Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of the Tuberous Sclerosis Gene-2 Product in Cell Cycle Control

Tuberous sclerosis is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the development of benign growths in many tissues and organs. Linkage analysis revealed two disease-determining genes on chromosome 9 and chromosome 16. TheTSC2 gene on chromosome 16 encodes a 1784-amino acid tumor suppressor protein, tuberin, that functions as a GTPase-activating protein for Rap1, a member of the superfamily of Ras-related proteins. By immunoblot analyses, we found TSC2 expression to be high in G0 as well as in early small G1 cells. Analyses after different cell synchronization procedures revealed thatTSC2 mRNA and protein expression do not fluctuate throughout the cell cycle. Using inducible expression systems we further demonstrated that TSC2 expression is not affected by overexpression of the mitogenic transcription factor E2F-1 or c-Myc. Nevertheless, antisense inhibition of tuberin expression in logarithmically growing cells markedly decreased the percentage of cells in G1. Furthermore, we found that cells exposed toTSC2 antisense oligonucleotides did not undergo G0 arrest after serum withdrawal. Antisense inhibition ofTSC2 expression also induced quiescent G0-arrested fibroblasts to reenter the cell cycle. Our data show for the first time that the absence of tuberin can both induce cells to pass through the G1/S transition of the eukaryotic cell cycle and prevent them from entering a quiescent state. These results have clear implications for the tumor suppressor function ofTSC2. We further found that reentry into the cell cycle upon loss of TSC2 is dependent on the activity of the G1 cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), Cdk2 or Cdk4. Taken together with our finding that antisense inhibition ofTSC2 causes up-regulation of cyclin D1 expression, these results provide the first evidence for a connection between tuberin/Rap1 and the G1 CDK-dependent regulation of the transition from G0/G1 to S phase.
Knowledge about Colorectal Cancer in Northern Iran: a Population-Based Telephone Survey.

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to assess the general knowledge of CRC in individuals living in Rasht, Iran, using a population-based cross-sectional telephone survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 1557 participants between 18 and 80 years of age were interviewed using random sampling from the telephone directory. Knowledge of risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention of CRC was assessed using a validated questionnaire. RESULTS The mean knowledge level of the 1,557 respondents (average age 46 y) was 13.5 ± 4.29 (maximum possible score = 26), and 46.4% (722/1,557) of the subjects achieved grades lower than the mean score. The mean scores for knowledge of symptoms and risk factors were 3.97 ± 1.83 (range: 0-7) and 5.17 ± 1.65 (range: 0-9), respectively. Older age, higher education, and employment were significantly associated with better scores for recognition of risk factors and warning symptoms. The majority of subjects correctly identified weight loss (70.2%; 1,093/1,557) and rectal bleeding (63.3%; 986/1,557) as symptoms of CRC, and that smoking (85.9%; 1,337/1,557) and a low- fiber diet (73.4%; 1,143/1,557) were risk factors. Approximately half of the subjects noted increasing age, genetic background and fried food as other risk factors. A considerable number (54.8%; 853/1,557) identified colonoscopy as a screening method for detecting CRC in asymptomatic patients. However, a third of the subjects in the target group for screening (≥ 50 y) were not interested in undergoing screening, primarily due to a lack of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the knowledge of CRC is poor among the public, and therefore greater attempts should be made to increase awareness. Public education emphasizing the risk factors and symptoms of CRC, as well as the importance of regular screening regardless of the presence of symptoms, may help to reduce CRC morbidity and mortality.
The Composition, Anti-mildew and Anti-wood-decay Fungal Activities of the Leaf and Fruit Oils of Juniperus Formosana from Taiwan

In this study, anti-mildew and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the leaf and fruits essential oil and its constituents from Juniperus formosana were evaluated in vitro against seven mildew fungi and four wood decay fungi, respectively. The main compounds responsible for the anti-mildew and anti-wood-decay fungal activities were also identified. The essential oil from the fresh leaves and fruits of J. formosana were isolated using hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and characterized by GC-FID and GC-MS, respectively. The leaf oil mainly consisted of α-pinene (41.0%), limonene (11.5%), α-cadinol (11.0%), elemol (6.3%), and β-myrcene (5.8%); the fruit oil was mostly α-pinene (40.9%), β-myrcene (32.4%), α-thujene (5.9%) and limonene (5.9%). Comparing the anti-mildew and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the oils suggested that the leaf oil was the most effective. For the anti-mildew and anti-wood-decay fungal activities of the leaf oil, the active source compounds were determined to be α-cadinol and elemol.
Treatment of osteoradionecrosis of mandible with bone marrow concentrate and with dental pulp stem cells

Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a noninfectious, necrotic condition of the bone occurring as a complication of radiotherapy. Most cases occur following trauma or surgical manipulation of the irradiated site. Mandible is the most common bone to be affected following head and neck irradiation. The aim was to develop a successful therapeutic approach for ORN. A spectrum of treatment modalities is practiced for ORN with variable success rate that includes simple irrigation of the affected bone to the partial or complete resection of the jaw bone. In this paper, we present two cases which had successful therapeutic approach for ORN of mandible with autologous bone marrow concentrate stem cells and allogeneic dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) with platelet rich plasma (PRP) following failure of conventional methods. Autologous bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) was injected around the socket and into the periosteum for one case, and DPSC were mixed with tricalcium phosphate and inserted at the site of the defect in one case. The patient treated with BMAC remained asymptomatic and complete bone remodeling was noticed after 1 year. The extraoral sinus was excised, and healing was uneventful without recurrence in the patient treated with allogeneic DPSC and PRP. Periodic panoramic radiographs revealed an appreciable bone formation from the 2nd month onward. We have successfully treated two cases of ORN with BMAC and DPSC, respectively.
Attempted suicide in west London, II. Inter-group comparisons

Background. Previous studies of attempted suicide have suggested that cultural and social factors play a significant role in the causation of deliberate self-harm. Method. In order to measure elements of culture conflict two inter-group comparisons were undertaken. In the first, 27 Asian women who had presented to hospital services following attempted suicide (Asian group) were matched with a group of similar age Asian women attending GP surgeries for other reasons (Asian GP attenders group). The second comparison was between the Asian and 46 White attempters. Results. On comparing Asian attempters with Asian GP attenders group the former were more likely to have a history of previous suicidal behaviour, to have a psychiatric diagnosis, and be unemployed. Their parents were more likely to have arrived in the United Kingdom at an older age. In addition, those who attempted suicide were more likely to have been in an inter-racial relationship and to have changed religions. In the second inter-group comparison, the characteristics of Asian and White suicide attempt patients were examined. White attempters were more likely to have mental illness, and were more likely to use alcohol as part of the method of attempted suicide. By contrast, Asian attempters had experienced life events pertaining to relationships, took fewer tablets and yet expressed greater regret at not succeeding in the attempt. Conclusions. Although numbers are small, social stress and other cultural factors play an important role in the act of deliberate self-harm.
Children and Their Parents: A Review of Fertility and Causality

Childbearing decisions are not made in isolation. They are taken in concert with decisions regarding work, marriage, health investments and stocks, as well as many other observable and nonâ€ observable considerations. Drawing causal inferences regarding the effect of additional children on family outcomes is complicated by these endogenous factors. This paper lays out the issues involved in estimating the effect of additional child births on family outcomes, and the assumptions underlying the range of estimators and methodologies proposed in the economic literature. The common pitfalls of these estimators are discussed, as well as their potential to bias our interpretation of the effect additional births have on children and parents, both in the existing literature and in future work in the face of changing patterns of childbearing and childâ€ rearing.
Direct Search Method for Solving the Economic Dispatch Problem Considering Transmission Capacity Constraints

This paper develops an efficient and practical approach for solving the economic dispatch (ED) problem considering transmission capacity constraints. The direct search method (DSM) is chosen to handle a number of inequality and equality constraints and units with any kind of fuel cost functions. For improving the performance of the direct search procedure, a novel strategy with multilevel convergence is incorporated in the DSM to minimize the number of total iterations in the searching process. The validity, robustness, and effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified through numerical experiments for extended economic dispatch application.
PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA : A PARADIGM FOR CATECHOLAMINE-MEDIATED HYPERTENSION

Abstract Transient or permanent hypertension may result from the inappropriate activation of the sympathetic nervous system and/or from chronically elevated levels of circulating catecholamines (epinephrine or norepinephrine). Recent data implicate this high sympathetic tone as a contributing factor to the genesis of essential hypertension in a significant proportion of individuals, and show that it is frequently associated with insulin resistance and cardiovascular comorbidity. Among the several causes of catecholaminemediated hypertension, pheochromocytoma, although rare, holds a special place and represents a challenging experience for the clinician. Diagnosis and therapy of this remarkable disease will be reviewed here in details, with a special emphasis on recent findings such as the high diagnostic sensitivity of plasma fractionated metanephrines, the better understanding of genetic diseases predisposing to chromaffin tumor development, and the modern management of pheochromocytoma, including the medical preparation before surgery. Other causes of catecholamine excess will be reviewed more briefly.
Anatomic asymmetries of the posterior superior temporal lobes: a postmortem study.

OBJECTIVE To examine for structural asymmetries in the posterior superior temporal lobe at the microscopic level in an effort to explain the gross anatomical and functional asymmetries of this brain region. BACKGROUND The posterior superior temporal lobe is typically larger on the left and damage to this area frequently results in an aphasia. This has led to the hypothesis that the structural asymmetry determines the functional asymmetry, but no definite confirmation of this hypothesis exists. METHODS Sixteen men were studied at postmortem. Posterior superior temporal lobe dimensions, gray matter volume, white matter volume, SMI-32 immunopositive neuronal density, and glia cell volume were measured for both the left and right hemispheres. In a subset of eight subjects, myelin sheath and axon diameters were measured with electron microscopy. RESULTS Posterior superior temporal lobe white matter volume was greater on the left (p = 0.003, t test for dependent samples). This asymmetry did not appear to be the result of an isolated proliferation of glia (p = 0.46, t test for dependent samples), nor the density of cortical to cortical projections neurons in the overlying cortex (p = 0.71, t test for dependent samples). In a subset of eight subjects studied with electron microscopy, axons of the left posterior superior temporal lobe were more thickly myelinated (57 nm [SD = 27] left, 46 nm [SD = 24], p < 0.001, ANOVA). CONCLUSIONS As axons with thicker myelin sheaths conduct faster and require a greater volume, these results suggest asymmetry of myelination as an explanation for both a left hemisphere dominance for rapid sensory signal processing, leading to a functional asymmetry for language, and a larger left planum temporale.
Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Severe Refractory Cardiogenic Shock Assisted with Percutaneous Cardiopulmonary Support

Purpose Limited data are available on the role of percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with cardiogenic shock. We investigated the clinical outcomes and predictors of in-hospital mortality after PCPS in patients with AMI complicated by severe refractory cardiogenic shock. Materials and Methods From January 2004 to December 2011, we analyzed data from 96 consecutive AMI patients with cardiogenic shock assisted by a PCPS system. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The predictors of in-hospital mortality were determined by a Cox proportional-hazards model. Results In-hospital mortality occurred in 51 (53.1%) patients and 58 (60.4%) patients were able to be weaned from PCPS. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed in 61 (63.5%) patients before PCPS initiation. On multivariate analysis, age ≥67 years [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 4.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.27-9.93; p<0.001], CPR (adjusted HR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.11-4.85; p=0.03), lactate clearance for 48 hours <70% (adjusted HR, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.04-6.05; p=0.041), and unsuccessful revascularization (adjusted HR, 3.57; 95% CI, 1.85-6.90; p=0.002) were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality after PCPS in patients with AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock. Conclusion In spite of PCPS management, AMI patients complicated by severe refractory cardiogenic shock demonstrated high mortality. Older age, CPR, lower lactate clearance for 48 hours, and unsuccessful revascularization were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality.
Hospital doctors’ views of their CPD and its relationship to learning in the organization

Continuing professional development (CPD) has traditionally been an autonomous, professional concern of doctors in the UK. In a changing educational and service climate, can individualized approaches to CPD be reconciled with adult learning principles and learning that is practice-based and multidisciplinary? A survey of the CPD of consultant and non-consultant career grade staff in Wales (UK) has provided some clues on how doctors perceive their learning needs in relation to those of Trust hospitals. It indicated that these doctors pursued traditional forms of continuing education (reading, lectures and meetings), gained clinical knowledge and changed their practice as a result. The majority saw themselves as accountable for CPD to their college and specialty. Trusts had yet to promote CPD as a clinical governance priority but respondents felt that appraisal helped to mediate individual and organizational perspectives of CPD. Most career-grade doctors believed their CPD activities met the needs of their employing organizations and felt satisfied with a ‘traditional’ approach to CPD. Doctors and service organizations may need to confront preconceptions regarding education and respective roles in the negotiation of CPD if team-based learning in practice is to become established.
A survey on the reliability of power electronics in electro-mobility applications

Reliability is an important issue in the field of power electronics since most of the electrical energy is today processed by power electronics. In most of the electro-mobility applications, e.g. electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, power electronic are commonly used in very harsh environment. Temperature variations, vibration and also the stresses affecting the device (which can come even from the device itself or from external sources) and may cause unreliable system. Thus, designing reliable power electronic components is important for the aim of reducing the energy losses, maintenance cost and extending the service lifetime as well. Research within power electronics is of high interest as it has an important impact in the industry of the electro-mobility applications. According to the aforementioned explanations, this paper will provide an overview of the common factors (thermal cycles, power cycles, vibrations, voltage stress and current ripple stress) affecting the reliability of power electronics in electro-mobility applications. Also, the researchers perspective is summarized from 2001 to 2015.
Multi-agent based diagnosis framework for transformers in a smart distribution system

Transformers are the most vital parts of any electrical supply system. The reliability of a supply system is largely dependent on the reliability of the transformers. Thus, timely fault diagnosis in a transformer can contribute to the robustness of the electrical supply system. Available techniques for diagnosis of abnormalities in a transformer are part specific and do not detect complete range of all possible faults. Also, different techniques may not be concurrent while detecting the same fault. To overcome this issue, three popular techniques which cover a wide range of faults are integrated using multi-agent systems (MAS). These techniques are modeled as agents using Java Agent Development Environment (JADE) platform to make them capable of communicating among themselves to ensure effective decision making. The goal is to design an approach enabling detection of problems in transformers which can lead to accurate prediction of faults without continuous human monitoring. A tool with a graphical user interface (GUI) is also made using java programming.
Bartonella (Rochalimaea) quintana endocarditis in three homeless men.

BACKGROUND Bartonella (Rochalimaea) quintana is the agent of trench fever and is transmitted by the body louse. We searched for this organism in three alcoholic homeless men with endocarditis. METHODS Blood samples were cultured on a human endothelial cell line and on blood agar. Bacteria were identified by sequencing the amplified 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The presence of bartonella in tissue was assessed by Gram's staining, immunostaining, and polymerase-chain-reaction amplification. Serologic studies for antibodies to bartonella species were performed by indirect immunofluorescence and Western immunoblotting. RESULTS B. quintana was isolated from one patient in the blood-agar culture and from the other two patients in the endothelial-cell culture. The organism was also identified by both immunostaining and molecular techniques in the valvular vegetations from the three patients and in a cervical lymph node from one patient. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences of the three isolates were almost identical to that of the prototype strain of B. quintana. High titers of antibodies to B. quintana were detected in all three patients, but so were cross-reacting antibodies to chlamydia species. In all three patients studies were repeatedly negative for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus. CONCLUSIONS B. quintana is a cause of endocarditis in homeless patients and may be serologically misdiagnosed as a chlamydial infection.
THE COMPOSITION OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURES ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS IN CEE COUNTRIES AND ITS IMPACT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH

The aim of this study is to investigate the composition of public expenditures on economic affairs for a group of CEE countries and its impact on economic growth. Even if the economic theory generally admits the positive impact of such expenditures, from the policy-making perspective the choices regarding the level and the composition of these expenditures are crucial, as these expenditures are under strong influences of a mix of political, institutional and macroeconomic factors. The existing empirical evidence does not provide clear answers to the question of which is the optimal structure for economic affairs expenditures. Using regression analysis for data over 1995-2012, we estimate the intensity of the correlations between these categories of public expenditures and economic growth. Our results show that growth is affected only by certain types of expenditures, with significant different intensities.
Antioxidant activity of piper betel leaf extract and its constituents.

The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay of the ethanol extracts of three varieties (Bangla, sweet, and Mysore) of Piper betel (pan) revealed the Bangla variety to possess the best antioxidant activity that can be correlated with the total phenolic content and reducing powers of the respective extracts. Column chromatography of the extract of the Bangla variety led to the isolation of chevibetol (CHV), allylpyrocatechol (APC), and their respective glucosides. The HPTLC analyses of the extracts revealed similar chemical profiles in all three P. betel varieties, although the concentrations of CHV and APC were significantly less in the sweet and Mysore varieties. Among the isolated compounds, APC showed the best results in all the in vitro experiments. It could prevent Fe(II)-induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) of liposomes and rat brain homogenates as well as gamma-ray-induced damage of pBR322 plasmid DNA more efficiently than CHV. The superior anti-LPO and radioprotective activities of APC vis-à-vis those of CHV could not be explained by their respective Fe(II) chelation and . OH radical scavenging capacities. The better ability of APC to scavenge O2-. radicals and H2O2 might account for the results.
Relationships among the rfb regions of Salmonella serovars A, B, and D

The O antigens of Salmonella serogroups A, B, and D differ structurally in their side chain sugar residues. The genes encoding O-antigen biosynthesis are clustered in the rfb operon. The gene rfbJ in strain LT2 (serovar typhimurium, group B) and the genes rfbS and rfbE in strain Ty2 (serovar typhi, group D) account for the known differences in the rfb gene clusters used for determination of group specificity. In this paper, we report the nucleotide sequence of 2.9 kb of DNA from the rfb gene cluster of strain Ty2 and the finding of two open reading frames which have limited similarity with the corresponding open reading frames of strain LT2. These two genes complete the sequence of the rfb region of group D strain Ty2 if we use strain LT2 sequence where restriction site data show it to be extremely similar to the strain Ty2 sequence. The restriction map of the rfb gene cluster in group A strain IMVS1316 (serovar paratyphi) is identical to that of the cluster in strain Ty2 except for a frameshift mutation in rfbE and a triplicated region. The rfb gene clusters of these three strains are compared, and the evolutionary origin of these genes is discussed.