Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cell Colonization Ability of a Commercialized Large Porous Alveolar Scaffold

The use of filling biomaterials or tissue-engineered large bone implant-coupling biocompatible materials and human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells seems to be a promising approach to treat critical-sized bone defects. However, the cellular seeding onto and into large porous scaffolds still remains challenging since this process highly depends on the porous microstructure. Indeed, the cells may mainly colonize the periphery of the scaffold, leaving its volume almost free of cells. In this study, we carry out an in vitro study to analyze the ability of a commercialized scaffold to be in vivo colonized by cells. We investigate the influence of various physical parameters on the seeding efficiency of a perfusion seeding protocol using large manufactured bone substitutes. The present study shows that the velocity of the perfusion fluid and the initial cell density seem to impact the seeding results and to have a negative effect on the cellular viability, whereas the duration of the fluid perfusion and the nature of the flow (steady versus pulsed) did not show any influence on either the fraction of seeded cells or the cellular viability rate. However, the cellular repartition after seeding remains highly heterogeneous.
Dynamic Association of Nitric Oxide Downstream Signaling Molecules with Endothelial Caveolin-1 in Rat Aorta

Classically, nitric oxide (NO) formed by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) freely diffuses from its generation site to smooth muscle cells where it activates soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), producing cGMP. Subsequently, cGMP activates both cGMP- and cAMP-dependent protein kinases [cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), respectively], leading to smooth muscle relaxation. In endothelial cells, eNOS has been localized to caveolae, small invaginations of the plasma membrane rich in cholesterol. Membrane cholesterol depletion impairs acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation due to alteration in caveolar structure. Given the nature of NO to be more soluble in a hydrophobic environment than in water, and assuming that colocalization of components in a signal transduction cascade seems to be a critical determinant of signaling efficiency by eNOS activation, we hypothesize that sGC, PKA, and PKG activation may occur at the plasma membrane caveolae. In endothelium-intact rat aortic rings, the relaxation induced by ACh, by the sGC activator 3-(5′-hydroxymethyl-2′furyl)-1-benzyl indazole (YC-1), and by 8-bromo-cGMP was impaired in the presence of methyl-β-cyclodextrin, a drug that disassembles caveolae by sequestering cholesterol from the membrane. sGC, PKG, and PKA were colocalized with caveolin-1 in aortic endothelium, and this colocalization was abolished by methyl-β-cyclodextrin. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin efficiently disassembled caveolae in endothelium. In summary, our results provide evidence of compartmentalization of sGC, PKG, and PKA in endothelial caveolae contributing to NO signaling cascade, giving new insights by which the endothelium mediates vascular smooth muscle relaxation.
The XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism and breast cancer risk: a case–control study in a Thai population

Abstract The X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 gene (XRCC3) belongs to a family of genes responsible for repairing DNA double-strand breaks caused by normal metabolic processes and exposure to ionizing radiation. Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may alter an individual's capacity to repair damaged DNA and may lead to genetic instability and contribute to malignant transformation. We examined the role of a polymorphism in the XRCC3 gene (rs861529; codon 241: threonine to methionine change) in determining breast cancer risk in Thai women. The study population consisted of 507 breast cancer cases and 425 healthy women. The polymorphism was analysed by fluorescence-based melting curve analysis. The XRCC3 241Met allele was found to be uncommon in the Thai population (frequency 0.07 among cases and 0.05 among controls). Odds ratios (OR) adjusted for age, body mass index, age at menarche, family history of breast cancer, menopausal status, reproduction parameters, use of contraceptives, tobacco smoking, involuntary tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, and education were calculated for the entire population as well as for pre- and postmenopausal women. There was a significant association between 241Met carrier status and breast cancer risk (OR 1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–2.44). Among postmenopausal women, a slightly higher OR (1.82, 95% CI 0.95–3.51) was found than among premenopausal women (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.82–2.69). Our findings suggest that the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism is likely to play a modifying role in the individual susceptibility to breast cancer among Thai women as already shown for women of European ancestry.
Stroke outcomes with use of antithrombotics within 24 hours after recanalization treatment

Objective: To compare clinical outcomes of patients who received early initiation (<24 hours) of antithrombotics with those who received standard management (antithrombotics administered ≥24 hours). Methods: A total of 712 patients who had an acute ischemic stroke and underwent IV or endovascular (intra-arterial [IA]) recanalization between July 2007 and March 2015 were selected from a prospective clinical registry. Antithrombotics were initiated by an individual clinical decision. We systemically gathered information regarding the exact timing of antithrombotic initiation from a database of the electronic barcode medication administration system. Results: The recanalization treatment cases included in this study comprised 34% (n = 243) IV only, 32% (n = 229) IA only, and 34% (n = 240) combined IV-IA strategies. Antithrombotics were administered within 24 hours in 64% (n = 456) of the patients. Earlier initiation of antithrombotics was associated with decreased odds of having any hemorrhages (adjusted odds ratio 0.56; 95% confidence interval 0.35–0.89), but was not associated with symptomatic hemorrhages (0.85; 0.35–2.10) or modified Rankin Scale scores of 0–1 at 3 months after stroke (1.09; 0.75–1.59). Ultra-early initiation (<12 hours) did not increase the odds of hemorrhagic transformation (0.26; 0.12–0.52). The effects of earlier antithrombotics on the clinical outcomes were not significantly modified by the modality of recanalization treatment. Conclusions: In our retrospective analysis of a prospective registry, early antithrombotic (within 24 hours after initiation) administration did not increase hemorrhages after recanalization treatment. Early antithrombotic therapy may be advantageous for a subset of stroke patients despite the current guidelines.
Assessment of Flowing Blood Coagulation Under Impact of Fibrinogen Concentration Using Optical Coherence Tomography

There were few studies that demonstrate the relationship between flowing blood coagulation and fibrinogen concentration. In this study, we reported a new way of measuring dynamic 1/e light penetration depth (d1/e) of flowing blood under impact of fibrinogen concentrate during clotting by an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. The clotting porcine blood circulated in a mock flow loop with additional fibrinogen concentrations at varying flow velocities was investigated. A significant difference of coagulation process between stationary and flowing blood under the impact of fibrinogen was observed. Parameters describing the changes in optical property at all stages of the developing clot, i.e., the reaction time (tr), clot formation time (tcf), and total clotting time (tc = tr + tcf ) were newly developed from the trace of d1/e versus time. The tr and tc were inversely proportional to the fibrinogen concentrate in both the stationary and flowing blood of hematocrit in 35%, 45%, and 55%. More importantly, the tr and tc tended to increase with the flow velocity for all the fibrinogen concentrates. Thus, we concluded that d1/e-OCT is a promisingly tool for dynamic coagulation progress and status measurements of both stationary and flowing blood under the impact of fibrinogen.
Dopamine transporter genotype modulation of neural responses to smoking cues: confirmation in a new cohort

Previously we demonstrated profound effects of dopamine transporter (DAT) SLC6A3 genotype on limbic responses to smoking cues (SCs). Probands carrying at least one copy of the 9‐repeat allele (9‐repeat carriers) had greater neural responses to SCs in the anatomically interconnected rostral ventral striatum/medial orbitofrontal cortex (VS/mOFC), compared with homozygotes for the 10‐repeat allele (10/10‐repeats). To test the reliability of the initial findings, we examined perfusion functional magnetic resonance images acquired during SC exposure in a new cohort of smokers (N = 26) who were genotyped for the SLC6A3 polymorphism. In smokers overall, activity was enhanced in the VS/mOFC (t = 3.77). Contrasts between allelic groups revealed that 9‐repeat carriers had a greater response to SCs in the VS (t = 3.12) and mOFC (t = 3.19). In separate groups, 9‐repeat carriers showed increased activity in the VS (t = 5.47) and mOFC (T = 4.96), while no increases were observed in 10‐repeats. Subjective reports of craving correlated with increased activity in reward‐related structures including the extended amygdala, insula and post‐central gyrus, and decreased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and were DAT‐genotype dependent (r = 0.63–0.96). In secondary analyses, we found that The Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence scores correlated with enhanced SC‐induced perfusion in 10/10‐repeats in the insula, mOFC, medial temporal and superior frontal gyri (r = 0.50–0.82), while correlations were absent in 9‐repeat carriers. Despite heterogeneity introduced by a host of factors, including variance in other genes involved in smoking behavior, we confirm that DAT genotype predicts the direction and location of neural responses to SCs.
Fiber-optic sensors for monitoring patient physiological parameters: a review of applicable technologies and relevance to use during magnetic resonance imaging procedures

Abstract. The issues involved with recording vital functions in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environment using fiber-optic sensors are considered in this paper. Basic physiological parameters, such as respiration and heart rate, are fundamental for predicting the risk of anxiety, panic, and claustrophobic episodes in patients undergoing MRI examinations. Electronic transducers are generally hazardous to the patient and are prone to erroneous operation in heavily electromagnetically penetrated MRI environments; however, nonmetallic fiber-optic sensors are inherently immune to electromagnetic effects and will be crucial for acquiring the above-mentioned physiological parameters. Forty-seven MRI-tested or potentially MRI-compatible sensors have appeared in the literature over the last 20 years. The author classifies these sensors into several categories and subcategories, depending on the sensing element placement, method of application, and measurand type. The author includes five in-house-designed fiber Bragg grating based sensors and shares experience in acquiring physiological measurements during MRI scans. This paper aims to systematize the knowledge of fiber-optic techniques for recording life functions and to indicate the current directions of development in this area.
Relatives of probands: models for preliminary genetic analysis

1 . INTRODUCTION In the genetic study of a particular trait it is common practice to summarize the data by stating the frequencies with which the trait occurs among the various types of relatives of probands. Thus we find reported in the literature the proportion of sibs, parents, first cousins, etc., of probands who are affected with the trait. One method of analysis is then to consider the question, under a variety of genetic models, ‘What is the probability that a relative of a proband be affected? ’ A comparison of these expected probabilities of being affected with the reported empirical proportions will then give a clue as to which genetic hypothesis is the most appropriate. Li & Sacks (1954) introduced three basic stochastic matrices for the purpose of deriving the joint distribution and correlation between relatives, appropriate for monozygotic twins, children (or parents) and unrelated individuals respectively. These same matrices and others of a similar nature can be used to answer the question posed above. Each of these matrices has dimensions k x k, where Ic is the number of genotypes involved in the particular genetic hypothesis. For example, if the trait is due to the segregation of two alleles at one locus, k = 3; if three alleles at one locus are involved, k = 6. For two alleles at one autosomal locus, the 3 x 3 matrices for monozygotic twins, children (or parents) and unrelated individuals respectively are given by Li and Sacks as 1 0 0 P P O P2 2Pq q2
Diabetic Retinopathy and Inflammation: Novel Therapeutic Targets

Most anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies in diabetic macular edema are not as robust as in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Although the VEGF appears to be a good target in diabetic macular edema, the anti-VEGF therapies appear to be of transient benefit as the edema recurs within a few weeks, and repeated injections are necessary. There is new evidence that indicates ‘retinal inflammation’ as an important player in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. There are common sets of inflammatory cytokines that are upregulated in both the serum and vitreous and aqueous samples, in subjects with diabetic retinopathy, and these cytokines can have multiple interactions to impact the pathogenesis of the disease. The key inflammatory events involved in the blood retinal barrier (BRB) alteration appear to be: (1) Increased expression of endothelial adhesion molecules such as ICAM1, VCAM1, PECAM-1, and P-selectin, (2) adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelium, (3) release of inflammatory chemokines, cytokines, and vascular permeability factors, (4) alteration of adherens and tight junctional proteins between the endothelial cells, and (5) infiltration of leukocytes into the neuro-retina, resulting in the alteration of the blood retinal barrier (diapedesis). VEGF inhibition itself may not achieve neutralization of other inflammatory molecules involved in the inflammatory cascade of the breakdown of the BRB. It is possible that the novel selective inhibitors of the inflammatory cascade (like angiopoietin-2, TNFα, and chemokines) may be useful therapeutic agents in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME), either alone or in combination with the anti-VEGF drugs.
Role of Natriuretic Factor in Central Nervous System (CNS)-lnduced Natriuresis

Abstract The presence of a natriuretic factor in the plasma of rats in which a 350 mM Na (high Na) artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was infused into the lateral ventricle was tested. Blood was obtained from control rats and rats which received an infusion of high Na CSF intraventricular (IVT) for 15 min. The plasma was incubated for 30 rnin at room temperature, acidified, placed in a boiling-water bath, and then centrifuged. The plasma supernate was assayed for natriuretic activity in pentobarbital anesthetized bioassay rats. Sodium excretion increased 6.5 ± 1.1 μeq/kg· min in rats which received an infusion of a control saline solution, 13.3 ± 3.2 μeq/kg· min in rats which received infusion of control plasma supernates, and 32.1 ± 8.3 μeq/kg· min in those rats which received plasma supernates from rats infused with high Na CSF IVT. Blood pressure was unchanged in all groups. The increment in sodium excretion elicited by plasma supernate from the high Na IVT group was significantly greater than that elicited by either control saline solution or control plasma extracts. Therefore, it is concluded that a heat-stable and nonpressor natriuretic factor is present in the plasma of rats infused IVT with high Na CSF.
Modified nanofibrillated cellulose–polyvinyl alcohol films with improved mechanical performance

In this study chemically surface-modified nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) was used at low levels (0.5 to 3 wt%) as reinforcement in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. The modified NFC–PVA films prepared by a solution casting technique showed improved mechanical performance and good optical properties. NFC was allylated and further epoxidised with hydrogen peroxide. The addition of 1 wt% epoxy-NFC enhanced the modulus and strength of the pure PVA film, 474% and 224%, respectively. This composite film exhibited visible light transmittance of 83%. The results also showed that 1 wt% epoxy-NFC loading was beneficial to improve the crystallinity of PVA. SEM characterization confirmed better dispersion of modified NFC within the PVA matrix compared to unmodified NFC. The result showed the favourable effect of chemically modified NFC on the mechanical properties of PVA compared to unmodified NFC as reinforcement.
A new method for retrieving batik shape patterns

Batik as a traditional art is well regarded due to its high aesthetic quality and cultural heritage values. It is not uncommon to reuse versatile decorative shape patterns across batiks. General‐purpose image retrieval methods often fail to pay sufficient attention to such a frequent reuse of shape patterns in the graphical compositions of batiks, leading to suboptimal retrieval results, in particular for identifying batiks that use copyrighted shape patterns without proper authorization for law‐enforcement purposes. To address the lack of an optimized image retrieval method suited for batiks, this study proposes a new method for retrieving salient shape patterns in batiks using a rich combination of global and local features. The global features deployed were extracted according to the Zernike moments (ZMs); the local features adopted were extracted through curvelet transformations that characterize shape contours embedded in batiks. The method subsequently incorporated both types of features via matching a weighted bipartite graph to measure the visual similarity between any pair of batik shape patterns through supervised distance metric learning. The derived similarity metric can then be used to detect and retrieve similar shape patterns appearing across batiks, which in turn can be employed as a reliable similarity metric for retrieving batiks. To explore the usefulness of the proposed method, the performance of the new retrieval method is compared against that of three peer methods as well as two variants of the proposed method. The experimental results consistently and convincingly demonstrate that the new method indeed outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art methods in retrieving salient shape patterns in batiks.
A Simulation-Based Survey of Active Queue Management Algorithms

Active Queue Management (AQM) has been used in routers for early detection of traffic congestion at the bottleneck link. In AQM, packets can be drop before the buffer becomes full, based on many different parameters or conditions. Many algorithms have been proposed to efficiently control the congestion in the network. The scope of this paper is to analyze the most recent and well-known AQM algorithms and evaluate their performance under heavy hybrid traffic load (TCP and UDP flows), using NS-3 network simulator. For the comparative analysis, various metrics are taken into account, including queue length, jitter, end to end delay, packet delivery ratio, and page load time. Results show that one of AQM algorithms can also be used for the purpose of QoS.
HR directors in UK boardrooms: A search for strategic influence or symbolic capital?

Purpose – A place in the boardroom is often considered a necessary if not sufficient condition for HR directors to exercise strategic influence on business decision‐making. The purpose of the paper is to explore the perceived importance of HR boardroom representation, both in a formal and symbolic sense, and to what extent HR directors can exercise strategic influence without it? Design/methodology/approach – Evidence is explored from a survey of 1,188 UK HR practitioners, including 255 board members, and a series of follow‐up interviews with 16 HR directors.Findings – Analysis of the survey findings suggests that boardroom versus non‐boardroom representation of HR appears to matter in four key areas: board members believe they have greater involvement and influence in business planning processes; they have more positive perceptions of the overall performance of HR; they give higher ratings of CEO perceptions of the HR function; and they believe they achieve greater integration of HR strategy with business.
The Subsidy System in Egypt: Alternatives for Reform

Alleviation of the fiscal burden of subsidies and the need for reforms are at the core of the reform agenda of public finances in Egypt. Subsidies have grown in size over time, encourage excessive consumption and fail to achieve the objectives of social equity. Hence, they involve a lot of waste of government resources that could be better targeted to address the growing social agenda by availing support to the most vulnerable groups. Following an overview of the state of public finances and the burden of subsidies, this edition of Policy Viewpoint considers the specifics governing the current system of fuel and food subsidies. It demonstrates its growing cost and inequity, and presents specific proposals to gradually phase out price subsidies to ultimately avail savings for targeted subsidies to the most vulnerable groups. To conclude, it emphasizes the importance of subsidy reform to fiscal sustainability and the need to establish complementary policies to secure the objectives of higher social equity and containing inflation.
Computerized quality-of-life screening in an oncology clinic.

PURPOSE The purpose of these studies was to assess the feasibility and reliability of computerized quality-of-life screening for patients attending an outpatient breast cancer clinic. The screening program involved a computerized administration of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of cancer QUality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). The computer software generated a screening report that clinic staff members used in the clinical encounter to assist in identifying quality-of-life problems. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY Two studies are reported. In study I, 36 patients and either their nurses or physicians evaluated the feasibility of the screening program using questionnaires developed for this study. In study II, a separate sample of 50 patients completed both the computerized and paper-and-pencil versions of the QLQ-C30 to assess reliability and consistency of responding. RESULTS The results of study I indicate that the patients found the computerized administration to be an acceptable means of providing staff members with information on day-to-day functioning. Clinic nurses and physicians indicated that the report was useful in identifying problematic quality-of-life domains. The results of study II indicate that the computerized administration is highly correlated with the paper-and-pencil version and has similar internal consistency. Discrepancies in responses were identified, but were at an acceptable level. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The results of these studies indicate that computerized quality-of-life screening is feasible and may provide reliable data for research and quality assurance studies. Staff evaluations suggest that the written report may provide clinic staff members with a tool for identifying quality-of-life concerns in which individual patients are experiencing difficulty. Potential benefit to patients include productive use of waiting room time, greater efficiency in the assessment process, and an improved likelihood that nurses and physicians will recognize and attend to quality-of-life deficits. The valid, reliable, and efficient identification of important patient quality-of-life concerns allows multidisciplinary team members to focus meaningfully their clinical efforts within their respective areas of responsibility.