Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hemodynamic and oxygen transport effects of prostaglandin E1 in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome

The hemodynamic and oxygen transport effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1, Prostin-VR), in increasing doses from 1 to 30 ng/kg* min were evaluated in 5 severely ill surgical patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This agent produced marked reductions in pulmonary arterial and venous pressures, and increases in cardiac output and oxygen transport. Improvement in PaO2 occurred several hours after these effects. The data indicate that this agent may be a useful adjunctive therapy for ARDS.
Propranolol inhibition of renin secretion. A specific approach to diagnosis and treatment of renin-dependent hypertensive diseases.

Abstract The antihypertensive effect and mechanism of propranolol were studied in 47 hypertensive patients classified according to high, normal, or low plasma renin activity. The drug was uniformly effective in 13 patients with high renin activity and malignant, renovascular, or essential hypertension, producing a mean fall in diastolic pressure of 30 mm of mercury. In 22 with normal renin, propranolol reduced mean diastolic pressure by 20 mm of mercury, but individual responses were less consistent. In contrast, the drug was uniformly ineffective in the 12 patients with low-renin essential hypertension. In all three groups, the action of propranolol closely correlated with both the control renin levels and the degree of renin suppression produced. Propranolol usually suppressed aldosterone secretion but to a lesser extent than it did renin, perhaps because of a hyperkalemic effect of the drug. These special effects of propranolol in renin-dependent hypertensions point to the possibility of an associated .
Investigation of mechanical properties of experimental Bis-GMA/TEGDMA dental composite resins containing various mass fractions of silica nanoparticles.

PURPOSE Mechanical properties of dental composite resins need to be improved in order to enhance their performance for applications in direct restorations. Application of nanoparticles in this field is a recent development. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanical properties of experimental composites containing various mass fractions of silica nanoparticles. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental composites were composed of a visible-light-curing monomer mixture (70 wt% Bis-GMA and 30 wt% TEGDMA) and silica nanoparticles of a size ranging from 20 nm to 50 nm modified with gamma-methacryloxy propyl trimethoxy silane (gamma-MPS) as reinforcing filler. The composites were classified into four groups according to their filler mass fractions ranging from 20% to 50%. Following the same preparation procedure, a conventional composite was also fabricated consisting of a mass percentage of 60% silica fillers having particle sizes ranging from 10 microm to 40 microm in the same organic matrix, which served as control. Ten specimens were prepared of each experimental group and also of the control. Fracture toughness was measured using single-edge notched bend (SENB) specimens. Specimen fracture surfaces were mounted on aluminum stubs with carbon cement, sputter-coated with gold and examined under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Flexural strength was evaluated through a standard three-point bending test and Vickers microhardness test was performed to investigate the hardness of the samples. RESULTS Filler mass fraction had a significant effect on composite properties. Fracture toughness, flexural strength, and hardness of composites at filler mass fraction of 40% of silica nanoparticles were (mean +/- SD) 1.43 +/- 0.08 MPa.m(1/2), 149.74 +/- 8.14 MPa, and 62.12 +/- 3.07 VHN, respectively; relevant values for composites at 50% mass fraction of silica nanoparticles were 1.38 +/- 0.07 MPa.m(1/2), 122.83 +/- 6.13 MPa, and 70.69 +/- 3.67 VHN, respectively, all of which were significantly higher than 1.07 +/- 0.06 MPa.m(1/2), 104.61 +/- 8.73 MPa, and 52.14 +/- 4.02 VHN of the control, respectively (Tukey's multiple comparison test; family confidence coefficient = 0.95). Measured values for composites at 20% mass fraction of silica nanoparticles were 0.94 +/- 0.06 MPa.m(1/2), 103.41 +/- 7.62 MPa, and 42.87 +/- 2.61 VHN, respectively; relevant values for composites at 30% mass fraction of silica nanoparticles were 1.16 +/- 0.07 MPa.m(1/2), 127.91 +/- 7.05 MPa, and 51.78 +/- 3.41 VHN, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Reinforcement of dental composite resins with silica nanoparticles resulted in a significant increase in the evaluated mechanical properties in comparison with the conventional composite. The filler mass fraction played a critical role in determining the composite's mechanical properties.
Caudal epidural block versus other methods of postoperative pain relief for circumcision in boys.

BACKGROUND Circumcision is a commonly performed surgical procedure in boys and caudal analgesia is frequently used to minimize discomfort of penile surgery postoperatively. For humanitarian and physiological reasons pain should be anticipated and effectively controlled while ensuring patient safety. Several non-caudal analgesic techniques can be used including: penile block, systemic opioids and topical local anaesthetic cream,emulsion or gel. OBJECTIVES To compare the relative efficacy and side effects of caudal epidural analgesia with other forms of postoperative analgesia following circumcision in boys. SEARCH STRATEGY CENTRAL, MEDLINE (from 1966), and EMBASE are searched using MeSH headings: Circumcision, Anesthesia-Caudal, Pediatric or Child, and the text words circumcision and caudal. Bibliographies of published trials and conference proceedings are also reviewed. Date of last search: December 2002. SELECTION CRITERIA Published randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials in which postoperative analgesia by caudal epidural block is compared with a non-caudal method of analgesia, in boys whose mean age is between 28 days and 16 years, having elective surgery for circumcision. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Trials identified from searching are assessed for inclusion and data extracted independently by two reviewers. Review Manager software is used for calculation of the treatment effect, represented by relative risks (RR), using a fixed effects model with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). MAIN RESULTS Seven trials of average quality involving 374 patients are included in this review. Only two comparisons of caudal analgesia have been investigated; parenteral analgesics in six trials, and penile block in one trial. Although some trial heterogeneity is evident this does not reach statistical significance. The need for rescue analgesia is reduced when caudal analgesia is compared with parenteral medications,((RR 0.32(0.16,0.63)). The incidence of nausea and vomiting is decreased in caudal patients compared with those receiving parenteral analgesics (RR 0.57 (0.35-0.93)) but not with those receiving penile block. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS Few studies compare caudal analgesia with other commonly available methods of analgesia in boys having circumcision surgery. Although the need for rescue analgesia is reduced in the early postoperative period when caudal is compared with parenteral analgesia,evidence from trials may no longer reflect current practice and is limited by small numbers and poor methodology. There is a need for properly designed trials to study the relative efficacy of caudal epidural with other methods such as penile block, morphine, simple analgesics and topical local anaesthetic cream,emulsions or gel.
Anterior chamber‐associated immune deviation: a review of the anatomical evidence for the afferent arm of this unusual experimental model of ocular immune responses

Anterior chamber‐associated immune deviation (ACAID) is an animal model of tolerance induced experimentally by the injection of antigen into the anterior chamber of the eye. The unusual deviant immune response has both afferent and efferent arms and it is the former that is the focus of this review. The paradigm states that antigen injected into the anterior chamber of the eye is internalized by intraocular antigen presenting cells (APCs) which then migrate largely to the spleen to induce the differentiation of regulatory T cell populations which in turn form the basis of the modified efferent arm to the deviant immune response. However, the migration routes of ocular APCs or free antigen to the secondary lymphoid organs remain unclear. In this review we will discuss the evidence for different possible afferent routes by which antigen (either free or cell‐associated) leaves the eye and the pattern of distribution to secondary lymphoid organs.
TheRoles ofVariety-Seeking inThe Satisfaction-Destination Intentional Loyalty Relationship : AnEmpirical Test of VietnameseCitizensVisits to BeachCities

This study explores and tests the different and combined roles of variety-seeking in the satisfaction-destination intentional loyalty relationship in order to explain the consumption behaviour of Vietnamese beach visitors. A sample of 812 Vietnamese visitors participated in this study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied in order to test the relationship between the constructs, and to evaluate their reliability and the validity. As expected, the findings highlight the importance of incorporating the roles of variety-seeking in the satisfaction destination intentional loyalty relationship. Specifically, variety-seeking is found to negatively moderate the direct effect of the visitor satisfaction-loyalty relationship.
Varicella-Zoster Virus Immediate-Early Protein 62 Blocks Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 (IRF3) Phosphorylation at Key Serine Residues: a Novel Mechanism of IRF3 Inhibition among Herpesviruses

ABSTRACT Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is an alphaherpesvirus that is restricted to humans. VZV infection of differentiated cells within the host and establishment of latency likely require evasion of innate immunity and limited secretion of antiviral cytokines. Since interferons (IFNs) severely limit VZV replication, we examined the ability of VZV to modulate the induction of the type I IFN response in primary human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELF). IFN-β production was not detected, and transcription of two interferon response factor 3 (IRF3)-dependent interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), ISG54 and ISG56, in response to poly(I:C) stimulation was downregulated in VZV-infected HELF. Inhibition of IRF3 function did not require VZV replication; the viral immediate-early protein 62 (IE62) alone was sufficient to produce this effect. IE62 blocked TBK1-mediated IFN-β secretion and IRF3 function, as shown in an IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE)-luciferase reporter assay. However, IRF3 function was preserved if constitutively active IRF3 (IRF3-5D) was expressed in VZV-infected or IE62-transfected cells, indicating that VZV interferes with IRF3 phosphorylation. IE62-mediated inhibition was mapped to blocking phosphorylation of at least three serine residues on IRF3. However, IE62 binding to TBK1 or IRF3 was not detected and IE62 did not perturb TBK1-IRF3 complex formation. IE62-mediated inhibition of IRF3 function was maintained even if IE62 transactivator activity was disrupted. Thus, IE62 has two critical but discrete roles following VZV entry: to induce expression of VZV genes and to disarm the IFN-dependent antiviral defense through a novel mechanism that prevents IRF3 phosphorylation.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYMENT STATUS IN OCCUPATIONAL COHORT MORTALITY STUDIES

Person-years at risk in occupational cohort mortality studies may be defined as“active” (when a person is working) or“inactive” (after a person has left employment at the plant under study). To investigate the effects of employment status (active/inactive) both across studies and within them, we have analyzed ten large cohort studies conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in which no occupational risk had been observed. These ten data sets included 89,376 workers, 1,984,505 person-years, and 18,840 deaths. In these ten studies, the SMR for all causes was positively correlated with the percentage of inactive person-years in the study (r = 0.57, p = 0.08). Considering only inactive person-years, the all-causes SMR was 1.12 (approximately 1.25 before age 65, dropping to 1.00 after age 65). Stratification of inactive person-years by time-since-last-employment showed markedly increased mortality during the first year following employment. The all-causes SMR during active person-years was 0.40 and was fairly constant across age categories. With active and inactive person-years combined, a strong negative trend in SMRs with duration of employment was observed for all causes and for heart disease. These trends were not apparent when person-years were stratified by employment status. These results indicate that investigators should evaluate the effects of employment status when comparing SMRs between multiple cohorts or when interpreting trends in rate ratios within cohorts.
Effect of mitofusin 2 overexpression on the proliferation and apoptosis of high-glucose-induced rat glomerular mesangial cells.

BACKGROUND Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) regulates mitochondrial morphology and associated signaling pathways. However, the role of Mfn2 in kidney disease is not fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Mfn2 overexpression on high-glucose-induced cell proliferation and apoptosis. Another objective was to explore the possible underlying signal transduction mechanisms in a rat glomerular mesangial cell (GMC) line. METHODS After adenovirus-mediated Mfn2 gene transfection, Mfn2 expression was detected by real-time PCR. Time-dependent concentration changes in Mfn2 and relevant proteins induced by high glucose were investigated to define the optimal time for research. The protein expression levels of Mfn2, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p-Akt, p-ERK1/2 and Bcl-2 were examined on Western blots. Cell proliferation was detected by the CCK-8 method. Apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS Mfn2 gene expression was successfully increased via adenovirus mediation. The correlation of Mfn2 expression with p-ERK1/2 and phosphorylated Akt was significant 48 hours after high-glucose stimulation. p-ERK1/2 was increased by high glucose, but was inhibited by overexpressed Mfn2. Changes in the PCNA and GMC proliferative level coincided with p-ERK1/2. Overexpressed Mfn2 significantly inhibited Akt phosphorylation and Bcl-2 expression. The apoptosis rate increased in the AdMfn2 group. CONCLUSIONS Overexpressed Mfn2 could alleviate GMC proliferation and increase apoptosis. Subsequently, cellular quantity is maintained, which may contribute to reversing early diabetic nephropathy pathological changes. Mfn2 may perform its activities through the MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signal pathways in correlation with proliferation and apoptosis.
Rapid Formation of Sulfuric Acid Particles at Near-Atmospheric Conditions

We investigated the formation of new particles in a laboratory study, starting from H2SO4 produced in situ through the reaction of OH radicals with SO2. Newly formed particles were observed for H2SO4 concentrations above 7 × 106 per cubic centimeter. At 293 kelvin, a rough estimate yielded a nucleation rate of 0.3 to 0.4 particles per cubic centimeter per second for ∼107 particles per cubic centimeter of H2SO4 (particle size ≥ 3 nanometers). These findings are in agreement with observations from the atmosphere. The results demonstrate that under laboratory conditions similar to the atmosphere, particle formation occurs at atmospheric H2SO4 concentration levels.
A monoclonal antibody directed against a granule membrane glycoprotein (GMP‐140/PADGEM, P‐selectin, CD62P) inhibits ristocetin‐induced platelet aggregation

P‐selectin (also called CD62, GMP‐140, PADGEM, CD62P) is a recently described member of a family of vascular adhesion receptors expressed by activated platelets and endothelial cells that are involved in leucocyte cell adhesion. The aim of this study was to characterize a new monoclonal antibody (LYP7) directed against activated human blood platelets that inhibits ristocetin‐induced platelet aggregation. Immunoadsorbent affinity chromatography and immunoprecipitation studies showed that LYP7 (IgG1) bound a surface‐labelled glycoprotein (GP) which changed its apparent molecular mass (Mr) on reduction from 138 kD (situated below GPIIb) to 148 kD (above GPIIbα). LYP7 and S12, a monoclonal antibody directed against P‐selectin immunoprecipitated the same band. Using ELISA assay, purified P‐selectin was shown to bind LYP7 and S12 monoclonal antibodies. Binding sites of 125I‐labelled LYP7, which was greatly increased on thrombin‐stimulated (2 U/ml) washed platelets (10825±2886, mean ±SD) (Kd=1.5±0.5 nm) compared to resting platelets (2801±1278, mean ±SD) (Kd=1.5±0.6 nm), was found to be normal on thrombin‐stimulated platelets taken from a patient with grey platelet syndrome or a patient with Glanzmann thrombasthenia. LYP7 (IgG1, F(ab′)2 or Fab fragments) inhibited ristocetin‐induced platelet aggregation of platelets in a dose‐dependent fashion without affecting the binding of von Willebrand (vWf ) factor. However, agglutination of formaldehyde‐fixed platelets induced by ristocetin was not affected by monoclonal antibody LYP7. In addition, the binding of thrombin‐activated platelets to neutrophils was inhibited by monoclonal antibody LYP7. These results strongly suggest that P‐selectin, by promoting cell–cell contact, may play an active role in platelet–platelet interactions.
Exploring Deep Recurrent Q-Learning for Navigation in a 3D Environment

Learning to navigate in 3D environments from raw sensory input is an important step towards bridging the gap between human players and artificial intelligence in digital games. Recent advances in deep reinforcement learning have seen success in teaching agents to play Atari 2600 games from raw pixel information where the environment is always fully observable by the agent. This is not true for first-person 3D navigation tasks. Instead, the agent is limited by its field of view which limits its ability to make optimal decisions in the environment. This paper explores using a Deep Recurrent Q-Network implementation with a long short-term memory layer for dealing with such tasks by allowing an agent to process recent frames and gain a memory of the environment. An agent was trained in a 3D first-person labyrinth-like environment for 2 million frames. Informal observations indicate that the trained agent navigated in the right direction but was unable to find the target of the environment.
Representation of Color Surfaces in V1: Edge Enhancement and Unfilled Holes

The neuronal mechanism underlying the representation of color surfaces in primary visual cortex (V1) is not well understood. We tested on color surfaces the previously proposed hypothesis that visual perception of uniform surfaces is mediated by an isomorphic, filled-in representation in V1. We used voltage-sensitive-dye imaging in fixating macaque monkeys to measure V1 population responses to spatially uniform chromatic (red, green, or blue) and achromatic (black or white) squares of different sizes (0.5°–8°) presented for 300 ms. Responses to both color and luminance squares early after stimulus onset were similarly edge-enhanced: for squares 1° and larger, regions corresponding to edges were activated much more than those corresponding to the center. At later times after stimulus onset, responses to achromatic squares' centers increased, partially “filling-in” the V1 representation of the center. The rising phase of the center response was slower for larger squares. Surprisingly, the responses to color squares behaved differently. For color squares of all sizes, responses remained edge-enhanced throughout the stimulus. There was no filling-in of the center. Our results imply that uniform filled-in representations of surfaces in V1 are not required for the perception of uniform surfaces and that chromatic and achromatic squares are represented differently in V1. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We used voltage-sensitive dye imaging from V1 of behaving monkeys to test the hypothesis that visual perception of uniform surfaces is mediated by an isomorphic, filled-in representation. We found that the early population responses to chromatic and achromatic surfaces are edge enhanced, emphasizing the importance of edges in surface processing. Next, we show for color surfaces that responses remained edge-enhanced throughout the stimulus presentation whereas response to luminance surfaces showed a slow neuronal ‘filling-in’ of the center. Our results suggest that isomorphic representation is not a general code for uniform surfaces in V1.
The P2Y2 receptor promotes Wnt3a- and EGF-induced epithelial tubular formation by IEC6 cells by binding to integrins

ABSTRACT Epithelial tubular structures are essential units in various organs. Here, we used rat intestinal epithelial IEC6 cells to investigate tubulogenesis and we found that tubular formation was induced by a combination of Wnt3a and EGF signaling during three-dimensional culture. Wnt3a and EGF induced the expression of the P2Y2 receptor (P2Y2R, also known as P2RY2), and knockdown of P2Y2R suppressed tubular formation. A P2Y2R mutant that lacks nucleotide responsiveness rescued the phenotypes resulting from P2Y2R knockdown, suggesting that nucleotide-dependent responses are not required for P2Y2R functions in tubular formation. The Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence of P2Y2R has been shown to interact with integrins, and a P2Y2R mutant lacking integrin-binding activity was unable to induce tubular formation. P2Y2R expression inhibited the interaction between integrins and fibronectin, and induced cell morphological changes and proliferation. Inhibition of integrin and fibronectin binding by treatment with the cyclic RGD peptide and fibronectin knockdown induced tubular formation in the presence of EGF alone, but a fibronectin coat suppressed Wnt3a- and EGF-induced tubular formation. These results suggest that Wnt3a- and EGF-induced P2Y2R expression causes tubular formation by preventing the binding of integrins and fibronectin rather than by mediating nucleotide responses.
Reducing the Incidence of Hematoma Requiring Surgical Evacuation following Male Rhytidectomy: A 30-Year Review of 985 Cases

Background: The reported incidence of hematoma following male rhytidectomy ranges from 7.9 to 12.9 percent. In 1976, it was demonstrated that postoperative hypertension is a key etiologic factor in hematoma formation and postoperative use of Thorazine was recommended to control blood pressure. This study analyzes the incidence of hematoma after male rhytidectomy at one institution after a strict and aggressive perioperative blood pressure control regimen was iniated. Methods: From 1982 to 2002, 985 patients with a mean age of 61 years (range, 49 to 72 years) underwent rhytidectomy. Thirty-six patients required surgical evacuation of expanding hematoma after rhytidectomy. Operative procedures were performed by more than 100 different plastic surgery attending surgeons, residents, and fellows. Results: The overall incidence of hematoma during this study period was 4.24 percent. Age, medical history, medications, type of anesthesia, rhytidectomy technique and combination of procedures, and length of operation were not independent risk factors for determining who was more likely to develop a hematoma. Thirty-three percent of the patients requiring surgical evacuation had systolic blood pressure greater than 150 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mmHg preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. Over a 30-year period, the incidence of hematoma requiring surgical evacuation has decreased from 8.7 percent to 3.97 percent after initiation of a strict perioperative blood pressure control regimen. Conclusion: Despite the lower incidence of hematoma following male rhytidectomy today as compared with 30 years ago, the incidence in men (3.97 percent) remains higher than that in women (1 to 3 percent).