Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional Tissue Engineering: A Prevascularized Cardiac Muscle Construct for Validating Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Engraftment Potential In Vitro

The influence of somatic stem cells in the stimulation of mammalian cardiac muscle regeneration is still in its early stages, and so far, it has been difficult to determine the efficacy of the procedures that have been employed. The outstanding question remains whether stem cells derived from the bone marrow or some other location within or outside of the heart can populate a region of myocardial damage and transform into tissue-specific differentiated progenies, and also exhibit functional synchronization. Consequently, this necessitates the development of an appropriate in vitro three-dimensional (3D) model of cardiomyogenesis and prompts the development of a 3D cardiac muscle construct for tissue engineering purposes, especially using the somatic stem cell, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). To this end, we have created an in vitro 3D functional prevascularized cardiac muscle construct using embryonic cardiac myocytes (eCMs) and hMSCs. First, to generate the prevascularized scaffold, human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (hCMVECs) and hMSCs were cocultured onto a 3D collagen cell carrier (CCC) for 7 days under vasculogenic culture conditions; hCMVECs/hMSCs underwent maturation, differentiation, and morphogenesis characteristic of microvessels, and formed dense vascular networks. Next, the eCMs and hMSCs were cocultured onto this generated prevascularized CCCs for further 7 or 14 days in myogenic culture conditions. Finally, the vascular and cardiac phenotypic inductions were characterized at the morphological, immunological, biochemical, molecular, and functional levels. Expression and functional analyses of the differentiated progenies revealed neo-cardiomyogenesis and neo-vasculogenesis. In this milieu, for instance, not only were hMSCs able to couple electromechanically with developing eCMs but were also able to contribute to the developing vasculature as mural cells, respectively. Hence, our unique 3D coculture system provides us a reproducible and quintessential in vitro 3D model of cardiomyogenesis and a functioning prevascularized 3D cardiac graft that can be utilized for personalized medicine.
Effective chemotherapy for melanoma after treatment with interleukin‐2

Twenty patients with biopsy‐proven metastatic malignant melanoma, previously treated with interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), received combination chemotherapy for progressive disease. Treatment included carmustine, cisplatin, dacarbazine, and tamoxifen (BCDT). Nausea was the most common toxicity (100%) and usually was mild. Persistent thrombocytopenia was the most frequent toxicity limiting further treatment. Eleven patients (55%) had an objective partial response, three patients (15%) had a minor response, and six patients (30%) had no change or progressive disease in response to this treatment. These results were comparable to the high response rates (21 of 40, 53%) achieved with BCDT in previously untreated patients with melanoma. It was concluded that prior therapy using IL‐2 does not significantly alter the response rate of metastatic melanoma to BCDT, thus suggesting that immunomodulators (e.g., IL‐2) and chemotherapeutic agents are not cross‐resistant treatments.
Myocardial antioxidant and oxidative stress changes due to sex hormones.

The purpose of the present study was to examine myocardial antioxidant and oxidative stress changes in male and female rats in the presence of physiological sex hormone concentrations and after castration. Twenty-four 9-week-old Wistar rats were divided into four groups of 6 animals each: 1) sham-operated females, 2) castrated females, 3) sham-operated males, and 4) castrated males. When testosterone and estrogen levels were measured by radioimmunoassay, significant differences were observed between the castrated and control groups (both males and females), demonstrating the success of castration. Progesterone and catalase levels did not change in any group. Control male rats had higher levels of glutathione peroxidase (50%) and lower levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD, 14%) than females. Control females presented increased levels of SOD as compared to the other groups. After castration, SOD activity decreased by 29% in the female group and by 14% in the male group as compared to their respective controls. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) was assessed to evaluate oxidative damage to cardiac membranes by two different methods, i.e., TBARS and chemiluminescence. LPO was higher in male controls compared to female controls when evaluated by both methods, TBARS (360%) and chemiluminescence (46%). Castration induced a 200% increase in myocardial damage in females as determined by TBARS and a 20% increase as determined by chemiluminescence. In males, castration did not change LPO levels. These data suggest that estrogen may have an antioxidant role in heart muscle, while testosterone does not.
Presence of a Characteristic D-D-E Motif in IS1 Transposase

ABSTRACT Transposases encoded by various transposable DNA elements and retroviral integrases belong to a family of proteins with three conserved acidic amino acids, D, D, and E, constituting the D-D-E motif that represents the active center of the proteins. IS1, one of the smallest transposable elements in bacteria, encodes a transposase which has been thought not to belong to the family of proteins with the D-D-E motif. In this study, we found several IS1 family elements that were widely distributed not only in eubacteria but also in archaebacteria. The alignment of the transposase amino acid sequences from these IS1 family elements showed that out of 14 acidic amino acids present in IS1 transposase, three (D, D, and E) were conserved in corresponding positions in the transposases encoded by all the elements. Comparison of the IS1 transposase with other proteins with the D-D-E motif revealed that the polypeptide segments surrounding each of the three acidic amino acids were similar. Furthermore, the deduced secondary structures of the transposases encoded by IS1 family elements were similar to one another and to those of proteins with the D-D-E motif. These results strongly suggest that IS1 transposase has the D-D-E motif and thus belongs to the family of proteins with the D-D-E motif. In fact, mutant IS1 transposases with an amino acid substitution for each of the three acidic amino acids possibly constituting the D-D-E motif were not able to promote transposition of IS1, supporting this hypothesis. The D-D-E motif identified in IS1 transposase differs from those in the other proteins in that the polypeptide segment between the second D and third E in IS1 transposase is the shortest, 24 amino acids in length. Because of this difference, the presence of the D-D-E motif in IS1 transposase has not been discovered for some time.
The role of the retinal pigment epithelium in eye growth regulation and myopia: A review

Myopia is increasing in prevalence world-wide, nearing epidemic proportions in some populations. This has led to expanded research efforts to understand how ocular growth and refractive errors are regulated. Eye growth is sensitive to visual experience, and is altered by both form deprivation and optical defocus. In these cases, the primary targets of growth regulation are the choroidal and scleral layers of the eye that demarcate the boundary of the posterior vitreous chamber. Of significance to this review are observations of local growth modulation that imply that the neural retina itself must be the source of growth-regulating signals. Thus the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), interposed between the retina and the choroid, is likely to play a critical role in relaying retinal growth signals to the choroid and sclera. This review describes the ion transporters and signal receptors found in the chick RPE and their possible roles in visually driven changes in eye growth. We focus on the effects of four signaling molecules, otherwise implicated in eye growth changes (dopamine, acetylcholine, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and glucagon), on RPE physiology, including fluid transport. A model for RPE-mediated growth regulation is proposed.
Randomized controlled trial of collaborative implementation intentions targeting working adults' physical activity.

OBJECTIVE The research tested the efficacy of planning and partner-based interventions to promote physical activity over six months. METHOD Local government (council) employees (N = 257) were randomly allocated to one of four conditions (collaborative implementation intentions; partner-only; implementation intentions; control group) before completing measures at baseline and follow-ups at 1, 3 and 6 months. Outcome measures comprised validated self-report measures of physical activity: the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ; Craig et al., 2003) and self-report walking and exercise tables (SWET; Prestwich et al., 2012); psychosocial mediators (enjoyment, intention, self-efficacy, social influence); weight and waist size (baseline and 6 months only). RESULTS As well as losing the most weight, there was evidence that participants in the collaborative implementation-intention group were more physically active than each of the other three groups at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Those in the implementation-intention and partner-only conditions did not outperform the control group on most measures. CONCLUSION Collaborative implementation intentions represent a potentially useful intervention to change important health behaviors that help reduce weight.
Automatic component rejection based on fuzzy clustering for noise reduction in electroencephalographic signals

Among the techniques for measuring brain response, Electroencephalography (EEG) remains as the most popular for acquiring electrical brain activity over time. Currently, Event Related Potentials (ERPs) are used to detect electrophysiological responses of the brain due to a stimulus. They are usually measured by EEG due to its high temporal resolution and minimal invasiveness of the procedure. Nevertheless, EEG is well known for its high noise levels. Artifact noise (Muscular movement) is the most common and non-desired source of noise in EEG. There are basically two different ways of reducing it: (i) Suppressing the time windows with artifacts (manually). (ii) Using noise estimation algorithms to remove non-deterministic components produced by artifacts in the signal. Typically; those algorithms are based on Independent Component Analysis (ICA). However, ICA requires performing component rejection by qualified medical personnel using visual inspection, i.e., they are dependent of trained personnel for performing visual artifact or component rejection. In this manuscript a new approach for automatic component rejection based on fuzzy clustering is proposed. It considers the contributions of all components in order to remove those with non-desired elements. The proposed approach supports the decision-making procedure imitating the human learning process. It does not require the number of classes as input parameter as most of the based fuzzy clustering classification methodologies, and estimates the similarity among data leading to a non-iterative process.
Use of a Portable Voice Organizer to Remember Therapy Goals in Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation: A Within-Subjects Trial

Objective:To test the efficacy of a portable voice organizer in helping people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to recall therapy goals and plans discussed with their clinical case managers. Design:Prospective within-subjects trial, in which individualized therapy goals were randomly assigned to intervention or no intervention. Setting:Comprehensive postacute TBI rehabilitation program. Participants:Ten people with moderate to severe TBI enrolled from 3 months to 18 years after injury. Outcome measure:Memory for therapy goals. Clinicians generated statements describing six current therapy goals, half of which were randomly assigned to be recorded on a voice organizer during the next case management session. Participants selected three times per day to listen to the recorded goals, prompted by an alarm. One-week recall was tested using both free- and cued-recall formats. Results:Recorded goals were recalled better than unrecorded goals and appeared to be associated with better awareness or follow-through with therapy objectives. Conclusion:Portable electronic devices have the potential to assist with treatment areas beyond tasks involving prospective memory.
Altered centrosomes in ataxia‐telangiectasia cells and rapamycin‐treated Chinese hamster cells

Rapamycin induces chromosome malsegregation in mammalian cell lines and yeast. Previous studies indicate that the function impaired in ataxia‐telangiectasia (A‐T) patients is necessary for both the growth inhibition and the chromosome malsegregation induced by rapamycin, and that treating the non‐tumorigenic Chinese hamster cell line CHEF/18 with rapamycin results in supernumerary centrosomes and multipolar spindles. In this paper we report that lymphoblastoid cell lines established from A‐T patients as well as hamster A‐T‐like cells are more resistant to rapamycin than the respective normal cell lines. Two cell lines derived from Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome (NBS) patients, who have clinical symptoms similar to those of A‐T but a different molecular defect, were not resistant to rapamycin. Both A‐T lymphoblastoid cells and A‐T‐like fibroblasts had giant centrosomes formed by more than two areas of γ‐tubulin‐reacting material. Such giant centrosomes were also observed in CHEF/18 cells after prolonged treatment with rapamycin. Formation of giant centrosomes, possibly due to the coalescence of supernumerary centrosomes, was associated with increased aneuploidy in treated cells. Expression analysis of cell‐cycle regulatory genes in rapamycin‐treated human lymphoblastoid cells indicated that rapamycin decreased the expression of the tumor suppressor gene GADD45. The levels of RB, p21 and p53 mRNA were also decreased, although to a lesser extent. As rapamycin is often used as an immunosuppressant in pediatric transplant patients, these data indicate that caution should be taken, especially when the drug is given for prolonged periods of time. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. , 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bacillus alkalisediminis sp. nov., an alkaliphilic and moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from sediment of extremely shallow soda ponds.

Alkaliphilic strains characterized by optimal growth at pH 9.0 and 5 % (w/v) NaCl designated K1-25(T) and H3-93 were isolated from extremely shallow soda ponds located in Hungary. Cells of both strains were Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, straight rods and formed central, ellipsoidal endospores with swollen sporangia. The isolates were aerobic, catalase-positive, oxidase-negative and contained a peptidoglycan of type A1γ based on meso-diaminopimelic acid. In both strains, menaquinone-7 (MK-7) was the predominant isoprenoid quinone and the major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(15 : 0). The DNA G+C contents of strains K1-25(T) and H3-93 were 39.0 and 36.3 mol%, respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis revealed 99.2 % similarity between strains K1-25(T) and H3-93 and the novel isolates had the highest similarities to Bacillus akibai 1139(T) (97.8 and 98.3 %, respectively), Bacillus wakoensis N-1(T) (97.0 and 97.4 %), Bacillus okhensis Kh10-101(T) (97.1 and 97.4 %) and Bacillus krulwichiae AM31D(T) (96.9 and 97.1 %). DNA-DNA hybridization between our strains and the type strains of closely related Bacillus species was lower than 70 %. Although DNA-DNA hybridization between strains K1-25(T) and H3-93 was 27 %, the phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data did not support the differentiation of these two strains into separate species. Therefore, they represent genomovars of a novel species, for which the name Bacillus alkalisediminis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is K1-25(T) ( = DSM 21670(T) = NCAIM B02301(T)).
Collusion, torture, and inequality: Understanding the actions of the American Psychological Association as institutional betrayal

ABSTRACT The Hoffman Report (Hoffman et al., 2015) documented devastating information about the American Psychological Association (APA) and the profession of psychology in the United States, prompting a public apology and a formal commitment by APA to correct its mistakes (APA, 2015). In the current article, we utilize betrayal trauma theory (Freyd, 1997), including betrayal blindness (e.g., Freyd, 1996; Tang, 2015) and institutional betrayal (Smith & Freyd, 2014b), to understand and learn from APA’s behaviors. We further situate this discussion in the context of inequality, both within APA and in American society generally. We detail how the impact of APA’s institutional betrayals extended beyond the organization, its members, and the psychology profession, highlighting the potential for disproportionate harm to minorities, including those who were tortured; Muslims, Middle Easterners, Afghans, and non-Americans who were not tortured; and other minority individuals (Gómez, 2015d). Acknowledging, understanding, and addressing its institutional betrayals offers APA the opportunity to take meaningful corrective and preventive measures. We propose several institutional reparations, including making concrete changes with transparency and conducting self-assessments to inform further needed changes (Freyd & Birrell, 2013). By engaging in institutional courage, APA has the potential to grow into an ethical governing body that fulfills its mission to “advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people’s lives” (APA, 2016).
Contract type of complementary product and service with quantity decisions

As the popularity of service-dominant logic, it is agreeable that service becomes new engine of business. Since many firms position their focuses on service, the traditional contracts are no longer suitable and many conflicts emerge between supply chain members. Indeed, the firm who provides service is willing to capture all the profit from service, while its partner who supplies product has incentive to share. In practice, firms have tried different contracts to coordinate their preferences, but sometimes result in problems. Motivated by the practice in the wireless industry, we consider a supply chain consisting of a handset vendor and a service provider and facing heterogeneous consumers. We develop a game theoretical model, characterize the two widely used contracts to deliver complementary product and service, compare the performances, and derive firms' preferences over these contracts. We find that revenue sharing contracts lead to larger market coverage than wholesale price contracts in general. However, the revenue sharing contract could be agreeable by both firms if and only if consumers are not too homogeneous; otherwise, the service provider has incentive to switch to the wholesale price contract. Moreover, no matter which contract is adopted, firms serve the whole market if and only if consumers are not too heterogeneous; otherwise, low-valuation consumers will be given up.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in Thyroid Nodules

Introduction: Goiter is a common problem in southern Punjab and thyroid surgery is frequently performed in surgical units of BVH Bahawalpur. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology is the investigation of choice in detection of carcinoma thyroid. It is simple and quick to perform and can be readily repeated. Objectives: The aim of the study was to find out the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in thyroid nodules. Methods: Fifty patients of goiter of age ranging from 16 to 60 years, irrespective of gender, presenting with a thyroid nodule and undergoing surgery were included in the study at Department of Surgery, BVH Bahawalpur. Information of each patient was collected on a structural Performa and then analyzed on SPSS to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the FNAC. Results: the sensitivity and specificity of FNAC was 72.2% and 97.8% respectively. Conclusion: FNAC should be performed in all cases of thyroid nodules because of its high sensitivity and specificity to diagnose the benign as well as the malignant lesions of thyroid.
Reliability-constrained unit commitment using stochastic mixed-integer programming

This paper proposes a stochastic mixed-integer programming (SMIP) model for the reliability-constrained unit commitment (RCUC) problem. The major objective of the paper is to examine both features of accuracy and efficiency of the proposed SMIP model of RCUC. The spinning reserve of generating units is considered as the only available reserve provision resource; however, the proposed formulation can be readily extended to comprise the other kind of reserve facilities. Expected load not served (ELNS) and loss of load probability (LOLP) are accommodated as the reliability constraints. Binding either or both reliability indices ensures the security of operation incorporating the stochastic nature of component outages. In this situation, the spinning reserve requirement is no longer considered explicitly. The Monte Carlo simulation method is used to generate scenarios for the proposed SMIP model. The scenario reduction method is also adopted to reduce computation burden of the proposed method. The IEEE reliability test system (RTS) is employed to numerically analyze the proposed model and the implementation issues are discussed. The simulations are conducted in the single- and multi-period bases and the performance of the model is investigated verses different reliability levels and various numbers of scenarios.
Reducing Diagnostic Errors in Medicine: What's the Goal?

This review considers the feasibility of reducing or eliminating the three major categories of diagnostic errors in medicine:“No-fault errors” occur when the disease is silent, presents atypically, or mimics something more common. These errors will inevitably decline as medical science advances, new syndromes are identified, and diseases can be detected more accurately or at earlier stages. These errors can never be eradicated, unfortunately, because new diseases emerge, tests are never perfect, patients are sometimes noncompliant, and physicians will inevitably, at times, choose the most likely diagnosis over the correct one, illustrating the concept of necessary fallibility and the probabilistic nature of choosing a diagnosis. “System errors” play a role when diagnosis is delayed or missed because of latent imperfections in the health care system. These errors can be reduced by system improvements, but can never be eliminated because these improvements lag behind and degrade over time, and each new fix creates the opportunity for novel errors. Tradeoffs also guarantee system errors will persist, when resources are just shifted. “Cognitive errors” reflect misdiagnosis from faulty data collection or interpretation, flawed reasoning, or incomplete knowledge. The limitations of human processing and the inherent biases in using heuristics guarantee that these errors will persist. Opportunities exist, however, for improving the cognitive aspect of diagnosis by adopting system-level changes (e.g., second opinions, decision-support systems, enhanced access to specialists) and by training designed to improve cognition or cognitive awareness. Diagnostic error can be substantially reduced, but never eradicated.