Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects of Fuzhuan brick tea water extract in high-fat diet-induced obese rats.

BACKGROUND Fuzhuan brick tea is a kind of microbial fermented tea, which has received increasing attention in recent years owing to its benefits for human health. In this study, the anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects of Fuzhuan brick tea water extracts (FTEs) were investigated. RESULTS FTEs consisted of 204.07 ± 3.38 mg g(-1) polyphenol, 109.20 ± 1.36 mg g(-1) flavonoids, and others. The FTEs significantly suppressed the increase of body weight and accumulation of adipose tissue, and reduced the level of serum triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in obese rats fed a high-fat diet. Moreover, FTEs attenuated the gene expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c, fatty acid synthase and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α, which is related to lipogenic metabolism. In contrast, the gene expressions of enzymes involved in energy expenditure and lipodieresis including hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1a and LDL receptor gene expression were increased by FTE treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that FTEs have anti-obesity and hypolipidemic functions, suggesting that it might be effective for treatment of obesity and hyperlipemia.
Application-network collaboration using SDN for ultra-low delay teleorchestras

Networked Music Performance (NMP) constitutes a class of ultra-low delay sensitive applications, allowing geographically separate musicians to perform seamlessly as a tele-orchestra. For this application type, the QoS indicator is the mouth-to-ear delay, which should be kept under 25 milliseconds. The mouth-to-ear delay comprises signal processing latency and network delay. We propose a strong collaboration between the network and NMP applications to actively keep the to mouth-to-ear delay minimal, using direct state notifications. Related approaches can be characterized as passive, since they try to estimate the network state indirectly, based on the end application performance. Our solution employs Software Defined Networking (SDN) to implement the network-to-application collaboration, being facilitated by the well-defined network interface that SDN offers. Emulation results show that the proposed scheme achieves an improvement of up to 59% in mouth-to-ear delay over the existing passive solutions.
Estimation of the Size of the Alloreactive NK Cell Repertoire: Studies in Individuals Homozygous for the Group A KIR Haplotype1

Stem cell transplantation across HLA barriers may trigger NK cell-mediated graft-vs-leukemia effects leading to improved survival for patients with hematological malignancies. However, the genetic algorithm based on killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) and HLA genes used to predict NK cell alloreactivity have yielded discrepant results. Accordingly, it has been difficult to define transplantation settings that favor NK cell alloreactivity. In this study, we have used multiparameter flow cytometry to simultaneously analyze the cell surface expression of all four major inhibitory KIR and CD94/NKG2A to determine the size of the alloreactive NK cell repertoires in 31 individuals homozygous for the group A KIR haplotype. We observed a vast variability in the frequencies of cells with an alloreactive potential, ranging from 0 to 62% of the total NK cell population depending on which, and how many, KIR ligands were missing in theoretical recipients. This analysis required a functional examination of KIR3DL2-single positive NK cells, showing that this subset was hyporesponsive in individuals harboring the cognate ligands HLA-A3/A11. The results provide new insights into the variability of the functional alloreactive NK cell repertoire and have implications for donor selection in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and adoptive NK cell-based immunotherapy.
Effect of BCG vaccination against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in children: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives To determine whether BCG vaccination protects against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection as assessed by interferon γ release assays (IGRA) in children. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Searches of electronic databases 1950 to November 2013, checking of reference lists, hand searching of journals, and contact with experts. Setting Community congregate settings and households. Inclusion criteria Vaccinated and unvaccinated children aged under 16 with known recent exposure to patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Children were screened for infection with M tuberculosis with interferon γ release assays. Data extraction Study results relating to diagnostic accuracy were extracted and risk estimates were combined with random effects meta-analysis. Results The primary analysis included 14 studies and 3855 participants. The estimated overall risk ratio was 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.71 to 0.92), indicating a protective efficacy of 19% against infection among vaccinated children after exposure compared with unvaccinated children. The observed protection was similar when estimated with the two types of interferon γ release assays (ELISpot or QuantiFERON). Restriction of the analysis to the six studies (n=1745) with information on progression to active tuberculosis at the time of screening showed protection against infection of 27% (risk ratio 0.73, 0.61 to 0.87) compared with 71% (0.29, 0.15 to 0.58) against active tuberculosis. Among those infected, protection against progression to disease was 58% (0.42, 0.23 to 0.77). Conclusions BCG protects against M tuberculosis infection as well as progression from infection to disease. Trial registration PROSPERO registration No CRD42011001698 (www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/).
Ensuring the Success of Interprofessional Teams: Key Lessons Learned in Memory Clinics*

RÉSUMÉ Cliniques de mémoire en soins de santé primaires suscitent un intérêt croissant, car elles offrent la possibilité d’améliorer le diagnostic et le traitement de la démence. En Ontario, plus de 30 établissements de soins primaires ont participé à un programme de formation visant à aider les participants à établir une clinique de mémoire indépendante dans leur milieu de pratique. Cet article présente les principales leçons acquises dans la mise en oeuvre de ces cliniques sur la base d’une étude qui a utilisé une méthodologie d’entrevue avec les membres des équipes de cliniques de mémoire et a identifié les facteurs favorables, les défis et les recommandations pour la soutenabilité. L’accès à la formation qui facilite le transfert des connaissances et soutient les changements dans la pratique, la collaboration interprofessionnelle, et le soutien de l’infrastructure en cours était d’une importance capitale. Des suggestions pour la mise en place de cliniques et de renforcement des capacités continues ont été identifiés. Les leçons apprises sont applicables à la mise en oeuvre d’autres modèles de prise en charge des maladies chroniques dont le but est la gestion des soins de santé primaires de maladies chroniques complexes. ABSTRACT Primary care–based memory clinics are attracting increasing interest because they present an opportunity to improve dementia diagnosis and management. In Ontario, more than 30 primary care setting participated in a training program aimed at assisting participants to establish an independent memory clinic in their practice setting. This article outlines the key lessons learned in implementing these clinics, on the basis of a study that – used an interview methodology with memory clinic team members and – identified facilitating factors, challenges, and suggestions for sustainability. Of key importance was access to training that facilitates knowledge transfer and supports practice change, interprofessional collaboration, and ongoing infrastructure support. Suggestions for clinic implementation and ongoing capacity building were identified. Lessons learned are applicable to the implementation of other chronic-disease care models aimed at improving the primary care management of complex chronic conditions.
Effective anti-tuberculosis therapy correlates with plasma small RNA

Small RNA (smRNA) is a diverse family of translation regulation molecules, which includes microRNA (miRNA). Changes in miRNA have been reported in association with respiratory disease [1] and in mycobacterial infection [2]. Studies have measured concentrations of miRNA pooled from multiple subjects with active tuberculosis (TB) disease compared with latently infected individuals and healthy controls [3]. However, this approach cannot assess variation between individuals, nor does it describe changes that might occur with treatment, both of which may be helpful in characterising and predicting patient outcome. Plasma small RNA concentration declines in response to anti-tuberculosis therapy and is independent of HIV-status http://ow.ly/IxOaD
CHRONIC PULMONARY HISTOPLASMOSIS

Chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis is best regarded as an opportunist or saprophytic infection of abnormal pulmonary spaces by a fungus of very low human pathogenicity. Tissue disease results from host immune response to dispersions of soluble antigen from these focal sources. There are two distinct types of clinical and radiological response. One is an acute or subacute illness manifested by often large segmental pneumonic lesions which tend to heal and are designated as early lesions. The other, usually developing as a complication of the first, is a chronic disease marked by persistent cavitation, low gard chronic illness, and a tendency to promote pulmonary fibrosis and often progressive pulmonary insufficiency. The early lesion is a segmental interstitial pneumonitis with central areas of infarct-like necrosis often adjacent to bullous disease and often outlining prominent emphysematous spaces which appear as radiolucencies. These radiological findings are further characterized by early clearing of the interstitial components, infarct-like contraction of the necrotic zones, obliteration of much of the contained emphysematous and bullous spaces, and healing attended by considerable loss of lung volume. Symptoms are variable but tend to be mild. Malaise, fatigability, low-grade fever, aching chest pain and mild cough lasting a few days to a few weeks are usual. Symptoms are ameliorated by rest. Rest and diminished activity are recommended as treatment. Under these circumstances, 80% of early lesions heal completely and probably most of these would heal spontaneously. Any subsequent course of the disease depends on whether or nor large air spaces, adjacent to or contained within the area of pneumonitis, become infected and persist as cavities. This occurs in 20% of early lesions. Once established, an infected cavity tends to persist and to be attended by symptoms of chronic bronchitis with chronic cough and sputum, fatigability, anorexia, and weight loss. Persisting thickwalled cavities often induce gradual development of pulmonary fibrosis, particulary in the lung bases, apparently from aspiration of antigenic material. This and the accelerated obstructive bronchopulmonary disease often lead to progressive pulmonary insufficiency. The use of amphotericin B is recommended for all persistent thick-walled cavities and in some circumstances surgical resection may be indicated.
Epidemiology of parainfluenza infection in England and Wales, 1998–2013: any evidence of change?

SUMMARY Human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) infections are one of the commonest causes of upper and lower respiratory tract infections. In order to determine if there have been any recent changes in HPIV epidemiology in England and Wales, laboratory surveillance data between 1998 and 2013 were analysed. The UK national laboratory surveillance database, LabBase, and the newly established laboratory-based virological surveillance system, the Respiratory DataMart System (RDMS), were used. Descriptive analysis was performed to examine the distribution of cases by year, age, sex and serotype, and to examine the overall temporal trend using the χ 2 test. A random-effects model was also employed to model the number of cases. Sixty-eight per cent of all HPIV detections were due to HPIV type 3 (HPIV-3). HPIV-3 infections were detected all year round but peaked annually between March and June. HPIV-1 and HPIV-2 circulated at lower levels accounting for 20% and 8%, respectively, peaking during the last quarter of the year with a biennial cycle. HPIV-4 was detected in smaller numbers, accounting for only 4% and also mainly observed in the last quarter of the year. However, in recent years, HPIV-4 detection has been reported much more commonly with an increase from 0% in 1998 to 3·7% in 2013. Although an overall higher proportion of HPIV infection was reported in infants (43·0%), a long-term decreasing trend in proportion in infants was observed. An increase was also observed in older age groups. Continuous surveillance will be important in tracking any future changes.
Adolescents' responses to peers with depression or conduct disorder.

OBJECTIVE To determine how young people are likely to respond to a peer with mental illness, or who has severe behavioural problems. METHOD A mental health literacy survey was conducted with 1137 adolescents in years 8, 9 and 10 in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. Respondents were presented with a vignette of either a 16-year-old boy meeting criteria for conduct disorder or a 16-year-old girl meeting criteria for major depression. As part of the survey, respondents were asked to write in words what they would do if the person in the vignette was a friend of theirs and they wished to help. Responses were coded into categories. RESULTS Over half the sample (53%) described positive social support as the only action they would take to help. A further 23% said they would engage an adult such as a parent, teacher or school counsellor to help with the situation. Those responding to the conduct disorder vignette were more likely to describe engaging an adult to help and males were more likely to say they would do nothing. Female students tended to answer differently to the conduct disorder and depression vignettes, while male students responded similarly to the two vignettes. CONCLUSIONS Many adolescents do not respond to friends' distress in ways which are likely to facilitate appropriate help. Mental health education in schools should include skills for offering help and encouraging peers to seek help.
Single-Molecule Imaging of an in Vitro-Evolved RNA Aptamer Reveals Homogeneous Ligand Binding Kinetics

Many studies of RNA folding and catalysis have revealed conformational heterogeneity, metastable folding intermediates, and long-lived states with distinct catalytic activities. We have developed a single-molecule imaging approach for investigating the functional heterogeneity of in vitro-evolved RNA aptamers. Monitoring the association of fluorescently labeled ligands with individual RNA aptamer molecules has allowed us to record binding events over the course of multiple days, thus providing sufficient statistics to quantitatively define the kinetic properties at the single-molecule level. The ligand binding kinetics of the highly optimized RNA aptamer studied here displays a remarkable degree of uniformity and lack of memory. Such homogeneous behavior is quite different from the heterogeneity seen in previous single-molecule studies of naturally derived RNA and protein enzymes. The single-molecule methods we describe may be of use in analyzing the distribution of functional molecules in heterogeneous evolving populations or even in unselected samples of random sequences.
Polarization splitter based on soft glass nematic liquid crystal photonic crystal fiber

A novel design of a polarization splitter based on index-guiding soft glass nematic liquid crystal (NLC) photonic crystal fiber is proposed and analyzed. The simulation results are obtained using the full-vectorial finite-difference modal solution along with the full-vectorial finite-difference beam propagation method. The numerical results reveal that the suggested splitter of length 8.227 mm can provide low crosstalk of better than -20 dB with great bandwidths of 30 nm and 75 nm for the quasi TE and TM modes, respectively. In addition, the reported splitter has a tolerance of ±3% in its length, which makes the design less sensitive to the perturbation introduced during the fabrication process.
Clot lysis phenotype and response to recombinant factor VIIa in plasma of haemophilia A inhibitor patients

Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is a haemostatic agent that is used for the treatment of haemophilia A patients with inhibitors. However, clinical response to rFVIIa is variable and unpredictable with currently available assays. We investigated the anti‐fibrinolytic effects of rFVIIa in relation to thrombin generation (TG) and other haemostatic parameters in haemophilia A patients with inhibitors. After addition of rFVIIa to plasma, the clot‐lysis assay, TF‐dependent TG, TF‐independent TG and parameters involved in coagulation, anticoagulation and fibrinolysis were assessed. The clot‐lysis test distinguished two groups of patients: a group with a normal and a group with impaired anti‐fibrinolytic response to rFVIIa. Our results showed a dose‐dependent increase in TF‐dependent TG and TF‐independent TG in all individuals. There was a significant difference in TF‐independent TG parameters between the normal and impaired response groups. In addition, there was a difference between the normal and impaired response group in prothrombin time, which could be explained by significantly higher levels of coagulation factors in the normal response group, and soluble thrombomodulin. In conclusion, we observed different in vitro responses following rFVIIa addition in plasma of patients with haemophilia A and inhibitors, which could be partially attributed to levels of procoagulant proteins and soluble thrombomodulin.
The impact of government-sponsored education abroad on entrepreneurship: case study Bolashak scholarship

This paper investigates the impact of education abroad on the likelihood that a graduate will become an entrepreneur within five years after her/his graduation, using data of 5,555 graduates in Kazakhstan whose education abroad was sponsored by the Kazakhstani government, Bolashak International Scholarship, during the period 2001-2015. Using mixed methods of logit modelling and interviews with graduates we found that graduates who studied arts or technical subjects abroad while funded by the Bolashak International Scholarship are more likely to become entrepreneurs. However age, gender and degree are not associated with a choice in entrepreneurship. Perception of business environment in home country is important for entrepreneurship choice. Education abroad affects personal abilities to start and run a business in a home country.
Antigenic modulation of Bordetella pertussis

The antigenic structure of Bordetella pertussis varies continuously with environmental conditions of growth and, under suitable conditions, any of three forms (or modes) with markedly different antigenic surfaces may be developed. High temperatures and certain ions, such as sodium, potassium, halides, formate and nitrate, favour growth like that on Bordet and Gengou's medium at 35° C. Low temperatures and other ions, such as magnesium, sulphate and mono- and dicarboxylic acids with more than two carbon atoms, favour growth with a markedly different antigenic structure and character. These two extreme forms have been called X mode and C mode respectively. A third mode (called I mode) is induced within a narrow range of intermediate temperatures and ion ratios. Bacterial cells in C mode, unlike those in X mode, do not agglutinate red-blood cells, are not haemolytic or agglutinable by heavy metal salts, have no surface antigen related to Bordetella parapertussis or B. bronchiseptica and are serotypically homogeneous. The influence of ions is a function of their species and ratios and not of their absolute concentrations or total ionic strength. A number of ions has been arranged in a pattern. In this the influence of any salt is represented at the centre of a line joining its component ions, and a measure of the influence of any salt mixture is given by the position of its imaginary centre of inertia. (For calculating this, mass is represented by the product of salt concentration and conductance ratio and radius of gyration by distance.) The influences of ions and temperature appear not to interact since their combined influence is proportional to the sum of their separate influences. The change from one mode to another (modulation) occurs without mutation or selection, is complete within 7–15 cell divisions and appears to stem from altered rates of synthesis of at least three kinds of antigen molecule. During the process of modulation, antigens not detectable by agglutination in any of the three equilibrium modes (X, I and C) may appear transiently at the surface. Mutants may or may not modulate. Modulatable mutants may be distinguishable from the wild type in only one mode. Almost all convalescent antibodies are directed against X mode, but C-mode antibodies have been found in several adults with persistent cough and infection. I wish particularly to thank Dr E. K. Andersen for her generous gifts of sera, Drs P. L. Kendrick, H. Proom, A. F. B. Standfast and A. J. H. Tomlinson for gifts of cultures and Mr M. Breach for his invaluable help in the preparation of media and sera. I am also indebted to the University of London Central Research Fund and the Governors of Westminster Hospital for grants towards the purchase of materials.
Is Union Strength? A Test Using Factors of Return

The present work aims to verify the efficiency of factors of return in predicting stocks’ returns traded in BMF ii) isolated variable models: dividend yield, earnings/price, revenue/price; ROA and excess 12 months return with static payoff, and earnings/price and market value with moving payoff. The existence of predictive capacity is opposed to the market efficiency.