Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Head and Neck Cancer Disparity in Underserved Communities: Probable Causes and the Ethics Involved

Head and neck cancers are a cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the United States. For low-income, African American men they are one of the leading causes of excess cancer deaths: although all racial/ethnic groups suffer from these cancers, African American men disproportionately suffer and die from them. Low-income communities have increased risks for many adverse health conditions because of environmental factors and existing social determinants of health. These social determinants often lead to unhealthy life circumstances and ineffective coping behaviors. Early detection enhances effective treatment options, but such services are limited among African Americans, particularly African American men in underserved areas. Not addressing oral cancer because of these social conditions reflects unjust and unethical behavior by health care professionals. In Atlanta, one high-density, limited-resource area has the highest incidence of oral cavity cancers. Health Education, Assessment and Leadership (HEAL) was created to address the oral cancer incidence and prevalence, an example of a preventable health disparity between this underserved region and surrounding communities.
A homozygous missense mutation in the IRBP gene (RBP3) associated with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE Interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) has been considered essential for normal rod and cone function, as it mediates the transport of retinoids between the photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium. This study was performed to determine whether mutations in the IRBP gene (RBP3) are associated with photoreceptor degeneration. METHODS A consanguineous family was ascertained in which four children had autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Homozygosity mapping performed with SNP microarrays revealed only one homozygous region shared by all four affected siblings. Sequencing of RBP3, contained in this region, was performed in this family and others with recessive RP. Screening was also performed on patients with various other forms of retinal degeneration or malfunction. RESULTS Sequence analysis of RBP3 revealed a homozygous missense mutation (p.Asp1080Asn) in the four affected siblings. The mutation affects a residue that is completely conserved in all four homologous modules of the IRBP protein of vertebrate species and in C-terminal-processing proteases, photosynthesis enzymes found in bacteria, algae, and plants. Based on the previously reported crystal structure of Xenopus IRBP, the authors predict that the Asp1080-mediated conserved salt bridge that appears to participate in scaffolding of the retinol-binding domain is abolished by the mutation. No RBP3 mutations were detected in 395 unrelated patients with recessive or isolate RP or in 680 patients with other forms of hereditary retinal degeneration. CONCLUSIONS Mutations in RBP3 are an infrequent cause of autosomal recessive RP. The mutation Asp1080Asn may alter the conformation of the IRBP protein by disrupting a conserved salt bridge.
Elemental changes in guinea‐pig epidermis in the hyperplastic response to irritant stimuli

A mild irritant reaction was induced by application of sodium lauryl sulphate to the skin of guinea‐pigs. The response was analysed at 24 and 48 h after application using light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis (EDX). It was found that the sodium lauryl sulphate induced a hyperplastic response in the epidermis with an increased number of keratinocytes. This response was associated with significantly increased levels of intracellular sodium and chloride. The elemental changes were most marked at 24 h, whereas the number of keratinocytes was highest at 48 h. The pattern of the elemental changes and the ultrastructural alterations are compatible with initial membrane damage followed by a transient increase in proliferative activity. The present results demonstrate that EDX is a useful tool for the analysis of functional alterations in epidermal keratinocytes under pathological conditions.
Race, sense of control over life, and short-term risk of mortality among older adults in the United States

Introduction Sense of control over life has been shown to have protective health effects in studies that have mostly enrolled White middle class individuals. It is unknown, however, whether populations differ in the protective health gain associated with sense of control over life. This study compared a nationally representative sample of Black and White older adults for protective effects of sense of control over life on short-term risk of all-cause mortality in the United States. Material and methods This longitudinal prospective study followed 1,493 White (n = 759) and Black (n = 734) older adults (age 66 or more) from 2001 to 2004. Race, demographics, socio-economics, sense of control over life, health behaviors, and self-rated health were measured at baseline in 2001. Outcome was all-cause mortality occurring between 2001 and 2004. Logistic regression models were used for data analysis. Results In the pooled sample, sense of control over life was protective against 3-year mortality risk above and beyond demographics, socio-economics, health behaviors, and self-rated health. We found a race by sense of control over life interaction, suggesting a stronger protective effect of control over life on mortality risk for Whites compared to Blacks. In race-specific models, sense of control over life at baseline was predictive of mortality among Whites but not Blacks. Conclusions In the United States, Black older adults do not gain a survival benefit associated with high levels of sense of control over life, as do their White counterparts. It is not clear why sense of control over life translates into survival for Whites but not for Blacks.
Genome Sequence of Enterobacter radicincitans DSM16656T, a Plant Growth-Promoting Endophyte

ABSTRACT Enterobacter radicincitans sp. nov. DSM16656T represents a new species of the genus Enterobacter which is a biological nitrogen-fixing endophytic bacterium with growth-promoting effects on a variety of crop and model plant species. The presence of genes for nitrogen fixation, phosphorous mobilization, and phytohormone production reflects this microbe's potential plant growth-promoting activity.
Planar metamaterial transverse equivalent network and its application to low-profile antenna designs

We present a lumped circuit description of a novel metamaterial layer made of arrayed pairs of tightly coupled conductors (dogbones or Jerusalem crosses). This lumped element network is synthesized to exhibit the same frequency response of the metamaterial layer when inserted in the plane-wave equivalent transmission line. The metamaterial and its transverse equivalent network (TEN) model is then applied to the design of a high impedance surface for low profile dipoles and a partially reflective superstrate for highly directive Fabry-Perot cavity antennas. Numerical results illustrating the radiation properties of such antennas are provided.
Wiki CS annotation: Performing entity annotation within WordPress plugin

Information in a document can be represented by tags generated by using entity annotation approach. Those tags can be used to organize documents in a collection. This organizing method is also used in a blog to manage their posts. In this study, a WordPress plugin (named Wiki CS Annotation) which implements TAGME's algorithmic technology is designed and developed to perform entity annotation by giving tag suggestions for post in a blog. In addition, this plugin creates hyperlink to Wikipedia page on word or phrase in the post, based on the selected tag suggestions which are wanted to be the tags of the post. This plugin uses an anchor dictionary which is created by the preprocessing application. Testing is carried out by involving 35 respondents to get their effectiveness when using the plugin. The result shows that approximately 56% of the tag suggestions given by the plugin are considered relevant, i.e. suitable to become post's tags or entities to be linked to Wikipedia. Moreover, user's effort when using the plugin is considerably small.
High copper levels improve callus induction and plant regeneration in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

SummaryA highly efficient protocol for callus induction and plant regeneration in Sorghum bicolor was developed by varying the concentrations of copper (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, 1.5, 2.5 μM) in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. The mature embryos of Sorghum bicolor were cultured on MS medium containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (9μM), kinetin (2.3 μM), and 3% (w/v) sucrose for embryogenic callus induction. Plant regeneration from this callus occurred on MS medium containing kinetin (9.2 μM) and indole-3-acetic acid (2.85 μM). A much greater response was noted on these media with higher levels of copper. Frequency of plant regeneration and number of regenerants dramatically increased with an optimal amount of copper (2 μM) in the MS medium. Rooting of the regenerated shoots readily occurred on half-strength MS medium supplemented with α-naphthaleneacetic acid (10.7 μM) and 3% (w/v) sucrose. Well-developed plantlets were transferred to the field where 100% survival and normal seed setting was noted.
Specific subgroups of FruM neurons control sexually dimorphic patterns of aggression in Drosophila melanogaster

A great challenge facing neuroscience is to understand how genes, molecules, cells, circuits, and systems interact to generate social behavior. Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) offer a powerful model system to address questions of this magnitude. These animals display genetically specified, sexually dimorphic patterns of fighting behavior via sex-specific splicing of the fruitless gene. Here, we show that sexually dimorphic behavioral patterns displayed during aggression are controlled by specific subgroups of neurons expressing male forms of fruitless proteins (FruM). Using the GAL4/UAS system to manipulate transformer expression, we feminized or masculinized different populations of neurons in fly nervous systems. With a panneuronal elav-GAL4 driver, male patterns of fighting behavior were transferred into females and female patterns into males. We screened 60 Gal4 lines that express the yeast transcription factor in different patterns in fly central nervous systems and found five that showed abnormal same-sex courtship behavior. The sexually dimorphic fighting patterns, however, were completely switched only in one and partially switched in a second of these lines. In the other three lines, female patterns of aggression were seen despite a switch in courtship preference. A tight correspondence was seen between FruM expression and how flies fight in several subgroups of neurons usually expressing these proteins: Expression is absent when flies fight like females and present when flies fight like males, thereby beginning a separation between courtship and aggression among these neurons.
Sleep apnoea and hypertension: role of chemoreflexes in humans

The link between sleep apnoea and systemic hypertension in humans is well documented. However, a direct causal association between the two diseases independent of comorbidities has been difficult to establish. Comorbidities clearly play an important role in this strong relationship; however, new findings also suggest that sleep apnoea is an independent risk factor for hypertension. This relationship appears to be at least in part a result of chronically elevated sympathetic activity, and therefore manifests as a neurally mediated hypertension. Although the mechanism(s) for this causal relationship of sleep apnoea to hypertension remains ill defined, a growing body of literature suggests that autonomic dysfunction, mediated by abnormal chemoreflex control of sympathetic activity, is a potential mechanism. Abnormal chemoreflex responses to both acute and chronic apnoea or hypoxia have been demonstrated. Hypothesized mechanisms by which chemoreflex dysfunction may contribute to chronically elevated sympathetic tone and ultimately hypertension are explored in this review. Thus, this review focuses on the current evidence linking chemoreflex function to obstructive sleep apnoea and systemic hypertension in humans and provides an analysis of these data and their implications.
Procollagen C Proteinase Enhancer 1 Genes Are Important Determinants of the Mechanical Properties and Geometry of Bone and the Ultrastructure of Connective Tissues

ABSTRACT Procollagen C proteinases (pCPs) cleave type I to III procollagen C propeptides as a necessary step in assembling the major fibrous components of vertebrate extracellular matrix. The protein PCOLCE1 (procollagen C proteinase enhancer 1) is not a proteinase but can enhance the activity of pCPs ∼10-fold in vitro and has reported roles in inhibiting other proteinases and in growth control. Here we have generated mice with null alleles of the PCOLCE1 gene, Pcolce, to ascertain in vivo roles. Although Pcolce− / − mice are viable and fertile, Pcolce − / − male, but not female, long bones are more massive and have altered geometries that increase resistance to loading, compared to wild type. Mechanical testing indicated inferior material properties of Pcolce − / − male long bone, apparently compensated for by the adaptive changes in bone geometry. Male and female Pcolce − / − vertebrae both appeared to compensate for inferior material properties with thickened and more numerous trabeculae and had a uniquely altered morphology in deposited mineral. Ultrastructurally, Pcolce − / − mice had profoundly abnormal collagen fibrils in both mineralized and nonmineralized tissues. In Pcolce − / − tendon, 100% of collagen fibrils had deranged morphologies, indicating marked functional effects in this tissue. Thus, PCOLCE1 is an important determinant of bone mechanical properties and geometry and of collagen fibril morphology in mammals, and the human PCOLCE1 gene is identified as a candidate for phenotypes with defects in such attributes in humans.
Data Capture of Cognitive Radio-Based Red Network by a Blue Network in Tactical Wireless Networks

In this paper, we consider data capture of a cognitive radio-based red network in tactical wireless networks. In the blue (friendly) network, an eavesdropping sensor node is deployed to capture data of the red (adversary) network, where the red network adopts cognitive radio for opportunistic data transmission. Since most wireless networks suffer energy constraints, we investigate the data capture (eavesdropping) performance of the blue network in two scenarios of energy management: no energy harvesting and energy harvesting. In both of the energy scenarios, we formulate the problem of maximizing data-capturing performance of blue network in the framework of a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) by considering feedback observations of actions. Furthermore, a recursive method is adopted to solve the problem by which the optimal action policy for the eavesdropping sensor nodes of blue network is obtained. Finally, we compare the performances of the proposed scheme with those of different reference methods under the two mentioned energy scenarios. Numerical results show that the proposed POMDP-based scheme can improve the data-capturing performance of the eavesdropping sensor node.
A random survey of leprosy in wild nine-banded armadillos in Louisiana.

On the basis of the finding that lepromatous granulomas were almost always seen in the ears of armadillos with disseminated leprosy, a random survey of the prevalence of the disease among wild armadillos in the state of Louisiana, U.S.A. , was conducted by examining histopathologically both ears of armadillos killed on the roads by automobiles. Ten (2%) of the 494 animals examined had disseminated leprosy. If a killed lepromatous armadillo releases up to 10 Mycobacterium leprae into the environment, the importance of the event to the epidemiology of leprosy must be considered.
GATA-1, -2 and -3 genes expression in bone marrow microenviroment with chronic aplastic anemia

Abstract Both bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and transcription factors (GATA-1, GATA-2 and GATA-3) are important in the normal hematopoiesis and the pathogenesis of hematopoietic disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of GATA-1, GATA-2 and GATA-3 genes in the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment from patients with chronic aplastic anemia (cAA) and normal individuals. Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from BM of patients with cAA (8 cases) and normal controls (9 cases). Adherent cells (i.e. BMSCs) were collected after long-term culture in vitro. The semi-quantitative expression levels of GATA genes were analyzed by using RT-PCR-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (RT-PCR-ELISA). The BMSCs with cAA grew slowly compared with the normal BMSCs. In BMSCs, only the expression ratio of GATA-3 gene from cAA group (50.0%) was significant lower than the normal controls (P < 0.05), the expression ratios of other GATA genes from cAA group were similar to the normal controls. There was no difference in the expression level of GATA-1 gene in the BMSCs between normal controls and cAA group. The expression level of GATA-2 gene in BMSCs from cAA was significantly lower than that from normal controls (P < 0.05). The expression level of GATA-3 gene in BMSCs from cAA was significantly higher than that from normal controls (P < 0.05). The dominant expression of GATA-3 gene was found in the BMSCs from cAA and normal controls. GATA genes can be expressed in the BMSCs and may play a role in the regulation of hematopoiesis in normal individuals, as well as in patients with cAA. The change of expression levels of GATA genes may influence the hematopoiesis in BM microenvironment and relate to the pathogenesis and development of aplastic anemia.
The Voltage-dependent Anion Channel Is a Receptor for Plasminogen Kringle 5 on Human Endothelial Cells*

Human plasminogen contains structural domains that are termed kringles. Proteolytic cleavage of plasminogen yields kringles 1–3 or 4 and kringle 5 (K5), which regulate endothelial cell proliferation. The receptor for kringles 1–3 or 4 has been identified as cell surface-associated ATP synthase; however, the receptor for K5 is not known. Sequence homology exists between the plasminogen activator streptokinase and the human voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC); however, a functional relationship between these proteins has not been reported. A streptokinase binding site for K5 is located between residues Tyr252–Lys283, which is homologous to the primary sequence of VDAC residues Tyr224–Lys255. Antibodies against these sequences react with VDAC and detect this protein on the plasma membrane of human endothelial cells. K5 binds with high affinity (Kd of 28 nm) to endothelial cells, and binding is inhibited by these antibodies. Purified VDAC binds to K5 but only when reconstituted into liposomes. K5 also interferes with mechanisms controlling the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ via its interaction with VDAC. K5 binding to endothelial cells also induces a decrease in intracellular pH and hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane. These studies suggest that VDAC is a receptor for K5.
Signal, Contrast, and Resolution in Optimized PD‐ and T2‐Weighted Turbo SE Images of the Knee

Objective Signal and contrast behavior, delineation of anatomical details, and flow artifacts were compared in dual echo SE and turbo SE (TSE) sequences. Results were correlated with theoretical aspects of the TSE technique. Materials and Methods A TSE sequence (TR = 3.500 ms, TEeff = 19, 93 ms, ETL = 3) and a conventional SE sequence (TR = 2,500 ms, TE = 20, 70 ms) were applied to 64 patients with knee injuries. Signal intensities of anatomical structures were measured in regions of interest. Contrast and edge sharpness of menisci and posterior cruciate ligament were evaluated by three independent observers. Results The TSE sequence yielded similar signal and contrast behavior compared with SE. Visual evaluation revealed nearly equivalent contrast and edge sharpness of menisci and posterior cruciate ligament in proton-density (PD)—weighted TSE images. Contrast and edge sharpness of menisci were significantly lower in T2-weighted TSE images. Reduced flow artifacts were found in PD- and especially in T2-weighted TSE images. Differences between both techniques are interpreted, taking into account influence of TEeff, ETL, k-space trajectory, magnetization transfer effects, and J-coupling. Conclusion The TSE sequence yielded good image quality in PD-weighted, but slightly inferior quality in T2-weighted, images, reducing the time of acquistion by 50%.
Na(+)/H(+) exchange inhibition reduces hypertrophy and heart failure after myocardial infarction in rats.

We investigated the effect of sodium/hydrogen exchange inhibition (NHE-1) on hypertrophy and heart failure after coronary artery ligation (CAL) in the rat. Animals were subjected to occlusion (or sham) of the left main coronary artery and immediately administered a control diet or one consisting of the NHE-1 inhibitor cariporide for 13-15 wk. Hearts were separated by small [</=30% of left ventricle (LV)] and large (>30% of LV) infarcts. CAL depressed change in left ventricular increase in pressure over time (LV +dP/dt) in small and large infarct groups by 18.8% (P < 0.05) and 34% (P < 0.01), respectively, whereas comparative values for the cariporide groups were 8.7% (not significant) and 23.1% (P < 0.01), respectively. LV end-diastolic pressure was increased by 1,225% in the control large infarct group but was significantly reduced to 447% with cariporide. Cariporide also significantly reduced the degree of LV dilation in animals with large infarcts. Hypertrophy, defined by tissue weights and cell size, was reduced by cariporide, and shortening of surviving myocytes was preserved. Infarct sizes were unaffected by cariporide, and the drug had no influence on either blood pressure or the depressed inotropic response of infarcted hearts to dobutamine. These results suggest an important role for NHE-1 in the progression of heart failure after myocardial infarction.
In vivo targeting of protein antigens to dendritic cells using anti‐DEC‐205 single chain antibody improves HIV Gag specific CD4+ T cell responses protecting from airway challenge with recombinant vaccinia‐gag virus

Targeting antigens to dendritic cells (DCs) in vivo via a DC‐restricted endocytic receptor, DEC205, has been validated to enhance immunity in several vaccine platforms. Particularly atttractive is selected delivery of proteins to DCs in vivo because it enables proteins to be more immunogenic and provides a cheaper and effective way for repeated immunizations.
The Performance of Dynamic-static Spectrum Access Based on Markov Transfer Model

This study presented a non-synchronized random access mechanism that supports dynamic-static spectrum. Generally, the authorized users of two networks (network A and network B) with different frequency bands communicate with each other by using static spectrum. When congestion happened, spectrum holes in their networks can be detected by the opposite networks and then utilized to communicate. Based on queuing theory and Markov transfer model, a user behavior characterized by dynamic-static spectrum access was proposed, and the feasibility of this theoretical model was validated through analog simulation. Thereafter, the theoretical parameters of system performance, like blocking possibility, forced drop-call possibility, and throughput, were measured and compared between dynamic-static mode and unconjugated mode.