Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High fat and alcohol intakes are risk factors of postmenopausal breast cancer: A prospective study from the Malmö diet and cancer cohort

Associations between intakes of relative fat, total alcohol and alcoholic beverages and risk of breast cancer were examined in a subsample of 11,726 postmenopausal women from the MDC cohort. The MDC conducted baseline examinations from 1991 to 1996; the end of follow‐up was 31 December 2001. Data were obtained by an interview‐based diet history method, a structured questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and national and regional cancer registries. During 89,602 person‐years of follow‐up, 342 incident cases were documented. Cox regression analysis examined breast cancer risks adjusted for potential confounders. Two energy‐adjustment approaches (i.e., adjusting for total energy vs. adjusting for nonalcohol energy) were used. High total alcohol intake was associated with a nonsignificantly elevated risk. High wine intake was associated with a significantly elevated breast cancer risk (relative risk = 2.12, 95% CI 1.24–3.60). There were significant trends of increased breast cancer risk across quintiles of relative fat intake. Mutual adjustment did not affect risk estimates for total alcohol or relative fat intakes. The specific energy‐adjustment approach did not influence associations differentially. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pain at the Vulvar Vestibule: A Web-Based Survey

Objective. To assess the prevalence, characteristics, and ethnic distribution of pain in the vulvar vestibule among a national sample of women completing a web-based survey. Methods. Female participants of the SurveySpot Internet research panel (Survey Sampling International) were invited via e-mail to respond to a web-based questionnaire on women's health issues. The frequency and characteristics of reported pain of the vulvar vestibule were assessed among 994 respondents, using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results. Between May 24, 2002, and June 6, 2002, 730 non-African American women and 364 African American women responded to the invitation to participate, and 94.5% completed the survey. A history of pain at the vulvar vestibule was reported by 288 women (27.9%), with 80 (7.8% of the initial 1032) reporting pain within the past 6 months, 31 (3.0%) reporting pain that lasted 3 or more months, and 18 (1.7%) reporting vestibular pain lasting 3 or more months that occurred within the past 6 months. The prevalence of pain was similar in African American and non-African American women. Conclusions. The prevalence of pain at the vulvar vestibule is more common than previously estimated. The perception that vulvar pain is rare among African American women was not supported in this survey.
Evolution expérimentale et spécialisation dans le paysage adaptatif d'un gradient environnemental

De nos jours plus que jamais, il est necessaire d’anticiper et de comprendre les reponses evolutives des organismes vivants, face a des habitats instables et heterogenes. Mais a quel point cela est-il possible ? Reproduire l’ensemble du deroule d’une trajectoire evolutive necessite de pouvoir decrire, d’une part, le « materiel » disponible pour s’adapter (c’est-a-dire les effets phenotypiques associes a la variabilite genetique produite), d’autre part, comment agissent les forces evolutives, associees a un contexte ecologique, pour aboutir a un certain « assemblage » de ce materiel. Dans sa version la plus simple, ce processus evolutif peut-etre decrit par plusieurs cycles d’evenements de mutations-selection conduisant a l’adaptation d’une population a son environnement. Cette dynamique correspond assez bien a celle qui est decrite par les populations bacteriennes dans les experiences d’evolution controlees en laboratoire. Parallelement, les modeles de paysages adaptatifs (phenotypiques), et en particulier le modele geometrique de Fisher, sont des outils tres puissants pour formuler des predictions generales et quantitativement testables sur ces trajectoires evolutives. Cependant, ils restent tres theoriques et ont ete largement penses dans un contexte ecologique simplifie. Au cours de cette these, nous avons identifie les determinants (mutationnels et selectifs) des trajectoires evolutives a long terme de populations bacteriennes s’adaptant dans differents contextes environnementaux. Une premiere partie des resultats est mise en lumiere par la validation experimentale et la reconstruction de la topographie du paysage adaptatif genere par differentes doses d’un antibiotique, le long d’un gradient. Une deuxieme partie experimentale vise a integrer une composante biotique (une autre bacterie) a ce meme contexte environnemental. Les processus evolutifs intervenant au cours d’une coevolution a long terme maintenue par selection frequence-dependante, y sont etudies.
Histological and histochemical study of the uropygial gland of chimango caracara (Milvago chimango vieillot, 1816)

The uropygial glands of birds are sebaceous organs that contribute to the water-repellent properties of the feather coat. We studied the histological and histochemical characteristics of the uropygial gland of chimango caracara using hematoxylin and eosin (H & E), Gomori´s trichrome, orcein, Gomori´s reticulin, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Alcian blue (AB) and a variety of lectins. The gland is composed of two lobes and a papilla with 20 downy feathers. It is surrounded by a capsule of dense connective tissue that contains elastic, reticular and smooth muscle fibers. The papilla is delicate and has two excretory ducts. The gland mass relative to body mass was 0.143%. Both adenomer cells and their secretions were stained with Sudan IV, PAS and AB, and were positive for numerous lectins that indicated the presence of lipids and carbohydrates. Immunohistochemical techniques to detect PCNA confirmed cell proliferation in the basal stratum of the adenomer cells. The lipids and glycoconjugates secreted by the uropygial gland serve numerous functions including protection against microorganisms.
Distal tubule bicarbonate reabsorption in intact and remnant diabetic kidneys.

BACKGROUND In the diabetic patient, hyperkalemia and hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis has been attributed to one or more of the following factors associated with diabetic nephropathy: hypoaldosteronism, altered potassium homeostasis, or a distal tubular (DT) defect in hydrogen ion secretion. To evaluate maximal in vivo DT acidification in streptozotocin (STZ) diabetes, unidirectional bicarbonate reabsorption (JHCO3) was measured in DTs after acid loading and in surviving DT after 2/3 nephrectomy (Nx). METHODS Acid gavage induced hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis in four groups of rats: diabetic rats with hyperglycemia two (a) and (b) eight weeks after STZ injection, (c) diabetic rats with tight glucose control two weeks after STZ injection and insulin pump implantation; and (d) control nondiabetic rats. Another group of diabetic rats underwent (e) Nx one week after STZ injection; these rats were neither acid loaded nor pump implanted. RESULTS In the acidotic rats, the plasma potassium concentration, the plasma and urine acid-base parameters in the three STZ diabetic groups was not different from control rats, whereas JHCO3 fluxes were brisk without important differences between groups. In Nx rats, although the plasma potassium concentration and acid-base status were normal, surviving JHCO3 fluxes were still brisk and not different from the acid-loaded rats. CONCLUSIONS These in vivo measurements indicate there is no impairment in DT unidirectional bicarbonate reabsorption in the intact or remnant STZ diabetic kidney.
Size and Surface Charge Properties of Myelin Vesicles from Normal and Diseased (Multiple Sclerosis) Brain

Abstract: Differences have been observed between myelin vesicles prepared from normal human central nervous system and from white matter of patients who died with multiple sclerosis (MS). The mean cross‐sectional area of the vesicles was 5.69 ± 0.17 μm2 from normal myelin and 3.71 ± 0.28 μm2 for diseased myelin. Vesicle size was reduced to 4.08 ± 0.21 μm2 when normal myelin vesicles were prepared in the presence of 0.1 mM EDTA. The presence of Ca2 during the preparation of the vesicles had no effect on the mean cross‐sectional area. In the case of MS myelin vesicles, 0.1 mM EDTA had no effect on vesicle size, whereas the presence of Ca2+ increased the vesicle size from 3.71 ± 0.28 to 5.40 ± 0.31 μm2 Electrokinetic analysis revealed that the electrophoretic mobility of normal myelin vesicles was ‐5.169 ± 0.193 × 10−8 compared with ‐6.093 ± 0.202 × 10−8 m2 s−1 V−1 for the MS myelin vesicles. The presence of 0.1 mM EDTA increased the electrophoretic mobility of the normal vesicles to ‐6.483 ± 0.151 × 10−8 m2 s−1 V−1 but did not significantly affect that of the MS vesicles. Addition of 0.1 mM Ca2+ decreased the electrophoretic mobility of both normal and MS vesicles to similar mobilities. From these data, the surface charge densities were calculated for both normal and MS myelin vesicles and found to be ‐2.93 and ‐5.39 mV m−1 respectively. The phase transition temperature determined by wide angle x‐ray diffraction studies was 63°C for normal myelin vesicles and 43°C for MS myelin vesicles. The presence of Ca2 did not affect the phase transition temperature, whereas EDTA decreased it to 40°C in the case of normal myelin vesicles. In the case of MS vesicles, Ca2 increased the phase transition temperature from 43 to 53°C, whereas EDTA had no effect. From these data, we conclude that both the surface properties (surface charge) and the physical structure of the bilayer are affected in MS. The Ca2 concentration of the vesicles from normal myelin was slightly elevated over that of vesicles from MS myelin. The Mg2 concentrations were not significantly different.
Cardiometabolic Health Nursing to Improve Health and Primary Care Access in Community Mental Health Consumers: Baseline Physical Health Outcomes from a Randomised Controlled Trial

People with serious mental illness (SMI) are more likely to have poorer health and poorer health behaviours, and therefore are at greater risk for cardiometabolic health comorbidities compared to those without SMI. Referral to a specialist cardiometabolic health care nurse may result in increased detection of poor cardiometabolic health in at-risk individuals. In this article, we present the results of the physical health measures of people with serious mental illness who have accessed a community mental health service in a regional centre and argue for the need for a multidisciplinary approach. Our data show the high prevalence of obesity, hypertension, low activity, smoking and nicotine dependence, alcohol misuse disorders, and poor diet among people with serious mental illness. The high prevalence of at-risk factors for poor cardiometabolic health in people with serious mental illness adds support for the role of a specialist cardiometabolic health care nurse in the detection and referral for multidisciplinary treatment to improve the physical health outcomes for people with serious mental illness.
The effect of mandatory generic substitution on the safety of alendronate and patients’ adherence

Abstract Objective: Generic medicines are often used in public hospitals. However, data on the quality of generic alendronate, its efficacy, side-effects and medication adherence in clinical practice is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the side-effects and medication adherence of generic (apo-alendronate) and proprietary alendronate (Fosamax). *Apotex Inc, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. †Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Pavia, Italy. Research design and methods: This prospective study involved two groups of patients: (1) postmenopausal osteoporotic women prescribed once-weekly Fosamax (proprietary group) but were switched to apo-alendronate after 2 years (‘switched over’ group); and (2) patients initiated with once-weekly apo-alendronate (generic group). Participants were recruited from the Osteoporosis Clinic of a tertiary hospital. Data were collected through interviews. Main outcome measures: Side-effects and medication adherence. Results: A total of 131 participants were recruited: proprietary group = 64 and generic group = 67. An intergroup and a within-group comparison were made. Side-effects were reported by 6 (9.4%), 30 (44.8%) and 12 (18.8%) participants in the proprietary, generic and ‘switched over’ groups, respectively. Participants who were on generic alendronate were at a significantly higher risk of experiencing side-effects compared to those who were taking proprietary alendronate [odds ratio (OR):7.84 (95% CI: 2.98–20.65), p < 0.001]. However, no significant statistical difference was found between the ‘switched over’ and the proprietary group [OR: 2.23 (95% CI: 0.78–6.37), p = 0.127]. Four out of 12 (33.3%) patients who experienced side-effects immediately after switching to generic alendronate discontinued generic alendronate due to intolerable gastrointestinal side-effects. There was no difference in medication adherence to generic or proprietary alendronate. Conclusions: Medication adherence to both generic and proprietary alendronate appeared similar although patients who were taking generic alendronate* were significantly more likely to experience side-effects than those on proprietary alendronate. Therefore, the switch from proprietary alendronate to the generic forms should not only consider the cost of the products but must also ensure that the generic and proprietary alendronate are equivalent in all aspects of efficacy and safety.
Liver Metastases from Colorectal Cancer - More Cures Awaiting?

Although the liver is the most common site of metastatic disease from various tumour types, colorectal cancer is the most common origin. The main reason for this is the direct drainage of the colon and upper rectum to the portal vein system with the liver as the  rst organ for possible haematogenic spread. This unique drainage system, prior to the drainage to the general circulation, is partly responsible for the magnitude of the liver metastases problem and probably also gives unique therapeutic possibilities. During the course of the disease, 40–50% of patients with colorectal cancer develop liver metastases (1–3). Half of these cases are diagnosed with synchronous metastases at the time of primary surgery, whereas half develop metachronous metastases (1, 2). Nearly half of the patients with diagnosed liver metastases have metastases con ned to the liver (4), whereas in the other cases extrahepatic disease is found. Treatment results reported in cases with liver metastases are highly dependent on the selection of patients, based upon biological characteristics and diagnostic procedures. The more accurate the diagnostic procedures for excluding patients from a speci c treatment, the better the results that are reported. Standard diagnostic procedures used today for selecting patients for ‘curative’ liver treatment are CT imaging and MR scans with liver-speci c contrast (2, 3, 5) combined with intraoperative ultrasound. Wholebody position emission tomography with  uoro-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET scan) is increasingly being used, mainly to detect extrahepatic disease (3, 5).
Using requirements and design information to predict volatility in software development

We hypothesise that data about the requirements and design stages of a software development project can be used to make predictions about the subsequent number of development changes that software components will experience. This would allow managers to concentrate time-consuming efforts (such as traceability and staff training) to a few at-risk, cost-effective areas, and may also allow predictions to be made at an earlier stage than is possible using traditional metrics, such as lines of code. Previous researchers have studied links between change-proneness and metrics such as measures of inheritance, size and code coupling. We extend these studies by including measures of requirements and design activity as well. Firstly we develop structures to model the requirements and design processes, and then propose some new metrics based on these models. The structures are populated using data from a case study project and analysed alongside existing complexity metrics to ascertain whether change-proneness can be predicted. Finally we examine whether combining these metrics with existing metrics improves our ability to make predictions about change-proneness. First results show that our metrics can be linked to the quantity of change experienced by components in a software development project (potentially allowing predictions to take place earlier than before) but that best results are obtained by combining existing complexity metrics such as size, or combining existing metrics with our newer metrics.
Factor XIII: Structure, Activation, and Interactions with Fibrinogen and Fibrin

Abstract: Fibrin stabilizing factor (factor XIII or FXIII) plays a critical role in the generation of a viable hemostatic plug. Following exposure to thrombin and calcium, the zymogen is activated to FXIIIa that, in turn, catalyzes the formation of Nε(γ‐glutamyl)lysine protein‐to‐protein side chain bridges within the clot network. Introduction of these covalent crosslinks greatly augments the viscoelastic storage modulus of the structure and its resistance to fibrinolytic enzymes. Analysis of the individual reaction steps and regulatory control mechanisms involved in clot stabilization enabled us to reconstruct the entire physiological process. This also serves as a guide for the differential diagnosis of the variety of molecular defects of fibrin stabilization.
A multipotent EGF-responsive striatal embryonic progenitor cell produces neurons and astrocytes

The mitogenic actions of epidermal growth factor (EGF) were examined in low-density, dissociated cultures of embryonic day 14 mouse striatal primordia, under serum-free defined conditions. EGF induced the proliferation of single progenitor cells that began to divide between 5 and 7 d in vitro, and after 13 d in vitro had formed a cluster of undifferentiated cells that expressed nestin, an intermediate filament present in neuroepithelial stem cells. In the continued presence of EGF, cells migrated from the proliferating core and differentiated into neurons and astrocytes. The actions of EGF were mimicked by the homolog transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), but not by NGF, basic fibroblast growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, or TGF beta. In EGF-generated cultures, cells with neuronal morphology contained immunoreactivity for GABA, substance P, and methionine-enkephalin, three neurotransmitters of the adult striatum. Amplification of embryonic day 14 striatal mRNA by using reverse transcription/PCR revealed mRNAs for EGF, TGF alpha, and the EGF receptor. These findings suggest that EGF and/or TGF alpha may act on a multipotent progenitor cell in the striatum to generate both neurons and astrocytes.
Effects of Blood Transfusions Given After Renal Transplantation

Background. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies produced after transplantation are frequently measured in transplant recipients, because they are strongly associated with humoral rejection and graft loss. However, antibodies can be induced by posttransplant blood transfusions rather than by the graft, casting doubts about the possible role of antibodies in a patient with graft dysfunction. Methods. We recorded the posttransplant transfusions in 746 patients transplanted during a 6-year period. Rejection episodes were evaluated after exclusion of patients who were transfused proximate to the time of rejection. Specimens for solid-phase HLA antibody testing were available in 199 patients. Results. The frequency of transfusions was 45%, but it was higher in deceased donor transplants (51%) than in live donor transplants (30%). Almost 80% of the transfusions were given during the first month after transplant. However, the incidence of posttransplant antibodies was similar in patients transfused and not transfused, and only 1 of 12 patients who received more than 10 transfusions produced antibodies. There was no evidence that posttransplant antibodies not directed to donor antigens were triggered by transfusions. The incidence of rejection episodes, allograft nephropathy, and graft loss was slightly more in transfused patients but the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusions. When HLA antibodies are detected posttransplant, they are likely induced by the graft rather than by any transfusions the patient may have received. The results suggest that posttransplant transfusions do not have the sensitizing or down-regulatory effects of pretransplant transfusions.
Role of STAT2 in the alpha interferon signaling pathway

We have isolated U6A, a mutant cell line which lacks the STAT2 subunit of the transcription factor interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene factor 3 (ISGF3). The response of U6A cells to IFN-alpha is almost completely defective, but the response to IFN-gamma is normal. Complementation of U6A cells with a cDNA encoding STAT2 restores the IFN-alpha response, proving that STAT2 is required in this pathway. Binding of IFNs to their receptors triggers tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of the receptors, JAK family kinases, STAT1, and STAT2. In IFN-alpha-treated U6A cells, phosphorylation of the essential tyrosine kinases TYK2 and JAK1 is normal, but the phosphorylation of STAT1 is weak. A mutant STAT2 protein in which the phosphorylated tyrosine at position 690 is changed to phenylalanine does not restore normal phosphorylation of STAT1 in response to IFN-alpha. The dependence of STAT1 phosphorylation on the presence of STAT2 but not vice versa (T. Improta, C. Schindler, C. M. Horvath, I. M. Kerr, G. R. Stark, and J. E. Darnell, Jr., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:4776-4780, 1994) indicates that in the formation of ISGF3, these two proteins may be phosphorylated sequentially in response to IFN-alpha and that phosphorylated STAT2 may be required to allow unphosphorylated STAT1 to bind to the activated IFN-alpha receptor.
The Salience of Linguistic Clauses in Young and Older Adults' Running Memory for Speech

An experiment is reported in which young and older adults were asked to recall as many words as possible that preceded the sudden interruption of a spoken passage. Both young and older adults' recall predominantly began at a major clause boundaries, with most responses reflecting recall of one or two full clauses. When placed under a heavier processing load induced by artificially accelerating the speech rate, an age dissociation appeared in the form of older adults producing a greater proportion of responses that were less than a full clause in length. With this qualification, however, recall of connected speech by the older adults remained largely organized by the clausal structure of what had been heard. This pattern reflects an organizing feature in language processing and memory that remains well-preserved in normal aging.
University of Birmingham Measuring Enjoyment of Physical Activity in Children : Validation of the Physical Activity Enjoyment

This study sought to determine the reliability and validity of the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) in elementary school children. The sample consisted of 564 3rd grade students ( M age = 8.72 ± .54; 268 male, 296 female) surveyed at the beginning of the fall semester. Results indicated that the PACES displayed good internal consistency and item-total correlations. Conﬁrmatory factor analyses supported a unidimensional factor structure. Scores on the PACES were signiﬁcantly correlated with task goal orientation ( r = .65, p < .01), athletic competence ( r = .23, p < .01), physical appearance ( r = .20, p < .01), and self-reported physical activity ( r = .16, p < .01). However, results of invariance analysis suggested the factor structure is variant across sex. The present ﬁndings suggest support for the validity of the PACES as a valid measure of enjoyment of physical activity in children; nevertheless, further research examining the invariance of the factor structure across sex is warranted.