Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stapled transanal rectal resection: a new surgical treatment for obstructed defecation syndrome.

BACKGROUND Rectal intussusception, rectocele and rectal prolapse are anatomic disorders in obstructed defecation syndrome. A relatively new surgical approach, Stapled Transanal Rectal Resection, was designed to treat these anomalies. OBJECTIVES To present our preliminary results with this technique. METHODS Thirty patients with ODS not responding to medical treatment or biofeedback were operated on with the STARR technique. All the patients underwent a complete workup in the Pelvic Floor Unit. The operation was performed according to the technique described elsewhere. RESULTS The patients' mean age was 67.1 years, and the median duration of symptoms was 7 years. The mean operating time was 40 minutes (range 35-80 min) and the mean hospital stay was 2 days (range 1-4 days). The mean follow-up was 26 months (range 6-48 months). ODS symptoms were ameliorated in 27 patients (90%), decreased significantly in 18, and in 9 patients the symptoms disappeared. The procedure failed in 3 patients (10%). Complications included minor bleeding that required homeostasis in eight patients during the operation. Three patients had transient tenesmus and five patients had anal pain. There were no cases of mortality or pelvic sepsis. CONCLUSIONS STARR is an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of obstructed defecation syndrome due to rectal intussusception, rectocele and small rectal prolapse.
The Relationship of IQ to Effort Test Performance

The relationship between IQ and nine effort indicators was examined in a sample of 189 neuropsychology clinic outpatients who were not in litigation or attempting to obtain disability. Participants with the lowest IQ (50–59) failed approximately 60% of the effort tests, while patients with an IQ of 60 to 69 failed 44% of effort indicators, and individuals with borderline IQ (70 to 79) exhibited a 17% failure rate. All patients with IQ < 70 failed at least one effort test. Cutoffs for the Warrington Recognition Memory Test (Words) and Finger Tapping maintained the highest specificities in low IQ samples.
Development of immunity to porcine rotavirus in piglets protected from disease by bovine colostrum

Bovine colostrum with rotavirus-neutralizing activity was fed for 10 days to two groups of piglets, one of which was inoculated intranasally with a rotavirus of porcine origin. A third group, which did not receive colostrum, was also inoculated with the virus, and these piglets developed diarrhea, excreted rotavirus in the feces, and died 6 days after infection. In contrast, the infected piglets fed with bovine colostrum remained healthy, although they developed antibody to rotavirus. Twenty-seven days after the primary inoculation, piglets in the colostrum-fed groups were inoculated intranasally with virus. Those in the previously unexposed group became clinically ill and excreted rotavirus, whereas those which had experienced a previous subclinical infection (the colostrum-fed, virus-inoculated group) remained healthy. It was concluded that bovine colostrum protected piglets from the clinical effects of a porcine rotavirus and that these animals developed an immunity which prevented subsequent disease.
Murine Sclerodermatous Graft-Versus-Host Disease, a Model for Human Scleroderma: Cutaneous Cytokines, Chemokines, and Immune Cell Activation1

Murine sclerodermatous graft-vs-host disease (Scl GVHD) models human scleroderma, with prominent skin thickening, lung fibrosis, and up-regulation of cutaneous collagen mRNA. Fibrosis in Scl GVHD may be driven by infiltrating TGF-β1-producing mononuclear cells. Here we characterize the origin and types of those cutaneous effector cells, the cytokine and chemokine environments, and the effects of anti-TGF-β Ab on skin fibrosis, immune cell activation markers, and collagen and cytokine synthesis. Donor cells infiltrating skin in Scl GVHD increase significantly at early time points post-transplantation and are detectable by PCR analysis of Y-chromosome sequences when female mice are transplanted with male cells. Cutaneous monocyte/macrophages and T cells are the most numerous cells in Scl GVHD compared with syngeneic controls. These immune cells up-regulate activation markers (MHC class II I-Ad molecules and class A scavenger receptors), suggesting Ag presentation by cutaneous macrophages in early fibrosing disease. Early elevated cutaneous mRNA expression of TGF-β1, but not TGF-β2 or TGF-β3, and elevated C-C chemokines macrophage chemoattractant protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, and RANTES precede subsequent skin and lung fibrosis. Therefore, TGF-β1-producing donor mononuclear cells may be critical effector cells, and C-C chemokines may play important roles in the initiation of Scl GVHD. Abs to TGF-β prevent Scl GVHD by effectively blocking the influx of monocyte/macrophages and T cells into skin and by abrogating up-regulation of TGF-β1, thereby preventing new collagen synthesis. The Scl GVHD model is valuable for testing new interventions in early fibrosing diseases, and chemokines may be new potential targets in scleroderma.
Regional tilt of the Mount Stuart batholith , Washington , determined using aluminum-in-hornblende barometry : Implications for northward translation of Baja British Columbia : Discussion and reply Discussion

Ague and Brandon (1996) calculated a best-fit surface through Al-in-hornblende paleobarometric data to determine the paleohorizontal in the Mount Stuart batholith, North Cascades, Washington, and thus attempted to provide a means to better interpret paleomagnetic results obtained from this pluton. Ague and Brandon (1996) then used these results to reach conclusions about the tectonics of the northwestern Cordillera. We think that this is a useful approach and applaud their attempt to refine this technique. However, application of this technique to the Mount Stuart batholith remains problematic for reasons outlined in the following, and thus raises uncertainties about their tectonic conclusions. We address the following issues: (1) Ague and Brandon’s attempt to determine a paleobarometric surface in the Mount Stuart batholith; (2) regional relationships that may bear on possible tilt directions; (3) direction of motion of the Windy Pass thrust; and (4) interpretation of existing paleomagnetic data. We hope that our comment emphasizes the complexity of data sets from the Mount Stuart region and thus the need for caution when interpreting its geologic history.
Radiographic Analysis of Hallux Valgus in Women on Weightbearing and Nonweightbearing

To investigate changes in the radiographic appearance during weightbearing in hallux valgus and to examine the importance of a weightbearing view, a comparative study was performed of accurate dorsoplantar radiographs of 108 symptomatic hallux valgus feet in 73 female patients and 100 normal feet in 69 females, which were taken weightbearing and nonweightbearing. The hallux valgus angle in the hallux valgus group increased on weightbearing, whereas that in the normal group decreased. The intermetatarsal angle between the first and second metatarsals increased on weightbearing in both groups. The degree of the changes of the angles was closely related with the degree of the hallux valgus deformity. The intermetatarsal angle between the fourth and fifth metatarsals decreased on weightbearing in the both groups. A weightbearing view is necessary to evaluate the structural configuration of hallux valgus, because muscle imbalance around the first metatarsophalangeal joint in hallux valgus causes an increase of a hallux valgus angle on weightbearing.
Frequency and characteristics of occupational dental trauma.

BACKGROUND Dental trauma at the workplace may have important clinical and occupational consequences, but little is known about its profile. AIMS To describe the frequency and characteristics of work-related dental injuries. METHODS For all patients with occupational dental trauma seen at the FREMAP Hospital of Barcelona (Spain) between January 2000 and December 2006, we recorded their characteristics, type of work and nature of the trauma, including cause of the accident, extent of trauma, reason for referral to a dentist, and days of sick leave. RESULTS The frequency of dental trauma was 1.71 per 1000 occupational accidents attended and was related to the worker's occupation. In security services, it was 7.37 per 1000 and 2.01 in transport services. The frequency was similar in both genders. The most common causal mechanisms were direct impact (38%), traffic accidents (29%) and falls at the same level (16%). Causal mechanisms differed according to gender and type of job. Most injuries consisted of dental fracture (54%), and 67% of the patients required referral to a dental surgery. Injuries were limited to the mouth in 52% of cases, 8% of which required sick leave, with a mean duration of 23.0±21.8 days. CONCLUSIONS The frequency of dental trauma in this working population was low and was related to the worker's occupation. Causal mechanisms differed according to gender and type of job. Most dental injuries were severe and required referral to a dental surgery. Frequency of sick leave was low.
The Role of Scheduling in Learning Through Observation

Abstract In the 2 experiments reported in the present article, participants (N = 40, Experiment 1; N = 60, Experiment 2) learned to solve complex puzzles under different schedules of physical practice, observation, or a combination of the two. The results of both studies indicated that observation, in the absence of any physical practice, allows the development of an accurate but relatively nonfunctional cognitive representation. The data suggest that, even when the motor demands are minimal, the functional significance of the cognitive representation is not maximally realized until physical interaction with the task is possible. Thus, providing the participant with an interspersed practice schedule during acquisition enables that interaction to occur, thereby allowing the absolute number of physical practice trials to be reduced and replaced by observation trials, but leading to equivalent learning.
Molecular Chaperone Hsp90 Regulates REV1-Mediated Mutagenesis

ABSTRACT REV1 is a Y-family polymerase that plays a central role in mutagenic translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), contributing to tumor initiation and progression. In a current model, a monoubiquitinated form of the replication accessory protein, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), serves as a platform to recruit REV1 to damaged sites on the DNA template. Emerging evidence indicates that posttranslational mechanisms regulate REV1 in yeast; however, the regulation of REV1 in higher eukaryotes is poorly understood. Here we show that the molecular chaperone Hsp90 is a critical regulator of REV1 in human cells. Hsp90 specifically binds REV1 in vivo and in vitro. Treatment with a specific inhibitor of Hsp90 reduces REV1 protein levels in several cell types through proteasomal degradation. This is associated with suppression of UV-induced mutagenesis. Furthermore, Hsp90 inhibition disrupts the interaction between REV1 and monoubiquitinated PCNA and suppresses UV-induced focus formation. These results indicate that Hsp90 promotes folding of REV1 into a stable and/or functional form(s) to bind to monoubiquitinated PCNA. The present findings reveal a novel role of Hsp90 in the regulation of TLS-mediated mutagenesis.
Effects of fish oil and sunflower oil supplementations on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in rat

1 Nephrotoxicity was induced in rats by intramuscular administration of gentamicin (80 mg kg-1 d-1) for 6 days. 2 Oral supplementation with fish oil (5 ml kg-1 d-1), for 2 weeks prior to and during gentamicin exposure, markedly ameliorated the drug-induced nephrotoxici ty. The beneficial effects of oil were evidenced by sig nificantly reduced serum creatinine and urea concen trations, increased renal cortical alkaline phosphatase activity and improved renal tubular histology, com pared with the non oil-treated animals, receiving gen tamicin. 3 Similar supplementation with sunflower oil, rich in ω-6 fatty acids, failed to reverse any of the parameters of nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin. 4 Hypercholesterolaemia and reduced cortical GSH associated with gentamicin nephrotoxicity were both normalised by supplementation with fish oil, but not by sunflower oil. 5 The beneficial effects of fish oil on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity were not related to the extent of uptake and accumulation of the drug by the kidney.
Acid-base status of pregnant guineapigs during neuroleptanalgesia with diazepam and fentanyl-fluanisone

Neuroleptanalgesia was induced in late pregnancy in guineapigs with diazepam and fentanyl-fluanisone. Hypotension occurred, but the arterial acid-base status after 45-60 min was near normal. When repeated injections of fentanyl-fluanisone were given to maintain neuroleptanalgesia, the blood pressure fell further and severe metabolic acidosis developed. Placental blood flow determined with radioactive microspheres was much lower during maintained neuroleptanalgesia than in guineapigs anaesthetized with diazepam and pentobarbitone.
CHARACTERIZATION OF ENZYMES HYDROLYZING ACYL NAPHTHYLAMIDES: II. TRIHALOGEN DERIVATIVES

Enzymes in guinea pig homogenates hydrolyzing a variety of halogenated and nonhalogenated acyl α- and β-naphthylamide substrates can be separated into two major groups on the basis of substrate hydrolysis rates, solubility and affector characteristics. Both groups of enzymes, those acting on the non-, mono- and dihalogenated acyl naphthylamides and those acting on trihalogen derivatives, have characteristics like those of arylesterases and are inseparable from enzymes hydrolyzing naphthol AS acetate. These enzymes are, However, separable on fractionation by starch gel electrophoresis and DEAE-cellulose chromatography from several enzymes catalyzing the hydrolysis of N-acyl amino acids (acylase I and II) and several amino acid β-naphthylamides. Species differences exist in the characteristics of enzymic hydrolysis of these acylarylamides.
Potent side‐chain to side‐chain cyclized dermorphin analogues containing a carbonyl bridge

A new family of cyclic opioid peptide analogues related to the 1–4 sequence of dermorphin/deltorphin (Tyr‐D‐Aaa2‐Phe‐Aaa4‐NH2) has been synthesized. The synthesis of the linear precursor peptides was accomplished by the solid‐phase method and ring formation was achieved via a ureido group incorporating the side chain amino functions of D‐Aaa2 (D‐Lys, D‐Orn) and Aaa4 (Lys, Orn, Dab, Dap). The peptides were tested in the guinea‐pig ileum (GPI) and mouse vas deferens (MVD) assays. Most showed very high agonist potency in the GPI assay. The peptide containing D‐Lys in position 2 and Dab in position 4 was 210 times more active than enkephalin, and that containing Orn and Dab, respectively, was 150 times more active than enkephalin. The latter peptide was also very active in the MVD assay, and showed an IC50 MVD/GPI ratio of 0.816. NMR spectra of selected peptides were recorded, and structural parameters were determined. The conformational space of the peptides was examined using the electrostatically driven Monte Carlo method. With the help of the NMR spectra each peptide was described as an ensemble of conformations. The conformations have been interpreted with regard to the opioid activities, and comparisons have been made with a model proposed earlier for enkephalin analogues. Copyright © 2003 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Study of the impact of electric vehicles fleets in HV electric power grids based on an uncontrolled charging strategy

This paper addresses the impact of the integration of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) in a high-voltage (HV) electric grid located in the metropolitan area of the city of Morelia, Mexico. A penetration scenario of 10.5%, which corresponds to 31316 vehicles, is considered by allocating electric vehicles to substations. A time domain modelling of an electric vehicle (EV) and an AC Level-2 charger is implemented in a PSS/E-based simulation platform. Furthermore, an uncontrolled charging strategy is implemented in this paper, which is based on the assumption that EVs owners are free to connect and charge their vehicles whenever they want. Power flow solutions are reported in terms of nodal voltages, power losses and loading impacts in the 115 kV sub-transmission system, substation transformers and transmission system. Results show that the load due to the EVs can help to the nodal voltages regulation in the grid during certain times of the day. However, a large number of EVs can significantly increase the losses and exceed the capacity of the transformers depending on the load curve of each substation.
Algorithms and Models for Tensors and Networks with Applications in Data Science

Big data plays an increasingly central role in many areas of research including optimization and network modeling. We consider problems applicable to large datasets within these two branches of research. We begin by presenting a nonlinearly preconditioned nonlinear conjugate gradient (PNCG) algorithm to increase the convergence speed of iterative unconstrained optimization methods. We provide a concise overview of several PNCG variants and their properties and obtain a new convergence result for one of the PNCG variants under suitable conditions. We then use the PNCG algorithm to solve two different problems: computing the rank-R canonical tensor decomposition and finding the solution to a latent factor model where latent factor models are often used as important building blocks in many practical recommendation systems. For both problems, the alternating least squares (ALS) algorithm is typically used to find a solution and as such we consider it as a nonlinear preconditioner. Note that the ALS algorithm can be viewed as a nonlinear preconditioner for the NCG algorithm or alternatively, NCG can be viewed as an acceleration process for ALS. We demonstrate numerically that the convergence acceleration mechanism in PNCG often leads to important pay-offs for difficult tensor decomposition problems, with convergence that is significantly faster and more robust than for the stand-alone NCG or ALS algorithms. As well, we show numerically that the PNCG algorithm requires many fewer iterations and less time to reach desired ranking accuracies than stand-alone ALS in solving latent factor models. We next turn to problems within the field of network or graph modeling. A network is a collection of points joined together by lines and networks are used in a broad variety of fields to represent connections between objects. Many large real-world networks share similar properties which has garnered considerable interest in developing models that can replicate these properties. We begin our discussion of graph models by closely examining the Chung-Lu model [4, 22, 23]. The Chung-Lu model is a very simple model where by design the expected degree sequence of a graph generated by the model is equal to a usersupplied degree sequence, k = (k1, . . . , kn), where ki is the user-supplied degree of node i and n is the number of nodes in the graph. We explore what happens both theoretically and numerically when simple changes are made to the model and when the model assumptions are violated. As well, we consider an algorithm used to generate instances of the ChungLu model that is designed to be faster than the traditional algorithm but find that it only generates instances of an approximate Chung-Lu model. We explore the properties of this approximate model under a variety of conditions and examine how different the expected degree sequence is from the user-supplied degree sequence. We also explore several ways of improving this approximate model to reduce the approximation error in
Nucleus pulposus glycosaminoglycan content is correlated with axial mechanics in rat lumbar motion segments

The unique biochemical composition and structure of the intervertebral disc allow it to support load, permit motion, and dissipate energy. With degeneration, both the biochemical composition and mechanical behavior of the disc are drastically altered, yet quantitative relationships between the biochemical changes and overall motion segment mechanics are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of nucleus pulposus glycosaminoglycan content, which decreases with degeneration, to mechanical function of a rat lumbar spine motion segment in axial loading. Motion segments were treated with varying doses of Chondroitinase‐ABC (to degrade glycosaminoglycans) and loaded in axial cyclic compression‐tension, followed by compressive creep. Nucleus glycosaminoglycan content was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with neutral zone mechanical behavior, which occurs in low load transition between tension and compression (stiffness: r = 0.59; displacement: r = −0.59), and with creep behavior (viscous parameter η1: r = 0.34; short time constant τ1: r = 0.46). These results indicate that moderate decreases in nucleus glycosaminoglycan content consistent with early human degeneration affect overall mechanical function of the disc. These decreases may expose the disc to altered internal stress and strain patterns, thus contributing through mechanical or biological mechanisms to the degenerative cascade. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Anniversary reactions in Gulf War veterans: a follow-up inquiry 6 years after the war.

OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to assess the occurrence of anniversary reactions in Gulf War veterans 6 years after the conclusion of the war. METHOD Subjects were administered questionnaires and asked to identify specific months of best and worst functioning and months of least or most symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the 12 months before the study. Months of negative experiences were compared with previously documented dates of exposure to traumatic events during the war. Similar reports were also obtained from the veterans' spouses in order to assess corroborative evidence for the occurrence of anniversary reactions. RESULTS Anniversary reactions occurred with a frequency greater than chance and most often in individuals exposed to a greater number of traumatic events. Overall, spouse reports matched the veterans' reports of anniversary reactions. In addition, spouses identified anniversary reactions that were not endorsed by their veterans. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that anniversary reactions occur in numbers greater than those expected by chance, are correlated to the occurrence of traumatic events, and may be a part of the syndrome of PTSD.
Hepatitis C Virus Egress and Release Depend on Endosomal Trafficking of Core Protein

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) assembly is known to occur in juxtaposition to lipid droplets, but the mechanisms of nascent virion transport and release remain poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that HCV core protein targets to early and late endosomes but not to mitochondria or peroxisomes. Further, by employing inhibitors of early and late endosome motility in HCV-infected cells, we demonstrate that the movement of core protein to the early and late endosomes and virus production require an endosome-based secretory pathway. We also observed that this way is independent of that of the internalization of endocytosed virus particles during virus entry.