Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of HLA-DPA1 alleles on chronic hepatitis B prognosis and treatment response

OBJECTIVE: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a major health problem. The outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with variations in HLA-DPA1 alleles. The aim of this study was to investigate possible associations of HLA-DPA1 alleles with treatment response and with hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion. METHODS: Eight different HLA-DPA1 alleles from 246 CHB patients were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers at high resolution to investigate the association of HLA-DPA1 alleles with treatment response, development of cirrhosis, HBeAg seroconversion, and disease reoccurrence upon HBeAg loss. RESULTS: There was no significant association between HLA-DPA1 alleles and treatment response, development of cirrhosis, or HBeAg seroconversion. However, HLA-DPA1*04:01 allele was significantly more frequently found in patients who redeveloped disease upon HBeAg seroconversion (100% vs 36.8%: p=0.037; Fisher’s exact test). CONCLUSION: HLA-DPA1*04:01 allele may be a risk factor for reoccurrence of CHB after HBeAg seroconversion.
SUDEP: Overview of definitions and review of incidence data

The classification, occurrence, and predictors of sudden unexpected and unexplained death in individuals with epilepsy (SUDEP) have received considerable attention over the last few years. Specific criteria for the classification of definite, probable, possible, and not SUDEP implemented in United States epidemiologic studies are presented. The incidence of SUDEP in different epilepsy populations is presented. SUDEP is a real phenomenon, because the occurrence of such deaths, especially at relatively young ages, among individuals with epilepsy is far greater (perhaps 40-fold) than among those without epilepsy. SUDEP incidence rates are lower in population-based studies, higher in referral populations and clinical trials of adjunct drugs for complex partial epilepsy, and highest for surgical series. Seizure severity appears to be the strongest risk factor for SUDEP because higher rates are reported from studies of individuals with intractable epilepsy. Other potential risk factors, including sex, seizure etiology, younger age at onset, and partial-onset seizures, are unresolved.
Educational Program: The Nurse's Role in Educating Postmastectomy Breast Cancer Patients

“You have breast cancer” may be some of the most devastating words a woman may hear. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and the second leading cause of cancer death in women behind lung cancer in the United States (American Cancer Society [ACS], 2008). According to ACS, more than 180,000 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and more than 40,000 will die from this disease. Although the incidence of breast cancer has increased, death rates are on the decline due to early detection and improved treatments (ACS, 2008).
Nitrification in a Biofilm at Low pH Values: Role of In Situ Microenvironments and Acid Tolerance

ABSTRACT The sensitivity of nitrifying bacteria to acidic conditions is a well-known phenomenon and generally attributed to the lack and/or toxicity of substrates (NH3 and HNO2) with decreasing pHs. In contrast, we observed strong nitrification at a pH around 4 in biofilms grown on chalk particles and investigated the following hypotheses: the presence of less acidic microenvironments and/or the existence of acid-tolerant nitrifiers. Microelectrode measurements (in situ and under various experimental conditions) showed no evidence of a neutral microenvironment, either within the highly active biofilm colonizing the chalk surface or within a control biofilm grown on a nonbuffering (i.e., sintered glass) surface under acidic pH. A 16S rRNA approach (clone libraries and fluorescence in situ hybridizations) did not reveal uncommon nitrifying (potentially acid-tolerant) strains. Instead, we found a strongly acidic microenvironment, evidence for a clear adaptation to the low pH in situ, and the presence of nitrifying populations related to subgroups with low Kms for ammonia (Nitrosopira spp., Nitrosomonas oligotropha, and Nitrospira spp.). Acid-consuming (chalk dissolution) and acid-producing (ammonia oxidation) processes are equilibrated on a low-pH steady state that is controlled by mass transfer limitation through the biofilm. Strong affinity to ammonia and possibly the expression of additional functions, e.g., ammonium transporters, are adaptations that allow nitrifiers to cope with acidic conditions in biofilms and other habitats.
Synthesis, physical characterization, and biological performance of sequential homointerpenetrating polymer network sponges based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate).

A limitation in the use of hydrophilic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) sponges as implantable devices is their inherently poor mechanical strength. This precludes proper surgical manipulation, especially in the eye where the size of the implant is usually small. In this study a new method was developed to produce mechanically stronger PHEMA sponges. Sequential homointerpenetrating polymer network (homo-IPN) sponges were made by using HEMA as the precursor for generating both the first network and the successive interpenetrated networks. Following the formation of network I, the sponge was squeezed to remove the interstitial water, soaked in the second monomer (also HEMA), and squeezed again to remove the excess monomer from the pores before being subjected to the second polymerization leading to the formation of network II. Two two-component IPN sponges (K2 and K4) with increasing HEMA content in the network II and a three-component IPN sponge (K3) were produced, and their properties were compared to those of a homopolymer PHEMA sponge (control). Apart from elongation, the tensile properties were all significantly enhanced in the IPN sponges; the water content was the same as in the control sponge, except for sponge K4, which was lower. Light microscopy revealed similar pore morphologies of the control and IPN sponges K2 and K3, and the majority of the pores were around 25 microm. Sponge K4 displayed smaller pores of around 10 microm. Cellular invasion into the sponges was examined in vitro (incubation with 3T3 fibroblasts) and in vivo (implantation in rabbit corneas). Although the in vitro assay detected a change in the cell behavior in the early stage of invasion, which was probably due to the formation of IPNs, such changes were not reflected in the longer term in vivo experiment. There was a proper integration of sponges K2 and K3 with the corneal stroma, but much less cellular invasion and no neovascularization in sponge K4. We concluded that IPN formation is a valid method to enhance the strength of PHEMA sponges, provided that the content of HEMA in the successive networks is not too high.
Time For Action: Audit, Accountability and Confidential Enquiries Into Maternal Deaths In Nigeria

Improving the quality of care is essential for achieving reductions in maternal mortality. Audit is one of the methods which can be used to simultaneously assess as well as improve quality. This commentary discusses one type of audit – confidential enquiries into maternal death. We believe that the enthusiasm for establishing a confidential enquiry system in Nigeria is growing. The challenges faced in setting up an audit system are discussed and 6 steps are proposed to locate the conduct of a confidential enquiry as part of a set of activities which will take cognizance of existing know-how, create shared ownership and provide a coherent picture of needs and information gaps in the provision of quality maternity services. Having such a system in place can be a route towards achieving a progressive vision of accountability for the reduction of maternal mortality in Nigeria. Keywords: Confidential enquiry, maternal mortality, Nigeria, accountability, audit Afr J Reprod Health 2012; 16[1]:9-14
One-Dimensional Index for Nearest NeighborSearch ?

We describe a study of a multidimensional indexing scheme to solve the nearest neighbor problem based on mapping the high di mensional space onto one dimension The idea can be seen as linearizing the data points in the multidimensional space along a curve We propose using a genetic algorithm to nd a good one dimensional mapping for a given data set Second we look at using two non correlated curves for indexing and examine the accuracy and e ciency trade o using the proposed scheme as opposed to nearest neighbor search by scanning the space linearly Experiments are conducted on a face image recognition application
A Research of Trust Based on E-Commerce

The openness and anonymity of the Internet have given rise to online fraud, which has severely affected the development of China's e-commerce. This paper analyzes the impact of relevant factors on trust in e-commerce of China and proposes that China should draw on the experiences of developed countries to establish and improve relevant legal system, combing personal credit system with the ID card system, developing and improving social credit system, punishing the dishonesty. Meanwhile, the online third-party certificate authority specializing in facilitating the development of e-commerce need to be fostered.
Families Under Stress: An Assessment of Data, Theory, and Research on Marriage and Divorce in the Military

Abstract : In surveys and qualitative studies, spouses of service members strongly endorse this view, describing their belief that the demands of military service, and deployments in particular, lead to divorce. The assumption behind such statements is that the stresses associated with lengthy deployments (e.g., financial difficulties, anxiety about loved ones in combat, challenges communicating) interfere with spouses' efforts to maintain their relationships, damaging marriages that would have remained satisfying and fulfilling in the absence of military stress. From this premise, it follows that divorce rates among military marriages should rise whenever the demands on the military increase. Throughout this monograph, we refer to this idea as the stress hypothesis. The overarching goal of this monograph is to inform discussions of the current needs of military families by evaluating the existing empirical support for the stress hypothesis. We pursue this goal in two ways. First, we review the prior research literature on military marriages, focusing on research that has attempted to explain how military marriages succeed and fail. Second, we examine data on transitions into and out of marriage assembled from service personnel records, estimating trends over the past ten years and the direct effects of deployment on subsequent risk of marital dissolution.
A Genetic Framework for the Control of Cell Division and Differentiation in the Root Meristem

Plant growth and development are sustained by meristems. Meristem activity is controlled by auxin and cytokinin, two hormones whose interactions in determining a specific developmental output are still poorly understood. By means of a comprehensive genetic and molecular analysis in Arabidopsis, we show that a primary cytokinin-response transcription factor, ARR1, activates the gene SHY2/IAA3 (SHY2), a repressor of auxin signaling that negatively regulates the PIN auxin transport facilitator genes: thereby, cytokinin causes auxin redistribution, prompting cell differentiation. Conversely, auxin mediates degradation of the SHY2 protein, sustaining PIN activities and cell division. Thus, the cell differentiation and division balance necessary for controlling root meristem size and root growth is the result of the interaction between cytokinin and auxin through a simple regulatory circuit converging on the SHY2 gene.
The use of herbal supplements and alternative therapies by patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

OBJECTIVES Alternative medicine is widely used in all industrialized Western countries. However, there are no published data regarding the use of botanical or herbal supplements in Ayotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Our goal was to survey patients with ALS in our clinic regarding their use of herbal supplements, vitamins, and other therapies or compounds. METHODS Study subjects participated in the University of Utah Motor Neuron Disease Clinic. An anonymous questionnaire was mailed and designed to assess the following: disease duration and onset site, use of riluzole, alternative therapies (i.e., homeopathy, acupuncture), vitamins, herbal supplements, and other compounds, sources of information about herbal supplements or vitamins, estimated monthly expenditure on vitamins, herbal supplements, and other compounds, and expectations from herbal supplements/vitamins. RESULTS Fifty-three subjects participated; mean age 60 years old (range 39-83 years), 15 females, 38 males. Symptom duration averaged 1-5 years (45 limb onset, 8 bulbar onset). Thirty-two percent took riluzole and 42% used herbal supplements, 70% took vitamins, and 21% used other compounds (prescription medications used for ALS, but not indicated for ALS). Fifteen percent used alternative therapies. Information about herbal medicines was obtained mostly via friends and relatives (n = 17), a physician (n = 20), and the Internet (n = 9). Our patients selected improvement of general well being and slowing of disease progression most often as reasons for using these therapies. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that almost half of patients surveyed utilized herbals supplements, and two thirds of ALS study subjects took vitamins. Twenty-one percent used unproven prescription drugs, and 15% used other alternative therapies.
The Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage SPP1 G39P delivers and activates the G40P DNA helicase upon interacting with the G38P-bound replication origin.

Initiation of Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage SPP1 replication requires the phage-encoded genes 38, 39 and 40 products (G38P, G39P and G40P). G39P, which does not bind DNA, interacts with the replisome organiser, G38P, in the absence of ATP and with the ATP-activated hexameric replication fork helicase, G40P. G38P, which specifically interacts with the phage replication origin (oriL) DNA, does not seem to form a stable complex with G40P in solution. G39P when complexed with G40P-ATP inactivates the single-stranded DNA binding, ATPase and unwinding activities of G40P, and such effects are reversed by increasing amounts of G38P. Unwinding of a forked substrate by G40P-ATP is increased about tenfold by the addition of G38P and G39P to the reaction mixture. The specific protein-protein interactions between oriL-bound G38P and the G39P-G40P-ATPgammaS complex are necessary for helicase delivery to the SPP1 replication origin. Formation of G38P-G39P heterodimers releases G40P-ATPgammaS from the unstable oriL-G38P-G39P-G40P-ATPgammaS intermediate. G40P-ATPgammaS binds to the origin region, the uncomplexed G38P fraction remains bound to oriL, and the G38P-G39P heterodimer is lost from the complex. We demonstrate that G39P is a component of an oligomeric nucleoprotein complex which plays an important role in the initiation of SPP1 replication.
The Effect of Viewer Perceptions of Avatar Anthropomorphism and Realism on Judgments of Credibility and Homophily, and Avatar Choice

Avatars, or digital representations of others are inreasingly used in a variety of online interactions and interfaces. The current study investigated the role of avatars, and people’s perceptions of them, in the processing of information and source attribution online. Results replicate previous findings that the visual characteristics of the avatar are not as influential as people’s perceptions, and categorizations, of the avatars on outcome variables. Results show that perceptions avatar anthropomorphism and realism influence judgments about homophily and avatar credibility, as well as judgments about the credibility of the source of the communication and the likelihood of choosing the avatar as a representation. Theoretical and practical implications of the variance between actual and perceived variation in characteristics of the avatar are discussed.
A model for extradenticle function as a switch that changes HOX proteins from repressors to activators

The Drosophila EXD protein and its mammalian counterparts, the PBX proteins, have been proposed to function in HOX target selectivity. Here we show that exd function is required for the autoactivation phase of Dfd expression in the posterior head. Mutations that change the affinity of a small autoactivation element for EXD protein result in corresponding changes in the element's embryonic activity. Our data suggest that the EXD and DFD proteins directly activate this element in maxillary cells without cooperatively binding to a specialized heterodimer binding site. Based on the types of homeotic transformations and changes in gene expression observed in exd mutant embryos, we propose a new model for EXD/PBX action in which these proteins are required for HOX protein transcriptional activation functions, but dispensable for HOX transcriptional repression functions. Although the selection of a specific target gene by a HOX protein versus another may be explained in some cases by the selective modulation of HOX binding specificity by EXD, we favor the idea that EXD interacts in a more general sense with most HOX proteins to switch them into a state where they are capable of transcriptional activation.
A new rapamycin-abluminally coated chitosan/heparin stent system accelerates early re-endothelialisation and improves anti-coagulant properties in porcine coronary artery models.

PURPOSE Drug-eluting stents (DES) in percutaneous coronary intervention are more effective in preventing in-stent restenosis compared with bare metal stents (BMS); however, DES may cause late stent thrombosis, which has limited its use. In this study, the functional properties of a newly developed DES (RAP/CS/HEP), in which rapamycin was abluminally-loaded onto a chitosan/heparin coating stent (CS/HEP), were investigated in large animal artery injury models. METHODS The effectiveness of BMS, RAP (the traditional version of rapamycin DES), CS/HEP and RAP/CS/HEP stents in preventing coagulation and promoting re-endothelialisation was examined and compared in the porcine coronary artery models with arteriovenous shunt, high load thrombus and coronary balloon injury at day 7 and 28, respectively, after stent implantation. The re-endothelialisation on these stents was further evaluated in terms of endothelial gene expression using quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS In the porcine coronary artery injury models, both RAP and RAP/CS/HEP stents were potent in reducing neointimal thickness, thus enlarging lumen area efficiently in the stented artery region compared with BMS and CS/HEP. RAP/CS/HEP stents facilitated re-endothelialisation and inhibited thrombosis more efficiently than BMS and RAP. Consistent with this, the expression of endothelial genes, such as CD31, CD34, eNOS and VEGF, was significantly elevated with RAP/CS/HEP stents compared with RAP and BMS stents. CONCLUSION Abluminal coating of rapamycin onto the endothelialisation-accelerated CS/HEP stent and may prove to be an efficient treatment for tackling the late stent thrombosis associated with the traditionally circumferential RAP stent. This new RAP/CS/HEP stent system exhibits considerably improved therapeutic activity.
Information diffusion in social networks

Social networks provide great opportunities for social connection, learning, political and social change, as well as individual entertainment and enhancement in a wide variety of forms. Because many social interactions currently take place in online networks, social scientists have access to unprecedented amounts of information about social interaction. This wealth of data can allow scientists to study social interactions on a scale and at a level of detail that has never been possible before.
A novel vector perturbation based on joint transceiver algorithm in cooperative mu-MIMO

In this paper we attend to introduce a novel nonlinear vector perturbation approach to improve qualification of communications in a downlink multi user Multi-Input Multi-Output systems where base stations work together cooperatively. In this algorithm, nonlinear vector perturbation based on lattice reduction and VBLAST algorithms is applied at the base stations, whereas linear receiver processing and modulo operation are applied at each mobile. It is shown that the proposed algorithm effectively decomposes the multiuser MIMO channel into parallel independent single-user MIMO channels, and then, the performance of each mobile can be separately optimized. When used on the downlink of multiuser MIMO systems with multiple-antenna mobiles, this algorithm achieves significantly better performance than the ZFcriterion-based nonlinear preprocessing algorithm designed for the multiuser MIMO systems with single-antenna mobiles, because it effectively utilizes the processing capabilities of the mobiles. This method is comparable to nonlinear THP approach and also has outperformance rather than linear types such as block diagonalization because of conservation of the energy in a specify constraint. Moreover, the proposed algorithm achieves a much higher sum capacity at a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than the known block diagonalization technique due to the effective application of the nonlinear preprocessing at the transmitter. Also we propose some methods to achieve better system performance by suitably ordering the channel matrices of different mobiles.
Linear probing with constant independence

Hashing with linear probing dates back to the 1950s, and is among the most studied algorithms. In recent years it has become one of the most important hash table organizations since it uses the cache of modern computers very well. Unfortunately, previous analyses rely either on complicated and space consuming hash functions, or onthe unrealistic assumption of free access to a truly random hash function. Already Carter and Wegman, in their seminal paper on universal hashing, raised the question of extending their analysis to linear probing. However, we show in this paper that linear probing using a pairwise independent family may have expected logarithmic cost per operation. On the positive side, we show that 5-wise independence is enough to ensure constant expected time per operation. This resolves the question of finding a space and time efficient hash function that provably ensures good performance for linear probing.
Memory rehabilitation in Alzheimer's disease: preliminary findings

Until the cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is discovered, programs designed to extend functioning are critical to confront the projected increase in cases and the escalating cost of patient management. A program of rehabilitation designed to improve memory was developed that focussed on effortful and involuntary processes of memory and amplification of attention. Eleven patients with probable AD and their spouses enrolled in a four week course to improve their ability to recall names and faces, and recent events. Rehearsal and stimulation of "deep" processing significantly improved the ability of AD patients to recall name-face relationships. Recall of television content was significantly improved with procedures requiring patients to expend effort while they watched. A significant event technique that provoked "emotional" memories and produced "flashbulb" memories was the most effective procedure. Patients had nearly perfect recall for events during days of significant events. Generally the most effecti.