Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Approach to Diseases of Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis

Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the surgical treatment of choice for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with medically refractory disease or dysplasia. IPAA significantly improves quality of life in UC patients who require surgery. However, certain inflammatory and noninflammatory diseases can develop after the surgery, including pouchitis, Crohn's disease of the pouch, cuffitis, and irritable pouch syndrome. The etiology and pathogenesis of these disease conditions of IPAA are largely unknown. Accurate diagnosis and classification are important for appropriate management. Endoscopic evaluation is the most important tool for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.
Serum levels of l‐arginine analogues and glutathione peroxidase and catalase gene variants in Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

The pilot findings of Viner and colleagues [1] provide an impressive example of the potential impact of psychological approaches on the metabolic control of adolescents with Type 1 diabetes. We were particularly interested in the study as the results seemed to support and extend our recently published findings [2]. Our pilot study looked at the use of Motivational Interviewing [3], a counselling approach to behaviour change, with adolescents with diabetes, and demonstrated a significant, although smaller, improvement in HbA1c over a 6-month intervention period. Whilst these studies add weight to the argument in favour of psychosocial interventions with an adolescent population, Viner et al. rightly identify some of the many remaining questions to be answered if these results are to be translated into clinical practice. For example, neither study controls for the non-specific effect of increased contact. Also, although general descriptions are provided of the interventions, there is no evidence of the level of monitoring required to ensure validity, as detailed by the Medical Research Council guidelines which advocate that ‘it is essential to clarify as far as possible the important components. so that readers of eventual trial results can infer from results what elements were essential and what secondary or unimportant in producing a beneficial effect’ [4]. The interventions have not been analysed in enough detail to clarify the constituent parts of the approach that are necessary to encourage clinically significant change. In their conclusions, Viner et al. suggest the need for a randomised, controlled trial of the intervention. Based at the University of Wales College of Medicine in Cardiff, a multicentre randomised controlled trial of Motivational Interviewing with adolescents with Type 1 diabetes, funded by Diabetes UK, is currently underway. In addition to the randomised, controlled design, one significant strength of this study lies in its internal validity and quality monitoring. The delivery of the intervention has been monitored using qualitative audiotape analysis and it is intended that the intervention will be analysed by validated process instruments. Thus, by directly monitoring practice it will hopefully be possible not only to compare Motivational Interviewing with the approach delivered in the control arm but also to delineate key aspects of the Motivational Interviewing intervention.
Molecular Identification of the Human GABABR2: Cell Surface Expression and Coupling to Adenylyl Cyclase in the Absence of GABABR1

We have identified a gene encoding a GABAB receptor, the human GABABR2, located on chromosome 9q22.1, that is distinct from the recently reported rat GABABR1. GABABR2 structurally resembles GABABR1 (35% identity), having seven transmembrane domains and a large extracellular region, but differs in having a longer carboxy-terminal tail. GABABR2 is localized to the cell surface in transfected COS cells, and negatively couples to adenylyl cyclase in response to GABA, baclofen, and 3-aminopropyl(methyl)phosphinic acid in CHO cells lacking GABABR1. Baclofen action is inhibited by the GABABR antagonist, 2-hydroxysaclofen. The human GABABR2 and GABABR1 genes are differentially expressed in the nervous system, with the greatest difference being detected in the striatum in which GABABR1 but not GABABR2 mRNA transcripts are detected. GABABR2 and GABABR1 mRNAs are also coexpressed in various brain regions such as the Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum. Identification of a functional homomeric GABABR2 coupled to adenylyl cyclase suggests that the complexity of GABAB pharmacological data is at least in part due to the presence of more than one receptor and opens avenues for future research leading to an understanding of metabotropic GABA receptor signal transduction mechanisms.
The Impact of Exchange Rate on Tomato Trade: Evidence from Malaysia

Economists recognized that exchange rate have a significant impact on trade. In this study we employed the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing procedure to analyze the impact of exchange rate on tomato’s export and import for Malaysia. The period of study covers 1997-2007 using quarterly data. Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) was used rather than conventional exchange rate since this study covers the trade between Malaysia and the rest of the world. Our results indicate that both the export and import of tomatoes exhibit significant long-run relationships with REER. Causal effects in both cases are bidirectional. However, while the sign is economically correct for the relationship between REER and export, the same cannot be said for the relationship between import and REER.
Information Technology systems in general practice medicine in New Zealand.

AIMS Until recently, very little national and international information has existed on the level of computerisation in general practice medicine. This study was undertaken to describe the current state of information technology (IT) systems in general practice medicine in New Zealand. METHODS A questionnaire detailing many aspects of computerisation and information technology was sent to all currently operating general practices (a total of 1188) in New Zealand, as identified from public directories. RESULTS A high response rate was achieved (80%), including (without any geographical bias) a representative proportion of rural, urban, sole-GP, and multiple GP practices. A large proportion of general practices currently have computer and IT systems that are potentially adequate to support the functions required of them. Almost all practices (99.0%) are using a Patient Management System (PMS) and 99.8% have at least one computer in their practice. Most practices (93.7%) connect to Healthlink, so have the capability of transferring data electronically. CONCLUSIONS General practices in New Zealand have a very high rate (superior to several other countries) of computerisation and a high level of IT. The main concerns of general practitioners are the ongoing costs and time involved in meeting the IT requirements expected of them.
Pathogenesis of Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Abstract: The major disease processes affecting the aorta are aortic aneurysms and dissections. Aneurysms are usually described in terms of their anatomic location, with thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) involving the ascending and descending aorta in the thoracic cavity and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) involving the infrarenal abdominal aorta. Both thoracic and abdominal aortas are elastic arteries, and share similarities in their physical structures and cellular components. However, thoracic and abdominal aortas differ in their biochemical properties and the origin of their vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). These similarities and differences between thoracic and abdominal aortas provide the basis for the various pathologic mechanisms observed in this disease. This review focuses on the comparison of the pathologic mechanisms involved in TAA and AAA.
Author ' s personal copy Small heat shock proteins are necessary for heart migration and laterality determination in zebra fi sh

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) regulate cellular functions not only under stress, but also during normal development, when they are expressed in organ-specific patterns. Here we demonstrate that two small heat shock proteins expressed in embryonic zebrafish heart, hspb7 and hspb12, have roles in the development of left–right asymmetry. In zebrafish, laterality is determined by the motility of cilia in Kupffer's vesicle (KV), where hspb7 is expressed; knockdown of hspb7 causes laterality defects by disrupting the motility of these cilia. In embryos with reduced hspb7, the axonemes of KV cilia have a 9þ0 structure, while control embyros have a predominately 9þ2 structure. Reduction of either hspb7 or hspb12 alters the expression pattern of genes that propagate the signals that establish left–right asymmetry: the nodal-related gene southpaw (spaw) in the lateral plate mesoderm, and its downstream targets pitx2, lefty1 and lefty2. Partial depletion of hspb7 causes concordant heart, brain and visceral laterality defects, indicating that loss of KV cilia motility leads to coordinated but randomized laterality. Reducing hspb12 leads to similar alterations in the expression of downstream laterality genes, but at a lower penetrance. Simultaneous reduction of hspb7 and hspb12 randomizes heart, brain and visceral laterality, suggesting that these two genes have partially redundant functions in the establishment of left–right asymmetry. In addition, both hspb7 and hspb12 are expressed in the precardiac mesoderm and in the yolk syncytial layer, which supports the migration and fusion of mesodermal cardiac precursors. In embryos in which the reduction of hspb7 or hspb12 was limited to the yolk, migration defects predominated, suggesting that the yolk expression of these genes rather than heart expression is responsible for the migration defects. & 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
On the control of manufacturing lines modelled by controlled continuous Petri nets

We present a new methodology to study the control of a class of discrete event dynamic systems, opened manufacturing lines and closed manufacturing lines. Our contribution is based on the controlled variable speed continuous Petri net model. The computation of the control variables is made using a classic constrained optimization method. The resulting control solution is used to guide the real system behaviour. Some properties linked to the accessibility problem of the reference input are given. Through illustrative examples, the practical application of this approach issue will be made prominent
Adoptive transfer of autologous Epstein‐Barr virus–specific cytotoxic T cells for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Tumor cells from NPC patients are regularly and latently infected with EBV. To examine whether the virus serves as target for immune intervention of the cancer, we determined levels of EBV‐specific CTLp in peripheral blood from NPC patients, long‐term survivors of the cancer and healthy subjects. CTLp levels of test subjects varied between 3– 3,000/106 PBMCs. The plasma EBV burden increased when the CTLp level fell below 150, whereas the EBV burden of PBMCs was not correlated with CTLp level. Compared with healthy carriers, CTLp levels of patients were lower and varied over a wider range, between 3–1,500/106 PBMCs. The quantitative immune deficit was probably attributed to the tumor because, first, CTLp in survivors was restored to levels similar to those in healthy carriers after the tumor had been successfully treated. Second, the CTLp level changed as disease progressed, being lower in local disease, increased in locoregional disease and decreased again when the tumor metastasized. Based on these findings, 4 patients with advanced disease were infused with 5 × 107–3 × 108 autologous EBV CTLs. The treatment was safe and unaccompanied by inflammatory or other complications, but whether it improved tumor control could not be discerned from the large tumor bulk. Nevertheless, the treatment regularly increased CTLp levels of patients, maintained it at higher levels for protracted periods and, in 3 patients, restored host surveillance of EBV replication, reducing the plasma EBV burden. Taken together, these results provided a rationale to further explore EBV as a target of immune intervention of NPC. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The alpha-mating type locus of Cryptococcus neoformans contains a peptide pheromone gene

The opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans has two mating types, MATa and MAT alpha. The MAT alpha strains are more virulent. Mating of opposite mating type haploid yeast cells results in the production of a filamentous hyphal phase. The MAT alpha locus has been isolated in this study in order to identify the genetic differences between mating types and their contribution to virulence. A 138-bp fragment of MAT alpha-specific DNA which cosegregates with alpha-mating type was isolated by using a difference cloning method. Overlapping phage and cosmid clones spanning the entire MAT alpha locus were isolated by using this MAT alpha-specific fragment as a probe. Mapping of these clones physically defined the MAT alpha locus to a 35- to 45-kb region which is present only in MAT alpha strains. Transformation studies with fragments of the MAT alpha locus identified a 2.1-kb XbaI-HindIII fragment that directs starvation-induced filament formation in MATa cells but not in MAT alpha cells. This 2.1-kb fragment contains a gene, MF alpha, with a small open reading frame encoding a pheromone precursor similar to the lipoprotein mating factors found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ustilago maydis, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The ability of the MATa cells to express, process, and secrete the MAT alpha pheromone in response to starvation suggests similar mechanisms for these processes in both cell types. These results also suggest that the production of pheromone is under a type of nutritional control shared by the two cell types.
Selection of clarithromycin-resistant Mycobacterium avium complex during combined therapy using the beige mouse model

Sixteen weeks of treatment with clarithromycin (CLARI) alone displayed significant bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium avium complex infection in beige mice. Only two combined regimens, CLARI combined with an initial 4 or 8 weeks of amikacin (AMIKA), displayed activity greater than that displayed by CLARI alone. Four other combined regimens, CLARI combined with ethambutol (EMB), rifabutin (RBT), or both EMB and RBT during the entire 16 weeks of treatment or with AMIKA administered in an initial 2-week course showed bactericidal activity not significantly greater than that of CLARI alone. After 16 weeks of treatment, CLARI-resistant mutants were isolated from the majority of mice that had been treated with CLARI alone, CLARI-RBT, CLARI-EMB, or CLARI-EMB-RBT, as was the case for untreated controls, but the frequencies of occurrence of mutants were significantly greater in the groups treated with these combinations or CLARI alone. On the other hand, no CLARI-resistant mutants were isolated from the mice that had been treated with the combination of CLARI plus an initial 4 or 8 weeks of AMIKA and were isolated from only a tiny proportion of mice that had been treated with CLARI plus an initial 2 weeks of AMIKA. Therefore, only treatment with CLARI combined with an initial 4 or 8 weeks of AMIKA but not combined with RBT or EMB or both, could enhance the activity of the drug treatment and prevent the selection of CLARI-resistant mutants.
Malignant Tumors in Rats Given Lasiocarpine 1

Lasiocarpine was injected i.p. into rats in doses of 7.8 mg/kg body weight (50% lethal dose of 0.1) twice weekly for 4 weeks and once a week for an additional 52 weeks. Of 18 rats that survived, 16 developed tumors between weeks 60 and 76 after the beginning of the experiment. Approximately 61% (11 of 18) developed hepatocellular carcinomas, and 33% (6 of 18) developed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas of the skin of the back. These tumors were transplanted successfully through five generations. Other tumors included pulmonary adenoma (in 28%), well-differentiated adenocarcinoma of the small intestine (in two rats), and cholangiocarcinoma and adenomyoma of the ileum (in one rat). It is clear that lasiocarpine is a complete carcinogen capable of inducing a significant number of malignant tumors of the liver and skin of rats. A suitably long experimental interval for administration of the alkaloid (52 weeks) plus a period of observation after the dosing is discontinued (4 to 20 weeks) may be necessary to allow cessation of the antimitotic effect of the alkaloid and to permit expression of its carcinogenicity.
Analytical resolution and noise characteristics of linearly reconstructed magnetic resonance data with arbitraryk‐space sampling

The effects of time‐varying readout gradients and data sampling with variable dwell times in magnetic resonance imaging are examined. General reconstruction formulas are given for linear reconstruction with even k‐space weighting. Closed analytic expressions for estimator variance are given for data sampling during arbitrary gradient waveforms with both uniform kx step size and nonuniform kx step size. It is shown that estimator variance increases (the signal‐to‐noise ratio decreases) for nonconstant gradient waveforms. It is also shown that estimator variance is greater for constant k‐space sampling strategies than for constant time sampling at the Nyquist rate. Data collected during a triangular readout gradient waveform, with either constant time or constant k‐space sampling, versus conventional (constant gradient) collection confirms theoretical predictions for estimator variance. The benefits of collecting data while the readout gradient is ramping up from and down to zero are discussed.
Occurrence of placental scars in the uterus of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana).

Summary. Placental scars were recorded in the uteri of forty-four non-pregnant mature elephants. Some 159 scars were observed averag-ing 3\m=. \6/female(range 1 to 9). They were almost equally distributed between the right and left cornua, and the distribution of implantation sites is illustrated. The relation between estimated ages of the elephants and the number of placental scars they show indicates a mean calving interval of about 4 years but there is evidence that the calving interval has increased in recent years.
THE QUARTERLY JOU RNAL OF EXPERIM ENTAL PSYCH

A bimanual circle drawing task was employed to elucidate the dynamics of intralimb and interlimb coordination. Right-handed subjects were required to produce circles with both hands in either a symmetrical (m irror) mode (i.e. one hand moving clockwise, the other counter-c lockw ise) or in an asymm etrical mode (i.e. both hands moving clockw ise or counter-c lockwise). The frequency of movement was scaled by an auditory metronom e from 1.50 H z to 3.25 Hz in 8 (8-sec) steps. In the asymmetrical mode, distortions of the movement trajectories, trans ient departures from the target pattern of coord ination, and phase wandering were evident as movement frequency was increased. These features suggested loss of stab ility. Deviations from circular trajectories were most prominent for movements of the le ft hand . Transient departures from the required mode of coord ination were also largely precipitated by the left hand. The results are discussed with reference to manual asymmetries and mechanism s of interlimb and intersegmental coordination.
Digital communication channel model analysis for AUV in maritime environment

Long-range maritime communications system is necessary to sweep the mines efficiently and safely. The communication channel analyses in maritime environment were similar to 2-ray propagation model in free space. The communication distance can be extended to approximately 10km~20km (depending on the type of the transmitted data). The results of this paper could be applied to similar weapon systems such as UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicle), ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle), MDV (Mine Disposal Vehicle) and so on.
Mechanism of Suppression of Cell-Mediated Immunity by Measles Virus

The mechanisms underlying the profound suppression of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) accompanying measles are unclear. Interleukin-12 (IL-12), derived principally from monocytes and macrophages, is critical for the generation of CMI. Measles virus (MV) infection of primary human monocytes specifically down-regulated IL-12 production. Cross-linking of CD46, a complement regulatory protein that is the cellular receptor for MV, with antibody or with the complement activation product C3b similarly inhibited monocyte IL-12 production, providing a plausible mechanism for MV-induced immunosuppression. CD46 provides a regulatory link between the complement system and cellular immune responses.
Protein uptake disturbs collagen homeostasis in proximal tubule-derived cells.

BACKGROUND Interstitial fibrosis is of major importance for the deterioration of renal function, leading to uremia. Interaction of filtered proteins with proximal tubular cells is important for the onset and development of tubulointerstitial damage. METHODS We investigated the effects of protein endocytosis on collagen homeostasis and signaling pathways of proximal tubule-derived cells (OK cells, LLC-PK1 cells), which express the endocytic machinery typical for the proximal tubule (megalin and cubilin), and compared it to renal epithelial cells with low endocytic activity (MDCK, IHKE1, NHE3-deficient OK cells). Collagen homeostasis was assessed by proline incorporation, ELISA, and Western blot. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity was assessed by gelatinase assay. Signaling pathways were monitored by reporter gene assay. RESULTS Albumin, glycated albumin, fatty acid-free albumin, or globulins led to an increase of secreted collagen (types I, III, and IV) in OK and LLC-PK1 cells. In cells with low protein uptake activity, albumin exposure inhibited collagen secretion. Western blot analysis showed an increase of cellular collagen. MMP activity was significantly decreased by albumin exposure. Furthermore, albumin exposure led to activation of the NF-kappa B-, AP1-, NFAT-, SRE-, and CRE-pathways. Inhibition of NF-kappa B, PKC, or PKA partially reversed the effects of albumin. In addition, inhibition of albumin endocytosis reduced collagen secretion and activation of the signaling pathways. Discussion. The data show that endocytic uptake of proteins disturbs collagen homeostasis in proximal tubular cells. This disturbed matrix homeostasis probably supports the progression of interstitial fibrosis, which is of importance for the development of renal insufficiency.