Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coronary physiology.

The major areas of normal coronary physiological research since Berne's 1964 review have been the measurement of ventricular transmural blood flow distribution with microspheres, the adenosine hypothesis of local metabolic control of coronary blood flow, and the autonomic control of coronary blood flow. There is an improved understanding of intramyocardial tissue pressure and extravascular compressive forces on coronary vessels. However, the unexpected finding of zero flow during a prolonged diastole with a coronary artery pressure of 40 mmHg (PZF) is a reminder that the physical forces, including vascular smooth muscle contraction, that determine coronary vascular resistance are incompletely understood. During normal circumstances, the left ventricular subendocardium probably receives more blood flow than the subepicardium does, but the difference is small. When the coronary circulation is compromised by stenosis or aortic valve lesions, the subendocardium is much more vulnerable to underperfusion than is the subepicardium. The coronary vasodilating effect of arterial hypoxia has been confirmed in many studies, but the role of tissue oxygen tension in local metabolic control of coronary blood flow during normoxia is unknown. The coronary vasodilating action of carbon dioxide has received renewed attention, but its role in local control is also unknown. The adenosine hypothesis has passed several critical tests, but despite much research the importance of adenosine in normal coronary regulation is not established. Local metabolic control of coronary blood flow probably involves more than just one factor, but a unified hypothesis has not been put forward. Sympathetic alpha-receptor-mediated coronary vasoconstriction has been demonstrated by nerve stimulation and during a carotid sinus baroreceptor reflex. Sympathetic coronary vasoconstriction is capable of competing with local metabolic control to lower coronary venous oxygen tension under experimental circumstances, but its importance during normal resting conditions is not established. Parasympathetic muscarinic coronary vasodilation has been shown by vagal nerve stimulation, but a role for it during normal blood flow regulation has yet to be demonstrated. There have been elegant descriptive studies of the coronary blood flow response during excitement and exercise, where coronary blood flow increases pari passu with myocardial metabolism; however, there are also data that indicate a concomitant sympathetic vasoconstrictor effect during strenuous exercise. Overall there has been encouraging progress in coronary physiology. Inevitably new knowledge has focused old questions and presented new ones.
In Vivo Evaluation of 1-O-(4-(2-Fluoroethyl-Carbamoyloxymethyl)-2-Nitrophenyl)-O-β-D-Glucopyronuronate: A Positron Emission Tomographic Tracer for Imaging β-Glucuronidase Activity in a Tumor/Inflammation Rodent Model

β-Glucuronidase (β-GUS) plays an important role in inflammation and degenerative processes. The enzyme has also been investigated as a target in prodrug therapy for cancer. To investigate the role of β-GUS in pathologies and to optimize β-GUS-based prodrug therapies, we recently developed a positron emission tomographic (PET) tracer, 1-O-(4-(2-fluoroethyl-carbamoyloxymethyl)-2-nitrophenyl)-O-β-D>-glucopyronuronate ([18F]FEAnGA), which proved to be selectively cleaved by β-GUS. Here we present the in vivo evaluation of [18F]FEAnGA for imaging of β-GUS in a tumor/inflammation model. Ex vivo biodistribution of [18F]FEAnGA was conducted in healthy rats. PET imaging and pharmacokinetic modeling were performed in Wistar rats bearing C6 tumors of different sizes and sterile inflammation. The biodistribution studies of [18F]FEAnGA indicated low uptake in major organs and rapid excretion through the renal pathway. MicroPET studies revealed three times higher uptake in the viable part of larger C6 gliomas than in smaller C6 gliomas. Uptake in inflamed muscle was significantly higher than in control muscle. The distribution volume of [18F]FEAnGA in the viable part of the tumor correlated well with the cleavage of the tracer to [18F]fluoroethylamine and the spacer 4-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzyl alcohol. [18F]FEAnGA is a PET tracer able to detect increased activity of β-GUS in large solid tumors and in inflamed tissues.
Determinación de factores explicativos de los resultados escolares en educación media en Chile

El objetivo de este estudio es indagar sobre las variables educativas, institucionales y sociales que estan a la base de los logros educativos de los liceos de ensenanza media en Chile y de las diferencias de resultados entre ellos. Utilizando datos de la prueba SIMCE de Segundo Ano de Ensenanza Media del ano 1998 e informacion del MINEDUC se estima una funcion de produccion educacional para los establecimientos de ensenanza media del pais. En primer lugar, se realiza una estimacion a nivel de establecimientos educacionales. En particular, se analiza la diferencia entre el puntaje esperado de cada establecimiento, dadas sus caracteristicas y las de sus alumnos, y el puntaje que efectivamente obtuvieron en la prueba. En segundo lugar, se estima una funcion de produccion educacional utilizando datos a nivel de alumnos, esta es la primera estimacion de una funcion de produccion que se realiza en Chile con datos individuales, ya que recien a partir de esta prueba SIMCE se recogio informacion socioeconomica de cada uno de los estudiantes que rindieron la prueba. Esta estimacion permite analizar el impacto de los diferentes insumos educativos en el logro de los estudiantes. El estudio muestra que uno de los desafios fundamentales de la politica educacional en los proximos anos es reducir la brecha existente en el logro educativo entre los distintos tipos de establecimientos de ensenanza media. Es necesario lograr una mayor equidad, lo que implica que los aprendizajes deben mejorar mas aceleradamente en los establecimientos que atienden a una poblacion estudiantil de menor nivel socioeconomico. Asimismo, hay que evitar la segmentacion que se tiende a producir al concentrarse los estudiantes con mayores dificultades economicas en determinados tipos de establecimientos educativos. Es importante en este punto enfatizar que el cierre de la brecha en la calidad educativa no debe implicar un descuido de aquellos establecimientos que tienen un elevado logro educativo; pues son precisamente estos liceos quienes juegan un rol fundamental en la movilidad social.
Localization of chondrocyte precursors in periosteum.

OBJECTIVE Periosteal chondrogenesis is relevant to cartilage repair and fracture healing. Periosteum contains two distinct layers: a thick, outer fibrous layer and a thin, inner cambium layer which is adjacent to the bone. Specific chondrocyte precursors are known to exist in periosteum but have not yet been identified. In this study, the location of the chondrocyte precursors in periosteum was determined. METHOD One hundred and twenty periosteal explants from 30 2-month-old NZ rabbits were cultured for up to 42 days. Histomorphological changes and spatio-temporal localization of Col. II mRNA and protein were analysed. RESULTS On day 7, chondrocyte differentiation appeared in the most juxtaosseous region in the cambium layer. Col. II mRNA and protein were also evident in the same region. By day 14, chondrocyte differentiation progressed further into the juxtaosseous cambium layer, as did Col. II mRNA and protein. With growth of the neocartilage, the cambium layer gradually diminished to the extent that by 21-28 days it was no longer evident. Cartilage growth was significant and followed an appositional pattern, growing away from the fibrous layer. The fibrous layer remained essentially unchanged from 0-42 days, without evidence of hypertrophy or atrophy. Col. II mRNA expression was never seen in the fibrous layer. CONCLUSION From these data, three conclusions can be drawn concerning chondrogenesis from periosteum: (1) the chondrocyte precursors are located in the cambium layer of periosteum; (2) chondrogenesis commences in the juxtaosseous area in the cambium layer and progresses from the juxtaosseous region to the juxtafibrous region of the cambium layer; (3) neocartilage growth is appositional, which displaces the fibrous layer away from the cartilage already formed, as new cartilage is formed between these two layers. These findings suggest that the least differentiated (stem or reserve) cells are located in the cambium layer furthest from the bone. CLINICAL RELEVANCE These findings show that the chondrocyte precursors are located in the cambium layer of periosteum. Preservation of this layer is essential for chondrogenesis. As neocartilage growth is appositional, away from the fibrous layer, it can be expected that the new cartilage deposited in and adjacent to a periosteal graft would be expected to be located on the side of the cambium layer, rather than on the side of the fibrous layer of the graft.
Blood pressure and hypertension in middle‐aged women in relation to weight and length at birth: a follow‐up study

Objectives To examine the relationship between indicators at birth and adult blood pressure and risk for developing hypertension at two age levels. Design Original midwife records of 438 women born at term participating in a prospective population study in Göteborg, Sweden with blood pressure and hypertension assessment at both 50 and 60 years of age. Results Systolic blood pressure at both age levels showed a U-shaped relationship to weight and length at birth. Hypertension prevalence at 60 years was significantly and inversely related to both weight and length at birth, but not at 50 years. Significantly higher risk for hypertension was found in the lowest birth weight quintile [odds ratio (OR) = 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–3.8] and lowest birth length tertile (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.1–3.0), in relation to the middle quintile/tertile, with or without adjustment for adult body size (as body mass index), at 60 years but not at 50 years. At 50 years, hypertension risk decreased by 3% (95% CI 0.92–1.01) for every 100 g increase in birth weight and 6% (95% CI 0.83–1.05) per cm birth length. At age 60 years, hypertension risk decreased by 4% (95% CI 0.92–0.99) per 100 g birth weight and 10% (95% CI 0.81–0.99) per cm length. Conclusions Size at birth was a predictor of hypertension risk in women at 60 years but not 50 years. This study supports the hypothesis that poor fetal growth, as measured by low weight or length at birth, may contribute to the development of hypertension in later life and that this relationship became stronger with age.
Shift work sleep disorder: prevalence and consequences beyond that of symptomatic day workers.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Although there are considerable data demonstrating the impact of shift work on sleep and alertness, little research has examined the prevalence and consequences of shift work sleep disorder in comparison to the difficulties with insomnia and excessive sleepiness experienced by day workers. The present study was designed to determine the relative prevalence and negative consequences associated with shift work sleep disorder in a representative sample drawn from the working population of metropolitan Detroit. DESIGN Random-digit dialing techniques were used to assess individuals regarding their current work schedules and a variety of sleep- and non-sleep-related outcomes. SETTING Detroit tricounty population. PARTICIPANTS A total of 2,570 individuals aged 18 to 65 years from a representative community-based sample including 360 people working rotating shifts, 174 people working nights, and 2036 working days. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Using standardized techniques, individuals were assessed for the presence of insomnia and excessive sleepiness, based on DSM-IV and ICSD criteria. Those individuals with either insomnia or excessive sleepiness and who were currently working rotating or night schedules were classified as having shift work sleep disorder. Occupational, behavioral, and health-related outcomes were also measured. Individuals who met criteria for shift work sleep disorder had significantly higher rates of ulcers (odds ratio = 4.18, 95% confidence interval = 2.00-8.72), sleepiness-related accidents, absenteeism, depression, and missed family and social activities more frequently compared to those shift workers who did not meet criteria (P < .05). Importantly, in most cases, the morbidity associated with shift work sleep disorder was significantly greater than that experienced by day workers with identical symptoms. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that individuals with shift work sleep disorder are at risk for significant behavioral and health-related morbidity associated with their sleep-wake symptomatology. Further, it suggests that the prevalence of shift work sleep disorder is approximately 10% of the night and rotating shift work population.
Genetic relationship between Escherichia coli strains isolated from dairy mastitis and from the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans

Castro B.G. , Souza M.M.S., Regua-Mangia A.H. & Bittencourt A.J. 2016. Genetic relationship between Escherichia coli strains isolated from dairy mastitis and from the stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 36(6):479-484. Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Campus Universitário de Sinop, Av. Alexandre Ferronato 1200B, Setor Industrial, Sinop, MT 78557-270, Brazil. E-mail: castrobg@ufmt.br The stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus, 1758) has been described as a potential spreader of infectious agents to cattle herds. Among the agents transmitted by this fly, Escherichia coli has attracted attention due to its potential to cause gastrointestinal disorders as well as environmental mastitis in dairy cows. Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate and to assess the genetic diversity and the clonal relatedness among E. coli isolates from the milk of dairy mastitis and from stable flies anatomical sites by the Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD-PCR) technique. The molecular typing revealed a high degree of genetic polymorphism suggesting that these microorganisms have a non-clonal origin. Identical electrophoretic profiles were observed between E. coli isolates from different flies, different mammary quarters of the same cow and from cows on a single farm. These results reveal the circulation of the same bacterial lineages and suggest the role of the stable fly in bacterial dispersion. Considering the high pathogenic potential of this bacterial species, our findings alert to a more effective health surveillance.
A MULTILEVEL PERSPECTIVE ON IT AFFORDANCES Research paper

The concept of affordance views IT as socio-technical artefacts and affordances as bridges between artefacts and their users, and has been defined as what an individual, group or organization with a particular purpose can do with a technology. The present research examines IT affordances via a multi-level perspective, with a focus on the relationship between feature-level and system-level affordances. More specifically, the present study examines how macro (system) level IT affordances emerge from micro (feature) level affordances via an exploratory case study approach in an e-health context to analyse data from 16 asthma patients who used a web-based, user-centric portal to self-manage their asthma. The results of our analysis suggest that system-level and feature-level affordances of the portal were not necessarily the same for each patient, and the system-level affordances played an essential role in determining their attitudes and behaviors toward the portal.
Enhancement of Critical Currents and Photon Count Rates by Magnetic Field in Spiral Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors

We investigated the influence of magnetic fields on critical currents and photon count rates for optical and near-infrared photons in spiral-shaped nanowire structures of different types. Nanowires with a width of about 100 nm were made in forms of square and circular spirals with a pitch of 150 nm. Magnetic field dependencies of the critical current in square spirals were asymmetric with respect to the field direction. In the current maximum, we achieved a more than 6% increase of the critical current. On the contrary, circular spirals showed fully symmetric dependencies with the current maximum at zero magnetic field. Photon count rates of spirals have been studied in the wavelength range from 500 to 1400 nm at magnetic fields up to 500 mT. In circular spirals, the rates of photon and dark counts were symmetric in magnetic fields at all achievable experimental conditions. In square spirals, dark and photon count rates are asymmetric with the minima occurring at opposite directions of the field. Dark count rates are lower than 10 cps at bias currents up to 90% of the critical value in the whole range of applied magnetic fields. Based on our results, we propose a way to decrease the minimum detectable photon flux by applying external magnetic field to the detector.
Effect of Low (5 mg) vs. High (20-40 mg) Rosuvastatin Dose on 24h Arterial Stiffness, Central Haemodynamics, and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Patients with Optimally Controlled Arterial Hypertension.

OBJECTIVE Arterial Stiffness (AS) and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases (NAFLD) are 2 related, prevalent, risk predictors of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). We assessed the effect of low dose (5 mg/day) vs. high dose (20-40 mg/day) rosuvastatin on aortic elasticity and central haemodynamics as well as on NAFLD in patients with Arterial Hypertension (AH). METHODS Forty patients with optimally controlled AH were randomised to 2 rosuvastatin doses and followed for 6 months. 24h AS was assessed by Mobil-O-Graph, which calculates (adjusted for age and gender) Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV), adjusted for Heart Rate (HR) augmentation index (AIx75%) and central haemodynamics. The diagnosis of NAFLD was based on >5% liver steatosis on ultrasound and moderately elevated serum levels of liver enzymes. RESULTS Both doses of rosuvastatin reduced Central Pulse Pressure (cPP), PWV and AIx75% (adjusted for HR) to normal values (p = NS adjusted for age, gender and HR). Liver enzymes were reduced in those with NAFLD to normal, but steatosis was reduced more by the 20-40 mg/day rosuvastatin dose (p=0.01) compared with the 5 mg/day dose. CONCLUSION Both doses of rosuvastatin had a beneficial effect on AS; the high dose was more efficient in reducing PWVs and central haemodynamics, and also the high dose was more effective in ameliorating NAFLD. Given that AH control was optimal and lipid values attained targets, 4 other CVD predictors were also addressed. Larger and longer term studies are needed to demonstrate the clinical benefit of such treatment preference.
Surfactant volume is an essential element in human toxicity in acute glyphosate herbicide intoxication

Background: Glyphosate, one of the most commonly used herbicides worldwide, has been considered as minimally toxic to humans. However, clinical toxicologists occasionally encounter cases of severe systemic toxicity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of glyphosate-surfactants (“glyphosate-surfactant toxicity”) in patients with acute glyphosate intoxication. Methods: In all, 107 patients (69 men and 38 women, aged 52.3 ± 15.5 years) with acute glyphosate intoxication were enrolled in this study. From their medical records, we identified the formulation of ingested glyphosate products and derived clinical parameters, which focused on clinical outcome, admission days, duration in the intensive care unit, development of respiratory failure, cardiovascular deterioration, renal failure, altered mental status, and convulsions. The effect of surfactants on clinical complications was also assessed. Results: For surfactant ingestion volumes of 8 mL, the incidence of clinical complications was (in rank order) as follows: hypotension, 47.1%; mental deterioration, 38.6%; respiratory failure, 30.0%; acute kidney injury, 17.1%; and arrhythmia, 10.0%. These complications were influenced by the volume of surfactant and not the type of surfactant-ingredient in the herbicide product. Two patients died of refractory shock, metabolic acidosis, and respiratory failure. However, the final clinical outcomes of the surviving patients were benign, and cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney, and mental functions were fully restored to normal levels. Conclusions: Our results indicate that treatment of patients with acute glyphosate herbicide intoxication should take into account the volume and not the type of surfactants in herbicide formulations.
Courting trouble: the Supreme Court's embrace of private health insurance: use and misuse of social science evidence by the Supreme Court--how should Canadian governments respond?

In a narrow and bitter 4–3 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada in the Chaoulli1 decision struck down Quebec laws prohibiting the sale of private health insurance on the basis that they violate Quebec’s Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. Three of the four judges in the majority also found that the provisions, in light of wait times in the public sector, violate s. 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms – which provides for a right to life, liberty and security of the person. But three other judges, in a blistering dissent, found that the insurance restrictions violated neither the Quebec nor the Canadian charters.
Groundwater flow and salt transport in a subterranean estuary driven by intensified wave conditions

A numerical study, based on a density‐dependent variably saturated groundwater flow model, was conducted to investigate flow and salt transport in a nearshore aquifer under intensified wave conditions caused by offshore storms. Temporally varying onshore hydraulic gradients due to wave setup were determined as the seaward boundary condition for the simulated aquifer. The results showed a rapid increase in influxes across the aquifer‐ocean interface in response to the wave event followed by a more gradual increase in effluxes. The upper saline plume first widened horizontally as the wave setup point moved landward. It then expanded vertically with recirculating seawater pushed downward by the wave‐induced hydraulic gradient. The time for the salt distribution to return to the prestorm condition was up to a hundred days and correlated strongly with the time for seawater to recirculate through the aquifer. The pathways of recirculating seawater and fresh groundwater were largely modified by the wave event. These pathways crossed through the same spatial locations at similar times, indicating significant salt‐freshwater mixing. The flow and salt transport dynamics were more responsive to wave events of longer duration and higher intensity, especially in more permeable aquifers with lower fresh groundwater discharge. Despite their larger response, aquifers with higher permeability and beach slope recovered more rapidly postevent. The rapid recovery of the flows compared with the salinity distribution should be considered in field data interpretation. Due to their long‐lasting impact, wave events may significantly influence the geochemical conditions and the fate of chemicals in a subterranean estuary.