Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measurement of gastric emptying by intragastric gamma scintigraphy

Gastric emptying is usually measured in animals and humans by dilution/sampling or external scintigraphy. These methods are either time consuming or require expensive equipment. The capacity of a miniature gamma counter positioned in the stomach to measure emptying of liquid and solid meals was evaluated. In eight conscious pigs fitted with gastric and duodenal cannulae, gastric emptying of saline (500 mL), dextrose (20%, 500 mL), porridge (300 g) and scrambled eggs (300 g), all labelled with 3.5 MBq 99mTc, was evaluated. When positioned in the antrum the probe was unable to quantify gastric emptying. In contrast, measurements of the fractional emptying of saline over 4‐min periods by the probe positioned in the corpus and quantification of radioactivity in the duodenal effluent correlated closely (r = 0.88, P < 0.05). Gastric emptying (50% emptying time) of saline and both solid meals measured by the probe was not significantly different from quantification of the duodenal effluent volume. No difference was observed also for the dextrose meal but only while gastric acid secretion was suppressed by omeprazole. We conclude that an intragastric gamma counter permits measurement of gastric emptying of homogeneous meals provided meal stimulation of gastric secretion was not extensive. This was possible probably by monitoring emptying from the proximal stomach.
MiRDR-OSG: MicroRNA dynamic regulation analysis utilizing open science grid

MicroRNA is a type of short non-coding RNAs, which post-transcriptionally regulate gene expressions. It has been well-documented that human microRNAs contribute in the disease development, such as cancers and obesity. While most microRNA functional studies heavily rely on the regulatory interactions between microRNAs and their target messenger RNAs, the accumulating evidence has shown that the altered availability of microRNAs, their target, and other types of endogenous RNAs competing are able to affect the microRNA-target interactions efficiently, which reflects the dynamic and conditional property of microRNA-mediated gene regulation. Here we present a new computational pipeline, miRDR-OSG, that utilizing the high-throughput computing resource provided by Open Science Grid to study the dynamic regulation of microRNAs in cancer development with the consideration of both competing and cooperative mechanisms. A large-scale genomic dataset from over four thousand patients with 9 major types of cancer was used to demonstrate the usage of miRDR-OSG. As a result, we identified 10,726 microRNA regulatory interactions that only occurred in a specific stage and/or cancer type. This observation demonstrated the dynamic and conditional microRNA regulation during cancer progression. miRDR-OSG is freely available at http://sbbi.unl. edu/miRDR.
Implications of Political and Electoral Violence in Southeastern Nigeria

Since the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates, political violence and problem of ethnic nationalism have found their way into the nation’s polity. Conservative politic became so desperate mostly in the Southeastern part of Nigeria, following the destruction of the Eastern bloc during the 1966-1970 civil wars, which erupted in the country. These struggles have great impacts on the political, socio cum economic aspects of the nation. In a number of well-publicized instances, the lost of ethnic identity and related armed violence have required state interventions to attempt to halt these political violence. This work explores what political and electoral violence is all about, and discusses history of political violence ill Nigeria but ill particular reference to the Southeastern zone. If states that, Igbo nationalism could be traced to the pre-colonial era, but has changed in structure and function. Though, politics and nationalism are regarded as being complex and ambiguous, they remain a challenge to the development of democracy in Nigeria.
Occurrence of a Syngamus sp. in tundra voles (Microtus oeconomus) collected on St. Lawrence Island, Bering Sea

A species of syngamid nematode belonging to the genus Syngamus was found in the respiratory tract (terminal trachea to bronchi) of tundra voles (Microtus oeconomus) collected on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska (USA). Its prevalence in June 1989 was >29% (12 of 41 male voles and seven of 24 females) in the village of Savoonga, while no nematodes were found from 41 voles collected in the village of Gambell. Lesions included dilatation of parasitized respiratory ducts and peribronchial and perivascular cuffing by lymphoid cells, mainly plasma cells, in parasitized lobes. Morphologically, this syngamid species differed from S. microtinae reported previously from the same host species as well as from other syngamids known from avian hosts.
Improving the Academic Achievement of African American Males: A Case Study of African American Male Perceptions of Attempted Instructional Strategies

TAYLOR, ALTHEA COGDELL. Improving the Academic Achievement of African American Males: A Case Study of African American Male Perceptions of Attempted Instructional Strategies. (Under the direction of Paul Bitting.) Numerous studies in the educational literature have reported the concern educators and community members have over the achievement gap between African American and white males. African American males currently score below white Americans on most standardized tests. Research has shown that this gap leads to serious negative consequences for African American males, such as suspensions, nonpromotions, school dropout, unemployment, crime, and incarceration. More effort is needed to improve these students’ academic performance. Existing studies involved programs that focused in academic achievement. In this qualitative study, the researcher explored the African American male students’ perceptions of instructional strategies used in the classroom and whether those strategies influenced their academic needs. The case study focused on factors that influenced improved academic achievement in African American males by examining the students’ perceptions of instructional strategies, teachers’ instructional beliefs, and comparing the similarities and differences to those in the current literature. Data were obtained through interviews and observations of 12 African American males, 2 teachers, and school administrators in a middle school. Findings revealed that the middle-school-aged African American males preferred lessons that were related to their real-life experiences and to their future. The more fun and stimulating the lessons, the greater their interest in learning. Family members, role models, and teachers had the greatest influence on students’ motivation to learn. These findings support the need for staff development that includes extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Teachers need to understand the value that encouragement can bring to African American males, and, as significant, teachers must understand the males themselves—what their needs and concerns are, and how to motivate them. IMPROVING THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES: A Case Study of African American Male Perceptions of Attempted Instructional Strategies by ALTHEA COGDELL TAYLOR A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP
Antiangiogenic therapy for high-grade gliomas.

BACKGROUND Gliomas and in particular high-grade gliomas (HGG) demonstrate when compared to other non-neural solid cancers amongst the highest levels of tumor angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature). METHODS Angiogenesis is a common theme in cancer biology and reflects the requirement of a vascular network to support continued uncontrolled cancer growth. Early recognition of this paradigm suggested a potential and novel cancer treatment target that led to the discovery and implementation of antiangiogenic therapies. Two basic strategies of cancer antiangiogenic therapy have emerged, one targeting vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF (growth factor ligand-based antagonists) and the second targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, VEGFR (receptor-based antagonists, small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors). Emerging literature suggests efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy for recurrent HGG. RESULTS Notwithstanding the limited literature regarding the treatment of recurrent HGG with antiangiogenic therapy (predominantly ligand-based and administered in conjunction with cytotoxic chemotherapy), this therapy has become the de facto standard of care for many. Response rates vary from 30-60% and 6-month progression free survival varies from 25-50%. Problematic however are new antiangiogenic class side effects (hypertension, fatigue, proteinuria, intratumoral hemorrhage, arterial thrombosis and wound dehiscence), timing in relationship to surgery, measurements of response, lack of established dose response relationships and pharmacoeconomics and a possible change in tumor biology. CONCLUSIONS Ligand-based antiangiogenic therapy (in particular bevacizumab) is a compelling new targeted therapy for HGG and will continue to emerge as an important novel anti-glioma therapy. Further studies are required to define the population of patients with HGG in whom this therapy is of benefit, identify the optimal dose and schedule, better characterize the value of co-administered (cytotoxic and targeted) therapies and establish validated response measures.
Characterization of bioactive glass-reinforced HAP-polymer composites.

The effect of bioactive glass on the mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite-Ca polyacrylate composites was studied. Powder mixtures of tetracalcium phosphate (TetCP), poly(acrylic-co-itaconic) and bioactive glass (up to 50% by weight) were hot pressed for 30 min at 300 degrees C and 40 kpsi. Tensile strengths, elastic moduli, and microstructures of the composites produced were investigated. Results showed the mechanical properties of these composites were enhanced by the addition of bioactive glass. The highest values of tensile strength and elastic modulus were achieved with the addition of 10% bioactive glass. Composites were immersed in SBF for up to 10 days, then in 1.5 simulated body fluid (SBF) for a week. The changes in the concentrations of Ca, P, and Si ions of these solutions were measured. The microstructures of these composites after SBF immersion were also evaluated. Concentrations of Ca, P, and Si increased with the time of immersion in SBF owing to the formation of an apatite layer on their surfaces as found by SEM with energy-dispersive spectroscopy attachment.
IKBT: solving closed-form Inverse Kinematics with Behavior Tree

Serial robot arms have complicated kinematic equations which must be solved to write effective arm planning and control software (the Inverse Kinematics Problem). Existing software packages for inverse kinematics often rely on numerical methods which have significant shortcomings. Here we report a new symbolic inverse kinematics solver which overcomes the limitations of numerical methods, and the shortcomings of previous symbolic software packages. We integrate Behavior Trees, an execution planning framework previously used for controlling intelligent robot behavior, to organize the equation solving process, and a modular architecture for each solution technique. The system successfully solved, generated a LaTex report, and generated a Python code template for 18 out of 19 example robots of 4-6 DOF. The system is readily extensible, maintainable, and multi-platform with few dependencies. The complete package is available with a Modified BSD license on Github.
Simple monitoring of antiretroviral therapy with a signal‐amplification‐boosted HIV‐1 p24 antigen assay with heat‐denatured plasma

Objective:Virus load determination has become indispensable for the management of HIV patients, but depends on expensive assays of a low throughput. We evaluated whether a highly improved HIV-1 p24 antigen detection procedure which involves heat-mediated immune complex dissociation and signal-amplification-boosted enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was suitable for antiretroviral treatment monitoring. Design and methods:Virus load in plasma was determined for 127 plasma samples taken at 0, 2, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 weeks from 23 patients with CD4+ T cells <50 × 106/l who received indinavir 800 mg three times daily in addition to prior antiretroviral treatment. Tests included polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for viral RNA, measured prospectively with the Roche Amplicor kit, and retrospective batch testing of heat-denatured samples for p24 antigen by the DuPont HIV-1 p24 Core Profile ELISA linked with a tyramide signal amplification step. Particle-associated reverse transcriptase (RT) by the product-enhanced RT (PERT) assay was determined as an independent third-opinion viral load marker. Results:p24 antigen was detected as sensitively as viral RNA. Overall detection during a median observation time of 25 weeks (range, 0–39) amounted to 75.6% for antigen and 73.6% for RNA. The antigen detection limit was 0.2 pg/ml. Antigen was detectable in all 23 baseline samples, whereas RNA was undetectable in one. Antigen and RNA levels in 79 samples positive for both markers correlated with r = 0.714 (P < 0.0001). Average changes in levels of p24 antigen and RNA at eight timepoints correlated with r = 0.982 (P < 0.0001). In individual patients, the two parameters behaved similarly, and in certain cases virtually identically. RT activity was measurable in all samples. Conclusions:The performance of this antigen detection procedure is comparable to RNA PCR, thus providing a simple, high throughput alternative in monitoring the efficacy of antiretroviral treatment.
Development and evaluation of a decellularized membrane from human dermis

Interest is increasing in biological scaffolds for tissue regeneration, such as extracellular matrix (ECM) membranes, developed through soft tissue decellularization. The present study describes the development of a chemicophysical decellularization method applied to allogenic human‐derived dermis (HDM). To evaluate the absence of viable cells and the maintenance of ECM structure, biological, histological and ultrastructural assessments were performed on the HDM membrane. Residual DNA content and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen contents were quantified. Growth factor (GF) release was directly measured on HDM extracts and indirectly measured by assessing cell proliferation after administering extract to cultures. Tensile tests were performed to measure the effect of the decellularization technique on the mechanical properties of tissue. Histocompatibility was investigated after subcutaneous implantation in rats. Residual DNA, GAG and collagen content measurements, vitality index, histology and electron microscopy showed the efficiency of the decellularization process and preservation of ECM matrix and bioactivity. In HDM extracts, among the tested GFs, transforming growth factor‐β1 showed the highest concentration. HDM extracts significantly increased the proliferation rate of L929 fibroblasts in comparison with controls (p < 0.005, p < 0.05 and p < 0.0005). Maximum load and stiffness of HDM were significantly higher than those of cellularized dermis (p < 0.0005, p < 0.005). Histological and histomorphometric analysis of explanted samples showed that the membrane was integrated with host tissues in the absence of inflammatory reactions. Our results show that the decellularization method allowed the development of a human allograft dermal matrix that might be useful for soft tissue regeneration. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in the Kinetics of Dopamine Release and Uptake Have Differential Effects on the Spatial Distribution of Extracellular Dopamine Concentration in Rat Striatum

Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine whether the limited diffusion distance of dopamine in rat striatum produces spatial heterogeneity in the extracellular dopamine concentration on a dimensional scale of a few micrometers. Such heterogeneity would be significant because it would imply that the concentration of dopamine at a given receptor depends on the receptor's ultrastructural location. Spatially resolved measurements of extracellular dopamine were performed in the striatum of chloral hydrate‐anesthetized rats with carbon fiber microdisk electrodes. Dopamine was monitored during electrical stimulation of the nigrostriatal pathway before and after administration of drugs that selectively affect the kinetics of evoked dopamine release and dopamine uptake. The effects of nomifensine (20 mg/kg), L‐DOPA (250 mg/kg), and α‐methyl‐p‐tyrosine (250 mg/kg) on the amplitude of the stimulation responses were examined. The outcome of these experiments was compared with predictions derived from a mathematical model that combines diffusion with the kinetics of release and uptake. The results demonstrate that the extracellular dopamine concentration is spatially heterogeneous on a micrometer scale and that changing the kinetics of dopamine release and uptake has different effects on this spatial distribution. The impact of these results on brain neurochemistry is considered.
The "Crisis" of Public Higher Education: A Comparative Perspective. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.18.07.

Is public tertiary education really in a crisis, and, if so, what is the crisis about? This paper analyses international aggregated data and examines to what extent there has been a crisis of public tertiary education in OECD countries in the past decade. It first focuses on relative enrolments in the public and private sectors to show that enrolments in the public sector have not significantly declined, and only marginally benefited the private for-profit sector. It then analyzes changes in the funding of tertiary education from the perspectives of tertiary education institutions, students and governments. It shows that only students can (to some extent) complain about a recent crisis of funding and of public funding of tertiary education. Finally, the paper points to other possible reasons for the perceived crisis. Throughout the paper, the differences in the structure of public/private enrolments and funding in the United States and other OECD countries are emphasised to help better understand the differences in tertiary education policy debates in the United States and most other OECD countries.
Adaptive Joint Estimation of Symbol Timing and Carrier Frequency Offset for OFDM Systems

Synchronization is an important issue in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems including symbol timing and carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation. In this paper, we derive a new subspace based CFO estimation method exploiting the cyclic prefix (CP) samples which are not disturbed by the preceding OFDM symbol. As a special and more practicable case, we provide an adaptive joint symbol timing and CFO estimation scheme. It is robust in both AWGN channel and frequency selective channel.
Cyclic AMP-responsive element-dependent activation of Epstein-Barr virus zebra promoter by human herpesvirus 6

We have recently shown that infection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome-positive B cells by human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) results in the expression of the immediate-early EBV Zebra gene, followed by virus replication (L. Flamand, I. Stefanescu, D. V. Ablashi, and J. Menezes, J. Virol. 67:6768-6777, 1993). Here we show that HHV-6 upregulates Zebra gene transcription through a cyclic AMP-responsive element (CRE) located within the Zebra promoter (Zp). Using human B- or T-cell lines transfected with ZpCat reporter gene constructs, we demonstrate that a region designated the ZII domain of Zp is the target of HHV-6 transactivation. Mutation of the consensus AP-1/CRE site within ZII abolished the inducibility of Zp by HHV-6, whereas positioning of the ZII domain upstream of the beta-globin minimal promoter conferred responsiveness following HHV-6 infection. Binding of these factors to ZII was prevented by oligonucleotides containing CRE but not by AP-1 consensus sequences. Antibodies against CRE-binding (CREB) protein but not against c-Fos or c-Jun were able to supershift the DNA-protein complex, identifying the nature of the transcription factor which binds to ZII as a member of the CREB family of proteins. Finally, transfection of CREB protein and protein kinase A expression vectors were found to activate Zp in Jurkat cells, suggesting that phosphorylated form of CREB protein can play a determining role in the EBV reactivation process.
Evaluation of the Effect of Cycloplegia on Anterior Chamber Depth in Cataract Patients Using Optical Low-Coherence Reflectometry

Purpose: The study was performed to study the effect of cycloplegia on anterior chamber depth (ACD) in cataract eyes. One instrument (Lenstar) was used for all measurements. Methods: Anterior chamber depth calculations were taken with the Lenstar in cataract eyes with a mean age of 71.9±8.8 years before instilling cycloplegic drops. Two drops of Tropicamide were then instilled in each eye and measurements were retaken between 30 to 45 min later. Results: Cycloplegia with a mild agent used routinely in this practice location showed a statically significant effect on increasing ACD by 0.0647±0.01 in the OD and 0.0758±0.02 in the OS. Conclusions: Anterior chamber depth can be important in the final refractive result postcataract surgery. The results of a change in effective lens position would be most significant in higher intraocular lens powers.
Alpha‐synuclein inhibits aromatic amino acid decarboxylase activity in dopaminergic cells

Alpha‐synuclein is a presynaptic protein strongly implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD). Because dopamine neurons are invariably compromised during pathogenesis in PD, we have been exploring the functions of alpha‐synuclein with particular relevance to dopaminergic neuronal cells. We previously discovered reduced tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity and minimal dopamine synthesis in stably‐transfected MN9D cells overexpressing either wild‐type or A53T mutant (alanine to threonine at amino acid 53) alpha‐synuclein. TH, the rate‐limiting enzyme in dopamine synthesis, converts tyrosine to l‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (L‐DOPA), which is then converted to dopamine by the enzyme, aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). We confirmed an interaction between alpha‐synuclein and AADC in striatum. We then sought to determine whether wild‐type or A53T mutant alpha‐synuclein might have affected AADC activity in dopaminergic cells. Using HPLC with electrochemical detection, we measured dopamine and related catechols after L‐DOPA treatments to bypass the TH step. We discovered that while alpha‐synuclein did not reduce AADC protein levels, it significantly reduced AADC activity and phosphorylation in our cells. These novel findings further support a role for alpha‐synuclein in dopamine homeostasis and may explain, at least in part, the selective vulnerability of dopamine neurons that occurs in PD.