Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Isolator and other neonatal piglet models in developmental immunology and identification of virulence factors*

Abstract The postnatal period is a ‘critical window’, a time when innate and passive immunity protect the newborn mammal while its own adaptive immune system is developing. Neonatal piglets, especially those reared in isolators, provide valuable tools for studying immunological development during this period, since environmental factors that cause ambiguity in studies with conventional animals are controlled by the experimenter. However, these models have limited value unless the swine immune system is first characterized and the necessary immunological reagents developed. Characterization has revealed numerous features of the swine immune system that did not fit mouse paradigms but may be more generally true for most mammals. These include fetal class switch recombination that is uncoupled from somatic hypermutation, the relative importance of the molecular mechanisms used to develop the antibody repertoire, the role of gut lymphoid tissue in that process, and the limited heavy chain repertoire but diverse IgG subclass repertoire. Knowledge gained from studies of adaptive immunity in isolator-reared neonatal pigs suggests that isolator piglets can be valuable in identification of virulence factors that are often masked in studies using conventional animals.
Immunotherapy for neuroblastoma: Turning promise into reality

Neuroblastoma is one of the commonest and most aggressive paediatric malignancies. The majority of children present with metastatic disease for which long‐term survival remains poor despite intensive multi‐modal therapies. Toxicity from current treatment regimes is already significant, and there is little room to further intensify therapy. Alternative treatment strategies are therefore needed in order to improve survival. Immunotherapy is an attractive therapeutic option for these children as it potentially offers a much more specific and less toxic treatment than conventional therapies. This review discusses the different immunotherapy strategies that may be useful in neuroblastoma, their advantages and disadvantages and the challenges that need to be overcome to successfully use them clinically. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;53:931–940. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
THE EFFECT OF FOOD RESTRICTION DURING WAR ON MORTALITY IN COPENHAGEN

As I have already pointed out, 1 the blockade placed the people of Denmark in a very serious situation. We had been importing more than half of our bread cereals and a very considerable amount of corn and oil cakes for the use of domestic animals. While Denmark had only half as large a supply of rye and potatoes per capita as Germany, Denmark had proportionately twice as many domestic animals. The reason for this advantageous state of affairs was that the committee which had charge of proportioning the crops between man and animals (April 4, 1917) was converted to the newer ideas on nutrition. No attention was paid to the protein minimum; it was held that this minimum was so low for man that it could not be reached, provided sufficient calories were furnished. While fat was regarded as a very valuable addition to the dietary, it was not
Root-specific expression of opine genes and opine accumulation in some cultivars of the naturally occurring genetically modified organism Nicotiana tabacum.

Previous studies have shown that Nicotiana tabacum contains three Agrobacterium-derived T-DNA sequences inherited from its paternal ancestor Nicotiana tomentosiformis. Among these, the TB locus carries an intact mannopine synthase 2' gene (TB-mas2'). This gene is similar to the Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4-mas2' gene that encodes the synthesis of the Amadori compound deoxyfructosyl-glutamine (DFG or santhopine). In this study we show that TB-mas2' is expressed at very low levels in N. tomentosiformis and in most N. tabacum cultivars; however, some cultivars show high TB-mas2' expression levels. The TB-mas2' promoter sequences of low- and high-expressing cultivars are identical. The low/high level of expression segregates as a single Mendelian factor in a cross between a low- and a high-expression cultivar. pTB-mas2'-GUS and pA4-mas2'-GUS reporter genes were stably introduced in N. benthamiana. Both were mainly expressed in the root expansion zone and leaf vasculature. Roots of tobacco cultivars with high TB-mas2' expression contain detectable levels of DFG.
Conifers, Angiosperm Trees, and Lianas: Growth, Whole-Plant Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency, and Stable Isotope Composition (δ13C and δ18O) of Seedlings Grown in a Tropical Environment1[W][OA]

Seedlings of several species of gymnosperm trees, angiosperm trees, and angiosperm lianas were grown under tropical field conditions in the Republic of Panama; physiological processes controlling plant C and water fluxes were assessed across this functionally diverse range of species. Relative growth rate, r, was primarily controlled by the ratio of leaf area to plant mass, of which specific leaf area was a key component. Instantaneous photosynthesis, when expressed on a leaf-mass basis, explained 69% of variation in r (P < 0.0001, n = 94). Mean r of angiosperms was significantly higher than that of the gymnosperms; within angiosperms, mean r of lianas was higher than that of trees. Whole-plant nitrogen use efficiency was also significantly higher in angiosperm than in gymnosperm species, and was primarily controlled by the rate of photosynthesis for a given amount of leaf nitrogen. Whole-plant water use efficiency, TEc, varied significantly among species, and was primarily controlled by ci/ca, the ratio of intercellular to ambient CO2 partial pressures during photosynthesis. Instantaneous measurements of ci/ca explained 51% of variation in TEc (P < 0.0001, n = 94). Whole-plant 13C discrimination also varied significantly as a function of ci/ca (R2 = 0.57, P < 0.0001, n = 94), and was, accordingly, a good predictor of TEc. The 18O enrichment of stem dry matter was primarily controlled by the predicted 18O enrichment of evaporative sites within leaves (R2 = 0.61, P < 0.0001, n = 94), with some residual variation explained by mean transpiration rate. Measurements of carbon and oxygen stable isotope ratios could provide a useful means of parameterizing physiological models of tropical forest trees.
Mimicking the Plant Cell Interior under Water Stress by Macromolecular Crowding: Disordered Dehydrin Proteins Are Highly Resistant to Structural Collapse1[W]

The dehydrins are a class of drought-induced proteins in plants that lack a fixed three-dimensional structure. Their specific molecular action, as well as the reason for their disordered character, is as yet poorly understood. It has been speculated, however, that the dehydrins are tuned to acquire a biologically active structure only under the conditions in which they normally function (i.e. upon dehydration). To test this hypothesis, we here investigate the effect of reduced water content and macromolecular crowding on three dehydrins from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). As a simplistic model for mimicking cellular dehydration, we used polyethylene glycol, glycerol, and sugars that plants naturally employ as compatible solutes (i.e. sucrose and glucose). Macromolecular crowding was induced by the large polysaccharides Ficoll and dextran. The results show that the dehydrins are remarkably stable in their disordered state and are only modestly affected by the solvent alterations. A notable exception is the dehydrin Cor47, which shows a small, intrinsic increase in helical structure at high concentrations of osmolytes. We also examined the effect of phosphorylation but found no evidence that such posttranslational modifications of the dehydrin sequences modulate their structural response to osmolytes and crowding agents. These results suggest that the dehydrins are highly specialized proteins that have evolved to maintain their disordered character under conditions in which unfolded states of several globular proteins would tend to collapse.
Hepato‐biliary late effects in survivors of childhood and adolescent cancer: A report from the Children's Oncology Group

Curative therapy for childhood and adolescent cancer translates to 1 in 640 young adults being a survivor of cancer. Although acute hepato‐biliary toxicity occurs commonly during pediatric cancer therapy, the impact of antineoplastic therapy on long‐term liver health in childhood/adolescent cancer survivors is unknown. This article reviews the medical literature on late liver dysfunction following treatment for childhood/adolescent cancer. We also outline the Children's Oncology Group (COG) guidelines for screening and follow‐up of hepato‐biliary sequelae. As the population of survivors grow and age, vigilance for risks to hepatic health needs to continue based on specific exposures during curative cancer therapy. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2010;54:663–669. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bacterial bile salt hydrolase: an intestinal microbiome target for enhanced animal health

Abstract To effectively mitigate antimicrobial resistance in the agricultural ecosystem, there is an increasing pressure to reduce and eliminate the use of in-feed antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention in food animals. However, limiting antibiotic use could compromise animal production efficiency and health. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop effective alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs). Increasing evidence has shown that the growth-promoting effect of AGPs was highly correlated with the reduced activity of bile salt hydrolase (BSH), an intestinal bacterial enzyme that has a negative impact on host fat digestion and energy harvest; consistent with this finding, the population of Lactobacillus species, the major intestinal BSH-producer, was significantly reduced in response to AGP use. Thus, BSH is a key mechanistic microbiome target for developing novel alternatives to AGPs. Despite recent significant progress in the characterization of diverse BSH enzymes, research on BSH is still in its infancy. This review is focused on the function of BSH and its significant impacts on host physiology in human beings, laboratory animals and food animals. The gaps in BSH-based translational microbiome research for enhanced animal health are also identified and discussed.
Psychosocial Outcomes of Sport Concussions in Youth Hockey Players.

The objective is to evaluate the psychological outcomes arising from sport concussions. Participants included AA and AAA level Bantam and Midget hockey players (n = 672) between 12 and 17 years of age (mean = 15.0 years; SD = 1.2) enrolled in a large cohort study. All participants completed baseline tests including the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd Edition (BASC2) and a pre-season medical questionnaire (PSQ) completed by parents that included a retrospective report of prior concussions and injuries. Players were assigned to 4 groups: no injury (NONE), concussion (CO) and musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries or both (COMB). Participants in the CO and COMB groups demonstrated significantly higher rates of psychological difficulties compared with other groups [F(63, 1800) = 1.43, p = . 016, partial η(2) = 0.05) and on select clinical scales measuring atypicality, locus of control, anxiety, depression, sense of inadequacy, somatization, and attention. In addition, results from the composite clinical scales reached statistical significance for internalizing problems and emotional symptom index. Effect sizes were minimal with the exception of comparisons between the NONE and COMB groups where effect sizes were medium to large. Proportions above clinical cut-off scores set by the BASC2 were higher for the COMB group compared with CO, MSK, or NONE groups. Results suggest smaller percentage of youth may be more prone to psychological sequelae following concussion.
Effects of transportation on cattle health and production: a review

Abstract The goal of this review is to present a concise and critical assessment of the literature related to physiologic responses in cattle that are subjected to transportation. Over two-thirds of US cattle are transported. Understanding trends in circulating physiologic parameters is an important part of mitigating the negative effects of transportation. For the producer, linking these effects after transportation to morbidity outcomes within the first 45 days on feed (i.e. especially development of bovine respiratory disease) is critical. Physiologic parameters in circulation are of primary importance and may have value for prediction of bovine respiratory disease on arrival and for the understanding of disease pathogenesis. The results of our literature survey indicated that post-transportation immune function, increased acute phase proteins, glucocorticoids, and inflammation are a pivotal starting point for understanding disease. These potential biomarkers may have utility in identifying disease for targeted therapeutics so that traditional protocols that rely heavily on metaphylaxis can be avoided. Additional research is needed to develop strategies for physiological marker identification, treatment methods, or predictive behaviors to prevent respiratory disease before and after transport. This review examines the significant deleterious effects of transportation handling and stress, and current immune system translation and non-antimicrobial mitigation strategies.
Pronostic du cancer du sein chez les femmes tunisiennes : analyse d'une série hospitalière de 729 patientes

Ce travail a pour objectif de preciser les aspects anatomo-cliniques et les parametres pronostiques des cancers du sein dans la region du centre tunisien. Cette etude retrospective porte sur 729 patientes atteintes de cancers mammaires prouves a l’histologie et/ou a la cytologie, diagnostiques et traites entre janvier 1990 et juin 1998 au CHU F Hached de Sousse (Tunisie). L’âge moyen etait de 50 ans (extremes 22-91 ans). La taille clinique moyenne au diagnostic etait de 49,1 mm ; 90 % etaient des carcinomes canalaires infiltrants avec un grade histopronostique SBR souvent eleve (grade II et III : 82,6 %). Le taux de survie globale de l’ensemble des patientes etait de 50,5 % a 5 ans et de 50 % a 7 ans. En etude monofactorielle, les parametres pronostiques etaient la taille tumorale, le statut ganglionnaire clinique, les metastases au diagnostic, le nombre de ganglions envahis, les ruptures capsulaires et les embols lymphatiques, le grade SBR et le delai de consultation. L’analyse multifactorielle (modele de Cox) a isole 2 parametres pronostiques : la taille tumorale initiale (p = 0,001) et les metastases au diagnostic (p = 0,01). Le pronostic du cancer du sein demeure reserve en Tunisie du fait, notamment, du diagnostic tardif.
Methyl Jasmonate Reduces Grain Yield by Mediating Stress Signals to Alter Spikelet Development in Rice1[W][OA]

Jasmonic acid (JA) is involved in plant development and the defense response. Transgenic overexpression of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) jasmonic acid carboxyl methyltransferase gene (AtJMT) linked to the Ubi1 promoter increased levels of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) by 6-fold in young panicles. Grain yield was greatly reduced in Ubi1:AtJMT plants due to a lower numbers of spikelets and lower filling rates than were observed for nontransgenic (NT) controls. Ubi1:AtJMT plants had altered numbers of spikelet organs, including the lemma/palea, lodicule, anther, and pistil. The loss of grain yield and alteration in spikelet organ numbers were reproduced by treating NT plants with exogenous MeJA, indicating that increased levels of MeJA in Ubi1:AtJMT panicles inhibited spikelet development. Interestingly, MeJA levels were increased by 19-fold in young NT panicles upon exposure to drought conditions, resulting in a loss of grain yield that was similar to that observed in Ubi1:AtJMT plants. Levels of abscisic acid (ABA) were increased by 1.9- and 1.4-fold in Ubi1:AtJMT and drought-treated NT panicles, respectively. The ABA increase in Ubi1:AtJMT panicles grown in nondrought conditions suggests that MeJA, rather than drought stress, induces ABA biosynthesis under drought conditions. Using microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses, we identified seven genes that were regulated in both Ubi1:AtJMT and drought-treated NT panicles. Two genes, OsJMT1 and OsSDR (for short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase), are involved in MeJA and ABA biosynthesis, respectively, in rice (Oryza sativa). Overall, our results suggest that plants produce MeJA during drought stress, which in turn stimulates the production of ABA, together leading to a loss of grain yield.
Predictors of well-being in bereaved former hospice caregivers: The role of caregiving stressors, appraisals, and social resources

ABSTRACT Objective: The current literature on caregiving and bereavement indicates that the relationship between these two common life events is complex and needs to be further studied in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their interaction. Methods: In the current project, 50 spouses of hospice patients with end-stage lung cancer or dementia were assessed while caregiving and at an average of 4 months after the death on a variety of measures, including caregiving stressors, appraisals, social resources, and well-being. A stress process model was utilized in order to examine which preloss factors were associated with postloss depression, life satisfaction, and grief. Results: Our results indicated that patient diagnosis (cancer or dementia) and caregiver appraisals (stressfulness of functional impairment and positive aspects of caregiving) were not predictors on any of our well-being outcomes. However, fewer months caregiving was a significant predictor of both higher depression and grief postloss. Additionally, lower levels of social activities, smaller social networks, and lower satisfaction with social support were significantly associated with higher postloss depression. Significance of results: Results support both the resource depletion and anticipatory grief hypotheses and suggest that short-term bereavement outcomes are different than factors that predict well-being while caregiving. Future studies should address whether long-term bereavement outcomes differ by baseline caregiving characteristics to guide intervention research.
The meaning of quality of life: Narrations by patients with incurable cancer in palliative home care

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this qualitative study was to elucidate the meaning of quality of life as narrated by patients with incurable cancer approaching death in palliative home care in Sweden. Methods: To gain a deeper understanding of what quality of life means for dying patients, data were collected from narrative interviews with eight patients in their homes in 2004–2006. Qualitative content analysis was used to interpret the meaning regarding quality of life. Results: Three main themes were found: being in intense suffering, having breathing space in suffering, and being at home. Living with incurable cancer at the end of life was experienced as living in physical distress as the body became incapacitated by unexpected physical complications. This incapacity had consequences on patients’ psychological, social, and existential well-being. As the complication phase abated, the patients experienced that they regained hopefulness and had time to reflect on existential issues. Patients were provided affirmative care at home from family caregivers and the palliative home care team. Significance of results: This study shows that it is feasible to perform individual interviews with patients approaching death and elucidate the meaning of patients’ quality of life in palliative home care. Patients oscillate between being in intense suffering and having breathing space in this suffering, which somewhat opposes the traditional picture of a continuous linear deterioration. Being cared for at home by family caregivers and health care professionals provided a sense of independency and security. Being at home safeguards patients’ entire life situation and increases quality of life.
A qualitative study of the experiences of women with metastatic breast cancer

ABSTRACT Objective: My objective was to investigate the experiences of women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Method: I did a qualitative study based on interview data. Fourteen women with metastatic breast cancer were recruited into a larger study of online support group use. Participants were interviewed by phone. Results: The women indicated that they experience distress because of concerns about body image, declines in aspects of their sexual lives, and worries about the effect of stress on their illness. The stress that worries these women comes from fear of dying, fear of disease progression and debilitation, the loss of their future, and practical concerns. The women were also likely to experience a decline in daily activity after being diagnosed with metastatic disease. They become less active because of the physical symptoms of the illness and the side effects of treatments, the medicalization of their lifestyle, their desire to avoid stressful situations, the constraints imposed by their social world, and the need to maintain disability benefits. Although women are often in need of emotional and material support from others after they are diagnosed, social support can decrease, both because women find it difficult to be open about the difficulties they face and because the responses of others are not adequately supportive. Distress and declines in daily activity and social support can feed into each other to create a vicious circle. Significance of results: This paper makes a significant contribution to the literature by providing a rich description of how metastatic breast cancer affects women. Further research, with more diverse samples, is needed in this understudied area.
Fatigue in relatives of palliative patients

ABSTRACT Objectives: The relatives’ burdens in palliative care are considerable and may cause fatigue. The overall aim of this study was to gain a greater understanding of fatigue in relatives of patients cared for in palliative care settings. Methods: This study has a descriptive, comparative, and cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of relatives of all patients cared for in palliative care settings in Uppsala County during a specific day. Relatives completed a questionnaire consisting of the Multidimensional Fatique Inventory (MFI-20) and questions from the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) and Karolinska Sleep questionnaire (KSQ). Results: Relatives (n = 56) scored high on every dimension on the MFI-20 scale. Two significant negative correlations were found to exist between age and fatigue, with younger relatives reporting more mental fatigue (p < .01) and more reduced activity (p < .01) than older relatives. Relatives of patients in institutional care had higher values concerning mental fatigue (p < .01) and reduced motivation (p < .05). Relatives of mostly bedridden patients were significantly more tired but did not have significantly less motivation than relatives of mostly ambulatory patients. Significance of results: The findings imply that fatigue is highly prevalent in relatives of patients in palliative care. The sample in this study scored higher in comparison with norm values and also in comparison with relatives of patients with end-stage renal disease. Their scores were similar to those of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.