Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of massage therapy in chronic pain: a pragmatic randomized trial.

BACKGROUND Although classic massage is used widely in Germany and elsewhere for treating chronic pain conditions, there are no randomized controlled trials (RCT). DESIGN Pragmatic RCT of classic massage compared to standard medical care (SMC) in chronic pain conditions of back, neck, shoulders, head and limbs. OUTCOME MEASURE Pain rating (nine-point Likert-scale; predefined main outcome criterion) at pretreatment, post-treatment, and 3 month follow-up, as well as pain adjective list, depression, anxiety, mood, and body concept. RESULTS Because of political and organizational problems, only 29 patients were randomized, 19 to receive massage, 10 to SMC. Pain improved significantly in both groups, but only in the massage group was it still significantly improved at follow-up. Depression and anxiety were improved significantly by both treatments, yet only in the massage group maintained at follow-up. CONCLUSION Despite its limitation resulting from problems with numbers and randomization this study shows that massage can be at least as effective as SMC in chronic pain syndromes. Relative changes are equal, but tend to last longer and to generalize more into psychologic domains. Because this is a pilot study, the results need replication, but our experiences might be useful for other researchers.
Emerging roles of long non-coding RNAs in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses

Abstract Spectacular progress in high-throughput transcriptome sequencing and expression profiling using next-generation sequencing technologies have recently revolutionized molecular biology and allowed massive advances in identifying the genomic regions and molecular mechanisms underlying transcriptional regulation of growth, development, and stress response. Through recent research, non-coding RNAs, in particular long non-coding RNAs, have emerged as key regulators of transcription in eukaryotes. Long non-coding RNAs are vastly heterogeneous groups of RNAs that execute a broad range of essential roles in various biological processes at the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. They modulate transcription through diverse mechanisms. Recently, numerous lncRNAs have been identified to be associated with defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. These have been suggested to perform indispensable roles in plant immunity and adaptation to environmental conditions. However, only a few lncRNAs have been functionally characterized in plants. In this paper, we summarize the present knowledge of lncRNAs, review the recent advances in understanding regulatory functions of lncRNAs, and highlight the emerging roles of lncRNAs in regulating immune responses in plants.
Coryneform bacteria in infectious diseases: clinical and laboratory aspects

Coryneform isolates from clinical specimens frequently cannot be identified by either reference laboratories or research laboratories. Many of these organisms are skin flora that belong to a large number of taxonomic groups, only 40% of which are in the genus Corynebacterium. This review provides an update on clinical presentations, microbiological features, and pathogenic mechanisms of infections with nondiphtheria Corynebacterium species and other pleomorphic gram-positive rods. The early literature is also reviewed for a few coryneforms, especially those whose roles as pathogens are controversial. Recognition of newly emerging opportunistic coryneforms is dependent on sound identification schemes which cannot be developed until cell wall analyses and nucleic acid studies have defined the taxonomic groups and all of the reference strains within each taxon have been shown by molecular methods to be authentic members. Only then can reliable batteries of biochemical tests be selected for distinguishing each taxon.
Activities of Six Different Quinolones against Clinical Respiratory Isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae with Reduced Susceptibility to Ciprofloxacin in Spain

ABSTRACT Six quinolones were tested on 817 consecutive pneumococcal isolates for which ciprofloxacin MICs were high (≥2 μg/ml); the isolates had been collected during two recent Spanish surveillance studies. For strains for which the ciprofloxacin MIC was ≥4 μg/ml, the MICs at which 90% of the isolates tested against gemifloxacin, moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, sparfloxacin, levofloxacin, and ofloxacin were inhibited were 0.25, 1, 1, 1, 4 and 16 μg/ml, respectively, and the corresponding prevalences of resistance were 0, 1, 4.5, 9.5, 8.4 and 23%. The proportion of isolates for which the ciprofloxacin MIC is high has increased over time.
Diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in children with bronchoalveolar lavage galactomannan

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a life‐threatening complication in immunocompromised patients. Early diagnosis and therapy improves outcome. Assessment of galactomannan (GM) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid is a proposed tool to diagnose IPA. Little is known about the diagnostic value of BAL GM in children.
Affective Neuroscience: Past, Present, and Future

The discipline of affective neuroscience is concerned with the underlying neural substrates of emotion and mood. This review presents an historical overview of the pioneering work in affective neuroscience of James and Lange, Cannon and Bard, and Hess, Papez, and MacLean before summarizing the current state of research on the brain regions identified by these seminal researchers. We also discuss the more recent strides made in the field of affective neuroscience. A final section considers different hypothetical organizations of affective neuroanatomy and highlights future directions for the discipline.
Pain in the Posterior Aspect of the Ankle in Dancers. Differential Diagnosis and Operative Treatment*

A retrospective review was performed of the results of operative treatment of stenosing tenosynovitis of the flexor hallucis longus tendon or posterior impingement syndrome, or both, in thirty-seven dancers (forty-one operations). The average duration of follow-up was seven years (range, two to thirteen years). The results were assessed with use of a questionnaire for all patients, and a clinical evaluation was performed for twenty-one patients (twenty-two ankles). Twenty-six operations were performed for tendinitis and posterior impingement; nine, for isolated tendinitis; and six, for isolated posterior impingement syndrome. A medial incision was used in thirty-three procedures; a lateral incision, in six; an anterior and a medial incision, in one; and a lateral and a medial incision, in one. Thirty ankles had a good or excellent result; six, a fair result; and four, a poor result. (The result of the second procedure on an ankle that was operated on twice was not included.) The result was good or excellent for twenty-eight of the thirty-four ankles in professional dancers, compared with only two of the six ankles in amateur dancers.
Trading profitability from learning and adaptation on the Tokyo Stock Exchange

This study proposes unexamined technical trading rules, which are dynamically switching strategies among filter, moving average and trading-range breakout rules. The dynamically switching strategy is formulated based on a discrete choice theory consistent with the concept of myopic utility maximization. We utilize the transaction data of the individual stocks listed on the Nikkei 225 from September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2007. We demonstrate that switching strategies produce positive returns and their performance is better than those from the buy-and-hold and non-switching strategies over our sample periods. We also demonstrate equivalent performance for switching with different learning horizons, implying that behavioural heterogeneity of stock investors arises from the coexistence of different strategies with varying degrees of learning horizons. Our result supports several research assumptions and results on agent-based theoretical models that successfully replicate empirical features in financial markets, such as fat tails of return distributions and volatility clustering. However, upon considering the effects of data-snooping bias superior performance disappears.
University of Birmingham The effects of Sn infiltration on dry reforming of biogas at solid oxide fuel cell operating conditions over Ni-YSZ catalysts

This work presents successful infiltration of Ni-YSZ-based catalysts for dry reforming of biogas over a temperature range of 600–800°C. Ni catalysts over YSZ support are commonly used as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) anode material to catalyse the fuel, normally hydrogen, in electrochemical oxidation reaction to generate electricity. The objective of this work is to find suitable SOFC anode catalyst materials to enable the SOFCs to operate on biogas as a renewable and low cost fuel. There are challenges when biogas is used as fuel; biogas dry reforming is slow and deleterious carbon deposition is unavoidable. The slow electrochemical reaction leads to low SOFC performance. While accumulation of carbon deposits may reduce the catalytic activity, decrease the SOFC performance and can lead to a complete failure of the SOFC operation. In this work, tin salt was used as a dopant in careful infiltration of Ni-YSZ catalysts. Characterisations of the catalysts were performed using SEM, XRF and XPS. Dry reforming reactions were carried out in a quartz tube reactor attached to a quadrupole mass spectrometer to monitor the product gases. Various compositions of CO 2 :CH 4 mixtures were used to simulate biogas. It was observed that at small quantities of less than 1 weight % Sn/Ni loadings, dry reforming of biogas produced much higher level of the desired CO and H 2 gas products compared to that obtained over non-infiltrated NiYSZ catalyst. The developed Sn-Ni-YSZ catalysts were able to operate continuously for more than 48 hours without noticeable performance degradation. More work is still in progress; however, this work so far concludes that Sn-doped Ni-YSZ catalysts have improved dry reforming of biogas at SOFC operating temperatures and so promised successful operations of SOFCs using biogas, a renewable fuel source, to produce sustainable electricity with high efficiency.
Corruption, public integrity, and globalization in South-Eastern European states. A comparative analysis

The last three decades have witnessed a proliferation of studies on the globalization of corruption or convergence of anticorruption strategies. These studies have been motivated by scholarly concerns from various administrative, economic, and political fields. In view of these interdisciplinary concerns, the purpose of this article is to provide a comparative analysis of corruption phenomena and the demand for public integrity because these developments pertain to the discourse on globalization issues in some South-Eastern European nations within the last decade. The article concludes that the differences observed in these countries are due to their level of maturation in the democratic processes, their stages in the European Union integration process, and the geopolitical condition of each nation, and offers a palatable public policy prescription for achieving a lasting impact in the region.
Finding a Clear Path: Structuring Strategies for Visualization Sequences

Little is known about how people structure sets of visualizations to support sequential viewing. We contribute findings from several studies examining visualization sequencing and reception. In our first study, people made decisions between various possible structures as they ordered a set of related visualizations (consisting of either bar charts or thematic maps) into what they considered the clearest sequence for showing the data. We find that most people structure visualization sequences hierarchically: they create high level groupings based on shared data properties like time period, measure, level of aggregation, and spatial region, then order the views within these groupings. We also observe a tendency for certain types of similarities between views, like a common spatial region or aggregation level, to be seen as more appropriate categories for organizing views in a sequence than others, like a common time period or measure. In a second study, we find that viewers’ perceptions of the quality and intention of different sequences are largely consistent with the perceptions of the users who created them. The understanding of sequence preferences and perceptions that emerges from our studies has implications for the development of visualization authoring tools and sequence recommendations for guided analysis.
The principal as minister : a reflective study of the prophetic and pastoral components of the principalship.

The need for moral leadership in schools compels us to seek new models for school leadership. This self-study captures the actual experience of a beginning principal using a reflective practitioner methodology in an effort to the explore the "principal as minister" metaphor. The purpose of the study is to discover the similarities and differences between the role of a principal and a minister in a particular school setting and in the context of one principal's experience. Stories and vignettes of the first year and a half of the principalship were written using the participant observer lens. Reflection on the applicability and use of the "principal as minister" are a key focus of the study. The purpose of the study was two-fold: to explore the fit between the role of the principal and the minister and to study how leadership practice of one principal was affected by reflection on the "principal as minister" metaphor. Findings identify similarities between the role of a principal and a minister. Specifically, both share the following four functions: Pastoral, Prophetic, Priestly, and Pedagogic. In addition, sixteen skill dimensions are demonstrated: enabling others, developing trust, affirming others, sharing self, healing others, managing conflict, establishing vision, eliciting faith, admonishing others, building community, teaching others, modeling best
Phosphatidylserine Receptor-Mediated Recognition of Archaeosome Adjuvant Promotes Endocytosis and MHC Class I Cross-Presentation of the Entrapped Antigen by Phagosome-to-Cytosol Transport and Classical Processing1

Archaeal isopranoid glycerolipid vesicles (archaeosomes) serve as strong adjuvants for cell-mediated responses to entrapped Ag. We analyzed the processing pathway of OVA entrapped in archaeosomes composed of Methanobrevibacter smithii lipids, high in archaetidylserine (OVA-archaeosomes). In vitro, OVA-archaeosomes stimulated spleen cells from OVA-TCR-transgenic mice, D011.10 (CD4+ cells expressing OVA323–339 TCR) or OT1 (>90% CD8+ OVA257–264 cells), indicating both MHC class I and II presentations. In vivo, when naive (Thy1.2+) CFSE-labeled OT1 cells were transferred into OVA-archaeosome-immunized Thy 1.1+ recipient mice, there was profound accumulation and cycling of donor-specific cells, and differentiation of H-2KbOva257–264 CD8+ T cells into CD44highCD62Llow effectors. Both macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) efficiently cross-presented OVA-archaeosomes on MHC class I. Blocking phagocytosis by phosphatidylserine-specific receptor agonists strongly inhibited MHC class I presentation of OVA-archaeosomes, whereas blocking mannose receptors or FcRs lacked effect, indicating specific recognition of the archaetidylserine head group of M. smithii lipids by APCs. In addition, inhibitors of endosomal acidification blocked MHC class I processing of OVA-archaeosomes, whereas endosomal protease inhibitors lacked effect, suggesting acidification-dependent phagosome-to-cytosol diversion. Proteasomal inhibitors blocked OVA-archaeosome MHC class I presentation, confirming cytosolic processing. Both in vitro and in vivo, OVA-archaeosome MHC class I presentation required TAP. Ag-free archaeosomes also activated DC costimulation and cytokine production, without overt inflammation. Phosphatidylserine-specific receptor-mediated endocytosis is a mechanism of apoptotic cell clearance and DCs cross-present Ags sampled from apoptotic cells. Our results reveal the novel ability of archaeosomes to exploit this mechanism for cytosolic MHC class I Ag processing, and provide an effective particulate vaccination strategy.
Oral health of 12-year-old Bangladeshi children

Previous dental caries studies in Bangladesh have been performed on non-randomized samples, using various clinical criteria. Estimates of dental caries prevalence in 12-year-olds are therefore uncertain. In the present study a clustered, stratified random sampling procedure was used. Dental caries was scored as DMFT in accordance with the WHO recommendations and related to oral hygiene and various behavioral and social variables. The caries experience was found to be low, with a mean DMFT score of 0.97. Poor oral hygiene and bleeding gingiva were frequently detected. Dental caries experience was associated with sex, oral hygiene (girls), and use of dental services (more caries among frequent users than non-users). A correlation matrix analyzing the most influential independent variables indicated that sex and oral hygiene seemed to have an independent effect, whereas a web of social factors interfered with the 'use of dental services' variable.
Transcription of the pain‐related TRPV1 gene requires Runx1 and C/EBPβ factors

Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid type 1 channel (TRPV1) is an important endogenous transducer of noxious heat and chemical stimuli and is required during development of inflammatory hypersensitivity. The transcription factor Runx1 is known to play a relevant role in sensory neuron differentiation as it controls the expression of several sensory nociceptive receptors, including TRPV1. Here, we show that Runx1 up‐regulates TRPV1 transcription activity by interacting directly with the proximal TRPV1 gene promoter sequence. Importantly, C/EBPβ a well‐established heterodimer partner of Runx1 also binds to the TRPV1 promoter and cooperates with Runx1 to further stimulate TRPV1 transcription. Our results support a mechanism where Runx1‐C/EBPβ‐containing transcription regulatory complexes are recruited to the TRPV1 gene promoter to modulate TRPV1 expression in dorsal root ganglia neurons. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 860–870, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in benign and malignant cutaneous melanocytic lesions

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized by nitric oxide synthases (NOS) and plays an important role in tumour growth. In this study, inducible NOS (iNOS) expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 34 melanocytic naevi (13 common melanocytic naevi, six Spitz naevi, and 15 so‐called ‘dysplastic naevi’), ten cutaneous melanomas in situ, 50 stage I invasive melanomas, and eight subcutaneous metastases of melanoma. In addition, four samples of melanocytic naevi and four samples of invasive melanomas were collected in order to perform western blot and northern blot analysis. By immunohistochemistry, melanocytic naevi never expressed iNOS. Among cases of melanoma in situ, two were negative, seven displayed staining in less than 20% of melanoma cells, and positivity was observed in 21–50% of melanoma cells in only one case. iNOS expression was detected in 46 out of 50 invasive melanomas (92%). Among these cases, 18 showed positivity in less than 20% of melanoma cells, 18 showed positivity in 21–50% of melanoma cells, and ten showed iNOS expression in more than 50% of cells. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in iNOS expression between melanocytic naevi and cutaneous melanomas (p<0.001). In addition, iNOS expression was significantly higher in invasive melanomas than in melanomas in situ (p=0.01). Among primary cutaneous melanomas, no significant correlation was found between iNOS expression and histopathological parameters (histotype, level, thickness and presence of regression/inflammatory infiltrate) and disease‐specific survival. In subcutaneous melanoma metastases, iNOS expression was diffuse in more than 50% of cells. Statistical analysis revealed that subcutaneous melanoma metastases showed greater iNOS immunoreactivity than invasive melanomas (p=0.02). Molecular analyses confirmed that iNOS mRNA and protein were highly expressed in melanoma samples. In conclusion, iNOS was constantly absent in melanocytic naevi, whereas it was frequently expressed in melanomas, with up‐regulation of the enzyme paralleling tumour progression. These data suggest that iNOS may play a role in the malignant transformation of melanocytes and in tumour growth. In addition, iNOS may be useful as an immunohistochemical marker for malignant melanocytic lesions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Indole, a core nucleus for potent inhibitors of tubulin polymerization

Microtubules are the basic components of cell structure, which take part in a wide number of pivotal cellular functions. Drugs that are able to modulate the microtubule assembly either by inhibition of tubulin polymerization or by blocking microtubule disassembly are of great interest in anti‐cancer therapy. Several tubulin polymerization inhibitors characterized by the presence of an indole nucleus have been obtained from natural sources or have been prepared by semi‐synthesis. In the last decade an ever increasing number of synthetic indoles have been reported. We have reviewed anti‐tubulin agents obtained by synthesis having an indole as core nucleus. The synthesis, the biological activity, and the structure–activity relationship aspects of 3‐formyl‐2‐phenylindoles, heterocombretastatins, diarylindoles, 2‐aroylindoles, D‐24851, 2‐aryl‐3‐aroylindoles, 3‐aroyl‐ and 1‐aroylindoles, and arylthioindoles are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev
Vertebrate Paralogous MEF2 Genes: Origin, Conservation, and Evolution

Background The myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) gene family is broadly expressed during the development and maintenance of muscle cells. Although a great deal has been elucidated concerning MEF2 transcription factors' regulation of specific gene expression in diverse programs and adaptive responses, little is known about the origin and evolution of the four members of the MEF2 gene family in vertebrates. Methodology/Principal Findings By phylogenetic analyses, we investigated the origin, conservation, and evolution of the four MEF2 genes. First, among the four MEF2 paralogous branches, MEF2B is clearly distant from the other three branches in vertebrates, mainly because it lacks the HJURP_C (Holliday junction recognition protein C-terminal) region. Second, three duplication events might have occurred to produce the four MEF2 paralogous genes and the latest duplication event occurred near the origin of vertebrates producing MEF2A and MEF2C. Third, the ratio (Ka/Ks) of non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution rates showed that MEF2B evolves faster than the other three MEF2 proteins despite purifying selection on all of the four MEF2 branches. Moreover, a pair model of M0 versus M3 showed that variable selection exists among MEF2 proteins, and branch-site analysis presented that sites 53 and 64 along the MEF2B branch are under positive selection. Finally, and interestingly, substitution rates showed that type II MADS genes (i.e., MEF2-like genes) evolve as slowly as type I MADS genes (i.e., SRF-like genes) in animals, which is inconsistent with the fact that type II MADS genes evolve much slower than type I MADS genes in plants. Conclusion Our findings shed light on the relationship of MEF2A, B, C, and D with functional conservation and evolution in vertebrates. This study provides a rationale for future experimental design to investigate distinct but overlapping regulatory roles of the four MEF2 genes in various tissues.