Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exercise-Induced Fibrinolysis – Fact or Fiction?

Summary The effect of strenuous exercise on the fibrinolytic and coagulation mechanisms was examined in six healthy male subjects. Five min bicycle exercise at a work-rate of 800 to 1200 kpm. min−1 produced an abrupt increase in plasma plasminogen activator levels which disappeared after 90 min. However, there was no change in early or late fibrin degradation products nor was there a change in fibrinopeptide A levels or βthromboglobulin levels after exercise although activated partial thromboplastin times were significantly shortened. It is concluded that strenuous exercise does not produce any real increase in fibrinogen-fibrin conversion nor any real increase in the breakdown of these proteins. The role of exercise-induced release of plasminogen activator remains unclear, but probably helps to maintain plasma levels in a discontinuous manner concurrently with the continuous low-level secretion from the vascular wall. The shortening of partial thromboplastin time may be due to the raised levels of plasminogen activator changing the activation state of other coagulation factors.
Should Investors in Commodity Markets Be Superstitious (Based on the Example of 29 Commodities)?

The issue of efficiency of financial markets has always fascinated scientists. It is significant from the point of view of assessing portfolio management effectiveness and behavioural finance. In the first part of this paper, the hypothesis of the unfortunate dates effect was tested upon 29 commodity prices in relation to the following four approaches: close‑close, overnight, open‑open, and open‑close. The rates of return were calculated for the sessions falling on the 13th and 4th day of the month, Friday the 13th and Tuesday the 13th. The study proved the occurrence of seasonal effects on the so‑called unlucky dates.
Student and Faculty Member Perspectives on Lecture Capture in Pharmacy Education

Objectives. To examine faculty members’ and students’ use and perceptions of lecture recordings in a previously implemented lecture-capture initiative. Methods. Patterns of using lecture recordings were determined from software analytics, and surveys were conducted to determine awareness and usage, effect on attendance and other behaviors, and learning impact. Results. Most students and faculty members were aware of and appreciated the recordings. Students’ patterns of use changed as the novelty wore off. Students felt that the recordings enhanced their learning, improved their in-class engagement, and had little effect on their attendance. Faculty members saw little difference in students’ grades or in-class engagement but noted increased absenteeism. Conclusion. Students made appropriate use of recordings to support their learning, but faculty members generally did not make active educational use of the recordings. Further investigation is needed to understand the effects of lecture recordings on attendance. Professional development activities for both students and faculty members would help maximize the learning benefits of the recordings.
Social networking as a tool for student learning and student engagement in higher education: A conceptual framework

Social Networking with bounded system as a communication medium are getting acceptance by the students especially in higher education. The universities across the world now understand the landscape of the social networking to support the communication with the students academically so that there is increased student learning and student engagement. Social Networking as an ecosystem in the educational arena is accepted and has produced enormous benefits to the students. The present study is a theoretical study of the Social Networking as a facilitator for the students in the learning process and how it would enable student engagement.
A fasting glucose to insulin ratio is a useful measure of insulin sensitivity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are profoundly insulin resistant, and the resultant hyperinsulinemia exacerbates the reproductive abnormalities of the syndrome. Agents that ameliorate insulin resistance and reduce circulating insulin levels could provide a new therapeutic modality for PCOS. Identifying the subset of PCOS women who are most insulin resistant may therefore be useful for selecting women who will respond to this therapy. We examined the correlation of basal and oral glucose-stimulated glucose and insulin levels and fasting and stimulated glucose/insulin (G:I) ratios with parameters of insulin sensitivity obtained by frequently sampled i.v. glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) to assess whether there is a simple screening test for insulin resistance in PCOS. Forty PCOS women (aged 18-40 yr; body mass index, >26 kg/m2) and 15 control women matched for age, weight, and ethnicity underwent both a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and a FSIGT. The insulin sensitivity index (S(I)) was calculated by application of the minimal model of glucose kinetics to the dynamics of plasma glucose and insulin levels during the FSIGT. The best correlation in PCOS between S(I) and a fasting level was found with fasting G:I ratios (r = 0.73; P < 0.0001). A less substantial, but significant, correlation was found with fasting insulin levels (r = 0.50; P < 0.001), and no significant correlation was found with fasting glucose levels (r = 0.24; P = NS). The fasting G:I was more strongly correlated with S(I) than with integrated glucose and insulin responses during the OGTT. The only stronger correlation was with the OGTT 2 h G:I ratio (r = 0.74; P < 0.001). Stepwise regression analysis with S(I) as the dependent variable and fasting glucose and insulin levels, area under the curve for glucose and insulin, and a fasting G:I ratio showed that only the fasting G:I ratio was significantly predictive of S(I) in the model (F to remove value = 38.1; P < 0.001). When viewed as a screening test for insulin resistance in PCOS, setting a value of the fasting G:I ratio of less than 4.5 as abnormal (using an S(I) value below the 10th percentile of our control population as evidence for insulin resistance), the sensitivity of a fasting G:I ratio was 95%, the specificity was 84%, the positive predictive value was 87%, and the negative predictive value was 94%. Receiver operator curve analysis showed that this fasting G:I ratio was the single best screening measure for detecting insulin resistance. We conclude that a fasting G:I ratio may be useful as a screening test for insulin resistance in obese non-Hispanic white PCOS women. This may be a clinically useful parameter for selecting PCOS women most likely to respond to therapeutic interventions that improve insulin sensitivity.
Question classification using support vector machine with hybrid feature extraction method

This paper presents an approach to categorizing Bangla language question into some predefined coarse-grained category that represents expected answer type of that particular question. Support vector machine was used with different kernel function to increase the accuracy of existing Bangla question classification system. Both predefined feature set and the stream of unigram based on the frequency of data set was considered to build feature matrix. For five cross validation average 89.14% accuracy was achieved using 380 top frequent words as the feature which outperformed existing single model based Bangla question classification system. For same cross validation, 88.62% accuracy was achieved with a combination of wh-word, wh-word position and question length as feature set.
Functions of MutLα, Replication Protein A (RPA), and HMGB1 in 5′-Directed Mismatch Repair*

A purified system comprised of MutSα, MutLα, exonuclease 1 (Exo1), and replication protein A (RPA) (in the absence or presence of HMGB1) supports 5′-directed mismatch-provoked excision that terminates after mismatch removal. MutLα is not essential for this reaction but enhances excision termination, although the basis of this effect has been uncertain. One model attributes the primary termination function in this system to RPA, with MutLα functioning in a secondary capacity by suppressing Exo1 hydrolysis of mismatch-free DNA (Genschel, J., and Modrich, P. (2003) Mol. Cell 12, 1077–1086). A second invokes MutLα as the primary effector of excision termination (Zhang, Y., Yuan, F., Presnell, S. R., Tian, K., Gao, Y., Tomkinson, A. E., Gu, L., and Li, G. M. (2005) Cell 122, 693–705). In the latter model, RPA provides a secondary termination function, but together with HMGB1, also participates in earlier steps of the reaction. To distinguish between these models, we have reanalyzed the functions of MutLα, RPA, and HMGB1 in 5′-directed mismatch-provoked excision using purified components as well as mammalian cell extracts. Analysis of extracts derived from A2780/AD cells, which are devoid of MutLα but nevertheless support 5′-directed mismatch repair, has demonstrated that 5′-directed excision terminates normally in the absence of MutLα. Experiments using purified components confirm a primary role for RPA in terminating excision by MutSα-activated Exo1 but are inconsistent with direct participation of MutLα in this process. While HMGB1 attenuates excision by activated Exo1, this effect is distinct from that mediated by RPA. Assay of extracts derived from HMGB1+/+ and HMGB1−/− mouse embryo fibroblast cells indicates that HMGB1 is not essential for mismatch repair.
Effects of antisense oligonucleotides of PKC-alpha on proliferation and apoptosis of HepG2 in vitro.

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies in China. The long-term survival rate of patients with HCC after prevention and management remains unsatisfactory. In order to provide a novel strategy to cure HCC, we investigated the effects of antisense oligonucleotides of PKC-alpha on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatoma cell line HepG2 in vitro. METHODS The human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was cultured and subcultured in RPMI1640 medium in vitro. PKC-alpha antisense oligonucleotides(asODN) of different concentrations with a random sequence as a control were transfected into HepG2 cells by lipofectin(LP). The cell growth index (GI) and the clone formation rate of HepG2 were detected by MTT colorimetric assay and soft agar assay, respectively. The apoptosis rate of HepG2 treated with PKC-alpha asODN was assayed by flow cytometry(FCM). The results were analyzed by SPSS 10.0 software. RESULTS The GI of HepG2 transfected by PKC-alpha asODN with concentrations ranging from 0.10 micromol to 1.00 micromol were lower significantly than those of control groups (P<0.05). The clone formation rates of HepG2 transfected by PKC-alpha asODN from 0.05 micromol to 1.00 micromol were lower significantly than those of the control groups (P<0.01), and there was a dose-dependent relationship among them. The apoptosis rates of HepG2 treated with PKC-alpha asODN from 0.50 micromol to 1.00 micromol were significantly higher than those of the control groups. CONCLUSION PKC-alpha asODN could inhibit the growth and proliferation of HepG2 and induce its apoptosis by blocking the cell signal transduction related to PKC-alpha in vitro, and may be potentially used in the prevention and management of recurrent and metastatic HCC.
Survival Benefit from Non–Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in a Resource-Constrained Setting

Mortality rates among HIV-1–infected patients attending a government hospital in northern Thailand were investigated to evaluate the effect of antiretroviral (ARV) drug therapy on mortality. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data and history of ARV drug therapy were collected from all HIV-1–infected adult patients who attended the Day Care Center clinic from October 2, 1995 through October 31, 1999. The survival status of patients until October 31, 1999 was ascertained from the hospital records, mailing letters, and death certificates at the Provincial Health Office. Of 1110 patients who attended the clinic, we had data on duration of follow-up for 1081 (97%) with a total of 1175 person-years of observation; 607 (54.7%) patients died. Clinical status, CD4 group, ARV drug group, and registered year were independently associated with death. The adjusted hazard ratio of monotherapy to no therapy was 0.65 (95% CI: 0.48, 0.87;p = .001) and that of dual therapy was 0.43 (95% CI: 0.29, 0.62;p < .001). The mortality rate of patients attending a government hospital in northern Thailand is high. Suboptimum ARV drug regimens like dual therapy had a substantial survival benefit. Further cost reduction for multiple ARV drug regimens is impatiently awaited.
Malnutrition‐inflammation‐coronary calcification in pediatric patients receiving chronic hemodialysis

Malnutrition, inflammation, and renal osteodystrophy parameters with resultant coronary calcification (CC) are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in adults. Previous pediatric studies demonstrated CC in children but none assessed for an association between inflammation, malnutrition, renal osteodystrophy, and CC. To assess CC, ultrafast computerized tomogram was obtained for 16 pediatric patients (6 females; median age 17.2 years; range 9.1–21.2 years) receiving hemodialysis for ≥2 months. Inflammation was assessed by serum IL‐6, IL‐8, and C‐reactive protein levels on the day of the computerized tomogram scan; nutrition parameters included serum albumin, cholesterol, the body mass index standard deviation score, and normalized protein catabolic rate. Renal osteodystrophy parameters included time‐averaged serum calcium, phosphorus, total PTH, and calcitriol/calcium dose. Patients received hemodialysis thrice‐weekly; mean single pool Kt/V 1.48±0.13; and mean normalized protein catabolic rate 1.27±0.17 g/kg/day. Five of 16 patients had CC. Patients with CC were older (19.1±2.1 vs. 15.4±3.1 months; P=0.03), had longer dialysis vintage (49.4±15.3 vs. 17.2±10.5 months, P=0.0002), lower serum cholesterol (122±17.7 vs. 160.4±10.6 mg/dL, P=0.02), and higher phosphorus (9.05±1.2 vs. 6.1±0.96 mg/dL, P=0.0001). Mean serum albumin and normalized protein catabolic rate did not differ for patients with CC. All patients had elevated IL‐6 and IL‐8 levels compared with healthy norms; the mean IL‐6, IL‐8, and C‐reactive protein levels were not different in patients with CC. Coronary calcification was prevalent in older children receiving maintenance hemodialysis with a longer dialysis vintage. Worse renal osteodystrophy control and malnutrition (low cholesterol) may contribute to CC development.
Posttransplant metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents after liver transplantation: A systematic review

During long‐term follow‐up, 18% to 67% of pediatric liver transplant recipients are overweight or obese, with rates varying by age and pretransplant weight status. A similar prevalence of posttransplant obesity has been seen in adults. Adults also develop posttransplant metabolic syndrome and, consequently, cardiovascular disease at rates that exceed the rates in age‐ and sex‐matched populations. Posttransplant metabolic syndrome has never been studied in pediatric liver transplant recipients, and this population is growing as transplant outcomes continue to improve. Here we systematically review the literature for each component of metabolic syndrome—obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance—in pediatric liver transplant recipients. Their rates of obesity are similar to the rates in children in the general US population. However, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes are more common than would be expected in transplant recipients according to age, sex, and obesity severity. Immunosuppressive medications are major contributors. The limitations of previous studies, including heterogeneous methods of diagnosis, follow‐up times, and immunosuppressive regimens, hinder the analysis of risk factors. Importantly, no studies have reported graft or patient outcomes associated with components of metabolic syndrome after pediatric liver transplantation. However, if the trends in children are similar to the trends seen in adults, these conditions may lead to significant long‐term morbidity. Further research on the prevalence, causes, and consequences of posttransplant metabolic syndrome in pediatric liver transplant recipients is needed and will ultimately help to improve long‐term outcomes. Liver Transpl, 2012. © 2012 AASLD.
Poor efficacy of amphotericin B‐based therapy in CNS aspergillosis

Recently, improved response and survival rates in patients treated with voriconazole and neurosurgery for central nervous system (CNS) aspergillosis have been reported. We assessed retrospectively the outcome in 17 patients with definite or probable CNS aspergillosis treated with amphotericin B alone (n = 15) or in combination with 5‐fluorocytosine (n = 3) or itraconazole (n = 2). Four patients underwent neurosurgery. The mortality rate was 100% with a median survival of only 10 days (range: 3–60) after onset of first symptoms or first radiological evidence of CNS aspergillosis. In conclusion, treatment with amphotericin B and itraconazole has negligible efficacy in CNS aspergillosis.
The effect of sodium metabisulfite on visual evoked potentials in rats with hypercholesterolemia

This study aimed to investigate the effects of hypercholesterolemia on visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and sulfite additional effects. Rats were assigned as follows: control (C), sulfite (S), hypercholesterolemia (H), vitamin E (E), sulfite + vitamin E (SE), hypercholesterolemia + sulfite (HS), hypercholesterolemia + vitamin E (HE), and hypercholesterolemia + sulfite + vitamin E (HSE). Hypercholesterolemic diet led significant increase in plasma cholesterol levels of rats. Brain thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels were significantly increased in S, E, SE, HE and HSE groups compared with C. TBARS levels were increased in HE and HSE groups as compared to HS group. Nitrite levels were decreased in S, SE, H, HS and HSE groups compared with C. Nitrite level was notably increased in the HE group compared with H group. Sulfite exposure prolonged N1 and P3 latencies of VEP in group S compared with C. Prolonged VEP latencies by sulfite were significantly decreased by vitamin E in SE group. Cholesterol rich diet increased VEP latencies in comparison with control latencies. Sulfite gave rise to an additional increase in P3 latency in HS group compared with H group. Vitamin E-treated animals had notably shortened latencies of VEP components in HE and HSE groups according to the H and HS groups, respectively.
NOS is present in the brain of Triatoma infestans, and is colocalized with CCK

IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY was used to establish the presence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the central nervous system of Triatoma infestans which is the main vector for Chagas' disease in Argentina, and neighbouring countries. In addition, we have investigated the presence of cholecystokinin (CCK), and studied the possible coexistence of these molecules. The results show NOS-like immunoreactivity (LI) in neurones of the soma rind of the protocerebrum, the optic lobe, and in the lateral part of the sensory deutocerebrum with a few cells in the suboesophageal, and the prothoracic ganglia. The distribution of CCK-LI was similar to that of NOS-LI, and in several areas both molecules coexisted in neurones, and fibres. The results suggest that nitric oxide may act as a neurotrans-mitter in the brain of insects.
Pandemic Influenza and Health System Resource Gaps in Bali

The failure to contain pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 in Mexico has shifted global attention from containment to mitigation. Limited surveillance and reporting have, however, prevented detailed assessment of mitigation during the pandemic, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To assess pandemic influenza case management capabilities in a resource-limited setting, the authors used a health system questionnaire and density-dependent, deterministic transmission model for Bali, Indonesia, determining resource gaps. The majority of health resources were focused in and around the provincial capital, Denpasar; however, gaps are found in every district for nursing staff, surgical masks, and N95 masks. A relatively low pathogenicity pandemic influenza virus would see an overall surplus for physicians, antivirals, and antimicrobials; however, a more pathogenic virus would lead to gaps in every resource except antimicrobials. Resources could be allocated more evenly across Bali. These, however, are in short supply universally and therefore redistribution would not fill resource gaps.
The Ubiquitin Ligase Itch Is Auto-ubiquitylated in Vivo and in Vitro but Is Protected from Degradation by Interacting with the Deubiquitylating Enzyme FAM/USP9X*

Itch is a ubiquitin ligase that has been implicated in the regulation of a number of cellular processes. We previously have identified Itch as a binding partner for the endocytic protein Endophilin and found it to be localized to endosomes. Using affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry, we have now identified the ubiquitin-protease FAM/USP9X as a binding partner of Itch. The association between Itch and FAM/USP9X was confirmed in vitro by glutathione S-transferase pulldown and in vivo through coimmunoprecipation. Itch and FAM partially colocalize in COS-7 cells at the trans-Golgi network and in peripheral vesicles. We mapped the FAM-binding domain on Itch to the WW domains, a region known to be involved in substrate recognition. However, transient overexpression of FAM/USP9X resulted in the deubiquitylation of Itch. Moreover, we show that Itch auto-ubiquitylation leads to its degradation in the proteasome. By examining the amounts of Itch and FAM in various cell lines and rat tissues, a positive correlation was found in the expression of both proteins. This observation suggests that the levels of FAM expression could have an influence on Itch in cells. Experimental decrease in FAM levels by RNA interference leads to a significant reduction in intracellular levels of endogenous Itch, which can be prevented by treatment with the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin. Accordingly, overexpression of FAM/USP9X resulted in a marked increase in endogenous Itch levels. These results demonstrate an intriguing interplay between a ubiquitin ligase and a ubiquitin protease, based on direct interaction between the two proteins.
FOSTERING PRE-UNIVERSITY STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN OSGEO THROUGH THE GOOGLE CODE-IN COMPETITION

Abstract. The Open Source Geospatial Foundation’s (OSGeo) vision is to empower everyone, from pre-university students to professionals, with open source geospatial applications, tools and resources. In 2017, OSGeo decided to participate for the first time in the Code-in competition. Google Code-in (GCI) is an annual online competition aimed at introducing pre-university students (13–17 years) to open source projects, development and communities, through short 3–5 hour tasks. This is a unique opportunity to interact with pre-university students and to encourage them to become part of OSGeo. In this paper, we present OSGeo’s involvement in GCI with the purpose of establishing lessons learned to improve our approach in the next editions of GCI. Over the 51 days of the competition, 279 students completed 649 OSGeo tasks. Students consistently communicated with the mentors to discuss submission and receive inputs from the wide community of developers too. During the GCI, the mentors reviewed the students’ work and provided suggestions and feedback. Generally, the submissions were good and some of them are now part of the projects. As this was our first time participating in GCI these issues are seen as lessons learned and strategies to improve the process will be implemented based on the mentors’ experience. It is key to encourage these students to continue contributing to the OSGeo community, as they will bring new energy and ideas into the organisation; for many of these young students, this competition is a way to introduce them to the geospatial industry.