Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Environment on the Efficacy of Intrastriatal Dopaminergic Grafts

Functional recovery is influenced by experience. The aim of the present work was to examine the effects of "enriched" environment (EE) versus an "impoverished" environment on the anatomical and functional integration of intrastriatal dopaminergic grafts. These influences were studied using a paradigm where grafting was performed before the dopamine-depleting lesion. Dopaminergic grafts were implanted into the left neostriatum of adult male rats. In the enriched group, grafted rats were housed collectively and were trained on different behavioral tests following grafting. In contrast, impoverished grafted rats were housed individually and not further manipulated. Ten weeks after grafting, the mesotelencephalic dopaminergic pathway was destroyed unilaterally to the grafted side and different behaviors were followed for 7 months. Grafting prior to lesioning had no prophylactic effects on the performance as the graft did not prevent the onset of the lesion-induced impairments. However, under EE conditions, a graft effect was manifested in the reduction of drug-induced rotation and on the indices of bias as tested by a spatial alternation test. No positive graft effects were observed in the skilled paw reaching test. Grafted rats raised under impoverished conditions performed in a fashion indistinguishable from the control lesioned animals on most measures of behavior. A beneficial effect of EE conditions was observed on survival of TH-positive neurons within the grafts. The results suggest that survival of grafted neurons, and the reduction of the magnitude of particular behavioral impairments, can be optimized by increasing the complexity of the subject's environment.
Clinical evaluation of 168 korean patients with rosacea: the sun exposure correlates with the erythematotelangiectatic subtype.

BACKGROUND Although rosacea is a chronic cutaneous inflammatory disorder that's commonly seen in adults, the etiology and pathogenesis of the illness remain unclear. A well established diagnostic classification and grading system may play a critical role in performing research and it would serve as a diagnostic reference in the clinical field. OBJECTIVE We sought to classify the patients with the new standard classification and grading system and we wanted determine the peculiar features and relationships of each subtype. We also analyzed the relationships between the degree of sun exposure and each subtype. METHODS We reviewed the medical records and clinical photos of 168 patients who were diagnosed with rosacea from 2002 to 2007 at our hospital. The standard classification and grading system suggested by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) Expert Committee was adopted to evaluate each patient's subtype and the severity. RESULTS The male:female ratio was 1:2.29. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 47.8 years. The mean duration of disease was 3.5 years. Sun exposure and hot baths/exercise were the two most common precipitating factors, while the majority of patients did not have any specific factor that relieved their symptoms. According to the NRS classification and grading system, the patients were classified into four subtypes. One hundred sixty two (96.4%) patients were diagnosed with the erythematotelangiectatic subtype irrespective of severity. Eighty five (50.6%) patients had the papulopustular subtype and 24 (14.3%) patients had ocular rosacea. Eight (4.8%) patients displayed mild phymatous change. The degree of sun exposure had significant correlation with the development and severity of the erythematotelangiectatic subtype (p<0.05), while it had no correlation with the papulopustular, ocular and phymatous subtypes. CONCLUSION Although the erythematotelangiectatic subtype was the most common subtype of rosacea, many patients also had other subtypes of rosacea simultaneously. Based on our results, we proved that ocular rosacea is an extension of the clinical spectrum of erythematotelangiectatic rosacea. In addition, the results of our study particularly suggest that sun exposure has a different influence on each subtype of rosacea.
INFLUENCE OF DOMINANT AND NON-DOMINANT BODY SIDE ON SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE IN TAEKWONDO

To identify the gender-specific influence of dominant laterality of motor abilities on taekwondo techniques performed to the right and left body side, thirty-nine male and eighteen female taekwondoists (age range10±2 years) underwent two testing sessions to evaluate ambidexterity: (1) motor abilities measured on the left and the right body side ; (2) quality of performance of taekwondo leg technique (front kick and roundhouse kick) measured on the right and the left body side. The results of t-test indicated gender differences in the taekwondo technique acquisition and flexibility and defined the body asymmetry differences in motor abilities assessed by the variables grip strength, frequency of alternate leg movements and alternate hand movements (p<.05). According to the regression analysis results for male athletes, motor abilities measured on both the left and the right side of the body were defined with strong linear correlation with taekwondo basic techniques’ performance to both body sides (MC from .75 to .81), while in female athletes, motor abilities measured on the right side of the body were not significant. Gender-based success-related dominant motor abilities profile structure does not condition their influence when it comes to the asymmetric taekwondo performance.
Plk5, a Polo Box Domain-Only Protein with Specific Roles in Neuron Differentiation and Glioblastoma Suppression

ABSTRACT Polo-like kinases (Plks) are characterized by the presence of a specific domain, known as the polo box (PBD), involved in protein-protein interactions. Plk1 to Plk4 are involved in centrosome biology as well as the regulation of mitosis, cytokinesis, and cell cycle checkpoints in response to genotoxic stress. We have analyzed here the new member of the vertebrate family, Plk5, a protein that lacks the kinase domain in humans. Plk5 does not seem to have a role in cell cycle progression; in fact, it is downregulated in proliferating cells and accumulates in quiescent cells. This protein is mostly expressed in the brain of both mice and humans, and it modulates the formation of neuritic processes upon stimulation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/nerve growth factor (NGF)-Ras pathway in neurons. The human PLK5 gene is significantly silenced in astrocytoma and glioblastoma multiforme by promoter hypermethylation, suggesting a tumor suppressor function for this gene. Indeed, overexpression of Plk5 has potent apoptotic effects in these tumor cells. Thus, Plk5 seems to have evolved as a kinase-deficient PBD-containing protein with nervous system-specific functions and tumor suppressor activity in brain cancer.
Integrin alpha chains exhibit distinct temporal and spatial localization patterns in epithelial cells of the Drosophila ovary

Integrins are heterodimeric transmembrane receptors that modulate cell adhesion, migration, and signaling. Multiple integrin chains contribute to development and morphogenesis of a given tissue. Here, we analyze the expression of Drosophila integrin alpha chains in the ovarian follicular epithelium, a model for tissue morphogenesis and cell migration. We find expression throughout development of the beta chain, βPS. Alpha chains, however, exhibit both spatial and temporal expression differences. αPS1 and αPS2 integrins are detected during early and mid‐oogenesis on apical, lateral, and basal membranes with the βPS chain, whereas αPS3‐family integrins (αPS3, αPS4, αPS5) are expressed in anterior cells late in oogenesis. Surprisingly, we find that αPS3‐family integrins are dispensable for dorsal appendage morphogenesis but play a role in the final length of the egg, suggesting redundant functions of integrins in a simple tissue. We also demonstrate roles for αPS3βPS integrin in border cell migration and in stretch cells. Developmental Dynamics 237:3927–3939, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mutual antipathies during early adolescence: More than just rejection

Recent research suggests that having a mutual antipathy, in comparison to not having an antipathy, is associated with a host of negative outcomes. However, the methods used may not have adequately controlled for rejection and therefore may have provided an incomplete description of the psychosocial correlates of having a mutual antipathy. With a sample of approximately 2000 sixth-grade students, the goal of the present study was to disentangle the effects of rejection from those of having mutual antipathies and assess whether or not involvement in a mutual antipathy reflects maladaptive behaviour for young adolescents. When controlling for rejection, and including only students who received at least one rejection nomination, having a mutual antipathy was not necessarily associated with increased maladjustment. Additionally, when compared to boys and girls with no antipathies, those involved in at least one same-sex antipathy had different psychosocial adjustment profiles than those involved in at least one opposite-sex antipathy. The results indicate the need to carefully choose comparison groups when examining the correlates of mutual antipathies.
Justice and Customer Emotion’s Effect on ComplaintHandling Satisfaction: A Survey on Complaint AttitudeHandling

The objectives of this study are 1) to analyze the effect of distributive justice, procedural justice, interactional justice, and informational justice in complaint handling on customer’s negative emotion, 2) to analyze the effect of customer’s negative emotion on complaint handling satisfaction, 3) to analyze the effect of distributive justice, procedural justice, interactional justice, and informational justice on complaint handling satisfaction, 4) to analyze how customer’s negative emotion is mediating the effect of e justice, procedural justice, interactional justice, and informational justice on complaint handling satisfaction complaint handling satisfaction. The respondents of this study were laptop customers with 1 year minimum of warranty and have been experiencing service failure which amounted to 180 people. Data analysis technique used was Structural Equation Model (SEM). The results show that: 1) distributive justice, procedural justice, interactional justice, and informational justice has a negative influence on negative emotion, 2) negative emotion can raise complaint handling satisfaction, 3) distributive justice, procedural justice, interactional justice, and informational justice on complaint handling has a positive significant influence on complaint handling satisfaction, 4) negative emotion can be mediating the effect between justice on complaint handling satisfaction.
DIETARY SURVEYS AND NUTRITIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGY Association between dietary intake of micronutrients and cardiorespiratory fitness in Japanese men

Previous studies have demonstrated that meeting the dietary recommendations for macronutrients was significantly associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels in adults. However, the relation between the status of micronutrient intake and CRF still remains unclear. This study examined the association between micronutrient intake status (based on adherence to the dietary reference intakes (DRI)) and CRF in Japanese men. The study comprised 373 Japanese men aged 30–69 years. Dietary intake was assessed with a self-administered diet history questionnaire. Overall micronutrient intake status was quantified using an overall nutrient adequacy score (ONAS) for thirteen selected micronutrients. ONAS was calculated based on adherence to the DRI for Japanese. CRF was defined as V̇O2max during a maximal incremental test on a bicycle ergometer. Physical activity was measured using accelerometer-based activity monitors for seven consecutive days. We observed a significant inverse trend for the prevalence of inadequacy for the intake of vitamin A and Ca across incremental CRF categories (P < 0·05). In a multivariate model, the ONAS was positively associated with absolute (β = 0·10, P= 0·02) and relative V̇O2max (β = 0·09, P= 0·04), independent of physical activity. The OR for being unfit (the lowest 25 % of the age-specific distribution of V̇O2max) in the third ONAS tertile compared with the first ONAS tertile was 0·52 (95 % CI 0·28, 0·96). These results demonstrated that the intake of several individual micronutrients and overall micronutrient intake status are independently and positively associated with CRF in
The professionalisation of accounting

This paper reviews and considers the possible implications of a significant body of historical research that has gathered momentum throughout the last decade and challenged conventional explanations for accounting's professional status. In place of traditionally espoused professional ideals, such as altruism, ethical behaviour and control of specialised knowledge, this research has drawn attention to the importance of factors such as social class, gender and political acuity in explaining both the closure of the accounting profession and its elevation within the vocational continuum. If such factors are the foundation upon which the profession of accounting was constructed, then observable and persistent discord in accounting practice and theory is perhaps not unexpected. Further, the story told by recent research invites a rethinking of the nature of the accounting profession's privileged status.
Comparative Analysis of Measures of Viral Reservoirs in HIV-1 Eradication Studies

HIV-1 reservoirs preclude virus eradication in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The best characterized reservoir is a small, difficult-to-quantify pool of resting memory CD4+ T cells carrying latent but replication-competent viral genomes. Because strategies targeting this latent reservoir are now being tested in clinical trials, well-validated high-throughput assays that quantify this reservoir are urgently needed. Here we compare eleven different approaches for quantitating persistent HIV-1 in 30 patients on HAART, using the original viral outgrowth assay for resting CD4+ T cells carrying inducible, replication-competent viral genomes as a standard for comparison. PCR-based assays for cells containing HIV-1 DNA gave infected cell frequencies at least 2 logs higher than the viral outgrowth assay, even in subjects who started HAART during acute/early infection. This difference may reflect defective viral genomes. The ratio of infected cell frequencies determined by viral outgrowth and PCR-based assays varied dramatically between patients. Although strong correlations with the viral outgrowth assay could not be formally excluded for most assays, correlations achieved statistical significance only for integrated HIV-1 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and HIV-1 RNA/DNA ratio in rectal CD4+ T cells. Residual viremia was below the limit of detection in many subjects and did not correlate with the viral outgrowth assays. The dramatic differences in infected cell frequencies and the lack of a precise correlation between culture and PCR-based assays raise the possibility that the successful clearance of latently infected cells may be masked by a larger and variable pool of cells with defective proviruses. These defective proviruses are detected by PCR but may not be affected by reactivation strategies and may not require eradication to accomplish an effective cure. A molecular understanding of the discrepancy between infected cell frequencies measured by viral outgrowth versus PCR assays is an urgent priority in HIV-1 cure research.
Evaluation of the Mini Nutritional Assessment in the elderly, Tehran, Iran

Abstract Objective To determine whether the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) can screen and diagnose for malnutrition in the Iranian elderly. Design The MNA was administered to all volunteers. Each patient underwent anthropometric and serum albumin measurements. Reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, positive- and negative-predictive values were estimated. To identify optimal threshold values for predicting malnutrition, receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was performed for MNA scores. Setting Kahrizak Charity Foundation (Tehran, Iran). Subjects Two hundred and twenty-one consecutive elderly patients entered into the cross-sectional study. Amputees and patients with liver or renal disorders, oedema or any end-stage diseases were excluded. Results According to MNA score, 3·2 % were malnourished, 43·4 % were at risk of malnutrition and 53·4 % were well nourished. The proportions in these categories according to ideal body weight and serum albumin were 2·3 %, 17·1 % and 80·6 %, respectively. Cronbach’s α coefficient (reliability) was 0·61. The correlations between total MNA score, anthropometric values and serum albumin (criterion-related validity) were all significant. There were significant differences in total MNA score between two BMI groups but not between two categories according to serum albumin and skin ulcers (construct validity). The sensitivity and specificity of the MNA according to its established cut-off points were 82 % and 63 %, respectively. Positive-predictive value was 35 % and negative-predictive value was 93 %. By using the best cut-off point (MNA score of 22 according to Youden index), the sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value and negative-predictive value were 88 %, 62 %, 57 % and 89 %, respectively. Conclusions The MNA with its established cut-off points may not be a good fit for Asian populations, including Iranian elderly.
Should the Macroscopically Normal Appendix be Removed During Laparoscopy for Acute Right Iliac Fossa Pain When No Other Explanatory Pathology is Found?

Background Acute appendicitis remains the most common surgical emergency and although diagnosis should be made on clinical grounds, sometimes this can be difficult. Laparoscopy has gained increasing favour as a method of both investigating right iliac fossa pain and treating the finding of appendicitis. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of intraoperative diagnosis of appendicitis. Patients and Methods Records of all patients who underwent laparoscopy for possible appendicitis at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital over a 1-year period were reviewed. Notes of those patients who underwent an open appendicectomy were also reviewed for comparison. Intraoperative findings were recorded, as were the subsequent pathologic findings. Results Over the 1-year period from September 2005 to September 2006, 355 operations for suspected appendicitis were performed. In 277 (78%) cases, these were performed laparoscopically. Seventy-three out of 78 open appendectomies were confirmed as appendicitis. Only 1 of these was not macroscopically evident to the surgeon. The appendix was removed in 259 of the 277 laparoscopic procedures. Correct intraoperative diagnosis was made in 217 (84%) of removed appendices, 12 (29%) of the appendices thought to be macroscopically normal and removed were found to be appendicitis after histologic examination. Eighteen patients undergoing the laparoscopic procedure had their appendix left in situ due to normal appearance; none had represented at 6 months postsurgery. Conclusions Laparoscopy may aid in the diagnosis of acute right iliac fossa pain. However, intraoperative diagnosis is not easy with almost one-third of apparently normal appendices being inflamed histologically. We would therefore advocate the removal of a normal looking appendix in the absence of other explanatory pathology.
Anti-amyloid Compounds Inhibit α-Synuclein Aggregation Induced by Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification (PMCA)*

Background: α-Synuclein filaments can be formed in vitro, but the process is slow and unreliable, unsuitable for high throughput screening. Results: Protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) rapidly assembles α-synuclein into filaments that form aggregates in cell culture and whose formation is inhibited by anti-amyloid compounds. Conclusion: Anti-amyloid compounds affect PMCA cell-transmissible α-synuclein fibril formation. Significance: α-Synuclein PMCA is useful for the screening of anti-aggregation compounds as treatments for α-synucleinopathies. Filaments made of α-synuclein form the characteristic Lewy pathology in Parkinson and other diseases. The formation of α-synuclein filaments can be reproduced in vitro by incubation of recombinant protein, but the filament growth is very slow and highly variable and so unsuitable for fast high throughput anti-aggregation drug screening. To overcome this obstacle we have investigated whether the protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technique, used for fast amplification of prion protein aggregates, could be adapted for growing α-synuclein aggregates and thus suitable for screening of drugs to affect α-synuclein aggregation for the treatment of the yet incurable α-synucleinopathies. Circular dichroism, electron microscopy, and native and SDS-polyacrylamide gels were used to demonstrate α-synuclein aggregate formation by PMCA, and the strain imprint of the α-synuclein fibrils was studied by proteinase K digestion. We also demonstrated that α-synuclein fibrils are able to seed new α-synuclein PMCA reactions and to enter and aggregate in cells in culture. In particular, we have generated a line of “chronically infected” cells, which transmit α-synuclein aggregates even after multiple passages. To evaluate the sensitivity of the PMCA system as an α-synuclein anti-aggregating drug screening assay a panel of 10 drugs was tested. Anti-amyloid compounds proved efficient in inhibiting α-synuclein fibril formation induced by PMCA. Our results show that α-synuclein PMCA is a fast and reproducible system that could be used as a high throughput screening method for finding new α-synuclein anti-aggregating compounds.
Metamemory Beliefs and Episodic Memory in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

This study assessed metamemory and its role in actual episodic memory performance in 26 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and 27 healthy controls. Metamemory knowledge and memory beliefs were assessed using the Metamemory Inventory in Adulthood. Episodic memory performance was investigated with the Remember/Know paradigm. Subjective sleepiness was evaluated. Patients underwent a polysomnographic assessment. In contrast to the control group's more stable memory beliefs, patients self-assessed their memory as declining across time, and felt more anxious about their memory. There was only a modest difference between patients' self-perceptions of their memory capacities and those of the control group, but patients' actual memory performance was strongly disturbed. While the later was significantly correlated with severity of obstructive sleep apnea, scores on the Metamemory Inventory in Adulthood scales were not correlated with physiological measures, subjective sleepiness, or episodic memory performance. Obstructive sleep apnea may affect prefrontal cortex functioning and hence the ability to assess one's own memory impairment.