Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fermentation products of inulin-type fructans reduce proliferation and induce apoptosis in human colon tumour cells of different stages of carcinogenesis

Epidemiological evidence suggests that the intake of prebiotic dietary fibres, for example, inulin, protects against colorectal cancer. However, little is known about cellular responses to complex fermentation samples. Therefore, we prepared a fermentation supernatant fraction of inulin and studied biological properties in human colon cell lines, LT97 and HT29 (representing early and late stages of colon cancer). Inulin enriched with oligofructose (Synergy 1) was incubated under anaerobic conditions with faecal inocula and the supernatant fraction was characterised for content of SCFA and secondary bile acid deoxycholic acid (DCA). A Synergy fermentation supernatant fraction (SFS) and a synthetic fermentation mixture (SFM) mimicking the SFS in SCFA and DCA content were used in the concentration range of 1·25–20 % (v/v) for 24–72 h. The effects on cell growth were determined by quantifying DNA. Effects on apoptosis were analysed by measuring poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage using Western blotting. Compared with the faecal blank, produced without the addition of inulin, the SFS resulted in an almost 2·5-fold increase of SCFA and 3·4-fold decrease of DCA. In comparison with HT29 cells, LT97 cells responded more sensitively to the growth-inhibitory activities. Additionally, a significant increase in PARP cleavage was observed in LT97 cells after incubation with the SFS, demonstrating induction of apoptosis. The present results indicate growth-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing effects of fermentation supernatant fractions of inulin. Moreover, since early adenoma cells were found to be more sensitive, this may have important implications for chemoprevention when translated to the in vivo situation, because survival of early transformed cells could be reduced.
Chronic rotator cuff injury and repair model in sheep.

BACKGROUND Most rotator cuff surgery is performed on chronic tears. As there is no animal model in which to examine the physiology of muscle and tendon injury and repair in this setting, we developed a chronic rotator cuff injury model in sheep. METHODS The infraspinatus tendon was released in thirty-six female sheep. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the muscle and were analyzed for fat content. The force generated by the muscle with supramaximal stimulation was recorded intraoperatively. A control group (twelve sheep) underwent an immediate tendon repair. In the remaining twenty-four sheep, the tendon was wrapped in a dura substitute to prevent scarring and was repaired at six weeks (eight sheep) and eighteen weeks (sixteen sheep) after release. In the immediate repair group, four animals were killed at six weeks; four, at twelve weeks; and four, at twenty weeks. In the six-week delayed repair group, four animals were killed at twelve weeks and four were killed at twenty weeks after the repair. In the eighteen-week delayed repair group, eight animals were killed at twelve weeks; four, at twenty weeks; and four, at thirty weeks after the repair. Muscle biopsies and testing were repeated prior to killing of the animals. RESULTS The average force of muscle contraction decreased 3.6 lb (1.6 kg) by six weeks after the injury and 3.9 lb (1.8 kg) by eighteen weeks after the injury. After the repair, the force of contraction in the six-week group improved by 0.8 lb (0.4 kg) at twelve weeks postoperatively and by 1.3 lb (0.6 kg) at twenty weeks postoperatively. In contrast, no improvement occurred in the eighteen-week group until thirty weeks after the repair, at which time a 0.9-lb (0.4-kg) improvement was noted. There was a twelvefold increase in intramuscular fat concentration; this lipid infiltration was partially reversed after the tendon repair. Isolated tendon samples demonstrated an increase in the modulus of elasticity after chronic detachment that partially corrected after the tendon repair in the earlier (six-week) repair group. CONCLUSIONS We found that earlier repair of the tendon results in a more rapid recovery of both muscle function and tendon elasticity compared with a more delayed repair. We concluded that there may be a "point of no return" in rotator cuff injury after which the elasticity of the muscle-tendon unit does not return to normal.
CEO Compensation and Strategy Inertia

This paper considers the joint optimal design of CEOs' on-the-job compensation and severance pay in a general optimal contracting framework. We obtain a novel argument for high-powered, non-linear CEO compensation such as bonus schemes and option grants that is different from existing arguments based on moral hazard and risk taking. Based on this argument, the CEO's optimal on-the-job compensation scheme is designed to minimize the use of costly severance pay to reduce CEO entrenchment, thus minimizing the CEO's informational rents. Our model generates novel empirical predictions concerning the interrelation of CEOs' on-the-job compensation and severance pay as well as CEO turnover which, to the extent that they have been tested, are consistent with the empirical evidence.
Role of cis-12-Oxo-Phytodienoic Acid in Tomato Embryo Development1[C][W]

Oxylipins including jasmonates are signaling compounds in plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) most mutants affected in jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and signaling are male sterile, whereas the JA-insensitive tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) mutant jai1 is female sterile. The diminished seed formation in jai1 together with the ovule-specific accumulation of the JA biosynthesis enzyme allene oxide cyclase (AOC), which correlates with elevated levels of JAs, suggest a role of oxylipins in tomato flower/seed development. Here, we show that 35S::SlAOC-RNAi lines with strongly reduced AOC in ovules exhibited reduced seed set similarly to the jai1 plants. Investigation of embryo development of wild-type tomato plants showed preferential occurrence of AOC promoter activity and AOC protein accumulation in the developing seed coat and the embryo, whereas 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) was the dominant oxylipin occurring nearly exclusively in the seed coat tissues. The OPDA- and JA-deficient mutant spr2 was delayed in embryo development and showed an increased programmed cell death in the developing seed coat and endosperm. In contrast, the mutant acx1a, which accumulates preferentially OPDA and residual amount of JA, developed embryos similar to the wild type, suggesting a role of OPDA in embryo development. Activity of the residual amount of JA in the acx1a mutant is highly improbable since the known reproductive phenotype of the JA-insensitive mutant jai1 could be rescued by wound-induced formation of OPDA. These data suggest a role of OPDA or an OPDA-related compound for proper embryo development possibly by regulating carbohydrate supply and detoxification.
Ecological benefits of termite soil interaction and microbial symbiosis in the soil ecosystem in two climatic regions of Australia

Termite activities and their interaction with soil environment have defined and modified ecosystems for ages. Termites, as detrivores, are one of the most important insect groups in the Australian environment whose activities and interactions with soil result in significant temporal and spatial changes, formations or modifications of soil, vegetation and landscape. Their influence is largely through their activities in searching and acquisition of food and construction of nests, galleries, soil sheetings and mounds. Their associated symbiotic relationship with actinomycete bacteria, depending on the species, also influences the soil and contributes to soil rehabilitation and plant diversity. Termite interaction with soil depends on soil type, moisture and organic matter content in different seasons and climatic regions. Other key factors affecting this interaction include termite species, size range and morphological characteristics with in a colony. This paper reviews mechanisms of soil and water transport by individual and colonies oftermites, their preferences and reactions to specific factors, and their effect on selected key soil physical and chemical properties as well as microbial activities.
Perceived risk of cervical cancer in Appalachian women.

OBJECTIVE To examine perceptions of cervical cancer risk in elevated-risk Appalachians. METHODS Appalachian women (n=571) completed interviews examining self-regulation model factors relevant to perceived risk of cervical cancer. RESULTS Women with good/very good knowledge of cervical cancer, greater worry, and history of sexually transmitted infection had higher odds of rating their perceived risk as somewhat/much higher than did other women. Former smokers, compared to never smokers, had lower risk perceptions. CONCLUSIONS Self-regulation model factors are important to understanding perceptions of cervical cancer risk in underserved women. The relationship of smoking and worry to perceived risk may be a target for intervention.
Current Products and Practice

There has been an escalating interest in three-dimensional imaging devices over the last decade. Orthodontists are beginning to appreciate the advantages that the third dimension gives to clinical diagnosis, treatment planning and patient education. This article focuses on the cutting edge technology of cone beam CT, which utilizes conventional X-ray technology and computerized volumetric reconstruction to reproduce a three-dimensional image. A variety of applications and range of issues associated with this technology will be discussed.
TVD and ENO Applications to Supersonic Flows in 3 D – Part II

In this work, second part of this study, the high resolution numerical schemes of Yee and Harten, of Yang second order, of Yang third order, and of Yang and Hsu are applied to the solution of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations in three-dimensions. All schemes are flux difference splitting algorithms. The Yee and Harten is a TVD (“Total Variation Diminishing”) second order accurate in space and first order accurate in time algorithm. The Yang second order is a TVD/ENO (“Essentially Nonoscillatory”) second order accurate in space and first order accurate in time algorithm. The Yang third order is a TVD/ENO third order accurate in space and first order accurate in time algorithm. Finally, the Yang and Hsu is a UNO (Uniformly Nonoscillatory) third order accurate in space and first order accurate in time algorithm. The Euler and NavierStokes equations, written in a conservative and integral form, are solved, according to a finite volume and structured formulations. A spatially variable time step procedure is employed aiming to accelerate the convergence of the numerical schemes to the steady state condition. It has proved excellent gains in terms of convergence acceleration as reported by Maciel. The physical problems of the supersonic flows along a compression corner and along a ramp are solved, in the inviscid case. For the viscous case, the supersonic flow along a ramp is again solved. In the inviscid case, an implicit formulation is employed to marching in time, whereas in the viscous case, a time splitting or Strang approaches are used. The results have demonstrated that the Yang and Hsu UNO third order accurate algorithm has presented the best solutions in the problems studied herein. Moreover, it is also the best as comparing with the numerical schemes of Part I of this study. Key-Words: Yee and Harten algorithm, Yang second order TVD/ENO algorithm, Yang third order TVD/ENO algorithm, Yang and Hsu UNO algorithm, Euler and Navier-Stokes equations, Finite Volumes.
A clinical prediction model to assess the risk of operative delivery

Please cite this paper as: Schuit E, Kwee A, Westerhuis M, Van Dessel H, Graziosi G, Van Lith J, Nijhuis J, Oei S, Oosterbaan H, Schuitemaker N, Wouters M, Visser G, Mol B, Moons K, Groenwold R. A clinical prediction model to assess the risk of operative delivery. BJOG 2012;119:915–923.
Socioeconomic status and asthma control in African American youth in SAGE II

Abstract Objective: African Americans are disproportionately burdened by asthma. We assessed the individual and joint contribution of socioeconomic status (SES) on asthma morbidity among African American youth. Methods: We examined 686 African Americans (8–21 years) with asthma. To account for the joint effects of SES, a composite index was derived from maternal educational attainment, household income, and insurance status. Ordinal logistic regression was used to estimate the individual and joint effect of SES on asthma control. Models were adjusted for age, sex, controller medication use, in utero smoke exposure, family history of asthma, family history of rhinitis, breastfeeding, daycare attendance, and mold exposure. Results: Participants were classified as Poorly Controlled Asthma (40.8%), Partially Controlled Asthma (29.7%), or Controlled Asthma (30.2%). Of the individual SES indicators, low income was the strongest predictor of poor asthma control. Children with low income had worse asthma control than those with higher income (OR 1.39; 95% CI 0.92–2.12). The SES index ranged from 4–9. SES was associated with 17% increased odds of poor asthma control with each decrease in the index (95% CI 1.05–1.32). The SES index was associated with asthma-related symptoms, nocturnal awakenings, limited activity, and missed school days. Conclusions: The negative effects of SES were observed along the entire socioeconomic gradient, and the adverse asthma outcomes observed in African American youth were not limited to the very poor. We also found that the SES index may be a more consistent and useful predictor of poor asthma outcomes than each indicator alone.
Health effects of beach water pollution in Hong Kong

SUMMARY Prospective epidemiological studies of beach water pollution were conducted in Hong Kong in the summers of 1986 and 1987. For the main study in 1987, a total of 18741 usable responses were obtained from beachgoers on nine beaches at weekends. The study indicated the overall perceived symptom rates for gastrointestinal, ear, eye, skin, respiratory, fever and total illness were significantly higher for swimmers than non-swimmers; and the swimming-associated symptom rates for gastrointestinal, skin, respiratory and total illness were higher at ‘barely acceptable’ beaches than at ‘relatively unpolluted’ ones. Escherichia coli was found to be the best indicator of the health effects associated with swimming in the beaches of Hong Kong. It showed the highest correlation with combined swimming-associated gastroenteritis and skin symptom rates when compared with other microbial indicators. A linear relationship between E. coli and the combined symptom rates was established. Staphylococci were correlated with ear, respiratory and total illness, but could not be used for predicting swimming-associated health risks. They should be used to complement E. coli. The setting of health-related bathing-water quality standards based on such a study is discussed.
The microanatomic location of metastatic melanoma in sentinel lymph nodes predicts nonsentinel lymph node involvement.

PURPOSE Sentinel node biopsy is now widely accepted as the most accurate prognostic indicator in melanoma, and is important in guiding management of patients with clinical stage I or II disease. Patients with a positive sentinel node have conventionally undergone completion lymphadenectomy (CLND) of the involved basin, but only 20% have involvement beyond the sentinel node, suggesting that CLND may be unnecessary for the other 80% of patients. This study seeks to identify criteria that might be used to be more restrictive in selecting those who should undergo CLND. METHODS A total of 146 patients were identified who had had a positive sentinel node biopsy for malignant melanoma. Their sentinel nodes and lymphadenectomy specimens were re-evaluated pathologically. The metastatic melanoma in each sentinel node was assessed according to its microanatomic location within the node (subcapsular, combined subcapsular and parenchymal, parenchymal, multifocal, or extensive), and this was correlated with the presence of involved nonsentinel nodes in the CLND. The depth of the metastases from the sentinel node capsule was also recorded. RESULTS The metastatic deposits in the sentinel node were subcapsular in 26.0% of patients. None of these patients had any nonsentinel nodes involved on CLND. In the patients whose sentinel node metastases had a different microanatomic location, the rate of nonsentinel node involvement was 22.2% overall. CONCLUSION The microanatomic location of metastases within sentinel nodes predicts nonsentinel lymph node involvement. In patients with only subcapsular deposits in the sentinel node, it is possible that CLND could safely be avoided.
Effect of carbohydrate moieties on the folate hydrolysis activity of the prostate specific membrane antigen

Prostate specific membrane antigen or PSMA has been recognized as one of the important cellular markers for prostate cancer, the expression of which is enhanced many fold in prostate cancer and other tumor neovasculature. PSMA is a type II membrane glycoprotein with a short cytoplasmic N‐terminal region, a transmembrane domain, and a 701 amino acid extracellular portion with 10 potential N‐linked glycosylation sites. PSMA is a folate hydrolase, which cleaves terminal glutamates from poly‐ and gamma‐glutamated folates; and NAALADase, which hydrolyses alpha‐glutamate‐linked dipeptide, N‐acetyl‐aspartyl‐glutamate (NAAG) and is a glutamate carboxypeptidase.
Multilevel power modeling of base station and its ICs

A new power estimation method is proposed for base station (BS) in this paper. Based on this method, a software platform for power estimation is developed. The proposed method models power consumption on different abstraction levels by splitting a typical base station into several basic components at different levels in the view of embedded system design. In particular, our focus is on baseband IC (Integrate Circuit) due to it's the dominant power consumer in small cells. Baseband power model is based on arithmetic computing costs of selected algorithms. All computing and storage costs are calibrated using algorithm complexity, hardware architecture, activity ratio, silicon technology, and overheads on all hierarchies. Micro architecture and IC technology are considered. The model enables power comparison of different types of base stations configured with different baseband algorithms, micro architectures, and ICs. The model also supports cellular operators in power estimation of different deployment strategies and transmission schemes. The model is verified by comparing power consumption with a real LTE base station. By exposing more configuration freedoms, the platform can be used for power estimation of current and future base stations.
Bronchoalveolar lavage or oropharyngeal cultures to identify lower respiratory pathogens in infants with cystic fibrosis

As collections of lower respiratory tract specimens from young children with cystic fibrosis (CF) are difficult, we determined whether oropharyngeal cultures predicted lower airway pathogens. During 1992–1994, 75 of 90 (83%) infants with CF diagnosed by neonatal screening had 150 simultaneous bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and oropharyngeal specimens collected for quantitative bacterial culture at a mean age of 17 months (range, 1–52). Ten children undergoing bronchoscopy for stridor served as controls. Total and differential cell counts and interleukin‐8 concentrations were measured in BAL fluid. A subset of bacterial pathogens were typed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. A non‐linear relationship with inflammatory markers supported a diagnosis of lower airway infection when ≥105 colony‐forming units/ml were detected. This criterion was met in 47 (31%) BAL cultures from 37 (49%) children. Staphylococcus aureus (19%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11%), and Hemophilus influenzae (8%) were the major lower airway pathogens. In oropharyngeal cultures, S. aureus (47%), Escherichia coli (23%), H. influenzae (15%), and P. aeruginosa (13%) predominated. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of oropharyngeal cultures for pathogens causing lower respiratory infections were 82%, 83%, 41%, and 97%, respectively. When there was agreement between paired oropharyngeal and BAL cultures, genetic fingerprinting showed some strains of the same organism were unrelated. We conclude that oropharyngeal cultures do not reliably predict the presence of bacterial pathogens in the lower airways of young CF children. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1996; 21:267–275. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis Estimating Soil Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Mineralization from Short-Term Carbon Dioxide Respiration

: The measurement of soil carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) respiration is a means to gauge biological soil fertility. Test methods for respiration employed in the laboratory vary somewhat, and to date the equipment and labor required have limited more widespread adoption of such methodologies. A new method to measure soil respiration was tested along with the traditional alkali trap and titration method. The new method involves the Solvita gel system, which was originally designed for CO 2 respiration from compost but has been applied in this research to soils with treatments of increasing dairy manure compost. The objectives of this research are to (1) examine the relationship between the CO 2 release after 1 day of incubation from soils amended with dairy manure compost that have been dried and rewetted as determined using the titration method and the Solvita gel system, and (2) compare water-soluble organic nitrogen (N), as well as carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) mineralization after 28 days of incubation with 1-day CO 2 release from the titration method and Solvita gel system. One-day CO 2 from both titration and the Solvita gel system were highly correlated with cumulative 28-day CO 2 as well as the basal rate from 7–28 days of incubation. Both methods were also highly correlated with 28-day N and P mineralization as well as the initial water-extractable organic N and C concentration. The data suggest that the Solvita gel system for soil CO 2 analysis could be a simple and easily used method to quantify soil microbial activity and possibly provide an estimate of potential mineralizable N and P. Once standardized soil sampling and laboratory analysis protocols are established, the Solvita method could be easily adapted to commercial soil testing laboratories as an index of soil microbial activity.