Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Frequent loss of the CDKN2C (p18INK4c) gene product in pituitary adenomas

Genomic alterations of cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitors have been demonstrated in a variety of tumor types including brain tumors. Among them, the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A or p16INK4a) gene has been shown to be frequently deleted or inactivated in astrocytic tumors. The CDKN2C (p18INK4c) gene is functionally related to CDKN2A. Moreover, mice with targeted disruption of CDKN2C alone or combined CDKN2C and cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (CDKN1B or p27Kip1), or CDKN2C and TP53 gene disruption develop pituitary adenomas (PA) at high frequencies. The purpose of our study was to investigate genetic alterations of the CDKN2C gene by analysis of loss of heterozygosity (LOH), screening for mutations, analysis of promoter methylation, and protein expression in 38 PAs. In addition, genomic alterations and protein expression of the cell cycle genes CDKN2A and its alternatively spliced form, p14ARF, as well as the retinoblastoma RB1 gene were investigated. LOH at the CDKN2C gene locus was detected in 25% of pituitary adenomas, whereas the RB1 and CDKN2A loci were altered in only 10%. No mutations were detected within the coding regions of the CDKN2C gene. However, 39.5% of adenomas displayed CDKN2C promoter methylation. The absence of CDKN2C protein was correlated with LOH of the CDKN2C locus on chromosome 1 and with methylation of the CDKN2C promoter. This is the first report to describe that the tumor suppressor gene CDKN2C is frequently targeted by genomic alterations in pituitary adenoma. The most common genetic alteration was promoter methylation suggesting that inactivation of CDKN2C by this mechanism may play an important role in pituitary adenoma development. Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dimeric Galectin-1 Induces Surface Exposure of Phosphatidylserine and Phagocytic Recognition of Leukocytes without Inducing Apoptosis*

We report that human galectin-1 (dGal-1), a small dimeric β-galactoside-binding protein, induces phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure, measured by Annexin V staining, on human promyelocytic HL-60 cells, T leukemic MOLT-4 cells, and fMet-Leu-Phe-activated, but not resting, human neutrophils. This effect of dGal-1 on HL-60 and MOLT-4 cells is enhanced by pretreatment of the cells with neuraminidase, but treatment of resting neutrophils with neuraminidase does not enhance their sensitivity to dGal-1. Although the induction of staining with Annexin V is often associated with apoptosis, the dGal-1-treated HL-60 cells, MOLT-4 cells, and activated neutrophils do not undergo apoptosis, and there is no detectable DNA fragmentation. HL-60 and MOLT-4 cells treated with dGal-1 continue to grow normally. By contrast, camptothecin-treated HL-60 cells, etoposide-treated MOLT-4 cells, and anti-Fas-treated neutrophils exhibit extensive DNA fragmentation and/or cell death. Lactose inhibits the dGal-1-induced effects, indicating that dGal-1-induced signaling requires binding to cell surface β-galactosides. The dimeric form of Gal-1 is required for signaling, because a monomeric mutant form of Gal-1, termed mGal-1, binds to cells but does not cause these effects. Importantly, dGal-1, but not mGal-1, treatment of HL-60 cells and activated human neutrophils significantly promotes their phagocytosis by activated mouse macrophages. These dGal-1-induced effects are distinguishable from apoptosis, but like apoptotic agents, prepare cells for phagocytic removal. Such effects of dGal-1 may contribute to leukocyte homeostasis.
The metabolic syndrome and inflammation:  role of insulin resistance and increased adiposity.

OBJECTIVES We sought to determine the role of obesity and insulin resistance (IR) in the pathogenesis of inflammation in metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS Our study included 100 patients with MetS and 100 age and gender matched control patients who attended a tertiary care laboratory in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Anthropometric data was obtained including height and weight to calculate body mass index. A record of patient's blood pressure (BP), waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC) was made. Biochemical analysis included measurements of fasting glucose, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), insulin, and high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP). IR was determined by the homeostasis mode assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) method. RESULTS The levels of hs-CRP were found to be elevated in all patients with MetS where it correlated significantly with all its components including measures of obesity, fasting insulin and glucose levels, IR, TG and HDL-c. However, on linear regression analysis only WC, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR remained significantly correlated with hs-CRP. CONCLUSION MetS is a condition characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, which arises because of increased abdominal adiposity and IR. Large multicenter studies are needed to gain insight into its pathogenesis and derive treatment strategies.
Overexpression of ubiquitin specific proteases 44 promotes the malignancy of glioma by stabilizing tumor-promoter securin

Ubiquitin specific peptidase 44 (USP44) has been identified as an important component of spindle assemble checkpoint (SAC) to prevent the formation of aneuploidy. However, recent study raised a controversy about the effect of USP44 in tumor. Here, we first confirmed the intranuclear localization of USP44 by testing several specific antibodies to recognize endogenous USP44. Then, data from IHC and qRT-PCR assay indicated that the high expression of USP44 existed in high-grade glioma tissues and signified a poor prognosis. Knockdown of USP44 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, induced apoptosis, and arrested cell cycle in G2/M phase in the established glioma cell lines. Down-regulation of oncoprotein securin was detected in USP44 deficient cells, and the interaction of endogenous USP44 and securin was confirmed by immunoprecipitation in U251MG cells, which indicated that securin was a substrate of USP44, and might be stabilized by USP44. In vivo, knockdown of USP44 inhibited the tumorigenicity of U87MG cells significantly. Consequently, our findings suggested that overexpression of USP44 could enhance the malignancy of glioma via securin. USP44 might serve as a predictive biomarker, and the USP44-securin pathway might provide a new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of glioma.
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN THE PRACTICE OF ENTERPRISES IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Management tasks are focused both on good current b usiness results (operations management task) and good operating results in the future, (strategic management task). Survival, growth and development at the mark et imply competitiveness. Enterprises can be competitive in designing, adopti ng and implementing appropriate strategies based on good and a reasonab le mission and well-planned strategic vision that will enable the achievement o f planned and desirable business objectives, financial (for liquid – operations mana gement) and strategic, for successful business in the future. Economy in Bosni a and Herzegovina is relatively undeveloped, economic system is not equal to the ec onomies of developed countries because private enterprises and entrepreneurship do not have a dominant role. The aim of this paper is to describe strategic manageme nt theories and their implementation in the practice of enterprises in Bo snia and Herzegovina. According to the results of empirical research, top management is focused exclusively to the achievement of good results, cur rent operations, and almost do not think about the future (they are focused on the strategy of survival). Top and middle level managers have a low level of education ; they cannot understand the meaning of strategic intention: vision, mission, go als, strategies and strategic planning. Management in non-privatized enterprises take formal rather than real responsibility for the overall business success, an d the authorities do almost nothing to continue the privatization process.
Is Cognitive Neuropsychology Possible?

Cognitive neuropsychology's domain of inquiry concerns the structure of normal perceptual, motor, and cognitive processes. As such, it constitutes a branch of cognitive science. Cognitive neuropsychology differs from other branches of cognitive science only by the type of observation that it uses in developing and evaluating theories of normal cognition. The data used in cognitive neuropsychology are the patterns of performance produced by brain-damged subjects. Because the basic data used in cognitive neuropsychology are the result of a biological manipulationa brain lesionthese data will be relevant to claims about the functional organization of the brain. Hence, cognitive neuropsychology may also be considered to be a branch of cognitive neuroscience. However, in this paper I will be concerned with an assessment of research programs whose principal or only aim is to constrain theories of normal cognitive functioning through the analysis of acquired disorders of cognition. Following a brief discussion of the basic assumptions that motivate cognitive neuropsychological research, I consider Kosslyn and Van Kleeks (1990) claim that the study of brain-damaged subjects for the purpose of constraining theories of normal cognitive processing cannot lead to meaningful conclusions unless the theories are directly cast in terms of anatomical and physiological facts. I argue that these authors conflated criticisms that may apply to any empirical science with criticisms that may apply specifically to cognitive neuropsychology. Separate consideration of the criticisms specific to cognitive neuropsychology reveals that these are unfounded. The main point of this discussion is to emphasize the pragmatic character of the motivation for using impaired performance to constrain theories of normal cognition. The usefulness of cognitive neuropsychological research is illustrated through specific examples.
Risk factors for low cardiac output syndrome after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

OBJECTIVES Low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) is a serious complication after cardiac surgery and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for LCOS in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery of Pronto Socorro Cardiológico de Pernambuco - PROCAPE (Recife, PE, Brazil). METHODS A historical prospective study comprising 605 consecutive patients operated between May 2007 and December 2010. We evaluated 12 preoperative and 7 intraoperative variables. We applied univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The incidence of LCOS was 14.7% (n = 89), with a lethality rate of 52.8% (n = 47). In multivariate analysis by logistic regression, four variables remained as independent risk factors: age > 60 years (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.20 to 6.14, P = 0.009), on-pump CABG (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.40 to 7.08, P = 0.006), emergency surgery (OR 4.71, 95% CI 1.34 to 26.55, P = 0.028), incomplete revascularization (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.32 to 5.86, P = 0.003), and ejection fraction <50%. CONCLUSIONS This study identified the following independent risk factors for LCOS after CABG: age> 60 years of off-pump CABG, emergency surgery, incomplete CABG and ejection fraction <50%.
A quick method to realize and characterize bimorph cantilevers

Bimorph cantilever-based thermal actuators are promising for numerous applications like micro-mirror arrays, etc. This paper presents a simple technique for fabricating bimorph cantilevers using a single photolithography process and a quick optical methodology for the characterization of such structures. A bimorph combination of Al-SiO2 has been realized where SiO2 cantilevers are first realized, followed by aluminum sputtering to make the desired bimorph structure. Silicon oxide cantilevers are defined using optical photolithography, silicon area exposed by etching SiO2 in buffered oxide etch (BOE) solution and structures are released by wet bulk micro-machining of silicon in 25% TMAH solution. The cantilever deflection is characterized in a temperature range of 24-56°C using external heating and the corresponding deflections recorded via 3D imaging. A 97 μm-long cantilever tip shows a deflection of ~3.7 μm, when its temeprature changes by 32°C, corresponding to an actuation of 2.1 degrees.
Métodos Computacionales para el Reconocimiento de Patrones Mioeléctricos en el Control de Exoesqueletos Robóticos: Una Revisión

El desarrollo de las interfaces hombre-maquina ha representado una linea de investigacion interesante y ampliamente estudiada en el campo de la rehabilitacion. En este sentido, para potencializar los procesos de rehabilitacion fisica de las personas con discapacidad motora hay un esfuerzo creciente en la comunidad cientifica hacia el desarrollo de nuevos dispositivos roboticos, como los exoesqueletos. El control mioelectrico es una tecnica avanzada concerniente con la deteccion, procesamiento, clasificacion y aplicacion de senales electromiograficas para el control de sistemas externos y dispositivos de rehabilitacion. En la terapia fisica efectuada mediante el uso de sistemas roboticos, es fundamental una identificacion efectiva de la intencion de los movimientos humanos para comandar tales sistemas. En la literatura se han utilizado ampliamente las senales electromiograficas de superficie, teniendo en cuenta que las mismas pueden reflejar la intencion del movimiento. Este articulo proporciona una revision de las tecnicas y metodos computacionales que han sido utilizados, basados en tecnicas de extraccion de caracteristicas y reconocimiento de patrones para el control miolectrico de exoesqueletos. Se abordan trabajos que hacen uso de estos metodos, para el control de los dispositivos roboticos, y se plantean direcciones futuras en este campo de investigacion.
El bosque invisible bajo el monte bajo: una mirada al sistema radical de las cepas de encina

La extensa superficie ocupada en la cuenca mediterranea por tallares de Quercus antiguamente explotados en monte bajo y su preocupante situacion como consecuencia del abandono de la gestion han justificado en los ultimos anos el analisis de su estado actual y de posibles tratamientos. Sin embargo, en muy pocos casos se aborda el estudio de los sistemas radicales debido a la obvia dificultad de acceder a ellos. Este trabajo presenta la metodologia y resultados preliminares de la caracterizacion de los sistemas radicales de cepas de encina del centro de la peninsula Iberica. Para ello se han localizado 26 pares de cepas; cada par esta constituido por dos cepas muy cercanas (en la misma estacion), de similar estructura, pero una vigorosa y la otra en aparente mal estado vegetativo. En cada cepa se ha hecho lo siguiente: caracterizacion de la estacion forestal; caracterizacion de parte aerea (estado fisiologico, inventario, apeo, estimacion de edades y crecimientos, cuantificacion de biomasa), prospeccion del sistema radical mediante tecnologia GPR; extraccion de sistemas radicales mediante retroexcavadora; caracterizacion de sistemas radicales (tipologia) y cuantificacion de biomasa. Se relacionan los resultados obtenidos con el buen o mal estado vegetativo inicial de la cepa.
Edge image aggregation method using ordered weighted averaging functions

The proposal of new edge detectors is a constant in last years due to the importance of the edge detection result for high-level image processing tasks. It is known that there is no optimal edge detector for all kinds of images and in addition, it is not a straightforward mission to set the optimal set of parameters of the edge detector for each image. In this paper, an algorithm to deal with these drawbacks is presented based on obtaining a consensus edge image from the edge images obtained by several edge detectors or configurations of the same edge detector. These input edge images are combined using multifuzzy sets and averaging aggregation functions and after applying a penalty function, the consensus edge image is obtained. Experimental results show that this approach leads to a robust edge detector which is able to obtain notable results for different kinds of images.
Re: "Influence of exercise, walking, cycling, and overall nonexercise physical activity on mortality in Chinese women".

This investigation described the effects of exercise, walking, and cycling for transportation, as well as the effect of overall nonexercise physical activity, on mortality in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study (1997–2004). Women without heart disease, stroke, or cancer were followed for an average of 5.7 years (n ¼ 67,143), and there were 1,091 deaths from all causes, 537 deaths from cancer, and 251 deaths from cardiovascular diseases. Information about physical activity and relevant covariates was obtained by interview. Proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Exercise and cycling for transportation were both inversely and independently associated with all-cause mortality (ptrend < 0.05), but walking for transportation was less strongly associated with reduced risk (ptrend ¼ 0.07). Women reporting no regular exercise but who reported 10 or more metabolic equivalent (MET)-hours/day of nonexercise activity were at 25–50% reduced risk (ptrend < 0.01) relative to less active women (0–9.9 MET-hours/day). Among women reporting the least nonexercise activity (0–9.9 MET-hours/day) but reporting regular exercise participation, exercise was associated with reduced mortality (hazard ratio ¼ 0.78, 95% confidence interval: 0.62, 0.99). These findings add new evidence that overall physical activity levels are an important determinant of longevity, and that health benefit can be obtained through an active lifestyle, exercise, or combinations of both. cardiovascular diseases; cohort studies; exercise; mortality; motor activity; neoplasms
Extramedullary multiple myeloma escapes the effect of thalidomide.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Thalidomide is an antiangiogenic drug that produces a response rate ranging from 32 to 64% in patients with refractory/relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). However, the efficacy of thalidomide in patients with soft-tissue plasmacytomas is controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the response rate to thalidomide in patients with advanced MM and to correlate the response rate with the presence of extramedullary involvement. DESIGN AND METHODS Thirty-eight patients with refractory/relapsed MM were treated with thalidomide. Eleven patients had extramedullary involvement when therapy was initiated. The response rate was evaluated according to the criteria of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. RESULTS Sixteen of the 38 patients (42%) responded to thalidomide. The response rate was significantly higher in patients without extramedullary involvement (59% vs 0%, p=0.0006). Although four of the 11 patients with extramedullary involvement had a serological response, a progression of the soft-tissue masses was observed in all of them. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS Thalidomide is effective in patients with advanced MM. However, extramedullary disease does not respond to thalidomide, as delivered in this series. The mechanisms to explain different response to therapy depending on tumor homing warrant further investigation.
Human body: The future communication channel for WBAN

WBAN is a network of wireless sensor nodes in which in- and/or on-body sensor nodes communicate with central hub as well as with each other. It provides effective health monitoring services along with many other applications. WBAN uses either RF or non-RF based communication techniques. Human body communication (HBC) is a non-RF technique, which utilizes the human body as a communication channel. This paper surveys the typical HBC schemes and compares the performance of RF-based and HBC-based WBANs.
Mitogenic activity of interferon gamma on growth-arrested human vascular smooth muscle cells.

Interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) is a multifunctional lymphokine secreted by activated T lymphocytes, which are found in atherosclerotic lesions. IFN-gamma has been reported to suppress the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). However, as we report in this paper, IFN-gamma is mitogenic for vascular SMCs under certain circumstances. Recombinant human IFN-gamma (1-100 units/ml), in a dose-dependent fashion, stimulated cell multiplication and [3H]thymidine and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation into DNA by cultured arterial SMCs that had been growth arrested by culturing in 1% plasma-derived serum for 5 days. IFN-gamma also accentuated the mitogenic activity of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB. A time-course study revealed that there was a time lag of 4-6 hours between the G1-->S transition of quiescent SMCs stimulated by IFN-gamma and that of SMCs stimulated by PDGF-BB. A synergistic effect of IFN-gamma on the mitogenicity of PDGF became apparent after a similar time lag, suggesting that the IFN-gamma-related mitogenicity is mediated by a substance(s) secreted by IFN-gamma-treated SMCs. In fact, conditioned medium of IFN-gamma-treated SMCs was mitogenic for SMCs. Mitogenic activity in the conditioned medium was also detected by an assay using Swiss 3T3 cells, which originate from mice and, therefore, are not responsive to human IFN-gamma. The production of the mitogenic factor was blocked by anti-IFN-gamma antibody. Mitogenicity of the conditioned medium was not eliminated by addition of neutralizing antibody against PDGF, indicating that any autocrine growth factor(s) secreted by IFN-gamma-treated SMCs was not PDGF. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Using Drosophila to discover mechanisms underlying type 2 diabetes

ABSTRACT Mechanisms of glucose homeostasis are remarkably well conserved between the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and mammals. From the initial characterization of insulin signaling in the fly came the identification of downstream metabolic pathways for nutrient storage and utilization. Defects in these pathways lead to phenotypes that are analogous to diabetic states in mammals. These discoveries have stimulated interest in leveraging the fly to better understand the genetics of type 2 diabetes mellitus in humans. Type 2 diabetes results from insulin insufficiency in the context of ongoing insulin resistance. Although genetic susceptibility is thought to govern the propensity of individuals to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus under appropriate environmental conditions, many of the human genes associated with the disease in genome-wide association studies have not been functionally studied. Recent advances in the phenotyping of metabolic defects have positioned Drosophila as an excellent model for the functional characterization of large numbers of genes associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Here, we examine results from studies modeling metabolic disease in the fruit fly and compare findings to proposed mechanisms for diabetic phenotypes in mammals. We provide a systematic framework for assessing the contribution of gene candidates to insulin-secretion or insulin-resistance pathways relevant to diabetes pathogenesis. Drosophila Collection: Studies in Drosophila hold the potential to transform our understanding of the genetics of diabetes. We review important findings and provide a framework for diabetes gene discovery in the fly.