Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes of neural markers expression during late neurogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells

Background: Different studies have been done to obtain sufficient number of neural cells for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, spinal cord, and traumatic brain injury because neural stem cells are limited in central nerves system. Recently, several studies have shown that adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are the appropriate source of multipotent stem cells. Furthermore, these cells are found in large quantities. The aim of this study was an assessment of proliferation and potential of neurogenic differentiation of ADSCs with passing time. Materials and Methods: Neurosphere formation was used for neural induction in isolated human ADSCs (hADSCs). The rate of proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and potential of neural differentiation of induced hADSCs was evaluated by immunocytochemical and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis after 10 and 14 days post-induction. Results: The rate of proliferation of induced hADSCs increased after 14 days while the expression of nestin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and microtubule-associated protein 2 was decreased with passing time during neurogenic differentiation. Conclusion: These findings showed that the proliferation of induced cells increased with passing time, but in early neurogenic differentiation of hADSCs, neural expression was higher than late of differentiation. Thus, using of induced cells in early differentiation may be suggested for in vivo application.
Sciomyzid larvae (diptera) that feed on snails.

This progress report is published to appeal for materials to extend the present investigation and to release immediately some observations that may have practical applications of considerable value. It is based upon investigations conducted during the summers of 1950, 1951 and 1952 in the Matanuska Valley and the lower Yukon Valley in Alaska, in Oakland County, Michigan during the summer of 1949; and at Delaware, Ohio during the past two academic years. I am indebted to Mr. George C. Steyskal, of Grosse Ile, Michigan, for identification of the flies and to Mr. Dwight W. Taylor, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, and Dr. Harald A. Rehder, U. S. National Museum, for identification of the snails here discussed. I have reared SCIOMYZIDAE (TETANOCERIDAE or TETANOCERATIDAE) of six species, Dictya expansa Steyskal, Hedroneura rufa Panzer, Sciomyza dryomyzina Zetterstedt, Sepedon fuscipennis Loew, Tetanocera ferruginea Fallen and T. rotundicornis Loew, from larvae that fed on living or freshly killed snails. Rearings of species in four additional genera, Colobaea and Ctenulus (Lundbeck, 1923), Ditaenia (Schmitz, 1917), and Salticella (Mercier, 1921; Blair, 1933), from snails are recorded in the European literature. According to unpublished information received from Mr. Steyskal, a specimen of Pteromicra was once bred from a snail in Canada.
Perioperative outcomes of adolescents undergoing bariatric surgery: the Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) study.

IMPORTANCE Severe obesity in childhood is a major health problem with few effective treatments. Weight-loss surgery (WLS) is being used to treat severely obese adolescents, although with very limited data regarding surgical safety for currently used, minimally invasive procedures. OBJECTIVE To assess the preoperative clinical characteristics and perioperative safety outcomes of severely obese adolescents undergoing WLS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This prospective, multisite observational study enrolled patients from February 28, 2007, through December 30, 2011. Consecutive patients aged 19 years or younger who were approved to undergo WLS (n = 277) were offered enrollment into the study at 5 academic referral centers in the United States; 13 declined participation and 22 did not undergo surgery after enrollment, thus the final analysis cohort consisted of 242 individuals. There were no withdrawals. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES This analysis examined preoperative anthropometrics, comorbid conditions, and major and minor complications occurring within 30 days of operation. All data were collected in a standardized fashion. Reoperations and hospital readmissions were adjudicated by independent reviewers to assess relatedness to the WLS procedure. RESULTS The mean (SD) age of participants was 17.1 (1.6) years and the median body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) was 50.5. Fifty-one percent demonstrated 4 or more major comorbid conditions. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, and adjustable gastric banding were performed in 66%, 28%, and 6% of patients, respectively. There were no deaths during the initial hospitalization or within 30 days of operation; major complications (eg, reoperation) were seen in 19 patients (8%). Minor complications (eg, readmission for dehydration) were noted in 36 patients (15%). All reoperations and 85% of readmissions were related to WLS. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this series, adolescents with severe obesity presented with abundant comorbid conditions. We observed a favorable short-term complication profile, supporting the early postoperative safety of WLS in select adolescents. Further longitudinal study of this cohort will permit accurate assessment of long-term outcomes for adolescents undergoing bariatric surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00474318.
Cardiodepressant effects of mexiletine in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction.

Mexiletine is thought to exert minimal negative inotropic actions, but its effects have not been evaluated in patients with severe congestive heart failure. The haemodynamic response to an oral loading dose of mexiletine (400 mg) was assessed in 20 patients with severe chronic heart failure. Mexiletine caused marked haemodynamic deterioration, with stroke work index decreasing in 18 of the patients. Two hours after mexiletine, mean cardiac and stroke work indexes decreased by 15% and 25%, respectively (both P less than 0.001), while heart rate and systemic vascular resistance increased by 10% and 20%, respectively (both P less than 0.05). Simultaneously, left ventricular filling pressure and right atrial pressure increased by 37% and 36%, respectively (both P less than 0.001), but mean arterial pressure did not change. Furthermore, clinical deterioration, with onset of dyspnoea at rest, developed in five patients at the time of peak haemodynamic effect. Plasma mexiletine concentrations were within the accepted therapeutic range of 0.5 to 2.0 micrograms.ml-1 in all but two of the patients. Nevertheless, the plasma concentration was an important determinant of haemodynamic effect. The stroke work index decreased by 38% in the patients with a mexiletine level above the median value of 1.3 micrograms.ml-1 (range 25 to 56%), but only 13% (range 15 to 43) in patients with lower plasma concentrations. In conclusion, although mexiletine may cause cardiodepressant effects in any patient with severe left ventricular dysfunction, dosing which results in a high (but still therapeutic) plasma level is more likely to cause haemodynamic deterioration.
Croatian T&C industry and students customer satisfaction with clothing products produced in domestic companies

In today’s world of globalization and economic crisis threats for the manufacturing business in such competitive market is also the case in sector of fashion industry. It brings worries for the future and is growing every day, especially for small and medium enterprises (makes 98,56% of all) in clothing industry (C14) in Croatia in the year 2011. In creating an effective marketing strategy it is important to identify factors that determine demand, satisfaction and idealistically, brand loyalty. This paper examined some macroeconomic indicators of Croatian textile and clothing (T&C) industry sector and demand for clothing products trough students customer perception and behaviour about Croatian producers clothing products, their satisfaction and their brand loyalty. Data were collected by surveying student population customers of Croatian clothing products. On-line surveying students (N=311) from three faculties of University of Zagreb (EFZg, AgrF and TTF)* showed that the most of them do buy Croatian clothing products. Products quality showed to be an important factor in their purchase. Other important factors are price, fashion trends, brand image and companies’ image. Furthermore, consumers are very pleased with products quality, but discontented with price, promotion and availability of products. There are a large number of customers that are not loyal to Croatian brands. Results show that Croatian clothing companies don’t have clearly developed marketing strategy and should pay more attention to developing long-term relationships with their customers, researching reasons for their loyalty and developing loyalty programs. All customers agreed about buying more Croatian clothing products in case of better and more modern design, lower price, bigger promotion and wider distribution. The scientific contribution of this paper are new insights and better understanding of the demand for clothing products in Republic of Croatia, as well as the specifics required to build a competitive marketing strategy.
Stochastic foundations of fractional dynamics.

It is shown that fractional diffusion equations arise very naturally as the limiting dynamic equations of all continuous time random walks with decoupled temporal and spatial memories and with either temporal or spatial scale invariance (fractal walks), thus enlarging their stochastic foundations hitherto restricted to a particular case of fractal walk [R. Hilfer and L. Anton, Phys. Rev. E 51, R848 (1995)].
The firing properties of second‐order vestibular neurons in correlation with the far‐field recorded vestibular‐evoked response

Action potentials of the second‐order vestibular neurons of ten cats were recorded, both in rest and responding to sinusoidal and intense impulse acceleration stimuli. The data were compared with the far‐field recorded vestibular‐evoked response induced by the same impulse stimuli. It was found that the irregular (kinetic) neurons, which had a phase lead relative to head velocity, were capable of responding to these impulses with a latency as short as 3.5 msec after the start of head acceleration. It is assumed, therefore, that these neurons are the generators of the second wave of the vestibular‐evoked response, having a similar latency. A high correlation was found between the latency of the first peak in the poststimulus time histogram in response to acceleration impulses and the phase of the response to sinusoidal rotations. The regular (tonic) vestibular neurons did not respond to acceleration impulses and probably did not contribute to the vestibular‐evoked response.
First-principles simulation study on the effects of dopants on the cohesion of gold grain boundary

The effect of dopants on the cohesion of gold grain boundaries was investigated using the first-principles density functional theory of the thermodynamic model of Rice-Wang. Dopants that have a smaller diameter and lower electronegativity than gold are more beneficial on the cohesion of Au grain boundaries, which originate from both mechanical and electronic interaction, with the mechanical effect domineering. Dopants that bring up grain boundary cohesion should increase the ductility of Au wires. The method shows reasonable agreement with existing experimental data on calcium and berryllium-doped Au wires.
Prospective study of bone mineral density and metabolism in patients with chronic hepatitis C during pegylated interferon α and ribavirin therapy

Summary. The importance of osteoporosis as a complication of end‐stage liver disease is well known. However, significant osteopenia may occur in earlier stages of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Furthermore, antiviral therapy may influence bone metabolism. Thirty patients with CHC genotype 1 infection and without established cirrhosis were treated with peginterferon‐alfa and ribavirin. Dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry was performed at baseline, after 48 weeks of therapy, and by the end of a 24‐week follow‐up period. Bone mineral density (BMD), T‐scores, and Z‐scores were assessed. Serum C‐terminal propeptide of type I collagen (CICP) and osteocalcin levels were measured. Thirteen patients had osteopenia (43%) and osteoporosis was present in four patients (13%). Antiviral therapy led to significant on‐treatment increases of lumbar spine and hip BMD (P ≤ 0.05) as well as T‐scores (P ≤ 0.05) and Z‐scores (P ≤ 0.01) irrespective of subsequent treatment response. Further analyses showed that in patients with sustained virological response (n = 19) most parameters remained highly above baseline values by the end of the 24‐week follow‐up period, while patients with virological relapse (n = 11) had decreases of BMD, T‐scores and Z‐scores thereafter that did not differ from baseline. Serum CICP and osteocalcin levels decreased during therapy. Osteocalcin levels remained below baseline in sustained responder, but showed an increase in relapsers by the end of the 24‐week follow‐up (P ≤ 0.05). Osteopenia is detectable in a substantial proportion of CHC patients without established cirrhosis. Antiviral therapy leads to an on‐treatment increase of BMD, which may last in those patients who achieve a sustained virological response.
Temporospatial expression of placental lactogen and prolactin‐related protein‐1 genes in the bovine placenta and uterus during pregnancy

The anatomical location of binucleate cells (BNC) influences protein expression but not steroid synthesis in ruminants. In order to determine if BNC in disparate locations differentially express bovine placental lactogen (bPL) and prolactin‐related protein‐1 (bPRP‐1), we quantitated bPL and bPRP‐1 transcripts in placentomal (cotyledonary, caruncular) and interplacentomal (intercotyledonary, intercaruncular) tissues throughout pregnancy in the bovine using real‐time reverse transcription PCR (RT‐PCR) and in situ hybridization. Levels of both bPL and bPRP‐1 transcripts at peri‐implantation were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in the fetal membrane than in caruncular and intercaruncular tissues. Thereafter, mRNA for these related proteins demonstrated different spatial as well as temporal patterns of expression. Levels of bPRP‐1 transcripts peaked at day 60 of pregnancy. Between day 60 and 100, bPRP‐1 transcripts fell by approximately sevenfold (P < 0.01) in cotyledonary and intercotyledonary tissues, and fourfold in caruncular (P < 0.01) tissue. Levels of bPRP‐1 transcripts remained low in the cotyledonary, intercotyledonary, and caruncular tissues until peripartum. In contrast, bPL expression in placentomes increased with progression of gestation (P < 0.01), but decreased in interplacentomal tissue around peripartum. To conclude, disparate patterns of bPRP‐1 and bPL genes are transcribed in the placentomal and interplacentomal tissues during gestation in the bovine, suggesting that these prolactin‐like hormones serve distinct functions and are regulated differently in the uteroplacental unit in this species. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 69: 146–152, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Vortioxetine for major depressive disorder, vasomotor, and cognitive symptoms associated with the menopausal transition.

BACKGROUND In a preliminary trial, we assessed the efficacy of vortioxetine for major depressive disorder (MDD) during the menopausal transition. Secondary outcomes included hot flashes (HFs), anxiety, and cognitive complaints. METHODS Perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women with MDD (N = 27) received 8 weeks of open-label, flexible-dose treatment with vortioxetine. The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was the primary outcome measure. Secondary measures included: HF frequency, the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS), Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MEN-QOL), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Cognitive and Physical Functioning Questionnaire (CPFQ), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and Cogstate testing. RESULTS Of the 27 women, 24 (88.8%) were evaluated (≥1 follow-up), and 21 (77.8%) completed the study; 1 discontinued because of adverse effects. The mean MADRS score decreased significantly (P = .0001) from 31.3 (standard deviation [SD] = 5.5) at pretreatment to 8.1 (SD = 7.8) at posttreatment. The depression response rate (≥50% reduction in MADRS) and remission rate (final MADRS ≤10) were 75% and 70.8%, respectively. GCS, MEN-QOL, BAI, CPFQ, and DSST scores improved significantly (P = .0030, P = .0001, P = .0001, P = .0001, and P = .0133, respectively); Cogstate test scores did not. Frequency and severity of HFs improved significantly (P = .0291 and P = .0299, respectively). CONCLUSIONS These data support further study of vortioxetine for treating menopausal depression and associated symptoms.
Neuro‐ and Cardioprotective Effects of Blockade of Nitric Oxide Action by Administration of Methylene Blue

Methylene blue (MB), generic name methylthioninium (C16H18ClN3 S · 3H2O), is a blue dye synthesized in 1876 by Heinrich Caro for use as a textile dye and used in the laboratory and clinically since the 1890s, with well‐known toxicity and pharmacokinetics. It has experimentally proven neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects in a porcine model of global ischemia–reperfusion in experimental cardiac arrest. This effect has been attributed to MB's blocking effect on nitric oxide synthase and guanylyl cyclase, the latter blocking the synthesis of the second messenger of nitric oxide. The physiological effects during reperfusion include stabilization of the systemic circulation without significantly increased total peripheral resistance, moderately increased cerebral cortical blood flow, a decrease of lipid peroxidation and inflammation, and less anoxic tissue injury in the brain and the heart. The last two effects are recorded as less increase in plasma concentrations of astroglial protein S‐100β, as well as troponin I and creatine kinase isoenzyme MB, respectively.
Molecular cloning of human growth inhibitory factor cDNA and its down‐regulation in Alzheimer's disease.

In previous studies, we discovered a growth inhibitory factor (GIF) that was abundant in normal human brain, but greatly reduced in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. Molecular cloning of a full‐length cDNA for human GIF revealed that the GIF had striking homology to metallothioneins. Furthermore, it was determined that the GIF gene was on chromosome 16, as are the metallothionein genes. GIF, in contrast to metallothioneins, was found to be expressed exclusively in the nervous system. The GIF protein produced by Escherichia coli harboring the GIF cDNA in a prokaryotic expression vector inhibited the growth of neonatal rat cortical neurons. These results indicate that GIF is a new member of the metallothionein family with distinct tissue‐specific expression and functions. Northern blot analysis revealed that expression of the GIF mRNA is drastically decreased in AD brains. The result raises the possibility that down‐regulation of the GIF gene in AD brain plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AD.
Effect of variety, growing region and growing season on digestible energy content of wheats grown in Western Australia for weaner pigs

An experiment was conducted to examine the digestible energy (DE) content for weanling pigs in a cohort of wheats grown in Western Australia, and to establish relationships between DE content and their chemical composition. The 3 5 3 5 2 factorial experiment examined the wheat variety (Arrino, Stiletto and Westonia), growing location (high, medium and low rainfall zone) and harvest year (1999 and 2000). Pigs (no. = 5 per diet) aged about 28 days were given a diet at a level of 0.05 5 live weight containing 900 g/kg of the wheat and an acid-insoluble ash marker for 10 days, with samples of faeces collected from each pig for the final 5 days. The average live weight of pigs was 6.6 (s.d. 0.77) kg. The DE content of wheats harvested in 1999 varied by up to 1.3 MJ/kg, while wheats harvested in 2000 varied by up to 1.8 MJ/kg. When the 2 years' data were combined, the DE content ranged from 12.5 to 14.4 MJ/kg. Both the variety and growing region significantly influenced (P 0.05) with the wheats harvested in 2000. In addition, the precipitation level (mm) during the growing season of wheats was strongly correlated (r = -0.821, P < 0.01) to the DE content of wheat in year 1999, but was not correlated in 2000. The results indicate that the genetic and environmental conditions during the growth of wheat have a significant impact on the utilization of plant energy in weaner pigs, and that greater attention needs to be paid to these influences in the assignment of energy values for wheats given to weaner pigs.
On the mechanism of toxin resistance in cell variants resistant to abrin and ricin.

Variants of HeLa cells tolerating 10-200 times more abrin and ricin than the parent line have been isolated by growing cells in the presence of increasing concentrations of toxin with and without previous irradiation. The resistant cell lines showed morphological differences from the parent cells, but their growth rate and plating efficiency were almost the same as those of the parent cells. All variants were resistant to abrin as well as to ricin, but not to modeccin and diphtheria toxin. The sensitivity of the various cell lines to abrin and ricin was evaluated by measuring either inhibition of colony formation or inhibition of protein synthesis 3 h after addition of the toxins. The resistant variants proved to be less resistant in the colony assay system than when inhibition of protein synthesis was measured. The sensitivity of isolated ribosomes from HeLa cells and from the ricin-resistant variants was measured by incubating the ribosomes with ricin A chain and measuring after various periods of time their residual ability to support polymerization of [14C]phenylalanine. The ribosomes from the ricin-resistant variants were as sensitive to the A chain as those from the parent cell line. Similar data were obtained with ribosomes from baby hamster kidney cells and from three ricin-resistant variants. Cell-surface binding sites for abrin and ricin were labelled by treating the cells with galactose oxidase and then with boro[3H]hydride. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the cell extracts showed a variety of labelled proteins. Pretreatment of the cells with neuraminidase resulted in a strong increase in labelling. Fluorography of the gels revealed some minor differences in the moving rates of two labelled glycoproteins in the parent HeLa cells and the ricin-resistant variants. The reason for the lack of cross-resistance to modeccin and diphtheria toxin is discussed.