Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of vitamin D deficiency and combination antiretroviral therapy on bone in HIV-positive patients

Objectives:In the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), vitamin D deficiency, low bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures have emerged as subjects of concern in HIV-positive patients. Testing for vitamin D deficiency has been widely adopted in clinical practice even though the benefits of vitamin D supplementation in this population remain uncertain. The objective of this review was to evaluate the evidence for such a strategy. Design:Systematic review of the literature on vitamin D deficiency in HIV infection, the effects of cART on vitamin D status, and the effects of vitamin D deficiency and cART on parathyroid hormone (PTH), bone turnover, BMD and the incidence of fractures in HIV-positive patients. Methods:PubMed was used to identify relevant articles up to September 2011. Results:Vitamin D deficiency, secondary hyperparathyroidism and low BMD are common in HIV-positive patients. Efavirenz is associated with a reduction in 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels, tenofovir with secondary hyperparathyroidism, and cART with increased bone turnover and low BMD. The clinical significance of low BMD, however, remains unclear, especially in younger patients. Although the incidence of fractures may be increased in HIV-positive patients, the contribution of low BMD and vitamin D deficiency to these fractures is uncertain. Limited data on vitamin D supplementation in HIV-positive patients have shown transient, beneficial effects on PTH, but no effects on BMD. Conclusion:The benefits of vitamin D supplementation in this population need to be demonstrated before widespread ‘test and treat’ policies can be recommended as part of routine clinical practice.
Risk of venous thromboembolism in patients with primary chronic immune thrombocytopenia: a Danish population‐based cohort study

from a ‘small-cell variant’ of ALCL. Leukemia, 18, 1693–1698. Lamant, L. , de Reyniès, A. , Duplantier, M. -M. , Rickman, D. , Sabourdy, F. , Giuriato, S. , Brugières, L. , Gaulard, P., Espinos, E. & Delsol, G. (2007) Gene-expression profiling of systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma reveals differences based on ALK status and two distinct morphologic ALK+ subtypes. Blood, 109, 2156–2164. Menten, P., Wuyts, A. & Van Damme, J. (2002) Macrophage inflammatory protein-1. Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, 6, 455–481. Peiretti, F. , Fossat, C. , Anfosso, F. , Alessi, M.C. , Henry, M. , Juhan-Vague, I. & Nalbone, G. (1996) Increase in cytosolic calcium upregulates the synthesis of type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor in the human histiocyte cell line U937. Blood, 87, 162–173. Swerdlow, S.H. , Campo, E. , Harris, N.L. , Jaffe, E. , Pileri, S. , Stein, H. , Thiele, J. & Vardiman, J. (2008) WHO Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues. IARC Press, Lyon.
A new AC/AC multilevel converter family

A new ac/ac modular multilevel converter (M/sup 2/LC) family will be introduced. The new concept stands out due to its modularity and superior control characteristics. The stringent modularity results in a very cost-efficient and versatile converter construction. This new M/sup 2/LC concept is well suited to a wide range of multiphase ac/ac converters. The basic working principle together with the static and dynamic behavior are explained in detail on a single-phase ac/ac converter enabling four-quadrant operation. It is demonstrated that this converter concept fulfils the demanding requirements for future ac-fed traction vehicles very well.
Up-Regulation of Interleukin-8 by Novel Small Cytoplasmic Molecules of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae via p38 and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Pathways

ABSTRACT Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) is an important etiological agent of otitis media (OM) and of exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Inflammation is a hallmark of both diseases. Interleukin-8 (IL-8), one of the important inflammatory mediators, is induced by NTHI and may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Our studies demonstrated that a soluble cytoplasmic fraction (SCF) from NTHI induced much greater IL-8 expression by human epithelial cells than did NTHI lipooligosaccharides and envelope proteins. The IL-8-inducing activity was associated with molecules of ≤3 kDa from SCF and was peptidase and lipase sensitive, suggesting that small lipopeptides are responsible for the strong IL-8 induction. Moreover, multiple intracellular signaling pathways were activated in response to cytoplasmic molecules. The results indicated that the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Src-dependent Raf-1-Mek1/2-extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK MAPK) pathways are required for NTHI-induced IL-8 production. In contrast, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathway did not affect IL-8 expression, although this pathway was concomitantly activated upon exposure to NTHI SCF. The PI3K-Akt pathway was also directly activated by IL-8 and significantly inhibited by an antagonist of IL-8 receptors during NTHI stimulation. These results indicated that the PI3K-Akt pathway is activated in response to IL-8 that is induced by NTHI and may lead to other important epithelial cell responses. This work provides insight into essential molecular and cellular events that may impact on the pathogenesis of OM and COPD and identifies rational targets for anti-inflammatory intervention.
Independent control of grafting density and conformation of single-stranded DNA brushes

We describe self-assembly of ssDNA brushes that exploits the intrinsic affinity of adenine nucleotides (dA) for gold surfaces. The grafting density and conformation of these brushes is deterministically controlled by the length of the anchoring dA sequences, even in the presence of thymine nucleotides (dT). We produce and characterize brushes of model block-oligonucleotides, d(Tm-An), with systematically varied lengths m and n of the thymine and adenine blocks [denoted d(Tm) and d(An), respectively]. The hairpin conformation, dominant for self-complementary d(Tm-An) oligos in solution, is disrupted by the high preferential affinity of dA for gold surfaces. As a result, the d(Tm-An) oligos adsorb as a brush of d(T) strands immobilized via the d(A) blocks. Quantitative analysis by FTIR spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals a unique feature of DNA immobilization via d(A) blocks: The surface density of dA nucleotides is close to saturation and is nearly independent of d(A) block length. Accordingly, the lateral spacing (grafting density) of the d(T) blocks is determined by the length of the d(A) blocks. The d(T) blocks extend away from the surface in a brush-like conformation at a lateral spacing 2–3 times larger (a grafting density 5–10 times lower) than in analogous films immobilized via standard thiol linkers. This combination of brush-like conformation and low saturation grafting density is expected to increase the efficiency of DNA hybridization at surfaces. Therefore, immobilization via d(A) blocks offers a method of producing DNA brushes with controlled properties for applications in biotechnology and nanotechnology.
Managing Customer Relationships through Price and Service Quality

This paper examines the ways in which a service provider's policies on pricing and service level affect the size of its customer base and profitability. The analysis begins with the development of a customer behavior model that uses customer satisfaction and depth of relationship as mediators of the impact of price and service level on profitability. Based on this model of customer behavior, the system is analyzed as a queuing network from which the properties of the aggregate population's behavior are derived. The analysis reveals the counterintuitive result that a policy that involves a decrease in prices or an increase in service level may lead to a smaller customer base. However, this policy may also lead to higher profits. The novelty of this result lies in the explanation of the phenomenon: that when the customer base decreases due to a change in prices or service quality, companies may experience gains in profit that result not from a decrease in costs associated with serving fewer customers but from an increase in revenues resulting from the indirect effects of the lower prices or higher level of service on customer behavior. The application of optimization techniques to the model developed in this paper yields optimality conditions through which managers can assess the long-term profitability of their pricing and service-level policies.
Clinical Evaluation of Co-trimoxazole and Furazolidone in Treatment of Shigellosis in Children

Co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim—sulphamethoxazole) was compared with furazolidone in the treatment of shigellosis in two groups of 33 and 30 patients respectively. Those treated with co-trimoxazole recovered more quickly; none had shigellae in the faeces four days after the start of treatment, whereas in the group given furazolidone eight still had positive stool cultures seven days after treatment. The susceptibility of 104 shigella strains to seven antimicrobial agents was studied by plate dilution technique. All agents but tetracycline and chloramphenicol were found highly effective against most of the strains tested. All shigella isolates were resistant to sulphamethoxazole, and 63% were sensitive to trimethoprim. Potentiation of trimethoprim by sulphamethoxazole was shown in that all strains tested became sensitive to the combination of trimethoprim and sulphamethoxazole in a ratio of 1:20.
The Lability of Behavior as a Marker of Comorbid Depression and Anxiety

This study examines nine dynamical and three emotional aspects of behavior in depression and anxiety, singly and comorbidly. The study employs the Structure of Temperament Questionnaire Compact (STQ 77), whose 12 scales assess the energetic, lability and sensitivity aspects of behavior in the physical, social, mental and emotional domains. The STQ 77 was administered to 86 patients with Major Depression, 85 patients with an anxiety disorder, 43 patients with comorbid depression and anxiety, and 71 subjects without depression or anxiety disorder all presenting to a private outpatient clinical practice. Results: 1) Depression was associated with self-reports of increased impulsivity and rigidity of behavior; 2) Depressed patients reported significantly lower physical energy, tempo of physical activity and plasticity of behavior. The presence of comorbid anxiety further worsened these effects; 3) The ability to sustain attention on a mental task and to learn new information was lower in depressed patients than in other groups. Conclusions: comorbid depression and anxiety might be associates, decreasing adaptivity and the self-regulatory balance of behavior, leading to the development of extremes in behavioral reactivity (impulsivity and rigidity).
Construction and validation of a finite element model of a human pelvis

Introduction The hip joint is one of the most important joints for the mobility of the human body. Degeneration of this joint often results in immobilisation and disabling pain. In the past 30 years total hip arthroplasty has proven to reduce pain and to improve quality of life. In order to guarantee long-term stability of these devices it is important to obtain a long lasting fixation of the prosthesis in the surrounding bone. The mechanical behaviour of the pelvic bone under physiological loading conditions must be known for the development of high standard non-cemented acetabular sockets for optimisation of material and cup design. Finite element analysis (FEA) is a tool to investigate bone-implant interaction when developing total joint replacements (TJR's). The Finite element method (FEM) is a three dimensional model of the investigated structure with homogenous or none-homogenous material properties and simulated load cases. This abstract demonstrates the experimental and computational validation and development of three different FE-models of an individual human pelvis with an implanted acetabular cup. The models quantify stress, strain and deformation in the peri-acetabular region with three different modelling designs. Geometry and material properties were derived from CT-Scans
Organization of inhibition in the rat olfactory bulb external plexiform layer.

1. Intracellular recordings were made from the output neurons (mitral and tufted cells) of the rat olfactory bulb during electrical orthodromic stimulation of the olfactory nerve layer (ONL) and antidromic stimulation of the lateral olfactory tract and posterior piriform cortex (pPC) to test for physiological differences among the neuron types. Many of these neurons were identified by intracellular injections of biocytin, and others were identified by their pattern of antidromic activation. 2. Both marked and unmarked mitral cells showed large inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) in response to antidromic stimulation of the pPC, whereas tufted cells exhibited small IPSPs in response to pPC stimulation. Tufted cells, however, showed large IPSPs in response to ONL stimulation. In many cases, these tufted cell responses to ONL stimulation were larger than the mitral cell responses. The marked superficial tufted cells, those with basal dendrites in the superficial sublayer of the external plexiform layer (EPL), had the smallest IPSPs in response to pPC stimulation. These data support anatomic observations suggesting that the granule cell populations responsible for the IPSPs may be different for mitral and for superficial tufted cells. 3. The different types of output cells also showed differences in their responses to orthodromic stimulation. Type I mitral cells, which have basal dendrites confined to the deep sublayer of the EPL, were significantly less excitable by ONL stimulation than were the type II mitral cells, which have basal dendrites distributed within the intermediate sublayer of the EPL. Half of the type I mitral cells could not be excited at all by ONL stimulation. Superficial tufted cells showed even greater orthodromic excitability than type II mitral cells, usually responding to ONL stimulation with two or more spikes. 4. The ionic basis of the IPSPs in the superficial tufted cells appeared similar to those described for mitral cells. These IPSPs could be reversed by chloride injection and were associated with increased membrane conductance. 5. For both mitral and tufted cells, the number of ONL electrodes evoking IPSPs was greater than the number evoking spikes. These data suggest a kind of center-surround organization of inputs to these cells from the ONL, although this does not yet imply that the sensory receptive field of these output cells has a center-surround organization. 6. In conclusion, the properties of rat olfactory bulb output cells correlate with the sublayers of the EPL in which their basal dendrites lie. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Supernumerary Teat Removal Can Be Avoided in Dairy Sheep

The aim of this work was to determine whether the removal of supernumerary teats from dairy sheep when they are born is a useful procedure in the farming routine. Ewes were divided into 3 groups according to the number of teats at milking: ewes who were born with 2 teats; ewes who were born with 4 teats and had the 2 supernumerary nipples cut just after birth; and ewes who were born with 4 teats and did not have nipple amputation performed. Removal of supernumerary teats at lambing produced a significant reduction in milk production during the 2 first milking periods (p < .01). There were no differences between ewes with 2 or 4 teats, which suggests that this procedure is not necessary on dairy sheep farms. Because the presence of supernumerary teats is highly heritable, the elimination of this trait could be accomplished through selection methods.
Internalism and the explanatory role of narrow content

entities. In particular, the connection between the subject’s concepts and their judgements of category membership based on retrieving information stored in memory is lost. The main worry then is that in treating concepts as abstract, empirical work in psychology must in some sense be considered as not really revealing conceptual nature. The problem here is that the data provides very good reason to at least treat concepts as in one important sense concrete entities of some kind. One possible line of defence for proponents of the abstract view is noted by Laurence & Margolis (1999; 2007) who raise the possibility of construing concepts as both abstract and concrete entities (call this the ‘dual view’). Concrete entities would be identified with concepts as construed in psychology, whilst abstract entities resemble something akin to Fregean senses. The dual view is initially attractive, as it holds out hope of accommodating empirical work on concepts as well as Fregean intuitions about the distinction between public senses and an individual’s ideas. However, there is a simple line of reasoning which can be used to urge the rejection of the dual view. On the one hand, a proponent of the abstract view could deny the concrete conception relates at all to concepts, as Burge seems to do. However, this has the unfavourable implication that they would thereby deny that empirical psychology has any bearing on the fundamental nature of concepts, which is not an attractive 22 See also Peacocke (1992) for a version of the abstract view. 23 I highlight problems for Burge’s (1979) argument due to this claim in Chapter 3.
Extensions of a theorem of Wintner on systems with asymptotically constant solutions

A theorem of Wintner concerning sufficient conditions for a system y' = A(t)y to have linear asymptotic equilibrium is extended to a system x' = A(t)x + f(t, x). The integrability conditions imposed on / permit conditional convergence of some of the improper integrals that occur. The results improve on Wintner's even if / = 0.
Student evaluations of teachers.

Rodin and Rodin point out that there are two ways of judging teaching through students—ascertaining how much students have learned and obtaining student evaluations of teacher effectiveness. Some commonly accepted notions regarding student evaluations are challenged in this article, which comments on the results obtained in a number of studies. The authors suggest that “students are less than perfect judges of teaching effectiveness”—at least if teaching effectiveness is measured by how much students learn. This paper, reprinted from Science, helps to set the stage for the remaining articles in this issue.
Defining the glycophenotype of squamous epithelia using plant and mammalian lectins. Differentiation‐dependent expression of α2,6‐ and α2,3‐linked N‐acetylneuraminic acid in squamous epithelia and carcinomas, and its differential effect on binding of the endogenous lectins galectins‐1 and ‐3

A thorough characterization of the properties of squamous epithelial cells is necessary in order to improve our understanding of the functional aspects of normal development and malignant aberrations. Up to now, studies have focused almost exclusively on monitoring distinct protein markers. With our growing awareness of the coding function of glycan chains of cellular glycoconjugates and their interaction with receptors (lectins) in situ, defining the glycophenotype of these cells has become an important issue. Whereas the commonly applied plant lectins are tools used to map the presence and localization of biochemically defined saccharide epitopes, the introduction of endogenous (mammalian) lectins to this analysis enables us to take the step from monitoring the presence of glycan to understanding the functional implications by revealing ligand properties of the detected epitope for tissue lectin. Thus, in this study we investigated a distinct aspect of glycosylation using plant and mammalian lectins, i.e. the linkage type of sialylation. We first mapped the expression profile of the type of sialylation (α2,3‐ or α2,6‐linked) by plant lectins. Based on the hypothesis that this factor regulates accessibility of ligands for endogenous lectins we introduced two labeled galectins to this study. Galectin‐3 (but not galectin‐1) binding was related to cell differentiation in normal adult and developing epithelia, cultured epidermal cells, and carcinomas derived from these epithelia. The presented data suggest that α2,6‐linked N‐acetyl‐D‐neuraminic acid moieties could serve to mask galectin‐3‐reactive glycoepitopes. As a consequence, monitoring of the linkage type of sialic acid in glycans by plant lectins therefore has implications for the extent of glycan reactivity with endogenous lectins, pointing to a potential function of changes in sialylation type beyond these cell and lectin systems.
Pulmonary embolism: a follow‐up study of the relation between the degree of right ventricle overload and the extent of perfusion defects

Abstract. Ribeiro A, Lindmarker P, Johnsson H, Juhlin‐Dannfelt A, Jorfeldt L (Karolinska Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden). Pulmonary embolism: a follow‐up study of the relation between the degree of right ventricle overload and the extent of perfusion defects. J Intern Med 1999; 245: 601–610.
Expression and immunolocalization of aquaporin‐7 in rat gastrointestinal tract

Background information. In the gastrointestinal tract of mammals, water can either be secreted with digestive juices or absorbed by the small and large intestine. Transcellular water movement can be mediated by the transmembrane protein family of AQPs (aquaporins), as has also been recently identified in the gastrointestinal tract. However, the localization, expression and functioning of AQPs in the gastrointestinal tract have not been completely characterized. For the present study, we investigated: (1) the expression of AQP7 in some portions of rat gastrointestinal tract by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase—PCR and by immunoblotting and (2) the cellular and subcellular localization of AQP7 by immunohistochemistry.
Lung mast cell hyperplasia and pulmonary histamine-forming capacity in hypoxic rats.

KAY, JOHN MICHAEL, JACK C. WAYMIRE, AND ROBERT F. GROVER. -Lung mast cell h.perplasia and pulmonary histamine-forming capacity in hypoxic rats. Am. J. Physiol. 226(l): 178-184. 1974.We have studied lung mast cells (MC), histamine, and pulmonary histamine-forming capacity (PHFC) in acute and chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats. Histochemical examination of lung tissue showed no evidence of histamine depletion of perivascular MC in six rats subjected to acute hypoxia in a decompression chamber simulating 5,500 m altitude. In contrast, intravenous injection of compound 48/80 into five rats produced degranulation and histamine depletion of pulmonary MC within 2 min. Chronic hypoxia for 20 days increased the mean lung MC density in eight rats to 7.65 & 1.23/mm2, compared with 2.97 & 0.48/mm2 in nine untreated controls. PHFC was not increased by chronic hypoxia. There was a linear logarithmic relation between lung MC density and right ventricular weight (an index of pulmonary hypertension) in control and chronically hypoxic rats. Although we have not demonstrated histamine release from lung MC during brief periods of acute hypoxia, our data support the idea that the perivascular lung MC may be concerned in the mediation of the pulmonary pressor response to chronic hypoxia.