Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Two Tales of Cytauxzoon felis Infections in Domestic Cats

SUMMARY Cytauxzoonosis is an emerging infectious disease that affects wild felids as well as the domestic cat; it is caused by the apicomplexan protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Cytauxzoon. Cytauxzoonfelis is the species of major concern, whose transmission occurs via the bite of an infected tick. Cytauxzoonosis of the domestic cat has historically been considered uniformly fatal, with a short course of illness, and most domestic cats die within 9 to 15 days postinfection. However, increasing evidence of domestic cats surviving C. felis infection suggests the existence of different strains with various levels of pathogenicity. Although wild felids are considered natural reservoirs for this parasite, a number of studies suggest that domestic cats that have survived nonlethal infections may serve as an additional reservoir. The current article comprehensively reviews the parasite and its life cycle, geographic distribution, genetic variability, and pathogenesis, as well as host immunology and the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infection in the domestic cat. This information should provide a basis for better understanding the parasite as well as the pathogenesis of the disease.
New technique using galactose‐specific lectin for isolation of fetal cells from maternal blood

To isolate fetal cells from maternal blood, we developed a new method based on galactose‐bearing conjugation. Nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs), which highly express galactose on their surface, were selectively attached to a substrate coated with a galactose‐containing polymer via soybean agglutinin (SBA), a galactose‐specific lectin. Cord blood samples were used to evaluate enrichment efficacy of NRBCs by this method. Blood samples were obtained from 131 pregnant women between 6 and 27 gestational weeks. After preliminary condensation of fetal cells by Ficoll gradient centrifugation, NRBCs were enriched using galactose‐positive selection by adjusting SBA concentration. We isolated one to severalhundred NRBCs (mean±SD, 7.8±8.5) in 2.3 ml of peripheral blood samples from 96% of pregnantwomen. The isolated NRBCs were analyzed by a Y‐chromosome FISH probe in eight cases carrying male fetuses. Y‐signals were detected in all eight cases and more than half of the NRBCs wereoffetal origin. The study demonstrates that our new method using galactose‐specific lectin provides effective enrichment of fetal NRBCs allowing non‐invasive prenatal diagnosis. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regulation of Macrophage Inflammatory Protein-1 mRNA by Oxidative Stress (*)

Accumulation of inflammatory cells within the lung has been implicated in oxidative injury. Recruitment of these cells to a tissue site is a complex process that depends in part upon the local expression of appropriate proinflammatory chemokines. Macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), a member of the CC subfamily of chemokines, has been shown to contribute to monocyte/macrophage and neutrophil chemotaxis and activation. Our previous work demonstrated that MIP-1α mRNA expression in macrophages is induced by bacterial endotoxin. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that an oxidative stress alone may trigger expression of MIP-1α mRNA in macrophages and to determine the mechanism leading to increased expression. A rat alveolar macrophage cell line (NR8383) was exposed to HO or menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (MQ)), a quinone compound that undergoes redox cycling and generates reactive oxygen species continuously. Steady-state mRNA levels encoding MIP-1α were markedly increased (3-fold) in these cells after 1 h of exposure to 0.5 mM HO, remained higher than control levels after 4 h, and decreased after 6 h. Similarly, MQ (25 or 50 μM) caused a significant increase of MIP-1α mRNA with a maximal induction after 4 h of exposure (5-fold). Both HO and MQ-induced up-regulation of MIP-1α mRNA was suppressed by co-treatment with N-acetylcysteine, a synthetic antioxidant. Co-treatment with actinomycin D reduced the MQ induction of MIP-1α mRNA to a greater extent than the HO-induced increase. Transcription of the MIP-1α gene was increased by exposure to both HO and MQ. HO treatment also induced a marked increase of the MIP-1α mRNA half-life, indicating post-transcriptional stabilization. These observations indicate that an oxidative stress can regulate MIP-1α mRNA expression by two distinct mechanisms: transcriptional activation of the MIP-1α gene and post-transcriptional stabilization of MIP-1α mRNA.
TECHNICAL CHANGE AND THE AGGREGATE PRODUCTION FUNCTION

В статье производится анализ агрегированной производственной функции, вводится аппарат, позволяющий различать движение вдоль такой функции от ее сдвигов. На основании сделанных в статье предположений делаются выводы о характере технического прогресса и технологических изменений. Существенное внимание уделяется вариантам применения концепции агрегированной производственной функции.
Inhibition of endogenous glucocorticoid synthesis aggravates lung injury triggered by septic shock in rats

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of previous administration of metyrapone (met) on the acute lung injury (ALI) induced by caecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and to explore met's relationship with endogenous glucocorticoids (GCs) as measured by inflammatory, oxidative and functional parameters. One hundred and thirty‐five Wistar rats were divided into three main groups: Control (Naïve), Sham and CLP. The animals received pretreatment one hour before surgery. The Naïve group did not undergo any procedure or pretreatment. The Sham group only had the caecum exposed and was pretreated with saline. The CLP group was divided into three pretreatments: metyrapone (CLP met 50 mg/kg i.p.), dexamethasone (CLP dex 0.5 mg/kg i.p.) or saline (CLP sal equivalent volume of 0.9% NaCl). Analyses were performed after 6 and 24 h of sepsis. Previous administration of met significantly increased inflammatory cells, as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the lung tissue and alveolar collapsed area, with consequent impairment of respiratory mechanics being observed compared to Sham and Naïve; CLP sal exhibited similar results to those of met. The met reduced corticosterone (CCT) levels and dramatically increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels in the lung tissue compared to CLP sal. Our results suggest that previous administration of met may have contributed to increased pulmonary oxidative stress and increased mortality by mechanisms dependent of endogenous GC.
Anatomic Olfactory Structural Abnormalities in Congenital Smell Loss: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evaluation of Olfactory Bulb, Groove, Sulcal, and Hippocampal Morphology

Background and Purpose There are 2 groups of patients with congenital smell loss: group 1 (12% of the total), in which patients exhibit a familial smell loss in conjunction with severe anatomical, somatic, neurological, and metabolic abnormalities such as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism; and a larger group, group 2 (88% of the total), in which patients possess a similar degree of smell loss but without somatic, neurological, or anatomical abnormalities or hypogonadism. Both groups are characterized by similar olfactory dysfunction, and both have been reported to have absent or decreased olfactory bulbs and grooves, which indicates some overlap in olfactory pathophysiology and anatomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients with congenital smell loss, primarily among group 2 patients, comparing brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results in patients with types of hyposmia. Methods Forty group 2 patients were studied by measurements of taste (gustometry) and smell (olfactometry) function and by use of MRI in which measurements of olfactory bulbs, olfactory sulcus depth, olfactory grooves, and hippocampal anatomy were performed. Anatomical results were compared with similar studies in group 1 patients and in 22 control subjects with normal sensory function. Results Olfactometry was abnormal in all patients with no patient reporting ever having normal olfaction. No patient had a familial history of smell loss. On MRI, all exhibited at least 1 abnormality in olfactory system anatomy, including absence or decreased size of at least 1 olfactory bulb, decreased depth of an olfactory sulcus, and abnormalities involving hippocampal anatomy with hippocampal malrotations. One patient had bilateral bulb duplication. Normal subjects with normal smell and taste function exhibited some but very few or significant neuroanatomical changes on MRI. Conclusions Although both groups have similar abnormalities of smell function, group 2 patients demonstrate anatomical anomalies in olfactory structures that are neither as common nor as severe as in group 1 patients. Group 2 patients can have a wide range of olfactory anatomical abnormalities.
A CONTROLLED DOUBLE-BLIND STUDY OF THE HEMATOLOGIC TOXICITY OF CHLORAMPHENICOL.

ALTHOUGH well known as a cause of aplastic anemia,1 2 3 4 chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin) is used widely because of the rarity of this reaction and the clinical advantages of the antibiotic. However, the prolonged morbidity and high mortality of aplastic anemia4 make it important that the reaction be prevented. Further definition of the toxicology of the drug may help accomplish this. Previous investigations have thoroughly characterized a mild, reversible form of bone-marrow depression produced by chloramphenicol in patients with infectious processes,5 accelerated erythropoiesis6 and even normal subjects given sufficiently large doses.7 The present study attempts to define further the relation of dosage to .
Using Evidence for Teacher Education Program Improvement and Accountability

In this article, the authors consider what can be learned from limited forms of evidence, for purposes of accountability and improvement of teacher education programs. They begin with a review of recent research on how evidence has been used to examine the effectiveness of teacher preparation and development. Using empirical evidence from a state with limited data capacity, they illustrate what can be learned from value-added measures as one form of evidence. As a case in point, the value-added scores for fifth-grade teachers are used to answer the question: To what extent are teachers’ years of experience and the institutions from which they obtained their teacher training related to student achievement? The authors conclude with a discussion of the use of evidence by shifting the focus of accountability from simply responding to external requirements to developing internal practices that generate knowledge for improvement, and argue for collective responsibility among multiple stakeholders.
Performance analysis of the total least squares ESPRIT algorithm

The asymptotic distribution of the estimation error for the total least squares (TLS) version of ESPRIT is derived. The application to a uniform linear array is treated in some detail, and a generalization of ESPRIT to include row weighting is discussed. The Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) for the ESPRIT problem formulation is derived and found to coincide with the asymptotic variance of the TLS ESPRIT estimates through numerical examples. A comparison of this method to least squares ESPRIT, MUSIC, and Root-MUSIC as well as to the CRB for a calibrated array is also presented. TLS ESPRIT is found to be competitive with the other methods, and the performance is close to the calibrated CRB for many cases of practical interest. For highly correlated signals, however, the performance deviates significantly from the calibrated CRB. Simulations are included to illustrate the applicability of the theoretical results to a finite number of data. >
Melanocytes of nail matrix and nail pigmentation.

Histologic studies of melanocytes of nail matrices with or without nail pigmentation were made in 15 specimens taken from 12 Japanese subjects. The following results were obtained: (1) Melanin granules were present in the normal nail matrix, (2) dopa-positive melanocytes were also present in the lower two to four layers of normal nail matrix, but few or none in the lowest layer, (3) histological findings of the nail matrix, corresponding to pigmented bands, revealed an increase in activity and number of dopa-positive melanocytes, (4) of five patients with pigmented band on nail, none was found to be nevoid in character.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbid disorders: issues of overlapping symptoms.

OBJECTIVE Since some symptoms are shared by both attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and comorbid psychiatric conditions, it is possible that a diagnosis of ADHD is an artifact of the overlapping symptoms. This article focuses on the assessment of the influence of overlapping symptoms on the diagnosis of ADHD. METHOD Three groups of subjects were studied: a group of clinically referred children and adolescents, a group of nonreferred adults who were the parents of these children and adolescents, and a group of clinically referred adults with ADHD. The authors assessed the extent of symptom overlap between ADHD and the disorders that frequently co-occur with ADHD; major depression, bipolar disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. To determine the degree to which this symptom overlap influences these diagnoses, each individual was rediagnosed on the basis of two different techniques that corrected for the overlapping symptoms, a subtraction method and a proportion method. RESULTS The majority of subjects who had both ADHD and a comorbid psychiatric disorder maintained their diagnosis of ADHD when the overlapping symptoms were subtracted. Moreover, when overlapping ADHD symptoms were subtracted, on average, 79% maintained their diagnosis of major depression, 56% maintained their diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and 75% maintained their diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that ADHD is not an artifact of symptoms shared with other psychiatric disorders and that the comorbid conditions themselves are not an artifact of overlapping ADHD symptoms.
An Experimental Test of Theories of Behavior in Allais-Type Tasks

This article tests the predictions of expected utility theory and of several of its most prominent alternatives and assesses their ability to explain behavior in Allais-type tasks. We find that, given a transparent presentation, expected utility theory performs surprisingly well, and that the alternative theories perform poorly except inasmuch as they make the same predictions as expected utility theory. We also contribute to methodology, and study the consequences of using hypothetical versus real incentives. Although hypothetical incentives do not affect compliance with expected utility, they have a large effect on attitude toward risk.
Ductile End-Diaphragms for Seismic Retrofit of Slab-on-Girder Steel Bridges

Steel bridges are frequently supported by seismically vulnerable substructures, as clearly dem- onstrated by recent earthquakes. The seismic retrofit of these nonductile substructures can be, in many cases, a rather costly operation. This paper investigates the adequacy of a seismic retrofit strategy that relies instead on ductile end-diaphragms inserted in the steel superstructure: the objective is to protect the substructure by re- placing the steel diaphragms over abutments and piers with specially designed ductile diaphragms calibrated to yield before the strength of the substructure is reached. For a type of steel slab-on-girder bridge widely found in North America, this paper presents simplified analytical models as well as a step-by-step design procedure developed for three types of ductile diaphragm systems (such as shear panels, eccentrically braced frames, and triangular-plate added damping and stiffness devices), followed by results from nonlinear inelastic analyses conducted to investigate the seismic behavior of these retrofitted bridges. At this time, only bridges on stiff substructure are considered, although a few examples are presented to illustrate the potential inadequacy of this retrofit approach for bridges on flexible substructures.
The influence of genetics and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of acne: a twin study of acne in women.

Acne is common and often leads to significant psychologic and physical morbidity. From clinical experience, acne appears to run in families; however, very few studies have investigated the genetic basis of this very common skin disease. A large twin study based on 458 pairs of monozygotic and 1099 pairs of dizygotic twins, all women with a mean age of 46 y was performed to investigate the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors on the liability to acne. In addition, potential risk factors were assessed in twins with and without acne in a nested cross-sectional design. Fourteen percent of the twins reported a history of acne. Genetic modeling using acne scores showed that 81% (95% confidence interval 73-87%) of the variance of the disease was attributable to additive genetic effects. The remaining 19% was attributed to unique (i.e., unshared) environmental factors. Of the potential risk factors tested in 400 acne twins and 2414 unaffected twins, only apolipoprotein A1 serum levels were significantly lower in acne twins even after adjusting for age and weight. Family history of acne was also significantly associated with an increased risk. No significant differences were found between acne twins and nonacne twins for weight, body mass index, height, birth weight, hair thinning, reproductive factors as well as cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, and glucose levels. The lower serum levels of apolipoprotein A1 in acne twins were also confirmed when analyzing acne discordant twin pairs. The evidence of a major genetic influence on acne should stimulate the search for potential genes that may lead to new therapeutic approaches.
Human Cytomegalovirus US28 Is Important for Latent Infection of Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) resides latently in hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). During latency, only a subset of HCMV genes is transcribed, including one of the four virus-encoded G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), US28. Although US28 is a multifunctional lytic protein, its function during latency has remained undefined. We generated a panel of US28 recombinant viruses in the bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-derived clinical HCMV strain TB40/E-mCherry. We deleted the entire US28 open reading frame (ORF), deleted all four of the viral GPCR ORFs, or deleted three of the HCMV GPCRs but not the US28 wild-type protein. Using these recombinant viruses, we assessed the requirement for US28 during latency in the Kasumi-3 in vitro latency model system and in primary ex vivo-cultured CD34+ HPCs. Our data suggest that US28 is required for latency as infection with viruses lacking the US28 ORF alone or in combination with the remaining HCMV-encoded GPCR results in transcription from the major immediate early promoter, the production of extracellular virions, and the production of infectious virus capable of infecting naive fibroblasts. The other HCMV GPCRs are not required for this phenotype as a virus expressing only US28 but not the remaining virus-encoded GPCRs is phenotypically similar to that of wild-type latent infection. Finally, we found that US28 copurifies with mature virions and is expressed in HPCs upon virus entry although its expression at the time of infection does not complement the US28 deletion latency phenotype. This work suggests that US28 protein functions to promote a latent state within hematopoietic progenitor cells. IMPORTANCE Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen that, once acquired, remains with its host for life. HCMV remains latent, or quiescent, in cells of the hematopoietic compartment and upon immune challenge can reactivate to cause disease. HCMV-encoded US28 is one of several genes expressed during latency although its biological function during this phase of infection has remained undefined. Here, we show that US28 aids in promoting experimental latency in tissue culture.
New Dosing Regimens for Amifostine: A Pilot Study to Compare the Relative Bioavailability of Oral and Subcutaneous Administration with Intravenous Infusion

A phase I clinical trial was conducted to assess the feasibility of a more convenient and safe dosing regime for the cytoprotective drug amifostine. Two alternative routes of administration, oral and subcutaneous (SQ), each with a dose of 500 mg, were compared to a 7.5‐minute intravenous (IV) infusion, with a dose of 200 mg/m2, in normal, healthy volunteers (N =12). Bioavailability of amifostine (parent drug) and its pharmacologically active metabolite, WR‐1065, was evaluated by comparing the area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC) derived from HPLC analysis of amifostine and both protein‐free and protein‐bound WR‐1065 in all three routes of administration. Results showed that SQ (but not oral) administration of amifostine could provide a more effective dosing regimen, in terms of both a reasonable AUC for the bound form of WR‐1065 and decreased toxicity, compared to IV delivery. These data suggest that the protein‐ bound form of WR‐1065 plays an important role in contributing to the bioavailability of this clinically useful cytoprotective drug.
GJB2 and GJB6 mutations: genotypic and phenotypic correlations in a large cohort of hearing-impaired patients.

OBJECTIVES To analyze the clinical features of hearing impairment and to search for correlations with the genotype in patients with DFNB1. DESIGN Case series. SETTING Collaborative study in referral centers, institutional practice. Patients A total of 256 hearing-impaired patients selected on the basis of the presence of biallelic mutations in GJB2 or the association of 1 GJB2 mutation with the GJB6 deletion (GJB6-D13S1830)del. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The prevalence of GJB2 mutations and the GJB6 deletion and audiometric phenotypes related to the most frequent genotypes. RESULTS Twenty-nine different GJB2 mutations were identified. Allelic frequency of 35delG was 69%, and the other common mutations, 313del14, E47X, Q57X, and L90P, accounted for 2.6% to 2.9% of the variants. Concerning GJB6, (GJB6-D13S1830)del accounted for 5% of all mutated alleles and was observed in 25 of 93 compound heterozygous patients. Three novel GJB2 mutations, 355del9, V95M, and 573delCA, were identified. Hearing impairment was frequently less severe in compound heterozygotes 35delG/L90P and 35delG/N206S than in 35delG homozygotes. Moderate or mild hearing impairment was more frequent in patients with 1 or 2 noninactivating mutations than in patients with 2 inactivating mutations. Of 93 patients, hearing loss was stable in 73, progressive in 21, and fluctuant in 2. Progressive hearing loss was more frequent in patients with 1 or 2 noninactivating mutations than in those with 2 inactivating mutations. In 49 families, hearing loss was compared between siblings with similar genotypes, and variability in terms of severity was found in 18 families (37%). CONCLUSION Genotype may affect deafness severity, but environmental and other genetic factors may also modulate the severity and evolution of GJB2-GJB6 deafness.
Detecting neuronal currents with MRI: A human study

Recently developed neuronal current magnetic resonance imaging aims to directly detect neuronal currents associated with brain activity, but controversial results have been reported in different studies on human subjects. Although there is no dispute that local neuronal currents produce weak transient magnetic fields that would attenuate local MR signal intensity, there is not yet consensus as to whether this attenuation is detectable with present magnetic resonance imaging techniques. This study investigates the magnitude of neuronal current‐induced signal attenuation in human visual cortex.