Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Immunization with a vaccinia virus recombinant expressing herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein D: long-term protection and effect of revaccination

Previously we showed that mice immunized with a vaccinia virus vector expressing the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein D (gD) gene (vaccinia/gD) were protected against both lethal and latent infections with HSV-1 for at least 6 weeks after immunization (K. J. Cremer, M. Mackett, C. Wohlenberg, A. L. Notkins, and B. Moss, Science 228:737-740, 1985). In the experiments described here, we examined long-term immunity to HSV following vaccinia/gD vaccination, the effect of revaccination with vaccinia/gD, and the impact of previous immunity to vaccinia virus on immunization with the gD recombinant. Mice immunized with vaccinia/gD showed 100, 100, and 80% protection against lethal infection with HSV-1 at 18, 44, and 60 weeks postimmunization, respectively. Protection against latent trigeminal ganglionic infection was 70, 50, and 31% at 6, 41, and 60 weeks postvaccination, respectively. To study the effect of reimmunization on antibody levels, mice vaccinated with vaccinia/gD were given a second immunization (booster dose) 3 months after the first. These mice developed a 10-fold increase in neutralizing-antibody titer (221 to 2,934) and demonstrated a significant increase in protection against lethal HSV-1 challenge compared with animals that received only one dose of vaccinia/gD. To determine whether preexisting immunity to vaccinia virus inhibited the response to vaccination with vaccinia/gD virus, mice were immunized with a recombinant vaccinia virus vector expressing antigens from either influenza A or hepatitis B virus and were then immunized (2 to 3 months later) with vaccinia/gD. These mice showed reduced titers of neutralizing antibody to HSV-1 and decreased protection against both lethal and latent infections with HSV-1 compared with animals vaccinated only with vaccinia/gD. We conclude that vaccination with vaccinia/gD produces immunity against HSV-1 that lasts over 1 year and that this immunity can be increased by a booster but that prior immunization with a vaccinia recombinant virus expressing a non-HSV gene reduces the levels of neutralizing antibody and protective immunity against HSV-1 challenge.
04-05 Neural activity in dissociative and nondissociative PTSD: an fMRI analysis of conscious and nonconscious fear processing

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with information-processing defi cits and a reduction of selective attention, along with hyperarousal and hyperreactivity to threatand emotion-related stimuli. PTSD may involve an enhancement in automatic processing and an inability to inhibit automatic processing when required. The predominant neurophysiological model of PTSD has focused on medial prefrontal disruptions during the processing of fear-related stimuli and does not include potential alterations in the explicit inhibitory control of automatic responding. We investigated executive inhibitory control in PTSD during an emotionally neutral (go/no go) response inhibition task in individuals with PTSD (n = 23) and matched healthy controls (n = 23) using functional magnetic resonance imaging. PTSD was associated with diminished inhibitory control and reduced activation of a cortical inhibitory network (particularly right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex), as well as an increase in areas associated with sensory processing (somatosensory and visual cortices) and increased inhibitory task demand (striatum). These fi ndings are consistent with diminished executive inhibitory control in PTSD and may refl ect increased stimulus processing, which undermines cortical control mechanisms.
Power Modeling and Efficient FPGA Implementation of FHT for Signal Processing

Fast Hadamard transform (FHT) belongs to the family of discrete orthogonal transforms and is used widely in image and signal processing applications. In this paper, a parameterizable and scalable architecture for FHT with time and area complexities of O(2(W+1)) and O(2N2), respectively, has been proposed, where W and N are the word and vector lengths. A novel algorithmic transformation for the FHT based on sparse matrix factorization and distributed arithmetic (DA) principles has been presented. The architecture has been parallelized and pipelined in order to achieve high throughput rates. Efficient and optimized field-programmable gate array implementation of the proposed architecture that yield excellent performance metrics has been analyzed in detail. Additionally, a functional level power analysis and modeling methodology has been proposed to characterize the various power and energy metrics of the cores in terms of system parameters and design variables. The mathematical models that have been derived provide quick presilicon estimate of power and energy measures, allowing intelligent tradeoffs when incorporating the developed cores as subblocks in hardware-based image and video processing systems
Music Therapy Clinical Practice in Hospice: Differences Between Home and Nursing Home Delivery.

BACKGROUND Hospice music therapy is delivered in both homes and nursing homes (NH). No studies to date have explored differences in music therapy delivery between home and NH hospice patients. OBJECTIVE To compare music therapy referral reasons and delivery for hospice patients living in NH versus home. METHODS A retrospective, electronic medical record review was conducted from a large U.S. hospice of patients receiving music therapy between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010. RESULTS Among the 4,804 patients, 2,930 lived in an NH and 1,847 patients lived at home. Compared to home, NH hospice patients were more likely to be female, older, unmarried, and Caucasian. For home hospice patients, the top referral reasons were patient/family emotional and spiritual support, quality of life, and isolation. The most frequent referral reasons for NH hospice patients were isolation, quality of life, and patient/family emotional and spiritual support. Differences in music therapy delivery depended mainly on patients' primary diagnosis and location of care. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest differences in referral reasons and delivery based on an interaction between location of care and patient characteristics. Delivery differences are likely a result of individualized assessment and care plans developed by the music therapist and other interdisciplinary team members to address the unique needs of the patient. Thus, it is important to have professionally trained music therapists assess and provide tailored music-based interventions for patients with different referral reasons and personal characteristics. This study also supports staffing decisions based on patient need rather than average daily census.
Acquisition and retention of motor sequences: the effects of time of the day and sleep.

STUDY OBJECTIVES We used a sequence-learning task to assess whether: 1. The time interval between awakening and training equally affects the rate of acquisition of sequence order, a declarative component, and the kinematic optimization process, an implicit component; 2. Sleep enhances the retention of both these aspects of sequence learning. DESIGN For aim 1, we compare the acquisition rate of a new motor sequence in a group trained in the morning and another in the evening. For aim 2. , we tested retention of the same motor sequence twelve hours later, either without sleep (normal day activity or a night of sleep deprivation) or with interposed sleep (afternoon napping or regular full night sleep). SETTING Training and Testing were performed in a controlled laboratory setting. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-six right-handed normal subjects (age range 18-24 years; 16 women). RESULTS During the training, acquisition rate of the sequence order was significantly higher in the AM-trained than in the PM-trained group, without differences in the kinematic optimization processes. Both declarative and implicit learning indices were significantly higher in the subjects tested after sleep compared to those tested without interposed sleep. CONCLUSION The best time for fast and efficient acquisition of new declarative material is the morning, while the kinematic aspects of skill acquisition are not sensitive to the time of day. However, better retention of both declarative material and motor skills requires two conditions: a period of post-training sleep and the achievement of performance saturation during training.
MyD88 in Macrophages Is Critical for Abscess Resolution in Staphylococcal Skin Infection

When Staphylococcus aureus penetrates the epidermis and reaches the dermis, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMLs) accumulate and an abscess is formed. However, the molecular mechanisms that orchestrate initiation and termination of inflammation in skin infection are incompletely understood. In human myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88) deficiency, staphylococcal skin and soft tissue infections are a leading and potentially life-threatening problem. In this study, we found that MyD88-dependent sensing of S. aureus by dermal macrophages (Mϕ) contributes to both timely escalation and termination of PML-mediated inflammation in a mouse model of staphylococcal skin infection. Mϕs were key to recruit PML within hours in response to staphylococci, irrespective of bacterial viability. In contrast with bone marrow–derived Mϕs, dermal Mϕs did not require UNC-93B or TLR2 for activation. Moreover, PMLs, once recruited, were highly activated in an MyD88-independent fashion, yet failed to clear the infection if Mϕs were missing or functionally impaired. In normal mice, clearance of the infection and contraction of the PML infiltrate were accompanied by expansion of resident Mϕs in a CCR2-dependent fashion. Thus, whereas monocytes were dispensable for the early immune response to staphylococci, they contributed to Mϕ renewal after the infection was overcome. Taken together, MyD88-dependent sensing of staphylococci by resident dermal Mϕs is key for a rapid and balanced immune response, and PMLs are dependent on intact Mϕ for full function. Renewal of resident Mϕs requires both local control of bacteria and inflammatory monocytes entering the skin.
Helminth egg excretion with regard to age, gender and management practices on UK Thoroughbred studs

SUMMARY Few studies have described the combined effect of age, gender, management and control programmes on helminth prevalence and egg shedding in grazing equines. Here, fecal samples collected from 1221 Thoroughbred horses, residing at 22 studs in the UK, were analysed. The distribution of strongyle eggs amongst individuals in relation to age, gender and management practices was investigated. Fecal worm egg counts (FWECs), described as the number of eggs per gramme (epg) of feces, were determined using a modification of the salt flotation method. The FWEC prevalence (mean%) of strongyles, Parascaris equorum, tapeworm spp. and Strongyloides westeri was 56, 9, 4 and 8%, respectively. Strongyle, P. equorum, tapeworm spp. and S. westeri infections were detected on 22 (100%), 11 (50%), 9 (41%) and 8 (36%) of studs, respectively. Within all age and gender categories, strongyle FWECs were highly over-dispersed (arithmetic mean = 95 epg, aggregation parameter k=0·111) amongst horses. Animal age, last anthelmintic type administered and management practices (for example, group rotation on grazing) most strongly influenced strongyle prevalence and level of egg shedding (P < 0·05). Overall, 11% of equines (range: 234–2565 epg) were responsible for excreting 80% of the strongyle eggs detected on FWEC analysis. The results confirm that the judicious application of targeted treatments has potential to control equine strongyle populations by protecting individual horses from high burdens, whilst promoting refugia for anthelmintic susceptible genotypes.
Cranberry proanthocyanidins are cytotoxic to human cancer cells and sensitize platinum‐resistant ovarian cancer cells to paraplatin

Polyphenolic extracts of the principal flavonoid classes present in cranberry were screened in vitro for cytotoxicity against solid tumor cells lines, identifying two fractions composed principally of proanthocyanidins (PACs) with potential anticancer activity. Matrix‐Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time‐Of‐Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) analysis of the proanthocyanidins (PACs) fractions indicated the presence of A‐type PACs with 1–4 linkages containing between 2–8 epicatechin units with a maximum of 1 epigallocatechin unit. PACs exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against platinum‐resistant human ovarian, neuroblastoma and prostate cancer cell lines (IC50 = 79–479 µg/mL) but were non‐cytotoxic to lung fibroblast cells (IC50 > 1000 µg/ml). SKOV‐3 ovarian cancer cells treated with PACs exhibited classic apoptotic changes. PACs acted synergistically with paraplatin in SKOV‐3 cells. Pretreatment of SKOV‐3 cells with PACs (106 µg/ml) resulted in a significant reduction of the paraplatin IC50 value. Similarly, in a BrdU incorporation assay, co‐treatment of SKOV‐3 cells with PACs and paraplatin revealed reduced cell proliferation at lower concentrations than with either individually. In SKOV‐3 cell cultures co‐treated with PAC‐1 and paraplatin, an HPLC analysis indicated differential quantitative presence of various PAC oligomers such as DP‐8, ‐9, ‐11 and ‐14 indicating either selective binding or uptake. Cranberry proanthocyanidins exhibit cell‐line specific cytotoxicity, induce apoptotic markers and augment cytotoxicity of paraplatin in platinum‐resistant SKOV‐3 ovarian cancer cells. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neuroprotection mediated by natural products and their chemical derivatives

Neuronal injuries can lead to various diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, trauma, ischemia and, more specifically, glaucoma and optic neuritis. The cellular mechanisms that regulate neuronal death include calcium influx and calcium overload, excitatory amino acid release, oxidative stress, inflammation and microglial activation. Much attention has been paid to the effective prevention and treatment of neuroprotective drugs by natural products. This review summarizes the neuroprotective aspects of natural products, extracted from Panax ginseng, Camellia sinensis, soy and some other plants, and some of their chemical derivatives. Their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory action and their inhibition of apoptosis and microglial activation are assessed. This will provide new directions for the development of novel drugs and strategies to treat neurodegenerative diseases.
Leucine Metabolism in Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Severe muscle wasting is a well-recognized characteristic of untreated insulin-deficient diabetes mellitus, a condition in which leucine turnover and oxidation are accelerated. To ascertain whether a similar circumstance exists in type II diabetes when insulin is present but with reduced efficacy, we investigated leucine turnover and oxidation in five obese type II diabetic women by tracer infusion of L-[1-13C,15N]leucine in the postabsorptive state both before and after intensive insulin therapy. With conventional treatment, the type II diabetic women received 61 ± 33 (SD) U/day of insulin, and their fasting plasma glucose averaged 194 ± 41 (SD) mg/dl. Leucine carbon flux (Qc), nitrogen flux (QN), and oxidation (C) averaged 6.4 ± 1.2,15.6 ± 4.6, and 1.4 ± 0.3 mmol/h, respectively. These values were not different from the respective values of 6.6 ± 1.3, 17.0 ± 8.3, and 1.0 ± 0.2 mmol/h in matched obese nondiabetic controls, suggesting that leucine metabolism is not altered in insulin-treated type II diabetics. After a week of intensive insulin therapy in which the same diabetic subjects received 94 ± 36 U/day of insulin, postabsorptive plasma glucose declined to 117 ± 26 mg/dl. Leucine Qc(6.2 ± 1.0), QN (14.8 ± 3.7), and C (1.5 ± 0.5 mmol/h) were unaltered by the increased insulin therapy. Thus, obese type II diabetics had normal leucine kinetics but were hyperglycemic while receiving conventional insulin therapy. Additional intensive insulin therapy in these diabetic subjects improved plasma glucose but did not alter leucine kinetics. Thus, these data demonstrate a differential sensitivity of insulin's action on carbohydrate versus amino acid metabolism in type II diabetics.
Peptide-induced hyperactivation-like vigorous flagellar movement in starfish sperm

Asterosap, a sperm-activating peptide (SAP) from the starfish egg jelly coat, is diffusible and controls a cGMP-signalling pathway in starfish sperm in the same manner as resact, a potent chemoattracting SAP in sea urchins. This fact suggests that asterosap may serve as a chemoattractant like resact at concentrations with appropriate gradients. Since asterosap is one of three egg jelly components, which in concert induce the acrosome reaction, it is still worthwhile to evaluate how asterosap modulates sperm motility prior to this reaction. We analysed the flagellar movement of sperm of the starfish Aphelasterias japonica in artificial seawater (ASW) containing the asterosap isoform P15 at 1 μmol l−1. We found that sperm swim straighter with more symmetrical flagellar movement in P15 than in ASW, but without any significant difference in the flagellar beat frequency and the swimming velocity. The flagellar movement is, however, dramatically different between sperm firmly attached to the solid surface by the head in P15 and those attached in ASW: in P15 the flagellum bends to a greater extent, with higher curvature and with higher shear angle up to a right angle to the flagellar wave axis, and beats at an increased frequency. The vigorous flagellar movement of sperm, which can be activated when sperm are placed in high-load circumstances just as entering into a jelly layer, may increase propulsive forces and hydrodynamic resistances, allowing sperm to undergo the acrosome reaction as effectively as possible.
Integrated Multisystem Analysis in a Mental Health and Criminal Justice Ecosystem

Patients with a serious mental illness often receive care that is fragmented due to reduced availability of or access to resources, and inadequate, discontinuous, and uncoordinated care across health, social services, and criminal justice organizations. These gaps in care may lead to increased mental health disease burden and relapse, as well as repeated incarcerations. Further, the complex health, social service, and criminal justice ecosystem within which the patient may be embedded makes it difficult to examine the role of modifiable risk factors and delivered services on patient outcomes, particularly given that agencies often maintain isolated sets of relevant data. Here we describe an approach to creating a multisystem analysis that derives insights from an integrated data set including patient access to case management services, medical services, and interactions with the criminal justice system. We combined data from electronic systems within a US mental health ecosystem that included mental health and substance abuse services, as well as data from the criminal justice system. We applied Cox models to test the associations between delivery of services and re-incarceration. Using this approach, we found an association between arrests and crisis stabilization services in this population. We also found that delivery of case management or medical services provided after release from jail was associated with a reduced risk for re-arrest. Additionally, we used machine learning to train and validate a predictive model linking non-modifiable and modifiable risk factors and outcomes. A predictive model, constructed using elastic net regularized logistic regression, and considering age, past arrests, mental health diagnosis, as well as use of a jail diversion program, outpatient, medical and case management services predicted the probability of re-arrests with fair accuracy (AUC=.67). By modeling the complex interactions between risk factors, service delivery and outcomes, we may better enable systems of care to meet patient needs and improve outcomes.
Cardiac Specific Increase in Aldosterone Production Induces Coronary Dysfunction in Aldosterone Synthase–Transgenic Mice

Background—Elevated circulating aldosterone level is associated with impaired cardiovascular function. Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, aldosterone antagonists decrease total and cardiovascular mortality in heart failure and myocardial infarction. Aldosterone induces cardiac fibrosis in experimental models, and it is synthesized locally in rat heart. These observations suggest pathological effects of aldosterone in heart that remain unclear. Methods and Results—Transgenic mice (TG) that overexpress the terminal enzyme of aldosterone biosynthesis, aldosterone synthase (AS), in heart have been raised by gene targeting with the &agr;-myosin heavy chain promoter. AS mRNA increased 100-fold and aldosterone concentration 1.7-fold in hearts of male TG mice relative to wild-type. No structural or myocardial alterations were evidenced, because ventricle/body weight, AT1 and AT2 receptor binding, and collagen content were unchanged in TG. No alteration in cardiac function was evidenced by echocardiography, isolated perfused heart, or whole-cell patch clamp experiments. In contrast, coronary function was impaired, because basal coronary flow was decreased in isolated perfused heart (−55% of baseline values), and vasodilatation to acetylcholine, bradykinin, and sodium nitroprusside was decreased by 75%, 60%, and 75%, respectively, in TG mice compared with wild-type, showing that the defect was not related to NO production. Conclusions—Increased cardiac aldosterone production in male mice induces a major coronary endothelium-independent dysfunction with no detectable alterations in cardiac structure and function. However, coronary dysfunction may be harmful for coronary adaptation to increased flow demand.
Selective use of sentinel lymph node surgery during prophylactic mastectomy

Patients with invasive cancer identified at the time of prophylactic mastectomy (PM) will require axillary lymph node dissection for staging; therefore, many surgeons advocate sentinel lymph node (SLN) surgery at the time of PM. The current study investigates the invasive cancer rate in PM and evaluates factors associated with invasive cancer to guide SLN surgery use.
The Influence of Age on the Refractive Index of the Human Corneal Stroma Resected Using a Mechanical Microkeratome

Purpose: To measure the refractive index (RI) of the human corneal stroma in vivo using an objective Abbé refractometer (VCH-1) and to determine if RI of the stroma is related to age. Methods: The VCH-1 was calibrated against a standard subjective Abbé refractometer using 7 randomly selected turbid semiliquid media. VCH-1 was used to measure RI at the central midstroma immediately after lifting the flap in neophyte patients preselected for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. Surgical procedures continued as preplanned after measuring the RI; in binocular cases, measurements were taken from the right eye only. Flaps were created using a mechanical microkeratome. Results: The VCH-1 was capable of measuring the RIs of all 7 turbid semiliquid media. The average RMS difference between RI estimates according to the VCH-1 and standard subjective Abbé refractometer was 0.003. The mean RI (±SD) of the stroma was 1.369 (±0.008; range, 1.356–1.390), and the mean age (±SD) of the subjects was 33.7 years (±8.86; range, 18–56 years). A significant linear correlation was found between age and RI. Least squares regression lines equating RI with age (x, years) was of the form: RI = 1.35711 + 0.00034x (r = +0.383, n = 36, P = 0.011). Conclusions: RI of the stroma in vivo has a tendency to be increased in older patients when the stroma is resected using a mechanical microkeratome.