Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Ligustrazine and Salvia miltiorrhiza injection solution in complementary therapy of pregnancy-induced hypertension: clinical analysis of 60 cases].

OBJECTIVE To compare the clinical effects of ligustrazine and Salvia miltiorrhiza injection solutions in the complementary therapy of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). METHODS Sixty patients with PIH were equally divided into 2 groups to receive intravenous infusion of 80 mg ligustrazine and 16 ml Salvia miltiorrhiza injection solution respectively, in addition to the conventional therapies. The effects of the two complementary treatments were compared. RESULTS After a treatment course of 10 days, ligustrazine produced obvious effect in inhibiting fibrinolysis and promoting microcirculation of the patients. Salvia miltiorrhiza injection resulted in obvious reduction of blood viscosity, cholesterol and lipoprotein. CONCLUSION Ligustrazine and Salvia miltiorrhiza injections produce obvious therapeutic effects on PIH, but they are used for different clinical purposes as their in pharmacological action difference.
Plasma Diagnostic Study of Alumina $(\hbox{Al}_{2} \hbox{O}_{3})$ Generated by the Fundamental and Second Harmonics of a Nd:YAG Laser

In this paper, we present the spectroscopic studies of the plasma generated at the surface of alumina (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) by the fundamental (1064 nm) and second harmonic (532 nm) of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The spectrum reveals numerous transitions of neutral aluminum along with molecular bands of the <i>B</i><sup>2</sup>Σ- <i>X</i><sup>2</sup>Σ system of AlO. We have studied the spatial behavior of the plasma temperature <i>Te</i> and electron number density <i>Ne</i> determined using the Boltzmann plot method and Stark broadening of line, respectively. Moreover, we have studied the variation of the plasma parameters as a function of the laser energy.
Automatic Priming Effects for New Associations in Lexical Decision and Perceptual Identification

Information storage in semantic memory was investigated by looking at automatic priming effects for new associations in two experiments. In the study phase, word pairs were presented in a paired-associate learning task. Lexical decision and perceptual identification were used to examine priming effects during and after the study phase. There was automatic priming for new associations. The priming effect was greatly reduced when different semantic tasks were used at study and test compared to when identical tasks were used at study and test. The results show that new associations in semantic memory can be accessed automatically but are still context dependent. This suggests that rather than being abstract and static, retrieval from semantic memory interacts dynamically with the context.
Effect of Soybean Coumestrol on Bradyrhizobium japonicum Nodulation Ability, Biofilm Formation, and Transcriptional Profile

ABSTRACT Flavonoids, secondary plant metabolites which mainly have a polyphenolic structure, play an important role in plant-microbe communications for nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. Among 10 polyphenolic compounds isolated from soybean roots in our previous study, coumestrol showed the highest antioxidant activity. In this study, its effect on the soybean nodulation was tested. The soybean symbiont Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110 pretreated with 20 μM coumestrol enhanced soybean nodulation by increasing the number of nodules 1.7-fold compared to the control. We also tested the effect of coumestrol on B. japonicum biofilm formation. At a concentration of 2 μM, coumestrol caused a higher degree of biofilm formation than two major soybean isoflavonoids, genistein and daidzein, although no biofilm formation was observed at a concentration of 20 μM each compound. A genome-wide transcriptional analysis was performed to obtain a comprehensive snapshot of the B. japonicum response to coumestrol. When the bacterium was incubated in 20 μM coumestrol for 24 h, a total of 371 genes (139 upregulated and 232 downregulated) were differentially expressed at a 2-fold cutoff with a q value of less than 5%. No common nod gene induction was found in the microarray data. However, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) data showed that incubation for 12 h resulted in a moderate induction (ca. 2-fold) of nodD1 and nodABC, indicating that soybean coumestrol is a weak inducer of common nod genes. In addition, disruption of nfeD (bll4952) affected the soybean nodulation by an approximate 30% reduction in the average number of nodules.
Intention‐to‐treat analysis of surgical treatment for early hepatocellular carcinoma: Resection versus transplantation

Liver transplantation is proposed as the best therapy for early hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients. However, the confrontation with the results obtained by surgical resection has never been done on an intention‐to‐treat basis. Between 1989 and 1997, 164 out of 1,265 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were evaluated for surgery. Seventy‐seven (48 men, mean 61 years of age, 74 Child‐Pugh class A, size 33 ± 18 mm) were resected (first line option) and 87 (65 men, mean 55 years of age, 50 Child‐Pugh class B/C, size 24 ± 14 mm) were selected for transplantation. The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year “intention‐to‐treat” survival was 85%, 62%, and 51% for resection and 84%, 69%, and 69% for transplantation (8 drop‐outs on waiting list). Bilirubin and clinically relevant portal hypertension were independent survival predictors after resection. Thereby, the 5‐year survival of the best candidates (absence of clinically relevant portal hypertension, n = 35) was 74%, whereas it was 25% for the worst candidates (portal hypertension and bilirubin ≥1 mg/dL, n = 27) (P < .00001). The variable “drop‐out on waiting list” was the sole survival predictor after transplantation. The 2‐year survival rate of patients evaluated for transplantation was 84% in the 1989 to 1995 period (mean waiting time, 62 days; no drop‐outs) and 54% during 1996 to 1997 (mean waiting time, 162 days; 8 drop‐outs)(P < .003). This outcome was significantly lower than that of the best candidates for resection (P = .002). In conclusion, a proper selection of candidates for resection promotes better results than transplantation, in which the results are significantly hampered by the growing incidence of drop‐outs because of the increasing waiting time.
Clarithromycin‐amoxycillin therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection

Background: More convenient therapies are needed to treat Helicobacter pylori infection successfully. Clarithromycin and amoxycillin are effective against H. pylori both in vivo and in vitro. Recent success with a high dose amoxycillin‐metronidazole combination therapy led us to evaluate clarithromycin‐amoxycillin dual therapy for H. pylori infection.
The role of adenosine receptors in the central action of caffeine.

The behavioral effects of caffeine appear likely to be due in large measure to antagonism of the action of endogenous adenosine at A1- and A2a-receptors in the central nervous system. Other biochemical mechanisms of action of caffeine, such as release of intracellular calcium, inhibition of phosphodiesterases and blockade of regulatory sites of GABAA-reccptors, would require much higher concentrations than the micromolar concentrations of caffeine associated with behavioral stimulation. However, micromolar concentrations of caffeine also would be expected to cause only a modest blockade of adenosine receptors. Selective adenosine agonists and xanthine antagonists have provided some insights into central roles for adenosine receptor subtypes. Thus, behavioral stimulation by xanthines appears to require blockade of both A1- and A2a-receptors. Chronic blockade of adenosine receptors by caffeine would be expected to result in alterations in the central receptors and pathways that are regulated by adenosine through A1- and A2a-receptors. Indeed, chronic caffeine docs alter the density not only of adenosine receptors, but also of adrenergic, cholinergic, GABAergic and serotonergic receptors. Behavioral responses to agents acting through dopaminergic and cholinergic pathways arc altered. As yet, a coherent explanation of the acute and chronic effects of caffeine in terms of blockade of adenosine receptors has not emerged. Interactions between pathways subserved by A1 - and A2a-adcnosine receptors complicate attempts to interpret caffeine pharmacology, as does the complex control by adenosine receptors of dopamincrgic, cholinergic and other central pathways.
Bis(5-amino-4-aminocarbonyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium) (5-amino-4-aminocarbonyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium-κO)-di-μ-chlorido-heptachlorido-dibismuth(III) monohydrate

The title compound, (C4H7N4O)2[Bi2Cl9(C4H7N4O)]·H2O, was prepared by the reaction of bismuth trichloride and 5-amino-1H-imidazole-4-carboxamide in a dilute HCl medium. The asymmetric unit contains two 5-amino-4-aminocarbonyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium cations, one edge-shared non-centrosymmetric bioctahedral [Bi2C19(C4H7N4O)]2− dianion and a water molecule. In the dianion, the planar 5-amino-4-aminocarbonyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium ligand occupies an equatorial site and is inclined at an angle of 75.7 (2)° to the Bi2(μ-C1)2 plane. The salt forms a three-dimensional network arising from hydrogen bonds between cations, anions and water molecules.
Reflex stimulation of aortic chemoreceptors through the stellate ganglion during hypoxia and hypotension in cats.

1. In cats anaesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone (35 mg kg‐1), an investigation was made of the mechanisms underlying the enhancement of aortic chemoreceptor activity through the excitatory effect mediated by the sympathetic outflow to them during hypoxia and hypotension. 2. Removal of the right stellate ganglion significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the responses of the chemoreceptors to hypoxia and hypotension. Injection of a bolus of sodium pentobarbitone reduced the responses before, but not after, stellectomy. This indicated that the excitatory sympathetic influence on the chemoreceptors (attributed to glomeral vasoconstriction leading to reduction in blood flow) is exerted entirely through the right stellate ganglion. This excitatory effect was abolished after cutting the vagi and both carotid sinus nerves. 3. It is concluded that, in addition to the direct excitatory effect of hypoxia on aortic chemoreceptors, a reflex chemoreceptor excitatory component is mediated through the vagi, carotid sinus nerves and right stellate ganglion.
Interbilayer transfer of phospholipid-anchored macromolecules via monomer diffusion.

A series of conjugates has been prepared by linking various hydrophilic macromolecules [poly-(ethylene glycols), polylysine, aminodextrans, or apotransferrin] to synthetic phosphatidylethanolamines via linker moieties incorporating a fluorescent bimane group. Using a fluorescence energy transfer-based assay, the rate of transfer of these species between phospholipid vesicles has been monitored as a function of the nature and size of the coupled macromolecule and of the acyl chain composition of the lipid anchor. Conjugates in which the phospholipid anchor is linked to a small hydrophilic terminal residue (e.g., ethanolamine or ethylenediamine) transfer between large unilamellar vesicles of egg phosphatidylcholine with half-times ranging from tens of minutes (for dimyristoyl lipid conjugates) to a few tens of hours (for dipalmitoyl and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl lipid conjugates), in agreement with previous results for unlabeled phospholipids. Conjugation of these same lipid anchors to larger hydrophilic molecules markedly accelerates their rates of intermembrane transfer, by factors ranging from 5-7-fold (for conjugates with apotransferrin and aminodextrans of molecular weight 10,000-70,000) to over 25-fold [for conjugates with poly(ethylene glycol)-5000]. In all cases the observed transfer appears to reflect the diffusion of lipid monomers through the aqueous phase. Our results suggest that substantial intermembrane transfer can occur, on a time scale of several hours or less, for hydrophilic macromolecules conjugated to diacyl(/alkyl) lipids with 14- to 18-carbon chains unless portions of the conjugate other than the lipid anchor also interact strongly with the membrane.
Genetic variation in PTX3 and plasma levels associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with HCV

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the main cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. The risk to develop HCC increases with the severity of liver inflammation and fibrosis. Long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a soluble pattern‐recognition receptor produced by phagocytes and nonimmune cells at sites of inflammation or injury. The aim of the present study was to determine the association of PTX3 polymorphisms and its plasma levels with HCC occurrence among patients with HCV. Samples from 524 patients with chronic hepatitis C were evaluated in this study. Two polymorphisms (rs1840680 and rs2305619) in the PTX3 gene were determined by real‐time PCR. PTX3 plasma levels were measured by Enzyme‐linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Our data show a significant association between PTX3 polymorphisms and HCC occurrence in univariate and multivariate analysis (P = 0.024). Patients with HCC had higher PTX3 plasma levels compared to individuals with mild or severe fibrosis (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.002, respectively). In addition, PTX3 rs2305619 polymorphism and plasma levels were correlated with Child‐Pugh scores B and C in HCC individuals. PTX3 seems to be a risk factor for HCC occurrence in chronic hepatitis C. This is the first study that evaluates PTX3 in the context of hepatitis C.
Community Navigation for Stroke Survivors and Their Care Partners: Description and Evaluation

Abstract Purpose: To describe and evaluate a Community Stroke Navigation program. Method: A pretest–post test evaluation design was used. Community-dwelling stroke survivors were offered the services of a Community Stroke Navigator to assist them and their care partners with ongoing needs. Services included case coordination, emotional support, “just in time” education, coaching, advocacy, and accompaniment. The community reintegration and physical and emotional well-being of the stroke survivors and their care partners were measured just prior to and 4 months following service provision. The Community Stroke Navigator’s notes and qualitative interviews were analyzed to categorize the interventions. Results: Forty-one stroke survivors and 32 care partners received navigation services. The stroke survivors had experienced their stroke 1 month to 30 years previously (mean 4.7 years, SD 6.4 years). Thirty-five stroke survivors and 26 care partners took part in both the pretest and posttest. Posttest results demonstrated a small improvement in community reintegration among the stroke survivors but no significant change in community reintegration on the part of the caregivers and no alteration in physical and emotional health among either stroke survivors or care partners. Conclusion: Community Stroke Navigation has the potential to make an impact on community reintegration.
Cigarette Smoking and Gemcitabine-Induced Neutropenia in Advanced Solid Tumors

Background: Chemotherapy-associated neutropenia has been reported to be a pharmacodynamic marker of response in some advanced solid tumors. Factors that accelerate drug clearance lead to lower plasma concentrations and toxicity, including neutropenia. Smoking accelerates the metabolism of several drugs, including chemotherapy. We sought to study the effects of smoking on gemcitabine-induced neutropenia in this retrospective study. Methods: Smoking status and neutropenia along with other clinical parameters were recorded in 151 patients receiving first-line gemcitabine-based chemotherapy for advanced solid tumors. Results: Tumor types included breast (9.3%), lung (4.6%), pancreatobiliary (70.9%), or other/unknown primary cancer (15.2%). Logistic regression showed that never smokers had increased neutropenia versus current smokers (odds ratio: 3.5; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.1-11.4). A 5-unit increase in pack-years reduced the odds of having higher neutropenia toxicity by 6.3% (95% CI 12 to 1%; p = 0.036). Conclusion: Smokers had less neutropenia than nonsmokers, a finding that was more pronounced with increasing pack-years. This pharmacodynamic marker of gemcitabine-induced neutropenia may result in less efficacy of gemcitabine. Future prospective trials should correlate smoking, metabolizing phenotype, neutropenia, and response to gemcitabine therapy.
Cell‐type specific induction of tryptophan hydroxylase‐2 transcription by calcium mobilization

Alterations in brain serotonin levels are implicated in major depression and are regulated by tryptophan hydroxylase‐2 (TPH2). To study its regulation, we measured TPH2 RNA by quantitative RT‐PCR in differentiated serotonergic rat raphe RN46A and GH4C1 pituitary cells, which express TPH2. Upon calcium mobilization using KCl (40 mmol/L), TPH2 RNA was rapidly (1 h) and strongly (> 10‐fold) induced in differentiated RN46A cells, but not in GH4C1 cells. This effect was blocked by actinomycin D, implicating transcriptional activation. Similarly, calcium ionophore ionomycin induced TPH2 RNA by threefold in RN46A cells. To address the promoter sites involved, the transcription start site was identified and a series of TATA‐containing TPH2 promoter‐luciferase constructs were analyzed. In differentiated RN46A cells, the TPH2 promoter was induced 2.5‐fold by ionomycin, similar to its action on TPH2 RNA. By contrast, ionomycin had no effect on TPH2 promoter activity in GH4C1 cells or TPH2‐negative L6 myoblasts. Ionomycin sensitivity was localized to within 88 bp of the start site, containing putative CCATT‐enhancer binding protein element, activator protein‐1 and ‐2 (AP‐1, AP‐2) elements. These results are the first to identify calcium‐mediated regulation of the proximal TPH2 promoter as critical for cell‐specific TPH2 expression.
Rapid induction of brain hypothermia by endovascular intra-arterial perfusion

Abstract Objectives: Achieving rapid, brain cooling has potentially important clinical implications. To investigate potential practicalities, we induced brain hypothermia in canines by perfusing cooled crystalloid solution into the carotid artery using an extracorporeal cooling-filtration system. Methods: Ringer's solution cooled to ∼6.5°C was infused at a rate of 3 ml/kg/min for 30 minutes into the right common carotid artery through an angiographic catheter via the right femoral artery in six adult canines (13.81 ± 0.60 kg). Excessive fluid was ultrafiltrated through a venovenous extracorporeal circuit via the right femoral vein. Temperature was monitored in the cerebral hemispheres, the rectum and the vena cava. The extracellular lactate concentrations were measured by microdialysis in the frontal lobes. Results: Right brain temperature decreased to 33.6 ± 2.0°C from 37.7 ± 1.1°C 30 minutes after initiation of perfusion, while left brain and rectal temperatures were 34.3 ± 1.7 and 34.1 ± 1.3°C, respectively. The cooling rate of the right cerebral hemisphere was 4.2 ± 1.1°C/30 minutes and advanced compared with the rectum (p<0.01), the left cerebral hemisphere and the vena cava (both p<0.05). There was no significant increase in the extracellular lactate concentrations in the cerebral hemispheres. Hemoglobin, hematocrit and cardiac function significantly changed during perfusion (p<0.05). Conclusions: Brain hypothermia was rapidly and safely induced using an intra-arterial crystalloid infusion and an extracorporeal cooing-filtration system. With refinement and further assessment of metabolic and physiologic parameters, the method holds a potential for clinical utility.
Spatial separation of the processing and MHC class I loading compartments for cross-presentation of the tumor-associated antigen HER2/neu by human dendritic cells

Cross-presentation is the process by which professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) (B cells, dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages) present endocytosed antigens (Ags) via MHC-I to CD8+ T cells. This process is crucial for induction of adaptive immune responses against tumors and infected cells. The pathways and cellular compartments involved in cross-presentation are unresolved and controversial. Among the cells with cross-presenting capacity, DCs are the most efficient, which was proposed to depend on prevention of endosomal acidification to block degradation of the epitopes. Contrary to this view, we show in this report that some cargoes induce strong endosomal acidification following uptake by human DCs, while others not. Moreover, processing of the tumor-associated antigen HER2/neu delivered in nanoparticles (NP) for cross-presentation of the epitope HER2/neu369–377 on HLA-A2 depended on endosomal acidification and cathepsin activity as well as proteasomes, and newly synthesized HLA class I. However, the HLA-A*0201/HER2/neu369–377 complexes were not found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) nor in endolysosomes but in hitherto not described vesicles. The data thus indicate spatial separation of antigen processing and loading of MHC-I for cross-presentation: antigen processing occurs in the uptake compartment and the cytosol whereas MHC-I loading with peptide takes place in a distinct subcellular compartment. The findings further elucidate the cellular pathways involved in the cross-presentation of a full-length, clinically relevant tumor-associated antigen by human DCs, and the impact of the vaccine formulation on antigen processing and CD8+ T cell induction.
Proline Periodicity Modulates the Self-assembly Properties of Elastin-like Polypeptides*

Elastin is a self-assembling protein of the extracellular matrix that provides tissues with elastic extensibility and recoil. The monomeric precursor, tropoelastin, is highly hydrophobic yet remains substantially disordered and flexible in solution, due in large part to a high combined threshold of proline and glycine residues within hydrophobic sequences. In fact, proline-poor elastin-like sequences are known to form amyloid-like fibrils, rich in β-structure, from solution. On this basis, it is clear that hydrophobic elastin sequences are in general optimized to avoid an amyloid fate. However, a small number of hydrophobic domains near the C terminus of tropoelastin are substantially depleted of proline residues. Here we investigated the specific contribution of proline number and spacing to the structure and self-assembly propensities of elastin-like polypeptides. Increasing the spacing between proline residues significantly decreased the ability of polypeptides to reversibly self-associate. Real-time imaging of the assembly process revealed the presence of smaller colloidal droplets that displayed enhanced propensity to cluster into dense networks. Structural characterization showed that these aggregates were enriched in β-structure but unable to bind thioflavin-T. These data strongly support a model where proline-poor regions of the elastin monomer provide a unique contribution to assembly and suggest a role for localized β-sheet in mediating self-assembly interactions.