Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of neighbourhood food availability with the consumption of processed and ultra-processed food products by children in a city of Brazil: a multilevel analysis

Abstract Objective To investigate the association between neighbourhood food availability and the consumption of ready-to-consume products (RCP), either processed or ultra-processed, and unprocessed/minimally processed foods (UF-MPF) by children. Design Cross-sectional. 24 h Dietary recalls were collected from children from January 2010 to June 2011. Neighbourhood food availability data were collected from 672 food stores located within 500 m of participants’ homes, using an adapted and validated instrument. Neighbourhood-level socio-economic status (SES) was obtained by calculating the mean years of household head’s education level in each census tract covered by 500 m buffers. Foods that were consumed by children and/or available in the food stores were classified based on their degree of industrial processing. Multilevel random-effect models examined the association between neighbourhood food availability and children’s diets. Setting Santos, Brazil. Subjects Children (n 513) under 10 years old (292 aged <6 years, 221 aged ≥6 years). Results The availability of RCP in food stores was associated with increased RCP consumption (P<0·001) and decreased UF-MPF consumption (P<0·001). The consumption of UF-MPF was positively associated with neighbourhood-level SES (P<0·01), but not with the availability of UF-MPF in the neighbourhood. Conclusions Results suggest that food policies and interventions that aim to reduce RCP consumption in Santos and similar settings should focus on reducing the availability in food stores. The results also suggest that interventions should not only increase the availability of UF-MPF in lower-SES neighbourhoods, but should strive to make UF-MPF accessible within these environments.
Effect of passive transfer status on preweaning growth performance in dairy lambs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of passive transfer status, determined by measuring serum IgG concentration 24 hours after parturition, on preweaning growth performance in dairy lambs. DESIGN Prospective observational study. ANIMALS 20 healthy Sardinian dairy lambs. PROCEDURES Serum IgG concentration was measured 24 hours after birth. Body weight was measured at birth and at the time of weaning 28 days (ie, 27 to 29 days) after birth. Mean daily gain from birth to day 28 and day 28 weight were used as measures of preweaning growth performance. Regression analysis was used to evaluate associations between serum IgG concentration 24 hours after birth and measures of preweaning growth performance. RESULTS Mean +/- SD serum IgG concentration 24 hours after birth was 24.6 +/- 17.5 mg/mL. Mean body weights at birth and weaning were 2,696 +/- 937 g and 9,253 +/- 2,116 g, respectively, and mean daily gain was 234 +/- 63 g/d. No significant association was detected between serum IgG concentration 24 hours after birth and birth weight. However, serum IgG concentration 24 hours after birth was significantly associated with mean daily gain (R(2) = 0.25). Each 1 mg/mL increase in serum IgG concentration 24 hours after birth was associated with a 1.8 g/d increase in mean daily gain and a 60.8-g increase in day 28 weight. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that passive transfer status, determined as serum IgG concentration 24 hours after birth, was a significant source of variation in preweaning growth performance in dairy lambs.
Incorporation of Fowl Plague Virus Hemagglutinin into Murine Leukemia Virus Particles and Analysis of the Infectivity of the Pseudotyped Retroviruses

ABSTRACT We describe retrovirus particles carrying the fowl plague virus (FPV) hemagglutinin (HA). When expressed in cells providing Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV) Gag and Pol proteins and alacZ retroviral vector, FPV HA was found to be efficiently expressed, correctly processed, and stably incorporated into retroviral particles. HA-bearing retroviruses were infectious with a wide host range and were only 10-fold less infectious than retroviruses carrying wild-type MLV retroviral envelopes. We also coexpressed HA proteins in retroviral particles with chimeric MoMLV-derived envelope glycoproteins that efficiently retarget virus attachment but are only weakly fusogenic. Our results suggest that HA can in some cases enhance the fusion ability of these retroviral particles, depending on the cell surface molecule that is used as a receptor.
Clinical Profile of Afro-Caribbean Patients with Angiographycally-proven Non-ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Case Series Discussion and Review of the Literature

Over the past 50 years, countries of the Caribbean Region have experienced an Epidemiological Transition [1-4]. In fact, data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) suggests that the Caribbean epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) is the worst in the region of the Americas [5,6]. The overall epidemiology of Diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the Caribbean has reviewed and [7-9] highlights the high prevalence of Hypertension, pre-hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Obesity and Dyslypidemia. An update of the prevalence estimates for traditional CVD risk factors in Jamaica, the grater English speaking Caribbean community of the Caribbean, has shown that the prevalence of hypertension is 25%; diabetes, 8%; hypercholesterolemia, 12%; obesity, 25%; smoking 15%. However there are not many studies on the impact, characteristics and risk factors associated in heart failure in the Caribbean.
Drug abuse in schizophrenic patients: clinical correlates and reasons for use.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to 1) determine substance abuse prevalence and preference in a diverse sample of schizophrenic, schizoaffective, and schizophreniform inpatients, 2) compare drug-abusing and non-drug-abusing patients on demographic and clinical variables during the acute and stabilization phases of their hospital course, and 3) obtain data from patients on reasons for drug abuse and on acute state-related changes during periods of intoxication. METHOD Eighty-three psychotic inpatients consecutively admitted to a New York City teaching hospital were evaluated. Sixty-eight had schizophrenia, 12 had schizoaffective disorder, and three had schizophreniform disorder diagnosed according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R. Each patient received ratings on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, the Global Assessment Scale, and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms at admission and at discharge, an evaluation of premorbid adjustment, and an extensive interview on drug and alcohol use. RESULTS Forty (48%) of the patients received diagnoses of drug or alcohol abuse or dependence. The drug-abusing patients primarily used cannabis (N = 26), alcohol (N = 21), and cocaine (N = 14) and reported that they abused drugs to get "high," to relieve depression, and to relax. They had significantly fewer positive and negative symptoms at discharge, better sexual adjustment and worse school performance during adolescence, and more family histories of drug abuse than the non-drug-abusing patients. CONCLUSIONS Schizophrenic patients who abuse drugs may represent a subgroup of patients with better prognoses and less severe clinical characteristics of schizophrenia, but their drug abuse may adversely affect global outcome.
ESE-1 Knockdown Attenuates Growth in Trastuzumab-resistant HER2+ Breast Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM ESE-1/Elf3 controls transformation properties in mammary epithelial cells, and is most clinically relevant in HER2+ breast cancer. Herein we showed that ESE-1 knockdown inhibits tumorigenic growth in HER2+, trastuzumab-resistant HR20 (derived from HER2+ ER+ BT474) and Pool2 (derived from HER2+ ER- SKBR3 cells) cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used cell proliferation, clonogenicity, viability, and soft agar assays to measure the effects of ESE-1 knockdown in cell lines. RESULTS ESE-1 knockdown in the resistant cell lines inhibited HER2 and other downstream effectors in a cell-type specific manner, but caused down-regulation of pAkt and cyclin D1 in both sublines. In parental BT474 and SKBR3 ESE-1 silencing revealed a potent anti-proliferative effect that mimics the trastuzumab-mediated growth inhibition but did not enhance trastuzumab sensitivity in the resistant sublines. CONCLUSION This study provides rationale to study ESE-1 as a novel mean to treat HER2+ patients who show resistance to anti-HER2 therapy.
No Evidence for Pituitary Priming to Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone in Relation to Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Secretion Prior to the Preovulatory LH Surge in Ewes1

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the occurrence of and the regulatory mechanisms involved in priming of the pituitary to GnRH before the preovulatory LH surge in sheep. Experiment 1: Forty-two ewes had progestagen devices removed after 14 days and were assigned to luteal (Lut) or follicular (Foll) groups. Fifteen days later, blood sampling was initiated either immediately or 36 h after induced luteolysis in groups Lut and Foll, respectively. After 4 h, ewes were administered either saline (n = 5) or 250 ng (n = 8) or 10 μg (n = 8) of GnRH. Five ewes per treatment group were killed 1 h later, while remaining animals were blood sampled for a further 7 h. Experiment 2: Eighteen ewes were allocated to Lut and Foll groups (described above). Blood samples were collected from 2 h before GnRH (10 μg) treatment until 7 h after. Despite up-regulated GnRH-R mRNA levels in Foll ewes, pituitary content and plasma levels of LH and LHβ mRNA levels were similar between groups. Mean FSHβ mRNA and plasma FSH levels were elevated in Lut ewes but declined after GnRH treatment. Inversely, plasma estradiol and inhibin-A concentrations were higher in Foll ewes and declined after GnRH treatment. Fewer LH+ve/secretogranin II−ve (SgII−ve) granules were present in gonadotropes of Foll ewes, coincident with increased basal LH levels. Fewer smaller sized granules were present after GnRH treatment. In conclusion, there was no evidence of self-priming before onset of the preovulatory LH surge. Constitutive release of LH+ve/SgII−ve granules may maintain basal LH levels while smaller sized, presumably mature granules may be preferentially released after GnRH stimulation.
Optimal timing of liver transplantation for primary biliary cirrhosis

In 1989, we reported on the efficacy of liver transplantation in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) by demonstrating that the actual patient survival following transplantation was significantly better than without transplantation as predicted by a mathematical survival model (“Mayo natural history model”). Our aim in this investigation was to determine an optimal time to perform liver transplantation in PBC. One hundred forty‐three patients with PBC undergoing liver transplantation were followed prospectively. Disease severity was measured immediately before transplantation by a summary score (“risk score”) used in the Mayo natural history model, namely age, bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, and the presence or absence of edema. Proportional hazards analyses were performed assessing patient survival following transplantation. The influence of disease severity immediately pretransplantation on resource utilization for liver transplantation was assessed. Compared with our report in 1989, liver transplantation was performed at an earlier stage of disease (e.g., median risk score: 7.5 vs. 8.3; P < .01). Following transplantation, patient survival probabilities at 1, 2, and 5 years were 93%, 90%, and 88%, respectively. In the proportional hazards analysis, the risk of death following transplantation remained low until reaching a risk score of 7.8. In contrast, risk scores greater than 7.8 were associated with a progressively increased mortality. Resource utilization measured by the days in the intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital and the requirement for intraoperative blood transfusions was significantly greater in recipients who had higher risk scores before transplantation. Our data suggest that an optimal timing for liver transplantation, as determined by patient survival and resource utilization, appears to be at a risk score around 7.8 in patients with PBC.
Estimation of diameter at breast height from mobile laser scanning data collected under a heavy forest canopy

Čerňava J., Tuček J., Koreň M. , Mokroš M. (2017): Estimation of diameter at breast height from mobile laser scanning data collected under a heavy forest canopy. J. For. Sci., 63: 433–441. Mobile laser scanning (MLS) is time-efficient technology of geospatial data collection that proved its ability to provide accurate measurements in many fields. Mobile innovation of the terrestrial laser scanning has a potential to collect forest inventory data on a tree level from large plots in a short time. Valuable data, collected using mobile mapping system (MMS), becomes very difficult to process when Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) outages become too long. A heavy forest canopy blocking the GNSS signal and limited accessibility can make mobile mapping very difficult. This paper presents processing of data collected by MMS under a heavy forest canopy. DBH was estimated from MLS point cloud using three different methods. Root mean squared error varied between 2.65 and 5.57 cm. Our research resulted in verification of the influence of MLS coverage of tree stem on the accuracy of DBH data.
Dropped appendicolith: CT findings and implications for management.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to discern the CT features of appendicoliths retained after appendectomy and evaluate the management options. CONCLUSION Retained, or dropped, appendicolith most often presents as an area of high attenuation less than 1 cm in diameter with an associated abscess close to the cecum or Morison's pouch. CT-guided drainage can be used to manage abscesses associated with dropped appendicolith in selected cases.
Serotonergic agents modulate antidepressant-like effect of the neurosteroid 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one in mice.

The present study demonstrated the antidepressant-like effect of neurosteroid 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one (3alpha, 5alpha THP) in mouse forced swim test of depression and its modulation by different serotonergic agents. Pretreatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine (5 mg/kg, i.p.), the 5-HT releaser, fenfluramine (10 mg/kg, i.p.), the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.), the 5-HT(1B/1C) receptor agonist, TFMPP (4 mg/kg, s.c.) and the 5-HT(2A/1C) receptor agonist, DOI (2 mg/kg, s.c.) potentiated the antidepressant-like effect of 3alpha, 5alpha THP. At these doses the serotonergic agents per se did not modify the duration of immobility. However, fluoxetine (20 mg/kg, i.p.), fenfluramine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) or imipramine (5 or 20 mg/kg, i.p.) not only reduced immobility but also enhanced the antidepressant-like effect of 3alpha, 5alpha THP. Such a potentiating effect of the 5-HT(1A) or the 5-HT(2A/1C) receptor agonist was not antagonized by the sub-effective dose (0.1 mg/kg, s. c.) of their respective antagonists p-MPPI or ketanserin. Pretreatment with p-CPA (300x3 mg/kg, i.p.), a depleter of 5-HT neuronal store failed to block the influence of fluoxetine and fenfluramine on antidepressant-like effect of 3alpha, 5alpha THP. The accelerated effect of 3alpha, 5alpha THP in presence of serotonergic agents was antagonized by the GABA(A) receptor antagonist, bicuculline (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or the 3alpha-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase enzyme inhibitor, indomethacin (5 mg/kg, i.p.). These findings for the first time demonstrate that serotonergic agents potentiate the antidepressant-like action of 3alpha, 5alpha THP, by enhancing the GABAergic tone as a likely consequence of increased brain content of this neurosteroid.
Enhanced AT 1 receptor-mediated vasocontractile response to ANG II in endothelium-denuded aorta of obese Zucker rats

Siddiqui AH, Hussain T. Enhanced AT1 receptor-mediated vasocontractile response to ANG II in endothelium-denuded aorta of obese Zucker rats. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 292: H1722–H1727, 2007. First published December 1, 2006; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00612. 2006. —In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that ANG II causes a greater vasoconstriction in obese Zucker rats, a model of type 2 diabetes, with mild hypertension. Measurement of isometric tension in isolated aortic rings with intact endothelium revealed a modest but not significantly greater ANG II-induced contraction in obese than lean rats. Removal of endothelium or inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthase by N-nitro-Larginine methyl ester (L-NAME) enhanced 1) ANG II-induced contraction in both lean and obese rats, being significantly greater in obese rats (Emax g/g tissue, denuded: lean 572 40 vs. obese 664 16; L-NAME: lean 535 14 vs. obese 818 23) and 2) ANG II sensitivity in obese compared with lean rats, as revealed by the pD2 values. Endothelin-1 and KCl elicited similar contractions in the aortic rings of lean and obese rats. ACh, a NO-dependent relaxing hormone, produced greater relaxation in the aortic rings of obese than lean rats, whereas sodium nitroprusside, an NO donor, elicited similar relaxations in both rat strains. The expression of the ANG type 1 (AT1) receptor protein and mRNA in the endothelium-intact aorta was significantly greater in obese than lean rats, whereas the endotheliumdenuded rings expressed modest but not significantly greater levels of AT1 receptors in obese than lean rats. The endothelial NO synthase protein and mRNA expression levels were higher in the aorta of obese than lean animals. We conclude that, although ANG II produces greater vasoconstriction in obese rat aortic rings, enhanced endothelial AT1 receptor-mediated NO production appears to counteract the increased ANG II-induced vasoconstriction, suggesting that arterial AT1 receptor may not be a contributing factor to hypertension in this model of obesity.
Summary of Product Trials for 10, 164 Patients: Comparing an Intravenous Stabilizing Device to Tape

Inadequate catheter securement is an underrecognized patient safety issue that contributes significantly to catheter-related complications, including dislodgment, occlusion, infiltration, and infection. Pooled data from prospective product trials at 83 hospitals compared tape to a standard peripheral intravenous (PIV) securement method with a PIV-specific catheter-stabilizing device (StatLock). A 67% reduction (P < .001) in total patient complications was observed in the stabilizing device group, as compared with the tape group. Also, the need for unscheduled PIV restarts was reduced by 76% with the stabilizing device (P < .001). An annual cost savings of $18,000 per hospital on PIV materials and a combined savings of $277,000 on materials, complication costs, and nursing time were estimated on the basis of these reduced complications. Newer catheter-stabilizing technologies can help to reduce patient complications, for an overall cost savings, and consequently reduce needlestick exposures for healthcare providers by reducing restarts and prolonging dwell times.
Towards sentiment analysis for historical texts

This article presents the integration of sentiment analysis in ALCIDE, an online platform for historical content analysis. A prior polarity approach has been applied to a corpus of Italian historical texts, and a new lexical resource has been developed with a semi-automatic mapping starting from two English lexica. This article also reports on a first experiment on contextual polarity using both expert annotators and crowdsourced contributors. The long-term goal of our research is to create a system to support historical studies, which is able to analyse the sentiment in historical texts and to discover the opinion about a topic and its change over time.
Effects of Nitinol Surface Treatments and Ethylene Oxide Sterilization on Human Lymphocyte Proliferation

Surface treatment and sterilization are those critical protocols in the manufacturing of implant devices that can eventually predetermine the outcome of implantation. Biological performance of well characterized Nitinol surfaces (mechanically polished, chemically etched, aged in boiling water, heat treated, and electropolished) was evaluated using human peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation test. To assess the effect of sterilization, two types of sterilization were used, UV and ethylene oxide. Incubation of PBL with Nitinol samples demonstrated 1532% higher proliferation compared to controls (cells + Con A, no metals). In the case of UV sterilized samples, higher Ni surface concentrations resulting in higher Ni release caused statistically more significant stimulation. This stimulation was similar to the observed in the case of ethylene oxide sterilized samples, which, however, induced zero Ni concentration in medium. The control Ti samples also caused a 15% higher proliferation in all individuals compared to stimulation with ConA alone. Pure nickel induced significant suppression that varied from individual to individual in the range 40 to ~100 %. Distinct stimulatory and suppressive effects exerted by Ni-containing samples on lymphocytes, cells of immune system fall in the category of the U-shaped dose response to toxic substances. A 15-32% increase in proliferation of ConA stimulated PBL by very low metal ion concentrations induced in biological solutions as well as by EtO sterilized samples is interpreted as an enhanced immune response. The results obtained using lymphocyte stimulation are discussed together with the results of an earlier study on carcinogenic potential of Nitinol alloys in rats (A. Starokha. New technologies in the treatment of rhinosinusitis utilizing superelastic shape memory implants, D.Sc. Thesis, Sankt-Petersburg, 1998).
Structure-Function Analysis of Escherichia coli DNA Helicase I Reveals Non-overlapping Transesterase and Helicase Domains*

TraI (DNA helicase I) is an Escherichia coli F plasmid-encoded protein required for bacterial conjugative DNA transfer. The protein is a sequence-specific DNA transesterase that provides the site- and strand-specific nick required to initiate DNA strand transfer and a 5′ to 3′ DNA helicase that unwinds the F plasmid to provide the single-stranded DNA that is transferred from donor to recipient. Sequence comparisons with other transesterases and helicases suggest that these activities reside in the N- and C-terminal regions of TraI, respectively. Computer-assisted secondary structure probability analysis identified a potential interdomain region spanning residues 304–309. Proteins encoded by segments of traI, whose N or C terminus either flanked or coincided with this region, were purified and assessed for catalytic activity. Amino acids 1–306 contain the transesterase activity, whereas amino acids 309–1504 contain the helicase activity. The C-terminal 252 amino acids of the 1756-amino acid TraI protein are not required for either helicase or transesterase activity. Protein and nucleic acid sequence similarity searches indicate that the occurrence of both transesterase- and helicase-associated motifs in a conjugative DNA transfer initiator protein is rare. Only two examples (other than R100 plasmid TraI) were found: R388 plasmid TrwC and R46 plasmid (pKM101) TraH, belonging to the IncW and IncN groups of broad host range conjugative plasmids, respectively. The most significant structural difference between these proteins and TraI is that TraI contains an additional region of ∼650 residues between the transesterase domain and the helicase-associated motifs. This region is required for helicase activity.