Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inactivation of the p16 Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor in High-Grade Canine Non-Hodgkin's T-Cell Lymphoma

The significance of p16/Rb tumor suppressor pathway inactivation in T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) remains incompletely understood. We used naturally occurring canine NHL to test the hypothesis that p16 inactivation has specific pathologic correlates. Forty-eight samples (22 T-cell NHL and 26 B-cell NHL) were included. As applicable, metaphase- or array-based comparative genomic hybridization, Southern blotting, promoter methylation, and Rb phosphorylation were used to determine the presence, expression, and activity of p16. Fisher's exact test was used to test for significance. Deletion of p16 (or loss of dog chromosome 11) was restricted to high-grade T-cell NHL (lymphoblastic T-cell lymphoma and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified). These were characterized by a concomitant increase of tumor cells with Rb phosphorylation at canonical CDK4 sites. Rb phosphorylation also was seen in high-grade B-cell NHL (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt-type lymphoma), but in those cases, it appeared to be associated with c-Myc overexpression. The data show that p16 deletion or inactivation occurs almost exclusively in high-grade T-cell NHL; however, alternative pathways can generate functional phenotypes of Rb deficiency in low-grade T-cell NHL and in high-grade B-cell NHL. Both morphologic classification according to World Health Organization criteria and assessment of Rb phosphorylation are prognostically valuable parameters for canine NHL.
Superimposed electrical stimulation comfortably improves the endurance of maximal voluntary contractions.

AIM Electrical stimulation has shown to improve muscle endurance in sub-maximal contractions but sessions were painful due to the electric stimuli parameters. Therefore, the present study tested the effects of the superimposed electrical stimulation technique using comfortable current on endurance in repetitions of maximal voluntary contraction. METHODS Seventeen young healthy subjects performed fifty maximal voluntary contractions of the triceps brachii in two conditions of contraction (voluntary vs. voluntary + superimposed electrical stimulation). RESULTS Peak force and force-time integral were consistently decreased in the voluntary muscular contraction condition after the 20th - 30th trials whereas they were maintained in the superimposed electrical stimulation condition (P<0.05) until the end of the fifty trials. CONCLUSION The superimposition of neuromuscular electrical stimulation extends the muscle ability to repeat maximal voluntary contractions. The present results also evidenced the ability of the superimposed electrical stimulation technique to make the mechanisms of muscle central fatigue inefficient.
Testicular size development and reproductive hormones in boys and adult males with Noonan syndrome: a longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE To characterise changes in testicular size and reproductive hormones and to investigate the aetiology of delayed puberty and impaired fertility in males with Noonan syndrome (NS). DESIGN In this study, 12 males with NS were longitudinally followed from pre/early puberty until adulthood. Of the 12 males, ten had no medical history other than NS and were divided into two groups, undescended testes (UT), and descended testes (DT) and compared with a reference population. METHODS Hormone concentrations in serum were determined by immunoassays and testicular volume was measured using an orchidometer. RESULTS Before puberty, reproductive hormone levels were within the expected range in almost all cases. In some cases, LH, FSH and testosterone and oestradiol (E(2)) concentrations started to increase during puberty and inhibin B and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) declined to subnormal levels. Most of the boys studied had small testes that, in the majority of cases, progressed to normal size in adulthood. No difference in reproductive hormones was observed between the UT and DT groups either during puberty or at adulthood. However, as adults, males with NS had higher LH (5.7 vs 4.0 U/l, P<0.01), FSH (7.1 vs 2.5 U/l, P<0.001), testosterone (18.7 vs 15.6 nmol/l, P<0.01) and E(2) (66 vs 46 pmol/l, P<0.001) levels and lower AMH (33 vs 65 pmol/l, P<0.01) and inhibin B (median 108 vs 187 pg/ml, P<0.01) levels than the reference population. CONCLUSIONS In NS males, both Sertoli and Leydig cell dysfunction is common with reproductive hormone levels deteriorating progressively to adulthood.
Comparison of Demographic and Behavioral Characteristics of Men Who Have Sex With Men by Enrollment Venue Type in the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System

Background: During 2003–2005, the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System (NHBS) enrolled men who have sex with men (MSM) from 12 different venue types in 15 metropolitan areas in the United States. Our goal was to examine whether limiting NHBS enrollment venues to gay bars and dance clubs could increase efficiency without changing the overall results and conclusions. Methods: We used logistic regression analysis to compare the demographic characteristics and reported HIV risk behaviors among MSM enrolled in gay bars and dance clubs with those enrolled in sex venues and those enrolled in other venues. Results: Of the 11,471 eligible men included in the analysis, 6419 (56%) were enrolled at bars and clubs, 481 (4%) at sex venues, and 4571 (40%) at other venues. Compared with men enrolled at bars and clubs, men enrolled at sex venues were more likely to be older, of nonwhite race/ethnicity, bisexual, infrequent gay venue attendees, and to have 10 or more male sex partners in the past 12 months. Men enrolled at other venues were more likely to be older and less likely to use noninjecting drugs in the past 12 months. The absolute differences in these characteristics between men enrolled in bars and clubs and those enrolled in comparison venue categories were small in most instances. Conclusions: Although the differences in characteristics by venue category were not large in magnitude, there was evidence that restricting NHBS enrollment to bars and clubs would affect national estimates of behavioral risk factors among MSM.
Effects of Fatigue on Intermuscular Common Drive to the Quadriceps Femoris

ABSTRACT The purpose of this investigation was to examine intermuscular common drive to motor units in the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis during isometric contractions of the leg extensors. A secondary purpose was to investigate the effects of fatigue on the common drive. Fourteen healthy subjects (mean ± SD, age = 21.7 ± 1.5 years) volunteered to perform two separate isometric contractions of the leg extensors at 50% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). These contractions were performed before (PRE) and immediately after (POST) a fatigue protocol of 10, 10 s isometric MVCs with 10 s of rest in between (i.e., 10 s on, 10 s off). During the PRE and POST isometric contractions, surface electromyographic (EMG) signals were detected from the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis and decomposed into individual motor unit action potential trains. A mean firing rate curve was then calculated for each motor unit, and the curves for the vastus lateralis were cross-correlated with those from the vastus medialis. The results showed that the average peak cross-correlation coefficients were always between 0.39 and 0.55, with coefficients for individual motor unit comparisons occasionally as high as 0.93. However, these coefficients were not affected by fatigue. These findings demonstrated a significant level of intermuscular common drive that was generally unaffected by fatigue.
Early psychosis intervention outpatient service of the 1st Psychiatric University Clinic in Athens: 3 Years of experience

To present the 3‐year experience of the early intervention in psychosis (EIP) service implementation of the 1st Psychiatric University Clinic in Athens. An overview of: (1) the purpose of our service, (2) the referral network, (3) the selection criteria, (4) the diagnostic procedures, (5) the therapeutic interventions and (6) the research activities. The service was established in 2012 and developed gradually aiming to provide information, early detection, treatment and support to people aged 15 to 40 years with psychotic manifestations, who are either at increased risk of developing psychosis (at‐risk mental state [ARMS]) or with first episode psychosis (FEP). In order to assess individuals with ARMS, we used the comprehensive assessment of at‐risk mental states interview and the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale The duration of untreated psychosis was estimated by using the Nottingham Onset Schedule. So far we have had 65 referrals, of which 26 were ARMS and 17 FEP. Based on the individual needs, they were offered psychotherapeutic and/or pharmacological treatment. After 3 years, the rate of transition to psychosis was 19.2% and the rate of psychosis relapse was 11.7%. The implementation of our service has had positive results, enabling young people with early psychosis to receive prompt and effective care. The rates of transition to psychosis are the first to be published from a Greek EIP service. Further development of our referral network and inter‐hospital collaboration will allow us to address the needs of a wider part of the population.
Characterizing Intra-Die Spatial Correlation Using Spectral Density Method

A spectral domain method for intra-die spatial correlation function extraction is presented. Based on theoretical analysis of random field, the spectral density, as the spectral domain counterpart of correlation function, is employed to estimate the parameters of the correlation function effectively in the spectral domain. Compared with the existing extraction algorithm in the original spatial domain, the proposed method can obtain the same quality of results in the spectral domain. In actual measurement process, the unavoidable measurement error with arbitrary frequency components would greatly confound the extraction results. A filtering technique is further proposed to diminish the high frequency components of the measurement error and recover the data from noise contamination for parameter estimation. Experimental results have shown that the proposed method is practical and stable.
Relationship Characteristics and Sexual Practices of African American Adolescent Girls Who Desire Pregnancy

This study examined associations between African American adolescent girls’ desire to become pregnant and their sexual and relationship practices. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to detect significant associations between pregnancy desire and the assessed correlates. Of 522 participants (14 to 18 years old), 67 (12.8%) were pregnant and were thus excluded from this analysis. Of the remaining 455 adolescents, 107 (23.6%) expressed some desire to be pregnant at the time of assessment. Adolescents who desired pregnancy were significantly more likely to report having had sex with a casual partner and to use contraception inconsistently. Factors involving an adolescent girl’s relationship with her partner (e.g., being in a relationship, length of relationship, time spent with boyfriend, or satisfaction with boyfriend) were not significantly associated with the desire for pregnancy. Effective pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention programs for female adolescents should address their level of pregnancy desire.
Clinical relevance of optineurin sequence alterations in Japanese glaucoma patients

Purpose:To study the clinical relevance of sequence alterations in the optineurin gene (OPTN) among Japanese patients with open-angle glaucoma, including both primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG). Methods:Genomic DNA was isolated from 83 patients with open-angle glaucoma (55 with POAG and 28 with NTG) and 58 control subjects. The 13 exons of OPTN corresponding to the coding region were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and directly sequenced. Clinical factors were compared between glaucoma patients with and without a certain nucleotide change. Results:The reported heterozygous mutations, c.458G > A(Glu50Lys) in exon 4 and c. 691_692insAG in exon 6, were not found in any glaucoma patients or control subjects. The reported c.603T > A(Met98Lys) in exon 5 was significantly more prevalent in the POAG (8/55, 14.5%, p = 0.0147) and NTG (4/28, 14.2%, p = 0.0369) patients, and even in both the POAG and NTG patients combined (12/83, 14.4%, p = 0.0149, Fisher exact probability test), than in the control subjects (1/58, 1.7%). The rates of the reported c.1944G > A(Arg545Gln) in exon 16 were not significantly different between open-angle glaucoma patients (3/83, 3.6%) and control subjects (4/58, 6.8%). In addition, a heterozygous change, c.412G > A(Thr34Thr) in exon 4 was found in 18 (21.6%) open-angle glaucoma patients and seven (12.0%) control subjects. Another heterozygous change, c.457C > T(Thr49Thr), in exon 4 was found only in three POAG patients. The 18 open-angle glaucoma patients with c.412G > A showed significantly larger cup-to-disc ratios (p = 0.0178, Mann-Whitney U test), significantly more deteriorated mean deviations of the visual field in the left eye at the final visit (p = 0.0076), and a significantly higher rate of surgery and/or laser history (p = 0.0321, Fisher exact probability test) than the 65 open-angle glaucoma patients without the nucleotide change. Conclusions:Met98Lys is a risk-associated alteration for open-angle glaucoma, including POAG and NTG, in the Japanese population as initially reported. The amino acid-preserving polymorphism, c.412G > A, may be a genetic risk factor for the progression of open-angle glaucoma in this Japanese population.
Correlation of miRNA Expression Profiling in Surgical Pathology Materials, with Ki-67, HER2, ER and PR in Breast Cancer Patients

Background New molecular markers related to prognosis and/or clinical outcome have been extensively studied in breast cancer. In particular, microRNA (miRNA) has attracted the interest of both basic and clinical investigators as one of the promising molecular markers of breast cancer patients. MiRNAs are a class of short noncoding RNAs that regulate mRNAs at posttranscriptional level and are deregulated in various human malignancies. Previous studies have reported that miRNAs were stably conserved in 10% formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues without significant degradation, in contrast to more fragile RNA. Methods Therefore, in this study, we examined 21 surgical breast cancer specimens using the Human Cancer microRNA PCR Array system (QIAGEN) to explore potential molecular targets of miRNAs. Results Profiling of miRNA expression in archival materials demonstrated that a group of deregulated miRNAs was associated with clinicopathological parameters of the patients, such as Ki-67, HER2, ER and PR. For instance, an abundant expression of multiple let-7 miRNA family, also known as tumor suppressor, was detected in low Ki-67 and HER2 groups. Elevated expression of 8 miRNAs overlapped between Ki-67+/HER2+/ER+/PR+ groups, including several known oncogenic miRNAs such as miR-148b, miR-15b, miR-200c, miR-150, miR-191, miR-96, miR-25 and miR-21. Conclusions These results all indicated that when analyzing miRNAs in surgical pathology specimens of breast cancer as a biomarker, they should be examined as a cluster through miRNA profiling, rather than relying on the analysis of a single miRNA.
Incidence of surgical-site infections in orthopaedic surgery: a northern Italian experience

SUMMARY A prospective cohort study with a 1-year telephone follow-up was performed to estimate the incidence of surgical-site infections (SSIs) in hip and knee prostheses. Twenty-five public hospitals equipped with orthopaedic units in two Italian regions were involved. An 8-month surveillance period was set to obtain significant data at a regional level and data were collected by the infection control nurses of each centre. One-year follow-up was completed in 75% of cases. SSIs were recorded in 45 cases (incidence rate 1·9/100 person-years, 95% CI 1·4–2·5). Thirty-six percent of SSIs were diagnosed during hospitalization and 95·3% within 90 days post-operation. This incidence is similar to that reported by European and USA surveillance systems. The proposed investigative method proved to be reliable and feasible. A prolonged surveillance for at least 3 months post-operation yields a good estimate of SSI in joint replacements.
Energy-selective reconstructions in X-ray computerised tomography

All X-ray computerised tomography systems that are available or proposed base their reconstructions on measurements that integrate over energy. X-ray tubes produce a broad spectrum of photon energies and a great deal of information can be derived by measuring changes in the transmitted spectrum. It is shown that for any material, complete energy spectral information may be summarised by a few constants which are independent of energy. A technique is presented which uses simple, low-resolution, energy spectrum measurements and conventional computerised tomography techniques to calculate these constants at every point within a cross-section of an object.
Application of mathematical expectation (ME) strategy for detecting low frequency mutations: An example for evaluating 14-bp insertion/deletion (indel) within the bovine PRNP gene

ABSTRACT The detection method based on the mathematical expectation (ME) strategy is fast and accuracy for low frequency mutation screening in large samples. Previous studies have found that the 14-bp insertion/deletion (indel) variants of the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) within bovine PRNP gene have been characterized with low frequency (≤5%) in global breeds outside China, which has not been determined in Chinese cattle breeds yet. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the 14-bp indel within PRNP gene in 5 major Chinese indigenous cattle breeds and to evaluate its associations with phenotypic traits. It was the first time to use ME strategy to detect low frequency indel polymorphisms and found that minor allele frequency was 0.038 (Qinchuan), 0.033 (Xianan), 0.013 (Nanyang), 0.003 (Jiaxian), and zero (Ji'an), respectively. Compared to the traditional detection method by which the sample was screened one by one, the reaction time by using the ME method was decreased 62.5%, 64.9%, 77.6%, 88.9% and 66.4%, respectively. In addition, the 14-bp indel was significantly associated with the growth traits in 2 cattle breeds, with the body length of Qinchuan cattle as well as the body weight and waistline of Xianan cattle. Our results have uncovered that the method based on ME strategy is rapid, reliable, and cost-effective for detecting the low frequency mutation as well as our findings provide a potential valuable theoretical basis for the marker-assisted selection (MAS) in beef cattle.
Birth outcomes of Hispanic women and risks or strengths associated with ethnicity and Texas border residence.

OBJECTIVE To assess Hispanic ethnicity, border residence, or their interaction for association with risk of high gestational weight gain (GWG) and related outcomes. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of 2009 birth data. SETTING Texas. PARTICIPANTS Participants included 146,458 Hispanic and 104,399 non-Hispanic (NH) White women. METHODS We used adjusted odds ratios (AOR) in logistic regression analyses to test the association of Hispanic ethnicity, border residence, and their interaction with high GWG, cesarean birth, macrosomia, and breastfeeding status at discharge. RESULTS After adjusting for covariates, risk of inadequate or excessive GWG was not associated with being a border resident, but Hispanic women compared to NH White women had an increased risk of inadequate GWG (AOR = 1.21, 99% confidence interval [CI] [1.17, 1.26]) and decreased risk of excessive GWG (AOR = 0.77, 99% CI [0.74, 0.79]). Risk of cesarean birth was increased for border residents (AOR = 1.22, 99% CI [1.05, 1.42]), and this risk was increased further among border residents who were Hispanic (AOR = 1.52, 99% CI [1.30, 1.77]). CONCLUSION We found strengths and vulnerabilities among Hispanic and border-residing women. Hispanic women were at lower risk of excessive GWG than NH White women. Border-residing Hispanic women were at greater risk of cesarean birth than other women.
Differential influence of azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil on the disposition of basiliximab in renal transplant patients

Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed in two multicenter trials in which basiliximab (anti‐CD25 monoclonal antibody) was administered with triple immunosuppression consisting of cyclosporine microemulsion, corticosteroids, and either azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil. Blood samples were collected over 12 wk post‐transplant from 31 azathioprine‐treated and 66 mycophenolate mofetil‐treated patients. Empirical Bayes estimates of each patient's basiliximab disposition parameters were derived and the duration of CD25 saturation was estimated as the time over which serum concentrations exceeded 0.2 μg/mL as confirmed by flow cytometry measurements. Basiliximab clearance was 29±14 mL/h when coadministered with azathioprine and 18±8 mL/h with mycophenolate mofetil. Both were significantly lower compared with a clearance of 37±15 mL/h from a previous study of basiliximab with dual therapy (p<0.001). As a consequence of the lower clearance of basiliximab, the durations of CD25 saturation were prolonged in the presence of azathioprine (50±20 d; range, 13–84) and mycophenolate mofetil (59±17 d; range, 28–94) compared with dual therapy (36±14 d; range, 12–91). A total of 27 acute rejection episodes occurred during the first 6 months in the two studies. Durations of CD25 saturation were not different in these patients compared with those who remained rejection‐free in each study. A single patient among 57 who were screened developed anti‐idiotype antibodies to basiliximab. The average duration of CD25 saturation was prolonged by 39 and 64% in the presence of azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil, respectively. This graded effect was also observed for basiliximab clearance and may be due in part to a differentially reduced humoral response to basiliximab. Nonetheless, the range of CD25 saturation durations and basiliximab clearances did not extend outside the range when basiliximab was used with dual therapy in the absence of these agents. Hence, no dosing adjustment is deemed necessary when basiliximab is used in triple immunosuppressive therapy including either azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil.