Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physiological tradeoffs may underlie the evolution of hypoxia tolerance and exercise performance in sunfish (Centrarchidae)

ABSTRACT Tradeoffs between hypoxia tolerance and aerobic exercise performance appear to exist in some fish taxa, even though both of these traits are often associated with a high O2 transport capacity. We examined the physiological basis for this potential tradeoff in four species of sunfish from the family Centrarchidae. Hypoxia tolerance was greatest in rock bass, intermediate in pumpkinseed and bluegill and lowest in largemouth bass, based on measurements of critical O2 tension (Pcrit) and O2 tension at loss of equilibrium (PO2 at LOE). Consistent with there being a tradeoff between hypoxia tolerance and aerobic exercise capacity, the least hypoxia-tolerant species had the highest critical swimming speed (Ucrit) during normoxia and suffered the greatest decrease in Ucrit in hypoxia. There was also a positive correlation between Ucrit in normoxia and PO2 at LOE, which remained significant after accounting for phylogeny using phylogenetically independent contrasts. Several sub-organismal traits appeared to contribute to both hypoxia tolerance and aerobic exercise capacity (reflected by traits that were highest in both rock bass and largemouth bass), such as the gas-exchange surface area of the gills, the pH sensitivity of haemoglobin–O2 affinity, and the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and the gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in the liver. Some other sub-organismal traits were uniquely associated with either hypoxia tolerance (low sensitivity of haemoglobin–O2 affinity to organic phosphates, high pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities in the heart) or aerobic exercise capacity (capillarity and fibre size of the axial swimming muscle). Therefore, the cumulative influence of a variety of respiratory and metabolic traits can result in physiological tradeoffs associated with the evolution of hypoxia tolerance and aerobic exercise performance in fish. Summary: Tradeoffs between hypoxia tolerance and exercise performance in fish arise from the cumulative influence of a variety of respiratory and metabolic traits involved in oxygen transport and utilization.
Parental diet and risk of retinoblastoma resulting from new germline RB1 mutation

We conducted a case–control study of sporadic bilateral retinoblastoma, which results from a new germline RB1 mutation, to investigate the role of parents' diet before their child's conception. Parents of 206 cases from nine North American institutions and 269 controls participated; of these, fathers of 184 cases and 223 controls and mothers of 204 cases and 260 controls answered a food frequency questionnaire administered by phone about their diet in the year before the child's conception. Cases provided DNA for RB1 mutation testing. We assessed parents' diet by examining 19 food groups. Father's intake of dairy products and fruit was associated with decreased risk and cured meats and sweets with increased risk. Mother's intake was not associated with disease for any food group. Considering analyses adjusted for the other food groups significantly associated with disease, energy intake, and demographic characteristics as well as more fully adjusted models, the associations with father's dairy products and cured meat intake were the most robust. In the fully adjusted, matched analysis, the odds ratios per daily serving were 0.70 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49–1.00, P = 0.047) for dairy products and 5.05 (CI 1.46–17.51, P = 0.01) for cured meat. The pattern of associations with paternal but not maternal diet is consistent with the fact that 85% of new germline RB1 mutations occur on the father's allele. As few human data exist on the role of diet in any condition resulting from new germ‐cell mutation, additional studies will be needed to replicate or refute our findings. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The role of mutation status of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations among patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated in our institution and to evaluate the associations between EGFR mutations and clinicopathological characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 103 patients with NSCLC were examined from April 2010 to September 2011. The patients were screened for EGFR mutations in exons 19 and 21 using sequence analysis. RESULTS EGFR mutations were detected in 10 patients (9.71%): 23.1% of women and 5.2% of men (P<0.05), 31.8% of never-smokers and 4.7% of smokers (P<0.05), and 12.3% of patients with adenocarcinomas and 6.25% of patients with large cell carcinomas (P>0.05). Eight mutations (80.0%) were found in exon 21: 7 patients had the L858R mutation and 1 patient had the L861G mutation. Two mutations (20.0%) were found in exon 19: 1 patient had the L747-A748 deletion and 1 patient had the L747-A750insE deletion. The overall response rate was significantly greater in the EGFR mutation-positive group than in the EGFR mutation-negative or control groups (P<0.05). The median progression-free survival in the EGFR mutation-negative group and the control group that received systemic standard chemotherapy was 5.6 months (95% CI, 4.3 to 7.0) and 5.3 months (95% CI, 4.9 to 5.7), respectively, but it was not achieved in the EGFR mutation-positive group that received EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The frequency of EGFR mutations in our patients with nonsquamous NSCLC was found to be similar to that reported in Europe. EGFR mutations were more frequent in women and never-smokers.
Reactions of Hospital Staff Nurses to Recruitment Incentives

In response to the nursing shortage, many hospitals offer sign-on bonuses to attract nurses. There are anecdotal reports that the use of such incentives negatively affects staff nurse morale. The present study is the first to empirically examine the reactions of staff nurses who have not received sign-on bonuses. Most of the 800 surveyed nurses were not opposed to the use of incentives, but almost all were concerned about the potential for negative impact on retention. Compared to nurses working in hospitals that did not offer sign-on bonuses, nurses working in hospitals that offer sign-on bonuses reported higher levels of anger and lower levels of optimism. Greater anger and less optimism were associated with a reduced sense of distributive justice. The less fairly treated nurses felt, the greater likelihood of withdrawal from the hospital. The use of recruitment incentives may result in reduced work effort or loss of experienced nurses, exacerbating the nursing shortage.
Sequential Passages of Human Rotavirus in MA‐104 Cells

Starting with a small amount of diarrheal feces containing human rotavirus (HRV), we succeeded in propagation of the virus using the roller culture technique with MA‐104 cells. Furthermore, we made a successful adaptation of HRV to a stationary culture and developed a plaque assay for the cell culture‐adapted viruses. The 3 culture‐adapted virus isolates, KU, YO, and 44 produced plaques (about 0.5–1.0 mm in diameter) under the overlay medium consisting of 0.6% purified agar, 3 μg of acetyl trypsin/ml and 50 μg of DEAE‐dex‐tran/ml. Subsequent plaque purification resulted in the formation of clear, larger plaques.
Cohort Study of Surgical Bypass to the Gallbladder or Bile Duct for the Palliation of Jaundice due to Pancreatic Cancer

ObjectiveTo compare patterns in mortality and the use of subsequent biliary drainage interventions (surgical, endoscopic, and percutaneous) associated with the different types of biliary bypass. Summary Background DataSurgical palliation of obstructive jaundice due to pancreatic cancer is often accomplished with an intestinal bypass to either the gallbladder or the bile duct. It is not known whether a gallbladder bypass, which is a simpler operation and more amenable to laparoscopic surgery, performs as well as a bypass to the bile duct. MethodsThe authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1,919 patients 65 years of age or older who had a surgical biliary bypass for pancreatic cancer diagnosed between 1991 and 1996 using Medicare claims data and the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. ResultsAt 1, 2, and 5 years, 7.5%, 17.4%, and 26.0% of 945 patients initially treated with a gallbladder bypass had additional biliary interventions, as compared with 2.9%, 11.0%, and 13.3% of 974 patients initially treated with a bile duct bypass. Patients who initially had a gallbladder bypass were 4.4 times as likely to have additional biliary surgery and 2.9 times as likely to have any subsequent biliary intervention as were patients who initially had a bile duct bypass. Median survival was longer following bile duct bypass. The adjusted hazard ratio for death associated with gallbladder bypass was 1.2. ConclusionsCompared to patients whose initial biliary bypass was to the bile duct, the risk of having one or more additional surgical, endoscopic, or percutaneous biliary drainage procedures is substantially greater in patients whose initial bypass was to the gallbladder.
An optical‐axis freezing stage for laser‐scanning microscopy of broad ice–water interfaces

This article presents a method to view a dynamic ice interface along the axis of ice growth using a laser‐scanning microscope. A deep liquid volume is chilled from below so that ice growth is directed upward toward the microscope objective. The interface is made visible by rejection of fluorescent dye from the solid phase into the liquid. Images of the interface morphology in water with solutes of interest to cryobiology illustrate the imaging capability. These images are processed to quantify the lamellar structure of the ice interface. The optical‐axis cryostage provides advantages over horizontal arrangements because (1) immersion objectives enhance, rather than disturb, the desired thermal gradient, and (2) features in the ice interface are not confined within a narrow capillary tube or microscope slide. This arrangement loses some of the thermal control found in planar freezing stages, and the dynamic, refractive interface presents challenges to confocal microscopy.
Diabetes‐induced hyperfiltration in adenosine A1‐receptor deficient mice lacking the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism

Aims: Glomerular hyperfiltration is commonly found in diabetic patients early after the onset of disease. This is one of the first indications of the development of progressive diabetic nephropathy. It has been proposed that glomerular hyperfiltration is caused by decreased delivery of electrolytes to the macula densa due to the increased sodium and glucose reabsorption in the proximal tubule, which would increase the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) via the tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) mechanism. In this study, we investigated the role of TGF in diabetes‐induced glomerular hyperfiltration by inducing diabetes in adenosine A1‐receptor knockout (A1AR−/−) mice known to lack a functional TGF mechanism.
Hospitalized patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza infection: the Mayo Clinic experience.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical course and outcome of adults hospitalized with the 2009 H1N1 influenza infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this retrospective study, we reviewed the electronic medical records of patients with H1N1 influenza infection treated at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, from May 1, 2009, through December 31, 2009. RESULTS We identified 1053 patients with H1N1 influenza infection; this study consists of 66 hospitalized adults (6%). Patients' mean +/- SD age was 46.9+/-17.8 years. The 3 most common comorbidities were hypertension in 31 patients (47%), obesity in 29 (44%), and diabetes mellitus in 21 (32%). The most common symptoms were cough in 58 patients (88%), fever or chills in 55 (83%), and dyspnea in 47 (71%). Twenty-nine patients (44%) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Dyspnea and thrombocytopenia were more common in the ICU patients. The hospital, 28-day, and 90-day mortality rates were 8% (5/66), 11% (7/66), and 14% (9/66), respectively. Among the 29 ICU patients, 23 (79%) received mechanical ventilation, and 16 (55%) developed acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Rescue therapy for refractory respiratory failure was provided for 6 patients (21%). Of the 29 ICU patients, 10 (34%) required vasopressor support, and 4 (14%) required acute renal replacement therapy. CONCLUSION Hospitalized adults with H1N1 influenza infection are relatively young, and a significant number require treatment in the ICU. Among the patients who require ICU admission, most develop acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome and require mechanical ventilator support.
Oncogenic Mutants of RON and MET Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Cause Activation of the β-Catenin Pathway

ABSTRACT β-Catenin is an oncogenic protein involved in regulation of cell-cell adhesion and gene expression. Accumulation of cellular β-catenin occurs in many types of human cancers. Four mechanisms are known to cause increases in β-catenin: mutations of β-catenin, adenomatous polyposis coli, or axin genes and activation of Wnt signaling. We report a new cause of β-catenin accumulation involving oncogenic mutants of RON and MET receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Cells transfected with oncogenic RON or MET were characterized by β-catenin tyrosine phosphorylation and accumulation; constitutive activation of a Tcf transcriptional factor; and increased levels of β-catenin/Tcf target oncogene proteins c-mycand cyclin D1. Interference with the β-catenin pathway reduced the transforming potential of mutated RON and MET. Activation of β-catenin by oncogenic RON and MET constitutes a new pathway, which might lead to cell transformation by these and other mutant growth factor RTKs.
CMOS distributed amplifiers: an integrated solution for broadband optical and wireless communication applications

This article reviews the use of CMOS distributed amplifiers for broadband optical and wireless communication applications. CMOS distributed amplifiers are justified as a low-cost and highly integrated solution for broad amplifications. As a critical component of DAs, the design and modeling of on-chip inductors are studied. As a design example, a novel four-stage CMOS distributed amplifier for SONET OC-768 optical communication applications is presented. The design is based on a new methodology for the design of CMOS distributed amplifiers to achieve the largest possible bandwidth in a specific CMOS technology. The new design employs smaller spiral inductors that not only reduce the chip area significantly but also increase the bandwidth of the amplifier. A bandwidth of 29 GHz is achieved using a four-stage DA in 0.18 /spl mu/m standard CMOS technology.
Analysis of the influences of the E5 transforming protein on kinetic parameters of epidermal growth factor binding and metabolism

The E5 protein of the bovine papillomavirus induces cellular transformation when transfected into NIH 3T3 cells, and the extent of focal transformation is enhanced by cotransfection with the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (Martin et al., Cell 59:21–32, 1989). To determine whether E5 affects EGF:receptor interactions, we analyzed the kinetics of 125I‐EGF processing using a mathematical model that enabled us to evaluate rate constants for ligand association (ka), dissociation (kd), internalization (ke), recycling (kr), and degradation (kh). These rate constants were measured in NIH 3T3 cells transfected with the human EGF receptor (ER cells) and in cells transfected with both the EGF receptor and E5 (E5/ER cells). We found that the rate constant for 125I‐EGF association ka was significantly decreased in E5/ER cells, but was apparently occupancy‐independent in both cell lines. The 125I‐EGF dissociation rate constant kd was significantly lower in E5 transformed cells, and increased with occupancy in both cell lines. This suggests that E5 alters the receptor before or during EGF binding so that ligand association is slower; however, once complexes are formed, EGF is bound more tightly to the receptor. Rate constants for internalization ke were also found to be occupancy‐dependent, although at a given level of occupancy ke was similar for both cell lines. Also, there was no apparent effect of E5 on the recycling rate constant kr. The 125I‐EGF degradation rate constant kh was 30% lower in E5 transformed cells, and was occupancy‐independent. The overall effect of E5 is to stabilize intact EGF:receptor complexes which may alter mitogenic signaling of the receptor. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High-Impact Loading Training Induces Bone Hyperresorption Activity in Young Elite Female Gymnasts

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intensive exercise on bone turnover (as reflected by bone resorption) in young elite female gymnasts. Forty-five healthy girls including 24 gymnasts (11.9+/-2 yr) and 21 controls (12.3+/-1.4 yr) were studied. Body weight, height, bone age and body composition were measured. Bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed at the whole body, lumbar vertebrae, hip and radius by means of DXA. Volumetric density (BMAD) was calculated. Bone velocity (SOS) and attenuation (BUA) were measured by QUS at the calcaneus. Urinary androstenedione (delta4), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and CrossLaps (CTx) were measured. BMD and BMAD were significantly greater in the gymnasts at all sites except whole body. SOS was found significantly higher. Delta4 values were significantly lower in the gymnasts. The distribution of the subjects according to Tanner stages was not different between groups. CTx levels were significantly higher in the gymnasts (989.08+/-154.63 microg/mmol Cr.) vs controls (580.25+/-123.99 microg/mmol Cr., p=0.02). CTx values decreased from Tanner stage 1 to stage 4 in each group, the gymnasts' levels always being higher than those of the controls. In conclusion, gymnastics seems to stimulate bone resorption activity in highly-trained young females. The coexistence of bone hyperresorption and higher BMD in gymnasts suggests increased bone turnover resulting in increased bone density in these subjects.
Evaporate mapping in Bala region (Ankara) by remote sensing techniques

Evaporate minerals are important industrial raw materials used in diverse industries for years. One of the extensively used evaporate mineral gypsum has become very common raw material in construction, agriculture, textile, dentistry and chemical industry in recent years. In coherence with its common use especially in construction industry as plaster, demand to these minerals rises each following year. The aim of this study is to further develop thermal image processing methods to identify gypsum minerals. For the remote sensing analyses ASTER images which have high spatial and spectral resolution are used. Ankara Bala region has well known outcrops with operational mines and mapped in detail by the studies of MTA so that this region is selected as the test area.
HIV, sexually transmitted infections and sexual behaviour of male clients of female sex workers in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, India: results of a cross-sectional survey

Objective:To characterize and describe patterns of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and sexual behaviour of male clients of female sex workers (FSW). Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among 4821 clients of FSW from 12 districts in three states in India: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. A structured questionnaire was administered to elicit demographic characteristics and sexual behavioural patterns. Blood and urine samples were tested for HIV, syphilis and herpes simplex type 2 serology, gonococal and chlamydial infection. Results:The median age of clients surveyed was 30 years; 57% were married and 64% had a steady sexual partner; 61% had sex with more than one FSW and 39% had four or more sexual encounters in the past month. The prevalence of HIV ranged from 2.0% to 10.9%, syphilis ranged from 3.1% to 10.1%; gonorrhoea and chlamydia ranged between 0% and 4.5%. Clients older than 30 years [odds ratio (OR) 1.65; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33–2.05] and having a different mix of commercial and non-commercial partners (OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.25–1.96) had a higher volume of sex acts with FSW. Inconsistent condom use with FSW was significantly associated with older clients (OR 4.2; 95% CI 3.33–5.29), illiteracy (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.14–1.69), age <18 years at first paid sex (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.24–2.70) and having different FSW partners in the past month (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.23–2.18). Conclusion:Clients of FSW studied here constitute a significant bridge group for HIV and other STI, because of their high volume of different sexual partners and very low consistent condom use. HIV prevention programmes need to address male clients.
Divergence-Based Framework for Common Spatial Patterns Algorithms

Controlling a device with a brain-computer interface requires extraction of relevant and robust features from high-dimensional electroencephalographic recordings. Spatial filtering is a crucial step in this feature extraction process. This paper reviews algorithms for spatial filter computation and introduces a general framework for this task based on divergence maximization. We show that the popular common spatial patterns (CSP) algorithm can be formulated as a divergence maximization problem and computed within our framework. Our approach easily permits enforcing different invariances and utilizing information from other subjects; thus, it unifies many of the recently proposed CSP variants in a principled manner. Furthermore, it allows to design novel spatial filtering algorithms by incorporating regularization schemes into the optimization process or applying other divergences. We evaluate the proposed approach using three regularization schemes, investigate the advantages of beta divergence, and show that subject-independent feature spaces can be extracted by jointly optimizing the divergence problems of multiple users. We discuss the relations to several CSP variants and investigate the advantages and limitations of our approach with simulations. Finally, we provide experimental results on a dataset containing recordings from 80 subjects and interpret the obtained patterns from a neurophysiological perspective.
Dual Role of Inflammatory Stimuli in Activation-induced Cell Death of Mouse Microglial Cells

We have previously shown that mouse microglial cells undergo apoptosis upon inflammatory activation and that nitric oxide (NO) is the major autocrine mediator in this process (Lee, P., Lee, J., Kim, S., Yagita, H., Lee, M. S., Kim, S. Y., Kim, H., and Suk, K. (2001) Brain Res. 892, 380–385). Here, we present evidence that interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) and caspase-11 are the essential molecules in activation-induced cell death of microglial cells. The apoptogenic action of inflammatory stimuli such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-γ (IFNγ) was mediated through the induction of IRF-1 and caspase-11 expression in two separate events. Although IRF-1 was required for NO synthesis, caspase-11 induction was necessary for NO-independent apoptotic pathway. Microglial cells from IRF-1-deficient mice showed markedly decreased NO production, and they were partially resistant to apoptosis in response to LPS/IFNγ but were sensitive to NO donor exposure. LPS/IFNγ treatment resulted in the induction of caspase-11 followed by activation of caspase-11, -1, and -3. Inactivation of caspase-11 by the transfection of dominant-negative mutant or treatment with the caspase inhibitors rendered microglial cells partially resistant to LPS/IFNγ-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of both NO synthesis and caspase-11 completely blocked LPS/IFNγ-induced cytotoxicity. These results indicated that LPS/IFNγ not only induced the production of cytotoxic NO through IRF-1 but also initiated the NO-independent apoptotic pathway through the induction of caspase-11 expression.