Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The efficacy of bismuth subsalicylate in the treatment of acute diarrhoea and the prevention of persistent diarrhoea

A controlled, randomized, double‐blind study in Bangladeshi children (ages 4–36 mo) with acute diarrhoea was undertaken to determine whether bismuth subsalicylate (BSS) would prevent the development of persistent diarrhoea (PD) in young children. The children were randomized to two groups: 226 were given liquid oral BSS, (as Pepto‐Bismol), 100mg/kg/d for 5 d; 225 were given placebo of identical appearance. On admission to the study, the two groups were comparable both clinically and microbiologically. Rotavirus was found in 56% of all the children, and enterotoxigenic E. coli in 31% of a subsample studied. Children treated with BSS had less severe and less prolonged illness than those treated with placebo (p= 0.057). There was, however, no difference in the development of PD between the two groups (8% and 11%). Unexpectedly, patients treated with BSS gained significantly more weight (2.3%) than those treated with placebo (0.5%; p < 0.001) during the course of the study. No toxicity of BSS was detected.
Business‑Firm Parties and the Czech Party System after 2010

Abstract The case study presented in this paper applies the business-firm party concept to two political entities active in the Czech party system after 2010: the Public Affairs Party (VV) and the Action of Dissatisfied Citizens (ANO 2011) movement. We assess whether these actors meet the criteria of the business-firm party model and, thus, whether they can be considered representatives of this type of political party in the Czech Republic. The study concludes with a comparison of VV and ANO 2011 as two possible variations on what is known as the business-firm party model.
Auditory Sensory Impairment in Children With Oral Clefts as Indexed by Auditory Event-Related Potentials

Children with nonsyndromic oral clefts and with the CATCH 22 syndrome (acronym for cardiac defects, abnormal faces, thymus hypoplasia, clefts, and hypocalcemia) display a range of language and learning disabilities, the neurofunctional bases of which are not yet understood. This review summarizes recent event-related brain potential (ERP) studies on central auditory processing in infants and children with different cleft types and presents an effort to integrate these ERP and earlier behavioral findings into a workable hypothesis on the mechanisms of cognitive impairment in the oral cleft population. The encoding of the acoustic sound features and the functioning of auditory sensory memory (ASM) were studied by recording cortical auditory ERPs. Tapped were two ASM functions: tone pitch discrimination and the duration of sensory memory for tone pitch. In infants with cleft palate, tone pitch discrimination was impaired at birth and at 6 months of age. In infants with cleft lip and palate, no ASM impairment was detected at either age. In school-aged children with clefts and CATCH 22 syndrome, the discrimination of tone pitch was intact under optimal stimulation conditions. However, in these children, shortened duration of ASM was observed, with the magnitude of its shortening covarying with cleft type and being most pronounced in children with CATCH 22 syndrome. The different types of ASM dysfunction found in children with different cleft types could not be accounted for by the peripheral hearing deficits. The relation between ASM dysfunction and known behavioral cognitive disability profiles in children with different cleft types suggests that ASM is implicated in language disabilities of children with oral clefts. Furthermore, it appears that the ASM impairment and oral clefting are linked in a comorbid fashion.
In Vivo MRI Assessment of Hepatic and Splenic Disease in a Murine Model of Schistosmiasis

Background Schistosomiasis (or bilharzia), a major parasitic disease, affects more than 260 million people worldwide. In chronic cases of intestinal schistosomiasis caused by trematodes of the Schistosoma genus, hepatic fibrosis develops as a host immune response to the helminth eggs, followed by potentially lethal portal hypertension. In this study, we characterized hepatic and splenic features of a murine model of intestinal schistosomiasis using in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and evaluated the transverse relaxation time T2 as a non-invasive imaging biomarker for monitoring hepatic fibrogenesis. Methodology/Principal Findings CBA/J mice were imaged at 11.75T two, six and ten weeks after percutaneous infection with Schistosoma mansoni. In vivo imaging studies were completed with histology at the last two time points. Anatomical MRI allowed detection of typical manifestations of the intestinal disease such as significant hepato- and splenomegaly, and dilation of the portal vein as early as six weeks, with further aggravation at 10 weeks after infection. Liver multifocal lesions observed by MRI in infected animals at 10 weeks post infection corresponded to granulomatous inflammation and intergranulomatous fibrosis with METAVIR scores up to A2F2. While most healthy hepatic tissue showed T2 values below 14 ms, these lesions were characterized by a T2 greater than 16 ms. The area fraction of increased T2 correlated (rS = 0.83) with the area fraction of Sirius Red stained collagen in histological sections. A continuous liver T2* decrease was also measured while brown pigments in macrophages were detected at histology. These findings suggest accumulation of hematin in infected livers. Conclusions/Significance Our multiparametric MRI approach confirms that this murine model replicates hepatic and splenic manifestations of human intestinal schistosomiasis. Quantitative T2 mapping proved sensitive to assess liver fibrogenesis non-invasively and may therefore constitute an objective imaging biomarker for treatment monitoring in diseases involving hepatic fibrosis.
Knockdown of FoxP2 alters spine density in Area X of the zebra finch

Mutations in the gene encoding the transcription factor FoxP2 impair human speech and language. We have previously shown that deficits in vocal learning occur in zebra finches after reduction of FoxP2 in Area X, a striatal nucleus involved in song acquisition. We recently showed that FoxP2 is expressed in newly generated spiny neurons (SN) in adult Area X as well as in the ventricular zone (VZ) from which the SN originates. Moreover, their recruitment to Area X increases transiently during the song learning phase. The present report therefore investigated whether FoxP2 is involved in the structural plasticity of Area X. We assessed the proliferation, differentiation and morphology of SN after lentivirally mediated knockdown of FoxP2 in Area X or in the VZ during the song learning phase. Proliferation rate was not significantly affected by knockdown of FoxP2 in the VZ. In addition, FoxP2 reduction both in the VZ and in Area X did not affect the number of new neurons in Area X. However, at the fine‐structural level, SN in Area X bore fewer spines after FoxP2 knockdown. This effect was even more pronounced when neurons received the knockdown before differentiation, i.e. as neuroblasts in the VZ. These results suggest that FoxP2 might directly or indirectly regulate spine dynamics in Area X and thereby influence song plasticity. Together, these data present the first evidence for a role of FoxP2 in the structural plasticity of dendritic spines and complement the emerging evidence of physiological synaptic plasticity in FoxP2 mouse models.
Fiscal policy, business cycles and discretion: evidence from the Western Balkans

Abstract While previous research has examined the macroeconomic performance of the New Member States during the boom–bust cycle of the 2000s, very little has been written on the experience of the Western Balkans. In this article we investigate the responsiveness of fiscal policy to business cycles in the Western Balkans, examining whether expenditure moved counter-cyclically and whether a larger proportion of expenditure was ‘discretionary’; that is, related to the political cycle rather than economic conditions. Our results suggest that fiscal policy did not move counter-cyclically in the Western Balkans. Instead, countries overspent in the boom years and then reduced spending as a result of financing constraints during the crisis. Furthermore, the discretionary component of fiscal policy, defined here as spending unexplained by inertia and economic conditions, appears to be somewhat larger in the Western Balkans than in the European Union. This has important policy implications that affect the effectiveness of fiscal policy in dampening economic fluctuations.
Analisis Pengaruh Pertumbuhan Pembiayaan Modal Kerja, Investasi dan Konsumsi Pada Perbankan Umum Syariah Terhadap Pertumbuhan Produk Domestik Regional Bruto (PDRB) Kalimantan Barat Periode 2009-2013

Islamic banking has an important role in stimulating the economy because of the intermediaryfunction performed. Improved economy is reflected in the value of the Gross Regional DomesticProduct (GRDP) of an area / region. Distribution of funding performed Islamic banking is givenbased on the purpose and use of the funds are classified into financing for working capital,investment and consumption. This research was to determine (1) the effect of the growth ofworking capital financing (MK), investment (I), and consumption in Islamic commercial bankingon growth GRDP West Kalimantan. (2) Determine which variables are the most dominantinfluence on GRDP growth in West Kalimantan. Sources of data working capital financing,investment and consumption of Islamic banking statistics obtained from Bank Indonesia whilethe GRDP data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of West Kalimantan. The analyticalmethods used were multiple linear regression with a significance level of 0.05. The results of thisresearch indicate that (1) the growth of working capital financing, investment and consumptionin Islamic commercial banking simultaneously the effect on the GRDP growth in WestKalimantan. Partially, on the financing of investment and consumption variables there aresignificant positive effect on GRDP growth West Kalimantan. However, variable financing forworking capital of individual negative and not significant. 2) The most dominant variable effecton the GRDP growth is financing consumption, followed by financing investment and workingcapital. The value of the coefficient of determination Adjusted R2 of 0.489, it means that thefinancing of working capital, investment, and consumption of Islamic commercial banking affectGRDP growth of 48.9 percent. While the rest influenced by other variables not included in thisstudy. Keywords: Islamic banking, Gross Regional Domestic Product, working capital financing,investment, consumption.
Mechanisms of hyperthermia‐induced depression of GABAergic synaptic transmission in the immature rat hippocampus

Clinical observations and experimental studies have shown that hyperthermia can provoke febrile seizures, which are the most common type of pathological brain activity in children. We previously demonstrated that hyperthermia produced a depression of GABAergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus of immature rats in vitro. To investigate the possible mechanisms through which hyperthermia may modulate GABAergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus, whole‐cell voltage clamp recordings were performed on CA1 pyramidal neurons in the immature rat brain slices. We found that hyperthermia (38.4–40°C) when compared with baseline temperature of 32°C reduced the frequency of both spontaneous inhibitory post‐synaptic currents (sIPSCs) and miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs). Also, hyperthermia decreased the amplitudes of mIPSCs and reduced the mIPSC decay time constants and charge transfer. Non‐stationary noise analysis of mIPSCs suggested that the number of open post‐synaptic receptors but not single channel conductance was reduced during hyperthermia. Activation of adenylyl cyclase with forskolin prevented, whereas protein kinase A inhibitor N‐(2‐[p‐bromocinnamylamino]ethyl)‐5‐isoquinolinesulfonamide potentiated, the hyperthermia (40°C)‐induced depression of evoked IPSCs (evIPSCs). But protein kinase C activator phorbol 12, 13‐dibutyrate (PDBu) did not significantly affect this depression of evIPSCs induced by hyperthermia. Furthermore, hyperthermia‐induced depression of evIPSCs was attenuated by 4‐aminopyridine, but not by BaCl2. These results suggest that hyperthermia reduces GABA release from pre‐synaptic terminals, in part by blocking the adenylyl cyclase–protein kinase A signaling pathway and activating pre‐synaptic 4‐aminopyridine‐sensitive K+ channels. Also, the changes in amplitude and decay time constant of the mIPSCs may suggest that hyperthermia also decreases post‐synaptic GABAA receptor function.
Adaptations of glutamatergic synapses in the striatum contribute to recovery from cerebellar damage

Recent findings proposed that the cerebellum and the striatum, key structures in motor control, are more interconnected than commonly believed, and that the cerebellum may influence striatal activity. In the present study, the possible changes of synaptic transmission in the striatum of hemicerebellectomized rats have been investigated. Neurophysiological recordings showed a significant facilitation of glutamate transmission in the contralateral striatum occurring early following hemicerebellectomy. This process of synaptic adaptation appears to be relevant for the compensation of cerebellar deficits. Accordingly, pharmacological blockade of glutamate N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors with MK‐801 prevented the rearrangement of excitatory synapses in the striatum and interfered with the recovery from motor disturbances in rats with cerebellar lesions. Hemicerebellectomy also perturbed γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission in contralateral but not ipsilateral striatum. The present findings advance the role of striatal excitatory transmission in the compensation of cerebellar deficits, providing support to the notion that adaptations of striatal function exert a role in the recovery of cerebellar symptoms.
Altered Rous sarcoma virus Gag polyprotein processing and its effects on particle formation

Proteolytic processing of the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) Gag precursor was altered in vivo through the introduction of amino acid substitutions into either the polyprotein cleavage junctions or the PR coding sequence. Single amino acid substitutions (V(P2)S and P(P4)G), which are predicted from in vitro peptide substrate cleavage data to decrease the rate of release of PR from the Gag polyprotein, were placed in the NC portion of the NC-PR junction. These substitutions do not affect the efficiency of release of virus-like particles from COS cells even though recovered particles contain significant amounts of uncleaved Pr76gag in addition to mature viral proteins. Single amino acid substitutions (A(P3)F and S(P1)Y), which increase the rate of PR release from Gag, also do not affect budding of virus-like particles from cells. Substitution of the inefficiently cleaved MA-p2 junction sequence in Gag by eight amino acids from the rapidly cleaved NC-PR sequence resulted in a significant increase in cleavage at the new MA-p2 junction, but again without an effect on budding. However, decreased budding was observed when the A(P3)F or S(P1)Y substitution was included in the NC-PR junction sequence between the MA and p2 proteins. A budding defect was also caused by substitution into Gag of a PR subunit containing three amino acid substitutions (R105P, G106V, and S107N) in the substrate binding pocket that increase the catalytic activity of PR. The defect appears to be the result of premature proteolytic processing that could be rescued by inactivating PR through substitution of a serine for the catalytic aspartic acid residue. This budding defect was also rescued by single amino acid substitutions in the NC-PR cleavage site which decrease the rate of release of PR from Gag. A similar budding defect was caused by replacing the Gag PR with two PR subunits covalently linked by four glycine residues. In contrast to the defect caused by the triply substituted PR, the budding defect observed with the linked PR dimer could not be rescued by NC-PR cleavage site mutations, suggesting that PR dimerization is a limiting step in the maturation process. Overall, these results are consistent with a model in which viral protein maturation occurs after PR subunits are released from the Gag polyprotein.
Plasma, salivary and urinary cotinine in non-smoker Italian women exposed and unexposed to environmental tobacco smoking (SEASD study)

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to compare cotinine determinations in three biological fluids for assessing environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in female non-smokers (n=1605) in Italy. Methods: Information about ETS exposure at home, in the workplace, and in other places within the previous week was collected via questionnaire. Plasma, salivary and urinary cotinine levels were measured. Cotinine levels of ≥0.1ng/mL for plasma, ≥0.2ng/mL for saliva, and ≥0.5ng/mL for urine were used to determine biochemical exposure. Results: Median cotinine levels were significantly higher in exposed than in unexposed women (0.21 vs. 0.05ng/mL in plasma, 0.80 vs. 0.41ng/mL in saliva, and 9.74 vs. 5.30ng/mL in urine). Self-reported ETS exposure was significantly related to biochemical exposure [odds ratio 2.99, (95% CI 2.40–3.72) for plasma; 1.90 (1.51–2.39) for saliva; and 2.67 (2.14–3.34) for urine]. Cotinine significantly increased with increasing exposure level, regardless of the exposure source. Among self-reported exposed subjects, higher percentages of cotinine level above the cut-off, i.e., indicating exposure, were found in saliva (76%) and urine (75%) than in plasma (52%). Conclusions: In general, women correctly reported their ETS exposure status. Both non-invasive salivary and urinary cotinine determinations seem preferable in epidemiological studies, in view of their higher sensitivity, when compared to plasma cotinine.
Androgen receptor: A key molecule in the progression of prostate cancer to hormone independence

Despite earlier detection and recent advances in surgery and radiation, prostate cancer is second only to lung cancer in male cancer deaths in the United States. Hormone therapy in the form of medical or surgical castration remains the mainstay of systemic treatment in prostate cancer. Over the last 15 years with the clinical use of prostate specific antigen (PSA), there has been a shift to using hormone therapy earlier in the disease course and for longer duration. Despite initial favorable response to hormone therapy, over a period of time these tumors will develop androgen‐independence that results in death. The androgen receptor (AR) is central to the initiation and growth of prostate cancer and to its response to hormone therapy. Analyses have shown that AR continues to be expressed in androgen‐independent tumors and AR signaling remains intact as demonstrated by the expression of the AR regulated gene, PSA. Androgen‐independent prostate cancers have demonstrated a variety of AR alterations that are either not found in hormone naïve tumors or found at lower frequency. These changes include AR amplification, AR point mutation, and changes in expression of AR co‐regulatory proteins. These AR changes result in a “super AR” that can respond to lower concentrations of androgens or to a wider variety of agonistic ligands. There is also mounting evidence that AR can be activated in a ligand independent fashion by compounds such as growth factors or cytokines working independently or in combination. These growth factors working through receptor tyrosine kinase pathways may promote AR activation and growth in low androgen environments. The clinical significance of these AR alterations in the development and progression of androgen‐independent prostate cancer remains to be determined. Understanding the changes in AR signaling in the evolution of androgen‐independent prostate cancer will be key to the development of more effective hormone therapy. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Morphology of inhibitory and excitatory interneurons in superficial laminae of the rat dorsal horn

If we are to stand any chance of understanding the circuitry of the superficial dorsal horn, it is imperative that we can identify which classes of interneuron are excitatory and which are inhibitory. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the morphology of an interneuron and its postsynaptic action. We used in vitro slice preparations of the rat spinal cord to characterize and label interneurons in laminae I–III with Neurobiotin. Labelled cells (n= 19) were reconstructed in 3D with Neurolucida and classified according to the scheme proposed by Grudt & Perl (2002) . We determined if cells were inhibitory or excitatory by reacting their axon terminals with antibodies to reveal glutamate decrboxylase (for GABAergic cells) or the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (for glutamatergic cells). All five islet cells retrieved were inhibitory. Of the six vertical (stalked) cells analysed, four were excitatory and, surprisingly, two were inhibitory. It was noted that these inhibitory cells had axonal projections confined to lamina II whereas excitatory vertical cells projected to lamina I and II. Of the remaining neurons, three were radial cells (2 inhibitory, 1 excitatory), two were antennae cells (1 inhibitory, 1 excitatory), one was an inhibitory central cell and the remaining two were unclassifiable excitatory cells. Our hypothesis appears to be correct only for islet cells. Other classes of cells have mixed actions, and in the case of vertical cells, the axonal projection appears to be a more important determinant of postsynaptic action.
Small‐Conductance Calcium‐Activated Potassium Channels

ABSTRACT: SK channels play a fundamental role in all excitable cells. SK channels are potassium selective and are activated by an increase in the level of intracellular calcium, such as occurs during an action potential. Their activation causes membrane hyperpolarization, which inhibits cell firing and limits the firing frequency of repetetive action potentials. The intracellular calcium increase evoked by action potential firing decays slowly, allowing SK channel activation to generate a long‐lasting hyperpolarization termed the slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP). This spike‐frequency adaptation protects the cell from the deleterious effects of continuous tetanic activity and is essential for normal neurotransmission. Slow AHPs can be classified into two groups, based on sensitivity to the bee venom toxin apamin. In general, apamin‐sensitive sAHPs activate rapidly following a single action potential and decay with a time constant of approximately 150 ms. In contrast, apamin‐insensitive sAHPs rise slowly and decay with a time constant of approximately 1.5 s. The basis for this kinetic difference is not yet understood. Apamin‐sensitive and apamin‐insensitive SK channels have recently been cloned. This chapter will compare with different classes of sAHPs, discuss the cloned SK channels and how they are gated by calcium ions, describe the molecular basis for their different pharmacologies, and review the possible role of SK channels in several pathological conditions.
Functional characterization of a U5 ribozyme: intracellular suppression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 expression

We have designed a ribozyme that cleaves human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA in U5 (at nucleotide +115). This ribozyme was tested in vitro and was found to give efficient and specific digestion of RNA containing the HIV-1 U5 sequence. When the U5 ribozyme was placed into the HIV-1 genome, virus replication was suppressed in tissue culture. Introduction of this ribozyme into cells by using an amphotropic retrovirus vector significantly reduced expression of U5-containing RNA in cells chronically infected with HIV-1. Naive T cells were cocultivated with packaging cells that produce defective amphotropic retroviruses containing the U5 ribozyme. These lymphocytes were found to be partially protected from HIV-1 infection.