Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alcohol consumption and risk of stroke: a meta-analysis.

CONTEXT Observational studies suggest that heavy alcohol consumption may increase the risk of stroke while moderate consumption may decrease the risk. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between alcohol consumption and relative risk of stroke. DATA SOURCES Studies published in English-language journals were retrieved by searching MEDLINE (1966-April 2002) using Medical Subject Headings alcohol drinking, ethanol, cerebrovascular accident, cerebrovascular disorders, and intracranial embolism and thrombosis and the key word stroke; Dissertation Abstracts Online using the keywords stroke and alcohol; and bibliographies of retrieved articles. STUDY SELECTION From 122 relevant retrieved reports, 35 observational studies (cohort or case control) in which total stroke, ischemic stroke, or hemorrhagic (intracerebral or total) stroke was an end point; the relative risk or relative odds and their variance (or data to calculate them) of stroke associated with alcohol consumption were reported; alcohol consumption was quantified; and abstainers served as the reference group. DATA EXTRACTION Information on study design, participant characteristics, level of alcohol consumption, stroke outcome, control for potential confounding factors, and risk estimates was abstracted independently by 3 investigators using a standardized protocol. DATA SYNTHESIS A random-effects model and meta-regression analysis were used to pool data from individual studies. Compared with abstainers, consumption of more than 60 g of alcohol per day was associated with an increased relative risk of total stroke, 1.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39-1.93); ischemic stroke, 1.69 (95% CI, 1.34-2.15); and hemorrhagic stroke, 2.18 (95% CI, 1.48-3.20), while consumption of less than 12 g/d was associated with a reduced relative risk of total stroke, 0.83 (95%, CI, 0.75-0.91) and ischemic stroke, 0.80 (95% CI, 0.67-0.96), and consumption of 12 to 24 g/d was associated with a reduced relative risk of ischemic stroke, 0.72 (95%, CI, 0.57-0.91). The meta-regression analysis revealed a significant nonlinear relationship between alcohol consumption and total and ischemic stroke and a linear relationship between alcohol consumption and hemorrhagic stroke. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that heavy alcohol consumption increases the relative risk of stroke while light or moderate alcohol consumption may be protective against total and ischemic stroke.
Rho-Associated Coiled-Coil-Containing Kinase 2 Deficiency in Bone Marrow–Derived Cells Leads to Increased Cholesterol Efflux and Decreased Atherosclerosis

Background— Macrophages play a central role in the development of atherosclerosis. However, the signaling pathways that regulate their function are not well understood. The Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing kinases (ROCK1 and ROCK2) are serine-threonine protein kinases that are involved in the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Recent studies suggest that ROCK1 in macrophages and bone marrow–derived cells mediates atherogenesis. However, a similar role for ROCK2 in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis has not been determined. Methods and Results— The bone marrows from wild-type, ROCK2+/−, and ROCK2−/− mice were transplanted into irradiated recipient low-density lipoprotein receptor−/− mice, and atherosclerosis was induced with a 16-week high-cholesterol diet. Compared with wild-type bone marrow–transplanted mice, ROCK2+/− bone marrow–transplanted and ROCK2−/− bone marrow–transplanted mice showed substantially less lipid accumulation in the aorta (8.46±1.42% and 9.80±2.34% versus 15.64±1.89%; P<0.01 for both) and decreased atherosclerotic lesions in the subaortic sinus (158.1±44.4 and 330.1±109.5×103&mgr;m2 versus 520.2±125.7×103&mgr;m2; P<0.01 for both). These findings correlated with decreased foam cell formation (2.27±0.57 versus 4.10±0.3; P<0.01) and increased cholesterol efflux (17.65±0.6 versus 9.75±0.8; P<0.05) in ROCK2-deficient mice that are mediated, in part, through the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-&ggr;/liver X receptor/ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 pathway in macrophages. Conclusions— ROCK2 contributes to atherosclerosis, in part, by inhibiting peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-&ggr;–mediated reverse cholesterol transport in macrophages, which contributes to foam cell formation. These findings suggest that inhibition of ROCK2 in macrophages may have therapeutic benefits in preventing the development of atherosclerosis.
Optimal advertising decisions for promoting retail and online channels in a dynamic framework

Advertising plays an important role in sales promotion in supply chains. In this paper, advertising decisions for retail and online channels respectively, by retailer and manufacturer will be analyzed. The competition between retailer and manufacturer will be modeled by differential game theory, and feedback Nash equilibrium of the game will be obtained. Some insights are provided by using comparative statics. The obtained results show that compatibility factor of a product with online marketing, difference between manufacturer's online price and wholesale price, effectiveness of advertising, marginal profits, and cost of advertising all have significant effects on the advertising decisions in the equilibrium.
Chicken GAaTGfYICM NKKGKLIgKS NGKGKDCVFT EIVLENNYTA LQNAKYEGWY Mouse GAeTGlYICM NKKGKLIaKS NGKGKDCVFT EIVLENNYTA LQNAKYEGWY 151 200 Chicken MAFTRKGRPR KGSKTRQHQR EVHFMKRLPk GHqTTEphrR FEFLNYPfnr Mouse MAFTRKGRPR KGSKTRQHQR EVHFMKRLPr GHhTTEqslR FEFLNYPpft

Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) are signaling molecules that are important in patterning and growth control during vertebrate limb development. Beads soaked in FGF-1, FGF-2 and FGF-4 are able to induce additional limbs when applied to the flank of young chick embryos (Cohn, M.J., Izpisua-Belmonte, J-C., Abud, H., Heath, J. K., Tickle, C. (1995) Cell 80, 739-746). However, biochemical and expression studies suggest that none of these FGFs is the endogenous signal that initiates limb development. During chick limb development, Fgf-8 transcripts are detected in the intermediate mesoderm and subsequently in the prelimb field ectoderm prior to the formation of the apical ectodermal ridge, structures required for limb initiation and outgrowth, respectively. Later on, Fgf-8 expression is restricted to the ridge cells and expression disappears when the ridge regresses. Application of FGF-8 protein to the flank induces the development of additional limbs. Moreover, we show that FGF-8 can replace the apical ectodermal ridge to maintain Shh expression and outgrowth and patterning of the developing chick limb. Furthermore, continuous and widespread misexpression of FGF-8 causes limb truncations and skeletal alterations with phocomelic or achondroplasia phenotype. Thus, FGF-8 appears to be a key signal involved in initiation, outgrowth and patterning of the developing vertebrate limb.
DNA vaccines: an historical perspective and view to the future

Summary: This review provides a detailed look at the attributes and immunologic mechanisms of plasmid DNA vaccines and their utility as laboratory tools as well as potential human vaccines. The immunogenicity and efficacy of DNA vaccines in a variety of preclinical models is used to illustrate how they differ from traditional vaccines in novel ways due to the in situ antigen production and the ease with which they are constructed. The ability to make new DNA vaccines without needing to handle a virulent pathogen or to adapt the pathogen for manufacturing purposes demonstrates the potential value of this vaccine technology for use against emerging and epidemic pathogens. Similarly, personalized anti‐tumor DNA vaccines can also readily be made from a biopsy. Because DNA vaccines bias the T‐helper (Th) cell response to a Th1 phenotype, DNA vaccines are also under development for vaccines against allergy and autoimmune diseases. The licensure of four animal health products, including two prophylactic vaccines against infectious diseases, one immunotherapy for cancer, and one gene therapy delivery of a hormone for a food animal, provides evidence of the efficacy of DNA vaccines in multiple species including horses and pigs. The size of these target animals provides evidence that the somewhat disappointing immunogenicity of DNA vaccines in a number of human clinical trials is not due simply to the larger mass of humans compared with most laboratory animals. The insights gained from the mechanisms of protection in the animal vaccines, the advances in the delivery and expression technologies for increasing the potency of DNA vaccines, and encouragingly potent human immune responses in certain clinical trials, provide insights for future efforts to develop DNA vaccines into a broadly useful vaccine and immunotherapy platform with applications for human and animal health.
Arabidopsis Relatives of the Human Lysine-Specific Demethylase1 Repress the Expression of FWA and FLOWERING LOCUS C and Thus Promote the Floral Transition[W]

The timing of the developmental transition to flowering is critical to reproductive success in plants. Here, we show that Arabidopsis thaliana homologs of human Lysine-Specific Demethylase1 (LSD1; a histone H3-Lys 4 demethylase) reduce the levels of histone H3-Lys 4 methylation in chromatin of the floral repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) and the sporophytically silenced floral repressor FWA. Two of the homologs, LSD1-LIKE1 (LDL1) and LSD1-LIKE2 (LDL2), act in partial redundancy with FLOWERING LOCUS D (FLD; an additional homolog of LSD1) to repress FLC expression. However, LDL1 and LDL2 appear to act independently of FLD in the silencing of FWA, indicating that there is target gene specialization within this histone demethylase family. Loss of function of LDL1 and LDL2 affects DNA methylation on FWA, whereas FLC repression does not appear to involve DNA methylation; thus, members of the LDL family can participate in a range of silencing mechanisms.
EXPRESION DE CITOQUERATINAS EN EL EPITELIO ORAL DE LA MUCOSA GINGIVAL HUMANA Y DE RATON

RESUMEN: Utilizando la tecnica de inmunoperoxidasa y un panel de anticuerpos monoclonales, se realizo un estudio para caracterizar la expresion de citoqueratinas (CK) constituyentes de los filamentos intermedios, en el epitelio de la mucosa gingival humana y de raton. El epitelio que reviste la encia humana varia de ortoqueratinizado a paraqueratinizado y no cornificado, predominando el paraqueratinizado. Este epitelio se caracteriza por un estrato corneo con nucleos picnoticos y un estrato granuloso pobremente definido. La expresion de citoqueratinas es ligeramente diferente del ortoqueratinizado. El epitelio gingival ortoqueratinizado se caracteriza por la presencia de CK 1 - 10, queratinas especificas de la diferenciacion tipo epidermis. En cambio el epitelio gingival no queratinizado se diferencia del queratinizado porque todas sus celulas suprabasales contienen las CK tipo esofago 13 y 14, pero no las de tipo epidermis. Todas las capas celulares de estos epitelios reaccionan negativamente con los anticuerpos anti CK 18 y 19. El epitelio gingival de raton es principalmente ortoqueratinizado y muestra un patron de expresion de citoqueratinas similar a este tipo de epitelios. Existen diferencias notorias en la expresion de citoqueratinas en el epitelio gingival, que estan relacionadas con el grado de queratinizacion que puede ser comprobado histologicamente. Las citoqueratinas siguen siendo los mejores marcadores de la diferenciacion epitelial en la cavidad oral.
Effects of Junlon and Hostacerin on the Electrokinetic Properties of Spores of Aspergillus niger, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Geotrichum candidum

SUMMARY: The electrophoretic behaviour of freshly harvested spores of Aspergillus niger, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Geotrichum candidum was determined in solution at various pH values. Freshly harvested spores of all three species lacked positive mobility at low pH values, suggesting a preponderance of acidic surface groups. Spores of the ‘non-aggregating’ fungus, G. candidum, had a pH-mobility curve (peak of negative mobility between pH 3 and 4) which was quite different to those of spores of the ‘aggregating’ fungi, A. niger and P. chrysosporium. The pH-mobility curve of swollen spores of A. niger which had been incubated in medium differed from that of freshly harvested spores, suggesting that changes in the wall that occur during germination alter the electrophoretic properties of the spores; swollen spores of A. niger, unlike freshly harvested spores, had a negative mobility maximum at pH 5.0. After treatment with Junlon-110 (a polyacrylic acid), spores of all three species had similar pH-mobility curves and all had peaks of negative mobility at pH 4.0. The electrophoretic mobility of spores of P. chrysosporium at pH 6.5 increased linearly with the concentration (0.01-0.4%, w/v) of Junlon used in the pre-treatment; electrophoretic mobility after pre-treatment with 0.005-0.1% (w/v) Hostacerin (sodium polyacrylate) increased only up to 0.01% (w/v) Hostacerin. The results obtained show that Junlon-110 and Hostacerin bind to fungal walls, and it is possible that spore and hyphal aggregation is reduced by these compounds because of repulsion between particles resulting from ionized carboxyl groups on the polymer.
Spatial and temporal patterns of morphogenesis of hippocampal pyramidal cells: Study in the early postnatal rat

Several studies have dealt with the morphogenesis of the rat hippocampal pyramidal cell, but little is known about how the different pyramidal cell shapes of CA fields differentiate from neuroepithelial cells, or about how the field morphological identity emerges. From our studies of pyramidal cell shapes in the CA1, CA3, and CA4 fields of hippocampi at postnatal developmental stages between P0 and P12, using fresh semidissociated slices and acutely dissociated cells, we identified the sequence of cell shape transformation by which they differentiate from simple bipolar to complex shapes characteristic of adult pyramidal cells of CA1 and CA3. Pyramidal cell morphogenesis does not occur synchronously throughout the CA hippocampus fields, but cells in the CA4 field undergo morphological differentiation at earlier stages, prenatally, than CA3 cells, and these in turn earlier than CA1 cells. Thus, during the P1–P6 stages, a gradient of shapes from less to greater differentiation was clearly observed from CA1 to CA4 in a single slice. Furthermore, a mixture of cells at different degrees of differentiation is observed in CA1 from P1 to P10, and in CA3 from P1 to P5. A gradient of shapes from more to less differentiation was observed at stages P5–P6 from septal to temporal. We describe two processes in the pyramidal cell morphogenesis in the CA1 and CA3 fields, the approximation to the soma of the point of bifurcation of the main apical process, and the acquisition of triangular shape of the soma, showing by a quantitative study of both processes that they occur earlier in CA3 than in CA1. Our study, therefore, provides new insight into rat pyramidal cell morphogenesis, and indicates that this process might be differently regulated in the various CA fields. Hippocampus 2001;11:118–131. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An Autocrine/Paracrine Loop Linking Keratin 14 Aggregates to Tumor Necrosis Factor α-mediated Cytotoxicity in a Keratinocyte Model of Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex*

Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) is a blistering cutaneous disease featuring protein aggregates. Here we investigate the molecular mechanisms linking protein aggregates to cell death in a cellular model of EBS in which HaCaT keratinocytes are transfected with plasmids expressing various mutant forms of keratin 14 (K14). In HaCaT cells, mutant K14 was found to form ubiquitinated protein aggregates that suppressed 20 S proteasome function instead of being degraded by 20 S proteasome. Keratinocytes with mutant K14-induced phosphorylation of the stress-activated kinase c-Jun, as well as up-regulation of unfolding protein Bip, indicates induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress. HaCaT cells were susceptible to apoptosis by activation of caspases-3, and -8, but not caspase-9 or -12. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) in the culture medium was increased in keratinocytes with mutant K14 compared with wild K14, and the addition of neutralizing anti-TNFα antibody to the culture medium rescued keratinocytes from cell death. Thus, TNFα release and the subsequent activation of the TNFα receptor by an autocrine/paracrine pathway links protein aggregates to cell death in this keratinocyte EBS cellular model. Furthermore, mutation in K14 reduced its affinity to TNFα receptor-associated death domain (TRADD), suggesting that the susceptibility of keratinocytes to caspase-8-mediated apoptosis is increased in mutated K14 because of impairment of the cytoprotective mechanism mediated by K14-TRADD interaction.
Elderly trauma patients have high circulating noradrenaline levels but attenuated release of adrenaline, platelets, and leukocytes in response to increasing injury severity

Objective:High patient age is a strong predictor of poor outcome in trauma patients. The present study investigated the effect of age on mortality and biomarkers of sympathoadrenal activation, tissue, endothelial, and glycocalyx damage, coagulation activation/inhibition, fibrinolysis, and inflammation in trauma patients at admission. Design:Prospective observational study. Setting:Single level I trauma center. Patients:Eighty adult trauma patients (≥18 yrs) who met criteria for full trauma team activation and had an arterial cannula. Intervention:Blood sampling a median of 68 min (interquartile range 48–88) post injury. Measurements:Data on demography, biochemistry, Injury Severity Score, and 30-day mortality were recorded and plasma/serum was analyzed for biomarkers reflecting sympathoadrenal activation (adrenaline, noradrenaline), tissue/endothelial cell/glycocalyx damage (histone–complexed DNA fragments, annexin V, thrombomodulin, syndecan–1), platelet activation (soluble CD40 ligand), coagulation activation/inhibition (prothrombin fragment 1.2, thrombin/antithrombin complex, antithrombin, protein C, activated protein C, protein S, soluble endothelial protein C receptor, tissue factor pathway inhibitor, von Willebrand factor, fibrinogen, factor XIII), fibrinolysis (D-dimer, tissue-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1), and inflammation (interleukin-6, terminal complement complex). Patients were stratified according to the median age (46 yrs) of the full cohort. Results:Older trauma patients had markedly higher noradrenaline (p < .001) but an attenuated increase in adrenaline with increasing Injury Severity Score and lower platelets and leukocytes (both p < .05) compared to the younger patients. Older patients displayed a biomarker profile suggestive of enhanced release, activation, and consumption of the natural anticoagulants (low antithrombin, high activated protein C, protein S, and tissue factor pathway inhibitor) and hyperfibrinolysis (high tissue-type plasminogen activator) (all p < .05 vs. younger patients). Age was an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio 1.04 [95% confidence interval 1.01–1.07], p = .005) after adjusting for Injury Severity Score, prehospital Glasgow Coma Scale, and plasma catecholamines. Conclusions:In trauma patients, the association between age and mortality was confirmed. Older patients had high plasma noradrenaline but attenuated adrenaline release with higher Injury Severity Score, impaired platelet and leukocyte mobilization, enhanced consumption of anticoagulants, and hyperfibrinolysis, which may all contribute to the poor outcome in these patients.
Experience of Tumescent Liposuction in the Treatment of Osmidrosis

BACKGROUND Tumescent liposuction is a safe procedure for removal of subcutaneous fat tissue. Because apocrine glands are located deep in the fat, surgical removal of these glands by nontumescent liposuction has been utilized for treating osmidrosis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of tumescent liposuction in the treatment of osmidrosis and to compare the efficacy of simple tumescent liposuction and combined tumescent liposuction and curettage. METHODS A total of 20 patients with osmidrosis (all female, age 16–44 years) were included in this study. Ten patients were treated by simple tumescent liposuction, the other 10 patients were treated by tumescent liposuction combined with curettage. The aspirates were sent for pathologic examination. At a follow-up visit, the improvement of symptoms was graded by the patient as satisfied when the odor decreased > 75%, partially satisfied when it decreased ≥50% to ≤75%, and dissatisfied when it decreased <50%. RESULTS Among the 10 patients treated with simple tumescent liposuction, 10% were satisfied, 70% were partially satisfied, and 20% were dissatisfied. Eighty percent of patients treated with a combination of tumescent liposuction and curettage were satisfied, while 20% were partially satisfied. No major complications were noted following the procedure except mild ecchymosis and swelling. CONCLUSION Tumescent liposuction is a simple and safe procedure in the treatment of osmidrosis. Tumescent liposuction combined with curettage is better than simple tumescent liposuction alone. The effect of tumescent liposuction combined with curettage in the treatment of osmidrosis is compatible with traditional surgery or neurosurgery but offers fewer complications.
Principles, requirements and prospects of genetic mapping in plants

Genetic mapping (also known as linkage mapping or meiotic mapping) refers to the determination of the relative position and distances between markers along chromosomes. Genetic map distances between two markers are defined as the mean number of recombination events, involving a given chromatid, in that region per meiosis. Genetic map construction requires that the researcher develop appropriate mapping population, decide the sample size and type of molecular marker(s) for genotyping, genotype the mapping population with sufficient number of markers, and perform linkage analyses using statistical programs. The construction of detailed genetic maps with high levels of genome coverage is a first step for localizing genes or quantitative trait loci (QTL) that are associated with economically important traits, marker assisted selection, comparative mapping between different species, a framework for anchoring physical maps, and the basis for map-based cloning of genes. Highly reproducible, high throughput, codominant, and transferable molecular markers, especially developed from expressed regions, are sought to increase the utility of genetic maps. This article reviews the principles, requirements, and future prospects of genetic mapping in plants.
A Vietoris mapping theorem for homotopy

Let X and Y be compact metric spaces and let a map f: X-* Y be onto. The Vietoris Mapping Theorem as proved by Vietoris [8] states that if for all 0<r<n-1 and all yE Y, Hr(f'(y)) =0 (augmented Vietoris homology mod two) then the induced homomorphism f*: Hr(X) *HIIr(Y) is an isomorphism onto for r_ n -1 and onto for r = n. Begle [1; 2] has generalized this theorem to nonmetric spaces and more general coefficient groups. Simple examples show that an analogous theorem does not hold directly for homotopy. However by imposing strong local connectedness conditions, results can be obtained. That is the idea of this paper. We prove: