Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cyto‐epitheliochorial placenta of the viviparous lizard Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii: A new placental morphotype

The structural features of the uterine epithelium of the chorioallantoic placenta and omphalloplacenta in the viviparous Australian skink, Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii, were investigated using SEM and TEM techniques. In particular, the structural characteristics that would allow interpretation of function were analyzed, particularly those of gas exchange in the chorioallantoic placenta and histotrophy in the omphaloplacenta. Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii has a complex placenta consisting of a placentome, paraplacentome, and omphaloplacenta. The paraplacentome has a well‐vascularized lamina propria in which projecting uterine capillaries displace the overlying uterine epithelial cells, reducing them to attenuated cytoplasmic extensions. Associated cell nuclei and organelles are lost from this region, to provide a capillary lumen to uterine lumen barrier of 0.5–1.0 μm. Hence, the paraplacentome is likely a prominent site for gaseous exchange via simple diffusion. The omphaloplacenta has a similar cytology to that of the placentome, but the uterine epithelial cells are hypertrophied and the apical plasma membrane actively secretes vesicles into the uterine lumen. The omphaloplacenta shows features that are associated with histotrophic transport of nutrients via vesicle secretion, very similar to that of lipid apocrine secretion. The placentome consists of cuboidal cells in the uterine epithelium, with large centrally located nuclei overlying the well‐vascularized lamina propria. Although the placentome has a similar cytological structure to that of the omphaloplacenta, granules or active vesicle secretion were not observed. Thus, the placentome may be associated with histotrophy, but not via apocrine secretion. Squamate placentation is epitheliochorial; however, we propose a new term be used to describe the type of placentation in P. entrecasteauxii: “cyto‐epitheliochorial,” because of the extreme attenuation of uterine epithelial cells of the paraplacentome. J. Morphol. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fathers can effectively achieve heat conservation in healthy newborn infants

The aim of the present study was to compare axillar and skin temperatures and metabolic adaptation in healthy, fullterm elective caesarean section delivered infants who were randomized to be cared‐for either in (a) an incubator, (b) a cot, or (c) skin‐to‐skin with the father. Forty‐four infants were studied. The mean axillary temperature increase was significantly greater in the skin‐to‐skin cared‐for infants than in the cot cared‐for group. There was no significant difference in mean temperature increase between skin‐to‐skin cared‐for and incubator cared‐for infants. Blood glucose increase was significant in the skin‐to‐skin group, but not in the other two groups. The catecholamine levels at 120 min after birth were all within normal range, and there were no differences between the three groups, suggesting that none of the groups was exposed to cold stress. Interestingly, at 24 h after birth the mean axillary temperature was significantly higher in the skin‐to‐skin group than in the incubator group. It can be concluded that fathers can effectively achieve heat conservation in healthy fullterm caesarean section delivered infants.
Identification of inducible brown adipocyte progenitors residing in skeletal muscle and white fat

Brown fat is specialized for energy expenditure and has therefore been proposed to function as a defense against obesity. Despite recent advances in delineating the transcriptional regulation of brown adipocyte differentiation, cellular lineage specification and developmental cues specifying brown-fat cell fate remain poorly understood. In this study, we identify and isolate a subpopulation of adipogenic progenitors (Sca-1+/CD45−/Mac1−; referred to as Sca-1+ progenitor cells, ScaPCs) residing in murine brown fat, white fat, and skeletal muscle. ScaPCs derived from different tissues possess unique molecular expression signatures and adipogenic capacities. Importantly, although the ScaPCs from interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) are constitutively committed brown-fat progenitors, Sca-1+ cells from skeletal muscle and subcutaneous white fat are highly inducible to differentiate into brown-like adipocytes upon stimulation with bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7). Consistent with these findings, human preadipocytes isolated from subcutaneous white fat also exhibit the greatest inducible capacity to become brown adipocytes compared with cells isolated from mesenteric or omental white fat. When muscle-resident ScaPCs are re-engrafted into skeletal muscle of syngeneic mice, BMP7-treated ScaPCs efficiently develop into adipose tissue with brown fat-specific characteristics. Importantly, ScaPCs from obesity-resistant mice exhibit markedly higher thermogenic capacity compared with cells isolated from obesity-prone mice. These data establish the molecular characteristics of tissue-resident adipose progenitors and demonstrate a dynamic interplay between these progenitors and inductive signals that act in concert to specify brown adipocyte development.
The effects of a household conditional cash transfer programme on coverage and quality of antenatal care: a secondary analysis of Indonesia’s pilot programme

Objective To analyse the effectiveness of a household conditional cash transfer programme (CCT) on antenatal care (ANC) coverage reported by women and ANC quality reported by midwives. Design The CCT was piloted as a cluster randomised control trial in 2007. Intent-to-treat parameters were estimated using linear regression and logistic regression. Setting Secondary analysis of the longitudinal CCT impact evaluation survey, conducted in 2007 and 2009. This included 6869 pregnancies and 1407 midwives in 180 control subdistricts and 180 treated subdistricts in Indonesia. Outcome measures ANC component coverage index, a composite measure of each ANC service component as self-reported by women, and ANC provider quality index, a composite measure of ANC service provided as self-reported by midwives. Each index was created by principal component analysis (PCA). Specific ANC component items were also assessed. Results The CCT was associated with improved ANC component coverage index by 0.07 SD (95% CI 0.002 to 0.141). Women were more likely to receive the following assessments: weight (OR 1.56 (95% CI 1.25 to 1.95)), height (OR 1.41 (95% CI 1.247 to 1.947)), blood pressure (OR 1.36 (95% CI 1.045 to 1.761)), fundal height measurements (OR 1.65 (95% CI 1.372 to 1.992)), fetal heart beat monitoring (OR 1.29 (95% CI 1.006 to 1.653)), external pelvic examination (OR 1.28 (95% CI 1.086 to 1.505)), iron-folic acid pills (OR 1.42 (95% CI 1.081 to 1.859)) and information on pregnancy complications (OR 2.09 (95% CI 1.724 to 2.551)). On the supply side, the CCT had no significant effect on the ANC provider quality index based on reports from midwives. Conclusions The CCT programme improved ANC coverage for women, but midwives did not improve ANC quality. The results suggest that enhanced ANC utilisation may not be sufficient to improve health outcomes, and steps to improve ANC quality are essential for programme impact.
Lack of robust LGN label following transneuronal rabies virus injections into macaque area V4

In primates, retinal inputs are relayed through the magno‐ and parvocells of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) indirectly to extrastriate visual cortex. The most direct pathway identified to the extrastriate cortex is a disynaptic one that provides robust magno‐ and parvocellular inputs to the middle temporal area (MT). The inclusion of parvocells in this projection is somewhat surprising because of their importance for color and form vision, whereas MT is more strictly tuned to velocity. This raises the question of whether areas more involved in color and form processing, such as V4, receive similar projections. We report here on experiments that use rabies virus injections into V4 to retrogradely label mono‐ and disynaptic inputs. We find only a small number of labeled neurons in the LGN in a pattern consistent with monosynaptic labeling of koniocells, rather than disynaptic labeling of magno‐ and parvocells. The lack of robust magno‐ and parvocellular label was not due to ineffective viral transport because in the same cases we find hundreds of neurons labeled in the thalamic reticular nucleus, a structure that can only be labeled disynaptically from the cortex. We also find a complete absence of neurons labeled in V1, but thousands in adjacent areas V2 and V3. This result helps explain the absence of labeled magno‐ and parvocells in the LGN because disynaptic transport from an extrastriate visual area should require a relay through V1. Taken together, these results suggest that ascending magno/parvocellular inputs to V4 are more hierarchically organized than the relatively direct inputs to MT. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:2500–2511, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Incidence trends of cervical adenocarcinoma in Israeli Jewish women. A population‐based study

Objective. To assess the trend over time of the relative frequency and incidence of adenocarcinoma (AC) in Israeli Jewish women. Design. Register study. Setting. Israel National Cancer Registry. Population. All cases of histologically proven invasive cervical cancer diagnosed during two time periods: 1961–1971 and 2002–2004. Methods. Calculation of frequencies and incidence rates and comparison by the χ2 test and by the Poisson regression model, respectively. Main outcome measures. Frequency and incidence of AC. Results. There were a total of 532 women with a diagnosis of cervical cancer during the first and 434 women during the second period (incidence 4.2 and 4.7/100,000, respectively). The total incidence rates and frequency rates of AC during the two periods were statistically not different. The frequency rate of AC during the second period was significantly higher in the 20–29 and the 40–49 age groups and in the North African born than in the other ethnic groups. Conclusions. Our study indicates that except in certain age and ethnic groups, the frequency and incidence of AC has not significantly altered in Israel over the time periods studied.
Atypical appendicitis: The impact of CT and its management

Acute appendicitis is a diagnosis that can be made on clinical symptoms and signs but can often be extremely challenging. Difficulties arise particularly when the presentation is atypical, and this can lead to untoward sequelae. In this review, we present the range of presentations of atypical appendicitis, the variety of management options and the potential value of CT.
Surgeon Volume Impacts Hospital Mortality for Pancreatic Resection

Objective:Improved outcomes after pancreatic resection (PR) by high volume (HV) surgeons have been reported in single center studies, which may be confounded with potential selection and referral bias. We attempted to determine if improved outcomes by HV surgeons are reproducible when patient demographic factors are controlled at the population level. Methods:Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, discharge records with surgeon identifiers for all nontrauma PR (n = 3581) were examined from 1998 to 2005. Surgeons were divided into 2 groups: (HV; ≥5 operations/year) or low volume (LV; <5 operations/year). We created a logistic regression model to examine the relationship between surgeon type and operative mortality while accounting for patient and hospital factors. To further eliminate differences in cohorts and determine the true effect of surgeon volume on mortality, case-control groups based on patient demographics were created using propensity scores. Results:One hundred thirty-four HV and 1450 LV surgeons performed 3581 PR in 742 hospitals across 12 states that reported surgeon identifier information over the 8-year period. Patients who underwent PR by HV surgeons were more likely to be male, white raced, and a resident of a high-income zip code (P < 0.05). Significant independent factors for in-hospital mortality after PR included increasing age, male gender, Medicaid insurance, and surgery by HV surgeon. HV surgeons had a lower adjusted mortality compared with LV surgeons (2.4% vs. 6.4%; P < 0.0001). Conclusions:After controlling for patient demographics and factors, pancreatic resection by a HV surgeon in this case-controlled cohort was independently associated with a 51% reduction in in-hospital mortality.
A Pilot Test of Videoconferencing to Improve Access to a Stroke Risk-Reduction Programme for Veterans

We conducted a pilot study to determine the feasibility of using videoconferencing for a programme of self-management to prevent stroke (V-STOP). A total of 37 Veterans with a history of stroke, or with multiple risk factors for stroke, were enrolled in the study from two rural sites. The V-STOP intervention consisted of 6 weekly sessions of self-management classes and clinic visits delivered via videoconferencing, with one or two individual telephone counselling sessions. Participants’ mean satisfaction scores were 4.7 out of 5, indicating very high approval of the programme. Attendance was 87%, almost twice as high as at an equivalent in-person programme. Access was improved as participants saved, on average, 160 km by travelling to a community centre instead of the main Veterans Administration facility. Stroke risk knowledge and self-management behaviours such as communication with healthcare providers significantly improved from baseline. Overall, videoconferencing is feasible for delivering self-management classes and clinic visits and the V-STOP programme shows promise as a method for delivery of self-management education and preventive care services to reduce stroke risk.
A 6 × 30 Gb/s Tunable Transmitter PIC With Low RF Crosstalk From an Open-Access InP Foundry

We demonstrate a six-channel tunable optical transmitter photonic integrated circuit fabricated in an open-access indium phosphide foundry process. The device monolithically integrates 20-nm tunable lasers and 30-Gb/s Mach–Zehnder modulators, without the use of Bragg gratings or quantum wells for phase modulation, to form a compact <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\text{3.9}} \times {\text{4.5 mm}}^{2}$</tex-math></inline-formula> high-density <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{6} \times \text{30}$</tex-math></inline-formula> Gb/s parallel transmitter. It exhibits a capacity density metric of 10 Gb/s/<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{mm}^2$</tex-math></inline-formula>, comparable to the state-of-the-art results from the literature and low <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$< -{\text{50}}$</tex-math></inline-formula> dB inter-channel radio-frequency crosstalk. With an attractive price point of 7 USD/Gb/s, the device can be a low-cost solution for data center interconnects or residential access networks.
Possible upregulation of hypothalamic 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors in patients with postviral fatigue syndrome.

OBJECTIVE--To study the dynamic function of hypothalamic 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors in patients with postviral fatigue syndrome. DESIGN--Prospective comparison of patients with postviral fatigue syndrome with two control groups. SETTING--Department of neurology, University of Glasgow, Southern General Hospital; department of psychiatry, St James's Hospital, Dublin. SUBJECTS--15 patients with postviral fatigue syndrome, 13 age and sex matched healthy subjects, and 13 patients with primary depression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Serum prolactin concentrations before and one, two, and three hours after administration of buspirone. RESULTS--Because of the effects of sex hormones on prolactin secretion data for men and women were analysed separately. There was no significant difference in baseline prolactin concentrations between patients with postviral fatigue syndrome and healthy subjects or those with primary depression. However, the percentage difference between peak and baseline values was significantly higher in patients with postviral fatigue syndrome than the control groups (one way analysis of variance: women, p = 0.003; men, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS--The results suggest upregulation of hypothalamic 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors in patients with postviral fatigue syndrome but not in those with primary depression. The buspirone challenge test may therefore be useful in distinguishing these two conditions. Larger studies are required to explore the potential value of drugs acting on central 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors in the treatment of patients with the postviral fatigue syndrome.
Two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis characterization of apz, a sperm protein involved in zona binding in the pig and evidence for its binding to specific zona glycoproteins

A boar sperm integral plasma membrane protein (APz) involved in the adhesion of uncapacitated and capacitated sperm to the porcine zona pellucida (ZP) has been characterized by two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and tested for its ability to bind to various zona glycopeptides. APz shows microheterogeneity and focuses over a wide pH range, with predominant forms focusing above pH 7. The protein, when excised from nonreducing polyacrylamide gels, inhibited sperm‐egg binding and bound heat‐solubilized zonae preventing these zonae from blocking sperm binding to eggs. In an indirect assay, a polyclonal monovalent antibody, which blocks sperm‐egg binding and which is absorbed by APz, was used to determine the ability of zona glycopeptides to prevent the sperm‐egg blocking activity of the antibody from being absorbed by intact sperm. When whole heat‐solubilized ZP was added to sperm at doses that block sperm‐egg binding and the excess ZP was removed, the sperm‐egg blocking activity of the antibody was not absorbed by these sperm, and antibody‐containing supernatants blocked the binding of untreated sperm to eggs as effectively as antibody that was not mixed with fresh sperm. When alpha ZP3 was used in the same manner, sperm‐egg blocking activity again was not absorbed by antibody‐treated cells. Beta ZP3, however, failed to block sperm‐egg binding and failed to absorb the sperm‐egg blocking activity of the antibody. These findings support the argument that the action of APz is physiologically significant and involves specific binding sites on the ZP3 component of the ZP.
Geographical Orientation of Export in Manufacturing Sector in Sub-Sahara Africa

Abstract This paper analyses firm’s decision to export and the geographical orientation of manufacturing firms in selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. It uses a dataset collected by Rankin, Söderbom, and Teal (2006) on manufacturing firms in Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania Nigeria and South Africa over the period 1991–2004. The paper develops a multinomial choice model of export destination in which profit maximizing firms choose between selling only on domestic market, export only to another African country, and export only outside Africa or export to both destinations. The model is estimated using a multinomial logistic regression. The paper finds evidence of a positive effect of firm size and firm efficiency on export decision and its geographical orientation, especially for the decision to export outside Africa. There is also significant industry, country and time effects in explaining export orientation. Unlike many previous studies, this paper finds that foreign ownership does not substantially determine firm decision to export. Using non-parametric regression, the paper finds that there is a lot of heterogeneity in the relation between the explanatory variables and the propensity to export or to export to various geographical destinations.
Effects of posterior pericardiotomy on the incidence of pericardial effusion and atrial fibrillation after coronary revascularization.

BACKGROUND The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to assess the efficacy of posterior pericardiotomy in decreasing the prevalence of pericardial effusion and postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF). MATERIAL/METHODS The study was performed in 100 patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) between October 2003 and July 2005. They were randomized to receive posterior pericardiotomy (Group A) or no posterior pericardiotomy (Group B). A 4-cm longitudinal incision was made parallel and posterior to the left phrenic nerve, extending from the left inferior pulmonary vein to the diaphragm in group A patients. Posterior pericardiotomy was not performed in group B patients. RESULTS Early pericardial effusion developed in 6 patients (12%) of group A and 21 patients (42%) of group B; no late pericardial effusion developed in group A, but did in 3 patients (6%) of group B. The number of patients who developed postoperative AF was significantly lower in the fenestration group compared with the control group (10% vs. 30%, p < 0.010). The overall incidence of supraventricular tachycardia in patients with early pericardial effusion was significantly higher than in patients without early pericardial effusion (18 patients vs. 9 patients). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that posterior pericardiotomy reduces the prevalence of early pericardial effusion and related AF by improving pericardial drainage in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.
Immunization of Newborn Rhesus Macaques with Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) Vaccines Prolongs Survival after Oral Challenge with Virulent SIVmac251

ABSTRACT There is an urgent need for active immunization strategies that, if administered shortly after birth, could protect infants in developing countries from acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection through breast-feeding. Better knowledge of the immunogenic properties of vaccine candidates in infants and of the effect of maternal antibodies on vaccine efficacy will aid in the development of such a neonatal HIV vaccine. Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of infant macaques is a useful animal model of pediatric HIV infection with which to address these questions. Groups of infant macaques were immunized at birth and 3 weeks of age with either modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) expressing SIV Gag, Pol, and Env (MVA-SIVgpe) or live-attenuated SIVmac1A11. One MVA-SIVgpe-immunized group had maternally derived anti-SIV antibodies prior to immunization. Animals were challenged orally at 4 weeks of age with a genetically heterogeneous stock of virulent SIVmac251. Although all animals became infected, the immunized animals mounted better antiviral antibody responses, controlled virus levels more effectively, and had a longer disease-free survival than the unvaccinated infected monkeys. Maternal antibodies did not significantly reduce the efficacy of the MVA-SIVgpe vaccine. In conclusion, although the tested vaccines delayed the onset of AIDS, further studies are warranted to determine whether a vaccine that elicits stronger early immune responses at the time of virus exposure may be able to prevent viral infection or AIDS in infants.