Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Management of acute bleeding upper gastrointestinal ulcers in the era of endoscopic and intravenous proton pump inhibitor therapy.

BACKGROUND Despite advances in therapy, the morbidity and mortality of gastrointestinal bleeding remains high. A review of current practice patterns was undertaken in St Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba to assess the standard of care provided. OBJECTIVE To determine whether upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) attributable to a single acute ulcer is treated appropriately with respect to local therapy, acid suppression and Helicobacter pylori status. METHODS A retrospective chart review identified patients with consecutive acute UGIB attributable to a single gastric or duodenal ulcer presenting to a tertiary care centre over a six-month period. The lesions were classified as high- or low-risk based on endoscopic appearance. Local care of the ulcer, acid suppressive therapy and management of H. pylori were determined by reviewing pertinent chart materials. Appropriate care was defined for all three end points a priori using literature-supported standards of care. RESULTS Fifty-five patients who met study criteria were identified. Twenty-six of 55 (47%) and 29 of 55 (52%) lesions were considered to be low- and high-risk respectively. Of the high-risk lesions, two of 29 received no local therapy, 24 of 29 received adrenaline injection and two had an endoclip placed. Of the 27 patients whose lesions were treated, 16 received thermal coagulation. Twenty-five of 29 (88%) received intravenous proton pump inhibitors. Thirty-three of 55 (55%) patients did not have H. pylori status considered in their management. CONCLUSION Weaknesses in the management of UGIB were identified, particularly with respect to addressing the role of H. pylori. Fragmentation and compartmentalization of patient care may be important contributing factors.
A Novel Membrane Protein Capable of Binding the Na+/H+ Antiporter (Nha1p) Enhances the Salinity-resistant Cell Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae*

The Na+/H+ antiporter Nha1p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae plays an important role in maintaining intracellular pH and Na+ homeostasis. Nha1p has a two-domain structure composed of integral membrane and hydrophilic tail regions. Overexpression of a peptide of ∼40 residues (C1+C2 domains) that is localized in the juxtamembrane area of its cytoplasmic tail caused cell growth retardation in highly saline conditions, possibly by decreasing Na+/H+ antiporter activity. A multicopy suppressor gene of this growth retardation was identified from a yeast genome library. The clone encodes a novel membrane protein denoted as COS3 in the genome data base. Overexpression or deletion of COS3 increases or decreases salinity-resistant cell growth, respectively. However, in nha1Δ cells, overexpression of COS3 alone did not suppress the growth retardation. Cos3p and a hydrophilic portion of Cos3p interact with the C1+C2 peptide in vitro, and Cos3p is co-precipitated with Nha1p from yeast cell extracts. Cos3p-GFP mainly resides at the vacuole, but overexpression of Nha1p caused a portion of the Cos3p-GFP proteins to shift to the cytoplasmic membrane. These observations suggest that Cos3p is a novel membrane protein that can enhance salinity-resistant cell growth by interacting with the C1+C2 domain of Nha1p and thereby possibly activating the antiporter activity of this protein.
Radar Sounding of the Medusae Fossae Formation Mars: Equatorial Ice or Dry, Low-Density Deposits?

The equatorial Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) is enigmatic and perhaps among the youngest geologic deposits on Mars. They are thought to be composed of volcanic ash, eolian sediments, or an ice-rich material analogous to polar layered deposits. The Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding (MARSIS) instrument aboard the Mars Express Spacecraft has detected nadir echoes offset in time-delay from the surface return in orbits over MFF material. These echoes are interpreted to be from the subsurface interface between the MFF material and the underlying terrain. The delay time between the MFF surface and subsurface echoes is consistent with massive deposits emplaced on generally planar lowlands materials with a real dielectric constant of ∼2.9 ± 0.4. The real dielectric constant and the estimated dielectric losses are consistent with a substantial component of water ice. However, an anomalously low-density, ice-poor material cannot be ruled out. If ice-rich, the MFF must have a higher percentage of dust and sand than polar layered deposits. The volume of water in an ice-rich MFF deposit would be comparable to that of the south polar layered deposits.
Influenza Virus mRNA Translation Revisited: Is the eIF4E Cap-Binding Factor Required for Viral mRNA Translation?

ABSTRACT Influenza virus mRNAs bear a short capped oligonucleotide sequence at their 5′ ends derived from the host cell pre-mRNAs by a “cap-snatching” mechanism, followed immediately by a common viral sequence. At their 3′ ends, they contain a poly(A) tail. Although cellular and viral mRNAs are structurally similar, influenza virus promotes the selective translation of its mRNAs despite the inhibition of host cell protein synthesis. The viral polymerase performs the cap snatching and binds selectively to the 5′ common viral sequence. As viral mRNAs are recognized by their own cap-binding complex, we tested whether viral mRNA translation occurs without the contribution of the eIF4E protein, the cellular factor required for cap-dependent translation. Here, we show that influenza virus infection proceeds normally in different situations of functional impairment of the eIF4E factor. In addition, influenza virus polymerase binds to translation preinitiation complexes, and furthermore, under conditions of decreased eIF4GI association to cap structures, an increase in eIF4GI binding to these structures was found upon influenza virus infection. This is the first report providing evidence that influenza virus mRNA translation proceeds independently of a fully active translation initiation factor (eIF4E). The data reported are in agreement with a role of viral polymerase as a substitute for the eIF4E factor for viral mRNA translation.
The N-Ethylmaleimide-sensitive Fusion Protein and α-SNAP Induce a Conformational Change in Syntaxin (*)

The N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF) plays an essential role in intracellular membrane fusion events and has been implicated in the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. NSF binds through soluble NSF attachment proteins (SNAPs) to a complex of neuronal membrane proteins comprised of synaptobrevin, syntaxin, and SNAP-25. Disassembly of this complex by NSF is thought to be a critical step in the molecular events which lead to vesicle fusion with the plasma membrane. Here we have studied the interaction of α-SNAP and NSF with individual components of this complex and have identified syntaxin as a primary substrate for NSF/α-SNAP. We find that α-SNAP binds directly to syntaxin 1A as well as weakly to SNAP-25, while it does not bind to synaptobrevin II. NSF binds to syntaxin through α-SNAP and in the presence of ATP catalyzes a conformational rearrangement which abolishes binding of itself and α-SNAP. This reaction leads to the previously described disassembly of the fusion complex, since synaptobrevin binding to syntaxin is also reduced. α-SNAP binds to a carboxyl-terminal syntaxin fragment (residues 194-288) that also binds synaptobrevin and SNAP-25. However, NSF action on this syntaxin fragment has no effect on the binding of α-SNAP or synaptobrevin. This suggests that the conformational change normally induced by NSF in syntaxin depends on an interaction between carboxyl- and amino-terminal domains of syntaxin.
Effect of sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase‐5 inhibitor, on oesophageal peristalsis and lower oesophageal sphincter function in cats

The propagation of oesophageal peristaltic contractions and lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) relaxation depends on neural release of nitric oxide (NO) which acts to increase intracellular cGMP. Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase‐5 inhibitor that increases cGMP, reduces basal LOS pressure in patients with achalasia. We investigated the effect of sildenafil on the propagation of oesophageal contractions and LOS relaxation in the cat. Oesophageal manometry was performed in five cats under light sedation. Peristaltic contractions were monitored at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 cm proximal to the LOS, at the LOS using a Dent sleeve, and at 3 cm distal to the upper oesophageal sphincter. Swallow‐induced oesophageal contractions and LOS relaxation were recorded during 30 min before and 30 min after intravenous administration of sildenafil. Sildenafil reduced the amplitude of oesophageal contractions only in the smooth muscle oesophagus. The latency from swallow to distal oesophageal contractions was significantly delayed. LOS pressure was significantly reduced but the relaxation nadir was not modified by sildenafil. Sildenafil has profound effects on oesophageal motility: it modifies propagation and amplitude of oesophageal contractions and reduces LOS pressure. Slowing down the propagation of contractions in the transitional zone between the striated and smooth muscle can be a useful tool in patients with segmental aperistalsis or intermittent simultaneous contractions, while the effect on the LOS can benefit patients with achalasia.
Promiscuous and Depolarization‐Induced Immediate‐Early Response Genes Are Induced by Mechanical Strain of Osteoblasts

Whereas mechanical stimulation is essential for bone homeostasis, straining of larger magnitude promotes bone regeneration by directing cell differentiation and proliferation and influencing the gene expression patterns of osteoblasts, which play a vital role in fracture healing by producing and mineralizing osteoid matrix. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of osteoblasts to mechanical strains comparable to those occurring during bone regeneration, MC3T3 S4 (MC4) osteoblast‐like cells were stretched in vitro. Analysis based on microarray expression profiling during the first 8 h after straining showed 674 differentially expressed genes. The response to mechanical strain can be divided in an immediate‐early response (IER) and later responses. Examination of the ∼40 genes differentially expressed within the first 60 min, including 11 involved in regulating gene transcription, showed both promiscuous IER genes such as Fos that are upregulated by multiple extracellular stimuli, as well as a number of genes previously shown in neurons to be induced preferentially by depolarization (IPD‐IER). Selected differentially expressed genes were validated after mechanical straining and KCl‐induced depolarization. The effects of inhibitors for protein kinase A, mitogen‐activated protein kinase, and calcineurin pathways were assessed in separate experiments by quantitative RT‐PCR and shown to have differential effects on the response of MC4 cells and primary calvaria osteoblasts to both mechanical straining and KCl‐induced depolarization. Therefore, our results showed the existence of two distinct pathways that mediate the IER of osteoblasts to large‐magnitude mechanical straining and suggest that the IER to depolarizing stimuli is conserved in cell types as different as osteoblasts and neurons.
Acculturation and Changes in the Likelihood of Pregnancy and Feelings About Pregnancy Among Women of Mexican Origin

ABSTRACT This study explored the changes that occur with acculturation in the likelihood that women of Mexican origin in the United States get pregnant, that they considered their pregnancies intended, and that they were happy about their pregnancies. Data were from 924 women of Mexican origin in the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth. Results showed that, controlling for underlying differences in age and parity, Mexican-origin women born in the United States were less likely to conceive a pregnancy than first-generation immigrants (O.R. = 0.69, C.I. 0.56–0.83), but the pregnancies they conceived were less likely to be intended (O.R. = 0.53, C.I. 0.35–0.79), and they were less likely to be happy about them (O.R. = 0.76, C.I. 0.57–1.01). These changes were associated with the decreases in marriage, poverty, and Catholic religiosity that occurred between first-generation immigrants and women of later generations. Findings highlight the unmet need for effective family planning among women of all generations of migration, but particularly those born in the United States.
Evaluation of competition and light estimation indices for predicting diameter growth in mature boreal mixed forests

A series of conventional distance-independent and distance-dependent competition indices, a highly flexible distance-dependent crowding index, and two light resource estimation indices were compared to predict individual tree diameter growth of five species of mature trees from natural-origin boreal mixed forests. The crowding index was the superior index for most species and ecosites. However, distance-independent indices, such as basal area of competing trees, were also effective. Distance-dependent light estimation indices, which estimate the fraction of seasonal photosynthetically-active radiation available to each tree, ranked intermediate to low. Determining separate competition indices for each competitor species accounted for more variation than ignoring species or classifying by ecological groups. Species’ competitive ability ranked (most competitive to least): paper birch ≈ white spruce ≈> trembling aspen > lodgepole pine > balsam poplar. Stratification by ecosite further improved model performance. However, the overall impact of competition on mature trees in these forests appears to be small. RésuméCe travail a évalué la capacité d’indices de compétition à prédire la croissance radiale individuelle d’arbres adultes de cinq espèces de forêts mixtes boréales. Ont ainsi été comparés : (1) une série d’indices conventionnels de compétition indépendants ou dépendants de la distance, (2) un indice très flexible d’encombrement dépendant de la distance et (3) deux indices d’estimation de l’éclairement. L’indice d’encombrement a été le plus efficace dans la plupart des stations et des espèces. Cependant, les indices indépendants de la distance tels que la surface terrière des arbres en compétition, ont été également efficaces. Les indices dépendants de la distance, d’estimation de l’éclairement, qui estiment la fraction saisonnière du rayonnement photosynthétiquement actif disponible pour chaque arbre, se sont classés en position intermédiaire. L’identification d’indices de compétition spécifiques de chaque espèce compétitrice a mieux rendu compte de la diversité des stations qu’un indice non spécifique ou qu’un classement des espèces par groupes écologiques. L’aptitude à la compétition des espèces a été classée de la manière suivante (de la plus à la moins compétitive) : Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, Populus tremuloides, Pinus contorta, Populus balsamifera. La stratification par station améliore encore la performance du modèle. Cependant, l’impact général de la compétition sur les arbres adultes dans ces forêts semble être faible.
[Effect of Qingyi Chengqi Decoction on severe acute pancreatitis patients: a clinical study].

OBJECTIVE To observe the change of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients, and to study the effect of Qingyi Chengqi Decoction (QCD) on it. METHODS Eighty-six SAP patients from Department of General Surgery and Department of Digestive Diseases, Qingyang People's Hospital, Gansu Province, who were in line with diagnosis standard of SAP, were assigned to the treatment group (44 cases) and the control group (42 cases) from March 2012 to May 2013. All patients received routine Western medicine. Those in the treatment group took QCD additionally. Main clinical symptoms and APACHE II were observed. The serum levels of amylase (AMY), C-reactive protein (CRP), and IAP were examined. The incidence of secondary infection rate (SIR), drainage rate (percutaneous catheter drainage and operation), mortality, and mean days in ward were also recorded. RESULTS Main clinical symptoms were significantly improved in the treatment group. APACHE II score, serum levels of AMY, CRP, and IAP obviously decreased in the treatment group. The incidence of SIR, drainage rate, and the mortality were also significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group. The mean days in ward were also markedly shortened (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION QCD could relieve inflammatory response, lower IAP, SIR, and mortality, increase the curative rate and improve the prognosis of SAP.
The Food Industry in Ghana: Demystifying the Innovation and Quality Conundrum

Most part of the food industry remains a “black box”. Adding to it is the level of confusion that surrounds the industry in Ghana. The food industry in Ghana is just at the take off stage of its development. Meanwhile the country plays a vital role in the international arena, thereby heightening the debate over the need for total quality management (TQM) and innovation in the industry, especially proffering a model that can help to properly judge activities of the industry. That said, this paper using extensive review of literature has established the Dynamic Quality Model (DQM) and the Sustainable Innovation Model (SIM) as measures and analytical frameworks for quality and innovation. The DQM comprises nineteen variables that are grouped into two categories - endogenous and exogenous factors. The SIM however comprises eight variables. The study concludeS that the organizational factors, market factors and government are needed to effectively understand and analyze. Also, quality was considered highly essential if an innovation is to be absorbed by the market and help to achieve long run total factor productivity. Keywords: Food Service; Industry; Innovation; Total Quality Management; Ghana DOI : 10.7176/JESD/10-4-03
Functional outcomes of acute medical illness and hospitalization in older persons.

BACKGROUND Short-stay hospitalization in older patients is frequently associated with a loss of function, which can lead to a need for postdischarge assistance and longer-term institutionalization. Because little is known about this adverse outcome of hospitalization, this study was conducted to (1) determine the discharge and 3-month postdischarge functional outcomes for a large cohort of older persons hospitalized for medical illness, (2) determine the extent to which patients were able to recover to preadmission levels of functioning after hospital discharge, and (3) identify the patient factors associated with an increased risk of developing disability associated with acute illness and hospitalization. METHODS A total of 1279 community-dwelling patients, aged 70 years and older, hospitalized for acute medical illness were enrolled in this multicenter, prospective cohort study. Functional measurements obtained at discharge (Activities of Daily Living) and at 3 months after discharge (Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) were compared with a preadmission baseline level of functioning to document loss and recovery of functioning. RESULTS At discharge, 59% of the study population reported no change, 10% improved, and 31% declined in Activities of Daily Living when compared with the preadmission baseline. At the 3-month follow-up, 51% of the original study population, for whom postdischarge data were available (n=1206), were found to have died (11%) or to report new Activities of Daily Living and/or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living disabilities (40%) when compared with the preadmission baseline. Among survivors, 19% reported a new Activities of Daily Living and 40% reported a new Instrumental Activities of Daily Living disability at follow-up. The 3-month outcomes were the result of the loss of function during the index hospitalization, the failure of many patients to recover after discharge, and the development of new postdischarge disabilities. Patients at greatest risk of adverse functional outcomes at follow-up were older, had preadmission Instrumental Activities of Daily Living disabilities and lower mental status scores on admission, and had been rehospitalized. CONCLUSION This study documents a high incidence of functional decline after hospitalization for acute medial illness. Although there are several potential explanations for these findings, this study suggests a need to reexamine current inpatient and postdischarge practices that might influence the functioning of older patients.
Public policy provision from a subnational perspective: Context, institutions and spatial inequality

ABSTRACT This article explores how demography – through the heterogeneous spatial distribution of demands – and institutions – via the spatial specialization of provision – generate inequality in the access to welfare policies at the subnational level. We stress that nationally designed policies may not be sufficient to overcome territorial inequalities rooted in demographic, economic, or social legacies. On the contrary, policies can reproduce or enhance such inequalities when they are not complemented or compensated by other measures explicitly tailored to deal with local variation in demography or economic resources. To explore these assumptions we use Brazilian social policies as a case study. We employ a geographical descriptive analysis of official data collected at the municipal level to assess territorial inequality in key demographic and policy provision indicators.
Dose-ranging evaluation of intravitreal siRNA PF-04523655 for diabetic macular edema (the DEGAS study).

PURPOSE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of three doses of PF-04523655, a 19-nucleotide methylated double stranded siRNA targeting the RTP801 gene, for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) compared to focal/grid laser photocoagulation. METHODS This multicenter, prospective, masked, randomized, active-controlled, phase 2 interventional clinical trial enrolled 184 DME patients with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/40 to 20/320 inclusive in the study eye. Patients were randomly assigned to 0.4-mg, 1-mg, 3-mg PF-04523655 intravitreal injections or laser. The main outcome measure was the change in BCVA from baseline to month 12. RESULTS All doses of PF-04523655 improved BCVA from baseline through month 12. At month 12, the PF-04523655 3-mg group showed a trend for greater improvement in BCVA from baseline than laser (respectively 5.77 vs. 2.39 letters; P = 0.08; 2-sided α = 0.10). The study was terminated early at month 12 based on predetermined futility criteria for efficacy and discontinuation rates. PF-04523655 was generally safe and well-tolerated, with few adverse events considered treatment-related. By month 12, the discontinuation rates in the PF-04523655 groups were higher than the laser group and were inversely related to dose levels. CONCLUSIONS PF-04523655 showed a dose-related tendency for improvement in BCVA in DME patients. Studies of higher doses are planned to determine the optimal efficacious dose of PF-04523655. PF-04523655 may offer a new mode of therapeutic action in the management of DME. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00701181.).