Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Discrete Change in Volatile Anesthetic Sensitivity in Mice with Inactivated Tandem Pore Potassium Ion Channel TRESK

Background:We investigated the role of tandem pore potassium ion channel (K2P) TRESK in neurobehavioral function and volatile anesthetic sensitivity in genetically modified mice. Methods:Exon III of the mouse TRESK gene locus was deleted by homologous recombination using a targeting vector. The genotype of bred mice (wild type, knockout, or heterozygote) was determined using polymerase chain reaction. Morphologic and behavioral evaluations of TRESK knockout mice were compared with wild-type littermates. Sensitivity of bred mice to isoflurane, halothane, sevoflurane, and desflurane were studied by determining the minimum alveolar concentration preventing movement to tail clamping in 50% of each genotype. Results:With the exception of decreased number of inactive periods and increased thermal pain sensitivity (20% decrease in latency with hot plate test), TRESK knockout mice had healthy development and behavior. TRESK knockout mice showed a statistically significant 8% increase in isoflurane minimum alveolar concentration compared with wild-type littermates. Sensitivity to other volatile anesthetics was not significantly different. Spontaneous mortality of TRESK knockout mice after initial anesthesia testing was nearly threefold higher than that of wild-type littermates. Conclusions:TRESK alone is not critical for baseline central nervous system function but may contribute to the action of volatile anesthetics. The inhomogeneous change in anesthetic sensitivity corroborates findings in other K2P knockout mice and supports the theory that the mechanism of volatile anesthetic action involves multiple targets. Although it was not shown in this study, a compensatory effect by other K2P channels may also contribute to these observations.
Comparison of methods to measure acute metal and organometal toxicity to natural aquatic microbial communities

Microbial communities in water from Baltimore Harbor and from the mainstem of Chesapeake Bay were examined for sensitivity to mercuric chloride, monomethyl mercury, stannic chloride, and tributyltin chloride. Acute toxicity was determined by measuring the effects of [3H]thymidine incorporation, [14C]glutamate incorporation and respiration, and viability as compared with those of controls. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were low for all metals (monomethyl mercury, less than 0.05 microgram liter-1; mercuric chloride, less than 1 microgram liter-1; tributyltin chloride, less than 5 micrograms liter-1) except stannic chloride (5 mg liter-1). In some cases, mercuric chloride and monomethyl mercury were equally toxic at comparable concentrations. The Chesapeake Bay community appeared to be slightly more sensitive to metal stress than the Baltimore Harbor community, but this was not true for all treatments or assays. For culturable bacteria the opposite result was found. Thymidine incorporation and glutamate metabolism were much more sensitive indicators of metal toxicity than was viability. To our knowledge, this is the first use of the thymidine incorporation method for ecotoxicology studies. We found it the easiest and fastest of the three methods; it is at least equal in sensitivity to metabolic measurements, and it likely measures the effects on greater portion of the natural community.
Autologous platelet rich plasma for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. A pilot study

Background and purpose. Arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tears can produce excellent results. The application of platelet rich plasma during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is safe, and produces results which do not deteriorate over time. Methods. A total of 14 patients undergoing arthroscopic repair of a rotator cuff tear received an intra-operative application of autologous platelet rich plasma in combination with an autologous thrombin component after tear repair. Following the procedure, patients were given a standardized rehabilitation protocol, and followed for 24 months. Outcome measures included a pain score (VAS) as well as functional scoring (UCLA and Constant scores). Results. Of the original 14 patients, 13 were seen at a final follow-up appointment 24 months after the index operation. Patients demonstrated a significant decrease in VAS scores and significant increases in the UCLA and Constant scores at 6, 12 and 24-month follow-ups compared to a pre-operative score. Conclusion. No adverse events related to this application were noted during the procedure. The application of platelet rich plasma during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is safe and effective, and produces results which seem to be stable with time. A prospective randomized investigation will be necessary to ascertain the efficacy of platelet rich plasma application to improve or expedite the surgical outcome following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.
A novel SIME and sensitivity based model and algorithm of transient stability constrained optimal power flow

Transient stability constrained optimal power flow (TSCOPF) is a challenging problem of power system. In this paper, TSCOPF is decomposed into three sub-problems, namely transient stability assessment (TSA), the stability constraint constructing and simple TSCOPF. They are solved iteratively to achieve the optimal operation point. In the TSA sub-problem, each contingency is simulated and the stability margin is obtained by using single machine equivalent (SIME) method. In the second sub-problem, the sensitivities of the stability margins with respect to the control variables are obtained via trajectory sensitivity technique, which construct only one linear inequality constraint for each contingency to represent transient stability. The constraints are formulated for general unstable case, extreme unstable case and slight stable case respectively. These above constraints are incorporated into conventional OPF to form the third sub-problem. A correction factor is added into constraint formulation to avoid over-adjustment. The prime-dual interior point method is used to solve the third sub-problem. This proposed method is capable of handling multi-contingency problems of diffident SIME mode and the requirement of stability margin can be met. The effectiveness is validated on the New England 10-generator 39-bus system.
Verapamil does not inhibit 99mTcN-NOET uptake in situ in normal or ischemic canine myocardium.

UNLABELLED Bis(N-ethoxy,N-ethyldithiocarbamato)nitrido technetium (V) ((99m)Tc) ((99m)TcN-NOET) is a new myocardial perfusion imaging agent currently undergoing phase III clinical trials in the United States and in Europe. (99m)TcN-NOET cellular uptake has been shown to be inhibited by the calcium channel inhibitor verapamil in cultured newborn rat cardiomyocytes. However, the effect of verapamil on in situ (99m)TcN-NOET myocardial uptake remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether the inhibitory effect of verapamil on the cellular uptake of (99m)TcN-NOET shown in vitro could be reproduced in situ in a canine model of normal and ischemic myocardium. METHODS (99m)TcN-NOET uptake in normal and ischemic myocardium (70% flow reduction in the left anterior descending coronary artery) was measured in the absence or presence of verapamil (0.015 mg/kg/min x 10 min) in anesthetized, open-chest dogs (n = 17). Control animals were infused with adenosine (0.2 mg/kg/min) to match the verapamil-induced increase in flow. RESULTS By verapamil treatment, a clinically relevant plasma concentration of the calcium channel inhibitor was attained (mean +/- SEM, 290 +/- 152 ng/mL). In normal myocardium (n = 8), regional blood flow at the time of (99m)TcN-NOET injection was not statistically different in verapamil- and adenosine-treated dogs (1.69 +/- 0.03 vs. 1.61 +/- 0.04 mL/min/g, respectively). (99m)TcN-NOET uptake was slightly higher in the presence of verapamil (0.39 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.38 +/- 0.01 counts per minute [cpm]/[Bq/kg]/g for adenosine; P = 0.04). However, no significant difference in (99m)TcN-NOET myocardial uptake was observed after normalization of the tracer uptake to regional myocardial blood flow. In ischemic myocardium (n = 9), regional blood flow was lower in verapamil-treated than in adenosine-treated animals (0.22 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.29 +/- 0.03 mL/min/g; P < 0.05). (99m)TcN-NOET uptake in the ischemic area was not inhibited by verapamil (0.09 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.10 +/- 0.01 cpm/[Bq/kg]/g; P = not significant). CONCLUSION Verapamil does not inhibit (99m)TcN-NOET uptake in situ in normal and ischemic canine myocardium. These results suggest that verapamil should not affect (99m)TcN-NOET myocardial uptake in patients referred for myocardial perfusion imaging.
Effect of chemical composition on the induction of DNA damage by urban airborne particulate matter

Airborne particulate matter (PM) contains a large number of genotoxic substances capable of endangering human health. In the present study, we have investigated the ability of chemically characterized water‐soluble and organic‐soluble fractions of two particle sizes (PM2.5 and PM10) from different regions of Mexico City to induce DNA damage in a human lung epithelial cell line. We also evaluated associations between the physicochemical parameters of the PM and its genotoxicity. The airborne particulate samples were collected from four regions of the city; a HiVol air sampler was used to collect PM10 on glass fiber filters and a tapered element oscillating system coupled to an automatic cartridge collection unit was used to collect PM2.5 on teflon filters. PM mass was determined by gravimetric analysis of the filters. Filters containing PM2.5 and one section of each PM10 filter were agitated either with deionized water to extract water‐soluble compound, or with dichloromethane to prepare organic‐soluble compounds. The chemical composition of the extracts was determined by ion and gas chromatography and atomic adsorption spectroscopy. A549 human type II alveolar epithelial cells were exposed to different concentrations of the PM2.5 and PM10 extracts, and alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis or the Comet assay was performed to measure DNA damage and repair. These analyses indicated that soluble transition metals and the organic‐soluble PM fractions are crucial factors in the DNA damage induced by PM. PM composition was more important than PM mass for producing gentotoxicity. The results of this study showed that the constituents of the water‐soluble PM extract are more likely to induce DNA damage than the organic compounds. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. , 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN SARCOIDOSIS *

We have reviewed and compared our clinical, roentgenographic and histological material from 63 patients with sarcoidosis, berylliosis, and biological dust sensitivity. Among the histological features interstitial cellular infiltration proved to be the best for correlation with abnormal function, especially with arterial oxygen pressure and alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure difference at exercise, single-breath pressure and alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure differnce at exercise, single-breath diffusing capacity, forced vital capacity, and a composite index of overall functional impairment. There was also a significant correlation between pathological changes and a composite index of clinical severity. Some of the imperfections in these correlations may be related to strategic locations of granulomata that could alter ventilation-perfusion relationships, but part of the functional change remains unexplained by our histological measurements. Correlations of physiological and pathological features with radiographic parenchymal changes generally was poor except in the most severe cases. The finding of 4 cases with biological dust sensitivity or "allergic alveolitis" in this series reemphasizes that it is worth reviewing all cases of routinely labeled sarcoidosis in which the diagnosis has been based on the histological finding of granulomata. This is especially true in patients whose roentgenograms show no hilar nodes and minimal or "groudn-glass" changes in the lung fields despite significantly abnormal lung function and also in patients who have rapid remissions and exacerbations without therapy. Almost all of the features of berylliosis overlapped those of sarcoidosis and no distinction could be made histologically. The mean values were worse in the berylliosis group and the long-term results in treated patients were not nearly as good as in the sarcoidosis group.
High sibling correlation on methylphenidate response but no association with DAT1-10R homozygosity in Dutch sibpairs with ADHD.

BACKGROUND A minority of patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not respond favorably to methylphenidate. This has been partially associated with homozygosity for the Dopamine transporter (DAT1) 10-repeat allele and the presence of one or two Dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) 7-repeat alleles. This study examined the sibling correlation of methylphenidate response rate and the possible association between response rate and these risk alleles. METHODS A sample of 82 Dutch children with ADHD, from 54 families, (including 30 singletons and 28 sib pairs), who used methylphenidate, was phenotyped according to DSM-IV criteria. Patients were members of affected sib pairs and were genotyped for DAT1 and DRD4. The sibling Intraclass Correlation Coefficient for methylphenidate response rate was calculated. The association between individual response rates and the risk alleles was examined using linear regression techniques. RESULTS The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient was significant (r=.563, p=.001). No evidence was found establishing an association between methylphenidate response and DAT1-homozygosity. There was a positive trend towards association with the presence of one or two DRD4-7R alleles. CONCLUSIONS The sibling correlation may indicate a familial clustering of methylphenidate response. This response is possibly associated with the presence of one or two alleles at the DRD4-7R locus, but not with DAT1-10R homozygosity in the Dutch population.
Impact of Feed Efficiency and Diet on Adaptive Variations in the Bacterial Community in the Rumen Fluid of Cattle

ABSTRACT Limited knowledge of the structure and activities of the ruminal bacterial community prevents the understanding of the effect of population dynamics on functional bacterial groups and on host productivity. This study aimed to identify particular bacteria associated with host feed efficiency in steers with differing diets and residual feed intake (RFI) using culture-independent methods: PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. PCR-DGGE profiles were generated from the ruminal fluid of 55 steers fed a low-energy-density diet and then switched to a high-energy-density diet. Bacterial profile comparisons by multivariate statistical analysis showed a trend only for RFI-related clusters on the high-energy diet. When steers (n = 19) belonging to the same RFI group under both diets were used to identify specific bacterial phylotypes related to feed efficiency traits, correlations were detected between dry matter intake, average daily gain, and copy numbers of the 16S rRNA gene of Succinivibrio sp. in low-RFI (efficient) steers, whereas correlations between Robinsoniella sp. and RFI (P < 0.05) were observed for high-RFI (inefficient) animals. Eubacterium sp. differed significantly (P < 0.05) between RFI groups that were only on the high-energy diet. Our work provides a comprehensive framework to understand how particular bacterial phylotypes contribute to differences in feed efficiency and ultimately influence host productivity, which may either depend on or be independent from diet factors.
Reaction time performance following unilateral striatal dopamine depletion and lesions of the subthalamic nucleus in the rat

The akinesia resulting from Parkinson's disease or striatal dopamine depletion in experimental animals can be ameliorated or reversed by inactivation of the subthalamic nucleus. This inactivation might be effective by restoring balance to the basal ganglia motor circuits. Alternatively, new movement‐related deficits might be introduced which mask the original impairments (e.g. hyperkinesia might replace hypokinesia). In the present study, striatal dopamine depletion was effected unilaterally, in order to dissociate generalized effects, e.g. hyperkinesia, from response‐specific initiation effects. Rats were trained in a lateralized visual reaction time task and then assigned to one of four groups: striatal dopamine depletion; cell body lesion of the subthalamic nucleus; combined striatal dopamine depletion and subthalamic nucleus lesion; or control.
Definition of aggressive periodontitis in periodontal research. A systematic review

Since its introduction in 1999, the term aggressive periodontitis (AgP) has been the topic of many investigations. Articles supporting the International Workshop for a Classification of Periodontal Diseases list several disease features, but do not offer operational criteria for identifying cases. Consequently, considerable variation in the understanding of AgP can be anticipated. AIM To systematically assess the definitions of AgP reported in original periodontal research. METHODS A systematic review of original research on AgP published in English. RESULTS The electronic search yielded 833 abstracts. Of these, 472 publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were appraised. In 26.5% of the publications, no information on AgP operationalization is presented, but reference is made to another article. In 12.7% of the publications, no information is provided as to how the cases were defined. Many combinations of criteria for case definition were found. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed significant heterogeneity in the understanding and use of the term AgP in original research and poor documentation of the identification of cases. The direction and magnitude of the influence of misclassification and selection bias are unknown, but ought to be considered by the critical reader, professionals and patients using this term.
Transport, transformation and distribution space of propofol in the rat liver studied by means of the indicator-dilution technique

The transport, transformation and distribution space of the endovenous anaesthetic propofol in the isolated perfused rat liver were investigated by using the multiple-indicator dilution technique with constant infusion (step input). The behaviour of propofol in the liver was described by a space-distributed variable transit-time model. The drug permeated the cell membrane at very high rates and its distribution into the cellular space was flow-limited. The apparent distribution space of propofol varied between 284 and 125 times the water space, and was inversely related to the tested portal concentrations (33–250 µM). The corresponding ratios of intra- to extracellular concentration varied between 319 and 187, revealing a very high affinity of the liver for propofol. They most probably reflect binding to several cellular structures, including membranes and proteins. The single-pass rate coefficients for biotransformation decreased with increases in the portal concentration of propofol. The liver released significant amounts of 4-hydroxypropofol, reaching 41.7% of the total single pass of 67.2 µM propofol biotransformation. These results disprove previous notions that hydroxylation is rate limiting for conjugation and suggest that the liver might function as a 4-hydroxypropofol source for conjugation to glucuronic acid or sulfate in other tissues.
Avoiding and managing lamivudine resistance in chronic hepatitis B: current approaches and potential strategies including pegylated interferon

Since its approval for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in 1998, lamivudine (LAM) has been used extensively throughout the world, because of its relatively low costs and favourable tolerability. However, clinical trials and cohort studies have demonstrated that a high rate of resistance to this drug develops and, as a result, it is no longer included as a first‐line therapy in most current treatment guidelines. Nevertheless, because of its low cost, this drug continues to be used in many countries and the pool of patients who have developed resistance to LAM continues to increase. Thus, there is a clear need to develop coherent management strategies to treat such patients as well as limit the emergence of resistance in the first instance. The purpose of this review is to highlight the need to aim for long‐term treatment success while limiting the emergence of drug resistance and its consequences for the future. In addition to add‐on/switch strategies with other nucleos(t)ide analogs, currently available data suggest that interferon‐based therapies, with their potential to induce a sustained response, are worthy of consideration not only for reducing de novo resistance but as an option for the management of those patients in whom drug resistance has already developed.
Scanning force microscopy reveals structural alterations in diabetic rat collagen fibrils: role of protein glycation

The main functional property of collagen is to provide a supporting framework to almost all tissues: the effects of non‐enzymatic glycation on this protein are deleterious and in diabetes mellitus contribute to the mechanism of late complications. The aim of this work is to provide evidence by scanning force microscopy of modifications in collagen structure caused by high glucose concentration, in vivo and in vitro, and to correlate the data with markers of non‐enzymatic glycation.
Comparison of growth and nutritional evolution stages in infants with working mothers and infants with housewife mothers in Isfahan

Background: Studies have shown that the growth status of the children with working mothers is about 2 standard deviations lower than that of the children of housewife mothers. It seems that absence of mothers in the second stage of nutritional evolution (attachment), which is a very sensitive stage, has an important role in initiating and continuation of an appropriate supplemental feeding. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 50 children of working mothers and 50 children of housewife mothers were selected by non-probable consecutive sampling method. Growth charts of the children in the two studied groups were assessed within seven age groups. Knowledge and attitude of the mothers regarding nutritional evolution stages in the two studied groups were assessed Obtained data were analyzed using Software SPSS18 and statistical tests such as chi-square, t-test, and Mann–Whitney test. Results: Growth monitoring charts of the infants with housewife mothers were better than those of infants with working mothers in three out of seven age groups (12–18, 18–24, and 24–30 months) (P=0.02). Mean of knowledge and performance of the mothers about nutritional evolution stages was not significant in the two studied groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that growth status of children with housewife mothers in their second year of life was better than that of children with working mothers. Awareness and knowledge of the mothers about nutritional evolution stages and education of mothers about appropriate behaviors in each stage helped them to recognize the children's needs and did their best for their children.