Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shade Tobacco and Green Tobacco Sickness in Connecticut

The prevalence of Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS) among shade tobacco farmworkers in Connecticut is unknown. We conducted a study to determine the prevalence of GTS in farmworkers working in shade tobacco fields who presented for clinical care at medical student-run clinics. A retrospective chart review of the tobacco workers seen at Farmworkers’ Clinics during 2001 was instituted in this study. Although GTS was not clinically diagnosed in any of the patients, we found 15% diagnoses that could be attributed to possible GTS by ICD-9 code review. Using a stricter GTS case definition, the frequency rate decreased to 4%. Nonsmokers were significantly more likely than smokers to report GTS-like symptoms (P < 0.01). Isolated symptoms of headache and dizziness were significantly more frequent among nonsmokers than smokers (P < 0.05). In conclusion, cases of possible GTS were found in Connecticut shade tobacco workers. Nonsmokers were more at risk to have possible GTS than smokers.
Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2)‐TLR9 crosstalk dictates IL‐12 family cytokine production in microglia

Microglia are the resident mononuclear phagocytes of the CNS parenchyma and represent an initial line of defense against invading microorganisms. Microglia utilize Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) for pathogen recognition and TLR2 specifically senses conserved motifs of gram‐positive bacteria including lipoproteins, lipoteichoic acids, and peptidoglycan (PGN) leading to cytokine/chemokine production. Interestingly, primary microglia derived from TLR2 knockout (KO) mice over‐expressed numerous IL‐12 family members, including IL‐12p40, IL‐12p70, and IL‐27 in response to intact S. aureus, but not the less structurally complex TLR2 ligands Pam3CSK4 or PGN. The ability of intact bacteria to augment IL‐12 family member expression was specific for gram‐positive organisms, since numerous gram‐negative strains were unable to elicit exaggerated responses in TLR2 KO microglia. Inhibition of SYK or IRAK4 signaling did not impact heightened IL‐12 family member production in S. aureus‐treated TLR2 KO microglia, whereas PI3K, MAPK, and JNK inhibitors were all capable of restoring exaggerated cytokine expression to wild type levels. Additionally, elevated IL‐12 production in TLR2 KO microglia was ablated by a TLR9 antagonist, suggesting that TLR9 drives IL‐12 family member production following exposure to intact bacteria that remains unchecked in the absence of TLR2 signaling. Collectively, these findings indicate crosstalk between TLR2 and TLR9 pathways to regulate IL‐12 family member production by microglia. The summation of TLR signals must be tightly controlled to ensure the timely cessation and/or fine tuning of cytokine signaling to avoid nonspecific bystander damage due to sustained IL‐12 release. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
EBV-Specific CD8+ T Cell Memory: Relationships Between Epitope Specificity, Cell Phenotype, and Immediate Effector Function1

EBV infection in humans induces CD8+ T cell memory to viral epitopes derived from both lytic and latent cycle Ags. We have analyzed the relationship between the phenotype and function of the memory pool of T cells specific for these Ags. Lytic epitope-specific populations were heterogeneous in terms of CD45RO/RA and CD28 expression, whereas latent epitope-specific populations were uniformly CD45RO+ and CD28+, consistent with the higher antigenic challenge from lytic epitopes driving some memory cells toward a CD45RA+, CD28− phenotype. However, both types of memory population showed immediate epitope-specific cytotoxicity and type 1 cytokine production in ex vivo assays. Cytotoxic function was not associated with preactivated T cells, as EBV-specific populations were negative for activation markers such as CD69 or CD38, nor could cytotoxic function be ascribed to CD27− or CD56+ subsets, as such cells were not detected in EBV-specific memory. Furthermore, cytotoxicity was not limited to CD45RA+ and/or CD28− fractions, but also was observed in CD45RO+, CD28+ populations in lytic and latent epitope-specific memory. Cytokine (IFN-γ, TNF-α) responses, measured by intracytoplasmic staining after peptide stimulation, also were detectable in CD45RO+ and RA+ subsets as well as CD28+ and CD28− subsets. Of other markers that were heterogeneous in both lytic and latent epitope populations, CCR7 gave the best discrimination of functionality; thus, CCR7+ cells consistently failed to give an IFN-γ or TNF-α response, whereas many CCR7− cells were responsive. Our data are consistent with effector functions having a broad distribution among phenotypically distinct subsets of “effector memory” cells that have lost the CCR7 marker.
Elevated Resting Blood Pressure and Dampened Emotional Response

Objective: Increased blood pressure is associated with decreased reports of aversiveness for both physical pain and psychosocial stressors. Based on these findings, higher blood pressure could be associated with altered emotional responses to a broader range of stimuli. There are at least 3 ways this could happen: a) less dire response to negative stimuli with no change in response to positive stimuli; b) more positive responses to both negative and positive stimuli; or c) dampened emotional responses to both positive and negative stimuli. Methods: Sixty-five normotensive volunteers had their resting blood pressure measured, then rated their emotional responses to a series of positive and negative photographs. Results: Resting systolic blood pressure was significantly and negatively correlated with subjective emotional ratings of both positive (r = −.26) and negative (r = −.35) photographs. Conclusion: Results were consistent with emotion dampening for elevated resting blood pressure and may reflect homeostatic integration of neurocirculatory control and affect regulation.
Evaluation of a risk of malignancy index based on serum CA125, ultrasound findings and menopausal status in the pre‐operative diagnosis of pelvic masses

Objective To evaluate the ability of a risk of malignancy index (RMI), based on a serum CA125 level, ultrasound findings and menopausal status, to discriminate a benign from a malignant pelvic mass and to discriminate early stage (Figo Stage I) from Stages II, III and IV of ovarian cancer.
Carbon Emission Effects of the Coordinated Development of Two-Way Foreign Direct Investment in China

This paper innovatively combines Inward Foreign Direct Investment (IFDI) and Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) as a measure of two-way FDI coordinated development to consider the coupling and coordination level of FDI. Under the analytical framework of Copeland and Taylor (1994), it introduces this new measure to investigate the effects of China’s carbon emissions during 2004–2016, using the spatial econometric model and the differential generalized method of moments. We find that China’s carbon emissions show significant spatial correlation characteristics and interregional diffusion, which indicates that regional coordinated cooperative governance is key to carbon emission mitigation in China, and that China’s two-way FDI coordinated development has presented a significant braking effect on carbon emissions during the research period. Furthermore, we decompose the effects of the two-way FDI on carbon emissions into three parts. This decomposition shows that the scale effect is positive, while both the composition and the technique effects are negative. The technique effect essentially dominates the emission reduction induced by the coordinated development of the two-way FDI.
The macrophage response to bacteria. Modulation of macrophage functional activity by peptidoglycan from Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis

Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis organisms have been shown to be particularly efficient in inducing in a pure population of bone marrow‐derived mononuclear phagocytes secretory and cellular activities. In the present study, the ability of peptidoglycan from this Gram‐negative organism to trigger a macrophage response was compared with that elicited by peptidoglycan from Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. The results show that the three peptidoglycans were similarly active in triggering the secretion of tumour necrosis factor and tumouricidal activity but differed considerably in their ability to induce the generation of nitrite in macrophages; in this respect, peptidoglycan from M. catarrhalis was particularly potent. The impressive capacity of M. catarrhalis peptidoglycan to induce in low concentration the secretion of tumour necrosis factor and nitrite and tumouricidal activity may, in addition to its lipopolysaccharide, contribute to the extraordinary potential of this organism to trigger the functional activities of macrophages.
Circulating 25-Hydroxyvitamin-D and Risk of Colorectal Adenomas and Hyperplastic Polyps

Colorectal adenomas are clear precursors of cancer; hyperplastic polyps may also have malignant potential. An inverse association between circulating vitamin D metabolites and adenoma risk has been reported, but less is known about vitamin D and hyperplastic polyps. We conducted a case-control study of adenomas and hyperplastic polyps among 459 members of an integrated health plan evaluated via colonoscopy. Questionnaires provided information on colorectal polyp risk factors, and plasma samples were assayed for 25-hydroxyvitamin-D [25(OH)D]. Polytomous regression was used to estimate odds ratios for adenomas (n = 149) and hyperplastic polyps (n = 85) compared to polyp-free controls (n = 225) by tertile of 25(OH)D. An inverse association between 25(OH)D and adenomas was suggested after adjustment for potential confounding factors [comparing upper to lower tertiles, OR (95%CI): 0.71 (0.38–1.30)]. After restriction of the analyses to study participants with no history of polyps, this OR estimate was reduced further [adjusted OR (95%CI): 0.52 (0.23–1.20)]. In comparison, no inverse association between hyperplastic polyps and 25(OH)D was observed among the full study participants [adjusted OR (95%CI): 1.17 (0.55–2.51)] or among those without prior polyps [adjusted OR (95%CI): 1.42 (0.55–3.65)]. Our study suggests that the established inverse association between circulating 25(OH)D and adenoma may not apply to hyperplastic polyps.
Evaluation of methods for the determination of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme activities in human skeletal muscle samples.

The quantification of mitochondrial enzyme activities in skeletal muscle samples of patients suspected of having mitochondrial myopathies is problematic. Therefore, we have evaluated different methods for the determination of activities cytochrome c oxidase and NADH:CoQ oxidoreductase in human skeletal muscle samples. The measurement of cytochrome c oxidase activity in the presence of 200 microM ferrocytochrome c and the detection of NADH:CoQ oxidoreductase as rotenone-sensitive NADH:CoQ(1) reductase resulted in comparable citrate synthase-normalized respiratory chain enzyme activities of both isolated mitochondria and homogenates from control human skeletal muscle samples. These methods allowed the precise detection of deficiencies of respiratory chain enzymes in skeletal muscle of two patients harboring only 20 and 27% of deleted mitochondrial DNA, respectively. Therefore, citrate synthase-normalized respiratory chain activities can serve as stable reference values for the determination of a putative mitochondrial defect in human skeletal muscle.
Stress and Demographic Decline: A Potential Effect Mediated by Impairment of Reproduction and Immune Function in Cyclic Vole Populations

The stress response is initially adaptive, operating to maintain homeostasis. However, chronic long‐term exposure to stressors may have detrimental effects. We proposed that chronic stress may be a major factor in demographic vole cycles, inducing decline in high‐density populations. We monitored four populations of the fossorial water vole Arvicola scherman, which undergo pluriannual demographic cycles in the Jura Mountains (France). Sampling was conducted during the high densities and the decline. We measured fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) to assess stress levels and injected phytohemagglutinin to estimate the cell‐mediated immune response. We demonstrated that stress levels increase between the high densities and the decline in most of the vole populations. At the individual level, FCM concentrations varied with reproductive status and body condition. During the outbreak, we observed significantly higher levels of FCM concentrations in nulliparous females than in females that had previously reproduced. Moreover, a significant negative correlation was observed between concentrations of FCMs and both immunocompetence and body condition during population decline. These results might reflect an impairment of the female reproductive capability in high densities and accelerated senescence affecting immune function during decline, both arising from chronic stress.
Autosomal recessive inheritance of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in a Madeira Portuguese kindred

Cardiomyopathy is a heterogeneous disorder with numerous inherited and acquired causes. Familial, isolated, dilated cardiomyopathy is usually reported as being inherited in an autosomal dominant mode with variable penetrance and expressivity: In this paper we describe a form of autosomal recessively inherited, dilated, cardiomyopathy occurring in three members of a consanguineous Madeira Portuguese family. Following review of the literature, it appears that the autosomal recessive form of dilated cardiomyopathy is more common than previously reported.
Comparative performance of tuberculin skin test, QuantiFERON-TB-Gold In Tube assay, and T-Spot.TB test in contact investigations for tuberculosis.

RATIONALE Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-specific interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) are an alternative or adjunct to the tuberculin skin test (TST) in identifying recent contacts with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), but there are scarce data directly comparing performance of the tests. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the agreement between both IGRAs and to determine which contacts were most likely to represent LTBI, the QuantiFERON-TB-Gold In Tube assay (QFT) and the T-Spot.TB test (T-Spot) were compared in TST-positive persons recently exposed to pulmonary tuberculosis cases. METHODS Prospectively enrolled close contacts (n = 812) of 123 culture-confirmed tuberculosis source cases underwent IGRA testing using standardized collected data. Factors independently influencing the risk of MTB infection and their interactions with each other were evaluated by multivariate analysis. RESULTS Five variables were found to significantly predict a positive IGRA test result (age, source case acid-fast bacilli positive and/or coughing, cumulative exposure time, foreign origin). There was excellent agreement between the two IGRAs (93.9%, kappa = 0.85), with QFT finding 30.2% of contacts positive and T-Spot finding 28.7%. Assuming positivity to both IGRAs as true infection, sensitivity of the TST at > 10 mm was 72% and at > 15 mm was 39.7%. The use of either IGRA as a replacement for the TST would decrease the number of LTBI suspects to be investigated by approximately 70%. CONCLUSIONS IGRAs are a more accurate indicator of the presence of LTBI than the TST. Both QFT and T-Spot appear to be valuable public health tools, showing excellent agreement with each other.
Distinct pathogenic processes between Fig4‐deficient motor and sensory neurons

Loss of function of the FIG4 gene causes Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease (CMT)‐4J with many features also found in motor neuron disease (MND). Mechanisms for the degeneration are unknown. We investigated this using Fig4‐deficient pale tremor (plt) mice, a mouse model of CMT4J. Ultrastructural studies in sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) confirmed abundant vacuoles with membrane disruption. The vacuoles became detectable as early as postnatal day 4 in the DRG. However, the vacuoles were absent or minimal in the spinal motor neurons or cortical neurons in 2‐ to 5‐week‐old plt mice. Instead, a large number of electron‐dense organelles, reminiscent of those in lysosomal storage disorders, accumulated in the motor neurons, but not in the sensory neurons of DRG. This accumulation was associated with increased levels of lysosomal proteins, such as LAMP2 and NPC1, but not mannose‐6‐phosphate receptor, an endosomal protein that is usually excluded from the lysosomes. Our results suggest that Fig4 deficiency affects motor neurons differently from sensory neurons by mechanisms involving excessive retention of molecules in lysosomes or disruption of vacuolated organelles. These two distinct pathological changes may contribute to neuronal degeneration.
The reduced expression of endogenous duplications (REED) in the maize R gene family is mediated by DNA methylation.

The duplicated R and Sn genes regulate the maize anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway and encode tissue‐specific products that are homologous to helix‐loop‐helix transcriptional activators. As a consequence of their coupling in the genome, Sn is partially silenced. Genomic restriction analysis failed to reveal gross structural DNA alterations between the strong original phenotype and the weak derivatives. However, the differences in pigmentation were inversely correlated with differences in the methylation of the Sn promoter. Accordingly, treatment with 5‐azacytidine (AZA), a demethylating agent, restored a strong pigmentation pattern that was transmitted to the progeny and that was correlated with differential expression of the Sn transcript. Genomic sequencing confirmed that methylation of the Sn promoter was more apparent in the less pigmented seedlings and was greatly reduced in the AZA revertants. In addition, some methylcytosines were located in non‐symmetrical C sequences. These findings provide an insight into Sn and R interaction, a process that we have termed Reduced Expression of Endogenous Duplications (REED). We propose that increasing the copy number of regulatory genes by endogenous duplication leads to such epigenetic mechanisms of silencing. Further understanding of the REED process may have broader implications for gene regulation and may identify new levels of regulation within eukaryotic genomes.
Carbon Tax vs Cap and Trade. The market concentration may have the last word on climate change policy : An evaluation for the energy sector in Colombia

This study reviews two approaches of carbon pricing to address climate change at the policy and economic level. It compares carbon tax with the cap and trade scheme in the energy industry of Colombia. The pros and cons of the two approaches are evaluated through focusing on the particular features of the Colombian context. These are: a highly concentrated market, with market power and heterogeneous productivity amongst firms. I conclude that the carbon tax is likely to be more effective and easier to implement at policy level.
Retrograde endocannabinoid signaling at striatal synapses requires a regulated postsynaptic release step

Endocannabinoids (eCBs) mediate short- and long-term depression of synaptic strength by retrograde transsynaptic signaling. Previous studies have suggested that an eCB mobilization or release step in the postsynaptic neuron is involved in this retrograde signaling. However, it is not known whether this release process occurs automatically upon eCB synthesis or whether it is regulated by other synaptic factors. To address this issue, we loaded postsynaptic striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) with the eCBs anandamide (AEA) or 2-arachidonoylglycerol and determined the conditions necessary for presynaptic inhibition. We found that presynaptic depression of glutamatergic excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and GABAergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) induced by postsynaptic eCB loading required a certain level of afferent activation that varied between the different synaptic types. Synaptic depression at excitatory synapses was temperature-dependent and blocked by the eCB membrane transport blockers, VDM11 and UCM707, but did not require activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors, l-calcium channels, nitric oxide, voltage-activated Na+ channels, or intracellular calcium. Application of the CB1R antagonist, AM251, after depression was established, reversed the decrease in EPSC, but not in IPSC, amplitude. Direct activation of the CB1 receptor by WIN 55,212-2 initiated synaptic depression that was independent of afferent stimulation. These findings indicate that retrograde eCB signaling requires a postsynaptic release step involving a transporter or carrier that is activated by afferent stimulation/synaptic activation.
Factors associated with hospitalisations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions among persons with an intellectual disability: a publicly insured population perspective.

BACKGROUND Hospitalisations for ambulatory care-sensitive (ACS) conditions are used as an indicator of access to, and the quality of, primary care. The objective was to identify factors associated with hospitalisations for ACS conditions among adults with an intellectual disability (ID) in the context of a publicly insured healthcare system. METHODS This study examined adults with an ID living in a Canadian province between 1999 and 2003 identified from administrative databases. Using 5 years of data for the study population, characteristics of persons hospitalised or not hospitalised for ACS conditions were compared. Using a conceptual model, independent variables were selected and an analysis performed to identify which were associated with hospitalisations for ACS conditions. The correlated nature of the observations was accounted for statistically. RESULTS Living in a rural area [odds ratio (OR) 1.3; 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.0, 1.8], living in an area with a high proportion of First Nations people (OR 2.3; 95% CI = 1.3, 4.1), and experiencing higher levels of comorbidity (OR 25.2; 95% CI = 11.9, 53.0) were all associated with a higher likelihood of being hospitalised for an ACS condition. Residing in higher income areas had a protective effect (OR 0.56; 95% CI = 0.37, 0.85). None of the health service resource variables showed statistically significant associations. CONCLUSIONS Persons with an ID experience inequity in hospitalisations for ACS conditions according to rurality, income and proportion who are First Nations in a geographic area. This suggests that addressing the socio-economic problems of poorer areas and specifically areas densely populated by First Nations people may have an impact on the number of hospitalisations for ACS conditions. Study strengths and limitations and areas for potential future research are discussed.
Afferent and efferent pathways of the vibrissal region of primary motor cortex in the mouse

The afferent and efferent connections of the vibrissal representation within the mouse primary motor cortex (Msl) were identified by using the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and the anterograde transport of tritiated amino acids injected into Msl. Following aldehyde perfusion brains were frozen‐sectioned at 40 μm and reacted for HRP using the 3‐3′ diaminobenzidine‐cobalt chloride technique of Adams (77). Alternate HRP reacted sections were processed for autoradiography.