Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prognostic implications of ezrin expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Ezrin is known to regulate cellular survival, adhesion, migration, and invasion and has been identified as one of the key components of tumor progression and metastasis. The authors investigated ezrin expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and sought to determine its relation with clinicopathologic parameters, patients' outcome, and interacting molecular markers. Ezrin expression was assessed by immunohistochemical staining in 100 surgically resected HCCs using the tissue microarray method. A total of 28 HCCs showed high ezrin immunoreactivity, mainly in cytoplasm. Ezrin expression exhibited a positive correlation with c‐Met expression (P = 0.001), but showed no correlation with the expression of CD44s or E‐cadherin. HCCs expressing high level of ezrin were significantly associated with advanced TNM stage, poor Edmondson's histological grade, macroscopic portal vein invasion, tumor recurrence, and extrahepatic recurrence (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed that HCCs with high ezrin immunoreactivity were strongly associated with unfavorable overall and disease‐free survivals than HCCs with low or negative for ezrin immunoreactivity (P = 0.0001 and 0.0011, respectively). Furthermore, multivariate analysis demonstrated that a high level of ezrin expression was independently associated with poor overall survival (hazard ratio, 1.905; P = 0.011). The results suggest that ezrin expression could be a potential predictive marker of progression, metastasis, and prognosis in HCC. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Binge eating in the bariatric surgery population: a review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE This article reviews the status of the literature addressing clinically significant binge eating in the bariatric surgery patient. The goal is to provide a background that will guide patients, surgeons, and mental health practitioners toward the most successful long-term surgical outcome when binge eating is identified. METHOD Pubmed and Medline search with subsequent reference list search of identified articles. We searched literature through April 2006 on the influence of binge eating (BE) on surgical outcome. RESULTS Those with pre-surgical BE are more likely to retain the eating pathology and, if they do, to have poorer weight loss outcome. Many people who binge ate prior to surgery report continued feelings of loss of control when eating small amounts of food after surgery. Studies that employed the DSM-IV definition of a binge episode reported absence of BE after surgery, unlike those that modified binge criteria after surgery. CONCLUSION Clinically significant BE is related to poorer surgical outcomes, and additional interventions may be needed to improve long term outcomes. Though surgery does alter body's physiology, claims that the psychological aspects of BE are "cured" by obesity surgery must be viewed with caution. Researchers and practitioners must reach a consensus on how to define BE after gastric surgery so that future long-term prospective studies may further evaluate the effect of BE on surgical outcome and vice versa.
Climate influences assemblages of abomasal nematodes of sheep on steppe pastures in the east of Algeria

Abstract It is a common view that assemblages of parasitic nematodes are influenced by climatic conditions; however, there are only a few articles available regarding those that infect farm animals. We investigated the relationship between climate variables and infection with abomasal trichostrongyles in 335 1-year-old rams grazed on steppe pastures in Eastern Algeria. Abomasa were collected from 12 local slaughterhouses located in four climatic areas (from humid to arid) and the worms extracted, identified and counted. The abundance was low and the fauna composed primarily of Teladorsagia circumcincta, Marshallagia marshalli and Trichostrongylus sp. The high percentage of M. marshalli is typical of steppe areas. Ostertagia ostertagi and Haemonchus contortus were present in low numbers. Rainfall was the most important climatic variable related to the main species. This relationship was not linear for M. marshalli but an optimal rainfall was detected (350–400 mm/year). The more complex climatic indicators used in the study did not demonstrate a more significant correlation than rainfall. The predictive value of rainfall on the abundance or proportion of species in the assemblage was modest but highly significant. The seasonality of assemblages was different between the two main sub-climates (sub-humid and semi-arid).
Resection of advanced cervical metastasis prior to definitive radiotherapy for primary squamous carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract

Thirty‐five previously untreated patients with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract with advanced neck disease (mass > 3 cm) but with primary lesions thought to be locally controllable with radiotherapy were selected between 1972 and 1988 for treatment by neck dissection followed by radiotherapy: postoperative to the neck and definitive to the primary. Limited neck dissections spared muscles, nerves, and vasculature structures unless clinically involved with cancer. All patients received at least 50 Gy, postoperatively, to the entire neck with doses of up to 75 Gy being delivered to the primary treatment portals. Regional (neck) failure occured in 11% (4 of 35) patients. Overall, 5‐year survival from cancer was 55%. Multiple levels of neck involvement were associated with poorer survival than a single large node; however, the difference was not statistically significant. Delay in the institution of radiotherapy following surgery adversely affected survival (p = 0.01). This study demonstrates that in selected patients it is possible to resect advanced nodal metastasis prior to treating the primary with radiotherapy without compromising cancer control.
Applicability of a nu-support vector regression model for the completion of missing data in hydrological time series

This paper analyzes the potential of a nu-support vector regression (nu-SVR) model for the reconstruction of missing data of hydrological time series from a sensor network. Sensor networks are currently experiencing rapid growth of applications in experimental research and monitoring and provide an opportunity to study the dynamics of hydrological processes in previously ungauged or remote areas. Due to physical vulnerability or limited maintenance, networks are prone to data outages, which can devaluate the unique data sources. This paper analyzes the potential of a nu-SVR model to simulate water levels in a network of sensors in four nested experimental catchments in a mid-latitude montane environment. The model was applied to a range of typical runoff situations, including a single event storm, multi-peak flood event, snowmelt, rain on snow and a low flow period. The simulations based on daily values proved the high efficiency of the nu-SVR modeling approach to simulate the hydrological processes in a network of monitoring stations. The model proved its ability to reliably reconstruct and simulate typical runoff situations, including complex events, such as rain on snow or flooding from recurrent regional rain. The worst model performance was observed at low flow periods and for single peak flows, especially in the high-altitude catchments.
Deformity of the foot following anterior transfer of the posterior tibial tendon and lengthening of the Achilles tendon for spastic equinovarus.

Twenty-four children with spastic equinovarus deformity due to cerebral palsy were treated by anterior transfer of the posterior tibial tendon and Achilles tendon lengthening. In five patients, the operation was performed on both sides, making a total of 29 feet available for evaluation after an average follow-up of five years. Only 38 per cent of the results were graded "good" or "satisfactory. " Sixty-two per cent were rated as "poor" because of valgus, calcaneus or equinus deformity severe enough to require re-operation. The post-operative deformity was generally evident one or more years after surgery, often progressive, and more disabling as well as more difficult to correct than the original condition. Although the percentage of acceptable results was considerably higher for hemiplegic patients than for others in the study, we conclude that in this group and in all other categories of spastic patients anterior transfer of the posterior tibial tendon should not be performed.
Exporting, R&D Investment and Firm Survival

This paper examines the effect of exporting on firm survival for a panel of Indian IT firms. We show that exporting has competing effects on firm survival. On the one hand, exporting and investing in productivity are complementary activities, while on the other exporting activity is an additional source of uncertainty for the firm. We show that both effects influence survival, but operate at different points in time. Specifically, the hazard facing exporters is higher than non-exporters in the initial phase following entry into the export market, reflecting the fact that exporters are particularly vulnerable to shocks in the start-up phase. However, over time, exporters benefit more from productivity gains than non-exporters and the hazard facing exporters falls below that confronting non-exporters.
Public Perceptions of Deer Management in Scotland

In Scotland, large deer populations are associated with negative ecological and socioeconomic impacts, such as damage to peatlands and forests, agricultural and commercial forestry losses, Lyme disease transmission, and road accidents. Increasing the annual deer cull might help address these negative impacts, but could be ethically controversial. A stratified sample of adults living in Scotland (n = 1,002) responded to our online questionnaire measuring perceptions of deer management, including the acceptability of increasing the deer cull if doing so would help achieve a variety of ecological and social objectives. Overall, respondents indicated that it would be acceptable to increase the deer cull if doing so would serve public interests by reducing negative impacts of deer, with deer welfare, environmental conservation, and public health and safety being the most relevant ethical considerations. Although rural and urban respondents reported significantly different experiences and perceptions of deer, their values (i.e., attitudes, beliefs, and policy preferences) regarding deer management were very similar. Understanding values of the general public, beyond vocal interest groups, can help inform decisions on contentious wildlife management issues.
Health literacy and performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination

The objectives of the study were to determine the relationship between functional health literacy and performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). New Medicare managed-care enrollees aged 65 years and older, living independently in the community in four US cities (Cleveland, Houston, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale/Miami), were eligible to participate. In-home interviews were conducted to determine demographics and health status, and interviewers then administered the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) and the MMSE. We then determined the relationship between functional health literacy and the MMSE, including total scores, subscale scores (orientation to time, orientation to place, registration, attention and calculation, recall, language, and visual construction), and individual items. Functional health literacy was linearly related to the total MMSE score across the entire range of S-TOFHLA scores (R 2 = 0.39, p < 0.001). This relationship between health literacy and MMSE was consistent across all MMSE subscales and individual items. Adjustment for chronic conditions and self-reported overall health did not change the relationship between health literacy and MMSE score. Health literacy was related to MMSE performance even for subscales of the MMSE that were not postulated to be directly dependent on reading ability or education (e.g. delayed recall). These results suggest that the lower MMSE scores for patients with low health literacy are only partly due to 'test bias' and also result from true differences in cognitive functioning. 'Adjusting' MMSE scores for an individual's functional health literacy may be inappropriate because it may mask true differences in cognitive functioning.
Redistribution of the Lamin B1 genomic binding profile affects rearrangement of heterochromatic domains and SAHF formation during senescence

The nuclear lamina component Lamin B1 is specifically down-regulated during senescence, but the functional consequences are unclear. Narita and colleagues present evidence that Lamin B1 binding varies across the genome. Major reductions in Lamin B1 binding occur in regions associated with the repressive histone mark H3K9me3. Surprisingly, however, increased LMNB1 binding in some genomic regions is associated with elevated H3K27me3 marks and gene repression. These findings indicate that Lamin B1 redistribution may be part of a global reorganization of chromatin and gene expression in senescent cells.
Quantitative assessment of breast density from digitized mammograms into Tabar's patterns

We describe a semi-automated technique for the quantitative assessment of breast density from digitized mammograms in comparison with patterns suggested by Tabar. It was developed using the MATLAB-based graphical user interface applications. It is based on an interactive thresholding method, after a short automated method that shows the fibroglandular tissue area, breast area and breast density each time new thresholds are placed on the image. The breast density is taken as a percentage of the fibroglandular tissue to the breast tissue areas. It was tested in four different ways, namely by examining: (i) correlation of the quantitative assessment results with subjective classification, (ii) classification performance using the quantitative assessment technique, (iii) interobserver agreement and (iv) intraobserver agreement. The results of the quantitative assessment correlated well (r2 = 0.92) with the subjective Tabar patterns classified by the radiologist (correctly classified 83% of digitized mammograms). The average kappa coefficient for the agreement between the readers was 0.63. This indicated moderate agreement between the three observers in classifying breast density using the quantitative assessment technique. The kappa coefficient of 0.75 for intraobserver agreement reflected good agreement between two sets of readings. The technique may be useful as a supplement to the radiologist's assessment in classifying mammograms into Tabar's pattern associated with breast cancer risk.
Advances in serological diagnostics of inflammatory myopathies.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Inflammatory myopathies are rare diseases. Their diagnosis criteria are historically based on their clinical phenotype (topography of the muscle weakness, presence of skin lesions and/or of extra-skin/muscle signs) and the presence of inflammatory infiltrates on muscle biopsy. However, the recent discovery of different myositis-specific antibodies (MSA) or myositis-associated antibodies (MAA) permitted to revisit these old classifications. This review covers recent findings in clinical and pathological phenotypes regarding prognosis, associated cancer and response to the treatment based on MSA/MAA categorization. RECENT FINDINGS Since the mid-1970s, about 20 MSA or MAA were discovered year after year (by immunoprecipitation). Now commercial kits (mainly dot line assays) permit their detection routinely which is clearly a help for the diagnosis but also give some key indications on clinical features, risk of associated cancers and response to the treatments. SUMMARY Overlap myositis is associated with antisynthetase antibodies (Abs) or those associated with sclerodermia (anti-RNP, Ku and PM-ScL). Dermatomyositis is associated with anti-Mi2, small ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme (SAE), nuclear matrix protein-2 (NXP2), TIF-1γ or melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) Abs. Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathies are associated with anti-signal recognition particle (SRP) or 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR) Abs. One third of inclusion body myositis' patients also presented anti-cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase 1A (cN1A) Abs. The risk of associated cancers is elevated with anti-TIF-1γ, NXP2 or HMGCR Abs.
Effect of cardiopulmonary C fibre activation on the firing activity of ventral respiratory group neurones in the rat

1 Cardiopulmonary C fibre receptor stimulation elicits apnoea and rapid shallow breathing, but the effects on the firing activity of central respiratory neurones are not well understood. This study examined the responses of ventral respiratory group neurones: decrementing expiratory (Edec), augmenting expiratory (Eaug), and inspiratory (I) neurones during cardiopulmonary C fibre receptor‐evoked apnoea and rapid shallow breathing. 2 Extracellular neuronal activity, phrenic nerve activity and arterial pressure were recorded in urethane‐anaesthetized rats. Cardiopulmonary C fibre receptors were stimulated by right atrial injections of phenylbiguanide. Neurones were tested for antidromic activation from the contra‐ and ipsilateral ventral respiratory group (VRG), spinal cord and cervical vagus nerve. 3 Edec neurones discharged tonically during cardiopulmonary C fibre‐evoked apnoea and rapid shallow breathing, displaying increased burst durations, number of impulses per burst, and mean impulse frequencies. Edec neurones recovered either with the phrenic nerve activity (25 s) or much later (3 min). 4 By contrast, the firing activity of Eaug and most I neurones was decreased, featuring decreased burst durations and number of impulses per burst and increased interburst intervals. Eaug activity recovered in ˜3 min and inspiratory activity in ˜1 min. 5 The results indicate that cardiopulmonary C fibre receptor stimulation causes tonic firing of Edec neurones and decreases in Eaug and I neuronal activity coincident with apnoea or rapid shallow breathing.
Proteus mirabilis fimbriae: construction of an isogenic pmfA mutant and analysis of virulence in a CBA mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection

Proteus mirabilis, a cause of urinary tract infection and acute pyelonephritis, produces a number of different fimbriae. An isogenic fimbrial mutant of P. mirabilis HI4320 was constructed by marker exchange with delta pmfA::aphA to determine the role of the P. mirabilis fimbriae (PMF) in hemagglutination and in virulence in the CBA mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection. The pmfA mutant, which did not express the 19,500-Da major subunit of PMF, colonized the bladders of transurethrally challenged CBA mice (n = 20 in each group) in numbers 83-fold lower than those of the wild-type strain (mutant, log10 4.87 CFU/g; wild-type strain, log10 6.79 CFU/g; P = 0.023). However, the mutant colonized the kidneys in numbers similar to those of the wild-type strain. Hemagglutination patterns of the mutant ruled out the involvement of PMF in both mannose-resistant, Proteus-like and mannose-resistant, Klebsiella-like hemagglutination. Similarly, PMF does not appear to be involved in adherence to uroepithelial cells (UEC), since the mutant was as adherent as the wild-type strain (mutant, 14.1 +/- 11.7 mean bacteria per UEC, 60% of UEC with > or = 10 bacteria; wild-type strain, 18.1 +/- 16.2 mean bacteria per UEC, 68% of UEC with > or = 10 bacteria; not significantly different). These data suggest a role for PMF in colonization of the bladder but not in colonization of kidney tissue. PMF appear not to be responsible for mannose-resistant, Proteus-like or mannose-resistant, Klebsiella-like hemagglutination.
Effect of Rowatinex on calculus clearance after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

INTRODUCTION our aim was to evaluate the effect of Rowatinex, an essential oil preparation of terpenic type, on kidney calculi clearance after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). MATERIALS AND METHODS A randomized controlled trial was performed at Hormozgan Hospital in Bandar Abbas, Iran, on 100 patients with 10-mm to 20-mm kidney calculi. They underwent SWL, and then, they were randomly assigned into 2 groups to receive either Rowatinex, 100 mg, 3 times per day, or placebo after SWL. Patients were followed up with plain abdominal radiography, ultrasonography, and excretory urography (if required), 2 and 4 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS Two weeks following SWL, 6 (12%) and 9 (18%) patients in the Rowatinex and control groups had fragmented calculi without clearance, 26 (52%) and 24 (48%) had less than 50% clearance, 9 (18%) and 15 (30%) had more than 50% but not total clearance, and 9 (18%) and 2 (4%) patients were stone free, respectively. Rowatinex had a significant effect on the stone-free rate (P = .02). Four weeks post-SWL, 3 (7.3%) and 7 (14.6%) other patients in the Rowatinex and control groups became stone free, respectively. Overall, Rowatinex had no significant effect on the stone-free rate (P = .46). No complications or differences between the two groups in symptoms and signs were reported. CONCLUSION Rowatinex does not have a significant effect on clearance rate of kidney calculi after SWL. However, it can accelerate calculus passage after 2 weeks, and it does not have any significant adverse effects.
Effects of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) on the gut microbiota in high fat diet and low dose streptozocin-induced rats

Abstract The effects on gut microbiota of type 2 diabetic rats fed a bitter melon formulation (BLSP, a lyophilized superfine powder) were investigated. BLSP treatment significantly reduced fasting blood glucose levels (p < 0.05) and serum insulin levels (p < 0.05) of the diabetic rats. The gut microbiota of treated and control rats were profiled by PCR amplification and pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes (V3–V9 region). BLSP significantly reduced the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in diabetic rats, while the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae, Bacteroides and Ruminococcus were significantly lowered in BLSP-treated rats compared to diabetic rats. Additionally, BLSP significantly suppressed the activation of MAPK (JNK and p38). The results indicate that BLSP can significantly modify the proportions of particular gut microbiota in diabetic rats without disturbing the normal population diversity. By suppressing the activation of MAPK signaling pathway, a BLSP containing diet may ameliorate type 2 diabetes.
Xenopus‐derived glucagon‐like peptide‐1 and polyethylene‐glycosylated glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists: long‐acting hypoglycaemic and insulinotropic activities with potential therapeutic utilities

Incretin‐based therapies based on glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptor agonists are effective treatments of type 2 diabetes. Abundant research has focused on the development of long‐acting GLP‐1 receptor agonists. However, all GLP‐1 receptor agonists in clinical use or development are based on human or Gila GLP‐1. We have identified a potent GLP‐1 receptor agonist, xGLP‐1B, based on Xenopus GLP‐1.