Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gene Polymorphism Association Studies in Dialysis: The Nutrition‐Inflammation Axis

Although traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease are common in dialysis patients, they alone cannot explain the unacceptably high prevalence of vascular disease in this patient group. Much recent interest has therefore focused on the role of various nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as inflammation, wasting, obesity, vascular calcification, and oxidative stress. In addition, genetic factors such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may significantly influence the immune response, the levels of inflammatory markers and body composition, as well as the prevalence of vascular calcification in this patient group. While genetic variations in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α−308 and interleukin (IL)‐10 −1082 SNPs seem to be consistently associated with adverse clinical outcome in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, the results regarding genetic variations in the IL‐6 gene have been conflicting. To elucidate the respective role of DNA polymorphisms in the IL‐6 and C‐reactive protein (CRP) genes, as well as genes that encode vascular calcification inhibitors (such as fetuin‐A, matrix Gla protein, and osteoprotegerin), sufficiently powered studies are needed in which both the protein product and the specific phenotype are determined. In addition, polymorphisms in genes related to body composition may be excellent candidates for analysis in the ESRD population, since nutritional parameters are strongly associated with adverse events in these patients. It seems conceivable that in the future, prognostic or predictive multigene DNA assays (which allow a simultaneous and rapid assessment of multiple genetic variants) will provide nephrologists with a more precise approach for the identification of “high‐risk” ESRD patients and the development of accurate individualized treatment strategies.
[The use of RBANS test (Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status) in neurocognitive testing of patients suffering from schizophrenia and dementia].

INTRODUCTION The purpose of our study was to find out whether the Hungarian adaptation of the RBANS (Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status), a brief neurocognitive screening test, is appropriate for the differentiation of healthy and non-healthy subject groups, or for the detection of differences between the cognitive performance of patient groups. PATIENTS AND METHODS The test battery was administrated to 38 healthy subjects, 69 schizophrenic patients, and 18 patients suffering from dementia (10 probable Alzheimer-type and eight vascular dementia). RESULTS There was a significant decrease of performance in all patient groups compared to the healthy group. In the schizophrenic group, the test indicated a deterioration of functioning in all cognitive areas. The patient group with Alzheimer-type dementia performed only slightly better than the schizophrenic group, because the fall of performance was not significant only one of the cognitive areas (in the visuo-spatial tasks) when compared to the healthy group. There was no difference between the performance of patients with vascular dementia and that of healthy subjects in direct memory, verbal and visuo-spatial tasks. The test results indicated an even deterioration of cognitive areas in patients with Alzheimer-type dementia. As for the vascular dementia group, the most vulnerable area proved to be that of attention, while their verbal functions were relatively spared. The deterioration in other cognitive functions shown by schizophrenic subjects was more moderate, but still significant. A comparison of the RBANS scores of the schizophrenic patients in our study and the result of an American study was also carried out. The global indeces showed no difference; only the pattern of the sub-scales was a little different. CONCLUSION The Hungarian version of the RBANS seems approprite for the differentiation of healthy and deteriorated cognitive performance in a Hungarian patient population.
Catheter-Related Bacteremia Due to Kocuria kristinae in a Patient with Ovarian Cancer

ABSTRACT We report on the first case of a catheter-related recurrent bacteremia caused by Kocuria kristinae, a gram-positive microorganism belonging to the family Micrococcaceae, in a 51-year-old woman with ovarian cancer. This unusual pathogen may cause opportunistic infections in patients with severe underlying diseases.
Acid and Glucose-6-Phosphatase Activity of Pancreatic B Cells after Cortisone and Sulfonylureas.∗

Summary Glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) and acid phosphatase (Ac-Pase) activities have been followed histochemically in hyperfunctioning rabbit pancreatic B cells in cortisone diabetes and after administration of hypoglycemic sulfonylureas. Cortisone diabetic rabbit pancreas with B cell degranulation and glycogenic vacuolization of ductules and B cells showed no definite changes in B cell Ac-Pase or G-6-Pase activity. Hypoglycemic sulfonylureas administered over period adequate to degranulate B cells, seemed to diminish their G-6-Pase content without effecting Ac-Pase. Although B cell degranulation was, in each of these instances, indicative of increased insulin output, lack of alteration of histochemically demonstrable B cell Ac-Pase activity was not considered to be at variance with the view that this enzyme may be important for insulin synthesis. Inhibition of B cell G-6-Pase activity by chronic sulfonylurea administration could be the mechanism of pancreatic action of these drugs. However, the alternative explanation that reduced G-6-Pase activity was a secondary adaptive response cannot be entirely excluded.
Adiponectin, hepatocellular dysfunction and insulin sensitivity

objective Insulin resistance plays a major aetiological role in the development of fatty liver disease. Because adiponectin is a hepatic insulin sensitizer and also an inhibitor of tumour necrosis factor, a cytokine known to induce insulin resistance and liver damage, we wished to study whether low circulating adiponectin would be associated with higher serum concentrations of liver enzymes in healthy subjects.
Structure and dynamics of magnesium in silicate melts: A high-temperature 25Mg NMR study

Abstract 25Mg NMR spectra for several silicate and aluminosilicate melts were obtained from 1000-1470 °C. The peaks are initially very broad, but narrow with increasing temperature to near 500 Hz at the highest temperatures. The peak positions for most of the melts do not shift noticeably with temperature in the range studied, except for a sodium magnesium silicate composition that was previously studied by Fiske and Stebbins (1994). This material showed a decrease in frequency of the peak position by about 4 ppm between 1150-1360 °C in both this and the previous study, consistent with an increase in the average size of the site. The chemical shifts vary with composition as well, ranging from 31 ppm for a potassium sodium magnesium silicate melt to 22 ppm for diopside melt (CaMgSi2O6) at 1400 °C. Compositions with higher field strength cations have lower frequency chemical shifts, which correspond to larger coordination numbers and bond lengths for Mg2+. All of the peak positions obtained fall to slightly higher frequency than the range for sixfoldcoordinated Mg in crystals and well below the fourfold-coordinated range, indicating that the Mg is in fivefold to sixfold coordination in the melts. Spin-lattice relaxation times show that measurements are on the high-temperature side of the T1 minima, and a simple expression for quadrupolar relaxation can be used to obtain correlation times for the motion responsible for the relaxation. The correlation times obtained in this manner are very similar to the correlation time τshear obtained from viscosity measurements, implying that the Mg motion is strongly coupled to the network motion at these temperatures. Line widths also scale with T1 in this temperature range, leading to the conclusion that the viscosity is the fundamental limit to observing the 25Mg signal in the melt.
A More Fair Power Flow Based Transmission Cost Allocation Scheme Considering Maximum Line Loading for N-1 Security

This paper proposes an efficient approach to transmission fixed cost allocation in a pool based electricity market that takes into consideration N-1 secure annual system operation. The optimal capacity of a transmission facility is defined as the maximum power flow the facility may face under a contingency situation for a certain system snapshot. In this pricing approach, for each time interval, the largest optimal capacity of a transmission facility is calculated for all N-1 conditions considering a security constrained optimal power flow. Charges for each facility are based on the facility usage of the largest optimal capacity for all time intervals during one or more years. Network usage is determined by generalized distribution factors and three variations of the MW-Mile method for pricing counter-flows are investigated for the proposed cost allocation method. The three proposed pricing methods are applied to the IEEE 24-bus reliability test system and compared with other pricing methods.
Temporal-alignment categories of accent-lending rises and falls

This paper presents a t,heoretical framework for a model of perceived accentuation categories. This framework is based on the combined results of a series of experiments on accentuation boundaries in Dutch, French and Swedish and on theoretical work on tonal perception in speech. We propose a model in which several different languagedependent categories of accentuation are represented as the falling or rising pitch movement is advanced through the syllable. The perceived category depends upon whether an onset of the pitch movement or a pitch jump is perceived, whether or not the particular category is represented in the language in question. and whether or not the movement also serves as a cue for phrasing. Dutch and Swedish display similarities in accentuation categories while French differs from these two languages. These differences are explained by the conflict between cues for accentuation and phrasing and the differing intonational structure of French. The proposed perceptual categories have general implications for the understanding and description of accentuation.
The connexin43-interacting protein, CIP85, mediates the internalization of connexin43 from the plasma membrane

Abstract CIP85 was previously identified as a connexin43 (Cx43)-interacting protein that is ubiquitously expressed in multiple mammalian tissues and cell types. The interaction between the SH3 domain of CIP85 and a proline-rich region of Cx43 has previously been associated with an increased rate of Cx43 turnover through lysosomal mechanisms. This report presents biochemical and immunofluorescence evidence that overexpression of CIP85 reduced the presence of Cx43 in gap junction plaques at the plasma membrane. Furthermore, this effect was dependent upon the interaction of CIP85 with Cx43 at the plasma membrane. These results indicate that CIP85 increases Cx43 turnover by accelerating the internalization of Cx43 from the plasma membrane. CIP85 was also observed to interact with clathrin, which suggested a role for CIP85 in the clathrin-mediated internalization of Cx43.
Effect of different concentrations of ginger root powder and its essential oil on growth performance, serum metabolites and antioxidant status in broiler chicks under heat stress

Abstract 1. This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of ginger (Zingiber officinale) feed supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant status, carcass characteristics and blood parameters in broiler chicks under conditions of heat stress (32 ± 2ºC for 8 h per d). 2. A total of 336 d-old male broiler chicks (Cobb-500) were randomly assigned to one of 6 dietary groups representing: basal diet with no supplement as control, basal diet containing 100 mg/kg vitamin E as positive control, basal diets containing either 7.5 or 15 g/kg of ginger root powder, and diets containing 75 or 150 mg/kg of ginger essential oil. 3. The results indicated that at 22 d of age, the group receiving 7.5 g/kg of ginger root powder experienced significantly increased body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) compared to the control group. There were no significant difference among the diet groups regarding BW, BWG, feed intake (FI) or feed conversion ratio (FCR) at 42 and 49 d of age. 4. The inclusion of powder and essential oil of ginger in broiler diets did not affect carcass characteristics and blood parameters of the chickens. However, in the group receiving 150 mg/kg ginger essential oil, the total superoxide dismutase (TSOD) activity in liver increased compared to the control group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in liver also decreased in the groups receiving ginger powder and essential oil compared to that in the control group. There were no significant difference between experimental groups regarding glutathione peroxidise (Gpx), TSOD and catalase (CAT) enzymes in red blood cells. All dietary groups increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and decreased MDA concentration in serum compared to the control group. 5. The results of this study suggest that ginger powder and essential oils may be a suitable replacement for synthetic antioxidants in broiler diets. Results also suggest that ginger powder might be better than extracted essential oil for improving antioxidant status in broilers.
Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The EBV Connection?

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a benign and self-limited disease of unknown etiology that affects mainly young women. It presents with localized lymphadenopathy, usually cervical, accompanied with fever, night sweats, and leucopenia. KFD has been rarely described in association with autoimmune disorders, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report the case of a young patient presenting with KFD coinciding with SLE. The association of KFD and SLE is reviewed. Moreover, a possible pathogenetic role of Ebstein-Barr virus linking the two clinical entities is discussed.
Biochemical changes during composting of coir pith waste as influenced by different agro industrial wastes

Coir pith, a byproduct of coconut husk is difficult to decompose due to its high lignin and cellulose content. In this study, coir pith was composted with different agro industrial by products such as cow dung, vegetable market waste, poultry waste and microbial consortium. The different treatment combinations used in the present study were Control, T1 (Coir pith + Cow dung + Vegetable market waste + Poultry waste + mixed microbial culture (Trichoderma viridae + Pleurotus sajar caju), T2 (Coir pith + Vegetable market waste + Poultry waste + Tank slit + Mixed microbial culture) and T3 (Coir pith + Cow dung + poultry waste + tank slit + mixed microbial culture). At the end of 12th week, in the treatment T1, C: N ratio of 21.8:1 was observed in the composted coir pith sample. Highest P content of 0.47% and K content of 1.2% and the least Cellulose and Lignin contents of 22.8% and 10.03% were recorded in the T1 treatment after a composting period of 12 weeks. Highest pH of 7.4 was observed in the treatment T3, this was followed by T1 (7.2) treatment.
Nitric oxide synthase histochemistry in insect nervous systems: Methanol/formalin fixation reveals the neuroarchitecture of formaldehyde‐sensitive NADPH diaphorase in the cockroach Periplaneta americana

Formaldehyde‐insensitive NADPH diaphorase (NADPHd) activity is used widely as a histochemical marker for neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS). However, in several insects including the cockroach Periplaneta americana, NOS is apparently formaldehyde‐sensitive; NADPHd fails to reveal neuron morphology and results in faint generalized staining. Here we have used a novel fixative, methanol/ formalin (MF), to reveal for the first time the neuroarchitecture of NADPHd in the cockroach, with intense selective staining occurring in neurons throughout the brain and thoracic ganglia. Immunocytochemical and histochemical analysis of cockroach and locust nervous systems indicated that neuronal NADPHd after MF fixation can be attributed to NOS. However, NADPHd in locust glial and perineurial cells was histochemically different from that in neurons and may thus be due to enzymes other than NOS. Histochemical implications of species‐specific enzyme properties and of the transcriptional complexity of the NOS gene are discussed. The present findings suggest that MF fixation is a valuable new tool for the comparative analysis of the neuroarchitecture of NO signaling in insects. The Golgi‐like definition of the staining enabled analysis of the NADPHd architecture in the cockroach and comparison with that in the locust. NADPHd in the tactile neuropils of the thoracic ganglia showed a similar organization in the two species. The olfactory glomeruli of the antennal lobes were in both species densely innervated by NADPHd‐positive local interneurons that correlated in number with the number of glomeruli. Thus, the NADPHd architectures appear highly conserved in primary sensory neuropils. In the cockroach mushroom bodies, particularly dense staining in the γ‐layer of the lobes was apparently derived from Kenyon cells, whereas extrinsic arborizations were organized in domains across the lobes, an architecture that contrasts with the previously described tubular compartmentalization of locust mushroom bodies. These divergent architectures may result in different spatiotemporal dynamics of NO diffusion and suggest species differences in the role of NO in the mushroom bodies. J. Comp. Neurol. 448:165–185, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparison of sputum induction using inhaled methacholine or hypertonic saline

Objectives: Hypertonic saline is recommended for the induction of sputum to assess airway inflammation. Methacholine is most commonly used to assess airway responsiveness. The aim of this study was to compare sputum induction by methacholine and hypertonic saline challenges, and the subsequent inflammatory cell differential counts.
Atypical Brain Development: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Developmental Learning Disabilities

This article presents ideas that are, in part, a response to the ambiguity in the neurological research on learning disorders, the growing awareness that developmental disabilities are typically nonspecific and heterogeneous, and the growing scientific literature showing that comorbidity of symptoms and syndromes is the rule rather than the exception. This article proposes the term atypical brain development (ABD) as a unifying concept to assist researchers and educators trying to come to terms with these dilemmas. ABD is meant to serve as an integrative concept of etiology, the expression of which is variable within and across individuals. ABD does not itself represent a specific disorder or disease. It is a term that can be used to address the full range of developmental disorders that are found to be overlapping much of the time in any sample of children. Although similar in spirit to the older term of minimal brain dysfunction (MBD), in that it closely links neurology with behavioral difficulties, ABD as proposed here differs in several ways. In support of the ABD conceptual framework, first, we consider the ABD concept in terms of its superiority to the older notion of MBD. Second, we provide a brief review of the burgeoning literature on the overlap of the various developmental disabilities. Third, we review some of the scientific literature that supports the ABD concept. Our sole purpose in proposing this concept is to initiate dialogue and debate on several critical issues across a wide variety disciplines. Hence, this article is not intended to be a definitive statement of a rigid perspective. It reflects neither a nonmalleable philosophical position, nor any type of condemnation of other perspectives. It does, however, reflect a data-based and philosophical trend visible in the field of learning disabilities, as well as the broader area of childhood developmental disorders.
Effect of corticosteroid and bronchodilator therapy on bronchoalveolar lavage cytology following intrapulmonary blood inoculation.

REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY Intrapulmonary blood causes an inflammatory response. Modifying this inflammatory response may be useful in the treatment of exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of 3 treatments, an oral bronchodilator, inhaled steroid and oral steroid in modifying the cellular response to intrapulmonary blood inoculation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental design was a randomised block divided into 4 experimental segments of 2 weeks. Eight normal horses were randomly assigned to pairs and treatments. Autologous blood was inoculated into the lungs on 4 occasions over an 8 week period. For each treatment, a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) sample was collected on Day 0 and then 2 randomly selected segmental bronchi (one in each lung) were inoculated with blood (50 ml). BAL fluid was collected from one inoculated bronchus on Day 3 and from the other on Day 10. From BAL samples, total RBC and total and differential WBC were determined. Results for percentages and absolute cell counts were expressed as mean +/- s.e. and analysed using one, 2 and 3 way analysis of variance. RESULTS All treatments significantly reduced the number of erythrophages at Day 3 (P = 0.02) Treatment with oral prednisolone resulted in a significantly higher percentage of macrophages (P = 0.03) and also reduced the relative and absolute number of haemosiderophages in BAL compared to the other 2 treatments at Day 10 (P = 0.07). CONCLUSION We concluded that treatments altered the dynamics of cell populations in BAL following blood inoculation. Whether this alters the evolution of lung lesions following episodes of EIPH and indeed whether there are benefits for equine lungs following episodes of EIPH, remain to be determined. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE Future studies into treatments for EIPH may benefit from incorporating a variety of dose rates for oral prednisolone and a longer period of evaluation. Such studies may also benefit from the use of cell activation markers. The concomitant use of pulmonary function testing and cytology in the field may assist in ascertaining whether treatments influence the performance and welfare of athletic horses subsequent to episodes of EIPH.
Factors Affecting Indigenous West Australians’ Health Behavior

The factors driving the disparity in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians include socio-economic factors, racism, and history. The current study focused on exploring Indigenous participants’ perspectives of the factors that affect the health behavior of their community members. Participatory action research methodology and a grounded theory approach were utilized. In total, 120 members of two urban West Australian Indigenous communities participated in focus group discussions. There was substantial similarity between the themes that emerged within the discussions held in the two communities. Factors relating to culture, social connections, racism, communication, and personal aspects were particularly salient to health behavior of the participants. Several of the themes including culture, racism, communication, and distrust highlight the tension caused by being a member of a minority cultural group that has been marginalized by the practices and attitudes of the dominant cultural group. Personal choice was sometimes prioritized over health.