Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of apelin genetic variants with type 2 diabetes and related clinical features in Chinese Hans.

BACKGROUND Apelin is an adipokine that contributes to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. The plasma levels of apelin increased in obese patients and diabetic subjects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of apelin genetic variants on type 2 diabetes and related quantitative traits. METHODS We selected three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that could capture all common variants in APLN gene region and genotyped them in 1892 type 2 diabetic patients and 1808 normal glucose regulation controls. The clinical features related to glucose metabolism were measured in the controls. The comparison of allele and genotype distribution in the cases and controls were performed by using chi(2) tests. The association between SNPs and quantitative traits were analyzed using Wilcoxon's rank-sum test. RESULTS None of the SNPs or haplotypes showed evidence of association to type 2 diabetes. However, rs2235306 was nominally associated with fasting plasma glucose levels in the male subjects with normal glucose regulation ((4.93 +/- 0.03) vs (5.01 +/- 0.03) mmol/L, P = 0.04). No significant difference was observed between all three SNPs and other variables. CONCLUSIONS APLN SNP rs2235306 was associated with fasting plasma glucose levels in males. It suggests that APLN genetic variants may contribute to clinical features related to glucose metabolism in Chinese population.
P-Selectin coated microtube for enrichment of CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from human bone marrow.

BACKGROUND Enrichment and purification of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) is important in transplantation therapies for hematologic disorders and in basic stem cell research. Primitive CD34+ HSPCs have demonstrated stronger rolling adhesion on selectins than mature CD34- mononuclear cells (MNCs). We have exploited this differential rolling behavior to capture and purify HSPCs from bone marrow by perfusing MNCs through selectin-coated microtubes. METHODS Bone marrow MNCs were perfused through the cell-capture microtubes coated with adhesion molecules. We washed the device lumen and visualized and estimated captured cells by video microscopy. Adherent cells were eluted by high shear, calcium-free buffer, and air embolism. We used immunofluorescence staining followed by flow cytometry to analyze CD34+ HSPCs. RESULTS CD34+ HSPC purity of cells captured in adhesion molecule-coated devices was significantly higher than the fraction of CD34+ cells found in bone marrow MNCs [mean (SE) 2.5% (0.8%)]. P-selectin-coated surfaces yielded 16% to 20% CD34+ cell purity, whereas antibody-coated surfaces yielded 12% to 18%. Although CD34+ cell purity was comparable between selectin and antibody surfaces, the total number of CD34+ HSPCs captured was significantly higher in P-selectin devices (approximately 5.7 x 10(4) to 7.1 x 10(4)) than antibody devices (approximately 1.74 x 10(4) to 2.61 x 10(4)). CONCLUSIONS P-selectin can be used in a compact flow device to capture HSPCs. Selectin-mediated capture of CD34+ HSPCs resulted in enrichment approximately 8-fold higher than the CD34+ cell population from bone marrow MNCs. This study supports the hypothesis that flow-based, adhesion molecule-mediated capture may be a viable alternative approach to the capture and purification of HSPCs.
Insomnia symptoms, perceived stress and coping strategies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective The aim of this study is to evaluate perceived stress and coping strategies in individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) according to the presence of insomnia symptoms, using a set of variables that include anxiety and depressive symptoms evaluation. Methods Ninety SLE women were evaluated in a cross-sectional study using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Brief COPE, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Results Individuals with insomnia symptoms (n = 57, 66%) presented higher PSS (p < 0.001), PSQI (p < 0.0001), BDI, (p < 0.0001) scores and showed less-effective coping strategies such as the use of behavioral disengagement (p = 0.04), self-blame (p = 0.02) and emotional-focused coping (p = 0.001). In a multi-regression model ISI was the independent determinant of high PSS and of behavioral disengagement; PSQI was the only determinant of self-blame (p = 0.02) and emotional-focused coping. Conclusions SLE individuals with insomnia symptoms show high levels of perceived stress and more frequent use of disengaging and emotional-focused coping strategies. This body of evidence suggests that individuals with SLE and comorbid insomnia symptoms may therefore require additional interventions for insomnia.
Changes in Non‐Current Assets and in Property, Plant and Equipment and Future Stock Returns: The UK Evidence

We examine the effect of changes in non-current operating assets (NCOA) and of changes in property, plant and equipment (PPE) on future abnormal stock returns using a sample of 21,549 UK non-financial firm observations over the 1990-2012 event period. The results from a matching portfolio procedure and 4-factor regressions indicate that abnormal returns from investing in a portfolio of low-minus-high quintile NCOA and PPE change firms are between 5.5% and 6.1%. This negative association is confirmed by cross-sectional regressions. The economic significance of mispricing seems weaker than in the US and weaker than the mispricing of working capital accruals adjusted for depreciation in the UK. Changes in PPE drive the predictability of share returns with respect to changes in NCOA. There is no significant evidence that return predictability is stronger in less liquid firms. We find two strands of evidence that lend some support to behavioural explanations of predictability through overreaction to investment. On one hand, fundamental information about investment explains one-third of the predictability of returns while, on the other, predictability is generally not significantly stronger in firms with high operating leverage as a proxy for risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Partner effects on a woman's intention to conceive: 'not with this partner'.

CONTEXT Current definitions of pregnancy intention that are useful at aggregate levels are weak at the individual level. This is especially true in social contexts where childbearing and pregnancy often occur within casual or transient relationships. METHODS Extensive data on lifetime partnerships and sexual behaviors, including pregnancies and births, from 250 low-income women who had experienced a total of 839 pregnancies are used to explore correlates of intention to conceive, as well as the extent to which women attribute their intentions to a current partnership. RESULTS Some 57% of reported pregnancies were unintended. Overall, 21% of the women had not wished to conceive at least one of their pregnancies with the partner who impregnated them; that proportion rose to 33% among women who had had only unintended pregnancies. Even among women who had had no unintended pregnancies, 18% had had at least one conception that they had not wanted with their partner at the time of conception. Women were less likely to say they had not wanted to conceive with a particular partner if they were living with that partner than if they were not. The likelihood of not having wanted a pregnancy with a given partner rose with the lifetime number of serious partners. Pregnancies that were not wanted with a particular partner were more than twice as likely to end in abortion as were those that were (33% vs. 14%). CONCLUSIONS Among these women, the desire to avoid childbearing relates more to the couple involved in the conception than to abstract notions of completed family size. It would therefore be useful to include items pertaining to partner relationships in future studies of pregnancy intention.
Predicting Patient Nonappearance for Surgery as a Scheduling Strategy to Optimize Operating Room Utilization in a Veterans' Administration Hospital

Background: Previous attempts at improving operating room utilization have generally emphasized more accurate scheduling, starting the first case on time, and reducing turnover time. Surgical case cancellations have largely been ignored except for recommendations for preoperative screening and good physician–patient communication to improve patient compliance. Methods: A retrospective review of operating room records was initially used to identify reasons for surgical cancellations. This was followed by a retrospective stratified case–control study of patient records to identify preexisting factors that predict the failure of patients to appear for surgical procedures as scheduled. Factors assessed included demographics, type of surgical procedure, compliance with previous healthcare visits, substance abuse, mental illness, travel distance, and neurologic problems. Results: The authors reviewed their operating room utilization and found patient nonappearance rates to be a substantial source of surgical cancellations. Furthermore, multivariate analysis demonstrated that patient nonappearance could be strongly predicted from patient noncompliance with clinic visits and other clinical procedures without reference to the other variables assessed. Further analysis of data from an independent sample of patients confirmed this observation. Conclusions: Noncompliance with hospital visits for surgical procedures can be predicted from noncompliance with other healthcare encounters. Surgical procedures for previously noncompliant patients should be booked at the end of the operating room day, when the cancellation is least likely to interfere with operating room flow.
Effects of suboptimal doses of the AT1 receptor blocker, telmisartan, with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, ramipril, on cerebral arterioles in spontaneously hypertensive rat

Objective Antihypertensive treatment with standard clinical doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) reverses cerebral arteriolar remodeling, thus restoring dilatation and the lower limit of cerebral blood flow (CBF) autoregulation (LL CBF AR). In humans, a combination of standard clinical doses of the two drugs does not produce greater protection against stroke than that obtained with single-drug treatments and increases the risk of side-effects. We hypothesized that a combination of suboptimal doses of the ARB, telmisartan (TEL) and of the ACEI, ramipril (RAM), could be a well tolerated and effective treatment of hypertension-induced remodeling of cerebral arterioles. Design We studied the impact of 3-month oral treatment with TEL (0.5 or 0.8 mg/kg per day) or RAM (0.1 or 0.25 mg/kg per day) alone or in combination (TEL0.8 + RAM0.1 or TEL0.5 + RAM0.25) on the cerebral circulation of the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Normotensive Wistar–Kyoto rats (WKYs) were taken as controls. Methods Cerebral arteriolar pressure, CBF and internal diameter were measured via an open-skull preparation at baseline and during hypotension before and after deactivation (EDTA). Results Combinations normalized cerebral arteriolar pressure, whereas drugs alone had no significant impact. TEL0.8 + RAM0.1 showed the greatest effect on arteriolar internal diameter (SHRs 42 ± 16, WKYs 59 ± 16 μm, TEL0.5 + RAM0.25 50 ± 6, TEL0.8 + RAM0.1 62 ± 18, P < 0.05) and normalized LL CBF AR (SHRs 77 ± 28, WKYs 53 ± 17 mmHg, TEL0.8 + RAM0.1 50 ± 10, P < 0.05). Conclusion The combination of suboptimal doses of TEL and RAM with an 8: 1 ratio has the greatest effect on cerebral circulation and could represent well tolerated and efficient treatment of cerebral ischemia and stroke.
Public transit, active travel, and the journey to school: a cross-nested logit analysis

ABSTRACT Like walking and biking, public transit presents an opportunity to accomplish a portion of the recommended daily physical activity. Much of the previous research has been limited to descriptive analyses quantifying the active component of public transit using advanced econometrics models. This paper overcomes this challenge by applying a two-level cross-nested logit model. We use the school trip information of 3441 middle and high school students in Tehran. We show a 1% increase in home-to-school distance reduces physical activity by 0.91%. Considering public transit a solely non-active mode, this reduction equals 2.21%. Therefore, ignoring the ‘quasi-active’ role of public transit overestimates the physical activity reduction of students by 142%. We also indicate a 1% decrease in access to transit stations diminishes physical activity by 0.04%. This diminution is 0.02% when we apply the nested logit model. This is the direct consequence of ignoring the active component of public transit trips.
Nrf2- and ATF4-Dependent Upregulation of xCT Modulates the Sensitivity of T24 Bladder Carcinoma Cells to Proteasome Inhibition

ABSTRACT The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway degrades ubiquitinated proteins to remove damaged or misfolded protein and thus plays an important role in the maintenance of many important cellular processes. Because the pathway is also crucial for tumor cell growth and survival, proteasome inhibition by specific inhibitors exhibits potent antitumor effects in many cancer cells. xCT, a subunit of the cystine antiporter system xc−, plays an important role in cellular cysteine and glutathione homeostasis. Several recent reports have revealed that xCT is involved in cancer cell survival; however, it was unknown whether xCT affects the cytotoxic effects of proteasome inhibitors. In this study, we found that two stress-inducible transcription factors, Nrf2 and ATF4, were upregulated by proteasome inhibition and cooperatively enhance human xCT gene expression upon proteasome inhibition. In addition, we demonstrated that the knockdown of xCT by small interfering RNA (siRNA) or pharmacological inhibition of xCT by sulfasalazine (SASP) or (S)-4-carboxyphenylglycine (CPG) significantly increased the sensitivity of T24 cells to proteasome inhibition. These results suggest that the simultaneous inhibition of both the proteasome and xCT could have therapeutic benefits in the treatment of bladder tumors.
Surface ultrastructure of the cochlear perilymphatic space

THE fine morphology of the surface architecture of the cochlear perilymphatic space has been clarified with some limitation following the advent of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) (Engstrom and Wersall, 1958; Spoendlin and Balogh, 1963; Spoendlin, 1966; Iurato, 1967; Duvall and Rhodes, 1967). The preparation of tissue specimens for study with the TEM, however, is laborious and time-consuming, and is therefore prohibitive in studying the entire surface lining of the vast cochlear perilymphatic space. A new type of electron microscope, the scanning electron microscope (SEM), has recently become available for the investigation of biological specimens (Hayes and Pease, 1968). The image obtained with the SEM is created by the emission of secondary electrons from the excited surface of the specimen, in contrast to the TEM in which the image is produced by the primary electrons passing through the specimen. The SEM, therefore, is an excellent tool for studying the fine surface morphology without the necessity of sectioning. The surface architecture of the cochlear and vestibular sensory epithelia has been successfully examined using the SEM in our laboratory (Lim, 1969; and Lim and Lane, 1969a, b). This communication is a continuation of that already reported and deals with the ultrastructure of the surface covering of the perilymphatic space of the cochlear duct. The examination of the surface topography of the cochlear duct lining is vital to the understanding of the dynamics of inner ear fluids.
Norlignans from Pouzolzia zeylanica var. microphylla and their nitric oxide inhibitory activity

Five new compounds, pouzolignan F [4-hydroxy-3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-[bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]butyl acetate] (1), pouzolignan G [4-hydroxy-3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-[(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]butyl acetate] (2), pouzolignan H [1,4-dihydroxy-3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-[bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]butane] (3), pouzolignan I [1,4-dihydroxy-3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-[(4-hydroxy-3,5-dime thoxyphenyl)-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]butane] (4), and pouzolignan J [1,4-dihydroxy-3-(3,5-dihydroxyphenyl) -2-[(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]butane] (5), along with two known compounds, indolyl-3-carboxylic acid (6) and uracil (7), were isolated from the aerial parts of Pouzolzia zeylanica (L.) Benn. var. microphylla (Wedd.) W.T. Wang. The structures of these compounds were characterized based on spectroscopic methods, including IR, NMR (1H–1H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY), and HR-ESI/TOF-MS experiments. All the new norlignans were assayed for inhibitory activity against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse peritoneal macrophages.
Identification of human trafficking victims in health care settings.

BACKGROUND An estimated 18,000 individuals are trafficked into the United States each year from all over the world, and are forced into hard labor or commercial sex work. Despite their invisibility, some victims are known to have received medical care while under traffickers' control. Our project aimed to characterize trafficking victims' encounters in US health care settings. METHODS The study consisted of semi-structured interviews with six Key Informants who work closely with trafficking victims (Phase I) and 12 female trafficking survivors (Phase II). All survivors were recruited through the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, an NGO in Los Angeles, and all were trafficked into Los Angeles. Interviews were conducted in English and six other languages, with the assistance of professional interpreters. Using a framework analysis approach that focused on victims' encounters in health care settings, we assessed interview transcript content and coded for themes. We used an exploratory pile-sorting technique to aggregate similar ideas and identify overarching domains. RESULTS The survivors came from 10 countries. Eight had experienced domestic servitude, three had survived sex trafficking, and one had experienced both. Half the survivors reported that they had visited a physician while in their traffickers' control, and another worked in a health care facility. All Key Informants described other victims who had received medical care. For domestic servants, medical visits were triggered by injury and respiratory or systemic illness, while sex trafficking victims were seen by health professionals for sexually transmitted infections and abortion. Trafficking victims were prevented from disclosing their status to health care providers by fear, shame, language barriers, and limited interaction with medical personnel, among other obstacles. DISCUSSION This exploration of survivors' experiences in health care settings supports anecdotal reports that US health care providers may unwittingly encounter human trafficking victims. Increasing awareness of human trafficking, and modifying practice to facilitate disclosure, could improve victim identification.
[Responses of pancreatic cancer cells to stimulations by nerve growth factor and the role of Trk-A expression].

OBJECTIVE To study the responses of different pancreatic cancer cells to stimulations by nerve growth factor (NGF) and explore the role of Trk-A in such responses. METHODS Five pancreatic cancer cell lines (MIA-PaCa-2, PANC-1, SW-1990, AsPC-1, and BxPC-3) were exposed to different concentrations of NGF (0, 4, 20, 100, and 500 ng/ml). MTT and Matrigel invasion method were used to observe the changes in the cell proliferation and invasion ability. Trk-A expression in these cells was detected by PCR and Western blotting, and the relations of Trk-A expression to the cell proliferative and invasive abilities following NGF treatment were analyzed. RESULTS NGF at 100 ng/ml most obviously stimulated the cell proliferation, and PANC-1 cells showed the highest while AsPC-1 cells showed the least sensitivity to 100 ng/ml NGF stimulation. Matrigel invasion test showed that NGF enhanced the invasiveness of PANC-1 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells but produced only limited effect on AsPC-1 cells; the effect of NGF was completely inhibited by the Trk-A inhibitor CEP701. The expression levels of Trk-A mRNA and protein were the highest in PANC-1 cells and the lowest in AsPC-1 cells. CONCLUSION NGF can enhance the proliferation and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells, and this effect is possibly mediated by Trk-A protein.
The Clinical Characteristics of Rhabdomyolysis in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis

Background We have frequently seen idiopahtic rhabdomyolysis developed after liver cirrhosis (LC) in our hospital. This has rarely been reported, and no studies have compared it with other cases of rhabdomyolysis. Goals We attempted to examine the pathologic characteristics of rhabdomyolysis development and to assess the prognosis in patients with LC. Study We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 243 patients (261 cases) with rhabdomyolysis and selected 74 patients (91 cases) for the study group, who concurrently had LC. Seventy-five patients (76 cases) with no evidence of LC were served as controls. Results In 59.3% of the LC-group patients, the causes of rhabdomyolysis were not identified. In 10.5% of the control-group patients, the causes of rhabdomyolysis proved to be unknown (P=0.000). In 17.6% of the LC-group patients, 30 cases (33.0%) of the recurrent rhabdomyolysis were identified. In the control group, only one case of the recurrent rhabdomyolysis was noted (P=0.001). The mortality was significantly higher in the LC group than the control group (27.5% vs. 14.5%) (P=0.042). Of 25 LC-group patients who died, 96.0% had Child-Pugh classification C. In addition, 84.0% developed acute renal failure during the course. Coexistent infection, hepatic encephalopathy, and the elevated levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase and C-reactive protein were also important prognostic factors. Conclusions In conclusion, rhabdomyolysis is developed without specific causes in patients with LC, and it is serious and often fatal particularly in cases in which acute renal failure and severe hepatic dysfunction exist. Our results indicate that LC is the underlying disease for the development of rhabdomyolysis.
Cholesterol‐dependent balance between evoked and spontaneous synaptic vesicle recycling

Cholesterol is a prominent component of nerve terminals. To examine cholesterol's role in central neurotransmission, we treated hippocampal cultures with methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, which reversibly binds cholesterol, or mevastatin, an inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis, to deplete cholesterol. We also used hippocampal cultures from Niemann‐Pick type C1‐deficient mice defective in intracellular cholesterol trafficking. These conditions revealed an augmentation in spontaneous neurotransmission detected electrically and an increase in spontaneous vesicle endocytosis judged by horseradish peroxidase uptake after cholesterol depletion by methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin. In contrast, responses evoked by action potentials and hypertonicity were severely impaired after the same treatments. The increase in spontaneous vesicle recycling and the decrease in evoked neurotransmission were reversible upon cholesterol addition. Cholesterol removal did not impact on the low level of evoked neurotransmission seen in the absence of synaptic vesicle SNARE protein synaptobrevin‐2 whereas the increase in spontaneous fusion remained. These results suggest that synaptic cholesterol balances evoked and spontaneous neurotransmission by hindering spontaneous synaptic vesicle turnover and sustaining evoked exo‐endocytosis.