Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Calcium Ions on Cell Survival and Proliferation in the Context of an Alginate Hydrogel

One goal of biofabrication is to incorporate living cells into artificial scaffolds in order to repair damaged tissues or organs. Although there are many studies on various biofabrication techniques, the maintenance of cell viability during the biofabrication process and cell proliferation after the process is still a challenging issue. Construction of scaffolds using hydrogels composed of natural materials can avoid exposure of cells to harsh chemicals or temperature extremes but can still entail exposure to non-physiological conditions, causing cell damage or even death. This paper presents an experimental investigation into the influence on Schwann cell survival and proliferation of calcium used for ionic crosslinking of alginate hydrogel during the biofabrication process. The experimental results obtained show the viability and proliferation capacity of cells, either suspended in cell culture medium or encapsulated in hydrogel, and vary with the calcium concentration and the time period of cells exposed to the calcium environment. The experimental results also show the alginate concentration and cell density, that have profound influence on cell survival and proliferation, and solution viscosity as well. This study suggests the incorporation of living cells in calcium-crosslinked hydrogel in the biofabrication process can be regulated for controlled cell survival and proliferation.
Morphological Changes of Ascaris spp. Eggs During Their Development Outside the Host

abstract: Information on the infective stage of Ascaris lumbricoides and the pathology caused by the parasite is widely available in the literature. However, information about early embryonic development of A. lumbricoides and its life cycle outside the host is limited. The purpose of this study was to describe the morphological changes within the developing embryo during incubation in vitro at 28 C, as well as to explore differences in egg viability during incubation. Ascaris suum eggs (4,000 eggs/ml), used as a model for A. lumbricoides, were placed for incubation in 0.1N H2SO4 at 28 C in the dark for 21 days. Every day, sub-samples of approximately 100 A. suum eggs were taken from the incubation solution for microscopic evaluation. Development, morphological changes, and viability of the first 40 eggs were observed and documented with photos. During this study, 12 stages were identified in the developing embryo by standard microscopy, 2 of which had not been previously reported. By the end of the first wk, most developing embryos observed were in the late-morula stage (72.5%). On day 14 of incubation, 90% had developed to larva-1 stage, and by day 21, 100% had developed to larva-2 stage. No significant differences were found in the viability recorded in a continuum from day 5 to day 21 of incubation (chi-square, P > 0.05). The result of this study complements and expands the stages of development of Ascaris spp. outside the host previously reported in the literature. It also suggests the potential use of early stages of development of the nematode to determine viability and safety of sewage sludge, wastewater, or compost after treatment recommended by USEPA.
A Case Control Study of the Risks for Institutionalization of Elderly People in Nova Scotia

ABSTRACT Few studies of the risks of institutionalization of the elderly have had fully specified models using multivariate analysis, and several studies have examined highly selected populations, making their generalizability uncertain. We set out to examine the risks of institutionalization in elderly people in Nova Scotia. A case-control study, executed as part of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging examined 108 incident institutional cases and 533 community-dwelling elderly controls, using a standardized assessment interview conducted by trained interviewers. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that advancing age, presence of dementia, functional impairment, poor self-rated health, recent hospital admission, and absence of a caregiver were important risks for entry into long term care. Institutions providing long-term care for the elderly need to be able to look after populations with a high prevalence of dementia and functional impairment. RÉSUMÉ De rares études sur les risques de placer les aînés en établissement ont utilisé des modèles d'analyse multifactorielle, tandis que plusieurs se sont concentrées sur des groupes très précis, ce qui rend leurs généralisations incertaines. Nous avons tenté d'examiner les facteurs de risque inhérents au placement en établissement d'aînés en Nouvelle-Écosse. Une étude de cas témoins, effectuée dans le cadre de «l'Enquête canadienne sur la santé et le vieillissement,» a examiné 108 cas expérimentaux et 533 cas témoins dans des habitations pour aînés au sein de la communauté, au moyen d'une entrevue d'évaluation normalisée menée par des enquêteurs formés. Une analyse de régression logistique multiple a révélé qu'un âge avancé, une manifestation de démence sénile, une incapacité fonctionnelle, la perception d'une mauvaise santé, une récenté hospitalisation et l'absence d'un pourvoyeur de soins représentaient d'importants facteurs de risque quant au placement dans un établissement de soins de longue durée. Les établissements offrant ce type de service aux aînés doivent être en mesure de prendre soin de populations affichant un taux élevé de démence senile et d'incapacité fonctionnelle.
A dor pós-operatória como contribuinte do prejuízo na função pulmonar em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pain in patients submitted to heart surgery using sternotomy, verifying the location and intensity of pain during the hospitalization period. A second aim was to evaluate its influence on the pulmonary function and its correlation with the characteristics of the individual and the surgical procedure. METHOD: The series was composed of 30 individuals with the preoperative pulmonary function assessed by spirometry and incentive spirometry. Patients were followed in the postoperative period using a protocol with information on the surgery and the pulmonary function and a protocol for pain evaluation (visual analogue scale and body picture). Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney test and Spearman correlation were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Coronary artery bypass surgery was the most frequent surgery. The pain intensity in the postoperative period was moderate, initially located near to the sternotomy and persisted until the 5th postoperative day. The maximum inspiratory volume had a significant relationship with pain (r= -0.277; p< 0.05). No significant correlation was observed between pain and others parameters. CONCLUSION: Significant damage to the pulmonary function is observed which does not completely recover until the 5th postoperative day. Despite these results, pain is not significantly associated to the characteristics of the individual or the surgical procedure.
Do cytokeratins play a role as a prognostic biomarker in squamous cell carcinoma of larynx

Amac. Larenks kanserinde belirli sitokeratin (SK) subtiplerinin immunhistokimya (IHK) ile ekspresyon derecelerine bakilarak sonuclarin prognostik faktorlerle korelasyonu amaclandi. Yontem. Bu prospektif calismaya, 30 larenks kanseri olgusu dahil edildi. Tumor kesitleri histopatolojik olarak incelenerek Broder sistemine gore derecelendirildi. Ardindan poliklonal yuksek molekul agirlikli SK (YMASK), dusuk molekul agirlikli SK (DMASK) antikorlari ve monoklonal SK 18 ve SK 19 antikorlari streptavidin-biotin peroksidaz yontemi ile tumoral ve nonneoplastik dokulara tatbik edilerek ekspresyon dereceleri incelendi. Bulgular. Tumorler yassi hucreli karsinoma (YHK), adenoskuamoz hucreli, verrukoz, bazaloid ve sarkomatoid karsinomlardan olusmaktaydi. Grade 2 YHK en sik gorulen tumor idi ( % 63,3). IHK ile YMASK ve DMASK’ler herhangi bir prognostik incelemeye izin vermeyecek derecede yogun ve yaygin boyandilar. SK-18 ekspresyon derecesi, tomorde grade artisi ile azalirken, evre artisi ile artmaktaydi. SK-19 ekspresyonunda ise hem evre, hem de grade artisi ile pozitif korelasyon izlendi. Prognostik degerlendirmede daha genis bir seride SK-18 ekspresyonunun boyun metaztazi uzerine tahmin degeri bulunabilecegi dusunuldu (p=0,064). Sonuclar. Bu calisma SK boyanma derecelerini patolojik prognostik faktorlerle iliskilendirme acisindan ozgundur. Poliklonal SK’ler icerdikleri SK cesitliliginden dolayi farklilasma derecesinin tayininde ve hiperplastik mukozalarin degerlendirilmesinde uygun gorulmemistir. Ancak SK-18 ve 19, antikor paneline bazi SK antikorlar eklendigi takdirde larenks kanserinde prognostik degere sahip olabilir
New Models for Evaluation of Radiation-Induced Lifetime Cancer Risk and its Uncertainty Employed in the UNSCEAR 2006 Report

Abstract Little, M. P., Hoel, D. G. , Molitor, J., Boice, J. D. , Jr., Wakeford, R. and Muirhead, C. R. New Models for Evaluation of Radiation-Induced Lifetime Cancer Risk and its Uncertainty Employed in the UNSCEAR 2006 Report. Radiat. Res. 169, 660–676 (2008). Generalized relative and absolute risk models are fitted to the latest Japanese atomic bomb survivor solid cancer and leukemia mortality data (through 2000), with the latest (DS02) dosimetry, by classical (regression calibration) and Bayesian techniques, taking account of errors in dose estimates and other uncertainties. Linear-quadratic and linear-quadratic-exponential models are fitted and used to assess risks for contemporary populations of China, Japan, Puerto Rico, the U.S. and the UK. Many of these models are the same as or very similar to models used in the UNSCEAR 2006 report. For a test dose of 0.1 Sv, the solid cancer mortality for a UK population using the generalized linear-quadratic relative risk model is estimated as 5.4% Sv−1 [90% Bayesian credible interval (BCI) 3.1, 8.0]. At 0.1 Sv, leukemia mortality for a UK population using the generalized linear-quadratic relative risk model is estimated as 0.50% Sv−1 (90% BCI 0.11, 0.97). Risk estimates varied little between populations; at 0.1 Sv the central estimates ranged from 3.7 to 5.4% Sv−1 for solid cancers and from 0.4 to 0.6% Sv−1 for leukemia. Analyses using regression calibration techniques yield central estimates of risk very similar to those for the Bayesian approach. The central estimates of population risk were similar for the generalized absolute risk model and the relative risk model. Linear-quadratic-exponential models predict lower risks (at least at low test doses) and appear to fit as well, although for other (theoretical) reasons we favor the simpler linear-quadratic models.
The Correlation of Serum HER-2/neu and CA15-3 in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer

Purpose: The extracellular domain (ECD) of the HER-2/ neu oncoprotein, whose molecular weight is the range from the 95 kD to 105 kD, is shed into the blood from the cell surface via, proteolysis by a metalloprotease. A monoclonal antibody immunoassay has been developed for measuring the circulating concentrations of serum HER-2/neu ECD (following serum HER-2/neu). Serum HER-2/neu has been reported to be correlated with an increased tumor volume in those patients suffering with breast cancer. We measured the serum CA15-3 level, which is a surrogate marker of the tumor burden, we analyzed the correlation of the serum CA15-3 with the serum HER-2/neu and we analyzed the association of both markers with the clinical outcomes. Methods: The sera for the analysis of both HER-2/neu and CA15-3 were obtained from 99 healthy Korean women, 66 primary breast cancer patients and 43 metastatic breast caner patients. The serum HER-2/neu level was measured quantitatively with using an ADVIA Centaur � automated immunoassay analyzer (Bayer Health Care LLC, Diagnostics Division, Tarrytown, New York, USA) and the CA 15-3 level was measured via radioimmunoassay. Results: The serum HER-2/neu level was increased 23 metastatic cancer patients (53%). On the analysis of the correlation of serum HER-2/neu and CA15-3, the correlation coefficient (r) was 0.8072. Thus a positive serum HER-2/neu test in breast cancer patients was highly associated with the CA15-3 level for assessing whether metastasis was present or not. For the relationship between primary breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer, the former was classified as the control group and the latter as the patient group. The results of the Receiver Operation Characteristic (ROC) curve for serum HER-2/neu and CA15-3 showed no statistically significant differences (p=0.176) but the diagnostic efficacy of the serum HER-2/neu test was measured more exactly than that of CA15-3 and CA15-3 a tool for measuring a tumor marker for the diagnosis of whether metastasis was present or not. Conclusion: Serum HER-2/neu is a significant independent predictive prognostic factor for metastatic breast cancer patients. In view of the results we have achieved so far the serum HER-2/neu level in metastatic breast cancer patients may play an important roll as an independent tumor marker.
Battered Women Speak Out

Recent attention has been given to the challenges and unintended negative consequences of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 on the economic well-being and safety of battered women and their children. This study focused on battered women's perceptions and experiences of disclosing their abuse histories to welfare-to-work case managers. The study found that women are prepared and expect to disclose, but various factors influence their ability to do so. In addition, battered women themselves have specific suggestions for improving the understanding and skills of case managers.
ASCA Oct06 QX

ties provided to school counselor trainees. The researchers examined the responses of 73 practicing school counselors from the Southern region who were members of the American School Counselor Association. The supervisory activities provided to trainees working in a traditional school counseling program were compared with trainees performing in a developmental program as recommended in the ASCA National Model ®. The researchers also examined the years of experience as a school counselor, the amount of training received in supervision, differences in supervision at various grade levels, and the principal’s understanding of the school counselor’s role when working in a traditional or a transformed school counseling model. Implications for school counselors are included.
Quality of life over time in dialysis: The Netherlands Cooperative Study on the Adequacy of Dialysis1

Quality of life over time in dialysis: The Netherlands Cooperative Study on the Adequacy of Dialysis. Background Information on the longitudinal quality of life (QL) of patients treated by different dialysis modalities is lacking. Therefore, we performed a prospective cohort study on the QL over time in hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods New chronic dialysis patients from 13 Dutch dialysis centers were consecutively included. The patients' self-assessment of QL was measured with the SF-36™ form at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after the start of dialysis treatment. Results Out of 230 patients who completed the QL questionnaire at least once, 139 patients stayed on their initial dialysis modality, 26 patients switched dialysis modality, 35 patients were transplanted, 28 patients died, and two patients had a recovery of renal function. The QL of patients who died during the study period was considerably worse at baseline and worsened at a faster rate than in the other patient groups. In patients who stayed on their initial dialysis modality, the physical QL decreased over time, whereas the mental QL tended to remain stable. After an adjustment for the initial value of QL and comorbidity, a consistently favorable effect of HD on physical QL over time was found compared with PD, whereas mental QL values remained similar. Parameters of adequacy of dialysis were not associated with QL over time. Conclusion This prospective cohort study shows that physical QL over time in HD patients is better than in PD patients.
Validating Baboon Ex Vivo and In Vivo Radiation-Related Gene Expression with Corresponding Human Data

The research for high-throughput diagnostic tests for victims of radio/nuclear incidents remains ongoing. In this context, we have previously identified candidate genes that predict risk of late-occurring hematologic acute radiation syndrome (HARS) in a baboon model. The goal of the current study was to validate these genes after radiation exposure in humans. We also examined ex vivo relative to in vivo measurements in both species and describe dose-response relationships. Eighteen baboons were irradiated in vivo to simulate different patterns of partial- or total-body irradiation (TBI), corresponding to an equivalent dose of 2.5 or 5 Sv. Human in vivo blood samples were obtained from patients exposed to different dose ranges: diagnostic computerized tomography (CT; 0.004–0.018 Sv); radiotherapy for prostate cancer (0.25–0.3 Sv); and TBI of leukemia patients (2 × 1.5 or 2 × 2 Sv, five patients each). Peripheral whole blood of another five baboons and human samples from five healthy donors were cultivated ex vivo and irradiated with 0–4 Sv. RNA was isolated pairwise before and 24 h after irradiation and converted into cDNA. Gene expression of six promising candidate genes found previously by us in a baboon model (WNT3, POU2AF1, CCR7, ARG2, CD177, WLS), as well as three genes commonly used in ex vivo whole blood experiments (FDXR, PCNA, DDB2) was measured using qRT-PCR. We confirmed the six baboon candidate genes in leukemia patients. However, expression for the candidate gene FDXR showed an inverse relationship, as it was downregulated in baboons and upregulated in human samples. Comparisons among the in vivo and ex vivo experiments revealed the same pattern in both species and indicated peripheral blood cells to represent the radiation-responsive targets causing WNT3 and POU2AF1 gene expression changes. CCR7, ARG2, CD177 and WLS appeared to be altered due to radiation-responsive targets other than the whole blood cells. Linear dose-response relationships of FDXR, WNT3 and POU2AF1 using human ex vivo samples corresponded with human in vivo samples, suggesting that ex vivo models for in vivo dose estimates can be used over a wide dose range (0.001–5 Sv for POU2AF1). In summary, we validated six baboon candidate genes in humans, but the FDXR measurements underscored the importance of independent assessments even when candidates from animal models have striking gene sequence homology to humans. Since whole blood cells represented the same radiation-responsive targets for FDXR, WNT3 and POU2AF1 gene expression changes, ex vivo cell culture models can be utilized for in vivo dose estimates over a dose range covering up to 3.5 log scales. These findings might be a step forward in the development of a gene expression-based high-throughput diagnostic test for populations involved in large-scale radio/nuclear incidents.
Radiation Leukemogenesis in Mice: Loss of PU.1 on Chromosome 2 in CBA and C57BL/6 Mice after Irradiation with 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe Ions, X Rays or γ Rays. Part I. Experimental Observations

Abstract Peng, Y. , Brown, N. , Finnon, R. , Warner, C. L. , Liu, X. , Genik, P. C. , Callan, M. A. , Ray, F. A. , Borak, T. B. , Badie, C. , Bouffler, S. D. , Ullrich, R. L. , Bedford, J. S. and Weil, M. M. Radiation Leukemogenesis in Mice: Loss of PU.1 on Chromosome 2 in CBA and C57BL/6 Mice after Irradiation with 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe Ions, X Rays or γ Rays. Part I. Experimental Observations. Radiat. Res. 171, 474–483 (2009). Since deletion of the PU.1 gene on chromosome 2 is a crucial acute myeloid leukemia (AML) initiating step in the mouse model, we quantified PU.1 deleted cells in the bone marrow of γ-, X- and 56Fe-ion-irradiated mice at various times postirradiation. Although 56Fe ions were initially some two to three times more effective than X or γ rays in inducing PU.1 deletions, by 1 month postirradiation, the proportions of cells with PU.1 deletions were similar for the HZE particles and the sparsely ionizing radiations. These results indicate that while 56Fe ions are more effective in inducing PU.1 deletions, they are also more effective in causing collateral damage that removes hit cells from the bone marrow. After X, γ or 56Fe-ion irradiation, AML-resistant C57BL/6 mice have fewer cells with PU.1 deletions than CBA mice, and those cells do not persist in the bone marrow of the C57B6/6 mice. Our findings suggest that quantification of PU.1 deleted bone marrow cells 1 month postirradiation can be used as surrogate for the incidence of radiation-induced AML measured in large-scale mouse studies. If so, PU.1 loss could be used to systematically assess the potential leukemogenic effects of other ions and energies in the space radiation environment.
Mitochondrial Gene Expression Changes in Normal and Mitochondrial Mutant Cells after Exposure to Ionizing Radiation

Abstract Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contains 13 genes that encode proteins of the oxidative phosphorylation complex that are involved in ATP generation. Leber's optic atrophy and Leigh's syndrome are diseases that are caused by point mutations in the mitochondrial genome and that have phenotypes associated with energy deprivation. We hypothesized that energy deficiency from mitochondrial mutations in these cells leads to radiation hypersensitivity. Here we compared mitochondrial gene expression for the 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes in two mitochondrial mutant cell lines, GM13740 (Leigh's syndrome) and GM10744 (Leber's optic atrophy) and a normal human lymphoblastoid cell line (GM15036) after X irradiation (0–4 Gy) 0 to 24 h postirradiation. Changes in gene expression were compared with cellular radiosensitivity. Statistically significant differences between Leigh's syndrome and normal cells were found in mitochondrial gene expression for all radiation doses and times that were commensurate with changes in radiation sensitivity. The data suggest that Leigh's syndrome cells have an impaired ability to repair radiation-induced DNA damage that results in radiation hypersensitivity. This may be attributable to mitochondrial dysfunction from reductions in mitochondrial gene expression and ATP generation, since Leigh's optic atrophy cells exhibit a mutation in the ATPase6 gene, which is an important component of Complex V of ATP synthase. In contrast, the mutation of the Leber's cells conferred radioresistance, which might be attributed to the mutation in the ND4 gene in the mitochondrial genome. The altered sensitivity of mitochondrial mutant cells to ionizing radiation can lead to decreased DNA repair, which may put individuals with mtDNA mutations at greater risk for cancer and other diseases.
Factors Influencing Health Behaviors in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, III (NHANES III)

Abstract This study investigated the influence of age, gender, race, place of residence, social networks, and socioeconomic status (SES) on health behaviors in the NHANES III, a large public domain database of approximately 16,000 subjects. Multiple regression analysis indicated that age, gender, social networks, and SES were statistically significant predictors of both positive and negative health behaviors, while race and place of residence were not. These results suggest an influence of age, gender, SES, and social support factors on health behaviors and reinforce the need for social work to take into account these factors at both the individual and public policy levels.