Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survey of iron, zinc, calcium, copper, lead, and cadmium in rice samples grown in Iran

In the present study ninety nine polished white rice samples were collected in three areas, all over Lorestan Province located in the west of Iran, and analysed for six elements by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS). For individual elements, Zinc (Zn) showed the highest concentration among the analysed essential elements with a mean of 28.6 mg kg−1 and next to copper (Cu) of 22.8 mg kg−1. Analysis of the essential and toxic elements for possible inter-area variation by ANOVA showed that there are significant differences between the areas. There was no significant difference between areas for Zn concentrations. Most of the samples nearly contained world wide average concentration of iron (Fe) and Zn in rice grains that were reported by various researches. But, the content of calcium (Ca) in the rice samples produced in Lorestan Province were much lower than other countries, meanwhile Cu concentrations were much higher than other studies. Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) concentrations in the sampled rice were lower in comparison with their upper limits (0.1 and 0.2 mg kg−1 for Cd and Pb, respectively) approved by Iranian Ministry of Health. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is no health problems result from Lorestan rice consumption, for these two elements.
A modified in vitro sulfadoxine susceptibility assay for Plasmodium falciparum suitable for investigating Fansidar resistance

The combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine (PSD or Fansidar) represents one of the most important chemo- therapeutic agents currently used to treat falciparum malaria. To investigate the molecular basis of resistance to PSD, reliable in vitro drug assays are required to permit correlation of resistance levels with different genotypes. We describe here protocols that permit accurate evaluation of IC50 values for sulfadoxine (SDX) inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum. Historically, tests for this drug have suffered from poor reproducibility and extreme variability in reported values. We have examined a series of variables, including serum-containing versus serum-free media, erythrocyte source, pre-test growth conditions, test components and post-test processing. We define conditions which better control the levels of the drug antagonists folate and p-aminobenzoate, yielding reproducible differences between lines of P. falciparum with differing alleles of the dihydropteroate synthetase gene, which encodes the target enzyme of SDX. We also use this assay to demonstrate a marked difference in the response of different parasite lines to antagonism of SDX inhibition by exogenous folate. The ability to measure reliable IC50 values for SDX inhibition should greatly facilitate further experiments to explore the molecular basis of Fansidar resistance.
Expression of the genes encoding the insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and II), the IGF and insulin receptors, and IGF-binding proteins-1-6 and the localization of their gene products in normal and polycystic ovary syndrome ovaries.

To discern the potential role of the insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we examined the expression of the genes encoding the IGFs, IGF receptors (IGFr), insulin receptor (Ir), and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs-1-6) as well as the localization of the gene products in specific cellular compartments of normal and PCOS human ovaries. Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was localized by in situ hybridization with specific 35S-labeled human antisense RNA probes, and protein was detected by immunohistochemistry using specific antisera. Thecal cells, but not granulosa cells (GC), of small antral follicles (3-6 mm) from PCOS ovaries expressed both IGF-I and IGF-II transcripts. Abundant IGF-Ir mRNA was found only in GC, IGF-IIr mRNA was found in both granulosa and thecal cells, and Ir mRNA was detected in all cell types, including granulosa, thecal, and stromal cells. Localization of the gene products revealed no IGF-I immunoreactivity; however, immunostaining for each of the other gene products was colocalized with its corresponding mRNA. The cellular distribution of mRNA and protein in PCOS follicles was indistinguishable from that observed in small antral follicles from normal ovaries. In dominant follicles, however, IGF-I mRNA was no longer detectable, but abundant IGF-II mRNA was expressed exclusively in GC. Although IGF-Ir mRNA was expressed in GC, IGF-IIr mRNA was found in both granulosa and thecal cells. In follicles taken from PCOS ovaries, no IGFBP-1 mRNA was detected, IGFBP-2 mRNA was abundant in both granulosa and thecal cells, moderate IGFBP-3 mRNA was found only in thecal cells, IGFBP-4 and -5 mRNAs were present in all cellular compartments, and IGFBP-6 mRNA was not detected. Localization of the gene products by immunostaining revealed that each protein colocalized with its corresponding mRNA. The cellular distribution of IGFBP mRNA and protein in PCOS follicles was also indistinguishable from that in small antral follicles of normal ovaries, but remarkable differences were found in dominant follicles, where abundant IGFBP-1 mRNA was seen exclusively in GC, IGFBP-2 mRNA in thecal cells, and IGFBP-3 mRNA in both granulosa and thecal cells. Moderate expression of the IGFBP-4 and IGFBP-5 genes was seen in all cell types, including stromal cells, but no IGFBP-6 mRNA was detected. Again, each of the gene products colocalized with its corresponding mRNA. We conclude the following. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Optimizing Pharmacodynamic Target Attainment Using the MYSTIC Antibiogram: Data Collected in North America in 2002

ABSTRACT The OPTAMA Program is intended to examine typical antimicrobial regimens used in the treatment of common nosocomial pathogens and the likelihood of these regimens attaining appropriate pharmacodynamic exposure in different parts of the world. A 5,000-subject Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate pharmacodynamic target attainment for meropenem, imipenem, ceftazidime, cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ciprofloxacin against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Standard dosing regimens from North America were used. Pharmacokinetic parameter variability was derived from existing healthy volunteer data, and MIC data came from the 2002 MYSTIC Program. Ciprofloxacin displayed the lowest target attainment against all bacterial species (41 to 46% for A. baumannii, 53 to 59% for P. aeruginosa, and 80 to 85% for the Enterobacteriaceae). Increasing the dose to 400 mg every 8 h did not significantly increase target attainment against nonfermenters. Piperacillin-tazobactam target attainments were similar to that of ceftazidime against all pathogens. Higher doses of both compounds were needed to achieve better target attainments against P. aeruginosa. Overall, meropenem, imipenem, and cefepime attained the highest probabilities of attainment against the Enterobacteriaceae (99 to 100%). The carbapenems appear to be the most useful agents against A. baumannii (88 to 92%), and these agents, along with higher doses of any of the β-lactams, would be the most appropriate choices for empirical therapy for P. aeruginosa infection. Given the lack of agreement between percent susceptibility and probability of target attainment for certain antimicrobial regimens, a methodology employing stochastic pharmacodynamic analyses may be a more useful tool for differentiating the most-optimal compounds and dosing regimens in the clinical setting of initial empirical therapy.
The Biology of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Lung Cancer

The prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in lung cancer and, more importantly, its ability to predict response to anti-EGFR therapies, are currently subjects of active research. In a meta-analysis, EGFR overexpression confirmed a worse prognosis (HR 1.13) in eight studies using immunohistochemistry, although cutoff values were generally selected arbitrarily by investigators. Most applied clinical research on the EGFR has been focused on the overexpression of the receptor, whereas less research has addressed the potential role of other mechanisms of increased signaling or of nonmembrane-bound events. The emerging concept of EGFR signaling reveals a multilayered network that allows for horizontal interactions and permits multiple combinatorial responses that may explain the specificity of cellular outcomes to receptor activation. New technologies such as nucleotide arrays and proteomics will help to elucidate the issue by providing information on how EGFR signaling may affect the expression of genes and proteins in cancer cells.
Chloroquine resistant Plasmodium vivax malaria in India

In India, 1·2‐1·5 million new cases of Plasmodium vivax occur each year. These cases are successfully treated with 600 mg chloroquine (adult dose). We report the results of malaria treatment of a 13‐year‐old girl from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Mathura, India who contracted P. vivax infection. The infection failed to respond to 2 cycles of standard chloroquine therapy. The concentrations of chloroquine were monitored with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The plasma and whole blood chloroquine concentrations were 260 and 106 ug/1 respectively, while a 15 µg/1 plasma concentration is considered lethal to P. vivax. Resistance in P. vivax to chloroquine was found at the IOC, Mathura.
Francisella tularensis Phagosomal Escape Does Not Require Acidification of the Phagosome

ABSTRACT Following uptake, Francisella tularensis enters a phagosome that acquires limited amounts of lysosome-associated membrane glycoproteins and does not acquire cathepsin D or markers of secondary lysosomes. With additional time after uptake, F. tularensis disrupts its phagosomal membrane and escapes into the cytoplasm. To assess the role of phagosome acidification in phagosome escape, we followed acidification using the vital stain LysoTracker red and acquisition of the proton vacuolar ATPase (vATPase) using immunofluorescence within the first 3 h after uptake of live or killed F. tularensis subsp. holarctica live vaccine strain (LVS) by human macrophages. Whereas 90% of the phagosomes containing killed LVS stained intensely for the vATPase and were acidified, only 20 to 30% of phagosomes containing live LVS stained intensely for the vATPase and were acidified. To determine whether transient acidification might be required for phagosome escape, we assessed the impact on phagosome permeabilization of the proton pump inhibitor bafilomycin A. Using electron microscopy and an adenylate cyclase reporter system, we found that bafilomycin A did not prevent phagosomal permeabilization by F. tularensis LVS or virulent type A strains (F. tularensis subsp. tularensis strain Schu S4 and a recent clinical isolate) or by “F. tularensis subsp. novicida,” indicating that F. tularensis disrupts its phagosomal membrane by a mechanism that does not require acidification.
Happiness Economics: The ‘Dismal Science’ of Economic Growth

The recently burgeoning literature of Happiness Economics unearths the undesirable side-effects of economic growth and criticizes the economic model that is based on the militant belief in the supremacy of extrinsic market-relations over the relational bonds of society. The power of the capitalist engine of progress has been witnessed not only in ever-increasing per capita income levels of the commanding heights of the world economy, but also thrusting its roots into and transforming the laggards of the race. Economic growth may bring about substantial increases in material well-being; yet, at the same time, unfettered and not channeled properly, it has the potential to destroy the social and environmental fabric of society. This dynamics is certainly visible in the post-World War II cross-country variability of the subjective well-being—happiness and life-satisfaction—measures, which can be explained with reference to the differences in the level of social capital, which is a concept that covers relational goods, associational activities, and trust in institutions. In contrast to the traditional wisdom, in the long run, indicators based on GDP figures do not reflect the international differences and lack explanatory power. These themes clearly echo Karl Polanyi’s concerns over the destructive effects of the self-regulating market mechanism presented in his now-classic The Great Transformation . In this paper, our aim is to shed light on the relevance of the interdisciplinary work of Polanyi for the Happiness Economics literature by focusing on the interwoven relations between state, markets, democracy and values. We believe, Polanyi’s conception of the self-regulating market system has as a corollary the de-regulation of unhappiness on an ever-expanding scale. The treatment of labor as a fictitious commodity is of utmost significance in this respect. No less important is the similar degrading of land, that is, nature, a proxy for environment. Furthermore, the distinction Polanyi maintained between ‘exploitation’ and ‘cultural degeneration’ in assessing the balance-sheet of the Industrial Revolution and colonialism is a useful instrument for this intended critique.
Seminal reactive oxygen species‐antioxidant relationship in fertile males with and without varicocele

The aim of this study was to assess seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐antioxidants relationship in fertile and infertile men with and without varicocele. One hundred and seventy six males were studied; fertile healthy volunteers (n = 45), fertile men with varicocele (n = 45), infertile oligoasthenozoospermia (OA, n = 44) without varicocele and infertile OA with varicocele (n = 42). In their seminal plasma, two ROS parameters (malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide) and five antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, vitaminE, vitaminC) were estimated. Compared with fertile healthy men, in all other studied groups, estimated seminal ROS were significantly higher and estimated antioxidants were significantly lower. Infertile men with varicocele showed the same relationship as infertile men without varicocele. Sperm concentration, total sperm motility as well as sperm normal forms were negatively correlated with seminal malondialdehyde and were positively correlated with vitaminC. It is concluded that varicocele has an oxidative stress (OS) in fertile normozoospermic bearing conditions. This may allow understanding that, within men with varicocele, there is a threshold value of OS over which male fertility may be impaired.
How time horizons and arbitrage cost influence the turnover premium?

ABSTRACT There are multiple theories for the causal relation between stock turnover and expected return. The risk theory argues that stocks with high turnover generally have high information uncertainty, and thus high subsequent returns are required to compensate for the increased risk. By contrast, the theory of heterogeneous beliefs considers that high-turnover stocks have high speculative values and tend to be overpriced. We find that the information contained in stock turnover is multidimensional and controlling time horizons and arbitrage cost contributes to the reconciliation of the theories of risk compensation and heterogeneous beliefs. Our result shows that expected return is positively correlated with short-term turnover, and negatively correlated with long-term one. The premium on short-term turnover is consistent with the explanations based on transaction cost and liquidity risk. The premium on long-term turnover is much more pronounced among stocks with high arbitrage cost and can be largely explained by the mispricing theory and heterogeneous beliefs.
Transcriptomic profiling of Forkhead box transcription factors in adult glioblastoma multiforme.

BACKGROUND The Forkhead box transcription factor (FOX) family plays an essential role in embryogenesis, especially during brain development. Our hypothesis is that de-regulation of FOX genes may contribute to aggressive tumor biology and therapy resistance in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). MATERIALS AND METHODS Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate prognostic significance of transcript levels of 31 FOX genes in a test set of GBM patients (n=191) and validated them in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort comprising of 508 adult cases of GBM. The predictive significance of key FOX genes was investigated in patients who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy. RESULTS Low FOXA2 mRNA, low FOXN2 mRNA, low FOXN3 mRNA and high FOXG1 mRNA were associated with poor survival in the test and TCGA validation cohorts. In multivariate analysis, low FOXA2 mRNA, low FOXN2 mRNA, low FOXN3 mRNA and high FOXG1 mRNA remained independently associated with poor survival in the test and TCGA validation cohorts. In patients who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy, low FOXA2 mRNA, low FOXN2 mRNA and high FOXG1 mRNA correlated with adverse outcomes in the TCGA validation cohort. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, our data provide the first comprehensive clinical evidence that FOXA2, FOXN2, FOXN3 and FOXG1 are promising biomarkers of GBM and warrant further investigation.
Preoperative Angio-CT Preliminary Study of the TRAM Flap After Selective Vascular Delay

Background:The pedicled TRAM (pTRAM) flap is one of the best options for autologous breast reconstruction, but vascular complications reported in the standard versions are about 30%. To reduce complication rate, especially in high-risk patients, surgical delay has been suggested. Individual precise preoperative location and evaluation of perforating vessels and of variations of the diameter of the deep superior epigastric artery (DSEA) are highly desirable for improving surgical strategy. Previous reports using color duplex scanning, although generally confirming the validity of the delay maneuver, have showed several pitfalls. The aim of this report was to demonstrate the usefulness of multidetector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA) for preoperative planning in patients undergoing pTRAM flap breast reconstruction after selective vascular delay. Methods:Three patients were considered for breast reconstruction with the pTRAM flap. An MDCTA was performed before and after selective delay to locate the muscle perforators and to show increase in DSEA diameter. Axial images, multiplanar reconstruction, and 3D volume images were analyzed. Results:Accurate identification of the main perforators was achieved. Location, course, and anatomic variations of DSEA were reported. The average increase in diameter of the DSEA was 29.3%. Conclusion:Preoperative planning of pTRAM flap with MDCTA allows surgeons to visualize and locate the dominant perforators and to select the best DSEA. Consequently, the choice between the homolateral or contralateral rectus muscle is facilitated. The high sensitivity and specificity and the ease of interpreting data have made MDCTA a highly promising diagnostic tool for planning a pTRAM flap.
Helping behavior induced by empathic concern attenuates anterior cingulate activation in response to others’ distress

Helping behavior is motivated by empathic concern for others in distress. Although empathic concern is pervasive in daily life, its neural mechanisms remain unclear. Empathic concern involves the suppression of the emotional response to others’ distress, which occurs when individuals distance themselves emotionally from the distressed individual. We hypothesized that helping behavior induced by empathic concern, accompanied by perspective-taking, would attenuate the neural activation representing aversive feelings. We also predicted reward system activation due to the positive feeling resulting from helping behavior. Participant underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while playing a virtual ball-toss game. In some blocks (“concern condition”), one player (“isolated player”) did not receive ball-tosses from other players. In this condition, participants increased ball-tosses to the isolated player (helping behavior). Participants then evaluated the improved enjoyment of the isolated player resulting from their helping behavior. Anterior cingulate activation during the concern condition was attenuated by the evaluation of the effect of helping behavior. The right temporoparietal junction, which is involved in perspective-taking and the dorsal striatum, part of the reward system, were also activated during the concern condition. These results suggest that humans can attenuate affective arousal by anticipating the positive outcome of empathic concern through perspective-taking.
Melatonin protects against myocardial doxorubicin toxicity in rats: role of physiological concentrations

Abstract: Doxorubicin (Dox) is a widely used antineoplastic drug. Oxygen radical‐induced injury of membrane lipids is considered to be the most important factor responsible for the development of Dox‐induced cardiotoxicity. The pineal secretory product, melatonin, is known to be a potent free radical scavenger and its pharmacological concentrations have been shown to reduce Dox‐induced cardiac damage. However, the physiological role of melatonin in the prevention of this damage is unknown. We investigated physiological and pharmacological effects of melatonin on Dox‐induced changes in the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation product, and morphological changes in heart. Rats were pinealectomized (Px) or sham‐operated (control) 2 months before the studies. Melatonin was administered [4 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.)] 1 hr before or 24 hr after the administration of a single dose of Dox (20 mg/kg, i.p.) and continued for 2 days. The levels of MDA Dox was found to be significantly higher in the Px rats (55.9 ± 0.6 nmol/g tissue) than intact control animals (42.6 ± 0.4). Dox administration to Px and non‐Px rats significantly increased the MDA levels. Pre‐ and post‐treatment with melatonin in both Px and intact rats significantly reduced MDA levels. Morphological changes parallelled the MDA alterations. These findings strongly suggest that both physiological and pharmacological concentrations of melatonin are important in protecting the heart from Dox‐induced damage in rats. It would seem valuable to test melatonin in clinical trials for prevention of possible heart damage associated with Dox.
Poly epsilon-caprolactone nanoparticles containing a poorly soluble pesticide: formulation and stability study

In 1997, a research program was initiated in the laboratories to assess the ability of nanosperes (NS) to improve the biodelivery of new active ingredients (AI) to plants. The goal was to obtain stable poly(epsilon-caprolactone) NS (PeC-NS) with the smallest size and the largest amount of encapsulated AI, using a nanoprecipitation method. The smallest particles obtained were in the range of 200- 250 nm. The highest encapsulation is obtained with Montanox 80 as surfactant and is between 5-10%(expressed in per cent weight relative to the total weight of polymer), which corresponds to an encapsulation yield of 95%. There is no desorption of the AI with time. In contrast, the dilution of the NS suspension in water is followed by a large removal of the AI in the aqueous phase. This suggests that NS are complex dynamic systems in equilibrium with the external medium and disturbances of this system lead to a loss of AI.