Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A fluorescent vesicle system for the measurement of blood velocity in the choroidal vessels.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Evaluation of the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in the choroidal circulation is difficult because of the presence of the retinal pigment epithelium. The authors have developed a technique for measuring blood velocity in individual choroidal vessels using the scanning laser ophthalmoscope and intravenously injected indocyanine green encapsulated in multilamellar vesicles. In this report, the authors describe their attempts to measure choroidal blood velocity in three different regions of the choroid of the primate eye. MATERIALS AND METHODS A video-to-digital processor was used to digitize the video images of the choroid of a monkey at a sample rate of 1/30 of a second. The blood velocity in the selected choroidal vessel segments was calculated by measuring the distance the liposome traveled in a given time. RESULTS The average blood velocities were 5.16 mm/s under the macula, 4.04 mm/s in the vortex vein system, and 2.03 mm/s in the choroidal circulation nasal to the optic nerve. CONCLUSION This technique is an effective method of measuring blood velocity in a primate model and has several important advantages compared with the dye dilution technique.
Are MEFV mutations susceptibility factors in enthesitis-related arthritis patients in the eastern Mediterranean?

OBJECTIVES Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA), is a complex genetic disease. Although HLA-B27 is well established, it does not explain all the genetic load in ERA. Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), caused by mutations in the MEFV gene, is a frequent autoinflammatory disorder in the eastern Mediterranean. METHODS We investigated the clinical and imaging features of 53 ERA patients, as well as the frequency of MEFV gene mutations in those who were HLA-B27 negative. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 13.3±2.2 years and 49 were boys. Peripheral arthritis was present in all and sacroiletis in 26 patients. Ultrasonography showed enthesitis in 6 patients of the tendons, whereas these were assessed to be normal by physical examination. Forty patients (75.5%) were positive for HLA-B27. MEFV analysis was performed for patients who were HLA-B27 negative. One patient refused MEFV analysis. 9 patients carried MEFV mutations: 2 patients were homozygous for M694V (both patients were subsequently started colchicine along with ERA treatment), 5 patients were heterozygous for M694V mutation, 1 patient was heterozygous for E148Q, and 1 patient was heterozygous for K695R mutation. None of the patients had features suggesting FMF at diagnosis of ERA; 1 patient subsequently developed typical FMF attacks. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that MEFV mutations may represent a susceptibility factor for ERA in the populations of the eastern Mediterranean.
Defective Processing and Trafficking of Water Channels in Nephrogenic Diabetes insipidus

Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) is a disease characterized by the inability of the kidney to concentrate urine upon stimulation with vasopressin. Mutations in the gene for aquaporin-2 (AQP2) are the cause of the autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant forms of NDI. Mutant AQP2 proteins, found in autosomal recessive NDI, were shown to be misfolded and retarded in the endoplasmic reticulum. One mutant protein leading to autosomal dominant NDI, E258K, has been analyzed in detail. It was shown that this mutant was not retarded in the endoplasmic reticulum but mainly retained in the Golgi network. Furthermore, this particular mutant was able to form heterotetramers with wild-type AQP2, in contrast to mutants found in autosomal recessive NDI. The subsequent misrouting of complexes containing wild-type and mutant AQP2 proteins explains dominant NDI.
Role of human papilloma virus in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Human papilloma virus (HPV) is an important risk factor for head and neck cancer, specifically oropharyngeal cancer, but its association with oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is uncertain. The objectives were to determine the HPV16 prevalence in oral tongue SCCs, its integration status and to correlate the expression of oncogenic proteins with targets. METHODS In this case-control study with oral tongue SCC cases (n=60) and normal oral mucosa (n=46), HPV positivity was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using consensus and HPV 16 type specific primers and p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC). The viral integration status was determined with primers specific to the E2 gene and in situ hybridization (ISH). Immunohistochemical analysis of HPV oncogenic proteins (E6, E7) and their target proteins (p53, pRb, cyclinD1, p16, Notch-1, EGFR) proteins was carried out in HPV positive cases. The data was analyzed with SPSS software (v 11.0). Survival analysis was carried out by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS HPV16 was detected in 48% (n=29) of the cases and none of the controls by PCR assay (p<0.001) while p16 IHC, as a surrogate HPV marker, detected 33% (n=18) of the cases; 18% (n=10) were detected by both the methods. Integration was observed in 83% (n=24) by E2-PCR and 67% (n=18) by ISH. The E6-p53 pathway was active in 33% of the cases; E7-pRb in 52% and both in 11%. HPV positivity was associated with well-differentiated cancers (p=0.041) and low recurrence rate (p=0.014). CONCLUSION Our study confirms a positive correlation of HPV infection with oral tongue cancer.
Membrane cross bonding in red cells in favic crisis: a missing link in the mechanism of extravascular haemolysis

Red cells of G6PD (D‐glucose‐6‐phosphate:NADP+ 1‐oxidoreductase; G6PD) deficient (Mediterranean variant) subjects were studied during a fava bean haemolytic crisis. Two representative cases are described. In Case 1, haemolysis was still going on. In more than 50% of the red cells the Hb was confined to one part of the cell, leaving the other part as transparent as a Hb‐free ghost. In this part the membranes appeared tightly bonded because swelling did not peel apart the bonded membrane areas. This feature is defined as membrane cross bonding (MCB). In Case 2. haemolysis had terminated and MCB‐cells were less than 1%. MCB was reproduced in vitro by incubating G6PD‐deficient whole blood with 1 mM divicine for up to 10 h. Subsequent shrinkage of red cells in hypertonic plasma (400 mOsm) resulted in the rapid formation of MCB. Membrane modifications by divicine, contained in fava beans, followed by osmotic shrinkage in the kidney and/or squeezing in the microcirculation are proposed as the cause of MCB during the favic crisis. MCB reduces the effective surface area of red cells. This is a plausible cause for sequestration by the reticulo‐endothelial system. Intravascular haemolysis observed in favic crisis cannot be explained by mechanical forces, but it is possible that the effective surface area is reduced by MCB to such an extent that red cells lyse osmotically.
Elevating Communication, Collaboration, and Shared Experiences in Mobile Video through Drones

People are increasingly using mobile video to communicate, collaborate, and share experiences while on the go. Yet this presents challenges in adequately sharing camera views with remote users. In this paper, we study the use of semi-autonomous drones for video conferencing, where an outdoor user (using a smartphone) is connected to a desktop user who can explore the environment from the drone's perspective. We describe findings from a study where pairs collaborated to complete shared navigation and search tasks. We illustrate the benefits of providing the desktop user with a view that is elevated, manipulable, and decoupled from the outdoor user. In addition, we articulate how participants overcame challenges in communicating environmental information and navigational cues, negotiated control of the view, and used the drone as a tool for sharing experiences. This provides a new way of thinking about mobile video conferencing where cameras that are decoupled from both users play an integral role in communication, collaboration, and sharing experiences.
Experimental and CFD flow studies in an intracranial aneurysm model with Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids.

BACKGROUND According to the clinical data, flow conditions play a major role in the genesis of intracranial aneurysms. The disorder of the flow structure is the cause of damage of the inner layer of the vessel wall, which leads to the development of cerebral aneurysms. Knowledge of the alteration of the flow field in the aneurysm region is important for treatment. OBJECTIVE The aim is to study quantitatively the flow structure in an patient-specific aneurysm model of the internal carotid artery using both experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods with Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. METHODS A patient-specific geometry of aneurysm of the internal carotid artery was used. Patient data was segmented and smoothed to obtain geometrical model. An elastic true-to-scale silicone model was created with stereolithography. For initial investigation of the blood flow, the flow was visualized by adding particles into the silicone model. The precise flow velocity measurements were done using 1D Laser Doppler Anemometer with a spatial resolution of 50 μ m and a temporal resolution of 1 ms. The local velocity measurements were done at a distance of 4 mm to each other. A fluid with non-Newtonian properties was used in the experiment. The CFD simulations for unsteady-state problem were done using constructed hexahedral mesh for Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids. RESULTS Using 1D laser Doppler Anemometer the minimum velocity magnitude at the end of systole -0.01 m/s was obtained in the aneurysm dome while the maximum velocity 1 m/s was at the center of the outlet segment. On central cross section of the aneurysm the maximum velocity value is only 20% of the average inlet velocity. The average velocity on the cross-section is only 11% of the inlet axial velocity. Using the CFD simulation the wall shear stresses for Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid at the end of systolic phase (t= 0.25 s) were computed. The wall shear stress varies from 3.52 mPa (minimum value) to 10.21 Pa (maximum value) for the Newtonian fluid. For the non-Newtonian fluid the wall shear stress minimum is 2.94 mPa; the maximum is 9.14 Pa. The lowest value of the wall shear stress for both fluids was obtained at the dome of the aneurysm while the highest wall shear stress was at the beginning of the outlet segment. The vortex in the aneurysm region is unstable during the cardiac cycle. The clockwise rotation of the streamlines at the inlet segment for Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid is shown. CONCLUSION The results of the present study are in agreement with the hemodynamics theory of aneurysm genesis. Low value of wall shear stress is observed at the aneurysm dome which can cause a rupture of an aneurysm.
Care by cell phone: text messaging for chronic disease management.

OBJECTIVES To assess the feasibility of engaging adults with diabetes in self management behaviors between clinic visits by using cell phone text messaging to provide blood sugar measurement prompts and appointment reminders. STUDY DESIGN Quasi-experimental pilot among adult diabetic patients with cell phones who receive regular care at a federally qualified community health center in Denver, Colorado, which serves a population that is predominantly either uninsured (41%) or on Medicaid or Medicare (56%). METHODS Patients (N = 47) received text message prompts over a 3-month period. Blood sugar readings were requested 3 times per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Reminders were sent 7, 3, and 1 day(s) before each scheduled appointment. Acknowledgments were returned for all patient-sent messages. Focus groups were conducted in English and Spanish with selected patients (n = 8). RESULTS Patients of all ages were active participants. Correctly formatted responses were received for 67.3% of 1585 prompts. More than three-fourths (79%) of the cohort responded to more than 50% of their prompts. The appointment analysis was underpowered to detect significant changes in attendance. Participants reported increased social support, feelings that the program "made them accountable," and increased awareness of health information. Two-thirds (66%) of patients provided glucose readings when prompted during the study, compared with 12% at 2 preceding clinic visits. CONCLUSIONS For certain patients, cell phone-based text messaging may enhance chronic disease management support and patient-provider communications beyond the clinic setting.
Neural network heterogeneous autoregressive models for realized volatility

In this study, we consider the extension of the heterogeneous autoregressive (HAR) model for realized volatility by incorporating a neural network (NN) structure. Since HAR is a linear model, we expect that adding a neural network term would explain the delicate nonlinearity of the realized volatility. Three neural network-based HAR models, namely HAR-NN, HAR( ∞ )-NN, and HAR-AR(22)-NN are considered with performance measured by evaluating out-of-sample forecasting errors. The results of the study show that HAR-NN provides a slightly wider interval than traditional HAR as well as shows more peaks and valleys on the turning points. It implies that the HAR-NN model can capture sharper changes due to higher volatility than the traditional HAR model. The HAR-NN model for prediction interval is therefore recommended to account for higher volatility in the stock market. An empirical analysis on the multinational realized volatility of stock indexes shows that the HAR-NN that adds daily, weekly, and monthly volatility averages to the neural network model exhibits the best performance.
Metabolic regulatory properties of S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine

Abstract In mammalian liver, two intersecting pathways, remethylation and transsulfuration, compete for homocysteine that has been formed from methionine. Remethylation of homocysteine, employing either methyltetrahydrofolate or betaine as the methyl donor, forms a methionine cycle that functions to conserve methionine. In contrast, the transsulfuration sequence – cystathionine synthase and cystathionase – serves to irreversibly catabolize the homocysteine while synthesizing cysteine. The rate of homocysteine formation and its distribution between these two pathways are the sites for metabolic regulation and coordination. The mechanisms for regulation include both the tissue content and the kinetic properties of the component enzymes as well as the concentrations of their substrates and other metabolic effectors. Adenosylmethionine and adenosylhomocysteine are important regulatory metabolites and may use one or more mechanisms to affect the enzymes. Adenosylmethionine is a positive effector of its own synthesis, cystathionine synthase and glycine methyltransferase but impairs both homocysteine methylases. Thus, the concentration of adenosylmethionine may be self-regulatory in mammalian liver. By means of other enzymatic mechanisms, the hepatic concentration of adenosylhomocysteine, an index of homocysteine accumulation, is also self-regulated. These considerations pertain primarily to liver, which has the unique capacity to synthesize more adenosylmethionine in the presence of excess methionine. However, there are organ-specific patterns of methionine metabolism and its regulation. All tissues possess the methionine cycle with methyltetrahydrofolate as the methyl donor but only liver, kidney, pancreas, intestine and brain also contain the transsulfuration pathway. The limitation of adenosylmethionine concentrations may make adenosylhomocysteine a more significant metabolic regulator in extrahepatic tissues. However, estimates of regulatory changes based on determinations of the plasma concentrations of the two metabolites are of limited value and must be used with caution. In addition, the recent description of “cystathionine (CBS) domains” in proteins not involved with methionine metabolism raises the possibility that abnormal concentrations of the adenosyl metabolites may impact on other metabolic pathways. Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:1694–9.
Dietary fat and risk of breast cancer according to hormone receptor status.

The association of dietary fat with breast cancer in prospective cohort studies has generally been weak and not statistically significant. However, these studies have not considered whether the risk related to fat intake may differ according to estrogen or progesterone receptor status. Dietary habits and other breast cancer risk factors were assessed by mailed questionnaire in January 1986 in 34,388 postmenopausal Iowa women. Through 1991, 724 incident breast cancer cases were ascertained in this cohort using the Iowa cancer registry. Joint estrogen and progesterone receptor status was determined for 479 (66%) breast cancers. For tumors that were positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER+/PR+) (n = 329), age- and energy-adjusted relative risks for breast cancer adjusted from lowest to highest third of fat intake were 1.0, 1.05, and 1.22 (P trend = 0.14). Corresponding risks for ER+/PR- tumors (n = 75) were 1.0, 0.85, and 1.05 (P trend = 0.86) and for ER-/PR- tumors (n = 61) were 1.0, 1.06, and 0.73 (P trend = 0.68). Only 14 cases were classified as having ER-/PR+ tumors. Adjustment for other breast cancer risk factors did not appreciably alter these findings. There was a suggestion that dietary fat may be associated with ER+/PR+ breast cancers and not other breast cancers. These results are also consistent with an interpretation of no association between dietary fat with breast cancer, regardless of hormone receptor status. It has been suggested that etiological studies of breast cancer should investigate associations according to receptor status. This study provides evidence of a subset of breast cancers that may be related to dietary factors. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Phenotypic plasticity facilitates recurrent rapid adaptation to introduced predators

A central role for phenotypic plasticity in adaptive evolution is often posited yet lacks empirical support. Selection for the stable production of an induced phenotype is hypothesized to modify the regulation of preexisting developmental pathways, producing rapid adaptive change. We examined the role of plasticity in rapid adaptation of the zooplankton Daphnia melanica to novel fish predators. Here we show that plastic up-regulation of the arthropod melanin gene dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) in the absence of UV radiation is associated with reduced pigmentation in D. melanica. Daphnia populations coexisting with recently introduced fish exhibit environmentally invariant up-regulation of Ddc, accompanied by constitutive up-regulation of the interacting arthropod melanin gene ebony. Both changes in regulation are associated with adaptive reduction in the plasticity and mean expression of melanin. Our results provide evidence that the developmental mechanism underlying ancestral plasticity in response to an environmental factor has been repeatedly co-opted to facilitate rapid adaptation to an introduced predator.
Comparing Several Methods to Compute Joint Prediction Regions for Path Forecasts Generated by Vector Autoregressions

Path forecasts, defined as sequences of individual forecasts, generated by vector autoregressions are widely used in applied work. It has been recognized that a profound econometric analysis often requires, besides the path forecast, a joint prediction region that contains the whole future path with a prespecified coverage probability. The forecasting literature offers several different methods for computing joint prediction regions, where the existing methods are either bootstrap based or rely on asymptotic results. The aim of this paper is to investigate the finite-sample performance of three methods for constructing joint prediction regions in various scenarios via Monte Carlo simulations.
Identification of simian immunodeficiency virus SIVMAC env gene products

A monoclonal antibody recognizing an antigenic determinant on the env transmembrane protein, gp32 of simian immunodeficiency virus SIVMAC has been developed and designated SF8/5E11. The reactivity of this antibody was found to be type specific, since it did not cross-react with either SIVSMM or SIVMNe transmembrane proteins. The availability of both this antibody and the complete nucleotide sequence of SIVMAC allowed us to define the organization of the env gene products of this virus. Radiolabel sequencing of the amino termini of both gp160 and gp32 confirmed the positions of both cleavage sites predicted by alignment of the inferred amino acid sequences of the SIVMAC and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 env genes. The cleavage site between the signal peptide and the external env glycoprotein resides between the cysteine residue at position 21 and the threonine residue at position 22, starting from the first residue after the env gene initiator methionine. The env precursor polyprotein gp160 is cleaved between arginine 526 and glycine 527 to give rise to the external glycoprotein and the transmembrane of SIVMAC.
Posting and agency work in British construction and hospitality: the role of regulation in differentiating the experiences of migrants

Abstract This article engages with IHRM debates on the transnational regulation of labour, exploring how migration policy and work fragmentation affect employment dynamics in multi-employer settings. It draws from two qualitative case studies on migrant workers in British hospitality and construction, focusing on regulatory outcomes of the Agency Worker Directive, the Posting of Workers Directive and the Tier System of immigration. The findings illustrate how workers’ experiences are critically shaped by the combination of their migration and employment statuses in the context of firms’ restructuring strategies and transnational labour mobility. Temporal employment constraints and exclusion from equal treatment linked to migrant status, combined with labour subcontracting across the sectors, produce intensification of work, inferior terms and conditions, greater insecurity and dependence for migrant temporary workers. The main argument is that increasing differentiation between categories of migrant workers goes beyond the simple distinction of EU and Third Country Nationals, and is produced by the exceptional regulatory spaces into which these migrants are locked. Highlighting the combined influence of migration regulation and management restructuring practices, the article proposes a re-theorisation of IHRM that includes migration perspectives into the study of management changes and labour regulation.