Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vasoconstrictor actions of delta8- and delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the rat.

Cardiovascular effects of delta8- and delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were studied after systemic intravenous administration and intra-arterial administration into a perfused vascular bed in the urethane-anesthetized rat. Intravenous administration of delta8- and delta9-THC produced dose-related transient increases in blood pressure followed by more prolonged hypotensive responses and bradycardia. Intra-arterial administration of delta8- and delta9-THC into the perfused hindquarters of the rat produced an increase in perfusion pressure indicative of vasoconstriction. The vasoconstrictor response to the cannabinoids corresponded temporally to a similar response produced by i.a. norepinephrine and was in contrast to the more prolonged vasoconstrictor responses produced by vasopressin. Phentolamine, in a dose which reduced the vasoconstrictor effect of norepinephrine by 90%, significantly reduced the response to i.a. delta9-THC while having no effect on the actions of i.a. vasopressin. It was demonstrated that reserpine pretreatment significantly reduced vasoconstrictor actions of i.a. tyramine and delta9-THC but did not alter the responses to norepinephrine. These data suggest that delta8- and delta9-THC have peripheral vasoconstrictor activity in the rat which may be mediated, in part, through a tyramine-like action on adrenergic nerve terminals.
Tumour necrosis factor and Crohn's disease.

The production of several pro-inflammatory cytokines is increased in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Experimental models of IBD have further defined the importance of specific cytokines for the induction of mucosal inflammation, by using specific neutralising antibodies, or by silencing cytokine genes in mice by using homologous recombination (knockout mice). ' 2 Several therapeutic strategies are now being developed that either target pro-inflammatory cytokines or use recombinant anti-inflammatory cytokines in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) is a cytokine which can transmit signals between immune and other cells, and is involved in (apoptotic) cell death, metabolism, inflammation, thrombosis, and fibrinolysis. In recent years, an important role for TNF-a as a pivotal pro-inflammatory mediator in Crohn's disease has emerged, and this has resulted in the development of several therapeutic strategies that target TNF-a. This brief review discusses the current status of treatments targeting TNF-a and provides an outlook for future development.
Etiologic Link Between Chronic Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer; A Unicentric Experience of Pancreatic Disease Institute of Wuhan Union Hospital of China

The aim of this study is to reveal the etiologic link that exists between pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis through our unicentric experience. The clinical and cyto-pathological results of 300 patients were studied prospectively from January to December 2014 in the pancreatic center of Wuhan union hospital in china. Of the 300 pancreatic lesions patients, 196 were male and 104 female with a sex ratio of 1.8:1 (p=0.001). The factors assessed for the determination of etiologic link were the age, gender, the diameter of the lesion, the antecedents of disease (such as ulcer,cholecystectomy, smoking ,alcohol abuse ),the pancreatic lesion site, the diabetic link, the clinical presentations, the level of transaminases (GGT, ALP), peripheral blood analysis and cytopathological results of both PC and CP groups . According to the clinical data along with the respective results of the examinations, causal factors that link CP and PC are illustrated and it opens the pathway for further detailed studies as an investment for the future.
Effects of Heat and High-Pressure Treatments on Antigenicity of Beef Extract

The sera of bovine gamma globulin (BGG) positive beef allergic patients were used in this study in order to investigate changes in IgE-specific binding activity with regard to beef extract altered by heat or high-pressure treatment. In inhibition-ELISA, the sample treated at 60°C did not show any significant changes in the antigenicity of BGG, but the sample treated at 100°C showed a decrease of the antigenicity. In the case of the treatment with heating at 100°C, heat-coagulation occurred in the beef extract. The resulting supernatant and precipitate of the sample by centrifugation were analyzed by immunoblotting. Only the fraction of precipitate showed a specific binding activity with the sera. Based on this result, it was speculated that the persistent antigenicity found even after the treatment at 100°C in inhibition-ELISA remained principally in the heat-coagulated fraction, which indicated the importance of the method of handling the heat-coagulation in heat treatment. High-pressure treatments (200 MPa– 600 MPa) of beef extract did not show any significant changes in the binding with the sera.
Must evaluation methods be about usability? Devising and assessing the utility inspection method

Whereas research in usability evaluation abounds, few evaluation approaches focus on utility. We present the utility inspection method (UIM), which prompts evaluators about the utility of the system they evaluate. The UIM asks whether a system uses global platforms, provides support infrastructure, is robust, gives access to rich content, allows customisation, offers symbolic value and supports companionship among users and between users and developers. We compare 47 participants’ use of UIM and heuristic evaluation (HE). The UIM helps identify more than three times as many problems as HE about the context of activities; HE helps identify 2.5 times as many problems as UIM about the interface. Usability experts consider the problems found with UIM more severe and more complex to solve compared to those found with HE. We argue that UIM complements existing usability evaluation methods and discuss future research on utility inspection.
eginterferon Alfa-2 a Plus Ribavirin Is More Effective Than Peginterferon lfa-2 b Plus Ribavirin for Treating Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

ACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with chronic hepatiis C virus (HCV) infection are frequently treated with a ombination of pegylated interferon (peginterferon) and ibavirin. This study compared the efficacy and safety of eginterferon alfa-2a and peginterferon alfa-2b, each in ombination with ribavirin. METHODS: A total of 320 onsecutive, treatment-naive, HCV RNA–positive patients ith chronic hepatitis were randomly assigned to onceeekly peginterferon alfa-2a (180 g, group A) or pegintereron alfa-2b (1.5 g/kg, group B) plus ribavirin 1000 mg/ ay (body weight 75 kg) or 1200 mg/day (body weight 75 kg) for 48 weeks (genotype 1 or 4) or 24 weeks (genoype 2 or 3). The primary end point was sustained virologcal response (SVR) by intention-to-treat. RESULTS: More atients in group A than group B achieved an SVR (110/160 68.8%] vs 87/160 [54.4%]; P .008). Higher SVR rates were btained in group A than group B among patients with enotype 1/4 (51/93 [54.8%] vs 37/93 [39.8%]; P .04), with enotype 2/3 (59/67 [88.1%] vs 50/67 [74.6%]; P .046), ithout cirrhosis (96/127 [75.6%] vs 75/134 [55.9%]; P 005), and with baseline levels HCV RNA 500,000 IU/mL 58/84 [69%] vs 43/93 [46.2%]; P . 002). SVR rates in roups A and B were not statistically different among paients with baseline HCV RNA 500,000 IU/mL (52/76 68.4%] vs 44/67 [65.7%]; P .727) or in patients with irrhosis (14/33 [42.4%] vs 12/26 [46.1%]; P .774). CONLUSIONS: In patients with chronic HCV infection, eginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin produced a signifiantly higher SVR rate than peginterferon alfa-2b plus ibavirin.
Red blood cells from patients with homozygous sickle cell disease provide a catalytic surface for factor Va inactivation by activated protein C

Summary. The structure of red blood cell (RBC) membranes in homozygous sickle cell disease (SCD) is significantly disturbed, with an increased exposure of aminophospholipids (phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine) at the outer surface, responsible for a procoagulant activity of SS RBCs. Aminophospholipids are known not only to promote procoagulant reactions, but also to support inhibition of blood coagulation by the protein C system. The aim of the present study was to examine whether SS RBCs could serve as a catalytic surface for the inactivation of factor Va by activated protein C (APC). Venous blood was obtained from 19 consecutive SS patients and 13 controls (AA). In all SS patients, the amount of phosphatidylserine exposed at the outer surface of RBCs was increased compared with controls, as demonstrated by a prothrombinase assay. In addition, SS RBCs significantly (P < 0·0001) increased the rate of FVa inactivation by APC: the mean values (and ranges) of the factor Va inactivation rates were 30 (0–57) vs 9·5 (0–32) mmol Vai/min/mol APC for SS RBCs and normal RBCs respectively. Our results indicate that SS RBCs provide a catalytic surface for the negative control of blood coagulation, which may partially control the procoagulant activity of these cells.
International Studies in Dementia With Particular Emphasis on Populations of African Origin

Epidemiologic studies on dementia generally have 2 major interacting objectives: descriptive, where rates of dementia and Alzheimer Disease (AD) are calculated for communities and selected populations, and analytic, which attempt to explain the observed phenotypic variations in communities and populations by identifying disease risk factors. The public health benefits derived from descriptive studies are exemplified by the recent published review of the global prevalence of dementia under the auspices of Alzheimer Disease International. This review emphasized the enormous and growing burden associated with dementia particularly for countries in the developing world and outlined strategies to influence policy making, planning, and healthcare allocation. One interesting feature of descriptive studies on dementia is that although the few epidemiologic studies conducted in Africa suggest that rates of dementia and AD are relatively low, rates of AD and dementia have been reported to be relatively high for African Americans. The Indianapolis-Ibadan Dementia Project has reported that the incidence rates for AD and dementia in Yoruba are less than half the incidence rates for AD and dementia in African Americans. Analytic studies are now underway to identify risk factors that may account for these rate differences. The risk factor model being applied, attempts to identify not only putative genetic and environmental factors but also their interactions. So far the major findings have included: apolipoprotein E e4, a major risk factor for AD in most populations, is also a risk factor for AD in African Americans but not for Yoruba; African Americans are at higher risk not only for AD, but also for diseases associated with increased cardiovascular risk such as hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome; African Americans have higher rates of hypercholesterolemia than Yoruba: there is an interaction between apolipoprotein E e4, cholesterol, and AD risk in both Yoruba and African Americans. We eventually hope to create a risk factor model that will not only account for the dementia rate differences between Yoruba and African Americans, but also help explain dementia rates in other developing and developed countries.
A Virtual Reality based human-network interaction system for 3D internet applications

The field of Ubiquitous Wireless Sensor Networks has recently been the subject of an exponential development in various telecommunications areas. One of the open issues in this field is to create an interface that would allow the user to naturally interact with the various objects that compose the ubiquitous ambient. An emerging solution to this challenge seems to be the integration of Virtual Reality technologies into these applications. The goal of this research is to investigate a way of assimilating a fully immersive, three-dimensional virtual environment to Wireless Sensor Networks and hence, to develop a human-network interaction (HNI) conceptual system. The integration, in this system, of the paradigm of Televirtuality through the recent concept of “3D Internet” is also studied. To illustrate the concept, a human - intelligent building interaction system is implemented, that allows the user to naturally interact with intelligent objects, actuators, or remote equipment altogether connected within the same network.
Thermal stability of the three domains of streptokinase studied by circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance

Streptococcus equisimilis streptokinase (SK) is a single‐chain protein of 414 residues that is used extensively in the clinical treatment of acute myocardial infarction due to its ability to activate human plasminogen (Plg). The mechanism by which this occurs is poorly understood due to the lack of structural details concerning both molecules and their complex. We reported recently (Parrado J et al., 1996, Protein Sci 5:693–704) that SK is composed of three structural domains (A, B, and C) with a C‐terminal tail that is relatively unstructured. Here, we report thermal unfolding experiments, monitored by CD and NMR, using samples of intact SK, five isolated SK fragments, and two two‐chain noncovalent complexes between complementary fragments of the protein. These experiments have allowed the unfolding processes of specific domains of the protein to be monitored and their relative stabilities and interdomain interactions to be characterized. Results demonstrate that SK can exist in a number of partially unfolded states, in which individual domains of the protein behave as single cooperative units. Domain B unfolds cooperatively in the first thermal transition at approximately 46 °C and its stability is largely independent of the presence of the other domains. The high‐temperature transition in intact SK (at approximately 63 °C) corresponds to the unfolding of both domains A and C. Thermal stability of domain C is significantly increased by its isolation from the rest of the chain. By contrast, cleavage of the Phe 63—Ala 64 peptide bond within domain A causes thermal destabilization of this domain. The two resulting domain portions (A1 and A2) adopt unstructured conformations when separated. A1 binds with high affinity to all fragments that contain the A2 portion, with a concomitant restoration of the native‐like fold of domain A. This result demonstrates that the mechanism whereby A1 stimulates the plasminogen activator activities of complementary SK fragments is the reconstitution of the native‐like structure of domain A.
EFFECTS OF THE INSECT GROWTH REGULATOR FENOXYCARB ON IMMATURE CHRYSOPERLA RUFILABRIS (NEUROPTERA: CHRYSOPIDAE)

Fenoxycarb (Comply®), a juvenile hormone analog, was tested in the laboratory at three concentrations (0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 mg [AI]/l) for toxicity to eggs, three larval instars and pupae of Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister). Significant effects of fenoxycarb on all immature stages of C. rufilabris were found and the degree of effects depends on the stages treated and the concentrations used. Fenoxycarb showed significant ovicidal effect on C. rufilabris eggs, with 66.7, 76.6 and 86.7% survival rates at 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 mg (AI)/l, respectively. Lethal effects on larvae varied greatly with high survival rates when the larvae were treated in the first and second instars (76.7-86.7% and 90.0-93.3%, respectively), and low survival rates (6.7-16.7%) when third instars were treated. Mortality at the pupal stage ranged from 90.0 to 93.3%. Fenoxycarb significantly delayed the developmental times from the stage treated to adult emergence for all immatures of C. rufilabris that successfully developed to adults by 3.2-4.6, 2.3-3.0, 2.1-2.8, and 4.6-7.5 days when egg, first, second and third instars were treated, respectively, compared with water treated control. When treated as pupae, fenoxycarb had no significant effects on pupal development. Among the three larval stages, the third instar is the most susceptible and vulnerable stage. The compatibility of fenoxycarb in integrated pest management programs is discussed.
Substrate‐ and Ubiquitin‐Dependent Trafficking of the Yeast Siderophore Transporter Sit1

Eukaryotic plasma membrane transporters are subjected to a tightly regulated intracellular trafficking. The yeast siderophore iron transporter1 (Sit1) displays substrate‐regulated trafficking. It is targeted to the plasma membrane or to a vacuolar degradative pathway when synthesized in the presence or absence of external substrate, respectively. Sorting of Sit1 to the vacuolar pathway is dependent on the clathrin adaptor Gga2, and more specifically on its C‐GAT subdomain. Plasma membrane undergoes substrate‐induced ubiquitylation dependent on the Rsp5 ubiquitin protein ligase. Sit1 is also ubiquitylated in an Rsp5‐dependent manner in internal compartments when expressed in the absence of substrate. In several rsp5 mutants including cells deleted for RSP5, Sit1 expressed in the absence of substrate is correctly targeted to the endosomal pathway but its sorting to multivesicular bodies (MVBs) is impaired. Consequently, it displays endosome to plasma membrane targeting, with kinetics similar to those observed in vps mutants defective for MVB sorting. Plasma membrane Sit1 is modified by Lys63‐linked ubiquitin chains. We also show for the first time in yeast that modification by this latter type of ubiquitin chains is required directly or indirectly for efficient MVB sorting, as it is for efficient internalization at the plasma membrane.
[Prevalence of constipation in adolescents enrolled in São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil, school's and in their parents].

BACKGROUND There is few information concerning constipation in adolescence. AIMS To evaluate the prevalence of constipation in adolescents enrolled in schools settled down in the city of São José dos Campos, state of São Paulo, Brazil, and in their biological parents. PATIENTS AND METHODS A transversal study was carried out by analyzing a convenience sample which included adolescents between 9 years and 9 months and 18 years and 7 months old and their parents in five schools situated in São José dos Campos, SP. Data was obtained from an individual and personal questionnaire filled by the father, the mother and the adolescent. Three hundred and seventy two adolescents were studied. Constipation was defined as the elimination of hard stools and the presence of at least one of the following: painful or difficult defecation, soiling or bloody stools. Scybalous feces or dry cracked stools or the defecation frequency equal or minor than two per week were considered criteria for characterization of constipation. Rome II criteria was used for evaluate the prevalence of constipation in the parents. RESULTS The prevalence of constipation in adolescents was 22.3%, being it more frequent in female (27.4%) than in male (14.9%). Among the fathers, the prevalence of constipation (7.3%; 20/274) was lower than in the mothers. Kappa's coefficient showed a slight concordance in the concomitance of constipation in the adolescent and his/her mother (kappa = 0.12) and in the adolescent and his/her father (kappa = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Intestinal constipation is a prevalent disturbance in the studied group of adolescents. However, it was not found relevant concordance between constipation in the adolescents and their parents.
A Deterministic Two Dimensional Density Taper Approach for Fast Design of Uniform Amplitude Pencil Beams Arrays

The synthesis of electrically large, aperiodic planar arrays with equi-amplitude excitations plays an increasingly relevant role in satellite applications. Unfortunately, for such a kind of synthesis problems, local optimization procedures may be ineffective, whereas global optimization procedures involve a severe computational effort. To circumvent these problems, a new deterministic approach for fast design of aperiodic concentric ring arrays is proposed. The method exploits easily obtained optimal continuous planar solutions, accounts for the geometric properties of the array element and allows, once the central geometry of the array (that is, at least the most internal ring) is fixed, to compute in a deterministic, iterative, very fast way the whole geometry of the density-tapered concentric ring array. Numerical examples show the effectiveness of the method, which provides in a few seconds layouts of hundreds of elements able to produce directivity patterns that satisfy realistic satellite project requirements.
Wnt 7 b Activates Canonical Signaling in Epithelial and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells through Interactions with Fzd 1 , Fzd 10 , and LRP 5

Wnt7b is a Wnt ligand that has been demonstrated to play critical roles in several developmental processes, including lung airway and vascular development and chorion-allantois fusion during placental development. Wnt signaling involves the binding of Wnt ligands to cell surface receptors of the frizzled family and coreceptors of the LRP5/6 family. However, little is known of the ligand-receptor specificity exhibited by different Wnts, Fzds, and LRPs in Wnt signaling. Expression analysis of Fzds and LRP5/6 in the developing lung and vasculature showed that Fzd1, -4, -7, and -10 and LRP5/6 are expressed in tissue-specific patterns during lung development. Fzd1, -4, and -7 are expressed primarily in the developing lung mesenchyme, and Fzd10 is expressed in airway epithelium. LRP5 and LRP6 are expressed in airway epithelium during lung development, whereas LRP5 but not LRP6 expression is observed in the muscular component of large blood vessels, including the aorta. Cell transfection studies demonstrate that Wnt7b can activate the canonical Wnt pathway but not the noncanonical Wnt pathway in a cell-specific manner. Biochemical analysis demonstrates that Wnt7b can bind to Fzd1 and -10 on the cell surface and cooperatively activate canonical Wnt signaling with these receptors in the presence of LRP5. Together, these data demonstrate that Wnt7b signals through Fzd1 and -10 and LRP5 and implicate these Wnt coreceptors in the regulation of lung airway and vascular development.