Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lipoproteins and Apolipoproteins in Young Nonobese Arab Women With NIDDM Treated With Insulin

The effects of insulin on the lipid values of nonobese non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM) Arab women requiring insulin was investigated to find whether these patients have the same coronary artery risk factor related to lipid levels. In this study, 55 NIDDM women on insulin therapy (mean age 28 ± 8.1 yr and duration of disease 5 ± 1.2 yr) and 70 control subjects (matched for sex, age, and body mass index) were studied for their plasma levels of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. Concentrations of total cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), LDL TG, high-density lipoprotein triglyceride (HDL TG), phospholipid, glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), apolipoprotein B (apoB), LDL-apoB, and apoB/apoAl were significantly elevated in diabetic women compared with control subjects. There was no significant change in the levels of apoAll in plasma and lipoprotein fractions. Concentrations of HDL cholesterol (chol), HDL2-chol, HDL3-chol, plasma apoAl, HDL2-apoAI, HDL3-apoAl, and HDL-apoAl were significantly lower in diabetic women than in control subjects. There was no significant correlation between glucose or HbA1c and most of the lipids, lipoprotein lipids, and apolipoproteins measured. Despite normal body weight and insulin therapy, abnormalities in lipids, lipoprotein lipids, and apoB persisted in NIDDM patients compared with control subjects. Our data may favor an enhanced affinity toward atherosclerosis in these patients.
Epidemiology and spectrum of disease of Escherichia coli O157

Purpose of review The Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains, such as E. coli O157:H7, have emerged as major diarrheal pathogens both in the United States and elsewhere. These organisms are important because gastrointestinal infection (afebrile hemorrhagic colitis) can trigger microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and renal failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome). Understanding the pathophysiology of this illness is likely to lead to important new treatment interventions. Recent findings It is now recognized that children with hemorrhagic colitis routinely develop a spectrum of coagulation abnormalities and that only a fraction of children develop full blown hemolytic uremic syndrome. Individual variability in expression of inflammatory mediators is likely to be a key element in determining which children progress to the severe end of the spectrum of disease. The value of antibiotic therapy is unknown. Summary The pathophysiology of HUS remains incompletely understood. The lag between onset of diarrhea and onset of HUS represents an opportunity to intervene and prevent renal failure. However, there currently is no way to prevent such life threatening complications. The management should focus on diagnosis and close observation so that early intervention can prevent complications.
A Continuous Semianalytic Current Model for DG and NW TFETs

A continuous semianalytic I-V model is developed for double-gate (DG) and nanowire tunnel FETs (TFETs). At the core of the model is a gate-controlled channel potential that satisfies the source and drain boundary conditions. The band-to-band tunneling current is expressed in terms of Franz's two-band E(k) relation with 3-D density of states. Verified by numerical simulations, the model is capable of generating Ids-Vgs characteristics for any a given bandgap and channel length, based on which the guidelines for TFET scaling are derived. A methodology for evaluating different ION-IOFF characteristics, distinguished from the common practice of ION/IOFF ratio and SS slope, is employed. Ambipolar effect or channel-todrain tunneling is also covered by the model. The model has been applied to an example of GaSb-InAs DG TFET, to compare with published atomistic simulation results. Ids-Vds characteristics are also generated by building into the model the debiasing effect of channel charge in the linear region.
Meta‐analysis suggests antibiotic prophylaxis is not warranted in low‐risk patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with a low incidence of wound infection antibiotic prophylaxis is still commonly used in low-risk patients undergoing this procedure. A review of the available evidence on infective complications in laparoscopic surgery concluded that antibiotic prophylaxis could be omitted1. A meta-analysis was performed to assess whether antibiotic prophylaxis reduced the risk of wound infection and other septic complications.
Enhanced water and cryoprotectant permeability of porcine oocytes after artificial expression of human and zebrafish aquaporin‐3 channels

One of the major obstacles for the vitrification of mature porcine oocytes with ethylene glycol is their low permeability to this cryoprotectant, which results in osmotic stress‐induced cell damage and low survival. Pig blastocysts, on the other hand, show enhanced water and cryoprotectant permeability, which has been related to the transcriptional activation of aquaporin‐3 (AQP3) channels at this stage of development. In this study, we asked if expression of cRNAs encoding two aquaglyceroporins, human AQP3 (hAQP3) or the zebrafish Aqp3b‐T85A mutant, in porcine oocytes can increase their permeability. Microinjection of germinal‐vesicle‐stage oocytes with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) or AQP3 cRNAs resulted in the expression of the corresponding proteins in ∼26% of the metaphase‐II stage oocytes at 40–44 hr of in vitro culture; co‐injection of EGFP cRNA appeared to be a suitable marker for oocyte selection since all EGFP‐positive oocytes also expressed the corresponding aquaporin. Using this method, we found that mature oocytes co‐expressing EGFP and hAQP3 or EGFP and Aqp3b‐T85A showed approximately a twofold increase of the hydraulic conductivity (Lp) with respect non‐injected or EGFP alone‐injected oocytes in a 0.43 M sucrose or 1.3 M ethylene glycol solution, whereas the ethylene glycol permeability (PEG) of EGFP + hAQP3 and EGFP + Aqp3b‐T85A oocytes was 6.7‐ and 12‐fold higher, respectively, than control oocytes. These data demonstrate that the artificial expression of aquaglyceroporins in porcine metaphase‐II oocytes improves their permeability, and that the zebrafish Aqp3b‐T85A mutant is more efficient than the human channel at increasing the oocyte permeability to ethylene glycol. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 81: ? –? , 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of GTPase‐activating proteins for the function of the Rho‐family small GTPases in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Background The small GTPase Rho1 has been shown to regulate the organization of the actin cytoskeleton and formation of the cell wall in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Activity of Rho1 must be precisely regulated in vivo, since both increases and decreases in its activity affect cell growth and shape. Thus, it is important to clarify the mechanism by which the activity of Rho1 is regulated in vivo.
Heterosexual Women’s and Men’s Labeling of Anal Behaviors as Having “Had Sex”

This study explored labeling of penile–anal intercourse (PAI), manual–anal (MA), and oral–anal (OA) behaviors as having “had sex” among heterosexual men and women with such experience residing in the United States (n = 3,218). Adult men and women completed an online questionnaire assessing sexual behaviors and whether each counted as having had sex. With the exception of anal intercourse, there was high variation in whether a behavior was labeled having had sex. There was not consensus on which anal sexual behaviors constituted having had sex, with attitudes varying across age, gender, and behavioral experience. Those who were older, male, and had the specific behavioral experience were more likely to label it as having had sex. Behaviorally specific assessments of the various anal behaviors as part of the sexual repertoire is critical to more accurate evaluation of sexual histories and assessment of risks to sexual health.
Successional changes of epibiont fouling communities of the cultivated kelp Alaria esculenta: predictability and influences

There has been an increase in commercial-scale kelp cultivation in Europe, with fouling of cultivated kelp fronds presenting a major challenge to the growth and development of the industry. The presence of epibionts decreases productivity and impacts the commercial value of the crop. Several abiotic and biotic factors may influence the occurrence and degree of fouling of wild and cultivated fronds. Using a commercial kelp farm on the SW coast of Ireland, we studied the development of fouling communities on cultivated Alaria esculenta fronds over 2 typical growing seasons. The predictability of community development was assessed by comparing mean occurrence-day. Hypotheses that depth, kelp biomass, position within the farm and the hydrodynamic environment affect the fouling communities were tested using species richness and community composition. Artificial kelp mimics were used to test whether local frond density could affect the fouling communities. Species richness increased over time during both years, and species composition was consistent over years with early successional communities converging into later communities (no significant differences between June 2014 and June 2015 communities, ANOSIM; R = −0.184, p > 0.05). The timing of species occurrences was predictable across years for all shared species. Variations in biomass, depth and position within the farm had no significant effect on species richness and composition. Results from artificial kelp mimics suggest possible hydrodynamic effects. The ability to understand succession and the timing of occurrences of fouling organisms and predict their arrival has significant benefits for the seaweed cultivation industry.
Effects of the level of asphyxia during delivery on viability at birth and early postnatal vitality of newborn pigs.

Newborn pigs (n = 117) were used to provide information on the relationships of degree of asphyxia during delivery, viability at birth, and some striking aspects of postnatal vitality including survival, interval between birth and first udder contact and between birth and first suckling, rectal temperature at 24 h of life (RT24), and growth rate over the first 10 d of life. The degree of asphyxia at birth was estimated from cord blood pCO2, pH, and lactate levels. Onset of respiration, heart rate, skin color, and attempts to stand during the first minute after birth were used to estimate the viability score. Neonatal asphyxia, i.e., decreased blood pH and increased blood pCO2 and lactate, was associated with the production of unusually high levels of catecholamines. The degree of asphyxia increased with late position in the birth order (P < .01) and was higher in piglets born posteriorly (P < 0.5). Further, the average blood pCO2 within a litter increased (P < .05) with litter size. The was an inverse relationship between the degree of asphyxia and the viability score (P < .001). Highly viable piglets reached the udder more rapidly (P < .001) and had a higher RT24 (P < .001) than those of low viability. Plasma glucose concentrations increased with blood pCO2 and plasma epinephrine concentrations (P < .001). Neonatal asphyxia reduced postnatal vitality by delaying the first contact with the udder (P < .03) and was associated with a lower RT24 (P < .05), growth rate (P < .001), and survival over 10 d (P < 0.06). These variables, i.e., interval between birth and first udder contact, RT24, and growth rate, were correlated with birth weight (P < .001); RT24 was also shown to decrease (P < .001) with the time taken to reach the udder. Overall, results suggest that piglet suffering from asphyxia during delivery are less viable at birth and less prone to adapt to extrauterine life.
On laws of large numbers for L-R fuzzy variables

In this study, we discuss the laws of large numbers for T-independent L-R fuzzy variables based on continuous Archimedean t-norm and expected value of fuzzy variable. First, by using continuous Archimedean t-norm, we derive several convergent properties of sum of L-R fuzzy variables in credibility measure and in expected value, respectively. Then, on the basis of the obtained convergent properties, we establish some laws of large numbers for T-independent L-R fuzzy variables.
The possibility of standardising blood pressure measurement

Annus Mirabilis 1905 was marked by fundamental changes in the physics theory which took the attention of the elite of the scientific world, while Dr. Korotkov devised his noninvasive method for measuring blood pressure. More than a century later, his method is still present both in routine medical praxis and as a gold standard to certifying new blood pressure monitors. We comment on this question to show that we still do not have the necessary means for even discussing the issue and that, in the business of modern medicine, this issue is the proverbial butterfly behind the chaos in healthcare. This is an expanded version of a paper presented at the 3rd IEEE International Workshop on Medical Measurements and Applications, 9 10 May 2008, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Alzheimer's Factors in Ischemic Brain Injury

Aging nations are growing worldwide and now one in four of us may expect to experience an ischemic brain injury by the age 85. Stroke is the third most common cause of death and the second most common cause of dementia in industrialized societies with a mortality rate of circa 30% and an incidence of about 250–400 in 100,000. Stroke affects circa 700,000 people each year in the US alone, and about 50% of these individuals will experience lasting functional dysfunctions including sensory problems and cognitive deficits (Hillis 2006). It is estimated that ischemic stroke is responsible for approximately half of all patients hospitalized for acute neurological disorders. As outlined earlier, it can cause neurological dysfunctions in a number of neurological functions most commonly in the motor activity, cognitive decline, and dementia. Postischemic dementia is characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration including language, reasoning and memory. Of those individuals suffering from ischemic brain injury less than 50% will return to independent living during the following year. Even among those who regain functional independence, many stroke patients continue to manifest significant deficits, limitations and changes in their cognitive functioning and behavior. As such, stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and experiencing a stroke results in two-fold increase in risk for dementia. Other data showed that 1-in-10 developing dementia soon after first stroke, and over 1-in-3 being demented after recurrent stroke. The brain has limited responses to different kind of neuropathogens. Similar neuropathological features are observed in different cerebrovascular diseases and Alzheimer’s disease (Kalaria 2000; Pluta 2004a; Pluta 2004b; De la Torre 2005; Pluta 2006a; Benarroch 2007; Niedermeyer 2007; Pluta 2007c; Bell, Zlokovic 2009). Brain stroke is the leading cause of cognitive impairment worldwide. These data are supported by observations in clinical as well as in experimental studies, which suggest that ischemic brain injury is a major risk factor of dementia ranking only second to age (Gorelick 1997; Pluta 2006a; Pluta 2007c). Dementia, which is observed following different brain ischemic injuries, is associated with intellectual impairment and finally brain atrophy (Hossmann et al., 1987; Loeb et al., 1988; Tatemichi et al., 1990; Pluta 2002b; Kiryk et al., 2011). Amyloid plaques, which are the main pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, account for about 90% of dementias including ischemic-type dementia (Jendroska et al., 1995; Wisniewski, Maslinska 1996; Shi et al., 1998; Pluta, 2007a; Qi et al., 2007). The relationship between brain ischemic injury dementia and Alzheimer’s disease type dementia is recently much debated. The mechanisms of the progressive cognitive decline after ischemic brain injury are not yet clear
Clustering of health-related behaviors among 18-year-old Australians.

BACKGROUND Few studies among young adults have examined clustering of health behaviors affecting risk for lifestyle diseases. METHODS Smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and diet were examined among Australian 18-year-olds (301 males, 282 females) initially recruited at the age of 9 years from 26 schools. Association analysis was used to recognize behavior clustering. RESULTS Fat intake was greater among male smokers than nonsmokers (36% energy vs 34% energy). Women smokers ate less fiber (14.1 g/day) than did nonsmokers (17.8 g/day). Smoking was significantly related, among males, to unsafe drinking (odds ratio 2.38) and higher fat intake (odds ratio 1.06) and, among females, to unsafe drinking (odds ratio 1.59), lower dietary fiber (odds ratio 0.93), and less physical activity (odds ratio 0.36). Cluster analysis defined separate behavior clusters for men and women with smoking status identifying further subgroups. Smoking, drinking alcohol to excess, and adverse dietary choices clustered among men and women, with physical inactivity also clustering among women. CONCLUSION Smoking among adolescents is an important indicator of behaviors influencing risk for later cardiovascular disease and other medical disorders. Multimodal approaches allowing for gender differences in health-related behaviors are likely to be more successful than targeting a single behavior in this age group.
Studies on enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from persons without diarrhoea in Western Australia

SUMMARY The epidemiology of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) was studied in children without diarrhoea in two remote Aboriginal communities in tropical north-western Australia. Serial surveys of the same individuals during different seasons showed that isolations were much more frequent in the wet monsoonal summer than in the dry winter. All E. coli were isolated from symptomless children aged 5 years or less; in addition, clearance of ETEC carriage without treatment was observed in all individuals within 3 months of isolation. Of the 58 ETEC strains isolated, 40 had either an H32 or an O126 antigen. Five O antigens which have never been associated with ETEC (O2, O41, O71, O77 and O157) were found. A recently proposed system to detect ETEC, using groups of polyvalent antisera, would have detected only 3 out of these 58 ETEC strains.
Anti‐retroviral effects of type I IFN subtypes in vivo

Type I IFN play a very important role in immunity against viral infections. Murine type I IFN belongs to a multigene family including 14 IFN‐α subtypes but the biological functions of IFN‐α subtypes in retroviral infections are unknown. We have used the Friend retrovirus model to determine the anti‐viral effects of IFN‐α subtypes in vitro and in vivo. IFN‐α subtypes α1, α4, α6 or α9 suppressed Friend virus (FV) replication in vitro, but differed greatly in their anti‐viral efficacy in vivo. Treatment of FV‐infected mice with the IFN‐α subtypes α1, α4 or α9, but not α6 led to a significant reduction in viral loads. Decreased splenic viral load after IFN‐α1 treatment correlated with an expansion of activated FV‐specific CD8+ T cells and NK cells into the spleen, whereas in IFN‐α4‐ and ‐α9‐treated mice it exclusively correlated with the activation of NK cells. The results demonstrate the distinct anti‐retroviral effects of different IFN‐α subtypes, which may be relevant for new therapeutic approaches.
Fate diversity of primitive streak cells during heart field formation in ovo

In amniote embryos, cells from a rostral portion of the primitive streak migrate anterolaterally and establish the heart field mesoderm, from which two cardiac cell lineages, cardiomyocytes and endocardial endothelial cells, differentiate. The endoderm underlying the heart field has been postulated as the source of several paracrine factors that may serve to induce each of these cell types. However, it has been unclear how these signal molecules, which are expressed broadly in the endoderm, instruct individual cells of the heart field mesoderm to enter either the cardiomyocyte lineage or the endocardial cell lineage. To clarify lineage relationships of these two cardiac cell types, the fate of chicken primitive streak cells was traced for the first time in ovo. By using replication‐defective retroviral‐mediated gene transfer, we demonstrate that cells in the rostral half of Hamburger and Hamilton (HH) stage 3 primitive streak generate a daughter population that proliferates and migrates into the heart field, differentiating into either endocardial or myocardial cells, but not both cell types. The results suggest that the rostral portion of the primitive streak at HH stage 3 consists of at least two distinct subpopulations, entering either the cardiomyocyte lineage or the endocardial cell lineage. Thus, in ovo these two cell lineages of the heart are already segregated within the primitive streak, significantly before their migration to the heart field. When the precardiomyocytes and pre‐endocardial cells arrive at the heart field, each mesodermal cell subpopulation may be permissive to paracrine signal(s) from underlying endoderm to initiate their terminal differentiation into either muscle or endothelial cells. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Expression of 17 (cid:98) -Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 and Type 2, P450 Aromatase, and 20 (cid:97) -Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Enzymes in Immature, Mature, and Pregnant Rats*

In the present study, we evaluated the expression and regulation of 17 (cid:98) -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17HSD) type 1 and type 2, cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom), and 20 (cid:97) -hydroxysteroid de- hydrogenase (20HSD) in mature and pregnant rats. Immunohistochemical analysis of rat 17HSD type 1 showed that the enzyme is exclusively expressed in the granulosa cells of developing, healthy, primary, secondary, and tertiary follicles at all stages of the estrous cycleandpregnancy,andisnotdetectedinthecorporalutea.Thedatashowedthattheamountoftheenzymeexpressedinthefolliclein-creasesasfollicularmaturationprogressesandishighestintertiaryandGraafianfollicles.However,NorthernblotanalysisoftotalRNAfromwholeovariesshowedaratherconstitutiveexpressionofthe17HSDtype1enzyme.ItisevidentthatcomparedwithP450arom,17HSDtype1ismorewidelyexpressedinthefolliclesduringthevariousmaturationalstagesoffolliculogenesis.Hence,thedatain-dicate distinct localization, expression, and regulation patterns for 17HSD type 1 and P450arom during the rat estrous cycle and pregnancy. Furthermore, compared with the two estradiol biosynthetic enzymes, a different expression pattern was detected for 20HSD messenger RNA. During the estrous cycle the enzyme was detected in the ovaries throughout the cycle, and in the ovaries of pregnant animals the enzyme showed an expression pattern the opposite of that ob- served for P450arom. Rat 17HSD type 2, not detected in the ovaries, was constitutively expressed in both female and male liver and small intestine in 21-day-old fetuses up to 6-week-old mature animals. Similarly, in these tissues the enzyme was constitutively expressed in normal cycling and pregnant animals, but it showed increasing expression in the placenta as pregnancy advanced. The relatively constitutive expression of the enzyme at all physiological stages of the animals suggests a general role for the enzyme in the inactivation of circulating sex steroids. ( Endocrinology 138: 2886–2892,