Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Amenity valuation : the role of heritage in the physical and social production of Vancouver

The intensification of downtown Vancouver is the result of a structured fiscal, design and planning project. Cardinal to this effort is the realization of public amenities through the development process. However, those involved in the struggle to control the provision of amenities deny that no less than the determination of legitimate public goods is at stake in the contest. Employing Bourdieu's understanding of capital and related description of social space, the objective of the thesis is to examine how amenity production is oriented by the public benefit's utility to the dominant interest of capital accumulation. Reviewing the adoption of discretionary zoning and its corollaries to planning permission explicates the relation of a legalized aesthetic to the process of amenitization.The understanding of physical heritage as a public value is among the derivatives of this association with the introduction of planning mechanisms to encourage the retention of historic structures.The subsequent naturalization of heritage as public value and concurrent endowment of its capacity to facilitate development serves as an appropriate vehicle in the consideration of amenity valuation. By specifying the physical form and the legitimated community value of approved development, City reports and bylaws are the primary means of study. Analysis of these documents finds heritage to be the principal amenity realized through development mechanisms and illustrates its substantial influence on the physical and social space of the city. Case studies further support the thesis objective by addressing the constitution of public amenities aligned with the accommodation of the dominant interest; the unbounded consideration of heritage supports the retention of the physical features most conducive to intensification and results in greater development ability in terms of both private capital and in the realization of more bounded social amenities. The misrecognition of this key utility lends considerable authority over the physical transformation of the city and, more importantly, facilitates control of the related social environment.The thesis concludes that heritage serves the ideological continuation of the field of power, and cautions that recent efforts to consider less tangible qualities are symptomatic of this process.
Evaluation of dedicated infectious diseases pharmacists on antimicrobial stewardship teams.

PURPOSE Patient care improvements and cost savings achieved by a large integrated health system through the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) at two hospitals are reported. METHODS A pre-post analysis was conducted to evaluate cost and quality outcomes at the two ASP sites and three similar sites within the same health system not included in the ASP initiative. The utilization of 15 targeted antimicrobials and associated costs at the five sites during designated preimplementation and postimplementation periods were compared; changes in Hospital Standardized Mortality Ratio (HSMR) values for specific infections among Medicare patients were also assessed. RESULTS In the year after ASP implementation, aggregate direct antimicrobial acquisition costs at the two study sites decreased 17.3% from prior-year levels and increased by 9.1% at the three comparator sites. Significant decreases in the consumption of targeted antimicrobial classes (antipseudomonals, quinolones, and agents active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) were observed at the ASP sites. Among the 2446 ASP interventions recorded, 72% involved discontinuing or narrowing the use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Although rates of health care-associated Clostridium difficile infection were little changed at both study sites after ASP implementation, HSMR data indicated substantial gains in combating sepsis and C. difficile and respiratory infections. CONCLUSION After implementation of ASPs at two study sites, the utilization of all classes of antibiotics decreased and antimicrobial costs per 1000 patient-days decreased. While HSMR values for sepsis (including C. difficile-associated cases) and respiratory infections improved, the rate of C. difficile infections stayed the same.
NVP-BEZ 235 , a Dual PI 3 K / mTOR Inhibitor , Prevents PI 3 K Signaling and Inhibits the Growth of Cancer Cells with Activating PI 3 K Mutations

Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway deregulation is a common event in human cancer, either through inactivation of the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted from chromosome 10 or activating mutations of p110A. These hotspot mutations result in oncogenic activity of the enzyme and contribute to therapeutic resistance to the antiHER2 antibody trastuzumab. The PI3K pathway is, therefore, an attractive target for cancer therapy. We have studied NVPBEZ235, a dual inhibitor of the PI3K and the downstream mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). NVP-BEZ235 inhibited the activation of the downstream effectors Akt, S6 ribosomal protein, and 4EBP1 in breast cancer cells. The antiproliferative activity of NVP-BEZ235 was superior to the allosteric selective mTOR complex inhibitor everolimus in a panel of 21 cancer cell lines of different origin and mutation status. The described Akt activation due to mTOR inhibition was prevented by higher doses of NVP-BEZ235. NVP-BEZ235 reversed the hyperactivation of the PI3K/mTOR pathway caused by the oncogenic mutations of p110-A, E545K, and H1047R, and inhibited the proliferation of HER2-amplified BT474 cells exogenously expressing these mutations that render them resistant to trastuzumab. In trastuzumabresistant BT474 H1047R breast cancer xenografts, NVPBEZ235 inhibited PI3K signaling and had potent antitumor activity. In treated animals, there was complete inhibition of PI3K signaling in the skin at pharmacologically active doses, suggesting that skin may serve as surrogate tissue for pharmacodynamic studies. In summary, NVP-BEZ235 inhibits the PI3K/mTOR axis and results in antiproliferative and antitumoral activity in cancer cells with both wild-type and mutated p110-A. [Cancer Res 2008;68(19):8022–30]
Dominance hierarchy arising from the evolution of a complex small RNA regulatory network

The prevention of fertilization through self-pollination (or pollination by a close relative) in the Brassicaceae plant family is determined by the genotype of the plant at the self-incompatibility locus (S locus). The many alleles at this locus exhibit a dominance hierarchy that determines which of the two allelic specificities of a heterozygous genotype is expressed at the phenotypic level. Here, we uncover the evolution of how at least 17 small RNA (sRNA)–producing loci and their multiple target sites collectively control the dominance hierarchy among alleles within the gene controlling the pollen S-locus phenotype in a self-incompatible Arabidopsis species. Selection has created a dynamic repertoire of sRNA-target interactions by jointly acting on sRNA genes and their target sites, which has resulted in a complex system of regulation among alleles. Hierarchical interactions among alleles in a mustard plant explain how self-incompatibility evolved and is maintained. Dominance cascades in self-incompatibility Plants often cannot use their own pollen to set seed. This is known as self-incompatibility. Although some of the underlying genetics and mechanisms of self-incompatibility are understood, the evolution and maintenance of the system have remained mysterious. Durand et al. identified a collection of small RNAs and their respective matching targets within a self-incompatibility locus in Arabidopsis halleri. A subset of these alleles functioned in a dominant manner, which helps to explain how self-incompatibility is maintained. Science, this issue p. 1200
The Risk of Hardware Infection in Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Is Greater at Impulse Generator Replacement than at the Primary Procedure

Background/Aims: Infection of implanted hardware after deep brain stimulation (DBS) has a significant impact on patient morbidity. We examined all patients who underwent DBS procedures over the last 9 years in our centre to assess the infection rate and possible factors related to surgery that may predispose to infection. Methods: Surgical reports and clinical notes were reviewed in 273 consecutive patients who underwent a total of 519 DBS-related procedures in our institute between November 2002 and September 2011. Results: Sixteen separate hardware-related infections occurred in 11 patients. Infections occurred in 3% of all procedures and 4% of all patients. The infection rate after implantable pulse generator (IPG) replacement surgery was more than three times higher than after de novo DBS surgery. In addition, male patients were more likely to develop device-related infections. Conclusions: It is unclear why infection rates should be more than three times higher after IPG replacement surgery than after the de novo procedure. The former is a shorter and simpler procedure to conduct. Perhaps the use of better antimicrobial protection and rechargeable batteries may be useful strategies to reduce infections following IPG revision surgery.
[Gelatin/alginate hydrogel scaffolds prepared by 3D bioprinting promotes cell adhesion and proliferation of human dental pulp cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cytotoxicity of gelatin/alginate hydrogel scaffolds prepared by 3D bioprinting in human dental pulp cells (HDPCs) and compare the cell adhesion and proliferation of the cells seeded in the biomaterial using two different methods. METHODS HDPCs isolated by tissue block culture and enzyme digestion were cultured and passaged. Gelatin/alginate hydrogel scaffolds were printed using a bioplotter, and the cytotoxicity of the aqueous extracts of the scaffold material was tested in the third passage of HDPCs using cell counting kit-8. Scanning electron microscopy and trypan blue were used to assess the adhesion and proliferation of the cells seeded in the scaffold material at a low or high concentration. RESULTS The aqueous extract of the scaffolds at different concentrations showed no obvious cytotoxicity and promoted the proliferation of HDPCs. The scaffolds had a good biocompatibility and HDPCs seeded in the scaffold showed good cell growth. Cell seeding at a high concentration in the scaffold better promoted the adhesion of HDPCs and resulted in a greater cell number on the scaffold surface compared with low-concentration cell seeding after a 5-day culture (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Gelatin<alginate hydrogel scaffolds prepared by 3D bioprinting has a good biocompatibility and promotes the proliferation of HDPCs, and can be used as a scaffold material for tooth regeneration. Cell seeding at a high concentration can better promote cell adhesion to the scaffold material.
Systemic Mastocytosis: Bone Marrow Pathology, Classification, and Current Therapies

Mast cell disease (MCD) is characterized by the abnormal growth and accumulation of neoplastic mast cells (MC) in one or more organs. The diagnosis of systemic MCD is most commonly established by a thorough histological and immunohistochemical examination of a bone marrow (BM) trephine specimen. In cases with pathognomonic perivascular and -trabecular aggregates of morphologically atypical MC and significant BM involvement, the diagnosis may be relatively straightforward. In contrast, when a sparse, loose pattern of MC infiltration predominates, or when MCs are obscured by an associated non-MC hematological neoplasm, a high index of suspicion and use of adjunctive tests, including special stains, such as tryptase and CD25, may be necessary to reach a diagnosis. The updated classification for MCD clarifies the clinical and pathological criteria for categorizing patients into relatively discrete subgroups. Some cases, however, such those with Fip1-like-1-platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (FIP1L1-PDGFRA)+ clonal eosinophilia associated with elevated serum tryptase levels, with features that overlap MCD and chronic eosinophilic leukemia, may not be easy to categorize on the basis of this classification. There is no standard therapy for MCD and treatment has to be tailored to the needs of the individual patient. MC-cytoreductive therapies, such as interferon-α and chemotherapy, are generally reserved for patients with progressive disease and organopathy. A subset of MCD patients with associated eosinophilia who carry the FIP1L1-PDGFRA oncogene will achieve complete clinical, histological, and molecular remissions with imatinib mesylate therapy, in contrast to those with c-kit D816V mutations. The BM pathology, consensus classification, and current therapies for MCD are further discussed in this article.
Unnecessary Imaging, Not Hospital Distance, or Transportation Mode Impacts Delays in the Transfer of Injured Children

Objectives: Timely transfer of injured children to pediatric trauma centers (PTCs) that can address their unique needs is important. This study was designed to understand the characteristics of transferred injured children. Methods: Data from our level I PTC over 5 years (2002-2006) were reviewed. Transferred patients were divided based on time from injury to arrival at our PTC: early (<2 hours) and late (>2 hours). Data collected included demographics, Injury Severity Scale score, Glasgow Coma Scale score, mode of transportation, referring hospital information including pretransfer imaging, and disposition from our emergency room. Results: Seven hundred forty-eight patients were included. Eighty-two percent (n = 612) were in the late group and arrived, on average, 6 hours after those transferred early (420 vs 69.9 minutes, P < 0.05). Seventy-nine percent (n = 147) of transfers with severe injuries (Injury Severity Scale score >15) and 47% (n = 15) of those with severe head injuries (Glasgow Coma Scale score <8) arrived late. The disproportionate number of late transfers was consistent among all transferring hospitals regardless of distance and only slightly improved in the group transferred by air ambulance. In addition, those transferred late had significantly more pretransfer imaging (49% vs 23%, P = 0.0025). Conclusions: Despite the advantages of care in trauma centers, a significant number of severely injured children are transferred well beyond 2 hours after injury. This study has demonstrated that this pattern of delayed transfer is a systemic problem occurring among all transferring hospitals regardless of distance or mode of patient transfer and is associated with increased use of imaging before transfer.
Adult Niemann-Pick disease type C mimicking features of multiple sclerosis

Niemann-Pick disease type C is a panethnic autosomal recessive neurovisceral storage disorder characterised by a unique error in cellular trafficking of exogenous cholesterol. The most typical phenotype is characterised by hepatosplenomegaly, vertical supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, progressive ataxia, dystonia, and dementia and manifests in late childhood. Adult onset Niemann-Pick disease type C often includes psychosis and dementia.1 2 We report an adult female patient with biochemically verified Niemann-Pick disease type C in whom the initial diagnosis of multiple sclerosis was questionable because of a persistent splenomegaly. The 33 year old woman was referred to the Psychiatry Department of the University of Heidelberg in December 1994. She complained of progressive difficulties with memory and concentration, increasing social isolation, and problems with daily activities. The patient was unsure about the onset of her problems but suggested that they had started after the birth of her daughter three years previously. History, family history, and the patient’s fetal and childhood development were unremarkable. Her parents are non-consanguineous. School performance was satisfactory initially but later her learning behaviour became erratic and she failed her examinations after 10 school years. She worked as a saleswoman and after giving birth she lived on social support. With time she no longer managed to educate …
Response of Plant-Colonizing Pseudomonads to Hydrogen Peroxide

Colonization of plant root surfaces by Pseudomonas putida may require mechanisms that protect this bacterium against superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide produced by the root. Catalase and superoxide dismutase may be important in this bacterial defense system. Stationary-phase cells of P. putida were not killed by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at concentrations up to 10 mM, and extracts from these cells possessed three isozymic bands (A, B, and C) of catalase activity in native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Logarithmic-phase cells exposed directly to hydrogen peroxide concentrations above 1 mM were killed. Extracts of logarithmic-phase cells displayed only band A catalase activity. Protection against 5 mM H2O2 was apparent after previous exposure of the logarithmic-phase cells to nonlethal concentrations (30 to 300 μM) of H2O2. Extracts of these protected cells possessed enhanced catalase activity of band A and small amounts of bands B and C. A single form of superoxide dismutase and isoforms of catalase were apparent in extracts from a foliar intercellular pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola. The mobilities of these P. syringae enzymes were distinct from those of enzymes in P. putida extracts.
Polarization-Rotated Waveguide Antennas for Base-Station Applications

A novel base-station antenna element is proposed. It consists of an artificial surface composed of parallel strips rotating in the polarization direction and a segment of a rectangular waveguide. The surface is designed on a single-sided substrate, which has the same area as the aperture of the waveguide. To achieve the polarization rotation, the parallel strips on the surface are rotated by 45° with respect to the orientation of the waveguide antenna. By adding the surface, the linear polarization direction of the rectangular waveguide antenna rotates by 45° to comply with the requirements of the cellular industry. To verify the simulation results, the proposed antenna was fabricated and measured. Results show that the antenna has an operating bandwidth from 698–960 MHz, where a stable radiation pattern is achieved.
Clinical Epidemiology of Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury (ALI) remains a serious threat to critically ill patients and continues to pose challenges to clinicians and investigators as they strive to better identify and treat these patients. Over 30 years of clinical and basic science investigations have led to a better understanding of the pathophysiology, risk factors, and prognosis of this entity but we still lack a "gold standard'' for its identification. The American-European Consensus Conference definition has helped in the effort to standardize the definition of ALI but is still fraught with difficulties in the application of criteria for the chest radiograph, hypoxemia, and left atrial hypertension. As further efforts are undertaken to better define ALI and to more accurately describe its incidence, it is critical that methodology to assess the accuracy and reliability of such definitions be utilized. This union of clinical epidemiology, clinical research, and basic science will not only better describe the population burden of ALI but will also better track the effect of current and future therapeutic interventions.
Protective effects of green tea polyphenols and their major component, (–)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells

Abstract Green tea polyphenols exert a wide range of biochemical and pharmacological effects, and have been shown to possess antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties. Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. However, although green tea polyphenols may be expected to inhibit the progression of Parkinson's disease on the basis of their known antioxidant activity, this has not previously been established. In the present study, we evaluated the neuroprotective effects of green tea polyphenols in the Parkinson's disease pathological cell model. The results show that the natural antioxidants have significant inhibitory effects against apoptosis induced by oxidative stress. 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced apoptosis in catecholaminergic PC12 cells was chosen as the in vitro model of Parkinson's disease in our study. Apoptotic characteristics of PC12 cells were assessed by MTT assay, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and DNA fragmentation. Green tea polyphenols and their major component, EGCG at a concentration of 200 μM, exert significant protective effects against 6-OHDA-induced PC12 cell apoptosis. EGCG is more effective than the mixture of green tea polyphenols. The antioxidant function of green tea polyphenols may account for this neuroprotective effect. The present study supports the notion that green tea polyphenols have the potential to be effective as neuropreventive agents for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Osteoclast‐Derived Complement Component 3a Stimulates Osteoblast Differentiation

Bone remodeling is regulated by a coupling of resorption to subsequent formation; however, the “coupling factor” and underlying mechanism are not fully understood. Here, we found that the condition medium (CM) of mature osteoclasts contains a humoral factor that stimulates the differentiation of primary osteoblasts, as determined by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. We purified osteoblastogenesis‐stimulating activity from 3 L of osteoclast CM through successive ion exchange chromatographies by monitoring the ALP activity of osteoblasts and identified complement component 3 (C3). Expression of the C3 gene increased during osteoclastogenesis, and the cleavage product C3a was detected by ELISA in the CM of osteoclasts but not in that of bone marrow macrophages. The osteoblastogenesis‐stimulating activity present in osteoclast CM was inhibited by a specific antagonist of the C3a receptor (C3aR), SB290157. Conversely, the retroviral expression of C3a as well as treatment with the C3aR agonist, benzeneacetamide, stimulated osteoblast differentiation. C3 gene expression in bone was increased in the high bone turnover states of ovariectomy (OVX) or a receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL) injection, and blocking the action of C3a with the daily administration of SB290157 resulted in the attenuation of bone formation elevated by OVX and the exacerbation of bone loss. These results suggest that osteoclast‐derived C3a functions in the relay from bone resorption to formation and may be a candidate for a coupling factor. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.