Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
22-Oxacalcitriol ameliorates high-turnover bone and marked osteitis fibrosa in rats with slowly progressive nephritis.

UNLABELLED 22-Oxacalcitriol ameliorates high-turnover bone and marked osteitis fibrosa in rats with slowly progressive nephritis. BACKGROUND 22-Oxacalcitriol (OCT) is a unique vitamin D analogue with less calcemic activity than calcitriol, and it effectively suppresses parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion in uremic rats. This study was performed to examine the long-term effect of intravenously administered OCT on high-turnover bone disease in model rats of slowly progressive renal failure. METHODS Slowly progressive renal failure rats were made by a single injection of glycopeptide isolated from rat renal cortical tissues. At 250 days, glycopeptide-induced nephritis (GN) rats were divided into three groups with the same levels of serum creatinine and PTH, and they received either OCT (0.03 or 0.15 microg/kg body wt) or vehicle given intravenously three times per week for 15 weeks. RESULTS Renal function of GN rats deteriorated very slowly but progressively, as assessed by the increase of serum creatinine concentration. At sacrifice, serum PTH levels, bone formation markers, bone resorption markers, and fibrosis volume were significantly elevated in vehicle-treated GN rats compared with those of sham-operated rats, suggesting the development of high-turnover bone disease with osteitis fibrosa. In contrast, in the GN-OCT 0.15 microg/kg group, these high PTH levels and high-turnover bone and fibrosis were significantly decreased. Such amelioration of bone abnormalities by OCT was not accompanied by either hypercalcemia or further deterioration of renal function. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that OCT may be a useful and safe agent not only for the suppression of PTH, but also for the amelioration of osteitis fibrosa and high-turnover bone without causing hypercalcemia in chronic dialysis patients.
Type I collagen, fibrin and PuraMatrix matrices provide permissive environments for human endothelial and mesenchymal progenitor cells to form neovascular networks

The field of tissue engineering seeks to create metabolically demanding, functional tissues, which will require blood vessel networks capable of forming rapidly in a variety of extracellular matrix (ECM) environments. We tested whether human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) could form microvascular networks in type I collagen, fibrin and an engineered peptide hydrogel, PuraMatrix, in 7 days in vivo in immune‐deficient mice. These results are compared to those previously published, based on the Matrigel ECM. Perfused blood vessels formed in all three types of ECM within 7 days. Collagen at 5 and 6 mg/ml and 10 mg/ml fibrin supported vessel formation at 30–60 vessels/mm2, and PuraMatrix enabled vessel formation to 160 vessels/mm2, significantly greater than collagen or fibrin. Vessels were composed of EPCs with perivascular cells on their abluminal surfaces. EPCs injected alone formed a low density of blood vessels in collagen and PuraMatrix, while MPCs injected alone resulted in sparse vessel networks in all ECMs tested. A rheometer was used to determine whether the ECMs which supported vascularization had bulk physical properties similar to or distinct from Matrigel. Collagen and fibrin were the stiffest matrices to support extensive vascularization, with storage moduli in the range 385–510 Pa, while Matrigel, at 80 Pa, and PuraMatrix, at 5 Pa, were far more compliant. Thus, EPCs and MPCs were capable of vasculogenesis in environments having disparate physical properties, although vascular density was greater in more compliant ECMs. We propose that EPC/MPC‐mediated vascularization is a versatile technology which may enable the development of engineered organs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Moclobemide Twice Daily in the Treatment of Major Depressive Episode: A Double‐Blind, Multicenter Comparison with Different Three‐Times‐Daily Dosage Schedules

Summary: Data on a twice‐daily dosage schedule with moclobemide in the treatment of depression is limited. In this study, moclobemide 150 mg twice daily (b.i.d.) was compared to two different three‐times‐daily (t.i.d.) regimens with total daily dosages of 300 and 450 mg, respectively, over a 6‐week period. The study was randomized, double‐blind, and conducted at three university centers. Efficacy was measured on the Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Rating Scales, on the Zung Scale, and on clinical global impression. Tolerability and safety were assessed through adverse events and vital signs and on clinical global impression. One hundred seventy‐eight depressed outpatients were included, and 158 completed the study. The treatment groups were comparable at baseline. No clear differences between the treatment groups could be shown with respect to efficacy. There was, however, a slightly larger decrease in the total HAM‐A score in the groups receiving 150 mg b.i. d. and t.i. d. than in the third group. There were no marked differences between the groups with respect to tolerability and safety. Tolerability was rated “good” or “excellent” in 94% of patients, and there was no appreciable change in vital signs in any of the treatment groups. Moclobemide 150 mg b.i. d. is the optimal initial schedule for treatment of depression.
Mechanisms associated with abnormal E‐cadherin immunoreactivity in human bladder tumors

The involvement of E‐cadherin in the progression of carcinoma is supported by a large number of studies showing an inverse relationship between E‐cadherin immunoreactivity and tumor aggressiveness. However, the mechanisms leading to decreased E‐cadherin immunoreactivity are still unclear. Comparison of Northern blotting and immunohistochemistry in a series of 49 frozen bladder tumors revealed that, in 16 of 23 tumors with abnormal staining, clear mRNA down‐regulation occurred. In the 7 cases without mRNA down‐regulation, no structural anomalies of E‐cadherin could be detected by Southern blotting, Western blotting or PCR‐SSCP. Western blotting confirmed that, in 6 of these tumors, E‐cadherin was down‐regulated at the protein level. This down‐regulation was accompanied by down‐regulation of α‐catenin and, to a lesser extent, of β‐ or γ‐catenin. However, Northern‐blot analysis indicated that expression of the 3 catenins is maintained at the mRNA level. Thus our data show that, in bladder tumors, mRNA down‐regulation accounts for about two thirds (16/23) of tumors with abnormal staining and that post‐transcriptional down‐regulation of E‐cadherin occurs in 6/23 of these tumors. Int. J. Cancer 83:591–595, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Campus Sexual Violence Prevention Educators’ Use of Gender in Their Work: A Critical Exploration

Recent studies indicate that sexual violence affects college students who identify as trans* or gender nonconforming (TGNC) at higher proportions than cisgender students with a full 29% reporting an experience with violence in a recent large-scale study. College sexual violence prevention educators (SVPEs) are critical actors in the effort to reduce the incidence of sexual violence, yet little is known about the practices they engage in to support the learning of students of diverse genders, and to educate students about the role of gender in sexual violence. This study explores the practices of SVPEs with respect to gender diversity, and the challenges and strategies they use to be gender inclusive in their work. Using an exploratory qualitative lens, 16 SVPEs were interviewed to better understand how they think about gender in their work, talk about gender as it relates to sexual violence, and deploy teaching and learning strategies regarding gender in their work with undergraduate students. Findings suggest that SVPEs face significant pressures related to compliance with Title IX, and that in terms of their practices related to gender, they occupy a continuum typified by gender defensiveness and unawareness, gender awareness, gender inclusion, and/or gender transformation. Recommendations include advancing opportunities for enhanced gender diversity education and professional development for SVPEs and the need for additional research on cisgender men’s and trans* survivors’ experiences with campus sexual violence.
Biochemical effects of gestational coexposure to lead and cadmium on reproductive performance, placenta, and ovary

Adult virgin 4‐day cycling synchronized Charles foster females were treated subcutaneously (0.05 mg/kg body wt/day) with sodium acetate (control), lead acetate or cadmium acetate alone, or both during gestational period, with pretreatment of 5 days prior to mating. There were no alterations in reproductive performance in all metal‐treated groups. Implantation enzymes, cathepsin‐D and alkaline phosphatase, activity were altered, but no change in the reproductive performance was observed. The key steroidogenic enzymes of ovary and placenta (3β‐HSD and 17β‐HSD), along with gonadal steroids, were affected the most in cadmium and combined treated animals whereas lead‐treated animals showed a minimum change compared to the control group. Maximum displacement of zinc bound to metallothionein was more in cadmium and combined treated rats when compared to other metal‐treated groups. Biomolecules such as glycogen, protein, RNA, DNA, and protein content were affected in all metal‐treated groups, whereas cadmium‐treated animals showed greater effect. General parameters of toxicity such as alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, and creatinine were altered but were within the normal range. Biochemical effects are correlated with metals accumulated in blood, reproductive tissue such as placenta and ovary. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 22:337–344, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20246
Coffee, Hunger, and Peptide YY

Objective: There is evidence from several empirical studies suggesting that coffee may help people control body weight. Our objective was to assess the effects of caffeine, caffeinated coffee, and decaffeinated coffee, both alone and in combination with 75 g of glucose, on perceived hunger and satiety and related peptides. Methods: We conducted a placebo-controlled single-blinded randomized 4-way crossover trial. Eleven healthy male volunteers (mean age, 23.5 ± 5.7 years; mean BMI, 23.6 ± 4.2 kg/m2) ingested 1 of 3 test beverages (caffeine in water, caffeinated coffee, or decaffeinated coffee) or placebo (water), and 60 minutes later they ingested the glucose. Eight times during each laboratory visit, hunger and satiety were assessed by visual analog scales, and blood samples were drawn to measure 3 endogenous peptides associated with hunger and satiety: ghrelin, peptide YY (PYY), and leptin. Results: Compared to placebo, decaffeinated coffee yielded significantly lower hunger during the whole 180-minute study period and higher plasma PYY for the first 90 minutes (p < 0.05). Caffeine in water had no effects on hunger or PYY. Caffeinated coffee showed a pattern between that of decaffeinated coffee and caffeine in water. These findings suggest that one or more noncaffeine ingredients in coffee may have the potential to decrease body weight. Glucose ingestion did not change the effects of the beverages. Conclusions: Our randomized human trial showed that decaffeinated coffee can acutely decrease hunger and increase the satiety hormone PYY.
Long-term measurements using home audiometry with Békésy’s technique

Abstract Objective: To examine the efficacy of fixed-frequency Békésy’s home audiometry to assess hearing fluctuation and treatment outcomes in patients with subjectively fluctuating hearing loss. Design: SMAPH, a software audiometry program for Windows, was installed and calibrated on laptop computers. Békésy’s audiometry was carried out daily in the patients’ homes, using sound-attenuating earphones. Study sample: Seventeen patients with previously or currently subjectively fluctuating hearing loss. Five patients received of treatment for their conditions during the measurement period. Results: Measurement periods ranged from 6 to 60 days. Varying degrees of compliance were seen, some patients measuring less than 50% of the days, others measuring every day. Based on their long-term measurements the patients were classified into three groups: patients with stable recordings, with fluctuating low-frequency hearing loss, or with fluctuating high-frequency hearing loss. In the patients with stable recordings, significant test–retest differences were seen below 10 dB at frequencies 0.125–8 kHz. Conclusions: Home audiometry with Békésy’s technique can be used to evaluate disease activity and to monitor hearing results after therapy.
The virion host shutoff function of herpes simplex virus degrades the 5' end of a target mRNA before the 3' end.

During lytic infections, the virion host shutoff (vhs) function of herpes simplex virus (HSV) disaggregates host polysomes and induces rapid turnover of both cellular and viral mRNAs. To examine the steps in vhs-induced mRNA degradation, an RNase protection assay was used to compare the relative decay rates of sequences from the 5' and 3' ends of a selected target mRNA. In cells infected with wild-type HSV-1, sequences at the 5' end of the HSV-1 thymidine kinase mRNA were degraded more rapidly than those at the 3' end of the transcript. In contrast, in cells infected with a vhs mutant, the decay rates of sequences at the 5' and 3' termini of the transcript were much slower and were essentially indistinguishable from each other. Vhs-induced degradation of the transcribed portion of the mRNA was not preceded by detectable shortening of the poly(A) tail in vivo; nor was a poly(A) tail required to make an RNA a target for the vhs activity in vitro. The results suggest that degradation of sequences at or near the 5' end of an mRNA is an early step in vhs-induced decay.
Factors Modifying the Risk of IDDM in Offspring of an IDDM Parent

Offspring of mothers with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) have a much lower risk of IDDM than do offspring of diabetic fathers, and this risk is particularly low for offspring born to diabetic mothers over the age of 25 years. To determine whether increasing maternal age also protects the offspring of IDDM fathers from IDDM, we surveyed 367 IDDM fathers (IDDM onset before age 35) who first came to the Joslin Clinic (Boston, MA) between 1945 and 1969. Of the 840 offspring of these men, IDDM developed in 28 before the age of 20, giving a cumulative risk of 5.1 ± 1.0% (means ± SE). Because this is similar to the result of our earlier study of IDDM fathers, the two groups were combined to give 1,084 offspring, 39 having IDDM (cumulative risk of IDDM 5.4 ± 0.9% by age 20), for comparison with our cohort of 1,391 offspring of 739 IDDM mothers. In that cohort, IDDM developed in 20 offspring before the age of 20 years, giving a cumulative risk of 2.1 ± 0.5%. The risk of diabetes in offspring was higher if the parent's IDDM was diagnosed before age 11 than if it was diagnosed later: 9.3 compared with 4.0% (P = 0.006) for the offspring of IDDM fathers and 2.7 compared with 1.8% for the offspring of IDDM mothers (P = 0.06). In the families in which the father's IDDM was diagnosed after age 11, a protective effect of maternal age ≥25, similar to that in families of IDDM mothers, seems to be present. However, in families in which the father's IDDM was diagnosed before age 11, the effect of maternal age seems to be in the opposite direction: the incidence rate doubled for the offspring born to nondiabetic mothers aged ≥25 years. In contrast, no effect of paternal age was found, regardless of which parent had IDDM. Our findings, although challenging to explain, have immediate implications for counseling families in which one parent has EDDM.
Readily implementable techniques can cut annual CO2 emissions from the production of concrete by over 20%

Due to its prevalence in modern infrastructure, concrete is experiencing the most rapid increase in consumption among globally common structural materials; however, the production of concrete results in approximately 8.6% of all anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Many methods have been developed to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of concrete. These methods range from the replacement of inefficient manufacturing equipment to alternative binders and the use of breakthrough technologies; nevertheless, many of these methods have barriers to implementation. In this research, we examine the extent to which the increased use of several currently implemented methods can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in concrete material production without requiring new technologies, changes in production, or novel material use. This research shows that, through increased use of common supplementary cementitious materials, appropriate selection of proportions for cement replacement, and increased concrete design age, 24% of greenhouse gas emissions from global concrete production or 650 million tonnes (Mt) CO2-eq can be eliminated annually.
Regulation of Fas (APO-1, CD95) and Fas Ligand Expression in Leukocytes During Systemic Inflammation in Humans

A potential role of Fas/FasL in sepsis is suggested by recent clinical studies showing that Fas and FasL could serve as markers for severity of sepsis. We sought to determine the effect of endotoxin infusion on expression of Fas and FasL. Healthy volunteers (n = 30) received 2 ng/kg endotoxin i.v. Endotoxin infusion decreased Fas expression on neutrophils and monocytes by 15–20% at 2–4 h in vivo and also in vitro. A rebound increase in Fas (30%) was seen on neutrophils at 24 h, and soluble FasL levels increased by 100% at 24 h. Fas mRNA levels increased 6-fold 4–6 h after endotoxin infusion as measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. In contrast, FasL-mRNA levels in circulating leukocytes decreased by >80% 2h after lipopolysaccharide infusion. In summary, low-grade endotoxemia induces early down-modulation of Fas on leukocytes, followed by a several-fold increase in Fas-mRNA expression leading to later Fas surface upregulation on neutrophils. The upregulation of Fas expression, Fas mRNA, and later in FasL and sFas levels in endotoxemia replicates the increased fas levels found in septic patients.
Container terminal employees’ perceptions of the effects of sustainable supply chain management on sustainability performance

ABSTRACT Sustainability has become an important issue in container terminal operations. However, relatively little research has been conducted to assess its association with sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). In this study, SSCM consists of internal sustainability practices and external sustainability collaboration. We empirically examined the effects of internal sustainability practices and external sustainability collaboration on sustainability performance in container terminal operations at the Port of Kaohsiung in Taiwan. We developed a model adopting the SSCM construct, which consisted of two dimensions: internal sustainability practices and external sustainability collaboration. Several research hypotheses were formulated from the theory and the hypotheses were tested using survey data collected from 141 employees who worked with container terminals. We found that internal sustainability practices and external sustainability collaboration positively affected sustainability performance, whereas external sustainability collaboration had a positive influence on internal sustainability practices. There is a discussion of the implications of these findings for developing sustainability and improving sustainability performance in container terminals and ports.
Supplement use and nutritional habits in Norwegian elite athletes

The purpose of this study was to examine nutritional and supplemental habits among international alpine‐ and cross‐country skiers and power sport athletes in Norway. Data from all the athletes of the National alpine skiing team (ALP: n= 33, 19 men and 14 women) and the National cross‐country skiing team (CRO: n= 34, 17 men and 17 women) plus a mixed group of power sport athletes (POW: n= 33, all men) from the National Feanis of boxers, weightlifters and track and field athletes, were collected through a semi‐structured interview during their annual medical examination. Twenty percent of all the athletes reported unsatisfactory nutritional habits (CRO 6%, ALP 27% and POW 27%: CRO vs. ALP/POW P<0.05). Eighty‐four percent used one or more micronutrient supplement (ALP 70%, POW 88%, CRO 95%: ALP vs. CRO/POW P<0.01). Power sport athletes had the most frequent use of supplemental creatine (45%), proteins/amino acids (30%), vitamins (88%) and minerals (82%), and CRO had the most frequent intake of iron (94%), vitamin C (88%) and fish oils (91%). Among ALP, only 7%, of the female athletes supplemented iron regularly compared to 37% of male ALP (P<0.05) Overall, male athletes supplemented mostly on a regular basis and female athletes more on an occasional basis. The results show that in spite of differences between sport groups, many elite athletes report unsatisfactory nutritional habits. Micronutrient supplementation was prevalent, but varied between both groups of sports and gender.
Clinical quality performance in U.S. health centers.

OBJECTIVE To describe current clinical quality among the nation's community health centers and to examine health center characteristics associated with performance excellence. DATA SOURCES National data from the 2009 Uniform Data System. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS Health centers reviewed patient records and reported aggregate data to the Uniform Data System. STUDY DESIGN Six measures were examined: first-trimester prenatal care, childhood immunization completion, Pap tests, low birth weight, controlled hypertension, and controlled diabetes. The top 25 percent performing centers were compared with lower performing (bottom 75 percent) centers on these measures. Logistic regressions were utilized to assess the impact of patient, provider, and institutional characteristics on health center performance. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Clinical care and outcomes among health centers were generally comparable to national averages. For instance, 67 percent of pregnant patients received timely prenatal care (national = 68 percent), 69 percent of children achieved immunization completion (national = 67 percent), and 63 percent of hypertensive patients had blood pressure under control (national = 48 percent). Depending on the measure, centers with more uninsured patients were less likely to do well, while centers with more physicians and enabling service providers were more likely to do well. CONCLUSIONS Health centers provide quality care at rates comparable to national averages. Performance may be improved by increasing insurance coverage among patients and increasing the ratios of physicians and enabling service providers to patients.