Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Drinking salt water enhances rehydration in horses dehydrated by frusemide administration and endurance exercise.

Because the primary stimulus for thirst is an increase in plasma tonicity, we hypothesised that dehydrated horses would drink a greater total volume of fluid voluntarily during the first hour of recovery when they were initially offered salt water. To test this hypothesis, bodyweight (bwt), fluid intake (FI) and [Na+] were measured in 6 Arabian horses offered 3 rehydration solutions. After dehydration was induced by frusemide administration (1 mg/kg bwt, i.v.) followed by 45 km treadmill exercise, water (W), 0.45% NaCl and 0.9% NaCl were offered, in a randomised order, during the initial 5 min after completing exercise. Horses were subsequently placed in a stall and further intake of plain water during the first hour of recovery was measured. By the end of exercise, horses lost 5.2 +/- 0.2, 5.6 +/- 0.3 and 5.7 +/- 0.2% (P>0.05) bwt and FI during the first 5 min of recovery was 10.5 +/- 0.7, 11.6 +/- 0.8 and 11.6 +/- 1.5 l (P>0.05) for W, 0.45% NaCl and 0.9% NaCl, respectively. After 20 min of recovery, [Na+] had decreased with W but remained unchanged from the end exercise values for both saline solutions. During the initial hour of recovery, further water intake was 0.9 +/- 0.4, 5.0 +/- 0.5 and 6.9 +/- 0.7 l (P<0.05) for W, 0.45% NaCl and 0.9% NaCl, respectively. Therefore, total FI was 11.4 +/- 0.5, 16.6 +/- 0.7 and 18.5 +/- 1.7 l (P<0.05) for W, 0.45% NaCl and 0.9% NaCl, respectively, and persisting bwt loss after 60 min of recovery was greater (P<0.05) for W (3.5%) than for the 2 saline solutions (24% for 0.45% NaCl and 1.9% for 0.9% NaCl). In conclusion, providing salt water as the initial rehydration fluid maintained an elevated [Na+] and resulted in greater total FI and recovery of bwt loss during the first hour of recovery, in comparison to offering only plain water.
Lipid profile lowering effect of SoyproTM fermented with lactic acid bacteria isolated from Kimchi in high‐fat diet‐induced obese rats

Lactic acid bacteria are known to exert various physiologic functions in humans. In the current study, we investigated the effects of SoyproTM, a new soymilk fermented with lactic acid bacteria, like Leuconostoc kimchii, Leuconostoc citreum, and Lactobacillus plantarum, isolated from Kimchi, on adipocyte differentiation in preadipocyte 3T3‐L1 cell lines and weight gain or the plasma lipid profile in Sprague‐Dawley rats. Adipocyte 3T3‐L1 cells treated with SoyproTM (10 μg/ml) significantly reduced the contents of cellular triglyceride and inhibited cell differentiation by Oil red O staining. Treatment with SoyproTM (10 μg/ml) for an additional two days in adipocytes inhibited the expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐μ2 and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein‐α, transcription factors of adipocyte differentiation. Based on these in vitro studies, we examined the anti‐obesity effect of SoyproTM in rats for six weeks. SoyproTM had no significant effect on high‐fat diet‐induced increases in body weight, food intake, or feed gain ratio. However, the administration of SoyproTM significantly reduced the concentration of the plasma low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Changes in the plasma levels of total cholesterol and glucose were inclined to decrease in SoyproTM administrated groups compared with saline treated group. Triglyceride and high density lipoprotein cholesterol values in SoyproTM fed groups were similar compared to those of saline fed groups. Although further research is needed, these findings suggest that SoyproTM decreased the levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol in high‐fat diet‐induced obesity and might partially inhibit the adipocyte differentiation through the suppression of a transcription factors peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐μ2 and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein‐α.
The assessment of adolescent female athletes using standing and reactive long jumps

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of two long jump tasks and their ability to predict 10 m sprint performance in elite adolescent female athletes. Eight junior national-level female track and field athletes completed three standing (SLJ) and reactive long jumps (RLJ) on portable force plates, followed by three 10 m sprints. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated to examine reliability. Linear regression results identified the best predictor of average and best 10 m sprint time from the jump kinematic and kinetic measures. The ICCs and CVs indicated good reliability for the majority of kinetic measures however, better reliability was reported for the SLJ. The SLJ was a good predictor of best and average 10 m sprint time, with average horizontal power the best predictor of performance (best; R 2 = 0.751, p = 0.003, Standard Error of Estimate (SEE)% = 2.2 average; R 2 = 0.708, p = 0.005, SEE% = 2.5).
Organization of tectopontine terminals within the pontine nuclei of the rat and their spatial relationship to terminals from the visual and somatosensory cortex

We investigated the spatial relationship of axonal and dendritic structures in the rat pontine nuclei (PN), which transfer visual signals from the superior colliculus (SC) and visual cortex (A17) to the cerebellum. Double anterograde tracing (DiI and DiAsp) from different sites in the SC showed that the tectal retinotopy of visual signals is largely lost in the PN. Whereas axon terminals from lateral sites in the SC were confined to a single terminal field close to the cerebral peduncle, medial sites in the SC projected to an additional dorsolateral one. On the other hand, axon terminals originating from the two structures occupy close but, nevertheless, totally nonoverlapping terminal fields within the PN. Furthermore, a quantitative analysis of the dendritic trees of intracellularly filled identified pontine projection neurons showed that the dendritic fields were confined to either the SC or the A17 terminal fields and never extended into both. We also investigated the projections carrying cortical somatosensory inputs to the PN as these signals are known to converge with tectal ones in the cerebellum. However, terminals originating in the whisker representation of the primary somatosensory cortex and in the SC were located in segregated pontine compartments as well. Our results, therefore, point to a possible pontocerebellar mapping rule: Functionally related signals, commonly destined for common cerebellar target zones but residing in different afferent locations, may be kept segregated on the level of the PN and converge only later at specific sites in the granular layer of cerebellar cortex. J. Comp. Neurol. 484:283–298, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prognostic value of EGFR expression in de novo and progressed atypical and anaplastic meningiomas: an immunohistochemical and fluorescence in situ hybridization pilot study.

AIM The aim of this study was to assess both the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) protein expression by immunohistochemistry and the EGFR gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization in meningiomas of different grade, in order to evaluate their possible role in the development of the disease. EGFR protein belongs to the family of tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors, which also includes HER2, HER3 and HER4. Elevated expression or activity of EGFR has been reported in several cancers, including brain tumours. EGFR activation can enhance the malignant potential of epithelial tissues. METHODS We investigated whether there was a difference in the EGFR protein expression and the EGFR gene amplification between the so called de novo malignant meningiomas and recurrent meningiomas with or without malignant progression from a previously lower grade tumor. Our goal was to evaluate if EGFR expression was a useful marker to select patients affected by meningioma with a major risk of recurrences. We also assessed the prognostic value of the EGFR expression on overall survival. RESULTS Progression from benign meningiomas to atypical or anaplastic meningiomas correlated with an increase in the expression of EGFR protein. Our study shows that EGFR immunostaining in meningiomas directly correlates to the tumor's grade. The EGFR expression did not correlate with the overall survival and the recurrence-free survival of the patients affected by meningioma (de novo, recurrent and progressed). CONCLUSION We submit that the EGFR expression is not a useful prognostic element to identify patients with a major risk of meningioma recurrence.
Role of stellate cells in pancreatic fibrogenesis associated with acute and chronic pancreatitis

Pancreas fibrosis is the result of a dynamic cascade of mechanisms beginning with acinar cell (AC) injury and necrosis and followed by inflammation, activation of macrophages, aggregation of platelets, release of growth factors and reactive oxygen species (ROS), activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSC), stimulated synthesis of extracellular matrix and reduced matrix degradation. The result is a net matrix accumulation. Numerous in vivo and in vitro studies have provided strong evidence of a central role for PSC in fibrogenesis associated with acute and chronic pancreatitis. The PSC share homologies with hepatic stellate cells (HSC). In normal pancreas, the fat‐storing phenotype of PSC is found in low numbers (approx. 4% of the cells) in the periacinar and interlobular space. Similar to the stellate cell‐activating mechanisms in the liver, in pancreas injury PSC change their phenotype from the fat‐storing to a highly active matrix‐producing cell type (activated PSC). The induction of the activated phenotype of PSC has been shown to involve a number of diverse extra‐ and intracellular effector molecules, including inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, ethanol, acetaldehyde, and oxidative stress.
Combinations of Adefovir with Nucleoside Analogs Produce Additive Antiviral Effects against Hepatitis B Virus In Vitro

ABSTRACT Combination therapies may be required for long-term management of some patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Adefovir is a nucleotide analog that has similar activity against wild-type and lamivudine-resistant HBV. In contrast to lamivudine, clinical resistance to the prodrug adefovir dipivoxil emerges infrequently. Based on its clinical efficacy and low frequency of resistance, adefovir dipivoxil may form an important component of combination regimens. We therefore investigated the in vitro antiviral efficacy of combinations of adefovir with other nucleoside analogs (lamivudine, entecavir, emtricitabine [FTC],and telbivudine [L-dT]) and the nucleotide analog tenofovir. Using a novel stable cell line that expresses high levels of wild-type HBV, we assayed the antiviral activity of each drug alone and in combination with adefovir. All two-drug combinations resulted in greater antiviral effects than treatments with single agents and could be characterized as additive by the Bliss independence model. Analysis using the Loewe additivity model indicated that adefovir exerted additive antiviral effects when combined with lamivudine, FTC, or L-dT and moderately synergistic effects when combined with entecavir or tenofovir. There was no evidence of cytotoxicity with any of the drugs when used alone or in combination at the tested doses.
Persistent ICT Malaria P.f/P.v Panmalarial and HRP2 Antigen Reactivity after Treatment of Plasmodium falciparumMalaria Is Associated with Gametocytemia and Results in False-Positive Diagnoses of Plasmodium vivax in Convalescence

ABSTRACT A problem with rapid Plasmodium falciparum-specific antigen histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) detection tests for malaria is the persistence of antigen in blood after the disappearance of asexual-stage parasitemia and clinical symptoms, resulting in false-positive (FP) test results following treatment. The ICT P.f/P.v immunochromatographic test detects both HRP2 and a panmalarial antigen (PMA) found in both P. falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. To examine posttreatment antigen persistence with this test and whether persistent sexual-stage forms (gametocytes) are a cause of FP tests after treatment, we compared serial antigen test results with microscopy results from patients symptomatic with P. falciparum malaria in Indonesia for 28 days following treatment with chloroquine (CQ; n = 66), sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP; n = 36), and artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (ART + SP;n = 15). Persistent FP antigenemia following SP treatment occurred in 29% (HRP2) and 42% (PMA) of the patients on day 7 and in 10% (HRP2) and 23% (PMA) on day 14. The high rates of persistent HRP2 and PMA antigenemia following CQ and SP treatment were strongly associated with the presence of gametocytemia, with the proportion with gametocytes on day 7 posttreatment being significantly greater in those with FP results than in those with true-negative PMA and HRP2 results. Gametocyte frequency on day 14 post-SP treatment was also greater in those with FP PMA results. Following SP treatment, PMA persisted longer than HRP2, giving an FP diagnosis of P. vivax in up to 16% of patients on day 14, with all FP P. vivax diagnoses having gametocytemia. In contrast, PMA was rapidly cleared following ART + SP treatment in association with rapid clearance of gametocytemia. Gametocytes appear to be an important cause of persistent posttreatment panmalarial antigenemia in areas of endemicity and may also contribute in part to persistent HRP2 antigenemia following treatment.
A LEAST ABSOLUTE SHRINKAGE AND SELECTION OPERATOR (LASSO) FOR NONLINEAR SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION

Abstract Identification of parametric nonlinear models involves estimating unknown parameters and detecting its underlying structure. Structure computation is concerned with selecting a subset of parameters to give a parsimonious description of the system which may afford greater insight into the functionality of the system or a simpler controller design. In this study, a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) technique is investigated for computing efficient model descriptions of nonlinear systems. The LASSO minimises the residual sum of squares by the addition of a l1 penalty term on the parameter vector of the traditional l2 minimisation problem. Its use for structure detection is a natural extension of this constrained minimisation approach to pseudolinear regression problems which produces some model parameters that are exactly zero and, therefore, yields a parsimonious system description. The performance of this LASSO structure detection method was evaluated by using it to estimate the structure of a nonlinear polynomial model. Applicability of the method to more complex systems such as those encountered in aerospace applications was shown by identifying a parsimonious system description of the F/A-18 Active Aeroelastic Wing using flight test data.
Smoking, alcohol, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in outpatients with functional dyspepsia and among dyspepsia subgroups.

OBJECTIVE Although there is a paucity of data, environmental factors such as smoking, alcohol, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are believed to be important in the pathogenesis of functional dyspepsia. We aimed to evaluate, in outpatients presenting for endoscopy, the role of environmental factors in functional dyspepsia. METHODS A consecutive sample of 73 patients with functional dyspepsia completed a validated questionnaire prior to endoscopy. The comparison group consisted of outpatients attending for endoscopy who did not have functional dyspepsia (n = 658). Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between functional dyspepsia and potential risk factors adjusting for age, gender, socioeconomic status, general health, and irritable bowel syndrome. RESULTS Smoking, alcohol, aspirin, non-aspirin NSAIDs, and acetaminophen were not associated with functional dyspepsia. Patients were significantly less likely to have functional dyspepsia if they were current or past smokers, and there was a trend for patients to be less likely to have functional dyspepsia if they took NSAIDs regularly. When patients with functional dyspepsia were classified into symptom subgroups, the environmental factors were not found to be associated with ulcer-like dyspepsia (vs. nonspecific dyspepsia or organic disease). CONCLUSIONS Smoking, alcohol, and NSAIDs are not associated with an increased risk of functional dyspepsia in outpatients presenting for endoscopy.
Food sources of carbohydrates in a European cohort of adults

Abstract Objective: To describe the average consumption of carbohydrate-providing food groups among study centres of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Methods: Of the 27 redefined EPIC study centres, 19 contributed subjects of both genders and eight centres female participants only (men, n=13 031; women, n=22924, after exclusion of subjects under 35 and over 74 years of age from the original 36 900 total). Dietary data were obtained using the 24-hour recall methodology using the EPIC-SOFT software. The major sources of dietary carbohydrate were identified, and 16 food groups were examined. Results: The 10 food groups contributing most carbohydrate were bread; fruit; milk and milk products; sweet buns, cakes and pies; potato; sugar and jam; pasta and rice; vegetables and legumes; crispbread; and fruit and vegetable juices. Consumption of fruits as well as vegetables and legumes was higher in southern compared with northern centres, while soft drinks consumption was higher in the north. Italian centres had high pasta and rice consumption, but breakfast cereal, potato, and sweet buns, cakes and pies were higher in northern centres. In Sweden, lower bread consumption was balanced with a higher consumption of crispbread, and with sweet buns, cakes and pies. Overall, men consumed higher amounts of vegetables and legumes, bread, soft drinks, potatoes, pasta and rice, breakfast cereal and sugar and jam than women, but fruit consumption appeared more frequent in women. Conclusion: The study supports the established idea that carbohydrate-rich foods chosen in northern Europe are different from those in the Mediterranean region. When comparing and interpreting diet–disease relationships across populations, researchers need to consider all types of foods.
Fusarium Species from Nepalese Rice and Production of Mycotoxins and Gibberellic Acid by Selected Species

ABSTRACT Infection of cereal grains with Fusarium species can cause contamination with mycotoxins that affect human and animal health. To determine the potential for mycotoxin contamination, we isolated Fusarium species from samples of rice seeds that were collected in 1997 on farms in the foothills of the Nepal Himalaya. The predominant Fusarium species in surface-disinfested seeds with husks were species of the Gibberella fujikuroicomplex, including G. fujikuroi mating population A (anamorph, Fusarium verticillioides), G. fujikuroi mating population C (anamorph, Fusarium fujikuroi), and G. fujikuroi mating population D (anamorph, Fusarium proliferatum). The widespread occurrence of mating population D suggests that its role in the complex symptoms of bakanae disease of rice may be significant. Other common species were Gibberella zeae (anamorph, Fusarium graminearum) and Fusarium semitectum, withFusarium acuminatum, Fusarium anguioides,Fusarium avenaceum, Fusarium chlamydosporum,Fusarium equiseti, and Fusarium oxysporumoccasionally present. Strains of mating population C produced beauvericin, moniliformin, and gibberellic acid, but little or no fumonisin, whereas strains of mating population D produced beauvericin, fumonisin, and, usually, moniliformin, but no gibberellic acid. Some strains of G. zeae produced the 8-ketotrichothecene nivalenol, whereas others produced deoxynivalenol. Despite the occurrence of fumonisin-producing strains of mating population D, and of 8-ketotrichothecene-producing strains of G. zeae, Nepalese rice showed no detectable contamination with these mycotoxins. Effective traditional practices for grain drying and storage may prevent contamination of Nepalese rice with Fusariummycotoxins.
Experimental Group A Rotaviral Infection in Cynomolgus Monkeys Raised on Formula Diet

Rotaviral infections in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fasicularis) were studied to ascertain its suitability as a model of infection and diarrhea caused by group A human rotaviruses. Formula‐fed monkeys were used as they could be observed closely. Experimental rotaviral infection of cynomolgus monkeys was age‐dependent; only young monkeys were readily infected. Formula‐fed newborns were readily infected with cell‐culture‐adapted human (WA) and simian (SA11) viruses and with a rotavirus from a human fecal specimen. However, diarrhea was detected only in very young animals. A number of rotaviral shedding patterns as a function of time were observed. Although there was no typical viral shedding pattern which represented exclusive association of viral infection with diarrhea, the initial level of viral excretion and the maximum level of viral shedding attained were much higher in animals with diarrhea. Seroconversion occurred in less than half of the inoculated animals. The presence of maternal rotaviral antibodies did not prevent infection or diarrhea.
Conditional glucocorticoid receptor expression in the heart induces atrio‐ventricular block

Corticosteroid hormones (aldosterone and glucocorticoids) and their receptors are now recognized as major modulators of cardiovascular pathophysiology, but their specific roles remain elusive. Glucocorticoid hormones (GCs), which are widely used to treat acute and chronic diseases, often have adverse cardiovascular effects such as heart failure, hypertension, atherosclerosis, or metabolic alterations. The direct effects of GC on the heart are difficult to evaluate, as changes in plasma GC concentrations have multiple consequences due to the ubiquitous expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), resulting in secondary effects on cardiac function. We evaluated the effects of GR on the heart in a conditional mouse model in which the GR was overex‐pressed solely in cardiomyocytes. The transgenic mice displayed electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities: a long PQ interval, increased QRS and QTc duration as well as chronic atrio‐ventricular block, without cardiac hypertrophy or fibrosis. The ECG alterations were reversible on GR expression shutoff. Isolated ventricular cardiomyo‐cytes showed major ion channel remodeling, with decreases in INa,Ito, and IKslow activity and changes in cell calcium homeostasis (increase in Cal, in Ca2+ transients and in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ load). This pheno‐type differs from that observed in mice overexpressing the mineralocorticoid receptor in the heart, which displayed ventricular arrhythmia. Our mouse model highlights novel effects of GR activation in the heart indicating that GR has direct and specific cardiac effects in the mouse. —Sainte‐Marie, Y. , Cat, A. N. D. , Perrier, R. , Mangin, L. , Soukaseum, C. , Peuchmaur, M. , Tronche, F. , Farman, N. , Escoubet, B. , Benitah, J‐P., Jaisser, F. Conditional glucocorticoid receptor expression in the heart induces atrio‐ventricular block. FASEB J. 21, 3133–3141 (2007)