Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Megan Egg – protection for commercial layers against Salmonella enteritidis infection for consumer protection

A D.V.M., M.A.M, diplomate A.C. P.V, Technical Services Veterinarian, Lohmann Animal Health International, Inc., 1146 Airport Parkway, Gainesville, GA 30501 B Biologicals Development Director, AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. dba Megan Health, Inc., 8620 Pennell Drive, St. Louis, MO 63114 Research Scientist, AVANT Immunotherapeutics, Inc. dba Megan Health, Inc., 8620 Pennell Drive, St. Louis, MO 63114
Determinants of Dyspnea in Patients with Different Grades of Stable Asthma

Dyspnea is a main feature of symptomatology in asthma, and its perception does not necessarily correlates well with airway obstruction. The aim of this study was twofold: 1 to identify factors determining the subjective degree of dyspnea in patients with different grades of stable bronchial asthma and 2 to compare various clinical methods existing for grading dyspnea. The investigation comprised 153 outpatients with stable asthma. The parameters studied were the following: demographic characteristic of subjects, baseline dyspnea score by means of three clinical instruments (baseline dyspnea index [BDI], Medical Research Council [MRC] scale, and modified Borg scale), asthma severity, standard measures of physiologic lung function, anxiety, depression, subconscious illness attention, and asthma-related quality of life (HRQOL). The dyspnea scores were all significantly interrelated (r = 0.77–0.85, p<0.001). The three clinical scales for grading dyspnea were significantly correlated with the same parameters: airflow obstruction, lung hyperinflation, emotional factors, HRQOL, age, age at asthma onset, asthma duration, female gender, clinical severity, and lower economical, and educational levels. Multiple regression analysis showed that independent factors determining clinical dyspnea scores were: age, airway obstruction, and emotional status. Moreover, in patients with severe asthma, lung hyperinflation helped to explain the individual dyspnea score. These data suggest that clinical methods are appropriate for evaluating the impact of dyspnea on daily activities of asthmatic patients. BDI, MRC, and Borg clinical dyspnea scales showed similarly information in subjects with asthma. Independently of asthma severity, older age, airway obstruction, and psychological disturbance were associated with higher degree of dyspnea. However, if subjects had severe airway obstruction, lung hyperinflation was a major determinant of baseline dyspnea score.
Sex workers in agricultural areas: Their drugs, their children

Most research on female sex workers is urban‐based, emphasizing economic necessity and risk‐taking. Few authors discuss sex workers and their children. The objective of the present study was to ethnographically explore the influence of street life on childrearing by women involved in sex work in agricultural areas of the southeastern USA. Interviews took place with 38 women. Findings suggest that the sampled women followed the usual paths into substance use. Most began using substances before they began sex work, at which time use escalated to crack‐cocaine. Children of 32 of the 34 women who were mothers were living separately from their mothers. None the less, mothers took an interest in children's wellbeing, and many visited them whenever possible. Their principal concern was assuring that children were raised in the best way available. One daughter followed her mother into sex work, and a few older children drank moderately. Several children had experienced abuse from persons other than parents, but the long‐term effects of this abuse are unknown.
The emergence of complexity

Downloading the book in this website lists can give you more advantages. It will show you the best book collections and completed collections. So many books can be found in this website. So, this is not only this the emergence of complexity. However, this book is referred to read because it is an inspiring book to give you more chance to get experiences and also thoughts. This is simple, read the soft file of the book and you get it.
Non-muscle myosins 2A and 2B drive changes in cell morphology that occur as myoblasts align and fuse

The interaction of non-muscle myosins 2A and 2B with actin may drive changes in cell movement, shape and adhesion. To investigate this, we used cultured myoblasts as a model system. These cells characteristically change shape from triangular to bipolar when they form groups of aligned cells. Antisense oligonucleotide knockdown of non-muscle myosin 2A, but not non-muscle myosin 2B, inhibited this shape change, interfered with cell-cell adhesion, had a minor effect on tail retraction and prevented myoblast fusion. By contrast, non-muscle myosin 2B knockdown markedly inhibited tail retraction, increasing cell length by over 200% by 72 hours compared with controls. In addition it interfered with nuclei redistribution in myotubes. Non-muscle myosin 2C is not involved as western analysis showed that it is not expressed in myoblasts, but only in myotubes. To understand why non-muscle myosins 2A and 2B have such different roles, we analysed their distributions by immuno-electron microscopy, and found that non-muscle myosin 2A was more tightly associated with the plasma membrane than non-muscle myosin 2B. This suggests that non-muscle myosin 2A is more important for bipolar shape formation and adhesion owing to its preferential interaction with membrane-associated actin, whereas the role of non-muscle myosin 2B in retraction prevents over-elongation of myoblasts.
Use of the T Lymphocyte Regulated Type 2 Antigens for the Analysis of Responsiveness of Lyb5+ and Lyb5− B Lymphocytes to T Lymphocyte Derived Factors

Although many experimental approaches have been used in an attempt to define the nature ofthe various B lymphocyte subpopulations, one which has recently been explored in great detail has been the categorization of such cells on the basis of their differential responsiveness to thymus dependent (TD) and type 1 and type 2 thymus independent (TI), antigens (Mosier et al. 1977, Mond et al. 1978, Tittle & Rittenberg 1980, Lewis & Goodman 1977, Kunkl & Klaus 1980). This approach, more than simply providing an additional tool to phenotype B lymphocytes, has provided information regarding the activation requirements of these cells. It has become clear from such studies that responses to antigens which are regarded as thymus independent can nevertheless be influenced by T lymphocytes as well as by T lymphocyte derived factors (Mond et al. 1980, Yaffe etal. 1980). Furthermore, the ability to respond to such T lymphocyte regulated Tl antigens is a property of only a subset of B lymphocytes which expresses the Lyb5 differentiation antigen (Lyb5*); the remaining Lyb5" B lymphocytes are nonresponders to this class of antigens.
Phylogenetic study of Geitlerinema and Microcystis (Cyanobacteria) using PC‐IGS and 16S–23S ITS as markers: investigation of horizontal gene transfer

Selection of genes that have not been horizontally transferred for prokaryote phylogenetic inferences is regarded as a challenging task. The markers internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal genes (16S–23S ITS) and phycocyanin intergenic spacer (PC‐IGS), based on the operons of ribosomal and phycocyanin genes respectively, are among the most used markers in cyanobacteria. The region of the ribosomal genes has been considered stable, whereas the phycocyanin operon may have undergone horizontal transfer. To investigate the occurrence of horizontal transfer of PC‐IGS, phylogenetic trees of Geitlerinema and Microcystis strains were generated using PC‐IGS and 16S–23S ITS and compared. Phylogenetic trees based on the two markers were mostly congruent for Geitlerinema and Microcystis, indicating a common evolutionary history among ribosomal and phycocyanin genes with no evidence for horizontal transfer of PC‐IGS. Thus, PC‐IGS is a suitable marker, along with 16S–23S ITS for phylogenetic studies of cyanobacteria.
Trace Metal Distribution in Surface Water, Sediment, and Tissues of Freshwater Catfish (Clarias. Gariepinus), From Oke- Afa Canal, Lagos Nigeria

This paper discusses concentrations of 7 essential trace metals (chromium,cadmium, copper, lead,nickel, manganese and zinc) in water, sediment and freshwater fish (Clarias. gariepinus) tissues from Oke-Afa Canal, Lagos Nigeria The sampling and analysis of the samples from Oke Afa canal were carried out between the month of June-October, 2011 and experimental procedures used followed the description of American Public Health Association (APHA) The results showed that Liver concentrated highest level of zinc, copper and lead (6.851±0.005 mg/Kg, 1.876±0.001mg/Kg and 0.143±0.001mg/Kg respectively). This was followed by sediments with mean values of (nickel = 0.400±0.001mg/Kg, chromium-=0.127±0.003mg/Kg, mn =0.092±0.001mg/Kg and cadmium= 0.076±0.003mg/Kg). Surface water equally concentrated some metals such as Manganese, cadmium and lead with mean values of 0.069±0.101Mg/L, 0.043±0.011Mg/L, 0.039±0.016Mg/L respectively.The order of bioaccumulation in sediment are Zn >Cu>Ni>Cr>Pb>Mn>Cd while the order of bioaccumulation in liver was Zn>Cu>Ni>Pb>Cd>Mn>Cr Also the order of concentration in surface water was Mn>Zn>Cd>Pb>Ni>Cu>CrMetal concentration in the fish tissues (flesh, bones gills and guts) was low in concentration, but the values were still significant at 95 percent confidence limit (P
MicroArray Data Simulator For Improved Selection of Differentially Expressed Genes

The development of microarray technology has allowed researchers to measure expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously. Analysis of these data requires the best normalization and statistical approaches to account for the biological and technical variability inherent in the technique. To approach this problem we have developed a publicly available simulator of microarray hybridization experiments that can be used to help assess the accuracy of bioinformatic tools in discovering significant genes. After analyzing microarray hybridization experiments from over 50 samples, an estimate of various degrees of technical and biological variability was obtained. This information was used to develop a simulator of microarray hybridization data which modeled "normal tissue samples" and "diseased tissue samples" with known, defined, changes in gene expression (a "gold standard"). The data derived from the simulator were then used to evaluate the true positive and false negative rates of several normalization procedures and gene selection techniques. We found that the type of normalization approach used was an important aspect of data analysis. Global normalization was the least accurate approach. Evaluation of gene selection techniques showed that "Significance analysis of microarrays" (SAM) and "Patterns of Gene Expression" (PaGE) were more accurate than simple t-test analysis. We provide access to the microarray hybridization simulator as a public resource for biologists to further test new emerging genomic bioinfomatic tools.
Abnormal pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone in men with epilepsy

We compared the pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) between 13 men with clinically and electrographically documented temporal lobe seizures and 8 age-matched controls. Serum for LH measurement was drawn every 15 minutes during 8 hours of EEG telemetry in both groups. The 2 groups did not differ significantly in average mean baseline LH secretion, total LH secretion, or average pulse amplitude. The group with seizures, however, showed a significantly greater (p < 0.05) variability of baseline LH secretion and pulse frequency. Among the men with unilateral paroxysmal EEG findings, pulse frequency was significantly greater (p = 0.05) with right epileptiform discharges or left slowing (6.4 ± 0.4) than with left epileptiform discharges or right slowing (3.0 ± 1.3). The relationship of pulse frequency to the nature and laterality of paroxysmal discharges makes it unlikely that endocrine abnormalities can be attributed to medication alone and strengthens the notion that temporal lobe epileptiform discharges may disrupt hypothalamic regulation of pituitary secretion.
Effect of Presenting Hemorrhage on Outcome after Microsurgical Resection of Brain Arteriovenous Malformations

OBJECTIVE:We hypothesized that patients with unruptured arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) at presentation have an increased risk of deterioration compared with patients with ruptured AVMs. METHODS:A consecutive series of 224 patients treated microsurgically by a single neurosurgeon during a period of 6.4 years was analyzed. Initial hemorrhagic presentation was the primary predictor variable. Neurological outcomes were assessed by use of the Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), and logistic regression identified predictors of deterioration at follow-up (mean duration, 1.3 yr) relative to baseline before any intervention. RESULTS:Overall, 120 patients (54%) presented with hemorrhage, and all 224 patients underwent microsurgical resection. Complete resection was achieved in 220 patients (98%). According to GOS score, 13 patients (5.8%) deteriorated; according to MRS score, 45 patients (20.1%) deteriorated. Fifteen patients (6.7%) died. Hemorrhagic presentation was associated with improved outcomes, with a mean change in MRS score of +0.89 in patients with ruptured AVMs and −0.38 in patients with unruptured AVMs (P < 0.001). The final mean MRS scores in patients with unruptured AVMs were better than those in patients with ruptured AVMs (1.44 versus 1.90; P = 0.048). Presentation with an unruptured AVM was a predictor of worsening MRS score (odds ratio, 2.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–4.3; P = 0.006) but not of worsening GOS score. CONCLUSION:Presentation with AVM hemorrhage is an underappreciated predictor of outcome after therapy that includes microsurgical resection. Patients with ruptured AVMs tended to have deficits at presentation and generally improved after surgery, whereas patients with unruptured AVMs tended to have normal or nearly normal neurological function at presentation and were susceptible to worsening, albeit slight, as measured by MRS scores. Sensitive outcome measures such as MRS detect subtle symptoms and impairments missed by coarser measures such as GOS. Patients should be counseled that the risks associated with elective resection of unruptured AVMs may be higher than recognized previously. Hemorrhagic brain injury and its secondary effects may mask this surgical morbidity.
D-Dimers Predict Stroke Subtype when Assessed Early

Background:Early classification of ischemic stroke subtype is important for secondary stroke prevention and may guide further investigations. Methods: Levels of coagulation activation [fibrinopeptide A (FPA), prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT)] and fibrinolysis activation [plasmin-α2-antiplasmin complex (PAP), D-dimers] markers were measured in 98 consecutive patients with a first-ever acute ischemic stroke admitted within 12 h after symptom onset. Results: Median age was 67 years and 44% were women. Median time from symptom onset to blood sampling was 4 h. Stroke subtype was classified as ‘cardioembolic’ (54%), ‘large-artery atherosclerosis’ (11%), ‘small-vessel disease’ (5%), ‘other determined’ (9%) or ‘undetermined etiology’ (20%). Patients with cardioembolic stroke suffered more often from coronary artery disease than patients with other stroke etiologies (40 vs. 22%, p = 0.019). There were no differences in age, sex, stroke severity, time to blood sampling, frequency of hypertension, diabetes mellitus or current smoking. D-dimers (medians) were higher in patients with cardioembolic strokes than in those with other etiologies (615 vs. 322 μg/l, p < 0.001). No differences in F1+2, FPA, TAT or PAP levels were found. After multivariate analysis, higher D-dimer levels remained independently associated with cardioembolic stroke (p = 0.022). When measured within 6 h, D-dimers below 300 μg/l excluded cardioembolic stroke with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 52%. Conclusions: Low D-dimer levels in the first few hours make a cardioembolic stroke unlikely, and may be useful to guide further investigations. Other coagulation markers were not useful in differentiating between different stroke etiologies.
Horticultural and other Factors Affecting Aroma Volatile Composition of Small Fruit

Volatile compounds are responsible for the aroma and contribute to the flavor of fresh strawberries (Fragaria ×anannassa), red raspberries (Rubus idaeus), and blueberries (Vaccinium sp.). Strawberry aroma is composed predominately of esters, although alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes are also present in smaller quantities. The aroma of raspberries is composed of a mixture of ketones and terpenes. In highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), aroma is dominated by aromatic hydrocarbons, esters, terpenes and long chain alcohols, while in lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium), aroma is predominated by esters and alcohols. The composition and concentration of these aroma compounds are affected by cultivar, fruit maturity, and storage conditions. Volatile composition varies significantly both quantitatively and qualitatively among different cultivars of small fruit. As fruit ripen, the concentration of aroma volatiles rapidly increases closely following pigment formation. In storage, volatile concentrations continue to increase but composition depends on temperature and atmosphere composition. Many opportunities exist to improve the aroma volatile composition and the resulting flavor of small fruit reaching the consumer.
Novel aspects of the molecular mechanisms controlling insulin secretion

Pancreatic β‐cells secrete insulin by Ca2+‐dependent exocytosis of secretory granules. β‐cell exocytosis involves SNARE (soluble NSF‐attachment protein receptor) proteins similar to those controlling neurotransmitter release and depends on the close association of L‐type Ca2+ channels and granules. In most cases, the secretory granules fuse individually but there is ultrastructural and biophysical evidence of multivesicular exocytosis. Estimates of the secretory rate in β‐cells in intact islets indicate a release rate of ∼15 granules per β‐cell per second, 100‐fold higher than that observed in biochemical assays. Single‐vesicle capacitance measurements reveal that the diameter of the fusion pore connecting the granule lumen with the exterior is ∼1.4 nm. This is considerably smaller than the size of insulin and membrane fusion is therefore not obligatorily associated with release of the cargo, a feature that may contribute to the different rates of secretion detected by the biochemical and biophysical measurements. However, small molecules like ATP and GABA, which are stored together with insulin in the granules, are small enough to be released via the narrow fusion pore, which accordingly functions as a molecular sieve. We finally consider the possibility that defective fusion pore expansion accounts for the decrease in insulin secretion observed in pathophysiological states including long‐term exposure to lipids.
Clinical role of soluble adhesion molecules during immunotherapy for perennial allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND Soluble forms of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) have recently been identified in serum samples from atopic patients, but their clinical significance in the treatment of allergic diseases remains to be established. OBJECTIVE To study the clinical roles of serum sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 during immunotherapy for perennial allergic rhinitis. DESIGN Our study included 30 nonatopic volunteers and 60 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis due to Dermatophagoides farinae. The 60 patients had been treated for variable periods (7.3+/-3.0 years [mean+/-SD]) with immunotherapy using a standardized D. farinae antigen. Serum samples were collected from each patient before and after immunotherapy to determine sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 with sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS Serum levels of sICAM-1 in the patients before immunotherapy were higher than those in the nonatopic volunteers (P<.001). The levels of sICAM-1 in the patients' serum samples were decreased significantly after immunotherapy (P<.001), and the percentage of the decrease in the sICAM-1 levels was significantly correlated with the duration of immunotherapy (P=.04) and with the percentage of the decrease in symptom scores (P<.001). The levels of sVCAM-1 in the serum samples from the patients with severe symptoms were significantly higher before immunotherapy than those in the nonatopic volunteers (P=.002) and were significantly decreased after immunotherapy (P=.05). However, the percentage of the decrease in the sVCAM-1 levels was not correlated with the duration of immunotherapy (P=.89) or with the percentage of the decrease in symptom scores (P=.89). CONCLUSION Decrease in serum sICAM-1 levels during immunotherapy is probably involved in the working mechanisms of immunotherapy, but modulation of serum sVCAM-1 levels is not likely related to the clinical effect of immunotherapy.
Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K is a transcription factor

The CT element is a positively acting homopyrimidine tract upstream of the c-myc gene to which the well-characterized transcription factor Spl and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) K, a less well-characterized protein associated with hnRNP complexes, have previously been shown to bind. The present work demonstrates that both of these molecules contribute to CT element-activated transcription in vitro. The pyrimidine-rich strand of the CT element both bound to hnRNP K and competitively inhibited transcription in vitro, suggesting a role for hnRNP K in activating transcription through this single-stranded sequence. Direct addition of recombinant hnRNP K to reaction mixtures programmed with templates bearing single-stranded CT elements increased specific RNA synthesis. If hnRNP K is a transcription factor, then interactions with the RNA polymerase II transcription apparatus are predicted. Affinity columns charged with recombinant hnRNP K specifically bind a component(s) necessary for transcription activation. The depleted factors were biochemically complemented by a crude TFIID phosphocellulose fraction, indicating that hnRNP K might interact with the TATA-binding protein (TBP)-TBP-associated factor complex. Coimmunoprecipitation of a complex formed in vivo between hnRNP K and epitope-tagged TBP as well as binding in vitro between recombinant proteins demonstrated a protein-protein interaction between TBP and hnRNP K. Furthermore, when the two proteins were overexpressed in vivo, transcription from a CT element-dependent reporter was synergistically activated. These data indicate that hnRNP K binds to a specific cis element, interacts with the RNA polymerase II transcription machinery, and stimulates transcription and thus has all of the properties of a transcription factor.
Pathogenicity mechanisms and host response during oral Candida albicans infections

Oral candidiasis remains one of the most common forms of Candida infections and occurs if the balance between host, Candida and microbiota is disturbed, e.g., by broad spectrum antibiotics or immunosuppression. In recent years, identification of fungal factors contributing to host cell damage and new insights into host defense mechanisms have significantly extended our understanding of the pathogenesis of oral candidiasis. In this review, we will provide an overview of the pathogenicity mechanisms during oral Candida infections and discuss some approaches by which this knowledge could be transferred into therapeutic approaches.