Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Progesterone Treatment That either Blocks or Augments the Estradiol-Induced Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Surge Is Associated with Different Patterns of Hypothalamic Neural Activation

Progesterone can either augment or inhibit the surge of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) that drives the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. This study investigated the central mechanisms through which progesterone might achieve these divergent effects by examining the effects of exogenous steroids on the activation of GnRH neurons and non-GnRH-immunopositive cells in the preoptic area/anterior hypothalamus of steroid-treated ovariectomized ewes. Fos expression (an index of cellular activation) was examined during the estradiol-induced GnRH surge in ewes treated with progesterone using regimes that have been reported to either augment (progesterone pretreatment) or inhibit (progesterone treatment at the time of the surge-inducing estradiol increment) the GnRH surge. Control groups received either no progesterone pretreatment or no surge-inducing estradiol increment. Induction of an LH surge was associated with a significant (p < 0.0001) increase in the proportion of activated GnRH neurons, irrespective of whether ewes received progesterone pretreatment. However, the number of non-GnRH-immunopositive cells activated during the surge was significantly (p < 0.0001) increased in ewes that received the progesterone pretreatment. By contrast, the proportion of GnRH neurons and non-GnRH-immunopositive cells that expressed Fos was significantly (p < 0.0001) reduced in ewes in which the surge was inhibited by progesterone compared to ewes in which a surge was stimulated. These data indicate that (1) progesterone pretreatment increases the activation of non-GnRH cells during the estradiol-induced surge, but does not affect the proportion of GnRH neurons activated and (2) when administered concurrently with a surge-inducing estradiol increment, progesterone prevents the activation of GnRH neurons and non-GnRH cells that is normally associated with the estradiol-induced surge. Therefore, progesterone does not appear to augment the GnRH surge by increasing the proportion of GnRH neurons that are activated by estradiol, whereas inhibition of the GnRH surge involves prevention of the activation of GnRH neurons. Thus, the augmentation and inhibition of the GnRH surge by progesterone appear to be regulated via different effects on the GnRH neurosecretory system.
NAADP Mobilizes Calcium from the Endoplasmic Reticular Ca2+ Store in T-lymphocytes*

The target calcium store of nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP), the most potent endogenous calcium-mobilizing compound known to date, has been proposed to reside in the lysosomal compartment or in the endo/sarcoplasmic reticulum. This study was performed to test the hypothesis of a lysosomal versus an endoplasmic reticular calcium store sensitive to NAADP in T-lymphocytes. Pretreatment of intact Jurkat T cells with glycyl-phenylalanine 2-naphthylamide largely reduced staining of lysosomes by LysoTracker Red and abolished NAADP-induced Ca2+ signaling. However, the inhibitory effect was not specific since Ca2+ mobilization by d-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and cyclic ADP-ribose was abolished, too. Bafilomycin A1, an inhibitor of the lysosomal H+-ATPase, did not block or reduce NAADP-induced Ca2+ signaling, although it effectively prevented labeling of lysosomes by LysoTracker Red. Further, previous T cell receptor/CD3 stimulation in the presence of bafilomycin A1, assumed to block refilling of lysosomal Ca2+ stores, did not antagonize subsequent NAADP-induced Ca2+ signaling. In contrast to bafilomycin A1, emptying of the endoplasmic reticulum by thapsigargin almost completely prevented Ca2+ signaling induced by NAADP. In conclusion, in T-lymphocytes, no evidence for involvement of lysosomes in NAADP-mediated Ca2+ signaling was obtained. The sensitivity of NAADP-induced Ca2+ signaling toward thapsigargin, combined with our recent results identifying ryanodine receptors as the target calcium channel of NAADP (Dammermann, W., and Guse, A. H. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 21394–21399), rather suggest that the target calcium store of NAADP in T cells is the endoplasmic reticulum.
In vitro secretion of prostaglandins from endometrium of postpartum beef cows expected to have short or normal luteal phases.

The objective of this study was to characterize endometrial secretion (in vitro) of prostaglandin F (PGF), 15-keto-13,14-dihydro-prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) on Day 5 following the first postpartum estrus of cows anticipated to have a short compared to a normal estrous cycle. Twenty-seven beef cows were randomly assigned into four groups. The Short Cycle (n = 6; control) and Short Cycle/Explant (n = 8; endometrial explants) groups had their calves weaned at 30-32 days postpartum. The Normal Cycle (n = 5, control) and Normal Cycle/Explant (n = 8; endometrial explants) groups received norgestomet (progestin) implants for 9 days beginning 21-23 days postpartum, and calves were weaned at implant insertion. Estrous cycle length (mean +/- SE; p less than 0.01) for the Short Cycle group was 11.5 +/- 1.9 days compared to 18.8 +/- 0.6 days for the Normal Cycle group. On Day 5 following the first postpartum estrus, cows in the Short Cycle/Explant and Normal Cycle/Explant groups were hysterectomized, and endometrial explants were incubated in Earle's Balanced Salt solution/Medium 199 for 90 min with or without arachidonic acid (AA) in the presence of three levels of oxytocin. Mean concentrations of PGF and PGFM were combined to obtain a value for total PGF. Concentrations of total PGF, PGE2 (from explants without AA treatment), and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in medium of the Short Cycle/Explant group were higher (p less than 0.01) than in medium of the Normal Cycle/Explant group. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
DNA damage in horticultural farmers: a pilot study showing an association with organophosphate pesticide exposure

A study of horticultural farmers exposed to organophosphate pesticides (OPs) and controls investigated the relationships between OP exposure, DNA damage and oxidative stress. Blood acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and urinary dialkylphosphate (DAP) levels determined exposure and 8-hydroxy-29- deoxyguanosine (8OHdG) indicated oxidative stress status. The farmers had approximately 30% lower AChE activity and increased DAP levels compared with the controls, reflecting moderate OP exposure. They had higher DNA damage than the controls and there was a significant positive relationship between DAP and DNA damage with greater than 95% power. The farmers also had a significant positive relationship between urinary DAP and 8OHdG levels.
Empirical Analysis of the Crowding Out Effect of the National Pension on Household Private Savings (in Korean)

This paper focuses on a type of individuals' economic behavior that National Pension System is likely to change, particularly their saving. This paper empirically analyzes the whole and different income groups' crowding out effect of the National Pension System(NPS) on household's non pension wealth by estimating Pension Wealth(PW) elasticity using the Korea Labor and Income Panel data(1999~2005). The estimation result shows that 10% increase in the PW decreases the household's non pension wealth by 1% and the lower income household is, the more degree of decreasing it is. This is to say that current National Pension would give a contribution to downward trend of private saving rate and produce large differences in saving rates across income groups since 1998 IMF Currency Crisis.
Recreational bicycling as a “gateway” to utility bicycling: The case of Charlotte, NC

ABSTRACT Riding a bicycle for utility purposes in US cities is rare, especially in historically automobile-dominated cities. Using data from a transportation survey administered to 406 residents of Charlotte, NC, this paper reports on the results of a logistic regression model that predicts the influence of an individual's recreational cycling frequency on the odds of that individual riding a bicycle for utility purposes on a weekly basis. The odds of an individual riding for utility purposes at least once a week increases dramatically as an individual rides more for recreation. Recreational cycling appears to offer a space in which individuals can acquire a threshold level of skills and materials necessary to ride their bike for utility purposes. Results suggest that plans to increase utility cycling in an automobile-dominated city like Charlotte ought to emphasize and fund opportunities for residents to ride recreationally, and consider how experience riding a bike in the temporally- and spatially- flexible context of recreation can encourage more individuals to ride to and from errands, school, or their place of work.
Predictors and incidence of access site complications in transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the use of new delivery systems

Objectives: The aim of this single-center study was to assess the incidence and predictors of in-hospital access site complications related to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) performed with new delivery systems in our hospital which has the largest case series in Turkey. Materials and method: We performed successful TAVI with the Edwards Sapien XT valve to 127 (46 male) patients via a transfemoral (121), trans-subclavian (5) and transapical (1) approach. Access site complications were defined according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC) end-point definitions. Results: Vascular complications occurred in 10.1% of patients. There was negative correlation between vascular complications and diameter of the common femoral artery (r = − 0.301, p=0.004), external iliac artery (r = − 0.327, p=0.004) and common iliac artery (r = − 0.324, p=0.004), but positive correlation between diabetes (r =0.240, p=0.008), sheath to femoral artery ratio (SFAR), sheath to external iliac artery ratio (SEIAR), procedure time, discharge time and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score (respectively; r=0.339, 0.001, 0.527, 0.361, 0.289, p=0.003, 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, 0.002). The incidence of vascular complications was significantly higher in patients with diabetes and a high STS score. VARC bleeding complications occurred in 11.7 % of patients. The learning curve pointing out the importance of experience was significantly important in decreasing both bleeding and vascular complications. Conclusions: In this study, we demonstrated that major vascular complications related to TAVI decrease with the use of smaller delivery systems and experience and increase with high-risk scores (STS) and the presence of diabetes. In addition, VARC major vascular complications, observed mostly in patients with diabete mellitus (DM) and high STS scores, were associated with vascular diameters. These results further underline the importance of experience and a multidisciplinary team in patient selection and management for TAVI.
Gender, Structural Factors, and Credit Terms between Canadian Small Businesses and Financial Institutions

This paper reports on an analysis of whether or not the terms of bank credit differ between men and women business owners. Based on a large sample of borrowing experiences, it is found that men and women business owners differ in systemic ways, but that when such differences are taken into account, no differences in the terms of credit persist. In spite of this conclusion, it is found that women small business owners feel themselves to have been treated disrespectfully by lending officers to a significantly greater extent than do male business owners. These findings provide a reconciliation of previous research findings, findings that report both equity of treatment of both genders by financial institutions yet a widespread sense of injustice on the part of women business owners. Implications for the training of loan account managers are developed.
Co-ligation of the Antigen and Fc Receptors Gives Rise to the Selective Modulation of Intracellular Signaling in B Cells

Cross-linking of the Fc receptor (FcR) to surface immunoglobulin (sIg) on B cells inhibits the influx of extracellular calcium and abrogates the proliferative signal. The mechanism by which this occurs is not well understood. In this report we show that co-cross-linking the FcR to the antigen receptor gives rise to very selective modulation of signal transduction in B cells. Co-cross-linking sIg and the FcR enhanced the phosphorylation of the FcR, the adapter protein, Shc, and the inositol 5′-phosphatase Ship. Furthermore, phosphorylation of the FcR induced its association with Ship. Cross-linking of the FcR and sIg decreased the tyrosine phosphorylation of CD19, which led to a reduction in the association of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. In addition, the phosphorylation of several other proteins of 73, 39, and 34 kDa was reduced. Activation of the cells with either F(ab′)2 or intact anti-IgG induced very similar changes in levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of most other proteins, and no differences in the activation of several protein kinases were observed. These results indicate that the inhibitory signal that is transmitted through the FcR is not mediated by a global shutdown of tyrosine phosphorylation but is, rather, a selective mechanism involving localized changes in the interactions of adapter proteins and the enzymes Ship and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase with the antigen receptor complex.
Altered Regulation of the OmpF Porin by Fis in Escherichia coli during an Evolution Experiment and between B and K-12 Strains

ABSTRACT The phenotypic plasticity of global regulatory networks provides bacteria with rapid acclimation to a wide range of environmental conditions, while genetic changes in those networks provide additional flexibility as bacteria evolve across long time scales. We previously identified mutations in the global regulator-encoding gene fis that enhanced organismal fitness during a long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli. To gain insight into the effects of these mutations, we produced two-dimensional protein gels with strains carrying different fis alleles, including a beneficial evolved allele and one with an in-frame deletion. We found that Fis controls the expression of the major porin-encoding gene ompF in the E. coli B-derived ancestral strain used in the evolution experiment, a relationship that has not been described before. We further showed that this regulatory connection evolved over two different time scales, perhaps explaining why it was not observed before. On the longer time scale, we showed that this regulation of ompF by Fis is absent from the more widely studied K-12 strain and thus is specific to the B strain. On a shorter time scale, this regulatory linkage was lost during 20,000 generations of experimental evolution of the B strain. Finally, we mapped the Fis binding sites in the ompF regulatory region, and we present a hypothetical model of ompF expression that includes its other known regulators.
Transient Paraparesis After Laminectomy for Thoracic Myelopathy due to Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament: A Case Report

Study Design. Case report. Objectives. We report a case with thoracic myelopathy due to ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the spine, in which neurologic deterioration progressed after laminectomy and was markedly reversed after additional posterior instrumented fusion. Summary of Background Data. Many different surgical procedures may be used in the treatment of thoracic OPLL. However, the possibility of postoperative paraplegia remains a major risk, and consistent protocols and procedures for surgical correction of thoracic OPLL have not been established. Methods. The patient was a 53-year-old man with continuous OPLL at T3–T8 that compressed the spinal cord anteriorly. Anterior decompression surgery employing a posterior approach was initiated, but during OPLL extirpation electrophysiologic monitoring of spinal cord activity showed abnormalities. As a result, the procedure was converted to a wide laminectomy. Over the next 4 weeks, kyphosis of the thoracic spine increased and myelopathy worsened, producing severe paraparesis. Results. Four weeks after surgery, posterior instrumented fusion (T1–L1) was performed without correction of the kyphosis. After the fusion, neurologic deficits gradually recovered and the patient was fully recovered after 10 months. At follow-up 15 years after the fusion, no neurologic deterioration was seen despite the presence of residual anterior impingement of spinal cord by OPLL. Conclusions. The present case suggests that kyphosis and instability are major factors that affect the severity of thoracic myelopathy due to OPLL, and posterior fusion with spinal instrumentation is a safe and effective adjunct procedure for surgical treatment of thoracic OPLL.
Fluoroquinolone Therapy in Staphylococcus aureus Infections: Where Do We Stand?

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the utility of various commonly used fluoroquinolones against Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Materials and Methods: A total of 250 isolates of S. aureus were studied from different clinical specimens like blood, pus, wound swabs, sputum, ear swabs, and body fluids between November 2009 and December 2011. All the isolates were tested for their susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and other antimicrobial agents by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method using criteria of standard zone of inhibition. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) detection was done by cefoxitin disk diffusion method. The MRSA isolates were tested for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to vancomycin by E-test strips. All the MRSA strains were sent to National Staphylococcal Phage-typing Centre, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi for phage typing. Results: A total of 107 strains of S. aureus (42.8%) were detected as MRSA. Multidrug resistance was observed among the MRSA strains more commonly than among the MSSA stains. Among the fluoroquinolones, maximum resistance in MRSA was seen to ciprofloxacin (92.5%), followed by ofloxacin (80.4%). None of the S. aureus isolates showed resistance to vancomycin and linezolid. The MICs of vancomycin for the MRSA tested ranged from 0.5 to 2 μg/ml. Phage typing pattern of 107 MRSA isolates revealed that 37 (34.6%) MRSA isolates were nontypeable and 70 (65.4%) were typeable. Conclusion: Ciprofloxacin can no longer be used in empirical therapy against MRSA infections. Use of other members of fluoroquinolone should be limited only to those strains that show laboratory confirmation of their susceptibility. Vancomycin remains the drug of choice to treat MRSA infections.
Effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on short chain fatty acid levels in gingival crevicular fluid of patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) play important roles in periodontal diseases. However, the concentrations of SCFAs in gingival crevicular fluid of patients with aggressive periodontitis are not known. The aim of this intervention study was to investigate the influences of non-surgical periodontal therapy on levels of SCFAs in the gingival crevicular fluid of patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis (G-AgP), and analyze the concentrations of SCFAs in sites with or without the detected putative periodontal pathogens. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighty gingival crevicular fluid samples (four per subject) were collected on filter paper strips from patients with G-AgP (n = 20; mean age 24.5 years), before and at 2 wk, 2, 4 and 6 mo after non-surgical periodontal treatment. Eighty gingival crevicular fluid samples (four per subject) were collected from periodontally healthy controls (n = 20; mean age 26.2 years). Concentrations of formic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and isovaleric acid from the supernatant of gingival crevicular fluid samples were measured by high performance capillary electrophoresis. Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum from the precipitate of the same pretreatment samples of gingival crevicular fluids were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction amplification. RESULTS The clinical parameters of patients with G-AgP during the 6 mo after non-surgical periodontal treatment were improved remarkably. The formic acid concentration increased significantly after treatment; the level of formic acid was lower in the P. gingivalis-, T. denticola-, P. intermedia- or F. nucleatum-positive sites compared with the negative sites. The concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid reduced significantly after treatment and reached the lowest level at 2 wk post-treatment, although showed a tendency to increase after 2 mo post-treatment, and the three SCFA levels were significantly higher in P. gingivalis-, T. denticola-, P. intermedia- or F. nucleatum-positive sites compared with those in the negative sites. CONCLUSION Non-surgical periodontal treatment resulted in a significant decrease of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid levels and increase of formic acid level in gingival crevicular fluids in patients with G-AgP, accompanied by improvement in clinical parameters. A marked lower level of formic acid, as well as higher levels of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid in gingival crevicular fluid of patients with G-AgP was consistent with periodontal pathogen infection.
Evaluating the cost to industry of electricity outages

ABSTRACT The unreliability of electricity supplies is a major cause of the high cost of manufacturing in developing countries. In this paper, we propose a more accurate approach, the contribution method, to measure the cost imposed by power outages. We employ a rich, if not unique, set of data from the detailed operating accounts of three large manufacturing enterprises in Nepal. Estimating the true opportunity costs to the enterprises from lost production caused by power outages sheds light on the issue of cost measurement that is critical for the determination of the feasibility of mitigating measures. Furthermore, having such micro-based information on the value of lost load per kWh by firm or sector is critical for reducing the economic costs of planned outages by the electric utility.