Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
p53 Expression in Triple Negative Breast Carcinomas: Evidence of Age-Related and Racial Differences

Triple negative breast carcinomas (TNBC), are defined by the absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression. The majority of TNBC are “basal-like”, a group originally defined by studies of mRNA gene expression profiles, but increasingly defined in the clinic by using surrogate markers such as CK 5/6. However, not all TNBC are basal-like. It is postulated that these subcategories of TNBC have distinct underlying biologies that drive their ultimate behavior, and response to treatment, with important implications for designing appropriate targeted therapies. In this study we report that within our cohort of 197 TNBC, distinct groups were identified that varied by CK 5/6 and p53 expression based on age and race. We propose that awareness of CK5/6 and p53 expression in younger and AA TNBC patients may facilitate identifying patients with unique tumor subtypes and may lead to better use of targeted therapies in this group of aggressive breast cancers.
Sub-chronic administration of the 11β-HSD1 inhibitor, carbenoxolone, improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in mice with diet-induced obesity

Abstract We have examined the metabolic effects of daily administration of carbenoxolone (CBX), a naturally occurring 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD1) inhibitor, in mice with high fat diet-induced insulin resistance and obesity. Eight-week-old male Swiss TO mice placed on a synthetic high fat diet received daily intraperitoneal injections of either saline vehicle or CBX over a 16-day period. Daily administration of CBX had no effect on food intake, but significantly lowered body weight (1.1- to 1.2-fold) compared to saline-treated controls. Non-fasting plasma glucose levels were significantly decreased (1.6-fold) by CBX treatment on day 4 and remained lower throughout the treatment period. Circulating plasma corticosterone levels were not significantly altered by CBX treatment. Plasma glucose concentrations of CBX-treated mice were significantly reduced (1.4-fold) following an intraperitoneal glucose load compared with saline controls. Similarly, after 16-day treatment with CBX, exogenous insulin evoked a significantly greater reduction in glucose concentrations (1.4- to 1.8-fold). 11β-HSD1 gene expression was significantly down-regulated in liver, whereas glucocorticoid receptor gene expression was increased in both liver and adipose tissue following CBX treatment. The reduced body weight and improved metabolic control in mice with high fat diet-induced obesity upon daily CBX administration highlights the potential value of selective 11β-HSD1 inhibition as a new route for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Protective effect of citicoline against aluminum-induced cognitive impairments in rats

The potential protective effect of citicoline on aluminum chloride-induced cognitive deficits was investigated in rats. In a Morris water maze, administration of aluminum chloride to rats for 90 days resulted in increased escape latency to reach the platform and decreased swimming speed in acquisition trials. Similarly, in probe trials, the time required to reach the hidden platform was increased and the time spent in the target quadrant was reduced. Also, administration of aluminum chloride to rats for 90 days increased the reference and working memory errors and time required to end the task in the radial arm maze. In addition, this treatment decreased the step-through latency in the passive avoidance test. Concurrently, treatment of rats with aluminum chloride for 90 days increased hippocampal glutamate, malondialdehyde, and nitrite levels and decreased intracellular reduced glutathione level. In the citicoline-treated group, aluminum chloride-induced learning and memory impairments as assessed by the Morris water maze, radial arm maze, and passive avoidance tests were inhibited. At the same time, treatment of rats with citicoline prevented the biochemical alterations induced by aluminum chloride in the hippocampus. It can be concluded that elevation of hippocampal glutamate level with consequent oxidative stress and nitric oxide (NO) overproduction may play an important role in aluminum-induced cognitive impairments. Also, our results suggest, for the first time, that citicoline can protect against the development of these cognitive deficits through inhibition of aluminum-induced elevation of glutamate level, oxidative stress, and NO overproduction in the hippocampus.
Information Exchange in Swidden Communities of West Kalimantan: Lessons for Designing REDD+

SUMMARY Forested areas of Kalimantan, Indonesia, are often inhabited by swiddeners, and are also targeted by a range of interventions related to development and forest conservation, including REDD+. Whether these interventions are adopted, adapted or rejected by the local people is linked to the varying degrees of access to information that different types of households have, which also leads to unequal sharing of the associated benefits. This paper analyses factors influencing household access to agriculture and forestry-related information using quantitative and qualitative methods in three communities in West-Kalimantan, and draws lessons for designing REDD+. Household socio-economic characteristics (origin, status, migration patterns) and the divide between sub-groups in the communities (caused by origin, opinions, residential location, and relationships) were found to influence household access to information. Suggestions for improved REDD+ information exchange include: having more targeted and incentivised REDD+ activities; encouraging more equitable information sharing; and taking better account of local realities while designing REDD+.
Breaking the cartel: the geography of the electoral support of new parties in Italy and Spain

The factors explaining the emergence and electoral success of new parties have been investigated extensively on a cross-national basis, but little is known about why their vote shares differ within a specific country at any given time. This article is an attempt to fill this gap by examining the determinants of electoral support of Podemos and Movimento 5 Stelle across Spanish and Italian municipalities. Using empirical evidence from the 2014 European Parliament elections, we show that a bad economic situation at the local level increases the vote shares of these parties. We also demonstrate that these parties perform better in towns where abstention rates have previously increased, and the population is comparatively younger, and the possible existence of interaction effects between all these factors.
Multiple‐locus variable number tandem repeats analysis for genetic fingerprinting of pathogenic bacteria

DNA fingerprinting has attracted considerable interest as means for identifying, tracing and preventing the dissemination of infectious agents. Various methods have been developed for typing of pathogenic bacteria, which differ in discriminative power, reproducibility and ease of interpretation. During recent years a typing method, which uses the information provided by whole genome sequencing of bacterial species, has gained increased attention. Short sequence repeat (SSR) motifs are known to undergo frequent variation in the number of repeated units through cellular mechanisms most commonly active during chromosome replication. A class of SSRs, named variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs), has proven to be a suitable target for assessing genetic polymorphisms within bacterial species. This review attempts to give an overview of bacterial agents where VNTR‐based typing, or multiple‐locus variant‐repeat analysis (MLVA) has been developed for typing purposes, together with addressing advantages and drawbacks associated with the use of tandem repeated DNA motifs as targets for bacterial typing and identification.
Clustering-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of nephrin by Src family kinases.

BACKGROUND Nephrin is a recently discovered protein of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily. In the kidney, it is located at the slit diaphragm, which forms the decisive size-selective filter of glomerular ultrafiltration barrier and locates between the interdigitating foot processes of podocytes. Nephrin is mutated in congenital nephrosis of the Finnish type (NPHS1) and has been demonstrated to be an essential component of the slit diaphragm. Based on its domain structure, nephrin is likely to be a cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion protein that may have a signaling function. In this study, we hypothesized that the clustering of nephrin with antibodies on cell surface mimics the situation where the interaction between nephrin and its extracellular ligand(s) is altered. METHODS Nephrin was clustered on the surface of stably transfected HEK293 cells by a monoclonal antinephrin antibody and polyclonal secondary antibody. Clusters were visualized by immunofluorescence microscopy. Changes in protein phosphorylation were studied employing immunoprecipitations and Western blot analysis. A specific inhibitor and cotransfection experiments were used to investigate role of Src family kinases in nephrin phosphorylation. RESULTS Clustering of nephrin induced its own tyrosine phosphorylation. This phosphorylation was inhibited by PP2, an inhibitor of Src family kinases. Several members of Src family kinases were able to induce nephrin phosphorylation when cotransfected to HEK293 cells with nephrin. Moreover, the Src family kinase Fyn was consistently found to be coimmunoprecipitated with nephrin. Interestingly, clustering of nephrin induced also tyrosine phosphorylation of a 46 kD protein that was as well found to be coimmunoprecipitated with nephrin. CONCLUSION Nephrin is a signaling protein phosphorylated by Src family kinases.
Surgical technique for ambulatory management of airsacculitis in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).

PURPOSE Bacterial infections of the air sac have been reported in many nonhuman primates. Approaches to the management of airsacculitis have included combinations of medical and surgical therapies. These strategies have often required repeated attempts to drain exudate from the affected air sac, as well as necessitating that the animal endure isolation or undergo intensive postoperative care before returning to its social group. METHODS A stoma was created via deliberate apposition of the air sac lining and skin to allow continuous drainage. Antibiotic therapy based on culture and antimicrobial susceptibility of the air sac contents was administered while the chimpanzee remained in its social group. RESULTS We were able to attain complete resolution of the infection after a course of oral antibiotic therapy. The stoma closed gradually over a three-week period, and the chimpanzee has remained free of infection since that time. CONCLUSION Despite the severity of the air sac infection in this chimpanzee, we were able to resolve the infection easily, using a simple surgical technique. This method allowed treatment without interfering with social standing or subjection to repeated anesthetic and treatment episodes. This method could be a simple, useful alternative for managing airsacculitis in nonhuman primates.
Identification of the up- and down-regulated genes in vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains Mu3 and Mu50 by cDNA differential hybridization method.

We previously reported the first vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) clinical strain, Mu50, whose cell wall is remarkably thickened resulting from the activation of cell-wall synthesis. To explore the genetic basis for the vancomycin resistance, cDNA differential hybridization was performed using RNAs extracted from a set of closely related S. aureus strains with various levels of vancomycin susceptibilities. The strains were Mu3 (MIC = 2 microg/ml), Mu50 (MIC = 8 microg/ml), and a susceptible revertant of Mu50, Mu50omega (MIC = 0.5 microg/ml). In this study, we report identification of a novel response regulator, designated vraR (standing for vancomycin-resistance associated gene R) whose transcription was remarkably up-regulated in Mu3 and Mu50 as compared to Mu50omega. Experimental over-expression of VraR in vancomycin-susceptible strain N315P raised vancomycin resistance of the strain. Also, the genes coding for fructose utilization, fatty acid metabolism, and two putative ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter genes were found to be up-regulated in Mu3 and Mu50. On the other hand, Protein A expression was suppressed in Mu50, as compared with Mu3 and Mu50omega. We consider that the response regulator vraR is one of the key regulators modulating the level of vancomycin-resistance in S. aureus. Presumed increased uptake of fructose and altered fatty acid metabolism may also contribute to vancomycin resistance by supplying more precursor metabolites for cell-wall synthesis.
Antimicrobial resistance and ophthalmic antibiotics: 1-year results of a longitudinal controlled study of patients undergoing intravitreal injections.

OBJECTIVE To determine antibiotic susceptibility patterns of conjunctival flora from patients undergoing intraocular injection for choroidal neovascularization after repeated exposure to ophthalmic antibiotics. METHODS We conducted a randomized, controlled, longitudinal study of 48 eyes of 24 patients undergoing unilateral intraocular injection for choroidal neovascularization. Bilateral conjunctival cultures from the treated eye and untreated (control) fellow eye were taken at baseline and after each injection (before the application of povidone-iodine). Patients were randomized to ofloxacin, 0.3%; azithromycin, 1%; gatifloxacin, 0.3%; or moxifloxacin hydrochloride, 0.5% and used only their assigned antibiotic after each injection. Bacterial isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility to 16 different antibiotics, and analysis of bacteria DNA was performed using pulse-field gel electrophoresis. Main outcome measures included changes in antibiotic susceptibility patterns of conjunctival flora after 1 year. RESULTS Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) cultured from eyes repeatedly exposed to fluoroquinolone antibiotics demonstrated significantly increased rates of resistance to older-generation (P = .002) and newer-generation (P < .01) fluoroquinolones. In contrast, CNS isolated from azithromycin-exposed eyes demonstrated significantly increased resistance to macrolides (95%; P < .001) and decreased resistance to older-generation (P = .03) and newer-generation (P < .001) fluoroquinolones. There were significant increases in multiple-drug resistance of CNS isolated from treated eyes, with 81.8% and 67.5% of isolates resistant to at least 3 (P = .01) and at least 5 (P = .009) antibiotics, respectively. CONCLUSION Repeated exposure of conjunctival flora to ophthalmic antibiotics selects for resistant strains. APPLICATION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Repeated use of ophthalmic antibiotics after intraocular injection promotes the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00831961.
Management of chronic hepatitis C in 2017

Summary Hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents one of the most common aetiologies of chronic liver disease and causes a major global health burden. Globally an estimated 80 million people are chronically infected, but the majority of whom is still undiagnosed. Prior to the discovery of the virus in 1989 a significant number of patients were exposed and consecutively infected with HCV via contaminated transfusions, as it is a blood-borne disease. Chronic HCV infection pursues a progressive course that ultimately results in the development of cirrhosis, liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), if left untreated. The efficiency and tolerability of therapeutical approaches improved considerably with the development of direct-acting antivirals (DAA). The majority of patients treated with the recommended DAA combinations can be cured, which is reflected in achievement of sustained virological response (SVR). This review is intended to provide guidance in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C, including recommendations for adequate screening, diagnostic procedures, clinical care, treatment and follow-up strategies.
Teachers' Perceptions of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and the Impact on Leadership Preparation: Lessons for Future Reform Efforts.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of one school’s teacher-driven professional development effort to address culturally responsive teaching practices in a large district in a Midwestern state. During the 2011-2012 school year, a team of teachers and principals began a three-year long effort to provide job-embedded professional development intended to focus on delivering high-impact strategies to transform the educational practices of teachers through improving cultural competence. A survey was given to 120 fulltime certified teachers, and findings suggest that while teachers agreed most that the professional development helped examine views on poverty, they agreed least that the professional development helped close the achievement gap. Additionally, elective and special education teachers were significantly more positive than core subject classroom teachers in terms of how the research they read improved instruction and how the professional development provided impacted building-wide faculty instruction. Analysis of open-ended items highlight several themes, namely the professional development helped teachers by acknowledging cultural differences of the students they taught, but that ultimately the challenges of lack of time and implementation apathy impeded the success of the professional development effort. These findings provide important insight for leadership preparation, particularly about supporting teacher-driven efforts, facilitating culturally responsive practices, and the reflecting on the pressures teachers face due to high stakes accountability and reform efforts.
The Impact of Pain and Other Symptoms on Quality of Life in Women With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

The purpose of this study was to assess pain, fatigue, depression, sleep disturbance, and quality of life (QOL) in women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) compared with healthy controls. A prospective, cross-sectional, matched-control study was conducted in women with RRMS compared with healthy women. Compared with healthy women, women with RRMS had (a) greater pain presence over 7 days (67%), (b) higher pain intensity, and (c) more pain interference. Pain had a negative impact on fatigue, depression, and sleep in both groups. In all participants, fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbance contributed to decreased mental QOL (mental component summary of QOL scores). Pain has significant nursing implications for women with RRMS. Pain often occurs in association with fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbance, which can lead to a decreased mental QOL.
Long-term follow-up of patients with petit mal.

THE PRESENT paper is based on a longterm study of 275 patients with petit mal. In this study an attempt was made to assess the incidence and character of other forms of epilepsy as they occur in patients with petit mal, to report the results of psychometric testing, and to obtain a critical insight into the problems of drug therapy and social prognosis for these patients. In addition, the genetic and other etiologic implications of the material will be discussed. Previous authors have covered some of these questions on the basis of smaller series. 1-5 Their conclusions will be discussed in due course, as will also some common, but less well-documented, beliefs about petit mal. Report of Cases The patients were drawn predominantly from the Seizure Clinic at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. The median duration of clinic attendance was eight years. More importantly, the ages to which patients were
Caregiver Difficulties Scale (CDS): Translation and Psychometric Evaluation Among Iranian Mothers of Cerebral Palsy Children

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate of psychometric properties of the Caregiver Difficulties Scale (CDS) for Iranian caregivers of children with cerebral palsy (CP). After a forward-backward translation, the Persian version of CDS (P-CDS) was administered to 151 Iranian mothers of CP children. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to measure the factor structure of P-CDS. The reliability was evaluated by examining internal consistency and test-retest method over a 2-week period using Cronbach's alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. The construct validity was assessed by measuring the association between the scores of the P-CDS and Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS), World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF), the Beck Depression Index (BDI II), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). The fit indices showed that the original model of CDS was relatively adequate (χ2/df = 2.03, CFI = 0.90, TLI = 0.88 and RMSEA = 0.08). All domains of P-CDS met the minimum reliability standards (Cronbach'salpha and ICC > 0.7). All subscales of P-CDS were positively correlated with the CBS, BDI-II and FSS and negatively correlated with the WHOQOL-BREF. The results showed that P-CDS is a valid and reliable measure for assessing the burden of care in Iranian mothers of CP children.
Adaptation of COST-231 Walfisch-Ikegami method to Ordu city in GSM 900 frequency band

In this study consistency of measurement results obtained for one base station in Ordu city and COST-231 Walfisch-Ikegami method is investigated. It is observed that this method and measurement results are consistent when base station antenna height is higher than building height and when the distance between buildings is regular. Measurement result are plotted and tabulated by using MATLAB. All measurements are taken in case of non line of sight.
The Influence of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Profile on Left Ventricular Geometry

Besides causing a hypertrophy in the left ventricle, hypertension results in a change in the geometry of the left ventricle. The blood pressure, which does not decrease enough during the night, leads to structural changes in the left ventricle. In this study, the influence of 24‐hour blood pressure profile on the left ventricular geometry was examined. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was applied to 60 patients with mild to moderate hypertension who had never been treated and standard echocardiographic evaluation was conducted thereafter. The patients were divided into two groups with respect to the ambulatory blood pressure profiles: the patients whose night blood pressure levels decreased by more than 10% compared to their daytime blood pressure levels (dipper) and those whose levels did not decrease that much (nondipper). The left ventricle mass index and the relative wall thickness of the patients were calculated. With respect to the left ventricle geometry, mass index and relative wall thickness of the patients were determined as: having normal geometry, concentric remodeling, eccentric hypertrophy, and concentric hypertrophy. Age, gender, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure were similar within the dipper and nondipper groups. Normal geometry, concentric remodeling, and concentric hypertrophy ratios were similar in both groups. Eccentric hypertrophy was higher in the nondipper group compared to the dipper group (42.9% vs 6.3%, P < 0.03). Patients with mild to moderate hypertension, whose blood pressure does not decrease enough, develop eccentric hypertrophy. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 21, January 2004)