Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity by Antibodies Present in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

We have previously shown that B cells and Abs reactive with GAPDH and antitriosephosphate isomerase (TPI) are present in lesions and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in multiple sclerosis (MS). In the current study, we studied the effect of anti-GAPDH and anti-TPI CSF IgG on the glycolytic enzyme activity of GAPDH and TPI after exposure to intrathecal IgG from 10 patients with MS and 34 patients with other neurologic diseases. The degree of inhibition of GAPDH activity by CSF anti-GAPDH IgG in the seven MS samples tested varied from 13 to 98%, which seemed to correlate with the percentage of anti-GAPDH IgG in the CSF IgG (1–45%). Inhibition of GAPDH activity (18 and 23%) by CSF IgG was seen in two of the 34 patients with other neurologic diseases, corresponding to the low percentage of CSF anti-GAPDH IgG (1 and 8%). In addition, depletion of anti-GAPDH IgG from CSF IgG, using immobilized GAPDH, removed the inhibitory effect of the IgG on GAPDH. No inhibition of GAPDH activity was seen with CSF samples not containing anti-GAPDH IgG. No inhibition of TPI activity was seen with any purified CSF IgG sample. These findings demonstrate an increased percentage of anti-GAPDH Abs in the CSF of patients with MS that can inhibit GAPDH glycolytic enzyme activity and may contribute to neuroaxonal degeneration.
The effect of platelet-rich plasma on healing of palatal donor site following connective tissue harvesting: a pilot study in dogs.

BACKGROUND Peri-implant plastic surgery includes soft tissue enhancement by connective tissue grafting. The palatal donor site provides peri-implant keratinized mucosa and soft tissue height. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains growth factors that may enhance early healing. PURPOSE The present animal study investigated the effect of PRP on wound healing of palatal donor site after connective tissue harvesting. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 12 mongrel dogs, bilateral palatal connective tissues of 10 × 15 mm were harvested. At test site, PRP was applied into the wound, and the contralateral site served as control. The healing was evaluated clinically and histologically at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after surgeries. Exact binomial probability and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to compare the clinical and histologic measurements. RESULTS No statistically significant differences between PRP and control sites were measured with regard to clinical healing (p = 1.000) and histologic variables, including inflammatory cells (p = .750), collagen fibers (p = .375), and granulation tissue (p = .500) at any time interval. CONCLUSION The addition of PRP to palatal mucosal wound sites did not accelerate wound healing.
Antithyroid antibodies in major depression

ABSTRACT— Antithyroid antibodies were measured in 58 patients with unipolar major depressive disorder. None of the patients had received prior lithium treatment. Five patients had antimicrosomal and antithyroglobulin antibodies. The prevalence rate of detectable antibody titers approximates that found in normal subjects. The presence of detectable antibody titers was not related to abnormal thyroid function tests. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Education Policy is Health Policy

As I write this column, the dog days of August are upon us and the beginning of school is only a few weeks away. Slowly, parents, students, and teachers are turning their attention to preparing for the new school year. However, for researchers and health policy analysts, thoughts about education should remain prominent throughout the year as they consider policy interventions designed to improve population health. My reason for this assertion is the substantial and compelling evidence demonstrating the strong relationship between increased educational attainment and better health and health behaviors. While the debate lingers as to whether this relationship is truly causal or merely associative, the weight of the evidence suggests that enhanced educational attainment may represent an important foundation for achieving the goal of improved population health. As a result, we should recognize that beyond contributing to labor market success, policies to raise educational attainment may have long-term consequences for better population health, and thus can complement health policy.
A major susceptibility locus for specific language impairment is located on 13q21.

Children who fail to develop language normally-in the absence of explanatory factors such as neurological disorders, hearing impairment, or lack of adequate opportunity-are clinically described as having specific language impairment (SLI). SLI has a prevalence of approximately 7% in children entering school and is associated with later difficulties in learning to read. Research indicates that genetic factors are important in the etiology of SLI. Studies have consistently demonstrated that SLI aggregates in families. Increased monozygotic versus dizygotic twin concordance rates indicate that heredity, not just shared environment, is the cause of the familial clustering. We have collected five pedigrees of Celtic ancestry that segregate SLI, and we have conducted genomewide categorical linkage analysis, using model-based LOD score techniques. Analysis was conducted under both dominant and recessive models by use of three phenotypic classifications: clinical diagnosis, language impairment (spoken language quotient <85) and reading discrepancy (nonverbal IQ minus non-word reading >15). Chromosome 13 yielded a maximum multipoint LOD score of 3.92 under the recessive reading discrepancy model. Simulation to correct for multiple models and multiple phenotypes indicated that the genomewide empirical P value is <. 01. As an alternative measure, we also computed the posterior probability of linkage (PPL), obtaining a PPL of 53% in the same region. One other genomic region yielded suggestive results on chromosome 2 (multipoint LOD score 2.86, genomic P value <.06 under the recessive language impairment model). Our findings underscore the utility of traditional LOD-score-based methods in finding genes for complex diseases, specifically, SLI.
Paternal Laboratory Work and Congenital Malformations

Learning ObjectivesGive examples of mechanisms by which male-mediated congenital malformations might develop in children whose fathers work in a biological or biomedical laboratory.Relate the overall effects of laboratory exposures, if any, to major malformations in general and to neural crest malformations (craniofacial malformations and conotruncal cardiac defects). Outline the ways in which the teratogenic risk was influenced by the timing of exposure in relation to pregnancy and by exposure to particular agents. Abstract Animal studies indicate male-mediated teratogenicity for certain carcinogens/mutagens. Nevertheless, paternal occupational determinants of malformations in humans have been sparsely investigated. Data on male employees at Swedish universities from 1970 to 1989 were linked to the Medical Birth Register. The relationship between major malformations and exposure to laboratory work and to specific laboratory agents/techniques before the third trimester were analyzed using logistic regression. For major malformations, “laboratory work in general” (n = 3237) gave an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 1.3 (95% CI = 0.8–2.1) and carcinogenic solvent use (n = 2489) of 2.0 (95% CI = 0.8–4.9) around the time of conception. For carcinogenic solvents and neural crest malformations, OR was 4.9 (95% CI =1.5–15.8). In conclusion, the prevalence of congenital malformations was not increased in offspring of males with laboratory work in general (1970–1989). Paternal work with agents such as carcinogens could, however, be of concern.
Vascular effects of a low-carbohydrate high-protein diet

The cardiovascular complications of obesity have prompted interest in dietary interventions to reduce weight, including low-carbohydrate diets that are generally high in protein and fat. However, little is known about the long-term effects of these diets on vascular health. We examined the cardiovascular effects of a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet (LCHP) in the ApoE−/− mouse model of atherosclerosis and in a model of ischemia-induced neovascularization. Mice on a LCHP were compared with mice maintained on either the standard chow diet (SC) or the Western diet (WD) which contains comparable fat and cholesterol to the LCHP. LCHP-fed mice developed more aortic atherosclerosis and had an impaired ability to generate new vessels in response to tissue ischemia. These changes were not explained by alterations in serum cholesterol, inflammatory mediators or infiltrates, or oxidative stress. The LCHP diet substantially reduced the number of bone marrow and peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), a marker of vascular regenerative capacity. EPCs from mice on a LCHP diet also manifest lower levels of activated (phosphorylated) Akt, a serine-threonine kinase important in EPC mobilization, proliferation, and survival. Taken together, these data demonstrate that in animal models LCHP diets have adverse vascular effects not reflected in serum markers and that nonlipid macronutrients can modulate vascular progenitor cells and pathophysiology.
Quantitation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 DNA by two PCR procedures coupled with enzyme-linked oligosorbent assay

Two quantitative PCR methods with our nonisotopic enzyme-linked oligosorbent assay (ELOSA) in microtiter plate format were developed for quantitation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Quantitative competitive PCR (QC-PCR) was based on the coamplification of the wild-type nef region with a mimic competitive nef gene template carrying mutations in the capture region. Correlation of wild-type HIV-1 nef DNA to mimic template copy number permitted quantitation of HIV-1 copy numbers in the range of 20 to 2,000 copies per micrograms of DNA. Internally controlled PCR (IC-PCR) was based on coamplification of the nef region and the ras gene as an internal endogenous standard. Correlation to known amounts of HIV-1 DNA permitted quantitation by IC-PCR of HIV-1 copy numbers in the range of 10 to 2,000 copies per microgram of DNA. QC- and IC-PCR-ELOSA were performed on a panel of 53 seropositive patients and 12 seronegative controls. The methods showed similar coefficients of variation below 24%. Quantitations by QC- and IC-PCR-ELOSA were identical for 77% of patient samples. The copy level ranged between 443 +/- 156 and 21,453 +/- 13,511 copies per 10(5) CD4 cells for asymptomatic and AIDS patients, respectively. The simplicity and reliability of QC- and IC-PCR-ELOSA methods make them appropriate for routine laboratory use in the quantitation of viral and bacterial DNAs.
Impulsivity and Addiction: A Tribute to Henri Begleiter

The 2007 NIDA-NIAAA Symposium, part of NIDA's Mini-Convention on Frontiers in Addiction Research, chaired by Drs. Nora Volkow and T.K. Li, and featuring speakers K. Kendler, B. Porjesz, and D. Goldman, was held in honor of Henri Begleiter, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, who passed away on April 6, 2006. Henri was an exceptional scientist of international acclaim, whose innovative approaches to research and scientific vision were an inspiration to us all. He was one of the truly great, wise, and charismatic leaders in the field, who possessed incredible professional and personal gifts. He enjoyed reading voraciously on wideranging topics, always in pursuit of new knowledge and exciting ideas. He had the astonishing ability to integrate information from a wide variety of fields. With his scientific vision and encyclopedic knowledge in multiple fields, he almost single-handedly brought together the fields of neurophysiology, genetics, and alcoholism, and his ideas are the basis and inspiration for this symposium. Henri very much lived in accordance with his favorite quote from Louis Pasteur, which he hung in large letters over his desk:
MRI and 1H MRS of The Breast: Presence of a Choline Peak as Malignancy Marker is Related to k21 Value of the Tumor in Patients with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

Abstract: To assess which specific morphologic features, enhancement patterns, or pharmacokinetic parameters on breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) could predict a false‐negative outcome of Proton MR Spectroscopy (1H MRS) exam in patients with invasive breast cancer. Sixteen patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast were prospectively included and underwent both, contrast‐enhanced breast MRI and 1H MRS examination of the breast. The MR images were reviewed and the lesions morphologic features, enhancement patterns and pharmacokinetic parameters (k21‐value) were scored according to the ACR BI‐RADS‐MRI lexicon criteria. For the in vivo MRS studies, each spectrum was evaluated for the presence of choline based on consensus reading. Breast MRI and 1H MRS data were compared to histopathologic findings. In vivo 1H MRS detected a choline peak in 14/16 (88%) cancers. A false‐negative 1H MRS study occurred in 2/16 (14%) cancer patients. K21 values differed between both groups: the 14 choline positive cancers had k21 values ranging from 0.01 to 0.20/second (mean 0.083/second), whereas the two choline‐negative cancers showed k21 values of 0.03 and 0.05/second, respectively (mean 0.040/second). Also enhancement kinetics did differ between both groups; typically both cancers that were choline‐negative showed a late phase plateau (100%), whereas this was only shown in 5/14 (36%) of the choline positive cases. There was no difference between both groups with regard to morphologic features on MRI. This study showed that false‐negative 1H MRS examinations do occur in breast cancer patients, and that the presence of a choline peak on 1H MRS as malignancy marker is related to the k21 value of the invasive tumor being imaged.
Treatment of Prominent and Constricted Ear Anomalies

Although the physiologic effects of ear deformity are negligible, the aesthetic and psychological impact on the patient can be profound. Significant ear malformations are prevalent in today's society and affect more than 5 percent of the population. Although the prominent ear results from either underdevelopment of the antihelix or an enlarged conchal bowl, the constricted ear is a product of helical down-folding and height deficiency. After a thorough evaluation, surgical management of the prominent ear must be approached in a careful, rational fashion. Although the surgeon may enjoy the wide latitude that hundreds of corrective techniques offer, he or she must always proceed with an algorithmic application of technique best suited to the specific auricular deformity. By using this approach, correction of the prominent ear can go beyond patient satisfaction to predictably maximize outcome in both form and symmetry. From the clinical evaluation and anatomical basis to surgical management of the deformed ear, the true art of otoplasty is in the surgeon's ability to thoroughly understand auricular structure and appropriately apply technique for maximal aesthetic outcome.
The Stretta procedure versus proton pump inhibitors and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication in the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND The Stretta procedure is an endoscopic therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the Stretta procedure and that of competing strategies in the long-term management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. METHODS A Markov model was designed to estimate costs and health outcomes in Canadian patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease over five years, from a Ministry of Health perspective. Strategies included the use of daily proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) and the Stretta procedure. Probabilities and utilities were derived from the literature. Costs are expressed in 2006 Canadian dollars. Units of effectiveness were symptom-free months (SFMs) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), using a five-year time horizon. RESULTS In the analysis that used SFMs, the strategy using PPIs exhibited the lowest costs ($40 per SFM) and the greatest number of SFMs, thus dominating both the LNF and Stretta systems. But the cost-effectiveness analysis using QALYs as the measure of effectiveness showed that PPIs presented the lowest cost-effectiveness ratio, while both the LNF and Stretta strategies were associated with very high incremental costs (approximately $353,000 and $393,000, respectively) to achieve an additional QALY. However, the PPI strategy did not dominate the two other strategies, which were associated with better effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS If SFMs are used as the measure of effectiveness, PPIs dominate the Stretta and LNF strategies. However, if QALYs are used, the PPIs still present the lowest cost and LNF gives the best effectiveness. Regardless of the units of effectiveness or utility used in the present cost analysis, an approach of prescribing PPIs appears to be the preferred strategy.
Stability of Hydroxylated Minerals on Mars: A Study on the Effects of Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation

The density and composition of the Martian atmosphere allow solar ultraviolet photons with wavelengths as short as 190 nm to reach the surface. We investigate the hypothesis that this UV radiation is capable of inducing the release of water from iron oxyhydroxide minerals resulting in the formation of oxide phases. These experiments, which utilize a quadrupole mass spectrometer to monitor the water vapor pressure above mineral samples during cyclic exposure to ultraviolet radiation, offer 5 to 6 orders of magnitude greater sensitivity than previous attempts to establish and quantify this process. We find no evidence that UV photons are capable of liberating OH from the crystal lattice of minerals, and we set a minimum ultraviolet radiation-induced dehydroxylation time of 10^8 years for removal of this structural OH from mineral particles at the Martian surface. The overturning timescales for surface fines are likely to be shorter than this lower limit for exposure time. Thus we conclude that UV-stimulated dehydroxylation is not a significant process at the Martian surface and that iron oxyhydroxides, if formed during an earlier water-rich environment, should still be found on Mars today. The lack of clear evidence for iron oxyhydroxides at the Martian surface further suggests that Mars' surface was never warm and wet for a long enough period of time for Earth-like weathering to have occurred.
Estimation of Fetal Age Sonographically Using Umbilical Cord Diameter in Second and Third Trimester

Assessment of gestational age is paramount in obstetric care. This study was to evaluate the gestational age (GA) by measuring the Umbilical Cord Diameter (UCD) in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, and to compare the findings with the Femur Length (FL), Bi- parietal Diameter (BPD) and Last Menstrual Period (LMP). Fifty Sudanese Pregnant women underwent routine sonographic examination using 3.5MHz curve liner transducer; the sonographic cross-sectional area of the umbilical cord was measured in a plane adjacent to the insertion of the cord into the fetal abdomen. Maternal age and number of parity have been evaluated. The relation was statistically significant between UCD depth, width and GA. Gestational age can be predicted and can be depicted by the following equations: GA= (1.380 × UCD length +8.160) and GA= (1.545× UCD width+5.943). There was unsubstantial relation between UCD and maternal age. A linear relationship was found between parity and the UCD depth and width. Using paired T-test indicates that the GAs calculated from FL was accurate, there was no significant difference detected between the LMP age and the estimated one and UCD depth, width, but BPD showed significant difference at p = 0.005 . Measuring UCD is useful for the assessment of gestational age. It has a role in obstetric care in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, and these equations can be used to estimate the gestational age instead of BPD and FL.
Conservation of the Red Kite Milvus milvus (Aves: Accipitriformes) Is Not Affected by the Establishment of a Broad Hybrid Zone with the Black Kite Milvus migrans migrans in Central Europe

Among Accipitriformes sensu stricto, only a few species have been reported to form hybrid zones; these include the red kite Milvus milvus and black kite Milvus migrans migrans. M. milvus is endemic to the western Palearctic and has an estimated total population of 20–24,000 breeding pairs. The species was in decline until the 1970s due to persecution and has declined again since the 1990s due to ingestion of rodenticide-treated baits, illegal poisoning and changes in agricultural practices, particularly in its core range. Whereas F1 M. milvus × M. migr. migrans hybrid offspring have been found, F2 and F3 hybrids have only rarely been reported, with low nesting success rates of F1 hybrids and partial hybrid sterility likely playing a role. Here, we analyzed the mitochondrial (CO1 and CytB) and nuclear (Myc) DNA loci of 184 M. milvus, 124 M. migr. migrans and 3 F1 hybrid individuals collected across central Europe. In agreement with previous studies, we found low heterozygosity in M. milvus regardless of locus. We found that populations of both examined species were characterized by a high gene flow within populations, with all of the major haplotypes distributed across the entire examined area. Few haplotypes displayed statistically significant aggregation in one region over another. We did not find mitochondrial DNA of one species in individuals with the plumage of the other species, except in F1 hybrids, which agrees with Haldane´s Rule. It remains to be investigated by genomic methods whether occasional gene flow occurs through the paternal line, as the examined Myc gene displayed only marginal divergence between M. milvus and M. migr. migrans. The central European population of M. milvus is clearly subject to free intraspecific gene flow, which has direct implications when considering the origin of individuals in M. milvus re-introduction programs.