Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytogenetic study of the genus Saguinus (Callithrichidae, Primates)

Oito subespecies do genero Saguinus (S. f. fuscicollis, S. f. weddelli, S. b. bicolor, S. b. martinsi, S. m. mystax, S. i. imperator, S. m. midas e S. m. niger) foram estudadas citogeneticamente, das quais cinco (S. f. fuscicollis, S. f. weddelli, S. b. martinsi, S. m. mystax e S. i. imperator) tiveram seu cariotipo descrito pela primeira vez neste estudo. Os cariotipos foram analisados por coloracao convencional, pelos padroes de bandas G, C e NOR, e pelo metodo de bandeamento sequencial G/C. Todos os especimens mostraram o mesmo numero diploide (2n = 46 cromossomos) e os padroes de bandas G, C e NOR foram muito similares entre as subespecies, diferindo apenas na quantidade e distribuicao de heterocromatina constitutiva de alguns autossomos. Heterocromatina constitutiva presente na regiao telomerica de alguns cromossomos foi observada apenas em S. f. fuscicollis e S. f. weddelli. O cromossomo X foi igual em todas subespecies, porem, o cromossomo Y diferiu em morfologia e tamanho. Quimerismo cromossomico XX/XY foi verificado em todas as subespecies.
Reactivation of MASPIN in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells by artificial transcription factors (ATFs)

Tumor suppressor genes have antiproliferative and antimetastatic functions, and thus, they negatively affect tumor progression. Reactivating specific tumor suppressor genes would offer an important therapeutic strategy to block tumor progression. Mammary Serine Protease Inhibitor (MASPIN) is a tumor suppressor gene that is not mutated or rearranged in tumor cells, but is silenced during metastatic progression by transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms. In this work, we have investigated the ability of Artificial Transcription Factors (ATFs) to reactivate MASPIN expression and to reduce tumor growth and metastatic dissemination in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines carrying a hypermethylated MASPIN promoter. We found that the ATFs linked to transactivator domains were able to demethylate the MASPIN promoter. Consistently, we observed that co-treatment of ATF-transduced cells with methyltransferase inhibitors enhanced MASPIN expression as well as induction of tumor cell apoptosis. In addition to tumor suppressive functions, restoration of endogenous MASPIN expression was accompanied by inhibition of metastatic dissemination in nude mice. ATF-mediated reactivation of MASPIN lead to changes in cell motility and to induction of E-CADHERIN. These data suggest that ATFs are able to reprogram aggressive lung tumor cells towards a more epithelial, differentiated phenotype, and thus, represent novel therapeutic agents for metastatic lung cancers.
Modification of the Atrioventricular Node in Patients with Chronic Atrial Fibrillation: The Role of RR Interval Distribution Pattern

Introduction: Slowing of ventricular rate in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) and rapid ventricular response, can be achieved by radiofrequency (RF) modification of the AV node conduction. Evidence, supporting the association between the success and the failure of this method to achieve rate control and the presence or absence, respectively of dual AV node physiology, was lacking until now. However, there is evidence that the bimodal pattern of distribution of RR intervals, indicates the presence of dual AV node physiology. This study aims to evaluate the possible role of RR interval distribution pattern, as an outcome predictor of modification of AV node, in chronic AF and attempts to elucidate the likely mechanism of rate control. Methods: Sixty-five symptomatic patients with chronic AF and rapid ventricular response (40 male, 25 female, mean age 63±8 years), in whom electrical cardioversion and medical therapy had been proven ineffective, were included. All patients underwent RF modification of AV node. Serial 24h-ambulatory ECG recordings were obtained 1 day before and 7 days, 3, 12 and 24 months after the procedure, while all anti-arrhythmic drugs were withheld. The analysis of RR interval distribution was made by means of heart rate stratified histogram technique. Exercise stress testing was carried out before and 3 months after the procedure. The follow-up period was >8 months for all pts while 63% of them were followed for >2 years. Results: The pre-ablation pattern was bimodal (B) in 36 patients (55%) and unimodal (U) in 29 patients (45%). After the modification procedure, the B pattern shifted to U (78%) or became modified B (22%). The mean number of RF pulses delivered and the fluoroscopy time were 8±5 and 24±11 min respectively in patients with B pattern vs 18±7 and 45±17 min in patients with U pattern (p<0.001 for both). The location of successful ablation was posteroseptal and lower mid-septal in 26 patients (81%) with B pattern, vs 2 (13%) with U pattern (p<0.001). Mean and maximal ventricular rates and heart rate at peak exercise were reduced after the procedure, in both groups (p<0.001 for all). Long-term success rate, AV block incidence and pacemaker implantation rate were 89%, 0% and 8% respectively in patients with B pattern, vs 52% (p<0.001), 21% (p=0.006) and 48% (p<0.001) in patients with U pattern. Conclusions: RF modification of AV node is expected to be more effective, safe and expeditious in patients with chronic AF and B RR interval distribution pattern. Posterior atrionodal input ablation may be the prevailing mechanism of rate control in these patients, while U-pattern patients may benefit from partial injury of the AV node.
Recent Intraarticular Steroid Injection May Increase Infection Rates in Primary THA

We retrospectively determined the rate of therapeutic intraarticular steroid injection within 1 year before total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteoarthritis and whether the injection of the steroid increased the risk of infection. In a retrospective matched cohort study, 224 primary THAs (217 patients) implanted within 1 year of intraarticular steroid injection (Group 1) were compared with 224 primary THAs (220 patients) in patients who had not received an injection (Group 2). The mean time between injection and THA was 112 days (SD, 81 days). In Group 1, there were three deep and 11 superficial infections compared with one deep and eight superficial infections in Group 2. The hazard ratios of deep and superficial infections were 3 (95% CI, 0.3, 29.8) and 1.5 (95% CI, 0.6, 3.6), respectively. Intraarticular steroid injection within 1 year of THA did not affect postoperative rates of infection. However, the mean time from steroid injection to THA was 44 days (SD, 23 days) in the few patients who had deep infection develop. While not statistically significant, this raises a concern of increased risk of deep infection when receiving a steroid injection within 6 weeks of THA. Caution should be used before giving an intraarticular steroid injection within 2 months before THA.Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, Level III. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder associated with illicit substance use disorders in male adolescents? A community-based case-control study.

AIMS This study aims at evaluating the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and illicit substance use disorders (SUD) (marijuana, cocaine and inhalants), controlling for the association with conduct disorder (CD), in a community-based sample of adolescents. DESIGN Case-control, community-based study. SETTING A delimited geographical area in the South of Brazil, served by four public health clinics. PARTICIPANTS A total of 968 male adolescents (15-20 years of age) were screened for SUD in their households. Of the subjects who were screened positive, we selected 61 cases with illicit SUD. For each case we selected, from the group which was screened negative, three controls without illicit or alcohol SUD, matched by age and proximity with the case's household. MEASUREMENTS The screening instrument was the Alcohol Smoking and Substance Screening Test (ASSIST). SUD diagnoses were assessed by the drug section of the Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview (MINI). Other psychiatric diagnoses were based on semistructured (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-epidemiological version; MINI) and clinical interviews. FINDINGS Adolescents with ADHD presented a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) for illicit SUD than youths without ADHD, even after adjusting for potential confounders (CD, ethnicity, religion and estimated IQ) (OR = 9.12; 95% CI = 2.84-29.31, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest an association between ADHD and illicit SUD in Brazilian adolescents that is not mediated by CD. These findings are potentially important from a prevention perspective because treatments are available for ADHD.
Disc and halo kinematic populations from HIPPARCOS and Geneva-Copenhagen surveys of the solar neighbourhood

Discontinuities in the local velocity distribution associated with stellar populations are studied using the Maximum Entropy of the Mixture Probability from HIerarchical Segregation (MEMPHIS) improved statistical method, by combining a sampling parameter, an optimisation of the mixture approach, and a maximisation of the partition entropy for the constituent populations of the stellar sample. The sampling parameter is associated with isolating integrals of the stellar motion and is used to build a hierarchical family of subsamples. We provide an accurate characterisation of the entropy graph, in which a local maximum of entropy takes place simultaneously with a local minimum of the χ 2 error. By analysing different sampling parameters, the method is applied to samples from the HIPPARCOS and Geneva-Copenhagen survey (GCS) to determine the kinematic parameters and the stellar population mixture of the thin disc, thick disc, and halo. The sampling parameter P = |(U,V,W)|, which is the absolute heliocentric velocity, allows us to build an optimal subsample containing both thin and thick disc stars, omitting most of the halo population. The sampling parameter P = |W|, which is absolute perpendicular velocity, allows us to create an optimal subsample of all disc and halo stars, although it does not allow an optimal differentiation of thin and thick discs. Other sampling parameters, such as P = |(U,W)| or P = |V|, are found to provide less information about the populations. By comparing both samples, HIPPARCOS provides more accurate estimates for the thick disc and halo, and GCS for the total disc. In particular, the radial velocity dispersion of the halo fits perfectly into the empirical Titius-Bode-like law σU = 6. 6( 4 ) 3n+2 , previously proposed for discrete kinematical components, where the values n = 0, 1, 2, 3 represent early-type stars, thin disc, thick disc, and halo populations, respectively. The kinematic parameters are used to segregate thin disc, thick disc, and halo stars, and to obtain a more accurate Bayesian estimation of the population fractions. To check the reliability of our results, an alternative segregation approach is used. GCS stars are classified into different kinematical populations in terms of their orbital parameters. The population fractions and velocity moments obtained by both methods are in excellent agreement.
Phytohemagglutin‐Induced Lymphocyte Transformation in Oral Contraceptive Users

Phytohemagglutin (PHA)-induced lymphocyte transformation (PILT) was determined in 217 women taking oral contraceptives and 203 control women by means of the uptake of 3H-thymidine into DNA of lymphocytes cultured in heterologous serum. Depressed PILT responses were observed in oral contraceptive users as compared with age-matched controls, and the magnitude of depression correlated with the duration of oral contraception and was inversely related to the clinical progestagenic potency of the component steroids. An additional group of 21 women, tested within 1 year (mean 3 months) of cessation of oral contraception, showed persistent depression of PILT responses. Suppression of lymphocyte transformation in autologous as compared with homologous, normal serum suggests that serum inhibitory factors may be important. We found no evidence for a direct suppressive in vitro effect of synthetic estrogens and gestagens. The prevalence of autoantibodies in oral contraceptive users was similar to that in control subjects.
Pathogenesis of Borna Disease Virus: Granulocyte Fractions of Psychiatric Patients Harbor Infectious Virus in the Absence of Antiviral Antibodies

ABSTRACT Borna disease virus (BDV) causes acute and persistent infections in various vertebrates. During recent years, BDV-specific serum antibodies, BDV antigen, and BDV-specific nucleic acid were found in humans suffering from psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, viral antigen was detected in human autopsy brain tissue by immunohistochemical staining. Whether BDV infection can be associated with psychiatric disorders is still a matter of debate; no direct evidence has ever been presented. In the present study we report on (i) the detection of BDV-specific nucleic acid in human granulocyte cell fraction from three different psychiatric patients and (ii) the isolation of infectious BDV from these cells obtained from a patient with multiple psychiatric disorders. In leukocyte preparations other than granulocytes, either no BDV RNA was detected or positive PCR results were obtained only if there was at least 20% contamination with granulocytes. Parts of the antigenome of the isolated virus were sequenced, demonstrating the close relationship to the prototype BDV strains (He/80 and strain V) as well as to other human virus sequences. Our data provide strong evidence that cells in the granulocyte fraction represent the major if not the sole cell type harboring BDV-specific nucleic acid in human blood and contain infectious virus. In contrast to most other reports of putative human isolates, where sequences are virtually identical to those of the established laboratory strains, this isolate shows divergence in the region previously defined as variable in BDV from naturally infected animals.
Ionization of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen by Electron Impact

Total ionization cross sections of neutral carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms by electron impact are presented. In our theory we have included the possibilities that (a) some target atoms used in an experiment were in metastable states close to the ground state, (b) excitation-autoionization of ${2s2p}^{m}$ exited states may be substantial, and (c) ions produced in experiments may be in excited, low-lying metastable states. The binary-encounter Bethe (BEB) model of Kim and Rudd [Phys. Rev. A 50, 3954 (1994)] is used to calculate the cross sections for direct ionization. Plane-wave Born cross sections scaled by the method developed by Kim [Phys. Rev. 64, 032713 (2001)] are used to determine the contributions from excitation-autoionization. A sum of the BEB cross sections for direct ionization weighted according to the statistical weights of the final ion states is used to modify the direct ionization cross sections. The combination of the BEB model and the scaled Born cross sections is in excellent agreement with available experimental data. The present method can easily be extended to heavier open-shell atoms.
Assessing assay agreement estimation for multiple left‐censored data: a multiple imputation approach

Agreement between two assays is usually based on the concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), estimated from the means, standard deviations, and correlation coefficient of these assays. However, such data will often suffer from left‐censoring because of lower limits of detection of these assays. To handle such data, we propose to extend a multiple imputation approach by chained equations (MICE) developed in a close setting of one left‐censored assay. The performance of this two‐step approach is compared with that of a previously published maximum likelihood estimation through a simulation study. Results show close estimates of the CCC by both methods, although the coverage is improved by our MICE proposal. An application to cytomegalovirus quantification data is provided. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DNS Traffic Analysis - CDN and the World IPv6 Launch

: The Domain Name System (DNS) is a key naming system used in the Internet. Recently, the deployment of IPv6 (especially after the World IPv6 Launch) and DNS prefetching in web browsers has signiﬁcantly changed DNS usage. Furthermore, content delivery networks (CDNs) use complicated DNS conﬁgurations together with small TTL values to control their tra ﬃ c. These three factors signiﬁcantly increase DNS tra ﬃ c. Thus, the importance of DNS tra ﬃ c analysis has been increasing to properly maintain DNS operations. This paper presents an analysis of DNS full resolver tra ﬃ c at the University of Tsukuba in Japan. What we found are 1) The deployment of IPv6 has increased queries from clients as much as 41%, 2) The deployment of CDNs increases the use of small TTL values, the use of CNAME resource records and the use of out-of-bailiwick DNS server names. Since these increases are making the DNS cache hit rate low and the DNS response slow without recognition by Internet users, this paper seeks to warn application designers of potential system design risks in current Internet applications.
HTLV-1 Tax-Induced Rapid Senescence Is Driven by the Transcriptional Activity of NF-κB and Depends on Chronically Activated IKKα and p65/RelA

ABSTRACT The HTLV-1 oncoprotein Tax is a potent activator of classical and alternative NF-κB pathways and is thought to promote cell proliferation and transformation via NF-κB activation. We showed recently that hyperactivation of NF-κB by Tax triggers a cellular senescence response (H. Zhi et al., PLoS Pathog. 7:e1002025, 2011). Inhibition of NF-κB activation by expression of I-κBα superrepressor or by small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of p65/RelA rescues cells from Tax-induced rapid senescence (Tax-IRS). Here we demonstrate that Tax-IRS is driven by the transcriptional activity of NF-κB. Knockdown of IKKγ, the primary Tax target, by shRNAs abrogated Tax-mediated activation of both classical and alternative NF-κB pathways and rendered knockdown cells resistant to Tax-IRS. Consistent with a critical role of IKKα in the transcriptional activity of NF-κB, IKKα deficiency drastically decreased NF-κB trans-activation by Tax, although it only modestly reduced Tax-mediated I-κBα degradation and NF-κB nuclear localization. In contrast, although IKKβ knockdown attenuated Tax-induced NF-κB transcriptional activation, the residual NF-κB activation in IKKβ-deficient cells was sufficient to trigger Tax-IRS. Importantly, the phenotypes of NIK and TAK1 knockdown were similar to those of IKKα and IKKβ knockdown, respectively. Finally, double knockdown of RelB and p100 had a minor effect on senescence induction by Tax. These data suggest that Tax, through its interaction with IKKγ, helps recruit NIK and TAK1 for IKKα and IKKβ activation, respectively. In the presence of Tax, the delineation between the classical and alternative NF-κB pathways becomes obscured. The senescence checkpoint triggered by Tax is driven by the transcriptional activity of NF-κB, which depends on activated IKKα and p65/RelA.
Phenylalanine Transport Across the Blood‐Brain Barrier as Studied with the In Situ Brain Perfusion Technique

Abstract: Unidirectional L‐phenylalanine transport into six brain regions of pentobarbital‐anesthetized rats was studied using the in situ brain perfusion technique. This technique allows both accurate measurements of cerebrovascular amino acid transport and complete control of perfusate amino acid composition. l‐Phenylalanine influx into the brain was sodium independent and could be described by a model with a saturable and a nonsaturable component. Best‐fit values for the kinetic constants in the parietal cortex equaled 6.9 × 10−4 Mmol/s/g for Vmax, 0.011 μmol/ml for Km, and 1.8 × 10−4 ml/s/g for Kd during perfusion with fluid that did not contain competing amino acids. d‐Phenylala‐nine competitively inhibited l‐phenylalanine transport with a Ki∼ 10‐fold greater than the Km for l‐phenylalanine. There were no significant regional differences in Km,Kd, or Ki, whereas Vmax was significantly greater in the cortical lobes than in the other brain regions. l‐Phenylalanine influx during plasma perfusion was only 30% of that predicted in the absence of competing amino acids. Competitive inhibition increased the apparent Km during plasma perfusion by ∼20‐fold, to 0.21 pmol/ml. These data provide accurate new estimates of the kinetic constants that describe L‐phenylalanine transport across the blood‐brain barrier. In addition, they indicate that the cerebrovascular transfer site affinity (1/Km) for L‐phenylalanine is three‐ to 12‐fold greater than previously estimated in either awake or anesthetized animals.
Density of Stromal Cells and Macrophages Associated With Collagen Remodeling in the Human Cervix in Preterm and Term Birth

Remodeling of the cervix occurs in advance of labor both at term and at preterm birth. Morphological characteristics associated with remodeling in rodents were assessed in cervix biopsies from women at term (39 weeks’ gestation) and preterm (<33 weeks’ gestation). Collagen I and III messenger RNA and hydroxyproline concentrations declined in cervix biopsies from women in labor at term and preterm compared to that in the cervix from nonlaboring women. Extracellular collagen was more degraded in sections of cervix from women at term, based on optical density of picrosirius red stain, versus that in biopsies from nonpregnant women. However, collagen structure was unchanged in the cervix from women at preterm labor versus the nonpregnant group. As an indication of inflammation, cell nuclei density was decreased in cervix biopsies from pregnant women irrespective of labor compared to the nonpregnant group. Moreover, CD68-stained macrophages increased to an equivalent extent in cervix subepithelium and stroma from groups in labor, both at term and preterm, as well as in women not in labor at term. Evidence for a similar inflammatory process in the remodeled cervix of women at term and preterm birth parallels results in rodent models. Thus, a conserved final common mechanism involving macrophages and inflammation may characterize the transition to a ripe cervix before birth at term and in advance of premature birth.