Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stress and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis in Visceral Pain: Relevance to Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Visceral pain is a global term used to describe pain originating from the internal organs of the body, which affects a significant proportion of the population and is a common feature of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While IBS is multifactorial, with no single etiology to completely explain the disorder, many patients also experience comorbid behavioral disorders, such as anxiety or depression; thus, IBS is described as a disorder of the gut–brain axis. Stress is implicated in the development and exacerbation of visceral pain disorders. Chronic stress can modify central pain circuitry, as well as change motility and permeability throughout the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. More recently, the role of the gut microbiota in the bidirectional communication along the gut–brain axis, and subsequent changes in behavior, has emerged. Thus, stress and the gut microbiota can interact through complementary or opposing factors to influence visceral nociceptive behaviors. This review will highlight the evidence by which stress and the gut microbiota interact in the regulation of visceral nociception. We will focus on the influence of stress on the microbiota and the mechanisms by which microbiota can affect the stress response and behavioral outcomes with an emphasis on visceral pain.
Slower Walking Speed Forecasts Increased Postoperative Morbidity and 1-Year Mortality across Surgical Specialties

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the Timed Up and Go test and postoperative morbidity and 1-year mortality, and to compare the Timed Up and Go to the standard-of-care surgical risk calculators for prediction of postoperative complications. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, patients 65 years and older undergoing elective colorectal and cardiac operations with a minimum of 1-year follow-up were included. The Timed Up and Go test was performed preoperatively. This timed test starts with the subject standing from a chair, walking 10 feet, returning to the chair, and ends after the subject sits. Timed Up and Go results were grouped as fast ⩽ 10 seconds, intermediate = 11–14 seconds, and slow ≥ 15 seconds. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare the 3 Timed Up and Go groups to current standard-of-care surgical risk calculators at forecasting postoperative complications. Results: This study included 272 subjects (mean age of 74 ± 6 years). Slower Timed Up and Go was associated with increased postoperative complications after colorectal (fast 13%, intermediate 29%, and slow 77%; P < 0.001) and cardiac (fast 11%, intermediate 26%, and slow 52%; P < 0.001) operations. Slower Timed Up and Go was associated with increased 1-year mortality following both colorectal (fast 3%, intermediate 10%, and slow 31%; P = 0.006) and cardiac (fast 2%, intermediate 3%, and slow 12%; P = 0.039) operations. Receiver operating characteristic area under curve of the Timed Up and Go and the risk calculators for the colorectal group was 0.775 (95% CI: 0.670–0.880) and 0.554 (95% CI: 0.499–0.609), and for the cardiac group was 0.684 (95% CI: 0.603–0.766) and 0.552 (95% CI: 0.477–0.626). Conclusions: Slower Timed Up and Go forecasted increased postoperative complications and 1-year mortality across surgical specialties. Regardless of operation performed, the Timed Up and Go compared favorably to the more complex risk calculators at forecasting postoperative complications.
Identification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of Two Isoforms of a Novel Mitochondrial Transporter for 2-Oxoadipate and 2-Oxoglutarate*

The nuclear genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes 35 members of a family of membrane proteins. Known members transport substrates and products across the inner membranes of mitochondria. We have localized two hitherto unidentified family members, Odc1p and Odc2p, to the inner membranes of mitochondria. They are isoforms with 61% sequence identity, and we have shown in reconstituted liposomes that they transport the oxodicarboxylates 2-oxoadipate and 2-oxoglutarate by a strict counter exchange mechanism. Intraliposomal adipate and glutarate and to a lesser extent malate and citrate supported [14C]oxoglutarate uptake. The expression of Odc1p, the more abundant isoform, made in the presence of nonfermentable carbon sources, is repressed by glucose. The main physiological roles of Odc1p and Odc2p are probably to supply 2-oxoadipate and 2-oxoglutarate from the mitochondrial matrix to the cytosol where they are used in the biosynthesis of lysine and glutamate, respectively, and in lysine catabolism.
Primary radiation therapy for juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma

Evidence is presented of the effectiveness and relative lack of serious toxicity of external beam megavoltage radiation therapy (RT) as primary treatment for juvenile nasopharyngenl angiofibroma. The importance of careful radiological evaluation of tumor extent prior to irradiation is stressed, and only moderate dose RT is required.
Innervation of motoneurons based on dendritic orientation.

1. The distribution of terminals from vestibulospinal (VS) axons on the dendritic trees of neck motoneurons was determined by combining the anterograde transport of Phaseolus Vulgaris Leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) with intracellular staining techniques and three-dimensional reconstruction methods. 2. Contacts between VS axon terminals and dendrites were arranged in a nonuniform pattern that depended on the orientation (i.e., rostro-caudal vs. dorsolateral) of the dendrites. 3. This innervation pattern satisfies a critical structural condition necessary for selective nonlinear interactions between pairs of simultaneously active inputs to motoneurons.
Change in the clinical profile of patients referred for coronary artery bypass grafting from 2004 to 2008. Trends in a single-centre study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The aim of this study is to describe the changes that occurred between 2004 and 2008 in the profile of patients referred for off-pump surgical treatment of coronary artery disease, by determining changes in their clinical characteristics, surgical procedures, and their results. METHODS AND RESULTS This study is a retrospective evaluation of 2827 consecutive patients treated in the units of the 1st Chair of Cardiology of the Medical University of Warsaw from 2004 to 2008. We identified and retrieved 133 preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters. The statistical analysis was performed on measurable data in the analysed subgroups, but the relationship between immeasurable data was also examined. Significant declines in duration of hospitalisation, systolic and diastolic blood pressure on admission, left ventricular ejection fraction, stable coronary disease on admission, relationship between venous and arterial conduits used as graft, and in-hospital infections were observed. Meanwhile, the prevalence of arterial hypertension, of chronic pulmonary diseases, smoke, neurological dysfunction, heart rate on admission, diagnosis of two- and three-vessel disease and acute coronary syndrome/unstable angina, additive and logistic EuroScore, and average number of postoperative days in intensive care unit increased. More operations were performed as urgent/emergency cases, with higher numbers of grafts - which were more often arterial - per patient. An increase of length of the operation, blood loss and need for transfusion were observed as well as increased need for reoperation for bleeding. CONCLUSIONS Patients referred for coronary artery surgery are becoming higher-risk patients with a greater number of comorbidities, and surgical techniques are becoming progressively more sophisticated.
Generation of C5-derived lysosomal enzyme-releasing activity (C5a) by lysates of leukocyte lysosomes.

Leukocyte lysosomes contain materials which interact with the complement system in at least two ways to generate C5-derived lysosomal enzyme-releasing activity (C5a). Firstly, a lysosomal protease is capable of cleaving purified C5 at neutral pH to yield a low molecular weight product which selectively releases lysosomal, but not cytoplasmic, enzymes from isologous, cytochalasin B-treated, human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The activity of this enzyme is inhibited by EACA and by normal human serum. Secondly, in fresh serum, lysosomal lysates generate the active form of the C3 proactivator and produce nonimmune hemolysis of dithiothreitol-treated erythrocytes, presumably by activation of the alternate pathway. Therefore, C5a activity is generated in human serum treated with lysates of leukocyte lysosomes as a consequence of complement activation: lysosomal constituents further their own release in a positive feed-back loop.
Genomic imprinting and chromosomal localization of the human MEST gene.

We have isolated a human homologue (MEST) of the mouse mesoderm-specific transcript (Mest) gene that shares about 70% nucleotide sequence homology. Northern blot analysis showed that the MEST gene was expressed in all major fetal organs and tissues so far examined, i.e., amnion, brain, heart, lung, stomach, gut, adrenal, kidney, muscle, and liver, which does not contradict with mesoderm-specific expression. MEST was abundantly expressed in hydatidiform moles of androgenetic origin, whereas it was barely detectable in dermoid cysts of parthenogenetic origin. Thus, it seems likely that the MEST gene, mapped to 7q32 by fluorescence in situ hybridization, is maternally repressed as the mouse homologue.
Control and evaluation of a double-stator linear induction machine with reciprocating cage mover

A flat double-stator linear induction machine (DSLIM) with short cage mover is investigated in this study. The performance of the machine is evaluated with three different control methods: The first uses a constant slip frequency and current amplitude and it operates without any specific machine parameters. The others are vector control methods: Field oriented control (FOC) and direct thrust force control (DTFC) which require the resistance and inductance parameters or an observer respectively. The motor performance is determined on the basis of a two-dimensional time-transient simulation with the finite element software ANSYS Maxwell and the results are validated with measurements on a prototype test bench showing the superiority of FOC.
Release of adenosine triphosphate by adenosine diphosphate in whole blood and in erythrocyte suspensions

In whole blood samples from thrombocytopenic patients, large amounts of ATP were released by ADP, exceeding the level obtained with samples from normal persons by far. Because we suspected that the high potential of ATP in erythrocytes would be the main source for this phenomenon, the release of ATP by ADP was measured in whole blood samples from normal, thrombocytopenic, and leukocytopenic persons and in suspensions of washed erythrocytes. The release was recorded by a Whole Blood Lumi‐Aggregometer type 500 VS (Chrono‐Log Corporation, Havertown, PA) using the luciferin‐luciferase system. Not only in samples from thrombocytopenic persons but also with normal platelet count, increasing amounts of ATP were released with increasing ADP concentrations, finally exceeding the ATP releasable from thrombocytes by thrombin. The amounts of ADP required to match the ATP release of thrombin were closely correlated with the platelet counts in the samples. With lower platelet counts, the release mechanism from erythrocytes could be stimulated more easily by low concentrations of ADP. The binding of ADP to platelets occurred with ostensibly higher affinity. The phenomenon of overshooting ATP release was also observed in samples from extremely leukocytopenic patients. A very large release of ATP was also achieved in suspensions of washed erythrocytes. In this way our hypothesis of ATP release from erythrocytes by ADP was confirmed again. The mechanism of the release from erythrocytes remains unclear. We speculate that its purpose is to regulate extracellular nucleotides in the circulating blood. Am. J. Hematol. 56:259–265, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nonpharmacological interventions for insomnia: a meta-analysis of treatment efficacy.

OBJECTIVE Because of the role of psychological factors in insomnia, the shortcomings of hypnotic medications, and patients' greater acceptance of nonpharmacological treatments for insomnia, the authors conducted a meta-analysis to examine the efficacy and durability of psychological treatments for the clinical management of chronic insomnia. METHOD A total of 59 treatment outcome studies, involving 2,102 patients, were selected for review on the basis of the following criteria: 1) the primary target problem was sleep-onset, maintenance, or mixed insomnia, 2) the treatment was nonpharmacological, 3) the study used a group design, and 4) the outcome measures included sleep-onset latency, time awake after sleep onset, number of nighttime awakenings, or total sleep time. RESULTS Psychological interventions, averaging 5.0 hours of therapy time, produced reliable changes in two of the four sleep measures examined. The average effect sizes (i.e., z scores) were 0.88 for sleep latency and 0.65 for time awake after sleep onset. These results indicate that patients with insomnia were better off after treatment than 81% and 74% of untreated control subjects in terms of sleep induction and sleep maintenance, respectively. Stimulus control and sleep restriction were the most effective single therapy procedures, whereas sleep hygiene education was not effective when used alone. Clinical improvements seen at treatment completion were well maintained at follow-ups averaging 6 months in duration. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that nonpharmacological interventions produce reliable and durable changes in the sleep patterns of patients with chronic insomnia.
IT Governance in Higher Education Institutions in Abu Dhabi, UAE

With IT affecting all aspects of university's/school's academic and professional affairs, an efficient IT governance ITG is required to assure that all kinds of expensive and complex information technology is appropriately governed. Despite the importance of IT; there has been limited research looking at how ITG is implemented in higher education institution or how to harness its benefits. This research focuses on how ITG is adopted and implemented in higher education institutions in UAE by considering the case of two different universities. The research proposes a theoretical framework derived from COBIT and Six Sigma to help in governing IT in higher education institutions. The framework will help in directing different processes toward evaluating any decision concerning the alignment and compatibility of IT with the overall strategies and goals of higher education institutions. This is achieved to increase services quality over time, aligning and supporting business strategies, and controlling and minimizing IT risks in order to increase stakeholder's value and reducing cost.
Incidence of gallium-67 citrate uptake in brown adipose tissue in neonates

Aims: Increased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake within active brown adipose tissue (BAT) on an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT study is a known pitfall that has been well described in the literature. We have noted a similar phenomenon occurring in gallium-67 studies performed on neonates, which introduces an undesirable element of complexity when evaluating for the presence of infection or malignancy. Since the incidence of gallium-67 uptake in BAT in neonates has not been previously described in the literature, the goal of this study was to evaluate the pattern of uptake and its incidence in our neonatal patient population. Materials & methods: A complete review was performed of the Hospital Ste-Justine's (QC, Canada) database of nuclear medicine studies carried out from June 2001 to May 2011, revealing 64 total body gallium-67 scans of neonates (carried out within the first 28 days after birth). These studies were reviewed for BAT gallium-67 uptake. Results: Ten of out 64 patients had gallium-67 uptake in a.
A high performance RF power amplifier with protection against load mismatches

A high performance power amplifier is presented which includes a protection circuitry against load impedance variations. Load mismatches produce peak voltages on the power transistor collector that give rise to breakdown conditions and hence to permanent faults. The protection circuitry is based on a feedback loop that acts on the amplifier gain to limit the overdrive of the output transistor. A monolithic power amplifier for 1.8-GHz DCS-PCS applications was integrated in a silicon bipolar technology with a 4.3-V breakdown voltage. The amplifier delivers a 33-dBm output power with 51% power-added efficiency and 33-dB gain at a nominal 3-V supply voltage. Standing wave ratio was tested up to 20:1 for all phases with a supply voltage up to 3.8 V without damage to the device.
Bone health in young women with epilepsy after one year of antiepileptic drug monotherapy

Objective: Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) may have adverse effects on bone mineral density (BMD) and metabolism. We previously reported biochemical evidence of increased bone turnover in premenopausal women with epilepsy on phenytoin monotherapy compared with those on carbamazepine, lamotrigine, and valproate. We therefore hypothesized that rates of bone loss would be higher in young women treated with phenytoin. Methods: Ninety-three premenopausal women with epilepsy receiving a single AED (carbamazepine, lamotrigine, phenytoin, or valproate) participated. Subjects completed nutritional and physical activity questionnaires. Biochemical indices of bone and mineral metabolism and BMD of the proximal femur and lumbar spine were measured at baseline and 1 year. Results: Participants reported high calcium intake (>1,000 mg/day) and were physically active. Significant loss (2.6%) was seen at the femoral neck in the phenytoin group. BMD remained stable in the other AED groups. Bone turnover markers and calciotropic hormones were unchanged after 1 year in all groups except for a significant decline in urine N-telopeptide in the phenytoin group. In women receiving phenytoin, lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were associated with higher parathyroid hormone, bone alkaline phosphatase, and urine N-telopeptide levels, a biochemical pattern consistent with secondary hyperparathyroidism and increased remodeling. Conclusion: In this study, young women treated with phenytoin had significant femoral neck bone loss over 1 year. In contrast, those treated with carbamazepine, lamotrigine, and valproate did not have detectable adverse effects on bone turnover or bone mineral density. These results raise concerns about the long-term effects of phenytoin monotherapy on bone in young women with epilepsy. GLOSSARY: 1,25(OH)2D = 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D; AED = antiepileptic drug; ANOVA = analysis of variance; BCE = bone collagen equivalent; BMD = bone mineral density; BMI = body mass index; BSAP = bone-specific alkaline phosphatase; CBZ = carbamazepine; FN = femoral neck; LS = lumbar spine; LTG = lamotrigine; NTx = cross-linked N-telopeptide of type I bone collagen; OHD = 25-hydroxyvitamin D; PHT = phenytoin; PTH = parathyroid hormone; TH = total hip; VPA = valproate.
Explorer Proximity of TCR and its CD 8 coreceptor controls sensitivity of T cells

Spatial organisation of T cell receptor (TCR) and its coreceptor CD8 on the surface of live naïve and Ag-experienced CD8+ T cells was resolved by fluorescence lifetime cross-correlation microscopy. We found that exposure of naïve CD8+ T cells to antigen (Ag) causes formation of [TCR, CD8] functional ensembles on the cell surface which correlated with significantly enhanced sensitivity of these cells. In contrast, TCR and CD8 are randomly distributed on the surface of naïve cells. Our model suggests that close proximity of TCR and CD8 can increase Ag sensitivity of T cells by significant accelerating the TCR–peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) binding rate and stabilisation of this complex. We suggest that the proximity of these primary signalling molecules contributes to the mechanism of functional avidity maturation of CD8+ T cells by switching them from a low to high sensitivity mode. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Investigation of 4-bit SONOS nonvolatile memory using 3-dimensional numerical simulation

Investigation of 4-bit SONOS nonvolatile memory with 3-dimensional structure has been done using a 3-dimensional numerical simulation tool. The impact of channel length and the interference of stored charge on the opposite side of channel are observed by changing the channel length and Si-fin width. It is estimated that the device can be scaled down to gate length/fin width of 70/30 nm with sufficient VTHmiddot window margin of 2 V.
Evidence of neuronal injury outside the medial temporal lobe in temporal lobe epilepsy: N-acetylaspartate concentration reductions detected with multisection proton MR spectroscopic imaging--initial experience.

PURPOSE To determine whether magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic imaging reveals metabolic changes, especially decreased N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concentrations outside the medial temporal lobe in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), consistent with neuropathologic findings of extratemporal neuronal impairment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eleven patients with mesial TLE and 13 control subjects were examined with multisection MR spectroscopic imaging. Three MR spectroscopic imaging sections were acquired. Thirteen brain regions in each hemisphere and the midbrain were analyzed in each patient, and the NAA to creatine-phosphocreatine (Cr) plus choline-containing compounds (Ch) (NAA/[Cr + Ch]) ratios were determined. In addition, hemispheric and whole-brain values were calculated and statistically analyzed. RESULTS The NAA/(Cr + Ch) ratio in the ipsilateral hippocampus was significantly reduced, compared with that in the contralateral hippocampus (P <.002) and compared with that in control subjects (P <.03), confirming findings in previous studies. In patients, whole-brain NAA/(Cr + Ch) ratio outside the hippocampus was significantly lower than that in control subjects (P <.002). For the ipsilateral hemisphere in patients, NAA/(Cr + Ch) ratio was significantly lower than that in control subjects (P <.0002). Comparisons between individual brain regions revealed trends toward lower NAA/(Cr + Ch) ratios in many areas of the ipsilateral and, to a lesser extent, the contralateral hemisphere outside the hippocampus and temporal lobe, suggesting diffuse impairment. CONCLUSION Results suggest that repeated seizure activity damages neurons outside of the seizure focus.
Effects of bile and bile acids on cultured human fibroblasts

Abstract. Impaired healing induced by leakage of bile has been postulated as one factor responsible for complications after reconstructive bile duct surgery. The cytotoxicity of human bile and its major bile acids on cultured human fibroblasts was therefore studied by evaluation of their effects on cell morphology and growth, on synthesis and secretion of 35SO4‐mucopoly‐saccharides and on release of a lysosomal enzyme. Normal human fibroblasts derived from a standard culture strain (MRC‐5) were grown to confluence and exposed to: (1) sterile human T‐tube bile, (2) a mixture of bile acids resembling that of human bile, or (3) various concentrations of the glycine‐ and taurine conjugates of cholic, chenodeoxycholic or deoxycholic acid. Medium containing whole bile (total bile acid concentration 0.25, 0.75 or 1.6 mmol/l) exerted time and dose dependent cytotoxic effects on morphology and growth and release of lysosomal enzyme. Synthesis and secretion of 35SO4‐mucopolysaccharides were markedly inhibited. The bile acid mixture exhibited the same time and dose dependent effects. The conjugates of deoxycholic acid were found to be the most toxic of the individual bile acids studied.