Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selected proliferation markers correlated with dynamics of growth in colorectal cancer

For treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer, the dynamics of tumor growth is an important factor for treatment decision. However, it is difficult to evaluate the dynamics of tumor growth, especially those of synchronous metastatic diseases. This study aimed to find some indicators related to tumor proliferation to judge the dynamics of tumor progression. The pathological reports and clinical data of 1205 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were retrospectively reviewed; 75 patients with known relapse time after radical resection were included, and the expression of proliferation-associated proteins was detected by immunohistochemistry. Relapse-free time (RFT) from radical resection to relapse was obtained to analyze the relationship with expression of these factors. Kaplan–Meier univariate analysis showed that the overexpression of cyclin D1 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and late pathological stage after surgery indicated shorter RFT. Multivariate analysis showed that EGFR and the stage were independent predictors of RFT. Expression of EGFR and cyclin D1 and the pathological stage were included as combination risk factors for RFT analysis; more risk factors were correlated with shorter RFT. EGFR and cyclin D1 seemed to be indicators of the dynamics of tumor growth, and overexpression of those molecules may suggest rapid growth and poor prognosis.
Fat‐wrapping in Crohn's disease: Pathological basis and relevance to surgical practice

The connective tissue changes that accompany intestinal Crohn's disease have received little attention from pathologists. This is particularly so with fat hypertrophy, and yet surgeons have long recognized the phenomenon of fat‐wrapping in the intestines and used it to delineate the extent of active disease. A consecutive, unselected series of 27 intestinal resections performed on 25 patients for histologically confirmed Crohn's disease was studied to correlate fat‐wrapping with other clinicopathological features. Fat‐wrapping was identified in 12 of 16 ieal resections and in seven of 11 large bowel resections. It correlated closely with transmural inflammation and there was a relationship between fat‐wrapping and other connective tissue changes including fibrosis, muscularization and stricture formation. Morphometry demonstrated that there was true hypertrophy and that fat‐wrapping does not relate solely to bowel wall shrinkage. There was correlation with ulceration but in 11 cases macroscopic ulceration extended beyond the fat‐wrapping and in six to surgical resection margins. The pathological features of 225 small intestinal resections were reviewed and fat‐wrapping was seen only in Crohn's disease. Fat‐wrapping correlates best with transmural inflammation and represents part of the connective tissue changes that accompany intestinal Crohn's disease. Findings also suggest that fat‐wrapping alone should not be used as an accurate marker of disease extent at the time of surgery.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, TOURISM AND SERVICES MANAGEMENT 2015

The purpose of this research is to inspect in what extent service quality and satisfaction influence the purchase intention from a restaurant when perception employed as a mediating function. In order to test the proposed conceptual framework, this research used a sample of 200 tourists’ who visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This research included both domestic and international tourists. Apart from confirmatory factor analysis, this research applied structural equation modeling to test the hypothesis. The results show that the relationships among the variables are all significant. Moreover, the mediating effect of perception in between service quality and purchase intention is partial. On the other hand, the role of perception as a mediation in between the relationship of tourists’ satisfaction and their purchase intention from a restaurant was significant. This research offers substantial data for the restaurant managers to be aware about which criteria meet the expectation of the tourists’ in order to attract their restaurant services in a consistent and attractive manner. This research also contributes to the existing knowledge of tourism study by focusing on the restaurant sectors of Malaysia.
Aberrant protein expression and promoter methylation of p16 gene are correlated with malignant transformation of salivary pleomorphic adenoma.

CONTEXT The significance of promoter methylation of the p16 gene and intracellular localization of p16 protein in the carcinogenesis of salivary carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (Ca-ex-PA) is not clear. The correlation of the promoter methylation of the p16 gene and the expression and localization of p16 protein in Ca-ex-PA need to be further clarified. OBJECTIVE To investigate the p16 protein expression and promoter methylation of p16 gene in Ca-ex-PA and their roles in the malignant transformation of pleomorphic adenoma to Ca-ex-PA. DESIGN The p16 protein expression and promoter methylation of the p16 gene were determined in both benign and malignant components of 50 primary salivary Ca-ex-PA tissues by immunohistochemistry and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Expression of p16 protein and promoter methylation of the p16 gene between the benign and the malignant components was compared statistically. RESULTS The tumor cells in the malignant components showed significantly higher p16 protein expression in the cytoplasm and lower expression in the nuclei than those in the benign components. Promoter methylation frequency of the p16 gene in the malignant components (36%) was significantly higher than that in the benign components (16%). There were no correlations between p16 protein expression and promoter methylation of the p16 gene in either benign or malignant components. CONCLUSIONS Overexpression of p16 protein in the cytoplasm and decreased expression of p16 protein in the nucleus may play important roles in the evolution of pleomorphic adenoma to Ca-ex-PA. Promoter methylation of the p16 gene may be correlated with the malignant transformation of pleomorphic adenoma.
Income Elasticity of Poverty: Estimates for South Asian Countries

Responsiveness of poverty to growth of income in developing countries is of obvious importance. The responsiveness is usually stated in terms of the magnitude of the so-called growth elasticity of poverty, which has received much attention. Noting that in the vast literature on the topic, there is hardly any study that provides estimates of the elasticity for individual countries, this short paper makes a beginning by reporting the elasticity for six South-Asian countries during the period 1990-2005. Even in this relatively cohesive group, the elasticity shows a huge variability from nearly zero for Bangladesh and 0.35 for India to 4.67 for Pakistan, and illustrates the important point that income growth can translate into poverty reduction at vastly different rates, primary reliance on income growth for poverty reduction does not seem appropriate, and poverty-reducing public policy measures may matter even more than income growth.
Temporal profile of neurogenesis in the subventricular zone, dentate gyrus and cerebral cortex following transient focal cerebral ischemia

Abstract Background: In the adult mammalian brain, it is considered that neurogenesis persists in limited regions such as the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) and the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle. On the other hand, neurogenesis in the cortex after cerebral ischemia and its role in post-stroke recovery have not been clarified yet. In this study, we investigated neurogenesis in the cortex and the spatiotemporal profile of neural progenitors in SVZ and DG of rats subjected to transient focal cerebral ischemia. Materials and methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats (270–300 g) were subjected to 60 minute middle cerebral artery occlusion. Proliferating cells were labeled by the cumulative administration of BrdU 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after ischemia induction (at weeks 1–4, 6 and 8). Double labeling was also performed with antibodies against BrdU and NeuN. Results: BrdU-positive cells proliferated in DG and SVZ of the bilateral hemispheres, and their proliferation peaked at week 3 in SVZ and at week 4 in DG. In the peri-infarct zone of cerebral cortex, BrdU-positive cells co-expressed NeuN from weeks 3 to 8. Conclusion: Neurogenesis was observed in the cerebral cortex and proliferation of neural progenitors occurred in SVZ and DG of rats subjected to transient focal cerebral ischemia. Our data might indicate that endogenous dormant neural stem cells residing in the cortex were activated by ischemic insult to induce the proliferation of neural progenitors and differentiation into mature neurons.
Utility-based Futures Contract Pricing under Stochastic Interest Rate, Appreciation Rate and Dividend Yield

Futures contract is one of the oldest and simplest financial contracts, and the cost of carry model is no doubt the most popular pricing model for futures contracts. However, since it is derived for forward contracts and forward contracts price equals to futures contract only under some specific circumstances, this model has systematic pricing error and fails to capture some important properties of the futures contract, such as the dynamic interaction between the underlying and the futures contract. Another model for futures contracts pricing is the general equilibrium model with stochastic interest rate and volatility. However, this model is based on some relatively strong assumptions and using logarithmic utility of wealth. In this paper, we implement a more general model to derive a closed-form pricing formula for the futures contracts pricing, with stochastic interest rate, dividend rate and appreciation rate. The model shows some different properties comparing with the classic cost of carry model and general equilibrium model. In addition, we use the result of our model to set up a statistical analysis using Standard & Poor’s 500 index and the Standard & Poor’s 500 E-mini futures contracts’ historical data. The statistical analysis results shows that if one choose to use our utility-based pricing framework, then dividend yield rate plays a important role. Our result suggests a promising modification for the classic model.
Aphorisms of suicide and some implications for psychotherapy.

An aphorism is a pithy short statement stating a general truth. This article presents twenty aphorisms about suicide. One example: "There are many pointless deaths, but never a needless suicide. " What is implied is that every suicide is an effort to redress certain unfulfilled, thwarted or frustrated psychological needs. (These include the needs for affiliation, avoidance of pain, succorance--among some twenty psychological needs that have been identified.) The psychotherapeutic implication of this particular aphorism is fairly obvious: Reduce the sense of frustration or effect some satisfaction of the frustrated needs of the suicidal individual and the elevated level of perturbation will be mollified sufficiently so as to drop below the lethal threshold of suicidal action. For the twenty aphorisms about suicide, some implications for response and the management of suicidal persons are suggested in order to prevent suicide. In addition a few general suggestions are offered for the management of suicidal persons.
Is the Fas/Fas-L Pathway a Promising Target for Treating Inflammatory Heart Disease?

The elucidation of the intricate molecular network of costimulus and regulatory pathways of the immune system led to the design of molecular therapies that specifically inactivate some cellular responses and ameliorate some autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. This innovative concept opens a new class of therapies, and one of the central components that could be targeted in future molecular therapies is the Fas-based pathway. Both soluble and membrane-bound Fas and Fas-L molecules exert a wide range of proinflammatory functions through the secretion of cytokines and chemokines, cellular chemotaxis, transcriptional regulation, cellular death, and others. Accordingly, many chronic inflammatory diseases, including myocarditis, are attenuated in mice lacking either molecule. Although it is tempting to speculate that the Fas/Fas-L pathway could be targeted for in vivo myocarditis therapy, the plurality of Fas/Fas-L functions can be an obstacle, leading to important side effects. In this review, we suggest that the injection of nonagonistic antibodies raised against the Fas molecule or the inactivation of downstream Fas-1,4,5-inositol triphosphate cascade are possible targets for myocarditis treatment.
What benefits will choice bring to patients? Literature review and assessment of implications

Objectives To assess the demand for, and likely impact of, increasing patient choice in health care. The study examined whether patients would like to exercise choice of hospital, primary care provider and treatment, and investigated the likely impact of policies designed to increase choice on equity of access, and on the efficiency and quality of service delivery. Method Theory-based literature review including an analysis of the intended and unintended impact of choice-related policies in health care in the UK, European Union and USA. Selected papers focused not only on offering choice to individual patients but also evidence of the impact of choice by patients’ agents such as GPs, and on the impact of introducing choice in education and social services. Results Choosing between hospitals or primary care providers is not currently a high priority for the public, except where local services are poor, e.g. they have long waiting times and where individual patients’ circumstances do not limit their ability to travel. When patients become ill, they are increasingly likely to wish to rely on a trusted health practitioner to choose their treatment. Better educated populations make greater use of information and are more likely to exercise choice in health care. The increase in inequality which this could produce might be reduced by specific provision of information and help, enabling less advantaged populations to make choices about health care. There was little evidence in the literature that providing greater choice will in itself improve efficiency or quality of care. Conclusion Although patients may themselves make limited use of choices, the existence of choice may, in theory, stimulate providers to improve quality of care. Patients do, however, want to be more involved in individual decisions about their own treatment, and generally participate much less in these decisions than they would wish.
Importance of product quality and service quality in developing brand equity

Brand equity is considered to be an important criterion for evaluating the power of a brand, and its examination is assumed to be a primary step for effective brand management. Previous researchers have demonstrated the importance of understanding the concept of brand equity and its antecedent factors. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of two factors, namely product quality and service quality, on brand equity. It critically reviews past literature that examined the relationship between these factors and briefly summarises their relationship with brand equity. The analysis reveals that product quality and service quality have significant positive effect on developing brand equity. In general, this paper provides some insights and useful guidelines for business practitioners to benefit from product quality and service quality for improving their brand equity. Finally, a conclusion and future research directions are presented.
Colon cancer chemoprevention: Clinical development of aspirin as a chemopreventive agent

We have studied aspirin as a potential chemopreventive for colorectal cancer, completing Phase I studies on aspirin pharmacology and potential biomarker assays (prostaglandins, PGE2 and PGF2α and cyclooxygenase modulation) in normal human subjects. These studies have determined the optimal dose of aspirin for future Phase IIa and IIb chemopreventive trials in high‐risk cohorts of patients for colon cancer. Aspirin's effects on rectal prostaglandins are prolonged, detectable even after aspirin and its metabolite are removed from the plasma. Aspirin‐mediated inhibition of prostaglandin production in the human rectal epithelium may be related to direct suppression of cyclooxygenase transcription and not to enzyme inactivation by acetylation. A systematic method to monitor adherence (self‐report, telephone contact, pill count, and microelectronic monitoring) has been established for future trials. Strategies to improve recruitment of high‐risk cohorts have been developed. Phase IIa non‐randomized studies with aspirin at 81 mg in high‐risk cohorts (resected Duke's A colon cancer, Duke's C colon cancer treated with adjuvant therapy and disease‐free at 5 years, history of colon adenomas > 1 cm, two or more first‐degree relatives with colon cancer, and familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary non‐polyposis colorectal cancer syndromes) are currently being conducted for surrogate end‐point biomarker (prostaglandins, cyclooxygenase, cellular mucins, and proliferation) modulation. J. Cell. Biochem. Suppls. 28/29:148–158. Published 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
K+ATP‐Channel Opening and Arrhythmogenesis

&NA; The role of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)‐sensitive potassium channels (K+ATP channels) under physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions has been debated in recent years. Moreover, because of the reported pro‐arrhythmic effects of potassium‐channel openers in the setting of acute myocardial ischemia, the potential benefit of K +ATP‐channel modulation in clinical practice has been questioned. Such pro‐arrhythmic potential, based on the ability of potassium‐channel openers to exacerbate the ischemia‐induced shortening of the action potential, is also disputed. Both pro‐ and antiarrhythmic effects of K+ATP‐channel openers (and blockers) have been described. These apparently conflicting results can (to a great extent) be explained by taking into account the electrophysiologic mechanism of a particular arrhythmia. In addition, under ischemic conditions other factors of importance for the development of arrhythmias may, when they are not controlled, determine the outcome. It is concluded that both in normoxia and in ischemia, pharmacologic opening of K+ATP channels might facilitate ventricular arrhythmias when it leads to serious electrophysiologic inhomogeneity. Because such favorable conditions are created only by relatively high doses, the problem of pro‐arrhythmogeneity may be overestimated. On the other hand, before widescale application in the treatment of ischemic heart disease is established, well designed clinical and experimental studies should be performed to determine the risk for pro‐arrhythmogeneity.
Design of dual-polarized series-fed microstrip arrays with low losses and high polarization purity

The design of a dual-polarized microstrip series-fed linear traveling-wave array is described in this paper. The array is composed of two identical subarrays formed by cascading an equal number of four-port aperture-coupled cross-patch elements and terminated on a two-port radiating matched load. By properly exciting the array, dual linear or circular polarization can be accomplished and by virtue of the symmetric arrangement of the antenna cross-polarization is annihilated. A straightforward design strategy is proposed for the synthesis of a desired current distribution along the array antenna. Some proof-of-concept linear arrays are developed and the corresponding numerical results, obtained through a full-wave approach based on the method of moments (MoM), are provided. As an independent validation, supplementary analyses by the finite integration technique (FIT) are also reported. Very close agreement is found between prescribed and synthesized array performance, which qualifies the proposed design approach as an accurate and effective tool for the synthesis of series-fed aperture-coupled patch arrays.
The Proximal Tubule Cell in Experimental Hydronephrosis

The purpose of this report is to record several observations made in a study of hydronephrosis produced in rats by unilateral ligation of the ureter. I t has been known from the work of Wilmer (1) and Wachstein (2, 3) that the staining of the proximal tubule brush border for alkaline phosphatase activity is diminished in experimental hydronephrosis. However, the speed with which this decrease occurs has not been appreciated, possibly because earlier studies have utilized
Understanding disability accommodations in a postsecondary setting

The overall purpose of my Masters of Counselling project was to present an overview of postsecondary disability accommodation themes and an insider’s guide for providing these services. With an influx of students with documented disabilities attending postsecondary, institutional faculty and staff are required to accommodate individual student needs to enhance the students’ academic success. There is a level of ambiguity when it comes to providing accommodations for students with disabilities, and there is often a discrepancy in understanding the need for, and responsibilities of, service provision at the faculty level (Harrison & Wolforth, 2012; Mullins & Preyde, 2013). Therefore, this project addresses the knowledge gap, provides insights into the nature of disabilities, and provides solid recommendations for faculty to use when accommodating their students. This project is split into two distinct parts: first a literature review intended to provide an overview for the theoretical foundation of the disability accommodation world; and second, a manuscript focused on An Insider’s Guide for Supporting Postsecondary Students with Disabilities to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for the targeted audience to access. It is anticipated that this project will provide both an applied and theoretical basis for understanding disability accommodation in postsecondary and will minimize the ambiguity of this required service for faculty
Complement-induced Equine Neutrophil Adhesiveness and Aggregation

Equine neutrophils (PMN) were isolated from citrated normal blood by density gradient separation on Ficoll-Hypaque to greater than 96% purity and 98% viability and an average of 3.78 × 107 PMN/ml. The agonist C5a des Arg was used in serial dilutions of whole zymosan-activated equine plasma (ZAP) or was partially purified from ZAP by column chromatography. Purified equine PMN exhibited rapid aggregation following incubation with C5a des Arg which was further dependent on the availability of divalent cations, especially Mg++. The microfilament disruptive agent cytochalasin B (5 μg/50 μl) greatly augmented aggregation responses to C5a des Arg. Subaggregating doses of C5a des Arg promoted PMN adhesiveness as assayed on 0.5 × 10 cm borosilicate glass columns containing a 2.0 cm bed of Sephadex G-25. This C5a des Arg-induced increased adhesiveness was inhibitable by prior incubation of the PMN with either non-steroidal (0.065 M phenylbutazone) or steroidal (0.005 M dexamethasone) anti-inflammatory agents. Ultrastructural studies correlated well with functional assays and revealed marked organelle-free lamellipodia formation without PMN-PMN contact at subaggregating doses of the agonist and progressive PMN-PMN contact at aggregating doses. Equine PMN are responsive to C5a des Arg, and induced adhesiveness responses can be manipulated by antiinflammatory agents.