Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma and atopy: is there an association?

Background Case reports have suggested a relationship between atopic diatheses and Sézary syndrome, pre‐Sézary syndrome or mycosis fungoides. However, Sézary and pre‐Sézary syndromes are rare entities, and this association has never been analysed in greater detail for specific subtypes of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma (CTCL).
Overlapping and Additive Effects of Neurotrophins and CNTF on Cultured Human Spinal Cord Neurons

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been shown both in vitro and in vivo to support the survival and differentiation of developing chick or rat motoneurons. To explore the potential use of these and other neurotrophic factors as therapeutic agents in human motoneuron diseases, we have examined the effects of the neurotrophins NGF, BDNF, neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5) and the cytokines CNTF and cholinergic differentiation factor/leukemia inhibitory factor (CDF/LIF) and combinations of these factors on fetal human spinal cord neurons grown for 7-10 days in monolayer cultures. The level of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was determined in cultures grown in the presence of NGF, BDNF, NT-3, NT-4/5, CNTF, or CDF/LIF or with combinations of these factors. With the exception of NGF, each of these factors alone increased ChAT activity by two- to three-fold above control levels; combinations of NT-3 and CNTF were greater than either alone. As a single factor NT-4/5 produced the greatest increase in ChAT activity, but was not additive with any other neurotrophin or CNTF. A combination of the three factors CNTF, BDNF, and NT-3 or the four factors CNTF, BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4 increased ChAT levels by four-fold, an effect greater than any individual factor. The finding that combinations of these factors show some additive effects toward human spinal cord cholinergic neurons in culture has prompted the testing of such combinations in animal models of motoneuron disease.
Hyperthermal Effects in Phototherapy with Hematoporphyrin Derivative Sensitization

Although the photochemical reaction of hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) appears to play a major role in cytotoxic activity, the hyperthermal contribution to tumor destruction has not yet been clarified. We investigated its role in the effectiveness of laser photoradiation therapy using MS-2 sarcoma transplanted into the hind pad of BALB/c mice as the experimental model. Mice received HpD i.V. , 25 mg/kg - 24 h before exposure to light delivered from a dye laser or Nd-YAG laser, or before warming in a thermostated bath. Since our aim was not to cure the tumor, the treatment response was evaluated only as inhibition of tumor growth at different days after treatment. Our results support the view that in laser photochemotherapy the hyperthermia produced by irradiation and the photodynamic effect mediated by HpD could contribute to tumor destruction. Moreover, a synergistic interaction between the photodynamic effect and heat was observed in this experimental model.
Cost of injuries from a prospective cohort study of North Carolina high school athletes

Objective: To estimate the economic cost of injuries in a population of US high school varsity athletes. Design and Setting: The North Carolina High School Athletic Injury Study, conducted from 1996 to 1999, was a prospective cohort study of injury incidence and severity. A two-stage cluster sampling technique was used to select athletic teams from 100 high schools in North Carolina. An injury cost model was used to estimate the economic cost of injury. Participants: Varsity athletes from 12 sports: football, girls’ and boy’s soccer, girls’ and boys’ track, girls’ and boy’s basketball, baseball, softball, wrestling, volleyball, and cheerleading. Main outcome measures: Descriptive data were collected at the time of injury. Three types of costs were estimated: medical, human capital (medical costs plus loss of future earnings), and comprehensive (human capital costs plus lost quality of life). Results: The annual statewide estimates were $9.9 million in medical costs, $44.7 million in human capital costs, and $144.6 million in comprehensive costs. The mean medical cost was $709 per injury (95% CI $542 to $927), $2223 per injury (95% CI $1709 to $2893) in human capital costs, and $10 432 per injury (95% CI $8062 to $13 449) in comprehensive costs. Sport and competition division were significant predictors of injury costs. Conclusions: Injuries among high school athletes represent a significant economic cost to society. Further research should estimate costs in additional populations to begin to develop cost-effective sports injury prevention programs.
An evaluation of ultraviolet A protection and photo‐stability of sunscreens marketed in Australia and New Zealand

To the Editor, The population in Australia and New Zealand is at a higher risk of acute and chronic ultraviolet A (UVA) damage due to both geographic as well as genetic factors. Table 1 lists sunscreens purchased in these regions that we recently tested, along with the active ingredients and their respective concentrations. We investigated UVA protection level as well as UVA photo-stability of these products as they represent the most widely used sun protection products in Australia/New Zealand and because they all contain the active ingredient butyl methoxydienzolmethane (avobenzone), a potent UVA absorber that is photo-labile. A known photo-stable sunscreen from the US market was included in the table as a reference point. In vivo UVA protection factors (UVAPF) for these sunscreens were measured with persistent pigment darkening method outlined by Japanese Cosmetic Industry Association (1). In vitro UVAPF were determined according to the COLIPA Guidelines (2). UVA photo-stability tests were conducted by comparing the COLIPA in vitro UVAPF of the sunscreens before and after 50 J/cm of solar-simulated irradiation. In vivo and in vitro UVAPFs, as well as photo-stability results were included in Table 1 for these sunscreens. It is noteworthy that while all of the test products claim SPF 301 and broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, the UVAPF for these sunscreens ranges from 5 to 9. Equally important is the fact that none of the tested sunscreens were photo-stable in the UVA region. The remaining UVA protection (as measured by UVAPF) after 50 J/cm of UV irradiation ranged from 27 to 57% of the initial UVAPF. The poor photo-stability may be partly due to the fact that all these popular Australian/New Zealand sunscreens contain octyl methoxycinnamate (octinoxate), an ingredient known to enhance the photo-degradation of avobenzone (3). While these widely used sunscreens in Australia and New Zealand likely supply the protection level claimed on the label as demonstrated in qualifying SPF test, they have inadequate overall performance in UVA protection. UV damage, particularly UVA damage, can occur with sub-erythemal dose and can be accumulative, resulting in chronic photoaging. UVAPF values of 5–6 do not translate to adequate levels of UVA protection in reality when consumers under-apply the sunscreen. In addition, UVA protection of these sunscreens continues to weaken during sun exposure as the UVAPF values degrade continuously even before the first erythema reaction happens. Even if consumers wearing these sunscreens did not stay long enough under the sun to get sunburn, the initial UVA protection level consumers received when they first applied the sunscreen would be significantly compromised during the first few hours of sun exposure.
Government default, bonds, and bank lending around the world: What do the data say?

We analyze holdings of government bonds by over 20,000 banks in 191 countries, and the role of these bonds in 20 sovereign defaults over 1998-2012. Relative to existing work, this dataset allows us to study – for both developed and emerging economies – not only the workings of the sovereign default-banking crisis nexus, but also how it comes into existence in the first place. Banks hold many government bonds (on average 9% of their assets), particularly in less financially-developed countries. During sovereign defaults, exposure to government bonds increases, especially for large banks. At the bank level, bondholdings during sovereign default correlate negatively with subsequent lending, and this correlation is mostly due to bonds acquired in pre-default years. These results indicate that in many countries the sovereign default-banking crisis nexus originates in normal times.
Abnormalities in motor cortical plasticity differentiate manifesting and nonmanifesting DYT1 carriers

A mutation in the DYT1 gene causes dominantly inherited childhood‐onset primary dystonia, but intriguingly, only 30 to 40% of those who carry the mutation ever develop symptoms. We have used the unique model provided by this group of patients to investigate the hypothesis that abnormalities in brain plasticity underlie the pathophysiology of primary dystonia. We recruited 8 DYT1 gene carriers with dystonia, 6 DYT1 gene carriers without dystonia, 6 patients with sporadic primary dystonia (torticollis), and 10 healthy control subjects. Groups were age‐matched. We compared the effect in these groups of subjects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) delivered to the motor cortex, by assessing changes in corticospinal excitability following rTMS. rTMS was given in the form of theta burst stimulation (TBS) using the inhibitory protocol “cTBS” (total of 300 pulses in 50‐Hz bursts given every 5Hz). DYT1 gene carriers with dystonia and subjects with torticollis had a significantly prolonged response to rTMS in comparison with healthy subjects. In contrast, DYT1 gene carriers without dystonia had no significant response to rTMS. These data demonstrate an excessive response to an experimental “plasticity probing protocol” in subjects with dystonia, but a lack of response in genetically susceptible individuals who have not developed dystonia. These preliminary data suggest that the propensity to undergo plastic change may affect the development of symptoms in genetically susceptible individuals and that this may be an important mechanism in the pathogenesis of primary dystonia in general. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
EXCITATION ENERGY TRANSFER AND THE QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF THE ANTIBODY HAPTEN REACTION.

When certain kinds of organic molecules become attached to proteins, either as biochemically specific complexes or as synthetic chemical conjugates, the quantum yield of the fluorescence of the tryptophane residues of the proteins is diminished. A condition for such an effect is the overlap of an absorption band of the ligand with the emission band of the protein. If the spectral condition and a few geometric requirements are satisfied the excitation energy of the tryptophane residues may be transferred with high efficiency to the ligand by electric dipole-dipole interactions over distances the order of magnitude of a protein molecular diameter. The excitation energy in the ligand may then either be dissipated as heat or reemitted at the characteristic frequency of the ligand. This and related phenomena were utilized previously in an analysis of the complexes formed between pyridine and flavin nucleotides and the specific proteins for which they serve as coenzymes.1 2 The present report deals with the occurrence and analysis of excitation energy transfer in the complexes between purified antibodies and the small organic molecules used as determinants in their induction. Two antibodies were employed, directed respectively against derivatives of 2,4-dinitrophenpl and against derivatives of p-azophenylarsonate. Such molecules have strong absorption bands in the 300 to 400 myi region which overlap the 350 m1A emission bands of the antibodies. Formation of soluble complexes between antibody and univalent hapten is quantitatively measurable with the quenching of the antibody fluorescence as the indicator. The unique sensitivity of fluorescence spectroscopy makes possible the direct and rapid measurement of the antibody-hapten reaction over a range of conditions not approachable by other methods. Methods. -Induction and purification of antibodies: The antibodies were induced in rabbits by single injections, with Freund's adjuvant, of 5 mg of bovine y globulin substituted on the e-amino groups of the lysine side chains with 2,4-dinitrophenyl groups, or on the lysine, histidine, and tyrosine side chains with azobenzene-parsonate. The dinitrophenyl antigen carried 55 moles of hapten per mole of protein, by spectrophotometric analysis of the intact antigen and by silica gel chromatography of acid hydrolysates. Antibodies from the pooled high titre sera of 20 rabbits, were isolated by specific precipitation with antigen. The immunizing antigen was also used to precipitate the anti-DNP antibody. Because of the large number of substituent groups only a small amount of antibody was produced against the protein itself. Antibody specific for the hapten determinant was separated from the precipitated complex by stirring at pH 7.4. with 0.1 M 2,4-dinitrophenol in the presence of streptomycin. The univalent hapten competes with the antigen to form a soluble antibody complex and the acidic test antigen is kept in the solid phase by the formation of a streptomycin salt. Antibody and hapten were separated from each other by column chromatography on
Suicide among Schizophrenics: Who Is at Risk?

Schizophrenic patients are at high risk for suicide. Most of the clinical features of the illness which have been associated with suicide remain speculative. This study provides an empirical test of hypothetical risk factors from the literature. Results indicate that schizophrenic patients who kill themselves have high internalized standards of performance which are often congruent with past educational attainments. They are also realistically aware of the effects of their illness, feel inadequate in relation to their goals, and fear further mental disintegration. Their affect is depressed, and they express hopelessness about the future. Suicidal ideation and explicit suicide threats often precede death. These results can be used to assess suicide risk among schizophrenic patients.
Do the numbers and locations of road‐killed anuran carcasses accurately reflect impacts of vehicular traffic?

Road-killed animals are easy and inexpensive to survey, and may provide information about species distributions, abundances, and mortality rates. As with any sampling method, however, we need to explore methodological biases in such data. First, how does an animal's behavior (e.g., use of the center vs. periphery of the road) influence its vulnerability to vehicular traffic? Second, how rapidly do post-mortem processes (scavenging by other animals, destruction or displacement by subsequent vehicles) change the numbers and locations of roadkills? Our surveys of anurans on a highway in tropical Australia show that different anuran species are distributed in different ways across the width of the road, and that locations of live versus dead animals sometimes differ within a species. Experimental trials show that location on the road affects the probability of being hit by a vehicle, with anurans in the middle of the road begin hit 35% more often than anurans on the edges; thus, center-using species are more likely to be hit than edge-using taxa. The magnitude of post-mortem displacement and destruction by subsequent vehicles depended on anuran species and body size. The mean parallel displacement distance was 122.7 cm, and carcasses of thin-skinned species exhibited greater post-mortem destruction. Scavenging raptors removed 73% of carcasses, most within a few hours of sunrise. Removal rates were biased with respect to size and species. Overall, our studies suggest that investigators should carefully evaluate potential biases before using roadkill counts to estimate underlying animal abundances or mortality rates. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.
Critical Review of Factors Predicting Health-Related Quality of Life in Newly Diagnosed Coronary Artery Disease Patients

Background:Newly diagnosed coronary heart disease patients can experience significant negative changes in their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). No existing literature review was found related to factors predicting HRQoL in newly diagnosed coronary heart disease patients. Purpose:The aim of this study was to identify factors predicting HRQoL in newly diagnosed coronary heart disease patients. Review Methods:We searched studies published between 1997 and 2009 with combinations of key words including factors, predictor, health-related quality of life, quality of life, first diagnosed coronary heart disease patients, and coronary heart disease patients. Data sources were ProQuest, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, PsychINFO, PubMed, and Scopus. Seventeen studies were identified that primarily examined HRQoL from 6 weeks to 12 months after diagnosis. Conclusions:Factors predicting HRQoL in newly diagnosed coronary heart disease patients can be divided into 3 groups: sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial. Characteristics in each category most strongly predictive of HRQoL in newly diagnosed coronary heart disease patients were: Sociodemographic positive predictors were baseline HRQoL, education level, and marital status; sociodemographic negative predictors included number of cardiovascular risks and female gender. Age was an inverse predictor. Clinical negative predictors included angina, physical functioning, and fatigue. Psychosocial positive predictors included social support and a sense of coherence, whereas depression, anxiety and depression, overall psychosocial characteristics or mood disturbance, anxiety, and hostility were negative predictors. Clinical Implications:This review identifies predictors of HRQoL and shows the importance of assessing factors that predict HRQoL at baseline and throughout the trajectory of this chronic illness because the concept of HRQoL changes over time but the predictors remain constant.
Global analysis of neutrophil gene expression

A widespread, but incorrect, view of the neutrophil portrays it as a short-lived, terminally differentiated cell that has a highly condensed nucleus and hence is unable to induce gene expression. However, these cells express mRNA encoding phagocytic receptors, modulate RNA synthesis in response to lectin stimulation or glucocorticoid treatment, and upregulate genes involved in phagocytic function, such as respiratory burst activity and cytokine secretion. Most studies of neutrophil gene expression have examined cytokine stimulation and have focused on a few specific genes of known interest, rather than the global genetic repertoire of the cell. In part stimulated by the availability of gene and expressed sequence tag databases, several approaches have been developed to assess the levels of all mRNA species found in single RNA preparations. We have analyzed the regulation of gene expression in neutrophils using a gel-based method that displays 3´ end fragments of cDNA generated by restriction enzymes. Our data indicate that neutrophils are capable of extensive, rapid, and complex changes in gene expression, involving at least several percent of all mRNAs present in the cell. The number and magnitude of mRNA responses are comparable to those measured on activation of normal T cells. The data also indicate that activated neutrophils are a source of newly synthesized, physiologically significant, intercellular signaling molecules. Curr Opin Hematol 2000, 7:16–20 © 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
Sex Differences in the Influence of Mothers on the Sociosexual Preferences of Their Offspring

The extent to which "nurture" as opposed to "nature" determines behavior and sociosexual preferences in mammalian species is controversial although most recent interest has focused on genetic determinants. We report here that if sheep and goats are cross-fostered at birth, but raised in mixed-species groups, their play and grooming behavior resembles that of their foster rather than genetic species. There are no sex differences in effects on these behaviors, and other species-specific behavior patterns such as aggression, browsing, climbing, and vocalizations are unaffected. In adulthood, cross-fostered males strongly prefer to socialize and mate with females of their foster mother's species, even if raised with a conspecific of their own species. Castration within 2 days of birth slightly reduces the level of this altered social preference but mating preference following short-term testosterone treatment is the same as for gonadally intact animals. Cross-fostered females also show significant preference for socializing with females and mating with males of their foster mother's species, although this effect is weaker than that in both gonadally intact and castrated males. When cross-fostered animals are placed in flocks containing members of only their genetic species for 3 years, male social and mating preferences for females of their mother's species remain virtually unaffected. Females change to display an exclusive mating preference for members of their genetic species in 1-2 years although they still retain some social interest in female members of their foster species. Thus, there are clear sex differences in the impact of the emotional bond between a mother and her offspring in these mammals. Effects on males are strongest and irreversibly maintained even after altering their social environment, whereas those on females are weaker and mating preferences are clearly adaptable in the face of altered social priorities. These sex differences are presumably caused by pre-, or early postnatal, organizational effects of sex hormones on the brain.
Enhancement Effect of Illumination on the Photoluminescence of Water-Soluble CdTe Nanocrystals: Toward Highly Fluorescent CdTe/CdS Core−Shell Structure

A strong photoluminescence enhancement effect of illumination on CdTe nanocrystals stabilized by thioglycolic acid (TGA) was observed. Under optimized conditions, the fluorescence quantum yield of CdTe nanocrystals in aqueous solution reached 85% at room temperature. Optical measurements indicated that the photodegradation of TGA rather than NCs was the main reason for the PL enhancement effect since sulfide ions released from TGA during illumination coordinated with cadmium ions on the surface of CdTe and formed a shell structure of CdS there. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic results further proved the formation of CdS shell on the CdTe core during illumination. The colloidal solution of CdTe/CdS core−shell nanocrystals with photoluminescence quantum yield higher than 80% turned out to be very stable. Therefore, the current investigations not only reveal the PL enhancement effect of illumination, but also provide a useful synthetic route for producing water-soluble and highly fluorescent CdTe/CdS core−shell nanocrystals