Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The human electro-oculogram: interaction of light and alcohol.

PURPOSE To investigate the production of the voltage changes evoked in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) by light and alcohol and the interaction of these agents. METHODS The eye movement potential in humans was intermittently recorded to standard horizontal excursions for long periods during which either retinal illumination was altered or ethyl alcohol was administered by the oral, intragastric, or intravenous route. In other experiments, both light and alcohol were administered. RESULTS Alcohol and light produced near identical corneofundal voltage changes (positive and then negative) over more than 40 minutes. Differences in timing between alcohol and light increases are explicable by the delays in alcohol absorption. Weak background light suppressed the effect of light steps, and low levels of background alcohol suppressed the response to subsequent doses. Backgrounds of one agent did not affect the voltage changes caused by the other. Minimal alcohol effects were seen after administration of 1 g orally or 270 mg intravenously--that is, doses that produced undetectable changes in breath alcohol. The semisaturating oral dose was approximately 20 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol and light act through separate pathways to form a final common pathway inside the RPE cell that is responsible for triggering the timing of the slow oscillatory changes of EOG voltage. The sensitivity and duration with which alcohol affects the RPE are comparable with the effect of melatonin or dopamine, although only the former interacts with light similarly to alcohol. Transient modulation of the acetylcholine (Ach) neuronal receptor occurs at similar sensitivity, but all other known actions of alcohol require higher concentrations than this RPE action.
Inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 in experimental severe acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND The standard treatment for acute pancreatitis (AP) is still based on supportive care. The search for a new drug that could change the natural history of the disease is a continuing challenge for many researchers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor on experimental AP in rats. METHODS The animals were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (n = 30)-animals with taurocholate-induced AP treated with parecoxib (40 mg/kg). Group 2 (n = 30)-animals with taurocholate-induced AP that received saline. The COX-2 inhibitor (parecoxib) was injected immediately after AP induction, through the penis dorsal vein. The parameters evaluated were histology, serum levels of amylase, IL-6 and IL-10, and mortality rate. RESULTS The serum levels of IL-6 and IL-10 in the parecoxib-treated group were lower than the control group. The amylase serum levels and the mortality rate remained unchanged in the treated animals. Histologic morphology also was unaltered, except for fat necrosis, which was higher in parecoxib-treated rats. CONCLUSION Inhibition of Cox-2 decreases the systemic release of inflammatory cytokines, but has a poor effect on the direct pancreas injury caused by taurocholate.
ACK1 Tyrosine Kinase Interacts with Histone Demethylase KDM3A to Regulate the Mammary Tumor Oncogene HOXA1*

Background: The molecular mechanism by which tyrosine kinases promote estrogen-independent ER-responsive gene expression is poorly understood. Results: ACK1 drives the expression of oncogene HOXA1 by stimulating KDM3A histone demethylase activity by tyrosine phosphorylation. Conclusion: Targeting ACK1 signaling by AIM-100 mitigates HOXA1 expression and inhibits breast cancer cell growth. Significance: ACK1·KDM3A·HOXA1 signaling represents a novel target in overcoming tamoxifen resistance. Hormone therapy with the selective estrogen-receptor modulator tamoxifen provides a temporary relief for patients with estrogen receptor α (ER)-positive breast cancers. However, a subset of patients exhibiting overexpression of the HER2 receptor tyrosine kinase displays intrinsic resistance to tamoxifen therapy. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms promoting the estrogen (E2)-independent ER-regulated gene transcription in tamoxifen-resistant breast tumors is essential to identify new therapeutic avenues to overcome drug resistance and ameliorate poor prognosis. The non-receptor tyrosine kinase, ACK1 (also known as TNK2), has emerged as a major integrator of signaling from various receptor tyrosine kinases including HER2. We have uncovered that heregulin-mediated ACK1 activation promoted ER activity in the presence of tamoxifen, which was significantly down-regulated upon ACK1 knockdown or inhibition of ACK1 by small molecule inhibitors, AIM-100 or Dasatinib. We report that ACK1 phosphorylates the ER co-activator, KDM3A, a H3K9 demethylase, at an evolutionary conserved tyrosine 1114 site in a heregulin-dependent manner, even in the presence of tamoxifen. Consistent with this finding, ACK1 activation resulted in a significant decrease in the deposition of dimethyl H3K9 epigenetic marks. Conversely, inhibition of ACK1 by AIM-100 or Dasatinib restored dimethyl H3K9 methylation marks and caused transcriptional suppression of the ER-regulated gene HOXA1. Thus, by its ability to regulate the epigenetic activity of an ER co-activator KDM3A, ACK1 modulates HOXA1 expression in the absence of E2, conferring tamoxifen resistance. These data reveal a novel therapeutic option, suppression of ACK1 signaling by AIM-100 or Dasatinib, to mitigate HOXA1 up-regulation in breast cancer patients displaying tamoxifen resistance.
Fine Particulate Air Pollution and Outpatient Department Visits for Headache in Taipei, Taiwan

This study was undertaken to determine whether there was an association between fine particle matter (PM2.5) levels and daily outpatient department visits (OPD) for headaches in Taipei, Taiwan. Daily OPD visits for headaches and ambient air pollution data for Taipei were obtained for the period 2006–2011. The relative risk of visits for OPD headaches was estimated using a case-crossover approach, controlling for weather variables, day of the week, seasonality, and long-term time trends. For the single-pollutant model (without adjustment for other pollutants), increased OPD visits for headaches were significantly associated with levels of PM2.5 both on warm days (>23°C) and cool days (<23°C), with an interquartile range rise associated with a 12% (95% CI = 10–14%) and 3% (95% CI = 1–5%) elevation in OPD visits for headaches, respectively. In the two-pollutant models, PM2.5 remained significant after inclusion of sulfur dioxide (SO2) or ozone (O3) on both warm and cool days. This study provides evidence that higher levels of PM2.5 increase the risk of OPD visits for headaches in Taipei, Taiwan.
Observational Signatures of High-Energy Emission during the Shallow Decay Phase of Gamma-Ray Burst X-Ray Afterglows

The widely existing shallow decay phase of the X-ray afterglows of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is generally accepted to be due to long-lasting energy injection. The outflows carrying the injecting energy, based on the component that is dominant in energy, fall into two possible types: baryon-dominated and lepton-dominated ones. The former type of outflow could be ejecta that is ejected during the prompt phase of a GRB and consists of a series of baryonic shells with a distribution of Lorentz factors, and the latter type could be an electron-positron pair wind that is driven by the postburst central engine. We here provide a unified description for the dynamics of fireballs based on these two types of energy injection and calculate the corresponding high-energy photon emission by considering synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton scattering (including synchrotron self-Compton and combined inverse Compton) of electrons. We find that, in the two energy-injection models, there is a plateau (even a hump) in high-energy light curves during the X-ray shallow decay phase. In particular, a considerable fraction of the injecting energy in the lepton-dominated model can be shared by the long-lasting reverse shock since it is relativistic. Furthermore, almost all of the energy of the reverse shock is carried by leptons, and thus, the inverse Compton emission is enhanced dramatically. Therefore, this model predicts more significant high-energy afterglow emission than the baryon-dominated model. We argue that these observational signatures would be used to discriminate between different energy-injection models in the upcoming Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) era.
Drug incompatibilities in the adult intensive care unit of a university hospital

Objectives This study sought to identify the physical and chemical incompatibilities among the drugs administered intravenously to patients admitted to an adult intensive care unit. We also aimed to establish pharmaceutical guidelines for administering incompatible drugs. Methods This cross-sectional, prospective, and quantitative study was conducted from July to September 2015. Drug incompatibilities were identified based on an analysis of the patient prescriptions available in the hospital online management system. A pharmaceutical intervention was performed using the guidelines on the preparation and administration of incompatible drugs. Adherence to those guidelines was subsequently assessed among the nursing staff. Results A total of 100 prescriptions were analyzed; 68 were incompatible with the intravenous drugs prescribed. A total of 271 drug incompatibilities were found, averaging 4.0 ± 3.3 incompatibilities per prescription. The most commonly found drug incompatibilities were between midazolam and hydrocortisone (8.9%), between cefepime and midazolam (5.2%), and between hydrocortisone and vancomycin (5.2%). The drugs most commonly involved in incompatibilities were midazolam, hydrocortisone, and vancomycin. The most common incompatibilities occurred when a drug was administered via continuous infusion and another was administered intermittently (50%). Of the 68 prescriptions that led to pharmaceutical guidelines, 45 (66.2%) were fully adhered to by the nursing staff. Conclusion Patients under intensive care were subjected to a high rate of incompatibilities. Drug incompatibilities can be identified and eliminated by the pharmacist on the multidisciplinary team, thereby reducing undesirable effects among patients.
The Type 8 Adenylyl Cyclase Is Critical for Ca2+Stimulation of cAMP Accumulation in Mouse Parotid Acini*

Capacitative Ca2+ entry stimulates cAMP synthesis in mouse parotid acini, suggesting that one of the Ca2+-sensitive adenylyl cyclases (AC1 or AC8) may play an important role in the regulation of parotid function (Watson, E. L., Wu, Z., Jacobson, K. L., Storm, D. R., Singh, J. C., and Ott, S. M. (1998) Am. J. Physiol.274, C557–C565). To evaluate the role of AC1 and AC8 in Ca2+ stimulation of cAMP synthesis in parotid cells, acini were isolated from AC1 mutant (AC1-KO) and AC8 mutant (AC8-KO) mice and analyzed for Ca2+ stimulation of intracellular cAMP levels. Although Ca2+ stimulation of intracellular cAMP levels in acini from AC1-KO mice was indistinguishable from wild type mice, acini from AC8-KO mice showed no Ca2+-stimulated cAMP accumulation. This indicates that AC8, but not AC1, plays a major role in coupling Ca2+ signals to cAMP synthesis in parotid acini. Interestingly, treatment of acini from AC8-KO mice with agents,i.e. carbachol and thapsigargin that increase intracellular Ca2+, lowered cAMP levels. This decrease was dependent upon Ca2+ influx and independent of phosphodiesterase activation. Immunoblot analysis revealed that AC5/6 and AC3 are expressed in parotid glands. Inhibition of calmodulin (CaM) kinase II with KN-62, or inclusion of the CaM inhibitor, calmidazolium, did not prevent agonist-induced inhibition of stimulated cAMP accumulation.In vitro studies revealed that Ca2+, independently of CaM, inhibited isoproterenol-stimulated AC. Data suggest that agonist augmentation of stimulated cAMP levels is due to activation of AC8 in mouse parotid acini, and strongly support a role for AC5/6 in the inhibition of stimulated cAMP levels.
Synergistic impacts of malathion and predatory stress on six species of North American tadpoles

The decline of many amphibian populations is associated with pesticides, but for most pesticides we know little about their toxicity to amphibians. Malathion is a classic example; it is sprayed over aquatic habitats to control mosquitoes that carry malaria and the West Nile virus, yet we know little about its effect on amphibians. I examined the survival of six species of tadpoles (wood frogs, Rana sylvatica; leopard frogs, R. pipiens; green frogs, R. clamitans; bullfrogs, R. catesbeiana; American toads, Bufo americanus; and gray tree frogs, Hyla versicolor) for 16 d in the presence or absence of predatory stress and six concentrations of malathion. Malathion was moderately toxic to all species of tadpoles (median lethal concentration [LC50] values, the concentration estimated to kill 50% of a test population, ranged from 1.25–5.9 mg/L). These values are within the range of values reported for the few amphibians that have been tested (0.2–42 mg/L). In one of the six species, malathion became twice as lethal when combined with predatory stress. Similar synergistic interactions have been found with the insecticide carbaryl, suggesting that the synergy may occur in many carbamate and organophosphate insecticides. While malathion has the potential to kill amphibians and its presence is correlated with habitats containing declining populations, its actual role in amphibian declines is uncertain given the relatively low concentration in aquatic habitats.
Gene Regulation by H-NS as a Function of Growth Conditions Depends on Chromosomal Position in Escherichia coli

Cellular adaptation to changing environmental conditions requires the coordinated regulation of expression of large sets of genes by global regulatory factors such as nucleoid associated proteins. Although in eukaryotic cells genomic position is known to play an important role in regulation of gene expression, it remains to be established whether in bacterial cells there is an influence of chromosomal position on the efficiency of these global regulators. Here we show for the first time that genome position can affect transcription activity of a promoter regulated by the histone-like nucleoid-structuring protein (H-NS), a global regulator of bacterial transcription and genome organization. We have used as a local reporter of H-NS activity the level of expression of a fluorescent reporter protein under control of an H-NS−regulated promoter (Phns) at different sites along the genome. Our results show that the activity of the Phns promoter depends on whether it is placed within the AT-rich regions of the genome that are known to be bound preferentially by H-NS. This modulation of gene expression moreover depends on the growth phase and the growth rate of the cells, reflecting the changes taking place in the relative abundance of different nucleoid proteins and the inherent heterogeneous organization of the nucleoid. Genomic position can thus play a significant role in the adaptation of the cells to environmental changes, providing a fitness advantage that can explain the selection of a gene’s position during evolution.
Toolglasses, Marking Menus, and Hotkeys: A Comparison of One and Two-Handed Command Selection Techniques

This paper introduces a new input technique, bimanual marking menus, and compares its performance with five other techniques: static toolbars, hotkeys, grouped hotkeys, marking menus, and toolglasses. The study builds on previous work by setting the comparison in a commonly encountered task, shape drawing. In this context, grouped hotkeys and bimanual marking menus were found to be the fastest. Subjectively, the most preferred input method was bimanual marking menus. Toolglass performance was unexpectedly slow, which hints at the importance of low-level toolglass implementation choices.
Impact of exercise training on arterial wall thickness in humans

Thickening of the carotid artery wall has been adopted as a surrogate marker of pre-clinical atherosclerosis, which is strongly related to increased cardiovascular risk. The cardioprotective effects of exercise training, including direct effects on vascular function and lumen dimension, have been consistently reported in asymptomatic subjects and those with cardiovascular risk factors and diseases. In the present review, we summarize evidence pertaining to the impact of exercise and physical activity on arterial wall remodelling of the carotid artery and peripheral arteries in the upper and lower limbs. We consider the potential role of exercise intensity, duration and modality in the context of putative mechanisms involved in wall remodelling, including haemodynamic forces. Finally, we discuss the impact of exercise training in terms of primary prevention of wall thickening in healthy subjects and remodelling of arteries in subjects with existing cardiovascular disease and risk factors.
Acoustic event classification using graph signals

In this paper, a graph signal is generated from spectrogram and features are investigated from graph signal for Acoustic Event Classification (AEC). Different acoustic events are selected from Sound Scene Database of Real Word Computing Partnership (RWCP) group. Three different noises are selected from NOISEX'92 database and added to test samples at different noise conditions separately. The recognition performance of acoustic events using proposed features and Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) with clean and noisy test samples are compared. The proposed features show significantly improved recognition accuracy over MFCCs in noisy conditions.
Ideal Cardiovascular Health Predicts Lower Risks of Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, and Vascular Death Across Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics: The Northern Manhattan Study

Background— Evidence of the relationship of cardiovascular health (CVH), defined by the American Heart Association, and specific cardiovascular outcomes is lacking, particularly among Hispanics. This study sought to evaluate the relationship between the number of ideal CVH metrics and cardiovascular risk, overall and by event subtype, in a multiethnic community-based prospective cohort. Methods and Results— A total of 2981 subjects (mean age, 69±10 years; 54% Caribbean Hispanic, 25% black, 21% white) free of myocardial infarction and stroke at baseline in the Northern Manhattan Study were prospectively followed up (median follow-up, 11 years). The relationship between the number of ideal CVH metrics and the risk of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and vascular death, was investigated. Overall, a strong gradient relationship was observed between the adjusted hazard ratios for cardiovascular disease and the number of ideal CVH metrics: 0.73 (95% confidence interval, 0.60–0.89), 0.61 (95% confidence interval, 0.50–0.76), 0.49 (95% confidence interval, 0.38–0.63), and 0.41 (95% confidence interval, 0.26–0.63) for those having 2, 3, 4, and 5 to 6 ideal CVH metrics, respectively, compared with those having 0 to 1 ideal CVH metrics (P for trend <0.0001). Similar graded relationships were found between the number of ideal CVH metrics and the adjusted incidence rate for each specific outcome and among whites, blacks, and Caribbean Hispanics. Conclusions— Our findings demonstrated a steep gradient relationship between ideal CVH and individual cardiovascular disease end points, including stroke, that was similar for whites, blacks, and Caribbean Hispanics. This evidence supports the application of the AHA ideal cardiovascular health metrics for cardiovascular disease risk assessment and health promotion for all Americans regardless of race-ethnic background.
Heterogeneous Two‐Phase Pillars in Epitaxial NiFe2O4‐LaFeO3 Nanocomposites

Self‐assembled epitaxial oxide nanocomposites have been explored for a wide range of applications, including multiferroic and magnetoelectric properties, plasmonics, and catalysis. These so‐called “vertically aligned nanocomposites” form spontaneously during the deposition process when segregation into two phases is energetically favorable as compared to a solid solution. However, there has been surprisingly little work understanding the driving forces that govern the synthesis of these materials, which can include point defect energetics, surface diffusion, and interfacial energies. To explore these factors, La‐Ni‐Fe‐O films have been synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy and it is shown that these phase segregate into spinel‐perovskite nanocomposites. Using complementary scanning transmission electron microscopy and atom‐probe tomography, the elemental composition of each phase is examined and found that Ni ions are exclusively found in the spinel phase. From correlative analysis, a model for the relative favorability of the Ni2+ and Ni3+ valences under the growth conditions is developed. It is shown that multidimensional characterization techniques provide previously unobserved insight into the growth process and complex driving forces for phase segregation.
Comment on "Absence of Cooling in New Zealand and the Adjacent Ocean During the Younger Dryas Chronozone"

Barrows et al. (Reports, 5 October 2007, p. 86) presented cosmogenic exposure dates and data from an ocean sediment core that challenge evidence for glacier advance in New Zealand during the Younger Dryas event. We use modeling of geomorphic processes to argue that their cosmogenic exposure dates are inconclusive.
Tree Species Composition Influences Enzyme Activities and Microbial Biomass in the Rhizosphere: A Rhizobox Approach

Monoculture causes nutrient losses and leads to declines in soil fertility and biomass production over successive cultivation. The rhizosphere, a zone of usually high microbial activities and clearly distinct from bulk soil, is defined as the volume of soil around living roots and influenced by root activities. Here we investigated enzyme activities and microbial biomass in the rhizosphere under different tree compositions. Six treatments with poplar, willow, and alder mono- or mixed seedlings were grown in rhizoboxes. Enzyme activities associated with nitrogen cycling and microbial biomass were measured in all rhizosphere and bulk soils. Both enzyme activities and microbial biomass in the rhizosphere differed significantly tree compositions. Microbial biomass contents were more sensitive to the changes of the rhizosphere environment than enzyme activities. Tree species coexistence did not consistently increase tested enzyme activities and microbial biomass, but varied depending on the complementarities of species traits. In general, impacts of tree species and coexistence were more pronounced on microbial composition than total biomass, evidenced by differences in microbial biomass C/N ratios stratified across the rhizosphere soils. Compared to poplar clone monoculture, other tree species addition obviously increased rhizosphere urease activity, but greatly reduced rhizosphere L-asparaginase activity. Poplar growth was enhanced only when coexisted with alder. Our results suggested that a highly productive or keystone plant species in a community had greater influence over soil functions than the contribution of diversity.