Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential toxicity of an organic PM2.5 extract to human lung cells cultured in three dimensions (3D) and monolayers

ABSTRACT Several epidemiological studies have associated PM2.5 (particulate matter, aerodynamic diameter 2.5 µm) exposure with an increase in morbidity and mortality attributed to cardiopulmonary diseases. Based upon these observations and the growing effort to replace the use of animals in research, in vitro A549 cells cultured in three dimensions (3D), an alternative method to the use of animals, as well as monolayers were investigated to examine whether organic PM2.5 extract induced equivalent cytotoxic changes in vitro as compared to in vivo. PM2.5 was collected on Brazil Avenue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from November 2010 to May 2011, except March, and analyzed for the ability to induce cytotoxicity in A549 cells using various established assays. Samples collected in all months significantly decreased viability of A549 cells using both types of cell death assays, and those collected in November showed lower cytotoxicity. It is worthwhile noting that for samples collected in all months except for April, PM2.5 induced greater toxicity in cells grown in monolayers than in 3D. Data demonstrated that cell behavior varied based upon type of culture system employed. Since the 3D cell culture mimics the architecture of in vivo tissue to a greater extent than monolayers, it is suggested that data from 3D studies resemble more closely human exposure conditions and thus may provide more reliable findings to be utilized in risk assessment following PM exposure than results obtained in traditional culture system.
Factors related to the use of dietary supplements by cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVES Estimates of the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among cancer survivors vary widely. Dietary supplements are an important CAM therapy to examine because of their potential to interact with conventional cancer therapies. We estimated the prevalence of dietary supplement use in a population-based sample of cancer survivors of the 10 most common cancers and examined potential correlates of use. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS This cross-sectional analysis included participants from the American Cancer Society's longitudinal Study of Cancer Survivors-I recruited in Connecticut who completed self-administered baseline and supplemental questionnaires. Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression, we examined demographic, clinical, and psychosocial predictors of dietary supplement use after cancer diagnosis. RESULTS Of the 827 cancer survivors, 573 (69.3%) reported using dietary supplements after their cancer diagnosis. Female gender [odds ratio (OR) = 1.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.25-2.36] and higher-education levels (OR = 5.44, 95% CI = 2.98-9.93) were significantly associated with supplement use. Common reasons for using dietary supplements included "something they could do to help themselves" (56.2%) and "to boost their immune system" (51.1%). Most survivors (82.4%) informed their physician of their supplement use. Patients obtained information from a variety of sources including physicians, friends or family, and magazines or books. CONCLUSIONS Use of dietary supplements after cancer diagnosis was quite common among this population-based sample of cancer survivors. Although gender and education were associated with use, it is important that clinicians discuss supplement use with all cancer survivors.
“They’re blowing up my phone”: Group Messaging Practices Among Adolescents

While group messaging has become popular, particularly among adolescents, it has not yet been explored in the HCI literature. We interviewed 48 adolescents, aged 15-24, who use group messaging regularly. We present a framework for understanding the types of groups they communicate with according to three dimensions: focus, membership, and duration. We also present findings about factors influencing their choice of group messaging tools and the problems they have managing multiple group threads using multiple tools. We explore the problem of notification overload and users’ strategies for managing frequent notifications. We describe one approach of “social alerting,” when group members notify one another directly, rather than rely on app notifications. We relate our findings to prior work and offer design suggestions to address the challenges our participants faced in managing frequent group notifications.
Src family protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) modulates the effect of SGK1 and WNK4 on ROMK channels

WNK4 (with no lysine kinase 4) inhibits ROMK channel activity in the distal nephron by stimulating clathrin-dependent endocytosis, an effect attenuated by SGK1 (serum-glucocorticoids-induced kinase)-mediated phosphorylation. It has been suggested that increased ROMK activity because of SGK1-mediated inhibition of WNK4 plays a role in promoting renal K secretion in response to elevated serum K or high K (HK) intake. In contrast, intravascular volume depletion also increases SGK1 activity but fails to stimulate ROMK channels and K secretion. Because HK intake decreases Src family protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) activity an inhibitor of ROMK channels, it is possible that Src family PTK may modulate the effects of SGK1 on WNK4. Here, we show that c-Src prevents SGK1 from attenuating WNK4's inhibition of ROMK activity. This effect of c-Src was WNK4-dependent because c-Src had no effect on ROMK harboring mutation at the site of c-Src phosphorylation (R1Y337A) in the absence of WNK4. Moreover, expression c-Src diminished the SGK1-mediated increase in serine phosphorylation of WNK4, suggesting that c-Src enhances WNK4-mediated inhibition of ROMK channels by suppressing the SGK1-induced phosphorylation. This notion is also supported by the observation that c-Src was not able to modulate the interaction between SGK1 and WNK4 mutants (WNK4S1169A or WNK4S1169D) in which an SGK1-phosphorylation site (serine 1169) was mutated by alanine or aspartate. We conclude that c-Src inhibits SGK1-mediated phosphorylation hereby restoring the WNK4-mediated inhibition of ROMK channels thus suppressing K secretion.
Continuity of care: influence of general practitioners' knowledge about their patients on use of resources in consultations.

OBJECTIVE--To examine the relation between general practitioners' knowledge about their patients and the use of resources in consultations. DESIGN--A cross sectional evaluation of consultations. SETTING AND SUBJECTS--A representative sample of 133 Norwegian general practitioners were each asked to record 30 consecutive consultations. 131 did so, and of 3990 possible registrations, 3918 (98%) were evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--The influence, as assessed by the doctor, of accumulated knowledge on the use of laboratory tests, expectant management, prescriptions, sickness certification, referrals, and time spent in the consultation. RESULTS--Accumulated knowledge was a substantial factor in saving time, especially in consultations with children, the elderly, patients with psychosocial problems, and those with chronic diseases. It also influenced the overall use of laboratory tests, expectant management, sickness certification, and referrals, and to a lesser degree the use of medication. CONCLUSION--The findings imply strong but complex associations between accumulated knowledge and the use of resources in the consultation.
Effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) on ovarian carcinoma cell lines: preclinical evaluation of NSAIDs as chemopreventive agents.

PURPOSE Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents may inhibit carcinogenesis in specific tissues including the colon, breast, and pancreas, and, hence, may prove to be effective chemopreventive agents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cellular effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), acetaminophen, and a COX-2 inhibitor (NS-398) on the growth of cell lines of human ovarian cancer in vitro. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN SK-OV-3, Caov-3, and NIH:OVCAR-3 ovarian carcinoma cell lines were treated with ASA (10(-6) M-10(-2) M), acetaminophen (10(-6) M-10(-2) M), and a COX-2 inhibitor (10(-6) M-10(-4) M) for 96 h. The number of viable cells was determined using a tetrazolium conversion assay. Immunohistochemical assessment was performed for alterations in expression of Ki-67, erbB-2, COX enzyme, and apoptosis in primary ovarian cancer cells using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (Tdt)-mediated nick end labeling assay. RESULTS A decrease in cell number compared with controls was observed for all of the cell lines treated with ASA, acetaminophen, and COX-2 inhibitor by cell count and tetrazolium conversion assay. A significant decrease in Ki-67 compared with controls in the OVCAR-3 (P = 0.005) and SK-OV-3 (P = 0.007) cell lines after treatment with the COX-2 inhibitor was observed. We observed a decrease in mitotic activity compared with controls in each cell line after treatment with the COX-2 inhibitor. Apoptosis was observed in primary ovarian cancer cell culture treated with COX-2 inhibitor. CONCLUSION Our results suggest additional study for the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, specifically COX-2 inhibitors, as a strategy of chemoprevention for ovarian cancer.
Inductive links and drivers for remotely-powered telemetry systems

During the last ten years research has progressed on a number of commercially available and research-laboratory based devices that require power and communication through an inductive link. These include radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponders, and biomedical implants for use as neuroprostheses. For most of these size is often intimately related to function; the trend is towards smaller, more sophisticated, and less invasive devices.
Suppression of laxative action of phenolphthalein by orally‐administered indomethacin or aspirin

Oral administration of phenolphthalein produced a dose‐dependent increase of wet faeces excreted by mice. The response to phenolphthalein was reduced by pretreatment with indomethacin, aspirin or polyphloretin phosphate (PPP), but not with benoxaprofen. These findings support the view that the effect of phenolphthalein may be suppressed by PG synthetase inhibitors (indomethacin, aspirin) and by PPP.
On the Temperature Dependence of Cooperative Relaxation Properties in Glass‐Forming Liquids

A molecular‐kinetic theory, which explains the temperature dependence of relaxation behavior in glass‐forming liquids in terms of the temperature variation of the size of the cooperatively rearranging region, is presented. The size of this cooperatively rearranging region is shown to be determined by configuration restrictions in these glass‐forming liquids and is expressed in terms of their configurational entropy. The result of the theory is a relation practically coinciding with the empirical WLF equation. Application of the theory to viscosimetric experiments permits evaluation of the ratio of the kinetic glass temperature Tg (derived from usual ``quasistatic'' experiments) to the equilibrium second‐order transition temperature T2 (indicated by either statistical‐mechanical theory or extrapolations of experimental data) as well as the hindrance‐free energy per molecule. These parameters have been evaluated for fifteen substances, the experimental data for which were available. Hindrance‐free energies .
Uteroglobin/Clara Cell 10‐kDa Family of Proteins: Nomenclature Committee Report

COMMITTEE CHAIR: J. KLUGa,b COMMITTEE MEMBERS: H. M. BEIER,c A. BERNARD,d B. S. CHILTON,e T. P. FLEMING, f R. I. LEHRER,g L. MIELE,h N. PATTABIRAMAN,i AND G. SINGHj bInstitut für Molekularbiologie und Tumorforschung (IMT), Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35033 Marburg, Germany cDepartment of Anatomy and Reproductive Biology, RWTH University of Aachen, D-52057 Aachen, Germany dUnit of Industrial Toxicology and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Louvain, B-1200 Bruxelles, Belgium eDepartment of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas 79430, USA fDepartment of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA gDepartment of Medicine and Molecular Biology Institute, University of California (Los Angeles) School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095-1690, USA hCardinal Bernardin Cancer Center and Department of Pathology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois 60153, USA iAdvanced Biomedical Computing Center, SAIC-NCI/FCRDC, Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201, USA jDepartment of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and VA Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15240, USA
Folate supplementation and twinning in patients with sickle cell disease

Patients with sickle cell disease routinely take folic acid daily as a supplement to maintain effective erythropoiesis. One of the controversial effects of folic acid is its effect on twin gestation rates. In this report, we present our experience in patients with sickle cell disease and twin pregnancy. Our data show that twin pregnancies seem to be associated with folate supplementation. Am. J. Hematol. 81:296–297, 2006 © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hypertension and thirst outlasting renal vasoconstriction as effects of a brief evaluation of systemic angiotensin II in sheep.

The influence of 10 min intracarotid (i.c.) and intravenous (i.v.) infusions of angiotensin II (Ang II; 20 pmol kg-1 min-1) on carotid blood pressure (cBP) and renal blood flow (RBF) was studied in unanaesthetized ewes without and with pre-treatment with the alpha 1- and beta-adrenoceptor blocker labetalol. RBF was also monitored during 30 min intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusions of Ang II at 2 pmol kg-1 min-1. The i.c. infusions of Ang II induced about 50 mmHg rise in cBP. A steep decline occurred during 5 min post-infusion, followed by a much slower reduction with the cBP remaining above control level at 40 min post-infusion. The pressure elevation induced by i.v. Ang II was less pronounced but exhibited a similar pattern. Labetalol significantly reduced the pressor response to i.c. as well as i.v. Ang II. The i.c. and i.v. infusions of Ang II conspicuously reduced the RBF regardless of whether the ewes were labetalol-treated or not. At 5 min after the infusions RBF had returned to control level. The ICV infusions did not influence the RBF. Ang II i.c. elicited thirst in 50% of the ewes with the urge to drink remaining at 40 min post-infusion. The dipsogenic response was not reduced by labetalol pretreatment. The results imply that no cerebral component contributes to the reduction in RBF induced by systemic Ang II. However, a centrally mediated action seems to be the cause of the long-lasting post-infusion cBP elevation and dipsogenic response. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Toddlers with Elevated Autism Symptoms Show Slowed Habituation to Faces

We explored social information processing and its relation to social and communicative symptoms in toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their siblings. Toddlers with more severe symptoms of autism showed slower habituation to faces than comparison groups; slower face learning correlated with poorer social skills and lower verbal ability. Unaffected toddlers who were siblings of children with ASD also showed slower habituation to faces compared with toddlers without siblings with ASD. We conclude that slower rates of face learning may be an endophenotype of ASD and is associated with more severe symptoms among affected individuals.
Optimal Focal Transcranial Magnetic Activation of the Human Motor Cortex: Effects of Coil Orientation, Shape of the Induced Current Pulse, and Stimulus Intensity

We studied the effects of coil orientation, stimulus intensity, and shape of the induced current pulse on the amplitudes of motor evoked potentials in the left abductor pollicis brevis of 10 normal adults who had transcranial magnetic stimulation. The optimal direction of currents induced in the brain is approximately perpendicular to the central sulcus, flowing diagonally from back to front. The most effective coil orientation depends on the shape of the induced current pulse and. when the first and second phases of the pulse are of similar size, also on the intensity of stimulation. Optimal mapping of the human motor cortex with magnetic stimulation requires knowledge of the influences of all these factors.
Fuerza Prensil y Desarrollo Puberal

El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar el grado de madurez puberal en escolares y determinar la relación con el desarrollo de la fuerza prensil. La utilidad que presta la evaluación de la madurez puberal en el medio escolar permite orientar las actividades de la clase, en función de un mejor desarrollo motriz y físico del niño, y en el entrenamiento deportivo permite optimizar las cargas de trabajo a aplicar. Este estudio se propone estimar el desarrollo neuromotor en escolares que se encuentran en proceso de desarrollo puberal, determinar el grado de correlación entre la fuerza prensora y el grado de madurez puberal. El estudio se aplicó en una muestra de 387 escolares de 10 a 16 años del colegio particular subvencionado Siglo XXI, distribuido en 185 niñas y 202 niños. Los escolares participantes en el estudio se autoevaluaron para clasifi carse según el grado de madurez puberal, por medio de una cartilla con fotos con los grados de madurez puberal de Tanner, que mostraron las características físicas de los niños que se encontraban en los diferentes estadios de madurez puberal. Los niños se clasifi caron por género, edad cronológica y grado de madurez puberal. Se evaluó fuerza de prensión manual mediante un test de dinamometría manual. El estudio fue de corte transversal con una evaluación única. Se compararon los resultados obtenidos entre los niños clasifi cados por edad cronológica y grados de madurez puberal. Se aplicó un instrumento de análisis estadístico para detectar diferencias de fuerza de prensión entre los diferentes grados de madurez puberal clasifi cados por género. Los resultados demostraron que existen diferencias signifi cativas en el desarrollo de la fuerza prensil entre grupos clasifi cados por madurez puberal en niñas y niños. Al clasifi car la muestra por edad cronológica existe diferencia signifi cativa sólo en algunas edades claves que coinciden con etapas marcadas del desarrollo puberal. Esto demuestra que la clasifi cación por grado de desarrollo puberal es un buen indicador de madurez puberal, que cumpliría los requisitos planteados en este estudio.
Seizures associated with antidepressants: a review.

BACKGROUND Seizures are uncommon, but serious, adverse effects of antidepressant drugs. A better understanding of drug-related seizure risk, its predictors, and its neurophysiologic basis might help clinicians avoid this adverse event. A better understanding of the factors involved in the determination of seizure risk would be helpful for interpretation of seizure rates reported. METHOD The authors review case reports, series of cases, and information from clinical trials of antidepressants to determine antidepressant-related seizure risk. Predisposing factors are identified. Effects of dose, blood levels, and duration of treatment on seizure risk are examined. Electrophysiologic and in vitro models of drug-related seizure induction are discussed. RESULTS A significant proportion of drug-related seizures occurs in individuals with an identifiable predisposition, such as previous seizures, sedative or alcohol withdrawal, and multiple concomitant medications. Seizure risk for most antidepressants increases with dose (or blood level), and comparisons between drugs should consider seizure rates at the effective dose (or blood level) for each drug. For imipramine, the most frequently studied tricyclic, the literature indicates a seizure rate between 0.3% and 0.6% at effective doses. In unselected patients and at higher doses, these rates may be higher. Fluoxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, trazodone, nomifensine, and the monoamine oxidase inhibitors have a lower seizure risk. Estimates for recently marketed antidepressants with intermediate seizure risk are complicated by the fact that effective doses and blood levels are not well established. CONCLUSION Assessment of seizure risk in individuals involves consideration of predisposing factors, the antidepressant selected, and the bioavailability of the drug. Future studies of seizure risk would benefit from the use of specified criteria for determination of probable seizure events, a priori definition of predisposing exclusions, samples sufficiently large to provide adequate power, blood level monitoring, and inclusion of duration of drug treatment in the calculation of risk.
Treatment of Infant Sleep Disturbance by Trimeprazine in Combination with Extinction

Chronic sleep disturbance is a common problem in preschool children. Prescription and non-prescription sedatives provide short-term palliative relief. Behavioral extinction by withdrawal of parental attention is enduringly effective but may be distressing short-term because of postextinction bursts of intense activity by the child. This study evaluated the effects of combining extinction and sedative medication (trimeprazine tartrate), prescribed in a reducing dose over the first 10 days of extinction. Control groups received either extinction alone or a placebo administered double-blind. After baseline, all subjects reduced their sleep disturbance to low levels, the extinction and placebo groups declining slowly, the medication group abruptly. These gains were maintained at follow-up. Measures of infant security and maternal anxiety showed improvements with treatment.
The Runx3 Transcription Factor Augments Th1 and Down-Modulates Th2 Phenotypes by Interacting with and Attenuating GATA31

Recently, it was reported that the expression of Runt-related transcription factor 3 (Runx3) is up-regulated in CD4+ helper T cells during Th1 cell differentiation, and that Runx3 functions in a positive feed-forward manner with the T-box family transcription factor, T-bet, which is a master regulator of Th1 cell differentiation. The relative expression levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 are also regulated by the Th2-associated transcription factor, GATA3. Here, we demonstrate that Runx3 was induced in Th2 as well as Th1 cells and that Runx3 interacted with GATA3 and attenuated GATA3 transcriptional activity. Ectopic expression of Runx3 in vitro in cultured cells or transgenic expression of Runx3 in mice accelerated CD4+ cells to a Th1-biased population or down-modulated Th2 responses, in part by neutralizing GATA3. Our results suggest that the balance of Runx3 and GATA3 is one factor that influences the manifestation of CD4+ cells as the Th1 or Th2 phenotypes.
Use of parametric down-conversion to generate sub-Poissonian light.

Two highly noise-correlated light beams are generated by nondegenerate parametric down-conversion. We report the production of sub-Poissonian light in one of the beams by using negative feedback (to the pump) from the other. This nonclassical light source has a postdetection Fano factor of 0.78 over a limited frequency range near 50 Hz with an intensity of about 60 pW.