Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Potential health benefits of broccoli- a chemico-biological overview.

The concept that bioactive components in functional foods are efficacious for the improvement of health, has recently gained much importance. The cruciferous vegetables which include broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are excellent source of phytochemicals including glucosinolates and their byproducts, phenolics and antioxidant vitamins as well as dietary minerals. Broccoli consumption mediates a variety of functions including providing antioxidants, regulating enzymes and controlling apoptosis and cell cycle. The organosulfur chemicals namely glucosinolates and the S-methyl cysteine sulphoxide found in broccoli in concert with other constituents such as vitamins E, C, K and the minerals such as iron, zinc, selenium and the polyphenols namely kaempferol, quercetin glucosides and isorhamnetin are presumably responsible for various health benefits of broccoli. There exists no comprehensive review on the health promoting effects of phytochemical compounds present in broccoli so far. This review compiles the evidence for the beneficial role of glucosinolates in conjugation with the other phytoconstituents for human health. It also gives an overview on the chemical and biological characterization of potential bioactive compounds of broccoli including the interaction of phytoconstituents on its bioactivity. Further, the molecular basis of the biological activities of the chemicals present in broccoli potentially responsible for health promotion, from chemoprevention to cardio protection, are outlined based on in vitro and in vivo studies with a note on the structure activity relationship of sulforaphane and a few other isothiocyanates.
Effects of a repetitive gaming intervention on upper extremity impairments and function in persons with chronic stroke: a preliminary study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and effects of an upper extremity gaming system on impairments, activity and participation restrictions in persons with chronic stroke. Method: Nine participants with chronic (5.4 SD 3 years after stroke) upper extremity impairment due to stroke completed 18 sessions over 6 weeks with the Hand Dance Pro™ gaming system that included trunk restraint. Measures collected at pretest and posttest included three-dimensional motion analysis of paretic upper extremity reaching, Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). Data were analyzed across time, with effect sizes (Cohen’s d), and by categorizing participants with Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Motor Assessment scores (mild >50/66, moderate 26–50/66 and severe <26/66). Results: Statistically, significant improvements and medium-to-large effect sizes from pretest to posttest were found with ipsilateral reaching kinematic outcomes of movement duration, mean velocity and elbow excursion (p < 0.05). Participants with mild impairment demonstrated the greatest change in elbow excursion. No significant differences and small effect sizes were found for the WMFT and SIS. Conclusion: The gaming intervention with high repetitions of reaching to targets and trunk restraint was feasible and led to improvements in upper extremity movement kinematics in this group of participants with chronic stroke. Implications for Rehabilitation Persons with chronic stroke can tolerate a high number of repetitions (between 800 and 2000) of reaching for targets during 30 minutes of playing a video game. Gaming systems that incorporate multiple repetitions of reaching for targets with trunk restraint can improve movement patterns in the paretic upper extremity of persons with chronic stroke.
Initial 200 cases of carotid artery stenting using a reversal-of-flow cerebral protection device.

AIM Because embolic complications can occur during carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS), a new device, the Parodi Anti-Emboli System (PAES) was developed to protect the brain from embolization. We describe our initial experience with this device. METHODS Between September 1999 and December 2003, CAS was performed in 200 consecutive patients (146 men; mean age, 70.4 years) with symptomatic (52%) or asymptomatic (48%) severe carotid artery stenosis (>70%). De novo lesions were present in 169 patients, restenosis in 18, and radiation-induced stenosis in 13. Wallstents were inserted in all cases, with selective predilatation, and the PAES was employed during all CAS procedures. Patients were evaluated by a neurologist before and after CAS. Minor strokes, major or fatal strokes, and myocardial infarctions that occurred within 30 days of the procedure were recorded. RESULTS The overall technical success rate for CAS using the PAES (with the PAES placed in position percutaneously) was 99%. The overall perioperative stroke and death rate was 1.5%. There were four transient neurologic events after CAS, three of which were related to hemodynamic instability and one to postoperative embolization. CONCLUSIONS Our experience indicates that CAS using the PAES is safe and effective. The protection device may prevent the debris released by angioplasty from entering the cerebral circulation. Additional studies of this device are warranted.
The Cotton WRKY Gene GhWRKY41 Positively Regulates Salt and Drought Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana

WRKY transcription factors constitute a very large family of proteins in plants and participate in modulating plant biological processes, such as growth, development and stress responses. However, the exact roles of WRKY proteins are unclear, particularly in non-model plants. In this study, Gossypium hirsutum WRKY41 (GhWRKY41) was isolated and transformed into Nicotiana benthamiana. Our results showed that overexpression of GhWRKY41 enhanced the drought and salt stress tolerance of transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana. The transgenic plants exhibited lower malondialdehyde content and higher antioxidant enzyme activity, and the expression of antioxidant genes was upregulated in transgenic plants exposed to osmotic stress. A β-glucuronidase (GUS) staining assay showed that GhWRKY41 was highly expressed in the stomata when plants were exposed to osmotic stress, and plants overexpressing GhWRKY41 exhibited enhanced stomatal closure when they were exposed to osmotic stress. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that GhWRKY41 may enhance plant tolerance to stress by functioning as a positive regulator of stoma closure and by regulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and the expression of antioxidant genes.
Primary and Secondary Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding is associated with a mortality rate of up to 14% in emergency hospital admissions (primary bleeding), and up to 28% in hospitalized patients (secondary bleeding). Aim To characterize and compare the clinical pictures and outcome of primary and secondary nonvariceal UGI bleeding. Study A retrospective, case-control design was used. The files of all consecutive patients admitted to our tertiary academic center between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2002 for UGI bleeding were reviewed for demographic and clinical data, treatment details, number of blood transfusions, endoscopic procedures, surgical procedures, and mortality. Results Compared to primary UGI bleeding, secondary bleeding was associated with female sex, older age, more chronic diseases, intake of more drugs, hospitalization in internal medicine departments, longer hospital stay, fewer endoscopic procedures, and less Helicobacter pylori-related peptic ulcer disease. Total mortality rate in the secondary bleeders was 30.3% versus 4.6% in the primary bleeders (P<0.0001). There was no significant difference between primary and secondary bleeders in treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents or aspirin, severity of bleeding, or death related to gastrointestinal bleeding. Conclusions Despite the significant differences in the clinical picture of primary and secondary bleeders, the severity of bleeding appear to be similar in both groups. Although there was a trend towards a higher gastrointestinal-related mortality in secondary bleeders, it was not statistically significant.
Firm size, R&D, and performance: an empirical analysis on software industry in China

Chinese software industry has experienced a rapid growth during recent years. Many studies argue that the relative small average firm size and low input into R&D problems have negative impact upon sustainable development of Chinese software industry. These arguments are obviously based on two prerequisite, one is the existing of economies of scale in software industry, and the other is the positive impact of R&D upon firm performance. Based on two datasets, in which one is city level data published by National Bureau of Statistics of China and the other is firm level data collected in Hangzhou City of China, This work carries out empirical analysis on the economies of scale issue and impact of R&D on firm performance in software industry in China. The results reveal that firm size has consistent positive impact on productivity, but no significant influence on profitability. The positive influence of firm size on productivity is due to specialization degree and more inputs into the adoption of management tools in large firms. For the negative influence on profitability, the relative technical advantage still cannot sustain their product price premium under the intensifying competition from small firms, while R&D spending will increase development cost for large- and medium-sized software firms. As to the impact of R&D on firm performance, it is found that R&D intensity has significant negative on profitability, and on productivity to a certain extent. We also found that R&D professional ratio has positive impact upon firm profitability and productivity because of the nature of people-embodied knowledge transfer in software industry. Besides, we have not found evidence for significant positive influence of financial support in R&D from government, which mean that indirect policy instruments such as preferential taxation treatment are more efficient than direct R&D subsidiaries in Chinese software industry. Finally, the policy implications of these findings are discussed and concluded.
Studies for Identification of Inrush Based on Improved Correlation Algorithm

A new scheme based on an improved correlation algorithm to distinguish between inrush and intemal fault in the transformer is proposed. In this scheme, the current over one cycle of each phase is reorganized as a new measurand. Fault currents can be distinguished from the inrush current if the improved waveform correlation coefficient between the first half-cycle and the latter-half-cycle of the above measurand is over a threshold. Test results show that all types of internal faults, even those accompanied by the magnetizing inrush, can be correctly identified from the inrush with the proposed algorithm. Besides high security, this scheme has satisfactory sensitivity. Also, this algorithm can be easily implemented in the real-time process.
Neutral genetic variation among wild North American populations of the weedy plant Arabidopsis thaliana is not geographically structured

We investigated neutral genetic variation within and among 53 wild‐collected populations of the weedy annual plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, in North America, using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. A. thaliana is thought to have been introduced to North America from Eurasia by humans; such an introduction might be expected to leave a clear geographical signal in the genetic data. To detect such patterns, we sampled populations at several hierarchical geographical levels. We collected individuals from populations in two areas of the Southeast and one in the Midwest, as well as individuals from populations in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast. To estimate within‐population variation, we sampled eight individuals from each of six populations in the Southeast and Midwest. Among all 95 individuals analysed, we detected 131 polymorphic AFLP fragments. We found no evidence for continental or regional diversification. Individuals sampled from Midwestern and Southeastern populations intermingled in a neighbour‐joining tree, and Mantel tests conducted within the Midwestern and Southeastern regions as well as the full data set failed to detect any significant relationship between geographical and genetic distance. These results mirror those found for most global surveys of neutral genetic variability in A. thaliana. Surprisingly, we detected substantial amounts of neutral genetic variability within populations. The levels of genetic variation within populations, coupled with the nongeographical nature of divergence among populations, are consistent with contemporary gene flow and point to a complex and dynamic population history of A. thaliana in North America.
Expression of Hepatic UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 and 1A6 Correlated with Increased Expression of the Nuclear Constitutive Androstane Receptor and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α in Male Rats Fed a High-Fat and High-Sucrose Diets⃞

Rats that consumed a high-fat and high-sucrose (HF1) diet or a high-fat (HF2) diet developed hepatic steatosis. The alteration in nutritional status affected hepatic cytochrome P450 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) levels. Messenger RNA and protein levels of UGT1A1 and UGT1A6 in the liver but not the jejunum were increased in male rats fed the HF1 diet. These protein levels did not increase in HF2-fed male rats or HF1-fed female rats. In contrast, the CYP1A2 protein level was decreased in the HF1 but not HF2 diet group, whereas CYP2E1 and CYP4A protein levels were elevated in the HF2 but not HF1 diet group. No significant difference in the organic anion transporter polypeptide (Oatp) 1, Oatp2, multidrug resistance-associated protein (Mrp) 2, or Mrp3 protein levels was found between the standard and HF1 diet groups of male rats. Consumption of the HF1 diet affected the in vivo metabolism of acetaminophen (APAP) such that the area under the APAP-glucuronide plasma concentration-time curve was elevated 2.1-fold in male rats but not female rats. In liver cell nuclei of male rats but not female rats, constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) protein levels were significantly enhanced by intake of the HF1 diet. Additionally, administration of the PPARα agonist clofibrate to male rats up-regulated UGT1A1 and UGT1A6 and down-regulated CYP1A2 in the liver. Taken together, these results indicate that nutritional status may gender-specifically influence the expression and activation of CAR and PPARα in liver cell nuclei, and this effect appears to be associated with alterations in UGT1A1 and UGT1A6 expression.
Antigen-Specific Naive CD8+ T Cells Produce a Single Pulse of IFN-γ In Vivo within Hours of Infection, but without Antiviral Effect

In vitro studies have shown that naive CD8+ T cells are unable to express most of their effector proteins until after at least one round of cell division has taken place. We have reassessed this issue in vivo and find that naive CD8+ T cells mount Ag-specific responses within hours of infection, before proliferation has commenced. Newly activated naive Ag-specific CD8+ T cells produce a rapid pulse of IFN-γ in vivo and begin to accumulate granzyme B and perforin. Later, in vivo cytolytic activity is detectable, coincident with the initiation of cell division. Despite the rapid development of these functional attributes, no antiviral effect was observed early during infection, even when the cells are present in numbers similar to those of virus-specific memory cells. The evolutionary reason for the pulse of IFN-γ synthesis by naive T cells is uncertain, but the lack of antiviral impact suggests that it may be regulatory.
Review of research on therapeutic interventions for children with cerebral palsy

A computerised search (Med‐line) was conducted in March 1994. This review deals with the outcome of therapeutic intervention research with cerebral palsied children, published in English since 1966. A total of 37 studies were considered as therapeutic intervention. Seven studies were classified as equivalent group comparison; two were regarded as quasi/non‐randomised group comparison; four studies were one group before and after treatment comparison research; six studies were descriptive; nine studies used single‐case approach alone or combined with group analysis; six studies were categorised as case‐study and three studies were regarded as survey in nature. A critical review of the studies revealed that the majority were based on a small number of subjects, and on short‐term periods in poorly controlled intervention, often without follow‐up. In addition, some studies used inappropriate experimental designs and analysis. A number of studies reported positive outcome of the therapeutic intervention but without experimental control or statistical analysis.
Statistical Significance of Clustering Using Soft Thresholding

Clustering methods have led to a number of important discoveries in bioinformatics and beyond. A major challenge in their use is determining which clusters represent important underlying structure, as opposed to spurious sampling artifacts. This challenge is especially serious, and very few methods are available, when the data are very high in dimension. Statistical significance of clustering (SigClust) is a recently developed cluster evaluation tool for high-dimensional low sample size (HDLSS) data. An important component of the SigClust approach is the very definition of a single cluster as a subset of data sampled from a multivariate Gaussian distribution. The implementation of SigClust requires the estimation of the eigenvalues of the covariance matrix for the null multivariate Gaussian distribution. We show that the original eigenvalue estimation can lead to a test that suffers from severe inflation of Type I error, in the important case where there are a few very large eigenvalues. This article addresses this critical challenge using a novel likelihood based soft thresholding approach to estimate these eigenvalues, which leads to a much improved SigClust. Major improvements in SigClust performance are shown by both mathematical analysis, based on the new notion of theoretical cluster index (TCI), and extensive simulation studies. Applications to some cancer genomic data further demonstrate the usefulness of these improvements.
Genetic analysis of susceptibility to dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice.

The genetic basis for differential sensitivity of inbred mice to inflammatory bowel disease induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) is unknown. Susceptible C3H/HeJ were outcrossed to partially resistant C57BL/6J mice. F2 and N2 progeny were phenotyped by evaluating histopathologic lesions in large intestine detected 16 days after a 5-day period of feeding 3.5% DSS. Screening for DSS colitis (Dssc) loci revealed quantitative trait loci (QTL) on Chr 5 (Dssc1) and Chr 2 (Dssc2). These traits contributed additively, explaining 17.5% of the variation in total colonic lesions. Additional QTL on Chr 18 and 1 that collectively explained 11% of the variation in total colon lesions were indicated. In the cecum, only a putative QTL on Chr 11 was associated with pathology (lesion severity) in the cecum. Reduced DSS susceptibility was observed in congenic stocks in which the highly susceptible NOD/Lt strain carried putative resistance alleles from either B6 on Chr 2 or from the highly resistant NON/Lt strain on Chr 9. We conclude that multiple genes control susceptibility to DSS colitis in mice. Possible Dssc candidate genes are discussed in terms of current knowledge of inflammatory bowel disease susceptibility loci in humans.
Scattering From Two Rough Surfaces With Inhomogeneous Dielectric Profiles

A rigorous analytical technique to derive the scattering coefficients of three-dimensional (3-D) two rough surfaces with arbitrary dielectric profiles is presented. The proposed method applies a perturbation approach to a surface integral equation (IE) formulation that is derived from the extended boundary conditions (EBC). First, using EBC or the surface equivalence principle (SEP) and the dyadic Green's functions of the resulting simpler geometries, a system of IEs for the surface fields of the two rough interfaces is established. Then, the Fourier-domain surface fields are derived using a perturbation method. The scattered fields are subsequently determined by a second application of SEP. In general, the approach could be used to present the general formulation for multiple rough layers and also higher order solutions. But, the focus of this paper is on deriving compact closed-form solutions for inhomogeneous dielectric profiles and thus, only two rough interfaces are considered. Accordingly, the first-order closed-form scattered fields are represented in a remarkably compact form that is suitable for physical interpretation and also extension to higher orders. Finally, the derived expressions are compared to known solutions of special cases, available in the literature. The results are shown to be exactly consistent with existing ones and hence validated analytically and numerically.
Population genetics and phylogeography of freshwater mussels in North America, Elliptio dilatata and Actinonaias ligamentina (Bivalvia: Unionidae)

Extrinsic and intrinsic forces combined shape the population structure of every species differently. Freshwater mussels are obligate parasites to a host fish during a juvenile stage (glochidia). Elliptio dilatata (ED) and Actinonaias ligamentina (AL) are co‐occurring freshwater mussel taxa with similar North American distribution and share some potential host fish. Using mitochondrial DNA, we determined the genotypes of 190 + individuals from collection sites in at least two tributaries in the Lake Erie and Ohio River watersheds, along with the Ouachita and Strawberry rivers in the southeast. Both species had followed a stepping‐stone model of dispersal, with greater pairwise genetic structure among collection sites of ED. Also, phylogeographical analysis for ED found significant geographical structuring of haplotype diversity. Overall, within‐population variation increased significantly from north to south, with low genetic diversity in the Strawberry River. We calculated significant among‐population structure for both species (ED: ΦST = 0.62, P < 0.001; AL: ΦST = 0.16, P < 0.001). Genetic analysis identified the Ouachita River as an area of significant reproductive isolation for both species. Results for AL indicated dispersal into northern areas from two genetically distinct glacial refugia, where results for ED indicated dispersal followed by low gene flow in northern areas. The conservation strategies for mussels that co‐occur in the same ‘bed’ could be species specific. Species such as ED have management units on the population scale, where AL has a more homogeneous genetic structure across its range.