Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acute effects of partial compression of ductus arteriosus on fetal pulmonary circulation.

To determine the acute effects of increased pulmonary artery pressure and flow on the fetal pulmonary circulation, we studied the response of pulmonary blood flow and vascular reactivity to partial compression of the ductus arteriosus in 22 chronically prepared late-gestation fetal lambs. An inflatable occluder was placed loosely around the ductus arteriosus for compression. Partial compression of the ductus rapidly increased mean pulmonary artery pressure from 45 +/- 1 to 60 +/- 1 mmHg (mean +/- SE) and left pulmonary artery blood flow from 65 +/- 6 to 151 +/- 11 ml/min at 30 min (P less than 0.001; 12 animals). Despite keeping pulmonary artery pressure constant, pulmonary blood flow steadily declined and by 2 h was not different from base-line values. Pulmonary vascular resistance initially fell during the first 30 min of partial compression but then steadily increased and remained elevated above base-line values for at least 30 min after the release of the occluder (P less than 0.001). The decline of pulmonary vascular resistance during the first 30 min of compression was blunted after treatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, meclofenamate (P less than 0.001; 6 animals). Rapid incremental ductus compressions demonstrated a decrease in the slope of the pressure-flow relationship from 3.30 +/- 0.27 (control) to 1.59 +/- 0.21 ml.min-1.mmHg-1 during the postcompression period (P less than 0.001; 12 animals). The vasodilation response to small increases of fetal PO2 was markedly blunted during the postcompression period (P less than 0.001). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Increased density of glutamic acid decarboxylase—containing terminals in the medial preoptic nucleus and the area surrounding the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus is associated with deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)‐salt hypertension

γ‐Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a major inhibitory neurotrans‐mitter and has been shown to exert considerable influence on the neural control of the cardiovascular function. It is not clear, however, which GABAergic systems are involved in salt‐induced hypertension. This study was designed to investigate the GABAergic neurons in specific regions of the brain possibly linked to salt‐induced hypertension. After 4 weeks of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) and salt treatments, the rats developed cardiac hypertrophy. All of the animals were sacrificed for immunocytochemical localization of GABAergic terminals using specific antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). GAD‐positive GABAergic terminal densities in discrete regions of the brain were determined by using morphometric quantitation. Results showed that GABAergic terminal densities in the medial preoptic nucleus and the area lateral to the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus were significantly increased in DOCA‐salt‐treated rats 4 weeks after the experiment as compared with 4 week controls. This study provides new evidence to support further the idea that central GABAergic neurons are closely associated with pathogenesis of salt‐induced hypertension. Different hypertensive mechanisms between salt‐induced hypertension and genetic hypertension are also discussed.
Temporary Legislation, Better Regulation and Experimentalist Governance: An Empirical Study

This article presents the findings of an extensive multi-method empirical study that explored the relationship between temporary legislation, better regulation, and experimentalist governance. Temporary (or “sunset”) legislation, statutes enacted for a limited time and set to expire unless their validity is extended, is often hailed as a key tool for promoting experimental and better regulation. Despite the importance of temporary legislation and the bourgeoning theoretical scholarship on the subject, there is still a dearth of empirical studies about how temporary legislation is used in practice. The lack of empirical evidence creates a lacuna in at least three areas of theoretical scholarship, concerning temporary legislation, better regulation, and experimentalist governance. This paper is a first step in filling this gap.
Particle swarm optimization and genetic algorithm to optimizing the pole placement controller on Cuk converter

In this paper a novel method to the design of pole placement controller for Cuk converters is presented.This optimized method can control the voltage of DC-DC converter. In this method, average model of converter is employed and it is possible to approximate the system by a linear system and then linear control methods can be used. Pole placement as one of these methods is designed by a systematic methodology based on genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The proposed controllers were simultaneously designed and they have provided a coordinated control action and a satisfactory performance for the Cuk converter, as shown in the results.
Patronage, Trust, and State Capacity: The Historical Trajectories of Clientelism

What explains different levels of clientelism across countries? Why do some politicians deliver clientelistic goods to their electoral constituencies, and why do some voters demand them? This article focuses on the historical origins of trust in states and shows that they have a lasting impact on contemporary patterns of patronage. The shift to programmatic politics reflects a historical transition from personalized trust in politicians to trust in impersonal bureaucracies tasked by political parties to implement policy. Past experience with public bureaucracy informs the expectations of voters and parties regarding the performance of the state and its ability to provide public goods, which in turn shape the degree of clientelistic exchange across societies. To capture state capacity, the authors focus on the critical juncture before the expansion of women’s suffrage, and use the ability of public bureaucracies to reduce infant mortality in the interwar period as a proxy for historical state capacity and as an instrument to predict trust. Macrodata from eightyeight electoral democracies and microdata from the most recent wave of the World Value Survey provide supportive evidence for the theory.
Expression of adiponectin and its receptors in swine.

Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived hormone that plays an important role in lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. Objectives of this study were 1) to determine the presence and distribution of adiponectin and its receptors 1 and 2 (adipoR1 and adipoR2) in porcine tissues; 2) to characterize pig adiponectin, adipoR1, and adipoR2 mRNA levels in various fat depots from three different breeds of pigs; and 3) to study, in stromal-vascular cell culture, the effects of leptin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) on pig adiponectin, adipoR1, and adipoR2 gene expression. To this end, fat Chinese Upton Meishan (UM, n = 10), lean Ham Line (HL, n = 10), and Large White (LW, n = 10) gilts were used. We report the isolation of partial cDNA sequences of pig adipoR1 and adipoR2. Porcine-deduced AA sequences share 97 to 100% homology with human and murine sequences. Pig adipoR1 mRNA is abundant in skeletal muscle, visceral fat, and s.c. fat tissues, whereas adipoR2 mRNA is predominantly expressed in liver, heart, skeletal muscle, and visceral and s.c. fat tissues. Pig adiponectin mRNA levels in s.c. and visceral fat tissues were not associated with plasma insulin and glucose in fasting animals. Subcutaneous (r = -0.44, P < 0.05), visceral (r = -0.43, P < 0.05), and total body fat (r = -0.42, P < 0.05) weights were negatively correlated with adiponectin mRNA levels measured in visceral, but not s.c. , fat. Pig adipoR1 and adipoR2 mRNA levels, in visceral fat, were less expressed in fat UM gilts than in the lean HL gilts (P < 0.05). Inverse associations were found between s.c. (r = -0.57, P < 0.01), visceral (r = -0.46, P < 0.05), and total body fat (r = -0.56, P < 0.01) weights and adipoR2 mRNA levels in visceral fat only. We were unable to find such associations for adipoR1 mRNA levels in the overall gilt population. The current study demonstrated that TNFalpha downregulates adiponectin and adipoR2, but not adi-poR1, mRNA levels in stromal-vascular cell culture. Moreover, leptin significantly decreased adiponectin mRNA levels, whereas there was no effect on adiponectin receptors. We conclude that adiponectin and adi-poR2 mRNA levels, but not adipoR1, are modulated in pig visceral fat tissues. Furthermore, our results indicate that TNFalpha interferes with adiponectin function by downregulation of adipoR2 but not of adipoR1 mRNA levels in pigs.
Agglutination of Erwinia stewartii Strains with a Corn Agglutinin: Correlation with Extracellular Polysaccharide Production and Pathogenicity

A bacterial agglutinin was extracted from ground corn (WI hybrid 64A × W117) seed with phosphate-buffered saline (pH 6.0) and precipitated with (NH4)2SO4 at 70% saturation. The activities of this agglutinin against 22 strains of Erwinia stewartii (agent of bacterial wilt of corn) that varied in virulence were determined. Specific agglutination (agglutination titer per milligram of protein per milliliter) values were correlated negatively with virulence ratings. Strains with high specific agglutination values (15 or higher) were avirulent or weakly virulent; strains with low specific agglutination values (10 or lower) were highly virulent, with two exceptions. Avirulent strains produced butyrous colonies and released only small amounts of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) into the medium, and the cells lacked capsules; virulent strains produced fluidal colonies and released large amounts of EPS, and the cells were capsulated. There was a strong correlation between the amount of EPS produced by each strain (as determined by increase in viscosity of the medium) and the specific agglutination value; in contrast, lipopolysaccharide compositions were similar in all strains. When cells of six fluidal strains were washed by repeatedly centrifuging and resuspending them in buffer, they were agglutinated more strongly by corn agglutinin than were unwashed cells. When avirulent cells were washed, their specific agglutination values did not increase significantly. Eight EPS-deficient mutants of E. stewartii, selected for resistance to the capsule-dependent bacteriophage K9, had lower virulence but higher specific agglutination than did their corresponding wild-type parents. Production of EPS appears to be essential for virulence; EPS may prevent agglutination of bacteria in the host, thus allowing their multiplication.
A randomized‐controlled trial comparing cadexomer iodine and nanocrystalline silver on the healing of leg ulcers

Chronic leg ulcers are a debilitating, often painful, and costly condition. Leg ulcer healing may be impaired by bacterial colonization, which, unless effective intervention is instigated, can lead to infection. Although it is generally agreed that an antimicrobial dressing is clinically indicated when a wound becomes critically colonized, there is currently no agreement on what constitutes the best practice in the use of antimicrobials. This research compared the effectiveness of two commonly used antimicrobials: nanocrystalline silver and cadexomer iodine. A randomized‐controlled trial was conducted in which 281 community nursing clients with leg ulcers compromised by bacterial burden were randomly assigned to have their wounds treated with either silver or iodine dressings. Sixty‐four percent of ulcers healed within 12 weeks. The performance of each of the two antimicrobials was comparable in terms of overall healing rate and the number of wounds healed. However, use of silver compounds was associated with a quicker healing rate during the first 2 weeks of treatment and in wounds that were larger, older, and had more exudate. This trial provides some insights as to circumstances in which one product may be preferred over the other.
Brainstem projections of sensory and motor components of the vagus nerve in the rat

The sensory and motor connections of the cervical vagus nerves and of its inferior ganglion (nodose ganglion) have been traced in the medulla and upper cervical spinal cord of 16 male Wistar rats by using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) neurohistochemistry. The use of tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) as the substrate for HRP permitted the visualization of transganglionic and retrograde transport in sensory nerve terminals and perikarya, respectively. The vagus nerve in the rat enters the medulla in numerous fascicles with points of entry covering the entire lateral aspect of the medulla extending from level +4 to ‐ 6 mm rostrocaudal to the obex. Fascicles of vagal sensory fibers enter the dorsolateral aspect of the medulla and travel to the tractus solitarius (TS) which was labeled for over 8.8 mm in the medulla. The caudal extent of the TS receiving vagal projections was found in lamina V of the cervical spinal cord (C1 to C2). Sensory terminal fields could be visualized bilaterally in the nucleus of the tractus solitarius (nTS), area postrema (ap) and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (dmnX). The ipsilateral projection to the nTS and the dmnX was heavier than that found on the contralateral side. The area postrema was intensely labeled on both sides. Motor fibers from HRP‐labeled perikarya in the dmnX travel ventromedially in a distinct fascicle and subsequently subdivide into a number of small fiber bundles that traverse the medullary reticular formation in the form of a fine network of HRP‐labeled fibers. As these fibers from the dmnX approach the ventrolateral aspect of the medulla they are joined by axons from the nucleus ambiguus (nA), nucleus retroambigualis (nRA) and the retro facial nucleus (nRF). These latter fibers form hairpin loops in the middle of the reticular formation to accompany the axons from the dmnX exiting from the medulla in a ventrolateral location. HRP‐labeled perikarya, in contrast to transganglionically transported HRP in sensory terminals in the nTS, were visualized on one side only, thus indicating that motor control via the vagus nerve is exerted only by motor neurons located ipsilaterally. Sensory information on the other hand, diverges to many nuclear subgroups located on both sides of the medulla.
[Association of XRCC1 polymorphisms and chromosomal damage levels in coke-oven workers].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of XRCC1 polymorphisms and chromosomal damage levels in peripheral blood lymphocyte in coke-oven workers. METHODS The study included 141 coke-oven workers who exposed to a high level of polycyclic aromahaplotpetic hydrocarbon and 66 non-exposed controls. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene and chromosome damage in peripheral lymphocyte were measured. Four -tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms in XRCC1 gene, including C26304T, G27466A, G28152A and G36189A, were detected and the XRCC1 haplotypes were estimated by using an extension of Clark algorithm. The associations between haplotype pairs and micronuclei data were assessed by analysis of covariance in the exposed and non-exposed groups. RESULTS The geometric means of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene levels in coke-oven workers and the controls were 12.0 and 0.7 micromol/mol Cr respectively (P < 0.01). The cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytokinesis-block micronucleus frequencies (number of micronucleus per 1 000 binucleated lymphocytes) was significantly higher in coke-oven workers (0.95 +/- 0.66)% than in the controls (0.40 +/- 0.36)%, P < 0.01. The haplotype CGGG was associated with the decreased frequencies of total micronucleus, and the haplotypes TGGG (P = 0.01) and CGAG (P < 0.05) were associated with the increased frequencies of total micronucleus in the multivariate analysis with adjustment for covariates among coke-oven workers. CONCLUSIONS The genetic polymorphisms of XRCC1 gene could influence the chromosome damage levels in coke-oven workers.
Benefits of Humor in Reduction of Threat-Induced Anxiety

The benefits of humor in reducing anxiety were investigated in a laboratory study, in which subjects were falsely led to believe they would receive a shock in 12 min. Participants were 53 undergraduate students with either high or low sense of humor as measured by the Situational Humor Response Questionnaire of Martin and Lefcourt (1984). During the anticipatory period, subjects listened to either a humorous tape, a nonhumorous tape, or no tape. Dependent variables were repeated measures of self-reported anxiety, heart rate, and zygomatic facial activity. Anxiety increased over the anticipatory period, as predicted. A significant interaction between condition and time indicated that subjects from the humor condition consistently rated themselves as less anxious and reported less increase in stress as the shock approached. A three-way interaction concentrating on the final 3 min. indicated a tendency for subjects with low sense of humor to have higher heart rates in the no-tape condition than in the humorous or nonhumorous tape conditions. Analysis for zygomatic activity indicated more smiling by subjects with high sense of humor and by subjects in the humor condition. Also, the humorous tape elicited more smiling by subjects with high sense of humor.
Explaining environmental health behaviors: evidence from rural India on the influence of discount rates

Abstract The authors examine whether high personal discount rates help explain why and which households in developing countries under-invest in seemingly low-cost options to avert environmental health threats, including bednets, clean cooking fuels, individual household latrines, water treatment and handwashing. First, the authors elicit personal discount rates by combining a simple randomized experiment with detailed surveys of over 10,000 rural households in Maharashtra, India. Personal discount rates are lower for women, for better-off households, and for households who can access formal credit. Secondly, they show that the discount rate is negatively related to a suite of behaviors that mitigate environmental health threats, from very low-cost steps like washing hands to more significant investments like household latrines, even after controlling for socio-economic status, access to credit, public infrastructure and services, and relevant beliefs.
X-ray diffraction from isolated and strongly aligned gas-phase molecules with a free-electron laser

We report experimental results on x-ray diffraction of quantum-state-selected and strongly aligned ensembles of the prototypical asymmetric rotor molecule 2,5-diiodobenzonitrile using the Linac Coherent Light Source. The experiments demonstrate first steps toward a new approach to diffractive imaging of distinct structures of individual, isolated gas-phase molecules. We confirm several key ingredients of single molecule diffraction experiments: the abilities to detect and count individual scattered x-ray photons in single shot diffraction data, to deliver state-selected, e.g., structural-isomer-selected, ensembles of molecules to the x-ray interaction volume, and to strongly align the scattering molecules. Our approach, using ultrashort x-ray pulses, is suitable to study ultrafast dynamics of isolated molecules.
Intrathecal buprenorphine for postoperative analgesia in the elderly patient

Ninety patients aged 56–85 years scheduled for suprapubic prostatectomy, randomly received intrathecally either bupivacaine 30 mg (group A, n = 30), bupivacaine 30 mg plus buprenorphine 0.03 mg (group B, n = 30) or bupivacaine 30 mg plus buprenorphine 0.045 mg (group C, n = 30). Prolongea postoperative analgesia, minimal disturbance of consciousness and comfortable breathing were common to the groups that received buprenorphine. The higher concentration of buprenorphine improved the quality and duration of analgesia. The only side effects found in the buprenorphine groups were nausea and vomiting in 11 and 14 patients, respectively, in groups B and C. Our study shows that buprenorphine is an effective analgesic, suitable for the management of postoperative pain in elderly patients.
Molecular biology of the lignin-degrading basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium

The white rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium completely degrades lignin and a variety of aromatic pollutants during the secondary metabolic phase of growth. Two families of secreted heme enzymes, lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP), are major components of the extracellular lignin degradative system of this organism. MnP and LiP both are encoded by families of genes, and the lip genes appear to be clustered. The lip genes contain eight or nine short introns; the mnp genes contain six or seven short introns. The sequences surrounding active-site residues are conserved among LiP, MnP, cytochrome c peroxidase, and plant peroxidases. The eight LiP cysteine residues align with 8 of the 10 cysteines in MnP. LiPs are synthesized as preproenzymes with a 21-amino-acid signal sequence followed by a 6- or 7-amino-acid propeptide. MnPs have a 21- or 24-amino-acid signal sequence but apparently lack a propeptide. Both LiP and MnP are regulated at the mRNA level by nitrogen, and the various isozymes may be differentially regulated by carbon and nitrogen. MnP also is regulated at the level of gene transcription by Mn(II), the substrate for the enzyme, and by heat shock. The promoter regions of mnp genes contain multiple heat shock elements as well as sequences that are identical to the consensus metal regulatory elements found in mammalian metallothionein genes. DNA transformation systems have been developed for P. chrysosporium and are being used for studies on gene regulation and for gene replacement experiments.
Are There Differences Between Older Persons Who Screen Positive on the CAGE Questionnaire and the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test—Geriatric Version?

OBJECTIVES: To determine (1) the extent of agreement between the CAGE (acronym for cut down, annoyed by criticism, guilty about drinking, eye‐opener drinks) and the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test—Geriatric Version (SMAST‐G) in identifying older persons who may have possible alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and (2) whether persons identified as having possible AUDs by each of these screening measures differ in their drinking, demographic, or health‐related characteristics.
Callous-unemotional traits are related to combined deficits in recognizing afraid faces and body poses.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to examine accuracy in labeling body poses conveying fear. Youths with callous-unemotional traits experience emotional processing deficits seemingly on par with deficits showed by patients with amygdala damage. That is, there is growing evidence that children with callous-unemotional traits have problems recognizing afraid emotional expressions. Although people with amygdala damage show deficits in labeling afraid faces, they have an intact ability to label afraid body poses. METHOD Boys (N = 55; ages 8-16 years) from a community center were recruited to label emotional faces and static body poses and to complete the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits and a measure of violence and antisocial behavior. RESULTS Callous-unemotional traits were related to poorer accuracy when labeling afraid faces and afraid body postures. However, when response bias was taken into account, callous-unemotional traits were related to deficits in many facial expressions. Notably, the combination of poorly labeling afraid faces and body poses was linked to the highest levels of callous-unemotional traits and violence. CONCLUSIONS Findings support a generalized deficit in processing displays of fear that are not specific to faces. The results support the argument that a general "fear-blindness" is related to a lack of empathy and to violence and antisocial behavior. Methodological issues with regard to deciding whether people are accurately labeling fear and other emotions are discussed. However, early identification of fear deficits that affect multiple modalities is argued to be important for clinical intervention.