Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transforming growth factor β induces bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell migration via noncanonical signals and N‐cadherin

Transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) induces the migration and mobilization of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM‐MSCs) to maintain bone homeostasis during bone remodeling and facilitate the repair of peripheral tissues. Although many studies have reported the mechanisms through which TGF‐β mediates the migration of various types of cells, including cancer cells, the intrinsic cellular mechanisms underlying cellular migration, and mobilization of BM‐MSCs mediated by TGF‐β are unclear. In this study, we showed that TGF‐β activated noncanonical signaling molecules, such as Akt, extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and p38, via TGF‐β type I receptor in human BM‐MSCs and murine BM‐MSC‐like ST2 cells. Inhibition of Rac1 by NSC23766 and Src by PP2 resulted in impaired TGF‐β‐mediated migration. These results suggested that the Smad‐independent, noncanonical signals activated by TGF‐β were necessary for migration. We also showed that N‐cadherin‐dependent intercellular interactions were required for TGF‐β‐mediated migration using functional inhibition of N‐cadherin with EDTA treatment and a neutralizing antibody (GC‐4 antibody) or siRNA‐mediated knockdown of N‐cadherin. However, N‐cadherin knockdown did not affect the global activation of noncanonical signals in response to TGF‐β. Therefore, these results suggested that the migration of BM‐MSCs in response to TGF‐β was mediated through N‐cadherin and noncanonical TGF‐β signals.
Atrophic maxillary floor augmentation by mineralized human bone allograft in sinuses of different size: an histologic and histomorphometric analysis.

OBJECTIVE The aims of this work were to histologically examine the healing of mineralized human bone allograft (MHBA) in sinus augmentation for elevating a severe maxillary atrophy ridge (≤2 mm residual ridge height) and to correlate the results to the sinus cavity size. MATERIAL AND METHODS A two-stage protocol was conducted in 23 patients, all having crestal bone ≤2 mm. A mixture of 80/20 cortical/cancellous of MHBA particles was used to augment sinus using the lateral window approach in narrow (NS; <15 mm bucco-palatal distance) and wide (WS; ≥15 mm bucco-palatal distance) sinuses, based upon computerized tomography (CT) assessment. A bone core biopsy was taken at implant placement, 6 and 9 months after surgery. Microradiography, histology and histochemistry of methacrylate-embedded sections were performed to analyze and to evaluate the bone and graft amount. RESULTS Newly formed bone around MBHA particles was found in all 28 biopsies. Bone showed a woven structure at 6 months after surgery and a lamellar structure 9 months after surgery. At 6 months after surgery, the 13 NS and 15 WS had 30.5±8.8% and 20.7±4.9% mean±SD bone formation, respectively. At 9 months after surgery, it was 38.8±7% (NS) and 30.7±3% (WS). Residual graft was about 16% (6 months) and 6% (9 months), in both NS and WS. The Mann-Whitney test showed a greater bone formation in NS than in WS (P<0.005). CONCLUSIONS The used 80/20 MHBA mixture appears to promote, in the severe atrophic maxilla, a satisfactory bone formation. Our results prove that the larger the sinus, the longer the maturation time needed to achieve a suitable amount of new bone formation.
Knowing and distrusting: how political trust and knowledge shape direct-democratic participation

ABSTRACT This article examines how factual political knowledge and political trust shape direct-democratic involvement in the form of supporting citizens’ initiatives in Finland. Previous studies have debated the relative merits of cognitive mobilization and political dissatisfaction as predictors of support for direct democracy. This study builds on these efforts, but it extends the scope of analysis to examine reported participation in rather than support for direct democracy. The study relies on data from the most recent round of the Finnish National Election Study from 2015 (FNES2015) to study these questions with binary logistic regression analyses. The results suggest that both factual political knowledge and political trust have the expected relationships with direct-democratic involvement. However, their effects are stronger when they interact and pull in the same direction to shape the propensity of involvement. This indicates that proposals for citizens’ initiatives are generally the work of knowledgeable, but critical, citizens.
The obstetric and gynaecological implications of pseudoxanthoma elasticum

Summary. The obstetric aspects of 54 pregnancies in 20 women with pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) have been reviewed. Forty live births were delivered vaginally, three of them were preterm. Twelve pregnancies miscarried at between 6 and 14 weeks gestation and two were terminated in the 8th week for psychiatric reasons. Fetal losses in two instances were attributed to cervical incompetence. One baby died at 4 days of age from a complex congenital cardiac anomaly. No abnormal maternal genital or gastrointestinal bleeding was recorded. Hypertension complicated seven pregnancies. Abdominal striae developed in all patients, the severity of which correlated with weight gain and the number of pregnancies. All the women had normal gynaecological histories, none had excessive menstrual bleeding or increased episodes of menorrhagia. The eye, blood vessels and other organ systems involved in PXE were unaffected by pregnancy. Apart from the increased risk of first trimester miscarriage and the cosmetic deterioration of the abdominal skin, there are few serious complications in pregnancy in patients with PXE.
Destruction of the sodium conductance inactivation by a specific protease in perfused nerve fibres from Loligo.

Intracellular perfusion of giant axons from Loligo forbesi with a crude protein extract of Pronase dissolved in a KF solution suppresses the process of fast inactivation of the Na conductance (the h‐process in the Hodgkin‐Huxley terminology). 2. The results with protease inhibitors indicate that the most substrate specific endopeptidase present in pronase, alkaline proteinase b, destroys the h‐process. 3. After destruction of the inactivation the conductance rise upon depolarization followed cube law kinetics. Values of the time constant taum before and after destruction of the h‐process were very similar. 4. After destruction of the inactivation process the following properties were tested: cation selectivity, instantaneous conductance and internal receptor sites for tetrodotoxin (TTX) and tetraethylammonium (TEA). No detectable changes in selectivity or instantaneous conductance were observed. No internal receptors for TTX affecting the Na conductance were found but a TEA receptor is exposed by the protein hydrolysis. 5. TEA derivatives (triethylammonium, TEA‐, with an aliphatic chain, Cn) induce a partial block of the steady‐state sodium current and induce a time‐dependent blockage of the conductance. 6. The first effect of TEA‐Cn could be described in terms of a unimolecular reaction with the following equilibrium constants: 50, 2‐5, 1‐0, 0‐4 and 0‐025 mM for TEA‐C2, TEA‐C4, TEA‐C5, TEA‐C7 and TEA‐C9 respectively. 7. From the dependence of the equilibrium dissociation constant on the length of the alkyl chain we estimated the free‐energy change in 560 cal/mole of CH2. The gain in free energy per CH2 group transferred from aqueous medium to the interior of a non‐polar medium is 1000 cal. 8. Although with the data at hand it is impossible to propose the amino‐acid sequence of the site cleaved by alkaline proteinase b, we propose that an important functional component is arginine (or lysine).
Cashing in on Distress: The Expansion of Fringe Financial Institutions During the Great Recession

The Great Recession was a consequence of widening inequality and the growth of a tiered financial services system, in which the rich and the poor have access to vastly different tools for wealth accumulation. The spatial organization of these dynamics created neighborhoods vulnerable to predation on behalf of subprime lenders and other fringe service providers. This project seeks to understand the reproduction of institutional marginalization in consumer finance. Results show that racially isolated neighborhoods in New York City, where subprime lending and foreclosures were common, were uniquely vulnerable during the Great Recession and were communities where check cashing outlets (CCOs) sprouted, highlighting a mechanism for the reproduction of inequality over time. CCOs cost more per transaction than a checking account—potentially totaling tens of thousands of dollars over a career. The link between widening financial services inequality and the recession’s consequences provides a strong impetus for safety net and community investment policies.
Minimally Invasive Zygoma Reduction

Background: It is universally accepted that zygoma reduction is one of the best strategies for facial contouring for Asian patients, and many studies have been conducted regarding this subject. However, these studies have continued to perform the zygoma reduction by sectioning the complete malar eminence to fix it into a new location, which requires a wide range of periosteum dissection to expose the bone sufficiently for correct osteotomy. Methods: In this study, with the help of a new instrument, the authors have applied a new minimally invasive, blind technique to zygoma reduction with multiple scoring and molding. The minimally invasive zygoma reduction was performed through a 5-mm intraoral stab incision, and the authors have operated on over 271 male and female patients. Results: As a result, the authors could reduce the operation time and the postoperative swelling and have achieved greater cosmetic effects and enlarged indications compared with those of conventional methods. The well-known complications of cheek drooping, facial nerve injury, temporomandibular joint injury, and malunion were absent. In particular, because of the relatively reduced swelling, most of the patients could resume activities of daily life within 3 days after the operation. Conclusion: Therefore, the authors recommend this new minimally invasive zygoma reduction as another option for zygoma reduction.
Building Customer Loyalty in Rural Destinations as a Pre-Condition of Sustainable Competitiveness

The paper is dedicated to the issues of rural tourism with regard to the visitor’s loyalty towards the destination in a sustainable development context. Particularly, the findings of the research focused on exploring mutual relations among quality dimensions of the rural destination, overall satisfaction of the visitor, and his or her loyalty towards the destination are presented. A structural model was used to explore the relations among quality dimensions, overall satisfaction, and loyalty in the specific environment of the Czech Republic (inland European country, EU member, until 1989 a socialist country, nearly 93% municipalities with fewer than 3000 inhabitants). The research results allow deeper understanding of the visitor’s behavior and the factors influencing the loyalty towards the destination. The significance order of the dimensions according to their direct influence on the required loyalty towards the destination, i.e., coming back to the destination and spreading positive references to the destination, is as follows: 1. well-being, 2. image, 3. services. We conclude that overall satisfaction directly influences loyalty towards the destination.
Human resources in the global higher education market: the presence of foreign professors in Spanish universities

Despite the existence of a global higher education market in which universities compete to attract talented academics from all over the world, most higher education institutions hire very few foreign researchers. Indeed, in Spain, only 1 in 40 academics are from abroad. This article focuses the Spanish case in order to deepen our understanding of the factors affecting the internationalisation of academic staff in the higher education sector. The analysis is based on data from the European Register of Tertiary Education Institutions and Spanish Higher Education Statistics data, collected by Spain’s National Statistics Office. The main results of this exploratory analysis show that there are differences between Spanish regions in terms of the proportion of foreign staff they hire. Moreover, at the institutional level, the most internationalised universities are relatively new institutions, and most of them are located in Catalonia. The political and economic framework in Spain discourages the hiring of international academics. However, in this context, two important insights should be highlighted: On the one hand, the differences between Catalonia and the rest of the Spanish autonomous communities show that sub‐national policies may have a strong impact on internationalisation processes in decentralised countries like Spain; on the other hand, divergence between universities shows the importance of the strategic behaviour of actors facing environmental pressures.
Impact of ballistic evidence on criminal investigations

The challenges associated with investigating serious crime, particularly organised crime, are well known. Increasingly, police are turning to new information technologies to support traditional investigative techniques. Automated ballistic information technology allows police to link cases that would otherwise not be known to be related. By linking investigations, police can identify new leads and suspects. The current study used interviews with investigators in two states to understand what impact ballistic evidence has on criminal investigations into firearm crime. The results revealed a significant number of cases benefited from linked investigations—including cold cases and cases involving organised crime groups. This research helps to demonstrate the potential value of technology to law enforcement, and the circumstances in which it is most effective.
Chorioamnionitis and the Isolation of Microorganisms From the Placenta

Specimens for the isolation of microorganisms were obtained from the cervical canal in 83 and from the placenta in 86 of 90 women delivered by cesarean section. In addition, the placentas from 87 of these women were examined histopathologically. No correlation was found between the isolation of a given microorganism from the cervical canal and infectious disease in mothers and/or neonates. Isolation of microorganisms from the placenta was correlated with rupture of the membranes occurring six or more hours before surgery and, in women with intact fetal membranes, was correlated with uterine activity. Chorioamnionitis histopathologically was associated with maternal and/or neonatal infections and prematurity. Microorganisms were not isolated significantly more often from the placenta in cases with chorioamnionitis than without. The value of cervical and placental cultures in predicting intrauterine infection is questionable.
Effect of angiotensin II type I receptor blocker losartan on bone deterioration in orchiectomized male hypertensive and normotensive rats.

BACKGROUND Epidemiological study showed that the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors was associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD) in older people, especially male subjects, which suggested that angiotensin II may have a detrimental effect on bone. Therefore, blocking its effect may have a beneficial effect on bone health. METHODS Six-month-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used. Animals of each model were randomly assigned to the following four groups: Group 1, SHAM operated+vehicle; Group 2, orchidectomy (ORX)+vehicle; Group 3, ORX+low-dose losartan (10 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)); and Group 4, ORX+high-dose losartan (25 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)). Blood pressure was recorded weekly. SHAM and ORX operations were performed, followed by daily losartan and vehicle treatment from day 4 after operation for 16 weeks. Serum and 24-hour urine samples were collected for measurement of bone turnover markers before euthanasia and then the left femur was collected for measurements of BMD and microarchitecture before mechanical test. RESULTS Urine deoxypyridinoline/urine creatinine (DPD/Cr) ratio was significantly higher in SHR than in WKY. BMD and microarchitecture parameters also showed bone deterioration in SHR. After ORX, serum osteocalcin concentration decreased and urine DPD/Cr ratio increased significantly accompanied by a significant decrease in cortical and trabecular BMD and cortical bone thickness in both WKY and SHR. High-dose losartan significantly increased DPD in urine in both SHR and WKY. Apart from marginal favorable changes in bone architecture in WKY treated with high-dose losartan, losartan did not show significant effect on BMD, bone area, bone microarchitecture, and mechanical properties in both SHR and WKY. CONCLUSION Angiotensin II type I receptor blocker losartan was not able to demonstrate significant effect on ORX-induced bone deterioration in both hypertensive and normotensive rats.
Ki-67, p53, ER Receptors, Ploidy and S Phase as Long-Term Prognostic Factors in T1 Node-Negative Breast Cancer

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate a series of biomarkers with regard to long-term prognostic value in patients with T1 (≤2 cm) node-negative breast cancer. Method: The prognostic value of Ki-67, p53, oestrogen receptor (ER) immunohistochemical labelling, flow-cytometric S phase fraction and ploidy was evaluated in 212 patients with pT1N0M0 breast cancer. The median follow-up time was 15.9 years (range 0.2–27.2 years). Results: In an analysis of breast cancer-specific survival up to 5 years, high Ki-67 (≧10%; p = 0.002), high p53 (≧20%; p = 0.01), negative ER (<30%; p = 0.01) as well as aneuploidy of the tumour (p = 0.02) were significant prognostic factors. When the follow-up was extended to 10 years, only Ki-67 (p = 0.03) was significantly associated with outcome and beyond 15 years none of the studied markers provided significant prognostic information when analyzed separately. There was a weak but significant difference in long-term survival when patients with a combination of high Ki-67 (≧10%), high SPF (>3%) and high p53 (≧20%) were compared to patients with other combinations (p = 0.03). Conclusion: According to the results of our series, it seems that several prognostic markers which are associated with short-term survival (≤5 years) in pT1N0M0 breast cancer may not be significant predictors of long-term (>15 years) breast cancer-specific survival.
Analysis of the Complexity Measures in the EEG of Schizophrenia Patients

Complexity measures have been enormously used in schizophrenia patients to estimate brain dynamics. However, the conflicting results in terms of both increased and reduced complexity values have been reported in these studies depending on the patients' clinical status or symptom severity or medication and age status. The objective of this study is to investigate the nonlinear brain dynamics of chronic and medicated schizophrenia patients using distinct complexity estimators. EEG data were collected from 22 relaxed eyes-closed patients and age-matched healthy controls. A single-trial EEG series of 2 min was partitioned into identical epochs of 20 s intervals. The EEG complexity of participants were investigated and compared using approximate entropy (ApEn), Shannon entropy (ShEn), Kolmogorov complexity (KC) and Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC). Lower complexity values were obtained in schizophrenia patients. The most significant complexity differences between patients and controls were obtained in especially left frontal (F3) and parietal (P3) regions of the brain when all complexity measures were applied individually. Significantly, we found that KC was more sensitive for detecting EEG complexity of patients than other estimators in all investigated brain regions. Moreover, significant inter-hemispheric complexity differences were found in the frontal and parietal areas of schizophrenics' brain. Our findings demonstrate that the utilizing of sensitive complexity estimators to analyze brain dynamics of patients might be a useful discriminative tool for diagnostic purposes. Therefore, we expect that nonlinear analysis will give us deeper understanding of schizophrenics' brain.
Correlates of resistance and relapse during blinatumomab therapy for relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia

We retrospectively analyzed 65 patients with refractory/relapsed (r/r) ALL who were treated with blinatumomab for predictors of leukemia response as well as clinical patterns of relapse and resistance with particular focus on downregulation of CD19 expression and extramedullary disease (EM‐ALL). The complete remission (CR) rate was 51%, and 15 (45%) responders underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) in CR. High leukemia burden (bone marrow blasts >50%) (P = .02), history of prior EM‐ALL (P = .005), and active EM‐ALL at the time of initiating blinatumomab (P = .05) predicted lower CR rate. Among refractory cases, 13 (41%) had evidence of EM‐ALL progression, and CD19 expression was negative or dim in 18% and 23%, respectively. Among responders, 20 (61%) subsequently relapsed among whom EM‐ALL relapse occurred in 8 (40%) patients, and CD19 expression was negative or dim in 35 and 6% of evaluable cases, respectively. Pretreatment moderate/strong CD19 expression (P = .01) and history of prior EM‐ALL during ALL course (P = .04) were risk factors for developing EM‐ALL at progression/relapse. However, no pretreatment factors predicted progression/relapse with CD19‐negative ALL. Overall‐survival (OS) and even‐free survival were improved for patients underwent allogeneic HCT compared to responders who did not. Furthermore, OS was superior for patients responded to blinatumomab compared to those who did not. Extramedullary and CD19‐negative disease are common during blinatumomab failure in r/r ALL. In addition to high leukemia burden, concurrent or prior history EM‐ALL were associated with lower response to blinatumomab. Higher CD19 expression as well as prior history of EM‐ALL were associated with EM‐ALL at the time of blinatumomab failure.
Replication process of the parvovirus H-1. X. Isolation of a mutant defective in replicative-form DNA replication

A temperature-sensitive mutant of H-1, ts14, that is partially defective in replicative-form (RF) DNA synthesis has been isolated. ts14 H-1 is characterized by a decrease in plaque-forming ability and production of infectious virus at the restrictive temperature of 39.5 degrees C. RF DNA synthesis of ts14 is reduced to 3 to 7% of that of wild-type H-1 at either the restrictive or the permissive temperature. A complementation analysis of RF synthesis of ts14 and a viable defective H-1 virus, DI-1, or wild-type H-3 indicates that the defective RF DNA synthesis of ts14 is cis-acting. ts14, unlike wild-type H-1, causes a multiplicity-dependent inhibition of DI-1 or H-3, but not LuIII, RF DNA synthesis. Mixed infections of cells with two parvoviruses also exhibited a cross-interference for viral protein synthesis that was multiplicity dependent, ts14 inhibited infectious virus production of H-1 or H-3, but not LuIII. LuIII-or H-3-pseudotype particles were produced by coinfection with H-1. H-3 and H-1 showed similar interactions with ts14, and H-3 DNA was more homologous to H-1 than was LuIII by comparative physical mapping studies. The results suggest that ts14 is a mutant with a defect in a regulatory sequence of its DNA that influence RF DNA replication.