Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of the mycotoxin aurofusarin on the antioxidant composition and fatty acid profile of quail eggs

1. The effect of the mycotoxin aurofusarin on the antioxidant composition and fatty acid profile of quail eggs was investigated. 2. Thirty eight 45-d-old Japanese quails were divided into two groups (experimental and control, 15 females +4 males in each group) and were fed on a maize-soya diet balanced in all nutrients. The diet of the experimental quails was supplemented with aurofusarin at the level of 26.4 mg/kg feed in the form of Fusarium graminearum culture enriched with aurofusarin. At the beginning and after 2, 4 and 8 week supplementation periods, eggs were collected and analysed. After 8 weeks of supplementation, experimental quails were fed on unsupplemented diet during the next 4 weeks and eggs were collected after 2 and 4 weeks on such a diet and analysed. 3. Aurofusarin caused a significant ( P <0.05) decrease in vitamins E, A, total carotenoid, lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations and significantly ( P <0.05) increased egg yolk susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. During two weeks on the diet without aurofusarin the levels of carotenoids in the egg yolk returned to the initial level, vitamins A and E returned to the initial level during 4 weeks on the same unsupplemented diet. 4. Dietary supplementation with aurofusarin was associated with a significant ( P <0.01) decrease in the docosahexaenoic acid proportion in the phospholipid, cholesteryl ester and free fatty acid fractions of the egg yolk. At the same time the proportion of linoleic acid in the phospholipid, free fatty acid and triacylglycerol fractions significantly ( P <0.05) increased. 5. It is concluded that mycotoxin aurofusarin is detrimental to the nutritional quality of eggs.
Biochemistry of altered brain proteins in Alzheimer's disease.

In contrast to other unsolved diseases of the human brain, Alzheimer's disease (AD) presents features that make it particularly amenable to studies of pathogenesis at the molecular level. The progressive dysfunction of limbic and association cortices in patients with AD is accompanied by the formation of unusual intraneuronal and extracellular proteinaceous filaments. These striking structural changes of neurons, their processes, and adjacent cerebral microvessels provide a cytopathological signature of the disease, a feature often lacking in other neurodegenerative disorders. The filamentous lesions have served as a starting point for much of the recent progress in deciphering macromolecular alterations in AD. The density and distribution of these lesions correlate to a considerable but not complete degree with several phenotypic features of AD, including degree of intellectual impairment, extent of neuronal loss in hippocampus and certain other brain regions, and decline of neurotransmitter markers, particularly cortical choline acetyltransferase activity. Alzheimer's disease also shares certain phenotypic characteristics with a common chromosomal abnormality, Trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome). The fact that the characteristic cerebral lesions of AD accumulate in highly similar fashion in the brains of virtually all Down's syndrome subjccts at an early age has provided valuable clues to the pathogenesis of AD. Another advantage, not yet fully exploited, that accrues from the study of Alzheimer's disease is the fact that similar structural changes in the cortical neuropil and micro vessels occur spontaneously and progressively during
DNA recombination as a possible mechanism in declarative memory: A hypothesis

The durability of declarative memory suggests that it has either a chemical or a structural basis. Current models of long‐term memory are based on the general assumption that traces of memory are stored by structural modifications of synaptic connections, resulting in alterations in the patterns of neural activity. Changes in gene expression, regulated at both the transcriptional and the translational levels, are considered essential for structural synaptic modifications. Here we present an alternative hypothesis stating that permanent memory has a chemical rather than a structural basis. We suggest that the mechanism of memory coding in the brain is similar to that in the immune system so that the permanence of memories in the nervous system is ensured at the genomic level by a somatic recombination mechanism. Thus, we hypothesize that traces of permanent declarative memory might present within cerebral neurons in the form of novel proteins coded by the modified genes. This discussion is intended to provide evidence in support of a DNA recombination mechanism for memory storage in the brain and to stimulate further research working toward the evaluation of this hypothesis. J. Neurosci. Res. 63:72–81, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Primitive neuroectodermal (neuroepithelial) tumour of soft tissue of the neck in a child: demonstration of neuronal and neuroglial differentiation

A 4‐year‐old girl had a pathologically proven primitive neuroectodermal (neuroepithelial) tumour of soft tissue in the left posterolateral aspect of the neck. The neoplasm consisted of primitive neuroepithelial cells forming Homer Wright rosettes, mature ganglion cells and astrocytes. Astroglia were identified by localization of cytoplasmic glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Striking similarity is noted between the current tumour and those found in the central nervous system, including cerebellar medulloblastomas. The diverse cellular elements of the present primitive neuroectodermal neoplasm suggest an origin of the tumour from the neuroectodermal component of an ectomesenchymal remnant of the neural crest. Differentiation of the neuroectodermal component of the neural crest into primitive neuroepithelial cells could result in the occurrence of a primitive neuroectodermal neoplasm which may further differentiate into neurons and neuroglia.
Autonomic dysfunction in presymptomatic spinocerebellar ataxia type‐2

Montes‐Brown J, Machado A, Estévez M, Carricarte C, Velázquez‐Pérez L. Autonomic dysfunction in presymptomatic spinocerebellar ataxia type‐2. Acta Neurol Scand: 2012: 125: 24–29. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Quantification of serotonin 5‐HT1A receptors in monkey brain with [11C](R)‐(−)‐RWAY

[11C](R)‐(−)‐RWAY ([11C]2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7‐hexahydro‐1{4‐[1[4‐(2‐methoxyphenyl)‐piperazinyl]]‐2‐phenylbutyry}‐1H‐azepine) is a new radioligand for imaging brain 5‐HT1A receptors with positron emission tomography. In [11C](R)‐(−)‐RWAY, the direction of the amide bond is expected to reduce metabolism by hydrolysis while allowing easy 11C‐labeling at the methoxy position. The purposes of this study were to evaluate different tracer kinetic models in nonhuman primates to quantify 5‐HT1A receptors with [11C](R)‐(−)‐RWAY and to test for the possible action of P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp), one of the known efflux pumps at the blood–brain barrier. The brain uptake of radioactivity from [11C](R)‐(−)‐RWAY into 5‐HT1A receptor‐rich brain regions was severalfold greater than for its antipode ([11C](S)‐(+)‐RWAY) and could be displaced by receptor saturating doses of the selective 5‐HT1A antagonist, WAY‐100635. Pretreatment with tariquidar, a potent inhibitor of P‐gp, increased brain uptake of [11C](R)‐(−)‐RWAY about 1.5‐fold and the plasma free fraction about 1.8‐fold. Thus, the effect of tariquidar on brain uptake may have been caused by displacement of the radioligand binding to plasma proteins. Mathematical modeling showed that the estimated values of regional binding potential were correlated strongly between two‐tissue compartment model and multilinear reference tissue model, and thus, supported the use of the cerebellum as a reference region. Synapse 60:510–520, 2006. Published 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antioxidants Delay Clinical Signs and Systemic Effects of ENU Induced Brain Tumors in Rats

According to our previous study suggesting that antioxidant properties of phytochemicals in the diet decrease glioma aggressiveness, we used a SUVIMAX-like diet (“Supplementation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants”) (enriched with alpha-tocopherol, beta carotene, vitamin C, zinc, and sodium selenite), adapted to rats. The present results showed that each of the antioxidants inhibited growth of glioma cells in vitro. When used in combination for in vivo studies, we showed a highly significant delay in the clinical signs of the disease, but not a statistical significant difference in the incidence of glioma in an Ethyl-nitrosourea (ENU)-model. The SUVIMAX-like diet decreased candidate markers of tumoral aggressiveness and gliomagenesis progression. The mRNA expressions of 2 common markers in human glioma: Mn-SOD (Manganese Superoxide Dismutase) and IGFBP5 (insulin growth factor binding protein) were reduced in the tumors of rats fed the antioxidant diet. In addition, the transcripts of two markers linked to brain tumor proliferation, PDGFRb (platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta) and Ki-67, were also significantly decreased. On the whole, our results suggest a protective role for antioxidants to limit aggressiveness and to some extent, progression of gliomas, in a rat model.
Reliable assessment of logP of compounds of pharmaceutical relevance.

In an earlier study Quant. Struct. -Act. Relat. 1996, 15, 403-409 comparing the performance of 14 logP predictors it was concluded that predictions of logP values were significantly better for simple organic molecules than for drugs. Since the publication of this benchmark study, a logP predictor, VLOGP, has been developed in our group. In the work presented here, VLOGP is used to assess the logP values of the same 48 drugs as included in the benchmark comparison. VLOGP returned 79.2% "acceptable", 18.6% "disputable", and only 2.2% "unacceptable" logP values. the "acceptable", "disputable", and "unacceptable" logP values from the 14 other predictors, respectively, ranged between 27.1% and 72.9%, 16.7% and 41.7%, and 2.2% and 37.5%. Further, VLOGP resulted in a much tighter fit (mean squared deviation, m.s.d., = 0.197) between experimental and calculated values of logP compared with the other 14 methods for which the m.s.d. ranged between 0.247 and 1.068. The major differentiation between VLOGP and other predictors is that its application domain, called Optimum Prediction Space (OPS), is quantitatively defined, i.e., the structures to which VLOGP model should not be applied for predicting logP can be identified. This process is automated by implementation of VLOGP in the TOPKAT package.
Analysis of regional timelines to set up a global phase III clinical trial in breast cancer: the adjuvant lapatinib and/or trastuzumab treatment optimization experience.

PURPOSE This study measured the time taken for setting up the different facets of adjuvant lapatinib and/or trastuzumab treatment optimization (ALTTO), an nternational phase III study being conducted in 44 participating countries. METHODS Time to regulatory authority (RA) approval, time to ethics committee/institutional review board (EC/IRB) approval, time from study approval by EC/IRB to first randomized patient, and time from first to last randomized patient were prospectively collected in the ALTTO study. Analyses were conducted by grouping countries into either geographic regions or economic classes as per the World Bank's criteria. RESULTS South America had a significantly longer time to RA approval (median: 236 days, range: 21-257 days) than Europe (median: 52 days, range: 0-151 days), North America (median: 26 days, range: 22-30 days), and Asia-Pacific (median: 62 days, range: 37-75 days). Upper-middle economies had longer times to RA approval (median: 123 days, range: 21-257 days) than high-income (median: 47 days, range: 0-112 days) and lower-middle income economies (median: 57 days, range: 37-62 days). No significant difference was observed for time to EC/IRB approval across the studied regions (median: 59 days, range 0-174 days). Overall, the median time from EC/IRB approval to first recruited patient was 169 days (range: 26-412 days). CONCLUSION This study highlights the long time intervals required to activate a global phase III trial. Collaborative research groups, pharmaceutical industry sponsors, and regulatory authorities should analyze the current system and enter into dialogue for optimizing local policies. This would enable faster access of patients to innovative therapies and enhance the efficiency of clinical research.
The effect of midlife physical activity on cognitive function among older adults: AGES--Reykjavik Study.

BACKGROUND There are few studies on the long-term associations of physical activity (PA) to cognition. Here, we examine the association of midlife PA to late-life cognitive function and dementia. METHODS The sample consisted of a population-based cohort of men and women (born in 1907-1935) participating in the Age Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study. The interval between the midlife ascertainment of PA and late-life cognitive function was 26 years. Composite scores of speed of processing, memory, and executive function were assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests, and dementia was diagnosed according to international guidelines. There were 4,761 nondemented participants and 184 (3.7%) with a diagnosis of dementia, with complete data for the analysis. RESULTS Among the participants, no midlife PA was reported by 68.8%, ≤ 5 hours PA by 26.5%, and >5 hours PA by 4.5%. Excluding participants with dementia compared with the no PA group, both PA groups had significantly faster speed of processing (≤ 5 hours, β = .22; >5 hours, β = .32, p trend < .0001), better memory (≤ 5 hours, β = .15; >5 hours, β = .18, p trend < .0001), and executive function (≤ 5 hours, β = .09; >5 hours, β = .18, p trend< .0001), after controlling for demographic and cardiovascular factors. The ≤ 5 hours PA group was significantly less likely to have dementia in late life (odds ratio: 0.6, 95% confidence interval: 0.40-0.88) after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION Midlife PA may contribute to maintenance of cognitive function and may reduce or delay the risk of late-life dementia.
Prevention of acute mountain sickness by dexamethasone.

Acute mountain sickness is a syndrome that occurs when unacclimatized persons ascend rapidly to high altitudes. It is postulated that cerebral edema causes its symptoms. Since dexamethasone is useful in treating some forms of cerebral edema, we investigated its role in the prevention of acute mountain sickness. Using a double-blind crossover design, we exposed eight young men to a simulated altitude of 4570 m (15,000 ft) on two occasions. By random assignment, each subject received dexamethasone (4 mg every 6 hours) or placebo for 48 hours before and throughout the 42-hour exposure. The presence of symptoms of acute mountain sickness was established by two methods: a questionnaire and an interview by a physician. Dexamethasone significantly reduced the symptoms of acute mountain sickness. During dexamethasone treatment, the cerebral-symptom score (mean +/- S.E.) decreased from 1.09 +/- 0.18 to 0.26 +/- 0.08, and the respiratory-symptom score decreased from 0.64 +/- 0.09 to 0.31 +/- 0.06 (both, P less than 0.05). As judged by the interviewing physician, the symptom score decreased from 1.10 +/- 0.11 to 0.28 +/- 0.07 (P = 0.01). We conclude that dexamethasone may be effective in preventing the symptoms of acute mountain sickness.
Innovativeness, empowerment and IT capability: Evidence from SMEs

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore two basic research questions: what are the effects of information technology (IT) capability and employee empowerment on the innovativeness of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), and what are the effects of innovativeness and IT capability on firm performance in SMEs? Design/methodology/approach – Data from 109 Polish SMEs were collected. In order to identify empirical dimensions of innovativeness, empowerment and IT capability, a factor analysis was carried out. Multiple regression analysis was employed to examine the effects of IT capability and employee empowerment on innovativeness, and the effects of IT capability and innovativeness on firm performance.Findings – The following results are offered: innovation activity of SMEs is positively related to technological turbulence, climate for innovation, investments in innovation and use of IT in internal communications; innovation activity and IT knowledge have a positive effect on subjective measures.
Seed Dispersal by Sympatric Tamarins, Saguinus mystax and Saguinus fuscicollis: Diversity and Characteristics of Plant Species

In a comparative study of Saguinus mystax and Saguinus fuscicollis, we examined the spectrum of plant species whose seeds are dispersed by these two tamarin species. We characterize these plants in terms of life form, fruit colour, pulp consistency and seed dimensions. The tamarins disperse a much broader spectrum of plant species than previously reported (88 of the total of 155 species exploited for fruit). While the distribution over plant life form, fruit colour and pulp consistency is identical between dispersed plant species and the overall spectrum of consumed plant species, clear differences exist in all seed parameters (length, width, height, volume, mass) except specific weight between dispersed and non-dispersed plant species for both tamarin species. Plant and fruit characteristics and seed parameters of dispersed plant species do not differ between S. mystax and S. fuscicollis, suggesting that their ecological and evolutionary interaction with plants is very similar or identical.
The thymus in the mouse changes its activity during pregnancy: a study of the microenvironment

The mouse thymus changes dramatically during pregnancy. It shrinks in size, and the cortex is extensively reduced from midpregnancy onwards. Despite this, there is surprisingly little evidence for any increase in apoptosis, and considerable evidence that mitosis of thymocytes continues throughout pregnancy. In spite of overall involution the thymic medulla actually expands in midpregnancy due to a combination of mitosis of epithelial cells and an accumulation of lymphocytes. The extent and nature of these changes are examined in this study at the ultrastructural level. The epithelial cells of the subcapsular cortex (type 1 cells) become wrinkled and exhibit powers of phagocytosis, whilst the other cortical epithelial cells are relatively unchanged, although the formation of epithelial/thymocyte rosettes and thymic nurse cells is more clearly seen in midpregnancy than usual. Other changes associated with pregnancy involve the medullary epithelial cells that undergo an increased level of mitosis. Their greater numbers surround accumulations of lymphocytes to form the characteristic medullary epithelial rings. Cell movement through blood vessel walls was clearly observed in midpregnancy, but not at other times. Interdigitating cells in the medulla become more conspicuous as pregnancy proceeds and the cells become phagocytic. The endoplasmic reticulum in plasma cells becomes expanded, indicating increased secretory activity. These results highlight the active nature of the thymus in pregnancy in spite of its involution. This picture contradicts the conventional notion that an involuted thymus is inactive.
Safety of High-Dose Botulinum Toxin Type A Therapy for the Treatment of Pediatric Spasticity

This retrospective chart review examines the safety of high-dose (≥ 15 U/kg body weight or ≥ 800 total units) botulinum toxin type A (BOTOX, Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA) in children and young adults with spasticity. Ninety-four children weighing < 45 kg received a mean total dose of 334.1 U or 19.1 U/kg. Fourteen young adults weighing ≥ 45 kg received a mean total dose of 927.3 U or 15.2 U/kg. Adverse events were reported by 3 of the 108 patients (2.8%) and included single instances of rash and enuresis. The only serious adverse event consisted of mild, generalized botulism in a 13-year-old patient who received a 23 U/kg dose to the hamstrings and gastrocnemius/soleus bilaterally. No serious adverse events were noted in children weighing < 45 kg who received botulinum toxin type A doses of 15 to 22 U/kg of body weight or in young adults ≥ 45 kg who received total doses of 800 to 1200 U in a single injection protocol. High-dose botulinum toxin type A is safe for the treatment of spasticity in children and young adults. (J Child Neurol 2006;21:189—192;
Assessment of the quantitative determination of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins by pre-column derivatization and elimination of interfering compounds by solid-phase extraction

Monitoring programmes for paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins in bivalve molluscs still rely heavily on the use of mouse bioassays (MBA) for consumer protection. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methodology (Lawrence method) was implemented in 1996 in the Portuguese monitoring programme as a complementary means of analysis. Comparison between MBA and HPLC was done at the time only by a qualitative approach due to the scarce number of positive samples tested. More quantitative data were obtained recently when studying toxin profiles in Moroccan shellfish, and the correlation found between these two methodologies is reported here for the first time. Two different matrices were studied: blue mussel and the giant cockle Acanthocardia tuberculatum. A good linear correlation was obtained for both matrices. However, a second-degree polynomial best fitted the data at both low and high extremes of toxicity. According to the HPLC quantitative results, 13% of false-negatives could be obtained by MBA due to an underestimation of toxicity near the limit of detection of the MBA. Difficulties on relying solely on HPLC for consumer protection have been aroused with uncommon matrices, such as imported clams or crustaceans, due to the presence of high concentrations of interfering compounds. The solid-phase extraction step of the Lawrence method was implemented to eliminate an unknown compound that could be mistaken for saxitoxin, and an 80% reduction of another common unknown compound eluting close to decarbamoylsaxitoxin. The implementation of the HPLC methodology achieved so far allows a high degree of consumer protection without the need to resource to animal sacrifice.