Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A bisamide and four diketopiperazines from a marine-derived Streptomyces sp.

A new bisamide N 1-acetyl-N 7-phenylacetyl cadaverine (1) and a series of diketopiperazines including a new diketopiperazine cyclo(2-hydroxy-Pro-R-Leu) (2), together with a new natural product cyclo(4-hydroxy-S-Pro-S-Trp) (3) and two known leucine-based diketopiperazines cyclo(4-hydroxy-R-Pro-S-Leu) (4) and cyclo (S-Pro-R-Leu) (5), were isolated from ethyl acetate extract of a fermentation broth of a marine-derived Streptomyces sp. Their structures were elucidated by the interpretation of spectroscopic analysis. The antitumor activities of compounds 1–3 against HL-60 cell lines were tested by MTT assay.
A roentgen-anatomic study of association between persistant inter-frontal Suture with varied presence of frontal sinus

Introduction: The suture that persist between frontal bones beyond 8 years of life is termed as “Metopism”. This metopic suture has been shown to exhibit ethnic variability in its incidence with an Asian incidence of up to 5.5%. Previous studies had morphologically classified metopism into complete and incomplete types. The presence of this inter-frontal suture is claimed to alter the development of frontal sinus from asymmetry to complete absence. Methodology: Occurrence of metopic suture among180 adult skulls was studied. The observed suture was further classified morphologically into complete and incomplete types. The skulls with either of the types were further studied radiologically for the presence and symmetry of the frontal sinus. Result: Complete and incomplete metopism was observed in 3.88% and 46.66% of the skulls studied respectively. On radiological examination, absence of frontal sinus was seen more with complete metopism while asymmetry of frontal sinus was noted mainly with incomplete type. Conclusion: The presence of inter-frontal suture in adults with its associated variation in the development of frontal sinuses is of interest for anatomist and significant for radiologist, neurosurgeon and forensic pathologist while examining, operating and reporting of frontal fractures. Keywords: Metopism, Frontal sinus, Inter frontal suture, Metopic suture
Are U.S. Analysts’ Recommendation Changes for Cross-Listed Stocks More Informative than Local Analysts’?

We investigate stock return and trading volume reactions to analyst recommendation changes issued by local and foreign analysts for international stocks from 40 countries cross-listed in the U.S. We find that recommendation changes by analysts based in the U.S. lead to significantly higher abnormal returns and lower abnormal volumes in the home market of the cross-listed firm, compared to changes made by local analysts. Our results are strengthened by an identification strategy that relies on analysts who move locations. We do not find evidence that the U.S.-location premium to analyst recommendations can be explained by a bonding or certification role of U.S. analysts or differences in broker or analyst characteristics. Our findings suggest that U.S. analysts facilitate U.S. investors’ access to investments in the foreign firm’s home market. U.S. analysts seem to improve the information environment and stock return responsiveness of cross-listed firms, in particular for firms from developed countries where the local analyst advantage is smaller.
Indirect Transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Occurs Readily among Swine but Not among Sheep

ABSTRACT Transmission of Escherichia coli O157:H7 among reservoir animals is generally thought to occur either by direct contact between a naïve animal and an infected animal or by consumption of food or water containing the organism. Although ruminants are considered the major reservoir, there are two reports of human infections caused by E. coli O157:H7 linked to the consumption of pork products or to the contamination of fresh produce by swine manure. The objective of this study was to determine whether E. coli O157:H7 could be transmitted to naïve animals, both sheep and swine, that did not have any direct contact with an infected donor animal. We recovered E. coli O157:H7 from 10/10 pigs with nose-to-nose contact with the infected donor or animals adjacent to the donor and from 5/6 naïve pigs that were penned in the same room as the donor pig but 10 to 20 ft away. In contrast, when the experiment was repeated with sheep, E. coli O157:H7 was recovered from 4/6 animals that had nose-to-nose contact with the infected donor or adjacent animals and from 0/6 naïve animals penned 10 to 20 ft away from the donor. These results suggest that E. coli O157:H7 is readily transmitted among swine and that transmission can occur by the creation of contaminated aerosols.
Factors associated with bone metastasis in breast cancer: a preliminary study in an Indonesian population.

AIM to know the characteristics of breast cancer patients with bone metastasis and its risk factors. METHODS this was a cross-sectional study on breast cancer patients in Dharmais Cancer Hospital between 1998 and 2002. Data were retrieved from medical records and consisted of age, history of hormonal contraceptive use, histopathological type, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesteron receptor (PR) expression, c-erbB-2 and cathepsin D expressions. RESULTS a total of 197 cases were recruited between the study period. Almost all patients were women with a mean age of 47 years old. The majority of patients were between 36 and 55 years old (69.1%) with a peak between 46 and 50 years. About 70% of the patients had already had advanced diseases (III and IV). Invasive ductal carcinoma was the commonest histopathological type (80%). The expression of ER, PR, c-erbB-2, and cathepsin D were evaluated in 55 patients. Metastases were found to occur in bone (24.4%), lungs (20.8%), and liver (10.7%). Among patients with bone metastasis, 36 patients ((75%) were more than 40 years old and 32 (66.7%) had invasive ductal carcinomas. There was a significant correlation (p=0.011) between bone metastasis and histopathological type. No significant correlation was found between the use of hormonal contraceptives, ER/PR expression, c-erbB-2 and cathepsin D and bone metastasis. CONCLUSION most breast cancer patients came in an already advanced stage, either locally or distant metastasis. The most common site of metastasis was the bone, followed by lungs and liver. Histopathological type of invasive ductal carcinoma was associated to the higher incidence of bone metastasis. Further studies are needed to identify patients with high risk of bone metastasis. There is also a need to evaluate predictive factors for the occurrence of bone metastasis at earlier stage.
Human &bgr;-cell regeneration: progress, hurdles, and controversy

Purpose of reviewTherapies that increase functional &bgr;-cell mass may be the best long-term treatment for diabetes. Significant resources are devoted toward this goal, and progress is occurring at a rapid pace. Here, we summarize recent advances relevant to human &bgr;-cell regeneration. Recent findingsNew &bgr;-cells arise from proliferation of pre-existing &bgr;-cells or transdifferentiation from other cell types. In addition, dedifferentiated &bgr;-cells may populate islets in diabetes, possibly representing a pool of cells that could redifferentiate into functional &bgr;-cells. Advances in finding strategies to drive &bgr;-cell proliferation include new insight into proproliferative factors, both circulating and local, and elements intrinsic to the &bgr;-cell, such as cell cycle machinery and regulation of gene expression through epigenetic modification and noncoding RNAs. Controversy continues in the arena of generation of &bgr;-cells by transdifferentiation from exocrine, ductal, and alpha cells, with studies producing both supporting and opposing data. Progress has been made in redifferentiation of &bgr;-cells that have lost expression of &bgr;-cell markers. SummaryAlthough significant progress has been made, and promising avenues exist, more work is needed to achieve the goal of &bgr;-cell regeneration as a treatment for diabetes.
Government intervention in women entrepreneurship development : opportunities and challenges for Bumiputera women entrepreneurs (BWEs) in the handicraft industry in Malaysia

This study provides insights into the influences of government intervention on the business survival of Bumiputera women entrepreneurs in the handicraft industry in Malaysia in which Bumiputera refers to the indigenous people and the largest population group in the country. The Malaysian handicraft industry is largely made up of Bumiputera women entrepreneurs (BWEs). While very little is known about how BWEs in the handicraft industry in Malaysia manage the survival of their businesses, the impact of the government’s initiatives on BWEs’ business survival process remains largely unexplored. To explore these arguments, this study investigates the business survival experiences of BWEs in the handicraft industry in Sabah, Malaysia: the leading state in the country in terms of handicraft producers. This study adopts an interpretative approach and uses semi-structured interviews as the main data collection technique in exploring the perceptions and views of 21 BWEs and five government officials (GOs) on government entrepreneurial support programmes (GESPs). All interviews were recorded but with participant’s permission. Two additional data collection methods: documentary analysis and observations were utilised; thus, improving the triangulation of the findings. The findings show that BWEs’ business survival is a complex process that is influenced by endogenous and exogenous factors which stem from three different aspects: personal, organisational and institutional. While endogenous factors relate to BWEs’ personal and organisational aspects, exogenous factors refer to four institutional environments: family, social, political and GESPs. The important dimensions that emerged are the significance of the collectivist culture of Malaysia in influencing BWEs’ business survival and the political privileges that influence BWEs’ access to GESPs. This study revealed that government organisations appear to be the dominant source of external support for BWEs in the handicraft industry in Malaysia. However, the way the GESPs are designed, implemented and evaluated do not reflect the business needs of BWEs. This study adds to the body of knowledge on women’s business survival by providing empirical evidence from a Malaysian perspective. The findings demonstrate how the Malaysian collectivist culture is relevant in minimising BWEs’ patriarchal pressures, thus bringing further insights to the gender and women’s entrepreneurship literature. Finally, this study highlights the significance of the political privileges that hinder BWEs access to GESPs whilst also encouraging the establishment of women-only entrepreneurial support programmes, contributing to the literature on institutional influences on women’s entrepreneurship research.
Investigation of Rainfall Effect on Forested Radio Wave Propagation

In this paper, the rainfall is found to have distinct effect on various parts of the propagating components for the VHF radio wave propagation in a tropical forest. By the studies of the measured power delay profiles under different weather conditions, it is observed that the lateral wave is the dominant mode of the VHF propagation and is not affected by the presence of rain as it is similar to free space propagation over the tree tops, while the significant multipath components which propagate through the forest medium is heavily influenced. This is again verified through the estimated delay spread statistics.
Functional Behavior of NKp46-Positive Intrahepatic Natural Killer Cells Against Hepatitis C Virus Reinfection After Liver Transplantation

Background NKp46 expression in natural killer (NK) cells has recently been shown to affect the responsiveness to antiviral treatment in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. However, the density of NKp46 on intrahepatic NK cells is remarkably higher than that on peripherally circulating NK cells, whereas the biophylactic function of intrahepatic NK cells against HCV reinfection remains unclear. Methods We analyzed the phenotypic and functional properties of intrahepatic NK cells using mononuclear cells extracted from ex vivo liver perfusates from living liver transplantation donors. To investigate the role of intrahepatic NK cells in relation to HCV infection, we evaluated posttransplant HCV load kinetics in HCV-related patients. Results Intrahepatic NK cells from healthy donors showed a distinctive phenotype even in each of the CD56bright and CD56dim fractions compared with peripheral blood NK cells. In the assays using a Huh7-HCV replicon system, anti-HCV activity was induced via recognition of the NK cell receptors, including NKp46, NKp30, and NKG2D, which was demonstrated by the use of monoclonal antibodies that neutralized neutralizing molecules. Unexpectedly, the density of NKp46 on intrahepatic NK cells varied considerably among individuals, allowing us to demonstrate that HCV reload in the early posttransplant period was delayed in recipients of liver allografts containing a higher proportion of NKp46high NK cells. Conclusions Intrahepatic NKp46high NK cells exhibited anti-HCV activity via cell-to-cell contact. The variation of the NKp46high proportion in individuals could be attributed to the diversity of HCV resistance observed in these individuals, which possibly reflects the clinical outcome of infection in patients.
Using a longitudinal illness record to study household health care decision-making in rural communes of Viet Nam.

Households often have the choice of whether or not to use health services, especially for preventive care; and in the current period of government financial retrenchment and liberalizing economic reforms, they can increasingly choose among a range of public and private providers. While households discriminate between public and private options for curative services, the provision of preventive care often remains the responsibility primarily of the public sector. However, if the public sector fails to attract people for curative care, the opportunity for implementing the primary health care (PHC) approach, including preventive programmes, will be diminished. If PHC services are to be taken up satisfactorily in a more competitive and demand driven environment, they must be responsive to the needs and preferences of users. The realization of PHC policy requires, therefore, an understanding both of the patterns of household health care seeking in different circumstances and the factors which influence household decision-making for health.
Characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte clones isolated during acute seroconversion: recognition of autologous virus sequences within a conserved immunodominant epitope

Virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are involved in protective immunity to many virus infections. It has recently been shown that CTL are detectable early during primary infection with the primate lentiviruses, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus. To better characterize the CTL response during acute HIV-1 infection, HIV-1-specific CTL clones were generated from two patients during symptomatic HIV-1 seroconversion. These CTL clones demonstrated specificity for env of HIV-1 and recognized sequences within gp41. Two human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) A31-restricted clones from the same individual were found to have differing virus strain specificities. Both clones recognized the 11-amino acid peptide RLRDLLLIVTR from position 770-780 of gp41. A change from T to V at position 779 in this epitope abrogated lysis by one clone but not the other. A CTL clone from the other patient, restricted by a different class I HLA allele, recognized the nine-amino acid peptide HRLRDLLLI from position 769-777 of gp41. Of note, the peptide RLRDLLLIVTR has been shown by others to be presented to CTL by HLA-A3.1. Autologous virus sequences from seroconversion and up to 15 wk after presentation in these two patients were recognized by the CTL clones isolated during acute infection. None of the CTL clones recognized the MN strain of HIV-1, indicating the problems inherent in relying on a single virus strain in the development of a vaccine. These studies have identified an immunodominant and promiscuous area for the generation of CTL responses within gp41. This recognition of autologous virus sequences by the initial CTL response is consistent with the hypothesis that a single virus strain is transmitted to the seroconverter and that the CTL response is involved in the initial control of that virus. These studies indicate the importance of the CTL response to HIV-1 infection and have implications in the design of vaccines.
A prospective epidemiological study on tinea pedis and onychomycosis in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE To study the epidemiology of foot diseases, including tinea pedis and onychomycosis in clinic attendees in Hong Kong. METHODS Two groups were included: the institutional group consisted of clinical evaluation and mycological investigations by dermatologists; and the private group consisted of clinical evaluation only by the private physicians. Patients who had a regular visit to the clinics were randomly invited to have a clinical examination of their feet. RESULTS A total of 1014 patients were studied. The prevalence rate of foot disease, fungal infections, tinea pedis and toe nail onychomycosis were respectively 50.7%, 26.9%, 20.4% and 16.6%. More male and elderly patients were affected except that the sex prevalence in toe nail onychomycosis was not shown to be significant. Vascular disease, diabetes mellitus and obesity were the three most prevalent predisposing factors in foot disease, fungal disease and fungal nail disease. Dermatophytes, in particular Trichophyton rubrum, were shown to be the most common pathogen in both skin and nail infections. CONCLUSIONS Foot diseases, especially tinea pedis and toe nail onychomycosis, are common in patients attending local clinics in Hong Kong. Both physicians and patients should be more aware of foot problems and have more active approaches and management strategies.
Head Pain Referral During Examination of the Neck in Migraine and Tension‐Type Headache

Objective. — To investigate if and to what extent typical head pain can be reproduced in tension‐type headache (TTH), migraine without aura sufferers, and controls when sustained pressure was applied to the lateral posterior arch of C1 and the articular pillar of C2, stressing the atlantooccipital and C2‐3 segments respectively.
The Third National Health and Morbidity Survey

Obesity is an emerging public health threat in the elderly population in developing countries. Hence, the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey has assessed 4746 individuals aged 60 years and older recruited through a household survey to determine the prevalence of adiposity using body mass index and waist circumference. The national’s prevalence of overweight and obesity in men was 29.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 27.2-31.3) and 7.4% (95% CI = 6.4-8.6), respectively. However, the prevalence decreased with age. The figures in women were 30.3% (95% CI = 28.5-32.1) and 13.8% (95% CI = 12.5-15.2), respectively. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 21.4% (95%CI = 20.2-22.6), with 7.7% (95% CI = 6.7-9.0) in men and 33.4% (95% CI = 31.4-35.3) in women. Predictors of adiposity include the following: Malay and Indian ethnicity, higher education level, higher household income, from urban area, and being married. In conclusion, adiposity affects about one third of the Malaysian elderly population, especially those of the younger age group, women, and those with higher socioeconomic status.
The Effect of Students’ Perceptions and Learning Approaches on the Quality of Hospitality Financial Management Education

ABSTRACT Students’ perceptions and approaches to learning have been shown to be critical factors in determining the quality of the learning outcome. This is the 1st empirical study undertaken in the hospitality context to examine how students’ perceptions and approaches to learning influence the learning outcomes of their financial management courses. The results showed that hospitality students had negative perceptions of the financial management course. With negative perceptions, students are less likely to adopt the deep approach to learning. Because the deep approach can significantly improve students’ performance, whereas the surface approach has the opposite effect, negative perceptions decrease performance through declined adoption of the deep approach. The findings suggest that hospitality educators may enhance the quality of financial management education by changing students’ negative perceptions and by encouraging their utilization of the deep approach.
Prognostic model for early acute rejection after liver transplantation

Hepatic graft rejection is a common complication after liver transplantation (LT), with a maximum incidence within the first weeks. The identification of high‐risk patients for early acute rejection (EAR) might be useful for clinicians. A series of 133 liver graft recipients treated with calcineurin inhibitors was retrospectively assessed to identify predisposing factors for EAR and develop a mathematical model to predict the individual risk of each patient. The incidence of EAR (≤45 days after LT) was 35.3%. Multivariate analysis showed that recipient age, underlying liver disease, and Child's class before LT were independently associated with the development of EAR. Combining these 3 variables, the following risk score for the development of EAR was obtained: EAR score [F(x)] = 2.44 + (1.14 × hepatitis C virus cirrhosis) + (2.78 × immunologic cirrhosis) + (2.51 × metabolic cirrhosis) − (0.08 × recipient age in years) + (1.65 × Child's class). Risk for rejection = eF(x)/1 + eF(x). The combination of age, cause of liver disease, and Child's class may allow us to predict the risk for EAR.
Formulation and in vitro evaluation of ciprofloxacin containing niosomes for pulmonary delivery

In order to develop a niosome-encapsulated ciprofloxacin (CPFX) HCl formulation for pulmonary delivery, the feasibility of encapsulation of CPFX in niosomes, its stability and nebulization capability was evaluated. Various combinations of nonionic surfactants with cholesterol were used to prepare the formulations. The in vitro deposition data of the niosomal formulations were examined using an Andersen cascade impactor. Formulations composed of Span 60 and Tween 60 in combination with 40 mol% of cholesterol exhibited high encapsulation efficacy and stability and also had fine particle fraction and nebulization efficiency of about 61.9% ± 1.0 and 77.9 ± 2.8, respectively. Minimal inhibitory concentration of the niosomal CPFX against some pulmonary pathogens were lower than free CPFX. Using the MTT assay in human lung carcinoma cell line (A549), niosome-entrapped CPFX showed significantly lower cytotoxicity in comparison to the free drug. These results indicate that niosome can be used as a carrier for pulmonary delivery of CPFX via nebulization.
Pathologic staging of renal cell carcinoma

The TNM staging system for renal cell carcinoma was revised by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) in 1997. The 1997 TNM staging system for renal cell carcinoma reclassifies tumors using criteria for size and for extent of renal vein/vena cava involvement that are different from the criteria used in the 1987 staging system. The current study investigated the prognostic significance of tumor classification and other factors using the new staging system.