Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blockage and permeation of divalent cations through the cyclic GMP‐activated channel from tiger salamander retinal rods.

1. Blockage and permeation of divalent cations through channels activated by guanosine 3',5'‐cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) were studied in membrane patches excised from retinal rods of the tiger salamander Ambystoma tigrinum by rapidly changing the ionic medium bathing the intracellular side of the excised membrane. 2. The Na+ current, observed when 110 mM‐NaCl was present on both sides of the membrane patch, was reduced by the addition of 1 mM of the chloride salts of Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+, Ba2+ or Mn2+ to the bathing medium. The sequence of blocking potency at +60 mV was Mg2+ greater than Mn2+ approximately Ba2+ greater than Ca2+ greater than Sr2+, while at ‐60 mV it was Ba2+ greater than Ca2+ greater than Sr2+ greater than Mn2+ approximately Mg2+. For all divalent cations the blocking effect depended, in a complex way, on the membrane potential. 3. The blocking effect of Ca2+ and Mg2+ increased when the concentration of cyclic GMP was reduced from 100 to 5 microM. At ‐60 mV 1 mM‐Ca2+ blocked about 34% of the Na+ current in the presence of 100 microM‐cyclic GMP, while in the presence of 5 microM‐cyclic GMP, 1 mM‐Ca2+ blocked about 56% of the Na+ current. 4. When, in the presence of 100 microM‐cyclic GMP, 110 mM‐NaCl at the intracellular side was replaced by equiosmolar amounts of chloride salts of divalent cations (73.3 mM) a small outward current carried by divalent cations could be observed at large positive membrane potentials. At +60 mV the ratio between the current carried by Na+, Sr2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+ was 83.3:1.4:1:0.58:0.33:0.25. 5. In agreement with previous observations the dependence of the Na+ current on the concentration of cyclic GMP shows a clear co‐operativity among cyclic GMP molecules.4+ cyclic GMP‐gated channel in excised patches is similar to but not identical to the selectivity sequence of divalent cations through the channel in intact rods.
Identification and Differentiation of Iranian Leishmania Species by PCR Amplification of kDNA

We describe the specific identification of Leishmania species in Iran using PCR DNA amplification of kDNA. For this purpose, we designed a pair of primers - upstream 5' TCGCAGAACGCCCCTACC 3' and downstream 5'-AGGGGTTGGTGTAAAATAGGC 3' - specific for conserved sequences of kDNA of Leishmania. Using this primer, we identified 3 different amplified fragments from the kDNA of the WHO reference Leishmania species. Two bands at 620 and 850 bp were identified for L. major (MRHO/IR/64/Nadim-1 strain) and only 1 band at 620 bp was identified for L. major (P strain). Therefore, we could differentiate 2 Leishmania species. Also, 1 band at 830 bp was identified for L. tropica (MHOM/Sudan/58/OD strain). We determined the sequence analysis of 2 DNA bands (620 and 850 bp) obtained from kDNA of L. major (MRHO/IR/64/Nadim-1). A total of 157 bp from the 5' site and 234 bp from the 3' site were sequenced and showed about 28% homology between 620 and 850 bp fragments. This technique could amplify as little as 1 fg of DNA and was used to differentiate kDNA samples isolated from Iranian patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis. These data indicate that the primer used for PCR amplification of kDNA is specific and can be used for diagnostic and epidemiological purposes.
Alcohol Relapse After Liver Transplantation: Younger Women Are at Greatest Risk

Background Alcoholic cirrhosis is an indication for 40% of liver transplantations (LT) in Europe. In most centers, 6 months of abstinence is required before listing. However, alcohol recidivism is quite high after LT, and approximately 20–25% of recipients with ALD resume harmful drinking, resulting in liver insufficiency, which casts doubt on the 6-months rule as a reliable marker of abstinence maintenance after LT. Material/Methods We analyzed data on patients who underwent orthotopic LT in Marie Curie Hospital, Szczecin, Poland, from 2000 to 2015 due to alcoholic or cryptogenic cirrhosis. Every ALD patient met the 6-month abstinence requirement. Alcohol recidivism has been studied based on a history of alcohol abuse taken from the patients or from their relatives, and in case of denial, on laboratory tests for alcohol abuse. Five patterns of recidivism were distinguished: death, constant heavy drinking, heavy drinking with abstinence attempts, occasional laps, and a single episode of alcohol intake. The analysis of survival was performed according to the Kaplan-Meier method. Patient survival rates in ALD recipients vs. non-ALD recipients were compared using the log-rank test. Results Alcohol recidivism was finally evaluated in 109 patients: 81 males and 28 females, with a median age of 53.3 years (range 30–66). Harmful drinking was discovered in 16 patients (14.7%), including seven deaths due to alcoholic hepatitis. Sporadic or episodic drinking was found in 29 patients (27%). In heavy drinkers, the abstinence period after transplantation was significantly shorter and patients were younger than the average (median age 43.8 years). Women break abstinence faster than men and are at greater risk of liver insufficiency. Five, 10 and 15-year survival in the ALD group was superior in comparison with non-ALD group, but differences did not reach statistical significance (p=0.066, p=0.063, p=0.075, respectively). Conclusions The prognostic value of a 6-month abstinence period before transplantation is rather low as it does not predict sobriety after transplantation. However, only a minority of such patients drink harmfully. Survival in ALD recipients tends to be better in comparison with survival in the other etiologies. Younger women dependent on alcohol shortly before LT are at greatest risk of recidivism.
Does the agreement of patient and physician assessments of health related quality of life in palliative care depend on patient characteristics?

Objective: Using physician assessments of patients' health related quality of life may improve the feasibility of studies in palliative care. However, poor agreement between patients and physicians has been found. We investigated whether subgroups of patients with good agreement existed. Study design and setting: Patient and physician assessments of twelve European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Care Questionnaire 30 domains were obtained once a week for up to 13 weeks. The association between agreement and patient characteristics at the first assessment (n = 115) was investigated using multivariate logistic regression. Significant associations were verified using the follow-up time-points combined (total n = 263). Results : Significant associations between patient characteristics and agreement were found for most domains. However, few subgroups had good agreement. The evaluations on follow-up data did not confirm the findings of subgroups with good agreement. Conclusion: Based on our findings physician assessments cannot be recommended as a substitute for patient self-assessment for any subgroups of palliative care patients. Palliative Medicine 2007; 21: 289—294
Risk Factors of Childhood Obesity and Overweight in Young Children and Adolescents Aged Between 5 to 15 Years in Urban Bangladesh : A Scoping Review

Introduction: Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. The problem is global and is steadily affecting many lowand middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. Risk factors for obesity in this context have not been explored. The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with childhood obesity/overweight among young children and adolescents 5-15 years of age in urban Bangladesh. Methods: A scoping review based on York methodology was performed. This methodology involves a comprehensive search of published academic articles, conference proceedings and grey literature through PubMed, Bangla JOL, Google and Google scholar, limited to English-written papers. Results: Findings revealed that having at least one overweight parent and engaging in sedentary activities for more than 4 h a day were independent risk factors for childhood overweight and/or obesity.Children who spent ≥ 30 min each day in outdoor games at home that involved physical exercise had decreased odds (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.1–0.8) of being overweight or obese compared to children who did not exercise at home. Conclusion: Spending much time seated or somewhat inactive were key risk factors for childhood obesity and overweight. More research, prevention and management of childhood obesity/overweight in young children and adolescents in urban Bangladesh should be a policy priority.
Hurricane Katrina: a social and public health disaster.

Hurricane Katrina made it evident that natural disasters occur in the same social, historical, and political environment in which disparities in health already exist. The hurricane was only the disaster agent; what created the magnitude of the disaster was the underlying vulnerability of the affected communities. In New Orleans, where 69% of the population is African American and 23% live below the poverty line, thousands of African Americans were stranded after the evacuation order. The risks from the heat, floodwaters, and other factors, combined with existing social disparities in health, contributed to an exacerbation of chronic health conditions, and distrust of government agencies.
CORRELATION BETWEEN SPLENOMEGALY AND THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN HEPATOSPLENIC SCHISTOSOMIASIS Correlação entre esplenomegalia e plaquetopenia na forma hepatoesplênica da esquistossomose mansônica

Background - It is known that both leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were significantly correlated with splenomegaly, but there is no studies correlating directly or precisely the size of the spleen with the number of platelets. It is controversial whether the thrombocytopenia observed in patients with chronic liver disease is more related to splenomegaly or portal hypertension itself. Aim - To correlate the serum level of platelets in pre and postoperative weight and volume of the spleen in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis with indication for surgical treatment of portal hypertension. Methods - The medical records of patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni who underwent surgical treatment of portal hypertension were revised. Were included patients with the disease confirmed by pathologic diagnosis of liver biopsy performed during surgery, and excluded all patients who had a history of chronic alcoholism, viral hepatitis, clinical and laboratory evidence of hepatic or histopathological changescompatible with liver cirrhosis. Evaluation of the size and volume of the spleen, the serum level of platelets, the platelet count was done. Results - Were identified 141 patients who met the inclusion criteria of the 160 charts analyzed. The mean age was 39.03 ± 12.74 years (15 to 74 years) and 84 men (59.5%) and 57 women (40.5%). The average weight of the spleen was 966.27 ± 464.61 g (120-2700 g). The elliptical volume averaged 966.68 ± 499.12 cm 3 (from 236.13 to 2782.36 cm 3 . There was a statistically significant correlation between weight and volume of elliptical spleen (p<0.0001). The average number of platelets in preoperative period was 76.84 ± 43.64 x10 3 /mm 3 below normal values (150-400 x10 3 /mm 3
A case study of an emerging visual artist with frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Patients presenting with left-sided FTLD syndromes sometimes develop a new preoccupation with art, greater attention to visual stimuli, and increased visual creativity. We describe the case of a 53-year-old, right-handed man with a history of bipolar disorder who presented with language and behavior impairments characteristic of FTLD, then developed motor symptoms consistent with a second diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Though the patient had never created visual art before, he developed a compulsion for painting beginning at the earliest stages of his disease, and continued producing art daily until he could no longer lift a paintbrush because of his motor deficits. Upon autopsy, he was found to have ubiquitin and TDP43-positive inclusions with MND pathology. This case study details the patient's longitudinal neuropsychological, emotional, behavioral, and motor symptoms, along with structural imaging, neurologic, and neuropathologic findings. Multiple examples of the patient's art are depicted throughout all stages of his illness, and the possible cognitive, behavioral, and neurologic correlates of his new-onset visual artistry are discussed.
SOLUCIÓN DE LAS ECUACIONES DE FLUJO COMPRESIBLE MEDIANTE EL MÉTODO DE PUNTOS FINITOS

El trabajo desarrollado consiste en la resolucion numerica de las ecuaciones de flujo bidimensional, compresible y no viscoso; mediante el Metodo de Puntos Finitos (FPM). Este ultimo se ubica dentro del conjunto de metodos “meshless” cuya caracteristica principal es prescindir de una malla o grilla a efectos de realizar la discretizacion numerica. En FPM, la funcion incognita y derivadas de la misma se obtienen exclusivamente a partir de las coordenadas de un conjunto de puntos pertenecientes al dominio de analisis. Esto ultimo, sumado a un procedimiento de colocacion puntual para la derivacion del sistema de ecuaciones discreto, convierten a FPM en un verdadero metodo sin malla. La discretizacion temporal de las ecuaciones se lleva a cabo mediante un esquema explicito de segundo orden del tipo Lax-Wendroff en dos pasos. Difusion artificial de Jameson, de segundo y cuarto orden, se introduce en las ecuaciones. Se implementa ademas un esquema corrector de los flujos difusivos o ‘Flux-Corrected Transport’, con la finalidad de regular la cantidad de difusion agregada al esquema y lograr una mayor precision y calidad de la solucion numerica. La performance del algoritmo desarrollado se ilustra mediante la resolucion de distintos ejemplos numericos.
A novel multilocus genotyping assay to identify genetic predictors of stroke in sickle cell anaemia

We describe a novel multilocus genotyping assay permitting simultaneous identification of 60 candidate markers for stroke in sickle cell anaemia (SCA). Based on cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 69 patients were divided into stroke and control groups. The variant allele, CBS 278thr, showed protection from stroke, whereas the apoE3 allele showed a trend towards association with increased stroke risk. Several other variant alleles [TNFα (−308)A, CETP (−628)A, apoCIII (−641)A] showed a trend towards significant associations with stroke risk. These preliminary results on a small group of patients suggest that a multilocus genotyping assay may be valuable in identifying genes that increase the risk of stroke in SCA.
Genetic Ablation of Nrf2 Enhances Susceptibility to Acute Lung Injury After Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice

Previous studies have shown that nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a unique role in many physiological stress processes. The present study investigated the role of Nrf2 in the regulation of traumatic brain injury (TBI)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Wild-type Nrf2 (+/+) and Nrf2 (−/−)-deficient mice were subjected to a moderately severe weight-drop impact head injury. Pulmonary capillary permeability (PCP), wet/dry weight ratio, apoptosis, inflammatory cytokines and antioxidant/detoxifying enzymes were measured at 24 h after TBI. Mice lacking Nrf2 were found to be more susceptible to TBI-induced ALI, as characterized by the higher increase in PCP, wet/dry weight ratio and alveolar cells apoptosis after TBI. This exacerbation of lung injury in Nrf2-deficient mice was associated with increased pulmonary mRNA and protein expression of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6); and with decreased pulmonary mRNA expression and enzymatic activities of antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes including NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and glutathione S-transferase α1 (GST-α1)—as compared with their wild-type Nrf2 (+/+) counterparts after TBI. The results of the present study suggest that Nrf2 reduces TBI-induced acute lung injury, possibly by decreasing pulmonary inflammation and inducing antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.
Screening of illicit toxic substances discharged in chemical toilet sludge.

This article presents an integrative approach, using toxicological and chemical analyses, to screen for toxic substances that could be illegally added to the chemical-toilet sludge received at the wastewater treatment plant of the Montreal urban community. Four toxicity tests (Microtox, bacterial-respiration, root-elongation, and seed-germination tests) were used to establish the toxicity range of a "normal" sludge and the determination of threshold limits criteria. Chemical-toilet sludge samples were spiked with two types and amounts of contaminants (zinc, phenol). Conservative criteria were used to detect abnormal toxicity with great reliability and avoid false positives (i.e., detecting abnormal toxicity in nonspiked sludge). Taken individually, the seed-germination test was the least discriminating toxicological method (detecting only 10% of the spiked samples); the bacterial-respiration test was relatively better (detecting 72% of the spiked samples). Using a limited battery of two toxicity tests (Microtox and respiration test), the identification of contaminated chemical-toilet sludge can be detected with good efficiency and possibly great reliability (more than 80% of the spiked samples). This proposed procedure is efficient, easy to apply, cost-effective, and very fast (an abnormal toxicity level can be determined within a few hours).
THE MASS–METALLICITY RELATION WITH THE DIRECT METHOD ON STACKED SPECTRA OF SDSS GALAXIES

The relation between galaxy stellar mass and gas-phase metallicity is a sensitive diagnostic of the main processes that drive galaxy evolution, namely cosmological gas inflow, metal production in stars, and gas outflow via galactic winds. We employed the direct method to measure the metallicities of ∼200,000 star-forming galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that were stacked in bins of (1) stellar mass and (2) both stellar mass and star formation rate (SFR) to significantly enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the weak [O iii] λ4363 and [O ii] λλ7320, 7330 auroral lines required to apply the direct method. These metallicity measurements span three decades in stellar mass from log(M⋆/M☉) = 7.4–10.5, which allows the direct method mass–metallicity relation to simultaneously capture the high-mass turnover and extend a full decade lower in mass than previous studies that employed more uncertain strong line methods. The direct method mass–metallicity relation rises steeply at low mass (O/H ∝ M⋆1/2) until it turns over at log(M⋆/M☉) = 8.9 and asymptotes to 12 + log(O/H) = 8.8 at high mass. The direct method mass–metallicity relation has a steeper slope, a lower turnover mass, and a factor of two to three greater dependence on SFR than strong line mass–metallicity relations. Furthermore, the SFR-dependence appears monotonic with stellar mass, unlike strong line mass–metallicity relations. We also measure the N/O abundance ratio, an important tracer of star formation history, and find the clear signature of primary and secondary nitrogen enrichment. N/O correlates tightly with oxygen abundance, and even more so with stellar mass.
ÜNİVERSİTE ÖĞRENCİLERİNİN İNGİLİZCE DERSİNE İLİŞKİN DUYUŞSAL TUTUMLARININ BAZI DEĞİŞKENLERE GÖRE İNCELENMESİ

Bu arastirmada universite ogrencilerinin yabanci dil Ingilizce dersinekarsi duyussal tutumlarinin cinsiyete, disiplinlere, ailenin ekonomik durumunave anne babanin egitim duzeyine gore incelenmesi amaclanmistir. Arastirma,Inonu Universitesi Egitim ve Fen Edebiyat fakultelerinin birinci sinifindaIngilizce dersi alan, Matematik, Fizik, Biyoloji ve Sosyal Bilgiler bolumlerindeokuyan 141 ogrenci uzerinde yapilmistir. Verilerin toplanmasinda “IngilizceDersine Iliskin Duyussal Alan Tutum Olcegi” kullanilmistir. Verilerin analizinde Aritmetik Ortalama, Standart Sapma, T- testi, Oneway Anova ve Duncantesti kullanilmistir. Bu calismanin sonucunda su sonuclara ulasilmistir: 1.Ogrencilerin yabanci dile karsi duyussal tutumlarin ortalamalari babanin veannenin egitim duzeyine gore anlamli farklilik gostermistir. 2. Tutum olcegiortalamalarinin ailenin gelirine gore istatistiksel olarak anlamli farklilik duzeyinde olmamasina ragmen, tutum olcegi ortalamalarini inceledigimizde ailelerin gelir durumlari yuksek olan ogrencilerin duyussal tutumlari daha yuksekcikmistir. 3. Tutum olcegi ortalamalarinda disiplinlere gore anlamli farklilik vardir. Yani Matematik ve Biyoloji bolumlerinde okuyan ogrencilerin duyussaltutumlari, Fizik ve Sosyal Bilimlerde okuyan ogrencilere gore daha yuksektir. 4.Tutum olcegi ortalamalarinin cinsiyete gore istatistiksel olarak anlamli farklilikduzeyinde olmamasina ragmen, tutum olcegi ortalamalarini inceledigimizdekiz ogrencilerin tutumlari daha yuksektir. 5. Ogrencilerin yarisindan fazlasininyabanci dil Ingilizceye karsi duyussal tutumlari olumlu duzeydedir. 6. Ogrencilerin yarisindan fazlasi Ingilizce dersini ogrenmek icin istekli ve ayni zamandakaygili olduklari gorulmustur
Risk Factors for Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in High School Baseball Pitchers

Background: Shoulder strength and motion deficits in high school baseball pitchers have been implicated in injury risk. Purpose/Hypothesis: To prospectively determine if preseason strength and range of motion (ROM) are predictive of injury in high school baseball pitchers. It was hypothesized that ROM asymmetries and weakness would be predictive of injury. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Preseason strength and ROM measurements were made on 101 pitchers from 4 different high schools over 4 seasons (total 166 pitcher-seasons: 25 freshman, 46 junior varsity, and 95 varsity player-seasons). Glenohumeral internal rotation (IR), glenohumeral external rotation, and posterior shoulder ROM were measured bilaterally. Strength in IR, external rotation, supraspinatus (empty-can test), and scapular retraction was measured bilaterally (handheld dynamometer). Injury incidence (injuries per 1000 pitches) was computed for players categorized as above normal (≥1 SD above the mean), normal (within 1 standard deviation of the mean), and below normal (≤1 SD below the mean) for each potential risk factor. Injury was defined as a missed game or practice because of shoulder or elbow problem. Results: There were 28 upper extremity injuries (19 shoulder, 9 elbow; incidence, 0.58 injuries/1000 pitches). There was a trend for supraspinatus weakness to be associated with increased injury risk (relative risk [RR], 3.60; 95% CI, 0.75-17.32; P = .09). When analyzing major injuries only (>3 missed games), preseason supraspinatus weakness was significantly associated with increased injury risk (RR, 4.58; 95% CI, 1.40-15.01; P = .02). Paradoxically, pitchers with no IR loss were at increased risk compared with pitchers with ≥20° loss (RR, 4.85; 95% CI, 1.01-23.29; P = .04). Other ROM and strength measures were unrelated to injury risk. Conclusion: Although excessive loss of IR ROM is thought to be a risk factor for injury, the opposite was the case in this study. The absence of IR ROM loss in high school pitchers may indicate inadequate prior exposure to pitching, resulting in increased injury risk. Preseason supraspinatus weakness was associated with increased risk for a major injury, and preventative supraspinatus strengthening may be beneficial.