Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Allosteric interaction between zinc and glutamate binding domains on NR2A causes desensitization of NMDA receptors

Fast desensitization is an important regulatory mechanism of neuronal NMDA receptor function. Previous work suggests that fast desensitization of NR1/NR2A receptors is caused by ambient zinc, and that a positive allosteric interaction occurs between the extracellular zinc‐binding amino terminal domain and the glutamate‐binding domain of NR2A. The relaxation of macroscopic currents in the presence of zinc reflects a shift to a new equilibrium due to increased zinc affinity following the binding of glutamate. Here we demonstrate that this allosteric coupling reflects interactions within the NR2A subunit, and that the affinity of zinc for its binding site is regulated by glutamate binding and not by glycine binding nor by channel pore opening. We fit an explicit model to experimental data over a wide range of parameters, demonstrating that allosteric theory can quantitatively account for the fast zinc‐dependent component of desensitization for NR1/NR2A NMDA receptors. We subsequently use this model to evaluate the effects of extracellular zinc on NR1/NR2A excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) by simulating the response to a brief synaptic‐like pulse of glutamate. Modelling results show that zinc at a steady‐state concentration of at least 100 nm has a significant effect on the amplitude of NMDA EPSCs but that concurrent release of 10 μm zinc with synaptic glutamate release has little effect on the amplitude of a single NR1/NR2A NMDA EPSC. These data suggest that while steady‐state zinc can regulate the amplitude of synaptic NMDA currents, zinc co‐released with glutamate will only have significant impact under conditions of high frequency activity or at concentrations high enough to cause voltage‐dependent channel block.
Effects on Mycobacterium avium Replication in Normal Human Macrophages by Deferiprone (L1) and Other Iron Chelators

Summary Mycobacterium avium growth in cultured human macrophages is influenced by serum lipids, transferrin and iron levels. Iron-saturated transferrin enhances M. avium growth, whereas apotransferrin inhibits mycobacterial replication. The ability of iron chelators to mimic the effects of transferrin on intracellular and extracellular M. avium growth was examined. Smooth, transparent, AIDS patient derived M. avium 7497 serovar 4 was used to infect 7-day cultured human macrophages. Growth was measured by determining the colony-forming units (CPU) after infected macrophages were lysed 0 to 7 days after infection. The new iron chelating drug deferiprone (1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one or L1, CAS 30652-11-0), 1-ethyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one (L1NEt), 1-propyl-2-methyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one (L1NPr), 1-allyl-2-methyl-3-hyproxypyrid-4-one (LlNAll), and 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid enhanced intracellular and extracellular mycobacterial replication at concentrations of 0.1-2.5 µg/ml. 2-Pyridinecarbox-aldehyde-2-quinolylhydrazone (PCQH) inhibited intracellular replication from 0.1-1.0 µg/ml. Most, but not all of the PCQH-induced intracellular inhibition could be eliminated using iron at concentrations greater than 1.0 µg/ml. Iron also suppressed the effects of PCQH on extracellular M. avium replication. These results indicate that iron chelators may have variable effects at different concentrations and can significantly alter both intracellular and extracellular M. avium replication. It is suggested that at low concentrations deferiprone and other aketohydroxypyridine chelators could enhance the growth of M. avium but at high concentrations may function as adjunct therapy with other antimicrobials against infections with M. avium. These findings are important for therapeutic considerations and dose protocol design in relation to the new iron chelating drug deferiprone, which is currently used in thalassaemia and other iron loaded patients, some of whom are suffering from AIDS.
Challenges of time domain measurement of field-field correlation for complex PCBs

Measurements of field-field correlation in the time domain can be used to characterize stochastic broadband emissions from complex sources. A two-probe scanning measurement system is developed and used to sample the stochastic emissions in the near-field of two such sources: a reverberation chamber with a rectangular aperture and a generic printed circuit board (PCB). We show that measured field data can be utilized in numerical wave propagation schemes to predict the stochastic fields in and radiated from a packaged device.
The surface-tension-driven flow of blood from a droplet into a capillary tube.

In tissue, medical, or dental engineering, when blood comes into contact with a new artificial material, the flow may be influenced by surface tension between the blood and the surface of the material. The effect of surface tension on the flow of blood is significant, especially in microscale. The leading edge of the flowing blood is the triple point where the blood, the material surface, and a stationary gas orfluid meet. The movement of the triple point, i.e., the advancing front of the flow, is driven by surface tension, resisted by viscous shear stress, and balanced by the inertial force (-mass x acceleration). In this article, the dynamics is illustrated in detail in the case of blood flowing into a capillary tube by contact. The capillar, tube draws the blood into it. It is shown theoretically that initially the flow of blood in the capillary has a large acceleration, followed by a relatively large deceleration over the next short period of time, then the acceleration becomes small and oscillatory. The velocity history appears impulsive at first, then slows down. The history of the length of blood column appears smooth after integration. Existing solutions of the Navier-Stokes equation permit the analysis of simpler cases. Further fluid mechanics development is needed to meet the practical needs of bioengineering. The importance of experimental study of surface tension and contact angle over a biological surface or a man-made material as a future direction of research is pointed out.
Urine Test Strips as a Bedside Diagnostic Aid to Rule out Blood in CSF: A Validation.

INTRODUCTION Patients presenting to the emergency department with acute-onset, atypical headaches require an evaluation for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The standard evaluation for SAH includes noncontrast computed tomography of the head and, if negative, a lumbar puncture to determine the presence of blood in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In austere environments without full laboratory capabilities, a rapid bedside diagnostic test allowing clinicians to rule out SAH would reduce costly transfers of patients requiring further evaluation. CSF samples obtained while evaluating patients for potential SAH were tested with the blood panel of Bayer Multistix urine test strips. METHODS We compared the test strip color change to the number of red blood cells per high power field found on laboratory analysis of the CSF. RESULTS The sensitivity of the Multistix for detecting red blood cells in the CSF was 100%, with a specificity of 56%. The positive predictive value was 37%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. CONCLUSION These results are encouraging and may form the basis for potential use of urine test strips as a tool to rule out subarachnoid blood in austere environments, but the test strips' low specificity limits their usefulness as a practical clinical tool at this time.
Embracing Variability in the Application of Plant–Soil Interactions to the Restoration of Communities and Ecosystems

Plant–soil interactions are the foundation of effective and sustained restoration of terrestrial communities and ecosystems. Recent advances in ecological science have greatly contributed to our understanding of the effects of soil conditions on plant community dynamics and our understanding of plant composition impacts on almost every aspect of soil structure and function. Although these theories provide important guidelines for the practice of restoration, they often fall short of providing the level of information required to make effective site‐specific management decisions. This is largely because of ecology’s search for simple unifying theories and the resulting tendency to generalize from studies at one or only a few sites. An average effect or broad‐scale simple relationship tends to provide a “one‐size‐fits‐all” (or none) prescription for managers. Plant–soil interactions can vary greatly depending on their context (e.g., environmental conditions, management practices, time, neighboring community, interaction with other organisms). The ability to predict these context‐dependent interactions between plants and soils can be developed by building upon existing general frameworks for understanding plant–soil interactions. Collaborations between researchers and managers can develop conceptual tools that allow us to understand and manage the variability and complexity of plant–soil interactions, simultaneously advancing theory and applicability.
Complementary Chinese Herbal Medicine Therapy Improves Survival of Patients With Pancreatic Cancer in Taiwan: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

Background: Pancreatic cancer is a difficult-to-treat cancer with a late presentation and poor prognosis. Some patients seek traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) consultation. We aimed to investigate the benefits of complementary Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) among patients with pancreatic cancer in Taiwan. Methods: We included all patients with pancreatic cancer who were registered in the Taiwanese Registry for Catastrophic Illness Patients Database between 1997 and 2010. We used 1:1 frequency matching by age, sex, the initial diagnostic year of pancreatic cancer, and index year to enroll 386 CHM users and 386 non-CHM users. A Cox regression model was used to compare the hazard ratios (HRs) of the risk of mortality. The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to compare the difference in survival time. Results: According to the Cox hazard ratio model mutually adjusted for CHM use, age, sex, urbanization level, comorbidity, and treatments, we found that CHM users had a lower hazard ratio of mortality risk (adjusted HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.56-0.79). Those who received CHM therapy for more than 90 days had significantly lower hazard ratios of mortality risk than non-CHM users (90- to 180-day group: adjusted HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.42-0.75; >180-day group: HR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.24-0.45). The survival probability was higher for patients in the CHM group. Bai-hua-she-she-cao (Herba Oldenlandiae; Hedyotis diffusa Spreng) and Xiang-sha-liu-jun-zi-tang (Costus and Chinese Amomum Combination) were the most commonly used single herb and Chinese herbal formula, respectively. Conclusions: Complementary Chinese herbal therapy might be associated with reduced mortality among patients with pancreatic cancer. Further prospective clinical trial is warranted.
Pattern selection in the generalized Swift-Hohenberg model.

The competition between patterns of different symmetries is studied for the generalized Swift-Hohenberg model in the presence of a large quadratic coupling in one dimension (1D) and 2D. It is shown that hexagons with different phase relations may coexist for some values of the control parameter. Numerical experiments exhibiting the effects of linear spatial ramps of the control parameter on this selection are presented. The analogy with recent patterns obtained experimentally in open chemical reactors is also discussed.
The role of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and GDNF in neuronal apoptosis in neonatal rat with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

AIM To examine the dynamic changes of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and GDNF (glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor) in serum or brain tissues of neonatal rat with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and to explore their roles in neuronal apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 80 Wistar rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated (control) group and the hypoxia-ischemia (HI) group. To establish the hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) model, the pups from the HI group were subjected to left common carotid artery ligation followed by exposure to 8% O2 and 92% N2. The concentration of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and GDNF in serum or brain tissues was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Neuronal apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry (FC). Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS13.0 software. RESULTS We found that the neuronal apoptosis rate and the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in rat with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) were significantly increased at 6 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after hypoxia compared to the control group (p < 0.05). We also found that the neuronal apoptosis rate was positively correlated with the levels of TNF-α and IL-6, and negatively correlated with IL-10 and GDNF. CONCLUSIONS In neonatal rats with HIE, the brain reaches its peak levels of damage by 24~72 h after the injury. Inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 promote HIE-induced neuronal apoptosis, whereas IL-10 and GDNF antagonize it.
Androgen Responses to Sprint Exercise in Young Men

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6-month sprint training program on plasma androgens and catecholamine (CA) concentrations in response to a 6 s sprint in adolescent boys [training group (TG), n=6; control group (CG), n=6]. A 6 s-sprint test was performed on a cycle ergometer before and after training (Pre-T and Post-T, respectively). Plasma total testosterone (TT), bioavailable testosterone (BT), and CA concentrations were measured at rest, after a warm-up, immediately after a 6 s-sprint, and during the recovery (i. e. 5 and 20 min). After training period, plasma TT concentrations increased significantly at the end of the sprint and during the recovery in the TG. No effects for sampling times and period were observed in BT levels. Plasma TT concentrations after 5 min of recovery were positively correlated with the corresponding values of plasma lactate (La) concentrations and with post-6 s-sprint plasma adrenaline (A) concentrations (r=0.52; p<0.01 and r=0.61; p<0.01, respectively). These results suggest that sprint training increases plasma TT concentrations in response to sprint exercise in adolescent boys. Plasma A and plasma La concentrations increases in response to sprint exercise could be involved in this elevation of plasma TT concentrations.
Pathologic‐radiologic correlations in screen‐detected ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast: Findings of the Singapore breast screening project

Mammography detected 34 (25%) cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast out of a total of 135 cancers diagnosed in 28,231 participating women during the Singapore breast screening project. Radiologic findings in these 34 women with DCIS were calcifications only in 25 (74%); mass only in 2 (6%); and mass with calcifications in the remaining 7 (20%) cases. Calcifications were classified mammographically as powderish in 2 (6%), crushed stone‐like in 16 (50%) and casting in 14 (44%) cases. Pathologic assessment revealed 11 (32%) cases with pure comedo, 16 (47%) mixed, 3 (9%) cribriform, 2 (6%) papillary, 1 (3%) micropapillary and 1 (3%) solid patterns. Histologic nuclear grade was low in 6 (18%), intermediate in 9 (26%) and high in 19 (56%). Necrosis was observed in 26 (77%) cases and absent in the rest. Pathologic‐radiologic correlations yielded a significant association between the mammographic and pathologic lesional size, with the degree of agreement improved when there was histologic necrosis. A trend for radiologic crushed stone‐like and casting‐type calcifications to be associated with DCIS with necrosis and of higher nuclear grade was noted. Int. J. Cancer (Radiat. Oncol. Invest.) 90, 231–236 (2000). © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Instructional Strategies to Promote Incremental Beliefs in Youth Sport

Implicit beliefs about the nature of human abilities have significant motivational, behavioral, and affective consequences. The purpose of this article was to review the application of implicit beliefs to the youth sport context and to provide theoretically derived and evidence-based instructional strategies to promote adaptive implicit beliefs about human abilities within this context. A narrative overview of theory and a review of research pertaining to implicit beliefs in education, sport, and physical activity are undertaken. Theoretically derived and evidence-based instructional strategies are outlined, and specific coaching behaviors are suggested. Six instructional strategies to promote adaptive implicit beliefs in these contexts are suggested: focusing on effort and persistence, facilitating challenge, promoting the value of failure, defining success as effort, the promotion of learning, and providing high expectations. It is concluded that instructional strategies may be used to facilitate positive motivational, behavioral, and affective outcomes for young people within a sport context.
Late recurrence of surgically removed prolactinomas

The authors observed the clinical course of 24 women with surgically removed prolactinomas for a mean postoperative interval of 62 months. The frequency of late tumor recurrence and probable factors responsible for the recurrence were investigated. Hyperprolactinemia recurred in 4 of 13 patients with microadenomas (31%) 3 to 9 months after removal. In the macroadenoma group, relapse of hyperprolactinemia occurred in 10 of 11 patients (91%), an average of 26 months after the initial postoperative return to normal prolactin levels. Return of hyperprolactinemia was accompanied by radiologic evidence of tumor recurrence in all patients with macroadenoma, and in one patient with microadenoma. Of 12 tumors in which adjacent dura was available for histopathologic examination, 7 showed dural invasion. Although these seven patients had significantly higher preoperative levels of serum prolactin than the five without dural invasion, there was no significant relation between dural involvement and tumor recurrence. The probabilities of tumor recurring from multifocal adenoma or paraadenomatous lactotrope hyperplasia could not be assessed using our surgical material. The most plausible reason for the high recurrence rate of prolactinomas after apparent surgical cure, in the absence of defined anatomic abnormalities within the pituitary, is a functional abnormality of hypothalamic‐pituitary control resulting from a primary hypothalamic disorder. Cancer 57:2422–2426, 1986.
[Environmental tobacco smoke exposure in public places in Florence, Italy].

OBJECTIVES Measurements of the environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in public places in Florence. This study was part of the first European multicenter project, intended to measure ETS exposure in public places in a number of European Cities (Florence, Barcelona, Paris, Oporto, Athens, Wien and Orebro). DESIGN Nicotine vapour phase was measured using passive samplers, composed of a sodium bisulphate treated filter held in a plastic cassette with a windscreen on one side. The filters were analysed at the Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Barcelona, Spain, by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Nicotine concentration (in microg/m3) by public place, by smoking policy, and, for restaurants with separated areas, by smoking and non-smoking section. SETTING Nicotine measurements were conducted in 5 schools, 3 university departments, 5 hospitals, 1 railway station, 1 airport, 7 bars, 7 restaurants, and 4 discotheques in Florence. RESULTS The average nicotine concentration in discotheques and restaurants were respectively 26.78 microg/m3 and 2.32 microg/m3. In the other public places the concentration was about 1 microg/m3. In smoke-free public places the average concentration was 0.85 microg/m3; in public places where smoking is allowed concentration was higher (11.53 microg/m3). In the smoking section and non-smoking section of restaurants with separated areas the average concentration was respectively 2.54 and 2.14 microg/m3. CONCLUSION The highest nicotine concentrations were recorded in discos and restaurants. A smoke-free public place is effective in reducing ETS exposure. Smoking and non-smoking sections in restaurants without a separate ventilation system seem not to solve ETS exposure.
Investigating Predictive Disease Model Transportability through Cohort Simulation and Causal Analysis

Author(s): Singleton, Kyle Wilson | Advisor(s): Bui, Alex A.T. | Abstract: A tenet of precision medicine is the ability to predict a clinical response or outcome for a given individual. The creation of predictive disease models as a part of this evidence-based process has increased in recent years as electronic medical data and machine learning techniques have grown in popularity. A number of methods are available for testing internal validity when developing models. However, the performance of developed disease models must also be tested in external populations. This practice of external validation, or transportability, can help determine the extent to which information in a predictive model can be applied generally across population samples. Model performance can suffer when applied in external settings because populations have inherent differences or data was collected with different practices. A number of impediments, particularly in reporting, continue to hinder the widespread application of transportability methods. This dissertation addresses these concerns using a methodology for improving the classification of models and evaluating a proposed technique for partially adjusting problematic models. A set of simulations are proposed, taking advantage of a minimal set of published values to extend reported findings through bootstrap analysis. Interpretations derived from this method are able to guide the assignment and selection of models by transport levels. Causal transportability analysis, a previously proposed transportability theory in graphical models, is also evaluated for use in partial adjustment scenarios. The resulting process allows for evaluation of model transportability with minimal information and for assessing model adjustments. These investigations serve as useful tools for future transportability analysis. In addition, the results of this work introduce new items that can be added to reporting guidelines and support current trends to establish improved validation frameworks.