Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inducible Tertiary Lymphoid Structures, Autoimmunity, and Exocrine Dysfunction in a Novel Model of Salivary Gland Inflammation in C57BL/6 Mice

Salivary glands in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) develop ectopic lymphoid structures (ELS) characterized by B/T cell compartmentalization, the formation of high endothelial venules, follicular dendritic cell networks, functional B cell activation with expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase, as well as local differentiation of autoreactive plasma cells. The mechanisms that trigger ELS formation, autoimmunity, and exocrine dysfunction in SS are largely unknown. In this article, we present a novel model of inducible ectopic lymphoid tissue formation, breach of humoral self-tolerance, and salivary hypofunction after delivery of a replication-deficient adenovirus-5 in submandibular glands of C57BL/6 mice through retrograde excretory duct cannulation. In this model, inflammation rapidly and consistently evolves from diffuse infiltration toward the development of SS-like periductal lymphoid aggregates within 2 wk from AdV delivery. These infiltrates progressively acquire ELS features and support functional GL7+/activation-induced cytidine deaminase+ germinal centers. Formation of ELS is preceded by ectopic expression of lymphoid chemokines CXCL13, CCL19, and lymphotoxin-β, and is associated with development of anti-nuclear Abs in up to 75% of mice. Finally, reduction in salivary flow was observed over 3 wk post-AdV infection, consistent with exocrine gland dysfunction as a consequence of the inflammatory response. This novel model has the potential to unravel the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate ELS formation and their role in exocrine dysfunction and autoimmunity in SS.
Lipotoxicity, a potential risk factor for the increasing prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism?

CONTEXT Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is an important public health problem worldwide for its increasing prevalence and potential deleterious effects, whereas its etiology has not been fully elucidated. Lipotoxicity exerts extensive and serious impact on human health, but so far, the potential effect of lipotoxicity on thyroid is unclear. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to assess the association between serum triglyceride levels and the risk for SCH. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS, AND METHODS We conducted a population-based case-control study. A total of 24 100 subjects with similar and stable iodine nutrition status were recruited from China. Cases of 5033 SCH patients were identified and equal controls were matched by age, gender, and region. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the association between serum triglyceride levels and risk for SCH. RESULTS Hypertriglyceridemia was associated with an approximately 35% increased risk for SCH in both men (odds ratio 1.325; 95% confidence interval 1.002-1.753) and women (odds ratio 1.397; 95% confidence interval 1.217-1.604), even after adjustment for potential confounders. Notably, the risk for SCH increased progressively following the elevation of serum triglyceride levels. Compared with individuals with serum triglyceride levels less than 0.97 mmol/L, the risk for SCH increased approximately 1.9-fold in men and 1.4-fold in women, respectively, when triglyceride levels were greater than 1.99 mmol/L. CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that hypertriglyceridemia was positively associated with the risk for SCH.
Visually focusing on the far versus the near target during the putting stroke

Abstract The purpose was to evaluate the traditional method, of visually focusing on the ball, in comparison to focusing on the hole, during the putting stroke. The study design consisted of a pretest, a 4-week practice period, and a posttest. Participants (n = 31, handicap: 18.7 ± 10.4) practised using only one of the two gaze techniques. Testing consisted of having all participants putt using both gaze techniques from both a 1.22 m and a 4 m distance. Five putts were executed for each gaze technique/putt length combination for a total of 20 putts in each testing session per participant. The kinematics of every putting stroke executed during testing (1240 strokes) were captured using a TOMI® system. There was a significant improvement in putting success for both groups following practice (P = 0.001). Practising while visually focusing on the hole, resulted in a statistically significant reduction in putter speed variability in comparison to practising while visually focusing on the ball (P = 0.017). Visually focusing on the hole did not meaningfully (nor statistically) affect the quality of impact as assessed by the variability in face angle, stroke path, and impact spot at the precise moment the putter head contacted the ball.
Degradation of Bermuda and Orchard Grass by Species of Ruminal Bacteria

Fiber degradation in Bermuda grass and orchard grass was evaluated gravimetrically and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy after incubation with pure cultures of rumen bacteria. Lachnospira multiparus D-32 was unable to degrade plant cell wall components. Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens 49 degraded 6 and 14.9% of the fiber components in Bermuda grass and orchard grass, respectively, and Ruminococcus albus 7 degraded 11.4% orchard grass fiber but none in Bermuda grass. Both B. fibrisolvens and R. albus lacked capsules, did not adhere to fiber, and degraded only portions of the more easily available plant cell walls. R. flavefaciens FD-1 was the most active fiber digester, degrading 8.2 and 55.3% of Bermuda and orchard grass fiber, respectively. The microbe had a distinct capsule and adhered to fiber, especially that which is slowly degraded, but was able to cause erosion and disorganization of the more easily digested cell walls, apparently by extracellular enzymes. Results indicated that more digestible cell walls could be partially degraded by enzymes disassociated from cellulolytic and noncellulolytic bacteria, and data were consistent with the hypothesis that the more slowly degraded plant walls required attachment. Microbial species as well as the cell wall architecture influenced the physical association with and digestion of plant fiber.
Association of CTLA‐4 polymorphism with positive anti‐GAD antibody in Japanese subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus

CTLA‐4, expressed on activated T cells, is thought to be a negative regulator of T cell function. Its gene (2q33) may confer genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes mellitus (IDDM12). The present study was undertaken to clarify the role of CTLA‐4 gene polymorphism in Japanese subjects with type 1 diabetes and its effect on their clinical features.
Phase II trial of capecitabine plus nab-paclitaxel in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND Combination chemotherapy regimens including fluoropyrimidines as well as albumin-bound paclitaxel have shown promising results in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPC). Based on the recently described excellent therapeutic index of capecitabine plus nab-paclitaxel in metastatic breast cancer, the present phase II trial was initiated. METHODS Patients with previously untreated mPC were treated with capecitabine (825 mg/m(2) orally bid on days 1-15) and nab-paclitaxel (125 mg/m(2) intravenously on days 1 and 8) every 3 weeks. In patients without clinically relevant adverse reactions after the 1st treatment course (≤ grade 2 toxicities according to NCI-CTC vs. 4.0, exuding alopecia and fatigue of any degree) and adequate bone marrow function, the nab-paclitaxel dose was escalated to 100 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8 and 15 of each cycle; this intra-individual dose escalation was maintained during subsequent treatment courses if tolerated. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) according to RECIST criteria, assessed by an independent radiological review committee with evaluation performed every 2 months. RESULTS Between 12/2013 and 01/2015, 30 patients were entered in this monocentric academic phase II trial. All patients had an ECOG performance status of 0-1, 80% had liver metastases and 23% had biliary stents in place at time of study initiation. Median CA19-9 was 1,004 U/mL (0.9-100.000 U/mL). In all patients except 2, a dose escalation of nab-paclitaxel after the 1st treatment course could be accomplished. The most common grade 3 adverse events (AEs) included transient sensory neuropathy (23%), (afebrile) neutropenia (17%), hand-foot-syndrome (13%) and phototoxic skin reaction (10%). Among 29 RECIST-response assessable patients, the ORR was 41.4% and stable disease (SD) was noted in 34.5%, resulting in a disease control rate (DCR) of 76%. After a median follow-up duration of 10.3 months (range, 1.9-19.0 months), 13/30 patients (43.3%) are presently being alive. CONCLUSIONS The combination of capecitabine + nab-paclitaxel at these doses and scheduling was well tolerated and showed substantial antitumor efficacy.
Computation of the Levelized Cost of Electricity under Uncertainty and Endogeneities in Inputs

Aside security issues and the level of political support, the question of the economic viability of nuclear energy in today’s increasingly liberalized western energy markets has not yet reached a consensus in the energy community. In the past, nuclear projects in western countries tended to exceed their projected costs significantly. A similar picture is given by the two nuclear plants currently under construction in Europe: the EPR (European pressurized water reactor) plants in Olkiluoto (Finland) and Flamanville (France). Both construction projects have been surpassing their projected costs since start of construction in 2005 and 2007 by a multiple. These cases exemplify the inherent uncertainty in projected costs of nuclear plants in the western world. The estimation of a power project’s economic viability by calculating the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is a fundamental initial instrument for investment decisions by companies and for policy makers. However, the methodology bears a range of drawbacks. A prominent difficulty to which the energy literature has repeatedly pointed at is that the LCOE is highly sensitive to investment costs, which, especially in the case of nuclear power, often form one of the biggest component to overall costs. Separate—though very relevant issues when weighing against alternative technology options—are so-called endogeneity issues: for instance, the failure to take into account the correlation between fuel prices and electricity prices or the volume of new investments in the market.1 In the following, sensitivity issues of LCOE computations will be addressed by accounting for uncertainty in input variables and potential endogeneities among these uncertainties by simulating a range of alternative project courses through the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. These issues have been neglected in previous studies. This paper is organized as follows: part 2 summarizes the relevant literature, with a special focus on the accounting for risks in project appraisal. Part 3 describes the model and the parameters’ distributional assumptions. The results are analyzed in part 4. Part 5 concludes.
Public policies and cluster life cycles: insights from the Basque Country experience

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to the study of the role of public policies in the origins and evolution of clusters. Building on the existing literature, we set up a taxonomy of nine public policies that may have an impact on the emergence and evolution of clusters. Based on in-depth case studies of six clusters of the Basque Country, particularly representative of the industrial history of the region, we analyse the relevance of the different types of policies both in the emergence and evolution of clusters over time. In agreement with cluster literature, the paper concludes that public policies seem to have played only an indirect role across clusters and over their life cycles. Moreover, it points to the necessity of taking history and context into account, as most of the important policy measures highlighted by cluster literature today do not fit well with the previous policy and economic context. Finally, it also concludes that for cluster policies to be effective, the stages of the life cycle should be taken into consideration.
ACUTE PROLIFERATIVE GLOMERULONEPHRITIS WITH CRESCENTS AND RENAL FAILURE IN PREGNANCY SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED BY INTERMITTENT HAEMODIALYSIS

A 26‐year‐old patient with no previous history of renal disease developed acute non‐streptococcal crescentic glomerulonephritis with severe renal failure in the 17th week of her second pregnancy. It became necessary to treat her with haemodialysis to maintain the blood urea around 25 mmol/l. The haemoglobin was maintained above 9 g/dl with regular blood transfusions and the blood pressure was controlled with hypotensive drugs. Measurement of fetal biparietal diameter and human placental lactogen indicated normal fetal growth and placental function. The patient spontaneously delivered a healthy infant at 32 weeks. Haemodialysis requirements decreased post partum and the patient even managed without dialysis for 12 weeks. Renal function, however, remained severely impaired and maintenance haemodialysis was again necessary a t nine months post partum. Glomerulonephritis complicating pregnancy is reviewed and the management of acute and chronic renal failure in pregnancy is discussed.
Flexion Instability Without Dislocation after Posterior Stabilized Total Knees

Flexion instability after cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty has been well documented. We identified an analogous patient group with symptomatic flexion instability without dislocation after primary posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty. We sought to determine the typical symptoms and exam findings that lead to the diagnosis, to assess the reliability of revision total knee arthroplasty as a treatment, and to assess the technical difficulties encountered during revision total knee arthroplasty. Between 1995 and 2001, 10 patients had revision of a well-fixed posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty for isolated symptomatic flexion instability. The typical constellation of symptoms and physical findings included a sense of instability without giving way, recurrent knee effusions, multiple areas of soft tissue tenderness about the knee, and substantial anterior tibial translation at 90° of flexion. The revision operation focused on balancing the flexion and extension gaps while taking care to fill the enlarged flexion gap. Revision total knee arthroplasty was reliable in alleviating pain (mean Knee Society Pain scores improved from 68 points preoperatively to 89 points postoperatively), improving stability (nine of 10 patients had < 5 mm anterior tibial translation postoperatively) and improving patient satisfaction (nine of 10 patients were satisfied). We had no particular technical difficulties with the revision total knee arthroplasty procedures and had reliably achieved well-balanced flexion and extension gaps. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, Level IV-1 (case series). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Repeated bouts of fast eccentric contraction produce sciatic nerve damage in rats

Introduction: We evaluated sciatic nerve impairment after eccentric contractions (ECs) in rat triceps surae. Methods: Wistar rats were randomly assigned to different joint angular velocity: 180°/s (FAST), 30°/s (SLOW), or nontreated control (CNT). FAST and SLOW groups were subjected to multiple (1–4) bouts of 20 (5 reps, 4 sets) ECs. Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and isometric tetanic ankle torque were measured 24 h after each ECs bout. We also assessed nerve morphology. Results: After 4 ECs bouts, NCVs and isometric torque in the FAST group were significantly lower than those in the CNT (NCV: 42%, torque: 66%; P < 0.05). After 4 bouts, average nerve diameter was significantly smaller in the FAST group [2.39 ± 0.20 μm vs. 2.69 ± 0.20 μm (CNT) and 2.93 ± 0.24 μm (SLOW); P < 0.05] than that in other two groups. Conclusions: Chronic ECs with high angular velocity induce serious nerve damage. Muscle Nerve 54: 936–942, 2016
Mentoring Practice on Behalf of Knowledge Sharing in the light of Education

The question of knowledge management has become a highlighted issue in the companies' everyday life. Knowledge itself is the most important capital of organizations and acquiring, developing and preserving it means a lot of tasks and requirements for the companies. The complex activities of the knowledge management system appear with different priorities in the practice of companies, which depend on the company's circle of activities, its organizational structure, its innovative willingness, the content of HR, leadership approach and on the organizational culture, etc. However, it is a fact that preservation and sharing of employees' knowledge, and to find the most successful methods are the most emphasized areas of a knowledge management system in companies. On the basis of the above mentioned facts, our research was motivated by the following question: how do the employees want to share their knowledge and what features influence them? We observed whether the most traditional method, mentor practice as a corporate practice aiming knowledge sharing is widespread and what opinion the questioned people have about the method. Last year a survey was conducted by the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods and its results show that a mentoring system is a well-known and often used method in companies' practice, but its effect is debatable. Employees' willingness to share their knowledge - independently from the used methods - is influenced by the employees' age, attitude and corporate culture. Thus the mentoring activity as a knowledge sharing method is influenced by the above mentioned employees' features, which determine the success of this method.
The role of parvovirus B19 and the immune response in the pathogenesis of acute leukemia

In this article, we review the evidence suggesting a possible role for B19 virus in the pathogenesis of a subset of cases of acute leukemia. Human parvovirus B19 infection may complicate the clinical course of patients with acute leukemia and may also precede the development of acute leukemia by up to 180 days. Parvovirus B19 targets erythroblasts in the bone marrow and may cause aplastic crisis in patients with shortened‐red cell survival. Aplastic crisis represents a prodrome of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2% patients. There is a significant overlap between those HLA classes I and II alleles that are associated with a vigorous immune response and development of symptoms during B19 infection and those HLA alleles that predispose to development of acute leukemia. Acute symptomatic B19 infection is associated with low circulating IL‐10 consistent with a vigorous immune response; deficient IL‐10 production at birth was recently found to be associated with subsequent development of acute leukemia. Anti‐B19 IgG has been associated with a particular profile of methylation of human cancer genes in patients with acute leukemia, suggesting an additional hit and run mechanism. The proposed role for parvovirus B19 in the pathogenesis of acute leukemia fits well with the delayed infection hypothesis and with the two‐step mutation model, which describes carriage of the first mutation prior to birth, followed by suppression of hematopoiesis, which allows rapid proliferation of cells harboring the first mutation, acquisition of a second activating mutation, and expansion of cells carrying both mutations, resulting in acute leukemia. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Melatonin protects rats from radiotherapy-induced small intestine toxicity

Radiotherapy-induced gut toxicity is among the most prevalent dose-limiting toxicities following radiotherapy. Prevention of radiation enteropathy requires protection of the small intestine. However, despite the prevalence and burden of this pathology, there are currently no effective treatments for radiotherapy-induced gut toxicity, and this pathology remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the changes induced in the rat small intestine after external irradiation of the tongue, and to explore the potential radio-protective effects of melatonin gel. Male Wistar rats were subjected to irradiation of their tongues with an X-Ray YXLON Y.Tu 320-D03 irradiator, receiving a dose of 7.5 Gy/day for 5 days. For 21 days post-irradiation, rats were treated with 45 mg/day melatonin gel or vehicle, by local application into their mouths. Our results showed that mitochondrial oxidative stress, bioenergetic impairment, and subsequent NLRP3 inflammasome activation were involved in the development of radiotherapy-induced gut toxicity. Oral treatment with melatonin gel had a protective effect in the small intestine, which was associated with mitochondrial protection and, consequently, with a reduced inflammatory response, blunting the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling activation. Thus, rats treated with melatonin gel showed reduced intestinal apoptosis, relieving mucosal dysfunction and facilitating intestinal mucosa recovery. Our findings suggest that oral treatment with melatonin gel may be a potential preventive therapy for radiotherapy-induced gut toxicity in cancer patients.
Economic growth, inequality and trade in developing countries

The purpose of this study is to analytically explore and empirically test the relationships between economic growth, inequality and trade using a panel data set of 65 developing economies from 1965 to 2010. ,This study sets a theoretical framework to explain the growth-trade nexus differentials in the developing economies. The study uses different econometric methods such as General Method of Moments to address the relationship of trade with growth in the presence of high inequalities. ,The study determines the positive effect of trade on growth both in the short-run and in the long-run. However, the growth effect of trade is substantially influenced by the domestic context in terms of the prevalence of high initial inequalities. The study identifies high initial inequalities in developing countries as the likely reason for a negative relationship between trade and economic growth. The trade-growth nexus is significantly negative for the unequal group but strongly significantly positive for the less unequal one. ,Those developing economic which mange to ameliorate inequalities are in a better position to compete in an open economy. ,The study contributes in the existing literature by answering the question why growth effects of trade are not definitely positive or negative. The findings of the studies may help the policy-makers of developing economies to take the advantage of increasing international trade.
HLA typing in idiopathic hemochromatosis: Distinction between homozygotes and heterozygotes with biochemical expression

In a study of 20 families with idiopathic hemochromatosis, relatives of probands were classified as either homozygous, heterozygous, or normal according to their HLA phenotype. An abnormality in the serum iron concentration, total iron‐binding capacity, or serum ferritin concentration was present in all homozygotes and in 25% of heterozygotes. In heterozygotes, the mean total iron‐binding capacity was significantly decreased, and the mean hepatic iron concentration was significantly increased compared to normals. However, in contrast to homozygotes, clinical evidence of iron overload was not observed in heterozygotes, and there was no biochemical or histological evidence of liver disease resulting from excessive iron stores. Progressive iron overload did not develop in 44 heterozygotes who were studied for up to 16 yr.