Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Oxygen and Adenosine on Lizard Thermoregulation

A regulated decrease in internal body temperature (Tb) appears to play a protective role against metabolic disruptions such as exposure to ambient hypoxia. This study examined the possibility that Tb depression is initiated when low internal oxygen levels trigger the release of adenosine, a neural modulator known to influence thermoregulation. We measured selected Tb of Anolis sagrei in a thermal gradient under varied ambient oxygen conditions and following the administration of the adenosine receptor antagonist 8‐cyclopentyltheophylline (CPT). The average decrease in Tb observed following exposure to hypoxia (<10% O2) and following exhaustive exercise were 5° and 3°C, respectively, suggesting a role of oxygen availability on initiation of regulated hypothermia. When A. sagrei were run to exhaustion and recovered in hyperoxic (>95% O2) conditions, exercise‐induced Tb depression was abolished. Administration of CPT similarly abolished decreased Tb due to both exercise and hypoxia. Trials using Dipsosaurus dorsalis indicate that elevated ambient oxygen during exercise does not influence blood pH or lactate accumulation, suggesting that these factors do not initiate changes in thermoregulatory setpoint following exhaustive exercise. We suggest that when oxygen is limiting, a decrease in arterial oxygen may trigger the release of adenosine, thereby altering the thermoregulatory setpoint.
Inverse relationship between the expression of the human papillomavirus type 16 transcription factor E 2 and virus DNA copy number during the progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

SHORT COMMUNICATION
Multi-immunodot for rapid differential diagnosis of eosinophilic meningitis due to parasitic infections

Abstract A multi-dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the rapid and simple differential diagnosis of eosinophilic meningitis due to helminth infections. Ultrafiltered, purified antigens of Parastrongylus (=Angiostrongylus) cantonensis, Gnathostoma spinigerum and Taenia solium metacestodes, the most common parasites that invade the central nervous system and cause eosinophilic pleocytosis, were dotted onto a single nitrocellulose membrane strip. Antigen-coated strips, when blocked with 5% skimmed milk and dried, were stable for at least 6 months at 4°C. With peroxidase conjugated anti-human immunoglobulins and 4-chloro-1-naphthol as a substrate, antibodies in the corresponding patients' sera were clearly detected on the membrane strip as well-defined blue dots. Although cross-reactions between P. cantonensis and G. spinigerum antigens were observed with the use of partially purified antigens, the darkest dot correlated well with the infecting parasites in all cases. This fast, easy and economical multiple dot-blot ELISA method is useful for the differential diagnosis of eosinophilic meningitis caused by parasitic helminths, as semi-purified antigens can be easily obtained by ultrafiltration and used. Further improvements using highly specific parasite antigens may make this multi-immunodot test more suitable for wide-scale use in field studies and diagnostic laboratories.
THE OMAR STUDY: Comparison of Ozurdex and Triamcinolone Acetonide for Refractory Cystoid Macular Edema in Retinal Vein Occlusion

Purpose: To compare the risks and benefits of adding either intravitreal dexamethasone implant (DEX) or preservative-free triamcinolone acetonide (TA) to bevacizumab monotherapy in refractory cystoid macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion. Methods: This is a multicenter, comparative, interventional, retrospective study that included 74 patients who were initially treated with intravitreal bevacizumab and later received either DEX or TA for the treatment of recalcitrant cystoid macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion. Main outcomes were best-corrected visual acuity, central macular thickness, cost of therapy, frequency of intravitreal injections, and side effects. Results: Thirty-nine patients received TA and 35 patients received DEX injections. Groups were similar in age and gender distribution. Although the mean central macular thickness improved significantly for all groups (P < 0.0001), logMAR best-corrected visual acuity did not change significantly after steroid introduction (P = 0.06). Frequency of any intravitreal injection decreased significantly from 0.66 ± 0.18 to 0.26 ± 0.08 injections per month after initiation of steroids (P < 0.0001). This effect was greater in the DEX groups (P < 0.0001). Monthly cost decreased with TA but increased with DEX. Conclusion: Adding steroids improved anatomical outcome but did not affect final vision. Injection frequency decreased significantly after adding steroids, more so with DEX. There was no difference between TA and DEX regarding anatomical or functional outcomes or the incidence of side effects.
Effect of naloxone on appetitive and consummatory phases of ethanol self-administration.

BACKGROUND The opioid system has been implicated in ethanol self-administration. Morphine, an opiate agonist, can sometimes increase the amount of ethanol consumed, and opiate antagonists such as naloxone and naltrexone decrease the amount of ethanol consumed in both animals and humans. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of naloxone on appetitive (or seeking) and consummatory behaviors by using an operant model developed to separate these two phases of self-administration. METHODS Intraperitoneal injections of naloxone (0.3-10 mg/kg) or vehicle were given before operant self-administration sessions to assess the effect on lever pressing (appetitive behavior) and subsequent consumption. Effects were measured in two groups of rats: one self-administered a 3% sucrose solution and the other a 10% ethanol solution. RESULTS Naloxone dose-dependently decreased ethanol and sucrose consumption by an earlier cessation of drinking in the session compared with vehicle injection days. There were some effects on appetitive responding after treatment with naloxone, but none was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Naloxone may decrease ethanol self-administration by decreasing the postingestive or pharmacological effects of alcohol. This model provides a new method for examining the effects of potential pharmacotherapeutics on alcohol self-administration behavior.
Can ultrasound imaging predict the development of Achilles and patellar tendinopathy? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Ultrasound (US) imaging is commonly used to visualise tendon structure. It is not clear whether the presence of structural abnormalities in asymptomatic tendons predicts the development of future tendon symptoms in the Achilles or patellar tendon. Aim To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the ability of US imaging to predict future symptoms of patellar or Achilles tendinopathy. Methods Prospective studies that performed US imaging of Achilles OR patellar tendon structure among asymptomatic patients at baseline and a clinical measure of pain and/or function at follow-up were included. Study quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool by two independent reviewers, and predictive ability of US was assessed using meta-analyses. Results The majority of participants in the review were from sporting populations. Meta-analysis revealed that tendon abnormalities on US are associated with future symptoms of both patellar and Achilles tendinopathy (RR=4.97, 95% CI 3.20 to 7.73). Subgroup analysis indicated that tendon abnormalities at baseline were associated with an increased risk of both Achilles (RR=7.33, 95% CI 2.95 to 18.24) and patellar (RR=4.35, 95% CI 2.62 to 7.23) tendinopathy. Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that tendon abnormalities visualised using US in asymptomatic tendons are predictive of future tendinopathy and are associated with at least a fourfold increased risk. Implications Identification of at-risk athletes using screening tools such as US may allow preventative programmes to be implemented. However, it is clear that other factors beyond tissue structure are involved in the development of lower limb tendinopathy.
Inter-rater reliability of the PCL-R total and factor scores among psychopathic sex offenders: are personality features more prone to disagreement than behavioral features?

Despite considerable support for the inter-rater reliability of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist--Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991, 2003) in research contexts, there is increasing concern that scores from this instrument may be considerably less stable across examiners in applied contexts, particularly when scoring is based on separate interviews. The present study examines archival data from a sample of imprisoned sex offenders (n = 20) who obtained relatively high PCL-R total scores (> or =25) and were administered this instrument on a second occasion by a different examiner. Intraclass correlations for the total and Factor 2 score were lower than those generally reported in research studies. Of greater concern, Factor 1 scores were only negligibly related to each other (ICC(A,1) = . 16). Correcting for potential range restriction among these high scoring individuals resulted in total and Factor 2 score measures of agreement that were somewhat more consistent with published research, but Factor 1 continued to display exceedingly poor agreement across examiners.
Media Content, Accounting Quality, and Liquidity Volatility

Abstract We examine how the linguistic content of news items affects the volatility of a firm's liquidity, and we consider whether accounting quality moderates the media content-liquidity volatility relation. Regarding the unconditional relation between media content and liquidity volatility, one view is media content could reduce liquidity volatility by providing additional information about fundamental values; another view is it could increase liquidity volatility by increasing investor uncertainty, particularly for negative news. Using data from Thomson Reuters News Analytics, we find evidence supporting the view that media content, positive and negative, has incremental information. Regarding the moderating role of accounting quality, pre-existing accounting information of higher quality could enhance investors' reactions to media content by providing a more precise baseline, or it could reduce investors' reactions to the news if investors anchor on higher quality financial statements. Our findings are consistent with more credible accounting information serving an anchor role, and suggest that investors condition their reaction to media content based on the quality of a firm's pre-existing accounting information.
Comparative Evaluation of Ligation-Mediated PCR and Spoligotyping as Screening Methods for Genotyping ofMycobacterium tuberculosis Strains

ABSTRACT Spoligotyping has been suggested as a screening test in multistep genotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. Relying on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with IS6110 (IS6110 RFLP analysis) as a “gold standard,” we performed a comparative evaluation of spoligotyping and ligation-mediated PCR (LMPCR), a recently described PCR-based typing method, as rapid screening tests for fingerprinting of 158 M. tuberculosis strains collected in Verona, Italy. LMPCR seemed to be comparable to spoligotyping in terms both of feasibility with rapidly extracted DNA and of generation of software-analyzable images. Moreover, LMPCR grouped considerably fewer strains than spoligotyping (38 versus 67%) and was found to reduce the cluster overestimation rate (26.3 versus 58%) and to give a better discriminatory index (0.992 versus 0.970) compared to spoligotyping. In our geographical region, where there was no evidence of clustered strains carrying fewer than six IS6110 copies, LMPCR was found to be more discriminatory than spoligotyping. We also evaluated two models of three-step typing strategies, involving the use of spoligotyping and LMPCR as screening methods and IS6110 RFLP analysis as a further supporting test. LMPCR proved to be a more effective first-step test than spoligotyping, significantly reducing the need for subtyping. LMPCR should be considered an alternative to spoligotyping as a rapid screening method for M. tuberculosis fingerprinting, particularly in areas with a low prevalence of M. tuberculosis strains carrying few copies of IS6110.
How appropriate is the OM6 as a discriminative instrument in children with otitis media?

BACKGROUND The OM6 is a 6-item condition-specific handicap measure developed in the United States for children with recurrent acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion. Easy and quick to use, it has high test-retest repeatability and is sensitive to change after ventilation tube insertion. OBJECTIVES To explore aspects of the validity of OM6 in a United Kingdom population and to specifically address the instrument's ability to discriminate between children with different burdens of disease. DESIGN The parents of 179 consecutive newly referred children with otitis media with effusion or recurrent acute otitis media completed the OM6 on their first visit to the hospital. The parents of 72 children with sore throats completed the OM6 for comparison. Scores were compared with markers of disease severity, demographic variables, and generic quality-of-life measures. RESULTS Poorer scores were found in those with ear complaints than in those with sore throats. The OM6 scores were not associated with age, sex, socioeconomic class, or respondent (mother vs father). The OM6 scores did not correlate with frequency of otalgia, frequency of otorrhea, or time off school in the recurrent acute otitis media group. In the otitis media with effusion group, poorer scores were associated with bilateral B or C2 tympanometric findings but not with a better ear threshold of more than 20 dB. Correlation with a global 10-cm visual analog scale for quality of life and with the Health Utilities Index Mark III was good. CONCLUSIONS The OM6 scores correlate well with global quality-of-life measures and are free from many potential biases. However, OM6 does not adequately reflect disease severity, which may limit its usefulness as a discriminative measure.
Vascular endothelial growth factor in epithelial lining fluid of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Background and objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to contribute to the development of pulmonary oedema, and has been suggested to have a protective role against lung injury. To determine the role of VEGF in acute lung injury (ALI) and ARDS, VEGF levels were measured in lung epithelial lining fluid (ELF) collected from patients with ALI/ARDS.
Testosterone aromatization and cognition in women: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Objective: To explore whether inhibition of the conversion of testosterone to estradiol modifies the effects of testosterone on cognition in 61 healthy, estrogen-treated postmenopausal women. Design: Seventy-six postmenopausal women using transdermal estrogen for at least 8 weeks, with a serum total testosterone less than 1.2 nmol/L participated in a single-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. All participants received transdermal testosterone, 400 &mgr;L of a 0.5% testosterone gel, daily and were randomized to receive either letrozole 2.5 mg/day or an identical placebo tablet. The main outcome measure was cognition, evaluated using a comprehensive battery of standardized neuropsychological tests, at baseline and week 16. Results: Thirty women in each group completed the study. Free testosterone increased from baseline in both groups, with no difference between groups. Free testosterone levels achieved were below the 90th centile for young women in 80% of the participants at week 16. Serum estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin levels did not differ from baseline or between groups during the study. No clinically significant effects of testosterone treatment were seen for attention and working memory, psychomotor speed, or executive function. Significant improvements were seen for immediate and delayed visual and verbal memory and for simple concentration with testosterone therapy, all of which were unaffected by the aromatase inhibitor. Conclusions: We did not observe any effects of aromatase inhibition on cognition in healthy, estrogen-treated postmenopausal women treated with testosterone. This may be due to insufficient study power or a true lack of effect. However, our findings highlight that the detection of subtle changes in cognition in well women require the development of sensitive instruments and large randomized, controlled trials.
Conversion of Human Pancreatic Acinar Cells Toward a Ductal-Mesenchymal Phenotype and the Role of Transforming Growth Factor &bgr; and Activin Signaling

Objective Epithelial-mesenchymal transition may interfere with the differentiation of cultured pancreatic acinar cells toward endocrine cells. Therefore, it will be important to investigate into detail the reprogramming of human pancreatic acinar cells toward a mesenchymal phenotype: the association with acinoductal transdifferentiation, the influence of cell adhesion, and the regulation behind this process. Methods Human exocrine cells, isolated from donor pancreata, were cultured in suspension or as monolayers. Non–genetic lineage tracing, using labeled ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 lectin, was performed, and the role of the transforming growth factor (TGF-&bgr;) superfamily was investigated. Results After 7 days in monolayer culture, the human acinar cells coexpressed the mesenchymal marker vimentin and the ductal marker Sox9. However, when the human exocrine cells were cultured in suspension, epithelial-mesenchymal transition was not observed. The spontaneous transition of the human acinar cells toward a ductal and mesenchymal phenotype was decreased by inhibition of the TGF-&bgr; and activin signaling pathways. Conclusions The human acinar cells spontaneously undergo TGF-&bgr;– regulated reprogramming in the monolayer culture. These observations are helpful to develop culture methods for the in vitro reprogramming of pancreatic exocrine to endocrine cells. They are also of potential interest for studies on exocrine acinar cells in the development of pancreatic cancer.
Functional analysis of cis‐regulatory elements controlling initiation and maintenance of early Cdx1 gene expression in the mouse

Members of the Caudal‐related homeobox gene family are implicated in anteroposterior (AP) patterning and posterior axis elongation in mammals. Previously, we found that Caudal‐related homeobox gene1 (Cdx1) is directly regulated by the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway, and we identified Wnt/β‐catenin responsive elements in the Cdx1 promoter. Here, we have generated a series of transgenic mouse lines to determine if the Cdx1 promoter region (−3.6 kb to −0.7 kb) sufficient to drive reporter gene expression in the normal Cdx1 expression domains. A 0.7‐kb Cdx1 upstream regulatory sequence is sufficient to give the early phase of Cdx1 expression in the primitive streak. However, none of the reporter constructs was able to drive expression in the definitive endoderm at later stages of development. More detailed analysis of the cis‐regulatory elements of this 0.7‐kb Cdx1 promoter region revealed that two Wnt/β‐catenin responsive elements are important for initiation of Cdx1 expression in the primitive streak and one retinoic acid response element for maintenance. Our analysis demonstrates that the early Cdx1 expression is regulated through the caudalizing Wnt/β‐catenin and RA activities. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A randomized trial of the effect of escitalopram versus placebo on cognitive function in healthy first-degree relatives of patients with depression

The effect of selective serotonin receptor inhibitors (SSRIs) on healthy individuals remains unclear. The aim of the trial was to evaluate the effect of the SSRI escitalopram on cognitive function in healthy first-degree relatives of patients with major depressive disorder (FDRs). A total of 80 FDRs were randomized to escitalopram (10 mg/day) (n = 41) versus placebo (n = 39) for 4 weeks. Neuropsychological tests and ratings of mood were applied at entry (T0) and at 4 weeks (T4). The main outcome measure was calculated as the change (T4–T0) in a general cognition score, which was the standardized mean of 13 test measures. Mean change in the general cognition score was not significantly increased with escitalopram compared with placebo (p = 0.37) or for any of the specific tests. In univariate analyses no statistically significant correlations were found between change in the general cognitive score and the variables age, sex, Hamilton depression score 17 items, Danish Adult Reading Test-45, and plasma escitalopram levels, respectively. These results suggest that treatment with escitalopram does not improve or impair cognitive function in FDRs. Improvement in cognitive function following treatment of depressed patients with SSRIs seems to be related to the effects on depressive symptoms rather than to a direct effect of the SSRI.
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT-6) expression and function in asthmatic bronchial epithelium.

BACKGROUND Asthma is associated with increased production of IL-4 and IL-13. OBJECTIVE Because many of the effects of these cytokines are mediated by activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT-6), we investigated expression and function of this transcription factor in the airways. METHODS STAT-6 expression was investigated through use of immunohistochemistry or RT-PCR applied to bronchial biopsy specimens or brushings from normal control or asthmatic subjects. STAT-6 function was investigated by means of Western blotting and ELISA applied to primary epithelial cell cultures. RESULTS Immunohistochemistry revealed that the bronchial epithelium was the major site of STAT-6 expression, both cytoplasmic and nuclear staining being observed. The level of STAT-6 expression in subjects with mild asthma (median [range] percent epithelial staining, 3.4% [0% to 16.0%]; n = 14) did not differ significantly from that in normal controls (4.7% [0.0% to 20.0%]; n = 11); however, in subjects with severe asthma, epithelial STAT-6 expression (13.7% [4.8% to 25.7%]; n = 9) was increased in comparison with subjects with mild asthma and normal controls (P < .05). RT-PCR analysis showed that epithelial STAT-6 expression was heterogeneous and comprised both full-length STAT-6 and the dominant-negative variant that lacks the SH2 domain. Treatment of primary cultures of bronchial epithelial cells with IL-4 resulted in STAT-6 phosphorylation and stimulation of IL-8 secretion; however, no difference in the responses of epithelial cells was observed between normal (n = 12) and asthmatic (n = 14) donors. CONCLUSION These data demonstrate expression and activation of STAT-6 in normal and asthmatic bronchial epithelium. The activity of this transcription factor is likely to play a key role in mediating the responses of the bronchial epithelium to T(H)2 cytokines that are characteristic of the asthmatic phenotype.