Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cyclic Tensile Strain Facilitates the Ossification of Ligamentum Flavum Through &bgr;-Catenin Signaling Pathway: In Vitro Analysis

Study Design. Histological, immunohistochemical, and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses of the expression of cell signaling and transcriptional factors in human ossification of ligamentum flavum (OLF). Objective. To test the hypothesis that &bgr;-catenin plays a role in the ossification of OLF cells in response to cyclic tensile strain. Summary of Background Data. Several studies have investigated the roles of biomechanical and metabolic factors in the development and progression of OLF, based on the importance of genetic and biological factors. The process of ossification includes enchondral ossification, although such pathology remains poorly defined. Methods. Using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed the mRNA expression levels of signaling factors known to be involved in the ossification process (&bgr;-catenin, Runx2, Sox9, and osteopontin) in cultured OLF cells subjected to cyclic tensile strain. Cyclic tensile strain was produced by Flexercell FX-3000 (Flexercell International, Hillsborough, NC), applied for 0, 6, 12, or 24 hours. The localization of these factors was examined in decalcified paraffin OLF sections by immunohistochemistry. Controlled samples were harvested from nonossified ligamentum flavum of patients who underwent thoracic posterior surgical procedures. Results. Under resting conditions (no tensile strain), the mRNA levels of &bgr;-catenin, Runx2, Sox9, and osteopontin in cultured OLF cells were significantly higher than in the control non-OLF cells. Application of cyclic tensile strain to OLF cells resulted in significant increases in mRNA expression levels of &bgr;-catenin, Runx2, Sox9, and osteopontin at 24 hours. Hypertrophic chondrocytes present around the calcification front were immunopositive for Runx2 and osteopontin. Immunoreactivity of &bgr;-catenin and Sox9 was strongly present in premature chondrocytes in the fibrocartilage area. Conclusion. Our results indicated that cyclic tensile strain applied to OLF cells activated their ossification through a process mediated by the &bgr;-catenin signaling pathway.
Polyamines Stimulate the Level of the σ38 Subunit (RpoS) of Escherichia coli RNA Polymerase, Resulting in the Induction of the Glutamate Decarboxylase-dependent Acid Response System via the gadE Regulon*

Background: Polyamines are ubiquitous compounds present in most organisms. Results: Polyamines increase the level of RpoS, the σ38-RNA-polymerase subunit, even in non-amber-strain, to induce glutamate-dependent-acid resistance (GDAR) in Escherichia coli via gadE. Conclusion: GDAR activation by polyamines is the indirect effect of increased RpoS level. Significance: Polyamines are not only important for acid survival, but polyamine-dependent increase in RpoS levels will have pleiotropic effects. To study the physiological roles of polyamines, we carried out a global microarray analysis on the effect of adding polyamines to an Escherichia coli mutant that lacks polyamines because of deletions in the genes in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway. Previously, we have reported that the earliest response to polyamine addition is the increased expression of the genes for the glutamate-dependent acid resistance system (GDAR). We also presented preliminary evidence for the involvement of rpoS and gadE regulators. In the current study, further confirmation of the regulatory roles of rpoS and gadE is shown by a comparison of genome-wide expression profiling data from a series of microarrays comparing the genes induced by polyamine addition to polyamine-free rpoS+/gadE+ cells with genes induced by polyamine addition to polyamine-free ΔrpoS/gadE+ and rpoS+/ΔgadE cells. The results indicate that most of the genes in the E. coli GDAR system that are induced by polyamines require rpoS and gadE. Our data also show that gadE is the main regulator of GDAR and other acid fitness island genes. Both polyamines and rpoS are necessary for the expression of gadE gene from the three promoters of gadE (P1, P2, and P3). The most important effect of polyamine addition is the very rapid increase in the level of RpoS sigma factor. Our current hypothesis is that polyamines increase the level of RpoS protein and that this increased RpoS level is responsible for the stimulation of gadE expression, which in turn induces the GDAR system in E. coli.
A PTPN11 allele encoding a catalytically impaired SHP2 protein in a patient with a Noonan syndrome phenotype

The RASopathies are a relatively common group of phenotypically similar and genetically related autosomal dominant genetic syndromes caused by missense mutations affecting genes participating in the RAS/mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway that include Noonan syndrome (NS) and Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines (NSML, formerly LEOPARD syndrome). NS and NSML can be difficult to differentiate during infancy, but the presence of multiple lentigines, café au lait spots, and specific cardiac defects facilitate the diagnosis. Furthermore, individual PTPN11 missense mutations are highly specific to each syndrome and engender opposite biochemical alterations on the function of SHP‐2, the protein product of that gene. Here, we report on a 5‐year‐old male with two de novo PTPN11 mutations in cis, c.1471C>T (p.Pro491Ser), and c.1492C>T (p.Arg498Trp), which are associated with NS and NSML, respectively. This boy's phenotype is intermediate between NS and NSML with facial dysmorphism, short stature, mild global developmental delay, pulmonic stenosis, and deafness but absence of café au lait spots or lentigines. The double‐mutant SHP‐2 was found to be catalytically impaired. This raises the question of whether clinical differences between NS and NSML can be ascribed solely to the relative SHP‐2 catalytic activity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Age and Grade Trends in Prostate Cancer (1974–2003): A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Registry Analysis

Objectives:Age and pathologic grade are 2 critical factors used to guide clinical decisions and comparative outcomes studies in prostate cancer. The objective of this investigation was to use the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry to examine time trends in age and grade. Methods:The SEER public-use registry was queried by year of diagnosis from 1974 to 2003 for age at diagnosis (40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–79, and 80+ years) and for pathologic grade [well differentiated (WD), moderately differentiated (MD), and poorly differentiated (PD) disease]. Results were tabulated by 5-year interval; a total of 455,170 patients were included in the analysis. Time-trends analyses were performed for age, for grade, and for age and grade simultaneously, in each case applying a multivariate &khgr;2 test. Five-year cause specific survival (CSS) rates were also tabulated by age and grade. Results:Overall, there was a nonsignificant (P = 0.68) change in distribution of age at diagnosis. However, a significant (P < 0.001) grade migration took place over the study period, principally from WD to MD disease, and occurred across all age groups. Five-year cause specific survival time trends were similar for all age groups, but WD appeared to converge with MD disease in later years. Conclusions:An overall grade migration has occurred in prostate cancer, primarily observed as a shift from WD to MD disease; this may weaken grade-based prognostic categorizations. This migration occurred independent of patient age, reinforcing that the grade migration is likely due to changes in pathologic interpretation rather than to screening-related changes in disease characteristics.
Optical behavior of transmission oil lubricant for degradation monitoring

The demand of on-line monitoring for lubricant oils are increasing in recent few years cause of the awareness of used engine oil pollution and economic factors. Therefore, many studies have been done to support the demand of the monitoring system and the current trend was focusing on the optical behavior of the lubricant by using spectrometer. In our research work, UV/VIS Spectrometer was employed to analyze the optical behavior of lubricant and the relation with real parameter of lubricant such as oxidation, Total Acid Number (TAN) and contamination. The sample of used transmission oil was taken in real time and based on different mileage. With the combination of spectroscopy method and statistical analysis, the main parameters in lubricant monitoring properties including TAN and contamination can be determined quantitatively. The result in this article shows that the lubricant degradation can be monitored by using spectroscopy approaches by determining the correct wavelength.
Towards Re-orchestration of Real-Time Component Systems in Robotics

Over the last decade, there has been a trend towards component-based systems in robotics software engineering. Although the aspect of real-time is important to control manipulators with high velocities or forces, it has often been neglected. In this paper, we present a runtime environment for real-time component systems in robotics. It allows for a generic specification of computation tasks and employs a flexible, rule-based mechanism for composing and coordinating multiple components. Moreover, the runtime environment is capable of seamlessly re-orchestrating the composition of real-time components at run-time to adapt to new tasks - even when the robotics system is moving with high speed. For illustration, two examples are given.
c-Jun NH2-TERMINAL KINASE REGULATES LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-INDUCED PULMONARY MONONUCLEAR CELL RECRUITMENT VIA CCL2

Subsequent to the initial recruitment of neutrophils, monocytes are recruited to the lung after an injurious insult. Previously the authors have shown that inhibition of either p38 or c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) decreased pulmonary neutrophil recruitment in mice exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). As the signaling pathways regulating the influx of mononuclear cells to the lung are poorly understood, the authors undertook the present study to examine the roles of p38 and JNK. In a model of LPS-induced lung inflammation, systemic inhibition of JNK, but not p38, decreased the recruitment of mononuclear cells to the lung. Levels of CCL2 (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 [MCP-1]) were decreased in the setting of JNK inhibition, with LPS-induced pulmonary mononuclear cell recruitment in CCL2-deficient mice similar to that found with JNK inhibition. The decrease in LPS-induced CCL2 levels in the lung seen with JNK inhibition, however, was independent of neutrophil recruitment, as systemic depletion of neutrophils had no effect on pulmonary CCL2 levels after LPS exposure. In sum, these results suggest that JNK, but not p38, regulates LPS-induced mononuclear cell recruitment to the lung, that this occurs through a CCL2-dependent pathway, and that LPS-induced pulmonary CCL2 expression is dependent on JNK but independent of pulmonary neutrophil recruitment.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Appearance and Mechanism of Action of Five Hemostatic Agents Used in Neurosurgery.

OBJECTIVE To describe the magnetic resonance (MR) image appearance of 5 hemostatic agents placed in the brain, and to review their clinical application. STUDY DESIGN Descriptive ex vivo and in vivo study. ANIMALS Canine cadavers (n=4), client-owned dogs (n=4). METHODS Heads from 4 canine cadavers were used, each with 5 hemostatic agents placed in specific locations in the brain. Hemostatic agents were used in their native form in 2 cadaveric brains, and in 2 others the materials were saturated with fresh whole blood prior to placement to mimic application in a field of active hemorrhage. The heads underwent MR imaging and the images were reviewed. Postoperative MRI images from 4 dogs undergoing brain tumor resection were retrospectively reviewed and compared to the images from the cadavers. All clinical cases and cadaveric specimens underwent surgical closure prior to MR imaging including placement of titanium mesh over the craniotomy defect with a dural graft of porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) sealed with Tisseel (fibrin sealant). RESULTS The SIS and Tisseel used in the dural graft were consistently indistinguishable from the surrounding tissues on MR images. The MR imaging appearance of the remaining 4 hemostatic agents (Gelfoam, Avitene, Surgicel, and Floseal) placed on the surface or in the parenchyma of canine brain, varied with MR sequence weighting and blood saturation. CONCLUSION Accurate evaluation of the degree of brain tumor resection on postoperative MR images requires careful differentiation between hemorrhage, residual tumor, and hemostatic agents implanted.
Does Precarious Employment Damage Youth Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Marriage? Evidence from Egypt Using Longitudinal Data

The work environment has witnessed dramatic changes over the past three decades as a result of globalization, competition, and economic uncertainty, which led to a sharp rise in precarious employment across the world. Although the number of precarious jobs has increased considerably in the Arab countries over the recent decades, little is known about such jobs’ social and health consequences. Using Egypt as a case study, this paper aims to fill this gap in the literature by adding new evidence on the social consequences of precarious employment from an understudied region. This paper particularly looks at the impact of precarious employment on mental health, self-rated health and happiness in marriage. We use longitudinal data from the Survey of Yong People in Egypt (SYPE) conducted in 2009 and 2014. To estimate the causal impact of precarious employment, we employ several identification strategies, namely fixed and random effect regressions and instrumental variable two stage least squares. Our findings suggest that precarious employment is associated with poor mental health and worse well-being among youth. Our main findings remained across different identification strategies with different assumptions. The adverse impact of precarious work is likely to be mediated, though in some models it is a partial mediation, through poor working conditions such as low salary, maltreatment at work, job insecurity, and harassment from colleagues.
A Pathologist's Road Map to Benign, Precancerous, and Malignant Intraepithelial Proliferations in the Fallopian Tube

The fallopian tube has recently emerged as an important site of origin for not only early serous cancer in women with inherited mutations in BRCA1/BRCA2 but as a source of many pelvic serous carcinomas. With this increased attention has come the inevitable need to sort out what epithelial abnormalities are clinically important and how they should be reported by the practicing pathologist. This review addresses 4 categories of tubal epithelial change: (1) metaplasias; (2) nonmalignant atypias; (3) potential precursors, including secretory cell outgrowths and p53 signatures; and (4) tubal intraepithelial carcinomas. A modified protocol for sectioning the fallopian tube (SEE-FIM) is discussed and each of the above topics is covered in the context of its differential diagnosis and recommendations for reporting are included. Finally, the rationale for close inspection of the tube, both in presumed benign and malignant disease, is discussed, with reference to an ongoing multi-institutional web-based project (Pelvic-ovarian Cancer Interception project).
Single-beat analysis of ventricular late potentials in the surface electrocardiogram using the spectrotemporal pattern recognition algorithm in patients with coronary artery disease.

AIMS Post-infarction risk stratification can be ascertained from beat-to-beat variations in ventricular late potentials. However, gaining such information by conventional late potential analysis using signal averaging is still not possible. METHODS We therefore developed the spectrotemporal pattern recognition algorithm in order to detect beat-to-beat variations in late potentials. Based on the spectrotemporal pattern recognition algorithm two-dimensional correlation function, the typical spectral pattern of late potentials can be identified in spectrotemporal maps of single beats, even in the presence of noise. RESULTS Surface electrocardiograms of 385 patients after myocardial infarction (85 with documented sustained ventricular tachycardia (group 1), 100 with fast, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (> 270 cycles.min-1) or primary ventricular fibrillation (group 2), 200 without ventricular arrhythmias (group 3) and 45 healthy volunteers (group 4), were analysed. The spectrotemporal pattern recognition algorithm detected late potentials in single beats in 89% of group 1 patients, in 79% of group 2, in 22% of group 3 and in 4% of normals. The spectrotemporal pattern recognition algorithm measured late potential frequency and extension of late potentials into the ST segment, which was significantly different between groups 1 and 2. Beat-to-beat variations in late potentials, with respect to frequency and extension into the ST segment, were markedly higher in patients with a history of primary ventricular fibrillation. CONCLUSION Single-beat analysis using the spectrotemporal pattern recognition algorithm may improve risk stratification of patients after myocardial infarction, and provides information on patients prone to ventricular fibrillation.
Mitotic Cyclins Stimulate the Activity of c-Myb-like Factors for Transactivation of G2/M Phase-specific Genes in Tobacco*

Myb transcription factors, which contain three imperfect repeats in the Myb domain, are evolutionarily conserved members of the Myb superfamily. Vertebrate Myb proteins with three repeats, c-Myb, A-Myb, and BMyb, play important roles at the G1/S transition in the cell cycle. In plants, this type of Myb protein controls the G2/M phase by activating or repressing the transcription of cyclin B genes and a variety of other G2/M phase-specific genes. In tobacco, two genes for Myb activators, NtmybA1 and NtmybA2, are transcriptionally controlled and are expressed specifically at the G2/M phase. As we showed here, in addition to the control at the transcriptional level, activity of NtmybA2 is also controlled at the post-translational level. We found that the transactivation potential of NtmybA2 is repressed by a regulatory domain located at its carboxyl terminus and that specific classes of cyclins A and B enhanced NtmybA2 activity possibly by relieving this inhibitory effect. Mutations at the 20 potential sites of phosphorylation by cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) in NtmybA2 blocked the enhancing effects of the cyclins on NtmybA2 activity. Recombinant NtmybA2 was phosphorylated in vitro by a CDK fraction prepared from tobacco BY2 cells. The kinase activity for NtmybA2 in the CDK fraction was cell cycle-regulated in BY2 cells, peaking at the G2/M phase when the level of transcripts of cyclin B is maximal. Taken together, our data suggest that NtmybA2 is phosphorylated by a specific cyclin/CDK complex(es) at G2/M and that this phosphorylation removes the inhibitory effect of its C-terminal region, thereby activating NtmybA2 specifically at G2/M.
Transfer Learning With Fully Pretrained Deep Convolution Networks for Land-Use Classification

In recent years, transfer learning with pretrained convolutional networks (CNets) has been successfully applied to land-use classification with high spatial resolution (HSR) imagery. The commonly used transfer CNets partially use the feature descriptor part of the pretained CNets, and replace the classifier part of the pretrained CNets in the old task with a new one. This causes the separation and asynchrony between the feature descriptor part and the classifier part of the transferred CNets during the learning process, which reduces the effectiveness of the training process. To overcome this weakness, a transfer learning method with fully pretrained CNets is proposed in this letter for the land-use classification of HSR images. In the proposed method, a multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifier is quickly pretrained using the high-level features extracted by the feature descriptor of the pretrained CNets. Fully pretrained CNets can be generated by concatenating the feature descriptor of the pretrained CNets and the pretained MLP. Because both the feature descriptor and the classifier are pretrained, the separation and asynchrony between the two parts can be avoided during the training process. The final transferred CNets are then obtained by fine-tuning the fully pretrained CNets with the random cropping and mirroring strategy. The experiments show that the proposed method can accelerate the convergence of the training process with no loss of accuracy in land-use classification, and its performance is comparable to other latest methods.
Efficiency or speculation? A dynamic analysis of the Bitcoin market

Bitcoin has recently been labelled as a â€œdangerous speculative bubbleâ€ by Nobel Prize-winning economists Joseph Stiglitz and Robert Shiller, as the Bitcoin's market value now exceeds the GDP of over 130 countries. In this study, the multifractality and efficiency of the Bitcoin price index are tested, using a nonlinear data analysis technique called the multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA). In addition, we assess the time-variations in the market efficiency level through using a rolling-window framework. Our evidence shows that the efficiency of the Bitcoin market changes over time and this market seems to be more efficient during downward than upward periods. We also find that Bitcoin is marked by a persistent long memory phenomenon in its short- term components, which could be interpreted as a possible speculation by investors.
Refractive results with the use of AT.Lisa intraocular lens (2008-2015)

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the refractive results on a large cohort of patients who were implanted spherical or toric multifocal IOL’s for cataract surgery or for refractive purpose. Preoperative refractive investigations included auto refractometer topography, pentacam, contact and noncontact biometry and many non-refractive investigations. The target in multifocal IOL usage was emmetropia and it was achieved in most cases. Ametropia occurrence involved correction in different ways.
CTG repeats associated with human genetic disease are inherently flexible.

The lengthening of tracts of CTG, CGG and GAA triplet repeats during progression of a pedigree has been associated with more than 12 human genetic diseases, including fragile X syndrome, myotonic dystrophy and Friedreich's ataxia. These repetitive sequence elements have the potential to form alternative DNA secondary structures that may contribute to their instability. The alternative DNA secondary structures may mediate errors during DNA replication, repair or recombination of the triplet repeat, leading to expansion. Here we show that DNA composed of pure CTG or CGG repeats exhibits anomalously fast mobility on polyacrylamide gels, confirming a previous observation for DNA containing CTG and CGG triplet repeats flanked by mixed sequence DNA. Moreover, we show that even short tracts of duplex CTG repeats have an unusual helix structure. CTG repeats reduce overall curvature associated with phased A-tract or GGCC curves, but alone they do not introduce curvature into DNA. The reduction in curvature of phased A-tracts by CTG repeats is similar to that afforded by an interspersed flexible region associated with a (TT). (TT) mispair. CTG-containing DNAs exhibit a rapid rate of cyclization, consistent with a flexible helix. These results suggest that tracts of (CTG). (CAG) repeats are inherently flexible. In addition, our results suggest that the unusual rapid electrophoretic mobility of CTG or CGG-containing DNA may be a consequence of an extended flexible DNA chain.