Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complete nucleotide sequence of a highly divergent human T-cell leukemia (lymphotropic) virus type I (HTLV-I) variant from melanesia: genetic and phylogenetic relationship to HTLV-I strains from other geographical regions

The high prevalences of antibodies against human T-cell leukemia (lymphotropic) virus type I (HTLV-I) reported for remote populations in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and for some aboriginal populations in Australia have been verified by virus isolation. Limited genetic analysis of the transmembrane portion (gp21) of the envelope gene of these viruses indicates the existence of highly divergent HTLV-I strains in Melanesia. Here, we report the complete nucleotide sequence of an HTLV-I isolate (designated HTLV-IMEL5) from the Solomon Islands. The overall nucleotide divergence of HTLV-IMEL5 from the prototype HTLV-IATK was approximately 8.5%. The degree of variability in the amino acid sequences of structural genes ranged between 3 and 11% and was higher (8.5 to 25%) for the regulatory (tax and rex) genes and the other genes encoded by the pX region. Since HTLV-IMEL5 was as distantly related to HTLV-II as to the other known HTLV-I strains, it could not have arisen from a reocmbinational event involving HTLV-II but rather might be an example of independent viral evolution in this remote population. These data provide important insights and raise new questions about the origin and global dissemination of HTLV-I.
Basal ganglia and thalamic input from neurons located within the ventral tier cell cluster region of the substantia nigra pars compacta in the rat

The most caudally located dopaminergic (DA) ventral tier neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) form typical cell clusters that are deeply embedded in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr). Here we examine the efferent projections of 35 neurons located in the SNr region where these SNc cell clusters reside. The neuronal cell body was injected with biotinylated dextran amine so as to trace each complete axon in the sagittal or the coronal plane. Electrophysiological guidance guaranteed that the tracer was ejected among neurons displaying a typical SNc discharge pattern. Furthermore, double immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical labeling ensured that the tracer deposits were placed within the DA cell clusters. Three types of projection neurons occurred in the SNc ventral tier cell cluster region: type I neurons, projecting to basal ganglia; type II neurons, targeting both the basal ganglia and thalamus; and type III neurons, projecting only to the thalamus. The striatum was targeted by most of the type I and II neurons and the innervation reached both the striosome/subcallosal streak and matrix compartments. Many nigrostriatal fibers provided collaterals to the globus pallidus and, less frequently, to the subthalamic nucleus. At a thalamic level, type II and III neurons preferentially targeted the reticular, ventral posterolateral, and ventral medial nuclei. Our results reveal that the SNr region where DA ventral tier cell clusters reside harbors neurons projecting to the basal ganglia and/or the thalamus, thus suggesting that neurodegeneration of nigral neurons in Parkinson′s disease might affect various extrastriatal basal ganglia structures and multiple thalamic nuclei. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:1283–1300, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Low Voltage, Low Power, Inverter-Based Switched-Capacitor Delta-Sigma Modulator

An operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) is a major building block and consumes most of the power in switched-capacitor (SC) circuits, but it is difficult to design low-voltage OTAs in scaled CMOS technologies. Instead of using an OTA, this paper proposes an inverter-based SC circuit and its application to low-voltage, low-power delta-sigma (DeltaSigma) modulators. Detailed analysis and design optimizations are also provided. Three inverter-based DeltaSigma modulators are implemented for an implantable pacemaker, a CMOS image sensor, and an audio codec. The modulator-I for an implantable pacemaker achieves 65-dB peak-SNDR for 120-Hz bandwidth consuming 0.73 muW with 1.5 V supply. The modulator-II for a CMOS image sensor implemented with 320-channel parallel ADC architecture achieves 63-dB peak-SNDR for 8-kHz bandwidth consuming 5.6 muW for each channel with 1.2-V supply. The modulator-III for an audio codec achieves 81-dB peak-SNDR with 20-kHz bandwidth consuming 36 muW with 0.7-V supply. The prototype DeltaSigma modulators achieved high power efficiency maintaining sufficient performances for practical applications.
Stimulation of proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells by a transfected splice variant of growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor

Recent evidence indicates that growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) functions as an autocrine/paracrine growth factor for various human cancers. A splice variant (SV) of the full-length receptor for GHRH (GHRHR) is widely expressed in various primary human cancers and established cancer cell lines and appears to mediate the proliferative effects of GHRH. To investigate in greater detail the role of SV1 in tumorigenesis, we have expressed the full-length GHRHR and its SV1 in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells that do not possess either GHRHR or SV1. In accordance with previous findings, the expression of both GHRHR and SV1 restored the sensitivity to GHRH-induced stimulation of cell proliferation, with SV1 being more potent than the GHRHR. Furthermore, MCF-7 cells transfected with SV1 proliferated more quickly than the controls, even in the absence of exogenously added GHRH, suggesting the existence of intrinsic, ligand-independent activity of SV1 after its transfection. In agreement with the stimulation of cell proliferation, the levels of proliferation markers cyclin D1, cyclin E, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen were elevated in MCF-7 cells treated with GHRH, cultured in both serum-free and serum-containing media. In addition, SV1 caused a considerable stimulation of the ability of MCF-7 cells to grow in semisolid medium, an assay considered diagnostic for cell transformation. Collectively, our findings show that the expression of SV1 confers oncogenic activity and provide further evidence that GHRH operates as a growth factor in breast cancer and probably other cancers as well.
Achieving a healthy lifestyle among United States adults: a long way to go.

OBJECTIVE The United States population has been advised to engage in various healthy lifestyle factors known to be associated with reduced morbidity and mortality from various chronic conditions. These include not smoking, adequate fruit and vegetable intake, adequate physical activity, and normal body weight. Little is known about the prevalence of United States adults who engage in all four of these behaviors, however. DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING The third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). PARTICIPANTS 16,176 participants aged > or = 21 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Percentage of participants engaging in four healthy lifestyle factors. RESULTS Overall, 6.8% of the US population engaged in all four healthy lifestyle factors. Women were more likely than men (P = .001), and Whites and participants of "other race or ethnicity" were more likely than African Americans and Mexican Americans to engage in all four healthy lifestyle factors. A significant positive educational gradient was also evident (P for linear trend <.001). The highest percentages of participants engaging in all four lifestyle factors occurred among men (15.8%) and women (18.4%) of "other" race who had at least 13 years of education. The lowest percentages were observed for White men (1.1%) and African-American women (0.9%) with little education. CONCLUSIONS The small proportion of US adults engaging in four healthy lifestyle factors demonstrates the enormity of the task that awaits the public health community in persuading Americans to adopt a multidimensional healthy lifestyle.
Changes in Knowledge and Beliefs About Human Papillomavirus and Cervical Cancer Screening Intervals in Low-Income Women After an Educational Intervention

Introduction: Women have been reluctant to adopt longer than annual intervals for cervical cancer screening, despite guidelines recommending screening every 3 to 5 years. Our study assessed patient knowledge and beliefs about human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer screening after exposure to an educational intervention, and whether there was a change in time regarding knowledge and beliefs among all study participants in an underserved population. Method: The study was conducted in 15 clinics associated with 6 Federally Qualified Health Centers in Illinois, USA. Cervical cancer screening patients (n = 644) completed a baseline and postintervention follow-up survey. The intervention included an HPV test and an educational pamphlet. Significance testing of changes in knowledge and beliefs was conducted with multilevel, mixed-effects models adjusting for repeated measures of patients and clustering within clinics. Results: No significant differences in study outcomes were found between the intervention and control groups. Among all women, knowledge of HPV significantly improved over time. At follow-up, fewer women reported that having a co-test is good, wise, will give you peace of mind, will tell you whether you need to worry if Pap is abnormal, is something your doctor thinks you should have, and will give you the best care available. More women said it would be bad, useless, or worrying to wait 3 years for a Pap test at follow-up. Conclusion: HPV knowledge improved over time, but the educational intervention utilized in this study was not successful in improving attitudes and beliefs about co-testing and longer screening intervals, and beliefs about HPV co-testing and 3-year screening intervals were less favorable. Having health care providers discuss the consequences of overscreening and the natural history of HPV and cervical cancer with their patients may help increase adherence to longer screening intervals. Further examination of the essential components for educational intervention in this population is warranted.
Mental Health Treatment Dropout and Its Correlates in a General Population Sample

Background:Dropping out of mental health treatment prematurely may affect treatment outcome. However, we have limited knowledge about the epidemiology of mental health treatment dropout. The objectives of this analysis were to estimate the rates of dropout in individuals who had received mental health treatment provided by different health professionals and to identify factors associated with mental health treatment dropout. Methods:Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health–Well-being were used. Participants who had used mental health services in the past 12 months were included in the analysis (n = 3556). The percentages dropping out of mental health treatment provided by various health professionals were estimated. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with treatment dropout. Results:The overall rate of dropout from mental health treatment in the past 12 months was 22.3%. Participants who had used services provided by family doctors/general practitioners had the lowest rate of dropout (11.8%). The dropout rate was 22.7% in those who were treated by psychiatrists and was 21.9% in participants who had seen psychologists. Young (15–25 years), nonwhite and individuals who reported having had a mood disorder or having had substance dependence were more likely to terminate treatment prematurely. Conclusions:In Canada, a large percentage of individuals who use mental health services prematurely terminate their treatment. Clinical factors may play important roles in treatment dropout. Patients with substance dependence and those with mood disorders have a high risk of treatment dropout.
Improved Nyquist Filters with piecewise rectangular-sine frequency characteristics

This paper describes and investigates design consideration for a new family of Improved Nyquist Filters (INFs), with a focus on the inter-symbol interference (ISI) performance as compared to several recently proposed pulses. The characteristic property of the novel family of ISI-free pulses generated by the proposed filters is the asymptotic decay rate of t-2. We present a new solution for the design of Nyquist pulses based on a piecewise rectangular-sine frequency characteristic. Analytical and simulation results are presented to show that improvements in terms of error probability can be achieved in the presence of symbol timing error for the same values of the roll-off factor, timing jitter, signal to noise ratio and number of interfering pulses, as compared to previously reported pulses taken as a reference.
Exposure to airborne microorganisms and endotoxin in a potato processing plant.

Microbiological air sampling was performed in a big potato processing plant located in eastern Poland. Air samples for determination of concentrations of microorganisms, dust and endotoxin were collected at 6 sites in the division producing potato flakes and meal from dried potato pulp and at 2 sites in the division producing potato syrup from imported starch. The concentrations of total airborne microorganisms were within a range of 28.3-93.1 x 10(3) cfu/m(3). Mesophilic bacteria were dominant at all sampling sites, forming 73.1-98.8% of the total count. Among them, distinctly prevailed corynebacteria (irregular Gram-positive rods) that accounted for 54.3-81.1% of the total airborne microflora. The most common were strains of Corynebacterium spp. , followed by strains of Arthrobacter spp. , Microbacterium spp. , and Agromyces ramosus. The latter species, so far not reported from the air of occupational environments, abundantly develops in the parenchyma of potato tubers. Its airborne concentration increased rapidly after peeling of potatoes, and attained maximal values at cutting and blanching (steaming and sulfuration) of potatoes, and at sacking of potato meal. The proportions of Gram-negative bacteria and endospore-forming bacilli were low, respectively 0.6-7.6% and 2.0-8.1% of total count. Fungi constituted 1.2-26.9% of total count. The dominant species was Aspergillus niger that formed 99.8% of total airborne fungi. The values of the respirable fraction of airborne microflora varied between 25.3-73.2%. The concentrations of airborne dust were 1.4-26.6 mg/m(3) in the division producing potato flakes and meal and 114.9-200.5 mg/m(3) at pouring of potato and corn starch for syrup. The concentrations of airborne endotoxin were in the range of 0.011-0.089 microg/m(3) during the initial stages of potato processing (unloading, washing, peeling) and drastically increased after blanching to the extraordinarily high levels of 45.9-1893.9 microg/m(3). At pouring of starch for syrup, the concentrations of airborne endotoxin were much lower, within a range of 0.029-0.156 microg/m(3). In conclusion, the workers of potato processing facilities could be exposed to large concentrations of microorganisms, dust and endotoxin posing a risk of work-related respiratory disease.
Pushing the Future Back: The Impact of Policy Uncertainty on the Market Pricing of Future Earnings

We examine whether policy uncertainty triggered by presidential elections pushes the future back by reducing the extent to which current prices reflect information about future earnings. We estimate future earnings response coefficients (FERCs) for the years 1975–2013, a period that covers ten presidential elections. We find that FERCs are significantly lower (by 11.8%) during presidential election years compared to other years. Additional analyses using pseudo election years, ex‐ante polls, contract prices from the Iowa Electronic Political Market, and cross‐sectional firm characteristics provide corroborating evidence that the lower FERCs during election years are related to policy uncertainty. We also investigate potential explanations for the lower FERCs during election years. We find that the lower FERCs relate to forecasting difficulty rather than to changes in the discount rate or in the amount of noise trading. Finally, we find that market prices move toward future earnings to a greater degree during presidential election years compared with other years once the policy uncertainty is resolved. A trading strategy based on this drift yields significant abnormal returns. Overall, we contribute to the literature by providing the first empirical evidence that shocks to policy uncertainty influence the pricing of earnings information.
The ramification and connections of retinal fibres in layer 7 of the domestic chick optic tectum: a Golgi impregnation, anterograde tracer and GABA‐immunogold study

Layer 7 is one of the retinorecipient layers of the avian optic tectum. However, little information is available about the neuronal organization of this layer and its implications for visual function. Golgi impregnation was used to investigate the retinal input to and the neuronal architecture of layer 7 of the chick optic tectum, which forms a narrow band between the two cell‐dense layers 6 and 8. Anterograde tracers were also used to investigate the afferent and efferent connections of layer 7, in both the light and the electron microscope, together with GABA immunogold labelling. Three types of radial neuron were defined according to the origin and course of their axons. The perikarya of these neurons were situated in tectal layers 10–11. The principal dendrites of these radial neurons ascended to the tectal surface and gave rise to dendritic side‐branches in layer 7. These dendritic side‐branches received asymmetric synapses from the terminations of retinal fibre arborisations. Type 2 radial neurons, whose axons arose from the deep pole of the perikaryon or occasionally from a basal dendrite, were shown to project to the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis, which has previously been demonstrated to be GABAergic and to project to glomerulus‐like complexes in tectal layers 4–5. In these layers, the dendritic branches of layer 13 neurons that project to the nucleus rotundus have previously been shown to receive retinal fibre input. Therefore, the retinal input to layer 7 may be able to modulate the transmission of information to the visual thalamus, by way of a feedback loop to layers 4–5 of the tectum involving the nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis.
Transbronchial needle aspiration in diagnosing intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the role of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) in diagnosing intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis (TB-LA). METHODS In a tertiary referral center for thoracic medicine and surgery, using a CT scan as a guide, transbronchial aspirates were obtained with a 19-gauge flexible histology needle in consecutively enrolled patients with sputum smears negative for acid-fast bacilli, and with isolated mediastinal or hilar adenopathy suspicious for tuberculosis (TB). RESULTS Of 84 eligible patients who were all found to be HIV-negative, 63 (75%) cases of TB were diagnosed by TBNA (histology, 48 patients [76%]; cytology, 9 patients [14%]; and bacteriologic studies, 21 patients [33%; smear, 8 patients; culture, 17 patients]). TBNA was used to diagnose sarcoidosis in two patients, angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy in one patient, and Hodgkin lymphoma in one patient. In the 17 TBNA-negative patients, the results of transthoracic needle aspiration were positive in 12 patients (TB, nine patients; lung cancer, two patients; sarcoidosis, one patient), the results of mediastinoscopy were positive in three patients (TB, two patients; Hodgkin lymphoma, one patient), and the results of thoracotomy were positive in two patients (TB, two patients). Thus, 76 patients had TB, and all responded to anti-TB treatment. TB was corroborated by culture or histology of another specimen obtained from subsequently developed lesions in 40 patients (53%) during anti-TB treatment or posttreatment follow-up. TBNA was immediately diagnostic in 59 patients (78%), and exclusively in 52 patients (68%), among all bronchoscopic procedures and prebronchoscopic sputum studies. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of TBNA for TB were 83%, 100%, 100%, 38%, and 85%, respectively. The only complication, self-limiting hemorrhage of < 30 mL volume, occurred in 65 patients (77%), with a volume of < 5 mL in 59 patients (70%). CONCLUSION TBNA is efficient and safe in the bacteriologic and pathologic diagnosis of intrathoracic TB-LA in HIV-negative and sputum smear-negative patients.
Deficient relational binding processes in adolescents with psychosis: Evidence from impaired memory for source and temporal context

Introduction. Findings from the literature consistently revealed episodic memory deficits in adolescents with psychosis. However, the nature of the dysfunction remains unclear. Based on a cognitive neuropsychological approach, a theoretically driven paradigm was used to generate valid interpretations about the underlying memory processes impaired in these patients. Methods. A total of 16 inpatient adolescents with psychosis and 19 individually matched controls were assessed using an experimental task designed to measure memory for source and temporal context of studied words. Retrospective confidence judgements for source and temporal context responses were also assessed. Results. On word recognition, patients had more difficulty than controls discriminating target words from neutral distractors. In addition, patients identified both source and temporal context features of recognised items less often than controls. Confidence judgements analyses revealed that the difference between the proportions of correct and incorrect responses made with high confidence was lower in patients than in controls. In addition, the proportion of high-confident responses that were errors was higher in patients compared to controls. Conclusions. These findings suggest impaired relational binding processes in adolescents with psychosis, resulting in a difficulty to create unified memory representations. Our findings on retrospective confidence data point to impaired monitoring of retrieved information that may also impair memory performance in these individuals.
d‐Amino acid oxidase‐mediated increase in spinal hydrogen peroxide is mainly responsible for formalin‐induced tonic pain

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Spinal reactive oxygen species (ROS) are critically involved in chronic pain. d‐Amino acid oxidase (DAAO) oxidizes d‐amino acids such as d‐serine to form the byproduct hydrogen peroxide without producing other ROS. DAAO inhibitors are specifically analgesic in tonic pain, neuropathic pain and cancer pain. This study examined the role of spinal hydrogen peroxide in pain and the mechanism of the analgesic effects of DAAO inhibitors.
Incisal overjet as an outcome measure in unilateral cleft lip and palate management.

The Goslon Yardstick is a clinical tool used to rank dental study casts of persons with cleft lip and palate in the late mixed or early permanent dentition into one of five categories. It has been successfully used to investigate the outcomes of the surgical treatment of these anomalies as well as the effects of these deformities on untreated individuals. In this study, 40 study casts ranked by the Goslon Yardstick were digitized using a reflex metrograph. The overjet, overbite, and incisal angulation, and the crossbites of the canines and molars were calculated for each of the sets of casts. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the predictive value of these variables upon the Goslon scores. The overjet was found to explain 87% of the variance of the Goslon score (p < .0001). No other component had a significant predictive value. The range of overjet associated with the different Goslon scores was calculated from the regression equation. In conclusion, the advantages of using overjet as an indicator of outcome as an alternative to the Goslon Yardstick were discussed.