Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hepatocyte growth factor upregulates alpha2beta1 integrin in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells: implications in tubulogenesis.

It has been well established that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) induces branching tubule formation of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells cultured in collagen gel. Tubulogenesis per se requires the involvement of cell proliferation, migration, focalization proteolysis, cell-cell interaction and differentiation. However, signaling pathways and proteins involved in HGF-induced tubulogenesis by MDCK cells have not been thoroughly studied. Because cell-matrix interactions play important roles in tubulogenesis, we analyzed whether HGF altered the expression of extracellular matrix receptor (alpha2, alpha3, beta1 and alphavbeta3 integrin). We found that among those proteins examined, alpha2beta1 integrin levels were enhanced by HGF. HGF-induced upregulation of alpha2beta1 integrin was mediated via upregulation of alpha2 integrin mRNA abundance. Cycloheximide blocked the HGF-induced increase in alpha2 integrin mRNA expression. To understand the signaling pathways leading to an HGF-induced increase in alpha2beta1 integrin levels, PD98059 (MEK1 inhibitor), LY294002 (PI3-kinase inhibitor), and GF109203X (PKC inhibitor) were used. We found that PD98059 blocked the HGF-induced increase in alpha2beta1 integrin expression. Furthermore, 5E8 (specific anti-alpha2beta1 integrin antibody) was employed to elucidate the potential role of HGF-induced upregulation of alpha2beta1 integrin in branching morphogenesis. 5E8 did not alter HGF-induced scattering effects but disrupted HGF-induced branching tubulogenesis in collagen gel via inhibition of cell-cell interactions and growth. Taken together, HGF upregulates alpha2beta1 integrin expression via an indirect pathway, the results of which contribute to the regulation of cell-cell interactions and cell growth during branching morphogenesis in collagen gel.
Microembolic Load in Asymptomatic Patients with Cardiac Aneurysm, Severe Ventricular Dysfunction, and Atrial Fibrillation

Transcranial Doppler sonography has become a widely used method for detecting cerebral circulating microemboli (ME) arising from the carotid arteries or the heart. Yet, studies on subgroups of patients with distinct cardiac sources of embolism are still limited. The same holds true for investigations on the relationship between microembolization and hemorheological parameters. A total of 142 patients suffering from left ventricular aneurysm (LVA, n = 52), severe left ventricular dysfunction (LVD, n = 43), or chronic atrial fibrillation (AF, n = 47) were enrolled in this study. All patients had been neurologically asymptomatic for at least 1 month. Further relevant embolic disorders of the carotid arteries and the heart had been excluded. Unilateral monitoring for ME over the middle cerebral artery was performed for 30 min. Blood was drawn after each monitoring for determination of plasmatic coagulation parameters, as well as plasma viscosity, and platelet reactivity. The overall prevalence of ME was 31%, with a slightly higher prevalence in patients with LVA (37%) compared to patients suffering from AF (30%) or LVD (26%). With single-factor analysis, a trend towards higher ME prevalences was found with (a) a history of remote embolic events, (b) ineffective anticoagulation, (c) increased platelet aggregation, or (d) increased plasma viscosity (all p > 0.1). The combination of ineffective anticoagulation in conjunction with increased platelet aggregation, however, was significantly associated with higher ME rates even after adjustment for other factors by logistic regression analysis. Our results demonstrate a low ongoing microembolic activity in asymptomatic patients suffering from LVA, LVD and AF. An activated plasmatic coagulation system together with increased platelet aggregation contributes to ME generation.
Inter-categorical intersectionality and leisure-based physical activity in Canada

Leisure-based physical activity is socially stratified in Canada. To date, inequalities in physical activity by race or ethnicity, gender, class or sexual orientation, in Canada and elsewhere, have largely been investigated as distinct, additive phenomena. Informed by intersectionality theory, this paper examines whether racial identity, gender, class and sexuality 'intersect' with one another to predict physical activity in data from Cycles 2.1 and 3.1 of the Canadian Community Health Survey (n= 149 574). In particular, we apply the intersectional principle of multiplicativity which suggests that people's experiences of their gender identities are raced, classed and sexualized; their racial experiences are gendered, classed and sexualized, and so forth. We find that the positive effect of income on being physically active is strong among visible minority men, of moderate strength among White men and women and weak to non-existent among visible minority women. We also find that a lesbian, gay or bisexual orientation corresponds with a higher likelihood of being physically active among women (especially among less educated women) but not among men. These multiplicative findings undermine additive approaches to investigating social inequalities in leisure-based physical activity and pave the way for future intersectional analyses of axes of inequality and their diverse, intersecting effects.
International Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Criteria and Classification (IECC): A New Pathogenetic Classification for Invasive Adenocarcinomas of the Endocervix

We sought to classify endocervical adenocarcinomas (ECAs) based on morphologic features linked to etiology (ie, human papillomavirus [HPV] infection), unlike the World Health Organization 2014 classification. The International Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Criteria and Classification (IECC criteria), described herein, distinguishes between human papillomavirus-associated adenocarcinoma (HPVA), recognized by the presence of luminal mitoses and apoptosis seen at scanning magnification, and no or limited HPVA features (nonhuman papillomavirus-associated adenocarcinoma [NHPVA]). HPVAs were then subcategorized based on cytoplasmic features (mostly to provide continuity with preexisting classification schemes), whereas NHPVAs were subclassified based on established criteria (ie, gastric-type, clear cell, etc.). Complete slide sets from 409 cases were collected from 7 institutions worldwide. Tissue microarrays representing 297 cases were constructed; immunohistochemistry (p16, p53, vimentin, progesterone receptor) and chromogenic in situ hybridization using an RNA-based probe set that recognizes 18 varieties of high-risk HPV were performed to validate IECC diagnoses. The 5 most common IECC diagnoses were usual-type (HPVA) (73% of cohort), gastric-type (NHPVA) (10%), mucinous adenocarcinoma of HPVA type, including intestinal, mucinous not otherwise specified, signet-ring, and invasive stratified mucin-producing carcinoma categories (9%), clear cell carcinoma (NHPVA) (3%) and adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified (2%). Only 3 endometrioid carcinomas were recognized and all were NHPVA. When excluding cases thought to have suboptimal tissue processing, 90% and 95% of usual-type IECC cases overexpressed p16 and were HPV+, whereas 37% and 3% of NHPVAs were p16+ and HPV+, respectively. The 1 HPV+ gastric-type carcinoma was found to have hybrid HPVA/NHPVA features on secondary review. NHPVA tumors were larger and occurred in significantly older patients, compared with HPVA tumors (P<0.001). The high-risk HPV chromogenic in situ hybridization probe set had superior sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (0.955, 0.968, 0.992, 0.833, respectively) compared with p16 immunohistochemistry (0.872, 0.632, 0.907, 0.545, respectively) to identify HPV-related usual carcinoma and mucinous carcinoma. IECC reliably segregates ECAs into HPVA and NHPVA types using morphology alone. This study confirms that usual-type ECAs are the most common type worldwide and that mucinous carcinomas comprise a mixture of HPVA and NHPVA, with gastric-type carcinoma being the major NHPVA type. Endometrioid and serous carcinomas of the endocervix are extraordinarily rare. Should clinical outcomes and genomic studies continue to support these findings, we recommend replacement of the World Health Organization 2014 criteria with the IECC 2017.
Exchange Rate and Current Account Dynamics with Habits over Consumption and Money Holdings

Incorporating two independent habits over consumption and money holdings into a small country model, we examine the adjustment dynamics of the current account and the exchange rate to expansionary monetary and fiscal shocks under two alternative policy regimes: (1) the endogenous income transfer regime; and (2) the endogenous fiscal spending regime. In response to the shocks under regime (1), the exchange rate depreciates on impact and in the long run whereas it appreciates (depreciates) in transition if preferences for real money balances exhibit distant (adjacent) complementarity. Under regime (2), the consumption habits and the monetary habits jointly generate possibly non-monotonic current account dynamics. An induced increase in fiscal spending in regime (2) can generate a current account surplus in the case where the monetary habits exhibit strong distant complementarity.
Perceived Dimensions of 13 Tones: A Multidimensional Scaling Investigation

Abstract 24 native speakers of American English made direct ratings of dissimilarity between 13 pitch patterns superimposed on a synthetic speech-like syllable. A multidimensional scaling analysis of the data revealed four perceptual dimensions, which were interpreted as average pitch, endpoint, extreme endpoint and length. The relative importance of these dimensions varied across individual subjects.
Outcome of Preterm Infants With Postnatal Cytomegalovirus Infection

In this prospective study, we investigate neurodevelopmental outcomes, including hearing, of a large cohort of preterm infants with pCMV infection until early childhood. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether preterm infants with postnatal cytomegalovirus infection develop neurologic sequelae in early childhood. METHODS: Infants <32 weeks’ gestation were prospectively screened for cytomegalovirus (CMV) at term-equivalent age. Neurodevelopment was compared between CMV-positive and CMV-negative infants by using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS) at 16 months’ corrected age (CA); the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition or the GMDS at 24 to 30 months’ CA; and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Third Edition and Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition at 6 years of age. At 6 years old, hearing was assessed in CMV-positive children. RESULTS: Neurodevelopment was assessed in 356 infants at 16 months’ CA, of whom 49 (14%) were infected and 307 (86%) were noninfected. Infected infants performed significantly better on the GMDS locomotor scale. There were no differences at 24 to 30 months’ CA on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition or GMDS. At 6 years of age, infected children scored lower on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Third Edition, but mean scores were within normal range, reaching significance only in verbal IQ (96 [SD 17] vs 103 [SD 15] points; P = .046). Multiple regression indicated no impact of CMV status but significant influence of maternal education and ethnicity on verbal IQ. No significant differences in motor development were found and none of the infected children developed sensorineural hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort study, postnatal cytomegalovirus infection in preterm children did not have an adverse effect on neurodevelopment within the first 6 years of life.
Clinical and laboratory studies with tobramycin.

Tobramycin is a new amino-hexose antibiotic which is closely related to gentamicin. It is more active than gentamicin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa but has less antibacterial activity against other gram-negative bacilli. Absorption and excretion studies in human volunteers confirm satisfactory blood levels. 31 patients suffering from infections caused by gram-negative organisms, including 18 due to Ps. aeruginosa, have been treated with tobramycin and 28 responded clinically to the antibiotic. One patient developed signs of ototoxicity following treatment with tobramycin.
Depressed mood is associated with loss of productivity in allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is associated with significant decreases in quality of life and productivity losses. We hypothesized that symptoms of AR may differentially associate with lost productivity due to AR. We performed a cross‐sectional cohort study of 105 prospectively recruited patients with persistent AR. AR control, severity of depressed mood, and sinonasal symptoms were assessed with the Rhinitis Control Assessment Test (RCAT), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐2), and the 22‐item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22), respectively. Lost productivity was assessed by asking the number of days of work/school missed due to AR in the last 3 months. Patients missed a mean of 1.5 days (SD:2.9) of work or school. Lost productivity was associated with PHQ‐2 (adjusted linear regression coefficient [β] = .68, 95% CI: 0.20‐1.15, P = .007) analysis but not SNOT‐22 or RCAT scores. Productivity losses due to AR are associated with severity of depressed mood rather than classic nasal or extra‐nasal symptoms of AR.
Effects of green tea (Camellia sinensis) mouthwash containing 1% tannin on dental plaque and chronic gingivitis: a double‐blinded, randomized, controlled trial

AIM The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of Iranian green tea mouthwash containing 1% tannin on dental plaque and chronic gingivitis. METHODS In this randomized, double-blinded, parallel, controlled clinical trial, 40 volunteer dental students with a gingival index ≥1 were enrolled. At baseline, gingival, plaque, and bleeding indices were recorded and all the participants received dental polishing. Based on random allocation, 20 participants used the test and 20 used chlorhexidine mouthwash with no change in regular toothbrushing methods. The participants were asked to use 15 mL of the respective mouthwash for 1 min, twice a day for 28 days. All indices, as well as stain index, were recorded after 1 and 4 weeks post-rinsing. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni tests. RESULTS Significant in-group differences, but not between-group differences, were observed in all indices after 1 and 4 weeks compared to baseline. The test mouthwash resulted in significantly less tooth staining than the control. CONCLUSION The 1% tannin green tea mouthwash could be a safe and feasible adjunct to mechanical plaque control. The tested green tea mouthwash could be considered a good alternative for chlorhexidine in contraindicating situations.
A Randomized Controlled Study of the Use of Video Double-Lumen Endobronchial Tubes Versus Double-Lumen Endobronchial Tubes in Thoracic Surgery.

OBJECTIVE To compare the incidence of fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) use (1) during verification of initial placement and (2) for reconfirmation of correct placement following repositioning, when either a double-lumen tube (DLT) or video double-lumen tube (VDLT) was used for lung isolation during thoracic surgery. DESIGN A randomized controlled study. SETTING Single-center university teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS The study comprised 80 patients who were 18 years or older requiring lung isolation for surgery. INTERVENTIONS After institutional review board approval, patients were randomized prior to surgery to either DLT or VDLT usage. Attending anesthesiologists placed the Mallinckrodt DLT or Vivasight (ET View Ltd, Misgav, Israel) VDLT with conventional laryngoscopy or video laryngoscopy then verified correct tube position through the view provided with either VDLT external monitor or FOB. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Data collected included: sex, body mass index, successful intubation and endobronchial placement, intubation time, confirmation time of tube position, FOB use, quality of view, dislodgement of tube, and ability to forewarn dislodgement of endobronchial cuff and complications. FOB use for verification of final position of the tube (VDLT 13.2% [5/38] v DLT 100% [42/42], p < 0.0001), need for FOB to correct the dislodgement (VDLT 7.7% [1/13] v DLT 100% [14/14], p < 0.0001), dislodgement during positioning (VDLT 61.5% [8/13] v DLT 64.3% [9/14], p = ns), dislodgement during surgery (VDLT 38.5% [5/13] v DLT 21.4% [3/14], p = ns), and ability to forewarn dislodgement of endobronchial cuff (VDLT 18.4% [7/38] v DLT 4.8% [2/42], p = 0.078). CONCLUSION This study demonstrated a reduction of 86.8% in FOB use, which was a similar reduction found in other published studies.
Dynamic Rule Encryption for Mobile Payment

The trend of financial transactions by using a mobile phone or mobile payment increases. By using the mobile payment service, users can save money on mobile phone (handset) and separate from the pulse. For protecting users, mobile payment service providers must complete the mobile payment service with the transaction security. One way to provide transaction security is to utilize a secure mobile payment application. This research provides a safety feature used for an Android-based mobile payment application. This security feature is making encryption rules dynamically named Dynamic Rule Encryption (DRE). DRE has the ability to protect data by means of encrypting data with dynamic rules, and DRE also has a token function for an authentication. DRE token raised with dynamic time-based rules. Here, the time is used as a reference with the order of the day in the year (day of the year). The processes of the DRE’s encryption, decryption, and the DRE’s functionality as the token are discussed in this paper. Here, the Hamming distance metric is employed for having maximum differences between plaintext and ciphertext.
A Th1-Inducing Adjuvant, MPL®, Enhances Antibody Profiles in Experimental Animals Suggesting It Has the Potential to Improve the Efficacy of Allergy Vaccines

Background: Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL®) is a detoxified derivative of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) moiety of Salmonella minnesota R595, which has retained immunostimulatory activities. MPL® has been administered to many subjects in clinical trials as an adjuvant component of infectious disease vaccines and is currently a component of a licensed cancer vaccine, Melacine® (Corixa Inc., Schering Plough). MPL® has, in particular, been shown to promote Th1-type antigen specific responses. L-tyrosine is a depot adjuvant which is fully metabolisable and has been successfully employed in allergy vaccines for a number of years. Methods: Mice were immunised with MPL® adjuvant in conjunction with separate preparations of either ovalbumin or glutaraldehyde-modified ragweed pollen extract both coprecipitated with L-tyrosine. The specific antibody isotypes IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b and also IgE were measured. Rats received booster injections of keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) in conjunction with MPL® adjuvant following priming with KLH in alum alone. KLH-specific antibody responses were measured. Results: It was shown that a combination of L-tyrosine and MPL® were synergistic in enhancing murine antigen specific IgG antibody responses without enhancing antigen specific IgE responses. Furthermore, this adjuvant combination promoted strong IgG2 antigen specific responses indicative of a Th1 directed response. In KLH sensitised rats, treatment with MPL® was shown to prevent a secondary IgE antibody response when injected with booster injections of antigen. Conclusions: Immunisation of mice with two different antigens adsorbed to L-tyrosine induced a Th1-skewed primary response when in conjunction with MPL® adjuvant which also generally enhances a specific IgG response. Incorporation of MPL® adjuvant in the immunisation of rats prevented a secondary specific IgE response. These results suggest that the employment of this new adjuvant in clinical allergy vaccination formulations may result in an improved efficacy which could be utilised in various ways to improve compliance.
Borrelia bissettiae sp. nov. and Borrelia californiensis sp. nov. prevail in diverse enzootic transmission cycles

Two species of the genus Borrelia, Borrelia bissettiae sp. nov. and Borrelia californiensis sp. nov., were first described by Postic and co-workers on the basis of genetic analyses of several loci. Multilocus sequence analysis of eight housekeeping loci confirmed that these two Borrelia genomospecies are distinct members of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. B. bissettiae sp. nov. was initially described in transmission cycles involving Neotoma fuscipes wood rats and Ixodes pacificus ticks in California, and Neotoma mexicana and Ixodes spinipalpis in Colorado. The preferred host of B. californiensis sp. nov. appears to be the California kangaroo rat, Dipodomys californicus; Ixodes jellisoni, I. spinipalipis and I. pacificus ticks are naturally infected with it. Thus, the ecological associations of the two genomospecies and their genetic distance from all other known Borrelia genomospecies species justify their description as separate genomospecies: B. bissettiae sp. nov. (type strain DN127T = DSM 17990T = CIP 109136T) and B. californiensis (type strain CA446T = DSM 17989T = ATCC BAA-2689T).
Building an endoscopic ear surgery program

Purpose of reviewThis article discusses background, operative details, and outcomes of endoscopic ear surgery. This information will be helpful for those establishing a new program. Recent findingsEndoscopic ear surgery is growing in popularity. The ideal benefit is in totally transcanal access that would otherwise require a larger incision. The endoscope carries a number of advantages over the microscope, as well as some disadvantages. Several key maneuvers can minimize disadvantages. There is a paucity of studies directly comparing outcomes between endoscopic and microscopic approaches for the same procedure. SummaryThe endoscope is gaining acceptance as a tool for treating otologic diseases. For interested surgeons, this article can help bridge the transition from microscopic to totally transcanal endoscopic ear surgery for appropriate disease.