Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of the selective progesterone receptor modulator asoprisnil on the morphology of uterine tissues after 3 months treatment in patients with symptomatic uterine leiomyomata.

BACKGROUND Asoprisnil is a selective progesterone receptor modulator with mixed progesterone agonist/antagonist activity which controls uterine bleeding via an endometrial effect. This study examined full-thickness endometrial, leiomyoma and myometrial morphology in hysterectomy specimens from patients with uterine leiomyomata, after treatment with asoprisnil for 3 months. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 33 subjects with uterine leiomyomata were randomized to receive asoprisnil 10, 25 mg or placebo for an average of 95 days prior to hysterectomy. Samples of endometrium, myometrium and leiomyoma tissue were subjected to systematic morphological assessment with quantification of mitotic activity. RESULTS In patients treated with 10 or 25 mg asoprisnil, a unique pattern called 'non-physiologic secretory effect' was evident in endometrium, recognizable through partially developed secretory glandular appearances and stromal changes. Endometrial thickness was decreased, and there were low levels of mitotic activity in endometrial glands and stroma. Unusual thick-walled muscular arterioles and prominent aggregations of thin-walled vessels were present in endometrial stroma, but not in myometrium or non-endometrial vascular beds. Mitotic activity was decreased in leiomyomata. CONCLUSIONS Asoprisnil induces unique morphological changes and is associated with low levels of glandular and stromal proliferation in endometrium, and in leiomyomata. These changes are likely to contribute to the amenorrhoea experienced after exposure to the medication.
Emerging FDI Trends in Developing Asia

AbstractThe following sections are included:IntroductionThe Increased Role of M&A as a Form of FDIShift in Sectoral Distribution of FDITrends in Services FDIFactors Affecting Services Sector FDI and Policy ImplicationsEmerging Multinationals from Developing CountriesTrends in Outward FDI FlowsCharacteristics of Main InvestorsGeographic DistributionConclusion and Policy ImplicationsReferences
Pain relief and motor function during continuous interscalene analgesia after open shoulder surgery: a prospective, randomized, double‐blind comparison between levobupivacaine 0.25%, and ropivacaine 0.25% or 0.4%

Background and objectives: To compare pain relief and motor impairment of 0.25% levobupivacaine with either an equivalent (0.25%) or equipotent (0.4%) concentration of ropivacaine for continuous interscalene block after open shoulder surgery. Methods: Seventy‐two adult patients scheduled for elective major shoulder surgery received an interscalene injection of mepivacaine 1.5% 30 mL followed by 24 h patient‐controlled interscalene analgesia (basal infusion rate: 5 mL h−1; incremental bolus: 2 mL; lockout period: 10 min; maximum boluses per hour: 4) with either 0.25% levobupivacaine (n = 24), 0.25% ropivacaine (n = 24) or 0.4% ropivacaine (n = 24). A blinded observer recorded the evolution of pain relief and recovery of motor block during the first 24 h. Motor function was assessed as the maximum pressure developed while squeezing a sphygmomanometer cuff with the blocked hand. The reduction from preoperative values was considered as an index of motor impairment. Results: No differences were reported among the three groups in the quality of postoperative analgesia. The number of incremental patient‐controlled interscalene analgesia doses, total volume of local anaesthetic infused during the 24‐h patient‐controlled interscalene analgesia, and number of rescue ketoprofen analgesia were higher in the ropivacaine 0.25% group than in the other two groups (P = 0.0005). The hand strength recovered to ≥90% of baseline values within the first 24 h of infusion in all groups, without differences among the three groups. Conclusion: When providing patient‐controlled interscalene analgesia after open shoulder surgery 0.25% levobupivacaine and 0.4% ropivacaine performed equally in terms of pain relief, motor block and number of patient‐controlled boluses required, while patients receiving 0.25% ropivacaine needed significantly more boluses and rescue analgesia to control their pain.
Cloned transcription factor MTF‐1 activates the mouse metallothionein I promoter.

Metallothioneins (MTs) are small cysteine‐rich proteins whose structure is conserved from fungi to man. MTs strongly bind heavy metals, notably zinc, copper and cadmium. Upon exposure of cells to heavy metal and other adverse treatments, MT gene transcription is strongly enhanced. Metal induction is mediated by several copies of a 15 bp consensus sequence (metal‐responsive element, MRE) present in the promoter region of MT genes. We and others have demonstrated the presence of an MRE‐binding factor in HeLa cell nuclear extracts. We found that this factor, termed MTF‐1 (MRE‐binding transcription factor) is inactivated/reactivated in vitro by zinc withdrawal/addition. Here we report that the amounts of MTF‐1‐DNA complexes are elevated several‐fold in zinc‐treated cells, as measured by bandshift assay. We have also cloned the cDNA of mouse MTF‐1, a 72.5 kDa protein. MTF‐1 contains six zinc fingers and separate transcriptional activation domains with high contents of acidic and proline residues. Ectopic expression of MTF‐1 in primate or rodent cells strongly enhances transcription of a reporter gene that is driven by four consensus MREd sites, or by the complete mouse MT‐I promoter, even at normal zinc levels.
Clinical and Pharmacotherapeutic Relevance of the Double-Chain Domain of the Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blocker Olmesartan

We previously reported that the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor blocker (ARB) olmesartan has two important interactions to evoke inverse agonism (IA). We refer to these interactions as the “double-chain domain (DCD). ” Since the clinical pharmacotherapeutic relevance of olmesartan is still unclear, we examined these effects in rats and humans. We analyzed the effects at an advanced stage of renal insufficiency in Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats (Study 1). Rats were fed a high-salt diet from age 9 weeks and arbitrarily assigned to three treatment regimens at age 16 to 21 weeks: olmesartan (2 mg/kg/day) with DCD, a compound related to olmesartan without DCD (6 mg/kg/day, R-239470) or placebo. We also compared the depressor effects of olmesartan to those of other ARBs in patients with essential hypertension (Study 2). Thirty essential hypertensive outpatients who had been receiving ARBs other than olmesartan were recruited for this study. Our protocol was approved by the hospital ethics committee and informed consent was obtained from all patients 12 weeks prior to switching from ARBs other than olmesartan to olmesartan. In Study 1, olmesartan induced a more prominent suppression of the ratio of urinary protein excretion to creatinine at age 21 weeks without lowering blood pressure among the three groups. In Study 2, the depressor effect of olmesartan was significantly stronger than those of other ARBs, which do not contain the DCD. These additive effects by olmesartan may be due to DCD.
Variation in myoplasmic Ca2+ concentration during contraction and relaxation studied by the indicator fluo‐3 in frog muscle fibres.

1. The fluorescent dye fluo‐3, in its permeant acetoxymethyl form, was used to monitor calcium transients during twitch and tetanus of single fibres isolated from the anterior tibialis muscle of Rana temporaria (2‐5 degrees C). 2. Fluo‐3 was loaded into the muscle fibre by diffusion. Under the experimental conditions used, approximately 45% of maximal fluorescence was reached during a 1 s fused isometric tetanus. Fluo‐3 had no detectable effect on the mechanical response of the fibre. 3. The free calcium concentration in the myoplasm, [Ca2+]i, and its variation with time, was calculated from the fluorescence signal by accounting for the on‐ and off‐rate constants for the binding of calcium to the dye. The time course of the calcium transient during twitch and tetanus determined in this way agreed well with previous measurements based on fast‐reacting calcium‐sensitive dyes. 4. [Ca2+]i declined steeply during the initial phase of force relaxation in both twitch and tetanus, but exhibited a secondary rise that closely coincided with the pseudoexponential fall of tension after the shoulder in the tetanus myogram. The rate of decay of [Ca2+]i during relaxation and the rate of decline of force both became progressively reduced by repetitive stimulation. 5. Stretch and shortening ramps performed during the plateau of an isometric tetanus had no detectable effect upon the calcium transient during the movement. By contrast, shortening and stretch imposed during the linear phase of relaxation both led to an increase of [Ca2+]i and to a steepening of the relaxation phase. 6. The results strongly suggest that the non‐uniform length changes that are known to occur along a muscle fibre during relaxation enhance the release of calcium from the contractile system. The calcium mobilized in this way probably accounts for the transitory increase of [Ca2+]i that is observed during the latter part of force relaxation.
Generation-side power scheduling in a grid-connected DC microgrid

In this paper, a constrained mixed-integer programming model for scheduling the active power supplied by the generation units in storage-based DC microgrids is presented. The optimization problem minimizes operating costs taking into account a two-stage mode operation of the energy storage system so that a more accurate model for optimization of the microgrid operation can be obtained. The model is used in a particular grid-connected DC microgrid that includes two renewable energy sources and an energy storage system which supply a critical load. The results of the scheduling process are including in simulation by establishing a MATLAB/Simulink model of the microgrid and setting several initial conditions of the state of charge of the energy storage system. As a result, we obtain reductions in costs and at the same time guarantee safe levels of state of charge to increase the life-time of the energy storage system.
Paternal and maternal components of the predisposition to preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND There is an inherited maternal predisposition to preeclampsia. Whether there is a paternal component, however, is not known. METHODS We used records of the Utah Population Database to identify 298 men and 237 women born in Utah between 1947 and 1957 whose mothers had had preeclampsia during their pregnancy. For each man and woman in the study group, we identified two matched, unrelated control subjects who were not the products of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. We then identified 947 children of the 298 male study subjects and 830 children of the 237 female study subjects who had been born between 1970 and 1992. These children were matched to offspring of the control subjects (1950 offspring of the male control group and 1658 offspring of the female control group). Factors associated with preeclampsia were identified, and odds ratios were calculated with the use of stepwise logistic-regression analysis. RESULTS In the group whose mothers had had preeclampsia (the male study group), 2.7 percent of the offspring (26 of 947) were born of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, as compared with 1.3 percent of the offspring (26 of 1973) in the male control group. In the female study group, 4.7 percent of the pregnancies (39 of 830) were complicated by preeclampsia, as compared with 1.9 percent (32 of 1658) in the female control group. After adjustment for the offspring's year of birth, maternal parity, and the offspring's gestational age at delivery, the odds ratio for an adult whose mother had had preeclampsia having a child who was the product of a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia was 2.1 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.0 to 4.3; P=0.04) in the male study group and 3.3 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.5 to 7.5; P=0.004) in the female study group. CONCLUSIONS Both men and women who were the product of a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia were significantly more likely than control men and women to have a child who was the product of a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia.
Protease B of the lysosomelike vacuole of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is homologous to the subtilisin family of serine proteases

The PRB1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes the vacuolar endoprotease protease B. We have determined the DNA sequence of the PRB1 gene and the amino acid sequence of the amino terminus of mature protease B. The deduced amino acid sequence of this serine protease shares extensive homology with those of subtilisin, proteinase K, and related proteases. The open reading frame of PRB1 consists of 635 codons and, therefore, encodes a very large protein (molecular weight, greater than 69,000) relative to the observed size of mature protease B (molecular weight, 33,000). Examination of the gene sequence, the determined amino-terminal sequence, and empirical molecular weight determinations suggests that the preproenzyme must be processed at both amino and carboxy termini and that asparagine-linked glycosylation occurs at an unusual tripeptide acceptor sequence.
The role of selected adipokines and ghrelin in the prognosis after myocardial infarction in a 12-month follow-up in the presence of metabolic syndrome

Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of selected adipokines in the improvement in the ejection fraction and in the development of adverse cardiac remodeling during 12 months of follow-up among patients with an ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the presence of metabolic syndrome (MeS). Material and methods The study population consisted of 69 patients (49 male; mean age: 59 ±10 years) with a first STEMI that was treated with a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). In this group, 36 patients (18 male; mean age: 60 ±15 years) had MeS according to the definition of the International Diabetes Federation. The baseline clinical evaluation included a clinical examination and evaluation of the blood levels of C-reactive protein, ghrelin, resistin, and fasting glucose. Within 72 h after the STEMI, an echocardiographic examination was performed. A complete clinical evaluation was repeated after 12 months. Adverse cardiac remodeling was defined as an increase in the left ventricular end-diastolic volume of ≥ 8%. An improvement of the ejection fraction (EF) was defined as an increase of more than 5% in the EF. Results A concentration of ghrelin ≤ 160.46 pg/ml (AUC = 0.71, p = 0.032) had a good predictive value for the occurrence of adverse left ventricular remodeling but only in the patients without MeS. Among the patients with MeS, a concentration of resistin ≤ 5196 pg/ml (AUC = 0.073, p = 0.024) had a good predictive value for the occurrence of left ventricular remodeling. A concentration of leptin > 52.18 pg/ml (AUC = 0.81, p < 0.0001) and resistin > 4419.27 ng/ml (AUC = 0.67, p = 0.049) had a good predictive value for improvement of the LVEF in the patients without MeS. Conclusions The selected adipokines had a good predictive value for the development of adverse cardiac remodeling and for improvement of the ejection fraction among patients after a STEMI in the presence of metabolic syndrome.
Muscle damage induced by stretch-shortening cycle exercise.

PURPOSE Strenuous stretch-shortening cycle exercise was used as a model to study the leakage of proteins from skeletal muscle. METHODS The analysis included serum levels of creatine kinase (S-CK), myoglobin (S-Mb), and carbonic anhydrase (S-CA III). Blood samples from power- (N=11) and endurance-trained (N=10) athletes were collected before, 0, and 2 h after the exercise, which consisted of a total of 400 jumps. RESULTS The levels of all determined myocellular proteins increased immediately after the exercise (P < 0.05-0.001) among both subject groups. In the endurance group, the protein levels increased (P < 0.05-0.001) further during the following 2 h after the exercise, and the ratio of S-CA III and S-Mb decreased (P < 0.05) in a before-after comparison. This was not the case among the power group despite their greater mechanical work (P < 0.001) and higher ratio of eccentric and concentric EMG activity of the leg extensor muscles (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The differences of the determined protein levels between the subject groups might be due to obvious differences in the muscle fiber distribution, differences in recruitment order of motor units, and/or differences in training background.
Smoking cessation strategies: what works, what doesn't.

Health professionals can effectively help patients quit smoking with a minimal, intervention-oriented, office-based treatment program. Clear-cut, unequivocal, unambiguous, stop-smoking advice can produce sustained, 1-year abstinence rates in the 5% range. This capability has been clearly documented for physicians. Dental literature increasingly supports the same conclusion for dentists. These studies show that although the yield from such brief advice may seem small, it is 17 times greater than the yield which results from saying nothing. Moreover, because dentists and physicians see so many patients during the course of 1 year, the potential impact of such intervention is staggering. More than 3.5 million patients could be cured of tobacco dependence annually. While specialized smoking cessation treatment programs can achieve 1 year sustained abstinence rates as high as 70%, they reach relatively few patients and can only achieve such high success rates because of the intensive, time-consuming nature of their interventions. The impact of basic dental advice can be increased during regular follow-up visits, when "teachable moments" in dental health often occur. Impact of advice on the 1-year sustained abstinence rates can be increased by arranging to see the patient at regular follow-up visits after the target quit date has been set, making certain that the medication, nicotine polacrilex, is used correctly. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Factors That Influence Selection of Coding Resumption Sites in Translational Bypassing

This study investigates bypassing initiated from codons immediately 5′ of a stop codon. The mRNA slips and is scanned by the peptidyl-tRNA for a suitable landing site, and standard decoding resumes at the next 3′ codon. This work shows that landing sites with potentially strong base pairing between the peptidyl-tRNA anticodon and mRNA are preferred, but sites with little or no potential for Watson-Crick or wobble base pairing can also be utilized. These results have implications for re-pairing in ribosomal frameshifting. Shine-Dalgarno sequences in the mRNA can alter the distribution of landing sites observed. The bacteriophage T4 gene 60 nascent peptide, known to influence take-off in its native context, imposes stringent P-site pairing requirements, thereby limiting the number of suitable landing sites.
Characterization of char from the pyrolysis of tobacco.

Pyrolysis of tobacco was studied in oxidative and nonoxidative (inert) environments at atmospheric pressure and temperatures ranging from 150 to 750 degrees C. The objective was to study the effect of pyrolysis conditions on the characteristics of the solid residue, i.e., char. The char was characterized using cross-polarization (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (CPMAS NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, and the elemental composition. The char yield from pyrolysis (i.e., nonoxidative) decreased sharply with an increase in temperature to ca. 22% (dry, ash-free basis) at high temperatures. In oxidative pyrolysis, i.e., in 5% oxygen, the char was completely oxidized above 600 degrees C. The gaseous product from pyrolysis at high temperatures contained a significant concentration of hydrogen. The surface area of the char was low, with a maximum of 8 m(2)/g at 400 degrees C. SEM analysis indicated that pyrolysis of the tobacco led to a gradual accumulation of inorganic crystals on the exposed surfaces, and some constituents also melted, resulting in the formation of vesicles by evolving gas. NMR analysis showed significant changes in pectin and sugar constituents of the tobacco and breaking of glycosidic bonds of cellulose at 300-500 degrees C before the char became predominantly aromatic at high temperatures. FTIR results showed a continuous decrease in the intensity of the OH stretch with temperature and the aromatic character to be at maximum at 550-650 degrees C. The H/C ratio of the char decreased continuously with temperature, while the O/C ratio became constant above 300 degrees C due to the presence of oxides and carbonates in the char. The results are consistent with the analysis of the evolved gases.
NGF acts via p75 low‐affinity neurotrophin receptor and calpain inhibition to reduce UV neurotoxicity

The relative roles of the high‐affinity nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor, TrkA, and low‐affinity p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) in neuronal survival are an active research area. We reported previously that UV treatment induces a calpain‐dependent, delayed neuronal death. We show here that NGF inhibits this UV‐induced cortical neuron death. Interestingly, NGF neuroprotection requires p75NTR. Because it has been reported that NGF binding to p75NTR leads to ceramide generation, we evaluated whether ceramide was also neuroprotective. We found that ceramide also inhibits UV toxicity, and that the actions of ceramide and NGF were not additive. Moreover, cycloheximide inhibited ceramide and NGF neuroprotection, suggesting that their actions require new protein synthesis. Consistent with this possibility, we found that NGF activates the expression of genes such as calbindin. Lastly, we explored the role of calpain in NGF actions. NGF and ceramide both reduced the level of calpain activation after UV treatment. This NGF effect was p75NTR dependent. Overall, we interpret these results as consistent with an NGF neuroprotective pathway wherein p75NTR activation leads sequentially to ceramide generation, new protein synthesis, and inhibition of calpain activation. Overall, these results provide insight into a p75NTR dependent pathway of NGF neuroprotection. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
THE BRITISH ASSET-OR-NOTHING PUT OPTION

Following the economic rationale of Peskir & Samee [The British put option, Applied Mathematical Finance 18 (6), 537–563 (2011); The British call option, Quantitative Finance 13 (1), 95–109 (2013)], we present a new class of asset-or-nothing put option where the holder enjoys the early exercise feature of American asset-or-nothing put option whereupon his payoff is the ‘best prediction’ of the European asset-or-nothing put option payoff under the hypothesis that the true drift equals a contract drift. Based on the observed price movements, the option holder finds that if the true drift of the stock price is unfavorable, then he can substitute it with the contract drift and minimize his losses. The key to the British asset-or-nothing put option is the protection feature as not only can the option holder exercise at or above the strike price to a substantial reimbursement of the original option price (covering the ability to sell in a liquid option market completely endogenously) but also when the stock price movements are favorable he will generally receive high returns. We derive a closed form expression for the arbitrage-free price in terms of the rational exercise boundary and show that the rational exercise boundary itself can be characterized as the unique solution to a nonlinear integral equation. We also analyze the financial meaning of the British asset-or-nothing put option using the results above and show that with the contract drift properly selected, the British asset-or-nothing put option becomes a very attractive alternative to the classic European/American asset-or-nothing put option.