Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Urokinase plasminogen activator receptor is expressed in invasive cells in gastric carcinomas from high‐ and low‐risk countries

Gastric cancer is the second cancer causing death worldwide. Both incidence and mortality rates vary according to geographical regions. The receptor for urokinase plasminogen activator (uPAR) is involved in extracellular matrix degradation by mediating cell surface associated plasminogen activation, and its presence on gastric cancer cells is linked to micro‐metastasis and poor prognosis. Immunohistochemical analyses of a set of 44 gastric cancer lesions from Costa Rica showed expression of uPAR in cancer cells in both intestinal subtype (14 of 27) and diffuse subtype (10 of 17). We compared the expression pattern of uPAR in gastric cancers from a high‐risk country (Costa Rica) with a low‐risk country (Norway). We found uPAR on gastric cancer cells in 24 of 44 cases (54%) from Costa Rica and in 13 of 23 cases (56%) from Norway. uPAR was seen in macrophages and neutrophils in all cases. We also examined the nonneoplastic mucosa and found that uPAR was more frequently seen in epithelial cells located at the luminal edge of the crypts in cases with Helicobacter pylori infection than in similar epithelial cells in noninfected mucosa (p = 0.033; χ2 = 4.54). In conclusion, the expression of uPAR in cancer cells in more than half of the gastric cancer cases suggests that their uPAR‐positivity do not contribute to explain the different mortality rates between the 2 countries, however, the actual prevalence of uPAR‐positive cancer cells in the gastric cancers may still provide prognostic information.
Functions of state-owned corporations in the structure of the public sector of the Russian Federation

There are many different types of economic systems used through the world. The government attempts to control and regulate economic branches of strategic importance. Property is a fundamental element of economic power, it is a basis required to fulfill the state functions and tasks, to provide society with vital benefits such as health care, education, high living standard, life quality and well-being of citizens. A major part of production of public goods is carried out by the public sector of the country. Stateowned corporations in Russia are relatively new business structures. They have a market leading position to deal with global economic and social problems of the state.
Comparative Cryo‐SEM and AFM studies of hylid and rhacophorid tree frog toe pads

Cryo‐scanning electron microscopy (cryo‐SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) offer new avenues for the study of the morphology of tree frog adhesive toe pads. Using these techniques, we compare toe pad microstructure in two distantly related species of tree frog, Litoria caerulea, White (Hylidae) and Rhacophorus prominanus, Smith (Rhacophoridae), in which the toe pads are considered to be convergent. AFM demonstrates the extraordinary similarity of both surface microstructures (largely hexagonal epithelial cells surrounded by deep channels) and nanostructures (an array of nanopillars, ca. 350 nm in diameter, all with a small dimple at the apex). The cryo‐SEM studies examined the distribution of the fibrillar cytoskeleton within the different layers of the stratified toe pad epithelium, demonstrating that the cytoskeletal elements (keratin tonofilaments) that lie at an angle to the surface are relatively poorly developed in L. caerulea, clearly so in comparison to R. prominanus. Cryo‐SEM also enabled the visualization of the fluid layer that is critical to a toe pad's adhesive function. This was achieved by examination of the frozen fluid residues left behind after removal of a toe within the cryo‐SEM's experimental chamber. Such ‘toeprints’ demonstrated the presence of a wedge of fluid surrounding each toe pad, as well as fluid filling the channels that surround each epithelial cell. Cryo‐SEM was used to examine epithelial cell shape. In a sample of 582 cells, 59.5% were hexagonal, the remainder being mainly pentagonal (23.1%) or heptagonal (16.1%). The distribution of differently‐shaped cells was not random, but was not associated with either pad curvature or the distribution of mucous pores that provide fluid for the frogs' wet adhesion mechanism. Our main finding, the great similarity of toe pad structure in these two species, has important implications for biomimetics, for such convergent evolution suggests a good starting point for attempts to develop adhesives that will function in wet conditions. J. Morphol. 274:1384–1396, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bromo- and Extraterminal Domain Chromatin Regulators Serve as Cofactors for Murine Leukemia Virus Integration

ABSTRACT Retroviral integrase (IN) proteins catalyze the permanent integration of proviral genomes into host DNA with the help of cellular cofactors. Lens epithelium-derived growth factor (LEDGF) is a cofactor for lentiviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), and targets lentiviral integration toward active transcription units in the host genome. In contrast to lentiviruses, murine leukemia virus (MLV), a gammaretrovirus, tends to integrate near transcription start sites. Here, we show that the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4 interact with gammaretroviral INs and stimulate the catalytic activity of MLV IN in vitro. We mapped the interaction site to a characteristic structural feature within the BET protein extraterminal (ET) domain and to three amino acids in MLV IN. The ET domains of different BET proteins stimulate MLV integration in vitro and, in the case of BRD2, also in vivo. Furthermore, two small-molecule BET inhibitors, JQ1 and I-BET, decrease MLV integration and shift it away from transcription start sites. Our data suggest that BET proteins might act as chromatin-bound acceptors for the MLV preintegration complex. These results could pave a way to redirecting MLV DNA integration as a basis for creating safer retroviral vectors.
Effets de quartier, effet de département: discrimination liée au lieu de résidence et accès à l’emploi

L'objet de cette etude est de mesurer la discrimination a l'embauche a l'encontre des jeunes en Ile-de-France en raison du lieu de residence en considerant plusieurs echelles spatiales de facon a distinguer l'effet de la reputation du departement (Paris et la Seine-Saint-Denis), celui de la localite et celui du quartier. L'evaluation est realisee sur donnees experimentales autoconstruites de testing selon un protocole permettant d'examiner les effets propres a chacune de ces trois echelles sur l'acces a l'emploi ainsi que leurs effets cumules. On s'interesse aux discriminations pour deux professions en tension du secteur de la restauration pour laquelle les discriminations devraient a priori etre reduites, les serveurs et les cuisiniers, pour deux niveaux de qualification (CAP ou Baccalaureat professionnel). Pour chacun de ces profils, nous avons construit 6 candidatures fictives de jeunes hommes, similaires en tous points a l'exception de la caracteristique testee : le lieu de residence. Entre octobre 2011 et fevrier 2012, nous avons envoye 2988 candidatures en reponse a 498 offres d'emploi localisees en Ile-de-France. L'etude consiste en une exploitation statistique et econometrique des reponses a ces envois.
Multi-Temporal Polarimetric SAR and Optical Data Fusion for Land Cover Mapping in Southwest China

Zhazuo area located in Guizhou Province of southwest China was selected as the test site of this study. Based on six polarimetric RADARSAT-2 images, this paper presents the analysis on polarimetric and temporal variation backscattering behavior of typical targets such as residential areas, farmlands, forests and water bodies within the test site. The multi-temporal polarimetric SAR data fusion, as well as SAR and optical data fusion was conducted to improve the land cover classification. The analysis shows that there are significant differences of polarimetric backscattering and temporal variation behavior among different land cover types. The fusion of the multi-temporal polarimetric SAR data highlights the significant reduction of speckle noises, better land cover discrimination and improved visual appearance of SAR image. The fusion of SAR images with QuickBird data efficiently improves the land cover classification. This study demonstrates that high-precision land cover thematic mapping with SAR data in combination with optical remote sensing image in cloudy and rainy areas is feasible.
Validation of a new scale for the evaluation of sialorrhea in patients with Parkinson's disease

Sialorrhea is common in Parkinson disease (PD), affecting approximately 70% to 75% of patients. Several tools for measuring saliva volume or production exist, but none are designed specifically for assessing sialorrhea‐related discomfort. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a clinical scale for subjective evaluation of sialorrhea in PD. In Phase I, internal consistency of the Sialorrhea Clinical Scale for PD (SCS‐PD) was established in 39 PD patients. In Phase II, scale validity was proven through saliva volume measurements obtained in 49 PD patients and 27 healthy volunteers. Internal consistency estimated using Cronbach's alpha was 0.78, indicating none of the original seven items tested needed to be removed. Twenty‐one patients complaining of sialorrhea (63%) studied during Phase II, showed higher SCS‐PD scores but no differences in saliva volume. SCS‐PD scores showed significant correlation with saliva volume (r = 0.41; P = 0.004) and with total Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS III) scores (r = 0.70). Furthermore, saliva volume showed inverse relation to age in PD patients as well as in controls (r = −0.3 and r = −0.4; P < 0.05), but SCS‐PD scores did not. The SCS‐PD scale showed good internal consistency and validity, providing support for its use in routine clinical sialorrhea‐related discomfort evaluation. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Circadian Rhythms in Adenohypophysial Hormone Levels and Hypothalamic Monoamine Turnover in Mycobacterial-Adjuvant-Injected Rats

The effect of Freund’s adjuvant injection on 24-hour variation in circulating ACTH, prolactin, growth hormone (GH) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, and of hypothalamic norepinephrine (NE) content and dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5HT) turnover was examined in adult rats. In control rats, serum ACTH and prolactin exhibited peak values at the light-dark transition while the maximum in TSH was found in the late afternoon. GH levels did not vary on a 24-hour basis. In Freund’s-adjuvant-injected rats, 24-hour variations in TSH levels became blunted while 24-hour variations in prolactin and ACTH persisted. Freund’s adjuvant treatment augmented serum ACTH and prolactin levels, and decreased GH and TSH levels. Hypothalamic NE content, and turnover of DA and 5HT varied on a 24-hour basis in rats receiving adjuvant’s vehicle. The NE content of the anterior, medial and posterior hypothalamus peaked at 04.00 h, while that of the median eminence attained its maximum at 16.00–20.00 h. Maxima in hypothalamic DA and 5HT turnover occurred at 04.00 h regardless of the region examined. In Freund’s-adjuvant-injected rats, reduced amplitude of daily variations of NE content in the median eminence and anterior and medial hypothalamus, as well as a phase advance in the 24-hour rhythm of the posterior hypothalamic NE content were seen. Mycobacterial adjuvant injection also reduced the amplitude of circadian rhythm in hypothalamic 5HT turnover, shifted the maximum in median eminence DA turnover towards light-dark transition, and decreased the amplitude of DA turnover rhythm in the anterior, medial and posterior hypothalamus. Administration of the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporine restored the augmented ACTH and prolactin levels and the depressed GH and TSH levels found in Freund’s-adjuvant-injected rats. Cyclosporine was also effective to restore 24-hour rhythmicity of serum ACTH and TSH, but not of prolactin levels. Immunosuppression restored rhythmicity of NE content and of DA and 5HT turnover in anterior, medial and posterior hypothalamic regions. Cyclosporine did not modify the effect of Freund’s adjuvant on median eminence but in was able to counteract the changes in the DA and 5HT turnover in the median eminence found after immunization. The results are in accord with a significant effect of immune-mediated inflammatory response at an early phase after Freund’s adjuvant injection on ACTH, GH, prolactin and TSH release mechanisms, which was partially sensitive to immunosuppression induced by cyclosporine.
Segmentation and edge detection of color images using CIELAB color space and edge detectors

Image segmentation refers to a process by which a raw input image is partitioned into non-overlapping regions such that each region is homogenous and connected, and the union of no two spatially adjacent regions is homogeneous. The objective of segmentation is to simplify and change the representation of an image into something that is more meaningful and easier to analyze. This paper reviews the modified segmentation method for color images based on CIELAB Color Space and Edge detection of color images using the various edge detectors. This work aims to identify/segment different colors in an image by analyzing the CIELAB color space which enables to quantify these visual differences. This proposed method has been tested with images of various formats, size and resolution and the results are proven to be better
Use of Buccal Swabs for Sampling DNA from Nestling and Adult Birds

Abstract We evaluated the feasibility and efficiency of using swabs to collect buccal epithelial cells from small (2- to 13-g) birds as a source of DNA for genetic studies. We used commercially available buccal swab kits to collect samples from 42 adult and 39 nestling (4- to 8-day-old) black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and from 6 4-day-old nestling boreal chickadees (P. hudsonica). We compared DNA from buccal epithelial samples to that from blood samples from the same individuals. We extracted sufficient quantities of DNA for analysis from all buccal samples, and samples remained viable even after being stored in original plastic sampling tubes at room temperature for up to 18 months. Yields were equivalent whether extracted using the proprietary quick-extraction solution provided with buccal swab kits or using a salt-extraction process with inexpensive reagents. Yields of DNA from buccal samples were consistently lower than those from blood samples, but quantities were sufficient for all analyses. Assignment of sex, based on DNA extracted from paired buccal and blood samples, was identical for all 87 birds. We found no difference in the genotypes obtained from buccal and blood samples for 12 individuals tested using 5 microsatellite loci and found perfect concordance in sequencing of an 823-base-pair segment within the control region of mitochondrial DNA for 7 individuals tested. Use of buccal swabs is highly recommended as a rapid, noninvasive technique for sampling avian genomic DNA, especially for extremely young altricial nestlings or small-bodied adults, or for any birds for which blood sampling may be impossible or stressful.
Memory Impairment Means Less Pain for Mice

Background: Clinical observations have reported that individuals with memory deterioration, like in Alzheimer’s disease, display a lesser pain sensibility than patients with no cognitive impairment. Objective: To clarify the link between pain and loss of memory, we studied how memory-impaired mice behave when submitted to hotplate nociceptive tests. Methods: For 5 days (D1–D5), male CD1 mice were injected daily intraperitonealy with saline or scopolamine (s, an anticholinergic drug, 0.2 mg/kg) or ketamine (k, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist (NMDAr), 2.5 mg/kg), at doses leading to memory impairment with no analgesic effect. From D6 to D9, all received saline only. They were placed on the hotplate and removed at the first sign of discomfort, response time being recorded. Results: From D1 to D5, reaction time decreased significantly in controls only and did not change in mice with scopolamine or ketamine. From D6 to D9, response times decreased (p < 0.05 (s) and p < 0.0001 (k)) to reach the steady state of control animals. At D5, response time was significantly prolonged for scopolamine (p < 0.01) and ketamine (p < 0.05), compared to controls. Conclusion: These results show that pain sensibility needs the integrity of the central cholinergic and of the NMDA systems, and that mice with memory impairment display a lesser pain sensibility than normal mice. Further research on the complex interactions of receptors and neurotransmitters involved in pain and cognition could assist in gaining a better understanding of pain and analgesia in patients with memory impairment and in demented individuals.
Birthweight and ethnicity

The systematic recording of birthweight seems to have begun in Paris in 1802 and now birthweight is an essential piece of information which is part of the statutory notification of birth. Low birthweight infants make a disproportionate contribution to perinatal mortality. Reducing the incidence of low birthweight is more significant, clinically, than a rise in mean birthweight. Genetic factors, important in determining ultimate size, do not seem to have much influence on birthweight. The variation in birthweight between different ethnic groups is well documented. Meredith (1970) reviewed the world literature. Low mean birthweights were recorded almost exclusively in Africa, India, and the Far East, whereas the high means occurred mainly among Europeans and white Americans. In areas with high levels of immigration, medical professionals are conscious of the need for accurate information about ethnic groups, but the subject is associated with numerous problems. To compare ethnic groups, for whatever purpose , the epidemiologist needs to negotiate a "minefield" of social variables, nutritional uncertainties, and racial sensitivities. The members of a given ethnic group share both a genetic inheritance and a similar geographical, social, and cultural background. All of these must be considered. Immigration has provided an opportunity to study the effect of social and cultural adaptation and to identify those features which are apparently immutable. At the recent conference at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on the obstetric problems of Asian immigrants in Britain, it was shown that poor fetal growth is associated with deficiencies of minerals and protein due to dietary habits. Viegas et al. (1982) suggested that birthweights can be increased by giving protein supplements to Asian women during the 3rd trimester. In Israel the problems are very different. Israel contains a variety of immigrants at various stages of cultural assimilation. Marked differences have been observed between Jewish immigrants from Europe, the US, North Africa, and the Middle East who, although all Jewish, differed in cultural and genetic background. Babies born to mothers who came from North Africa were, on the average, heavier than those of other ethnic groups, in spite of lower social class. Yet, the birthweight advantage was eroded with adaptation to Israeli culture. The issue is whether these differences in birthweight matter.
Association of parental dementia with cognitive and brain MRI measures in middle-aged adults

Objectives: Studies of autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (AD) have shown structural and cognitive changes in mutation carriers decades prior to clinical disease. Whether such changes are detectable in offspring of persons with sporadic dementia remains unknown. We related prospectively verified parental dementia to brain MRI and cognitive testing in the offspring, within a 2-generational community-based cohort. Methods: A total of 717 Framingham offspring (mean age: 59 ± 8 years) were studied. In multivariate analyses, we compared offspring with and without verified parental dementia (and AD) for 1) performance on tests of memory, abstract reasoning, and cognitive flexibility, and 2) volumetric brain MRI measures of total cerebral brain volume (TCBV), hippocampal volume (HV), and white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV), assessed cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Results: When testing the association of parental dementia and AD with baseline cognitive performance, we observed an interaction of parental dementia and AD with APOE ε4 status (p < 0.002). In APOE ε4 carriers only (n = 165), parental dementia was associated with poorer scores on tests of verbal memory (beta = −1.81 ± 0.53, p < 0.001) and visuospatial memory (beta = −1.73 ± 0.47, p < 0.001). These associations were stronger for parental AD (beta = −1.97 ± 0.52, p < 0.001, beta = −1.95 ± 0.48, p < 0.001), equivalent to 14–16 years of brain aging. Among APOE ε4 carriers, offspring of participants with dementia were also more likely to show an annual decline in TCBV in the top quartile (odds ratio = 4.67 [1.26–17.30], p = 0.02). Regardless of APOE ε4 status, participants with parental dementia were more likely to be in the highest quartile of decline in executive function test scores (odds ratio = 1.61 [1.02–2.53], p = 0.04). Conclusions: Among middle-aged carriers of the APOE ε4 allele, parental dementia and Alzheimer disease were associated with poorer verbal and visuospatial memory and a higher rate of global brain atrophy.
Impact of Coal Production on Economic Growth in Indonesia

The main objective of this study is trying to reveal the impact of coal production on economic growth in Indonesia. This study will also provide the comparison of economic growth between coal producer’s provinces with other provinces and try to find which one have more sustained growth. She result of the study shows that the impact of coal production on economic growth is relatively small, especially in the relation between coal production and employment. This study also find that coalbased economy relatively have similar growth performance with the economy that mainly depend on oil and gas.
3D Powder Printed Bioglass and β-Tricalcium Phosphate Bone Scaffolds

The use of both bioglass (BG) and β tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) for bone replacement applications has been studied extensively due to the materials’ high biocompatibility and ability to resorb when implanted in the body. 3D printing has been explored as a fast and versatile technique for the fabrication of porous bone scaffolds. This project investigates the effects of using different combinations of a composite BG and β-TCP powder for 3D printing of porous bone scaffolds. Porous 3D powder printed bone scaffolds of BG, β-TCP, 50/50 BG/β-TCP and 70/30 BG/β-TCP compositions were subject to a variety of characterization and biocompatibility tests. The porosity characteristics, surface roughness, mechanical strength, viability for cell proliferation, material cytotoxicity and in vitro bioactivity were assessed. The results show that the scaffolds can support osteoblast-like MG-63 cells growth both on the surface of and within the scaffold material and do not show alarming cytotoxicity; the porosity and surface characteristics of the scaffolds are appropriate. Of the two tested composite materials, the 70/30 BG/β-TCP scaffold proved to be superior in terms of biocompatibility and mechanical strength. The mechanical strength of the scaffolds makes them unsuitable for load bearing applications. However, they can be useful for other applications such as bone fillers.