Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The age at onset of Alzheimer's disease and an intracranial area measurement. A relationship.

OBJECTIVE To examine the possibility that premorbid brain size may influence the age at onset of symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). DESIGN Retrospective case series. SETTING Outpatients attending a memory disorders clinic in a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Twenty-eight female patients with the diagnosis of probable AD, selected for the availability of informant derived estimates of age at onset of symptoms and computed tomographic scans of the head satisfying angulation criteria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE An average intracranial area of two adjacent computed tomographic scan sections appropriately angled was used as a correlate of premorbid brain size. Strict intracranial volume measurement was not performed. RESULTS Age at onset of symptoms of AD correlated positively (r = .48, P = .009) with our measure of premorbid brain size. There was no confounding by education, height, or ethnicity. CONCLUSION Premorbid brain size may be an important determinant of the age at onset of symptoms of AD. Epidemiologic studies of AD may need to assess the relationship between brain size and putative risk factors, eg, low educational attainment, since there is evidence that brain size is not distributed uniformly across populations.
Pseudotypes of vesicular stomatitis virus with the envelope properties of mammalian and primate retroviruses

By employing improved techniques it has been possible to produce and characterize a representative spectrum of mammalian and primate retrovirus pseudotypes of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Selection of appropriate cell lines for both the production and subsequent detection of the VSV pseudotypes has been the most important factor in permitting their demonstration. The host range for penetration of these retrovirus pseudotypes of VSV has been defined and found to differ from that reported for the replication of the corresponding retroviruses. Additionally, retroviruses having an identical host range for replication were distinguishable by differences in their host range for penetration, implying that restriction of replication may be occurring by different mechanisms. Studies of the plaque-forming efficiency of retrovirus pseudotypes of VSV in cell lines nonpermissive for replication of the corresponding retroviruses permitted a distinction to be made between the restriction of replication occurring as a consequence of postpenetration events and that occurring as a consequence of a block of penetration itself. The demonstration of primate retrovirus pseudotypes of VSV permits the use of VSV as a probe for the detection of this group of viruses.
The Self-Perceived Impact Of An International Immersion Experience On The Cultural Competency And Professional Practice Of Recently Graduated Registered Nurses

Significant health care disparities exist in the United States. Nurses can play an important role eliminating these disparities. International immersion experiences for undergraduate nursing students may provide long-lasting enhancements in cultural competency and improvements in professional practice. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study is to explore how a faculty-led international immersion experience for undergraduate nursing students in public health nursing has influenced cultural competency and how this is perceived to have impacted the individuals’ current professional practice. Campinha-Bacote’s (2002) Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Health Care Services served as a theoretical framework for the study. Participants were sampled based on their experiences in either Bangladesh or Uganda from 2011 to 2013 as part of an international immersion program for undergraduate nursing students. Participants were asked to provide a written response to three prompts. Analysis was guided by the method developed by Colaizzi (Polit & Beck, 2012). Seven individuals agreed to participate. The data collected was somewhat limited in terms of depth, but it did reveal the themes of positive personal and professional development as well as the self-perceived enhancement of one’s cultural competency. These findings are discussed within the context of the literature reviewed. Finally, the methodology of this study is reflected upon and recommendations are made for a follow-up study. This study supports the idea that an international immersion experience for undergraduate nursing students is an overall positive experience and can benefit professional practice as well as enhance one’s cultural competency. However, more research is still needed to assess specifically how professional practice is benefited and to what extent these benefits are maintained overtime.
Protection of vascular barrier integrity by activated protein C in murine models depends on protease-activated receptor-1

Summary Protease activated receptor-1 (PAR1) mediates barrier protective signalling of activated protein C (APC) in human endothelial cells in vitro and may contribute to APC’s beneficial effects in patients with severe sepsis. Mouse models are of key importance for translational research but species differences may limit conclusions for the human system. We analysed whether mouse APC can cleave, activate and induce signalling through murine PAR1 and tested in newly established mouse models if long-term infusion of APC prevents from vascular leakage. Cell surface immunoassays demonstrated efficient cleavage of endogenous murine endothelial PAR1 by either murine or human APC. Pharmacological concentrations of APC of either species had powerful barrier protective effects on cultured murine endothelial cells that required PAR1 cleavage. Vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated hyperpermeability in the skin was reduced by either endogenously generated as well as directly infused recombinant mouse APC in wild-type mice. However APC did not significantly alter the vascular barrier function in PAR1-deficient mice. In endotoxin-challenged mice, infused APC significantly prevented from pulmonary fluid accumulation in the wild-type mice but not in mice lacking PAR1. Our results directly show that murine APC cleaves and signals through PAR1 in mouse endothelial cells. APC reduces vascular permeability in mouse models and PAR1 plays a major role in mediating these effects. Our data in vitro and in vivo support the paradigm that PAR1 contributes to protective effects of APC on vascular barrier integrity in sepsis.
Clinical observations in early and late onset Parkinson's disease.

The present study compares 30 patients who developed idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) at the age of 48 years or younger and 47 patients who developed the disease at the age of 68 years or older. PD patients with early onset had rigidity and bradykinesia as the predominant features at onset and during the course of the illness. In contrast older onset patients exhibited more often tremor at the beginning while later in the course most of them developed the full triad of symptoms i.e. tremor-rigidity-bradykinesia. In spite of such differences the overall disability status did not differ between the two groups of patients. An additional observation was that the early onset patients were apter to show earlier and more often abnormal movements and response fluctuations related to the L-Dopa therapy.
20.5 A Sub-pA ΔΣ Current Amplifier for Single-Molecule Nanosensors

Current readout has been a known technique since the inception of electronic sensors and is widely used, for example, in radiation detectors, impedance spectroscopy, and mechanical sensors. Recently, new challenges have emerged for current sensing in the upcoming era of nanosensors. Nanowires, carbon nanotubes and nanopores are emerging devices that have been proven to be effective in sensing ultra-low concentrations of target molecules [1]. For those devices, current sensing becomes challenging since outputs consist of signals in the pA range or less, in the kHz band. To measure these values, very low-noise front-end amplifiers are needed such as the one in [2]. It achieves a noise floor as low as 20fArms at 1kHz and it is designed for electrophysiology experiments, such as in patch clamp techniques, where single-ion channel recordings from cell membranes are required. However, the instrument is bulky and needs a cooled headstage to boost performance. An integrated solution offering quad current-input 20b analog-to-digital converters is reported in [3]. However, its measured equivalent input noise is above 700fArms at 1kHz.
Prensa española y dictadura argentina (1976-1983): la imagen del exilio en «ABC», «El País» y «Triunfo»

Este trabajo analiza las informaciones aparecidas en la prensa espanola (El Pais, ABC y Triunfo) sobre el exilio argentino y la ultima dictadura (1976-1983) que lo provoco. Busca, en este sentido, examinar la imagen que de ellos desarrollaron estos diarios. Se han escogido dos periodos de tiempo que incluyen los meses de mayo y junio de 1978 (Mundial de Futbol) y abril, mayo y junio de 1982 (Guerra de Malvinas) ya que fueron los que mas despertaron el interes internacional de los medios de comunicacion.
[Molecular mechanisms involved in regulation of proliferation and apoptosis by STAT3 antisense oligonucleotide and chemotherapy in laryngeal cancer cells].

OBJECTIVE To study the mechanism of STAT3 antisense oligonucleotide (STAT3 AS-ON) in combination with DDP in the treatment of laryngeal cancer. METHODS STAT3 AS-ON, DDP, or STAT3 AS-ON + DDP was added into culture media. The expression and phosphorylation levels of STAT3 protein in Hep-2 cells were measured by Western Blot. The expression of Cyclin D1 and Bcl-xL was also detected by Western Blot. The cell proliferation was assayed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT). Flow cytometry was performed to analyze the cell cycle and apoptosis. RESULTS STAT3 was highly expressed and phosphorylated in Hep-2 cells. Transfection of STAT3 AS-ON suppressed the expression and phosphorylation levels of STAT3 protein. Forty-eight hours after transfection, the proliferation of Hep-2 cells was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibitory effects appeared at 24 h after transfection of STAT3 AS-ON, and became more obvious after 36 h. Seventy-two hours after transfection, the rate of apoptosis in STAT3 AS-ON + DDP group, DDP group, STAT3 AS-ON group, STAT3 S-ON group, lipidosome group and control group was 32.9%, 13.5%, 28.1%, 3.2%, 2.4%, 1.8% respectively. After the treatment of Hep-2 cells with STAT3 AS-ON and DDP for 72 h, the ratio of G1 phase was up-regulated from 55.7% to 74.9%, while that of S phase was own-regulate from 33.6% to 6.9%. CONCLUSIONS STAT3 AS-ON and DDP could suppress the growth of laryngeal cancer cells and induce significant apoptosis of laryngeal cancer cells. Combined use of them had a synergic effect, obviously inhibiting the activation of STAT3 signaling transduction pathway of laryngeal cancer cells. Selective inhibition of specific signaling pathway may provide a new therapeutic approach for treating laryngeal cancers.
Heat Shock Response in Lactobacillus plantarum

ABSTRACT Heat stress resistance and response were studied in strains of Lactobacillus plantarum. Stationary-phase cells of L. plantarum DPC2739 had decimal reduction times (D values) (D value was the time that it took to reduce the number of cells by 1 log cycle) in sterile milk of 32.9, 14.7, and 7.14 s at 60, 72, and 75°C, respectively. When mid-exponential-phase cells were used, the D values decreased. The temperature increases which caused a 10-fold reduction in the D value ranged from 9 to 20°C, depending on the strain. Part of the cell population treated at 72°C for 90 s recovered viability during incubation at 7°C in sterile milk for 20 days. When mid-exponential- or stationary-phase cells of L. plantarum DPC2739 were adapted to 42°C for 1 h, the heat resistance at 72°C for 90 s increased ca. 3 and 2 log cycles, respectively. Heat-adapted cells also showed increased growth at pH 5 and in the presence of 6% NaCl. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of proteins expressed by control and heat-adapted cells revealed changes in the levels of expression of 31 and 18 proteins in mid-exponential- and stationary-phase cells, respectively. Twelve proteins were commonly induced. Nine proteins induced in the heat-adapted mid-exponential- and/or stationary-phase cells of L. plantarum DPC2739 were subjected to N-terminal sequencing. These proteins were identified as DnaK, GroEL, trigger factor, ribosomal proteins L1, L11, L31, and S6, DNA-binding protein II HlbA, and CspC. All of these proteins have been found to play a role in the mechanisms of stress adaptation in other bacteria. Antibodies against GroES detected a protein which was induced moderately, while antibodies against DnaJ and GrpE reacted with proteins whose level of expression did not vary after heat adaptation. This study showed that the heat resistance of L. plantarum is a complex process involving proteins with various roles in cell physiology, including chaperone activity, ribosome stability, stringent response mediation, temperature sensing, and control of ribosomal function. The physiological mechanisms of response to pasteurization in L. plantarum are fundamental for survival in cheese during manufacture.
A method of haptic interaction for photo-retouch tools

Virtual reality technologies become very popular for many users. Advanced force feedback devices can realize tactile sensation in the virtual space. These devices are expected to bring advanced interactions between human and computer. On the other hand, photo retouch or painting softwares are also very popular. However, they can not always use these tools easily because operation are very complicated. In this paper, we discuss about a new advanced retouch tool with haptic (force feedback) interfaces. Users can utilise additional haptic information for image processing. By using a prototype of this tool, we discuss about a method of haptic rendering and display for image features.
p27 degradation by an ellipticinium series of compound via ubiquitin-proteasome pathway

The ellipticinium and its derivatives have been studied as anti-cancer agents with preferentially cyto-toxicity to the brain tumor cell lines. During the course of our study to determine whether an ellipticine derivative, API59-Cl would sensitize radio-resistant U87 glioblastoma cells to radiation, we found that it reduced the level of p27, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. API59-Cl induced a dose and time dependent p27 reduction in U87 cells. The compound-induced p27 reduction was also seen in three additional glioblastoma lines, T98G, U251 and U118 as well as in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Mechanistic study of API59-Cl mediated p27 reduction revealed that it was not due to an altered p27 transcription, rather due to a shortened protein half-life as a result of enhanced p27 degradation. Indeed, API59-Cl induced p27 degradation was dependent on ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, particularly E3 ubiquitin ligase component, Skp2, but not Cullin-4A/B, and can be largely blocked by proteasome inhibitors MG132 or PS341. Finally, we demonstrated that API59-Cl inhibited U87 cell growth with an IC50 of 1.7 μM, which is independent of its p27 degrading activity. This is the first report, to our knowledge, that the ellipticinium class of small molecule compounds promotes p27 degradation via ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The finding could provide a new tool to further understand the mechanism of p27 degradation.
17f3-Estradiol-induced pS2 Expression'

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlom&benzo-p-dloxin (T'CDD)exhibits a broad spectrum ofantlestrogenic activities in rodents and mammalian cells in culture. The effects of TCDD on 1711-estradiol (E2)-Induction of p82, a prognostic marker for breast cancer, were investigated in MCF-7, ZR-75, HeLa, and Hepe lclc7 wild-type and mutant cell& These effects were compared to the suppressive activities of the congeaer, 2,8-dlchlorodlbenzo-p-dioxin, and the established antlestrogens, IC! 164,384 and tamoxifen, in order to determine the relative potency ofTCDD and to distinguish the mechanism of action of Mi receptor-mediated antiestrogens. MCF-7 cells aM TCDD E2-Induced secreted pS2 protein levels by 50% and the Induction of the transiently transfected â€”1100to â€”86pS2 promoter-regulated reporter gene (pS2- LUC) 57% Comparable effects on PS2-LUC activity were observed in HeLa and ZR-75 cells. In contrast, TCDD had minimal effects on pS2ERE(-405 to -393)-LUC Induction, whereas treatment with 10 n@s Id 1@,384 a 60% decrease in ludferase activity. In Hepa lclcl E2 Inclone (C12) and ERGR) were also used to examine the role ofE2 metabolism and the mechanism of TCDD-mediated antlestrogenic activity. Inductioa by HE1S and ERcVP16 was suppressed by 57 and 74%,respectively,followingtreatmentwithTCDD,whereas Id 164,384 was significantly less effective (38 and 20%, respectively). These results demonstrate a role for the Mi receptor In TCDD-medi ated suppression of E2-Induced pS2 expression. Data Is presented dem oastrating that the effect requires sequences within the pS2 promoter other than the estrogen response element and is Independent of E2 oxi dative metabolism. E2 induction of p52 the p52 protein.
Amber Mutants of Bacteriophages T3 and T7 Defective in Phage-directed Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis

Amber mutants of the related phages T3 and T7 were isolated and tested for their ability to restore—as the wild type does—thymidine incorporation in ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated, UV-sensitive, nonpermissive host bacteria (Escherichia coli Bs-1). Most amber mutants had this ability. However, in both T3 and T7, mutants unable to promote thymidine incorporation under these conditions were found and classified into two well-defined complementation groups: T3DO-A and T3DO-B, T7DO-A and T7DO-B. Infection of Bs-1 cells with representatives of groups DO-A had the following characteristics: (i) phage-directed uridine uptake in UV-irradiated cells was reduced to less than 20% of normal; (ii) breakdown of host deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was delayed and incomplete; (iii) no serum-blocking antigens appeared; (iv) no cell lysis occurred; (v) the ability to exclude the heterologous wild type was impaired. Amber mutants of the DO-B groups, infecting Bs-1, were able to: (i) promote an efficient phage-directed uridine uptake in UV-irradiated cells; (ii) bring about rapid breakdown of host DNA; (iii) synthesize serum-blocking antigens; (iv) lyse the host cells, generally after the normal latent period; (v) exclude efficiently the heterologous wild type. Although physiological similarities between the respective DO-A mutants or DO-B mutants of T3 and T7 were evident, no physiological cross-complementation occurred, and genetic crosses gave no evidence of genetic homologies between groups of T3 and T7.
Extraction in Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar

Extraction is treated in Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG) as a series of linked identities, enforced by a small number of interacting constraints, in the specification of a syntactic feature, slash. HPSG's monostratal formalism ensures that this strictly local determination of slash identities connects the relevant morphosyntactic properties of the filler to those imposed by conditions at the gap site. This connectivity mechanism operates in precisely the same manner whether the filler is linked to a single gap site or several, thus yield strictly parallel treatments for single and multiple gap phenomena, respectively. The inherently local nature of HPSG's connectivity mechanism is supported by data from languages in which all clausal levels in filler/gap pathways are flagged by grammatical effects restricted to such pathways. Interruption in connectivity, familiar in syntax as ‘island’ effects, are regarded as outside the formal combinatorics of the syntax itself, as argued in an increasingly broad and deep literature documenting the origins of these effects in real-time processing, pragmatic and other functional aspects of linguistic cognition. And this simple characterization of extraction connectivity is compatible with a review of arguments that purport to argue for a heterogeneous characterization of extraction constructions, but which prove to lack empirical motivation. Nonetheless, despite a homogeneous connectivity mechanism, extraction constructions differ from each other idiosyncratically in many respects, and these idiosyncrasies are the subject of much ongoing research in HPSG.
Local audit: How tightly should we police antibiotic prescribing for urinary tract infection and how should we modify national policy?

Objective In 2010, our hospital, in line with National guidance, changed advice on antibiotic prescribing for UTI to reduce use of cephalosporins in favour of penicillins. We hypothesized that this change in policy would have no impact on the pattern of antibiotic resistance of the organisms causing UTI. Study design Audit review of all urine samples sent to BWH from 2009 to 2013 and positive cultures showing Enterobacteriaceae were then tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Results There has been an increase in the resistance of both Co-amoxiclav and Ciprofloxacin since 2009. Co-amoxiclav and trimethoprim now have similar resistance rates. Ciprofloxacin resistance has risen fairly quickly in the last four years from 1% to 8%. Resistance to nitrofurantoin has remained low. Gentamicin resistance remained stable and very low, second best to meroponem. Impact The results have been fed back to commissioners and internally and are being used as part of the guideline updating process. Conclusions Hospital protocols for treating infections should be reviewed and updated based on accurate local data. These data should be used for formulating regional specific protocols. Our results suggest that meroponem and ciprofloxacin should be reserved for microbiologically proven resistance to other antibiotics.
The Effect of Firm Characteristic on Intellectual Capital Disclosure in Islamic Banking: Evidence From Asia

This research aims to investigate the relationship between firm’s characteristic (firm size, profitability, leverage, and company age) and intellectual capital disclosure. This research also uses control variables such as board size, firm’s audit, and role of duality. Sample in this research are 34 Islamic bank’s annual reports collected by pooled data. Dependent variable in this research is intellectual capital disclosure. Dependent variable is measured by content analysis method. Content analysis is supported by disclosure index that measured variety of intellectual capital disclosure. It is also supported by word count that represented volume of intellectual capital disclosure respectively. Independent variable in this research are firm’s characteristic, consists of firm size, profitability, leverage, and company age. Data are analyzed by using SPSS program 16.00 version. Result of analysis indicates that there exist a significant relationship between variety of intellectual capital disclosure with all firm characteristic except for firm’s size. In other side, there is significant association volume of intellectual capital disclosure with all firm’s characteristic except for profitability. The influence of firm characteristic on intellectual capital mechanism on human, structural, and relational capital disclosure, based on two matrixes, is also explored. Keywords : Firm Characteristic, Intellectual Capital Disclosure, Content Analysis, Islamic Banking