Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The place of CEUS in distinguishing benign from malignant cervical lymph nodes: a prospective study.

AIMS The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) compared to gray-scale B-mode and color Doppler ultrasound in differentiate benign versus malign superficial cervical lymph nodes. MATERIAL AND METHODS In a prospective study ultrasonography (gray scale, color and spectral Dopller, and CEUS) was performed in 61 patients (33 men, 28 women; mean age of 51.2 years, range: 18-81 years), with cervical lymphadenopathy. The nodes were examined and biopsied or surgically removed. CEUS was performed with 2.4 ml intravenous bolus of contrast agent Sono Vue and the results were registered with a special software. RESULTS Of all the nodes, 32 were benign and 29 were malignant (metastases). Solbiati index was higher in benign nodes (2.23 +/- 0.84 vs 1.50 +/- 0.48, p<0.05). Doppler parameters (vessel location, vascular pattern, pedicullum number, resistivity index, and pulsatility index) were significantly lower in benign nodes (p<0.001), and ROC analysis returned excellent results. For CEUS, derived peak intensity (DPI %) was higher in benign nodes (17.72 +/- 5.43 vs 11.76 +/- 4.88, p<0.05); regional blood volume (RBV) was also higher (849.8 +/- 467.1 vs 458.3 +/- 283.3, p<0.05). The time to peak (TTP, s) and area under the curve (AUC, cm2) were similar in both benign and malignant nodes. Enhancement pattern was the most accurate to characterize benign versus malignant nodes. Sensitivity and specificity were higher for DPI, RBV and enhancement pattern from CEUS, according to ROC analysis, compared to gray scale ultrasound, but lower than color Doppler. Analyzing the place of CEUS in lymph node evaluation we found that CEUS is most useful for the evaluation of the lymph nodes with uncertain aspect at gray scale and Doppler evaluation. CONCLUSIONS ROC analysis confirmed the higher degree of diagnostic accuracy of CEUS in comparison with conventional techniques for some parameters such as enhancement pattern. Evaluation of nodal perfusion with this method can be helpful in the differentiation of benign from malignant nodes but requires further confirmation.
Changes in certain serum and faeces parameters in weaned piglets as a response to nutritional stress

Weaning is associated with several stress factors and their effects on the piglet’s body are fairly well known. Thus, changes were estimated in certain serum and faecal parameters after weaning owing to dietary protein level, though essential amino acid (AA) levels were maintained or reduced. Eighteen Topigs piglets were assigned randomly to three homogenous groups. The dietary protein level was reduced by 10% in diets 1 and 2 compared with diet C. Diet 1 had similar levels of essential AA to diet C, while the levels of essential AA in diet 2 were reduced by 10%. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture in the farrowing unit on four occasions: before and after separation from the sow; the day after transfer to the nursery; and seven days after weaning. Faecal excreta were collected daily. No major health problems arose, and total pathogen germs were not different among treatments. Cortisol concentration reached similar values to those from the farrowing unit seven days after weaning. Whatever the diet, vitamin E in plasma decreased significantly in the first seven days post weaning. The reduction of dietary protein, as well as essential AAs, adversely affected the concentration of Cu (by 17.3%) in plasma. Selenium concentration in plasma increased slightly, irrespective of diet. The authors conclude that providing dietary protein at a particular level (diet 1), while maintaining AAs at normal level, limits faecal nitrogenous content without significantly modifying stress indicators (except vitamin E) or faecal composition.
EXACT PROPERTIES OF THE CONDITIONAL LIKELIHOOD RATIO TEST IN AN IV REGRESSION MODEL

For a simplified structural equation/IV regression model with one right-side endogenous variable, we derive the exact conditional distribution function of Moreira's (2003) conditional likelihood ratio (CLR) test statistic. This is used to obtain the critical value function needed to implement the CLR test, and reasonably comprehensive graphical versions of this function are provided for practical use. The analogous functions are also obtained for the case of testing more than one right-side endogenous coefficient, but in this case for a similar test motivated by, but not generally the same as, the likelihood ratio test. Next, the exact power functions of the CLR test, the Anderson-Rubin test, and the Lagrange multiplier test suggested by Kleibergen (2002) are derived and studied. The CLR test is shown to clearly conditionally dominate the other two tests for virtually all parameter configurations, but no test considered is either inadmissable or uniformly superior to the other two. The unconditional distribution function of the likelihood ratio test statistic is also derived using the same argument. This shows that both exactly, and under Staiger/Stock weak-instrument asymptotics, the test based on the usual asymptotic critical value is always oversized and can be very seriously so when the number of instruments is large.
Histopathological findings in the combined immunity-deficiency syndrome

The histopathological appearances of the thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, and gut-associated lymphoid tissue (tonsil, Peyer's patches, and appendix) in cases of the combined immunity-deficiency syndrome are presented. The appearance of tissues remaining after foetal thymic transplants and the effects of such transplants on the morphology of lymph nodes are also discussed. Although thymic appearances are remarkably constant the picture in the lymph nodes and spleen may vary considerably. The tonsils, Peyer's patches, and appendix appear to constitute one lymphoid organ in man, at least with regard to the developmental arrest that may occur in this syndrome.
Function of Ltbp-4 L and fibulin-4 in Survival and Elastogenesis

LTBP-4L and LTBP-4S are two isoforms of the extracellular matrix protein latent transforming growth factor β-binding protein 4 (LTBP-4). The mutational inactivation of both isoforms causes autosomal recessive cutis laxa type 1C (ARCL1C) in humans and an ARCL1C-like phenotype in Ltbp4 mice, both characterized by high postnatal mortality and severely affected elastogenesis. However, genetic data in mice suggest isoform-specific functions for Ltbp-4 because Ltbp4S mice, solely expressing Ltbp-4L, survive to adulthood. This clearly suggests a requirement of Ltbp-4L for postnatal survival. A major difference between Ltbp4S and Ltbp4 mice is the matrix incorporation of fibulin-4, a key factor for elastogenesis, which is normal in Ltbp4S mice, whereas it is defective in Ltbp4 mice, suggesting that the presence of Ltbp-4L might be required for this process. To investigate the existence of a functional interaction between Ltbp-4L and fibulin-4, we studied the consequences of fibulin-4 deficiency in mice only expressing Ltbp-4L. Resulting Ltbp4S;Fibulin-4 mice showed a dramatically reduced life span compared to Ltbp4S and Fibulin-4 mice, which survive to adulthood. This dramatic reduction in survival of Ltbp4S;Fibulin-4 mice correlates with severely impaired elastogenesis resulting in defective alveolar septation and distal airspace enlargement in lung and increased aortic wall thickness with severely fragmented elastic lamellae. Additionally, Ltbp4S;Fibulin-4 mice suffer from aortic aneurysm formation combined with aortic tortuosity in contrast to Ltbp4S and Fibulin-4 mice. Together, in accordance with our previous biochemical findings of a physical interaction between Ltbp-4L and fibulin-4, these novel in vivo data clearly establish a functional link between Ltbp-4L and fibulin-4 as a crucial molecular requirement for survival and elastogenesis in mice. D is ea se M o de ls & M ec ha ni sm s • D M M • A dv an ce a rt ic le
Molecular pathogenesis and therapeutic targets in epithelial ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer, the most aggressive gynecologic cancer, is the foremost cause of death from gynecologic malignancies in the developed world. Two primary reasons explain its aggressive behavior: most patients present with advanced disease at diagnosis, and die of recurrences from disease that has become resistant to conventional chemotherapies. In this paper on epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we will review molecular alterations associated with the few precursor lesions identified to date, followed by the more commonly recognized processes of de novo carcinogenesis, metastasis, and the development of chemoresistance. We will propose a unifying model of ovarian epithelial tumorigenesis that takes into account various hypotheses. We will also review novel approaches to overcome the major problem of chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. Finally, we will discuss advances and new challenges in the development of mouse model systems to investigate EOC precursor lesions, progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance. J. Cell. Biochem. 102: 1117–1129, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Protein disulphide isomerase in platelet function

Platelet protein disulphide isomerase (PDI) has a role in platelet aggregation, probably targeting a thiol‐containing platelet surface protein. The thiol‐containing P2Y12 ADP receptor is involved in aggregation induced by most agonists and may be the target of PDI. By excluding the P2Y12 pathway and using the anti‐PDI antibody RL90 this study showed that PDI targets a non‐P2Y12 thiol‐protein in aggregation. Anti‐PDI inhibited signalling‐independent activation of the thiol‐containing fibrinogen receptor αIIbβ3 by Mn2+, suggesting that PDI directly interacts with αIIbβ3. The thiol‐containing form of PDI increased on the platelet surface with platelet activation, suggesting that active PDI readily becomes available for redox regulation of αIIbβ3. Finally, using purified proteins PDI had greater ability to isomerize disulphide bonds than the αIIbβ3 integrin, which also has PDI‐like activity. In summary, a mechanism exists in platelets to increase the functional form of surface PDI and this PDI has a non‐P2Y12 target that may be αIIbβ3.
Effects of inclusion level on nutrient digestibility and energy content of wheat middlings and soya bean meal for growing pigs

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of inclusion level of wheat middlings and soya bean meal on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of energy and chemical components of these ingredients in growing pigs. Furthermore, the effects of the inclusion level on their contents of digestible energy (DE) and metabolisable energy (ME) were also determined by the difference method. In Experiment 1, six diets were fed to 36 growing pigs according to a completely randomised design. The basal diet was a corn–soya bean meal diet while the other five diets contained 9.6%, 19.2%, 28.8%, 38.4% or 48.0% of wheat middlings added at the expense of corn and soya bean meal. The measured digestibility of energy and most nutrients of wheat middlings increased (p < 0.05) with increasing levels of that ingredient. Equations were obtained to predict digestibility by inclusion level. At an inclusion level of 9.6% wheat middlings, their DE contents were significantly lower (8.9 MJ/kg DM) than for the higher levels (10.7 to 11.9 MJ/kg DM, p < 0.01). In Experiment 2, three diets were fed to 18 growing pigs according to a completely randomised block design. The basal diet was a corn-based diet while the other two diets were based on corn and two levels of soya bean meal (22.2% and 33.6%). The content of DE in soya bean meal did not differ at 22.2% and 33.6% inclusion levels (16.2 and 16.3 MJ/kg DM, respectively), but the digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter and carbohydrates was increased at a higher inclusion level (p < 0.05). This study revealed that the estimated digestibility of nutrients from soya bean meal and wheat middlings was affected by their dietary inclusion levels. For soya bean meal, the estimated energy contents was independent of its inclusion level, but not for wheat middlings. Therefore, the inclusion level of wheat middlings has to be considered for estimating their energy value.
The Balance between Acetylation and Deacetylation Controls Smad7 Stability*

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) regulates multiple cellular processes via activation of Smad signaling pathways. We have recently demonstrated that the inhibitory Smad7 interacts with the acetyl transferase p300 and that p300 acetylates Smad7 on two lysine residues. These lysine residues are critical for Smurf-mediated ubiquitination of Smad7, and acetylation protects Smad7 from TGFβ-induced degradation. In this study we demonstrate that Smad7 interacts with specific histone deacetylases (HDACs) and that the same HDACs are able to deacetylate Smad7. The interaction with HDACs is dependent on the C-terminal MH2 domain of Smad7. In addition, HDAC1-mediated deacetylation of Smad7 decreases the stability of Smad7 by enhancing its ubiquitination. Thus, our results demonstrate that the degradation of Smad7 is regulated by the balance between acetylation, deacetylation and ubiquitination, indicating that this could be a general mechanism to regulate the stability of cellular proteins.
Mutations in the peripheral myelin protein zero and connexin32 genes detected by non‐isotopic RNase cleavage assay and their phenotypes in Japanese patients with Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease

Mutations of myelin protein zero (MPZ) and connexin32 (Cx32) genes were examined in 70 unrelated Japanese patients with Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease (CMT) without PMP22 gene duplication. A new method, which could detect base pair mismatches with Rnase cleavage on agarose gel electrophoresis, identified 5 and 4 mutations of the MPZ and Cx32 genes, respectively, including one novel mutation (Ser128Ter) of Cx32. This non‐isotopic RNase cleavage assay (NIRCA) employed in the present study is very suitable for exploring mutations of MPZ and Cx32 genes in a large number of CMT patients, as the phenotype of patients with CMT is greatly divergent from demyelinating to axonal pathology. Hum Mutat 16:177–178, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Energy-Efficient Information and Communication Infrastructures in the Smart Grid: A Survey on Interactions and Open Issues

Smart grid has modernized the way electricity is generated, transported, distributed, and consumed by integrating advanced sensing, communications, and control in the day-to-day operation of the grid. Electricity is a core utility for the functioning of society and for the services provided by information and communication technologies (ICTs). Several concepts of the smart grid, such as dynamic pricing, distributed generation, and demand management, have significantly impacted the operation of ICT services, in particular, communication networks and data centers. Ongoing energy-efficiency and operational expenditures reduction efforts in communication networks and data centers have gained another dimension with those smart grid concepts. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey on the smart grid-driven approaches in energy-efficient communications and data centers, and the interaction between smart grid and information and communication infrastructures. Although the studies on smart grid, energy-efficient communications, and green data centers have been separately surveyed in previous studies, to this end, research that falls in the intersection of those fields has not been properly classified and surveyed yet. We start our survey by providing background information on the smart grid and continue with surveying smart grid-driven approaches in energy-efficient communication systems, followed by energy, cost and emission minimizing approaches in data centers, and the corresponding cloud network infrastructure. We discuss the open issues in smart grid-driven approaches in ICTs and point some important research directions such as the distributed renewable energy generation capability-coupled communication infrastructures, optimum energy-efficient network design for the smart grid environment, the impact of green communication techniques on the reliability and latency requirements of smart grid data, workload consolidation with smart grid-awareness, and many more.
Vasculotropin-VEGF stimulates retinal capillary endothelial cells through an autocrine pathway.

PURPOSE To determine whether bovine retinal endothelial cells (BRECs) bind, synthesize, and respond to vasculotropin-vascular endothelial growth factor (VAS-VEGF). METHODS Cultured BRECs were tested for their ability to bind 125I VAS-VEGF and their response to the growth and migration-promoting effect of VAS-VEGF. Total RNAs extracted from BRECs were reverse transcribed and amplified by polymerase chain reaction using VAS-VEGF primers. The translation was assessed by a Western blot analysis and a radioreceptor assay in the BREC-conditioned medium. Neutralization with anti-VAS-VEGF antibodies ascertained the autocrine role of VAS-VEGF. RESULTS BRECs bind VAS-VEGF on two high-affinity binding sites (apparent Kd of 2 and 56 pM) and can proliferate and migrate upon the addition of recombinant VAS-VEGF. Furthermore, BRECs synthesize and secrete into their own culture medium a mitogen related to VAS-VEGF as far as two factors are concerned: chromatographic behavior on heparin-affinity columns, and cross-reactivity with recombinant VAS-VEGF to the binding to its receptors or antibodies. Neutralization of the purified conditioned medium with anti-VAS-VEGF antibodies revealed that VAS-VEGF can act on BRECs through an autocrine pathway. CONCLUSIONS This is the first description of an autocrine regulation of endothelial cell growth by VAS-VEGF that could be involved in the pathogenesis of retinal neovascularization.
Association drepanocytose-deficit en G-6-PD : Prévalence et influence sur le profil évolutif

La drepanocytose et le deficit en G-6-PD sont deux anomalies genetiques retrouvees avec des prevalences similaires de 8 a 10 % au Senegal. Notre objectif etait de determiner la prevalence du deficit en G-6-PD et de rechercher une influence eventuelle sur le profil evolutif de la drepanocytose. Nous avons ainsi mene une etude prospective transversale chez 319 porteurs de Hb S et chez 318 sujets normaux apparies selon l'âge et le sexe. Nous avons ensuite compare le profil evolutif chez les drepanocytaires SS deficients en G-6-PD (N=11) et non deficients (N=19) suivis pendant un an. Le dosage de l'activite de la G-6-PD a ete realise par methode spectro-photometrique. En cas d'hyper-reticulocytose, nous avons utilise la technique de micro-centrifugation de Herz pour eviter le risque qu'un deficit reel soit masque par les jeunes globules rouges. Nous avons trouve un deficit en G6-PD significativement plus eleve chez les drepanocytaires (21,6 %) que chez les temoins (12,3 %) avec p = 0,001. Aucune difference statistiquement significative n'a ete retrouvee entre les deux groupes concernant le nombre de crises vaso-occlusives, le nombre de transfusions, le nombre d'episodes infectieux, le nombre de complications chroniques, le retentissement sur l'activite du patient et enfin l'index de severite globale.
Media Influence on Alcohol-Control Policy Support in the U.S. Adult Population: The Intervening Role of Issue Concern and Risk Judgments

Data from a national random-digit dial survey (N = 1,272) were analyzed to examine the influence of news media use on alcohol-control policy support, and to test whether risk judgments and concern about alcohol-related risks mediated effects of news media use variables on support for various types of alcohol-control public policies. In so doing, we test the proposition that perceptions influenced by routine coverage of events such as crime or accidents may in part explain news effects on public policy support in the domain of health policy. Analyses indicated that the (positive) influence of attention to news about crime and accidents on support for laws increasing server liability and limiting marketing of alcohol products was mediated by concern about risks of alcohol-related injuries and by perceptions of the alcohol-attributable fraction of homicides and unintended injury fatalities. Tests of model fit suggest that concern precedes the more cognitive risk judgment in the mediation model.
Non-planar, multi-gate InGaAs quantum well field effect transistors with high-K gate dielectric and ultra-scaled gate-to-drain/gate-to-source separation for low power logic applications

In this work, non-planar, multi-gate InGaAs quantum well field effect transistors (QWFETs) with high-K gate dielectric and ultra-scaled gate-to-drain and gate-to-source separations (LSIDE) of 5nm are reported for the first time. The high-K gate dielectric formed on this non-planar device structure has the expected thin TOXE of 20. 5Å with low JG, and high quality gate dielectric interface. The simplified S/D scheme is needed for the non-planar architecture while achieving significant reduction in parasitic resistance. Compared to the planar high-K InGaAs QWFET with similar TOXE, the non-planar, multi-gate InGaAs QWFET shows significantly improved electrostatics due to better gate control. The results of this work show that non-planar, multi-gate device architecture is an effective way to improve the scalability of III–V QWFETs for low power logic applications.