Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term Efficacy of Specific Immunotherapy on House Dust Mite–Induced Allergic Rhinitis in China

Objective Although the effect of specific immunotherapy (SIT) on allergic rhinitis (AR) has been well documented in developed countries, its long-term efficacy in patients in developing countries (such as China) is poorly understood. This study investigated the long-term therapeutic and preventive effects of SIT on house dust mite (HDM)–induced AR in patients from China. Design Historical cohort study. Setting University hospital. Subjects and Methods One hundred forty-six AR patients with/without asthma allergic to HDM were investigated for 5 years after initiation of a 3-year course of subcutaneous SIT (SIT group, n = 106) or no SIT (control group, n = 40). The clinical responses of all patients were evaluated at baseline, the stop point of SIT (third year), and 2 years after SIT termination (fifth year), by clinical index including symptom and rescue medication scores (SMS), visual analog scale (VAS), total immunoglobulin E (tIgE), and specific IgE (sIgE). Asthma was assessed by clinical evaluation. Results The decrease of SMS and VAS from baseline was significantly improved in the SIT group compared with controls at both the third and fifth year. For patients without asthma at baseline, the odds ratio for no asthma was 3.57 (95% confidence interval, 1.05-12.91; P < .05) in favor of SIT. The serum sIgE/tIgE ratio was significantly increased after SIT treatment in the SIT group, but it was not related to SIT efficacy. Conclusion SIT has a long-term effect of improving clinical symptoms and reducing the risk of development of asthma in Chinese AR patients.
Does phytoestrogen supplementation improve cognition in humans? A systematic review

Recent evidence indicates that resveratrol, a phytoestrogen, can improve cognitive function in postmenopausal women by enhancing cerebral vasodilator responsiveness. We examine the effects of phytoestrogen supplementation on cognition and compare resveratrol with other phytoestrogens. Databases were searched for reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) containing terms describing phytoestrogens together with terms relating to cognition. Effect sizes were determined for changes in cognition. We identified 23 RCTs, 15 with isoflavone and eight with resveratrol or grape formulations. Six soy isoflavone studies showed positive cognitive effects of medium size. Greater benefits were seen in women who were <10 years postmenopausal and supplemented for <6 months. Small‐to‐medium effect–size cognitive benefits of resveratrol were seen in four studies of older adults of mixed gender and in postmenopausal women who took 150–200 mg resveratrol daily for at least 14 weeks. No benefits were seen in three studies using red clover or grape formulations. Supplementation with either soy isoflavone or resveratrol improved executive function and memory domains of cognitively normal older adults in half of the included studies, mostly with medium effect sizes. The cognitive benefit of resveratrol was related to improved cerebral perfusion.
Childhood Influenza in the Outpatient Setting in Shanghai, China

Background: Influenza is a common cause of outpatient visits in childhood. Influenza vaccine has been widely used for children ≥6 months of age in developed countries based on accumulating evidence on the substantial socioeconomic burden of influenza in children. However, the data of childhood influenza in China are scarce. Methods: We carried out a prospective surveillance of influenza among children visiting outpatient clinic for influenza-like illness between June 2009 and May 2011. Respiratory samples were obtained from the enrolled cases and the demographic and clinical data were collected. Results: Of 2356 enrolled cases, influenza was virologically confirmed in 608 (25.81%) otherwise healthy children. Four hundred sixty-eight (76.97%) were influenza A positive (A/H3N2:236, pandemic A/H1N1:219, seasonal A/H1N1:4, A/H3N2 coinfected with pandemic A/H1N1:3, untyped:6) and 142 (23.35%) were influenza B positive (2 coinfected with pandemic A/H1N1). The outbreaks of A/H3N2, pandemic A/H1N1 and influenza B took place in fall, winter and spring, alternatively. More institutionalized children were affected when the outbreaks overlapped with school opening. Among 603 children with a single influenza virus infection, 289 (47.93%) were <3 years old and 283 (46.93%) had close contact with persons who had fever or respiratory infection, of whom, 192 (67.84%) contacts were family members. Conclusion: The annual outbreak of influenza led to a high rate of outpatient visits among children in Shanghai. Outbreaks occurred in younger and institutionalized children. Household members were the main disseminators to spread influenza among children.
Dynamic But Not Static Cerebral Autoregulation Is Impaired in Acute Ischaemic Stroke

It remains unclear as to whether dynamic and static cerebral autoregulation (CA) are impaired in acute ischaemic stroke, and whether these changes are related to stroke subtype. This could have important implications with regard to post-stroke prognosis and the management of blood pressure (BP) in the acute post-ictal period. Using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography and non-invasive manipulation of BP, we compared both mechanisms in 61 patients with ischaemic stroke within 96 h of ictus, and 54 age- and sex-matched controls. There was no difference in static and dynamic CA indices between the various stroke subtypes. Combining all stroke subtypes dynamic autoregulation, as measured using thigh cuff release, was significantly impaired in both the affected and non-affected stroke hemispheres compared to controls (mean autoregulation index 4.1 ± 3.3, 4.8 ± 3.1 and 6.2 ± 2.3, respectively, p < 0.05). By comparison static autoregulation, assessed using isometric hand grip and thigh cuff inflation, was not significantly different. In conclusion, dynamic but not static CA appears to be globally impaired in acute ischaemic stroke. This deserves further study and may identify possibilities for therapeutic intervention.
CDK11p58 is required for the maintenance of sister chromatid cohesion

Cyclin-dependent kinase 11 (CDK11) mRNA produces a 110-kDa protein (CDK11p110) throughout the cell cycle and a 58-kDa protein (CDK11p58) that is specifically translated from an internal ribosome entry site sequence during G2/M. CDK11p110 is involved in transcription and RNA processing, and CDK11p58 is involved in centrosome maturation and spindle morphogenesis. Deletion of the CDK11 gene in mice leads to embryonic lethality at E3.5, and CDK11-deficient blastocysts exhibit both proliferative defects and mitotic arrest. Here we used hypomorphic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to demonstrate that, in addition to playing a role in spindle formation and structure, CDK11p58 is also required for sister chromatid cohesion and the completion of mitosis. Moderate depletion of CDK11 causes misaligned and lagging chromosomes but does not prevent mitotic progression. Further diminution of CDK11 caused defective chromosome congression, premature sister chromatid separation, permanent mitotic arrest and cell death. These cells exhibited altered Sgo1 localization and premature dissociation of cohesion complexes. This severe phenotype was not corrected by codepletion of CDK11 and either Plk1 or Sgo1, but it was rescued by CDK11p58. These findings are consistent with the mitotic arrest we observed in CDK11-deficient mouse embryos and establish that CDK11p58 is required for the maintenance of chromosome cohesion and the completion of mitosis.
CART peptide‐immunoreactive neurones in the nucleus accumbens in monkeys: Ultrastructural analysis, colocalization studies, and synaptic interactions with dopaminergic afferents

Cocaine‐ and amphetamine‐regulated transcript (CART) is a novel mRNA whose level of expression was found to be increased in the striatum after acute administration of psychomotor stimulants in rats. To define better the potential role of CART peptides in behavioural and physiologic changes induced by psychomotor stimulants, we analyzed the distribution, ultrastructural features, synaptic connectivity, and transmitter content of CART peptide–immunoreactive neurones in the nucleus accumbens in monkeys. Medium‐sized CART peptide–immunoreactive neurones within a rich plexus of labelled varicosities were found mostly in the medial division of the shell of the nucleus accumbens in monkeys. At the electron microscope level, CART peptide immunoreactivity was exclusively associated with neuronal structures that included perikarya, dendrites, spines as well as nerve terminals packed with electron‐lucent and dense‐core vesicles. Most CART peptide‐containing somata displayed the ultrastructural features of striatal output neurones. The majority of labelled terminals formed symmetric axodendritic synapses and displayed γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) immunoreactivity. CART peptide–immunoreactive somata were not immunoreactive for parvalbumin and somatostatin, two markers of striatal interneurones, nor for calbindin D‐28k, a marker of a subpopulation of projection neurones. In double‐immunostained sections, CART peptide–immunoreactive dendrites were found to be contacted by tyrosine hydroxylase‐positive terminals which displayed the ultrastructural features of dopamine‐containing boutons. These findings strongly suggest that CART peptides may be a cotransmitter with GABA in a subpopulation of projection neurones in the monkey accumbens. Furthermore, the fact that CART peptide–immunoreactive neurones receive direct synaptic inputs from dopaminergic afferents and are particularly abundant in the caudomedial division of the shell of the nucleus accumbens suggest that CART peptides might be involved in neuronal and behavioural changes that underlie addiction to psychomotor stimulants and feeding in primates. J. Comp. Neurol. 407:491–511, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Plasticity of human skeletal muscle: gene expression to in vivo function

Human skeletal muscle is a highly heterogeneous tissue, able to adapt to the different challenges that may be placed upon it. When overloaded, a muscle adapts by increasing its size and strength through satellite‐cell‐mediated mechanisms, whereby protein synthesis is increased and new nuclei are added to maintain the myonuclear domain. This process is regulated by an array of mechanical, hormonal and nutritional signals. Growth factors, such as insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I) and testosterone, are potent anabolic agents, whilst myostatin acts as a negative regulator of muscle mass. Insulin‐like growth factor I is unique in being able to stimulate both the proliferation and the differentiation of satellite cells and works as part of an important local repair and adaptive mechanism. Speed of movement, as characterized by maximal velocity of shortening (Vmax), is regulated primarily by the isoform of myosin heavy chain (MHC) contained within a muscle fibre. Human fibres can express three MHCs: MHC‐I, ‐IIa and ‐IIx, in order of increasing Vmax and maximal power output. Training studies suggest that there is a subtle interplay between the MHC‐IIa and ‐IIx isoforms, with the latter being downregulated by activity and upregulated by inactivity. However, switching between the two main isoforms appears to require significant challenges to a muscle. Upregulation of fast gene programs is caused by prolonged disuse, whilst upregulation of slow gene programs appears to require significant and prolonged activity. The potential mechanisms by which alterations in muscle composition are mediated are discussed. The implications in terms of contractile function of altering muscle phenotype are discussed from the single fibre to the whole muscle level.
Genetic polymorphisms of interleukin-1β in association with the development of alcoholic liver disease in Japanese patients

OBJECTIVE:Cytokine interleukin-1β plays a central role in the inflammation process. Serum levels of IL-1β are elevated in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD), especially in those with cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis. Recently, the presence of genetic polymorphisms of this cytokine was confirmed. The aim of this study was to determine whether IL-1β polymorphisms are associated with the development of ALD.METHODS:We examined the frequency of two polymorphisms in the IL-1β gene located in promoter −511 and exon 5 +3953 locus by restriction fragment length polymorphisms in 142 male patients with ALD, 30 heavy drinkers without ALD, and 218 healthy controls.RESULTS:The carriers of −511 IL-1β allele 2 were present significantly more often in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis than in those with noncirrhotic ALD (p = 0.026), heavy drinkers without ALD (p = 0.001), and healthy controls (p = 0.032). The frequencies of allele 2 and heterozygotes of +3953 polymorphism were both significantly higher in heavy drinkers without ALD than in patients with ALD (allele, p = 0.030; genotype, p = 0.027) and healthy controls (allele, p = 0.047; genotype, p = 0.043). The haplotype, IL-1β−511 allele 2/+3953 allele 1 was associated with the development of alcoholic cirrhosis (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:These results suggest that IL-1β polymorphisms may be related to the development of ALD in Japanese alcoholics.
Distinction of normal, preneoplastic, and neoplastic mouse mammary primary cell cultures by water nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times.

Normal, preneoplastic, and neoplastic primary cultures of mouse mammary epithelial cells were distinguishable on the basis of water proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation times--i.e., spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) and spin-spin relaxation time (T2). T1 values were 916 +/- 24 msec for normal cells, 1,029 +/- 24 msec for preneoplastic cells, and 1,155 +/- 42 msec for neoplastic cells. This method of distinction between normal and neoplastic cells (P less than 0.001) and normal and preneoplastic cells (P less than 0.005) supported previous findings in whole tissues. NMR relaxation times resulted in better distinction between these cell populations than any other technique except direct histology. The T1 and T2 values of water protons in cells grown in primary culture were higher than those of established mouse mammary cancer cell lines. The differences in T1 and T2 did not correlate with cellular hydration. The data suggested a basic difference in water-macromolecular surface interactions among normal, preneoplastic, and neoplastic cells.
A New Method to Measure Portal and Hepatic Blood Flow Using Taurocholate in the Rat

Hepatic artery and portal vein blood flows were assessed separately in anesthetized rats using radiolabeled taurocholate. The ratio of portal vein blood flow to total hepatic blood flow was calculated from measurements of taurocholate concentrations of portal vein, hepatic artery and hepatic vein, and of taurocholate hepatic extraction ratio. Animals were administered [14C]taurocholate intraperitoneally as a label of the taurocholate pool 24 hr before the experiments. In steady‐state conditions, serum [14C]taurocholate activities were used as an index of taurocholate relative concentration and the hepatic extraction ratio of taurocholate was estimated using [3H]taurocholate infused into the systemic blood stream. Total hepatic blood flow was estimated by the Fick's principle using indocyanine green. The mean hepatic blood flow was 13.9 ml min−1 (S.E. 1.9), and the mean ratio of portal blood flow to hepatic blood flow was 72.2% (S.E. 6.7). It is concluded that taurocholate may be used to assess separately portal venous and hepatic arterial blood flow in the rat.
Differential refractive susceptibility to sustained nearwork

Abstract Purpose: A possible role for nearwork‐induced transient myopia (NITM) (i.e. transient myopia at distance following sustained nearwork) in the development and/or progression of permanent myopia has been suggested. If certain refractive groups are more susceptible to NITM than others, then measures may be implemented to prevent or retard the occurrence of myopia in these individuals. In a recent study ( Ciuffreda and Wallis, 1998 ), it was found that young‐adult late‐onset myopes (LOM) and early‐onset myopes (EOM) were highly susceptible to this NITM accommodative after‐effect, while emmetropes (EMMs) were only moderately susceptible, and hyperopes (HYP) were particularly insusceptible, following short periods (10 min) of sustained nearwork at a very close distance (20 cm, 5 D). In the current study, this was extended to encompass a much longer period of nearwork under more naturalistic conditions.
A telerehabilitation program by virtual reality-video games improves balance and postural control in multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND Balance and postural control (PC) disorders are frequent motor disorder symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the potential improvements in balance and PC among patients with MS who complete a virtual reality telerehabilitation program that represents a feasible alternative to physical therapy for situations in which conventional treatment is not available. METHODS 50 patients was recruited. Control group (n = 25) received physiotherapy treatment twice a week (40 min per session). Experimental group (n = 25) received telerehabilitation treatment using the Xbox 360® console monitored via videoconference. Experimental group attended 40 sessions, four sessions per week (20 min per session). The treatment schedule lasted 10 weeks for both groups. A computerised dynamic posturography and clinical outcomes (Berg Balance and Tinettti scales) were used at baseline and at the end of the treatment. RESULTS Results showed an improvement over general balance in both groups. Visual preference, the contribution of vestibular information, mean response time and Tinetti test yielded significant differences in the experimental group. An ANOVA revealed significant between-group post-treatment differences in the composite equilibrium score, Berg and Tinetti scales in the experimental group. CONCLUSION We suggest that our virtual reality program enables anticipatory PC and response mechanisms and might serve as a successful therapeutic alternative in situations in which conventional therapy is not readily available.
Natural killer cells inhibit hepatitis C virus expression

Natural killer (NK) cells are critical in host innate defense against certain viruses. The role of NK cells in controlling hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains obscure. We examined whether NK cells are capable of inhibiting HCV expression in human hepatic cells. When NK cells are cultured with the HCV replicon‐containing hepatic cells, they have no direct cytolytic effect but release soluble factor(s) suppressing HCV RNA expression. Media conditioned by NK cell lines (NK‐92 and YTS) or primary NK cells isolated from healthy donors contain interferon γ (IFN‐γ) and potently inhibit HCV RNA expression. Ligation of CD81 on NK cells inhibits IFN‐γ production and results in decreased anti‐HCV activity. In addition, the antibodies to IFN‐γ or IFN‐γ receptors abolish the anti‐HCV activity of NK cell‐conditioned media. The role of IFN‐γ in NK cell‐mediated, anti‐HCV activity is supported by the observation that NK cell‐conditioned media enhanced expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription‐1, a nuclear factor that is essential in IFN‐γ‐mediated antiviral pathways. NK cell‐conditioned media have the ability to stimulate intracellular IFN‐α expression in the hepatic cells, suggesting a mechanism responsible for NK cell‐mediated, anti‐HCV activity. Thus, NK cells hold the potential to play a vital role in controlling HCV replication in hepatic cells using an IFN‐γ‐dependent mechanism.
Nineteen years of national screening for congenital hypothyroidism: familial cases with thyroid dysgenesis suggest the involvement of genetic factors.

Although a few familial forms of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) due to thyroid dysgenesis (TD) have been reported, this disorder is usually considered to be sporadic. Recently, we reported that 2% of CH patients with TD have a positive familial history. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of these familial cases and to compare them with sporadic cases. We used the French national population-based registry of the first 19-yr screening program, which included 14,416,428 screened neonates with a 100% recovery rate. Familial history of CH with TD was investigated by means of a questionnaire sent to the pediatricians (n = 592) who provided ongoing clinical care for the 4049 CH patients detected during this period, including 2863 CH cases due to TD. Information was obtained from 73% of these pediatricians who were following up 2472 CH patients with TD (86%). In all, 67 patients with a positive family history of CH with TD were referred, belonging to 32 multiplex families (i.e. including at least 2 affected members). Families were identified with ectopic gland (n = 12), athyreosis (n = 7), or both (n = 13). Comparison of familial with isolated cases showed a similar etiological diagnosis distribution of CH (40% vs. 33% for athyreosis and 60% vs. 67% for ectopic thyroid gland, respectively), whereas a significantly lower predominance of females was found in familial than in isolated cases (1.4 vs. 2.7; P < 0.03). Extrathyroidal congenital malformations were found with a similarly higher incidence in familial and isolated CH populations compared with the general population (respectively, 9% and 8.2% vs. 2.5%). In conclusion, although familial cases represent a minority of cases of congenital hypothyroidism caused by thyroid dysgenesis, they were observed in a significantly higher proportion (>15-fold) than would be expected from chance alone. This familial clustering, including athyreosis and ectopic thyroid gland, strongly suggests that genetic factors could be involved in thyroid dysgenesis with a common underlying mechanism for both etiological groups. Moreover, the high proportion of extrathyroidal congenital malformations in a population affected by CH due to TD suggests that the potential genetic factors involved in thyroid gland organogenesis are also involved in the development of other organs.
The Effect of Photoperiod on Life History and Blood-Feeding Activity in Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

ABSTRACT: Several studies have examined how climatic variables such as temperature and precipitation may affect life history traits in mosquitoes that are important to disease transmission. Despite its importance as a seasonal cue in nature, studies investigating the influence of photoperiod on such traits are relatively few. This study aims to investigate how photoperiod alters life history traits, survival, and blood-feeding activity in Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus). We performed three experiments that tested the effects of day length on female survival, development time, adult size, fecundity, adult life span, and propensity to blood feed in Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti. Each experiment had three photoperiod treatments: 1) short-day (10L:14D), 2) control (12L:12D), and 3) long-day (14L:10D). Aedes albopictus adult females were consistently larger in size when reared in short-day conditions. Aedes aegypti adult females from short-day treatments lived longer and were more likely to take a blood meal compared to other treatments. We discuss how species-specific responses may reflect alternative strategies evolved to increase survival during unfavorable conditions. We review the potential impacts of these responses on seasonal transmission patterns, such as potentially increasing vectorial capacity of Ae. aegypti during periods of shorter day lengths.