Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
2 Environmental Thyroid Disruptors and Human Endocrine Health

In the last 30 years, there is increasing concern about chemical pollutants that have the ability to act as hormone mimics. Because of structural similarity with endogenous hormones, their ability to interact with hormone transport proteins, or their ability to disrupt hormone metabolism, these environmental chemicals have the potential mimic, or in some cases block, the effects of endogenous hormones (Safe, 2000). In either case, these chemicals serve to disrupt the normal actions of endogenous hormones and thus have become known as “endocrine disruptors”. An endocrine disruptor is defined as “an exogenous agent which interferes with the synthesis, secretion, transport, binding, action or elimination of natural hormones in the body which are responsible for maintenance of homeostasis, reproduction, development or behavior” (Massart et al., 2006a). This wide definition includes all substances that can affect endocrine function via interference with estrogen, androgen or thyroid hormone (TH) signaling pathways.
PHTHALOCYANINE‐INDUCED PHOTOHEMOLYSIS: STRUCTURE‐ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIP AND THE EFFECT OF FLUORIDE

Abstract— Phthalocyanine (Pc) containing AI, Ga or Zn as central metal ligand and substituted with a varying number of sulfonic acid residues as well as additional benzene rings were synthesized and their photodynamic activity was assayed using photohemolysis of human erythrocytes as an endpoint. The Pc derivatives vaned > 300‐fold in their photodynamic activity. Activity corrclated with binding of the dye to the cell, with the exception of some of the amphiphilic dyes where cell uptake was an order of magnitude higher than expected from the observed activity. Fluoride was shown to inhibit AIPcSn‐induccd photohemolysis. This effect occurred also with other AlPc and GaPc derivatives, but the concentration of F required to slow photohemolysis by a factor of two (Ki) varied between 4 μM and 10 mM. Fluorescence spectral studies indicated complex formation between F− and the dye, which was stronger for AlPc than GaPc derivatives. Ultrastructural studies using scanning electron microscopy showed that the photosensitized cells were converted to spherocytes and that F− prevented this to a large extent.
Consensus recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis: the Middle East North Africa Committee for Treatment and Research In Multiple Sclerosis (MENACTRIMS)

Abstract With evolving diagnostic criteria and the advent of new oral and parenteral therapies for MS, most current diagnostic and treatment algorithms need re-evaluation and updating. The diagnosis of MS relies on incorporating clinical and paraclinical findings to prove dissemination in space and in time, and exclude alternative diseases that can explain the findings at hand. The differential diagnostic workup should be guided by clinical and laboratory red flags to avoid unnecessary tests. Appropriate multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy selection is critical to maximize patient benefit. The current guidelines review the scientific evidence supporting treatment of acute relapses, radiologically isolated syndrome, clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing remitting MS, secondary progressive MS, and primary progressive MS. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide practical recommendations and algorithms for the diagnosis and treatment of MS based on current scientific evidence and clinical experience.
Constitutive model and wave equations for linear, viscoelastic, anisotropic media

Rocks are far from being isotropic and elastic. Such simplifications in modeling the seismic response of real geological structures may lead to misinterpretations, or even worse, to overlooking useful information. It is useless to develop highly accurate modeling algorithms or to naively use amplitude information in inversion processes if the stress-strain relations are based on simplified rheologies. Thus, an accurate description of wave propagation requires a rheology that accounts for the anisotropic and anelastic behavior of rocks. This work presents a new constitutive relation and the corresponding time-domain wave equation to model wave propagation in inhomogeneous anisotropic and dissipative media. The rheological equation includes the generalized Hooke’s law and Boltzmann’s superposition principle to account for anelasticity. The attenuation properties in different directions, associated with the principal axes of the medium, are controlled by four relaxation functions of viscoelastic type. A dissipation model that is consistent with rock properties is the general standard linear solid. This is based on a spectrum of relaxation mechanisms and is suitable for wavefield calculations in the time domain. One relaxation function describes the anelastic properties of the quasi-dilatational mode and the other three model the anelastic properties of the shear modes. The convolutional relations are avoided by introducing memory variables, six for each dissipation mechanism in the 3-D case, two for the generalized SH-wave equation, and three for the qP - qSVwave equation. Two-dimensional wave equations apply to monoclinic and higher symmetries. A plane analysis derives expressions for the phase velocity, slowness, attenuation factor, quality factor and energy velocity (wavefront) for homogeneous viscoelastic waves. The analysis shows that the directional properties of the attenuation strongly depend on the values of the elasticities. In addition, the displacement formulation of the 3-D wave equation is solved in the time domain by a spectral technique based on the Fourier method. The examples show simulations in a transversely-isotropic clayshale and phenolic (orthorhombic symmetry).
Use of tamoxifen with postsurgical irradiation may improve survival in estrogen and progesterone receptor-positive male breast cancer.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of adjuvant therapy on survival in males with non-metastatic breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective analysis of male breast cancers treated between 1990 and 2003 was performed. Age, estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER/PgR) status, tumor histology and stage, and details of surgical and adjuvant therapy were recorded. Five and ten-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated using the actuarial Kaplan-Meier method with comparisons made using the log-rank test. RESULTS Forty-two men received treatment for nonmetastatic breast cancer; median age, 62 years (range, 24-90 years). All tumors were ER and PgR positive. Twenty-one received tamoxifen (50%), 18 chemotherapy (43%), and 11 radiation (26%). Median follow-up was 8 years (range, 3-18 years). Five and ten-year OS in patients who received tamoxifen and radiation was 100%, compared with 81% and 65%, respectively, with tamoxifen alone (P = .06), 92% and 83% radiation alone (P = .05), and 85% and 65% without adjuvant therapy (P = .03). Five- and 10-year DFS was 100% and 83.3% with tamoxifen and radiation, 90% and 70% with tamoxifen alone (P = .45), 50% and 50% with radiation alone (P = .05), and 80.8% and 67.9% without adjuvant therapy (P = .27). Adjuvant chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with Tamoxifen and/or radiation, did not significantly improve OS or DFS. CONCLUSION This series suggests an important role for adjuvant tamoxifen and radiation in the management of ER- and PgR-positive nonmetastatic male breast cancer. Larger, multicenter datasets are warranted for this rare disease to validate these results.
Multivalent Galα1,3Gal‐substitution makes recombinant mucin–immunoglobulins efficient absorbers of anti‐pig antibodies

Liu J, Weintraub A, Holgersson J. Multivalent Galα1,3Gal‐substitution makes recombinant mucin–immunoglobulins efficient absorbers of anti‐pig antibodies. Xenotransplantation 2003; 10: 149–163. © Blackwell Munksgaard, 2003
Evaluating the effectiveness of conservation site networks under climate change: accounting for uncertainty

We forecasted potential impacts of climate change on the ability of a network of key sites for bird conservation (Important Bird Areas; IBAs) to provide suitable climate for 370 bird species of current conservation concern in two Asian biodiversity hotspots: the Eastern Himalaya and Lower Mekong. Comparable studies have largely not accounted for uncertainty, which may lead to inappropriate conclusions. We quantified the contribution of four sources of variation (choice of general circulation models, emission scenarios and species distribution modelling methods and variation in species distribution data) to uncertainty in forecasts and tested if our projections were robust to these uncertainties. Declines in the availability of suitable climate within the IBA network by 2100 were forecast as ‘extremely likely’ for 45% of species, whereas increases were projected for only 2%. Thus, we predict almost 24 times as many ‘losers’ as ‘winners’. However, for no species was suitable climate ‘extremely likely’ to be completely lost from the network. Considerable turnover (median = 43%, 95% CI = 35–69%) in species compositions of most IBAs were projected by 2100. Climatic conditions in 47% of IBAs were projected as ‘extremely likely’ to become suitable for fewer priority species. However, no IBA was forecast to become suitable for more species. Variation among General Circulation Models and Species Distribution Models contributed most to uncertainty among forecasts. This uncertainty precluded firm conclusions for 53% of species and IBAs because 95% confidence intervals included projections of no change. Considering this uncertainty, however, allows robust recommendations concerning the remaining species and IBAs. Overall, while the IBA network will continue to sustain bird conservation, climate change will modify which species each site will be suitable for. Thus, adaptive management of the network, including modified site conservation strategies and facilitating species' movement among sites, is critical to ensure effective future conservation.
ADP-ribosyl Cyclase and Cyclic ADP-ribose Hydrolase Act as a Redox Sensor

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is unique to pulmonary arteries and serves to match lung perfusion to ventilation. However, in disease states this process can promote hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is associated with increased NADH levels in pulmonary artery smooth muscle and with intracellular Ca2+ release from ryanodine-sensitive stores. Because cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) regulates ryanodine receptors and is synthesized from β-NAD+, we investigated the regulation by β-NADH of cADPR synthesis and metabolism and the role of cADPR in hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. Significantly higher rates of cADPR synthesis occurred in smooth muscle homogenates of pulmonary arteries, compared with homogenates of systemic arteries. When the β-NAD+:β-NADH ratio was reduced, the net amount of cADPR accumulated increased. This was due, at least in part, to the inhibition of cADPR hydrolase by β-NADH. Furthermore, hypoxia induced a 10-fold increase in cADPR levels in pulmonary artery smooth muscle, and a membrane-permeant cADPR antagonist, 8-bromo-cADPR, abolished hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in pulmonary artery rings. We propose that the cellular redox state may be coupled via an increase in β-NADH levels to enhanced cADPR synthesis, activation of ryanodine receptors, and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release. This redox-sensing pathway may offer new therapeutic targets for hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.
Accuracy and reproducibility of the TonoVet rebound tonometer in birds of prey.

OBJECTIVE To examine the accuracy and reproducibility of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements obtained by the TonoVet rebound tonometer. Animals studied Freshly enucleated healthy eyes of 44 free-ranging birds of prey out of the species Haliaeetus albicilla, Accipiter gentilis, Accipiter nisus, Buteo buteo, Falco tinnunculus, Strix aluco, Asio otus and Tyto alba euthanized because of unrelated health problems. PROCEDURES IOP readings from the TonoVet were compared with a manometric device, with IOP being set from 5 to 100 mmHg in steps of 5 mmHg by adjusting the height of a NaCl solution reservoir connected to the eye. Reproducibility of the TonoVet readings was determined by repeated measurements. RESULTS TonoVet and manometer values showed a strong linear correlation. In the Accipitridae, the TonoVet tended to increasingly overestimate IOP with increasing pressure, while in the other families, it increasingly underestimated it. In the Sparrowhawk, the values almost represent the ideal line. Reproducibility of TonoVet values decreases with increasing pressure in the clinically important range from 5 to 60 mmHg. CONCLUSION IOP values measured with the TonoVet demonstrated species specific deviation from the manometric measurements. These differences should be considered when interpreting IOP values. Using the regression formulae presented, corrected IOP values could be calculated in a clinical setting.
Exploration of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Mice: Chemically Induced Murine Models of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic multifactorial inflammatory disorder characterized by periods of activation and remission of intestinal inflammation, with potentially severe complications, that can lead to mortality. Experimental animal models of intestinal inflammation are crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), the two major human IBD phenotypes. Animal models have been instrumental in unveiling the molecular background of IBD, and although a single model is not able to capture the complexity of this disease, each of them provided valuable insight into its different aspects. Chemically induced models of intestinal inflammation, mainly dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐ and 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)‐induced colitis, are widely used. This article describes DSS‐ and TNBS‐induced colitis models and their relevance to IBD pathophysiology and pre‐clinical therapeutic management. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Deep Active Learning over the Long Tail

This paper is concerned with pool-based active learning for deep neural networks. Motivated by coreset dataset compression ideas, we present a novel active learning algorithm that queries consecutive points from the pool using farthest-first traversals in the space of neural activation over a representation layer. We show consistent and overwhelming improvement in sample complexity over passive learning (random sampling) for three datasets: MNIST, CIFAR-10, and CIFAR-100. In addition, our algorithm outperforms the traditional uncertainty sampling technique (obtained using softmax activations), and we identify cases where uncertainty sampling is only slightly better than random sampling.
In Vitro and In Vivo Inhibition of Glucocorticoid‐induced Osteoporosis by the Hexane Extract of Poncirus trifoliata

This study was performed to discover a novel herbal therapeutic for effective glucocorticoid‐induced osteoporosis (GIO) treatment and further to clarify its molecular mechanism of action. Ethanol or methanol extracts of 68 edible Korean native plants were screened to find effective natural plant sources for the treatment of GIO, and Poncirus trifoliata (L.) (Rutaceae, PT) was selected as a final candidate because of its high inhibitory activity plus its novelty. The hexane extract of PT (PT‐H) inhibited apoptotic cell death in dexamethasone‐induced osteoblastic cell lines, C3H10T1/2 and MC3T3‐E1. In vivo mouse results indicated that PT‐H not only had an inhibitory effect on the bone loss caused by glucocorticoid, but also promoted bone formation. The molecular mechanisms behind the effect of PT‐H on GIO were further clarified by screening of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between dexamethasone (Dex)‐induced osteoblastic cells with or without PT‐H treatment. Finally, it was found that the expression level of AnxA6 in Dex‐induced osteoblastic cells and prednisolone (PD)‐treated GIO‐model mice was significantly decreased by PT‐H treatment. These findings suggest that PT‐H has a strong in vitro and in vivo inhibitory effect on GIO, and decreased expression of AnxA6 may play a key role in this inhibition. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fractals, Vigilance, and Adolescent Diabetes Management: A Case for When Regulation May Be Difficult to Measure With the Current Medical Standards

Temporal patterning in blood glucose (BG) consistent with fractals—how BG follows a repetitive pattern through resolutions of time—was used to examine 2 different samples of adolescents with Type 1 diabetes (10–14 years). Sample 1 contained 10 adolescents with longtime series for accurate estimations of long-term dependencies associated with fractals. The second contained 94 adolescents measured multiple times daily over a 2-week period corresponding to psychosocial measures. In both samples, temporal dependencies in BG showed patterns consistent with fractals. In the second sample, temporal dependencies were associated with indicators of vigilant regulation including adolescents' higher anxiety, mothers' higher monitoring, and intrusive support. The existence of temporal dependencies in BG moderated the relationship between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and indicators of low BG risk but not the relationship between HbA1c and high BG risk. These results show how a biomedical indicator may be susceptible to metric issues associated with fractals.
Future thinking improves prospective memory performance and plan enactment in older adults

Efficient intention formation might improve prospective memory by reducing the need for resource-demanding strategic processes during the delayed performance interval. The present study set out to test this assumption and provides the first empirical assessment of whether imagining a future action improves prospective memory performance equivalently at different stages of the adult lifespan. Thus, younger (n = 40) and older (n = 40) adults were asked to complete the Dresden Breakfast Task, which required them to prepare breakfast in accordance with a set of rules and time restrictions. All participants began by generating a plan for later enactment; however, after making this plan, half of the participants were required to imagine themselves completing the task in the future (future thinking condition), while the other half received standard instructions (control condition). As expected, overall younger adults outperformed older adults. Moreover, both older and younger adults benefited equally from future thinking instructions, as reflected in a higher proportion of prospective memory responses and more accurate plan execution. Thus, for both younger and older adults, imagining the specific visual–spatial context in which an intention will later be executed may serve as an easy-to-implement strategy that enhances prospective memory function in everyday life.
Laser photobiomodulation of wound healing in diabetic and non-diabetic mice: effects in splinted and unsplinted wounds.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this investigation was to compare the healing of laser-irradiated and non-irradiated wounds covered by an occlusive dressing in mice. BACKGROUND DATA Many previous studies of the effects of laser irradiation of experimental wounds in mice and rats did not cover the wounds so that healing occurred mainly by contraction. Healing of covered wounds is slower and mimics more closely wound healing in humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-seven diabetic and twenty non-diabetic mice were used. A single wound (5 mm diameter) was created on the left flank of each animal and covered by Tegaderm HP dressing (Day 1). Wounds were irradiated (660 nm) for 20 s using a lower power (18 mW) or higher power (80 mW) laser starting immediately post-wounding for seven consecutive days (0.36 or 1.6 J/day); untreated wounds served as controls. Animals were euthanized on Day 8, 10, or 14. Wound specimens were cut and stained using haematoxylin and eosin, and picrosirius red, and examined by microscopy. RESULTS Results confirmed that wound healing was impaired in diabetic mice. Analysis of the data demonstrated that Tegaderm HP dressing had retarded contraction (splinted the wounds) in a large proportion of diabetic mice and, to a lesser extent, in non-diabetic mice. Healing of splinted wounds was delayed compared to unsplinted wounds, but laser irradiation (1.6 J/day, 7 days) stimulated healing by re-epithelization and granulation tissue formation. CONCLUSION These are the first findings of laser-mediated stimulation of healing in splinted wounds. Further studies are needed to assess the effects of different constellation sets of laser parameters in this wound model.
Cystic Dystrophy of the Duodenal Wall Developing in Heterotopic Pancreas: Report of 9 Cases

Objective: Cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreas (CDHP), an uncommon but serious complication of dilatation of the ectopic pancreatic ducts of heterotopic pancreatic tissue, occurs most often in the second part of the duodenum. This disorder is difficult to diagnose and raises various therapeutic questions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the most useful procedures for investigating suspected CDHP and to consider late results after surgical treatment by pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Methods: This retrospective study concerned 9 patients who developed CDHP of the duodenal wall during an 18-year period (1983-2001). All patients were symptomatic and underwent PD (no postoperative deaths). Clinical presentation, imaging findings, pathological features, and follow-up were analyzed. Results: All patients but one were male alcoholics (mean age, 48 years; range, 37-63 years). The clinical presentation was abdominal pain (n = 9) associated with vomiting (n = 6), jaundice (n = 2), and weight loss (n = 9). Upper endoscopy (n = 9) showed nonspecific inflammatory lesions with duodenal stenosis (n = 4). Retrospective analysis of computed tomographic findings (n = 9) studied specific signs of CDHP and nonspecific inflammatory changes in periduodenal space. Endoscopic ultrasonography (n = 4) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (n = 2) were the most useful investigations. Pathological findings in surgical specimens were multiple cysts located in the thickened duodenal wall (n = 9), ectopic pancreatic tissue (n = 7), fibrosis of the normal gland (n = 4), and adenocarcinoma in ectopic tissue (n = 1). During the follow-up period, 4 patients died 12, 16, 48, and 72 months after PD. The cause of death was independent of CDHP or PD, but related to persistent alcoholism in 2 cases involving chronic pancreatitis. In 1 case, the patient died of disseminated adenocarcinoma. The other 5 patients had a good result. Conclusion: Endoscopic ultrasonography and magnetic resonance pancreatography are the most useful investigations for the diagnosis of CDHP. Pancreaticoduodenectomy is justified after failure of medical treatment or endoscopic drainage. Late results after PD are dependent on alcoholic consumption when CDHP is associated with chronic pancreatitis.Abbreviations: CDHP - Cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreas, PD - pancreatoduodenectomy, CT - computed tomography, EUS - endoscopic ultrasonography, MRI - magnetic resonance imaging, MRCP - magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography