Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Novel active and passive immunotherapy regimens against nosocomial infections caused by multidrug resistant enterococci

Enterococci are natural inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract and they are the second most common Gram-positive pathogens responsible for nosocomial infections. Passive and active immunotherapies targeting capsular polysaccharides and surface-associated proteins have emerged as a potential prevention and/or treatment strategy against this opportunistically pathogenic bacterium. In the first part of this study we evaluated the potential use of two protein immunogens from Enterococcus faecium, the secreted antigen A (SagA) and the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (Ppic), as carrier proteins conjugated with the capsular polysaccharide diheteroglycan (DHG) from E. faecalis. These two glycoconjugates (DHG-SagA and DHG-PpiC) could serve as cross-species vaccines against enterococcal infections. For this purpose, rabbits were immunized with the two glycoconjugates, and increasing IgG titers against the immunogens and their components were reported. In addition, the cross-reactivity of the sera was confirmed by evaluation of their in vitro opsonophagocytic killing activity and their immunoreactivity in whole cell ELISA against several E. faecalis and E. faecium strains. The sera, also, conferred protection in mice challenged with the respective enterococcal strains. These results support the potential use of these proteins as carrier proteins and the ability of these glycoconjugate vaccines to provide broader coverage against enterococcal infections. (Publication I) In the second part of this study we developed two mAbs against two well characterized immunogens, DHG and SagA, from E. faecalis and E. faecium, respectively. For the development of these mAbs mice were immunized with the glycoconjugate DHG-SagA, also used in the previous study, and the hybridoma technology was used. The implementation of the opsonophagocytic assay for the selection of the hybridomas was investigated. The two mAbs developed through this process were further characterized for their immunoreactivity by in vitro immunological assays. Both the generated mAbs, DHG.01 and SagA.01, exhibited high affinity and specificity to their targets. In addition, the in vitro opsonophagocytic killing activity of these mAbs against different enterococcal strains was proven, confirming their cross-specificity. These mAbs could serve as a potential immunotherapy against enterococcal infections especially upon humanization. For this purpose, the sequencing of the mAbs and the evaluation of the resulting sequences by the same immunological assays were performed. Finally, the development of these two mAbs upon immunization with DHG-SagA, combined with the previous project, confirm that SagA is a good carrier protein and that the DHG-SagA glycoconjugate is a potential vaccine candidate against prevalent enterococcal species. (Publication II)
Existence of the Audit Expectation Gap and Its Impact on Stakeholders’ Confidence: The Moderating Role of the Financial Reporting Council

This paper empirically emphasizes the existence of the audit expectation gap and its impact on stakeholders’ confidence, moderated by the active role of the financial reporting council. As a maiden attempt to portray the relationship, a higher-order model has been constituted and assessed with the pragmatic exploration, smearing the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The data contains 174 respondents as auditors, investors, investment and credit analysts, and regulatory agencies in Bangladesh. The study explores audit expectation gap from diverse aspects, such as auditors responsibility for fraud detection, meaning, and usefulness of the audit report, auditors providing the non-audit services, auditors’ responsibility for going concern reporting, and also an unmet expectation for the other assurance services, such as assurance on the other parts of the annual report beyond the financial statements, like management discussion and analysis and corporate social and environmental disclosure. The findings suggest that the audit expectation gap is negatively related to stakeholders’ confidence and the greater the audit expectation gap is, the lower stakeholders’ confidence is in the audit. Auditors maintaining perceived independence and improving the level of communication with users will diminish the audit expectation gap and induce stakeholders’ confidence simultaneously. Moreover, the active role of the financial reporting council acts as a moderator to ensure the auditors’ perceived independence. The result of the study motivates the policymakers to concentrate on the users’ audit-related expectations and also intends the importance of independent audit oversight.
An Empirical Investigation on Credit Card Repayment Pattern of Academicians in Malaysia

The credit card market has witnessed tremendous growth resulting from a paradigm shift in technology. The genuine usage of credit cards as a form of convenience has diverged to overspending, irresponsibility, revolving liability and bankruptcy. This implies that possession of credit cards has brought about a change in users’ repayment behavior. Thus, this study aims to determine academicians’ credit card repayment pattern in a private tertiary institution in Malaysia. The dependent variable is the repayment pattern and the independent variables that serve as the attributes include personal attitude and spending pattern, while, gender and parenthood serve as the moderating variables. Findings revealed that personal attitude and spending pattern were important attributes in determining the repayment pattern among the academicians. Gender and parenthood were found to play a moderating role in the repayment pattern. Findings from this study is expected to facilitate the government and credit card companies to work towards nurturing a financially healthier and informed society, and also to each out positively to the younger generations through the influence of the academicians.
Phase II Study of R-CHOP Followed by 90Y-Ibritumomab Tiuxetan in Untreated Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Study E1499.

Background: As MCL has a continuous relapse pattern with current treatments, we designed a study to determine the safety and efficacy of the anti-CD20 radio-immunoconjugate, 90 Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan ( 90 Y-RIT), following 4 cycles of R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) induction. Methods: Patients (pt) with untreated stage II-IV MCL (CD20+, cyclin D1+) ≥18 yr with measurable/evaluable disease and adequate organ function were eligible. At 4–8 weeks after 4 cycles of R-CHOP, responding (CR/PR) and stable pt received 0.4 mCi/kg 90 Y-RIT. The primary endpoint was failure-free survival (FFS) and secondary objectives were evaluation of response and toxicity after R-CHOP and after 90 Y-RIT. The study design required 52 eligible pt to demonstrate a prolongation of FFS by 50% compared with R-CHOP alone (median FFS 16 mo, Howard et al., JCO20:1288, 2002). Results: The characteristics of 56 eligible pt are: 73% male, median age 61 (33–83) yrs, 91% stage III/IV, 68% >1 extranodal site, 78% marrow-positive. IPI was 0–2 in 51%, 3–5 in 49%. Fifty-one (91%) pt received all treatment and best response (n=50) was 42% CR/CRu, 32% PR, 12% stable and 4% unevaluable, with an improvement in response in 16 pt after 90 Y-RIT. After 90 Y-RIT, 55% had grade 3/4 neutropenia with no febrile neutropenia and 45% had grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia with recovery at 12 weeks in 22/23 pt. Median follow-up (all pt) is 24.4 months. Median FFS for all 56 pt is 27 months with an estimated 71% FFS and 93% overall survival at 18 months. Among pt who completed all treatment and have been followed ≥1.5 yr (n=45), 33 remain failure-free and 12 have progressed (4 dead). Conclusions: 90 Y RIT after 4 cycles of R-CHOP in untreated MCL is safe and improves the number and quality of responses. These data suggest prolongation of FFS over that expected with R-CHOP alone. Consolidation of remission in MCL with 90Y-RIT shows potential as a strategy to prolong remission duration and is applicable to most pt with MCL. However, longer follow-up in needed to evaluate the durability of remissions achieved.
Comfort of formal and informal caregivers to palliative care patients in primary health care

Objective: to analyze the comfort of formal and informal caregivers to palliative care patients, identifying the variables associated with the difficulties for home care. Methods: cross-sectional study involving 50 caregivers of palliative care patients attended in the Family Health Strategy, using the General Comfort Questionnaire. Results: most caregivers were women (86.0%), with a mean age of 52 years, with partners (68.0%) and practicing some religion (72.0%). The comfort scores ranged between 202 and 263, with a median of 235. An inverse relation was verified between the General Comfort Questionnaire score and caregiver reports of some difficulty in care delivery to palliative care patients (OR=0.90; 95.0% CI 0.81-1.01). Conclusion: the comfort level of the palliative care patients’ caregivers was relatively good and was associated with the difficulties in home care.
Sudden Cardiac Death in Chagas Disease

Chagas’ disease remains a major epidemiologic problem in endemic countries. The most dramatic course of the disease is represented by sudden cardiac death. Some of these deaths could be preventable, if efforts are directed towards identifying high-risk patients. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are an effective treatment for the prevention of sudden cardiac arrhythmic death, however; its costs are the major limitation for their widespread use in the endemic region. This review will cover some of the most relevant aspects of sudden cardiac death in Chagas’ disease.
Galectin-3 In Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract Galectin-3 is an important regulator of inflammation and acts as a receptor for advanced-glycation (AGE) and lipoxidation end-products (ALE). Evidence indicates a significant upregulation in circulating levels and visceral adipose tissue production of Galectin-3 in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies demonstrate development of obesity and dysregulation of glucose metabolism in Galectin-3 “knockout” (KO) mice, which also develop accelerated and more severe pathology in models of atherosclerosis and metabolically-induced kidney damage. Thus, evidence that Galectin-3 is an important player in metabolic disease is accumulating. This review discusses current evidence on the connection between Galectin-3 and metabolic disease, focusing on mechanisms by which this galectin modulates adiposity, glucose metabolism and obesity-associated inflammatory responses.
SEEKING CANDIDATE MOLECULES AS PROGNOSTIC HEALING MARKERS IN CHRONIC VENOUS ULCERS

Seeking and identifying biomarker molecules in inflammatory exudate of chronic venous ulcers (CVUs) can aid health professionals in the healing prognosis. The therapeutic failure or cure is related to the quantitative expression of determinate proteins. This work aimed to identify the proteins expressed in inflammatory exudates from CVUs and correlate them with reduction or increase in the wound size. For 90 days, 28 participants that received standard treatment for 37 CVUs were monitored. The inflammatory exudates were collected before treatment initiation (T=0) and analyzed via the Label-free Shotgun. After 90 days the wound area was reduced in 25 (67.6%) of them. Mass spectrometry analysis of all the inflammatory exudates showed four proteins differentially expressed and related to favorable or unfavorable evolution of the healing process. Complement C3 and ceruloplasmin were identified in all the lesions analyzed and were expressed differentially in lesions that presented diminished area in the studied period. Apoliprotein A1 and neutrophil defensin-1 presented differential expression in ulcers that either did not diminish or augmented their wound area through 90 days. These results suggest that Complement C3, Ceruloplasmin, Apoliprotein A1 and Neutrophil-defensin-1 proteins are potential candidate molecules for prognostic healing markers in chronic venous ulcers.
TERT, a promoter of CNS malignancies

Abstract As cells replicate their DNA during mitosis, telomeres are shortened due to the inherent limitations of the DNA replication process. Maintenance of telomere length is critical for cancer cells to overcome cellular senescence induced by telomere shortening. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is the rate-limiting catalytic subunit of telomerase, an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase that lengthens telomeric DNA to maintain telomere homeostasis. TERT promoter mutations, which result in the upregulation of TERT transcription, have been identified in several central nervous system (CNS) tumors, including meningiomas, medulloblastomas, and primary glial neoplasms. Furthermore, TERT promoter hypermethylation, which also results in increased TERT transcription, has been observed in ependymomas and pediatric brain tumors. The high frequency of TERT dysregulation observed in a variety of high-grade cancers makes telomerase activity an attractive target for developing novel therapeutics. In this review, we briefly discuss normal telomere biology, as well as the structure, function, and regulation of TERT in normal human cells. We also highlight the role of TERT in cancer biology, focusing on primary CNS tumors. Finally, we summarize the clinical significance of TERT promoter mutations in cancer, the molecular mechanisms through which these mutations promote oncogenesis, and recent advances in cancer therapies targeting TERT.
Charakteristika a složení stravy v souvislosti s civilizačními nemocemi

The thesis is dealing with the questions of the diet composition in connection with lifestyle diseases in our population. The characterization of basic food nutrients (proteins, lipids, saccharides), essential nutritional factors (vitamins, minerals) and biologically active sub-stances (antioxidants) is done. Well-balanced intake of the nutrients is very important for healthy growth, progress and recovery of the organism. Abundance and deficiency of these nutrients can have a negative effect on our health. At present there is continually high, often precocious, presence of non-infections diseases in mass occurrence, namely overweight and obesity, hypertension, osteoporosis, gout, dia-betes type II, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, tumor diseases, which increases morbidity and mortality in the Czech population in comparison with other countries. From many reasons which contribute to this situation the malnutrition is very important. That is the reason to introduce nutritive recommendations to the work, which could help in obser-vation of health nutrition in our population.
NEONATAL SEIZURE STATES A Study of Clinical, Pathological, and Electroencephalographic Features in 137 Full-term Babies with a Long-term Follow-up

In the March issue of Pediatrics two corrections should be made in the article by Drs. Rose and Lombroso: Page 406: Table III, second footnote should read † 1. Two siblings with seizures which continued and were accompanied by mental retardation. 2. A case of transient familial neonatal seizures occurring in three generations and followed by normal development. 3. One sibship and a sporadic case of pyridoxine dependency. 4. A case of hypernatremia associated with hypocalcemia of unknown etiology. 5. A case of hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. 6. A case of congenital heart disease with transient seizures. Page 418: Table referred to in second line, section on Pathologic Findings, should be XII rather than II.
HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS ON DIFFERENT HAART REGIMEN.

Highly active antiretroviral viral therapy (HAART), a combination of three antiretrovirals from at least two drug classes for optimization of hindrance to HIV replication has greatly increased life expectance. There however, exist numerous of these combinations and thus the questions of which is the best HAART combination with respect to the individual’s haematological status. To investigate this, blood samples were collected from 231 retropositive subjects on six different HAART combinations at least six months after HAART commencement, assayed for CD4 and some haematological parameters using cyflow and sysmex(KX-21) autoanalysier. Baseline data was accessed from the LAMIS data base. The difference between baseline and values after HAART was taken and statistically compared. HAART evaluated includes, Combivir(NVP), Combivir(EFV), Truvada(NVP), Truvada(EFV), Lanten(NVP) and Lanten(EFV). The difference in the parameters assayed are: CD4(cellmm -3 ): 154, 205, 172, 206, 262, and
Species assemblage and recruitment patterns of echinoderms on shallow rocky reefs in central New Zealand

ABSTRACT Echinoderms play important ecological roles in the benthic community, but the processes that regulate their distribution are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to describe the community structure in the shallow rocky reefs of the Wellington region of central New Zealand. Five sites from a harbour and an open coast were surveyed for adult echinoderm density and habitat composition. Additionally, artificial collectors were deployed to assess recruitment patterns. Five taxa were responsible for the assemblage variation within sites and their abundance was highly correlated with habitat composition. Patiriella regularis was highly abundant in all sites, while Coscinasterias muricata and Evechinus chloroticus were dominant in the Harbour. Echinoderm settlement showed interannual variations, as well as differences between locations. There was a significant pulse of C. muricata settlers, while ophiuroids were present in lower numbers but constantly during the studied period. E. chloroticus settlement was sporadic and the absence of a juvenile cohort in the open coast sites suggests that recruitment might not occur for up to 4 years. The present study provides insights on the echinoderm assemblage in the shallow rocky reefs of the Wellington region and contributes to a better understanding of recruitment patterns shaping population structure.
Analysis of factors influencing international student destination choice: a case of Indian HE

ABSTRACT The inflow of international students to Indian higher education has remained low and this should be a matter of great concern. As a piece of country-specific research, this paper aims to understand the factors that influence an international students’ choice of India as a higher education destination. The results of an exploratory factor analysis indicate that international students enrolled in Indian universities considered conducive structural elements, the quality of education on offer, the cultural appeal of India, prospects of job in the destination country and the opportunity to learn English as the most important factors in host country selection. Further, a cluster analysis based on the identified factors specifies four international student segments that policymakers must pay attention to while formulating strategies to attract overseas students. This research provides an understanding into the destination choice motivations of an understudied market in an increasingly significant region of the world.
Gaussian Kernel Prompted Fuzzy C Means Algorithm with Multi- Object Contouring Method for Segmenting NPDR Features in Diabetic Retinopathy Fundus Images

Diabetic retinopathy is an ophthalmic inflammation caused by diabetes which ends in visual defacement if not diagnosed earlier and that has two types namely Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR). NPDR features are present in the earliest stage and systematic detection of these features can improve the diagnosis of the disease severity formerly. Several detection methods exists previously, still there is performance lack on large datasets. The objective of this study is detecting NPDR features from diabetic retinaopathy fundus images of large datasets with good performance level. The study has investigated different fuzzy based systems and to execute the objective; GK_FCM approach is proposed which integrates Gaussian Kernel function in conventional FCM. The execution has four phases, initially the input image undergoes preprocessing using green channel extraction, median filter to enhance the image quality and background removal is performed with extended minima transform technique, mathematical arithmetic operation and pixel replacement method to remove the outlier called Fovea (FV).
Most commonly mutated genes in High Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma are nonessential for ovarian surface epithelial stem cell transformation

High grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most lethal gynecological cancer and the 5th leading cause of cancer-related deaths of women in the USA. Disease-associated mutations have been identified by the Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network. However, aside from mutations in TP53 or alterations in the RB1 pathway that are extremely common in HGSOC, the contributions of other mutation combinations have been difficult to assess experimentally or with genomic data alone. Previous research identified ALDH+ stem cells of the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) as one of the putative cells of HGSOC origin. Here, we performed combinatorial CRISPR mutagenesis of 20 putative HGSOC driver genes to identify mutation combinations that transformed OSE stem cells (OSE-SC) and non-stem cells (OSE-NS). Overrepresented mutations and mutation combinations were identified in all transformants and were investigated directly in targeted assays. Our results support the OSE stem cell theory of HGSOC initiation and suggest that most commonly mutated genes in HGSOC have no effect on OSE-SC transformation initiation. We suggest a model in which combined disruption of RB1 and PTEN, in addition to TP53 deficiency, constitutes a core set of mutations required for efficient transformation in vitro. A few previously uncharacterized mutation combinations further enhanced transformation but may have done so via TP53-related mechanisms. Together, our results identify mutation combinations that are critical for OSE-SC transformation and may contribute to more accurate modeling of HGSOC development. Our cancer driver screening methodology may also serve as a model for high throughput functional assessment of commonly mutated genes uncovered in other cancers by large scale sequencing.
Genomic architecture and evolutionary conflict drive allele-specific expression in the social supergene of the red fire ant

Supergenes are genomic regions of suppressed recombination that underlie complex polymorphisms. Despite the importance of such regions, our empirical understanding of their early evolution is limited. The young “social” supergene of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta provides a powerful system for disentangling the roles of evolutionary conflict and the implications of suppressed recombination. We used population genomics to identify genetic differences between supergene variants and gene expression analyses across different populations, castes and body parts to characterize allelic expression differences for the hundreds of genes in the supergene. We find that the expression of most genes is independent of social form or supergene variant, in line with the young age of this system. Many of the genes with allelic expression differences, however, show a pattern consistent with gene degeneration due to suppressed recombination. In contrast, a small portion of the genes has the signature of evolutionary conflict between social forms.