Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beneficial effects of a bradykinin antagonist in a model of gram-negative sepsis.

UNLABELLED Activation of the kallikrein-kinin system in sepsis has long been recognized, but its role, beneficial or pathologic, has not been determined. Recently, however, specific bradykinin (BK) antagonists have become available and we sought to determine the effects of a BK antagonist, NPC17731, in a model of sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI). METHODS Anesthetized swine were studied for 5 hours, receiving a 1-hour infusion of saline (Controls) or live Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Septic untreated). Treatment groups received a 5 mg/kg bolus of NPC17731 followed by a 1 mg/kg bolus hourly commencing either just before sepsis (Pretreatment) or 30 minutes following the onset of sepsis (Posttreatment). RESULTS Septic untreated animals showed a rapid, progressive decline in arterial PaO2 compared to controls, and this was significantly improved in both treatment groups. Bronchoalveolar lavage at 5 hours in both treatment groups also showed significant decreases in neutrophil (PMN) counts and protein content compared to untreated septic animals, indicating decreased PMN migration and alveolar-capillary membrane damage. Both treatment groups also showed reduced PMN sequestration in the lung compared to untreated animals, although PMNs did exhibit significant upregulation of PMN CD18 receptor expression and superoxide generation. CONCLUSIONS These data imply a significant role for BK in the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced ALI. Use of a competitive BK antagonist significantly attenuated the development of ALI without inhibiting PMN activation. BK antagonists may be a useful adjunct in the armamentarium against sepsis-induced ALI.
Influence of particle size and sources of non-starch polysaccharides on postprandial glycaemia, insulinaemia and triacylglycerolaemia in pigs and starch digestion in vitro

Physico-chemical properties of dietary fibres might be involved in metabolic control, particularly of the postprandial blood glucose response. The aim of the present study was to look at the effects of the content of soluble fibres and of the particle size of solid fibres on in vitro and in vivo starch hydrolysis and on the subsequent glucose absorption as well as the triacylglycerolaemia. Two sources of dietary fibres, one, with soluble fibres (beet pulp), the other with mostly insoluble fibres (wheat bran), were added at the rate of 60 g/kg to a meal simulating human food. The fibre sources were ground in order to obtain two different particle sizes (250 and 500 μm). Beet pulp decreased significantly (P < 0·05) initial in vitro hydrolysis whereas wheat bran increased starch hydrolysis in the first 10 min. Wheat bran and beet pulp, whatever its particle size, lowered the post-prandial triacylglycerol response. No significant effect was found with dietary fibre-supplemented diets on postprandial glycaemic and insulinaemic values. High correlation was found between initial in vitro starch hydrolysis and mean areas under the insulinaemic curves. This in vitro model can be used to predict initial in vivo digestion of carbohydrates from complex foods.
Spasticity: A review

Article abstractThis symposium is concerned with the treatment of spasticity and, in particular, with results from studies of tizanidine as a treatment for patients with MS and spinal cord injury. In this article, the definitions and pathophysiologies of spasticity are reviewed, and the issue of when and if to treat spasticity is evaluated. The merits of newer pharmacologic and invasive therapies are discussed relative to reduction of patient discomfort and the possibility of restored function.
Blocking probabilities in multitraffic loss systems: insensitivity, asymptotic behavior, and approximations

It is known that, under any sharing policy, the state describing the number of calls established for each class of traffic in steady state has a product-form distribution when the connection time distribution has a rational Laplace transform. The product-form property further holds for arbitrary holding time distribution under coordinate convex sharing policies. For the complete sharing policy case, an aggregate state describing the number of occupied circuits is shown to maintain the product-form property under asymptotic behavior, when the capacity and traffic intensities go to infinity on a comparable scale. Two theorems relative to the asymptotic behavior of the blocking probabilities which provide some insight into the nature of the blocking phenomenon are given. An approximation which reduces the numerical complexity of evaluating the blocking probabilities for the different classes of service to the computation of a single Erlang formula and the determination of the root of a monotonous polynomial function is proposed. >
Elg1 forms an alternative RFC complex important for DNA replication and genome integrity

Genome‐wide synthetic genetic interaction screens with mutants in the mus81 and mms4 replication fork‐processing genes identified a novel replication factor C (RFC) homolog, Elg1, which forms an alternative RFC complex with Rfc2–5. This complex is distinct from the DNA replication RFC, the DNA damage checkpoint RFC and the sister chromatid cohesion RFC. As expected from its genetic interactions, elg1 mutants are sensitive to DNA damage. Elg1 is redundant with Rad24 in the DNA damage response and contributes to activation of the checkpoint kinase Rad53. We find that elg1 mutants display DNA replication defects and genome instability, including increased recombination and mutation frequencies, and minichromosome maintenance defects. Mutants in elg1 show genetic interactions with pathways required for processing of stalled replication forks, and are defective in recovery from DNA damage during S phase. We propose that Elg1‐RFC functions both in normal DNA replication and in the DNA damage response.
Cellular Responses in the Respiratory Tract Following Intranasal administration of Peste des petits Ruminant Vaccine in Goats Respuestas Celulares en el Tracto Respiratorio Después de la Administración Intranasal de la Vacuna contra la Peste de Pequeños Rumiantes en Cabras

; Jagun Afusat & Anosa, V. O.EZEASOR, C. V. ; EMIKPE, B. O. ; YUSSOF, S. M. ; AFUSAT, J. ANOSA, V. O. Cellular responses in the respiratory tract followingintranasal administration of Peste des petits ruminant vaccine in goats. Int. J. Morphol. , 31(2):687-692, 2013.SUMMARY: A trial was conducted to compare the cellular responses in the respiratory tract in intranasal vaccination againstcaprine Peste des petits ruminant lineage 1 variant virus infection with intramuscular and subcutaneous vaccinations in order to elucidatethe mechanism of the prote ction. Twenty four goats were divided into four equal groups. Group 1 was vaccinated intranasaly, group 2 wasvaccinated subcutaneously, and group 3 intramuscularly, while Group 4 was the unvaccinated control group. In each group the vac cinationswere carried out once. All goats were challenged intratrachealy with PPR virus at a concentration of 106.5 TCID50 two weeks aftervaccination and were euthanised 21 days after the challenge. The bronchoalveolar lavage differential count, bronchial associate d lymphoidtissue (BALT) responses were measured using standard techniques. Descriptive Statistics and ANOVA was employed and significance wasat p < 0.05. The exposure also resulted into significant increase in the number and size of BALT as well as the number of lymphocytes inBALT. This study showed the mechanism of the protective effect of intranasal vaccination of PPR vaccine observed with the strongmucosal and defensive cellular responses in the respiratory tract observed than the subcutaneous and intramuscular routes.KEY WORDS: Cellular responses; Intranasal administration; Peste des petits ruminant vaccine; Goats.
The impact of oral contraceptives and metformin on anti-Müllerian hormone serum levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and biochemical hyperandrogenemia

Objective. To assess the impact of metformin and of two different oral contraceptives (OCs) containing cyproterone acetate and drospirenone, on serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, in a cohort of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with hyperandrogenism. Design. Prospective randomised study. Setting. Division of Endocrinology and Human Reproduction, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Patients. Forty-five (45) women with PCOS diagnosed according to the criteria proposed in 1990 by the NIH. Interventions. Women with PCOS were randomised into three groups, all treated for 6 months: Group A received an OC containing 35 μg ethinylestradiol plus 2 mg cyproterone acetate, Group B received an OC containing 30 μg ethinylestradiol plus 3 mg drospirenone and Group C received metformin 850 mg × 2. Main outcome measure(s). Anti-Müllerian hormone levels were measured by a specific ELISA. Results. AMH was significantly decreased under treatment with 35 μg ethinylestradiol plus 2 mg cyproterone acetate (p = 0.002 at 3 months and p < 0.001 at 6 months). Treatment with 30 μg ethinylestradiol plus 3 mg drospirenone, and treatment with metformin 850 mg × 2 did not significantly affect serum AMH levels. AMH was significantly decreased under OCs treatment compared to metformin 850 mg × 2 (p = 0.005). Conclusion(s). AMH serum levels were significantly decreased under treatment with 35 μg ethinylestradiol plus 2 mg cyproterone acetate, due to decrease in androgens and suppression of gonadotropins.
New lower bounds on aperiodic crosscorrelation of binary codes

For the minimum aperiodic crosscorrelation /spl theta/(n,M) of binary codes of size M and length n over the alphabet {1,-1} it is known that the celebrated Welch (1974) bound /spl theta//sup 2/(n,M)/spl ges/((M-1)n/sup 2/)/(2Mn-M-1). In this paper the Welch bound is strengthened for all M/spl ges/4 and n/spl ges/2. In the asymptotic process when M tends to infinity as n/spl rarr//spl infin/, this strengthening gives the factor 2 as compared to the Welch bound and coincides with the corresponding asymptotic bound on the square of the minimum periodic crosscorrelation of binary codes (Sidelnikov 1971). Our purpose is to estimate the aperiodic crosscorrelation /spl theta/(C) of a code C in E/sup n/={1,-1}/sup n/ which is defined as follows: /spl theta/(C)=max|/spl theta/(x,y;l)| where the maximum is taken over all x=(x/sub 1/,.,x/sub n/)/spl isin/C, y=(y/sub 1/,.,y/sub n/)/spl isin/C, l=0,l,. n-1 such that l/spl ne/0 when x=y and /spl theta/(x,y;l)=/spl Sigma//sub j=1//sup n-l/x/sub j/y/sub j/+l.
Simian immunodeficiency viruses replication dynamics in African non‐human primate hosts: common patterns and species‐specific differences

Methods To define potential common features of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infections in different naturally infected host species, we compared the dynamics of viral replication in 31 African green monkeys (10 sabeus, 15 vervets and seven Caribbean AGMs), 14 mandrills and three sooty mangabeys (SMs) that were experimentally infected with their species‐specific viruses.
Realize almost sure optimal consensus with quantized gossip-type subgradient algorithms

This paper concerns with the optimal consensus problem of multi-agent networks under imperfect communication. With the network issues, we resort to an integrated scheme of the standard gossip algorithm and the subgradient method for multiagent cooperative control. Under the proposed control strategy, agents are supposed to transfer desirable information through a quantized mechanism, and the dithering technique is adopted to deal with the triggered quantization errors. Detailed convergence analysis is carried out by the stochastic approximation method. It is demonstrated that multi-agent networks can achieve almost sure optimal consensus under the proposed algorithm through quantized communication. Related simulation work is further given to validate the derived theoretical results.
MENSTRUAL STATUS AND MENOPAUSAL AGE OF MIDDLE‐AGED SWEDISH WOMEN

Abstract. A population study of women in Göteborg, Sweden, was carried out in 1968‐69. Altogether 1462 women participated (participation rate 90.1 per cent). Five age strata were studied: 38, 46, 50, 54 and 60 (women born in 1930, 1922, 1918, 1914 and 1908, respectively). The same women were re‐studied in 1974‐75. At this time 1302 women participated, corresponding to 89.1 per cent of those studied in 1968‐69 and 80.3 per cent of those initially sampled. The vast majority of the women had a natural menopause. The median age at the menopause was found to be about 50. The criteria for definition of menopause are discussed. No support was found for the theory of increased menopausal age with time. Estrogen therapy of postmeno‐pausal women was found to be much more common in 1974–75 than in 1968–69.
A Comparative Study of Acute Verses Chronic Cholecystitis Operated Laperoscopically

Objective:A prospective randomized study was undertaken to compare effects of laparoscopic surgery for acute versus chronic cholecystitis. Method:During a period of 2.5 years 60 patients of which 30 having acute and another 30 having chronic cholecystitis were operated by laparoscopic cholecystectomy and results were noted. Results:Intraoperative adhesions(43.33%) were significantly more with callot's triangle and inferior surface of liver in acute cholecystitis.Mean operative time also significantly higher for acute cholecystitis(97 min) compared to 87.83min for chronic one.Also conversion rate was significantly higher in acute (13.33%) compared to chronic(6.66%) group. Conclusion: Previously it was concept of treating patients of acute cholecystitis conservatively, which is changing now a days.There is an increasing trend toward shortening the hospital stay of patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This does not appear to have had a deleterious effect on outcome. Thus we can conclude that laparoscopic cholecystectomy is feasible, safe and rewarding procedure for management of acute cholecystitis in experienced hands, though significantly longer operating time without increase in any morbidity or mortality.
Evaluation of system reliability for a cloud computing system with imperfect nodes

From the perspective of system design and quality of service (QoS), system reliability is one of the essential performance indicators to measure the probable reliability of a network. In terms of a practical cloud computing system (CCS), edges and nodes have various capacities or states due to failure, partial failure, or maintenance. Thus, the CCS is a typical capacitated‐flow network. To guarantee a good level of quality and reliability, the CCS should be maintained, so as not to fall into a failed state whereby it cannot provide sufficient capacity to satisfy demand. Thus, system reliability is developed in this paper to evaluate the capability of the CCS to send d units of data from the cloud to the client through two paths under both the maintenance budget and time constraints. An algorithm with an adjusting procedure based on the branch‐and‐bound approach is proposed to evaluate the system reliability. The relevant proof shows that the proposed algorithm is reasonable and appropriate for measuring the system reliability of the CCS. According to different maintenance budgets and corresponding system reliability, the system supervisor could determine a reasonable maintenance budget to maintain a good level of quality and reliability of the CCS. From the perspective of system design, the system supervisor could further conduct a sensitivity analysis to improve or investigate the most important part in a large CCS based on system reliability. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Anomalous density dependence of static friction in sand.

We measured experimentally the static friction force ${\mathit{F}}_{\mathit{s}}$ on the surface of a glass rod immersed in dry sand. We observed that ${\mathit{F}}_{\mathit{s}}$ is extremely sensitive to the closeness of packing of grains. A linear increase of the grain density yields to an exponentially increasing friction force. We also report on the periodicity of ${\mathit{F}}_{\mathit{s}}$ during gradual pulling out of the rod. Our observations demonstrate the central role of grain bridges and arches in the macroscopic properties of granular packings. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Reframing Resolution - Managing Conflict and Resolving Individual Employment Disputes in the Contemporary Workplace

The resolution of individual workplace conflict has assumed an increasingly important place in policy debates over contemporary work and employment. This is in part due to the decline in collective industrial action and the parallel rise in the volume of employment tribunal applications. It reflects a growing concern over the implications of individual employment disputes for those involved but has perhaps been driven by concerns over the cost of litigation and the perceived burden that this places on employers. Against this backdrop, an ESRC-funded seminar series, entitled ‘Reframing Resolution – Managing Conflict and Resolving Individual Employment Disputes in the Contemporary Workplace’, was held between October 2012 and September 2013. This comprised six seminars held at: University of Strathclyde; University of Central Lancashire; Swansea University; Queen’s University Belfast; IRRU, University of Warwick and University of Westminster. The series brought leading academic researchers, practitioners and policy-makers together to explore new empirical and conceptual developments, examine innovative practice and provide insights into key questions of public policy.
Spontaneous mutations in pcaH and -G, structural genes for protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus

Bacteria containing spontaneous null mutations in pcaH and -G, structural genes for protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase, were selected by exposure of an Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain to physiological conditions in which expression of the genes prevents growth. The parental bacterial strain exhibits high competence for natural transformation, and this procedure was used to characterize 94 independently isolated spontaneous mutations. Four of the mutations were caused by integration of a newly identified insertion sequence, IS1236. Many (22 of 94) of the mutations were lengthy deletions, the largest of which appeared to eliminate at least 17 kb of DNA containing most of the pca-qui-pob supraoperonic gene cluster. DNA sequence determination revealed that the endpoints of four smaller deletions (74 to 440 bp in length) contained DNA sequence repetitions aligned imprecisely with the sites of mutation. Analysis of direct and inverted DNA sequence repetitions associated with the sites of mutation suggested the existence of DNA slippage structures that make unhybridized nucleotides particularly susceptible to mutation.
Electromagnetic Emission of Pulsed Plasma Thrusters

This paper deals with the measurement of characteristics of electromagnetic emission of electric propulsions as applied to the EMC problems. Electric propulsion systems on the basis of pulsed plasma thrusters, which are used for the orbit correction of small satellites, are considered as the sources of unintended noise of artificial origin. Test results for the spectral characteristics of emission for the PPT model with the discharge energy of 50 J obtained under ground conditions and their discussion are presented in this paper.
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Stimulates Angiogenic Factor Expression and Correlates With Differentiation and Lymph Node Status in Patients With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective:The objectives of this study were: 1) to examine the expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC); 2) to see if a relationship exists between MIF expression, clinicopathologic features, and long-term prognosis; and 3) to ascertain the possible biologic function of MIF in angiogenesis. Summary Background Data:MIF has been linked to fundamental processes such as those controlling cell proliferation, cell survival, angiogenesis, and tumor progression. Its role in ESCC, and the correlation of MIF expression and tumor pathologic features in patients, has not been elucidated. Methods:The expression of MIF in tumor and nontumor tissues was examined by immunohistochemical staining. Concentrations of MIF, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in patients’ sera and in the supernatant of tumor cells culture were examined by ELISA. Correlations with clinicopathologic factors were made. Results:In 72 patients with ESCC, intracellular MIF was overexpressed in esophagectomy specimens. The expression of MIF correlated with both tumor differentiation and lymph node status. The median survival in the low-MIF expression group (<50% positively stained cancer cells on immunohistochemistry) and high expression group (≥50% positively stained cancer cells) was 28.3 months and 15.8 months, respectively (P = 0.03). The 3-year survival rates for the 2 groups were 37.7% and 12.1%, respectively. MIF expression was related to microvessel density; increased MIF serum levels also correlated with higher serum levels of VEGF. In addition, in vitro MIF stimulation of esophageal cancer cell lines induced a dose-dependent increase in VEGF and IL-8 secretion. Conclusions:These results demonstrate, for the first time, that human esophageal carcinomas express and secrete large amounts of MIF. Through its effects on VEGF and IL-8, MIF may serve as an autocrine factor in angiogenesis and thus play an important role in the pathogenesis of ESCC.
Lipid disorders in patients with type 2 diabetes

PREVIEW Because patients with type 2 diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular events, lipid abnormalities in these patients should be aggressively and efficiently treated. What is the rationale behind such an approach, and what are the goals of therapy? Dr Marcus addresses these questions and provides up-to-date recommendations for lipid-lowering treatment.
Adverse Health Effects in Humans Exposed to 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin (TCDD)

The environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlordibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) belongs to the category of highly toxic, persistent organic pollutants that accumulate in animal fat and plant tissues. Today, background TCDD levels in human fat are showing a decreasing trend. The food chain is the main source of exposure in the human population. TCDD regulates the expression of a wide range of drug-metabolizing enzymes and has an impact on a large number of biological systems. The most pronounced effects have occurred in occupational settings following the uncontrolled formation of TCDD after industrial accidents, as well as in rare intentional intoxications. Although the acute effects of TCDD exposure are well described in the literature, the long-term consequences have been underevaluated. The most well-known symptoms of severe acute intoxication are chloracne, porphyria, transient hepatotoxicity, and peripheral and central neurotoxicity. Because of the long-term persistence of TCDD in the human body, atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, vascular ocular changes, and signs of neural system damage, including neuropsychological impairment, can be present several decades after massive exposure. Such chronic effects are nonspecific, multifactorial, and may be causally linked to TCDD only in heavily intoxicated subjects. This opinion is supported by the dose-dependent effect of TCDD found in exposed workers and by experimental animal studies.