Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Erythropoietin protects the in vitro blood–brain barrier against VEGF‐induced permeability

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) ensures the homeostasis of the brain microenvironment, mostly through complex tight junctions between brain endothelial cells that prevent the passage of hydrophilic molecules from blood to brain and vice versa. A recent study has shown in vivo that systemic administration of erythropoietin (Epo) protects against brain injury. Using an in vitro model of the bovine BBB, we observed that the expression of the Epo receptor is modulated by its ligand and hypoxic stimuli such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment. In addition, Epo protects against the VEGF‐induced permeability of the BBB, decreases the levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and restores junction proteins. The kinetic transport experiments revealed the capacity of Epo to cross the in vitro BBB in a saturable and specific way. Our results suggest a new mechanism for Epo‐induced neuroprotection, in which circulating Epo controls and maintains the BBB through an Epo receptor signalling pathway and the re‐establishment of cell junctions.
Valoración de las competencias genéricas de los trabajadores sociales en el Gran Concepción, Chile

El presente articulo da cuenta de los principales resultados obtenidos del estudio realizado con una muestra de 166 profesionales trabajadores y trabajadoras sociales en el ejercicio directo de la profesion del Gran Concepcion, Chile, durante el ano 2009. Esta investigacion surge de la ausencia de estudios empiricos respecto a la valoracion de las competencias genericas de estos profesionales en el ejercicio directo. El estudio siguio un diseno transversal-descriptivo y de naturaleza cuantitativa. El instrumento de recoleccion de datos fue un cuestionario, los analisis realizados fueron univariados, bivariados y multivariados. Su fiabilidad fue observada en su valor alfa de Cronbach y alcanzo 0.934. Sus principales resultados muestran una alta valoracion por las competencias genericas sistemicas, seguidas por las interpersonales e instrumentales, para el ejercicio practico de la profesion.
Authentication Protocols for Implantable Medical Devices: Taxonomy, Analysis and Future Directions

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) are surgically embedded into a human body. These devices are increasingly being used for improving the quality of life of patients by treating various chronic ailments such as cardiac arrhythmia, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease. The received patient vitals are stored in a medical server through a controller node (CN). Due to the wireless communication of sensitive patient data over public channels, the information can be eavesdropped, modified, or deleted. Hence, security is a major concern while designing an authentication protocol in IMDs.
The Development of Conduct Problems and Depressive Symptoms in Early Elementary School Children: The Role of Peer Rejection

Conduct problems in childhood often co-occur with symptoms of depression. This study explored whether the development of conduct problems becomes indirectly linked to depressive symptoms in a sample of 323 kindergarten children, followed over a period of 2 school years. Results showed that the development of conduct problems was indirectly linked to the development of depressive symptoms via experiences of peer rejection. These links were similar for boys and girls. Results underscore that part of the development of childhood symptoms of depression in the early years of school can be explained by a cascade effect in which the development of conduct problems results into poor peer experiences, which ultimately predict depressive symptoms.
Early changes of the arterial carotid wall in uncomplicated primary hypertensive patients. Study by ultrasound high-resolution B-mode imaging.

Arterial hypertension is frequently responsible for arteriosclerotic damage in the carotid region. Nevertheless, there is as yet no general agreement that hypertension is correlated with lesions detected by noninvasive means in the carotid arteries. We studied, by noninvasive echotomographic technique, 70 uncomplicated primary hypertensive individuals without clinically evident end-organ complications and 30 normotensive matched control subjects to detect early lesions of carotid arteries. The presence of other cardiovascular risk factors was assessed, and heart structure and function were studied by echocardiography. Although hypertensive individuals were comparable to control subjects for other risk factors, they showed a marked increase in the thickness of the intimal-medial complex of the carotid wall (0.71 +/- 0.4 versus 0.56 +/- 0.2 mm, P < .001 in the right carotid and 0.83 +/- 0.3 versus 0.58 +/- 0.2, P < .003 in the left), in left ventricular mass (203 +/- 52 versus 176 +/- 37 g, P < .05), and in the prevalence of definite plaques of the carotid wall, both monolaterally and bilaterally (P < .003 by chi 2 test). Among the different factors contributing to the increase in thickness of the carotid artery wall, standing blood pressure, serum triglycerides, and age were found to be the best predictors (they accounted for about 16% of the variability, P < .005). These results indicate that carotid arteries of hypertensive individuals undergo degenerative changes, just as shown for hypercholesterolemic and diabetic patients in other studies. This supports the use of B-mode ultrasound imaging to detect early involvement of the carotid region before the appearance of any end-organ damage of hypertension. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Short- and Long-Horizon Behavioral Factors

We propose a theoretically motivated factor model based on investor psychology and assess its ability to explain the cross-section of U.S. equity returns. Our factor model augments the market factor with two factors that capture long- and short-horizon mispricing. The long-horizon factor exploits the information in managers’ decisions to issue or repurchase equity in response to persistent mispricing. The short-horizon earnings surprise factor, which is motivated by investor inattention and evidence of short-horizon underreaction, captures short-horizon anomalies. This 3-factor risk-and-behavioral model outperforms other proposed models in explaining a broad range of return anomalies. (JEL G12, G14) Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in octogenarians: clinical outcome and factors related to mortality.

AIM To evaluate the aetiology, clinical outcome and factors related to mortality of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) in octogenarians. METHODS We reviewed the records of all patients over 65 years old who were hospitalised with AUGIB in two hospitals from January 2006 to December of 2006. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (65-80 years old) and Group B (>80 years old). RESULTS Four hundred and sixteen patients over 65 years of age were hospitalized because of AUGIB. Group A included 269 patients and Group B 147 patients. Co-morbidity was more common in octogenarians (P=0.04). The main cause of bleeding was peptic ulcer in both groups. Rebleeding and emergency surgery were uncommon in octogenarians and not different from those in younger patients. In-hospital complications were more common in octogenarians (P=0.05) and more patients died in the group of octogenarians compared to the younger age group (P=0.02). Inability to perform endoscopic examination (P=0.002), presence of high risk for rebleeding stigmata (P=0.004), urea on admission (P=0.036), rebleeding (P=0.004) and presence of severe co-morbidity (P<0.0001) were related to mortality. In multivariate analysis, only the presence of severe co-morbidity was independently related to mortality (P=0.032). CONCLUSION While rebleeding and emergency surgery rates are relatively low in octogenarians with AUGIB, the presence of severe co-morbidity is the main factor of adverse outcome.
Targeting HSP90 by the novel inhibitor NVP-AUY922 reduces growth and angiogenesis of pancreatic cancer.

AIM To evaluate the impact of heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) blockade by the novel inhibitor NVP-AUY922, on tumor growth and angiogenesis in pancreatic cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Effects of NVP-AUY922 on signaling pathways were evaluated by western blotting. Cell motility of cancer cells, pericytes and endothelial cells was investigated in Boyden chambers. Impact of HSP90 blockade on pancreatic tumor growth and angiogenesis were studied in in vivo tumor models. RESULTS NVP-AUY922 effectively inhibited cancer cell growth. Moreover, HSP90 inhibition potently interfered with multiple signaling pathways in cancer cells, as well as endothelial cells and pericytes, leading to significant reduction of pro-migratory and invasive properties of these cell types. In vivo, treatment with NVP-AUY922 significantly inhibited growth and vascularization of pancreatic cancer at doses far below the maximum tolerated dose. CONCLUSION HSP90 blockade by the novel synthetic inhibitor NVP-AUY922 effectively reduces pancreatic cancer progression through direct effects on cancer cells, as well as on endothelial cells and pericytes.
The energy expended in chewing gum.

To the Editor: Indirect evidence suggests that gum chewing may have greater metabolic effects than has been appreciated. The thermic effect of food is reduced when nutrition bypasses the mouth.1 In cows, chewing increases energy expenditure by approximately 20 percent.2,3 We measured how energy expenditure changes with gum chewing in humans. Energy expenditure was measured in a temperature-controlled, darkened, silent laboratory with an indirect calorimeter (model 229, SensorMedics, Yorba Linda, Calif.) that was calibrated before each measurement with two primary-standard gases (a combination of 4 percent carbon dioxide and 16 percent oxygen and a combination of 26 percent oxygen .
Phylogenetic Diversity and Microsphere Array-Based Genotyping of Human Pathogenic Fusaria, Including Isolates from the Multistate Contact Lens-Associated U.S. Keratitis Outbreaks of 2005 and 2006

ABSTRACT In 2005 and 2006, outbreaks of Fusarium keratitis associated with soft contact lens use occurred in multiple U.S. states and Puerto Rico. A case-control study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed a significant association between infections and the use of one particular brand of lens solution. To characterize the full spectrum of the causal agents involved and their potential sources, partial DNA sequences from three loci (RPB2, EF-1α, and nuclear ribosomal rRNA) totaling 3.48 kb were obtained from 91 corneal and 100 isolates from the patient's environment (e.g., contact lens and lens cases). We also sequenced a 1.8-kb region encoding the RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) from 126 additional pathogenic isolates to better understand how the keratitis outbreak isolates fit within the full phylogenetic spectrum of clinically important fusaria. These analyses resulted in the most robust phylogenetic framework for Fusarium to date. In addition, RPB2 nucleotide variation within a 72-isolate panel was used to design 34 allele-specific probes to identify representatives of all medically important species complexes and 10 of the most important human pathogenic Fusarium in a single-well diagnostic assay, using flow cytometry and fluorescent microsphere technology. The multilocus data revealed that one haplotype from each of the three most common species comprised 55% of CDC's corneal and environmental isolates and that the corneal isolates comprised 29 haplotypes distributed among 16 species. The high degree of phylogenetic diversity represented among the corneal isolates is consistent with multiple sources of contamination.
Congenital Aural Atresia: Review of Short- and Long-Term Surgical Results

Objectives/Hypothesis: To review the short- (<1 yr) and long-term (>1 yr) surgical and hearing outcomes for congenital aural atresia and to analyze the stability of surgical results over time. Study Design: Retrospective chart review of 45 patients (54 ears) who underwent surgery for congenital aural atresia during a 5-year period at a tertiary care institution. Methods: Preoperative and postoperative speech reception thresholds, air-bone gaps (ABGs), and pure-tone averages were compared and further analyzed for outcome stability over time. The complication rate was reviewed and compared with results from similar studies. Results: Approximately 50% of patients achieved a speech reception threshold of 30 dB or better both in the short and long term. The average improvement in ABG was 22 dB, resulting in a postoperative ABG of 30 dB or less in three of four patients. Short- and long-term outcomes were not significantly different. Patients with an intact ossicular chain did not seem to have a significant advantage in hearing when compared with patients with a prosthetic reconstruction prosthesis. We report a low incidence of meatal stenosis compared with other similar reviews and describe surgical modifications that may attribute to this outcome. Conclusion: Overall, the mean hearing outcome for this group collectively did not significantly degrade over time and compared favorably with other series. However, there was significant variability among individual patients. The safety of this procedure and the demonstrated hearing improvement makes it a reasonable option in patients with congenital aural atresia with favorable anatomy.
Obesity: burdens of illness and strategies for prevention or management.

Obesity is a progressive disease of unwanted fat accumulation which has multiple, organ-specific pathological consequences. The manifestations of obesity occur within virtually every subspecialty of medicine or surgery and they interact importantly to accelerate the ageing process in many organs. Many of the hazards of obesity have multiple causes (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, stroke, colonic and breast cancer, urinary incontinence, tiredness, back pain, breathlessness). All of these conditions become more prevalent with age and are also more prevalent among overweight persons, particularly those with a central fat distribution marked by a high waist circumference. Hypertension may be caused or aggravated by weight gain. It is mediated by the physical demands of an expanded circulating volume and increased metabolic rate by metabolic mechanisms related to central fat distribution and the "metabolic syndrome", and to increased sodium consumption by overweight people (because they need more food to maintain a higher metabolic rate). Since body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference increase significantly with age there is an escalation of the burden of ill health from obesity with age. The best simple indicator of disease risk with obesity is the waist circumference since this identifies people who have a high body fat content and also those who have an increased intraabdominal accumulation of fat. The quantitative burden of ill health from overweight and obesity varies within different specialties, but up to 80% of type 2 diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome can be attributed to obesity. Obesity is the cause of sleep apnea syndrome in around 50% of cases and heart disease in perhaps 10-20% of cases. In Scotland 80% of people with existing cardiovascular disease are overweight compared with 57% of the general population. The financial burden to health services from overweight and obesity has been incompletely assessed, although it is estimated that around 4% of total health care budgets are attributable to people having BMI > 25 kg/m(2). This is similar to the entire cost of diabetes, epilepsy or major cancers. Obesity is therefore an extremely expensive disease based on these conservative estimates from limited evaluations. More general assessments show how obesity increases the amount of time taken off work, the number of drugs prescribed and the expenditure from social services support. Thus, obesity represents a huge burden not only on the individual patient physically, psychologically, socially and financially but also on families and careers and is a huge drain on health care resources. Overweight affects well over half of all adults worldwide, progressing to BMI > 30 kg/m(2) in around 20% outside subsistence rural communities. Its rapidly increasing prevalence now described as an epidemic demands major preventive measures, as well as better medical treatment for individuals affected.
IS 17α-ETHINYL ESTRADIOL AN INHIBITOR OF CYTOCHROME P450 2C19?

We have read with great interest the increasing number of publications reporting that oral contraceptive (OC)[1][1] formulations can decrease CYP2C19 activity. For example, Palovaara et al. ([2003][2]) evaluated the effect of two OC formulations on the hydroxylation of omeprazole. One formulation
Two Cases of Tuberculosis in Raptors in Colorado

wild to domestic fowl makes it desirable to keep wild birds out of poultry houses. In Kenya, these are usually open enclosures and it is common to see wild birds feeding on the domestic poultry feed. No significance can be attached to the observation that adult birds and females had more positive samples than juveniles and males respectively, since the total number of virus isolations was small. It is of interest that no avian influenza viruses were isolated from the Anatidae family, although they have been isolated from cloacal swabs of wild waterfowl in other parts of the world (Slemons et al., 1974, Avian Dis. 18: 119-123; Webster et al., 1976, J. Gen. Virol. 32: 217-225). Failure to isolate viruses from most of the other avian species may be explained by the small number of birds sampled. The assistance of Dr. G. Davies, Dr. D. Pearson and members of the Durham University Expedition to Kenya, 1982, in the collection of the specimens is gratefully acknowledged. We wish to thank Dr. K. Ottis of the WHO. Collaborative Centre for Collection and Evaluation of Data on Comparative Virology, Munich, West Germany, for typing the isolates.
Evaluation of Reading Recovery in London Schools: Every Child A Reader 2005-2006

This study evaluated the impact of Reading Recovery early literacy intervention on children and classes in London schools. The progress in the 2005-6 school year was compared for 234 of the lowest achieving children in 42 schools serving disadvantaged areas. The children, aged around 6, who received Reading Recovery during the year, were compared with those who received a range of other interventions. Both groups started at literacy levels below that of a 5 year old. Comparison between the groups was made for reading and writing and phonic knowledge as well as oracy, work habits, social skills and attitudes to learning. Those children who received Reading Recovery achieved significant gains in all assessments compared with the group who did not. At the end of the year the children who had received Reading Recovery had an average Reading Age of 6 years 7 months. The comparison group were 14 months behind with an average Reading Age of 5 years 5 months. Boys and girls did equally well in reaching age appropriate levels after Reading Recovery. In the comparison group the girls were 3 months ahead of boys. Interventions for the lowest achieving Year 1 children in non-Reading Recovery schools were predominantly carried out by teaching assistants rather than teachers. A surprising number of children were not reported to receive any form of support, even though they had been identified as the lowest attaining in their class. The study also evaluated impact at class level. A word recognition and phonic skills measure was used with all children in the Year 1 classes in schools with Reading Recovery (605 children) and without Reading Recovery (566 children). Classes in Reading Recovery schools ended the year with an average class reading age 4 months above that of comparison schools. Early Literacy Intervention: what can it achieve? Intervention for children experiencing difficulty in getting underway with literacy learning has become an established part of schools’ provision and of national educational policy, (National Reading Panel, 2000; Earl et al., 2003; DfES,2003). Research evidence on the effectiveness of literacy interventions with differing theoretical bases and various implementation characteristics has produced varied conclusions (e.g. McIntyre et al 2005; Vellutino et al 2004). This causes difficulties for schools and systems in trying to evaluate what will be most successful for the particular demography and learning needs of their children. With 6% of children (including nearly 1 in 10 boys) leaving primary schools in England without the most basic skills in reading (DfES 20006), this is an urgent matter. Brooks et al (1998) and again (2002) provided valuable reviews of evidence about the effectiveness of interventions with the intention of assisting schools and systems
Toxic effects of some oil dispersants

Unavoidable possibility of oil spills, when they are polluting environment, increases because of the increasing growth of oil industry (building of mechanisms for oil extraction, growing number of petrol stations, motor transport, navigation) and rising usability of oil and its products in various ways. It makes a lot of problems: beginning from financial damage to impacts on wildlife or loses of aesthetic view. Various clean-up technologies are used for recovering oil spills. Dispersion is one of them. Dispersive measures (dispersants) - are substances that break oil slick into small droplets. Though modern dispersants are less toxic for environment than oil, however, they can cause danger to organisms. These pollutants (the dispersants and the oil) can affect live organisms synergetically with bigger harm if they work separated. So, the necessity of the real assessment of the environmental condition determines near direct (physical and chemical) methods to use such methods that are based on responsive reactions of the organisms to the pollution factors. The influence of oil and the dispersing agents “Simple green”, “Hydro Break Plus”, “Degradoilas”, “BR” and “BEC 400” on organisms in fresh (test - organisms Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus) and the Baltic sea (test - organism Artemia salina) water determined using TOXKIT microbiotests. LC50's was calculated to compare the toxicity of these pollutants. The LC50 of petroleum hydrocarbons and the dispersing agents “Simple green”, “Hydro Break Plus”, “Degradoilas”, “BR” and “BEC 400” on water organisms are different though there is no doubt about their toxicity.
Differential Contributions of APC Subsets to T Cell Activation in Nonobese Diabetic Mice1

Despite the pivotal role of dendritic cells (DC) in shaping immunity, little is known about their functionality in type 1 diabetes. Moreover, due to the paucity of DC in vivo, functional studies have relied largely upon in vitro-expanded cells to elucidate type 1 diabetes-associated functional abnormalities. In this study, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the functional capabilities of in vivo-derived DC subsets from NOD mice by comparing DC to other NOD APC types and to DC from autoimmune-resistant strains. NOD DC closely resemble those from nonautoimmune strains with respect to costimulation and cytokine production. The exception is the CD8α+CD11b−DC subset which is numerically reduced in NOD spleens, but not in the pancreatic lymph nodes, while DC from both tissues produce little IL-12 in this strain. This defect results in unusual deferral toward macrophage-derived IL-12 in NOD mice; NOD macrophages produce aberrantly high IL-12 levels that can overcompensate for the DC defect in Th1 polarization. APC subset use for autoantigen presentation also differs in NOD mice. NOD B cells overshadow DC at activating islet-reactive T cells, whereas DC and B cells in NOD-resistant mice are functionally comparable. Differential involvement of APC subsets in T cell activation and tolerance induction may prove to be a crucial factor in the selection and expansion of autoreactive T cells.