Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maternal mortality and unsafe abortion: a heavy burden for developing countries

Summary More than ten years after the launch of the Safe Motherhood Initiative in 1987, abortion is certainly the ‘poor relation’ in the debate concerning ways to reduce the number of deaths from maternity-related causes, even though abortion complications account for about 15% of all maternal deaths, and up to 30% in some countries. Worldwide, 46 million pregnancies (20% to 25% of all pregnancies) each year end in abortion, 36 million of these abortions occur in developing countries and 10 million in developed countries. The WHO estimates that, worldwide, almost 20 million unsafe abortions take place each year, with 95% of these (19 million) performed in developing countries. The risk of death from unsafe abortion is about 1 in 150 procedures in Africa, and 1 in 150,000 in the USA and Europe. The number of maternal deaths is estimated to be about 80,000; this accounts for about 13% of all maternal deaths in the world, one in eight pregnancy-related deaths. In this review, we then analyze the several major concerns accounting for abortion being such a huge maternal mortality risk factor in developing countries: abortion laws and regulations, abortion techniques, unplanned pregnancy and family planning. In conclusion, the gap between between developing and developed countries in the risk of death from unsafe abortion have never been so high : 1/150 000 in developing countries versus 1/150 in developed countries. According to that enormous disparity, the international community and organizations from within the United Nations system must play a key role encouraging governments to modify their abortion legislation’ and to improve their health system to take more account of women’s health rights.
Interferon Regulatory Factor 2 Represses the Epstein-Barr Virus BamHI Q Latency Promoter in Type III Latency

ABSTRACT Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) is the essential protein for maintenance of the EBV episome and establishment of latency. The BamHI Q promoter (Qp) is used for the transcription of EBNA-1 mRNA in type I and type II latency, which are EBV infection states exemplified by Burkitt’s lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, Qp is inactive in type III latency, and other promoters (the BamHI C promoter and/or theBamHI W promoter) are used for EBNA-1. The involvement of interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) in the regulation of Qp is suggested by the presence of an essential interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) in the promoter. In this work, expression of IRF-2 is shown to be inversely associated with Qp status, i.e., IRF-2 levels are high in type III latency (when Qp is inactive) and low in type I latency (when Qp is active). Also, IRF-2 is identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay as the major protein binding to the Qp ISRE in type III latency. In transient transfection assays, IRF-2 represses the activity of Qp-reporter constructs. Overexpression of IRF-2 in a type I latency cell line did not activate the endogenous Qp but marginally reduced the EBNA-1 mRNA level. Switching from type III latency (Qp inactive) to type II latency (Qp active), as produced by cell fusion, is directly associated with greatly reduced expression of IRF-2. These data strongly suggest that IRF-2 is a negative regulator of Qp and may contribute to the silencing of Qp in type III latency.
Review—Progress in concept and practice of growing anchorage-dependent mammalian cells in three dimension

SummaryTissue culture has played a major role in the rapid advances made in medical science in the past 50 yr. The full potential of the technique, however, is limited by the fact that growth of cells is usually restricted to a monolayer accompanied by major decreases in many of their tissue-specific functions. This has been shown to be due, in large part, to the inadequate oxygenation of cells growing in tissue culture dishes. Studies that show that the high charge density and rigidity of the plastic and glass surfaces used for culture are also major factors limiting growth of cells to a monolayer, are reviewed. A new culture system has been developed in which cells are grown on substrata made using perfluorocarbons (PFCs) coated with collagen type 1 and other adhesive factors. Perfluorocarbons have a much higher solubility for oxygen than water and have been used as oxygen delivery systems to protect cells from hypoxia. These new PFC-based substrata can provide both the optimal level of oxygen cells need to maintain differentiated functions and the flexible and weaker type of adhesion that allows cells to round up, interact with each other, and when provided with adequate nutritional support, to grow in three dimension.
The isthmic neuroepithelium is essential for cerebellar midline fusion

The cerebellum comprises a medial domain, called the vermis, flanked by two lateral subdivisions, the cerebellar hemispheres. Normal development of the vermis involves fusion of two lateral primordia on the dorsal midline. We investigated how the cerebellum fuses on the midline by combining a study of mid/hindbrain cell movements in avian embryos with the analysis of cerebellar fusion in normal and mutant mouse embryos. We found that, in avian embryos, divergent cell movements originating from a restricted medial domain located at the mid/hindbrain boundary produce the roof plate of the mid/hindbrain domain. Cells migrating anteriorly from this region populate the caudal midbrain roof plate whereas cells migrating posteriorly populate the cerebellar roof plate. In addition, the adjacent paramedial isthmic neuroepithelium also migrates caudalward and participates in the formation of the cerebellar midline region. We also found that the paramedial isthmic territory produces two distinct structures. First, the late developing velum medullaris that intervenes between the vermis and the midbrain, and second, a midline domain upon which the cerebellum fuses. Elimination or overgrowth of this isthmic domain in Wnt1sw/sw and En1+/Otx2lacZ mutant mice, respectively, impair cerebellar midline fusion. Because the isthmus-derived midline cerebellar domain displays a distinct expression pattern of genes involved in BMP signaling, we propose that the isthmus-derived cells provide both a substratum and signals that are essential for cerebellar fusion.
[Foodborne diseases occurred in 2003--report of the National Foodborne Diseases Surveillance System, China].

OBJECTIVE To study the foodborne disease outbreaks in the areas covered by National Foodborne Disease Surveillance System. METHODS Total 13 provinces were included in the surveillance system, and the foodborne disease data in 2003 was collected. RESULTS A total of 802 outbreaks of foodborne disease were reported. These outbreaks caused a reported 17462 persons to become ill. Among outbreaks for which the etiology was determined, bacterial pathogens caused the largest percentage of outbreaks (46.4%) and the largest percentage of cases (60.4%). Vibrio parahaemolyticus (40.1%) accounted for the largest number of outbreaks and cases. Chemical agents caused 24.1% of outbreaks and 13.9% of cases. CONCLUSION More work needs to be done to improve the foodborne disease surveillance system.
Genetics of Nitrofurazone Resistance in Escherichia coli

Wild-type Escherichia coli cells are sensitive to nitrofurazone (NF) and many other nitrofuran derivatives. A variety of evidence indicated that these compounds are converted to toxic “active” metabolites by reductases present in the bacteria. Sensitive E. coli K-12 acquired threefold-greater resistance to NF in one mutational step. These partially resistant mutants could undergo a second mutation that made them 10 times as resistant as the wild type. Mutation of wild-type strain K-12 to the higher level of resistance in a single step was not observed. The first mutational step was associated with partial loss of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-linked, O2-insensitive NF reductase activity, and the second step was associated with loss of the remaining activity. The two-step mutants did, however, contain other NF reductases that were inhibited by O2 and reduced NF only under anaerobic conditions. We designated the genes that control reductase activity “nitrofuran sensitivity genes” (nfsA and nfsB). Thus, wild-type strains are nfsA+nfsB+, and the resistant double mutants are nfsA nfsB. A variety of crosses established that these genes are both located close to gal, that the most probable sequence is lac nfsB gal nfsA, and that the single-step mutants with an intermediate level of resistance are nfsA nfsB+. The nfsA+nfsB strains contained about 70 to 80% of the wild-type reductase I activity—apparently enough to confer wild-type sensitivity. This reductase activity was resistant to 2 M urea. The nfsA nfsB+ strains had only 20 to 30% of the wild-type activity, and this residual activity was sensitive to 2 M urea.
Clinical characteristics of people with head nodding in southern Tanzania

Summary We have previously described a seizure disorder characterized by head nodding (HN). In a prospective study in southern Tanzania, we evaluated 62 patients with HN. Here, we report the patients’ clinical characteristics and those of their seizures, which indicate high seizure frequency, unsatisfactory seizure control, a high burden of cognitive impairment and disease-associated barriers to education.
Electrothermal Characteristics of YBCO Bulk Magnets Deep in LN2: A Preliminary Analysis for Its Use as Excitation System of Low-Speed Synchronous Generators

This paper introduces a preliminary analysis concerning the use of YBCO bulk magnets when operating in the magnetic environment of low-speed synchronous generators. A coupled electrothermal Comsol model of bulk YBCOs is first developed, tested, and experimentally verified. Joule losses in the HTS magnet are then studied when under ac homogeneous standing magnetic field wave with frequencies and amplitude ranges that are usually found on those generators. The YBCO capability in maintaining its magnetization level when subjected to those conditions was also analyzed since the objective is to replace the permanent magnets currently in use to increase up to +30% the air-gap field.
Understanding Personal Learning Environment Perspectives of Thai International Tourism and Hospitality Higher Education Students

This paper is part of a periodic research conducted in developing a personal learning environment for Thailand’s higher education students with English as medium of instruction. The objective of the first phase in this research was to understand the personal learning environment perspectives of Thai International tourism and hospitality higher education students. A structured questionnaire of personal, learning and environment perspectives based on various literature reviews and practical applications was constructed and distributed to 111 Bachelor of Business administration students majoring tourism and hospitality management to measure their agreeableness towards elements of PLE. The results revealed that all the three stakeholders, i.e., the student, teacher and the college have control or ownership over the self-learning phases of the students. The students use social media and smart phones to search and find relevant information in various formats such as videos, audios, news, articles from internet and teach each other by giving feedbacks within themselves on completing their assignments during self-learning phases. Keywords: personal learning environment; international tourism and hospitality students; self learning phases; higher education; Thailand.
The Role of Leadership in Instilling a Culture of Safety: Lessons from the Literature

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The publication of To Err Is Human has highlighted concern for patient safety. Attention to date has focused primarily on micro issues such as minimizing medication errors and adverse drug reactions, improving select aspects of care, and reducing diagnostic and treatment errors. However, attention is also required to a macro issue—an organization's culture and the level of leadership required to create a culture. This article discusses the concepts of culture and leadership and summarizes two paradigms that are useful in understanding the precursors of medical errors and developing interventions to prevent them: normal accident theory and high‐reliability organization theory. It also delineates approaches to instilling a safety culture. Normal accident theory asserts that errors result from system failures. An important element of this perspective is the need for a system that collects, analyzes, and disseminates information from incidents and near misses as well as regular proactive checks on the system's vital signs. Four subcultures are necessary to support such an environment: a reporting culture, a just culture, a flexible culture, and a learning culture. High‐reliability organization theory posits that accidents occur because individuals who operate and manage complex systems are themselves not sufficiently complex to sense and anticipate the problems generated by the system. Lessons learned from high‐reliability organizations indicate that a safety culture is supported by migrated distributed decision making, management by exception or negotiation, and fostering a sense of the “big picture. ” Lessons from other industries are also shared in this article.
Natural history of chronic hepatitis C

Much controversy surrounds the issue of the natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Many authorities view the disease as inexorably progressive with a high probability of advancing over time to cirrhosis and occasionally hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and, therefore, likely to be responsible for causing death. Others regard chronic hepatitis C as having a variable outcome, the majority of infected persons not dying from the disease, but more likely from the comorbid conditions that so often accompany infection by this agent, or from more common medical conditions. Disagreements probably derive from the manner of conduct of the study and the populations studied. Efforts to determine natural history are handicapped by the primary characteristics of the disease, namely that its onset rarely is recognized and its course is prolonged exceedingly. Thus, different outcomes have come from retrospective rather than from prospective studies, but both have concluded that at least 20% of chronically infected adults develop cirrhosis within 20 years. More recent studies that used a retrospective/prospective approach, focusing largely on young infected individuals, have produced different results. Among these young people, particularly young women, spontaneous resolution of the viral infection is more common than previously thought and cirrhosis has been identified in 5% or fewer of them. The major failing for all groups studied, young and old, is that natural history studies have rarely exceeded the first 2 decades, so that outcome beyond this time is not known, other than through modeling. Several host‐related and extraneous factors probably affect the natural history. (HEPATOLOGY 2002;36:S35‐S46).
Occluding junctions in cultured epithelial monolayers.

When MDCK cells are cultured in monolayers, they synthesize, assemble, and seal occluding junctions that limit the paracellular route. These processes may be impaired by inhibitors of the protein synthesis but not by inhibitors of the synthesis of RNA. Once established, the occluding junctions confer to the monolayer an overall electrical resistance of 80-600 omega . cm2. At the microscopical level, the resistance of individual junctions have large variations along the perimeter of a given cell. This agrees with the images of freeze-fracture electron microscopy where the network of the junction varies abruptly from 1 to 10 strands. The junctions are impermeable to macromolecular tracers, have a 9 to 1 Na+/Cl- discrimination, and a cation selectivity following the order: K+ greater than Na+ greater than Rb+ greater than Cs+ greater than Li+. Sealing requires extracellular Ca2+, but the junctions open when the concentration of Ca2+ in the cytoplasm increases. The structural components of the cytoskeleton (microtubules and microfilaments) seem to be involved in the junctional events as revealed by staining with immunofluorescent specific antibodies. If the cells are treated with cytochalasin B, actin microfilaments disorganize, the junctions open, and the electrical resistance across the monolayers falls. The resealing of the tight junction is inhibited by this drug.
How Does Antigen Retrieval Work?

The introduction of antigen retrieval has enabled immunohistology to become an integral component of morphologic diagnosis, routinely employed in cancer diagnosis, and for the identification of therapeutic and prognostic markers. The mechanism of antigen retrieval, however, remains speculative with the key to our understanding embedded in the actions of formaldehyde on proteins. One commonly held concept is that heat primarily breaks down protein cross-linkages that occur with aldehyde fixation, thus “unmasking” protein epitopes of interest. Enzymatic pretreatment is also thought to have a similar action whereas such “breakages” are the result of extremely rapid molecular movement induced by microwaves and ultrasound. The formation of rigid cagelike calcium complexes during formaldehyde fixation is another suggested mechanism of antigen masking requiring chelating agents for reversal. A more recent suggestion for the antigen retrieval phenomenon has evoked the Mannich reaction, which occurs with the cross-linking of some proteins. Such cross-linkages can be hydrolyzed by heat or alkalis so that the process of antigen retrieval may be the simple removal of such cross-linked proteins that are sterically interfering with the binding of antibodies to linear protein epitopes in the tissue section. We are clearly not yet in possession of all the answers to the problem.
[Brown's syndrome].

Having observed a very tight adhesion between the trochlea and the tendon of the obliquus superior bulbi muscle or an increase in tendon thickness posterior to the trochlea in operated patients, the author tried to correct this abnormality using partial trochleotomy and the lysis of the adhesions, followed by the application of Scott-Knapp sutures. The morphological basis of Brown's syndrome, consisting of an obstruction at the level of the trochlea, was demonstrated experimentally by means of an eye motion simulator.
Server-aided batch verification signature schemes in the multiple-signer setting

Server-aided verification (SAV) signature schemes are useful for power-constrained devices since a powerful server can assist in performing costly operations such as pairing operations. Wu et al. defined security notions for SAV signature schemes and constructed SAV protocols for some existing signature schemes. We extend their work by introducing a new notion called server-aided batch verification (SABV) signature schemes, which allows signatures on (possibly) different messages by (possibly) different signers to be simultaneously verified with the help of an honest server. Then, we define completeness, soundness, and existential unforgeability for SABV signature schemes in the multiple-signer setting. In the following, we design SABV protocols for Waters signature and Boneh–Lynn–Shacham signature, respectively, and prove that these protocols meet the requirement of soundness defined in this paper. Finally, we evaluate the performance of the proposed SABV protocols to show that the cost of a verifier can be further reduced compared with the corresponding SAV protocols presented by Wu et al. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Serum antibodies specific for tumor antigens in colorectal cancer may be useful diagnostic biomarkers.

10041 Background: Colorectal cancer is immunogenic as evidenced by the presence of antibodies specific to tumor antigens in patient serum and T cell infiltration at the tumor site predicting favorable disease outcome. We questioned whether antibody immunity to tumor associated antigens (TAA) in patients with colorectal cancer could be used as a biomarker to predict disease. METHODS We evaluated serum samples for the presence of antibody immunity to six tumor antigens, cyclin D1, HER-2/neu, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP2), NY-ESO-1, p53, and topoisomerase-IIα (TOPO2α), in colorectal cancer patients (n=40) and normal donors (n=200) using ELISA. We then evaluated the diagnostic value of these potential biomarkers by measuring antibody levels to these TAA in an independent sample set which included 30 colorectal cancer patients and 135 normal donors. The samples were judged as positive or negative for colorectal cancer using measurements derived either from a single marker or a combination of the markers. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plots were generated to determine the diagnostic accuracy of each test. RESULTS Colorectal cancer patients had increased levels of antibodies to p53 (p=0.002), TOPO2α (p<0.001), and IGFBP2 (p<0.001) compared to controls. By using a combination of just two antibody measurements, TOPO2α and IGFBP2, we could discriminate colorectal cancer patients from controls with a diagnostic power of 0.775 as estimated by the area under ROC curve. At a cutoff point of 0.03 mcg/ml TAA specific IgG, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 58%. CONCLUSIONS Serum antibodies to colorectal cancer related antigens may serve as useful biomarkers for colorectal cancer diagnosis. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Cooling and response to hydrogen peroxide in human saphenous vein: role of the endothelium

In the present work we studied the responses of human saphenous vein to H2O2 and effects of moderate cooling on these responses with analysis of the role of endothelium. H2O2 (10−7–10−2 m) induced concentration‐dependent contraction in the intact human saphenous vein strips at both temperatures. At 28 °C, the maximal contraction induced by H2O2 was significantly lower than that at 37 °C. Compared with intact strips, the sensitivity and the maximal contraction to H2O2 were significantly enhanced in endothelium‐denuded strips at 37 and 28 °C. However, pD2 values and maximal contractions were not significantly different in endothelium‐denuded strips at different temperatures. Pretreatment with NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (l‐NAME) increased significantly the maximal contraction and sensitivity to H2O2 at 37 and 28 °C. The contractions increased by l‐NAME were restored by the pre‐incubation of l‐arginine (10−3 m) at every temperature studied. The contractile responses of intact human saphenous veins to H2O2 were reduced significantly by 10−5 m indomethacin at both temperatures. Our results suggest that H2O2‐induced contraction of human saphenous vein are mediated by its direct effect on the smooth muscle and by the generation of products of the cyclooxygenase pathway from the endothelium. Signalling pathways of these contractile effects are the same at 37 and 28 °C. Under normal temperature conditions, the contraction to H2O2 is possibly modulated by endothelial nitric oxide. Cooling reduces the contraction to H2O2 by increasing release of nitric oxide.
Analysis and design concerning state estimator for BAM neural networks with time-varying delays of neutral type

This paper deals with the analysis and design of the state estimator concerning BAM neural networks with time-varying delays of neutral type. Based on Lyapunov-Krasovskii theory and integral equality approach, the delay-dependent sufficient condition is obtained to ensure the closed-loop error system is globally asymptotically stable. Furthermore, the gain matrices of the estimator can be determined and the state estimator is designed completely. Finally, a numerical example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.