Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytodiagnosis of filariasis from a swelling of arm

Cytological demonstration of microfilaria and adult worms often helps in diagnosis of asymptomatic filarial cases. But demonstration of microfilaria in cytological smears from upper extremity lesions is seldom reported. We are presenting a 32-year-old female patient with elongated, small subcutaneous swelling in the medial aspect of right lower arm. Aspirates from the lesion demonstrate microfilaria though there is no eosinophilia or microfilaremia on subsequent examination of blood sample. In endemic areas, filariasis should always be considered as a possible diagnosis during cytological assessment of any swelling.
Dose-rate effects in radiation biology and radiation protection

Quantification of biological effects (cancer, other diseases, and cell damage) associated with exposure to ionising radiation has been a major issue for the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) since its foundation in 1928. While there is a wealth of information on the effects on human health for whole-body doses above approximately 100 mGy, the effects associated with doses below 100 mGy are still being investigated and debated intensively. The current radiological protection approach, proposed by ICRP for workers and the public, is largely based on risks obtained from high-dose and high-dose-rate studies, such as the Japanese Life Span Study on atomic bomb survivors. The risk coefficients obtained from these studies can be reduced by the dose and dose-rate effectiveness factor (DDREF) to account for the assumed lower effectiveness of low-dose and low-dose-rate exposures. The 2007 ICRP Recommendations continue to propose a value of 2 for DDREF, while other international organisations suggest either application of different values or abandonment of the factor. This paper summarises the current status of discussions, and highlights issues that are relevant to reassessing the magnitude and application of DDREF.
Accidental activists: headhunters as marginal diversity actors in institutional change towards more women on boards

We present a qualitative study that examines the role of headhunters as actors in a broader institutional change process aiming to increase gender diversity on corporate boards. We draw on institutional and diversity management theories to conceptualize their change agency in the broader field of women on boards. We describe their role as ‘accidental activists’ and theorize two micro-processes that define their change agency in this field: voluntaristic framing of intentionality and role redefinition by drawing on competing logics. This conceptualization does not match the heroic image of the institutional entrepreneur driving institutional change, or that of the tempered radical championing diversity, but rather casts light into a marginal and previously neglected change role. We demonstrate the opportunistic and precarious nature of this role with regards to both institutional change and diversity management, and discuss its possibilities and perils.
Abiraterone in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity and tolerability of abiraterone acetate in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer treated previously with more than three lines of chemotherapy. Patients received 1 g of abiraterone acetate (administered as four 250 mg tablets) orally once daily with prednisone at a dose of 5 mg orally twice daily. The primary endpoint was prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response. From August 2011 to January 2013, 36 patients were enrolled. PSA response was observed in 22 patients (61.1%, 95% confidence interval: 0.41–0.81). The median time to PSA progression was 7.3 months and after a median follow-up of 10.1 months, all patients were alive. The treatment was generally well tolerated; side effects secondary to mineralocorticoid excess resulting from blockade of CYP17 were largely controlled with prednisone. Abiraterone acetate seems to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer irrespective of the number of chemotherapy lines administered previously.
Helicobacter pylori Lipopolysaccharide as a Possible Pathogenic Factor for Gastric Carcinogenesis

Helicobacter pylori is now recognized as being a causative factor of gastroduodenal diseases such as chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, gastric cancer and gastric low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoma tissue (MALT). Long-term persistent inflammation, injury and reconstitution of gastric mucosa, and immunological reactions against the infected H. pylori are thought to be the causes of lesion formation. Various causative factors of H. pylori for inflammation and injury of gastric mucosa have been proposed. The most studied bacterial pathogenic factors are vacuolating toxin (VacA) produced by H. pylori, ammonium ion generated by H. pylori urease, and monochloramines formed from hypochlorite produced by phagocytic cells and the ammonium ion (Hofman et al., 2004; Xia & Talley, 2001). These agents cause directly injury to the host gastric mucosa. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-6 and IL-8, are also induced by H. pylori. H. pylori activates the transcription factor NF-κB, which has a key role on inducing various inflammatory reaction including cytokine production, through type IV secretion system (Glocker et al., 1998). The type IV secretion system consisits of proteins encoded by genes located on cag pathogenicity island. In addition, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is believed to contribute to the pathogenicity of this bacterium. LPS is a major component of Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane. It is known as an endotoxin and is a strong inducer of inflammatory reaction. H. pylori LPS, however, has much lower endotoxic activity than that of other typical Gram-negative bacteria, such as member of the Enterobacteriaceae family (Matsuyama et al., 2001; Muotiala et al., 1992; Nielsen et al., 1994; Perez-Perez et al., 1995; Semeraro et al., 1996). Strong endotoxin at infection sites, such as the systemic circulation system and digestive tract, should lead to sepsis, namely systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and severe local inflammation, respectively. The weak endotoxic activity is considered to be important for chronic infection. Weakly endotoxic LPSs are also reported for Chlamydia/Chlamydophila (Heine et al., 2003) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Ogawa et al., 2000). These bacteria commonly infected humans chronically. Typical LPS acts as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP). PAMPs are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of which the most studies are the Toll-
Differential Regulation and Relocalization of the Platelet P2Y Receptors after Activation: A Way to Avoid Loss of Hemostatic Properties?

In the present study, we investigated the desensitization and trafficking of the P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors after agonist-induced stimulation of platelets or astrocytoma cells transfected with the P2Y1 or P2Y12 receptors fused to green fluorescent protein. In platelets and in transfected cells, exposure to 10 μM ADP caused desensitization of the P2Y1 receptor-driven calcium signal, whereas the P2Y12 receptor-mediated inhibition of cAMP formation was not affected. Plasma membranes from ADP-stimulated platelets also retained P2Y12 activity. Agonist-induced P2Y1 receptor desensitization was accompanied by its internalization in platelets and transfected cells. In contrast, although a substantial fraction of P2Y12 receptors was rapidly and transiently internalized, most of the P2Y12 receptors remained at the plasma membrane. Activated P2Y1 receptors were internalized through a clathrin-dependent pathway in cells and platelets, whereas the P2Y12 receptors seemed to use a distinct, clathrin-independent pathway. Together, these data indicate that the P2Y1 and P2Y12 receptors are differentially regulated upon activation. The absence of desensitization of the Gi protein-coupled P2Y12 receptor-dependent responses could represent a mechanism to preserve the hemostatic properties of otherwise unresponsive platelets.
3H‐Thymidine autoradiadiographic analysis of telencephalic histogenesis in the chick embryo: II. Dynamics of neuronal migration, displacement, and aggregation

The movements of cells from their sites of origin in the proliferative neuroepithelium to their final positions in the chick telencephalon were traced by autoradiographic analysis of 3H‐thymidine‐labeled brains. A series of chick embryos were labeled on successive days of development between days 5 and 9 and fixed for autoradiography between days 6 and 10. Isochrone maps visualizing neuronal positions on each day of development between days 6 and 10 provided direct information concerning cell migrations, displacements, and aggregations leading to compartmentalization of the telencephalic wall and the generation of the “outside‐in” pattern of histogenesis characteristic of the avian telencephalon. The topological divisions of the telencephalic wall appear to result from two factors: (1) the specification of neuronal precursors within the neuroepithelium and (2) the intrinsic associative and migratory properties of postmitotic neuronal populations expressed within the mantle layers. There was no evidence that glial cell barriers mediated the initial compartmentalization of neuronal populations.
The CpG Island Searcher: A new WWW resource

Clusters of CpG dinucleotides in GC rich regions of the genome called "CpG islands" frequently occur in the 5' ends of genes. Methylation of CpG islands plays a role in transcriptional silencing in higher organisms in certain situations. We have established a CpG-island-extraction algorithm, which we previously developed [Takai and Jones, 2002], on a web site which has a simple user interface to identify CpG islands from submitted sequences of up to 50kb. The web site determines the locations of CpG islands using parameters (lower limit of %GC, ObsCpG/ExpCpG, length) set by the user, to display the value of parameters on each CpG island, and provides a graphical map of CpG dinucleotide distribution and borders of CpG islands. A command-line version of the CpG islands searcher has also been developed for larger sequences. The CpG Island Searcher was applied to the latest sequence and mapping information of human chromosomes 20, 21 and 22, and a total of 2345 CpG islands were extracted and 534 (23%) of them contained first coding exons and 650 (28%) contained other exons. The CpG Island Searcher is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.cpgislands. com or http://www.uscnorris. com/cpgislands/cpg.cgi.
Remission of an Intracardiac Melanoma Metastasis after Tremelimumab Therapy

Tremelimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody specific for human cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4. Administration of tremelimumab to patients with locally advanced and metastatic melanoma has resulted in a subset of patients with durable objective tumour regressions. Our echocardiographic images impressively show the effects of this new antibody in a patient with cardiac metastatic malignant melanoma.
DOES TARGET VIEWING TIME INFLUENCE PERCEIVED REACHABILITY?

This study examined the influence of target viewing time on perceived (estimates of) reachability. Right-handed participants were asked to judge the simulated reachability of midline targets using their dominant limb in viewing conditions of 150 ms, 500 ms, 1 s and 2 s. Responses were compared to actual maximum reach. In reference to percent error, interestingly, the 150 ms condition revealed the least error at peripersonal targets and the most inaccuracy with distal (extrapersonal) targets. This condition was also distinct with a significant overestimation bias—a common observation in earlier studies. However, with increasing viewing time this bias was reduced. These data provide evidence that 150 ms is effective for estimating reach within one's general peripersonal workspace. However, with judgments distal from that point, more time enhanced accuracy, with 500 ms and 1 s being optimal. Overall results are discussed relative to perceptual effectiveness in programming reaching movements.
The Spatial Diffusion and Convergence of Urban Housing Price in the Pearl River Delta

The purpose of this paper is to explore the spatial diffusion and convergence of urban housing price by using the housing price data of nine cities in the Pearl River Delta over the period 2001Q1 to 2010Q4.The Cointegration Test,Multivariable Granger Causality Test,Generalized Impulse Response Function and Panel Data Unit Root Test were employed.The results show that the regional housing prices in the Pearl River Delta have a tendency towards stable long-run relationships,the housing prices of Shenzhen,Guangzhou and Zhuhai,the "Pivotal Cities" of the three sub-regional housing market in "Shen-Guan-Hui",diffuse to other cities within own sub-regional market,while the housing price of Shenzhen diffuses to the sub-regional market in "Guang-Fo-Zhao" and "Zhu-Zhong-Jiang". The further investigation indicates that the nine cities of Pearl River Delta exhibit regional housing price convergence based on the Guangzhou,Shenzhen and Zhuhai.The findings can help government to formulate differentiate intervention strategies as well as regulate the regional housing market.
Correction of the F508del-CFTR protein processing defect in vitro by the investigational drug VX-809

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene that impair the function of CFTR, an epithelial chloride channel required for proper function of the lung, pancreas, and other organs. Most patients with CF carry the F508del CFTR mutation, which causes defective CFTR protein folding and processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, resulting in minimal amounts of CFTR at the cell surface. One strategy to treat these patients is to correct the processing of F508del-CFTR with small molecules. Here we describe the in vitro pharmacology of VX-809, a CFTR corrector that was advanced into clinical development for the treatment of CF. In cultured human bronchial epithelial cells isolated from patients with CF homozygous for F508del, VX-809 improved F508del-CFTR processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and enhanced chloride secretion to approximately 14% of non-CF human bronchial epithelial cells (EC50, 81 ± 19 nM), a level associated with mild CF in patients with less disruptive CFTR mutations. F508del-CFTR corrected by VX-809 exhibited biochemical and functional characteristics similar to normal CFTR, including biochemical susceptibility to proteolysis, residence time in the plasma membrane, and single-channel open probability. VX-809 was more efficacious and selective for CFTR than previously reported CFTR correctors. VX-809 represents a class of CFTR corrector that specifically addresses the underlying processing defect in F508del-CFTR.
Investigation of the Putative Associations Between Dairy Consumption and Incidence of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

A growing body of evidence suggests a possible relationship between the consumption of dairy products and the incidence of diabetes. A positive correlation between the early introduction of dairy in infancy and the incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in genetically predisposed infants has been suggested by studies on rodents and humans. However, the lines of evidence supporting this association, including epidemiological studies and the observation of antibodies to bovine serum albumin, β-casein and bovine insulin in the serum of patients with T1D, are not without controversy. On the other hand, an inverse relationship between the consumption of dairy foods and the development of metabolic syndrome and/or type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been implied by epidemiological studies. Several dairy components, especially milk proteins, are believed to play a role in the beneficial effect of dairy consumption on glucose regulation by modulation of incretin hormones. Other dietary factors have also been associated with the incidence of T1D and T2D, indicating that dairy foods might be only one among many dietary agents possibly implicated in the development of diabetes. The present paper critically reviews the evidence and plausible mechanisms for the putative associations between dairy food consumption and incidence of T1D and T2D.
The Personal Program Plan (PPP) Reviewed: A Saskatchewan Perspective

Every country and corresponding educational systems have unique ways of administering and delivering services for students deemed to have special educational needs. Unlike our American neighbors, Canada relies on individual provinces and territories to assume their own legislative authority and develop appropriate laws, policies and programs to educate all of its students. Anchored in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms each jurisdiction develops educational systems that are inclusive in nature and consistent with the right of all of its citizens to access publically funded schools. This paper outlines one school division’s attempt to pilot an innovative new Personal Program Plan (PPP) design in a province with a rich history of addressing the special needs of its students. A Masters of Education student in the Educational Psychology and Special Education Department of the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Education decided to focus on her home school division’s pilot project. Heather Hayes utilized a semi structured questionnaire to determine how six Educational Support Teachers (ESTs) responded to this new PPP template during the 2010-2011 school year. The template employed an Understanding by Design (UbD) format and utilized Performance Tasks (PTs) to demonstrate students’ understandings. Recommendations for refinement and revision emerged from the study.
Cytoprotective and anti‐apoptotic effects of Satureja khuzestanica essential oil against busulfan‐mediated sperm damage and seminiferous tubules destruction in adult male mice

We studied the protective effect of Satureja khuzestanica essential oil (SKEO) against damage caused by busulfan on testis in male mice. The NMRI mice (n = 40) were assigned to four groups including: G1: control, G2: treated with busulfan for 4 days (3.2 mg kg−1), G3: receive busulfan (4 days, 3.2 mg kg−1) and SKEO (28 days, 225 mg kg−1) at the same time, G4: pre‐treated with SKEO (7 days, 225 mg kg−1) and subsequently cotreated with busulfan (4 days, 3.2 mg kg−1) and SKEO (28 days, 225 mg kg−1). The histological changes of testis were analysed using H&E staining. Sperm parameters, cytotoxic and apoptotic factors were also studied by computer‐aided sperm analyzer, MTT and TUNEL assays respectively. Our results showed that SKEO pre‐administration significantly improved all parameters of epididymal spermatozoa and decreased germinal epithelium destruction following busulfan chemotherapy. We also found lower MTT levels and TUNEL‐positive cells in SKEO pre‐treated groups. In conclusion, SKEO possesses beneficial effects on sperm parameters when taken before chemotherapy and continued during and after chemotherapy for a long time, than when used short‐term coinciding with the chemotherapy. Our results support valuable data about the application of SKEO for protection against adverse effects of busulfan on male genital system in patients under chemotherapy.
Socioeconomic and Ethnic Disparities in Periocular Cutaneous Malignancies

ABSTRACT Cutaneous malignancies make up the majority of periocular tumors diagnosed and treated by ophthalmologists. In this review, we examine literature regarding ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in incidence and clinical outcomes of the three most common cutaneous periocular tumors: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. In all three tumor types, the literature shows an increased incidence among two groups: those with lightly pigmented skin and those of higher socioeconomic status. While incidence is high in these groups, clinical outcomes for these patients tend to be good. Those with lower socioeconomic status and ethnic minorities, on the other hand, have a low incidence but are more likely to have poor clinical outcomes. These disparities are likely the result of both biologic and behavioral differences between patients and could provide opportunities for intervention to change risk perception and improve outcomes.
Regulation of DNA-dependent Protein Kinase Activity by Ionizing Radiation-activated Abl Kinase Is an ATM-dependent Process*

Ionizing radiation (IR) treatment results in activation of the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl because of phosphorylation by ATM. In vitro evidence indicates that DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) can also phosphorylate and thus potentially activate Abl kinase activity in response to IR exposure. To unravel the role of ATM and DNA-PK in the activation of Abl, we assayed Abl, ATM, and DNA-PK activity in ATM- and DNA-PKcs-deficient cells after irradiation. Our results show that despite the presence of higher than normal levels of DNA-PK kinase activity, c-Abl fails to become activated after IR exposure in ATM-deficient cells. Conversely, normal activation of both ATM and c-Abl occurs in DNA-PKcs-deficient cells, indicating that ATM but not DNA-PK is required for activation of Abl in response to IR treatment. Moreover, activation of Abl kinase activity by IR correlates well with activation of ATM activity in all phases of the cell cycle. These results indicate that ATM is primarily responsible for activation of Abl in response to IR exposure in a cell cycle-independent fashion. Examination of DNA-PK activity in response to IR treatment in Abl-deficient cells expressing mutant forms of Abl or in normal cells exposed to an inhibitor of Abl suggests an in vivo role for Abl in the down-regulation of DNA-PK activity. Collectively, these results suggest a convergence of the ATM and DNA-PK pathways in the cellular response to IR through c-Abl kinase.
Peer Effects in European Primary Schools: Evidence from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study

We estimate peer effects for fourth graders in six European countries. The identification relies on variation across classes within schools, which we argue are formed roughly randomly. The estimates are much reduced within schools compared to the standard ordinary least squares (OLS) results. This could be explained either by selection into schools or by measurement error in the peer variable. Correcting for measurement error, we find within‐school estimates close to the original OLS estimates. Our results suggest that the peer effect is modestly large, measurement error is important in our survey data, and selection plays little role in biasing peer effects estimates.
The four stages of on-site behavior for a long-stay relaxation holiday

Previous studies largely treat the on-site travel experience as a single stage of homogenous tourist behavior, despite widespread recognition that tourist behavior is complex and consists of temporal decision processes. In particular, little attention has been given to what changes during the course of the long-stay holiday. The purpose of this exploratory study is to understand changes in tourist behavior, if any, from point of arrival through to the end of a long-stay relaxation holiday. In-depth interviews were conducted with mature-aged international travelers from the United States, Europe, and Australia visiting Phuket, Thailand. The findings illustrate changes that can be characterized, into four distinct stages of on-site behavior, through key activities, uncertainty levels, intercultural interactions, information needs, and sources of information. Important implications for destination marketing organizations are suggested which require innovative strategies to match the changing needs and activities of long-stay tourists at various stages of the holiday.