Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric carcinoma among Japanese Americans in Hawaii.

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori are gram-negative spiral bacteria that are associated with chronic gastritis, a known precursor of gastric carcinoma. Persons at high risk for gastric carcinoma have been shown to have a high prevalence of H. pylori infection. METHODS We studied the relation of H. pylori infection and gastric carcinoma in a cohort of Japanese American men living in Hawaii. The 5908 men were enrolled and examined from 1967 to 1970. By 1989, 109 cases of pathologically confirmed gastric carcinoma had been identified. The store serum of each patient with gastric carcinoma and of each matched control subject were tested for the presence of serum IgG antibody to H. pylori. RESULTS Ninety-four percent of the men with gastric carcinoma and 76 percent of the matched control subjects had a positive test for H. pylori antibodies, for an odds ratio of 6.0 (95 percent confidence interval, 2.1 to 17.3). As the level of antibody to H. pylori increased, there was a progressive increase in the risk of gastric carcinoma (P for trend = 0.0009). The association was strong even for men in whom the diagnosis was made 10 or more years after the serum sample was obtained (odds ratio, 10.5; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.5 to 44.8). CONCLUSIONS Infection with H. pylori is strongly associated with an increased risk of gastric carcinoma. However, most persons infected with H. pylori will never have gastric carcinoma. Therefore, other factors that increase the risk of gastric carcinoma among persons infected with H. pylori need to be identified.
Retrospective analysis evaluating the effect of a keratolytic and physical pretreatment with salicylic acid, urea and curettage on the efficacy and safety of photodynamic therapy of actinic keratoses with methylaminolaevulinate

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a highly effective treatment option for actinic keratosis (AK). Hyperkeratosis of the AK impairs penetration of the photosensitizer and light and leads to a reduced efficacy of PDT. Therefore, it is commonly recommended to perform curettage of the AK prior to treatment.
The Third Wave of Democratization and Economic Performance in Asia: Theory and Application*

*** This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korean Government (NRF-2010-330-B00031). Sung Deuk Hahm thanks financial supports from the LG Yonam Foundation and the Korean Institute for Presidential Studies. *** Uk Heo is Professor of Department of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, U.S.A. and international scholar at Kyung Hee University, Korea. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Texas A&M University, U.S.A. His recent publications include South Korea since 1980 with Terence Roehrig (Cambridge University Press, 2010) and “Who Pays for National Defense? Financing Defense Programs in the United States, 1947-2007” with John Bohte in Journal of Conflict Resolution (2012). E-mail: heouk@uwm.edu. *** Sung Deuk Hahm is Professor of Political Economy at Korea University, Korea. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Korean Social Science Journal, a co-editor of International Public Management Journal (Taylor & Francis), and an associate editor of Administration & Society (Sage). He received his Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis from Carnegie Mellon University, U.S.A. His recent publications include “The Notion of Good and Bad Governance in Comparative Perspective” (2011) and “Emergence of East Asian TFT-LCD Clusters: A Comparative Analysis of the Samsung Cluster in South Korea and the Chimei Cluster in Taiwan” (2010). E-mail: hahm33@hotmail.com.
The Panda Hat of Doom

Upon finishing an internship or degree in design, novice designers face a challenging professional world. Design schools often prepare novices for the types of projects they will face, but preparing them for the professional realities they will face is often left to the company that hires them. One way we can prepare designers for the challenges they will face as professionals is by simulating professional presentations that go wrong. In this case study, we will examine one particular pedagogical tool designed for this purpose: The Panda Hat of Doom.
Dependence of Atrial Sensing Function on Posture in a Single‐Lead Atrial Triggered Ventricular (VDD) Pacemaker

The influence of body posture on atrial sensing was examined in a single‐lead VDD pacemaker in 16 patients. At implantation, a position was searched for the floating atrial bipolar sensor to obtain an adequate atrial signal amplitude. After 1–12 months the atrial signals were measured by programming the sensitivity in five postures: supine, sitting, and standing and lying on the right and left sides. The group mean amplitudes of the atrial signal were equal in all postures, and comparable to the supine value (1.01 ± 0.51 mV), However, the values within each individual varied considerably according to position, by a range of 0.46 ± 0.41 mV on average. Testing only supine did not always predict decent sensing when upright, e.g., in 3 patients the atrial signal decreased more than 0.5 mV. In 24‐hour ambulatory electrocardiography, with the sensitivity (0.15–0.30 mV) set to cover all postures, atrial beats were undersensed not at all in 4 patients, < 0.01% in 6 patients, and < 0.1% in the remaining 6 patients. Thus, with a floating atrial electrode, sensitivity testing in various postures is advisable to ascertain proper sensing function.
Tracking of object in occluded and non-occluded environment using SIFT and Kalman filter

To achieve the goal of intelligent motion perception effort has been spent on visual object tracking, which is one of the most important research topics in computer vision. Visual video tracking includes object detection and tracking which are closely related process. Object detection involves verifying the presence of object and object tracking is monitoring object's spatial and temporal changes in images sequences. A major challenge in object tracking is the occlusion of the target object by other objects in the scene. In this paper we have proposed an automatic object tracking system to track occluded and Non-occluded object in the videos using SIFT (Scale Invariant Feature Transform) and Kalman filter. The objects in the image sequences can be identified with the help of invariant features extracted using SIFT algorithm. SIFT algorithm exhibits poor performance in the event of occlusion. However the occluded objects can be tracked using Kalman filter since Kalman filter optimally estimates the position of the object in the current frame using the information obtained from the previous frame. The performance of our method is evaluated using videos captured using webcam, downloaded videos from the web and some videos from visual tracker Benchmark dataset and we have achieved better recall and precision for the proposed tracking system than SIFT based tracking system.
Effect of a chloride channel inhibitor, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate, on ovarian cancer cell migration.

BACKGROUND Chloride channels (ClC) are involved in normal physiological processes and pathology of various diseases. Although it is recognized that suppression of ClC inhibits cell proliferation in different types of cells, the potential function of ClC in cell migration in ovarian cancer is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of the ClC inhibitor, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB), on cell migration in the human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV-3 as well as the related signaling pathway involved in this action. METHODS In this study, cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. Transwell migration method was used to study the effect of NPPB on serum-induced SKOV-3 cell migration. Also, Western blot was performed to detect the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and AKT1 after treatment with NPPB. RESULTS Both NPPB and LY249002 significantly inhibited serum-induced SKOV-3 cell migration without alteration of cell viability. NPPB's inhibition of phosphorylation of AKT1 was time-dependent (p < 0.05). There was no significant effect on the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 after treatment with NPPB. CONCLUSIONS ClC plays an important role in ovarian cancer cell migration. NPPB inhibited-SKOV-3 cell migration could be via inactivation of AKT1.
Optimal Allocation of Photovoltaic Systems and Energy Storage Systems Considering Uncertainties in the Outputs of Photovoltaics and the Capabilities of Demand Response

It has been required to install a large number of renewable energy (RE), such as photovoltaic systems (PVs) to solve the environmental problem. However, an electricity grid with RE occurs problems of power shortages and surpluses because of uncertainties in generating RE outputs. In addition, demand response (DR) can restrain both shortages and surpluses caused by PV outputs, but, on the other hand, DR may increase the impact of power shortages and surpluses due to the uncertainties of DR capabilities. Energy storage systems (ESSs) can be used to solve supply reliability problems, but the number of installed ESSs should be minimized considering their high cost. This study demonstrates that the optimal allocation of PVs and ESSs can be achieved that satisfies minimization of installed ESSs, the PVs installation target, and the constraints of the probabilistic indices for shortage and surplus to evaluate uncertainties of PV outputs and DR capabilities. The results show that PVs and ESSs are allocated in each bus, satisfying the PV installation target and the constraints of the supply reliability.
Isolation and Expression of Three Gibberellin 20-Oxidase cDNA Clones from Arabidopsis

Using degenerate oligonucleotide primers based on a pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) gibberellin (GA) 20-oxidase sequence, six different fragments of dioxygenase genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction from Arabidopsis thaliana genomic DNA. One of these was used to isolate two different full-length cDNA clones, At2301 and At2353, from shoots of the GA-deficient Arabidopsis mutant ga1–2. A third, related clone, YAP169, was identified in the Database of Expressed Sequence Tags. The cDNA clones were expressed in Escherichia coli as fusion proteins, each of which oxidized GA12 at C-20 to GA15, GA24, and the C19 compound GA9, a precursor of bioactive GAs; the C20 tricarboxylic acid compound GA25 was formed as a minor product. The expression products also oxidized the 13-hydroxylated substrate GA53, but less effectively than GA12. The three cDNAs hybridized to mRNA species with tissue-specific patterns of accumulation, with At2301 being expressed in stems and inflorescences, At2353 in inflorescences and developing siliques, and YAP169 in siliques only. In the floral shoots of the ga1–2 mutant, transcript levels corresponding to each cDNA decreased dramatically after GA3 application, suggesting that GA biosynthesis may be controlled, at least in part, through down-regulation of the expression of the 20-oxidase genes.
Bcl2/bcl-xl inhibitor engenders apoptosis and increases chemo-sensitivity in mesothelioma

Meosthelioma is a neoplasm of the pleura that is currently incurable by conventional therapies. Previously, we demonstrated that mesothelioma overexpresses BCL-XL, an anti-apoptotic member of the BCL-2 family. In addition, we have shown that down-regulation of BCL-XL using a BCL-XL antisense oligonucleotide engenders mesothelioma apoptotic cell death in vitro and in vivo. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of bcl2/bcl-xl inhibitor, 2-methoxy antimycin A3, in inducing apoptosis and increasing chemo-sensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Several bcl-xl high-expression tumor cell lines and two normal human cell lines were exposed to 2-methoxy antimycin A3. 2-methoxy antimycin A3 demonstrated significant growth inhibition only in these tumor cell lines, with little effect on normal human cells. Treatment with 2-methoxy antimycin A3 alone resulted in a dramatic increase in the induction of apoptosis in the cancer cells. Apoptosis occurs through decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase activation. Notably, treatment with 2-methoxy antimycin A3 does not alter BCL-2 family protein expression. Synergistic inhibition of tumor growth by the co-administration of cisplatin and 2-methoxy antimycin A3 was observed in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Together, these findings indicate that exposure of cancer cells to small molecule Bcl-2/xl inhibitors such as 2-methoxy antimycin A3 alone, or in the combination with other chemotherapeutics, may represent a novel therapeutic strategy in treatment of cancer, especially mesothelioma.
Non-volatile resistive switching for advanced memory applications

A non-volatile resistive switching mechanism based on trap-related space-charge-limited-conduction (SCLC) is proposed. Excellent memory characteristics have been demonstrated using near-stoichiometric cuprous oxide (CuxO) metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures: low-power operation, fast switching speed, superior temperature characteristics, and long retention. This MIM memory cell is fully compatible with standard CMOS process. The proposed switching mechanism is a strong contender for high density and low cost memory applications
The Optimal Parental Time for Thai Economy

Since parents invest both their material resources and time into raising their children, this paper construct a five period Heterogeneous Overlapping Generation model to investigate the optimal how parental time allocation for their children. We use the calibrated parameters to find the optimal parental time for Thai economy by difering values of parental time in the model to generate the results for three different scenarios. To minimize wealth inequality the parental time should be set at 12-15 percent. To maximize the total output, the average parental time should be set at 12-21% of available time. While increasing the parental time will improve output and wealth equality,
Is Obesity a Risk Factor in Acute Pancreatitis? A Meta-Analysis

Background/Aims: Obesity has been associated with a worse prognosis in acute pancreatitis. According to some authors, obesity favours the development of local complications, while according to other reports obese patients presented more frequently systemic complications. Few studies find a relationship between obesity and mortality in acute pancreatitis. We conducted a meta-analysis of several reports that evaluate the relationship between obesity and the outcome of acute pancreatitis in order to assess its prognostic role in this disease. Methods: A MEDLINE search was conducted from 1965 to December 2002 with search terms including obesity, body mass index (BMI) and pancreatitis. A total of 12 reports were identified. Of these, only four studies included patients with mild and severe acute pancreatitis and measured obesity by BMI. The end points of the meta-analysis were the severity of acute pancreatitis, local complications, systemic complications and mortality. Obesity was defined when BMI was ≧30 kg/m2. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were calculated according to the Mantel-Haenszel method, and heterogeneity was assessed by the multiplicative inverse variance method. Results: A total of 607 patients were evaluated. There was no heterogeneity for the variables severity, systemic complications, local complications and mortality among the included studies. Severe AP was significantly more frequent in obese patients (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.5–4.6). Furthermore, those patients developed significantly more systemic (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–4.6) and local complications (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.4–7.9). Mortality in obese patients was only slightly higher (OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.5–3.6). Conclusion: Obesity is a prognostic factor favouring the development of systemic and local complications in this disease. Therefore, it should be used routinely as part of the initial assessment of the severity of a case of acute pancreatitis.
Quantitative Relationship Between Transforming Growth Factor-Alpha and Hepatic Focal Phenotype and Progression in Female Mouse Liver

Modulations in the positive hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α) and its receptor epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), occur in rat and human liver tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine if TGF-α and EGFR are altered in basophilic and acidophilic preneoplastic and neoplastic liver lesions generated in DEN-initiated mice exposed to a variety of hepatocarcinogens. Female B6C3F1 mice were initiated with N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) and treated with hepatocarcinogenic concentrations of unleaded gasoline vapor (2,000 ppm), methyl tertiary butyl ether vapor (7,814 ppm), phenobarbital (500 ppm, diet), or chlordane (25 ppm, diet). Hepatic foci and tumors were identified and evaluated immunohistochemically with antibodies for TGF-α and EGFR. In all treatment groups, basophilic hepatic foci were negative for TGF-α immunoreactivity (554/564, 98%). In contrast, regardless of treatment, acidophilic hepatic foci were immunoreactive for TGF-α (107/108, 99%). There was no significant difference in mean hepatic labeling index as measured by the incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine between foci immunoreactive and nonimmunoreactive for TGF-α. The incidence of immunoreactivity for TGF-α increased in hepatocellular tumors that were predominantly of the basophilic phenotype. Of basophilic hepatocellular adenomas, 16/81 (20%) were immunoreactive for TGF-α, while 17/29 (59%) of hepatocellular carcinomas stained positive for TGF-α. A similar increased incidence of EGFR immunoreactivity was found in basophilic hepatocellular adenomas (17/67, 25%) and carcinomas (19/28, 68%) relative to basophilic foci (11/367, 3%), suggesting an autocrine mechanism for the development of mouse liver tumors. The increased incidence of TGF-α immunoreactivity in basophilic liver tumors suggests that TGF-α is a marker of tumor progression in mouse liver. Furthermore, TGF-α modulations were dependent on phenotype rather than treatment, indicating inherent differences in the expression of TGF-α in basophilic and acidophilic hepatic lesions.
Use of the mastoid fontanelle for improved sonographic visualization of the neonatal midbrain and posterior fossa.

C onventional sonographic imaging of the neonatal brain is performed through the anterior fontanelle in the sagittal and coronal projections. Although this method provides adequate views ofthe cerebral hemispheres, images of the midbrain and the posterior fossa may be of limited quality [I]. Use of the mastoid fontanelle as an additional imaging portal has been previously described but is infrequently used in clinical practice Mata M et al., presented at the International Pediatric Radiology Congress, May 1996). The purpose of this pictorial essay is to demonstrate the usefulness of this scanning window for defining posterior fossa and midbrain anatomy in premature and term neonates.
The olfactory nerve: a shortcut for influenza and other viral diseases into the central nervous system

The olfactory nerve consists mainly of olfactory receptor neurons and directly connects the nasal cavity with the central nervous system (CNS). Each olfactory receptor neuron projects a dendrite into the nasal cavity on the apical side, and on the basal side extends its axon through the cribriform plate into the olfactory bulb of the brain. Viruses that can use the olfactory nerve as a shortcut into the CNS include influenza A virus, herpesviruses, poliovirus, paramyxoviruses, vesicular stomatitis virus, rabies virus, parainfluenza virus, adenoviruses, Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, chikungunya virus, La Crosse virus, mouse hepatitis virus, and bunyaviruses. However, mechanisms of transport via the olfactory nerve and subsequent spread through the CNS are poorly understood. Proposed mechanisms are either infection of olfactory receptor neurons themselves or diffusion through channels formed by olfactory ensheathing cells. Subsequent virus spread through the CNS could occur by multiple mechanisms, including trans‐synaptic transport and microfusion. Viral infection of the CNS can lead to damage from infection of nerve cells per se, from the immune response, or from a combination of both. Clinical consequences range from nervous dysfunction in the absence of histopathological changes to severe meningoencephalitis and neurodegenerative disease. Copyright © 2014 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Planar cell polarity signaling: coordination of cellular orientation across tissues

Establishment of Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) in epithelia, in the plane of an epithelium, is an important feature of the development and homeostasis of most organs. Studies in different model organisms have contributed a wealth of information regarding the mechanisms that govern PCP regulation. Genetic studies in Drosophila have identified two signaling systems, the Fz/PCP and Fat/Dachsous system, which are both required for PCP establishment in many different tissues in a largely non‐redundant manner. Recent advances in vertebrate PCP studies have added novel factors of PCP regulation and also new cellular features requiring PCP‐signaling input, including the positioning and orientation of the primary cilium of many epithelial cells. This review focuses mostly on several recent advances made in the Drosophila and vertebrate PCP field and integrates these within the existing PCP‐signaling framework. WIREs Dev Biol 2012, 1:479–499. doi: 10.1002/wdev.32
Responsiveness of the shoulder function assessment scale in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives: To investigate the responsiveness of the Shoulder Function Assessment scale (SFA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: In 35 patients with RA receiving a (peri-)articular injection because of local shoulder complaints the SFA, impact of shoulder function on activities of daily living, active shoulder range of motion (ROM), the 28 joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28), and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) were measured before and 4–6 weeks after treatment. Responsiveness was determined using the standardised response mean (SRM), effect size (ES), and responsiveness ratio (RR). Results: Overall, significant improvement was seen according to the SFA (mean change 10.9 (95% confidence interval 6.5 to 15.3)), active shoulder ROM (except external rotation), and the impact of shoulder function on daily activities. In addition, the DAS28 and HAQ scores improved significantly. The responsiveness of the SFA was excellent, with the SRM, ES, and RR being −0.86, −1.16, and 1.28, respectively. Conclusions: In addition to its good validity and reliability, the SFA proved to have a high sensitivity to clinical changes in patients with RA who received local treatment for shoulder complaints.
The Role of the Chicago School of Economics in the Genesis of a New Field of Research: “The Economic Analysis of Law”

The interdisciplinary approach adopted nowadays, in terms of law and economics, is closely linked to the Chicago School of Economics. This has made a great contribution to the development of economic science and to lawyers it has a special significance because within it the Law and Economics school of thought or Economic Analysis of Law was created. The economic analysis of law uses terms, concepts and economic institutions that apply to different areas of law and it is meant to improve the legal norm.