Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Erwinia‐asparaginase on the coagulation system

Abstract: l‐Asparaginase treatment during induction therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is known to be frequently complicated by thromboembolic events. It was recently suggested that l‐asparaginase derived from Erwinia chrysanthemi alters the coagulation system less severely than does Escherichia coli asparaginase. In a series of 11 adult patients with ALL, we investigated some parameters of the coagulation system during treatment with Erwinia asparaginase. The doses employed were rather high; all patients below the age of 60 years received 15000 U/m2 daily over 14 days. In accordance with what is known from treatment with E. coli asparaginase, we observed significant lowering of antithrombin as well as of fibrinogen. However, as to fibrinogen indeed a significant decrease had occurred prior to the institution of Erwinia asparaginase treatment. The most striking observation in the present study was that the levels of prothrombin complex, reflecting the function of K‐vitamin dependent coagulation factors II, VII and X, remained within normal ranges during treatment. This indicates that these coagulation factors were not affected by Erwinia asparaginase, an observation at variance with several reports where E. coli asparaginase was investigated. This latter observation was the only finding which could lend support to the view that Erwinia asparaginase affects the coagulation system less than E. coli asparaginase. Finally, one of our patients developed a sinus thrombosis, a severe thrombotic complication.
AGN Feedback and Its Quenching Efficiency

In the last decade, observations have accumulated on gas outflows in galaxies, and in particular massive molecular ones. The mass outflow rate is estimated between 1-5 times the star formation rate. For the highest maximal velocities, they are driven by AGN; these outflows are therefore a clear way to moderate or suppress star formation. Some of the most convincing examples at low redshift come from the radio mode, when the radio jets are inclined towards the galaxy plane, or expand in the hot intra-cluster medium, in cool core clusters. However, AGN feedback can also be positive in many occasions, and the net effect is difficult to evaluate. The quenching efficiency is discussed in view of recent observations.
Protection against murine listeriosis by an attenuated recombinant Salmonella typhimurium vaccine strain that secretes the naturally somatic antigen superoxide dismutase

A recombinant (r)-Salmonella typhimurium aroA vaccine strain was constructed which secretes the naturally somatic protein of Listeria monocytogenes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), by the HlyB/HlyD/TolC export machinery. Vaccine efficacy of the SOD-bearing carrier strain was compared with that of the p60-secreting construct, S. typhimurium p60s (J. Hess, I. Gentschev, D. Miko, M. Welzel, C. Ladel, W. Goebel, and S. H. E. Kaufmann, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:1458-1463, 1996). Vaccination of mice with both constructs induced protection against a lethal challenge with the intracellular pathogen, L. monocytogenes. While the somatic listerial antigen, SOD, is immunologically uncharacterized, the naturally secreted protein of L. monocytogenes, p60, is known to be highly immunogenic. Our data emphasize the high vaccine potential of r-Salmonella constructs secreting antigens of somatic or secreted origin. Moreover, they suggest that the HlyB/HlyD/TolC-based antigen delivery system with attenuated Salmonella spp. as the carrier is capable of potentiating the immune response against foreign proteins independent from their immunogenicity in and display by the natural host.
Suppression of reactive oxygen species production enhances neuronal survival in vitro and in vivo in the anoxia‐tolerant turtle Trachemys scripta

Hypoxia‐ischemia with reperfusion is known to cause reactive oxygen species‐related damage in mammalian systems, yet, the anoxia tolerant freshwater turtle is able to survive repeated bouts of anoxia/reoxygenation without apparent damage. Although the physiology of anoxia tolerance has been much studied, the adaptations that permit survival of reoxygenation stress have been largely ignored. In this study, we examine ROS production in the turtle striatum and in primary neuronal cultures, and examine the effects of adenosine (AD) on cell survival and ROS. Hydroxyl radical formation was measured by the conversion of salicylate to 2,3‐dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3‐DHBA) using microdialysis; reoxygenation after 1 or 4 h anoxia did not result in increased ROS production compared with basal normoxic levels, nor did H2O2 increase after anoxia/reoxygenation in neuronally enriched cell cultures. Blockade of AD receptors increased both ROS production and cell death in vitro, while AD agonists decreased cell death and ROS. As turtle neurons proved surprisingly susceptible to externally imposed ROS stress (H2O2), we propose that the suppression of ROS formation, coupled to high antioxidant levels, is necessary for reoxygenation survival. As an evolutionarily selected adaptation, the ability to suppress ROS formation could prove an interesting path to investigate new therapeutic targets in mammals.
Locomotion evoked by stimulation of the brain stem in the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina

The primary pathway descending to the spinal cord to initiate locomotion in the stingray is located in the intermediate to ventral portion of the lateral funiculus; a second pathway is located in the dorsolateral funiculus. The goal of this study was to identify the origins of these pathways in the rhombencephalic reticular formation (RF). To do this we used microstimulation of the RF in conjunction with selective lesions of the brain stem and spinal cord. In some animals microinjections of excitatory amino acids were used to avoid stimulating axons of passage. Locomotion in the contralateral pectoral fin was evoked by microstimulation of the dorsal and ventral reticular nuclei, the middle and superior RF, and the ventral portion of the lateral RF. The regions from which locomotion was evoked by chemical stimulation were more restricted and included the rostral dorsal reticular nucleus, the middle RF, and the adjacent ventral lateral RF. This area encompasses the magnocellular RF and coincides with the distribution of numerous reticulospinal cells that project ipsilaterally into the ventral half of the lateral funiculus. Our results indicate, then, that locomotion in the stingray is mediated primarily by a pathway originating in the magnocellular RF that descends ipsilaterally in the ventral half of the lateral funiculus to elicit swimming in the contralateral pectoral fin. We suggest that this primary pathway is specifically associated with the control of locomotion. We also demonstrated that locomotion can be evoked independently from the lateral RF, but is probably mediated by an indirect pathway relaying near the spinomedullary junction or in the rostral spinal cord.
11C-flumazenil PET in neocortical epilepsy

Objective: To investigate focal cortical abnormalities of γ-aminobutyric acid type A-central benzodiazepine receptors (GABAA-cBZRs) in patients with extratemporal partial seizures with acquired lesions and in patients with normal high-resolution MRI. Methods: Six patients with acquired lesions and 18 patients with normal high-resolution MRI and extratemporal partial seizures, as well as 24 normal controls, were studied with 11C-flumazenil (FMZ) PET to produce voxel-by-voxel images of FMZ volume of distribution (FMZVD), which reflects density of GABAA-cBZRs. These images were analyzed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM). Each patient was compared with the control group to reveal regions with abnormal FMZVD at p < 0.001 uncorrected, corrected to p < 0.05 for the whole brain volume. Each normal control was compared with the remaining controls in the same manner. Results: All six patients with acquired lesions had a single region of reduced FMZVD. Thirteen of 18 patients with normal MRI had regions of abnormal cortical FMZVD: 10 had regions of increased FMZVD, 6 had regions of decreased FMZVD, and 3 had both regions of increased and decreased FMZVD. Seven patients had an abnormality in the lobe and 12 in the hemisphere of presumed seizure origin. Conclusions: FMZ PET analyzed with SPM is an automated, objective, sensitive, and specific means for detecting regional cortical abnormalities of GABAA-cBZRs in patients with partial seizures. This technique may be useful in the evaluation of patients with refractory partial seizures for surgical treatment, particularly in those patients with normal MRI.
Prenatal development of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate‐diaphorase activity in the human hippocampal formation

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate‐diaphorase (NADPH‐d) histochemistry was used to study the development of the neurons metabolizing nitric oxide in the prenatal human hippocampal formation. Strongly reactive non‐pyramidal neurons appeared in small numbers in the subplate at 15 weeks, and rapidly increased in this layer, as well as the cortical plate—derived layers between 17 and 24 weeks. The marginal zone also had a few NADPH‐d cells at 15 weeks. The pattern of these darkly reactive cells stabilized by 28 weeks, with the somata distributed mostly at the border of the cortex and white matter in the entorhinal cortex and subiculum, or the alveus in Ammon's horn. Moderately stained non‐pyramidal neurons appeared in the dentate gyrus by 17 weeks, and increased in this region and Ammon's horn up to 28 weeks. Small, lightly reactive non‐pyramidal neurons were first seen by 32 weeks and increased in number by term. They were mainly distributed in layers II/III of the entorhinal cortex and stratum pyramidale of the subiculum and Ammon's horn. NADPH‐d positive fibers in the marginal zone were mostly thin and developed between 20 and 28 weeks. In other cortical layers, thick processes from the darkly stained NADPH‐d neurons appeared first, then fine fibers appeared more numerous, especially after 28 weeks. NADPH‐d processes that arose from non‐pyramidal cells were frequently apposed to blood vessels, including those in the hippocampal fissure. In addition, NADPH‐d reactivity was also present in pyramidal and granule cells, but this staining was most pronounced between 15 and 24 weeks.
Effects of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei on colorectal tumor cells activity (CaCo-2).

BACKGROUND The probiotic microorganisms are live normal flora that provide nutritional benefits. When probiotic administered in adequate amounts, they also confer a health benefit on the host. Different mechanisms of probiotic effects include the following: stimulating the immune system, modifying the composition of normal intestinal flora and preventing the carcinogenic activity of fecal enzymes. In this study, direct effects of probiotic lactobacilli on tumor cells were investigated. METHODS Supernatants and bacterial extracts of two standard Lactobacillus species (L. acidophilus and L. casei) were prepared and CaCo-2 cells were treated with them. Probiotic effects on cell proliferation, necrosis, apoptosis, migration and invasion were assessed. RESULTS The supernatants of Lactobacilli decreased cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis, however, no significant effect on cell necrosis was reported. In contrast, Lactobacilli extract, reduced cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis. Lactobacilli extract also led to cell necrosis. Furthermore, both supernatants and cell extracts of the probiotic agents resulted in decreased cells' migration and invasion. CONCLUSION In this study, it was shown that Lactobacilli probiotics useful effects are not confined to the enhancement of the immune system; however, they effectively suppress the malignant phenotypes of colorectal cancer cells.
Risk factors for lactic acidosis and severe hyperlactataemia in HIV-1-infected adults exposed to antiretroviral therapy

Background:Severe hyperlactataemia and lactic acidosis are rare serious complications of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods:Lactic acidosis was defined as pH < 7.35, bicarbonate < 20 mmol/l and raised lactate; hyperlactataemia as two consecutive lactates > 5 mmol/l. The case–control study of 110 cases and 220 controls(two randomly selected from treated patients by centre and calendar year) from centres in 10 countries included 40 (36.4%) female cases and 40 female controls (18.2%) (P < 0.001). Median age was 42.4 years [interquartile range (IQR, 36.0–52.5] for cases and 40 (IQR, 35.0–47.1) for controls (P = 0.013). More cases were nonwhite (41.9%) than controls (31.2%) (P = 0.032). Cases had a shorter duration of exposure to dideoxynucleosides. Results:After adjusting for age, gender and current CD4 cell count, hyperlactataemia/lactic acidosis remained associated with exposure to didanosine in every category of exposure duration but was most strongly associated with exposure < 12 months. In a separate multivariable model, apart from exposure to stavudine, didanosine, or even more strongly both, age above 40 years [odds ratio (OR), 2.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08–6.29], female gender (OR, 5.97; 95% CI, 1.92–18.5) and advanced immunosuppression were independent associations (CD4 cell count 200–349, 100–199 and < 100 cells/μl: OR, 3.89, 7.58 and 8.11, respectively). Interpretation:Hyperlactataemia/lactic acidosis was associated with exposure to dideoxynucleosides, female gender, advanced immunosuppression and possibly ethnicity. This has important consequences for choice of ART in resource-limited settings. The association with shorter duration of exposure may support the hypothesis of susceptibility in a small proportion of patients.
La production sociale des violonistes virtuoses

La formation des solistes est apprehendee ici comme le resultat de multiples actions collectives de plusieurs personnes qui operent directement ou indirectement sur la formation d'un enfant puis d'un adolescent afin de le transformer en soliste. L'etude concerne les classes de solistes, les entites d'enseignements creees par et autour d'un professeur, situees dans differentes villes d'Europe. Le parcours d'un jeune virtuose est apprehende comme une carriere marquee par trois etapes, distinguees en fonction de la specificite des relations que les jeunes virtuoses entretiennent avec des personnes intervenantes dans leur formation. Les contributions de nombreuses categories (parents de violonistes, professeurs, accompagnateurs, luthiers, mecenes, chefs d'orcheste, organisateurs de concerts etc. ) s'inscrivent dans une certaine temporalite, selon un ordre logique. La formation des futurs membres d'elite musicale, est un travail collectif de haute precision - une production sociale.
Structure and photoluminescence of c-axis oriented Nnanocrystalline ZnO films synthesized by plasma assisted pulsed laser deposition

Nanocrystalline zinc oxide (nc-ZnO) thin films with c-axis orientation were synthesized by plasma assisted pulsed laser deposition from metallic zinc. Structural characterization and annealing effects were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The synthesized nc-ZnO films have a wurtzite structure and high crystallographic orientation with c-axis perpendicular to the substrates and the crystallites in the as-deposited films have an average diameter of about 16 nm. At light excitation at room temperature, the nc-ZnO films emit strong UV luminescence attributed to free exciton transitions. The crystallinity of the films is improved and the ZnO crystallites grow larger during thermal annealing. The intensity and the feature of the photoluminescence from the synthesized nc-ZnO films show a strong dependence on annealing process. Several PL emission lines associated with free excitons and longitudinal optical phonon replicas of bound excitons are clearly resolved in the low-temperature photoluminescence spectrum of the annealed nc-ZnO films.
Platelet‐activating factor: the effector of protein‐rich plasma extravasation and nitric oxide synthase induction in rat immune complex peritonitis

1 The involvement of platelet‐activating factor (PAF) in immune complex‐induced/polymorphonuclear‐mediated tissue injury was studied by use of a reverse passive Arthus (RPA) model in the peritoneal cavity of rats. 2 Extravasation of protein‐rich plasma, accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), and the production of nitric oxide (NO) by resident peritoneal mononuclear phagocytes were assayed. 3 Treatment of rats with either UR‐12460 or BB‐823, two compounds which possess different chemical structures, but elicit the same antagonistic effect on the PAF receptor, abrogated protein‐rich plasma extravasation. In contrast, they did not show any effect on the accumulation of PMN. 4 Inhibition of NO production with both NG‐mono methyl‐l‐arginine and NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine failed to prevent protein‐rich plasma extravasation. 5 The production of NO by peritoneal adherent cells following RPA was measured in cells maintained for 2 to 28 h in culture, and it was significantly increased in cells removed as early as 15 min after RPA induction, as compared to controls. 6 Addition of 10 nm PAF to the culture medium reduced the generation of NO by peritoneal cells from RPA rats, whereas this mediator enhanced NO production in cells from naive control animals. 7 Treatment with either UR‐12460 or BB‐823 prior to the induction of RPA produced an almost complete inhibition of NO production. 8 Assay of nitric oxide synthase activity in cell homogenates from peritoneal cells showed that the activity was due to the inducible form of the enzyme. 9 Study by Northen blotting of mRNA coding for the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) showed transcription at 6 and 18 h after the induction of RPA, which was inhibited in UR‐12460‐treated rats. 10 These data indicate that PAF is the main mediator of the early plasma leakage observed in RPA, and also that PAF is implicated in the triggering of long‐term changes via induction of specific genes, as judged from its ability to promote the expression of iNOS.
Side effects associated with the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

SETTING Süreyyapaşa Centre for Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey. OBJECTIVE To report the frequency of treatment side effects in cases of multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) tuberculosis. DESIGN A retrospective review of the medical records of 263 patients who received individualised treatment for MDR-TB between April 1992 and June 2004. RESULTS One or more side effects developed in 182 cases (69.2%). These effects led the clinicians to withdraw one or more drugs from the treatment regimen in 146 cases (55.5%). Side effects observed most frequently included: ototoxicity (41.8%), psychiatric disorders (21.3%), gastrointestinal disturbance (14.0%), arthralgia (11.4%), epileptic seizures (9.9%), hepatitis (4.5%), and dermatological effects (4.5%). At the time of analysis, treatment was successful in 204 (77.6%) cases. Fifty-nine patients (22.4%) had poor outcomes. CONCLUSION Timely and aggressive management of drug side effects means that high side effect rates in MDR-TB treatment need not compromise success rates.
Adaptation of experimental yeast populations to stressful conditions in relation to population size

The purpose of this experiment was to find out how a population becomes adapted to extremely stressful conditions as its environment deteriorates. We created a deteriorating environment for experimental selection lines of yeast by a stepwise increase in the concentration of salt in the growth medium. After each step, we tested the ability of the lines to grow at a high concentration of salt near the lethal limit for the ancestral strain. We found that mutations enhancing growth in this highly stressful environment began to spread at intermediate salt concentrations. The degree of enhancement was related to effective population size by a power law with a small exponent. The effect size of these mutations also increased with the population size in a similar fashion. From these results, we interpret adaptation to lethal stress as an indirect response to selection for resistance to previous lower levels of stress in a deteriorating environment. This suggests that the pattern of genetic correlation between successively higher levels of stress is an important factor in facilitating evolutionary rescue.
Conservation Means Behavior

Most instances of deteriorating environmental conditions are caused by human behavior. Although there are certainly instances of such environmental conditions developing from natural processes, most are largely the result of human activity. Drivers of phenomena such as climate change, loss of species’ habitats, and ocean acidification rarely are the result of malicious intent, but rather the consequence of the lifestyles of billions of humans. Accordingly, efforts to promote conservation must change behavior (Ehrlich & Kennedy 2005; Schultz & Kaiser 2012). This fundamental link between conservation and behavior has been noted in a number of recent publications. Mascia et al. (2003) state that “Biodiversity conservation is a human endeavor: initiated by humans, designed by humans, and intended to modify human behavior. ” Cowling (2005) calls this realization “an epiphany for. natural scientists. ” And Balmford and Cowling (2006) note that “conservation is primarily not about biology but about people and the choices they make. ” Here I would go one step further and propose that conservation is a goal that can only be achieved by changing behavior.
Short-term load forecasting methods: A review

Short-term load forecasting methodsFor decision makers in the electricity sector, the decision process is complex with several different levels that have to be taken into consideration. These comprise for instance the planning of facilities and an optimal day-to-day operation of the power plant. These decisions address widely different time-horizons and aspects of the system. For accomplishing these tasks load forecasts are very important. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the short term load forecasting. It also reviews various methodologies for short term load forecasting (STLF). Authors strongly believe that this survey article shall be very much helpful to the researchers working in the field of short term load forecasting for finding out the appropriate references and future work.
The Customer Isn't Always Right—Conservation and Animal Welfare Implications of the Increasing Demand for Wildlife Tourism

Tourism accounts for 9% of global GDP and comprises 1.1 billion tourist arrivals per annum. Visits to wildlife tourist attractions (WTAs) may account for 20–40% of global tourism, but no studies have audited the diversity of WTAs and their impacts on the conservation status and welfare of subject animals. We scored these impacts for 24 types of WTA, visited by 3.6–6 million tourists per year, and compared our scores to tourists’ feedback on TripAdvisor. Six WTA types (impacting 1,500–13,000 individual animals) had net positive conservation/welfare impacts, but 14 (120,000–340,000 individuals) had negative conservation impacts and 18 (230,000–550,000 individuals) had negative welfare impacts. Despite these figures only 7.8% of all tourist feedback on these WTAs was negative due to conservation/welfare concerns. We demonstrate that WTAs have substantial negative effects that are unrecognised by the majority of tourists, suggesting an urgent need for tourist education and regulation of WTAs worldwide.