Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pattern of Lung Function Is Not Associated with Prior or Future Morbidity in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia.

RATIONALE Patient factors associated with development of abnormal lung function in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) have not been fully characterized. OBJECTIVES To characterize lung function abnormalities among children with SCA and to determine whether these steady-state lung function results were associated with morbidity before or after testing among children with SCA. METHODS This study was part of the prospective National Institutes of Health-funded Sleep and Asthma Cohort Study. Children with HbSS or Hb Sβ(o) (SCA) were enrolled without regard for sickle cell-related comorbidities or diagnosis of asthma. Lung function was measured by spirometry and plethysmography on the same day, when free of acute disease. Standardized asthma symptom questionnaires and review of the medical records were also performed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A total of 149 children aged 6 to 19 years completed lung function testing, of whom 139 participants had retrospective morbidity data from birth to the test date, and 136 participants were followed prospectively for a median of 4.3 years from the test date. At baseline, percentages with normal, obstructive, restrictive, nonspecific, and mixed lung function patterns were 70, 16, 7, 6, and 1, respectively. Neither retrospective rates of pain nor acute chest syndrome was associated with lung function patterns. Furthermore, baseline lung function pattern was not predictive of future pain or acute chest syndrome episodes. CONCLUSIONS The majority of children with SCA have lung function that is within the normal range. Abnormal lung function patterns were not associated with prior vasoocclusive pain or acute chest syndrome episodes, and baseline lung function patterns did not predict future vasoocclusive pain or chest syndrome episodes.
Identification of Sequences within the γ-Carboxylase That Represent a Novel Contact Site with Vitamin K-dependent Proteins and That Are Required for Activity*

The vitamin K-dependent (VKD) carboxylase converts clusters of Glu residues to γ-carboxylated Glu residues (Glas) in VKD proteins, which is required for their activity. VKD precursors are targeted to the carboxylase by their carboxylase recognition site, which in most cases is a propeptide. We have identified a second tethering site for carboxylase and VKD proteins that is required for carboxylase activity, called the vitamin K-dependent protein site of interaction (VKS). Several VKD proteins specifically bound an immobilized peptide comprising amino acids 343–355 of the human carboxylase (CVYKRSRGKSGQK) but not a scrambled peptide containing the same residues in a different order. Association with the 343–355 peptide was independent of propeptide binding, because the VKD proteins lacked the propeptide and because the 343–355 peptide did not disrupt association of a propeptide factor IX-carboxylase complex. Analysis with peptides that overlapped amino acids 343–355 indicated that the 343–345 CVY residues were necessary but not sufficient for prothrombin binding. Ionic interactions were also suggested because peptide-VKD protein binding could be disrupted by changes in ionic strength or pH. Mutagenesis of Cys343 to Ser and Tyr345 to Phe resulted in 7–11-fold decreases in vitamin K epoxidation and peptide (EEL) substrate and carboxylase carboxylation, and kinetic analysis showed 5–6-fold increases in K m values for the Glu substrate. These results suggest that Cys343 and Tyr345 are near the catalytic center and affect the active site conformation required for correct positioning of the Glu substrate. The 343–355 VKS peptide had a higher affinity for carboxylated prothrombin (K d = 5 μm) than uncarboxylated prothrombin (K d = 60 μm), and the basic VKS region may also facilitate exiting of the Gla product from the catalytic center by ionic attraction. Tethering of VKD proteins to the carboxylase via the propeptide-binding site and the VKS region has important implications for the mechanism of VKD protein carboxylation, and a model is proposed for how the carboxylase VKS region may be required for efficient and processive VKD protein carboxylation.
A Chicken Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone Receptor That Confers Agonist Activity to Mammalian Antagonists

Mammalian receptors for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) have over 85% sequence homology and similar ligand selectivity. Biological studies indicated that the chicken GnRH receptor has a distinct pharmacology, and certain antagonists of mammalian GnRH receptors function as agonists. To explore the structural determinants of this, we have cloned a chicken pituitary GnRH receptor and demonstrated that it has marked differences in primary amino acid sequence (59% homology) and in its interactions with GnRH analogs. The chicken GnRH receptor had high affinity for mammalian GnRH (K i 4.1 ± 1.2 nm) , similar to the human receptor (K i 4.8 ± 1.2 nm). But, in contrast to the human receptor, it also had high affinity for chicken GnRH ([Gln8]GnRH) and GnRH II ([His5,Trp7,Tyr8]GnRH) (K i 5.3 ± 0.5 and 0.6 ± 0.01 nm). Three mammalian receptor antagonists were also pure antagonists in the chicken GnRH receptor. Another three, characterized by d-Lys6 ord-isopropyl-Lys6 moieties, functioned as pure antagonists in the human receptor but were full or partial agonists in the chicken receptor. This suggests that the Lys side chain interacts with functional groups of the chicken GnRH receptor to stabilize it in the active conformation and that these groups are not available in the activated human GnRH receptor. Substitution of the human receptor extracellular loop two with the chicken extracellular loop two identified this domain as capable of conferring agonist activity to mammalian antagonists. Although functioning of antagonists as agonists has been shown to be species-dependent for several GPCRs, the dependence of this on an extracellular domain has not been described.
Predictors of steal syndrome in hemodialysis patients

Steal syndrome is a feared complication of dialysis vascular access in a population becoming older and frailer. The aim of this study was to determine the predictor factors of steal syndrome. All proximal arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), patent at day 30, inserted between January 2008 and December 2009 were studied. Data on age, gender, diabetes mellitus (DM) status, presence of coronary or peripheral artery disease, date of initiation of renal replacement therapy, date of access construction, localization, type of anastomosis, previous interventions, and outcome for AVF and patients were analyzed. There were 324 AVFs placed into 309 individual patients. The mean age was 66.7 ± 15.3 years, and the majority (53.7%) of the patients was male. Mean follow‐up of all 324 fistulas was 18.6 ± 8.5 months. During follow‐up, steal syndrome occurred in 26 (8%) of the AVFs. Univariate analysis revealed correlations between steal syndrome and DM (P = 0.002), brachiomedian fistulas (P = 0.016), and side‐to‐side (STS) anastomosis (P = 0.003). However, in multivariate analysis, the presence of DM, STS anastomosis, and female gender were found to be the independent risk factors. The strongest predictive factor was DM (odds ratio: 6.7; 95% confidence interval: 2.5–17.9). Being diabetic is the factor most predictive of having steal syndrome. In diabetic women, with a proximal access, it seems preferable to construct fistulas with end‐to‐side anastomosis to minimize the risk.
Neural Control of Atrial Natriuretic Peptide Actions on Fluid Intake and Excretion

Conclusions In conclusion, it is now clear that Ang II and ANP in the brain play important and opposite roles in the control of water and salt intake, Ang II promoting the intake of both and ANP inhibiting intake of both, perhaps by inhibiting the secretion within the brain of Ang II. In fact, there is probably a reciprocal relationship between the activity of these two neuronal systems. Again, on the output side, the two are related since ANP release is stimulated in situations of volume expansion to increase renal sodium and potassium loss, and at the same time, ANP not only blocks the release of renin from the kidney, thereby decreasing Ang II stimulation of aldosterone release but also directly inhibits aldosterone secretion. Decreased aldosterone secretion results in increased natriuresis. ANP neurons in the hypothalamus inhibit the release of corti-cotrophin-releasing factor and VP, thereby ACTH release which also reduces aldosterone secretion. Therefore, both of these peptides play a key role in the maintenance of body fluid homeostasis in the body. ANP acts slowly via natriuresis to reduce effective circulating blood volume. The rapid release of ANP following BVE would first produce vasodilatation by activating particular guanylate cyclase, leading to the production of cyclic GMP, which would relax vascular smooth muscle. These combined actions would result in a rapid reduction in the effective circulating blood volume. The longer-term effects would be mediated not only by diuresis and natriuresis but also by decreased intake of salt and water.
Saturation of the magnetorotational instability

An analytical theory is developed that describes asymptotically exactly the process of nonlinear saturation of the magnetorotational instability in a model problem employing a linear shear flow in a uniformly rotating channel. The theory shows that the instability saturates by modifying the shear responsible for it. The saturation process requires both viscous and Ohmic dissipation. The theory also describes the approach from small-amplitude perturbations to the final strongly nonlinear saturated state.
Study on the Inactivation of Giardia by Chlorine in Water

In order to study the effect of chlorine (Cl2) inactivating Giardia in water, different factors as Cl2 concentration, contact time, pH, temperature, turbidity and organic content which might influence the inactivation were studied by using fluorescence staining method. With the Giardia was 1×106 cysts/mL, turbidity 1.0NTU, temperature 22℃, pH 7.0, and after 240 min reaction, under the condition that the Cl2 concentrations was 6.0mg/L, the inactivation ratio could be more than 99%. With increases in turbidity, the inactivating effect decreased. If the inactivating time achieved 360min, it could meet the presetting inactivation ratio with turbidity 0.1~10.0 NTU. The inactivating capability of Cl2 was found to be stronger under acidic than that under alkalic conditions. Inactivation rate improves with a temperature increase from 5 to 25℃, but decreases beyond this. When the concentration of organic matter in the reaction system was increased, the competition between Giardia and organics with Cl2 probably took place, thereby reducing the inactivation rate.
Prior Ultrasound-Indicated Cerclage: Comparison of Cervical Length Screening or History-Indicated Cerclage in the Next Pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcomes of women with prior ultrasound-indicated cerclage, who in their subsequent pregnancy were either followed by transvaginal ultrasound cervical length screening or received a planned history-indicated cerclage. METHODS: Multicenter cohort study of singleton gestations with a prior ultrasound-indicated cerclage performed from 1994 to 2014. We evaluated three pregnancies in the study participants: first pregnancy with prior spontaneous preterm birth at less than 37 weeks of gestation; second pregnancy with ultrasound-indicated cerclage for cervical length 25 mm or less; and the third index pregnancy managed with either transvaginal ultrasound cervical length screening with ultrasound-indicated cerclage for cervical length 25 mm or less or planned history-indicated cerclage. The primary outcome was incidence of spontaneous preterm birth at less than 37 weeks of gestation. We planned a subgroup analysis for women who delivered at less than 32 weeks of gestation compared with 32 weeks of gestation or greater in their prior ultrasound-indicated cerclage pregnancy. RESULTS: Of 102 singleton gestations included, 38 (37.3%) were followed with transvaginal ultrasound cervical length screening and 64 (62.7%) underwent history-indicated cerclage. Of 38 women in the transvaginal ultrasound group, 18 (47.4%) underwent ultrasound-indicated cerclage for cervical length 25 mm or less. After adjusting for confounders, the rate of spontaneous preterm birth at less than 37 weeks of gestation was similar between transvaginal ultrasound cervical length screening and history-indicated cerclage groups (36.8% compared with 43.8%; adjusted odds ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.47–1.45). Secondary outcomes were also similar in both groups. All women (n=7) who delivered at less than 32 weeks of gestation in their prior pregnancy and subsequently had transvaginal ultrasound screening received ultrasound-indicated cerclage in the index pregnancy compared with only 35.5% of women who delivered at 32 weeks of gestation or greater in their prior pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Women with prior ultrasound-indicated cerclage have similar outcomes if they receive either transvaginal ultrasound cervical length screening with ultrasound-indicated cerclage for cervical length 25 mm or less or planned history-indicated cerclage in the subsequent pregnancy. Less than 50% of the transvaginal ultrasound cervical length screening group require a repeat ultrasound-indicated cerclage in the subsequent pregnancy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
‘My children tell me it’s so simple’: A mixed-methods approach to understand older non-users’ perceptions of Social Networking Sites

While there has been a great deal of research on younger people using Social Networking Sites (SNSs), there has been less work on older people and non-users. We present a mixed-methods design with a technology-acceptance survey and focus-group interviews to study older Norwegian non-users’ perceptions of SNSs. Our study reveals that most non-users in our sample deliberately do not use SNSs. They perceive SNS communication as cold and narcissistic and view the usefulness of SNSs to be low. This finding indicates a generational culture gap in how young versus older people experience SNSs. Privacy and security concerns are also prevalent. Non-users, expressing an interest in SNSs, believe SNSs could increase contact with family and friends, but perceive lack of competence to be a barrier.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Quality Assurance in Sixteen Ambulatory Care Practices

A crossover randomized controlled trial of cycles of quality assurance in 16 primary care (8 medical, 8 pediatric) group practices was conducted. Of four medical and four pediatric tasks important to patient outcome, two were randomly assigned to experimental intervention (a quality assurance cycle), and two were also measured and used as blinded controls for each medical or pediatric group practice. Task performance was measured in each group for 12 months prior to, 9 months during, and 9 months after the experimental intervention, using as a performance score the percentage of evaluation criteria failed of those applicable to a case. As a result of quality assurance intervention, quality of performance was significantly improved in two of the tasks (P<0.0001, with 6.7, and 9.8 percentage points improvement), and marginally improved in one task (P=0.06, 5.7 percentage points improvement). Surprisingly, tasks with lower perceived effect on patient health (low physician motivation) had greater improvement in quality. Unimproved tasks were associated with the perceived need for delivery system changes beyond the immediate control of the individual practitioner.
Confirmation that SNPs in the high mobility group‐A2 gene (HMGA2) are associated with adult height in the Japanese population; wide‐ranging population survey of height‐related SNPs in HMGA2

Adult height is a highly heritable trait in that multiple genes are involved. Recent genome‐wide association studies have identified a novel single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1042725 in the high mobility group‐A2 gene (HMGA2) and shown it to be associated with human height in Caucasian populations. We performed a replication study to examine the associations between SNPs in HMGA2 and adult height in the Japanese population based on autopsy cases. Although we could not confirm a significant association between rs1042725 in HMGA2 and adult height, another SNP, rs7968902, in the gene achieved significance for its association in the same populations, and the effect was the same as that documented previously. These findings permit us to conclude that the SNPs in HMGA2 are common variants influencing human height across different populations. Moreover, a worldwide population study of these SNPs using 14 different populations including Asians, Africans and Caucasians demonstrated that both haplotypes and genotypes for three height‐related SNPs (rs1042725, rs7968682 and rs7968902) in HMGA2 were distributed in an ethnicity‐dependent manner. This information will be useful for clarifying the genetic basis of human height.
Bazı OECD Ülkelerindeki Öğretmen Maaşlarının Karşılaştırmalı Bir Analizi

Calisanlarin verimliligini ve is doyumunu etkileyen onemli degiskenlerden biri yapmis oldugu isin karsiliginda almis oldugu ucrettir. Yapmis oldugu isin karsiliginda yeterli bir ucret almasi calisanin iyi hissetmesini saglamakla birlikte onun performansina da olumlu katkilar saglayacaktir. Egitim calisanlarinin en kalabalik grubunu olusturan ogretmenlerin is doyumuna yonelik yapilmis arastirmalarin cogunda Turkiye’de devlet kurumlarinda gorev yapan ogretmenlerin temel sorunlarinin basinda gelirlerinin yetersizliginin geldigi gorulmektedir. Bu calismada bazi OECD ulkelerinde ogretmenlerin gelir duzeylerinin ne oldugu, yillara gore gelir duzeylerinin ne olcude degistigi; farkli meslek gruplarindan calisanlarla karsilastirildiginda ogretmenlerin gelirlerinin ne durumda oldugu resmi raporlar goz onune alinarak ortaya konulmaya calisilmistir
An Aspect of Indian Agriculture

Observation I : When family labour employed in agriculture is given an "imputed value" in terms of the ruling wage ratet much of Indian agriculture seems unremunerative. In fact in Bombay for the two districts studied, taken together, "we get a loss in crop product ion to the tune of Rs 5.50 per acre ' ' (Bombay Studies. 1954-55, p 6 5 ) . This was made up of a Joss in Ahmednagar and a profit in Nasik. The loss in the former is reported also in the second study for Bombay. (Bombay Studies, 1955-56, p 101) . S imi la r , if less extreme, losses are found in all other States as we l l , even though they are confined to given areas or given size groups. In Madras, however, t he i r was an overall loss both according to the Cost Accounting Method as well as the Survey Method for 1054-55, though the former showed a profi t of Rs 4.9 per acre and the latter a loss of Rs 30,8 per acre for 1955-56. (Madras Studies, 1955-56. pp 47-48) . To quote a few more results in Punjab, "there has been a loss per cropped acre both in i r r iga ted and uni r r iga ted areas in the Survey Sample though some profits are realised on bigger holdings in i r r iga ted areas in the Cost Account ing Sample' ' (Punjab Studies. 1955-56, p 242) and in West Bengal, "on ly 60 per cent of the f a r m ' have earned profits and the remaining 40 per cent have in curred losses f r o m farming. ' " (West Bengal Studies, 1955-56. p 1 4 3 ) . There is no area studied where a substantial number of farms have not made "losses" after impu t ing a wage value to f a m i l y labour.
Distribution and regulation of expression of the putative human chemokine receptor HCR in leukocyte populations

Human chemokine receptor (HCR) is a putative chemokine receptor sharing high similarity with CCR1, CCR2, CCR3 and CCR5. Its gene is located within the main cluster of CC‐chemokine receptor genes, in the 3p21 region of the human genome. We generated monoclonal antibodies directed at human HCR, and studied its distribution in human leukocyte populations and cell lines, and its regulation following maturation or activation of these populations. In peripheral blood leukocytes, HCR is expressed on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, including most memory and part of naive cells, but is absent from B cells. Expression of HCR was enhanced following stimulation of T cells by OKT3 and IL‐2. HCR is present on monocytes and macrophages. Monocyte‐derived dendritic cells harbored HCR, and expression was enhanced following stimulation by lipopolysaccharides, poly (I:C), IFN‐γ or CD40L. Neutrophils strongly expressed HCR. A similar distribution was found in bone marrow,and HCR was also expressed in CD34+ precursors. Expression of HCR and its regulation were confirmed by real‐time PCR. In a panel of human tissues, we found abundant HCR transcripts in thymus, spleen, lymph nodes and lung. This large distribution across leukocyte populations, and the up‐regulation during DC maturation, represent a new profile among chemokine receptors. We speculate that HCR responds to inflammatory chemokines, and might be involved in the interaction between antigen presenting and T cells, and in hematopoiesis.
FREEZING OF CAPILLARY WAVES AT THE GLASS TRANSITION

The freezing of capillary waves on glycerol surfaces is studied by in situ x-ray reflectivity measurements. A wide temperature range around the calorimetric glass transition temperature at ${T}_{g}\ensuremath{\approx}186 \mathrm{K}$ is investigated. For $Tg250 \mathrm{K}$ the obtained surface roughness as a function of the temperature differs significantly from the value predicted by the classical capillary waves theory. Below the temperature $T\ensuremath{\approx}250 \mathrm{K}$ the magnitude of the roughness remains constant. Furthermore, a large hysteresis, i.e., a large difference of the roughnesses measured during cooling and heating of the sample, is observed. These findings are discussed in terms of viscosity effects.
L-Canavanine potentiates the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin and cisplatin in arginine deprived human cancer cells

The non-protein amino acid L-canavanine (L-CAV), an antimetabolite of L-arginine (L-ARG), can alter the 3D conformation of proteins when incorporated into a protein instead of L-ARG. L-CAV inhibits the proliferation of some tumour cells. The deprivation of L-ARG in the culture medium enhances the response of cells to L-CAV. This study aimed to investigate the interaction of L-CAV in combination with the chemotherapeutic drugs, doxorubicin (DOX) or cisplatin (CIS), in cancer cells, especially in the absence of L-ARG. A combination method based on the median-effect principle and mass-action law was used. The following cancer cells were employed: HeLa and Caco-2 cells, overexpressing argininosuccinate synthase (ASS), pancreatic cells (MIA PaCa-2 and BxPC-3) and hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Hep G2 and SK-HEP-1), with down-regulated ASS. When constant and non-constant ratios of L-CAV were combined with DOX and CIS, a synergistic potentiation of cytotoxicity was recorded. Cells expressing high levels of ASS were more sensitive to the treatment as compared to the cells with reduced ASS levels. Overall, this study may provide a new approach to targeting some cancer cells with L-CAV in combination with DNA-targeting drugs such as DOX and CIS, especially those cells which overexpress ASS, such as human cervical and colorectal carcinoma cells.