Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prenatal viral infection in mouse causes differential expression of genes in brains of mouse progeny: A potential animal model for schizophrenia and autism

Schizophrenia and autism are neurodevelopmental disorders with genetic and environmental etiologies. Prenatal viral infection has been associated with both disorders. We investigated the effects of prenatal viral infection on gene regulation in offspring of Balb‐c mice using microarray technology. The results showed significant upregulation of 21 genes and downregulation of 18 genes in the affected neonatal brain homogenates spanning gene families affecting cell structure and function, namely, cytosolic chaperone system, HSC70, Bicaudal D, aquaporin 4, carbonic anhydrase 3, glycine receptor, norepinephrine transporter, and myelin basic protein. We also verified the results using QPCR measurements of selected mRNA species. These results show for the first time that prenatal human influenza viral infection on day 9 of pregnancy leads to alterations in a subset of genes in brains of exposed offspring, potentially leading to permanent changes in brain structure and function. Synapse 57:91–99, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synthesis of a biotin derivative of iberiotoxin: binding interactions with streptavidin and the BK Ca2+-activated K+ channel expressed in a human cell line.

Iberiotoxin (IbTx) is a scorpion venom peptide that inhibits BK Ca2+-activated K+ channels with high affinity and specificity. Automated solid-phase synthesis was used to prepare a biotin-labeled derivative (IbTx-LC-biotin) of IbTx by substitution of Asp19 of the native 37-residue peptide with N--(D-biotin-6-amidocaproate)-L-lysine. Both IbTx-LC-biotin and its complex with streptavidin (StrAv) block single BK channels from rat skeletal muscle with nanomolar affinity, indicating that the biotin-labeled residue, either alone or in complex with StrAv, does not obstruct the toxin binding interaction with the BK channel. IbTx-LC-biotin exhibits high affinity (KD = 26 nM) and a slow dissociation rate (koff = 5.4 x 10(-4) s(-1)) in a macroscopic blocking assay of whole-cell current of the cloned human BK channel. Titration of IbTx-LC-biotin with StrAv monitored by high performance size exclusion chromatography is consistent with a stoichiometry of two binding sites for IbTx-LC-biotin per StrAv tetramer, indicating that steric interference hinders simultaneous binding of two toxin molecules on each of the two biotin-binding faces of StrAv. In combination with fluorescent conjugates of StrAv or anti-biotin antibody, IbTx-LC-biotin was used to image the surface distribution of BK channels on a transfected cell line. Fluorescence microscopy revealed a patch-like surface distribution of BK channel protein. The results support the feasibility of using IbTx-LC-biotin and similar biotin-tagged K+ channel toxins for diverse applications in cellular neurobiology.
Impact of Obesity on Modality Longevity, Residual Kidney Function, Peritonitis, and Survival Among Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND The prevalence of severe obesity, often considered a contraindication to peritoneal dialysis (PD), has increased over time. However, mortality has decreased more rapidly in the PD population than the hemodialysis (HD) population in the United States. The association between obesity and clinical outcomes among patients with end-stage kidney disease remains unclear in the current era. STUDY DESIGN Historical cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS 15,573 incident PD patients from a large US dialysis organization (2007-2011). PREDICTOR Body mass index (BMI). OUTCOMES Modality longevity, residual renal creatinine clearance, peritonitis, and survival. RESULTS Higher BMI was significantly associated with shorter time to transfer to HD therapy (P for trend < 0.001), longer time to kidney transplantation (P for trend < 0.001), and, with borderline significance, more frequent peritonitis-related hospitalization (P for trend = 0.05). Compared with lean patients, obese patients had faster declines in residual kidney function (P for trend < 0.001) and consistently achieved lower total Kt/V over time (P for trend < 0.001) despite greater increases in dialysis Kt/V (P for trend < 0.001). There was a U-shaped association between BMI and mortality, with the greatest survival associated with the BMI range of 30 to < 35kg/m2 in the case-mix adjusted model. Compared with matched HD patients, PD patients had lower mortality in the BMI categories of < 25 and 25 to < 35kg/m2 and had equivalent survival in the BMI category ≥ 35kg/m2 (P for interaction = 0.001 [vs < 25 kg/m2]). This attenuation in survival difference among patients with severe obesity was observed only in patients with diabetes, but not those without diabetes. LIMITATIONS Inability to evaluate causal associations. Potential indication bias. CONCLUSIONS Whereas obese PD patients had higher risk for complications than nonobese PD patients, their survival was no worse than matched HD patients.
The decline of hepatitis B viral infection in South-Western Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is endemic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Jizan region in the South-Western area of the country was noted for a high prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) carrier rate. The study was carried out to determine the prevalence of HBsAg and other markers of HBV among residents of Jizan and evaluate the impact of the measures adopted in the last decade, to control HBV. METHODS The study was carried out between 1995 and 1998. The subject were studied in 4 groups: Group A consisted of voluntary blood donors (n=14883) tested within the blood banking system during the time period June 1995 to June 1997, Group B were patients treated in the hospitals (n=4692) during the period June 1995 to June 1996, Group C consisted of volunteers recruited from the community (n=1172) and Group D children aged <10 years (n=229). Serum samples were obtained from the subjects tested for HBsAg, total antibody to hepatitis B core antigen, antibody to HBsAg and antibody to hepatitis C virus. RESULTS Hepatitis B surface antigen was positive in 5.4% of 14883 voluntary blood donors (Group A) and in 5.1% of 1172 persons recruited from the community (Group C) 40.2% were positive for at least one marker of HBV. The prevalence of HBsAg in-patients in Group B was 9.7% (456 of 4692). These prevalence rates are significantly lower than the prevalence of 12% and 32% reported in 1985 and 1986. Only 2 (0.9% of 229) children in Group D were positive for HBsAg, indicating a major decline from the rate of 8.8% observed in an earlier survey. CONCLUSION The low prevalence of HBsAg in children, provides evidence for the effectiveness and efficacy of the integration of hepatitis B vaccination into the extended program of immunization in KSA. The significant decline of HBV markers among unvaccinated Saudi adults indicated an indirect effect of other factors (for example health education and socio-economic progress) on the prevalence and transmission of HBV in Jizan. In areas of high endemicity, the epidemiological characteristics HBV are modified significantly by the combination of HBV vaccination and other complimentary control strategies.
Tunable impedance microwave matching of laser diodes

Three types of an impedance matching circuits (MC) namely resistive, reactive and tunable reactive MC (TRMC) are analyzed to estimate the advisability of their application for directly modulated lasers (DML) in microwave (MW) photonic systems. Return loss (|S11|) and insertion loss (|S21|) frequency dependencies for MCs loaded by a DML are calculated for X-band broadly used in radar systems. Analysis of the TRMC characteristics is carried out taking into account the microwave parameters of tunable elements of different classes (semiconductor, ferroelectric and micro-electromechanical (MEM) elements). It is shown that in the instantaneous frequency band (Δfi ∼ 1 GHz) the TRMC in comparison with the resistive MC provides more than 10 dB increase of the MW power delivered to an active region of the DML. Proposed TRMC demonstrate ∼ 2.5 times increase of the total frequency operating bandwidth (Δfop ∼ 5 GHz) due to a frequency scan possibility for the instantaneous band in contrast with the non-tunable reactive MC.
Psychická zátěž laických rodinných pečujících

Předkladaný výzkum se zabýva problematikou zdravi a jeho globalni podporou, s bližsim zaměřenim na zdravi dusevni, konkretně aplikovane na laicke rodinne pecujici. Hlavnim cilem výzkumu je pak posouzeni jejich psychicke zatěže spolu s možnostmi, ktere by ji mohly snižit, a přispět tak k jeji prevenci. Pro výzkum byla použita metoda dotaznikoveho setřeni, ktera ve výsledku prokazala zvýsenou psychickou zatěž laických rodinných pecujicich.
Flavon- and Flavonolglycosides from Achillea pannonica Scheele

The detailed investigation of a methanolic extract of aerial parts of Achillea pannonica SCHEELE. within a chemotaxonomic study led to the isolation of 6 flavonoid glycosides. Besides rutin, apigenin-7-O-glucopyranoside, luteolin-7-O-glucopyranoside, apigenin-7-O-rutinoside and acacetin-7-O-rutinoside, an unusual flavondiglucoside was isolated. Its structure was established by UV, 1HNMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic methods including 2D-NMR techniques and ESI-MS as luteolin-7,4′-O-β-diglucoside. This substance is reported for the first time in the genus Achillea. Chemotaxonomic aspects are discussed briefly
Nurses' attitudes and spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting: a case-control study in Portugal.

AIM To identify the attitudes and knowledge associated with adverse drug reactions (ADR) under-reporting by nurses. BACKGROUND The voluntary reporting system is fundamental for expediting the detection of ADR during post-marketing surveillance. METHODS We performed a case-control study. A self-administered questionnaire was sent by mail to 1325 nurses. The knowledge and attitudes related to ADR under-reporting were primarily based on Inman's seven deadly sins. RESULTS The overall response rate was 34.2%. Nurses working in primary care were 12-fold more likely to report an ADR. A change of attitude increased the probability of ADR reporting for:'The belief that the one case an individual nurse might see could not contribute to medical knowledge'; 'I do not know how the information reported is used by the system'; 'I would be more likely to report if the method was easier'; 'I think the most correct way to report is to inform the doctor' and 'I do not have time to think about the involvement of the drug in ADRs'. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that the beliefs of nurses, such as 'one single report would not make any difference' and 'the pharmacovigilance system is very complex', act as a barrier to ADR reporting. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT It is important to clarify the ADR reporting procedure and increase the nurses reporting rate.
Treatment options for dyslipidemia in chronic kidney disease and for protection from contrast-induced nephropathy

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent worldwide and represents a major cardiovascular risk factor. Dyslipidemia is present in most patients with CKD and further worsens CKD, creating a vicious cycle. The treatment of CKD-related dyslipidemia has been a controversial topic. The use of statins is recommended in all stages of CKD, but it appears to reduce cardiovascular and renal events only in the early CKD stages, up to stage 3. The use of atorvastatin has proven very beneficial; thus, the earliest we start statin treatment, the better for the patient. Atorvastatin and pitavastatin do not need dose adjustments at any level of renal function. Fibrates can be administered in mixed hyperlipidemia, combined with statins in early CKD stages. Omega-3 fatty acids are useful for treating hypertriglyceridemia in CKD. Antibodies against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 hold promise for a better control of dyslipidemia and a greater reduction of cardiovascular risk.
Proteomic Analysis of Seed Dormancy in Arabidopsis1[W]

The mechanisms controlling seed dormancy in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) have been characterized by proteomics using the dormant (D) accession Cvi originating from the Cape Verde Islands. Comparative studies carried out with freshly harvested dormant and after-ripened non-dormant (ND) seeds revealed a specific differential accumulation of 32 proteins. The data suggested that proteins associated with metabolic functions potentially involved in germination can accumulate during after-ripening in the dry state leading to dormancy release. Exogenous application of abscisic acid (ABA) to ND seeds strongly impeded their germination, which physiologically mimicked the behavior of D imbibed seeds. This application resulted in an alteration of the accumulation pattern of 71 proteins. There was a strong down-accumulation of a major part (90%) of these proteins, which were involved mainly in energetic and protein metabolisms. This feature suggested that exogenous ABA triggers proteolytic mechanisms in imbibed seeds. An analysis of de novo protein synthesis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in the presence of [35S]-methionine disclosed that exogenous ABA does not impede protein biosynthesis during imbibition. Furthermore, imbibed D seeds proved competent for de novo protein synthesis, demonstrating that impediment of protein translation was not the cause of the observed block of seed germination. However, the two-dimensional protein profiles were markedly different from those obtained with the ND seeds imbibed in ABA. Altogether, the data showed that the mechanisms blocking germination of the ND seeds by ABA application are different from those preventing germination of the D seeds imbibed in basal medium.
Free-living energy expenditure of adult men assessed by continuous heart-rate monitoring and doubly-labelled water

Free-living energy expenditure was estimated by doubly-labelled water (DLW) and continuous heart-rate (HR) monitoring over nine consecutive days in nine healthy men with sedentary occupations but different levels of leisure-time physical activity. Individual calibrations of the HR-energy expenditure (EE) relationship were obtained for each subject using 30 min average values of HR and EE obtained during 24h whole-body calorimetry with a defined exercise protocol, and additional data points for individual leisure activities measured with an Oxylog portable O2 consumption meter. The HR data were processed to remove spurious values and insert missing data before the calculation of EE from second-order polynomial equations relating EE to HR. After data processing, the HR-derived EE for this group of subjects was on average 0.8 (sem 0.6) MJ/d, or 6.0 (sem 4.2)% higher than that estimated by DLW. The diary-respirometer method, used over the same 9d, gave values which were 1.9 (sem 0.7) MJ/d, or -12.1 (sem 4.0)% lower than the DLW method. The results suggest that HR monitoring can provide a better estimate of 24 h EE of groups than the diary-respirometer method, but show that both methods can introduce errors of 20% or more in individuals.
Science Fiction Double Feature: Trans Liberation on Twin Earth∗

What is it to be a woman? What is it to be a man? When our political advocacy or social analysis engages with feminist, queer, or trans issues, we almost immediately find ourselves making reference to women, men, and gender in order to articulate positions and formulate key concepts. When we critique traditional sexism, we would like to be able to speak of the subordination of women, of attitudes about the class of women,1 of disparate impact on women, of women’s shared interests, and so on. When we advocate for the rights of transgender and queer people, we would like to be able to understand what it is to identify as a man or a
Associations of physical activity and dietary behaviors with children's health and academic problems.

BACKGROUND We examined the associations of physical activities and dietary behaviors with children's health and academic-behavioral problems. METHODS We employed a Community-wide Children's Health Assessment and Planning Survey to examine physical activity, healthy meals, health status, and academic-behavioral problems in 3708 children 7 to 14 years of age. Statistical associations were examined with chi-square test and logistic regression analysis; we calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS Among these children, 30.2% were overweight-obese, 11.0% had academic problems, and 7.9% had behavioral problems. Children classified as healthy eaters were more likely to exercise ≥4 days/week (79.1% vs 64.6%, OR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.14 to 2.49), less likely to be overweight-obese (27.7% vs 44.6%, OR: 0.48, CI: 0.31 to 0.73), less likely to have academic problems (9.1% vs 16.1%, OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.79) and behavioral problems (6.9% vs 13.9%, OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.32 to 0.66) compared with their less healthy eating peers. Physical activity and healthy meals were associated with an improved health status (p < .001). However, the proportions of children taking unhealthy meals or choosing sedentary lifestyle increased as the cohorts progressed (p < .05) from childhood (7 to 8 years) to adolescence (13 to 14 years). CONCLUSIONS Healthy (or unhealthy) lifestyle behaviors are significantly interrelated. Children who take healthy meals and exercise often are associated with better health and fewer academic and behavioral problems. Unfortunately, taking unhealthy meals and sedentary lifestyle characterize a growing proportion of young adolescents. Thus, curbing unhealthy lifestyle behaviors should start in early childhood.
Novel technological process to manufacture ceramic microelectrodes for biomedical applications implying microextrusion of preceramic precursors

A novel technological process is under development to obtain ceramic microelectrodes from preceramic precursors, basically for biomedical applications. A microextrusion approach is applied. Commercially available silicone resins are used as preceramic polymers. Drugging with carbon black results in electrically conductive ceramics. A coextrusion approach is used to obtain the filament with inner conductive lines. Chemical reticulation and pyrolysis are applied to convert polymeric resins into ceramics. Some different geometries of profiles and cross sections can be considered and obtained. Circular microelectrodes can be provided with diameters in the range between 100 /spl mu/m and 5 mm and wide coextrusion dimension ratios are obtainable. Preliminary results on filaments with diameter between 100 /spl mu/m and 500 /spl mu/m showed bending strength ranging from 30 MPa to 1100 MPa and average conductivity of 0.375 1//spl Omega/cm for a 50% weight carbon black load. Selecting such characteristics and related materials mainly depends on specific applications. Biomedical electrodes can be devised as stimulators or sensors in neurosurgery, beep brain stimulation and cell biology. It's important to achieve strict control of the above characteristics demanded by desired performances and obtained by suitably adjusting the technological process. Such control is hard to attain for great sensitiveness of some features of micro-geometry and micro-structure to process parameters.
Space, Time, and Family Interaction: Visitor Behavior at the Science Museum of Minnesota

“Where did you go? ” “To the museum. ” “What did you do there? ” There is increasing interest today in museums as learning environments rather than as repositories of artifacts. This shift in concern raises questions about how visitors respond to museum displays. Since most people visit museums accompanied by others, such questions necessarily involve the examination of group interaction. This report is the summary of the results of research on visitor behavior in the anthropology hall of the Science Museum of Minnesota, designed and conducted by a group of students and us at Hamline University. Our interest was in the movement and interaction of family groups in the hall. Specifically, we wanted to determine what attracted their attention and if family members interacted differently depending on their generation and sex. On a Saturday and Sunday we observed twenty-six family groups for the entire time they spent in the anthropology hall. Because the analysis of this sample suggested distinct variations in the behavior of family
Postsynaptic Depolarization Enhances GABA Drive to Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Neurons through Somatodendritic Cholecystokinin Release

Somatodendritically released peptides alter synaptic function through a variety of mechanisms, including autocrine actions that liberate retrograde transmitters. Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a neuropeptide expressed in neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH), a region implicated in satiety and stress. There are clear demonstrations that exogenous CCK modulates food intake and neuropeptide expression in the DMH, but there is no information on how endogenous CCK alters synaptic properties. Here, we provide the first report of somatodendritic release of CCK in the brain in male Sprague Dawley rats. CCK is released from DMH neurons in response to repeated postsynaptic depolarizations, and acts in an autocrine fashion on CCK2 receptors to enhance postsynaptic NMDA receptor function and liberate the retrograde transmitter, nitric oxide (NO). NO subsequently acts presynaptically to enhance GABA release through a soluble guanylate cyclase-mediated pathway. These data provide the first demonstration of synaptic actions of somatodendritically released CCK in the hypothalamus and reveal a new form of retrograde plasticity, depolarization-induced potentiation of inhibition. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Somatodendritic signaling using endocannabinoids or nitric oxide to alter the efficacy of afferent transmission is well established. Despite early convincing evidence for somatodendritic release of neurohypophysial peptides in the hypothalamus, there is only limited evidence for this mode of release for other peptides. Here, we provide the first evidence for somatodendritic release of the satiety peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) in the brain. We also reveal a new form of synaptic plasticity in which postsynaptic depolarization results in enhancement of inhibition through the somatodendritic release of CCK.
Bare bones particle swarms

The particle swarm algorithm has just enough moving parts to make it hard to understand. The formula is very simple, it is even easy to describe the working of the algorithm verbally, yet it is very difficult to grasp in one's mind how the particles oscillate around centers that are constantly changing; how they influence one another; how the various parameters affect the trajectory of the particle; how the topology of the swarm affects its performance; and so on. This paper strips away some traditional features of the particle swarm in the search for the properties that make it work. The particle swarm algorithm is modified by eliminating the velocity formula. Variations are compared. In the process some of the mysteries of the algorithm are revealed, we discover its similarity to other stochastic population-based problem solving methods, and new avenues of investigation are suggested or implied.