Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Activin IIB receptor blockade attenuates dystrophic pathology in a mouse model of duchenne muscular dystrophy

Modulation of transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) signaling to promote muscle growth holds tremendous promise for the muscular dystrophies and other disorders involving the loss of functional muscle mass. Previous studies have focused on the TGF‐β family member myostatin and demonstrated that inhibition of myostatin leads to muscle growth in normal and dystrophic mice. We describe a unique method of systemic inhibition of activin IIB receptor signaling via adeno‐associated virus (AAV)‐mediated gene transfer of a soluble form of the extracellular domain of the activin IIB receptor to the liver. Treatment of mdx mice with activin IIB receptor blockade led to increased skeletal muscle mass, increased force production in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and reduced serum creatine kinase. No effect on heart mass or function was observed. Our results indicate that activin IIB receptor blockade represents a novel and effective therapeutic strategy for the muscular dystrophies. Muscle Nerve, 2010
Motivations of non-Buddhists visiting Buddhist temples

The current study employs the leisure motivation scale to examine motivations of non-Buddhists visiting Buddhist temples. Specifically, this investigation builds on tourism literature to explore the motivations of non-Buddhists visiting Buddhist temples in Los Angeles, California. Motivations to Buddhist temples are of particular interest given the increasing popularity in the West of Eastern spiritual activities, such as yoga and meditation, as well as the exponential growth of Buddhist-themed tourism campaigns. The findings provide insights for tourism officials responsible for promoting ways to attract tourists to Buddhist temples within their respective destinations.
Improving Instructor-Student Communication Using Whatsapp: A Pilot Study

Communication is one of the main pillars of successful m-learning. This work aims to highlight the possibility of improving communication between instructors and students via WhatsApp. The preliminary data analysis of this pilot study shows that students are already using WhatsApp to communicate among themselves in the college context, and they are willing to have a WhatsApp (WA) class account to improve communication in their classes.
Spindle Cell Conversion by Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus: Formation of Colonies and Plaques with Mixed Lytic and Latent Gene Expression in Infected Primary Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cell Cultures

ABSTRACT Angiogenic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) skin lesions found in both AIDS and non-AIDS patients are universally associated with infection by the presumed causative agent, known as KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) or human herpesvirus 8. KSHV genomes expressing latent state virus-encoded mRNAs and the LANA1 (latent nuclear antigen 1) protein are consistently present in spindle-like tumor cells that are thought to be of endothelial cell origin. Although the KSHV lytic cycle can be induced in rare latently infected primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) cell lines, the ability to transmit or assay infectious KSHV has so far eluded investigators. Here, we demonstrate that infection with supernatant virions derived from three different tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate-induced PEL cell lines can induce cultured primary human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (DMVEC) to form colonies of proliferating latently infected spindle-shaped cells, all of which express the KSHV-encoded LANA1 protein. Although their initial infectivity varied widely (JSC1 > > BC3 > BCP1), virions from all three cell lines produced distinctive spindle cell colonies and plaques without affecting the contact-inhibited cobblestone-like phenotype of adjacent uninfected DMVEC. Each infected culture could also be expanded into a completely spindloid persistently infected culture displaying aggregated swirls of spindle cells resembling those in KS lesions. Formation of new colonies and plaques was inhibited in the presence of phosphonoacetic acid or gangciclovir, but these antiherpesvirus agents had little effect on the propagation of already latently infected spindloid cultures. In persistently infected secondary cultures, patches of up to 10% of the spindloid cells constitutively expressed several early viral lytic cycle proteins, and 1 to 2% of the cells also formed typical herpesvirus DNA replication compartments, displayed cytopathic rounding effects, and expressed late viral antigens. We conclude that de novo KSHV infection induces a spindle cell conversion phenotype in primary DMVEC cultures that is directly associated with latent state expression of the LANA1 protein. However, these cultures also spontaneously reactivate to produce an unusual combination of both latent and productive but slow lytic cycle infection. The formation of spindle cell colonies and plaques in DMVEC cultures provides for the first time a quantitative assay for directly measuring the infectivity of KSHV virion preparations.
Rural Livelihoods and Poverty Reduction Strategies in Four African Countries

This paper compares and contrasts rural livelihoods in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi, with a view to informing rural poverty reduction policies within Poverty Reduction Strategy Plans (PRSPs). Low household incomes in rural areas of all countries are associated with low land and livestock holdings, high reliance on food crop agriculture, and low monetisation of the rural economy. These adverse factors are in some instances made more difficult by land sub-division at inheritance, declining civil security in rural areas, deteriorating access to proper agronomic advice and inputs, and predatory taxation by decentralised district councils. Better off households are distinguished by virtuous spirals of accumulation typically involving diverse livestock ownership, engagement in non-farm self-employment, and diversity of on-farm and non-farm income sources. Lessons for PRSPs centre on the creation of a facilitating, rather than blocking, public sector environment for the multiplication of non-farm enterprises; seeking creative solutions to the spread of technical advice to farmers; and examining critically the necessity for, and impact of, tax revenue collection by district councils on rural incomes and enterprise.
Characterization of the specificity and duration of T cell tolerance to intranasally administered peptides in mice: a role for intramolecular epitope suppression.

Mucosal administration of antigens in experimental animals leads to the induction of peripheral T cell tolerance. We have previously reported that in H-2b mice, intranasal (i.n.) or oral administration of a peptide containing the immunodominant T cell epitope will down-regulate the function of CD4+ T cells reactive with Der P 1, a major target antigen in both B and T cell responses to house dust mite. In the present study we have investigated the tolerogenicity of peptides containing both dominant and subdominant determinants when given i.n. to nalve mice. Induction of tolerance by the nasally administered immunodominant peptide leads to a diminution in all T cell-derived cytokines and modulation of delayed-type hypersensitivity responses, but IgE production did not seem to be affected, furthermore the induction of T cell tolerance was stable, lasting beyond 6 months. We have also examined the specificity of intramolecular epitope suppression which is a feature of mucosal tolerance induced by nasally administered peptides and demonstrate that regulatory CD4+ T cells may exert their suppressive effect by linked recognition of epitopes on the same or neighbouring antigen-presenting cells.
Ki-ras codon 12 point and P53 mutations: a molecular examination of the main tumor, liver, portal vein, peripheral arterial blood and para-aortic lymph node in pancreatic cancer

OBJECTIVE:Frequent P53 mutations and Ki-ras codon 12 point mutations have been reported in pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer often recurs in the liver and/or lymph nodes shortly after a surgical resection. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the occurrence of microcirculating cancer cells and micrometastasis in pancreatic cancer.METHODS:P53 mutations and Ki-ras codon 12 point mutations were examined in the main tumor, liver, portal vein, and peripheral arterial blood, and para-aortic lymph nodes of patients with pancreatic cancer using molecular examinations.RESULTS:P53 mutations in the main tumor were present in nine (29%) of 31 patients with pancreatic cancer, whereas a Ki-ras codon 12 point mutation was evident in 18 (62%) of 29 examined patients. The peripheral arterial and portal vein blood and liver were positive for gene abnormalities in one (5%) of 21, in none (0%) of 19, and in one (1%) of 20, respectively. A P53 mutation in the main tumor was evident in none (0%) of seven stage I or II carcinomas and in nine (38%) of 24 stage III or IV cases, whereas a Ki-ras codon 12 point mutation was present in four (67%) of six stage I or II cases and in 14 (61%) of 23 stage III or IV cases. In addition, 15 (71%) of 21 patients with gene abnormalities (Ki-ras codon 12 point and/or p53 mutation) in the main tumor showed lymph node metastasis at surgery, whereas five (42%) of 12 without gene abnormalities did not demonstrate lymph node metastasis. Two (29%) of six patients with gene abnormalities in the main tumor and without metastatic disease at surgery developed liver metastasis within 6 months after surgery, whereas all five (100%) without the gene abnormalities and metastatic disease at surgery did not develop the metastasis, with the sensitivity being 100%, specificity 44%, the predictive value of the positive test 36%, and the predictive value of the negative test 100%. Two patients who had gene abnormalities in the para-aortic lymph node were free from histopathological metastasis and these two patients developed para-aortic lymph node metastasis within 6 months after surgery.CONCLUSIONS:A molecular examination of Ki-ras codon 12 and p53 mutations therefore enables us to predict, to some degree, the occurrence of liver and lymph node metastasis in pancreatic carcinoma.
The impact of Medicaid's preferred drug lists on physicians' prescribing behaviour

This article examines Medicaid preferred drug lists (PDLs), a cost-containment tool that designates specific drugs for use by Medicaid beneficiaries. We develop an empirical model to measure the direct and spillover effects of Medicaid PDL across Medicaid, cash and third-party payer markets; and apply product level panel data to the cardiovascular market in Illinois and Louisiana. We find a significant decrease in post-PDL Medicaid prescription shares of drugs excluded from the PDL. Spillovers onto third parties and the cash market are also statistically significant. Moreover, a more restrictive prior authorization procedure has a greater impact on prescription shares. There is evidence of gradual adjustment in prescription shares. Lastly, the impact of PDLs is stronger among physicians with a higher share of Medicaid prescriptions.
Continuum beliefs and stigmatising beliefs about mental illness: results from an Asian community survey

Objectives To establish the prevalence and correlates of continuum beliefs for five mental illnesses in a multiethnic population and to explore its association with stigma. Design A community-based, cross-sectional study. Setting A national study in a multiethnic Asian country. Participants A comprehensive study of 3006 Singapore residents (Singapore citizens and permanent residents) aged 18–65 years who were living in Singapore at the time of the survey. Outcome measures Parameters assessed included belief in a continuum of symptom experience, stigma dimensions and causal beliefs in mental illness. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression (MLR). Results About half of the population indicated agreement with a continuum of symptoms for depression (57.9%) and dementia (46.8%), whereas only about one in three respondents agreed with it for alcohol abuse (35.6%), schizophrenia (32.7%) and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) (36.8%). MLR analyses revealed that students (β=0.28; 95% CI 0.05 to 0.50; p=0.018) and those who were unemployed (β=0.60; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.95; p=0.001) (vs employed) as well as those who had previous contact with people with mental illness (β = 0.31; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.45; p<0.001) and believed stress, family arguments, difficulties at work or financial difficulties to be a cause for mental illness (β=0.43; 95% CI 0.13 to 0.73; p=0.005) were associated with a higher belief in a continuum of symptom experience. Continuum beliefs were related to lower desire for social distance in alcohol abuse, OCD and schizophrenia; however, they were associated with higher scores on ‘weak-not-sick’ stigma dimension in dementia and schizophrenia. Conclusions Perceiving that a person with a mental illness is similar to themselves may reduce social distancing by the public. Thus, the approach may lend itself well to public education aimed at reducing stigma.
"He Who is Unfit to Serve his Fellow Citizens Wants to Rule Them"--the Political Dimensions of Mises' Theory of Bureaucracy

An important literature exists on bureaucracy. It deals with economic and political consequences. Many scholars analysed these particular organizations and different schools of thought provided their own interpretation of bureaucratic phenomena. Mises’ theory of bureaucracy is known as being an important contribution from the Austrian economics school. However, the political dimension of his works on bureaucracy is less known. This article proposes an analysis of such a dimension.
An In-Vitro Comparison between Hemobag® and Non-Hemobag® Ultrafiltration Methods of Salvaging Circuit Blood Following Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Ultrafiltration of the residual cardiopulmonary bypass circuit blood has become one of the most advantageous procedures to maximize autologous whole blood recovery and coagulation management in cardiovascular surgery. In this invitro study, the Hemobag® technique (HB) was compared to the most common non-Hemobag® method (NHB) of hemoconcentrating residual circuit blood. The residual bovine blood from 10 identical extracorporeal circuits was processed by the recirculating HB technique or by a venous reservoir NHB concentration method. Blood component concentrations and hemolysis levels were measured before and after processing. The HB method yielded significantly higher hemoglobin, hematocrit, fibrinogen, albumin, and total protein levels in the final product. There was no significant difference in final product platelet and white blood cell counts, or hemolysis index. HB processing times were substantially shorter at all residual circuit volumes tested. The HB technique resulted in significantly less wasted red blood cells at the end of processing. The recirculating HB method to process residual extracorporeal circuit blood is consistent and superior to the most common single pass concentrating method.
Current therapeutic strategies of anti-HER2 treatment in advanced breast cancer patients

The HER2/neu (ERBB2) oncogene is amplified and/or overexpressed in approximately 20% of breast cancers, and is a strong prognostic factor for relapse and poor overall survival, particularly in node-positive patients. It is also an important predictor for response to trastuzumab, which has established efficacy against breast cancer with overexpression or amplification of the HER2 oncogene. Treatment with the anti-HER2 humanized monoclonal antibody – trastuzumab significantly improves progression-free and overall survival among patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. However, in most patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, the disease progresses occurred, what cause the need for new targeted therapies for advanced disease. In clinical trials, there are tested new drugs to improve the results of treatment for this group of patients. This paper presents new drugs introduced into clinical practice for treatment of advanced breast cancer, whose molecular target are receptors of the HER2 family. In addition, new therapeutic strategies and drugs that are currently in clinical researches are discussed.
Influences of Helicobacter pylori on cyclooxygenase‐2 expression and prostaglandinE2 synthesis in rat gastric epithelial cells in vitro

Background and Aim: It is known that cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 is over expressed in gastrointestinal neoplasia and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is causally linked to gastric cancer. The present study aimed to elucidate the effects of H. pylori on COX‐2 expression and prostaglandinE2 (PGE2) production in a gastric epithelial cell line derived from normal rat gastric mucosa (RGM1).
International Statebuilding: The Rise of Post-Liberal Governance

1. Introduction: The Statebuilding Paradigm 2. The 'Liberal Peace' Critique of International Intervention 3. Rethinking the State 4. Post-Liberal Governance 5. The EU's Export of 'The Rule of Law' and 'Good Governance' 6. Security and Statebuilding: From Intervention to Prevention 7. Development as Freedom: From Colonialism to Climate Change 8. Race, Culture and Civil Society: Statebuilding and the Privileging of Difference 9. Conclusion
State subsidies to political parties: Confronting rhetoric with reality

This article investigates the political impact of the introduction of state subsidies to political parties. The arguments for and against subsidising political parties are outlined. Different models of party subsidies, and their regulatory frameworks, are discussed. We find little evidence of a cross‐national impact of the introduction of party subsidies. The subsidies cannot explain the decline in party membership. Nor is there evidence to suggest that the subsidies were introduced as a response to membership decline. There is no support for the allegation that party subsidies lead to the petrification of party systems. The subsidies have not meant that other income sources have lost their significance for political parties.
An Option-Theoretic Model of Catastrophes Applied to Mortgage Insurance

This article introduces catastrophic events into an option pricing model of mortgage insurance by incorporating a Poisson distribution into the building process, thus modifying the usual lognormal form to a new jump-diffusion form. The catastrophic events can be purely financial or may be physical destruction driven by nature. The effectiveness of the model is demonstrated by measuring the impact on insurance prices of changes in the chance of a catastrophe and the amount of damage that occurs. The model is also able to ascertain the impact on mortgage insurance of government disaster relief programs provided against catastrophic events.
Sedative effects of PK 9084 and PK 8165, alone and in combination with chlordiazepoxide

1 The sedative effects in rats of two phenylquinolines, PK 9084 and PK 8165 (5–50 mg/kg), were examined in a holeboard: both when given alone and when given in conjunction with chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg). 2 Both phenylquinolines produced significant dose‐related decreases in locomotor activity and rearing, with an ED50 about twice that for chlordiazepoxide. 3 When the phenylquinolines were combined with chlordiazepoxide the degree of sedation was equal to that seen with either drug given alone, whichever produced the greater sedation; the sedative effects of the two drugs were never additive. 4 PK 9084 (10 and 50 mg kg) significantly reduced rectal temperature, as did chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg), but there was no addition nor interaction of their effects. 5 Both phenylquinolines also reduced exploratory head‐dipping, as did chlordiazepoxide, but in combination they antagonized each other's effects. 6 The classification of the phenylquinolines as non‐sedative anxiolytics, acting as agonists at the benzodiazepine receptors needs revision.
Nitric oxide signaling in the cardiovascular system: implications for heart failure

Purpose of review The role played by nitric oxide (NO) in cardiovascular physiology remains highly controversial. Following the discovery that NO is the prototypic endothelium-derived relaxing factor, this signaling molecule was implicated as possessing many other biological actions within the cardiovascular system, including effects on cardiac contraction, relaxation, and energetics. Here, we discuss new concepts regarding NO signaling, its effector pathways, and interactions between NO and the redox milieu within a framework of cardiac physiology and pathophysiology. Recent findings Major recent insights that have advanced understanding of the mechanisms of NO bioactivity include the following. (1) NO acts in subcellular signaling compartments or modules. (2) S-nitrosylation (covalent modification of cysteine thiol moieties) of proteins represents a prototypic second messenger signaling mode in biologic systems. (3) Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species work together to facilitate signaling. (4) Disruption of physiologic signaling can occur by either increased formation of reactive oxygen species or decreased production of reactive nitrogen species, a situation of nitroso–redox imbalance. Summary These insights, which challenge classically held views that NO acts as a freely diffusible molecule regulated primarily by concentration and exerting signaling primarily through cyclic GMP production, offer a new perspective on the pathophysiology and treatment of congestive heart failure.
DIMENSÕES DO CAPITAL SOCIAL EM REDES DE COOPERAÇÃO: ESTUDO DE CASO EM REDE GAÚCHA - Social Capital Dimensions in Cooperation Networks: a Case Study

This study describes how the social networks of the entrepreneurs participating in the Cooperation Networks AutoRede, in the municipality of Novo Hamburgo, are structured. This is a case study in which qualitative and quantitative methods were used, in an evaluation process of information called triangulation (date triangulation and method triangulation). The study focuses on patterns of networks characterized by specifics contents: the networks of support or influence, friendship, information and trust. We analyzed the interrelationship of the dimensions of the social capital of AutoRede in order to present how these relations are built in the context of this specific network. The results showed that the networks surveyed are sparse and that there are actors who concentrate the centrality, considering the contents analyzed. Furthermore, the trust network is the smallest networks, confirming the state postulated by the theory. The findings showed that the construction of the entrepreneur’s network is based on diversity of roles, with the relations being established, in their majority, as close or very close. The findings also reveal that the networks have a low reciprocity in relations. Finally, we noticed that entrepreneurs have shared meanings and those relating to the network participation experience, and the benefits obtained, are the most relevant. As academic and applied contributions of the study, it is expected that the results will provide insights for the development of public policies towards innovation through business networks and also provide theoretical and empirical elements in order to strengthen networks and social capital theories