Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Construct Validity Evidence for Single-Response Items to Estimate Physical Activity Levels in Large Sample Studies

Valid measurement of physical activity is important for studying the risks for morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine evidence of construct validity of two similar single-response items assessing physical activity via self-report. Both items are based on the stages of change model. The sample was 687 participants (men = 504, women = 183) who completed an 8-response (PA8) or 5-response (PA5) single-response item about current level of physical activity. Responses were categorized as meeting or not meeting guidelines for sufficient physical activity to achieve a health benefit. Maximal cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and health markers were obtained during a clinical examination. Partial correlation, multivariate analysis of covariance, and logistic regression were used to identify the relations between self-reported physical activity, CRF, and health markers when controlling for gender and age. Single-response items were compared to a detailed measure of physical activity. Single-response items correlated significantly with CRF determined with a maximal exercise test on a treadmill (PA8 = .53; PA5 = .57). Differences in percentage of body fat and cholesterol were in the desired direction, with those self-reporting sufficient physical activity for a health benefit having the lower values. The single-response items demonstrated evidence of construct validity and may provide feasible, cost-effective, and efficient methods to assess physical activity in large-scale studies.
Morphological variation over ontogeny and environments in resource polymorphic arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus)

SUMMARY Natural selection requires genetically based phenotypic variation to facilitate its action and cause adaptive evolution. It has become increasingly recognized that morphological development can become canalized likely as a result of selection. However, it is largely unknown how selection may influence canalization over ontogeny and differing environments. Changes in environments or colonization of a novel one is expected to result in adaptive divergence from the ancestral population when selection favors a new phenotypic optimum. In turn, a novel environment may also expose variation previously hidden from natural selection. We tested for changes in phenotypic variation over ontogeny and environments among ecomorphs of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from two Icelandic lakes. Populations represented varying degrees of ecological specialization, with one lake population possessing highly specialized ecomorphs exhibiting a large degree of phenotypic divergence, whereas the other displayed more subtle divergence with more ecological overlap. Here we show that ecomorphs hypothesized to be the most specialized in each lake possess significant reductions in shape variation over ontogeny regardless of environmental treatment suggesting canalized development. However, environments did change the amount of shape variation expressed in these ecomorphs, with novel environments slowing the rate at which variation was reduced over ontogeny. Thus, environmental conditions may play an important role in determining the type and amount of genetically based phenotypic variation exposed to natural selection.
Stereo computation using radial adaptive windows

While stereo algorithms using global methods produce good depth maps, local methods are still preferred for their efficiency. We present an algorithm that determines the adaptive support windows by radial computations. Motivated by the experiences of human vision, we use the certainties of the initial disparity distributions to determine the support window. Certain other cues, such as differences of the initial disparity distributions, and color similarities, are integrated to determine the weights in support window. Extensive experiments have been conducted. The algorithm performs well in textureless areas, and preserving sharp disparity discontinuities.
Faking Giants: The Evolution of High Prey Clearance Rates in Jellyfishes

Jellyfish process prey at the same rates as fish, suggesting that a shift to jellyfish-dominated systems is possible. Jellyfishes have functionally replaced several overexploited commercial stocks of planktivorous fishes. This is paradoxical, because they use a primitive prey capture mechanism requiring direct contact with the prey, whereas fishes use more efficient visual detection. We have compiled published data to show that, in spite of their primitive life-style, jellyfishes exhibit similar instantaneous prey clearance and respiration rates as their fish competitors and similar potential for growth and reproduction. To achieve this production, they have evolved large, water-laden bodies that increase prey contact rates. Although larger bodies are less efficient for swimming, optimization analysis reveals that large collectors are advantageous if they move through the water sufficiently slowly.
FK506-binding protein (FKBP) partitions a modified HIV protease inhibitor into blood cells and prolongs its lifetime in vivo

HIV protease inhibitors are a key component of anti-retroviral therapy, but their susceptibility to cytochrome P450 metabolism reduces their systemic availability and necessitates repetitive dosing. Importantly, failure to maintain adequate inhibitor levels is believed to provide an opportunity for resistance to emerge; thus, new strategies to prolong the lifetime of these drugs are needed. Toward this goal, numerous prodrug approaches have been developed, but these methods involve creating inactive precursors that require enzymatic processing. Using an alternative strategy inspired by the natural product FK506, we have synthetically modified an HIV protease inhibitor such that it acquires high affinity for the abundant, cytoplasmic chaperone, FK506-binding protein (FKBP). This modified protease inhibitor maintains activity against HIV-1 protease (IC50 = 19 nM) and, additionally, it is partitioned into the cellular component of whole blood via binding to FKBP. Interestingly, redistribution into this protected niche reduces metabolism and improves its half-life in mice by almost 20-fold compared with the unmodified compound. Based on these findings, we propose that addition of FKBP-binding groups might partially overcome the poor pharmacokinetic properties of existing HIV protease inhibitors and, potentially, other drug classes.
Contemporary strain rates in the northern Basin and Range province from GPS data

We investigate the distribution of active deformation in the northern Basin and Range province using data from continuous GPS (CGPS) networks, supplemented by additional campaign data from the Death Valley, northern Basin and Range, and Sierra Nevada–Great Valley regions. To understand the contemporary strain rate field in the context of the greater Pacific (P)–North America (NA) plate boundary zone, we use GPS velocities to estimate the average relative motions of the Colorado Plateau (CP), the Sierra Nevada–Great Valley (SNGV) microplate, and a narrow north‐south elongate region in the central Great Basin (CGB) occupying the longitude band 114–117°W. We find that the SNGV microplate translates with respect to the CP at a rate of 11.4 ± 0.3 mm yr−1 oriented N47 ± 1°W and with respect to NA at a rate of ∼12.4 mm yr−1 also oriented N47°W, slower than most previous geodetic estimates of SNGV‐NA relative motion, and nearly 7° counterclockwise from the direction of P‐NA relative plate motion. We estimate CGB‐CP relative motion of 2.8 ± 0.2 mm yr−1 oriented N84 ± 5°W, consistent with roughly east‐west extension within the eastern Great Basin (EGB). Velocity estimates from the EGB reveal diffuse extension across this region, with more rapid extension of 20 ± 1 nstr yr−1 concentrated in the eastern half of the region, which includes the Wasatch fault zone. We estimate SNGV‐CGB relative motion of 9.3 ± 0.2 mm yr−1 oriented N37 ± 2°W, essentially parallel to P‐NA relative plate motion. This rate is significantly slower than most previous geodetic estimates of deformation across the western Great Basin (WGB) but is generally consistent with paleoseismological inferences. The WGB region accommodates N37°W directed right lateral shear at rates of (1) 57 ± 9 nstr yr−1 across a zone of width ∼125 km in the south (latitude ∼36°N), (2) 25 ± 5 nstr yr−1 in the central region (latitude ∼38°N), and (3) 36 ± 1 nstr yr−1 across a zone of width ∼300 km in the north (latitude ∼40°N). By construction there is no net extension or shortening perpendicular to SNGV‐CGB relative motion. However, we observe about 8.6 ± 0.5 nstr yr−1 extension on average in the direction of shear from southeast to northwest within the Walker Lane belt, comparable to the average east‐west extension rate of 10 ± 1 nstr yr−1 across the northern Basin and Range but implying a distinctly different mechanism of deformation from extension on north trending, range‐bounding normal faults. An alternative model for this shear parallel deformation, in which extension is accommodated across a narrow, more rapidly extending zone that coincides with the central Nevada seismic belt, fits the WGB data slightly better. Local anomalies with respect to this simple kinematic model may reveal second‐order deformation signals related to more local crustal dynamic phenomena, but significant improvements in velocity field resolution will be necessary to reveal this second‐order pattern.
Toward the Rational Design of a Malaria Vaccine Construct Using the MSP3 Family as an Example: Contribution of Immunogenicity Studies in Models

ABSTRACT Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 3 (MSP3), the target of antibodies that mediate parasite killing in cooperation with blood monocytes and are associated with protection in exposed populations, is a vaccine candidate under development. It belongs to a family of six structurally related genes. To optimize immunogenicity, we attempted to improve its design based on knowledge of antigenicity of various regions from the conserved C terminus of the six proteins and an analysis of the immunogenicity of “tailored” constructs. The immunogenicity studies were conducted in BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice, using MSP3 (referred to here as MSP3-1) as a model. Four constructs were designed in order to assess the effect of sequences flanking the 69-amino-acid region of MSP3-1 previously shown to be the target of biologically active antibodies. The results indicate major beneficial effects of removing (i) the subregion downstream from the 69-amino-acid sequence, since antibody titers increased by 2 orders of magnitude, and (ii) the upstream subregion which, although it defines a T-helper cell epitope, is not the target of antibodies. The construct, excluding both flanking sequences, was able to induce Th1-like responses, with a dominance of cytophilic antibodies. This led to design a multigenic construct based on these results, combining the six members of the MSP3 family. This new construction was immunogenic in mice, induced antibodies that recognized the parasite native proteins, and inhibited parasite growth in the functional antibody-dependent cellular inhibition assay, thus satisfying the preclinical criteria for a valuable vaccine candidate.
Frequency Analysis of the CCR5?32 Mutation in Patients with Brucellosis

This study investigated the influence of the host's CCR5 genotype in human brucellosis. Genotype analysis for the CCR5Δ32 mutation was performed in 185 brucellosis patients and 141 healthy volunteers, all recruited in northern Greece. In the brucellosis-infected patients the CCR5Δ32 genotype distribution showed a significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p = 0.030), owing to the presence of 2 individuals homozygous for Δ32 among the 185 brucellosis patients compared with none of the 141 controls. Extended studies should be performed to confirm an association between CCR5 genotype and the risk of acquiring brucellosis.
Effect of calcium-energy supplements on calving-related disorders , fertility and milk yield during the transition period in cows fed anionic diets

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a calcium-energy supplement at calving on the incidence of calving-related disorders (CRD), fertility, BCS and milk yield in cows fed anionic diets and to establish any associations among outcome variables. In Florida, from October to December 1997, 479 cows were assigned to three groups and treated at calving as follows: Group 1: 160 nontreated cows; Group 2: 158 cows, treated orally with 60 g Ca as CaCl2; Group 3: 161 cows, treated orally with 110 g Ca as calcium propionate (510 g) plus propylene glycol (400 g). No treatment effect was detected for any of the outcome variables. An association was found between dystocia and age and retained fetal membranes (RFM). Age and RFM were associated with metritis. RFM and displacement of the abomasum were associated with ketosis. Ketosis and age were related to displacement of the abomasum. Parity, BCS, ovarian cysts, RFM and metritis were associated with fertility. # 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Caractérisation Biomécanique et Modélisation 3D par Imagerie X et IRM haute résolution de l'os spongieux humain : Evaluation du risque fracturaire. (Biomechanics identification and Finite Element Model by microtomography and RMN at high resolution of human spongy bone: Fracture risk)

Dans le cadre de la prevention des pathologies osseuses, l'etude presentee a pour but de tester une nouvelle methodologie d'evaluation du risque fracturaire de l'os spongieux de calcaneum humain. En s'appuyant i) sur des donnees cliniques (de densite minerale osseuse, de microstructure, DXA, Scanner X, Histomorphometrie) et ii) sur des techniques d'imagerie haute definition (IRM a 78 aem et tomographie a 10 aem), l'objectif est d'estimer les proprietes mecaniques de l'os spongieux (Module d'Young et contrainte maximale de compression). Deux types d'essais mecaniques ont ete mis en œuvre : essais de compression sur echantillons cubiques d'os spongieux, essai de micro-flexion sur trabecules osseuses. Differents modeles par elements finis (MEF) de ces essais ont ete construits et permettent de determiner les proprietes mecaniques du tissu trabeculaire. Le risque fracturaire pourrait etre evalue par quantification de la charge de ruine et du degre de deformation de ce tissu. Les resultats de cette methodologie sont alors confrontes aux methodes classiques d'evaluation clinique du risque fracturaire.
Fluorescent labels in biosensors for pathogen detection

Abstract Infectious diseases caused by pathogens have become a life-threatening problem for millions of people around the world in recent years. Therefore, the need of efficient, fast, low-cost and user-friendly biosensing systems to monitor pathogen has increased enormously in the last few years. This paper presents an overview of different fluorescent labels and the utilization of fluorescence-based biosensor techniques for rapid, direct, sensitive and real-time identification of bacteria. In these biosensors, organic dyes, nanomaterials and rare-earth elements are playing an increasing role in the design of biosensing systems with an interest for applications in bacterial analysis.
Structure elucidation at the nanomole scale. 2. Hemi-phorboxazole A from Phorbas sp.

Hemi-phorboxazole A, a minor truncated analogue of phorboxazole A from the marine sponge Phorbas sp. , was isolated in a total yield of 16.5 microg (28 nmol). The structure was elucidated by application of integrated nanomole-scale natural product techniques, including cryomicroprobe NMR, (1)H-coupled HSQC, and circular dichroism (CD).
Mutations in the nonstructural 5A gene of European hepatitis C virus isolates and response to interferon alfa

The response rate to interferon alfa (IFN‐α) in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 isolates is poor. A region associated with sensitivity to IFN has been identified in subtype HCV‐ 1b isolates from Japanese patients in the carboxyterminal half of the nonstructural protein NS5A (between codon 2209 and 2248). HCV‐1b isolates with at least four amino acid changes in this region compared with the HCV‐1b prototype sequence were sensitive, whereas isolates identical to the prototype sequence were resistant to IFN‐α. Patients infected with HCV‐1b isolates carrying 1 to 3 mutations in NS5A2209‐2248 showed an intermediate response pattern. Because of the large geographical differences observed for HCV it is unknown whether this putative IFN‐α sensitivity determining region is also predictive for European isolates. We analyzed 32 patients chronically infected with HCV‐1a or HCV‐1b isolates who were treated with 3 million units of recombinant IFN‐α three times per week for 1 year. Before initiation, during, and after treatment serum HCV‐RNA levels were assessed by a quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assay. The amino acid sequence of NS5A2209‐2248was determined by direct sequencing of the PCR‐amplified HCV genome and was compared with the reference sequence HCV‐J. In patients chronically infected with subtype HCV‐1a or HCV‐1b the initial or sustained response to IFN‐α was not related to the number of amino acid substitutions in the NS5A2209‐2248 region. In addition, the number of amino acid changes in NS5A2209‐2248 was not related to pretreatment HCV‐RNA serum levels. In three patients with a pronounced initial decline of HCV‐RNA levels (> 3 log) sequence analyses of NS5A2209‐2248 were performed before and after therapy. Compared with the pretreatment amino acid sequence the HCV isolates of these patients revealed more mutations in the NS5A2209‐2248 region after therapy. These findings from European patients indicate that the NS5A2209‐2248 region of HCV does not represent a common interferon sensitivity determining region.
Reliability and validity of a custom-made instrument including a hand-held dynamometer for measuring trunk muscle strength.

BACKGROUND Measuring isometric strength is necessary in many areas of health and sport. However, trunk muscles have some particular characteristics that make them difficult to evaluate with simple, inexpensive instruments. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the reliability and validity of an instrument constructed with a hand-held dynamometer and a metallic structure (HHD+S) for measuring maximum isometric voluntary trunk muscle strength. METHODS Maximum isometric voluntary trunk muscle strength (extension, flexion and lateral flexion) was measured in 20 healthy individuals using the custom-made instrument (HHD+S) and the gold standard Back-Check (BC). RESULTS The results showed that the two instruments had high and similar intra-subject reliability. The validity of the HHD+S was demonstrated by the high Pearson coefficient correlation between the two instruments (r ⩾ 0.78). CONCLUSIONS Given the good trial reliability and the close correlation between the two instruments, we believe that the use of a hand-held dynamometer together with the custom-made metallic structure (HHD+S) allows an evaluation of the maximum isometric voluntary trunk muscle strength to be made, that is very similar in quality, accuracy and reliability to the BC.
Glucose Modulation Induces Lysosome Formation and Increases Lysosomotropic Drug Sequestration via the P-Glycoprotein Drug Transporter*

Pgp is functional on the plasma membrane and lysosomal membrane. Lysosomal-Pgp can pump substrates into the organelle, thereby trapping certain chemotherapeutics (e.g. doxorubicin; DOX). This mechanism serves as a “safe house” to protect cells against cytotoxic drugs. Interestingly, in contrast to DOX, lysosomal sequestration of the novel anti-tumor agent and P-glycoprotein (Pgp) substrate, di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT), induces lysosomal membrane permeabilization. This mechanism of lysosomal-Pgp utilization enhances cytotoxicity to multidrug-resistant cells. Consequently, Dp44mT has greater anti-tumor activity in drug-resistant relative to non-Pgp-expressing tumors. Interestingly, stressors in the tumor microenvironment trigger endocytosis for cell signaling to assist cell survival. Hence, this investigation examined how glucose variation-induced stress regulated early endosome and lysosome formation via endocytosis of the plasma membrane. Furthermore, the impact of glucose variation-induced stress on resistance to DOX was compared with Dp44mT and its structurally related analogue, di-2-pyridylketone 4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC). These studies showed that glucose variation-induced stress-stimulated formation of early endosomes and lysosomes. In fact, through the process of fluid-phase endocytosis, Pgp was redistributed from the plasma membrane to the lysosomal membrane via early endosome formation. This lysosomal-Pgp actively transported the Pgp substrate, DOX, into the lysosome where it became trapped as a result of protonation at pH 5. Due to increased lysosomal DOX trapping, Pgp-expressing cells became more resistant to DOX. In contrast, cytotoxicity of Dp44mT and DpC was potentiated due to more lysosomes containing functional Pgp under glucose-induced stress. These thiosemicarbazones increased lysosomal membrane permeabilization and cell death. This mechanism has critical implications for drug-targeting in multidrug-resistant tumors where a stressful micro-environment exists.
Big Data - a step change for SDI?

The globally hyped notion of Big Data has increasingly influenced scientific and technical debates about the handling and management of geospatial information. Accordingly, we see a need to recall what has happened over the past years, to present the recent Big Data landscape from an infrastructural perspective and to outline the major implications for the SDI community. We primarily conclude that it would be too simple and naive to consider only the technological aspects that are underpinning geospatial (web) services. Instead, we request SDI researchers, engineers, providers and consumers to develop new methodologies and capacities for dealing with (geo)spatial information as part of broader knowledge infrastructures.
Serum insulin, insulin resistance, beta-cell dysfunction, and gallstone disease among type 2 diabetics in Chinese population: a community-based study in Kinmen, Taiwan.

AIM To explore the association of serum insulin, insulin resistance, and beta-cell dysfunction with gallstone disease (GSD) in type 2 diabetics. METHODS We used a community-based study conducted between 1991 and 1993 in Kinmen, Taiwan to identify type 2 diabetics. A screening program for GSD was performed in 2001 by a panel of specialists who employed real-time ultrasound sonography to examine the abdominal region after the patient had fasted for at least 8 h. Screening was conducted in 2001 on 848 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The HOMA method was used to compare the profile differences for insulin resistance (HOMA IR) and beta-cell dysfunction (HOMA beta-cell). RESULTS We studied 440 type 2 diabetics who attended sonography check-ups. After excluding eight insulin-treated diabetics, the prevalence of GSD among the remaining 432 was 13.9% (26/187) among males and 14.7% (36/245) among females. After adjustment for other GSD-associated risk factors in addition to age and obesity, GSD risk increased among females with levels of serum insulin [4(th) vs 1(st) quartile odds ratios (OR) = 4.46 (95%CI: 1.71-11.66)] and HOMA IR [4(th) vs 1(st) quartile OR = 4.46 (95%CI: 1.71-11.66)]. Better HOMA beta-cell function was significantly related to decreased risk of GSD [4(th) vs 1(st) quartile OR = 0.16 (95%CI: 0.03-1.70)]. Among males, age and central obesity were the most significant risk factors for GSD. No association of GSD with serum insulin, HOMA IR, and HOMA beta-cell was observed among males. CONCLUSION Serum insulin, insulin resistance, and beta-cell dysfunction are risk factors for GSD in females, but not males with type 2 diabetes.