Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Downregulation of miR‐101 in gastric cancer correlates with cyclooxygenase‐2 overexpression and tumor growth

Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) plays an important role in the carcinogenesis and progression of gastric cancer. It has been demonstrated that COX‐2 overexpression depends on different cellular pathways, involving both transcriptional and post‐transcriptional regulation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that function as post‐transcriptional regulators. Here, we characterize miR‐101 expression and its role in the regulation of COX‐2 expression, which in turn, will provide us with additional insights into the potential therapeutic benefits of exogenous miR‐101 for treatment of gastric cancer. Our results showed that miR‐101 levels in gastric cancer tissues were significantly lower than those in the matched normal tissue (P < 0.01). Furthermore, lower levels of miR‐101 were associated with increased tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). We also found an inverse correlation between miR‐101 and COX‐2 expression in both gastric cancer specimens and cell lines. Significant decreases in COX‐2 mRNA and COX‐2 levels were observed in the pre‐miR‐101‐infected gastric cancer cells. One possible mechanism of interaction is that miR‐101 inhibited COX‐2 expression by directly binding to the 3′‐UTR of COX‐2 mRNA. Overexpression of miR‐101 in gastric cancer cell lines also inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in vitro, as well as inhibiting tumor growth in vivo. These results collectively indicate that miR‐101 may function as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer, with COX‐2 as a direct target.
Daily Living Skills

am an d a. fo rm an @ g p is d . o rg The Daily Living Skills (DLS) program is a self-contained instructional setting that provides services to students ages 5 to 21 years of age who have been identified with a disability and demonstrate a need for Special Education supports and services to access the general curriculum. The DLS program is designed to serve students with severe to profound cognitive impairments and significant deficits in adaptive or self help skills that interfere with activities of daily living.
Limited immunogenicity of HIV CD8+ T-cell epitopes in acute Clade C virus infection.

BACKGROUND Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific CD8(+) responses contribute to the decline in acute peak viremia following infection. However, data on the relative immunogenicity of CD8(+) T-cell epitopes during and after acute viremia are lacking. METHODS We characterized CD8(+) T-cell responses in 20 acutely infected, antiretroviral-naive individuals with HIV-1 subtype C infection using the interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay. Eleven of these had not fully seroconverted at the time of analysis. Viruses from plasma were sequenced within defined cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) cell epitopes for selected subjects. RESULTS At approximately 28 days after estimated initial infection, CD8(+) T-cell responses were directed against an average of 3 of the 410 peptides tested (range, 0-6); 2 individuals had no detectable responses at this time. At 18 weeks, the average number of peptides targeted had increased to 5 (range 0-11). Of the 56 optimal Gag CTL epitopes sequenced, 31 were wild-type in the infecting viruses, but only 11 of 31 elicited measurable CD8(+) T-cell responses. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that the majority of CD8(+) responses are not elicited during acute HIV infection despite the presence of the cognate epitope in the infecting strain. There is a need to define factors that influence lack of induction of effective immune responses and the parameters that dictate immunodominance in acute infection.
Un nuevo protocolo de medicación intraconducto para dientes con necrosis pulpar y rizogénesis incompleta

El trauma tiene un serio impacto en el desarrollo de la denticion de ninos y jovenes, pudiendo resultar en necrosis del diente permanente joven. El tratamiento mas comun para los casos de necrosis pulpar en dientes con rizogenesis incompleta es promover la apexificacion. Este articulo presenta el reporte de un caso clinico donde fue utilizada una medicacion intraconducto (MIC) compuesta por la asociacion de hidroxido de calcio, clorhexidina gel al 2% y oxido de zinc (2:1:2) para promover la formacion de tejido calcificado en el apice de dos dientes acometidos de trauma dental. Al cabo de 9 meses, sin necesidad de cambios en la MIC, fue observada la formacion de una barrera apical que permitio la obturacion endodontica definitiva. Este nuevo protocolo de MIC para dientes con rizogenesis incompleta y necrosis pulpar se justifica en la revision de literatura presentada, la misma que destaca sus beneficios.
Algorithm for the Measure of Vitreous Hyperreflective Foci in Optical Coherence Tomographic Scans of Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema.

IMPORTANCE Developing a noninvasive measure of diabetic retinopathy disease progression may provide physicians with information needed for patient-specific intervention. OBJECTIVE To develop an algorithm to measure vitreous hyperreflective foci (VHRF) from standard, 3-dimensional optical coherence tomographic (OCT) images in an unbiased manner. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We retrospectively analyzed OCT scans from 97 patients who were evaluated at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan. Patients with diabetes mellitus without signs of retinopathy (n = 9) and patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) (n = 31) were compared with healthy control participants (n = 37). The algorithm was used to determine whether the VHRF score is associated with DME and may serve as a noninvasive measure of inflammation. The study was conducted from November 14, 2011, to August 5, 2015. Data analysis was performed from May 15, 2014, to August 13, 2015. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES An algorithm was developed to enhance the vitreous imaging from OCT to allow automated quantification of VHRF and calculation of a VHRF score. This score was compared between the healthy control, diabetes without retinopathy, and DME groups. RESULTS In the 97 scans evaluated, VHRF scores, reported as mean (SD), were increased in patients with DME by 2.95-fold (5.60 [8.65]) compared with healthy controls (1.90 [3.42]; 95% CI, 0.75-7.45; P = .012) and by 6.83-fold compared with patients with diabetes without retinopathy (0.82 [1.26]; 95% CI, 1.46-8.82; P = .005). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Scores obtained using the VHRF algorithm may be obtained from OCT images that include the vitreous and could provide a rapid, noninvasive clinical correlate for ocular inflammation. Higher VHRF scores in patients with DME compared with controls and diabetic patients without retinopathy warrant further population-based and longitudinal studies to help determine the value of the VHRF score in selecting therapeutic intervention.
Chronic meningeal inflammation as a cause of cortical grey matter pathology in multiple sclerosis

3 Abstract Subpial demyelination in cerebral cortical grey matter is associated with clinical progression in multiple sclerosis and is suggested to result from diffusion of pro-inflammatory cytokines from areas of meningeal inflammation into the cortex. In order to test this hypothesis we have developed an animal model of subpial demyelination driven by meningeal inflammation, involving delivery of cytokines into the subarachnoid space (SAS). Dark Agouti rats were immunised with a subclinical dose (10μg) of recombinant mouse myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein followed 21-24 days later by injection of TNF (1.25-5μg) and IFN-γ (75-300ng) into the SAS of the sagittal sulcus. The presence of the cytokines in the SAS resulted in acute demyelination and inflammation followed by resolution of pathology. This supports the hypothesis that cytotoxic/proinflammatory molecules diffuse from areas of meningeal inflammation into the underlying cortex resulting in microglial activation and subpial demyelination. Increasing the doses of TNF and IFN-γ resulted in increased extent, but not duration, of pathology due to the acute presence of the cytokines. We conclude that a chronic inflammatory milieu in the CSF/meningeal compartment is required to achieve chronic microglial activation and subpial demyelination and neuronal loss. In order to achieve the chronic presence of the cytokines in the SAS a high titre VSV-Gpseudotyped lentiviral vector carrying the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) gene under control of the CMV promoter was tested. It induced extensive and long-term, up to 12 weeks, eGFP expression in the sagittal sulcus in the absence of long-term microglial activation in naïve animals. Expression was localised to astrocytes, leptomeningeal cells and a small number of pyramidal neurons. The vector did not induce non-specific demyelination
King-Kopetzky Syndrome? A Bio-Psychosocial Approach to Adult “APD”

This paper discusses the relationship between King-Kopetzky syndrome and auditory processing disorder (APD). King-Kopetzky syndrome is the term applied to adults who present for help in the presence of normal audiometric thresholds. These adults may or may not have an APD and this paper discusses the factors that influence help-seeking and what is known about audiological diagnosis and management.
The Clinical Application of Hormone Assay.

This critical, compact book presents and evaluates the methods available for the measurement of pituitary and chorionic gonadotrophins, thyrotrophin, adrenocorticotrophin, growth hormone, prolactin, antidiuretic hormone and antidiuretic substances, estrogens, progesterone and its metabolites, corticosteroids, 17-ketosteroids and androgens, adrenaline and noradrenaline, and insulin. The clinician interested in endocrinology will find this book to be of special value because of its emphasis on the selection of the most suitable methods for clinical studies. Reasons for selecting a particular method and the scope and limitations of the various methods are well presented. Applications to clinical problems of the results of hormone assay and future fields of investigation are discussed. The author achieves the difficult goal of setting the methodology of hormone assay in perspective. A healthy scepticism is evident in presentation of errors and pitfalls of the past. The achievements of the Edinburgh group are emphasized.
Adherence to intermittent and continuous aerobic exercise prescription in overweight and obese women, a randomized clinical trial

Objectives : Obesity and sedentary lifestyle are major public health problems and are associated with many serious health conditions. It is suggested that short sessions of exercise might be considered as a more applicable method in attracting sedentary people to physical activity in comparison to long sessions of physical activity. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of two different aerobic exercise programs (intermittent and continuous brisk walking) on adherence and attrition in overweight and obese sedentary females. Methods: Fifteen individuals in the intermittent group performed 40 minutes medium intensity exercise in 3 sessions per day, for 5 days per week; the 15 participants of the continuous group exercised a single 40-minute session per day, 5 days per week. The adherence and attrition of all the participants were assessed in 12 weeks. Resultes: Regarding adherence to prescribed activity in terms of days and minutes per week, for the intermittent and continuous groups, no significant differences were found between the groups. However, comparing the sessions of exercise per week it was found that participants in the continuous group significantly adhered more accurately to their prescribed sessions per week (average sessions per week was 5 for the continuous group, 15 for the intermittent group: 0.96 and 0.66 respectively) (p=0.02). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding adherence to exercise intensity prescription . Conclusion: It seems that adherence rate for the intermittent and continuous exercise groups can be excellent. However, with increasing the number of the sessions per day, the intermittent exercise group had lower adherence to three short sessions per day than one long session in the continuous exercise group.
Vision Loss Following Episcleral Brachytherapy for Uveal Melanoma: Development of a Vision Prognostication Tool.

IMPORTANCE Vision loss following episcleral brachytherapy for uveal melanoma is difficult to predict for individual patients. OBJECTIVE To generate a risk calculator for vision loss following episcleral brachytherapy for uveal melanoma. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A retrospective review of data was conducted at a multispecialty tertiary care center in Cleveland, Ohio. All patients with primary ciliary body or choroidal melanoma treated with iodine 125 or ruthenium 106 episcleral brachytherapy between January 1, 2004, and December 30, 2013, were included. Univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards were used to determine the influence of baseline patient factors on vision loss. Kaplan-Meier curves (log-rank analyses) were used to estimate freedom from vision loss. Bootstrap resampling was performed to bias correct this estimate. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Vision loss (to visual acuity [VA] worse than 20/50 and worse than 20/200). RESULTS A total of 311 patients were included in the study, with a mean (SD) age of 62 (14.7) years at start of treatment and a median follow-up of 36 months (interquartile range, 18-60 months). At presentation, VA was better than or equal to 20/50 in 199 patients (64%) and better than or equal to 20/200 in 289 patients (93%). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, VA less than 20/200 at 3 years was not associated with sex, diabetes, systemic hypertension, or hypercholesterolemia but was associated with history of ocular comorbidities, type of isotope (ruthenium 106 or iodine 125), and initial VA ( >20/50 or <20/50). By multivariable analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR], 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-1.00; P = .06), largest basal diameter (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.16-1.34; P = <.001), total radiation dose to the fovea (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04; P = .001) and optic disc (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; P = .005), and initial VA worse than 20/50 (HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.20-2.85; P = .005) were predictive of vision loss to a VA of less than 20/200. The concordance index for the full data set was 0.77. Using these data, an online risk calculator was developed to predict vision loss following episcleral brachytherapy. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The vision prognostication tool presented herein needs to be validated by independent data sets. This tool may improve counseling for patients being evaluated for episcleral brachytherapy. At-risk individuals identified by this tool could be considered for inclusion into trials exploring prevention or treatment of radiation retinopathy and alternative therapies of uveal melanoma.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Choroideremia: Correlating Choriocapillaris Loss With Overlying Degeneration.

IMPORTANCE Novel therapies for choroideremia, an X-linked recessive chorioretinal degeneration, demand a better understanding of the primary site(s) of cellular degeneration. Optical coherence tomography angiography allows for choriocapillaris (CC) imaging. We compared the extent of structural alterations of the CC, retinal pigment epithelium, and photoreceptors with multimodal imaging. OBSERVATIONS In a clinical case series conducted from September 15, 2014, through February 5, 2015, 14 eyes of 7 male patients with choroideremia (median age, 34 years [interquartile range, 15-46 years]; age range, 13-48 years), 4 eyes of 2 women with choroideremia carrier state (both in mid-50s), and 6 eyes of 6 controls (median age, 42.5 years [interquartile range, 33-55 years]; age range, 24-55 years) underwent multimodal imaging with optical coherence tomography angiography and electroretinography. The mean (SD) macular CC density was 82.9% (13.4%) in patients with choroideremia, 93.0% (3.8%) in female carriers, and 98.2% (1.3%) in controls. The mean (SD) CC density in affected eyes was higher in regions with preserved (92.6% [5.8%]) vs absent (75.9% [12.6%]) ellipsoid zone (mean difference, 16.7%; 95% CI, 12.1% to 21.3%; P < .001). Seventeen of 18 eyes of the patients and carriers had outer retinal tubulations forming pseudopod-like extensions from islands of preserved ellipsoid zone. Outer retinal tubulations were associated with absence of underlying retinal pigment epithelium and were longer (r = -0.62; 95% CI, -0.84 to -0.19; P < .001) and more numerous (r = -0.71; 95% CI, -0.91 to -0.27; P < .001) in more severely affected eyes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE These findings suggest that regional changes in CC density correlate with photoreceptor structural alterations in choroideremia. Although closely coupled, the results suggest that retinal pigment epithelium loss is more extensive than photoreceptor loss.
Mechanisms regulating skeletal muscle growth and atrophy

Skeletal muscle mass increases during postnatal development through a process of hypertrophy, i.e. enlargement of individual muscle fibers, and a similar process may be induced in adult skeletal muscle in response to contractile activity, such as strength exercise, and specific hormones, such as androgens and β‐adrenergic agonists. Muscle hypertrophy occurs when the overall rates of protein synthesis exceed the rates of protein degradation. Two major signaling pathways control protein synthesis, the IGF1–Akt–mTOR pathway, acting as a positive regulator, and the myostatin–Smad2/3 pathway, acting as a negative regulator, and additional pathways have recently been identified. Proliferation and fusion of satellite cells, leading to an increase in the number of myonuclei, may also contribute to muscle growth during early but not late stages of postnatal development and in some forms of muscle hypertrophy in the adult. Muscle atrophy occurs when protein degradation rates exceed protein synthesis, and may be induced in adult skeletal muscle in a variety of conditions, including starvation, denervation, cancer cachexia, heart failure and aging. Two major protein degradation pathways, the proteasomal and the autophagic–lysosomal pathways, are activated during muscle atrophy and variably contribute to the loss of muscle mass. These pathways involve a variety of atrophy‐related genes or atrogenes, which are controlled by specific transcription factors, such as FoxO3, which is negatively regulated by Akt, and NF‐κB, which is activated by inflammatory cytokines.
Prédire l'adhésion aux traitements immunosuppresseurs chez le patient transplanté : étude PrATIS

L'adhesion au traitement immunosuppresseur (IS) chez le patient transplante est une des cles de la reussite de la greffe. Identifier les facteurs qui influencent les comportements de non-adhesion pourrait etre une aide pour detecter les patients en besoin d'interventions educatives. Une etude prospective observationnelle de 6 mois, l'etude PrATIS (Predire Adhesion aux Traitements IS) a ete realisee chez le patient transplante pulmonaire, cardiaque, renal et hepatique. L'objectif principal est de tester si les variables de la Theorie du Comportement Planifie (TCP), les croyances (questionnaire BMQ general et specifique) et la satisfaction (questionnaire SatMED-Q®) envers les traitements peuvent etre des facteurs predictifs de l'adhesion. Nous evaluerons egalement l'influence des donnees socio demographiques et parametres therapeutiques. 157 patients transplantes ont ete inclus dans l'etude : 36 en poumon, 44 en cœur, 42 en foie, et 44 en rein. Les variables de la TCP expliquent 45% de la variance d'intention d'adherer. La satisfaction (r=0.30) ainsi que les croyances (r=0.21 et 0.33) sont correlees a l'adhesion. Les facteurs independamment associes a un sur-risque de non-adhesion chez les patients transplantes sont la situation familiale (patients vivant seuls) (OR=2.79 p=0.03), la transplantation cardiaque (OR=3.49 p=0.01), la prise d'everolimus (OR=5.02 p=0.03) ainsi que les croyances negatives envers les medicaments (OR=1.11 p<0.01). Les outils valides dans ce travail peuvent orienter le soignant sur les dimensions en defaut chez le patient. Il devient ensuite possible de concevoir des interventions educatives ciblees afin d'ameliorer l'adhesion des patients transplantes.
Modified but-for method for delay analysis

“But-for” is a widely used method for analyzing and apportioning project delays among the responsible parties. Despite its acceptability, the traditional but-for method suffers from serious drawbacks; namely its narrow focus on the point of view of a single party and its inability to accurately consider concurrent delays. In this technical note, several improvements have been made to the but-for method to produce repeatable results and to account for concurrent delays. Details of the modified but-for (MBF) method are provided along with an example to demonstrate its advantages. To automate the MBF method, it has been coded in a macro program on commercial project management software. The method is simple and can help practitioners in apportioning project delays in an accurate and equitable manner.
Neural Networks for River Flow Prediction

The surface-water hydrographs of rivers exhibit large variations due to many natural phenomena. One of the most commonly used approachs for interpolating and extending streamflow records is to fit observed data with an analytic power model. However, such analytic models may not adequately represent the flow process, because they are based on many simplifying assumptions about the natural phenomena that influence the river flow. This paper demonstrates how a neural network can be used as an adaptive model synthesizer as well as a predictor. Issues such as selecting an appropriate neural network architecture and a correct training algorithm as well as presenting data to neural networks are addressed using a constructive algorithm called the cascade-correlation algorithm. The neural-network approach is applied to the flow prediction of the Huron River at the Dexter sampling station, near Ann Arbor, Mich. Empirical comparisons are performed between the predictive capability of the neural network models and the most commonly used analytic nonlinear power model in terms of accuracy and convenience of use. Our preliminary results are quite encouraging. An analysis performed on the structure of the networks developed by the cascade-correlation algorithm shows that the neural networks are capable of adapting their complexity to match changes in the flow history and that the models developed by the neural-network approach are more complex than the power model.
Understanding K–12 Engineering Outreach Programs

The United States relies on technology. To continue the development of new and the expansion of existing technologies requires a strong background in science, math, and engineering. Because students are falling behind in these areas, many universities are attempting to reverse this trend and attract more students to their engineering programs through outreach programs. These outreach efforts can take a variety of forms, with the simplest being the development of classroom and web-based materials. Outreach programs can also include professional development programs, engineering contests, on-campus activities, activities at schools, and the sponsorship of teaching fellows and service learning programs. Programs can be directed at preservice teachers, teachers, and/or students as well as specific groups such as females or minorities. The programs may occur throughout the school year or during summer vacations. Personnel presenting the outreach programs can include older K.12 students, teachers, college students, and/or university professors. Regardless of the mechanism, each outreach program has one common goal, to increase the interest that K.12 students have for math and science and, thus, engineering.