Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new neuromodulatory pathway with a glial contribution mediated via A2a adenosine receptors

A low concentration (10 nM) of adenosine potentiated hippocampal neuronal activity via A2a adenosine receptors without affecting presynaptic glutamate release or postsynaptic glutamatergic conductance. Adenosine inhibited glutamate uptake through the glial glutamate transporter, GLT‐1, via A2a adenosine receptors. In addition, adenosine stimulated GLT‐1‐independent glutamate release from astrocytes, possibly in response to a rise in intracellular Ca2+, via A2a adenosine receptors involving PKA activation. Those adenosine actions could lead to an increase in synaptic glutamate concentrations responsible for the potentiation of hippocampal neuronal activity. The results of the present study thus represent a novel neuromodulatory pathway with a glial contribution, bearing both inhibition of GLT‐1 function and stimulation of glial glutamate release, as mediated via A2a adenosine receptors. GLIA 39:133–147, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The ability of the Dementia Rating Scale to predict everyday functioning.

The Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) is a brief neuropsychological assessment battery designed to assess five areas of cognitive functioning in the elderly. The relationship between DRS performance and everyday functioning was examined for 50 psychogeriatric patients. Everyday functioning was assessed with a standardized performance measure examining self-care, safety, money management, cooking, medication administration, and community utilization. Regression analyses were conducted for each of the six functional domains. In addition, correlations between the DRS subscales and the functional areas were computed. Results revealed significant predictive relationships (p <.01) between performance on the DRS and most functional domains. The multiple Rs ranged from . 52 - . 70, accounting for 27% to 49% of the variance. The Initiation/Perseveration subscale was most heavily weighted in each analysis. Significant correlations were obtained between subdomains of cognition and most functional areas. The findings provide evidence of relationships between DRS performance and functional ability.
The contribution of intrinsic activity to the action of opioids in vitro

1 The effects of opioids were compared in five field‐stimulated isolated tissue models, the guinea‐pig ileum and vasa deferentia from rat, rabbit and mice of the Alderley Park and C57BL/6 strains. 2 Although the μ‐receptor agonist [D‐Ala2, MePhe4, Gly‐ol5] enkephalin appeared to act at similar receptors in the guinea‐pig ileum, rat vas deferens, mouse vas deferens and C57BL/6 mouse vas deferens preparations, its potency varied considerably between these preparations. Similar potency differences were also observed with the k‐agonist, ethylketocyclazocine. 3 It is proposed that these variations in potency reflect differences in the number of spare receptors present in each model. The finding that some drugs which have agonist activity in the more sensitive preparations behave as antagonists in the less sensitive tissues supports this proposal and highlights the importance of intrinsic activity in determining the action of opioids. 4 Many of the prototypic opioid agonists were found to be either partial agonists (eg. morphine and bremazocine) or to possess affinity for more than one receptor type (eg. ethylketocyclazocine, Mr 2034).
Methionine requirement of the finishing pig.

Two pig experiments were conducted using a methionine (Met)-deficient feather meal-corn-soybean meal basal diet (13% CP; 3,400 kcal ME/kg diet, .126% Met, 456% cystine) supplemented with an amino acid mixture (lysine, tryptophan, histidine, threonine and phenylalanine) to determine the Met requirement of finishing pigs between 50 and 80 kg live weight. Using young chicks in a Met bioavailability growth assay and cecectomized adult cockerels in a Met digestibility assay, the Met-deficient basal diet was found to contain . 115% bioavailable and . 110% digestible Met. These results gave a bioavailability estimate (relative to DL-Met set at 100%) of 91.3 +/- 2.5% and a true digestibility estimate of 87.0 +/- 2.2% for Met in the basal pig diet. In Exp. 1, 21 crossbred pigs averaging 61 kg initially were individually fed diets containing . 115, . 165 or . 215% bioavailable Met for 21 d. Average daily gain and gain:feed ratio increased quadratically (P less than .05) as level of Met increased. In Exp. 2, 30 crossbred pigs averaging 53 kg were individually fed diets containing . 115, . 135, . 155, . 175 or . 195% bioavailable Met for 27 d. Daily gain and gain;feed ratio responded linearly (P less than .01) as Met level increased. Based on the results of Exp. 2, the bioavailable Met requirement of finishing pigs in the weight range 50 to 80 kg was estimated to be . 182% of the diet. Assuming an 88% bioavailability of Met in commercial diets based on corn and soybean meal, the total Met level needed in practice would be . 207%. If 55% of the finishing pig's sulfur amino acid need can be furnished by cystine, the total sulfur amino acid requirement would be . 45% of the diet.
Endoscopic Therapy for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Systematic Review

The high prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Western societies has accelerated the need for new modalities of treatment. Currently, medical and surgical therapies are widely accepted among patients and physicians. The minimally invasive treatment revolution, however, has stimulated several new endoscopic techniques for GERD. Up to now, the data is limited and further studies are necessary to compare the advantages and disadvantages of the various endoscopic techniques to medical and laparoscopic management of GERD. This systematic review reports the efficacy and durability of various endoscopic therapies for GERD whilst the potential for widespread use of these techniques is also discussed. Despite the limited number of studies and remarkable differences between various trials, strict criteria were used for the pooled data presented and an effort was made to avoid bias by including only studies that used off-antisecretory medication scoring as baseline and intent to treat.
Incorporation of Prior Knowledge of Signal Behavior Into the Reconstruction to Accelerate the Acquisition of Diffusion MRI Data

Diffusion MRI data are generally acquired using hyperpolarized gases during patient breath-hold, which yields a compromise between achievable image resolution, lung coverage, and number of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$b$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-values. In this paper, we propose a novel method that accelerates the acquisition of diffusion MRI data by undersampling in both the spatial and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$b$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-value dimensions and incorporating knowledge about signal decay into the reconstruction (SIDER). SIDER is compared with total variation (TV) reconstruction by assessing its effect on both the recovery of ventilation images and the estimated mean alveolar dimensions (MADs). Both methods are assessed by retrospectively undersampling diffusion data sets (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n $ </tex-math></inline-formula>=8) of healthy volunteers and patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) for acceleration factors between x2 and x10. TV led to large errors and artifacts for acceleration factors equal to or larger than x5. SIDER improved TV, with a lower solution error and MAD histograms closer to those obtained from fully sampled data for acceleration factors up to x10. SIDER preserved image quality at all acceleration factors, although images were slightly smoothed and some details were lost at x10. In conclusion, we developed and validated a novel compressed sensing method for lung MRI imaging and achieved high acceleration factors, which can be used to increase the amount of data acquired during breath-hold. This methodology is expected to improve the accuracy of estimated lung microstructure dimensions and provide more options in the study of lung diseases with MRI.
Development and Application of New Mouse Models To Study the Pathogenesis of Clostridium perfringens Type C Enterotoxemias

ABSTRACT Clostridium perfringens type C isolates cause enterotoxemias and enteritis in humans and livestock. While the major disease signs and lesions of type C disease are usually attributed to beta toxin (CPB), these bacteria typically produce several different lethal toxins. Since understanding of disease pathogenesis and development of improved vaccines is hindered by the lack of small animal models mimicking the lethality caused by type C isolates, in this study we developed two mouse models of C. perfringens type C-induced lethality. When inoculated into BALB/c mice by intragastric gavage, 7 of 14 type C isolates were lethal, whereas when inoculated intraduodenally, these strains were all lethal in these mice. Clinical signs in intragastrically and intraduodenally challenged mice were similar and included respiratory distress, abdominal distension, and neurological alterations. At necropsy, the small, and occasionally the large, intestine was dilated and gas filled in most mice developing a clinical response. Histological changes in the gut were relatively mild, consisting of attenuation of the mucosa with villus blunting. Inactivation of the CPB-encoding gene rendered the highly virulent type C strain CN3685 avirulent in the intragastric model and nearly nonlethal in the intraduodenal model. In contrast, inactivation of the genes encoding alpha toxin and perfringolysin O only slightly decreased the lethality of CN3685. Mice could be protected against lethality by intravenous passive immunization with a CPB antibody prior to intragastric challenge. This study proves that CPB is a major contributor to the systemic effects of type C infections and provides new mouse models for investigating the pathogenesis of type C-induced lethality.
The contingent effect of analyst coverage: how does analyst coverage affect innovation and Tobin’s Q?*

Abstract This study hypothesizes that the relationship between analyst coverage and innovation (Tobin’s Q) is U-shaped. My results support this hypothesis. Specifically, I find that as a firm’s analyst coverage increases, innovation (Tobin’s Q) declines at first, reaching a low point at moderate levels of analyst coverage, and increase thereafter. These findings suggest that firms can transform its investments in the relationship with the analyst community into firm performance only after they make substantial investments in the relationship.
“Drinking in the Dark” (DID): A Simple Mouse Model of Binge‐Like Alcohol Intake

One of the greatest challenges that scientists face when studying the neurobiology and/or genetics of alcohol (ethanol) consumption is that most preclinical animal models do not voluntarily consume enough ethanol to achieve pharmacologically meaningful blood ethanol concentrations (BECs). Recent rodent models have been developed that promote binge‐like levels of ethanol consumption associated with high BECs (i.e., ≥100 mg/dl). This unit describes procedures for an animal model of binge‐like ethanol drinking which has come to be called “drinking in the dark” (DID). The “basic” variation of DID involves replacing the water bottle with a bottle containing 20% ethanol for 2 to 4 hr, beginning 3 hr into the dark cycle, on cages of singly‐housed C57BL/6J mice. Using this procedure, mice typically consume enough ethanol to achieve BECs >100 mg/dl and to exhibit behavioral evidence of intoxication. An alternative two‐bottle (ethanol and water) procedure is also described. Curr. Protoc. Neurosci. 68:9.49. 1‐9.49. 12. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The adaptive function of tiger moth clicks against echolocating bats: an experimental and synthetic approach

SUMMARY We studied the efficiency and effects of the multiple sensory cues of tiger moths on echolocating bats. We used the northern long-eared bat, Myotis septentrionalis, a purported moth specialist that takes surface-bound prey (gleaning) and airborne prey (aerial hawking), and the dogbane tiger moth, Cycnia tenera, an eared species unpalatable to bats that possesses conspicuous colouration and sound-producing organs (tymbals). This is the first study to investigate the interaction of tiger moths and wild-caught bats under conditions mimicking those found in nature and to demand the use of both aerial hawking and gleaning strategies by bats. Further, it is the first to report spectrograms of the sounds produced by tiger moths while under aerial attack by echolocating bats. During both aerial hawking and gleaning trials, all muted C. tenera and perched intact C. tenera were attacked by M. septentrionalis, indicating that M. septentrionalis did not discriminate C. tenera from palatable moths based on potential echoic and/or non-auditory cues. Intact C. tenera were attacked significantly less often than muted C. tenera during aerial hawking attacks: tymbal clicks were therefore an effective deterrent in an aerial hawking context. During gleaning attacks, intact and muted C. tenera were always attacked and suffered similar mortality rates, suggesting that while handling prey this bat uses primarily chemical signals. Our results also show that C. tenera temporally matches the onset of click production to the `approach phase' echolocation calls produced by aerial hawking attacking bats and that clicks themselves influence the echolocation behaviour of attacking bats. In the context of past research, these findings support the hypotheses that the clicks of arctiid moths are both an active defence (through echolocation disruption) and a reliable indicator of chemical defence against aerial-hawking bats. We suggest these signals are specialized for an aerial context.
Use of iPhones by Nurses in an Acute Care Setting to Improve Communication and Decision-Making Processes: Qualitative Analysis of Nurses’ Perspectives on iPhone Use

Background Smartphones and other mobile devices are having and will continue to have an impact on health care delivery in acute settings in Australia and overseas. Nurses, unlike physicians, have been slow to adopt these technologies and the reasons for this may relate to the status of both these professions within the hospital setting. Objective To explore nurses’ perspectives on iPhone use within an acute care unit. We examined their experiences and views on how this device may improve communication and decision-making processes at the point of care. Methods Two focus group discussions, using a semistructured interview, were conducted over the trial period. The discussions focused on the nurses’ experiences regarding ease of use, features, and capabilities of the device. The focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using semistructured interview questions as a guide. Results The positive findings indicated that the iPhones were accessible and portable at point of care with patients, enhanced communication in the workplace, particularly among the nurses, and that this technology would evolve and be embraced by all nurses in the future. The negatives were the small screen size when undertaking bedside education for the patient and the invasive nature of the device. Another issue was the perception of being viewed as unprofessional when using the device in real time with the patients and their family. Conclusions The use of iPhones by nurses in acute care settings has the potential to enhance patient care, especially through more effective communication among nurses, and other health care professionals. To ensure that the benefits of this technology is woven into the everyday practice of the nurse, it is important that leaders in these organizations develop the agenda or policy to ensure that this occurs.
Evaluation of the continuum of gambling problems using the DSM-IV.

AIMS To assess the measurement properties of the 10 symptoms of pathological gambling defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) in a general population survey, including examination of unidimensionality and relative severity of the symptoms and their typical patterning. DESIGN We conducted a Rasch model item-response analysis of data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). SETTING The NESARC surveyed a nationally representative sample from the United States. PARTICIPANTS Participants were 11,153 individuals who reported gambling more than five times in a single year. MEASUREMENTS The NESARC survey employed the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disability Interview Schedule-DSM-IV version (AUDADIS-IV). FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS DSM-IV problem gambling symptoms were strongly unidimensional and maintained a reliable ordering across a broad range of the problem gambling continuum, indicating that the 10 symptoms can be used to create an additive index of problem severity. The DSM-IV-based symptom index appeared to have sufficient reliability to separate life-time pathological gamblers from other gamblers using the current diagnostic threshold of five or more symptoms. However, the DSM-IV symptom index did not have sufficient reliability to separate further among groups of gamblers who reported fewer than five symptoms. After equating for the level of gambling problem severity, the likelihood of reporting certain symptoms was biased across groups characterized by their age and gender. Implications for understanding the construct of gambling problems severity and use of symptom counts as a continuous index are discussed.
Exploring academic persistence for nontraditional business students at for-profit universities

This phenomenological study explored academic persistence for 10 nontraditional students pursuing business degrees at for-profit universities in southern Georgia and northern Virginia. The literature review provides a theoretical framework based on Tinto’s (1975) theory of persistence and Bandura’s (1993) self-efficacy theory. Data was collected through a demographic survey, timeline of significant events, indepth survey, and a letter of advice. Data analysis included identifying significant statements, utilizing participant feedback to create structural and textural descriptions and ultimately describing the participant essences of their experiences. The decision to pursue a degree themes that emerged were career progression, family security, transferability, and convenience. The academic integration themes were engagement, personal relations, and encouragement. The social integration themes were positive student experiences, confidence building, and positive team interactions. Finally, the characteristics of persistent student themes were self-efficacy and faith.
PILOT EXPERIENCE WITH Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Jos, Nigeria - CHALLENGES and prospects.

BACKGROUND While laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard in developed countries for the removal of the diseased gallbladder, the procedure is just gaining popularity in Nigeria. This was a documentation of the authour's initial experience with laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a private hospital setting. AIMS & OBJECTIVES To highlight the challenges of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in our environment and recommend solutions. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a prospective analysis of 35 consecutive patients presenting for laparoscopic cholecystectomy at a private hospital with special interest in endoscopy located in Jos, North Central Nigeria from June 2008 to May 2011. A Standard four-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in all the patients. The demographics, clinical features and management outcome were entered in a proforma and analyzed with Epi-info. RESULTS A total of 35 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed during the study period. There were 5(14%) males and 30(86%) females giving a male: female ratio of 1:6. The mean age of the study population was 40.1± 11.4years and the mean operating time was 90 minutes with a range of 45-125 minutes. All the patients had chronic calculous cholecystitis and one (2.9%) of them also had empyema of the gall bladder. There were 2 conversions to open cholecystectomy in this study giving a conversion rate of 9.1%. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and acceptable way of performing cholecystectomy in our environment even in a private hospital with careful patient selection, attention to details and performed by experienced surgeons.
Biological treatment of sewage treatment plant sludge by pure bacterial culture with optimum process conditions in a stirred tank bioreactor

Biological treatment of sewage treatment plant (STP) sludge by potential pure bacterial culture (Bacillus sp.) with optimum process conditions for effective biodegradation and bioseparation was carried out in the laboratory. The effective and efficient bioconversion was evaluated with the treatment of pure bacterial culture and existing microbes (uninnoculated) in sludge. The optimum process conditions i.e., temperature, 40°C; pH, 6; inoculum, 5% (v/v); aeration, 1 vvm; agitation speed, 50 rpm obtained from the previous studies with chemical oxygen demand COD at 30 mgL− 1 were applied for the biological treatment of sludge. The results indicated that pure bacterial culture (Bacillus sp.) showed higher degradation and separation of treated sludge compared to treatment with the existing mixed microbes in a stirred tank bioreactor. The treated STP sludge by potential pure bacterial culture and existing microbes gave 30% and 11%; 91.2% and 59.1; 88.5% and 52.3%; 98.4% and 51.3%; 96.1% and 75.2%; 99.4% and 72.8% reduction of total suspended solids (TSS, biosolids), COD, soluble protein, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS) and specific resistance to filtration (SRF), respectively within 7 days of treatment. The pH was observed at 6.5 and 4 during the treatment of sludge by pure culture and existing microbes, respectively.
TLR2 Stimulation Drives Human Naive and Effector Regulatory T Cells into a Th17-Like Phenotype with Reduced Suppressive Function

Naturally occurring CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells suppress the activity of pathogenic T cells and prevent development of autoimmune responses. There is growing evidence that TLRs are involved in modulating regulatory T cell (Treg) functions both directly and indirectly. Specifically, TLR2 stimulation has been shown to reduce the suppressive function of Tregs by mechanisms that are incompletely understood. The developmental pathways of Tregs and Th17 cells are considered divergent and mutually inhibitory, and IL-17 secretion has been reported to be associated with reduced Treg function. We hypothesized that TLR2 stimulation may reduce the suppressive function of Tregs by regulating the balance between Treg and Th17 phenotype and function. We examined the effect of different TLR2 ligands on the suppressive functions of Tregs and found that activation of TLR1/2 heterodimers reduces the suppressive activity of CD4+CD25hiFOXP3lowCD45RA+ (naive) and CD4+CD25hiFOXP3hiCD45RA− (memory or effector) Treg subpopulations on CD4+CD25−FOXP3−CD45RA+ responder T cell proliferation while at the same time enhancing the secretion of IL-6 and IL-17, increasing RORC, and decreasing FOXP3 expression. Neutralization of IL-6 or IL-17 abrogated Pam3Cys-mediated reduction of Treg suppressive function. We also found that, in agreement with recent observations in mouse T cells, TLR2 stimulation can promote Th17 differentiation of human T helper precursors. We conclude that TLR2 stimulation, in combination with TCR activation and costimulation, promotes the differentiation of distinct subsets of human naive and memory/effector Tregs into a Th17-like phenotype and their expansion. Such TLR-induced mechanism of regulation of Treg function could enhance microbial clearance and increase the risk of autoimmune reactions.