Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Histomonas meleagridis after one thousand in vitro passages.

SYNOPSIS. During a 7-year period Histomonas meleagridis survived 1000 passages in Medium 199 fortified with serum and antibiotic-killed bacteria. The histomonads were originally isolated from a chicken's cecal dropping, and the bacteria were cultivated from the cecal contents of a normal turkey. In many respects, the histomonads remained unchanged during cultivation, but in some other respects they changed considerably, perhaps irreversibly. Morphologically, the histomonads propagated in vitro showed only slight changes. When returned to birds, they resumed the structure characteristic of lumen-dwelling individuals of this species. However, they had long since lost their ability to produce disease in either chickens or turkeys, and organisms of the tissue-dwelling type were rarely seen. The long-cultivated histomonads are actually as nonpathogenic as Histomonas wenrichi, but they have none of the distinguishing morphologic characteristics of the latter. As has been reported elsewhere, H. meleagridis long maintained in the tissue culture medium has also lost much of its ability to immunize either chickens or turkeys against infection with virulent strains of this parasite. Also lost in the process of adaptation to its restricted medium has been the ability to multiply satisfactorily in vitro with the complement of bacteria normal to the ceca of the birds. However, in some instances, histomonads which have become adapted to in vitro cultivation are still able to live in birds with this diversified flora. Activity of the histomonads cultivated in vitro differed but little from that of H. meleagridis freshly isolated from birds, when both were viewed under the same conditions. Histomonads from each of the above sources multiplied most satisfactorily in their accustomed habitat, probably because of a difference in nutritional requirements.
Recovery of photoreceptor inner and outer segment layer thickness after reattachment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment

Aims To evaluate the recovery of retinal function and the thicknesses of the photoreceptor inner (IS) and outer segment (OS) layers after a reattachment of a rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods 49 eyes of 49 patients (mean age, 57.4±10.3 years) with successfully reattached RRD were retrospectively studied. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was used to obtain images of the foveal area, and the thicknesses of the IS and OS were measured before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery. The thicknesses of the corresponding structures of the healthy fellow eye served as control. Results The thickness of the IS layer was 20.4±5.0 μm and that of the OS layer was 34.4±9.7 at 1 month after surgery, which was significantly thinner than the IS (28.9±2.9) and OS (55.4±5.2) layers of the fellow eyes. The thicknesses gradually increased and were not significantly different from that in the fellow eye at 12 months (IS, 28.4±4.4 µm and OS, 50.7±6.6 µm). The IS and OS thicknesses at 1 month after surgery in eyes that had a decimal visual acuity of 1.0 at 6 months were significantly thicker than those in eyes that had a visual acuity of <1.0. Conclusions The increase in the thicknesses of the IS and OS layers of the photoreceptors during the recovery phase of eyes with RRD indicates that the recovery process was slow and gradual. Quantitative analysis of the IS and OS thicknesses may be useful to follow the disease process.
Transplacental lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) transmission: immune inhibition of umbilical cord infection, and correlation of fetal virus susceptibility with development of F4/80 antigen expression.

Maternal-to-fetal transmission of the murine lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) has been previously shown to be regulated by maternal immunity as well as gestational age. For the present study, the role of maternal immunity in placental and umbilical cord virus protection was studied, and virus targeting of umbilical cord and fetal macrophages was correlated with expression of the F4/80 macrophage phenotypic marker. The results showed that LDV-infected macrophages appeared in umbilical cord by 24 h post-infection of pregnant mice, and some LDV-infected macrophages displayed the F4/80 phenotype. This potential reservoir of virus for the fetus was inhibited by passive immunization of pregnant mice with IgG anti-LDV antibodies, which rapidly concentrated in the placenta and umbilical cord. Probing of umbilical cord cells with antibodies directed at MHC genetic markers demonstrated the presence of both maternal and fetal cells in umbilical cords. A strong developmental correlation was observed between fetal F4/80 expression and LDV susceptibility, at about 13.6 days of gestation. These results demonstrate immune suppression of free and cell-associated virus in umbilical cord, thus defining a potentially important mechanism for immune protection of the fetus from transplacental virus infection. The results also clarify the developmental basis for fetal susceptibility to LDV infection.
KNOW THE STAR, KNOW THE PLANET. IV. A STELLAR COMPANION TO THE HOST STAR OF THE ECCENTRIC EXOPLANET HD 8673b

HD 8673 hosts a massive exoplanet in a highly eccentric orbit (e = 0.723). Based on two epochs of speckle interferometry a previous publication identified a candidate stellar companion. We observed HD 8673 multiple times with the 10 m Keck II telescope, the 5 m Hale telescope, the 3.63 m Advanced Electro-Optical System telescope, and the 1.5 m Palomar telescope in a variety of filters with the aim of confirming and characterizing the stellar companion. We did not detect the candidate companion, which we now conclude was a false detection, but we did detect a fainter companion. We collected astrometry and photometry of the companion on six epochs in a variety of filters. The measured differential photometry enabled us to determine that the companion is an early M dwarf with a mass estimate of 0.33–0.45 M ⊙ ? > . The companion has a projected separation of 10 AU, which is one of the smallest projected separations of an exoplanet host binary system. Based on the limited astrometry collected, we are able to constrain the orbit of the stellar companion to a semimajor axis of 35–60 AU, an eccentricity ≤ ? > 0.5, and an inclination of 75°–85°. The stellar companion has likely strongly influenced the orbit of the exoplanet and quite possibly explains its high eccentricity.
Region-Specific Spike-Frequency Acceleration in Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons Mediated by Kv1 Subunits

Separation of the cortical sheet into functionally distinct regions is a hallmark of neocortical organization. Cortical circuit function emerges from afferent and efferent connectivity, local connectivity within the cortical microcircuit, and the intrinsic membrane properties of neurons that comprise the circuit. While localization of functions to particular cortical areas can be partially accounted for by regional differences in both long range and local connectivity, it is unknown whether the intrinsic membrane properties of cortical cell types differ between cortical regions. Here we report the first example of a region-specific firing type in layer 5 pyramidal neurons, and show that the intrinsic membrane and integrative properties of a discrete subtype of layer 5 pyramidal neurons differ between primary motor and somatosensory cortices due to region- and cell-type-specific Kv1 subunit expression.
Management of ocular manifestations in toxic epidermolyisis: an emergency? A case series

AIM: To evaluate ocular manifestations and treatment of patients with ocular involvement in toxic epidermolysis disease spectrum. METHODS. We retrospectively reviewed the files of patient’s diagnosed toxic epidermal necrolysis or Lyells disease / Stevens Johnson Syndrome attending the Ophthalmology Unit in the University Hospital center in Yaounde (CHUY) from 2005 to 2011. The outcome measure were etiological factors causing Stevens Johnson syndrome / Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), the pattern of ocular lesions and the management. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were managed. All patients had bilateral involvement but with asymmetrical presentations with a higher female representation (sex ratio F/M of 2:2) . Three of these were known HIV infected and were taking antiretroviral drugs. The mean times lag from onset of symptoms to the ophthalmologist consultation was 14.91 days (range 5 -35 days). Lids involvement was noted in 87, 50 % of cases followed by infections in 68, 75% of cases. All patients were managed medically with topical antibiotics and local anesthetic with preservatives. The most frequently identified possible cause was the antimalarial drugs in 50% of cases. CONCLUSION: Toxic epidermolysis should be considered as an ocular emergency to be presented to ophthalmologist as soon as the diagnosis is made. Preservatives free antibiotics should be used to reduce the local toxicity of the ocular surface. RESUME OBJECTIF : Evaluer les manifestations oculaires et leur prise en charge chez un groupe de patients diagnostiques comme toxidermies medicamenteuses, necrolyses epidermiques toxiques ou Lyell et /ou Syndrome Stevens-Johnson. METHODE. Revue retrospective des dossiers de patients diagnostiques comme epidermolyses toxiques / syndrome Stevens Johnson et ayant ete recu dans le service d’Ophtalmologie du Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de Yaounde entre 2005 et 2011. Les parametres etudies etaient les facteurs etiologiques des toxidermies, Stevens Johnson Syndrome / Toxic epidermal necrolysis, la presentation clinique oculaire et la prise en charge. RESULTATS 16 patients ont ete pris en charge avec un sexe ratio de 2:2 en faveur des femmes. Tout les cas etaient bilateraux mais asymetriques a la presentation. Trois patients etaient connus immunodeprimes sous antiretroviraux. Le temps moyen ecoule entre le debut des symptomes et l’arrivee chez l’ophtalmologue etait de 14.91 jours (range 5-35 jours). Les manifestations palpebrales etaient presentes dans 87,50%, suivies des infections dans 68,75 % des cases. Tous les patients ont recu un traitement medical conservateur avec des antibiotiques topiques et des anesthesiques locaux contenant des conservateurs. Les antipaludeens etaient les medicaments les plus incrimines (50.25% de cas°. CONCLUSION Les toxidermies medicamenteuses sont des urgences ophtalmologiques a referer a un ophtalmologiste des que le diagnostic est pose. L’utilisation des antibiotiques sans conservateurs est une priorite pour eviter la toxicite de la surface oculaire.
OXA-15, an extended-spectrum variant of OXA-2 beta-lactamase, isolated from a Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain

Pseudomonas aeruginosa AH, isolated in Ankara, Turkey, was highly resistant to ceftazidime (MIC, 128 microg/ml) and produced a beta-lactamase that gave a doublet of bands at pIs 8.7 and 8.9. beta-Lactamase production was transferable to P. aeruginosa PU21 by conjugation and was determined by a ca. 450-kb plasmid, pMLH54. The transconjugant and Escherichia coli transformed with the cloned gene showed increased resistance to ceftazidime (especially) and to cefpirome, ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, moxalactam, and aztreonam, but not to carbapenems. Resistance was not reversed by clavulanic acid or tazobactam. Sequencing revealed that the beta-lactamase responsible for this resistance was identical to OXA-2 except that glycine replaced aspartate at position 150. Compared to OXA-2, the new enzyme, named OXA-15, had greater cephalosporinase activity, with increased relative hydrolysis rates for cephaloridine and cephalothin and, most dramatically, for ceftazidime. Cefotaxime and carbapenems remained stable to hydrolysis. Thus, as in the TEM, SHV, and OXA-10 (PSE-2) beta-lactamase families, a minor sequence change in OXA-2 gave a major extension of cephalosporinase activity and contingent resistance. The gene encoding the new beta-lactamase, bla(OXA-15), lay close to the highly conserved 3' end of an integron and had flanking sequences typical of an integron-associated gene cassette. Restriction mapping and partial sequence data indicated that pMLH54 carries an integron with three putative gene cassettes: bla(OXA-15) itself, aadB [coding aminoglycoside nucleotidyltransferase (2")-1a], and an uncharacterized cassette.
Analysis of programming maps and its application for balancing multichannel cochlear implants: Análisis de los mapas de programación y su aplicación para el balance de implantes cocleares multicanal

Channel balancing is important for correct perception when using multichannel cochlear implants. In this paper we analyse the effect of channel imbalance on hearing perception in cochlear-implanted patients. Based on warble tone audiometry measured for 10 implanted patients, we evaluate how hearing sensitivity is affected by an imbalance. We also study the distribution along the cochlea of the programming parameters for 146 patients. The parameters are compared for different groups of patients (defined taking into account the age at implantation, the stimulation mode, and the presence of severe cochlear damage). The aim of this study is to obtain information that can be useful for balancing the channels for the patients in the different groups, as well as to evaluate the effect of an imbalance on perception. These results provide some complementary information that can be applied to the correct fitting of the cochlear implant processor. Sumario: El balance de los canales cuando se usan implantes cocleares multicanal es importante para lograr una percepción correcta. En este articulo analizamos el efecto de la falta de balance sobre la percepción auditiva en pacientes implantados. Con base en los datos de la audiometria con tonos modulados practicada en 10 pacientes implantados, evaluamos qué tanto se afecta la sensibilidad auditiva por la falta de balance del implante. También estudiamos en 146 pacientes la distribución de los parámetros de programación a lo largo de la cóclea. Los parámetros se com-pararon con distintos grupos de pacientes (definidos según la edad de implantación, el modo de estimulación y la presencia de daño coclear severo). El objetivo de este estudio fue obtener información que pudiera ser útil en el proceso de balance de los canales en los pacientes de los diferentes grupos, así como evaluar el efecto de la falta de balance en la percepción. Estos resultados proporcionan alguna información com-plementaria que puede aplicarse en la correcta adaptación del procesador del implante coclear.
Ligustrazine and the contractile properties of soleus muscle in hindlimb-unloaded rats.

BACKGROUND In this study we investigated the effects of different dosages of ligustrazine (tetramethylpyrazine, Tmp) on soleus function and sarco(endo)plasmatic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) activity in 14-d hindlimb-unloaded (HU) rats. METHODS Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (8 rats in each group): synchronous control (CON); HU plus intragastric water instillation (HU-W); HU plus different dosages of instilled Tmp (high: 42.53 mg x kg(-1), HU-TmpH; low: 21.15 mg x kg(-1), HU-TmpL). Muscle contraction force was examined in the soleus muscle. SERCA activity was assayed according to the released inorganic phosphate content. RESULTS As expected, in HU-W, soleus peak twitch tension (Pt), peak tetanic tension (P0), time to 50% peak tension (TP50), time to peak tension (TPT), time from peak tension to 50% relaxation (RT50), and SERCA activity decreased, all compared with CON. HU-TmpH Pt and P0 values were 179% and 90% above HU-W, and 187% and 124% above HU-W in HU-TmpL, respectively. TP50 and TPT values were 148% and 80% slower than HU-W with HU-TmpH and 95% and 32% in the HU-TmpL group, respectively. RT50 was slower than HU-W by 21% in HU-TmpH; SERCA activity elevated by 56% with HU-TmpH and by 72% with HU-TmpL. CONCLUSIONS Ligustrazine may alleviate the decrease of muscle contractile force and increase of shortening velocity in atrophied soleus, possibly by means of elevated sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase activity.
Does Recurrent Acute Pancreatitis Lead to Chronic Pancreatitis? Sequential Morphological and Biochemical Studies

The pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis (CP) has been debated as to whether it is a de novo process or the consequence of acute pancreatitis (AP). We investigated whether recurrent AP in rats leads to CP, by sequential morphological and biochemical studies. Thirty male Wistar rats were fed a choline-deficient diet with intraperitoneal ethionine injections twice daily at a dose of 60 mg/100 g body weight twice weekly, and six rats were killed at 4, 6, and 8 weeks; the remaining 12 rats, followed without further treatment, were killed at 12 and 16 weeks. The pancreata from study and control groups were examined by histology, immunohistochemistry, and bio- and immunoassays. Histologically, moderate to severe intra- and perilobular fibrosis and other CP-like lesions appeared maximally at 8 weeks. Immunohistochemically, the earliest extracellular matrix change was strong fibronectin staining at 4 weeks, with a progressive increase to 8 weeks. Collagens I and III came to show strong, and collagen IV moderate, interstitial staining at 6–8 weeks. These morphological changes, however, returned to nearly normal at 16 weeks. Prolyl hydroxylase was significantly elevated at 4 and 6 weeks and normalized after 8 weeks, with no significant change in collagenase. In conclusion, our results suggest that even severe CP-like lesions induced by recurrent AP are reversible in the absence of persistently elevated prolyl hydroxylase and/or suppressed collagenase. The mechanism regulating these changes remains to be studied further.
Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in an adult. A study of bactericidal antibodies and immunoglobulins.

Abstract Serum obtained on the day of admission and four days later failed to kill 3 × 103 Haemophilus influenzae, Type B, isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of a 33-year-old woman with meningitis. Serum obtained on days 16, 30 and 60 was bactericidal for 3 × 106 organisms. No factors that might have contributed to the patient's illness other than the lack of bactericidal antibody against H. influenzae, Type B, were detected. Bactericidal activity for the same organism was absent in eight of 29 "normal" adult serums. These results differ from studies performed in 1933, when all subjects over the age of 10 years who were tested showed bactericidal antibodies for this organism. The epidemiologic importance of the present findings in relation to current susceptibility of adults to infection with H. influenzae, Type B, remains to be determined.
Can Stock Recommendations Predict Earnings Management and Analysts' Earnings Forecast Errors?

In this article we present evidence that a firm's stock price sensitivity to earnings news, as measured by outstanding stock recommendation, affects its incentives to manage earnings and, in turn, affects analysts’ex post forecast errors. In particular, we find a tendency for firms rated a Sell (Buy) to engage more (less) frequently in extreme, income–decreasing earnings management, indicating that they have relatively stronger (weaker) incentives to create accounting reserves especially in the form of earnings baths than other firms. In contrast, firms rated a Buy (Sell) are more (less) likely to engage in earnings management that leaves reported earnings equal to or slightly higher than analysts’ forecasts. Our empirical results provide direct evidence of purported, but heretofore, weakly documented equity market incentives for firms to manage earnings. They are also consistent with a growing body of literature that finds analysts either cannot anticipate or are not motivated to anticipate completely in their forecasts firms’ efforts to manage earnings.
The Link Module from Human TSG-6 Inhibits Neutrophil Migration in a Hyaluronan- and Inter-α-inhibitor-independent Manner*

TSG-6 protein (the secreted product of the tumor necrosis factor-stimulated gene-6), a hyaluronan-binding protein comprised mainly of a Link and CUB module arranged in a contiguous fashion, has been shown previously to be a potent inhibitor of neutrophil migration in an in vivo model of acute inflammation (Wisniewski, H. G., Hua, J. C., Poppers, D. M., Naime, D., Vilcek, J., and Cronstein, B. N. (1996)J. Immunol. 156, 1609–1615). It was hypothesized that this activity of TSG-6 was likely to be mediated by its potentiation of inter-α-inhibitor anti-plasmin activity (causing a down-regulation of the protease network), which was reliant on these proteins forming a stable, probably covalent ∼120-kDa complex. Here we have shown that the recombinant Link module from human TSG-6 (Link_TSG6; expressed inEscherichia coli) has an inhibitory effect on neutrophil influx into zymosan A-stimulated murine air pouches, equivalent to that of full-length protein (which we produced in a Drosophilaexpression system). The active dose of 1 μg of Link_TSG6 per mouse (administered intravenously) also resulted in a significant reduction in the concentrations of various inflammatory mediators (i.e. tumor necrosis factor-α, KC, and prostaglandin E2) in air pouch exudates. Link_TSG6, although unable to form a stable complex with inter-α-inhibitor (under conditions that promote maximum complex formation with the full-length protein), could potentiate its anti-plasmin activity. This demonstrates that formation of an ∼120-kDa TSG-6·inter-α-inhibitor complex is not required for TSG-6 to enhance the serine protease inhibitory activity of inter-α-inhibitor. Six single-site Link_TSG6 mutants (with wild-type folds) were compared for their abilities to inhibit neutrophil migration in vivo, bind hyaluronan, and potentiate inter-α-inhibitor. These experiments indicate that all of the inhibitory activity of TSG-6 resides within the Link module domain, and that this anti-inflammatory property is not related to either its hyaluronan binding function or its potentiation of the anti-plasmin activity of inter-α-inhibitor.
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty: clinical and quality of life outcomes one year later.

BACKGROUND The quality of life status of patients prior to and following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) has not been comprehensively investigated. AIM This study was carried out to determine the effect that PTCA has on patients' quality of life. METHODS Data on 209 patients were collected one day pre-PTCA and at a mean of two and 11 months post-PTCA. Data on symptomatic status, functional capacity, life satisfaction and psychological well-being were analysed quantitatively. Clinical outcomes, patient perception of PTCA and employment status wee analysed by descriptive statistics. RESULTS Highly significant improvement in all quality of life measures was found at the early follow-up (p < .001). This improvement was sustained at the late follow-up. At the late follow-up, 58% of patients felt that PTCA had been very beneficial to their health and well-being, and 79% of workers had returned to work. PTCA was primarily successful in 91% of vessels dilated. There were no procedural-related deaths, 12 patients (6%) developed acute occlusion and three patients (1.5%) experienced myocardial infarction (MI). A symptomatic restenosis rate of 16% was found, including 19 patients (9%) requiring repeat PTCA and 14 (7%) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). CONCLUSION These findings suggest that, after PTCA, the majority of patients experienced improved quality of life which was sustained one year later.