Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome, Alanine Aminotransferase Levels, and Liver Disease Severity in a Multiethnic North American Cohort With Chronic Hepatitis B

OBJECTIVE Metabolic syndrome (MS) is prevalent and is associated with adverse outcomes of liver disease. We evaluated the prevalence of MS and its influence on alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and fibrosis, as estimated by the aspartate aminotransferase–to–platelet ratio index (APRI), in a large, multiethnic North American cohort with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Adults with chronic HBV from 21 centers within the U.S. and Canada were evaluated at baseline and for up to 5 years (median 3.7 years) of follow-up. MS was defined as the presence of at least three of five criteria including waist circumference, blood pressure, glucose, triglyceride, and HDL levels. RESULTS Analysis included 777 participants, of whom 171 (22%) had MS. Participants with MS (vs. those without MS) were older (median age 54.4 vs. 40.2 years), more often male (61% vs. 51%), and born in the U.S./Canada or had immigrated >20 years ago (60% vs. 43%). MS was not associated with ALT or APRI at baseline. Upon adjusted multivariable analysis of serial ALT values, ALT was significantly higher (mean 12%; P = 0.02) among those with MS at baseline and even higher (mean 19%; P = 0.003) among those with persistent MS compared with those with persistent absence of MS. MS was not associated with serial APRI on follow-up. CONCLUSIONS MS was prevalent in this HBV cohort and was independently associated with higher ALT levels longitudinally. These findings highlight the importance of screening for MS and the potential for MS to influence ALT and its interpretation in the context of HBV treatment decisions.
Restricted fetal growth and the response to dietary cholesterol in the guinea pig.

Epidemiological studies suggest that retarded growth before birth is associated with increased plasma total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations in adult life. Thus perturbations of prenatal growth may permanently alter cholesterol metabolism. To determine directly whether restriction of prenatal nutrition and growth alters postnatal cholesterol homeostasis, the plasma cholesterol response to cholesterol feeding (0.25% cholesterol) was examined in adult guinea pig offspring of ad libitum-fed or moderately undernourished mothers. Maternal undernutrition (85% ad libitum intake throughout pregnancy) reduced birth weight (-13%). Plasma total cholesterol was higher prior to and following 6 wk cholesterol feeding in male offspring of undernourished mothers compared with male offspring of ad libitum-fed mothers ( P< 0.05). The influence of birth weight on cholesterol metabolism was examined by dividing the offspring into those whose birth weight was above (high) or below (low) the median birth weight. Plasma total cholesterol concentrations prior to cholesterol feeding did not differ with size at birth, but plasma total and LDL cholesterol were 31 and 34% higher, respectively, following cholesterol feeding in low- compared with high-birth weight males ( P < 0.02). The response to cholesterol feeding in female offspring was not altered by variable maternal nutrition or size at birth. Covariate analysis showed that the effect of maternal undernutrition on adult cholesterol metabolism could be partly accounted for by alterations in prenatal growth. In conclusion, maternal undernutrition and small size at birth permanently alter postnatal cholesterol homeostasis in the male guinea pig.
Tonic and phasic influences of nitric oxide on renal blood flow autoregulation in conscious dogs.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the mean level and phasic modulation of NO on the dynamic autoregulation of renal blood flow (RBF). Transfer functions were calculated from spontaneous fluctuations of RBF and arterial pressure (AP) in conscious resting dogs for 2 h under control conditions, after NO synthase (NOS) inhibition [ N G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME)] and afterl-NAME followed by a continuous infusion of an NO donor [ S-nitroso- N-acetyl-dl-penicillamine (SNAP)]. After l-NAME ( n = 7) AP was elevated, heart rate (HR) and RBF were reduced. The gain of the transfer function above 0.08 Hz was increased, compatible with enhanced resonance of the myogenic response. A peak of high gain around 0.03 Hz, reflecting oscillations of the tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF), was not affected. The gain below 0.01 Hz, was elevated, but still less than 0 dB, indicating diminished but not abolished autoregulation. Afterl-NAME and SNAP ( n = 5), mean AP and RBF were not changed, but HR was slightly elevated. The gain above 0.08 Hz and the peak of high gain at 0.03 Hz were not affected. The gain below 0.01 Hz was elevated, but smaller than 0 dB. It is concluded that NO may help to prevent resonance of the myogenic response depending on the mean level of NO. The feedback oscillations of the TGF are not affected by NO. NO contributes to the autoregulation below 0.01 Hz due to phasic modulation independent of its mean level.
Acute exercise can improve cardioprotection without increasing heat shock protein content.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of acute bouts of exercise on myocardial recovery after ischemia and heat shock protein expression. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups: 1) 1-day run (1DR; n = 6) and 2) 3-day run (3DR; n = 7), in which rats ran for 100 min at a speed of 20 m/min up a 6° grade for 1 or 3 consecutive days; 3) 1-day cold run (1CR), in which rats ran the same as 1DR but with wet fur at 8°C, which prevented an elevation of core temperature ( n = 8); 4) heat shock sedentary (HS), in which rats had their core temperatures raised to 42°C one time for 15 min ( n = 5); and 5) sedentary control ( n=15). Cardiac function was analyzed 24 h after the last treatment using an isolated, working heart model. Nonpaced hearts were initially perfused under normoxic conditions, then underwent 17 min of global, normothermic (37°C) ischemia, and, finally, were allowed to recover for 30 min under normoxic conditions. The concentration of the 72-kDa heat shock protein (HSP 72) was measured in each left ventricle. Compared with that in the sedentary group, recovery of cardiac output × systolic pressure (CO × SP) was enhanced ( P < 0.05) in all treatment groups when the postischemic value was covaried with the preischemic value. No differences in CO × SP were found ( P > 0.05) between the following groups: 1DR vs. 3DR, 1DR vs. HS, and 1DR vs. 1CR. Heat shock protein concentration was significantly greater ( P < 0.05) than that in the sedentary controls in HS, 1DR, and 3DR groups, but not for 1CR. The concentration of HSP 72 was not significantly correlated with postischemic CO × SP ( R 2 = 0.197, P > 0.05). We conclude that acute bouts of exercise can produce cardioprotective effects without an elevation of HSP 72.
Hydrolytic Degradation and Mechanical Stability of Poly(ε-Caprolactone)/Reduced Graphene Oxide Membranes as Scaffolds for In Vitro Neural Tissue Regeneration

The present work studies the functional behavior of novel poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) membranes functionalized with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoplatelets under simulated in vitro culture conditions (phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at 37 °C) during 1 year, in order to elucidate their applicability as scaffolds for in vitro neural regeneration. The morphological, chemical, and DSC results demonstrated that high internal porosity of the membranes facilitated water permeation and procured an accelerated hydrolytic degradation throughout the bulk pathway. Therefore, similar molecular weight reduction, from 80 kDa to 33 kDa for the control PCL, and to 27 kDa for PCL/rGO membranes, at the end of the study, was observed. After 1 year of hydrolytic degradation, though monomers coming from the hydrolytic cleavage of PCL diffused towards the PBS medium, the pH was barely affected, and the rGO nanoplatelets mainly remained in the membranes which envisaged low cytotoxic effect. On the other hand, the presence of rGO nanomaterials accelerated the loss of mechanical stability of the membranes. However, it is envisioned that the gradual degradation of the PCL/rGO membranes could facilitate cells infiltration, interconnectivity, and tissue formation.
EMAP II: a modulator of neovascularization in the developing lung.

Neovascularization is a key regulatory process in fetal growth and development. Although factors promoting growth and development of the pulmonary vasculature have been investigated, nothing is known regarding the molecular mechanisms that may counteract these stimuli. Endothelial monocyte-activating polypeptide (EMAP) II has recently been identified as an antiangiogenic factor in tumor vascular development. We postulated that EMAP II is a putative negative modulator of lung vascular growth. EMAP II mRNA and protein decrease fivefold ( P < 0.01) as the developing lungs in the fetal mouse progress from having poor vascularization ( day 14) to having complete vascular development at term ( day 18.5). EMAP II protein expression continues to remain low throughout postnatal life and into adulthood, with the exception of a surge that correlates with microvascular maturation. Furthermore, through the use of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, EMAP II is localized throughout the lung, with significant expression in the submyoepithelial area during the early stages of lung development when there is minimal vascular development. In contrast, EMAP II is distributed around the large vessels during the end of vascular development, suggesting that EMAP II modulates the neovascularization process. We speculate that EMAP II is a director of neovascularization in the developing lung.
Amino acid-induced stimulation of translation initiation in rat skeletal muscle.

Amino acids stimulate protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by accelerating translation initiation. In the two studies described herein, we examined mechanisms by which amino acids regulate translation initiation in perfused skeletal muscle hindlimb preparation of rats. In the first study, the effects of supraphysiological amino acid concentrations on eukaryotic initiation factors (eIF) 2B and 4E were compared with physiological concentrations of amino acids. Amino acid supplementation stimulated protein synthesis twofold. No changes were observed in eIF2B activity, in the amount of eIF4E associated with the eIF4E-binding protein (4E-BP1), or in the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1. The abundance of eIF4E bound to eIF4G and the extent of phosphorylation of eIF4E were increased by 800 and 20%, respectively. In the second study, we examined the effect of removing leucine on translation initiation when all other amino acids were maintained at supraphysiological concentrations. Removal of leucine from the perfusate decreased the rate of protein synthesis by 40%. The inhibition of protein synthesis was associated with a 40% decrease in eIF2B activity and an 80% fall in the abundance of eIF4E ⋅ eIF4G complex. The fall in eIF4G binding to eIF4E was associated with increased 4E-BP1 bound to eIF4E and a reduced phosphorylation of 4E-BP1. In contrast, the extent of phosphorylation of eIF4E was unaffected. We conclude that formation of the active eIF4E ⋅ eIF4G complex controls protein synthesis in skeletal muscle when the amino acid concentration is above the physiological range, whereas removal of leucine reduces protein synthesis through changes in both eIF2B and eIF4E.
Eurographics -ieee Vgtc Symposium on Visualization (2005) Tiled Parallel Coordinates for the Visualization of Time-varying Multichannel Eeg Data

The field of visualization assists data interpretation in many areas, but some types of data are not manageable by existing visualization techniques. This holds in particular for time-varying multichannel EEG data. No existing technique can simultaneously visualize information from all channels in use and all time steps. To address this problem, a new visualization technique is presented, based on the parallel coordinate method and making use of a tiled organization. This tiled organization employs a two-dimensional row-column representation, rather than a one-dimensional arrangement in columns as used for the classical parallel coordinates. The usefulness of the new method, referred to as tiled parallel coordinates, is demonstrated by one particular type of EEG data. It can be applied to an arbitrary number of time steps, for the maximum number of channels currently in use. The general setup of the method makes it widely applicable to other time-varying multivariate data types.
Voltage-dependent entry and generation of slow Ca2+ oscillations in glucose-stimulated pancreatic β-cells.

The role of voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry for glucose generation of slow oscillations of the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was evaluated in individual mouse pancreatic β-cells. Like depolarization with K+, a rise of the glucose concentration resulted in an enhanced influx of Mn2+, which was inhibited by nifedipine. This antagonist of L-type Ca2+ channels also blocked the slow oscillations of [Ca2+]iinduced by glucose. The slow oscillations occurred in synchrony with variations in Mn2+ influx and bursts of action currents, with the elevation of [Ca2+]ibeing proportional to the frequency of the action currents. A similar relationship was obtained when Ca2+ was replaced with Sr2+. Occasionally, the slow [Ca2+]ioscillations were superimposed with pronounced spikes temporarily arresting the action currents. It is concluded that the glucose-induced slow oscillations of [Ca2+]iare caused by periodic depolarization with Ca2+ influx through L-type channels. Ca2+ spiking, due to intracellular mobilization, may be important for chopping the slow oscillations of [Ca2+]iinto shorter ones characterizing β-cells situated in pancreatic islets.
A Neglected Population: Media Consumption, Perceived Risk, and Fear of Crime Among International Students

The 4.5 million international students worldwide bring in multifold benefits to the advancement of culture, economy, and national security in education host countries. Surprisingly, few prior studies have explored international students’ fear of crime, which may harm their mental and physical health and undermine their educational achievements. The current study aims to fill in this research void by investigating international students’ fear of crime in line with the cultivation theoretical framework, which postulates that media consumption cultivates fear of crime. The analyses draw on a sample of 398 international students attending nine different public and private universities across the United States. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), I investigate the extent and correlates of students’ fear of crime. The findings reveal that international students are more fearful in the United States than in their home countries. SEM results show that controlling for students’ fear in their home countries, attention paid to crime news is positively related to fear in the United States, through perceived victimization risk. The SEM results also suggest that exposure to non-U.S. social media (e.g., WeChat and Weibo) is positively related to respondents’ fear of crime, whereas exposure to U.S. social media (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) is not related to fear of crime. The current study highlights the importance of studying the impact of fear of crime and social media use on international students.
Changes in surfactant-associated protein mRNA profile in growth-restricted fetal sheep.

To test the hypothesis that chronic placental insufficiency resulting in fetal growth restriction causes an increase in fetal lung surfactant-associated protein (SP) gene expression, we embolized chronically catheterized fetal sheep ( n = 6) daily using nonradioactive microspheres in the abdominal aorta for 21 days (between 0.74 and 0.88 of gestation) until fetal arterial oxygen content was reduced by ∼40-50%. Control animals ( n = 7) received saline only. Basal fetal plasma cortisol concentration was monitored. At the end of the experiment, fetal lung tissues were collected, and ratios of tissue levels of SP-A, SP-B, and SP-C mRNA to 18S rRNA were determined by standard Northern blot analysis. Total DNA content of fetal lungs was reduced by 30% in the embolized group compared with control group ( P = 0.01). There was a 2.7-fold increase in fetal lung SP-A mRNA ( P< 0.05) and a 3.2-fold increase in SP-B mRNA ( P < 0.01) in the chronically embolized group compared with those in the control group. SP-A and SP-B mRNA tissue levels were highly correlated with the mean fetal plasma cortisol levels on days 20-21( r = 0.90, P < 0.01 for SP-A mRNA and r = 0.94, P < 0.01 for SP-B mRNA). SP-C mRNA tissue levels were not significantly affected by placental insufficiency. We conclude that fetal growth restriction due to placental insufficiency is associated with alterations in fetal lung SP, suggesting enhanced lung maturation that was highly dependent on the degree of increase in fetal plasma cortisol levels.
Endothelin mediates renal vasodilation and hyperfiltration during pregnancy in chronically instrumented conscious rats.

Profound vasodilation of the kidneys and other nonreproductive organs transpires during early pregnancy. Because nitric oxide (NO) was found to mediate renal vasodilation and hyperfiltration in conscious pregnant rats, and endogenous endothelin (ET) was suggested to be vasodilatory in the renal circulation of nonpregnant rats, we tested whether endothelin mediates the NO-dependent changes in the renal circulation during pregnancy. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) were measured in conscious pregnant and virgin rats before and during infusion of 30 μg/min RES-701-1 (a selective ETB receptor subtype antagonist). Baseline GFR and ERPF were significantly increased by 35% in gravid rats relative to virgin controls. During infusion of RES-701-1, the pregnant rats responded more robustly, showing a greater decline in both GFR and ERPF such that renal function converged in the two groups of rats. ERPF also converged in pregnant and virgin rats during infusion of SB-209760, a nonselective ETA/B receptor subtype antagonist. Combined infusion of N ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester [l-NAME, an NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor] and RES-701-1 reduced GFR and ERPF to levels comparable to those reached with either agent given alone, suggesting inhibition of a common vasodilatory pathway. RES-701-1 and SB-209670 significantly lowered the cGMP content of small renal arteries from gravid and virgin rats in vitro, strengthening the link between the renal endothelial ETBreceptor subtype and NO. Importantly, we showed that RES-701-1 is not a direct inhibitor of NOS. We conclude that endothelin mediates the NO-dependent changes in the renal circulation of conscious rats during pregnancy.
Effects of maturation on adrenergic neurotransmission in ovine cerebral arteries.

The present studies examine the hypothesis that multiple adrenergic neuroeffector mechanisms are not fully developed in fetal, compared with adult, ovine middle cerebral arteries. In arteries denuded of endothelium and pretreated with 1 μM atropine to block involvement of muscarinic receptors, 10 μM capsaicin to deplete sensory peptidergic neurons, and 10 μM nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) to block possible influences from nitric oxidergic innervation, transmural stimulation at 16 Hz increased contractile tensions to 9.5 ± 3.7% ( n = 6) of the potassium maximum in adult arteries. Corresponding values in fetal arteries, however, were significantly less and averaged only 1.1 ± 0.6% ( n =10). However, postsynaptic sensitivity to norepinephrine (NE) was similar in the two age groups; NE pD2 values (-log EC50) averaged 6.11 ± 0.12 ( n = 6) and 6.33 ± 0.09 M ( n = 9) in fetal and adult arteries, respectively. Similarly, NE content measured via HPLC was also similar in the two age groups and averaged 32.4 ± 5.0 ( n = 17) and 32.5 ± 3.9 ng/ng wet wt ( n = 13) in fetal and adult middle cerebral arteries, respectively. In contrast, stimulation-induced NE release was greater in fetal than in adult arteries, whether calculated as total mass released [883 ± 184 ( n = 17) vs. 416 ± 106 pg NE/mg wet wt ( n = 13)] or as fractional release [51.1 ± 5.3 ( n = 17) vs. 22.8 ± 3.8 pg/pg NE content per pulse × 10-6]. Measured as an index of synaptic density, neuronal cocaine-sensitive NE uptake was similar in fetal and adult arteries [1.55 ± 0.40 ( n = 10) and 1.84 ± 0.51 pmol/mg wet wt ( n = 7), respectively]. Overall, age-related differences in postsynaptic sensitivity to NE, NE release, and NE uptake capacity cannot explain the corresponding age-related differences in response to stimulation. The data thus suggest that total synaptic volume and cleft width, in particular, are probably greater and/or that adrenergic corelease of vasoactive substances other than NE is altered in fetal compared with adult middle cerebral arteries.
Online Health Monitoring using Facebook Advertisement Audience Estimates in the United States: Evaluation Study

Background Facebook, the most popular social network with over one billion daily users, provides rich opportunities for its use in the health domain. Though much of Facebook’s data are not available to outsiders, the company provides a tool for estimating the audience of Facebook advertisements, which includes aggregated information on the demographics and interests, such as weight loss or dieting, of Facebook users. This paper explores the potential uses of Facebook ad audience estimates for eHealth by studying the following: (1) for what type of health conditions prevalence estimates can be obtained via social media and (2) what type of marker interests are useful in obtaining such estimates, which can then be used for recruitment within online health interventions. Objective The objective of this study was to understand the limitations and capabilities of using Facebook ad audience estimates for public health monitoring and as a recruitment tool for eHealth interventions. Methods We use the Facebook Marketing application programming interface to correlate estimated sizes of audiences having health-related interests with public health data. Using several study cases, we identify both potential benefits and challenges in using this tool. Results We find several limitations in using Facebook ad audience estimates, for example, using placebo interest estimates to control for background level of user activity on the platform. Some Facebook interests such as plus-size clothing show encouraging levels of correlation (r=.74) across the 50 US states; however, we also sometimes find substantial correlations with the placebo interests such as r=. 68 between interest in Technology and Obesity prevalence. Furthermore, we find demographic-specific peculiarities in the interests on health-related topics. Conclusions Facebook’s advertising platform provides aggregate data for more than 190 million US adults. We show how disease-specific marker interests can be used to model prevalence rates in a simple and intuitive manner. However, we also illustrate that building effective marker interests involves some trial-and-error, as many details about Facebook’s black box remain opaque.