Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Overview of environmental and occupational vanadium exposure and associated health outcomes: An article based on a presentation at the 8th International Symposium on Vanadium Chemistry, Biological Chemistry, and Toxicology, Washington DC, August 15–18, 2012

Abstract Vanadium (V) has a variety of applications that make it suitable for use in ceramic production and decoration, production of pigments for a variety of products, an accelerator for drying paint, production of aniline black dye, and as a mordant in coloring textiles. Taking advantage of its hardness, resilience, ability to form alloys, and its resistance to corrosion, V is also used in the production of tools, steel, machinery, and surgical implants. V is employed in producing photographic developers, batteries, and semi-conductors, and in catalyst-based recycling processes. As technologies have evolved, the use of V has increased in jet aircraft and space technology, as well as in manufacture of ultraviolet filter glass to prevent radiation injury. Due to these myriad uses, the potential for occupational exposure to V is ever-evident. Similarly, there is an increased risk for environmental contamination by V agents themselves or as components of by-products released into the environment. For example, the use of V in sulfuric acid production results in the release of soot and/or fly ash rich in vanadium pentoxide. Petroleum refinery, smelting, welding, and cutting of V-rich steel alloy, the cleaning and repair of oil-fired boilers, and catalysis of chemical productions are other sources of increased airborne V-bearing particles in local/distant environments. Exposure of non-workers to V is an increasing health concern. Studies have demonstrated associations between exposure to airborne V-bearing particles (as part of air pollution) and increased risks of a variety of pathologies like hypertension, dysrhythmia, systemic inflammation, hyper-coagulation, cancers, and bronchial hyper-reactivity. This paper will provide a review of the history of V usage in occupational settings, documented exposure levels, environmental levels of V associated with pollution, epidemiologic data relating V exposure(s) to adverse health outcomes, and governmental responses to protect both workers and non-workers from exposure to this metal.
Health-related quality of life among drug-naïve patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy, narcolepsy without cataplexy, and idiopathic hypersomnia without long sleep time.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the health-related quality life (HRQOL) of drug-naïve patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy (NAwith CA), narcolepsy without cataplexy (NA without CA) and idiopathic hypersomnia without long sleep time (IHS without LST), and to explore the factors influencing the HRQOL. Factors associated with the occurrence of automobile accidents are also discussed. METHODS A total of 137 consecutive drug naïve patients who met the criteria of the 2nd edition of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (NA with CA, n = 28; NA without CA, n = 27; IHS without LST, n = 82) were enrolled. The patients were asked to fill out questionnaires, including the SF-36, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), sociodemographic variables, and items regarding driving habits and the experiences related to automobile accidents. RESULTS All 3 diagnostic groups had significantly lower scores in most SF-36 domains compared with Japanese normative data. Significant differences among the 3 diagnostic groups were not observed. Specific factors in SF-36 domains were not found with multiple linear regression analyses, while disease duration was positively correlated with mental health among all subjects. Among the patients reporting driving habits, ESS score (> or =16) was positively associated with the experience of automobile accidents. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated that HRQOL decreases in drug-naïve patients with hypersomnia, but neither disease category nor severity of the disorder appears as an associated factor. Increased severity of hypersomnia, however, was thought to play an important role in the occurrence of automobile accidents.
Comparative proteomics analysis of human gastric cancer.

AIM To isolate and identify differentially expressed proteins between cancer and normal tissues of gastric cancer by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). METHODS Soluble fraction proteins of gastric cancer tissues and paired normal tissues were separated by 2-DE. The differentially expressed proteins were selected and identified by MALDI-TOF-MS and database search. RESULTS 2-DE profiles with high resolution and reproducibility were obtained. Twenty-three protein spots were excised from sliver staining gel and digested in gel by trypsin, in which fifteen protein spots were identified successfully. Among the identified proteins, there were ten over-expressed and five under-expressed proteins in stomach cancer tissues compared with normal tissues. CONCLUSION In this study, the well-resolved, reproducible 2-DE patterns of human gastric cancer tissue and paired normal tissue were established and optimized and certain differentially-expressed proteins were identified. The combined use of 2-DE and MS provides an effective approach to screen for potential tumor markers.
Shuttling of the herpes simplex virus type 1 regulatory protein ICP27 between the nucleus and cytoplasm mediates the expression of late proteins

The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) immediate-early protein ICP27 is required posttranscriptionally for the expression of HSV-1 late genes during a productive infection. ICP27 also inhibits host cell pre-mRNA splicing, effectively shutting off host cell protein synthesis. Here we describe intragenic suppressors of LG4, a virus with a conditional lethal mutation in the gene encoding ICP27. At the restrictive temperature, tsICP27 from LG4 fails to inhibit host cell pre-mRNA splicing and to activate the expression of HSV-1 late-gene products. Although the suppressors of LG4 restore virus growth, they still fail to inhibit host cell pre-mRNA splicing. Thus, the role of ICP27 in the synthesis of late proteins is independent of host shutoff. In HSV-1-infected cells, ICP27 shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Shuttling of ICP27 occurs only at late times during infection. In transfected cells, ICP27 shuttling was dependent on coexpression of RNA from a late HSV-1 gene. While shuttling does not occur in cells infected with LG4 at 39.5 degrees C, the suppressors of LG4 restore shuttling. Temperature shift experiments correlate the defect in shuttling with the temperature-sensitive phenotype of LG4. These data provide a correlation between shuttling of ICP27 and the expression of HSV-1 late-gene products. We propose that ICP27 regulates late-gene protein synthesis by facilitating the export of late RNAs.
Intracellular Mg2+ regulation in voltage‐clamped Helix aspersa neurones measured with mag‐fura‐2 and Mg(2+)‐sensitive microelectrodes

The extrusion mechanism for intracellular Mg2+ was investigated in voltage‐clamped snail neurones using Mg(2+)‐sensitive microelectrodes and mag‐fura‐2. The intracellular free magnesium ion concentration ([Mg2+]1) of snail neurones voltage clamped to ‐60 mV was estimated to be 0.57 +/− 0.06 mM (mean +/− S.E.M.; n = 12) using Mg(2+)‐sensitive microelectrodes and 0.62 +/− 0.05 mM (n = 15) using mag‐fura‐2. Raising extracellular MgCl2 from 5 to 20 mM caused an average increase in [Mg2+]1 of 0.25 +/− 0.04 mM (n = 7). In three experiments, removing extracellular Mg Cl2 caused an average decrease in [Mg2+]1 of 0.1 mM. Replacing extracellular Na+ with N‐methyl‐D‐glucamine (NMDG) caused a rise in [Mg2+]1 of 1.8 +/− 0.5 mM (n = 7); [Mg2+]1 recovered to resting levels when extracellular Na+ was restored. Iontophoretic injections of MgCl2 were used to raise [Mg2+]1. The rate of recovery from such increases in [Mg2+]1 inverted question markcalculated from the slope of the recovery was inhibited by 85‐100% (n = 5) in the absence of extracellular Na2+ compared with control conditions. Raising extracellular Ca2+ from 7 to 35 mM caused a reversible rise in [Mg 2+]1 of 0.4 +/− 0.05 mM (mean +/− S.E.M., n = 7). It was concluded that in snail neurones the main mechanism for [Mg2+]1 extrusion is a Na(+)‐Mg2+ exchanger which may be partially inhibited be high extracellular Ca2+ concentrations.
Decorrelation as a By-Product of Granular Synthesis

Several researchers (Kendall, 1995; Truax, 1992) have noted that decorrelation occurs as a byproduct of granular synthesis (GS). Decorrelation between grain streams is responsible, for instance, for the unique stereo and panning effects that have been achieved under GS transformation. The correlation measure itself, however, is not generally explicit or variable within existing synthesis models. The following paper describes a systematic approach to granular decorrelation, relating individual parameters to their effect upon grain-to-grain, cross-channel (stream) and instance (event) signal correlation.
Cytokine-dependent gp 130 Receptor Subunit Regulates Human Fetal Pituitary Adrenocorticotropin Hormone and Growth Hormone Secretion

We have shown recently that leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and oncostatin M (OSM), two members of the gp130dependent cytokine family, stimulate murine proopiomelanocortin (POMC) transcription and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) secretion. LIF and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) also synergistically induced in vivo ACTH secretion in fetal nonhuman primates. To elucidate the role of the gp130-related cytokines in human pituitary hormone regulation, we tested expression of gp130-related cytokine receptors in human fetal pituitaries. Using RT-PCR, mRNA expression of receptors for LIF, IL-6, and CRH, and the gp130 subunit, were all detected in fetal pituitaries of 18and 31-wk gestation. Recombinant human IL-6, LIF, and OSM treatments of primary human fetal pituitary cultures (16–31 wk) increased ACTH secretion by up to 48% ( P , 0.05) using doses of 1 nM, and when fetal cultures were cotreated with CRH, ACTH was induced fiveto sixfold as compared to CRH alone (threeto fourfold; P 5 0.01). Incubation with gp130-specific antibody suppressed basal and cytokine-stimulated ACTH secretion (alone or with CRH) from human fetal cells. Human POMC promoter 2 879/ 1 6 fused to the luciferase reporter gene and transfected into AtT-20 cells, was stimulated by LIF (7-fold), which also exerted strong (22-fold) synergy with CRH on POMC transcription. Growth hormone (GH) release from fetal cultures was modestly stimulated (15–31%, P , 0.05), while other anterior pituitary hormones were not altered by these cytokines. Thus, physiologic concentrations of the gp130-related cytokines have direct effects on ACTH and GH regulation in the human pituitary, indicating that gp130-dependent signals serve as a paracrine system controlling early human pituitary function. ( J. Clin. Invest. 1997. 100:357–363.)
Actin‐free Gc globulin: A rapidly assessed biomarker of organ dysfunction in acute liver failure and cirrhosis

Reductions in serum levels of Gc globulin, a hepatically synthesized component of the extracellular actin scavenger system responsible for complexing circulating actin and attenuating intravascular microthrombus formation, are associated with poor outcome in acute liver failure. Clinically applicable assays of the important actin‐free fraction (Af‐Gc) have not been available until now. We measured actin‐free Gc globulin levels with a novel, rapid assay in 61 cases of acute liver failure (ALF) and in 91 patients with cirrhosis (40 of whom were clinically unstable with extrahepatic organ dysfunction), and studied associations with liver dysfunction, extrahepatic organ dysfunction, indices of disseminated coagulation, and outcome. Reductions in Af‐Gc levels mirrored hepatic dysfunction and organ dysfunction in both groups, and discriminated patients with poor prognosis from those with good prognosis in the ALF cohort. Levels were lowest in patients with ALF (10% of control values), but levels were also markedly reduced in both unstable (28%) and stable (44%) patients with cirrhosis. Associations with markers of disseminated intravascular coagulation were seen in both groups, most notably in the cirrhosis cohort, supporting a pathophysiological role for reduced Af‐Gc in the evolution of organ dysfunction. In acetaminophen‐induced ALF, Af‐Gc identified patients with poor prognosis as well as did the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.7), and in cirrhosis, Af‐Gc was an independent predictor of mortality by multifactorial analysis. In conclusion, the importance of Af‐Gc reductions in the development of multiple organ dysfunction in ALF and cirrhosis is highlighted, probably resulting from reduced hepatic production and peripheral exhaustion of this arm of the extracellular actin scavenger system. Liver Transpl 13:1254–1261, 2007. © 2007 AASLD.
Racial and ethnic disparities in use of psychotherapy: evidence from U.S. national survey data.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated racial and ethnic disparities in psychotherapy use and expenditures in the United States and identified important factors associated with these disparities. METHODS Using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 1996 to 2006, the investigators performed bivariate and multivariable analyses to estimate racial and ethnic disparities in the probability of receiving any psychotherapy, total psychotherapy expenditures, and out-of-pocket-payment share for 7,376 patients with depressive or anxiety disorders. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition techniques were used to identify the most important factors associated with these disparities. RESULTS Caucasians were more likely to use psychotherapy than Latinos (57% versus 52%, p<.001), but there was no significant difference between Caucasians and African Americans in the probability of receiving any psychotherapy. Caucasians self-paid 29% of the total cost for each visit, significantly higher than the shares paid by Latinos (19%) and African Americans (14%). Racial-ethnic differences in the propensity to utilize psychotherapy vanished in multivariable regression, but Caucasians still paid a significantly higher out-of-pocket share than others. English proficiency was the most important factor associated with racial-ethnic disparities in psychotherapy use. The extensive Medicaid coverage among Latinos and African Americans was the main reason for their lower out-of-pocket payment for psychotherapy compared with Caucasians. CONCLUSIONS This study found little evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in access to psychotherapy services. Health care reforms affecting mental health coverage under Medicaid would significantly affect psychotherapy expenditure and use among Latinos and African Americans.
Dynamics of change management in a technology project context

In this paper, we capture and analyse the change management dynamics of a technology project using a system dynamics simulation model. This model incorporates several features yet to be actively addressed in the literature and focuses on Earned Value Management (EVM). The effects of time-varying project team size, of training and communication overload and of project orientation are incorporated into this model. The results indicate that changes occurring later in the project make completion of the project within the scheduled time more difficult despite availability of abundant resources. These phenomena are propagated through the Earned Value (EV) measures to see the actual effects upon schedule and cost performance indices. 'Resorting to overtime', 'staying on top from the beginning' and 'controlled staffing' are used in policy experimentations; the results provide useful and interesting insights for formulating effective change management strategies to assess the cost, humanpower and schedule implications for changes during the project execution.
Polymorphisms in the 5' upstream region of the CXCR1 chemokine receptor gene, and their association with somatic cell score in Holstein cattle in Canada.

Identification of regulatory elements in 5' regions of chemokine genes is fundamental for understanding chemokine gene expression in response to infection diseases. The CXCR1 receptor is expressed on the surface of neutrophils and interacts primarily with CXCL8 (IL-8), the most potent chemoattractant for neutrophils. The aim of this study was to characterize the 5' upstream region (2.1 kb) of the bovine CXCR1 chemokine receptor gene for polymorphism content and to identify in silico potential transcription-factor binding sites. The 5' flanking region was found by mining the NCBI GenBank (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/). A DNA sequence from the whole genome shotgun sequence project with reference number AC150887.4 contained the CXCR1 5' flanking sequence. Computer analysis revealed potential binding sites for the transcription factors nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), binding factor GATA-1, barbiturate inducible element (Barbie), nuclear factor of activated T-cells, and activator protein 1. Polymorphism discovery in this region was conducted by constructing an inclusive DNA pool including 2 phenotypic extreme groups, 20 bulls with high estimated breeding values (EBV) for somatic cell score (SCS), and 20 bulls with low EBV for SCS. Independent amplicons along the 5' flanking region of bovine CXCR1 were generated for polymorphism discovery by sequencing. Three novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), CXCR1c. -344T>C, CXCR1c. -1768T>A, and CXCR1c. -1830A>G, and a previously identified SNP in the coding region, CXCR1c.777G>C, were identified. The 4 SNP were genotyped in Canadian Holstein bulls (n = 338) using tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR. Average allele substitution effects were estimated to investigate associations between the 4 SNP and EBV for SCS in first, second, and third and later lactations. Multiple trait analysis revealed that the SNP CXCR1c. -1768T>A was associated with EBV for SCS in the first and second lactations and over all 3 lactations. Haplotype analysis substantiated this association with EBV for SCS in the first lactation. Given the location of SNP CXCR1c. -1768T>A and the surrounding potential binding recognition sequences for NF-kappaB, GATA-1, and Barbie transcription-factors, this SNP may be implicated in gene regulation and warrants further research.
How Evolution of Mutations Conferring Drug Resistance Affects Viral Dynamics and Clinical Outcomes of Cytomegalovirus-Infected Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients

ABSTRACT Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. We describe two pediatric HCT recipients who developed persistent and severe drug-resistant CMV infections. CMV resistance to foscarnet and ganciclovir was detected after only 6 and 11 weeks of therapy, respectively. Viral pol mutations associated with drug resistance in these patients included T838A (a novel mutation) and D588N, which were shown by marker transfer to confer foscarnet and multidrug resistance, respectively. Each of these mutations significantly reduced in vitro replication of CMV, suggesting that they may decrease viral fitness. This finding was further supported by the disappearance of mutations upon withdrawal of antiviral pressure in one patient. Novel antivirals or combination therapy may be required for the treatment of drug-resistant CMV in HCT recipients and perhaps in other severely immunocompromised patients.
Load balancing in grid networks

A load balancing algorithm functioning as an extension to the topological routing scheme is proposed. The algorithm is designed to evenly distribute the traffic load in a 4-regular grid network. This is done by letting each node calculate how loaded it is with regular intervals and feed this information to its neighboring nodes, which then use it to derive link probabilities applied in probabilistic routing. The traffic load is defined as the average link utilization of each link and the average expedition delay for each output queue, i.e. the waiting time of packets in queues. The algorithm has been tested on the i3 Demonstrator, a 6×6 grid network testbed, using different traffic patterns. Results show that better performance is achieved when a high level of traffic including hotspot traffic is applied. Furthermore, packet drops and lengthy packet delays are avoided. With low traffic levels or with a uniform-like P2P traffic pattern, the performance is neither improved nor degraded noteworthy.
The Influence of Doctor-Patient Communication on Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

Zusammenfassung Der Einfluss der Arzt-Patient-Beziehung auf den Gesundheitszustand: eine systematische Ubersicht Hintergrund: Fur den Einfluss der Arzt-Patient-Beziehung sowie -kommunikation auf den Gesundheitszustand ist eine weitere empirische Fundierung notwendig. Anhand der Unterscheidung zentraler Bereiche (bspw. Beziehungsqualitat, Informationsvermittlung, Patientenedukation) konnen spezifische Ergebnisse beschrieben werden.Umdie empirische Basis dieser Annahmen zu uberprufen haben wir einen systematischen Review durchgefuhrt. Methoden: In einem systematischen Review der Publikationen in Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PsychLIt und Psyindex zwischen 2000 und 2015 wurden RCTs, kontrollierte und unkontrollierte peer-reviewte Studien mit erwachsenen klinischen Stichproben identifiziert und analysiert. Studien mit psychiatrischen Stichproben, psychologischen oder psychotherapeutischen Interventionen wurden ausgeschlossen. Ergebnisse: Siebzehn RCTs, siebzehn kontrollierte Studien sowie acht qualitative Studie.
Prävalenz erhöhter Lipoprotein(a)-Spiegel bei unter 60-jährigen Patienten mit venösen retinalen Gefäßverschlüssen

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Die Bedeutung einer Lipoprotein(a)-Erhöhung [Lp(a)] im Hinblick auf Alter und andere Risikofaktoren für die Entstehung venöser retinaler Gefäßverschlüsse wurde bisher wenig untersucht. Patienten und Methoden: In einer retrospektiven Fall-Kontroll-Studie verglichen wir die Ergebnisse eines umfassenden Thrombophiliescreenings von 106 jungen Patienten mit venösen retinalen Gefäßverschlüssen (< 60 Jahre zum Zeitpunkt der Erkrankung oder eines früheren thromboembolischen Ereignisses) mit denen von 76 gesunden Probanden. Ergebnisse: 31 der 106 (29,2 %) Patienten wiesen eine Lp(a)-Erhöhung auf verglichen mit 7 der 76 (9,2 %) gesunden Probanden (p = 0,0009). Die durchschnittlich gemessenen Lp(a)-Spiegel waren in der Patientengruppe signifikant höher als in der gesunden Vergleichsgruppe (p = 0,012). Innerhalb der Patientengruppe beobachteten wir eine signifikante Assoziation von Lp(a) mit einer auffälligen Eigen- oder Familienanamnese hinsichtlich thromboembolischer Ereignisse (p = 0,03). Darüber hinaus zeigte sich innerhalb der Patientengruppe eine Lp(a)-Erhöhung signifikant häufiger in Kombination mit zusätzlichen thrombophilen Risikofaktoren als in der Vergleichsgruppe (p = 0,005). Die logistische Regression mit Abbau bestätigte Lp(a) als unabhängigen Risikofaktor für die Entstehung venöser retinaler Gefäßverschlüsse (p = 0,003). Schlussfolgerung: Unsere Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass erhöhten Lp(a)-Spiegeln bei jungen Patienten mit venösen retinalen Gefäßverschlüssen eine pathogenetische Bedeutung zukommt. Eine positive Eigen- oder Familienanamnese hinsichtlich thromboembolischer Ereignisse weist signifikant häufiger auf diesen genetisch determinierten Parameter hin.