Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association between interferon-γ +874 T/A polymorphism and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases: a meta-analysis

Objective The aim of this study was to explore whether the interferon (IFN)-γ +874 T/A polymorphism plays a role in modifying the risk of autoimmune diseases. Methods A meta-analysis was conducted on the association between the IFN-γ +874 T/A polymorphism and autoimmune diseases. Results Eighteen studies with a total of 2952 patients and 3832 controls were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed no association between autoimmune diseases and the IFN-γ +874 T allele in all study subjects (odds ratio (OR)=1.023, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.894–1.171, p = 0.738), but stratification by ethnicity indicated an association between the IFN-γ +874 T allele and autoimmune diseases in Latin American subjects (OR = 0.780, 95% CI = 0.629–0.953, p = 0.015). Meta-analysis also revealed an association between autoimmune diseases and the IFN-γ +874 T/A polymorphism in Caucasian and Middle Eastern subjects under a dominant inheritance model (OR = 0.686, 95% CI = 0.489–0.964, p = 0.003; OR = 1.414, 95% CI = 1.102–1.813, p = 0.006). Meta-analysis by autoimmune disease type indicated an association between ITP and the IFN-γ +874 T allele (OR = 1.753, 95% CI = 1.228–2.503, p = 0.002), but not for vasculitis, vitiligo, and auto-immune thyroid disease. Meta-analysis also showed a significant association between the IFN-γ +874 T/A polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) under the dominant model (OR = 1.668, 95% CI = 1.114–2.497, p = 0.013). Conclusions This meta-analysis indicates that the IFN-γ +874 T/A polymorphism may play a significant role in modifying the risk of autoimmune diseases in Caucasian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern subjects, and in particular shows that the IFN-γ +874 T/A polymorphism is associated with increased genetic susceptibility to idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and SLE.
Histologic Studies of the Posterior Stapediovestibular Joint in Otosclerosis

Objective To determine the prevalence of ankylosis or otosclerosis at the posterior stapediovestibular joint (SVJ) in temporal bones with otosclerosis, with special reference to stapes surgery. Background Long-term success of the laser stapedotomy minus prosthesis (STAMP) procedure, anterior crurotomy, and similar partial stapedectomy procedures depends on lack of ankylosis and lack of otosclerosis involving the posterior SVJ. Previous work has shown that the air-bone gap in otosclerosis correlates with narrowing and loss of the SVJ space. However, the prevalence and histologic features of otoscle-rotic involvement of the posterior SVJ space have not been well characterized. Methods Histologic assessment of serial sections through the oval window niche in 140 temporal bones with otosclerosis that had been sectioned in the axial plane (age range 20–95 years, mean 68). Bones with stapes mobilization or stapedectomy were excluded. Results and Conclusions Two of 140 bones had otosclerosis exclusively at the posterior SVJ. Of the remaining 138 bones, all of which had otosclerosis at the anterior SVJ, 82 bones also had otosclerosis at the posterior joint. Of the 56 bones without otosclerosis of the posterior joint, there was bony ankylosis of the posterior joint in 3 bones. Thus, 53 bones (38%) had neither ankylosis nor otosclerosis involving the posterior joint, and they would be potentially suitable for a laser STAMP or a similar procedure. There was no correlation between otosclerosis at the posterior SVJ and age, sex, or duration of conductive hearing loss. Otosclerosis at the posterior joint in one ear was significantly associated with its presence at the posterior joint in the opposite ear (p = 0.01). The audiogram could not be used to reliably predict otosclerotic involvement of the posterior SVJ or the degree of footplate pathologic changes, such as ankylosis.
In Vivo Interactions of Ecotropic and Polytropic Murine Leukemia Viruses in Mixed Retrovirus Infections

ABSTRACT Mixed retrovirus infections are the rule rather than the exception in mice and other species, including humans. Interactions of retroviruses in mixed infections and their effects on disease induction are poorly understood. Upon infection of mice, ecotropic retroviruses recombine with endogenous proviruses to generate polytropic viruses that utilize different cellular receptors. Interactions among the retroviruses of this mixed infection facilitate disease induction. Using mice infected with defined mixtures of the ecotropic Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV) and different polytropic viruses, we demonstrate several dramatic effects of mixed infections. Remarkably, inoculation of F-MuLV with polytropic MuLVs completely suppressed the generation of new recombinant viruses and dramatically altered disease induction. Coinoculation of F-MuLV with one polytropic virus significantly lengthened survival times, while inoculation with another polytropic MuLV induced a rapid and severe neurological disease. In both instances, the level of the polytropic MuLV was increased 100- to 1,000-fold, whereas the ecotropic MuLV level remained unchanged. Surprisingly, nearly all of the polytropic MuLV genomes were packaged within F-MuLV virions (pseudotyped) very soon after infection. At this time, only a fractional percentage of cells in the mouse were infected by either virus, indicating that the coinoculated viruses had infected the same small subpopulation of susceptible cells. The profound amplification of polytropic MuLVs in coinfected mice may be facilitated by pseudotyping or, alternatively, by transactivation of the polytropic virus in the coinfected cells. This study illustrates the complexity of the interactions between components of mixed retrovirus infections and the dramatic effects of these interactions on disease processes.
Cytokine Profile of Serum and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluids following Thoracic Esophageal Cancer Surgery

Objectives: The body’s response to stress is comprised of two opposing reactions, namely inflammation and immunosuppression. The balance between these two reactions not only changes over time, but also varies among different cells or organs. Limited information is available regarding the cytokine balance of circulating blood and inflammatory sites after thoracic surgical stress. Design: The subjects of the present study were 10 patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery which requires thoracolaparotomic manipulation. The postoperative levels of interleukin (IL)-8, IL-10, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNF-RI) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALFs) and peripheral blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The absolute concentration of cytokines in lower respiratory tract ([cytokine]LRT) was estimated by using the ratio of urea concentration in BALF and serum. Results: The levels of these cytokines in peripheral blood peaked within 24 h of start of the surgery (IL-8 85.6 ± 29.8 pg/ml; IL-10 65.1 ± 10.6 pg/ml; IL-1ra 2,807.8 ± 652.8 pg/ml, and sTNF-RI 3,996.3 ± 380.1 pg/ml). The level of [IL-8]LRT immediately after surgery was approximately 20 times higher than that in peripheral blood, and the level of [IL-1ra]LRT was approximately 4 times higher. In contrast, the level of [IL-10]LRT immediately after surgery was comparable to that in peripheral blood, but the level of [sTNF RI]LRT immediately after surgery was approximately one fifth of that in peripheral blood. Conclusions: The balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory reactions varies from one part of the body to the next, and changes over time after surgery. The profile of stress-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines should be analyzed further to establish appropriate and effective cytokine modulatory therapeutic approaches.
PRIMARY TEACHER TRAINEES' MATHEMATICAL SUBJECT KNOWLEDGE: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PEER TUTORING

In recent years we have been developing a place for peer tutoring within the learning experiences for trainee teachers within the PGCE course, and it is in relation to the development of curriculum subject knowledge that peer tutoring is now most formalised. In each of the curriculum subject areas where, until recently, there has been a requirement to audit the subject knowledge of trainees and take steps to remedy any deficiencies (DfEE 1998) we have developed course structures that include a role for peer tutoring. This paper describes our approaches to subject knowledge development in Mathematics and the role of peer tutoring within it.
Biogenesis of extracellular vesicles in yeast

The cellular events required for unconventional protein secretion in eukaryotic pathogens are beginning to be revealed. In fungi, extracellular release of proteins involves passage through the cell wall by mechanisms that are poorly understood. In recent years, several studies demonstrated that yeast cells produce vesicles that traverse the cell wall to release a wide range of cellular components into the extracellular space. These studies suggested that extracellular vesicle release involves components of both conventional and unconventional secretory pathways, although the precise mechanisms required for this process are still unknown. We discuss here cellular events that are candidates for regulating this interesting but elusive event in the biology of yeast cells.
Design and implementation of ARIP for efficient handovers

Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6), which is a protocol being standardized by Internet Engineering Task Force for global IP mobility support, is expected to have a key role for future All‐IP wireless networks. As the demands for delay sensitive multimedia applications increase, the handover latency and packet losses of MIPv6 become inadequate for these applications. Fast Handovers for Mobile IPv6 (FMIPv6) has been proposed to tackle the problem. However, FMIPv6 cannot work solely since it needs access router information for its fast handover operation. In this paper, we propose Access Router Information Protocol (ARIP), which performs a candidate access router discovery and a radio access network discovery in one protocol suite, to provide an efficient handover framework for MIPv6 and FMIPv6. ARIP is designed to cope with heterogeneous networks as well as homogeneous networks and to be closely coupled with FMIPv6 to provide the efficient handover performance. The performance evaluation of MIPv6, FMIPv6, and FMIPv6 with ARIP is performed in an actual network environment. The performance results show that FMIPv6 with ARIP can significantly improve the handover performance compared to the conventional handover approaches. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling musical anticipation: From the time of music to the music of time. (Modélisation de l'anticipation musicale: Du temps de la musique vers la musique du temps)

This thesis studies musical anticipation, both as a cognitive process and design principle for applications in music information retrieval and computer music. For this study, we reverse the problem of modeling anticipation addressed mostly in music cognition literature for the study of musical behavior, to anticipatory modeling, a cognitive design principle for modeling artificial systems. We propose anticipatory models and applications concerning three main preoccupations of expectation: What to expect? How to expect? and When to expect? For the first question, we introduce a mathematical framework for music information geometry combining information theory, differential geometry, and statistical learning, with the aim of representing information content and gaining access to music structures. The second question is addressed as a machine learning planning problem in an environment, where interactive learning methods are employed on parallel agents to learn anticipatory profiles of actions to be used for decision making. To address the third question, we provide a novel anticipatory design for the problem of synchronizing a live performer to a pre-written music score, leading to Antescofo , a preliminary tool for writing of time and interaction in computer music. Despite the variety of topics present in this thesis, the anticipatory design concept is common in all propositions with the following premises: that an anticipatory design can reduce the structural and computational complexity of modeling, and helps address complex problems in computational aesthetics and most importantly computer music.
Model-Guided Flapless Immediate Implant Placement and Provisionalization in the Esthetic Zone Utilizing a Nanostructured Titanium Implant: A Case Report.

T here have been many reports of successful immediate implant placement in the literature. One potential problem that has been identified in immediate implant placement is gingival recession in the esthetic zone. This case illustrates a technique designed to minimize this potential for recession by using model-guided flapless implant placement. Guided placement of the implant allows for optimal positioning, thus reducing esthetic complications. The technique relies on a panorex radiograph to determine the vertical height of available bone, and the construction of a model of the ridge to determine the width of available bone. A ridge mapping procedure based on a bone sounding technique was used to construct the model of the ridge. An extremely thin acupuncture needle (0.30 mm), rather than a caliper, was used for the bone sounding, allowing measurements to be made without anesthetizing the patient. A surgical stent was then prepared on the model to optimally position the implant as determined from the diagnostic wax up. This technique is cost-effective and exposes the patient to a minimal amount of radiation while allowing for flapless implant placement, and optimal implant positioning for prosthetic reconstruction. The implant provides a platform shift to maintain bone and reduce the risk of gingival recession. The final abutment was placed immediately with a provisional restoration to provide support for the tissue and minimize the risk of gingival recession. A socket shielding technique is also used to reduce the potential for gingival recession by using the retained root structure to help maintain the bone and soft tissue. The implant was composed of nanostructured commercially pure (CP) titanium, which has been shown to integrate faster than implants composed of conventional CP titanium and have strength greater than implants composed of titanium alloys. As such, a nanostructured CP titanium implant is especially appropriate for immediate implant placement and immediate provisionalization. CASE REPORT
Flow cytometric scoring of apoptosis compared to electron microscopy in gamma irradiated lymphocytes.

One of the early events occurring at the cell membrane during apoptosis is the translocation of phosphatidylserine from the inner side of the plasma membrane to the outer layer. These phosphatidylserine groups can be bound by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled annexin V. The aim of this study was to evaluate the power of the annexin V flow cytometric assay in detecting apoptosis in gamma irradiated peripheral blood lymphocytes and in differentiating between apoptosis and primary necrosis in these cells. Therefore, 5 Gy and 20 Gy gamma irradiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were examined after a 24-h culture period. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique was performed as well. A comparison with an electron microscopic (EM) evaluation was made. EM is based on established morphological criteria allowing the classification of cells into four groups: viable, early apoptotic, secondary necrotic and primary necrotic cells. EM performed on annexin V positive sorted cells proved that a 5 Gy gamma irradiation of PBMCs mainly causes apoptosis, whereas a 20 Gy gamma irradiation mainly induces primary necrosis. Neither the annexin V flow cytometric assay nor the TUNEL assay were able to distinguish between primary and secondary necrotic cells. These results illustrate that if quantification of apoptosis is required, one should be careful in interpreting flow cytometric results obtained by annexin V or TUNEL staining in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Although in general primary necrotic cells show an increased forward scatter due to cellullar swelling, both early apoptotic and necrotic (primary or secondary) lymphocytes show a decreased forward scatter signal. Moreover, both primary and secondary necrotic lymphocytes are annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) positive and therefore indistinguishable. We conclude that if a new experiment focusing on apoptosis is set up, an initial EM evaluation is mandatory. If EM shows that the apoptosis inducing agent used in the design of the experiments is not causing primary necrosis, than the annexin V flow cytometric assay can provide rapid and quantitative information about apoptosis.
Personality and sexual satisfaction in marriage.

Abstract The role of personality in marital sexual satisfaction was investigated in 102 married couples, studying three major measurable personality dimensions–extraversion-introversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. The results indicated that for females greatest sexual satisfaction in marriage occurred when the male's personality was essentially identical to the female's for extraversion-introversion and neuroticism; for these same couples, however, the males sexual satisfaction was not related to such personality similarity or dissimilarity. Interestingly, for males, greatest sexual satisfaction in marriage was found when spouses were essentially identical in the personality dimension of psychoticism. Thus, all three personality dimensions were shown to be related to sexual satisfaction in marriage. Personality “fit” between marital partners would appear to be important for sexual satisfaction, with females perhaps being more sensitive to personality than males. If the three personality dimensions are.
The Myc 3′ Wnt-Responsive Element Regulates Homeostasis and Regeneration in the Mouse Intestinal Tract

ABSTRACT The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway controls cellular proliferation in the intestines. In response to Wnt, β-catenin transits into the nucleus and associates with members of the T-cell factor (TCF) family of transcription factors. β-Catenin/TCF complexes bind Wnt responsive DNA elements (WREs) to activate target gene expression. The c-MYC proto-oncogene (MYC) is a direct target of β-catenin/TCF complexes. We recently identified the MYC 3′ WRE, which maps 1.4-kb downstream from the MYC transcription stop site. To investigate the role of the Myc 3′ WRE in the intestines, we generated a mouse model with a germ line deletion of this element. The intestinal architecture was largely preserved in knockout mice; however, removal of the Myc 3′ WRE compromised the crypt microenvironment. In comparison to wild-type intestines, knockout intestines contained an increased number of proliferative cells and a reduced number of differentiated cells comprising both absorptive and secretory lineages. Using a model of colitis, we found that knockout colons repaired more rapidly during the recovery period of the protocol. These results indicate that regulation of MYC expression through the Myc 3′ WRE contributes to intestinal homeostasis. Furthermore, our study implicates MYC as an important regulator of intestinal regeneration following injury.
Providing feedback: Exploring a model (emotion, content, outcomes) for facilitating multisource feedback

Background: Multi-source feedback (MSF) aims to raise self-awareness of performance and encourage improvement. The ECO model (emotions, content, outcome) is a three-step process developed from the counselling literature to facilitate feedback acceptance and use in MSF. Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore the acceptability, usefulness and educational impact of the model. Methods: This was a qualitative study using interviews to explore general practice (GP) trainer and trainee experiences and perceptions of the ECO facilitation model. Interviews were conducted by telephone, recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic framework. Results: About 13 GP trainers and trainees participated in the interviews following their MSF discussions using the ECO model. They agreed that the model was useful, simple to use and engaged trainees in reflection upon their feedback and performance. Exploring emotions and clarifying content appeared integral to accepting and using the feedback. Positive feedback was often surprising. Most trainees reported performance improvements following their MSF–ECO session. Conclusions: The model appeared acceptable and simple to use. Engaging the learner as a partner in the feedback discussion appeared effective. Further research is needed to fully understand the influence of each step in facilitating MSF acceptance and use, and to determine the impact of the ECO model alone upon performance outcomes compared to more traditional provision of MSF feedback.
Aneuploidy and Epithelial Cancers: The Impact of Aneuploidy on the Genesis, Progression and Prognosis of Colorectal and Breast Carcinomas

Aneuploidy is a defining feature of epithelial cancers with an impact on the genesis, progression and prognosis of these malignancies. Essentially all sporadic, mismatch repair proficient colorectal carcinomas are defined by a non-random distribution of genomic imbalances. Regarding breast cancer, however, aneuploid and near diploid cases show almost similar frequencies. Independent of the tumor entity, increased levels of aneuploidy result in a worse clinical outcome. For breast and colorectal carcinomas, aneuploidy has been reported as an independent prognostic factor with an impact comparable to that of the tumor stage. Unfortunately, the translation of this knowledge into the clinic was slow. Prognostication in breast cancer is augmented by gene expression profiles of poor or good prognosis. Interestingly, there is growing evidence that prognostic gene expression signatures simply reflect the degree of genomic instability. This is not surprising since gross nuclear aneuploidy is reflected in a strikingly recurrent and tumor entity specific distribution of chromosomal imbalances. Chromosomal imbalances, in turn, do significantly modulate resident gene expression levels. Furthermore, aneuploidy also affects protein expression. Proteomics has therefore become a powerful tool to unravel potential new targets for diagnostics, prognostication and therapeutic stratification. There is also increasing evidence that aneuploidy precedes invasive disease and can already be detected in premalignant lesions such as colon adenomas and/or ulcerative colitis. It is therefore reasonable to assume that aneuploidy plays a crucial role during carcinogenesis, an interpretation consistent with its direct influence on disease outcome. This has triggered considerable efforts to elucidate how aneuploidy develops and what its impact is on the genetic equilibrium of cells at the molecular level.