Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of biological responses of EpiAirway 3-D cell constructs versus A549 cells for determining toxicity of ambient air pollution

Abstract Context: EpiAirwayTM 3-D constructs are human-derived cell cultures of differentiated airway epithelial cells that may represent a more biologically relevant model of the human lung. However, limited information is available on their utility for exposures to air pollutants at the air-liquid interface (ALI). Objective: To assess the biological responses of EpiAirwayTM cells in comparison to the responses of A549 human alveolar epithelial cells after exposure to air pollutants at ALI. Methods: Cells were exposed to filtered air, 400 ppb of ozone (O3) or a photochemically aged Synthetic Urban Mixture (SynUrb54) consisting of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, O3 and other secondary oxidation products for 4 h. Basolateral supernatants and apical washes were collected at 9 and 24 h post-exposure. We assessed cytotoxicity by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the culture medium and apical surface. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) proteins were measured in the culture medium and in the apical washes to determine the inflammatory response after exposure. Results: Both O3 and SynUrb54 significantly increased basolateral levels of LDH and IL-8 in A549 cells. No significant changes in LDH and IL-8 levels were observed in the EpiAirwayTM cells, however, IL-6 in the apical surface was significantly elevated at 24 h after O3 exposure. Conclusion: LDH and IL-8 are robust endpoints for assessing toxicity in A549 cells. The EpiAirwayTM cells show minimal adverse effects after exposure suggesting that they are more toxicologically resistant compared to A549 cells. Higher concentrations or longer exposure times are needed to induce effects on EpiAirwayTM cells.
The Role of Nutrition in the Regulation of Luteinizing Hormone Secretion by the Opioidergic, Dopaminergic, and Serotonergic Systems in Female Mediterranean Goats1

This study examined which neural mechanism (opioid, dopaminergic, or serotonergic system) is involved in the regulation of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion, with and without nutritional modulation, at different times of the photoperiodic cycle. Goats were randomly distributed into two experimental groups that received either 1.1 (high group; n = 18) or 0.7 (low group; n = 18) times the nutritional maintenance requirements. The goats were exposed to alternations of 3 mo of long days and 3 mo of short days. Plasma LH concentrations were measured twice a week. The effects of intravenous injections of naloxone (endogenous opioid receptor antagonist), pimozide (dopaminergic2 receptor antagonist), and cyproheptadine (serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine2 receptor antagonist) on LH secretion were assessed during challenges in three different photoperiodic situations: the onset of LH stimulation by short days (OnsetSD), the onset of LH inhibition by long days (OnsetLD), and during the LH inhibition by long days (LateLD). The role of the different neural systems was clearly modified by the level of nutrition. In the low-nutrition group, only naloxone increased LH concentrations during onsetLD (P < 0.05). However, in the high-nutrition group, naloxone increased the concentration and pulsatility of LH (P < 0.05) in onsetSD and onsetLD. Pimozide increased LH concentration and pulsatility (P < 0.05) in onsetLD and LH concentration in lateLD (P < 0.001). Finally, cyproheptadine significantly increased LH concentration at all three times (P < 0.001). These results provide evidence that all three systems are involved in the inhibition of LH release in onsetLD, and that the opioid and serotonin mechanisms are involved during the onsetSD that were enhanced by a high plane of nutrition.
Exploring student perceptions, learning outcome and gender differences in a flipped mathematics course

The flipped classroom approach has recently gained prominence in education. However, a review of previous studies shows that the relationship associated with gender difference, student perceptions and learning outcomes has still remained unexplored, and there has been little discussion regarding flipped classroom environment. To fill this gap, this study aimed to provide a further study by developing an empirical study, extending perspectives of research for flipped classroom in education. This study was conducted to respond and investigate two main student perceptions in a flipped precalculus course, namely, situational interest and course satisfaction. By the self-developed perception measures, situational interest contained feeling, value and topic interest (three factors), while course satisfaction contained course design, system quality, course arrangement and online assessment (four factors). To respectively determine factors on final grades, we assessed the predicting power among those factors. Students' feedback and gender differences were also evaluated to provide a holistic profile of this flipped course. Results showed that feelings predict the final grades in males, while course design predicts the final grades in females. Moreover, the result also showed that even if females and males showed different topic interest in this course, they performed equally well. Some suggestions to effectively implement a flipped course were also provided from students' feedback. The implications of the results were provided for instructors' guidance in implementing flipped classroom. Finally, the study concluded that students' perceptions may be considered as motivational strategies in teaching and learning process to involve students in academic activities for improving their grades in flipped course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Systematic review of radiofrequency ablation and pulsed radiofrequency for management of cervicogenic headache.

BACKGROUND Cervicogenic headache is a secondary headache that has a source in the upper cervical spine. There is a small but growing body of evidence to establish effectiveness of radiofrequency (RF) neurotomy, and the pulsed RF (PRF) procedure for management of cervicogenic headache. OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical utility of RF neurotomy, and PRF ablation for the management of cervicogenic headache. STUDY DESIGN Systematic review. METHODS The review included relevant literature identified through searches of PubMed, Cochrane, Clinical trials, U.S. National Guideline Clearinghouse and EMBASE from 1960 to January 2014.The quality assessment and clinical relevance criteria utilized were the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Review Group criteria for randomized control trials and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale criteria for observational studies. The level of evidence was classified as good, fair, and poor based on the quality of evidence. OUTCOMES MEASURED The primary outcome measures were reduction in pain scores and improvement in quality of life. RESULTS The primary outcome measures were headache relief and improved quality of life. Twenty five studies were identified for full text review of these, 9 studies met inclusion criteria. There were 5 non-randomized, among them 4/5 were of moderate quality, 3/5 showed RF ablation and 1/5 showed PRF as an effective intervention for cervicogenic headache. There were 4 randomized trials among them 2/4 were of high quality, 3/4 investigated RF ablation as an intervention for CHA, 1/4 investigated PRF ablation as an intervention for CHA and none of the randomized studies showed strong evidence for RF and PRF ablation as an effective intervention for CHA. LIMITATIONS In the selected studies there were inconsistencies between randomized trials, flaws in trial design, and gaps in the chain of evidence. CONCLUSION There is limited evidence to support RF ablation for management of CHA as there are no high quality RCTs and/ or multiple consistent non-RCTs without methodological flaws. There is poor evidence to support PRF for CHA as there are no high quality RCTs or Non-RCTs.
Performance analysis and service differentiation in IEEE 802.11 WLAN

This paper presents an analytical model for saturation throughput of IEEE 802.11 distributed coordination function (DCF) with multiple classes of service based on varying the parameters used in medium access control. In particular, we show that relative service differentiation can easily be achieved by varying the initial contention window alone. The simulation results show the validity of this model.
Lid Margins: Sensitivity, Staining, Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, and Symptoms

Purpose. Ocular surface sensitivity plays a role in dry eye and ocular comfort through its probable influence on the neural feedback loop that regulates tear secretion, but little is known specifically about the role of lid or lid margin sensitivity in ocular surface health. The aim of this study was to characterize the eyelid margin and explore the relationships between lid margin sensitivity and staining, meibomian gland dysfunction, tear osmolarity, and ocular symptoms. A secondary aim was to look for differences and associations between lower- and upper-lid characteristics. Methods. Pilot study involving 27 healthy subjects (7 men, 20 women; mean age: 31 ± 14 years). Measurements included ocular symptoms (Ocular Surface Disease Index, Dry Eye Questionnaire), tear osmolarity, lid margin staining (fluorescein and lissamine green), meibomian gland dysfunction, and mechanical sensitivity of lower and upper lids. Results. Lower-lid margins were more sensitive (45.0 ± 13.2 vs. 40.0 ± 14.7 mm; p = 0.02) and displayed more staining (1.5 ± 1.0 vs. 0.2 ± 0.6, p < 0.001), but less evidence of meibomian gland dysfunction (2.0 ± 2.8 vs. 7.3 ± 6.2, p < 0.001), than upper-lid margins. Lid margin staining was more frequent in lower than upper lids (78% vs. 15% of subjects). Tear osmolarity correlated with upper-lid staining (r = 0.41, p = 0.04) and lower-lid sensitivity (r = 0.46, p = 0.02). Lid sensitivity was also inversely correlated with meibomian gland dysfunction at the lower lid (r = −0.51, p = 0.01). Surprisingly, there were no associations between symptoms and lid staining. Conclusions. Our study highlighted clear clinical differences between the lower and upper lids and demonstrated, for the first time, significant relationships between tear osmolarity and lid characteristics, including lid sensitivity.
Characterization and detection of edges by Lipschitz exponents and MASW wavelet transform

This paper is an improvement of Mallat's work (1992). The characterization of edges by Lipschitz exponents and wavelet transform has been studied in this paper A significant property has been proved and applied to identify different structures of edges, and an algorithm with the modulus-angle-separated wavelets (MASW) has been developed in this paper to extract step-structure edges from a multistructure-edges image effectively. Experiments have been conducted and excellent results have been achieved.
Prognostic value of the trichorhinophalangeal syndrome-1 (TRPS-1), a GATA family transcription factor, in early-stage breast cancer.

BACKGROUND TRPS-1 is a new GATA transcription factor that is differentially expressed in breast cancer (BC) where it been found recently to regulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). PATIENTS AND METHODS We carried out a quantitative immunohistochemistry (qIHC) analysis of TRPS-1 expression in 341 primary-stage I-III BC samples in relation to patient clinical characteristics as well as its prognostic value, especially in an estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) subgroup. RESULTS Higher TRPS-1 expression was significantly associated with a number of clinical and pathological characteristics as well as with improved overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Among stage I/II ER+ BC patients who received endocrine therapy alone, those with high TRPS-1 expression had significantly longer OS and DFS. There was also a strong association between TRPS-1 levels and the EMT marker E-cadherin in the ER+ invasive ductal carcinoma cases. Analysis of gene expression data on a panel of BC lines found that TRPS-1 expression was low or absent in BC lines having enriched mesenchymal features. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicated that TRPS-1 is an independent prognostic marker in early-stage BC and a new EMT marker that can distinguish patients with ER+ BC who will respond longer to adjuvant endocrine therapy.
Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. A case-control study of potential risk factors.

OBJECTIVE To determine the influence of certain potential risk factors on the occurrence of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. DESIGN Case-control using 2 independent control groups, one involving a geographically defined population and the other involving patients who underwent a routine comprehensive medical evaluation. SETTING Multispecialty clinic in a rural setting providing primary, secondary, and tertiary care for residents of central and northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. PATIENTS Fifty-one patients older than 45 years with first ever acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Potential risk factors defined using standardized definitions abstracted from the medical records, including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, coronary artery disease, tobacco use, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, body mass index, hematocrit, and white blood cell count. METHODS Conditional logistic regression analyses, first using a univariate analysis and then employing a multivariate analysis using a forward selection process. RESULTS The geographically defined case-control multivariate analysis revealed that diabetes (odds ratio = 2.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.2-6.3, P = .02) and body mass index (odds ratio = 1.07, 95% confidence interval = 1.00-1.14, P = .08) were associated with case status. The comprehensive case-control multivariate analysis revealed that only diabetes (odds ratio = 5.0, 95% confidence interval = 1.4-17.3, P = .01) was a significant risk factor. The attributable risk estimation for diabetes was 0.21 and 0.27 for the geographically defined and comprehensive controls, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Diabetes seems to be a major risk factor for the development of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. The low attributable risk estimation suggests that factors other than diabetes are important in the development of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy or in predisposing individuals to it.
The Internet as an alternative path to internationalization

Purpose – While the internet enjoys increasing interest regarding its potential to extend the global reach of firms, especially small and medium‐sized firms (SMEs), little work has been done on the viability of the internet as a new and effective path to internationalization. Specifically, it is unclear how the internet can successfully support export marketing. The purpose of this paper is to examine the drivers and performance outcomes of two patterns of internet use supporting export marketing: the internet as an alternative to a physical presence and the internet as a sales channel.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 115UK‐based SMEs involved in “active online internationalization”. Relationships are examined in a “soft‐modeling” partial least squares (PLS) analysis.Findings – The findings suggest that online channel support positively enhances export performance for SMEs. Yet, the use of the internet as an alternative to a physical market presence does not lead to higher export per.
Intervertebral Foramen Venous Obstruction: A Cause of Periradicular Fibrosis?

Disc herniation into the intervertebral foramen (IVF) or osteophytic outgrowths from the margins of the apophyseal joints that project into the IVF may compress the neural structures, but in this cadaveric study of 160 lumbar foramens (age range, 35–91 years), the authors have found that they were much more commonly associated with compression and distortion of the large venous plexus within the IVF. In the absence of direct nerve compression (seen in only eight specimens), the most severe neural changes were associated with compression, congestion, and resultant dilatation of foraminal veins. Pathologic changes within and around the nerve root complex included peri- and intraneural fibrosis, edema of nerve roots, and focal demyelination. Inflammatory cells were notably absent. Vascular changes within the thickened fibrous sheath about damaged nerves, namely, basement membrane thickening, suggestive of endothelial cell injury also were observed. The association between vascular compression, tissue fibrosis, and endothelial injury distant from the compression may be causal—probably due to ischemia as a result of reduced venous outflow. Such observations have led the authors to propose that venous obstruction may be an important pathogenic mechanism in the development of perineural and intraneural fibrosis.
Patients' Experience After a Fall and Their Perceptions of Fall Prevention: A Qualitative Study

An exploratory descriptive study was conducted to explore the perspectives of patients who had fallen in the hospital; 100 patients were interviewed. An inductive content analysis approach was adopted. Six themes emerged: Apathetic toward falls, self-blame behavior, reluctance to impose on busy nurses, negative feelings toward nurses, overestimating own ability, and poor retention of information. Patients often downplayed the risks of falls and were reluctant to call for help.
Monovalent cation/proton antiporters in membrane vesicles from Bacillus alcalophilus.

Alkalophilic bacilli maintain a cytoplasmic pH that is lower than optimal external pH values. The current study, using isolated membrane vesicles from Bacillus alcalophilus, indicates that respiration results in proton extrusion as in other organisms. Cation/proton antiporters then catalyze inward proton movements. Upon energization with ascorbate/N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine, Na'-loaded membrane vesicles from B. alcalophilus exhibited a transmembrane pH gradient (ApH, inside acid) over a range of external pH values from 8 to 10.5; above pH 11, ApH was zero. A transmembrane electrical potential (A$, inside negative), increasing from -125 to -135 mV from pH 8 to 11.5, was observed. Over the same pH range, the internal and external pH values of K'-loaded vesicles were equal (ApH = 0), and the A$ declined from -125 to -98 mV. Vesicles that were prepared without Na' or K' exhibited a small ApH, inside alkaline, and a A$, inside negative, of -64 to -100 mV. These observations are compatible with the presence of: a K+/H+ antiporter which exchanges the protons that are extruded during respiration for K'; and a Na+/H+ antiporter which acidifies the intravesicular space relative to the external medium. Indeed, everted vesicles catalyzed net proton extrusion and Na' accumulation that were dependent upon a A$ and were half-maximal at a Na' concentration of about 0.7 m ~ . Whole cells of a nonalkalophilic strain of B. alcalophilus had been found to lack both Na+ efflux activity and the ability to grow above pH 9.0. Vesicles from this mutant strain lacked Na+/H+ antiporter activity, while still exhibiting apparent K'/H' antiporter activity. Thus, studies of vesicles from both mutant and wild type strains indicate that the ability of B. alcalophilus to maintain an internal pH that is lower than the external pH is related to the activity of the Na'/H' antiporter.
The Times of Their Lives: from Chronological Precision to Kinds of History and Change

In preparing for the publication of the seven papers in the special supplement of Cambridge Archaeological Journal, we were concerned to find an outlet that could find a worldwide audience, as we believe that these papers have more than regional or period significance. That is a big claim. The case studies presented in the supplement are all of early Neolithic long barrows and long cairns of the fourth millennium cal. bc in southern England. Why should a study of the dating of constructions that held the remains of selected human dead, from a particular region of northwest Europe, at a particular point in the regional Neolithic sequence, have any wider importance? We offer two reasons. First, we are applying, perhaps for the first time to a group of monuments rather than to individual sites, a method for the interpretation of radiocarbon dates which enables much more precise estimates of chronology. Secondly, from this promise of far more robust and precise dating come many implications for the kinds of agents that we may wish to people our pasts, for the kinds of lives they lived, and for the histories that we can try to write about them. These are two developments, we suggest, which any archaeology needs to embrace.
Functional representation of tissue phantom ratios for photon fields.

PURPOSE The tissue phantom ratio (TPR) is a common dosimetric quantity used in photon dose calculations. For small photon fields with side lengths less than 4 cm, TPR data hardly exist in literature. In this work, a self-contained functional representation of TPR is proposed, valid for the whole range of clinically relevant depth and field sizes. This is especially useful for small fields shaped by multileaf collimators. METHODS TPRs were measured for quadratic fields with side lengths between 0.4 and 18 cm. The measured data were fitted to a physically meaningful function taking electron buildup, buildup of scattered photons, beam attenuation, and beam hardening into account. The achievable accuracy was tested against measurement and data from the literature. RESULTS A set of parameters for the proposed function was derived for 6 and 10 MV beams. The comparison of the calculated and the measured data generally yielded a difference of less than 1%. For field sizes below 2 cm, a systematic discrepancy between the author's data and those from Cheng et al. [Med. Phys 34, 3149-3157 (2007)] was found. CONCLUSIONS With the proposed model, TPRs can be calculated for the full range of field sizes and depths required by treatment planning system algorithms and monitor unit check programs with very high accuracy. The method is also useful in detecting and reducing errors in measurement.
Risk indicators of periodontal disease in older Thai adults.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to identify risk indicators for periodontitis using cross-sectional data from a group of older Thai adults. METHODS The study group consisted of 2,005 individuals, aged 50 to 73 years old. They received detailed medical examinations and periodontal examinations including plaque score, probing depth, and clinical attachment level. These individuals were categorized into mild, moderate, or severe periodontitis if mean clinical attachment level was <2.5 mm, 2.5 to 3.9 mm, or > or = 4.0 mm, respectively. The degree of association between the severity of periodontitis and various independent variables was investigated using multinomial logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The percentage of subjects classified as mild, moderate, and severe periodontitis was 30.5, 53.6, and 15.9, respectively. The prevalence of severe periodontitis was higher in males and increased with age. In univariate analysis, older subjects, males, less educated persons, persons with lower income, persons with higher plaque score, smokers, drinkers, and diabetics were more likely to have both moderate and severe periodontitis. In multivariate analysis, males, less educated persons, persons with higher plaque score, and current smokers were more likely to have moderate periodontitis. Three additional factors including older age, former smokers, and diabetes significantly increased the odds for having severe periodontitis. Income, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and waist circumference had no significant effects on periodontal disease severity in the multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that age, gender, education, oral hygiene status, smoking, and diabetes are significantly associated with periodontal disease severity in this study group. Longitudinal studies will establish whether these variables are true risk factors.