Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Laser Therapy Enhances Blood-Brain Barrier and Blood-Tumor Barrier Permeability in a Mouse Model of Glioblastoma

A main challenge in the treatment of glioblastoma is the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In this study, we established a laser interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) platform in mice to test the hypothesis that LITT can increase BBB and blood-tumor barrier (BTB) permeability, which could potentially be exploited to enhance delivery of antitumor agents. We established a preclinical mouse model for LITT using an Nd-YAG laser coupled to a 600 μm fiber optic and thermocouple probe in C57BL/6 mice. Both the fiber optic and temperature probes were inserted through a small burrhole to target somatosensory cortex. In other experiments, mice were stereotactically implanted with syngeneic GL261 tumor cells prior to LITT. Post-LITT, brain tissue was assessed for BBB and BTB permeability through quantitative measurement of brain fluorescein (FL) after intraperitoneal injection and immunohistochemistry (IHC) after intravenously injected dextran (MWs 10 and 70 kDa) and human IgG (MW 150 kDa) to define spatial characteristics. Electron microscopy and IHC was used to delineate the mechanisms of BBB break down. Using BBB permeability tracers, noninjected mice and mice orthotopically implanted with GL261 tumor cells were used to characterize the effect of laser therapy on the BBB and BTB, respectively. We found LITT substantially disrupts the BBB in the first day post-treatment and is sustained for 4 wk. Additionally, tumor-implanted mice demonstrated an increase in Dextran 10 and 70 kDa and human IgG extravasation after IV injection of these tracers. Mechanistically, we provide evidence, by IHC and electron microscopy, that LITT triggers both a decrease in tight junction integrity and an increase in brain endothelial cell transcytosis to increase overall BBB permeability. Our data suggest that LITT increases BBB and BTB permeability over a defined time window in a mouse model and that large molecular size agents, including human IgG, can infiltrate brain parenchyma and brain tumors after systemic administration. Future experiments will focus on testing delivery of antitumor agents following LITT to enhance survival in brain tumor-bearing mice.
The Health Risks of Lead and Cadmium in Foodstuffs for the General Population of Taiwan

The present study evaluate the background levels of Cd and Pb in 1936 foodstuffs and to assess the health risks to the Taiwanese population associated with their general dietary consumption. A higher concentration of Pb was found in shellfish (0.138 mg/kg) and cephalopods (0.093 mg/kg), and the Cd levels were 0.810 mg/kg in cephalopods and 0.315 mg/kg in shellfish. For Pb and Cd exposure, grain was the highest contributor, accounting for 31.27%-41.77% and 67.83%-86.26%, respectively, in each age group. In terms of the cancer risk due to Pb exposure, the total cancer risk was 1.22 × 10−6 based on their median level for each sampling and 1.20 × 10−5 based on the 95% upper limit level of each sampling. The hazard index (HI) for Pb was higher than 1 for people younger than 12 years, whereas the HIs for Cd exposure were less than 1. The estimated Pb and Cd cancer risks were generally higher for infants and children than for adults. Due to the higher levels of Cd and Pb presented in grains compared with those in meat and fishery products, the health impacts to vegetarians and high grain consumers may be higher than those to normal consumers.
Well-posedness of monotone semilinear SPDEs with semimartingale noise

We prove existence and uniqueness of strong solutions for a class of semilinear stochastic evolution equations driven by general Hilbert space-valued semimartingales, with drift equal to the sum of a linear maximal monotone operator in variational form and of the superposition operator associated to a random time-dependent monotone function defined on the whole real line. Such a function is only assumed to satisfy a very mild symmetry-like condition, but its rate of growth towards infinity can be arbitrary. Moreover, the noise is of multiplicative type and can be path-dependent. The solution is obtained via a priori estimates on solutions to regularized equations, interpreted both as stochastic equations as well as deterministic equations with random coefficients, and ensuing compactness properties. A key role is played by an infinite-dimensional Doob-type inequality due to M\'etivier and Pellaumail.
Effects of salicylic acid on growth and ornamental characteristics of Persian petunia (Petunia hybrida) under salt stress.

Abstract Application of salicylic acid (SA) as a phytohormone has been increased due to resistance to stresses such as salt stress. To evaluate the effects of SA on growth and ornamental characteristics of Persian petunia under salt stress, a factorial experiment, based on completely randomized design, was conducted with 3 levels of SA (0, 1 and 2 mM) and 3 levels of NaCl (0, 150 and 300 mM) with 4 replications under controlled greenhouse conditions. Salicylic acid was applied via foliar spray once every two weeks. NaCl was also applied as drench (200 ml per pot) at flowering stage in 3-day intervals. The results showed that salinity of 300 mM NaCl decreased plant height, biomass, number of flowers and chlorophyll index by 52, 59, 100 and 61 percent as compared to control, respectively. Under non-saline conditions, foliar application of SA (2 mM) increased number of flowers, flower diameter, plant height and chlorophyll index by 100, 35, 40 and 39 percent as compared to control, respectively. Plants treated with 1.0 mM SA had the highest leaf area, shoot and root dry weight and biomass at 150 mM salinity. Based on the results of this experiment, foliar application of SA improved growth and ornamental characteristics of Persian petunia under saline and non-saline conditions.
Development and validation of a clinical prediction score for poor postoperative pain control following elective spine surgery.

OBJECTIVE Thirty percent to sixty-four percent of patients experience poorly controlled pain following spine surgery, leading to patient dissatisfaction and poor outcomes. Identification of at-risk patients before surgery could facilitate patient education and personalized clinical care pathways to improve postoperative pain management. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to develop and internally validate a prediction score for poorly controlled postoperative pain in patients undergoing elective spine surgery. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed in adult patients (≥ 18 years old) consecutively enrolled in the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network registry. All patients underwent elective cervical or thoracolumbar spine surgery and were admitted to the hospital. Poorly controlled postoperative pain was defined as a mean numeric rating scale score for pain at rest of > 4 during the first 24 hours after surgery. Univariable analysis followed by multivariable logistic regression on 25 candidate variables, selected through a systematic review and expert consensus, was used to develop a prediction model using a random 70% sample of the data. The model was transformed into an eight-tier risk-based score that was further simplified into the three-tier Calgary Postoperative Pain After Spine Surgery (CAPPS) score to maximize clinical utility. The CAPPS score was validated using the remaining 30% of the data. RESULTS Overall, 57% of 1300 spine surgery patients experienced poorly controlled pain during the first 24 hours after surgery. Seven significant variables associated with poor pain control were incorporated into a prediction model: younger age, female sex, preoperative daily use of opioid medication, higher preoperative neck or back pain intensity, higher Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression score, surgery involving ≥ 3 motion segments, and fusion surgery. Notably, minimally invasive surgery, body mass index, and revision surgery were not associated with poorly controlled pain. The model was discriminative (C-statistic 0.74, 95% CI 0.71-0.77) and calibrated (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit, p = 0.99) at predicting the outcome. Low-, high-, and extreme-risk groups stratified using the CAPPS score had 32%, 63%, and 85% predicted probability of experiencing poorly controlled pain, respectively, which was mirrored closely by the observed incidence of 37%, 62%, and 81% in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS Inadequate pain control is common after spine surgery. The internally validated CAPPS score based on 7 easily acquired variables accurately predicted the probability of experiencing poorly controlled pain after spine surgery.
Response of Pancreatic AKT1 Gene Expression, Insulin and Glycemic Indices to the Aerobic Training Period in Type 2 Diabetes Wistar Rats

ype 2 diabetes (T2DM) is the most common metabolic disorders. In addition to hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, T2DM causes many diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. Beside genetic and hereditary factors, high-calorie diets, obesity, overweight, an inactive and sedentary life style are the most important causes of T2DM.Obesity is associated with insulin resistance as the primary cause of T2DM. (1). Also, imbalance of some hormonal factors, such as inflammatory or anti-inflammatory cytokines, influences on the blood glucose and insulin level. Today's studies strongly emphasize the recognition of genetic factors affecting diabetes and other chronic diseases. In the last decade, several genetic factors that are important in the T 1. PhD, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. 2. PhD, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. 3. PhD, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Hepatitis B Awareness Among Medical Students And Their Vaccination Status In A Medical College In Western UP.

Background: India is in the intermediate hepatitis B virus endemicity zone with hepatitis B surface antigen prevalence among the general population ranging from 2% to 8%. Health care professionals are at a high risk of getting . Hep B infection which can be prevented by strategies like vaccination, increasing awareness and following universal precautions. The present study was conducted on medical students (3rd Semester) to evaluate their knowledge regarding HBV and to know their vaccination status. Also along with data collection, students were educated about hepatitis B vaccine and about universal precautions before they start with their clinical postings. Methods: Cross sectional study was carried out on 3rd semester MBBS students (batch 2012-2013). All the students present on the day of data collection were included in the study and interviewed using pretested questionnaire. Data was analyzed using percentages. Results: Most of the students had good knowledge about disease and modes of transmission & prevention. Surprisingly only 56.6 percent were aware of high risk of transmission to health professional and doctors. Main source of information was media (85.4percent). Nearly 82% of the students were immunized and main reason among those unimmunized was unawareness about vaccine availability. Conclusions: It is recommended that Hepatitis B vaccination should be made available for all unimmunized students who enter medical profession. The orientation and sensitization programm should be held to create awareness regarding HBV infection preferably at the time of admission into medical college ,else no later than start of their clinical posting.
Mutant CTNNB 1 and histological heterogeneity define metabolic subtypes of hepatoblastoma CRIPPA

Hepatoblastoma is the most common malignant pediatric liver cancer. Histological evaluation of tumor biopsies is used to distinguish among the different subtypes of hepatoblastoma, with fetal and embryonal representing the two main epithelial components. With frequent CTNNB1 mutations, hepatoblastoma is a Wnt/β-catenin-driven malignancy. Considering that Wnt activation has been associated with tumor metabolic reprogramming, we characterized the metabolic profile of cells from hepatoblastoma and compared it to cells from hepatocellular carcinoma. First, we demonstrated that glucose transporter GLUT3 is a direct TCF4/β-catenin target gene. RNA sequencing enabled to identify molecular and metabolic features specific to hepatoblastoma and revealed that several glycolytic enzymes are overexpressed in embryonal-like compared to fetal-like tumor cells. This led us to implement successfully three biomarkers to distinguish embryonal from fetal components by immunohistochemistry from a large panel of human hepatoblastoma samples. Functional analyses demonstrated that embryonal-like hepatoblastoma cells are highly glycolytic and [. ] CRIPPA, Stefania, et al. Mutant CTNNB1 and histological heterogeneity define metabolic subtypes of hepatoblastoma. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 2017, vol. 9, no. 11, p. 1589-1604 DOI : 10.15252/emmm.201707814
A low cost method for determination of wooden board distortion

A method for evaluation of shape distortion of wooden boards has been developed for quality assortment. The contactless method is based on a low cost web camera - semiconductor laser system and fast image analysis. A position of a laser line illuminated on the board surface is reproduced in virtual 3D space. The location of the line with respect to the board edges or other reproduced lines gives information about basic assortment characteristics a wooden board such as twist, cup, bow or crook. The method gives sufficient accuracy for determination of distortion according the EN standards. The method and it’s applicability in wood processing industry are further described
Understanding cancer stem cells in head and neck cancer: An insight from oral medicine point of view

Cancer stem cells are altered stem cells that give rise to tumors. Head and neck cancer accounts for the significant amount of cancers that occur in the world. There is pointing evidence that cancer stem cells contribute to the origin of head and neck cancers. Understanding the cancer stem cell biology, identifying them and targeting these cells are highly important to effectively manage head and neck cancers. The present article discusses the importance of the role of cancer stem cells in head and neck cancers from an oral medicine point of view.
Molecular and Secondary Metabolite Profiles Interrelationships among Penicillium Expansum Strains

Variations among seven type strain of Penicillium expansum based on the analysis of secondary metabolites p rofiles a s w ell as the molecular a nalyses b ased on RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) o f t he genomic DNA using three different un iversal p rimers. The developed anding patterns w ith various molecular weights were subjected to statistical analysis. Phylogenetic relationship of the investigated t ype s trains based on their RAPD patterns revealed t hat the lowest DNA polymorphism was obtained through primer 6 while t he hi ghest DNA polymorphism was through primer 3. The current work throw a light on the interrelationships between RAPD -PCR and t he secondary metabolites profiles (SMPs) ana lysis.
Challenging the limits of the motor system: Differential kinematic and electromyographic outcomes associated with age

The measurement and assessment of maximal voluntary rate (MVR) are essential to our understanding of the limiting factors associated with motor control of human movement. However, very little is known about the dynamic changes that occur throughout an MVR task and how these changes impact upon normal functional capacity, especially with respect to aging and selected clinical populations. The purpose of this study is to test the functional capacity of the motor system and to compare any age-related changes in kinematics and electromyographic (EMG) parameters between young and older groups. Using a simple but novel MVR task (e.g., flexion and extension of the index finger for 20 s) developed by Rodrigues and colleagues (2009), we collected data on both the dominant (right) and non-dominant index fingers. With respect to the dominant finger, both groups experienced an immediate and continuous decline in peak movement frequency and velocity of the flexor and extensor. Significant group differences were observed in amplitude and peak velocity of flexor and extensor. There was a significant group x time interaction with the older group demonstrating a progressive increase in muscle activation pattern (e.g., co-contraction) over time while the younger group maintained their initial levels relatively constant. There was an interaction with peak velocity of the extensor muscle whereby the young decreased at a faster rate than the older group. With respect to the non-dominant index finger, the median frequency of the extensor was different between groups with the young experiencing a leftward shift indicative of fatigue. The young group declined in maximal velocity of the extensor as well as the pre-post difference in maximal voluntary contraction of the extensor. Although the young group exhibited signs of peripheral fatigue on the non-dominant side only, there were no signs of peripheral fatigue on either side of the older group. We conclude that the chosen MVR task challenges the central limits of the motor system differently with age, not only in the way that the two groups respond in terms of movement kinematics and patterns of muscle activation but also in the way that elderly appear to pre-program their maximal voluntary movements. We also conclude that hand dominance plays a differential role in the outcome of the MVR task in that the non-dominant side adjusts differently to the MVR in terms of peak velocity and median frequency (extensors) and that the young appear to experience a peripheral form of fatigue that is not seen in the elderly.
Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms of Dementia and Rate of Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease causes both cognitive and non-cognitive symptoms. There is increasing evidence that the presentation and course of Alzheimer’s disease is highly heterogenous. This heterogeneity presents challenges to patients, their families, and clinicians due to the difficulty in prognosticating future symptoms and functional impairment. Behavioral and psychiatric symptoms are emerging as a significant contributor to this clinical heterogeneity. These symptoms have been linked to multiple areas of neurodegeneration, which may suggest that they are representative of network-wide dysfunction in the brain. However, current diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease focus exclusively on the cognitive aspects of disease. Behavioral and psychiatric symptoms have been found in multiple studies to be related to disease severity and to contribute to disease progression over time. A better understanding of how behavioral and psychiatric symptoms relate to cognitive aspects of Alzheimer’s disease would help to refine the models of disease and hopefully lead to improved ability to develop therapeutic options for this devastating disease.
An econometric model for international tourism flows to Spain

The reported study measures the impact of the economic determinants of the international demand for tourist services in Spain. A panel data set of seventeen countries over the period 1985–1995 is used. By using appropriate panel data techniques the effects of real per capita income, exchange rates and real prices on the demand for Spanish tourist services. The estimated elasticities are +1.40, +0.50, and -0.30, respectively. The negative effect of the Gulf War is also detected, with a coefficient of -0.15. These results are comparable to previous empirical studies for other countries.
Efficacy of Myofascial Release Method on Pain and Disease Severity in Patientswith Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a poorly understood chronic condition characterized by widespread muscle pain and tender points. Aerobic exercises, antidepressants, electrotherapy, acupunctur, psychotherapy, behavior therapy, massage used alone or in conjunction with one another, may provide some relief of clinical features. The study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Myofascial release (MFR) method on pain and disability level in patients with fibromyalgia. Thirty-six fibromyalgia patients who applied MFR were scrutinized for pain intensity, disability and level of depressive symptoms. Pain intensity, disability and depressive symptoms were evaluated by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) respectively. Fibromyalgia is considered as neuropathic pain in recent years. Therefore, Leeds assessment of neuropathic symptoms and signs (LANSS) was used for evaluating the neuropathic pain. All subjects were evaluated at pre-intervention and post-intervention. Senior physiotherapist who experienced treating soft tissue rheumatism and advanced training in MFR delivered the therapy. MFR therapy consisted of prolonged assisted stretching of painful areas of soft tissue of the neck, back, arms, and legs. The subjects were 37.5 ± 4.5 years of age, with fibromyalgia for 3.4 ± 1.9 years. There were no adverse events or early discontinuations. Recruitment was completed in three weeks. There were significant improvements in the mean score of VAS, FIQ total and HDRS scales after MFR therapy (p<0.001). There were no adverse effects seen during maintenance treatment. MFR therapy may shed light on the management of FM as an effective and reliable method
Advances in the combination of supervised classification Methods: an experimental study

In this work we were interested in investigating the predictive accuracy of one of the most popular learning schemes for the combination of supervised classification methods: the Stacking Technique proposed by Wolpert (1992) and consolidated by Ting and Witten, (1999) and Seewald (2002). In particular, we made reference to the StackingC (Seewald 2002) as a starting point for our analysis, to which some modifications and extensions were made. Since most of the research on ensembles of classifiers tends to demonstrate that this scheme can perform comparably to the best of the base classifiers as selected by cross-validation, if not better, this motivated us to investigate the performance of the Stacking empirically. An analysis of the results obtained by applying the our Stacking scheme, which includes differences and characteristic implementations compared to what is proposed by the literature, to the set of the dataset generated by means of an experimental design does not lead us to believe that the Stacking scheme is preferable in terms of performances to the use of the best single classifier. It always achieves good performances and is to be considered among the best. On the contrary, in the case of contaminated data, Stacking improves its performances noticeably, and generally appears to be very competitive, above all when the contaminations are more substantial.