Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 ligands on angiogenic responses and left ventricular function in mice.

AIMS Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptors (VEGF-Rs) are among the most powerful factors regulating vascular growth. However, it has remained unknown whether stimulation of VEGF-R1, VEGF-R2 or both of the receptors produces the best angiogenic responses in myocardium. The aim of this study was to compare the VEGF-R1-specific ligand VEGF-B(186), VEGF-R2-specific ligand VEGF-E and VEGF-A(165,) which stimulates both receptors, regarding their effects on angiogenesis and left ventricular function in mice. METHODS AND RESULTS High-resolution echocardiography was used to guide the closed-chest injections of adenoviral (Ad) vectors expressing VEGF-B(186,) VEGF-E, and VEGF-A(165) into the anterior wall of the left ventricle in C57Bl/6J mice. Angiogenic and functional effects were analysed using histology, ultrasound and perfusion analyses 6 (D6) and 14 (D14) days after the Ad injection. AdVEGF-A(165) induced a strong angiogenic response seen as an enlargement of myocardial capillaries whereas angiogenesis induced by AdVEGF-B(186) and AdVEGF-E seemed more physiological. The increase in the capillary area was accompanied with an increase in myocardial perfusion at D6 after the gene injection. AdVEGF-A(165) and AdVEGF-E induced endothelial-specific proliferation whereas AdVEGF-B(186) mostly induced proliferation of cardiomyocytes. AdVEGF-A(165) induced more pronounced tissue damage than AdVEGF-B(186) and AdVEGF-E. Left ventricular function measured as ejection fraction did not change during the follow-up. AdVEGF-A(165) increased both VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2 protein expression whereas AdVEGF-B(186) and AdVEGF-E did not affect endogenous receptor expression levels. CONCLUSION AdVEGF-B(186) and AdVEGF-E are equally potent in inducing therapeutic angiogenesis in mouse myocardium and produce less side effects than AdVEGF-A(165).
Postreward delays and systematic biases in measures of animal temporal discounting

Significance Psychologists often measure impulsivity and self-control in animals using the intertemporal choice task. This task pits a delayed reward against an immediate smaller one and is repeated several times. To ensure that animals do not choose the immediate reward to progress to the next trial more quickly, an adjusting postreward buffer is usually added after the reward to equalize trial lengths. Our study suggests that monkeys (and thus possibly other animals) do not understand this element of the task, and raises the possibility that the task does not, in fact, measure temporal discounting. We propose an alternative model, which includes an explicit bounded rationality term, that fits preferences as well as traditional hyperbolic discounting models. Intertemporal choice tasks, which pit smaller/sooner rewards against larger/later ones, are frequently used to study time preferences and, by extension, impulsivity and self-control. When used in animals, many trials are strung together in sequence and an adjusting buffer is added after the smaller/sooner option to hold the total duration of each trial constant. Choices of the smaller/sooner option are not reward maximizing and so are taken to indicate that the animal is discounting future rewards. However, if animals fail to correctly factor in the duration of the postreward buffers, putative discounting behavior may instead reflect constrained reward maximization. Here, we report three results consistent with this discounting-free hypothesis. We find that (i) monkeys are insensitive to the association between the duration of postreward delays and their choices; (ii) they are sensitive to the length of postreward delays, although they greatly underestimate them; and (iii) increasing the salience of the postreward delay biases monkeys toward the larger/later option, reducing measured discounting rates. These results are incompatible with standard discounting-based accounts but are compatible with an alternative heuristic model. Our data suggest that measured intertemporal preferences in animals may not reflect impulsivity, or even mental discounting of future options, and that standard human and animal intertemporal choice tasks measure unrelated mental processes.
Diversity and abundance of phosphonate biosynthetic genes in nature

Significance Phosphonic acids are organophosphorus molecules containing direct carbon–phosphorus bonds that are often perceived as biological rarities. The data presented here show that the ability to synthesize diverse phosphonates is both widespread and relatively common among microbes. These findings are consistent with recent evidence suggesting that phosphonates are important intermediates in the global phosphorus cycle. Moreover, they support the idea that these molecules play a significant role in the biology of producing organisms, including a mechanism to sequester scarce phosphorus resources and to compete via chemical warfare using toxic phosphonate mimics of common metabolic intermediates. Phosphonates, molecules containing direct carbon–phosphorus bonds, compose a structurally diverse class of natural products with interesting and useful biological properties. Although their synthesis in protozoa was discovered more than 50 y ago, the extent and diversity of phosphonate production in nature remains poorly characterized. The rearrangement of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to phosphonopyruvate, catalyzed by the enzyme PEP mutase (PepM), is shared by the vast majority of known phosphonate biosynthetic pathways. Thus, the pepM gene can be used as a molecular marker to examine the occurrence and abundance of phosphonate-producing organisms. Based on the presence of this gene, phosphonate biosynthesis is common in microbes, with ∼5% of sequenced bacterial genomes and 7% of genome equivalents in metagenomic datasets carrying pepM homologs. Similarly, we detected the pepM gene in ∼5% of random actinomycete isolates. The pepM-containing gene neighborhoods from 25 of these isolates were cloned, sequenced, and compared with those found in sequenced genomes. PEP mutase sequence conservation is strongly correlated with conservation of other nearby genes, suggesting that the diversity of phosphonate biosynthetic pathways can be predicted by examining PEP mutase diversity. We used this approach to estimate the range of phosphonate biosynthetic pathways in nature, revealing dozens of discrete groups in pepM amplicons from local soils, whereas hundreds were observed in metagenomic datasets. Collectively, our analyses show that phosphonate biosynthesis is both diverse and relatively common in nature, suggesting that the role of phosphonate molecules in the biosphere may be more important than is often recognized.
Biomarkers of platelet activation in acute coronary syndromes

Summary The most convincing evidence for the participation of platelets in arterial thrombosis in humans comes from studies of platelet activation in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and from trials of antiplatelet drugs. Both strongly support the concept that repeated episodes of platelet activation over the thrombogenic surface of a vulnerable plaque may contribute to the risk of death from coronary causes. However, the relation of in vivoplatelet activation and adverse clinical events to results of platelet function tests remains largely unknown. A valuable marker of in vivoplatelet activation should be specific, unaltered by pre-analytical artefacts and reproducibly measured by easily performed methods. This article describes current biomarkers of platelet activation in ACS, reviews their advantages and disadvantages, discusses their potential pitfalls, and demonstrates emerging data supporting the positive clinical implications of monitoring in vivo platelet ac- tivation in the setting of ACS.
Dieting behavior and eating attitudes in children.

Many studies document the high prevalence of dieting and abnormal eating behaviors in adolescents and young adults. The age of onset of eating disorders remains unclear because there are no published surveys of voluntary dieting and eating attitudes in young children. A total of 318 girls and boys were surveyed from two randomly chosen schools in middle-income neighborhoods. The children were equally distributed among grades 3 through 6. The survey included a children's version of the Eating Attitudes Test and a demographic and dieting questionnaire. Results showed that 45% of the children wanted to be thinner, 37% had already tried to lose weight, and 6.9% scored in the anorexia nervosa range, closely matching the published results concerning teenagers and young adult women. Several questions were isolated by univariate and multiple regression analyses that accurately (P less than .05) predicted children's Eating Attitude Test scores. The fact that young children admit having diet preoccupation and atypical eating attitudes is shown in this study. It may be possible to improve early case identification of children at risk for anorexia nervosa and perhaps improve intervention strategies by focusing on the early development of dieting behavior in young children.
Serial Single-photon Emission Computed Tomographic and Transcranial Doppler Measurements for Evaluation of Vasospasm after Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE:To assess the clinical value of serial single photon-emission computed tomographic (SPECT) measurements after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS:Thirty-two patients were studied prospectively during the first 26 days after SAH with repeated SPECT measurements, clinical examinations, and transcranial Doppler recordings. Time trends were analyzed with a general linear model. A final SPECT measurement was performed after 1 year. RESULTS:A mean of 2.6 (range, 1–5) SPECT measurements revealed a significant (P = 0.001) quadratic curve consistent with initial hypoperfusion and then with hyperperfusion during the acute stage. SPECT findings were significantly associated with transcranial Doppler recordings (P = 0.016) and clinical assessments (P = 0.008). Patients fulfilling clinical and transcranial Doppler criteria for vasospasm demonstrated a more pronounced relative hypoperfusion-hyperperfusion time course. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified SPECT measurements obtained during Days 7 to 14 after the SAH as the only independent predictor (β = 0.042, P = 0.02) for impaired perfusion after 1 year. CONCLUSION:Serial SPECT measurements after aneurysmal SAH demonstrate that regional changes in cerebral perfusion follow a nonlinear time trend, and repeated measurements are necessary. This observation, as well as the low feasibility of SPECT, restricts the clinical value of such measurements.
Nanostructure of fibrillin-1 reveals compact conformation of EGF arrays and mechanism for extensibility

Fibrillin-1 is a 330-kDa multidomain extracellular matrix protein that polymerizes to form 57-nm periodic microfibrils, which are essential for all tissue elasticity. Fibrillin-1 is a member of the calcium-binding EGF repeat family and has served as a prototype for structural analyses. Nevertheless, both the detailed structure of fibrillin-1 and its organization within microfibrils are poorly understood because of the complexity of the molecule and the resistance of EGF arrays to crystallization. Here, we have used small-angle x-ray scattering and light scattering to analyze the solution structure of human fibrillin-1 and to produce ab initio structures of overlapping fragments covering 90% of the molecule. Rather than exhibiting a uniform rod shape as current models predict, the scattering data revealed a nonlinear conformation of calcium-binding EGF arrays in solution. This finding has major implications for the structures of the many other EGF-containing extracellular matrix and membrane proteins. The scattering data also highlighted a very compact, globular region of the fibrillin-1 molecule, which contains the integrin and heparan sulfate-binding sites. This finding was confirmed by calculating a 3D reconstruction of this region using electron microscopy and single-particle image analysis. Together, these data have enabled the generation of an improved model for microfibril organization and a previously undescribed mechanism for microfibril extensibility.
Distribution of hypophysiotropic thyrotropin‐releasing hormone (TRH)‐synthesizing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of the mouse

Hypophysiotropic thyrotropin‐releasing hormone (TRH) neurons, the central regulators of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐thyroid axis, are located in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in a partly overlapping distribution with non‐hypophysiotropic TRH neurons. The distribution of hypophysiotropic TRH neurons in the rat PVN is well understood, but the localization of these neurons is unknown in mice. To determine the distribution and phenotype of hypophysiotropic TRH neurons in mice, double‐ and triple‐labeling experiments were performed on sections of intact mice, and mice treated intravenously and intraperitoneally with the retrograde tracer Fluoro‐Gold. TRH neurons were located in all parts of the PVN except the periventricular zone. Hypophysiotropic TRH neurons were observed only at the mid‐level of the PVN, primarily in the compact part. In this part of the PVN, TRH neurons were intermingled with oxytocin and vasopressin neurons, but based on their size, the TRH neurons were parvocellular and did not contain magnocellular neuropeptides. Co‐localization of TRH and cocaine‐ and amphetamine‐regulated transcript (CART) were observed only in areas where hypophysiotropic TRH neurons were located. In accordance with the morphological observations, hypothyroidism increased TRH mRNA content of neurons only at the mid‐level of the PVN. These data demonstrate that the distribution of hypophysiotropic TRH neurons in mice is vastly different from the pattern in rats, with a dominant occurrence of these neurosecretory cells in the compact part and adjacent regions at the mid‐level of the PVN. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that the organization of the PVN is markedly different in mice and rats. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:3948–3961, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Importance and Impact of Social Support on Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure: An Overview of the Literature

As advances in medical treatment of heart failure (HF) become limited, other factors are being studied to improve outcomes. There is much evidence that supportive social relations have a major impact on health outcomes and that social support is essential for adjustment to illness. This article describes current research on the influence of social support on outcomes in patients with HF. A computerized literature search in Medline, CINAHL, and PsychLit was performed on each of the different outcomes in relation to social support, covering the period 1993 to 2003. Seventeen studies were found that investigated the relationship between social support and different outcome measures in HF. Four studies found clear relationships between social support and rehospitalizations and mortality; the relationship between quality of life and depression was less clear. Up to now, limited research has been done on the impact of social support on outcomes in patients with HF. The available studies suggest that social support has an impact on HF outcomes but further research is necessary before firm conclusions about the nature of these relationships can be reached.
Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Prior Stroke

Patients with prior stroke are susceptible to venous thromboembolism (VTE). We studied patients with stroke in the Worcester VTE study of 2488 consecutive patients hospitalized with VTE. In all, 288 (11.6%) had a clinical history of stroke and 2200 (88.4%) did not. Patients with stroke were more likely to die inhospital (9.2% vs 4%) and within 30 days of VTE diagnosis (16.7% vs 6.9%) compared with patients without stroke (all P < .001). Recent immobilization (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-4.09) and inferior vena cava (IVC) filter insertion (adjusted OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.15-3.83) were associated with a doubling of inhospital death. Recent immobilization (adjusted OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.19-2.83) and IVC filter insertion (adjusted OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.2-3.14) were associated with an increased risk of death within 30 days of VTE. In conclusion, patients with VTE and prior stroke were more than twice as likely to die while hospitalized and within 30 days of VTE diagnosis.
Factors affecting students' academic performance using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that influence students' performance in the Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Respondents in this study consisted of 10 students with the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in each school. The level of importance of each criterion was determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings show that the most influential criteria for determining students' performance are academic and personal factors. Additionally, the most dominants sub-criteria are instructor's mastery of the subject, instructor's presentations, health problems, family relationships, and learning methods.
Evaluation of the visibility and the course of the mandibular incisive canal and the lingual foramen using cone-beam computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES To assess the visibility and the course of the incisive canal and the visibility and the location of the lingual foramen using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS In total, 100 CBCT examinations of patients for preoperative planning were used for this study. The examinations were taken using the NewTom 3G CBCT unit, applying a standardized exposure protocol. Image reconstruction from the raw data was performed using the NewTom software. Three experts were asked to assess the visibility of the incisive canal using a four-point rating scale. The position of the incisive canal was recorded in relation to the lower, buccal and lingual border of the mandible using the application provided by the CBCT software. RESULTS The incisive canal was definitely visible in 83.5% of the scans and the mean endpoint was approximately 15 mm anterior to the mental foramen. The mean distance from the lower border of the mandible was 11.5 mm and its course was closer to the buccal border of the mandible in 87% of the scans. The lingual foramen was definitely visible in 81% of the scans. CONCLUSIONS The high detection rate of the incisive canal and the lingual foramen in the anterior region of the mandible using CBCT indicates the potential high preoperative value of CBCT scan for surgical procedures in the anterior mandible.
Murine model of recurrent group G streptococcal cellulitis: no evidence of protective immunity

Despite the well-known tendency of cellulitis due to beta-hemolytic streptococci to recur, little is known regarding the mechanisms of human immunity to this infection. We established cellulitis in mice by using a strain of group G streptococcus (1750) originally isolated from the bloodstream of a patient with acute cellulitis. This strain, which has been studied extensively in our laboratory, expresses M protein structurally and functionally analogous to that of group A streptococci, and we have cloned and sequenced the gene encoding this protein (emmMG1). Mice injected with 5 x 10(7) CFU of strain 1750 developed nonlethal necrotic skin and soft tissue infections that healed spontaneously after 14 to 16 days. After healing, the mice were repetitively reinoculated three times with the same challenge dose of 1750. Lesion size did not decrease in severity, size, or time to healing after repetitive challenge. The maximum lesion size and tissue concentration of microorganisms increased between the first and fourth challenges. Pretreatment of 1750 cells with opsonic antisera to MG1 diminished neither the maximum lesion size nor the time course of evolution of the lesions. Thus, in the mouse model used here, there was no evidence of acquired protective immunity to experimentally induced cellulitis.
Estimating the Performance of Local Authorities as a Measure to Overpass the Financial Crisis: The Greek Case Study

ABSTRACT Nowadays, local authorities face a number of problems that are related to the global economic crisis. For every government, the idea of measuring authorities’ performances and transferring funds based on this estimation seems to be a solution for their sustainable development. In this article, we introduce a methodological framework for measuring the performance of local authorities based on the (a) quality of services offered, (b) complexity of operational procedures, and (c) cooperation with the central governance. Finally, we propose a model for improving local authorities’ effectiveness.
Are We Hammering Square Pegs Into Round Holes?: An Investigation of the Meta-Analyses of Reading Research With Students Who Are d/Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Students Who Are Hearing

In a qualitative meta-analysis , the researchers systematically reviewed qualitative and quantitative meta-analyses on reading research with PK–12 students published after the 2000 National Reading Panel (NRP) report. Eleven qualitative and 39 quantitative meta-analyses were reviewed examining reading research with typically developing hearing students, special education hearing students (including English Language Learners), and d/Deaf or hard of hearing (d/Dhh) students. Generally, the meta-analysis yielded findings similar to and corroborative of the NRP’s. Contradictory results (e.g., regarding the role of rhyme awareness in reading outcomes) most often resulted from differing definitions of interventions and their measurements. The analysis provided evidence of several instructional approaches that support reading development. On the basis of the qualitative similarity hypothesis (Paul, 2010, 2012; Paul & Lee, 2010; Paul & Wang, 2012; Paul, Wang, & Williams, 2013), the researchers argue that these instructional strategies also should effectively support d/Dhh children’s reading development.
Analysis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae pan-genome reveals a pool of copy number variants distributed in diverse yeast strains from differing industrial environments

Although the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is arguably one of the most well-studied organisms on earth, the genome-wide variation within this species—i.e., its “pan-genome”—has been less explored. We created a multispecies microarray platform containing probes covering the genomes of several Saccharomyces species: S. cerevisiae, including regions not found in the standard laboratory S288c strain, as well as the mitochondrial and 2-μm circle genomes–plus S. paradoxus, S. mikatae, S. kudriavzevii, S. uvarum, S. kluyveri, and S. castellii. We performed array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) on 83 different S. cerevisiae strains collected across a wide range of habitats; of these, 69 were commercial wine strains, while the remaining 14 were from a diverse set of other industrial and natural environments. We observed interspecific hybridization events, introgression events, and pervasive copy number variation (CNV) in all but a few of the strains. These CNVs were distributed throughout the strains such that they did not produce any clear phylogeny, suggesting extensive mating in both industrial and wild strains. To validate our results and to determine whether apparently similar introgressions and CNVs were identical by descent or recurrent, we also performed whole-genome sequencing on nine of these strains. These data may help pinpoint genomic regions involved in adaptation to different industrial milieus, as well as shed light on the course of domestication of S. cerevisiae.