Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence for a striatal NMDA receptor modulation of nigral glutamate release. A dual probe microdialysis study in the awake freely moving rat

Dual probe microdialysis was employed to characterize dialysate glutamate levels from the substantia nigra pars reticulata of awake freely moving rats, and to test its sensitivity to alterations in striatal neurotransmission including striatal N‐methyl‐d‐aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor stimulation and blockade. Intranigral perfusion with low (0.1 mm) Ca2+ medium (60 min) did not affect nigral glutamate levels, whereas intranigral perfusion with tetrodotoxin (10 μm, 60 min) increased nigral glutamate levels. Perfusion of KCl (100 mm, 10 min) in the dorsolateral striatum transiently stimulated nigral glutamate levels (maximal increase + 60%), whereas intrastriatal perfusion (60 min) with low Ca2+ medium and tetrodotoxin gradually increased nigral glutamate levels. Intrastriatal perfusion with NMDA (0.1–100 μm, 10 min) dose‐dependently stimulated glutamate levels in the substantia nigra pars reticulata. The NMDA (1 μm)‐induced increase in nigral glutamate release was transient and maximal (+60% within 20 min), whereas that for NMDA (10 μm) had a slow onset but was long lasting (+35% after 60 min). Lower (0.1 μm) and higher (100 μm) NMDA concentrations were ineffective. The effect of intrastriatal NMDA (1 μm) was prevented by coperfusion with MK‐801 (1 μm). Intrastriatal MK‐801 (10 μm) alone gradually increased glutamate levels up to +50% after 60 min of perfusion. The present results suggest that glutamate levels in the substantia nigra pars reticulata are sensitive to changes in neuronal transmission in the dorsolateral striatum, and that striatal NMDA receptors regulate nigral glutamate release in both a tonic and phasic fashion.
Association of age, sex, and race with body iron stores in adults: analysis of NHANES III data.

BACKGROUND This study examined age-, sex-, and race- related increases in body iron stores that have been implicated in disease and the relative utility of the serum ferritin versus the percentage of transferrin saturation for population-based estimation of iron status. METHODS AND RESULTS Serum ferritin levels were examined by age, sex, and race, and values were compared with the percent transferrin saturation in 20,040 individuals >17 years of age from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) database. Body iron stores reflected by serum ferritin levels rose in the late teens in men and after menopause in women. This rise was more rapid and maximum ferritin levels were greater for blacks than whites and Hispanics of comparable age and sex. The distribution of values for the serum ferritin differed from the percent transferrin saturation. CONCLUSIONS Different patterns of iron accumulation exist according to age, sex, and race. Serum ferritin levels reflect graded, population-based differences in body iron stores, but the percentage of transferrin saturation does not. The hypothesis that iron accumulation may contribute to higher morbidity and mortality rates can be tested in clinical trials of calibrated reduction of body iron stores in defined disease settings.
Treatment Professionals' Basic Beliefs About Alcohol Use Disorders: The Impact of Different Cultural Contexts

ABSTRACT Background: The treatment of alcohol abusers in different cultural contexts does not depend only on the methods used but also on the ways in which treatment providers perceive the problem and relate to their clients. Objectives: This study compares treatment professionals' basic beliefs about alcohol use disorders in two culturally different European countries to find out to what extent these ideas are shaped by the respondents' socio-cultural context, profession, and other background variables. Methods: Similar postal surveys were conducted among professionals working in specialized addiction treatment units in Finland (n = 520) and France (n = 472). The data were analyzed by descriptive statistical methods and logistic regression analysis. Results: Consistent cultural differences were found in almost all the questions asked and they remained significant even after controlling for the other background factors. The French professionals emphasized the addictiveness of alcohol more than their Finnish colleagues. They also believed less in the chances of recovery and attributed more responsibility for the problem to external factors, while the Finns emphasized individual responsibility. Profession, gender and some other background variables also modified beliefs about specific questions. Conclusions: Cultural factors shape the ways in which alcohol use disorders are perceived more pervasively than the other background variables. The French professionals' low trust in treatment and the Finnish professionals' lack of concern for the addiction potential of alcohol and stronger tendency to regard the person as responsible for the problem could be seen as potential impediments to effective ways of helping alcohol abusers in these countries.
Bridging the Gap Between Doctors' and Patients' Expectations of Asthma Management

Objectives. To assess the prevalence of asthma symptoms, their impact on daily activities, and perceptions of disease severity among people with asthma. Methods. A telephone survey of 699 people with asthma was conducted in 1999 in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, Australia. Results. Forty-two percent of adults and 26% of children reported experiencing asthma symptoms at least every 2–3 days. Thirty-seven percent of adults and 26% of children reported using a reliever more than four times in the previous week. Of those for whom preventer therapy had been prescribed (61% of respondents), 30% of children and 45% of adults did not use their preventer as instructed. A high proportion of respondents reported avoiding physical and social activities because of their asthma, while 75% said asthma generally made them feel tired. Many respondents attributed frustration (61%), irritability (57%), fear (38%), and worry (43%) to their asthma. Only 50% of respondents had been reviewed by a general practitioner for asthma in the past year. Respondents generally underestimated the severity of their asthma, compared with symptom frequencies reported. Conclusions. The Living with Asthma Survey suggests that national asthma management goals are not being achieved in a high proportion of patients, with evidence for both underprescribing and underusage of preventer medication. Achieving closer alignment between medical and patient perspectives is an important goal of asthma education and management in order to help bridge the gap between current concepts of best practice and the reality of persistently poor asthma outcomes.
The influence of assistive technology on occupational performance and satisfaction of leprosy patients with grade 2 disabilities.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to investigate the feasibility of assistive technology (AT) devices to improve leprosy patients' occupational performances and satisfaction. METHODS: This is a pretest-posttest design study. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure was used to assess the occupational performance and satisfaction of five leprosy participants with grade 2 disabilities before and after ten 45-minute interventions using assistive technology devices. RESULTS: The data showed a statistically significant 7-point average improvement (p<0.05) in participants' post-intervention performance and satisfaction scores. CONCLUSIONS: Assistive technology devices may be useful therapeutic tools to enhance autonomy/independence and satisfaction of leprosy patients with grade 2 disabilities.
Cytoplasmic Metadherin (MTDH) Provides Survival Advantage under Conditions of Stress by Acting as RNA-binding Protein*

Background: MTDH is overexpressed in solid tumors and is involved in metastasis and chemoresistance. Results: Cytoplasmic MTDH associates with RNA and RNA-associated proteins, blocks Rad51 nuclear accumulation, and increases survival and drug resistance. Conclusion: Cytoplasmic MTDH promotes cancer cell proliferation and resistance to treatment by acting as an RNA-binding protein. Significance: Targeting MTDH may increase sensitivity to anti-cancer treatments. Overexpression of metadherin (MTDH) has been documented in many solid tumors and is implicated in metastasis and chemoresistance. MTDH has been detected at the plasma membrane as well as in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and the function of MTDH in these locales remains under investigation. In the nucleus, MTDH acts as a transcription co-factor to induce expression of chemoresistance-associated genes. However, MTDH is predominantly cytoplasmic in prostate tumors, and this localization correlates with poor prognosis. Herein, we used endometrial cancer cells as a model system to define a new role for MTDH in the cytoplasm. First, MTDH was primarily localized to the cytoplasm in endometrial cancer cells, and the N-terminal region of MTDH was required to maintain cytoplasmic localization. Next, we identified novel binding partners for cytoplasmic MTDH, including RNA-binding proteins and components of the RNA-induced silencing complex. Nucleic acids were required for the association of MTDH with these cytoplasmic proteins. Furthermore, MTDH interacted with and regulated protein expression of multiple mRNAs, such as PDCD10 and KDM6A. Depletion of cytoplasmic MTDH was associated with increased stress granule formation, reduced survival in response to chemotherapy and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor BIBF1120, Rad51 nuclear accumulation, and cell cycle arrest at G2/M. Finally, in vivo tumor formation was abrogated with knockdown of cytoplasmic MTDH. Taken together, our data identify a novel function for cytoplasmic MTDH as an RNA-binding protein. Our findings implicate cytoplasmic MTDH in cell survival and broad drug resistance via association with RNA and RNA-binding proteins.
Functional properties and anti-nutritional factors in cereal bran

Various cereal brans (wheat, rice, barley and oat) were investigated for proximate composition, functional characteristics and certain anti-nutritional factors to assess their potentiality as protein and fibre sources. The major findings of this study are as follows: crude protein ranged from 9.615. 03%, fat 4.07-19.31%, dietary fibre 14.0-38.95%, bulk density 0.39-0.59 g/ml, water absorption 115.20-383.70 g/100g, fat absorption 138.3-302.9 g/100g and free fatty acids 5.20-13.73%. All brans had pleasing flavour. Significant variations were observed with regard to colour of brans. The presence of anti-nutritional factors in brans is one of the major drawbacks, limiting their nutritional and food quality. Phytic, trypsin inhibitor, oxalates, tannins and polyphenols are the major undesirable constituents which restrict direct utilization of brans in diet. An attempt has been made to assess the presence of anti-nutritional components in different cereal brans. All cereal brans had a wide range of phytic acid (27.69-42.82 mg/g). Cereal brans have total polyphenols in the range of 0.54-6.53 mg/g and the content of tannins ranged 0.70-6.23 mg/g in brans. High oxalate content was observed in rice bran and minimum in oat bran (0.309 to 0.445%). Oat bran had a minimum amount of saponin, while a higher concentration of saponins were found in rice bran (1.99 to 3.30 mg/g). Trypsin inhibitor activity was 49.74-54.25 TIU/g. These factors can be eliminated by giving different stabilization treatments. De-fatting treatment given to cereal brans using hexane as solvent represented a marginal decrease in anti-nutritional components in all cereal brans.
Evaluation of serum sialic acid as an inflammation marker in cattle with traumatic reticulo peritonitis

Le but de cette etude est de determiner la valeur diagnostique de la concentration serique d'acide sialique chez les bovins atteints de reticulo-peritonite traumatique (RPT). Les mesures des concentrations en acide sialique, de la proteinemie, de l'albuminemie, de la globulinemie ainsi que le test au glutaraldehyde et la numeration leucocytaire ont ete realisees a partir des echantillons sanguins preleves sur 12 bovins adultes atteint de RPT et de 12 animaux sains. Les moyennes des concentrations totales en acide sialique (TSA), et les concentrations d'acide sialique lie aux lipides (LBSA) et lie aux proteines (PBSA) obtenues chez les bovins malades etaient respectivement de 1.163 ′ 0.123 g/l (TSA), 0.615 ′ 0.112 g/l (LBSA) et 0.548 ′ 0.120 g/l (PBSA) alors que les animaux sains presentaient des valeurs de 0.761 ′0.152 g/l (TSA), 0.333 ′ 0.102 g/l (LBSA) et 0.428 ′ 0.144 g/1 (PBSA). Les concentrations seriques de TSA et de LBSA etaient significativement plus elevees chez les animaux atteints de RPT que chez les animaux sains (p<0.001). Les augmentations des concentrations seriques en acide sialique on ete observees de facon parallele a celles des autres marqueurs de l'inflammation (proteinemie, globulinemie, numeration leucocytaire et test au glutaraldehyde). Avec un seuil de decision correspondant a la moyenne de TSA ou de LBSA + une deviation standard obtenues dans le groupe temoin, les sensibilites des concentrations en TSA et en LBSA etaient de 100% et les specificites de 91.7% et de 75% respectivement. Ces resultats suggerent que l'acide sialique serique pourrait constituer un marqueur fiable du processus inflammatoire survenant lors de RPT.
A peripheral reading deficit under conditions of diffuse visual attention

We report a single case study of a patient, FL, who has a peripheral dyslexia with symptoms resembling attentional dyslexia. FL demonstrated impaired identification of letters within strings, and better identification of words than their constituent letters. We found that FL was impaired at both letter counting and same-case letter matching with letter strings, and his matching and naming performance were strongly affected by letter spacing. The effects of these visual variables on performance suggest an early locus to FL's deficit. We propose that letter identification was disrupted by abnormal lateral masking and poor location coding within words. These peripheral processing deficits were reduced when the task required focused attention on the central letter location. Nevertheless, even with impaired letter coding, word representations could be accessed to some degree, via supra-letter units. We discuss the implications of the data for understanding normal reading.
Effect of surgeon specialty on processes of care and outcomes for ovarian cancer patients.

BACKGROUND For many diseases, specialized care (i.e., care rendered by a specialist) has been associated with superior-quality care (i.e., better outcomes). We examined associations between physician specialty and outcomes in a population-based cohort of elderly ovarian cancer surgery patients. METHODS We analyzed the Medicare claims, by physician specialty, of all women aged 65 years or older who underwent surgery for pathologically confirmed invasive epithelial ovarian cancer between January 1, 1992, and December 31, 1999, while living in an area monitored by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program to assess important care processes (i.e., the appropriate extent of surgery and use of adjuvant chemotherapy) and outcomes (i.e., surgical complications, ostomy rates, and survival). All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Among 3067 ovarian cancer patients who underwent surgery, 1017 patients (33%) were treated by a gynecologic oncologist, 1377 patients (45%) by a general gynecologist, and 673 patients (22%) by a general surgeon. Among patients with stage I or II disease, those treated by a gynecologic oncologist (60%) were more likely to undergo lymph node dissection than those treated by a general gynecologist (36%) or a general surgeon (16%). Patients with stage III or IV disease were more likely to undergo a debulking procedure if the initial surgery was performed by a gynecologic oncologist (58%) than by a general gynecologist (51%) or a general surgeon (40%; P < .001) and were more likely to receive postoperative chemotherapy when operated on by a gynecologic oncologist (79%) or a general gynecologist (76%) than by a general surgeon (62%, P < .001). Survival among patients operated on by gynecologic oncologists (hazard ratio [HR] of death from any cause = 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.76 to 0.95) or general gynecologists (HR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.78 to 0.96) was better than that among patients operated on by general surgeons. CONCLUSIONS Ovarian cancer patients treated by gynecologic oncologists had marginally better outcomes than those treated by general gynecologists and clearly superior outcomes compared with patients treated by general surgeons.
Use of Sensory Information During Postural Control in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Systematic Review

ABSTRACT Impairments in sensory processing in children with cerebral palsy (CP) appear to be a cause of the postural control deficits they present and may affect function and participation in daily activities. Understanding the role of sensory processing in postural control can better inform their rehabilitation. Thus, the authors aimed to systematically review the literature concerning effects of sensory information manipulation on postural control in children with CP. A tailored search strategy in relevant databases identified 11 full-text reports that fulfilled the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Sensory information affects postural control in children with CP. These children are less responsive to sensory input, and therefore are less able to perform adjustments during sensory perturbation. They exhibit less postural stability in the presence of sensory conflicts. The most commonly studied sources of sensory data are visual and somatosensory information, particularly when processed under static conditions. There are no studies addressing sensory information manipulation on postural control during the performance of functional activities. Further studies addressing manipulation of new sources of sensory cues on postural control are required.
Prevalence, persistence, and correlates of depressive symptoms in a national sample of mothers of toddlers.

OBJECTIVES To examine the prevalence, persistence, and correlates of depressive symptoms in mothers of toddlers in a nationally representative sample. METHOD The self-report components of two linked databases were used for this study, the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey and the 1991 Longitudinal Followup. Depressive symptoms of 7,537 mothers were measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) at both time points. Weighted bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the stability of maternal depressive symptoms across two time points and maternal and child predictors of elevated depressive symptoms. RESULTS Twenty-four percent of mothers at time 1 (mean child age 17 months) and 17% at time 2 (mean child age 35 months) had elevated depressive symptoms (CES-D score > or =16). Thirty-six percent of those with elevated scores at time 1 also had elevated scores at time 2. Not having breast-fed, a mistimed or unwanted pregnancy, and poor child health status were related to elevated depressive symptoms but not persistence. CONCLUSIONS Elevated depressive symptoms are common in mothers of toddlers. Given the potential magnitude of need, a systematic clinical and public health approach may be required.
The histologic phenotypes of breast carcinoma occurring before age 40 years in women with and without BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutations

Women with breast carcinoma diagnosed before age 40 years have a greater prevalence of germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations than women with breast carcinoma diagnosed at older ages. Several recognizable histologic characteristics have been identified in breast carcinoma from studies of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers who belong to multiple‐case families. The authors attempted to determine whether breast carcinoma occurring before age 40 years in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers who were not selected for family history could be distinguished histologically from one another and from breast carcinoma in women of a similar age without a germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.
An Association Between Helicobacter pylori Infection and Serum Vitamin B12 Levels in Healthy Adults

Goals To determine whether serum vitamin B12 levels in non-vitamin B12 deficient healthy adults correlate with serological evidence of H. pylori infection. Background An association between H. pylori infection and vitamin B12 deficiency has been recently reported. Study 133 adults, presenting to a community based primary care clinic who met the following exclusion criteria; history of H. pylori eradication or antacid use, liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, previous gastrointestinal surgery, a vegetarian diet or multivitamin supplementation were studied. Blood was drawn for a complete blood count, serum vitamin B12, gastrin, folic acid and H. pylori IgG antibodies. Subjects with vitamin B12 ≤ 145 ng/mL (deficient range) were excluded. Results Of 133 subjects 96 (72.2%) were seropositive for H. pylori IgG antibodies (HP+). Age of HP(+) subjects did not differ from that of seronegative subjects (HP−); 52.8 ± 1.6 mean ± SE versus 49.2 ± 2.9 (p = NS). Prevalence of HP seropositivity was significantly higher among subjects with borderline (>145–180 pg/mL) or low normal (>180–250 pg/mL) vitamin B12 levels than among those with vitamin B12 >250 pg/mL; among 25 subjects with vitamin B12 >145–180 pg/mL 92% were seropositive and among 47 subjects with vitamin B12 >180–250 pg/mL 89% were seropositive as compared with 31/61 (51%) of subjects with B12 >250 pg/mL, Fisher exact test p < 0.0001. Vitamin B12 levels did not correlate with age (r = −0.07). Gastrin levels (pg/mL) did not differ significantly between groups; 70.2 ± 5.8 in HP(+) versus 56.0 ± 12.4 in HP(−). Conclusions The higher prevalence of H. pylori infection among subjects with serum vitamin B12 levels that are within the lower end of the normal range suggests a causal relationship between H. pylori infection and vitamin B12 levels in healthy adults.
Production of xyloglucanases from three species of filamentous fungi - Fusarium equiseti, Aspergillus terreus and Cephalosporium sp

Agro-industrial residues containing lingocellulosic material have attracted wide attention in recent years as raw material for the production of many industrial enzymes. Three filamentous fungi viz. Fusarium equiseti, Aspergillus terreus and Cephalosporium sp. capable of producing xyloglucanase, using tamarind seed powder as the sole organic carbon source for growth, were isolated from soil samples collected near Bangalore. The present work aims at production of xyloglucanases from these organisms and alteration of production conditions for enhancement of activity. Czapek Dox medium produced higher activity of 97.2, 67.2 and 65.2 U/hr/ml culture filtrate from Aspergillus terreus, Fusarium equiseti and Cephalosporium sp. respectively. The enzyme activity of Cephalosporium sp. and A. terreus XG increased by 3.45 and 1.5 folds in the presence of 40 mM Mg 2+ while in F. equiseti, XG activity increased 3.35 fold in the presence of 60 mM Mg 2+. All three enzymes were secretory while the xyloglucanase from A. terreus was identified to be membrane bound.
Microarrays and clinical investigations.

Two articles in this issue of the Journal tell a similar story: primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may be divided into subclasses according to gene-expression profiles. Given the number of articles that describe the correlative and predictive usefulness of array-based molecular classifications, especially in leukemias, these outcomes no longer elicit surprise. But perhaps they should — not only because of their clinical usefulness, as outlined in the editorial by Grimwade and Haferlach (pages 1676–1678), but also because of the rapid pace at which expression genomics is changing the conduct of clinical research. Not too long ago, a single molecular marker, .