Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential vascular adaptive response to stress exposure in male and female rats: Role of gonadal hormones and endothelial cells

Although there are reports concerning a vascular adaptive response to stress in males, this is not yet defined in females. The aim of this study was to delineate functional gender differences in the rat vascular adaptive response to stress and to determine the ability of sex hormones to modulate the stress-induced vascular adaptive response. Responses to noradrenaline were evaluated in aortas, with and without endothelium, from intact, gonadectomized and gonadectomized-hormone-replaced males and females submitted or not to stress (2-h immobilization). Reactivity of the aorta of stressed and non-stressed intact males and females (n = 6–14 per group) was also examined in the presence of l-NAME or indomethacin. Stress decreased and gonadectomy increased maximal responses to noradrenaline in aortas with intact endothelium from both genders. Stress also reduced noradrenaline potency in males. In females, but not males, stress decreased the gonadectomy-induced noradrenaline hyper-reactivity to near that of intact non-stressed rats. Hormone replacement restored the gonadectomy-induced impaired vascular adaptive response to stress. l-NAME, but not indomethacin, abolished the stress-induced decrease in aorta reactivity of males and females. None of the procedures altered reactivity of aortas denuded of endothelium. Conclusion: Stress-induced vascular adaptive responses show gender differences. The magnitude of the adaptive response is dependent on testicular hormones and involves endothelial nitric oxide-system hyperactivity.
In Vitro Selection Using Modified or Unnatural Nucleotides

Incorporation of modified nucleotides into in vitro RNA or DNA selections offers many potential advantages, such as the increased stability of selected nucleic acids against nuclease degradation, improved affinities, expanded chemical functionality, and increased library diversity. This unit provides useful information and protocols for in vitro selection using modified nucleotides. It includes a discussion of when to use modified nucleotides; protocols for evaluating and optimizing transcription reactions, as well as confirming the incorporation of the modified nucleotides; protocols for evaluating modified nucleotide transcripts as template in reverse transcription reactions; protocols for the evaluation of the fidelity of modified nucleotides in the replication and the regeneration of the pool; and a protocol to compare modified nucleotide pools and selection conditions. Curr. Protoc. Nucleic Acid Chem. 56:9.6. 1‐9.6. 33. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Using Preheated Crude Sunflower Oil as a Fuel in a Diesel Engine

Abstract In this study, preheated crude sunflower oil at 75°C was used in a four-cylinder, naturally aspirated, indirect injection diesel engine. The experiments were conducted at the constant engine speeds under the full load condition of the engine to determine the performance, combustion, and injection characteristics of test fuels. The engine test results have been compared with the reference values that were determined by using petroleum-based diesel fuel. The results indicated that when the test engine was fueled with preheated crude sunflower oil, the brake thermal efficiency and brake specific fuel consumption increased by 1 and 5%, respectively, while brake power decreased by 1%. The cylinder gas pressure and the heat release curves of preheated crude sunflower oil appeared similar to those of petroleum-based diesel fuel. However, in detailed combustion analyses, it was found that the start of injection timing of preheated crude sunflower oil is earlier, its ignition delay is longer, and also its combustion duration is shorter than those of petroleum-based diesel fuel for all test conditions. The results of the emission test showed that when using the preheated crude sunflower oil, on average, unburned HC, CO, CO2 emissions, and smoke opacity decreased by 39, 6, 9, and 5%, respectively. Consequently, it was observed that, for a short term usage, the preheated crude sunflower oil presents satisfactory results in terms of engine performance and combustion characteristics.
Growth Characteristics of Fuirena umbellata in a Surface Flow Constructed Wetland and Its Influence in Nutrients and Faecal Bacteria Removal from Domestic Wastewater in Cameroon

Various configurations of vegetated bed systems with a variety of macrophytes have been tested experimentally in Cameroon, for the treatment of domestic wastewater. The aim of this work was to assess the growth and biomass production of Fuirena umbellata (Cyperaceae) and its potentials in the removal of faecal bacteria and nutrients from primarily treated domestic effluent. A wetland vegetated with this macrophyte and a non-vegetated wetland (control) were continuously fed with primarily treated domestic wastewater at an estimated loading rate of 205 Litres/day in dry and rainy seasons for two consecutive years. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters of the effluent were monitored at the inflow and outflows of the wetlands alongside with the growth and productivity attributes of the young plants during each season. The density of plants ranged in the wetland from 17 - 185 plants/m2 and from 11 - 146 plants/m2 respectively during the first and the second years. More biomasses were instead produced in the dry seasons than in the rainy seasons but with no significant differences observed. As for nutrients removal, higher efficiencies were observed in the vegetated wetland (45% - 73%) compared to the non-vegetated control (17% - 66%). Similar trends were observed for the faecal bacteria but with no significant differences between the seasons. However, the vegetated beds were significantly more efficient than the non-vegetated control in the reduction of many physicochemical parameters and faecal bacteria. This varied with the seasons.
1H NMR‐based metabolomics approach to assess toxicity of bunker a heavy oil to freshwater carp, Cyprinus carpio

Using a 1H NMR metabolomics approach, the effects of dietary exposure of bunker A heavy oil (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 5% in diet) on freshwater carp, Cyprinus carpio, were examined. Statistical analysis by PCA score plots showed that the amount of metabolites in exposure groups 0.1, 1, and 5% differed from those in the control group. Although no discernible effects on metabolites were noted in the 0.1% exposure group as well as in the lowest concentration (0.01%) group, several metabolites such as amino acid (e.g., leucine, isoleucine, valine, glutamine, histidine, proline, and methionine), 3‐D‐hydroxybutyrate, and glycerol were elevated, while another metabolite such as formate was reduced in 1 and 5% groups. These changes in the metabolites associated with the tri‐carboxylic‐acid (TCA) cycle suggest that oil exposure resulted in the disturbance of the TCA cycle in the liver of the carp. Isobutyrate, a marker of anoxia, was also increased in 1 and 5% exposures groups and was directly related to low hemoglobin concentrations leading to reduced oxygen transport by blood. In addition, significant elevation of creatinine in the plasma of carps exposed to 5% heavy oil suggests disturbance in kidney function. Thus, metabolomics approach can detect toxic effects of hazardous pollutants on fish. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2012.
Lentinan prolonged survival in patients with gastric cancer receiving S-1-based chemotherapy.

AIM To examine whether administration of lentinan, purified β-1, 3-glucan, can prolong survival in advanced gastric cancer patients receiving S-1-based chemotherapy. METHODS Since 2004, 78 patients with metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer have received S-1-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment. Survival, side effects, and the ratio of granulocytes/lymphocytes (G/L ratio) were compared between 2 groups of patients who received chemo-immunotherapy using lentinan and chemotherapy alone. RESULTS Median overall survival was significantly longer in the former group than in the latter group [689 d (95% CI: 431-2339 d) vs 565 d (95% CI: 323-662 d), P = 0.0406]. In addition, the G/L ratio in patients who received lentinan was maintained around or below 2, which was significantly lower than that in patients who received chemotherapy alone (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Chemo-immunotherapy with lentinan offers a significant advantage over S-1-based chemotherapy alone in terms of survival in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
BIOCHEMICAL RESPONSES TO FIBROPAPILLOMA AND CAPTIVITY IN THE GREEN TURTLE

Blood biochemical parameters were compared for green turtles (Chelonia mydas) with and without green turtle fibropapillomatosis (GTFP) from both captive and wild populations in Hawaii (USA) and from a captive population from California (USA), during the period between 1994 and 1996. Statistical analysis did not detect an influence of disease in any of the blood parameters for free-ranging turtles; however, captive turtles in Hawaii with GTFP had significantly higher levels of alkaline phosphatase and significantly lower levels of lactate compared to non-tumored captive turtles. Multivariate analysis found that biochemical profiles could be used to accurately predict if turtles were healthy or afflicted with GTFP. Discriminant function analysis correctly classified turtles as being with or without GTFP in 89% of cases, suggesting that diseased animals had a distinct signature of plasma biochemistries. Measurements of blood parameters identified numerous differences between captive and wild green turtles in Hawaii. Levels of corticosterone, lactate, triglyceride, glucose, and calcium were significantly higher in wild green turtles as compared to captive turtles, while uric acid levels were significantly lower in wild turtles as compared to captive turtles. Additionally, turtles from Sea World of California (San Diego, California, USA), which had been in captivity the longest, had higher levels of alanine aminotransferase and triglycerides as compared to nearly all other groups. Differences in diet, sampling methods, environmental conditions, and turtle size, help to interpret these results.
Epitaxial Optimization of 130-nm Gate-Length InGaAs/InAlAs/InP HEMTs for High-Frequency Applications

In this paper, the influence of epitaxial-layer design on high-frequency properties of 130-nm gate-length InGaAs/ InAlAs/InP high-electron-mobility transistors (InP HEMTs) has been investigated. The In channel content ([In]: 53%, 70%, and 80%), the J-doping concentration (delta: 3, 5, and 7times10<sup>12</sup> cm<sup>-2</sup>), and the Schottky-layer thickness (d<sub>SL</sub>: 9,11, and 13 nm) have been varied. The maximum frequency of oscillation f<sub>max</sub>, the cutoff frequency f<sub>T</sub>, the drain-to-source current JDS, and the transconductance g<sub>m</sub> have been analyzed for InP HEMTs. All devices exhibited an increase in I<sub>DS</sub> with increasing [In], delta, and d<sub>SL</sub>. An increase in f<sub>max</sub>, f<sub>T</sub>, and g<sub>m</sub> were observed with increasing [In]. When changing [In] from 53% to 80%, f<sub>T</sub> and f<sub>max</sub> improved by 14% and 21%, respectively. For the delta parameter, an increase in f<sub>T</sub> and g<sub>m</sub>. was found. However, f<sub>max</sub> was drastically reduced for the highest delta. This is suggested to be due to the formation of a parasitic conduction channel located at the doping plane in the HEMT structure for delta > 6.3 times 10<sup>12</sup> cm<sup>-2</sup>. For the d<sub>SL</sub> parameter, an optimum with respect to f<sub>max</sub>, f<sub>T</sub>, and g<sub>m</sub>. was observed. The optimized HEMT exhibited an extrinsic f<sub>T</sub> and f<sub>max</sub> of 250 and 300 GHz, respectively.
Antidepressant Agents for the Treatment of Chronic Pain and Depression

Depression and painful somatic symptoms commonly occur together. Depression and chronic pain can have devastating effects on a patient's health, productivity, and overall quality of life. When moderate‐to‐severe pain exists, it can impair patient function while making treatment more difficult or resistant, with increased severity in depressive symptoms and worse outcomes. A variety of chronic pain syndromes exist, including diabetic neuropathy. A high prevalence of patients with chronic pain display depressive symptoms. Treatment for these conditions relies on pharmacologic therapy coupled with diligent, periodic assessments of changes in symptom severity. The link between pain and depression lies in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The brain stem serves as an important connection between the higher brain centers and the spinal cord. In the brain stem, the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine modulate pain transmission through ascending and descending neural pathways. Both serotonin and norepinephrine are also key neurotransmitters involved with the pathophysiology of depression. Tricyclic antidepressants are effective treatments for pain and depression; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors provide less benefit. Duloxetine and venlafaxine, which are serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, were shown in clinical trials to alleviate pain and depressive symptoms. Diabetic neuropathy and other chronic pain syndromes were also shown to benefit from duloxetine and venlafaxine. Antidepressants remain fundamental therapeutic agents for depression and anxiety disorders. Their extended use into chronic pain, depression with physical pain, physical pain with or without depression, and other potential medical conditions should be recognized.
Three-year follow-up in patients with acute coronary syndrome and normal coronary angiography

ObjectiveThe present study was conducted to compare the clinical outcomes and investigate prognostic factors of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients with normal coronary angiography. MethodsThe study was a retrospective cohort of 736 adult patients admitted with ACS between April 2007 and March 2008. After 3 years of follow-up, data regarding the following endpoints were obtained: death (cardiac and noncardiac), nonfatal myocardial infarction, and recurrent angina leading to repeated coronary angiography. The analysis focused on patients with a culprit lesion (n=678) and on those without a culprit lesion (n=51). ResultsMajor adverse cardiac events (MACEs) were significantly more frequent in the group with culprit lesions than in the group without culprit lesions (P<0.05). The frequency of MACE-free survival was significantly lower in the group with culprit lesions than in the group without culprit lesions (P=0.0016). Diabetes mellitus was a significant independent predictor of poor prognosis. ConclusionACS patients without culprit lesions have an excellent prognosis for MACE after 3 years of follow-up compared with patients with obstructive ACS. Diabetes mellitus predicts adverse outcome in ACS patients.
Emerging trends: Inflation

Abstract Our field has enjoyed amazing growth over the years. Is this a good thing or a bad thing, or just a thing? Good: Growth sounds good. It is hard to imagine a politician arguing against jobs. There are more people working in the field than ever before, and they are publishing more and more, and creating more and more value. What could be wrong with that? Bad: Whatever you measure you get. We are all under too much pressure to publish too much too quickly. Students are graduating these days with more publications than what used to be expected for tenure. So many people are publishing so much that no one has time to think great thoughts, or take time to learn about things that may not be directly relevant to the next publication. Neutral: Inflation is a fact of life. There are long-term macro trends on publication rates that are beyond our control. These trends hold over tens and hundreds of years, and will continue over the foreseeable future.
Factors predictive of clinical pregnancy in the first intrauterine insemination cycle of 306 couples with favourable female patient characteristics

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors predictive of clinical pregnancy in the first superovulation/intrauterine insemination (SO/IUI) cycle of couples with favourable female characteristics. We analyzed retrospectively the first SO/IUI cycle of 306 infertile couples with mild male factor infertility and unexplained infertility. The women had a favourable prognosis in terms of ovarian reserve. Univariate logistic regression analyses identified body mass index (BMI) [odds ratio (OR) = 0.9, P = 0.014], sperm concentration [OR = 1.007, P = 0.007] and inseminating motile sperm count (IMC) [OR = 1.007, P = 0.032] as significant predictive factors of clinical pregnancy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified BMI [OR = 0.87, P = 0.008] and sperm concentration [OR = 1.008, P = 0.011] as significant factors. Pregnant and non-pregnant groups did not differ significantly in terms of the age and smoking status of the woman, duration and type of infertility, length of the stimulation, total gonadotropin dosage or antral follicle count. Of the female characteristics investigated, BMI was the most significant predictive factor of clinical pregnancy in the first SO/IUI cycle of couples with unexplained or mild male factor infertility and favourable female characteristics. In overweight women, weight loss should be advised before starting SO/IUI. Sperm concentration and IMC were significant male predictive factors for clinical pregnancy in the first SO/IUI.
Convergence of the heat flow for closed geodesics

On a closed Riemannian manifold pM, gq, the geodesic heat flow deforms loops through an energydecreasing homotopy uptq. It is known that there is a sequence tn Ñ 8 so that uptnq converges in C to a closed geodesic, but it is also known that convergence fails in general. We show that for a generic set of metrics on M , the heat flow converges for all initial loops. We also show that convergence, when it holds, is in C8. The proofs are based on a Morse theory approach using the Palais-Smale condition. Geometric heat flows have been extensively studied, yet one of the simplest examples is not yet fully understood. This note clarifies several issues concerning the convergence as t Ñ 8 for the heat flow associated with maps from S to a closed Riemannian manifold pM, gq. It is well-known that every map u0 : S 1 ÑM into a closed Riemannian manifold pM, gq is homotopic to a closed geodesic. Intuitively, this can be proven by deforming u0 along the flow of the downward gradient vector field of the energy function Epuq “ 1 2 ż S1 |du| dθ (0.1) on the space of maps u : S Ñ M . There are two standard ways of directly realizing this intuition. In the “Morse theory” approach, one works on the infinite-dimensional manifold LM of finite-energy loops in M and uses the gradient of E defined by the Sobolev W 1,2 metric; this approach provides techniques for showing that the flow paths converge (cf. Section 3). Alternatively, one can use the gradient of E defined by the L metric. The resulting downward gradient flow is a solution of the “geodesic heat flow equation” 9 u “ ∇ ̊du upθ, 0q “ u0pθq. (0.2) This equation, which is the 1-dimensional harmonic map heat flow equation, is typically studied using parabolic techniques, without reference to the manifold LM . Our main purpose here is to show that Morse theory methods can be productively applied to the heat flow. It is known that the geodesic heat flow exists and is smooth for all t ą 0. Thus central issue is convergence as t Ñ 8. Specifically, do all solutions of (0.2) converge to closed geodesics as t Ñ 8, and in which norms does one have convergence? The subtleties of this problem have been repeatedly underestimated. In 1965 Eells and Sampson [ES2] asserted that the geodesic heat flow converges to a closed geodesic at tÑ8 (see also [Sa] and ([J]). Ottarsson [O] rigorously proved the long-time existence of the heat flow with smooth initial data. Very recently, L. Lin and L. Wang [LW], building on arguments of Struwe [St], extended Ottarsson’s theorem to W 1,2 initial data, proving that the heat flow exists for all time and is unique. Ottarsson also showed that there is a sequence tn Ñ 8 so that uptnq converges in C to a closed geodesic. On the other hand, the flow itself does not necessarily converge: an elegant construction of Topping yields the following fact: ̊partially supported by the NSF. MSC codes: 53C22, 58J35.
Involvement of a Lysine-specific Cysteine Proteinase in Hemoglobin Adsorption and Heme Accumulation by Porphyromonas gingivalis *

The oral anaerobic bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major pathogen of advanced adult periodontitis, produces a novel class of cysteine proteinases in both cell-associated and secretory forms. A lysine-specific cysteine proteinase (Lys-gingipain, KGP), as well as an arginine-specific cysteine proteinase (Arg-gingipain), is a major trypsin-like proteinase of the organism. Recent studies indicate that the secreted KGP is implicated in the destruction of periodontal tissue and the disruption of host defense mechanisms. In this study, we have constructed a KGP-deficient mutant to determine whether the cell-associated KGP is important for pathophysiology of the organism. Although the mutant retained the strong ability to disrupt the bactericidal activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, its hemagglutination activity was reduced to about one-half that observed with the wild-type strain. More important, the mutant did not form black-pigmented colonies on blood agar plates, indicating the defect of hemoglobin adsorption and heme accumulation. Immunoblot analysis showed that the expression of a 19-kDa hemoglobin receptor protein, which is thought to be responsible for hemoglobin binding by the organism, was greatly retarded in this mutant. The mutant also showed a marked decrease in the ability to degrade fibrinogen. These results suggest the possible involvement of KGP in the hemoglobin binding and heme accumulation of the organism and in the bleeding tendency in periodontal pockets.
Total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) versus coagulation of uterine arteries (CUA) at their origin plus total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) for the management of myoma and adenomyosis

We tried to evaluate the relative feasibility, surgical duration and complications of total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) versus coagulation of uterine arteries at their origin (CUA) plus total laparoscopic hysterectomy for the management of myoma and adenomyosis, and to compare the estimated blood loss for both procedures. A total of 123 patients underwent TLH or CUA plus TLH for the treatment of symptomatic myoma and adenomyosis. Sixty‐four women underwent TLH, whilst 68 women underwent coagulation of uterine arteries at their origin plus TLH. The mean weight and volume of the uterus as determined following TLH was 288.1±102.4gm (range 182.1∼396.2gm.) and 451±340.6cm3 (range 107.4 ∼ 792), respectively. The mean weight of the uterus following CUA plus TLH was 269.1±151.7gm (range 215.8∼430.1) whilst the mean uterine volume was 472.7±377.8cm3 (range 93.7 ∼ 851.2). No significant differences with respect to surgical duration (95 vs. 96.5 minutes TLH vs. CUA + TLH; p>0.05), blood loss (177.2±80.1ml for TLH and 154.9±30.21ml for CUA+TLH; p>0.05) and mean±SD preoperative (12.05±1.70gm/dl for TLH and 12.14±1.38gm/dl for CUA+TLH; p>0.05) and post‐operative hemoglobin level (11±1.03 for TLH and 11±1.49 for CUA + TLH; p>0.05) were observed between the two study groups. The blood loss for TLH is comparable to that for the CUA plus TLH procedure.