Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental Sources of Scrapie Prions

ABSTRACT Ovine scrapie and cervine chronic wasting disease show considerable horizontal transmission. Here we report that a scrapie-affected sheep farm has a widespread environmental contamination with prions. Prions were amplified by protein-misfolding cyclic amplification (sPMCA) from seven of nine environmental swab samples taken, including those from metal, plastic, and wooden surfaces. Sheep had been removed from the areas from which the swabs were taken up to 20 days prior to sampling, indicating that prions persist for at least that long. These data implicate inanimate objects as environmental reservoirs for prion infectivity that are likely to contribute to facile disease transmission.
Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy for Breast Tumors: Needle Guide versus Freehand Technique

Background We retrospectively studied whether a needle guide is necessary when performing ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (US-FNAB) in patients with breast tumors. Methods A total of 47 patients (50 lesions) with breast tumors underwent US-FNAB with a needle guide and 127 patients (143 lesions) underwent the procedure without a needle guide (freehand biopsy). The diagnoses obtained by US-FNAB were compared with the surgical findings. Results The sensitivity of freehand biopsy for tumors <3 cm in diameter was significantly higher than that of the needle guide technique. Conclusions We recommend performing US-FNAB without a needle guide (freehand biopsy) in order to maximize the correct preoperative diagnosis rate, especially in patients with tumors <3 cm in diameter.
Co-Fe metal/native-oxide multilayers: a new direction in soft magnetic thin film design I. Quasi-static properties and dynamic response

The progression toward gigahertz data rates in magnetic recording has introduced considerable challenges to soft magnetic materials design. The difficulties lie in satisfying two sets of conflicting demands: 1) simultaneously achieving soft magnetic properties, high saturation magnetization, and a high resistivity, with the latter required to limit eddy-current losses and 2) balancing the inherent tradeoff between bandwidth and permeability imposed by the direct and inverse dependences, respectively, of these two parameters on the anisotropy field. This paper describes a new soft magnetic composite system that meets these requirements: a metal/native-oxide multilayer (MNOM) film consisting of nanogranular high-moment Co/sub x/Fe/sub 100-x/ layers separated by ultrathin magnetic native oxide layers. The high-resistivity magnetic oxide layers isolate the metallic layers electrically, while coupling them magnetically and minimizing the decrease in volume-averaged saturation magnetization that exists in traditional metal/nonmagnetic oxide composites. In addition, the "exchange-averaged" soft magnetic properties of the MNOM composite include an ideal low-dispersion in-plane uniaxial anisotropy whose magnitude varies linearly with the fraction x of Co in the alloy. The resulting anisotropy control, together with the large saturation magnetization, permits the permeability and resonance frequency to be tuned over a wide range to meet specific application requirements.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence and therapy: Evolving translational strategies*

Objective:Although most reviews of Pseudomonas aeruginosa therapeutics focus on antibiotics currently in use or in the pipeline, we review evolving translational strategies aimed at using virulence factor antagonists as adjunctive therapies. Data Source:Current literature regarding P. aeruginosa virulence determinants and approaches that target them, with an emphasis on type III secretion, quorum-sensing, biofilms, and flagella. Data Extraction and Synthesis:P. aeruginosa remains one of the most important pathogens in nosocomial infections, with high associated morbidity and mortality. Its predilection to develop resistance to antibiotics and expression of multiple virulence factors contributes to the frequent ineffectiveness of current therapies. Among the many P. aeruginosa virulence determinants that impact infections, type III secretion, quorum sensing, biofilm formation, and flagella have been the focus on much recent investigation. Here we review how increased understanding of these important bacterial structures and processes has enabled the development of novel approaches to inhibit each. These promising translational strategies may lead to the development of adjunctive therapies capable of improving outcomes. Conclusions:Adjuvant therapies directed against virulence factors have the potential to improve outcomes in P. aeruginosa infections.
Crude antigen from Taenia crassiceps cysticercus used as heterologous antigen in ELISA and in EITB for neurocysticercosis diagnosis of patients from Paraná-Brazil

Neurocysticercosis (NCC), the cerebral presence of Taenia solium metacestode (Cysticercus cellulosae), is responsible for neurological disorders worldwide. In order to validate an immunodiagnosis for public-health patients in the State of Parana-Brazil, crude antigen of Taenia crassicepsmetacestode (Cysticercus longicollis) was used as an alternative heterologous antigen to be used in ELISA and in electroimmunotransfer blotting (EITB) for active and inactive NCC diagnosis. Indirect ELISA was able to discriminate between active and inactive samples and presented high specificity and sensitivity. Any immunodominant band was able to distinguish the NCC stages, although the EITB showed 100% specificity. The immunological results proved to be an important auxiliary toll for NCC diagnosis, mainly for public-health systems in developing countries, where either the neuroimage techniques are not accessible or the resources are scarce.
An ATR- and Chk1-Dependent S Checkpoint Inhibits Replicon Initiation following UVC-Induced DNA Damage

ABSTRACT Inhibition of replicon initiation is a stereotypic DNA damage response mediated through S checkpoint mechanisms not yet fully understood. Studies were undertaken to elucidate the function of checkpoint proteins in the inhibition of replicon initiation following irradiation with 254 nm UV light (UVC) of diploid human fibroblasts immortalized by the ectopic expression of telomerase. Velocity sedimentation analysis of nascent DNA molecules revealed a 50% inhibition of replicon initiation when normal human fibroblasts were treated with a low dose of UVC (1 J/m2). Ataxia telangiectasia (AT), Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS), and AT-like disorder fibroblasts, which lack an S checkpoint response when exposed to ionizing radiation, responded normally when exposed to UVC and inhibited replicon initiation. Pretreatment of normal and AT fibroblasts with caffeine or UCN-01, inhibitors of ATR (AT mutated and Rad3 related) and Chk1, respectively, abolished the S checkpoint response to UVC. Moreover, overexpression of kinase-inactive ATR in U2OS cells severely attenuated UVC-induced Chk1 phosphorylation and reversed the UVC-induced inhibition of replicon initiation, as did overexpression of kinase-inactive Chk1. Taken together, these data suggest that the UVC-induced S checkpoint response of inhibition of replicon initiation is mediated by ATR signaling through Chk-1 and is independent of ATM, Nbs1, and Mre11.
Pancreatic cancer cells express 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1α-hydroxylase and their proliferation is inhibited by the prohormone 25-hydroxyvitamin D3

The steroid hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), [1,25(OH)(2)D(3), calcitriol], the active metabolite of vitamin D, exerts pleiotropic antitumor effects against several malignancies. However, the clinical use of this hormone is limited by hypercalcemia. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D(3), the prohormone of 1,25(OH)(2)D(3), is hydroxylated to the active hormone by the enzyme 25-hydroxyvitamin-1-alpha-hydroxylase [1 alpha(OH)ase]. 1 alpha(OH)ase is found primarily in the kidney, but also is expressed in the prostate, colon and other tissues. Using immunohistochemistry, we report that 1 alpha(OH)ase is highly expressed in both normal and malignant pancreatic tissue. Expression of this enzyme and enzymatic activity was also detected in four pancreatic tumor cell lines. 25(OH)D(3) inhibited the growth of three of four pancreatic cell lines in a manner that correlated with the level of induction of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27 and with the induction of cell cycle arrest at the G(1)/S checkpoint. The growth of a cell line stably transfected with a mutant Ki-ras allele and of a second cell line with an endogenous Ki-ras activating mutation was also inhibited by 25(OH)D(3), indicating that activating Ki-Ras mutations, which occur in almost 90% of pancreatic adenocarcinomas, do not interfere with the growth-inhibitory effects of 25(OH)D(3). The expression of 1 alpha(OH)ase in normal and malignant pancreatic tissue and the antiproliferative effects of the prohormone in these cells, suggest that 25(OH)D(3) may offer possible therapeutic and chemopreventive options for pancreatic cancer.
Redox Regulates Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1) Activity by Modulating the TSC1/TSC2-Rheb GTPase Pathway*

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a kinase that plays a key role in a wide array of cellular processes and exists in two distinct functional complexes, mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). Although mTORC2 is primarily activated by growth factors, mTORC1 is regulated by numerous extracellular and intracellular signals such as nutrients, growth factors, and cellular redox. Previous study has shown that cysteine oxidants sufficiently activate mTORC1 activity under amino acid-depleted conditions and that a reducing agent effectively suppresses amino acid-induced mTORC1 activity, thereby raising the possibility that redox-sensitive mechanisms underlie amino acid-dependent mTORC1 regulation. However, the molecular mechanism by which redox regulates mTORC1 activity is not well understood. In this study, we show that the redox-sensitive regulation of mTORC1 occurs via Rheb but not the Rag small GTPase. Enhancing cellular redox potential with cysteine oxidants significantly increases Rheb GTP levels. Importantly, modulation of the cellular redox potential with a cysteine oxidant or reducing agent failed to alter mTORC1 activity in TSC1−/− or TSC2−/− mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. Furthermore, a cysteine oxidant has little effect on mTOR localization but sufficiently activates mTORC1 activity in both p18−/− and control mouse embryonic fibroblast cells, suggesting that the redox-sensitive regulation of mTORC1 occurs independent of the Ragulator·Rag complex. Taken together, our results suggest that the TSC complex plays an important role in redox-sensitive mTORC1 regulation and argues for the activation of mTORC1 in places other than the lysosome upon inhibition of the TSC complex.
Private hospital clinical attachment and teaching program for medical students: our experience and challenges

Calvary Health Care, Hobart, is in the exclusive position of being one of the few private hospitals that provide clinical placements to medical students in Australia. This offers a unique opportunity to investigate workplace learning opportunities for medical students within the private health care setting. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the unique and valuable educational experiences that can be offered to medical students within the private health care setting. This paper also highlights the challenges and potential solutions to student placement in the private healthcare setting. Finally, this paper aims to present evaluation from the student’s perspective, in regard to work place learning and supervision for clinical attachment in the private health setting. This paper describes the conceptual understanding, design, development, delivery and evaluation of a clinical placement for students within private healthcare setting. This paper highlights the difficulties and challenges faced such as staffing arrangement, expectation of students and teachers as well as the organisation, and finally the variability in the teaching provided due to varying workload during different times of the year. This paper provides a discussion regarding student feedback. Finally, this paper provides tips for other organisations aiming to deliver workplace teaching in the private health setting.
A compact Ka-band antenna-in-package for system-in-package application

: This paper presents an improved quarter-wave patch antenna assembled in a quad- ﬂ at-no-lead (QFN) package for system-in-package (SiP) application. An improved short method is proposed to reduce the size of antenna. Moreover, the in ﬂ uence of the package and the wire-bond has been taken into account in the antenna optimization. It has been found that the length of the bonding wire has an obvious e ﬀ ect on the antenna re ﬂ ection coe ﬃ cient. According to the simulation results, a bonding wire length of less than 600 µm is suggested in the antenna assembly. The experimental results show that the proposed antenna operates from 34.3 GHz to 38.8 GHz, and has a gain of 4.1 dBi at 37 GHz. The size of the patch antenna is only 1.1 × 2.0 mm 2 ( 0 : 034 (cid:2) 20 ), and it is very suitable for the wire-bond based SiP application.
Enamel Formation and Amelogenesis Imperfecta

Dental enamel is the epithelial-derived hard tissue covering the crowns of teeth. It is the most highly mineralized and hardest tissue in the body. Dental enamel is acellular and has no physiological means of repair outside of the protective and remineralization potential provided by saliva. Enamel is comprised of highly organized hydroxyapatite crystals that form in a defined extracellular space, the contents of which are supplied and regulated by ameloblasts. The entire process is under genetic instruction. The genetic control of amelogenesis is poorly understood, but requires the activities of multiple components that are uniquely important for dental enamel formation. Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is a collective designation for the variety of inherited conditions displaying isolated enamel malformations, but the designation is also used to indicate the presence of an enamel phenotype in syndromes. Recently, genetic studies have demonstrated the importance of genes encoding enamel matrix proteins in the etiology of isolated AI. Here we review the essential elements of dental enamel formation and the results of genetic analyses that have identified disease-causing mutations in genes encoding enamel matrix proteins. In addition, we provide a fresh perspective on the roles matrix proteins play in catalyzing the biomineralization of dental enamel.
Monitoring Rice Agriculture across Myanmar Using Time Series Sentinel-1 Assisted by Landsat-8 and PALSAR-2

Assessment and monitoring of rice agriculture over large areas has been limited by cloud cover, optical sensor spatial and temporal resolutions, and lack of systematic or open access radar. Dense time series of open access Sentinel-1 C-band data at moderate spatial resolution offers new opportunities for monitoring agriculture. This is especially pertinent in South and Southeast Asia where rice is critical to food security and mostly grown during the rainy seasons when high cloud cover is present. In this research application, time series Sentinel-1A Interferometric Wide images (632) were utilized to map rice extent, crop calendar, inundation, and cropping intensity across Myanmar. An updated (2015) land use land cover map fusing Sentinel-1, Landsat-8 OLI, and PALSAR-2 were integrated and classified using a randomforest algorithm. Time series phenological analyses of the dense Sentinel-1 data were then executed to assess rice information across all of Myanmar. The broad land use land cover map identified 186,701 km2 of cropland across Myanmar with mean out-of-sample kappa of over 90%. A phenological time series analysis refined the cropland class to create a rice mask by extrapolating unique indicators tied to the rice life cycle (dynamic range, inundation, growth stages) from the dense time series Sentinel-1 to map rice paddy characteristics in an automated approach. Analyses show that the harvested rice area was 6,652,111 ha with general (R2 = 0.78) agreement with government census statistics. The outcomes show strong ability to assess and monitor rice production at moderate scales over a large cloud-prone region. In countries such as Myanmar with large populations and governments dependent upon rice production, more robust and transparent monitoring and assessment tools can help support better decision making. These results indicate that systematic and open access Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can help scale information required by food security initiatives and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification programs.
Operating Energy Savings of a Liquid Desiccant and Evaporative Cooling-Assisted Air-Handling System in Marine Applications

The aim of this study is to analyze the operating energy savings of a liquid desiccant and an indirect and direct evaporative cooling-assisted 100% outdoor air system (LD-IDECOAS) for marine applications. The LD-IDECOAS comprises a liquid desiccant (LD) unit and indirect and direct evaporative coolers (IEC and DEC) to meet the target supply air (SA) conditions. In this study, seawater was used as the cooling source and the waste heat reclaimed from the engine was used as the heating source in the proposed system. The operating energy of the LD-IDECOAS was determined based on detailed energy simulations conducted on two cabins with an area of 16.5 m2, which was compared to a conventional system. The thermal loads on the cabins were estimated using design weather data under various oceanic climate conditions (normal, extremely hot, and extremely cold climates), by adhering to the ISO-7547 standard. The operating energy consumption of the LD-IDECOAS was calculated by modeling the proposed system with a commercial equation solver program (i.e., EES). The results were then compared to those of a conventional constant air volume (CAV) system. The operating energy consumption of the proposed system was reduced by 57–70% in cooling operations and 39% in heating operations under normal climate conditions. In the extremely hot climate regions, the energy consumed by the proposed system was reduced by 56–63% for cooling applications and 39% for heating applications.
Depressive and anxiety symptoms in Sydenham's chorea

via the PD-DOC website. Training – Direct, paper and electronic means of training will be conducted by PD-DOC investigators for users who submit data to the PD-DOC database to ensure quality and reliability of the captured information. Training in the proper completion of all components of the PD-DOC Core Data Set and in the accurate submission (paper and electronic) of data will take place. Public access for scientific papers – In order to facilitate the NIH directive in expediting public access to scientific information, the PD-DOC website is available as a central location to post via electronic links scientific manuscripts related to clinical and translational research in PD and related disorders that have been generated by NINDS research support. Data sharing – In order to help investigators comply with NIH requirements to share research data, the PD-DOC website is also available as a central location to provide electronic links to databases resulting from NINDS-supported clinical and translational research studies in PD and related conditions. Information center – The PD-DOC website will act as a centralized location to provide investigators with electronic access to other websites that might help advance clinical and translational research in PD, such as those of the NINDS describing animal model, genetic and antibody resources, the Udall Centers, the PSG, the National Institute of Environmental Health and Safety’s Cooperative Centers for PD Environmental Research (CCPDER) and PD advocacy groups. Interactions with the PD research community: The PD-DOC is envisioned to function as a centralized hub that can organize and integrate existing and future PD clinical and translational research resources and activities to advance collaborative work and to maximize the yield of all funding dollars. We hope that the aforementioned information allows PD researchers to understand the goals, resources, and services of the PD-DOC and to see its potential to promote, facilitate, and accelerate research progress. The ultimate success of the PD-DOC will rest with the investigators who will utilize it. In this light, we invite open communications between the PD research community and the PD-DOC to optimize its efforts. Investigators with large clinical research databases in any area of PD clinical or translational research are requested to contact us about establishing electronic linkages through the PD-DOC. Any suggestions on how the PD-DOC can best fulfill its missions are welcome. Information on contacting members of the PD-DOC is located at its website. We look forward with enthusiasm to work with researchers nationwide to alleviate the many critical problems facing patients with PD today.
The legacy of sperm banking: how fertility monitoring and disposal of sperm are linked with views of cancer treatment.

BACKGROUND Sperm banking is recommended for all men before cancer treatment, which carries a risk of long-term gonadal damage. However, relatively few men take up the offer. Among them, few attend for fertility monitoring or agree to sperm disposal where fertility recovers. Sperm banks are therefore burdened by long-term storage of samples that may not be needed for conception, with implications for healthcare resources. The aims here were to determine the views of men regarding personal benefits of sperm banking, and the advantages and disadvantages of fertility monitoring and disposal in the longer term. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 men who were diagnosed with cancer and had banked sperm at least 5 years previously. Men were asked to recall their experiences from diagnosis to the present time, focusing on the consequences for their fertility. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. RESULTS Results are discussed in relation to decisions surrounding banking sperm, fertility monitoring and attitudes to disposal of banked sperm. Complex attitudes were identified, with men's views reflecting their understanding of their current and future fertility and the possible trajectory of cancer itself. Men are overwhelmed by information on diagnosis and fail to understand the implications of cancer treatment for their future fertility. CONCLUSIONS On diagnosis, men are given large amounts of information about cancer and treatment but fail to understand the longer-term implications of sperm banking. These implications need to be specifically addressed at subsequent appointments in order to optimize fertility monitoring and timely disposal of sperm samples.
2nd international workshop on mental health and well-being: sensing and intervention

Mental health issues affect a significant portion of the world's population and can result in debilitating and life-threatening outcomes. To address this increasingly pressing healthcare challenge, there is a need to research novel approaches for early detection and prevention. In particular, ubiquitous systems can play a central role in revealing and tracking clinically relevant behaviors, contexts, and symptoms. Further, such systems can passively detect relapse onset and enable the opportune delivery of effective intervention strategies. However, despite their clear potential, the uptake of ubiquitous technologies into clinical mental healthcare is rare, and a number of challenges still face the overall efficacy of such technology-based solutions. The goal of this workshop is to bring together researchers interested in identifying, articulating, and addressing such issues and opportunities. Following the success of last year's inaugural workshop, we aim to continue facilitating the UbiComp community in developing a holistic approach for sensing and intervention in the context of mental health.