Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology TNRC 9 Downregulates BRCA 1 Expression and Promotes Breast Cancer Aggressiveness

Although the linkage between germline mutations of BRCA1 and hereditary breast/ovarian cancers is well established, recent evidence suggests that altered expression ofwild-type BRCA1might contribute to the sporadic forms of breast cancer. The breast cancer gene trinucleotide-repeat-containing 9 (TNRC9; TOX3) has been associated with disease susceptibility but its function is undetermined. Here, we report that TNRC9 is often amplified and overexpressed in breast cancer, particularly in advanced breast cancer. Gene amplification was associated with reduced disease-free and metastasis-free survival rates. Ectopic expression of TNRC9 increased breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and survival after exposure to apoptotic stimuli. These phenotypes were associated with tumor progression in a mouse model of breast cancer. Gene expression profiling, protein analysis, and in silico assays of large datasets of breast and ovarian cancer samples suggested that TNRC9 and BRCA1 expression were inversely correlated. Notably, we found that TNRC9 bound to both the BRCA1 promoter and the cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) complex, a regulator of BRCA1 transcription. In support of this connection, expression of TNRC9 downregulated expression of BRCA1 by altering themethylation status of its promoter. Our studies unveil a function for TNRC9 in breast cancer that highlights a new paradigm in BRCA1 regulation. Cancer Res; 73(9); 2840–9. 2013 AACR.
Distributed robust containment control for heterogeneous multi-agent systems with unknown fractional-order dynamics

By applying the fractional Lyapunov direct method, this paper addresses the distributed robust containment control problem for a class of fractional-order multi-agent systems (MASs) with heterogeneous unknown nonlinearities and external disturbances. Motivated by the ideas of σ-modification and neural networks (NNs), a distributed adaptive algorithm presented here not only guarantees the containment error exponentially converges to zero but also allows for robust. It should be noted that the proposed robust adaptive algorithm depends only on local information and thus is fully distributed. Finally, a simulation example is provided to validate our obtained results.
Acupuncture in the Multimodal Biopsychosocial Pain Management. Towards a New Model in Clinical Practice

The last decennia the multidimensional nature of pain has been recognized and a multimodal bio-psychosocial management has been proposed. Acupuncture has progressively gained a place in this multimodal approach. The principles of traditional Chinese medicine link three major themes, nutrition and microbiome, neuroplasticity, homeostasis and the side effects of medication. For patients with chronic pain and/or chronic pain refractory to conservative medicine it is important to assess all factors involved with the chronicity. The improved biological, genetic and epigenetic knowledge has contributed to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of acupuncture and integrative medicine. Moreover neuroimaging has been able to demonstrate the brain regions activated by acupuncture and also illustrates the differences with sham or placebo. Opponents often claim an absence or weakness of evidence. These claims are based on the observations that the initial reports are predominantly case reports and studies with a poor design quality. In the last decennia well-designed randomized trials have been published, thus improving the quality of the evidence. The most important findings are summarized in this article. As with all controlled trials the inclusion and exclusion criteria as well as the standardization of the treatment do not always reflect daily practice. Therefore we report patient cases as illustration of the integrative approach.
A comparison of the clinical features of depression in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients in Uganda.

OBJECTIVE Depressive illness is the most common psychiatric disorder in HIV/AIDS with prevalence 2 to 3 times higher than the general population. It's still questionable whether HIV related depression is clinically different from depression in HIV-negative populations, a fact that could have treatment implications. This study compared the clinical features of major depression between HIV-Positive and HIV-negative patients with a view to intervention strategies. METHOD A comparative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on 64 HIV-Positive depressed patients and 66 HIV-negative depressed patients in Butabika and Mulago hospitals. They were compared along the parameters of clinical features of depression, physical examination and laboratory findings. Pair wise comparisons, logistic regression and Multivariate analysis were done for the two groups on a number of variables. RESULTS Compared to HIV-Negative patients, HIV-Positive patients were more likely to be widowed; older (≥30years), less likely to have a family member with a mental illness; a later onset of depressive illness (≥30years); more likely to have a medical illness and taking medication before onset of depressive, symptomatically compared to HIV-Negative patients, HIV-Positive patients were more critical of themselves; had significantly more problems making decisions; had poorer sleep; felt more easily tired; more appetite changes; more cognitive impairment. Low CD4 counts were not significantly associated with depression, but HIV related depression was more likely to occur in stages II and III illness. CONCLUSION These findings show that the clinical and associated features of depression differ between HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative patients, thus requiring different management approaches and further studies related to HIV-related depression.
Telling patients there is nothing wrong

Reassuring patients who have unwarranted concerns that they are seriously ill is one of the commonest medical tasks. But the dearth of research on the subject suggests either that dealing with such patients is not a problem or that it is one best left to clinical judgment. In this issue of the BMJ (p 329), McDonald and colleagues report that many patients continue to be anxious about their heart despite being informed of a normal result from echocardiology.1 Three quarters of the patients in their sample were referred for exclusion of heart disease after routine examination for insurance or employment, suggesting that unjustified concern about ill health is often iatrogenic. Other studies have drawn attention to difficulties in reassuring patients. Mayou reports from a prospective study that one third of patients in a cardiac clinic who were told that there was nothing wrong with their hearts expressed fears about cardiac disease three months later.2 In a similarly designed study, 40% of a sample of patients referred to neurologists …
EFFECT OF A KINDERKINETICS PROGRAMME ON COMPONENTS OF CHILDREN'S PERCEPTUAL-MOTOR AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of a Kinderkinetics programme on components of children’s perceptual-motor and cognitive development. A pre-/post-test design with an intervention group and a control group was used. A sample of 40, 4- to 6-year-old pre-school children was selected and allocated to the two groups. The intervention group participated in a perceptual-motor programme while the control group received no intervention. The programme involved an hour session once per week, over a period of seven months and consisted of different activities to improve body awareness, gross and fine motor skills, coordination, balance, bilateral integration, locomotor skills and spatial awareness. Both groups were evaluated with the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2) and the Junior South African Individual Scale (JSAIS). Co-variance of analysis adjusted for pre-test differences showed that the programme contributed significantly to improvement in the fine motor, gross motor and total motor quotients, while two of the subscales of the JSAIS also showed significant improvement. The Kinderkinetics programme was effective in the improvement of perceptual-motor abilities of these pre-school children, while also contributing to their school readiness on an attentive and cognitive level.
A longitudinal study of cerebral glucose metabolism, MRI, and disability in patients with MS

Objective: To study the time-related changes in cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRglc) in MS patients and to correlate these with changes in MRI lesion load and disability. Background: Measurements of MRI lesion load and neurologic disability are used widely to monitor disease progression in longitudinal studies of MS patients, but little is known about the associated changes in cerebral neural function. Methods: The authors studied 10 patients with clinically definite MS who underwent serial measurements of CMRglc, MRI T2-weighted total lesion area (TLA), and clinical evaluation of disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS]) over a period of approximately 2 years (three examinations). CMRglc was calculated using PET and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Results: The global cortical CMRglc decreased with time (p < 0.001) and the most pronounced reductions of CMRglc were detected in frontal and parietal cortical areas. There was a statistically significant increase of disability (p < 0.01) and TLA (p < 0.05) measurements during the study, but changes in CMRglc were not correlated to changes in TLA and EDSS. Conclusions: Global cortical cerebral metabolism in MS is decreased significantly during a 2-year observation period, suggesting a deterioration of cortical activity with disease progression. The time-related changes of cortical CMRglc are statistically stronger than changes in TLA measurements and neurologic disability, and might be a useful secondary measure of treatment efficacy.
Idiotype-Specific Th Cells Support Oligoclonal Expansion of Anti-dsDNA B Cells in Mice with Lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is marked by a Th cell–dependent B cell hyperresponsiveness, with frequent germinal center reactions and hypergammaglobulinemia. The specificity of Th cells in lupus remains unclear, but B cell Ids have been suggested. A hallmark is the presence of anti-dsDNA, mutated IgG autoantibodies with a preponderance of arginines in CDR3 of the Ig variable H chain (IgVH). B cells can present V region–derived Id peptides on their MHC class II molecules to Id-specific Th cells. We show that Id-specific Th cells support the proliferation of anti-dsDNA Id+ B cells in mice suffering from systemic autoimmune disease with SLE-like features. Mice developed marked clonal expansions of B cells; half of the IgVH sequences were clonally related. Anti-dsDNA B cells made up 40% of B cells in end-stage disease. The B cells expressed mutated IgVH with multiple arginines in CDR3. Hence, Id-driven T cell–B cell collaboration supported the production of classical anti-dsDNA Abs, recapitulating the characteristics of such Abs in SLE. The results support the concept that Id-specific Th cells may trigger the development of SLE and suggest that manipulation of the Id-specific T cell repertoire could play a role in treatment.
The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (human herpesvirus-8) in Kaposi's sarcoma, malignant lymphoma, and other diseases.

BACKGROUND Two novel nonhuman DNA fragments were discovered in an AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) lesion using representational difference analysis. DESIGN These sequences belong to a previously unidentified gamma-2-herpesvirus exhibiting homology with Herpesvirus saimiri and Epstein-Barr virus. This virus was named Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and provisionally designated human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8). RESULTS KSHV is detectable in more than 90% of classical-Mediterranean, iatrogenic, endemic-African, and AIDS-epidemic KS lesions. In situ PCR studies have demonstrated KSHV in the spindle cells and endothelial cells of KS lesions. KSHV appears to be a transmissible B-lymphotropic herpesvirus. It is detectable in circulating B cells in some HIV-infected patients, and this finding appears to predict the future development of KS among these individuals. KSHV has been identified in a rare and distinct subset of malignant lymphoma referred to as body cavity-based lymphoma but not in other lymphoid neoplasms. KSHV is absent from most other HIV- and non-HIV-associated lymphadenopathies. CONCLUSIONS Further studies should lead to a better understanding of the role of KSHV in the pathogenesis of these disorders and may eventually show that KSHV represents the long sought-after etiologic agent of Kaposi's sarcoma.
Coordinative optimization on fatigue distribution and active power in wind farms

As fatigue damage being the most important reason and basis of wind turbine maintenance, a novel active power dispatching approach was proposed to optimize the fatigue distribution of wind turbines in large-scale wind farms. In this approach, the relationship of fatigue and active power of a wind turbine was built. The grid demanded active power of a wind farm was dispatched to wind turbines according to the inverse proportion of fatigue of wind turbines. Especially, available power and lower limit power of a wind turbine were considered well over, so as to the reference active power of a wind turbine could be carried out. The results of simulation illustrate that the proposed solution is a feasible way to optimize fatigue distribution in wind farms and trace the grid demanded output of wind farms, which may contribute to lower visit of maintenance in a wind farm thus cutting down the maintenance cost of large-scale wind farms.
Methods for QTL analysis

Regression Methods. 80 ANOVA analysis using single marker genotypes. 80 ANOVA analysis using multiple marker genotypes. 80 Regression on QTL probability, conditional on marker haplotypes. 80 Haley-Knott regression. 81 Regression of phenotype on marker type . 81 Maximum Likelihood estimation:. 82 Comparison of likelihood and regression procedures. 85 Multiple regression on marker genotypes, . 87 Inverval mapping with marker co-factors (composite interval mapping) . 88 Precision of mapping and hypothesis testing . 88 Permutation testing. 89 Bootstrapping. 89 Accounting for multiple testing . 89 References . 90
Acoustic mimicry in a predator–prey interaction

Mimicry of visual warning signals is one of the keystone concepts in evolutionary biology and has received substantial research attention. By comparison, acoustic mimicry has never been rigorously tested. Visualizing bat–moth interactions with high-speed, infrared videography, we provide empirical evidence for acoustic mimicry in the ultrasonic warning sounds that tiger moths produce in response to echolocating bats. Two species of sound-producing tiger moths were offered successively to naïve, free-flying red and big brown bats. Noctuid and pyralid moth controls were also offered each night. All bats quickly learned to avoid the noxious tiger moths first offered to them, associating the warning sounds with bad taste. They then avoided the second sound-producing species regardless of whether it was chemically protected or not, verifying both Müllerian and Batesian mimicry in the acoustic modality. A subset of the red bats subsequently discovered the palatability of the Batesian mimic, demonstrating the powerful selective force these predators exert on mimetic resemblance. Given these results and the widespread presence of tiger moth species and other sound-producing insects that respond with ultrasonic clicks to bat attack, acoustic mimicry complexes are likely common components of the acoustic landscape.
Outbreaks of serogroup X meningococcal meningitis in Niger 1995–2000

In the African meningitis belt, the recurrent meningococcal meningitis epidemics are generally caused by serogroup A. In the past 20 years, other serogroups have been detected, such as X or W135, which have caused sporadic cases or clusters. We report here 134 meningitis cases caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup X that occurred in Niamey between 1995 and 2000. They represented 3.91% of the meningococcal isolates from all CSF samples, whereas 94.4% were of serogroup A. Meningococcal meningitis cases were detected using the framework of the routine surveillance system for reportable diseases organized by the Ministry of Public Health of Niger. The strains were isolated and determined by the reference laboratory for meningitis in Niamey (CERMES) and further typed at the WHO collaborating center of the Pharo in Marseille and at the National Reference Center for the Meningococci at the Institut Pasteur. Reference laboratories in Marseille and Paris characterized 47 isolates having the antigenic formula (serogroup:serotype:sero‐subtype) X:NT:P1.5. Meningitis cases due to meningococcus serogroup X did not present any clinical or epidemiological differences to those due to serogroup A. The seasonal incidence was classical; 93.3% of the cases were recorded during the dry season. The mean age of patients was 9.2 years (±6 years). The sex ratio M/F was 1.3. Case fatality rate was 11.9% without any difference related to age or sex. The increasing incidence of the serogroup X was not related to the decrease of serogroup A, but seemed cyclic, and evolved independently of the recurrence of both serogroups A and C.
Salivary Mucin 19 Glycoproteins

Background: We investigated murine salivary Muc19, in vivo and in vitro, to protect against dental infections. Results: Muc19 attenuates dental infections by Streptococcus mutans and promotes its aggregation. Evidence for human salivary MUC19 is presented. Conclusion: Murine Muc19 helps limit colonization via clearance of S. mutans. Significance: A role for Muc19 in clearance expands upon acknowledged innate immune functions of salivary gel-forming mucins. Saliva functions in innate immunity of the oral cavity, protecting against demineralization of teeth (i.e. dental caries), a highly prevalent infectious disease associated with Streptococcus mutans, a pathogen also linked to endocarditis and atheromatous plaques. Gel-forming mucins are a major constituent of saliva. Because Muc19 is the dominant salivary gel-forming mucin in mice, we studied Muc19−/− mice for changes in innate immune functions of saliva in interactions with S. mutans. When challenged with S. mutans and a cariogenic diet, total smooth and sulcal surface lesions are more than 2- and 1.6-fold higher in Muc19−/− mice compared with wild type, whereas the severity of lesions are up to 6- and 10-fold higher, respectively. Furthermore, the oral microbiota of Muc19−/− mice display higher levels of indigenous streptococci. Results emphasize the importance of a single salivary constituent in the innate immune functions of saliva. In vitro studies of S. mutans and Muc19 interactions (i.e. adherence, aggregation, and biofilm formation) demonstrate Muc19 poorly aggregates S. mutans. Nonetheless, aggregation is enhanced upon adding Muc19 to saliva from Muc19−/− mice, indicating Muc19 assists in bacterial clearance through formation of heterotypic complexes with salivary constituents that bind S. mutans, thus representing a novel innate immune function for salivary gel-forming mucins. In humans, expression of salivary MUC19 is unclear. We find MUC19 transcripts in salivary glands of seven subjects and demonstrate MUC19 glycoproteins in glandular mucous cells and saliva. Similarities and differences between mice and humans in the expression and functions of salivary gel-forming mucins are discussed.
Classification of Structural Complexity for Mine Ventilation Networks

The mine ventilation system is most important and technical measure for ensuring safety production in mines. The structural complexity of a mine ventilation network can directly affect the safety and reliability of the underground mining system. Quantitatively justifying the degree of complexity can contribute to providing a deeper understanding of the essential characteristics of a network. However, so far, there is no such a model which is able to simply, practically, reasonably, and quantitatively determine or compare the structural complexity of different ventilation networks. In this article, by analyzing some typical parameters of a mine ventilation network, we conclude that there is a linear functional relationship among five key parameters number of ventilation network branches, number of nodes, number of independent circuits, number of independent paths, and number of diagonal branches. Correlation analyses for the main parameters of ventilation networks are conducted based on SPSS. Based on these findings, a new evaluation model for the structural complexity of ventilation network which is represented by C has been proposed. By combining SPSS classification analyses results with the characteristics of mine ventilation networks, standards for the complexity classification of mine ventilation systems are put forward. Using the developed model, we carried out analyses and comparisons for the structural complexity of ventilation networks for typical mines. Case demonstrations show that the classification results correspond to the actual situations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 21-34, 2015
Identifying bursty areas of emergency topics in geotagged tweets using density-based spatiotemporal clustering algorithm

With the increasing popularity of social media, data posted on social media sites are rapidly becoming collective intelligence, which is a term used to refer to new media that is displacing traditional media. In this paper, we focus on geotagged tweets on the Twitter site; such tweets are referred to as georeferenced documents because they include not only a short text message, but also the documents' posting time and location. Geotagged tweets can be used to identify emergency topics such as natural disasters, weather, diseases and other incidents. Therefore, the utilization of geotagged tweets to observe and analyze emergency topics has received much attention recently. In this paper, we propose a new framework for identifying bursty areas of emergency topics using the (ε, τ )-density-based spatiotemporal clustering algorithm. The aim of this study is to develop a new spatiotemporal clustering technique that can extract bursty areas of observed emergency topics such as, natural disasters, weather, and diseases using geotagged tweets. To evaluate the proposed framework, actual crawling geotagged tweets posted on the Twitter site were used. The proposed method could successfully detect bursty areas of an observed an emergency topic that is related to weather in Japan.
Association Study of a Functional MAOA-uVNTR Gene Polymorphism and Cognitive Function in Healthy Females

Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) is a mitochondrial enzyme involved in the degradation of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine and these neurotransmitters are hypothesized to be involved in the cognitive function of humans. This study of a cohort of 191 healthy young Chinese females attempts to utilize the intelligence quotient (IQ), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and P300 event-related potentials as cognitive assessments for testing the relationship between the polymorphism with a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in the upstream regulatory region (MAOA-uVNTR) and cognition. The results demonstrate that subjects bearing the 4/4-repeat genotype have a significantly higher full IQ than subjects bearing the 3/3-repeat genotype. However, there is no significant association between this MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism and the WCST and P300. Our study shows that the MAOA-uVNTR genetic polymorphism plays a role in the IQ; however, this may be a chance finding as the result was negative after using the Bonferroni adjustment. Therefore, we suggest that our study should be replicated and that the testing method, sex, disease and ethnicity should also be considered in future studies.