Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DOMS-associated changes in ankle and knee joint dynamics during running.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine whether leg mechanics change due to DOMS by examining ankle and knee joint kinematics and stiffness before and after a down hill run. METHODS Sagittal plane kinematics were recorded with high-speed (120 Hz) video at a speed representing 75% of VO2peak of nine well-trained male runners before (RE1) and 48 h after (RE2) a 30-min downhill run. From the recorded video, 10-12 consecutive strides were digitized, and the following variables were calculated for each stride: ankle and knee range of motion (ROM), ankle and knee peak angular velocity, ankle and knee stiffness, and leg vertical stiffness. A repeated measures ANOVA was calculated for each variable (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS Both knee and ankle ROM during stance decreased with DOMS, but otherwise there were few changes in ankle mechanics with DOMS. Knee stiffness tended to increase during the early portion of stance (from initial stance to maximum angular velocity of flexion) with DOMS, immediately followed by a decrease (to maximum knee flexion) in stiffness. Changes in knee stiffness caused vertical leg stiffness to increase for the initial portion of stance with DOMS. CONCLUSION Knee mechanics changed such that the knee stiffness increased at initial stance, resulting in an increase in vertical leg stiffness. This change in knee stiffness possibly serves as a protective mechanism to prevent further damage or pain in the knee extensor musculature.
The efficacy of acamprosate in the maintenance of abstinence in alcohol-dependent individuals: results of a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND A number of clinical trials have been undertaken to determine the efficacy of acamprosate in the maintenance of abstinence in alcohol-dependent individuals. However, the reported differences in patient populations, treatment duration, and study endpoints make comparisons difficult. An assessment of the efficacy of treatment with acamprosate was, therefore, undertaken using meta-analytical techniques. METHODS All randomized, placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) that fulfilled predetermined criteria were identified using (1) a language unrestricted search of 10 electronic databases; (2) a manual search of relevant journals, symposia, and conference proceedings; (3) cross-referencing of all identified publications; (4) personal communications with investigators; and (5) scrutiny of Merck-Santé's internal reports of all European trials. Study quality was assessed, independently, by three blinded workers. Key outcome data were identified; some outcome variables were recalculated to ensure consistency across trials. The primary outcome measure was continuous abstinence at 6 months; abstinence rates were determined by estimating Relative Benefit (RB). RESULTS A total of 19 published 1 unpublished RCTs were identified that fulfilled the selection criteria; 3 were excluded because the documentation available was insufficient to allow adequate assessment. The remaining 17 studies, which included 4087 individuals, 53% of whom received active drug, were of good quality and were otherwise reasonably comparable. There was no evidence of publication bias. Continuous abstinence rates at 6 months were significantly higher in the acamprosate-treated patients (acamprosate, 36.1%; placebo, 23.4%; RB, 1.47; [95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.29-1.69]; p < 0.001). This effect was observed independently of the method used for assigning missing data. The effect sizes in abstinent rates at 3, 6, and 12 months were 1.33, 1.50, and 1.95, respectively. At 12 months, the overall pooled difference in success rates between acamprosate and placebo was 13.3% (95% CI, 7.8-18.7%; number needed to treat, 7.5). Acamprosate also had a modest but significant beneficial effect on retention (6.01%; [95% CI, 2.90-8.82]; p = 0.0106). CONCLUSION Acamprosate has a significant beneficial effect in enhancing abstinence in recently detoxified, alcohol-dependent individuals.
Detection of free circulating Epstein-Barr virus DNA in plasma of patients with Hodgkin's disease.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE Free circulating Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA is often present in the plasma of Hodgkins disease patients. The aim here was to evaluate the prevalence of this finding, its correlation with the immunohistochemical expression of LMP-1 (latent membrane protein 1) and the influence of other clinical factors. DESIGN AND SETTING Prospective study in two public tertiary institutions: Hematology Service, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, and Oncology Service, Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rio de Janeiro. METHODS A cohort of 30 patients with newly diagnosed Hodgkins disease was studied. The control group consisted of 13 healthy adult volunteers. EBV DNA was determined by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS The median age was 28 years, and 16 patients were women. Advanced disease was present in 19 patients, and six were HIV-positive. EBV DNA was present in the plasma of 13 patients and one control (43% versus 8%, p = 0.03). EBV DNA prevalence was higher in HIV-positive patients (100% versus 29%, p = 0.0007) and those with advanced disease (63% versus 9%, p = 0.006). Among HIV-negative patients alone, EBV DNA prevalence remained higher in those with advanced disease. EBV DNA was found in 10/11 patients with LMP-1 expression in the lymph nodes, and in 3/19 without LMP-1 expression (kappa coefficient = 0.72). CONCLUSION EBV DNA was present in 91% of patients with EBV-associated Hodgkins disease, and in all patients with HIV-associated Hodgkins disease. EBV DNA prevalence was higher in patients with advanced disease, irrespective of HIV status.
Role of KATP Channels in Beneficial Effects of Exercise in Ischemic Heart Failure.

PURPOSE Exercise training reduces pathological remodeling and improves cardiac function in ischemic heart failure; however, causal mechanisms underlying the cardiac benefits of exercise are poorly understood. Because opening of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K ⁺(KATP) channels protects the heart during myocardial stress, we hypothesized that such a mechanism is responsible for some of the cardiac benefits induced by exercise in postinfarction chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS Left ventricular myocytes were isolated from three groups of rats: Sham, CHF Tr (4 wk after myocardial infarction, rats underwent 8 wk of aerobic interval training 5 d·wk⁻¹) and CHF Sed (rats sedentary for 12 wk after infarction). Cardiomyocyte survival after oxidative stress exposure (200 μM H2O2) and calcium handling (cells loaded with Fura-2 AM and electrically paced at 1 Hz) were assessed in the presence of KATP channel inhibitor glibenclamide. Expression of KATP subunits (SUR2A and Kir6.2) was evaluated using immunoblotting. RESULTS Exercise improved cardiac function in CHF Tr animals. Cardiomyocytes from CHF Sed rats were more susceptible to oxidative stress-induced cell death than CHF Tr and Sham cardiomyocytes, with glibenclamide completely abolishing the protective effect of exercise. Glibenclamide did not affect cardiomyocyte survival in Sham or CHF Sed rats. In addition, exercise increased the systolic Ca²⁺ transient amplitude and improved diastolic Ca²⁺ removal in CHF Tr cardiomyocytes (compared with CHF Sed); both were significantly attenuated by glibenclamide. Exercise resulted in increased expression of KATP channel subunits in CHF Tr hearts, with more pronounced and significant effect on SUR2A. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that KATP channel upregulation induced by chronic exercise likely mediates some of exercise-induced beneficial effects on cardiac function in postischemic heart failure.
Transitioning From Successful Aging: A Life Course Approach

Objective: The life course perspective and representative U.S. data are used to test Rowe and Kahn’s Successful Aging (SA) conceptualization. Four sets of influences (childhood experiences, social structural factors, adult attainments, and later life behaviors) on SA transitions are examined to determine the relative role of structural factors and individual behaviors in SA. Method: Eight waves of Health and Retirement Study data for 12,108 respondents, 51 years and older, are used in logistic regression models predicting transitions out of SA status. Results: Social structural factors and childhood experiences had a persistent influence on transitions from SA, even after accounting for adult attainments and later life behaviors—both of which also impact SA outcomes. Discussion: The findings on sustained social structural influences call into question claims regarding the modifiability of SA outcomes originally made in presentation of the SA model. Implications for policy and the focus and timing of intervention are considered.
NK sensitivity and lung clearance of MHC‐class‐I‐deficient cells within a heterogeneous fibrosarcoma

The present study examines clonal variations in NK sensitivity in a methylcholanthrene‐induced fibrosarcoma. Previous studies of clones from this tumor have shown considerable heterogeneity in H‐2 expression, and an association between deleted or low levels of class‐l products and increased tumorigenicity after subcutaneous implantation in immunocompetent syngeneic mice. Here, fibrosarcoma clones with no or low expression of MHC‐class‐l products were found to be sensitive to NK‐mediated lysis, while clones with high levels of MHC‐class‐l expression were relatively resistant. One H‐2+ (G2) and one H‐2− (B9) clone were chosen for more detailed studies. Cold‐target competition assays and conjugate cytotoxicity assays in agarose showed that splenic effector cells bound equally well to the H‐2+ and H‐2− tumor clone, although only the latter was sensitive to NK cell lysis. Treatment with 50 U/ml of rlFN‐γ for 48 hr increased the levels of H‐2 expression and made both clones more resistant to NK‐mediated lysis. In vivo studies with radiolabeled tumor cells showed that cells from the H‐2+ clone survived better than cells from the H‐2− clone in the pulmonary capillary bed after i.v. inoculation. This difference disappeared in mice treated with anti‐asialo GM, serum, known to deplete NKcell activity.
Murine fetal small‐intestine grafts: Morphometric and immunohistochemical evaluation

We investigated histopathological changes following murine fetal intestinal transplantation. Fetal intestine, obtained from a pregnant C57BL/6 mouse, was transplanted into BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice. Recipients were divided into three groups: isogeneic, and allogeneic treated with 3 mg/kg/day gangliosides (Allo‐a) or 9 mg/kg/day (Allo‐b). One week after transplant, all grafts showed good viability, confirmed by cellular mitosis in the mucosa and a well‐defined propria muscular layer. Isogeneic grafts showed a thicker muscular layer than in the Allo‐a (P = 0.02) and Allo‐b (P = 0.004) groups. There was no difference in number of mitotic cells among groups. Goblet cells were significantly reduced in allografts treated with 3 mg gangliosides (P = 0.013) or 9 mg gangliosides (P = 0.002) compared to isografts. Villi height was similar in all studied groups. There was no difference in positivity of the enteric nervous system among groups. Atrophy was more common in the allogeneic groups, suggesting that isografts had better development than allografts treated with gangliosides. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 26: 61–64, 2006.
A proteome map of murine heart and skeletal muscle

The balance of hypertrophy and atrophy is critical for the adaptation of cardiac and skeletal muscle mass to the demands of the environment and when deregulated can cause disease. Here we have used a proteomics approach to generate protein reference maps for the mouse heart and skeletal muscle, which provide a molecular basis for future functional and pathophysiological studies. The reference map provides information on molecular mass, pI, and literature data on function and localization, to facilitate the identification of proteins based on their migration in 2‐D gels. In total, we have identified 351 cardiac and 284 skeletal muscle protein spots, representing 249 and 214 different proteins, respectively. In addition, we have visualized the protein pattern of mouse heart and skeletal muscle at defined conditions comparing knockout (KO) animals deficient in the sarcomeric protein titin (a genetic atrophy model) and control littermates. We found 20 proteins that were differently expressed linking titin's kinase region to the heat‐shock‐ and proteasomal stress response. Taken together, the established reference maps should provide a suitable tool to relate protein expression and PTM to cardiovascular and skeletal muscle disease using the mouse as an animal model.
Use of Zinc as a Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury in the Rat

Background. While treatments for the behavioral deficits associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are currently limited, animal models suggest that zinc supplementation may increase resilience to TBI. Objective. This work tests the hypothesis that zinc supplementation after TBI can be used as treatment to improve behavioral outcomes such as anxiety, depression, and learning and memory. Methods. TBI was induced by controlled cortical impact to the medial frontal cortex. After TBI, rats were fed either a zinc adequate (ZA, 30 ppm) or zinc supplemented (ZS, 180 ppm) diet. Additional rats in each dietary group (ZA or ZS) were given a single intraperitoneal (ip) injection of zinc (30 mg/kg) 1 hour following injury. Results. Brain injury resulted in significant increases in anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors as well as impairments in learning and memory. None of the zinc treatments (dietary or ip zinc) improved TBI-induced anxiety. The 2-bottle saccharin preference test for anhedonia revealed that dietary ZS also did not improve depression-like behaviors. However, dietary ZS combined with an early ip zinc injection significantly reduced anhedonia (P < .001). Dietary supplementation after injury, but not zinc injection, significantly improved (P < .05) cognitive behavior as measured by the time spent finding the hidden platform in the Morris water maze test compared with injured rats fed a ZA diet. Conclusions. These data suggest that zinc supplementation may be an effective treatment option for improving behavioral deficits such as cognitive impairment and depression following TBI.
Dual-polarization measurements at C-band over the ocean: results from airborne radar observations and comparison with ENVISAT ASAR data

This paper presents an analysis of measurements of the normalized radar cross-section (NRCS) in vertical and horizontal polarizations over the ocean obtained from the C-band airborne radar STORM. The dataset was collected during the experiment called "Validation with a Polarimetric Airborne Radar of ENVISAT SAR over the Ocean (VALPARESO)", which took place during the calibration/validation phase of the ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR). From this dataset, the properties of the polarization ratio are discussed and in particular its dependencies with radar geometry (incidence and azimuth angle) as well as with meteorological conditions (wind and sea state). The polarization ratio is found to be dependent on incidence and azimuth angles. Its dependence with incidence angle is found to be significantly different from empirical models previously proposed in the literature. It also exhibits some correlation with surface conditions (wind and wave) with a more important correlation with significant wave steepness. Two new analytical formulations are proposed to model the polarization ratio, one as a function of incidence angle only, the second one with additional dependence with azimuth angle. It is shown that it is necessary to consider an azimuth-dependent polarization ratio for incidence angles larger than 30/spl deg/. Comparisons with the polarization ratio from ENVISAT ASAR images are used to assess this model.
Lack of lipoprotein‐dependent effects on the cytotoxic interactions of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin with human neutrophils

A high odds ratio has been reported for hyperlipidemia and periodontal diseases in humans, and the severity of periodontitis seems to correlate with the hyperlipidemic status of the patients. Early studies indicated that the lipoprotein‐containing fraction of the serum enhances the leukotoxic activity of the periodontopathogen Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans against human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL). The protease inhibitors of normal serum account for this enhancement, while delipidated serum has no effect on the leukotoxin‐dependent PMNL cytolysis. No information exists for the effect of serum lipoproteins or hyperlipidemic serum. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of serum lipoproteins in the interaction of the leukotoxin of A. actinomycetemcomitans with human PMNL. Purified leukotoxin was mixed with human PMNL prepared from venous blood of healthy subjects and various varying amounts of hyperlipidemic or delipidated serum, or purified serum lipoproteins. The cytolytic activity of leukotoxin was determined by activity of the cytosol enzyme lactate dehydrogenase released from injured PMNL. The degranulating activity of the toxin was measured through the release of the granule components elastase and lactoferrin. Normal human serum without leukotoxin‐neutralizing antibodies caused a 4–fold enhancement of the leukotoxic activity when present at concentrations of 5–10% in the reaction mixture. Serum lipoproteins had no effect when added at concentrations that occur normally in serum. At high concentrations, purified low density and very low‐density lipoproteins increased the leukotoxicity of the mixture. Nevertheless, hyperlipidemic serum prepared from a normal serum by the addition of autologous lipoproteins had no influence on the leukotoxin‐caused cytolysis compared to the normal serum. Pre‐incubation of PMNL for 1 h in hyperlipidemic or delipidated serum had no effect on the leukotoxin‐induced degranulation of PMNL. The results indicate that the cytotoxic interactions of A. actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin against human PMNL are not influenced by the presence of serum lipoproteins.
Autoimmune hemolytic anemias, Evans' syndromes, and pure red cell aplasia in non-Hodgkin lymphomas

We analyzed 108 cases of non-CLL non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) (+/− pure red cell aplasia (PRCA)) or Evans' syndrome. The analysis was based on cases reported in the literature, which were retrieved by means of Pubmed and Medline searches and of an original series of 121 patients with NHL as well as reference lists of papers in the field. The number of cases in various NHL subtypes was small (n = 6 – 25). Nevertheless, interesting and sometimes unexpected differences in sex prevalence, temporal relationship between onset of lymphoma and AIHA, stage of lymphoma, relative frequency of warm antibody-AIHA (WA-AIHA) and cold antibody (CA-AIHA), association with PRCA and response of AIHA to treatments were noted for various lymphoma entities. WA-AIHA was more frequent in B-cell lymphomas, while CA-AIHA and PRCA predominantly occurred in T-cell lymphomas. Anti-lymphoma treatment seemed to be more effective against AIHA than conventional therapy with steroids or immunoglobulin. Although generated by a literature survey, this compilation of data indicates a complex relation of lymphoma and AIHA and warrants more attention and specific studies.
Current antiviral combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C patients who failed to interferon alfa‐based treatment

What is known and Objective: Interferon‐alfa‐based therapy is effective in the treatment of Hepatitis C. However, some patients fail to respond and others relapse, after initially responding. Our objective was to assess the efficacy, safety and predictive factors for sustained virological response (SVR) to peginterferon plus ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients who failed to interferon‐alfa (IFNα)‐based therapy.
Processes of enhanced self-understanding during a counselling programme for parents of children with disabilities.

BACKGROUND The stress and burden on parents of children with disabilities are well documented, and the parents' way of handling the situation is crucial to the health and well-being of all family members, including the child with special needs. We conducted a group-based counselling programme for parents, based mainly on Gestalt education and personal construct theories, aiming at increasing the parents' ability to handle the situation. AIMS To explore the parents' experiences from processes of change after the counselling programme. METHOD DESIGN: This qualitative study is based on modified grounded theory. METHOD The study conducted in Norway examines the experiences of 67 parents (of whom 29 fathers) of children with disabilities. Information was collected through focus group discussions after finishing their sessions of the counselling programme. FINDINGS From the parents' experiences, the following categories were developed: feeling motivated to communicate, describing oneself in new words, being inspired to experience one's own emotions, being more present and in charge and making a difference by taking new steps. The core category in our analysis turned out to be Improved handling of the situation by enhanced self-understanding. The parents seemed to redevelop their self-understanding through new experiences of themselves. They emphasized the importance of a secure setting of peers with similar experiences and skilled counsellors to feel free to explore one's own emotions with connecting thoughts and bodily reactions. Discussion of existential issues as one's own values also contributed to enhanced self-understanding, which strengthened the parents to find new possibilities and priorities in handling the situation. CONCLUSIONS The parents described subjective processes of awareness and self-reflection as important for being able to start a process towards enhanced self-understanding, which helped to detect one's own values and new ways of acting. These experiences may be relevant for the parents and for the conduction of future counselling.
Aspirin-induced depression of glomerular filtration rate in normal humans: role of sodium balance.

The renal clearance of endogenous creatinine, inulin and para-aminohippurate was measured in 10 healthy human volunteers taking aspirin during severe dietary sodium restriction (10 meq/d) to clarify the clinical significance and pathophysiology of aspirin-induced changes in renal function. Sodium restriction alone had no effect on renal clearances but did increase plasma renin activity and urinary prostaglandin E excretion. The addition of aspirin decreased the urinary clearance of prostaglandin E but not plasma renin activity, and caused a significant fall in both endogenous creatinine (from 92.3 +/- 4.1 SE ml/min . 1.73 m2 body surface area to 80.8 +/- 4.4 mL/min . 1.73 m2, p = 0.02) and inulin (from 95.3 +/- 7.0 mL/min . 1.73 m2 to 80.9 +/- 7.0 mL/min . 1.73 m2, p less than 0.001). The fall in inulin clearance was directly related to the salicylate level. The clearance of para-aminohippurate showed only a slight, statistically insignificant decline with aspirin. The results of this study suggest that aspirin-induced depression of glomerular filtration rate may be independent of total renal plasma flow. Aspirin should be used cautiously, with careful attention to dosage, in sodium-restricted patients whose glomerular filtration rate may, in part, be under the homeostatic control of renal prostaglandins.