Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection of CK20mRNA in peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer and its clinical significance.

AIM To detect the expression of CK20mRNA in peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer and evaluate its clinical significance. METHODS Expression of CK20mRNA in peripheral blood was detected by fluorogenic qualitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 40 cases of pancreatic cancer at the night before operation, in 5 cases of benign pancreatic diseases, in 5 cases of healthy individuals. The relationships were investigated between CK20mRNA expression and the clinicopathological variables, and clinical follow-up outcome in those patients with pancreatic cancer having undergone radical resection. RESULTS Of the 40 patients with pancreatic cancer, 23 (57.5%) cases were positive for CK20mRNA expression. CK20mRNA expression was significantly correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.008), histopathological grading (P = 0.009), and pathological stage (P = 0.021); there was no significant correlation between CK20mRNA expression and age, gender, tumor diameter, and depth of invasion. The cumulative metastasis rates of patients with CK20mRNA expression were higher than those of patients with no CK20mRNA expression within 6 mo (34.7% vs 5.9%, P = 0.043) or 12 mo (73.9% vs 35.3%, P = 0.02) after operation. CK20mRNA expression in peripheral blood of pancreatic cancer indicated poorer prognosis. The survival rate of patients with CK20mRNA expression was lower than that of patients with negative CK20mRNA expression (Log-Rank = 13.31, P = 0.0003). CONCLUSION CK20mRNA is a sensitive and specific molecular marker for the detection of micrometastasis in peripheral blood of patients with pancreatic cancer. The CK20mRNA expression in peripheral blood is correlated with biological characteristic of pancreatic cancer. It can help to predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer after operation, and to determine which patient will benefit from aggressive adjuvant therapies.
ERG/AKR1C3/AR Constitutes a Feed-Forward Loop for AR Signaling in Prostate Cancer Cells

Purpose: Intratumoral androgen synthesis in prostate cancer contributes to the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Several enzymes responsible for androgen biosynthesis have been shown to be overexpressed in CRPC, thus contributing to CRPC in a castrated environment. The TMPRSS2–ERG transcription factor has been shown to be present in primary prostate cancer tumors as well as CRPC tumors. We hypothesize that TMPRSS2–ERG fusions regulate androgen biosynthetic enzyme (ABE) gene expression and the production of androgens, which contributes to the development of CRPC. Experimental design: We used a panel of assays, including lentivirus transduction, gene expression, chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric quantitation, immunocytochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and bioinformatics analysis of gene microarray databases, to determine ERG regulation of androgen synthesis. Results: We found that ERG regulated the expression of the ABE AKR1C3 in prostate cancer cells via direct binding to the AKR1C3 gene. Knockdown of ERG resulted in reduced AKR1C3 expression, which caused a reduction in both DHT synthesis and PSA expression in VCaP prostate cancer cells treated with 5α-androstanedione (5α-Adione), a DHT precursor metabolite. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that ERG was coexpressed with AKR1C3 in prostate cancer tissue samples. Conclusions: These data suggest that AKR1C3 catalyzes the biochemical reduction of 5α-Adione to DHT in prostate cancer cells, and that ERG regulates this step through upregulation of AKR1C3 expression. Elucidation of ERG regulation of ABEs in CRPC may help to stratify TMPRSS2–ERG fusion-positive prostate cancer patients in the clinic for anti–androgen receptor–driven therapies; and AKR1C3 may serve as a valuable therapeutic target in the treatment of CRPC. Clin Cancer Res; 21(11); 2569–79. ©2015 AACR.
Randomized trial of fibrin tissue glue for low output enterocutaneous fistula

The healing of enterocutaneous fistulas depends on the patient's nutritional status, the volume of discharge and the patency of the distal bowel. Sometimes, despite adequate nutrition and reducing discharge, the fistula is slow to heal completely'. Fibrin tissue glue is a biological product that can stimulate wound healing2-4. Its use to enhance the closure of low-output enterocutaneous fistula has seldom been described. This report compares outcome in six patients with low-output enterocutaneous fistula in whom fibrin glue was applied with that in seven similar patients treated conservatively.
A Comparative Study of Technology and Industry Clusters of SMEs in India

This article attempts to compare the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) belonging to industry and technology clusters in India. They are compared in terms of the technological efforts, nature of competition, competitive strategy, outward orientation, research and development intensity and export intensity. First part of the article gives the economics of clustering and the second part analyses the inter-cluster differences, if any, between the firms belonging to 13 clusters drawn from Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. The analysis reveals that the firms in the technology cluster are more outward oriented and R and D intensive compared to their counterparts in the industry cluster. They also differ in terms of the type of competitors and the competitive strategies. While the firms in the technology cluster face competition from established foreign firms, those in the industry cluster from established local firms. Process innovations are used by firms in the technology cluster whereas productivity improvements are used by firms in the industry cluster for sustaining competitive advantage. In the regression analysis, the nature of cluster, use of technology/business collaboration (Networking) and market share emerge as significant variables in explaining the R and D intensity of firms. Export intensity is explained by the R and D intensity and scale of operation.
A 25.6μW 8.97ps Period Jitter Phase-Locked Relaxation Oscillator with sub-1µS Start-Up for Low-Power IoT

On-chip integrated oscillators are highly needed for the next-generation low-cost sensors used in IoT/biomedical applications to realize sub-millimeter-sized packages at ultra-low-power and fast startup. This paper presents a 25. 6µW phase-locked relaxation oscillator (PLL-ROSC) with 8.972ps period jitter using an energy-efficient PLL. A self-locking mechanism is proposed that tracks the temperature variation from −20 to 100°C A current-reuse differential ROSC with boosted output swing is employed to improve noise performance and reduce the power consumption. The simulated power consumption is 15x better than state-of-art with −237.2dBc/Hz FoM and < 1µs startup time using 180nm CMOS technology.
In-vitro study of the fracture resistance of denture base resin with resilient reline material

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the fracture resistance of denture base resins relined with either a conventional rigid resin or a new resilient resin. Materials and Methods: Two types of test plates were fabricated by relining the base resin (Acron) with a conventional rigid resin (Tokuso Rebase, TR) or a newly developed relining resin (Tokuyama Rebase II, RII). The specimens were divided into three groups (n=10) according to the number of thermo-cycles applied (0, 15,000, and 30,000), and were subjected to three-point flexural test. Mean flexural strength, elastic modulus, and the destruction energy of each group were statistically analyzed by one-way analysis of variance with Fisher’s PLSD at α=0.05. Results: RII showed higher flexural strength than TR, and the difference reached in the 30,000 thermo-cycling group (p<0.05). TR showed significant reduction of elastic modulus after 30,000 thermo-cycling (p<0.05). On the other hand, RII showed no significant difference between the elastic modulus before and after thermo-cycling (p>0.05), though the elastic modulus of RII is lower than that of TR. The destruction energy of TR was significantly less than that of RII (p<0.05) after thermo-cycling. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrated that a new relining resin, Tokuyama Rebase II, provides higher elasticity, resilience, and durability than Tokuso Rebase. Destruction energy was indicated to express comprehensive proof strength against mechanical force and serve as an effective parameter in the evaluation of relining materials used for repair and adjustment of fractured or poor-fit denture bases. (Int Chin J Dent 2007; 7: 53-58.)
Is the sinonasal questionnaire a useful screening instrument for chronic sinonasal diseases in pulmonary clinics?

Dixon and coworkers (Dixon AE, Sugar EA, Zinreich SJ, et al. Criteria to screen for chronic sinonasal disease. Chest 2009; 136: 1324–1332.) recently developed a five-item questionnaire for diagnosing chronic sinonasal disease in patients with asthma. Our study was designed to determine how frequently patients attending pulmonary clinics have chronic sinonasal disease and the relationship between questionnaire results and a history of sinus disease and current treatment for sinus disease. The participants were patients in pulmonary clinics at Texas Tech University Health Science Center, who answered the sinonasal questionnaire (SNQ). Additional information included a history of sinus disease or sinus/nasal surgery, smoking status, and current relevant medications. The participants included 28 men and 51 women. Patient ages ranged from 38 to 94 years (mean 62.2 years). Of all the patients, 28 patients (35.4%) had prior sinus disease, 10 (12.7%) had history of sinus or nasal surgery, 24 (30.4%) had history of asthma, and 10 (12.7%) were current smokers. Of them, 14 patients (17.7%) used nasal steroids, 12 (15.2%) used antihistamines, four (5.1%) used decongestants, nine (11.4%) used leukotriene inhibitors, 13 (16.5%) used oral corticosteroids, and two (2.5%) used combinations. The SNQ identified 39 patients (49.4%) as having chronic sinonasal diseases. Therefore, 14% of the participants had sinonasal symptoms but no prior diagnosis of sinus disease. Patients with prior sinus disease and nasal steroid use were more likely to have positive questionnaire result (p < 0.001 and p < 0.032, respectively). The SNQ can identify patients with chronic sinonasal disease in pulmonary clinics. However, the significance of sinonasal disease and its treatment in these patients needs more study.
Prevention of ischemic spinal cord injury: comparative effects of magnesium sulfate and riluzole.

PURPOSE Excitotoxic mechanisms have been implicated in the pathophysiology of spinal cord ischemic injury induced by aortic cross-clamping. We investigated the effects of the anti-excitotoxic drugs magnesium sulfate (MgSO(4)) and riluzole in a rabbit model of spinal cord ischemia. METHOD The infrarenal aorta of New Zealand albino white rabbits (n = 68) was occluded for 40 minutes. Experimental groups included: a control group, which received only vehicle (n = 17); group A (n = 17), which received riluzole (8 mg/kg) before clamping; group B (n = 17), which received MgSO(4) (100 mg/kg) before clamping; and group C (n = 17), which received riluzole (8 mg/kg) and MgSO(4) (100 mg/kg) before clamping. Five additional rabbits had the same operation, but did not undergo aortic clamping (sham operation). The neurological status of the rabbits was assessed at 24 hours, 48 hours, and then daily for as long as 120 hours by using a modified Tarlov scale. The rabbits were killed at 24 hours (n = 3 per group), 48 hours (n = 4 per group), and 120 hours (n = 10 per group) postoperatively. Spinal cords were harvested for histopathologic and immunohistochemistry examinations for microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2), a cytoskeletal protein specific from neurons. RESULTS No major adverse effect was observed with either riluzole or MgSO(4). All control rabbits became severely paraplegic. All riluzole-treated and MgSO(4)-treated animals had a better neurological status than control animals. Typical morphological changes characteristic of neuronal necrosis in the gray matter of control animals was demonstrated by means of the histopathological examination, whereas riluzole or magnesium prevented or attenuated necrotic phenomenons. Moreover, MAP-2 immunoreactivity was completely lost in control rabbits, whereas it was preserved, either completely or partially, in rabbits treated with riluzole or magnesium. Riluzole was more effective than MgSO(4) in preventing paraplegia caused by motor neuron injury (P <.01 ). Riluzole and MgSO(4) had no additive neuroprotective effect. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that riluzole and, to a lesser extent, MgSO(4) may afford significant spinal cord protection in a setting of severe ischemia and may, therefore, be considered for clinical use during "high-risk" operations on the thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta.
Further Evidence from Meta‐Analysis of Audit Fee Research

This paper examines the accumulated weight of evidence in audit fee research. Research on factors related to audit fees has become more widespread in recent years, and there was a considerable upsurge in audit fee papers published subsequent to the data used in a recent meta‐analysis. In this paper, I use meta‐analysis to accumulate statistical results from more recent published studies as well as the earlier studies, and revisit the overall conclusions about the issues that are examined in audit fee research. The addition of audit fee studies from the more recent period shows that there is now evidence that audit fees are positively associated with internal control and with corporate governance. Evidence from previous studies regarding the audit fee premiums for Big 4 firms and industry specialist auditors, and about the positive relationship between non‐audit services and audit fees is reinforced, although in each case there are issues regarding the underlying research that need to be addressed in future studies. The analysis also shows that longer audit tenure is associated with higher fees. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research.
The predictors of difficult tracheal intubations in patients undergoing thyroid surgery for euthyroid goitre.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of goitre on anatomic features and the correlation of these changes with difficulty in intubation. METHODS A questionnaire was employed to assess 139 patients scheduled for elective surgery of euthyroid goitre to predict the potential of difficult intubation. These measurements were later correlated with the patients who eventually had difficult intubations. Neck circumference, mouth width, lip test, sternomental distance, thymomental distance, Mallampati score and laryngeal palpation were evaluated. RESULTS All predictors were found to be significant as single predictors but on logistic regression analysis it was found that the circumference of the neck alone, was the independent predictor for difficult intubation. CONCLUSION Neck thickness in patients with goitre is a significant predictor of difficult intubation and should be used in preoperative assessment to anticipate difficult intubations.
Supported living in residential homes for the elderly: impact on patients and elder care workers

To enable older people with severe and persistent mental illness to live in the community, the Dutch mental health sector has developed a program for supported living in residential homes for the elderly. It provides for the permanent stationing of mental health workers (MHWs) in elder care facilities to support both the resident patients and the elder care staff. The authors examined associations between the number of MHW staff and the degree to which (1) patients were integrated into the community and (2) elder care workers had developed effective working alliances with their patients. Participants included 110 patients participating in 18 supported living programs in the Netherlands. Community integration was assessed in face-to-face interviews with the patients about their perceived influence over daily life, involvement in social activities, and social network size. The quality of the worker-patient relationship was assessed using the Dutch Working Alliance Questionnaire for Community Care, completed by the elder care worker primarily responsible for each patient. After differentiation of the MHW staff into medically trained and nurse-trained professionals, associations with outcome measures were found only for the nurse-trained staff. The more hours of nurse-trained staff capacity per patient, the more influence perceived by the patients, and the more directiveness shown by the elder care workers in their contacts with patients. The impact of supported living programs in residential homes for the elderly appears to be determined in part by the caseloads of the on-site MHWs.
The normal sensibility of the hand declines with age – a proclamation for the use of delta two‐point discrimination values for sensibility assessment after nerve reconstruction

The scores used to evaluate sensibility after digital nerve reconstruction do not take the patient's age into consideration, although there is evidence that the outcome after digital nerve reconstruction is age‐dependent. However, it is not clear if the normal sensibility of the hand is also age‐dependent, as the existing studies have major limitations. We evaluated the normal sensibility of the hand in 232 patients using static and moving two‐point discrimination (2PD) tests and the Semmes–Weinstein‐monofilament test. We found the climax of sensibility in the third decade with age‐dependent deterioration afterwards in all three tests. Mean 2PD values of the radial digital nerve of the index finger (N3) showed to be significantly lower than values of the ulnar digital nerve of the small finger (N10). To overcome shortcomings of classification systems that do not consider the patient's age and inter‐individual differences, we suggest using the difference of the static 2PD values of the injured to the uninjured contralateral nerve (delta 2PD) for assessment of sensibility after digital nerve reconstruction.
Alcohol after Resistance Exercise Does not Affect Muscle Power Recovery.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of alcohol consumed after heavy eccentric resistance exercise on measures of muscle power. After familiarization and an initial eccentric exercise bout to control for the "repeated-bout effect," ten recreationally resistance-trained men completed two identical heavy eccentric squat bouts (4 sets of 10 repetitions at 110% of concentric 1-repetition maximum) one week apart. Each exercise bout was followed by ingestion of a beverage containing either alcohol (1.09 g ethanol[BULLET OPERATOR]kg fat-free body mass) or no alcohol (placebo; volume of alcohol replaced with water). Vertical jump (VJ) peak power, VJ peak force, VJ jump height, change-of-direction ability (shuttle run), sprint acceleration (sprint test), and muscle soreness were measured before (PRE), 24 hrs after (24H), and 48 hrs after (48H) each eccentric exercise bout. Although the exercise bout resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) decreased VJ peak power at 24H, significantly decreased VJ jump height at 24H, and significantly increased muscle soreness at 24H and 48H, consuming alcohol after the exercise bout did not affect any of the performance outcome measures. When consumed after a non-novel heavy eccentric resistance exercise bout, alcohol did not affect soreness or recovery of muscular power. Practitioners can use this information to advise their athletes with regards to responsible alcohol use after non-novel exercise. Although short-term anaerobic performance does not appear compromised as a result of acute post-exercise alcohol ingestion, practitioners and athletes should be aware of potential long-term effects of such alcohol use.
Cytokine and adhesion molecule expression in the minor salivary glands of patients with Sjögren's syndrome and chronic sialoadenitis.

OBJECTIVE--To investigate the role of cytokines and cell adhesion molecules in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). METHODS--Using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique we assessed the expression of the cytokines interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-8 (IL-8), transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), of the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), the activated molecular form of LFA-1 (NKI-L16), CD2, and LFA-3, and of a panel of cellular markers in the minor salivary glands. RESULTS--In SS and chronic sialoadenitis (CS), the ductal epithelial cells and acini expressed all the cytokines examined. The percentage of glandular mononuclear cells which stained positive for cytokines did not differ significantly between SS and CS. NKI-L16 was detected on 33.6 (SD 10.1)% and 15.3 (4.3)% of LFA-1 cells in SS and CS, respectively (p < 0.002). CONCLUSION--SS and CS did not differ in the pattern of cytokines examined. The characteristic cell clustering seen in the salivary glands in SS may be caused by the upregulation of NKI-L16.
Phorbol ester modulation of rabbit corneal endothelial permeability.

PURPOSE Phorbol esters have been shown to have a profound influence on cellular activity in many cell types. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of phorbol esters on the function and structure of corneal endothelial cells. METHODS Corneas were placed under a specular microscope, and the endothelium was superfused with glutathione bicarbonate Ringer's solution (GBR); with GBR and 10 nM, 100 nM, or 1 microM 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA); or with 100 nM 4-alpha-PMA. Corneal swelling curves were generated, and endothelial permeability was determined. Corneal endothelial structure was examined with a scanning electron microscope. RESULTS Significant increases in swelling and endothelial permeability were found in corneas perfused with 100 nM PMA versus that observed in controls (swelling rate = 26 microns/hr versus 6.9 microns/hr; permeability = 6 x 10(-4) cm/min versus 3.4 x 10(-4) cm/min) and in corneas receiving 1 microM PMA versus that in controls (swelling rate = 26.3 microns/hr versus 0.12 micron/hr; permeability = 6.9 x 10(-4) cm/min versus 4.9 x 10(-4) cm/min). Application of 10 nM PMA did not significantly alter either parameter. Study with transmission electron microscope demonstrated significant morphologic changes in cells perfused with all concentrations of PMA. Corneas perfused with 100 nM 4-alpha-PMA versus 100 nM PMA had significantly lower slope and permeability values (swelling rate = 5.9 microns/hr versus 25.1 microns/hr; permeability = 3 x 10(-4) cm/min versus 6.7 x 10(-4) cm/min). CONCLUSIONS Phorbol esters are detrimental for corneal endothelial function, creating significant corneal swelling, increases in endothelial permeability, and changes in endothelial cell structure. This effect appears to be mediated through a protein kinase C pathway.