Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of RU 486 administered during the early luteal phase on bleeding pattern, hormonal parameters and endometrium.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of a single dose of RU 486 administered very early in the secretory phase on endometrial development and levels of progesterone receptors, on plasma levels of gonadotrophins and ovarian hormones and on the pattern of menstrual bleeding. Twenty-four regularly menstruating subjects participated and were studied during a control, a treatment and a follow-up cycle. In the treatment cycle, a single dose of 200 mg RU 486 was given in the evening of the second day after the urinary LH peak. Plasma was collected from cycle day 10 until menstruation in both control and treatment cycles. The lengths of the control, treatment and follow-up cycles were equal. Three of the subjects had slight vaginal bleeding in association with RU 486 intake which, however, did not disturb their normal menstrual rhythm. Plasma levels of oestradiol, progesterone and FSH were not affected in the treatment cycle, whereas LH levels increased slightly. The elimination half-life of RU 486 was 28.6 h. An endometrial biopsy was taken 12, 36 or 84 h (LH + 3, LH + 4 and LH + 6) after drug intake (eight subjects in each group) and another biopsy was taken on the corresponding day in the control cycle. The specimens were assessed by morphometric analysis and for cytosolic progesterone receptor concentrations. Endometrial biopsies taken 12 h (on LH + 3) after RU 486 intake contained significantly (P less than 0.001) lower levels of cytosolic progesterone receptors than in the control cycle, but levels at 36 and 84 h were similar. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Tigecycline pharmacokinetics, tolerability, safety, and effect on intestinal microflora in healthy Japanese male subjects

Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of tigecycline in 76 healthy Japanese subjects were determined in three randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled studies. Subjects in an ascending single‐dose study (n = 40) received 25–150 mg intravenously, whereas subjects in two multiple‐dose studies received every 12‐hour (q12h) dosing with 25 mg (n = 10) or 25, 50, or 100 then 50 mg (n = 30). Serial blood samples and urine were collected, drug concentrations determined, and pharmacokinetic parameters calculated. Fecal samples were also collected in the second multiple‐dose study. After 10 days of tigecycline 50 mg q12h, mean ± standard deviation pharmacokinetics in 8/10 subjects were: maximum concentration 1,118 ± 127 ng/mL, area under the concentration–time curve 0–12 hours 3,261 ± 937 ng h/mL, clearance 0.25 ± 0.05 L/h/kg, half‐life 60.7 ± 23.4 hours, and volume of distribution 11.9 ± 2.3 L/kg. The most common adverse events were nausea and vomiting. Changes in total bilirubin were also observed. Enterococci in the intestinal microflora were reduced, whereas the number of Enterobacteriaceae and Bacteroides remained relatively constant. Several strains of Bacteroides spp. resistant to tigecycline treatment were found in fecal samples on days 30 and 31. The pharmacokinetic profile of tigecycline was similar to non‐Japanese subjects; tolerability and change in intestinal microflora were also similar.
2-[Fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of recurrent ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to investigate the role of 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) in the diagnosis of recurrent ovarian cancer. METHODS One hundred six FDG PET scans performed in 54 patients in the follow-up after cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy of ovarian cancer were reevaluated. Fifty-eight scans were performed in patients with suspected recurrence and 48 scans in patients who were clinically disease free. Thirty-seven PET scans were validated by histology and 66 studies by a median follow-up of 22 months in disease-free patients or 12 months in patients with recurrent disease. Three scans were validated by concordant positive findings of tumor marker CA125, computed tomography, and FDG PET. RESULTS FDG PET correctly identified recurrent disease in 73/88 cases. PET ruled out recurrent disease in 15/18 cases. The sensitivity and specificity for PET were 83 and 83%, respectively. In patients with suspected disease, sensitivity was 94% compared to 65% in patients judged clinically disease free. The sensitivity of PET was 96% if suspicion of recurrence was based on a rise of CA125 alone. PET preceded the conventional diagnosis by a median of 6 months in patients judged clinically free of disease. The median relapse-free interval after a negative PET scan was 20 months. CONCLUSION FDG PET provides the chance to detect recurrent ovarian cancer at an earlier stage during follow-up. Patients with a negative PET scan have a longer relapse-free interval than patients with a positive PET scan.
A new species of Sechium sect. Frantzia (Cucurbitaceae, Sicyeae, Sicyinae) from Mexico

Sechium mexicanum is described as a new species ofSechium sect.Frantzia. It differs from the remaining species of the section by several features of the inflorescences and staminate flowers, the obovoid and completely unarmed fruits, and pollen grains with 9–10 narrow, poorly defined colpi. It is endemic to Mexico and the first member of sect.Frantzia to be recorded outside of Central America. It grows at 900–2300 m in mesophilous forests and in oak and pineoak forests in the states of Hidalgo, Puebla, Querétaro, and Veracruz.
Growth arrest‐specific gene 6 and Axl signaling enhances gastric cancer cell survival via Akt pathway

Activation of tyrosine kinases is an important factor during cancer development. Axl, one of the receptor tyrosine kinases, binds to the specific ligand growth arrest‐specific gene 6 (Gas6), which encodes a vitamin K‐dependent γ‐carboxyglutamyl protein. Although many receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands are involved in gastric carcinogenesis, whether Gas6‐Axl signaling is involved in gastric carcinogenesis has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Gas6 and Axl in gastric cancer and also their roles during gastric carcinogenesis. mRNA and protein of Gas6 and Axl were highly expressed in a substantial proportion of human gastric cancer tissue and cell lines, and Gas6 expression was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis. With recombinant Gas6 and a decoy‐receptor of Axl in vitro, we demonstrated that Gas6‐Axl signaling pathway enhanced cellular survival and invasion and suppressed apoptosis via Akt pathway. Our results suggests that Gas6‐Axl signaling plays a role during gastric carcinogenesis, and that targeting Gas6‐Axl signaling could be a novel therapeutic for gastric cancer. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A survey of herbicides for their effect upon protein synthesis.

The means by which many herbicides kill susceptible plants are presently unknown (1, 3). Although it is not essential to know the mode of action in order to develop and use a herbicide efficiently, the screening processes by which herbicides are discovered are based upon comparative biochemistry. Selective herbicides with low mammalian toxicity (2) must take advantage of differences in metabolism between plants and animals, and between plant species, just as therapeutically effective antibiotics take advantage of differences between bacterial and mammalian biochemistry. Knowledge of herbicide effects may prove useful for other areas within plant physiology. A screening technique has been used in the present study to determine the effect of various herbicides on the incorporation of leucine into protein. The restilts show differences between those herbicides which, more or less directly, inhibit protein synthesis, and those which act upon quite unrelated pathways. This approach is designed to indicate the areas that should be studied more intensively for each herbicide.
A Survey of Inverse Surface Design From Light Transport Behavior Specification

Inverse surface design problems from light transport behavior specification usually represent extremely complex and costly processes, but their importance is well known. In particular, they are very interesting for lighting and luminaire design, in which it is usually difficult to test design decisions on a physical model in order to avoid costly mistakes. In this survey, we present the main ideas behind these kinds of problems, characterize them, and summarize existing work in the area, revealing problems that remain open and possible areas of further research.
Space-Time-Frequency Characterization of 3D Nonisotropic MIMO Multicarrier Propagation Channels Employing Directional Antennas

Channel models for outdoor wireless systems usually assume two-dimensional (2D) random scattering media. In the practical outdoor wireless channels, the impact of the wave propagation in the third-dimension is definitely important; especially when the communication system efficiently exploits potentials of multiple antennas. In this paper, we propose a new model for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) multicarrier propagation channels in a three-dimensional (3D) environment. Specifically, the proposed model describes the cross-correlation function (CCF) between two subchannels of an outdoor MIMO channel employing directional antennas and in the presence of nonisotropic wave propagation in 3D space. The derived CCF consists of some correlation terms. Each correlation term is in the form of a linear series expansion of averaged Bessel functions of the first kind with different orders. In practice, each correlation term has a limited number of Bessel components. Our numerical evaluations show the impact of different parameters of the propagation environment as well as the employed antennas on the resulting CCF. Using the proposed CCF, we also establish simple formulas to approximate the coherence time, the coherence bandwidth and the spatial coherence of such channels. The numerical curve fitting results fit to the empirical results reported in the channel modeling literature.
Antenatal screening for pre-eclampsia: Evaluation of the NICE and pre-eclampsia community guidelines

The NICE and PRECOG guidelines are based on systematic reviews of risk factors for pre-eclampsia to identify mothers at risk before 20 weeks’ gestation. Cases (64) and controls (112) were classified retrospectively as screen positive or negative as recommended by the two guidelines The NICE guideline had a higher sensitivity rate of 77% (95% CI 65–87%) vs 59% (95% CI 46–71%) but a lower specificity of 54% (95% CI 44–64%) vs 81% (95% CI 73–88%) with the PRECOG guideline. Based on an incidence of pre-eclampsia of 4% the positive predictive values of PRECOG and NICE guidelines were estimated at only 11% and 7%, respectively. The most discriminatory risk factor was history of pre-eclampsia in a previous pregnancy. Neither guideline has a reasonable performance and cannot be recommended for use in clinical practice. Resources should rather be focussed on development of new strategies to identify women at risk of pre-eclampsia.
The role of mechanical loading histories in the development of diarthrodial joints

The possible role of mechanical loading history in chondroosseous development at the ends of long bones is explored using two‐dimensional finite element models of chondroepiphyses. Loading histories are characterized in terms of discrete loading cases defined by joint contact pressure distributions and an associated number of loading cycles. An osteogenic stimulus throughout the chondroepiphyses is calculated following the theory that cyclic octahedral shear stresses promote endochondral ossification and cyclic compressive dilatational stresses inhibit ossification. The resulting distributions for the osteogenic stimulus predict the appearance of the secondary ossific nucleus and the shape of the developing bony epiphysis. The zone of Ranvier and the formation of articular cartilage and the growth plate are also predicted by the models. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that tissue stress histories constitute an important influence during skeletal morphogenesis. Further study and testing of the concepts introduced in this study are appropriate.
Evaluating the Impact of Clinical Interventions by PharmD Students on Internal Medicine Clerkships: The Results of a 3 Year Study

Background: As the practice of pharmacy evolves, requiring more clinically oriented healthcare providers, PharmD programs expand their training to more hospital sites to expose students to management of a variety of disease states. These hospital sites often require proof of the impact of PharmD students on patient care over an extended period. This is the first long-term (3 year) study reported. Objective: To evaluate the impact of clinical interventions by PharmD students on internal medicine clerkships over a 3 year period at a 627 bed county hospital with 165 general medical/surgical beds and 10 internal medicine teams. Methods: Between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2005, all pharmacy interventions at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn, NY, were recorded and analyzed for percentage of contribution, acceptance rate, type, frequency, and impact level. Results: PharmD students contributed to 28.8% of all pharmacy interventions made, with an acceptance rate for interventions of 92%. The most frequent types of interventions performed by PharmD students involved providing drug information (46.8%), recommending alternative agents (10.8%), and providing drug indications (10.6%). Overall, 49.5% of PharmD student interventions were categorized as having moderate to high level impact. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the impact of PharmD students on clinical interventions is significant and improves overall patient care over a long-term period.
Imbalanced distribution of Plasmodium falciparum EBA-175 genotypes related to clinical status in children from Bakoumba, Gabon.

OBJECTIVE The erythrocyte binding antigen 175 kDa (EBA-175) of Plasmodium falciparum is one of the major ligands for red blood cell invasion by merozoites. EBA-175 is a dimorphic antigen but the role that dimorphism plays in host parasite interaction is not fully understood. In this study, we sought to determine the distribution of EBA-175 genotypes and its pathogenetic influence. METHODS The nested polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the genotypes of P. falciparum isolates from asymptomatic and symptomatic Gabonese children. RESULTS CAMP strains (C-segment) and FCR-3 strains (F-segment) were found in 13/50 (26%) and 19/50 (38%) symptomatic children, respectively and in 16/66 (24%) and 46/66 (70%) asymptomatic children, respectively. The prevalence of mixed C-/F- infection was 18/50 (36%) and 4/66 (6%) in symptomatic and asymptomatic children, respectively. CONCLUSIONS These results show that mixed C-/F- infection is associated with clinical malaria (chi2, P <0.01) and may have important therapeutic implications.
Methodology for monitoring cytomegalovirus infection after renal transplantation

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of different detection methods for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after renal transplantation and also to establish a system to monitor therapy for CMV infection. Methods: We retrospectively studied 1516 renal transplant recipients from June 1994 to December 2006. All patients were screened for CMV-DNA. A total of 1402 patients had received CMV-IgG/IgM detection since June 1996 and 660 had received CMV antigen detection since June 2000. Results: A total of 664 (43.8%) recipients developed CMV infection. The sensitivity, specificity and Youden index of the three methods, respectively, were 18.84%, 100% and 0.1884 for ELISA, 91.86%, 82.98% and 0.7484 for PCR, and 88.06%, 96.95% and 0.8501 for the CMV-pp65 antigenemia test. The sensitivity and specificity of the two combined detection methods (CMV-DNA and CMV-pp65) for post-operation CMV infection were 93.49% and 99.06%; the two detection methods had significant dependability (p<0.05) in diagnosis of CMV infection and in evaluation of therapeutic effect of antiviral drugs. Conclusions: Only ELISA can be used as a screening index in order to distinguish whether the donors or recipients are infected with CMV or not. CMV-pp65 antigenemia can help guide clinical therapy for CMV infection. CMV-pp65 and CMV-PCR combined together provide a more effective method to monitor CMV infection and predict its outcome. Clin Chem Lab Med 2009;47:177–81.
Mutations in chromatin machinery and pediatric high-grade glioma

Mutations in chromatin machinery define pediatric high-grade gliomas; efforts to define and target their functions are under way. Pediatric central nervous system tumors are the most common solid tumor of childhood. Of these, approximately one-third are gliomas that exhibit diverse biological behaviors in the unique context of the developing nervous system. Although low-grade gliomas predominate and have favorable outcomes, up to 20% of pediatric gliomas are high-grade. These tumors are a major contributor to cancer-related morbidity and mortality in infants, children, and adolescents, with long-term survival rates of only 10 to 15%. The recent discovery of somatic oncogenic mutations affecting chromatin regulation in pediatric high-grade glioma has markedly improved our understanding of disease pathogenesis, and these findings have stimulated the development of novel therapeutic approaches targeting epigenetic regulators for disease treatment. We review the current perspective on pediatric high-grade glioma genetics and epigenetics, and discuss the emerging and experimental therapeutics targeting the unique molecular abnormalities present in these deadly childhood brain tumors.
The thyroid hormone receptor β-selective agonist GC-1 does not affect tolerance to exercise in hypothyroid rats.

OBJECTIVE Investigate the effect of GC-1 on tolerance to exercise in rats with experimental hypothyroidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hypothyroidism was induced with methimazole sodium and perchlorate treatment. Six groups with eight animals were studied: control group (C), hypothyroid group without treatment (HYPO); hypothyroidism treated with physiological doses of tetraiodothyronine (T4) or 10 times higher (10×T4); hypothyroidism treated with equal molar doses of GC-1 (GC-1) or 10 times higher (10×GC-1). After eight weeks, each animal underwent an exercise tolerance test by measuring the time (seconds), in which the rats were swimming with a load attached to their tails without being submerging for more than 10 sec. After the test, the animals were killed, and blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis, and the heart and soleus muscle were removed for weighing and morphometric analysis of the cardiomyocyte. RESULTS Hypothyroidism significantly reduced tolerance to exercise and, treatment with GC-1 1× or T4 in physiological doses recover tolerance test to normal parameters. However, high doses of T4 also decreased tolerance to physical exercise. Conversely, ten times higher doses of GC-1 did not impair tolerance to exercise. Interestingly, hypothyroidism, treated or not with T4 in a physiological range, GC-1 or even high doses of GC-1 (10X) did not change cardiomyocyte diameters and relative weight of the soleus muscle. In contrast, higher doses of T4 significantly increased cardiomyocyte diameter and induced atrophy of the soleus muscle. CONCLUSION Unlike T4, GC-1 in high doses did not modify tolerance to physical exercise in the rats with hypothyroidism.
The impact of neogene grassland expansion and aridification on the isotopic composition of continental precipitation

The late Cenozoic was a time of global cooling, increased aridity, and expansion of grasslands. In the last two decades numerous records of oxygen isotopes have been collected to assess plant ecological changes, understand terrestrial paleoclimate, and to determine the surface history of mountain belts. The δ18O values of these records, in general, increase from the mid‐Miocene to the Recent. We suggest that these records record an increase in aridity and expansion of grasslands in midlatitude continental regions. We use a nondimensional isotopic vapor transport model coupled with a soil water isotope model to evaluate the role of vapor recycling and transpiration by different plant functional types. This analysis shows that increased vapor recycling associated with grassland expansion along with biomechanistic changes in transpiration by grasses themselves conspires to lower the horizontal gradient in the δ18O of atmospheric vapor as an air mass moves into continental interiors. The resulting signal at a given inland site is an increase in δ18O of precipitation with the expansion of grasslands and increasing aridity, matching the general observed trend in terrestrial Cenozoic δ18O records. There are limits to the isotopic effect that are induced by vapor recycling, which we refer to here as a “hydrostat. ” In the modern climate, this hydrostatic limit occurs at approximately the boundary between forest and grassland ecosystems.
EFFECTS OF EMULSIFIED ISOFLURANE ON HAEMODYNAMICS AND CARDIOMYOCYTE APOPTOSIS IN RATS WITH MYOCARDIAL ISCHAEMIA

1 It has been shown that inhaled isoflurane limits the size of myocardial infarcts. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of emulsified isoflurane on cardiac function and myocardial apoptosis in an ischaemia model of myocardial injury. 2 In the first study, 48 rats were randomly allocated to six groups (n = 8 in each): control (saline); emulsified isoflurane (EIso) at 1, 2 or 4 mL/kg; 30% intralipid (vehicle for EIso); and sham operated. Rats received isovolumetric intravenous infusions for 30 min and then, 30 min after cessation of the infusion, 90 min coronary occlusion. Haemodynamics and myocardial infarct size were measured. In the second study, another 48 rats were randomized into six groups (n = 8 in each). After 90 min ischaemia, rats were killed for histopathological study, immunohistochemical evaluation and apoptosis measurement. 3 Pretreatment with 2 and 4 mL/kg EIso significantly attenuated decreases in left ventricular systolic pressure and dP/dtmax, and increases in left ventricular end‐diastolic pressure and –dP/dpmax, and alleviated myocardial injury compared with the control, intralipid and 1 mL/kg EIso groups (P < 0.05). Infusion of 1 mL/kg EIso and intralipid had no effect on haemodynamics, infarct size or histological variables. 4 Expression of Bcl‐2 was increased, whereas expression of Bax and caspase 3 was decreased, after preconditioning with 2 and 4 mL/kg EIso (P < 0.05). The apoptotic index in the 2 and 4 mL/kg Eiso‐treated groups was reduced compared with that in the control and intralipid groups (P < 0.01). 5 In conclusion, EIso ameliorates cardiac dysfunction, attenuates myocardial damage and inhibits apoptosis after ischaemia, which may be attributed, in part, to diminished expression of apoptosis‐related protein.
Local correspondence for detecting random forgeries

Progress on the problem of signature verification has advanced more rapidly in online applications than offline applications, in part because information which can easily be recorded in online environments, such as pen position and velocity, is lost in static offline data. In offline applications, valuable information which can be used to discriminate between genuine and forged signatures is embedded at the stroke level. We present an approach to segmenting strokes into stylistically meaningful segments and establish a local correspondence between a questioned signature and a reference signature to enable the analysis and comparison of stroke features. Questioned signatures which do not conform to the reference signature are identified as random forgeries. Most simple forgeries can also be identified, as they do not conform to the reference signature's invariant properties such as connections between letters. Since we have access to both local and global information, our approach also shows promise for extension to the identification of skilled forgeries.