Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[The human beta-defensins expression in female genital tract and pregnancy-related tissues].

OBJECTIVE Human beta-defensins (HBDs) are small, cationic endogenous antimicrobial peptides isolated from the hemodialates of patients with chronic renal failure (HBD-1) and Psoriasic skin (HBD-2). They may play an important role in mucosal innate host defense against infections. In this study, we examined their mRNAs expression in normal and pregnant women genital tract. METHODS Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed in the detection of HBD-1 and HBD-2 mRNA expression in the samples from normal and pregnant women genital tract. beta-actin was taken as positive control. RESULTS RT-PCR detection revealed that HBD-1 mRNA expressed in all samples of normal women taken from vagina, cervix, endometrium, fallopian tube, and ovary, and HBD-2 mRNA widely expressed in genital tract except vagina and ovary. In pregnant women, HBD-1 mRNA widely expressed in chorion, villus, placenta, and umbilical cord, but not in amnion, and HBD-2 mRNA were detected in chorion, villus and placenta tissues. CONCLUSION The findings of this study on the wide expression of HBD-1 and HBD-2 in both the normal and the pregnant women genital tract suggest that HBDs may play an important role in human genital tract defense mechanisms.
Maturity of IT-Business alignment - an assessment tool

Enterprise systems hold a large promise for organisations to enhance their strategic position. However, adoption and implementation of enterprise systems is not without problems. Many problems have been reported in the literature with implementation of new technology, many of which seem to recur over and over again. It seems difficult for organisations to learn from previous experience and successfully organise and manage complex dynamic projects like an enterprise system implementation project. Although current project and change management methods offer support in organising and managing complex projects, more is needed to increase insight into the specific situation at hand. In this chapter, research is presented aimed at collecting knowledge on the dynamics of enterprise system implementation projects. The knowledge can serve to increase awareness of potential risks and pitfalls in specific new enterprise system implementation situations. To make the knowledge accessible a tool has been developed for assessing a start-up situation of an enterprise system implementation project in an organisation. The key concept in this assessment is the level of mutual alignment between various organisational aspects of the business in which the system is implemented, the enterprise system, and the implementation project.
Correlations among three measures of puberty in mice and relationships with estradiol concentration and ovulation.

Correlations among ages and weights at vaginal opening (AVO, WVO), positive vaginal smear (AVE, WVE), and copulatory plug (AVP, WVP) were determined using 623 mice. Two additional experiments were conducted to determine association of each with serum concentrations of estradiol and incidence of ovulation. Female mice were weaned at 21 days and 24 days of age were assigned randomly to mate with males. Mice were checked daily to determine AVO, AVE, and AVP. Mice were weighted weekly and WVO, WVE, and WVP were obtained by interpolation. Genetic correlations among ages and weights were small and mainly negative. Phenotypic correlations were small to moderate and mainly positive. Genetic correlations among the three measures of age and among the three measures of weight were moderate to high and positive; respective phenotypic correlations were somewhat smaller. In experiment 2, mice were checked daily for the three reproductive measures and bled at vaginal opening (n = 23), positive smear (n = 18), or copulatory plug (n = 19). Serum was assayed for estradiol via radioimmunoassay. No differences were found among the three indicators (p = 0.34). In experiment 3, mice were randomly assigned to be killed after detection of vaginal opening, positive smear, or copulatory plug. Oviducts were removed and flushed with saline to determine presence of ova. A greater (p < 0.05) proportion of mice had ovulated when killed after detection of copulatory plug (20/22) than after positive smear (4/27), and the proportion was greater after positive smear than after vaginal opening (0/14). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Understanding emergency contraceptive mechanisms of action : Computational molecular modeling of the progesterone receptor against progesterone receptor modulators

More than half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Emergency contraception is a postcoital contraception that allows women the possibility of preventing pregnancy in cases of unanticipated exposure. There are two emergency contraceptive pills: levonorgestrel (LNG) and ulipristal acetate (UPA). UPA is more effective at preventing pregnancy than LNG and works effectively later in the cycle, yet the reason for this difference in efficacy is unknown. As progesterone receptor modulators, these progestins interact with the progesterone receptor (PR) to suppress ovulation and reduce endometrial receptivity. Therefore, my goal was to determine whether the difference in efficacy between these two compounds is related to the differential interactions of these two compounds with the PR. To do so, we used both an examination of X-ray co-crystals of the receptor with the ligands and computational modeling, also known as ligand docking techniques, a fairly new technology that models interactions of small molecules and macromolecular targets via computational methods. The Molecular Operating Environment structure-based-design modeling program simulated the interaction of LNG, UPA and the abortifacient drug mifepristone with the progesterone receptor. It was found that UPA’s displacement of helix 12 on the PR is a potential explanation for UPA’s superior efficacy to LNG in preventing pregnancy, suggesting helix 12 displacement is key to successful PR antagonism. Moreover, a further examination of available crystals of the PR in complex with various agonists and antagonists suggests the need for the determination of the APO structure, or unoccupied structure, of the progesterone receptor in order to facilitate further structure-based studies.
Effect of long-term exposure of 2.4 GHz radiofrequency radiation emitted from Wi-Fi equipment on testes functions

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate long-term effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitted from a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) system on testes. The study was carried out on 16 Wistar Albino adult male rats by dividing them into two groups such as sham (n: 8) and exposure (n: 8). Rats in the exposure group were exposed to 2.4 GHz RFR radiation for 24 h/d during 12 months (1 year). The same procedure was applied to the rats in the sham control group except the Wi-Fi system was turned off. Immediately after the last exposure, rats were sacrificed and reproductive organs were removed. Motility (%), concentration (×106/mL), tail defects (%), head defects (%) and total morphologic defects (%) of sperms and weight of testes (g), left epididymis (g), prostate (g), seminal vesicles (g) were determined. Seminiferous tubules diameter (μm) and tunica albuginea thickness (μm) were also measured. However, the results were evaluated by using Johnsen’s score. Head defects increased in the exposure group (p < 0.05) while weight of the epididymis and seminal vesicles, seminiferous tubules diameter and tunica albuginea thickness were decreased in the exposure group (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, p < 0.0001). However, other alterations of other parameters were not found significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, we observed that long-term exposure of 2.4 GHz RF emitted from Wi-Fi (2420 μW/kg, 1 g average) affects some of the reproductive parameters of male rats. We suggest Wi-Fi users to avoid long-term exposure of RF emissions from Wi-Fi equipment.
Specificity exclusivity and complementarity in the transmission of plant viruses by plant parasitic nematodes : An annotated terminology

Dix-huit especes de nematodes phytoparasites appartenant aux genres Longidorus, Paratongidorus et Xiphinema sont vectrices de douze nepovirus, tandis que treize especes des genres Paratrichodorus et Trichodorus sont vectrices de trois tobravirus. Une caracteristique de ces nematode vecteurs et de leurs associations avec les virus avait ete rapidement reconnue lorsque des nepovirus serologiquement distincts et des souches differentes de virus avaient ete reconnus transmis par des especes de Longidorides differentes, mais proches. Les virus avaient donc ete consideres comme ayant des especes vectrices specifiques, ce qui avait conduit a adopter une terminologie suivant laquelle les chercheurs faisaient reference a la specificite de la transmission des virus par les nematodes vecteurs. En outre, la specificite de la transmission avait ete confirmee par des recherches ulterieures et demontree s'etendre au niveau des populations des especes vectrices et a celui de variants serologiques mineurs des nepovirus. Il a ete egalement demontre que ce phenomene s'applique aux tobravirus et a leurs vecteurs. Sont decrits dans cet article les mecanismes qui pourraient determiner l'association entre les nematodes vecteurs et leurs virus. Sont egalement donnees et expliquees les definitions d'un certain nombre de termes et concepts utilises lors des recherches sur les vections par les nematodes.
Wait‐and‐see policy for the N0 neck in early‐stage oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma using ultrasonography‐guided cytology: Is there a role for identification of the sentinel node?

Management of the N0 neck in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains controversial. We describe the outcome of patients who underwent transoral tumor excision and a wait‐and‐see policy for the neck staged N0 by ultrasonography‐guided cytology (USgFNAC). Because selection of lymph nodes for USgFNAC is currently based on size criteria, we investigated the additional value of sentinel node (SN) identification.
Alcohol Exposure During Adulthood Induces Neuronal and Astroglial Alterations in the Hippocampal CA‐1 Area

Abstract: Ethanol (ETOH) exposure can result in neuronal damage. Astrocytes are morphologic and functionally related to neurons, and astrocyte‐neuron interactions provide strategic sites for the actions of many chemical compounds. The aim of the present work was to study the morphologic alterations of glial cells and neurons on the hippocampus after long‐term ETOH exposure using GFAP and S‐100β protein, neurofilaments of 200 kDa (Nf200), MAP2, and serotonin transporter (5HT‐T) immunocytochemical staining. Adult Wistar male rats (200‐250 g) were orally exposed to ETOH (6.6% v/v ad libitum) for 6 weeks. Control rats received water ad libitum. Brain sections from control and exposed rats were processed by immunocytochemistry. After ETOH exposure we observed in the CA1 area of the hippocampus: (1) an important astroglial reaction evidenced by the presence of GFAP+ reactive astrocytes; (2) an increase in S‐100β immunostaining in astroglial cells; and (3) a decrease in Nf200, 5HT‐T, and MAP2 immunoreactivity. The current study provides evidence that long‐term ETOH exposure induces alterations in the neuronal cytoskeleton and an astroglial reaction, which is a common response to brain injury and may promote functional recovery of the nervous system, as by the release of glial‐derived trophic factors (such as S‐100β) that promote cell survival and neurite growth.
Physiologic evidence of renoprotection by antihypertensive therapy

Purpose of review Hypertension is vastly prevalent worldwide and constitutes the second leading cause of end-stage renal disease. Therefore, treating hypertension and protecting the kidney from deterioration are exceedingly important. Although previous studies have explored the renal effects of various antihypertensive drugs in animal models and humans, recent clinical trials are all the more convincing. This review summarizes the latest data demonstrating the physiologic evidence of renoprotection by antihypertensive therapy. Recent findings Experimental studies in various models of hypertension with renal injury have demonstrated clearly that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers, or aldosterone antagonists promote beneficial renal actions, through hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic mechanisms. Of particular significance, recent clinical trials have demonstrated renoprotection by angiotensin II inhibition in patients with hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade have provided equivalent renal benefits, and their dual action seems to confer greater renoprotection. The available data on the renal outcomes of other antihypertensive drugs such as calcium antagonists have been inconsistent. Summary The results of the numerous experimental and clinical studies have established the renoprotective properties of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone inhibitors, which confer greater benefit by virtue of their effects over and beyond blood pressure reduction. These findings provide the convincing basis for the recommendation of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers, or both as first-line therapy in hypertension with chronic kidney disease.
Wound intensity correction and segmentation with convolutional neural networks

Wound area changes over multiple weeks are highly predictive of the wound healing process. A big data eHealth system would be very helpful in evaluating these changes. We usually analyze images of the wound bed for diagnosing injury. Unfortunately, accurate measurements of wound region changes from images are difficult. Many factors affect the quality of images, such as intensity inhomogeneity and color distortion. To this end, we propose a fast level set model‐based method for intensity inhomogeneity correction and a spectral properties‐based color correction method to overcome these obstacles. State‐of‐the‐art level set methods can segment objects well. However, such methods are time‐consuming and inefficient. In contrast to conventional approaches, the proposed model integrates a new signed energy force function that can detect contours at weak or blurred edges efficiently. It ensures the smoothness of the level set function and reduces the computational complexity of re‐initialization. To increase the speed of the algorithm further, we also include an additive operator‐splitting algorithm in our fast level set model. In addition, we consider using a camera, lighting, and spectral properties to recover the actual color. Numerical synthetic and real‐world images demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method over state‐of‐the‐art methods. Experimental results also show that the proposed model is at least twice as fast as methods used widely. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Does disc space height of fused segment affect adjacent degeneration in ALIF? A finite element study.

AIM The restoration of disc space height of fused segment is essential in anterior lumbar interbody fusion, while the disc space height in many cases decreased postoperatively, which may adversely aggravate the adjacent segmental degeneration. However, no literature available focused on the issue. MATERIAL AND METHODS A normal healthy finite element model of L3-5 and four anterior lumbar interbody fusion models with different disc space height of fused segment were developed. 800 N compressive loading plus 10 Nm moments simulating ﬂexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation were imposed on L3 superior endplate. The intradiscal pressure, the intersegmental rotation, the tresca stress and contact force of facet joints in L3-4 were investigated. RESULTS Anterior lumbar interbody fusion with severely decreased disc space height presented with the highest values of the four parameters, and the normal healthy model presented with the lowest values except, under extension, the contact force of facet joints in normal healthy model is higher than that in normal anterior lumbar interbody fusion model. With disc space height decrease, the values of parameters in each anterior lumbar interbody fusion model increase gradually. CONCLUSION Anterior lumbar interbody fusion with decreased disc space height aggravate the adjacent segmental degeneration more adversely.
CANCER RISKS FROM MEDICAL RADIATION

Abstract— About 15% of the ionizing radiation exposure to the general public comes from artificial sources, and almost all of this exposure is due to medical radiation, largely from diagnostic procedures. Of the approximately 3 mSv annual global per caput effective dose estimated for the year 2000, 2.4 mSv is from natural background and 0.4 mSv from diagnostic medical exams. Diagnostic and therapeutic radiation was used in patients as early as 1896. Since then, continual improvements in diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy as well as the aging of our population have led to greater use of medical radiation. Temporal trends indicate that worldwide population exposure from medical radiation is increasing. In the United States, there has been a steady rise in the use of diagnostic radiologic procedures, especially x rays. Radiotherapy also has increased so that today about 40% of cancer patients receive some treatment with radiation. Epidemiologic data on medically irradiated populations are an important complement to the atomic-bomb survivors’ studies. Significant improvement in cancer treatment over the last few decades has resulted in longer survival and a growing number of radiation-related second cancers. Following high-dose radiotherapy for malignant diseases, elevated risks of a variety of radiation-related second cancers have been observed. Risks have been particularly high following treatment for childhood cancer. Radiation treatment for benign disease was relatively common from the 1940’s to the 1960’s. While these treatments generally were effective, some resulted in enhanced cancer risks. As more was learned about radiation-associated cancer risks and new treatments became available, the use of radiotherapy for benign disease has declined. At moderate doses, such as those used to treat benign diseases, radiation-related cancers occur in or near the radiation field. Cancers of the thyroid, salivary gland, central nervous system, skin, and breast as well as leukemia have been associated with radiotherapy for tinea capitis, enlarged tonsils or thymus gland, other benign conditions of the head and neck, or benign breast diseases. Because doses from diagnostic examinations typically are low, they are difficult to study using epidemiologic methods, unless multiple examinations are performed. An excess risk of breast cancer has been reported among women with tuberculosis who had multiple chest fluoroscopies as well as among scoliosis patients who had frequent diagnostic x rays during late childhood and adolescence. Dental and medical diagnostic x rays performed many years ago, when doses were presumed to be high, also have been linked to increased cancer risks. The carcinogenic effects of diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides are less well characterized. High risks of liver cancer and leukemia have been demonstrated following thorotrast injections, and patients treated with radium appear to have an elevated risk of bone sarcomas and possibly cancers of the breast, liver, kidney, thyroid, and bladder.
9 Enzymology and Regulation of ArfGAPs and ArfGEFs

Arf family GTP-binding proteins, a subfamily of the Ras superfamily, are critical regulators of membrane traffic and actin remodeling (Kahn, 2009; Kahn et al., 2006; Gillingham and Munro, 2007; Donaldson and Jackson, 2011). The Arf family contains six Arf proteins in most mammals (five in humans) that are divided into three classes based on primary sequence and phylogenetic considerations (Kahn et al., 2006). The function of the Arf proteins requires switching between GDP and GTP bound forms. The accessory proteins that mediate the transitions between ArfGDP and ArfGTP function as enzymes and can be studied using the formalisms of enzymology. Like other GTP binding proteins, switching between ArfGDP and ArfGTP is achieved by a controlled cycle of GTP binding and hydrolysis. The two steps are catalyzed by distinct enzymes. The conversion of ArfGDP to ArfGTP is accomplished through nucleotide exchange, with the apo form of Arf as an intermediate. Nucleotide, however, binds tightly to Arf, resulting in very slow intrinsic exchange rates, and the apo form of Arf is unstable. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) are enzymes that accelerate the reaction, by decreasing affinity for nucleotide and stabilizing the apo form of Arf (Casanova, 2007; Gillingham and Munro, 2007; Renault et al., 2003). Arf proteins are unusual among Ras superfamily proteins in having no detectable GTPase activity. Conversion of ArfGTP to ArfGDP is catalyzed by GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs;Gillingham and Munro, 2007; Donaldson and Jackson, 2011; Ha et al., 2008b; Kahn et al., 2008; Randazzo and Hirsch, 2004; Spang et al., 2010). The GEFs and GAPs are both large families of proteins with diverse structural features. The control of binding and hydrolysis of GTP by Arf is thought to be achieved by regulation of the ArfGAPs and ArfGEFs. The study of the ArfGAPs and ArfGEFs as allosterically controlled enzymes is providing valuable information about their regulation and insights into the roles in cell physisology.
Neuropsychological Subgroups in Non-Demented Parkinson's Disease: A Latent Class Analysis.

BACKGROUND Methods to detect early cognitive decline and account for heterogeneity of deficits in Parkinson's disease (PD) are needed. Quantitative methods such as latent class analysis (LCA) offer an objective approach to delineate discrete phenotypes of impairment. OBJECTIVE To identify discrete neurocognitive phenotypes in PD patients without dementia. METHODS LCA was applied to a battery of 8 neuropsychological measures to identify cognitive subtypes in a cohort of 199 non-demented PD patients. Two measures were analyzed from each of four domains: executive functioning, memory, visuospatial abilities, and language. Additional analyses compared groups on clinical characteristics and cognitive diagnosis. RESULTS LCA identified 3 distinct groups of PD patients: an intact cognition group (54.8%), an amnestic group (32.2%), and a mixed impairment group with dysexecutive, visuospatial and lexical retrieval deficits (13.1%). The two impairment groups had significantly lower instrumental activities of daily living ratings and greater motor symptoms than the intact group. Of those diagnosed as cognitively normal according to MDS criteria, LCA classified 23.2% patients as amnestic and 9.9% as mixed cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS Non-demented PD patients exhibit distinct neuropsychological profiles. One-third of patients with LCA-determined impairment were diagnosed as cognitively intact by expert consensus, indicating that classification using a statistical algorithm may improve detection of initial and subtle cognitive decline. This study also demonstrates that memory impairment is common in non-demented PD even when cognitive impairment is not clinically apparent. This study has implications for predicting eventual emergence of significant cognitive decline, and treatment trials for cognitive dysfunction in PD.
Microstrip multiple resonator assisted passive RFID tag for object tracking

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag using microstrip resonator for object tracking is presented in this paper. The passive tag is realized using half wave open circuited Microstrip lines. Effective use of each resonator as 4 bit RFID tag is demonstrated. The resonators are optimized by HFSS and is validated by measurements of the realized prototypes. The tag design is completed with inclusion of an omni-directional antenna as transmitter and receiver along with the resonators. The range of the proposed tag is also measured experimentally in indoor environment.