Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vivo mammillary body volume deficits in amnesic and nonamnesic alcoholics.

BACKGROUND Neuropathological studies use the presence of mammillary body (MB) pathology as a cardinal, diagnostic feature of Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) in neuropsychiatric diseases, most notably alcoholism. Although Korsakoffs Syndrome (KS), which is marked behaviorally by dense global amnesia, is a typical sequela of WE, it remains controversial whether these two conditions necessarily co-occur and whether MB pathology is therefore a diagnostic requisite for KS. METHODS We investigated these issues by examining, in vivo, 24 nonamnesic alcoholics (ALC), 5 amnesic alcoholics (KS), and 51 normal controls with three-dimensional MRI and memory testing. MB volume was determined from successive, 1 mm thick slices. RESULTS The ALC group had significantly smaller MB volumes bilaterally (mean = 54.5 +/- 22.0 mm3) than controls (mean = 66.3 +/- 17.1 mm3), and the KS group had even smaller MB volumes than the ALC group (mean = 20.7 +/- 14.8 mm3). Only 2 ALC patients met historical clinical criteria for past WE, and their MB volumes were well within range of the remaining 22 ALC patients. Although all five KS patients met historical clinical criteria for WE, three KS did not have accompanying dementia and had the same degree of MB volume loss as the ALC; the remaining two KS had accompanying dementia and MB volumes half the volume of the ALC group and of KS patients without dementia. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide volumetric in vivo evidence that: (1) MB volume deficits do occur in alcoholics without amnesia, although these deficits are not present in ail such alcoholics; (2) greater MB volume deficits are present in alcoholics with clinically detectable amnesia or dementia; (3) MB shrinkage is related to severity of cognitive and memory dysfunction, which suggests a continuum of MB pathology in chronic alcoholism to KS; and (4) the presence of WE in all of the KS patients and in the two ALC patients with the greatest long-term declarative memory deficit supports the possibility of an additional and unique pathology distinguishing nonamnesic and amnesic alcoholism.
Effect of high‐dose steroid therapy on T‐cell subpopulations A longitudinal study in MS patients

Lymphocyte subpopulations, T cell activation antigens, and serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL‐2) and soluble IL‐2 receptor (sIL2R), were studied in relapsing‐remitting MS (RR‐MS) patients before and after high‐dose steroid therapy. Prior to therapy, a minority of patients showed increased HLA‐DR antigen expression, and an increased number of CD16 + and CD19+ cells. Steroid treatment induced a significant increase in HLA‐DR and CD 19 expression, a significant reduction in CD 16 +, CD57 +, and CD8 + CD57 + cells, and a slight, non‐significant, decrease in IL‐2 and sIL‐2R levels and CD25 expression on CD4 + T lymphocytes.
Noise Reduction Improves Memory for Target Language Speech in Competing Native but Not Foreign Language Speech

Objectives: A hearing aid noise reduction (NR) algorithm reduces the adverse effect of competing speech on memory for target speech for individuals with hearing impairment with high working memory capacity. In the present study, we investigated whether the positive effect of NR could be extended to individuals with low working memory capacity, as well as how NR influences recall performance for target native speech when the masker language is non-native. Design: A sentence-final word identification and recall (SWIR) test was administered to 26 experienced hearing aid users. In this test, target spoken native language (Swedish) sentence lists were presented in competing native (Swedish) or foreign (Cantonese) speech with or without binary masking NR algorithm. After each sentence list, free recall of sentence final words was prompted. Working memory capacity was measured using a reading span (RS) test. Results: Recall performance was associated with RS. However, the benefit obtained from NR was not associated with RS. Recall performance was more disrupted by native than foreign speech babble and NR improved recall performance in native but not foreign competing speech. Conclusions: Noise reduction improved memory for speech heard in competing speech for hearing aid users. Memory for native speech was more disrupted by native babble than foreign babble, but the disruptive effect of native speech babble was reduced to that of foreign babble when there was NR.
Interleukin‐6 enhances hepatic transferrin uptake and ferritin expression in rats

To explore a mechanism of interleukin (IL)‐6–induced hypoferremia in rats, iron metabolism was investigated both in vivo and in vitro. Recombinant IL‐6 was intraperitoneally administered to male Wistar rats and the serial change of parameters related to iron metabolism was examined. After administration of IL‐6, plasma IL‐6 concentration increased rapidly, reached its maximum in 1 hr and thereafter decreased quickly. Plasma IL‐6 3 hr after IL‐6 injection (50 μg/kg) was 3 units/ml, which is a concentration capable of inducing hepatic 125I–labeled transferrin uptake in vitro using isolated hepatocytes. Plasma iron concentration and transferrin saturation had decreased to approximately one third of the initial level within 3 hr and then recovered. Total iron binding capacity remained unchanged for 6 hr, then began to decrease. Red blood cell count and hemoglobin concentration showed no remarkable changes during this period. By ferrokinetic study with plasma that contained iron 59–labeled transferrin, the plasma iron disappearance half time, calculated from the disappearance curve, was significantly shortened from 55 min to 22 min by IL‐6 treatment (p<0.01). The ferritin concentration in the liver was increased significantly after the administration of IL‐6 (p<0.001), but transiently decreased in the spleen. The plasma ferritin showed a gradual increase during the 6‐hr period after IL‐6 injection. The uptake of 125I‐labeled diferric transferrin by isolated hepatocytes was increased by IL‐6 treatment and this increment was inhibited by addition of 100‐fold excess unlabeled transferrin. On the other hand, no significant increment of 125I‐labeled differic transferrin uptake was observed in Kupffer cells. These results confirmed that in rats, IL‐6 produced a rapid increase of hepatic uptake of serum iron by means of transferrin receptor and resulted in hypoferremia. (HEPATOLOGY 1994;19:1468–1475.)
Autophagy protects human brain microvascular endothelial cells against methylglyoxal‐induced injuries, reproducible in a cerebral ischemic model in diabetic rats

Cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (ECs) are crucial for brain vascular repair and maintenance, but their physiological function may be impaired during ischemic stroke and diabetes. Methylglyoxal (MGO), a reactive dicarbonyl produced during glucose metabolism, could exacerbate ischemia‐induced EC injury and dysfunction. We investigated the protective effect of autophagy on cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMEC) that underwent MGO treatment. A further study was conducted to explore the underlying mechanisms of the protective effect. Autophagic activity was assessed by evaluating protein levels, using western blot. 3‐methyladenine (3‐MA), bafilomycin A1, ammonium chloride (AC), Beclin 1 siRNA, and chloroquine (CQ) were used to cause autophagy inhibition. Alarmar blue assay and lactate dehydrogenase release assay were used to evaluate cell viability. Streptozotocin was administered to induce type I diabetes in rats and post‐permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion was performed to elicit cerebral ischemia. Blood–brain barrier permeability was also assessed. Our study found that MGO reduced HBMEC cell viability in a concentration‐ and time‐dependent manner, and triggered the responsive autophagy activation. Autophagy inhibitors bafilomycin A1, AC, 3‐MA, and BECN1 siRNA exacerbated MGO‐induced HBMEC injury. FAK phosphorylation inhibitor PF573228 inhibited MGO‐triggered autophagy and enhanced lactate dehydrogenase release. Meanwhile, similar autophagy activation in brain vascular ECs was observed during permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion‐induced cerebral ischemia in diabetic rats, while chloroquine‐induced autophagy inhibition enhanced blood–brain barrier permeability. Taken together, our study indicates that autophagy triggered by MGO defends HBMEC against injuries.
Ovarian Histology and Follicular Score in Female Rats Treated with Nandrolone Decanoate and Submitted to Physical Effort

The study was conducted to analyze the histology of the ovaries of adults rats treated with steroids, and submitted or not to physical effort. The control group consisted of females submitted to physical effort and sedentary females, both of which received a physiological solution of 0.9% saline. Treated females, sedentary or not, received 6 mg/kg of body weight of nandrolone decanoate. The steroid and physiological solution were administered intraperitoneally, with a single injection per week for 4 consecutive weeks. The applied physical effort was swimming (20 minutes daily, 5 days/week, for the 4 weeks of treatment). Serial sections (5 μm) of ovaries were prepared for histological evaluation and follicular score. The weight of ovaries and hypophysis, the number of antral and atretic follicles, and the area of corpus luteum were all affected by the steroids. In the ovaries of the control groups, well-developed corpus luteum was observed. In the treated groups, the cortical stroma was occupied by ovarian interstitial tissue. The females treated with steroids presented estral acyclicity. The use of nandrolone decanoate, whether associated with physical effort or not, affected the morphological pattern of the ovaries.
The within-job gender pay gap in Hungary

Men’s labor income is on average higher than that of women practically everywhere. This gender pay gap can be decomposed into two components: on the one hand men usually work in better paid jobs (the sorting effect), and, on the other, even in the same occupation men get higher wages (the within-job pay gap). In this paper we focus on the second component, by trying to identify those jobs where the gender of the employee matters most. Using Hungarian individual data from a dataset where jobs are identified by their 3-digit employment classification code, we compute three statistical measures that turn out to entail more and more stringent criteria for variable importance. Our simplest measure is significance at the 5 percent in linear regressions. Judging by this criterion the majority of occupations have a gender pay gap. Secondly, we compute a variable importance measure defined for regression analysis, that narrows down the group of jobs where being male seems to carry definite financial advantages. Finally, we apply an alternative methodology, Random Forest regression, and calculate one of the associated variable importance measures. This new indicator reduces our looked for job categories even farther, and gives rather sharp results concerning the type of jobs where the within-job pay gap is definitely detectable. We find that gender has the most clearly distinguishable role in occupations requiring the least education. The broader categories include “Craft and Related Trades Workers”, “Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers” as well as “Elementary Occupations”. Our results suggest that the vanishing of the overall pay gap in Hungary is partly due to the fact that in higher skilled jobs the occupational pay gap is not so important, whereas it obscures the fact that in lower-paid unskilled jobs it is still very much extant.
Endogenous hepatic glucocorticoid receptor signaling coordinates sex‐biased inflammatory gene expression

An individual's sex affects gene expression and many inflammatory diseases present in a sex‐biased manner. Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are regulators of inflammatory genes, but their role in sex‐specific responses is unclear. Our goal was to evaluate whether GR differentially regulates inflammatory gene expression in male and female mouse liver. Twenty‐five percent of the 251 genes assayed by nanostring analysis were influenced by sex. Of these baseline sexually dimorphic inflammatory genes, 82% was expressed higher in female liver. Pathway analyses defined pattern‐recognition receptors as the most sexually dimorphic pathway. We next exposed male and female mice to the proinflammatory stimulus LPS. Female mice had 177 genes regulated by treatment with LPS, whereas males had 149, with only 66% of LPS‐regulated genes common between the sexes. To determine the contribution of GR to sexually dimorphic inflammatory genes we performed nanostring analysis on liver‐specific GR knockout (LGRKO) mice in the presence or absence of LPS. Comparing LGRKO to GRflox/flox revealed that 36 genes required GR for sexually dimorphic expression, whereas 24 genes became sexually dimorphic in LGRKO. Fifteen percent of LPS‐regulated genes in GRflox/flox were not regulated in male and female LGRKO mice treated with LPS. Thus, GR action is influenced by sex to regulate inflammatory gene expression. —Quinn, M. A. , Cidlowski, J. A. Endogenous hepatic glucocorticoid receptor signaling coordinates sex‐biased inflammatory gene expression. FASEB J. 30, 971–982 (2016). www.fasebj. org
Investigating factors that influence pedestrian and cyclist violations on shared use path: An observational study on the Brooklyn bridge promenade

Abstract Shared use paths such as the Brooklyn Bridge promenade are painted with the centerline marking to avoid conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists and provide safe and comfortable accommodation of both modes of travel. However, pedestrians and cyclists do not always comply with the regulation indicated by line markings and corresponding signs, and violations happen frequently on such shared use paths. This study aims to identify factors that influence the violation behavior on the Brooklyn Bridge promenade by using random intercept/coefficient models. Video data of 6 hours from three sites of the promenade were analyzed, and a total of 497 pedestrians and 397 cyclists who were close to the centerline marking were defined as observations. Factors such as individual characteristics, environment conditions, and road conditions were considered. The modeling results show pedestrian violations are more likely when pedestrians are heading to Brooklyn, doing exercise, or there are pedestrians of the same direction, cyclists of the same or opposite directions, and vendor booth or garbage bin in front of them. Cyclist violations are more likely when cyclists are heading to Brooklyn, the cyclist path is too narrow, or there are pedestrians of the same or opposite direction in front of cyclists. The space-related variables (i.e., the presence of vendor booth and garbage bin, location effects) highlight the importance of adequate path widths, and the significant influence of direction variable implies that making the right-hand rule clear for pedestrians would decrease the likelihood of violation occurrence.
Long-Term Outcome after Treatment of Hydrocephalus in Children

Aims: To provide long-term outcome data after treatment of hydrocephalus in children, and to identify risk factors for ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) failure. Methods: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) and VPS procedures in children between 2001 and 2005 were reviewed. Data collected prospectively included age at surgery, sex, aetiology of hydrocephalus, gestational age, emergency/planned surgery, duration of surgery, time of day, surgeon’s experience and other concomitant surgery. The mean follow-up was 4.7 years (min. 2 years). The endpoint was a new surgery due to failure of treatment, and the time to failure was noted. Risk factors for VPS failure were analysed by univariate Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: Ninety-eight patients were included, 76 with a VPS, 22 with an ETV. Fifty-five percent of ETV and 58% of VPS failed. Significant risk factors (p < 0.05) for VPS failure were prematurity (HR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.12–3.76), concomitant procedure (HR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.04–4.12) and long duration of surgery (HR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.06–1.44), while sex, surgeon’s experience, shunt type, at what department the surgery was performed, whether the surgery was acute or elective, and time of day were not. Conclusion: Treatment failure occurred in >50% of patients after ETV and VPS. Prematurity and concomitant surgery were major risk factors for VPS failure.
Racial/ethnic differences in the etiology of alcohol use among urban adolescents.

OBJECTIVE We examined relations between neighborhood context, home and family management practices, deviant peer affiliations, beliefs favorable to use, and alcohol use among urban African American and Hispanic adolescents. METHOD The sample comprised 4,027 African American and Hispanic adolescents who were 50% boys and 75% low income. Participants completed surveys in 2002-2005 and 2008-2009. Structural equation modeling assessed direct and indirect relations between neighborhood context in 6th grade, home and family management practices in 7th grade, deviant peer affiliations and beliefs favorable to use in 8th grade, and alcohol use in 12th grade. RESULTS There was significant variation in structural models across race/ethnicity but not gender. Differences included the influence of neighborhood and school strength and, where similarities existed, differences in effect magnitude. Similarities included significant correlations among measurement components; the indirect influence of alcohol advertisement exposure, gender, area deprivation, and home alcohol access on alcohol use; direct influence of deviant peer affiliations and beliefs favorable to use on alcohol use; and indirect effects highlighting the importance of preventing home alcohol access, deviant peer affiliations, and beliefs favorable to use and promoting protective family management practices. CONCLUSIONS Neighborhood and school strength may be particularly important in preventing alcohol use among African Americans, whereas preventing early onset of alcohol use among Hispanics remains important. Preventive efforts may wish to focus on neighborhood deprivation, exposure to alcohol advertisements, and home risks and protective factors because they have direct and indirect effects on intrapersonal factors and alcohol use.
Neonatal Jaundice, Autism, and Other Disorders of Psychological Development

OBJECTIVES: The goals were to study the association between neonatal jaundice and disorders of psychological development in a national, population-based cohort and to study whether gestational age, parity, and season of birth influenced that association. METHODS: A population-based, follow-up study of all children born alive in Denmark between 1994 and 2004 (N = 733 826) was performed, with data collected from 4 national registers. Survival analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs). RESULTS: Exposure to jaundice in neonates was associated with increased risk of disorders of psychological development for children born at term. The excess risk of developing a disorder in the spectrum of psychological development disorders after exposure to jaundice as a neonate was between 56% (HR: 1.56 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–2.30]) and 88% (HR: 1.88 [95% CI: 1.17–3.02]). The excess risk of infantile autism was 67% (HR: 1.67 [95% CI: 1.03–2.71]). This risk for infantile autism was higher if the child was conceived by a parous woman (HR: 2.71 [95% CI: 1.57–4.66]) or was born between October and March (HR: 2.21 [95% CI: 1.24–3.94]). The risk for infantile autism disappeared if the child was conceived by a primiparous woman (HR: 0.58 [95% CI: 0.18–1.83]) or was born between April and September (HR: 1.02 [95% CI: 0.41–2.50]). Similar risk patterns were found for the whole spectrum of autistic disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal jaundice in children born at term is associated with disorders of psychological development. Parity and season of birth seem to play important roles.
Application of extracorporeal shock wave on bone: preliminary report.

BACKGROUND We have studied the effect of extracorporeal shock waves (ESW) on bone. ESW emitted by the new powerful generator provides three to six times greater energy than a common lithotriptor. Because the ESW causes fracture of rabbit femurs and induces new bone formation, we have called this treatment as ESWIB (ESW-induced bone formation). The purpose of this study is to confirm the effect of ESWIB on a canine model, which is more similar to clinical cases, and to apply ESWIB on nonunion of clinical cases. METHODS In our basic research, ESWIB was applied on six canine femurs as follows: group I with 100, 500, 1,000 shots and group II with 100, 500, 1,000 shots. A femur was extracted immediately after ESWIB in group I and 2 months after ESWIB in group II. Blood tests, including blood cell counts and blood chemistry studies, were performed before and after ESWIB in group II. In our clinical research, we applied ESWIB to six patients of delayed or nonunion of the fracture. The sites of the ESWIB application were three tibiae, one radius, one femur, and one humerus. Average age of the patients, the period from the previous surgery, and the period until fusion was achieved were 38.6 years, 14.0 months, and 4.3 months, respectively. RESULTS In our basic research, group I, 500 or more shots caused periosteum detachment. In addition, small fractures of the inner surface of the cortex were observed. However, gross fracture with displacement was not observed. In group II, 500 or more shots caused callus formation beneath the detached periosteum. Subcutaneous hemorrhage was seen in all dogs, and the degree of bleeding was directly proportional to the number of the shots. The blood was absorbed within a week. The level of serum creatine kinase was significantly high 2 days after ESWIB, but it recovered in a week. In our clinical research, four of the patients achieved union without any complications except mild subcutaneous bleeding. CONCLUSIONS We predict that ESWIB will be one of the tactics for treatment of the delayed union or nonunion of the fracture in the future.
Regulatory enzymes of mitochondrial β‐oxidation as targets for treatment of the metabolic syndrome

Insulin sensitizers like metformin generally act through pathways triggered by adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) controls mitochondrial β‐oxidation and is inhibited by malonyl‐CoA, the product of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC). The adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase‐ACC‐CPT1 axis tightly regulates mitochondrial long‐chain fatty acid oxidation. Evidence indicates that ACC2, the isoform located in close proximity to CPT1, is the major regulator of CPT1 activity. ACC2 as well as CPT1 are therefore potential targets to treat components of the metabolic syndrome such as obesity and insulin resistance. Reversible inhibitors of the liver isoform of CPT1, developed to prevent ketoacidosis and hyperglycemia, have been found to be associated with side effects like hepatic steatosis. However, stimulation of systemic CPT1 activity may be an attractive means to accelerate peripheral fatty acid oxidation and hence improve insulin sensitivity. Stimulation of CPT1 can be achieved by elimination or inhibition of ACC2 activity and through activating transcription factors like peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptors and their protein partners. The latter leads to enhanced CPT1 gene expression. Recent developments are discussed, including a recently identified CPT1 isoform, i.e. CPT1C. This protein is highly expressed in the brain and may provide a target for new tools to prevent obesity.