such as the Qualified Person in China and Europe is responsible for rejecting substandard drugs during the manufacturing stage. This study applies the Hunt-Vitell ethical decision-making model to study their rejection intentions on substandard drugs. Using the experimental vignette methodology, two scenarios were developed to represent different levels of deviation from regulations in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Responses from 204 Chinese key persons show a decline in deontology, ethical judgment, and rejection intention, and an increase in teleology in the minor deviation scenario, in comparison with the major deviation scenario. The results from the two scenarios show that the Hunt-Vitell ethical decision-making model is well fitted to explain substandard drug rejection intentions. Organizational and occupational commitments have a significant positive impact on deontological evaluation. Whereas, occupational commitments have a significant negative impact on teleological evaluation. This study suggests that strengthening occupational commitment can significantly affect key person’s rejection intentions of substandard drugs.
Compositional and contextual factors associated with drug overdose deaths in the United States

Abstract Background: In 2017, the US Department of Health and Human Services declared the Opioid epidemic a public health emergency. In the US, emergency rooms treat more than 1,000 people each day for drug overdose, and 115 of them die. This study examines compositional and contextual factors associated with drug overdose deaths rates in the US. Methods: Local spatial autocorrelation statistics were used to estimate hot spot areas to identify census tracts with high risk of drug overdose death. Logistic regressions investigated the relationship between drug overdose death rates and various compositional and contextual variables across census tracks. Results: The adjusted logistic model shows that compositional variables: depression (OR = 2.47 [2.37–2.58]), poor mental health (OR = 1.71 [1.63–1.79]), median age 1.41 (1.36–1.47) and the percentage of people with a high school diploma (OR = 1.30 [1.24–1.35]) were positively associated with the rate of drug overdose deaths. On the other hand, contextual variables: the percentage having health insurance (OR = 0.66 [0.64–0.69]), the Theil’s H index (OR = 0.69 [0.66–0.71]), population density (OR = 0.80 [0.77–0.84]), poverty (OR = 0.90 [0.86–0.95]), and median household income (OR = 0.91[0.86–0.96]) were negatively associated with drug overdose deaths. Discussion: The analysis reveals a consistently strong association between compositional mental health factors and census tract-level death rates from drug overdose.
Complement activated interferon-γ-primed human endothelium transpresents interleukin-15 to CD8+ T cells.

Alloantibodies in pre-sensitized transplant candidates deposit complement membrane attack complexes (MAC) on graft endothelial cells (ECs), increasing risk of CD8+ T cell-mediated acute rejection. We recently showed (a) human ECs endocytose MAC into Rab5+ endosomes, creating a signaling platform that stabilizes NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK) protein; (b) endosomal NIK activates both non-canonical NF-κB signaling to synthesize pro-IL-1β and an NLRP3 inflammasome to process and secrete active IL-1β; and (c) IL-1β activates ECs, increasing recruitment and activation of alloreactive effector memory CD4+ T (TEM) cells. Here, we report IFN-γ priming induced nuclear expression of IL-15/IL-15Rα complexes in cultured human ECs and that MAC-induced IL-1β stimulated translocation of IL-15/IL-15Rα complexes to the EC surface in a canonical NF-κB-dependent process, where IL-15/IL-15Rα transpresentation increased activation and maturation of alloreactive CD8+ TEM. Blocking NLRP3 inflammasome assembly, IL-1 receptor or IL-15 on ECs inhibited the augmented CD8+ TEM responses, indicating this pathway was not redundant. Adoptively transferred alloantibody and mouse complement deposition induced IL-15/IL-15Rα expression by human ECs lining human coronary artery grafts in immunodeficient mice and enhanced intimal CD8+ T cell infiltration, which was markedly reduced by inflammasome inhibition, linking alloantibody to acute rejection. Inhibiting MAC signaling may similarly limit other complement-mediated pathologies.
Bayesian High Resolution Range Profile Reconstruction of High-Speed Moving Target From Under-Sampled Data

Obtained by wide band radar system, high resolution range profile (HRRP) is the projection of scatterers of target to the radar line-of-sight (LOS). HRRP reconstruction is unavoidable for inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging, and of particular usage for target recognition, especially in cases that the ISAR image of target is not able to be achieved. For the high-speed moving target, however, its HRRP is stretched by the high order phase error. To obtain well-focused HRRP, the phase error induced by target velocity should be compensated, utilizing either measured or estimated target velocity. Noting in case of under-sampled data, the traditional velocity estimation and HRRP reconstruction algorithms become invalid, a novel HRRP reconstruction of high-speed target for under-sampled data is proposed. The Laplacian scale mixture (LSM) is used as the sparse prior of HRRP, and the variational Bayesian inference is utilized to derive its posterior, so as to reconstruct it with high resolution from the under-sampled data. Additionally, during the reconstruction of HRRP, the target velocity is estimated via joint constraint of entropy minimization and sparseness of HRRP to compensate the high order phase error brought by the target velocity to concentrate HRRP. Experimental results based on both simulated and measured data validate the effectiveness of the proposed Bayesian HRRP reconstruction algorithm.
Nurses' Perspectives of Factors That Influence Therapeutic Relationships in Secure Inpatient Forensic Hospitals

Supplemental digital content is available in the text. Background The therapeutic relationship is synonymous with mental health nursing and fundamental to the provision of nursing care, regardless of the setting in which care is provided. This literature review examines, from a nursing perspective, factors influencing the formation and maintenance of therapeutic relationships in forensic mental health settings. Methods A systematic search of the literature, using a range of electronic databases, focusing on nurse–patient therapeutic relationships in forensic settings was conducted. Articles were Critical Appraisal Skills Programme quality appraised, followed by a meta-aggregative thematic approach to data analysis and synthesis to identify themes and, finally, a production of an “action” policy statement. Findings and Implication for Practice Eight articles met the criteria for review inclusion. Nine themes were identified; seven were categorized as internal/interpersonal factors, and two were categorized as external/environmental factors (with some themes interconnected). Synthesis of findings resulted in the production of a policy statement encouraging forensic mental health nurses to be aware of intrapersonal influences on therapeutic relationships and the need to provide a safe and supportive clinical environment for these relationships to form.
The German Shorthair Pointer Dog Breed (Canis lupus familiaris): Genomic Inbreeding and Variability

Simple Summary In order to protect domestic animals’ biodiversity, a deep knowledge of the genomic makeup is required. The authors describe the genomic architecture of the German Short Hair Pointer breed and analyze the inbreeding levels under a genomic and a genealogic perspective. Twenty-four dogs from Italy were genotyped and analyzed jointly with 10 dogs from USA, whose genotypes were available from a published research. The authors investigated the genomic structural variation of the breed using runs of homozygosity—the direct measurement of the proportion of homozygous DNA, i.e., genomic inbreeding. Some traits clearly revealed the selection objectives addressed in the breed. The results describe a low inbred population with quite good levels of genetic variability. Abstract The German Shorthaired Pointer (GSHP) is a breed worldwide known for its hunting versatility. Dogs of this breed are appreciated as valuable companions, effective trackers, field trailers and obedience athletes. The aim of the present work is to describe the genomic architecture of the GSHP breed and to analyze inbreeding levels under a genomic and a genealogic perspective. A total of 34 samples were collected (24 Italian, 10 USA), and the genomic and pedigree coefficients of inbreeding have been calculated. A total of 3183 runs of homozygosity (ROH) across all 34 dogs have been identified. The minimum and maximum number of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) defining all ROH are 40 and 3060. The mean number of ROH for the sample was 93.6. ROH were found on all chromosomes. A total of 854 SNPs (TOP_SNPs) defined 11 ROH island regions (TOP_ROH), in which some gene already associated with behavioral and morphological canine traits was annotated. The proportion of averaged observed homozygotes estimated on total number of SNPs was 0.70. The genomic inbreeding coefficient based on ROH was 0.17. The mean inbreeding based on genealogical information resulted 0.023. The results describe a low inbred population with quite a good level of genetic variability.
Multitouch Vibrotactile Feedback on a Tactile Screen by the Inverse Filter Technique: Vibration Amplitude and Spatial Resolution

Nowadays, tactile surfaces, such as smartphones, provide haptic feedback to signify that a task has been performed correctly or more generally to enrich the interaction. However, this haptic feedback induces vibrations in the surface that propagate to the whole surface, reverberate and attenuate, thus making multi-finger interaction, with different feedbacks, difficult. Recently, the Inverse Filter Method has been proposed to control the propagation of these vibrations, and thus enable to product localized multitouch on a glass surface. This way, a user can put several fingers on a tactile surface and yet feel stimuli independently on his/her different fingers. This article continues this work and demonstrates that a localized multitouch haptic feedback can be delivered in real time using a capacitive screen. To achieve this, this article presents the two necessary steps: a calibration step and an interpolation calculation in order to save calculation and learning time. Furthermore, the paper describes the performance of the device through a study on the behaviour of the screen subjected to the Inverse Filter Method, indicating the movement of the whole screen and the voltage requirement for any haptic feedback.
Pre-Differentiated Skin-Like Cells can Alleviate In Vitro Burn Injury

Considering importance of stem cell based therapies for wound healing, we have previously established protocols for successful differentiation of stem cells (isolated from placenta) into skin-like cells (keratinocytes and fibroblasts). In the current study we aim to evaluate the effect of pre-differentiated skin-like-cells on wound healing potential using an in vitro burn injury model. The amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) and umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) obtained from amniotic membrane and umbilical cord tissue; respectively, were differentiated into skin-like cells (keratinocyte and fibroblasts respectively). In order to make an in vitro burn injury model, keratinocytes and fibroblasts were isolated from rats and insulted with high temperature (up to 50oC). The optimal temperature for burn injury models was determined using viability assay, cytotoxicity level, proliferation, and expression of pro-apoptotic. In order to assess effectiveness of pre-differentiated skin like cells, the keratinocyte- and fibroblasts-like cells were co-cultured with injured keratinocytes and injured fibroblasts, respectively. Results indicated that optimal temperature for the induction of heat injury for both keratinocytes and fibroblasts was 50oC. At this temperature both types of cells (keratinocytes and fibroblasts) showed modified morphology, drastic cellular injury, least viability, higher expression of pro-apoptotic markers and lower expression of proliferation genes. Co-culturing of pre-differentiated cells leads to an increase in viability and proliferation concurrent with decreased apoptosis. We have established successfully in vitro model of burn injury that might be helpful to evaluate the wound healing potential of cells. Further, predifferentiated skin-like cells are a potential source for the treatment of severe burn injuries.
Perceptions of active and inactive prototypes are associated with objective measures of physical activity in adolescents

ABSTRACT The benefits of physical activity are known, but the proportion of adolescents meeting daily activity guidelines remains low. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which assumes reasoned intentions explain actions, is a useful framework for predicting activity, but it leaves variance unexplained. The Prototype Willingness Model (PWM) which builds on the TPB, proposes a reasoned action pathway and a second social reactive pathway in which perceptions of social images, or prototypes, explain actions via behavioural willingness. We explored whether variables in the PWM’s social reactive pathway explained variance in an objective measure of daily activity, over and above the reasoned action path. Participants aged 12–13 (n = 205) were invited to complete measures of constructs in the PWM and to wear an accelerometer for the next seven days. Overall, 126 students (65 males) participated. Reasoned intentions, attitudes and subjective norms explained 12.8% of variance in activity. Prototype perceptions and willingness explained an additional 13.1% of variance. Participants’ perceived similarity to active prototypes, and unfavourable perceptions of inactive prototypes, significantly predicted activity. There were no significant differences between sexes on psychological variables. These findings highlight the importance of targeting prototype perceptions to encourage physical activity in this age group.
A Feedback Loop Comprising EGF/TGFα Sustains TFCP2-Mediated Breast Cancer Progression

TFCP2 is a new antimetastatic target that controls TNBC progression via a positive feedback loop between EGF/TGFα and the AKT signaling axis. Stemness and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) are two fundamental characteristics of metastasis that are controlled by diverse regulatory factors, including transcription factors. Compared with other subtypes of breast cancer, basal-type or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has high frequencies of tumor relapse. However, the role of alpha-globin transcription factor CP2 (TFCP2) has not been reported as an oncogenic driver in those breast cancers. Here, we show that TFCP2 is a potent factor essential for EMT, stemness, and metastasis in breast cancer. TFCP2 directly bound promoters of EGF and TGFα to regulate their expression and stimulate autocrine signaling via EGFR. These findings indicate that TFCP2 is a new antimetastatic target and reveal a novel regulatory mechanism in which a positive feedback loop comprising EGF/TGFα and AKT can control malignant breast cancer progression. Significance: TFCP2 is a new antimetastatic target that controls TNBC progression via a positive feedback loop between EGF/TGFα and the AKT signaling axis.