Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of activity of an ATP-dependent protease, Clp, by the amount of a subunit, ClpA, in the growth of Escherichia coli cells.

The activity of an ATP-dependent protease, Clp, was examined in Escherichia coli SG1110 (lon-) in various growth phases. The ATP-dependent proteolytic activity (Clp activity) in a crude extract of the cells changed with the growth phase. Cells in the early exponential growth phase showed the lowest activity, but then the activity increased dramatically with cell growth. The highest Clp activity was found in the cells in the late exponential and early stationary phases, however, the activity returned to the original level on prolonged culturing. These changes in Clp activity were closely correlated to the amount of one of the components of Clp, Clp A, which was quantitated immunochemically with antibodies against the Clp A protein. However, the amount of the other component of Clp, Clp P, did not change with the growth phase. These results suggest that the activity of Clp in the cells is regulated by the amount of Clp A in various growth phases. We next examined the effect of the cellular ATP level on Clp activity, because ATP is a cofactor for Clp protease in vitro. The addition of dinitrophenol (DNP) and sodium azide reduced the intracellular concentration of ATP, but had no effect on the Clp activity or the level of the Clp A protein when these drugs were added to the culture at the stationary phase. On the other hand, these drugs elevated both the Clp activity and the Clp A amount in exponentially growing cells, whose cellular ATP level was also reduced. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Correlation between some direct and indirect tests for screen detection of subclinical mastitis

This study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of California mastitis test (CMT), white side test (WST), chlorine test and electrical conductivity (EC) in the diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows in a comparison to somatic cell count (SCC) as a standard method for detection of subclinical mastitis. One hundred random samples of cow’s milk were collected from different dairy farms at Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. SCC revealed that 27% of samples contained less than 2×105 SCC/ml. and were considered negative for presence of subclinical mastitis, while mastitic samples (73%) contained higher numbers of SCC exceeded 2×105/ml. CMT results revealed that 27.0% of the examined cow’s milk samples were negative and 73.0% were among the positive samples. The mean values of chlorine % of normal and mastitic cow’s milk samples were 0.093 and 0.157, respectively. EC of normal and mastitic cow’s milk samples revealed that the mean values were 4.08 and 7.42 mS/cm, respectively. Results showed significant correlation of these parameters in detection of subclinical mastitis milk samples.
Exploring the Role of Un-Enacted Projects in IT Project Portfolio Management

Abstract From the IT governance point of view, one central project portfolio management task is to ensure that official projects draw upon assigned human resources. However, a common phenomenon is that resources thought to be available often turn out to be actually unavailable. Previous research indicates that numerous unofficial initiatives are a typical cause of this observation. These un-enacted projects are those projects that have not been officially evaluated but do exist although they are not known to a company’s project portfolio. The result is that unofficial initiatives compete for scarce resources. Despite these resource issues, previous research has barely investigated un-enacted projects. By building on four in-depth case studies, this exploratory study investigates the major drivers of the occurrence of un-enacted projects and their specific characteristics and found a great variety in respect of the type of un-enacted projects and the reasons for them being triggered in organizations.
The Effect of Hormones on Lipoprotein Lipase Activity in Skeletal Muscles of the Rat

Summary The effect of several hormones on lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in superficial layer of the vastus lateralis (FG muscle) the deepest layer of the same muscle (FOG muscle) and in the soleus (SO muscle) was studied in the rat. It was found that adrenaline increased the enzyme activity in the FOG muscle, noradrenaline in the FOG and SO muscle and ACTH in each of the muscles studied. Cortisone and glucagon did not affect the enzyme activity in any of the muscles. Insulin reduced LPL activity in the muscles.
Neurohistopathologic findings after a neurolytic celiac plexus block with alcohol in patients with pancreatic cancer pain

Pancreatic cancer has a very poor prognosis resulting in the death of 98% of patients. Pain may be severe and difficult to treat. Management of pain includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy, pharmacologic treatment, and neurolytic celiac plexus block. Recent reviews of the efficacy of neurolytic celiac plexus block however, have reached conflicting conclusions. In this paper, we present two patients with severe pancreatic cancer pain resistant to pharmacologic treatment. Analgesic effect following repeated neurolytic celiac plexus blocks with alcohol was limited in time. Post‐mortem neurohistopathologic examination of the celiac plexus revealed an abnormal celiac architecture with a combination of abnormal neurons with vacuolization and normal looking neuronal structures (ganglionic structures and nerve fibers) embedded in fibrotic hyalinized tissue. Our results show that a neurolytic celiac plexus block with alcohol is capable of partially destroying the celiac plexus. These findings may explain the significant but short‐lasting analgesic effect following neurolytic celiac plexus block with alcohol.
Diegetic cues for guiding the viewer in cinematic virtual reality

Cinematic Virtual Reality has been increasing in popularity in the last years. Watching 360° movies with a Head Mounted Display, the viewer can freely choose the direction of view, and thus the visible section of the movie. We explored three cinematic methods of guiding the viewers' attention: lights, sounds, and movements. For that, we developed a measurement technique to obtain heat maps of viewing directions and applied statistical analysis methods for spatial data. The results of our work show that the attention of the viewer can be directed by sound and movements. New sound induces the viewer to search for the source of the sound, not all participants paid attention to the direction of the sound. In our experiments, lights without movements did not draw more attention than other objects. However, a moving light cone changed the viewing direction considerably.
Fluid and electrolyte needs for training, competition, and recovery

Abstract Fluids and electrolytes (sodium) are consumed by athletes, or recommended to athletes, for a number of reasons, before, during, and after exercise. These reasons are generally to sustain total body water, as deficits (hypohydration) will increase cardiovascular and thermal strain and degrade aerobic performance. Vigorous exercise and warm/hot weather induce sweat production, which contains both water and electrolytes. Daily water (4–10 L) and sodium (3500–7000 mg) losses in active athletes during hot weather exposure can induce water and electrolyte deficits. Both water and sodium need to be replaced to re-establish “normal” total body water (euhydration). This replacement can be by normal eating and drinking practices if there is no urgency for recovery. But if rapid recovery (<24 h) is desired or severe hypohydration (>5% body mass) is encountered, aggressive drinking of fluids and consuming electrolytes should be encouraged to facilitate recovery for subsequent competition.
Plasma insulin in normal late pregnancy.

DESPITE a voluminous amount of research directed at elucidating the mechanisms of human carbohydrate metabolism many unexplored areas remain, especially in the pregnant state. Many studies have made reference to the altered carbohydrate metabolism in pregnancy based upon changes in the oral glucose tolerance tests. Studies using intravenous glucose tolerance tests have shown normal curves during pregnancy and in fact suggest that more insulin may be released by the pancreas during the pregnant state.1 This is supported by pathological study of the pancreases of pregnant women that shows an increase in the size and number of the islands of Langerhans.
Increased survival of cirrhotic patients with a hepatocellular carcinoma detected during surveillance.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Significant improvements in management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have occurred in the last years, but their impact on surveillance outcome is unknown. To clarify this, we compared survival of HCC patients identified along 3 consecutive quinquennia of surveillance. METHODS A cohort of 417 HCC-free outpatients with compensated cirrhosis was prospectively followed for 148 months (range, 1-213 months) with periodic ultrasound examinations. RESULTS HCC developed in 112 patients, at a 3.4% rate per year, and was the prime cause of death (n = 54). Forty-six (41%) patients had a single tumor, with a mean size of 3.7 cm, 3.0 cm, and 2.2 cm in the 3 quinquennia (first vs. second: ns; first vs. third: P = 0.017; second vs. third: P = 0.02), and 38 (44%) underwent radical therapy. Mortality rates in HCC patients fell from 45% in the first quinquennium to 37% in the second and 10% in the third (first vs. second: ns; first vs. third: P = 0.0009; second vs. third: P = 0.018) in parallel with a reduction in yearly mortality of treated patients (34%, 28%, and 5%, respectively; first vs. second: ns; second vs. third: P = 0.036; first vs. third: P = 0.0024). After stratification for quinquennium, tumor staging, according to Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP), was the only independent predictor of survival (P = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS Cirrhotic patients developing a HCC during the last 5 years of surveillance survived longer than previously, as a consequence of improved management of the tumor and complications of cirrhosis.
Differential expression of A and B laminin chains during rat liver regeneration

We have studied the distribution and expression of laminin during rat liver regeneration by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting using affinity‐purified laminin antibodies. Laminin was localized on sinusoidal surfaces in normal and regenerating hepatic parenchyma, but enhanced expression was detected during regeneration from 6 hours to 7 days after a partial hepatectomy. A and B laminin chains were specifically detected by Western blotting in highly purified plasma membrane fractions derived from the sinusoidal domain of hepatocytes. Analysis of laminin expression in whole homogenates from hepatectomized rats showed a differential expression of A and B laminin chains during regeneration: The A chain showed a progressive increase, whereas the B chain exhibited an early, prereplicative increase and then gradually declined to control levels at the end of restorative growth. The results suggest differential temporal requirements for A and B laminin chains during hepatic growth and tissue formation. (HEPATOLOGY 1995; 22:1259–1262.).
A General Class of Convexification Transformation for the Noninferior Frontier of a Multiobjective Program

A general class of convexification transformations is proposed to convexify the noninferior frontier of a multiobjective program. We prove that under certain assumptions the noninferior frontier could be convexified completely or partly after transformation and then weighting method can be applied to identify the noninferior solutions. Numerical experiments are given to vindicate our results.
Laparoscopic Splenic Biopsy

The authors report their experiences with 1243 laparoscopic splenic biopsies performed between 1968 and 1982 at the Laparoscopy Center of the Regional Hospital in Padua. We may conclude that: The risk of laparoscopic splenic biopsy in minimal and fears regarding its performance are unjustified. The diagnostic value of splenic biopsy is evident if a comparison is made, in the different groups, between the percentage and the accuracy of the diagnoses made with the single macroscopic and the histological examinations, respectively. As well as the staging and follow-up of malignant lymphomas, examination of the spleen in clinically suspected splenopathy is a new and interesting indication for laparoscopy, for it is now possible to take one or more biopsies.
Basophils, IgE, and Autoantibody-Mediated Kidney Disease

Basophils are of interest in immunology due to their ability to produce a Th2-signature cytokine, IL-4, following activation. A new understanding of the role of basophils in immunity shows novel functions at a cellular level through which basophils influence adaptive immunity. This review summarizes new advances in basophil biology and discusses new roles for basophils in human disease, especially in the mediation of the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis. Recently, basophils have been shown to contribute to self-reactive Ab production in systemic lupus erythematosus and may enhance pre-existing loss of B cell tolerance, suggesting that basophils, IL-4, and IgE mediate the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis by promoting the Th2 environment and activating autoreactive B cells. In addition to envisaging exciting therapeutic prospects, these novel findings open the way for the study of basophils in other autoimmune and renal diseases.
Subclinical Mastitis, Cell-Associated HIV-1 Shedding in Breast Milk, and Breast-Feeding Transmission of HIV-1

Background:Mastitis has been identified as a risk factor for mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 through breast-feeding. It is unclear whether this association is mediated by increased cell-free virus (CFV) versus cell-associated virus (CAV) HIV shedding in breast milk. Methods:We examined the risk of MTCT associated with subclinical mastitis and the relation between mastitis and CFV or CAV shedding in breast milk. Fifty-nine women who transmitted HIV through breast-feeding (cases) were individually matched to 59 nontransmitting controls nested in a cohort from Tanzania. For each case, we selected a milk specimen obtained before the infant's first positive test to quantify sodium (Na) and potassium (K) and measure CFV and CAV concentrations. Controls were matched on the child's age at the time of sample collection. Results:Women with a breast milk Na/K ratio suggestive of mastitis (>1.0) had an 11-fold greater odds of transmission (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2 to 98.1), compared to women with a Na/K ≤0.6, after adjusting for maternal CD4 cell count and vitamin A supplementation. Although mastitis was positively related to both CFV and CAV shedding in breast milk, only the association with the latter was strong and statistically significant. Conclusion:Increased cell-associated HIV-1 shedding in breast milk could mediate the association between mastitis and MTCT.
Adherence, persistence of use, and costs associated with second-generation antipsychotics for bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE A retrospective study using Medicaid claims identified patients with bipolar disorder for whom oral second-generation antipsychotics were prescribed and compared rates of adherence, persistence of use, and costs across five groups of patients taking aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, or ziprasidone. METHODS Medicaid claims data for 2,446 bipolar patients were analyzed from eight states. The 18-month observation period included the six months before and the 12 months after the index prescription date. Adherence was defined as a medication possession ratio >80%. Persistence of use was measured by the number of days of medication therapy before a 30-day gap. Mental health-related prescription costs, total prescription costs, total mental health-related costs, and total costs were assessed. Ziprasidone was the comparator. RESULTS Clinically recommended doses of second-generation antipsychotic medications were prescribed for 45% of the patients (N = 1,102). Of these, 58% (N = 642 of 1,102) were adherent with the prescribed medication, with no significant differences between medication groups. Median time to nonpersistence of use averaged 96 days. Patients taking olanzapine were about 35% more likely than patients taking ziprasidone to discontinue taking their medication (hazard ratio = 1.34, 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.76, p = .04). Mental health-related prescription costs and total prescription costs were lower for risperidone than ziprasidone. No statistically significant differences were found between the groups for all mental health-related costs or total costs. CONCLUSIONS Among patients in a sizeable Medicaid cohort for whom a second-generation antipsychotic medication was prescribed, less than half had a clinically recommended dose, and less than two-thirds with a clinically recommended dose were adherent to the medication, confirming that many patients with bipolar disorder do not receive clinically recommended doses of second-generation antipsychotics.
The prevalence of premenstrual dysphoric disorder in a randomly selected group of urban and rural women

Background Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) was included as a provisional diagnostic category in the appendices of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-III-R (then called late luteal phase dysphoric disorder) and remained as an appendix in DSM-IV. Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of PMDD using all four DSM-IV research diagnostic criteria in a representative sample of women of reproductive age in the United States. Method Data were collected in the homes of women between the ages of 13 and 55 years in two urban and two rural sites using a random sampling procedure developed by the National Opinion Research Center. Women completed daily symptom questionnaires and provided urine specimens each day for two consecutive ovulatory menstrual cycles (ovulation was estimated for women taking oral contraceptives) and were screened for psychiatric disorders by trained interviewers. Symptoms were counted toward a diagnosis of PMDD if they worsened significantly during the late luteal week during two consecutive ovulatory menstrual cycles, occurred on days in which women reported marked interference with functioning, and were not due to another mental disorder. Results In the final analysis, 1246 women who had had at least one menstrual cycle and were neither naturally nor surgically menopausal nor pregnant were selected. Of the women in the study, 1.3% met criteria for the diagnosis as defined in DSM-IV. Conclusions The prevalence of PMDD is considerably lower than DSM-IV estimates and all but one of the estimates obtained from previous studies when all DSM-IV diagnostic criteria are considered. We suggest a new process for diagnosing PMDD based on our findings.
Dissociation between the phospholipases C and A2 activities in stimulated platelets and their involvement in the arachidonic acid liberation

Summary. In previous work we have demonstrated that platelets depleted from secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) produced similar amounts of thromboxane (Tx)B2 as control platelets upon stimulation by thrombin. However, since depletion of sPLA2 was not total, this sole finding only suggested the non‐involvement of sPLA2 in arachidonic acid release.
Correlative NAD(P)H‐FLIM and oxygen sensing‐PLIM for metabolic mapping

Cellular responses to oxygen tension have been studied extensively. Oxygen tension can be determined by considering the phosphorescence lifetime of a phosphorescence sensor. The simultaneous usage of FLIM of coenzymes as NAD(P)H and FAD+ and PLIM of oxygen sensors could provide information about correlation of metabolic pathways and oxygen tension. We investigated correlative NAD(P)H‐FLIM and oxygen sensing‐PLIM for simultaneously analyzing cell metabolism and oxygen tension. Cell metabolism and pO2 were observed under different hypoxic conditions in squamous carcinoma cell cultures and in complex ex vivo systems. Increased hypoxia induced an increase of the phosphorescence lifetime of Ru(BPY)3 and in most cases a decrease in the lifetime of NAD(P)H which is in agreement to the expected decrease of the protein‐bound NAD(P)H during hypoxia.
Effectiveness of nickel-titanium springs vs elastomeric chains in orthodontic space closure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this study is to explore the effectiveness of nickel titanium closing springs (NiTi-CS) and elastomeric power chains (EPC) in orthodontic space closure and to assess the adverse periodontal effects, cost efficiency and patient-centred outcomes between both of these methods. METHODS An electronic search of online databases (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, LILACS and Web of Science), reference lists and grey literature as well as hand search were conducted without language restriction up to November/2017. Two authors blindly and in duplicate were involved in study selection, quality assessment and the extraction of data. Only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. 95% confidence intervals and mean difference for continuous data were calculated. A meta-analysis that generated a random-effect model for the comparable outcomes was conducted, and heterogeneity was measured using I2 statistic. RESULTS Of 187 records, 4 RCTs met the criteria and were included in the quantitative synthesis featuring 290 test quadrants. Faster space closure with NiTi-CS was observed with a mean difference of (0.20 mm/month, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.28). Loss of anchorage appears to be similar within both groups when synthesized qualitatively. With exception to anchorage loss, secondary outcomes could not be investigated in the included trials. CONCLUSIONS There is a moderate quality of evidence suggesting a faster orthodontic space closure with the NiTi-CS when compared to EPC. A comparable amount of anchorage loss was observed regardless of the utilized method of space closure. Further high-quality RCTs with parallel-groups, reporting on the adverse effects and patient-centred values, are recommended.
G Protein β3 Gene Variant, Vascular Function, and Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes

A common polymorphism (825 C/T) in exon 10 of the GNB3 gene, that encodes for the β-3 subunit, has been associated with different degrees of activation of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins). Many hormones and neurotransmitters use specific receptors that interact noncovalently with G proteins in the transmembrane signaling process. Among them, insulin uses an inhibitory G protein–sensitive mechanism that is involved in metabolic and vascular events, leading to enhanced glucose transport and vasodilation. We hypothesized differences in peripheral and vascular insulin sensitivity according to GNB3 gene polymorphism in type 2 diabetic patients. To address this issue, we used an intervention-optimization protocol to examine whether diabetic patients with the variant show a different response in terms of insulin-sensitivity. Interindividual differences in baseline insulin sensitivity and vascular dysfunction (vasodilatory response to glyceryl trinitrate) were not attributable to this polymorphism of the GNB3 gene. However, in contrast to normal homozygotes, insulin sensitivity (SI) significantly improved ( P =0.01) in carriers of the 825T variant. Parallel to these findings, stimulated C-peptide tended to decrease, and the response to glyceryl trinitrate significantly improved ( P =0.004) among 825T carriers. Body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, or serum lipid levels did not significantly change in either group. Our findings suggest an effect of GNB3 gene polymorphism on important phenotypic variations in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The GNB3 gene polymorphism might be an example of pharmacogenetics, with the underlying etiological genetic defect altering the response to treatment.