Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Amelioration of Pancreatic Fibrosis in Mice With Defective TGF-β Signaling

Objectives: Pancreatic fibrosis is a characteristic feature of chronic pancreatic injury, which is a result of the imbalance between synthesis and degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) plays a central role in biosynthesis and turnover of the ECM. In this study, we evaluated the role of TGF-β signaling in pancreatic fibrosis induced by repetitive acute pancreatic injuries with mice of dominant-negative mutant of TGF-β receptor II selectively in pancreas. Methods: TGF-β signaling was inactivated by overexpressing a dominant-negative mutant form of TGF-β type II receptor (pS2-dnR II) only in the pancreas under control of pS2/TFF1 promoter. Pancreatic fibrosis was induced by repeated intraperitoneal injections of 40 μg/kg cerulein for 5 or 10 weeks. Results: Repeated administration of cerulein induced significant pancreatic fibrosis, but of which fibrosis was remarkably attenuated in pS2-dnR II mice compared with wild-type littermates (P < 0.01). The ameliorated fibrosis was due to the reduction of synthesis of ECM proteins such as collagen type I, fibronectin, and ICAM-1. DNA binding activity of transcriptional factors including nuclear factor (NF)-κB and AP-1, responsible for the induction of immediate early genes of inflammatory responses, were significantly decreased in pS2-dnR II mice. While TGF-β1 treatment in isolated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) stimulated the expression of α-SMA and fibronectin, PSCs transfected with TGF-β dnRII showed attenuation of the ECM components. Conclusion: Conditional loss of TGF-β signaling selectively in the pancreas led to a failure in fibrogenic responses of repeated injections of cerulein, signifying that the modulation of TGF-β signaling could be the therapeutic target for the prevention of chronic fibrosing pancreatitis.
Rate of functional decline in Huntington’s disease

Objective: To determine the rate of functional decline in a large cohort of patients with Huntington’s disease (HD) followed at 43 sites by the Huntington Study Group (HSG). Methods: The annual rate of functional decline was measured using the Total Functional Capacity Scale (TFC) and the Independence Scale (IS) in 960 patients with definite HD followed prospectively for a mean of 18.3 months. All patients were rated with the Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS). Sample size calculations for hypothetical clinical trials were calculated. Results: A factor analysis of the UHDRS at baseline yielded 15 factors accounting for 77% of the variance. The TFC score declined at a rate of 0.72 units/year (standard error [SE] 0.04) and the IS score declined at a rate of 4.52 units/year (SE 0.23). Lower TFC score at baseline, indicating more severe impairment, was associated with less rapid annual decline in TFC score, perhaps reflecting the floor effect of the scale. The annual rate of decline for 575 patients with baseline TFC scores of 7 to 13 was 0.97 (SE 0.06), was 0.38 (SE 0.08) for 270 patients with baseline TFC scores of 3 to 6, and was 0.06 (SE 0.1) for 101 patients with TFC scores of 0 to 2. In multivariate analysis (n = 960), longer disease duration and better cognitive status at baseline were associated with a less rapid rate of decline in TFC score, whereas depressive symptomatology was the only factor associated with more rapid decline on the IS score. Age at onset of HD, sex, weight, and education did not affect decline on either score. Conclusions: The comparable rates of decline on the TFC and the IS scores with other published studies suggest that these estimates of functional decline are representative of HD patients who are evaluated at HSG research sites. In longitudinal analysis, longer disease duration and better neuropsychological performance at baseline were associated with a less rapid rate of decline in TFC score, whereas depressive symptomatology at baseline was associated with a more rapid decline in the IS score. These rates of functional decline and the covariates that modify them should be considered in estimating statistical power and designing future therapeutic trials involving HD patients with early or moderately severe disease.
A federal survey deficiency citation is needed for resident-to-resident aggression in U.S. nursing homes

ABSTRACT Resident-to-resident aggression (RRA) in nursing homes is a prevalent and concerning public health problem. A rapid growth in the number of research studies has led to advancements in understanding and awareness of these incidents. However, no state survey deficiency citation (F-Tag) currently exists to capture RRA in a structured way in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) nursing homes F-Tags Coding System. This omission represents a major barrier to State Survey Agencies, CMS, consumers, and care advocacy organizations’ efforts to keep vulnerable and frail residents safe and free from psychological harm. The commentary makes the case for development and implementation of a new RRA-specific F-Tag by identifying 20 problem areas and the ways in which this F-Tag could address them. The new F-Tags Coding System (part of the new Federal Nursing Home regulations) represents a rare and time-sensitive opportunity to bridge this major gap in practice, research, and policy.
Accessible Information for people with complex communication needs

Information can be empowering if it is accessible. While a number of known information access barriers have been reported for the broader group of people with disabilities, specific information issues for people with complex communication needs have not been previously reported. In this consumer-focused study, the accessibility of information design and dissemination practices were discussed by 17 people with complex communication needs; by eight parents, advocates, therapists, and agency representatives in focus groups; and by seven individuals in individual interviews. Participants explored issues and made recommendations for content, including language, visual and audio supports; print accessibility; physical access; and human support for information access. Consumer-generated accessibility guidelines were an outcome of this study.
Selection of an oral prodrug (BRL 42810; famciclovir) for the antiherpesvirus agent BRL 39123 [9-(4-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethylbut-l-yl)guanine; penciclovir]

The limited oral absorption in rodents of the antiherpesvirus agent 9-(4-hydroxy-3-hydroxymethylbut-l-yl)guanine (BRL 39123 [penciclovir; British approved name]) prompted a search for oral prodrugs. The 6-deoxy derivative of penciclovir (BRL 42359) and the corresponding diacetyl and dipropionyl 6-deoxy derivatives (BRL 42810 [famciclovir; British approved name] and BRL 43599) were tested as oral prodrugs. The in vivo absorption (dose, 0.2 mmol/kg) and the conversion to the active compound, penciclovir, were determined in rats. Compared with the sodium salt of penciclovir given intravenously, the bioavailabilities of penciclovir from orally administered penciclovir, BRL 42359, famciclovir, and BRL 43599 were 1.5, 9, 41, and 27%, respectively. These prodrugs and 6-deoxyacyclovir were tested for stability in rat duodenal contents and for metabolism in rat intestinal wall homogenate, liver homogenate, and blood and in the corresponding human fluids and tissues. Famciclovir was much more stable than BRL 43599 in human duodenal contents (half-lives, greater than 2 h and 7 min, respectively) yet was efficiently converted to penciclovir by the tissue homogenates. The major metabolic pathway was by deacetylation followed by oxidation at the 6 position. The rate of oxidation was comparable to that of 6-deoxyacyclovir, which is known to be converted efficiently to acyclovir in humans. Famciclovir was selected for further evaluation and progression to studies in humans. These subsequent studies confirmed that, after oral dosing with famciclovir, more than half the dose was absorbed and rapidly converted to penciclovir.
Epidemiology of Alcohol and Other Drug Use Among Motor Vehicle Crash Victims Admitted to a Trauma Center

The objectives of this research were to (1) determine the incidence and prevalence of alcohol and other drug use among motor vehicle crash (MVC) victims admitted to a regional Level-I trauma center, and (2) to examine the utility of using a rapid point-of-collection (POC) drug-testing device to identify MVC patients with drug involvement. Blood and urine specimens were routinely collected per clinical protocol for each MVC victim at the time of admission. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels were determined per standard clinical protocol. Clinical urine specimens were routinely split so that a POC drug-testing device for the detection of commonly abused drugs (Marijuana, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Methamphetamines, and Opiates) could be compared to that of the standard hospital laboratory analysis of each urine specimen (which also included Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines). In the six-month period of this study, nearly two-thirds of trauma center admissions were victims of motor vehicle crashes. During this time, blood and urine was collected from 322 MVC victims. Toxicology results indicated that 59.3% of MVC victims tested positive for either commonly abused drugs or alcohol. More patients tested positive for drug use than tested positive for alcohol, with 33.5% testing positive for drug use only, 15.8% testing positive for alcohol use only, and 9.9% testing positive for both drugs and alcohol. Less than half (45.2%) of the substance-abusing patients in this study would have been identified by an alcohol test alone. After alcohol, marijuana and benzodiazepines were the most frequently detected drugs. Point of collection (POC) test results correlated well with laboratory results and provide important information to initiate rapid intervention/treatment for substance use problems among injured patients.
Small-diameter nitinol stone baskets: radial dilation force and dynamics of opening.

PURPOSE To evaluate the radial dilation force and basket opening dynamics of three small (<1.5F) stone baskets. MATERIALS AND METHODS Boston Scientific OptiFlex (1.3F), Cook N-Circle Nitinol Tipless Stone Extractor (1.5F), and Sacred Heart Medical Halo (1.5F) baskets were tested for radial dilation force in 10 repetitions using a floating block atop a stationary block secured to a digital scale. The floating block, attached to a plastic frame and base, pressed down on the scale to measure the radial dilation of the open basket while being passed through the cylindrical opening between the blocks. These same baskets were tested in triplicate for basket width in 0.5- to 2-mm length increments using a mechanical caliper under optical light microscope visualization to evaluate the linearity of basket opening and length at which target basket width (5 mm) was reached. RESULTS The Sacred Heart Medical Halo had the best radial dilation (2.97 ± 0.22 g), followed by the Cook N-Circle (1.29 ± 0.04 g), and finally Boston Scientific OptiFlex (1.19 ± 0.12 g). The N-Circle was the only basket to exhibit linear opening, while the Halo exhibited an exponential curve. The OptiFlex exhibited a polynomial curve, with linear opening across the midrange of the basket length. From these curve equations, the target basket width (5 mm) was calculated. The N-Circle and the OptiFlex reached the target basket width at a basket length of 9.4 mm and 9.6 mm, respectively. The Halo reached the target basket width at a basket length of 11.5 mm. CONCLUSIONS The radial dilation force differs significantly among commercial baskets and may affect ureteral stone extraction. Linear basket opening may provide the physician more control in stone retrieval.
Profile of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease: Surgical Candidates Compared to Controls.

BACKGROUND Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) improves motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) and motor complications of dopaminergic treatment. Whether STN-DBS should be considered when PD patients experience neuropsychiatric symptoms is controversial. Lack of systematic behavioral evaluation at baseline hampers the understanding of postoperative neuropsychiatric outcomes. OBJECTIVE This study compares the behavioral profile of a surgical population to that in general PD. METHODS Single center data from 234 PD surgical candidates were compared to data from 260 non-demented PD patients consulting in 13 PD expert centers at different stages of disease. The latter were considered representative of the general PD population. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Ardouin Scale of Behavior in PD, a guided interview quantifying changes in severity of 21 neuropsychiatric symptoms, classified into psychic non-motor fluctuations, hypo- and hyperdopaminergic behaviors. Multivariate analyses were performed to study differences in behavioral items between the two groups. RESULTS Surgical candidates were younger, had longer disease duration and used significantly higher doses of dopaminergic drugs. After adjustment for covariates, dopaminergic addiction (OR 10.83; p = 0.002), nocturnal hyperactivity (OR 1.87; p = 0.04), excessive hobbyism (OR 2.37; p = 0.008), "excess in motivation" (OR 4.02; p < .001), psychic OFF (2.87; p < 0.001) and psychic ON (2.10; p = 0.001) fluctuations were more frequent in the surgical candidates. Depressed mood prevailed in the general PD population (OR 0.53; p = 0.045). CONCLUSION Behavioral complications of dopaminergic treatment are frequent in PD patients candidates for STN-DBS. They cannot be considered as contraindications for STN-DBS but must be taken into account in postoperative management.
A Novel Design Approach for a 60 GHz Circularly Polarized EBG Antenna

This article focuses on the development of a high gain, broadband, circularly polarized Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG) antenna operating at 60 GHz. The designed antenna is configured with a superstrate based on a frequency selective surface (FSS) placed in front of a cross dielectric resonator antenna (XDRA), installed into a ground plane, which acts as an excitation source. A fast Leaky-Wave approach based on transverse equivalent network (TEN) is used to deduce analytical radiation patterns formulas of the proposed antenna. The proposed analytical model was implemented and verified by a comparison with both numerical and experimental results. The reported results showed very satisfactory performances with an achievable impedance bandwidth (S11 < −10 dB) of 11.7% from 56 to 63 GHz, an axial-ratio bandwidth (AR < 3 dB) of 5.4% from 58.9 to 62.1 GHz and a stable gain of 16.7 dBi within the passband. A good agreement among analytical, numerical and measured results is successfully achieved and falls well within initially set specifications.
Metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma presented as a tumor of the maxillary sinus and retrobulbar tumor.

INTRODUCTION Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary malignant tumor of the liver. It is usually seen in the 6th and 7th decades of life and chronic hepatitis B is the most frequent cause. Extrahepatic metastasis of HCC is an indicator of a poor prognosis and the most common sites are lungs, bones, lymph nodes, kidneys and adrenal glands. We reported a case of isolated metastasis in the right maxilla, which had been found initially, before the tumor in the liver was diagnosed. CASE REPORT A 70-year-old man underwent dental surgery of the upper right molar. Prolonged bleeding control was difficult for up to two weeks, so the biopsy was performed. Histopathological analysis revealed a metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma. Computerized tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed a diffusely heterogeneous liver parenchyma with irregular borders and two foci of mass lesions. There were metastasis in the spleen and also two pathological retroperitoneal lymph nodes were detected, but no ascit, liver cirrhosis, cholestasis or portal vein thrombosis were seen. CT of the orbital and maxillary regions revealed a tumor mass in the right maxillary sinus, spreading to the alveolar sinus, nasal cavity and partially infratemporal space. A tumor mass was in the right orbit as well, infiltrating the surrounding bones and muscles. Clinically, there was proptosis of the right eye accompanied by amaurosis. The treatment started with chemotherapy based on 5-fluorouracil (sorafenib was not available). After three cycles, control CTs showed a stable disease in the liver, but progression in the right maxillary sinus and orbit. Enucleation of the right eye was performed and postoperative radiotherapy was planed. The patient deteriorated rapidly and died, about 6 months after the disease had been diagnosed. CONCLUSION Extrahepatic metastasis of HCC represents a progressive phase of the disease with poor prognosis, so the main aim of the treatment should be palliation and care of symptoms.
Factores determinantes de la oferta exportadora láctea santafesina

El objetivo de este trabajo es conocer el impacto de algunos determinantes de la oferta exportadora de productos lacteos de la provincia de Santa Fe en el periodo 2000-2012. Para ello se propone un sistema de ecuaciones de oferta, modelando las exportaciones y el destino domestico simultaneamente. Los resultados empiricos muestran que los precios de exportacion, los precios mayoristas, la disponibilidad de leche cruda y variables coyunturales y estacionales resultan estadisticamente significativos para explicar la oferta externa e interna. Se concluye que las exportaciones son mas inelasticas a sus propios precios que a los precios mayoristas internos, siendo muy elastica a la produccion primaria.
A Tumour Syndrome Affecting Children in Tropical Africa

WITH the exception of leukamia, the vast majority of malignant tumours occurring in children consist of those developing in the central or autonomic nervous systems, the kidneys and the lymph glands (Campbell, Gainsford, Paterson and Steward, I96I). The metastases from these neoplasms are most frequently observed in the liver, the lungs and the skeleton, excluding the jaws. Among the rarest of sites in which malignant tumours have been recorded in children might be listed the ovaries, the thyroid, the salivary glands, the testes, the extra-dural space in the spine, the orbit, excluding the eye, and, above all, the jaws. Yet it is in these very sites that tumour deposits are frequently observed in the tumour syndrome about to be described and discussed. Moreover, tumours are not only commonly found in one or other of these unusual sites, but many of these structures are frequently concomitantly involved in one patient. To add to the bizarre behaviour of this tumour syndrome the lungs are usually spared in a cancer that might appear to be blood-disseminated, and lymph-node enlargement or splenic involvement is exceptional in what has been shown to be a lymphoid tumour. These are but some of the peculiarities of this unusual and yet distinctive syndrome. The main clinical features have already been described (Burkitt, 1958; Burkitt and O'Conor, I96I; Burkitt and Davies, I96I) and a detailed description of the pathology has been published (O'Conor, I96I). Attention has been drawn to certain radiological aspects of the jaw tumours (Davies and Davies, I960), to the unusual geographical distribution (Burkitt, 1958; Burkitt and O'Conor, I96I) and to the suggested significance of this limited distribution (Burkitt and Davies, I96I; Burkitt, I962). A brief review of the recorded observations on this tumour syndrome will be given before discussing its possible significance as a contribution to knowledge of cancer retiology.
NMDA receptor subunit composition controls dendritogenesis of hippocampal neurons through CAMKII, CREB‐P, and H3K27ac

Dendrite arbor growth, or dendritogenesis, is choreographed by a diverse set of cues, including the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) subunits NR2A and NR2B. While NR1NR2B receptors are predominantly expressed in immature neurons and promote plasticity, NR1NR2A receptors are mainly expressed in mature neurons and induce circuit stability. How the different subunits regulate these processes is unclear, but this is likely related to the presence of their distinct C‐terminal sequences that couple different signaling proteins. Calcium‐calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is an interesting candidate as this protein can be activated by calcium influx through NMDARs. CaMKII triggers a series of biochemical signaling cascades, involving the phosphorylation of diverse targets. Among them, the activation of cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB‐P) pathway triggers a plasticity‐specific transcriptional program through unknown epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we found that dendritogenesis in hippocampal neurons is impaired by several well‐characterized constructs (i.e., NR2B‐RS/QD) and peptides (i.e., tatCN21) that specifically interfere with the recruitment and interaction of CaMKII with the NR2B C‐terminal domain. Interestingly, we found that transduction of NR2AΔIN, a mutant NR2A construct with increased interaction to CaMKII, reactivates dendritogenesis in mature hippocampal neurons in vitro and in vivo. To gain insights into the signaling and epigenetic mechanisms underlying NMDAR‐mediated dendritogenesis, we used immunofluorescence staining to detect CREB‐P and acetylated lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27ac), an activation‐associated histone tail mark. In contrast to control mature neurons, our data shows that activation of the NMDAR/CaMKII/ERK‐P/CREB‐P signaling axis in neurons expressing NR2AΔIN is not correlated with increased nuclear H3K27ac levels.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Interactions in Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis represents the sequelae of a variety of acute and chronic lung injuries of known and unknown etiologies. Tissue specimens obtained from patients with pulmonary fibrosis, regardless of the etiology, consistently show evidence of an ongoing wound-repair response. Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions have critical roles in normal lung development, tissue repair processes, and fibrosis. Current hypotheses propose that dysregulated function of, and impaired communication between, epithelial and mesenchymal cells prevent resolution of the wound-repair response and contribute to the pathobiology of pulmonary fibrosis. This hypothesis is supported by abundant evidence from patients, animal models, and cell-culture studies demonstrating abnormalities in epithelial cell and mesenchymal cell activities including proliferation, differentiation, and survival. This article reviews the aberrant epithelial and mesenchymal cellular phenotypes found in the context of pulmonary fibrosis and discusses the mechanisms that perpetuate these cellular phenotypes.