Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is structural remodeling of fibrillated atria the consequence of tissue hypoxia?

BACKGROUND Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in degradation of the extracellular matrix of injured tissue. MMP-9 expression increases in fibrillating atrial tissue; however, the mechanism for this increase has not been clarified. METHODS AND RESULTS Changes in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), VEGF receptors, and hypoxia-induced transcription factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) in fibrillating atrial tissue were investigated. Atrial tissue samples were obtained from 13 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and 25 patients without a history of AF (regular sinus rhythm, RSR) undergoing cardiac operations. Western blot, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence analyses of the expression of VEGF, VEGF receptors, and HIF-1alpha were performed. The VEGF mRNA and protein levels increased significantly in the AF group compared with the RSR group (P<0.05), and the expression of HIF-1alpha protein was also significantly higher in the AF group. VEGF receptor-1 mRNA, a high-affinity receptor for VEGF, but not VEGF receptor-2 mRNA, was upregulated in the atria of the AF group (P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining revealed excess production and co-localization of HIF-1alpha, VEGF and MMP-9 in the endothelium of the atrial arteries in the AF group. CONCLUSIONS It is possible that upregulation of HIF-1/VEGF is involved in the enhancement of MMP-9 expression under hypoxic conditions.
Evaluation of Standard and Modified M-FC, MacConkey, and Teepol Media for Membrane Filtration Counting of Fecal Coliforms in Water

MacConkey agar, standard M-FC agar, M-FC agar without rosolic acid, M-FC agar with a resuscitation top layer, Teepol agar, and pads saturated with Teepol broth, were evaluated as growth media for membrane filtration counting of fecal coliform bacteria in water. In comparative tests on 312 samples of water from a wide variety of sources, including chlorinated effluents, M-FC agar without rosolic acid proved the medium of choice because it generally yielded the highest counts, was readily obtainable, easy to prepare and handle, and yielded clearly recognizable fecal coliform colonies. Identification of 1,139 fecal coliform isolates showed that fecal coliform tests cannot be used to enumerate Escherichia coli because the incidence of E. coli among fecal coliforms varied from an average of 51% for river water to 93% for an activated sludge effluent after chlorination. The incidence of Klebsiella pneumoniae among fecal coliforms varied from an average of 4% for the activated sludge effluent after chlorination to 32% for the river water. The advantages of a standard membrane filtration procedure for routine counting of fecal coliforms in water using M-FC agar without rosolic acid as growth medium, in the absence of preincubation or resuscitation steps, are outlined.
Cell spreading controls endoplasmic and nuclear calcium: A physical gene regulation pathway from the cell surface to the nucleus

Cells attaching to an extracellular matrix through integrins flatten out (spread) on the matrix, eliciting cellular signals needed for survival. We show that the shape of the nucleus changes and the nuclear calcium level increases in spreading cells. Moreover, cell spreading and osmotic stretching of isolated nuclei cause release of perinuclear Ca2+, and patch clamping of nuclei reveals stretch-activated Ca2+ permeable channels. Gene expression assays with myocyte enhancer factor 2, which is activated by calmodulin-dependent kinase IV, indicate that the elevation in nuclear Ca2+ is functionally significant. We propose a mechano-transduction pathway in which spreading-induced nuclear stretching releases Ca2+ from the perinuclear space, and the resulting Ca2+ elevation in the nucleus provokes changes in gene expression.
Traumatic Events Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

This study sought to examine specific types of potentially traumatic experiences as predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the moderating effect of race/ethnicity and major depressive disorder (MDD) among non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic U.S. women. The study sample was drawn from two waves of the National Epidemiologic Surveys of Alcohol and Related Conditions. Sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and childhood trauma were the strongest predictors of PTSD compared with the reference group (indirect/witnessed trauma). Similar patterns were revealed across racial/ethnic groups, although the estimates were most robust among White women. Findings also suggest that MDD moderates the effect of traumatic experiences on PTSD.
Ultrasonic assessment of bone: a review.

In the last 25 years several non-invasive techniques based on the attenuation of ionizing radiation have been developed to quantify bone mineral density in the axial and peripheral skeleton. The use of ultrasounds is another technique which has recently been developed to provide information on the architecture and elasticity of bone. The basic principle of ultrasound measurements is that the speed (SOS = speed of sound) at which ultrasounds propagate in the bone, or the extent of their attenuation (BUA = broad-band ultrasound attenuation) through the bone is determined by bone density and by certain physical properties which are intimately correlated with bone strength. Theoretically, ultrasound bone measurements should provide more information about bone fragility and structure than densitometric techniques. As a result of preliminary studies, several ultrasound devices have been developed by manufacturers. Most of them measure the os calcis which consists almost exclusively of trabecular bone. Measurement precision varies with the instrument used and the site of measurement. The in vitro and in vivo precision for SOS and for BUA are reported in this review. The correlations between ultrasound and bone mineral density measurement suggest that these techniques measure different entities. A significant difference is constantly found between normal and osteoporotic women. Transversal studies have shown a negative correlation between ultrasound measurements and age. Age-related variations are much more significant with BUA than with SOS. Several studies suggest the potential of ultrasound measurements to assess the risk for individuals to develop osteoporosis and its usefulness in treatment follow-up. Further prospective studies are needed to better understand the effectiveness of ultrasounds. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Neural Correlates of Memory for a Life-Threatening Event

We investigated the neural correlates of remote traumatic reexperiencing in survivors of a life-threatening incident: the near crash of Air Transat (AT) Flight 236. Survivors’ brain activity was monitored during video-cued recollection of the AT disaster, September 11, 2001 (9/11), and a comparatively nonemotional (neutral) event. Passengers showed a robust memory enhancement effect for the AT incident relative to the 9/11 and neutral events. This traumatic memory enhancement was associated with activation in the amygdala, medial temporal lobe, anterior and posterior midline, and visual cortex in passengers. This brain–behavior relationship also held in relation to 9/11, which had elevated significance for passengers given its temporal proximity to the AT disaster. This pattern was not observed in a comparison group of nontraumatized individuals who were also scanned. These findings suggest that remote traumatic memory is mediated by amygdalar activity, which likely enhances vividness via influences on hippocampal and ventral visual systems.
Clinical and histological healing of a new collagen matrix in combination with the coronally advanced flap for the treatment of Miller class-I recession defects: an experimental study in the minipig.

AIM To describe the histological and clinical outcomes of the use of a xenogeneic collagen matrix (CM) in combination with the coronally advanced flap (CAF) in the treatment of localized Miller class-I gingival recessions. MATERIAL AND METHODS Gingival recession defects were surgically created on 12 minipigs. The defects were randomly treated with either the CAF procedure and the interposition of a CM (test) or the CAF alone (control). Clinical and histological outcomes at 1, 4 and 12 weeks were evaluated. RESULTS Histometrically, in the test group, there was a shorter junctional epithelial dimension [2.26 (SD 0.23) mm] compared with the control [2.79 (SD 0.77) mm]. On the contrary, the amount of newly formed cementum was larger in the test group [1.08 (SD 0.41) mm] than in the control group [0.75 (SD 0.25) mm], although the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Both techniques rendered similar clinical outcomes, achieving complete root coverage at the end of the study. Nevertheless, the CM graft attained more tissue regeneration, characterized by a shorter epithelium and a larger new cementum formation. The use of a xenogeneic CM resulted in the incorporation of the xenograft within the adjacent host connective tissues in the absence of significant inflammation.
Gene expression analysis combined with functional genomics approach identifies ITIH5 as tumor suppressor gene in cervical carcinogenesis

Progression from human papillomavirus‐induced premalignant cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) to cervical cancer (CC) is driven by genetic and epigenetic events. Our microarray‐based expression study has previously shown that inter‐α‐trypsin‐inhibitor heavy chain 5 (ITIH5) mRNA levels in CCs were significantly lower than in high‐grade precursor lesions (CIN3s). Therefore, we aimed to analyze in depth ITIH5 expression during cervical carcinogenesis in biopsy material and cell culture. Moreover, functional analyses were performed by ectopic expression of ITIH5 in different cell lines. We were able to confirm the validity of our microarray differential expression data by qPCR, demonstrating a clear ITIH5 downregulation in CC as compared with CIN2/3 or normal cervix. ITIH5 protein loss, evaluated by immunohistochemistry, was evident in 81% of CCs, whereas ITIH5 showed weak to moderate cytoplasmic staining in 91% of CIN2/3 cases. In addition, ITIH5 was strongly reduced or absent in seven CC cell lines and in three immortalized keratinocyte cell lines. Moreover, ITIH5 mRNA loss was associated with ITIH5 promoter methylation. ITIH5 expression could be restored in CC cell lines by pharmacological induction of DNA demethylation and histone acetylation. Functionally, ITIH5 overexpression significantly suppressed proliferation of SW756 cells and further resulted in a significant reduction of colony formation and cell migration in both CaSki and SW756 tumor models, but had no effect on invasion. Remarkably, ITIH5 overexpression did not influence the phenotype of HeLa cells. Taken together, ITIH5 gene silencing is a frequent event during disease progression, thereby providing evidence for a tumor suppressive role in cervical carcinogenesis.
Investigations on acid phosphatase activity in the seminal plasma of humans and animals.

A comparative study on the concentration of the enzyme acid phosphatase in seminal plasma in the ejaculates of men, jacks and rams was performed. After the semen collection, the following indicators were established: ejaculate volume, spermatozoa concentration, percentage of motile and pathological spermatozoa. Seminal plasma was separated through centrifugation, and acid phosphatase concentrations were determined by means of Acid Phosphatase Colorimetric Humazym-Test and Automatic Biochemical Analyzer BS-3000 P. Significant differences (p<0.05) in the activity of acid phosphatase in the seminal plasma of humans, jacks, and rams were found. The concentration, motility of percentage of abnormal sperm in the ejaculate did not play a significant role in determining the enzyme activity in the semen plasma. Our results could be used in forensic medicine to prove the species of semen specificity.
Using Human iPSC-Derived Neurons to Uncover Activity-Dependent Non-Coding RNAs

Humans are arguably the most complex organisms present on Earth with their ability to imagine, create, and problem solve. As underlying mechanisms enabling these capacities reside in the brain, it is not surprising that the brain has undergone an extraordinary increase in size and complexity within the last few million years. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can be differentiated into many cell types that were virtually inaccessible historically, such as neurons. Here, we used hiPSC-derived neurons to investigate the cellular response to activation at the transcript level. Neuronal activation was performed with potassium chloride (KCl) and its effects were assessed by RNA sequencing. Our results revealed the involvement of long non-coding RNAs and human-specific genetic variants in response to neuronal activation and help validate hiPSCs as a valuable resource for the study of human neuronal networks. In summary, we find that genes affected by KCl-triggered activation are implicated in pathways that drive cell proliferation, differentiation, and the emergence of specialized morphological features. Interestingly, non-coding RNAs of various classes are amongst the most highly expressed genes in activated hiPSC-derived neurons, thus suggesting these play crucial roles in neural pathways and may significantly contribute to the unique functioning of the human brain.
[Extracellular chromosome 21--derived microRNAs in maternal circulation: evaluation of their diagnostic potential for screening of Down syndrome].

OBJECTIVE Initially, we focused on the detection of extracellular microRNAs in maternal circulation, whose genes are located on human chromosome 21 (miR-99a, let-7c, miR-125b-2, miR-155 and miR-802). Subsequently, we studied if plasmatic concentrations and/or expression profile of extracellular chromosome 21-derived microRNAs would distinguish between pregnancies bearing euploid foetuses and those affected with Down syndrome. DESIGN Pilot study. SETTING Division of Molecular Biology and Cell Pathology, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague. METHODS 12 women with normal course of gestation (mean 16.4 weeks, median 16.0 weeks), 12 pregnancies bearing Down syndrome foetus (mean 18.2 weeks, median 18.5 weeks) and 6 non-pregnant individuals were involved in the retrospective study. RNA enriched for small RNAs (including microRNAs) was isolated from 1ml of plasma sample. Consequently relevant microRNA was transcribed into cDNA using specific stem-loop primer and detected by specific real-time PCR assay. RESULTS Commercial systems enabled reliable detection of 4 out of 5 extracellular chromosome 21-derived microRNAs (miR-99a, let-7c, miR-125b-2 and miR-155). Expression profile of extracellular miR-99a, miR-125b-2 and miR-155 was significantly higher in the cohort of pregnant women than in non-pregnant individuals. Also plasmatic levels of miR-99a and miR-125b-2 were significantly increased in pregnant women. Unfortunately, the concentrations and gene expression of extracellular chromosome 21-derived microRNAs (miR-99a, let-7c, miR-125b-2 and miR-155) did not differ between the cohorts of pregnancies bearing euploid foetuses and those affected with Down syndrome. CONCLUSION Analysis of extracellular chromosome 21-derived microRNAs does not distinguish between pregnancies with euploid and aneuploid foetuses and has no benefit for screening programmes.
Synergistic antiproliferative activity of quercetin and cisplatin on ovarian cancer cell growth.

It has been demonstrated that the flavonoid quercetin (3,3',4',5-7-pentahydroxyflavone) (Q) inhibits the growth of several cancer cell lines and that the antiproliferative activity of this substance is mediated by a so-called type II estrogen binding site (type II EBS). We investigated the effects of quercetin and cisplatin (CDDP) alone and in combination on the proliferation of the ovarian cancer cell line OVCA 433. Both drugs exhibited a dose-related growth inhibition in a range of concentrations between 0.01 and 2.5 microM and 0.01 and 2.5 micrograms/ml for Q and CDDP respectively. The combination of the two drugs resulted in a synergistic antiproliferative activity. Two other flavonoids tested, i.e., rutin (3-rhamnosylglucoside of quercetin) and hesperidin [7-b rutinoside of hesperetin (3'-5-3-hydroxy-4-methoxyflavone)] were ineffective both alone and in combination with CDDP. Since both rutin and hesperidin do not bind to type II EBS it can be hypothesized that Q synergizes with CDDP by acting through an interaction with these binding sites.
The Prevalence and Impact of Obstetric Fistula on Women of Kaptembwa, Nakuru Kenya

Despite of increased attention on maternal health in recent decades, the disability and suffering of obstetric fistula patients remains a neglected issue in global health. Most instructive in this respect, is the continuous leakage of urine as well as the physical, emotional and social suffering associated with it, which has a profound impact on women and men’s livelihoods. Considering the suffering of families associated with this disease, it was found imperative to evaluate the prevalence of obstetric fistula on women of Kaptembwa Nakuru, and appraise the impact on the well-being of women and how their experiences have shaped their identities and families. The study was conducted using cross sectional study with qualitative and quantitative components to explore the prevalence, experiences and impact of obstetric fistula. Grounded Theory was used to investigate the prevalence of obstetric fistula in kaptembwa and explore how the condition has impacted on the affected women and their families. Obstetric fistula prevails amongst women aged between 25 -39 years. The injury may occur at either the first (28%), second (23.9%), third (19.7%) or fourth (28 %) pregnancies. The difficulty of assessing the exact numbers of women affected with obstetric fistula was attributed to it being an embarrassing and humiliating medical condition in our communities, which leads the affected women into silent isolation. Obstetric fistula has far reaching effects on physical, social, economic and psychological impact on affected women, their husbands, children and friends. The foul odor emanating from affected women leads to humiliation; sever social-cultural stigmatization and thus, inability to perform their gender roles. Hindrance from participating in gainful income activities has led them into despair and begging. In order to combat this debilitating disease, community education that informs on the potentially risks of obstetric fistula particularly amongst people residing in rural areas and informal settlements areas is a must. Essential information includes danger signs during delivery and rapid access to caesarean section delivery for cases of obstructed delivery. Access to affordable fistula repair must also be provided in the County health centers.
PROBABILISTIC MASS–RADIUS RELATIONSHIP FOR SUB-NEPTUNE-SIZED PLANETS

The Kepler Mission has discovered thousands of planets with radii <4 , paving the way for the first statistical studies of the dynamics, formation, and evolution of these sub-Neptunes and super-Earths. Planetary masses are an important physical property for these studies, and yet the vast majority of Kepler planet candidates do not have theirs measured. A key concern is therefore how to map the measured radii to mass estimates in this Earth-to-Neptune size range where there are no Solar System analogs. Previous works have derived deterministic, one-to-one relationships between radius and mass. However, if these planets span a range of compositions as expected, then an intrinsic scatter about this relationship must exist in the population. Here we present the first probabilistic mass–radius relationship (M–R relation) evaluated within a Bayesian framework, which both quantifies this intrinsic dispersion and the uncertainties on the M–R relation parameters. We analyze how the results depend on the radius range of the sample, and on how the masses were measured. Assuming that the M–R relation can be described as a power law with a dispersion that is constant and normally distributed, we find that , a scatter in mass of , and a mass constraint to physically plausible densities, is the “best-fit” probabilistic M–R relation for the sample of RV-measured transiting sub-Neptunes (Rpl < 4 ). More broadly, this work provides a framework for further analyses of the M–R relation and its probable dependencies on period and stellar properties.
Fractal network model for simulating abdominal and lower extremity blood flow during resting and exercise conditions

We present a one-dimensional (1D) fluid dynamic model that can predict blood flow and blood pressure during exercise using data collected at rest. To facilitate accurate prediction of blood flow, we developed an impedance boundary condition using morphologically derived structured trees. Our model was validated by computing blood flow through a model of large arteries extending from the thoracic aorta to the profunda arteries. The computed flow was compared against measured flow in the infrarenal (IR) aorta at rest and during exercise. Phase contrast-magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) data was collected from 11 healthy volunteers at rest and during steady exercise. For each subject, an allometrically-scaled geometry of the large vessels was created. This geometry extends from the thoracic aorta to the femoral arteries and includes the celiac, superior mesenteric, renal, inferior mesenteric, internal iliac and profunda arteries. During rest, flow was simulated using measured supraceliac (SC) flow at the inlet and a uniform set of impedance boundary conditions at the 11 outlets. To simulate exercise, boundary conditions were modified. Inflow data collected during steady exercise was specified at the inlet and the outlet boundaries were adjusted as follows. The geometry of the structured trees used to compute impedance was scaled to simulate the effective change in the cross-sectional area of resistance vessels and capillaries due to exercise. The resulting computed flow through the IR aorta was compared to measured flow. This method produces good results with a mean difference between paired data to be 1.1 ± 7 cm3 s− 1 at rest and 4.0 ± 15 cm3 s− 1 at exercise. While future work will improve on these results, this method provides groundwork with which to predict the flow distributions in a network due to physiologic regulation.