Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Relevance of AGR2 Expression in Breast Cancer

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the expression of the human anterior gradient-2 (AGR2) in breast cancer on RNA and protein level and to correlate it with clinicopathologic data, including patient survival. Experimental Design:AGR2 mRNA expression was assessed by reverse transcription-PCR in 25 breast cancer samples and normal tissues. A polyclonal rabbit AGR antiserum was used for immunohistochemistry on 155 clinicopathologically characterized cases. Statistical analyses were applied to test for prognostic and diagnostic associations. Results: Immunohistochemical detection of AGR2 was statistically significantly associated with positive estrogen receptor status and lower tumor grade. AGR2-positive tumors showed significantly longer overall survival times in univariate analyses. For the subgroup of nodal-negative tumors, an independent prognostic value of AGR2 was found. Conclusions: The expression of AGR2 in breast cancer is strongly associated with markers of tumor differentiation (estrogen receptor positivity, lower tumor grade). A prognostic effect of AGR2 for overall survival could be shown, which became independently significant for the group of nodal-negative tumors.
Model Uncertainty and Choices Made by Modelers: Lessons Learned from the International Atomic Energy Agency Model Intercomparisons †

The treatment of uncertainties associated with modeling and risk assessment has recently attracted significant attention. The methodology and guidance for dealing with parameter uncertainty have been fairly well developed and quantitative tools such as Monte Carlo modeling are often recommended. However, the issue of model uncertainty is still rarely addressed in practical applications of risk assessment. The use of several alternative models to derive a range of model outputs or risks is one of a few available techniques. This article addresses the often‐overlooked issue of what we call “modeler uncertainty,” i.e., difference in problem formulation, model implementation, and parameter selection originating from subjective interpretation of the problem at hand. This study uses results from the Fruit Working Group, which was created under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) BIOMASS program (BIOsphere Modeling and ASSessment). Model‐model and model‐data intercomparisons reviewed in this study were conducted by the working group for a total of three different scenarios. The greatest uncertainty was found to result from modelers' interpretation of scenarios and approximations made by modelers. In scenarios that were unclear for modelers, the initial differences in model predictions were as high as seven orders of magnitude. Only after several meetings and discussions about specific assumptions did the differences in predictions by various models merge. Our study shows that parameter uncertainty (as evaluated by a probabilistic Monte Carlo assessment) may have contributed over one order of magnitude to the overall modeling uncertainty. The final model predictions ranged between one and three orders of magnitude, depending on the specific scenario. This study illustrates the importance of problem formulation and implementation of an analytic‐deliberative process in risk characterization.
Effects of elevated CO2 and nutrient supply on the seasonal growth and morphology of Agrostis capillaris.

Responses to elevated CO2 have been studied using an upland grass species, Agrostis capillaris L. The plants were grown in sand culture with a range of N, P and K concentrations, in 'Solardome' growth chambers with either ambient air or a CO2 concentration of 250μmol CO2 mol(-1) above ambient The interactive effects of high CO2 and nutrient supply (in plant growth and morphology were monitored throughout the growing season. A. capillaris exhibited positive growth responses to enhanced CO2 even at limiting supplies of N and P. Moreover, greater shoot mass at elevated CO2 was attributed to disproportionate increases in leaf and tiller number, resulting in an increase in the average leaf number per tiller. However, total leaf area remained unaffected, indicating that leaf size was reduced. There was no evidence of any acclimation in the growth response of A. capillaris to additional CO2 , even in N and P-stressed plants. On the contrary, a stimulation in leaf production was observed later in the growing season. A consistent interaction was observed between N and P concentrations, whereby the response to one element was greater at higher concentrations of the other. In addition, there were indications of competition among the three elements for uptake at the root. These findings indicate the importance of multifactorial nutrient experiments in developing an understanding of the complex relationships during CO2 enrichment.
Agreement between fasting and postprandial LDL cholesterol measured with 3 methods in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) is a modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factor. We used 3 LDL-C methods to study the agreement between fasting and postprandial LDL-C in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. METHODS We served 74 T2DM patients a standardized meal and sampled blood at fasting and 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 h postprandially. We measured LDL-C by use of modified β quantification (MBQ), the Friedewald equation (FE), and a direct homogeneous assay (DA). We evaluated agreement using 95% limits of agreement (LOA) within ±0.20 mmol/L (±7.7 mg/dL). RESULTS LDL-C concentrations at all postprandial times disagreed with those at fasting for all methods. In 66 patients who had complete measurements with all LDL-C methods, maximum mean differences (95% LOA) in postprandial vs fasting LDL-C were -0.16 mmol/L (-0.51; 0.19) [-6.2 mg/dL (-19.7; 7.3)] with MBQ at 3 h; -0.36 mmol/L (-0.89; 0.17) [-13.9 mg/dL (-34; 6.6)] with FE at 4.5 h; and -0.24 mmol/L (-0.62; 0.05) [-9.3 mg/dL (-24; 1.9)] with DA at 6.0 h. In postprandial samples, FE misclassified 38% of patients (two-thirds of statin users) into lower Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) risk categories. Greater disagreement between fasting and postprandial LDL-C was observed in individuals with postprandial triglyceride concentrations >2.08 mmol/L (>184 mg/dL) and in women (interactions: P ≤ 0.038). CONCLUSIONS Differences up to 0.89 mmol/L (34 mg/dL) between fasting and postprandial LDL-C concentrations, with postprandial LDL-C concentrations usually being lower, were found in T2DM by 3 different LDL-C methods. Such differences are potentially relevant clinically and suggest that, irrespective of measurement method, postprandial LDL-C concentrations should not be used to assess cardiovascular disease risk.
Environmental Impact Associated with the Supply Chain and Production of Grounding and Roasting Coffee through Life Cycle Analysis

Coffee is the beverage resulting from the infusion of roasted and ground seeds of the coffee fruit. It is one of the most commercialized products in the world and represents a high interest agro-industrial product in Mexico. The demand for this product has grown in great measure in the last decade, thus it is becoming more important to make environmental and energetic evaluations of its manufacturing process. In this sense, life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful tool for the purposes of this study, as it quantifies the wake of environmental impacts associated to the production and supply chain from its inputs and outputs of the product system. Therefore, the impact categories studied were carbon, energetic, and water footprints. The cultivation phase led to global contributions between 61% and 67% in magnitude for energy and carbon footprints, respectively; meanwhile, the coffee benefit process was the phase with the most contributions to the water footprint (54%). The residual biomass from the product system used as the energy supply within the coffee drying sub-phase represented energy savings of around 41% in comparison to the use of conventional fossil fuels, thus reducing the global impact associated to the system’s product.
The Lipopolysaccharide and β-1,3-Glucan Binding Protein Gene Is Upregulated in White Spot Virus-Infected Shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris)

ABSTRACT Pattern recognition proteins such as lipopolysaccharide and β-1,3-glucan binding protein (LGBP) play an important role in the innate immune response of crustaceans and insects. Random sequencing of cDNA clones from a hepatopancreas cDNA library of white spot virus (WSV)-infected shrimp provided a partial cDNA (PsEST-289) that showed similarity to the LGBP gene of crayfish and insects. Subsequently full-length cDNA was cloned by the 5′-RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) technique and sequenced. The shrimp LGBP gene is 1,352 bases in length and is capable of encoding a polypeptide of 376 amino acids that showed significant similarity to homologous genes from crayfish, insects, earthworms, and sea urchins. Analysis of the shrimp LGBP deduced amino acid sequence identified conserved features of this gene family including a potential recognition motif for β-(1→3) linkage of polysaccharides and putative RGD cell adhesion sites. It is known that LGBP gene expression is upregulated in bacterial and fungal infection and that the binding of lipopolysaccharide and β-1,3-glucan to LGBP activates the prophenoloxidase (proPO) cascade. The temporal expression of LGBP and proPO genes in healthy and WSV-challenged Penaeus stylirostris shrimp was measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, and we showed that LGBP gene expression in shrimp was upregulated as the WSV infection progressed. Interestingly, the proPO expression was upregulated initially after infection followed by a downregulation as the viral infection progressed. The downward trend in the expression of proPO coincided with the detection of WSV in the infected shrimp. Our data suggest that shrimp LGBP is an inducible acute-phase protein that may play a critical role in shrimp-WSV interaction and that the WSV infection regulates the activation and/or activity of the proPO cascade in a novel way.
Osteogenic protein-1 reduces intercellular adhesion molecule-1 messenger RNA expression, infarct size and TUNEL-positive cardiomyocytes in ischemia/reperfusion rat hearts.

BACKGROUND Osteogenic protein, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, has been reported to decrease the expression of intercellular adhesive molecules and prevent neutrophil accumulation and activity in tissue injury. OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of osteogenic protein on ischemia/reperfusion in rat hearts. METHODS Reperfusion was established after a 90 min ligation of the proximal left coronary artery in rats. Recombinant human osteogenic protein-1 (200 mug/kg) was administered via the femoral vein just before reperfusion. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and infarct size were evaluated using Northern blotting and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, respectively. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated biotin-16-2'-deoxyuridine-5'-triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was also performed. RESULTS In osteogenic protein-1 treated rats, the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in ischemia/reperfusion hearts rapidly increased 4 h after reperfusion, although, the increase was lower than that observed in the vehicle-treated hearts (7.4+/-1.6-fold versus 14.6+/-3.7-fold increase compared to the increase observed in preligation control hearts, respectively). Similarly, in day 1 and day 7 hearts, the increase in ICAM-1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in ischemia/reperfusion hearts from rats treated with osteogenic protein-1 than in vehicle-treated rats (2.5+/-0.1-fold versus 5.8+/-2.3-fold and 1.5+/-0.3-fold versus 3.5+/-0.2-fold, respectively). Infarct size in rats treated with osteogenic protein-1 was significantly smaller than that observed in rats treated with vehicle (13.1+/-1.2% versus 28.5+/-5.7% of the left ventricle, P<0.01). The percentage of TUNEL-positive cardiomyocytes in ischemia/reperfusion hearts in rats treated with osteogenic protein-1 was significantly lower than in rats treated with vehicle (17.1+/-5.3% versus 31.1+/-4.5%, P<0.01). CONCLUSION The present study demonstrated that recombinant human osteogenic protein-1 suppressed ICAM-1 mRNA expression, reduced infarct size and decreased TUNEL-positive cardiomyocytes in ischemic/reperfused rat hearts.
Childhood Asthma and Indoor Aeroallergens and Endotoxin in Palestine: A Case-Control Study

This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship between wheezing or sensitization and concentrations of mites, cat and dog allergens, and bacterial endotoxin in Palestine. A nested case-control involved analysis of mattress and floor dust from a 110 children's houses with reported wheezing and without wheezing. We found no consistent associations between allergen levels and either wheeze or specific atopic sensitization. Furthermore, no clear associations between mattress endotoxin levels and wheeze or atopy were found. Endotoxin in floor dust was inversely associated with atopic sensitization and wheeze, statistically significant only for atopic wheeze. Finally, a nonsignificant inverse association was observed between living room endotoxin and atopy within the non-wheezing control group. In conclusion, although our study found mostly negative results, it does suggest that endotoxin on living room floors might protect against atopic wheeze. However, this finding should be interpreted with caution due the relatively small sample size of the study and requires further confirmation.
Raldh2 expression in optic vesicle generates a retinoic acid signal needed for invagination of retina during optic cup formation

Three retinaldehyde dehydrogenase genes (Raldh1, Raldh2, and Raldh3) expressed in unique spatiotemporal patterns may control synthesis of retinoic acid (RA) needed for retina development. However, previous studies indicate that retina formation still proceeds normally in Raldh1‐/‐ mouse embryos lacking RA synthesis in the dorsal neural retina at the optic cup stage. Here, we demonstrate that Raldh2‐/‐ embryos lacking RA synthesis in the optic vesicle exhibit a failure in retina invagination needed to develop an optic cup. This was also observed in Raldh1‐/‐:Raldh2‐/‐ double mutants, which develop similarly. Both mutants retain RA activity in the lens placode associated with Raldh3 expression, but this RA activity is insufficient to induce optic cup formation. Maternal RA administration at the optic vesicle stage rescues optic cup formation in Raldh2‐/‐ and Raldh1‐/‐:Raldh2‐/‐ embryos, demonstrating that Raldh1 is not required during rescue of optic cup development. The optic cup of rescued Raldh1‐/‐:Raldh2‐/‐ embryos exhibits normal RA activity and this is associated with Raldh3 expression in the retina and lens. Thus, RA signaling initiates in the optic vesicle in response to Raldh2 but can be maintained during optic cup formation by a gene other than Raldh1, most likely Raldh3. Loss of optic vesicle RA signaling does not effect expression of early determinants of retina at the optic vesicle stage (Pax6, Six3, Rx, Mitf). Our findings suggest that RA functions as one of the signals needed for invagination of the retina to generate an optic cup. Developmental Dynamics 231:270–277, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Impact of Consumer Innovativeness on the Intention of Clicking on SNS Advertising

Consumer Innovativeness is considered to be an important factor that influences consumers’ choice of new services. This paper uses technology acceptance model to study the impact of consumer innovativeness on SNS advertising click intention. The research results show that attitude has a significant impact on click intention; Consumer innovativeness significantly affects consumers’ attitude towards SNS advertising through perceived usefulness/ perceived ease of use/perceived enjoyment, thereby significantly affecting the click intention of SNS advertising. This study explores the influence factors of SNS’s click intention from the perspective of user’s emotion, enlarges the application scope of TAM and enriches the existing research results.
The cadherin switch assessment in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of urothelial bladder carcinomas.

INTRODUCTION The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process is a complex molecular mechanism that is involved in the acquisition of an aggressive, invasive and metastatic phenotype by carcinomas. The cadherin switch consists in the alteration of E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression and is specific for the EMT process. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study included 35 cases of primitive urothelial carcinomas investigated in relation with clinicopathological prognostic parameters and expression of E- and N-cadherins in the advancing edge and intratumoral compartments. RESULTS In both compartments, the immunoexpression of E-cadherin decreased, while that of N-cadherin increased in high grade, deeply invasive, or those cases with lymph node metastases and advanced stages carcinomas, with a negative linear correlation observed between their expression percentage values. In this study, it was observed the presence of cadherin switch in urothelial carcinomas, the variation of the two proteins' immunostaining patterns being higher at the advancing edge. The presence of N-cadherin in intratumoral compartment designated it as actively involved in EMT process. CONCLUSIONS The analysis of cadherins switch can be used to identify superficial urothelial carcinoma with invasion and metastasis potential.
Tex19, a Mammalian‐Specific Protein with a Restricted Expression in Pluripotent Stem Cells and Germ Line

Although the properties of embryonic stem (ES) cells make these cells very attractive in the field of replacement therapy, the molecular mechanisms involved in the maintenance of their pluripotency are not fully characterized. Starting from the observation that most pluripotent markers are also expressed by spermatogonia stem cells, we identified Tex19 as a new potential pluripotency marker. We show that Tex19 is a mammalian‐specific protein duplicated in mouse and rat, renamed Tex19.1 and Tex19.2, whereas only one form is found in human. In mouse, both forms are localized on chromosome 11 and transcribed in opposite directions. Tex19 proteins are well conserved, showing two highly conserved domains that do not present any similarity with any other known domains. We show that Tex19.2 is specifically detected in the male somatic gonad lineage, whereas Tex19.1 expression is very similar to that of Oct4. Transcripts are maternally inherited, and expression starts as soon as the early embryo and later is limited to the germ line. Tex19.1 transcripts were also detected in mouse pluripotent stem cells, and expression of Tex19.1, like that of Oct4, decreases after murine embryonic stem and germ cell differentiation. Human TEX19 was more closely related to murine Tex19.1 and was also detected in adult testis and in undifferentiated ES cells. By immunofluorescence, we found that Tex19.1 protein localizes to the nucleus of mouse ES and inner cell mass cells. All these results suggest that Tex19.1, as well as human TEX19, could be a new factor involved in the maintenance of self‐renewal or pluripotency of stem cells.
The Effect of Leadership Knowledge on Performance of the Newly Appointed Primary School HeadTeachers in Kahama Town, Tanzania

The study was conducted in Kahama Town Council, Shinyanga Region with the general objective of examining leadership knowledge of head teachers. The study intended to explore how appointed head teachers were prepared to understand their responsibilities, assessing the leadership styles that were highly adopted by head teachers, assessing the factors behind the adopted leadership style and examining the challenges encountered by head teachers in the process of school leadership. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 70 teachers, where 30 were classroom teachers, 30 were head teachers and 10 were ward education officers. The questionnaires were close, open ended and there were unstructured interview questions. The main approach of the study was qualitative since it aimed at exploring in depth information from informants. A descriptive survey design was employed in collecting data where probability sampling was used to obtain a sample of 70 teachers. The findings revealed that head teachers lacked leadership knowledge since no any special training was offered to them when they were appointed to their new posts. Authoritative leadership style was identified as the most style applied by most of the head teachers. The study also found that head teachers faced some challenges in their institutions, such as conflicts, inadequate fund and lack of leadership knowledge among head teachers The study therefore recommended that, the government should prepare a special programme for new appointed head teachers to enable them understand their responsibilities in the process of school leadership and administration. This will enable them to make appropriate decisions for their schools and thus avoid conflicts among staff and improve the quality of education. The following areas for further study were recommended, a similar study to be conducted using a larger sample so that more generalisable data could be generated since the current study focused only on one district, other researchers to study on leadership knowledge of headmasters in Secondary Schools since this study concentrated on Public Primary Schools, the study on leadership knowledge of education administrators at the council level and its impact to teachers performance.
Clinical Efficacy of Percutaneous Kyphoplasty at the Hyperextension Position for the Treatment of Osteoporotic Kümmell Disease

Summary of Background Data:Percutaneous kyphoplasty might be effective for osteoporotic Kümmell disease. Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous kyphoplasty in hyperextension for osteoporotic Kümmell disease. Study Design:Retrospective study. Methods:A retrospective analysis was carried out on data from downstream balloon kyphoplasty treatments in hyperextension for 18 patients with osteoporotic Kümmell disease. All cases were single-segment disease affecting T5 (1 case), T7 (1 case), T8 (2 cases), T11 (6 cases), T12 (4 cases), L1 (2 cases), L2 (1 case), or L4 (1 case). Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry bone mineral density values ranged from −2.8 to −5.8 SD. The sagittal Cobb angle of the involved segment was measured before and after the operation and the final follow-up also included a visual analog pain score (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) after comprehensive efficacy assessment. Results:All patients were followed up for 12–36 months, with an average of 15.8 months. Patients showed lower back pain relief and improvement in daily life activities. The kyphosis Cobb angle improved from 32.60±3.82 degrees before surgery to 7.60±1.68 degrees after surgery, and VAS and ODI scores significantly improved from 8.7±0.96 points and 88.6±3.76% to 2.6±0.32 points and 28.6±2.67%, respectively. The last follow-up for the kyphosis Cobb angle yielded a value of 9.60±2.06 degrees, and VAS and ODI averaged 2.2±0.26 points and 26.4±2.46%, respectively. Compared with 2 days postoperatively, the differences were not statistically significant. Intervertebral cement leakage occurred in 1 case, but no symptom was observed and no treatment was performed. Conclusion:Percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty in the hyperextension position is an effective method for osteoporosis in Kümmell disease.