Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer’s disease: the influence of apolipoprotein E on amyloid-β and other amyloidogenic proteins

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the fastest-growing causes of death and disability in persons 65 years of age or older, affecting more than 5 million Americans alone. Clinical manifestations of AD include progressive decline in memory, executive function, language, and other cognitive domains. Research efforts within the last three decades have identified APOE as the most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset AD, which accounts for >99% of cases. The apoE protein is hypothesized to affect AD pathogenesis through a variety of mechanisms, from its effects on the blood-brain barrier, the innate immune system, and synaptic function to the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ). Here, we discuss the role of apoE on the biophysical properties and metabolism of the Aβ peptide, the principal component of amyloid plaques and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). CAA is characterized by the deposition of amyloid proteins (including Aβ) in the leptomeningeal medium and small arteries, which is found in most AD cases but sometimes occurs as an independent entity. Accumulation of these pathologies in the brain is one of the pathological hallmarks of AD. Beyond Aβ, we will extend the discussion to the potential role of apoE on other amyloidogenic proteins found in AD, and also a number of diverse neurodegenerative diseases.
Comparative analysis of boar seminal plasma proteome from different freezability ejaculates and identification of Fibronectin 1 as sperm freezability marker

Variation in boar sperm freezability (i.e. capacity to withstand cryopreservation) between ejaculates is a limitation largely reported in the literature. Prediction of sperm freezability and classification of boar ejaculates into good (GFEs) and poor freezability ejaculates (PFEs) before cryopreservation takes place may increase the use of frozen‐thawed spermatozoa. While markers of boar sperm freezability have been found from sperm cell extracts, little attention has been paid to seminal plasma. On this basis, the present study compared the fresh seminal plasma proteome of 9 GFEs and 9 PFEs through two‐dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D‐DIGE) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). The ejaculates were previously classified as GFE or PFE upon their sperm viability and progressive motility assessments at 30 and 240 min post thawing. From a total of 51 spots, four were found to significantly (p < 0.05) differ between GFEs and PFEs, and two were identified as fibronectin‐1 (FN1) and glutathione peroxidase 5 (GPX5). These two potential markers were further studied by western blot and correlation analysis between protein relative abundances in fresh seminal plasma and regression factors from principal component analyses (PCA) run using post‐thawing sperm quality parameters. Results confirmed that FN1 is a reliable marker of boar sperm freezability, because GFEs presented significantly (p < 0.05) higher FN1‐amounts than PFEs and FN1 was found to be correlated with the first PCA component at 240 min post thawing. In contrast, GPX5 was not validated as a boar sperm freezability marker. We can thus conclude that levels of FN1 in fresh seminal plasma from boar semen may be used as a sperm freezability marker, thereby facilitating the use of frozen‐thawed boar spermatozoa.
Problemas ginecológicos mais freqüentes em mulheres soropositivas para o HIV

PURPOSE: to present the most frequent gynecologic results in a cohort of 300 outpatient HIV-infected women. METHODS: this is a prospective and descriptive study of HIV-infected women that have been followed up at the gynecological clinic from November 1996 to December 2002. These patients were subjected to a specific protocol which included an interview, a gynecological evaluation and a collecting cervical sample for Pap smear, research of HPV (PCR) and colposcopy. Cervical biopsy was performed when necessary. Data were stored and analyzed by Epi-Info, version 6.0. RESULTS: the mean age was 34.5 years. The small number of sexual partners, average of three partners, and the predominance of heterosexual contagion should be mentioned: 271 (90.6%) patients were contaminated through sexual contact with their partners. There was a high prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) representing 21.7% of the total group. Of 109 patients subjected to PCR, 89 (81.7%) were found to have some HPV genotype. An inflammatory smear was present in 69% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: there is a high frequency of CIN and genital infectious diseases among HIV-infected women, mainly HPV.
Investigating the Trend of Virtual Reality-Based Stroke Rehabilitation Systems

The existing techniques used for post stroke rehabilitation have sought to offer stroke survivors with upper extremity motor deficits a system for the practice and re-learning of motor tasks. Some studies suggest that the use of Virtual Reality technologies as an assistive technology in combination with conventional therapies can achieve improved results in post stroke rehabilitation. Despite the wealth of ongoing research attempting to build a virtual reality based system for upper extremity rehabilitation, there still exists a need for a training platform that would provide whole arm rehabilitation. In order to be practical this system should ideally be low cost and involve minimal therapist involvement. This paper describes some of the applications of virtual reality that have undergone clinical trials with patients suffering from upper extremity functional motor deficits. A brief description of VR technologies that are in place, providing benefits to the stroke patients with upper extremity motor and functional deficits, alongside a proof of concept of a whole arm rehabilitation platform is presented.
Identification of endogenous metabolites in human sperm cells using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS)

The objective of this study was to contribute to the first comprehensive metabolomic characterization of the human sperm cell through the application of two untargeted platforms based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) spectroscopy and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). Using these two complementary strategies, we were able to identify a total of 69 metabolites, of which 42 were identified using NMR, 27 using GC‐MS and 4 by both techniques. The identity of some of these metabolites was further confirmed by two‐dimensional 1H‐1H homonuclear correlation spectroscopy (COSY) and 1H‐13C heteronuclear single‐quantum correlation (HSQC) spectroscopy. Most of the metabolites identified are reported here for the first time in mature human spermatozoa. The relationship between the metabolites identified and the previously reported sperm proteome was also explored. Interestingly, overrepresented pathways included not only the metabolism of carbohydrates, but also of lipids and lipoproteins. Of note, a large number of the metabolites identified belonged to the amino acids, peptides and analogues super class. The identification of this initial set of metabolites represents an important first step to further study their function in male gamete physiology and to explore potential reasons for dysfunction in future studies. We also demonstrate that the application of NMR and MS provides complementary results, thus constituting a promising strategy towards the completion of the human sperm cell metabolome.
Negotiating risky bodies: childbirth and constructions of risk

Policy makers, practitioners and researchers have identified risk as a key concept in relation to maternity care and childbirth. There is however a lack of research exploring women’s discursive constructions of risk and childbirth in relation to sociological risk theories. In this article we explore pregnant women’s everyday negotiations of risk in relation to the self-chosen plan to birth either at home or via an elective Caesarean section. We use sociocultural risk theories to contextualise our findings. This article draws on data from a study conducted in 2005–2006 in which we interviewed 24 pregnant middle-class South African women who were planning a home birth or elective Caesarean section and used social constructionist discourse analysis to analyse the data. We found that women’s risk constructions were related to three different conceptions of birthing embodiment: technocratic bodies, vulnerable bodies and knowing bodies. Women who planned Caesarean sections were committed to biomedical constructions of risk and birth. Woman who planned home births shifted between endorsing and subverting biomedical models of risk. They also resisted definitions of birthing bodies as inherently abject (unclean, polluting, unruly) and constructed the process of giving birth as risky in medicalised settings. In such settings, the birthing body was constructed as vulnerable to objectification, loss of dignity and shaming. Women who planned to give birth at home constructed an alternative approach to birth which emphasised embodied ways of knowing, relational connection and empowerment over normative and medicalised risk constructions. In the process, biomedical risk definitions were destabilised.
Some of the Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Cnidoscolous aconitifolius (Euphorbiaceae) on the Morphology and Histology of the Kidney and Liver of Sprague Dawley Rat.

Cnidoscolus aconitifolius belongs to a group of arbrescent shrubs. It has continued to be used as food, medicine and ornamental plant till date.Awide variety of claims have been made for its medicinal efficacy as a treatment for numerous ailments ranging from its ability to strengthen fingernails and darken gray hair to curing alcoholism, insomnia, gout, and scorpion stings. This study was to elucidate the effect of aqueous leaf extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius commonly used as food supplement on the kidney and liver of Sprague Dawley rats. Thirty-two Sprague Dawley rats of both sexes (with an average weight of 235g) were randomly assigned into one control group (n=8) designated as A, while the extract treated groups consists of 3 subgroups and were designated as B, C, and D. the animals in the extract treated groups B, C and D were administered 600mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 200mg/kg bwt of the extract respectively, while the control group received equal volume of phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The administration was done orally using an orogastric tube for seven days (7d). Twenty-four hours after the last administration, all the animals were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Laparatomy was performed and the liver and kidney excised, trimmed free of fat, rinsed in cold phosphate buffered saline solution. The liver was quickly fixed in 10% formolsaline, while the kidney was fixed in Bouin's fluid for histological processing. The histological findings after Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining showed that the extract treated sections the Kidney and Liver has no compromising effect on the cellular integrity of the studied organs. There were no degenerative changes and no intercellular vacuolations in the renal cortex and liver parenchyma. These findings indicate that the administration of aqueous leaf extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius has no adverse effects on hepatic and renal morphology of the treated Sprague Dawley rats. It is therefore recommended that further studies at corroborating these observations be carried out.
Limbic Regulation of Hypothalamo‐Pituitary‐Adrenocortical Function during Acute and Chronic Stress

The hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenocortical (HPA) axis is responsible for initiation of glucocorticoid stress responses in all vertebrate animals. Activation of the axis is regulated by diverse afferent input to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). This review discusses brain mechanisms subserving generation and inhibition of stress responses focusing on the contribution of the limbic system and highlighting recent conceptual advances regarding organization of stress response pathways in the brain. First, control of HPA axis responses to psychogenic stimuli is exerted by a complex neurocircuitry that involves oligosynaptic networks between limbic forebrain structures and the PVN. Second, individual stress‐modulatory structures can have a heterogeneous impact on HPA axis responses, based on anatomical micro‐organization and/or stimulus properties. Finally, HPA axis hyperactivity pursuant to chronic stress involves a substantial functional and perhaps anatomical reorganization of central stress‐integrative circuits. Overall, the data suggest that individual brain regions do not merely function as monolithic activators or inhibitors of the HPA axis and that network approaches need be taken to fully understand the nature of the neuroendocrine stress response.
Physical Home Environment as a Determinant of Aging in Place for Different Types of Elderly Households

The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between physical housing features and home modifications to aging in place or precipitating a housing transition among elderly households. Data was taken from two waves (1998 and 2000) of the Health and Retirement Survey. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed. Residing in a multi-family home without an elevator was a predictor for housing transition for couple households, while residing in a home with small interior modifications was a predictor for remaining in place for single households. Implications for policy makers, health care providers, housing industry and elderly are discussed.
SPOROTRICHOSIS OF THE EYE

In 1898 Schenck 1 published a report of his studies of an organism that he had discovered in the pus from refractory subcutaneous abscesses of the arm. The patient nail, causing a small abscess which was opened. In three weeks an ulcer developed on the back of the hand between the second and third metacarpophalangeal joints. The inflammation traveled up the arm and several abscesses formed. From two different foci of the disease Schenck obtained and cultivated an organism the characteristics of which were similar to those of many of the yeasts and fungi. Dr. Erwin F. Smith of the U. S. Department of Agriculture tentatively assigned it to the genus Sporotrichum . The pathogenicity of the organism was demonstrated by subcutaneous injections in dogs. Nodules developed containing yellowish-red gelatinous material, and cultures from this and the walls of the abscess gave the characteristic growth of the organism. Inoculation of a
Chronic exposures and male fertility: the impacts of environment, diet, and drug use on spermatogenesis

Several recent studies have suggested that sperm concentrations and semen quality have been decreasing over the past several decades in many areas of the world. The etiology of these decreases is currently unknown. Acute events can have significant impacts on spermatogenesis and are often readily identified during the male fertility evaluation. The majority of male factor infertility, however, is idiopathic. Chronic, low‐dose exposures to chemicals and nutrients are more difficult to identify, but are extremely prevalent. These exposures have been shown to have dramatic effects on both individual and community health and interest in the cumulative and synergistic impacts of such agents on spermatogenesis has been increasing. While our understanding of these potential hazards is evolving, it is clear that they may significantly influence male reproductive potential. This review explores the literature related to effects of chronic exposures from drug use, dietary intake, and the environment on spermatogenesis in humans and animals.
Latent Effects of Prenatal Malnutrition on Adult Health

It is well established that malnutrition in children has adverse effects on development. Only recently, however, has it become possible to examine the full scope of adverse effects of malnutrition across the life course, which would include latent effects of fetal or childhood malnutrition on health and disease in adult life. We review here a series of studies which have linked early prenatal famine to the risk of schizophrenia in the offspring. Thus we aim to draw attention to the need to look beyond the concurrent effects of malnutrition and consider also the effects that may become apparent decades later.
Spermatogenesis associated 22 is required for DNA repair and synapsis of homologous chromosomes in mouse germ cells

Analysis of the N‐ethyl‐N‐nitrosourea (ENU)‐induced repro42 mutation previously identified spermatogenesis associated 22 (Spata22) as a gene required for meiotic progression and fertility in both male and female mice, but its specific contribution to the process was unclear. Here, we report on a novel, null allele of Spata22 (Spata22Gt) and confirm its requirement for germ cell development. Similar to repro42 mutant mice, histological and mating analyses indicate that gametogenesis is profoundly affected in Spata22Gt/Gt males and females, resulting in infertility. Cytological examination confirms that germ cells do not progress beyond zygonema and meiotic arrest is linked to impairment of both synapsis and DNA repair. Analysis of SPATA22 distribution reveals that it localizes to foci associated with meiotic chromosomes during prophase I and that the number of foci peaks at zygonema; there are also more SPATA22 foci in oocytes than in spermatocytes. Furthermore, SPATA22 co‐localizes with a number of proteins involved in meiotic recombination, including RAD51, DMC1, and MLH1, and is present until mid‐pachynema, suggesting a role in resolution of recombination intermediates. In fact, SPATA22 co‐localizes with MLH1 in more than 20% of foci at pachynema. Analysis of Spata22Gt/Gt meiocytes confirms that SPATA22 is required for localization of MEIOB but not RPA (two proteins known to interact with SPATA22), and immunoblotting corroborates that production of MEIOB is indeed decreased in the absence of SPATA22. Together, these data suggest that SPATA22 is required for both meiotic recombination and synapsis during meiosis in mice.
Agriculture in Africa: Strategies to Improve and Sustain Smallholder Production Systems

Agricultural development lies at the heart of poverty reduction and increased food security of most developing nations. Sub‐Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as Africa) is, however, the only region in the world where per capita agricultural productivity has remained stagnant over the past 40 years. In Asia and Latin America, the use of tailored techniques and technologies has transformed agricultural practice and its productivity, leading to what has been called the “green revolution. ” The dissemination of uniquely African green revolution technologies has not occurred on the continent. This chapter will argue that the same results in increased productivity and food security can be achieved in Africa if the appropriate investments are made in key interventions: soil fertility improvement, improved seeds, water management, market access, extension services, access to credit, and improvements in weather forecasting. Where these have happened, even partially, the outcome has been remarkable. However, bringing them to scale in ways that sustainably increase agricultural productivity and alleviate poverty requires increased investments and innovative institutional arrangements. Fortunately, several research and development projects on the continent, including the Millennium Villages Project, are providing valuable insights. Finally, this chapter outlines the key remaining challenges.
Characteristics of symptomatic men with testicular microlithiasis – A Danish cross‐sectional questionnaire study

Testicular microlithiasis (TML) is an incidental finding at ultrasonography of the scrotum. A link between testicular microlithiasis and testicular cancer has been suggested. However, the majority of studies are retrospective using ultrasonography with minor data on health status and life style characteristics. Our objective was to investigate if lifestyle and health are associated with TML. In 2014, we conducted a self‐administered questionnaire survey including 1538 men, who all due to testicular/scrotal symptoms had an ultrasound investigation of the scrotum during 2004–2013. The men were divided into men with TML and men without. The 23‐items questionnaire included items on age, height, weight, lifestyle (alcohol consumptions, smoking habits, workload, exercise and food), previous diseases in the testicles, pain and consumption of analgesics. The prevalence of TML was 12.8%. Overall, lifestyle factors did not vary between men with or without TML. However, men with TML did consume more crisp than men without. Development of TML was not associated to classic life style factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking habits, or mothers smoking during pregnancy. Also, age and height could not be linked to presence of TML. We did find, however, that men with TML experienced less physical activity and consumed more crisp than men without TML. Since ingestion of crisps has potential carcinogenic effect (acrylamide), this finding needs confirmation in a separate study.
Knowledge and practice of cervical cancer screening at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu

Aims: This study investigates the knowledge and practice of cervical cancer screening in randomly selected women attending various clinics in the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu as well as the determinants of take-up of cervical cytology screening. Methods: The subjects were 450 randomly selected women attending various clinics at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital Orlu, from May 1, 2005 to April 30, 2006. A pre-tested semi-structured self- administered questionnaire was used. This included questions on the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients as well as questions regarding their knowledge of cervical cancer and its prevention and their degree of utilization of Pap smear. Results: The mean age of the 450 respondents was 31.6 + 5.8 years. Singles constituted 26.1% while 73.9% were married. Those who were aware of cervical cancer were 13.6% as against 6% who were aware of Pap smear. Only 2.4% of the 450 respondents had ever had a cervical cytology performed on them. The most frequent reason given for not using the service was lack of physician referral. Culture was found to negatively impact on the take up of cervical cytology. Majority of the respondents would prefer a male doctor to perform a Pap smear on them if they were to have one. Conclusion: The study shows that there is poor awareness and knowledge of both cervical cancer and its prevention in our environment. The uptake of cervical cancer screening is also very poor. There is therefore the need to establish an organized cervical cancer screening in different parts of the country, but in the interim health care providers should improve on opportunistic screening. In our socio cultural settings, sexually active women, the community and the men folk should form the target of any awareness/enlightenment campaigns about cervical cancer, and should be actively involved in the planning and execution of any screening programmes. Keywords : Cervical cancer, Screening, Knowledge, Practice, Orlu PHMJ Vol. 2 (2) 2008: pp. 145-151