Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Smoking Cessation on Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Function

Objective. Chronic smoking has been associated with diverse mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) dysfunction in lymphocytes, although inhibition of complex IV activity is the most consistent and relevant finding. These mitochondrial abnormalities have been proposed to contribute to pathogenesis of diseases associated with tobacco consumption. We assessed MRC function in peripheral lymphocytes from heavy smokers after cessation in smoking habit. Patients and Methods. We studied MRC function from peripheral lymphocytes of 10 healthy chronic smoker individuals (age 43±6 years; 50% women) before cessation of tobacco consumption (t0), and 7 (t1) and 28 (t2) days after cessation. Smoking abstinence was ascertained by measuring carboxyhemoglobin levels and carbon monoxide (CO) concentration in exhaled breath. Ten healthy nonsmoker individuals matched by age and gender were used as controls. Lymphocytes were isolated by Ficoll's gradient, and protein content was determined by Bradford's technique. MRC function was studied through double means: 1) individual enzyme activities of complex II, III, and IV were analyzed by means of spectrophotometry; 2) oxygen consumption was measured polarographically using pyruvate, succinate, and glycerol-3-phosphate (complex I, II, and III substrates, respectively) after lymphocyte permeabilization. Enzyme and oxidative activities were corrected by citrate synthase activity. Results. Smokers showed a significant decrease in complex IV activity (p=0.05) and also in respiration of intact lymphocytes (p=0.05) compared to controls. Eight chronic smokers remained abstinent during the study. Smoking cessation was associated with a significant recovery of complex IV (p=0.01) and complex III (p=0.05) activities. Oxidative activities did not show any change during the study. Conclusion. Chronic smoking is associated with a decrease of complex IV and III activities of MRC, which return to normal values after cessation of tobacco smoking.
Tracking progress towards NDCs and relevant linkages between Articles 4, 6 and 13 of the Paris Agreement

Article 13.7b of the Paris Agreement mandates all Parties to regularly provide information necessary to track progress made in implementing and achieving their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under Article 4. This information provided by Parties shall also undergo a Technical Expert Review (Article 13.11). This paper examines the information needed to track progress towards different types of NDCs and explores current experiences and the associated challenges relevant to reporting this information. The paper also identifies issues and options for how this information could be reviewed and how this review could facilitate reporting improvements. The paper identifies key linkages between Articles 4, 6 and 13 of the Agreement related to reporting and reviewing information to track progress. The paper highlights that the relevant linkages need to be taken into account when developing guidance under these Articles to ensure an internally-consistent tracking progress system.
Interaction of NF-E2 in the Human β-Globin Locus Control Region before Chromatin Remodeling*

When transcription is initiated under repressive conditions, such as when chromatin are packed together, binding followed by the functioning of key components in the transcriptional apparatus should be appropriately facilitated in the chromatin architecture. We provide evidence that the erythroid-specific enhancer- binding protein NF-E2 interacts with the cognate motif at DNase I-hypersensitive site 2 of the human β-globin locus control region in a repressive state. The nucleosome containing the NF-E2-binding site showed characteristic rotational and translational phases in vitro. The binding site had less affinity to the histone octamers than nearby regions while showing greater accessibility to DNase I and micrococcal nuclease. Furthermore, the motif was recognized by the exogenous NF-E2 protein expressed in HeLa cells, which have a repressive state of chromatin at the β-globin locus, as shown by ligation-mediated PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. These lines of evidence indicate that NF-E2 interacts with the cognate motif on the nucleosome before chromatin is remodeled.
Conservative management of well-differentiated thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND Controversy exists over the optimal surgical treatment of well-differentiated thyroid cancer. Conservative surgical management reduces the risk of complications and maintains an overall survival rate equivalent to the more extensive approach. METHODS We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer greater than 1 cm (180 patients) who underwent surgery between 1982 and 2002 by a single general surgeon at our institution. The prevailing philosophy was to be as conservative as possible, and the predominant resection was lobectomy and isthmusectomy on the affected side. RESULTS In total, 90% of patients were in a definable low-risk group: 75% had conservative surgery with 4 recurrences and no mortality, 25% had extensive surgery with 3 recurrences and no mortality. The other 10% were in a definable high-risk group: 90% had extensive surgery with 9 recurrences and 4 deaths. Overall, there were 22 sites of recurrence in 16 patients. There was no recurrence in the residual thyroid tissue, with a median follow-up of 10 years. Three recurrences occurred in the resected thyroid bed; each of these patients had undergone extensive surgery. Twelve recurrences were in lymph nodes; 67% of these patients had extensive surgery. All except 1 of 7 distant metastases occurred in the high-risk group, despite the patient having undergone extensive local surgery. Recurrence did not affect survival in the low-risk group. The extensive surgery group had a 3.4% incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and a 1.1% incidence of permanent hypocalcemia, with none in the conservative surgery group. CONCLUSION Conservative surgery for low-risk patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer appears to be sufficient and avoids complications without significantly increased risk for local, regional or distant recurrence.
TBI or not TBI: that is the question. Is it better to measure toe pressure than ankle pressure in diabetic patients?

Aims Measurement of ankle blood pressure is a simple method of assessing lower limb arterial blood supply. However, its use in diabetes has been questioned due to the presence of medial artery calcification. Measurement of toe blood pressure has been advocated as an alternative but it is technically more difficult. The aim of this study was to obtain information to guide clinicians as to when pressure measurements should be taken at the toe.
Librarians' Use of Social Media for Informal Scientific Communication in University Libraries in South-South Nigeria

This study investigated the use of social media for informal scientific communication among librarians in university libraries in South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria. The descriptive survey method was used for the study. The population of the study was 284 librarians in university libraries in South-South Nigeria. 284 copies of questionnaire were administered for this study. In response, 202 copies were retrieved and found useable, thereby indicating a response rate of 71%. The data was analysed using mean and frequencies. The hypothesis was testes using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient r. The findings indicated that librarians use social media tools such as Facebook, Whatsapp, twitter, blogs and LinkedIn for the purposes of informal scientific communication. The study also revealed that the extent to which librarians use social media for informal scientific communication is low as there are numerous challenges that hinders the effective usage of social media for informal scientific communication by librarians in university libraries in South-south, Nigeria. The study revealed that there exist a significant relationship between use of social media and informal scientific communication among librarians in university libraries in South-South Nigeria. The study recommends that university librarians and other library administrators should sensitize their library staff on the benefits of using social media for informal scientific communication. Librarians should cultivate the habit of using modern technologies (such as computers, social media tools) for information sharing and dissemination because it is relatively cheaper and allows for wider participation. The study also recommends that libraries should train staff periodically on the use of the different social media in carrying out library services as this will also enhance librarians use social media for the purposes of scientific communication among professional colleagues.
Prognostic factors for recurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) or bleeding during long-term secondary prevention of VTE with ximelagatran

Summary The oral direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran (24 mg twice daily) has been shown to significantly reduce the incidence of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) vs. placebo over 18 months, with no significant influence on bleeding (THRIVE III). The influence of potential prognostic factors on the risk of recurrent VTE or major and/or minor bleeding and their impact on ximelagatran treatment was evaluated in theTHRIVE III study population. The effect of sex, age, body weight, renal function, malignancy, type of initialVTE event, and history of previousVTE events was investigated in the intention-to-treat population using Cox proportionate hazard modelling. Ximelagatran was administered to 612 patients and placebo to 611 patients. Within the placebo group, risk of recurrent VTE was higher among men than women (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.50,95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49, 4.17), and in patients with one or more than one previous VTE event (HR: 1.73, 95% CI 1.00, 2.99). There was a higher risk of bleeding among women than men in both the ximelagatran (HR: 1.49, 95% CI 1.06, 2.09) and placebo (HR: 1.48, 95% CI 1.01, 2.15) groups, and in placebo-treated patients with an initial pulmonary embolism (HR: 1.53, 95% CI 1.06, 2.23) compared to those with initial deep vein thrombosis. There were no significant interactions between treatment effect and any of the potential prognostic factors. In conclusion, the superior efficacy of ximelagatran vs. placebo was maintained in all subgroups. Long-term use of oral ximelagatran, without coagulation monitoring or dose adjustment, should be feasible and well tolerated in a wide cross-section of patients for the secondary prevention of VTE.
Survival, differentiation, and reversal of heroin neurobehavioral teratogenicity in mice by transplanted neural stem cells derived from embryonic stem cells

Cell therapies in animal models of neurobehavioral defects are normally derived from neural stem cells (NSC) of the developing cortex. However, the clinical feasibility of NSC therapies would be greatly improved by deriving transplanted cells and from a tissue culture source that is self‐renewing, containing cells that potentially differentiate into the desired neuronal phenotypes. These cultures can be engineered to contain the appropriate factors to support their therapeutic action and likely evoke lesser immune reactions. In the current study, we employed our model of mice neurobehaviorally impaired via prenatal exposure to heroin, to test the therapeutic efficacy of NSC derived from murine embryonic stem cells culture (ESC). The culture contained elongated bipolar cells, 90% of which are positive for nestin, the intermediate filament protein found in neural precursors. After removal of growth factors, the NSC differentiated into neurons (34.0% ± 3.8% NF‐160 positive), including cholinergic cells (ChAT positive), oligodendrocytes (29.9% ± 4.2% O4), and astrocytes (36.1% ± 4.7% GFAP positive). Rreverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analysis confirmed the immunocytochemical findings. Mice made deficient in Morris maze behavior by prenatal heroin exposure (10 mg/kg heroin S.C. on gestational days 9–18) were transplanted into the hippocampusregion on postnatal day 35 with the ES culture‐derived NSC (ES‐NSC) labeled with dialkylcarbocyanine (Dil) cell tracker. Dil+ and NF160+ cells were detected in the hippocampal region (50% ± 8% survival). The transplantation completely restored maze performance to normal; e.g., on day 3, transplantation improved the behavior from the deficient level of 11.9‐sec latency to the control of 5.6‐sec latency (44.5% improvement). © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A cytoplasmic gene‐shuffle system in Kluyveromyces lactis: use of epitope tagging to detect a killer plasmid‐encoded gene product

A novel gene shuffle approach has been developed for investigating the functions of genes on the cytoplasmic linear DNA killer plasmids of Kluyveromyces lactis. By transplacing k2ORF5 from the larger plasmid pGKL2(k2) onto pGKL1(k1) we have shown this gene to be essential and functionally interchangeable between plasmids. Once transferred onto k1, k2ORF5 is fully able to complement a k2ORF50 deletion on k2 in trans, giving rise to yeast strains containing only the two recombinant plasmid forms. Additionally, the in vivo product of k2ORF5 has been identified as a 19.5 kDa protein by transplacing an epitope‐tagged k2ORF5 allele from k2 to k1. The ease of detection of the tagged ORF5 product in comparison to TRF1, the gene product of k2ORF10, indicates that Orf5p is one of the most abundant k2 products, implying structural rather than regulatory function.
Methanogenesis from Ethanol by Defined Mixed Continuous Cultures

Methanogenesis from ethanol by defined mixed continuous cultures was studied. Under sulfate-free conditions, a Desulfovibrio strain was used as the ethanol-degrading species producing acetic acid and hydrogen. In a two-membered mutualistic coculture, the hydrogen was converted to methane by a Methanobacterium sp. and pH was maintained at neutrality by the addition of alkali. Introduction of a third species, the acetate-utilizing Methanosarcina mazei, obviated the need for external pH control. Methanogenesis by the co-and triculture was studied at various dilution rates in the steady state. The mutualistic coculture performed like a composite single species, as predicted from the theory of mutualistic interactions. Coupling between the mutualistic coculture and the acetate-utilizing methanogen was less tight. Increasing the dilution rate destabilized the triculture; at low dilution rates, instability was soon recovered, but at higher dilution rates imbalance between the rates of production and removal of acetic acid led to a drop in pH. Flocs formed in the triculture. An annulus of the Methanobacterium sp. and Desulfovibrio sp. was retained around the Methanosarcina sp. by strands of material probably derived from the Methanosarcina sp.
Evaluation of Fatigue Behavior of Lead-Free Solder Joints in Four-Point Bending Test by Finite-Element Modeling

Fatigue performance of solder joints in four-point bending test is evaluated by finite-element modeling. A simplified modeling technique is implemented in order to focus on the behavior of the critical solder joint. The fatigue life is estimated by taking into account the creep behavior of the solder joints and the utilization of Morrow’s fatigue model. Fatigue life curves are generated for room temperature and two elevated temperatures with the critical orientation of chip scale packages on the test board. The results are compared with the real four-point bending test conducted for two different temperatures. In addition, some parametric studies are conducted including the significance of test temperature, copper wiring structure, and the dwell time in the cyclic loading profile. Besides these, the structural integrity of the test board is also checked.
Reliability of the Japanese version of the Inventory to Diagnose Depression

Abstract The reliability of the Japanese version of the Inventory to Diagnose Depression (IDD) which is a self‐report to diagnose major depressive disorders (MDD) of DSM‐III‐R, was investigated in 30 cases with MDD and 30 control subjects. On test‐retest reliability, the agreement of diagnostic performance was substantial (K= 0.64, P < 0.001) for 60 subjects, and scores of total and individual items correlated significantly (P < 0.001) between test and retest except for decreased energy, decreased interest, and decreased concentration. The average score of the total IDD severity at test (38.4) was significantly higher than that at retest (28.0; P < 0.01). However, excluding the recovered 10 cases, there was no significant difference seen on the average total score between test and retest (38.8, 30.1, respectively). Internal consistency (Cronbach's a= 0.80) and split‐half reliability (0.79) were sufficient, and item‐total correlations of the IDD were significant (P < 0.01) except for weight gain. The IDD might be useful as a screening tool and for clinical evaluation of subjects in Japan; however, it is necessary to examine the validity of this instrument.
Breast cancer risk and alcohol consumption: results from a large case-control study.

BACKGROUND Alcohol use is associated with breast cancer in many epidemiological studies. Most, however, have measured risk from recent consumption patterns, and only a few include analyses for duration of drinking or age that a woman started to drink. The authors studied the effect of these variables, as well as of recent alcohol consumption patterns, on breast cancer risk. METHODS Data from a large case-control study conducted in Long Island, New York from 1 January 1984 to 31 December 1986 were used. A total of 1214 women aged 20-79 years with incident breast cancer were interviewed. A control was selected for each case from driver's license files, and matched on age and county of residence. Alcohol consumption was measured as: ever versus never, grams of alcohol per day, age started drinking, and total years drinking. RESULTS After adjustment for breast cancer risk factors, the odds ratio for ever versus never drinking was 1.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.79); odds ratios for > 0-5 and > or = 5 grams of alcohol use per day, as compared to nondrinkers, were 1.29 (95% CI: 1.00-1.65) and 1.46 (95% CI: 1.13-1.89), respectively. Age when drinking began was not related to breast cancer risk, but the greater the total years of drinking, up to 40 years (odds ratio 1.48, 95% CI: 1.13-1.93), the greater the risk. However, when grams per day and duration of drinking were simultaneously included in the multivariate model, duration was not important as a risk factor. This suggests that intensity of drinking may be the important factor for breast cancer risk. After covariate adjustment, risk from alcohol intake did not differ between pre- and postmenopausal women.
Hospital Quality and Selective Contracting: Evidence from Kidney Transplantation

Most private health insurers offer a limited network of providers to enrollees. Critics have questioned whether selective contracting benefits patients. Plans counter that they take quality into account when choosing providers. Using data on five plans' networks for kidney transplant hospitals, this study shows that in-network hospitals have better outcomes than out-of-network facilities. Conditional logit estimates using patient level data confirm this result: compared to Medicare patients, privately-insured patients are more likely to register at hospitals with higher survival rates. Restricting choice has the potential to improve patient welfare if plans steer uninformed patients to high quality hospitals and physicians.
Experimental study of the water-to-air stopping power ratio of monoenergetic carbon ion beams for particle therapy

Reference dosimetry with ionization chambers requires a number of chamber-specific and beam-specific calibration factors. For carbon ion beams, IAEA report TRS-398 yields a total uncertainty of 3% in the determination of the absorbed dose to water, for which the biggest contribution arises from the water-to-air stopping power ratio (sw, air), with an uncertainty of 2%. The variation of (sw, air) along the treatment field has been studied in several Monte Carlo works presented over the last few years. Their results were, in all cases, strongly dependent on the choice of mean ionization potentials (I-values) for air and water. A smaller dependence of (sw, air) with penetration depth was observed. Since a consensus on Iw, air and Iair has not yet been reached, the validity of such studies for clinical use cannot be assessed independently. Our approach is based on a direct experimental measurement of water-equivalent thicknesses of different air gaps at different beam energies. A theoretical expression describing the variation of the stopping power ratio with kinetic energy, sw,air(E), was derived from the Bethe–Bloch formula and fit to the measured data, yielding a coherent pair of Iw and Iair values with Iair/Iw = 1.157 ± 0.023. Additionally, the data from five different beam energies were combined in an average value of sw,air = 1.132 ± 0.003 (statistical) ± 0.003 (variation over energy range), valid for monoenergetic carbon ion beams at the plateau area of the depth dose distribution. A detailed uncertainty analysis was performed on the data, in order to assess the limitations of the method, yielding an overall standard uncertainty below 1% in sw,air(E). Therefore, when properly combined with the appropriate models for the fragment spectra, our experimental work can contribute to narrow the uncertainty margins currently in use in absorbed dose to water determination for dosimetry of carbon ion beam radiotherapy.
Mechanism for biphasic rel A. NF-kappaB1 nuclear translocation in tumor necrosis factor alpha-stimulated hepatocytes.

The proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), is a potent activator of angiotensinogen gene transcription in hepatocytes by activation of latent nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) DNA binding activity. In this study, we examine the kinetics of TNFalpha-activated translocation of the 65-kDa (Rel A) and 50-kDa (NF-kappaB1) NF-kappaB subunits mediated by inhibitor (IkappaB) proteolysis in HepG2 hepatoblastoma cells. HepG2 cells express the IkappaB members IkappaBalpha, IkappaBbeta, and IkappaBgamma. In response to TNFalpha, Rel A.NF-kappaB1 translocation and DNA binding activity follows a biphasic profile, with an "early" induction (15-30 min), followed by a nadir to control levels at 60 min, and a "late" induction (>120 min). The early phase of Rel A.NF-kappaB1 translocation depends on simultaneous proteolysis of both IkappaBalpha and IkappaBbeta isoforms; IkappaBgamma is inert to TNFalpha treatment. The 60-min nadir is due to a rapid IkappaBalpha resynthesis that reassociates with Rel A and completely inhibits its DNA binding activity; the 60-min nadir is not observed when IkappaBalpha resynthesis is prevented by cycloheximide treatment. By contrast, selective inhibition of IkappaBbeta proteolysis by pretreatment of HepG2 cells with the peptide aldehyde N-acetyl-Leu-Leu-norleucinal completely blocks the late phase of Rel A.NF-kappaB1 translocation. These studies indicate the presence of inducible and constitutive cytoplasmic NF-kappaB pools in hepatocytes. TNFalpha induces a coordinated proteolysis and resynthesis of IkappaB isoforms to produce dynamic changes in NF-kappaB nuclear abundance.