Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA expression patterns to differentiate pancreatic adenocarcinoma from normal pancreas and chronic pancreatitis.

CONTEXT While global microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns of many embryologic, physiologic, and oncogenic processes have been described, description of the role of miRNAs in ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is lacking. OBJECTIVE To define the expression pattern of miRNAs in pancreatic cancer and compare it with those of normal pancreas and chronic pancreatitis. DESIGN AND SETTING Specimens were obtained at a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center from patients with ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (n = 65) or chronic pancreatitis (n = 42) (January 2000-December 2005). All patients underwent curative pancreatectomy; those with pancreatic cancer were chemotherapy-naive. RNA harvested from resected pancreatic cancers and matched benign adjacent pancreatic tissue as well as from chronic pancreatitis specimens was hybridized to miRNA microarrays. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs that could differentiate pancreatic cancer from normal pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, or both, as well as a pattern of miRNA expression predictive of long-term (>24 months) survival. Significance of Analysis of Microarrays and Prediction of Analysis of Microarrays were undertaken to identify miRNAs predictive of tissue type and prognosis. P values were calculated by t test, adjusted for multiple testing. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed using mean miRNA expression (high vs low) as threshold and compared by log-rank analysis. RESULTS Twenty-one miRNAs with increased expression and 4 with decreased expression were identified that correctly differentiated pancreatic cancer from benign pancreatic tissue in 90% of samples by cross validation. Fifteen overexpressed and 8 underexpressed miRNAs differentiated pancreatic cancer from chronic pancreatitis with 93% accuracy. A subgroup of 6 miRNAs was able to distinguish long-term survivors with node-positive disease from those dying within 24 months. Finally, high expression of miR-196a-2 was found to predict poor survival (median, 14.3 months [95% confidence interval, 12.4-16.2] vs 26.5 months [95% confidence interval, 23.4-29.6]; P = .009). CONCLUSIONS Pancreatic cancer may have a distinct miRNA expression pattern that may differentiate it from normal pancreas and chronic pancreatitis. miRNA expression patterns may be able to distinguish between long- and short-term survivors, but these findings need to be validated in other study populations.
The Effects of Alzheimer's Disease on Synaptic Plasticity and the cAMP/PKA Pathway

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a physiologically devastating form of dementia, yet an understanding of AD pathology remains elusive. One promising avenue of research is to examine synaptic plasticity within the brain centres of learning and memory in animal models of AD. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a model of learning and memory at the synaptic level, and deficits in LTP have been proposed in AD. The aim of this work is to examine whether synaptic defects in AD involve a neuronal signalling cascade: the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. This research uses novel modes of LTP induction which manipulate the course of LTP induction. Examinations reveal alterations in basal synaptic transmission in AD mouse models. The use of a cAMP/PKA enhancing drug revealed a potential dysregulation in the cAMP/PKA cascade. Lastly, coastline analysis showed potentiation induced hyperexcitability at synapses of an AD mouse model.
Molecular dynamics simulation of formation and growth of CdS nanoparticles

Monodispersed semiconducting nanoparticles are usually synthesised in a liquid medium using injection of an appropriate solution. A key factor in attaining a narrow particle size distribution (PSD) is the temporal separation of the nucleation and growth stages, where the former takes place during the injection. Faster injection produces a larger number of nuclei and a narrower PSD. The injection speed is expected to affect the diffusion of the ions in the solution and to create uniformly high supersaturation for a short period of time. In this paper, we study the growth of CdS nanoparticles during the injection by molecular dynamics simulation. A solution of Cd ions is injected into the simulation cell that contains sulphure ions; the variation of the PSD and its mean and variance are studied as functions of the injection velocity. Higher injection velocities produce narrower PSDs and smaller particles, hence providing a precise method for controlling both.
Thrombectomy 6-24 hours after stroke in trial ineligible patients

Background and purpose The DAWN and DEFUSE-3 trials demonstrated the benefit of endovascular thrombectomy (ET) in late-presenting acute ischemic strokes due to anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (ACLVO). Strict criteria were employed for patient selection. We sought to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients treated outside these trials. Methods A retrospective review of acute ischemic stroke admissions to a single comprehensive stroke center was performed during the DAWN trial enrollment period (November 2014 to February 2017) to identify all patients presenting in the 6–24 hour time window. These patients were further investigated for trial eligibility, baseline characteristics, treatment, and outcomes. Results Approximately 70% (n=142) of the 204 patients presenting 6–24 hours after last known well with NIH Stroke Scale score ≥6 and harboring an ACLVO are DAWN and/or DEFUSE-3 ineligible, most commonly due to large infarct burden (38%). 26% (n=37) of trial ineligible patients with large vessel occlusion strokes received off-label ET and 30% of them achieved functional independence (modified Rankin Scale 0–2) at 90 days. Rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and mortality were 8% and 24%, respectively Conclusion Trial ineligible patients with large vessel occlusion strokes receiving off-label ET achieved outcomes comparable to DAWN and DEFUSE-3 eligible patients. Patients aged <80 years are most likely to benefit from ET in this subgroup. These data indicate a larger population of patients who can potentially benefit from ET in the expanded time window if more permissive criteria are applied.
Democracy and Trust: Do we want trust in government?

In the analysis of trust and government, we may focus on two quite distinct causal issues: citizen trust in other citizens as a result, in part, of governmental institutions and citizen trust in government itself. The former is a variant of the central thesis of Thomas Hobbes. We need government in order to maintain the order that enables us to invest effort in our own well-being and to deal with others in the expectation that we will not be violated. Almost no one other than anarchists disagrees with this view, although some writers have supposed that large government is disruptive of relations between citizens. The American Anti-Federalists and such anti-urban thinkers as Ibn Khaldun (Gellner 1988) therefore opposed large government or urbanization. The second issue – that citizens might specifically trust government – is suggested in a passage by John Locke. Locke (1988: 381) wrote that society turns power over to its governors, “whom society hath set over it self, with this express or tacit Trust, That it shall be imployed for their good, and the preservation of their Property. ” Niklas Luhmann (1979: 54) says that this “old theme of political trust, which played a large role, especially in the period after the end of the religious wars, has virtually disappeared from contemporary political theory. ” If it had disappeared, it has come back in force, at least in consideration of the United States and other advanced democratic societies. Now, the supposition that citizens could trust government lies behind a large contemporary literature.
Acute Effect of Interval Walking on Arterial Stiffness in Healthy Young Adults

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the acute effects of interval walking (IW) on arterial stiffness. The participants in this study were 14 healthy men and women (age 27.5±3.8 y). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was measured using an automatic oscillometric device at 30 min before (baseline) and at 30 and 60 min after walking. Participants repeated five sets of 3-min walks at 30% and 70% of maximum aerobic capacity for a total of 6 min per set in the IW trial. The participants also walked for 30 min at 50% (moderate intensity) of maximum aerobic capacity in a continuous walking (CW) trial. cfPWV was significantly decreased from baseline at 30 min (P=0.02) after the IW trial, and this reduction in cfPWV persisted for 60 min (P=0.01). In contrast, cfPWV was significantly decreased from baseline at 30 min (P=0.03) after the CW trial, but the reduction did not persist for 60 min. Moreover, changes in cfPWV in the IW trial after 30 and 60 min were significantly lower than in the CW trial (P<0.05). These results suggest that IW acutely reduces central arterial stiffness more than CW in healthy young adults.
Understanding the Employability of College Graduates for Success in the Workplace

In our increasingly competitive world, it is critical that college graduates enter the workplace with the appropriate skills to not only survive but also grow their career. Current college graduates have not consistently acquired the skills needed for success in the workplace to learn and thrive continuously in our rapidly changing world. The Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Science must identify the specific strategies that develop best the needed skills for the success of the graduate and society The purpose of the study was to identify a land grant college of agriculture and life sciences‟ (LGCALS) current programmatic and classroom strategies for developing students‟ ability to learn and thrive continuously in our rapidly changing world and a (1) explore programmatic strategies for developing students‟ ability to continuously learn and thrive; (2) explore innovative instructors classroom strategies for developing students‟ ability to learn and thrive continuously; (3) describe graduates perceptions of career readiness as measured through the bases of competence inventory, and finally; (4) compare programmatic strategies, classroom strategies and graduates‟ perceptions for career readiness. A mixed methods convergent parallel design guided the research. Qualitative interviews were employed for exploring experiences using an interpretive, constructivist, and naturalistic approach for research objectives 1 and 2. A cross sectional survey design and questionnaire, Making the Match, was used to conduct the quantitative research for objective 3. The mixed methods portion of the convergent parallel design was used to frame and explore research objective 4. Findings of the study detail need for curriculum improvement in problem solving, learning, time management, creativity and change, and personal strengths.
ABCA1 inhibits PDGF‐induced proliferation and migration of rat airway smooth muscle cell through blocking TLR2/NF‐κB/NFATc1 signaling

Airway remodeling is a key feature of asthma, characterized by abnormal proliferation and migration of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs). ABCA1, a member of the ATP‐binding cassette family of active transporters, plays an essential role in the progression of lung diseases. However, the contributions of ABCA1 in ASMCs remain to be explored. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the functional role and potential molecular mechanism of ABCA1 in platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)‐induced primary rat ASMC proliferation and migration. We observed that PDGF‐ led to a significant decrease in the expression of ABCA1. Overexpression of ABCA1 strikingly suppressed PDGF‐induced ASMC proliferation accompanied by a decrease in the expression of PCAN stimulated by PDGF. Additionally, augmentation of ABCA1 dramatically restrained PDGF‐induced migration concomitant with attenuate the accumulation of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 in response to PDGF. Furthermore, forced expression of ABCA1 enhanced contractile phenotype markers proteins including α‐SMA along with sm‐MHC, sm‐α‐actin, and calponin reduced by PDGF. Meanwhile, introduction of ABCA1 depressed ECM over‐deposition induced by PDGF as reflected by a decrease in the expression of ECM protein collagen I and fibronectin. More importantly, addition of ABCA1 effectively suppressed the activity of TLR2/NF‐κB signaling as well as diminished the expression of NFATc1 in rat ASMCs after PDGF stimulation. Interestingly, blockage of TLR2/NF‐κB signaling effectively inhibited PDGF‐induced proliferation and migration, these effects were similar to ABCA1. Taken together, these data implicated that ABCA1 suppressed PDGF‐induced proliferation, migration, and contraction in rat ASMCs at least partly through TLR2/NF‐κB/NFATc1 signaling, which might offer hope for the future treatment of airway remodeling in asthma.
Self-loosening behavior of bolt in curvic coupling due to materials ratcheting at thread root

This article presents the bolt self-loosening mechanism in curvic coupling due to the structural ratcheting under cyclic loading. Finite element simulations are carried out under several loading conditions with different preloads and cyclic torque loadings on curvic coupling. To avoid relative rotation between bolt and nut in simulation, the surface between the threads of bolt and nut are connected together. The finite element analysis results reveal that the local cyclic plasticity occurring near the roots of the engaged threads resulted in cyclic strain ratcheting. The structural ratcheting causes the gradual loss of clamping force with loading cycles in bolts and the stresses to redistribute in the curvic coupling. Either the structural ratcheting behavior or the fatigue strength of the curvic coupling is more sensitive to the magnitude of the torque load in contrast to the magnitude of the preload of the bolt. Comparatively, the large preload of the bolt or the low magnitude of the torque load is benefit for improving the structural integrity in curvic coupling under the bolt self-loosening.
Behavioral Factors In Variance Control - Report On A Laboratory Experiment

Behavioral researchers in accounting have become interested in the effects of accounting information on employee satisfaction and/or productivity. For example, in the area of budgetary control systems, Argyris [1952], Stedry [1960], and Cook [1967] have presented findings which suggest that feedback information (contained in variance reports) may influence these variables. In the meantime, researchers in organizational psychology have focused on the impact of other variables on employee satisfaction and productivity. Findings of Likert [1967], Fiedler [1967], Porter and Lawler [1968, chap. 2], and others indicate that one of the more important of such factors may be leadership style. At present, these two bodies represent parallel lines of research focusing on the same dependent variables-employee satisfaction and productivity. In this paper I present the findings of an experiment designed to examine the joint or combined influence of both variance reports and leadership styles on employee satisfaction and productivity. More specifically, I attempted to test the impact on the dependent variables of combining variance reports and leadership styles in mutually supportive or conflicting modes. The presentation is divided into three main parts: part 1 (consisting of Sections 1 and 2) deals with the background of this research. Part 2 (Sections 3-8) describes the experiment and presents its results. Part 3 provides a discussion of its results and their implications for future research.
Efficacy and safety of bromfenac 0.09% and sodium hyaluronate 0.4% combination therapy, versus placebo in patients with pterygium I–III for clinical signs on ocular inflammation

Purpose: This study evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of bromfenac 0.09%, sodium hyaluronate 0.4% (SH) combination therapy, versus placebo and SH in a clinical model of pterygium I–III. Methods: A total of 166 eyes (99 patients) with pterygium grade I–III were randomized to bromfenac 0.09% ophthalmic solution+SH 0.4% or placebo+SH 0.4%. This was a Phase IV, prospective, parallel, double-masked, multicenter clinical trial. One drop of bromfenac or placebo was instilled two times a day (BID) for 20 days, both groups accompanied treatments with one drop of SH three times a day (TID). The primary efficacy endpoints were the conjunctival hyperemia and the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score. Other results measured included burning, foreign body sensation, and photophobia. The safety was assessed by the tear break-up time (TBUT), visual acuity (VA), IOP, lissamine green, fluorescein stains, and the incidence of adverse events (AEs). Results: Compared with baseline, there was a significant reduction in the conjunctival hyperemia (p=0.0001) and OSDI score in both groups (p=0.0001). There was a significant improvement in ocular symptomatology for both, placebo/SH and bromfenac/SH groups (p=0.0001), the decrement in the ocular burning was 41.1% vs 24.6%, the foreign body sensation was 31.5% vs 36.2% and, for photophobia was 23.3% vs 30.5%, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed in TBUT for bromfenac/SH (p=0.045), at day 20. There were no significant alterations in IOP (p=0.068) or VA (p=0.632). Similar improvements were observed in the fluorescein and green lissamine staining. Finally, the incidence of AE was similar between groups. Conclusion: The treatment with bromfenac 0.09% ophthalmic solution and SH 0.4% combination therapy for 3 weeks reduced clinical signs, in patients with pterygium I–III. The results suggest that bromfenac 0.09% can improve the symptomatology, reduce the presentation of clinical signs associated with superficial ocular inflammation.
A New Annotated Portuguese/Spanish Corpus for the Multi-Sentence Compression Task

Multi-sentence compression aims to generate a short and informative compression from several source sentences that deal with the same topic. In this work, we present a new corpus for the Multi-Sentence Compression (MSC) task in Portuguese and Spanish. We also provide on this corpus a comparison of two state-of-the-art MSC systems.
Murburn Concept: A Molecular Explanation for Hormetic and Idiosyncratic Dose Responses

Recently, electron transfers and catalyses in a bevy of redox reactions mediated by hemeproteins were explained by murburn concept. The term “murburn” is abstracted from “ mur ed burn ing” or “ m ild u n r estricted burn ing” and connotes a novel “ m olecule- u nbound ion– r adical” interaction paradigm. Quite unlike the genetic regulations and protein-level affinity-based controls that govern order and specificity/selectivity in conventional treatments, murburn concept is based on stochastic/thermodynamic regulatory principles. The novel insight necessitates a “reactivity outside the active-site” perspective, because select redox enzymatic activity is obligatorily mediated via diffusible radical/species. Herein, reactions employing key hemeproteins (as exemplified by CYP2E1) establish direct experimental connection between “additive-influenced redox catalysis” and “unusual dose responses” in reductionist and physiological milieu. Thus, direct and conclusive molecular-level experimental evidence is presented, supporting the mechanistic relevance of murburn concept in “maverick” concentration-based effects brought about by additives. Therefore, murburn concept could potentially explain several physiological hormetic and idiosyncratic dose responses.
Nurses’ knowledge and attitudes about dementia care: Systematic literature review

PURPOSE To explore nurse's knowledge and attitudes toward the care of people with dementia. DESIGN AND METHODS A systematic review informed by the PRISMA-P (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocols) guidelines in four databases (CINAHL, PsyINFO, Pubmed, Cohrane, EMBASE) using keywords "attitudes," "behaviors," "dementia," "knowledge," and "nurses. " Predetermined inclusion criteria were selected. The review was conducted between January 1 and December 30, 2017. FINDINGS Sixteen quantitative studies, one qualitative, and two mixed methods studies were included. Nurses lack knowledge, communication skills, management strategies, and confidence in the provision of dementia care. Interventional studies suggested that knowledge and attitudes improved after training programs were implemented. PRACTICE IMPLICATION This review contributes to care advancement and practice development through the reinforcement of organizational support and educational opportunities for nurses.
Dissociable contributions of the amygdala to the immediate and delayed effects of emotional arousal on memory

Emotionally arousal enhances memory encoding and consolidation leading to better immediate and delayed memory. Although the central noradrenergic system and the amygdala play critical roles in both effects of emotional arousal, we have recently shown that these effects are at least partly independent of each other, suggesting distinct underlying neural mechanisms. Here we aim to dissociate the neural substrates of both effects in 70 female participants using an emotional memory paradigm to investigate how neural activity, as measured by fMRI, and a polymorphism in the α2B-noradrenoceptor vary for these effects. To also test whether the immediate and delayed effects of emotional arousal on memory are stable traits, we invited back participants who were a part of a large-scale behavioral memory study about 3.5 years ago. We replicated the low correlation of the immediate and delayed emotional enhancement of memory across participants (r = 0.16) and observed, moreover, that only the delayed effect was, to some degree, stable over time (r = 0.23). Bilateral amygdala activity, as well as its coupling with the visual cortex and the fusiform gyrus, was related to the preferential encoding of emotional stimuli, which is consistent with affect-biased attention. Moreover, the adrenoceptor genotype modulated the bilateral amygdala activity associated with this effect. The left amygdala and its coupling with the hippocampus was specifically associated with the more efficient consolidation of emotional stimuli, which is consistent with amygdalar modulation of hippocampal consolidation.