Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Renal tubular triglyercide accumulation following endotoxic, toxic, and ischemic injury.

BACKGROUND Cholesterol accumulates in renal cortical proximal tubules in response to diverse forms of injury or physiologic stress. However, the fate of triglycerides after acute renal insults is poorly defined. This study sought new insights into this issue. METHODS CD-1 mice were subjected to three diverse models of renal stress: (1) endotoxemia [Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), injection]; (2) ischemia/reperfusion (I/R); or (3) glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis. Renal cortical, or isolated proximal tubule, triglyceride levels were measured approximately 18 hours later. To gain mechanistic insights, triglyceride levels were determined in (1) proximal tubules following exogenous phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) treatment; (2) cultured HK-2 cells after mitochondrial blockade (antimycin A) +/- serum; or (3) HK-2 cells following "septic" (post-LPS) serum, or exogenous fatty acid (oleate) addition. RESULTS Each form of in vivo injury evoked three-to fourfold triglyceride increases in renal cortex and/or proximal tubules. PLA(2) treatment of proximal tubules evoked acute, dose-dependent, triglyceride formation. HK-2 cell triglyceride levels rose with antimycin A. With serum present, antimycin A induced an exaggerated triglyceride loading state (vs. serum alone or antimycin A alone). "Septic" serum stimulated HK-2 triglyceride formation (compared to control serum). Oleate addition caused striking HK-2 cell triglyceride accumulation. Following oleate washout, HK-2 cells were sensitized to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion or oxidant attack. CONCLUSION Diverse forms of renal injury induce dramatic triglyceride loading in proximal tubules/renal cortex, suggesting that this is a component of a cell stress response. PLA(2) activity, increased triglyceride/triglyceride substrate (e.g., fatty acid) uptake, and possible systemic cytokine (e.g., from LPS) stimulation, may each contribute to this result. Finally, in addition to being a marker of prior cell injury, accumulation of triglyceride (or of its constituent fatty acids) may predispose tubules to superimposed ATP depletion or oxidant attack.
Nonadditive indirect effects of group genetic diversity on larval viability in Drosophila melanogaster imply key role of maternal decision‐making

Genetic variation can have important consequences for populations: high population genetic diversity is typically associated with ecological success. Some mechanisms that account for these benefits assume that local social groups with high genetic diversity are more successful than low‐diversity groups. At the same time, active decision‐making by individuals can influence group genetic diversity. Here, we examine how maternal decisions that determine group genetic diversity influence the viability of Drosophila melanogaster larvae. Our groups contained wild‐type larvae, whose genetic diversity we manipulated, and genetically marked ‘tester’ larvae, whose genotype and frequency were identical in all trials. We measured wild‐type and tester viability for each group. Surprisingly, the viability of wild‐type larvae was neither augmented nor reduced when group genetic diversity was altered. However, the viability of the tester genotype was substantially depressed in large, high‐diversity groups. Further, not all high‐diversity groups produced this effect: certain combinations of wild‐type genotypes were deleterious to tester viability, while other groups of the same diversity—but containing different wild‐type genotypes—were not deleterious. These deleterious combinations of wild‐type genotypes could not be predicted by observing the performance of the same tester and wild‐type genotypes in low‐diversity groups. Taken together, these results suggest that nonadditive interactions among genotypes, rather than genetic diversity per se, account for between‐group differences in viability in D. melanogaster and that predicting the consequences of genetic diversity at the population level may not be straightforward.
3 D NMR spectroscopy for resonance assignment and structure elucidation of proteins under MAS : novel pulse schemes and sensitivity considerations q

Two types of 3D MAS NMR experiments are introduced, which combine standard (NC,CC) transfer schemes with (H,H) mixing to simultaneously detect connectivities and structural constraints of uniformly N,C-labeled proteins with high spectral resolution. The homonuclear CCHHC and CCC experiments are recorded with one double-quantum evolution dimension in order to avoid a cubic diagonal in the spectrum. Depending on the second transfer step, spin systems or proton–proton contacts can be determined with reduced spectral overlap. The heteronuclear NHHCC experiment encodes NH–HC proton–proton interactions, which are indicative for the backbone conformation of the protein. The third dimension facilitates the identification of the amino acid spin system. Experimental results on U-[N,C]valine and U-[N,C]ubiquitin demonstrate their usefulness for resonance assignments and for the determination of structural constraints. Furthermore, we give a detailed analysis of alternative multidimensional sampling schemes and their effect on sensitivity and resolution. 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Microbiology of Subphrenic Abscesses: A 14-Year Experience

The objective of the review was to study the aerobic and anaerobic microbiology of subphrenic abscesses in relation with predisposing conditions. A retrospective review of clinical and laboratory data of 52 patients treated between 1974 and 1988 was conducted. Forty-three (83%) patients developed the abscesses after an operative procedure. These included 11 patients after colonic, 9 patients after gastric or duodenal, 7 patients after abdominal trauma, 7 patients after biliary, and 6 patients after appendix surgery. A total of 194 organisms (3.7 isolates/specimen), 83 aerobic (1.6/specimen), and 111 anaerobes (2.1/specimen) were recovered. Aerobic bacteria only were recovered in 7 (13%) abscesses, anaerobic bacteria only in 11 (21%), and mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in 34 (65%). Polymicrobial infection was present in 47 (90%). The predominant aerobic isolates were Escherichia coli (28 isolates), Enterococcus group D(9), and Staphylococcus aureus (9). The predominant anaerobes were Peptostreptococcus species (33 isolates), Bacteroides fragilis group (25), Clostridium species (13), and Prevotella species (6). The number of isolates/site varied. The number of anaerobic bacteria/site outnumbered or was equal to the number of aerobic or facultatives in all instances, except in abscesses after biliary surgery. Their number/site was especially high in abscesses after appendectomy, and the number of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was the lowest after gastric or duodenal surgery. S. aureus predominated after gastric, duodenal and posttrauma surgery; B. fragilis predominated after colonic, appendix, and postabdominal trauma surgery; Enterococcus group D predominated after biliary surgery; Fusobacteriutn and Prevotella species predominated after gastric or duodenal surgery; and Clostridium species predominated after colonic or appendix surgery. These data highlight the polymicrobial aerobic-anaerobic nature of subphrenic abscesses and their correlation with predisposing surgery.
Application of Multivariate Analysis Techniques for Selecting Soil Physical Quality Indicators: A Case Study in Long-Term Field Experiments in Apulia (Southern Italy)

Long-term field experiments and multivariate analysis techniques represent research tools that may improve our knowledge on soil physical quality (SPQ) assessment. These techniques allow us to measure relatively stable soil conditions and to improve soil quality judgment, thereby reducing uncertainties. A monitoring of SPQ under long-term experiments, aimed at comparing crop residue management strategies (burning vs. incorporation of straw, FE1) and soil management (minimum tillage vs. no tillage, FE2), was established during the crop growing season of durum wheat. The relationships between five SPQ indicators (bulk density [BD], macroporosity [PMAC], air capacity [AC], plant available water capacity [PAWC], and relative field capacity [RFC]) were evaluated, and two techniques of multivariate analysis (principal component analysis and stepwise discriminant analysis) were applied to select key indicators for SPQ assessment. According to the used indicators, an SPQ from optimal to intermediate (i.e., not definitely poor) was detected in 65% of the observations in FE1 and in 54% in FE2. The main results showed a significant negative relationship between RFC and AC, and multivariate analysis identified RFC as a key SPQ indicator, mainly in FE2. Plant available water capacity and BD showed the highest discriminating capability in the FE1 dataset. The highest scores of RFC assessment were highlighted for burning and minimum tillage treatments (+1 and +2). An optimal AC range, derived from optimal RFC limits, was obtained and was suggested to better assess the AC of agricultural soils (0.10 ≤ AC ≤ 0.26 cm³ cm–³).
New Evidence on the Effect of Unions and Imports on Monopoly Power

In 1954, Michal Kalecki made the simple argument that monopoly power was enhanced by concentration but reduced by unions. His observation about concentration was not new since Bain (1951) had already begun to measure the higher returns in concentrated industries. But unions were not considered in empirical analyses until the 1980s when studies by Freeman (1983), Salinger (1984), Karier (1985), and Voos and Mishel (1986a; 1986b) demonstrated that monopoly profits, generated by concentrated industries, are shared by unions. The fact that these studies supported Kalecki's theory after thirty years attests to the depth of his insight. In addition to presenting a better model of modern industry, the recent studies also explain why previous research found relatively small returns to concentration. If some profits are diverted to unions, then the firm's profits are a poor measure of the total return to market power. According to Karier (1985) and Voos and Mishel (1986b), this problem is corrected and monopoly profits appear much higher when unions are included.
Determining the Optimal Length of Regulatory Guarantee: A Length�?Of�?Contract Auction

One of the biggest challenges in the area of infrastructure investment is the provision of funding to finance activities. This paper presents an auction design which can reduce the financing cost of infrastructure investments by allowing the length of the regulatory funding period to be determined via an auction. The auction allows bidders to submit bids against a payment for periods of varying length. Thus instead of, for example, a fixed 20-year contract period, some bidders might want to bid for financing over a longer period, say 25 or 30 years. This can be desirable in terms of securing more favourable terms in the financial markets. Our auction design can secure efficiency and lower financing costs. Our auction is motivated by the auctions currently being undertaken by the UK energy regulator (Ofgem) for financing offshore transmission assets. Although the auction was designed with electricity transmission in mind, the auction could be used in other areas of infrastructure investments
Effect of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor on irritability, apathy, and psychotic symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE To ascertain the impact of treatment with citalopram on irritability, apathy, delusions, and hallucinations in nondepressed behaviorally disturbed Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. METHOD This was a retrospective analysis of data from the 36-week Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness in Alzheimer's Disease in which patients with probable AD (diagnosed according to criteria of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association [NINCDS/ADRDA]) were treated in a naturalistic manner. Scores were compared on the irritability, apathy, delusions, and hallucinations subscales of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. The trial was conducted between April 2001 and November 2004. RESULTS Of the 421 patients enrolled, 44 were started on placebo and were later randomly assigned to citalopram treatment. There were data available for 34 subjects who took placebo for at least 14 days. In this group, there was a 60% reduction in irritability and apathy scores, no effect on scores for delusions, and a clinically insignificant drop in scores for hallucinations. CONCLUSIONS The use of citalopram was associated with greatly reduced irritability without sedation in a group of behaviorally disturbed patients with AD.
Use of macrolides in mother and child and risk of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: nationwide cohort study

Objective To assess the association between use of macrolide antibiotics in mothers and infants from pregnancy onset until 120 days after birth and infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS). Design Nationwide register based cohort study. Setting Denmark, 1996-2011. Participants 999 378 liveborn singletons and linked individual level information on macrolide prescriptions (maternal use during pregnancy, n=30 091; maternal use after birth, n=21 557; use in infants, n=6591), surgery for IHPS, and potential confounders. Main outcome measures Surgery for IHPS by three categories of macrolide use: in mothers during pregnancy, in mothers after birth, and in infants after birth. Results 880 infants developed IHPS (0.9 cases per 1000 births). Compared with infants with no use of macrolides, the adjusted rate ratio for IHPS in infants with use of macrolides during days 0 to 13 after birth was 29.8 (95% confidence interval 16.4 to 54.1) and during days 14 to 120 was 3.24 (1.20 to 8.74); the corresponding absolute risk differences were 24.4 (95% confidence interval 13.0 to 44.1) and 0.65 (0.06 to 2.21) cases per 1000 infants exposed to macrolides, respectively. The rate ratio for maternal use of macrolides for days 0 to 13 after birth was 3.49 (1.92 to 6.34) and for days 14 to 120 was 0.70 (0.26 to 1.90); the corresponding absolute risk differences were 2.15 (0.82 to 4.64) and −0.11 (−0.26 to 0.31). The rate ratios for maternal use of macrolides during pregnancy were 1.02 (0.65 to 1.59) for weeks 0 to 27 and 1.77 (0.95 to 3.31) for weeks 28 to birth; the corresponding absolute risk differences were 0.01 (−0.31 to 0.50) and 0.67 (−0.06 to 2.02). Conclusions Treatment of young infants with macrolide antibiotics was strongly associated with IHPS and should therefore only be administered if potential treatment benefits outweigh the risk. Maternal use of macrolides during the first two weeks after birth was also associated with an increased risk of IHPS. A possible association was also found with use during late pregnancy.
Effect of resveratrol on Bcl-2 and VEGF expression in oxygen-induced retinopathy of prematurity.

PURPOSE To explore the effect of resveratrol on B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in rats with oxygen-induced retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS Seven-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 60) were randomly assigned to five groups. Group A received normal partial oxygen pressure and groups B, C, D, and E received 75% ± 2% oxygen for 5 days to induce ROP. The rats in groups C, D, and E were intragastrically treated with resveratrol (10, 30, and 60 mg/kg/d, respectively) once daily for 5 days. Rats were killed at 17 days of age and the retina was collected. RESULTS Western blot analysis revealed increased Bcl-2 protein expression in group B versus group A. Levels of Bcl-2 decreased with the increase of resveratrol concentration in groups C, D, and E. The optical density of Bcl-2 protein expression in group B was four times higher than that in group A (P < .01). When compared with group B, expression of Bcl-2 and VEGF in groups C, D, and E decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Significant differences in expression of Bcl-2 and VEGF were also noted among the three treatment groups with resveratrol (P < .01). After treatment with resveratrol at 10, 30, and 60 mg/kg/d, the inhibition rate of Bcl-2 expression was 11.1%, 38.1%, and 69.8% and that of VEGF expression was 3.4%, 23.0%, and 43.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION Resveratrol can significantly inhibit expression of Bcl-2 and VEGF in the retina of neonatal rats with oxygen-induced ROP. It may provide a protective effect on retinal neovascular diseases, including ROP.
Measuring mental illness stigma with diminished social desirability effects

Background: For persons with mental illness, stigma diminishes employment and independent living opportunities as well as participation in psychiatric care. Public stigma interventions have sought to ameliorate these consequences. Aims: Evaluation of anti-stigma programs' impact is typically accomplished with self-report questionnaires. However, cultural mores encourage endorsement of answers that are socially preferred rather than one's true belief. This problem, social desirability, has been circumvented through development of faux Knowledge Tests (KTs) (i.e. Error-Choice Tests); written to assess prejudice. Method: Our KT uses error-choice test methodology to assess stigmatizing attitudes. Test content was derived from review of typical KTs for façade reinforcement. Answer endorsement suggests bias or stigma; such determinations were based on the empirical literature. Results: KT psychometrics were examined in samples of college students, community members and mental health providers and consumers. Test–retest reliability ranged from fair (0.50) to good (0.70). Construct validity analyses of public stigma indicated a positive relationship with the Attribution Questionnaire and inverse relationships with Self-Determination and Empowerment Scales. No significant relationships were observed with self-stigma measures (recovery, empowerment). Conclusions: This psychometric evaluation study suggests that a self-administered questionnaire may circumvent social desirability and have merit as a stigma measurement tool.
Loss of p53 and MCT-1 Overexpression Synergistically Promote Chromosome Instability and Tumorigenicity

MCT-1 oncoprotein accelerates p53 degradation by means of the ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Our present data show that induction of MCT-1 increases chromosomal translocations and deregulated G2-M checkpoint in response to chemotherapeutic genotoxin. Remarkably, increases in chromosome copy number, multinucleation, and cytokinesis failure are also promoted while MCT-1 is induced in p53-deficient cells. In such a circumstance, the Ras–mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase–mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling activity and the expression of metastatic molecules are amplified. Given a p53-silencing background, MCT-1 malignantly transforms normal breast epithelial cells that are satisfactory for stimulating cell migration/adhesion and tumorigenesis. Detailed analyses of MCT-1 oncogenicity in H1299 p53-null lung cancer cells have shown that ectopically expressed MCT-1 advances xenograft tumorigenicity and angiogenesis, which cannot be completely suppressed by induction of p53. MCT-1 counteracts mutually with p53 at transcriptional levels. Clinical validations confirm that MCT-1 mRNA levels are differentially enriched in comparison between human lung cancer and nontumorigenic tissues. The levels of p53 mRNA are comparatively reduced in a subset of cancer specimens, which highly present MCT-1 mRNA. Our results indicate that synergistic promotions of chromosomal imbalances and oncogenic potency as a result of MCT-1 expression and p53 loss play important roles in tumor development. (Mol Cancer Res 2009;7(4):536–48)
Glycation Does Not Alter LDL‐Induced Secretion of Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor‐1 from Human Aortic Endothelial Cells

Abstract: Diabetes may induce both quantitative and qualitative changes in lipoproteins, especially low‐density lipoprotein (LDL). Effects of LDL glycation on endothelial cell secretion of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1) have not been fully elucidated. Human aortic endothelial cell (HAEC) tPA and PAI‐1 production were determined after incubation with LDL (50 to 500 μg/mL protein, 24 h) from three sources: (1) nondiabetic LDL (N‐LDL) modified in vitro to form six preparations: native, nonmodified (N); glycated (G); minimally oxidized (MO); minimally oxidized and glycated (MOG); heavily oxidized (HO); and heavily oxidized and glycated (HOG); (2) in vivo glycated and relatively nonglycated LDL subfractions from type 1 diabetic patients; (3) LDL from type 1 diabetic patients and matched controls, which was subfractionated using density gradient ultracentrifugation. In experiments using LDL modified in vitro, the rate of tPA release by HAECs incubated with N‐LDL (83 ± 4 ng/mg cell protein/24 h) did not differ significantly from those incubated with G‐LDL (73 ± 7), MO‐LDL (74 ± 13), or MOG‐LDL (66 ± 15) and was not influenced by LDL concentration. The rate of PAI‐1 release was similar in HAECs incubated with N‐LDL (5.7 ± 0.6 μg/mg cell protein/24 h), G‐LDL (5.7 ± 0.7), MO‐LDL (5.5 ± 0.8), or MOG‐LDL (5.7 ± 0.9) and was not influenced by LDL concentration. In contrast, tPA release was significantly decreased in cells incubated with LDL (10 μg/mL) modified extensively by oxidation, and averaged 45.2 ± 5.0 and 43.7 ± 9.9 ng/mg/24 h for HO‐LDL and HOG‐LDL, respectively, and was further decreased with increasing concentrations of the heavily oxidized LDL preparations. PAI‐1 release was not significantly decreased relative to N‐LDL in cells incubated with low concentrations (5 to 50 μg/mL) of HO‐LDL and HOG‐LDL, but was decreased to 3.2 ± 0.5 and 3.1 ± 0.7 μg/mg/24 h for HO‐LDL and HOG‐LDL at 200 μg/mL, respectively. Results using in vivo glycated versus nonglycated LDL showed that tPA and PAI‐1 release did not differ between subfractions. Release of tPA averaged 5.11 ± 0.6 and 5.12 ± 0.7 ng/mg/24 h, whereas release of PAI‐1 averaged 666 ± 27 ng/mg/24 h and 705 ± 30 ng/mg/24 h for nonglycated and glycated LDL subfractions, respectively. Using LDL of different density subclasses, tPA and PAI‐1 release in response to LDL from diabetic patients compared with control subjects did not differ when HAECs were incubated with LDLs of increasing density isolated from each subject pair. We conclude that oxidation of LDL, but not glycation, may contribute to the altered fibrinolysis observed in diabetes.