Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Carotid Artery Stents: In Vitro Comparison of Different Stent Designs and Sizes Using CT Angiography and Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography at 1.5T and 3T

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: CT angiography (CTA) and MR angiography (MRA) are increasingly used methods for evaluation of stented vessel segments. Our aim was to compare CTA, contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA) at 1.5T, and CE-MRA at 3T for the visualization of carotid artery stents and to define the best noninvasive imaging technique as an alternative to conventional angiography for each stent. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CTA and CE-MRA appearances of 18 carotid artery stents of different designs and sizes (4.0 to 10.0 mm) were investigated in vitro. For each stent, artificial lumen narrowing (ALN) was calculated. RESULTS: With CE-MRA at 3T and at 1.5T, ALN in most nitinol stents was lower than that in the groups of stainless steel and cobalt alloy stents. In most nitinol stents and in both cobalt alloy stents, ALN was lower on CE-MRA at 3T than at 1.5T. In all stainless steel stents, ALN was lower on CTA than on CE-MRA. With CTA and CE-MRA, in most stents ALN decreased with increasing stent diameter. CONCLUSIONS: CTA and CE-MRA evaluation of vessel patency after stent placement is possible but is considerably impaired by ALN. Investigators should be informed about the method of choice for every stent. Stent manufacturers should be aware of potential artifacts caused by their stents during noninvasive diagnostic methods such as CTA and CE-MRA.
Human Endometrial Angiogenesis List of Papers

The human endometrium undergoes dramatic changes in morphology and function during the menstrual cycle. Recurrent angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) is of utmost importance for oxygen supply and nourishment of the rapidly growing endometrial tissue. The importance of some growth factors known to stimulate new blood vessel formation both in vivo and in vitro in non-uterine tissues, for endometrial angiogenesis, was studied. Further, the possible relationship between the patterns of expression of some angiogenic growth factors and bleeding disturbances during the use of a progestin-only intrauterine contraceptive device was analyzed. Different ways of determining changes in the endometrial vascular density during the menstrual cycle were also evaluated. The expression of the angiogenic growth factors vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) A, B, C, and D, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) and their receptors was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. VEGF-A,-B and-C, FGF-2 and EGF and their receptors were all found to be expressed in normal human endometrium, especially in and/or around blood vessels, supporting the hypothesis that these peptides most probably contribute to the regulation of angiogenesis and blood vessel function in normal human endometrium. There were differences in expression of some of the studied ligands and receptors in endometrium from users of an LNG-IUS with and without bleeding disturbances. We conclude that changes in the expression of these growth factors and receptors might be involved in the formation of fragile and dysfunctional blood vessels that subsequently give rise to bleeding disturbances. The three different methods that were applied for calculating endometrial blood vessel density showed similar results and none of them indicated any significant changes during the menstrual cycle. Angiogenesis thus seems to occur mainly by blood vessel elongation and the angiogenic activity is probably related to changes in endometrial thickness and coiling of the spiral arteries. Localized expression of the angiogenic growth factors vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) and their receptors in normal cycling human endometrium. Expression of the vascular endothelial growth factors B and C and their receptors in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factors and their receptors in human endometrium from women experiencing abnormal bleeding patterns after prolonged use of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system. Submitted. A comparison between three methods of determining blood vessel density in the human endometrium during the menstrual cycle. Manuscript. Reprints were …
Exploring the impacts of the UK government’s welfare reforms on lone parents moving into work

Glasgow has the highest proportion of lone parent households of any local authority across Scotland – around 40% of households with dependent children. Against this backdrop, lone parents moving into paid work will need to negotiate new welfare changes. Those receiving Income Support will now move to Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) when their youngest child turns five years old. They must also show that they are actively seeking work, or face potentially having their benefit stopped. This report explores the experiences of lone parents living in Glasgow and moving into work. Some of the lessons to emerge from this research include: A need to provide affordable childcare and addressing particular gaps, such as when a lone parent is seeking work when their child has turned five during the summer holidays when schools have not started and free nursery provision stops. A need to put in place more support to improve lone parents’ skills and career prospects, as Jobcentre Plus staff often did not take into account their needs in an atmosphere that was described as generally punitive and suspicious. To address the links between financial difficulties and poor health experienced disproportionately by lone parents, it is essential that there is co-ordination between health, social care, early years and employability services. The move to a monthly payment under Universal Credit will pose significant challenges for lone parents with access to financial and budgeting advice and IT support required.
Ribosomal Protein Mutations Result in Constitutive p53 Protein Degradation through Impairment of the AKT Pathway

Mutations in ribosomal protein (RP) genes can result in the loss of erythrocyte progenitor cells and cause severe anemia. This is seen in patients with Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), a pure red cell aplasia and bone marrow failure syndrome that is almost exclusively linked to RP gene haploinsufficiency. While the mechanisms underlying the cytopenia phenotype of patients with these mutations are not completely understood, it is believed that stabilization of the p53 tumor suppressor protein may induce apoptosis in the progenitor cells. In stark contrast, tumor cells from zebrafish with RP gene haploinsufficiency are unable to stabilize p53 even when exposed to acute DNA damage despite transcribing wild type p53 normally. In this work we demonstrate that p53 has a limited role in eliciting the anemia phenotype of zebrafish models of DBA. In fact, we find that RP-deficient embryos exhibit the same normal p53 transcription, absence of p53 protein, and impaired p53 response to DNA damage as RP haploinsufficient tumor cells. Recently we reported that RP mutations suppress activity of the AKT pathway, and we show here that this suppression results in proteasomal degradation of p53. By re-activating the AKT pathway or by inhibiting GSK-3, a downstream modifier that normally represses AKT signaling, we are able to restore the stabilization of p53. Our work indicates that the anemia phenotype of zebrafish models of DBA is dependent on factors other than p53, and may hold clinical significance for both DBA and the increasing number of cancers revealing spontaneous mutations in RP genes.
Connections between Alternative Transcription and Alternative Splicing in Mammals

The majority of mammalian genes produce multiple transcripts resulting from alternative splicing (AS) and/or alternative transcription initiation (ATI) and alternative transcription termination (ATT). Comparative analysis of the number of alternative nucleotides, isoforms, and introns per locus in genes with different types of alternative events suggests that ATI and ATT contribute to the diversity of human and mouse transcriptome even more than AS. There is a strong negative correlation between AS and ATI in 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) and AS in coding sequences (CDSs) but an even stronger positive correlation between AS in CDSs and ATT in 3′ UTRs. These observations could reflect preferential regulation of distinct, large groups of genes by different mechanisms: 1) regulation at the level of transcription initiation and initiation of translation resulting from ATI and AS in 5′ UTRs and 2) posttranslational regulation by different protein isoforms. The tight linkage between AS in CDSs and ATT in 3′ UTRs suggests that variability of 3′ UTRs mediates differential translational regulation of alternative protein forms. Together, the results imply coordinate evolution of AS and alternative transcription, processes that occur concomitantly within gene expression factories.
Trends in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in People with and without Diabetes Mellitus: A Middle Eastern Cohort Study

Aims/Hypothesis To investigate secular trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors during a decade of follow-up in a Middle Eastern cohort, and to compare observed trends between diabetic and non-diabetic populations. Methods In a population of 6181 participants (2622 males and 3559 females), diabetes status and CVD risk factors were evaluated in 4 study phases from 1999–2011. 1045 subjects had type 2 diabetes mellitus at baseline and 5136 participants were diabetes-free. To examine the trends of CVD risk factors, generalized estimation equation models were constructed. The interaction between the diabetes status and each phase of the study was checked in a separate model. Results During the follow-up period diabetic females significantly gained better control of their blood pressure, serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol and general and central obesity measures compared to non-diabetic counterparts, although 60% of them had high BP and 64% had high serum LDL-C levels till the end of the study. Diabetic males however, experienced significantly better control on their serum LDL-C and general and central obesity measures compared to their non-diabetic controls; but 24% of them were still smoker, 63% had high BP and 60% had high serum LDL-C levels at the end of the follow-up (all Ps interaction <0.05). Use of lipid-lowering and antihypertensive medications increased consistently in both diabetic and non-diabetic populations. Conclusions/Interpretation Although CVD risk factors have been controlled to some extent among diabetic population in Iran, still high numbers of people with diabetes have uncontrolled CVD risk factors that prompt more attention.
Activation of Both CB1 and CB2 Endocannabinoid Receptors Is Critical for Masculinization of the Developing Medial Amygdala and Juvenile Social Play Behavior

Abstract Juvenile social play behavior is a shared trait across a wide variety of mammalian species. When play is characterized by the frequency or duration of physical contact, males usually display more play relative to females. The endocannabinoid system contributes to the development of the sex difference in social play behavior in rats. Treating newborn pups with a nonspecific endocannabinoid agonist, WIN55,212-2, masculinizes subsequent juvenile rough-and-tumble play behavior by females. Here we use specific drugs to target signaling through either the CB1 or CB2 endocannabinoid receptor (CB1R or CB2R) to determine which modulates the development of sex differences in play. Our data reveal that signaling through both CB1R and CB2R must be altered neonatally to modify development of neural circuitry regulating sex differences in play. Neonatal co-agonism of CB1R and CB2R masculinized play by females, whereas co-antagonism of these receptors feminized rates of male play. Because of a known role for the medial amygdala in the sexual differentiation of play, we reconstructed Golgi-impregnated neurons in the juvenile medial amygdala and used factor analysis to identify morphological parameters that were sexually differentiated and responsive to dual agonism of CB1R and CB2R during the early postnatal period. Our results suggest that sex differences in the medial amygdala are modulated by the endocannabinoid system during early development. Sex differences in play behavior are loosely correlated with differences in neuronal morphology.
Optical Signatures of Circumstellar Interaction in Type IIP Supernovae

We propose new diagnostics for circumstellar interaction in Type IIP supernovae (SNe IIP) by the detection of high-velocity (HV) absorption features in Hα and He I 10830 Å lines during the photospheric stage. To demonstrate the method, we compute the ionization and excitation of H and He in supernova ejecta taking into account time-dependent effects and X-ray irradiation. We find that the interaction with a typical red supergiant wind should result in the enhanced excitation of the outer layers of unshocked ejecta and the emergence of corresponding HV absorption, i.e., a depression in the blue absorption wing of Hα and a pronounced absorption of He I 10830 Å at a radial velocity of about -104 km s-1. We identify HV absorption in Hα and He I 10830 Å lines of SN 1999em and in Hα of SN 2004dj as being due to this effect. The derived mass-loss rate is close to 10-6 M☉ yr-1 for both supernovae, assuming a wind velocity 10 km s-1. We argue that in addition to the HV absorption formed in the unshocked ejecta, spectra of SN 2004dj and SN 1999em show a HV notch feature that is formed in the cool dense shell (CDS) modified by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The CDS results from both shock breakout and radiative cooling of gas that has passed through the reverse shock wave. The notch becomes dominant in the HV absorption during the late photospheric phase, ≳60 days. The wind density deduced from the velocity of the CDS is consistent with the wind density found from the HV absorption produced by unshocked ejecta.
Transcriptional Regulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor by Estradiol and Tamoxifen in Breast Cancer Cells : A Complex Interplay between Estrogen Receptors and 1

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic and prognostic factor for many tumors, including those of endocrineresponsive tissues such as the breast and uterus. Recent studies indicate that 17 -estradiol (E2) modulates VEGF expression in breast and uterine cells, involving transcriptional activation through estrogen receptor (ER) . However, molecular mechanisms of VEGF regulation mediated by the two ER subtypes and the potential role of ER in the control of breast cancer angiogenesis have not yet been investigated. In transient transfection assays using the VEGF( 2275/ 54) promoterluciferase construct, E2 (1 nM) increased transcription activity in MCF-7 cells (either untransfected or cotransfected with ER ) and it increased transcription activity in MDA-MB-231 cells cotransfected with ER or ER (1.8and 2-fold induction, respectively). The positive effect was abolished when MCF-7 cells were treated with pure antiestrogen ICI 182,780 or the agonist/antagonist tamoxifen (1 M). To identify response elements involved in this transcriptional regulation, MCF-7 or MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with several deletion constructs of the VEGF promoter. Deletion of 1.2–2.3 kb upstream to the transcription start in the VEGF promoter abrogated E2-dependent transcription in these cells. This region contains an imperfect estrogenresponsive element (ERE), ERE1520, and one activator protein 1 site. Transfection of MCF-7 cells (ER ) with the ERE1520-luciferase construct conferred transcriptional activity with 1 nM E2 (1.9-fold induction). Also, the imperfect ERE formed a complex with ER or ER proteins in gel shift assay using MCF-7 or MDA-MB-231 nuclear extracts. In contrast to ER , ER could transactivate VEGF reporter construct in MDA-MB-231 cells, in the presence of E2 or tamoxifen, suggesting different transactivational mechanisms between ER and ER in the presence of tamoxifen. Interestingly, E2 inhibited VEGF transcription in MCF-7 cells transfected with ER or MDA-MB-231 cells cotransfected with ER and ER , suggesting that heterodimerization of ER /ER has the ability to inhibit E2-induced VEGF expression in breast cancer cells. These results demonstrate that VEGF is a target gene for ER and ER in breast cancer cells; it remains to be determined whether ER and ER expression in breast biopsies correlates with VEGF expression and vascular density.
Mechanism Games With Multiple Principals and Three or More Agents

We consider a class of mechanism games in which there are multiple principals and three or more agents. For a mechanism game in this class, a sort of folk theorem holds: there is a threshold value for each of the principals such that an allocation is achieved at a pure-strategy sequential equilibrium of the game if and only if (i) it is incentive compatible and (ii) it attains an expected utility for each principal that is greater than or equal to the threshold value for the principal. Copyright 2010 The Econometric Society.
Measurement of the Energy Release Rate and the Reconnection Rate in Solar Flares

By using the method presented by Isobe et al., the nondimensional reconnection rate vin/vA has been determined for the impulsive phase of three two-ribbon flares, where vin is the velocity of the reconnection inflow and vA is the Alfvén velocity. The nondimensional reconnection rate is important to make a constraint on the theoretical models of magnetic reconnection. In order to reduce the uncertainty of the reconnection rate, it is important to determine the energy release rate of the flares from observational data as accurately as possible. To this end, we have carried out one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of a flare loop and synthesized the count rate detected by the Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT) aboard the Yohkoh satellite. We found that the time derivative of the thermal energy contents in a flare arcade derived from SXT data is smaller than the real energy release rate by a factor of 0.3-0.8, depending on the loop length and the energy release rate. The results of the simulations are presented in the paper and used to calculate the reconnection rate. We found that the reconnection rate is 0.047 for the X2.3 flare on 2000 November 24, 0.015 for the M3.7 flare on 2000 July 14, and 0.071 for the C8.9 flare on 2000 November 16. These values are similar to that derived from the direct observation of the reconnection inflow by Yokoyama et al. and consistent with the fast reconnection models such as that of Petschek.
Acquiring a Novel Coordination Movement with Non-task Goal Related Variability

Skill acquisition can be conceived as a nonlinear, emergent process punctuated by sudden changes in skill ca- pability and coordination dynamics stability. The rate of learning when expressed in terms of movement dynamics typi- cally follows nonlinear trajectories interspersed throughout practice with trial-to-trial fluctuations. In this review we pre- sent recent empirical evidence examining both individual learners and also groups or teams of learners, which serve to further illuminate the nonlinear nature of skill acquisition. Innovative experimental designs, and sophisticated data collec- tion / analysis tools are common features of this rapidly expanding body of literature. Finally, we present a number of practical implications for consideration within sport and physical activity pedagogy in the 21 st century. The key role of physical educators is to design tasks and games that provide learners with opportunities to explore and find movement so- lutions within a set of specific constraints (especially task constraints).
Conservative management of screen-detected radial scars: role of mammotome excision

Aims Traditionally, a core biopsy diagnosis of radial scar will prompt diagnostic surgery because of the risk of associated malignancy. However, in the absence of atypia, the risk of malignancy is low. The recent introduction of the mammotome device facilitates vacuum-assisted large-volume sampling of a lesion, such that a benign diagnosis may be accepted more confidently, and if the lesion has been entirely removed, it effectively becomes a therapeutic procedure. The aim of this study was to review the role of mammotome excision in the management of non-atypical radial scars in the screening population. Methods Screen-detected radial scars diagnosed on core biopsy between July 2004 and September 2008 were identified from pathology records. From January 2006, the mammotome device was used to excise non-atypical radial scars on core biopsy, as an alternative to surgery. Results 22 core biopsy samples containing radial scars without atypia were included in the study; 14 were planned for mammotome excision and eight for diagnostic surgical excision. In the mammotome group, 78% (11/14) of patients had confirmation of non-atypical radial scars and thus avoided an operation. Three of the 14 cases planned for mammotome excision required surgery; in one case, the mammotome cores contained lobular in situ neoplasia, and, in two cases, attempts to sample the lesion with the mammotome were unsuccessful. Only one of the 22 cases ultimately proved malignant. This was a case of ductal carcinoma in situ arising within a radial scar, where the patient proceeded straight to surgery in view of discordance between radiological and pathological features. Conclusion Utilisation of mammotome excision in the management of non-atypical radial scars successfully avoided surgery in 78% of eligible patients. Pathologists have an important role in selecting patients for mammotome excision by excluding the presence of atypia.
Understanding the Passport Experience: Can Inclusion and Neoliberal Principles Coexist?

Of relevance to the field of intellectual disabilities is the interest in service provision that increases community inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. In response to this interest the provincial government has recently developed individualized funding models of service provision for people with intellectual disabilities (i.e. the Passport program). The implementation of the Passport program has raised questions for the researcher about the effectiveness of individualized funding programs to increase overall inclusion in communities. In particular the researcher was interested in exploring how Passport recipients and their caregivers experience this shift is service provision. Reviews of literature related to individualized models of support in other regions have indicated that the move to individualized service can sometimes support larger neoliberal shifts in social service provision. Results indicated that the Passport recipients and their caregivers experienced increased opportunities for inclusion, as was indicated by increased opportunities for social relationships at various levels. But, the experience of positive emotional effects from social inclusion was diminished by consumeristic neoliberal influences on service provision that do not challenge societal attitudes about disability thereby the marginalization of people with intellectual disabilities. The results inform a need for social work to attribute more value to the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and their families by increasing iii opportunities for self determination through the promotion of self-advocacy and fostering relationships of value among people with and without disabilities. Results also warn against the erosion of service quantity and quality that accompanies shifts in service delivery which place value on neoliberal principles rather than principles of inclusion.