Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α in the human breast cancer cell lines MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231

Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) α is a ligand‐activated transcription factor that has been linked with rodent hepatocarcinogenesis. It has been suggested that PPARα mRNA expression levels are an important determinant of rodent hepatic tumorigenicity. Previous work in rat mammary gland epithelial cells showed significantly increased PPARα mRNA expression in carcinomas, suggesting the possible role of this isoform in rodent mammary gland carcinogenesis. In this study we sought to determine whether PPARα is expressed and dynamically regulated in human breast cancer MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Having established the presence of PPARα in both cell types, we then examined the consequence of PPARα activation, by its ligands Wy‐14,643 and clofibrate, on proliferation. With real‐time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction, we showed that PPARα mRNA was dynamically regulated in MDA‐MB‐231 cells and that PPARα activation significantly increased proliferation of the cell line. In contrast, PPARα expression in MCF‐7 cells did not change with proliferation during culture and was present at significantly lower levels than in MDA‐MB‐231 cells. However, PPARα ligand activation still significantly increased the proliferation of MCF‐7 cells. The promotion of proliferation in breast cancer cell lines following PPARα activation was in stark contrast to the effects of PPARγ‐activating ligands that decrease proliferation in human breast cancer cells. Our results established the presence of PPARα in human breast cancer cell lines and showed for the first time that activation of PPARα in human breast cancer cells promoted proliferation. Hence, this pathway may be significant in mammary gland tumorigenesis. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Adult Chinese Hemophilia Patients Negative for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Treatment Results with Interferon and Ribavirin

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication in hemophilia patients depends on viral and patient factors. We report the treatment results with interferon α (5 megaunits, 3 times per week) and ribavirin (1 g daily) for 1 year in 17 Chinese patients who were negative for the human immunodeficiency virus. The HCV genotype consisted of a mixture of Western (genotypes 1, 2, and 3) and Chinese (genotypes 1 and 6) patterns. Quasi species were common (29%). Seven patients (41%) stopped treatment because of complications. Sustained HCV eradication was achieved until the end of treatment or for 24 months in 7 of 17 patients, respectively. A sustained response occurred in 50% of the patients completing treatment and occurred only in patients with genotypes 1, 3, and 6 but not with quasi species.
Synovial Sarcoma Prognostic Factors and Patterns of Failure

From 1970 to 1999, 44 patients with synovial sarcoma were seen at the University of Iowa. Tumor size was ≥5 cm in 24 (55%). Histologic classification was biphasic in 26 (59%) and monophasic in 18 (41%). Seven patients (16%) had distant metastasis at initial presentation. For the 37 nonmetastatic patients, local treatment consisted of wide local excision in 29 and amputation in 8; chemotherapy was administered to 10. For the 29 who underwent wide local excision, microscopic resection margins were negative in 18 and positive in 11; 19 received postoperative radiotherapy. The 5-, 10-, and 20-year overall survival rates for the nonmetastatic group were 65.6%, 45.5%, and 37.8%. On multivariate analysis using age as a continuous covariate, younger age (p = 0.028), biphasic histology (p = 0.014), and extremity sites treated with limb-sparing surgery (p = 0.001) were found to be predictors of a better overall survival. No local failures were found after 5 years from initial diagnosis. On multivariate analysis, tumor location at an extremity site was the only variable marginally found to have a better local control (p = 0.065). Of the 19 patients who developed distant metastasis, 5 (26%) failed >5 years and 2 (11%) failed >15 years of follow-up. Younger age, biphasic histology, and extremity sites were found to have a better survival outcome. Late distant relapses can occur with synovial sarcoma.
Privacy Enhancement for Internet Electronic Mail: Part I: Message Encryption and Authentication Procedures

This document defines message encryption and authentication procedures, in order to provide privacy-enhanced mail (PEM) services for electronic mail transfer in the Internet. It is intended to become one member of a related set of four RFCs. The procedures defined in the current document are intended to be compatible with a wide range of key management approaches, including both symmetric (secret-key) and asymmetric (public-key) approaches for encryption of data encrypting keys. Use of symmetric cryptography for message text encryption and/or integrity check computation is anticipated. RFC 1422 specifies supporting key management mechanisms based on the use of public-key certificates. RFC 1423 specifies algorithms, modes, and associated identifiers relevant to the current RFC and to RFC 1422 . RFC 1424 provides details of paper and electronic formats and procedures for the key management infrastructure being established in support of these services.
Further studies on Leydig cell function in old age.

ABSTRACT Pathophysiological mechanisms leading to a decreased Leydig cell function in old males were studied. Increased basal plasma LH and FSH levels, an increased pituitary reaction to LHRH 200 μg iv, and a decreased responsiveness of the Leydig cells to hCG stimulation, lead to the conclusion that the decreased Leydig cell function in old age has a primary testicular origin. The plasma estrone and estradiol levels are slightly but significantly increased in elderly males, the free estradiol concentration is however unchanged. There exists a highly significant correlation between the (log transformed) apparent free testosterone concentration and LH and FSH levels suggesting that the feedback of the gonadotropin secretion is regulated via the free rather than via total testosterone levels.
Deferred Versus Immediate Stenting in Patients With ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Background A number of studies have evaluated the efficacy of deferred stenting vs immediate stenting in patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction, but the findings were not consistent across these studies. This meta‐analysis aims to assess optimal treatment strategies in patient with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction. Methods and Results We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for studies that assessed deferred vs immediate stenting in patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction. Nine studies including 1456 patients in randomized controlled trials and 719 patients in observational studies were included in the meta‐analysis. No significant differences were observed in the incidence of no‐ or slow‐reflow between deferred stenting and immediate stenting in randomized controlled trials (odds ratio [OR] 0.51, 95%CI 0.17‐1.53, P=0.23, I2=70%) but not in observational studies (OR 0.13, 95%CI 0.06‐0.31, P<0.0001, I2=0%). Deferred stenting was associated with an increase in long‐term left ventricular ejection fraction (weighted mean difference 1.90%, 95%CI 0.77‐3.03, P=0.001, I2=0%). No significant differences were observed in the rates of major adverse cardiovascular events (OR 0.53, 95%CI 0.27‐1.01, P=0.06 [randomized OR 0.98, 95%CI 0.73‐1.30, P=0.87, I2=0%; nonrandomized OR 0.30, 95%CI 0.15‐0.58, P=0.0004, I2=0%]), major bleeding (OR=0.1.61, 95%CI 0.70‐3.69, P=0.26, I2=0%), death (OR=0.78, 95%CI 0.53‐1.15, P=0.22, I2=0%), MI (OR=0.97, 95%CI 0.34‐2.78, P=0.96, I2=35%) and target vessel revascularization (OR 0.97, 95%CI 0.40‐2.37, P=0.95, I2=24%), between deferred and immediate stenting. Conclusions Compared with immediate stenting, a deferred‐stenting strategy did not reduce the occurrence of no‐ or slow‐reflow, death, myocardial infarction, or repeat revascularization compared with immediate stenting in patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction, but showed an improved left ventricular function in the long term.
Seated saline suppression testing for the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism: a preliminary study.

CONTEXT Failure of aldosterone suppression by sodium loading during fludrocortisone suppression testing (FST) or saline suppression testing (SST) confirms primary aldosteronism (PA). We previously found recumbent SST (RSST) to lack sensitivity. Aldosterone levels can be higher upright (e.g. seated) than recumbent in patients with PA and upright levels are used during FST. We therefore hypothesized that seated SST (SSST) is more sensitive than RSST, especially for posture-responsive PA. SETTING AND DESIGN Of 66 patients who underwent FST (upright plasma aldosterone levels measured at 10am basally and after 4 days fludrocortisone 0.1 mg 6-hourly and oral salt loading), 31 underwent SST (aldosterone levels measured basally at 8am and after infusion of 2 L normal saline over 4h) both recumbent and seated in randomized order and at least 2 weeks apart. RESULTS FST confirmed PA in 23 of 31 patients (day 4 upright aldosterone level >165 pmol/L), excluded PA in three and was originally "inconclusive" in five. However, one with "inconclusive" FST had PA confirmed by lateralizing AVS and was reclassified "unilateral PA". Of 24 with confirmed PA (eight unilateral, 11 bilateral, and five undetermined subtype), 23 (96%) tested positive by SSST (4-h aldosterone level >165 pmol/L) compared with 8 (33%) by RSST (4-h plasma aldosterone level >140 pmol/L) (P < .001). RSST missed one unilateral, all bilateral, and four with as-yet undetermined subtype. RSST was positive in 7 of 10 (70%) posture-unresponsive vs one of 14 (7.1%) posture-responsive patients (P < .005). CONCLUSION These preliminary results suggest that seated SST may be superior to recumbent SST in terms of sensitivity for detecting PA, especially posture-responsive forms, and may represent a reliable alternative to FST.
Detection and characterisation of human astroviruses in children with acute gastroenteritis in Blantyre, Malawi

In a 2‐year hospital‐based study of paediatric gastroenteritis in Blantyre, Malawi, astroviruses were detected by enzyme immunoassay in 15 (1.9%) of 786 inpatients and in 9 (2.3%) of 400 outpatients. Greater disease severity was noted in children coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Six human astrovirus (HAstV) genotypes were identified, including HAstV‐1 (25%), HAstV‐2 (21%), HAstV‐3 (25%), HAstV‐4 (13%), HAstV‐5 (4%), and HAstV‐8 (13%). Although astroviruses are not major causes of gastroenteritis among children admitted to hospital in Blantyre, concomitant HIV infection appears to be a risk factor for increased severity of disease. J. Med. Virol. 67:563–566, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular and Genetic Analyses of Four Nonfunctional S Haplotype Variants Derived from a Common Ancestral S Haplotype Identified in Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.)

Tetraploid sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) has an S-RNase-based gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) system; however, individuals can be either self-incompatible (SI) or self-compatible (SC). Unlike the situation in the Solanaceae, where self-compatibility accompanying polyploidization is often due to the compatibility of heteroallelic pollen, the genotype-dependent loss of SI in sour cherry is due to the compatibility of pollen containing two nonfunctional S haplotypes. Sour cherry individuals with the S4S6S36aS36b genotype are predicted to be SC, as only pollen containing both nonfunctional S36a and S36b haplotypes would be SC. However, we previously found that individuals of this genotype were SI. Here we describe four nonfunctional S36 variants. Our molecular analyses identified a mutation that would confer loss of stylar S function for one of the variants, and two alterations that might cause loss of pollen S function for all four variants. Genetic crosses showed that individuals possessing two nonfunctional S36 haplotypes and two functional S haplotypes have reduced self-fertilization due to a very low frequency of transmission of the one pollen type that would be SC. Our finding that the underlying mechanism limiting successful transmission of genetically compatible gametes does not involve GSI is consistent with our previous genetic model for Prunus in which heteroallelic pollen is incompatible. This provides a unique case in which breakdown of SI does not occur despite the potential to generate SC pollen genotypes.
Changes in physical functioning in institutionalized older adults

Purpose : Chronic care and long-term care facilities have a responsibility to provide care that enables residents to attain or maintain their maximal functional capacity. This paper uses the Minimum Data Set (MDS) to examine changes in functional health. Methods : One hundred and thirty-eight residents were assessed quarterly using the MDS over a 12 month period in a chronic care and long-tem care institution. Physical functioning was conceptualized in two areas of physical limitations (e.g. bed mobility) and disability (e.g. dressing). Results : Ten percent of the residents physical functioning improved. Gender, range of motion score at baseline, change in bed mobility and change in short term memory were strong independent predictors of changes in functional activity FL adjusted R 2 = 0.23, F(5156) = 10.47, p<0.0001. The strongest independent predictors of change in ADL were gender, balance while standing at baseline, joint range of motion at baseline and change in depression scores, and weight loss, adjusted R 2 = 0.24, F(4157) = 13.38, p<0.0001. Conclusions : Most residents' physical functioning showed a deterioration or remained stable. Impairments which best explained changes in functioning such as range of motion or balance in standing are modifiable and should be targeted in interventions by nursing and rehabilitation staff.
Investigating protein conformational energy landscapes and atomic resolution dynamics from NMR dipolar couplings: a review

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is exquisitely sensitive to protein dynamics. In particular inter-nuclear dipolar couplings, that become measurable in solution when the protein is dissolved in a dilute liquid crystalline solution, report on all conformations sampled up to millisecond timescales. As such they provide the opportunity to describe the Boltzmann distribution present in solution at atomic resolution, and thereby to map the conformational energy landscape in unprecedented detail. The development of analytical methods and approaches based on numerical simulation and their application to numerous biologically important systems is presented.
In vitro evaluation of silver nanoparticles on human tumoral and normal cells

Abstract Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which have well-known antimicrobial properties, are extensively used in various medical and general applications. Despite the widespread use of AgNPs, relatively few studies have been undertaken to determine the toxicity effects of AgNPs exposure. The aim of the present work was to study how AgNPs interact with four different human cell lines (hepatoma, leukemia, dermal and pulmonary fibroblast) in order to understand the impact of such nanomaterials on cellular biological functions. For toxicity evaluations, mitochondrial function (MTT assay) and membrane leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH assay) were assessed under control and exposed conditions (24, 48 and 72 h of exposure). Furthermore, we evaluated the protective effect of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) against AgNP-induced cytotoxicity. Results showed that mitochondrial function decreased in all cell lines exposed to AgNPs at 6.72–13.45 µg/ml. LDH leakage also increased in all cell lines exposed to AgNPs (6.72–13.45 µg/ml). However, the cytotoxic effect of AgNPs (13.45 µg/ml) was prevented by pretreatment of different concentrations of NAC (1–20 mM). Our findings indicate that AgNPs are cytotoxic on human tumor and normal cells, the tumor cells being more sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of AgNPs. In addition, NAC protects human cells from cytotoxicity of AgNPs, suggesting that oxidative stress is in part responsible of this effect.
Human HRD1 Is an E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Involved in Degradation of Proteins from the Endoplasmic Reticulum*

The ubiquitin system plays an important role in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation of proteins that are misfolded, that fail to associate with their oligomerization partners, or whose levels are metabolically regulated. E3 ubiquitin ligases are key enzymes in the ubiquitination process as they recognize the substrate and facilitate coupling of multiple ubiquitin units to the protein that is to be degraded. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae ER-resident E3 ligase Hrd1p/Der3p functions in the metabolically regulated degradation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase and additionally facilitates the degradation of a number of misfolded proteins from the ER. In this study we characterized the structure and function of the putative human orthologue of yeast Hrd1p/Der3p, designated human HRD1. We show that human HRD1 is a non-glycosylated, stable ER protein with a cytosolic RING-H2 finger domain. In the presence of the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC7, the RING-H2 finger has in vitro ubiquitination activity for Lys48-specific polyubiquitin linkage, suggesting that human HRD1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in protein degradation. Human HRD1 appears to be involved in the basal degradation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase but not in the degradation that is regulated by sterols. Additionally we show that human HRD1 is involved in the elimination of two model ER-associated degradation substrates, TCR-α and CD3-δ.
Changes in midline thalamic recruiting responses in the prefrontal cortex of the rat during the development of chronic limbic seizures

Purpose: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is a common form of epilepsy that affects the limbic system and is associated with decreases in memory and cognitive performance. The medial prefrontal cortex (PC) in rats, which has a role in memory, is associated with and linked anatomically to the limbic system, but it is unknown if and how MTLE affects the PC.
Hardware overview of the EUROGAM data acquisition system

EUROGAM is an Anglo/French gamma ray detector which will alternate between the tandem Van der Graaf accelerator at Daresbury and the Vivitron at Strasbourg. Because of the very sensitive nature of the electronics for germanium gamma ray detectors, VXIbus (VMEbus extensions for instrumentation) was chosen as the basis for data acquisition. A major program of development, shared between the British and French participants, is now in its full stages for operation in early 1992. Commissioning tests carried out thus far on the readout electronics for EUROGAM having demonstrated the suitability of VXIbus as a vehicle for housing very dense, high-precision, multichannel spectroscopy amplifiers and analog-to-digital converters for nuclear physics applications. The hardware configuration (Phase 1) is described in detail. <<ETX>>
Apprentissage simultané d'une tâche nouvelle et de l'interprétation de signaux sociaux d'un humain en robotique. (Learning from unlabeled interaction frames)

Cette these s'interesse a un probleme logique dont les enjeux theoriques et pratiques sont multiples. De maniere simple, il peut etre presente ainsi : imaginez que vous etes dans un labyrinthe, dont vous connaissez toutes les routes menant a chacune des portes de sortie. Derriere l'une de ces portes se trouve un tresor, mais vous n'avez le droit d'ouvrir qu'une seule porte. Un vieil homme habitant le labyrinthe connait la bonne sortie et se propose alors de vous aider a l'identifier. Pour cela, il vous indiquera la direction a prendre a chaque intersection. Malheureusement, cet homme ne parle pas votre langue, et les mots qu'il utilise pour dire ``droite'' ou ``gauche'' vous sont inconnus. Est-il possible de trouver le tresor et de comprendre l'association entre les mots du vieil homme et leurs significations ? Ce probleme, bien qu'en apparence abstrait, est relie a des problematiques concretes dans le domaine de l'interaction homme-machine. Remplacons le vieil homme par un utilisateur souhaitant guider un robot vers une sortie specifique du labyrinthe. Ce robot ne sait pas en avance quelle est la bonne sortie mais il sait ou se trouvent chacune des portes et comment s'y rendre. Imaginons maintenant que ce robot ne comprenne pas a priori le langage de l'humain; en effet, il est tres difficile de construire un robot a meme de comprendre parfaitement chaque langue, accent et preference de chacun. Il faudra alors que le robot apprenne l'association entre les mots de l'utilisateur et leur sens, tout en realisant la tâche que l'humain lui indique (i.e.trouver la bonne porte). Une autre facon de decrire ce probleme est de parler d'auto-calibration. En effet, le resoudre reviendrait a creer des interfaces ne necessitant pas de phase de calibration car la machine pourrait s'adapter,automatiquement et pendant l'interaction, a differentes personnes qui ne parlent pas la meme langue ou qui n'utilisent pas les memes mots pour dire la meme chose. Cela veut aussi dire qu'il serait facile de considerer d’autres modalites d'interaction (par exemple des gestes, des expressions faciales ou des ondes cerebrales). Dans cette these, nous presentons une solution a ce probleme. Nous appliquons nos algorithmes a deux exemples typiques de l'interaction homme robot et de l'interaction cerveau machine: une tâche d'organisation d'une serie d'objets selon les preferences de l'utilisateur qui guide le robot par la voix, et une tâche de deplacement sur une grille guide par les signaux cerebraux de l'utilisateur. Ces dernieres experiences ont ete faites avec des utilisateurs reels. Nos resultats demontrent experimentalement que notre approche est fonctionnelle et permet une utilisation pratique d’une interface sans calibration prealable.
Secondhand smoke exposure in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Preterm infants and children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) often experience significant respiratory morbidities during the first two years of life. Second hand smoke (SHS) has been demonstrated to lead to respiratory morbidities in the general population. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence/impact of SHS on preterm infants and children with BPD.
On the Complexity of Chore Division

We study the proportional chore division problem where a protocol wants to divide an undesirable object, called chore, among n different players. This problem is the dual variant of the cake cutting problem in which we want to allocate a desirable object. In this paper, we show that chore division and cake cutting problems are closely related to each other and provide a tight lower bound for proportional chore division.
Perception of Nursing Education Uses of Second Life by Graduate Nursing Students

Although virtual reality platforms, such as Second Life, have been used in academic settings for more than a decade, little is known about how students perceive or adapt to this technology. This article presents the results of a research study that examined the experiences and perceptions of graduate nursing students as they explored the educational applications of Second Life. The students created avatars, interacted with one another in the virtual world, explored healthcare and educational uses, and maintained a reflective blog (online journal) of their experiences. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the reflective blogs, and four themes were identified: (1) mastering Second Life, (2) technological challenges, (3) social interaction, and (4) knowledge dissemination. The results support the use of virtual reality in education, as even novice graduate students were able to overcome initial challenges and learn to navigate within a virtual world.