Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Significance of Age, Sex, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure in Post-Lumbar-Puncture Headache

In this study of 300 neurological inpatients aged between 18 and 60 years the incidence of post-lumbar-puncture headache (PPH) was 37.3%. The more severe the headache, the more frequently it was associated with dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and tinnitus. If PPH occurred during the first day after lumbar puncture (LP), it was more severe, and lasted longer than PPH, which started later. The incidence of PPH and associated symptoms decreased with increasing age, and was much higher in females than males. The sex difference was nearly exclusively explained by a marked preponderance of PPH in females below 40 years of age, i.e. women in the fertile age. Furthermore, there was a decreased incidence of PPH and associated symptoms in patients with an initial higher than average cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure (162 mm H2O). All these differences were statistically significant. Particularly high frequencies of PPH were found in young women with an initial CSF pressure lower than mean.
Healthy food intentions and higher socioeconomic status are associated with healthier food choices in an Inuit population.

BACKGROUND Changing food behaviours amongst Canadian Inuit may contribute to rising chronic disease prevalence, and research is needed to develop nutritional behaviour change programmes. The present study examined patterns of food acquisition and preparation behaviours amongst Inuit adults in Nunavut and associations with psychosocial and socioeconomic factors. METHODS Developed from behavioural theories and community workshops, Adult Impact Questionnaires were conducted with adult Inuit (≥19 years) from randomly selected households in three remote communities in Nunavut, Canada, to determine patterns of healthy food knowledge, self-efficacy and intentions, frequencies of healthy and unhealthy food acquisition and healthiness of preparation methods. Associations between these constructs with demographic and socioeconomic factors were analysed using multivariate linear regressions. RESULTS Amongst 266 participants [mean (SD) age 41.2 (13.6) years; response rates 69-93%], non-nutrient-dense foods were acquired a mean (SD) of 2.9 (2.3) times more frequently than nutrient-dense, and/or low sugar/fat foods. Participants tended to use preparation methods that add fat. Intentions to perform healthy dietary behaviours was inversely correlated with unhealthy food acquisition (β=-0.25, P<0.001), and positively associated with healthy food acquisition (β=0.22, P<0.001) and healthiness of preparation methods (β=0.15, P=0.012). Greater healthy food knowledge and self-efficacy were associated with intentions (β=0.21, P=0.003 and β=0.55, P<0.001, respectively). Self-efficacy was associated with healthier preparation (β=0.14, P=0.025) and less unhealthy food acquisition (β=-0.27, P<0.001), whilst knowledge was associated with acquiring healthy foods (β=0.13, P=0.035). Socioeconomic status was positively associated with healthy preparation and food acquisition behaviours. CONCLUSIONS Interventions to improve diet in Nunavut Inuit should target healthy food intentions, knowledge and self-efficacy. Behaviour change strategies emphasising economic benefits of a healthy diet should be employed to target individuals of low socioeconomic status.
Influence of loxP insertion upstream of the cis‐acting packaging domain on adenovirus packaging efficiency

First‐generation AdV enables efficient gene transduction, although its immunogenicity is an important problem in vivo. Helper‐dependent AdV (HD‐AdV) is one possible solution to this problem. The construction of HD‐AdV requires a helper virus, in which the viral packaging domain is flanked by two inserted loxP to hamper its packaging in Cre‐expressing 293 cells. Here, we constructed 19L viruses containing loxP at 191 nt from the left end of the genome upstream of the packaging domain, 15L viruses bearing loxP at 143 nt, and a control ΔL virus lacking loxP at these positions. The 19L position is used worldwide, and the 15L position has been reported to result in a lower titer than that of 19L. When the titers were compared for six pairs of 19L and 15L AdV, the 19L AdV produced titers similar to, or sometimes lower than, the 15L and ΔL AdV, unlike the results of previous reports. We next chose one pair of 15L and 19L AdV that produced titers similar to that of ΔL and a competitor AdV lacking loxP for use in a competition assay. When a small amount of the competitor AdV was co‐infected, both the 15L and the 19L AdV, but not ΔL, gradually became minority components during subsequent viral passages. Therefore, the loxP insertions at 143 nt and 191 nt decreased the viral packaging efficiency.
Meta‐Governance of Partnerships for Sustainable Development: Actors' Perspectives from Kenya

Summary The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promotes multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) as a means of implementation while at the same time putting renewed focus on the need for national-level ownership and implementation. Despite the fact that an ever growing body of literature on the merits and drawbacks of MSPs delineates several success conditions for partnerships, efforts to translate this knowledge into national-level meta-governance for MSPs remain marginal to date. This study outlines the benefits the literature alleges for such “meta-governance” frameworks, before it uses a country-level study with a series of stakeholder interviews to take a closer look at national-level context conditions and lessons learned with regard to two water partnerships in Kenya. Our findings suggest that to date the existing meta-governance for partnerships in Kenya is rather weak and fragmented. Yet respondents support the view that MSPs could benefit from such a framework, in particular regarding local ownership of MSPs and the potential to scale successful cases. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Frequent incidental discovery of phaeochromocytoma: data from a German cohort of 201 phaeochromocytoma.

CONTEXT Adrenal and extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma are chromaffin cell-derived tumours that are discovered due to classical symptom triad with headache, sweating and palpitations combined with persistent or paroxysmal hypertension. However, an increasing proportion of phaeochromocytoma seems to be discovered incidentally upon abdominal imaging. OBJECTIVE To specify the exact circumstances of discovery of adrenal and extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma. DESIGN AND PATIENTS Four German endocrine centres participated in this retrospective study. MEDICAL: records of 201 patients with adrenal and extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma who were diagnosed between 1973 and 2007 were analyzed. RESULTS The typical triad of symptoms was found only in 10% of cases. Ten percent of patients presented were without clinical symptoms and 6.1% were normotensive. Documented blood pressure peaks occurred in 44.1% of cases. In 24 patients (12.2%), phaeochromocytoma was malignant. Before 1985, <10% of cases were incidentally discovered, whereas thereafter the frequency was >25% (29.4% of the total study population). Patients with incidentally detected phaeochromocytoma were significantly older (53.1+/-1.9 vs 47.0+/-1.3 years; P<0.05) and often had less blood pressure peaks (37.0 vs 70.7%; P<0.001) than patients in whom the diagnosis was suspected on clinical grounds. Of phaeochromocytomas 94.4% were intra-adrenal tumours, of which 12.9% were bilateral. Bilateral tumours were significantly smaller than unilateral tumours (36.6+/-14.7 vs 52.5+/-34.3 mm; P<0.05), whereas extra-adrenal tumours had a mean diameter of 52.6+/-28.7 mm. CONCLUSIONS Owing to better availability and accessibility of imaging procedures, the number of incidentally discovered phaeochromocytoma is increasing and reaches nearly 30% in our study population. Every adrenal incidentaloma should be investigated for the presence of phaeochromocytoma.
Combining chloroplast and nuclear microsatellites to investigate origin and dispersal of New World sweet potato landraces

We analysed a representative collection of New World sweet potato landraces (329 accessions from Mexico to Peru) with both chloroplast and nuclear microsatellite markers. Both kinds of markers supported the existence of two geographically restricted genepools, corresponding to accessions from the north‐western part of South America and accessions from the Caribbean and Central America region. Our conservative cpSSRs markers revealed that the divergence between the two haplotype groups is associated with numerous mutation events concerning various markers, supporting the idea that this divergence may be ancient, predating domestication. For both kinds of markers, we found no significant difference in diversity between the two genepools and detected region‐specific alleles in both groups. Previous studies have favoured the hypothesis of a single domestication of this crop. Our analysis suggests at least two independent domestications, in Central/Caribbean America and in the north‐western part of South America. Sweet potato was then dispersed from these centres throughout tropical America. Comparison of nuclear and chloroplast data suggests that exchanges of clones and sexual reproduction were both important processes in landrace diversification in this clonally propagated crop. Our analysis provides useful tools for rationalizing the conservation and use of sweet potato germplasm collections.
Conciliation of competing uses and stakeholder rights to groundwater: an evaluation of Fuencaliente Aquifer (Spain)

ABSTRACT This article evaluates economic use values of groundwater and examines the trade-offs between agricultural and recreational uses of the Fuencaliente Aquifer in southern Spain. This case study is an example of the relevance of the non-market values of groundwater resources in achieving more sustainable management of groundwater resources, an issue on which there is still scarce evidence in the literature. The revealed preference of stakeholders associated with the current resource allocation (as defined by the agreed aquifer management plan) can be explained by the consideration of option values and economic non-use values (cultural and historical).
Axons modulate myelin protein messenger RNA levels during central nervous system myelination in vivo

Expression of myelin protein genes by myelinating Schwann cells in vivo is dependent on axonal influences. This report investigated the effect of axons on myelin protein mRNA levels in the central nervous system (CNS). In situ hybridization studies of rat spinal cord sections localized mRNAs encoding proteolipid protein (PLP) and myelin basic protein (MBP) 20 and 40 days after unilateral rhizotomy. Compared with control tissue, hybridization intensity was reduced in transected tissue, but there was little change in the number of oligodendrocytes labeled. Cellular RNA was extracted from transected and age‐matched control optic nerves 5, 10, 20, and 40 days after surgery, and levels of the following mRNAs were determined by slot blot procedures: PLP, MBP, myelin‐associated glycoprotein (MAG), and 2′,3′ cyclic nucleotide 3′‐phosphodiesterase (CNP). In transected nerves, PLP and MBP mRNA levels were approximately 85%, 45%, and 25% of control values at 5, 20 and 40 days posttransection, respectively. Axonal transection had a lesser effect on CNP and MAG mRNA levels, which declined to approximately 60% of control levels at 40 days. Immunocytochemical studies indicated that the number of oligodendrocytes was not decreased 40 days after optic nerve transection. These data demonstrate that axons modulate myelin protein mRNA levels in oligodendrocytes. In contrast to Schwann cells, however, oligodendrocytes continue to express significant levels of myelin protein mRNA in vivo following loss of axonal contact.
HIV-1 Seroprevalence and Awareness of Mother-to-Child Transmission Issues Among Women Seeking Antenatal Care in Tamil Nadu, India

Background: Despite increasing availability of HIV-1 testing, education, and methods to prevent transmission, Indian women and their children remain at risk of acquiring HIV. We assessed the seroprevalence and awareness about HIV among pregnant women presenting to a private tertiary care hospital in South India. Methods: Seroprevalence was determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing, and questionnaires were analyzed using chi-square statistics and odds ratios to look for factors associated with HIV positivity. Results: A total of 7956 women who presented for antenatal care were interviewed. Fifty-one women of the 7235 women who underwent HIV testing (0.7%) were found to be HIV positive. Awareness of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV (64%), HIV transmission through breast milk (42%), and prevention of MTCT (13%) was low. Conclusions: There is a need to educate South Indian women about HIV to give them information and the means to protect themselves and their unborn children from acquiring HIV.
Decoupled Double Synchronous Reference Frame PLL for Power Converters Control

This paper deals with a crucial aspect in the control of grid-connected power converters, i.e., the detection of the fundamental-frequency positive-sequence component of the utility voltage under unbalanced and distorted conditions. Specifically, it proposes a positive-sequence detector based on a new decoupled double synchronous reference frame phase-locked loop (DDSRF-PLL), which completely eliminates the detection errors of conventional synchronous reference frame PLL's (SRF-PLL). This is achieved by transforming both positive- and negative-sequence components of the utility voltage into the double SRF, from which a decoupling network is developed in order to cleanly extract and separate the positive- and negative-sequence components. The resultant DDSRF-PLL conducts then to a fast, precise, and robust positive-sequence voltage detection even under unbalanced and distorted grid conditions. The paper presents a detailed description and derivation of the proposed detection method, together with an extensive evaluation using simulation and experimental results from a digital signal processor-based laboratory prototype in order to verify and validate the excellent performance achieved by the DDSRF-PLL
Skeleton-Based Scagnostics

Scatterplot matrices (SPLOMs) are widely used for exploring multidimensional data. Scatterplot diagnostics (scagnostics) approaches measure characteristics of scatterplots to automatically find potentially interesting plots, thereby making SPLOMs more scalable with the dimension count. While statistical measures such as regression lines can capture orientation, and graph-theoretic scagnostics measures can capture shape, there is no scatterplot characterization measure that uses both descriptors. Based on well-known results in shape analysis, we propose a scagnostics approach that captures both scatterplot shape and orientation using skeletons (or medial axes). Our representation can handle complex spatial distributions, helps discovery of principal trends in a multiscale way, scales visually well with the number of samples, is robust to noise, and is automatic and fast to compute. We define skeleton-based similarity metrics for the visual exploration and analysis of SPLOMs. We perform a user study to measure the human perception of scatterplot similarity and compare the outcome to our results as well as to graph-based scagnostics and other visual quality metrics. Our skeleton-based metrics outperform previously defined measures both in terms of closeness to perceptually-based similarity and computation time efficiency.
Sepsis evaluations in hospitalized infants with bronchiolitis.

OBJECTIVES To define variation in the decision to perform a sepsis evaluation in hospitalized infants with bronchiolitis, to define predictors of the decision and to measure the clinical and cost outcomes. METHODS Retrospective chart review of all nonintensive care unit infants < or = 60 days with any discharge diagnosis of bronchiolitis (n = 282 from 1993 to 1995 in a 232-bed pediatric hospital. Process variables included temperature at sepsis work-up or Tmax if no sepsis workup. Outcome variables were charges, length of stay, sepsis workup and serious bacterial infection. RESULTS There was no difference in mean temperature between groups with or without sepsis evaluation (38.1 degrees C, P = 0.75). Of 282 infants 140 had a sepsis workup; 5 (1.8%) had serious bacterial infection. Infants with sepsis workup had an average total charge of $4507 and length of stay of 3.4 days compared with $2998 and 2.8 days for those without (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.002, respectively). A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed with sepsis workup as the dichotomous dependent variable. Significant (P < or = 0.05) predictor variables with a positive coefficient were: higher bronchiolitis score and normal chest roentgenogram. Significant variables with a negative coefficient were: admission diagnosis of bronchiolitis, chest roentgenogram typical for bronchiolitis and age > 28 days. CONCLUSIONS Temperature was not a predictor of sepsis evaluation. Infants with respiratory distress and normal chest roentgenogram were more likely to receive sepsis evaluations; those with recognized typical bronchiolitis and those > 28 days of age were less likely. Risk of serious bacterial infection is low; the costs of a sepsis evaluation outweigh the benefits in infants with obvious bronchiolitis.
The Wuerzburg Hybridoma Library against Drosophila Brain

Abstract: This review describes the present state of a project to identify and characterize novel nervous system proteins by using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the Drosophila brain. Some 1,000 hybridoma clones were generated by injection of homogenized Drosophila brains or heads into mice and fusion of their spleen cells with myeloma cells. Testing the mAbs secreted by these clones identified a library of about 200 mAbs, which selectively stain specific structures of the Drosophila brain. Using the approach “from antibody to gene”, several genes coding for novel proteins of the presynaptic terminal were cloned and characterized. These include the “cysteine string protein” gene (Csp, mAb ab49), the “synapse-associated protein of 47 kDa” gene (Sap47, mAbs nc46 and nb200), and the “Bruchpilot” gene (brp, mAb nc82). By a “candidate” approach, mAb nb33 was shown to recognize the pigment dispersing factor precursor protein. mAbs 3C11 and pok13 were raised against bacterially expressed Drosophila synapsin and calbindin-32, respectively, after the corresponding cDNAs had been isolated from an expression library by using antisera against mammalian proteins. Recently, it was shown that mAb aa2 binds the Drosophila homolog of “epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate clone 15” (Eps15). Identification of the targets of mAbs na21, ab52, and nb181 is presently attempted. Here, we review the available information on the function of these proteins and present staining patterns in the Drosophila brain for classes of mAbs that either bind differentially in the eye, in neuropil, in the cell-body layer, or in small subsets of neurons. The prospects of identifying the corresponding antigens by various approaches, including protein purification and mass spectrometry, are discussed.
Intraperitoneal Administration of Drugs in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Review of Compatibility and Guidance for Clinical Use

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an effective home-based therapy for end-stage renal failure. Intraperitoneal administration of drugs to PD patients is particularly important for the treatment of peritonitis. Clinicians need to know that the administered drug is compatible with both the PD solution and its container. A detailed literature search on drug compatibility and stability was performed and results of all published stability studies are presented for all drugs, PD solutions, and containers studied. These data will aid clinicians managing PD patients and provide a resource to demonstrate which drugs have been shown to be stable in various PD solutions and solution containers. This is important information to assist clinicians in applying effective treatments, in particular, for peritonitis.
Retinoids ameliorate insulin resistance in a leptin‐dependent manner in mice

Transgenic mice expressing dominant‐negative retinoic acid receptor (RAR) α specifically in the liver exhibit steatohepatitis, which leads to the development of liver tumors. Although the cause of steatohepatitis in these mice is unknown, diminished hepatic expression of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 suggests that insulin resistance may be involved. In the present study, we examined the effects of retinoids on insulin resistance in mice to gain further insight into the mechanisms responsible for this condition. Dietary administration of all‐trans‐retinoic acid (ATRA) significantly improved insulin sensitivity in C57BL/6J mice, which served as a model for high‐fat, high‐fructose diet–induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The same effect was observed in genetically insulin‐resistant KK‐Ay mice, occurring in concert with activation of leptin‐signaling pathway proteins, including signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and Janus kinase 2. However, such an effect was not observed in leptin‐deficient ob/ob mice. ATRA treatment significantly up‐regulated leptin receptor (LEPR) expression in the livers of NAFLD mice. In agreement with these observations, in vitro experiments showed that in the presence of leptin, ATRA directly induced LEPR gene expression through RARα, resulting in enhancement of STAT3 and insulin‐induced insulin receptor substrate 1 phosphorylation. A selective RARα/β agonist, Am80, also enhanced hepatic LEPR expression and STAT3 phosphorylation and ameliorated insulin resistance in KK‐Ay mice. Conclusion: We discovered an unrecognized mechanism of retinoid action for the activation of hepatic leptin signaling, which resulted in enhanced insulin sensitivity in two mouse models of insulin resistance. Our data suggest that retinoids might have potential for treating NAFLD associated with insulin resistance. (HEPATOLOGY 2012)
Strong Human Endogenous Retrovirus-Specific T Cell Responses Are Associated with Control of HIV-1 in Chronic Infection

ABSTRACT Eight percent of the human genome is composed of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), which are thought to be inactive remnants of ancient infections. Previously, we showed that individuals with early HIV-1 infection have stronger anti-HERV T cell responses than uninfected controls. In this study, we investigated whether these responses persist in chronic HIV-1 infection and whether they have a role in the control of HIV-1. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 88 subjects diagnosed with HIV-1 infection for at least 1 year (median duration of diagnosis, 13 years) were tested for responses against HERV peptides in gamma interferon (IFN-γ) enzyme immunospot (ELISPOT) assays. Individuals who control HIV-1 viremia without highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) had stronger and broader HERV-specific T cell responses than HAART-suppressed patients, virologic noncontrollers, immunologic progressors, and uninfected controls (P < 0.05 for each pairwise comparison). In addition, the magnitude of the anti-HERV T cell response was inversely correlated with HIV-1 viral load (r 2 = 0.197, P = 0.0002) and associated with higher CD4+ T cell counts (r 2 = 0.072, P = 0.027) in untreated patients. Flow cytometric analyses of an HLA-B51-restricted CD8+ HERV response in one HIV-1-infected individual revealed a less activated and more differentiated phenotype than that stimulated by a homologous HIV-1 peptide. HLA-B51 tetramer dual staining within this individual confirmed two different T cell populations corresponding to these HERV and HIV-1 epitopes, ruling out cross-reactivity. These findings suggest a possible role for anti-HERV immunity in the control of chronic HIV-1 infection and provide support for a larger effort to design an HIV-1 vaccine that targets conserved antigens such as HERV.