Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prospects of medium specific activity (177) Lu in targeted therapy of prostate cancer using (177) Lu-labeled PSMA inhibitor.

Targeted radionuclide therapy using (177) Lu-labeled peptidomimetic inhibitor of prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) viz. PSMA-617 is emerging as one the most effective strategies for management of metastatic prostate cancer, which is one of the leading causes of cancer related death. The aim of the present study is to develop a robust and easily adaptable protocol for formulation of therapeutic dose of (177) Lu-PSMA-617 at hospital radiopharmacy using moderate specific activity (177) Lu available at an affordable cost. Extensive radiochemical studies were performed to optimize the required [PSMA-617] / [Lu] ratio and other parameters to formulate 7.4 GBq dose of (177) Lu-PSMA-617. Based on these, 7.4 GBq therapeutic dose of (177) Lu-PSMA-617 was formulated by incubating 160 µg of PSMA-617 with indigenously produced (177) LuCl3 (555 GBq/µg specific activity of (177) Lu) at 90 °C for 30 min. The radiochemical purity of the formulation was 98.3 ± 0.6% (n = 7) which was retained to the extent of >95% after 7 d in normal saline at room temperature and >96% after 2 d in human serum at 37 °C. Preliminary clinical studies showed specific targeting of the agent in the lesion sites and similar physiological distribution as in diagnostic (68) Ga-PSMA-11 PET scans performed earlier. The developed optimized protocol for formulating therapeutic dose of (177) Lu-PSMA-617 could be useful for large number of nuclear medicine therapy clinics across the world having access to moderate specific activity (177) Lu at an affordable cost.
The Effects of Supplementary Low-Load Blood Flow Restriction Training on Morphological and Performance-Based Adaptations in Team Sport Athletes

Abstract Scott, BR, Peiffer, JJ, and Goods, PSR. The effects of supplementary low-load blood flow restriction training on morphological and performance-based adaptations in team sport athletes. J Strength Cond Res 31(8): 2147–2154, 2017—Low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction (BFR) may be a method to enhance muscular development even in trained athletes. This study aimed to assess whether supplemental low-load BFR training can improve muscle size, strength, and physical performance characteristics in team sport athletes. Twenty-one semiprofessional Australian football athletes were assessed for 3-repetition maximum (3RM) and muscular endurance in the back squat, vastus lateralis muscle architecture, and performance in sprint and vertical jump tasks. Participants then undertook a 5-week training program, consisting of normal high-load resistance training supplemented by low-load squats with (LLBFR) or without (LL) BFR. Participants also performed regular conditioning and football training during this period. After the training intervention, participants again completed the pretraining testing battery. Squat 3RM and endurance increased from pretraining levels in both LL (3RM = 12.5% increase; endurance = 24.1% increase; p ⩽ 0.007) and LLBFR (3RM = 12.3% increase; endurance = 21.2% increase; p = 0.007) groups, though there were no between-group differences. No post-training changes were observed for muscle architecture, or performance in sprinting and jumping tasks. Although squat 3RM and endurance performance increased in both groups, adding BFR during supplemental exercise did not enhance these responses. Similarly, there were no large differences in the assessments of sprint, acceleration, and jumping performance between the groups after training. These findings suggest that although LLBFR did not negatively affect adaptive responses to resistance training, this training strategy may not provide added benefit for healthy Australian football athletes already undertaking a rigorous training schedule.
Kinetics of Ethylene Glycol Biodegradation in a Sequencing Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor

Treatment of waste water containing ethylene glycol (EG) by implementing a sequence of two Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR) were studied. Reactors were operated at different hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 48, 24, 18, and10 hours while EG concentration was in the range of 10 mg/l to 1,150 mg/l. Throughout the experiments the ratio of EG Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) to total COD was changed from 0.0 to1.0. The maximum removal efficiency of EG was achieved at HRT of 18 hours during the tests and COD removal efficiency varied from 71.7% to 96.7%.
Luminal Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Exhibit Proinflammatory Effects on Epithelial Cells and Macrophages

Background:Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed particles released by cells as a means of intercellular communication. They are potential novel biomarkers, as they are readily isolated from body fluids, and their composition reflects disease pathways. Whether these particles are released from sites of intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not previously been determined. Methods:EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation of colonic luminal fluid aspirates and characterized according to surface proteins, and constituent mRNA and proteins. The effects of EVs on colonic epithelial cells and macrophages in culture were assessed at the transcriptional, translational, and functional levels. Results:Intestinal luminal aspirates contained abundant EVs, at a mean concentration of 4.3 × 1011 particles/mL and with a mean diameter of 146 nm. EVs from patients with IBD with a high endoscopic score (≥1) contained significantly higher mRNA and protein levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-8, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor &agr; than EVs from healthy controls. EVs were absorbed by cultured colonic epithelial cells, leading to an increased translation of IL-8 protein by recipient cells when treated with EVs from patients with IBD. EVs and EV-treated epithelial cells induced migration of a significantly greater number of macrophages than epithelial cells alone. Conclusions:EVs shed from sites of intestinal inflammation in patients with IBD have a distinct mRNA and protein profile from those of healthy individuals. These EVs have proinflammatory effects on the colonic epithelium, in vitro. Their stability in luminal samples and their mRNA and protein content identify them as a potential fecal biomarker that reflects mucosal inflammatory pathways.
Sequence variation in three mitochondrial genes among Gasterophilus intestinalis isolates from two distinct regions in China

Abstract Horse gastrointestinal myiasis caused by larvae of Gasterophilus spp. has a worldwide distribution. However, little information is available on the genetic variation of Gasterophilus spp. at the molecular level. In the present study, sequence variation was examined in three mitochondrial (mt) genes, namely mt cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), NADH dehydrogenase subunits 5 (nad5) and large subunit ribosomal RNA (rrnL), among G. intestinalis isolates originating from Heilongjiang Provience and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The complete cox1, nad5, and rrnL gene sequences were amplified by PCR separately from adult G. intestinalis individuals and the amplicons were sequenced from both directions. The size of the sequences of cox1, nad5, and rrnL genes was 1539 bp, 1717 bp, and 1321 bp, respectively. The A + T contents of the sequences were 62.7–63.9% (cox1), 70–70.7% (nad5), and 74.5–74.9% (rrnL). The intra-specific sequence variations within G. intestinalis were 0.1–3.1% for cox1, 0.4–3.4% for nad5, and 0.1–1.5% for rrnL. Phylogenetic analyses based on the cox1 sequences using the Bayesian inference indicated that all the G. intestinalis isolates grouped together with high statistical support. These findings demonstrated clearly the usefulness of mt cox1, nad5, and rrnL sequences for the molecular identification and for studying population genetics of G. intestinalis in horses.
Effects of omeprazole and ranitidine on gastric acid secretion, blood gastrin levels and [3H]-thymidine incorporation in the oxyntic mucosa from dogs and rats.

Dogs provided with a gastric fistula were treated orally for 1 week either with the H+, K+-ATPase inhibitor omeprazole, 80 mumol/kg once daily, or with the histamine H2 receptor antagonist ranitidine, 85-175 mumol/kg every 8 h. Acid secretion, serum gastrin levels and [3H]-thymidine incorporation in the corpus mucosa were determined before, during and after the treatment period. In order to examine differences between species, plasma gastrin levels and [3H]-thymidine incorporation in the oxyntic mucosa were also determined in female rats treated up to 1 week with omeprazole, 400 mumol/kg orally once daily. Histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion in dogs treated with omeprazole or ranitidine was almost completely inhibited during the whole treatment period. As a consequence of that, the meal-stimulated gastrin levels were increased (7-fold) during treatment by both compounds. [3H]-thymidine incorporation in the dog corpus mucosa was increased approximately 4 times on day 5 both with omeprazole and ranitidine. After the treatment was stopped, gastric acid secretion, serum levels of gastrin and the rate of [3H]-thymidine incorporation were back to control level in both groups within 11 days. In the rats, the plasma gastrin levels increased 10-fold and the rate of [3H]-thymidine incorporation in the corpus mucosa increased 3-fold during treatment with omeprazole. In conclusion, a pronounced suppression of gastric acid secretion over the day with antisecretagogues results in hypergastrinemia in both dogs and rats. As a consequence of the trophic effect of gastrin, the incorporation of [3H]-thymidine in the oxyntic mucosa is increased. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors for epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutation–positive non-small cell lung cancers: an update for recent advances in therapeutics

The presence of activating gene mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor of non-small cell lung cancer patients is predictive (improved progression-free survival and improved response rate) when treated with small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as gefitinib, erlotinib and afatinib. The two most common mutations that account for greater than 85% of all EGFR gene mutations are in-frame deletions in exon 19 (LREA deletions) and substitution in exon 21 (L858R). Exon 18 mutations occur much less frequently at about 4% of all EGFR gene mutations. Together, exon 19 deletion and exon 21 L858R gene substitution are present in about 10% of Caucasian patients and 20–40% of Asian patients with non-small cell lung cancer. T790M gene mutation at exon 20 is associated with acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Early studies showed that activating EGFR gene mutations are most common in patients with adenocarcinoma histology, women, never smokers and those of Asian ethnicity. A recent multi-center phase III trial suggested that frontline epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy with afatinib is associated with improved progression-free survival compared to chemotherapy regardless of race. Moreover, guidelines now suggest EGFR gene mutation testing should be conducted in all patients with lung adenocarcinoma or mixed lung cancers with an adenocarcinoma component, regardless of characteristics such as smoking status, gender or race. The success of targeted therapies in non-small cell lung cancer patients has changed the treatment paradigm in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. However, despite a durable response of greater than a year, resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors inevitably occurs. This mini-review describes the clinically relevant EGFR gene mutations and the efficacy/toxicity of small molecule epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors as targeted therapies for these gene mutations. Therapeutic strategies to overcome resistance, including emerging and novel therapies, are discussed.
High Postdialysis Urea Rebound Can Predict Intradialytic Increase in Intraocular Pressure in Dialysis Patients with Lowered Intradialytic Hemoconcentration

Background: Intradialytic (ID) decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP) parallel to ultrafiltration-induced hemoconcentration has been recently reported. However, exacerbation of glaucoma in hemodialysis (HD) patients during HD sessions is occasionally observed. Postdialysis urea rebound (PDUR) is induced by the lag in urea removal from the cells to urea removal from the extracellular fluid, which when increased can result in ID drag of water to intracellular compartment. It is our hypothesis that similar lag in urea removal from ocular compartments may also be reflected by PDUR, and may induce drag of water into ocular compartments counteracting the effect of hemoconcentration. Our assumption was, therefore, that PDUR might predict ID increase in IOP. Methods: IOP, serum urea and hematocrit levels were measured at the start, end and 1 h postdialysis, in 19 chronic HD patients with normal IOP. Results: PDUR was positively correlated with mean (both eyes) ID changes in IOP (MIDIOP) (r = 0.5, p = 0.03) and % MIDIOP (r = 0.55, p = 0.02). ID increase in IOP was observed only in the 7 patients with relatively higher PDUR (≧9 mg%), who had also a relatively lower % ID change in Hct (<8%). MIDIOP was negatively correlated with % ID changes in Hct (r = –0.65, p = 0.03) in the 12 patients with PDUR ≧9 mg, and positively correlated with PDUR (r = 0.57, p = 0.03) in the 14 patients with % ID change in Hct <8%. Conclusion: High PDUR may predict susceptibility to ID increase in IOP in patients with lowered ID hemoconcentration.
The Next Wave of Biological Agents for the Treatment of IBD: Evidence from Cochrane Reviews

Abstract:Multiple new biological treatments for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are becoming available. Specifically, vedolizumab and ustekinumab are monoclonal antibodies that target molecular pathways relevant to disease pathogenesis. What can Cochrane reviews tell us about the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of these new agents? A Cochrane inflammatory bowel disease group symposium held at the 2015 Digestive Diseases Week annual meeting addressed these questions. This article reviews the data presented at that session.
Automatic identification of wake vortex traverse by transport aircraft using fuzzy logic

Aircraft trailing vortices result sometimes in significant disturbance to following aircraft. Separation standards between leading and following aircraft are sometimes over estimated, hence reducing airport capacity. An important contribution to the formation and revision of vortex separations lies in the recognition of wake vortex traverse by pilot reports together with a manual analysis of the flight data routinely recorded by flight data recorders (FDRs). This process has many disadvantages and, therefore, it is desirable to have an automatic identification technique, which can save time, and is both accurate and simple to implement. In this paper, fuzzy logic (FL) is used to model and identify vortex encounters. FL tolerates data imprecision and cope well with complexities in modeling the vortex encounters. Fuzzy linguistic variables are used to model FDR data. Fuzzy rules are derived from a collection of 54 pilot reports of vortex encounters and 210 flight records from FDRs. FL identification models are analyzed and the fuzzy rule base is optimized. An average success rate of identification of 83.7% is obtained. This automatic identification system should enable the aviation authorities to review regularly the appropriateness of wake vortex separation criteria to enhance safety and increase airport capacities.
Adults’ and Children’s Understanding of How Expertise Influences Learning

Adults and children use information about expertise to infer what a person is likely to know, but it is unclear whether they realize that expertise also has implications for learning. We explore adults’ and children’s understanding that expertise in a particular category supports learning about a closely related category. In four experiments, 5-year-olds and adults (n = 160) judged which of two people would be better at learning about a new category. When faced with an expert and a nonexpert, adults consistently indicated that expertise supports learning in a closely related category; however, children’s judgments were inconsistent and were strongly influenced by the description of the nonexpert. The results suggest that although children understand what it means to be an expert, they may judge an individual’s learning capacity based on different considerations than adults.
Transplanted glial restricted precursor cells improve neurobehavioral and neuropathological outcomes in a mouse model of neonatal white matter injury despite limited cell survival

Neonatal white matter injury (NWMI) is the leading cause of cerebral palsy and other neurocognitive deficits in prematurely‐born children, and no restorative therapies exist. Our objective was to determine the fate and effect of glial restricted precursor cell (GRP) transplantation in an ischemic mouse model of NWMI.
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Nail Disorders.

BACKGROUND Nail disorders can arise at any age. About half of all nail disorders are of infectious origin, 15% are due to inflammatory or metabolic conditions, and 5% are due to malignancies and pigment disturbances. The differential diagnosis of nail disorders is often an area of uncertainty. METHODS This review is based on publications and guidelines retrieved by a selective search in PubMed, including Cochrane reviews, meta-analyses, and AWMF guidelines. RESULTS Nail disorders are a common reason for derma - tologic consultation. They are assessed by clinical inspection, dermatoscopy, diagnostic imaging, microbiological (including mycological) testing, and histopathological examination. Some 10% of the overall population suffers from onychomycosis, with a point prevalence of around 15%. Bacterial infections of the nails are rarer than fungal colonization. High-risk groups for nail disorders include diabetics, dialysis patients, transplant recipients, and cancer patients. Malignant tumors of the nails are often not correctly diagnosed at first. For subungual melanoma, the mean time from the initial symptom to the correct diagnosis is approximately 2 years; this delay is partly responsible for the low 10-year survival rate of only 43%. CONCLUSION Evaluation of the nail organ is an important diagnostic instrument. Aside from onychomycosis, which is a common nail disorder, important differential diagnoses such as malignant diseases, drug side effects, and bacterial infections must be considered.
Increased plasma lipoprotein(a) in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is related to peritoneal transport of proteins and glucose.

Markedly increased plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels have recently been reported in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients but the genesis is obscure. Lp(a) levels in CAPD are in general higher than in hemodialysis (HD) patients, suggesting that the dialysis procedure might be of importance. In the present study, we investigated relationships between Lp(a) and parameters related to the dialysis procedure per se (dialysis dose, peritoneal glucose absorption, protein losses and protein clearances) in 32 adult CAPD patients. Uremic patients treated with HD (n = 73) as well as a group of 43 healthy subjects served as control groups. The plasma level of Lp(a) was significantly higher in the CAPD patients (median 28.2 mg/dl) than in the HD patients (median 9.2 mg/dl) and the healthy controls (median 7.0 mg/dl), whereas Lp(a) levels in the HD patients did not differ from the healthy controls. In the CAPD patients, significant correlations were found between Lp(a) and 24-hour peritoneal and total clearance for albumin (r = 0.472 and r = 0.368, p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively), and between Lp(a) and 24-hour peritoneal clearance for beta(2)-microglobulin (r = 0.421; p < 0.05). Similar correlations were found between Lp(a) and 24-hour peritoneal albumin excretion, total albumin excretion and peritoneal beta(2)-microglobulin excretion. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between Lp(a) and peritoneal glucose absorption (r = 0.352; p < 0.05). Serum cholesterol showed significant correlations with 24-hour . peritoneal albumin loss and 24-hour peritoneal beta(2)-microglobulin clearance, whereas LDL cholesterol showed a significant correlation with 24-hour peritoneal beta(2)-microglobulin clearance. In a longitudinal study of 12 CAPD patients, Lp(a) levels increased significantly between the start of CAPD and at follow-up 3-5 months later. The correlation of the markedly increased levels of Lp(a) with peritoneal albumin and beta(2)-microglobulin clearance suggests that the mechanism behind the increased Lp(a) levels may be related to the large protein losses in CAPD, perhaps via an increased synthesis rate of apolipoprotein (a) in the liver or via decreased Lp(a) catabolism in CAPD patients. Finally, the correlation between Lp(a) and peritoneal glucose absorption also indicates that the increased plasma Lp(a) levels in CAPD are related to the dialysis procedure, in particular peritoneal transport of proteins and glucose.
Genome-wide association study reveals putative regulators of bioenergy traits in Populus deltoides.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been used extensively to dissect the genetic regulation of complex traits in plants. These studies have focused largely on the analysis of common genetic variants despite the abundance of rare polymorphisms in several species, and their potential role in trait variation. Here, we conducted the first GWAS in Populus deltoides, a genetically diverse keystone forest species in North America and an important short rotation woody crop for the bioenergy industry. We searched for associations between eight growth and wood composition traits, and common and low-frequency single-nucleotide polymorphisms detected by targeted resequencing of 18 153 genes in a population of 391 unrelated individuals. To increase power to detect associations with low-frequency variants, multiple-marker association tests were used in combination with single-marker association tests. Significant associations were discovered for all phenotypes and are indicative that low-frequency polymorphisms contribute to phenotypic variance of several bioenergy traits. Our results suggest that both common and low-frequency variants need to be considered for a comprehensive understanding of the genetic regulation of complex traits, particularly in species that carry large numbers of rare polymorphisms. These polymorphisms may be critical for the development of specialized plant feedstocks for bioenergy.
The moderating effect of alcohol use on protective and risky sex behaviors among college students in the Southeast United States

ABSTRACT Objective: College students are a high-risk population for new human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) diagnoses. Although condom use self-efficacy and HIV knowledge can protect against risky sexual behavior (RSB), these same protective factors have been shown to exacerbate RSB. The influence of alcohol use can further complicate these protective factors to influence RSB. Participants: 689 African American/Black and non-Hispanic White college students attending a public university in the Southeast United States. Method: This study sought to examine the relations between condom use self-efficacy and HIV knowledge with RSB and the moderating effect of alcohol use. Results: Findings showed positive associations between RSB and HIV knowledge and alcohol use. Unexpectedly, low frequency drinkers with high condom use self-efficacy were at increased risk for RSB compared to high frequency drinking counterparts. Conclusions: Findings point to the need to target prevention services for low-risk drinkers in college settings.