Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating the impact of early-life, life-course and genetic factors on blood pressure among young Africans

Background: The relationship between blood pressure (BP) and early-life factors such as birth weight, life-course factors such as obesity, and genetic variants among Africans are unknown. This PhD aimed to systematically review literature on the relationship between birth weight and BP among young Africans and to use data from the Entebbe Mother and Baby Study (EMaBS), a Ugandan birth cohort, to investigate the impact of early-life, life-course and genetic factors on adolescents’ BP. Methods: Four databases were systematically searched for relevant publications. In the EMaBS, data were collected prenatally from pregnant women and prospectively from the resulting offspring, with BP measured in adolescence. Linear regression was used to relate birth weight, early-growth and other characteristics to BP. Genetic analyses were conducted to investigate genetic variants associated with adolescents’ BP. Results: The systematic review showed that among the few published studies from Africa, the relationship between birth weight and BP varied by participants’ age. Findings from the EMaBS indicated strong evidence of association between postnatal weight gain and later BP, with fast-growing low birth weight individuals particularly affected. Maternal factors positively associated with higher adolescent BP were gestational body mass index (BMI) and higher education status. Adolescent factors positively associated with higher BP were age, waist circumference, BMI, family history of hypertension and current Trichuris infection. Previous malaria infection in childhood and higher vegetable or fruit consumption were associated with lower BP in adolescence. No genetic variant reached genome-wide significance for association with BP. Thirty-three of 330 variants previously identified as associated with BP were replicated in this study, but none were significant after accounting for multiple testing. Conclusions: Postnatal weight gain rather than birth weight is associated with later BP, with fast-growing low birth weight individuals at particular risk. Larger studies are required to characterise BP genetics in African adolescents.
Game change in Colorado: widespread use of long-acting reversible contraceptives and rapid decline in births among young, low-income women.

CONTEXT Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods are recommended for young women, but access is limited by cost and lack of knowledge among providers and consumers. The Colorado Family Planning Initiative (CFPI) sought to address these barriers by training providers, financing LARC method provision at Title X-funded clinics and increasing patient caseload. METHODS Beginning in 2009, 28 Title X-funded agencies in Colorado received private funding to support CFPI. Caseloads and clients' LARC use were assessed over the following two years. Fertility rates among low-income women aged 15-24 were compared with expected trends. Abortion rates and births among high-risk women were tracked, and the numbers of infants receiving services through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) were examined. RESULTS By 2011, caseloads had increased by 23%, and LARC use among 15-24-year-olds had grown from 5% to 19%. Cumulatively, one in 15 young, low-income women had received a LARC method, up from one in 170 in 2008. Compared with expected fertility rates in 2011, observed rates were 29% lower among low-income 15-19-year-olds and 14% lower among similar 20-24-year-olds. In CFPI counties, the proportion of births that were high-risk declined by 24% between 2009 and 2011; abortion rates fell 34% and 18%, respectively, among women aged 15-19 and 20-24. Statewide, infant enrollment in WIC declined 23% between 2010 and 2013. CONCLUSIONS Programs that increase LARC use among young, low-income women may contribute to declines in fertility rates, abortion rates and births among high-risk women.
The Catalytically Active Tyrosine Residues of Both SPO11-1 and SPO11-2 Are Required for Meiotic Double-Strand Break Induction in Arabidopsis

SPO11, a homolog of the subunit A of the archaebacterial topoisomerase VI, is essential for double-strand break (DSB)–induced initiation of meiotic recombination. In contrast with single homologs in animals and yeasts, three homologs are present in Arabidopsis thaliana and other higher plants. Whereas At SPO11-3 is involved in somatic endoreduplication, At SPO11-1 and, as recently shown, At SPO11-2 are essential for the initiation of meiotic recombination. Further defining the role of At SPO11-2, we were able to demonstrate that it is required for proper chromosome segregation, as its loss resulted in aneuploidy in the surviving progeny. The double mutant spo11-1 spo11-2 does not differ phenotypically from the single mutants, indicating that both proteins are required for the same step. Contrary to the observations for the At rad51-1 single mutant, the combination of spo11-2 and rad51-1 did not lead to chromosome fragmentation, indicating that SPO11-2, like SPO11-1, is required for DSB induction. As the meiotic phenotype of both single SPO11 mutants can be reversed by complementation using the full-length genes but not the same constructs mutated in their respective catalytically active Tyr, both proteins seem to participate directly in the DNA breakage reaction. The active involvement of two SPO11 homologs for DSB formation reveals a striking difference between plants and other eukaryotes in meiosis.
LOCAL COMPACTNESS IN APPROACH SPACES

This paper studies the stability properties of the concepts of local compactness introduced by the authors in 1998. We show that all of these concepts are stable for contractive, expansive images and for products. 1. Introduction. Having introduced notions of local compactness, basis local compactness and related measures, and having studied the basic relationship among these concepts in [3], in this paper we study stability properties. Keeping in mind the stability properties of local compactness in TOP, the category of topological spaces and continuous maps, we study how our notions behave under mappings and products. Especially, in the topological case, the maps which are required in order to preserve local compactness are continuous open surjections. This necessitated first finding out what is the right notion of open map in AP. This is duly done in this paper, and it turns out that the notion which we use has nice characterizations for a number of primitive approach structures. Of course, it also turns out to be the right concept in connection with local compactness.
Respiratory adaptations in acid-base disturbances: role of cerebral fluids.

Abstract : The respiratory and metabolic components of acid-base homeostasis are defined. A quantitative empirical description of the (incomplete) mutual compensations in steady acid-base disturbances primarily occurring in either of the two components is presented, based upon data compiled from the literature. Respiratory adaptations in steady acid-base disturbances of metabolic origin (hyperventilation with hypocapnia in primary metabolic acidosis, and hypoventilation with hypercapnia in metabolic alkalosis) are analyzed as a function of the acidity of the cerebral fluids (cerebrospinal and cerebral interstitial fluid). (Author)
Teratological changes on the prosoma of Eratigena atrica spiders caused by alternating temperatures

Environmental temperature has a tremendous impact on many areas of spiders' lifestyle. It can also be a strong teratogen. The study presents the results of teratological research involving embryos of Eratigena atrica spiders. It was aimed at demonstrating a relationship between the temperature of embryo incubation and the mortality of embryos as well as the number of individuals with body deformities. The experiment was based on the application of alternating temperatures as a teratogenic agent. E. atrica embryos were exposed to temperatures of 14 and 32 oC changed every 12 h for the first 10 days of their development. We observed that these alternating temperatures significantly influenced embryo mortality and the number of body deformities. Embryo mortality was high and the experimental group contained 40 individuals with different anomalies of the prosoma: oligomely, schistomely, heterosymely, symely and bicephaly. Four individuals were affected by so-called complex anomalies, (combination of several defects). Complex anomalies of appendages on the prosoma were recorded for the first time in the history of our research. Since each case was different, we analyzed and described each of the spiders separately.
Total enteroscopy with a nonsurgical steerable double-balloon method.

BACKGROUND Deep insertion of an enteroscope by use of a push technique is difficult. A new method of enteroscopy was developed, a double-balloon method, to improve the access to the small intestine. METHODS The new method uses 2 balloons, one attached to the tip of the endoscope and another at the distal end of an overtube. By using these balloons to grip the intestinal wall, the endoscope can be inserted further without forming redundant loops in the small intestine. This method was tried with a standard upper endoscope in 3 patients and with a longer enteroscope in 1 patient. RESULTS Despite its short length the upper endoscope was successfully inserted as far as 30 to 50 cm beyond the ligament of Treitz in the 3 patients. In the fourth patient the longer enteroscope was successfully inserted beyond the ileo-cecal valve. CONCLUSIONS The double-balloon method facilitates endoscopic access to the small intestine.
Digitization and the Demand for Physical Works: Evidence from the Google Books Project

The digital era promised to deliver a centralized repository of all pre-existing knowledge through mass digitization. However, concerns about cannibalizing demand for physical works have led publishers and authors to block the realization of this vision. We investigate the effect of mass digitization on demand for physical works using novel data tracking the timing of the digitization of individual books from Harvard University’s libraries through the Google Books project. Digitization hurt loans within Harvard but increased sales of physical editions by about 35%, especially for less popular works. Rather than cannibalizing demand for physical works, mass digitization could increase demand for them, while also increasing their diffusion online.
Monochloramine enhances Fas (APO‐1/CD95)‐induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells

Monochloramine derivatives are physiological oxidants produced by activated neutrophils. We report the effects of chemically prepared monochloramine (NH2Cl) on Fas‐induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells. When the cells were pretreated with NH2Cl (20–70 μM), subsequent addition of apoptosis‐inducing anti‐Fas antibody resulted in a synergistic enhancement of apoptosis. Treatment of NH2Cl (50–70 μM) alone resulted in a slight but definite apoptosis. Caspase activities, as measured by DEVD and IETD cleavage activities, were also elevated synergistically by NH2Cl + anti‐Fas antibody stimulation. Moreover, a broad caspase inhibitor, Z‐VAD‐fmk, almost completely inhibited the apoptosis induced by NH2Cl and/or anti‐Fas antibody. Fas expression on the Jurkat cell surface was not affected by the NH2Cl treatment. After 3 h of NH2Cl treatment, when the apoptosis was beginning to increase, the cells showed cytochrome c release from mitochondria, proteolytic activation of caspase 9, and poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase cleavage, regardless of Fas stimulation. Z‐VAD‐fmk almost completely inhibited this poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase cleavage, but not cytochrome c release. By contrast, Fas stimulation alone resulted in neither cytochrome c release nor caspase 9 activation at 3 h, and the increase in the DEVD cleavage activity and apoptosis became evident at later time points. These results suggested that NH2Cl enhanced Fas‐induced apoptosis through the cytochrome c release and caspase 9 activation at the early stage of apoptosis. Chloramines derived from acute inflammation may modify immune reactions, such as cell‐mediated cytotoxicity and some autoimmune diseases, by the enhancement of Fas‐induced apoptosis. J. Leukoc. Biol. 67: 46–52; 2000.
THRESHOLD DYNAMICS OF THE STOCHASTIC EPIDEMIC MODEL WITH JUMP-DIFFUSION INFECTION FORCE

This paper formulates a stochastic SIR epidemic model by supposing that the infection force is perturbed by Brown motion and Lévy jumps. The globally positive and bounded solution is proved firstly by constructing the suitable Lyapunov function. Then, a stochastic basic reproduction number R 0 is derived, which is less than that for the deterministic model and the stochastic model driven by Brown motion. Analytical results show that the disease will die out if R 0 < 1, and R L 0 > 1 is the necessary and sufficient condition for persistence of the disease. Theoretical results and numerical simulations indicate that the effects of Lévy jumps may lead to extinction of the disease while the deterministic model and the stochastic model driven by Brown motion both predict persistence. Additionally, the method developed in this paper can be used to investigate a class of related stochastic models driven by Lévy noise.
CHCHD4 Regulates Intracellular Oxygenation and Perinuclear Distribution of Mitochondria

Hypoxia is a characteristic of the tumor microenvironment and is known to contribute to tumor progression and treatment resistance. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) dimeric transcription factors control the cellular response to reduced oxygenation by regulating the expression of genes involved in metabolic adaptation, cell motility, and survival. Alterations in mitochondrial metabolism are not only a downstream consequence of HIF-signaling but mitochondria reciprocally regulate HIF signaling through multiple means, including oxygen consumption, metabolic intermediates, and reactive oxygen species generation. CHCHD4 is a redox-sensitive mitochondrial protein, which we previously identified and showed to be a novel regulator of HIF and hypoxia responses in tumors. Elevated expression of CHCHD4 in human tumors correlates with the hypoxia gene signature, disease progression, and poor patient survival. Here, we show that either long-term (72 h) exposure to hypoxia (1% O2) or elevated expression of CHCHD4 in tumor cells in normoxia leads to perinuclear accumulation of mitochondria, which is dependent on the expression of HIF-1α. Furthermore, we show that CHCHD4 is required for perinuclear localization of mitochondria and HIF activation in response to long-term hypoxia. Mutation of the functionally important highly conserved cysteines within the Cys-Pro-Cys motif of CHCHD4 or inhibition of complex IV activity (by sodium azide) redistributes mitochondria from the perinuclear region toward the periphery of the cell and blocks HIF activation. Finally, we show that CHCHD4-mediated perinuclear localization of mitochondria is associated with increased intracellular hypoxia within the perinuclear region and constitutive basal HIF activation in normoxia. Our study demonstrates that the intracellular distribution of the mitochondrial network is an important feature of the cellular response to hypoxia, contributing to hypoxic signaling via HIF activation and regulated by way of the cross talk between CHCHD4 and HIF-1α.
CpG Usage in RNA Viruses: Data and Hypotheses

CpG repression in RNA viruses has been known for decades, but a reasonable explanation has not yet been proposed to explain this phenomenon. In this study, we calculated the CpG odds ratio of all RNA viruses that have available genome sequences and analyzed the correlation with their genome polarity, base composition, synonymous codon usage, phylogenetic relationship, and host. The results indicated that the viral base composition, synonymous codon usage and host selection were the dominant factors that determined the CpG bias in RNA viruses. CpG usage variation between the different viral groups was caused by different combinations of these pressures, which also differed from each other in strength. The consistent under-representation of CpG usage in −ssRNA viruses is determined predominantly by base composition, which may be a consequence of the U/A preferred mutation bias of −ssRNA viruses, whereas the CpG usage of +ssRNA viruses is affected greatly by their hosts. As a result, most +ssRNA viruses mimic their hosts' CpG usage. Unbiased CpG usage in dsRNA viruses is most likely a result of their dsRNA genome, which allows the viruses to escape from the host-driven CpG elimination pressure. CpG was under-represented in all reverse-transcribing viruses (RT viruses), suggesting that DNA methylation is an important factor affecting the CpG usage of retroviruses. However, vertebrate-infecting RT viruses may also suffer host' CpG elimination pressure that also acts on +ssRNA viruses, which results in further under-representation of CpG in the vertebrate-infecting RT viruses.
Constraint on a variation of the proton‐to‐electron mass ratio from H2 absorption towards quasar Q2348−011

Molecular hydrogen (H2) absorption features observed in the line of sight to Q2348−011 at redshift zabs � 2.426 are analysed for the purpose of detecting a possible variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ ≡ mp/me. By its structure, Q2348−011 is the most complex analysed H2 absorption system at high redshift so far, featuring at least seven distinctly visible molecular velocity components. The multiple velocity components associated with each transition of H2 were modelled simultaneously by means of a comprehensive fitting method. The fiducial model resulted in �μ /μ = (−0.68 ± 2.78) × 10 −5 , showing no sign that μ in this particular absorber is different from its current laboratory value. Although not as tight a constraint as other absorbers have recently provided, this result is consistent with the results from all previously analysed H2-bearing sightlines. Combining all such measurements yields a constraint of |�μ /μ |≤ 10 −5 for the redshift range z = 2–3.
On What's Right and Keeping Left: Or Why Geography Still Needs Marxian Political Economy

Recently the value of Marxian approaches to human geography has again been called into question in the pages of Antipode. In this paper I review the reasons as to why geographers re-discovered Marx and then, from the late 1960s, began to engage with Marxian approaches. I then consider some of the reasons why Marxian approaches in their turn became the subject of critique in geography and some of the alternatives explored in the wake of this. The conclusion is that a pluri-theoretical human geography is necessary but that Marxian approaches remain of central significance to radical and critically minded geographers.
Ablation for the management of pulmonary malignancies.

OBJECTIVE Surgical resection remains the treatment of choice for patients with early-stage primary lung cancer and selected patients with limited metastatic lung disease. However, surgery is a high-risk treatment for patients with coexisting morbidities, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a single lung, or a history of prior resection. The indications for and outcomes of ablative therapies performed for the management of pulmonary malignancies are discussed. CONCLUSION Preservation of residual lung parenchyma when treating patients with early-stage primary lung cancer and those with limited metastatic lung disease is vital and can be achieved with image-guided thermal ablation therapies.
Functional Elimination and 0/1/All Constraints

We present new complexity results on the class of 0/1/All constraints. The central idea involves functional elimination, a general method of elimination whose focus is on the subclass of functional constraints. One result is that for the subclass of "All" constraints, strong n-consistency and minimality is achievable in O(en) time, where e, n are the number of constraints and variables. The main result is that we can solve 0/1/All constraints in O(e(d + n)) time, where d is the domain size. This is an improvement over known results, which are O(ed(d+n)). Furthermore, our algorithm also achieves strong n-consistency and minimality.
Recombinant interferon‐alpha‐2b treatment of hairy‐cell leukaemia: Experience with a low‐dose schedule

50 patients with hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) were treated with recombinant interferon (IFN) alpha‐2b 2.0 × 106 IU/m2 subcutaneously three times weekly to evaluate the efficacy of low‐dose IFN therapy in inducing and maintaining remission of the disease. At the time of this report 48 patients, of whom 22 were splenectomized, had been treated for at least 3 months and were considered evaluable for response. The median observation time on IFN‐alpha‐2b was 11 months (range 3 to 20). 4 cases with atypical disease (spongy lymphoid myelofibrosis) were also included. All patients responded to IFN. After 3 months 11/48 patients (23%) had achieved a partial remission (PR) with normalization of peripheral blood values. After 6 months 27/43 patients (63%) had achieved a favourable response; complete remission (CR) was recorded in 4 and PR in 23 patients. The proportion of patients with favourable responses (CR + PR) increased with the duration of therapy and after 12 months of therapy 23/28 (82 %) patients showed CR or PR, 9 patients (32 %) being in CR. Splenectomized patients disclosed a trend towards a more rapid response. It is concluded that IFN‐alpha‐2b is a highly effective first‐line therapy for HCL
Incompatibility with Formin Cdc12p Prevents Human Profilin from Substituting for Fission Yeast Profilin

Expression of human profilin-I does not complement the temperature-sensitive cdc3-124 mutation of the single profilin gene in fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, resulting in death from cytokinesis defects. Human profilin-I and S. pombe profilin have similar affinities for actin monomers, the FH1 domain of fission yeast formin Cdc12p and poly-l-proline (Lu, J., and Pollard, T. D. (2001) Mol. Biol. Cell 12, 1161–1175), but human profilin-I does not stimulate actin filament elongation by formin Cdc12p like S. pombe profilin. Two crystal structures of S. pombe profilin and homology models of S. pombe profilin bound to actin show how the two profilins bind to identical surfaces on animal and yeast actins even though 75% of the residues on the profilin side of the interaction differ in the two profilins. Overexpression of human profilin-I in fission yeast expressing native profilin also causes cytokinesis defects incompatible with viability. Human profilin-I with the R88E mutation has no detectable affinity for actin and does not have this dominant overexpression phenotype. The Y6D mutation reduces the affinity of human profilin-I for poly-l-proline by 1000-fold, but overexpression of Y6D profilin in fission yeast is lethal. The most likely hypotheses to explain the incompatibility of human profilin-I with Cdc12p are differences in interactions with the proline-rich sequences in the FH1 domain of Cdc12p and wider “wings” that interact with actin.