Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of a Simplified Histopathologic Model for Gastrointestinal Inflammation in Dogs

Significant interobserver variability in the diagnostic interpretation of endoscopic gastrointestinal (GI) specimens exists even with the use of World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) standardization criteria. Chi-square analyses compared the extent of pathologists’ agreement for microarchitectural features of inflammation in endoscopic specimens obtained from 253 animals of the original WSAVA study. Patterns of agreement between pathologists were classified as broad (3/4 pathologists agreed), dichotomous (2/4 pathologists agreed), or divergent (no agreement between pathologists). The simplified model for GI inflammation was based on those parameters for which the pathologists had either broad or minimally divergent opinions of histopathologic significance. In this model, the parameters chosen were as follows: gastric parameters (intraepithelial lymphocytes [IELs], lamina propria [LP] infiltrates, and mucosal fibrosis), duodenal parameters (villus atrophy, epithelial injury, IELs, crypt changes, and LP infiltrates), and colonic parameters (epithelial injury, crypt dilation, fibrosis, LP infiltrates, and goblet cell depletion). Preliminary data using this simplified model showed excellent correlation between pathologists in defining the presence and extent of GI inflammation in dogs.
Acute Appendicitis in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Objective: To determine the pattern of occurrence of acute appendicitis in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Methods: A prospective study of patients who were admitted for acute appendicitis at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital in the 6 year period from 1984 to 1989 was undertaken. Results: Appendix pathology was confirmed in 76.6% of the patients admitted for acute appendicitis during the study period. A false diagnosis of acute appendicitis led to Appendicectomy in 23.4% of the patients, mostly females with pelvic pathology. Acute appendicitis was found to be commoner in females than males and the commonest age range was in the 11 to 30 years old group. Acute Appendicitis was also found to be commoner in the better educated social classes. The duration of hospitalization and postoperative complications were affected by late presentation to surgery but not by the status of the operating surgeon. Conclusion: Acute appendicitis was diagnosed more often in females than in males in the ratio of 2:1. Over the period of study, the incidence of acute appendicitis showed a rising trend. Key Words: Acute Appendicitis, Appendicectomy, Acute Surgical Abdomen Orient Journal of Medicine Vol.16(1) 2004: 1-3
Aztec Arithmetic Revisited: Land-Area Algorithms and Acolhua Congruence Arithmetic

Acolhua-Aztec land records depicting areas and side dimensions of agricultural fields provide insight into Aztec arithmetic. Hypothesizing that recorded areas resulted from indigenous calculation, in a study of sample quadrilateral fields we found that 60% of the area values could be reproduced exactly by computation. In remaining cases, discrepancies between computed and recorded areas were consistently small, suggesting use of an unknown indigenous arithmetic. In revisiting the research, we discovered evidence for the use of congruence principles, based on proportions between the standard linear Acolhua measure and their units of shorter length. This procedure substitutes for computation with fractions and is labeled “Acolhua congruence arithmetic. ” The findings also clarify variance between Acolhua and Tenochca linear units, long an issue in understanding Aztec metrology.
Pathology of Experimental Infection by Pasteurella multocida Serotype A

Pasteurella multocida serotype A:3 has been mostly implicated in pneumonic pasteurellosis in ruminants. In contrast, our previous studies have reported that both serotypes A:1 and A:3 were responsible for respiratory diseases in cattle and buffaloes. However, the pathology and pathogenesis of P. multocida serotype A:1 (Pm A:1) infection have not been studied in ruminants. In the present study, 12- to 15-week-old buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis) infected by Pm A:1 had fibrinous and suppurative bronchopneumonia with focal areas of coagulation necrosis typical of pneumonic pasteurellosis. For the first time, this study reports the lung pathology and pathogenecity of Pm A:1 infection in calves.
Phytoplankton Calcification in a High-CO2 World

Ocean acidification in response to rising atmospheric CO2 partial pressures is widely expected to reduce calcification by marine organisms. From the mid-Mesozoic, coccolithophores have been major calcium carbonate producers in the world's oceans, today accounting for about a third of the total marine CaCO3 production. Here, we present laboratory evidence that calcification and net primary production in the coccolithophore species Emiliania huxleyi are significantly increased by high CO2 partial pressures. Field evidence from the deep ocean is consistent with these laboratory conclusions, indicating that over the past 220 years there has been a 40% increase in average coccolith mass. Our findings show that coccolithophores are already responding and will probably continue to respond to rising atmospheric CO2 partial pressures, which has important implications for biogeochemical modeling of future oceans and climate.
Surface Trapping of Atoms and Molecules with Dipole Rings

The trapping of single molecules on surfaces without the formation of strong covalent bonds is a prerequisite for molecular recognition and the exploitation of molecular function. On nanopatterned surfaces, molecules may be selectively trapped and addressed. In a boron nitride nanomesh formed on Rh(111), the pattern consisted of holes 2 nanometers in diameter on a hexagonal superlattice, separated by about 3 nanometers. The trapping was further investigated with density functional theory and the photoemission of adsorbed xenon, where the holes were identified as regions of low work function. The analysis showed that the trapping potential was localized at the rims of the holes.
An Analysis of the Potential Benefits of Metformin on Disease Recurrence in Oral and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective: Diabetes mellitus type 2 has been associated with increased cancer risk and cancer related mortality. Metformin, one of the most widely used anti-diabetic medications, has been found to have important anticancer properties in addition to hypoglycemic effects. The effects of metformin on clinical outcomes in oral cavity (OC) and oropharyngeal (OP) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) have not been thoroughly analyzed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of metformin use on cancer recurrence in diabetic patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Design: Retrospective review. Setting: Academic tertiary medical center. Patients: Seventy-seven patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 and oral cavity or oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma were treated and followed at our tertiary academic institution and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System from 1998 to 2012. Main Outcome Measure: Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed to determine if metformin has an effect on disease recurrence after primary cancer treatment. Results: Metformin does not appear to have a significant effect on disease recurrence in patients with OC/OP SCC and diabetes mellitus type 2 (p = 0.53). Even when including only patients with stage I or II disease, metformin still did not decrease recurrence (p = 0.60). Conclusion: Herein, our data suggest that metformin use does not significantly impact time until recurrence for diabetic patients with OC/OP SCC.
Prevalence of Biofilms on Surgical Suture Segments in Wounds of Dogs, Cats, and Horses

The formation of biofilms on surgical implants is thought to play a major role in chronic infection and wound-healing disorders and has been rarely described in veterinary medicine. Due to poor and unreliable results from bacterial culturing, histology may be an economic tool for the detection of biofilms. In this study, the prevalence of biofilms on surgical suture materials and swabs with chronic wound-healing complications in dogs, cats, and horses was assessed by histologic examination using hematoxylin and eosin, Gram, and Giemsa stains, as well as periodic acid–Schiff reaction. Of the 91 tissue samples with intralesional suture material or swab residues associated with inflammation, only 2 contained bacterial colonies arranged in an extracellular polymeric matrix consistent with a biofilm. The results of this study suggest that biofilms on suture material may occur in veterinary medicine.
Effect of screening and adjuvant therapy on mortality from breast cancer

BACKGROUND We used modeling techniques to assess the relative and absolute contributions of screening mammography and adjuvant treatment to the reduction in breast-cancer mortality in the United States from 1975 to 2000. METHODS A consortium of investigators developed seven independent statistical models of breast-cancer incidence and mortality. All seven groups used the same sources to obtain data on the use of screening mammography, adjuvant treatment, and benefits of treatment with respect to the rate of death from breast cancer. RESULTS The proportion of the total reduction in the rate of death from breast cancer attributed to screening varied in the seven models from 28 to 65 percent (median, 46 percent), with adjuvant treatment contributing the rest. The variability across models in the absolute contribution of screening was larger than it was for treatment, reflecting the greater uncertainty associated with estimating the benefit of screening. CONCLUSIONS Seven statistical models showed that both screening mammography and treatment have helped reduce the rate of death from breast cancer in the United States.
Postmastectomy seroma: how much is it affected by serum levels of IL-6 and CRP and how much is it reduced by intravenous hydrocortisone injection?

Background Seroma is extremely common after breast surgery, and this could be because of the inflammatory response during wound healing. Several factors such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been detected in the seroma fluid that support this assumption; therefore, inhibition of the inflammatory response by using hydrocortisone might decrease seroma formation. We aimed to evaluate the effect of adding hydrocortisone to the anesthetic regimen in the perioperative serum level of IL-6 and CRP and consequently in postmastectomy seroma formation. Patients and methods The study included female patients with primary operable breast cancer who were randomly allocated to two groups; each included 40 patients. Patients in group I received general anesthesia with hydrocortisone, and patients in group II received general anesthesia without hydrocortisone. Venous samples were collected for measuring IL-6 serum levels before surgery, 6 h after the end of the procedure, and 24 h after the procedure and for measuring CRP serum levels before surgery and 24 h after the procedure. All patients were followed up postoperatively for registration of the total drainage volume until drain removal, timing of drain removal, incidence of seroma formation, and management of seroma. Results Patients in group I had a lower total drainage volume ( P = 0.001), had the drain removed earlier ( P = 0.009), and had a lower incidence of postmastectomy seroma formation ( P = 0.005). Postoperative serum levels of IL-6 and CRP showed a significant decrease in group I compared with group II. Conclusion Postmastectomy seroma is likely a proinflammatory process and can be reduced by giving intravenous hydrocortisone on induction of anesthesia and 2 h later, which significantly decreases the inflammatory mediators (IL-6 and CRP) that significantly reduce the incidence of seroma.
Contribution of Hepatic Lineage Stage‐Specific Donor Memory to the Differential Potential of Induced Mouse Pluripotent Stem Cells

Recent studies suggested that induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) retain a residual donor cell gene expression, which may impact their capacity to differentiate into cell of origin. Here, we addressed a contribution of a lineage stage‐specific donor cell memory in modulating the functional properties of iPSCs. iPSCs were generated from hepatic lineage cells at an early (hepatoblast‐derived, HB‐iPSCs) and end stage (adult hepatocyte, AH‐iPSCs) of hepatocyte differentiation as well as from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs‐iPSCs) using a lentiviral vector encoding four pluripotency‐inducing factors Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c‐Myc. All resulting iPSC lines acquired iPSCs phenotype as judged by the accepted criteria including morphology, expression of pluripotency markers, silencing of transducing factors, capacity of multilineage differentiation in teratoma assay, and normal diploid karyotype. However, HB‐iPSCs were more efficient in directed differentiation toward hepatocytic lineage as compared to AH‐iPSCs, MEF‐iPSCs, or mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Extensive comparative transcriptome analyses of the early passage iPSCs, donor cells, and mESCs revealed that despite global similarities in gene expression patterns between generated iPSCs and mESCs, HB‐iPSCs retained a transcriptional memory (seven upregulated and 17 downregulated genes) typical of the original cells. Continuous passaging of HB‐iPSCs erased most of these differences including a superior capacity for hepatic redifferentiation. These results suggest that retention of lineage stage‐specific donor memory in iPSCs may facilitate differentiation into donor cell type. The identified gene set may help to improve hepatic differentiation for therapeutic applications and contribute to the better understanding of liver development. STEM CELLS 2012;30:997–1007
Growth Factors and COX2 Expression in Canine Perivascular Wall Tumors

Canine perivascular wall tumors (PWTs) are a group of subcutaneous soft tissue sarcomas developing from vascular mural cells. Mural cells are involved in angiogenesis through a complex crosstalk with endothelial cells mediated by several growth factors and their receptors. The evaluation of their expression may have relevance since they may represent a therapeutic target in the control of canine PWTs. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and receptors VEGFR-I/II, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and receptor Flg, platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGFB) and receptor PDGFRβ, transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) and receptors TGFβR-I/II, and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) was evaluated on frozen sections of 40 PWTs by immunohistochemistry and semiquantitatively scored to identify their potential role in PWT development. Statistical analysis was performed to analyze possible correlations between Ki67 labeling index and the expression of each molecule. Proteins of the VEGF-, PDGFB-, and bFGF-mediated pathways were highly expressed in 27 (67.5%), 30 (75%), and 19 (47.5%) of 40 PWTs, respectively. Proteins of the TGFβ1- and COX2-mediated pathways were highly expressed in 4 (10%) and 14 (35%) of 40 cases. Statistical analysis identified an association between VEGF and VEGFR-I/II (P = .015 and .003, respectively), bFGF and Flg (P = .038), bFGF and PDGFRβ (P = .003), and between TGFβ1 and COX2 (P = .006). These findings were consistent with the mechanisms that have been reported to play a role in angiogenesis and in tumor development. No association with Ki67 labeling index was found. VEGF-, PDGFB-, and bFGF-mediated pathways seem to have a key role in PWT development and growth. Blockade of tyrosine kinase receptors after surgery could represent a promising therapy with the aim to reduce the PWT relapse rate and prolong the time to relapse.
Connectivity in multi-radio, multi-channel heterogeneous ad hoc networks

Future wireless networks are expected to integrate heterogeneous devices equipped with multiple radios and different characteristics. Therefore, it is important to understand how these heterogeneous radios can affect connectivity and overall multi-hop network performance. In this paper, we study the connectivity of a heterogeneous ad hoc network. We consider two types of nodes: nodes equipped with a single communication interface with communication range r, and dual-mode (DM) nodes, equipped with two communication interfaces with two different communication ranges r and rf, respectively, where rf >r. We assume the radios in the DM nodes operate in two different channels. We provide a theoretical analysis of connectivity in a linear network and we present simulation results for the two-dimensional case that show the impact of DM nodes on connectivity, broadcast latency and robustness in static scenarios
Convergence of Campylobacter Species: Implications for Bacterial Evolution

The nature of species boundaries in bacteria remains controversial. In particular, the mechanisms of bacterial speciation and maintenance in the face of frequent genetic exchange are poorly understood. Here, we report patterns of genetic exchange that show two closely related zoonotic pathogenic species, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, are converging as a consequence of recent changes in gene flow. Population expansion into a novel ecological niche generated by human activity is the most probable explanation for the increase in genetic exchange between these species. Bacterial speciation can therefore occur by mechanisms analogous to those seen in metazoans, where genetic diversification and incipient speciation caused by ecological factors have been reported in several genera.
Role of Endothelial-Derived Nitric Oxide in Normal and Hypertensive Pulmonary Vasculature

In the 1980s nitric oxide (NO) gained recognition as an endogenous vasodilator, inflammatory mediator, inhibitor of platelet aggregation, and neurotransmitter (see review articles by Ignarro, Moncada et al, and Nathan). It is important in diverse physiological roles, including regulation of systemic blood pressure, and is disrupted as a part of numerous disease states, including systemic hypertension. ' The concept that a gas with such a simple chemical composition can be important in such diverse situations seems radical but is reminiscent of the broad second messenger role of an even "simpler" element, calcium.
Hopping Hotspots: Global Shifts in Marine Biodiversity

Hotspots of high species diversity are a prominent feature of modern global biodiversity patterns. Fossil and molecular evidence is starting to reveal the history of these hotspots. There have been at least three marine biodiversity hotspots during the past 50 million years. They have moved across almost half the globe, with their timing and locations coinciding with major tectonic events. The birth and death of successive hotspots highlights the link between environmental change and biodiversity patterns. The antiquity of the taxa in the modern Indo-Australian Archipelago hotspot emphasizes the role of pre-Pleistocene events in shaping modern diversity patterns.
E‐cadherin and, in Its Absence, N‐cadherin Promotes Nanog Expression in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells via STAT3 Phosphorylation

We have recently shown that loss of E‐cadherin in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) results in significant alterations to both the transcriptome and hierarchy of pluripotency‐associated signaling pathways. Here, we show that E‐cadherin promotes kruppel‐like factor 4 (Klf4) and Nanog transcript and protein expression in mESCs via STAT3 phosphorylation and that β‐catenin, and its binding region in E‐cadherin, is required for this function. To further investigate the role of E‐cadherin in leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)‐dependent pluripotency, E‐cadherin null (Ecad−/−) mESCs were cultured in LIF/bone morphogenetic protein supplemented medium. Under these conditions, Ecad−/− mESCs exhibited partial restoration of cell–cell contact and STAT3 phosphorylation and upregulated Klf4, Nanog, and N‐cadherin transcripts and protein. Abrogation of N‐cadherin using an inhibitory peptide caused loss of phospho STAT3, Klf4, and Nanog in these cells, demonstrating that N‐cadherin supports LIF‐dependent pluripotency in this context. We therefore identify a novel molecular mechanism linking E‐ and N‐cadherin to the core circuitry of pluripotency in mESCs. This mechanism may explain the recently documented role of E‐cadherin in efficient induced pluripotent stem cell reprogramming. Stem Cells2012;30:1842–1851
Pathogenesis of New Strains of Newcastle Disease Virus From Israel and Pakistan

In the past few years, Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains with epizootic characteristics belonging to subgenotypes VIIi and XIIIb emerged in the Middle East and Asia. In this study, 2 NDV strains—1 representative of subgenotype VIIi isolated in Israel (Kvuzat/13) and 1 representative of subgenotype XIIIb isolated in Pakistan (Karachi/07)—were characterized by intracerebral pathogenicity index and detailed clinicopathologic assessment. The intracerebral pathogenicity index values for Kvuzat/13 and Karachi/07 were 1.89 and 1.85, respectively, classifying these strains as virulent by international standards. In 4-week-old White Leghorn chickens, both strains caused 100% mortality within 4 (Kvuzat/13) and 5 (Karachi/07) days postinfection. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry for NDV nucleoprotein showed that both strains had wide systemic distribution, especially targeting lymphoid organs and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues in the respiratory and intestinal tracts. Results of the animal experiment confirm that both Kvuzat/13 and Karachi/07 are highly virulent and behaved as velogenic viscerotropic NDV strains.
microRNA‐124 Regulates Cardiomyocyte Differentiation of Bone Marrow‐Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Via Targeting STAT3 Signaling

Accumulating evidence demonstrated that bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) may transdifferentiate into cardiomyocytes and replace apoptotic myocardium so as to improve functions of damaged hearts. However, little information is known about molecular mechanisms underlying myogenic conversion of BMSCs. microRNAs as endogenous noncoding small molecules function to inhibit protein translation post‐transcriptionally by binding to complementary sequences of targeted mRNAs. Here, we reported that miR‐124 was remarkably downregulated during cardiomyocyte differentiation of BMSCs induced by coculture with cardiomyocytes. Forced expression of miR‐124 led to a significant downregulation of cardiac‐specific markers—ANP, TNT, and α‐MHC proteins as well as reduction of cardiac potassium channel currents in cocultured BMSCs. On the contrary, the inhibition of endogenous miR‐124 with its antisense oligonucleotide AMO‐124 obviously reversed the changes of ANP, TNT, and α‐MHC proteins and increased cardiac potassium channel currents. Further study revealed that miR‐124 targeted the 3′UTR of STAT3 gene so as to suppress the expression of STAT3 protein but did not affect its mRNA level. STAT3 inhibitors AG490, WP1066, and S3I‐201 were shown to attenuate the augmented expression of ANP, TNT, α‐MHC, GATA‐4 proteins, and mRNAs in cocultured BMSCs with AMO‐124 transfection. Moreover, GATA‐4 siRNA reduced the expression of ANP, TNT, α‐MHC, and GATA‐4 proteins but did not impact STAT3 protein in cocultured BMSCs, indicating GATA‐4 serves as an effector of STAT3. In summary, we found that miR‐124 regulated myogenic differentiation of BMSCs via targeting STAT3 mRNA, which provides new insights into molecular mechanisms of cardiomyogenesis of BMSCs. STEM CELLS2012;30:1746–1755