Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The choroid plexus: function, pathology and therapeutic potential of its transplantation

The choroid plexus (CP) produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and forms the blood–CSF barrier. However, the CP may have additional functions in the CNS beyond these traditional roles. Preclinical and clinical studies in ageing and neurodegeneration demonstrate anatomical and physiological changes in CP, suggesting roles in normal and pathological conditions and potentially endogenous repair processes following trauma. One of the broadest functions of the CP is establishing and maintaining the extracellular milieu throughout the brain and spinal cord, in part by secreting numerous growth factors into the CSF. The endogenous secretion of growth factors raises the possibility that transplantable CP might enable delivery of these molecules to the brain, while avoiding the conventional molecular and genetic alterations associated with modifying cells to secrete selected products. This review describes some of the anatomical and functional changes of CP in ageing and neurodegeneration, and recent demonstrations of the therapeutic potential of transplanted CP for neural trauma.
The “Jade Goody effect”: what now for cervical cancer prevention?

©FSRH J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2010: 36(2) Introduction The illness and early death of the reality television star, Jade Goody, 12 months ago propelled the issue of cervical cancer into the headlines. One significant result of this media attention was an expansion in the demand for and uptake of cervical cytology screening. The large increase in the number of cytology tests requested had a significant impact on colposcopy and pathology workloads. The effect will continue to be felt for many months, since each newly screened cohort results in more women attending for colposcopy and an increase in appointments for conservative evaluation of low-grade disease, treatment and follow-up. The media attention and the resulting impact on cytology and colposcopy services also provoked interest in examining how the UK screening programme can optimise cost-effective health gain. This article considers the national screening programme and the possible impact of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and HPV testing on screening and the potential long-term effects of the current changes to cervical cancer prevention.
Content aware citation recommendation system

Citation Recommendation is very interesting research area. Many algorithms and methods are proposed for better citation recommendation. Recently, the growth of information technology is high. So the digital libraries are there such as IEEE Xplore and ACM Digital library. The online publications of research papers and conferences are increasing day by day. This makes citation recommendation is a very challenging one. In this paper, propose a citation recommendation method that uses citation relations and similarity between many other papers. The basic method consists of recommend citations by cross references. If one paper is co-occurred in two or more citing papers, then they are similar to some extent. After that, these citing papers are pairwise compared with their contents to get similarities between them. Here, evaluate the proposed method in real word datasets such as IEEE journals.
Mediterranean Diet Improves High-Density Lipoprotein Function in High-Cardiovascular-Risk Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: The biological functions of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) contribute to explaining the cardioprotective role of the lipoprotein beyond quantitative HDL cholesterol levels. A few small-scale interventions with a single antioxidant have improved some HDL functions. However, to date, no long-term, large-scale, randomized controlled trial has been conducted to assess the effects of an antioxidant-rich dietary pattern (such as a traditional Mediterranean diet [TMD]) on HDL function in humans. Methods: This study was performed in a random subsample of volunteers from the PREDIMED Study (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea; n=296) after a 1-year intervention. We compared the effects of 2 TMDs, one enriched with virgin olive oil (TMD-VOO; n=100) and the other enriched with nuts (TMD-Nuts; n=100), with respect to a low-fat control diet (n=96). We assessed the effects of both TMDs on the role of HDL particles on reverse cholesterol transport (cholesterol efflux capacity, HDL ability to esterify cholesterol, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity), HDL antioxidant properties (paraoxonase-1 arylesterase activity and total HDL antioxidant capacity on low-density lipoproteins), and HDL vasodilatory capacity (HDL ability to induce the release of nitric oxide in endothelial cells). We also studied the effects of a TMD on several HDL quality-related characteristics (HDL particle oxidation, resistance against oxidative modification, main lipid and protein composition, and size distribution). Results: Both TMDs increased cholesterol efflux capacity relative to baseline (P=0.018 and P=0.013 for TMD-VOO and TMD-Nuts, respectively). The TMD-VOO intervention decreased cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity (relative to baseline, P=0.028) and increased HDL ability to esterify cholesterol, paraoxonase-1 arylesterase activity, and HDL vasodilatory capacity (relative to control, P=0.039, P=0.012, and P=0.026, respectively). Adherence to a TMD induced these beneficial changes by improving HDL oxidative status and composition. The 3 diets increased the percentage of large HDL particles (relative to baseline, P<0.001). Conclusions: The TMD, especially when enriched with virgin olive oil, improved HDL atheroprotective functions in humans. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.controlled-trials.com. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639.
Hepatoprotective Activity of Cichorium endivia L. Extract and Its Chemical Constituents

The objective of the present study was to investigate the in vitro and in vivo hepatoprotective properties of Cichorium endivia L. extract (CEE), and to identify its chemical constituents. CEE significantly blocked the oxidative stress and cytotoxicity induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) in HepG2 cells. Meanwhile, oral administration of CEE to mice before the treatment of t-BHP exhibited a markedly protective effect by lowering serum levels of ALT and AST, inhibiting the changes in liver biochemistry including MDA, SOD, GSH and GST, as well as ameliorating the liver injuries according to the histopathological observations. According to the acute oral toxicity test, the LD50 of CEE was greater than 5,000 mg/kg, which demonstrates that the CEE can be considered practically non-toxic. Phytochemical analysis of CEE showed the presence of five compounds identified as 2-furanmethanol-(5'→11)-1,3-cyclopentadiene-[5,4-c]-1H-cinnoline, which is a new cinnoline derivative derived from a natural source but not synthesis, 2-phenylethyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside, kaempferol, and adenosine. In the ORAC assay, CEE and its constituents kaempferol and kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucoside had considerable antioxidant potency. Taken together, CEE protects hepatic tissue from oxidative damage in vitro and in vivo, potentially due to its phenolic substances, and does not cause acute oral toxicity, which suggests that CEE may be a valid and safe remedy to cure liver disease.
A modified provisional stenting approach to coronary bifurcation lesions: clinical application of the "jailed-balloon technique".

OBJECTIVES To demonstrate the application of a novel provisional side branch (SB) stenting strategy for coronary bifurcation lesions using a "jailed-balloon" technique (JBT). BACKGROUND Adverse cardiac events are higher for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of bifurcation lesions. Recent studies support the use of provisional SB stenting, but a risk of SB closure and a higher rate of target lesion revascularization (TLR) remain important limitations. METHODS From December 2007 to August 2010, 100 patients with 102 bifurcation lesions underwent PCI using the JBT. Baseline and postprocedural quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) analysis were performed. Procedural and immediate clinical outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS The majority of patients presented with acute coronary syndrome (68%) and had Medina class 1,1,1 bifurcation lesions (91%). TIMI 3 flow was established in 100% of main branch and 99% of SB lesions. QCA revealed preservation of the bifurcation angle after PCI (pre-PCI: 59.6 ± 30.0; post-PCI: 63.3 ± 26.8, P = 0.41). Nine patients (9%) had lesions that required rewiring and two patients (2%) required provisional stenting of the SB. SB loss occurred in one patient (1%). The jailed-balloon or wire was not entrapped during any PCI. One patient (1%) suffered a periprocedural myocardial infarction (MI). CONCLUSIONS Provisional stenting of complex coronary bifurcation lesions using a JBT is associated with a high procedural success rate, improved SB patency, and a low rate of immediate cardiac events. Further study is warranted to evaluate the role of JBT in improving long-term clinical outcomes in PCI of complex bifurcation lesions.
Dental health of dentists' children in Mongolia.

OBJECTIVES To describe the dental health of dentists' children, to evaluate its association with their dentist-parents' background and work-related characteristics and to compare it with that of children in the general population in Mongolia. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey, questionnaire-based data. SUBJECTS Dentists' children, aged 3-13 years. SAMPLE All dentists (n = 250) actively practising in the capital city of Mongolia. RESULTS The dentists' children's dmft ranged from 0 to 12, and DMFT from 0 to 8; 50% were caries-free. The younger the children, the higher was their total caries experience expressed as the sum of DMFT + dmft scores (r = -0.22; P = 0.001). Dentist-parents' background and work-related factors were not associated with their children's caries status (P > 0.05). When dentists' children were compared with their counterparts at the population level, mean dmft for 6-year-olds was 2.6 for (urban) dentists' children, 6.5 for children in the urban population and 0.9 for those in rural population of equivalent age. Mean DMFT for 12-year-olds were 1.0, 1.8 and 1.2, respectively, in the same three groups. In general, (urban) dentists' children in all age groups had better dental health than did their urban counterparts at the population level. Among 5-7-year-olds, dentists' children had worse dental health than did their counterparts in the rural population. CONCLUSIONS Despite the dentists' knowledge and awareness, their children demonstrated higher rates of dental caries than expected. This suggests that Mongolian dentists may have insufficient preventive orientation. In particular, the primary dentition of younger children seems to be poorly valued. In Mongolia, dentists should have better training and education in modern methods of caries prevention and their advantages. Appreciation and care of the primary dentition need to be improved at all levels of oral health promotion in Mongolia.
Time course of the meiotic arrest in sheep cumulus–oocyte complexes treated with roscovitine

Summary Temporary meiosis arrest with cyclin-dependent kinases inhibitors has been proposed in order to improve the quality of in vitro matured oocytes. In sheep, however, this phenomenon has been rarely investigated. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of different incubation times with roscovitine on nuclear maturation and cumulus cell expansion of sheep cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs). For this, COCs were cultured for 0, 6, 12 or 20 h in basic maturation medium (Control) containing 75 μM roscovitine (Rosco). After, they were in vitro matured (IVM) for 18 h in the presence of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). At the end of each treatment, cumulus cell expansion and nuclear maturation were assessed under a stereomicroscope and by Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. In the Control and Rosco groups, the absence of cumulus cell expansion prevailed at 0, 6, 12 and 20 h. After IVM for 18 h, total cumulus cell expansion in the Rosco treatments was dependent on the exposure time to roscovitine. A significantly high percentage of oocytes treated with roscovitine for 6 h (87%), 12 h or 20 h (65%) were arrested at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. In contrast, 23% GVBD, 54% metaphase I (MI) and 61% MII oocytes were observed in the Control groups at 6, 12 and 20 h, respectively. In all treatments, a significant percentage of oocytes reached MII after IVM for 18 h. Therefore, roscovitine reversibly arrested the meiosis of sheep oocytes during different culture times with the maximal efficiency of meiotic inhibition reached at 6 h. In addition, reversibility of its inhibitory action on cumulus cells was exposure-time dependent.
Growth-inhibitory effects of transforming growth factor-beta 1 on myeloid leukemia cell lines.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in a variety of biological processes in both transformed and normal cells, including regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation; its predominant action on hematopoietic cells is to inhibit cell growth. We used growth factor-dependent cell lines to assess TGF-beta1 effects on human myeloid leukemia cell growth. While four lines were completely or predominantly resistant, TGF-beta1 inhibited effectively, albeit to various extents, the growth of 12 other cell lines. This effect was dose dependent and specific, because a neutralizing anti-TGF-beta1 antibody prevented TGF-beta1-induced growth suppression. In the present system, basic fibroblast growth factor, known as an antagonist of TGF-beta1 counteracting its inhibitory effects, did not abrogate the suppressive effects of TGF-beta1. Other growth-stimulatory cytokines negated the TGF-beta1-induced inhibition in several cell lines, again to various extents. When proliferation was enhanced by growth-promoting cytokines (e.g. granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, GM-CSF, stem cell factor, SCF, or PIXY-321), some previously TGF-beta1-sensitive cell lines acquired cellular resistance toward TGF-beta1-mediated growth suppression, whereas four other cell lines remained susceptible to TGF-beta1 growth inhibition despite possible counteraction by other cytokines. Thus, three growth response patterns to TGF-beta1 were seen: (1) constitutive resistance; (2) factor-dependent relative resistance; and (3) sensitivity to growth inhibition indifferent to counteracting cytokines. In the latter case, TGF-beta1 did not downregulate expression of one specific growth factor receptor. These studies indicate that human myeloid leukemia cells, represented here by leukemia cell lines as model systems, exhibit heterogeneous growth responses to TGF-beta1; its inhibitory effects can be modulated or completely alleviated by positive antagonistic cytokines. The availability of TGF-beta1-susceptible and -refractory cell lines allows for detailed investigations on the mechanisms of these regulatory pathways, the nature of TGF-beta1-resistance, and the possible contribution of acquired TGF-beta1-resistance to disease progression.
POSTPRANDIAL GASTRIC ACID SECRETION IN INFANTS

ABSTRACT. Gastric acid secretion in response to meals of infant formula was studied in 8 healthy infants aged 4 to 24 weeks. The technique involved intragastric volume determinations using a marker and measurement of the acidity of the gastric contents. In the 2‐hour postprandial period, pH declined from 7 to 5.2. The one‐hour postprandial gastric acid output was 236±49 μmol/kg body weight.
eIF2 kinases mediate β-lapachone toxicity in yeast and human cancer cells

β-lapachone (β-lap) is a novel anticancer agent that selectively induces cell death in human cancer cells, by activation of the NQO1 NAD(P)H dehydrogenase and radical oxygen species (ROS) generation. We characterized the gene expression profile of budding yeast cells treated with β-lap using cDNA microarrays. Genes involved in tolerance to oxidative stress were differentially expressed in β-lap treated cells. β-lap treatment generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), which were efficiently blocked by dicoumarol, an inhibitor of NADH dehydrogenases. A yeast mutant in the mitocondrial NADH dehydrogenase Nde2p was found to be resistant to β-lap treatment, despite inducing ROS production in a WT manner. Most interestingly, DNA damage responses triggered by β-lap were abolished in the nde2Δ mutant. Amino acid biosynthesis genes were also induced in β-lap treated cells, suggesting that β-lap exposure somehow triggered the General Control of Nutrients (GCN) pathway. Accordingly, β-lap treatment increased phosphorylation of eIF2α subunit in a manner dependent on the Gcn2p kinase. eIF2α phosphorylation required Gcn1p, Gcn20p and Nde2p. Gcn2p was also required for cell survival upon exposure to β-lap and to elicit checkpoint responses. Remarkably, β-lap treatment increased phosphorylation of eIF2α in breast tumor cells, in a manner dependent on the Nde2p ortholog AIF, and the eIF2 kinase PERK. These findings uncover a new target pathway of β-lap in yeast and human cells and highlight a previously unknown functional connection between Nde2p, Gcn2p and DNA damage responses.
Norwalk virus-associated gastroenteritis traced to ice consumption aboard a cruise ship in Hawaii: comparison and application of molecular method-based assays

Investigation of an outbreak of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis on a cruise ship provided an opportunity to assess new molecular method-based diagnostic methods for Norwalk virus (NV) and the antibody response to NV infection. The outbreak began within 36 h of embarkation and affected 30% of 672 passengers and crew. No single meal, seating, or food item was implicated in the transmission of NV, but a passenger's risk of illness was associated with the amount of ice (but not water) consumed (chi-square for trend, P = 0.009). Of 19 fecal specimens examined, 7 were found to contain 27-nm NV-like particles by electron microscopy and 16 were positive by PCR with very sensitive NV-specific primers, but only 5 were positive by a new highly specific antigen enzyme immunoassay for NV. Ten of 12 serum specimen pairs demonstrated a fourfold or greater rise in antibody titer to recombinant baculovirus-expressed NV antigen. The amplified PCR band shared only 81% nucleotide sequence homology with the reference NV strain, which may explain the lack of utility of the fecal specimen enzyme immunoassay. This report, the first to document the use of these molecular method-based assays for investigation of an outbreak, demonstrates the importance of highly sensitive viral diagnostics such as PCR and serodiagnosis for the epidemiologic investigation of NV gastroenteritis.
Green Tea Component, Catechin, Induces Apoptosis of Human Malignant B Cells via Production of Reactive Oxygen Species

Purpose: Green tea polyphenol, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, has been shown to inhibit cellular proliferation and induce apoptosis of various cancer cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate as a novel therapeutic agent for the patients with B-cell malignancies including multiple myeloma. Experimental Design: We investigated the effects of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate on the induction of apoptosis in HS-sultan as well as myeloma cells in vitro and further examined the molecular mechanisms of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced apoptosis. Results: (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate rapidly induced apoptotic cell death in various malignant B-cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner. (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced apoptosis was in association with the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potentials (Δψm); the release of cytochrome c, Smac/DIABLO, and AIF from mitochondria into the cytosol; and the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Elevation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was also shown during (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced apoptosis of HS-sultan and RPMI8226 cells as well as fresh myeloma cells. Antioxidant, catalase, and Mn superoxide dismutase significantly reduced ROS production and (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced apoptosis, suggesting that ROS plays a key role in (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate-induced apoptosis in B cells. Furthermore, a combination with arsenic trioxide (As2O3) and (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate significantly enhanced induction of apoptosis compared with As2O3 alone via decreased intracellular reduced glutathione levels and increased production of ROS. Conclusions: (−)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate has potential as a novel therapeutic agent for patients with B-cell malignancies including multiple myeloma via induction of apoptosis mediated by modification of the redox system. In addition, (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate enhanced As2O3-induced apoptosis in human multiple myeloma cells.
Static magnetic fields enhance skeletal muscle differentiation in vitro by improving myoblast alignment

Static magnetic field (SMF) interacts with mammal skeletal muscle; however, SMF effects on skeletal muscle cells are poorly investigated. The myogenic cell line L6, an in vitro model of muscle development, was used to investigate the effect of a 80 ± mT SMF generated by a custom‐made magnet. SMF promoted myogenic cell differentiation and hypertrophy, i.e., increased accumulation of actin and myosin and formation of large multinucleated myotubes. The elevated number of nuclei per myotube was derived from increased cell fusion efficiency, with no changes in cell proliferation upon SMF exposure. No alterations in myogenin expression, a modulator of myogenesis, occurred upon SMF exposure. SMF induced cells to align in parallel bundles, an orientation conserved throughout differentiation. SMF stimulated formation of actin stress‐fiber like structures. SMF rescued muscle differentiation in the presence of TNF, a muscle differentiation inhibitor. We believe this is the first report showing that SMF promotes myogenic differentiation and cell alignment, in the absence of any invasive manipulation. SMF‐enhanced parallel orientation of myotubes is relevant to tissue engineering of a highly organized tissue such as skeletal muscle. SMF rescue of muscle differentiation in the presence of TNF may have important therapeutic implications. © 2007 International Society for Analytical Cytology
Visual Ecology and the Development of Visually Guided Behavior in the Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish are highly visual animals, a fact reflected in the large size of their eyes and visual-processing centers of their brain. Adults detect their prey visually, navigate using visual cues such as landmarks or the e-vector of polarized light and display intense visual patterns during mating and agonistic encounters. Although much is known about the visual system in adult cuttlefish, few studies have investigated its development and that of visually-guided behavior in juveniles. This review summarizes the results of studies of visual development in embryos and young juveniles. The visual system is the last to develop, as in vertebrates, and is functional before hatching. Indeed, embryonic exposure to prey, shelters or complex background alters postembryonic behavior. Visual acuity and lateralization, and polarization sensitivity improve throughout the first months after hatching. The production of body patterning in juveniles is not the simple stimulus-response process commonly presented in the literature. Rather, it likely requires the complex integration of visual information, and is subject to inter-individual differences. Though the focus of this review is vision in cuttlefish, it is important to note that other senses, particularly sensitivity to vibration and to waterborne chemical signals, also play a role in behavior. Considering the multimodal sensory dimensions of natural stimuli and their integration and processing by individuals offer new exciting avenues of future inquiry.