Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression and regulation of the retinoic acid synthetic enzyme RALDH‐2 in the embryonic chicken wing

Retinaldehyde dehydrogenase type 2 (RALDH‐2) is a major retinoic acid (RA) generating enzyme in the embryo. Here, we report immunolocalization of this enzyme (RALDH‐2‐IR) in the developing wings of stage 17–30 chicken embryos. RALDH‐2‐IR is located in the area of the presumptive muscle masses, although it is not colocalized with developing muscle cells. RALDH‐2‐IR is located in tendon precursor cells and may be present in muscular connective tissue. We show that motor neurons and blood vessels, tissues showing RALDH‐2‐IR as they enter the limb, are capable of synthesizing and releasing RA in culture. RALDH‐2‐IR in the limb mesenchyme is under the control of both the vasculature and the motor innervation; it is decreased with denervation and increased with hypervascularization. RALDH‐2‐IR is present in the motor neuron pool of the brachial spinal cord, but this expression pattern is apparently not under the control of limb target tissues, RA in the periphery, or somitic factors. RA is known to be a potent inducer of cellular differentiation; we propose that locally synthesized RA may be involved in aspects of wing tissue specification, including cartilage condensation and outgrowth, skeletal muscle differentiation, and recruitment of smooth muscle cells to the vasculature. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Insulin Resistance Is Associated With Cognition Among HIV-1-Infected Patients: The Hawaii Aging With HIV Cohort

Objective:To determine if insulin resistance (IR) is associated with lower cognitive performance among HIV-1-infected adults and to determine if advanced age magnifies risk. Design:Cross-sectional analysis within the Hawaii Aging With HIV Cohort. Methods:We calculated the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) among 145 cohort participants. Values were compared to concurrent neuropsychological test performance and cognitive diagnoses. Results:Hypertension, body mass index (BMI), and non-Caucasian self-identity were directly related to insulin resistance (IR); however, age, CD4 lymphocyte count, and rates of treatment with HAART were not. In logistic regression analyses and stratifying cognition status on a 3-tiered scale (normal, minor cognitive motor disorder (MCMD), and HIV-associated dementia (HAD)), we identified an increased risk of meeting a higher diagnostic category as HOMA-IR increased (OR, 1.12; 95% CI: 1.003 to 1.242 per unit of HOMA-IR, P = 0.044). In linear regression models and among nondiabetic participants, an increasing degree of IR was associated with lower performance on neuropsychological summary scores. Conclusions:IR is associated with cognitive dysfunction in this contemporary HIV-1 cohort enriched with older individuals. Metabolic dysfunction may contribute to the multifactorial pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in the era of HAART.
Xanthan Gum as a Carrier for Controlled Release of Drugs

Systems based on xanthan gum matrix containing 1%, 2% and 5% salicylic acid were prepared and studied as controlled release devices. Swelling of the matrix in distilled water and buffer solutions showed that the ionic strength of the liquid has a strong effect on the sorptive properties of the matrix. From the release experiments, conductedin distilled water at 37±0.5°C, it was found that the drug delivery process was accomplished within the first 10 hours after immersion and salicylic acid was always released via a non-Fickian transport. The phenomenon can be described by a release exponent (n) in the area of 0.77 independently of the initial concentration of salicylic acid in the xanthan matrix. These results can be interpreted taking into consideration the dimensional and physical changes of the polymeric matrix during swelling.
Functional properties of ganglion cells of the rhesus monkey retina.

Three general classes of cells were identified in a sample of 460 cells recorded from all areas of the retina subserving the central 40 degrees of vision in the rhesus monkey. 2. One class (colour‐opponent) had sustained colour‐opponent responses and concentrically organized receptive fields, in which usually one cone mechanism mediated the centre response and one or two different cone mechanisms mediated the antagonistic surround. A few cells of this class had non‐concentric (co‐extensive) receptive field organization. 3. A second class (broad‐band) had transient responses and concentrically organized receptive fields, in which usually two cone mechanisms mediated the centre response. In most cells, the surround had the same spectral sensitivity as the centre and the cells had non‐colour opponent responses. In other cells, the surround had a spectral sensitivity different to that of the centre and the cells had colour‐opponent responses. 4. The third class (non‐concentric) did not have concentrically organized receptive fields. One group of cells had extremely phasic on‐, off‐ or on‐off responses and no spontaneous activity, another group had characteristically regular spontaneous activity and was responsive only to moving stimuli. 5. Cells of the colour‐opponent class with concentric receptive fields had the smallest centre‐sizes, which did not vary markedly from cell to cell (mean 15 mum); cells of the non‐concentric class with phasic responses had the largest centre‐sizes, which varied from cell to cell. 6. Colour‐opponent cells comprised the highest proportion of cells near the foveola; broad‐band cells comprised the highest proportion in the more peripheral areas of the retina; non‐concentric cells were equally represented in all areas.
CD28 Exerts Protective and Detrimental Effects in a Pulmonary Model of Paracoccidioidomycosis

ABSTRACT T-cell immunity has been claimed as the main immunoprotective mechanism against Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection, the most important fungal infection in Latin America. As the initial events that control T-cell activation in paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) are not well established, we decided to investigate the role of CD28, an important costimulatory molecule for the activation of effector and regulatory T cells, in the immunity against this pulmonary pathogen. Using CD28-deficient (CD28−/−) and normal wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice, we were able to demonstrate that CD28 costimulation determines in pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis an early immunoprotection but a late deleterious effect associated with impaired immunity and uncontrolled fungal growth. Up to week 10 postinfection, CD28−/− mice presented increased pulmonary and hepatic fungal loads allied with diminished production of antibodies and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines besides impaired activation and migration of effector and regulatory T (Treg) cells to the lungs. Unexpectedly, CD28-sufficient mice progressively lost the control of fungal growth, resulting in an increased mortality associated with persistent presence of Treg cells, deactivation of inflammatory macrophages and T cells, prevalent presence of anti-inflammatory cytokines, elevated fungal burdens, and extensive hepatic lesions. As a whole, our findings suggest that CD28 is required for the early protective T-cell responses to P. brasiliensis infection, but it also induces the expansion of regulatory circuits that lately impair adaptive immunity, allowing uncontrolled fungal growth and overwhelming infection, which leads to precocious mortality of mice.
Theory Ahead of Measurement? Assessing the Nonlinear Effects of Financial Market Disruptions

An important, yet untested, prediction of many macro models with financial frictions is that financial market disruptions can have highly nonlinear effects on economic activity. This paper presents empirical evidence supporting this prediction, and in particular that financial shocks have substantial (i) asymmetric and (ii) state dependent effects. First, negative shocks to credit supply have large and persistent effects on output, but positive shocks have no significant effect. Second, credit supply shocks have larger and more persistent effects in periods of weak economic growth.
Morphologically rich Urdu grammar parsing using Earley algorithm

Abstract This work presents the development and evaluation of an extended Urdu parser. It further focuses on issues related to this parser and describes the changes made in the Earley algorithm to get accurate and relevant results from the Urdu parser. The parser makes use of a morphologically rich context free grammar extracted from a linguistically-rich Urdu treebank. This grammar with sufficient encoded information is comparable with the state-of-the-art parsing requirements for the morphologically rich Urdu language. The extended parsing model and the linguistically rich extracted-grammar both provide us better evaluation results in Urdu/Hindi parsing domain. The parser gives 87% of f-score, which outperforms the existing parsing work of Urdu/Hindi based on the tree-banking approach.
Renin Inhibition Reverses Renal Disease in Transgenic Mice by Shifting the Balance Between Profibrotic and Antifibrotic Agents

Aliskiren, a direct renin inhibitor, is a novel antihypertensive drug. To study whether aliskiren can reverse chronic kidney disease, we administered it to renin transgenic mice, a strain characterized by elevated blood pressure and a slow decline of renal function, mimicking well the progression of hypertensive chronic kidney disease. Ten-month-old transgenic mice were treated either with aliskiren or placebo for 28 days. Age-matched wild-type mice treated or not with aliskiren were considered as normotensive controls. Aliskiren reduced blood pressure to wild-type levels from as early as day 14. Proteinuria and cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis were also normalized. Renal interstitial fibrosis and inflammation were significantly ameliorated in aliskiren-treated mice (shown by the decrease of proinflammatory and profibrotic markers), and the phenotypes of tubular epithelial cells and podocytes were restored as evidenced by the reappearance of cellular proteins characteristic of normal phenotype of these cells. Profibrotic p38 and Erk mitogen-activated protein kinases were highly activated in placebo-treated transgenic animals. Aliskiren treatment cancelled this activation. This nephroprotection was not attributed to the antihypertensive activity of aliskiren, because blood pressure normalization after treatment with hydralazine failed to induce the regression of renal fibrosis. Direct inhibition of renin can restore renal function and structure in aged hypertensive animals with existing proteinuria. This finding suggests that, in addition to antihypertensive action, aliskiren can be also used to treat chronic kidney disease.
A study on the adoption of IoT smart home service: using Value-based Adoption Model

This study aims to comprehensively examine the adoption of smart home service. A new model combining VAM (Value-based Adoption Model) and TAM (Technical Acceptance Model) was developed and analysed with a set of variables from Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and Elaboration Likelihood Model. Perceived value was affected by both perceived benefit and perceived sacrifice. In particular, perceived benefit was found to have a strong positive effect on perceived value. In contrast, privacy risk and innovation resistance were found to limit perceived value. This study holds considerable significance as it proposes a new approach to IoT (Internet of Things)-based smart home service adoption using VAM and TAM. Through these two models, the study determined that it is imperative for businesses to constitute and secure appropriate infrastructure for residents to use IoT-based smart home service. Developing content related to security is also crucial.
Correlation between LDH levels and response to sorafenib in HCC patients: an analysis of the ITA.LI.CA database

Background Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a predictor of clinical outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, its predictive role in the clinical outcomes of sorafenib treatment has been poorly documented. The correlation between LDH levels and clinical outcomes in HCC patients treated with sorafenib and included in the nationwide Italian database ITA.LI. CA was investigated here. Patients and Methods The ITA.LI. CA database contains data for 5,136 HCC patients. All patients treated with sorafenib treatment and with available LDH values were considered. Overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) were compared in patients with LDH levels above and below a defined threshold, determined through an ROC analysis. An explorative analysis investigated the relationship between the variation of LDH levels during treatment and response to sorafenib. Results Baseline LDH levels were available for 97 patients. The most accurate cutoff value for LDH concentration was 297 U/L. Patients with LDH values above (n=45) and below (n=52) this threshold showed equal OS (12.0 months) and TTP (4.0 months) values. Data on LDH levels during sorafenib treatment were reported for 10 patients. LDH values decreased in 3 patients (mean difference = -219 U/L) who also reported a prolonged OS and TTP versus those with unmodified/increased LDH (OS: NE (not evaluated) vs. 8.0 months, p=0.0083; TTP: 19.0 vs. 3.0 months, p=0.008). Conclusions The clinical benefits of sorafenib do not seem to be influenced by baseline LDH. According to the results of an explorative analysis, however, a decreased LDH concentration during sorafenib might be associated with improved clinical outcomes.
Temporal Stability, Cross-Validity, and External Validity of Risk Preferences Measures: Experimental Evidence from a UK Representative Sample

We conduct an “artefactual” field experiment to incorporate three different risk preferences measures within the Innovation Panel (IP) of the UK Household Longitudinal Survey (UKHLS). We randomly allocate to an experimental module a nationally representative sample of 661 adult respondents to the IP Wave 6 (IP6). These subjects respond to the incentive-compatible tasks by Holt and Laury (2002) (HL), and by Binswanger (1980, 1981) and Eckel and Grossman (2008) (B-EG), and to the SOEP survey questions by Dohmen et al. (2011) for self-reported willingness to take risks in general (SOEP-G), in finance (SOEP-F), and in health (SOEP-H). One year later (IP7) the same measures are repeated for 413 of these respondents. This design allows us to systematically test, for a UK representative sample, the validity of the three measures along three dimensions. First, we look at cross-validity by testing how responses at one point in time correlate across the three tasks, assuming a Constant Relative Risk Aversion (CRRA) utility function. Second, we look at temporal stability by comparing the responses across IP6 and IP7. Third, we look at external validity by considering a range of risky health and financial behaviors in the UKHLS. We have three main findings. First, concerning cross-validity, we find evidence that the different measures generally correlate and map into each other, although their associations are not perfect. Second, concerning temporal stability, there are significant and positive correlations of the B-EG, HL, and SOEP measures across IP6 and IP7. Finally, we find mixed evidence concerning external validity.
Dynamics of the malaria-vector populations in coastal Lagos, south–western Nigeria

Abstract An entomological study was carried out in coastal Lagos, south-western Nigeria, to explore the role of Anopheles gambiae s.l. and An. moucheti in the transmission of Plasmodium falciparum in this holo-endemic area. Mosquitoes were caught, on human bait at night and by pyrethrum-spray catches during the day, twice a month throughout 2000. Of the 1812 Anopheles mosquitoes collected, An. gambiae s.l. , the predominant vector species, represented 78.7% while the other 21.3% were An. moucheti. The results of a PCR-based test identified 56.8% of the mosquitoes of the An. gambiae complex collected as An. gambiae s.s. , 36.9% as An. melas and 6.3% as An. arabiensis. Anopheles gambiae s.s. was predominantly recorded in the wet season, biting females being collected from May to October, with a peak in July. Anopheles melas and An. moucheti were present throughout the yearlong study whereas An. arabiensis was mainly found in the dry season. The results of ELISA-based analyses of bloodmeals indicated that An. gambiae s.s. , An. melas and An. moucheti were predominantly anthropophagic whereas An. arabiensis was largely zoophagic. Among all of the females investigated, 3.6% of the An. gambiae s.s. , 1.9% of the An. melas , 1.8% of the An. moucheti and 0% of the An. arabiensis were found to be infected with P. falciparum (i.e. carrying the parasite's circumsporozoite antigen). The corresponding proportions for the females collected during the dry season were 1.3%, 2.3%, 2.7% and 0%. The entomological inoculation rates for An. melas and An. moucheti were significantly higher during the dry season than at other times of the year. Taken together, these results indicate that An. melas and An. moucheti maintain transmission of P. falciparum during the dry season, while the biting population of An. gambiae s.s. is relatively small.
Acceptability and Reliability of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III Cognitive and Motor Scales among Children in Makwanpur.

BACKGROUND The Bayley Scales of Infant Development III (BSID III) is an instrument to measure the development of children aged 1-42 months. Our study sought to assess the feasibility and reliability of the BSID III's cognitive and motor sub-scales among children in rural Nepal. METHODS For this study, translation and back translation in Nepali and English for cognitive and motor sub-scale of BSID III were done. Two testers assessed a total of 102 children aged 1-42 months and were video-recorded and rescored by the third tester. Raw scores were calculated for each assessment. Inter and intra-observer reliability of scores across the three testers was examined. Raw score was converted into scaled score to examine the mean score. The study received ethical clearance from NHRC. RESULTS A total of 102 children were assessed. The inter-rater reliability of the BSID III among three testers using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient by age group was 0.997 (95% CI: 0.996-0.998) for the cognitive scale, 0.997 (95% CI: 0.996- 0.998) for the gross motor scale, and 0.998 (95% CI: 0.997- 0.999) for the fine motor scale. All were statistically significant (p< 0.0001). The mean scaled cognitive, fine motor and gross motor development scores in this group of children were 8.3 (SD: 2.5), 8.5 (SD: 2.6) and 9.5 (3.2), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Assessing the cognitive and motor development of children under five using the BSID III was feasible in Makwanpur district, Nepal. The inter-rater reliability was highly comparable among the three testers.
Distance Therapeutic Alliance: The Participant's Experience

Access barriers to services result in extensive wait times. Distance delivery systems with no face-to-face contact are not yet widely accepted because of uncertainty about whether therapeutic alliance can exist. In this study, 131 participants completed a questionnaire designed to explore their distance treatment experience. The majority described positive comments about the relationship formed with their telephone coach including the strength/quality, coach attributes, and the inapprehension to disclose information to the coach. Moreover, 97% reported preference for distance treatment. Acceptance and integration of evidence-based distance delivery systems are a promising approach to primary healthcare reform.
Can mean platelet volume and red blood cell distribution width show disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis?

AIM To evaluate the relationship between mean platelet volume (MPV) and red cell distribution width (RDW), and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). PATIENTS & METHODS Hundred RA and 100 controls were included. RESULTS MPV and RDW were higher in RA (p < 0.0001). The cut-off levels of RDW and MPV were 14.8 and 10.4. Patients with RDW >14.8 had higher Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28; p = 0.002) and pain score (p = 0.0007). RDW was positively correlated with DAS28 and pain. But, DAS28 and pain were not different between patients with MPV >10.4 and <10.4. CONCLUSION MPV and RDW were significantly higher in RA. RDW and MPV were similar to erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein to indicate inflammatory activity. RDW was correlated with pain and DAS28, but MPV was not associated with them.
Increased Mitochondrial Fatty Acid Oxidation Is Sufficient to Protect Skeletal Muscle Cells from Palmitate-induced Apoptosis*

The mechanisms underlying the protective effect of monounsaturated fatty acids (e.g. oleate) against the lipotoxic action of saturated fatty acids (e.g. palmitate) in skeletal muscle cells remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the role of mitochondrial long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) oxidation in mediating oleate's protective effect against palmitate-induced lipotoxicity. CPT1 (carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1), which is the key regulatory enzyme of mitochondrial LCFA oxidation, is inhibited by malonyl-CoA, an intermediate of lipogenesis. We showed that expression of a mutant form of CPT1 (CPT1mt), which is active but insensitive to malonyl-CoA inhibition, in C2C12 myotubes led to increased LCFA oxidation flux even in the presence of high concentrations of glucose and insulin. Furthermore, similar to preincubation with oleate, CPT1mt expression protected muscle cells from palmitate-induced apoptosis and insulin resistance by decreasing the content of deleterious palmitate derivates (i.e. diacylglycerols and ceramides). Oleate preincubation exerted its protective effect by two mechanisms: (i) in contrast to CPT1mt expression, oleate preincubation increased the channeling of palmitate toward triglycerides, as a result of enhanced diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 expression, and (ii) oleate preincubation promoted palmitate oxidation through increasing CPT1 expression and modulating the activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and AMP-activated protein kinase. In conclusion, we demonstrated that targeting mitochondrial LCFA oxidation via CPT1mt expression leads to the same protective effect as oleate preincubation, providing strong evidence that redirecting palmitate metabolism toward oxidation is sufficient to protect against palmitate-induced lipotoxicity.
Glucocorticoid induced expression of connective tissue growth factor contributes to lactogenic differentiation of mouse mammary epithelial cells

The response of mammary epithelial cells to basement membrane and stroma induced signals contributes to the degree of differentiation in this tissue. The studies reported here indicate that connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is highly elevated during lactogenic differentiation of the HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cell line. In addition, CTGF is expressed in the mouse mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation and it is expressed in primary mammary epithelial cell cultures established from pregnant mice. In HC11 cells CTGF is transcriptionally regulated by dexamethasone, but not by estrogen or progesterone, and CTGF expression is not dependent on TGFβ. CTGF contributes to and is required for lactogenic differentiation of HC11 cells, as demonstrated by increased differentiation following expression of plasmid‐encoded CTGF and decreased differentiation following depletion of endogenous CTGF with siRNA. Moreover, HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells infected with an adenoviral vector encoding CTGF exhibit increased lactogenic differentiation. Plasmid vector‐induced elevation of CTGF levels also increased the level of β1 integrin in HC11 cells. Because the production of stromal factors is an important component of differentiation in mammary epithelial cells, the regulation of CTGF by glucocorticoids may play a critical role in this aspect of the control of differentiation. The studies reported here provide important information on the role of CTGF in mammary epithelial cell differentiation. J. Cell. Physiol. 214:38–46, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.