Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smoking during pregnancy and diabetes mellitus in a British longitudinal birth cohort

Exposures in utero may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. 1 2 We tested the hypothesis that maternal smoking during pregnancy increases both the risk of early onset type 2 diabetes3 and non-diabetic obesity in offspring. We used data are from the British National Child Development Study (NCDS),4 based on the Perinatal Mortality Survey (PMS) of about 17 000 births from 3 to 9 March 1958. The first sweep of the study in 1965 had 15 396 responses. The cohort remained generally representative at age 33 years (n=11 359). 5 Missing data reduced the proportion in social class V from 6.4% in sweep 1 to 5.3%. Ethics committee approval was obtained for research involving medical examinations, and cohort members signed consent forms at age 33 years allowing access to medical records. …
Risk factors and long‐term outcomes of parvovirus B19 infection in kidney transplant patients

Parvovirus B19 is a small, non‐enveloped, single‐stranded DNA virus with a special affinity for the erythroid progenitor cells of the bone marrow. The first case of parvovirus B19 infection in a kidney transplant recipient (KTR) was reported in 1986. Data on the risk factors and specific clinical characteristics of parvovirus B19 infection remain insufficient.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors for Early Carotid Atherosclerosis in the General Population: The Edinburgh Artery Study

Background Recent attempts to identify cardiovascular risk factors affecting early-stage carotid atherosclerosis, measured by ultrasonographically assessed intima-media thickness, have been inconclusive. Objective To study the relationship between traditional cardiovascular risk factors and intima-media thickness. Methods Ultrasonic evaluation of the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery was included in the 5-year follow-up examination of participants of the Edinburgh Artery Study. We had valid readings of intima-media thickness for 1106 men and women aged 60-80 years. Information on a range of cardiovascular risk factors had been collected during the baseline examination. Results For men, in addition to age, lifetime smoking (measured in terms of pack years) was the only cardiovascular risk factor associated with increased intima-media thickness (P≤0.01) in the univariate analysis. Both systolic blood pressure (P≤0.001) and the high-density lipoprotein (HDL: Total cholesterol ratio (P≤0.01) were correlated with intima-media thickness for women. When all the variables had been included in a multivariate analysis, pack years of smoking and the HDL:total cholesterol ratio were associated with early atherosclerotic development in men. In an equivalent analysis for women, alcohol consumption, systolic blood pressure and the HDL:total cholesterol ratio were associated with intima-media thickness. Conclusion These data suggest that risk factors affecting intima-media thickness differ for men and women. Further sex-specific analyses of prospective population studies are required in order to clarify the role of ‘traditional’ cardiovascular risk factors in the early stages of carotid atherosclerosis. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness has been shown to be a valid and reliable marker of early atherosclerotic development. However, results from previous studies of cardiovascular risk factors for increased intima-media thickness have been inconclusive. We report the results of a sex-specific analysis of cardiovascular risk factors for early atherosclerotic development from a study of the general population. In addition to age, which was strongly associated with intima-media thickness for both sexes, lifetime smoking and the high-density lipoprotein: Total cholesterol ratio were related to early atherosclerosis in men, whereas systolic blood pressure, alcohol consumption and the high-density lipoprotein: Cholesterol ratio were significant risk factors for women.
Head-to-Head Comparison of Left Ventricular Function Assessment with 64-Row Computed Tomography , Biplane Left Cineventriculography , and Both 2-and 3-Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography

Results For the global EF, Bland-Altman analysis showed significantly higher agreement between CT and MRI (p 0.005, 95% confidence interval: 14.2%) than for CVG ( 20.2%) and 3D Echo ( 21.2%). Only CVG (59.5 13.9%, p 0.03) significantly overestimated EF in comparison with MRI (55.6 16.0%). CT showed significantly better agreement for stroke volume than 2D Echo, 3D Echo, and CVG. In comparison with MRI, CVG—but not CT—significantly overestimated the end-diastolic volume (p 0.001), whereas 2D Echo and 3D Echo significantly underestimated the EDV (p 0.05). There was no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy (range: 76% to 88%) for regional LV function assessment between the 4 methods when compared with MRI. Interobserver agreement for EF showed high intraclass correlation for 64-row CT, MRI, 2D Echo, and 3D Echo (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.8), whereas agreement was lower for CVG (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.58).
Host-Soluble Galectin-1 Promotes HIV-1 Replication through a Direct Interaction with Glycans of Viral gp120 and Host CD4

ABSTRACT Sexual transmission of HIV-1 requires virus adsorption to a target cell, typically a CD4+ T lymphocyte residing in the lamina propria, beneath the epithelium. To escape the mucosal clearance system and reach its target cells, HIV-1 has evolved strategies to circumvent deleterious host factors. Galectin-1, a soluble lectin found in the underlayers of the epithelium, increases HIV-1 infectivity by accelerating its binding to susceptible cells. By comparison, galectin-3, a family member expressed by epithelial cells and part of the mucosal clearance system, does not perform similarly. We show here that galectin-1 directly binds to HIV-1 in a β-galactoside-dependent fashion through recognition of clusters of N-linked glycans on the viral envelope gp120. Unexpectedly, this preferential binding of galectin-1 does not rely on the primary sequence of any particular glycans. Instead, glycan clustering arising from the tertiary structure of gp120 hinders its binding by galectin-3. Increased polyvalency of a specific ligand epitope is a common strategy for glycans to increase their avidity for lectins. In this peculiar occurrence, glycan clustering is instead exploited to prevent binding of gp120 by galectin-3, which would lead to a biological dead-end for the virus. Our data also suggest that galectin-1 binds preferentially to CD4, the host receptor for gp120. Together, these results suggest that HIV-1 exploits galectin-1 to enhance gp120-CD4 interactions, thereby promoting virus attachment and infection events. Since viral adhesion is a rate-limiting step for HIV-1 entry, modulation of the gp120 interaction with galectin-1 could thus represent a novel approach for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission.
Estimation of animal × environment interaction in Czech beef cattle

The objective was the estimation of animal × environment interaction for weaning weight (WWT) of the most frequent breeds of beef cattle in the Czech Republic. The environment was represented by 3 areas: Mountain (1), Foothills (2) and Lowland (3). A pairwise analysis was carried out between the areas: 1 vs 2 (n=5 149) and 2 vs 3 (n=4 971) for the estimation of (co)variance components and genetic correlations between the environments. A multiple-trait animal model was used where weaning weights in different areas were considered as different traits. The direct and maternal heritability estimates of WWT were for area (1): 0.12 (direct) and 0.05 (maternal); for (2): 0.26 and 0.11 (direct), 0.10 and 0.11 (maternal) and for (3): 0.26 (direct) 0.03 (maternal). Direct and maternal genetic correlations were between: 1 and 2 0.98 and 0.65 respectively, with standard deviations 0.03 and 0.37 respectively, and between 2 and 3: 0.82 and 0.50 respectively, with standard deviations 0.12 and 0.31 respectivly. The magnitude of the across-areas genetic correlation indicates that the animal by environment interaction was not biologically important and can be ignored in the evaluation of beef cattle in the Czech Republic.
INTERACTION BETWEEN PARENTAL CARE AND SIBLING COMPETITION: PARENTS ENHANCE OFFSPRING GROWTH AND EXACERBATE SIBLING COMPETITION

Abstract Species with elaborate parental care often also show intense sibling competition over resources provided by parents, suggesting joint evolution of these two traits. Despite this, the evolution of elaborate parental care and the evolution of intense sibling competition are often studied separately. Here, we examine the interaction between parental food provisioning and sibling competition for resources through the joint manipulation of the presence or absence of parents and brood size in a species with facultative parental care: the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. The effect of the interaction between the presence or absence of parents and brood size was strong; brood size had a strong effect on growth when parents provided care, but no effect when parents were absent. As in previous studies, offspring grew faster when parents were present than when parents were absent, and offspring grew faster in smaller broods than in larger broods. Our behavioral observations showed that brood size had a negative effect on both the amount of time parents spent providing resources to individual offspring and the offspring's effectiveness of begging, confirming that the level of sibling competition increased with brood size. Furthermore, offspring in larger broods shifted more from begging toward self-feeding as they grew older compared to offspring in small broods. Our study provides novel insights into the joint evolution of parental care and sibling competition, and the evolution of offspring begging signals. We discuss the implications of our results in light of recent theoretical work on the evolution of parental care, sibling competition, and offspring begging signals.
Pulse Pressure: An Independent Predictor of Coronary and Stroke Mortality in Elderly Females from the General Population

The aim of this paper is to evaluate whether pulse pressure is an independent risk factor for coronary and stroke mortality in 3282 subjects (1281 males and 2001 females) aged S 65 years, taking part in the CArdiovascular STudy in the Elderly (CASTEL). After dividing subjects into tertiles of pulse pressure, adjusted relative risk (RR) and confidence intervals (CI) for 14-year coronary and stroke mortality was evaluated for each tertile. Among females, coronary mortality rate was 2.7% in the first tertile of pulse pressure, 4.7% in the second (RR 1.38, 95% CI [1.15–2.66]) and 6.2% in the third (RR 2, CI [1.20–3.51]). Stroke mortality was 3.6%, 4.1% (RR 1.23, CI [1.02–2.23]) and 8.3% (RR 2.27, CI [1.37–3.74]), respectively. This trend was recognizable in normotensive, borderline and sustained hypertensive women, where mortality increased with rising pulse pressure. No relationship was found between pulse pressure and mortality in males. In elderly women, pulse pressure was a good predictor of coronary and stroke mortality, even superior to the label of hypertension. No matter how any given pulse pressure level was obtained, it was more predictive of both coronary and cerebrovascular mortality than belonging to a normo- or hypertensive category.
Increasing Incidence of Midterm and Long-Term Complications After Endovascular Graft Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A Note of Caution Based on a 9-Year Experience

ObjectiveTo analyze the late complications after endovascular graft repair of elective abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) at the authors’ institution since November 1992. Summary Background DataRecently, the use of endovascular grafts for the treatment of AAAs has increased dramatically. However, there is little midterm or long-term proof of their efficacy. MethodsDuring the past 9 years, 239 endovascular graft repairs were performed for nonruptured AAAs, many (86%) in high-risk patients or in those with complex anatomy. The grafts used were Montefiore (n = 97), Ancure/EVT (n = 14), Vanguard (n = 16), Talent (n = 47), Excluder (n = 20), AneuRx (n = 29), and Zenith (n = 16). All but the AneuRx and Ancure repairs were performed as part of a U.S. phase 1 or phase 2 clinical trial under a Food and Drug Administration investigational device exemption. Procedural outcomes and follow-up results were prospectively recorded. ResultsThe major complication and death rates within 30 days of endovascular graft repair were 17.6% and 8.5%, respectively. The technical success rate with complete AAA exclusion was 88.7%. During follow-up to 75 months (mean ± standard deviation, 15.7 ± 6.3 months), 53 patients (22%) died of unrelated causes. Two AAAs treated with endovascular grafts ruptured and were surgically repaired, with one death. Other late complications included type 1 endoleak (n = 7), aortoduodenal fistula (n = 2), graft thrombosis/stenosis (n = 7), limb separation or fabric tear with a subsequent type 3 endoleak (n = 1), and a persistent type 2 endoleak (n = 13). Secondary intervention or surgery was required in 23 patients (10%). These included deployment of a second graft (n = 4), open AAA repair (n = 5), coil embolization (n = 6), extraanatomic bypass (n = 4), and stent placement (n = 3). ConclusionWith longer follow-up, complications occurred with increasing frequency. Although most could be managed with some form of endovascular reintervention, some complications resulted in a high death rate. Although endovascular graft repair is less invasive and sometimes effective in the long term, it is often not a definitive procedure. These findings mandate long-term surveillance and prospective studies to prove the effectiveness of endovascular graft repair.
Relationship between LYVE-1, VEGFR-3 and CD44 gene expressions and lymphatic metastasis in gastric cancer.

AIM To investigate the expression levels of lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1 (LYVE-1), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3) and CD44 genes and the relationship between their levels and clinicopathological parameters in gastric cancer. METHODS Tissue samples were obtained from 33 patients (8 females) with gastric cancer. mRNA levels of LYVE-1, VEGFR-3 and CD44 in normal and tumor tissues were quantitatively measured using real time polymerase chain reaction. The results were correlated with lymph node metastasis, histological type and differentiation of the tumor, T-stage, and presence of vascular, perineural and lymphatic invasions. The distribution of molecules in the tissue was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS LYVE-1, CD44 and VEGFR-3 gene expression levels were significantly higher in gastric cancer than in normal tissue. While there was no correlation between gene expressions and clinicopathologic features such as histologic type, differentiation and stage, gene expression levels were found to be increased in conjunction with positive lymph node/total lymph node ratio and the presence of perineural invasion. A significant correlation was also found between LYVE-1 and CD44 over-expressions and perineural invasion and lymph node positivity in gastric cancers. When the distribution of LYVE-1 antibody-stained lymphatic vessels in tissue was evaluated, lymphatic vessels were located intra-tumorally in 13% and peri-tumorally in 27% of the patients. Moreover, lymph node metastases were also positive in all patients with LYVE-1-staining. CONCLUSION LYVE-1, VEGFR-3 and CD44 all play an important role in lymphangiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. LYVE-1 is a perfectly reliable lymphatic vessel marker and useful for immunohistochemistry.
Acetaldehyde coenzyme A dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli

Mutants of Escherichia coli (adh) in which alcohol dehydrogenase is derepressed under aerobic conditions were also found to overproduce acetaldehyde coenzyme a dehydrogenase. However, acetaldehyde coenzyme A dehydrogenase was induced by ethanol or acetaldehyde and subject to strong catabolite repression, whereas alcohol dehydrogenase was little affected by these conditions. Mutants no longer able to use ethanol as carbon source were isolated from an adh strain. Some of these mutants were revertants at the adh locus and no longer produced either alcohol dehydrogenase or acetaldehyde coenzyme A dehydrogenase. Others, designated acd, were found to lack only acetaldehyde coenzyme A dehydrogenase. The acd mutation was located at min 62 of the E. coli genetic map, the gene order being thyA-lysA-acd-serA-fda. Isolation of Tn10 insertions cotransducible with acd greatly simplified the mapping procedure.
America's Jobs Challenges and the Continuing Role of the U.S. Department of Labor

The article looks at economic and labor market problems and policies designed to address them in the U.S., as of 2014. It discusses the role of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) in addressing what the author describes as the most significant economic challenges the country faces: the need for faster economic growth to create more jobs overall; long-term unemployment among experienced workers; labor market inequality; and the need of dislocated and disadvantaged workers for training and job-search help. Topics include unemployment insurance (UI), the DOL's Employment and Training Administration, and effective program evaluation in the DOL.
Use of the student-oriented learning outline in research education.

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy 335 Occupational therapy students learn the necessity for and value of research for clinical practice, the components of a research proposal, how to interpret studies, and how to apply results to occupational therapy services through their academic programs (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 1991). At the undergraduate level, research courses are designed to teach basic skills needed to analyze and interpret data, present research findings, and consider the implications for decision making (Dolinsky, 1994). Undergraduate students, however, can be intimidated by courses on research methods (Potter, 1995) possibly because of a lack of exposure to research-related content, fearing a new language such as that used in statistical analysis (McBride, 1994) or viewing the concepts as difficult to comprehend (Cole, 1995; Rosenbaum & Temple, 1996). Some students may also view research courses as irrelevant and vaguely defined (McBurney, 1995), particularly compared with other courses in the academic program that focus on day-to-day practice applications (Kessenich, 1996; McBride, 1994; Rosenbaum & Temple, 1996). Occupational therapy educators may also view undergraduate students as intimidated by research and question its relevance or appropriateness in an undergraduate curriculum. Several authors of research textbooks in occupational therapy have made efforts to stimulate interest in research through their introductions. Royeen (1989) sought to “further stimulate development, reflection, refinement, and originality in clinical research” (p. iv). DePoy and Gitlin (1994) wanted to share their “enthusiasm and passion for conducting research” (p. ix). Bailey (1997) made an appeal that “research can be fun, exciting, and fascinating” (p. xxi) experiences. These notions hint that special attention may be needed to teach research methods. This article reviews instructional methods used to teach undergraduates about research across disciplines; describes how one method, the Student-Oriented Learning Outline (SOLO), can be used to facilitate student learning in a research course; and presents results on the use of a SOLO in one undergraduate research course.
Rubella vaccination and transitory false‐positive test results for human immunodeficiency virus Type 1 in blood donors

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common red blood cell enzyme deficiency, affecting more than 400 million people worldwide. The prevalence of G6PD deficiency in Iran is reportedly 3.5% to 11%. Screening of our (mostly male) blood donors for G6PD deficiency is not performed routinely. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of G6PD deficiency in blood donors. Blood samples were obtained from 706 randomly selected blood donors, who presented between June and September 2008. Enzyme activity was measured in triplicate by an automated analyzer (Chem Enzyme, Tehran, Iran). Deficiency was defined as an activity of less than 1.26 IU/g hemoglobin (Hb), 1 SD (2.8 IU/g Hb) below the mean (4.4 IU/g Hb). Based on this protocol, 16.3% of our donor population was classified as G6PD deficient. The prevalence of G6PD deficiency was higher in donors with a positive family history (34.8% vs. 15.7%, p value by Pearson chisquare, 0.02). As donors with a history of favism are deferred, the observed prevalence may be lower than that in the general population. Is screening for G6PD deficiency in blood donors necessary or beneficial in an area of relatively high prevalence? One study of 23 patients who received 24 units of G6PD-deficient blood (G6PD A–) failed to reveal any deleterious effects and did not recommend routine screening for African-American donors, although additional data were felt to be necessary before reaching a similar conclusion about Caucasians in the United States (despite G6PD deficiency being found in only 0.5% of males with Greek and Italian surnames). Nevertheless, the potentially severe consequences of a G6PD hemolytic crisis may argue in favor of routine G6PD screening of male blood donors in areas with high prevalence of G6PD deficiency.
Comparative Effects of Vaccination against Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) in a PCV2-PRRSV Challenge Model

ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) vaccinations in an experimental PCV2-PRRSV challenge model, based on virological (viremia), immunological (neutralizing antibodies [NAs], gamma interferon-secreting cells [IFN-γ-SCs], and CD4+ CD8+ double-positive cells), and pathological (lesions and antigens in lymph nodes and lungs) evaluations. A total of 72 pigs were randomly divided into 9 groups (8 pigs per group): 5 vaccinated and challenged groups, 3 nonvaccinated and challenged groups, and a negative-control group. Vaccination against PCV2 induced immunological responses (NAs and PCV2-specific IFN-γ-SCs) and reduced PCV2 viremia, PCV2-induced lesions, and PCV2 antigens in the dually infected pigs. However, vaccination against PCV2 did not affect the PRRSV immunological responses (NAs and PRRSV-specific IFN-γ-SCs), PRRSV viremia, PRRSV-induced lesions, or PRRSV antigens in the dually infected pigs. Vaccination against PRRSV did not induce immunological responses (PRRSV-specific IFN-γ-SCs) or reduce PRRSV viremia, PRRSV-induced lesions, or PRRSV antigens in the dually infected pigs. In addition, vaccination against PRRSV increased PCV2 viremia, PCV2-induced lesions, and PCV2 antigens in the dually infected pigs. In summary, vaccination against PCV2 reduced PCV2 viremia, PCV2-induced lesions, and PCV2 antigens in the dually infected pigs. However, vaccination against PRRSV increased PCV2 viremia, PCV2-induced lesions, and PCV2 antigens in the dually infected pigs. Therefore, the PCV2 vaccine decreased the potentiation of PCV2-induced lesions by PRRSV in dually infected pigs. In contrast, the PRRSV vaccine alone did not decrease the potentiation of PCV2-induced lesions by PRRSV in dually infected pigs.