Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sex differences in bone mineral density in 1653 men and women in the sixth through tenth decades of life: The rancho bernardo study

This cross‐sectional population‐based study examined the effect of age and sex on bone mineral density (BMD) in the elderly. BMD was measured at the spine and hip using dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry and at midshaft and ultradistal radius using single‐photon absorptiometry in 672 men and 981 women aged 50–98 years. In both sexes, mean BMD levels decreased significantly with age at all sites except the male spine. In linear regression models, the slope of loss was significantly greater in women than in men at all sites except the ultradistal radius. The slope was steeper at most sites in women aged 50‐59 years than in older women, 60‐98 years. In both age groups, mean age‐adjusted BMD levels were lower at all sites in women who were past or never users of replacement estrogen than in women who were current estrogen users. Current estrogen users generally had lower slopes of loss with age than never or past estrogen users; however, few of these differences were statistically significant. We conclude that BMD levels decrease in old age in both sexes. Continued bone loss in old age raises the possibility that intervention to retard further loss may still be warranted in the elderly.
Neuromarketing: Inside the Mind of the Consumer

Managers today are under tremendous pressure to uncover factors driving customers’ attitudes and behavior. Unfortunately, traditional methods suffer from well-known limitations and have remained largely unchanged since their introduction decades ago. As a result, there is growing interest in brain-based approaches that may enable managers to directly probe customers’ underlying thoughts, feelings, and intentions. This article provides practical guidance to managers on using these tools, focusing on two distinct uses: validation of existing insights and generation of novel insights. Throughout, we emphasize that managers should see traditional and brain-based approaches as complements, rather than substitutes, in understanding customers.
Carbohydrate mouth rinse enhances time to exhaustion during treadmill exercise

Mouth rinsing with a CHO solution has been suggested to improve short (<1 h) endurance performance through central effect. We examined the effects of mouth rinsing with a CHO solution on running time to exhaustion on a treadmill. Six well‐trained subjects ran to exhaustion at 85% VO2max, on three separate occasions. Subjects received either an 8% CHO solution or a placebo (PLA) every 15 min to mouth rinse (MR) or a 6% CHO solution to ingest (ING). Treatments were assigned in a randomized, counterbalanced fashion, with the mouth‐rinsing treatments double‐blinded. Blood samples were taken to assess glucose (Glu) and lactate (Lac), as well as the perceived exertion (RPE). Gas exchange and heart rate (HR) were collected during all trials. Subjects ran longer (P = 0·038) in both the MR (2583 ± 686 s) and ING (2625 ± 804 s) trials, compared to PLA (1935 ± 809 s), covering a greater distance (MR 9685 ± 3511·62 m; ING 9855 ± 4118·62; PLA 7295 ± 3727 m). RER was significantly higher in both ING and MR versus PLA. No difference among trials was observed for other metabolic or cardiovascular variables (VO2, Lac, Glu, HR), nor for RPE. Endurance capacity, based on time to exhaustion on a treadmill, was improved when either mouth rinsing or ingesting a CHO solution, compared to PLA.
Caspase 3 inhibition attenuates hydrogen peroxide‐induced DNA fragmentation but not cell death in neuronal PC12 cells

Exposure of neurons to H2O2 results in both necrosis and apoptosis. Caspases play a pivotal role in apoptosis, but exactly how they are involved in H2O2‐mediated cell death is unknown. We examined H2O2‐induced toxicity in neuronal PC12 cells and the effects of inducible overexpression of the H2O2‐scavenging enzyme catalase on this process. H2O2 caused cell death in a time‐ and concentration‐dependent manner. Cell death induced by H2O2 was found to be mediated in part through an apoptotic pathway as H2O2‐treated cells exhibited cell shrinkage, nuclear condensation and marked DNA fragmentation. H2O2 also triggered activation of caspase 3. Genetic up‐regulation of catalase not only significantly reduced cell death but also suppressed caspase 3 activity and DNA fragmentation. While the caspase 3 inhibitor DEVD inhibited both caspase 3 activity and DNA fragmentation induced by H2O2 it did not prevent cell death. Treatment with the general caspase inhibitor ZVAD, however, resulted in complete attenuation of H2O2‐mediated cellular toxicity. These results suggest that DNA fragmentation induced by H2O2 is attributable to caspase 3 activation and that H2O2 may be critical for signaling leading to apoptosis. However, unlike inducibly increased catalase expression and general caspase inhibition both of which protect cells from cytotoxicity, caspase 3 inhibition alone did not improve cell survival suggesting that prevention of DNA fragmentation is insufficient to prevent H2O2‐mediated cell death.
Genetic Susceptibility to Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis in Preterm Children Is Associated With Airway Remodeling Genes and Innate Immune Genes

Prematurity is a risk factor for severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis. We show that genetic factors in innate immune genes (IFNA13, IFNAR2, STAT2, IL27, NFKBIA, C3, IL1RN, TLR5), in innate and adaptive immunity (IFNG), and in airway remodeling genes (ADAM33 and TGFBR1), affect disease susceptibility to a different extent in preterm children, born with underdeveloped lungs, than in term children.
Roles of Cell Division and Gene Transcription in the Methylation of CpG Islands

ABSTRACT De novo methylation of CpG islands within the promoters of eukaryotic genes is often associated with their transcriptional repression, yet the methylation of CpG islands located downstream of promoters does not block transcription. We investigated the kinetics of mRNA induction, demethylation, and remethylation of the p16promoter and second-exon CpG islands in T24 cells after 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) treatment to explore the relationship between CpG island methylation and gene transcription. The rates of remethylation of both CpG islands were associated with time but not with the rate of cell division, and remethylation of thep16 exon 2 CpG island occurred at a higher rate than that of the p16 promoter. We also examined the relationship between the remethylation of coding sequence CpG islands and gene transcription. The kinetics of remethylation of the p16exon 2, PAX-6 exon 5, c-ABL exon 11, andMYF-3 exon 3 loci were examined following 5-Aza-CdR treatment because these genes contain exonic CpG islands which are hypermethylated in T24 cells. Remethylation occurred most rapidly in the p16, PAX-6, and c-ABL genes, shown to be transcribed prior to drug treatment. These regions also exhibited higher levels of remethylation in single-cell clones and subclones derived from 5-Aza-CdR-treated T24 cells. Our data suggest that de novo methylation is not restricted to the S phase of the cell cycle and that transcription through CpG islands does not inhibit their remethylation.
μ‐Crystallin controls muscle function through thyroid hormone action

μ‐Crystallin (Crym), a thyroid hormone‐binding protein, is abnormally up‐regulated in the muscles of patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, a dominantly inherited progressive myopathy. However, the physiologic function of Crym in skeletal muscle remains to be elucidated. In this study, Crym was preferentially expressed in skeletal muscle throughout the body. Crym‐knockout mice exhibited a significant hypertrophy of fast‐twitch glycolytic type IIb fibers, causing an increase in grip strength and high intensity running ability in Crym‐null mice. Genetic inactivation of Crym or blockade of Crym by siRNA‐mediated knockdown up‐regulated the gene expression of fast‐glycolytic contractile fibers in satellite cell‐derived myotubes in vitro. These alterations in Crym‐inactivated muscle were rescued by inhibition of thyroid hormone, even though Crym is a positive regulator of thyroid hormone action in nonmuscle cells. The results demonstrated that Crym is a crucial regulator of muscle plasticity, controlling metabolic and contractile properties of myofibers, and thus the selective inactivation of Crym may be a potential therapeutic target for muscle‐wasting diseases, such as muscular dystrophies and age‐related sarcopenia. —Seko, D. , Ogawa, S. , Li, T. ‐S. , Taimura, A. , Ono, Y. μ‐Crystallin controls muscle function through thyroid hormone action. FASEB J. 30, 1733–1740 (2016). www.fasebj. org
cdc-25.2, a C. elegans ortholog of cdc25, is required to promote oocyte maturation

Cdc25 is an evolutionarily conserved protein phosphatase that promotes progression through the cell cycle. Some metazoans have multiple isoforms of Cdc25, which have distinct functions and different expression patterns during development. C. elegans has four cdc-25 genes. cdc-25.1 is required for germline mitotic proliferation. To determine if the other members of the cdc-25 family also contribute to regulation of cell division in the germ line, we examined phenotypes of loss-of-function mutants of the other cdc-25 family genes. We found that cdc-25.2 is also essential for germline development. cdc-25.2 homozygous mutant hermaphrodites exhibited sterility as a result of defects in oogenesis: mutant oocytes were arrested as endomitotic oocytes that were not fertilized successfully. Spermatogenesis and male germline development were not affected. Through genetic interaction studies, we found that CDC-25.2 functions upstream of maturation-promoting factor containing CDK-1 and CYB-3 to promote oocyte maturation by counteracting function of WEE-1.3. We propose that cdc-25 family members function as distinct but related cell cycle regulators to control diverse cell cycles in C. elegans germline development.
Influence of Maxillary Sinus Width on Transcrestal Sinus Augmentation Outcomes: Radiographic Evaluation Based on Cone Beam CT.

BACKGROUND Maxillary sinus elevation is a predictable procedure to vertically enhance bone volume in the posterior maxilla for successful implant placement. It is speculated that graft bone resorption and remodeling which require angiogenesis may be affected by the dimensions of maxillary sinus cavity. PURPOSE The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of sinus width (SW) on the outcomes of transcrestal sinus lift with simultaneous implant placement based on cone beam CT (CBCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 57 elevated sites in 33 patients were included in this study. All the patients were treated with transcrestal sinus lift procedure associated with simultaneous implant placement using a composite graft material of autogenous bone and Bio-Oss. For each patient, CBCT scans were performed preoperatively, immediately after surgery and 6 months after surgery. Measurements of the linear parameters were conducted on the preoperative and postoperative CBCT images. The correlation of SW with graft resorption (GR) was analyzed using Pearson's correlation test with or without the classification of residual bone height. RESULTS The average width of maxillary sinus was 13.68 ± 2.66 mm. The mean height of apical graft bone decreased from 2.85 mm immediately after surgery to 1.38 mm after 6 months. A positive association between SW and GR (r = 0.323, p = .014) was found in general. CONCLUSION The findings show that graft bone resorption in elevated sinus has a positive correlation with the SW.
Assessment of the equivalence of the Spanish and English versions of the CAHPS Hospital Survey on the quality of inpatient care.

OBJECTIVE To describe translation and cultural adaptation procedures, and examine the degree of equivalence between the Spanish and English versions of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Consumer Assessments of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospital Survey (H-CAHPS) of patient experiences with care. DATA SOURCES Cognitive interviews on survey comprehension with 12 Spanish-speaking and 31 English-speaking subjects. Psychometric analyses of 586 responses to the Spanish version and 19,134 responses to the English version of the H-CAHPS survey tested in Arizona, Maryland, and New York in 2003. STUDY DESIGN A forward/backward translation procedure followed by committee review and cognitive testing was used to ensure a translation that was both culturally and linguistically appropriate. Responses to the two language versions were compared to evaluate equivalence and assess the reliability and validity of both versions. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS Comparative analyses were carried out on the 32 items of the shortened survey version, focusing on 16 items that comprise seven composites representing different aspects of hospital care quality (communication with nurses, communication with doctors, communication about medicines, nursing services, discharge information, pain control, and physical environment); three items that rate the quality of the nursing staff, physician staff, and the hospital overall; one item on intention to recommend the hospital. The other 12 items used in the analyses addressed mainly respondent characteristics. Analyses included item descriptives, correlations, internal consistency reliability of composites, factor analysis, and regression analysis to examine construct validity. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Responses to both language versions exhibit similar patterns with respect to item-scale correlations, factor structure, content validity, and the association between each of the seven qualities of care composites with both the hospital rating and intention to recommend the hospital. Internal consistency reliability was slightly, yet significantly lower for the Spanish-language respondents for five of the seven composites, but overall the composites were generally equivalent across language versions. CONCLUSIONS The results provide preliminary evidence of the equivalence between the Spanish and English versions of H-CAHPS. The translated Spanish version can be used to assess hospital quality of care for Spanish speakers, and compare results across these two language groups.
Hesperetin: A Potent Antioxidant Against Peroxynitrite

Peroxynitrite (ONOO-) is a reactive oxidant formed from superoxide (•O2-) and nitric oxide (•NO), that can oxidize several cellular components, including essential protein, non-protein thiols, DNA, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and membrane phospholipids. ONOO- has contributed to the pathogenesis of diseases such as stroke, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and atherosclerosis. Because of the lack of endogenous enzymes to thwart ONOO- activation, developing a specific ONOO- scavenger is remarkably important. In this study, the ability of hesperetin (3′,5,7-trihydroxy-4-methoxyflavanone) to scavenge ONOO- and to protect cells against ONOO- and ROS was investigated. The data gained show that hesperetin can efficiently scavenge authentic ONOO-. In spectrophotometric analysis, the data revealed that hesperetin led to declined ONOO--mediated nitration of tyrosine through electron donation. Hesperetin exhibited significant inhibition on the nitration of bovine serum albumin (BSA) by ONOO- in a dose-dependent manner. Hesperetin also manifested cytoprotection from cell damage induced by ONOO- and ROS. The present study suggests that hesperetin is a powerful ONOO- scavenger and promotes cellular defense activity in the protection against ONOO- involved diseases.
OSCAR Is a Receptor for Surfactant Protein D That Activates TNF-α Release from Human CCR2+ Inflammatory Monocytes

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is critical for maintenance of lung homeostasis and provides a first line of defense to pathogens at mucosal surfaces. Polymorphisms in the SP-D–encoding gene SFTPD have been associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ulcerative colitis. Identification of the immunoreceptors that bind SP-D is essential for understanding its contribution to lung homeostasis and mucosal defense. We located a putative binding motif for the osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR) within the SP-D collagenous domain. An OSCAR-Fc fusion protein specifically bound to the collagenous region of recombinant SP-D and captured native SP-D from human bronchoalveolar lavage. OSCAR localized in an intracellular compartment of alveolar macrophages together with SP-D. Moreover, we found OSCAR on the surface of interstitial lung and blood CCR2+ inflammatory monocytes, which secreted TNF-α when exposed to SP-D in an OSCAR-dependent fashion. OSCAR and SP-D did not exclusively colocalize in lung, as they were also highly expressed in atherosclerotic plaques of human aorta, supporting a role for this interaction in atherosclerosis. Our results identify the OSCAR:SP-D interaction as a potential therapeutic target in chronic inflammatory diseases of the lung as well as other diseases involving tissue accumulation of SP-D, infiltration of inflammatory monocytes, and release of TNF-α.
A genetic fusion GDNF-C fragment of tetanus toxin prolongs survival in a symptomatic mouse ALS model.

PURPOSE Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a paralyzing disorder that kills individuals within three to five years of onset without any possibility for effective treatment. One proposed therapy has been the use of neurotrophic factors to inhibit the apoptosis of motorneurones. At the present, one way to deliver neurotrophic factors after intramuscular injection to the motor neurones is through the use of adenoviral vectors. An alternative strategy is the use of the atoxic C fragment of tetanus toxin (TTC) as a neurotrophic factor carrier for motorneurones. METHODS We have produced the recombinant protein fusion Glial Derived Neurotrophic Factor and C fragment of tetanus toxin (GDNF-TTC) and we have tested its antiapoptotic activity in degeneration culture cells and in the symptomatic SOD;{G93A} transgenic animal model for ALS. RESULTS We demonstrated that GDNF-TTC induces the neuronal survival Akt kinase pathway in mouse cortical culture neurons and~maintains its antiapoptotic neuronal activity in Neuro2A cells. Moreover, we have found that genetic fusion is able to increase survival by 9 days and improves life quality in symptomatic ALS animal models. CONCLUSION These results suggest that recombinant GDNF-TTC fusion protein intramuscular injections provide a potential therapy for ALS treatment.
A Modified SEPIC Converter for High-Power-Factor Rectifier and Universal Input Voltage Applications

A high-power-factor rectifier suitable for universal line base on a modified version of the single-ended primary inductance converter (SEPIC) is presented in this paper. The voltage multiplier technique is applied to the classical SEPIC circuit, obtaining new operation characteristics as low-switch-voltage operation and high static gain at low line voltage. The new configuration also allows the reduction of the losses associated to the diode reverse recovery current, and soft commutation is obtained with a simple regenerative snubber circuit. The operation analysis, design procedure, and experimental results obtained from a 650-W universal line power-factor-correction prototype of the proposed converter are presented. The theoretical analysis and experimental results obtained with the proposed structure are compared with the classical boost topology.
The slow wave component of retinal activity in rd/rd mice recorded with a multi-electrode array

We investigated the differences in the retinal activity between normal and degenerate retina. Multi-electrode recordings were performed in in vitro mice retinas. Only short duration (<2 ms) retinal spikes were recorded in normal mice by postnatal day 28. However, in rd/rd mice, a slow wave component with approximately 100 ms duration was also recorded along with the spikes. We attempted to understand the mechanism of this slow wave component in degenerate retina by applying various synaptic blockers. With CNQX/AP-7, the glutamate antagonist (n = 7), the slow wave component disappeared while the normally less-dominant retinal spikes became more apparent. With strychnine, the glycine antagonist (n = 3) or picrotoxin, GABA antagonist (n = 3), the amplitude of the slow wave component increased. These suggest that a stronger excitatory glutamate input from bipolar cells to ganglion cells is the main contributor to this slow wave component in rd/rd mice.
Common variations in the pretest environment influence genotypic comparisons in models of anxiety

The behavioral characterization of rodent strains in different studies and laboratories can provide unreplicable results even when genotypes are kept constant and environmental control is maximized. In the present study, the influence of common laboratory environmental variables and their interaction with genotype on the results of behavioral tests of anxiety/emotionality were investigated. To this end, the inbred rat strains Lewis (LEW) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), which are known to differ for numerous emotionality‐related behaviors, were tested in the open field (OF), elevated plus maze (EPM) and black/white box (BWB), while three environmental factors were systematically controlled and analyzed: (1) the experimenter handling the animal (familiar or unfamiliar); (2) the position of the home cage (top or bottom shelf of the rack) and (3) the behavioral state of the animal immediately before the test (arousal or rest). Experimenter familiarity did not alter the behavior of rats in the OF. Cage position, on the other hand, influenced the behavior in the OF and BWB, with rats housed in top cages appearing less anxious like than those housed in the bottom. In the BWB (but not in the OF), these effects were genotype dependent. Finally, the behavioral state of the animals prior to testing altered the results of the EPM in a strain‐dependent manner, with some anxiety‐related genotypic differences being found only among rats that were aroused in their home cages. This study showed that common variations in the laboratory environment interact with genotype in behavioral tests of anxiety/emotionality. Recognizing and understanding such variations can help in the design of more effective experiments.
Comparison of the sterility of long‐term central venous catheterization using single lumen, triple lumen, and pulmonary artery catheters

The incidence of thrombocytopenia and catheter-induced infection and colonization after the use of triple lumen (TLC), pulmonary artery (PA), and single lumen central venous (CVP) catheters was studied in 29 critically ill patients. Catheter-induced sepsis was documented in 7% of patients with TLC and 10% of patients with CVP and PA catheters. Thirty-three percent of TLC, 20% of PA and 10% of CVP catheters became contaminated during the study. Staphylococcus epidermidis most commonly caused catheter sepsis and contamination. Only patients with PA catheters showed significant decrease in their platelet count. We conclude that use of TLC catheters in critically ill patients does not appear to increase the risk of infectious disease and thrombocytopenia.