Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statin use is associated with early recovery of kidney injury after vascular surgery and improved long-term outcome.

BACKGROUND Acute kidney injury (AKI) after major vascular surgery is an important risk factor for adverse long-term outcomes. The pleiotropic effects of statins may reduce kidney injury caused by perioperative episodes of hypotension and/or suprarenal clamping and improve long-term outcomes. METHODS Of 2170 consecutive patients undergoing lower extremity bypass or abdominal aortic surgery from 1995 to 2006, cardiac risk factors and medication were noted. A total of 515/1944 (27%) patients were statin users. Creatinine clearance (CrCl) was assessed preoperatively at 1, 2 and 3 days after surgery. Outcome measures were postoperative AKI and long-term mortality. Postoperative kidney injury was defined as a >10% decrease in CrCl on Day 1 or 2, compared to the baseline. Recovery of kidney function was defined as a CrCl >90% of the baseline value at Day 3 after surgery. Multivariable Cox regression analysis, including baseline cardiovascular risk factors, baseline CrCl and propensity score for statin use, was applied to evaluate the influence of statins on early postoperative kidney injury and long-term survival. RESULTS AKI occurred in 664 (34%) patients [median -25% CrCl, range (-10% to -71%)]. Of these 664 patients, 313 (47%) had a complete recovery of kidney function at Day 3 after surgery. Age, hypertension, suprarenal cross-clamping and baseline CrCl predicted the development of kidney injury during the postoperative period. The incidence of kidney injury was similar among statin users and non-users (29% versus 25%, OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.9-1.5). However, if kidney function deteriorated, statin use was associated with increased odds of complete kidney function recovery (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.8). During a mean follow-up of 6.24 years, half of the patients died (55%). Importantly, statin use was also associated with an improved long-term survival, irrespective of kidney function change (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.48-0.75). CONCLUSION Statin use is associated with improved recovery from AKI after major surgery and has a beneficial effect on long-term survival.
Suppression of Apoptosis by Cyclophilin D via Stabilization of Hexokinase II Mitochondrial Binding in Cancer Cells*

The permeability transition pore is involved in the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Cyclophilin D, a pore component, has catalytic activity as a peptidyl prolyl cis, trans-isomerase (PPIase), which is essential to the pore opening. It has been reported that cyclophilin D overexpression suppresses apoptosis in cancer cells. To clarify the mechanism of this effect, we generated glioma cells overexpressing wild-type or a PPIase-deficient mutant of cyclophilin D. Interestingly, we found that the PPIase-dependent apoptosis suppression by cyclophilin D correlated with the amounts of mitochondrial-bound hexokinase II, which has anti-apoptotic activity. Inactivation of endogenous cyclophilin D by small interference RNA or a cyclophilin inhibitor was found to release hexokinase II from mitochondria and to enhance Bax-mediated apoptosis. The anti-apoptotic effects of cyclophilin D were canceled out by the detachment of hexokinase II from mitochondria, demonstrating that mitochondrial binding of hexokinase II is essential to the apoptosis suppression by cyclophilin D. Furthermore, cyclophilin D dysfunction appears to abrogate hexokinase II-mediated apoptosis suppression, indicating that cyclophilin D is required for the anti-apoptotic activity of hexokinase II. Based on the above, we propose here that cyclophilin D suppresses apoptotic cell death via a mitochondrial hexokinase II-dependent mechanism in cancer cells.
An Overview of Regular Dialysis Treatment in Japan (as of 31 December 2012)

A nationwide statistical survey of 4279 dialysis facilities was conducted at the end of 2012, among which 4238 responded (99.0%). The number of new dialysis patients was 38 055 in 2012. Since 2008, the number of new dialysis patients has remained almost the same without any marked increase or decrease. The number of dialysis patients who died in 2012 was 30 710; a slight decrease from 2011 (30 743). The dialysis patient population has been growing every year in Japan; it was 310 007 at the end of 2012, which exceeded 310 000 for the first time. The number of dialysis patients per million at the end of 2012 was 2431.2. The crude death rate of dialysis patients in 2012 was 10.0%, a slight decrease from that in 2011 (10.2%). The mean age of new dialysis patients was 68.5 years and the mean age of the entire dialysis patient population was 66.9 years. The most common primary cause of renal failure among new dialysis patients was diabetic nephropathy (44.2%). The actual number of new dialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy has been approximately 16 000 for the last few years. Diabetic nephropathy was also the most common primary disease among the entire dialysis patient population (37.1%), followed by chronic glomerulonephritis (33.6%). The percentage of dialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy has been continuously increasing, whereas not only the percentage but also the actual number of dialysis patients with chronic glomerulonephritis has decreased. The number of patients who underwent hemodiafiltration (HDF) at the end of 2012 was 21 725, a marked increase from that in 2011 (14 115). In particular, the number of patients who underwent on‐line HDF increased threefold from 4890 in 2011 to 14 069 in 2012. From the results of the facility survey, the number of patients who underwent peritoneal dialysis (PD) was 9514 and that of patients who did not undergo PD despite having a PD catheter in the abdominal cavity was 347. From the results of the patient survey, among the PD patients, 1932 also underwent another dialysis method using extracorporeal circulation, such as hemodialysis (HD) and HDF. The number of patients who underwent HD at home in 2012 was 393, a marked increase from that in 2011 (327).
Structural and functional diversity of substrate-binding domains in ABC importers

In dit proefschrift heb ik de structuur en functie van GlnPQ, een ATP- bindingscassette (ABC) transporter, bepaald. GlnPQ heeft twee verschillende, met elkaar verbonden substraatbindende domeinen (SBDs), die aan het transmembraan domein van de transporter vast zitten. Ondanks het feit dat de substraatbindingsplaatsen van de verschillende SBDs in GlnPQ sterke overeenkomsten vertonen, is de affiniteit en de specificiteit voor de substraten verschillend. Sterker, de twee met elkaar verbonden substraatbindende domeinen hebben verschillende specificiteiten, wat het voor een cel mogelijk maakt om met een ABC transporter verschillende aminozuren op te nemen. Het tweede gedeelte van dit proefschrift bespreekt de competitie tussen substraten voor de opname via GlnPQ en de consequenties voor de groei van de bacterie Lactococcus lactis. We laten zien dat GlnPQ uit L. lactis een relatief hoge affiniteit en lage transportsnelheid voor asparagine heeft via substraatbindend domein 1 (SBD1), en dat het tegenovergestelde waar is voor glutamine. Het laatste gedeelte van dit proefschrift beschrijft een strategie voor het ontwikkelen van medicijnen tegen pathogene Gram-positieve bacterien. De functionaliteit van GlnPQ is vereist voor de opname van moleculen die als stikstofbron kunnen fungeren. Daarnaast is de transporter betrokken bij de virulentie van pathogene bacterien. Een belangrijk gegeven is dat er geen homologen van GlnPQ in mensen en zoogdieren zijn geidentificeerd, wat deze transporter een potentieel doelwit maakt om medicijnen tegen te ontwikkelen.
Studies on invasiveness of cancer. Adhesiveness of malignant cells in various human adenocarcinomas

I N RECENT papers 2, 3, from this laboratory on the mechanisms of invasiveness in cancer, evidence was presented that squamous-cell cancers owe their ability to spread through tissues, in part, to decreased cellular adhesiveness. By means of a quantitative method, it was shown that, as compared with normal cells, less force is required to separate pairs of opposed cancer cells. * Since only squamous-cell carcinomas were investigated, it seemed desirable to extend the study to glandular cancers, in order to find out whether decrease in adhesiveness is characteristic of carcinoma cells generally.
Maternal toxemia, fetal malnutrition, and motor behavior of the newborn.

Twenty-one small-for-gestational-age newborn infants of toxemic mothers had normal nerve conduction velocities indicating normal peripheral nerve myelinization. Muscle tone and general excitability were lower than normal, resembling in some respects the motor behavior of preterm infants. Thus, neonatal motor behavior is unsuitable for a conceptional age estimate in small-for-gestational-age infants of toxemic mothers. In the infants of this study, the abnormal motor behavior was not due to symptomatic hypoglycemia, neonatal asphyxia, or any other overt postnatal illness. The maturation of the fetal nervous system was adversely affected by maternal toxemia and intra-uterine malnutrition.
Modular Algebraic Nets to Specify Concurrent Systems

The authors present the basic features of a specification language for concurrent distributed systems, developed at the Department of Information Sciences of the University of Milan, Italy. The language is based on a class of modular algebraic high-level nets, OBJSA nets, which result from the synthesis of superposed automata (SA) nets and of the algebraic specification language OBJ. It is supported by the OBJSA Net Environment (ONE). OBJSA nets stress the possibility of building the system model by composing its components and encourage the incremental development of the specification and its reusability. An OBJSA net consists of an SA net inscribed with terms of an OBJ module. The ONE environment supports the user in producing and executing a specification, hiding from her/him, as much as possible, the technical details of the algebraic part of the specification. The paper provides a complete presentation of OBJSA nets, including a user-oriented introduction, the definition of OBJSA nets (as subclass of SPEC-inscribed nets), of their occurrence rule (the semantics) and of the composition operation. In addition it presents the kernel of the support environment.
Small fenestra stapedotomies with and without ktp laser: A comparison

The results of 33 small fenestra stapedotomies performed using conventional techniques were compared with the results of 33 stapedotomies performed using the argon or KTP laser. The ossicular chain was reconstructed using a Teflon® wire piston of 0.6 mm diameter, and follow‐up was at least 1 year. Over‐closure of the air‐bone gap or closure to within 10 dB was accomplished in 91% of the laser‐treated group versus 72% of the conventionally treated group (p<0.10). The hearing results were statistically better in the laser group (p<0.05). Transient delayed vestibular symptoms, lasting from 1 to 3 weeks, were present in 39% of the laser‐treated group and in 12% of the patients treated by conventional techniques (p<0.05).
Descemet‐stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty: a successful alternative to repeat penetrating keratoplasty

Background: Although Descemet‐stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty has replaced penetrating keratoplasty for primary treatment of endothelial disorders, many patients have already undergone penetrating keratoplasty. It is unclear when repeat penetrating keratoplasty is necessary or when endothelial keratoplasty may restore clarity to a failed graft.
Do Index Pages Attract Higher Backlinks? : An Analytical Study of Library Websites

The study examines the number of backlinks to the websites of libraries belonging to Central Universities of India. The study has presented seven categories of library webpages based on their features. The study was conducted in five rounds to get the primary data through four selected search engines. Analysis is presented for each search engine separately. Study concludes that index page/home page of library websites attracts more number of backlinks than any other webpages of library websites. Search engine Yahoo Site Explorer retrieved highest number of backlinks for library websites.
Effect of paddle grip on segmental fluid distribution in elite slalom paddlers

Abstract Issues of high levels of muscular asymmetry have been associated with injury risk, and therefore have potential implications for decremental performance at the elite sport level. The aim of this current study was to assess the relationship between the segmental fluid distribution and the paddle grip in elite male and female slalom kayakers and canoeists. Eighty-four world-cup competitors (61 males and 23 females) took part in the study. Impedance analysis was used to assess segmental fluid asymmetry. The effect of paddle grip (loose/fixed hand in kayakers, lower/upper hand in canoeists), morphological dominance (dominant/non-dominant) and discipline (canoe/kayak) were evaluated by repeated measures ANOVA. The findings indicated a significant effect of paddle grip in canoeists on morphological asymmetry in upper limbs (arm of lower paddle hand mean fluid distribution 3.28, s=0.43 litres; arm of upper paddle hand mean fluid distribution 3.19, s=0.41 litres; P=0.000, =0.33). The sternmen demonstrated higher asymmetry between the arms of upper and lower paddle hand (mean 0.11, s=0.04 litres, P=0.000, =0.80) than the bowmen (mean 0.04, s=0.06 litres, P=0.015, =0.44) in double-canoes. Significant morphological asymmetry was found also in kayakers but the effect of paddle grip was not substantial. The use of segmental impedance analysis may be a suitable diagnostic tool for assessing morphological changes, which can be related to paddling training. Likewise muscular asymmetry is associated with injury risk; the evaluation of morphological changes during the training process may be considered by sport trainers and physical therapists.
Effects of Cartographic Elevation Visualizations and Map-reading Tasks on Eye Movements

Abstract Users prefer more realistic visualizations, even though they may be less efficient or even detrimental for a given task. In some previous studies, the evidence has shown that relief shading facilitates the landform interpretation while other studies have provided contrary results. In the present study, the effect of three different visualizations of elevation information on eye movements and performance was investigated in visual search, area selection, and route planning tasks. The results showed that the visualization of relief information affected the performance and eye movements in the visual search task. Overall, the eye movements differed between the search and area selection tasks, as well as between the search and route planning tasks. The result showed that the relief shading did not slow down the performance, either in terms of response time or eye movement measures.
TWO Regulation of Glucose Homeostasis by GLP-1

Glucagon-like peptide-1(7–36)amide (GLP-1) is a secreted peptide that acts as a key determinant of blood glucose homeostasis by virtue of its abilities to slow gastric emptying, to enhance pancreatic insulin secretion, and to suppress pancreatic glucagon secretion. GLP-1 is secreted from L cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa in response to a meal, and the blood glucose-lowering action of GLP-1 is terminated due to its enzymatic degradation by dipeptidyl-peptidase-IV (DPP-IV). Released GLP-1 activates enteric and autonomic reflexes while also circulating as an incretin hormone to control endocrine pancreas function. The GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is activated directly or indirectly by blood glucose-lowering agents currently in use for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). These therapeutic
Change from slowly rotating 8-hour shifts to rapidly rotating 8-hour and 12-hour shifts using participative shift roster design.

OBJECTIVES The study examined the impact of change, from slowly rotating continuous 8-hour shifts to more rapidly rotating continuous 8-hour and 12-hour shifts, on the health and quality of life of shift workers. METHODS Self-report survey data were collected from 72 shift workers at 3 sewage treatment plants before and several months after roster change. After the change 1 plant first worked a rapidly rotating, 8-hour shift roster and then worked a 12-hour shift roster, and the other 2 plants worked continuous 12-hour shift rosters. RESULTS After the change the shift workers at each plant reported increased satisfaction with roster design, a decrease in physical and psychological circadian malaise associated with shift work, improved day sleep quality, less tiredness, and improvements in the quality of home, social and work life. A between-plant comparison of the rapidly rotating 8-hour and 12-hour shift rosters showed greater improvements had been obtained with the 12-hour shift roster, and no significant differences in tiredness or sleep quality between the redesigned 8- and 12-hour shift rosters. However, a within-plant matched-pairs comparison at the 1st plant of the rapidly rotating 8-hour shift roster and the 12-hour shift roster showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS The results show that the prior level of support for change may best explain the impact of roster redesign on individual well-being. They lend further support to shift worker participation in roster design.
Effects of Sulfur Application on Soil pH and Uptake of Phosphorus, Iron and Zinc in Apple Trees

The main reasons for the fixation of some elements and consequently nutrient deficiencies, especially phosphorus, iron and zinc, are high levels of calcium (calcareous soils) and soil pH. Two sulfur fertilizers (sulfur alone and sulfur + organic material + Thiobacillus spp.) with two rates (2 and 4 kg sulfur/tree) were used to decrease soil pH and availability of P, Fe and Zn in apple trees during the growing season. A control treatment with no sulfur was also included in the experiment. The experiment was based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications and was carried out in the apple orchards of the West Azarbaijan province. Results showed that the sulfur treatments had significant effects on soil pH, chlorophyll content of leaves and phosphorus, iron and zinc concentrations of leaves and fruits in apple. On the average, applying sulfur decreased pH of soil and increased the chlorophyll content of leaves, and iron, zinc and phosphorus concentration of fruits in apple by17.09%, 4.8%, 30.24%, 11.61% and 18.76%, respectively, as compared to the control. Regarding the soil pH and other criteria about the nutrients availability and concentration, it seems that the application of 2 kg/tree sulfur fertilizer would be beneficial for apple orchards located in the highly alkaline soils of the area under study.
Heterozygosity at a single locus explains a large proportion of variation in two fitness‐related traits in great tits: a general or a local effect?

In natural populations, mating between relatives can have important fitness consequences due to the negative effects of reduced heterozygosity. Parental level of inbreeding or heterozygosity has been also found to influence the performance of offspring, via direct and indirect parental effects that are independent of the progeny own level of genetic diversity. In this study, we first analysed the effects of parental heterozygosity and relatedness (i.e. an estimate of offspring genetic diversity) on four traits related to offspring viability in great tits (Parus major) using 15 microsatellite markers. Second, we tested whether significant heterozygosity–fitness correlations (HFCs) were due to ‘local’ (i.e. linkage to genes influencing fitness) and/or ‘general’ (genome‐wide heterozygosity) effects. We found a significant negative relationship between parental genetic relatedness and hatching success, and maternal heterozygosity was positively associated with offspring body size. The characteristics of the studied populations (recent admixture, polygynous matings) together with the fact that we found evidence for identity disequilibrium across our set of neutral markers suggest that HFCs may have resulted from genome‐wide inbreeding depression. However, one locus (Ase18) had disproportionately large effects on the observed HFCs: heterozygosity at this locus had significant positive effects on hatching success and offspring size. It suggests that this marker may lie near to a functional locus under selection (i.e. a local effect) or, alternatively, heterozygosity at this locus might be correlated to heterozygosity across the genome due to the extensive ID found in our populations (i.e. a general effect). Collectively, our results lend support to both the general and local effect hypotheses and reinforce the view that HFCs lie on a continuum from inbreeding depression to those strictly due to linkage between marker loci and genes under selection.
VgrG C terminus confers the type VI effector transport specificity and is required for binding with PAAR and adaptor–effector complex

Significance The type VI secretion system involves multiple strategies for effector delivery via fusion or interaction of effectors to structural components of the phage tail-like structure, the tube component Hcp or spike protein VgrG. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying how diverse VgrG proteins govern effector delivery remains unclear. Here, we report that the divergent C-terminus of VgrG protein is the molecular determinant governing specific effector delivery and is required for interacting with a specific adaptor/chaperone protein that stabilizes and binds directly with the cognate effector. The striking conservation of genetic modules encoding homologous VgrG, a distinct set of potential adaptor/chaperone, and a specific effector in various Proteobacteria strongly suggest a conserved mechanism in type VI effector delivery. Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a macromolecular machine used by many Gram-negative bacteria to inject effectors/toxins into eukaryotic hosts or prokaryotic competitors for survival and fitness. To date, our knowledge of the molecular determinants and mechanisms underlying the transport of these effectors remains limited. Here, we report that two T6SS encoded valine-glycine repeat protein G (VgrG) paralogs in Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 specifically control the secretion and interbacterial competition activity of the type VI DNase toxins Tde1 and Tde2. Deletion and domain-swapping analysis identified that the C-terminal extension of VgrG1 specifically confers Tde1 secretion and Tde1-dependent interbacterial competition activity in planta, and the C-terminal variable region of VgrG2 governs this specificity for Tde2. Functional studies of VgrG1 and VgrG2 variants with stepwise deletion of the C terminus revealed that the C-terminal 31 aa (C31) of VgrG1 and 8 aa (C8) of VgrG2 are the molecular determinants specifically required for delivery of each cognate Tde toxin. Further in-depth studies on Tde toxin delivery mechanisms revealed that VgrG1 interacts with the adaptor/chaperone–effector complex (Tap-1–Tde1) in the absence of proline-alanine-alanine-arginine (PAAR) and the VgrG1–PAAR complex forms independent of Tap-1 and Tde1. Importantly, we identified the regions involved in these interactions. Although the entire C31 segment is required for binding with the Tap-1–Tde1 complex, only the first 15 aa of this region are necessary for PAAR binding. These results suggest that the VgrG1 C terminus interacts sequentially or simultaneously with the Tap-1–Tde1 complex and PAAR to govern Tde1 translocation across bacterial membranes and delivery into target cells for antibacterial activity.