Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anti-proliferative effect of olmesartan on Tenon's capsule fibroblasts.

AIM To evaluate the inhibitive effect of olmesartan to fibroblast proliferation and the anti-scarring effect in Tenon's capsule, both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS Human primary Tenon's capsule fibroblasts were cultured in vitro, treated with up titrating concentrations of olmesartan. The rate of inhibition was tested with methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) method. Real-time PCR was performed to analyze changes in mRNA expressions of the fibrosis-related factors: matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1,2) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Thirty rabbits were divided into 5 groups (3, 7, 14, 21, and 28d). A rabbit conjunctiva flap model was created in each eye. Olmesartan solution was injected subconjunctivally and then evaluated its anti-proliferation and anti-fibrosis effects through the histological morphology and immunohistochemistry of MMP-2 and PCNA in each group. Only the 7d group was treated with Masson's trichrome to compare the neovascularization in the subconjunctiva area. RESULTS In vitro, cultured Tenon's capsule human fibroblasts showed a dose dependent inhibition by olmesartan in MTT. Olmesartan reduced mRNA expressions of MMP-2 and PCNA but increased mRNA expressions of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. In vivo, the rabbit eyes treated with olmesartan at 3(rd), 7(th), 14(th) and 21(st) days demonstrated a significant reduced expressions of MMP-2 and PCNA compared with control eye, no significant difference observed in 28(th) day group. The cellular proliferation and neovascularization was suppressed by olmesartan in Masson's trichrome observation. CONCLUSION By inhibiting fibroblasts in vitro and in vivo, olmesartan prevents the proliferation and activity of fibroblasts in scar tissue formation, which might benefit glaucoma filtering surgery.
Investigational therapies for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy

Introduction: Currently, there is no cure available for the hereditary neurodegenerative disease proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which is the number one genetic killer in early childhood. However, growing knowledge of SMA pathophysiology has opened new avenues for potential therapeutic interventions. Areas covered: This review summarizes a variety of investigational therapeutic approaches for SMA. Focusing on the current state-of-the-art applications, the authors discuss the outcome of the first clinical interventions and compare the first results from the newest strategies. The achievements of the investigational drugs highlighted in this article were deduced from original articles, pharmaceutical company press releases and clinical trial results. Expert opinion: Nearly two decades after the discovery of the disease causing gene survival motor neuron 1, many therapeutic options for SMA have been developed, some of which made it to clinical trials but could not prove their promising experimental results. Recently, big research efforts from academia, government and the pharmaceutical industry have led to the development of highly promising compounds that are currently in clinical trials, and which could lead to feasible treatment options in the future.
Influence of sea ice decline, atmospheric warming, and glacier width on marine‐terminating outlet glacier behavior in northwest Greenland at seasonal to interannual timescales

Discharge from marine‐terminating outlet glaciers represents a key component of the Greenland Ice Sheet mass budget and observations suggest that mass loss from northwest Greenland has recently accelerated. Despite this, the factors controlling outlet glacier dynamics within this region have been comparatively poorly studied. Here we use remotely sensed data to investigate the influence of atmospheric, oceanic, and glacier‐specific controls on the frontal position of Alison Glacier (AG), northwest Greenland, and nine surrounding outlet glaciers. AG retreated by 9.7 km between 2001 and 2005, following at least 25 years of minimal change. Results suggest that sea ice and air temperatures influence glacier frontal position at seasonal and interannual timescales. However, the response of individual outlet glaciers to forcing was strongly modified by factors specific to each glacier, specifically variations in fjord width and terminus type. Overall, our results underscore the need to consider these factors in order to interpret recent rapid changes and predict the dynamic response of marine‐terminating outlet glaciers to atmospheric and oceanic forcing.
$\hbox{PbZr}_{x}\hbox{Ti}_{1 - x}\hbox{O}_{3}$  Ferroelectric Thin-Film Capacitors for Flexible Nonvolatile Memory Applications

This letter reports the fabrication of PbZr<sub>x</sub>Ti<sub>1-x</sub>O<sub>3</sub> (PZT) thin-film capacitors on flexible plastic substrates. The PZT film was formed on a wafer using a sol-gel method and transferred to a thin plastic substrate using an elastomeric stamp. The PZT film on the plastic substrate showed a well-saturated hysteresis loop with a <i>P</i><sub>r</sub> of ~ 20μC/cm<sup>2</sup> and a <i>V</i><sub>c</sub> of ~1.1 V at a supplied voltage of 3 V, which are similar to those observed for PZT films on rigid wafers, as well as stable operation under an 8-mm bending radius. These characteristics suggest promising applications in flexible electronic systems.
Lck SH3 Domain Function Is Required for T-Cell Receptor Signals Regulating Thymocyte Development

ABSTRACT Thymocyte development is shaped by signals from the T-cell antigen receptor. The strength of receptor signaling determines developmental progression as well as deletion of self-reactive T cells. Receptor stimulation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway plays an important regulatory role during thymocyte development. However, it is unclear how differences in receptor signaling are translated into distinctive activation of the ERK pathway. We have investigated the potential role of the Lck tyrosine kinase in regulating intracellular signaling during thymocyte development. While Lck is known to be critical for initial T-cell receptor signaling events, it may have an independent role in regulating intracellular signaling through the function of its SH3 domain. To determine whether such a regulatory mechanism functions during thymocyte development, we generated mice in which the normal lck allele is replaced with an lck SH3 domain mutant. Analysis of these mice revealed that both early thymocyte development and maturation of CD4+ and CD8+ lineages is impaired. Investigation of thymocyte responses to antigen receptor stimulation showed a significant reduction in proliferation and ERK pathway activation, although initial signaling events were intact. These findings indicate that Lck SH3 domain function may provide a means to independently couple receptor signaling to regulation of the ERK pathway during thymocyte development.
Testing the link between the latitudinal gradient in species richness and rates of molecular evolution

Abstract Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain latitudinal gradients in species richness, but all are subject to ongoing debate. Here we examine Rohde's (1978 , 1992 ) hypothesis, which proposes that climatic conditions at low latitudes lead to elevated rates of speciation. This hypothesis predicts that rates of molecular evolution should increase towards lower latitudes, but this prediction has never been tested. We discuss potential links between rates of molecular evolution and latitudinal diversity gradients, and present the first test of latitudinal variation in rates of molecular evolution. Using 45 phylogenetically independent, latitudinally separated pairs of bird species and higher taxa, we compare rates of evolution of two mitochondrial genes and DNA–DNA hybridization distances. We find no support for an effect of latitude on rate of molecular evolution. This result casts doubt on the generality of a key component of Rohde's hypothesis linking climate and speciation.
Linkage analysis of complex disorders with multiple phenotypic categories: Simulation studies and application to bipolar disorder data

The problem of linkage analysis of disorders with multiple possible phenotypes (diagnostic spectrum) is considered. A modification is proposed to Ott's [1994] method of down‐weighting the contribution of broader diagnoses by reducing penetrance ratios for affected cases. A “robust weighting” strategy considers only the robustness of a set of ratios across a range of true genetic models. Practical models for lod‐score analysis will typically employ a high penetrance ratio (> 10) for “core” cases, and ratios between 2 and 5 for broader cases. Results suggest that an additive parametric analysis correlates highly with dominant, recessive and nonparametric linkage (NPL) analyses. A weighted, additive model is then applied to a modified NIMH bipolar chromosome 18 data set (Genetic Analysis Workshop 10) and compared with NPL analyses under narrow and broad diagnostic models. The weighted model performed well. The introduction of similar weights into nonparametric analyses may prove more useful. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MACROPRUDENTIAL POLICY AND FORECASTING USING HYBRID DSGE MODELS WITH FINANCIAL FRICTIONS AND STATE SPACE MARKOV-SWITCHING TVP-VARS

We focus on the interaction of frictions both at the firm level and in the banking sector in order to examine the transmission mechanism of the shocks and to reflect on the response of the monetary policy to increases in interest rate spreads, using DSGE models with financial frictions. However, VAR models are linear and the solutions of DSGEs are often linear approximations; hence they do not consider time variation in parameters that could account for inherent nonlinearities and capture the adaptive underlying structure of the economy, especially in crisis periods. A novel method for time-varying VAR models is introduced. As an extension to the standard homoskedastic TVP-VAR, we employ a Markov-switching heteroskedastic error structure. Overall, we conduct a comparative empirical analysis of the out-of-sample performance of simple and hybrid DSGE models against standard VARs, BVARs, FAVARs, and TVP-VARs, using data sets from the U.S. economy. We apply advanced Bayesian and quasi-optimal filtering techniques in estimating and forecasting the models.
Dietary, nondigestible oligosaccharides and Bifidobacterium breve M‐16V suppress allergic inflammation in intestine via targeting dendritic cell maturation

Dietary intervention with short‐chain galacto‐oligosaccharides (scGOS), long‐chain fructo‐oligosaccharides (lcFOS) and Bifidobacterium breve M‐16V (Bb) (GF/Bb) suppresses food allergic symptoms in mice, potentially via intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)–derived galectin‐9. Furthermore, in vitro studies showed galacto‐ and fructo‐oligosaccharides (GF) to enhance the immunomodulatory capacity of a TLR9 ligand representing bacterial CpG DNA when exposed to IEC. In this study, we investigated whether GF/Bb modulates dendritic cells (DCs) and subsequent Th2 and regulatory T cell (Treg) frequency in the small intestinal lamina propria (SI‐LP). BALB/c mice were fed GF/Bb during oral OVA sensitization. DC and T cell phenotype were determined in SI‐LP mononuclear cells using flow cytometry. Murine bone marrow‐derived DCs (BMDCs) were exposed to recombinant galectin‐9 or human monocyte‐derived DCs (moDCs) and were cultured in IEC‐conditioned medium from GF and TLR9 ligand‐exposed HT‐29 cells. GF/Bb reduced allergic symptoms and enhanced serum galectin‐9 levels, while suppressing activation, restoring phagocytic capacity, and normalizing CD103 expression of SI‐LP DCs of OVA‐allergic mice. In vitro, galectin‐9 suppressed LPS‐induced activation markers and cytokine secretion by BMDCs, and IEC‐conditioned medium suppressed moDC activation in a galectin‐9–dependent manner. Besides suppression of SI‐LP DC activation, dietary GF/Bb also lowered the frequency of activated Th2 cells, while enhancing Treg in the SI‐LP of OVA‐allergic mice compared to the control diet. Dietary intervention with GF/Bb enhances galectin‐9 and suppresses allergic symptoms of OVA‐allergic mice in association with reduced intestinal DC and Th2 activation and increased Treg frequency in these mice.
An industrial perspective on technological bricolage: When innovation technology meet service fields

This study firstly conducts a novel perspective on the TAM theory (Davis, 1989) which connecting Kim's user empowerment theory. Not only discussing the ordinary TAM theory about the ease of use and usefulness of the technology, but also reveal the four elements (i.e., S (context), T (technology), D (demand), and V (benefit)) in which bring the great impact on service fields through enabling these “innovation adopting firm” to make contingency.
A simplified method for testing the IBM pipeline partial-scan microprocessor

This paper describes a simple test generation method for a high-performance, pipelined partial-scan microprocessor using an automatic test generation tool which was optimized for combinational logic in generating manufacturing test data. Without this method the test generation tool would have had great difficulty in generating the test data needed to achieve the required high fault coverage. User-specified clocking sequences are also allowed for design flexibility. A description of this method is provided and the experimental results are discussed.
The Role of the Complex Extended Textural Microstructure Co-occurrence Matrix in the Unsupervised Detection of the HCC Evolution Phases, based on Ultrasound Images

The hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequent malignant liver tumour and one of the main causes of death. Detecting the HCC evolution phases is an important issue, aiming the early diagnosis of this tumour and patient monitoring with maximum accuracy. Our objective is to discover the evolution stages of HCC, through unsupervised classification techniques, using advanced texture analysis methods. In this work, we assessed the role that the Haralick features derived from the Complex Extended Textural Microstructure Co-occurrence Matrices (CETMCM) have in the unsupervised detection of the HCC evolution stages. A textural model for these phases was also generated. The obtained results were validated by supervised classifiers, well known for their performance, such as the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Support Vector Machines (SVM), respectively decision trees and they were also compared with the previously obtained results in this domain. The final classification accuracy was about 90%.
Basic Mechanics: Learning by Teaching &#8211; an increase in student motivation (a small scale study with Technology Education students)

This paper discusses the introduction of peer learning and teaching into the Basic Mechanics course of a Technology degree. Statics was taught conventionally using lectures and tutorials. Dynamics was taught using the premise "Tell me and I forget; show me and I remember; involve me and I understand" as an educational principle. The students worked in small groups and were asked to learn agreed topics by teaching them to other groups of students. The course was extensively evaluated and 82% said they enjoyed the dynamics part of the course. When checking the results there was no significant difference between the raw scores obtained in either the statics or dynamics exam for the females and mature males, but when the scores of the males aged 20 or less were also included a significant difference (p<0.05) between the exam scores appeared. 83% of the young males scored considerably higher in the dynamics exam. There was roughly an equal number of males aged 20 or less, females and mature males in the class. This is the completion of a work in progress paper given at FIE2003
Reconciliation of Probability Distributions

Several people each express their opinion of an uncertain quantity by providing their mean and standard deviation of it. In this paper we discuss the problem of incorporating all these opinions into a single, reconciled, probability distribution for the quantity. The usual procedure is least squares, based on normality. The paper illustrates the advantages of using t-distributions, instead, and clarifies the role of the information provided by the standard deviations. Suitable approximations are provided for many cases.
PHOSPHOTUNGSTIC ACID "SCHIFF-REACTIVE" BUT NOT A "GLYCOL REAGENT"

metric distribution curve. This indicates that not all of the cells have been attacked by HPE to the same extent but that, on the contrary, some of them must have been attacked much more than the others. If this assumption is true one should expect that HPEtreated DDD-stained cells show the opposite effect; that means a left sided asymmetric distribution curve of their E101 values, for HPE causes a decrease of PSH,. Figure 2a and b demonstrates that experimental results come up in fact to this expectation.
Size at birth and mental health problems at 11 years of age in a Brazilian birth cohort

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between size at birth and mental health problems at 11 years of age in the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study. Newborns were weighed and measured, and anthropometric indices were calculated. At 11 years of age, mental health problems were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Prevalence of mental health problems was 32% (95%CI: 31-33). After adjusting for potential confounders, newborns with weight and body mass index (BMI) for age z-scores +2 SD were at 34% (95%CI: 6-71) and 19% (95%CI: 1-40) greater risk, respectively, of developing mental health problems than those with normal scores. The results suggest that early factors that are reflected as size measurements at birth can cause mental health problems later in life.
Ultrasound guided transversus abdominis plane block versus intrathecal morphine for analgesia post caesarean section: which is better?

The tranversus abdominis plane (TAP) block for postoperative analgesia after caesarean section may confer potential benefits comparable to that of intrathecal opioids. We compared postoperative analgesia, and the incidence of nausea, vomiting, pruritus and sedation between the TAP block and intrathecal morphine (ITM) in patients undergoing Caesarean section. This was a prospective, randomised clinical study. Fifty American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status I or II patients, planned for elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia, were randomly allocated to the TAP group (patients receiving spinal anaesthesia with bilateral TAP block without ITM) or ITM group (patients receiving spinal anaesthesia with ITM without a TAP block). Assessment for pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting, pruritus and sedation was done upon arrival and discharge from recovery, and at 6, 12 and 24 hours, postoperatively in the post natal ward. Results were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). There was no pain at rest in either groups. Both groups experienced pain on movement at the 12th (p = 0.6) and 24th hour (p = 0.4). None of the patients in the TAP group experienced nausea, vomiting, pruritus or sedation. However, these incidences were found to be significantly higher in the ITM group. Ultrasound guided TAP block provided comparable postoperative analgesia to ITM without the side effects of the latter.
The Diagnostic Value of Intracompartmental Pressure Measurement, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome

Background Patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome have pain during exercise that usually subsides at rest. History and physical examination may raise suspicion of the syndrome; diagnosis is usually confirmed with intracompartmental pressure measurement after exercise. Studies have shown that magnetic resonance imaging and near-infrared spectroscopy have diagnostic ability in this syndrome. Hypothesis Magnetic resonance imaging and near-infrared spectroscopy can be used to diagnose chronic exertional compartment syndrome. Study Design Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods Patients were enrolled if there was clinical suspicion of chronic exertional compartment syndrome, and a fasciotomy was performed based on this suspicion. Before fasciotomy, intracompartmental pressure, near-infrared spectroscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging data were collected during and after exercise on a treadmill. Near-infrared spectroscopy and intracompartmental pressure values were recorded in the same manner after fasciotomy. Retrospective proof that diagnosis of the syndrome had been correct was the absence of exertional complaints from the preoperative examination during exercise at postfasciotomy visit. Results Fifty patients (100 legs) participated in the prefasciotomy visit; 3 refused fasciotomy; 2 were lost to follow-up. Of 45 patients who completed the postfasciotomy visit, the diagnosis of chronic exertional compartment syndrome was retrospectively confirmed in 42 patients and discarded in 3 patients. The sensitivity for intracompartmental pressure (cutoff point, 35 mmHg) found in this study was 77% (67%-86%, exact 95% confidence interval), lower than estimates from the literature (93%). The sensitivity (previously defined cutoff) for near-infrared spectroscopy was 85% (76%-92%, exact 95% confidence interval), validating the estimate found in the literature (85%). Sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging was comparable to that of intracompartmental pressure and near-infrared spectroscopy; associated specificity at a given sensitivity appeared to be lower with magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusion This study validates the sensitivity of near-infrared spectroscopy and provides estimates for the sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance imaging in chronic exertional compartment syndrome in a large group of patients. The sensitivity of noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy is clinically equivalent to that of invasive intracompartmental pressure measurements.
Finite-element analysis of a piled embankment with reinforcement compared with BS 8006 predictions

The British ‘Code of practice for strengthened/reinforced soils and other fills' (BS 8006) was substantially revised in 2010, with a further ‘Corrigendum' in 2012. Historically, BS 8006 considered arching in a piled embankment, based on an interpretation of the ‘Marston' equation. The 2010 revision included an alternative method related to the analysis of arching in a piled embankment, which was proposed by Hewlett and Randolph in 1988, and later itself amended in the 2012 Corrigendum. This contribution considers BS 8006 predictions of reinforcement tension using these methods as a basis for embankment load on the reinforcement, for a wide range of piled embankment geometries. The predictions are compared with results from three-dimensional finite-element analysis, demonstrating encouraging correspondence with the Hewlett and Randolph approach (but noting that the 2010 revision overpredicts the data whereas the 2012 revision underpredicts it). Good predictions of maximum reinforcement sag are also achieve.
Independent Codes for Spatial and Episodic Memory in Hippocampal Neuronal Ensembles

Hippocampal neurons were recorded under conditions in which the recording chamber was varied but its location remained unchanged versus conditions in which an identical chamber was encountered in different places. Two forms of neuronal pattern separation occurred. In the variable cue-constant place condition, the firing rates of active cells varied, often over more than an order of magnitude, whereas the location of firing remained constant. In the variable place-constant cue condition, both location and rates changed, so that population vectors for a given location in the chamber were statistically independent. These independent encoding schemes may enable simultaneous representation of spatial and episodic memory information.