Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diminished priming of neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocytes by lipopolysaccharide is associated with reduced CD14 expression

Previous research in our laboratory has shown that polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from neonates are not primed effectively in vitro with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (from Escherichia coli 0111:B4) compared with priming of adult PMN. This finding led us to speculate that differences between neonatal and adult LPS receptors may account for the lower response by neonatal PMN to LPS. In these experiments, we investigated if CD14 or other LPS receptors contribute to the priming activity of PMN by LPS. We found that unprimed neonatal and adult PMN expressed similar numbers of CD14 (11.6 +/- 9.2 versus 18.6 +/- 2.7 fluorescence units [FlU]; P > 0.05) and LPS-binding sites (2.94 +/- 1.4 versus 4.94 +/- 0.79 FlU; P > 0.05). Monoclonal antibody against CD14 (MY4) did not significantly change the binding of LPS to adult unprimed PMN, suggesting that LPS receptors other than CD14 receptors are predominant on PMN. However, when PMN were pretreated with LPS (10 ng/ml) for 45 min at 37 degrees C, expression of CD14 on adult PMN increased to 33.8 +/- 4.9 FlU (P < 0.05 versus unprimed adult PMN) while that on neonatal PMN showed little change, increasing to 17.2 +/- 10.3 FlU (P > 0.05 versus unprimed neonatal PMN; P < 0.05 versus primed adult PMN). Furthermore, MY4 specifically blocked oxidative-radical production from PMN primed with LPS (10 ng/ml) compared with that from control PMN (P < 0.01). These studies suggest that LPS primes PMN by activating CD14 expression. We conclude that lower expression of CD14 or failure to up-regulate CD14 after LPS pretreatment contributes to the inability of neonatal PMN to be primed by LPS.
Predictors of Physician Satisfaction among Electronic Health Record System Users

&NA; Electronic health records (EHRs) have experienced slow adoption rates but play an important role in improving ambulatory quality of care. Sustained use of EHRs is closely related to physician satisfaction, however little research exists on this issue. We focused on physician EHR users to determine factors that are related to satisfaction with the level of computerization in their office practice. After controlling for various factors, physicians with more robust EHRs, and those who adopted their system two or more years ago, were more likely to be satisfied. Lastly, several individual EHR functionalities were independently related to improved satisfaction.
Pathologic Changes of the Peripheral Vestibular System Secondary to Chronic Otitis Media

Objective To evaluate the histopathologic changes of dark, transitional, and hair cells of the vestibular system in human temporal bones from patients with chronic otitis media. Study Design Comparative human temporal bone study. Setting Otopathology laboratory. Subjects and Methods To compare the density of vestibular dark, transitional, and hair cells in temporal bones with and without chronic otitis media, we used differential interference contrast microscopy. Results In the chronic otitis media group (as compared with the age-matched control group), the density of type I and type II hair cells was significantly decreased in the lateral semicircular canal, saccule, and utricle (P < .05). The density of type I cells was also significantly decreased in the chronic otitis media group in the posterior semicircular canal (P = .005), but that of type II cells was not (P = .168). The mean number of dark cells was significantly decreased in the chronic otitis media group in the lateral semicircular canal (P = .014) and in the posterior semicircular canal (P = .002). We observed no statistically significant difference in the density of transitional cells between the 2 groups (P > .1). Conclusion The findings of our study suggest that the decrease in the number of vestibular sensory cells and dark cells could be the cause of the clinical symptoms of imbalance of some patients with chronic otitis media.
Extrathymic maturation of alpha beta T cells from hemopoietic stem cells.

The object of the study was to determine whether alpha beta T cells can develop from hemopoietic stem cells in the absence of the thymus. C57BL/6 (Ly-5.1 and Thy-1.2) mice were thymectomized or sham-thymectomized at 4 wk of age, and received lethal whole body irradiation 2 wk later. These mice were reconstituted with an i.v. injection of 500 highly purified hemopoietic stem cells (Mac-1-, B220-, TER-119-, CD3-, CD4-, CD8-, Thy 1low, SCA-1+) obtained from the bone marrow of C57BL/6 (Ly-5.2 and Thy-1.1) donors. A similar percentage of Ly-5.2+ alpha beta T cells (donor) was found in the marrow of thymectomized recipients, sham-thymectomized recipients, and normal donor mice at least 3 mo after stem cell transplantation. The percentage of Ly-5.2+ alpha beta T cells in the spleens of sham-thymectomized and normal donor mice was similar. The percentage in the spleens of thymectomized recipients was reduced by about 50%, and approximately one-half of the latter T cells expressed the CD4-CD8- alpha beta+ phenotype. A purified population of Ly-5.2+ alpha beta- cells obtained from the marrow of thymectomized recipients was incubated in vitro for 48 h without exogenous growth factors. After the incubation procedure a proportion of the marrow cells acquired alpha beta TCR surface receptors. The results show that alpha beta T cells can develop from hemopoietic stem cells in the absence of the thymus.
Self-managed learning groups in higher education: students' perceptions of process and outcomes.

BACKGROUND Self-managed learning groups are increasingly used in higher education. There is a need for more systematic investigation of university students' perceptions of the processes and outcomes of this learning method. AIMS This study aimed to identify the domains of process issues that students perceive as relevant to their participation in self-managed learning groups, and how these processes are perceived to influence group outcomes. SAMPLE Participants were undergraduate psychology students who were members of self-managed learning groups. METHOD The first study employed qualitative methods (namely, students' written accounts, interviews, and observation) to study learning groups (N = 180 students) and identify the process domains. In the second study, first and second year students (N = 207) used a questionnaire (based on the domains identified in Study 1) to evaluate the processes and outcomes of their learning groups. RESULTS Analysis of qualitative data (Study 1) identified seven process domains: task focus, staff support, process learning, environmental fit, managing differences, equity and responsibility, and collaboration and cooperation. Factor analysis of students' responses (Study 2) identified an underlying structure of two process factors: personal responsibility and collaborative climate, and staff support and environmental fit. Both process factors were associated with the self-reported satisfaction and productivity of this group of students. CONCLUSIONS University students' perceptions of the processes of self-managed learning groups have a clear structure. These process factors are associated with perceived group outcomes in systematic and theoretically consistent ways.
ALDH Enzyme Expression Is Independent of the Spermatogenic Cycle, and Their Inhibition Causes Misregulation of Murine Spermatogenic Processes

ABSTRACT Perturbations in the vitamin A metabolism pathway could be a significant cause of male infertility, as well as a target toward the development of a male contraceptive, necessitating the need for a better understanding of how testicular retinoic acid (RA) concentrations are regulated. Quantitative analyses have recently demonstrated that RA is present in a pulsatile manner along testis tubules. However, it is unclear if the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzymes, which are responsible for RA synthesis, contribute to the regulation of these RA concentration gradients. Previous studies have alluded to fluctuations in ALDH enzymes across the spermatogenic cycle, but these inferences have been based primarily on qualitative transcript localization experiments. Here, we show via various quantitative methods that the three well-known ALDH enzymes (ALDH1A1, ALDH1A2, and ALDH1A3), and an ALDH enzyme previously unreported in the murine testis (ALDH8A1), are not expressed in a stage-specific manner in the adult testis, but do fluctuate throughout juvenile development in perfect agreement with the first appearance of each advancing germ cell type. We also show, via treatments with a known ALDH inhibitor, that lowered testicular RA levels result in an increase in blood-testis barrier permeability, meiotic recombination, and meiotic defects. Taken together, these data further our understanding of the complex regulatory actions of RA on various spermatogenic events and, in contrast with previous studies, also suggest that the ALDH enzymes are not responsible for regulating the recently measured RA pulse.
Nutritional values and indigenous preferences for Shea Fruits(vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn. F.) in African Agroforestry Parklands

Samples of dried shea fruit pulp were collected from tree populations in Mali, Burkina Faso, northern Cameroon, and Uganda. A variety of analytical methods was used to measure total soluble solids (TSS), crude protein, and mineral contents. The results demonstrate that shea fruits are a rich source of sugars, protein, calcium, and potassium during the “hungry season”, when food stores run low and the energy-intensive work of preparing land for planting must be done. A companion survey of indigenous shea tree and fruit classification was carried out in study area villages. Indigenous savanna inhabitants, especially men, emphasize the importance of fruit pulp taste, while women emphasize the butter content of the nuts. Shea fruits have greater importance to the inhabitants of the drier savannas such as the Sahel, where shea fruits have been shown to have higher nutritional values. While there is currently much international interest in developing the potential of shea butter production in Africa, the role of the fruit pulp in the local diet needs to be taken into consideration in development programs.
Adjunctive Azithromycin Prophylaxis for Cesarean Delivery.

BACKGROUND The addition of azithromycin to standard regimens for antibiotic prophylaxis before cesarean delivery may further reduce the rate of postoperative infection. We evaluated the benefits and safety of azithromycin-based extended-spectrum prophylaxis in women undergoing nonelective cesarean section. METHODS In this trial conducted at 14 centers in the United States, we studied 2013 women who had a singleton pregnancy with a gestation of 24 weeks or more and who were undergoing cesarean delivery during labor or after membrane rupture. We randomly assigned 1019 to receive 500 mg of intravenous azithromycin and 994 to receive placebo. All the women were also scheduled to receive standard antibiotic prophylaxis. The primary outcome was a composite of endometritis, wound infection, or other infection occurring within 6 weeks. RESULTS The primary outcome occurred in 62 women (6.1%) who received azithromycin and in 119 (12.0%) who received placebo (relative risk, 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38 to 0.68; P<0.001). There were significant differences between the azithromycin group and the placebo group in rates of endometritis (3.8% vs. 6.1%, P=0.02), wound infection (2.4% vs. 6.6%, P<0.001), and serious maternal adverse events (1.5% vs. 2.9%, P=0.03). There was no significant between-group difference in a secondary neonatal composite outcome that included neonatal death and serious neonatal complications (14.3% vs. 13.6%, P=0.63). CONCLUSIONS Among women undergoing nonelective cesarean delivery who were all receiving standard antibiotic prophylaxis, extended-spectrum prophylaxis with adjunctive azithromycin was more effective than placebo in reducing the risk of postoperative infection. (Funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; C/SOAP ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01235546 .).
Association of African-American ethnic background with survival in men with metastatic prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND African-American men have earlier onset of prostate cancer, higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, more advanced stage at diagnosis, and higher mortality than white men. It is not known whether the poorer survival of African-American men with prostate cancer reflects their later stage at diagnosis or differences in the basic biology of their disease. To evaluate this question, we examined outcomes of African-American and white men with metastatic prostate cancer in the context of a randomized clinical trial. METHODS Southwest Oncology Group Study 8894 was a randomized phase III trial that compared orchiectomy with or without flutamide in men with metastatic prostate cancer. Using data from 288 African-American and 975 white men in the trial, we conducted a proportional hazards regression analysis to determine if ethnicity was an independent predictor of survival. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS African-American men were more likely than white men to have extensive disease and bone pain and had poorer performance status, younger age at study entry, higher Gleason score, and higher PSA levels. After adjustment for these prognostic variables, the hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality for African-American men relative to white men was 1.23 (P: =.018). Further adjustment for initial quality-of-life assessments also resulted in higher HRs associated with African-American ethnicity relative to white ethnicity (HR = 1.39; P: =.007). CONCLUSIONS African-American men with metastatic prostate cancer have a statistically significantly worse prognosis than white men that cannot be explained by the prognostic variables explored in this study. These data should give increased impetus for efforts to detect the disease early in African-American men and for the development of more effective therapies based on potential biologic differences in this ethnic group.
Perlecan domain V modulates astrogliosis In vitro and after focal cerebral ischemia through multiple receptors and increased nerve growth factor release

Astrogliosis constitutes part of the central nervous system's physiological response to injury. Considered for decades to be a major challenge for brain repair, recent studies have highlighted it as a promoter of such repair mechanisms. Recently, our group demonstrated the ability of perlecan domain V (DV) to be a novel potential stroke therapy by its neuroprotective effects. However, the potential for DV to modulate astrogliosis has not been investigated. The aim of this study is to better understand the relevance of DV to astrogliosis using both in vitro and in vivo rodent models. Notably, under basal conditions, astrocytes express all three DV receptors described in the literature: integrin α2β1, α5β1, and α‐dystroglycan (αDG). DV promoted astrocyte cell adhesion, cell migration as well as astrocyte stellation. Moreover, DV induced nerve growth factor (NGF) secretion through a αDG‐ and ERK‐dependent pathway. In contrast, α2β1 or α5β1 mediated DV antiproliferative effects in astrocytes. NGF production after DV treatment acted as a strong anti‐proliferative agent. Another remarkable effect of DV was that it decreased several markers of astrogliosis such as glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurocan and phosphacan both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting the role of DV as a potential modulator of postinjury during late astrogliosis, and eventually the onset of glial scarring. Taken together, our study demonstrates the ability of DV to modulate key events of astrogliosis by promoting early astrogliosis and inhibiting glial scar formation, suggesting an additional therapeutic benefit of DV for recovery from stroke. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Genomic Analyses of Three Malaria Vectors Reveals Extensive Shared Polymorphism but Contrasting Population Histories

Anopheles gambiae s.l. are important malaria vectors, but little is known about their genomic variation in the wild. Here, we present inter- and intraspecies analysis of genome-wide RADseq data, in three Anopheles gambiae s.l. species collected from East Africa. The mosquitoes fall into three genotypic clusters representing described species (A. gambiae, A. arabiensis, and A. merus) with no evidence of cryptic breeding units. Anopheles merus is the most divergent of the three species, supporting a recent new phylogeny based on chromosomal inversions. Even though the species clusters are well separated, there is extensive shared polymorphism, particularly between A. gambiae and A. arabiensis. Divergence between A. gambiae and A. arabiensis does not vary across the autosomes but is higher in X-linked inversions than elsewhere on X or on the autosomes, consistent with the suggestion that this inversion (or a gene within it) is important in reproductive isolation between the species. The 2La/2L+a inversion shows no more evidence of introgression between A. gambiae and A. arabiensis than the rest of the autosomes. Population differentiation within A. gambiae and A. arabiensis is weak over approximately 190–270 km, implying no strong barriers to dispersal. Analysis of Tajima’s D and the allele frequency spectrum is consistent with modest population increases in A. arabiensis and A. merus, but a more complex demographic history of expansion followed by contraction in A. gambiae. Although they are less than 200 km apart, the two A. gambiae populations show evidence of different demographic histories.
Partial purification and evidence for multiple molecular forms of the scrapie agent.

A procedure for the partial purification of the scrapie agent from mouse spleen was developed based on its sedimentation profile. Differential centrifugation and detergent treatment with sodium deoxycholate yielded a fraction designated "P5" which was enriched for scrapie infectivity approximately 20-fold with respect to cellular protein. The P5 fraction was devoid of cellular membranes but heavily contaminated with ribosomes as judged by electron microscopy. On centrifugation of the fraction P5 to near equilibrium in a sucrose gradient scrapie infectivity was distributed over a range of densities from 1.08 to 1.30 g/cm3. Parallel rate-zonal analysis showed that the infectivity was distributed over a range of particle sizes with s20.w values from approximately 40 S to greater than 500 S. Incubation of P5 at 37 or 80 degrees C, under conditions that disrupt ribosomes, dramatically altered the rate-zonal gradient profile of the agent. Under these conditions, the agent sedimented as particles with s20.w greater than 500 S. The apparent heterogeneity of the scrapie agent with respect to both size and density and its ability to shift from one form to another suggest that the agent may contain hydrophobic domains on its surface.
The effects of exercise and education, individually or combined, in women with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effectiveness of a supervised aerobic exercise program, a self-management education program, and the combination of exercise and education for women with fibromyalgia (FM). METHODS One hundred fifty-two women were randomized into one of 4 groups: exercise-only, education-only, exercise and education, or control. The duration of the study was 12 weeks. All subjects were analyzed at 3 times: before study, immediately upon completion, and 3 months after completion of the intervention program on measures of disability, self-efficacy, fitness, tender point count, and tender point tenderness. Of the 152 women, complete data were available for 95 and 69 who complied with the protocol. In order to determine the group time interaction, a 2 way analysis of variance with repeated measures was used for each measure. RESULTS The only significant group time interaction was reported with the compliance analysis for the Self-Efficacy Coping with Other Symptoms subscale and the Six Minute Walk. If the program was followed, the combination of a supervised exercise program and group education provided persons with FM with a better sense of control over their symptoms. Fitness improved in the 2 groups undergoing supervised aerobic exercise programs. However, the improvement in fitness was maintained at followup in the exercise-only group and not the combined group. Conclusion. Subjects receiving the combination of exercise and education and who complied with the treatment protocol improved their perceived ability to cope with other symptoms. In addition, a supervised exercise program increased walking distance at post-test, an increase that was maintained at followup in the exercise-only group. Results demonstrate the challenges with conducting exercise and education studies in persons with FM.
Differential subcellular localization of SK3‐containing channels in the hippocampus

Small‐conductance, Ca2+‐activated K+ (SK) channels are expressed in the hippocampus where they regulate synaptic responses, plasticity, and learning and memory. To investigate the expression of SK3 (KCNN3) subunits, we determined the developmental profile and subcellular distribution of SK3 in the developing mouse hippocampus using western blots, immunohistochemistry and high‐resolution immunoelectron microscopy. The results showed that SK3 expression increased during postnatal development, and that the localization of SK3 changed from being mainly associated with the endoplasmic reticulum and intracellular sites during the first postnatal week to being progressively concentrated in dendritic spines during later stages. In the adult, SK3 was localized mainly in postsynaptic compartments, both at extrasynaptic sites and along the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. Double labelling showed that SK3 co‐localized with SK2 (KCNN2) and with N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors. Finally, quantitative analysis of SK3 density revealed two subcellular distribution patterns in different hippocampal layers, with SK3 being unevenly distributed in CA1 region of the hippocampus pyramidal cells and homogeneously distributed in dentate gyrus granule cells. Our results revealed a complex cell surface distribution of SK3‐containing channels and a distinct developmental program that may influence different hippocampal functions.
Wild-type rabies virus induces autophagy in human and mouse neuroblastoma cell lines

ABSTRACT Different rabies virus (RABV) strains have their own biological characteristics, but little is known about their respective impact on autophagy. Therefore, we evaluated whether attenuated RABV HEP-Flury and wild-type RABV GD-SH-01 strains triggered autophagy. We found that GD-SH-01 infection significantly increased the number of autophagy-like vesicles, the accumulation of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-LC3 fluorescence puncta and the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II, while HEP-Flury was not able to induce this phenomenon. When evaluating autophagic flux, we found that GD-SH-01 infection triggers a complete autophagic response in the human neuroblastoma cell line (SK), while autophagosome fusion with lysosomes was inhibited in a mouse neuroblastoma cell line (NA). In these cells, GD-SH-01 led to apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction while triggering autophagy, and apoptosis could be decreased by enhancing autophagy. To further identify the virus constituent causing autophagy, 5 chimeric recombinant viruses carrying single genes of HEP-Flury instead of those of GD-SH-01 were rescued. While the HEP-Flury virus carrying the wild-type matrix protein (M) gene of RABV triggered LC3-I to LC3-II conversion in SK and NA cells, replacement of genes of nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P) and glycoprotein (G) produced only minor autophagy. But no one single structural protein of GD-SH-01 induced autophagy. Moreover, the AMPK signaling pathway was activated by GD-SH-01 in SK. Therefore, our data provide strong evidence that autophagy is induced by GD-SH-01 and can decrease apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, the M gene of GD-SH-01 may cooperatively induce autophagy.