Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of TNF and FcγRΙΙΙA gene polymorphisms with differential response to infliximab in a Greek cohort of Crohn’s disease patients

Background and Aim Infliximab (IFX) has revolutionized the treatment of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). However, a significant proportion of patients may fail to respond primarily or lose response over time. The genetic background of a particular individual may partially explain differences in responsiveness to anti-TNFα therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether polymorphisms in the promoter region of the TNF and FcγRΙΙΙA gene are associated with response to IFX in patients with CD. Methods We investigated the following single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter region of the TNF gene (-238 G/A, -308 G/A, and -857 C/T) and the -158 V/F polymorphism in the FcγRΙΙΙA gene in a cohort of 79 adults and 27 children, who were all Greek patients with CD. These polymorphisms were determined using PCR-RFLP or allele-specific PCR. Results Regarding the 106 patients included in the study, 68 (64.15%) were classified as complete and 25 (23.58%) as partial responders to IFX, while 13 (12.26%) patients were primary non responders. There were no significant differences in the frequencies of the various TNF and FcγRΙΙΙA genotypes among complete, partial responders or primary non responders. Conclusion These results suggest that TNF and FcγRΙΙΙA genotypes did not affect the response to IFX in this cohort of Greek patients with CD.
Pediatric Residents’ Use of Jargon During Counseling About Newborn Genetic Screening Results

OBJECTIVE. The goal was to investigate pediatric residents’ usage of jargon during discussions about positive newborn screening test results. METHODS. An explicit-criteria abstraction procedure was used to identify jargon usage and explanations in transcripts of encounters between residents and standardized parents of a fictitious infant found to carry cystic fibrosis or sickle cell hemoglobinopathy. Residents were recruited from a series of educational workshops on how to inform parents about positive newborn screening test results. The time lag from jargon words to explanations was measured by using “statements,” each of which contained 1 subject and 1 predicate. RESULTS. Duplicate abstraction revealed reliability κ of 0.92. The average number of unique jargon words per transcript was 20; the total jargon count was 72.3 words. There was an average of 7.5 jargon explanations per transcript, but the explained/total jargon ratio was only 0.17. When jargon was explained, the average time lag from the first usage to the explanation was 8.2 statements. CONCLUSION. The large number of jargon words and the small number of explanations suggest that physicians’ counseling about newborn screening may be too complex for some parents.
Improvements on VSS-type self-tuning control for a tracking controller

This paper points out that the VSS-type self-tuning controller of K. Furuta (see ibid., vol.40, p.37-44, 1993) can be improved by modifications of the sector with separate gains and the equivalent control algorithm. The controlled system is stable in the outside of the sector and ultimately bounded in the inside of the sector. The proposed VSS-type self-tuning controller prevents the fluctuation of the estimated parameters that can occur during the parameter adaptation. This controller, having reduced the switching sector, is actually applicable to the tracking control of discrete systems in the presence of parameter uncertainties.
LBD1 of Vitellogenin Receptor Specifically Binds to the Female-Specific Storage Protein SP1 via LBR1 and LBR3

Storage proteins are the major protein synthesized in the fat body, released into hemolymph and re-sequestered into the fat body before pupation in most insect species. Storage proteins are important amino acid and nutrition resources during the non-feeding pupal period and play essential roles for the metamorphosis and oogenesis of insects. The sequestration of storage protein is a selective, specific receptor-mediated process. However, to date, the potential receptor mediating the sequestration of storage protein has not been determined in Bombyx mori. In this study, we expressed and purified the first ligand binding domain of Bombyx mori vitellogenin receptor (BmVgR), LBD1, and found LBD1 could bind with an unknown protein from the hemolymph of the ultimate silkworm larval instar via pull-down assay. This unknown protein was subsequently identified to be the female-specific storage protein SP1 by mass spectrometry. Furthermore, far western blotting assay, immunoprecipitation and isothermal titration calorimetry analysis demonstrated LBD1 specifically bound with the female-specific SP1, rather than another unisex storage protein SP2. The specific binding of LBD1 with SP1 was dependent on the presence of Ca2+ as it was essential for the proper conformation of LBD1. Deletion mutagenesis and ITC analysis revealed the first and third ligand binding repeats LBR1 and LBR3 were indispensable for the binding of LBD1 with SP1, and LBR2 and LBR4 also had a certain contribution to the specific binding. Our results implied BmVgR may mediate the sequestration of SP1 from hemolymph into the fat body during the larval-pupal transformation of Bombyx mori.
Randomized prospective comparison between erythropoietin and androgens in CAPD patients.

BACKGROUND Anemia and malnutrition are significant complications in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Previous studies in hemodialysis have shown that androgens are effective as therapy for anemia; however, this has not been tested in a randomized prospective trial in PD patients. Furthermore, the anabolic properties of androgens may exert additional benefits on the nutritional status in this population. METHODS Twenty-seven stable male patients over 50 years who were under maintenance continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) therapy were randomized to receive recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO; N = 14) or nandrolone decanoate (ND; 200 mg/week IM; N = 13) as therapy for anemia. The evolution of hematologic parameters and the impact on both nutritional anthropometric and biochemical variables were evaluated after six months of treatment. RESULTS Hemoglobin and hematocrit experienced similar increases in both groups: from 8.5 +/- 0.9 g/dL and 25.8 +/- 2.7% to 11.7 +/- 0.6 g/dL and 34.7 +/- 1.6% (P < 0.001) in patients receiving rHuEPO, and from 8.9 +/- 0.8 and 27 +/- 2.2% to 11.8 +/- 0.4 g/dL and 35.1 +/- 1.5% (P < 0.001) in subjects treated with ND. At the end of the study, out of the diverse nutritional variables included in this investigation, only weight and body mass index significantly increased in the rHuEPO group. Conversely, both anthropometric [weight, body mass index, triceps skinfold, mid-arm circumference (MAC) and mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC)] and biochemical parameters (serum total proteins, albumin, prealbumin and transferrin) were significantly increased in patients treated with ND. In this group, serum urea nitrogen, urea net excretion and protein equivalent of nitrogen appearance significantly decreased. These facts, together with an increase in serum creatinine and no changes in dietary intake during the study, suggest a rise in muscle mass related to an anabolic effect of nandrolone decanoate. Interestingly, serum levels of insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1) increased in patients on the androgen group compared to subjects treated with rHuEPO. Moreover, there was a positive and significant correlation between the rise in IGF-1 concentrations and the increase in hemoglobin, hematocrit, MAC and MAMC. CONCLUSIONS Androgens therapy improved the anemia in elderly male CAPD patients in a similar manner to that observed with rHuEPO. Furthermore, compared with rHuEPO, androgen administration was associated with beneficial effects on nutritional status. The mechanism of action of androgens on hematologic and nutritional parameters might be mediated, at least in part, by IGF-1.
Entrepreneurial Endeavors: Examining The Role Of Catering Businesses In Pasuruan's Economic Empowerment

This study explores the challenges faced by Muslim women in establishing catering businesses, primarily due to inadequate marketing strategies. To overcome these obstacles, the research proposes catering business assistance with a focus on utilizing the internet as a platform for product promotion. Incorporating the Marketing 4.0 concept, the study emphasizes the complementary nature of digital-based and traditional marketing to meet consumer demands. The evolution from the AIDA concept to the 4A and 5A models is examined, highlighting attention, attitude, action, and advocacy as essential elements in consumer engagement. The effectiveness of e-commerce is underscored by offering benefits for MSMEs, such as accessing buyers from different regions, cost efficiency, and improved communication. Online media, including platforms like WhatsApp, social media, and email marketing, is discussed for its positive impact on information processing, purchasing decisions, and expanding market networks. The study also emphasizes the need to combine online and offline strategies to enhance digital technology adoption, maintain a personal touch for consumer relationships, and widen business reach. This research emphasizes the importance of digital technology for MSMEs to thrive in the catering industry.
Prognosis of medullary breast cancer: analysis of 13 International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) trials.

BACKGROUND To evaluate whether medullary breast cancer has a better prognosis compared with invasive ductal tumors. METHODS Among 12,409 patients, 127 were recorded as invasive medullary tumors and 8096 invasive ductal tumors. Medullary and ductal invasive tumors were compared with regard to stage, age at diagnosis, grade, hormone receptor status, peritumoral vascular invasion, and local and systemic treatment. Pattern of relapse, distant recurrence-free interval (DRFI), and overall survival (OS) were determined for both histological groups. Two cohorts were investigated: a full cohort including the pathologist-determined medullary histology without regard to any other tumor features and a cohort restricted to patients with ER-negative grade 3 tumors. RESULTS Fourteen-year DRFI and OS percents for medullary tumors (n = 127) and invasive ductal tumors (n = 8096) of the full cohort were 76% and 64% [hazard ratio (HR) 0.52, P = 0.0005] and 66% and 57% (HR = 0.75, P = 0.03), respectively. For the restricted cohort, 14-year DRFI and OS percents for the medullary (n = 47) and invasive ductal tumors (n = 1407) were 89% and 63% (HR 0.24, P = 0.002) and 74% and 54% (HR = 0.55, P = 0.01), respectively. Competing risk analysis for DRFI favored medullary tumors (HR medullary/ductal = 0.32; 95% confidence interval = 0.13-0.78, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION Medullary tumors have a favorable prognosis compared with invasive ductal tumors.
Effects of Oblique Wave Normal Angle and Noncircular Polarization of Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves on the Pitch Angle Scattering of Relativistic Electrons

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves have long been considered major plasma waves that can cause the atmospheric precipitation of electrons. In this work, we perform test particle calculations of the interactions between relativistic electrons and EMIC waves with oblique wave normal angle (WNA) and noncircular polarization. We demonstrate advective and diffusive changes in electron pitch angle (PA) under a uniform background magnetic field for broad ranges of kinetic energy (KE), PA, WNA, and ellipticity. First, we find that the direction of advective PA changes can be of either sign, being positive (negative) for a lower (higher) initial PA. Second, an oblique WNA can enhance the advection effects on PA changes, particularly for KE ~2.5–4 MeV and a broad range of initial PAs. In contrast, a more linear polarization can decrease advection for a broad range of KE and initial PAs. Third, phase space trajectories depend strongly on specific values of WNA, ellipticity, KE, and PA. Sometimes a phase‐averaged PA change is a net result of a time‐dependent mixture of the phase trapping, untrapping, and bunching effects. Lastly, the overall effect of finite WNA and ellipticity on diffusive PA changes is less systematic than on advection. Nevertheless, we identify a range of KE and PA where the diffusion tends to increase for a larger WNA and decrease for a more linear polarization. The results in this work emphasize a strong necessity for incorporating precise information on WNA and ellipticity into evaluations of electron scattering by EMIC waves.
Cytoplasmic bacterial lipopolysaccharide does not induce NFκB activation or NFκB mediated activation signals in human macrophages and an LPS reporter cell line

Although many membrane components have been described to be involved in the activation of cells by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the question remains whether LPS, once internalized by target cells, is also capable of interacting with cytoplasmic elements in such a way that activation of cells results independently of receptor engagement. This is an important aspect to consider with respect to the development of strategies aimed at attenuating adverse effects of LPS in the framework of bacterial infections. In this study, human monocyte derived macrophages as representatives of one of the primary target cells activated by LPS, were microinjected with LPS to circumvent exogenous LPS stimulation. Parameters correlating to cytoplasmic activation of the nuclear transcription factor NFκB (intracellular calcium mobilization), to nuclear translocation of the NFκB p65 subunit and to mRNA‐transcription of inflammatory cytokines known to be expressed upon exogenous LPS‐stimulation and to require NFκB activation (interleukin‐1beta, interleukin‐6, tumor necrosis factor alpha) were investigated. In addition, the LPS‐reporter cell line 3E10, which contains a reporter gene under the control of an NFκB‐inducible promoter was analyzed with respect to NFκB nuclear translocation and reporter gene expression. None of the cellular systems used and none of the parameters investigated led to the observation that intracellular LPS leads to activation of the cells in comparison to external LPS stimulation. These experiments allow the conclusion that LPS in the cytoplasmic compartment does not lead to NFκB translocation, cytokine mRNA transcription, and NFκB dependent protein expression and suggest that these activation parameters require the interaction of LPS with external membrane components. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Do all birds tweet the same?: characterizing twitter around the world

Social media services have spread throughout the world in just a few years. They have become not only a new source of information, but also new mechanisms for societies world-wide to organize themselves and communicate. Therefore, social media has a very strong impact in many aspects -- at personal level, in business, and in politics, among many others. In spite of its fast adoption, little is known about social media usage in different countries, and whether patterns of behavior remain the same or not. To provide deep understanding of differences between countries can be useful in many ways, e.g.: to improve the design of social media systems (which features work best for which country? ), and influence marketing and political campaigns. Moreover, this type of analysis can provide relevant insight into how societies might differ. In this paper we present a summary of a large-scale analysis of Twitter for an extended period of time. We analyze in detail various aspects of social media for the ten countries we identified as most active. We collected one year's worth of data and report differences and similarities in terms of activity, sentiment, use of languages, and network structure. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first on-line social network study of such characteristics.
Independent transcriptional reprogramming and apoptosis induction by cisplatin

Neither the molecular mechanisms whereby cancer cells intrinsically are or become resistant to the DNA-damaging agent cisplatin nor the signaling pathways that account for cisplatin cytotoxicity have thus far been characterized in detail. In an attempt to gain further insights into the molecular cascades elicited by cisplatin (leading to resistance or underpinning its antineoplastic properties), we comparatively investigated the ability of cisplatin, C2-ceramide and cadmium dichloride, alone or in the presence of an array of mitochondrion-protective agents, to trigger the permeabilization of purified mitochondria. In addition, we compared the transcriptional response triggered by cisplatin, C2-ceramide and cadmium dichloride in non-small cell lung carcinoma A549 cells. Finally, we assessed the capacity of cisplatin, C2-ceramide and cadmium dichloride to reduce the clonogenic potential of a battery of yeast strains lacking proteins involved in the regulation of cell death, DNA damage signaling and stress management. This multipronged experimental approach revealed that cisplatin elicits signaling pathways that are for the most part “private,” i.e., that manifest limited overlap with the molecular cascades ignited by other inducers of mitochondrial apoptosis, and triggers apoptosis mainly in a transcription-independent fashion. Indeed, bona fide cisplatin-response modifiers that we have recently identified by a functional genome-wide siRNA screen are either not transcriptionally regulated during cisplatin-induced cell death or their transcriptional modulation reflects the activation of an adaptive response promoting cisplatin resistance
Knowledge Sharing Barriers at the Individual Level in a Chinese Bank

A considerable amount of research has focused on knowledge sharing practices, including enablers and barriers, and it is generally agreed that it can contribute to organisational success. However, we know little about how these barriers are formed in organisational contexts and whether they can be overcome. In this research, we conducted a qualitative investigation in one branch of a major bank in China, considering the barriers that may prevent knowledge sharing activities from occurring, as well as ways to overcome them. We found that there is only one significant barrier, the potential loss of knowledge power, which can be overcome by system adjustment. The implications of the research for future research and practice are discussed.
An unsupervised ranking method based on a technical difficulty terrain

Users look for information that can suit their level of expertise, but it often takes a mammoth effort to trace such information. One has to sift through multiple pages to look for one that fits the appropriate technical background. In this paper, a query-independent ranking system is proposed for technical web pages. The pages returned by the system are sorted by their relative technical difficulty in either ascending or descending order specified by the user. The technical difficulty of a document i.e. terms in sequence, is first computed by the combination of each individual term's geometry in the low-dimensional latent semantic indexing (LSI) space, which can be visualized as a conceptual terrain. Then the pages are ranked based on the expected cost to get over the terrain. Results indicate that our terrain based method outperforms traditional readability measures.
Increased Atherosclerosis in Hyperlipidemic Mice With Inactivation of ABCA1 in Macrophages

The ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) encodes a membrane protein that promotes cholesterol and phospholipid efflux from cells. Mutations in ABCA1 lead to HDL deficiency and tissue accumulation of macrophages in patients with homozygous Tangier disease. In this study, we examined whether the complete absence of ABCA1 or selected inactivation in macrophages is accompanied by an increase in atherosclerotic lesion progression in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E–deficient (apoE−/−) mice and LDLR receptor–deficient (LDLr−/−) mice. The absence of ABCA1 led to reduced plasma cholesterol levels in both the apoE−/− and LDLr−/− mice, along with severe skin xanthomatosis characterized by marked foamy macrophages and cholesterol ester accumulation. However, the complete absence of ABCA1 did not affect the development, progression, or composition of atherosclerotic lesions in either the LDLr−/− or the apoE−/− mice fed a chow or atherogenic diet. In contrast, bone marrow transplantation studies demonstrated that the selective inactivation of ABCA1 in macrophages markedly increased atherosclerosis and foam cell accumulation in apoE−/−. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the complete absence of ABCA1 has a major impact on plasma lipoprotein homeostasis, and the proposed antiatherogenic effect resulting from ABCA1 deficiency is compensated by a less atherogenic profile. ABCA1 deficiency in macrophages, however, demonstrates the antiatherogenic properties of ABCA1 independent of plasma lipids and HDL levels.
Elevated Serum Levels of Homocysteine as an Early Prognostic Factor of Psychiatric Disorders in Children and Adolescents

Background and Goal. The aim was to examine the serum levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and their associations with the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T polymorphism in patients with schizophrenia and mood disorders as well as controls. Materials and Methods. There were 198 patients: 82 with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, 22 with mood disorders, and 94 controls. The level of Hcy was determined by an isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography system. MTHFR C677T polymorphism was analysed using the restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction method. Results. The average level of Hcy was 11.94 ± 5.6 μmol/L for patients with schizophrenia, 11.65 ± 3.3 μmol/L for patients with affective disorders, versus 6.80 ± 2.93 μmol/L in a control. The highest level of Hcy has been observed in patients with episodic-recurrent course of schizophrenia (11.30 ± 7.74 μmol/L), paranoid schizophrenia continuous (12.76 ± 5.25 μmol/L), and in patients with affective disorders (11.65 ± 3.26 μmol/L). An association between the MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism and Hcy level was found by linear regression analysis (r = 1.41, P = 0.029). Conclusions. The data indicate a link between Hcy levels and schizophrenia and mood disorders. No associations between the level of Hcy in patients with schizophrenia and mood disorders and the MTHFR C677T polymorphism were found.
Association of Serum Calcium Levels of Preterm Neonates at Birth with Calcium Intake from Foods and Supplements by Bedridden Women during Pregnancy

Bone calcium turnover is aggravated in pregnant women recommended to bed rest. In the present cross-sectional study, we aimed to clarify whether preterm neonates would benefit from calcium supplementation during pregnancy. Forty-two mothers (37.5 ± 6.7 years), recommended bed rest at home, and 42 preterm neonates (24–37 weeks gestational age) were enrolled. Neonates’ serum calcium was quantified at birth. Mothers’ calcium intake from foods and supplements during pregnancy was assessed. Serum 25-OH-D was measured in both mothers and neonates at birth. Results showed that mothers’ calcium intake from foods was significantly lower than the recommended daily reference value (p < 0.001), while total calcium intake including supplements was close to the calcium reference value of 1000 mg/day (p = 0.648). Neonates’ serum calcium concentration was significantly higher in mothers receiving calcium supplementation during pregnancy compared to mothers who did not (p < 0.001). A significant association between neonates’ serum calcium levels and mothers’ calcium supplementation was evident, even when adjusted to mothers’ age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational age, and neonates’ birth weight (beta = +0.460, p = 0.025). A statistically significant correlation between neonates’ and mothers’ serum 25-OH-D levels was found (r = 0.891, p < 0.001). In conclusion, calcium status in preterm neonates, born by bedridden women, could be enhanced after calcium supplementation during gestation.