Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of the use of Low Molecular Heparin in patients with repetition abortion history: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in women with a history of recurrent abortion without an identified cause. Methods: To develop a systematic review to select the studies. Total found 437 papers. Seven studies were completed or requested. The following variables were analyzed: clinical pregnancy, implantation rate, live births, abortion, premature birth, pregnancy, continuous pregnancy, beyond the 20th gestational week, congenital abnormality, hemorrhage, preeclampsia, placental premature detachment. Results: The LMWH group had a higher incidence of continuous pregnancy after the 20th week of gestation and there was no significant difference between the LMWH group and the expectant management group in the analysis of other variables. Conclusions: There was no data showing risk and/or less use of LMWH compared to expectant management; on the contrary, LMWH use increased the incidence of evolutionary pregnancy after the 20th gestational week. LMWH has some influence on prophylactic treatment of repeat abortion for unknown cause.
Isolation of Flavobacterium-like bacteria from diseased salmonids cultured in Chile

The biochemical, serological and molecular characteristics of 8-pigmented isolates phenotypically related to Flavobacterium psychrophilum were determined. The bacteria were isolated in 2006 from diseased Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cultured in the South of Chile. The F. psychrophilum type strain ATCC 49418 T and isolate B97026, obtained from rainbow trout in UK, were included in the study as a comparison. Their potential to cause pathology in Atlantic salmon was also investigated. The 8 isolates were biochemically identical, however were completely different to F. psychrophilum. Slide agglutination and Dot blot allowed us to confirm that the isolates constituted a homogeneous, but distinctive serological group to the F. psychrophilum isolates. Similar homogeneity was observed using RAPD-PCR with identical DNA patterns obtained, regardless of the source of isolation or geographic origin. Therefore, any of the above tests can be used to discriminate these pigmented bacteria from F. psychrophilum. Virulence studies suggest that these isolates could be considered as a potential pathogen for salmonids, mainly in mixed cultures with F. psychrophilum. These fish showed typical signs of flavobacteriosis. Recent studies on the sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, together with the phenotypic and biochemical properties obtained in this study permitted us classify these 8 isolates in the genus Chryseobacterium. Further molecular studies are in progress in order to know the species of these pigmented bacteria and determine the real risk for the salmonid culture.
DeepVF: a deep learning-based hybrid framework for identifying virulence factors using the stacking strategy

Virulence factors (VFs) enable pathogens to infect their hosts. A wealth of individual, disease-focused studies has identified a wide variety of VFs, and the growing mass of bacterial genome sequence data provides an opportunity for computational methods aimed at predicting VFs. Despite their attractive advantages and performance improvements, the existing methods have some limitations and drawbacks. Firstly, as the characteristics and mechanisms of VFs are continually evolving with the emergence of antibiotic resistance, it is more and more difficult to identify novel VFs using existing tools that were previously developed based on the outdated data sets; secondly, few systematic feature engineering efforts have been made to examine the utility of different types of features for model performances, as the majority of tools only focused on extracting very few types of features. By addressing the aforementioned issues, the accuracy of VF predictors can likely be significantly improved. This, in turn, would be particularly useful in the context of genome wide predictions of VFs. In this work, we present a deep learning (DL)-based hybrid framework (termed DeepVF) that is utilizing the stacking strategy to achieve more accurate identification of VFs. Using an enlarged, up-to-date dataset, DeepVF comprehensively explores a wide range of heterogeneous features with popular machine learning algorithms. Specifically, four classical algorithms, including random forest, support vector machines, extreme gradient boosting and multilayer perceptron, and three DL algorithms, including convolutional neural networks, long short-term memory networks and deep neural networks are employed to train 62 baseline models using these features. In order to integrate their individual strengths, DeepVF effectively combines these baseline models to construct the final meta model using the stacking strategy. Extensive benchmarking experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of DeepVF: it achieves a more accurate and stable performance compared with baseline models on the benchmark dataset and clearly outperforms state-of-the-art VF predictors on the independent test. Using the proposed hybrid ensemble model, a user-friendly online predictor of DeepVF (http://deepvf.erc.monash.edu/) is implemented. Furthermore, its utility, from the user's viewpoint, is compared with that of existing toolkits. We believe that DeepVF will be exploited as a useful tool for screening and identifying potential VFs from protein-coding gene sequences in bacterial genomes.
An SMU Splicing Factor Complex Within Nuclear Speckles Contributes to Magnesium Homeostasis in Arabidopsis1

Two splicing factors localized to nucleoplasm as well as nuclear speckles regulate the pre-mRNA splicing of a Mg2+ transporter gene, and contribute to Mg homeostasis in Arabidopsis. Mg2+ is among the most abundant divalent cations in living cells. In plants, investigations on magnesium (Mg) homeostasis are restricted to the functional characterization of Mg2+ transporters. Here, we demonstrate that the splicing factors SUPPRESSORS OF MEC-8 AND UNC-52 1 (SMU1) and SMU2 mediate Mg homeostasis in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). A low-Mg sensitive Arabidopsis mutant was isolated, and the causal gene was identified as SMU1. Disruption of SMU2, a protein that can form a complex with SMU1, resulted in a similar low-Mg sensitive phenotype. In both mutants, an Mg2+ transporter gene, Mitochondrial RNA Splicing 2 (MRS2-7), showed altered splicing patterns. Genetic evidence indicated that MRS2-7 functions in the same pathway as SMU1 and SMU2 for low-Mg adaptation. In contrast with previous results showing that the SMU1-SMU2 complex is the active form in RNA splicing, MRS2-7 splicing was promoted in the smu2 mutant overexpressing SMU1, indicating that complex formation is not a prerequisite for the splicing. We found here that formation of the SMU1-SMU2 complex is an essential step for their compartmentation in the nuclear speckles, a type of nuclear body enriched with proteins that participate in various aspects of RNA metabolism. Taken together, our study reveals the involvement of the SMU splicing factors in plant Mg homeostasis and provides evidence that complex formation is required for their intranuclear compartmentation.
Integrating the Tumor Microenvironment into Cancer Therapy

Tumor progression is mediated by reciprocal interaction between tumor cells and their surrounding tumor microenvironment (TME), which among other factors encompasses the extracellular milieu, immune cells, fibroblasts, and the vascular system. However, the complexity of cancer goes beyond the local interaction of tumor cells with their microenvironment. We are on the path to understanding cancer from a systemic viewpoint where the host macroenvironment also plays a crucial role in determining tumor progression. Indeed, growing evidence is emerging on the impact of the gut microbiota, metabolism, biomechanics, and the neuroimmunological axis on cancer. Thus, external factors capable of influencing the entire body system, such as emotional stress, surgery, or psychosocial factors, must be taken into consideration for enhanced management and treatment of cancer patients. In this article, we review prognostic and predictive biomarkers, as well as their potential evaluation and quantitative analysis. Our overarching aim is to open up new fields of study and intervention possibilities, within the framework of an integral vision of cancer as a functional tissue with the capacity to respond to different non-cytotoxic factors, hormonal, immunological, and mechanical forces, and others inducing stroma and tumor reprogramming.
REGENERATION IN THYONE BRIAREUS LESUEUR FOLLOWING INDUCED AUTOTOMY

1. Autotomy of the stomach, intestine and lantern with its associated structures was uniformly induced in Thyone briareus by chemical or electrical stimulation. Ninety-six per cent of the animals lived and regenerated the lost parts.2. Although the body-wall may burst in various regions of the introvert, actual autotomy of the body-wall always occurs at the junction between the introvert and the muscular body-wall.3. The earliest macroscopic indication of the regenerating digestive system takes the form of a continuous, rod-like thickening of the free margin of the mesentery connecting the healed anterior end and the cloaca.4. A lumen arises within the extremities of the primary, solid rudiment. The intestinal epithelium lining the posterior section of lumen is continuous with the cloacal epithelium while at the anterior end the intestinal epithelium arises from certain masses of cells identified within the lantern rudiment.5. The solid rudiment is progressively invaded from these two centers until 10 day.
LOCAL AND LANDSCAPE INFLUENCE ON AMPHIBIAN OCCURRENCE AND ABUNDANCE

The traditional emphasis in ecology on local species interactions has recently broadened to include landscape-level processes. I used data from a seven-year survey of ponds in northern Switzerland to judge the relative contributions of local and landscape influences to the occurrence and density of larvae of eight amphibian species. Each pond was sampled twice each year using pipe samples and dip nets. Analyses evaluated support for a series of alternative models, some suggested by current ideas in aquatic ecology and others designed to reveal the impact of key variables. Results strongly supported models that include both local and landscape covariates. Species differed in preference for permanent or temporary ponds, high- or low-predator ponds, and landscapes within forested or open areas. The occurrence of all species was positively correlated with the densities of other species, suggesting that competition was less important than variation in quality among sites. The results emphasize the importance of local processes in governing the status of populations, because even landscape-level effects were probably caused by availability of habitat during the terrestrial stage, rather than by metapopulation processes.
Long-term studies of Crozet Island killer whales are fundamental to understanding the economic and demographic consequences of their depredation behaviour on the Patagonian toothfish fishery

This paper provides a synthesis of results obtained as part of a long-term collaborative study involving biologists, fishers, and resource managers— centring on the occurrence of killer whales in the Crozet Archipelago before and after the implementation of a demersal longline fishery for Patagonian toothfish. Depredation behaviour was reported as soon as the fishery was initiated, with dramatic effects on both the demographic trajectories of the killer whales and on the amount of fish lost by the fishers. Killer whales interacting with the fishery exhibited very high mortality rates when illegal fishing took place, while killer whales not interacting were unaffected. However, after illegal fishing ended, killer whales interacting with the fishery exhibited both higher fecundity and survival rates compared with killer whales not interacting. Since whales typically removed fish entirely from the hooks, an adapted methodology that did not rely on determining the number of damaged fish was developed to estimate depredation rates. In the Crozet EEZ over a 10-year period, 33.9% of the total amount of Patagonian toothfish caught, representing a total of 28 million E, was estimated to be lost due to the combined effects of killer whale and sperm whale depredation. In an effort to reduce depredation losses, modifications to fishing methods, such as changing the fishing season, changing fishing areas when exposed to depredation and changing longline length and hauling speed were successfully tested. Acoustic deterrent devices were ineffective in deterring killer whales from depredating longlines. Alternative fishing gears, such as fish pots, were also tested. However, while providing encouraging results regarding the suppression of depredation and seabird bycatch, fish pots were not efficient enough to sustain an economically viable fishery. In conclusion, we discuss how the findings of this comprehensive study can be used elsewhere in fisheries confronted with depredation.
Humanity and the left hemisphere: The story of half a brain

ABSTRACT Until fairly late in the nineteenth century, it was held that the brain was bilaterally symmetrical. With the discovery of left-brain dominance for language, the so-called “laws of symmetry” were revoked, and asymmetry was then seen as critical to the human condition, with the left hemisphere, in particular, assuming superordinate properties. I trace this idea from the early discoveries of the late nineteenth century through the split-brain studies of the 1960s, and beyond. Although the idea has persisted, the evidence has revealed widespread cerebral asymmetries in nonhuman animals, and even language and its asymmetries are increasingly understood to have evolved gradually, rather than in a single speciation event. The left hemisphere nevertheless seemed to take over a role previously taken by other structures, such as the pineal gland and the hippocampus minor, in a determined effort to place humans on a pedestal above all other species.
Inhibition of FGF2-Mediated Signaling in GIST—Promising Approach for Overcoming Resistance to Imatinib

Inhibition of KIT-signaling is a major molecular target for gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) therapy, and imatinib mesylate (IM) is known as the most effective first-line treatment option for patients with advanced, unresectable, and/or metastatic GISTs. We show here for the first time that the inhibition of KIT-signaling in GISTs induces profound changes in the cellular secretome, leading to the release of multiple chemokines, including FGF-2. IM increased migration, invasion, and colony formation of IM-resistant GISTs in an FGF2-dependent manner, whereas the use of blocking anti-FGF2 antibodies or BGJ398, a selective FGFR inhibitor, abolished these effects, thus suggesting that the activation of FGF2-mediated signaling could serve as a compensatory mechanism of KIT-signaling inhibited in GISTs. Conversely, FGF-2 rescued the growth of IM-naive GISTs treated by IM and protected them from IM-induced apoptosis, consistent with the possible involvement of FGF-2 in tumor response to IM-based therapy. Indeed, increased FGF-2 levels in serum and tumor specimens were found in IM-treated mice bearing IM-resistant GIST xenografts, whereas BGJ398 used in combination with IM effectively inhibited their growth. Similarly, increased FGF-2 expression in tumor specimens from IM-treated patients revealed the activation of FGF2-signaling in GISTs in vivo. Collectively, the continuation of IM-based therapy for IM-resistant GISTs might facilitate disease progression by promoting the malignant behavior of tumors in an FGF2-dependent manner. This provides a rationale to evaluate the effectiveness of the inhibitors of FGF-signaling for IM-resistant GISTs.
Inheritance of Flowering, Maturity, Fruit Yield, and Winter Hardiness of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. genetic correlation, heritability, heterosis, phenotypic correlation. ABSTRACT. Eight characters relating to flowering and maturity, berry yield, and winter hardiness were estimated on the basis of intersubspecific or interprovenance hybrids to determine heterosis, heritability, and genetic and phenotypic correlations in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.). Two provenances of ssp. rhamnoides, one of Finnish (Fin) and one of Danish (Dan) origin, were dominant to ssp. sinensis and Russian derived provenances (ssp. turkestanica) for most characters related to flowering or maturity. This tendency for dominance or overdominance also extended to berry yield and winter hardiness, except for hybrids between Finnish origins and Siberian (ssp. mongolica) origins. The start of maturity (Ms) and half maturity (Mh) showed the highest heritabilities (h 2 = 0.88 and 0.81, respectively). The hybrids were matroclinal, suggesting that Ms and Mh may be sex-linked or cytoplasmically inherited characters. Winter hardiness was the trait with the lowest heritability (h 2 = 0.02), suggesting that the climate at the testing site was not severe enough to differentiate variation among half sibs or full sibs derived from Fin x Dan, which on average proved hardier than the native parental provenance Fin. Full maturity (Mf) showed a moderate heritability but was stable across 2 years (r B = 1). High genetic correlations among Mf, Ms, and Mh (r G = 0.94, 0.96, and 1.00, respectively) suggest that these characters were controlled by the same genes. Yield showed a negative genetic correlation with all characters pertaining to flowering and maturity, indicating that selection for early flowering or early maturity should result in a gain in yield.
The Initial Prehospital Management of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Kigali, Rwanda

Abstract Introduction: Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are an important cause of mortality and disability around the world. Early intervention and stabilization are necessary to obtain optimal outcomes, yet little is written on the topic in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim is to provide a descriptive analysis of patients with TBI treated by Service d’Aide Medicale Urgente (SAMU), the prehospital ambulance service in Kigali, Rwanda. Hypothesis/Problem: What is the incidence and nature of TBI seen on the ambulance in Kigali, Rwanda? Methods: A retrospective descriptive analysis was performed using SAMU records captured on an electronic database from December 2012 through May 2016. Variables included demographic information, injury characteristics, and interventional data. Results: Patients with TBIs accounted for 18.0% (n = 2,012) of all SAMU cases. The incidence of TBIs in Kigali was 234 crashes per 100,000 people. The mean age was 30.5 (SD = 11.5) years and 81.5% (n = 1,615) were men. The most common mechanisms were road traffic incidents (RTIs; 78.5%, n = 1,535), assault (10.7%, n=216), and falls (7.8%, n=156). Most patients experienced mild TBI (Glasgow Coma Score [GCS] ≥ 13; 83.5%, n = 1,625). The most common interventions were provision of pain medications (71.0%, n = 1,429), placement of a cervical collar (53.6%, n = 1,079), and administration of intravenous fluids (48.7%, n = 979). In total, TBIs were involved in 67.0% of all mortalities seen by SAMU. Conclusion: Currently, TBIs represent a large burden of disease managed in the prehospital setting of Kigali, Rwanda. These injuries are most often caused by RTIs and were observed in 67% of mortalities seen by SAMU. Rwanda has implemented several initiatives to reduce the incidence of TBIs with a specific emphasis on road safety. Further efforts are needed to better prevent these injuries. Countries seeking to develop prehospital care capacity should train providers to manage patients with TBIs.
An evaluation of an intervention using sign language and multi-sensory coding to support word learning and reading comprehension of deaf signing children

The reading skills of many deaf children lag several years behind those of hearing children, and there is a need for identifying reading difficulties and implementing effective reading support strategies in this population. This study embraces a balanced reading approach, and investigates the efficacy of applying multi-sensory coding strategies and reading scaffolding to facilitate elementary phase deaf readers’ reading development. Sign language – in combination with multiple visual, tactile and kinaesthetic coding strategies and reading scaffolding techniques – was used to facilitate literacy and vocabulary development. Participants were 64 children, diagnosed with severe to profound bilateral hearing loss and aged from 6;03 to 11;08 years (mean age 9.37 years). Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group. There were no significant differences between the groups pre-intervention on measures of sight word fluency, word recognition, receptive and expressive vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. Results demonstrated a significant increase in reading and vocabulary skills of deaf readers who received the balanced reading approach intervention, as compared to the control group who received usual classroom instruction. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and pedagogical implications these findings have for deaf children’s reading and literacy development.
Analysis of Memory-Contention in Heterogeneous COTS MPSoCs

Multiple-Processors Systems-on-Chip (MPSoCs) provide an appealing platform to execute Mixed Criticality Systems (MCS) with both time-sensitive critical tasks and performance-oriented noncritical tasks. Their heterogeneity with a variety of processing elements can address the conflicting requirements of those tasks. Nonetheless, the complex (and hence hard-to-analyze) architecture of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) MPSoCs presents a challenge encumbering their adoption for MCS. In this paper, we propose a framework to analyze the memory contention in COTS MPSoCs and provide safe and tight bounds to the delays suffered by any critical task due to this contention. Unlike existing analyses, our solution is based on two main novel approaches. 1) It conducts a hybrid analysis that blends both request-level and task-level analyses into the same framework. 2) It leverages available knowledge about the types of memory requests of the task under analysis as well as contending tasks; specifically, we consider information that is already obtainable by applying existing static analysis tools to each task in isolation. Thanks to these novel techniques, our comparisons with the state-of-the art approaches show that the proposed analysis provides the tightest bounds across all evaluated access scenarios. 2012 ACM Subject Classification Computer systems organization → Real-time systems; Computer systems organization→ System on a chip; Computer systems organization→ Multicore architectures