Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maternal evaluations of young children's developmental status: A comparison of clinic- and non-clinic-groups

The question whether parents’ reports on their children’s development provide reliable information is a subject of controversial debate. While parental rating scales and parental interviews are widely used in clinical practice, empirical findings have shown that parents cannot assess their children well. Previous research has illustrated that most parents tend to overestimate the developmental status and cognitive performance of their children. If the child displays behavior problems, the accuracy of mothers’ appraisals decreases substantially. The aim of this study was (1) to examine whether mothers who are concerned about their children’s development still overestimate the developmental status and (2) whether maternal beliefs about developmental norms influence the accuracy of evaluation. The sample consisted of 14 mother-child-dyads who were clients of two outpatient clinics in Vienna and had concerns about the child’s development, 16 mother-childdyads without concerns who sought advice because of their children’s potential high abilities, and 30 mother-child-dyads without concerns and no clinic referral. While the children were tested using the Wiener Entwicklungstest (Viennese Developmental Test, WET, Kastner-Koller & Deimann, 2002), a developmental test for children 3 to 6 years old, mothers were asked to estimate which items of the WET (1) their own child and (2) a normal peer would be able to solve. Mothers with concerns had limited knowledge of what a child of a certain age can achieve and they expected too much. Though they realized that their own developmentally delayed child did not fulfill these high expectations, they were not able to appraise his/her performance accurately. Mothers whose children were normally developed or even above average were able to evaluate their own children much more precisely. Moreover, these mothers estimated developmental norms more accurately. Both mothers of gifted children and of developmentally delayed children perceived a gap in their beliefs about their own children’s achievement compared to their beliefs about developmental norms. This discrepancy might lead them to seek advice at an outpatient clinic.
Evaluation of Toxicity of Heavy Metals for Escherichia coli Growth

is essential to virtually all organisms but it can be toxic in excess. High concentration of iron and other trace elements could restricted bacterial growth and modify their metabolic pattern as well. However, this study aimed to find out the influence of iron, chromium, cadmium and synergism or antagonism between these elements on growth of a gram negative bacterium. In the series of experiments, E. coli has been cultured in a nutrient broth which supplemented with Fe +2 , Fe +3 , Cr +3 , Cd +2 alone or in combination with together, at 37°C for 5 h. Bacterial growth was measured every half an hour using spectrophotometer. Findings obtained from this study indicated that bacterial growth reduced at presence of 1 mM/L concentration of Fe +3 and 0.5 mM/L Fe +2 in comparison with control. Growth of the bacteria was completely inhibited by 1 mM/L concentration of iron (II). Chromium has also inhibitory effects on growth of the bacteria and cadmium is very toxic. Cr +3 and Cd + have antagonism effect with iron on the growth of bacteria. This work suggested that trace elements could interact in their metabolism in bacteria. It has also concluded that toxic effects of trace element could be another view against pathogenic bacteria particularly in complex with antibacterial activity of various antibiotics.
Increased Expression of Glutathione S- Transferase in Renal Proximal Tubules in the Early Stages of Diabetes: A Study of Type-2 Diabetes in the Akita Mouse Model

Background/Aim: The objective of this study was to examine whether the gene expression profile in the kidney is modified by hyperglycemia in the early stage of diabetes. Methods: We analyzed the expression of kidney mRNAs using cDNA array membranes including 588 genes in the kidney of the Akita mouse, a model of type-2 diabetes, after exposure to hyperglycemia for a moderate length of time, but before the manifestation of diabetic glomerulosclerosis. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical studies were performed to confirm whether the protein for the increasingly expressed mRNA was highly expressed in the kidney of the diabetic mouse. Results: Two of the 10 detected mRNAs, glutathione S-transferase (GST) α and µ, in the kidneys from diabetic mice showed a more than twofold increased expression in comparison to those of control mice. Western blot analysis in kidney tissue extracts confirmed increases in GST α and µ at protein levels in the diabetic mice. Immunohistochemical studies revealed strong staining for those proteins in the proximal tubules of diabetic mice. Conclusion: These data collectively indicate that expression of GSTs is increased in epithelial cells in proximal tubules even at the early stage of diabetes, probably in response to oxidative stress triggered by hyperglycemia or other toxic effects of glucose.
Breast cancer risk by occupation and industry: analysis of the CECILE study, a population-based case-control study in France.

BACKGROUND It has been suggested that certain occupational exposures may play a role in breast cancer etiology. The recognition of high-risk occupations may give clues about potential mammary carcinogens in the work place. METHODS We conducted a population-based case-control study in France including 1,230 breast cancer cases and 1,315 population controls with detailed information on lifetime work history. Odds ratios for women ever employed in an occupation or industry were adjusted for well-established risk factors for breast cancer. RESULTS Adjusted odds ratios were marginally increased in some white-collar occupations, as well as in textile workers (2.4; 95% CI [0.9-6.0]), rubber and plastics product makers (1.8; 95% CI [0.9-3.5]), and in women employed for more than 10 years as nurses (1.4; 95% CI [0.9-2.1]) and as tailors/dressmakers (1.5; 95% CI [0.9-2.6]). The incidence of breast cancer was increased among women employed in the manufacture of chemicals, of non-metallic mineral products, and decreased among women in agriculture. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a possible role of occupational exposures in breast cancer, including night-shift work, solvents and endocrine disrupting chemicals and require further studies with detailed assessment of occupational exposures.
High power factor wireless power transfer front-end circuit for heterogeneous systems

This paper investigates a high power factor switch-based wireless power transfer front-end circuit for heterogeneous systems. This circuit uses an integrated switching rectifier, implemented in 0.18um 1.8V/5V CMOS process. An integrated pair of phase synchronizers is used to align the waveshape of a wirelessly-coupled sinusoidal voltage source in the receiving coil to the corresponding conducting current. Using this approach, the power factor can be increased above 0.9 without requiring any wireless or wired feedback to the transmitter. The integrated switching rectifier can also provide: ac-dc rectification; facilitate the deployment of multi-receiver to single-transmitter wireless power transfer; and have the capability for voltage up and down conversion of the peak amplitude of the sinusoidal voltage source by use of a pulse-width modulation controller. From measured results, the output voltage can be stepped down from 1.65V to 1.08V and stepped up from 1.5V to 1.68V. Also, the measured power factor is 0.9 when the conducting current is managed at continuous conduction mode.
Lithium Chloride Increases the Production of Amyloid-β Peptide Independently from Its Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3*

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) is able to phosphorylate tau at many sites that are found to be phosphorylated in paired helical filaments in Alzheimer disease. Lithium chloride (LiCl) efficiently inhibits GSK3 and was recently reported to also decrease the production of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) from its precursor, the amyloid precursor protein. Therefore, lithium has been proposed as a combined therapeutic agent, inhibiting both the hyperphosphorylation of tau and the production of Aβ. Here, we demonstrate that the inhibition of GSK3 by LiCl induced the nuclear translocation of β-catenin in Chinese hamster ovary cells and rat cultured neurons, in which a decrease in tau phosphorylation was observed. In both cellular models, a nontoxic concentration of LiCl increased the production of Aβ by increasing the β-cleavage of amyloid precursor protein, generating more substrate for an unmodified γ-secretase activity. SB415286, another GSK3 inhibitor, induced the nuclear translocation of β-catenin and slightly decreased Aβ production. It is concluded that the LiCl-mediated increase in Aβ production is not related to GSK3 inhibition.
Bovine tuberculosis infection in animal and human populations in Ethiopia: a review

Ethiopia is one among the nations that possesses the largest number of livestock population in the African continent estimated to be 33 million cattle, 24 million sheep and 18 million goats. In contrast to the huge livestock resource, the livestock productivity is however, found to be very low. The major biological and socio- economical factors attributing to the low productivity includes: the low genetic potential and performance, poor nutrition (in quality and quantity terms), the prevailing of different diseases, traditional way of husbandry systems and inadequate skilled manpower, among others. Ethiopia is one of the African countries where tuberculosis is wide spread in both humans and cattle and the endemic nature of tuberculosis in humans and cattle has long been documented. The disease is considered as one of the major livestock diseases that results in high morbidity and mortality, although the current status on the actual prevalence rate of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) at a natio - nal level is yet unknown. Detection of BTB in Ethiopia is carried out most commonly on the basis of tuberculin skin testing, abattoir meat inspection and very rarely on bacteriological techniques. Recently undertaken studies indicated the prevalence rate of BTB with a range of 3.4% (in small holder production system) to 50% (in intensive dairy productions) and a range of 3.5% to 5.2% in slaughterhouses in various places of the country. BTB in cattle remains to be a great concern due to the susceptibility of humans to the disease. The infections mainly take place by drinking raw milk and occur in the extra-pulmonary form, in the cervical lymphadenitis form in particular. The aim of this paper is to review the status of BTB in Ethiopia in relation with the existing animal husbandry systems and abattoir meat inspection surveillances. Control measures, economic impacts and the zoonotic aspect of the disease are also briefly addressed.
Casein Kinase II-mediated Phosphorylation of the C Terminus of Sp1 Decreases Its DNA Binding Activity*

We have previously observed that Sp1, a ubiquitous zinc finger transcription factor, is phosphorylated during terminal differentiation in the whole animal, and this results in decreased DNA binding activity (Leggett, R. W., Armstrong, S. A., Barry, D., and Mueller, C. R. (1995) J. Biol. Chem.270, 25879–25884). In this study, we demonstrate that casein kinase II (CKII) is able to phosphorylate the C terminus of Sp1 and results in a decrease in DNA binding activity. This suggests that CKII may be responsible for the observed regulation of Sp1. Mutation of a consensus CKII site at amino acid 579, within the second zinc finger, eliminates phosphorylation of this site and the CKII-mediated inhibition of Sp1 binding. Phosphopeptide analysis confirms the presence of a CKII site at Thr-579 as well as additional sites within the C terminus. No gross changes in CKII subunit levels were seen during de-differentiation associated with liver regeneration. The serine/threonine phosphatase PP1 was identified as the endogenous liver nuclear protein able to dephosphorylate Sp1 but again no gross changes in activity were observed in the regenerating liver. Okadaic acid treatment of K562 cells increases Sp1 phosphorylation and inhibits its DNA binding activity suggesting that steady state levels of Sp1 phosphorylation are established by a balance between kinase and phosphatase activities.
Prognostic Value of Tumor Budding in Early-Stage Cervical Adenocarcinomas

Background: Tumor budding has recently been reported as an independent adverse prognostic factor for colorectal adenocarcinomas and other types of carcinoma in the digestive tract. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of tumor budding in patients with early-stage cervical adenocarcinomas and any associations with other clinical and pathological features. Methods: Histological slides of patients with early-stage (IB-IIA) usual-type endocervical adenocarcinoma who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection, without preoperative chemotherapy, between January 2006 and December 2012 were reviewed. Tumor budding was evaluated in routinely-stained sections and defined as detached single cells or clusters of fewer than 5 cells in a tumor invasive front and was stratified based on the number of bud counts in 10-high-power fields as low (<15 buds) and high (≥15 buds). Correlations between tumor bud count and other clinical and pathological variables including follow-up outcomes were assessed. Results: Of 129 patients, a high tumor bud count was observed in 15 (11.6%), positively associated with histologic grade 3 (p<0.001), invasive pattern C (Silva System) (p=0.004), lymph node metastasis (p=0.008), stage IB2-IIA (p=0.016), and tumor size >2 cm (p=0.036). Kaplan-Meyer analysis showed a significant decrease in both disease-free survival and cancer-specific survival for patients with a high tumor bud count (p=0.027 and 0.031, respectively). On multivariate analysis, histologic grade 3 was the only independent predictor for decreased disease-free survival (p=0.004) and cancer-specific survival (p=0.003). Conclusions: A high tumor budding count based on assessment of routinely-stained sections was found to be associated with decreased disease-free and cancer-specific survival in patients with early-stage cervical adenocarcinomas. However, it was not found to be an independent prognostic predictor in this study.
The Molecular Basis of Shoot Responses of Maize Seedlings to Trichoderma harzianum T22 Inoculation of the Root: A Proteomic Approach1[W]

Trichoderma spp. are effective biocontrol agents for several soil-borne plant pathogens, and some are also known for their abilities to enhance systemic resistance to plant diseases and overall plant growth. Root colonization with Trichoderma harzianum Rifai strain 22 (T22) induces large changes in the proteome of shoots of maize (Zea mays) seedlings, even though T22 is present only on roots. We chose a proteomic approach to analyze those changes and identify pathways and genes that are involved in these processes. We used two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to identify proteins that are differentially expressed in response to colonization of maize plants with T22. Up- or down-regulated spots were subjected to tryptic digestion followed by identification using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry and nanospray ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry. We identified 91 out of 114 up-regulated and 30 out of 50 down-regulated proteins in the shoots. Classification of these revealed that a large portion of the up-regulated proteins are involved in carbohydrate metabolism and some were photosynthesis or stress related. Increased photosynthesis should have resulted in increased starch accumulation in seedlings and did indeed occur. In addition, numerous proteins induced in response to Trichoderma were those involved in stress and defense responses. Other processes that were up-regulated were amino acid metabolism, cell wall metabolism, and genetic information processing. Conversely, while the proteins involved in the pathways noted above were generally up-regulated, proteins involved in other processes such as secondary metabolism and protein biosynthesis were generally not affected. Up-regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and resistance responses may correspond to the enhanced growth response and induced resistance, respectively, conferred by the Trichoderma inoculation.
Role of primary and secondary maternal viremia in transplacental guinea pig cytomegalovirus transfer

The modulation of the outcome of intrauterine guinea pig cytomegalovirus (GPCMV) infection by maternal viremia was investigated in the guinea pig model. Virus assay and in situ hybridization were used to study GPCMV infection of maternal blood, placentas, and fetuses following inoculation of pregnant guinea pigs by the subcutaneous, intracardiac, or intranasal route. Animals were inoculated in early gestation and were evaluated every 7 to 10 days throughout pregnancy. Although placental and fetal infections occurred in all groups examined, transfer of GPCMV to placentas and fetuses was most efficient in mothers inoculated subcutaneously. Primary viremia was followed by virus clearance from blood and by an episode of secondary viremia in the three groups of mothers examined. Placental and fetal infections in animals infected subcutaneously or intracardially were first detected at the time of primary viremia, persisted throughout gestation, and increased during secondary viremia. In contrast, placental and fetal infections in animals inoculated intranasally were demonstrated primarily during secondary viremia. Fetal infection was detected in all mothers with detectable primary and secondary viremia but in only 33% of mothers that experienced only primary viremia. These results suggest that secondary maternal viremia is associated with increased placental and fetal GPCMV infections.
Constitutive tyrosine phosphorylation of the T-cell receptor (TCR) zeta subunit: regulation of TCR-associated protein tyrosine kinase activity by TCR zeta

The T-cell receptor (TCR) zeta subunit is an important component of the TCR complex, involved in signal transduction events following TCR engagement. In this study, we showed that the TCR zeta chain is constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated to similar extents in thymocytes and lymph node T cells. Approximately 35% of the tyrosine-phosphorylated TCR zeta (phospho zeta) precipitated from total cell lysates appeared to be surface associated. Furthermore, constitutive phosphorylation of TCR zeta in T cells occurred independently of antigen stimulation and did not require CD4 or CD8 coreceptor expression. In lymph node T cells that constitutively express tyrosine-phosphorylated TCR zeta, there was a direct correlation between surface TCR-associated protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity and expression of phospho zeta. TCR stimulation of these cells resulted in an increase in PTK activity that coprecipitated with the surface TCR complex and a corresponding increase in the levels of phospho zeta. TCR ligations also contributed to the detection of several additional phosphoproteins that coprecipitated with surface TCR complexes, including a 72-kDa tyrosine-phosphorylated protein. The presence of TCR-associated PTK activity also correlated with the binding of a 72-kDa protein, which became tyrosine phosphorylated in vitro kinase assays, to tyrosine phosphorylated TCR zeta. The cytoplasmic region of the TCR zeta chain was synthesized, tyrosine phosphorylated, and conjugated to Sepharose beads. Only tyrosine-phosphorylated, not nonphosphorylated, TCR zeta beads were capable of immunoprecipitating the 72-kDa protein from total cell lysates. This 72-kDa protein is likely the murine equivalent of human PTK ZAP-70, which has been shown to associate specifically with phospho zeta. These results suggest that TCR-associated PTK activity is regulated, at least in part, by the tyrosine phosphorylation status of TCR zeta.
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

The pathogenesis of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) is still not fully understood. The involvement of corticosteroids is undisputed, although their exact role has not been clarified; other parts of the underlying mechanism of CSC have been mainly elucidated by imaging techniques such as fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography. Even though most cases of CSC are self-limiting, severe as well as recurrent courses exist, and for these patients only a limited number of treatment options are available: laser photocoagulation, with a risk of scotoma and choroidal neovascularization, and photodynamic therapy. In this review article, we give an overview of its epidemiology, the current understanding of its pathogenesis as well as systemic and ocular risk factors. We illuminate modern diagnostic tools as well as current treatment options in the context of CSC, particularly in the light of a better understanding of corticosteroids and their receptors involved in its pathogenesis.
Evaluation of supraspinatus strengthening exercises based on fiber bundle architectural changes

Supraspinatus strengthening is an integral part of rehabilitation programs. However, there is disparity regarding the best exercise. Thus, we investigated the effects of supraspinatus strengthening exercises on muscle fiber bundle architecture using real‐time ultrasound. Participants were randomized into full‐can (FC; n = 12), empty‐can (EC; n = 11,) and prone horizontal abduction (PHA; n = 11) groups and performed three sessions/week for 8 weeks. Each session involved four sets of exercise for weeks 1–4 and six sets for weeks 5–8 with eight repetitions/set. Images of supraspinatus were captured in 0° (relaxed) and 60° (contracted) glenohumeral abduction. Fiber bundle length (FBL), pennation angle, and muscle thickness were measured at beginning, mid, and end of training. Maximum isometric abduction strength was measured in full‐can, empty‐can, and prone horizontal abduction positions using a hand‐held dynamometer. FBL decreased after 4 weeks in FC [relaxed: Δ = −0.54 cm, P = 0.001, d = 0.92; contracted: Δ = −0.27 cm, P = 0.008, d = 0.27] and EC [relaxed: Δ = −0.59 cm, P = 0.008, d = 0.86; contracted: Δ = −0.36 cm, P = 0.013, d = 0.59], but not in PHA [relaxed: Δ = −0.11, P = 0.121, d = 0.31; contracted: Δ = −0.06 cm, P = 0.486, d = 0.13]. Strength increased significantly from week 4–8 only in PHA (Δ = +0.96 kg, P = 0.004, d = 0.47) when tested in prone horizontal abduction position. Maintenance of FBL with increased strength indicates prone horizontal abduction may be a better exercise to strengthen supraspinatus.
Tom1, a VHS Domain-containing Protein, Interacts with Tollip, Ubiquitin, and Clathrin*

The gene for Tom1 was initially identified as a specific target of the oncogene v-myb. The Tom1 protein belongs to the VHS domain-containing protein family, and it has a GAT domain in a central part as well as an N-terminal VHS domain. VHS domain-containing proteins, including Hrs/Vps27, STAM, and GGA proteins, have been implicated in intracellular trafficking and sorting, but the role of Tom1 has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we found that Tom1 binds directly with ubiquitin chains and Tollip, which was initially isolated as a mediator of interleukin-1 signaling and has a capacity to bind ubiquitin chains. Gel filtration and subsequent Western blot analysis showed that endogenous Tom1 associates with Tollip to form a complex. In addition, Tom1 was found to be capable of binding to clathrin heavy chain through a typical clathrin-binding motif. Fluorescence microscopic analysis revealed that green fluorescent protein-Tom1 was localized predominantly in the cytoplasm, whereas its mutant with deletion of the clathrin-binding motif had a diffuse localization throughout the cell. Thus, we propose that a Tom1-Tollip complex functions as a factor that links polyubiquitinated proteins to clathrin.