Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sensitization to inorganic mercury could be a risk factor for infertility.

INTRODUCTION Heavy metals can negatively influence the reproduction due to the fact that they are able to impair the immune reactions including autoantibody production in susceptible individuals. In such a way the infertility could be also caused by altered pathologic immune reaction. AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the in vitro lymphocyte reaction after stimulation with metals and production of gamma interferon and antisperm antibodies in supernatants after lymphocyte stimulation in patients with infertility and with proven antisperm antibodies in their serum. The cause of antisperm antibodies presence was not determined. METHODS The diagnosis of metal allergy was performed by the lymphocyte proliferation method modified for metals (MELISA) in supernatants of tissue cultures of lymphocytes without the antigen stimulation and after stimulation with mercury chloride, the in vitro production of gamma interferon and antisperm antibodies was studied by ELISA. RESULTS More than 50% of patients were reacting to mercury, iron, aluminium and silver as mean by lymphocyte reactivity. When compared the lymphocyte reaction in patients with and without mercury allergy we found that the lymphocytes of patients with mercury intolerance produced less gamma interferon and more antisperm antibodies in supernatants after mercury stimulation of their lymphocytes. CONCLUSION In patients with metal intolerance diagnosed by the MELISA test the release of metal ions from dental materials can be one of the stimulating factors which may adversely affect fertility.
Effects of the Genetic Polymorphisms of the Renin-Angiotensin System on Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

Background/Aims: We analyzed the influence of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D, angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T and angiotensin-II-type-1 receptor (AT1R) A1166C genetic polymorphisms on the clinical course of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Methods: This study consisted of 71 patients with nephrotic syndrome due to biopsy proven FSGS and 100 healthy controls. According to the slope of the reciprocal serum creatinine (1/Cr, ≧ or <–0.1 dl·mg–1· year–1) patients were classified into group A (slow progressors, n = 50) and group B (fast progressors, n = 21). Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: There were no relevant differences in the allele frequencies of the investigated polymorphisms between patients with FSGS and controls. Patients carrying the T- allele of the AGT polymorphism required a larger number of antihypertensive agents (MM: 1.35 ± 1.0 vs. MT/TT: 2.0 ± 1.2, p < 0.05). The ACE-ID/DD genotypes were more frequently found in patients with fast progression (group A: II: 38.0%, ID/DD: 62.0% vs. group B: II: 14.3%, ID/DD: 85.7%, p < 0.05). The AT1R-A1166C polymorphism was not associated with any of the parameters studied. Conclusion: The course of FSGS is in part genetically determined by polymorphisms of the renin-angiotensin-system. The ACE-I/D polymorphism was shown to be a risk factor of progression of renal disease and the AGT-M235T polymorphism was associated with the severity of arterial hypertension.
Characterisation of Kupffer cells in some Amphibia

A study on the Kupffer cells (KCs) of Amphibia was undertaken in order to compare these cells with those of endothermic animals. Liver tissue and isolated and cultured KCs were studied by light microscopy and by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. We have shown that amphibian KCs can be divided into 2 principal types: ‘small’ and ‘large’. Both cell types possess the distinctive KC morphology. They show nonspecific esterase activity, weak endogenous peroxidase activity in the nuclear envelope and in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the ability to engulf naturally present cell debris or experimentally administered zymosan or latex particles. The principal difference between the small and the large cells consists in the substantial quantity of inclusion bodies that exist only in the latter. We conclude that amphibian KCs, apart from their ability to build melanosomes and synthesise melanins, are very similar to mammalian KCs.
[Autogenic training as a therapy for adjustment disorder in adolescents].

INTRODUCTION Autogenic training is a widespread technique used in psychotherapy. The British school of autogenic training cites a large list of diseases, health states, and life changes, in which autogenic training can be of help. We wanted to explore the application of autogenic training as a therapy for adjustment disorder in adolescents. The sample consisted of a homogeneous group of 31 individuals, with an average age of 17.3 +/- 0.2 years, who were diagnosed with adjustment disorder, F 43.2, in accordance with ICD 10 search criteria. OBJECTIVE The aim of our work was to figure out the influence of autogenic training on adjustment disorder, through biophysical and biochemical indicators, and to research the efficiacy of autogenic training as a therapy for adjustment disorder in adolescents. METHOD We observed adjustment disorder indicators and their changes in three phases, using initial, final, and control values, which we measured immediately before the beginning, immediately after the completion, and six months after the completion, of the practical course in autogenic training. We measured systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure, brachial pulse rates, cortisol levels in plasma, cholesterol levels in blood, as well as glucose concentrations. During that period, autogenic training was employed as the sole therapy. RESULTS The study confirmed our preliminary assumptions. The measurements we performed showed that arterial blood pressure, pulse rates, cholesterol and cortisol concentrations, after the application of autogenic training among adolescents suffering from adjustment disorder, were lower than the initial values. They remained lower even six months after the completion of the practical course in autogenic training. CONCLUSION We concluded that autogenic training significantly decreases the values of physiological indicators of adjustment disorder, diminishes the effects of stress in an individual, and eases the adaptation of adolescents to stress, helping with recovery.
Error estimation for perfusion parameters obtained using the two-compartment exchange model in dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI: a simulation study

In theory, the application of the two-compartment exchange model (2CXM) to data from a dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI exam allows the estimation of the plasma flow, plasma volume, extraction flow and extravascular-extracellular volume. The aim of this paper was to explore whether simulations based on the 2CXM could provide useful information on the trustworthiness of the results. The deviations from the input values of the haemodynamic quantities were estimated for a ‘reference tissue’ with a clear bi-phasic response and four ‘limit tissues’ with more challenging 2CXM fitting properties. The impact of the instrumental factors sampling step (Ts), acquisition window (Tacq) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was investigated. Each factor was varied separately, while keeping the other ones at a value above concern. Measurement guidelines to ensure that all deviations fell within a predefined range (±20%) could not be derived, but simulations for fixed Ts and Tacq were found to provide a practical tool for studying the error behaviour to be expected from a given experimental set-up and for comparing measurement protocols. At the level of an individual DCE exam, a bootstrap version of the simulation approach was shown to lead to a useful estimate of the errors on the fitted parameters.
Factors Associated with Hyperdynamic or Hypodynamic Circulation and Role of Platelet‐Activating Factor in Hemodynamic Alterations in Bacterial Peritonitis in Conscious Rats

Male Wistar rats injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 10(9) U Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 developed acute bacterial peritonitis. Hemodynamic studies, with microspheres labeled with 103Ru 57Co, and 113Sn, were performed before, 30 min after bacterial injection, and 30 min after administration of either the platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonist BN-52021 (5 mg/kg body weight) or isotonic saline. A blood sample of 0.3 ml was obtained for bacterial culture and endotoxemia measurements. Plasma PAF levels were measured in a different group of 10 control rats and 20 animals with experimental peritonitis. One group of rats injected with E. coli (n = 13) displayed hyperdynamic circulation, with an increase in cardiac output (CO) from 15.1 +/- 1.2 to 19.4 +/- 1.1 ml/min/100 g body weight and a decrease in total peripheral resistance (TPR) from 19.5 +/- 2.4 to 14.9 +/- 1.1 dynes.s. cm-5 10(-4). Furthermore, these rats showed high endotoxin blood concentrations and low hemoculture levels. The remaining 7 peritonitic rats showed a significant decrease in CO from 16.3 +/- 1.6 to 12.7 +/- 1.2 ml/min/100 g body weight and an increase in TPR from 17.3 +/- 1.8 to 22.6 +/- 2.8 dynes.s. cm-5 10(-4). In addition, these rats showed low endotoxin blood concentrations and high hemoculture levels. Endotoxin blood concentrations were positively correlated with the change in CO (r = 0.87, p < 0.05), and cell hemocultures were positively correlated with CO (r = 0.89, p < 0.05). Rats with high endotoxin blood levels showed higher PAF plasma levels than control rats or peritonitic rats with low endotoxin blood levels. When peritonitic rats were injected with the specific PAF-receptor blocker BN-52021 (5 mg/kg body weight) as a bolus, CO and TPR returned to baseline values in both groups of animals. These data suggest that the hemodynamic changes induced by bacterial peritonitis depend on endotoxemia and bacteremia in opposite ways. In addition, PAF appears to be involved in both the hyperdynamic and hypodynamic hemodynamic changes shown by peritonitic rats.
Die Freiheit als Rechtsbegriff

I. Die Freiheit wird seit alters her in persönliche und politische Freiheit aufgeteilt» Die persönliche Freiheit bedeutet die Freiheit vom Staat, die politische die Freiheit im Staat» Die persönliche Freiheit, der status passivus, schützt den Bürger gegen Angriffe des Staates, die politische Freiheit, der status actiyus, ermöglicht dem Bürger die Teilnahme an der Willensbildung des Staates. Im Nachstehenden wird nur die persönliche Freiheit, der status passivus, behandelt» Eine feste Abgrenzung des Begriffes der persönlichen Freiheit besteht nicht, er wird bald enger, bald weiter aufgefaßt» In seiner Botschaft an den Kongreß im Jahre 1941 sprach Präsident Roosevelt von vier Freiheiten, die er zu verwirklichen beabsichtige: der Freiheit der Meinungsäußerung, der Religionsfreiheit, der Freiheit von Furcht und der Freiheit von Mangel» Diese beiden leztgenannten Freiheiten, die von Furcht und die von Mangel, waren wohl nur um der rhetorischen Wirkung willen den beiden ersten Freiheiten beigefügt; zu dem, was gemeinhin unter Freiheit verstanden wird, gehören sie nicht» Der kontradiktorische Gegensatz zu Freiheit ist Zwang, und in diesem Sinn, der Freiheit vom Zwang, wird im Nachstehenden die persönliche Freiheit verstanden.
The immature endothelial cell in new vessel formation following surgical injury in rat brain.

OBJECTIVES We investigated neovasculatization in the cerebral cortex of the adult rat after surgical brain injury by ultrastructural, immunocytochemical and immunochemical means. Previously we described endothelial-like cell that participates in new vessel formation on plasma proteins that served as a provisional matrix in the region immediately adjacent to the traumatic injury. In the present study we describe new vessel formation in the multistep process with the alterations in endothelial-like cell immunophenotype. METHOD The observations were conducted from 2 to 7 days after induction of cortical trauma. Traumatic injury was induced in the frontotemporal region of cerebral cortex. RESULTS We show that endothelial-like cell could not successfully terminate its development without the presence of pericyte and astrocyte. New formed blood vessels were accompanied by fibroblast and lipofibroblast cells differentiated probably from common progenitor. MAIN FINDINGS Our result suggests that endothelial-like cell is committed endothelial cell between progenitor endothelial cell and terminally differentiated endothelium stage. Therefore, we propose that our of endothelial stem cells present in blood at different stages of morphogenetic differentiation and specifically arrested in "check points" of development trauma mobilize the group of the most differentiated progenitors. These may contribute to new vessel formation. CONCLUSION Our model should be useful for the characterization of endothelial commitment and endothelial cell differentiation after brain injury.
Random Transposon-Mediated Mutagenesis of the Essential Large Tegument Protein pUL36 of Pseudorabies Virus

ABSTRACT Homologs of the pseudorabies virus (PrV) essential large tegument protein pUL36 are conserved throughout the Herpesviridae. pUL36 functions during transport of the nucleocapsid to and docking at the nuclear pore as well as during virion formation after nuclear egress in the cytoplasm. Deletion analyses revealed several nonessential regions within the 3,084-amino-acid PrV pUL36 (S. Böttcher, B. G. Klupp, H. Granzow, W. Fuchs, K. Michael, and T. C. Mettenleiter, J. Virol. 80:9910-9915, 2006; S. Böttcher, H. Granzow, C. Maresch, B. Möhl, B. G. Klupp, and T. C. Mettenleiter, J. Virol. 81:13403-13411, 2007), while the C-terminal 62 amino acids are essential for virus replication (K. Coller, J. Lee, A. Ueda, and G. Smith, J. Virol. 81:11790-11797, 2007). To identify additional functional domains, we performed random mutagenesis of PrV pUL36 by transposon-mediated insertion of a 15-bp linker. By this approach, 26 pUL36 insertion mutants were selected and tested in transient transfection assays for their ability to complement one-step growth and/or viral spread of a PrV UL36 null mutant. Ten insertion mutants in the N-terminal half and 10 in the C terminus complemented both, whereas six insertion mutants clustering in the center of the protein did not complement in either assay. Interestingly, several insertions within conserved parts yielded positive complementation, including those located within the essential C-terminal 62 amino acids. For 15 mutants that mediated productive replication, stable virus recombinants were isolated and further characterized by plaque assay, in vitro growth analysis, and electron microscopy. Except for three mutant viruses, most insertion mutants replicated like wild-type PrV. Two insertion mutants, at amino acids (aa) 597 and 689, were impaired in one-step growth and viral spread and exhibited a defect in virion maturation in the cytoplasm. In contrast, one functional insertion (aa 1800) in a region which otherwise yielded only nonfunctional insertion mutants was impaired in viral spread but not in one-step growth without a distinctive ultrastructural phenotype. In summary, these studies extend and refine previous analyses of PrV pUL36 and demonstrate the different sensitivities of different regions of the protein to functional loss by insertion.
Early integration of high copy HPV16 detectable in women with normal and low grade cervical cytology and histology

Background: Integration of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA has been considered a late event in cervical carcinogenesis. However, integrated forms of HPV were recently detected in cancer precursor lesions using a new real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the deletions at the 3362–3443 region of HPV16 E2 Objective: To study the frequency of HPV16 DNA integration in cervical lesions and compare the sensitivity of an additional upstream region of the E2 ORF (2962–3138) in detecting HPV integration. Methods: Using the TaqMan based PCR, HPV16 positive DNA samples were analysed in 164 cervical scrapings from women participating in a multicentre screening trial. Biopsy confirmation was available in 62 cases. Results: Primers targeting the 3362–3443 region detected the majority of E2 deletions. In only 23% of the samples was the E2 upstream region equal or better target than the 3362–3443 region. Mixed (episomal/integrated) pattern was the most prevalent physical state of HPV16, also present in PAP smears with normal morphology. Pure integrated form was most prevalent in HSIL and cancer lesions, but also detectable in low grade abnormalities (NSIL, ASC-US, LSIL). Women with only integrated HPV16 were almost 10 years older than those with episomal HPV16. Viral load of integrated HPV16 was related to cytological abnormality (p = 0.003) but not to histology. Conclusions: Integrated HPV16 is present in low grade cervical lesions, mostly mixed with the episomal form. Women with the pure integrated form of HPV16 are older than those with the other forms.
Comparative Lipidomics Profiling of Human Atherosclerotic Plaques

Background— We sought to perform a systematic lipid analysis of atherosclerotic plaques using emerging mass spectrometry techniques. Methods and Results— A chip-based robotic nanoelectrospray platform interfaced to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was adapted to analyze lipids in tissue sections and extracts from human endarterectomy specimens by shotgun lipidomics. Eighteen scans for different lipid classes plus additional scans for fatty acids resulted in the detection of 150 lipid species from 9 different classes of which 24 were detected in endarterectomies only. Further analyses focused on plaques from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients and stable versus unstable regions within the same lesion. Polyunsaturated cholesteryl esters with long-chain fatty acids and certain sphingomyelin species showed the greatest relative enrichment in plaques compared to plasma and formed part of a lipid signature for vulnerable and stable plaque areas in a systems-wide network analysis. In principal component analyses, the combination of lipid species across different classes provided a better separation of stable and unstable areas than individual lipid classes. Conclusions— This comprehensive analysis of plaque lipids demonstrates the potential of lipidomics for unraveling the lipid heterogeneity within atherosclerotic lesions.
Protective effect of melatonin on indomethacin‐induced gastric injury in rats

Abstract: The gastric injury associated with nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy has been linked to the detrimental effects of the agents on the processes of prostaglandin synthesis, neutrophil (PMN) activation, and oxygen free radical generation. In the present study, we investigated the in vivo protective effects of melatonin on indomethacin‐induced gastric lesions in the rat. Peroxidation of lipids and changes in the activities of related enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐px) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), as a marker of PMNs infiltration, were also studied. Intraperitoneal (i. p.) injection of melatonin (0.25, 0.5, 1 mg kg−1) 30 min before indomethacin administration prevented gastric injury. The mean ulcer indices significantly (P < 0.05) decreased. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive substances in the gastric mucosa as an index of peroxidation, was increased after indomethacin administration and this increase was inhibited by melatonin. In addition, pretreatment with melatonin resulted in a significant increase of the enzymatic GSH‐px activity up to the control levels; however, inhibition of ulceration by melatonin was not associated with a significant reduction in PMN infiltration. These results suggest that the protection afforded by the pineal hormone against indomethacin‐induced gastric injury may be, in addition to other possible mechanisms, to its radical scavenging activity.
Learning Curves of Harvester Operators

Nacrtak Single grip harvesters may reach very high productivity levels but are very expensive forestry machines. Therefore, they have to work very efficiently. This paper will analyse the learning curves of harvester operators and the influence of human factors described in a qualitative and quantitative manner. Based on long term production logging files (StanForD), the performance of 32 operators was collected over a period of three years (3,351 stands, 0.65 mil. m3). 16 of the operators were beginners and their learning curve was analysed and drawn as a sigmoid function. Most operators begin their career between 50% and 60% of the mean performance and double their performance (200%) by the end of the learning phase. The differences and variation in the learning curve between individual operators are large and generalisations are to be made with care. A learning curve phase productivity loss of 24% was calculated for the average 8 month duration, which equates to approximately 45000 Euro.
Cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes from patients with atopic dermatitis: correlation with respiratory atopy

We determined the cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase (cAMP‐PDE) activity in peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes from 100 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) aged 13–57 years (mean ± SD, 29.8 ± 17.7 years). The correlation between cAMP‐PDE activity and clinical parameters such as the severity of eczema and a personal or family predisposition to atopic respiratory diseases (ARD) (asthma or allergic rhinitis) was examined. Although the enzymic activity varied from normal to very high in the AD patients, cAMP‐PDE activity was significantly (P < 0.005) elevated in AD patients (42.1 ± 22.0 units) as compared with the normal controls (12.4 ± 5.6) and clinical control subjects (13.4 ± 9.5). In contrast, we found no correlation between cAMP‐PDE activity and the severity of eczema when AD patients were classified into four categories (remission, mild, moderate and severe) according to the extent of their skin involvement. Furthermore, we found that systemic corticosteroid therapy in severe AD patients did not alter the cAMP‐PDE activity. cAMP‐PDE activity was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in those AD patients who had a personal history of ARD (47.2 ± 11.2) than in AD patients with a family history of ARD (37.2 ± 17.4) and those without a personal or family history (‘pure’ AD) (34.4 ± 19.8). Nevertheless, the cAMP‐PDE activity was significantly higher even in ‘pure’ AD patients than in the controls. These results suggest that an elevation of cAMP‐PDE activity is closely related to a predisposition to respiratory atopy, and does not follow inflammation in AD patients.