Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Apolipoprotein E status as a predictor of the development of Alzheimer's disease in memory-impaired individuals.

OBJECTIVE The outcome of patients with mild cognitive impairment is not known, yet these patients present a difficult dilemma for the clinician. This study was designed to characterize the outcome of a group of patients with mild cognitive impairment and to determine whether the presence of the epsilon 4 allele on the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) is a predictor of that outcome. DESIGN A prospective, longitudinal inception cohort. SETTING General community clinic. PARTICIPANTS A consecutive sample of 66 patients who met criteria for a diagnosis of a mild cognitive impairment and who had at least one clinical reevaluation was identified from the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Center/Alzheimer's Disease Patient Registry. INTERVENTIONS We evaluated patients initially and at 12- to 18-month intervals up to 54 months using standard neurological and neuropsychological measures such as the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Dementia Rating Scale, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Revised, the Wechsler Memory Scale--Revised, and the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test. The APOE status of study patients was determined. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The development of dementia as determined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition and the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke/Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria. RESULTS Sixty-six individuals had been reevaluated once (mean of 18 months), 36 individuals twice (mean of 36 months), and 22 individuals on three occasions (mean of 54 months), with conversion rates to dementia at these intervals of 24%, 44%, and 55%, respectively. A multivariate Cox regression model demonstrated that possession of an APOE epsilon 4 allele was the strongest predictor of clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest the following: (1) patients with mild cognitive impairment can be clinically defined, (2) many members of this group progress to Alzheimer's disease, and (3) APOE epsilon 4 allele status appears to be a strong predictor of clinical progression.
Mortality and Morbidity after Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma Using a Transperitoneal Anterior Subcostal Incision

Objectives: We have reviewed our surgical experience to document intra- and postoperative mortality and morbidity in 656 patients with renal cell carcinoma who underwent nephrectomy through a transperitoneal anterior subcostal incision (TASI). Materials and Methods: From 1986 to 1997 we performed 656 nephrectomies for renal cell carcinoma using a TASI. Details of the surgical procedure are presented together with a retrospective analysis of the postoperative data concerning both the patient and the complications related to this approach. Results: The mean time of operation was 130 min and the mean discharge from hospital 11 days. An additional surgical procedure in relation with the cancer facilitated by this approach was necessary in 2.1% of cases. The rates of intra- and postoperative complications were respectively 6.4 and 29.7%. The rate of intestinal complications was 1.8% and a splenic injury occurred in 8% of left nephrectomy. The mortality rate was 0.6%. Conclusions: The TASI is a large convenient incision which allows safe control of the renal pedicle in a very large number of renal tumors, even those located in the upper pole of the kidney. The rate of gut complications is very acceptable. Splenic injury is the major problem during left nephrectomy but careful dissection and surgical experience could decrease this complication, especially in case of upper pole renal tumor. We consider the TASI to be the main radical nephrectomy incision for renal cell carcinoma.
Ross River virus infection on the North Coast of New South Wales

Abstract: A retrospective follow‐up survey was undertaken of residents of the North Coast of New South Wales infected with Ross River virus in 1992. The aims of the study were to describe the epidemiology and acute symptomatology of Ross River virus infection, its natural history during the first 12 months of infection, and its effects on those infected. Questionnaires were distributed to both cases and their medical practitioners. Of 129 people infected, aged between six and 85 years, 81 (63 per cent) were male and 48 (37 per cent) were female. The peak age‐specific incidence was in the age group 50 to 59 years. The most common symptoms were arthralgia (95 per cent) and tiredness (91 per cent). Over 60 per cent took time off work. At 12 months follow‐up, over 50 per cent reported persistent arthralgia, 35 per cent reported persistent tiredness and 15 per cent were still unable to carry out their normal activities. The median duration of symptoms was in the range 7 to 12 months, and of incapacity was in the range five weeks to three months. There were some differences from previous reports of Ross River virus outbreaks, in the incidence of major symptoms and the duration of illness and incapacity. These are likely to be at least pardy due to inconsistent measurement methods. In this study, there were systematic differences between medical practitioners' and patients' estimates of periods of incapacity. Previous estimates of the direct economic costs and indirect human costs of infection based on data obtained from medical practitioners, although alarming, are almost certainly underestimates.
Developmental relationships between trigeminal ganglia and trigeminal motoneurons in chick embryos. III. Ganglion perikarya direct motor axon growth in the periphery

The previous study in this series demonstrated that the ingrowth of the central axons of the trigeminal (V) ganglion is prerequisite to V motor axon outgrowth and somatic translocation. In the present experiment we determined whether further interactions with V ganglion cell bodies were required by V motoneurons after the V ganglion innervates the brainstem. Soon after the ganglion axons had penetrated the brainstem they were severed, and a barner, either permeable or impermeable, was placed between the ganglion cell bodies and the metencephalon. V motor axons grew along aberrant pathways to circumvent the impermeable barriers, many rerouting to reach the V ganglion. Only those V motor nerves which contacted the V ganglion distal to the barrier reached their target musculature in the mandible. The pattern of migration of V motoneurons was normal regardless of the V motor nerve trajectory, but the cell bodies of those axons which did not reach a muscle were not fully differentiated.
A Study of Exergy Analysis for Combustion in Direct Fired Heater (Part I)

Heat transfer plants with organic media have often been able to replace or improve the classic steam-water operation. The possibility of transferring and closely controlling temperature up to > 300°C has provided the heat transfer media technology with many new fields of application. This growing application of heat transfer plants with liquid heat transfer media other than water has made it necessary to produce complete and accurate engineering database for combustion and its devices to continuous improvement of industrial heating. Heating is an important operation in almost all industrial fields. A large variety of heating techniques is available at the market. Some examples are fuel burning, electrical heating, and so on. The analysis of related combustion process and estimation of the effective coefficients is the first step toward a successful design. The process of combustion fuel and their combustion and combustion devices are considered in this study. Direct fired heater exergy and energy analysis are performed taking into account precise calculation of chemical exergy for products of combustion.
MicroRNA-199a-3p Regulates Endometrial Cancer Cell Proliferation by Targeting Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR)

Background Abnormal expression of miR-199a-3p, which has similar effects to oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, can occur in various malignant tumors and is closely linked with tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. However, its expression and effects in endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EEC) are still unclear. This study was designed to identify the impact of miR-199a-3p on the proliferation of EEC cells and its role in the carcinogenesis of EEC. Methods The expression levels of miR-199a-3p in EEC and paired adjacent nontumor tissues were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The effects of miR-199a-3p on proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis in EEC cells were analyzed in Ishikawa cells transfected with miR-199a-3p mimics and inhibitors. The target genes of miR-199a-3p were predicted using bioinformatics methods. The extent of regulation of the predicted target genes by miR-199a-3p was determined using luciferase reporter assays, Western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The EEC cells were pretreated with target gene-specific inhibitors to further identify the relationship between the effects of miR-199a-3p and the predicted target genes. Results Compared with the adjacent tissues and normal endometrium, reduced expression of miR-199a-3p was found in human EEC specimens. Compared with the control group transfected with control microRNA mimics, the proliferative capacity of EEC cells transfected with miR-199a-3p mimics was inhibited, whereas cells transfected with miR-199a-3p inhibitors showed increased proliferation. The inhibitory effect was associated with increased cell populations at the G1-phase, and decreased cell populations at the S-phase. The results demonstrated that miR-199a-3p could inhibit the protein expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by targeted binding to the mTOR-3′ untranslated region. Inhibition of EEC cell proliferation by miR-199a-3p was mediated by its targeted regulation of mTOR. Conclusions MiR-199a-3p inhibits tumor cell proliferation through negative regulation of mTOR expression. Restoration of intracellular miR-199a-3p levels may serve as a potential option for EEC treatment.
The enteropathogenic Escherichia coli type III secretion system effector Map binds EBP50/NHERF1: implication for cell signalling and diarrhoea

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is the single most important contributor to child diarrhoea in developing countries. Nevertheless, the mechanism responsible for EPEC diarrhoea remains elusive. Using the yeast two‐hybrid system to determine the target host cell protein of the EPEC type III secretion system effector Map led to identification of ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM)‐binding phosphoprotein 50 (EBP50), also known as Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor 1 (NHERF1). Protein interaction is mediated by the carboxy‐terminal Thr‐Arg‐Leu (TRL) motif of Map and the PSD‐95/Disk‐large/ZO‐1 domain 1 (PDZ1) of EBP50/NHERF1. Although EBP50/NHERF1 is recruited to site of EPEC adhesion in a Map‐independent mechanism, co‐immunoprecipitation and immunostaining revealed that Map binds to, induces proteolysis of, and colocalizes with EBP50/NHERF1 during infection of cultured epithelial cells. The TRL motif of Map was involved in Map‐induced filopodia formation and brush border elongation on infected HeLa and Caco‐2 cells respectively. As EBP50/NHERF1 regulates ion channels in the intestine we assessed the involvement of Map in diarrhoea using the Citrobacter rodentium mouse model of EPEC. We report significantly greater diarrhoea following infections with wild‐type C. rodentium compared with C. rodentiumΔmap. These results provide new insights into the mechanisms of EPEC diarrhoea.
Sulfatase 2 protects hepatocellular carcinoma cells against apoptosis induced by the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and ERK and JNK kinase inhibitors

Background: Sulfatase 2 (SULF2), an extracellular heparan sulphate 6‐O‐endosulphatase, has an oncogenic effect in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that is partially mediated through glypican 3, which promotes heparin‐binding growth factor signalling and HCC cell growth. SULF2 also increases phosphorylation of the anti‐apoptotic Akt kinase substrate GSK3β and SULF2 expression is associated with a decreased apoptotic index in human HCCs.
Analyzing Expression of Perforin, Runx3, and Thpok Genes during Positive Selection Reveals Activation of CD8-Differentiation Programs by MHC II-Signaled Thymocytes

Intrathymic positive selection matches CD4-CD8 lineage differentiation to MHC specificity. However, it is unclear whether MHC signals induce lineage choice or simply select thymocytes of the appropriate lineage. To investigate this issue, we assessed thymocytes undergoing positive selection for expression of the CD8 lineage markers perforin and Runx3. Using both population-based and single-cell RT-PCR analyses, we found large subsets of MHC class II (MHC-II)-signaled thymocytes expressing these genes within the CD4+8+ and CD4+8int, but not the CD4+8− populations of signaling competent mice. This indicates that MHC-II signals normally fail to impose CD4 differentiation and further implies that the number of mature CD8 single-positive (SP) thymocytes greatly underestimates CD8 lineage choice. We next examined whether MHC-II-restricted CD4+8− thymocytes remain competent to initiate CD8 lineage gene expression. In mice in which expression of the tyrosine kinase Zap70 and thereby TCR signaling were impaired selectively in SP thymocytes, MHC-II-signaled CD4+8− thymocytes expressed perforin and Runx3 and failed to up-regulate the CD4 marker Thpok. This indicated that impairing TCR signals at the CD4 SP stage switched gene expression patterns from CD4- to CD8-lineage specific. We conclude from these findings that MHC-II-signaled thymocytes remain competent to initiate CD8-specific gene expression even after CD8 down-regulation and that CD4 lineage differentiation is not fixed before the CD4 SP stage.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection of gastric subepithelial tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background/Aims: To evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) technique for the treatment of gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs). Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using the core databases. Data on the complete resection rates and the procedure-related perforation rates were extracted and analyzed. A random effects model was then applied for this meta-analysis. Results: In all, 288 patients with 290 SETs were enrolled from nine studies (44 SETs originated from the submucosal layer; 246 SETs originated from the muscularis propria layer). The mean diameter of the lesions ranged from 17.99 to 38 mm. Overall, the pooled complete resection rate was estimated to be 86.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 78.9 to 91.3). If the analysis was limited to the lesions that originated from the submucosal layer, the pooled complete resection rate was 91.4% (95% CI, 77.9 to 97). If the analysis was limited to the lesions that originated from the muscularis propria, the pooled complete resection rate was 84.4% (95% CI, 78.7 to 88.8). The pooled procedure-related gastric perforation rate was 13% (95% CI, 9.4 to 17.6). Sensitivity analyses showed consistent results. Finally, publication bias was not detected. Conclusions: ESD, including endoscopic muscularis dissection, is a technically feasible procedure for the treatment of SETs. However, selection bias is suspected from the enrolled studies. For the development of a proper indication of ESD for SETs, further studies are needed.
The validity and responsiveness of the EQ-5D measure of health-related quality of life in an adolescent population with persistent major depression

Background Despite a preference for economic evaluations to measure outcomes in terms of quality-adjusted life years, generic measures of outcome are rarely used in mental health research involving young people. Aims To explore the validity and responsiveness of the EQ-5D measure of health-related quality of life in adolescents with major depression. Method Data came from a clinical trial involving adolescents with persistent major depression (n = 199). Construct validity was tested using socio-demographic constructs and baseline clinical outcome scores. To assess convergent validity, correlation between EQ-5D and clinical outcome scores was tested. To assess responsiveness, the mean change in EQ-5D scores of participants categorised as improved versus not improved on clinical outcome measures was tested. Results Significant differences in mean EQ-5D score were found for co-morbidity and three of four severity measures but not gender, age, treatment history or suicide attempts. Mean EQ-5D scores were significantly correlated with all clinical outcome measures, although relationships were moderate or weak. A change in mean EQ-5D score was significantly related to clinical assessments of improvement on all outcome measures. Conclusions Results provide initial evidence to support the relevance of the EQ-5D in adolescents with major depression, but this evidence is weak. Replication studies are needed to assess the generalisability of these findings.
Short-Term Internet-Search Training Is Associated with Increased Fractional Anisotropy in the Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus in the Parietal Lobe

The Internet search engine has become an indispensable tool for many people, yet the ways in which Internet searching may alter brain structure and function is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the influence of short-term Internet-search “training” on white matter microstructure using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Fifty-nine valid subjects (Experimental group, 43; Control group, 16) completed the whole procedure: pre- DTI scan, 6-day's training and post- DTI scan. Using track-based spatial statistics, we found increased fractional anisotropy in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus at post-test as compared to pre-test in experimental group. Within the identified region of the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, decreased radial diffusivity (RD), and unchanged axial diffusivity (AD) were observed. These results suggest that short-term Internet-search training may increase white-matter integrity in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus. A possible mechanism for the observed FA change may involve increased myelination after training, although this possibility warrants additional investigation.
Tax Evasion as White Collar Fraud

This analysis of the criminal tax statutes shows they are similar to white collar frauds in doctrine, purpose, and enforcement strategies. Nevertheless, the tax code is a self-contained criminal code designed to avoid recourse to general white collar offenses. For this reason, the strategic enforcement advantages of charging violators with mail or wire fraud are not appropriate or in accord with congressional purpose. Well-known tax cases show that criminal tax provisions apply to a divergent range of offenders and provide authorities with a valuable enforcement instrument.
Reconciling patterns of genetic variation with stream structure, earth history and biology in the Australian freshwater fish Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum (Atherinidae)

We examined the consequences of barriers, stream architecture and putative dispersal capability on levels of genetic differentiation among populations of the freshwater fish Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum. Seven polymorphic allozyme loci and sequences of a 498‐bp fragment of the ATPase 6 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene were used to assess patterns of genetic variation among 16 populations from upland and lowland streams of five drainages in northern Queensland, Australia. Concordant patterns at both genetic markers revealed that there were significant levels of genetic subdivision among all populations, while an analysis of molecular variation showed that the distribution of genetic diversity was not consistent with contemporary drainage structure. There were reciprocally monophyletic mtDNA clades and fixed or large frequency differences at allozyme loci either side of instream barriers such as waterfalls. This implied barriers were effective in restricting gene flow between upland and lowland populations separated by waterfalls. However, there were two genetically distinct groups in upland areas, even within the same subcatchment, as well as high levels of genetic subdivision among lowland populations, suggesting barriers alone do not explain the patterns of genetic diversity. The data revealed a complex phylogeographic pattern, which we interpreted to be the result of one or more invasion events of independent lineages to different sections of each drainage, possibly mediated by well documented geomorphological changes. Our results highlight the importance of earth structure and history in shaping population genetic structure in stream organisms where dispersal capability may be limited, and reveal that the contemporary structure of drainages is not necessarily a good indicator of genetic relationships among populations.
A modified KCCA for clutter separation in airborne MIMO SAR

The signal or clutter separation in airborne MIMO SAR by the information of the direction-of-departure (DOD) or the direction-of-arrival (DOA) is able to be of benefit to the suppression of the “unwanted” signals. As the signal separation performance after using the blocking matrix algorithm is greatly affected by the estimate deviation of the direction. Moreover, the direction of the “unwanted” signal is unknown exactly in the practical application. To alleviate this situation, in this paper, a Modified Kernel Canonical Correlation Analysis (MKCCA) approach based on the blocking matrix approach is proposed. Firstly, the initial separation result is obtained by applying the blocking matrix approach. Then, we use KCCA as a further separation step. The azimuth searching result is adopted as the criteria of the separation performance. Simulation results demonstrate the excellent performance of the proposed approach, which could separate the signals or the clutter “cleaner”.
Molecular organization at the glycoprotein-complex-binding site of dystrophin. Three dystrophin-associated proteins bind directly to the carboxy-terminal portion of dystrophin.

Direct interaction between the C-terminal portion of dystrophin and dystrophin-associated proteins was investigated. The binding of dystrophin to each protein was reconstituted by overlaying bacterially expressed dystrophin fusion proteins onto the blot membranes to which dystrophin-associated proteins were transferred after separation by SDS/PAGE with the following results. (a) Among the components of the glycoprotein complex which links dystrophin to the sarcolemma, a 43-kDa dystrophin-associated glycoprotein binds directly to dystrophin. Although at least one of the binding sites of this protein resides within the cysteine-rich domain of dystrophin, a contribution of additional amino acid residues within the first half of the C-terminal domain was also suggested for more secure binding. (b) Two other proteins also directly bind to dystrophin. Their binding sites are suggested to reside within the last half of the C-terminal domain which is alternatively spliced depending on the tissue type. Previously, based on the enzyme digestion experiments, we showed that the binding site for the glycoprotein complex on dystrophin is present within the cysteine-rich domain and the first half of the C-terminal domain [Suzuki, A. , Yoshida, M. , Yamamoto, H. & Ozawa, E. (1992) FEBS Lett. 308, 154-160]. Here, we have extended this work and found that the region which is involved in interaction with the complex is widely extended to the entire length of this part of the molecule. On the basis of the present results, we propose a model of molecular architecture at the binding site for the complex on dystrophin.