Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Amino Acid Sequence Coded by the Exon 2 of the BoLA DRB3 Gene Associated with a BoLA Class I Specificity Constitutes a Likely Genetic Marker of Resistance to Dermatophilosis in Brahman Zebu Cattle of Martinique (FWI) a

One hundred and twenty-seven Brahman cattle from several locations in Martinique (FWI), reared under different environmental conditions, were followed over three years and checked for clinical signs of dermatophilosis. To confirm that these animals had been in contact with the pathogen Dermatophilus congolensis, their sera were tested by ELISA. On the basis of this epidemiological study, 12 animals were classified as resistant (seropositive without clinical signs), belonging to herds in which the prevalence of the disease ranged from 25 to nearly 98%. Eighteen animals classified as highly susceptible displayed severe characteristic skin lesions. These 30 selected animals were typed for class I antigens of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). MHC class II genes were analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques, on the exon 2 of the bovine leucocyte antigen (BoLA) DRB3 gene. Several alleles were found, according to patterns provided by the restriction enzymes used: Fnu 4HI, Dpn II, Hae III, and Rsa I. A particular sequence "EIAY" at amino acid positions 66/67/74/78 located in the antigen recognition sites (ARS) was found in the 12 animals classified as resistant, and 10 of them displayed also class I BoLA-A8 specificity. On the other hand, only 3 out of the 18 susceptible animals showed simultaneously the BoLA-DRB3 "EIAY" sequence and BoLA-A8 specificity. Interestingly, a serine residue at position 30 of the ARS was found in 8 of the susceptible animals and was completely absent from all resistant animals. Furthermore, in a same animal, the serine at position 30 and the EIAY sequence were never found simultaneously on the same haplotype. These results show a strong correlation between the resistant character to dermatophilosis and the association of MHC haplotypes: the BoLA-A8 specificity and the BoLA-DRB3 "EIAY" sequence at ARS positions 66/67/74/78 with the lack of serine in position 30. To confirm these results, family segregation studies are in progress and some interesting observations have been obtained.
Heterogeneous Loss of Connexin43 Protein in Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy with Ventricular Tachycardia

Connexin43 Expression in DCM. Introduction: Gap junction alterations recently have been implicated in chronic heart failure, but direct evidence between gap junction manifestation in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is lacking. The current study examines whether qualitative changes or altered distribution of gap junctional connexin43 (Cx43) are related to global ventricular function and ventricular arrhythmia in DCM.
Oxygenation-activated K fluxes in trout red blood cells.

The effect of oxygenation on the dissipative fluxes of K in trout red blood cells has been determined. Unidirectional influx under low oxygen tension (PO2 = 1 kPa) was 0.56 +/- 0.07 mmol.l-1 packed cells.h-1. Within a few minutes of equilibration with high oxygen tension (PO2 = 120 kPa), influx was increased 14-fold, and this was associated with a progressive loss of KCl and a cell shrinkage. K influx progressively declined over the following 3 h to levels close to those characteristic of cells at low oxygen tension. Replacement of medium Cl by NO3- or methane sulfonate inhibited the stimulation due to high oxygen as did furosemide and low extracellular pH. The oxygenation-stimulated influx was highly volume sensitive, being increased by up to 100% by osmotic swelling and decreased by osmotic shrinkage. By contrast, the small influx under low oxygen tension was unaffected by either Cl replacement or by shrinkage and increased only with extreme swelling. Thus high oxygen tension activated a Cl-dependent and furosemide-sensitive K flux. Once activated, the mechanism was rapidly deactivated on transfer back to low oxygen tension but slowly deactivated when maintained at high PO2. The oxygenation-stimulated flux mechanism promotes a rapid and more complete volume regulatory decrease than in cells at low oxygen tension.
Factors Associated With Osteonecrosis in Thai Lupus Patients: A Case Control Study

Objective:To identify associated factors for the development of osteonecrosis of a femoral head (ON) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods:We conducted a retrospective nested case-control study from SLE patients who attended the Rheumatology Clinic at Phramongkutklao Hospital from 1992–2008. Cases were defined as SLE patients, who had clinically apparent ON (confirmed by plain radiographs or magnetic resonance imaging). For each case, a control was selected and matched to the case by age and disease duration. The main outcome measure was the odds ratio (OR) of ON among SLE patients. The clinical and laboratory variables thought to be risk factors of ON variables were compared between patients who did and did not develop ON. Significant and clinically relevant variables were then examined by a stepwise logistic regression model. Results:Of 186 SLE patients, we identified 41 patients who developed ON during the course of follow-up. Twenty patients were available for data analysis. From the univariate analysis, incidence of renal involvement and the use of steroids (recorded as evidenced by maximum and mean daily prednisolone dose) were significantly higher in the ON group than in controls. The use of antimalarials was significantly lower in patients with ON than in controls. No difference in disease activity, lipid profiles or anticardiolipin antibody was found between groups. In the logistic regression, the presence of renal involvement remained as a positive associated factor for ON (OR = 7.80, CI = 1.249–48.748, P = 0.028) and the use of antimalarial drugs was a negative associated factor for ON (OR = 0.09, CI = 0.009–0.961, P = 0.046). Conclusion:The presence of renal involvement was associated with ON and the antimalarial use may have a protective effect for ON in Thai patients with SLE. The findings from this study further support the use of antimalarial drugs in SLE patients.
IL-15, TIM-3 and NK cells subsets predict responsiveness to anti-CTLA-4 treatment in melanoma patients

ABSTRACT Despite the success of immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma, the majority of patients do not respond. We hypothesized that the T and NK cell subset frequencies and expression levels of their receptors may predict responses and clinical outcome of anti-CTLA-4 treatment. We thus characterized the NK and T cell phenotype, as well as serum levels of several cytokines in 67 melanoma patients recruited in Italy and Sweden, using samples drawn prior to and during treatment. Survival correlated with low expression of the inhibitory receptor TIM-3 on circulating T and NK cells prior to and during treatment and with the increased frequency of mature circulating NK cells (defined as CD3−CD56dim CD16+) during treatment. Survival also correlated with low levels of IL-15 in the serum. Functional experiments in vitro demonstrated that sustained exposure to IL-15 enhanced the expression of PD-1 and TIM-3 on both T and NK cells, indicating a causative link between high IL-15 levels and enhanced expression of TIM-3 on these cells. Receptor blockade of TIM-3 improved NK cell-mediated elimination of melanoma metastasis cell lines in vitro. These observations may lead to the development of novel biomarkers to predict patient response to checkpoint blockade treatment. They also suggest that induction of additional checkpoints is a possibility that needs to be considered when treating melanoma patients with IL-15.
Neurogenesis in the visual system of the rat. An autoradiographic investigation

Rats of the BD III strain were injected with a single dose of 3 H‐thymidine on either the twelfth, fourteenth, sixteenth, eighteenth or twentieth day of gestation (ED 12…‥ED 20) or on the postnatal day one, three, or seven. Animals were killed at age 22 to 24 days. DNA synthesis, as an indicator of cell division, was studied in matrix precursors of nerve and glial cells in the visual centers, including the lateral geniculate body (LGB), the superior colliculus (SC) and the visual cortex (VC).
Hypogalactosylation of serum IgG in patients with ANCA‐associated systemic vasculitis

The triad of small vessel vasculitides (SVV) comprise Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and Churg–Strauss syndrome (CS). All three are associated with presence of circulating IgG antineutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) which target autoantigens contained, primarily, within neutrophil azurophilic granules. The widely accepted model of pathogenesis suggests that ANCA activate cytokine‐primed neutrophils within the microvasculature, leading to by‐stander damage to endothelial cells, and rapid escalation of inflammation with recruitment of mononuclear cells. Activation may be initiated, in vitro, by the coligation of the PR3 or MPO antigen, translocated to the cell surface, and FcγRIIa/FcγRIIIb receptors. This suggests that the IgG subclass profile of ANCA and, possibly, its glycosylation status could influence the inflammatory mechanisms activated. The glycosylation status of total IgG isolated from the sera of patients with WG (13), MPA (6) and CSS (1) was determined by analysis of the released oligosaccharides. A deficit in IgG galactosylation is demonstrated for all patient samples, compared to controls. The mean percentage values for the agalactosylated (G0) oligosaccharides were 57% (SD ± 9·71), 47% (SD ± 4·25) and 28% (SD ± 4·09) for WG, MPO and control samples, respectively. The G0 levels for polyclonal IgG isolated from the sera of both WG and MPA patients were significantly increased compared to controls (P < 0·0001). The major glycoform present therefore is agalactosylated (G0) IgG. In previous studies the G0 glycoform of IgG has been shown to bind and activate mannan binding lectin, and hence to activate the complement cascade, and to facilitate mannose receptor binding and the uptake of IgG complexes by macrophages and dendritic cells. Both of these activities could impact on the processing and presentation of self‐antigens in autoimmune disease.
Acquisition of Cross-Ethnic Friends by Recent Immigrants in Canada: A Longitudinal Approach 1

This paper examines the development of inter-ethnic friendships between immigrants and Canadians. It uses longitudinal data from three waves of the Canadian LSIC survey, in which newly arrived immigrants were followed during the first 4 years of settlement. It is found that pre-migration characteristics play an important role in the development of inter-ethnic friendships: immigrants who arrive at a younger age and for economic reasons, as well as those who are highly educated and have a cross-ethnic partner at the moment of arrival, establish more inter-ethnic friendships over time. In addition, post-migration characteristics affect the formation of inter-ethnic friendships. Such friendships are more common among immigrants who embrace Canadian traditions and acquire the host-country language, as well as among those who work in international settings and inhabit ethnically mixed neighborhoods. The effects of pre-migration characteristics are partially mediated by post-migration characteristics. Our findings point out that economic, cultural, and spatial integration are all conducive to inter-ethnic friendships.
E-Test Method for Testing Susceptibilities of Aspergillus spp. to the New Triazoles Voriconazole and Posaconazole and to Established Antifungal Agents: Comparison with NCCLS Broth Microdilution Method

ABSTRACT NCCLS document M38-P describes standard parameters for testing the fungistatic activities (MICs) of established agents against filamentous fungi (molds). This study evaluated the in vitro susceptibilities of 15 Aspergillus flavus isolates, 62 A. fumigatus isolates, and 10 isolates each of A. niger, A. nidulans, and A. terreus to voriconazole, posaconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B by the E-test and NCCLS M38-P microdilution methods. The agreement (within 3 dilutions) between methods for voriconazole was independent of the E-test incubation time (93.3 to 100% for four of five species at both incubation times). In contrast, with amphotericin B, itraconazole, and posaconazole, E-test results were more dependent on the incubation time for certain species. For A. fumigatus, posaconazole E-test MICs had better concordance with reference values after 48 h (95.2%) than after 24 h (90%), while the highest agreement for itraconazole MICs was after 24 h (90.3 versus 74.2%) of incubation. Better agreement between the methods was also obtained with 24-h E-test amphotericin B MICs for A. flavus (73.3 versus 26.7%) and A. fumigatus (96.7 versus 64.5%). E-test MICs of the four agents had the lowest percentages of agreement with reference values for A. nidulans (60 to 80%). For isolates for which high MICs were obtained for the four agents by the reference method, high MICs were also obtained by E-test at both 24 and 48 h. The utility of in vitro results of either the E-test or the NCCLS broth microdilution (M38-P) method for Aspergillus spp. needs to be established in clinical trials.
Immunohistochemically detected hepatic micrometastases predict a high risk of intrahepatic recurrence after resection of colorectal carcinoma liver metastases

Hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma frequently recur after resection and hepatic micrometastases most likely are important in the development of such recurrences. The objectives of the current study were to assess the feasibility of the immunohistochemical detection of hepatic micrometastases from colorectal carcinoma and to determine their clinical significance.
Alcohol consumption, alcoholics anonymous membership, and suicide mortality rates, Ontario, 1968-1991.

OBJECTIVE The goal of this study is to identify alcohol-related factors that influence mortality rates from suicide. Specifically, we examine the impact of per capita consumption of total alcohol, distilled spirits, and beer and wine; unemployment rate; and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) membership rate on total and male and female suicide mortality rates in Ontario between 1968 and 1991. METHOD We studied the impact of alcohol consumption levels, AA membership rates, and unemployment rates on suicide mortality rates in Ontario from 1968 to 1991. Time series analyses with Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) modeling were applied to total and male and female suicide rates. The analyses performed included total alcohol consumption, distilled spirits consumption, beer consumption, and wine consumption. Missing AA membership data were interpolated with cubic splines. RESULTS Total alcohol consumption and consumption of each of beer, distilled spirits, and wine were significantly and positively related to total and female suicide mortality rates. AA membership rates were negatively related to total and female suicide rates. Although data for males did not reach significance (except for the relationship between wine consumption and suicide rate), the direction of effects was consistent with that observed for female and total suicide rates. Unemployment rates were positively related to male and total suicide rates in some models. CONCLUSIONS These data confirm the important relationships between per capita consumption measures and suicide mortality rates seen by previous investigators. Additionally, the results for AA membership rates are consistent with the hypothesis that AA membership and treatment for misuse of alcohol can exert beneficial effects observable at the population level.
Information content analysis in automated microscopy imaging using an adaptive autofocus algorithm for multimodal functions

We present a new algorithm to analyse information content in images acquired using automated fluorescence microscopy. The algorithm belongs to the group of autofocusing methods, but differs from its predecessors in that it can handle thick specimens and operate also in confocal mode. It measures the information content in images using a ‘content function’, which is essentially the same concept as a focus function. Unlike previously presented algorithms, this algorithm tries to find all significant axial positions in cases where the content function applied to real data is not unimodal, which is often the case. This requirement precludes using algorithms that rely on unimodality. Moreover, choosing a content function requires careful consideration, because some functions suppress local maxima. First, we test 19 content functions and evaluate their ability to show local maxima clearly. The results show that only six content functions succeed. To save time, the acquisition procedure needs to vary the step size adaptively, because a wide range of possible axial positions has to be passed so as not to miss a local maximum. The algorithm therefore has to assess the steepness of the content function online so that it can decide to use a bigger or smaller step size to acquire the next image. Therefore, the algorithm needs to know about typical behaviour of content functions. We show that for normalized variance, one of the most promising content functions, this knowledge can be obtained after normalizing with respect to the theoretical maximum of this function, and using hierarchical clustering. The resulting algorithm is more reliable and efficient than a simple procedure with constant steps.
HIV testing in a high-incidence population: is antibody testing alone good enough?

BACKGROUND The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently recommended the expansion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody testing. However, antibody tests have longer "window periods" after HIV acquisition than do nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). METHODS Public Health-Seattle & King County offered HIV antibody testing to men who have sex with men (MSM) using the OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test (OraQuick; OraSure Technologies) on oral fluid or finger-stick blood specimens or using a first- or second-generation enzyme immunoassay. The enzyme immunoassay was also used to confirm reactive rapid test results and to screen specimens from OraQuick-negative MSM prior to pooling for HIV NAAT. Serum specimens obtained from subsets of HIV-infected persons were retrospectively evaluated by use of other HIV tests, including a fourth-generation antigen-antibody combination assay. RESULTS From September 2003 through June 2008, a total of 328 (2.3%) of 14,005 specimens were HIV antibody positive, and 36 (0.3%) of 13,677 antibody-negative specimens were NAAT positive (indicating acute HIV infection). Among 6811 specimens obtained from MSM who were initially screened by rapid testing, OraQuick detected only 153 (91%) of 169 antibody-positive MSM and 80% of the 192 HIV-infected MSM detected by the HIV NAAT program. HIV was detected in serum samples obtained from 15 of 16 MSM with acute HIV infection that were retrospectively tested using the antigen-antibody combination assay. CONCLUSIONS OraQuick may be less sensitive than enzyme immunoassays during early HIV infection. NAAT should be integrated into HIV testing programs that serve populations that undergo frequent testing and that have high rates of HIV acquisition, particularly if rapid HIV antibody testing is employed. Antigen-antibody combination assays may be a reasonably sensitive alternative to HIV NAAT.
Effects of Information on Young Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Genetically Modified Food: Experimental Auction Analysis

This study examines the effects of information on consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for genetically modified food (GMF). We used Vickrey second price experimental auction method for elicitation of consumer WTP for GM potato chips and GM soya-chocolate bar. The sample used in this study was university students from Delhi, India. Four information formats (positive, negative, no information, and combined information about GM technology) were used for the examination. The results show that, when students received the combine information they were willing to pay around 17%–20% premium for GMF and when received the negative information they demanded around 22% discount for GMF. While the positive- and the no-information formats alone have no considerable effect on consumers’ WTP for GMF. Overall, our findings suggest that while doing marketing of GMF in India, the best strategy is to provide combined information about GM technology.
Retrospective and Prospective Time Deficits in Childhood ADHD: The Effects of Task Modality, Duration, and Symptom Dimensions

Time estimation is believed to be an adaptive function in human life. In the present study, prospective and retrospective time estimation are studied in both clinical-referred school-aged children with ADHD-C and healthy community control children, while examining more specifically the effects of type of time estimation task, length of time intervals (i.e., ranging from 3–90 s), and continuous scaling of the main ADHD symptom clusters (i.e., inattention vs. hyperactivity/impulsiveness). On a prospective verbal time estimation test, children with ADHD-C showed significant more overestimation compared to controls. For the majority of short-to-medium time intervals, this overestimation was predicted only by the continuous levels of impulsiveness or a disturbed self-regulation, indicating a dysregulation of the internal clock in ADHD. The same holds for the retrospective time estimation task. In contrast, an ADHD-related underestimation on the prospective time reproduction task was found for the longer intervals. In contrast to verbal time estimation, levels of inattention, and not the levels of impulsiveness, predicted underestimation on the time reproduction task. Our results point thereby towards parallel networks for regulating attention/working memory versus impulse regulation/inhibition as potential loci for dysfunction. These results are in contrast to the frequently cited global inhibitory executive function deficit hypothesis.
Mapping thyroid peroxidase epitopes using recombinant protein fragments.

The identification of autoantibody epitopes is important to the understanding of autoimmune thyroid diseases. In the case of thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO-ab), recent reports have disagreed about the number and type of autoantibody epitopes found in human TPO. In order to clarify the nature of these epitopes, we used an approach that provides recombinant human TPO produced by bacterial cells. The cDNA of four slightly overlapping fragments of human TPO-TPO 1(Glu 17-Ser 227), TPO 2(Tyr 226-Thr 476), TPO 3(Glu 471-Ser 720) and TPO 4(Phe 709-Leu 993)--were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and subcloned into the expression vector pMAL. In addition, a TPO 3 species for an alternatively spliced form of TPO of 876 amino acids was constructed (TPO 3M). Each of these constructs encodes a fusion protein, in which the amino terminal portion is maltose-binding protein, followed by the sequence of the fragment of human TPO. The plasmid constructs were transformed in Escherichia coli and, after growth, bacterial cells were harvested, lysed and the lysate was passed over an amylose affinity column and eluted with maltose. Western blots were performed using 33 sera from patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (group 1) and 17 sera from patients with nodular goiter and focal thyroiditis (group 2), all positive for TPO-ab measured by radio-immunoassay; sera from 10 healthy people with no clinical evidence of thyroiditis and positive for TPO-ab measured by radioimmunoassay (group 3) and sera from 30 patients with antigastric parietal cell antibodies without signs or symptoms of thyroiditis, 16 negative for TPO-ab (group 4a) and 14 positive for TPO-ab (group 4b), were included in the study. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)