Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonylphenol Alters Connexin 43 Levels and Connexin 43 Phosphorylation Via an Inhibition of the p38-Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway1

Abstract Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are exogenous compounds that mimic or inhibit the action of estrogens or other hormones. Nonylphenol, an environmental contaminant distributed along the St. Lawrence River, has been reported to act as a weak estrogen. Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that rats that were fed fish taken from nonylphenol contaminated sites have altered spermatogenesis and decreased sperm count. The mechanism responsible for this effect is unknown. Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the testis is critical for coordinating spermatogenesis. The objectives of the study were to determine the effects of nonylphenol on GJIC and connexin 43 (Cx43) in a murine Sertoli cell line, TM4. Cells were exposed for 24 h to different concentrations (1 to 50 μM) of either nonylphenol or 17β-estradiol. GJIC was determined using a microinjection approach in which Lucifer yellow was injected directly into a single cell, and GJIC was assessed 3 min postinjection. Nonylphenol exposure decreased GJIC between adjacent cells by almost 80% relative to controls. A significant concentration-dependent reduction in GJIC was observed at nonylphenol concentrations between 1 and 50 μM. Cx43 immunofluorescent staining was reduced at both 10 and 50 μM doses of nonylphenol. Cx43 phosphorylation, as determined by Western blot analysis, was reduced at both 10 and 50 μM concentrations, which may explain, at least in part, the inhibition of GJIC. In contrast, no effect on GJIC or Cx43 protein was observed in cells exposed to 17β-estradiol at these concentrations. Cx43 has been reported to be phosphorylated via the p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. P38-MAPK activity was assessed in both control and nonylphenol-exposed cells. A dose-dependent decrease in p38-MAPK activity was observed in nonylphenol-exposed Sertoli cells. Protein kinase C activity was also measured and was not influenced by nonylphenol. These results suggest that nonylphenol inhibits GJIC between Sertoli cells and that this is modulated via nonestrogenic pathways.
Dural mast cell degranulation is a putative mechanism for headache induced by PACAP-38

Background: Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide-38 (PACAP-38) has been shown to induce migraine in migraineurs, whereas the related peptide vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) does not. In the present study we examine the hypothesis that PACAP-38 and its truncated version PACAP-27 but not VIP cause degranulation of mast cells in peritoneum and in dura mater. Methods: The degranulatory effects of PACAP-38, PACAP-27 and VIP were investigated by measuring the amount of N-acetyl-β-hexosaminidase released from isolated peritoneal mast cells and from dura mater attached to the skull of the rat in vitro. In peritoneal mast cells N-truncated fragments of PACAP-38 (PACAP(6–38), PACAP(16–38) and PACAP(28–38)) were also studied. To investigate transduction pathways involved in mast cell degranulation induced by PACAP-38, PACAP-27 and VIP, the phospholipase C inhibitor U-73122 and the adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ 22536 were used. Results: The peptides induced degranulation of isolated peritoneal mast cells of the rat with the following order of potency: PACAP-38 = PACAP(6–38) = PACAP(16–38) » PACAP-27 = VIP = PACAP(28–38). In the dura mater we found that 10−5 M PACAP-38 was significantly more potent in inducing mast cell degranulation than the same concentration of PACAP-27 or VIP. Inhibition of intracellular mechanisms demonstrated that PACAP-38-induced degranulation is mediated by the phospholipase C pathway. Selective blockade of the PAC1 receptor did not attenuate degranulation. Conclusion: These findings correlate with clinical studies and support the hypothesis that mast cell degranulation is involved in PACAP-induced migraine. PACAP-38 has a much stronger degranulatory effect on rat peritoneal and dural mast cells than VIP and PACAP-27. The difference in potency between PACAP-38- and PACAP-27/VIP-induced peritoneal mast cell degranulation is probably not related to the PAC1 receptor but is caused by a difference in efficacy on phospholipase C.
Chinese research on disaster economics: situation and characteristics

Abstract This study employs the bibliometric method to analyse a sample of 936 core journal articles obtained from Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI) during the period 1998–2014, with a view to outlining the situation, characteristics and trends of Chinese research on disaster economics. Our analysis shows that Chinese research on disaster economics is characterised by marked short-term fluctuations, non-mainstream tendency, localisation and non-collaboration. In terms of content, the major concerns of Chinese scholars are post-disaster construction, agricultural natural disasters, as well as disaster insurance and securitisation. In terms of methodology, these researches have entered into a quantitative phase of establishing the evaluation index system, and mathematical model analysis. With regard to the path, researches in the Chinese language have expanded from analyses of causes and natures of disasters to those of institutional response to disasters (e.g. disaster insurance and finance).
Adverse Events Associated With Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery

&NA; Anterior cervical procedures for neurologic decompression and fusion, including cervical diskectomy and cervical corpectomy, are commonly performed by orthopaedic surgeons and spinal neurosurgeons. These procedures are highly successful in treating most patients with persistent pain and neurologic symptoms that have not responded to nonsurgical methods. Adverse events occur infrequently, but several have been described, including esophageal injury, vertebral artery injury, dural tear, postoperative airway compromise, spinal cord injury, hematoma, dysphagia, dysphonia, and graft dislodgement. Newer procedures, such as cervical total disk replacement and the use of bone morphogenetic protein as a supplement to fusion, have raised unique concerns. Appropriate strategies must be utilized to avoid these adverse events, and the treating surgeon should have an understanding of how to detect and manage such events when they do arise.
The Pseudoenzyme PDX1.2 Boosts Vitamin B6 Biosynthesis under Heat and Oxidative Stress in Arabidopsis*

Background: A non-catalytic vitamin B6 biosynthesis protein (PDX1.2) exists in plants, but its role is unknown. Results: PDX1.2 interacts with its catalytic counterparts, enhancing their activity and forming a dodecameric complex induced under abiotic stress. Conclusion: PDX1.2 is a pesudoenzyme that regulates vitamin B6 biosynthesis under abiotic stress. Significance: This work presents a model for regulation of vitamin B6 biosynthesis and the existence/significance of pseudoenzymes in plants. Vitamin B6 is an indispensable compound for survival, well known as a cofactor for numerous central metabolic enzymes and more recently for playing a role in several stress responses, particularly in association with oxidative stress. Regulatory aspects for the use of the vitamin in these roles are not known. Here we show that certain plants carry a pseudoenzyme (PDX1.2), which is involved in regulating vitamin B6 biosynthesis de novo under stress conditions. Specifically, we demonstrate that Arabidopsis PDX1.2 enhances the activity of its catalytic paralogs by forming a heterododecameric complex. PDX1.2 is strongly induced by heat as well as singlet oxygen stress, concomitant with an enhancement of vitamin B6 production. Analysis of pdx1.2 knockdown lines demonstrates that boosting vitamin B6 content is dependent on PDX1.2, revealing that this pseudoenzyme acts as a positive regulator of vitamin B6 biosynthesis during such stress conditions in plants.
Assessment of the impact of sildenafil citrate on lower urinary tract symptoms in men with erectile dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION Sildenafil citrate is an effective and well-tolerated oral erectogenic medication. Through phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibition, it induces relaxation in penile smooth muscle, resulting in erection. Due to its mild affinity for other PDE enzymes, it may cause smooth muscle relaxation in a number of other organs. Recent data suggest an association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Anecdotally some patients cite improvement in LUTS while using sildenafil. AIM This study was conducted to assess the impact of Viagra on LUTS, using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and IPSS inventories. METHODS Men presenting to a sexual dysfunction clinic who were candidates and opted for treatment with sildenafil completed the IIEF and IPSS. Men with the IPSS scores greater than 10 were enrolled and completed the IPSS and IIEF questionnaires at least 3 months after the commencement of sildenafil. Comparisons were made between pre- and posttreatment scores in the IPSS and erectile function (EF) domain of the IIEF. RESULTS Forty-eight men were enrolled, with a mean age of 62 +/- 11 years. The mean improvement in the EF domain score was 7 points (P = 0.01). The mean improvement in the IPSS score was 4.6 points (P = 0.013) and in quality of life (QOL) score was 1.4 points (P = 0.025). In total, 60% of men improved their IPSS score, and 35% had at least a 4-point improvement in their score. The mean number of uses of sildenafil per week was 2.0 +/- 0.6. No significant correlation was seen between the degree of the IPSS improvement and baseline IPSS, baseline EF domain score, or magnitude of improvement in EF domain score. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate a positive impact of Viagra on men with mild to moderate LUTS. It is presumed, although unproven, that the medication's effect is mediated through bladder neck/prostatic smooth muscle relaxation.
Determining Long-Term Change in Tourism Research Language With Text-Mining Methods

Are quantitative text mining methods sensitive enough to recognize change in the language of tourism research? The study of tourism is expected to have shifted focus during the past four decades, and this must be reflected in the abstracts of articles published in a journal of particularly long tradition. Two text mining methods are employed for analyzing change. They prove to be capable of detecting significant change in language between early and recent article abstracts. The study investigates discriminant word items and latent topic structures. The double approach with two computationally unrelated methods (penalized support vector machines and latent Dirichlet allocation) explores (a) single word items that differentiate between earlier and later article abstracts and (b) the relevance of latent topics underlying older and newer abstracts. The results advocate future qualitative analyses for pursuing the reasons and contents of change.
Modeling the spatiotemporal organization of velocity storage in the vestibuloocular reflex by optokinetic studies.

1. A generalized three-dimensional state space model of visual vestibular interaction was developed. Matrix and dynamical system operators associated with inputs from the semicircular canals, otolith velocity estimator, and the visual system have been incorporated into the model, which focus on their relationship to the velocity storage integrator. 2. A relationship was postulated between the eigenvalues and the direction of the eigenvectors of the system matrix and the orientation of the spatial vertical. It was assumed that the system matrix for a tilted position was a composition of two linear transformations of the system matrix for the upright position. One transformation modifies the eigenvalues of the system matrix, whereas another rotates the eigenvectors of the system matrix. The pitch and roll eigenvectors rotate with the head, whereas the yaw axis eigenvector remains approximately spatially invariant. 3. Based on the three-dimensional model, a computational procedure was formulated to identify the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the system matrix with the use of a modification of the marquardt algorithm. With the use of data obtained from a monkey, it was shown that the three-dimensional behavior of velocity storage cannot be predicted solely in terms of its time constants, i.e., the inverse of its eigenvalues. With the use of the same eigenvalues the data could either be fit or not fit, depending on the eigenvector directions. Therefore, it is necessary to specify eigenvector directions when characterizing velocity storage in three dimensions. 4. Parameters found with the use of the Marquardt algorithm were incorporated into the model. Diagonal matrices in a head coordinate frame were introduced for coupling the visual system to the integrator and to the direct optokinetic pathway. Simulations of optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) and optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN) were run. The model predicted the behavior of yaw and pitch OKN and OKAN when the animal is upright. It also predicted the cross-coupling in the side down position. The trajectories in velocity space were also accurately simulated. 5. One of the predictions of the model is that when the stimulus direction is along an eigenvector, the trajectory in velocity space is a straight line. Using the "spectral width" of the residuals from a straight line sequence during OKAN, we developed a methodology to estimate how close the OKAN decay was to an eigenvector trajectory. 6. Thus we have developed a model-based approach for studying and interpreting the response characteristics of velocity storage in three dimensions. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Look, the World is Watching how We Treat Migrants! The Making of the Anti-Trafficking Legislation during the Ma Administration

Employing the spiral model, this research analyses how anti-human trafficking legislation was promulgated during the Ma Ying-jeou (Ma Yingjiu) presidency. This research found that the government of Taiwan was just as accountable for the violation of migrants’ human rights as the exploitive placement agencies and abusive employers. This research argues that, given its reliance on the United States for political and security support, Taiwan has made great efforts to improve its human rights records and meet US standards for protecting human rights. The reform was a result of multilevel inputs, including US pressure and collaboration between transnational and domestic advocacy groups. A major contribution of this research is to challenge the belief that human rights protection is intrinsic to democracy. In the same light, this research also cautions against Taiwan's subscription to US norms since the reform was achieved at the cost of stereotyping trafficking victimhood, legitimising state surveillance, and further marginalising sex workers.
A longitudinal study of physical activity and heart rate recovery: CARDIA, 1987-1993.

PURPOSE Autonomic nervous system function may be a mechanism by which frequent physical activity is associated with better coronary heart disease outcomes. In a diverse, population-based sample, we tested whether physical activity participation was associated with higher parasympathetic function. METHODS Participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study underwent symptom-limited graded exercise testing at baseline (1985-1986; N=3446) and at 7 yr follow-up (N=1627). Heart rate recovery (HRR), the difference between maximum heart rate (HR) and HR 2 min after test cessation, was used to estimate parasympathetic activity. RESULTS Participants who self-reported in the highest tertile of total physical activity (the sum of moderate- and heavy-intensity activities) had significantly faster HRR than participants in the lowest tertile (45.1 vs 41.8 beats.min, P<0.01), and the odds of having abnormal HRR (<or=22 beats.min) were 1.9 (95% confidence interval: 1.1, 3.4) times greater in the lowest versus the highest tertile after adjustment for age, race, gender, body mass index, smoking status, and diastolic blood pressure. Findings were consistent across strata of covariates. On average, HRR declined 2.5 beats.min over 7 yr. HRR declined the least among participants whose physical activity increased (-1.3 beats.min) or remained stable (-1.8 beats.min), compared with participants whose physical activity decreased (-3.6 beats.min; P<0.01 vs increase or stable). CONCLUSIONS In this diverse, population-based sample, physical activity was associated with faster HRR from an exercise treadmill test. Regular physical activity may blunt age-related declines in autonomic nervous system function.
An investigation into the challenges teachers face when teaching in a low socio-economic primary school

Teaching is a challenging profession. Teachers and schools that deal primarily with disadvantaged students are faced with a unique set of challenges that make their work more complex and demanding, and consequently make these schools harder to staff. According to Angus, Olney & Ainley (2007), “The supply of able teachers prepared to teach in challenging schools is perhaps the most important issue facing primary education” (p.110). The word ‘challenge’ is often used by people in relation to teaching but lacks a clearly understood meaning. This exploratory research examined the experiences of Western Australian teachers in situations they described as ‘challenging’ in a difficult to staff school in the metropolitan area. An interpretive study using case study techniques was conducted in a primary school for a year. Through engaging with teachers in dialogue throughout the course of a school year, an understanding of the construct of ‘challenge’ in the context of a difficult-to-staff low socio-economic status (SES) school was developed. It was found that there was a consistent, social construction of this term. Findings suggest that the teacher challenges could be organised into a structured schema that reflects the events and situations the teachers found challenging. These challenges were found to be overarching and were represented as Pre-eminent challenges that encompassed the significant teacher challenges at the school. The Preeminent Challenges were found to provide a common vocabulary and framework of reference to describe and discuss significant teacher challenges. The findings of the study suggest that challenges were multidimensional in nature and were intricately tied to how teachers responded to them. The key factors that influenced teacher responses were also identified in the study. It was found that challenges that had a clearly understood meaning could be better responded to and resolved. These findings have led to a deeper understanding of the day to day lives of teachers, particularly the challenges that they face when working in a low SES, difficult-to-staff school. This new understanding has lead to a greater awareness of how to better support teachers in these challenging contexts, and this has pertinent
Optimal sound speed estimation using modified nonlinear anisotropic diffusion to improve spatial resolution in ultrasound imaging

In ultrasound exams of obese patients and the breast, the spatial and contrast resolutions of ultrasound images are severely deteriorated when a constant sound speed corresponding to soft tissue is used in receive dynamic beamformation. This degradation is due to the defocusing of the ultrasound beam because of the disparity in sound speed between soft tissue and fatty layers. To minimize the degradation, this paper proposes a new method of estimating an optimal sound speed that can be used to achieve the best beamforming performance in a region of interest (ROI). The proposed method employs a new focusing quality factor (FQF) as an indicator of how well the focusing is conducted with a given sound speed. The FQF is closely associated with the degree of edge conspicuity, which can be obtained using the proposed modified nonlinear anisotropic diffusion (MNAD) technique. To calculate FQF, ultrasound images are formed with different sound speeds ranging from 1400 to 1600 m/s and, subsequently, the ROI is chosen. In the ROI, the degrees of edge conspicuity (i.e., FQF) are calculated. The sound speed can be considered an optimal one for the ROI if it is used to construct the image that provides the maximum FQF. The performances of the proposed method were evaluated through simulation and in vitro experiments with a tissue-mimicking phantom. The performance was also compared with that of the conventional image-based method employed in a commercial ultrasound imaging system. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method is capable of estimating an optimal sound speed with an error of 10 m/s regardless of whether strong targets are included in the ROI or not. On the other hand, the conventional image-based method generated an estimation error of 60 m/s maximally in the case in which there were no strong targets in ROI. This indicates that the proposed method is a useful tool to improve ultrasound image quality for clinical applications, especially for ultrasound exams of obese patients and the breast.
Estimating the costs of implementing the rotavirus vaccine in the national immunisation programme: the case of Malawi

Worldwide, rotavirus infections cause approximately 453 000 child deaths annually. Two licensed vaccines could be life‐ and cost‐saving in low‐income countries where the disease burden is highest. The aim of our study was to estimate the total cost of implementing the rotavirus vaccine in the national immunisation programme of a low‐income country. Furthermore, the aim was to examine the relative contribution of different components to the total cost.
The effect of liver denervation on hepatic hemodynamics during hypovolemic shock in swine

This study tested the hypothesis that the denervated liver is more susceptible to hypovolemic shock than the normal liver. Fourteen swine, seven nondenervated and seven after liver denervation, were studied during hypovolemic shock to 50% of baseline blood pressure. Hepatic artery and portal vein flows were measured using transonic flow probes, and cardiac output and central venous pressure were measured using Swan‐Ganz catheters. Hepatic artery flow fell equivalently in the two groups, from 132 ± 71 to 94 ± 17 ml/min in the nondenervated group compared with 149 ± 56 to 91 ± 55 ml/min in the denervated group. In contrast, portal flow in the denervated group (276 ± 71 to 119 ± 53 ml/min) fell significantly (p < 0.001) more than in the nondenervated group (289 ± 135 to 194 ± 70 ml/min). The 58% reduction from baseline in portal flow in the denervated group compared with the 30% reduction in the nondenervated group suggests that the normal compensatory mechanism to maintain portal flow during hypovolemic shock is neurally mediated. It can be hypothesized that sensory afferent fibers might initiate a feedback to splanchnic vasodilatation in response to reduced portal flow. This study supports the hypothesis that the denervated liver is more susceptible to hypovolemic shock. (HEPATOLOGY 1992;15:130–133).
Entrainment and Annihilation of Reentrant Excitation in a Periodically Stimulated Ring of Excitable Media

Abstract: Excitable media, such as nerve, heart and the Belousov-Zhabo- tinsky reaction, exhibit a large excursion from equilibrium in response to a small but finite perturbation. Assuming a one-dimensional ring geometry of sufficient length, excitable media support a periodic wave of circulation. As in the periodic stimulation of oscillations in ordinary differential equations, the effects of periodic stimuli of the periodically circulating wave can be described by a one-dimensional Poincaré map. Depending on the period and intensity of the stimulus as well as its initial phase, either entrainment or termination of the original circulating wave is observed. These phenomena are directly related to clinical observations concerning periodic stimulation of a class of cardiac arrhythmias caused by reentrant wave propagation in the human heart.