Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Targeting RhoC by Way of Ribozyme Trangene in Human Breast Cancer Cells and its Impact on Cancer Invasion

Background Cell motility and migration are known to be regulated by the Rho family of GTPases through their effects on the actin cytoskeleton. In breast cancer studies, RhoC has been identified as a highly specific marker in detecting tumors that developed metastases. This study aims to investigate the impact of targeting RhoC in human breast cancer cells by utilising ribozyme transgene technology and to assess its effect on cancer cell invasion. Methods Retroviral hammerhead ribozyme transgenes, regulated by doxycycline, were designed to specifically target human RhoC mRNA. The breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 was transfected with either a retroviral RhoC transgene or a control retroviral transgene. Stably transfected cells were tested for their invasiveness and migratory properties in vitro. Results In vitro testing of the invasiveness of wild type, plasmid control and the RhoC knockdown cells showed that MDA-MB-231DRHOC cells had significantly reduced invasiveness compared with MDA-MB-231WT (p < 0.038 RHOC2 knockdown cells; p < 0.006 RHOC3 knockdown cells) and MDA-MB-231pRevTRE control plasmid cells (p < 0.07 RHOC2 knockdown cells; p < 0.002 RHOC3 knockdown cells). An even greater reduction in invasiveness of the MDA-MB-231DRHOC cells compared with the MDA-MB-231WT cells was seen in response to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF/SF) (p < 0.009 RHOC1 knockdown; p = 0.004 RHOC2 knockdown; p = 0.00007 RHOC3 knockdown). The addition of doxycycline significantly improved the effectiveness of the ribozyme transgenes (p < 0.04 for all three Rho ribozymes), but did not improve the effectiveness of these knockdown cells when treated with HGF/SF (p > 0.1 for all three ribozymes). Conclusions This data would indicate that targeting RhoC may be an effective way to reduce the invasive potential of human breast cancer cells.
Serum Neuron Specific Enolase to Predict Neurological Outcome After Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Critically Appraised Topic

Background:Despite a large body of resuscitation research, the optimal timing and approach to prognosticating futility after nontraumatic cardiac arrest remains controversial. Postresuscitation anoxic-ischemic encephalopathy may leave patients cognitively disabled and dependent, minimally conscious, or in a persistent vegetative state. Neurologists are frequently called upon to assess comatose postcardiac arrest patients to communicate accurate prognostic information and to assist in planning the most appropriate level of care. Serum neuron specific enolase (NSE), when used in conjunction with other available prognostic tools, may be a useful tool for predicting clinical outcome in this patient population. Objective:Determine the clinical utility of a serum NSE measurement for predicting the neurologic outcome of a survivor after resuscitation from a nontraumatic cardiac arrest. Methods:We addressed the question through the development of a structured, critically appraised topic. Participants included consultant and resident neurologists, clinical epidemiologists, medical librarian, and clinical content experts in the fields of emergency medicine, cardiac resuscitation, and critical care neurology. Participants started with a clinical scenario and a structured question, devised search strategies, located and compiled the best evidence, performed a critical appraisal, synthesized the results, summarized the evidence, provided commentary, and declared bottom-line conclusions. Results:A single recent prospective cohort study, which assessed the predictive value of serum NSE was selected and appraised. A level of 80 ng/mL was determined to predict persistent coma with a sensitivity of 63% (95% CI, 49%–75%), and a specificity of 100% (95% CI, 97%–100%), positive predictive value (PPV) of 100%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 84%, and a negative LR of 0.37. Conclusions:The specificity of serum NSE levels >80 ng/mL is sufficiently high that, when it is used with other clinical and electrophysiological data, it could be useful as a prognostic indicator of neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest. Although serum NSE is an appealing, simple, readily available test, prediction of neurologic outcome after resuscitation from cardiac arrest must not rely solely on a serum biomarker, but must be determined in the context of other patient characteristics and neurologic examination findings.
Study on importance of traditional fishing areas of coastal towing fishing gear (koćica, kogol, strašin), beach seines and tramata fishing.

Obalne povlacne mreže kocice, kogol i strasin i obalne mreže potegace migavice i girarice su tradicionalni ribolovni alati, kojima se ribolov uglavnom obavlja na livadama morskih cvjetnica, a taj je ribolov u zemljama Europske unije tim ribolovnim alatima na livadama morskih cvjetnica zabranjen. I ostale obalne mreže potegace, kao sto su sabakun, oližnica, srdelara i iglicara, su također alati tradicionalnog ribolova, kojima se ribolov u pravilu ne obavlja na morskom dnu, niti na livadama morskih cvjetnica, nego u pelagijalu, jer se tim mrežama potegacama love pelagicne vrste ribe. I ribolov ludrom, zagonicom i fružatom, kao specificni i vrlo stari nacini ribolova, koji je namijenjen ulovu sparidnih vrsta riba u ljetnom razdoblju je također tradicionalni nacin ribolova u nasem obalnom ribolovu, koji nije poznat za ulov tih vrsta riba na drugim morima. Obzirom da svi navedeni ribolovni alati i nacini ribolova imaju posebni znacaj za hrvatski priobalni ribolov ne samo zato sto su to tradicionalni i specificni ribolovni alati i nacini ribolova, koji se od davnine upotrebljavaju na istocnoj jadranskoj obali, o cemu svjedoce mnogi pisani dokumenti, vec i zato sto bi njihova eventualna zabrana mogla prouzrokovati ozbiljne ekonomske i socijalne posljedice na nekim nasim priobalnim podrucjima, ovaj rad se bavi tim alatima i njihovim ukljucivanjem u Zajednicku ribarsku politiku EU.
Endothelium‐specific replacement of the connexin43 coding region by a lacZ reporter gene

Summary: The murine gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43) is expressed in blood vessels, with vastly different contribution by endothelial and smooth muscle cells. We have used the Cre recombinase under control of TIE2 transcriptional elements to inactivate a floxed Cx43 gene specifically in endothelial cells. Cre‐mediated deletion led to replacement of the Cx43 coding region by a lacZ reporter gene. This allowed us to monitor the extent of deletion and to visualize the endothelial expression pattern of Cx43. We found widespread endothelial expression of the Cx43 gene during embryonic development, which became restricted largely to capillaries and small vessels in all adult organs examined. Mice lacking Cx43 in endothelium did not exhibit altered blood pressure, in contrast to mice deficient in Cx40. Our results show that lacZ activation after deletion of the target gene allows us to determine the extent of cell type‐specific deletion after phenotypical investigation of the same animal. genesis 29:1–13, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
AUDIOVISUAL IATROSEDATION WITH VIDEO EYEGLASSES DISTRACTION METHOD IN PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY: CASE HISTORY

Audiovisual wireless eyeglasses method of distraction (AVD) is able to replace the visual and auditory signals from the environment by a pleasant movie. This method offers the possibility of non-pharmacological sedation in patients undergoing dental treatment. The effect of AVD in four children is reported. The children wore the AVD eyeglasses before the local anesthetic injection and throughout the whole dental procedure. All four children were rated as uncooperative (Frankl 1) before the treatment. During treatment with Audiovisual distraction (AVD) ratings on the Houpt behavior scale showed that the children were very good or excellent ( Houpt 5-6) during all the dental sessions. Satisfaction VAS ratings 0-10 given separately by the children, parents and dentists were between 8-10. AVD is an additional non pharmacologic, easy to use behavior management technique for pediatric dentistry. It may be of benefit especially to uncooperative, very anxious children and prevent pharmacologic means of sedation by offering a pleasurable method without adverse effects. (J Int Dent Med Res 2010; 3: (3), pp. 133-136 )
A Pilot Study of Ultrasonically-assisted Treatment of Residual Burn Wounds ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿.

UNLABELLED ﻿Objective. To evaluate the use of a noninvasive, low-frequency ultrasound device to treat residual burn wounds as an adjunct to regular wound dressing therapy. METHODS Nineteen patients with 38 residual wounds (served as self control) with an average post-burn duration of 94.6 days were recruited. Low-frequency ultrasound at 40 kHz was delivered in the ultrasonic group by a handheld probe, using normal saline as the irrigation medium. The control group had dressings changed with saline used as the coupling medium. Each wound was treated for 2 weeks (a total of 7 treatments; once every 2 days). Bacterial colony counts were done before the first and then after the fourth treatment. Serial color photographs were taken to evaluate the wound response at each visit. Healing time and percentage closure were determined. RESULTS Symptomatic relief (pain and odor reduction) was achieved in all patients. The healing percentage for the wounds treated with ultrasound was 100%. The healing rate in the treatment group was 84%, while the healing rate was 71.46% ± 31.06%; both were significantly higher compared to the control wounds (P < 0.01). The bacterial clearance rate in the ultrasound group (82.85 ± 19.13) increased significantly compared to the control group (35.55 ± 16.99). There were no major complications with the treatment, which was relatively painless. CONCLUSION The application of low-frequency ultrasound treatment may heal residual burn wounds when a nonsurgical dressing change protocol has failed. The significant decrease in wound bioburden was definitely related to the use of the ultrasound treatment. No adverse reactions to the ultrasound treatment were found during the study. ﻿﻿﻿.
Is cerebral glucose metabolism affected by chemotherapy in patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma?

ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to investigate the effect of chemotherapy treatment with ABVD on brain glucose metabolism in patients with Hodgkin’s disease (HD). MethodsA total of 49 patients (23 men, 26 women; mean age 32±9 years) diagnosed with HD were included in the study. All of them underwent a baseline (PET0) and an interim (PET2) 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) brain scan. All patients were treated after PET0 with two cycles of ABVD consisting of doxorubicin (adriamycin), bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine for 2 months. Thirty-five patients were evaluated further 15±6 days after four additional cycles (PET6). Differences in brain 18F-FDG uptake were analyzed by statistical parametric mapping (SPM2). ResultsCompared with PET0, PET2 showed a significantly higher metabolic activity in the right angular gyrus (Brodmann area 39) and a significant metabolic reduction in Brodmann areas 10, 11, and 32 bilaterally. All these changes disappeared at PET6. ConclusionOur results support the conclusion of a very limited impact of ABVD chemotherapy on brain metabolism in patients with HD.
Creditor Control Rights and Resource Allocation Within Firms

We examine the within-firm resource allocation effects of creditor interventions and their relationship to performance gains at firms violating financial covenants. By linking firm-level data to establishment-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we show that covenant violations are followed by large reductions in employment and more frequent establishment sales and closures. These operational cuts are concentrated in violating firms' noncore business lines and unproductive establishments. We conclude that refocusing activities and improving productive efficiency are important mechanisms through which creditors enhance violating firms' performance.
Willingness of Kenyan HIV-1 Serodiscordant Couples to Use Antiretroviral-Based HIV-1 Prevention Strategies

Introduction:Antiretroviral treatment (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have demonstrated efficacy as new human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) prevention approaches for HIV-1 serodiscordant couples. Methods:Among Kenyan HIV-1 serodiscordant heterosexual couples participating in a clinical trial of PrEP, we conducted a cross-sectional study and used descriptive statistical methods to explore couples' willingness to use antiretrovirals for HIV-1 prevention. The study was conducted before July 2011, when studies among heterosexual populations reported that ART and PrEP reduced HIV-1 risk. Results:For 181 couples in which the HIV-1–infected partner had a CD4 count ≥350 cells per microliter and had not yet initiated ART (and thus did not qualify for ART under Kenyan guidelines), 60.2% of HIV-1 infected partners (69.4% of men and 57.9% of women) were willing to use early ART (at CD4 ≥350 cells per microliter) for HIV-1 prevention. Among HIV-1 uninfected partners, 92.7% (93.8% of men and 86.1% of women) reported willingness to use PrEP. When given a hypothetical choice of early ART or PrEP for HIV-1 prevention, 52.5% of HIV-1–infected participants would prefer to initiate ART early and 56.9% of HIV-1–uninfected participants would prefer to use PrEP. Conclusions:Nearly 40% of Kenyan HIV-1–infected individuals in known HIV-1 serodiscordant partnerships reported reservations about early ART initiation for HIV-1 prevention. PrEP interest in this PrEP-experienced population was high. Strategies to achieve high uptake and sustained adherence to ART and PrEP for HIV-1 prevention in HIV-1 serodiscordant couples will require responding to couples' preferences for prevention strategies.
Up-regulation of HSP47 in the mouse kidneys with unilateral ureteral obstruction.

BACKGROUND Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) is a well established experimental model of renal injury leading to interstitial fibrosis. The molecular and cellular mechanism(s) of interstitial fibrosis in UUO are beginning to be elucidated. In the progression of interstitial fibrosis in UUO, up-regulation of collagen synthesis is commonly observed. HSP47 is a collagen-binding stress protein and is thought to be a collagen-specific molecular chaperone, which plays a pivotal role during the biosynthesis and secretion of collagen molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum. The synthesis of HSP47 has been demonstrated to always parallel that of collagen in physiological and pathophysiological conditions. It is well recognized that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is enhanced in the setting of UUO and that enhanced RAS has been implicated in the pathogenesis of interstitial fibrosis in the obstructed kidneys. METHODS To investigate the role of HSP47 in the progression of interstitial fibrosis in mouse UUO, the expression of HSP47 was examined by Northern blotting, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in the obstructed kidneys. To test the possible involvement of enhanced RAS on the HSP47 expression, we examined the effects of lisinopril, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, on interstitial fibrosis. HSP47 and type I collagen mRNA expression. RESULTS By Northern blot analysis, HSP47 mRNA was significantly up-regulated at 12 hours (about twice that of sham operated kidneys) after the onset of ureteral obstruction, further increased and stayed at the increased level until seven days (about 8 times that of sham operated kidneys). HSP47 mRNA and protein expression were observed in the periglomerular and peritubular interstitial regions of the obstructed kidneys. Distribution of smooth muscle alpha actin and type I collagen immunoreactivity were similar to the HSP47 distribution pattern, suggesting that HSP47 was up-regulated in the myofibroblasts. Lisinopril ameliorated the expansion of cortical interstitium in the obstructed kidneys at four and seven days after ureteral obstruction. HSP47 mRNA expression was suppressed at four and seven days, whereas type I collagen mRNA was suppressed only at seven days after the onset of ureteral obstruction. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the early and persistent up-regulation of HSP47 during the progression of interstitial fibrosis in mouse UUO kidneys, and further suggest the potential role of HSP47 in the pathogenesis of interstitial fibrosis in the obstructed kidneys. Partial suppression of HSP47 mRNA expression by lisinopril at day 4 and day 7 after ureteral obstruction suggests that there are other immediate trigger(s) that induce the HSP47 mRNA expression. Identification of the molecular mechanism of HSP47 induction during UUO may give an insight into the novel aspects of the molecular pathophysiology of interstitial fibrosis in obstructive nephropathy.
Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in MPO and COX genes with oral lichen planus

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an intractable, chronic inflammatory disorder, and its pathogenesis is still largely unknown. Some literatures supported that genes involved in both oxidative stress and prostaglandin metabolism play an important role in the process of inflammation. To explore their association with OLP, we investigated four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from myeloperoxidase (MPO) and cyclooxygenase (COX) genes in 475 Chinese individuals (242 case and 233 controls) by MassArray. Although the genotype distributions had no significant differences between the patients and controls, we found that in different gender, rs2243828 from MPO displayed the statistically significant variance genotype frequencies between patients and controls (P = 0.018 in females, P = 0.035 in males). Moreover, for the major allele recessive model, this SNP also showed a significant difference between case and control groups in males (P = 0.015). In this study, we first observed significant association with MPO polymorphism and OLP risk in different gender groups in Chinese, suggesting MPO polymorphism is a gender‐specific risk factor of OLP probably by influencing sex hormone‐sensitive elements to regulate inflammatory gene expression networks, and we further revealed that oxidative stress was actually involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. Moreover, these findings inspire us some constructive solutions to the treatment of this disease.
Readmission to Psychiatric Hospital After Treatment for Depression With Electroconvulsive Therapy: The Effect of Planned Readmissions

Objectives To assess the effect of planned readmissions on readmission risk for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)-treated patients. Methods A naturalistic historical study compared the readmission risk for depressed ECT-treated patients to depressed patients not treated with ECT while accounting for planned readmissions. Results Initial analyses revealed that ECT-treated patients were at greater risk of readmission compared to patients not treated with ECT. However, after accounting for planned readmissions, these differences became nonsignificant. Limitations Only readmissions to a single psychiatric hospital were examined. Therefore, these data may underestimate readmission rates. Conclusions Not accounting for planned readmissions may lead to overestimations of negative outcome.
Heterogeneity of endothelium-dependent regulation in ophthalmic and ciliary arteries.

PURPOSE Endothelial cells modulate vascular tone by releasing the vasodilator nitric oxide (NO) or the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1. From one vascular bed to another and between vessels of different diameter, heterogeneities of endothelium-dependent regulatory mechanisms exist. Hence, the current study compared the effects of NO and endothelin-1 in the porcine ophthalmic artery and one of its branches, the ciliary artery. METHODS Porcine eyes were obtained at the slaughterhouse. The ophthalmic and ciliary arteries were dissected free under a microscope and suspended in myograph systems (95% O2 and 5% CO2, 37 degrees C) for isometric tension recording. RESULTS In both vessels, bradykinin stimulated the release of NO, but the sensitivity to bradykinin increased with decreasing vascular diameter. By contrast, the basal release of NO became less efficient in inhibiting contractions to serotonin and endothelin-1 in ciliary versus ophthalmic artery. Endothelin-1 induced potent contractions that were more pronounced in ciliary than in ophthalmic artery. Serotonin-induced contractions also were more efficient in ciliary artery but less than to those to endothelin-1. Contractions to serotonin were inhibited in both blood vessels by the 5-HT2 serotonergic antagonist ketanserin. CONCLUSIONS Thus endothelium-derived vasoactive substances are potent regulators of porcine extraocular ophthalmic circulation. Their effects increase with decreasing vascular diameter, suggesting an important role of NO and endothelin-1 in the regulation of ophthalmic circulation. A dysfunction of these regulatory mechanisms could have implications about the pathogenesis of ophthalmic complications seen in diabetes, hypertension, and in certain forms of glaucoma associated with ocular vasospasms.
In search of the absent father--meta-analyses of infant-father attachment: a rejoinder to our discussants.

In our meta-analysis on sensitivity and attachment, studies on the role of the father in the development of infant attachment were excluded. In this rejoinder to our discussants, we present new meta-analytic evidence on the association between paternal sensitivity and infant-father attachment (combined effect size r[544] = .13; k = 8 studies; N = 546 families), and on the association between infant-mother and infant-father attachment (overall correlation phi = .17; k = 14 studies; N = 950). Combining the findings from several earlier meta-analyses, we present a data-based model of attachment within the family system.
Financing the Entrepreneurial Venture

We model financial contracting in entrepreneurial ventures. In our incomplete contracts framework, the entrepreneur can design contracts contingent on three possible control right allocations: entrepreneur control, investor control, and joint control, with each allocation inducing different effort levels by both the entrepreneur and the investor. We find that a variety of contracts resembling financial instruments commonly used in practice, such as common stock, straight and convertible preferred equity, and secured and unsecured debt, can emerge as optimal, depending on two key factors: entrepreneur/investor effort complementarity and investors' opportunity cost of capital. The results of our model are consistent with, and yield new explanations for, empirical regularities such as (a) the prevalence of equity-type contracts in high-growth ventures and of debt-type contracts in lifestyle ventures; (b) geographical and temporal differences in equity-type instruments used in high-growth ventures; and (c) the impact of firm and loan characteristics on the choice between secured and unsecured debt.