Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of angiotensin II on voltage-gated sodium currents in aortic baroreceptor neurons and arterial baroreflex sensitivity in heart failure rats

Background: Impairment of arterial baroreflex sensitivity is associated with mortality in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Elevation of plasma angiotension II (Ang II) contributes to arterial baroreflex dysfunction in CHF. A reduced number of voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels in aortic baroreceptor neurons are involved in CHF-blunted arterial baroreflex. Method: In this study, we investigated acute effect of Ang II on Nav currents in the aortic baroreceptor neuron and on arterial baroreflex in sham and coronary artery ligation-induced CHF rats. Results: Using Ang II 125I radioimmunoassay, real-time reverse transcription-PCR and western blot, we found that Ang II levels, and mRNA and protein expression of angiotension II type 1 receptor in nodose ganglia from CHF rats were higher than that from sham rats. Local microinjection of Ang II (0.2 nmol) into the nodose ganglia decreased the arterial baroreflex sensitivity in sham rats, whereas losartan (1 nmol, an angiotension II type 1 receptor antagonist) improved the arterial baroreflex sensitivity in CHF rats. Data from patch-clamp recording showed that Ang II (100 nmol/l) acutely inhibited Nav currents in the aortic baroreceptor neurons from sham and CHF rats. In particular, inhibitory effect of Ang II on Nav currents in the aortic baroreceptor neurons was larger in CHF rats than that in sham rats. Losartan (1 &mgr;mol/l) totally abolished the inhibitory effect of Ang II on Nav currents in sham and CHF aortic baroreceptor neurons. Conclusion: These results suggest that elevation of endogenous Ang II in the nodose ganglia contributes to impairment of the arterial baroreflex function in CHF rats through inhibiting Nav channels.
Facilitation in ON-OFF directionally selective ganglion cells of the rabbit retina.

1. We have investigated the facilitation of extracellularly recorded responses of ON-OFF directionally selective (DS) ganglion cells of the rabbit retina to two-slit preferred-direction apparent motion produced by both prolonged light steps, which simulate movement of an edge past two apertures, and light flashes, which simulate movement of a spot or slit. 2. Within the excitatory receptive-field center of DS ganglion cells, apparent motion with prolonged light steps elicits preferred-direction facilitation whose rise time (220 +/- 150 ms, average rise to 90% of maximum for 6 cells) is typically longer than the rise time of the excitatory response elicited by each slit. The decay time to baseline of facilitation during prolonged light steps is generally longer than 500 ms and hence greatly exceeds the typical duration of the excitatory response elicited by the slits. 3. Prolonged light steps are generally effective for facilitating any given excitatory receptive-field locus from a roughly ovoid area that typically extends on the order of 100-200 microns in the preferred direction, which is less than one-half the size of the excitatory receptive-field center. Within 100 microns, facilitation can occur for motion diagonal to the preferred-null axis as long as the projection of the motion on the preferred-null axis points in the preferred direction. 4. The time course of preferred-direction facilitation between two slits does not appear to have a strong systematical dependence on the interslit distance over the range in which facilitation is effective. 5. Short light flashes are ineffective for eliciting facilitation and, at sufficiently long interslit delays, elicit inhibition all around the test slit. This inhibition may be due to the antagonistic surround mechanism within the receptive-field center, which is effectively elicited by short-duration stimuli. 6. The effect of preferred-direction facilitation is addition-like, rather than multiplication-like. That is, the facilitatory effect of the first slit appears as the addition of a fixed value to the response-versus-contrast curve of the second slit, rather than a multiplication of the curve by a constant factor. The functional relationship between strength of facilitation and contrast of the first slit is sigmoidal, however, and thus nonlinear. 7. Experiments with long light steps show that the interaction between excitation and preferred-direction facilitation is largely segregated between the ON and OFF pathways. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The Impact of Dry Air on the Location of Tornado Outbreaks Associated with Landfalling Tropical Cyclones in the Atlantic Basin

ii Vita . iiv List of Tables . vi List of Figures . vii Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Chapter 2: Methodology . 10 Chapter 3: Results . 13 Chapter 4: Tornado Statistics . 246 Chapter 5: Results & Discussion . 257 References . 266
Changing Physical Activity Behavior in Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Behavioral interventions targeting “free-living” physical activity (PA) and exercise that produce long-term glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes are warranted. However, little is known about how clinical teams should support adults with type 2 diabetes to achieve and sustain a physically active lifestyle. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (published up to January 2012) to establish the effect of behavioral interventions (compared with usual care) on free-living PA/exercise, HbA1c, and BMI in adults with type 2 diabetes. Study characteristics, methodological quality, practical strategies for increasing PA/exercise (taxonomy of behavior change techniques), and treatment fidelity strategies were captured using a data extraction form. RESULTS Seventeen RCTs fulfilled the review criteria. Behavioural interventions showed statistically significant increases in objective (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.45, 95% CI 0.21–0.68) and self-reported PA/exercise (SMD 0.79, 95% CI 0.59–0.98) including clinically significant improvements in HbA1c (weighted mean difference [WMD] –0.32%, 95% CI –0.44% to –0.21%) and BMI (WMD –1.05 kg/m2, 95% CI –1.31 to –0.80). Few studies provided details of treatment fidelity strategies to monitor/improve provider training. Intervention features (e.g., specific behavior change techniques, interventions underpinned by behavior change theories/models, and use of ≥10 behaviour change techniques) moderated effectiveness of behavioral interventions. CONCLUSIONS Behavioral interventions increased free-living PA/exercise and produced clinically significant improvements in long-term glucose control. Future studies should consider use of theory and multiple behavior change techniques associated with clinically significant improvements in HbA1c, including structured training for care providers on the delivery of behavioural interventions.
Modulation of hepatic lipid metabolism by olive oil and its phenols in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the most common chronic liver disease in western countries, being considered the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Cumulative lines of evidence suggest that olive oil, used as primary source of fat by Mediterranean populations, may play a key role in the observed health benefits on NAFLD. In this review, we summarize the state of the art of the knowledge on the protective role of both major and minor components of olive oil on lipid metabolism during NAFLD. In particular, the biochemical mechanisms responsible for the increase or decrease in hepatic lipid content are critically analyzed, taking into account that several studies have often provided different and/or conflicting results in animal models fed on olive oil‐enriched diet. In addition, new findings that highlight the hypolipidemic and the antisteatotic actions of olive oil phenols are presented. As mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, the targeting of these organelles with olive oil phenols as a powerful therapeutic approach is also discussed. © 2015 IUBMB Life, 67(1):9–17, 2015
Taste masking of ondansetron hydrochloride by polymer carrier system and formulation of rapid-disintegrating tablets

The purpose of this research was to mask the intensely bitter taste of ondansetron HCl and to formulate a rapiddisintegrating tablet (RDT) of the taste-maske drug. Taste masking was done by complexing ondansetron HCl with aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer (Eudragit EPO) in different ratios by the precipitation method. Drug-polymer complexes (DPCs) were tested for drug content, in vitro taste in simulated salivary fluid (SSF) of pH 6.2, and molecular property. Complex that did not release drug in SSF was considered taste-masked and selected for formulation RDTs. The complex with drug-polymer ratio of 8∶2 did not show drug release in SSF; therefore, it was selected. The properties of tablets such as tensile strength, wetting time, water absorption ratio, in vitro disintegration time, and disintegration in the oral cavity were investigated to elucidate the wetting and disintegration characteristics of tablets. Polyplasdone XL-10 7% wt/wt gave the minimum disintegration time. Tablets of batch F4 containing spray-dried mannitol and microcrystalline cellulose in the ratio 1∶1 and 7% wt/wt Polyplasdone XL-10 showed faster disintegration, within 12.5 seconds, than the marketed tablet (112 seconds). Good correlation between in vitro disintegration behavior and in the oral cavity was recognized. Taste evaluation of RDT in human volunteers revealed considerable taste masking with the degree of bitterness below threshold value (0.5) ultimately reaching to 0 within 15 minutes, whereas ondansetron HCl was rated intensely bitter with a score of 3 for 10 minutes. Tablets of batch F4 also revealed rapid drug release (t90, 60 seconds) in SGF compared with marketed formulation (t90, 240 seconds;P<.01). Thus, results conclusively demonstrated successful masking of taste and rapid disintegration of the formulated tablets in the oral cavity.
Film cooling effectiveness and heat transfer with injection through holes

An experimental investigation of the local film cooling effectiveness and heat transfer downstream of injection of air through discrete holes into a turbulent boundary layer of air on a flat plate is reported. Secondary air is injected through a single hole normal to the main flow and through both a single hole and a row of holes spaced at three diameter intervals with an injection angle of 35 deg to the main flow. Two values of the mainstream Reynolds number are used; the blowing rate is varied from 0.1 to 2.0. Photographs of a carbon dioxide-water fog injected into the main flow at an angle of 90 deg are also presented to show interaction between the jet and mainstream.
Does age affect outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy?

INTRODUCTION The present study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in elderly patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 50 PCNLs performed in the elderly patients (age > 65 years) carried out in our clinic from 2001 through 2007 and compared those with 248 PCNLs performed in younger patients (age < 40 years) during the same period. RESULTS No significant difference was seen in calculus burden between the two groups. The success rates (stone-free patients and patients with residual calculi < 4 mm) were 85% for the elderly patients and 90% for the younger patients (P = .45). The major composition of calculi was calcium oxalate in 58% and 66.5% of the elderly and younger groups, respectively. No significant complication was observed in the elderly group. Fever without sign and symptoms of bacteremia was seen in 3 patients of each group (8.0% versus 1.2%, P = .004). The operative time was 75.0 +/- 6.4 minutes and 76.0 +/- 5.1 minutes (P = .25), and the mean hospital stay was 3.7 +/- 0.3 days and 3.8 +/- 0.9 days (P = .80) in the elderly and younger patients, respectively. CONCLUSION We found that PCNL in patients over 65 years was a safe and reliable technique with a stone-free rate of 85% for all types of calculi. Well-controlled comorbidities do not increase the risk of operation. It seems that despite the higher medical risk in the elderly patients, PCNL could be safe and yields a high stone-free rate.
Power efficient range assignment in ad-hoc wireless networks

We study the problem of assigning transmission ranges to the nodes of ad hoc wireless networks to minimize power consumption while ensuring network connectivity. We give an exact branch and cut algorithm based on a new integer linear program formulation solving instances with up to 35-40 nodes in 1 hour; a proof that min-power symmetric connectivity with asymmetric power requirements is inapproximable within factor (1 - /spl epsi/) ln |V| for any /spl epsi/ > 0 unless P = NP; an improved analysis for two approximation algorithms recently proposed by Calinescu et al. (TCS'02), decreasing the best known approximation factor to 5/3 + /spl epsi/; and a comprehensive experimental study comparing new and previously proposed heuristics with the above exact and approximation algorithms.
Aeromonas spp as a potential cause of diarrhoea in children.

AIMS: To determine the prevalence of Aeromonas spp in the faeces of children and the association with symptoms of gastroenteritis. METHODS: Faecal specimens (n = 1026) were cultured for Aeromonas spp using three selective media and an enrichment broth at both 30 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The isolation of Aeromonas spp was correlated with symptoms of gastroenteritis, previous antibiotic use, and environmental temperature. RESULTS: Aeromonas spp (n = 28) from 26 (2.5%) patients were recovered. Bile salt, Irgasan, and brilliant green agar was the most efficient selective culture medium. Eleven of the patients had symptoms of gastroenteritis, usually mild diarrhoea of two to three days' duration, in the absence of other recognised enteropathogens. A caviae was a particularly frequent isolate (nine out of 11 cases) in symptomatic individuals. Only one out of seven Aeromonas spp recovered by enrichment culture alone was possibly associated with symptoms of gastroenteritis. There was a close correlation between the environmental temperature and isolation of Aeromonas spp. CONCLUSIONS: Aeromonas spp and particularly A caviae may cause gastroenteritis in children, most often during warmer months of the year. Culture for these potential enteropathogens could be confined to summer and autumn months. Bile salt, Irgasan, and brilliant green selective agar, but not alkaline peptone water enrichment, is an efficient culture medium for recovering possibly clinically important isolates.
The Northeast Winter Monsoon over the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia: Evolution, Interannual Variability, and Model Simulations

The northeast monsoon (NEM) brings the bulk of annual rainfall to southeastern peninsular India, Sri Lanka, and the neighboring Southeast Asian countries. This October–December monsoon is referred to as the winter monsoon in this region. In contrast, the southwest summer monsoon brings bountiful rainfall to the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The winter monsoon region is objectively demarcated from analysis of the timing of peak monthly rainfall. Because of the region’s complex terrain, in situ precipitation datasets are assessed using high-spatiotemporal-resolution Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) rainfall estimates, prior to their use in monsoon evolution, variability, and trend analyses. The Global Precipitation Climatology Center’s in situ analysis showed the least bias from TRMM. El Niño–Southern Oscillation’s (ENSO) impact on NEM rainfall is shown to be significant, leading to stronger NEM rainfall over southeastern peninsular India and Sri Lanka but diminished rainfall over Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The impact varies subseasonally, being weak in October and strong in November. The positive anomalies over peninsular India are generated by anomalous anticyclonic flow centered over the Bay of Bengal, which is forced by an El Niño–related reduction in deep convection over the Maritime Continent. The historical twentieth-century climate simulations informing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment (IPCC-AR5) show varied deficiencies in the NEM rainfall distribution and a markedly weaker (and often unrealistic) ENSO–NEM rainfall relationship.
No-Reference Estimation of the Coding PSNR for H.264-Coded Sequences

In this article an algorithm for the evaluation of the picture quality of H.264-coded video sequences is introduced. As a measure of picture quality the peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) is used. While the computation of the PSNR usually considers a reference signal in comparison to the distorted video sequence, the proposed algorithm uses the coded transform coefficients to estimate the PSNR in a statistical maimer. Thus, no reference signal is needed.
Blood Pressure, Sodium Intake, and Sodium Related Hormones in the Yanomamo Indians, a “No‐salt” Culture

The Yanomamo Indians are an unacculturated tribe inhabiting the tropical equatorial rain forest of northern Brazil and southern Venezuela who do not use salt in their diet. The group therefore presented an unusual opportunity to study the hormonal regulation of sodium metabolism in a culture with life-long extreme restriction of dietary sodium, with parallel observations on blood pressure. Blood pressures increase from the first to second decade but, in contrast to civilized populations, do not systematically increase during subsequent years of life. In twenty-four hour urine collections on adult male Indians, excretion of sodium averaged only 1 ± 1.5 (sd) mEq. Simultaneous plasma renin activities were elevated and comparable to those of civilized subjects placed for brief periods on 10 mEq sodium diets. Similarly, excretion rates of aldosterone equaled those of acculturated subjects on low sodium diets. The findings suggest that the hormonal adjustments to life-long low sodium intakes are similar to those achieved in acute sodium restriction of civilized man. Parenthetically, these elevated levels of aldosterone and renin were probably the norm for man during much of human evolution and suggest that the values observed in civilized controls are depressed by an excessive salt intake in contemporary diets.
Role of frontier orbitals in chemical reactions.

Since the 3rd century for more than a thousand years chemistry has been thought of as a complicated, hard-to-predict science. Efforts to improve even a part of its unpredictable character are said to have born fruit first of all in the success of the " electronic theory ". This was founded mainly by organic chemists , such as Fry, Stieglitz, Lucas, Lapworth and Sidgwick, brought to a completed form by Robinson and Ingold, and developed later by many other chemists. 1 In the electronic theory, the mode of migration of electrons in molecules is noted and is considered under various judgements. For that purpose, a criterion is necessary with respect to the number of electrons which should originally exist in an atom or a bond in a molecule. Therefore, it can be said to be the concept by Lewis of the sharing of electrons that has given a firm basis to the electronic theory. 2 In the organic electronic theory, the chemical concepts such as acid and base, oxidation and reduction and so on, have been conveniently utilized from a long time ago. Furthermore, there are terms centring closer around the electron concept, such as electrophilicity and nucleophilicity, and electron donor and acceptor both being pairs of relative concepts. One may be aware that these concepts can be connected qualitatively to the scale of electron density or electric charge. In the electronic theory, the static and dynamic behaviours of molecules are explained by the electronic effects which are based on nothing but the distribution of electrons in a molecule. The mode of charge distribution in a molecule can be sketched to some extent by the use of the electronegativity concept of atoms through organic chemical experience. At the same time, it is given foundation, made quantitative , and supported by physical measurements of electron distribution and theoretical calculations based on quantum theory. The distribution of electrons or electric charge-with either use the result is unchanged-in a molecule is usually represented by the total numbers (generally not integer) of electrons in each atom and each bond, and it was a concept easily acceptable even to empirical chemists as having a tolerably realistic meaning. Therefore, chemists employed the electron density as a fundamental concept to explain or to comprehend various phenomena. In particular, for the purpose of promoting chemical investigations, researchers usually rely upon the analogy through experience, and the electron density …
An Insight into Spiritual Health and Coping Tactics among Dental Students; A Gain or Blight: A Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION Spiritual health is the youngest dimension of health which affects the coping skills of the individual and may help the dental students who are the caregivers of the future, to overcome crisis situation with time. AIM To measure the association between spiritual health and coping skills among the dental students of private dental college. MATERIALS AND METHODS A questionnaire based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the spiritual health status using Spiritual Health Assessment Scale (SHAS) and coping skills using Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences (ACOPE) scale among the 389 dental students of different academic years in a private dental college. The data obtained was subjected to descriptive statistics and means were compared using independent t-test and one-way ANOVA. RESULTS The mean age of the study participants was 22.8±3.17 years. Majority of the students had fair spiritual health score (74.55%). Of the coping strategies dimension, highest mean score was observed in seeking diversions (3.60±1.40) and the least mean score was observed in engaging in demanding activities (2.67±1.41). Statistically significant association was seen between dimension of coping behaviour and spiritual health (p≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION The present study highlights that spiritual health plays a central role and influences the coping strategies in human health. The spiritual health can continuously compensate with other health like mental, physical and social well-being.
The Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate: Size and Quality Matters

We investigate the 'Digital Synaptic Neural Substrate' (DSNS) computational creativity approach further with respect to the size and quality of images that can be used to seed the process. In previous work we demonstrated how combining photographs of people and sequences taken from chess games between weak players can be used to generate chess problems or puzzles of higher aesthetic quality, on average, compared to alternative approaches. In this work we show experimentally that using larger images as opposed to smaller ones improves the output quality even further. The same is also true for using clearer or less corrupted images. The reasons why these things influence the DSNS process is presently not well-understood and debatable but the findings are nevertheless immediately applicable for obtaining better results.
Rate of growth of a transient cookie random walk

We consider a one-dimensional transient cookie random walk. It is known from a previous paper (BS2008) that a cookie random walk $(X_n)$ has positive or zero speed according to some positive parameter $\alpha >1$ or $\leq 1$. In this article, we give the exact rate of growth of $X_n$ in the zero speed regime, namely: for $0<\alpha<1$, $X_n/n^{(α+1)/2}$ converges in law to a Mittag-Leffler distribution whereas for $\alpha=1$, $X_n(\log n)/n$ converges in probability to some positive constant.