Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Matrix metalloproteinase inhibition attenuates right ventricular dysfunction and improves responses to dobutamine during acute pulmonary thromboembolism

Activated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) cause cardiomyocyte injury during acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APT). However, the functional consequences of this alteration are not known. We examined whether doxycycline (a MMP inhibitor) improves right ventricle function and the cardiac responses to dobutamine during APT. APT was induced with autologous blood clots (350 mg/kg) in anaesthetized male lambs pre‐treated with doxycycline (Doxy, 10 mg/kg/day, intravenously) or saline. Non‐embolized control lambs received doxycycline pre‐treatment or saline. The responses to intravenous dobutamine (Dob, 1, 5, 10 μg/kg/min.) or saline infusions at 30 and 120 min. after APT induction were evaluated by echocardiography. APT increased mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance index by ~185%. Doxycycline partially prevented APT‐induced pulmonary hypertension (P < 0.05). RV diameter increased in the APT group (from 10.7 ± 0.8 to 18.3 ± 1.6 mm, P < 0.05), but not in the Doxy+APT group (from 13.3 ± 0.9 to 14.4 ± 1.0 mm, P > 0.05). RV dysfunction on stress echocardiography was observed in embolized lambs (APT+Dob group) but not in embolized animals pre‐treated with doxycycline (Doxy+APT+Dob). APT increased MMP‐9 activity, oxidative stress and gelatinolytic activity in the RV. Although doxycycline had no effects on RV MMP‐9 activity, it prevented the increases in RV oxidative stress and gelatinolytic activity (P < 0.05). APT increased serum cardiac troponin I concentrations (P < 0.05), doxycycline partially prevented this alteration (P < 0.05). We found evidence to support that doxycycline prevents RV dysfunction and improves the cardiac responses to dobutamine during APT.
Selective miRNA disruption in T reg cells leads to uncontrolled autoimmunity

A new regulatory T (T reg) cell–specific, FoxP3-GFP-hCre bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mouse was crossed to a conditional Dicer knockout (KO) mouse strain to analyze the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the development and function of T reg cells. Although thymic T reg cells developed normally in this setting, the cells showed evidence of altered differentiation and dysfunction in the periphery. Dicer-deficient T reg lineage cells failed to remain stable, as a subset of cells down-regulated the T reg cell–specific transcription factor FoxP3, whereas the majority expressed altered levels of multiple genes and proteins (including Neuropilin 1, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4) associated with the T reg cell fingerprint. In fact, a significant percentage of the T reg lineage cells took on a T helper cell memory phenotype including increased levels of CD127, interleukin 4, and interferon γ. Importantly, Dicer-deficient T reg cells lost suppression activity in vivo; the mice rapidly developed fatal systemic autoimmune disease resembling the FoxP3 KO phenotype. These results support a central role for miRNAs in maintaining the stability of differentiated T reg cell function in vivo and homeostasis of the adaptive immune system.
The effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Nigella sativa seed on oxidative stress in hippocampus of STZ-induced diabetic rats

Objective: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the etiology of diabetic complications. Diabetes impairs hippocampus neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and learning. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Nigella sativa seed on oxidative stress in STZ-induced diabetic rats' hippocampus. Materials and Methods: Diabetes induced by 60 mg/kg STZ, i.p, and the rats were divided into five experimental groups (n=8-10 in each group) including control (received 0.5 ml normal saline), untreated STZ-diabetic (received 0.5 ml normal saline), and treated rats received Nigella sativa extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) or metformin (300 mg/kg) by gavage for 42 days. Serum glucose concentration and body weight as well as hippocampus tissue malondialdehyde and thiol levels were determined by calorimetric assay. Results: Serum glucose level in the diabetic rats treated with 200 mg/kg Nigella sativa extract at the days 24 and 45 decreased in comparison to untreated diabetic group (p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively). Weight loss was significantly different between metformin and Nigella sativa extract at the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg (p<0.05). Thiol content of hippocampus increased by 200 mg/kg Nigella sativa extract in comparison to untreated diabetic group (p<0.05). Malondialdehyde content of hippocampus reduced by Nigella sativa extract, 200 mg/kg (p<0.001), 400 mg/kg (p<0.05), and metformin (p<0.05) in comparison to the untreated diabetic group. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that hydroalcoholic extract of the Nigella sativa decreased oxidative stress in hippocampus of the STZ-induced diabetic rats. Nigella sativa at the dose of 200 mg/kg was more effective to reduce oxidative stress in hippocampus of rats.
Comparison of efficacy of three commercially available dentifrices [corrected] on dentinal hypersensitivity: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND Dentinal hypersensitivity has been defined as a short, sharp pain arising from exposed dentine as a result of various stimuli such as heat, cold, chemical, or osmotic, that cannot be ascribed to any other pathology. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of three commercially available toothpastes in the reduction of dentinal hypersensitivity. METHODS A total of 149 subjects (72 males and 77 females; aged 20 to 60 years) were entered into the study and randomly divided into four groups: Group 1 - toothpaste containing 5% potassium nitrate; Group 2 - toothpaste containing 5% calcium sodium phosphosilicate with fused silica; Group 3 - toothpaste containing 3.85% amine fluoride; and Group 4 - a placebo toothpaste. After sensitivity scores for controlled air stimulus and cold water at baseline were recorded, subjects were given toothpastes and sensitivity scores were measured again at 2 weeks and 6 weeks. RESULTS All groups showed a reduction in sensitivity scores at 2 weeks and 6 weeks. The calcium sodium phosphosilicate group was found to be significantly better compared to the other groups at the end of 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS The calcium sodium phosphosilicate group showed a better reduction in the symptoms of dentinal hypersensitivity.
Precoder Design Based on Correlation Matrices for MIMO Systems

This paper presents a general framework for precoder designs for MIMO systems using partial channel knowledge on the transmit and receive correlation matrices at the transmitter. It is shown that the optimal linear precoder for any uncoded and coded MIMO system based on the MMSE or ergodic capacity criterion, or for an orthogonal ST coded MIMO system based on the minimum PEP criterion, is an eigen-beamformer that transmits the signal along eigenvectors of the transmit correlation matrix. Based on the eigen-values of both the transmit and receive correlation matrices, power loading across the eigen-beams is determined by water-pouring policy. Individual effects of the transmit and receive correlation matrices on the system performance are investigated. Simulation results show noticeable performance improvement over MIMO systems without precoder, particularly when the transmit correlation matrix has low rank
Disease-associated CAG·CTG triplet repeats expand rapidly in non-dividing mouse cells, but cell cycle arrest is insufficient to drive expansion

Genetically unstable expanded CAG·CTG trinucleotide repeats are causal in a number of human disorders, including Huntington disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1. It is still widely assumed that DNA polymerase slippage during replication plays an important role in the accumulation of expansions. Nevertheless, somatic mosaicism correlates poorly with the proliferative capacity of the tissue and rates of cell turnover, suggesting that expansions can occur in the absence of replication. We monitored CAG·CTG repeat instability in transgenic mouse cells arrested by chemical or genetic manipulation of the cell cycle and generated unequivocal evidence for the continuous accumulation of repeat expansions in non-dividing cells. Importantly, the rates of expansion in non-dividing cells were at least as high as those of proliferating cells. These data are consistent with a major role for cell division-independent expansion in generating somatic mosaicism in vivo. Although expansions can accrue in non-dividing cells, we also show that cell cycle arrest is not sufficient to drive instability, implicating other factors as the key regulators of tissue-specific instability. Our data reveal that de novo expansion events are not limited to S-phase and further support a cell division-independent mutational pathway.
How many years do students study before graduating in medicine?

OBJECTIVES The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand is considering changing from a 6-year medical degree to a mainly graduate-entry 4-year degree. The objective of this study was to determine how long students currently take to qualify and how many years are spent studying for each medical graduate produced. DESIGN A retrospective study of 691 students registered in medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1988, 1989 and 1990 was conducted by examining student progress records. RESULTS The study found that an average of 7.89 years was spent studying for each graduate produced, including tertiary studies before medicine, repeated years and intercalated science degrees. Five hundred and eighty-nine students (85%) graduated and 102 (15%) did not. Forty-eight per cent studied for 7 or more years before graduating, 21% completed degrees before or during their medical studies, and 21% of students repeated years. CONCLUSION The costs to the individual and society of the new 3 + 4-year degree structure would not be very different from those of the current 6-year structure.
A Method for Handling Uncertainty in Evolutionary Optimization With an Application to Feedback Control of Combustion

We present a novel method for handling uncertainty in evolutionary optimization. The method entails quantification and treatment of uncertainty and relies on the rank based selection operator of evolutionary algorithms. The proposed uncertainty handling is implemented in the context of the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy (CMA-ES) and verified on test functions. The present method is independent of the uncertainty distribution, prevents premature convergence of the evolution strategy and is well suited for online optimization as it requires only a small number of additional function evaluations. The algorithm is applied in an experimental setup to the online optimization of feedback controllers of thermoacoustic instabilities of gas turbine combustors. In order to mitigate these instabilities, gain-delay or model-based H infin controllers sense the pressure and command secondary fuel injectors. The parameters of these controllers are usually specified via a trial and error procedure. We demonstrate that their online optimization with the proposed methodology enhances, in an automated fashion, the online performance of the controllers, even under highly unsteady operating conditions, and it also compensates for uncertainties in the model-building and design process.
Enteric infection in relapse of inflammatory bowel disease: importance of microbiological examination of stool

Objective Previous reports have suggested that diarrhoeal relapses of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be associated or confused with enteric infection, and that treatment of such infections with appropriate antibiotics may be beneficial. To re-evaluate the suggestion that enteric infection is rare and microbiological testing of stool not routinely necessary in patients presenting with relapse of IBD, we have reviewed the incidence of concurrent infection in patients presenting in relapse over a recent 5-year period. Methods Stool microbiology results relating to relapses of IBD during the period 1997–2001 were obtained retrospectively. Relapse was confirmed by standard clinical, sigmoidoscopic and laboratory criteria. Results During the period 1997–2001 there were 237 relapses in 213 patients. Enteric infection was found in 25 (10.5%) relapses in 24 patients; in seven patients, infection was associated with the initial presentation of their IBD. Clostridium difficile toxin was detected in 13 (5.5%) instances; the 12 other infections (5% relapses) were Campylobacter spp. (five), Entamoeba histolytica (three), Salmonella spp. (one), Plesiomonas shigelloides (one), Strongyloides stercoralis (one) and Blastocystis hominis (one). There was a significant association between infection and the need for hospital admission. Of the 13 relapses associated with C. difficile, ten were in outpatients, seven patients had undergone previous antibiotic treatment, and four patients were presenting with IBD for the first time. All relapses resolved satisfactorily after treatment with antibiotics with or without corticosteroids. Conclusions The high prevalence of enteric infections, of which C. difficile was the most common, indicates that all patients presenting with relapse of IBD should have stool examined microbiologically.
Political risk assessment and multinational firms in an emerging market

Political Risk Assessment (PRA) is an important influence on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the competitiveness of multinational firms, yet little is known about PRA in emerging markets. This study investigates the techniques used for PRA in an emerging market. It empirically used a multi-method approach to analyse data collected from 74 multinational firms and the dataset of the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) PRA annual rating for Nigeria during the period 2011 to 2015. Quantitative techniques are only useful if accurate data are used to conduct an assessment. This will influence how firms’ conduct PRA and decision making and may also help to explain why some firms have invested in an emerging market with low financial and economic risks despite the presence of high political risk.
Unmet Need for Family Planning in Developing Countries and Implications for Population Policy

Unmet need for family planning has been a core concept in international population discourse for several decades. This article reviews the history of unmet need and the development of increasingly refined methods of its empirical measurement and delineates the main questions that have been raised about unmet need during the past decade, some of which concern the validity of the concept and others its role in policy debates. The discussion draws heavily on empirical research conducted during the 1990s, much of it localized, in-depth studies combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Of the causes of unmet need other than those related to access to services, three emerge as especially salient: lack of necessary knowledge about contraceptive methods, social opposition to their use, and health concerns about possible side effects. The article argues that the concept of unmet need for family planning, by joining together contraceptive behavior and fertility preferences, encourages an integration of family planning programs and broader development approaches to population policy. By focusing on the fulfillment of individual aspirations, unmet need remains a defensible rationale for the formulation of population policy and a sensible guide to the design of family planning programs. Copyright 2000 by The Population Council, Inc.
Elevational Distribution and Conservation Biogeography of Phanaeine Dung Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) in Bolivia

Insect macroecology and conservation biogeography studies are disproportionately scarce, especially in the Neotropics. Dung beetles are an ideal focal taxon for biodiversity research and conservation. Using distribution and body size data on the ecologically important Phanaeini, the best-known Neotropical dung beetle tribe, we determined elevational patterns of species richness, endemism, body size, and elevational range in Bolivia, specifically testing Bergmann’s and Rapoport’s rule. Richness of all 39 species and of 15 ecoregional endemics showed a hump-shaped pattern peaking at 400 m, but overall declined strongly with elevation up to 4000 m. The relationship between endemic and total species richness appeared to be curvilinear, providing only partial support for the null hypothesis that species-rich areas are more likely to be centers of endemism by chance alone. An elevational increase in the proportion of ecoregional endemics suggests that deterministic factors also appear to influence endemism in the Andes. When controlling for the effect of area using different species-area relationships, the statistically significant richness peak became more pronounced and shifted upslope to 750 m. Larger species did not have higher elevational mid-points, and mean body size decreased significantly with elevation, contradicting Bergmann’s rule. Rapoport’s rule was supported: species with higher elevational mid-points had broader elevational ranges, and mean elevational range increased significantly with elevation. The elevational decrease of phanaeine richness is in accordance with studies that demonstrated the combined influence of temperature and water availability on species diversity, but also is consistent with niche conservatism. For invertebrates, confirmation of Rapoport’s and refutation of Bergmann’s rule appear to be scale-invariant general patterns. Analyses of biogeographic patterns across elevational gradients can provide important insights for identifying conservation priorities. Phanaeines with narrow elevational ranges on isolated low-elevation mountains in eastern Bolivia are at greatest climate-change related extinction risk from range-shift gaps and mountaintop extinctions.
Optical coherence tomography in progressive cone dystrophy.

AIM The aim of the study was to analyse different clinical pictures in patients with progressive cone dystrophy (PCD), to compare these with the results of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to evaluate the benefits of this method for diagnosis. METHODS The group consisted of 16 patients (32 eyes) with PCD. All patients were examined for visual acuity, colour sense and visual field. We performed biomicroscopic examination, photo-documentation, fluorescein angiography, electrophysiological tests and OCT. RESULTS Using biomicroscopy and fluorescein angiography, we found changes in the retinal pigment epithelium ranging from barely detectable changes up to the typical bull's eye appearance. In all the eyes, OCT established statistically significant reduction in the thickness and structural changes in the neuroretina of the macula. Atrophy was evident especially in the outer nuclear layer, in the photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment junction and in the retinal pigment epithelium. Visual acuity was mainly dependent on the degree to which the continuity of the photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment junction layer was maintained. Eyes with better preserved neuroretinal structure in the fovea centralis had generally less reduced thickness of the retina and a better visual acuity. CONCLUSION OCT specifies the quantitative and qualitative changes in the macula and may contribute significantly to the diagnosis of the progressive cone dystrophy, particularly in the early stages of the disease which is difficult to diagnose.
Visualization of superparamagnetic dynamics in magnetic topological insulators

The ferromagnetic state of topological insulators showing quantum anomalous Hall effect is surprisingly superparamagnetic. Quantized Hall conductance is a generic feature of two-dimensional electronic systems with broken time reversal symmetry. In the quantum anomalous Hall state recently discovered in magnetic topological insulators, time reversal symmetry is believed to be broken by long-range ferromagnetic order, with quantized resistance observed even at zero external magnetic field. We use scanning nanoSQUID (nano–superconducting quantum interference device) magnetic imaging to provide a direct visualization of the dynamics of the quantum phase transition between the two anomalous Hall plateaus in a Cr-doped (Bi,Sb)2Te3 thin film. Contrary to naive expectations based on macroscopic magnetometry, our measurements reveal a superparamagnetic state formed by weakly interacting magnetic domains with a characteristic size of a few tens of nanometers. The magnetic phase transition occurs through random reversals of these local moments, which drive the electronic Hall plateau transition. Surprisingly, we find that the electronic system can, in turn, drive the dynamics of the magnetic system, revealing a subtle interplay between the two coupled quantum phase transitions.
Computer aided diagnosis method for steatosis rating in ultrasound images using random forests.

UNLABELLED In this paper we discuss the problem of computer aided evaluation of the severity of steatosis disease using ultrasound images. The AIM of the study being to compare the automatic evaluation of liver steatosis using random forests (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers. MATERIAL AND METHOD One hundred and twenty consecutive patients with steatosis or normal liver, assessed by ultrasound by the same expert, were enrolled. We graded steatosis in four stages and trained two classifiers to rate the severity of disease, based on a large set of labeled images and a large set of features, including several features obtained by robust estimation techniques. We compared RF and SVM classifiers. The classifiers were trained using cross-validation. There was 80% of data randomly selected for training and 20% for testing the classifier. This procedure was performed 20 times. The main measure of performance was the accuracy. RESULTS From all cases, 10 were rated as normal liver, 70 as having mild, 33 moderate, and 7 severe steatosis. Our best experts' ratings were used as ground truth data. RF outperformed the SVM classifier and confirmed the ability of this classifier to perform well without feature selection. In contrast, the performance of the SVM classifier was poor without feature selection and improved significantly after feature selection. CONCLUSION The ability and accuracy of RF to classify well the steatosis severity, without feature selection, were superior as compared to SVM.
Remodeling of actin filaments by ADF/cofilin proteins

Cofilin/ADF proteins play key roles in the dynamics of actin, one of the most abundant and highly conserved eukaryotic proteins. We used cryoelectron microscopy to generate a 9-Å resolution three-dimensional reconstruction of cofilin-decorated actin filaments, the highest resolution achieved for a complex of F-actin with an actin-binding protein. We show that the cofilin-induced change in the filament twist is due to a unique conformation of the actin molecule unrelated to any previously observed state. The changes between the actin protomer in naked F-actin and in the actin-cofilin filament are greater than the conformational changes between G- and F-actin. Our results show the structural plasticity of actin, suggest that other actin-binding proteins may also induce large but different conformational changes, and show that F-actin cannot be described by a single molecular model.