Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Apolipoprotein A-I synthesis in rat small intestine: regulation by dietary triglyceride and biliary lipid.

Techniques were developed to provide direct quantitation of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) synthesis rates in rat small intestine. Following intralumenal administration of a pulse of [3H]leucine, newly synthesized enterocyte apoA-I was quantitated by specific immunoprecipitation and compared to [3H]leucine incorporation into total trichloroacetic acid-precipitable protein. ApoA-I synthesis rates (% total protein) were found to be significantly higher in jejunal enterocytes (1.84 +/- 0.20) compared to ileal enterocytes (0.91 +/- 0.25) from the same, fasting, animals, P less than 0.01. It was found that rats consuming regular (4.5% w/w fat) rodent chow had apoA-I synthesis rates, 30 to 240 min after receiving an intraduodenal bolus of 100 mg of triglyceride, that were indistinguishable from control animals receiving either saline or an isocaloric, but fat-free, enteral preparation. By contrast, animals consuming a fat-free chow for 8 days prior to study had a small but significant response to acute reintroduction of dietary triglyceride. Four hours after 100 mg of triglyceride was administered, jejunal apoA-I synthesis (% total protein) was 1.84 +/- 0.1 compared to 1.37 +/- 0.04 for animals exposed to an isocaloric, fat-free enteral preparation, P less than 0.01. External bile diversion for 48 hr, which effectively removed all lumenal sources of lipid, reduced apoA-I synthesis in jejunal enterocytes but produced no more depression than that found in sham-operated controls infused for 48 hr with dextrosesaline or control animals fasted for 30 hr. By contrast, apoA-I synthesis in ileal enterocytes was reduced significantly by external bile diversion (0.59 +/- 0.20) in comparison to sham-operated controls (1.19 +/- 0.32) P less than 0.01. Continuous infusion of 10 mM Na taurocholate for 48 hr or 10 mM Na taurocholate for 44 hr and 80 mg of micellar lipid for 4 hr produced results similar to those obtained by bile diversion alone (0.56 +/- 0.2 and 0.61 +/- 0.25, respectively) suggesting that bile salt deficiency alone was not responsible for the observed depression in ileal apoA-I synthesis. These results suggest that, under conditions of physiological dietary triglyceride intake, apoA-I synthesis in jejunal enterocytes is not actuely regulated by changes in triglyceride flux. After prolonged dietary triglyceride withdrawal, the reintroduction of fat produces a small, but significant, increase in jejunal apoA-I synthesis. The data further suggest that apoA-I synthesis in jejunal enterocytes is regulated in part by the availability of lumenal lipid, but that the presence of bile does not exert an additional level of control. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Hormone Therapy and Venous Thromboembolism Among Postmenopausal Women: Impact of the Route of Estrogen Administration and Progestogens: The ESTHER Study

Background— Oral estrogen therapy increases the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in postmenopausal women. Transdermal estrogen may be safer. However, currently available data have limited the ability to investigate the wide variety of types of progestogen. Methods and Results— We performed a multicenter case–control study of VTE among postmenopausal women 45 to 70 years of age between 1999 and 2005 in France. We recruited 271 consecutive cases with a first documented episode of idiopathic VTE (208 hospital cases, 63 outpatient cases) and 610 controls (426 hospital controls, 184 community controls) matched for center, age, and admission date. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, odds ratios (ORs) for VTE in current users of oral and transdermal estrogen compared with nonusers were 4.2 (95% CI, 1.5 to 11.6) and 0.9 (95% CI, 0.4 to 2.1), respectively. There was no significant association of VTE with micronized progesterone and pregnane derivatives (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.3 to 1.9 and OR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.4 to 2.3, respectively). In contrast, norpregnane derivatives were associated with a 4-fold-increased VTE risk (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.5 to 10.0). Conclusions— Oral but not transdermal estrogen is associated with an increased VTE risk. In addition, our data suggest that norpregnane derivatives may be thrombogenic, whereas micronized progesterone and pregnane derivatives appear safe with respect to thrombotic risk. If confirmed, these findings could benefit women in the management of their menopausal symptoms with respect to the VTE risk associated with oral estrogen and use of progestogens.
The Problem of the Absolute Continuity for Lyapunov–Krasovskii Functionals

The condition of nonpositivity, almost everywhere, of the upper right-hand Dini derivative of a (simply) continuous function is not a sufficient condition for such function to be nonincreasing. That condition is sufficient for the nonincreasing property if the function is locally absolutely continuous. Therefore, if the time function obtained by the evaluation of a Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional at the solution of a time-delay system is not locally absolutely continuous, but simply continuous, and its upper right-hand Dini derivative is almost everywhere nonpositive, then the conclusion that such function is nonincreasing cannot be drawn. As a consequence, related stability conclusions cannot be drawn. In this note, such problem is investigated for input-to-state stability concerns of time invariant time-delay systems forced by measurable locally essentially bounded inputs. It is shown that, if the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional is locally Lipschitz with respect to the norm of the uniform topology, then the problem of the absolute continuity is overcome
Induction of Fetal Rat Enterokinase (Enteropeptidase EC. 3.4.21.9) in Utero by Hydrocortisone and Actinomycin D

Summary: Enterokinase activity is first detected in the small intestine of the rat at the 20th day of gestation, whereas sucrase activity first appears in the 14th day of postnatal life. Intraperitoneal injection of hydrocortisone to pregnant rats before the normal appearance of enterokinase in fetuses causes the premature appearance of enterokinase (58 ± 8 units), but not of sucrase activity. The addition of actinomycin D in the pregnant rat results in supermaxhnal stimulation of enterokinase activity (229 ± 25 units). Sucrase activity is stimulated by hydrocortisone when given in the first 3 days of life (118 ± 0.4 units). The maximal induction occurs 2 days before the normal appearance of the enzyme in untreated animals (7.3 ± 12 units). The addition of actinomycin D diminished the effect of hydrocortisone on sucrase activity in the neonatal rat (1.4 ± 2 units versus 1.8 ± 0.4 units in 3-day-old rats). Thus, enterokinase and sucrase of the small intestine of the fetal and infant rat respond differently to combined hydrocortisone and actinomycin D. The response to hydrocortisone is age dependent and the maximal induction occurs before the time of the natural appearance of the enzymes. No effect is elicited after the normal appearance of enterokinase or sucrase.Speculation: Glucocorticoids stimulate an early appearance of small intestinal enzymes only before the expected time of the natural developmental burst of activity. In both, sucrase and enterokinase, glucocorticoids have no effect after the enzymes are fully developed. New enzymes develop in clusters during the late fetal, neonatal, and late sucking periods. The effect of glucocorticoids on the “maturation” of the small intestine is limited to the induction of one phase only; i.e., only before the late fetal period is the precocious appearance of enterokinase possible. The induction of enterokinase activity can serve as an indicator for the early phase of maturation. Whereas the induction of sucrase activity can serve as a marker for late phase of maturation of the small intestine in the rat.The superinduction of enterokinase, but not of sucrase activity, by the addition of actinomycin D to glucocorticoids might be related to the different stability of the mRNA's of these enzymes.
Factors Affecting Graft and Patient Survival After Live Donor Kidney Transplantation in the UK

Background. The outcome after living donor renal transplantation is superior to that for deceased donor transplantation, but the results are not uniformly successful. The factors responsible for the variable outcome after living donor transplantation have not been well defined. Methods. UK Transplant Registry data were analyzed to determine the outcomes of 3142 first adult kidney transplants from living donors (71% genetically related and 29% unrelated) performed between 2000 and 2007 inclusive. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were determined, and factors that might be associated with graft and patient survival were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression modeling. Results. Patient survival at 5 years was better for recipients of grafts from related than unrelated donors (97% vs. 93%, P=0.0002), but conversely graft survival was better in recipients of genetically unrelated grafts (93% vs. 89%, P=0.06). After adjustment for the factors found to influence graft and patient survival, these differences were no longer apparent. In contrast to the expectations, the degree of human leukocyte antigen-A, -B, and -DR mismatch did not influence graft survival. Increasing donor age (but not recipient age), recipient diabetes, and grafts from adult offspring were independently associated with poorer patient survival in the first 3 years after transplantation. Poorer graft survival was independently associated with donor age older than 59 years, and female recipients. Conclusions. Advanced donor age, but not human leukocyte antigen mismatch, is associated with poorer outcome after live donor kidney transplantation. However, the results of live donor transplantation remain superior to deceased donor kidney transplantation.
Cortical thinning is associated with disease stages and dementia in Parkinson's disease

Objective To investigate the pattern of cortical thinning in Parkinson's disease (PD) across different disease stages and to elucidate to what extent cortical thinning is related to cognitive impairment. Design Ninety-six subjects including 39 controls and 57 PD patients participated in this study. PD subjects were divided into three groups (early, n=24; moderate, n=18; with dementia, n=15). High field structural brain MRI images were acquired in a 3T scanner and analyses of cortical thickness and surface were carried out. Vertex-wise group comparisons were performed and cortical thickness was correlated with motor and cognitive measures. Results We found a positive correlation between Mini-Mental State Examination scores and cortical thickness in the anterior temporal, dorsolateral prefrontal, posterior cingulate, temporal fusiform and occipitotemporal cortex. Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-III (motor subsection) scores showed a robust negative correlation with caudate volumes. We found that disease stage in PD was associated with thinning of the medial frontal (premotor and supplementary motor cortex), posterior cingulate, precuneus, lateral occipital, temporal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Discriminant analysis and a receiver operating characteristics approach showed that mean cortical thickness and hippocampus volume have 80% accuracy in identifying PD patients with dementia. PD stage and PD dementia can be characterised by a specific pattern of cortical thinning. Conclusions We conclude that measuring cortical thickness can be useful in assessing disease stage and cognitive impairment in patients with PD. In addition, cortical thickness may be useful in identifying dementia in PD.
Superfund basic research program: a model for contemporary research programs.

Objective. To compare the postoperative complication rates after hysterectomy between HIV-infected patients and HIVuninfected patients. Study design. We conducted a retrospective study of 24 human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients who underwent hysterectomy between January 1, 2000 and April 2, 2003 at Grady Memorial Hospital. Postoperative complications rates among HIV-infected women were compared to those rates among HIV-uninfected women. Data were analyzed t-tests for continuous variables and chi-squared tests for categorical variables. Results. The HIV-infected women were more likely to report smoking and recreational drug use. In addition, a higher proportion of the HIV-infected women were co-infected with hepatitis, with more than one-quarter of HIV-infected women being hepatitis B or C seropositive. Although the study was limited due to small sample size, no significant differences in complication rates were found among HIV-infected women compared with uninfected women. Conclusion. As HIV-infected women are living longer, healthier lives we anticipate that increased numbers of HIV-infected women will be undergoing hysterectomy for benign gynecologic conditions. It will be important, therefore, to carefully document any potential differences in operative risks.
Correction: Modulatory Effects of the Piccolo Genotype on Emotional Memory in Health and Depression

There were multiple errors and an omission in the Funding Statement. The Funding Statement should read: "The infrastructure for the NESDA study (www.nesda.nl) is funded through the Geestkracht program of the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (Zon-Mw, Grant number 10-000-1002) and is supported by participating universities and mental health care organizations (VU University Medical Center, GGZ inGeest, Arkin, Leiden University Medical Center, GGZ Rivierduinen, University Medical Center Groningen, Lentis, GGZ Friesland, GGZ Drenthe, Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare (IQ healthcare), Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) and Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (Trimbos Institute). This work was supported by the Top Institute Pharma, project number T5-203. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. "
A CMOS Single-Chip Electronic Compass with Microcontroller

A CMOS single-chip electronic compass with a 16b DSP for heading calculation is presented. A Hall-based 3-axis magnetic-field sensor and analog amplifiers, with a gain of up to 20,000, drive a 12b ADC. A 0.35mum low-voltage CMOS process is used with an added metal layer working as a magnetic-field concentrator with a gain of about 6 to 10. The chip works with a 2.2 to 3.6V supply and draws 5mA in normal mode. The heading resolution is better than 0.5deg and the accuracy is better than plusmn2deg
Microparticles: Protagonists of a Novel Communication Network for Intercellular Information Exchange

Microparticles represent a heterogeneous population of vesicles with a diameter of 100 to 1000 nm that are released by budding of the plasma membrane and express antigens specific of their parental cells. Although microparticle formation represents a physiological phenomenon, a multitude of pathologies are associated with a considerable increase in circulating microparticles, including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis, and malignancies. Microparticles display an broad spectrum of bioactive substances and receptors on their surface and harbor a concentrated set of cytokines, signaling proteins, mRNA, and microRNA. Recent studies provided evidence for the concept of microparticles as veritable vectors for the intercellular exchange of biological signals and information. Indeed, microparticles may transfer part of their components and content to selected target cells, thus mediating cell activation, phenotypic modification, and reprogramming of cell function. Because microparticles readily circulate in the vasculature, they may serve as shuttle modules and signaling transducers not only in their local environment but also at remarkable distance from their site of origin. Altogether, this transcellular delivery system may extend the confines of the limited transcriptome and proteome of recipient cells and establishes a communication network in which specific properties and information among cells can be efficiently shared. At least in same cases, the sequential steps of the transfer process underlie complex regulatory mechanisms, including selective sorting (“packaging”) of microparticle components and content, specificity of interactions with target cells determined by surface receptors, and ultimately finely tuned and signal-dependent release and delivery of microparticle content.
Direct visualization of Parkinson's disease by in vivo human brain imaging using 7.0T magnetic resonance imaging

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder resulting from progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta. Therefore, imaging of the SN has been regarded to hold greatest potential for use in the diagnosis of PD. At the 7.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it is now possible to delineate clearly the shapes and boundaries of the SN. We scanned eight early and two advanced PD patients, along with nine age‐matched control subjects, using a 7.0T MRI in an attempt to directly visualize the SN and quantify the differences in shape and boundaries of SN between PD subjects in comparison with the normal control subjects. In the normal controls, the boundaries between the SN and crus cerebri appear smooth, and clean “arch” shapes that stretch ventrally from posterior to anterior. In contrast, these smooth and clean arch‐like boundaries were lost in PD subjects. The measured correlation analyses show that, in PD patients, there is age‐dependent correlation and substantially stronger UPDRS motor score‐dependent correlation. These results suggest that, by using 7.0T MRI, it appears possible to use these visible and distinctive changes in morphology as a diagnostic marker of PD. © 2011 Movement Disorder Society
Outcome After Delayed Oberlin Transfer in Brachial Plexus Injury

BACKGROUND:Nerve transfers following traumatic brachial plexus injuries are infrequently operated on after 6 months of injury because myoneural degeneration may set in before nerve regeneration can occur. An exception may lie in transferring healthy donor nerve fascicles directly onto an injured recipient nerve close to the motor point. This is especially true of the Oberlin transfer in which ulnar nerve fascicle(s) are transferred onto the damaged nerve to the biceps. OBJECTIVE:This retrospective observational study evaluated the outcome of the Oberlin transfer on bicipital power in patients with upper trunk/C5,6,7 root level injuries operated on after 6 months of injury. METHODS:Using a standard infraclavicular exposure, the musculocutaneous nerve was followed to its branch to the biceps. Distal to this, the ulnar nerve was skeletonized and a constituent motor fascicle was transferred onto the nerve to biceps. Medical Research Council (MRC) motor power grading was assessed every 3 months following surgery. Patients with a follow-up less than 12 months were excluded. RESULTS:Nine patients operated on after an average of 12.2 months (range, 7-24 months) following injury qualified for the study. At an average follow-up of 26.7 months (range, 12-41 months), all patients had ≥2/5 biceps power. Seven patients (77.8%) had useful biceps function ≥3/5 MRC score. A single patient operated on 24 months after injury gained 4/5 MRC biceps power. CONCLUSION:The Oberlin transfer is a useful salvage procedure in patients presenting after 6 months of a brachial plexus injury.
Contractile patterns in patients with severe chronic dyspepsia

Objective: Antroduodenojejunal interdigestive and postprandial pressure recordings were analyzed in 41 consecutive patients referred for evaluation of severe chronic dyspepsia. In addition to traditional manometric evaluation we also focused on the propagation pattern of individual pressure waves in the proximal duodenum. Methods: Catheters with closely spaced side holes for temporospatial analysis of the computerized recordings were used. The dominating symptoms were unexplained nausea and vomiting (n = 18), chronic abdominal pain (n = 16), or both (n = 7). The patients' mean age was 45 yr (31 women and 10 men). Gastric surgery had been performed on 11 patients. Results from 20 healthy volunteers served as a reference range. Results: Findings were suggestive of neuropathy in 16 (39%) and myopathy in 1 (2.4%) using conventional criteria. Another 19 patients of the 24 with normal condensed recordings showed abnormalities in the propagation pattern of individual pressure waves in phase II and/or during the fed state, when compared with the controls. Absence of phase III of the migrating motor complex was found in 12 patients during the 5-h fasting recording, compared with none in the controls (p < 0.01). Retroperistalsis at the end of phase III in the duodenum was present in at least one of the activity fronts in all patients having migrating motor complex except one, which was similar to the controls. During phase II, unpropagated bursts of phasic and tonic activity were more frequent in patients than in controls (mean 13.2%vs 3.7% of the time; p < 0.05), and a higher proportion of individual contractions was retrograde in patients than in controls (17.4%vs 5% of propagated contractions; p < 0.05). Patients had higher postprandial motility index in the distal duodenum than did controls (p < 0.05). Moreover, after feeding more individual contractions were retrograde in patients than in controls (33.1%vs 10% of propagated contractions; p < 0.01). Sequences of localized supratachyarrythmia, 25–35/min in the antrum and 50–60/min in the small bowel associated with symptoms, were observed in two patients. Conclusion: Manometry is important for demonstration of pathophysiology in patients with unexplained abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Simultaneous analysis of the propagation of individual contractions of interdigestive and fed motility is superior to conventional manometry alone.
Estimating the Global Burden of Endemic Canine Rabies

Background Rabies is a notoriously underreported and neglected disease of low-income countries. This study aims to estimate the public health and economic burden of rabies circulating in domestic dog populations, globally and on a country-by-country basis, allowing an objective assessment of how much this preventable disease costs endemic countries. Methodology/Principal Findings We established relationships between rabies mortality and rabies prevention and control measures, which we incorporated into a model framework. We used data derived from extensive literature searches and questionnaires on disease incidence, control interventions and preventative measures within this framework to estimate the disease burden. The burden of rabies impacts on public health sector budgets, local communities and livestock economies, with the highest risk of rabies in the poorest regions of the world. This study estimates that globally canine rabies causes approximately 59,000 (95% Confidence Intervals: 25-159,000) human deaths, over 3.7 million (95% CIs: 1.6-10.4 million) disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and 8.6 billion USD (95% CIs: 2.9-21.5 billion) economic losses annually. The largest component of the economic burden is due to premature death (55%), followed by direct costs of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP, 20%) and lost income whilst seeking PEP (15.5%), with only limited costs to the veterinary sector due to dog vaccination (1.5%), and additional costs to communities from livestock losses (6%). Conclusions/Significance This study demonstrates that investment in dog vaccination, the single most effective way of reducing the disease burden, has been inadequate and that the availability and affordability of PEP needs improving. Collaborative investments by medical and veterinary sectors could dramatically reduce the current large, and unnecessary, burden of rabies on affected communities. Improved surveillance is needed to reduce uncertainty in burden estimates and to monitor the impacts of control efforts.