Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
17-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5 gene polymorphism (-71A/G HSD17B5 SNP) and treatment with oral contraceptive pills in PCOS women without metabolic comorbidities

We studied (1) the effects of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) on hirsutism, hormonal and metabolic variables in 49 polycystic ovary syndrome patients without metabolic comorbidities and (2) the effect of 17-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5 gene polymorphism (-71A/G HSD17B5 SNP) on the response to OCP treatment. Mean age was 21.9 ± 6.5 years. Patients received monophasic OCP (20 μg ethinyl estradiol plus 75 μg gestodene), 21/28 days per cycle, during 6 months; 32 patients with severe hirsutism also received spironolactone 100 mg. The frequencies of HSD17B5 genotypes were: AA = 0.49 (55.1%), AG = 0.42 (30.6%) and GG = 0.09 (14.3%). After 6 months, body mass index and waist circumference remained unchanged regardless of the presence of allele G. A slight reduction (p < 0.05) was noted in systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05) and luteinizing hormone levels, whereas a slight increase (p < 0.05) was noted in lipids. Total testosterone and hirsutism score declined, while sex hormone binding globulin increased after OCP treatment (p < 0.05). None of these changes were associated with genotype. Insulin and homeostasis model assessment remained unchanged after treatment and did not vary according to the presence of allele G. OCP seems to ameliorate androgenic symptoms without compromising metabolic parameters. The -71A/G SNP of HSD17B5 gene did not contribute to the improvements observed.
SET protein (TAF1β, I2PP2A) is involved in neuronal apoptosis induced by an amyloid precursor protein cytoplasmic subdomain

When overexpressed, a short cytoplasmic domain of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), normally unmasked in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients, activates caspase‐3 and induces neuronal death. Death induction by this “Jcasp” domain is lost when tyrosine 653 is changed into an aspartate, suggesting specific interactions with unknown partners. To identify these putative partners and start to elucidate the mechanisms involved in Jcasp‐induced cell death, we internalized a biotinylated version of the peptide into primary neurons and analyzed intracellular interacting proteins by pull‐down and mass spectrometry. We find that SET protein, also called template‐activating factor (TAF1β) or phosphatase 2A inhibitor 2 (I2PP2A), specifically binds Jcasp early after internalization and that SET and Jcasp interact directly in vitro. Down‐regulation of SET reduces Jcasp‐induced cell death, confirming a role of this protein in Jcasp‐induced apoptosis. Conversely, SET gain of function increases cell death, which suggests that SET level is crucial for neuronal survival/death. Taken together, these results suggest that SET is part of a neuronal apoptotic pathway related to Alzheimer's disease and provides a new entry in the analysis of this pathology.
Role of airway receptors in altitude-induced dyspnea.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the role of airway receptors in respiratory-related sensations after ascent to altitude. METHODS Ratings of respiratory-related sensations, perceived exertion and acute mountain sickness, heart rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation were recorded at rest and exercise in male and female subjects who had inhaled either aerosolized saline or saline with tetracaine after acute ascent to an altitude of 3500 m and after prolonged acclimatization of 18 d at altitudes between 4000 and 5000 m. RESULTS Tetracaine had no effect on respiratory-related sensations at altitude either at rest or during exercise, and male and female subjects experienced similar respiratory-related sensations. Sensations of rapid breathing were experienced at rest after acute exposure to 3500 m as compared with sea level, but not after acclimatization to 5000 m. Sensations of rapid breathing, air hunger, and heavy breathing were experienced during exercise after acute and prolonged altitude exposure as compared with sea level, with a sensation of chest tightness experienced at 3500 m and a sensation of gasping experienced at 5000 m. CONCLUSION These results suggest that airway afferents play no role in the respiratory-related sensations experienced by male and female subjects either during acute ascent to altitude or after prolonged acclimatization at altitude.
Gender differences in factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIVE: To identify gender differences in social and behavioral factors associated with antiretroviral adherence.DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.SETTING: Methadone maintenance program.PARTICIPANTS: One hundred thirteen HIV-seropositive current or former opioid users.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Participants were surveyed at baseline about social and behavioral characteristics and at monthly research visits about drug and alcohol use and medication side effects. Electronic monitors (MEMS) were used to measure antiretroviral adherence. Median adherence among women was 27% lower than among men (46% vs. 73%; P<.05). In gender-stratified multivariate models, factors associated with worse adherence in men included not belonging to an HIV support group (P<.0001), crack/cocaine use (P<.005), and medication side effects (P=.01). Among women, alcohol use (P=.005), heroin use (P<.05), and significant medication side effects (P<.005) were independently associated with worse adherence. In a model including both men and women, worse adherence was associated with lack of long-term housing (P<.005), not belonging to any HIV support groups (P<.0005), crack or cocaine use (P<.01), and medication side effects (P<.0005). In addition, worse adherence was associated with the interaction between female gender and alcohol use (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of current and former opioid users, gender-stratified analysis demonstrated that different social and behavioral factors are associated with adherence in men and women. Among both men and women, worse adherence was associated with lack of long-term housing, not belonging to an HIV support group, crack/cocaine use, and medication side effects. Among women only, alcohol use was associated with worse adherence.
Design and achievement of the visible light Audio communication system

We propose a design of visible light communication which is based on the white LED power source. The design possesses effective software flowchart and the optimized circuit of the hardware modules which include power supply, signal amplification, LED driver, Audio signal transmission, Audio signal reception, filter and amplifier and Audio output. The testing of the design shows our system can realize the short-distance transmission of MP3 audio signal. Due to the advantages of stable performance, little distortion, low cast, simplicity and feasibility, our design owns a strong practical significance in the promotion of visible light communication technology.
Evaluation of sepramesh biosurgical composite in a rabbit hernia repair model.

BACKGROUND In cases such as incisional hernia repair, polypropylene mesh (PPM) can be exposed to the underlying viscera and cause adhesions to the mesh. In this study, a composite prosthesis that was designed to be less susceptible to adhesion formation than PPM was evaluated in a rabbit incisional hernia repair model. MATERIALS AND METHODS A 5 x 7-cm full-thickness defect was created in the abdominal wall of 30 female New Zealand White rabbits. Ten animals each were repaired with PPM, Bard Composix (PP/ePTFE), or Sepramesh biosurgical composite-a polypropylene mesh coated on one side with chemically modified sodium hyaluronate and carboxymethylcellulose (HA/CMC). The animals were sacrificed after 28 days and the overall performance, including adhesion formation and tissue integration by histology and mechanical testing, was evaluated. RESULTS In the Sepramesh group, there was a significant reduction in the percentage of surface area covered by adhesions and a significant increase in the percentage of animals with no adhesions compared to standard materials. The tissue integration strength and overall cellular response were similar in all groups. A partially remesothelialized peritoneal surface was often apparent overlying the Sepramesh implant. CONCLUSIONS Sepramesh biosurgical composite effectively repaired abdominal wall defects in rabbits and reduced adhesion development to the mesh compared to the use of a PPM and a PP/ePTFE composite.
Analysis of Spontaneous Raman and Rayleigh Scatterings in Distributed Fiber Raman Amplification Systems Based on a Random Distribution Model

The properties of light wave propagation with stochastic scattering in a fiber are particularly attractive because of their influence in various applications. Although stochastic scattering in fibers is of great significance, until now, no accurate theoretical model has described the randomness of the distributions and variations in scattering since the scattering sources are regarded as centralized or homogeneously distributed. In this paper, we proposed a model to analyze the random variation in scattering with time and location. Then, we employed the model to simulate stochastic scattering in distributed fiber Raman amplification (FRA) systems, including Rayleigh backscattering and spontaneous Raman scattering, which are crucial limitations of the distributed FRA systems. The simulations agreed well with our experimental measurements, proving that our model efficiently described stochastic scattering spectra and distributions in FRAs. Our theory accurately analyzed the distribution and evolution of scattering along the fiber and is a promising tool for optimizing the performance of distributed fiber systems, especially systems with distributed amplification such as fiber communication systems, random feedback fiber lasers, and fiber sensors.
META-ANALYSIS OF ENDOPHTHALMITIS AFTER INTRAVITREAL INJECTION OF ANTI–VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR AGENTS: Causative Organisms and Possible Prevention Strategies

Purpose: To report the rates of endophthalmitis and the spectrum of causative organisms after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents and possible prevention strategies. Methods: Meta-analysis of the U.S. literature from 2005 to 2009 reporting endophthalmitis bacterial isolates after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents and comparison with reports of endophthalmitis bacterial isolates after intraocular surgery in the United States. Results: Endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection occurred in 52 of 105,536 injections (0.049%) (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.038-0.065%). Among 50 cases of endophthalmitis with bacterial culture isolates, 24 (48.0% [95% CI, 34.8-61.5%]) were culture negative and 26 (52% [95% CI, 38.5-65.2%]) were culture positive. Among the 26 culture-positive isolates, causative organisms were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in 17 cases (65.4% [95% CI, 46.0-80.6%]), Streptococcus species in 8 cases (30.8% [95% CI, 16.5-50.2%]), and Bacillus cereus in 1 case (3.8% [95% CI, 0.9-19.0%]). Streptococcus species were significantly more frequent after intravitreal injection than after intraocular surgery in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study (29 of 226 isolates, 9.0% [95% CI, 6.3-12.6%], P = 0.005), a report on clear corneal cataract surgery endophthalmitis (6 of 73 isolates, 8.2% [95% CI, 3.9-16.8%], P = 0.022), and a report on postvitrectomy endophthalmitis with no cases of Streptococcus species. Conclusion: Streptococcal isolates are approximately three times more frequent after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection than after intraocular surgery. Strategies to consider minimizing oropharyngeal droplet transmission may include avoiding talking, coughing, and sneezing or wearing surgical masks.
Electrophysiological effects of putative autoreceptor-selective dopamine agonists on A10 dopamine neurons.

The dopamine (DA) hypothesis of schizophrenia proposes hyperactivity of the mesocorticolimbic DA system, originating within the A10 DA cells of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), as a pathophysiological mechanism. Thus, reduction of activity in this system, including that produced by putative "autoreceptor-selective" DA agonists, may be of clinical utility. The present studies compared the ability of eight D2 DA receptor agonists to inhibit the firing of rat A10 DA neurons after i.v. administration. Both N-n-propyl-N-phenylethyl-p(3-hydorxyphenyl)ethylamine hydrochloride (RU 24213) and 2-amino-6-allyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-thiazolo-[4,5-d]- azepine dihydrochloride (B-HT 920) were potent, high-efficacy agonists which completely inhibited the firing of A10 DA cells. The putative autoreceptor-selective DA agonists 3-(4-(4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridyl-(1)-butyl)-indole hydrochloride (EMD 23,448) and (+)-3-(3-hydroxy-phenyl)-N-n-propylpiperidine [(+)-3-PPP] were considerably weaker than RU 24213 and B-HT 920, but also exhibited "full" efficacy (i.e., they completely suppressed cell firing). The putative autoreceptor agonist preclamol [(-)-3-PPP] and its trans-fused congener (-)-HW 165 were weak partial agonists that failed to completely inhibit A10 DA cells. The new putative autoreceptor agonist N-[(8-alpha)-2-chloro-6-methylergoline-8-yl]-2,3]dimethylopropa namide (SDZ 208-911) was also a weak partial agonist that exhibited partial antagonist effects (reversed inhibition produced by the D2 agonist quinpirole), whereas its structural analog N-[(8-alpha)-2-chloro-6-methylergoline-8-yl]-2,2-dimethylopropa namide (SDZ 208-912) was nearly inactive as an agonist, but was an effective antagonist. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Lifestyle Practices and Nocturnal Sleep in Midlife Women with and without Insomnia

Relationships between common lifestyle practices important to sleep hygiene (e.g., smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, ingesting caffeine, exercising, bedtimes, getting-up times) and nocturnal sleep have not been documented for women with insomnia in their home environments. This community-based sample of 121 women, ages 40 to 55 years, included 92 women who had experienced insomnia for at least 3 months and 29womenwith good-quality sleep. Women recorded lifestyle practices and sleep perceptions (time to fall asleep, awakenings during sleep, feeling rested after sleeping, and overall sleep quality) in diaries while undergoing 6 nights of somnographic sleep monitoring at home. Compared to women with good-quality sleep, women with insomnia reported greater nightto-night variation in perceived sleep variables, poorer overall sleep quality (M = 2.8,SD = 0.7 vs.M = 1.9,SD = 0.5,P < 0.05), and longer times to fall asleep (M = 25 min,SD = 14.2 vs.M= 12.9 min,SD = 5.8,P < 0.05). Correlations between mean individual lifestyle practice scores and mean perceived or somnographic sleep variables were low, ranging from 0 to 0.20. An aggregated sleep hygiene practice score was not associated with either perceived or somnographic sleep variables. Regression analysis using dummy variables showed that combinations of alcohol, caffeine, exercise, smoking, and history of physical disease explained 9% to 19% of variance in perceived or somnographic sleep variables. Lifestyle practices, and combinations thereof, do warrant consideration when assessing or treating insomnia, but these data fail to support a dominant relationship between lifestyle practices and either perceived or somnographic sleep variables.
Immunoreactivity for Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 in Stage I Non–Small Cell Carcinomas of the Lung

Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is a nuclear protein regulating the transcriptional activity of lung-specific genes in the normal and neoplastic bronchioloalveolar cells. It has been implicated in the normal growth and development of the lung, and the disruption of the TTF-1 locus leads to neonatal death with pulmonary hypoplasia. We evaluated retrospectively the prevalence and clinical significance of TTF-1 immunoreactivity in 222 patients with stage I non–small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with a follow-up time of at least 5 years, and we investigated its relationship with other markers of tumor growth, namely cell proliferation and angiogenesis. TTF-1 immunoreactivity was documented by using the commercially available monoclonal antibody 8G7G3/1 in 72% of 97 adenocarcinomas, 5% of 119 squamous cell carcinomas, and in the glandular component of two adenosquamous carcinomas. Four large cell carcinomas were completely unreactive. In adenocarcinomas, but not squamous cell carcinomas, TTF-1 immunoreactivity correlated significantly with microvessel density (p = 0.04) and inversely with the tumor proliferation fraction assessed by Ki-67 immunostaining (p = 0.03). Also, TTF-1-immunoreactive adenocarcinomas showed a trend for a size less than 3 cm (p = 0.08). TTF-1 expression was not related to specific growth patterns, tumor grade, or tumor cell typing. TTF-1 immunoreactivity did not significantly affect patient survival, although patients with more than 75% immunoreactive neoplastic cells showed a trend for longer overall and disease-free survival. Our findings suggest that TTF-1 could be involved in the development of small pulmonary adenocarcinomas, but it has not prognostic implications in patients with stage I NSCLC.
Similar effects of substance P on learning and memory function between hippocampus and striatal marginal division

Substance P is an endogenous neurokinin that is present in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The neuropeptide substance P and its high-affinity receptor neurokinin 1 receptor are known to play an important role in the central nervous system in inflammation, blood pressure, motor behavior and anxiety. The effects of substance P in the hippocampus and the marginal division of the striatum on memory remain poorly understood. Compared with the hippocampus as a control, immunofluorescence showed high expression of the substance P receptor, neurokinin 1, in the marginal division of the striatum of normal rats. Unilateral or bilateral injection of an antisense oligonucleotide against neurokinin 1 receptor mRNA in the rat hippocampus or marginal division of the striatum effectively reduced neurokinin 1 receptor expression. Independent of injection site, rats that received this antisense oligonucleotide showed obviously increased footshock times in a Y-maze test. These results indicate that the marginal division of the striatum plays a similar function in learning and memory to the hippocampus, which is a valuable addition to our mechanistic understanding of the learning and memory functions of the marginal division of the striatum.
Signaling from the Endoplasmic Reticulum Activates Brassinosteroid Signaling and Promotes Acclimation to Stress in Arabidopsis

BR signaling may integrate stress responses and growth processes to optimize growth under challenging environmental conditions. Integrating Stress and Growth Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant hormones that control various aspects of plant growth and development. BR signaling has also been implicated in plants’ ability to tolerate environmental stresses. Regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) that occurs in the Golgi liberates membrane-bound transcription factors in response to various forms of cellular stress, such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, heat, and salt stress. Che et al. identified two transcription factors, bZIP17 and bZIP28, that were cleaved through endomembrane RIP and activated by heat and ER stress to mediate tolerance to stress. This RIP pathway enhanced BR signaling, suggesting a mechanism by which plants may optimize growth during challenging environmental conditions. The ability to acclimate to stresses enables plants to grow and develop under adverse environmental conditions. Regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) triggered by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress mediates some forms of stress signaling. Brassinosteroids (BRs) have been implicated in plant adaptation to stress, but no mechanisms for activation have been discovered. Here, we reveal a connection between ER stress signaling and BR-mediated growth and stress acclimation. Arabidopsis transcription factors bZIP17 and bZIP28 were translocated from the ER through the Golgi, where they were proteolytically cleaved by site 2 protease and released to translocate into the nucleus. Stresses, including heat and inhibition of protein glycosylation, increased translocation of these two bZIPs to the nucleus. These nuclear-localized bZIPs not only activated ER chaperone genes but also activated BR signaling, which was required for stress acclimation and growth. Thus, these bZIPs link ER stress and BR signaling, which may be a mechanism by which plant growth and stress responses can be integrated.
Genetics, Pathology, and Clinics of Familial Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is relatively common worldwide, mainly in its sporadic form, but familial aggregation of the disease may be seen in approximately 10% of the cases. This suggests a genetic cause for the cancer in those families that has not been identified in most cases. Despite all efforts to determine its genetic basis, a single syndrome has been characterized-the hereditary diffuse gastric cancer (HDGC)-which is specifically associated with CDH1 (E-cadherin) germline mutations in one third of the families. The other two thirds and all the gastric cancer families not fulfilling the HDGC criteria remain without molecular diagnosis. In this article we review the state of the art of familial gastric cancer regarding the molecular aspects, the clinical criteria, the pathology features, and the management recommendations described so far to be associated with this cancer disease.
Magrid Surface: An Interactive Display That Varies the Information by an Attached Magnetic Object

This paper presents a vertical interactive surface that can put out both analog and digital information and that can be used as a digital signage and community board in public spaces. Our proposed system uses a magnetic object to not only attach the analog information but also control the digital information. In this system, by attaching the object to the system surface directly, digital information appears. In addition, the system can selectively display the digital information by changing the level of importance. Our system uses multiple wavelengths of infrared light to achieve this function.