Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wnt/β-catenin signaling and adipogenic genes are associated with intramuscular fat content in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Korean cattle.

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is an important trait that influences beef quality. In two studies, we examined the possible involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in IMF deposition in Korean cattle. In study 1, using a group of bulls and steers, we found that castration, a non-genetic factor, decreased (P < 0.01) the expression of both the WNT10B and CTNNB1 genes, whereas it increased the expression of the Wnt antagonist secreted frizzled-related proteins 4 (SFRP4, P < 0.001) and the adipogenic CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EPB), alpha (CEBPA, P < 0.001) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG, P < 0.05) genes in longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) tissue. The WNT10B and CTNNB1 mRNA levels showed strong (P < 0.001) negative correlations (r = -0.68 and r = -0.73 respectively) with the IMF content, whereas the SFRP4, CEBPA and PPARG mRNA levels showed strong (P < 0.01) positive correlations (r = 0.70, 0.70 and 0.64 respectively) with the IMF content. Large variation still exists in the IMF content of steers, implying that genetic factors affect IMF deposition. Using a different group of steers, a correlation analysis in study 2 also showed that the expression of the WNT10B and CTNNB1 genes, and SFRP4 and adipogenic genes was negatively and positively associated with the IMF content respectively. Our findings suggest that downregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway genes, but upregulation of Wnt antagonist SFRP4 and adipogenic gene expression following castration, contributes to increased IMF deposition in the LM. Our results demonstrate that both non-genetic factors (castration) and genetic variation within the steer group affect the gene expression pattern of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
Increased serum levels of soluble Fas in progressive B‐CLL

Abstract: Clinical progression of B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B‐CLL) depends on survival and accumulation of leukemic cells, regulated in part by physical cell contact and soluble molecules. Here we have studied the Fas/FasL system in relation to clinical progression in B‐CLL. Serum levels of soluble Fas (sFas) and FasL (sFasL) were determined by ELISA in 43 progressive and 40 non‐progressive B‐CLL patients and in 21 control individuals. Correlation between sFas serum levels and clinical progression, stage and survival were statistically analyzed. We found high levels of sFas in B‐CLL sera correlated with disease progression (p<0.01). In addition, higher sFas levels were found in patients in stages II, III and IV in comparison to patients in stage 0 (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.03, respectively). Survival was significantly shorter for patients with 6 ng/ml sFas serum levels, although a multivariate analysis did not show sFas to be a significant independent prognostic factor. Fresh B‐CLL cells showed only low levels of membrane expression, which were not correlated to sFas levels in serum. In vitro activation of B‐CLL cells increased Fas expression, as reported earlier, and induced cells to release sFas into the supernatant. In conclusion, our results indicate that sFas in serum may be a useful parameter for the prediction of clinical progression in B‐CLL.
Restoration of sensation, reduced pain, and improved balance in subjects with diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study with monochromatic near-infrared treatment.

OBJECTIVE Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) has been thought to be progressive and irreversible. Recently, symptomatic reversal of DPN was reported after treatments with a near-infrared medical device, the Anodyne Therapy System (ATS). However, the study was not controlled nor was the investigator blinded. We initiated this study to determine whether treatments with the ATS would decrease pain and/or improve sensation diminished due to DPN under a sham-controlled, double-blind protocol. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Tests involved the use of the 5.07 and 6.65 Semmes Weinstein monofilament (SWM) and a modified Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI). Twenty-seven patients, nine of whom were insensitive to the 6.65 SWM and 18 who were sensitive to this filament but insensitive to the 5.07 SWM, were studied. Each lower extremity was treated for 2 weeks with sham or active ATS, and then both received active treatments for an additional 2 weeks. RESULTS The group of 18 patients who could sense the 6.65 SWM but were insensitive to the 5.07 SWM at baseline obtained a significant decrease in the number of sites insensate after both 6 and 12 active treatments (P < 0.02 and 0.001). Sham treatments did not improve sensitivity to the SWM, but subsequent active treatments did (P < 0.002). The MNSI measures of neuropathic symptoms decreased significantly (from 4.7 to 3.1; P < 0.001). Pain reported on the 10-point visual analog scale decreased progressively from 4.2 at entry to 3.2 after 6 treatments and to 2.3 after 12 treatments (both P < 0.03). At entry, 90% of subjects reported substantial balance impairment; after treatment, this decreased to 17%. However, among the group of nine patients with greater sensory impairment measured by insensitivity to the 6.65 SWM at baseline, improvements in sensation, neuropathic symptoms, and pain reduction were not significant. CONCLUSIONS ATS treatments improve sensation in the feet of subjects with DPN, improve balance, and reduce pain.
Plexiform ameloblastoma mimicking a periapical lesion: A diagnostic dilemma

Plexiform ameloblastoma is one of the variant of ameloblastoma, with specific histopathological features. It manifests as unilocular or multilocular radiolucencies in the mandible or maxilla. In very rare cases, it can appear as a localized periradicular radiolucent area and imitate an endodontic lesion. Reported here is a rare case of plexiform ameloblastoma in an uncommon location, which was misdiagnosed as periapical lesion of inflammatory origin and treated endodontically. Surgical enucleation was followed and diagnosis of plexiform ameloblastoma was confirmed on histological grounds.
Evolution of prices on the Istanbul Stock Exchange 511 Table 1

This study documents the statistical properties of the stock returns on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) for the January 1988 to December 1999 period and tries to assess the evolution of the underlying stochastic structure over this time period. It also investigates empirically the relative efficiency of the ISE to test whether the rapid development of this market over the last decade caused it to become a relatively more efficient market. This is accomplished through a number of parametric and non-parametric tests of the random walk hypothesis using daily, weekly and monthly observations of the value-weighted ISE100 index series. The emphasis is more on the evolution of the price process than on static tests of a random walk model as such. The findings indicate that the price mechanism in the ISE has evolved into a more informationally efficient process in little more than a decade of existence.
AIDS and volunteer associations: perspectives on social and individual change.

In dealing with AIDS, American volunteer associations exemplify Tocqueville's classic analysis of their function: the call for government to address social needs, monitor government shortcomings, and serve those needs beyond the government's compass. Individual volunteers' experience in the epidemic have often empowered them to pursue further goals, rather than succumb to "burnout. " AIDS organizations face many challenges, especially in tending to newly affected groups and in pressuring official bodies. They are meeting these challenges by recruiting female and minority group volunteers, and by devising effective tactics in confronting government and corporate groups.
Using Search Engine for Classification: Does It Still Work?

Genre classification is a key aspect of music descriptions. In 2006, Schedl et al. presented a method for genre classification through web-based co-occurrence analysis. We evaluate whether this method is still valid, given the evolution of the web search technologies. We identify some issues with page count as the main parameter for the analysis in relation with the used genre taxonomies, choice of search engine, etc. We show that the results vary over time. Depending on the required response time, we suggest two different strategies for music genre classification using this method. Finally, we discuss future work.
A Lighting Robust Fitting Approach of 3D Morphable Model Using Spherical Harmonic Illumination

3D morph able model (3DMM) is a powerful tool to recover 3D shape and texture from a single facial image. Its foundation consists of three models (i.e. face, camera, and illumination) which can simulate the formulation process of facial images. In this paper, we adopt a new illumination model, the Sphere Harmonic Illumination Model (SHIM), to the 3DMM fitting process. The new illumination model takes more lighting factors into consideration than the Phong's model. Then, we use a new optimization algorithm to optimize the shape and texture parameters simultaneously under SHIM. Compared with the the existing methods that used SHIM to recover only texture, both the shape and texture recovered by our algorithm are improved. The experiments on he CMU-PIE database also show that, compared to other state-of-the-art methods based on the Phong's model, the proposed approach enhances the robustness of the fitting of 3DMM against lighting variations.
Diagnostic value of skin vasomotion investigation in vascular diseases

Skin vasomotion is the rhythmic variation of the skin microvessel diameter, responsible for the skin microcirculatory blood flow oscillation, the so called skin blood flowmotion. Experimental and clinical findings suggest that vasomotion depends on several mechanisms, such as the endothelial activity, the spontaneous myogenic activity of the microvascular wall and the sympathetic activity. Skin vasomotion can be indirectly investigated in humans by means of the spectral analysis of skin laser Doppler flowmetry tracing. A high number of studies have recently investigated skin vasomotion in patients with various vascular diseases, using this method. Findings obtained in these studies have contributed to the understanding of the pathophysiology of the microcirculatory impairment in the pathological conditions investigated. The aim of the present review is to describe the method that can be used to analyze skin vasomotion and the diagnostic value of skin vasomotion investigation in vascular diseases. Key-words:skin microcirculation, vasomotion, vascular diseases, laser-Doppler flowmetry, spectral analysis.
Explaining the Global Digital Divide: The Impact of Public Policy Initiatives on Digital Opportunity and ICT Development

The development of affordable information and communication technologies (ICTs) over the past 25 years has created an environment for people across the globe to have greater access to telecommunication and Internet services. Much of the previous research suggests that these technological advances have mostly exacerbated existing inequalities between developed and developing nations and created new inequalities within societies between the information rich and poor. There seems to be very little research, however, that provides comprehensive explanations for the global digital divide and, in particular, the impact of national public policy initiatives that seek to expand access to ICTs. Most of these studies have tended to be either largely descriptive, qualitative case studies, or quantitative analyses that have had a very narrow concept of ICTs. Our research examines the digital divide by analyzing the impact of national policies in the form of strategic planning, regulation and investment on the International Telecommunications Union's Digital Opportunity Index and ICT access and use indicators in approximately 150 countries. Our multivariate regression analysis shows that when controlling for measures of economic, political, social and educational development, there is greater digital opportunity and greater overall technology adoption and use in countries that have competition to provide basic telecommunication services and make a higher financial investment in ICT development.
Outcomes of a 4-year program with higher education and employment goals for individuals diagnosed with mental illness.

OBJECTIVE This study examined outcomes of the first four years (2005-2009) of the Bridge Program, an occupational therapy (OT) program that incorporates principles of supported education and supported employment. This program was developed to assist individuals with mental illness to achieve higher education and employment goals. PARTICIPANTS Forty-eight adult participants with various mental health diagnoses. METHODS A quantitative one-group pretest-posttest survey design and posttest qualitative focus groups were used. RESULTS Participants enrolled in higher education increased from 7 to 11 (pretest=15%; posttest=23%), participants employed increased from 5 to 19 (pretest=10%; posttest=40%), and the combined category of higher education/employment increased from 12 to 30 (pretest=25%; posttest=63%) Statistical significance was achieved from pre to posttest in the employment sample (p<0.000), and in the combined sample of higher education/employment (p< 0.000), but was not achieved in the higher education sample from pre to posttest (p=0.125). CONCLUSIONS Quantitative and qualitative results support that an OT program incorporating principles of supported education and employment can assist individuals with mental illness to achieve higher education and employment goals. Results also outlined items participants found to be supports and barriers to achieving goals.
Improvement of food‐sensitive atopic dermatitis accompanied by reduced lymphocyte responses to food antigen following natural measles virus infection

Five patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who were sensitive to hen's egg were observed before and after natural measles virus infection. Within 4 weeks of natural measles virus infection, the eczematous lesions clearly improved in four of the five patients in whom neither offending foods were eliminated, nor anti‐allergic drugs, systemic steroids and steroid ointment administered. This was accompanied by reduced proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to ovalbumin (OA). Another patient showed a transient improvement of AD symptoms, from severe to mild, and thereafter returned to severe accompanied by increased proliferative responses of PBMCs to OA. Radioallergosorbent test (RAST) scores for hen's egg in all five patients did not change in each level in each patient, except the transiently decreased RAST scores for hen's egg in one patient, after the infection. Thus, in patients with AD who are sensitive to food, the improvement of AD symptoms that appeared within 4 weeks of natural measles virus infection was related to reduced proliferative responses of PBMCs to the food antigen following the infection.
Immunological response to conjugate vaccines in infants: follow up study

Immunising infants against Haemophilus influenzae type b with conjugate vaccines has reduced rates of invasive disease in the developed world. Reports from the Gambia suggest that this vaccine has a similar potential for the developing world.1 The World Health Organisation is considering whether to provide these new vaccines as part of its expanded programme of immunisation.2 A booster dose of the conjugate vaccine administered in the second year of life is generally considered necessary to induce long term immunity against H influenzae type b. This may limit the use of these conjugate vaccines in the developing world where vaccines are administered at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age under the WHO's immunisation programme; delivery of further vaccinations are associated with logistical problems. In the United Kingdom, infant …
Epstein-Barr Virus Immediate-Early Protein BZLF1 Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Signaling and Apoptosis by Downregulating Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1

ABSTRACT Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a key mediator of host immune and inflammatory responses and inhibits herpesvirus replication by cytolytic and noncytolytic mechanisms. TNF-α effects are primarily mediated through the major TNF-α receptor, TNF-R1, which is constitutively expressed in most cell types. Here we show that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immediate-early protein BZLF1 prevents TNF-α activation of target genes and TNF-α-induced cell death. These effects are mediated by down-regulation of the promoter for TNF-R1. Additionally, we demonstrate that expression of TNF-R1 is downregulated during the EBV lytic replication cycle. Thus, EBV has developed a novel mechanism for evading TNF-α antiviral effects during lytic reactivation or primary infection.
Construction of porous bFGF-PLGA-HAP-PLLA microsphere and its biocompatibility with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Background: The innovative repair materials for the bones are still lacking. So, we synthesized a porous microsphere by using basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA), poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) and hydroxylapatite (HAP), and its biocompatibility with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) was investigated in vitro. Methods: A modified solvent extraction/evaporation double emulsion method was used to first prepare PLGA and bFGF-PLGA microspheres. The morphologies and surface characteristics of PLGA microspheres and bFGF-PLGA microspheres were observed by using laser diffraction particle size analyzer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Drug release patterns of bFGF-PLGA microspheres in vitro were also examined. The porous bFGF-PLGA-HAP-PLLA microspheres were then fabricated with PLLA, HAP and the bFGF-PLGA microspheres and subjected to thermal analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM) for surface morphology detection and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra analysis. The cytotoxicity and biocompatibility with BM-MSCs in vitro were also tested by measuring BMSCs viability and proliferation by using MTT assay or observed by microscope. Results: The results showed that the particle size of bFGF-PLGA microspheres was about 250 nm with a morphology of mono-disperse spherical without aggregation. The drug release profile of bFGF-PLGA microspheres exhibited the one phase release profile with an initial burst rate of 33% in the first 10 hours, then 70.5% accumulative release after 7 days. Thermal analysis suggested porous materials were decomposed between 250°C~400°C, and the mass of porous materials was reduced extremely in the range of 300°C~350°C and slowly after 400°C because of PLLA, PLGA and HAP property. SEM scanning showed that the appearance of PLGA microspheres was spherical, and the hydroxyapatite was reunited. Synthesized XRD patterns showed that strong Bragg reflections (18.5° and 32°) were seen which correspond to the PLLA and HAP. FT-IR spectra found that the PLLA+HAP+bFGF-PLGA porous material had very similar curve lines to other microspheres. MTT assay and microscopy results suggested the cytotoxicity of bFGF-PLGA+HAP+PLLA porous material met the requirements of the scaffold material in bone tissue engineering and was conducive to promote the proliferation of BM-MSCs. Conclusion: The bFGF-PLGA+HAP+PLLA porous material is successfully prepared and has good biocompatibility with BMSC.
The anterior sylvian point and the suprasylvian operculum.

OBJECT The sylvian fissure or lateral sulcus is the most identifiable feature of the superolateral brain surface and constitutes the main microneurosurgical corridor, given the high frequency of approachable intracranial lesions through this route. The anterior sylvian point (ASyP) divides this fissure in its main anterior and posterior rami and was evaluated in this study for its morphology, exact location, and sulcal and neural relationships to assess its suitability as an initial, visually identifiable landmark for further neuroimaging and intraoperative estimation of its adjoining suprasylvian structures. METHODS This study is based on 32 formalin-fixed cerebral hemispheres. The brains were removed from the skulls of 16 cadavers after the introduction of plastic catheters through properly positioned burr holes; the number of specimens for some of the analyzed data differed because of incorrect positioning of catheters or damage to the studied structures caused by the initial steps of the study. The ASyP had a cisternal aspect in 94% of the specimens and was always located inferior to the triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus, 2.3 6 0.5 cm in front of the inferior rolandic point. The ASyP was located underneath the 1.5-cm-diameter cranial area of the anterior aspect of the squamous suture. Its adjoining structures that compose the suprasylvian operculum have constant basic morphological configurations. CONCLUSIONS The ASyP underlies the anterior aspect of squamous suture just behind the pterion, can be easily recognized, and constitutes a reliable initial sulcal landmark for further estimation of the suprasylvian sulcal and gyral structures. The suprasylvian operculum can be understood as a series of convolutions roughly arranged as a V-shaped convolution, with its vertex constituted by the ASyP, followed by three U-shaped convolutions and one C-shaped convolution.
Comparison of cefpodoxime proxetil release and antimicrobial activity from tablet formulations: Complexation with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in the presence of water soluble polymer

This study aims to prove the complexation of cefpodoxime proxetil (CP) by hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) in the presence of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na CMC), and makes a comparison of commercial tablets by dissolution and antimicrobial activity studies. The CP–HP-β-CD complex was prepared by kneading method and characterized by SEM, FTIR and DSC. The solubility method was used to investigate the effect of HP-β-CD and Na CMC on the solubility of CP. The complex tablets were prepared using direct compression method. Dissolution studies were performed with complex tablets and commercial tablets in pH 1.2, 4.5, 6.8 and 7.4 buffer solutions. It was observed that complexation occurred in all formulations, and HP-β-CD is able to increase CP solubility and dissolution rate of CP was improved from complex tablets, when compared with commercial tablets. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity studies revealed that the CP–HP-β-CD complex and complex tablets were shown to have more effective antimicrobial activity than commercial tablets. It is evident from the results that complexation with HP-β-CD in the presence of Na CMC is feasible way to prepare a more efficient tablet formulation with improved dissolution and antimicrobial activity.
Association Between Infertility and Spontaneous Abortion

ABSTRACT: Women experiencing recurrent spontaneous abortion have a higher frequency of infertility than that expected in the general population. To further define the relationships between infertility and spontaneous abortion, the obstetrical histories of 43 women with unexplained secondary infertility were evaluated for the frequency of spontaneous abortion. Of the 88 pregnancies studied, 39 (44%) resulted in spontaneous abortion. Women with unexplained secondary infertility experienced a three‐fold increase (P < 0.0001) in the frequency of spontaneous abortions and half the number of live births (P < 0.0001) compared with the general population. We conclude that the association between infertility and spontaneous abortion includes a higher frequency of spontaneous abortion among infertile couples as well as a higher prevalence of infertility among recurrent spontaneous aborters compared with the general population.