Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Active proton secretion and potassium absorption in the rabbit outer medullary collecting duct. Functional evidence for proton-potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase.

We examined the hypothesis that proton-potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (H-K-ATPase) mediates K absorption and acidification in the inner stripe of the outer medullary collecting duct (OMCDi). Rabbits were fed a low-K diet (0.55% K) for 7-14 d because we have demonstrated previously that this low-K diet stimulates K-absorptive flux by the OMCDi. Proton secretion was measured as net total CO2 flux (JTCO2) by microcalorimetry. After basal collections, either vehicle or an inhibitor of gastric H-K-ATPase, omeprazole (0.1 mM), was added to the perfusate during the second period. Addition of vehicle to the perfusate changed neither the transepithelial voltage (VT, in millivolts) nor the JTCO2. In contrast, the addition of omeprazole (0.1 mM) to the perfusate abolished JTCO2 (from 14.5 +/- 5.6 to -0.1 +/- 3.1 pmol.mm-1.min-1) without significantly affecting VT. In additional experiments, in 16 tubules there was significant net K absorption (JK) of 5.0 +/- 1.0 pmol.mm-1.min-1 during the basal period, which exceeded the rate of K absorption that could be attributed to a paracellular voltage-mediated pathway (JKP = 1.0 +/- 0.4 pmol.mm-1.min-1, P less than 0.01). Administration of vehicle did not significantly affect either VT or JK. However, omeprazole abolished JK (from 5.1 +/- 1.0 to 0.1 +/- 2.5 pmol.mm-1.min-1) without affecting VT or JNa. The present results demonstrate that the OMCDi possesses an active, omeprazole-sensitive acidification and K-absorptive mechanism. These findings are consistent with the presence of H-K-ATPase activity in this nephron segment.
Skeletal complications of malignancy

The skeleton is the most common organ to be affected by metastatic cancer, and tumors arising from the breast, prostate, thyroid, lung, and kidney possess a special propensity to spread to bone. Breast carcinoma, the most prevalent malignancy, causes the greatest morbidity. Of great clinical importance is the observation that metastatic bone disease may remain confined to the skeleton. In these patients, the decline in quality of life and eventual death is due almost entirely to skeletal complications and their subsequent treatment. Bone pain is the most common complication of metastatic bone disease, resulting from structural damage, periosteal irritation, and nerve entrapment. Recent evidence suggests that pain caused by bone metastasis may also be related to the rate of bone resorption. Hypercalcemia occurs in 5‐10% of all patients with advanced cancer but is most common in patients with breast carcinoma, multiple myeloma, and squamous carcinomas of the lung and other primary sites. Pathologic fractures are a relatively late complication of bone involvement. The clinical courses of breast and prostate carcinoma are relatively long, with a median survival of 2‐3 years. For patients with breast carcinoma, good prognostic factors for survival after the development of bone metastases are good histologic grade, positive estrogen receptor status, bone disease at initial presentation, a long disease free interval, and increasing age. In addition, patients with disease that remains confined to the skeleton have a better prognosis than those with subsequent visceral involvement. For patients with prostate carcinoma, adverse prognostic features include poor performance status, involvement of the appendicular skeleton and visceral involvement, whereas for patients with multiple myeloma, the levels of serum β2‐microglobulin and lactate dehydrogenase and the immunologic phenotype are the most important factors. These prognostic factors may be useful in planning the rational use of bisphosphonates in the treatment of advanced cancer. Cancer 1997; 80:1588‐94. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
A dominant‐negative needle mutant blocks type III secretion of early but not late substrates in Yersinia

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis uses a type III secretion system (T3SS) to deliver effectors into host cells. A key component of the T3SS is the needle, which is a hollow tube on the bacterial surface through which effectors are secreted, composed of the YscF protein. To study needle assembly, we performed a screen for dominant‐negative yscF alleles that prevented effector secretion in the presence of wild‐type (WT) YscF. One allele, yscF‐L54V, prevents WT YscF secretion and needle assembly, although purified YscF‐L54V polymerizes in vitro. YscF‐L54V binds to its chaperones YscE and YscG, and the YscF‐L54V–EG complex targets to the T3SS ATPase, YscN. We propose that YscF‐L54V stalls at a binding site in the needle assembly pathway following its release from the chaperones, which blocks the secretion of WT YscF and other early substrates required for building a needle. Interestingly, YscF‐L54V does not affect the activity of pre‐assembled actively secreting machines, indicating that a factor and/or binding site required for YscF secretion is absent from T3SS machines already engaged in effector secretion. Thus, substrate switching may involve the removal of an early substrate‐specific binding site as a mechanism to exclude early substrates from Yop‐secreting machines.
Optimum Geometry Selection in Mobile Sensor Networks

In this paper, the optimum geometry selection of mobile sensor networks (MSN) based on receiving signal energy is derived. For illustration purpose, the performance of acoustic sensor network in the form of optimum geometry distribution is investigated and compared with that of random distributed sensor network. The simulation results show that the sensor network in the form of optimum geometry performs much better than in random distributed condition, and it is in good agreement with the theoretical results.
Peroxide resistance of ER Ca 2 1 pump in endothelium : implications to coronary artery function

Grover, Ashok K. , and Sue E. Samson. Peroxide resistance of ER Ca21 pump in endothelium: implications to coronary artery function. Am. J. Physiol. 273 (Cell Physiol. 42): C1250–C1258, 1997. —We examined the effects of peroxide on the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca21 (SERCA) pump in pig coronary artery endothelium and smooth muscle at three organizational levels: Ca21 transport in permeabilized cells, cytosolic Ca21 concentration in intact cells, and contractile function of artery rings. We monitored the ATP-dependent, azide-insensitive, oxalate-stimulated 45Ca21 uptake by saponin-permeabilized cultured cells. Low concentrations of peroxide inhibited the uptake less effectively in endothelium than in smooth muscle whether we added the peroxide directly to the Ca21 uptake solution or treated intact cells with peroxide and washed them before the permeabilization. An acylphosphate formation assay confirmed the greater resistance of the SERCA pump in endothelial cells than in smooth muscle cells. Pretreating smooth muscle cells with 300 μM peroxide inhibited (by 77 6 2%) the cyclopiazonic acid (CPA)-induced increase in cytosolic Ca21 concentration in a Ca21-free solution, but it did not affect the endothelial cells. Peroxide pretreatment inhibited the CPA-induced contraction in deendothelialized arteries with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 97 6 13 μM, but up to 500 μM peroxide did not affect the endothelium-dependent, CPA-induced relaxation. Similarly, 500 μM peroxide inhibited the angiotensininduced contractions in deendothelialized arteries by 93 6 2%, but it inhibited the bradykinin-induced, endotheliumdependent relaxation by only 40 6 13%. The greater resistance of the endothelium to reactive oxygen may be important during ischemia-reperfusion or in the postinfection immune response.
Inhibition of autophagy in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by vaginal fluid from women with a malignant adnexal mass

Inhibition of autophagy is a characteristic of ovarian cancer. We determined whether inhibition of autophagy by vaginal fluid could provide a non‐invasive test for cancer risk stratification in women presenting with an adnexal mass. Vaginal fluid supernatants from 90 women undergoing evaluation for a suspicious adnexal mass were incubated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from healthy women under conditions that induce autophagy. Rapamycin, an autophagy inducer, was added to some cultures. After 48 hr the cells were collected, lysed and assayed by ELISA for intracellular p62 concentration. p62 is a cytoplasmic protein that is consumed during autophagy induction. Its concentration is inversely proportional to the extent of autophagy induction. Clinical information including pathological diagnoses was obtained after completion of laboratory studies. Mean p62 levels were 9.4 ng/ml in the 21 women with a subsequent malignant diagnosis, 4.5 ng/ml in the eight women with a borderline tumor diagnosis and 3.6 ng/ml in the 61 women with benign disease (p < 0.0001, malignant vs. others). When rapamycin was added to the vaginal fluid‐PBMC co‐incubation, p62 levels in samples from women with a malignant diagnosis decreased to 3.3 ng/ml, a level comparable to what was observed with the nonmalignant samples. Vaginal fluid inhibition of autophagy can differentiate between women with malignant and benign adnexal masses.
Highly reproducible powder aerosolisation for lung delivery using powder-specific electromechanical vibration

Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) have been in use since the 1970s, but it is only within the past few years that their use has constituted > ∼ 10% of the inhaler units sold worldwide. Similarly, active DPIs have been in development for more than a decade, but no active device has yet been approved. Oriel is developing an active DPI technology that uses a very simple physical design coupled with a complex knowledge of powder flow and dispersion characterisation. The DPI uses electromechanical vibration with frequencies determined through the analysis of powder flow properties. Results so far have shown highly reproducible, efficient performance. The technology lends itself to both unit-dose and multidose platforms in a targeted cost-effective DPI.
Growth Hormone, Interferon-γ, and Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Promoted Tyrosyl Phosphorylation of Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 (*)

The identification of JAK2 as a growth hormone (GH) receptor-associated, GH-activated tyrosine kinase has established tyrosyl phosphorylation as a signaling mechanism for GH. In the present study, GH is shown to stimulate tyrosyl phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), the principle substrate of the insulin receptor. Tyrosyl phosphorylation of IRS-1 is a critical step in insulin signaling and provides binding sites for proteins with the appropriate Src homology 2 domains, including the 85-kDa regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3′-kinase. In 3T3-F442A fibroblasts, GH-dependent tyrosyl phosphorylation of IRS-1 was detected by 1 min and at GH concentrations as low as 5 ng/ml (0.23 nM). Tyrosyl phosphorylation of IRS-1 was transient, with maximal stimulation detected at 30 min and diminished signal detected at 60 min. The ability of GH receptor (GHR) to transduce the signal for IRS-1 tyrosyl phosphorylation is mediated by the intracellular region of GHR between amino acids 295 and 380 by a mechanism not involving the two tyrosines in this region. This region of GHR is required for GH-dependent JAK2 association and activation (VanderKuur, J. A., Wang, X., Zhang, L., Campbell, G. S., Allevato, G., Billestrup, N., Norstedt, G., and Carter-Su, C.(1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 21709-21717). When other cytokines that activate JAK2 were tested for the ability to stimulate the tyrosyl phosphorylation of IRS-1, stimulation was detected with interferon-γ and leukemia inhibitory factor. The correlation between JAK2 tyrosyl phosphorylation and IRS-1 tyrosyl phosphorylation in response to GH, interferon-γ, and leukemia inhibitory factor and in cells expressing different GHR mutants, provides evidence that IRS-1 may interact with JAK2 or an auxiliary molecule that binds to JAK2. GH is also shown to stimulate binding of IRS-1 to the 85-kDa regulatory subunit of PI 3′-kinase. The ability of GH to stimulate tyrosyl phosphorylation of IRS-1 and its association with PI 3′-kinase provides a biochemical basis for responses shared by insulin and GH including the well characterized insulin-like metabolic effects of GH observed in a variety of cell types.
Phonologically-Based Priming in the Same-Different Task With L1 Readers

The present experiment provides an investigation of a promising new tool, the masked priming same-different task, for investigating the orthographic coding process. Orthographic coding is the process of establishing a mental representation of the letters and letter order in the word being read which is then used by readers to access higher-level (e.g., semantic) information about that word. Prior research (e.g., Norris & Kinoshita, 2008) had suggested that performance in this task may be based entirely on orthographic codes. As reported by Lupker, Nakayama, and Perea (2015a), however, in at least some circumstances, phonological codes also play a role. Specifically, even though their 2 languages are completely different orthographically, Lupker et al.’s Japanese-English bilinguals showed priming in this task when masked L1 primes were phonologically similar to L2 targets. An obvious follow-up question is whether Lupker et al.’s effect might have resulted from a strategy that was adopted by their bilinguals to aid in processing of, and memory for, the somewhat unfamiliar L2 targets. In the present experiment, Japanese readers responded to (Japanese) Kanji targets with phonologically identical primes (on “related” trials) being presented in a completely different but highly familiar Japanese script, Hiragana. Once again, significant priming effects were observed, indicating that, although performance in the masked priming same-different task may be mainly based on orthographic codes, phonological codes can play a role even when the stimuli being matched are familiar words from a reader’s L1.
Conceptual heuristic models of the interrelationships between obesity and the occupational environment.

OBJECTIVE Research and interventions targeting the relationship between work, its attendant occupational hazards, and obesity are evolving but merit further consideration in the public health arena. In this discussion paper, conceptual heuristic models are described examining the role of obesity as both a risk factor and health outcome in the occupational setting. METHODS PubMed was searched using specific criteria from 2000 and onwards for evidence to support conceptual models in which obesity serves as a risk factor for occupational disease or an outcome of occupational exposures. Nine models are presented: four where obesity is a risk factor and five where it is an adverse effect. RESULTS A broad range of work-related health effects are associated with obesity including musculoskeletal disorders, asthma, liver disease, and cardiovascular disease, among others. Obesity can be associated with occupational hazards such as shift work, sedentary work, job stress, and exposure to some chemicals. CONCLUSION Identification of combinations of risk factors pertinent to obesity in the occupational environment will provide important guidance for research and prevention.
A Randomised, Open-label, Comparative Study of Tranexamic Acid Microinjections and Tranexamic Acid with Microneedling in Patients with Melasma

Background: Melasma is a common cause of facial hyperpigmentation with significant cosmetic deformity. Although several treatment modalities are available, none is satisfactory. Aim: To compare the therapeutic efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid (TA) microinjections versus tranexamic acid with microneedling in melasma. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective, randomised, open-label study with a sample size of 60; 30 in each treatment arms. Thirty patients were administered with localised microinjections of TA in one arm, and other 30 with TA with microneedling. The procedure was done at monthly intervals (0, 4 and 8 weeks) and followed up for three consecutive months. Clinical images were taken at each visit including modified Melasma Area Severity Index MASI scoring, patient global assessment and physician global assessment to assess the clinical response. Results: In the microinjection group, there was 35.72% improvement in the MASI score compared to 44.41% in the microneedling group, at the end of third follow-up visit. Six patients (26.09%) in the microinjections group, as compared to 12 patients (41.38%) in the microneedling group, showed more than 50% improvement. However, there were no major adverse events observed in both the treatment groups. Conclusions: On the basis of these results, TA can be used as potentially a new, effective, safe and promising therapeutic agent in melasma. The medication is easily available and affordable. Better therapeutic response to treatment in the microneedling group could be attributed to the deeper and uniform delivery of the medication through microchannels created by microneedling.
Predicting the effect of prevention of ischaemic heart disease

Background: Priority setting in public health policy must be based on information on the effectiveness of alternative preventive and therapeutic interventions. The purpose of this study is to predict the effect on mortality from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in Denmark of reduced exposure to the risk factors hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, cigarette smoking, and physical inactivity. Methods: The simulation model, "Prevent'', was used. The input data for the model were population size, death rates, prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, and relative risks. Scenarios of the impact of reduced exposure to risk factors on mortality from IHD were studied, including the health benefi ts of successful implementation of some of the targets in the Danish Government programme for public health and health promotion, 1999-2008. Results: The greatest reduction in mortality from IHD would be achieved by interventions against cigarette smoking. If the proportion of cigarette smokers could be reduced by one-third within 10 years, the number of deaths due to IHD among people under 65 would be 10% lower for men and 15% lower for women. If the proportion of heavy smokers or the proportion of people with hypertension were reduced by 25%, the rate of mortality from IHD would be 5% lower for men and 6-7% lower for women. Reducing the number of cases of severe hypercholesterolaemia by 25% would lower the IHD mortality rate before age 65 by 3% for men and 6% for women after 15 years, similar to the effect of easy exercise for at least 4 hours a week among physically inactive people.
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND STROKE ( P PERRONE-FILARDI AND S . AGEWALL , SECTION EDITORS ) An International Smoking Ban — How Many Lives Will Be Saved ?

Multicomponent tobacco control strategies are crucial to combat the ongoing global smoking challenge. In the twenty-first century, many countries have signed up to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and in recent years a mounting number of countries and regions have implemented partial or complete smoking bans to protect the general public from passive smoke exposure. There is substantial evidence that workers, particularly in the hospitality sector, benefit from reduced exposure. More recently, several reports have appeared from different countries showing a temporal relationship between the introduction of a smoking ban and reduced hospital admissions for cardiovascular, respiratory and maternity outcomes. This will have a measurable benefit for public health, saving many lives. Multicomponent strategies could also reduce active smoking significantly if successfully implemented worldwide.
Research-in-progress: User experience evaluation of Student Centered E-Learning Environment for computer science program

Faculty of Computer Science Universitas Indonesia (Fasilkom UI) implemented an e-Learning environment, Student Centered E-Learning Environment (SCELE), to complement the conventional approach of teaching and learning since 2005. Evaluations regarding effectiveness of the e-Learning system used by lecturers have been made. However, the students have not evaluated yet the user experience while using the system. The materials posted in SCELE include PowerPoint slides, multimedia contents, and enrichment materials (e.g., links to online articles). Most of lecturers use discussion forums in their courses to encourage students to participate in active learning setting. Staff and lecturers sometimes post academic-related announcements on the SCELE homepage. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the user experience while students use the SCELE. A multi-methods approach is used to conduct the study. 113 students enrolled in Computer Science program were invited to evaluate SCELE. This study will benefit program and center of learning resources administrators, and learning management system developers to enhance the presence of e-Learning system in their institutions. Findings of the current study may also be valuable for universities and high schools which are using computer-based learning environments. Specifically in developing countries, many academic institutions are still struggling with internet bandwidth to provide high quality interactions and learning experience.
Laparoscopic Appendicectomy for Complicated Appendicitis: Is it Safe and Justified? A Retrospective Analysis

Background Although laparoscopic appendectomy has some advantages over open appendectomy, the literature suggests conflicting results regarding postoperative complications for complicated appendicitis. Methods A retrospective review of patients with complicated appendicitis managed surgically at Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Center, Madurai, Tamilnadu, India was undertaken. A total of 497 patients were admitted with acute appendicitis and operated during the study period of 10 years from January 1999 to July 2009, out of which 119 (24%) patients had complicated appendicitis whereas 378 (76%) had uncomplicated acute appendicitis. The mean age of patients included in the study was 33.42 years (range, 4 to 80 y) with a male: female ratio of 2:1. Results Ninety-nine patients (83.19%) underwent laparoscopic appendicectomy and 1 patient underwent laparoscopic-assisted right hemicolectomy for suspected mass lesion of the cecum. Eleven patients (9.24%) underwent open appendicectomy because of preoperative clinical features of peritonitis in 10 patients and mass in 1 patient. Seven patients (5.88%) had conversion from laparoscopic to open procedure. The overall mean operating time was 68 minutes (25 to 180 min). For laparoscopic appendicectomy, 66 minutes (25 to 180 min), for open appendicectomy 76 minutes (50 to 110 min), for lap to open conversion 85 minutes (40 to 135 min), and for drainage procedure 67 minutes (60 to 75 min). A total of 28 patients developed complication in the form of wound infection (7), pneumonia (8), intra-abdominal abscess (11), and enterocutaneous fistula (2) after percutaneous drainage of intra-abdominal collection. All were managed conservatively and no mortality occurred. Conclusions The morbidity rates, particularly for intra-abdominal abscesses and wound infection were less for laparoscopic appendectomy in complicated appendicitis than those reported in the literature for open appendectomy, whereas operating times and hospital stays were similar.