Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analgesic effect of the electromagnetic resonant frequencies derived from the NMR spectrum of morphine

Exposure to various types of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) affects pain specificity (nociception) and pain inhibition (analgesia). Previous study of ours has shown that exposure to the resonant spectra derived from biologically active substances' NMR may induce to live targets the same effects as the substances themselves. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential analgesic effect of the resonant EMFs derived from the NMR spectrum of morphine. Twenty five Wistar rats were divided into five groups: control group; intraperitoneal administration of morphine 10 mg/kg body wt; exposure of rats to resonant EMFs of morphine; exposure of rats to randomly selected non resonant EMFs; and intraperitoneal administration of naloxone and simultaneous exposure of rats to the resonant EMFs of morphine. Tail Flick and Hot Plate tests were performed for estimation of the latency time. Results showed that rats exposed to NMR spectrum of morphine induced a significant increase in latency time at time points (p < 0.05), while exposure to the non resonant random EMFs exerted no effects. Additionally, naloxone administration inhibited the analgesic effects of the NMR spectrum of morphine. Our results indicate that exposure of rats to the resonant EMFs derived from the NMR spectrum of morphine may exert on animals similar analgesic effects to morphine itself.
Three new cases of human infection with Dirofilaria repens, one pulmonary and two subcutaneous, in the Egyptian governorate of Assiut

Abstract Human dirofilariasis caused by Dirofilaria repens is a parasitic infection, currently considered to be an emerging zoonosis, that has been observed in many areas of the Old World. Dogs are the main 'reservoir' host. In humans, D. repens can cause inflammatory nodules, most commonly in the subcutaneous tissues or in the subconjunctival space. Lung involvement, which is the most common of the non-cutaneous and non-ocular manifestations, is frequently mis-diagnosed as a primary or metastatic lung tumour. Two new subcutaneous cases and one new pulmonary case, all observed in the Egyptian governorate of Assiut, are described here. This represents the first report of human pulmonary dirofilariasis caused by D. repens on the African continent. All the worms collected from the cases, including a living worm from the left lung of the pulmonary case, were identified morphologically, and the identity of the lung parasite was confirmed by PCR.
TUNEL analyses of bovine blastocysts after culture with EGF and IGF‐I

Experiments were carried out to investigate the beneficial effects of IGF‐I or EGF on bovine embryo development in chemically defined embryo culture media and resultant incidences of nuclear DNA fragmentation as an indication of embryo quality. Presumptive IVF zygotes were randomly cultured in either control (with no added growth factor) or treatment groups, i.e., with 50 ng/ml IGF‐I (experiment 1) or 5 ng/ml EGF (experiment 2). IGF‐I supplemented to culture media significantly improved proportions of blastocysts from oocytes inseminated compared to untreated controls (38.0% vs. 28.5%). Only embryos reaching the blastocyst stage on day 8 showed significant effects of IGF‐I treatment by resulting in higher blastocyst cell numbers (162 vs. 141) and lower percentages of TUNEL positive nuclei (2.1% vs. 3.3%) when compared to controls. Blastocyst development from oocytes was also improved by EGF supplementation compared to untreated controls (38.5% vs. 30.7%). Cell numbers of either day 7 or day 8 blastocysts were not affected by EGF treatment, nor were percentages of TUNEL positive nuclei when compared with controls. Similar proportions of parthenogenetically activated oocytes developed to blastocysts as for inseminated oocytes (28.8%). Parthenogenetic blastocysts contained fewer cells (93) and an increased percentage of TUNEL positive nuclei (5.7%) than were found for IVF embryos. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 65: 51–56, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Heritability of central blood pressure and arterial stiffness: a twin study

Objective: Central blood pressure and aortic stiffness have been consistently reported as strong cardiovascular risk factors. Twin studies by comparing identical with nonidentical twins produce information on the relative contribution of genes and environment. Methods: One hundred and fifty-four monozygotic (MZ) and 42 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs (age 43 ± 17 years) from Hungary and the United States underwent brachial and central augmentation index (AIx), brachial and central pressure, and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements with the invasively validated Arteriograph device. Bivariate Cholesky decomposition models were applied. Results: Age-adjusted, sex-adjusted and country-adjusted heritability was 60.0% for central SBP [95% confidence interval (CI), 44.8–69.6%], 50.1% for aortic PWV (95%CI, 26.0–66.8%), 48.7% for aortic AIx (95%CI, 1.7–74.0%), 46.8% for brachial AIx (95%CI, 1.1–73.8%), 46.7% for central pulse pressure (PP) (95%CI, 12.4–61.4%), and 30.0% for brachial PP (95%CI, 0.0–53.4%). Central SBP and PP had strong bivariate correlations with brachial (r = 0.461 and 0.425) and central AIx (r = 0.457 and 0.419), as well as with aortic PWV (r = 0.341 and 0.292, all P < 0.001). Brachial PP had a weak correlation with brachial AIx (r = −0.118, P < 0.05), central AIx (r = −0.122, P < 0.05), and none with aortic PWV (r = 0.08, P = n.s.). Genetic factors explained a moderate phenotypic correlation between central PP, SBP, brachial SBP and aortic PWV. Conclusions: Central systolic and PPs, brachial PP, AIx, aortic PWV are moderately heritable. A moderate genetic covariance among aortic PWV and central PP, central SBP and brachial SBP was found.
[Hyperresponsiveness of TSH and prolactin and impaired responsiveness of GH in Japanese patients with isolated ACTH deficiency].

Two hundred and forty-one cases of isolated ACTH deficiency have been reported in Japan since 1969. Pituitary hormone responsiveness to stimulation tests before and after hydrocortisone supplementation was investigated in these cases. Plasma ACTH level showed no or little change in response to lysine vasopressin, metyrapone, CRF or insulin-induced hypoglycemia in 97.3-100% of the cases. Serum GH level changed little or not at all in response to GRF, insulin-induced hypoglycemia, glucagon, 1-dopa and arginine in 26.9, 29.3, 40.0, 50.0 and 56.1%, respectively. Serum TSH and prolactin (PRL) levels showed hyperresponse to TRH in 34.7 and 35.6%, respectively. After hydrocortisone therapy, GH secretion was more responsive than before therapy in 78.9% of the cases. After supplementation, TSH level was less responsive to TRH stimulation than before therapy in 59.3% of the cases. After hydrocortisone supplementation, TSH response to TRH decreased in 75% of ACTH-deficient patients without primary hypothyroidism but did not decrease in more than half of those with primary hypothyroidism. TSH response to TRH decreased after supplementation in 76.5% of the patients with TSH hyperresponsiveness before therapy, and increased after therapy in 66.7% of those with normal TSH responses before therapy. After supplementation, PRL response to TRH was less than that before therapy in 43.5% of ACTH--deficient patients, and greater than that before therapy in 30.4%. PRL response to TRH decreased after therapy in 66.7% of the patients with PRL hyperresponsiveness before therapy, and increased in 63.6% of those with normal PRL response before therapy. Primary hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's thyroiditis were complicated in 21.6 and 11.6%, respectively, of the 241 patients with isolated ACTH deficiency. In patients who had TSH hyperresponsiveness and/or high basal TSH levels and PRL hyperresponsiveness and/or high basal PRL levels, primary hypothyroidism was complicated in 58.4 and 42.3%, respectively. Hashimoto's thyroiditis was complicated in 29.8 and 20.5%, respectively, of these patients. Pituitary cell antibody (PCA) was detected in 36.6% of ACTH-deficient patients who were examined. Pituitary cell surface antibody (PCSA) to AtT-20 cells and GH3 cells was detected in 50.0 and 28.0% of the examined cases, respectively. The prevalence of PCA and PCSA did not differ between TSH-hyperresponsive patients and those with normal TSH basal levels and response, whereas PCA and PCSA were significantly more prevalent in PRL-hyperresponsive patients than in those with normal PRL levels and response. An empty sella was found in 30.2% of the examined case. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Comparison of the Dako EGFR pharmDx Kit and Zymed EGFR Antibody for Assessment of EGFR Status in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma

Immunohistochemistry is widely used to assess epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression on colorectal carcinomas to select patients for treatment with cetuximab, an anti-EGFR antibody. The data comparing different commercial EGFR antibodies is limited, and no cost comparisons have been made. We analyzed 65 advanced colorectal cancers from 36 patients using the EGFR pharmDx kit (DakoCytomation) and Clone 31G7 (Zymed Laboratories, Inc). EGFR expression was seen in 35 (53%) tumors (21 primary, 14 metastatic) with the Dako pharmDx kit. The Zymed antibody showed positive results in 41 (63%) tumors (25 primary, 16 metastatic). The cost per test was $40.00 with the pharmDx kit and $3.52 with the Zymed antibody. The Zymed antibody detects 10% more cases of colorectal cancer as EGFR positive, and is 10 times cheaper than the Dako pharmDx kit. There is little justification for the use of expensive kits for testing EGFR expression, when other available antibodies without the kit can give comparable or superior results.
Event-Triggered $H_\infty $ Proportional-Integral Output Feedback Tracking Control and Its Application to Ducted Rocket Engine

This paper deals with the problem of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$H_\infty $ </tex-math></inline-formula> proportional–integral (PI) output feedback tracking control for a ducted rocket engine when event-triggering mechanism is incorporated. We determine necessary samplings of the feedback signal by constructing predefined event-triggering condition that can reduce redundant signal transmission and updates. Specifically, the mathematical model of ducted rocket is first introduced and its control problem is described. Then, for control design, an output-based periodic event-triggering scheme is provided. Particularly, a variable built by the exogenous disturbance and reference signal is added in the event-triggering condition to adjust triggering frequency and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$H_\infty $ </tex-math></inline-formula> output tracking performance. Moreover, to facilitate system performance analysis, a time-delay closed-loop model is established with the PI controller. By using the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional method, a sufficient condition is further provided to guarantee the <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$H_\infty $ </tex-math></inline-formula> output tracking performance. Meanwhile, the influence of the event-triggered control on the system performance analysis is clarified. Finally, the proposed control method is applied to the ducted rocket control model, and simulation results demonstrate its effectiveness.
THE IMPACT OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE - A CASE STUDY OF TCS - INDIA

Accounting information systems (AIS) as a part of company’s information systems (IS) are seen as facilitating decision making within organizations and should be tailored to an organization’s environment, requirements of task, and structure. An accounting information system is a structure that a business uses to collect, store, manage, process, retrieve and report its financial data so that it can be used by accountants, consultants, business analysts, managers, chief financial officers(CFOs), auditors and regulatory and tax agencies. In particular, specially trained accountants work with AIS to ensure the highest level of accuracy in a company's financial transactions and recordkeeping and to make financial data easily available to those who legitimately need access to it, all while keeping data intact and secure. In this research, given to the subject studied, the role of accounting information systems on organizational environment from the perspective of top managers, five hypotheses related to the research were taken into account. Questionnaire was designed in part of top managers, includes 30 questions. By using the statistical package SPSS for testing each relationship, an output value called P-value which is the same – p, significance probability was obtained. Finally, The mean of each research hypothesis, after the test was as follows: first hypothesis 4.2584, second 3.5123, third 3.0958, four 3.5966 and five hypothesis 3.7042.
A Duplicated, Truncated amh Gene Is Involved in Male Sex Determination in an Old World Silverside

A master sex-determining gene, the Y chromosome-linked anti-Müllerian hormone (amhy) gene, has been described in two New World atheriniform species but little is known on the distribution, evolution, and function(s) of this gene in other Atheriniformes. Interestingly, amhy has been found to coexist with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), providing a unique opportunity to explore the interplay between genotypic and environmental sex determination. In this study, the search for an amhy homolog was extended to an Old World atheriniform, the cobaltcap silverside Hypoatherina tsurugae (Atherinidae). The full sequences, including the coding and noncoding regions, of the autosomal amh (amha) and a putative amhy were obtained. The deduced Amha and Amhy proteins comprised 511 and 340 amino acids (aa), respectively. PCR analysis with genomic DNA from wild adults and from laboratory-reared juveniles revealed a high, but not complete association of ∼95% between amhy and maleness. The spatiotemporal expression of amhy and amha during gonadal sex differentiation was analyzed by qRT-PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH). amhy transcription (in amhy-positive larvae) started before and peaked during histological differentiation of the gonads whereas amha was negligible during the same period in both genotypes. These results demonstrate that the amhy, although with some structural differences in relation to the amhy of some New World atheriniforms, is strongly associated with maleness and probably important for testicular development in this Old World atheriniform. Thus, amhy is a candidate sex determination gene in cobaltcap silverside and it will be key to scrutinize the mechanism of sex determination in this species.
Results of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy in the breast‐conserving treatment of 250 patients with all stages of infiltrative breast cancer

Two hundred fifty evaluable patients with breast cancer entered a protocol combining neoadjuvant and consolidation therapy by vinblastine (V), thiotepa (T), methotrexate (M), and 5‐fluorouracil (F) (VTMF), with or without Adriamycin (A) (doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), and radiation therapy as exclusive locoregional treatment. Tamoxifen was given to 195 patients (130 postmenopausal and 65 premenopausal) and was omitted in 55 patients (31 postmenopausal and 24 premenopausal). There were 19 Stage I, 86 Stage IIA, 51 Stage IIB, 36 Stage IIIA, and 58 Stage IIIB patients. Primary chemotherapy induced tumor volume regression of more than 75% in 41% of the patients and complete clinical regression in 30% of the patients. The 5‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) rates were 100% for Stage I, 82% for Stage IIA, 61% for Stage IIB, 46% for Stage IIIA, and 52% for Stage IIIB patients. Among the 72 primary relapses there were 39 distant metastases, 6 locoregional and distant metastases, and 27 isolated locoregional metastases. The actuarial rate of locoregional recurrence was 13% for T2, 18% for T3, and 19% for T4. At 5 years the rate of breast preservation was 94%. Cosmetic results were excellent or good for most patients. The 5‐year overall survival (OS) rates were 95% for Stage I, 94% for Stage IIA, 80% for Stage IIB, 60% for Stage IIIA, and 58% for Stage IIIB. Most patients with breast cancer should be given the option of breast‐preserving treatment.
Anti‑inflammatory effect of Amomum xanthioides in a mouse atopic dermatitis model.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disorder. The present study investigated the effects of Amomum xanthioides extract (AXE) on AD‑like skin inflammation using a Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE) and 2,4‑dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)‑induced mouse AD model. Hematoxylin and eosin staining results demonstrated that repeated DFE/DNCB exposure markedly increased the thickening of the dermis and epidermis, in addition to the infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells. However, oral administration of AXE reduced these histopathological alterations in a dose‑dependent manner. Elevated serum histamine, total and DFE‑specific immunoglobulin E (IgE), and IgG2a were also decreased by treatment with AXE. In addition, reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) results demonstrated that the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‑α, interferon (IFN)‑γ, interleukin (IL)‑4, IL‑13, IL‑31 and IL‑17A was reduced in ear skin following AXE administration in AD mice. Fluorescence‑activated cell sorting demonstrated that the population of CD4+/IL‑4+, CD4+/IFN‑γ+ and CD4+/IL‑17A+ cells in draining lymph nodes was also significantly decreased in AXE‑treated mice compared with AD mice without AXE treatment. Furthermore, keratinocytes that were stimulated with TNF‑α and IFN‑γ exhibited increased gene expression of pro‑inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including TNF‑α, IL‑1β, IL‑6, IL‑8, C‑C motif chemokine ligand (CCL)17 and CCL22, as determined by RT‑qPCR. However, upregulation of these genes was reduced by AXE pretreatment. Based on these results, we hypothesize that AXE may be useful in the treatment of allergic skin inflammation, particularly AD.
Cell Therapy With Preimmunized Effector Cells Mismatched for Minor Histocompatible Antigens in the Treatment of a Murine Mammary Carcinoma

Cell therapy with allogeneic donor cells mismatched for minor histocompatible (MiHC) antigens was applied to a murine mammary carcinoma (4T1) model to test the feasibility of graft versus tumor (GVT) effect against metastatic epithelial tumor cells. BALB/c mice bearing a 4T1 tumor of BALB/c origin were given syngeneic or MiHC-mismatched splenocytes. GVT effects were determined in secondary recipients of adoptively transferred lung cells derived from primary hosts who had previously been inoculated intravenously with 4T1 cells, and injected with one of the following: 1) naive BALB/c splenocytes, 2) naive DBA/2 splenocytes, 3) 4T1-immune DBA/2 splenocytes, or 4) DBA/2 splenocytes immunized with host-derived BABL/c spleen cells. Naive DBA/2 splenocytes inhibited tumor growth only slightly and only slightly prolonged the survival of secondary recipients, in comparison with fully matched tumor/host BALB/c spleen cells. An efficient GVT reaction was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo with MiHC-mismatched DBA/2 splenocytes from mice presensitized by multiple injections of irradiated tumor or BALB/c-derived spleen cells. All 30 mice adoptively inoculated with lung cells from primary hosts that had previously been treated with these presensitized effector cells were tumor free for >250 days. Secondary recipients inoculated with lung cells from mice given naive BALB/c or DBA/2 spleen cells died of metastatic tumors within 33 to 46 days. These results suggest that preimmunized donor cells represent an effective tool against metastatic disease; hence, the next goal should be to control graft-versus-host disease while exploiting the GVT potential.
Tissue‐specific differences in 2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxyglucose metabolism beyond FDG‐6‐P: a 19F NMR spectroscopy study in the rat

2‐Fluoro‐[18F]‐2‐deoxy‐glucose (FDG) is a positron‐emitting analogue of glucose used clinically in positron emission tomography (PET) to assess glucose utilization in diseased and healthy tissue. Originally developed to measure local cerebral glucose utilization rates, it has now found applications in tumour diagnosis and in the study of myocardial glucose uptake. Once taken up into the cell, FDG is phosphorylated to FDG‐6‐phosphate (FDG‐6‐P) by hexokinase and was originally believed to be trapped as a terminal metabolite. This ‘metabolic trapping’ of FDG‐6‐P forms the basis of the analysis of PET data. In this study, we have used 19F NMR spectroscopy to investigate FDG metabolism following the injection of a bolus of the glucose tracer into the rat (n=6). Ninety minutes after the 19FDG injection, the brain, heart, liver and kidneys were removed and the 19FDG metabolites in each were extracted and quantified. We report that significant metabolism of FDG occurs beyond FDG‐6‐P in all organs examined and that the extent of this metabolism varies from tissue to tissue (degree of metabolism beyond FDG‐6‐P, expressed as percentage of total organ FDG content, was brain 45 ± 3%; heart 29 ± 2%; liver 22±3% and kidney 17 ± 3%, mean ± SEM n=6). Furthermore, we demonstrate that the relative accumulation of each metabolite was tissue‐dependent and reflected the metabolic and regulatory characteristics of each organ. Such inter‐tissue differences may have implications for the mathematical modelling of glucose uptake and phosphorylation using FDG as a glucose tracer. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antigen-Specific T Cells Maintain an Effector Memory Phenotype during Persistent Trypanosoma cruzi Infection1

Infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Central and South America. Control of acute experimental infection with T. cruzi is dependent on a robust T cell and type 1 cytokine response. However, little evidence exists demonstrating the development and persistence of a potent antiparasite T cell memory response, and there has been much speculation that the majority of the immune response to T. cruzi infection is not directed against the parasite. In this study, we used an experimental mouse model of T. cruzi infection to test both the Ag specificity and the functional and phenotypic characteristics of the responding T cell population. We observed a vigorous antiparasite response from both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that was maintained in the face of persistent infection. T cells from infected mice also proliferated in response to re-exposure to Ag, and CD8+ T cells underwent spontaneous proliferation when transferred to naive congenic mice, both characteristic of central memory T cells. Interestingly, T cells from infected mice showed significant down-regulation of CD62L, a characteristic associated with an effector memory phenotype. These results suggest that T cells maintained in mice with chronic T. cruzi infection are fully functional memory cells that cannot be easily categorized in the current central/effector memory paradigm.