Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacotherapeutic modulation of the endocannabinoid signalling system in psychiatric disorders: Drug-discovery strategies

Medicinal chemistry has produced small-molecule agents with drug-like character that potently and safely modulate the activity of discrete endocannabinoid system components as potential treatments for medical disorders, including various psychiatric conditions. Two cannabinoid (CB) receptors (CB1 and CB2) currently represent prime endocannabinoid-system therapeutic targets for ligands that either mimic endocannabinoid signalling processes and/or potentiate endocannabinoid-system activity (agonists) or attenuate pathologically heightened endocannabinoid-system transmission (antagonists). Two endocannabinoid deactivating enzymes, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and soluble monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL), are increasingly prominent targets for inhibitors that indirectly potentiate endocannabinoid-system signalling. Continued profiling of drug candidates in relevant disease models, identification of additional cannabinoid-related therapeutic targets, and validation of new pharmacological modes of endocannabinoid system modulation will undoubtedly invite further translational efforts in the cannabinoid field for treating psychiatric disorders and other medical conditions.
Numerical Investigation of Chemically Reacting MHD Flow Due to a Rotating Cone with Thermophoresis and Brownian Motion

In this study we analyzed the momentum, heat and mass transfer behaviour of magnetohydrodynamic flow towards a vertical rotating cone in porous medium with thermophoresis and Brownian motion effects. Further, the numerical solutions are elucidated by using Runge-Kutta based shooting technique. Obtained results are validated with open literature and found an excellent agreement. The influence of nondimensional governing parameters on velocity, temperature and concentration profiles along with the skin friction factor, local Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are determined and discussed with the help of graphs and tables. Results proved that the thermophoresis and Brownian motion parameters have tendency to control the heat and mass transfer rates. It is also found that a raise in the porosity parameter develops the heat and mass transfer rate.
Wikipedia Titles As Noun Tag Predictors

In this paper, we investigate a covert labeling cue, namely the probability that a title (by example of the Wikipedia titles) is a noun. If this probability is very large, any list such as or comparable to the Wikipedia titles can be used as a reliable word-class (or part-of-speech tag) predictor or noun lexicon. This may be especially useful in the case of Low Resource Languages (LRL) where labeled data is lacking and putatively for Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks such as Word Sense Disambiguation, Sentiment Analysis and Machine Translation. Profitting from the ease of digital publication on the web as opposed to print, LRL speaker communities produce resources such as Wikipedia and Wiktionary, which can be used for an assessment. We provide statistical evidence for a strong noun bias for the Wikipedia titles from 2 corpora (English, Persian) and a dictionary (Japanese) and for a typologically balanced set of 17 languages including LRLs. Additionally, we conduct a small experiment on predicting noun tags for out-of-vocabulary items in part-of-speech tagging for English.
Developing consistently reproducible intervertebral disc degeneration at rat caudal spine by using needle puncture.

OBJECT The goal in this study was to develop a convenient, less-invasive animal model to monitor progression of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration for future testing of new treatments for disc degeneration. METHODS Level 5/6 and 7/8 IVDs of rat caudal spine were stabbed laterally with 18- or 21-gauge hypodermic needles to a depth of 5 mm from the subcutaneous surface with the aid of fluoroscopy. In vivo MR imaging studies were performed at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postsurgery to monitor progression of IVD degeneration. Histological analysis including H & E and safranin O staining, and immunohistochemical studies of collagen type II and bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II (BMPRII) were assessed at 12 weeks postsurgery. RESULTS The 18- and 21-gauge needle-stabbed discs illustrated decreases in both the T2 density and MR imaging index starting at 4 weeks, with no evidence of spontaneous recovery by 12 weeks. Histological staining demonstrated a decreased nucleus pulposus (NP) area, and the NP-anulus fibrosus border became unclear during the progression of disc degeneration. Similar patterns of degenerative signs were also shown in both safranin O- and collagen type II-stained sections. The BMPRII immunohistochemical analysis of stabbed discs demonstrated an increase in BMPRII expression in the remaining NP cells and became stronger in anulus fibrosus with the severity of disc degeneration. CONCLUSIONS After introducing an 18- or 21-gauge needle into the NP area of discs in the rat tail, the stabbed disc showed signs of degeneration in terms of MR imaging and histological outcome measurements. Changes in BMPRII expression in this animal model provide an insight for the effectiveness of delivering BMPs into the region responsible for chondrogenesis for disc repair. This convenient, less-invasive, reproducible, and cost-effective model may be a useful choice for testing novel treatments for disc degeneration.
Cholesterol standardized plasma vitamin E levels are reduced in patients with severe angina pectoris.

Vitamin E, the major lipid soluble plasma antioxidant, has been reported to be reduced in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. We have measured the levels of plasma alpha-tocopherol (the predominant form of plasma vitamin E) in 128 patients with different reported degrees of angina. Patients with mild to moderate angina (grades I or II (CSS score)) (n = 64), and patients with severe angina (grades III and IV) (n = 64) were recruited from Cardiology Clinics in the U. K. Healthy controls (n = 33) and patients with hyperlipidaemia (n = 28) were also recruited. The groups of patients with angina did not differ significantly for mean age (58 +/- 1.0 years vs. 59 +/- 1.0 years, respectively); sex distribution (the M:F ratio was 48 : 16 and 46 : 18 for the respective groups); or prevalence of smoking (12% vs. 9%), or hypertension (19% vs. 33%). Total cholesterol levels were higher in the group with severe angina (5.9 +/- 0.16 mmol/l vs. 5.3 +/- 0.13 mmol/l P < 0.05). Absolute levels of plasma vitamin E were not significantly different between the angina subgroups (12.9 +/- 0.40 mg/l for the mild-moderate angina group vs. 12.5 +/- 0.51 mg/l for the severely affected group), but were positively correlated with plasma cholesterol concentrations in each case (P < 0.001). The ratio between plasma vitamin E: total cholesterol was significantly lower in the patients with severe angina (mean 2.20 +/- 0.09 mg/mmol) vs. a mean value of 2.46 +/- 0. 08 mg/m mol in the mildly affected group (P < 0.05). The plasma vitamin E: total cholesterol ratio in patients with severe angina was also significantly lower (P < 0.05) compared to either healthy controls with comparable total cholesterol levels (n = 33), or hypercholesterolaemic subjects (n = 28) without symptomatic coronary disease (mean ratios were 2.69 +/- 0.40 mg/mmol and 2.74 +/- 0.68 mg/mmol, respectively). Vitamin E has previously been demonstrated to protect endothelial function in the presence of hypercholesterolaemia, possibly by preserving nitric oxide bio-activity. It also inhibits LDL oxidation. Hence, a high plasma vitamin E: total cholesterol ratio may be associated with an amelioration of angina.
Changes in gap‐junction permeability, phosphorylation, and number mediated by phorbol ester and non‐phorbol‐ester tumor promoters in rat liver epithelial cells

The effects of three tumor promoters on gap‐junction permeability; connexin 43 and 26 mRNA levels, protein levels, and phosphorylation; and the numbers of gap‐junctional membrane plaques were studied in the rat liver epithelial cell line WB‐F344 to determine whether changes in these parameters correlated with the inhibition of gap‐junction function. 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol‐13‐acetate (TPA; 10 ng/mL), dieldrin (10 μg/mL), and heptachlor epoxide (10 μg/mL) inhibited gap‐junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) assayed by fluorescent dye transfer by 80–90% after a 5‐min exposure and by more than 90% within 1 h. Decreases in steady‐state connexin 43 mRNA levels were detected by northern blot analysis within 1 h and paralleled changes in steady‐state β‐actin mRNA, but these changes did not occur rapidly enough to account for the rapid loss of gap‐junction function. A substantial loss in the number of connexin 43 immunostained gap‐junctional membrane plaques was detected after a 15‐min exposure to all three promoters, but little change had occurred at 5 min. Western blot analyses using connexin 43‐specific antibodies showed changes in the degree of connexin 43 phosphorylation for all three tumor promoters. TPA induced the appearance of a fourth connexin 43‐im‐munoreactive band (P3) and a concomitant decrease in the relative intensity of the unphosphorylated (P0) band within 5 min of treatment. P3, in addition to bands P1 and P2, disappeared after treatment with alkaline phosphatase. In contrast, dieldrin and heptachlor epoxide induced loss of P2 with a concomitant increase in the relative staining intensity of P0 within 1 h of exposure, but no changes were seen after 5 min. Connexin 43 phosphorylation levels recovered in parallel with the recovery of GJIC for all three tumor promoters. Connexin 26 mRNA levels showed little change after a 1‐h exposure to the three promoters, but reductions in connexin 26 immunofluorescent staining were observed. These results suggest that (i) TPA‐induced hyperphosphorylation of connexin 43 occurred fast enough to account for inhibition of GJIC, (ii) dieldrin and heptachlor epoxide modulated connexin phosphorylation in a manner different from TPA by promoting hypophosphorylation of connexin 43, (iii) redistribution of plasma membrane gap‐junctional plaques after treatment with phorbol ester and non‐phorbol‐ester tumor promoters occurred subsequent to changes in gap‐junction permeability, and (iv) changes in connexin mRNA levels could not account for the losses in fluorescent dye coupling induced by these promoters. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aslib Journal of Information Management Improving retrieval relevance using users ’ explicit feedback

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to improve users’ search results relevancy by manipulating their explicit feedback. Design/methodology/approach – CoRRe – an explicit feedback model integrating three popular feedback, namely, Comment-Rating-Referral is proposed in this study. The model is further enhanced using case-based reasoning in retrieving the top-5 results. A search engine prototype was developed using Text REtrieval Conference as the document collection, and results were evaluated at three levels (i.e. top-5, 10 and 15). A user evaluation involving 28 students was administered, focussing on 20 queries. Findings – Both Mean Average Precision and Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain results indicate CoRRe to have the highest retrieval precisions at all the three levels compared to the other feedback models. Furthermore, independent t-tests showed the precision differences to be significant. Rating was found to be the most popular technique among the participants, producing the best precision compared to referral and comments. Research limitations/implications – The findings suggest that search retrieval relevance can be significantly improved when users’ explicit feedback are integrated, therefore web-based systems should find ways to manipulate users’ feedback to provide better recommendations or search results to the users. Originality/value – The study is novel in the sense that users’ comment, rating and referral were taken into consideration to improve their overall search experience.
Tooth-Binding Micelles for Dental Caries Prevention

ABSTRACT Maintenance of the effective local concentration of antimicrobials on the tooth surface is critical for the management of cariogenic bacteria in the oral cavity. We report on the design of a simple tooth-binding micellar drug delivery platform that would effectively bind to tooth surfaces. To achieve tooth-binding ability, the chain termini of biocompatible Pluronic copolymers were modified with a biomineral-binding moiety (i.e., alendronate). The micelles formulated with this polymer were shown to be able to swiftly (<1 min) bind to hydroxyapatite (HA; a model tooth surface) and gradually release the encapsulated model antimicrobial (farnesol). These tooth-binding micelles were negatively charged and had an average effective hydrodynamic diameter of less than 100 nm. In vitro biofilm inhibition studies demonstrated that the farnesol-containing tooth-binding micelles were able to provide significantly stronger inhibition of Streptococcus mutans UA159 biofilm formation on HA discs than the untreated blank control micelles (P < 0.0001). Upon further optimization, this delivery platform could provide an effective tool for caries prevention and treatment.
Perceived need for information of patients with haematological malignancies: a literature review.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To provide insight into the perceived need for information of patients with haematological malignancies. BACKGROUND Providing timely and accurate information to patients diagnosed with a haematological malignancy is a challenge in clinical practice; treatment often has to start promptly, with little time to inform patients. DESIGN Literature review. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was conducted from all available literature to May 2013 in the databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO and PubMed (Medline). Relevant studies were reviewed regarding the perceived need for information on various topics, sources of information and satisfaction with information provided. RESULTS The initial search revealed 215 articles, fourteen of which were relevant. Patients need basic information on the disease (diagnosis and diagnostics), treatment (various treatment options, side effects and duration), prognosis (curability and prolonging life) and all other topics (recovery, self-care and psychosocial functioning). Need for detailed information varied between studies. Patients expressed a higher need for medical than for psychosocial information. Patients preferred to receive information from their doctors the most, followed by nurses. Most studies described patients' satisfaction with the information provided. CONCLUSION Based on the limited number of data available, medical information is for patients of higher priority compared to psychosocial information. Patients need basic information on diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and all other topics. Need for detailed information varied between studies. Patients were satisfied with the provided information, preferably offered by doctors and nurses. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The perceived need for information and satisfaction with the information provided differs strongly between patients. In clinical practice, more attention is needed for information tailored to the patient, taking into account important moderating factors such as age, type of cancer, time since diagnosis, treatment modality and coping style.
Cancer Cachexia Syndrome: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and New Therapeutic Options

Cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS) is the most frequent paraneoplastic syndrome occurring in half of all oncologic patients and is considered as a poor prognosticator. Patients usually present with weight loss, lipolysis, muscle wasting, anorexia, chronic nausea, inflammation, and asthenia. The etiopathogenesis of CACS is still poorly understood, although several factors and biological pathways are known to be involved. Because of the complexity of this multifactorial condition, a single agent therapy may not be sufficient. Indeed, there is a tendency toward an integrated multiple approach including nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatments. However, despite encouraging preliminary results, currently there is not enough evidence to support a change in clinical practice. This review provides a brief and practical summary of the diagnosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of CACS. Future perspectives will also be discussed.
Linear-Programming Solutions for Orbital-Transfer Trajectories

This paper describes how the relatively efficient computational techniques of linear programming can be used to obtain near-minimum fuel solutions to the problem of controlling spacecraft midcourse or terminal homing trajectories. These "orbital-transfer" maneuvers are required a to bring a spacecraft to a prespecified position, velocity, and time state so that its subsequent free-fall trajectory follows a desired path, or b to match the position and velocity of another orbiting spacecraft in order to achieve a rendezvous or station-keeping condition. Modern optimal control theory has provided means by which the necessary and in some cases, sufficient conditions for the optimal control function for this problem can be derived. However, each method leads to subsidiary computational requirements that have proved troublesome in practice. In view of the computational demands of optimal control theory, it appears worthwhile to study how the computational power of linear programming can be brought to bear. Therefore, this paper applies linear programming LP methods to the terminal guidance of an orbiting spacecraft. Typical trajectories based on linearized equations of motion are calculated. Under the assumptions made, the LP solutions minimize fuel consumption. Attention is also called to current research that is beginning to provide a more profound interconnection between optimal control theory and the mathematical programming techniques familiar to operations research and management science.
Cystic ﬁbrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) remains an incurable life limiting condition which is the most common inherited lethal condition in most Western countries. Advances in the care of this condition, particularly advances in respiratory management, have seen the focus of this review become a reality. In the 1940s adult consequences of CF were minimal as most patients died during infancy and early childhood. Today, the life expectancy of patients with CF has advanced well into adult life and has prompted the development of specific adult CF care centres in many major hospitals as well as publications addressing adult issues relating to this disease. Future projections suggest that, within the next decade, most patients with CF in many countries will, in fact, be adults rather than children. While debate continues between proponents of newborn screening for CF and those against it, the drive of CF care for the paediatric age group is aimed at providing the patient with a high quality life for as long as possible. The underlying element to achieving this is minimisation of lung disease. While nutritional factors—together with endocrinological factors, psychological factors, and sexual factors—are vitally important in providing a good quality of life to the patient with CF, the basic determinant of longevity and quality of life in most CF patients is the degree of lung disease and its rate of progression with increasing age.
Expression and secretion of a thermostable bacterial xylanase in Kluyveromyces lactis

The xynA structural gene from the extremely thermophilic anaerobe Dictyoglomus thermophilum Rt46B.1 was fused in frame with the secretion signal of the Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin in episomal expression vectors based on the Kluyveromyces plasmid pKD1. XynA was secreted predominantly as an unglycosylated 35-kDa protein which comprised up to 90% of the total extracellular proteins and reached a concentration of 130 micrograms/ml in shake-flask cultures grown under selective conditions.
Review and Update on Inotropes and Vasopressors

P presenting with shock have inadequate perfusion of tissues and lack adequate oxygen delivery to vital organs. Shock must be treated immediately to prevent multisystem organ failure and death. The components of blood pressure are cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance (SVR). Therefore, patients presenting with shock will have either an inadequate cardiac index (CI) or a low SVR due to arterial vasodilation (or rarely both). The classification of shock originates from the etiology of the physiologic state. Shock is classified as hypovolemic, cardiogenic, extracardiac obstructive, or distributive. Hypovolemic shock results from decreased preload secondary to dehydration or hemorrhage. Cardiogenic shock results from heart failure due to various causes (myopathy, cardiac valve disorders, or arrhythmias). Extracardiac obstruction can be secondary to tension pneumothorax or pulmonary emboli. Distributive shock can be due to sepsis, anaphylaxis, or neurogenic. Hypovolemic, cardiogenic, and extracardiac obstructive shock result from poor CI, and these patients will usually have an elevated SVR as a mechanism for compensation. Distributive shock results from excessive vasodilation and low SVR, and these patients will most commonly have a normal or elevated CI. Pharmacologic agents that increase blood pressure by causing arteriole vasoconstriction are called vasopressors, and agents that increase cardiac contractility and therefore CI are considered inotropes. The purpose of this article is to review the common vasopressors and inotropes, which are used in the intensive care unit (ICU) to treat shock or congestive heart failure (CHF) or support patients in the postoperative setting. These include the catecholamines (dobutamine [Dobutrex], isoproterenol [Isuprel], dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine [Levophed], and phenylephrine [Neosynephrine]), phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDIs) (milrinone [Primacor] and inamrinone [Inocor, formerly called amrinone]), and vasopressin (Pitressin) and its analog terlipressin.
Magnetizing-current-assisted wide ZVS range isolated DC-DC converters

This paper presents the analysis of an asymmetrical half-bridge (ASHB-PWM) DC-DC converter with wide ZVS range. The wide ZVS range is achieved with the designing of a desired magnetizing inductance, which value does not significantly increase conduction losses in the primary side. The proposal advantage is low cost, since any additional passive or active component is needed. The theoretical analysis, the simulation results and experimental results from a 500 W converter are presented. The converter was designed for a 300 V of input voltage, 60 V of output voltage and switching frequency of 50 kHz.
Isolation and characterization of a newly identified endothelial cell mitogen produced by AtT‐20 cells.

An endothelial cell growth factor with unique specificity for vascular endothelial cells has been purified from the conditioned medium of the AtT‐20 pituitary cell line. This growth factor, which has been characterized as a homodimer composed of two subunits with mol. wts of 23 kd is a potent mitogen for vascular endothelial cells in vitro with activity detectable at 50 pg/ml and saturation at 1 ng/ml. It was also angiogenic in vivo. In contrast with other endothelial mitogens of the fibroblast growth factor family, it has a unique target cell specificity. It did not stimulate the growth of other cell types of the vascular system such as vascular smooth muscle cells or that of mesoderm and neuroectoderm derived cells. Microsequencing revealed an amino‐terminal sequence with no homology to any known protein. The release of this novel endothelial cell growth factor by pituitary derived cells and its unique target cell specificity suggest that it could play an important role in the angiogenic process.