Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physical Capital Investment and Growth: Panel Data Evidence from European Regions

This article empirically assesses the validity of alternative growth models at regional level. This is done by comparing the stochastic properties of physical capital investment and growth using a panel unit root test statistic that is robust to cross-sectional dependence of a spatial nature. Our results for European NUTS 2 regions provide evidence more favorable to the predictions of AK-type endogenous growth models.
Factors Associated With Not Having a Personal Health Care Provider for Children in Florida

OBJECTIVE. National recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners promote that all children obtain quality primary care through a consistent medical provider who can better assess, diagnose, and monitor a child's health. The purpose of this article was to identify characteristics of children in Florida without a personal health care provider. METHODS. Florida data (N = 2116) from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health were analyzed by using bivariate and multivariate methods. The dependent, or outcome, variable was a personal health care provider, defined in the National Survey of Children's Health as a personal doctor or nurse. RESULTS. In Florida, 20.1% of children (0–17 years of age) do not have a personal health care provider compared with 16.7% in the United States. Children at greatest risk are those without health insurance. Other significant risk factors include family poverty up to 100% of federal poverty level, poverty level 100% to 199%, poverty level unknown, poverty level 200% to 399%, children aged 5 to 12 years, children aged 13 to 17 years, and Hispanic ethnicity. All the factors in the Florida model were also significant in the national model. CONCLUSIONS. Lack of a personal health care provider is driven by larger community issues of health insurance, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity, including race, on a national level. To achieve the goal of a personal health care provider for children, a multifaceted approach needs to be considered. Knowing which children are without a personal health care provider provides valuable information for state policy-makers, program planners, and evaluators.
trans Splicing of PolycistronicCaenorhabditis elegans Pre-mRNAs: Analysis of the SL2 RNA

ABSTRACT Genes in Caenorhabditis elegans operons are transcribed as polycistronic pre-mRNAs in which downstream gene products aretrans spliced to a specialized spliced leader, SL2. SL2 is donated by a 110-nucleotide RNA, SL2 RNA, present in the cell as an Sm-bound snRNP. SL2 RNA can be conceptually folded into a phylogenetically conserved three-stem-loop secondary structure. Here we report an in vivo mutational analysis of the SL2 RNA. Some sequences can be changed without consequence, while other changes result in a substantial loss of trans splicing. Interestingly, the spliced leader itself can be dramatically altered, such that the first stem-loop cannot form, with only a relatively small loss intrans-splicing efficiency. However, the primary sequence of stem II is crucial for SL2 trans splicing. Similarly, the conserved primary sequence of the third stem-loop plays a key role intrans splicing. While mutations in stem-loop III allow snRNP formation, a single nucleotide substitution in the loop preventstrans splicing. In contrast, the analogous region of SL1 RNA is not highly conserved, and its mutation does not abrogate function. Thus, stem-loop III appears to confer a specific function to SL2 RNA. Finally, an upstream sequence, previously predicted to be a proximal sequence element, is shown to be required for SL2 RNA expression.
G‐protein‐mediated desensitization of metabotropic glutamatergic and muscarinic responses in CA3 cells in rat hippocampus.

1. Desensitization of a metabotropic response was investigated in CA3 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal slice cultures using the patch‐clamp technique. 2. 1S,3R‐1‐aminocyclopentane‐1,3‐dicarboxylate (1S,3R‐ACPD), an agonist at metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), and metacholine (MCh), an agonist at muscarinic receptors, induced a cationic current that appears to be activated through a G‐protein‐independent transduction process, as previously shown. Prolonged or repetitive bath application of agonists led to rapid desensitization of the cationic current with a time constant of approximately 20 s. 3. Complete recovery from desensitization was observed within 6 min. 4. These responses mediated by mGluRs and muscarinic receptors cross‐desensitized. 5. Preventing the activation of G‐proteins by loading cells with GDP beta S strongly reduced or suppressed desensitization, and resulted in a sustained inward cationic current. When cells were filled with GTP gamma S to irreversibly activate G‐proteins, the desensitization process was enhanced such that a first application of agonist caused a markedly reduced response. 6. These results show that a cationic current induced by metabotropic agonists in hippocampal pyramidal cells undergoes apparent desensitization and suggests that this process occurs through a G‐protein‐mediated inhibition of the underlying membrane conductance.
The heads and the tails of malaria and VWF.

In this issue of Blood, O'Regan et al have extended our understanding of von Willebrand factor (VWF) in the pathogenesis of malaria. According to the World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/gho/malaria/en/), malaria affects 3.2 billion people in 97 countries with 198 million cases having occurred in 2013, and of those, 584 000 died. Ninety percent of those deaths in 2013 were children under the age of 5. The most devastating form of the disease is cerebral malaria, which occurs most frequently in young children. Although blood coagulation changes such as disseminated intravascular coagulation have been recognized since the 1970s, recent studies have focused on markers of these hemostatic changes as being most prevalent in cerebral malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Cerebral malaria is more lethal in children than adults. Exchange transfusion has been used as an aggressive adjunct therapy for this condition.
mRNA expression levels of tight junction protein genes in mouse brain capillary endothelial cells highly purified by magnetic cell sorting

Tight junctions (TJs) are an important component of the blood‐brain barrier, and claudin‐1, ‐3, ‐5 and ‐12 have been reported to be localized at the TJs of brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs). To understand the contribution of each claudin subtype to TJ formation, we have measured the mRNA expression levels of claudin subtypes (claudin‐1 to ‐23) and other relevant proteins in highly purified mouse BCECs. Mouse BCECs were labeled with anti‐platelet endothelial cellular adhesion molecule‐1 antibody and 2.3 × 106 cells were isolated from 15 mice by magnetic cell sorting. Expression of Tie‐2, Mdr1a and GLUT1 mRNAs was concentrated in the isolated fraction, and contamination with neurons and astrocytes was substantially less than in the brain capillary fraction prepared by the standard glass‐beads column method. Expression of occludin, junctional adhesion molecule and endothelial‐specific adhesion molecule mRNAs was concentrated in the isolated fraction, suggesting that the corresponding proteins are selectively expressed in mouse BCECs. Among claudin subtypes, claudin‐5 was most highly expressed, at a level which was at least 593‐fold greater that that of claudin‐1, ‐3 or ‐12. Expression of mRNAs of claudin‐8, ‐10, ‐15, ‐17, ‐19, ‐20, ‐22 or ‐23 was also concentrated in the isolated fraction, suggesting these subtypes are expressed in mouse BCECs. The levels of claudin‐10 and ‐22 mRNAs were comparable with that of occludin mRNA. These results indicate that claudin‐5 is the most abundant claudin subtype in mouse BCECs, and are consistent with the idea that claudin‐10 and ‐22 are involved in TJ formation at the blood‐brain barrier in cooperation with claudin‐5.
The Role of Gender in Violence Experienced by Adults With Developmental Disabilities

Violence against people with developmental disabilities is a highly prevalent yet understudied phenomenon. In particular, there is a paucity of literature surrounding the role of gender and the experiences of men. Using a cross-sectional study design, we surveyed 350 people with diverse developmental disabilities about experiences of abuse, perpetrators of abuse, and their physical and mental health status. These data were analyzed to determine whether gender influenced these domains. Statistical methods included chi-square, independent t tests, logistic regression, and hierarchical multiple regressions. Male and female participants reported abuse at high rates, with 61.9% of men and 58.2% of women reporting abuse as children and 63.7% of men and 68.2% of women reporting abuse as adults. More women than men reported adult sexual abuse, but there was no gender difference in the prevalence of any other form of abuse. Women were more likely than men to identify an intimate partner as their abuser, although intimate partners represented the minority of abusers for both men and women. Violence was associated with worse health status regardless of participant gender. These findings confirm that violence is an important issue for both men and women with developmental disabilities. Although some expected gender differences arose, such as higher rates of adult sexual abuse and intimate partner violence against women, these differences were less pronounced than they are in the general population, and the overall picture of abuse was one of gender similarities rather than differences.
Analytic performance evaluation of an LTE SFBC system with Wiener channel estimation

A closed-form expression of the uncoded error probabilities of a space-frequency block code employing an Alamouti Maximum Likelihood symbol detector with linear combining is derived. Our analysis is conducted in the framework of a Long Term Evolution air interface and accounts for the estimation error of an optimal Wiener channel interpolator. The optimal pilot spacing and filter length is evaluated for different power delay profiles through numerical and analytical results.
The effect of stretching exercise and walking on changes of blood pressure in nulliparous women

Background: Hypertension in pregnancy is one of the prevalent disorder resulting in maternal death. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of stretching exercise and walking on changes of blood pressure in nulliparous women during pregnancy. Materials and Methods: This was a quasi-experimental trial that consisted three groups of women who took part in pre- and post-tests. We used a simple randomized sample, including 118 pregnant females (walking: 29 subjects, stretching exercise: 30 subjects control: 59 subjects). The data were collected using the demographic checklist and blood pressure was measured every week. SPSS 16 was used to analyze the data by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and repeated measure ANOVA. Results: No significant difference was found in the demographic characteristics of the three groups of women. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the three groups (stretching exercises, walking, and routine care) at three intervals (pre-test, first post-test, and second post-test) were significantly different (P < 0.05). In this case, Tukey's test showed significant improvement of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in stretching exercise group. Walking and control groups showed no change or significant reduction (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found between the walking and control groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The results of the study showed that stretching exercise versus walking reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the second trimester of pregnancy and controls it in the third trimester of pregnancy. In contrast, walking has no effect on blood pressure during pregnancy.
Combining biological and psychosocial baseline variables did not improve prediction of outcome of a very‐low‐energy diet in a clinic referral population

Consistent, strong predictors of obesity treatment outcomes have not been identified. It has been suggested that broadening the range of predictor variables examined may be valuable. We explored methods to predict outcomes of a very‐low‐energy diet (VLED)‐based programme in a clinically comparable setting, using a wide array of pre‐intervention biological and psychosocial participant data. A total of 61 women and 39 men (mean ± standard deviation [SD] body mass index: 39.8 ± 7.3 kg/m2) underwent an 8‐week VLED and 12‐month follow‐up. At baseline, participants underwent a blood test and assessment of psychological, social and behavioural factors previously associated with treatment outcomes. Logistic regression, linear discriminant analysis, decision trees and random forests were used to model outcomes from baseline variables. Of the 100 participants, 88 completed the VLED and 42 attended the Week 60 visit. Overall prediction rates for weight loss of ≥10% at weeks 8 and 60, and attrition at Week 60, using combined data were between 77.8 and 87.6% for logistic regression, and lower for other methods. When logistic regression analyses included only baseline demographic and anthropometric variables, prediction rates were 76.2–86.1%. In this population, considering a wide range of biological and psychosocial data did not improve outcome prediction compared to simply‐obtained baseline characteristics.
Evaluation of the risk for metachronous colorectal neoplasms following intestinal polypectomy: a clinical, endoscopic and pathological study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Surveillance programs are recommended for patients with previous intestinal polypectomy because of the high rate of adenomatous recurrences and risk of subsequent colorectal cancer. The parameters to identify patients at higher risk and the length and schedules of follow-up have not yet been established. We considered some clinical, endoscopic and pathological parameters in order to assess the probability of developing new colorectal neoplasms and eventually to schedule proper surveillance programs. METHODOLOGY Patients with removed adenomas were enrolled into a clinico-endoscopic follow-up, comprehensive of two colonoscopies the first at 1 year and the second at 3 years. We evaluated the risk of new neoplasms dividing the patients into four groups according to the number and size of the adenomas removed and the parameters considered. RESULTS Of 164 patients enrolled 156 completed the study. We had an overall 21.3% of adenomatous recurrences at 1 year and 12.8% at 3 years. Most of the adenomas removed were tubular and small in size (< 1 cm). The percentage of patients who had adenomas with advanced pathological features was 1.82% at 1 year and 0.64% at 3 years. The increase in number and size of the adenomas removed on the initial colonoscopic examination was the only one parameter statistically significant, X(2)1 (trend) 5.11; p<0.05 at the first follow-up and X(2)1 (trend) 4.87; p<0.05 at the second follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Patients with previous single adenoma showed few recurrences of extremely benign histological features. Since they do not require short-term endoscopic examination, it would be reasonable to defer the next colonoscopy for at least another 5 years. During follow-up, patients with multiple polyps had adenomas with advanced pathological features so it was useful to follow-up at 1 year. The tendency for advanced pathological features of removed polyps was not seen at 3 years, suggesting the importance of long-term follow-up, but with longer intervals.
Development of a Size-dependent Aerosol Deposition Model Utilising Human Airway Epithelial Cells for Evaluating Aerosol Drug Delivery

Aerosol delivery to the airways of the human respiratory tract, followed by absorption, constitutes an alternative route of administration for compounds unsuitable for delivery by conventional oral and parenteral routes. The target for aerosol drug delivery is the airways epithelium, i.e. tracheal, bronchial, bronchiolar and alveolar cells, which become the site of drug deposition. These epithelial layers also serve as a barrier to the penetration of inhaled material. An in vitro model for aerosol deposition and transport across epithelia in the human airways may be a good predictor of in vivo disposition. The present preliminary studies begin an investigation that blends the dynamics of aerosol delivery and the basis of an in vitro simulated lung model to evaluate the transport properties of a series of molecular weight marker compounds across human-derived bronchiolar epithelial cell monolayers. An Andersen viable cascade impactor was used as a delivery apparatus for the deposition of size-segregated particles onto monolayers of small airway epithelial cells and Calu-3 cells. It was shown that these cell layers can withstand placement in the impactor, and that permeability can be tested subsequent to removal from the impactor.
Fetal erythrocyte membrane lipids modification: preliminary observation of an early sign of compromised insulin sensitivity in offspring of gestational diabetic women

Aims Intrauterine exposure to diabetes is a significant determinant of the development of obesity and early onset of Type 2 diabetes mellitus in the offspring. Both conditions are characterized by insulin resistance and the latter is associated with reduced membrane arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids. Hence, we investigated if the membrane arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids are depressed in the cord blood of babies born to women with gestational diabetes.
Time course of peri‐implant bone regeneration around loaded and unloaded implants in a rat model

The time‐course of cancellous bone regeneration surrounding mechanically loaded implants affects implant fixation, and is relevant to determining optimal rehabilitation protocols following orthopaedic surgeries. We investigated the influence of controlled mechanical loading of titanium‐coated polyether‐ether ketone (PEEK) implants on osseointegration using time‐lapsed, non‐invasive, in vivo micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT) scans. Implants were inserted into proximal tibial metaphyses of both limbs of eight female Sprague–Dawley rats. External cyclic loading (60 or 100 μm displacement, 1 Hz, 60 s) was applied every other day for 14 days to one implant in each rat, while implants in contralateral limbs served as the unloaded controls. Hind limbs were imaged with high‐resolution micro‐CT (12.5 μm voxel size) at 2, 5, 9, and 12 days post‐surgery. Trabecular changes over time were detected by 3D image registration allowing for measurements of bone‐formation rate (BFR) and bone‐resorption rate (BRR). At day 9, mean %BV/TV for loaded and unloaded limbs were 35.5 ± 10.0% and 37.2 ± 10.0%, respectively, and demonstrated significant increases in bone volume compared to day 2. BRR increased significantly after day 9. No significant differences between bone volumes, BFR, and BRR were detected due to implant loading. Although not reaching significance (p = 0.16), an average 119% increase in pull‐out strength was measured in the loaded implants. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:997–1006, 2017.
Effects of 60-day NO2 fumigation on growth, oxidative stress and antioxidative response in Cinnamomum camphora seedlings

ObjectiveTo study the oxidative stress and antioxidative response of Cinnamomum camphora seedlings exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) fumigation.MethodsMeasurements were made up of the growth, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, antioxidant system and lipid peroxidation of one-year-old C. camphora seedlings exposed to NO2 (0.1, 0.5, and 4 μl/L) fumigation in open top chambers over a period of 60 d.ResultsAfter the first 30 d, 0.5 and 4.0 μl/L NO2 showed insignificant effects on the growth of C. camphora seedlings. However, exposure to 0.5 and 4.0 μl/L NO2 for 15 d significantly reduced their chlorophyll content (P<0.05), enhanced their malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P<0.05), and also significantly reduced the maximal quantum yield of PSII in the dark [the ratio of variable fluorescence to maximal fluorescence (Fv/Fm)] (P<0.05). In the latter 30 d, 0.5 μl/L NO2 showed a positive effect on the vitality of the seedlings, which was reflected by a recovery in the ratio of Fv/Fm and chlorophyll content, and obviously enhanced growth, SOD activity, ascorbate (AsA) content and glutathione reductase (GR) activity (P<0.05); 4.0 μl/L NO2 then showed a negative effect, indicated by significant reductions in chlorophyll content and the ratio of Fv/Fm, and inhibited growth (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest adaptation of C. camphora seedlings to 60-d exposure to 0.1 and 0.5 μl/L NO2, but not to 60-d exposure to 4.0 μl/L NO2. C. camphora seedlings may protect themselves from injury by strengthening their antioxidant system in response to NO2-induced oxidative stress.
Calcium release by noradrenaline from central sarcoplasmic reticulum in rabbit main pulmonary artery smooth muscle.

The subcellular composition of relaxed and noradrenaline‐contracted rabbit main pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells was measured by electron probe X‐ray microanalysis of cryosections of rapidly frozen tissue. Some of the preparations were made permeable with saponin and exposed to a known free Ca ion concentration, rapidly frozen, freeze‐substituted, and also analysed by electron probe X‐ray microanalysis. 98% of intracellular K could be replaced by Rb. This was done to remove the K peak that partially overlaps the Ca peak in the X‐ray spectra. The final [Rb]i plus residual [K]i was not significantly different from the [K]i of normal tissue. The [Ca]i in Rb‐containing tissue was not significantly different from the [Ca]i in normal, K‐containing tissue. Non‐mitochondrial micro‐regions containing high [Ca] (up to 33 mmol/kg dry wt.) were found at sites 200 nm or more away from the plasma membrane. These micro‐regions also contained high [P]. We consider the identification of these regions containing high [Ca] as sarcoplasmic reticulum (s.r.), validated by: (a) conventional electron micrographs that show no other structures in main pulmonary artery smooth muscle in sufficient quantity and location to account for the frequency of these regions, (b) the previous localization of strontium, a functional calcium analogue, in the central s.r. in these smooth muscles (Somlyo & Somlyo, 1971 a), (c) the present demonstration that the central s.r. in this tissue can accumulate large amounts of calcium oxalate. The proportion of regions containing high [Ca] (greater than 12.0 mmol/kg dry wt.) was significantly higher in relaxed (35 of 330 measurements) than in the contracted (14 of 337) tissues (P less than 0.005), or 26 of 34 vs. 6 of 31 high [Ca] measurements in regions identified as s.r. through their high phosphorus content (P less than 0.006). This difference is thought to represent Ca release from the central s.r. There was no significant difference (P greater than 0.05) between the distributions of P in relaxed and contracted smooth muscle. The total cell [Ca]i in relaxed Rb‐containing tissue, measured with randomly positioned small probes (3.6 mmol/kg dry wt.), was the same as that measured with large defocused probes, indicating the validity of random sampling. A mathematical model was used to estimate the frequency of including s.r. (35 nm diameter and 5% of cell volume) by a randomly positioned electron probe (50 nm), because we could not visualize s.r. in the cryosections. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)