Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphisms in patients with late onset Alzheimer’s disease

Evidences have been gathered from several studies suggest that a mechanism involving an estrogen-signaling pathway may contribute to modulate risk for Alzheimer’s disease. It was demonstrated that estrogen up-regulates the expression of apolipoprotein E gene, which has a role in the metabolism of b-amyloid that is related to the progress of Alzheimer’s disease. Case-control studies have found an increased frequency of PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms in affected subjects. In this study we explore the possible association of different polymorphic forms of human a-estrogen receptor (ER- a) with the risk to late onset Alzheimer’s disease in north-west Iranian population. We conducted a case-control study in a dataset of 160 LOAD patients and 163 healthy controls that have been matched in gender and age. To evaluate the PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms in Alzheimer’s disease we used PCR/RFLP method and genotype frequencies were statistically determined. The PCR products prepared from 21 AD cases and 20 healthy controls were randomly purified by ethanol precipitation and bidirectionally sequenced. The frequency of normal and mutated alleles for PvuII and XbaI locuses respectively, in the LOAD group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.001, OR=0.51, 95 % CI 0.35-0.74 for XbaI locus; P<0.001, OR=0.41, 95 % CI 0.3-0.57 for PvuII locus). This result suggests that ERα XbaI and PvuII polymorphism is an additional risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Pressure ulcer prevention in nursing homes: views and beliefs of enrolled nurses and other health care workers.

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND In the Netherlands much attention has been paid to pressure ulcer prevention. National guidelines on pressure ulcer prevention were developed in 1985 and adapted in 1992 at the request of a national organization for quality assurance in health care. Several studies indicate that nurses seem to be insufficiently informed about pressure ulcer preventive activities. There is, however, no information available about the reasons why nurses seem to be insufficiently informed. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This study was planned to elucidate the views and beliefs of health care workers (especially enrolled nurses) in Dutch nursing homes about pressure ulcer prevention and about issues related with pressure ulcer prevention. DESIGN A qualitative study with semi-structured, tape-recorded interviews. METHOD Interviews were conducted with enrolled nurses, team leaders, head nurses, staff nurses and physicians. The interviews were coded and analysed. RESULTS Analysis of the interviews revealed that today's pressure ulcer preventive activities are very much based on old traditions in nursing. It also showed that enrolled nurses have no intention to change the care they deliver with regard to pressure ulcer prevention. CONCLUSIONS It is concluded that a systematic approach is necessary to change nursing thinking and acting with regard to pressure ulcer prevention. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE This study gives an overview of the views and beliefs of health care workers (especially enrolled nurses) in Dutch nursing homes about pressure ulcer prevention. These views and beliefs can be used as a starting point for effective implementation of guidelines regarding the prevention of pressure ulcers.
Reduction of respiratory motion artifacts in PET imaging of lung cancer by respiratory correlated dynamic PET: methodology and comparison with respiratory gated PET.

UNLABELLED This study proposes a new method to reduce respiratory motion artifacts in PET images of lung cancer. The method is referred to as respiratory-correlated dynamic PET (RCDPET). RCDPET enables the acquisition of 4-dimensional PET data without the need for a respiratory tracking device. In this article, we compare this method with respiratory-gated PET (RGPET). Both methods provide the ability to correct for motion artifacts and more accurately quantitate radiotracer uptake within lung lesions. Both methods were evaluated in phantom studies and 1 patient. METHODS With RCDPET, data are acquired in consecutive 1-s time frames. A point source attached to a rigid foam block is set on the patient's abdomen and is extended into the camera field of view at the level of the lesion by means of a low-density rod. The position of this source is used to track respiratory motion through the consecutive dynamic frames. Image frames corresponding to a user-selected lesion position within the breathing cycle, in correlation with the point source position, are then identified after scanning. The sinograms of the selected image frames are summed and then reconstructed using iterative reconstruction with segmented attenuation correction. RESULTS The results from phantom studies with both RGPET and RCDPET were within 10% agreement, for both activity quantitation and image noise levels. In a clinical application, the quantitation of the SUV(max) and the lesion's size showed a 6% and 2% difference, respectively, between RCDPET and RGPET measurements. CONCLUSION RCDPET can be considered as a comparable, or alternative, method to RGPET in reducing the smearing effects due to respiration and improving quantitation of PET in the thorax. One advantage of RCDPET over RGPET is the ability to retrospectively reconstruct the PET data at any phase or amplitude in the breathing cycle.
Reduced levels of VEGF-A and MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity and increased TNF-alpha in menstrual endometrium and effluent in women with menorrhagia.

BACKGROUND Heavy regular menstrual periods (menorrhagia) are an important cause of ill health in women and remain the leading indication for hysterectomy. Abnormalities of the endometrial blood vessels are among the possible causes of this condition. Many different factors affect endothelial cell growth, function and vessel remodelling. We sought to determine whether the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 and soluble VEGF receptor-1 (VEGF-R1) were altered in the menstrual effluent of women with objective menorrhagia. We have also quantitated the VEGF-A mRNA in the menstruated endometrium. METHODS AND RESULTS We recruited 37 women and determined their menstrual blood loss (MBL) over two cycles and collected menstrual effluent during the 2nd day of bleeding for 4 h. There was no difference in the total level of VEGF-A, and neither latent MMP. However, the concentration of VEGF-A was significantly reduced in the women with menorrhagia, as was the VEGF-A mRNA level. In addition, the active forms of both MMPs were markedly reduced and the total sVEGF-R1 as well as the TNF-alpha content were increased. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to show abnormalities of factors important for endothelial cell behaviour in the endometrium of women with menorrhagia. This may underlie the disordered vessel structure and/or function in this condition.
Calibration of Comprehension and Performance in L2 Reading.

Comprehension monitoring is crucial for successful reading. Although the researchers appreciate the importance of comprehension monitoring in L2 reading, there are only a few studies done on the comprehension monitoring ability of L2 readers. The main aim of this study was to investigate the comprehension monitoring abilities of university students while reading expository texts in L2. The results showed that the students' were not able to calibrate their comprehension at above chance level whereas they were able to calibrate their performance. The results were discussed comparative to findings from earlier research in L1 reading.
Sex-Role Socialization in Picture Books for Preschool Children

An examination of prize-winning picture books reveals that women are greatly underrepresented in the titles, central roles, and illustrations. Where women do appear their characterization reinforces traditional sex-role stereotypes: boys are active while girls are passive; boys lead and rescue others while girlsfollow and serve others. Adult men and women are equally sex stereotyped: men engage in a wide variety of occupations while women are presented only as wives and mothers. The effects of these rigid sex-role portraits on the self image and aspirations of the developing child are discussed.
Intrathecal IgM synthesis is a prognostic factor in multiple sclerosis

Intrathecal IgM synthesis (ITMS) predicts a worse evolution in the first stages of multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was the follow‐up of a group of relapsing‐remitting MS patients for a longer time to evaluate whether the ITMS implies a poor prognosis. Oligoclonal IgM bands were performed in 29 MS patients followed up from 5 to 16 years. Time to conversion to secondary‐progressive MS (SPMS), time elapsed to reach a disability of 6 in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), percentage of patients with a benign MS, and changes in EDSS score were evaluated. During the follow‐up, 70.8% of patients with ITMS converted to SPMS. None of the patients without ITMS did. At the end of the study, 63.6% of patients with ITMS had reached EDSS 6, whereas none of the patients lacking ITMS reached values above EDSS 3. When patients with benign MS were analyzed, 82% lacked ITMS. All patients with a nonbenign MS had ITMS. At the end of the study, the mean EDSS score was 4.64 in patients with ITMS and 1.31 in those without. The presence of oligoclonal IgM bands in cerebrospinal fluid is an unfavorable prognostic marker in MS. Ann Neurol 2003;53:000–000
IL-8 Released Constitutively by Primary Bronchial Epithelial Cells in Culture Forms an Inactive Complex with Secretory Component1

The bronchial epithelium is a source of both α and β chemokines and, uniquely, of secretory component (SC), the extracellular ligand-binding domain of the polymeric IgA receptor. Ig superfamily relatives of SC, such as IgG and α2-macroglobulin, bind IL-8. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that SC binds IL-8, modifying its activity as a neutrophil chemoattractant. Primary bronchial epithelial cells were cultured under conditions to optimize SC synthesis. The chemokines IL-8, epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide-78, growth-related oncogene α, and RANTES were released constitutively by epithelial cells from both normal and asthmatic donors and detected in high m.w. complexes with SC. There were no qualitative differences in the production of SC-chemokine complexes by epithelial cells from normal or asthmatic donors, and in all cases this was the only form of chemokine detected. SC contains 15% N-linked carbohydrate, and complete deglycosylation with peptide N-glycosidase F abolished IL-8 binding. In micro-Boyden chamber assays, no IL-8-dependent neutrophil chemotactic responses to epithelial culture supernatants could be demonstrated. SC dose-dependently (IC50 ∼0.3 nM) inhibited the neutrophil chemotactic response to rIL-8 (10 nM) in micro-Boyden chamber assays and also inhibited IL-8-mediated neutrophil transendothelial migration. SC inhibited the binding of IL-8 to nonspecific binding sites on polycarbonate filters and endothelial cell monolayers, and therefore the formation of haptotactic gradients, without effects on IL-8 binding to specific receptors on neutrophils. The data indicate that in the airways IL-8 may be solubilized and inactivated by binding to SC.
The Evolution of Concepts on the Evolution of Endothermy in Birds and Mammals

Warm‐blooded animals, mammals and birds, are unique not because they are endothermic in the strict sense of the term but because they use an extravagant economy: they have high energy budgets and spend a large part of their energy resources on basic maintenance. Although several advantages of endothermy are easy to indicate, mechanisms behind evolution of such a wasteful life strategy remain unclear and have been subject to intensive debate. For two decades, the aerobic capacity model has been widely recognized as a promising hypothesis and has catalyzed a new direction in ecological and evolutionary physiology—the study of correlated evolution of behavioral and morphophysiological traits. Recently, two alternative models have been proposed, both of which see evolution of high metabolic rates in birds and mammals as an element in evolution of intensive parental care. Unlike previous models, which treated individuals as static objects of fixed properties, the parental care models explicitly incorporate life histories into a evolutionary‐physiology research program. The aim of this article was to outline the process of evolution of major concepts in the field, which reflects development of the paradigm of modern evolutionary physiology.
Electrocardiogram analysis in adult patients with sickle cell disease.

This study is an analysis of the electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 87 adult patients taken during hospital admission for sickle cell disease (homozygous S). The age range was 18 to 55 years: 38 were men and 49 were women. Seventy-two percent of all patients had abnormal ECGs. Nonspecific ST-T (NS-ST-T) wave abnormalities (53 percent) and QT interval prolongation (12 percent) were frequent. Seventy-five percent of the normal ECGs occurred in women (P < .05); and 74 percent of those with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were men (P < .05). Fifteen of 21 (71 percent) patients with arrhythmias had NS-ST-T abnormalities. Systemic hypertension and ECG evidence for right-sided heart disease were rare, as was the incidence of LVH by ECG.
Essays 1958–1962 on Atomic Physics and Human Knowledge

By Niels Bohr London: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 1964 . Pp. x + 100. Price 30s. In an ideal (academic) world, honours students in their final year would be expected to regard the reading of this slight book as a 'must'. But if slight in bulk it is weighty in significance, as one would expect it to be, almost the last will and testament of a master mind.
Podoplanin deficient mice show a rhoa‐related hypoplasia of the sinus venosus myocardium including the sinoatrial node

We investigated the role of podoplanin in development of the sinus venosus myocardium comprising the sinoatrial node, dorsal atrial wall, and primary atrial septum as well as the myocardium of the cardinal and pulmonary veins. We analyzed podoplanin wild‐type and knockout mouse embryos between embryonic day 9.5–15.5 using immunohistochemical marker podoplanin; sinoatrial‐node marker HCN4; myocardial markers MLC‐2a, Nkx2.5, as well as Cx43; coelomic marker WT‐1; and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transformation markers E‐cadherin and RhoA. Three‐dimensional reconstructions were made and myocardial morphometry was performed. Podoplanin mutants showed hypoplasia of the sinoatrial node, primary atrial septum, and dorsal atrial wall. Myocardium lining the wall of the cardinal and pulmonary veins was thin and perforated. Impaired myocardial formation is correlated with abnormal epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transformation of the coelomic epithelium due to up‐regulated E‐cadherin and down‐regulated RhoA, which are controlled by podoplanin. Our results demonstrate an important role for podoplanin in development of sinus venosus myocardium. Developmental Dynamics 238:183–193, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Genetic Algorithm Method to Assimilate Sensor Data for Homeland Defense Applications

A critical problem in homeland defense is correctly characterizing the source of hazardous material. Field monitors are expected to measure concentrations of toxic material. Algorithms are then required that backcalculate the parameters of the source and the local meteorology so that subsequent predictive modeling can inform decision-makers. Here, a genetic algorithm is used together with transport and dispersion models to assimilate sensor data to characterize emission sources. The parameters computed include location, time, and amount of the release and meteorological conditions relevant to the transport and dispersion. This methodology is demonstrated for a basic Gaussian plume dispersion model and verified in the context of both synthetic data and actual monitored data from field tests with known release amounts. Its error bounds are set using Monte Carlo techniques and robustness assessed through the addition of white noise. Algorithm speed is tuned through optimizing the parameters of the genetic algorithm
Réseaux de neurones profonds pour la séparation des sources et la reconnaissance robuste de la parole

Dans cette these, nous traitons le probleme de la separation de sources audio multicanale par reseaux de neurones profonds (deep neural networks, DNNs). Notre approche se base sur le cadre classique de separation par algorithme esperance-maximisation (EM) base sur un modele gaussien multicanal, dans lequel les sources sont caracterisees par leurs spectres de puissance a court terme et leurs matrices de covariance spatiales. Nous explorons et optimisons l'usage des DNNs pour estimer ces parametres spectraux et spatiaux. A partir des parametres estimes, nous calculons un filtre de Wiener multicanal variant dans le temps pour separer chaque source. Nous etudions en detail l'impact de plusieurs choix de conception pour les DNNs spectraux et spatiaux. Nous considerons plusieurs fonctions de cout, representations temps-frequence, architectures, et tailles d'ensembles d'apprentissage. Ces fonctions de cout incluent en particulier une nouvelle fonction liee a la tâche pour les DNNs spectraux: le rapport signal-a-distorsion. Nous presentons aussi une formule d'estimation ponderee des parametres spatiaux, qui generalise la formulation EM exacte. Sur une tâche de separation de voix chantee, nos systemes sont remarquablement proches de la methode de l'etat de l'art actuel et ameliorent le rapport source-interference de 2 dB. Sur une tâche de rehaussement de la parole, nos systemes surpassent la formation de voies GEV-BAN de l'etat de l'art de 14%, 7% et 1% relatifs en terme d'amelioration du taux d'erreur sur les mots sur des donnees a 6, 4 et 2 canaux respectivement
THE EFFECT OF INDOMETHACIN ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR AND METABOLIC RESPONSES TO E. coli ENDOTOXIN IN THE CAT

1 The response of pentobarbitone‐anaesthetized cats to the intravenous administration of E. coli endotoxin (2 mg/kg) consisted of acute pulmonary vasoconstriction (3–5 min after the injection) and a secondary shock phase characterized by delayed systemic hypotension, decreased central venous pressure and cardiac output, and metabolic acidosis with arterial lactate levels three to four times normal. Only one of 25 animals survived 6 hours. 2 Indomethacin (10 mg/kg), administered intravenously 30 min before the endotoxin, reduced both systemic arterial pressure and myocardial blood flow. It abolished the pulmonary vasoconstriction induced by endotoxin. 3 Indomethacin modified some of the characteristic features of the delayed, endotoxin shock phase. Systemic hypotension was not observed and the blood pressure in the indomethacin‐treated cats 1, 2 and 4 h after endotoxin was 30 mmHg higher than in those cats administered endotoxin alone. The decrease in arterial pH was also significantly delayed. Six out of 15 animals survived 6 hours. 4 It is suggested that indomethacin may abolish the initial pulmonary hypertension and oedema by antagonizing the release, or vasoconstrictor effect, of histamine and that part of its action during the shock phase is due to inhibition of prostaglandin release.
Regulation and firm perception, eco-innovation and firm performance

Purpose – Recent reports argue that eco‐innovation is the key to realising growth. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors which drive eco‐innovation and test if eco‐innovating firms perform better than non‐eco‐innovating firms. The paper provides insights into the role government regulation can play in directing and stimulating eco‐innovation.Design/methodology/approach – The approach utilised by this paper is empirical in nature. Using a sample of 2,181 firms, gathered as part of the Irish Community Survey 2006‐2008, the authors estimate a modified innovation production function in order to assess the impact of regulation, consumer expectations and voluntary agreements on the performance of eco‐innovation, subsequently a knowledge augmented production function is estimated to assess the impact of eco‐innovation on firm performance.Findings – The findings suggest that regulation and customer perception can explain a firm's decision to engage in eco‐innovation. Eco‐innovation is also found to .
Normalization of brain serotonin by L‐tryptophan in levodopa‐treated rats

To test possible biochemical mechanisms by which L-tryptophan may reverse mental side effects of levodopa therapy in parkinsonism we administered levodopa, 250 mg per kilogram intraperitoneally, alone and with L-tryptophan, 500 mg per kilogram intraperitoneally, to rats pretreated with the peripheral dopa decarboxylase inhibitor, carbidopa (25 mg per kilogram). Rats were decapitated 0.5, 1, and 2 hours following amino acid injection and brain levels of amino acids, amines, and acid metabolites were determined. As expected, levodopa alone reduced tryptophan and serotonin and increased dopa and dopamine at the 1 and 2 hour intervals. Concurrent administration of L-tryptophan did not significantly alter the increased dopa and dopamine but did restore serotonin levels to within normal range at all time points. If similar events occur in parkinsonian patients, normalization of brain serotonin and not competitive reduction of brain dopa and dopamine may be the basis for the improvement in mental status.
Safety and Symptom Improvement With Esomeprazole in Adolescents With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Objectives: The primary objective was to assess the safety of esomeprazole 20 or 40 mg once daily in adolescents with clinically diagnosed gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A secondary aim was to assess changes in GERD symptoms after esomeprazole therapy. Patients and Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind study, adolescents ages 12 to 17 years inclusive received esomeprazole 20 or 40 mg once daily for 8 weeks. Adverse events and changes in clinical parameters (eg, physical examination, laboratory measurements) were evaluated to assess safety. Patients or their parents or guardians scored symptom severity daily, and investigators scored overall GERD symptom severity every 2 weeks using a 4-point scale. Results: In the 148 adolescents with safety data, treatment-related and non–treatment-related adverse events were reported by 75% and 78% of patients in the esomeprazole 20- and 40-mg groups, respectively. Twenty-two patients (14.9%) experienced adverse events that were considered related to treatment; the most common were headache (8%, 12/148), abdominal pain (3%, 4/148), nausea (2%, 3/148), and diarrhea (2%, 3/148). No serious adverse events or clinically important findings in other safety assessments were observed. At baseline, 68% (100/147) had heartburn, 63% (93/147) had epigastric pain, 57% (84/147) had acid regurgitation, and 15% (22/147) had vomiting symptoms. Symptom scores decreased significantly in both the esomeprazole 20-mg and 40-mg groups by the final study week (P < 0.0001). Investigators rated 63.1% (94/149) of the patients as having moderate or severe symptoms at baseline; at the final visit, this percentage decreased significantly to 9.3% (13/140; P < .0001). Conclusions: In adolescent patients with GERD, esomeprazole 20 or 40 mg daily for 8 weeks was well tolerated, and GERD-related symptoms were significantly reduced from baseline values in both groups.