Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Strategic Challenges in Practicing Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Strategic Challenges in Practicing Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Tissue engineering and regeneration (TER) is an ambitious goal with unprecedented potential as well as technical and non-technical challenges. Dedicated research in the field has led to the design and development of some promising biomaterial scaffolds that offer for the first time the feasibility and flexibility for engineering viable tissues. In general technologies applicable for therapeutic tissue engineering and regeneration fall in two categories; the cell-inclusive and cell-free. However, owing to the associated practical challenges such intricate, technology-intensive therapies are accessible to only few privileged aspirants. Here we discuss some of the concerns that are neither technical nor non-technical in absolute terms but call for attention to harp on the great benefits of TER therapies for the society at large.
Concomitant Sympathetically Mediated Pain and Myofascial Trigger Point Pain

It is not sufficiently well recognised that the reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS) and the myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) may develop concomitantly. This happens because they have similar aetiological factors, with trauma being by far the commonest. Everyone is liable to develop nociceptor pain as a result of trauma-induced activation and sensitisation of C afferent skin and Group IV muscle nociceptors; also A-β mediated pain as a result of the sensory afferent barrage produced by these nociceptors giving rise to sensitisation of dorsal horn transmission neurones. With most people these neural changes lead only to the development of MPS. In a minority of people, possibly those with a genetically determined predisposition, this sensory afferent barrage also causes changes to take place in the sympathetic nervous system, with the development of a characteristic burning type of sympathetically mediated pain. This may develop alone or in association with myofascial trigger point pain. There is much controversy concerning the mechanisms for development of RSDS pain. One theory is that the pain develops as a result of the nociceptor-induced sensory afferent barrage setting up aberrant sympathetic efferent activity. This results in the release of noradrenaline which binds to α-1 adrenoreceptors in the walls of the nociceptors, exciting them further. Much research, however, still has to be done before the development of sympathetically maintained pain can be adequately explained. It is stressed that for the successful treatment of RSDS early diagnosis is essential. Treatment involves sympathetic blockade either by the injection of local anaesthetic into a sympathetic ganglion, or by the regional infusion of a catecholamine depleting drug. Sympathetically maintained pain is morphine resistant and is therefore unlikely to be relieved by acupuncture, the analgesic effect of which is mediated by opioid peptides. The main place for acupuncture is in the treatment of concomitant myofascial trigger point pain. It is emphasised that in all cases of RSDS it is essential to search for myofascial trigger points and, when present, to deactivate these by means of acupuncture stimulation of A-δ nerve fibres present in the skin and subcutaneous tissues at the trigger point sites.
Is ethnic density associated with risk of child pedestrian injury? A comparison of inter-census changes in ethnic populations and injury rates

Objectives. Research on inequalities in child pedestrian injury risk has identified some puzzling trends: although, in general, living in more affluent areas protects children from injury, this is not true for those in some minority ethnic groups. This study aimed to identify whether ‘group density’ effects are associated with injury risk, and whether taking these into account alters the relationship between area deprivation and injury risk. ‘Group density’ effects exist when ethnic minorities living in an area with a higher proportion of people from a similar ethnic group enjoy better health than those who live in areas with a lower proportion, even though areas with dense minority ethnic populations can be relatively more materially disadvantaged. Design. This study utilised variation in minority ethnic densities in London between two census periods to identify any associations between group density and injury risk. Using police data on road traffic injury and population census data from 2001 to 2011, the numbers of ‘White,’ ‘Asian’ and ‘Black’ child pedestrian injuries in an area were modelled as a function of the percentage of the population in that area that are ‘White,’ ‘Asian’ and ‘Black,’ controlling for socio-economic disadvantage and characteristics of the road environment. Results. There was strong evidence (p < 0.001) of a negative association between ‘Black’ population density and ‘Black’ child pedestrian injury risk [incidence (of injury) rate ratios (IRR) 0.575, 95% CI 0.515–0.642]. There was weak evidence (p = 0.083) of a negative association between ‘Asian’ density and ‘Asian’ child pedestrian injury risk (IRR 0.901, 95% CI 0.801–1.014) and no evidence (p = 0.412) of an association between ‘White’ density and ‘White’ child pedestrian injury risk (IRR 1.075, 95% CI 0.904–1.279). When group density effects are taken into account, area deprivation is associated with injury risk of all ethnic groups. Conclusions. Group density appears to protect ‘Black’ children living in London against pedestrian injury risk. These findings suggest that future research should focus on structural properties of societies to explain the relationships between minority ethnicity and risk.
HOST‐PATHOGEN INTERACTIONS IN NATURAL POPULATIONS OF LINUM MARGINALE AND MELAMPSORA LINI: II. LOCAL AND REGIONAL VARIATION IN PATTERNS OF RESISTANCE AND RACIAL STRUCTURE

Spatial variation in the resistance structure of Linum marginale (wild flax) populations to the rust fungus Melampsora lini, and in the racial structure of this pathogen, was investigated by sampling 10 populations distributed throughout the Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales, Australia. Considerable differences were found among populations in the structure of both host and pathogen. Host populations were divided into three broad categories: (1) populations susceptible to all testing races; (2) populations containing a strictly limited number of resistant phenotypes; and (3) populations with a considerable diversity of resistant phenotypes. The pathogen populations also showed a range of diversity. The major differences between these populations were determined by the occurrence and frequency of four common races of pathogen (races A, E, K, and N). These differences were apparent both at a regional spatial scale (over the 100 km separation of the most distant populations) and at a local scale where major differences were detected between two populations only 300 m apart. The distribution of the four common races of M. lini was consistent with the hypothesis that a fitness cost was associated with unnecessary virulence. In general, however, differences in the structure of pathogen populations from genetically very similar host populations implied that, in addition to host resistance genes, other evolutionary forces are also important in determining the genetic structure of individual pathogen populations.
GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION AND HETEROZYGOSITY IN PINYON PINE ASSOCIATED WITH RESISTANCE TO HERBIVORY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS

Arizona's Sunset Crater began erupting in 1064 AD and for the next 200 years buried over 2,000 km2 in ash, cinders, and lava. Soil analyses indicate that pinyon pines (Pinus edulis) currently colonizing the cinder fields are faced with a highly stressful environment. Many of these pinyons suffer chronic, intense insect herbivory that reduces plant growth and eliminates female cone production. In contrast, herbivory among pinyons growing in neighboring sandy‐loam soils is minimal. Furthermore, numerous trees within the heavily infested cinder field population suffer relatively low herbivory and maintain normal growth and reproduction. We used four polymorphic enzymes to examine the relationship between herbivore attack, environmental stress and genotypes of the adjacent cinder field, and sandy‐loam soil pinyon populations. Our results demonstrate that 1) resistant trees display significant genetic differences and are more heterozygous for two enzymes associated with herbivory than susceptible trees; and 2) the cinder‐soil pinyons exhibit significant genetic differences and are more heterozygous for an enzyme associated with environmental stress than the neighboring sandy‐loam soil pinyons. We conclude that heterozygosity of specific or closely linked loci may facilitate pinyon resistance to herbivory and environmental stress, and that strong selection across narrow geographic boundaries resulted in rapid genetic differentiation of pinyon populations.
Self-reported sleep complaints are associated with adverse health outcomes: cross-sectional analysis of the 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported sleep complaints in New Zealand adults and determine the independent association of sleep complaints with adverse health outcomes. Design: We used 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey data (n = 12,500 adults, ≥15 years). The prevalence of self-reported sleep complaints was estimated by ethnicity. The relationship between sleep complaints and mental health, physical health and health risk behaviors were investigated using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The prevalence of each sleep complaint measure was highest for the indigenous Māori population (23.6% reported ‘any’ sleep complaint; 10.3% reported multiple sleep complaints). Reporting ‘any’ sleep complaint was associated with higher odds of poorer mental health, diagnosed high blood pressure, diagnosed diabetes, diagnosed heart disease, poor/fair self-rated health, obesity, current smoking, and hazardous drinking. Conclusion: The higher prevalence of sleep complaints among Māori and the consistent association with poor health suggests a potential role for suboptimal sleep in ethnic health inequities.
VOCAL DIALECTS AND THE STRUCTURE OF GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN MORPHOLOGICAL AND ALLOZYMIC CHARACTERS IN THE RUFOUS‐COLLARED SPARROW, ZONOTRICHIA CAPENSIS

The geographical patterns of variation shown at 20 allozyme and non‐enzymatic protein‐coding loci, in 8 external, and in 12 skeletal morphological characters in the rufous‐collared sparrow, Zonotrichia capensis, were analyzed in order to test the local (genetic) adaptation hypothesis regarding the origin and maintenance of vocal dialects in birds. Approximately 20 males were collected from each of four sites within each of six different dialect zones. There was significant variability in both external and skeletal morphology among all 24 sites and among dialect groups. Average Wright's corrected fixation coefficient (FST) was 0.118, indicating significant genetic differentiation among all sites, regardless of dialect. Hierarchical F statistics indicated that only 50% of among site variability was due to a dialect effect. Puna dialect sites were highly differentiated from all other sites with respect to both morphology (external and skeletal measures) and allozyme frequencies. Heterogeneity at the PGM‐1 locus among puna scrub sites was the major cause of the high average FST across all sites, and within the puna scrub dialect. Average genetic differentiation among non‐puna sites (FST = 0.018) was similar to differentiation among sites within each of the five non‐puna dialect groups (mean FST = 0.0132 ± 0.0069). Hierarchical F statistics indicated that none of the among‐site differentiation in this subset of samples was due to a dialect effect. These observations are not consistent with the local adaptation hypothesis. All significant genetic heterogeneity occurred among sites in mountainous habitats, and we suggest that topography and patchiness of habitat may have been major factors involved in population differentiation, rather than vocal dialects.
ON THE SPREAD OF NEW GENE COMBINATIONS IN THE THIRD PHASE OF WRIGHT'S SHIFTING‐BALANCE

Crow et al. (1990) recently presented one ofthe first explicit analyses of the third phase of Wright's (1931) "shifting-balance" theory of evolution: that is, of the spread of a new adaptive peak through a population. Their simulations were surprisingly favorable to the shifting-balance: very low levels of migration can ensure the spread of a new, favorable combination of genes, even when that set is continually broken up by recombination. In this note, I will set out a somewhat different interpretation, supported by a simple analytic model, and further simulations. I will argue that the new combination of genes succeeds because gene flow overwhelms selection, rather than because selection overcomes recombination. Because the argument is over the biological interpretation, rather than the mathematics, it may be helpful to begin with a briefsummary of the issues involved in Wright's theory.
HYBRIDOGENESIS AND ANDROGENESIS IN THE STICK‐INSECT BACILLUS ROSSIUS‐GRANDII BENAZZII (INSECTA, PHASMATODEA)

In northwestern Sicily interspecific hybrid females between Bacillus rossius and B. grandii benazzii (Insecta, Phasmatodea) are sympatric with facultatively parthenogenetic demes of the former and bisexual populations of the latter. Preliminary observations suggested that hybrid females are maintained by hybridogenetic reproduction, not by current F1 hybrid production nor through parthenogenesis. Being hybridogens, a complex of hemiclonal lineages, we informally refer to them as B. rossius‐grandii benazzii, according to Schultz's proposal. In this study B. rossius‐g. benazzii females were crossed with males of B. g. benazzii, B. g. grandii, B. g. maretimi, and B. rossius. Allozyme analysis of the progeny showed that the great majority of them were actually produced by hybridogenesis with a hemiclonal inheritance of the maternal B. rossius genotype (Brm) and actual syngamy with a sperm from the fathering male, so that Brm‐gbp, Brm‐ggp, Brm‐gmp, and Brm‐rp offspring were obtained in the respective crosses. All‐paternal progeny (androgenetics) were also produced (Bgbpgbp, Bgmpgmp, Brprp) and two gynogenetic descendants were observed. Cytological investigations on virgin eggs that failed to hatch revealed in most of them a haploid‐diploid blocked blastoderm; this rudimentary parthenogenesis appears to be an important prerequisite for further evolution of this hybridogen. Reproductive modes of descendants were also analyzed; although Brm‐gp hybrids are still able to reproduce by hybridogenesis, a progressive disruption of the hybridogenetic‐androgenetic system takes place in synthetic B. rossius (Brm‐rp, Brprp) and abundant thelytokous parthenogenetic offspring are obtained from females of androgenetic origin. The evolutionary role of these hybridogens appears to be linked to their shift towards parthenogenesis; this has apparently occurred in the southeastern Sicilian hybrid B. whitei (=B. rossius/g. grandii), which exhibits both hybridogenesis and parthenogenesis.
Formoterol or salmeterol for asthma--should they be used as monotherapy?

People with asthma are generally advised to take inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) to combat the underlying inflammation in their lungs, with additional medication if it is still not controlled. Inhaled beta-2 agonists (such as salbutamol) can relieve the wheezing and breathlessness by relaxing the airway muscles, and be used as intermittent first-step treatment for children with asthma. Patients who require further treatment can add ICS. Adding a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA), such as formoterol or salmeterol, to an ICS is the current recommended step for people whose asthma is not controlled with regular ICS alone. What should we do in practice?
The Effect of Glucose Variability on the Risk of Microvascular Complications in Type 1 Diabetes

In response to the recent article by Kilpatrick et al. (1) and the accompanying editorial (2), a number of letters to the editor have been published in Diabetes Care . Given the relevance of the topic, this is not surprising and actually is a good opportunity for additional comments to the article. Monnier et al. (3), the Diabetes Research in Children Network (DirecNet) Study Group (4), and Irsch and Brownlee (5) all correctly point out that the seven-point blood glucose profile from which the calculations of Kilpatrick et al. (1) are based may not accurately reflect glucose variability. Therefore, they claim that the conclusion of Kilpatrick et al. (1) that glucose variability is not a risk factor for long-term …
Efficacy of Preventive Endoscopic Balloon Dilation for Esophageal Stricture After Endoscopic Resection

Background and Aim We earlier reported that mucosal defect involving over three-fourths of the circumference of the esophagus after endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is a risk factor for the development of the stricture. Although endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) is a useful procedure to relieve the stricture, there is no standard strategy for preventing development of the stricture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of preventive EBD. Methods From 1993 to 2008, 41 consecutive patients with extensive mucosal defect involving over three-fourths of the esophageal circumference after EMR or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) were investigated. Preventive EBD was carried out for 29 cases within 1 week just after EMR/ESD and was repeated once a week until the mucosal defect was completely healed. The remaining 12 cases were not underwent preventive EBD and used as a historic control. If postEMR/ESD stricture developed regardless of preventive EBD, conventional EBD was given repeatedly until the stricture was completely relieved. Results Preventive EBD decreased the incidence of stricture (59% vs. 92%, P =0.04), reduced the severity of stricture [(⩽2 mm; >2 mm and ⩽5 mm; >5 mm)=(1; 2; 14) vs. (4; 4; 3), P = 0.01] and shortened the duration required for resolving the stricture (29 d vs. 78 d, P =0.04) even when stricture developed. There was no complication associated with preventive EBD procedure. Conclusions Preventive EBD is an effective procedure to prevent postEMR/ESD stricture. Preventive EBD should be considered when EMR/ESD results in a mucosal defect with a circumference greater than three-fourths of the esophageal lumen.
SYNERGISTIC SELECTION OF UNPALATABILITY IN PLANTS

Recently, Guilford and Cuthill (1991) and Rosenberg (1991) discussed the relative role of individual benefits (experienced by an individual prey itself), kin benefits (experienced by the relatives ofthe individual) and synergistic benefits (experienced by individuals sharing the same phenotype) in the evolution of unpalatability and warning coloration in marine gastropods. Guilford and Cuthill (1991) concluded that synergisticbenefits are likelyto be involved in the evolution of warning coloration but not in the evolution of unpalatability. The latter should primarily evolve by individual benefits and presumably also by kin benefits. The prevalence of a given type of benefit essentially depends on the spatial distribution of prey and the search pattern of predators (Rosenberg, 1991). Guilford and Cuthill's (1991) conclusion primarily rests on the assumption that "synergistic selection cannot be involved in the evolution of unpalatability" because "the defense as such does not provide predators with a signal over which to generalize. " In this note, we question whether we can generalize this scenario to plant-herbivore interactions and in particular the evolution of plant unpalatability. Because herbivores can sample some parts of a plant, there remains a possibility that plant defenses, as such, may suffice to provide for herbivores a signal of "plant quality" (e.g., Levin, 1973; Rhoades, 1979; Bryant et aI., 1991). Such defenses would imply individual benefits for the sampled plant itself but may also have fitness consequences for neighboring plants-a necessary precondition for synergistic selection. We make an attempt to analyze some evolutionary consequences of the indirect effects of plant unpalatability using a simple game theoretical model (e.g., Grafen, 1979; Maynard Smith, 1982a; Augner et aI., 1991) in which interactions between plants are mediated by herbivory (Fig. I), and discuss this approach in relation to optimal defense theory. In general, synergistic selection can be interpreted as a non-additive component of phenotypic selection in structured populations (for discussion, see Matessi and Jayakar, 1976; Maynard Smith, 1982b, 1983, 1989; Queller, 1984, 1985, 1992; Grafen, 1985; Nee, 1989; Breden, 1990).
Sperm use economy of honeybee (Apis mellifera) queens

Abstract The queens of eusocial ants, bees, and wasps only mate during a very brief period early in life to acquire and store a lifetime supply of sperm. As sperm cannot be replenished, queens have to be highly economic when using stored sperm to fertilize eggs, especially in species with large and long‐lived colonies. However, queen fertility has not been studied in detail, so that we have little understanding of how economic sperm use is in different species, and whether queens are able to influence their sperm use. This is surprising given that sperm use is a key factor of eusocial life, as it determines the fecundity and longevity of queens and therefore colony fitness. We quantified the number of sperm that honeybee (Apis mellifera) queens use to fertilize eggs. We examined sperm use in naturally mated queens of different ages and in queens artificially inseminated with different volumes of semen. We found that queens are remarkably efficient and only use a median of 2 sperm per egg fertilization, with decreasing sperm use in older queens. The number of sperm in storage was always a significant predictor for the number of sperm used per fertilization, indicating that queens use a constant ratio of spermathecal fluid relative to total spermathecal volume of 2.364 × 10−6 to fertilize eggs. This allowed us to calculate a lifetime fecundity for honeybee queens of around 1,500,000 fertilized eggs. Our data provide the first empirical evidence that honeybee queens do not manipulate sperm use, and fertilization failures in worker‐destined eggs are therefore honest signals that workers can use to time queen replacement, which is crucial for colony performance and fitness.
Paediatric low-vision assessment and management in a specialist clinic in the UK

This article presents a survey of the demographical, educational and visual functional characteristics of children attending a specialist paediatric low-vision assessment clinic at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. Comprehensive data were collected retrospectively from children attending the paediatric lowvision clinic between January 2003 and August 2004 (n = 64). Data collected included clinical and demographic details and educational status. Use was made of a pre-clinic questionnaire to ascertain information regarding schooling and level of support, and child, parental or specialist teacher concerns. Visual functions assessed included distance logMAR acuity, near acuity, contrast sensitivity, colour vision and when feasible, visual fields. Following refraction, children were evaluated for spectacles and low-vision aids. A key finding to emerge from this study is that children attending the clinic present with a range of visual disorders and levels of visual function. The most common cause of visual impairment was albinism (20%) followed by rod cone dystrophy (10%). It is concluded that a comprehensive assessment of visual function should, when reported to other professionals, permit more relevant adaptations to be incorporated into the educational strategies adopted for the child.