Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knee extension fatigue attenuates repeated force production of the elbow flexors

Abstract Non-local muscle fatigue has been demonstrated with unilateral activities, where fatiguing one limb alters opposite limb forces. Fewer studies have examined if non-local fatigue occurs with unrelated muscles. The purpose of this study was to investigate if knee extensors fatigue alters elbow flexors force and electromyography (EMG) activity. Eighteen males completed a control and fatiguing session (randomised). Blood lactate was initially sampled followed by three maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) with the elbow flexors and two with the knee extensors. Thereafter, subjects either sat (control) or performed five sets of bilateral dynamic knee extensions to exhaustion using a load equal to the dominant limb MVC (1-min rest between sets). Immediately afterwards, subjects were assessed for blood lactate and unilateral knee extensors MVC, and after 1 min performed a single unilateral elbow flexor MVC. Two minutes later, subjects performed 12 unilateral elbow flexor MVCs (5 s contraction/10 s rest) followed by a third blood lactate test. Compared to control, knee extensor force dropped by 35% (p < 0.001; ES = 1.6) and blood lactate increased by 18% (p < 0.001; ES = 2.8). Elbow flexor forces were lower after the fatiguing protocol only during the last five MVCs (p < 0.05; ES = ∼0.58; ∼5%). No changes occurred between conditions in EMG. Elbow flexor forces significantly decreased after knee extensors fatigue. The effect was revealed during the later stages of the repeated MVCs protocol, demonstrating that non-local fatigue may have a stronger effect on repeated rather than on single attempts of maximal force production.
Impact of diuretic treatment and sodium intake on plasma volume in patients with compensated systolic heart failure

In patients with heart failure (HF), the use of diuretics may be a double‐edged sword that can alleviate symptoms of congestion, but also result in over‐diuresis and intravascular volume depletion. The purpose of the present study was to examine plasma volume (PV) in HF patients receiving from 0 to 160 mg of furosemide and to investigate whether determination of plasma N‐terminal fragment of pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) concentrations can predict PV‐status.
AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CORPORATE SOCAIL RESPONSIBILITY DISCLOSURE AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE IN AN EMERGING MARKET

This study, using longitudinal data analysis, attempts to address the question of whether CSR is linked to financial performance for PLCs in Malaysia. Despite CSR disclosure being at a nascent stage in Malaysia, the findings of this study solidly support the outcome of the majority of results in developed markets. It was found to be positively related to financial performance. This suggests that local firms can achieve advanced levels of financial performance if they engage in social activities. The findings also confirm that there is limited evidence of a significant effect of CSR on financial performance in a long-term relationship.
Histopathology of Septic Acute Kidney Injury: A Systematic Review of Experimental Data

Objective: The histopathologic changes associated with septic acute kidney injury are poorly understood, in part, because of the lack of biopsy data in humans. Animal models of septic acute kidney injury may help define such changes. Therefore, we performed a systematic review of the histopathologic changes found in modern experimental septic acute kidney injury models. Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PubMed (from January 2007 to February 2015). Study Selection: We reviewed experimental studies reporting findings on the histopathology of contemporary experimental septic acute kidney injury. Data Extraction: We focused on the presence or the absence of acute tubular necrosis, tubular cell apoptosis, and other nonspecific findings. Data Synthesis: We identified 102 studies in 1,059 animals. Among the 1,059 animals, 53 (5.0%) did not have any renal histopathologic changes, but acute tubular necrosis was found in 184 (17.4%). The prevalence of acute tubular necrosis was not related to animal size or model of sepsis and was only found in models with low cardiac output and decreased renal blood flow (p < 0.0001). Only 21 studies (170 animals) assessed the prevalence of tubular cell apoptosis, which was reported in 158 animals (92.9%). The prevalence of tubular cell apoptosis was significantly higher in studies using small animals (p < 0.0001) and in peritonitis models (p < 0.0001). Simultaneous acute tubular necrosis and tubular cell apoptosis was rare (55 animals [32.4%]) and only seen with decreased cardiac output and renal blood flow. Nonspecific changes (vacuolization of tubular cells, loss of brush border, and tubular cell swelling) were each observed in 423 (39.9%), 250 (23.6%) and 243 (22.9%) animals, respectively. Conclusions: In models of experimental septic acute kidney injury in contemporary articles, acute tubular necrosis was relatively uncommon and, when present, reflected the presence of an associated low cardiac output or low renal blood flow syndrome. Tubular cell apoptosis seemed frequent in the few studies in which it was investigated. Nonspecific morphologic changes, however, were the most common histopathologic findings.
Cardiac-specific activity of an Nkx2-5 enhancer requires an evolutionarily conserved Smad binding site.

Heart formation in vertebrates and fruit flies requires signaling by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) to cardiogenic mesodermal precursor cells. The vertebrate homeobox gene Nkx2-5 and its Drosophila ortholog, tinman, are the earliest known markers for the cardiac lineage. Transcriptional activation of tinman expression in the cardiac lineage is dependent on a mesoderm-specific enhancer that binds Smad proteins, which activate transcription in response to BMP signaling, and Tinman, which maintains its own expression through an autoregulatory loop. Here, we show that an evolutionarily conserved, cardiac-specific enhancer of the mouse Nkx2-5 gene contains multiple Smad binding sites, as well as a binding site for Nkx2-5. A single Smad site is required for enhancer activity at early and late stages of heart development in vivo, whereas the Nkx2-5 site is not required for enhancer activity. These findings demonstrate that Nkx2-5, like tinman, is a direct target for transcriptional activation by Smad proteins; however, the independence of this Nkx2-5 enhancer of Nkx2-5 binding suggests a fundamental difference in the transcriptional circuitry for activation of Nkx2-5 and tinman expression during cardiogenesis in vertebrates and fruit flies.
Efficacy of Potassium Permanganate Impregnated into Alumina Beads to Reduce Atmospheric Ethylene

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. ethylene absorption, postharvest horticulture, humidity ABSTRACT. A systematic study was conducted on the ability of potassium permanganate absorbent to remove low levels of ethylene from the atmosphere. Absorption of potassium permanganate onto alumina beads by dipping in a saturated solution was maximal at 2 g/100 g after 2 hours at 20 °C and 4 g/100 g after 1 hour at 65 °C. Commercial alumina-based absorbents were found to contain potassium permanganate at 2.7 to 6.0 g/100 g suggesting many are prepared at elevated temperature. Trials in a closed system at 20 °C and 60% to 70% RH with alumina beads contain- ing potassium permanganate at 4 g/100 g showed a logarithmic decrease in ethylene concentration with 90% of the ethylene removed after 2.5 to 3.0 hours. Relative humidity (RH) had a marked inverse effect on ethylene absorption with reactivity at 100% RH calculated to be 15% of that at 0% RH. Performance of potassium permanganate where ethylene was continually generated by a continuous fl ow of ethylene at 14 ∝L·h-1 through the container showed a steady state was attained within 1 hour and maintained for 24 hours. Ethylene removal increased linearly with bead weight and ranged from 30% with 1 g to 90% with 50 g. Examination over 20 days showed a continuing decrease in rate of ethylene removal which after 14 days had declined to 10% of incoming ethylene although 44% of the original level of potassium permanganate still remained in the beads. Calculations based on known endogenous ethylene production rates suggest that at 20 °C and 90% RH, use of a potassium permanganate-alumina absorbent would be benefi cial with produce having a low level of ethylene generation. Suitability for larger packages of produce generating higher ethylene levels is questionable as >1 kg of absorbent may be required.
Depressive symptoms, medical illness, and functional status in depressed psychiatric inpatients.

OBJECTIVE There is evidence that both psychiatric (especially affective) and medical illnesses contribute to physical disability. However, the differential contributions of specific psychiatric disorders and of medical pathology to functional status in psychiatric populations have not been studied. The authors therefore examined the contributions of depressive symptoms and medical illness to functional disability in depressed inpatients. METHOD This prospective investigation included 109 psychiatric inpatients with DSM-III-R major depression. Regression techniques were used to examine the contribution of demographic variables (age, sex, education), depressive symptom severity (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score), psychiatric function (Global Assessment of Functioning Scale score), organ system pathology (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale score), and medical disability (Karnofsky Performance Status Scale score) to overall functional status (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and Physical Self-Maintenance scores). These relationships were also examined in older and younger subgroups. RESULTS Greater age, female sex, and illness factors all contributed to poorer functional status. Of the illness factors, psychiatric pathology contributed more to low functional status than did medical illness. The predictive power came specifically from the functionally based measures of psychiatric and medical illness; a quantitative measure of symptoms (Hamilton depression scale) or organ pathology (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale) did not significantly predict overall functional status. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians and researchers should recognize that symptomatic and functional assessments tap related but different domains and that both psychiatric and medical illnesses contribute to overall disability.
DMD and IL1RAPL1: two large adjacent genes localized within a common fragile site (FRAXC) have reduced expression in cultured brain tumors

Common fragile sites (CFSs) are large regions of profound genomic instability found in all individuals. Spanning the center of the two most frequently expressed CFS regions, FRA3B (3p14.3) and FRA16D (16q23.2), are the 1.5 Mb FHIT gene and the 1.0 Mb WWOX gene. These genes are frequently deleted and/or altered in many different cancers. Both FHIT and WWOX have been demonstrated to function as tumor suppressors, both in vitro and in vivo. A number of other large CFS genes have been identified and are also frequently inactivated in multiple cancers. Based on these data, several additional very large genes were tested to determine if they were derived from within CFS regions, but DCC and RAD51L1 were not. However, the 2.0 Mb DMD gene and its immediately distal neighbor, the 1.8 Mb IL1RAPL1 gene are CFS genes contained within the FRAXC CFS region (Xp21.2→p21.1). They are abundantly expressed in normal brain but were dramatically underexpressed in every brain tumor cell line and xenograft (derived from an intracranial model of glioblastoma multiforme) examined. We studied the expression of eleven other large CFS genes in the same panel of brain tumor cell lines and xenografts and found reduced expression of multiple large CFS genes in these samples. In this report we show that there is selective loss of specific large CFS genes in different cancers that does not appear to be mediated by the relative instability within different CFS regions. Further, the inactivation of multiple large CFS genes in xenografts and brain tumor cell lines may help to explain why this type of cancer is highly aggressive and associated with a poor clinical outcome.
Co‐Expression of Mannose‐Ligand and Non‐Nuclear Progesterone Receptors on Motile Human Sperm Identifies an Acrosome‐Reaction Inducible Subpopulation

PROBLEM: To determine whether surface expression of receptors for progesterone and mannose can be used to identify spermatozoa likely to undergo an acrosome reaction after zona binding and to compare the reactivity of these receptors with naturally occurring sperm head‐directed anti‐sperm antibodies (ASAs).
Comparison of the Safety and Efficacy of Dorzolamide 2% and Brimonidine 0.2% in Patients with Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension

Purpose:To compare the intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction between dorzolamide 2% and brimonidine 0.2% in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT). Methods:This study was a prospective, double-masked, randomized, crossover comparison of dorzolamide 2% (Trusopt®) and brimonidine 0.2% (Alphagan®), three times daily during two six-week study periods. The primary endpoint was mean change from baseline in trough IOP and secondary endpoints were mean change from baseline in IOP one and three hours after dosing. T-tests and a repeated-measures ANOVA were used to statistically evaluate the data. Results:Of 43 patients enrolled, 41 completed the first treatment and 38 completed both treatments. Baseline IOP for dorzolamide was 24.3 mm Hg and brimonidine, 24.6 mm Hg (P = 0.9). Mean IOP reduction at trough was similar for both agents, 3.0 mm Hg (P = 0.96). Reductions at one and three hours were comparable (P = ns). Both agents were well tolerated with adverse events consistent with the package inserts. Dorzolamide was associated with more frequent stinging (P = 0.017) and burning (P < 0.001), while brimonidine was associated with more frequent dry eye (P = 0.04). Conclusions:Dorzolamide and brimonidine, as monotherapy, produced equivalent IOP-lowering efficacy at trough and at one and three hours after instillation, and both were well tolerated.
A SOCIOPSYCHIATRIC STUDY OF PARANOID PSYCHOSES

Many authors have tried to describe paranoia, its nature and, in particular, its relation to schizophrenia. In the literature, there are divergent opinions as to whether paranoia should be classified in a group of its own or be included among the schizophrenic psychoses. KRAEPELIN (1 915) distinguished three different forms: the paranoid form of dementia praecox, paraphrenia and paranoia. The patients of the first group have a split personality and sensory hallucinations are a characteristic feature. The paraphrenia patients show less cleavage of their personality, and a t the other end of a gliding scale are those paranoia patients who live in a systematized world of delusions and in whom there is only insignificant splitting of the personality and no hallucinations. He did not consider paranoia an actual mental disease but interpreted it as a sort of distortion of the emotional mode of expression. This he took to be a result of lack of success during a period of life in which, for one reason or another, the optimism of youth had disappeared. BLEULER (1 930) considered actual paranoia rare and referred various intermediate forms between paranoia and schizophrenia to the latter group. HENDERSON & GILLESPIE (1946) considered paranoia a disease separatc from schizophrenia and included various intermediate forms with paranoia. Thus the latter authors rather leaned towards KRAEPELIN’s view in classifying paranoia in a homogenous group of its own, characteristic features of which were the late onset of the disease and limited symptomatology, and in which the lowering of the intellectual level and emotional dullness characteristic of schizophrenia were lacking. They thus referred to one separate
Sparse Approximation Using M-Term Pursuits with Applications to Image and Video Compression

This paper introduces an algorithm for sparse approximation in redundant dictionaries, called the M-Term Pursuit (MTP), based on the matching pursuit approach (MP). This algorithm decomposes the signal into a linear combination of selected atoms, chosen to represent the signal components. The MTP algorithm provides adaptive representation for signals in any dictionary. The basic idea behind the MTP, is to partition the dictionary into $L$ disjoint sub-dictionaries, each carrying some meaningful information. Then it iteratively finds a $k$-term approximation. During each iteration, $M$ atoms, where $M
Comparing frequency-domain with time-domain solutions for a locally active nonlinear model of the cochlea.

Previous papers [e.g., Kanis and de Boer, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 94, 3199–3206 (1993); 96, 2156–2165 (1994)] have described and applied an approximation method, called the quasilinear method, to solve nonlinear locally active cochlea models in the frequency domain. This method consists of treating higher‐order distortion components as perturbations. This letter compares results obtained with the quasilinear method with results computed in the time domain. The time‐domain method described by Diependaal et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 82, 1655–1666 (1987)] was used. The comparison for single‐tone as well as for two‐tone stimulation was performed. In most cases the match between the two solutions is excellent.
Nuclear localization of MUC1 extracellular domain in breast, head and neck, and colon cancer

Background The glycoprotein MUC1 is overexpressed and underglycosylated in cancer cells. MUC1 is translated as a single polypeptide that undergoes autocleavage into 2 subunits (the extracellular domain and the cytoplasmic tail), and forms a stable heterodimer at the apical membrane of normal epithelial cells. The MUC1 cytoplasmic tail localizes to the cytoplasm of transformed cells and is targeted to the nucleus. Aims To study the expression of the MUC1 extracellular subunit in cell nuclei of neoplastic breast, head and neck, and colon samples. Materials and Methods 330 primary tumor samples were analyzed: 166 invasive breast carcinomas, 127 head and neck tumors, and 47 colon tumors; 10 benign breast disease (BBD) and 40 normal specimens were also included. A standard immunohistochemical method with antigen retrieval was performed. Nuclear fractions from tissue homogenates and breast cancer cell lines (ZR-75, MDA-MB-231, MCF7, and T47D) were obtained and analyzed by Western blotting (WB). The anti-MUC1 extracellular subunit monoclonal antibody HMFG1 was used for immunohistochemistry. Results 37/166 breast cancer specimens, 5/127 head and neck cancer specimens, 2/47 colon cancer samples, and 3/10 BBD samples showed immunohistochemical staining at the nuclear level. No nuclear reaction was detected in normal samples. By WB, breast and colon cancer purified nuclear fractions showed reactivity at 200 kDa in 3/30 breast and 3/20 colon cancer samples as well as purified nuclear fractions obtained from breast cancer cell lines. Conclusions This study shows that the MUC1 extracellular domain might be translocated to the cell nucleus in breast, head and neck, and colon cancer as well as BBD.
Membrane potential regulates sea urchin sperm adenylylcyclase.

Adenylylcyclase (AC) from sea urchin sperm does not appear to be regulated by G proteins [Hildebrandt, J. D. , Tash, J. S. , Kirchick, H. J., Lipschunits, L. , Secra, R. D. , & Birmbaumer, L. (1985) Endocrinology 116, 1357-1366]. During sperm activation and the acrosome reaction, membrane potential changes and cAMP increases. Here we explore if membrane potential can modulate the sperm AC. Hyperpolarization of Lytechinus pictus sea urchin sperm either with valinomycin in artificial sea water (ASW) without K+ or with dilution in ASW without Na+ increased the [c-AMP] (2.2- and 5.8-fold, respectively). This increase also occurred in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ (1.9- and 3.1-fold, respectively) and was enhanced by 100 microM IBMX, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. It has been suggested that sea urchin sperm AC is stimulated by increases in intracellular Ca2+ and intracellular pH. In ASW without Na+ and Ca2+ (0Na0CaASW), sea urchin sperm intracellular pH decreases, and intracellular Ca2+ cannot increase. Therefore, these observations taken together indicate that AC in these cells in modulated by membrane potential. Dilution of Strogylocentrotus purpuratus sperm in 0Na0CaASW hyperpolarized them and increased their cAMP levels (1.3-fold). This stimulation was enhanced by IBMX (1.6-fold). Addition of the egg peptide speract under this condition further hyperpolarized S. purpuratus sperm and synergistically increased [cAMP] above 0Na0CaASW. This stimulation became larger in the presence of IBMX (from 1.6- to 5.2-fold). Since speract cannot elevate intracellular pH or [Ca2+] in 0Na0CaASW, the increase in [cAMP] it causes must be due to sperm hyperpolarization.
The role of metabolic syndrome, adiposity, and inflammation in physical performance in the Health ABC Study.

BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and functional limitation have been linked, but whether and how specific components of MetS and associated factors, such as inflammation, drive this relationship is unknown. METHODS Data are from 2,822 men and women, aged 70-79 years, participating in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) study and followed for 5 years. Presence of MetS at baseline was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and body fat mass were measured at baseline. Measures of physical performance, including 400-m walk time, 20-m walking speed, and the Health ABC physical performance battery (PPB) were obtained at baseline and examination years 2, 4, and 6. RESULTS A total of 1,036 (37%) individuals met criteria for MetS. MetS was associated with poorer physical performance at baseline. Effect estimates between MetS and gait speed, and components of the Health ABC PPB (standing balance and repeated sit-to-stand performance) were modestly attenuated after adjustment for inflammation. All associations were attenuated to nonsignificance after adding total body fat mass to the model. Longitudinal analyses yielded similar results. Individual MetS component analysis revealed that abdominal obesity explained the largest fraction of the variation in physical performance. CONCLUSIONS Although inflammatory biomarkers partially accounted for the relationship between MetS and aspects of physical performance, overall findings implicate adiposity as the primary factor explaining poorer physical performance in older adults with MetS.
Exosomes: Nanoparticulate tools for RNA interference and drug delivery

Exosomes are naturally occurring extracellular vesicles released by most mammalian cells in all body fluids. Exosomes are known as key mediators in cell‐cell communication and facilitate the transfer of genetic and biochemical information between distant cells. Structurally, exosomes are composed of lipids, proteins, and also several types of RNAs which enable these vesicles to serve as important disease biomarkers. Moreover, exosomes have emerged as novel drug and gene delivery tools owing to their multiple advantages over conventional delivery systems. Recently, increasing attention has been focused on exosomes for the delivery of drugs, including therapeutic recombinant proteins, to various target tissues. Exosomes are also promising vehicles for the delivery of microRNAs and small interfering RNAs, which is usually hampered by rapid degradation of these RNAs, as well as inefficient tissue specificity of currently available delivery strategies. This review highlights the most recent accomplishments and trends in the use of exosomes for the delivery of drugs and therapeutic RNA molecules.