Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethnicity Differences in Genetic Susceptibility to Ulcerative Colitis: A Comparison of Indian Asians and White Northern Europeans

Background:Studies in Caucasian populations have identified a number of genetic associations with ulcerative colitis (UC), but reports from other ethnic groups have been limited. Recent studies from India have reported an association with UC and a single polymorphism (SNP) in CARD15/NOD2 (SNP5, rs2066842), which has not been reported in Caucasian UC cohorts. In addition, strong genetic associations with SNPs in the HLA region have been reported in Indian UC populations. However, there have been no reports on the frequency of HLA class II alleles in Indian populations with inflammatory bowel disease to examine whether the associations differ from other ethnic populations. Methods:Genotyping was performed for 137 Indian UC patients for HLA class II alleles (HLA-DRB1*1502 & HLA-DRB1*0103), IL23R (rs11209026), and CARD15/NOD2 (rs2066842). The genetic data were compared with 204 healthy Indian controls and 50 white European UC patients. Results:The HLA-DRB1*0103 allele was absent in all Indian UC patients and controls in contrast to white European UC patients (9/50: 18%). The HLA-DRB1*1502 allele was significantly more frequent in the Indian UC cohort (29.2%) than controls (17.6%) (P = 0.04) and the allele was absent in the white European cohort. There were no significant differences in the frequency of the CARD15/NOD2 (rs2066842) variant or IL23R (rs11209026) between the different ethnic groups. Conclusions:The HLA-DRB1*0103 allele is rare or absent in the Indian Asian population but HLA-DRB1*1502 is positively associated with UC. Further genetic studies in this population could provide valuable information and may help distinguish the degree of influence of genetic and environmental pathogenic factors.
Yeast open reading frame YCR14C encodes a DNA beta-polymerase-like enzyme.

We have shown by activity gel that overexpression in E. coli of a yeast chromosome 3 open reading frame (ORF) designated YCR14C and bearing homology to mammalian DNA polymerases beta results in a new DNA polymerase in the host cells. The molecular mass of this enzyme corresponded to the YCR14C-predicted 67 kDa protein, and NH2-terminal amino acid sequencing confirmed that the expressed protein was encoded by the yeast ORF. This new yeast DNA polymerase was purified to homogeneity from E.coli. In a fashion similar to that of mammalian beta-polymerases, the purified yeast enzyme exhibited distributive DNA synthesis on DNA substrate with a single-stranded template and processive gap-filling synthesis on a short-gapped DNA substrate. Activity of this yeast beta-polymerase-like enzyme was sensitive to the beta-polymerase inhibitor ddNTP and resistant to both 1 mM NEM and neutralizing antibody to E. coli DNA polymerase I. These results, therefore, indicate that YCR14C encodes a DNA beta-polymerase-like enzyme in yeast, and we name it DNA polymerase IV. Yeast strains harboring a deletion mutation of the pol IV gene are viable, they exhibit no increase in sensitivity to ultraviolet light, ionizing radiation or alkylating agents, and sporulation and spore viability are not affected in the mutant.
An Arabidopsis thaliana Thionin Gene Is Inducible via a Signal Transduction Pathway Different from That for Pathogenesis-Related Proteins

Two cDNAs encoding thionin preproproteins have been isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana. The corresponding genes have been designated Thi2.1 and Thi2.2. Southern blot analysis suggests that A. thaliana most probably contains single genes for both thionins. Thi2.2 transcripts have a low basal level in seedlings and show circadian variation. Thi2.2 transcripts were also detected in rosette leaves. No potent elicitors have been found for the Thi2.2 gene. Transcripts of the Thi2.1 gene are not detectable in seedlings but are present in rosette leaves and at a very high level in flowers and in siliques. The expression of the Thi2.1 gene is highly inducible in seedlings by pathogens, silver nitrate, and methyl jasmonate, but not by salicylate, indicating that the gene is induced by a signal transduction pathway that is at least partly different from that for the pathogenesis-related proteins.
Randomized controlled trial of a web-delivered personalized normative feedback intervention to reduce alcohol-related risky sexual behavior among college students.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of personalized normative feedback (PNF) on college student alcohol-related risky sexual behavior (RSB). METHOD In a randomized controlled trial, 480 (57.6% female) sexually active college students were stratified by gender and level of drinking and randomly assigned to an alcohol-only intervention, an alcohol-related RSB-only intervention, a combined alcohol and alcohol-related RSB intervention, or control. All assessment and intervention procedures were Web-based. RESULTS Results indicated a significant reduction in drinking outcomes for the alcohol only and the combined alcohol and alcohol-related RSB interventions relative to control. Findings further demonstrated a significant reduction in alcohol-related RSB outcomes for the alcohol-related RSB only and the combined alcohol and alcohol-related RSB interventions relative to control. There were no significant intervention effects on alcohol-related negative consequences. These findings demonstrate that the combined alcohol and alcohol-related RSB intervention was the only intervention successful at reducing both drinking and alcohol-related RSB outcomes relative to control. There were no significant differences when comparing the combined alcohol and alcohol-related RSB intervention to the alcohol-only intervention or the alcohol-related RSB-only intervention. Finally, results suggested that the intervention effects on high-risk behaviors were mediated by reductions in descriptive normative perceptions. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that PNF specific to drinking in sexual situations was needed to reduce alcohol-related RSB. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential utility of a brief intervention that can be delivered via the Internet to reduce high-risk drinking and alcohol-related RSB among college students.
The effect of temperature on food poisoning: a time-series analysis of salmonellosis in ten European countries

We investigated the relationship between environmental temperature and reported Salmonella infections in 10 European populations. Poisson regression adapted for time-series data was used to estimate the percentage change in the number of cases associated with a 1 °C increase in average temperature above an identified threshold value. We found, on average, a linear association between temperature and the number of reported cases of salmonellosis above a threshold of 6 °C. The relationships were very similar in The Netherlands, England and Wales, Switzerland, Spain and the Czech Republic. The greatest effect was apparent for temperature 1 week before the onset of illness. The strongest associations were observed in adults in the 15–64 years age group and infection with Salmonella Enteritidis (a serotype of Salmonella). Our findings indicate that higher temperatures around the time of consumption are important and reinforce the need for further education on food-handling behaviour.
Coexpression of Hepatitis C Virus E1 and E2 Chimeric Envelope Glycoproteins Displays Separable Ligand Sensitivity and Increases Pseudotype Infectious Titer

ABSTRACT We have previously reported that a pseudotype virus generated by reconstitution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) chimeric envelope glycoprotein E1-G or E2-G on the surface of a temperature-sensitive mutant of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSVts045) interacts independently with mammalian cells to initiate infection. Here, we examined whether coexpression of both of the envelope glycoproteins on pseudotype particles would augment virus infectivity and/or alter the functional properties of the individual subunits. Stable transfectants of baby hamster kidney (BHK) epithelial cells expressing either one or both of the chimeric envelope glycoproteins of HCV on the cell surface were generated. The infectious titer of the VSV pseudotype, derived from a stable cell line incorporating both of the chimeric glycoproteins of HCV, was ∼4- to 5-fold higher than that of a pseudotype bearing E1-G alone or ∼25- to 30-fold higher than that of E2-G alone when assayed with a number of mammalian cell lines. Further studies suggested that that the E1-G/E2-G or E2-G pseudotype was more sensitive to the inhibitory effect of heparin than the E1-G pseudotype. Treatment of the E1-G/E2-G pseudotype with a negatively charged sulfated sialyl lipid (NMSO3) displayed a ∼4-fold-higher sensitivity to neutralization than pseudotypes with either of the two individual glycoproteins. In contrast, VSVts045, used as a backbone for the generation of pseudotypes, displayed at least 20-fold-higher sensitivity to NMSO3-mediated inhibition of virus plaque formation. The effect of low-density lipoprotein on the E1-G pseudotype was greater than that apparent for the E1-G/E2-G pseudotype. The treatment of cells with monoclonal antibodies to CD81 displayed an inhibitory effect upon the pseudotype with E1-G/E2-G or with E2-G alone. Taken together, our results indicate that the HCV E1 and E2 glycoproteins have separable functional properties and that the presence of these two envelope glycoproteins on VSV/HCV pseudotype particles increases infectious titer.
The Effect of Ketamine on Opioid-Induced Acute Tolerance: Can It Explain Reduction of Opioid Consumption with Ketamine-Opioid Analgesic Combinations?

Ketamine administered intraoperatively in very small doses reduces postoperative opioid consumption. We suggest that this effect is the result of attenuation of acute tolerance to the analgesic effect of opioids. We sought to demonstrate that acute tolerance induced by alfentanil infusion can be attenuated by a dose of ketamine that is too small to produce a direct antinociceptive effect. The experiments were conducted in rats with the use of an infusion algorithm designed to maintain a constant plasma level of the opioid for 4 h. The degree of acute tolerance was determined on the basis of decline in the level of analgesia measured with a tail compression test. Ketamine (10 mg/kg) did not change the baseline pain threshold and did not increase the peak of alfentanil-induced analgesia. At the same time, it attenuated the development of acute tolerance to analgesia during alfentanil infusion and suppressed rebound hyperalgesia observed the day after the infusion. These effects were similar to those observed with dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg). The development of acute tolerance to analgesia induced by the infusion of an opioid can be attenuated by ketamine administered in doses that are not large enough to provide a direct antinociceptive effect. Therefore, ketamine has the potential to reduce opioid consumption even in subanalgesic doses. Implications Ketamine attenuated the development of acute tolerance to analgesia during alfentanil infusion and suppressed rebound hyperalgesia observed the day after the infusion.
Mechanisms of the Selenium Tolerance of the Arabidopsis thaliana Knockout Mutant of Sulfate Transporter SULTR1;2

We investigated the mechanism of selenium (Se) tolerance using an Arabidopsis thaliana knockout mutant of a sulfate transporter, sultr1;2. Se stress inhibited plant growth, decreased chlorophyll contents, and increased protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation in the wild type, whereas the sultr1;2 mutation mitigated damage of these forms, indicating that sultr1;2 is more tolerant of Se than the wild type is. The accumulation of symplastic Se was suppressed in sultr1;2 as compared to the wild type, and the chemical speciation of Se in the mutant was different from that in the wild type. Regardless of Se stress, the activities of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase in the mutant were higher than in the wild type, while the activity of superoxide dismutase in the mutant was the same as in the wild type. These results suggest that the sultr1;2 mutation confers Se tolerance on Arabidopsis by decreasing symplastic Se and maintaining antioxidant enzyme activities.
Effectiveness of Pressure Ulcer Prevention Strategies for Adult Patients in Intensive Care Units: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND Pressure ulcers are associated with substantial health burden, but could be preventable. Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) prevention has become a priority for all healthcare settings, as it is considered a sign of quality of care providing. Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are at higher risk for HAPUs development. Despite the availability of published prevention strategies, there is a little evidence about which strategies can be safely integrated into routine standard care and have an impact on HAPUs prevention. AIMS The aim was to synthesize the best available evidence regarding the effectiveness of single strategies designed to reduce the incidence and prevalence of HAPUs development in ICUs. METHODS The search strategy was designed to retrieve studies published in English across CINAHL, Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Scopus, and Mednar between 2000 and 2015. All adult ICU participants were aged 18 years or over. This review included randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental and comparative studies. The studies that were selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical-appraisal instruments. RESULTS The review included 25 studies, and the meta-analysis revealed a statistically significant effect of a silicon foam dressing strategy in reducing HAPUs incidence (effect size = 4.62; 95% CI: 0.05-0.29; p < .00001, effect size = 4.50; 95% CI: 0.05-0.31; p = .00001, respectively) in critically ill patients. Evidence of the effectiveness of nutrition, skin-care regimen, positioning and repositioning schedule, support surfaces, and the role of education in prevention of HAPUs development in the ICU was limited, which precludes strong conclusions. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION The review provides an evidence-based guide to future priorities for clinical practice. In particular, a silicone foam dressing has positive impact in reducing sacrum and heel HAPUs incidence in the ICU.
LEFT‐SIDE PREFERENCE IN HOLDING AND CARRYING NEWBORN INFANTS

ABSTRACT. Eighty to ninety per cent of primiparous and multiparous women held their newborn infants to the left of the body midline. Left side preference was independent of handedness and was typical also of non‐pregnant female—but not male—students and may therefore be a genetically determined human, female behaviour. Right‐holding, occurring in 10 to 20% of non‐separated women, was observed in 30 to 40% when mother and infant had been separated for about 24 hours. This observation may be of general interest, suggesting that perinatal maternal anxiety and uncertainty can alter a pre‐existing behaviour. The right‐holding, non‐separated mothers differed from left‐holding ones in a number of ways: they held their babies with less body contact, they perceived a delay in accepting the foetus or newborn as their own, and—when checked 3 years after delivery—they had had a more frequent contact with the Child Health Center during this time. Right‐holding may in some mothers be an early sign of a disturbed mother‐infant relationship. It may indicate either an insensitivity of the mother to the signals of the infant or that the infants signals are inappropriate. Carrying differed somewhat from holding. In addition to right and left preference a third modality—“in hands”—was observed. Immediate post partum naked skin‐to‐skin and suckling contact between mother and infant eliminated the “carrying‐in‐hands” behaviour. This observation adds to others showing that experiences during the immediate postnatal period may mould the maternal behaviour pattern.
Risks of parenteral antihypertensive therapy for the treatment of severe maternal hypertension are low

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine whether the incidence of hypotension or adverse fetal heart tracing (FHT) category change differed following antepartum administration of intravenous (IV) labetalol versus hydralazine. Methods: Blood pressure and FHT categories were assessed one hour before and after medication administration. Hypotension was defined as ≥30% reduction in baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP) or SBP <90 mmHg. Changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) were also compared. The National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) three-tier category system was used to describe the FHT. For all category II tracings, Parer and Ikeda’s system was also used. Results: Sixty-nine women received hydralazine and 31 women received labetalol during the study period. The incidence of hypotension (≥30% reduction in SBP) was similar between the labetalol (10%) and hydralazine (11%) groups (p = 0.98). No women experienced post-treatment SBP <90 mmHg. No association was observed between fetal heart rate category change and drug used. No women required emergent delivery for fetal indications. Conclusions: The incidence of maternal hypotension was low and did not differ following antepartum IV labetalol versus hydralazine use. These data should reassure providers about the use of parenteral labetalol and hydralazine for the treatment of severe hypertension.
Study of Dientamoeba fragilis Jepps & Dobell. I. Electronmicroscopic observations of the binucleate stages. II. Taxonomic position and revision of the genus.

SYNOPSIS Light- and electronmicroscopic observations on Dientamoeba fragilis strain A (Bi) 1 dealing primarily with the binucleate (arrested telophase) stages, predominant in all populations, revealed the microtubular nature of the extranuclear spindle which extends between the 2 polar complexes each adjacent to one of the nuclei. The spindle microtubules originate in paired, nonperiodic structures apparently homologous to the “atractophores” described from hypermastigotes. To the external surface of the atractophores are applied periodic elements, which extend laterally as the parabasal filaments. Extensive Golgi complexes overlie the filaments, these structures corresponding to the components of the parabasal apparatus known from trichomonads and hypermastigotes. The 2-layered structures, consisting of the atractophores and periodic layers, together with the proximal parts of the Golgi complex and the spindle microtubules constitute the polar complex. No kinetosome- or centriole-like organelles have been found in the polar complexes or elsewhere in the organism. The extranuclear spindle is composed of 2 microtubule bundles, each with ∼30-40 microtubules. One of the bundles always appears at some distance from the nucleus; the other is juxtanuclear and is seen often to course within a groove of the nuclear envelope. A 3rd bundle of ∼35-45 microtubules is seen on occasion to arise from the atractophores and to pass toward the nucleus at a wide angle to the other parts of the spindle. In some instances these microtubules traverse the nucleus within channels delimited by the nuclear envelope. The double-layered nuclear envelope contains numerous pores. Two morphologic types of rounded inclusions, one microbody-like, and the other with a more electron-translucent matrix, as well as digestive vacuoles containing rice starch, bacteria, and/or myelin configurations are distributed in the cytoplasm, which abounds also in glycogen granules. The fine structure of Dientamoeba is compared with those of trichomonads and of Entamoeba spp. The taxonomic position of Dientamoeba is discussed and emended; in view of its affinities, this genus is placed among trichomonads in the family Dientamoebidae Grasse, emend.
Lymphokines enhance the capacity of human monocytes to secret reactive oxygen intermediates.

Supernatants from mitogen- or antigen-stimulated human blood mononuclear cells enhanced the capacity of human monocytes or monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) to release H(2)O(2) or O(2) in response to phorbol myristate acetate or zymosan. The stimulatory effect of lymphokines (LK) lasted approximately 5 d, regardless of the time of their addition. However, the magnitude of stimulation depended on whether LK were added to freshly explanted monocytes or to MDM. When LK were added on day 0 of culture, they enhanced MDM H(2)O(2)-releasing capacity approximately 40% measured on day 3, when H(2)O(2)-releasing capacity in the controls was maximal. Addition of LK on day 2 retarded the decline in H(2)O(2)-releasing capacity normally seen by day 5, so that LK-treated cells released about twice as much H(2)O(2) as the controls. Addition of LK to MDM that had already lost most of their H(2)O(2)-releasing capacity (e.g., on day 4-6) restored it to an average of 60% of the values seen with freshly explanted monocytes. In this case, LK-treated cells were about 12 times more active than cells incubated in medium alone. The effects of LK were dose- and time-dependent, with maximal effects requiring 3 d of exposure. The specific activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and myeloperoxidase, and the specific content of glutathione were not diminished in LK-treated MDM, suggesting that increased synthesis of H(2)O(2) rather than decreased catabolism probably explained the greater release of H(2)O(2) from LK-treated cells. In contrast, release of H(2)O(2) was suppressed 93+/-4% by exposing monocytes for 4 d to hydrocortisone (50%-inhibitory concentration, 1.9+/-0.3 x 10(-7) M). Thus, the oxidative metabolism of human mononuclear phagocytes can be markedly modulated in vitro: augmented by mediators released from lymphocytes during an immune response, and suppressed by antiinflammatory corticosteroids.
Effects of human hippocampal ablation.

IlE hypothalamus, anterior thalamic nuclei, gyrus cinguli, hippoeampus, and their connections were believed by Papez 5 to constitute a harmonious mechanism which may elaborate the functions of central emotion as well as participate in emotional expression. A broader concept of the function of the limbic system was expressed by Herrick, 3 who considered the limbic system an activator of all neocortical functions facilitating or inhibiting not only affective behavior, but memory and learning as well. The hippocampus itself is regarded by many authors as the "hub" of the limbic system. Papez speaks of the "central emotive process of cortical origin" being "built up" in the hippocampal formation before being relayed to the mammillary bodies and the anterior nuclei of the thalamus. Grunthal 2 suggests that the hippocampus acts as a "catalytic activator" essential for the central affective and neocortical activity. To gain a greater insight into the function of the hippocampus, a technique for subtotal hippocampectomy was developed in the cat and monkey. 1,9 Following hippocampectomy, a marked taming effect was observed, similar to that described by Kliiver and Bucy 4 and Sehreiner and KlingJ During these studies it was noted that following hippocampectomy the animals showed less response to painful stimuli. Whether this was due to diminished perception or reactivity remained undetermined. The laboratory findings provided an encouraging basis for further exploration of the effects of hippocalnpectomy on a clinical level. It appeared that the procedure might prove useful in psychosurgery and pain control. The transfer of a laboratory procedure to the clinical level is fraught with many unexpected pitfalls, and it was decided, therefore, to use the procedure only for intractable pain due to widespread careinomatosis, or