Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic status and alcohol-related behaviors in mid- to late adolescence in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.

OBJECTIVE Prior studies of the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and alcohol consumption and problems in adolescence have been inconclusive. Few studies have examined all three major SES indicators and a broad range of alcohol-related outcomes at different ages. METHOD In the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort, we examined (by logistic regression, with differential weighting to control for attrition) the relationship between family income and parental education and occupational status, and five alcohol outcomes assessed at ages 16 and 18 years. RESULTS At age 16, high SES-as indexed by income and education-significantly predicted frequent alcohol consumption. Low SES-as measured by education and occupational status-predicted alcohol-related problems. At age 18, high SES-particularly income and education-significantly predicted frequent alcohol consumption and heavy episodic drinking and, more weakly, symptoms of alcohol dependence. All three measures of SES were inversely related to high-quantity consumption and alcohol behavioral problems. CONCLUSIONS In adolescents in the United Kingdom, the relationship between SES and alcohol-related behaviors is complex and varies as a function of age, SES measure, and specific outcome. High SES tends to predict increased consumption and, in later adolescence, heavy episodic drinking and perhaps symptoms of alcohol dependence. Low SES predicts alcohol-related behavioral problems and, in later adolescence, high-quantity alcohol consumption.
Incidence of deep venous thrombosis: a comparison of two Australian hospitals

In this retrospective observational study, we observed that principal and comorbid diagnoses of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) occurred at a rate of 1.02 and 4.86 per 1000 admissions. Principal DVT diagnosis admissions were more common in the public hospital (1.29 vs 0.57 per 1000; P < 0.001), while the private hospital had nearly three times the admissions with comorbid DVT (2.99 vs 8.23 per 1000; P < 0.001). In‐hospital mortality was uncommon (0.2% and 1.6% for principal and comorbid DVT diagnoses, respectively), and this did not differ significantly between the two hospitals.
A SEM evaluation of dentinal adaptation of root canal obturation with GuttaFlow and conventional obturating material.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this in-vitro study was to compare dentinal adaptation of conventional obturating material and GuttaFlow in young permanent teeth of child patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten young permanent anterior teeth with closed foramen were selected for the study. Root canal preparations were carried out using a step back technique. The canal was alternately irrigated with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite solution and 17% EDTA and normal saline. After root canal preparation specimens were randomly divided into two groups (n=5). GROUP "A": Obturated with zinc-oxide eugenol sealer and gutta-percha cone using cold lateral obturation technique. GROUP "B": Obturated with GuttaFlow as per the manufacturer's instruction. The teeth were split into two halves. Five randomly chosen longitudinal split teeth samples each from Group "A" and Group "B" was observed under scanning electron microscope to access the interface between obturating material and dentin at the level of 2 mm from the apex. RESULTS On statistical analysis the dentinal adaptation (μm) of Group A was observed with a mean of 0.52 and standard deviation 0.15, while the value of mean and standard deviation were noted 0.12 and 0.02 for Group B. The "t" value on comparison of Group A and Group B is 5.79 with "P " value of <0.001, which is highly significant. CONCLUSION From result of the study it can be concluded Group B samples showed significantly superior seal when compared with Group A. Complete seal was not observed in any of Group A samples.
Characterization of a New Member of the Flavoprotein Disulfide Reductase Family of Enzymes from Mycobacterium tuberculosis*

The lpdA (Rv3303c) gene from Mycobacterium tuberculosis encoding a new member of the flavoprotein disulfide reductases was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant LpdA protein was purified to homogeneity. LpdA is a homotetramer and co-purifies with one molecule of tightly but noncovalently bound FAD and NADP+ per monomer. Although annotated as a probable lipoamide dehydrogenase in M. tuberculosis, LpdA cannot catalyze reduction of lipoyl substrates, because it lacks one of two cysteine residues involved in dithiol-disulfide interchange with lipoyl substrates and a His-Glu pair involved in general acid catalysis. The crystal structure of LpdA was solved by multiple isomorphous replacement with anomalous scattering, which confirmed the absence of these catalytic residues from the active site. Although LpdA cannot catalyze reduction of disulfide-bonded substrates, it catalyzes the NAD(P)H-dependent reduction of alternative electron acceptors such as 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone and 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthaquinone. Significant primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects were observed with [4S-2H]NADH establishing that the enzyme promotes transfer of the C4-proS hydride of NADH. The absence of an isotope effect with [4S-2H]NADPH, the low Km value of 0.5 μm for NADPH, and the potent inhibition of the NADH-dependent reduction of 2,6-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone by NADP+ (Ki ∼ 6 nm) and 2′-phospho-ADP-ribose (Ki ∼ 800 nm), demonstrate the high affinity of LpdA for 2′-phosphorylated nucleotides and that the physiological substrate/product pair is NADPH/NADP+ rather than NADH/NAD+. Modeling of NADP+ in the active site revealed that LpdA achieves the high specificity for NADP+ through interactions involving the 2′-phosphate of NADP+ and amino acid residues that are different from those in glutathione reductase.
Bone mass measurement and bone metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis: a review.

The involvement of bone in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is well recognized, and hand bone densitometry appears to be a promising new technique to monitor disease progression by assessing serial changes in hand bone mass in patients with RA. New biochemical markers of bone formation (i.e. osteocalcin) show contradictory results in different studies, although markers of bone resorption (i.e. urinary collagen cross-links) have shown significant increase in patients with RA. Bone histomorphometric studies suggest that the periarticular osteopenia in RA could be related to increased bone turnover locally, whereas generalized osteoporosis could be due to a global negative remodelling balance. The important factors implicated in the pathogenesis of the bone loss are circulating cytokines [e.g. tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin (IL) 1 and IL6] produced by the inflammatory process, use of oral corticosteroids (in the dose of > or = 5 mg) and reduced mobility due to functional impairment. Apart from this underlying osteoporosis, patients with RA have an increased risk of falls secondary to functional impairment and there is an increased risk of fractures in patients with RA. Very few studies are presently available looking at the therapeutic measures to prevent osteoporosis in RA. Future drug trials on the treatment of RA should include bone mass measurement, especially of the hand, as one of the outcome measures.
Modulation of Urokinase-type Plasminogen Activator Gene Expression by Inflammatory Cytokines in Human pre-B Lymphoma Cell Line RC-K8

Summary We examined the effects of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-lα (IL-lα), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), on the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) gene expression in RC-K8 human pre-B lymphoma cells. Recombinant IL-1α, recombinant IL-1β and LPS but not recombinant IL-6, recombinant TNFα and TGFβ dose-dependently increased uPA accumulation in the conditioned medium. Northern blot analysis revealed that uPA mRNA levels rapidly increased with a peak induction at 2 h after stimulation with IL-lα and IL-1β, but uPA mRNA increase by LPS began at 9 h after stimulation and the increase was maintained until the experiment ended at 24 h. These responses were independent of de novo synthesis, rather amplified in the presence of a protein synthesis inhibitor. The effects by IL-1α and IL-1β were prevented by addition of anti-IL-1α and anti-IL-1β neutralizing antibodies, respectively. In contrast, both antibodies did not prevent LPS-induced uPA gene expression. Therefore, it is unlikely that the effect by LPS is through induction of IL-1. Both IL-1α and IL-1 β rapidly activated uPA gene transcription, but not increased stability of uPA mRNA. These results suggest that both IL-1α and IL-1 β cause a rapid activation of uPA gene transcription in which de novo protein synthesis is not required and that LPS induces uPA gene expression independently of the IL-1 pathway. These modulations of uPA production by inflammatory mediators may be implicated in tumor growth and metastasis.
Lid Wiper Epitheliopathy and Dry Eye Symptoms

Objectives. The lid wiper is defined as that portion of the marginal conjunctiva of the upper eyelid that wipes the ocular surface during blinking. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether lid wiper epitheliopathy occurred with patients who reported dry eye symptoms, yet had normal fluorescein breakup time (FBUT) and Schirmer test values and an absence of fluorescein corneal staining. Methods. One hundred patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of dry eye symptoms, as determined with the Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness questionnaire. Other criteria for admission to both groups were FBUT of 10 seconds or more, Schirmer test value of 10 mm or more, and absence of fluorescein corneal staining. After instillation of fluorescein and rose bengal dyes, the lid wipers of 50 asymptomatic and 50 symptomatic patients were graded for staining from grade 0 (absent) to grade 3 (severe). Results. Of the symptomatic patients, 76% had staining of the lid wiper: 44%, grade 1; 22%, grade 2; and 10%, grade 3. Of the asymptomatic patients, 12% had staining; 8%, grade 1; 4%, grade 2; and 0%, grade 3. The difference in prevalence of lid wiper staining between the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups was significant (P<0.0001). Conclusions. Lid wiper epitheliopathy, diagnosed by staining with fluorescein and rose bengal dyes, is a frequent finding when symptoms of dry eye are experienced in the absence of routine clinical dry eye findings.
Protection from angiotensin II‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis by systemic lentiviral delivery of ACE2 in rats

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a newly discovered member of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS), is a potential therapeutic target for the control of cardiovascular disease owing to its key role in the formation of vasoprotective peptides from angiotensin II. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether overexpression of ACE2 could protect the heart from angiotensin II‐induced hypertrophy and fibrosis. Lentiviral vector encoding mouse ACE2 (lenti‐mACE2) or GFP was injected intracardially in 5‐day‐old Sprague–Dawley rats. This resulted in expression of mACE2 in cardiac tissue for the duration of the study. Infusion of 200 ng kg−1 min−1 angiotensin II for 4 weeks resulted in an 80 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure, a significant increase in the heart weight to body weight ratio (HW : BW), and marked myocardial fibrosis in control rats. Transduction with lenti‐mACE2 resulted in significant attenuation of the increased HW : BW and myocardial fibrosis induced by angiotensin II infusion. These observations demonstrate that ACE2 overexpression results in protective effects on angiotensin II‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis.
Random Access Scheme to Improve Broadcast Reliability

A simple CSMA-based random access scheme to improve broadcast reliability is proposed in this letter. We consider successful delivery probability as a broadcast reliability measure. Hinted from the result on the optimal access probability in the slotted-Aloha, the access probability in a-persistent CSMA is designed to improve the successful delivery probability. An analytical model is also presented to evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme. The results show that the proposed scheme significantly improves the successful delivery probability of broadcast messages, in comparison with the existing ones.
DeepWheat: Estimating Phenotypic Traits From Images of Crops Using Deep Learning

In this paper, we investigate the problem of estimating the phenotypic traits of plants from color images and elevation maps of field plots. We focus on emergence and biomass traits - two important indicators of crop growth and health. We employ a state-of-the-art deconvolutional network for segmentation and convolutional architectures, with residual learning in the final stages, for trait estimation. Our intention was to design estimation architectures that behave like high dimensional nonlinear regression models. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work on emergence counting and biomass estimation based on deep learning. Evaluation was performed on two different species of wheat, grown in field plots for an experimental plant breeding study. Our framework achieves satisfactory performance with mean and standard deviation of absolute difference of 1.20 and 1.53 counts for emergence and 1.45 and 2.05 for biomass estimation. Our results for counting wheat plants from field images is comparable to the accuracy reported for the similar, but arguably less difficult, task of counting leaves from pictures of rosettes grown in pots. Our results for biomass estimation improve upon all previously proposed approaches in the literature.
Mediating Roles of PPARs in the Effects of Environmental Chemicals on Sex Steroids

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated nuclear receptors that are widely involved in various physiological functions. They are widely expressed through the reproductive system. Their roles in the metabolism and function of sex steroids and thus the etiology of reproductive disorders receive great concern. Various kinds of exogenous chemicals, especially environmental pollutants, exert their adverse impact on the reproductive system through disturbing the PPAR signaling pathway. Chemicals could bind to PPARs and modulate the transcription of downstream genes containing PPRE (peroxisome proliferator response element). This will lead to altered expression of genes related to metabolism of sex steroids and thus the abnormal physiological function of sex steroids. In this review, various kinds of environmental ligands are summarized and discussed. Their interactions with three types of PPARs are classified by various data from transcript profiles, PPRE reporter in cell line, in silico docking, and gene silencing. The review will contribute to the understanding of the roles of PPARs in the reproductive toxicology of environmental chemicals.
Influence of molecular arrangement in self-assembled monolayers on adhesion forces measured by chemical force microscopy.

With the advancing developments in miniaturization, thepropertiesofsurfacesandinterfacesbecomemorerelevantduetotheincreasingsurface-to-bulkratioinsmallstructures.Inthisrespect,thestudyofreactivityandchemicalheterogeneityof high-performance materials requires the development ofsurface-chemicalimagingtoolsfordirectanalysisofcomplexandmultifunctionalsystemsonthenanoscale.Chemicalforcemicroscopy(CFM)combineschemicaldiscriminationwithatom-icforcemicroscopybychemicalderivatizationofthescanningprobetip;
Effects of dietary propionate on hepatic glucose production, whole-body glucose utilization, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in normal rats

Increased intake of dietary fibres is associated with several beneficial effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. The colonic fermentation of dietary fibres produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFA; acetate, propionate and butyrate). Some authors have suggested that SCFA could be partly responsible for the effects of dietary fibres. The purpose of the present study was to test the effects of one of the SCFA, propionate. The effects of moderate amounts of dietary propionate on insulin sensitivity and hepatic glucose production were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Two groups of twenty-one adult rats were fed for 3 weeks on a diet containing 78 g propionate/kg (P) or 78 g/kg of a poorly fermentable cellulose (control group; C). Feed intake, body weight, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, free fatty acids, alanine, lactate, glycerol and β-hydroxybutyrate levels were measured weekly in anaesthetized rats. At the end of the feeding period basal hepatic glucose production (BHGP) was measured with a primed continuous infusion of [3−3H]glucose and the in vivo insulin sensitivity in rats was quantified by the euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique (0.6 and 2 U/kg per h). At that time fasting plasma glucose measured in anaesthetized rats was significantly lower in group P than in group C: 7·7 (SE 0·2) v. 8.5 (SE 0·2) mmol/l respectively (P < 0·002); plasma insulin levels were not significantly different. Neither the BHGP (mg/min per kg; C 14·8 (SE 1·3), P 15·1 (SE 1·3); n 7, not significant) nor the basal metabolic clearance (ml/min per kg; 8·9 (SE 08) v. 9·9 (SE 1·1); not significant) were different between treatments. Hepatic glucose production and glucose utilization at the two insulin concentrations (approximately 500 and 1500 mU/l respectively, n 7) did not differ significantly between the two groups. These results show that dietary propionate chronically ingested by normal rats could decrease fasting glycaemia, but from our findings, no effect on hepatic glucose production and whole-body glucose utilization could be clearly demonstrated.
Serum Resistance-Associated Protein Blocks Lysosomal Targeting of Trypanosome Lytic Factor in Trypanosoma brucei

ABSTRACT Trypanosoma brucei brucei is the causative agent of nagana in cattle and can infect a wide range of mammals but is unable to infect humans because it is susceptible to the innate cytotoxic activity of normal human serum. A minor subfraction of human high-density lipoprotein (HDL) containing apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), apolipoprotein L-I (apoL-I), and haptoglobin-related protein (Hpr) provides this innate protection against T. b. brucei infection. This HDL subfraction, called trypanosome lytic factor (TLF), kills T. b. brucei following receptor binding, endocytosis, and lysosomal localization. Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, which is morphologically and physiologically indistinguishable from T. b. brucei, is resistant to TLF-mediated killing and causes human African sleeping sickness. Human infectivity by T. b. rhodesiense correlates with the evolution of a resistance-associated protein (SRA) that is able to ablate TLF killing. To examine the mechanism of TLF resistance, we transfected T. b. brucei with an epitope-tagged SRA gene. Transfected T. b. brucei expressed SRA mRNA at levels comparable to those in T. b. rhodesiense and was highly resistant to TLF. In the SRA-transfected cells, intracellular trafficking of TLF was altered, with TLF being mainly localized to a subset of SRA-containing cytoplasmic vesicles but not to the lysosome. These results indicate that the cellular distribution of TLF is influenced by SRA expression and may directly determine the organism's susceptibility to TLF.
In Silico Study of miRNA Based Gene Regulation, Involved in Solid Cancer, by the Assistance of Argonaute Protein

Solid tumor is generally observed in tissues of epithelial or endothelial cells of lung, breast, prostate, pancreases, colorectal, stomach, and bladder, where several genes transcription is regulated by the microRNAs (miRNAs). Argonaute (AGO) protein is a family of protein which assists in miRNAs to bind with mRNAs of the target genes. Hence, study of the binding mechanism between AGO protein and miRNAs, and also with miRNAs-mRNAs duplex is crucial for understanding the RNA silencing mechanism. In the current work, 64 genes and 23 miRNAs have been selected from literatures, whose deregulation is well established in seven types of solid cancer like lung, breast, prostate, pancreases, colorectal, stomach, and bladder cancer. In silico study reveals, miRNAs namely, miR-106a, miR-21, and miR-29b-2 have a strong binding affinity towards PTEN, TGFBR2, and VEGFA genes, respectively, suggested as important factors in RNA silencing mechanism. Furthermore, interaction between AGO protein (PDB ID-3F73, chain A) with selected miRNAs and with miRNAs-mRNAs duplex were studied computationally to understand their binding at molecular level. The residual interaction and hydrogen bonding are inspected in Discovery Studio 3.5 suites. The current investigation throws light on understanding miRNAs based gene silencing mechanism in solid cancer.
Head position influence on stabilographic variables.

PURPOSE Head constitutes 6% of our body weight and significantly influences human body motor system mechanics. From physiological point of view, it should be located at extension of body middle line. Its location being modified results in many consequences in motor system. Our research was aimed at assessing the influence of head position on human body balance stabilographic variables. METHODS The research was made on a group of 62 patients: 45 women and 17 men, aged from 40 to 60 yrs, 46 yrs on average. Head position in sagittal and frontal plane was assessed with photogrammetric method. Chosen stability parameters were estimated with dynamometric platform PEL 38 and computer software TWIN 99. RESULTS The results confirmed correlations between existing stabilographic values and head position in frontal plane only. Head position, when changed in this plane, increased the amplitude ( p = 0.001) and average speed of body gravity center trembilng ( p = 0.002). There were no significant relations found in sagittal plane ( p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our results show that the head position influences stabilographic variables. Its change in frontal plane decreases body posture stability to the largest extent.
An armed oncolytic adenovirus ZD55-IL-24 combined with ADM or DDP demonstrated enhanced antitumor effect in lung cancer

Abstract Purpose. Oncolytic adenovirus such as ZD55 has become a promising anticancer agent for its efficient tumor-targeted replication and lysis capability. Armed with therapeutic gene IL-24 to generate a novel oncolytic adenovirus ZD55-IL-24, the antitumor efficiency of ZD55 is greatly increased. To explore the clinical application of ZD55-IL-24 in cancer therapy, the combination of gene-virotherapy (ZD55-IL-24) with chemotherapy was performed in this paper. Methods. The effect of this gene-virotherapy with chemotherapy on cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay in four types of cancer cell lines and one human normal cell line. Real-time PCR was performed to detect the replication of ZD55-IL-24 when adriamycin (ADM) or cisplatin (DDP) was administrated. The changes in caspase pathway were analyzed by Western blot. We further identify the combinational therapy in Balb/c nude mice with NCI-H460 xenograft. Results. ADM and DDP enhanced cell killing/inhibiting effects of ZD55-IL-24 in all the tumor cell lines, while no overlapping toxicity was observed in the normal liver cell line L-02. These chemo-agents inhibited the propagation of ZD55-IL-24 in NCI-H460 cells, but did not influence the expression of IL-24. Consistent with the results in vitro, the tumor growth of co-administration group was remarkably delayed, compared with single treatment groups (p<0.05). Conclusion. ZD55-IL-24 combined with ADM demonstrates improved killing effects against lung tumor xenograft.