Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metabolite profiling of the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum by 1H NMR spectroscopy

NMR spectroscopy was used to identify and quantify compounds in extracts prepared from mature trophozoite‐stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites isolated by saponin‐permeabilisation of the host erythrocyte. One‐dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy and four two‐dimensional NMR techniques were used to identify more than 50 metabolites. The intracellular concentrations of over 40 metabolites were estimated from the 1H NMR spectra of extracts prepared by four extraction methods: perchloric acid, methanol/water, methanol/chloroform/water, and methanol alone. The metabolites quantified included: the majority of the biological α‐amino acids; 4‐aminobutyric acid; mono‐, di‐ and tri‐carboxylic acids; nucleotides; polyamines; myo‐inositol; and phosphocholine and phosphoethanolamine. The parasites also contained a significant concentration (up to 12 mM) of the exogenous buffering agent, HEPES. Although the metabolite profiles obtained with each extraction method were broadly similar, perchloric acid was found to have significant advantages over the other extraction media. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An in vivo model for the simultaneous study of motility of the gallbladder, sphincter of Oddi and duodenal wall in the cat.

An in vivo model for the simultaneous study of motility of the gallbladder, sphincter of Oddi and the duodenal wall in species with an intraduodenal location of the sphincter has been developed. Gallbladder motility is registered by manometry, while trans-sphincteric flow and duodenal wall motility are recorded by perfusion methods. The sphincter of Oddi proper is totally uninfluenced by any mechanical procedures since the outflow of fluid is collected via a funnel-shaped human femoral vein graft fixed to the duodenal mucosa by tiny sutures peripheral to the sphincteric muscle. The motility of the duodenal wall influences the flow of saline through a small feline vein graft inserted across the duodenal wall. The method is described in detail as well as nerve stimulation experiments and some pharmacological tests (e.g. infusion of substance P) to demonstrate the usefulness of the method. With this method the physiology and pharmacology of this region can be investigated in species, which, like man, have an intraduodenal location of the sphincter of Oddi.
Drugs with anticholinergic properties and cognitive performance in the elderly: results from the PAQUID Study.

OBJECTIVES To measure the association between the use of drugs with anticholinergic properties and cognitive performance in an elderly population, the PAQUID cohort. METHODS The sample studied was composed of 1780 subjects aged 70 and older, living at home in South western France. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, medical history and drug use were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Cognitive performance was assessed using the following neuropsychological tests: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) which evaluates global cognitive functioning, the Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) which assesses immediate visual memory, and the Isaacs' Set Test (IST) which assesses verbal fluency. For each test, scores were dichotomized between low performance and normal to high performance using the score at the 10th percentile of the study sample as the cut-off point, according to age, gender and educational level. The association between the use of drugs with anticholinergic properties and cognitive performance was examined using logistic regression models, adjusting for several potential confounding factors. RESULTS About 13.7% of the subjects used at least one drug with anticholinergic properties. In multivariate analyses, the use of these drugs was significantly associated with low performance in the BVRT [odds ratio (OR) = 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1, 2.3] and in the IST (OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.3, 2.8). The association found with low performance in the MMSE (OR = 1.4; 95% CI 1.0, 2.1) was barely statistically significant. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that the use of drugs with anticholinergic properties is associated with low cognitive performance among community-dwelling elderly people.
Neuromarketing and visual attention study using eye tracking techniques

This paper presents a study of human behavior related to different marketing stimuli based on pupillometry data. The consumer's gaze points on products of interest are acquired with a remote eye tracker and the obtained heatmaps and timestamps are used for further analysis. An application for recording user's visual attention on web pages and advertising slides is implemented. A sensor for electrodermal activity is also used in order to have an additional response regarding consumer arousal. The results reveal that the human emotions and visual attention are highly correlated with practical marketing applications.
Vection is Modulated by the Semantic Meaning of Stimuli and Experimental Instructions

Vection strength is modulated by the semantic meanings of stimuli. In experiment 1—even though vection stimuli were of uniform size, color, and luminance—when they also had semantic meaning as falling objects, vection was inhibited. Specifically, stimuli perceived as feathers, petals, and leaves did not effectively induce vection. In experiment 2 we used the downward motion of identical dots to induce vection. Participants observed stimuli while holding either an umbrella or a wooden sword. Results showed that vection was inhibited when participants held the umbrella and the stimuli was perceived as rain or snow falling. The two experiments suggest that vection is modulated by the semantic meaning of stimuli.
Expectations about the effectiveness of radiation therapy among patients with incurable lung cancer.

PURPOSE Although radiation therapy (RT) can palliate symptoms and may prolong life, it is not curative for patients with metastatic lung cancer. We investigated patient expectations about the goals of RT for incurable lung cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS The Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium enrolled a population- and health system-based cohort of patients diagnosed with lung cancer from 2003 to 2005. We identified patients with stage wet IIIB or IV lung cancer who received RT and answered questions on their expectations about RT. We assessed patient expectations about the goals of RT and identified factors associated with inaccurate beliefs about cure. RESULTS In all, 384 patients completed surveys on their expectations about RT. Seventy-eight percent of patients believed that RT was very or somewhat likely to help them live longer, and 67% believed that RT was very or somewhat likely to help them with problems related to their cancer. However, 64% did not understand that RT was not at all likely to cure them. Older patients and nonwhites were more likely to have inaccurate beliefs, and patients whose surveys were completed by surrogates were less likely to have inaccurate beliefs. Ninety-two percent of patients with inaccurate beliefs about cure from RT also had inaccurate beliefs about chemotherapy. CONCLUSION Although patients receiving RT for incurable lung cancer believe it will help them, most do not understand that it is not at all likely to cure their disease. This indicates a need to improve communication regarding the goals and limitations of palliative RT.
What is the optimal recall period for verbal autopsies? Validation study based on repeat interviews in three populations.

BACKGROUND One key contextual feature in Verbal Autopsy (VA) is the time between death and survey administration, or recall period. This study quantified the effect of recall period on VA performance by using a paired dataset in which two VAs were administered for a single decedent. METHODS This study used information from the Population Health Metrics Research Consortium (PHMRC) Study, which collected VAs for "gold standard" cases where cause of death (COD) was supported by clinical criteria. This study repeated VA interviews within 3-52 months of death in PHMRC study sites in Andhra Pradesh, India, and Bohol and Manila, Philippines. The final dataset included 2113 deaths interviewed twice and with recall periods ranging from 0 to 52 months. COD was assigned by the Tariff method and its accuracy determined by comparison with the gold standard COD. RESULTS The probability of a correct diagnosis of COD decreased by 0.55 % per month in the period after death. Site of data collection and survey module also affected the probability of Tariff Method correctly assigning a COD. The probability of a correct diagnosis in VAs collected 3-11 months after death will, on average, be 95.9 % of that in VAs collected within 3 months of death. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that collecting VAs within 3 months of death may improve the quality of the information collected, taking the need for a period of mourning into account. This study substantiates the WHO recommendation that it is reasonable to collect VAs up to 1 year after death providing it is accepted that probability of a correct diagnosis is likely to decline month by month during this period.
Is there a specific mutation of p53 gene due to radon exposure? A systematic review

Purpose: To review the existing literature analysing the influence of radon exposure on mutations in tumour protein 53 gene (TP53) in lung cancer patients. Material and methods: Medline and EMBASE databases along with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) monographies were revised. Studies that had radon concentration as exposure variable and TP53 mutations as a result variable were included. Results: Eight studies were obtained, with a total of 578 individuals. They had been carried out on miners and on general population. A 26% of the miners' tumours had a mutation in gene TP53, versus a 24% in the population exposed to residential radon. A predominance of the AGGARG→ ATGMET (Arginine to Methionine) mutation in miners was observed. Conclusions: The available results are not consistent in order to support the existence of a radon hotspot in TP53 gene. Future research should focus at least on exons 5 to 8, where most of the mutation clusters in lung tumours are observed.
Brain Glucose Hypometabolism and Oxidative Stress in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease

One of the main features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the severe reduction of the cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc). In vivo imaging using positron emission tomography with 2‐[18F]fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐D‐glucose (FDG–PET) demonstrates consistent and progressive CMRglc reductions in AD patients, the extent and topography of which correlate with symptom severity. Increasing evidence suggests that CMRglc reductions occur at the preclinical stages of AD. CMRglc reductions were observed on FDG–PET before the onset of disease in several groups of at‐risk individuals, including patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), often a prodrome to AD; presymptomatic individuals carrying mutations responsible for early‐onset familial AD; cognitively normal elderly individuals followed for several years until they declined to MCI and eventually to AD; normal, middle‐aged individuals who expressed subjective memory complaints and were carriers of the apolipoprotein E epsilon‐4 allele, a strong genetic risk factor for late‐onset AD. However, the causes of the early metabolic dysfunction forerunning the onset of AD are not known. An increasing body of evidence indicates a deficient or altered energy metabolism that could change the overall oxidative microenvironment for neurons during the pathogenesis and progression of AD, leading to alterations in mitochondrial enzymes and in glucose metabolism in AD brain tissue. The present paper reviews findings that implicate hypometabolism and oxidative stress as crucial players in the initiation and progression of synaptic pathology in AD.
Recent Advancements in Pancreatic Cancer Immunotherapy

The overarching goal of this review is to highlight the current progress of immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer. Despite all the efforts, pancreatic cancer remains a disease that is refractory to almost all therapies and immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer remains in its infancy. In this review, we summarize promising advances and major hurdles in developing immunotherapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer as presented in recent publications and a clinical trial database. Notably, a combination regimen of chemotherapy followed by immunotherapy appears to be superior to chemotherapy alone, wherein chemotherapeutic agents may play a dual role by reducing overall tumor burden through direct killing of cancerous cells and by indirect release of proinflammatory molecules and tumor associated antigens which, when presented in an immunogenic fashion, may function as an in situ “vaccine”. Critically, the timing of administration of standard chemotherapy can markedly impact the induction of antitumor responses. We anticipate that among the gamut of combination immunotherapy and chemo-radiation therapies that are now being evaluated, we will eventually be able to optimize a regimen that can generate long-lasting responses and usher a new weapon in the fight against pancreatic cancer.
Sxa2 is a serine carboxypeptidase that degrades extracellular P‐factor in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Stimulating the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe with mating pheromones brings about responses that lead to cell conjugation. Persistent stimulation does not, however, induce a continuous response as the cells become desensitized to the presence of the pheromone. One mechanism that contributes to desensitization in M‐cells is the release of a carboxypeptidase that inactivates the extracellular P‐factor pheromone. Production of the carboxypeptidase requires a functional sxa2 gene. In this study, we report the first molecular characterization of the Sxa2 protein and provide direct evidence that it is the carboxypeptidase that degrades P‐factor. Sxa2 is synthesized as a precursor that undergoes an internal cleavage event catalysed by a protease with specificity for basic residues. This generates a series of catalytically active N‐terminal fragments and an inactive C‐terminal fragment. Cleavage is essential for activation of the carboxypeptidase and, although the C‐terminal fragment is inactive, it is required for the N‐terminal fragment to attain activity.
Reproductive history, hormonal factors and the incidence of hip and knee replacement for osteoarthritis in middle-aged women

Objectives: To examine the effect of reproductive history and use of hormonal therapies on the risk of hip and knee joint replacement for osteoarthritis. Methods: A prospective study of 1.3 million women aged on average 56 years at recruitment and followed-up through linkage to routinely collected hospital admission records was conducted. The adjusted relative risk (RR) of hip and knee replacement for osteoarthritis was examined in relation to parity, age at menarche, menopausal status, age at menopause and use of hormonal therapies. Results: Over a mean of 6.1 person-years of follow-up, 12 124 women had a hip replacement and 9977 a knee replacement. The risk of joint replacement increased with increasing parity and the effect was greater for the knee than the hip: increase in RR of 2% (95% CI 1 to 4%) per birth for hip replacement and 8% (95% CI 6 to 10%) for knee replacement. An early age at menarche slightly increased the risk of hip and knee replacement (relative risk for menarche ⩽11 years versus 12 years, 1.09 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.16) and 1.15 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.22), respectively). Menopausal status and age at menopause were not clearly associated with risk. Current use of postmenopausal hormone therapy was associated with a significant increase in the incidence of hip and knee replacement (RR 1.38 (95% CI 1.30 to 1.46) and RR 1.58 (95% CI 1.48 to 1.69), respectively) while previous use of oral contraceptives was not (RR 1.02 (95% CI 0.98 to 1.06) and RR 1.00 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.04) for hip and knee, respectively). Conclusions: Hormonal and reproductive factors affect the risk of hip and knee replacement, more so for the knee than the hip. The reasons for this are unclear.
Long‐term stability of international reference preparations for thromboplastins

Summary Three certified reference materials for thromboplastins are available from the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) of the European Commission for calibration of commercial thromboplastins used for control of oral anticoagulant therapy. The long‐term stability of these reference materials has been monitored by two independent laboratories, using deep‐frozen and lyophilized plasma samples. Pro‐thrombin times and prothrombin time ratios measured on 19 occasions in the period 1981–86 have been analysed for trend with time. Although significant trends of prothrombin time and ratio (P<0.05) were observed, a consistent pattern of trends could not be recognized. The significant trends of prothrombin time and prothrombin time ratio are most probably due to changes in local laboratory conditions. There is no indication that the reference materials have deteriorated since the beginning of the study. It is recommended that long‐term stability monitoring of thromboplastins be performed by at least two laboratories simultaneously.
Percepcija problema, mogućnosti i navika odvojenog prikupljanja otpada

Cjelovit sustav gospodarenja otpadom temelji se na principu hijerarhijskog koncepta u kojem se na vrhu nalazi izbjegavanje otpada, potom slijedi vrednovanje, a tek na kraju odlaganje. Procjenjuje se kako tek vrlo mali udio od ukupnih kolicina otpada nastalog u RH tijekom jedne godine nađe put k oporabi. Sve se ostalo, mjereno milijunima tona godisnje, odlaže. Prema dosadasnjim referentnim istraživanjima, koja su navedena u radu, problem otpada je percipiran kao znacajan. Istraživanje je imalo za cilj doci do aktualnih saznanja o percepciji odvojenog prikupljanja otpada, a rezultati istraživanja te statisticka obrada podataka prikazani su u radu. Rezultati su prikupljeni grupnim anketiranjem. Statisticke metode koristene pri obradi podataka su deskriptivna statistika kao i metoda analiticke statistike. U obradi su primijenjene metode univarijatne (postoci) i bivari- jatne analize (analiza varijance i t-test). Rezultati su pokazali da vise od pola ispitanika od ukupnog uzorka razvrstava otpad u vlastitom kucanstvu, a oni koji ne razvrstavaju kao razlog vecinom navode nepostojanje infrastrukture za odvojeno prikupljanje otpada u blizini mjesta stanovanja.
Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology Evaluating Critical Reflection for Postgraduate Students in Computing

In this paper the assumption that critical reflection skills are acquired automatically during postgraduate study is queried by examining whether keeping a reflective journal is an aid in developing reflective habits. All course outlines in the postgraduate program studied for this paper state that students will learn how to critique issues relating to the topic being studied. The assumption is that critical reflection is a skill that is acquired automatically during the degree. Postgraduate students at this particular institution are required to complete a Research Methods course before enrolling in a thesis or dissertation. Research Methods students are encouraged but not required to keep a reflective journal. This paper reports on the effectiveness of keeping a reflective journal by analyzing results obtained over five semesters within the Research Methods course.
Important considerations for protein analyses using antibody based techniques: down‐sizing Western blotting up‐sizes outcomes

Abstract Western blotting has been used for protein analyses in a wide range of tissue samples for >30 years. Fundamental to Western blotting success are a number of important considerations, which unfortunately are often overlooked or not appreciated. Firstly, lowly expressed proteins may often be better detected by dramatically reducing the amount of sample loaded. Single cell (fibre) Western blotting demonstrates the ability to detect proteins in small sample sizes, 5–10 μg total mass (1–3 μg total protein). That is an order of magnitude less than often used. Using heterogeneous skeletal muscle as the tissue of representation, the need to undertake Western blotting in sample sizes equivalent to single fibre segments is demonstrated. Secondly, incorrect results can be obtained if samples are fractionated and a proportion of the protein of interest inadvertently discarded during sample preparation. Thirdly, quantitative analyses demand that a calibration curve be used. This is regardless of using a loading control, which must be proven to not change with the intervention and also be appropriately calibrated. Fourthly, antibody specificity must be proven using whole tissue analyses, and for immunofluorescence analyses it is vital that only a single protein is detected. If appropriately undertaken, Western blotting is reliable, quantitative, both in relative and absolute terms, and extremely valuable.
Safety, immunogenicity, and pilot efficacy of Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite and asexual blood-stage combination vaccine in Swiss adults.

This study was part of a larger program to develop a vaccine effective against Plasmodium falciparum infection caused by sporozoites and clinical malaria caused by asexual blood stages. In a phase 1 study of safety and immunogenicity, two recombinant proteins (Ro 46-2717, a circumsporozoite [CS] protein) construct with a molecular mass of 35 kD, and Ro 46-2924, a merozoite surface antigen [MSA-2] construct with a molecular mass of 25 kD) adsorbed onto alum were injected in two low (20 micrograms) or two high (100 micrograms) doses in the right and left deltoid muscles of 33 healthy Swiss volunteers; six other volunteers received a placebo (alum alone). Twenty-six participants reported 51 immunization-related adverse events, mainly pain at the injection site. Mean antibody titers to CS protein and MSA-2 in an indirect immunofluorescence assay peaked four weeks after the second immunization without evidence of boosting (i.e., sharp increase in titer). By that time, 56% and 31% of the vaccinees seroconverted to CS protein and MSA-2, respectively, with the increase in MSA-2 titer being weaker than that for the CS protein. After a third immunization, five vaccinees volunteered to be challenged by three or four infective bites of Anopheles stephensi. Prepatent and incubation periods in all five were comparable with unvaccinated historic controls challenged under similar conditions, and all had symptoms of clinical falciparum malaria. We conclude that the vaccine components were safe and immunogenic but there was no evidence that this immunization regimen with the CS protein plus MSA-2 component was able to prevent infection. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Understanding the interaction between demonstrative deixis and descriptive content

Neste artigo discutimos o papel do conteudo descritivo nos usos deiticos dos demonstrativos. O foco empirico esta em casos em que as descricoes demonstrativas sao licenciadas por conteudo descritivo adicional , tornando dispensaveis elementos indexicais como as demonstracoes e a saliencia contextual. Tais casos mostram que: (i) o componente indexical das descricoes demonstrativas deve fazer referencia a subsituacoes da situacao de fala, como proposto por Wolter (2006); (ii) a deixis demonstrativa, porque se refere a essas subsituacoes, pode ser imprecisa ; nesses casos, e necessario computar composicionalmente o conteudo descritivo das descricoes demonstrativas. Isso constitui um argumento contra a chamada “teoria da referencia direta”, em que o componente indexical dos demonstrativos se refere diretamente ao referente da descricao demonstrativa (cf. Kaplan 1989, Nunberg 1993, 2004, King 2001, Elbourne 2008, entre outros).