Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The balance between HGF and TGF-β1 acts as a switch in the tissue remodeling of chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVE The remodeling patterns in different types of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) are controversial. This study aimed to investigate the roles of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in the CRS remodeling process. METHODS Surgical samples were obtained from CRSwNP patients (n=29), CRSsNP patients (n=34), and controls (n=21). Collagen deposition was detected via Masson trichrome (MT) staining. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to examine the protein expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). The expression of TGF-β1 and HGF was measured by ELISA. The relationship between the rate of TGF-β1/HGF and the expression of Collagen III and α-SMA was analyzed using a Pearson correlation test. Primary nasal epithelial cells (NECs) were cultured and divided into four groups. Collagen III secretion was measured in the supernatants by ELISA. The expression of α-SMA was studied by immunofluorescence. RESULTS Reduced collagen deposition and α-SMA expression were detected in the CRSwNP group (P=0.033). The expression of collagen deposition and α-SMA was increased in the CRSwNP group (P=0.001). The ELISA tests indicated that TGF-β1 levels were significantly increased in the CRSsNP compared with the controls. The expression of HGF was higher in the CRSwNP than in the other two groups. The ratio of TGF-β1/HGF was upregulated in CRSsNP and was correlated positively with collagen and α-SMA expression (P<0.05, R=0.762). TGF-β1 can increase collagen and α-SMA expression in NECs, and HGF can antagonize the remodeling action of TGF-β1. CONCLUSION Distinct remodeling patterns are revealed for different types of CRS. The balance of TGF-β1 and HGF is important in the CRS remodeling process.
I. PROBLEMOS IR SPRENDIMAI / PROBLEMY

Conceptual metaphor analysis in political discourse has been the focus of many cognitive linguists (Lassan 1995; Lakoff 1996; Musolff 2004; Charteris-Black 2005; Goatly 2007; Semino 2008, etc.). Moreover, the recent years of political discourse analysis have undergone cross-fertilization between cognitive researches into metaphor and critical discourse analysis. Thus, this paper aims at analyzing the right-wing and left-wing ideologies of Lithuanian political parties through cognitive metaphor perspective since metaphor is regarded to be a cognitive mechanism of ideology. It is generally assumed that political parties verbally and non-verbally behave in accordance with the ideology they adopt. Therefore, the research employing conceptual metaphor analysis blended with rhetorical persuasion approach attempts to look into the subtleties of the relationship between the conventional conservative or social democratic ideology of a party and its linguistic performance. The question whether Lithuanian political parties really adopt the ideology their party name implies is brought up. Empirically, the research is based on election discourse of Lithuanian Conservative and Social Democratic parties. First, metaphorically used words and phrases in the target discourse were identified applying the Pragglejaz Metaphor Identification Procedure (“MIP”) (2007). Next, it is taken into consideration that the identified metaphorically used words tend to construct a certain scenario which underlies a certain conceptual metaphor. Once this relation is established, ideological implications of the metaphorical expressions and their underlying conceptual metaphors are highlighted and analysed. Also, the research takes into account rhetorical effect produced by ideological implications of the analyzed parties.
Ethnic Coalitions and the Logic of Political Survival in Authoritarian Regimes

Why do authoritarian governments exclude ethnic groups if this jeopardizes their regime survival? We generalize existing arguments that attribute exclusion dynamics to ethnic coalition formation. We argue that a mutual commitment problem, between the ethnic ruling group and potential coalition members, leads to power-balanced ethnic coalitions. However, authoritarian regimes with institutions that mitigate credible commitment problems facilitate the formation of coalitions that are less balanced in power. We test our arguments with a k-adic conditional logit approach, using data on ethnic groups and their power status. We demonstrate that in autocracies, the ruling ethnic group is more likely to form and maintain coalitions that balance population sizes among all coalition members. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the extent to which balancing occurs is conditional on authoritarian regime type.
The importance of ethical review in midwifery research

This paper begins by conceptualising midwifery’s philosophy, and the practices underpinned by it, as the cultural capital of midwifery. It is then argued that such capital, both in nature and degree, serves as a unique and substantial foundation, not only for professional practice, but also for self-employment. This is achieved through the particular and various ways that it links consumers and professionals, and in the distinctive approach to care that it informs within the larger maternity market. Importantly, it is also acknowledged that the cultural capital of midwifery exists within a dynamic context of tension and change.
ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH IN CHENNAI, INDIA: AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO MANAGING THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT FOR HUMAN HEALTH

This paper presents the results of a workshop held in August 2002 in support of an action-oriented program of research that adopts an ecosystem approach to human health in Chennai, India. The workshop brought together stakeholders and potential participants in the research program in a collaborative environment to explore environment and health relationships, identify key actors and stakeholders in managing for human health, and develop a conceptual model of environment and health in Chennai. The workshop also introduced the ecosystem approach to workshop participants and explored the feasibility of applying the approach in Chennai. This paper is intended to highlight the use of a stakeholder workshop within an ecosystem approach, as well as techniques employed in the workshop’s working sessions. Influences on the workshop come from soft systems methodology, adaptive management and participatory action research. Working sessions were oriented to problem identification and framing, system conceptualization and visioning. Workshop participants developed a diagrammatic expression of environment and health in Chennai known as a ‘rich picture. ’ Important themes in environment and health were drawn from this expression, such as: slums as locations of most -vulnerable populations and objectionable conditions; surface water quality and water bourne disease (e.g., typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, dysentery); public participation in management of environment and health problems; and malaria. Workshop participants also helped to identify a mixed-methods approach to addressing these issues in slum areas. The workshop results are now being used to direct the broader program of research.
A study on powder-pack boronizing of 316 stainless-steel ball bearing

In this present study, 10 mm diameter of 316 stainless-steel is used in powder-pack boronizing by using solid medium boron, Ekabor 1. The boronizing experiment is carried out in a high temperature furnace at 850, 900 and 950 C for 2, 4 and 6 hours. Powder condition and powder-pack surrounding are also featured in this study to analyze the effective powder usage of the treatment. Borided layer surface is characterized using XRD analysis and SEM micrographs. The hardness, wear properties and kinetics atoms of diffusion using Arrhenius equation will be determined in this study. Preliminary results showed hardness of boronized sample is higher than the untreated sample.
Deep brain stimulation for early-onset dystonia

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is considered as a treatment option for many neurological diseases. Many patients with movement disorders exhibit remarkable improvement after DBS. Owing to its minimally invasive nature, reversibility, and adjustability, DBS has been increasingly used over the past several decades. Dystonia is one of the most common movement disorders among children, and there is no effective treatment. Recently, some surgeon groups have performed DBS surgery for children. However, the outcomes of DBS in children are not well characterized. Here we mainly discuss the efficacy of DBS against childhood-onset dystonia and introduce the main procedure of pediatric DBS based on our own experience.
A new Indo-Malayan family of Grassatores (Arachnida : Opiliones : Laniatores)

The laniatorean family Phalangodidae has been largely reduced to a core of Holarctic species; however, many taxa were never formally transferred to other families. We examined a group of harvestmen related to Beloniscus Thorell, 1891, from South-east Asia and determined the nature of the relationships of the ‘Beloniscus-like harvestmen’, herein described as the new family Beloniscidae, fam. nov., in the broad context of Laniatores. Based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis of a broad representative laniatorean Sanger-sequences dataset we found support for our taxonomic hypotheses that (1) inclusion of Beloniscidae, fam. nov. in Phalangodidae would render the family non-monophyletic, and (2) Beloniscidae, fam. nov. represents a lineage that is morphologically and genetically distinct from all other known laniatorean families. The new family Beloniscidae is endemic to South-east Asia and comprises 37 species in two new subfamilies: Beloniscinae, subfam. nov. and Buparinae, subfam. nov. Beloniscinae includes the genera Beloniscellus Roewer, 1931, Beloniscops Roewer, 1949, Belonisculus Roewer, 1923, Beloniscus (type genus) and Kendengus Roewer, 1949. Buparinae includes the genera Buparellus Roewer, 1949, Bupares Thorell, 1889 (type genus) and Buparomma Roewer, 1949. Members of Beloniscidae are relatively homogeneous in their external morphology, but are recognised by well marked genitalic features. Male genitalia are described for exemplar species, and the morphology is compared with that of Epedanidae. Names are given to two new genitalic structures: sella curulis and pseudocalyx. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:540BCE49-6F2E-4372-BFD4-D3C6068F045D http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FE8B011B-AA6D-4E6C-A321-123542A0563F http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E4A559CD-170A-40F2-924A-541C22974344
Congenital Vocal Cord Paralysis and Late-Onset Limb-Girdle Weakness in MuSK–Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome

A 30-year-old woman with congenital vocal cord paralysis presented for evaluation of fatigable proximal upper limb weakness and difficulty maintaining the neck erect. Neurologic examination showed bilateral asymmetric eyelid ptosis, mild weakness (MRC 4/5), and atrophy of neck extensors and shoulder girdle muscles, whereas lower limb muscle strength was normal. Repetitive nerve stimulation revealed decremental responses in orbicularis oculis and trapezius. Needle electromyography demonstrated myopathic changes in proximal and paraspinal muscles. Acetylcholine receptor and muscle skeletal receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies, creatine kinase (CK), and lactate were negative or normal. Next-generation sequencing detected two heterozygous variants in the MUSK gene. One variant, c.79+2T>G, is a known pathogenic variant, and the other, c.2165T>C (p.V722A), is a novel missense variant, predicted to be pathogenic by in silico analysis. The two variants were proven to be in trans. This case expands the clinical and molecular spectrum of MuSK congenital myasthenic syndromes.
Effects of Methotrexate Alone or Combined With Arthritis-Related Biotherapies in an in vitro Co-culture Model With Immune Cells and Synoviocytes

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) at low dose is a key drug for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MTX is widely used alone or combined with biologics or steroids. The aim was to study its effects on cytokine production using an in vitro model with synoviocytes interacting with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to reproduce the interactions in RA synovium. Methods: Activated-PBMC were co-cultured with RA synoviocytes during 48 h. A dose-response of MTX was tested and different biotherapies (Infliximab, Tocilizumab, Abatacept and Rituximab) were added alone or in combination with MTX. Cytokine production (IL-17, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and IL-10) was measured by ELISA. These results were compared with those obtained with steroids. Results: MTX alone had a modest inhibitory effect on cytokine production compared to steroids. The most effective concentration was one of the lowest, 0.01 μg/ml, as for steroids. Infliximab was the most active biotherapy (p ≤ 0.05 for all cytokines) followed by Tocilizumab (p ≤ 0.05 for all cytokines except IL-6). Abatacept and Rituximab had a more restricted effect on cytokines (p ≤ 0.05 for IL-1β and IFN-γ). The combination MTX/biotherapies did not increase significantly the inhibition of cytokine production but some specific inhibitory effects were observed with Infliximab on IL-17 and IL-6, and with Abatacept and Rituximab on IL-1β. Conclusion: Low dose of MTX was at least as effective as high dose. The effects of the combination with biotherapies showed an important level of heterogeneity between the levels of some specific cytokines and the degree of inhibition with drugs.
Let’s Talk About BiTEs and Other Drugs in the Real-Life Setting for B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Background: Therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are currently initially efficient, but even if a high percentage of patients have an initial complete remission (CR), most of them relapse. Recent data shows that immunotherapy with either bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells can eliminate residual chemotherapy-resistant B-ALL cells. Objective: The objective of the manuscript is to present improvements in the clinical outcome for chemotherapy-resistant ALL in the real-life setting, by describing Romania's experience with bispecific antibodies for B-cell ALL. Methods: We present the role of novel therapies for relapsed B-cell ALL, including the drugs under investigation in phase I-III clinical trials, as a potential bridge to transplant. Blinatumomab is presented in a critical review, presenting both the advantages of this drug, as well as its limitations. Results: Bispecific antibodies are discussed, describing the clinical trials that resulted in its approval by the FDA and EMA. The real-life setting for relapsed B-cell ALL is described and we present the patients treated with blinatumomab in Romania. Conclusion: In the current manuscript, we present blinatumomab as a therapeutic alternative in the bridge-to-transplant setting for refractory or relapsed ALL, to gain a better understanding of the available therapies and evidence-based data for these patients in 2019.
Coping With Water Shortage: An Update on the Role of K+, Cl-, and Water Membrane Transport Mechanisms on Drought Resistance

Drought is now recognized as the abiotic stress that causes most problems in agriculture, mainly due to the strong water demand from intensive culture and the effects of climate change, especially in arid/semi-arid areas. When plants suffer from water deficit (WD), a plethora of negative physiological alterations such as cell turgor loss, reduction of CO2 net assimilation rate, oxidative stress damage, and nutritional imbalances, among others, can lead to a decrease in the yield production and loss of commercial quality. Nutritional imbalances in plants grown under drought stress occur by decreasing water uptake and leaf transpiration, combined by alteration of nutrient uptake and long-distance transport processes. Plants try to counteract these effects by activating drought resistance mechanisms. Correct accumulation of salts and water constitutes an important portion of these mechanisms, in particular of those related to the cell osmotic adjustment and function of stomata. In recent years, molecular insights into the regulation of K+, Cl-, and water transport under drought have been gained. Therefore, this article brings an update on this topic. Moreover, agronomical practices that ameliorate drought symptoms of crops by improving nutrient homeostasis will also be presented.
Nuclear Factor-κB Increases Intracellular Calcium by Upregulation of Na+-Ca2+ Exchanger 1 in Cerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis

Objectives The mechanisms underlying pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP) are still not completely understood. An early, critical feature of AP is aberrant calcium (Ca2+) signaling, termed Ca2+ overload, within pancreatic acinar cells. This study aimed to develop a model system in rats for AP induction to study the contribution of the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger 1 (NCX1) ion channel in AP pathogenesis. Methods To establish a rat model of AP induction, cerulein or l-arginine were intraperitoneally injected and tissue was histologically analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. A cell culture-based model for AP induction was similarly created through cerulein treatment of AR42J cells. Induction of AP was also examined following exposure to the NXC1-targeted inhibitor KB-R7943. The expression of each gene was detected by Western blotting, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, or quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Transcriptional regulation by nuclear factor (NF)-κB was detected using an NCX1 promoter-fusion dual luciferase reporter system. Cytosolic Ca2+ was measured using a fluorescent calcium indicator. Results We found that cerulein induced NCX1 expression via activation of nuclear factor NF-κB, which potentially binds to the NCX1 promoter to induce its transcription. Conclusions Our findings reveal a regulatory pathway through NF-κB/NCX1 governing Ca2+ overload in AP development, thus providing potential targets for AP treatment.
Extrapancreatic Inflammation on Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Early Prediction of Acute Pancreatitis Severity.

OBJECTIVES This work aimed to study the early predictive value of extrapancreatic inflammation on magnetic resonance imaging (EPIM) for acute pancreatitis (AP) severity. METHODS The EPIM score, magnetic resonance severity index, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score, bedside index of severity in AP, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were evaluated for 337 AP patients. The extrapancreatic inflammation on computed tomography (EPIC) was also assessed for 86 patients undergoing computed tomography. The predictive values of these scores for severe AP and organ failure were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. RESULTS Of the 337 AP patients, 55 (16.3%) had organ failure and 17 (5.0%) had severe AP. The EPIM showed a strong correlation with the EPIC (r = 0.794, P < 0.001) and had a higher correlation with the APACHE II and hospital stay compared with the EPIC. The accuracy of the EPIM in predicting severe AP and organ failure (areas under the curve, 0.844 and 0.817) was consistent with that of the APACHE II and bedside index of severity in AP, and higher than that of the magnetic resonance severity index. CONCLUSION The EPIM is more helpful in assessing AP severity than the EPIC and can indicate the occurrence of severe AP and organ failure early.
Content-based structuring of still and animated images collections. (Structuration par analyse du contenu des collections d'images fixes et animées)

This document presents a synthesis of my research activity since 2001, which corresponds to the end of my PhD thesis. The research domain I investigate is content-based indexing of still and animated images. I have explored this area under the viewpoint of image analysis for the proposal of new descriptors of visual contents, as well as under the viewpoint of databases by studying new multidimensional access methods dedicated to visual contents collections. Most of my activity rests on the approaches of local description based on interest points extraction. Popular because of their robustness to image transformations, these approaches su er from drawbacks that motivated my research for several kinds of applications manipulating image and video contents. Their rst weakness concerns the relative poorness of the involved description, since locally extracted and then representing the whole object contents not su ciently. We have addressed this problem according to three directions: (1) the proposal of ne similarity measures between two images described locally (2) the combination of heterogeneous visual descriptors, including several categories of local and global features, with the aim of exhibiting the richness of each category for object recognition applied to video surveillance and (3) the description of the spatio-temporal behavior of local descriptors for improving copy detection in video sequences. The second drawback of local approaches rests on the high volume of multidimensional features generated, making unachievable search in large collections of contents without dedicated access methods. After having revisited the curse of dimensionality phenomena for the state-of-the-art index structures on image databases, we proposed (1) strategies for improving retrieval when considering multiple queries, i.e. queries composed of several vectors (such as with local descriptors) and (2) a hierarchical model enabling to accelerate nearest neighbors search in high-dimensional feature spaces, under exact, approximate and progressive retrieval scenarios. This synthesis ends with the presentation of my actual work, in the continuity of the aforementioned activities as well as towards new research directions such as the description of the spatial layout of the visual contents.
Intragranular three-dimensional stress tensor fields in plastically deformed polycrystals

Probing polycrystals' stress The way that a polycrystalline material deforms is in part determined by internal stresses between and within crystal grains. Hayashi et al. developed an x-ray method for mapping the intragranular stresses in a polycrystalline material. They found surprisingly large stresses, which are important for the fundamental understanding of how these materials will fail. This method will work for other materials and provides important information for multiscale deformation modeling. Science, this issue p. 1492 A synchrotron-based x-ray method allows mapping of intragranular stress in a polycrystalline sample. The failure of polycrystalline materials used in infrastructure and transportation can be catastrophic. Multiscale modeling, which requires multiscale measurements of internal stress fields, is the key to predicting the deformation and failure of alloys. We determined the three-dimensional intragranular stress tensor fields in plastically deformed bulk steel using a high-energy x-ray microbeam. We observed intragranular local stresses that deviated greatly from the grain-averaged stresses and exceeded the macroscopic tensile strength. Even under deformation smaller than the uniform elongation, the intragranular stress fields were in highly triaxial stress states, which cannot be determined from the grain-averaged stresses. The ability to determine intragranular stress tensor fields can facilitate the understanding and prediction of the deformation and failure of materials through multiscale modeling.