Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Culicoides aspirated from cattle in Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama and Puerto Rico, and their role as potential vectors of bluetongue viruses

Abstract. In 1991, as part of an epidemiological study of bluetongue viruses (BTV) in the Central American and Caribbean region, eight farms located in Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama and Puerto Rico were sampled for Culicoides spp. attacking cattle. Using cattle bait, 3884 biting midges were collected with an electric aspirator during both crepuscular periods. The predominant species captured was Culicoides insignis Lutz (95%), followed by C.furens (Poey) (3.4%), C.filarifer Hoffman/C.ocumarensis Ortiz (0.9%), C.lahillei (Iches) (0.7%), C.arubae Fox and Hoffman (<0.1%) and C.gorgasi Wirth and Blanton (<0.1%). Blood‐engorged specimens from some of these species were collected and comprised: 18% of all C.insignis, 36% of C.furens, 37% of filarifer/ocumarensis and 25% of C.lahillei. No engorged C.arubae or C.gorgasi were caught. These results confirm earlier findings pointing to C.insignis, C.furens and C.filarifer/ ocumarensis as potential vectors of BTV in the region.
Serodiagnosis of infection with Verocytotoxin‐producing Escherichia coli

Human sera (167) were screened for antibodies to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) prepared from strains of Verocytotoxin‐producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) belonging to a range of serogroups, secreted proteins expressed by attaching and effacing VTEC, enterohaemolysin and H = 7 flagellar proteins. Twelve sera (about 7%) contained antibodies to the LPS of E. coli 05 (one), 026 (two), 0115 (two), 0145 (one), 0163 (one) and 0165 (five). Sera containing antibodies to the LPS of E. coli O26 and O145 also contained antibodies to secreted proteins of 100 and 40 kDa. An additional 34 sera, known to contain antibodies to the lipopolysaccharide of E. coli O157, were examined for antibodies to enterohaemolysin, H = 7 flagellar antigens and bacterial cell surface‐associated proteins of 5, 6 and 22 kDa. Three sera contained antibodies to enterohaemolysin and one serum contained antibodies to flagellar proteins. Antibodies to membrane‐associated proteins were not detected. It was concluded that enterohaemolysin, H = 7 flagellar proteins and the cell surface‐associated proteins were unsuitable for use in immunoassays for providing evidence of infection with VTEC.
Retinal pigment epithelial cells exhibit unique expression and localization of plasma membrane syntaxins which may contribute to their trafficking phenotype

The SNARE membrane fusion machinery controls the fusion of transport vesicles with the apical and basolateral plasma-membrane domains of epithelial cells and is implicated in the specificity of polarized trafficking. To test the hypothesis that differential expression and localization of SNAREs may be a mechanism that contributes to cell-type-specific polarity of different proteins, we studied the expression and distribution of plasma-membrane SNAREs in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), an epithelium in which the targeting and steady-state polarity of several plasma membrane proteins differs from most other epithelia. We show here that retinal pigment epithelial cells both in vitro and in vivo differ significantly from MDCK cells and other epithelial cells in their complement of expressed t-SNAREs that are known — or suggested — to be involved in plasma membrane trafficking. Retinal pigment epithelial cells lack expression of the normally apical-specific syntaxin 3. Instead, they express syntaxins 1A and 1B, which are normally restricted to neurons and neuroendocrine cells, on their apical plasma membrane. The polarity of syntaxin 2 is reversed in retinal pigment epithelial cells, and it localizes to a narrow band on the lateral plasma membrane adjacent to the tight junctions. In addition, syntaxin 4 and the v-SNARE endobrevin/VAMP-8 localize to this sub-tight junctional domain, which suggests that this is a region of preferred vesicle exocytosis. Altogether, these data suggest that the unique polarity of many retinal pigment epithelial proteins results from differential expression and distribution of SNAREs at the plasma membrane. We propose that regulation of the expression and subcellular localization of plasma membrane SNAREs may be a general mechanism that contributes to the establishment of distinct sorting phenotypes among epithelial cell types.
Costs of immune responses are related to host body size and lifespan

Abstract A central assumption in ecological immunology is that immune responses are costly, with costs manifesting directly (e.g., increases in metabolic rate and increased amino acid usage) or as tradeoffs with other life processes (e.g., reduced growth and reproductive success). Across taxa, host longevity, timing of maturity, and reproductive effort affect the organization of immune systems. It is reasonable, therefore, to expect that these and related factors should also affect immune activation costs. Specifically, species that spread their breeding efforts over a long lifetime should experience lower immune costs than those that mature and breed quickly and die comparatively early. Likewise, body mass should affect immune costs, as body size affects the extent to which hosts are exposed to parasites as well as how hosts can combat infections (via its effects on metabolic rates and other factors). Here, we used phylogenetic meta‐regression to reveal that, in general, animals incur costs of immune activation, but small species that are relatively long‐lived incur the largest costs. These patterns probably arise because of the relative need for defense when infection risk is comparatively high and fitness can only be realized over a comparatively long period. However, given the diversity of species considered here and the overall modest effects of body mass and life history on immune costs, much more research is necessary before generalizations are appropriate. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACTThere has been a growing interest in the possibility that the costs of immune activity have influenced the evolution of animal defenses against infection to a comparable degree as the benefits of defense.Here, we used meta‐analysis to probe how salient factors, namely body size and life‐history orientation, influence the magnitude of immune costs among animals.From 236 cost estimates among 39 species spanning nine orders of magnitude in body size, we found appreciable immune costs such that long‐lived species pay larger immune activation costs than short‐lived species, and small species pay higher immune activation costs than large species.Our work indicates that costs have indeed influenced the evolution of immune systems, results that have implications for zoonotic disease management as well as animal husbandry. Figure. No caption available.
Pulmonary Embolism in Orthopaedic Patients: Diagnosis and Management

Abstract Orthopaedic patients are at particularly high risk for pulmonary embolism. There has been a trend recently toward overdiagnosis of pulmonary embolism; thus, evaluation of the nature of a clinically relevant pulmonary embolism is needed, as is assessment of the timing, risks, and outcomes of therapeutic anticoagulation in surgical patients. Recent literature shows the incidence of pulmonary embolism to be increasing without a corresponding increase in mortality, suggesting that not all emboli may be clinically relevant and that increasingly sensitive tests may be picking up small emboli. The size and location of a clot or clots may matter when deciding on management. A risk‐benefit evaluation can assist in deciding treatment.
Studies on chancroid; the Ducrey bacillus; growth requirements and inhibition by antibiotic agents.

SummaryIn a comparative study of several strains of Ducrey bacillus with H. influenzal and H. parainfluenzal a number of significant biologic differences have been noted. The Ducrey bacillus will not grow in a medium which supplies both the X and V factors. Unlike these other members of the genus Hemophilus, the Ducrey bacillus will grow in a medium enriched only with blood serum. It will also grow in a medium enriched only with erythrocytes. The agents in serum and in erythrocytes which support growth of the Ducrey bacillus differ in heat stability; that in serum withstands 100° C but not auto-claving, while that in erythrocytes is inactivated by heating to 65 ° C. The addition of both erythrocytes and serum to the base medium provides a more favorable medium for the growth of the Ducrey bacillus than either one alone. Ducrey colonies will not develop on the surface of a solid medium unless the humidity of the atmosphere is very high. The “satellite phenomenon” is not observed in colonies of Ducrey bacil.
Low oxygen tension enhances the stimulation and proliferation of human T lymphocytes in the presence of IL-2.

BACKGROUND Optimization of the culture environment for the ex vivo expansion of T cells is crucial for obtaining the large doses of cells needed for cellular immunotherapy. O2 tension is a key parameter that impacts the proliferation and quality of the expanded T cells. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with either PHA or an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody under 5% (low) or 20% (high) O2 atmospheres. After stimulation, cells were cultured in the presence of IL-2 under either low or high O2 conditions. RESULTS T cells stimulated and grown under 5% O2 exhibited higher proliferation rates and a mean (n = 11) of 5.8-fold greater total expansion over T cells grown under 20% O2. Stimulation under 5% O2 produced a lasting proliferative effect even after a switch to 20% O2. Examination of apoptosis by the flow cytometry-based TUNEL assay showed a mean (n = 9) of 2.9-fold greater percentage of apoptotic cells under 20% O(2). Flow-cytometric analysis of the IL-2 receptor (CD25) showed that the normal downregulation kinetics - following stimulation-induced CD25 upregulation - were slowed under 5% O(2), such that the 5% O2 cultures had a greater number of CD25+ cells, and those CD25+ cells expressed an average (n = 6) of 41% higher levels of CD25 receptor per cell. No significant O2 tension effects were observed on other surface antigens (CD3, CD28, and CD62L) examined. The key metabolic parameters, specific glucose uptake rate, q(glu), and specific lactate production rate, q(lac), were both increased by a mean (n = 5) of 47% under 5% O2. DISCUSSION Beyond the physiological significance, improved T-cell proliferation under 5% O2 would allow for decreased culture times in expanding T cells for cellular immunotherapies. Evidence of increased IL-2R expression and reduced apoptosis levels under 5% O2 may help explain this phenomenon.
Validation of tissue microarray immunohistochemistry staining and interpretation in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Tissue microarrays (TMAs) show concordance with whole tissue sections in the immunohistochemical evaluation of tumor cells. However, potential inter-institutional variability among observers and immunohistochemical staining methods has not been fully addressed. We selected 21 cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) to process for TMAs. Immunohistochemical stains were performed in 3 laboratories, and reviewed independently by 3 hematopathologists at the 3 institutions. Stains were scored on a 4-point scale. Statistical analyses of variation in the scoring among observers and among different institutions' stains were performed. Stains for CD3, CD10, CD20, BCL-2, BCL-6, MIB-1, and FOX-P1 revealed little variation among observers, with an average 51-82% complete agreement and 82-100% agreement +/- 1 numerical score. The rate of concordance when evaluating most stains performed in different laboratories was also relatively good, with an average of 55-72% complete agreement and 70-97% agreement +/- 1 score. However, scoring of MUM-1 and p53 stains showed wider variation, with an average of only 37 and 30% complete agreement among observers, and 11 and 45% agreement when stains from different institutions were examined. Further statistical analyses were performed to compare the observers' scoring of their own institution's stains (self-review) vs. observers' scoring of other institutions' stains (non-self). The agreement rate for the p53 stain was significantly higher when based on self-review (average 58% complete agreement) compared with an agreement rate of only 10.5% when based on a review of stains performed in another laboratory, non-self review, P < 0.01. This difference in the self- vs. non-self review was not seen when data for MUM-1 were analysed. In conclusion, most phenotypic markers used in the analysis of DLBCL can be evaluated in TMAs with adequate agreement among observers and laboratories. These include CD3, CD20, CD10, BCL-2, BCL-6, MIB-1, and FOX-P1. However, some markers, such as p53 and MUM-1, are more prone to inter-institutional variation. Variations in interpretation can be partially overcome by self-adjusted/adapt tendency, as seen with p53. Especially with newly developed markers, such as MUM-1, the development of standardized techniques for staining and interpretation is critical to reduce inter-observer variability.
A New Learning Hyper-heuristic for the Traveling Tournament Problem

In this paper we propose a new hyper-heuristic that is composed of a simple selection mechanism based on a learning automaton and a new acceptance mechanism, i.e. the Iteration Limited Threshold Accepting criterion. This hyper-heuristic is applied to the challenging Traveling Tournament Problem. We show that the new hyper-heuristic method consistently outperforms the Simple Random hyper-heuristic even with a small number of low-level heuristics. Moreover, our method, although very general, generates high-quality solutions for the known Traveling Tournament Problem benchmarks and oers new solutions for the recently added Super instances.
Community-Acquired Lung Abscess Caused by Legionella micdadei in a Myeloma Patient Receiving Thalidomide Treatment

ABSTRACT Legionella infection causes 2 to 14% of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Legionella micdadei constitutes <1% of these infections. We describe a case of cavitary L. micdadei CAP in a myeloma patient receiving thalidomide treatment. The importance of considering pneumonia and problems in diagnosing pneumonia caused by L. micdadei in this patient population are reviewed.
Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder and Culture: Early and Prolonged Grief in Nepali Widows

Objective: Persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), has not been well studied in socioculturally diverse populations. Thus, this qualitative study examined (a) how widows in Nepal understand grief, (b) whether a local construct of PCBD exists, and (c) its comparability with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), terminology. Methods: Using an adapted Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC) framework, semistructured interviews with 25 widows and 12 key informants, as well as three focus-group discussions (n = 20), were conducted between October 2014 and April 2015. Through an inductive grounded theory–based approach, we used the constant comparative method, iteratively coding transcripts to identify themes and patterns in the data. Also, we created two lists of grief responses, one of early reactions and another all reactions to grief, based on the frequency of mention. Results: No single term for grief was reported. Widows reported a local construct of PCBD, which was broadly compatible with DSM-5 terminology but with important variation reflecting societal influence. Surviving torture during conflict, economic and family stressors, and discrimination were mentioned as important determinants that prolong and complicate grief. Suicidal ideation was common, with about 31% and 62% of widows reporting past-year and lifetime suicidality, respectively. Findings may not be generalizable to all Nepali widows; participants were recruited from a non-governmental organization, from Kathmandu and its neighboring districts, and were primarily of reproductive age. Conclusions: While PCBD symptoms proposed in DSM-5 were mentioned as relevant by study participants, some components may need adaptation for use in non-Western settings, such as Nepal.
Provinol Prevents CsA-induced Nephrotoxicity by Reducing Reactive Oxygen Species, iNOS, and NF-kB Expression

Cyclosporine A (CsA) use is associated with several side effects, the most important of which is nephrotoxicity that includes, as we previously showed, tubular injury and interstitial fibrosis. Recently, many researchers have been interested in minimizing these effects by pharmacological interventions. To do this, we tested whether the administration of a red wine polyphenol, Provinol (PV), prevents the development of CsA-induced nephrotoxicity. Rats were treated for 21 days and divided into four groups: control; group treated with PV (40 mg/kg/day by oral administration in tap water); group treated with CsA (15 mg/kg/day by subcutaneous injection); group treated with CsA plus PV. CsA produced a significant increase of systolic blood pressure; it did not affect urinary output, but caused a significant decrease in creatinine clearance. These side effects were associated with an increase in conjugated dienes, which are lipid peroxidation products, inducible NO-synthase (iNOS), and nuclear factor (NF)-kB, which are involved in antioxidant damage. However, PV prevented these negative effects through a protective mechanism that involved reduction of both oxidative stress and increased iNOS and NF-kB expression induced by CsA. These results provide a pharmacological basis for the beneficial effects of plant-derived polyphenols against CsA-induced renal damage associated with CsA.
Blood-brain barrier permeability, cerebral edema, and neurologic function after closed head injury in rats.

We previously described the time course of changes in neurologic status (as indicated by neurologic severity score [NSS]) and cerebral edema (as indicated by brain tissue specific gravity and water content) after closed head trauma in rats. The present study was designed to determine whether head trauma alters the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the role of the BBB in edema formation and neurologic outcome, and the effect of MK-801 (a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist) on BBB permeability. Rats in which cranial impact was delivered during ether anesthesia (n = 106) were killed at 15 min, 1, 2, 4, 10, and 24 h, and 2, 4, and 7 days. Control rats (n = 12) received no cranial impact. Subsets of head-injured rats killed at 4 and 24 h received MK-801 (3 mg/kg intraperitoneally) 1 h after injury. BBB permeability was assessed with intravenous injection of Evans Blue dye, cerebral edema was assessed by determining brain tissue specific gravity and water content, and neurologic status was assessed using NSS. Tissue extravasation of Evans Blue was maximal in the injured hemisphere 4 h after injury, but a residual BBB permeability defect was still evident as long as 4 days after the insult. In MK-801-treated rats, extravasation of Evans Blue in the injured hemisphere was not significantly different from that in the noninjured hemisphere. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Psychometric Evaluation and Normative Data for the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) in a Nonclinical Sample of U.S. Adults

Health care professionals are coming under increased pressure to empirically monitor patient outcomes across settings as a means of improving clinical practice. Within the psychiatric and primary care communities, many have begun utilizing brief psychometric measures of psychological functioning to accomplish these goals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales—21-item version (DASS-21), and contribute normative data to facilitate interpretation using a sample of U.S. adults (N = 503). Item-scale convergence was generally supported, although assumptions of item-scale divergence were not met. Only 86%, 50%, and 43% of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress items, respectively, correlated significantly greater with their hypothesized scales than other scales. Internal consistency reliability was acceptable for all scales and comparable to existing research (αs = .91, .80, and .84 for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress, respectively). Scale-level correlations were greater than what has been reported elsewhere (range of rs = .68 to .73), and principal components analysis supported the extraction of only one component accounting for 47% of the item-level variance. However, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) favored a three-factor structure when compared to a one-factor model. The implications for the health care professions are discussed.
Short-term response of hip mobilizations and exercise in individuals with chronic low back pain: a case series

Abstract Study design: A case series of consecutive patients with chronic low back pain. Background and purpose: In patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), the importance of impairments at the hip joints is unclear. However, it has been postulated that impairments at the hip joints may contribute to CLBP. The purpose of this case series was to investigate the short-term outcomes in patients with CLBP managed with impairment-based manual therapy and exercise directed at the hip joints. Methods: Eight consecutive patients (mean age: 43·9 years) with a primary report of CLBP (>6 months) without radiculopathy were treated with a standardized approach of manual physical therapy and exercise directed at bilateral hip impairments for a total of three sessions over approximately 1 week. At initial examination, all patients completed a numeric rating pain scale (NPRS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire (FABQ), and patient-specific functional scale (PSFS). At the second and third treatment sessions, each patient completed all outcome measures as well as the Global Rating of Change (GROC). Results: Five of the eight (62·5%) patients reported ‘moderately better’ or higher (>+4) on the GROC at the third session, indicating a moderate improvement in self-reported symptoms. These five individuals also experienced a 24·4% reduction in ODI scores. Discussion: This case series suggests that an impairment-based approach directed at the hip joints may lead to improvements in pain, function, and disability in patients with CLBP. A neurophysiologic mechanism may be a plausible explanation regarding the clinical outcomes of this study. A larger, well-controlled trial is needed to determine the potential effectiveness of this approach with patients with CLBP.
In Vivo Optical Tissue Differentiation by Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy

Objectives. Laser surgery requires feedback to avoid the accidental destruction of critically important tissues. It was the aim of the authors to identify different tissue types in vivo by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to set the basis for tissue-specific control of laser surgery. Methods. Tissue differentiation was performed on in vivo tissue of rats (skin, fat, muscle, and nerve) by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy between 350 and 650 nm. Data analysis was done using principal components analysis, followed by linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The differentiation performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results. ROC analysis showed a tissue differentiation of 100%, with a high sensitivity of more than 99%. Only the tissue pair skin/fat showed a reduced differentiation performance and specificity. Conclusion. The results show the general viability of in vivo optical tissue differentiation and create a basis for the further development of a control system for tissue-specific laser surgery.