Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypocholesterolemic effect of hot-water extract from mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis.

This study was conducted to investigate the hypocholesterolemic effect of the hot-water fraction (HW) from cultured mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis in a 5 l fermenter. The composition of HW was mainly carbohydrate (83.9%) and protein (11.8%) on a dry basis, and the carbohydrate of HW consisted of glucose, mannose, galactose, and arabinose in the molecular ratio of 1.0 : 0.8 : 0.5 : 0.1, respectively. In mice fed a cholesterol-free diet and those fed a cholesterol-enriched diet, body and liver weights were not significantly different from those of the controls. The serum total cholesterol (TC) of all mice groups administered HW (150 and 300 mg/kg/d, respectively) with the cholesterol-enriched diet decreased more than in the control group. Among the mice fed the cholesterol-enriched diet, HW also increased the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level, but decreased the very low-density lipoprotein plus low-density lipoprotein (VLDL+LDL) cholesterol level. The changes in HDL- and VLDL+LDL-cholesterol levels consequently decreased the atherogenic value. The results indicate that HW in rats administered a cholesterol-enriched diet decreased the plasma cholesterol level. The 300 mg/kg dose had a significant effect on the serum TC level.
Bile acid metabolism in human hyperthyroidism

Decreased levels of serum cholesterol are a well‐recognized finding in hyperthyroidism. Since the conversion to bile acids is an important pathway for the elimination of cholesterol, we studied primary bile acid kinetics in seven hyperthyroid patients before and after medical treatment. Pool sizes, fractional turnover and synthesis rates of cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid were determined after oral administration of 50 mg [13C]cholic acid and 50 mg [13C]chenodeoxycholic acid. 13C/12C isotope ratios in serum were measured by capillary gas chromatography/electron impact mass spectrometry.
Refrex-1, a Soluble Restriction Factor against Feline Endogenous and Exogenous Retroviruses

ABSTRACT The host defense against viral infection is acquired during the coevolution or symbiosis of the host and pathogen. Several cellular factors that restrict retroviral infection have been identified in the hosts. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a gammaretrovirus that is classified into several receptor interference groups, including a novel FeLV-subgroup D (FeLV-D) that we recently identified. FeLV-D is generated by transduction of the env gene of feline endogenous gammaretrovirus of the domestic cat (ERV-DCs) into FeLV. Some ERV-DCs are replication competent viruses which are present and hereditary in cats. We report here the determination of new viral receptor interference groups and the discovery of a soluble antiretroviral factor, termed Refrex-1. Detailed analysis of FeLV-D strains and ERV-DCs showed two receptor interference groups that are distinct from other FeLV subgroups, and Refrex-1 specifically inhibited one of them. Refrex-1 is characterized as a truncated envelope protein of ERV-DC and includes the N-terminal region of surface unit, which is a putative receptor-binding domain, but lacks the transmembrane region. Refrex-1 is efficiently secreted from the cells and appears to cause receptor interference extracellularly. Two variants of Refrex-1 encoded by provirus loci, ERV-DC7 and DC16, are expressed in a broad range of feline tissues. The host retains Refrex-1 as an antiretroviral factor, which may potentially prevent reemergence of the ERVs and the emergence of novel ERV-related viruses in cats. Refrex-1 may have been acquired during endogenization of ERV-DCs and may play an important role in retroviral restriction and antiviral defense in cats.
Is Epilepsy Surgery on both Hemispheres Effective?

Background: Patients with bilateral independent seizure foci are poor candidates for conventional resective epilepsy surgery. The authors have therefore used minimally invasive procedures to treat such patients. In this paper, the result of a large series of patients treated by this approach is examined to determine the effectiveness of this approach. Materials and Methods: The series had 61 patients. The range of follow-up was 15–90 months. The mean follow-up was 41.5 months with a median of 37 months. Patients’ ages at the time of surgery ranged from 3 to 54 years, with a mean of 11.3 and median of 6. Male to female ratio was 39/22. Fifty patients had complex partial seizures, 3 had Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, 4 had myotonic seizures, 2 had infantile spasm, and 2 had myoclonic seizures. Preoperative evaluation included: video electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring using scalp electrodes, neuropsychological evaluation, magnetic resonance scans, positron emission topography and/or single photon emission computed tomography scans, magnetoencephalogram, Wada test and video EEG recording using subdural electrodes. Multiple subpial transection (MST) was the principle procedure. This procedure was supplemented (17 patients) with minimal cortical resection when intraoperative electroencephalogram indicated that an area failed to respond to MST. When an additional epileptogenic focus was present in the amygdala-hippocampus complex (5 patients), it was treated with stereotactic amygdala-hippocampotomy. The eloquent cortex was treated in 51 patients. The number of lobes treated was 2 in 5 patients, 3 in 5 patients, 4 in 10 patients, 5 in 2 patients, 6 in 38 patients and 8 in 1. Results: Seizure outcome based on Engel’s modified classification was as follows: 32 patients (52.45%) were class I, 5 (8.2%) were class II, 15 (24.59%) were class III, 3 (4.9%) were class IV and 6 (9.83%) were class V. There was no statistical difference between those who were operated on of the first half of the series and those who were operated on of the second half of the series (p = 0.1636). Similarly, there was no statistical difference between this series and two large series in which MST had been performed on one hemisphere (p values of 0.6863 and 0.7337). There was no statistical difference between those who had MST alone and those who had MST plus minimal cortical resection (p = 0.1698). There was no permanent neurological complication in this series. Conclusion: Patients with intractable epilepsy with independent seizure foci in both hemispheres can be safely treated with the approach described in this paper, and seizure control achieved by this approach is fairly satisfactory and similar to that reported in patients with surgery on one hemisphere.
Proteomic Identification of Overexpressed Adenomatous Polyposis Coli and Cyclin B3 During Endoderm Differentiation From Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate important proteins associated with endoderm differentiation by pancreatic derivation protocol from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Methods: Comparative proteomic analysis of endoderm cells differentiated from hESCs by activin A and low serum was performed. Proteins with altered expression levels during endoderm differentiation were investigated by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) with mass spectrometric analysis. Results: Thirty-four protein spots with significantly changed intensities were identified. These were functionally annotated based on gene ontology. The messenger RNA expression levels of 5 genes, APC, CCNB3, HSPA9, CCT2, and YWHAE, were correlated with 2-DE analysis. We further validated the protein expression levels of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and cyclin B3 (CCNB3) by using Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry. They are involved in the regulation of cell cycle, thus, cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases, which regulate the cell cycle, were examined. Cyclin A1, cyclin D2, and cyclin E2 were up-regulated, and other cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases were down-regulated in endoderm cells. Conclusions: The increase in expression of APC and CCNB3 suggests that these proteins will be important markers for identifying endoderm cells differentiated from hESCs, and they can play important roles in the differentiation of endoderm cells from hESCs or in human endoderm development for pancreas.
Oxidative DNA Damage Associated with Combination of Guanine and Superoxide Radicals and Repair Mechanisms via Radical Trapping*

In living tissues under inflammatory conditions, superoxide radicals (\batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{O}_{2}^{{\bar{{\cdot}}}}\) \end{document}) are generated and are known to cause oxidative DNA damage. However, the mechanisms of action are poorly understood. It is shown here that the combination of \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{O}_{2}^{{\bar{{\cdot}}}}\) \end{document} with guanine neutral radicals, G(–H)• in single- or double-stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotides (rate constant of 4.7 ± 1.0 × 108 m–1 s–1 in both cases), culminates in the formation of oxidatively modified guanine bases (major product, imidazolone; minor product, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine). The G(–H)• and \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{O}_{2}^{{\bar{{\cdot}}}}\) \end{document} radicals were generated by intense 308 nm excimer laser pulses resulting in the one-electron oxidation and deprotonation of guanine in the 5′-d(CC[2AP]-TCGCTACC) strands and the trapping of the ejected electrons by molecular oxygen (Shafirovich, V., Dourandin, A., Huang, W., Luneva, N. P., and Geacintov, N. E. (2000) Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2, 4399–4408). The addition of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, known to react rapidly with superoxide, dramatically enhances the life-times of guanine radicals from 4 to 7 ms to 0.2–0.6 s in the presence of 5 μm superoxide dismutase. Oxygen-18 isotope labeling experiments reveal two pathways of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine formation including either addition of \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \(\mathrm{O}_{2}^{{\bar{{\cdot}}}}\) \end{document} to the C-8 position of G(–H)• (in the presence of oxygen), or the hydration of G(–H)• (in the absence of oxygen). The formation of the guanine lesions via combination of guanine and superoxide radicals is greatly reduced in the presence of typical antioxidants such as trolox and catechol that rapidly regenerate guanine by the reductive “repair” of G(–H)• radicals. The mechanistic aspects of the radical reactions that either regenerate undamaged guanine in DNA or lead to oxidatively modified guanine bases are discussed.
Quantifying normal geometric variation in human pulmonary lobar geometry from high resolution computed tomography.

Previous studies of the ex vivo lung have suggested significant intersubject variability in lung lobe geometry. A quantitative description of normal lung lobe shape would therefore have value in improving the discrimination between normal population variability in shape and pathology. To quantify normal human lobe shape variability, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) imaging of the lung at full inspiration. Volumetric imaging from 22 never-smoking subjects (10 female and 12 male) with normal lung function was included in the analysis. For each subject, an initial finite element mesh geometry was generated from a group of manually selected nodes that were placed at distinct anatomical locations on the lung surface. Each mesh used cubic shape functions to describe the surface curvilinearity, and the mesh was fitted to surface data for each lobe. A PCA was performed on the surface meshes for each lobe. Nine principal components (PCs) were sufficient to capture >90% of the normal variation in each of the five lobes. The analysis shows that lobe size can explain between 20% and 50% of intersubject variability, depending on the lobe considered. Diaphragm shape was the next most significant intersubject difference. When the influence of lung size difference is removed, the angle of the fissures becomes the most significant shape difference, and the variability in relative lobe size becomes important. We also show how a lobe from an independent subject can be projected onto the study population's PCs, demonstrating potential for abnormalities in lobar geometry to be defined in a quantitative manner.
Effect of gamma-hydroxybutyrate in two rat models of focal cerebral damage.

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and its lactone, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) have been previously shown to produce a protective effect in animal models of cerebral ischaemia/hypoxia, as well as in human conditions of head injury-induced coma. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of GHB in experimental conditions of focal cerebral damage, either induced by ischaemia or excitotoxicity. Under general anaesthesia, rats were injected into the right striatum with either endothelin-1 (ET-1, 0.43 nmol) or kainic acid (7.5 nmol) in a volume of 1 microl. Sham-lesioned rats received 1 microl of the solvent. Both ET-1- and kainic acid-lesioned rats were randomly assigned to one of the following intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatments: (i) and (ii) GHB, 100 or 300 mg kg(-1) 2 h after the lesion, followed by 50 or 100 mg kg(-1), respectively, every 12 h; (iii) saline, 2 ml kg(-1), same schedule. Sham animals were treated with saline, 2 ml kg(-1), same schedule. Treatments lasted for 10 days. The higher dose of GHB produced a significant protection against the ET-1-induced impairments in sensory-motor orientation and coordinated limb use (evaluated 24 and 42 days after the lesion) and in place learning and memory (Morris test, performed 19 and 39 days after the lesion). The same dose regimen reduced the circling behaviour induced by apomorphine in kainate-lesioned rats (10 days after the lesion), and limited or prevented at all the histological damage produced either by ET-1 or by kainic acid (evaluated 43 or 10 days after the lesion, respectively). These results show that GHB limits both histological and functional consequences of a focal ischaemic or excitotoxic insult of the brain, in rats, even if the treatment is started 2 h after the lesion.
Is intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring necessary in symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism with concordant imaging?

Introduction: Symptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is still seen frequently in referral centers all over India. These patients require parathyroidectomy and this study aimed to assess the roll of intraoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) assay when concordant results of two localization studies were available. Study Design: We analyzed the case records of patients who underwent parathyroidectomy for PHPT from January 2005 to June 2015. Results: Of 143 patients included in the study, technetium 99m methoxyisobutylisonitrate dual phase scintigraphy showed true positive images in 93.7% and high definition ultrasonography in 84.6% of patients. Concordance in localization studies was observed in 121 (84.6%) patients, successful parathyroidectomy was done in 117 (96.7%) patients with concordant localization studies. Intraoperative PTH monitoring showed 97.84% sensitivity and 75% specificity and predicted failure in 2 patients with concordant imaging. However, re-exploration was not successful in these patients. Conclusion: When concordant result is available between parathyroid scintigraphy and anatomical imaging surgical cure rate is high in trained hands. Re-exploration is unlikely to be successful since these patients require higher imaging.
Lenalidomide for the treatment of B-cell lymphoma

ABSTRACT Introduction: Although the combination of an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and chemotherapy has widely improved survival of patients with B-cell lymphoma, the disease still relapses. A better understanding of the biology of lymphomas has highlighted the role of the cell of origin in response to treatment and outcome. Lenalidomide represents an attractive therapeutic option due to its original mechanism of action. Areas covered: In this review, the authors describe the pharmacological properties of lenalidomide, and the rational for its use in B-cell lymphomas; focusing on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). They discuss the mechanism of action of the drug and its current and future clinical development. They also review the current data in relapsed/refractory situations as well as in first-line treatment. Expert opinion: Lenalidomide is an oral non-chemotherapy immunomodulatory agent with an acceptable toxicity profile and manageable side-effects. Efficacy has widely been demonstrated, especially in MCL, FL and non-Germinal Center DLBCL patients. Further studies are now warranted to better define the strategy for the use of lenalidomide in B-NHL patients, and clarify which subgroup of patients will really benefit of lenalidomide as part of first-line treatment or in a relapsed/refractory setting.
Generation of remote adaptive torsional shear waves with an octagonal phased array to enhance displacements and reduce variability of shear wave speeds: comparison with quasi-plane shear wavefronts

A method based on adaptive torsional shear waves (ATSW) is proposed to overcome the strong attenuation of shear waves generated by a radiation force in dynamic elastography. During the inward propagation of ATSW, the magnitude of displacements is enhanced due to the convergence of shear waves and constructive interferences. The proposed method consists in generating ATSW fields from the combination of quasi-plane shear wavefronts by considering a linear superposition of displacement maps. Adaptive torsional shear waves were experimentally generated in homogeneous and heterogeneous tissue mimicking phantoms, and compared to quasi-plane shear wave propagations. Results demonstrated that displacement magnitudes by ATSW could be up to 3 times higher than those obtained with quasi-plane shear waves, that the variability of shear wave speeds was reduced, and that the signal-to-noise ratio of displacements was improved. It was also observed that ATSW could cause mechanical inclusions to resonate in heterogeneous phantoms, which further increased the displacement contrast between the inclusion and the surrounding medium. This method opens a way for the development of new noninvasive tissue characterization strategies based on ATSW in the framework of our previously reported shear wave induced resonance elastography (SWIRE) method proposed for breast cancer diagnosis.
Men's perception of fatigue when newly diagnosed with localized prostate cancer

Objectives. Cancer is a complicated issue both medically and psychosocially, and the process of the disease affects the whole human being. Fatigue is the commonest symptom associated with cancer and its treatment. Prostate cancer is the third commonest male cancer worldwide and the leading cause of male cancer death. The aims of this study were: (i) to identify whether fatigue is found in men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer (predominantly early-stage, very low tumour burden asymptomatic patients); and (ii) to gain a perception of whether fatigue has an influence on these men and to try to find out what the cause of this fatigue was. Material and methods. Sixteen men who had been newly diagnosed with localized prostate cancer were interviewed to determine whether fatigue is experienced by such men and whether it has an effect on them. Verbal transcripts were analyzed using hermeneutical interpretation. Results. Five equivalent fusions were identified according to the time when the participants received their diagnosis of early-stage prostate cancer. These fusions occurred successively, in three steps. The first step was Enclosing Intrapersonal Emotions and Enclosing Interpersonal Attachments, when the men were living in a kind of vacuum. Moving onto step two, another two fusions were triggered and contributed to a positive attitude: Reopening Intrapersonal Emotions and Reopening Interpersonal Attachments. Finally, at step three, a unifying fusion was identified: Living with a New Perspective. This study provides insights and new knowledge indicating that prostate cancer does not in itself cause fatigue. Conclusions. The clinical implications of these findings are that it is not possible to handle new and detailed information about prostate cancer at the first visit. The need for information occurs, however, relatively soon afterwards and it would seem appropriate to offer a new appointment within 1 week of the first visit.
A molecular dynamics study of the 41‐56 β‐hairpin from B1 domain of protein G

The structural and dynamical behavior of the 41‐56 β‐hairpin from the protein G B1 domain (GB1) has been studied at different temperatures using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in an aqueous environment. The purpose of these simulations is to establish the stability of this hairpin in view of its possible role as a nucleation site for protein folding. The conformation of the peptide in the crystallographic structure of the protein GB1 (native conformation) was lost in all simulations. The new equilibrium conformations are stable for several nanoseconds at 300 K (>10 ns), 350 K (>6.5 ns), and even at 450 K (up to 2.5 ns). The new structures have very similar hairpin‐like conformations with properties in agreement with available experimental nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) data. The stability of the structure in the hydrophobic core region during the simulations is consistent with the experimental data and provides further evidence for the role played by hydrophobic interactions in hairpin structures. Essential dynamics analysis shows that the dynamics of the peptide at different temperatures spans basically the same essential subspace. The main equilibrium motions in this subspace involve large fluctuations of the residues in the turn and ends regions. Of the six interchain hydrogen bonds, the inner four remain stable during the simulations. The space spanned by the first two eigenvectors, as sampled at 450 K, includes almost all of the 47 different hairpin structures found in the database. Finally, analysis of the hydration of the 300 K average conformations shows that the hydration sites observed in the native conformation are still well hydrated in the equilibrium MD ensemble.
Event-Related Brain Potentials Following Incorrect Feedback in a Time-Estimation Task: Evidence for a Generic Neural System for Error Detection

We examined scalp-recorded event-related potentials following feedback stimuli in a time-estimation task. Six hundred msec after indicating the end of a 1 sec interval, subjects received a visual, auditory, or somatosensory stimulus that indicated whether the interval they had produced was correct. Following feedback indicating incorrect performance, a negative deflection occurred, whose characteristics corresponded closely to those of the component (the error-related negativity) that accompanies errors in choice reaction time tasks. Furthermore, equivalent dipole analysis suggested that, for all three modalities, the distribution of the scalp potential was consistent with a local source in the anterior cingulate cortex or a more distributed source in the supplementary motor areas. These loci correspond closely to those described previously for the error-related negativity. We conclude that the error-related negativity is the manifestation of the activity of a generic neural system involved in error detection.