Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predictive models of toxicity with external radiotherapy for prostate cancer

The objective of the current study was to analyze the state of the art and present limitations of available predictive clinical models (when available) estimating the risk of genitourinary tract and small bowel complications, erectile dysfunction, and acute and late symptoms of the rectal syndrome caused by prostate cancer external irradiation. An analysis of the literature indicated that very limited attention has been devoted to the development of “integrated,” patient‐tailored, user‐friendly, and clinically usable tools for the prediction of external beam radiotoxicity. In this article, the authors reported on the multivariate correlation between late genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicities and clinical/dosimetric risk factors, as well as on the first set of nomograms developed to predict acute and late rectal side effects. At the present state of knowledge, the use of nomograms as predictive instruments of radiotoxicity appears to be particularly attractive for several main reasons. They are “user friendly” and easily developed using the results of multivariate analyses, as they weigh the combined effects of multiple independent factors found to be correlated with the selected clinical endpoint. The integrated evaluation of clinical and dosimetric parameters in the single patient can help to provide a tailored probability of the specific outcome considered. Predicting a high probability of toxicity could avoid unnecessary daily costs for the individual patient in terms of quality of life modification during and after treatment, helping patients in the decision‐making process of choosing the best individual, quality of life–related treatment, and clinicians in better tailoring the treatment to patient's characteristics. Cancer 2009;115(13 suppl):3141–9. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
In Vitro Development of Horse Oocytes Reconstructed with the Nuclei of Fetal and Adult Cells1

Abstract This study investigated the basic conditions required for the production of horse embryos by the transfer of the nuclei of fetal and adult fibroblast cells to enucleated oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were recovered from abattoir ovaries and matured in vitro in groups of 20–30 for 28–30 h in tissue culture medium 199 containing 20% v:v fetal bovine serum in coculture with equine oviduct epithelial cells. Fetal fibroblast cells (FFC) were derived from a 32-day-old Thoroughbred × Pony fetus, and adult skin fibroblast cells (SFC) were obtained from subdermal biopsies recovered from a 4-yr-old female Pony. The rates of fusion between the recipient cytoplasm with either FFC or SFC were significantly greater when the cells were treated with a combination of direct current (DC) pulses and Sendai virus rather than with DC pulses alone (81%–82% vs. 49%–57%, P < 0.05). There were no differences in the rates of nuclear reprogramming between FFC and SFC (88% vs. 84%), but the rate of cleavage of the resulting embryos to the 2-cell stage was higher when FFC were used (53%) than when SFC were used (35%). Blastocysts were obtained from oocytes reconstructed with both types of donor cells and after culture in vitro for 6–7 days, but the overall proportion of blastocysts produced was very low in both cases (FFC, 4%; SFC, 7%). These results demonstrate a very limited potential for in vitro development of horse embryos after nuclear reprogramming following the transfer of nuclei from either fetal or adult fibroblasts into recipient enucleated oocytes.
Mortality among workers in the Florida phosphate industry. I. Industry-wide cause-specific mortality patterns.

A retrospective cohort mortality study was conducted on 17,601 white and 4,722 nonwhite male workers in the Florida phosphate mining and chemical processing industry. Concerns about potential risks from naturally-occurring sources of ionizing radiation and anecdotal reports of lung cancer among workers prompted this investigation. Historical follow-up was conducted for the years 1949 to 1978. In comparison with U.S. rates, small excess of mortality rates of lung cancer were observed for white (standardized mortality ratio [SMR] equals 1.22) and nonwhite workers (SMR = 1.24); however, these excesses disappeared when contrasts were made with prevailing rates in Florida. Emphysema mortality was also slightly elevated in comparison with U.S. rates; the SMRs were 1.48 and 1.73 for white and nonwhite workers, respectively. Neither disease was related to overall length of employment. Detailed analyses of mortality in relation to work assignments are presented in the companion article.
Parkin deficiency contributes to pancreatic tumorigenesis by inducing spindle multipolarity and misorientation

Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase well known for its role in the pathogenesis of juvenile Parkinson disease, has been considered as a candidate tumor suppressor in certain types of cancer. It remains unknown whether parkin is involved in the development of pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Herein, we demonstrate the downregulation and copy number loss of the parkin gene in human pancreatic cancer specimens. The expression of parkin negatively correlates with clinicopathological parameters indicating the malignancy of pancreatic cancer. In addition, knockdown of parkin expression promotes the proliferation and tumorigenic properties of pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and in mice. We further find that parkin deficiency increases the proportion of cells with spindle multipolarity and multinucleation. Parkin-depleted cells also show a significant increase in spindle misorientation. These findings indicate crucial involvement of parkin deficiency in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer.
Market Power and Vertical and Horizontal Integration in the Maritime Shipping and Port Industry

The maritime sector is undergoing constant change, as is particularly apparent in the shift in competition that has unfolded in recent years. Whereas in the past shipowners and ports used to compete with one another, the competitive struggle is now increasingly unfolding at the level of logistics chains. Today, market players are selected not so much for their stand-alone competitiveness, but on the basis of whether or not they belong to a successful maritime logistics chain. This explains why certain market players are continuously trying to gain greater control over these chains, including through vertical and horizontal alliances, mergers and acquisitions. This contribution considers in greater detail these concerted efforts to increase market power through extensive integration. First, we deal with the competitive shifts that have occurred in the port and maritime arena. Subsequently, we look at the strategic behaviour exhibited by the main market players (shipowners, terminal operating companies, port authorities, logistics service providers, etc) and analyse their objectives. Finally, we assess the consequences of the strategies pursued in the context of the anticipated future scenarios.
Lifestyle-associated risk factors for acute brain infarction among persons of working age.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study was designed to identify whether cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, obesity, and use of oral contraceptives are independent risk factors for brain infarction among persons of working age. METHODS Health habits and previous diseases of 506 patients (366 men and 140 women aged 16 to 60 years) with acute first-ever symptomatic brain infarction were compared with those of 345 hospitalized control patients (219 men and 126 women) who did not differ from case subjects in respect to day of onset of symptoms or acuteness of disease onset. With the use of stepwise logistic regression, the variables for which the simultaneous risks of acute brain infarction were tested by sex were age, amount of alcohol consumed within 24 hours and 1 week before the illness, heavy drinking, smoking status, current smoking, cardiac disease, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipemia, migraine, body mass index, and, in women, current use of oral contraceptives. RESULTS Intake of > 40 g ethanol within the 24 hours preceding the onset of illness increased the risk for acute brain infarction both among men (P < .001) and women (P < .01) independently from other risk factors. Other significant independent risk factors for brain infarction among men were hypertension (P < .001), cardiac disease (P < .01), current smoking (P < .01), diabetes (P < .05), and history of migraine (P < .05) and among women, current use of oral contraceptives (P < .01) and current smoking (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Recent heavy drinking of alcohol, hypertension, cardiac disease, current smoking, diabetes, and history of migraine among men, and recent heavy drinking of alcohol, current use of oral contraceptives, and current smoking among women, seem to be independent risk factors for acute brain infarction.
Demand for and utilization of dental services according to household income in the adult population in Norway.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to describe the effect of income on demand and utilization of dental services according to household income in the adult population. METHODS The data were collected using a questionnaire, which was sent to a random sample of Norwegians aged 20 years or older living at home, 1861 persons in total. Demand was measured according to whether the person had been to the dentist during the last year. Utilization was measured as expenditure for dental treatment for those who had been to the dentist during the last year. The independent variables were the respondents' household income, age, gender, education, dental status and the mean fee for a dental consultation in the municipality. In the first stage, we carried out a logistic regression analysis of the log odds of having demanded dental services during the last year. In the second stage, we carried out a multiple regression analysis of expenditure for dental treatment for those who had been to the dentist during the last year. RESULTS Altogether, 80% of the respondents had been to the dentist during the last year. Demand during the last year varied most according to dental status. There was little difference between men and women. The results of the logistic regression showed that the probability of having been to the dentist was 0.82 for those with a household income of €25 000 and 0.85 for those with a household income of €100 000. Mean expenditure for dental treatment was €355. There was no statistically significant relationship between household income and expenditure for dental treatment. CONCLUSIONS Differences in demand for dental services according to household income are small, and there are no differences in utilization according to income. The findings are interesting, because in a population in which people have to pay almost all the costs for dental treatment themselves, one would expect the income differences in demand and utilization to be greater.
Staffing in Ontario’s Long-Term Care Homes: Differences by Profit Status and Chain Ownership

RÉSUMÉ L’Ontario compte la plus forte proportion des maisons de soins infirmiers à but lucratif au Canada. Ces maisons de soins infirmiers, connus en Ontario comme maisons de soins de longue durée (SLD), offrent 24 heures de soins de garde et de soins infirmiers aux personnes qui sont incapables de vivre de façon autonome. De plus en plus, ces installations fonctionnent aussi comme membres de chaînes de multi-établissements, mais elles n’ont pas été largement étudiées au Canada. En utilisant des données longitudinales (1996–2011) de l’Enquête sur les établissements de soins résidentiels (n = 627), notre analyse a révélé des différences perceptibles dans les niveaux du personnel selon le statut de profit et de l’affiliation aux chaînes. Nous avons trouvé que les maisons SLD à but lucratif – en particulier celles appartenant à une chaîne – ont fournies significativement moins d’heures de soins, après l’ajustement des variations de la nécessité des soins pour les résidents. Les résultats de cette étude offrent des nouveaux renseignements sur l’impact de la structure organisationnelle sur les niveaux de personnel dans les foyers de SLD de l’Ontario, et ont des implications pour d’autres juridictions où la présence de plus en plus d’opérateurs privés affiliés à des chaînes a été observée. ABSTRACT Ontario has the highest proportion of for-profit nursing homes in Canada. These facilities, which are known in Ontario as long-term care (LTC) homes, offer 24-hour custodial as well as nursing care to individuals who cannot live independently. Increasingly, they are also operating as members of multi-facility chains. Using longitudinal data (1996–2011) from the Residential Care Facilities Survey (n = 627), our analysis revealed discernible differences in staffing levels by profit status and chain affiliation. We found for-profit LTC homes – especially those owned by a chain organization – provided significantly fewer hours of care, after adjusting for variation in the residents’ care needs. Findings from this study offer new information on the impact of organizational structure on staffing levels in Ontario’s LTC homes and have implications for other jurisdictions where a growing presence of private, chain-affiliated operators has been observed.
Transcription levels of invasion‐related genes in prostate cancer cells are modified by inhibitors of tyrosine kinase

Previous reports have shown that genistein and tyrphostin AG‐1478, two tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), exert multiple cellular effects in prostate carcinoma cells, e.g. a reduction in the production of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor uPAR, and a decrease in the cells' ability to invade an artificial basement membrane. Microarray technology was used to measure alterations in mRNA levels caused by TKI treatment in two prostatic carcinoma cell lines, PC‐3 and DU‐145. Genistein treatment led to a reduction of at least 50% in 78 genes in PC‐3, while 82 were twofold upregulated. In DU‐145, the same treatment resulted in a 50% decreased transcript level in 120 genes, and increased expression in 25 genes. Tyrphostin AG‐1478 produced a 50% reduction in mRNA levels in 58 genes in DU‐145, whereas no alterations were demonstrated using the tyrphostin in PC‐3 cells. Among the effects of TKIs, a lowered uPA and uPAR transcription was demonstrated in genistein‐treated cells, while a few metalloproteinases (MMPs) were affected. Transcription of various integrin subunits was also downregulated overall. Several alterations in gene transcription were demonstrated in PC‐3 and DU‐145 after TKI treatment. This knowledge could be of importance in the search for new therapeutic strategies in prostate cancer treatment, and the interplay between the various effects needs to be investigated further.
Heterogeneity of normal prion protein in two‐dimensional immunoblot: presence of various glycosylated and truncated forms

The common use of one‐dimensional (1‐D) immunoblot with a single monoclonal antibody (Mab) engenders the notion that the normal or cellular prion protein (PrPC) comprises few and simple forms. In this study we used two‐dimensional (2‐D) immunoblot with a panel Mabs to various regions of the prion protein to demonstrate the complexity of the PrPC present in human brain. We distinguished over 50 immunoblot spots, each representing a distinct PrPC species based on combinations of different molecular weights and isoelectric points (pIs). The PrPC heterogeneity is due to the presence of a full‐length and two major truncated forms as well as to the diversity of the glycans linked to most of these forms. The two major truncated forms result from distinct cleavage sites located at the N‐terminus. In addition, enzymatic removal of sialic acid and lectin binding studies indicate that the glycans linked to the full‐length and truncated PrPC forms differ in their structure and ratios of the glycoforms. The truncation of PrPC and the heterogeneity of the linked glycans may play a role in regulating PrPC function. Furthermore, the presence of relatively large quantities of different PrPC species may provide additional mechanisms by which the diversity of prion strains could be generated.
The efficacy of vortioxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder

Vortioxetine (Lu AA21004; Brintellix®) has received approval from various international regulatory agencies for the treatment of major depression. The drug molecule has a multimodal mechanism of action that projects it as a unique molecule for the treatment of major depression. These mechanisms include property to inhibit serotonin reuptake via inhibiting serotonin transporters and acting on multiple serotonin receptor subtypes. Vortioxetine is an agonist of 5-HT1A, a partial agonist of 5-HT1B and an antagonist of 5-HT1D, 5-HT3 and 5-HT7 serotoninergic receptors. The molecule has been found to be effective and well-tolerable to be administered in humans for the treatment of major depression. Precautions should be exercised when vortioxetine is prescribed with cytochrome P450 inducers and inhibitors. This review attempts to compile the efficacy profile of vortioxetine in different clinical trials and the results are compared with other standard antidepressants.
Embryonic central nervous system angiogenesis does not involve blood‐borne endothelial progenitors

We asked, whether, in the blood of avian embryos, endothelial precursor cells circulate that actually contribute to the growing vascular system in and around the central nervous system (CNS). We compared the morphology and distribution of QH1‐positive cells after transplantation of quail paraxial mesoderm, after blood transfusion, in quail‐chick parabiosis, or after quail bone‐marrow transplantation. After head mesoderm transplantation from quail to chick, we observed sprouting endothelial cells (ECs), capillary tube formation, and chimeric endothelial lining of large arteries in the host brain. These QH1‐positive quail cells showed EC morphologies that demonstrated three different aspects of CNS angiogenesis: invasion by means of filopodia, clonal proliferation and tube formation, and integration into preexisting EC layers. After blood transfusion or in chick‐quail parabiosis, blood‐borne QH1+ cells were found in the lumen of but not integrated into the wall of the host vascular system. Neither were QH1+ cells observed in the capillary walls of parabiotic chick chorioallantoic membranes. In both cases, the quail cells showed typical macrophage morphology. In chicks that had received quail bone marrow transplants onto their chorioallantoic membranes, QH1+ cells with macrophage, but not EC shape were occasionally seen near the inoculation site. We conclude that (1) blood‐borne cells do not become ECs or directly contribute to angiogenesis inside, or in vascular plexuses around the CNS during embryonic development; (2) blood‐borne cells do not contribute to the intraneural macrophage population of the embryonic CNS. J. Comp. Neurol. 436:263–274, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Albusin B modulates lipid metabolism and increases antioxidant defense in broiler chickens by a proteomic approach.

BACKGROUND The present study was designed to investigate the effect of albusin B on lipid metabolism and antioxidant defense in broiler chickens by a proteomic approach. The bacteriocin, albusin B of Ruminococcus albus 7, expressed by yeast was applied in this study. Three dietary treatments, consisting of the basal diet (control), basal diet + albusin B (2.5 g kg⁻¹), and basal diet + nosiheptide (2.5 mg kg⁻¹) were randomly fed to 90 broiler chickens from 1 to 35 days of age, respectively. After 35 days of supplementation, the growth performance, lipid metabolism and antioxidant proteins in the jejunum and liver, intestinal protein profile, and plasma lipid profile were analyzed. RESULTS Broilers with albusin B supplementation had greater body weight than the control broilers. Compared with the control broilers, lower triglyceride and higher high-density lipoprotein concentration in the blood were observed in both broilers with albusin B and nosiheptide supplementation. In addition, albusin B suppressed the mRNA expression of fatty acid binding protein 2 and ATP binding cassette transporter G 5 in the jejunum. In the jejunal protein profiles, four antioxidant proteins were upregulated by albusin B and nosiheptide treatments. The jejunal antioxidant gene expression had a concordant pattern. Hepatic genes related to lipid metabolism, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl CoA reductase, and superoxide dismutase were upregulated by albusin B supplementation. CONCLUSION Albusin B supplementation modulated lipid metabolism and activated systemic antioxidant defense, which might partially contribute to the performance of broiler chickens.
A study of five candidate genes in Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. European Study Group on Atypical Parkinsonism.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether reported genetic association of polymorphisms in the CYP2D6, CYP1A1, N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), DAT1, and glutathione s-transferase M1 (GSTM1) genes with PD were evident in a population of 176 unrelated patients with sporadic PD and to extend these findings to other disease groups (familial PD [n = 30], ALS [n = 50], multiple system atrophy [n = 38], progressive supranuclear palsy [n = 35], and AD [n = 23]). METHODS A combination of allele-specific PCR and analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms were performed. RESULTS We genotyped 1,131 individuals. After matching each patient with a control subject by age, sex, ethnicity, and geographic origin, there was no association of any allele/genotype with any of the six disease groups. There was an increased frequency of NAT2 slow acetylators in the ALS group compared with controls (70% versus 50%; OR 2.33 [95% CI, 1.03 to 5.30]), but this was not significant after adjusting for multiple testing. CONCLUSIONS This is one of the most extensive candidate gene studies performed in PD and the first time that some of these loci have been studied in multiple system atrophy and progressive supranuclear palsy. In contrast with previous studies, we found no role for these polymorphisms in the etiology of PD, ALS, multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, or AD.