Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of chronic angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition on sympathetic nerve traffic and baroreflex control of the circulation in essential hypertension

Background Human studies have shown that the blood pressure lowering effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are accompanied by a reduction in plasma norepinephrine levels. Whether this is due to central or peripheral mechanisms is unknown, however. Objective To evaluate the effects of chronic interference with the renin–angiotensin system on sympathetic nerve traffic and baroreflex control of vagal and adrenergic cardiovascular drive. Patients and methods In 18 untreated mild to moderate essential hypertensive patients aged 48.5 ± 1.9 years (mean ± SEM), we measured mean arterial pressure (Finapres), heart rate (electrocardiogram), plasma renin activity (radioimmunoassay), plasma norepinephrine (high-performance liquid chromatography) and postganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve activity (microneurography at a peroneal nerve). In nine patients, measurements were performed before and after 2 months of oral administration of lisinopril (10 mg/day), while in the remaining nine patients they were performed before and after a 2 month observation period, without the drug administration. Measurements were performed at rest and during baroreflex stimulation and deactivation elicited by stepwise intravenous infusions of phenylephrine and nitroprusside, respectively. Results Lisinopril induced a marked increase in plasma renin activity (from 1.1 ± 0.2 to 6.4 ± 1.3 ng/ml per h, P < 0.01) and a reduction in mean arterial pressure (from 109.6 ± 3.1 to 98.7 ± 2.9 mmHg, P < 0.01) without affecting the heart rate. Plasma norepinephrine and muscle sympathetic nerve activity values were not significantly different before and after lisinopril treatment (plasma norepinephrine values changed from 290.4 ± 39.2 to 308.1 ± 67.1 pg/ml; muscle sympathetic nerve activity changed from 56.4 ± 5.3 to 50.6 ± 6.6 bursts/100 heart beats). Neither the sympathoinhibitory nor the sympathoexcitatory responses to phenylephrine and nitroprusside were affected by lisinopril, nor the concomitant bradycardia and tachycardia. The curves relating mean arterial pressure to heart rate and muscle sympathetic nerve activity values during baroreceptor manipulation were shifted to the left, indicating a resetting of the baroreflex to the lower blood pressure values achieved during treatment. Conclusions In essential hypertension, sympathetic nerve traffic is not affected by chronic angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor treatment that effectively interferes with the renin–angiotensin system and lowers the elevated blood pressure. The baroreflex ability to modulate heart rate and central sympathetic outflow is also unaffected. These data argue against the existence of a central sympathoexcitatory effect of angiotensin II in this condition. They also indicate that antihypertensive treatment with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor preserves autonomic reflex control, with favorable consequences for cardiovascular homeostasis.
Staged Construction and Settlement of a Dam Founded on Soft Clay

Alibey Dam is located near Istanbul in Turkey on the Alibey Stream, 4.5 km north of its point of confluence with Golden Horn, an ancient submerged river mouth. It was constructed as an earthfill dam over 30-m-thick soft valley sediments. Before the construction of the dam, field and laboratory tests were performed to determine the geotechnical characteristics of the foundation soils. During the construction and many years after the construction of the earthfill embankments, including the cofferdams and the intermediate fills, the response of the foundation soils was monitored by extensive field instrumentation generating a unique long-term (over 25 years) database. With proper instrumentation and careful monitoring of the collected data, field construction rates could be adjusted and the earth dam was safely constructed on the thick soft deposits. Approaches to settlement prediction were evaluated in a historical context, starting with the simplified one-dimensional approach available at the time of construction to more sophisticated analyses including the employment of modern numerical methods, in terms of the recorded data. Standard subsurface exploration and field testing supplemented with conventional laboratory testing provided the relevant material parameters that were used in the finite element method. The only exception to this was the overall hydraulic conductivity of the deposit, which controlled the rate of consolidation. Early field observations were used to assign the appropriate hydraulic conductivity. An elastoplastic soil model in a coupled analysis of consolidation was employed in the analysis that yielded realistic predictions of field behavior in response to the complex construction history. The accurate prediction and monitoring of the behavior of soft and thick soil layers subjected to staged construction, as in the case of Alibey Dam, is very important for planning of the construction as well as the expected behavior after construction.
Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for Deep Venous Thrombosis

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) represents a significant clinical problem, affecting patients of all age groups, nationalities, and socioeconomic strata. Despite its prevalence, the paradigms for care are largely centered around primary or secondary prophylaxis, with less emphasis on actual treatment of the thrombus. With the recent rapid development of advanced endovascular techniques, it is now feasible to dissolve many thrombi using catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), and favorable clinical experience has been reported in over 600 patients. If performed safely, the purported benefits of CDT for DVT include a decreased incidence of persistent phlebitic symptoms, improved quality of life and, possibly, a decreased incidence of recurrent thrombotic events.
Human organic anion transporting polypeptide 1A2 (OATP1A2) mediates cellular uptake of all‐trans‐retinol in human retinal pigmented epithelial cells

Vision depends on retinoid exchange between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors. Defects in any step of the canonical visual cycle can lead to retinal degenerations. All‐trans‐retinol (atROL) plays an important role in visual signal transduction. However, how atROL enters human RPE from the apical membrane remains unclear. This study investigated the role of human organic anion transporting polypeptide 1A2 (OATP1A2) in atROL uptake in human RPE.
Eczema, sleep, and behavior in children.

INTRODUCTION There is a general consensus that sleep disruption in children causes daytime behavioral deficits. It is unclear if sleep disruption in children with eczema has similar effects particularly after controlling for known comorbid disorders such as asthma and rhinitis. METHODS Parents of children (6-16 y) with eczema (n = 77) and healthy controls (n = 30) completed a validated omnibus questionnaire which included the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children, Conners Parent Rating Scale-Revised (S), Child Health Questionnaire, Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index, and additional items assessing eczema, asthma, rhinitis, and demographics. RESULTS Compared to controls, children with eczema had a greater number of sleep problems with a greater percentage in the clinical range, lower quality of life, and higher levels of ADHD and oppositional behavior. They also had elevated rhinitis and asthma severity scores. Importantly, structural equation modelling revealed that the effect of eczema on the behavioral variables of Hyperactivity, ADHD Index, and Oppositional Behaviors were mediated through sleep with no direct effect of eczema on these behaviors. The comorbid atopic disorders of rhinitis and asthma also had independent effects on behavior mediated through their effects on sleep. CONCLUSIONS The present findings suggest that the daytime behaviors seen in children with eczema are mediated independently by the effects of eczema, asthma, and rhinitis on sleep quality. These findings highlight the importance of sleep in eczematous children and its role in regulating daytime behavior.
Novel Isoforms of Heat Shock Transcription Factor 1, HSF1γα and HSF1γβ, Regulate Chaperone Protein Gene Transcription

Background: HSF1 is the major eukaryotic transcription factor that regulates expression of HSP genes. Results: We identify two novel HSF1 isoforms and show that HSF1 isoforms differentially regulate chaperone gene transcription. Conclusion: HSF1 isoforms work synergistically, and the ratio of HSF1 isoforms determines chaperone gene transcription levels. Significance: Our findings unravel an additional layer of chaperone gene regulation through modulation of HSP expression by HSF1 isoform ratios. The heat shock response, resulting in the production of heat shock proteins or molecular chaperones, is triggered by elevated temperature and a variety of other stressors. Its master regulator is heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1). Heat shock factors generally exist in multiple isoforms. The two known isoforms of HSF1 differ in the inclusion (HSF1α) or exclusion (HSF1β) of exon 11. Although there are some data concerning the differential expression patterns and transcriptional activities of HSF2 isoforms during development, little is known about the distinct properties of the HSF1 isoforms. Here we present evidence for two novel HSF1 isoforms termed HSF1γα and HSF1γβ, and we show that the HSF1 isoform ratio differentially regulates heat shock protein gene transcription. Hsf1γ isoforms are expressed in various mouse tissues and are translated into protein. Furthermore, after heat shock, HSF1γ isoforms are exported from the nucleus more rapidly or degraded more quickly than HSF1α or HSF1β. We also show that each individual HSF1 isoform is sufficient to induce the heat shock response and that expression of combinations of HSF1 isoforms, in particular HSF1α and HSF1β, results in a synergistic enhancement of the transcriptional response. In addition, HSF1γ isoforms potentially suppress the synergistic effect of HSF1α and HSF1β co-expression. Collectively, our observations suggest that the expression of HSF1 isoforms in a specific ratio provides an additional layer in the regulation of heat shock protein gene transcription.
THE GENETICS OF CANCER IN MICE

There are three levels at which genetic studies affect cancer research. These are concerned with the transplantation of tumours, the experimental induction of tumours by carcinogenetic agents, and the ‘spontaneous ’ incidence of tumours which occurs without conscious effort by man. At each of these levels the search for genes as well as for other types of parental influence is instructive. In spite of apparent dissimilarity of opportunity involved in the different areas of experimentation, there are many ways in which results obtained at any one of these levels may contribute to our solution of problems encountered in the other two. Beyond the search for genes, however, there lies another important application of genetic methods to the cancer problem. This is continued inbreeding with the object of reducing genetic variability to a minimum. By this process the morphological and physiological characters which have a genetic basis become uniform and fixed within the strain. Recognition of the need of a broad and interrelated attack on the problem of cancer has been discussed by a Committee on Cancer Research (1938) appointed by the Surgeon-General of the United States and, more recently, by a Committee on Growth appointed in 1945 by the National Research Council. There is also a general discussion of the field of parental influence (Little, 1944), which may help to show the many levels and mechanisms involved in the genetic approach to the cancer problem. It seems best to make the major type of subdivision of this review on the basis of three levels to which reference has been made, namely, transplanted tumours, induced tumours and spontaneous tumours.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Virus Infections among Patients with Chronic Renal Failure in Zabeed City, Yemen Republic

Background and Aims: Patients on hemodialysis (HD) are at high risk of viral hepatitis due to high number of blood transfusion sessions, prolonged vascular access, high exposure to infected patients and contaminated equipment, or cross contamination from the dialysis circuits and pose problems in the management of patients in the renal dialysis units. This study was done to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) & Hepatitis C virus (HCV), in patients on hemodialysis in Zabeed City, Yemen Republic, and address the major risk factors for transmission of these viruses among HD patients. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, during June, 2013 to October, 2014, a total of 243 chronic hemodialysis patients were tested. Patients were selected from many regions by cluster sampling from Zabeed public hospital, (hemodialysis center) in Zabeed City, Yemen Republic. A close ended and multiple choice-based questionnaires were completed and HBsAg and anti-HCV antibodies were assessed using third generation enzyme linked immunoassay kit as serological testing and data were analyzed using the SPSS-20 software. Results: The overall prevalence of positive HBsAg was (48.83%) while positive anti-HCV was (46.01%) and (5.16%) mixed infection with HBV and HCV. Analysis of risk factors in patients with HBV & HCV infection is showed the history of blood transfusion and duration of hemodialysis was found to be a statistically significant (P < 0.05) as risk factor for HBV and HCV infection. Conclusion: The evaluation suggests that blood transfusion and duration of hemodialysis may be the main most important risk factor for HBV and HCV infection among hemodialysis patients.
Interstitial fluid pressure as an alternate regulator of angiogenesis independent of hypoxia driven HIF‐1α in solid tumors

We previously showed that interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) may be an alternate regulator of angiogenesis in solid tumors. Given the accepted link between hypoxia‐induced factor and angiogenesis this study investigated the effect of IFP on hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF‐1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human osteosarcoma xenografts in SCID mice and in different hypoxic environments. Tumors were grown either at heterotopic (flank) or orthotopic (medullary canal of the proximal tibia) sites in the host animal. Microfluidic probes determined pH, O2‐saturation, IFP, and peripheral blood flow perfusion continuously. We assessed tumor growth in the orthotopic site (n = 15) by softex radiographs weekly, 3D microCT, histological evaluation, and for molecular responses. An increased cytoplasmic immunohistostaining of cells for HIF‐1α (p = 0.03) and VEGF‐A (p = 0.004) on the outer periphery was noted compared to the tumor center, with VEGFR2 uniformly stained throughout. This paralleled a raised state of interstitial hypertension (p = 0.007) in the tumor center relative to the peripheral surface but was inconsistent with a state of hypoxia (p = 0.03) in the tumor center. In vitro culture of human osteosarcoma cell lines (HOS, U2OS) and a human osteoblast control at 0‐ and 20‐mmHg of hydrostatic pressure revealed suppression of HIF‐1α (p = 0.02) and VEGF‐A (p = 0.02) gene expression when IFP was raised, while the effect on VEGFR1 was equivocal. This study proposes an alternative regulatory angiogenic pathway via the influence of IFP on cancer cell function. The identification of a mechanistic cellular link to the physical parameter becomes an important tool to evaluate cancer cell growth within solid tumors. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:2038–2045, 2012
Imaging spectroscopy‐ and lidar‐derived estimates of canopy composition and structure to improve predictions of forest carbon fluxes and ecosystem dynamics

The composition and structure of vegetation are key attributes of ecosystems, affecting their current and future carbon, water, and energy fluxes. Information on these attributes has traditionally come from ground‐based inventories of the plant canopy within small sample plots. Here we show how imaging spectrometry and waveform lidar can be used to provide spatially comprehensive estimates of forest canopy composition and structure that can improve the accuracy of the carbon flux predictions of a size‐structured terrestrial biosphere model, reducing its root‐mean‐square errors from 85%–104% to 37%–57%. The improvements are qualitatively and quantitatively similar to those obtained from simulations initialized with ground measurements and approximately double the estimated rate of ecosystem carbon uptake as compared to a potential vegetation simulation. These results suggest that terrestrial biosphere model simulations can utilize modern remote‐sensing data on vegetation composition and structure to improve their predictions of the current and near‐term future functioning of the terrestrial biosphere.
What Are Pregnant Women's Information Needs and Information Seeking Behaviors Prior to Their Prenatal Genetic Counseling?

As a result of the Human Genome Project, more genetic diagnostic tests have become available to the public and genetic-related information has also grown exponentially. Pregnant women are now routinely offered tests for chromosomal disorders and screenings for genetic conditions that are relevant to their situations. In order to facilitate the information system (IS) development to support their informed decision-making, it is imperative for the IS designer to recognize their unique information needs and patterns of information seeking behavior (ISB) first. This paper presents results of a pilot study that examined pregnant women's information needs, ISBs, and information resources used prior to their prenatal genetic counseling. Findings suggest three distinctive areas, content, format, and timing, for IS design considerations.
HYBRIDS AND PHYLOGENETIC SYSTEMATICS I. PATTERNS OF CHARACTER EXPRESSION IN HYBRIDS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR CLADISTIC ANALYSIS

Interspecific hybridization is considered common among plants, but the methods of cladistic systematics produce only divergently branching phylogenetic hypotheses and thus cannot give the correct phylogeny if an analysis includes hybrids. Empirical studies of the impact of known hybrids on phylogenetic analysis are lacking, and are necessary to begin to understand the problems that we face if hybrids are often included in cladistic analysis. Examination of the implications of hybrids for cladistics must begin with patterns of character expression in hybrids. This study includes 17 hybrids and their nine parental taxa that are Central American species of Aphelandra (Acanthaceae), analyzed using a set of 50 morphological characters. The hybrids are overwhelmingly intermediate as quantitatively scored for phylogenetic analysis. They express maternal and paternal, and primitive and derived characters in equal frequencies, showing no evidence of predominant inheritance of derived character states as has been assumed by most cladists who have considered hybrids theoretically. Because of their known genetic constitution, hybrids were useful in homology assessment and ordering character states. The parental character set was generally robust, but some changes were made to reflect the special evidence offered by the hybrids. These hybrids suggest that the inclusion of hybrids in phylogenetic analysis will not lead to unresolved cladograms with rampant homoplasy, as has been predicted by other authors. Instead, the patterns of character inheritance in these hybrids lead to the prediction that a hybrid will be placed by phylogenetic analysis as a basal lineage to the clade that includes its most derived parent, with relatively little effect on homoplasy. These predictions will be evaluated by incorporation of the hybrids in phylogenetic analyses, to be reported in a subsequent paper.
H ∞ Control for Two-Dimensional Fuzzy Systems with Interval Time-Varying Delays and Missing Measurements

In this paper, we consider the H∞ control problem for a class of two-dimensional (2-D) Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy described by the second Fornasini-Machesini local state-space model with time-delays and missing measurements. The state delays are allowed to be time-varying within a known interval. The measurement output is subject to randomly intermittent packet dropouts governed by a random sequence satisfying the Bernoulli distribution. The purpose of the addressed problem is to design an output-feedback controller such that the closedloop system is globally asymptotically stable in the mean square and the prescribed H∞ performance index is satisfied. By employing a combination of the intensive stochastic analysis and the free weighting matrix method, several delay-range-dependent sufficient conditions are presented that guarantee the existence of the desired controllers for all possible time-delays and missing measurements. The explicit expressions of such controllers are derived by means of the solution to a class of convex optimization problems that can be solved via standard software packages. Finally, a numerical simulation example is given to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed control scheme.
In utero Exposure to β-2-Adrenergic Receptor Agonist Drugs and Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorders

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between use of β-2-adrenergic receptor (B2AR) agonist drugs during pregnancy and risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). METHODS: A case-control study was conducted by using Denmark’s health and population registers. Among children born between 1997 and 2006, 5200 cases with ASD admission diagnoses and 52 000 controls without ASD were identified and individually matched on month and year of birth. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) for any B2AR agonist exposure during pregnancy, preconception, and by trimester. RESULTS: In total, 3.7% of cases and 2.9% of controls were exposed to B2ARs during pregnancy. Use of B2ARs during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of ASD, even after adjustment for maternal asthma and other covariates (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.5). The elevated risk was observed with use of B2AR during preconception (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0–1.6), first trimester (OR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.5), second trimester (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1–1.7), and the third trimester (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1–1.7). There was some evidence that longer B2AR within-pregnancy use was associated with the increased risk. CONCLUSIONS: B2AR agonist exposure during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk for ASD. If the effect is real, any intervention must be balanced against benefits of indicated medication use by pregnant women.