Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Expression of hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor, C-Met in human digestive tissues and different gastric and colonic cancer cell lines].

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-Met exert mitogene and motogene activities in digestive tissues. The aim of the study was a) to detect and localize these proteins in adult human digestive mucosae, liver and pancreas, using western immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry with anti-HGF and c-Met antibodies and b) to identify the receptor in three digestive cancer cell lines. RESULTS HGF and c-Met were detected by the two techniques used in esophagus, fundus, antrum, duodenum, cecum, colon and rectum where they were localized in epithelial and sometimes lamina propria cells. HGF and c-Met were also present in hepatocytes, and c-Met in pancreatic endocrine cells. c-Met was identified in human gastric HGT-1 and rat colon DHD/K12 cancer cells. HGF (40 ng/mL) scattered colonies formed by these cells as well as human T84 colon cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate the presence of HGF and c-Met in all human digestive tissues and are compatible with the implication of HGF in metastatic processes of digestive cancers.
The spread of prions through the body in naturally acquired transmissible spongiform encephalopathies

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are fatal neurodegenerative diseases that are caused by unconventional pathogens and affect the central nervous system of animals and humans. Several different forms of these diseases result from natural infection (i.e. exposure to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy agents or prions, present in the natural environment of the respective host). This holds true also for scrapie in sheep, bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle, chronic wasting disease in elk and deer, or variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease in humans, all of which are assumed to originate predominantly from peroral prion infection. This article intends to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on the spread of scrapie, chronic wasting disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy and variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease agents through the body in naturally affected hosts, and in model animals experimentally challenged via the alimentary tract. Special attention is given to the tissue components and spreading pathways involved in the key stages of prion routing through the body, such as intestinal uptake, neuroinvasion of nerves and the central nervous system, and centrifugal spread from the brain and spinal cord to peripheral sites (e.g. sensory ganglia or muscles). The elucidation of the pathways and mechanisms by which prions invade a host and spread through the organism can contribute to efficient infection control strategies and the improvement of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy diagnostics. It may also help to identify prophylactic or therapeutic approaches that would impede naturally acquired transmissible spongiform encephalopathy infections.
Diagnostic error in internal medicine.

BACKGROUND The goal of this study was to determine the relative contribution of system-related and cognitive components to diagnostic error and to develop a comprehensive working taxonomy. METHODS One hundred cases of diagnostic error involving internists were identified through autopsy discrepancies, quality assurance activities, and voluntary reports. Each case was evaluated to identify system-related and cognitive factors underlying error using record reviews and, if possible, provider interviews. RESULTS Ninety cases involved injury, including 33 deaths. The underlying contributions to error fell into 3 natural categories: "no fault," system-related, and cognitive. Seven cases reflected no-fault errors alone. In the remaining 93 cases, we identified 548 different system-related or cognitive factors (5.9 per case). System-related factors contributed to the diagnostic error in 65% of the cases and cognitive factors in 74%. The most common system-related factors involved problems with policies and procedures, inefficient processes, teamwork, and communication. The most common cognitive problems involved faulty synthesis. Premature closure, ie, the failure to continue considering reasonable alternatives after an initial diagnosis was reached, was the single most common cause. Other common causes included faulty context generation, misjudging the salience of findings, faulty perception, and errors arising from the use of heuristics. Faulty or inadequate knowledge was uncommon. CONCLUSIONS Diagnostic error is commonly multifactorial in origin, typically involving both system-related and cognitive factors. The results identify the dominant problems that should be targeted for additional research and early reduction; they also further the development of a comprehensive taxonomy for classifying diagnostic errors.
Letter by Taguchi et al regarding article, "Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in patients with acute ischemic stroke: results of the AX200 for Ischemic Stroke Trial".

We read with interest a recent article by Ringelstein et al.1 The authors described the results of a phase 2B clinical trial of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) for patients with stroke, which did not result in any beneficial effects. The authors concluded that the failure of this clinical trial was mainly attributable to the problem of translating findings from the animal laboratory to patients with clinical stroke and thus raised the question, “Are rodent models questionable for predicting stroke drug efficacy in humans? ” However, we think that the negative results of this clinical trial had been predictable from previous results of basic experiments with animal models. The clinical trial was designed …
A nursing interface terminology: Evaluation of face validity

A range of different language systems for nursing diagnosis, interventions and outcomes are currently available. Nursing terminologies are intended to support nursing practice but they have to be evaluated. This study aims to assess the results of an expert survey to establish the face validity of a nursing interface terminology. The study applied a descriptive design with a cross-sectional survey strategy using a written questionnaire administered to expert nurses working in hospitals. Sample size was estimated at 35 participants. The questionnaire included topics related to validity and reliability criteria for nursing controlled vocabularies described in the literature. Mean global score and criteria scoring at least 7 were considered main outcome measures. The analysis included descriptive statistics with a confidence level of 95%. The mean global score was 8.1. The mean score for the validity criteria was 8.4 and 7.8 for reliability and applicability criteria. Two of the criteria for reliability and applicability evaluation did not achieve minimum scores. According to the experts’ responses, this terminology meets face validity, but that improvements are required in some criteria and further research is needed to completely demonstrate its metric properties.
Dietary marine lipids suppress murine autoimmune disease

Abstract. Dietary marine lipids reduce both mortality and the severity of glomerulonephritis in inbred murine strains which develop spontaneous autoimmune disease. The protective effects of marine lipids appear to be accounted for by the major n‐3 fatty acids in these preparations, 20:5 and 22:6. The n‐3 fatty acids in dietary fish oil are extensively incorporated into several lipid classes in the spleen of autoimmune mice, including phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethanolamine, plasmalogens and saturated ether‐linked phospholipids as well as diacylphosphoglycerides. The effects of dietary marine lipids on autoimmune disease in experimental models are highly specific. Careful controlled trials will be required to establish the role of dietary marine lipids in the therapy of human autoimmune disease.
Design method for conceptual design of by-wire control: two case studies

Safety critical mass produced products are today being implemented without mechanical backup. Most of these will have distributed real time computer networks, which mast be ultra-dependable. A development method for future control-by-wire systems is presented. By using a scalable software architecture and the systems' intrinsic redundancy, it is possible to achieve dependability requirements cost-effectively. The method starts with analyzing a functional task-graph, which gives input for developing a non-redundant architecture. The redundant architecture is modified to dependability requirements by adding hardware redundancy. The functionality implemented in software is allocated to the network according to some optimization criteria. The proposed method has been used in two cases; a fly-by-wire aircraft and a drive-by-wire car.
Neuroleptic Associated Tardive Dyskinesias in Young People with Psychoses

Background Apart from ageing, the factors associated with vulnerability to the emergence of tardive dyskinesia are poorly defined. Method Risk factors associated with the presence of a chronic choreic or dystonic disorder were assessed in a cross-sectional comparison of anamnestic and clinical data in a homogeneous group of 64 young psychotic patients (under 40 years of age) on chronic low to moderate doses of neuroleptics. Results Dyskinetic subjects presented more indirect indicators of occult brain damage, such as a perinatal event or traumatic brain injuries in infancy and early childhood; neurological examination showed more anomalies in dyskinetic patients than in non-dyskinetics, with a higher prevalence of facial release reflexes. Conclusion These data may support the hypothesis that occult acquired brain damage is important in the genesis of this ‘drug-induced’ disorder.
A follow-up study of wrist slashers.

More than half the patients in this sample of 19 wrist slashers were well, or at least improved, five to six years after their initial hospital contacts. The authors attribute the improvement in these patients to an increased ability to verbalize feelings, the use of constructive action at times of emotional crisis, and the control of psychotic delusions through psychiatric follow-up and medication.
Effects of environmental factors present in the St. Lawrence Estuary (Quebec, Canada) on experimental survival of Salmonella salamae as determined by flow cytometry.

Survival of Salmonella salamae in the St. Lawrence Estuary was studied experimentally during an oceanographic cruise using in situ exposure diffusion chambers. The abundance distribution (colony-forming units) of culturable S. salamae on media was compared with the distribution of cells enumerated by flow cytometry. Flow cytometry was also used to characterize the size distribution and DNA content of cells exposed to various environmental factors. Solar radiation, starvation, and a gradual increase in salinity led to an abrupt loss of the ability of S. salamae cells to form cultures and to a gradual reduction in the cell size and DNA content. Conversely, starvation combined with a gradual increase in salinity in the absence of sunlight led to a gradual loss of the cells' ability to form cultures and an abrupt reduction in cell size and DNA content (i.e., a rapid increase in cell damage). Mortality (i.e., a decrease in total cell count) of S. salamae placed in darkness began at a lower salinity (11.4/1000) than did the mortality of cells exposed to sunlight (23.1/1000). Therefore, the S. salamae cells exposed to sunlight seemed to be more resistant to gradual salinity stress than the cells that were not subjected to sunlight.
Personalization of dynamically loaded service programs for a human-robot communication channel

This work presents a middleware architecture for personal robots when applied to various environments. This architecture allows a user's personal robot to consistently integrate environment-oriented applications to the robot's personality in its own application. These applications share sensors and actuators, and generate consistent actions in sequence. However, integration of two different kinds of independently developed applications causes a lack of its continuity and a slow response in human-robot communication. To solve these problems, we have designed a new middleware for personal robots, called PRIMA (personal robots' intermediating mediator adaption to environment) which can schedule the outputs of these applications to keep open the human-robot communication channel. We call the integration of these applications a personalization of dynamically loaded service programs. In addition, our experiment demonstrates the effects of PRIMA on human-robot communication.
Effects of interleukin-1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha on expression of matrix-related genes by cultured equine articular chondrocytes.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on expression and regulation of several matrix-related genes by equine articular chondrocytes. SAMPLE POPULATION Articular cartilage harvested from grossly normal joints of 8 foals, 6 yearling horses, and 8 adult horses. PROCEDURE Chondrocytes maintained in suspension cultures were treated with various doses of human recombinant IL-1beta or TNF-alpha. Northern blots of total RNA from untreated and treated chondrocytes were probed with equine complementary DNA (cDNA) probes for cartilage matrix-related genes. Incorporation of 35S-sulfate, fluorography of 14C-proline labeled medium, zymography, and western blotting were used to confirm effects on protein synthesis. RESULTS IL-1beta and TNF-alpha increased steady-state amounts of mRNA of matrix metalloproteinases 1, 3, and 13 by up to 100-fold. Amount of mRNA of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 also increased but to a lesser extent (1.5- to 2-fold). Amounts of mRNA of type-II collagen and link protein were consistently decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Amount of aggrecan mRNA was decreased slightly; amounts of biglycan and decorin mRNA were minimally affected. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Treatment of cultured equine chondrocytes with IL-1beta or TNF-alpha resulted in marked alterations in expression of various matrix and matrix-related genes consistent with the implicated involvement of these genes in arthritis. Expression of matrix metalloproteinases was increased far more than expression of their putative endogenous inhibitor. Results support the suggestion that IL-1beta and TNF-alpha play a role in the degradation of articular cartilage in arthritis.
Uncertainty based online planning for UAV target finding in cluttered and GPS-denied environments

There are some scenarios in which Unmmaned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) navigation becomes a challenge due to the occlusion of GPS systems signal, the presence of obstacles and constraints in the space in which a UAV operates. An additional challenge is presented when a target whose location is unknown must be found within a confined space. In this paper we present a UAV navigation and target finding mission, modelled as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP) using a state-of-the-art online solver in a real scenario using a low cost commercial multi rotor UAV and a modular system architecture running under the Robotic Operative System (ROS). Using POMDP has several advantages to conventional approaches as they take into account uncertainties in sensor information. We present a framework for testing the mission with simulation tests and real flight tests in which we model the system dynamics and motion and perception uncertainties. The system uses a quad-copter aircraft with an board downwards looking camera without the need of GPS systems while avoiding obstacles within a confined area. Results indicate that the system has 100% success rate in simulation and 80% rate during flight test for finding targets located at different locations.
Selective Upregulation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Transcripts and BDNF Direct Induction of Activity Independent N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Currents in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Patients with Hippocampal Sclerosis

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in many aspects of neuronal biology and hippocampal physiology and pathology, and has been implicated as a potential therapeutic target in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). BDNF total mRNA and its six transcripts were compared in the hippocampal tissue of TLE patients with or without hippocampal sclerosis (HS) by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Excitatory actions induced by BDNF on hippocampal cells were investigated by whole-cell patch-clamp recordings. Statistically significant increases in three human BDNF mRNA transcripts were observed in TLE patients with HS compared with those without HS (transcripts 2, 3 and 5 exhibited 2.1-, 2.3-and 4.1-fold increases, respectively); there were no significant increases in other transcripts. BDNF directly induced N-methyl-d-aspartate currents in dentate granule cells of TLE patients with HS. These results demonstrated that BDNF transcripts were selectively upregulated in TLE patients with HS compared with those without HS. Moreover, BDNF induced excitability of dentate granule cells in TLE patients with HS.
Der Footbonaut als Mess- und Informations- system zu Erfassung der Agilität im Sportspiel Fußball

Handlungsschnelligkeit in den Sportspielen ist ein Konstrukt, in dem neuromuskulare undkognitive Komponenten zur Leistungserklarung fur individualtaktische Entscheidungs-leistungen reprasentiert werden. Handlungsschnelligkeit/Agilitat zeigt sich als geeigneterParameter beispielsweise zur Unterscheidung leistungsstarker und leistungsschwachererFusballspieler. Das Mess- und Informationssystem (MIS) „Footbonaut“, mit demHandlungsschnelligkeit diagnostiziert und trainiert werden kann, ermoglicht es, schnelleRichtungswechsel auf ein Signal und Passgenauigkeit unter Zeitdruck als leistungsrelevanteMerkmale der Agilitat darzustellen. Defizite in der Ballkontrolle, der Qualitat der Richtungs-wechsel und der Konzentration ausern sich in einer hoheren Handlungszeit und einer geringerenTrefferquote. Der Footbonaut konnte demnach wesentlich zur Talentdiagnostik und -forderungim Fusball beitragen. Das Forschungsprojekt „Computeradaptive Leistungsdiagnostik imProfifusball“ (CLIP) uberpruft die Einsatzgebiete des MIS in Diagnostik und Training imNachwuchsleistungssport.Schlusselworter: Sport, Fusball, Handlungsschnelligkeit, Leistungsdiagnostik
Generalized selection combining based on the log-likelihood ratio

We propose a generalized selection combining (GSC) scheme for binary signaling in which M diversity branches providing the largest magnitude of log-likelihood ratio (LLR) are selected and combined. The bit error probability provided by LLR-based GSC serves as a lower bound on the bit error probability provided by any GSC techniques. We also propose a suboptimal GSC based on a noncoherent envelope detection. We derive the bit error probability with LLR-based and envelope-based GSC techniques and examine their power gains over the conventional SNR-based GSC technique. We show that the bit error probability with maximum ratio combining or square-law combining of L branches is identical to that with LLR-based GSC of L/2 branches.
Mass Transfer Limitations in Embryoid Bodies during Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation

Due to their ability to differentiate into cell types from all the three germ layers and their potential unlimited capacity for expansion, embryonic stem cells have tremendous potential to treat diseases and injuries. Spontaneous differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is influenced by the size of the differentiating embryoid bodies (EBs). To further understand the dynamics between nutrient mass transfer, EB size, and stem cell differentiation, a transient mass diffusion model of a single hESC EB was constructed. The results revealed that the oxygen concentration at the centers of large EBs (400-µm radius) was 50% lower when compared to that in smaller EBs (200-µm radius). In addition, the concentration profile of cytokines within an EB depended strongly on their depletion rate, with higher depletion rates resulting in cytokine concentrations that varied significantly throughout the EB. A comparison of the results of our model with published experimental data reveals a close correlation between the fraction of cells that differentiate to a given lineage and the fraction of cells exposed to different oxygen or cytokine concentrations. This, along with other data from the literature, suggests that diffusive mass transfer influences the differentiation of hESCs within EBs by controlling the spatial distribution of soluble factors. This has important implications for research involving the differentiation of embryonic stem cells in EBs, as well as for bioprocess design and the development of robust differentiation protocols where mass transfer could be altered to control the cell differentiation trajectory.
Increased PFK activity and GLUT4 protein content in McArdle's disease

Inborn errors of metabolism represent an opportunity to conduct studies in order to understand compensatory adaptations to a defective metabolic pathway. We evaluated the molecular and biochemical adaptations in substrate metabolism (glycolysis, electron transport chain, tricarboxylic acid cycle, β‐oxidation) in response to myophosphorylase deficiency in skeletal muscle from 13 patients with McArdle's disease (MD) and 13 age‐matched controls. MD muscle had higher phosphofructokinase protein content and activity as well as glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) protein content and lower GLUT4 mRNA content than controls. At the protein level, skeletal muscle adaptations suggest an augmented glucose transport and glycolytic flux as a compensatory metabolic strategy to a chronic absence of muscle glycogen phosphorylase. These results support previous findings of increased glucose uptake during exercise and alleviation of symptoms with oral sucrose in patients with MD. Muscle Nerve, 2007