Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
INFECTIONS WITH FRANCISELLA TULARENSIS BIOVAR PALAEARCTICA IN HARES (LEPUS TUMIDUS, LEPUS EUROPAEUS) FROM SWEDEN

The occurrence of tularemia was studied in 1,500 hares submitted to the National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden for postmortem examination during 1973 through 1985. A total of 109 tularemia cases was recorded based on the fluorescent antibody (FA) test for Francisella tularensis and on the gross and microscopic pathology. Tularemia was diagnosed only in the varying hare (Lepus timidus) and not in the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus). The geographical distribution of the 109 cases indicates that tularemia has not spread in Sweden during the last 45 yr, with the exception of an endemic occurrence of the disease on the island of Stora Karlsö in the Baltic sea. The disease was most frequent in the autumn and only a few cases were recorded during winter. Cases were not seen in the spring. The annual prevalence varied, with several cases in 1974 and 1981, but there were no cases in 1976 and 1980. The postmortem findings in hares dying of tularemia in the autumn were characterized by focal coagulative necrosis in liver, spleen and bone marrow, with high numbers of bacteria FA-positive for F. tularensis. In hares dying during winter months, the most characteristic findings were hemorrhagic enteritis and typhlitis, although necrotic lesions could occur in liver, spleen and bone marrow. Diseased hares on the island of Stora Karlsö were demonstrated to be infected with ticks, while hares on the mainland of Sweden generally were fed upon by mosquitoes. Twenty-six of the 109 hares with tularemia were examined bacteriologically and F. tularensis biovar palaearctica was isolated from eight. The lung extract antibody test for F. tularensis was performed in 18 of the 109 hares. All were negative. In addition to the field study, an experimental study with F. tularensis biovar palaearctica was performed. Four varying hares and three European brown hares were inoculated. None of the hares died from tularemia, and generalized infection was not demonstrated.
Neoplastic response of various tissues to the systemic administration of the 8-methyl ether of xanthurenic acid.

Summary Following the repeated s.c. administration of an aqueous solution of the 8-methyl ether of xanthurenic acid into female Swiss mice, an incidence of 23% malignant tumors of the lymphoreticular system was observed. This incidence was significantly greater than the one of 4% found in a corresponding control group. Although other tumors — mammary adenoma, pulmonary adenoma, uterine fibroadenoma, etc. — were observed in both groups, no significant difference in incidence was apparent.
Management of a Needle Breakage During Third Molar Extraction With CARM Digital Fluoroscope

of EN-DCR has increased due to the obvious advantages already pointed out by the authors. The increased popularity of the EN-DCR is also supported by the better outcomes. In this respect, we challenge the authors to agree that the different success rate in their 2 groups (91.0% versus 71.5%) is likely to be attributed more to the different surgical technique rather than the adjuvant use of MMC. In fact, we note that the adjuvant MMC increases the success rate of revision EN-DCR, whereas the success rate of primary EN-DCR is already very high and might not benefit from the adjunctive use of MMC. Furthermore, the same findings of better wound healing at the osteotomy site in absence of increased success rate was previously reported. Because of the retrospective nature of the study, we would have welcomed a selection of more homogenous groups, including only patients with primary or revision DCR. We would have also expected a comparative interventional study between patients treated with EN-DCR alone and EN-DCR with MMC to assess the effect of MMC, which was the purpose of this article. In contrast, the authors only used the adjunctive MMC in their patients undergoing EN-DCR and then compared the success rate of this group with a group of subjects undergoing external DCR without MMC. With regard to the adjunctive use of silicone tube, we would like to cite a recent meta-analysis that concluded that silicone tubing after primary EN-DCR is not necessary. This confirms the original findings of a previous prospective randomized interventional trial. We would like to stimulate the authors to provide more details regarding their study. In particular the following: (a) Were the patients allocated to 1 of the 2 different groups according to particular preoperative characteristics? (b) Were the patients operated on by the same surgeon? (c) The size and location of the osteotomy were not reported. This has been found to be a common cause of failure. Were size and location of osteotomy consistent throughout the study? (d) Could the authors provide a differentiated analysis of success rates and postoperative complications for patients undergoing primary procedures and revisions among their 2 groups of patients? (e) How the authors defined and assessed the success of their procedure? We would like to highlight that the patency on saline irrigation demonstrates the anatomic success, whereas the Jones fluorescein dye test, the height of the tear meniscus, and the freedom from epiphora are indicators of functional success.
Molecular epidemiology and transmission dynamics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in rural Africa

The relative contribution of reactivated and recently acquired tuberculosis to the disease burden in developing countries is unknown, as are the settings within which most transmission occurs. In an attempt to answer these questions, we combined molecular techniques (restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis) and conventional epidemiology (risk factor analysis and contact tracing) to study 246 consecutive cases of smear‐positive tuberculosis in rural South Africa. We estimate that 29–43% of the cases were recently acquired, as they were clustered. We were unable to identify firm transmission links between 73% of clustered cases. Our findings suggest that most smear‐positive tuberculosis in rural Africa is both recently acquired and casually transmitted. Tuberculosis control may therefore depend more on promoting early presentation, rapid diagnosis and vaccine development than on chemotherapy.
Effects of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor activation on membrane currents and intracellular messengers in medium spiny neurones of the rat striatum

Acetylcholine, acting through muscarinic receptors, modulates the excitability of striatal medium spiny neurones. However, the underlying membrane conductances and intracellular signalling pathways have not been fully determined. Our aim was to characterize excitatory effects mediated by M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in these neurones using whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings in brain slices of postnatal rats. Under voltage‐clamp, muscarine evoked an inward current associated with an increase in cell membrane resistance. The current, which reversed at −85 mV, was sensitive to the M1 receptor antagonist pirenzepine. Blocking the potassium conductance attenuated the response and the residual current was further reduced by ruthenium red (50 µm) and reversed at +15 mV. Simultaneous recordings from cholinergic interneurones and medium spiny neurones in conjunction with spike‐triggered averaging revealed small unitary excitatory postsynaptic currents in four of 39 cell pairs tested. The muscarine‐induced inward current was attenuated by a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, U73122, but not by a protein kinase C inhibitor, chelerythrine, or by the intracellular calcium chelator 1,2‐bis(2‐aminophenoxy) ethane‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetra‐acetic acid, suggesting that the current was associated with PLC in a protein kinase C‐ and Ca2+‐independent manner. The phosphatidylinositol 4‐kinase inhibitor wortmannin (10 µm) reduced the recovery of the inward current, indicating that the recovery process was dependent on the removal of diacylglycerol and/or inositol 1,4,5 triphosphate or resynthesis of phospholipid phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐bisphophate. Ratiometric measurement of intracellular calcium after cell loading with fura‐2 demonstrated a muscarine‐induced increase in calcium signal that originated mainly from intracellular stores. Thus, the cholinergic excitatory effect in striatal medium spiny neurones, which is important in motor disorders associated with altered cholinergic transmission in the striatum such as Parkinson's disease, is mediated through M1 receptors and the PLC‐dependent pathway.
The beta-blocker heart attack trial. beta-Blocker Heart Attack Study Group.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has taken the unusual step of prematurely ending one of its major clinical trials, the Beta-Blocker Heart Attack Trial (BHAT), on the advice of its Policy and Data Monitoring Board. BHAT was a randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial of propranolol hydrochloride vs. placebo in patients enrolled shortly after an acute myocardial infarction. This preliminary report explains that the trial was curtailed after data indicated that the group of patients receiving the drug experienced 26% lower mortality than the control group.
Do Disclosures of Customer Metrics Lower Investors’ and Analysts’ Uncertainty but Hurt Firm Performance?

Investors, analysts, and regulators frequently advocate greater disclosure of nonfinancial information, such as customer metrics. Managers, however, argue that such metrics are costly to report, reveal sensitive information to competitors, and therefore will lower future cash flows. To examine these counterarguments, this study presents the first empirical examination of the prevalence and consequences of backward- and forward-looking disclosures of customer metrics by manually coding 511 annual reports of firms in two industries, telecommunications (365 reports) and airlines (146 reports). The results reveal significant heterogeneity in the disclosure of customer metrics across firms and between industries. On average, in both industries, firms make more backward-looking than forward-looking disclosures. Notably, forward-looking disclosures of customer metrics are negatively associated with investors’ uncertainty in both industries and with analysts’ uncertainty in the telecommunications industry. Importantly, the results do not support the managerial thesis that such disclosures have a negative impact on future cash flows.
Segregated Cooperation

Observations in experiments show that players in a prisoner's dilemma may adhere more or less to a cooperative norm. Adherence is defined by the intensity of pro-social emotions, like guilt, of deviating from the norm. Players consider also payoffs from defection as a motive to deviate. By combining both incentives, the modeling may explain conditional cooperation and the existence of polymorphic equilibria in which cooperators and defectors coexist. We then show by the use of simulations, that local interaction structures may produce segregation and the appearance of cooperative zones under these conditions.
Strategic Management in Small Firms: Developing a Conceptual Framework

This paper develops a five-part framework originally proposed by Mazzarol (2005) for understanding the process of strategic management and growth in small firms. The original paper was conceptual in nature and outlined ten research questions for subsequent research and analysis. Through an analysis of the literature, concurrent research undertaken by the authors, and the findings of a case study of a fast growth small firm, the authors examine eight of the research questions posed by Mazzarol (2005) and discuss their implications within the context of strategic decision making and growth within the small firm. The paper provides support for the original five part framework and outlines issues for future research.
Fluoxetine treatment of nonparaphilic sexual addictions and paraphilias in men.

BACKGROUND Paraphilias (PAs) and non-paraphilic sexual addictions (NPSAs) may be behaviors that share a common perturbation of central serotonin neuroregulation as a component of their pathophysiology. Fluoxetine was selected as an agent that might mitigate these behaviors, based on the observations that PAs and NPSAs are associated with depression, compulsion, impulsivity, and disinhibited aggression. METHOD Twenty men (PA, N = 10; NPSA, N = 10) recruited through newspaper advertisement were evaluated for depression and sexual behaviors at baseline and 4-week intervals while receiving fluoxetine pharmacotherapy in an open trial. Sixteen men completed the drug trial. Outcome was determined at 12 weeks using a single-factor, repeated-measures design and an analysis of variance. The general linear models procedure was used to test each of nine dependent measures. RESULTS Nineteen (95%) of 20 men met non-exclusionary DSM-III-R criteria for dysthymia and 11 men (55%) met criteria for current major depression. At baseline, the paraphilic and the nonparaphilic subgroups were comparable in most intergroup measures of sexual function except total sexual outlet. PAs shared extensive comorbidity with NPSAs (100%). At outcome, statistically significant effects (p < .05) of fluoxetine were found in both groups over time for all variables pertaining to depression and PA/NPSA sexual behaviors. Statistically significant reduction in PA/NPSA response was evident by Week 4, while conventional sexual behavior was not adversely affected by pharmacotherapy. CONCLUSION Men seeking treatment for PAs/NPSAs reported current depressive symptoms accompanied by a positive history of mood disorders, especially dysthymia and major depression. Fluoxetine selectively reduced both PA and NPSA behaviors in men reporting the presence of mild-severe depressive symptoms. Treatment response of PAs/NPSAs at outcome was independent of baseline depression score. Enhancement of central serotonin neurotransmission by fluoxetine may ameliorate symptoms of mood disorder, heightened sexual desire, and compulsivity/impulsivity associated with these conditions.
A fast physical optics (FPO) algorithm for high frequency scattering

A novel algorithm referred as the fast physical optics (FPO) for computing the back-scattered field over a range of aspect angles and frequencies is presented. The computation is performed in the framework of the conventional physical optics approximation appropriate for the high frequency scattering regime. The proposed algorithm is, also, directly applicable to fixed angle bistatic configurations and a variety of single scattering formulations. The method comprises two steps. First, a decomposition of the scatterer into subdomains and computation of the pertinent scattering characteristics of each subdomain. Second, interpolation, phase-correction and aggregation of the scattering patterns of the subdomains into the final pattern of the whole body. A multilevel algorithm is formulated via a recursive application of the domain decomposition and aggregation steps. The computational structure of the multilevel algorithm resembles that of the FFT. The proposed method is especially suited for generation of synthetic data for radar imaging simulation.
Enrichment of glycine pool in plasma and tissues by glycine, di-, tri-, and tetraglycine.

Very little information is available on metabolism of oligopeptides in vivo. The present studies were performed to investigate the metabolic fate of diglycine, triglycine, and tetraglycine when injected into a central vein in rats. These peptides disappeared rapidly from plasma without any significant loss in urine. Plasma and tissue concentrations of glycine were measured when the same amount of glycine was injected in free or peptide form. Two minutes after the injection of glycine (1.l0 mumol/g body wt), there was over a tenfold increase in plasma glycine concentration. This increase was diminished when diglycine instead of glycine was injected. Each increase in the number of glycine residues resulted in further reduction in the initial rise in plasma glycine concentration was increased by each injection. This was more pronounced in the kidney than in the liver. Injection of triglycine and tetraglycine resulted in greater glycine concentration in the kidney than injection of either glycine or diglycine. Furthermore, unlike liver and muscle, each increase in the number of glycine residues resulted in greater recovery of glycine peptides from the kidney. These results suggest that with each increase in the number of glycine residues a greater amount of injected glycine peptide is taken up by the kidney for hydrolysis to glycine.
Nucleotide Sequences and Organization of the Genes for Carotovoricin (Ctv) from Erwinia carotovora Indicate That Ctv Evolved from the Same Ancestor as Salmonella typhi Prophage

Carotovoricin Er (CtvEr), which is produced by a plant soft rot disease causative agent, Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora Er, is a high-molecular-weight bacteriocin showing Myoviridae phage-tail-like morphology with contractile sheath and plural tail fibers. We determined the complete nucleotide sequences of CtvEr genes on the E. carotovora Er chromosome and report that CtvEr genes consist of lysis cassette, major and minor structural protein gene clusters. Four promoters were identified. The lysis gene cassette, which is composed of the genes for lysis enzyme and holin, was also identified and characterized. The nucleotide sequences and organization of the genes for CtvCGE, which is produced by E. carotovora strain CGE234-M403 with the morphology similar to CtvEr, were also determined and compared to that of CtvEr, and it was found that CtvCGE is almost identical to CtvEr except for tail fibers which are involved in the killing spectra of both bacteriocins. We also explain that the gene organization and the deduced amino acid sequences of both carotovoricins are very close to those of prophage, which is lysogenized in the chromosome on Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi CT18. These findings strongly suggest that Ctv evolved as a phage tail-like bacteriocin from a common ancestor with Salmonella typhi prophage.
Reliability and reproducibility of classifications for distal radius fractures.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the interobserver reliability and intraobserver reproducibility of the Universal, AO, Fernandez and Frykman classifications for distal radius fractures. METHODS Fifty standard sets of posteroanterior and lateral roentgenograms of displaced distal radius fractures were classified two times by two groups of evaluators at 2-month intervals. The first group consisted of 10 orthopedic surgeons with a minimum of 5 years of experience. The second group consisted of 10 orthopedic residents in their first two years of practice. Interobserver reliability and intraobserver reproducibility were assessed using Cohen's kappa test. RESULTS None of the classifications achieved good- very good reliability levels. The Fernandez classification had a moderate and the others had a fair interobserver agreement kappa coefficient. All classifications had fair kappa intraobserver agreement although the Frykman and Fernandez classifications had better results. CONCLUSION None of the classification systems were superior in terms of reliability and reproducibility. The reliability and reproducibility rates of all four classifications were insufficient.
Impact of Somatic Symptoms on Identification of Depression among General Outpatients by Family Physicians in North-Western Nigeria

In many places in the world, General Practitioners are only able to identify depression in a small fraction of depressed patients presenting to general outpatient department. The effect of somatic symptoms on its recognition was investigated. The study determines the identification rate of depression by general practitioners among outpatients with somatic symptoms and those without somatic symptoms. This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in Family Medicine Department, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to screen selected participants. Forms were used by GPs to itemize medical and psychiatric symptoms elicited as well as medical and psychiatric diagnoses made. Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) version 2.1, was used to confirm the diagnosis of depression. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was used for severity using items 11-14 of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Those with somatic symptoms score of 1-3 were rated as having low and those with 4-10 were rated as having high. Of the 410 outpatients recruited, 402 participated in the study. Two hundred and thirteen were screened depressed (HADS). Two hundred were confirmed depressed using SCAN (49.8%). The GPs identified 31.3% of those participants diagnosed depressed without somatic symptoms compared to 15.2% of those who were diagnosed depressed with somatic symptoms. However, no significant association was found between GPs ability to identify depression in the presence or absence of somatic symptoms (p = 0.09). This study found no association between GPs ability to identify depression and presence or absence of somatic symptoms (χ2 = 2.75, p = 0.09). However, this study found that the higher the level of somatic symptoms the more unlikely it’s for GPs to identify depression. To reduce the burden of depression by early detection and treatment, continuing medical education of GPs should include skills in identification of depression.
Genotyping of MSP3β gene in Indian Plasmodium vivax.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES The search for effective polymorphic markers in Plasmodium vivax is highly demanding to understand its transmission in a population. Due to the limited knowledge existing for P. vivax, the search for polymorphic markers for population studies is ongoing. The MSP gene family of Plasmodia has been linked with immune evasion. To study the circulating parasite population P. vivax merozoite surface protein 3β (PvMSP3β) polymorphic marker was used to investigate the genetic diversity of P. vivax in natural infections. METHODS Polymorphism of PvMSP3β gene was determined in 46 P. vivax blood samples from six different regions of India by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) with PstI. RESULTS Two different parasite genotypes, viz. type-A and type-B were detected among 46 samples that were positive for PCR, based on the size of the amplification. RFLP analysis with PstI showed 22 allelic groups and 15.2% samples revealed mixed infections on analysis. CONCLUSION PvMSP3β was found to be an effective molecular marker for P. vivax as it shows high diversity in India and multiple genotypes easily distinguishable without the need for sequencing.
An Antibody to the Aggregated Synthetic Prion Protein Peptide (PrP106–126) Selectively Recognizes Disease‐Associated Prion Protein (PrPSc) from Human Brain Specimens

Human prion diseases are characterized by the conversion of the normal host cellular prion protein (PrPC) into an abnormal misfolded form [disease‐associated prion protein (PrPSc)]. Antibodies that are capable of distinguishing between PrPC and PrPSc may prove to be useful, not only for the diagnosis of these diseases, but also for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in disease pathogenesis. In an attempt to produce such antibodies, we immunized mice with an aggregated peptide spanning amino acid residues 106 to 126 of human PrP (PrP106–126). We were able to isolate and single cell clone a hybridoma cell line (P1:1) which secreted an IgM isotype antibody [monoclonal antibody (mAb P1:1)] that recognized the aggregated, but not the monomeric form of the immunogen. When used in immunoprecipitation assays, the antibody did not recognize normal PrPC from non‐prion disease brain specimens, but did selectively immunoprecipitate full‐length PrPSc from cases of variant and sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease and Gerstmann–Straussler–Scheinker disease. These results suggest that P1:1 recognizes an epitope formed during the structural rearrangement or aggregation of the PrP that is common to the major PrPSc types found in the most common forms of human prion disease.