Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A BenchTop In Vitro Wound Assay to Demonstrate the Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma and Depleted Uranium on Dermal Fibroblast Migration

Cellular migration assays are useful tools to investigate physiologic events on the bench top. Furthermore, this migration assay can be utilized to investigate wound healing therapeutics (those that encourage or accelerate wound closure) as well as deleterious agents (ones that mitigate or slow wound closure). The current study used an in vitro scratch assay to measure the effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and depleted uranium (DU) in the form of uranyl acetate on cellular migration of human neonatal dermal fibroblasts in an in vitro simulation of wound healing. Data analyses included percent wound closure measured as the distance between cell margins, and rates of wound closure versus untreated controls. The highest doses of PRP (0.063, 0.125%) resulted in 50– 65% wound closure after 4–8 hours relative to 38–44% in controls and the low-dose treatment group (0.031%). The high-dose treatments of PRP (0.125, 0.063%) reached 100% wound closure at 12 hours postwound versus 16 hours for controls and the low-dose treatment group (0.031%). Conversely, the higher doses of DU treatments (50 and 100 lM) resulted in <80% closure versus 100% closure in controls after 16 hours, with full closure observed at 20 hours. The highest dose of DU (1,000 lM) resulted in <20% closure versus 100% closure in controls after 16 hours. The use of the described scratch assay serves as a translatable bench-top model that has the potential to predict in vivo outcomes, and in many early studies can help to demonstrate proof-of-concept before moving into complex biological systems.
Off‐axis electron holography of patterned magnetic nanostructures

Magnetization reversal processes in lithographically patterned magnetic elements that have lateral dimensions of 70–500 nm, thicknesses of 3–30 nm and a wide range of shapes and layer sequences have been followed in situ using off‐axis electron holography in the transmission electron microscope. This technique allows domain structures within individual elements and the magnetic interactions between them to be quantified at close to the nanometre scale. The behaviour of 30 nm‐thick Co elements was compared with that of 10 nm‐thick Ni and Co elements, as well as with Co/Au/Ni trilayers. The hysteresis loops of individual elements were determined directly from the measured holographic phase images. The reproducibility of an element's domain structure in successive cycles was found to be affected by the out‐of‐plane component of the applied magnetic field and by the exact details of its initial magnetic state. Close proximity to adjacent elements led to strong intercell coupling, and remanent states with the in‐plane magnetic field removed included domain structures such as solenoidal (vortex) states that were never observed during hysteresis cycling. Narrow rectangular bars reversed without the formation of end domains, whereas closely separated magnetic layers within individual elements were observed to couple to each other during field reversal.
Systemic Administration of Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Does Not Halt Osteoporotic Bone Loss in Ovariectomized Rats

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have innate ability to self-renew and immunosuppressive functions, and differentiate into various cell types. They have become a promising cell source for treating many diseases, particular for bone regeneration. Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disorder with elevated systemic inflammation which in turn triggers enhanced bone loss. We hypothesize that systemic infusion of MSCs may suppress the elevated inflammation in the osteoporotic subjects and slow down bone loss. The current project was to address the following two questions: (1) Will a single dose systemic administration of allogenic MSCs have any effect on osteoporotic bone loss? (2) Will multiple administration of allogenic MSCs from single or multiple donors have similar effect on osteoporotic bone loss? 18 ovariectomized (OVX) rats were assigned into 3 groups: the PBS control group, MSCs group 1 (receiving 2x106 GFP-MSCs at Day 10, 46, 91 from the same donor following OVX) and MSCs group 2 (receiving 2x106 GFP-MSCs from three different donors at Day 10, 46, 91). Examinations included Micro-CT, serum analysis, mechanical testing, immunofluorescence staining and bone histomorphometry analysis. Results showed that BV/TV at Day 90, 135, BMD of TV and trabecular number at Day 135 in the PBS group were significantly higher than those in the MSCs group 2, whereas trabecular spacing at Day 90, 135 was significantly smaller than that in MSCs group 2. Mechanical testing data didn’t show significant difference among the three groups. In addition, the ELISA assay showed that level of Rantes in serum in MSCs group 2 was significantly higher than that of the PBS group, whereas IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly lower than those of the PBS group. Bone histomorphometry analysis showed that Oc.S/BS and Oc.N/BS in the PBS group were significant lower than those in MSCs group 2; Ob.S/BS and Ob.N/BS did not show significant difference among the three groups. The current study demonstrated that systemic administration of allogenic MSCs had no obvious effect on osteoporotic bone loss in OVX rats when using the cells from the same donor; and repeated injection of allogeneic MSCs from different donors might promote bone loss in OVX rats. These findings indicate that despite allogenic MSCs systemic infusion is safe, their administration alone may not be an effective mean for preventing osteoporotic bone loss.
Milk Proteins and Iron Absorption: Contrasting Effects of Different Caseinophosphopeptides

Clusters of phosphoserine residues in cow milk caseins bind iron (Fe) with high affinity. Casein inhibits Fe absorption in humans, but protein hydrolysis lessens this effect. Phosphopeptides from different caseins gave conflicting results on Fe absorption; release of phosphate residues by intestinal alkaline phosphatase could be a key point of that metabolism. The objectives of this study were to compare the absorption of Fe complexed to caseinophosphopeptides (CPP) of the main cow milk caseins β-casein (β-CPP) and αs-caseins (αs1-CPP) and to assess the role of alkaline phosphatase on this absorption. Two experimental models were used: an in vivo perfused rat intestinal loop and an in vitro Caco-2 cell culture model. In addition, we determined the effect of an intestinal phosphatase inhibitor on these various forms of Fe. Gluconate Fe was used as control. In both models, uptake and net absorption of Fe complexed to CPP from αS1-caseins were significantly lower than from Fe complexed to β-CPP. Inhibition of the intestinal phosphatase significantly increased the uptake and the absorption of Fe complexed to β-CPP without effect on the other forms of Fe. These results confirm the enhancing effect of β-casein and its CPP on Fe absorption. The differences between CPP could be explained by their structural and/or conformational features: binding Fe to αS1-CPP could impair access to digestive enzymes, whereas β-CPP–bound Fe is better absorbed than its free form. The differences in protein composition between cow and breast milk, which does not contain α-casein, could explain some of their differences in Fe bioavailability.
Characterization of a new double-filament model of focal cerebral ischemia in heme oxygenase-2-deficient mice.

Variations in vascular anatomy in knockout mouse strains can influence infarct volume after middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion (MCAO). In wild-type (WT) and heme oxygenase-2 gene-deleted (HO2-/-) mice, infarcts were not reproducibly achieved with the standard intraluminal filament technique. The present study characterizes a double-filament model of MCAO, which was developed to produce consistent infarcts in both WT and HO2-/- mice. Diameters of most cerebral arteries were similar in WT and HO2-/- mice, although the posterior communicating artery size was variable. In halothane-anesthetized mice, two 6-0 monofilaments with blunted tips were inserted into the left internal carotid artery 6.0 and 4.5 mm past the pterygopalatine artery junction to reside distal and proximal to the origin of the MCA. The tissue "volume at risk" determined by brief dye perfusion in WT (59 +/- 2% of hemisphere; +/-SE) was similar to HO2-/- (62 +/- 4%). The volume of tissue with cerebral blood flow <50 ml.min(-1). 100 g(-1) was similar in WT (35 +/- 9%) and HO2-/- (36 +/- 11%) during MCAO and at 3 h of reperfusion (<2%). After 1 h MCAO, infarct volume was greater in HO2-/- (44 +/- 6%) than WT (25 +/- 3%). After increasing MCAO duration to 2 h, the difference between HO2-/- (47 +/- 4%) and WT (36 +/- 3%) diminished, but infarct volume remained substantially less than the volume at risk. Infusion of tin protoporphyrin IX, an HO inhibitor, during reperfusion after 1 h MCAO increased infarct volume in WT but not significantly in HO2-/- mice, although infarct volume remained less than the volume at risk. Thus greater infarct volume in HO2-/- mice is not attributable to a greater volume at risk, lower intraischemic blood flow, or poor reflow, but rather to a neuroprotective effect of HO2 activity. The double-filament model may be of use as an alternative in other murine knockout strains in which the standard filament model does not yield consistent infarcts.
Seven minute screen performance in a normal elderly sample

The Seven Minute Screen (7MS) is a brief cognitive case‐finding instrument for dementia. The test is composed of four subtests that assess performance with regard to orientation, memory, visuospatial ability and language. The objective of this study was to describe 7MS performance in a normal sample of people aged 65 years and older.
Client Preferences for Nutrition Interventions in Food Pantries

ABSTRACT A racial and ethnically diverse sample of clients (N = 230) visiting four food pantries were surveyed about: (a) their level of support for interventions designed to promote healthy food choices in pantries; (b) why they select specific items in pantries, and (c) how shopping at the food pantry fits into their monthly food acquisitions. While there was fairly high overall support for strategies to promote nutrition in pantries, Black clients were significantly more supportive of nutrition interventions than clients belonging to other ethnic and racial groups. Study participants from all ethnic and racial subgroups rated nutrition as the most important factor when selecting pantry items, and stated that they worry most about running out of meat, dairy, and produce. Clients reported that they visit pantries as often as they go to the grocery store, and more frequently than they go to dollar stores, supercenters, and convenience stores. These findings suggest that food pantry clients care deeply about the nutritional quality of the food options in pantries and are supportive of strategies to help them make healthier choices
Reasons behind Studying Tourism and Recreation and Career Plans of Undergraduate Students

The aim of the study was to determine the reasons behind studying and career plans of undergraduate students of tourism and recreation at the University of Bydgoszcz. For the statistical inference, the incidence of features and the chi-square test for independence were used. 136 respondents (69% women and 31% men) were chosen by non-probability sampling. The analysis of relations between the year of studies and the reasons behind choosing that field of study showed a statistically significant difference in terms of expectations of 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd-year students for an interesting job (p = 0.033). Statistically significant relationships among students of various years were found in terms to their plans for growth opportunities in the tourism sector (p = 0.028). An important reason behind choosing tourism and recreation was a prospect of running one’s own business in the area. Career plans and future work in the recreation sector motivated the 2nd- and 3rd-year students to believe that they would hypothetically select that field of study again.
Rapid ocular angiogenic control via naked DNA delivery to cornea.

PURPOSE To determine the efficacy and safety of naked plasmid gene therapy to the corneal stroma and epithelium. METHODS Naked plasmid DNA was injected under pressure into the cornea of mice. The expression of genes coding for beta galactosidase (beta-gal), enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and soluble Flt-1 (s-Flt) was recorded and measured with regard to dose, time course, and bioactivity. RESULTS LacZ gene expression of the protein beta-gal was demonstrated as early as 1 hour, with expression persisting for 10 days. Plasmid-injected corneas remained clear and free of inflammation. EGFP was bicistronically expressed with VEGF to demonstrate the practicality of simultaneous in vivo analysis of gene expression and growth factor bioactivity. Corneal injection of a plasmid containing VEGF cDNA induced corneal and anterior chamber neovascularization. Moreover, corneal injection of plasmid containing the cDNA for the soluble form of the VEGF receptor Flt-1 effectively prevented corneal neovascularization. CONCLUSIONS The cornea is readily accessible for gene therapy in the laboratory and in the clinic. The method described is safe, effective, titratable, and easily monitored. Naked DNA delivery to the cornea has the potential to alter the treatment of a wide variety of corneal and anterior segment diseases.
The unusual internal motion of the villin headpiece subdomain

The thermostable 36‐residue subdomain of the villin headpiece (HP36) is the smallest known cooperatively folding protein. Although the folding and internal dynamics of HP36 and close variants have been extensively studied, there has not been a comprehensive investigation of side‐chain motion in this protein. Here, the fast motion of methyl‐bearing amino acid side chains is explored over a range of temperatures using site‐resolved solution nuclear magnetic resonance deuterium relaxation. The squared generalized order parameters of methyl groups extensively spatially segregate according to motional classes. This has not been observed before in any protein studied using this methodology. The class segregation is preserved from 275 to 305 K. Motions detected in Helix 3 suggest a fast timescale of conformational heterogeneity that has not been previously observed but is consistent with a range of folding and dynamics studies. Finally, a comparison between the order parameters in solution with previous results based on solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance deuterium line shape analysis of HP36 in partially hydrated powders shows a clear disagreement for half of the sites. This result has significant implications for the interpretation of data derived from a variety of approaches that rely on partially hydrated protein samples.
Neighbor identity and competition influence tree growth in Scots pine, Siberian larch, and silver birch

Abstract• Previous studies on competitive interactions among silver birch, Scots pine, and Siberian larch have not addressed the direct importance of the species identity of nearby competitors. • We examined the joint importance of competition and species identity, using subject trees with a high local abundance of a single dominant neighboring species. Interspecific neighbors influenced annual height increment, shoot length, and branch number per unit crown length, especially in Scots pine. Silver birch and Siberian larch were predominantly affected by the level of competition alone, as estimated with competition indices. • In Scots pine, the effects may have been a direct consequence of the species identity of neighbors or they may have acted as a substitute for the effect of some non-measured variable associated with species-specific characteristics. These functionally equivalent alternatives suggest that simple indices are not adequate measures of the neighbor effect for Scots pine. • A simple extrapolation of individual tree growth to the stand level suggested that Scots pine and silver birch may grow faster in mixed than in pure stands. Siberian larch showed negative growth responses to interspecific neighbors, but the effects may be counterbalanced at the stand level by a corresponding increase in pine or birch growth.
Soil moisture monitoring using hyper-spectral remote sensing technology

Precision agriculture needs surface soil moisture information accurately and quickly. Hyper-spectral remote sensing can be used to detect slight differences in soil moisture because of high-resolution and multi-band in spectral. Taking black soil in Jilin Province of China as the research object, this paper analyzed soil hyper-spectral characteristics and extracted parameters by using methods of spectral differentiation, feature-band extraction and multiple stepwise regression analysis. The relationship between soil moisture and soil spectra was analyzed combining with soil moisture laboratory measurement. Five models were used to quantitative inversion in order to seek soil moisture monitoring by applying hyper-spectral remote sensing. The conclusion was as follows: ➀in the below field water holding capacity condition, the sensitive bands of black soil spectral reflectance and its reciprocal and logarithmic transformation mainly focused in 400–470nm, 1950–2050nm and 2100–2200nm. The highest correlation coefficient between laboratory spectral data and soil moisture reached to 0.89 at 2156nm; ➁The best prediction model of black soil moisture content by using hyper-spectral remote sensing was Y = 22.16 + 26278.2x1328−47785.1x1439− 201.42x1742 + 49306.34x2156, x= (lgR)′, Y representing soil moisture content (%), coefficient of determination was 0.931.
[Tuberculosis in indigenous peoples in the Brazilian Amazon: an epidemiological study in the Upper Rio Negro region].

OBJECTIVE To describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and epidemiological characteristics of reported tuberculosis cases among indigenous individuals of São Gabriel de Cachoeira, State of Amazonas, Brazil, and to identify the factors associated with mortality during treatment; and to estimate the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and associated factors and obtain information on the therapeutic course and the individual perceptions regarding acquistion of tuberculosis in the district of Iauaretê. METHODS Firstly, a retrospective epidemiological study (1997 to 2007) was conducted using data from the Brazilian Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (SINAN). Next, a cross-sectional study (2010) was conducted with respiratory symptomatic subjects and contacts of Iauaretê. RESULTS Seven hundred and twenty-three new cases were reported, with incidence of 273.4/100 000 and mortality of 13.2/100 000. There was a predominance of males (57%), aged > 45 years (37.6%), people with no schooling (42.7%), and cases from rural areas (76.9%). Patients aged 0 to 20 years were at lower risk of death when compared to those aged > 45 years (OR = 0.3; IC95%: 0.1 a 0.9). In Iauaretê, with 15.3% of the reported cases, 184 people were interviewed. A prevalence of LTB of 76.1% was reported. Tuberculin skin test > 5 mm was associated with the > 15-year old age group, history of active tuberculosis, and radiological alterations. A previous history of tuberculosis was cited by 54 people (29.3%). The main explanation for the disease was "puffing/poisoning" (24.1%). The therapeutic course included industrialized drugs (42.6%), medicinal plants/roots, shamanism, and prayer (42.7%). CONCLUSIONS The risk of tuberculosis infection and disease in this population was high. Despite the reduced incidence resulting from recent efforts, tuberculosis control requires closer surveillance of contacts and improvement in communication strategies between health teams and indigenous populations.
The Effect of Foreign Exchange Market Returns on Stock Market Performance in Sri Lanka

Exchange rate is one of the most influencing macroeconomic variables on stock returns in most of the countries. Thus, main objective of this study is to identify the effect of foreign exchange market returns on stock market performance in Sri Lanka. In order to evidence the study, researcher used publicly available secondary data from Colombo Stock Exchange and Central Bank of Sri Lanka. According to Guneratne (2011), exchange rate has a strong explanatory power in determining the stock market returns of the country. All share price index percentage changes are observed as dependent variable and the respective percentage changes of USD/LKR, EUR/LKR and GBP/LKR exchange rates as independent variables of this research. Exchange rate data for the period of 2002 to 2014 are considered for the research. A linear multiple regression model is developed to find the relationship between selected variables and following Noel & John (2009), correlation between variables are tested. Results of the research discloses that USD/LKR and GBP/LKR exchange rate returns have a strong explanatory power to All share price index (ASPI) returns. At the same time USD/LKR returns exhibits a negative correlation while other two exchange rates have a positive but weak correlation to ASPI returns. Findings of this research provide valuable information to investors in equity markets, to forecast potential stock returns with reference to exchange market fluctuations.
Bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance patterns in children with urinary tract infection in a Malaysian tertiary hospital.

INTRODUCTION Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common bacterial infection affecting children and therefore, prompt recognition and accurate antimicrobial management are vital to prevent kidney damage. This study aims to determine the bacterial pathogens and their patterns of antimicrobial resistance in children presenting with UTI. METHODS A retrospective study of 721 cases, involving children between the ages of 1-day old to 13 years old with culture-proven UTI in Selayang Hospital, Malaysia between January 2007 and December 2011. The bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance patterns in the total population, prophylaxis and no prophylaxis groups were studied. RESULTS The 3 most common organisms isolated in the total population were E.Coli (41.6%), Klebsiella spp. (21.2%) and Enterococcus spp. (11.0%). With regards to the antibiotic resistance, E.Coli resistance rates to ampicillin, cefuroxime and gentamicin were 67.7%, 15.3% and 7.3% respectively. Ampicillin-resistance was also highest in Klebsiella spp. (84.3%), Enterococcus spp. (15.5%) and Proteus spp. (55.5%). CONCLUSION E.coli remains to be the leading bacterial pathogen causing UTI in children, with ampicillin-resistance occurring in more than half of these cases. Therefore, accurate choice of antibiotics is important to ensure optimal outcome. In our study, cefuroxime and gentamicin have lower antibiotic resistance rates and can be used in the treatment of UTI in children.
Does Outward Foreign Investment Matter for Canadian Productivity? Evidence from Greenfield Investments

This paper seeks to understand how outward foreign direct investment (FDI) affects the productivity of Canadian firms. We estimate the impact of outward greenfield investment on measures of firm-level productivity using FDI data from roughly 2,000 Canadian firms and more than 4,000 outward FDI projects over the 2003–14 period. Combining matching techniques with a difference-in-difference approach, we find that firms that invest abroad tend to see more important productivity gains one to two years after the investment, compared with firms that are otherwise similar but remain domestic, suggesting that outward investment has beneficial implications for investing firms. Further, panel regression analysis at the provincial level shows that an increase in the number of outward investment projects is found to be associated with higher productivity growth, particularly for investments in OECD countries. The result suggests that learning or technological spillover effects are particularly important when investing in countries close to the home country’s technological frontier.