Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae contamination in the poultry house environment during erysipelas outbreaks in organic laying hen flocks

This study investigated organic laying hen farms for the presence of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in the house environment and from potential carriers (i.e. insects and mice) during ongoing erysipelas outbreaks, and compared the obtained isolates with those from laying hens. The samples were investigated by selective culture followed by species-specific polymerase chain reaction on cultures. E. rhusiopathiae was isolated from the spleen, jejunal contents, manure, dust and swabs from water nipples. Three more samples from the house environment tested positive by polymerase chain reaction compared with selective culture alone. Selected isolates were investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). One farm was represented by isolates from laying hens only, and one of these isolates differed in one PFGE band from the others. Different banding patterns were observed for isolates from laying hens and manure on one farm. On the remaining two farms, the isolates from the house environment and laying hens were identical but differed between farms. Outbreaks reoccurred in the next flock on two of the farms, and different PFGE types were isolated from consecutive flocks. Our results suggest an external source of infection, which would explain the previously reported increased risk of outbreaks in free-range flocks. Contaminated manure and dust may represent sources of transmission. For the isolates, MALDI-TOF MS and biochemical typing results were in agreement but, since the type strain of Erysipelothrix tonsillarum was typed as E. rhusiopathiae using MALDI-TOF MS, further studies into this method are needed.
Effect of foot orthoses contour on pain perception in individuals with patellofemoral pain.

BACKGROUND foot orthoses have been described as a possible intervention for individuals with patellofemoral joint pain. No study has attempted to quantify the perceived comfort and support of foot orthoses when used as an intervention for patellofemoral joint pain. METHODS a randomized case-control trial with crossover between contoured and flat orthoses was conducted on ten individuals with patellofemoral pain and ten healthy participants. All of the participants completed a comfort-support assessment and had in-shoe plantar pressure data collected before and after 3 weeks of wear. A 1-week washout period was used to minimize any continued treatment effect between orthotics testing. The patellofemoral pain group also completed a numeric rating scale to assess pain reduction after using each orthosis. RESULTS all of the participants perceived that greater support was provided by the contoured orthoses in the heel and arch regions. Even with a 30% difference in material hardness between the two orthoses, all of the participants rated cushioning as equivalent. Six individuals in the patellofemoral pain group reported a clinically significant reduction in knee pain as a result of wearing foot orthoses. CONCLUSIONS a key factor in the selection of contoured foot orthoses versus flat inserts is the amount of support that an individual perceives in the arch and heel regions. In addition, clinicians using foot orthoses as an intervention for patellofemoral pain should expect an individualistic, nonsystematic response.
Characterization of 1H NMR detectable mobile lipids in cells from human adenocarcinomas

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies are often carried out to provide metabolic information on tumour cell metabolism, aiming for increased knowledge for use in anti‐cancer treatments. Accordingly, the presence of intense lipid signals in tumour cells has been the subject of many studies aiming to obtain further insight on the reaction of cancer cells to external agents that eventually cause cell death. The present study explored the relationship between changes in neutral lipid signals during cell growth and after irradiation with gamma rays to provide arrest in cell cycle and cell death. Two cell lines from human tumours were used that were differently prone to apoptosis following irradiation. A sub‐G1 peak was present only in the radiosensitive HeLa cells. Different patterns of neutral lipids changes were observed in spectra from intact cells, either during unperturbed cell growth in culture or after radiation‐induced growth arrest. The intensities of triglyceride signals in the spectra from extracted total lipids changed concurrently. The increase in lipid peak intensities did not correlate with the apoptotic fate. Modelling to fit the experimental data revealed a dynamic equilibrium between the production and depletion of neutral lipids. This is observed for the first time in cells that are different from adipocytes.
Transcriptional regulation by the Wilms tumor protein, Wt1, suggests a role of the metalloproteinase Adamts16 in murine genitourinary development.

Background: Results: Transcription of the Adamts16 gene is regulated by Wilms’ tumor protein Wt1, and knockdown of Adamts16 reduces branching morphogenesis in cultured embryonic kidneys. Conclusion: Adamts16 is a Wt1 target gene during murine genitourinary development. Significance: The findings provide novel insights into gene regulatory networks controlling kidney and gonad development.
[Isolation and preparation of gallic acid from Terminalia chebula Retz. with high-speed counter-current chromatography].

A separation method based on high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) has been established for the isolation and preparation of gallic acid from the ethanol extract of Terminalia chebula Retz. After comparing five kinds of solvent protocols of HSCCC, the two-phase system of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (1:5:1:5, v/v/v/v) was finally chosen as the operating solvent of HSCCC for the separation of gallic acid, in which the lower phase was used as the mobile phase and the upper phase as stationary phase. The detection in the experiments was performed with an ultraviolet detector at 254 nm. Under the conditions of rotation speed of 850 r/min, lower phase flow rate of 2 mL/min, four peaks (I/II/III/IV) were displayed on HSCCC chromatogram. Among them, only peak III contained a large amount of gallic acid (about 96. 40%), which was confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis. As much as 8. 6 mg of gallic acid was obtained from 100 mg of the ethanol extract of Terminalia chebula Retz. , indicating the method is simple, robust and efficient for the preparation of gallic acid.
V(H) gene usage differs in germline and mutated B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Given the prognostic relevance that the identification of mutated and germline subgroups of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has recently acquired we set out to analyze in depth individual VH gene usage rearrangements in patients with mutated and germline CLL. DESIGN AND METHODS Using sequence analysis of FR1/JH polymerase chain reaction products, the VH immunoglobulin gene configuration was analyzed in 159 rearranged IgH alleles from 154 CLL patients. Having previously identified a spatial relationship between VH gene usage and JH proximity in patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), we performed linear and Poisson regression analysis on patients with germline and mutated CLL against VH rearrangements from normal peripheral blood. RESULTS Sequence analysis showed that 102 patients (64%) had mutated sequences (>2% DNA base pair changes) while 57 (36%) had germline sequences. The germline CLL group showed JH proximal overusage similar to that reported in ALL patients, while the mutated CLL group showed a pattern comparable to that of the control group (peripheral blood rearranged VH sequences). The CDR3 region was statistically longer in the patients with germline CLL than in those with mutated CLL. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS This study highlights differences in the VDJ profile in mutated and germline CLL, consistent with the suggestion that CLL comprises two subgroups. The interpretation of these differences is that the B-cell of CLL, particularly in the germline group, may derive from a pool that has been unable to follow or complete the normal pathway of B-cell differentiation.
L'araignée de mer, Maia Squinado L. sur le littoral de Bretagne

Activite traditionnelle sur le littoral breton, la peche de l'Araignee de mer a pris depuis quelques annees une importance accrue, non pas tant du fait d'une augmentation des captures que de la diminution considerable des apports en homards et langoustes, consecutive a la fermeture de certains lieux de peche habituels (Iles Anglo-Normandes, Irlande, Angleterre) et a l'epuissement des autres. [OCR NON CONTROLE]
New insights into childhood Vernal keratoconjunctivitis‐associated factors

The purpose of this study was to test for detectable serum levels of antibodies usually associated with immune‐related diseases in children with Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) and seek for their family history of allergies and autoimmune disorders. The association of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) with VKC was also investigated. We enrolled 181 VKC children and assessed total and specific IgE, antithyroglobulin (AbTG), antithyroidperoxidase (AbTPO), antitransglutaminase (tTG), and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by standard procedures. Class I and II HLA typing was also carried out following standard protocols, and it was compared with that of healthy subjects. Patients were positive for AbTG (22%), AbTPO (14.6%), and ANA (15.8%), and AbTG positivity was associated with VKC severity (mean ocular score ± SD positive vs. negative: 6.56 ± 2.1 vs. 4.82 ± 2.1; p = 0.03). We found that 12.2% of VKC cases had a positive family history for psoriasis, 6.4% for other cases of VKC, and 5.2% for thyroiditis, while 50.2% of them were atopic. The expression of HLA class I B37 was significantly higher in VKC patients than in controls (7.1% vs. 2.1%, p = 0.04), although not confirmed after multiple antigens testing analysis. Our study suggests a role of common components associated with immune‐based diseases in the clinical expression of VKC.
Magnetoencephalographic measurement during two types of mental rotations of three-dimensional objects

The mental rotation is one of the most widely used for the study of higher human cognitive processes. However, the detailed mechanisms in the brain related to the mental rotation are still unknown. In the present study, magnetoencephalographic (MEG) activities related to the mental rotation of three-dimensional objects were measured by a whole head type of 306-channel SQUID system. Differences in functional localization in the brain between twoand three-dimensional (2-D and 3-D) rotation tasks of 3-D objects were compared in order to investigate the cognitive processes for visualization of hidden parts of 3-D objects, because only 3-D rotation requires the visualization of the hidden parts of the 3-D objects. Activities in the parietal association area were increased during the 3-D rotation task, compared with the 2-D rotation task. This result indicates that the parietal association area acts as important role for the visualization of hidden parts of visual stimuli.
The impact of anxiety on social decision-making: Behavioral and electrodermal findings

Anxiety plays an important role in social behavior. For instance, high-anxious individuals are more likely to avoid such social interactions as communicating with strangers. In this study, we investigate the impact of anxiety on social decision-making. The classic ultimatum game (UG) paradigm was utilized in concert with skin conductance recording. Behavioral results reveal that when playing as responders, high-trait anxiety (HTA) participants with lower levels of self-esteem, as well as low-trait anxiety (LTA) participants with higher levels of impulsivity, were more likely to accept human-proposed inequitable offers. In addition, the HTA participants rejected more computer-proposed inequitable offers than did LTA participants. Moreover, the skin conductance response to inequitable offers was correlated with levels of anxiety in the HTA group, but not in the LTA group. In conclusion, people differing in levels of anxiety showed distinct behavior patterns and autonomic neural responses during social decision-making, whereas the levels of self-esteem, impulsivity, and depression might be additional moderating factors. These findings contextualize high-anxious people's avoidance tendency in social interaction.
Mapping study of the parabrachial taste‐responsive area for the anterior tongue in the golden hamster

The locations of taste‐responsive areas within the brainstem parabrachial nucleus (PBN), an obligatory taste relay in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), were mapped in relation to cytoarchitectural boundaries. The PBN was systematically searched for multiunit neural activity in response to a taste mixture composed of 0.1 M sucrose, 0.03 M NaCl, and 0.1 MKCl applied to the anterior tongue. Taste responses were located exclusively in one of three subdivisions of the medial PBN, which is thought to be specialized for gustatory processing, and in one of six subdivisions of the lateral PBN, which is thought to be specialized for general visceral processing. Based on Nissl‐stained material, both the medial and lateral PBN subdivisions in the hamster were similar to those reported for the rat PBN. The largest group of taste‐responsive cells encompassed two‐thirds of the central medial subdivision, while a smaller group of taste cells was exclusively located within the ventral lateral subdivision. The two taste‐responsive subdivisions are separated by the superior cerebellar peduncle and contain diverse cell types. The finding that anterior tongue taste may be exclusively represented in circumscribed cy to architecturally defined parts of two PBN divisions suggests that taste information from the anterior tongue is required for both specific gustatory and general visceral functions.
Endocrinology of female puberty

Purpose of reviewPuberty is the developmental process that culminates in reproductive capability. It is initiated by the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone from specialized neurons of the hypothalamus to stimulate hormonal cascades and gonadal activation. The age of pubertal onset in girls may be younger than in previous decades, emphasizing the gaps in knowledge about pubertal onset and factors that modulate it. This review describes the state of the debate on the age of pubertal initiation, recent insights into the physiology of female puberty and its relationship to childhood obesity, and the regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons at puberty. Recent findingsRecent studies suggest that the average age of pubertal onset is decreasing in American girls, sparking controversy in defining the age at which puberty is considered precocious. Obese girls have hyperinsulinemia and hyperandrogenemia prepubertally, but it is unclear whether these factors play a role in the early onset of puberty in obese girls. The kisspeptin/G protein-coupled receptor 54 pathway is important for pubertal initiation; an activating mutation in the pathway has been associated with precocious puberty. SummaryThe recent trend toward obesity has been proposed to play a role in the cause of early puberty in girls. The molecular mechanisms that initiate puberty are slowly being elucidated, with the discovery of kisspeptin prompting a novel direction in reproductive research.
Comparison of Tc-99m sestamibi and F-18 FDG-PET in the assessment of multiple myeloma.

BACKGROUND Tc-99m methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile (MIBI) has been reported to be a useful tracer in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Few articles have reported the potential value of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in the evaluation of MM. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic abilities of the MIBI scan and the FDG-PET scan in the evaluation of MM. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twelve patients with MM were included. All patients received a radiological skeletal survey, MIBI scan and FDG-PET scan. RESULTS Thirty-four lesions (19 soft tissue lesions and 15 skeletal lesions) plus 5 cases of bone marrow involvement were detected. The conventional skeletal X-ray survey detected 4 soft tissue lesions (21.1%), 12 skeletal lesions (80%), but no bone marrow involvement (0%). The MIBI scan found 4 cases of bone marrow involvement (80%), 13 soft tissue lesions (68.4%) and 12 skeletal lesions (80%). The PET scan detected 5 cases of bone marrow involvement (100%), 17 soft tissue lesions (89.5%) and 14 skeletal lesions (93.3%). CONCLUSION Both the MIBI and the FDG-PET scans are useful in the evaluation of patients with MM. However, FDG-PET can detect more lesions than the MIBI scan in patients with MM.
[Association of galectin-3 and E-cadherin expressions with lymph node metastasis of colon cancer].

OBJECTIVE To explore the correlation between the expressions of galectin-3 and E-cadherin and lymph node metastasis of colon cancer. METHODS Immunohistochemistry was employed to examine the expressions of E-cadherin and galectin-3 in 37 colon cancer samples, among which 21 samples underwent RT-PCR for E-cadherin and galectin-3 mRNA expressions. The correlation of E-cadherin and galectin-3 expressions with lymph node metastasis of the tumor was analyzed. RESULTS The positivity rate of galectin-3 expression was 83.8% (31/37) in these samples. Of the tumor cases with lymph node metastasis, 94.7% (18/19) of the tumors were positive for galectin-3 expression, a rate significantly higher than that in non-metastatic cases. The positivity rate of E-cadherin expression was 59.5% (22/37) in the total cases, and 47.4% (9/19) in the metastatic cases, significantly lower than that in the non-metastatic cases. CONCLUSION Galectin-3 and E-cadherin expressions are associated with lymph node metastasis of colon cancer and may serve as potential prognostic indicators for colon cancer patients.
Phytoestrogens act as estrogen agonists in an estrogen-responsive pituitary cell line.

There is renewed interest in the medicinal value of natural plant products. One group of plant compounds, the phytoestrogens (PE), has been given considerable attention due to their ability to decrease the incidence of certain estrogen-dependent cancers. In this study, we evaluate the effects of PE on estrogen-dependent pituitary tumor cells by using the immortalized pituitary cell line PR1. Several PE were found to be active in PR1 cells, in that they bound to the estrogen receptor (ER), stimulated growth of PR1 cells, and induced an estrogenic response, prolactin secretion. The PE genistein, coumestrol, and zearalenone bound to the ER present in PR1 cells with an affinity 100-times lower than that of estradiol. However, resveratrol, a plant antitumor agent found in grapes, showed no significant binding to the ER. Zearalenone, coumestrol, and genistein were found to induce prolactin secretion and to stimulate growth, whereas resveratrol showed prolactin secretion but no growth stimulation. The estrogenic effects of PE in PR1 cells were ER dependent, in that addition of the antiestrogen ICI-182,780 inhibited prolactin response. Although resveratrol did not bind to the ER or stimulate growth, it induced prolactin secretion in both a dose- and time-dependent manner. The data presented here demonstrate that PE are active in lactotroph cells of the pituitary.
Aminoacyl-Transfer RNA Synthetase Deficiency Promotes Angiogenesis via the Unfolded Protein Response Pathway

Objective— Understanding the mechanisms regulating normal and pathological angiogenesis is of great scientific and clinical interest. In this report, we show that mutations in 2 different aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetases, threonyl tRNA synthetase (tars y58 ) or isoleucyl tRNA synthetase (iars y68 ), lead to similar increased branching angiogenesis in developing zebrafish. Approach and Results— The unfolded protein response pathway is activated by aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetase deficiencies, and we show that unfolded protein response genes atf4, atf6, and xbp1, as well as the key proangiogenic ligand vascular endothelial growth factor (vegfaa), are all upregulated in tars y58 and iars y68 mutants. Finally, we show that the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase–activating transcription factor 4 arm of the unfolded protein response pathway is necessary for both the elevated vegfaa levels and increased angiogenesis observed in tars y58 mutants. Conclusions— Our results suggest that endoplasmic reticulum stress acts as a proangiogenic signal via unfolded protein response pathway–dependent upregulation of vegfaa.
Molecular conservation of the P6 outer membrane protein among strains of Haemophilus influenzae: analysis of antigenic determinants, gene sequences, and restriction fragment length polymorphisms

Infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae are a major worldwide health problem. In particular, nontypeable strains of H. influenzae are a common cause of otitis media in infants and children. A vaccine to prevent these infections would result in the prevention of substantial morbidity and cost savings. A problem in identifying an appropriate vaccine antigen has been the enormous antigenic heterogeneity among nontypeable strains of H. influenzae. The present study was undertaken to characterize the conservation of the P6 outer membrane protein (approximately 16,000 daltons) among strains of H. influenzae. A total of 20 type b strains and 20 nontypeable strains of diverse geographic and clinical origins was studied. Three approaches were taken. (i) Antigenic determinants recognized by monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies were present on P6 in all 40 strains tested. The molecular weight of P6 was identical in all strains. (ii) Comparison of the DNA sequences of the P6 genes from three epidemiologically and serologically unrelated strains demonstrated 100% homology at the amino acid level and 97 to 99% homology at the nucleotide level. (iii) Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis demonstrated that the P6 gene and flanking sequences were highly conserved among all strains. These three independent series of experiments indicated that the P6 protein is highly conserved among strains of H. influenzae. P6 should receive serious consideration for inclusion in a vaccine to prevent infections caused by nontypeable H. influenzae.
Reassessing the WIC Effect: Evidence from the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System

Recent analyses differ on how effective the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is at improving infant health. We use data from nine states that participate in the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System to address limitations in previous work. With information on the mother's timing of WIC enrollment, we test whether greater exposure to WIC is associated with less smoking, improved weight gain during pregnancy, better birth outcomes, and greater likelihood of breastfeeding. Our results suggest that much of the often reported association between WIC and lower rates of preterm birth is likely spurious, the result of gestational age bias. We find modest effects of WIC on fetal growth, inconsistent associations between WIC and smoking, limited associations with gestational weight gain, and some relationship with breastfeeding. A WIC effect exists, but on fewer margins and with less impact than has been claimed by policy analysts and advocates.