Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biochemical and Genetic Characterization of an FK506-Sensitive Peptidyl Prolyl cis-trans Isomerase from a Thermophilic Archaeon, Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus

ABSTRACT A peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) was purified from a thermophilic methanogen, Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus. The PPIase activity was inhibited by FK506 but not by cyclosporine. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 16 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 42 kDa by gel filtration. The enzyme was thermostable, with the half-lives of its activity at 90 and 100°C being 90 and 30 min, respectively. The catalytic efficiencies (kcat/Km) measured at 15°C for the peptidyl substrates,N-succinyl-Ala-Leu-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide andN-succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide, were 0.35 and 0.20 μM−1 s−1, respectively, in chymotrypsin-coupled assays. The purified enzyme was sensitive to FK506 and therefore was called MTFK (M. thermolithotrophicusFK506-binding protein). The MTFK gene (462 bp) was cloned from anM. thermolithotrophicus genomic library. The comparison of the amino acid sequence of MTFK with those of other FK506-binding PPIases revealed that MTFK has a 13-amino-acid insertion in the N-terminal region that is unique to thermophilic archaea. The relationship between the thermostable nature of MTFK and its structure is discussed.
Antenatal Care in Denmark: Assessments of Program, Staff Competence, Compliance, and Outcome

Abstract Antenatal care in Denmark is shared between general practitioners, midwives, and hospital departments. A minimum of 9 visits is officially recommended for all pregnant women. In 1987, 80% made 10 or more visits. An inadequate number of visits in relation to recommendations was most frequent in the lowest social group. Risk of stillbirth and neonatal death varied substantially between social groups even after taking account of number of visits made.
Establishing the motivations of patients with dementia and cognitive impairment and their carers in joining a dementia research register (DemReg)

ABSTRACT Background: Connecting willing patients with dementia to suitable clinical research studies has been historically challenging. The United Kingdom Dementia and Neurodegenerative Research Network (DeNDRoN) was established to link patients into high-quality studies. One component is DemReg, a register of dementia patients and their carers who have agreed to be approached regarding future research studies. The limited literature highlights the predominance of altruism mediating research register participation. The objective of this study was to understand the motivations of patients and carers to participate in DemReg. Methods: There were 107 participants in the study, interviewed using a questionnaire to determine which factors were important in their decision to be on the register. The study compared the proportion of the altruistic motivations articulated with the proportion of the other answers offered. Results: The two most important motivators for registering on DemReg were to help others (44%; p < 0.001) or themselves (29%; p < 0.001) and altruistic motives took precedence over those for personal benefit. Participants were not motivated by the prospect of payment or by concern that they would be letting down their clinician if they did not register. Conclusions: There are currently major projects within the United Kingdom to increase the number of patients on dementia registers and to further involvement in dementia research. This study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first to assess the motivations of patients and carers for joining a dementia research register in the United Kingdom, and the findings highlight the importance of altruistic motives.
Serum Concentrations of Calcium, Phosphorus, and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Captive African Elephants (Loxodonta africana)

Abstract Seventy-two serum samples were collected from 14 healthy African elephants (Loxodonta africana), including three calves, to test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] as well as for performing biochemical panels. Samples were collected between July 1997 and January 2008 to establish normal 25(OH)D values for the species and to examine the relationship of season and time on these values. Although the number of samples from the calves was small (n = 7), there was no statistically significant difference in the mean 25(OH)D levels between adults and calves (15.7 ± 7.7 ng/ml versus 17.1 ± 5.8 ng/ml, P > 0.05, respectively). The comparison of mean and individual values among seasons showed some variation, but was not statistically different; therefore, all values were combined for further analyses. The mean value of 25(OH)D for all samples was 15.8 ± 7.5 ng/ml (n = 72), with a 95% confidence interval of 14.0–17.6 ng/ml. There did not appear to be a direct correlation between 25(OH)D levels and calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), or calcium∶phosphorus ratio (Ca∶P) based on regression analyses (P < 0.05). Values measured approximated normal distributions. Mean calcium value was 10.5 ± 0.6mg/dl (n = 61); mean phosphorus value was 5.2 ± 0.8 mg/dl (n = 50); and mean Ca∶P was 2.06 ± 0.34. Since all animals appeared healthy during the course of sample collection, and bone density on foot radiographs was assessed as good, the results are considered to be normal for this herd. With the incidence of joint disease in older elephants, and metabolic bone disease in hand-reared calves, these values will provide a basis for further studies of calcium metabolism in elephants.
Comparison of four different sampling methods for detecting pharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae in children

Samples from 96 children with acute respiratory infection were obtained simultaneously with nasal, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal swabs and by nasopharyngeal aspiration and were cultured on chocolate and blood agar plates. The rates of isolation of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae detected by the four sampling methods were compared. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were optimal for the detection of both S. pneumoniae (isolation rate, 33%) and H. influenzae (isolation rate, 31%). When a nasopharyngeal aspirate is not available, such as for healthy children or children with no obtainable secretions, the nasopharyngeal swab seems optimal for the detection of both S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae among children younger than 13 months of age. Among older children, similarly, the nasopharyngeal swab seems optimal for the detection of S. pneumoniae; however, for H. influenzae, the oropharyngeal swab seems optimal.
[Risk factors for iron-deficiency anemia in children and adolescents with intestinal helminthic infections].

OBJECTIVE To investigate risk factors for iron-deficiency anemia in children and adolescents (7 to 17 years of age) with intestinal helminthic infections. METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1 709 children and adolescents living in Jequié, a town in the state of Bahia, Brazil, who had mild to moderate infection by Schistosoma mansoni, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, or hookworms. We obtained data concerning hemoglobin levels (using a portable hemoglobinometer), dietary habits (24-hour dietary recall), parasitic infections (Kato-Katz method), sanitary conditions (water supply, sewage connection, garbage collection), housing conditions (type of construction, number of persons per room), income, and amount of schooling of the parents or guardians. The risk factors for anemia were studied based on a hierarchical model of causality. RESULTS The prevalence of parasitic infection was 74.8% for T. trichiura, 63.0% for A. lumbricoides, 55.5% for S. mansoni, and 15.7% for hookworms. Among the children and adolescents studied 32.2% were anemic. After adjustment for confounding variables, the results of the multivariate analysis showed that the following variables were significantly associated with anemia: per capita family income below US$ 27 (equal to one fourth of the Brazilian minimum wage), male sex, age of 7 to 9 years, and inadequate intake of bioavailable iron. CONCLUSIONS The initiatives to control anemia in the group at greatest risk, as identified in this study, should seek to increase the consumption of iron-rich foods, boost the bioavailability of the iron ingested, and improve socioenvironmental conditions.
Introducing TAMI: An Objective Test of Ability in Movement Imagery

ABSTRACT Individual ability in mental imagery varies widely across individuals, leading to the development of questionnaires to evaluate mental imagery. Within the domain of movement imagery, questionnaires have previously relied on subjective ratings of vividness, which may be influenced by additional factors such as motor skill confidence, success of imagined actions, and social desirability. These additional factors are of particular importance when making comparisons between samples from different populations, such as athletes versus nonathletes and patients versus healthy individuals. The authors present a novel test of ability in movement imagery (Test of Ability in Movement Imagery [TAMI]) that relies on objective measures and requires participants to make explicit imagined movements from an external perspective. In Study 1, the authors present evidence that young adults perform at a mid-level on the TAMI. In Study 2, they further compare performance on the TAMI with a battery of other measures to better characterize the TAMI by determining its similarities and differences with existing measures. The findings of both studies indicate the TAMI to be a valid and reliable measure of movement imagery ability. The authors additionally discuss future applications of the TAMI to athletic and clinical research.
Delusion and Deception in Large Infrastructure Projects: Two Models for Explaining and Preventing Executive Disaster

"Over budget, over time, over and over again" appears to be an appropriate slogan for large, complex infrastructure projects. This article explains why cost, benefits, and time forecasts for such projects are systematically over-optimistic in the planning phase. The underlying reasons for forecasting errors are grouped into three categories: delusions or honest mistakes; deceptions or strategic manipulation of information or processes; or bad luck. Delusion and deception have each been addressed in the management literature before, but here they are jointly considered for the first time. They are specifically applied to infrastructure problems in a manner that allows both academics and practitioners to understand and implement the suggested corrective procedures. The article provides a framework for analyzing the relative explanatory power of delusion and deception. It also suggests a simplified framework for analyzing the complex principal-agent relationships that are involved in the approval and construction of large infrastructure projects, which can be used to improve forecasts. Finally, the article illustrates reference class forecasting, an outside view de-biasing technique that has proven successful in overcoming both delusion and deception in private and public investment decisions.
Clinical evaluation of indium-111-labeled chimeric anti-CEA monoclonal antibody.

UNLABELLED Chimeric T84.66 (cT84.66) is a high-affinity (1.16 x 10[11] M[-1]) IgG1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). This pilot trial evaluated the tumor-targeting properties, biodistribution, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of 111In-labeled cT84.66. METHODS Patients with CEA-producing metastatic malignancies were administered a single intravenous dose of 5 mCi 111In-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid-cT84.66. Serial blood samples, 24-hr urine collections and nuclear images were collected up to 7 days postinfusion. Human antichimeric antibody response was assessed up to 6 mo postinfusion. RESULTS Imaging of at least one known tumor site was observed in 14 of 15 (93%) patients. Seventy-four lesions were analyzed with an imaging sensitivity rate of 45.1% and a positive predictive value of 94.1%. In one patient, two additional bone metastases developed within 6 mo of antibody administration at sites initially felt to be falsely positive on scan. One patient developed a human antichimeric antibody response predominantly to the murine portion of the antibody. The antibody cleared serum with a median T(1/2alpha) of 6.53 hr and a T(1/2beta) of 90.87 hr. Interpatient variations in serum clearance rates were observed and were secondary to differences in clearance and metabolic rates of antibody-antigen complexes by the liver. One patient demonstrated very rapid clearance of antibody by the liver, which compromised antibody localization to the primary tumor. Antibody uptake in primary and metastatic tumors ranged from 0.5% to 10.5% injected dose/kg, resulting in estimated radiation doses ranging from 0.97 to 21.3 cGy/mCi 90Y. Antibody uptake in regional lymph nodes ranged from 1.3% to 377% injected dose/kg, resulting in estimated radiation doses ranging from 2.0 to 617 cGy/mCi 90Y. CONCLUSION Chimeric T84.66 demonstrated tumor targeting that was comparable to that of other radiolabeled intact anti-CEA Mabs. Its immunogenicity after single administration was lower than murine Mabs. These properties make cT84.66 or a lower molecular weight derivative attractive for further evaluation as an imaging agent. These same properties also make it appropriate for future evaluation in Phase I therapy trials. Finally, a wide variation in the rate of antibody clearance was observed, with one patient demonstrating very slow clearance, resulting in the highest estimated marrow dose of the group, and one patient demonstrating unusually rapid clearance, resulting in poor antibody localization to tumor. Data from this study suggest that serum CEA levels, antibody-antigen complex clearance and, therefore, antibody clearance are influenced by both the production and clearance rates of CEA. This underscores the need to further identify, characterize and understand those factors that influence the biodistribution and clearance of radiolabeled anti-CEA antibodies to allow for better selection of patients for therapy and rational planning of radioimmunotherapy.
Research on correlation between MMP-9 and early-onset preeclampsia

Objective: To investigate the expression changes of MMP-9 in serum and placenta tissues of patients with early-onset preeclampsia (EOPE), and to explore the relation between MMP-9 and EOPE. Methods: 40 pregnant women examined for pregnancy or delivered in our hospital were selected for this study; they were divided into EOEP group (n = 20, pregnant women with EOPE) and control group (n = 20, normal healthy maternal women). ELISA, immunohistochemical staining and Western blot were used to examine the expression levels of MMP-9 in serum and placenta tissues of both EOEP group and control group; and Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the expression of MMP-9 and EOEP. Results: Compared with control group, the serum level of MMP-9 in EOPE group significantly increased (P<0.05); while the MMP-9 expression in placenta tissues was obviously decreased (P<0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that serum MMP-9 in EOPE group was positively related to mean arterial pressure (r = 0.685, P<0.05). Conclusion: The elevation of serum MMP-9 level and decline of placenta MMP-9 level may be related to the occurrence of EOPE, indicating MMP-9 may be involved in pathological and physiological process of preeclampsia.
Construction Innovation: Addressing the Project-Product Gap in the Swedish Construction Sector

The construction sector is often accused of being inefficient, conservative and non-innovative, although some commentators have suggested that the construction sector is not backward, it is merely different to other industries. One of these differences is the uniqueness of construction projects, which are determined by the characteristics of the site, interaction of project participants (also partly site specific) and the relationship between contractors and building product producers (which changes from one project to another). These factors are known to colour construction innovation. Previous research into the Swedish construction sector has identified a significant gap between the building product producers who are ‘product focused’ and the contractors who are ‘project focused’, with concerns expressed about effectiveness of communication between two. The findings of previous research imply, both implicitly and explicitly, that this gap may be hindering innovation within the construction sector. This .
Gustatory neural coding in the monkey cortex: the quality of sweetness.

1. We analyzed the activity of single neurons in gustatory cortex of alert cynomolgus monkeys in response to the four basic taste stimuli and to a range of chemicals, all of which are predominantly sweet to humans. 2. We recorded taste-evoked responses from a cortical area that measured 4.0 mm in its anteroposterior extent, 5.6 mm dorsoventrally and 2.2 mm mediolaterally. Taste-responsive neurons constituted 4.7% of the 3,066 neurons tested in the course of 66 recording tracks. Nongustatory cells included those responsive to mouth movement (34.1%), tongue touch (1.9%), stimulus approach (0.7%), and tongue extension (0.5%). The functions of 58.2% of the cells we isolated could not be determined. 3. The mean breadth of tuning of these cortical taste neurons was a moderate 0.59 (range 0.00-0.93). 4. There was no evidence that taste cells with similar functional attributes were clustered in the cortex, i.e., there was no apparent topographic organization of taste qualities. 5. A taste space was generated from the correlations among patterns of neural activity evoked by the stimulus array. Within the space, NaCl was most isolated from other stimuli; the profiles elicited by HCl, quinine HCl, and water were all moderately intercorrelated and were clearly distinct from the cluster of sweet stimuli. 6. The 19 sweet chemicals formed a coherent cluster centered on the simple carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose) and sorbitol. Nearest this core were calcium cyclamate, aspartame, and cran-raspberry juice. In the next concentric ring were acesulfame potassium, xylose, xylitol, sorbose, polycose, and myoinositol. Increasingly distant from the sugars were sodium saccharin, stevioside, neohesperidin DHC, L-tryptophan and monellin. 7. We compared these results with those of a human psychophysical study of sweet stimuli. Using the position of glucose as a reference, we measured the distances to all other stimuli that were common to the two studies (n = 15). The correlation between the human psychophysical data and those derived from evoked activity in the macaque cortex was +0.82. 8. The high correlation between human psychophysical and macaque electrophysiological data implies that the subtle distinctions among stimuli that are predominantly sweet are quite similar for these two species and reinforces the value of this neural model for human taste perception.
Randomized Trial of Web-Based Training to Promote Counselor Use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills in Client Sessions

Background and Methods: The authors designed and delivered an innovative Web course on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a specific empirically based treatment, to a diverse group of addiction counselors and supervisors in 54 addiction units across the country, and conducted a randomized controlled trial of its effectiveness with 127 counselors. The primary focus of the trial was to assess “adequate adherence to CBT practice” after training as judged by raters blinded to training condition who listened to audiotapes of actual client sessions. Counselors who passed were judged to satisfy 2 criteria: (a) low pass or greater on at least 1 of 3 “CBT-generic skills” assessing session structure; and (b) low pass or greater on at least 1 of 3 “CBT-specific skills” related to use of functional analysis, cognitive skills practice, or behavioral skills practice. Results: Although the counselors’ use of CBT skills in sessions increased after Web course training, it was not statistically significant and not larger than the gain of control-group counselors trained with a written CBT manual.
Coordinate Expression of Anticoagulant Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans and Serine Protease Inhibitors in the Rat Ovary: A Potent System of Proteolysis Control1

Abstract During the reproductive cycle, ovarian follicles undergo major tissue-remodeling involving vascular changes and proteolysis. Anticoagulant heparan sulfate proteoglycans (aHSPGs) are expressed by granulosa cells during the development of the ovarian follicle. The function of aHSPGs in the ovary is unknown, but they might be involved in proteolysis control through binding and activation of serine protease inhibitors. To identify functional interactions between aHSPGs and heparin-binding protease inhibitors in the follicle, we have coordinately localized aHSPGs, antithrombin III, protease nexin-1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in the rat ovary during natural and gonadotropin-stimulated cycles. Anticoagulant HSPGs were visualized by autoradiography of cryosections incubated with 125I-antithrombin III, and protease inhibitors were assessed by immunohistochemistry and Northern blot hybridization. Anticoagulant HSPGs were expressed in follicles before ovulation, were transiently decreased in postovulatory follicles, and were abundant in the corpus luteum, mainly on capillaries. Anticoagulant HSPGs were colocalized with protease nexin-1 in follicles from the early antral stage until ovulation, with antithrombin III in the preovulatory stage and after ovulation, and with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in the corpus luteum. These data demonstrate that aHSPGs are critically expressed in the ovary to interact sequentially with protease nexin-1, antithrombin III, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 during the cycle. The specificity of these inhibitors is shifted toward thrombin inhibition in the presence of heparin, suggesting that aHSPGs direct their action to control fibrin deposition in the follicle. The occupation of aHSPGs antithrombin-binding sites by mutant R393C antithrombin III, injected in the ovarian bursa, decreased ovulation efficiency, further supporting the involvement of aHSPGs in the ovulation process.
Concordance between Clinical and Histopathological Diagnoses at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Oral and Maxillofacial Unit

Background: Accurate diagnosis of orofacial tumours is important as this determines the treatment options as well as the eventual treatment outcome. Agreement between clinical and histopathological diagnosis becomes important in this regard. Aims: The aim was to determine the level of agreement between clinical and histopathology diagnosis of orofacial lesions. Method: This is a retrospective study of all histopathology reports seen at KATH maxillofacial unit. Thedata collected included, clinical diagnosis and histological diagnosis. Results: A total of 567 histopathology reports were evaluated. The percentage of agreement between clinical and histopathological diagnosis was 62.8%. Conclusion: The agreement between clinical and histopathological diagnosis was high. However clinicians cannot rely on only the clinical diagnosis in managing patients.