Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of in vitro and in vivo effects of probiotics against Campylobacter spp.

Campylobacter (C.) spp. are well recognised as the leading cause of bacterial food-borne diarrheal disease worldwide, with C. jejuni and C. coli as the most important species: C. coli is highly abundant in pigs and pork meat has often been implicated as a source for human infection. Intestinal colonisation of C. coli in pigs plays a role in carcass contamination during slaughter. Different pre-harvest intervention measures are proposed to reduce the C. coli burden in the porcine intestine. Among others, the use of probiotics to prevent or reduce the colonisation of intestinal pathogens is discussed. One aim of this study was to screen a variety of probiotics to evaluate their inhibitory activity against Campylobacter spp. in vitro. Therefore, cell-free culture supernatants of Lactobacillus spp. , Bifidobacterium spp. , Enterococcus (E.) faecium NCIMB 10415, and Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 were tested against C. jejuni and C. coli by a well-diffusion agar assay. Seven out of eleven Lactobacillus strains showed an inhibitory activity against at least one of the three tested Campylobacter strains. This antagonistic activity against Campylobacter spp. was caused by the production of organic acids that lowered the pH. Application with pH neutralised cell-free culture supernatants abolished this inhibitory effect. Other tested strains with probiotic properties showed no inhibitory activity against any Campylobacter spp. strain. The strain E. faecium NCIMB 10415 was chosen to test its inhibitory activity against C. coli in vivo. Twenty weaned piglets were allocated into two groups, a probiotic group and a control group.The diet of the probiotic group was supplemented with E. faecium NCIMB 10415 (10(9) cfu/kg feed, Cylactin) since weaning, whereas the control group received no probiotic treatment. All piglets were naturally colonised with C. coli. The excretion load of C. coli was monitored for 28 days. The results indicate that dietary supplementation of E. faecium NCIMB 10415 did not significantly affect C. coli excretion levels in pigs. In this study, E. faecium NCIMB 10415 showed no antagonistic activity against C. coli in vitro and in vivo and had no impact on the growth performance of weaned piglets.
Dysregulated expression of inflammation-related genes in psoriatic dermis mesenchymal stem cells.

Psoriasis is a common inflammatory hyperproliferative skin disorder infiltrated predominantly by CD4-positive T-helper cells that produce pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and interleukin-17 [1,2]. In recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from patients with psoriasis have gained attention. Orciani et al. [3] found that the resident dermal MSCs (DMSCs) produce angiogenic and pro-inflammatory mediators, which leads to a reduction in the antioxidant capacity and contributes to the development of skin lesions in psoriasis. Recently, we have investigated the biological properties of DMSCs in psoriasis (Supplementary Figs. S1–S3), and these studies revealed that abnormities were already present at the level of MSCs. In prior microarray, we also identified many inflammation-related candidate targets that were significantly differently expressed in psoriasis (the data were deposited under NCBI GEO GSE42632), such as early B-cell factor-3 (EBF3), neural cell adhesion molecule-1 (NCAM1), and protein kinase C zeta (PRKCZ) [4]. In this study, we evaluated the mRNA and protein expression profiles of NCAM1, EBF3, and PRKCZ by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot assays to improve the knowledge about the role of the dysregulated inflammation-related genes in DMSCs of psoriatic patients. It was verified that the mRNA and protein expressions of NCAM1 were significantly up-regulated (Fig. 1A–D). NCAM1 has been found to be expressed on MSCs and induce TNF-α production [5,6]. However, we found that the mRNA and protein expressions of EBF3 were markedly reduced compared with the control by qRT-PCR and western blot assays (Fig. 1A–D). It has been reported that methylation-associated down-regulation of EBF3 plays an important role in a pathogenic effect of TGF-β on rheumatoid arthritis [7]. Our results showed that the expressions of PRKCZ mRNA and protein were also markedly reduced compared with the control (Fig. 1A–D). PRKCZ acts as a downstream molecule for TNF-α signal transduction and regulates the expression in Th1 (especially TNF-α) and Th2 cytokine production in psoriasis [8,9]. So, the down-regulated expression of PRKCZ may induce the reduction of TNF-α in skin lesions for immunomodulation. Taken together, the current findings suggest that NCAM1, PRKCZ, and EBF3 may play an important role on psoriasis at the MSC level, and for the first time to the best of our knowledge, these observations provide the evidence that human dermis MSCs may also be recruited into inflammation through cytokine-dependent mechanisms. However, the exact molecular function of NCAM1, PRKCZ, and EBF3 in psoriasis is still unclear, and further research is required to understand how pathophysiological events in DMSCs influence psoriasis.
UNILATERAL BEST DISEASE: A CASE REPORT

Purpose: To describe the multimodal imaging findings observed unilaterally in a patient with Best disease due to a p.G15D mutation in the BEST1 gene. Methods: The clinical history of a 62-year-old female patient with unilateral Best disease was reviewed. Retinal findings were documented by clinical examination and multimodal imaging. Results: Posterior segment examination of the patient's right eye demonstrated retinal pigment epithelium hypopigmentation and clumping in the central macula beneath a chronic shallow serous retinal detachment (SRD), confirmed by optical coherence tomography. Fluorescein angiography showed central staining with no evidence of focal leakage or choroidal neovascularization, and correlated with the hypoautofluorescence seen on fundus autofluorescence. There was no evidence of choroidal hyperpermeability on indocyanine green angiography, nor was there any neovascularization detected on optical coherence tomography–angiography. The left eye appeared normal with all imaging modalities. Conclusion: Best disease is an autosomal dominant disease that is generally bilateral. We present a case of a unilateral Best disease with serous retinal detachment in a patient with a p.G15D mutation in BEST1. Best disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of serous retinal detachment and may masquerade as central serous chorioretinopathy.
Comparative study of calcipotriol ointment and mometasone furoate ointment in patients of psoriasis vulgaris: A double blind study

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory papulosquamous disease clinically characterized by erythematous, sharply demarcated, indurated papules and rounded plaques covered by silvery, micaceous scales. Psoriasis is characterized by hyperproliferation and abnormal differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes, infiltration of mostly T lymphocytes and various endothelial vascular changes in the dermal layer, such as angiogenesis, dilatation and high endothelial venule (HEV) formation. Material and Methods: The study was conducted on 70 patients of psoriasis attending the outpatient department. Patients who fulfilled the selection criterion were alternately assigned into two groups, 35 patients in each group. The assessment of effectiveness was done with the help of PASI. Follow up of patients were done after 1 st , 2 nd , 4 th and 6 th week of initiation of treatment. Results: We observed 70 patients and both the group showed statistically significant reduction in the disease severity. Conclusion: The calcipotriol and mometasone furoate ointment were found to be equally effective in clearance of the disease.
Mutagenesis of a Novel Gene in the prcA-prtP Protease Locus Affects Expression of Treponema denticola Membrane Complexes

ABSTRACT A novel gene was identified in the Treponema denticola prcA-prtP protease operon. Strains with mutations in either the prcA-prtP or the msp region showed altered expression of a product(s) of the other locus. Together, these results provide information on the assembly of outer membrane complexes involved in T. denticola interaction with host cells and tissue.
The Unreasonable Destructiveness of Political Correctness in Philosophy

I submit that epistemic progress in key areas of contemporary academic philosophy has been compromised by politically correct (“PC”) ideology. First, guided by an evolutionary account of ideology, results from social and cognitive psychology and formal philosophical methods, I expose evidence for political bias in contemporary Western academia and sketch a formalization for the contents of beliefs from the PC worldview taken to be of core importance, the theory of social oppression and the thesis of anthropological mental egalitarianism. Then, aided by discussions from contemporary epistemology on epistemic values, I model the problem of epistemic appraisal using the frameworks of multi-objective optimization theory and multi-criteria decision analysis and apply it to politically correct philosophy. I conclude that philosophy guided by politically correct values is bound to produce constructs that are less truth-conducive and that spurious values which are ideologically motivated should be abandoned. Objections to my framework stemming from contextual empiricism, the feminine voice in ethics and political philosophy are considered. I conclude by prescribing the epistemic value of epistemic adequacy, the contextual value of political diversity and the moral virtue of moral courage to reverse unwarranted trends in academic philosophy due to PC ideology.
The Serine-Threonine Phosphatase Calcineurin is a Regulator of Endothelial Store-Operated Calcium Entry

Disruption of the endothelium leads to increased permeability, allowing extravasation of macromolecules and other solutes from blood vessels. Calcium entry through a calcium-selective, store-operated calcium (SOC) channel, Isoc, contributes to barrier disruption. An understanding of the mechanisms surrounding the regulation of Isoc is far from complete. We show that the calcium/calmodulin-activated phosphatase calcineurin (CN) plays a role in regulation of SOC entry, possibly through the dephosphorylation of stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1). Phosphorylation has been implicated as a regulatory mechanism of activity for a number of canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) and SOC channels, including Isoc. Our results show that STIM1 phosphorylation increases in pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAECs) upon activation of SOC entry. However, the phosphatases involved in STIM1 dephosphorylation are unknown. We found that a CN inhibitor (calcineurin inhibitory peptide [CIP]) increases the phosphorylation pattern of STIM1. Using a fura 2-acetoxymethyl ester approach to measure cytosolic calcium in PAECs, we found that CIP decreases SOC entry following thapsigargin treatment in PAECs. Luciferase assays indicate that thapsigargin induces activation of CN activity and confirm inhibition of CN activity by CIP in PAECs. Also, Isoc is significantly attenuated in whole-cell patch-clamp studies of PAECs treated with CIP. Finally, PAECs pretreated with CIP exhibit decreased interendothelial cell gap formation in response to thapsigargin-induced SOC entry, as compared to control cells. Taken together, our data show that CN contributes to the phosphorylation status of STIM1, which is important in regulation of endothelial SOC entry and Isoc activity.
Spinal Cord Normalization in Multiple Sclerosis

Spinal cord (SC) pathology is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), and measures of SC‐atrophy are increasingly utilized. Normalization reduces biological variation of structural measurements unrelated to disease, but optimal parameters for SC volume (SCV)‐normalization remain unclear. Using a variety of normalization factors and clinical measures, we assessed the effect of SCV normalization on detecting group differences and clarifying clinical–radiological correlations in MS.
Therapeutic targets in chronic myeloid leukaemia

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a clonal disorder of the haemopoietic stem cell arising as a consequence of the formation of the bcr‐abl oncogene. The particular molecular basis of this condition has enabled the development of therapies that selectively target diseased cells. The success of the rationally designed first‐line therapy imatinib mesylate (IM) is tempered by the problems of disease persistence and resistance. Novel strategies have been identified to take forward therapy in CML and these will be discussed in this review. This work is generated from a review of published literature and contains particular insight into the work performed by our group in this field. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relationship Between Fusarium virguliforme and Heterodera glycines in Commercial Soybean Fields in Wisconsin

Marburger, D. , Conley, S. , Esker, P., MacGuidwin, A. , Smith, D. 2013. Relationship between Fusarium virguliforme and Heterodera glycines in commercial soybean fields in Wisconsin. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-RS-13-0107. Fusarium virguliforme (syn. Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines), the causal agent of sudden death syndrome, and Heterodera glycines, soybean cyst nematode (SCN), are economically important pathogens of soybean (Glycine max) in the Midwestern United States, including Wisconsin. In 2011 and 2012, samples submitted to a SCN detection program were assayed for SCN using a sieving/centrifugation method and for F. virguliforme using a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) protocol. In 2011, 135 soil samples were submitted and H. glycines was detected in 56 samples, while 10 samples were positive for F. virguliforme. In 2012, 64 of 318 samples tested positive for H. glycines and 13 tested positive for F. virguliforme. The relationship between the occurrence of H. glycines and F. virguliforme was examined further for samples that were positive for H. glycines and/or F. virguliforme. Kendall’s tau rank correlation coefficient was – 0.59 (P < 0.01), indicating a negative association. Furthermore, the best-fitting logistic regression model that described the probability of detecting H. glycines in a soil sample based on detecting F. virguliforme confirmed the negative correlation. This result suggests that SCN and F. virguliforme do not rely on each other to colonize fields, indicating that fields heavily infested with SCN are not necessarily at greater risk of F. virguliforme colonization.
Depression in early adulthood: prevalence and psychosocial correlates among young Swiss men.

QUESTION UNDER STUDY Depression in young adults is common, but data from Switzerland are scarce. Our study gives a point prevalence estimate of depression in young Swiss men, and describes the association between depression and education, material and social resources, and job/school satisfaction. METHODS We used data from the cross-sectional Swiss Federal Surveys of Adolescents (ch-x) from 2010 to 2011 comprising 9,066 males aged between 18 and 25 years. Depression was assessed by means of self-reports using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Persons were categorised into three groups: depression, subthreshold depression, and no depression. We assessed the relationship between depression and education, material and social resources, and satisfaction with job/school. Differences according to depression status were tested with chi-square tests for categorical variables and one-way analyses of variance for continuous variables. RESULTS Point prevalence of depression (3.60%) and subthreshold depression (3.62%) was high. Poor mental health was associated with lower education in young adults (p <0.001), and with their parents' education (p = 0.024). Social resources in persons with depression and subthreshold depression were substantially reduced (i.e., social support and satisfaction with social relations; both p <0.001). Young men with depression and subthreshold depression also reported a current lack of satisfaction with job/school (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS Prevalence of (subthreshold) depression is high in young Swiss men. Depression at this age might result in a bad long-term prognosis owing to its association with low satisfaction with job/school and low self-efficacy. Interventions should especially consider the lower social resources of young men with depression.
Long Term Regulation of Aquaporin-2 Expression in Vasopressin-responsive Renal Collecting Duct Principal Cells*

Fine regulation of water reabsorption by the antidiuretic hormone [8-arginine]vasopressin (AVP) occurs in principal cells of the collecting duct and is largely dependent on regulation of the aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channel. AVP-inducible long term AQP2 expression was investigated in immortalized mouse cortical collecting duct principal cells. Combined RNase protection assay, Western blot, and immunofluorescence analyses revealed that physiological concentrations of AVP added to the basal side, but not to the apical side, of cells grown on filters induced both AQP2 mRNA and apical protein expression. The stimulatory effect of AVP on AQP2 expression followed a V2receptor-dependent pathway because [deamino-8-d-arginine]vasopressin (dDAVP), a specific V2 receptor agonist, produced the same effect as AVP, whereas the V2 antagonist SR121463B antagonized action of both AVP and dDAVP. Moreover, forskolin and cyclic 8-bromo-AMP fully reproduced the effects of AVP on AQP2 expression. Analysis of protein degradation pathways showed that inhibition of proteasomal activity prevented synthesis of AVP-inducible AQP2 mRNA and protein. Once synthesized, AQP2 protein was quickly degraded, a process that involves both the proteasomal and lysosomal pathways. This is the first study that delineates induction and degradation mechanisms of AQP2 endogenously expressed by a renal collecting duct principal cell line.
Ambient particulate air pollution and cardiac arrhythmia in a panel of older adults in Steubenville, Ohio

Objectives: Ambient particulate air pollution has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Pathways by which particles may act involve autonomic nervous system dysfunction or inflammation, which can affect cardiac rate and rhythm. The importance of these pathways may vary by particle component or source. In an eastern US location with significant regional pollution, the authors examined the association of air pollution and odds of cardiac arrhythmia in older adults. Methods: Thirty two non-smoking older adults were evaluated on a weekly basis for 24 weeks during the summer and autumn of 2000 with a standardised 30 minute protocol that included continuous electrocardiogram measurements. A central ambient monitoring station provided daily concentrations of fine particles (PM2.5, sulfate, elemental carbon) and gases. Sulfate was used as a marker of regional pollution. The authors used logistic mixed effects regression to examine the odds of having any supraventricular ectopy (SVE) or ventricular ectopy (VE) in association with increases in air pollution for moving average pollutant concentrations up to 10 days before the health assessment. Results: Participant specific mean counts of arrhythmia over the protocol varied between 0.1–363 for SVE and 0–350 for VE. The authors observed odds ratios for having SVE over the length of the protocol of 1.42 (95% CI 0.99 to 2.04), 1.70 (95% CI 1.12 to 2.57), and 1.78 (95% CI 0.95 to 3.35) for 10.0 μg/m3, 4.2 μg/m3, and 14.9 ppb increases in five day moving average PM2.5, sulfate, and ozone concentrations respectively. The other pollutants, including elemental carbon, showed no effect on arrhythmia. Participants reporting cardiovascular conditions (for example, previous myocardial infarction or hypertension) were the most susceptible to pollution induced SVE. The authors found no association of pollution with VE. Conclusion: Increased levels of ambient sulfate and ozone may increase the risk of supraventricular arrhythmia in the elderly.
Improving the Culture of Evidence-Based Practice at a Magnet® Hospital

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the foundation of quality care, but EBP is not widely adopted. This study evaluated the impact of a hospital-wide EBP nursing project on the organizational culture of a Magnet hospital. Results of pre- and postintervention surveys suggest the intervention increased the nurses’ confidence in the hospital’s EBP environment. Belief in EBP was related to confidence in implementing EBP in practice.
Terahertz spectroscopy of misfolded proteins in bio-tissue

Proteins in living organisms must fold in order to carry out their biological function. However some proteins misfold to become unwanted deposits. Understanding the causes and mechanics of protein folding is immensely important in the study of diseases which are caused by protein misfolding. This abstract reports on a novel study which uses terahertz (THz) spectroscopy to probe misfolded proteins in excised diseased human brain tissue. Our early results show distinction in the THz absorption spectra, which could be attributed to pathological changes in the diseased tissue.
Moral pluralism and the use of anencephalic tissue and organs.

Cutter's essay is one of eight in this issue of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy on controversies surrounding the use of tissues and organs from anencephalic fetuses and newborns for transplantation. She reviews some of the disagreements clustering around three major issues concerning the status of anencephalics as donors: the definition of brain life, the definition of personhood, and the definition of brain death. She also assesses how the other essayists in this issue offer solutions to the debate in light of a pluralism of moral beliefs in Western culture.
Rapid Quantitative Detection of Lactobacillus sakei in Meat and Fermented Sausages by Real-Time PCR

ABSTRACT A quick and simple method for quantitative detection of Lactobacillus sakei in fermented sausages was successfully developed. It is based on Chelex-100-based DNA purification and real-time PCR enumeration using a TaqMan fluorescence probe. Primers and probes were designed in the L. sakei 16S-23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer region, and the assay was evaluated using L. sakei genomic DNA and an artificially inoculated sausage model. The detection limit of this technique was approximately 3 cells per reaction mixture using both purified DNA and the inoculated sausage model. The quantification limit was established at 30 cells per reaction mixture in both models. The assay was then applied to enumerate L. sakei in real samples, and the results were compared to the MRS agar count method followed by confirmation of the percentage of L. sakei colonies. The results obtained by real-time PCR were not statistically significantly different than those obtained by plate count on MRS agar (P > 0.05), showing a satisfactory agreement between both methods. Therefore, the real-time PCR assay developed can be considered a promising rapid alternative method for the quantification of L. sakei and evaluation of the implantation of starter strains of L. sakei in fermented sausages.