Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gene transfer into skeletal muscle using novel AAV serotypes

Skeletal muscle is an interesting target for gene delivery because of its mass and because the vectors can be delivered in a noninvasive way. Adeno‐associated virus (AAV) vectors are capable of transducing skeletal muscle fibers and achieving stable and safe transgene expression. To date, most animal experiments using AAV have been based on AAV serotype 2, but some recent studies have demonstrated that AAV1 is more efficient than AAV2/2 in transducing muscle fibers. Recently, novel AAVs (AAV7 and AAV8) were isolated from rhesus macaques.
Economic and Poverty Impacts of a Voluntary Carbon Reduction for a Small Liberalized Developing Economy: The Case of the Philippines

This paper analyzes the economic and poverty effects of a voluntary carbon emission reduction for a small liberalized economy—the Philippines. The simulation results indicate that tariff reductions undertaken by the Philippine government between 1994 and 2005 reduced the cost of fossil fuels thereby resulting in an increase in carbon emissions. The economic cost of reducing carbon emissions by imposing a carbon tax appears minimal as the reduction in consumer prices due to tariff reductions outweigh the increase in production cost from the imposition of a carbon tax. Overall results suggest that maintaining carbon emissions relative to 1994 levels appears to be a sensible alternative for the country
Road towards Lean Six Sigma in service industry: a multi-factor integrated framework

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to adopt a multiple case-study approach, of three companies, in order to identify the factors affecting Lean Six Sigma (L6σ) implementation in service industry. Design/methodology/approach – Secondary data were collected through companies’ documents, written procedures and quality assurance policies. Primary data were collected through a number of in-depth interviews with managers and quality experts. Findings – The analysis of qualitative data gathered through in-depth interviews with managers in all three cases resulted in the emergence of variety of critical success factors (CSFs) regarding L6σ implementation in service industry. As it can be seen the great majority of the factors have been identified in all three cases. Moreover the analysis shows that there are two categories of factors emerged. Originality/value – This study has four major contributions. First, it provides an intergraded multi-factor framework regarding the implementation of L6σ in service indu.
Asymmetric Bilateral Hip Dislocations: A Case Report and Historical Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND Asymmetric bilateral hip dislocations are a rare injury pattern in which one hip dislocates posteriorly, and the contralateral hip dislocates anteriorly. We report a case of bilateral asymmetric hip dislocations and provide a comprehensive review of all available reports, identifying 104 total cases, which is 70 more than previously reported. PURPOSE To review and evaluate the total body of literature regarding bilateral asymmetric hip dislocations. METHODS Comprehensive literature review and analysis of all reports of bilateral asymmetric hip dislocations with concurrent case report. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Bilateral, asymmetric represent approximately 0.01%-0.02% of all joint dislocations. There has been a substantial increase in the number of case reports in the literature in the last 10 years. Males are more likely than females to incur this injury pattern and the most common mode of injury is motor vehicle accident Urgent closed reduction should be attempted in an efficient and safe manner to avoid potential complications, and open reduction should be considered in irreducible dislocations. Post reduction management should include stability assessment and CT to assess for associated injuries and intraarticular fragments; although no clear guidelines for post-reduction treatment emerged. Common complications include: nerve palsies, AVN and heterotopic ossification.
Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and luteal cell DNA fragmentation of porcine cyclic corpora lutea

Nitric oxide (NO) derived from inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is involved in cell apoptosis, which contributes to luteal regression and luteolysis in some species. In large domestic animals, no direct evidence for the relationship between NO and cell apoptosis in the process of corpus luteum regression is reported. The present study was conducted to investigate the localization of iNOS on porcine corpora lutea (CL) during the oestrus cycle and its relation to cell DNA fragmentation and CL regression. According to morphology, four luteal phases throughout the estrous cycle were defined as CL1, CL2, CL3 and CL4. By isoform-specific antibody against iNOS, the immunochemial staining was determined. Luteal cell DNA fragmentation was determined by flow cytometry. The results showed that no positive staining for iNOS was in CL1 and that iNOS was produced but limited to the periphery of CL2, while in the CL3, the spreading immunochemical staining was found inside the CL. No iNOS positive staining was detected in CL4. Meanwhile, DNA fragmentation increased dramatically when CL developed from CL2 to CL3 (p<0.05). In CL4, higher proportion of luteal cells still had fragmented DNA than that of luteal cells from CL1 or CL2 (p<0.05). These results indicate that iNOS expression is closely related to luteal cell apoptosis and then to luteal regression. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 5 : 626-631)
Evaluating SNP ascertainment bias and its impact on population assignment in Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua

The increasing use of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in studies of nonmodel organisms accentuates the need to evaluate the influence of ascertainment bias on accurate ecological or evolutionary inference. Using a panel of 1641 expressed sequence tag–derived SNPs developed for northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), we examined the influence of ascertainment bias and its potential impact on assignment of individuals to populations ranging widely in origin. We hypothesized that reductions in assignment success would be associated with lower diversity in geographical regions outside the location of ascertainment. Individuals were genotyped from 13 locations spanning much of the contemporary range of Atlantic cod. Diversity, measured as average sample heterozygosity and number of polymorphic loci, declined (c. 30%) from the western (He = 0.36) to eastern (He = 0.25) Atlantic, consistent with a signal of ascertainment bias. Assignment success was examined separately for pools of loci representing differing degrees of reductions in diversity. SNPs displaying the largest declines in diversity produced the most accurate assignment in the ascertainment region (c. 83%) and the lowest levels of correct assignment outside the ascertainment region (c. 31%). Interestingly, several isolated locations showed no effect of assignment bias and consistently displayed 100% correct assignment. Contrary to expectations, estimates of accurate assignment range‐wide using all loci displayed remarkable similarity despite reductions in diversity. Our results support the use of large SNP panels in assignment studies of high geneflow marine species. However, our evidence of significant reductions in assignment success using some pools of loci suggests that ascertainment bias may influence assignment results and should be evaluated in large‐scale assignment studies.
Whole-brain T1 mapping in multiple sclerosis: global changes of normal-appearing gray and white matter.

PURPOSE To prospectively investigate whether T1 changes in normal-appearing white matter (WM) and normal-appearing gray matter (GM) in multiple sclerosis (MS) are global or regional and their relationship to disease type. MATERIALS AND METHODS The institutional ethics review board approved study; written informed consent was obtained. Whole-brain T1 maps were obtained in 67 patients with MS and 24 healthy control subjects with three-dimensional fast low-angle shot flip angle-array method, with correction for B(1) imperfections. Analysis of variance was performed on T1 histogram parameters of global normal-appearing WM and GM. Regional mean T1 values were analyzed with a multilevel approach. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to investigate associations with clinical disability and overall atrophy. For patients, T2 lesion load was determined. RESULTS T1 histograms of normal-appearing WM had significantly higher peak positions for patients with MS (792 msec +/- 36 in secondary progressive [SP] MS) than for control subjects (746 msec +/- 23) and were significantly broader and lower (all P < .001). Histograms for cortical normal-appearing GM were significantly shifted (peak positions, 1263 msec +/- 44 in control subjects and 1355 msec +/- 62 in patients with SP MS) (P < .001). Histogram peak positions were significantly higher in SP MS than in relapsing-remitting (RR) and primary progressive MS (P < .05). In SP disease, at least 31% of normal-appearing WM and 20% of cortical normal-appearing GM were affected. In MS, T1 was significantly elevated in all normal-appearing WM and cortical normal-appearing GM regions (all P < .01) but was elevated only in the thalamus in deep GM (P < .05). Cortical T1 histogram peak position was associated with clinical disability; T2 lesion load was not. CONCLUSION Results suggest that a global disease process affects large parts of both normal-appearing WM and GM in MS and effects are worse for SP MS than for RR MS.
Epilepsy and Disorders of Neuronal Migration. II: Epilepsy as a Symptom of Neuronal Migration Defects 1

cussed in part 1, epilepsy is a common symptom. It occurs in conditions such as Zellweger syndrome, Walker-Warburg syndrome and other syndromes in which there are defects of neuronal migration, and in all of these the associated symptoms and signs are of more importance in establishing the correct diagnosis. It is when epilepsy is the presenting symptom, apart possibly from delayed development, that difficulties can arise. This is particularly likely to occur when the defect is unilateral. Various types of epilepsy can result from dysplasias arising from defects of neuronal migration. Such defects must be considered in the aetiology of infantile spasms', and in other types of myoclonus. Kuzniecky and co-workers? recorded a rare form of focal myoclonus in four children, in at least r two of whom it was related to rolandic macrogyria. This myoclonus consisted in single, arrhythmic jerks involving groups of muscles, a limb or one side of the body. When such jerks are intractable over long periods and no other cause is found, cortical dysplasias are a possible cause. The children also had focal motor seizures, and their mild progressive hemiplegia was almost certainly related to the epileptic attivity. The epilepsy and other findings improved after surgery. Rolandic macrogyria can well be a cause of epilepsy, and sometimes of retarded
The gene polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor-beta, but not that of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, is associated with the prognosis of sarcoidosis.

OBJECTIVES Few genetic markers for the prognosis of sarcoidosis have been found. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha has been implicated in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. Induced TNF-alpha or TNF-beta levels have been shown to be associated with the polymorphisms of the TNF genes. We investigated the roles of such polymorphisms in the development and prolongation of sarcoidosis. SUBJECTS AND MEASUREMENTS One hundred ten Japanese patients with sarcoidosis and 161 control subjects were genotyped for three biallelic polymorphisms in the promoter region of TNF-alpha gene by direct sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. A polymorphism of the TNF-beta gene (TNFB*1/TNFB*2) was detected by NCO: I restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of PCR products spanning intron 1 and exon 2 of the TNF-beta gene. RESULTS None of the polymorphisms conferred susceptibility to sarcoidosis. However, our study identified the allele TNFB*1, detected by the presence of a NCO: I restriction site, as a marker of prolonged clinical course, with the resolution of sarcoidosis being defined as the disappearance of all clinical symptoms, physical signs of active lesions, abnormal chest radiograph findings, and abnormal results of pulmonary function and biochemical tests. When the probability of remission in patients homozygous for TNFB*2 was defined as 1.00, it was 0.48 (95% confidence interval, 0.26 to 0.88; p < 0.05) in patients with TNFB*1 (genotypes TNFB*1/1 and TNFB*1/2). CONCLUSIONS The TNFB*1 allele is a marker for prolonged clinical course in patients with sarcoidosis. Our study is the first to link a cytokine gene polymorphism to the prognosis of sarcoidosis.
Wideband circularly polarized wide-beamwidth antenna using S-shaped dipole

This paper presents a novel circularly polarized (CP) printed antenna with wide bandwidth and wide axial ratio (AR) beamwidth. The presented antenna is realized by bending a linearly polarized dipole into “S” shape with variable line width, which achieves circularly polarized radiation. Key parameters in designing such an “S” antenna are discussed and studied. It is found that this “S” antenna has some similar features to the linear polarized dipole, such as the feeding method, the radiation pattern in some main planes and nearly omnidirectional radiation in one main plane. To verify its performance, a ground plane backed inverted-S antenna is fabricated and characterized. Measured results confirm that the proposed antenna has good CP radiation, wide CP beamwidth from 4 to 6 GHz. The antenna is promising for applications in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), and wideband wide-angle-scanning CP phased arrays.
Estrogen Stimulates Heat Shock Protein 90 Binding to Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells

Estradiol (E2) causes endothelium-dependent vasodilation, mediated, in part, by enhanced nitric oxide (NO) release. We have previously shown that E2-induced activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) reduces its calcium dependence. This pathway of eNOS activation is unique to a limited number of stimuli, including shear stress, the response to which is herbimycin-inhibitable. Consistent with this, herbimycin and geldanamycin pretreatment of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) abrogated E2-stimulated NO release and cGMP production, respectively. These benzoquinone ansamycins are potent inhibitors of Hsp90 function, which has recently been shown to play a role in stimulus-dependent eNOS activation. As in response to shear, E2 induced an Hsp90-eNOS association, peaking at 30 min and completely inhibited by the conventional estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780. These findings suggest that Hsp90 plays an important role in the rapid, estrogen receptor-mediated modulation of eNOS activation by estrogen.
Importance of social relationships in the association between sleep duration and cognitive function: data from community-dwelling older Singaporeans

ABSTRACT Background: Aging is accompanied by cognitive decline that is escalated in older adults reporting extreme sleep duration. Social relationships can influence health outcomes and thus may qualify the association between sleep duration and cognitive function. The present study examines the moderating effects of marital status, household size, and social network with friends and relatives on the sleep–cognition association among older adults. Methods: Data (N = 4,169) came from the Social Isolation, Health, and Lifestyles Survey, a nationally representative survey of community-dwelling older Singaporeans (≥ 60 years). Sleep duration and social relationships were self-reported. Cognitive function was assessed with the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire. Results: Regression analysis revealed that the inverted U-shaped association between sleep duration and cognitive function was less profound among older adults who were married (vs. unmarried) and those who had stronger (vs. weaker) social networks. In contrast, it was more prominent among individuals who had more (vs. fewer) household members. Conclusions: Being married and having stronger social networks may buffer against the negative cognitive impact of extreme sleep duration. But larger household size might imply more stress for older persons, and therefore strengthen the sleep duration–cognitive function association. We discuss the potential biological underpinnings and the policy implications of the findings. Although our findings are based on a large sample, replication studies using objective measures of sleep duration and other cognitive measures are needed.
Prognostic factors in surgically treated small cell cervical carcinoma followed by adjuvant chemotherapy

Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is an uncommon tumor associated with high mortality even among patients with early stage disease. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery has been suggested by regimens used for small cell lung carcinoma. During the years 1980‐1997, 19 cases in which various adjuvant chemotherapies were given after hysterectomy were reported in the literature published in English.
Development of a Positioning Technique for an Urban Area Using Omnidirectional Infrared Camera and Aerial Survey Data

This paper describes an outdoor positioning system for vehicles that can be applied to an urban canyon by using an omnidirectional infrared (IR) camera and a digital surface model (DSM). By means of omnidirectional IR images, this system enables robust positioning in urban areas where satellite invisibility caused by buildings hampers high-precision GPS measurements. The omnidirectional IR camera can generate IR images with an elevation of 20–70° for the surrounding area of 360°. The image captured by the camera is highly robust to light disturbances in the outdoor environment. Through the IR camera, the sky appears distinctively dark; this enables easy detection of the border between the sky and the buildings captured in white due to the difference in the atmospheric transmittance rate between visible light and IR rays. The omnidirectional image, which includes several building profiles, is compared with building-restoration images produced by the corresponding DSM in order to determine the self-position. Field experiments in an urban area show that the proposed outdoor positioning method is valid and effective, even if high-rise buildings cause satellite blockage that affects GPS measurements.
Evidence for control of adenosine metabolism in rat oxidative skeletal muscle by changes in pH

We investigated the effects of pH elevation or depression on adenosine output from buffer‐perfused rat gracilis muscle, and kinetic properties of adenosine‐forming enzymes, 5′‐nucleotidase (5′N) and non‐specific phosphatase (PT), and adenosine‐removing enzymes, adenosine kinase (AK) and adenosine deaminase (AD), in homogenates of muscle. Depression of the perfusion buffer pH from 7.4 to 6.8, by addition of sodium acetate, reduced arterial perfusion pressure from 8.44 ± 1.44 to 7.33 ± 0.58 kPa, and increased adenosine output from 35 ± 5 to 56 ± 6 pmol min−1 (g wet wt muscle)−1 and AMP output from 1.8 ± 0.3 to 9.1 ± 3.9 pmol min−1 (g wet wt muscle)−1. Elevation of the buffer pH to 7.8, by addition of ammonium chloride, reduced arterial perfusion pressure from 8.74 ± 0.57 to 6.96 ± 1.37 kPa, and increased adenosine output from 25 ± 5 to 47 ± 8 pmol min−1 (g wet wt muscle)−1 and AMP output from 3.7 ± 1.1 to 24.6 ± 6.8 pmol min−1 (g wet wt muscle)−1. Activity of membrane‐bound 5′N was an order of magnitude higher than that of either cytosolic 5′N or PT: pH depression reduced the Km of 5′N, which increased its capacity to form adenosine by 10–20% for every 0.5 unit decrease in pH within the physiological range. PT was only found in the membrane fraction: its contribution to extracellular adenosine formation increased from about 5% at pH 7.0 to about 15% at pH 8.0. Cytosolic 5′N had a low activity, which was unaffected by pH; the rate of intracellular adenosine formation was an order of magnitude lower than the rate of adenosine removal by adenosine kinase or adenosine deaminase, which were both exclusively intracellular enzymes. We conclude that (i) adenosine is formed in the extracellular compartment of rat skeletal muscle, principally by membrane‐bound 5′N, where it is protected from enzymatic breakdown; (ii) adenosine is formed intracellularly at a very low rate, and is unlikely to leave the cell; (iii) enhanced adenosine formation at low pH is driven by an increased extracellular AMP concentration and an increased affinity of membrane‐bound 5′N for AMP; (iv) enhanced adenosine formation at high pH is driven solely by the elevated extracellular AMP concentration, since the catalytic capacity of membrane 5′N is reduced at high pH.
Leukocyte Alkaline Phosphatase and Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients

Peripheral blood leukocyte alkaline phosphatase scores and plasma carcinoembryonic antigen levels in 26 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were compared to those in 30 healthy controls. Patients had metastases to the liver and abdomen. The mean leukocyte alkaline phosphatase score in the metastatic colorectal cancer patients was significantly higher than in the control group (246 ± 65 vs, 52 ± 26, p < 0.001); and the mean carcinoembryonic antigen level in the patients was also significantly higher than in the controls (110 ± 100 vs, 4.9 ± 3 ng/ml, p < 0.001). One hundred percent of the metastatic cancer patients had elevated LAP scores and 73% of these patients had elevated CEA levels. There was a difference between the mean CEA levels in the patients with liver metastases and those with abdominal metastases (162 ± 135 vs, 39 ± 53 ng/ml, p < 0.04). The results suggest that although both markers are elevated in metastatic colorectal cancer, the LAP score seems to be more useful in detecting metastatic disease, since we found 11 % false negatives with the CEA level and 0 % false negatives with the LAP score.
Estudio de la fidelidad de clientes aplicado al sector hotelero

En un sector tan competitivo como es el hotelero, la excelencia de productos y servicios juega una importancia decisiva. Ponerse en la piel de los consumidores finales del producto y servicio es vital para comprender mejor de que manera perciben estos cada uno de los componentes que forman el total. La utilizacion de estas tecnicas tiene un unico objetivo: la mejora constante de la calidad y el compromiso pleno con la satisfaccion de sus clientes. La gestion de las relaciones con los clientes, y en especial la gestion de su satisfaccion, es determinante para el exito o fracaso de cualquier empresa, tanto en las relaciones con el mercado como en el ambito de la propia empresa. Las iniciativas para la mejora de la calidad del servicio, basadas unicamente en resultados internos, en las que falta informacion de los clientes, estan inevitablemente condenadas al fracaso. Estas iniciativas se frustran por el desconocimiento de los requerimientos de los clientes y la necesidad de conectar la satisfaccion y la medida de los avances internos.
Vertex Ramsey Properties of Families of Graphs

For graphs F, G1, ? , Gr, we write F? (G1, ? , Gr) if for every coloring of the vertices of F with r colors there exists i, i=1, 2, ? , r, such that a copy of Gi is colored with the ith color. For two families of graphs G1, ? , Gr and H1, ? , Hs, by (G1, ? , Gr)? (H1, ? , Hs) we denote the fact that F? (G1, ? , Gr) implies F? (H1, ? , Hs) for every graph F. In this paper, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for (G1, ? , Gr)? (H1, ? , Hs) under some weak assumptions on the families of G1, ? , Gr and H1, ? , Hs. We also consider the induced version of this problem.