Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plasma lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase and plasma lipolytic activity in preterm infants given total parenteral nutrition with 10% or 20% Intralipid

The effect of 10% or 20% Intralipid on lipid clearing enzymes, plasma lipids and apoproteins was investigated during the first 5 days after birth in 37 premature infants maintained on total parenteral nutrition; 21 infants received 20% and 16 received 10% Intralipid, respectively. Lipid was infused over a 20‐h period at rates of 1, 2 and 3 g/kg/day on consecutive days. Plasma lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity was low and increased significantly (p < 0.05) only during infusion of 3 g/kg/day in both groups of infants. Plasma lipolytic activity was generally not affected by the regimen orpreparation(10% or 20%) of Intralipid infused, except for higher (p < 0.05) levels at 3 g/kg/ day of 20% compared with prelipid infusion. Plasma triglyceride concentrations were similar after 10% or 20% Intralipid, whereas plasma total cholesterol was significantly higher during infusion of 2 and 3 g/ kg/day of 10% compared with 20% Intralipid. The efficient clearing of 20% Intralipid might be related to the lower lecithin: triglyceride ratio which is compatible with the low LCAT activity of premature infants.Apoprotein A‐J, apoprotein B, cholesterol, LCAT, plasma lipolytic activity, triglycerides
FOXO Transcription Factors Regulate Innate Immune Mechanisms in Respiratory Epithelial Cells

Bacterial pathogens are a leading cause of lung infections and contribute to acute exacerbations in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The innate immune system of the respiratory tract controls and prevents colonization of the lung with bacterial pathogens. Forkhead box transcription factor family O (FOXO) transcription factors are key regulators of cellular metabolism, proliferation, and stress resistance. In this study, our aim was to investigate the role of FOXO transcription factors in innate immune functions of respiratory epithelial cells. We show that bacterial pathogens potently activate FOXO transcription factors in cultured human respiratory epithelial cells in vitro. Infection of mice with bacterial pathogens resulted in the activation of FOXO transcription factors in alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells in vivo. Active FOXO was also detectable in human bronchial tissue obtained from subjects with different infection-related lung diseases. Small interfering RNA–mediated knockdown of FOXO in bronchial epithelial cells resulted in reduced expression of factors of the innate immune system such as antimicrobial peptides and proinflammatory cytokines, both under basal conditions and upon infection. FOXO deficiency further affected internalization of Haemophilus influenzae in bronchial epithelial cells. Finally, we show that TLR3 activates innate immune responses in a FOXO-dependent manner. In conclusion, FOXO transcription factors are involved in the cellular responses to bacterial stimuli and act as central regulators of innate immune functions in respiratory epithelial cells.
Operand stack dependence based Java static software birthmark

Due to the problem of semantic lost when extracting birthmark with k-gram algorithm, the operand stack dependence based static software birthmark is proposed in this paper. Before the birthmark extraction, the stack dependence bytecode fragments are got through analysis the stack dependence relation of stack behaviors in Java program. The birthmark is comprised of the stack dependence bytecode fragments and their occurrence frequencies in program. The experimental results show that the proposed birthmark has good credibility and robustness, and the performance is improved.
Cytokine gene expression in human hepatocytes infected with dengue virus serotype 3 (strain-16562)

Liver is a site of viral replication and liver dysfunction is a characteristic of severe dengue infection. To understand these mechanisms, we analyzed the response of a hepatic cell linage, HepG2 to infection with dengue 3 virus (strain 16562). Steady state levels of mRNA accumulation were assessed for 14 genes involved in modulation of the host immune responses, at 6, 24 and 48 hpi, by quantitative reverse transcription real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Fourteen genes showed altered expression upon infection with D3V including; cytokines/chemokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, RANTES, MCP-2, IL-2Rα and TGF-βIIIR), type I interferon (IFN-α and IFN-β), and pattern-recognition receptors (TLR3, TLR8, RIG-1, MDA5 and MyD88). Although these genes are associated with mechanism of innate immune response and anti-viral activity, their altered expression does not inhibit D3V (strain 16562) growth kinetics and virus yield in HepG2 cells. Gene expression in liver may explain pathological changes associated with dengue virus infection.
Association between alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, selenium, and subsequent prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND Selenium and alpha-tocopherol, the major form of vitamin E in supplements, appear to have a protective effect against prostate cancer. However, little attention has been paid to the possible role of gamma-tocopherol, a major component of vitamin E in the U.S. diet and the second most common tocopherol in human serum. A nested case-control study was conducted to examine the associations of alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, and selenium with incident prostate cancer. METHODS In 1989, a total of 10,456 male residents of Washington County, MD, donated blood for a specimen bank. A total of 117 of 145 men who developed prostate cancer and 233 matched control subjects had toenail and plasma samples available for assays of selenium, alpha-tocopherol, and gamma-tocopherol. The association between the micronutrient concentrations and the development of prostate cancer was assessed by conditional logistic regression analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS The risk of prostate cancer declined, but not linearly, with increasing concentrations of alpha-tocopherol (odds ratio (highest versus lowest fifth) = 0.65; 95% confidence interval = 0.32--1.32; P(trend) =. 28). For gamma-tocopherol, men in the highest fifth of the distribution had a fivefold reduction in the risk of developing prostate cancer than men in the lowest fifth (P:(trend) =. 002). The association between selenium and prostate cancer risk was in the protective direction with individuals in the top four fifths of the distribution having a reduced risk of prostate cancer compared with individuals in the bottom fifth (P(trend) =. 27). Statistically significant protective associations for high levels of selenium and alpha-tocopherol were observed only when gamma-tocopherol concentrations were high. CONCLUSIONS The use of combined alpha- and gamma- tocopherol supplements should be considered in upcoming prostate cancer prevention trials, given the observed interaction between alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, and selenium.
The development and potential of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging for carotid artery plaque characterization

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and long-term disability in the USA. Currently, surgical intervention decisions in asymptomatic patients are based upon the degree of carotid artery stenosis. While there is a clear benefit of endarterectomy for patients with severe (> 70%) stenosis, in those with high/moderate (50–69%) stenosis the evidence is less clear. Evidence suggests ischemic stroke is associated less with calcified and fibrous plaques than with those containing softer tissue, especially when accompanied by a thin fibrous cap. A reliable mechanism for the identification of individuals with atherosclerotic plaques which confer the highest risk for stroke is fundamental to the selection of patients for vascular interventions. Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is a new ultrasonic-based imaging method that characterizes the mechanical properties of tissue by measuring displacement resulting from the application of acoustic radiation force. These displacements provide information about the local stiffness of tissue and can differentiate between soft and hard areas. Because arterial walls, soft tissue, atheromas, and calcifications have a wide range in their stiffness properties, they represent excellent candidates for ARFI imaging. We present information from early phantom experiments and excised human limb studies to in vivo carotid artery scans and provide evidence for the ability of ARFI to provide high-quality images which highlight mechanical differences in tissue stiffness not readily apparent in matched B-mode images. This allows ARFI to identify soft from hard plaques and differentiate characteristics associated with plaque vulnerability or stability.
An incremental cost-effectiveness analysis of the first, second and third sputum examination in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

SETTING St. Francis Hospital in Katete District, Eastern Province, Zambia. OBJECTIVE To compare the incremental cost-effectiveness of examining serial sputum smears for screening suspects for pulmonary tuberculosis at a rural district hospital in Zambia. DESIGN An incremental cost-effectiveness analysis of serial sputum smear examinations for diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis based on laboratory results collected during 1997 and 1998 in a rural district hospital in Zambia. The cost analysis took a health service provider perspective, and used the ingredients approach. The cost-effectiveness is expressed in terms of the incremental cost per tuberculosis case diagnosed. Relevant information was obtained from various sources, including administrative records, interviews and direct observation. RESULTS Of a total of 166 acid-fast bacilli positive suspects who had three sputum smears examined sequentially, 128 (77.1%) were found on the first smear, a further 25 (15%) on the second smear and 13 (7.9%) additional cases were identified on the third smear. The economic analysis shows that the incremental cost of performing a third test, having already done two, increases rapidly with only a small gain in terms of additional cases of tuberculosis identified. CONCLUSION A policy of examining two samples should be considered in resource-poor settings, if the remaining steps of the national diagnostic algorithm can be adhered to with respect to smear-negative suspects.
Approaches to Enhance the Efficacy of DNA Vaccines

ABSTRACT DNA vaccines consist of antigen-encoding bacterial plasmids that are capable of inducing antigen-specific immune responses upon inoculation into a host. This method of immunization is advantageous in terms of simplicity, adaptability, and cost of vaccine production. However, the entry of DNA vaccines and expression of antigen are subjected to physical and biochemical barriers imposed by the host. In small animals such as mice, the host-imposed impediments have not prevented DNA vaccines from inducing long-lasting, protective humoral, and cellular immune responses. In contrast, these barriers appear to be more difficult to overcome in large animals and humans. The focus of this article is to summarize the limitations of DNA vaccines and to provide a comprehensive review on the different strategies developed to enhance the efficacy of DNA vaccines. Several of these strategies, such as altering codon bias of the encoded gene, changing the cellular localization of the expressed antigen, and optimizing delivery and formulation of the plasmid, have led to improvements in DNA vaccine efficacy in large animals. However, solutions for increasing the amount of plasmid that eventually enters the nucleus and is available for transcription of the transgene still need to be found. The overall conclusions from these studies suggest that, provided these critical improvements are made, DNA vaccines may find important clinical and practical applications in the field of vaccination.
Substantia nigra echogenicity: A structural correlate of functional impairment of the dopaminergic striatal projection in Parkinson's disease

Transcranial sonography (TCS) reveals abnormal spatial extension of substantia nigra (SN) echogenicity in a high proportion of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). It has been proposed that this abnormality represents a structural trait that is mechanistically distinct from degeneration of dopaminergic nigrostriatal projection neurons. We sought to clarify the relationship between sonographic abnormalities of SN and dysfunction of striatal dopaminergic neurotransmission. We studied 50 patients with PD. The spatial extension of the echogenic SN area was compared with the activity of presynaptic striatal dopamine reuptake transporters, assessed in the same patients by I‐123‐2‐beta‐carbomethoxy‐3‐beta‐(4‐iodophenyl)‐tropane (β‐CIT) single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Extension of echogenic SN area correlated (inversely) with striatal activity of presynaptic dopamine reuptake transporter in PD patients (R = −0.417; P = 0.003) and with the equivalent levodopa dose (R = 0.380; P = 0.006; linear regression analysis). Findings support the hypothesis that in PD abnormal extension of echogenic SN area provides a direct structural marker of degeneration of SN neurons. Therefore, in PD, TCS and β‐CIT assess pathophysiologically related phenomena. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society
Squamous Cell Carcinoma Arising in Hypertrophic Lichen Planus: A Review and Analysis of 38 Cases

BACKGROUND Hypertrophic lichen planus is a chronic variant of lichen planus with controversial malignant association. OBJECTIVE To describe and analyze the relationship of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and hypertrophic lichen planus. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective chart review of patients with hypertrophic lichen planus and SCC was performed at the authors' institution. Thereafter, scientific databases were searched for articles reporting cases of SCC arising in hypertrophic lichen planus. Patient demographics, immune status, lichen planus features, and SCC data points were extracted for each patient and evaluated. RESULTS Thirty-eight cases of SCC in hypertrophic lichen planus occurred in 16 women, average age: 61.4, and 22 men, average age: 51.3, after a lag time of 88 days to 40 years. Squamous cell carcinoma was uniformly located on the lower extremity. Men had larger SCC than women (p = .027) and a significantly longer lag time to SCC development (p = .002). Long lag time was associated with a smaller SCC size (p = .032). CONCLUSION In the past, hypertrophic lichen planus and SCC have been considered isolated diseases. Based on an increasing number of cases, the association between hypertrophic lichen planus and keratinocyte malignancies warrants surveillance.
Computational Modeling of Impact Response with the RG Damage Model and the Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) Approaches

TheRajendran-Grove (RG) ceramic damage model is athree-dimensionalinternal variablebased con- stitutive model for ceramic materials, with the consider- ations of micro-crack extension and void collapse. In the presentpaper, the RG ceramic model isimplemented into the newly developed computational framework based on the Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method, for solving high-speed impact and penetration problems. Theabilityof theRG model to describetheinternal dam- age evolution and the effective material response is in- vestigated. Several numerical examples are presented, including the rod-on-rod impact, plate-on-plate impact, and ballistic penetration. The computational results are compared with available experiments, as well as those obtained by the popular finite element code (Dyna3D). plemented into EPIC code for investigating the model's abilityto describe the responseof pure alumina (AD995) subjected to various stress/strain loading conditions (Ra- jendran and Grove, 2002). In the present paper, the RG ceramic damage model is implemented into the newly developed computa- tionalcode based on the Meshless Local Petrov-Galerkin (MLPG) method. The MLPG method is a truly mesh- less approach that establishes both the trial and test func- tions in local subdomains. Because of the total elim- ination of the mesh, it is a promising method in solv- ing high-speed contact, impact and penetration problems with severe material-distortion. The detailed description of the MLPG and its applications can be found in the authors' other papers. For comparison and verification purpose, the RG model has also been implemented into thethree-dimensionalcomputationalhydrodynamiccode Dyna3D. Several numerical examples are solved, using either the Dyna3D or the MLPG method, with RG ce- ramic damage model implemented in them. Several nu- merical simulations are conducted: rod-on-rod impact, plate-on-plate impact, and the ballistic impact and pene- tration. The simulation results obtained from Dyna3D, MLPG and available experiments are compared. For completeness purpose, a brief introduction of the RG ce- ramic damage model is included.
Engineering assessment of the longitudinal compression behaviour of contemporary coronary stents.

AIMS There have been recently reported clinical observations of significant longitudinal compression or "stent shortening" in certain contemporary drug-eluting stents (DES), when re-crossed with other devices such as post-dilatation balloons, stent delivery systems or intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) catheters. The aim of this study was to understand the effect of stent design on longitudinal compression for coronary stents, when subjected to certain forces in vitro. This goal was achieved by experimentally evaluating the longitudinal strength of 14 contemporary stent designs under a clinically relevant compression force using a bench test method developed for this purpose. The results from the study are intended to provide an indication whether there is a quantifiable difference in the ability of the different stent platform designs to resist longitudinal compression in a deployed configuration. METHODS AND RESULTS A test method was developed to evaluate the longitudinal compression behaviour of coronary stents. The test method was used to compare the longitudinal compression of four stent design families including a total of 14 commercialised stent platforms under a clinically relevant longitudinal compression force. The nominal expansion diameter of stents used in this study was 3.0 mm with stent lengths ranging from 28-30 mm. A test method was also developed to estimate a value of the clinically relevant longitudinal compression force to which a deployed stent may be subjected in a situation when a catheter tip is caught while trying to cross a freshly deployed stent. That force was determined to be 50 gram force (gf) (0.49 N). Based on the results of the testing it was noted that three of the four design families (13 of the 14 stents tested) demonstrated a longitudinal compression in the range of 1.25-5.30 mm (longitudinal compression of 4.46%-18.93% compared to the nominal expanded stent length), with the exception of the offset peak-to-peak stent platform having results clearly outside of this grouping. The stent in the offset peak-to-peak design category (Element stent platform) had an average longitudinal compression of 13.20 mm (longitudinal compression of 47.07%), thus demonstrating a markedly lower resistance to longitudinal compression. CONCLUSIONS Stent design is a primary driver determining the longitudinal compression behaviour of coronary stent platforms. The results of this study comparing the longitudinal compression performance of four different commercial stent design families indicate that the tendency of a deployed stent to undergo longitudinal compression is associated with the stent design concept. It was determined that the particular 2-link offset peak-to-peak design evaluated in this study had the lowest compression resistance compared to the other stent design families.
Endovascular treatment of pericallosal aneurysms.

OBJECT Pericallosal artery aneurysms are uncommon. Their treatment strategy, surgical or endovascular, will present specific challenges. The objective of the study was to compare risks of coil therapy and the recurrence rate of pericallosal artery aneurysms with aneurysms in other intradural locations. METHODS The authors examined data that were stored in a prospectively collected database for pericallosal artery aneurysms in patients who underwent coil placement between 1992 and 2005. Hemorrhagic and thromboembolic complications as well as clinical and angiographic outcomes were reviewed. Angiographically documented recurrences were classified as minor or major. These lesions were compared with a historical cohort of non-pericallosal artery aneurysms in patients who underwent coil therapy between 1992 and 2002. The known risk factors for recurrence and procedure-related hemorrhagic complications were evaluated in both groups to assess baseline imbalances. RESULTS During a 13-year period, 25 pericallosal artery aneurysms were treated with coils in 25 patients. The non-pericallosal artery lesion group included 488 aneurysms of which 344 underwent follow-up imaging. Procedure-related perforations were more frequent for pericallosal artery aneurysms than those in other intradural locations (three of 25 compared with eight of 476, respectively; risk ratio 7.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-22.5, p = 0.03). Follow-up imaging studies (obtained at a mean 28 months) were available for 19 patients with pericallosal artery aneurysms. The recurrence rate was not significantly higher in these patients (22.9/100 person-years of observation) than in those with non-pericallosal artery aneurysms (17.9/100 person-years of observation) (incidence rate ratio 1.3, 95% CI 0.6-2.4, p = 0.46). CONCLUSIONS Pericallosal artery aneurysms were associated with significantly higher periprocedural rupture than non-pericallosal artery lesions. No significant intergroup difference was found for aneurysm recurrence.
Phytochemical based nanomedicines against cancer: current status and future prospects

Abstract Cancer continues to be one in all the leading reasons for death worldwide. The mean cancer survival through standard therapeutic strategies has not been significantly improved over the past few decades. Hence, alternate remedies are needed to treat this terrible disease. Recently, natural compounds present in the plants, i.e. phytochemicals have been widely exploited for their anticancer potential. Phytochemicals may exhibit their anticancer activity through targeting different cancer cell signalling pathways, promoting cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, regulating antioxidant status and detoxification. Despite their excellent anticancer activity, the phytochemicals are limited by their low aqueous solubility, poor bioavailability, and poor penetration into cells, hepatic disposition, narrow therapeutic index and rapid uptake by normal tissues. Therefore, to address these challenges, the scientific community has shifted its significant interests towards nanocarriers-based delivery of phytochemicals due to their ability to enhance aqueous solubility, and bioavailability, specific tumour cell/tissue targeting, improved cellular uptake, reducing doses of phytochemicals and achieving steady-state therapeutic levels of the phytochemicals over an extended period of time. Additional advantages include excellent blood stability, multifunctional design of nanocarriers and improvement in anticancer activities. This review aims to summarise recent progress in phytochemical based nanomedicines for effective treatment of cancer.