Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of reference microRNAs for quantitative expression analysis in porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells treated with polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are clinically important cells. Detection of microRNAs (miRNAs) expression in PBMCs can be useful for miRNA biomarker discovery for various diseases. Quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) has become an important method used for measuring miRNAs expression. However, the reliability of qRT‐PCR data critically depends on proper selection of reference genes. Here, we performed qRT‐PCR to quantify the expression levels of nine miRNAs (Ssc‐miR‐16, Hsa‐miR‐25, Ssc‐miR‐34a, Hsa‐miR‐93, Bta‐miR‐92b, Ssc‐miR‐103, Ssc‐miR‐106a, Ssc‐miR‐128 and Ssc‐miR‐107) and one small nuclear RNA (U6) in PBMCs treated with polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid [poly (I:C)] that widely used for simulating viral infection. We used the four statistical algorithms (GeNorm 3.5, NormFinder, BestKeeper and comparative ∆ Ct method) to evaluate gene expression stability and observed that Ssc‐miR‐34a was the best single reference gene and the pair of Ssc‐miR‐107 and Ssc‐miR‐103 was the best combination of reference miRNAs for porcine PBMCs treated with poly (I:C). Our study shows the first evidence of careful selection of reference miRNAs in porcine PBMCs and maybe helpful for discovering miRNA biomarkers for double‐stranded RNA‐induced disease.
Innate Recognition of Coral Snake Pattern by a Possible Avian Predator

Inexperienced hand-reared motmots avoided a pattern of red and yellow rings but readily attacked a pattern of green and blue rings and also one of red and yellow stripes. The motmots' avoidance of the "coral snake%" pattern indicates that mimic snake species can derive protection from some potential predators.
Usefulness of Checking Platelet Count Before Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— Thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke is strikingly time sensitive. Current guidelines require confirmation of a platelet count ≥100 000 before thrombolysis; however, obtaining this laboratory test may delay treatment. Methods— We queried our hospital database to identify patients with ICD-9 codes consistent with acute ischemic stroke from 2000 to 2005 and to determine platelet counts in these patients. Medical charts of patients with platelet counts <100 000 were reviewed to determine whether the patient had a known history of thrombocytopenia or conditions associated with thrombocytopenia. Results— A total of 1752 patients were identified, and 82 (4.7%) had a platelet count <100 000 at stroke onset. Only 6/1752 (0.3%) had a platelet count <100 000 which was not suspected based on initial history. All of these 6 patients had only mildly decreased platelet counts. Conclusions— An unsuspected platelet count <100 000 was found in 0.3% of patients at stroke presentation. In patients without a history of thrombocytopenia or predisposing factors, the benefit of earlier thrombolysis may outweigh the bleeding risk of inadvertently treating a patient with thrombocytopenia.
Elevated IL‐6 levels in the synovial fluid of osteoarthritis patients stem from plasma cells

Objective: To analyse the levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) in the synovial fluids and sera of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and to identify the IL‐6‐secreting cells. Methods: Serum, synovial fluid, synovial tissue, and articular cartilage samples were collected from 49 OA patients with end‐stage knee or hip OA who underwent joint replacement surgery. Serum and synovial fluid levels of IL‐6 were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and IL‐6‐secreting cells were identified by immunohistochemistry. Results: Eight out of 49 patients (16%) exhibited elevated IL‐6 levels in the synovial fluids, averaging at 2022±526 pg/mL, while the levels in the rest of the patients averaged at 132±19 pg/mL. The sera levels of all patients were comparable in the 10 pg/mL range. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed plasma cells in the synovial lining of the high producers as the source of IL‐6. Conclusions: Synovial fluid IL‐6 levels may help to classify OA patients and may point to a subgroup with a particular impact from their immune system.
p.H62L, a rare mutation of the CYP21 gene identified in two forms of 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

CONTEXT Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most common enzymatic defect causing congenital adrenal hyperplasia with good genotype/phenotype relationships for common mutations. To determine the severity of rare mutations is essential for genetic counseling and better understanding of the structure-function of the cytochrome P450c21. OBJECTIVE The p.H62L mutation was the most frequent of 60 new mutations detected in 2900 steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency patients, either isolated or associated on the same allele with a mild mutation (p.P453S, p.P30L, or partial promoter). Because phenotypes seemed to differ between patients with isolated or associated p.H62L, a detailed phenotype description and functional studies were performed. RESULTS Regarding phenotype, patients with isolated p.H62L had a nonclassical form, whereas patients with the association p.H62L + mild mutation had a simple virilizing form. Functional studies showed that p.H62L reduced the conversion of the two substrates, progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone, in the same way as the mild p.P453S; the association p.H62L + p.P453S decreased enzymatic activity more strongly while conserving residual activity at a level intermediate between p.P453S and p.I172N. This suggested that p.H62L was a mild mutation, whereas a synergistic effect occurred when it was associated. Analysis of p.H62L in a three-dimensional model structure of the CYP21 protein explained the observed in vitro effects, the H62 being located in a domain implied in membrane anchoring. CONCLUSION According to phenotype and functional studies, p.H62L is a mild mutation, responsible for a more severe phenotype when associated with another mild mutation. These data are important for patient management and genetic counseling.
Differential Regulation of Cell Migration, Actin Stress Fiber Organization, and Cell Transformation by Functional Domains of Crk-associated Substrate*

The Crk-associated substrate (Cas) is a unique docking protein that possesses a repetitive stretch of tyrosine-containing motifs and an Src homology 3 (SH3) domain. Embryonic fibroblasts lacking Cas demonstrated resistance to Src-induced transformation along with impaired actin bundling and cell motility, indicating critical roles of Cas in actin cytoskeleton organization, cell migration, and oncogenesis. To gain further insight into roles of each domain of Cas in these processes, a compensation assay was performed by expressing a series of Cas mutants in Cas-deficient fibroblasts. The results showed that motifs containing YDxP were indispensable for actin cytoskeleton organization and cell migration, suggesting that CrkII-mediated signaling regulates these biological processes. The C-terminal Src-binding domain played essential roles in cell migration and membrane localization of Cas, although it was dispensable in the organization of actin stress fibers. Furthermore, the Src-binding domain was also a prerequisite for Src transformation possibly, because of its crucial role in the phosphorylation of Cas during transformation. Overall, differential uses of the Cas domains in individual biological processes were demonstrated.
Nucleon Stability: A Geochemical Test Independent of Decay Mode

By analyzing published geochemical data on xenon isotopes measured in a 2.46 x 109-year-old telluride ore, a lower limit of 1.6 x 1025 years has been obtained for the mean lifetime of the nucleons in the tellurium-130 nucleus. This result is insensitive to the particular mode by which the nucleons decay and therefore provides a rigorous limit on possible baryon number nonconservation. The new limit is about two orders of magnitude better than the previous rigorous limit on nucleon stability.
Stator Interturn Fault Detection in Permanent-Magnet Machines Using PWM Ripple Current Measurement

This paper proposes a novel method of interturn fault detection based on measurement of pulsewidth modulation (PWM) ripple current. The method uses the ripple current generated by the switching inverter as a means to detect interturn fault. High-frequency (HF) impedance behavior of healthy and faulted windings is analyzed and modeled, and ripple current signature due to interturn faults is quantified. A simple analog circuit is designed to extract the PWM ripple current via a bandpass (BP) filter and a root-mean-square (RMS) detector for fault detection. In addition, this method can also identify the faulted phase, which can be used for fault mitigation strategies. The method is tested experimentally on a five-phase permanent-magnet (PM) machine drive.
Selecting Expatriates for Personality Characteristics: A Moderating Effect of Personality on the Relationship between Host National Contact and Cross-Cultural Adjustment

• This study examines the process by which interactions with host nationals help facilitate expatriates' cross-cultural adjustment. The hypotheses are based on two related theories, (1) the contact hypothesis and (2) social learning theory. • Personality characteristics (openness and sociability) are hypothesized to moderate the relationship between contact with host nationals and cross-cultural adjustment. The hypotheses are tested on a sample of expatriates from a US-based information technology company.
Differences in gene expression between strabismic and normal human extraocular muscles.

PURPOSE Strabismic extraocular muscles (EOMs) differ from normal EOMs in structural and functional properties, but the gene expression profile of these two types of EOM has not been examined. Differences in gene expression may inform about causes and effects of the strabismic condition in humans. METHODS EOM samples were obtained during corrective surgery from patients with horizontal strabismus and from deceased organ donors with normal EOMs. Microarrays and quantitative PCR identified significantly up- and down-regulated genes in EOM samples. Analysis was performed on probe sets with more than 3-fold differential expression between normal and strabismic samples, with an adjusted P value of ≤ 0.05. RESULTS Microarray analysis showed that 604 genes in these samples had significantly different expression. Expression predominantly was upregulated in genes involved in extracellular matrix structure, and down-regulated in genes related to contractility. Expression of genes associated with signaling, calcium handling, mitochondria function and biogenesis, and energy homeostasis also was significantly different between normal and strabismic EOM. Skeletal muscle PCR array identified 22 (25%) of 87 muscle-specific genes that were significantly down-regulated in strabismic EOMs; none was significantly upregulated. CONCLUSIONS Differences in gene expression between strabismic and normal human EOMs point to a relevant contribution of the peripheral oculomotor system to the strabismic condition. Decreases in expression of contractility genes and increases of extracellular matrix-associated genes indicate imbalances in EOM structure. We conclude that gene regulation of proteins fundamental to contractile mechanics and extracellular matrix structure is involved in pathogenesis and/or consequences of strabismus, suggesting potential novel therapeutic targets.
Magnitude of the CREB-Dependent Transcriptional Response Is Determined by the Strength of the Interaction between the Kinase-Inducible Domain of CREB and the KIX Domain of CREB-Binding Protein

ABSTRACT The activity of the transcription factor CREB is regulated by extracellular stimuli that result in its phosphorylation at a critical serine residue, Ser133. Phosphorylation of Ser133 is believed to promote CREB-dependent transcription by allowing CREB to interact with the transcriptional coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP). Previous studies have established that the domain encompassing Ser133 on CREB, known as the kinase-inducible domain (KID), interacts specifically with a short domain in CBP termed the KIX domain and that this interaction depends on the phosphorylation of Ser133. In this study, we adapted a recently described Escherichia coli-based two-hybrid system for the examination of phosphorylation-dependent protein-protein interactions, and we used this system to study the kinase-induced interaction between the KID and the KIX domain. We identified residues of the KID and the KIX domain that are critical for their interaction as well as two pairs of oppositely charged residues that apparently interact at the KID-KIX interface. We then isolated a mutant form of the KIX domain that interacts more tightly with wild-type and mutant forms of the KID than does the wild-type KIX domain. We show that in the context of full-length CBP, the corresponding amino acid substitution resulted in an enhanced ability of CBP to stimulate CREB-dependent transcription in mammalian cells. Conversely, an amino acid substitution in the KIX domain that weakens its interaction with the KID resulted in a decreased ability of full-length CBP to stimulate CREB-dependent transcription. These findings demonstrate that the magnitude of CREB-dependent transcription in mammalian cells depends on the strength of the KID-KIX interaction and suggest that the level of transcription induced by coactivator-dependent transcriptional activators can be specified by the strength of the activator-coactivator interaction.
Speaker recognition for speech under face cover

Speech under face cover constitute a case that is increasingly met by forensic speech experts. Wearing face cover mostly happens when an individual strives to conceal his or her identity. Based on the material of face cover and the level of contact with speech production organs, speech production becomes affected by face mask and a part of speech energy gets absorbed in the mask. There has been little research on how speech acoustics is affected by different face masks and how face covers might affect performance of automatic speaker recognition systems. In the present paper, we have collected speech under face mask with the aim of studying the effects of wearing different masks on state-of-the-art text-independent automatic speaker recognition system. The preliminary speaker recognition rates along with mask identification experiments are presented in this paper.
Activation of FAK/PI3K/Rac1 Signaling Controls Actin Reorganization and Inhibits Cell Motility in Human Cancer Cells

We have recently identified a specific signaling pathway that regulates actin reorganization in malignant human breast and prostate epithelial cells associated with FAK, PI-3K and Rac1 activation. Here we report that this pathway operates in MCF7 cells upon activation of membrane androgen receptors (mAR). Stimulation of mAR by the non-permeable testosterone-BSA conjugate resulted in early actin reorganization documented by quantitative measurements of actin dynamics and morphological analysis of microfilament organization. This effect was regulated by early phosphorylation of FAK and subsequent PI-3K and Rac1 activation. The functional role of this pathway was further shown in A375 melanoma cells. Treatment with the opioid antagonist αs1 casomorphin resulted in rapid and potent actin remodeling in A375 cells, regulated by rapid activation of the FAK/PI-3K/Rac1 signaling. Pretreatment of both cell lines with the specific PI-3K inhibitor wortmannin blocked actin reorganization. Interestingly, wound healing assays revealed that testosterone-BSA and α s1 casomorphin significantly inhibited MCF7 and A375 cell motility respectively. These effects were abrogated through blockade of PI-3K signaling by wortmannin. The results presented here indicate that actin reorganization through FAK/PI3-K/Rac-1 activation operates in various human cancer cell systems supporting a functional role for FAK/PI-3K/Rac1/actin signaling in controlling cell motility.
Role of entrepreneurship in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) using mHealth

Healthcare is now the largest business sector that involves trillions of dollars of business all over the world. Declaration of health as a fundamental human right in World Health Organization's (WHO) constitution of 1948 and the agenda of Health for All by Alma-Ata declaration of 1978 were instrumental behind Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified e-Health (Healthcare using Internet technologies) as of prime importance for the access of healthcare to the population all over the world. Thanks to the rapid proliferation of mobile wireless technology (e.g., cellular phones and PDAs) especially in developing countries, mHealth (healthcare services based on mobile wireless technology) can play a major role in achieving the UHC. This is only sustainable through entrepreneurship in mHealth services through mobile apps and various wireless technologies. This paper examines entrepreneurship in mHealth through a systematic review.
Identification of tyrosine nitration in UCH‐L1 and GAPDH

Protein tyrosine nitration is a post‐translational modification commonly used as a marker of cellular oxidative stress associated with numerous pathophysiological conditions. We focused on ubiquitin carboxyl terminal hydrolase‐L1 (UCH‐L1) and glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate (GAPDH) which are high‐abundant brain proteins that have been identified to be highly susceptible to oxidative modification. Both UCH‐L1 and GAPDH have been linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, however specific nitration sites have not been elucidated. Identification of specific nitration sites and quantitation of endogenous nitrated proteins are important in correlating this modification to disease pathology. In this study, purified UCH‐L1 and GAPDH were nitrated in vitro with peroxynitrite and the presence of nitrated proteins was confirmed by anti‐3‐nitrotyrosine Western blots. Data‐dependent LC‐MS/MS analysis identified several distinct tyrosine nitration sites in UCH‐L1 (Tyr‐80) and GAPDH (Tyr‐47, Tyr‐92, and Tyr‐312). Subsequent validation with synthetic peptides was conducted for selected nitropeptides. An LC‐MS/MS method was developed for semi‐quantitative determination of the synthetic nitropeptides: KGQEVSPKVY*(UCH‐L1) and mFQY*DSTHGKF (GAPDH). The nitropeptides were detectable in the mid‐attomole range and the peak area response was linear over three orders of magnitude. Targeted analysis of endogenous UCH‐L1 and GAPDH nitration was then conducted in an in vivo second‐hand smoke rat model to evaluate the utility of this approach.
A simple calibration method to quantify the effects of head movements on vision-based eye-tracking systems

A simple method for the calibration of eye-tracking systems based on eye-features detection is proposed. Many eye-tracking systems are claimed to be “robust” to head movements in some degree, but such “robustness” is rarely fully quantified. Moving chin-rest and synthetic images have been proposed to investigate head movements. However, both methods have several limitations. The reported calibration method exploits for the first time ocular imaging eye models (OIEMs) in order to simulate the eye(s), thus allowing to easily investigate the effects due to head movements. Moreover, it can be useful for the development and comparison of eye-tracking hardware, software and whole systems. Differently from human subjects, OIEMs are standardized and time-invariant thus, comparisons can be performed at different times and places, leading OIEMs to be a potential “gold standard test” for eye-tracking systems. Preliminary verification performed on a basic eye tracking system corroborate the applicability of described method.
CMOS Integrated Chemical Microsensors and the Electronic Nose

We review chemical microsystems fabri­ cated using industrial CMOS technology in combination with post-CMOS microma­ chining and film deposition. Three different types of CMOS chemical microsensors for detection of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in air are presented: (i) capacitive, (ii) resonant or gravimetric, and (iii) calori­ metric. Arrays of micromachined gas sen­ sors covered with diff erent chemically sensitive polymer films are combined on a single chip for the development of applica­ tion specific electronic noses.
Crystal structure of an mRNA‐binding fragment of Moorella thermoacetica elongation factor SelB

SelB is an elongation factor needed for the co‐translational incorporation of selenocysteine. Selenocysteine is coded by a UGA stop codon in combination with a specific downstream mRNA hairpin. In bacteria, the C‐terminal part of SelB recognizes this hairpin, while the N‐terminal part binds GTP and tRNA in analogy with elongation factor Tu (EF‐Tu). We present the crystal structure of a C‐terminal fragment of SelB (SelB‐C) from Moorella thermoacetica at 2.12 Å resolution, solved by a combination of selenium and yttrium multiwavelength anomalous dispersion. This 264 amino acid fragment contains the entire C‐terminal extension beginning after the EF‐Tu‐homologous domains. SelB‐C consists of four similar winged‐helix domains arranged into the shape of an L. This is the first example of winged‐helix domains involved in RNA binding. The location of conserved basic amino acids, together with data from the literature, define the position of the mRNA‐binding site. Steric requirements indicate that a conformational change may occur upon ribosome interaction. Struc tural observations and data in the literature suggest that this change happens upon mRNA binding.
Adhesion Molecules as Diagnostic Tools in Tumor Pathology

Adhesion molecules are transmembrane glycoproteins mediating cell-cell and cell extracellular matrix interactions. They control a number of fundamental biological processes including cell migration, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. In the last decade there has been an increasing interest in the exploitation of these molecules as diagnostic and/or prognostic markers in tumor pathology. For example, a large number of studies have shown that loss of E-cadherin expression correlates with high tumor grade and advanced tumor stage in a number of malignancies. The analysis of adhesion molecule profile in a routine clinical setting needs further investigation in prospective multicenter studies.
HTRCI with channel ranking based joint signal detection for MQRD-PCM/MIMO-OFDM

MIMO-OFDM is considered a key technology in emerging high-data rate systems. In MIMO-OFDM systems, channel estimation and signal detection are important to distinguish transmit signals from multiple transmit antennas. Previously, we have proposed a parallel detection algorithm using multiple QR decompositions with permuted channel matrix (MQRDPCM) for MIMO-OFDM to reduce the system complexity. This method achieves a good BER performance with low system complexity. However, since MQRD-PCM is a kind of parallel detection method, the wrong detection probability is increased due to the bad channel SINR of the transmitted signals. As a result, the average BER performance is influenced by the wrong detection probability of the bad channel SINR. To overcome the above-mentioned problems, in this paper, we propose a high time resolution carrier interferometry (HTRCI) with channel ranking based joint signal detection for MQRD-PCM/MIMO-OFDM.