Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Myostatin regulation during skeletal muscle regeneration

Myostatin, a member of the TGF‐β superfamily, is a key negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. The role of myostatin during skeletal muscle regeneration has not previously been reported. In the present studies, normal Sprague‐Dawley and growth hormone (GH)‐deficient (dw/dw) rats were administered the myotoxin, notexin, in the right M. biceps femoris on day 0. The dw/dw rats then received either saline or human‐N‐methionyl GH (200μg/100g body weight/day) during the ensuing regeneration. Normal and dw/dw M. biceps femoris were dissected on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 13, formalin‐fixed, then immunostained for myostatin protein. Immunostaining for myostatin revealed high levels of protein within necrotic fibres and connective tissue of normal and dw/dw damaged muscles. Regenerating myotubes contained no myostatin at the time of fusion (peak fusion on day 5), and only low levels of myostatin were observed during subsequent myotube enlargement. Fibres which survived assault by notexin (survivor fibres) contained moderate to high myostatin immunostaining initially. The levels in both normal and dw/dw rat survivor fibres decreased on days 2–3, then increased on days 9–13. In dw/dw rats, there was no observed effect of GH administration on the levels of myostatin protein in damaged muscle. The low level of myostatin observed in regenerating myotubes in these studies suggests a negative regulatory role for myostatin in muscle regeneration. J. Cell. Physiol. 184:356–363, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The influence of pinnae-based spectral cues on sound localization.

The role of pinnae-based spectral cues was investigated by requiring listeners to locate sound, binaurally, in the horizontal plane with and without partial occlusion of their external ears. The main finding was that the high frequencies were necessary for optimal performance. When the stimulus contained the higher audio frequencies, e.g., broadband and 4.0-kHz high-pass noise, localization accuracy was significantly superior to that recorded for stimuli consisting only of the lower frequencies (4.0- and 1.0-kHz low-pass noise). This finding was attributed to the influence of the spectral cues furnished by the pinnae, for when the stimulus composition included high frequencies, pinnae occlusion resulted in a marked decline in localization accuracy. Numerous front-rear reversals occurred. Moreover, the ability to distinguish among sounds originating within the same quadrant also suffered. Performance proficiency for the low-pass stimuli was not further degraded under conditions of pinnae occlusion. In locating the 4.0-kHz high-pass noise when both, neither, or only one ear was occluded, the data demonstrated unequivocally that the pinna-based cues of the "near" ear contributed powerfully toward localization accuracy.
Differential expression of tissue repair genes in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

RATIONALE The airflow limitation that defines severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is caused by a combination of small airway obstruction and emphysematous lung destruction. OBJECTIVES To examine the hypothesis that small airway obstructive and emphysematous destructive lesions are produced by differential expression of genes associated with tissue repair. METHODS The expression of 54 genes associated with repair of repetitively damaged tissue was measured in 136 paired samples of small bronchioles and surrounding lung tissue separated by laser capture microdissection. These samples were collected from 63 patients at different levels of disease severity who required surgery for either lung cancer or lung transplantation for very severe COPD. Gene expression was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in these paired samples and compared with the FEV(1) by linear regression analysis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS After corrections for false discovery rates, only 2 of 10 genes (serpin peptidase inhibitor/plasminogen activator inhibitor member 2 and matrix metalloproteinase [MMP] 10) increased, whereas 8 (MMP2, integrin-alpha1, vascular endothelial growth factor, a disintegrin and metallopeptidase domain 33, scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2, fibronectin, and collagen 3alpha1) decreased in small airways in association with FEV(1). In contrast, 8/12 genes (early growth response factor 1, MMP1, MMP9, MMP10, plasminogen activator urokinase, plasminogen activator urokinase receptor, tumor necrosis factor, and IL13) increased and 4/12 (MMP2, tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1, collagen 1alpha1, and transforming growth factor-beta3) decreased in the surrounding lung tissue in association with progression of COPD. CONCLUSIONS The progression of COPD is associated with the differential expression of a cluster of genes that favor the degradation of the tissue surrounding the small conducting airways.
How to Optimize Hollow‐Fiber Submerged Membrane Bioreactors

Membrane fouling is linked to reversible or irreversible accumulation of macromolecules and solids on membrane surfaces and to the irreversible adsorption inside pores. If reversible accumulation can be controlled by filtering in subcritical conditions, then adsorption could also be minimized by reducing the soluble organic matter [extracellular polymeric substances, soluble microbial products (SMP)]. This research shows how the choice of operating parameters related to biological reaction (solid retention time and the organic loading rate) can influence the process rate and the by‐product (SMP) production. It also illustrates how suspension characteristics and membrane aeration can influence membrane fouling control according to the hollow fiber configuration and to the different scales of observation. The investigations were based on the definition of different fouling level and fine‐tuning of a model to better understand the effects of operating parameters on membrane bioreactor filtration.
Warfarin use leads to larger intracerebral hematomas

Background: Among patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), warfarin use before onset leads to greater mortality. In a retrospective study, we sought to determine whether warfarin use is associated with larger initial hematoma volume, one determinant of mortality after ICH. Methods: We identified all patients hospitalized with ICH in the Greater Cincinnati region from January through December 2005. ICH volumes were measured on the first available brain scan by using the abc/2 method. Univariable analyses and a multivariable generalized linear model were used to determine whether international normalized ratio (INR) influenced initial ICH volume after adjusting for other factors, including age, race, sex, antiplatelet use, hemorrhage location, and time from stroke onset to scan. Results: There were 258 patients with ICH, including 51 patients taking warfarin. In univariable comparison, when INR was stratified, there was a trend toward a difference in hematoma volume by INR category (INR <1.2, 13.4 mL; INR 1.2–2.0, 9.3 mL; INR 2.1–3.0, 14.0 mL; INR >3.0, 33.2 mL; p = 0.10). In the model, compared with patients with INR <1.2, there was no difference in hematoma size for patients with INR 1.2–2.0 (p = 0.25) or INR 2.1–3.0 (p = 0.36), but patients with INR >3.0 had greater hematoma volume (p = 0.02). Other predictors of larger hematoma size were ICH location (lobar compared with deep cerebral, p = 0.02) and shorter time from stroke onset to scan (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Warfarin use was associated with larger initial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume, but this effect was only observed for INR values >3.0. Larger ICH volume among warfarin users likely accounts for part of the excess mortality in this group. GLOSSARY: AAICH = anticoagulant-associated intracerebral hemorrhage; GERFHS = Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Hemorrhagic Stroke; HR = hazard ratio; ICH = intracerebral hemorrhage; INR = international normalized ratio; IVH = intraventricular hemorrhage.
Neuropathology of multiple system atrophy: New thoughts about pathogenesis

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a fatal adult‐onset neurodegenerative disorder of uncertain etiology, clinically manifesting with autonomic failure associated with parkinsonism, cerebellar dysfunction, and pyramidal signs in variable combination. The pathological process affects central autonomic, striatonigral, and olivopontocerebellar systems. These show varying degrees of neurodegeneration and underlie the stratification of the heterogenous disorder into MSA‐P and MSA‐C clinical variants, which correlate to the morphologic phenotypes of striatonigral degeneration and olivopontocerebellar atrophy (MSA‐C). The lesions are not limited to these most consistently and severely affected systems but may involve many other parts of the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, underpinning the multisystem character of MSA. The histological core feature are glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs, Papp‐Lantos bodies) in all types of oligodendroglia that contain aggregates of misfolded α‐Synuclein (α‐Syn). In addition to the ectopic appearance of α‐Syn in oligodendrocytes and other cells, oxidative stress, proteasomal and mitochondrial dysfunction, excitotoxiciy, neuroinflammation, metabolic changes, and energy failure are important contributors to the pathogenesis of MSA, as shown by various neurotoxic and transgenic animal models. Although the basic mechanisms of α‐Syn–triggered neurodegeneration are not completely understood, neuron‐to‐oligodendrocyte transfer of α‐Syn by prion‐like spreading, inducing oligodendroglial and myelin dysfunction associated with chronic neuroinflammation, are suggested finally to lead to a system‐specific pattern of neurodegeneration. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Dermal Injection of Radioactive Colloid Is Superior to Peritumoral Injection for Breast Cancer Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: Results of a Multiinstitutional Study

ObjectiveTo determine the optimal radioactive colloid injection technique for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy for breast cancer. Summary Background DataThe optimal radioactive colloid injection technique for breast cancer SLN biopsy has not yet been defined. Peritumoral injection of radioactive colloid has been used in most studies. Although dermal injection of radioactive colloid has been proposed, no published data exist to establish the false-negative rate associated with this technique. MethodsThe University of Louisville Breast Cancer Sentinel Lymph Node Study is a multiinstitutional study involving 229 surgeons. Patients with clinical stage T1–2, N0 breast cancer were eligible for the study. All patients underwent SLN biopsy, followed by level I/II axillary dissection. Peritumoral, subdermal, or dermal injection of radioactive colloid was performed at the discretion of the operating surgeon. Peritumoral injection of isosulfan blue dye was performed concomitantly in most patients. The SLN identification rates and false-negative rates were compared. The ratios of the transcutaneous and ex vivo radioactive SLN count to the final background count were calculated as a measure of the relative degree of radioactivity of the nodes. One-way analysis of variance and chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis. ResultsA total of 2,206 patients were enrolled. Peritumoral, subdermal, or dermal injection of radioactive colloid was performed in 1,074, 297, and 511 patients, respectively. Most of the patients (94%) who underwent radioactive colloid injection also received peritumoral blue dye injection. The SLN identification rate was improved by the use of dermal injection compared with subdermal or peritumoral injection of radioactive colloid. The false-negative rates were 9.5%, 7.8%, and 6.5% (not significant) for peritumoral, subdermal, and dermal injection techniques, respectively. The relative degree of radioactivity of the SLN was five- to sevenfold higher with the dermal injection technique compared with peritumoral injection. ConclusionsDermal injection of radioactive colloid significantly improves the SLN identification rate compared with peritumoral or subdermal injection. The false-negative rate is also minimized by the use of dermal injection. Dermal injection also is associated with SLNs that are five- to sevenfold more radioactive than with peritumoral injection, which simplifies SLN localization and may shorten the learning curve.
Economic freedom and tax revenue performance in sub-Saharan Africa

Purpose This study aims to expand the conventional tax effort model to incorporate relevant economic freedom variables to investigate whether economic freedom fosters tax revenue performance in `sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Design/methodology/approach This study uses data from 42 countries across the four sub-regions of SSA from the period 2005 to 2012 with 252 year-country observations in an unbalanced panel method. The data were statistically treated using feasible generalised least square (FGLS) and panel-corrected standard errors (PCSE) estimate techniques. Findings The findings are twofold. First, the principal finding of the study suggests that economic freedom promotes tax revenue performance. Precisely, the FGLS analysis indicates that property rights freedom, freedom from corruption and investment freedom, as well as the composite economic freedom, exerted positive significant impact on tax revenue performance. This implies that country, which attained high degree of economic freedom, is likely to have higher tax-to-GDP ratio than a country with low level of economic freedom. Secondly, the results of most conventional variables conform to the prediction in the traditional theory except per capita income. Specifically, agriculture share in GDP and per capita income indicate negative significant relationship with tax revenue performance. Originality/value Because little is known empirically about the connection between economic freedom and tax revenue performance, this study extended the conventional tax effort model to incorporate the economic freedom to bridge the knowledge gap due to the absence of empirical evidence on the relationship between economic freedom and tax effort.
Mobility Adaptive Density Connected Clustering Approach in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Clustering is one of the popular topology management approaches that can positively influence the performance of networks. It plays significant role in VANETs. However, VANETs having highly mobile nodes lead to dynamic topology and hence, it is very difficult to construct stable clusters. More homogeneous environment produces more stable clusters. Homogeneous neighbourhood for a vehicle is strongly driven by density and standard deviation of average relative velocity of vehicles in its communication range. So, we propose Mobility Adaptive Density Connected Clustering Algorithm (MADCCA), a density based clustering algorithm. The Cluster Heads (CHs) are selected based on the standard deviation of average relative velocity and density matrices in their neighbourhood. Vehicle, which is having more homogeneous environments, will become the cluster heads and rest of the vehicles in their communication range will be the Cluster Members (CMs). The simulation results demonstrates the better performance of MADCCA over other clustering algorithms new ALM and MOBIC.
Proteomic Identification of Novel Proteins in Cortical Lewy Bodies

Lewy body (LB) inclusions are one of the pathological hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). One way to better understand the process leading to LB formation and associated pathogenesis responsible for neurodegeneration in PD and DLB is to examine the content of LB inclusions. Here, we performed a proteomic investigation of cortical LBs, obtained by laser capture microdissection from neurons in the temporal cortex of dementia patients with cortical LB disease. Analysis of over 2500 cortical LBs discovered 296 proteins; of those, 17 had been associated previously with brainstem and/or cortical LBs. We validated several proteins with immunohistochemical staining followed by confocal microscopy. The results demonstrated that heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein (also known as HSC70, HSP73, or HSPA10) was indeed not only colocalized with the majority of LBs in the temporal cortex but also colocalized to LBs in the frontal cortex of patients with diffuse LB disease. Our investigation represents the first extensive proteomic investigation of cortical LBs, and it is expected that characterization of the proteins in the cortical LBs may reveal novel mechanisms by which LB forms and pathways leading to neurodegeneration in DLB and/or advanced PD. Further investigation of these novel candidates is also necessary to ensure that the potential proteins in cortical LBs are not identified incorrectly because of incomplete current human protein database.
Limitations of ADAMTS-13 Activity Level in Diagnosing Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Pregnancy

In pregnancy, it may be difficult to differentiate the syndrome of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets from thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura. Severely depressed (<5%) or absence of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-13 activity levels are associated with thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura and mildly decreased levels are associated with other disease processes, including pre-eclampsia and hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets syndrome. We present a case of a patient that presented at 20 weeks gestation with elevated liver enzymes and thrombocytopenia. The diagnosis was unclear at the time of presentation. She underwent induction of labor, and during the postpartum course, she was eventually diagnosed with thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura; however, her activity level of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-13 was only moderately depressed at 15% (normal pregnancy value 41%-105%).
Lymphadenectomy for Melanoma in the Clinically N1 Neck: Radical, Modified Radical, or Selective?

The purpose of a neck dissection is to control the diseasein the neck and has little influence on long-term survival. Radical neck dissection leads to significant morbidity; this morbidityis decreased in modified radical neck dissections and reduced evenfurther in selective dissections. An analysis was made of 37 consecutive patients with melanoma for an 8-year period presenting with a clinically N1 neck (a single involved node based on clinical examination and radiologic investigation). Six patients underwent radical, 24 modified radical, and 7 selective neck dissections. There was a mean follow-up of 3 years 10 months after primary diagnosis. Minimum follow-up after lymphadenectomy was 18 months, and at this point, there were no cases of local recurrence (neck failure) in any of the survivors in the 3 groups. In our series, there was no difference in locoregional control for the 3 groups. We would recommend a modified radical neck dissection for the N1 neck in melanoma with an intraoperative decision being made on which structures to preserve based on position of involved lymph node and adjacent structures, particularly in younger patients. A selective neck dissection should be considered in those patients with significant comorbidity, distant metastatic disease, or primary sites on the back or posterior scalp.
Regulation of inflammation and bacterial clearance by lung collectins

Abstract: Pulmonary surfactant proteins (SP) A and D play important roles in the innate immune system of the lung. These proteins belong to the collectin subgroup in which lectin domains are associated with collagenous structures. To obtain a better understanding of how lung collectins modulate cellular responses, the authors investigated whether SP‐A interacts with the toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2). SP‐A bound to TLR2 and inhibited interactions between TLR2 and TLR2‐ligands such as peptidoglycan (PGN) and zymosan. NF‐κB activation and tumour necrosis factor‐α expression induced by PGN or zymosan were significantly inhibited in the presence of SP‐A. Lung collectins may act as inhibitors of lung inflammation in respiratory infections. The authors also examined the effects of lung collectins on the phagocytosis of bacteria by alveolar macrophages. Lung collectins enhanced the uptake of S. pneumoniae or M. avium by alveolar macrophages. It was demonstrated that the direct interaction of lung collectins with macrophages resulted in increased cell surface expression of scavenger receptor A or mannose receptor, which are responsible for phagocytosis. This study has emphasized the biological relevance of SP‐A and SP‐D against various respiratory infections, however, a more complete understanding of the molecular mechanism is required.
Effect of serum concentration on Candida biofilm formation on acrylic surfaces

The biofilm formation of the oral fungal pathogen Candida on denture acrylic strips coated with saliva, serum and, saliva–serum pellicle were examined in vitro using Candida albicans (four isolates), Candida glabrata (three isolates) and Candida tropicalis (three isolates). The degree of biofilm activity varied depending upon both the isolate and the pellicle. Significantly increased biofilm activity on the pellicle (particularly serum)‐coated strips was observed with three isolates of C. albicans and another of C. glabrata on protein‐coated acrylics, with increasing concentration of serum in the pellicle. Similar trends were observed with one isolate of C. albicans and C. glabrata, although the effects of pellicles were not significant. In contrast, with all three isolates of C. tropicalis and a single isolate of C. glabrata, although the biofilm activity on the protein‐free control strips was significantly higher than that of saliva‐coated strips, the increase in activity of pellicle‐admixed biofilm depended upon the serum concentration. Candidal biofilm formation on acrylic surfaces is essentially promoted with increasing concentration of serum in the pellicle. This suggests that inflammation in the oral environment would facilitate fungal colonization on denture acrylic.
A critical review of the cannabinoid receptor as a drug target for obesity management

The discovery of cannabinoids, with the well‐known stimulatory effect of Cannabis sativa on appetite, has offered a new drug target for obesity treatment. Cannabinoids act on two different receptors: CB1 receptors which are sited in the brain and many peripheral tissues, and CB2 receptors which are primarily found in immune system cells. Cannabinoid receptor antagonists act centrally by blocking CB1 receptors, thereby reducing food intake. Moreover, they probably also act peripherally by increasing thermogenesis and therefore energy expenditure, as has been suggested by animal experiments. Despite these promising mechanisms of action, recent clinical studies examining the effect of the two CB1 receptor antagonists rimonabant and taranabant showed that the attained weight loss did not exceed that attained with other currently approved anti‐obesity medications. Moreover, potentially severe psychiatric adverse effects limit their clinical use. As several new CB1 receptor antagonists are presently undergoing development, it remains to be elucidated to what extent they differ in terms of efficacy and safety. This review primarily discusses how close cannabinoid receptor antagonists are to the ideal anti‐obesity drug, with respect to their mechanisms of action, clinical effectiveness and safety.