Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Activation in Ghrelin Protection of Salivary Gland Acinar Cells against Ethanol Cytotoxicity

Ghrelin, a peptide hormone, newly identified in oral mucosal tissues, has emerged recently as an important mediator of the processes of mucosal defense. Here, we report on the mechanism of ghrelin protection against ethanol cytotoxicity in rat sublingual salivary gland cells. The protective effect of ghrelin was associated with the increase in NO and PGE2, and upregulation in cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) activity and arachidonic acid (AA) release. The loss in countering effect of ghrelin occurred with cNOS inhibitor, L-NAME, as well as indomethacin and COX-1 inhibitor, SC-560, while COX-2 inhibitor, NS-398, and iNOS inhibitor, 1400W, had no effect. The effect of L-NAME was reflected in the inhibition of ghrelin-induced cell capacity for NO production, cPLA2 activation and PGE2 generation, whereas indomethacin caused only the inhibition in PGE2. Moreover, the ghrelin-induced up-regulation in AA release was reflected in the cPLA2 phosphorylation and S-nitrosylation. Inhibition in ghrelin-induced S-nitrosylation was attained with L-NAME, whereas the ERK inhibitor, PD98059, caused the blockage in cPLA2 protein phosphorylation as well as S-nitrosylation. Thus, ghrelin protection of salivary gland cells against ethanol involves cNOS-derived NO induction of cPLA2 activation through S-nitrosylation for the increase in AA release at the site of COX-1 action for PGE2 synthesis.
Structural equation modeling in psychology: the history, development and current challenges

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) represents a series of cause-effect relationships between variables combined into composite testable models (Shipley, 2000). It is extensively used by researchers in different disciplines and is a technique often used in psychology. SEM has attracted attention primarily because it lends itself to effectively studying problems or models that are hard to assess using other procedures. This paper traces the history of SEM in discipline of psychology, and discusses the current developments, the use/misuse of SEM techniques and practical recommendations to direct future research in the discipline.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection of the brain

Direct infection of the central nervous system by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the causative agent of AIDS, was not appreciated in the early years of the AIDS epidemic. Neurological complications associated with AIDS were largely attributed to opportunistic infections that arose as a result of the immunocompromised state of the patient and to depression. In 1985, several groups succeeded in isolating HIV-1 directly from brain tissue. Also that year, the viral genome was completely sequenced, and HIV-1 was found to belong to a neurotropic subfamily of retrovirus known as the Lentivirinae. These findings clearly indicated that direct HIV-1 infection of the central nervous system played a role in the development of AIDS-related neurological disease. This review summarizes the clinical manifestations of HIV-1 infection of the central nervous system and the related neuropathology, the tropism of HIV-1 for specific cell types both within and outside of the nervous system, the possible mechanisms by which HIV-1 damages the nervous system, and the current strategies for diagnosis and treatment of HIV-1-associated neuropathology.
Ultrasonic testing of reactive powder concrete

Concrete is a critical material for the construction of infrastructure facilities throughout the world. Traditional concretes consist of cement paste and aggregates ranging in size from 6 to 25 mm that form a heterogeneous material with substantial compressive strength and a very low tensile strength. Steel reinforcement is used to provide tensile strength for reinforced concrete structures and as a composite the material is useful for structural applications. A new material known as reactive powder concrete (RPC) is becoming available. It differs significantly from traditional concrete; RPC has no large aggregates, and contains small steel fibers that provide additional strength and, in some cases, can replace traditional steel reinforcement. Due to its high density and lack of aggregates, ultrasonic inspections at frequencies 10 to 20 times that of traditional concrete inspections are possible. This paper reports on the initial findings of research conducted to determine the applicability of ultrasonic testing techniques for the condition assessment of RPC. Pulse velocities for shear and longitudinal waves and ultrasonic measurement of the modulus of elasticity for RPC are reported. Ultrasonic crack detection for RPC also is investigated.
Site-specific ultrasound reflection properties and superficial collagen content of bovine knee articular cartilage

Previous quantitative 2D-ultrasound imaging studies have demonstrated that the ultrasound reflection measurement of articular cartilage surface sensitively detects degradation of the collagen network, whereas digestion of cartilage proteoglycans has no significant effect on the ultrasound reflection. In this study, the first aim was to characterize the ability of quantitative 2D-ultrasound imaging to detect site-specific differences in ultrasound reflection and backscattering properties of cartilage surface and cartilage–bone interface at visually healthy bovine knee (n = 30). As a second aim, we studied factors controlling ultrasound reflection properties of an intact cartilage surface. The ultrasound reflection coefficient was determined in time (R) and frequency domains (IRC) at medial femoral condyle, lateral patello-femoral groove, medial tibial plateau and patella using a 20 MHz ultrasound imaging instrument. Furthermore, cartilage surface roughness was quantified by calculating the ultrasound roughness index (URI). The superficial collagen content of the cartilage was determined using a FT-IRIS-technique. A significant site-dependent variation was shown in cartilage thickness, ultrasound reflection parameters, URI and superficial collagen content. As compared to R and IRC, URI was a more sensitive parameter in detecting differences between the measurement sites. Ultrasound reflection parameters were not significantly related to superficial collagen content, whereas the correlation between R and URI was high. Ultrasound reflection at the cartilage–bone interface showed insignificant site-dependent variation. The current results suggest that ultrasound reflection from the intact cartilage surface is mainly dependent on the cartilage surface roughness and the collagen content has a less significant role.
Fitting Oval Pegs Into Round Holes

A study of qualitative researchers who have submitted and/or published their research in top-tier North American organizational and management journals reveals the evaluative criteria-in-use at these journals. Specifically, when asked to take the perspective of an (a) author, (b) evaluator (reviewer or editor), and (c) judge of the comparisons between qualitative and quantitative research, three publication tensions were evident. The author offers the metaphor of ``fitting a round peg into an oval hole'' as a means of capturing these tensions and as a vehicle for organizing the various ways these tensions can be managed.
Minimally invasive oxygen-ozone therapy for lumbar disk herniation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Oxygen-ozone therapy is a minimally invasive treatment for lumbar disk herniation that exploits the biochemical properties of a gas mixture of oxygen and ozone. We assessed the therapeutic outcome of oxygen-ozone therapy and compared the outcome of administering medical ozone alone with the outcome of medical ozone followed by injection of a corticosteroid and an anesthetic at the same session. METHODS Six hundred patients were treated with a single session of oxygen-ozone therapy. All presented with clinical signs of lumbar disk nerve root compression, with CT and/or MR evidence of contained disk herniation. Three hundred patients (group A) received an intradiscal (4 mL) and periganglionic (8 mL) injection of an oxygen-ozone mixture at an ozone concentration of 27 micro g/mL. The other 300 patients (group B) received, in addition, a periganglionic injection of corticosteroid and anesthetic. Therapeutic outcome was assessed 6 months after treatment by using a modified MacNab method. Results were evaluated by two observers blinded to patient distribution within the two groups. RESULTS A satisfactory therapeutic outcome was obtained in both groups. In group A, treatment was a success (excellent or good outcome) in 70.3% and deemed a failure (poor outcome or recourse to surgery) in the remaining 29.7%. In group B, treatment was a success in 78.3% and deemed a failure in the remaining 21.7%. The difference in outcome between the two groups was statistically significant (P <.05). CONCLUSION Combined intradiscal and periganglionic injection of medical ozone and periganglionic injection of steroids has a cumulative effect that enhances the overall outcome of treatment for pain caused by disk herniation. Oxygen-ozone therapy is a useful treatment for lumbar disk herniation that has failed to respond to conservative management.
The integrin adhesome network at a glance

ABSTRACT The adhesion nexus is the site at which integrin receptors bridge intracellular cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix networks. The connection between integrins and the cytoskeleton is mediated by a dynamic integrin adhesion complex (IAC), the components of which transduce chemical and mechanical signals to control a multitude of cellular functions. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we integrate the consensus adhesome, a set of 60 proteins that have been most commonly identified in isolated IAC proteomes, with the literature-curated adhesome, a theoretical network that has been assembled through scholarly analysis of proteins that localise to IACs. The resulting IAC network, which comprises four broad signalling and actin-bridging axes, provides a platform for future studies of the regulation and function of the adhesion nexus in health and disease. Summary: We have generated a new depiction of the integrin adhesome network that integrates experimentally derived IAC proteomes with the literature-curated adhesome to bridge the knowledge gap between these two resources.
Ecological behavior's dependency on different forms of knowledge

Cet article presente trois raisons pour lesquelles l’influence de la connaissance sur le comportement ecologique est systematiquement sous-estime. Tout d’abord, ce n’est pas la simple masse de connaissances disponibles que determine le comportement: differentes formes de connaissances doivent converger pour favoriser le comportement ecologique. Ensuite, l’impact de la connaissance n’est pas detecte parce que certaines procedures statistiques ne controlent pas les erreurs de mesure ni ne revelent avec precision les influences interferentes. Enfin, les facteurs psychologiques tels que la connaissance ont apparemment une influence limitee sur le comportement ecologique en presence de fortes pressions relevant de la situation. Mais quand une evaluation du comportement ecologique fait systematiquement appel aux contraintes des situations (application d’un test), on peut s’apercevoir que la connaissance a un impact significatif sur le comportement ecologique. The present paper argues for three reasons why knowledge's influence on ecological behavior is underestimated systematically. First, it is not the mere amount of knowledge available that determines behavior. Different forms of knowledge must work together in a convergent manner if they are to foster ecological behavior. Second, knowledge's effect remains undetected also, because some statistical procedures neither correct for measurement error attenuation nor uncover mediated influences accurately. Third, psychological factors such as knowledge apparently have a limited influence on ecological behavior when strong situational constraints are effective. When an ecological behavior measure makes—as a performance test—systematic use of situational influences though, knowledge can be revealed as affecting ecological behavior significantly.
The Burden of Knowledge and the &Apos;Death of the Renaissance Man&Apos;: Is Innovation Getting Harder?

This paper investigates, theoretically and empirically, a possibly fundamental aspect of technological progress. If knowledge accumulates as technology progresses, then successive generations of innovators may face an increasing educational burden. Innovators can compensate in their education by seeking narrower expertise, but narrowing expertise will reduce their individual capacities, with implications for the organization of innovative activity - a greater reliance on teamwork - and negative implications for growth. I develop a formal model of this "knowledge burden mechanism" and derive six testable predictions for innovators. Over time, educational attainment will rise while increased specialization and teamwork follow from a sufficiently rapid increase in the burden of knowledge. In cross-section, the model predicts that specialization and teamwork will be greater in deeper areas of knowledge while, surprisingly, educational attainment will not vary across fields. I test these six predictions using a micro-data set of individual inventors and find evidence consistent with each prediction. The model thus provides a parsimonious explanation for a range of empirical patterns of inventive activity. Upward trends in academic collaboration and lengthening doctorates, which have been noted in other research, can also be explained by the model, as can much-debated trends relating productivity growth and patent output to aggregate inventive effort. The knowledge burden mechanism suggests that the nature of innovation is changing, with negative implications for long-run economic growth.
The Effect of Heat-Killed Candida Albicans and Dentin Powder on the Antibacterial Activity of Chlorhexidine Solution

Introduction The purpose of this study was to compare the inhibitory effect of heat-killed Candida albicans and dentin powder on the antibacterial activity of chlorhexidine (CHX) against Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus sanguis. Materials and Methods The antibacterial effect of each group was determined by measuring the zone of inhibition diameter in millimeters after incubation at 37°C for 24 hours in a humid atmosphere. Each test was repeated three times. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s test. Results Results indicated that both heat-killed C. albicans and dentin powder decreased the antibacterial activity of CHX against both tested bacteria significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion In conclusion, both heat-killed Candida albicans and dentin powder reduced the antibacterial activity of CHX significantly.
COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF SODIUM IPODATE AND IODIDE ON SERUM THYROID HORMONE CONCENTRATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH GRAVES' DISEASE

Patients with thyrotoxic Graves' disease were treated daily for 10 d with 1 g sodium ipodate, an iodine rich X‐ray contrast agent which impairs outer ring (5′‐) deiodination of T4 to T3, or with 12 drops of a saturated solution of potassium iodide (SSKI). T4, T3 and reverse T3 (rT3) concentrations were measured before, during, and 5 and 10 d after the administration of each drug. SSKI therapy induced a decrease in the serum T4 concentration from 14·7 ± 1·3 μg/dl (mean ± SE) to a nadir of 7±9 ± 0·9 on days 9 and 10 of therapy, all values reaching the normal range by day 9; a decrease in the serum T3 concentration from 402 ± 43 ng/dl to a nadir of 143 ±20 on day 10, remaining elevated in all patients until day 5 and decreasing into the normal range in all except one patient on days 9 and 10; and no change in the serum rT3 concentration. Serum T4 and T3 concentrations returned to baseline values 10 d after withdrawal of SSKI. In contrast sodium ipodate therapy induced only a modest decrease in the serum T4 concentration from 15±± 0·7 μg/dl to a nadir on day 9 of 11·3 ± 1·0 and serum T4 remained above the normal range in most patients until day 8; a striking and rapid decrease (within 12 h) in the serum T3 concentration from 340 ± 36 ng/dl to mean values ranging from 79 to 85 during the last 5 d of therapy, with most values below the normal range during the last 3 d; and a marked increase in the serum rT3 concentration from 111 ±15 ng/dl to a peak value of 376 ± 59 on day 5. A significant rebound increase in serum T4 (18·7± 1·7 μg/dl; P < 0·01) and serum T3 (512 ± 72; P < 0·01) concentrations as compared to pretreatment values occurred 10 days after sodium ipodate was discontinued. We conclude that although treatment of hyperthyroidism with
Impact of adverse publicity on MMR vaccine uptake: a population based analysis of vaccine uptake records for one million children, born 1987–2004

Aims: To determine the impact of adverse publicity on MMR uptake and measles susceptibility, including whether vaccination is delayed and the role of deprivation. Methods: A population database for all Scotland containing immunisation records for over one million children (n = 1 079 327) born 1987–2004 was analysed. MMR uptake was determined by birth cohort and deprivation category. “Final” uptake (at approx age 6 years) was predicted by linear regression by birth cohort. Measles susceptibility in 1998 and 2003 was determined by postcode sector and district for cohorts combined to construct nursery and primary school age groups. Results: There is evidence of a slight rise in late uptake, but insufficient to compensate for underlying declines. Late vaccination continues to be associated with deprivation, while the most affluent tend to be vaccinated promptly, or not at all. Predicted figures for “final” MMR1 uptake are over 90%, but under 95%. Measles susceptibility has increased significantly in nursery children, with an eightfold rise in the number of districts with greater than 20% susceptibility in this group (from 3 to 25). Conclusions: Increased measles susceptibility in nursery children is concerning, particularly in the most vulnerable areas. These figures are likely to increase in the future, as MMR uptake has not yet returned to the previous higher level. Increased susceptibility levels can also be expected in primary schools in the future, as levels of late uptake are insufficient to compensate. Predicted figures for “final” MMR1 uptake are under the herd immunity threshold and campaigns may be required to increase uptake among future primary school children.
Clinical Demographic Patterns of Type 1 Diabetes in Saudi Children in Tabuk City, 2000-2010

We aimed to identify the variation in the clinical background of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) at King Salman Military Hospital (KSMH), Tabuk City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from 2000 to 2010. Methods: This retrospective observational study was based on the clinical records of pediatric diabetes outpatients at KSMH. All children aged <12 years who were diagnosed with T1DM and were followed up at the diabetes clinic from 2000 to 2010, were enrolled. The local variables associated with the clinical presentation in these patients, including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and season of onset, were evaluated. Results: Of 313 patients recruited, female patients were predominant (p = 0.002). The mean age of onset was 6.46 years (standard deviation, 3.02). One-third of the newly diagnosed patients were overweight (35.5%). Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) was the presenting feature in 38.0% of patients, wherein female patients and those aged 0 - 3 years exhibited the highest likelihood of developing DKA (odds ratio, 1.7 and 2.9, respectively). Moreover, underweight children had a greater DKA incidence than healthy, overweight, or obese children (p = 0.02). Conclusion: This study provides additional data on T1DM in the population of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In particular, we found a female predominance at presentation as well as 2 peaks for age at onset. Moreover, the BMI was lower in younger age groups overall, but was greater in older boys. Furthermore, the DKA rates were high in younger children. Thus, our data confirm the presence of variable clinical patterns in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which requires further epidemiological analysis using national registry data.
Gene Transfer : Transformation Mechanisms of DNA Transformation

Plasmid transformation of Escherichia coli is now a cornerstone of modern molecular biology, being widely utilized for cloning and amplifying DNA sequences. Its origins were set in the early 1970s with the discoveries that treatment of E. coli and Salmonella typhimurium (official designation, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium) at 0°C in a solution of divalent cations, notably calcium chloride, rendered those cells competent for DNA uptake and establishment of episomal replicons (11, 37, 41, 46, 63, 73, 74, 79) or integrative recombinants (12, 13, 28, 53, 82). Subsequent research (4, 5, 14, 24, 33, 40, 50, 64, 65, 78, 84, 85) has further characterized the transformation process and led to the development of conditions that produce high-efficiency DNA transformation, whereby about 1% of the plasmid DNA molecules effect a transformed cell and 10% of all cells are competent. More recently, techniques for electroporation have been introduced (9, 18), in which a mixture of E. coli cells and DNA is subjected to a transient high-voltage electric field, thereby inducing transfer of that DNA and establishment of the transformed state. Ten percent of the plasmid DNA molecules produce transformed cells when this technique is used, and up to 95% of the cells are competent for transformation. In contrast to the obligatory involvement of divalent or multivalent cations for the “classical” procedure, electroporation does not require treatment with multivalent cations and in fact is best performed at very low ionic strength. These two methods for inducing competence for transformation are distinct in terms of their optimal physiological conditions and will be referred to as chemical competence and electrocompetence. Moreover, the conditions for inducing high-efficiency competence vary in both methods with the genetic constitution of the E. coli strain, providing some insight into mechanism. The methodology involved in producing chemically competent and electrocompetent E. coli has been presented in depth in two recent reviews (26, 26a). In this chapter, we will consider the parameters of the two methods and their implications for the mechanisms of DNA transformation.
Retired Men, Retired Bodies

Although a growing body of literature has emerged around young men’s body image, little literature exists on older men’s body image. This paper focuses on in-depth, qualitative data obtained during a focus group from six older, retired men (58 to 85 years) involved in formal physical activity sessions, living in the Adelaide metropolitan area. This research draws attention to ways in which older, retired men perceive their bodies and whether this bears on their masculine identity and quality of life. This paper also identifies important health promotion strategies for health practitioners working with older men.
A Fast Transformation-Based Synthesis Algorithm for Reversible Circuits

In this paper, a simple and fast algorithm for the synthesis of reversible circuits is presented. This algorithm considers the synthesis process as a kind of sorting problem, generating a reversible circuit composed of CNOT-based gates. We prove that the proposed algorithm converges for any given specification. The empirical results of realizing examples discussed in the literature are reported. The results show that the algorithm leads to a near optimum solution for all 3*3 specifications and very good results for other larger specifications in much fewer steps compared to the search based and other previous algorithms.