Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Daily and seasonal variation in response to stress in captive starlings (Sturnus vulgaris): glucose.

We investigated the seasonal and daily variation in plasma glucose levels in response to stress in captive wild starlings. Starlings were captured from the wild during the winter, held on short days (11L:13D, mimicking winter), and then shifted to long days (19L:5D, mimicking summer). Birds were maintained on long days until they began a prebasic molt, the energetically costly replacement of feathers. Throughout the daily cycle we took a basal blood sample within 3 min of disturbance and took subsequent blood samples at 15 and 30 min. Birds were kept in cloth bags (restraint) between bleeds. Experiments were repeated during all three seasons (short day, long day, and molt). Starlings showed no sexual difference in circulating glucose levels at any time of the day or in any season. Both basal and stress-induced glucose levels, however, showed a significant effect of season, with birds held on long days exhibiting the highest levels, molting birds showing intermediate levels, and birds held on short days exhibiting the lowest levels. Basal glucose levels also showed a circadiel rhythm in all three seasons. Regardless of season, however, the daily peak in basal levels occurred at midday with nadir in the middle of the scotophase. This trend was paralleled in the overall weights of the birds. Although stress-induced glucose levels showed no circadiel rhythm, the stress-induced elevation of glucose above baseline showed a significant daily rhythm, indicating that stress elevated plasma glucose levels only during the scotophase in all three seasons.
Weather and Land Cover Influences on Mosquito Populations in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

ABSTRACT This study compared the spatial and temporal patterns of Culex tarsalis Coquillett and Aedes vexans Meigen populations and examined their relationships with land cover types and climatic variability in Sioux Falls, SD. Between 24 and 30 CDC CO2-baited light traps were set annually in Sioux Falls from May to September 2005–2008. Land cover data were acquired from the 2001 National Land Cover Dataset and the percentages of selected land cover types were calculated within a 600-m buffer zone around each trap. Meteorological information was summarized from local weather stations. Cx. tarsalis exhibited stronger spatial autocorrelation than Ae. vexans. Land cover analysis indicated that Cx. tarsalis was positively correlated with grass/hay, and Ae. vexans was positively correlated with wetlands. No associations were identified between irrigation and the host-seeking population of each species. Higher temperature in the current week and 2 wk prior and higher precipitation 3–4 wk before collection of host-seeking adult mosquitoes had positive influences on Cx. tarsalis abundance. Temperature in the current week and rainfall 2–3 wk before sampling had positive influences on Ae. vexans abundance. This study revealed the different influences of weather and land cover on important mosquito species in the Northern Great Plains region, which can be used to improve local vector control strategies and West Nile virus prevention efforts.
Mitochondrial extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) are modulated during brain development

Intracellular activation and trafficking of extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinases (ERK) play a significant role in cell cycle progression, contributing to developmental brain activities. Additionally, mitochondria participate in cell signalling through energy‐linked functions, redox metabolism and activation of pro‐ or anti‐apoptotic proteins. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the presence of ERK1/2 in mitochondria during rat brain development. Immunoblotting, immune electron microscopy and activity assays demonstrated that ERK1/2 are present in fully active brain mitochondria at the outer membrane/intermembrane space fraction. Besides, it was observed that ERK1/2 translocation to brain mitochondria follows a developmental pattern which is maximal between E19‐P2 stages and afterwards declines at P3, just before maximal translocation to nucleus, and up to adulthood. Most of mitochondrial ERK1/2 were active; upstream phospho‐MAPK/ERK kinases (MEK1/2) were also detected in the brain organelles. Mitochondrial phospho‐ERK1/2 increased at 1 μm hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration, but it decreased at higher 50–100 μm H2O2, almost disappearing after the organelles were maximally stimulated to produce H2O2 with antimycin. Our results suggest that developmental mitochondrial activation of ERK1/2 cascade contributes to its nuclear translocation effects, providing information about mitochondrial energetic and redox status to the proliferating/differentiating nuclear pathways.
Temporal Profiling of the Coding and Noncoding Murine Cytomegalovirus Transcriptomes

ABSTRACT The global transcriptional program of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), involving coding, noncoding, and antisense transcription, remains unknown. Here we report an oligonucleotide custom microarray platform capable of measuring both coding and noncoding transcription on a genome-wide scale. By profiling MCMV wild-type and immediate-early mutant strains in fibroblasts, we found rapid activation of the transcriptome by 6.5 h postinfection, with absolute dependency on ie3, but not ie1 or ie2, for genomic programming of viral gene expression. Evidence is also presented to show, for the first time, genome-wide noncoding and bidirectional transcription at late stages of MCMV infection.
Structure-activity relationship of lidocaine homologs producing tonic and frequency-dependent impulse blockade in nerve.

Experiments were done to assess the relationship of the chemical properties of local anesthetics to their ability to block neuronal impulse conduction, using a series of hitherto unavailable homologs of lidocaine. These molecules varied in the number and arrangement of alkyl groups attached to the tertiary amine nitrogen. Each compound was applied to desheathed sciatic nerves of frogs (Rana pipiens) mounted in a sucrose gap recording chamber. Compound action potentials (AP) were recorded at room temperature (20-23 degrees C) and the potency of each anesthetic determined from the concentration required to produce a 40% reduction in the amplitude of the AP at low-frequency stimulation: 1 min-1. This reduction was called Bt. An additional Bt was measured from the further decrease in amplitude of the AP during high-frequency stimulation (10 and 40 Hz). Tonic and phasic blocking potencies were analyzed as functions of the calculated drug partition coefficients, and the known molecular weights, molecular configurations and pKa values. Potency for Bt increased with increasing length of n-alkyl groups attached to the terminal amine, whereas it decreased as the length of the alkyl group connecting the amide bond to the terminal amine was increased. However, when considered in terms of their physicochemical properties, the homologs showed a potency for Bt that increased uniformly with increasing partition coefficient. This analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between tonic potency and partitioning into octanol for both neutral and protonated anesthetic species but little correlation with molecular weight or pKa. However, Bt did not depend uniquely on hydrophobicity, as predicted if lipophilic partitioning alone determined potency. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Pulmonary embolism: detection with MR perfusion imaging of lung--a feasibility study.

PURPOSE To evaluate the feasibility of magnetic resonance (MR) perfusion imaging in the human lung to help detect perfusion defects distal to suspected pulmonary embolism. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seven patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism first underwent ventilation-perfusion lung scintigraphy followed by MR perfusion imaging with rapid acquisition of two sets of dynamic images in the coronal and transaxial planes. A bolus of 0.05 mmol per kilogram of body weight gadopentetate dimeglumine or gadodiamide was administered. Single images obtained in each section that showed peak signal intensity from the first passage of contrast material were evaluated visually. An analysis of change in signal intensity over time was performed both on a pixel-by-pixel basis and in selected regions of interest. RESULTS In the seven patients, a total of 18 regions of lung tissue with perfusion defects were shown on the ventilation-perfusion scans. In 16 of these regions, MR perfusion images showed a reduced peak signal intensity during first passage of the contrast agent. Perfusion defects could be detected in both the coronal and the transaxial planes on MR perfusion images. CONCLUSION MR perfusion imaging was feasible for detection of perfusion defects distal to a pulmonary embolism.
A Leptospira borgpetersenii Serovar Hardjo Vaccine Induces a Th1 Response, Activates NK Cells, and Reduces Renal Colonization

ABSTRACT Chronic infection of cattle with Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo reduces animal production through reproductive failure and presents a persistent health threat to workers in the animal industry. Cattle are maintenance hosts for serovar Hardjo, and development of vaccines that establish long-term protective immunity has been problematic; induction of high titers of anti-serovar Hardjo antibody does not appear to be protective. Rather, development of an antigen-specific Th1 response appears to be critical for limiting renal colonization and urinary shedding of bacteria. In this study we compared two monovalent killed bacterial cell vaccines to assess long-term (12 months) protection against live serovar Hardjo challenge. Although neither vaccine prevented infection, renal colonization and urinary shedding of bacteria were reduced compared to those of control animals. Increased proliferation of CD4+, CD8+, and γδ T cells from vaccinated, but not control, animals was detected. In addition, NK cells from vaccinated animals and from all animals following infection, when exposed to antigen ex vivo, demonstrated a gamma interferon (IFN-γ) recall response. We propose that programming NK cells to respond quickly to L. borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo infection may be an important step toward developing protective immunity.
Glutamine deamidation: an indicator of antiquity, or preservational quality?

RATIONALE Much credence has been given in the paleoproteomic community to glutamine deamidation as a proxy for the age of proteins derived from fossil and subfossil material, and this modification has been invoked as a means for determining the endogeneity of molecules recovered from very old fossil specimens. METHODS We re-evaluated the relationship between glutamine deamidation and geologic time by examining previously published data from five recent mass spectrometry studies of archeaological fossils. Deamidation values recovered for fossils were graphed against their reported chronologic age using WebPlotDigitizer. RESULTS The experimental data that has been produced from fossil material to date show that the extent of glutamine deamidation does not correspond to the absolute age of the specimens being examined, but rather show extreme variation between specimens of similar age and taxonomic affinity. CONCLUSIONS Because deamidation rates and levels can be greatly affected by numerous chemical and environmental factors, we propose that glutamine deamidation is better suited as an indicator of preservational quality and/or environmental conditions than a mark of the endogeneity or authenticity of ancient proteins.
Isotopic composition of atmospheric moisture from pan water evaporation measurements

A continuous and reliable time series data of the stable isotopic composition of atmospheric moisture is an important requirement for the wider applicability of isotope mass balance methods in atmospheric and water balance studies. This requires routine sampling of atmospheric moisture by an appropriate technique and analysis of moisture for its isotopic composition. We have, therefore, used a much simpler method based on an isotope mass balance approach to derive the isotopic composition of atmospheric moisture using a class-A drying evaporation pan. We have carried out the study by collecting water samples from a class-A drying evaporation pan and also by collecting atmospheric moisture using the cryogenic trap method at the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, India, during a pre-monsoon period. We compared the isotopic composition of atmospheric moisture obtained by using the class-A drying evaporation pan method with the cryogenic trap method. The results obtained from the evaporation pan water compare well with the cryogenic based method. Thus, the study establishes a cost-effective means of maintaining time series data of the isotopic composition of atmospheric moisture at meteorological observatories. The conclusions drawn in the present study are based on experiments conducted at Roorkee, India, and may be examined at other regions for its general applicability.
[Routine western medicine treatment plus qishen yiqi dripping pill for treating patients with chronic heart failure: a systematic review of randomized control trials].

OBJECTIVE To systematically review the safety and efficacy of Qishen Yiqi Dripping Pill (QYDP) as a complementary treatment for chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. METHODS CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, PubMed and Cochrane Library were retrieved for papers on randomized control trials of treating CHF patients by routine western medical treatment plus QYDP. The quality of inclusive literatures was assessed by methods from Cochrane Handbook. Valid data were extracted and analyzed by Meta-analysis using RevMan 5.1. 0 Software. RESULTS Totally 17 trials and 1840 patients in line with standard were included. Results of Meta-analysis showed, compared with the routine Western medical treatment group, additional use of QYDP could decrease re-admission rate [RR = 0.52, 95% CI (0.33, 0.81), P = 0.004] and the mortality rate, improve the clinical efficacy [RR = 1.18, 95% CI (1.12, 1.25), P < 0.01] and cardiac function [RR = 1.18, 95% CI (1.10, 1.27),P < 0.01], increase left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) [WMD = 5.57, 95% CI (4.16, 6.97), P < 0.01] of CHF patients. Subgroup analysis of LVEF showed that additional use of QYDP could further improve LVEF [ WMD = 8.34, 95% CI (6.23, 10.45), P < 0.01] of CHF patients and increase the distance of their 6-min walk test [WMD = 94.39, 95% CI (71.89, 116.89), P < 0.01]. But there was no statistical difference in plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) between the two groups. No obvious adverse reaction and liver or kidney damage was reported during the trial. CONCLUSIONS Compared with the Western medical treatment, additional use of QYDP was safe and could further improve clinical efficacy. However, larger and high-quality clinical trials are necessary for further evidence.
Radiofrequency ablation vs antiarrhythmic drugs as first-line treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (RAAFT-2): a randomized trial.

IMPORTANCE Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common rhythm disorder seen in clinical practice. Antiarrhythmic drugs are effective for reduction of recurrence in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF. Radiofrequency ablation is an accepted therapy in patients for whom antiarrhythmic drugs have failed; however, its role as a first-line therapy needs further investigation. OBJECTIVE To compare radiofrequency ablation with antiarrhythmic drugs (standard therapy) in treating patients with paroxysmal AF as a first-line therapy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS A randomized clinical trial involving 127 treatment-naive patients with paroxysmal AF were randomized at 16 centers in Europe and North America to received either antiarrhythmic therapy or ablation. The first patient was enrolled July 27, 2006; the last patient, January 29, 2010. The last follow-up was February 16, 2012. INTERVENTIONS Sixty-one patients in the antiarrhythmic drug group and 66 in the radiofrequency ablation group were followed up for 24 months. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The time to the first documented atrial tachyarrhythmia of more than 30 seconds (symptomatic or asymptomatic AF, atrial flutter, or atrial tachycardia), detected by either scheduled or unscheduled electrocardiogram, Holter, transtelephonic monitor, or rhythm strip, was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included symptomatic recurrences of atrial tachyarrhythmias and quality of life measures assessed by the EQ-5D tool. RESULTS Forty-four patients (72.1%) in the antiarrhythmic group and in 36 patients (54.5%) in the ablation group experienced the primary efficacy outcome (hazard ratio [HR], 0.56 [95% CI, 0.35-0.90]; P = .02). For the secondary outcomes, 59% in the drug group and 47% in the ablation group experienced the first recurrence of symptomatic AF, atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia (HR, 0.56 [95% CI, 0.33-0.95]; P = .03). No deaths or strokes were reported in either group; 4 cases of cardiac tamponade were reported in the ablation group. In the standard treatment group, 26 patients (43%) underwent ablation after 1-year. Quality of life was moderately impaired at baseline in both groups and improved at the 1 year follow-up. However, improvement was not significantly different among groups. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with paroxysmal AF without previous antiarrhythmic drug treatment, radiofrequency ablation compared with antiarrhythmic drugs resulted in a lower rate of recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmias at 2 years. However, recurrence was frequent in both groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00392054.
Cognitive and affective empathy in younger and older individuals

Objective: We aimed to elucidate how cognitive and affective empathy differ across age groups and how these differences might relate to executive dysfunction. Methods: In study I, we assessed 108 healthy participants in three consecutive age groups (20–39 years/40–59 years/60–79 years) using a self-report measure of trait cognitive and affective empathy (interpersonal reactivity index: IRI). In study II, 54 younger (20–35 years) and 54 older (55–70 years) individuals completed a test of state cognitive and affective empathy (multifaceted empathy test: MET). Additionally, measures of cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, and working memory were administered. Results: Older and younger adults were comparable with regard to trait empathy (study I). Contrary to most previous findings, older adults did not show impaired state-cognitive empathy, but scored higher on subtests of state-affective empathy relative to the younger group, irrespective of the valence of the stimulus material (study II). Performance on the executive subtests was related to empathy in both studies. Discussion: While older and younger cohorts might not differ with regard to trait empathy, and state-cognitive empathy performance might be task-dependent, this investigation provides first evidence of potentially increased state affective empathic responding in older age. This might be related to executive dysfunction, in particular poor inhibitory control.
Fractions primaire et secondaire de l'aérosol organique : Méthodologies et application à un environnement urbain méditerranéen, Marseille.

La mise en place de politiques efficaces visant a la reduction des niveaux de concentrations en PM exige la connaissance prealable des sources primaires et secondaires de l’aerosol organique, une fraction majoritaire des PM demeurant encore mal apprehendee. Les travaux realises au cours de cette these s’inscrivent dans le cadre du projet FORMES qui avait pour principal objectif d’evaluer et de contraindre les principales methodes de quantification de l’influence des differentes sources de la fraction organique de l’aerosol en milieu recepteur et d’en optimiser les procedures. La caracterisation physico-chimique de l’aerosol s’est articulee autour de deux campagnes de mesures intensives de 15 jours chacune dans deux environnements urbains tres contrastes : Marseille en ete, et Grenoble en hiver. Ce travail de these s’est concentre sur le cas de Marseille, un environnement tres complexe, combinant une activite photo oxydante tres intense a un ensemble d’emissions primaires qui incluent les sources industrielles et les emissions par les bateaux.L’analyse CMB appliquee sur le cas de Marseille a montre que les sources primaires sont dominees par les emissions vehiculaires contribuant a 17 % du carbone organique (OC). Bien que les sources industrielles contribuent faiblement a la masse de l’aerosol (2.5 % de l’OC), ces emissions controlent les concentrations des HAP et de certains metaux lourds. Ces sources contribuent egalement, en moyenne sur la periode, a environ 30% du nombre des particules ultrafines (Dp<50 nm), ce qui augmente probablement leurs effets sanitaires. Contrairement a Grenoble, ou la combustion de bois est une source preponderante (environ 70 % de l’OC), a Marseille ces emissions ne constituent qu’une source minoritaire, contribuant a 0.8 % de l’OC. Toutefois, la principale information revelee par la deconvolution de sources par CMB est que les sources primaires considerees ne permettent d’expliquer, que 22 % de l’OC mesure ; 78 % du carbone restant non explique. Cette fraction est associee majoritairement a l’aerosol organique secondaire (SOA). En combinant les resultats CMB aux mesures 14C, il a ete montre que plus que 70% de cet aerosol est tres vraisemblablement d’origine biogenique. En consequence, les contributions du SOA forme a partir de l’isoprene, l’α-pinene et le β-caryophyllene ont ete examinees moyennant une approche basee sur les marqueurs de cet aerosol. Le SOA issu de ces precurseurs a ete estime comme contribuant uniquement a 4.3 % de l’OC, laissant une grande fraction de ce carbone non-attribuee. Cette sous-estimation est la consequence de trois causes : (i) les incertitudes associees a l’approche utilisee, (ii) des precurseurs biogeniques non-consideres et (iii) le vieillissement de l’aerosol secondaire au cours de son transport dans l’atmosphere, comme suggere par les mesures d’organosulfates et de la fraction polycarboxylique de type HULIS. Cette derniere fraction peut contribuer a pres de 40% de l’OC non-attribue.
Cancer Survivorship in Rural and Urban Adults: A Descriptive and Mixed Methods Study.

PURPOSE Rural-dwelling cancer survivors (CSs) are at risk for decrements in health and well-being due to decreased access to health care and support resources. This study compares the impact of cancer in rural- and urban-dwelling adult CSs living in 2 regions of the Pacific Northwest. METHODS A convenience sample of posttreatment adult CSs (N = 132) completed the Impact of Cancer version 2 (IOCv2) and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-short form. High and low scorers on the IOCv2 participated in an in-depth interview (n = 19). FINDINGS The sample was predominantly middle-aged (mean age 58) and female (84%). Mean time since treatment completion was 6.7 years. Cancer diagnoses represented included breast (56%), gynecologic (9%), lymphoma (8%), head and neck (6%), and colorectal (5%). Comparisons across geographic regions show statistically significant differences in body concerns, worry, negative impact, and employment concerns. Rural-urban differences from interview data include access to health care, care coordination, connecting/community, thinking about death and dying, public/private journey, and advocacy. CONCLUSION The insights into the differences and similarities between rural and urban CSs challenge the prevalent assumptions about rural-dwelling CSs and their risk for negative outcomes. A common theme across the study findings was community. Access to health care may not be the driver of the survivorship experience. Findings can influence health care providers and survivorship program development, building on the strengths of both rural and urban living and the engagement of the survivorship community.