Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of interpositus nucleus in eyelid conditioned responses

One of the most widely used experimental models for the study of learning processes in mammals has been the classical conditioning of nictitating membrane/eyelid responses, using both trace and delay paradigms. Mainly on the basis of permanent or transitory lesions of putatively-involved structures, and using other stimulation and recording techniques, it has been proposed that cerebellar cortex and/or nuclei could be the place/s where this elemental form of associative learning is acquired and stored. We have used here an output-to-input approach to review recent evidence regarding the involvement of the cerebellar interpositus nucleus in the acquisition of these conditioned responses (CRs). Eyelid CRs appear to be different in profile, duration, and peak velocity from reflexively-evoked blinks. In addition, CRs are generated in a quantum manner across conditioning sessions, suggesting a gradual neural process for their proper acquisition. Accessory abducens and orbicularis oculi motoneurons have different membrane properties and contribute differently to the generation of CRs, with significant species differences. In particular, facial motoneurons seem to encode eyelid velocity during reflexively-evoked blinks and eyelid position during CRs, two facts suggestive of a differential somatic versus dendritic arrival of specific motor commands for each type of movement. Identified interpositus neurons recorded in alert cats during classical conditioning of eyelid responses show firing properties suggestive of an enhancing role for CR performance. However, as their firing started after CR onset, and because they do not seem to encode eyelid position during the CR, the interpositus nucleus cannot be conclusively considered as the place where this acquired motor response is generated. More information is needed regarding neural signal transformations taking place in each involved neural center, and it its proposed that more attention should be paid to functional states (as opposed to neural sites) able to generate motor learning in mammals. The contribution of feedforward mechanisms normally involved in the processing activities of related centers and circuits, and the possible functional interactions within neural systems subserving the associative strength between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, are also considered.
[Expression and significance of Ezrin gene in pancreatic carcinoma tissues].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Ezrin protein is a membrane cytoskeletal crosslinker between the cell membrane and cytoskeleton. Increasing evidence has shown that Ezrin may be associated with tumor invasion and progression. This study was to explore the correlation of Ezrin to metastasis of pancreatic carcinoma. METHODS The expression of Ezrin mRNA in fresh specimens of 32 pancreatic carcinoma, 19 metastatic lesions and 10 non-cancerous pancreatic tissues were assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain (RT-PCR). RESULTS The mRNA expression of Ezrin was significantly higher in pancreatic carcinoma tissues (1.9+/-1.1) than in non-cancerous tissues (0.9+/-0.5)(P<0.05), significantly higher in metastatic lesions (2.6+/-0.8) than in the primary tumor focus (1.9+/-1.1) (P<0.05), and significantly higher in pancreatic carcinoma lesions with metastasis (2.1+/-1.2) than in those without (1.4+/-0.7) ( P<0.05). Ezrin mRNA was differently expressed in tumors with different clinical pathologic characters. It was highly expressed in poorly differentiated or distantly metastatic carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS Ezrin gene is closely related to invasion and metastasis of pancreatic carcinoma, which might be used as a marker in predicting the metastasis of pancreatic carcinoma.
Cerebral metabolism of [1,2‐13C2]glucose and [U‐13C4]3‐hydroxybutyrate in rat brain as detected by 13C NMR spectroscopy

The metabolism of [1,2‐13C2]glucose and [U‐13C4]3‐hydroxybutyrate was studied in rat brain with in vivo and in vitro 13C NMR spectroscopy, taking advantage, in particular, of homonuclear 13C‐13C spin coupling patterns. After infusion of [1,2‐13C2]glucose or [U‐13C4]3‐hydroxybutyrate into rats, the uptake of the substrates in brain and their metabolism to [1‐13C]bicarbonate could be detected with in vivo 13C NMR spectroscopy. At the end of the infusion experiment, methanol/HCI/HCIO4 extracts of the brain tissue were further analysed by high resolution 13C NMR spectroscopy. The 13C spin coupling patterns revealed entirely different isotopomer distributions for the closely related cerebral metabolites glutamate, glutamine and 4‐aminobutyric acid. A quantitative analysis of the 13C spectra demonstrated (i) the existence of two kinetically distinct pools of glutamate, (ii) a pronounced CO2 fixation via pyruvate carboxylase in the glial cells accounting for as much as 38% of the oxaloacetate synthesis in the glial tricarboxylic acid cycle, (iii) a cerebral pyruvate recycling system contributing maximally 17% of the pyruvate metabolism through the pyruvate dehydrogenase in neurons, and (iv) a predominant production of 4‐aminobutyric acid from glutamate synthesized in the neurons. In addition, the labelling pattern of N‐acetyl aspartate upon infusion of labelled glucose or 3‐hydroxybutyrate provided insight into the synthesis of this compound in mammalian brain. While the acetyl moiety originates from the metabolic equivalent of the C‐1–C‐2 part of cerebral glutamate, the aspartyl moiety is not in direct contact with the intermediates of glycolysis or of the tricarboxylic acid cycles.
Influence of gender, BMI and Hispanic ethnicity on physical activity in children.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the association between overweight status and physical activity (PA) among gender and ethnic (Hispanic vs. non-Hispanic) sub-groups in elementary school-age children. METHODS PA was assessed over five days using the Actigraph accelerometer in 169 fourth grade students (mean age 9.4 years; 50% female; 63% Hispanic; and 43% overweight, defined as body mass index, BMI > or = 85th percentile for age and gender) from four elementary schools in Los Angeles County, California. RESULTS In the total sample, boys and normal weight students had higher levels of total PA (counts per minute, cpm; p<0.05). Boys spent less time in sedentary PA (p=0.02) and more time in combined moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA, p=0.01). There was a significant gender, ethnicity, and overweight interaction for total PA and MVPA (both p<0.01). MVPA and counts per minute were significantly lower in overweight non-Hispanic girls and Hispanic boys (p<0.05) and marginally lower in overweight non-Hispanic boys (p=0.10) when compared with non-overweight students, while overweight Hispanic girls were more physically active than Hispanic non-overweight girls, though the difference was non-significant (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Data from the present study does not consistently support the prevailing hypothesis that overweight subjects engage in less PA. Results show overweight students engage in less PA than non-overweight students, with the exception that non-overweight Hispanic girls do not engage in more PA than their overweight peers. These results suggest the need for further investigation into the role that ethnicity and overweight status plays in PA levels, particularly among ethnic and gender sub-groups.
Talimogene Laherparepvec Improves Durable Response Rate in Patients With Advanced Melanoma.

PURPOSE Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is a herpes simplex virus type 1-derived oncolytic immunotherapy designed to selectively replicate within tumors and produce granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to enhance systemic antitumor immune responses. T-VEC was compared with GM-CSF in patients with unresected stage IIIB to IV melanoma in a randomized open-label phase III trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with injectable melanoma that was not surgically resectable were randomly assigned at a two-to-one ratio to intralesional T-VEC or subcutaneous GM-CSF. The primary end point was durable response rate (DRR; objective response lasting continuously ≥ 6 months) per independent assessment. Key secondary end points included overall survival (OS) and overall response rate. RESULTS Among 436 patients randomly assigned, DRR was significantly higher with T-VEC (16.3%; 95% CI, 12.1% to 20.5%) than GM-CSF (2.1%; 95% CI, 0% to 4.5%]; odds ratio, 8.9; P < .001). Overall response rate was also higher in the T-VEC arm (26.4%; 95% CI, 21.4% to 31.5% v 5.7%; 95% CI, 1.9% to 9.5%). Median OS was 23.3 months (95% CI, 19.5 to 29.6 months) with T-VEC and 18.9 months (95% CI, 16.0 to 23.7 months) with GM-CSF (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.62 to 1.00; P = .051). T-VEC efficacy was most pronounced in patients with stage IIIB, IIIC, or IVM1a disease and in patients with treatment-naive disease. The most common adverse events (AEs) with T-VEC were fatigue, chills, and pyrexia. The only grade 3 or 4 AE occurring in ≥ 2% of T-VEC-treated patients was cellulitis (2.1%). No fatal treatment-related AEs occurred. CONCLUSION T-VEC is the first oncolytic immunotherapy to demonstrate therapeutic benefit against melanoma in a phase III clinical trial. T-VEC was well tolerated and resulted in a higher DRR (P < .001) and longer median OS (P = .051), particularly in untreated patients or those with stage IIIB, IIIC, or IVM1a disease. T-VEC represents a novel potential therapy for patients with metastatic melanoma.
Hypervolaemia improves global and local function and efficiency in postischaemic myocardium

1. In the present study, we investigated the effects of blood volume on postischaemic function and efficiency. In 14 anaesthetized dogs, following recovery from a period of 15 min occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, the effects of hypervolaemia (HYPER; 15% increased volume produced by fast infusion of Hespan; B Braun Medical, Irvine, CA, USA), normovolaemia (NORMO) and hypovolaemia (HYPO) were studied.
B-type natriuretic peptide in the assessment of acute lung injury and cardiogenic pulmonary edema*

Objective:The role of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in critically ill patients with acute pulmonary edema is controversial. We postulated that a low BNP level would exclude cardiac dysfunction as the principal cause of pulmonary edema and therefore help in the diagnosis of acute lung injury. Design:A retrospective derivation cohort was followed by a prospective validation cohort of consecutive patients with acute pulmonary edema admitted to three intensive care units. BNP was measured within 24 hrs from onset. Critical care experts blinded to BNP results integrated clinical data with the course of disease and response to therapy and served as the reference standard. Setting:Three intensive care units at the tertiary center. Patients:Consecutive critically ill patients with acute pulmonary edema. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:In a derivation cohort of 84 patients, a BNP threshold of ≤250 pg/mL had a specificity of 87% and sensitivity of 48% for the diagnosis of acute lung injury. High specificity of BNP (90%, likelihood ratio of 3.9) was confirmed in a validation cohort of 120 consecutive patients, 52 (43%) of whom had acute lung injury. Notably, 32% of patients with acute lung injury had concomitant cardiac dysfunction. The median time from the onset of pulmonary edema to BNP testing was 3 hrs. The accuracy of BNP (area under receiver operator curve, 0.71) was comparable with pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (area under receiver operator curve, 0.66) and superior to ejection fraction (area under receiver operator curve, 0.60) in subgroups of patients in whom these tests were performed. The accuracy of BNP improved when patients with renal insufficiency were excluded (area under receiver operator curve, 0.82). Conclusion:When measured early after the onset of acute pulmonary edema, a BNP level of <250 pg/mL supports the diagnosis of acute lung injury. The high rate of cardiac and renal dysfunction in critically ill patients limits the discriminative role of BNP. No level of BNP could completely exclude cardiac dysfunction.
E-State: Realistic or Utopian?

Information and Communication Technology ICT is known to facilitate governance and citizen participation in States' decision making processes. However, e-governance researchers have argued that beyond the current use of ICT to facilitate already existing means of governance lays the possibility of its use to fundamentally revolutionise public administration. There is the ideation and aspiration for ICT-based States E-states which exist without governments, and whose citizens can self-organise and self-govern without the need for institutions. This is a conceptual paper which discusses the viability and prospects of this aspiration. The study reviews literature in the areas of politics, public administration and Information Technology in the context of governance and public administration. This study ultimately argues that the possibility of establishing an E-state will be dependent on changing existing political ideologies and systems of governance to anarchism. As it is, ICT cannot be a substitute for governments and certain governmental institutions but can only help them.
Subjective memory impairment in older adults: aetiology, salience and help seeking

Subjective memory impairment (SMI) is one of the key symptoms with which people with early cognitive impairment may present to health services. However, little research has investigated how older people view the symptom, its salience and how often help is sought. The objectives were to investigate (a) factors associated with SMI, (b) salience of SMI in comparison with other symptoms and (c) help seeking for SMI.
Selective control of Pax7 expression by TNF-activated p38α/polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) signaling during muscle satellite cell differentiation

Muscle regeneration relies on adult muscle stem (satellite) cells. Inflammatory cues released within the regenerative microenvironment, such as TNFα, instruct different components of the satellite cell niche toward specialized tasks by regulating specific subsets of genes in each individual cell type. However, how regeneration cues are deciphered and interpreted by the multitude of cell types within the regenerative environment is unknown. We have recently identified an inflammation-activated signaling, consisting of p38α-mediated recruitment of polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) to the Pax7 promoter, in satellite cells. Here we show that p38α-PRC2 regulation of Pax7 expression is restricted to a discrete stage of satellite cell-mediated regeneration. In activated satellite cells, Pax7 locus shows a “bivalent” chromatin signature, with co-existence of H3-K273me and H3-K43me, that appears to confer responsiveness to p38α-PRC2 signaling. p38α activation resolves bivalence to H3-K273me which results in Pax7 repression, while p38α blockade promotes Pax7 expression by preventing PRC2-mediated H3-K273me and leading to relative increase in H3-K43me. Interestingly, in satellite cell-derived myotubes Pax7 expression cannot be re-induced by p38α blockade, revealing a post-mitotic resistance of Pax7 gene to inflammatory cues. Likewise, in other cell types, such as muscle-derived fibroblasts, Pax7 locus is constitutively repressed by PRC2 and is unresponsive to p38α signaling. Finally, we show that Pax7 repression in embryonic stem cells is not directed by p38α signaling, although it is mediated by PRC2. This evidence indicates a cell type- and differentiation-stage specific control of Pax7 transcription by the p38α-PRC2.
Multimethod evaluation of health policy change: an application to Medicaid managed care in a rural state.

OBJECTIVE To answer questions about the impacts of Medicaid managed care (MMC) at the individual, organizational/community, and population levels of analysis. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING Multimethod approach to study MMC in New Mexico, a rural state with challenging access barriers. STUDY DESIGN Individual level: surveys to assess barriers to care, access, utilization, and satisfaction. Organizational/community level: ethnography to determine changes experienced by safety net institutions and local communities. Population level: analysis of secondary databases to examine trends in preventable adverse sentinel events. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS SURVEY multivariate statistical methods, including factor analysis and logistic regression. Ethnography: iterative coding and triangulation to assess documents, field observations, and in-depth interviews. Secondary databases: plots of sentinel events over time. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The survey component revealed no consistent changes after MMC, relatively favorable experiences for Medicaid patients, and persisting access barriers for the uninsured. In the ethnographic component, safety net institutions experienced increased workload and financial stress; mental health services declined sharply. Immunization rate, as an important sentinel event, deteriorated. CONCLUSIONS MMC exerted greater effects on safety net providers than on individuals and did not address problems of the uninsured. A multimethod approach can facilitate evaluation of change in health policy.
Zeta potentials and yield stresses of silica suspensions in concentrated monovalent electrolytes: isoelectric point shift and additional attraction.

The zeta potentials and yield stresses of silica suspensions were measured over a wide range of monovalent electrolyte concentrations. The counterions investigated were Li(+), Na(+), K(+), and Cs(+), while the co-ion was always Cl(-). The poorly hydrated ions (Cs(+) and K(+)) adsorb in greater quantity to the silica surface than the well-hydrated ions (Li(+) and Na(+)) and produce lower magnitude negative zeta potentials at high pH. At high electrolyte concentrations and at low pH the poorly hydrated counterions adsorb in great enough quantity to reverse the sign of the zeta potential from negative to positive. This specific adsorption of counterions shifts the iep to higher values. The shift in the iep is directly related to the hydration of the counterion with the least hydrated ions creating the greatest iep shift. The yield stresses of silica suspensions at high pH were found to increase in the order Li(+)<Na(+)<K(+)<Cs(+). The magnitude of the yield stress correlates with the amount of adsorbed ions; i.e., the greatest yield stresses are observed with the least hydrated ions. The yield stresses measured at high pH with high salt concentrations are greater than can be accounted for with just van der Waals attraction. An attractive ion-ion correlation force is presumed responsible for the additional attraction necessary to explain the observed results.
Prevalence Rate of Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction in Annaba (Algeria) Schoolchildren

Background. We studied the prevalence rate of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in Annaba schoolchildren. No previous assessment of this syndrome had ever been done in Algeria. Methods. EIB was evaluated using the 6 min free running test (6MFRT) on 286 children, 87.4% of whom were 10–12 years old. They performed the test in the morning, during the autumn–winter season. Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured before, and then 5 and 10 min after the 6MFRT, a 15% or more decrease in post-exercise PEFR being defined as significant. Results. EIB was much more frequent in asthmatic than in nonasthmatic children (47.0% vs. 13.9%, p < .001) and the drop in PEFR was more marked among the former. EIB was observed more often in a cool temperature (<8°C). There were relatively more children who were either eutrophic or overweight among those presenting an EIB. Past histories of nocturnal wheezing and rhinoconjunctivitis presented respectively the best specificity (96.7%) and sensitivity (84.8%). Children of unemployed workers presented the highest occurrence of EIB. Passive smoking appeared as the only factor being related to EIB among the indoor pollutants. The prevalence rate of asthma (6.7%) was higher than in a previous cross-sectional epidemiological survey study performed in the Maghreb. The prevalence rate of EIB (13.9%) was situated in the upper range of the results given worldwide. Conclusions. These features of a fairly high bronchial hyperresponsiveness could be facilitated by the polluted environment of the city.
c‐Myc suppressed E‐cadherin through miR‐9 at the post‐transcriptional level

c‐Myc oncoprotein is overexpressed in most human cancers and regulates different genes and pathways in different cell types. E‐cadherin expression is repressed by MYC through a post‐transcriptional mechanism, but the exact mechanism remains elusive. Since E‐cadherin is a direct target of miR‐9 and miR‐9 can be activated by MYC and MYCN, this suggests that c‐Myc negatively modulates E‐cadherin through a microRNA pathway. We have established a c‐Myc‐inducible expression system in which the protein level and transcriptional activity of c‐Myc is significantly upregulated upon doxycycline induction. Overexpressed c‐Myc led to an EMT‐like conversion in the T‐REx‐293 cells and resulted in a significant decrease in E‐cadherin and an increase in Vimentin. Stem‐loop RT‐PCR showed elevated expression of miR‐9 when c‐Myc was induced to be overexpressed. Regarding the relationship of c‐Myc, miR‐9 and E‐cadherin, the expression of miR‐9 was curtailed by using antagomir‐9 in induced overexpressing c‐Myc. Restoration of E‐cadherin expression became much stronger in the presence of c‐Myc. Thus c‐Myc represses E‐cadherin at the post‐transcriptional level through miR‐9.
The Convergence and Divergence of Job Discretion between Occupations and Institutional Regimes in Europe from 1995 to 2010

Drawing on technical change and institutional theories, this paper examines the convergence and divergence of job discretion between occupations and institutional regimes in Europe from 1995â€“2010. Latent growth modelling of a pseudoâ€ panel data set derived from the European Working Conditions Survey reveals that significantly different rates of change have led to an increasing polarization of job discretion between occupations and between Nordic and other European countries. Across occupations the findings are in keeping with routineâ€ biased technical change rather than skillâ€ biased technical change theories and suggest that the effects of technical change on job discretion depend largely on whether technology substitutes or complements job tasks. Across countries, the results are in line with employment regime theory, which suggests that institutional differences (particularly employment policies and trade union influence) are driving crossâ€ national variation in job discretion. Overall, a more comprehensive empirical and theoretical understanding is provided of factors shaping change in a key aspect of job quality, namely job discretion.