Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Organellar dysfunction in the pathogenesis of pancreatitis.

SIGNIFICANCE Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease of exocrine pancreas that carries considerable morbidity and mortality; its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. During the past decade, new insights have been gained into signaling pathways and molecules that mediate the inflammatory response of pancreatitis and death of acinar cells (the main exocrine pancreas cell type). By contrast, much less is known about the acinar cell organellar damage in pancreatitis and how it contributes to the disease pathogenesis. RECENT ADVANCES This review summarizes recent findings from our group, obtained on experimental in vivo and ex vivo models, which reveal disordering of key cellular organelles, namely, mitochondria, autophagosomes, and lysosomes, in pancreatitis. Our results indicate a critical role for mitochondrial permeabilization in determining the balance between apoptosis and necrosis in pancreatitis, and thus the disease severity. We further investigate how the mitochondrial dysfunction (and hence acinar cell death) is regulated by Ca(2+), reactive oxygen species, and Bcl-xL, in relation to specific properties of pancreatic mitochondria. Our results also reveal that autophagy, the principal cellular degradative, lysosome-driven pathway, is impaired in pancreatitis due to inefficient lysosomal function, and that impaired autophagy mediates two key pathological responses of pancreatitis-accumulation of vacuoles in acinar cells and the abnormal, intra-acinar activation of digestive enzymes such as trypsinogen. CRITICAL ISSUES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS The findings discussed in this review indicate critical roles for mitochondrial and autophagic/lysosomal dysfunctions in the pathogenesis of pancreatitis and delineate directions for detailed investigations into the molecular events that underlie acinar cell organellar damage.
Wavelet‐Based Generation of Energy‐ and Spectrum‐Compatible Earthquake Time Histories

Abstract: A method of modifying earthquake ground motion based on the wavelet transform is proposed, to take into account the effects of linear/nonlinear response spectra, frequency content, and ground motion energy. A wavelet‐based procedure has been used to decompose recorded ground motion into finite wavelet coefficients, and then, with matrix processing, the coefficients have been suitably substituted and scaled to match the response spectra and total energy of earthquake ground motions. The proposed method has been verified by modifying five recorded accelerograms such that they are compatible with the same linear/nonlinear and energy spectra.
Land, Structure and Depreciation

We introduce a hedonic price model that enables us to disentangle the value of a property into the value of land and the value of structure. For given reconstruction costs, we are able to estimate the impact of physical deterioration, functional obsolescence and vintage effects on the structure and the impact of time on sale (and external obsolescence) on the land value simultaneously. Our findings show that maintenance has a substantial impact on the rate of physical deterioration. After 50 years of not or barely maintaining a home, a typical structure has lost around 43% of its value. In contrast, maintaining a home very well results in virtually no physical deterioration in the long run.
Simulation-based trial of surgical-crisis checklists.

BACKGROUND Operating-room crises (e.g., cardiac arrest and massive hemorrhage) are common events in large hospitals but can be rare for individual clinicians. Successful management is difficult and complex. We sought to evaluate a tool to improve adherence to evidence-based best practices during such events. METHODS Operating-room teams from three institutions (one academic medical center and two community hospitals) participated in a series of surgical-crisis scenarios in a simulated operating room. Each team was randomly assigned to manage half the scenarios with a set of crisis checklists and the remaining scenarios from memory alone. The primary outcome measure was failure to adhere to critical processes of care. Participants were also surveyed regarding their perceptions of the usefulness and clinical relevance of the checklists. RESULTS A total of 17 operating-room teams participated in 106 simulated surgical-crisis scenarios. Failure to adhere to lifesaving processes of care was less common during simulations when checklists were available (6% of steps missed when checklists were available vs. 23% when they were unavailable, P<0.001). The results were similar in a multivariate model that accounted for clustering within teams, with adjustment for institution, scenario, and learning and fatigue effects (adjusted relative risk, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.18 to 0.42; P<0.001). Every team performed better when the crisis checklists were available than when they were not. A total of 97% of the participants reported that if one of these crises occurred while they were undergoing an operation, they would want the checklist used. CONCLUSIONS In a high-fidelity simulation study, checklist use was associated with significant improvement in the management of operating-room crises. These findings suggest that checklists for use during operating-room crises have the potential to improve surgical care. (Funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.).
The integrated reporting: A presentation of the current state of art and aspects of integrated reporting that need further development

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to synthesise what is the emerging field of integrated reporting, with particular emphasis in the International Integrated Reporting Council, and outline a list of items for future research in this area. Design/methodology/approach : The approach is to outline a presentation of integrated reporting (IR), and make a review of the implications for the research agenda of the most important items. Findings: The need for quality researchers to address a number of pressing challenges posed by the rapid development of IR policies and practices. Research limitations/implications: The paper provide insights into issues and aspects of integrated reporting that need further development and need robust evidence to help inform improvements in policy and practice. Practical implications: Highlight how companies may benefit from integrated reporting in response to stakeholders’ calls for enhanced disclosure of environmental, social, governance and other non financial information. Social implications: The main social implication is to promote the wider public interest of improving the relevance of information for decision-making, for all stakeholders, and allow greater efficiency in the allocation of financial and other resources and in adding public value Originality/value: This paper offers a general view on a subject that is a challenge for entities oriented to the implementation of sustainability in their values and also in their reporting.
The Effect of Ethanolic Seed Extract of Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon) on Blood Glucose Level and Lipid Profile of Diabetic Wistar Rats

Aims: This study investigated the effect of ethanolic seed extract of Citrullus lanatus (ESECL) on blood glucose level and lipid profile in Alloxan-induced diabetic male Wistar rats. Study Design and Methodology: 30 male adult wistar rats were grouped randomly into six experimental groups of five rats each. Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg/kg of alloxan monohydrate, dissolved in normal saline, while the normal control group (group 1) was given the vehicle only. Three days after induction of diabetes, were treated further for four weeks with ESECL at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg for groups 4, 5, and 6 respectively. Animals in Group 3 were treated with Glibenclamide (2.5 mg/kg), while group 2 served as the negative control group. Results: Administration of ESECL caused significant decrease in blood glucose levels in groups 4, 5 and 6 compared to rats of group 2 (p=0.00125). There was also significant decrease in the levels of cholesterol (TC) , triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), with increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) in Groups 4, 5 and 6, compared to Group 2 rats (p=0.00125). The results obtained from the rats of the group receiving extract were similar to that obtained from Groups 3. Conclusion: Thus, this study suggests that this extract could possibly normalize abnormalities in blood glucose levels and lipid profiles in diabetic conditions in a dose dependent manner.
In Vivo Ultrastructural Analysis of the Intimate Relationship between Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes and the Chlamydial Developmental Cycle

ABSTRACT We utilized a recently developed model of intracervical infection with Chlamydia muridarum in the mouse to elicit a relatively synchronous infection during the initial developmental cycle in order to examine at the ultrastructural level the development of both the chlamydial inclusion and the onset of the inflammatory response. At 18 h after infection, only a few elementary bodies attached to cells were visible, as were an occasional intracellular intermediate body and reticulate body. By 24 h, inclusions had 2 to 5 reticulate bodies and were beginning to fuse. A few polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) were already present in the epithelium in the vicinity of and directly adjacent to infected cells. By 30 h, the inclusions were larger and consisted solely of reticulate bodies, but by 36 to 42 h, they contained intermediate bodies and elementary bodies as well. Many PMNs were adjacent to or actually inside infected cells. Chlamydiae appeared to exit the cell either (i) through disintegration of the inclusion membrane and rupture of the cell, (ii) by dislodgement of the cell from the epithelium by PMNs, or (iii) by direct invasion of the infected cell by the PMNs. When PMNs were depleted, the number of released elementary bodies was significantly greater as determined both visually and by culture. Interestingly, depletion of PMNs revealed the presence of inclusions containing aberrant reticulate bodies, reminiscent of effects seen in vitro when chlamydiae are incubated with gamma interferon. In vivo evidence for the contact-dependent development hypothesis, a potential mechanism for triggering the conversion of reticulate bodies to elementary bodies, and for translocation of lipid droplets into the inclusion is also presented.
Humoral versus neural pathways for fever production in rats after administration of lipopolysaccharide.

BACKGROUND These studies address the question of the relative roles of humoral and neural pathways in the genesis and control of the fever component of the acute phase response. METHODS Two experiments were performed to examine the effect of vagotomy (VagX) on the febrile response to intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intra-arterial (i.a.) lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and plasma cytokine and LPS concentrations after intravenous (i.v.) or i.p. injections of LPS. In experiment 1, body temperature (T(B)) was obtained from unperturbed animals by using radio transmitters and telemetry after injection of LPS i.a. or i.p. In the second study, serial blood samples were obtained for cytokine and LPS assay after injection of LPS either i.v. or i.p. Colonic temperatures (T(C)) were obtained from indwelling thermistors. RESULTS The maximal increments in T(B) for animals receiving LPS i.a. and i.p. with or without VagX were not different from one another: sham vagotomy (Sham-VagX) + LPS i.a. , 1.20 +/- 0.26 degrees C; VagX + LPS i.a. , 1.23 +/- 0.64 degrees C; Sham-VagX + LPS i.p., 1.45 +/- 0.27 degrees C; VagX + LPS i.p., 1.50 +/- 0.35 degrees C (F = 1.12, p = 0.36). Neither were the four resulting response curves for T(B) different from one another. Plasma levels of LPS, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 were significantly elevated at 45 minutes after LPS injection by either the i.v. or i.p. routes, preceding any increments in T(B), and were not effected by VagX. CONCLUSION Fever development for animals receiving LPS in experiment 1 demonstrates a temporal relationship -- with increments in plasma levels of LPS and pyrogenic cytokines obtained in experiment 2 after administration of LPS either i.p. or i.v. Vagotomy had no discernible effect on the responses regardless of the route of administration of LPS.
Correlates of Between-Surgeon Variation in Breast Cancer Treatments

Background:Determinants of between-surgeon variation in breast cancer treatment utilization are not well understood. Objectives:The objectives of this study were to evaluate variation in receipt of surgical treatment (ie, mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery with or without radiation) for women with stage I, II, or III breast cancer and receipt of breast reconstruction attributable to surgeons, and to assess factors associated with this between-surgeon variation. Methods:We surveyed all attending surgeons (n = 456) of a population-based sample of patients with breast cancer diagnosed in Detroit and Los Angeles during 2002 (n = 1844). Our analytic dataset linked data from 1477 patients with that of 311 surgeons. We used random-effects modeling to account for the multilevel dataset and evaluated 2 outcomes: 1) primary surgical treatment (mastectomy vs. BCS); and 2) receipt of reconstruction before being surveyed (yes vs. no). Independent variables included patient-related factors (clinical and demographic), surgeon-related factors (breast procedure volume, practice setting, and demographics), surgeon treatment recommendation, and referral propensity. Results:Surgeons explain some variation in use of both mastectomy and reconstruction (9.9% and 26%, respectively). Patient clinical factors and surgeon volume together explain approximately one-third of the between-surgeon variation in mastectomy. Patient factors and surgeon demographics explain approximately 60% of between-surgeon variation in reconstruction, and surgeon referral propensity explains an additional 15%. Conclusion:Our findings suggest that similar patients may get different treatment depending on their surgeon. Broader dissemination of guidelines coupled with increasing patient access to consultations before definitive surgery may reduce between-surgeon variation. Contributing factors such as patient–physician communication should be explored.
A 13 $\mu {\rm A}$ Analog Signal Processing IC for Accurate Recognition of Multiple Intra-Cardiac Signals

A low-power analog signal processing IC is presented for the low-power heart rhythm analysis. The ASIC features 3 identical, but independent intra-ECG readout channels each equipping an analog QRS feature extractor for low-power consumption and fast diagnosis of the fatal case. A 16-level digitized sine-wave synthesizer together with a synchronous readout circuit can measure bio-impedance in the range of 0.1-4.4 kΩ with 33 mΩrms resolution and higher than 97% accuracy. The proposed 25 mm2 ASIC consumes only 13 μA from 2.2 V. It is a highly integrated solution offering all the functionality of acquiring multiple high quality intra-cardiac signals, requiring only a few limited numbers of external passives.
Relationship between Endoscopic and Histologic Gastric Atrophy and Intestinal Metaplasia

The severity of endoscopic gastric atrophy (EGA), high‐stage Operative Link on Gastritis Assessment (OLGA) gastritis (i.e., stage III or IV), and extensive intestinal metaplasia (IM) with incomplete subtype have been separately reported as high‐risk factors of gastric cancer (GC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between these endoscopic and pathologic characteristics.
Risk factors for cumulative mortality in broiler chicken flocks in the first week of life in Taiwan

1. Factors influencing the survival of chickens in the first week of life in Taiwan were identified by modelling data from 63% of the annual national broiler production database (4769 broiler flocks). 2. Broiler chicks raised in rooms with open-curtain ventilation had the lowest mean first week cumulative mortality (CM), 1·30%, relative to those raised in rooms with negative pressure ventilation (1·42%) and water-cooled ventilation (1·37%). Increasing flock size reduced the CM. Broiler chicks shipped distances within 50 km had the lowest CM (1·22%), while broiler chicks raised in mountain areas showed the highest CM (1·65%). 3. Multiple regression analysis results indicate that ventilation type, flock size, shipping distance and delivery route influence CM in broiler chickens. Broiler chicks kept in rooms with negative pressure ventilation have an 11·22% greater CM compared to those in rooms with open-curtain ventilation. For each 1000-chicken increase in flock size, CM is reduced by 0·12%. For each kilometre increase in shipping distance, CM increases by 0·05%. Broiler chicks delivered via mountain routes show a 9·48% increase in CM compared to delivery via flat terrain. 4. Negative pressure ventilation and delivery via mountain routes are the most critical factors affecting the survival of chicks up to one week old.
Haploinsufficiency of interferon regulatory factor 6 alters brain morphology in the mouse

Orofacial clefts are among the commonest birth defects. Among many genetic contributors to orofacial clefting, Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 (IRF6) is unique since mutations in this gene cause Van der Woude (VWS), the most common clefting syndrome. Furthermore, variants in IRF6 contribute to increased risk for non‐syndromic cleft lip and/or palate (NSCL/P). Our previous work shows that individuals with either VWS or NSCL/P may have cerebral anomalies (larger anterior, smaller posterior regions), and a smaller cerebellum. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that disrupting Irf6 in the mouse will result in quantitative brain changes similar to those reported for humans with VWS and NSCL/P. Male mice heterozygous for Irf6 (Irf6gt1/+; n = 9) and wild‐type (Irf6+/+; n = 6) mice at comparable age underwent a 4.7‐T MRI scan to obtain quantitative measures of cortical and subcortical brain structures. There was no difference in total brain volume between groups. However, the frontal cortex was enlarged in the Irf6gt1/+ mice compared to that of wild types (P = 0.028) while the posterior cortex did not differ. In addition, the volume of the cerebellum of Irf6gt1/+ mice was decreased (P = 0.004). Mice that were heterozygous for Irf6 showed a similar pattern of brain anomalies previously reported in humans with VWS and NSCL/P. These structural differences were present in the absence of overt oral clefts. These results support a role for IRF6 in brain morphometry and provide evidence for a potential genetic link to abnormal brain development in orofacial clefting. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
2-Amino-3-carboxypyrazin-1-ium nitrate monohydrate

In crystal structure of the title compound, C5H6N3O2 +·NO3 −·H2O, intermolecular N—H⋯O, O—H⋯N and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the cations, anions and water molecules into ribbons extending in [10]. Weak intermolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds further link these ribbons into sheets parallel to ( 3).
Parameter optimization by means of statistical quality guides in F-Race

F-Race and its variant, Iterated F-Race, is an automated procedure for sampling and evaluating potential values of parameters for algorithms. The procedure is controlled by means of a computational budget that limits the number of evaluations that may be conducted, thus forcing the determination of the best possible configuration to be made within a limited time. When time is not severely constrained, the a priori choice of a computational budget becomes unjustifiable because the relationship between the computational budget and the quality of the optimization of a black box subject is not obvious. This paper proposes an extension to F-Race in the form of a heuristic method for reasonably terminating the optimization procedure.
Extrinsic Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Inhibits Hyperoxia-Induced Alveolar Epithelial Type II Cells Apoptosis, Oxidative Stress, and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Production by Enhancing Notch 1 and Homocysteine-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Protein (HERP) Expression

Background Lung alveolar epithelial type II cells (AEC II) are the most important stem cells in lung tissues, which are critical for wound repair of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). This study investigated the effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on AEC II cells exposed to hyperoxia. Material/Methods Neonatal rat AEC II cells were isolated and identified by detecting surfactant protein C (SP-C). Three small interfering RNAs targeting Notch 1 were synthesized and transfected into AEC II. A hyperoxia-exposed AEC II cell injury model was established and was divided into 8 groups. MDA levels and SOD activity were examined using lipid peroxidation assay kits. Apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were evaluated using flow cytometry. Notch 1 mRNA expression was examined using RT-PCR. Homocysteine-induced endoplasmic reticulum protein (HERP) was examined using Western blot analysis. Results CGRP treatment significantly enhanced MDA levels and decreased SOD activity compared to hyperoxia-treated AEC II cells (P<0.05). CGRP treatment significantly inhibited hyperoxia-induced AEC II cell apoptosis, and significantly suppressed hyperoxia-induced ROS production compared to hyperoxia-treated AEC II cells (P<0.05) either undergoing γ secretase inhibitor or Notch RNA interference. CGRP significantly triggered Notch 1 mRNA expression and significantly enhanced HERP expression compared to hyperoxia-treated AEC II cells (P<0.05) either undergoing γ secretase inhibitor or Notch RNA interference. Conclusions In AEC II cells, extrinsic peptide CGRP suppressed hyperoxia-induced apoptosis, oxidative stress, and ROS production, which may be triggered by Notch 1 and HERP signaling pathway.
Graph analysis of uterine networks using EHG source connectivity

Emerging evidence show that the connectivity analysis of the uterine signals is a powerful tool in characterizing pregnancy and labor contractions. Here, we present the results of studying the connectivity between uterine sources identified from the electrohysterogram (EHG) signals, which reflects the electrical activity of the uterine muscle. We started by evaluating the effect of the two key steps involved in EHG source connectivity processing: i) the algorithm used in the solution of the inverse problem and ii) the method used for the estimation of the functional connectivity. We evaluate three different inverse solutions (to reconstruct the dynamics of uterine sources) and three connectivity measures (to compute statistical couplings between the reconstructed sources). The networks obtained by each combination of the inverse/connectivity methods were compared to a reference network (ground truth) generated by the model. The method was then applied to real EHG signals in order to discriminate pregnancy and labor contractions.