Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accelerated Urinary Excretion of Methylmercury following Administration of Its Antidote N-Acetylcysteine Requires Mrp2/Abcc2, the Apical Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is a sulfhydryl-containing compound that produces a dramatic acceleration of urinary methylmercury (MeHg) excretion in poisoned mice, but the molecular mechanism for this effect is poorly defined. MeHg readily binds to NAC to form the MeHg-NAC complex, and recent studies indicate that this complex is an excellent substrate for the basolateral organic anion transporter (Oat)-1, Oat1/Slc22a6, thus potentially explaining the uptake from blood into the renal tubular cells. The present study tested the hypothesis that intracellular MeHg is subsequently transported across the apical membrane of the cells into the tubular fluid as a MeHg-NAC complex using the multidrug resistance-associated protein-2 (Mrp2/Abcc2). NAC markedly stimulated urinary [14C]MeHg excretion in wild-type Wistar rats, and a second dose of NAC was as effective as the first dose in stimulating MeHg excretion. In contrast with the normal Wistar rats, NAC was much less effective at stimulating urinary MeHg excretion in the Mrp2-deficient (TR-) Wistar rats. The TR- rats excreted only ∼30% of the MeHg excreted by the wild-type animals. To directly test whether MeHg-NAC is a substrate for Mrp2, studies were carried out in plasma membrane vesicles isolated from livers of TR- and control Wistar rats. Transport of MeHg-NAC was lower in vesicles prepared from TR- rats, whereas transport of MeHg-cysteine was similar in control and TR- rats. These results indicate that Mrp2 is involved in urinary MeHg excretion after NAC administration and suggest that the transported molecule is most likely the MeHg-NAC complex.
Substance P signalling in primary motor cortex facilitates motor learning in rats

Among the genes that are up-regulated in response to a reaching training in rats, Tachykinin 1 (Tac1)—a gene that encodes the neuropeptide Substance P (Sub P)—shows an especially strong expression. Using Real-Time RT-PCR, a detailed time-course of Tac1 expression could be defined: a significant peak occurs 7 hours after training ended at the first and second training session, whereas no up-regulation could be detected at a later time-point (sixth training session). To assess the physiological role of Sub P during movement acquisition, microinjections into the primary motor cortex (M1) contralateral to the trained paw were performed. When Sub P was injected before the first three sessions of a reaching training, effectiveness of motor learning became significantly increased. Injections at a time-point when rats already knew the task (i.e. training session ten and eleven) had no effect on reaching performance. Sub P injections did not influence the improvement of performance within a single training session, but retention of performance between sessions became strengthened at a very early stage (i.e. between baseline-training and first training session). Thus, Sub P facilitates motor learning in the very early phase of skill acquisition by supporting memory consolidation. In line with these findings, learning related expression of the precursor Tac1 occurs at early but not at later time-points during reaching training.
Admission ASIA motor score predicting the need for tracheostomy after cervical spinal cord injury

BACKGROUND Respiratory compromise and the need for tracheostomy are common after cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI). The purpose of the study was to evaluate if admission American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor score is associated with the need for tracheostomy following cSCI. METHODS The trauma registry identified patients with isolated cSCI during a 3-year period. Patients with an Abbreviated Injury Scale score greater than 3 in other body regions were excluded. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, admission ASIA motor score, ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS), anatomic level of injury, need for a tracheostomy, and length of stay (LOS). Logistic regression models were constructed to examine the effect of admission ASIA motor scores on the outcome of tracheostomy. Cox proportional hazards models were fit to determine risk factors for time to tracheostomy. RESULTS A total of 128 patients were identified. Seventy-four patients had a tracheostomy performed on mean (SD) hospital Day 9 (4). Median admission ASIA motor score was 22.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 8–54). Median anatomic level of injury was 5 (IQR, 4–6). Patients requiring tracheostomy had significantly lower median admission ASIA motor score (9 [IQR, 3–17] vs. 57 [IQR, 30–77], p < 0.001) and were more likely to be an AIS A. There was no difference in median anatomic level of injury (5 [IQR, 4–5.8] vs. 5 [IQR, 4–6], p = nonsignificant). ASIA motor scores less than 10 had an unadjusted odds ratio for requiring tracheostomy of 56 (95 confidence interval, 7–426). Following adjustment for independent risk factors, the odds ratio for ASIA motor score less than 10 remained statistically significant at 22 (confidence interval, 3–180). Among patients with incomplete cSCI, ASIA motor scores increased significantly from AIS B to AIS D, while Injury Severity Score (ISS), LOS and intensive care unit LOS declined significantly. Of those patients without a tracheostomy, 100% had an ASIA motor score greater than 10, 98% had an ASIA motor score greater than 20, and 86% had an ASIA motor score greater than 25. Among patients with an ASIA motor score less than 10, 100% had a tracheostomy; among patients with an ASIA motor score less than 20, 96% had a tracheostomy. Among patients with a tracheostomy, 91% were an AIS B or C, while 85% of patients classified as AIS D did not have a tracheostomy. CONCLUSION Tracheostomy after cSCI is common. Lower admission ASIA motor score and “complete” cSCI are significantly associated with the need for tracheostomy. Anatomic level of injury was not associated with tracheostomy after cSCI. Classification of incomplete patients by AIS indicates that ASIA motor score may be used as a surrogate for grade of injury. When looking only at patients with an “incomplete” cSCI, those with an admission ASIA score of less than 10 should have an early tracheostomy. Those with an AIS D scale should not be considered for early tracheostomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic/care management, level II.
BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SLOVAK ISOLATES OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGUS PANDORA NEOAPHIDIS (REMAUDIÈRE ET HENNEBERT) HUMBER (ZYGOMYCETES, ENTOMOPHTHORALES)

Intraspecific variability of biological characteristics within entomopathogenic fungus Pandora neoaphidis was evaluated. Fifteen isolates of the fungus were obtained from 5 aphid species in Slovakia. Size of conidia, conidial germination, virulence, radial growth, and biomass production were evaluated. Conidial size varied considerably with exception of isolates originating from the same host population. Conidial germination was observed on all the surfaces tested and it was greatest at saturated humidity. Virulence, daily rate of radial growth and biomass production varied depending on isolates. Isolates obtained from the same host colonies during fungal epizootics shoved also significant differences in the characteristics, what may suggest that epizootics in aphid populations are caused by associations of strains and not by prevalence of a single virulent strain.
Mechanisms of paediatric trauma at a rural hospital in Uganda.

Child injuries are a growing global public health problem 1 , with injury and violence responsible for approximately 950 000 deaths annually in children. Injuries from accidents are the leading causes of death among those in the 10–19 year age group, with the 5 major causes being: (i) road traffic accidents (RTAs); (ii) burns; (iii) drowning; (iv) poisoning and; (v) falls 2 . The burden of paediatric trauma is greatest in lowand middle-income countries where more than 95% of all injury deaths occur 1 .
Chronic Bronchitis and Occupation

HE ROLE played by air pollution in the genesis N and development of bronchitis in industrial populations is difficult to define. The problem is complex because we are as yet only just beginning to understand the nature of bronchitis and of air pollution. Its importance is great not only because of the death and misery which bronchitis causes but because the intensive study of the reaction of men to the air they breathe at work and at home may yield the clues necessary to the solution of the problems concerning the aetiology of the disease.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Depression in Adolescents

The goal of this article is to briefly review and summarize the rationale and research support for cognitivebehavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment for depressed adolescents. A primary focus of the paper is on our group CBT treatment for adolescent depression, entitled “The Adolescent Coping with Depression Course”. In addition, initial findings from a large, recently-completed study contrasting individual CBT with fluoxetine for depressed adolescents (Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study) are presented. Although the research support for CBT as a treatment for depressed adolescents is generally encouraging, we need to better understand which depressed adolescents benefit from CBT, how and when to incorporate medication and family-based interventions into CBT treatment, how to treat depressed adolescents with comorbid psychiatric conditions, and how CBT interventions fare with non-European-American depressed adolescents.
Opinions on the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program: results of a national survey of hospital leaders.

OBJECTIVES To determine the opinions of US hospital leadership on the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), a national mandatory penalty-for-performance program. STUDY DESIGN We developed a survey about federal readmission policies. We used a stratified sampling design to oversample hospitals in the highest and lowest quintile of performance on readmissions, and hospitals serving a high proportion of minority patients. METHODS We surveyed leadership at 1600 US acute care hospitals that were subject to the HRRP, and achieved a 62% response rate. Results were stratified by the size of the HRRP penalty that hospitals received in 2013, and adjusted for nonresponse and sampling strategy. RESULTS Compared with 36.1% for public reporting of readmission rates and 23.7% for public reporting of discharge processes, 65.8% of respondents reported that the HRRP had a "great impact" on efforts to reduce readmissions. The most common critique of the HRRP penalty was that it did not adequately account for differences in socioeconomic status between hospitals (75.8% "agree" or "agree strongly"); other concerns included that the penalties were "much too large" (67.7%), and hospitals' inability to impact patient adherence (64.1%). These sentiments were each more common in leaders of hospitals with higher HRRP penalties. CONCLUSIONS The HRRP has had a major impact on hospital leaders' efforts to reduce readmission rates, which has implications for the design of future quality improvement programs. However, leaders are concerned about the size of the penalties, lack of adjustment for socioeconomic and clinical factors, and hospitals' inability to impact patient adherence and postacute care. These concerns may have implications as policy makers consider changes to the HRRP, as well as to other Medicare value-based payment programs that contain similar readmission metrics.
A study on behaviour of zebra fish

In neurobehavioral research, animal model have played a crucial role in yielding experimental data as well as, in the development of new insights and theories of brain pathogenesis. Researchers are always trying to develop novel animal models to understand fundamental features of physiological, behavioural and psychological disorders. Zebra fish (Danio rerio) is now considered globally as a new and useful model in biomedical research. Zebra fish is an excellent alternative to mammalian animal model because it does not possess the complex behavioural phenotype exhibited by many other animal models and yields robust responses analogous to humans. In this study, behaviour of zebra fish was evaluated by using various behavioural paradigms.
Using Molecular Tools to Establish the Type Locality and Distribution of the Endemic Taiwanese Freshwater Crab Geothelphusa chiui Minei, 1974 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Potamidae), with Notes on the Genetic Diversity of Geothelphusa from Eastern Taiwan

The potamid freshwater crab genus Geothelphusa reaches its highest diversity in Taiwan, and since the last major revision in 1994, substantial progress has been made in confirming the identities of the various species. Despite those efforts, the validity of the type locality of G. chiui Minei, 1974, from Nanpu, Hsinchu, northwestern Taiwan, has remained doubtful because repeated efforts to establish its presence at its type locality have been unsuccessful. DNA sequences of the holotype and paratype of G. chiui show that this taxon belongs to a subclade the members of which are found in southern Hualien County in eastern Taiwan, and that it is the sister species of G. cinerea Shy, Ng and Yu 1994, from central Hualien County. This study confirms that the stated type locality of G. chiui is incorrect, and it is accordingly revised herein.
Human DNA ligase I efficiently seals nicks in nucleosomes

The access to DNA within nucleosomes is greatly restricted for most enzymes and trans‐acting factors that bind DNA. We report here that human DNA ligase I, which carries out the final step of Okazaki fragment processing and of many DNA repair pathways, can access DNA that is wrapped about the surface of a nucleosome in vitro and carry out its enzymatic function with high efficiency. In addition, we find that ligase activity is not affected by the binding of linker histone (H1) but is greatly influenced by the disposition of the core histone tail domains. These results suggest that the window of opportunity for human DNA ligase I may extend well beyond the first stages of chromatin reassembly after DNA replication or repair.
Electroencephalogram paroxysmal theta characterizes cataplexy in mice and children

Astute control of brain activity states is critical for adaptive behaviours and survival. In mammals and birds, electroencephalographic recordings reveal alternating states of wakefulness, slow wave sleep and paradoxical sleep (or rapid eye movement sleep). This control is profoundly impaired in narcolepsy with cataplexy, a disease resulting from the loss of orexin/hypocretin neurotransmitter signalling in the brain. Narcolepsy with cataplexy is characterized by irresistible bouts of sleep during the day, sleep fragmentation during the night and episodes of cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone while awake and experiencing emotions. The neural mechanisms underlying cataplexy are unknown, but commonly thought to involve those of rapid eye movement–sleep atonia, and cataplexy typically is considered as a rapid eye movement sleep disorder. Here we reassess cataplexy in hypocretin (Hcrt, also known as orexin) gene knockout mice. Using a novel video/electroencephalogram doubleblind scoring method, we show that cataplexy is not a state per se, as believed previously, but a dynamic, multi-phased process involving a reproducible progression of states. A knockout-specific state and a stereotypical paroxysmal event were introduced to account for signals and electroencephalogram spectral characteristics not seen in wild-type littermates. Cataplexy almost invariably started with a brief phase of wake-like electroencephalogram, followed by a phase featuring high-amplitude irregular theta oscillations, defining an activity profile distinct from paradoxical sleep, referred to as cataplexy-associated state and in the course of which 1.5–2 s high-amplitude, highly regular, hypersynchronous paroxysmal theta bursts ( 7 Hz) occurred. In contrast to cataplexy onset, exit from cataplexy did not show a predictable sequence of activities. Altogether, these data contradict the hypothesis that cataplexy is a state similar to paradoxical sleep, even if long cataplexies may evolve into paradoxical sleep. Although not exclusive to overt cataplexy, cataplexy-associated state and hypersynchronous paroxysmal theta activities are highly enriched during cataplexy in hypocretin/orexin knockout mice. Their occurrence in an independent narcolepsy mouse model, the orexin/ataxin 3 transgenic mouse, undergoing loss of orexin neurons, was confirmed. Importantly, we document for the first time similar paroxysmal theta hypersynchronies ( 4 Hz) during cataplexy in narcoleptic children. Lastly, we show by deep recordings in mice that the cataplexy-associated state and hypersynchronous paroxysmal theta activities are independent of hippocampal theta and involve the frontal cortex. Cataplexy hypersynchronous paroxysmal theta bursts may represent medial prefrontal activity, associated in humans and rodents with reward-driven motor impulse, planning and conflict monitoring. doi:10.1093/brain/awt069 Brain 2013: 136; 1592–1608 | 1592
Hierarchical dynamic control of multiple traffic classes in ATM networks

A hierarchical control structure is proposed to ensure performance requirements and to maintain load balancing among different traffic classes at an ATM node. A two-level control hierarchy is defined, where one level performs fixed class-selective call admission control strategies that are periodically dynamically coordinated by a higher level bandwidth allocation controller. The call admission control rules are designed to maintain a certain grade of service, in terms of cell loss probability, given the buffer space and bandwidth (percentage of cells) assigned to each class. The assignment of buffers is performed off-line, whereas bandwidth shares are periodically recomputed on-line by the allocation controller, that attempts to minimize a cost function, accounting for overall cell loss and refused traffic. The bandwidth assignments obtained are passed to the call admission controllers, where they are used as parameters affecting the admission rules until the next intervention. The control structure, the strategies and the optimization algorithm used are described in detail, as well as the assumptions underlying the choices that have been made. Simulation results are reported and discussed.
Platinum‐free combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma

Platinum‐based regimens have improved response rates and survival in patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urothelial tract. However, the toxicities of platinum‐based chemotherapy are considerable. Regimens with reduced toxicity that are applicable to a broader group of TCC patients without sacrificing activity therefore are of interest.
Relationship between Post-Heparin Plasma Lipases, Triglycerides and High Density Lipoproteins in Normal Subjects

The relationship between plasma lipids and lipoproteins and the lipolytic activities of post-heparin plasma lipoprotein lipase (LpL) and hepatic-triglyceride lipase (H-TGL) was examined in normal subjects. Seven males and six females were given a high fat diet [15% carbohydrate (CARB), 65% fat, 20% protein] for 2 weeks followed by 4 weeks of a high CARB diet (65% CARB, 15% fat, 20% protein). Changes in plasma triglyceride concentrations associated with diet were negatively correlated with changes in HDL-C (r = -0.533, P less than 0.001) and the HDL subfraction HDL2b (r = -0.308, P less than 0.001). The activity of LpL in post-heparin plasma was positively correlated with changes in plasma HDL-C (r = 0.668, P less than 0.001) and HDL2b (r = 0.457, P less than 0.001), and negatively with plasma triglycerides (r = -0.546, P less than 0.001). Changes in H-TGL activity were negatively correlated with changes in HDL2b (r = -231, P less than 0.05) and positively correlated with HDL-C (r = 0.326, P less than 0.01). These results in normal subjects provide further evidence that LpL and H-TGL are important enzymes in the metabolism of plasma lipoproteins and that changes in their activities contribute to plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations.
The protective effects of melatonin and vitamin c against renal ischemiareperfusion injury in rats

The present study was undertaken to determine the protective effects of Melatonin and Vitamin C in combination against renal I/R injury in rats. 40 wistar albino female rats were divided into five groups: Sham, I/R, I/R+Mel, I/R+VitC and I/R+Mel+VitC. While nothing was done in left kidney in Sham group, all I/R groups were subjected to I/R procedure (45 min occlusion and 60 min reperfusion). In I/R +Mel group, all rats were injected by Melatonin 50 mg/kg i.p. for 3 days plus morning of operation day. In I/R+VitC group, all rats were injected by Vitamin C 500 mg/kg/day i.p. 24 hours before I/R procedure. In I/R+Mel+VitC group, all rats were injected by Melatonin and Vitamin C by the same dose and intervals as in I/R+Mel and I/R+VitC groups. After 3 days, rats were exposed to I/R procedure following right nephrectomy. After sacrification, blood and left kidney parts were subjected to biochemical and histopathological examinations. The I/R significantly increased serum urea, creatinine and IMA levels and renal MPO activity and MDA levels, and decreased renal SOD and CAT activities. Pretreatment with Melatonin and Vitamin C markedly reversed these findings. In histology, while cortical necrotic changes of the epithelium lining tubules and glomeruli as well as asymmetrical and shrunken glomeruli were observed in IR group, there was a marked regression of the histopathological changes in combined pretreatment group. In conclusion, combined pretreatment with Melatonin and Vitamin C seems to have higher anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties than individual pretreatments with either agent alone.
General conditions for full abstraction

Full abstraction, i.e. that a function preserves equivalence from a source to a target, has been used extensively as a correctness criterion for mappings between models of computation. I here show that with fixed equivalences, fully abstract functions almost always exist. Also, with the function and one of the equivalences fixed the other equivalence can almost always be found.
Retour sur les théories du non-usage des technologies de communication

Apres plus de vingt ans d'une claire domination des approches du non-usage des technologies de communication en termes de deficience, de manque ou de retard en regard de la mise en place d'une nouvelle normalite a la fois technique, economique et sociale (la connexion, synonyme de modernite et de progres), une autre facon d'aborder la question est apparue ces dernieres annees. En etudiant la pluralite des situations de non-usage et en montrant l'heterogeneite de la categorie meme des non-usages, elle permet de poser le probleme de la fracture numerique au second degre (en terme de disparites d'usages lies a des inegalites sociales) et celui des non-usages volontaires (comme forme de resistance aux effets pervers d'une connexion generalisee).