Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fine structural observations of ruthenium red binding in developing and adult rat lung

The ruthenium red staining technique of Luft ('71b) was utilized in an electron microscopic investigation of developing and adult rat lung. Electron‐dense deposits of ruthenium red‐positive material were observed on all exposed surfaces of the tissue block, regardless of the stage of development. In the more central areas of the block, sites of ruthenium red binding changed with age. In early prenatal lung (days 16 to 20) dense accumulations of ruthenium red‐positive material were found in association with the basement membranes of endodermal epithelial cells. Ruthenium red binding was also observed between adjacent epithelial cells; however, their luminal surfaces were negative. The main intracellular site of ruthenium red binding in intact cells was the lamellar body of the developing type II pulmonary epithelial cells. By day 21 of development, accumulations of granular product were observed in association with most lamellar bodies, as well as on epithelial cell luminal surfaces. Ruthenium red binding in postnatal tissue decreases with increasing age. By the second postnatal week, the predominant site of binding is the luminal surface of the type I and type II pulmonary epithelial cells. When compared to fetal and early neonatal stages, adult rat lung has a still more limited distribution of ruthenium red‐positive material. Changes in the distribution of ruthenium red‐positive material correlate with numerous morphologic and biochemical events in rat lung development.
Six-month treatment with alendronate in acute Charcot neuroarthropathy: a randomized controlled trial.

Charcot neuroarthropathy is defined by painful or relatively painless bone and joint deformity in limbs that have lost sensory innervation (1). The incidence is ∼0.1–5% in diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy (2,3). The pathogenesis of Charcot neuroarthropathy is unknown (1,4). In acute Charcot neuroarthropathy, osteoclast activity increases (5). Alendronate is a bisphosphonate that induces the apoptosis of the osteoclasts (6). The utilization of the alendronate could improve the clinical signs of acute Charcot neuroarthropathy and stop bone reabsorption. A total of 20 consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of acute painful Charcot neuroarthropathy were enrolled after the approval of the ethics committee. The patients gave informed consent. Acute Charcot neuroarthropathy was defined on the basis of at least three of the following clinical signs: edema, erythema, and skin temperature increase of 2°C compared with contralateral foot (temperature was measured using an infrared thermometer [Riester] at the site of the maximum deformity of the affected foot and on a similar site on the contralateral foot), deformity, tenderness, abnormal motility, and palpatory crunches. According to a blinded randomization, 11 patients, who were treated with 70 mg alendronate by mouth once a week (test group), and 9 control subjects were followed for 6 months. All patients received a total contact cast boot for the first 2 months and pneumatic walker for …
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) deficient mice are protected from adipose tissue inflammation in aging

Adipose tissue (AT) inflammation is a central mechanism for metabolic dysfunction in both diet-induced obesity and age-associated obesity. Studies in diet-induced obesity have characterized the role of Fetuin A (Fet A) in Free Fatty Acids (FFA)-mediated TLR4 activation and adipose tissue inflammation. However, the role of Fet A & TLR4 in aging-related adipose tissue inflammation is unknown. In the current study, analysis of epidymymal fat pads of C57/Bl6 male mice, we found that, in contrast to data from diet-induced obesity models, adipose tissue from aged mice have normal Fet A and TLR4 expression. Interestingly, aged TLR4-deficient mice have diminished adipose tissue inflammation compared to normal controls. We further demonstrated that reduced AT inflammation in old TLR4-deficient mice is linked to impaired ER stress, augmented autophagy activity, and diminished senescence phenomenon. Importantly, old TLR4-deficient mice have improved glucose tolerance compared to age-matched wild type mice, suggesting that the observed reduced AT inflammation in aged TLR4-deficient mice has important physiological consequences. Taken together, our present study establishes novel aspect of aging-associated AT inflammation that is distinct from diet-induced AT inflammation. Our results also provide strong evidence that TLR4 plays a significant role in promoting aging adipose tissue inflammation.
How Much Do Marine Connectivity Fluctuations Matter?

There is growing awareness that fluctuations in larval flux (connectivity) depress the long-run growth of marine metapopulations, but by how much is unclear. Here, we explore how reproductive schedule and larval behavior affect how much connectivity fluctuations depress growth. We combine larval dispersal simulations from the Florida Keys with theoretical results to calculate the effect of fluctuations on bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus). We find that fluctuations depress growth only slightly (∼2%), but the effect would be much stronger for an organism that spawned only part of the year. Larval behavior can also matter, as vertical migration allows larvae to become entrained in eddies. Eddies synchronize connectivity fluctuations, further decreasing growth. However, here, they also divide the Keys into largely independently fluctuating regions, mitigating the effects of local synchrony. Therefore, in situations where connectivity fluctuations matter, the presence of independently fluctuating regions due to larval behavior may be important.
Prevalence of tuberculosis on health care workers in Uli Community , Ihiala local government area of Anambra State , Nigeria

Tuberculosis remains a global health threat, even now that the infection has been under control to a great extent. Tuberculosis is caused by bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis which attacks the lung. Its symptoms include; loss of weight and appetites, fever, weakness, fatigue and night sweat, it can be transmitted when someone with an active tuberculosis sneezes, coughs, or releases a respiratory fluids. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis on health care workers in Uli Community, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state. Ziehl-neelsen techniques of staining Acid Fast Bacilli on sputum were used. The result obtained showed that of 100 health workers sampled from seven medical centres in Uli community, 90(90%) respondents tested negative while 10(10%) respondents tested positive for Tuberculosis. There was significant association between age, occupation and tuberculosis positivity. Laboratory attendants have highest rate of positive test result of 5(23.8%) compared with other occupational groups, while doctors recorded no infection 0(0.0%). The over-all rate of infection is (10%). The over-all percentage infection rate showed that prevalence of tuberculosis on health workers in Uli community was found to be relatively low. Tuberculosis can occur in children and adults; it can be diagnosed, treated and prevented. Isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethambuton and rifampicin are drugs used for tuberculosis treatment. Therefore, poor personal hygiene, good leadership, increased standard of living especially in poor ruler areas, completing medication and room ventilation are all preventive measures.
Self-assembly of human papillomavirus type 1 capsids by expression of the L1 protein alone or by coexpression of the L1 and L2 capsid proteins

Vaccinia virus vectors were used to express the major (L1) and minor (L2) capsid proteins of human papillomavirus type 1 (HPV-1) with the vaccinia virus early (p7.5K) or late (pSynth, p11K) promoters. All constructs expressed the appropriate-sized HPV proteins, and both L1 and L2, singly or in combination, localized to the nucleus. Capsids were purified by cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation from nuclei of cells infected with a vaccinia virus-L1 (vac-L1) recombinant or a vac-L1-L2 recombinant but not from vac-L2-infected cells. Electron microscopy showed that the particles were 55 nm in diameter and had icosahedral symmetry. Immunogold-labeled antibodies confirmed the presence of the L1 and L2 proteins in the HPV-1 capsids. Capsids containing L1 alone were fewer and more variable in size and shape than capsids containing the L1 and L2 proteins. The L1-plus-L2 capsids were indistinguishable in appearance from HPV-1 virions obtained from plantar warts. The ability to produce HPV capsids in vitro will be useful in many studies of HPV pathogenicity.
A General Framework for Sparsity Regularized Feature Selection via Iteratively Reweighted Least Square Minimization

A variety of feature selection methods based on sparsity regularization have been developed with different loss functions and sparse regularization functions. Capitalizing on the existing sparsity regularized feature selection methods, we propose a general sparsity feature selection (GSR-FS) algorithm that optimizes a ℓ2,r (0 < r ≤ 2) based loss function with a ℓ2,p-norm (0 < p ≤ 2) sparse regularization. The ℓ2,r-norm (0 <
Recovery and Sequence Analysis of Hepatitis A Virus from Springwater Implicated in an Outbreak of Acute Viral Hepatitis

ABSTRACT An outbreak of acute hepatitis A virus in North Carolina was linked to drinking water from a contaminated shallow spring by phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis A virus (HAV) genomic sequences. Detection of HAV and fecal indicators in the water provided useful and timely information to assist with public health prevention and control measures.
NONWORD REPETITION ACCURACY OF CHILDREN WITH BILATERAL COCHLEAR IMPLANTS : EFFECTS OF AGE AND VOCABULARY SIZE by

Within the population of children with profound hearing loss, children who use cochlear implants (CIs) have much better speech and language development than children who use hearing aids. However, CI users still perform more poorly than children with normal hearing (NH). Few studies have examined nonword repetition accuracy in children with CIs, although this measure is important because of its relationship to vocabulary development. This study analyzes initial consonant accuracy in real words and nonwords for 18 children with bilateral CIs between age 4;0 and 9;2 and for two comparison groups of children with NH. The accuracy of word-initial singletons /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/ and word-initial clusters /tw/, /kw/, and /kj/ in real words and nonwords were examined. Results indicate that consonant production in children with CIs is comparable to their hearing age peers with NH in many respects. However, consonant accuracy in real words and nonwords was not correlated with vocabulary size in children with CIs, although this correlation was observed for children with NH. These results will be discussed with respect to word learning in children with CIs.
The intellectual and the masses: a sidelight on Lorca's Poeta en Nueva York

Most commentators on Lorca's Poeta en Nueva York point to the clash of cultures as a key element in the making of the collection: the shock and scandal of a Spanish writer ill at ease in the vast metropolis represented by New York at the end of the 1920s. This article, however, views Lorca's horror and alienation as similar to the disgust for the city and for crowds that is a preoccupation of many modernist authors, in particular those writing in English. The article will consequently draw attention to a number of parallels between Lorca's collection and the work of his English-speaking predecessors and contemporaries, as highlighted in John Carey's The Intellectuals and the Masses. Poeta en Nueva York emerges as a myopic and ungenerous view of humanity, and, as such, is definitively a work of its time.
A Lexicon-based Approach for Sentiment Classification of Amazon Books Reviews in Italian Language

: We present a system aimed at the automatic classiﬁcation of the sentiment orientation expressed into book reviews written in Italian language. The system we have developed is found on a lexicon-based approach and uses NLP techniques in order to take into account the linguistic relation between terms in the analyzed texts. The classiﬁcation of a review is based on the average sentiment strenght of its sentences, while the classiﬁcation of each sentence is obtained through a parsing process inspecting, for each term, a window of previous items to detect particular combinations of elements giving inversions or variations of polarity. The score of a single word depends on all the associated meanings considering also semantically related concepts as synonyms and hyperonims. Concepts associated to words are extracted from a proper stratiﬁcation of linguistic resources that we adopt to solve the problems of lack of an opinion lexicon speciﬁcally tailored on the Italian language. The system has been prototyped by using Python language and it has been tested on a dataset of reviews crawled from Amazon.it, the Italian Amazon website. Experiments show that the proposed system is able to automatically classify both positive and negative reviews, with an average accuracy of above 82%.
OLIVE: A Simple Method for Estimating Betas When Factors Are Measured with Error

We propose a simple and intuitive method for estimating betas when factors are measured with error: ordinary least squares instrumental variable estimator (OLIVE). OLIVE performs well when the number of instruments becomes large, while the performance of conventional instrumental variable methods becomes poor or even infeasible. In an empirical application, OLIVE beta estimates improve R-squared significantly. More importantly, our results help resolve two puzzling findings in the prior literature: first, the sign of average risk premium on the beta for market return changes from negative to positive; second, the estimated value of average zero-beta rate is no longer too high.
Constitutive Expression of Rice MicroRNA528 Alters Plant Development and Enhances Tolerance to Salinity Stress and Nitrogen Starvation in Creeping Bentgrass1[OPEN]

miRNA miR528 affects plant development and plant response to salt stress and nitrogen starvation. MicroRNA528 (miR528) is a conserved monocot-specific small RNA that has the potential of mediating multiple stress responses. So far, however, experimental functional studies of miR528 are lacking. Here, we report that overexpression of a rice (Oryza sativa) miR528 (Osa-miR528) in transgenic creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) alters plant development and improves plant salt stress and nitrogen (N) deficiency tolerance. Morphologically, miR528-overexpressing transgenic plants display shortened internodes, increased tiller number, and upright growth. Improved salt stress resistance is associated with increased water retention, cell membrane integrity, chlorophyll content, capacity for maintaining potassium homeostasis, CATALASE activity, and reduced ASCORBIC ACID OXIDASE (AAO) activity; while enhanced tolerance to N deficiency is associated with increased biomass, total N accumulation and chlorophyll synthesis, nitrite reductase activity, and reduced AAO activity. In addition, AsAAO and COPPER ION BINDING PROTEIN1 are identified as two putative targets of miR528 in creeping bentgrass. Both of them respond to salinity and N starvation and are significantly down-regulated in miR528-overexpressing transgenics. Our data establish a key role that miR528 plays in modulating plant growth and development and in the plant response to salinity and N deficiency and indicate the potential of manipulating miR528 in improving plant abiotic stress resistance.
Phthalate Exposure in Girls During Early Puberty

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of phthalate ester metabolites in girls in early puberty, and the associated environmental factors for phthalate exposure. A case-control study was conducted in which we recruited girls in early puberty, including 30 girls with premature thelarche (PT) and 26 with central precocious puberty (CPP), and 33 normal controls. The mean urine levels of monomethyl phthalate (MMP) were significantly higher in the PT group (96.5 +/- 134.0 ng/ml) than in the control group (26.4 +/- 30.0 ng/ml; p = 0.005). The levels of monobutyl phthalate (MBuP) correlated with the intake of seafood, drink and the use of plastic cups. The levels of mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) correlated with the intake of seafood and meat and exposure plastic handi-wrap. Significantly higher MMP in the PT girls revealed that phthalate may be one of the environmental causes of early puberty in Taiwanese girls.
Effect of orthotopic transplantation of liver on systemic and splanchnic hemodynamics in conscious rat.

The long-term cardiovascular effects of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were studied in conscious Lewis rats with a radioactive microsphere technique. Three months after OLT with an all-suture technique for graft revascularization (s-OLT), all hemodynamic parameters were similar to control. OLT with "cuffs" fitted to the portal vein and infrahepatic inferior vena cava (c-OLT) led to prominent hemodynamic disturbances including 1) hyperkinetic circulation with increased cardiac index (CI; 22%; P < 0.05) and decreased mean arterial pressure (15%; P < 0.05) and total peripheral resistance (TPR; 28%; P < 0.05); 2) a slight increase in portal pressure (11.8 +/- 0.9 vs. 9.3 +/- 1.7 mmHg in control) and marked portal-systemic shunting (51 +/- 11 vs. 0.05 +/- 0.04% in control; P < 0.05); 3) increased hepatic arterial blood flow (0.49 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.27 +/- 0.04 ml.min-1.g liver wt-1; P < 0.05); 4) splanchnic vasodilation with vascular resistance significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the liver, stomach, and large intestine; and 5) increased blood flow and decreased vascular resistance in the kidneys and heart. Ganglionic blockade with chlorisondamine (5 mg/kg body wt iv) indicated that the increase in CI seen in the c-OLT rats was probably sympathetically mediated, whereas the increase in renal blood flow was a reflection of the increase in CI. After ganglionic blocker administration, TPR and regional vascular resistances decreased to approximately the same extent in the control and c-OLT groups, indicating that vascular sympathetic tone was unchanged in the c-OLT rats. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Improved Survival and Preserved Antiviral Responses After Combination Therapy With Daclizumab and Infliximab in Steroid-refractory Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Patients with steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) have a high mortality due to infections and progressive aGVHD. We investigated the combined use of 2 monoclonal antibodies (Mabs), daclizumab and infliximab in steroid-refractory aGVHD to selectively control the proliferation of alloreactive T cells and to target 2 different points in the cytokine cascade responsible for this complication. Twenty-two consecutive children who developed 25 episodes of steroid-refractory aGVHD after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at our institution between September 2002 and July 2007 were treated with combination Mab therapy. Nineteen out of 22 patients responded, with a median response time of 15 days from the start of Mab therapy. Seven patients developed recurrent GVHD, 3 of whom received a second course of Mabs. Seven out of 22 patients developed chronic GVHD. There were 13 episodes of viral reactivations, 4 patients developed probable fungal infections. Impressively, however, there were only 2 infection-related deaths. Interferon-γ enzyme-linked immunospot assays on selected patients showed preservation of responses to cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus and the ability to mount de novo responses to these pathogens after Mab therapy. At a median follow-up of 31 months, 15 of the 22 (68%) children are alive. The causes of death were progressive GVHD (3), obliterative bronchiolitis (2), and sepsis (2). These data suggest that combination treatment with daclizumab and infliximab is an effective therapeutic option for patients with steroid-refractory GVHD and seems to be associated with a low infection-related mortality compared with previous therapies.
Factores condicionantes de la presión fiscal de las entidades de crédito españolas, ¿existen diferencias entre bancos y cajas de ahorros?

RESUMEN El presente trabajo analiza los factores determinantes del Tipo Impositivo Efectivo (TIE) soportado en el sector bancario español por razón del Impuesto sobre Sociedades, utilizando un panel de datos de 55 bancos y 51 cajas de ahorros durante el período 1993–2004. Los resultados muestran que el TIE soportado por las entidades bancarias es diez puntos porcentuales inferior al tipo de gravamen general. Nuestro análisis pone de manifiesto que esta menor carga impositiva y, en consecuencia recaudación efectiva, está condicionada por el tipo de entidad—banco o caja—y por la composición de su activo y pasivo. De forma concreta, se observa que las entidades de mayor tamaño, menores fondos propios y mayor inmovilizado soportan una menor carga impositiva, mientras que aquellas con rentabilidad económica más alta presentan mayores TIEs. También se constata que las relaciones entre el TIE y sus factores determinantes varían según el tipo de entidad considerada.
The detection of preclinical Parkinson's disease: What is the role of positron emission tomography?

On clinical criteria alone, the diagnosis of early Parkinson's disease can be difficult and, by definition, the prospective recognition of preclinical Parkinson's disease is impossible. Positron emission tomography (PET) using [18F]dopa as tracer has been proposed as a means of identifying patients with preclinical disease. The number of subjects detected to date has been few; most have been identified by serendipity or during the course of family studies. This review examines the significance of a single abnormal scan in an apparently healthty subject in terms of the relationship between normal and abnormal values and the time course of the disease.
Benchmarking Banking Sector Efficiency Across Regional Blocks in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Room for Policy?

This paper examines the determinants of net interest margins in four regional blocks in Sub-Saharan Africa and one comparator block in the Eastern Caribbean. Using bank-level data, we find that countries with a high level of operating costs, a high ratio of equity to total assets and high treasury bill interest rates have higher net interest margins. Moreover, high operating costs are associated with low measures of institutional quality and a small size of bank operations. We find support for the view that market structure is also partly responsible for high net interest margins in Sub-Saharan Africa. If interpreted causally, high operating costs and a high ratio of equity to total assets and, indirectly, institutional factors such as the rule of law, are the most important factors in accounting for high interest margins in the East African Community, relative to other regions.