Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Inverts Protein Kinase A-mediated Regulation of Epithelial Sodium Channel Single Channel Kinetics*

Abnormal regulation of ion channels by members of the ABC transport protein superfamily has been implicated in hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia and in excessive Na+absorption by airway epithelia in cystic fibrosis (CF). How ABC proteins regulate ion conductances is unknown, but must generally involve either the number or activity of specific ion channels. Here we report that the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), which is defective in CF, reverses the regulation of the activity of single epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) by cAMP. ENaC expressed alone in fibroblasts responded to activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase with increased open probability (P o) and mean open time, whereas ENaC co-expressed with CFTR exhibited decreasedP o and mean open time under conditions optimal for PKA-mediated protein phosphorylation. Thus, CFTR regulates ENaC at the level of single channel gating, by switching the response of single channel P o to cAMP from an increase to a decrease.
The Influence of a Family on Ethical Behaviour of a Family Enterprise

Family enterprises are defined as a special type of enterprises. The involvement of a family in the enterprise is what makes these enterprises unique. The research presented in the paper aims to broaden our knowledge about the influence of a family on the ethical behaviour of a family enterprise. The case study research methodology was applied to explore the influence of a family on the constitutional elements of the enterprise ethical behaviour. The pre-designed questionnaire was used in conducting face-to-face interviews with 28 managers who were in most cases also owners of the studied enterprises.
Causes and places of death of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in south-west China

Abstract Understanding the causes and places of death of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients leads to the development of better treatment modalities. The present study aimed to identify the causes and places of death of ALS patients in south-west China. A total of 139 ALS patients (89 males and 50 females) were regularly followed up in the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University from 2004 to 2010 until their deaths. Information on the causes and places of death was provided by family members, caregivers, or family physicians. Overall, 91 patients (65.5%) died of respiratory failure, 36 patients (25.9%) died of nutritional causes due to dysphagia, five patients (3.6%) met sudden deaths, three patients (2.2%) died of heart related causes, and four patients (2.9%) died of unknown reasons. Of the 139 patients, 114 (82%) died at home. Consistent with reports in the literature, respiratory failure is the leading cause of death in ALS patients. However, unlike in other studies, the second leading cause is nutrition related. Most patients die at home. The inconsistencies of these results with foreign studies may be attributable to economic and cultural differences. The findings have significant implications on the treatment modalities and palliative care for ALS patients in China.
Association between uric acid and severity of pre-eclampsia.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of uric acid as a marker of severity of pre-eclampsia. METHODS Uric acid was measured in 36 pre-eclamptic pregnant women and 26 healthy pregnant women in the control group. Data regarding age, history of pre-eclampsia in previous pregnancies, family history of pre-eclampsia, pregnancy, and abortion were obtained through a questionnaire given to each pregnant woman, after signing the consent form. The route of delivery and weight of the newborns were obtained from medical records of patients. Statistical analyses used were the t-test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS Uric acid was significantly higher and weight of neonates was significantly lower in pre-eclamptic women. Significant correlations between uric acid and systolic blood pressure, and uric acid and 24-hour proteinuria were observed. Inverse correlations between uric acid levels and weight of newborns and between systolic blood pressure and the weight of newborns were also observed. CONCLUSIONS The results agree with other previous research, and reinforce the idea that the concentration of serum uric acid in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia is associated with disease severity and contributes to better monitoring of the mother and newborn.
Feeding Rats Diets Enriched in Lowbush Blueberries for Six Weeks Decreases Ischemia-induced Brain Damage

Abstract Oxidative stress is an important element in the etiology of ischemic stroke. Lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) have a high antioxidant capacity and thus we determined whether consumption of lowbush blueberries would protect neurons from stroke-induced damage. Rats were fed AIN-93G diets containing 0 or 14.3% blueberries (g fresh weight/100 g feed) for 6 weeks. Stroke was then simulated by ligation of the left common carotid artery (ischemia), followed by hypoxia. One week later, plasma and urine were collected, and neuronal damage in the hippocampus was determined histologically. In control rats, hypoxia-ischemia resulted in 40±2% loss of neurons in the hippocampus of the left cerebral hemisphere, as compared to the right hemisphere. Rats on blueberry-supplemented diets lost only 17±2% of neurons in the ischemic hippocampus. Neuroprotection was observed in the CA1 and CA2 regions, but not CA3 region, of the hippocampus. The blueberry diet had no detectable effects on the plasma or urine oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) or plasma lipids. We conclude that consumption of lowbush blueberries by rats confers protection to the brain against damage from ischemia, suggesting that inclusion of blueberries in the diet may improve ischemic stroke outcomes.
Progression rate of severity of aortic stenosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Valvular heart disease is common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is uncertainty about how often to perform echocardiographic surveillance in this population. The objective of this study was to assess the progression rate of mild and moderate aortic stenosis (AS) in patients with RA.
Irisin and its relation to insulin resistance and puberty in obese children: a longitudinal analysis.

CONTEXT Irisin is a recently identified myokine affecting metabolic and glucose homeostasis. However, the role of irisin in obesity and its metabolic consequences are controversial, and data in children are scarce. OBJECTIVE To study the relationships between irisin, insulin resistance, and puberty before and after weight loss in obese children with and without impaired glucose tolerance. DESIGN One-year follow-up study in obese children participating in a lifestyle intervention. SETTING Primary care. PATIENTS Forty obese children and 20 normal-weight children of similar age, gender, and pubertal stage. INTERVENTION A 1-year outpatient intervention program based on exercise, behavior, and nutrition therapy. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES Fasting serum irisin, weight status (body mass index [BMI] SD score), and the following parameters of the metabolic syndrome: insulin resistance index (homeostasis model of assessment), blood pressure, and lipids. RESULTS The irisin levels were the highest in obese children with impaired glucose tolerance, followed by obese children with normal glucose tolerance, and levels were lowest in normal-weight children (P < .001). In a multiple linear regression analysis, baseline irisin was significantly associated with pubertal stage, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and homeostasis model of assessment, but not to age, gender, BMI, or any other parameter of the metabolic syndrome. The irisin concentrations were significantly (P = .010) lower in the prepubertal compared to the pubertal children. In longitudinal analyses, changes of irisin were significantly associated with entry into puberty, change of fasting glucose, and 2-hour glucose in an oral glucose tolerance test, but not with change of BMI or any other parameter. CONCLUSIONS Irisin levels are related to pubertal stage and insulin resistance but not to weight status in childhood.
Radar systems

All the parameters are to some extent under the control of the radar designer, except for the target cross section σ. The radar equation states that if long ranges are desired, the transmitted power must be large, the radiated energy must be concentrated into a narrow beam (high transmitting antenna gain), the received echo energy must be collected with a large antenna aperture (also synonymous with high gain), and the receiver must be sensitive to weak signals.
Plasma Choline, Nicotine Exposure, and Risk of Low Bone Mineral Density and Hip Fracture: The Hordaland Health Study

Choline, obtained from diet and formed by biosynthesis, is the immediate precursor of betaine. Animal studies suggest an impact of choline on bone metabolism. We examined the associations of plasma choline and betaine with bone mineral density (BMD), the risk of hip fractures, and possible effect‐modification by nicotine exposure. The Hordaland Health Study (1998 to 2000) included 7074 women and men (ages 46 to 49 or 71 to 74 years). In 5315, BMD was measured. The oldest (n = 3311) were followed for hip fractures through 2009. Risk associations were studied by logistic and Cox regression by comparing the lowest and middle tertiles with the highest, as well as trends across tertiles of plasma choline and betaine. In analyses adjusted for sex and age, participants in the lowest (odds ratio [OR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.69–2.37) and middle (OR = 1.39, CI 1.17–1.66) tertiles of plasma choline had an increased risk of low BMD (lowest quintile) (p trend < 0.001). Separate analyses for sex and age groups revealed the strongest relations in elderly women (lowest tertile: OR = 2.84, CI 1.95–4.14; middle tertile: OR = 1.80, CI 1.22–2.67, p trend < 0.001), and highest OR among those in the lowest tertile who were exposed to nicotine (OR = 4.56, CI 1.87–11.11). Low plasma choline was also associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in elderly women and men (lowest tertile: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.45, CI 1.08–1.94; middle tertile: HR = 1.13, CI 0.83–1.54, p trend = 0.012). In elderly women, the HR for hip fracture was 1.90 (CI 1.32–2.73) and 1.36 (CI 0.92–1.99) (p trend < 0.001) for lowest and middle tertiles of choline, and the highest HR was found among women in the lowest tertile exposed to nicotine (HR = 2.68, CI 1.16–6.19). Plasma betaine was not related to BMD or hip fracture. Low plasma choline was associated with low BMD in both sexes and increased the risk of hip fracture in elderly women. These results should motivate further studies on choline, nicotine exposure, and bone metabolism. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Selected terpenoids from medicinal plants modulate endoplasmic reticulum stress in metabolic disorders

The majority of research performed on cellular stress and apoptosis focuses on mitochondrial dysfunction; however, the importance of the endoplasmic reticulum dysfunction and the link to metabolic diseases has gained a substantial interest. This review focuses on the potential of terpenoids to influence endoplasmic reticulum stress and the possible role terpenoids play as the treatment of metabolic diseases.
Prenatal diagnosis of a fetus harboring an intermediate load of the A3243G mtDNA mutation in a maternal carrier diagnosed with MELAS syndrome

We prenatally diagnosed MELAS syndrome in a fetus whose mother and older brother had the MELAS‐specific A3243G mutation. The mutant mtDNA level of the amniotic fluid cells was not significantly different from that of the postnatal peripheral blood and hair follicle samples. The obstetrical course was uncomplicated except for transient exacerbation of the mother's diabetes, which required insulin control. At term, the infant was macrosomic, and the delivery was complicated by shoulder dystocia. MELAS syndrome in itself does not influence either the prenatal course of the mother or the fetal outcome. In contrast to the fulminating clinical course of this mother's first child, MELAS symptoms did not develop in her second child until age four, despite similar high tissue levels of mutant mtDNA. The phenotypic diversity in two offspring with similar higher levels of mutant mtDNA suggests that prenatal genetic diagnosis of cultured amniotic cells may yield results that are poor prognosticators of fetal outcome. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Mayo High Performance Teamwork Scale: Reliability and Validity for Evaluating Key Crew Resource Management Skills

Purpose: To develop and evaluate a participant rating scale for assessing high performance teamwork skills in simulation medicine settings. Methods: In all, 107 participants in crisis resource management (CRM) training in a multidisciplinary medical simulation center generated 273 ratings of key CRM skills after participating in two or three simulation exercises. These data were analyzed using Rasch and traditional psychometric approaches to develop the 16-item Mayo High Performance Teamwork Scale (MHPTS). Sensitivity to change as a result CRM training was also evaluated. Results: The MHPTS showed satisfactory internal consistency and construct validity by Rasch (person reliability = 0.77; person separation = 1.85; item reliability = 0.96; item separation = 5.04) and traditional psychometric (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.85) indicators. The scale demonstrated sensitivity to change as a result of CRM training (pretraining mean = 21.44 versus first posttraining rating mean = 24.37; paired t = −4.15, P < 0.0001; first posttraining mean = 24.63 versus second posttraining mean = 26.83; paired t = −4.31 P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The MHPTS provides a brief, reliable, practical measure of CRM skills that can be used by participants in CRM training to reflect on and evaluate their performance as a team. Further evaluation of validity and appropriateness in other simulation and medical settings is desirable.
Strain and left ventricular volumes for predicting cardiotoxicity: a life-saving approach in anthracycline cancer treatment?

Survival after cancer has greatly increased in the last decades, especially in patients with breast cancer, lymphomas, or after childhood cancer, due to advances in chemotherapy treatment regimens, as well as in surgical, radiation, and diagnostic imaging techniques. Therefore, potential side effects, especially those of the heart, play an increasing role for the long-term outcome of cancer patients with important public healthcare implications.1 Cardiotoxicity of chemotherapy can occur acutely during or chronically with early onset after the therapeutic cycles, or with late onset even after many years and can be potentiated by radiation therapy.2 A multitude of antineoplastic agents are commonly complicated by the development of cardiotoxicity, including not only heart failure, but also myocardial ischaemia, hypertension, thromboembolism, arrhythmias with QT prolongation, or bradycardia.3 Anthracyclines present an effective and life-saving cornerstone in cancer treatment. The expected 5- to 10-year survival rates of certain cancer entities, such as breast, haematologic, or childhood cancer currently already approach 80%, mainly due to the use of anthracycline derivatives, e.g. doxorubicin, but also to …
Anthrax bioterrorism: prevention, diagnosis and management strategies.

Bacillus anthracis is one of a limited number of biological agents capable of causing death and disease in sufficient numbers to devastate an urban setting. In October 2001, reports of American patients with inhalational anthrax reacquainted the public with this ancient disease and introduced the harsh reality of a bioterrorist act. Cutaneous disease, gastrointestinal anthrax and inhalational disease are the known clinical manifestations of anthrax. Inhalational anthrax has an untreated mortality of nearly 100% and is the primary cause of death for an exposed and unprotected population. Vaccination affords a high degree of primary prevention and multiple effective antibiotics exist for both disease prevention and treatment. In this article, we will discuss the costs and effectiveness of prevention strategies, diagnosis, and therapy of bioterrorism related anthrax.
Comparison of welfare of cows kept on organic and conventional farms using Animal needs index system

The aim of the study was to compare and evaluate the welfare of cows kept on two conventional and two organic farms using Animal Needs Index (ANI) system. The system is rapid and easy to use. Its most important advantage is that it provides a final score and thus allows one to rate the evaluated object on a scale reflecting the level of welfare on the respective farm and thus compare farms with different ways of housing. The system showed a very good welfare level on two of four evaluated farms, both with free housing of cows, one organic and one conventional.
Reproductive mode and population genetic structure of the cereal aphid Sitobion avenae studied using phenotypic and microsatellite markers

As French populations of the aphid Sitobion avenae exhibit a range of reproductive modes, this species provides a good opportunity for studying the evolution of breeding system variation. The present analysis combined ecological and genetic investigations into the spatial distribution of variation in reproductive mode. Reproductive mode was characterized in 277 lineages of S. avenae from France, and these aphids were scored for five microsatellite loci. The analyses revealed strong geographical partitioning of breeding systems, with obligate asexuals mostly restricted to the south of France, while lineages producing sexual forms were more common in the north. Contrary to what might be anticipated for organisms with frequent parthenogenesis, there was substantial genic and genotypic diversity, even in the obligately asexual lineages. More than 120 different genotypes were detected among the 277 aphid lineages, with an average of 5.9 alleles per locus (range four to 16) and heterozygosity of 56.7%. As with previous studies of allozyme variation in aphids, most loci showed heterozygote deficits, and disequilibrium was common among allelic variants at different loci, even after removal of replicate copies of genotypes that might have been derived through clonal reproduction. Our results suggest that selection is important in structuring reproductive systems and genetic variation in French S. avenae. Canonical correspondence analysis was employed to examine the associations between genotypic and phenotypic variables, enabling the identification of alleles correlated with life‐history traits.
Reliability and validity of conversion formulas between comprehensive osteopathic medical licensing examination of the United States level 1 and United States medical licensing examination step 1.

BACKGROUND The Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA) Level 1 and United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores are important factors in the selection process of medical students into US residency programs. OBJECTIVES The goals of this study were to investigate the correlation between the COMLEX-USA Level 1 and the USMLE Step 1 and to assess the accuracy of the existing formulas in predicting USMLE scores from COMLEX-USA scores. METHODS A retrospective study of 1016 paired COMLEX-USA Level 1 and USMLE Step 1 scores was conducted. Formulas by Sarko et al and by Slocum and Louder were used to estimate USMLE Step 1 scores from COMLEX-USA Level 1 scores, and a paired t test between calculated USMLE Step 1 scores and actual USMLE Step 1 scores was performed. RESULTS During 2006-2012, 1016 of 1440 students (71%) took both the USMLE Step 1 and the COMLEX-USA Level 1 tests in the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. The USMLE Step 1 scores were higher than those predicted by Slocum and Louder and by Sarko et al by an average of 14.16 ± 11.69 (P < .001) and 7.80 ± 12.48 (P < .001), respectively. A Pearson coefficient of 0.83 was observed. Regression analysis yielded the following formula: USMLE Step 1 = 0.2392 × COMLEX-USA Level 1 + 82.563 (R (2) = 0.69577). CONCLUSIONS The USMLE Step 1 scores, on average, were higher than those predicted by the formulas derived by Slocum and Louder and by Sarko et al. Residency program directors should use caution when using formulas to derive USMLE Step 1 scores from COMLEX-USA Level 1 scores.
Arabic Language in the Context of Information Extraction Task

In the past few years, researchers have started paying attention to the Arabic language. In this paper we review information extraction systems that were developed for the Arabic to extract predefined entities. A comparisons are conducted between these systems in terms of their performance in extracting the common entities, the approach used whether rule-based or machine learning and type of corpus.
Effects of lamotrigine on pain‐induced chemo‐somatosensory evoked potentials

Lamotrigine, a sodium channel blocker that selectively inhibits the neuronal release of glutamate, has been shown to produce analgesia in acute and chronic pain models in rats without causing noticeable sedation. After oral administration it also reduces pain scores, as assessed by the cold pain test, in volunteers. The purpose of this study was to determine the analgesic effect of lamotrigine given by mouth to healthy volunteers as evidenced by alterations in chemo‐somatosensory evoked potentials. The following factors were measured: latency to N1 and P100 peak (ms); amplitude between the N1 and P100 peak (μV); visual analogue pain intensity scores. A double‐blind, randomised and crossover design was used in which 12 volunteers received either placebo or lamotrigine 300 mg on separate occasions as determined by the randomisation schedule. Volunteers were tested before and 2 h after the treatment. The plasma lamotrigine concentration was measured immediately after the end of the experimental sessions. Lamotrigine produced a significantly higher latency to P100 values at 2 h postdrug than placebo (p < 0.05) but had no significant effects on the other factors. Although plasma concentrations were similar to those observed in the cold pain test, we conclude that lamotrigine 300 mg by mouth had no analgesic effect in this acute pain model.
Association of Tyrosine Phosphatases SHP-1 and SHP-2, Inositol 5-Phosphatase SHIP with gp49B1, and Chromosomal Assignment of the Gene*

We have analyzed the molecules participating in the inhibitory function of gp49B1, a murine type I transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on mast cells and natural killer cells, as well as the chromosomal location of its gene. As assessed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis, tyrosine-phosphorylated, but not nonphosphorylated, synthetic peptides matching each of the two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM)-like sequences found in the cytoplasmic portion of gp49B1 associated with the ∼65-kDa tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 and ∼70-kDa SHP-2 derived from RBL-2H3 cells. In addition, the phosphotyrosyl peptide matching the second ITIM-like sequence also bound the ∼145-kDa inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase SHIP. Thus, it has been strongly suggested that the inhibitory nature of gp49B involves the recruitment of SHP-1, SHP-2, and SHIP for the delivery of inhibitory signal to the cell interior upon phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in their ITIMs. The gp49B gene has been found to be in the juxtaposition of its cognate gene, gp49A. The gene pair was shown to locate in the B4 band of mouse chromosome 10. In this region, no conserved linkage homology to human chromosome 19, where the genes for killer cell inhibitory receptors are found, has been identified.