Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of stromal cells in inflammatory bone loss

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation, local and systemic bone loss and a lack of compensatory bone repair. Fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (FLS) are the most abundant cells of the stroma and a key population in autoimmune diseases such as RA. An increasing body of evidence suggests that these cells play not only an important role in chronic inflammation and synovial hyperplasia, but also impact bone remodelling. Under inflammatory conditions FLS release inflammatory cytokines, regulate bone destruction and formation and communicate with immune cells to control bone homeostasis. Other stromal cells, such as osteoblasts and terminally differentiated osteoblasts, termed osteocytes, are also involved in the regulation of bone homeostasis and are dysregulated during inflammation. This review highlights our current understanding of how stromal cells influence the balance between bone formation and bone destruction. Increasing our understanding of these processes is critical to enable the development of novel therapeutic strategies with which to treat bone loss in RA.
Factors Affecting the Detection Rate of Human Papillomavirus

BACKGROUND Maximizing the accuracy of human papillomavirus (HPV) detection from a single sample is important for clinical and research purposes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cyclic hormonal variation, recent sexual intercourse, interval between samplings, and the technique used to sample affect the detection of HPV. METHODS This study was a prospective, longitudinal, randomized controlled trial. Three techniques for self-sampling (2 consecutive synthetic polyester fiber [Dacron] swabs, a single Dacron swab, and a tampon) were repeated at 3 different sampling times during a period of 4 to 6 weeks in addition to 1 clinician-directed sampling of the ectocervix and endocervix at the first sampling time. All self-samplings were taken in a proscribed randomized order. Women (aged 18 to 68 years) attending a colposcopy clinic for abnormal cytology or abnormal cervical appearance participated in the study. The outcome measure was the detection of HPV by polymerase chain reaction amplification. RESULTS The 103 participants provided 1,189 cervicovaginal samplings. Logistic regression indicated that intercourse within 48 hours of sampling did not result in a greater detection of high-risk or any HPV type (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65–1.69; OR = 1.08, 95% CI, 0.73–1.60, respectively). Among those women who have regular menstrual cycles, there was no cyclic effect on HPV detection for high-risk and any HPV types. Time from previous sampling did not affect HPV detection. Among the self-sampling techniques, using a single self-swab and the tampon resulted in the detection of HPV between 10% and 35% less often than using 2 consecutive swabs (P < .025). Self-sampling with 2 swabs was not significantly different from clinician sampling for detecting high-risk HPV types (OR for self-sampling = 0.87 (95% CI, 0.66–1.13)). CONCLUSIONS HPV detection is not dependent on menstrual cycle timings, the recency of intercourse, or the time between samplings, but it is dependent on the sampling technique.
Characterization of Mold and Moisture Indicators in the Home

As studies increasingly support the presence of health risks associated with mold and moisture, understanding fungal concentrations and physical measurements as they relate to the microenvironment becomes more important. We conducted a cross-sectional study in the homes of 64 subjects. The primary objective of this study was to use trained inspectors' list of indicators in rooms (bathroom, bedroom, and basement) and determine whether these indicators are associated with higher fungal levels or physical measurements. A new category for combining the concentrations of fungal species, referred to as moisture indicator fungi (MIF), is used in the analysis. Our results show that basements with a musty odor, efflorescence, water sources, or mold have a two- to threefold increase in fungal concentrations over basements without these indicators. The regression model for the basement was highly predictive of indoor MIF concentrations (r2 = .446, p = .017). Basement water sources are substantial predictors of indoor total fungi, MIF, and Aspergillus/Penicillium spp. MIF concentrations are higher in homes with basement water sources, and most notably, the increase in MIF concentrations is significant in other living spaces (bathroom and bedroom) of the dwelling. Basement water sources are important moisture/mold indicators for epidemiologists to use in exposure assessments performed in residential dwellings.
Immunomodulation – a disease‐modifying avenue for treatment of Huntington's disease?

This Editorial highlights a study published in the current issue of Journal of Neurochemistry by Dobson et al. ( ), investigating whether the immunomodulatory agent, laquinimod exerts an immunomodulatory effect on isolated Huntington's disease monocytes. In Huntington's disease (HD) a central immune activation is mirrored in the periphery by a low‐grade immune response and monocytes isolated from HD gene carriers have been shown pathologically hyperreactive in response to stimulation. This hyperreactive immune system has become recognized as an important feature of HD pathogenesis and the employment of a strategy to affect this hyperreactivity could be a potential disease‐modifying avenue in HD.
Activation of the Ah Receptor Signaling Pathway by Prostaglandins

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand‐dependent transcription factor that mediates many of the biological and toxicological actions of a diverse range of chemicals, including the environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD, dioxin). Although no endogenous physiological ligand for the AhR has yet been described, numerous studies support the existence of such a ligand(s). Here we have examined the ability of prostaglandins and related chemicals to activate the AhR signaling system. Using two AhR‐based bioassay systems we report that relatively high concentrations of several prostaglandins (namely, PGB3, PGD3, PGF3α, PGG2, PGH1, and PGH2) can not only stimulate AhR transformation and DNA binding in vitro, but also induce AhR‐dependent reporter gene expression in mouse hepatoma cells in culture. PGG2 also induced AhR‐dependent reporter gene expression to a level three‐to four fold greater than that observed with a maximal inducing dose of TCDD. Sucrose gradient ligand binding analysis revealed that PGG2 could competitively displace [3H]TCDD from the AhR. Overall, our results demonstrate that selected prostaglandins are weak agonists for the AhR and they represent a structurally distinct and novel class of activator of the AhR signal transduction pathway. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 15:187–196, 2001
Effect of Dietary Factors on Induction of Fatty Liver-Hemorrhagic Syndrome and its Diagnosis Methods with Use of Serum and Liver Parameters in Laying Hens

3 Abstract: An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary factors on induction of fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) and its diagnosis methods with use of selected serum enzymes on Hy-line W-36 hens. The experiment was conducted in completely randomized design with 6 treatment groups and 4 replicates each with ten hens from 94 to 106 wk of age. Three 28-d periods used for different dietary factors including:1) Control (C); 2) Low methionine (LM); 3) Low linoleic acid (LLA); 4) High energy (HE); 5) Low methionine, linoleic acid, choline and high energy (LM-LLA-LCH-HE) and 6) Low choline (LCH). Feed intake, body weight, egg production (EP), egg weight, egg quality, serum and liver parameters were measured at the end of each 28-d periods. Overall feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) lower for the hens fed HE diets compared to the control. Overall egg weight was significantly (P<0.05) lower for the hens fed LM and LM-LLA- LCH-HE compared to the control. Overall Liver weight was significantly (P<0.05) higher for the hens fed LLA and LM-LLA-LCH-HE compared to the control. Liver hemorrhage score (LHS) was positively correlated (P<0.05) with liver weight. Serum enzyme activities including: aspartate aminoteransferase (AST), alanine aminoteransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were not significantly affected by treatment groups. Although the AST enzyme activity was not significantly different, but it was numerically higher for all dietary treatments except HE diet. The results showed the effectiveness of dietary factors on induction of FLHS in laying hens. AST enzyme activity could be used for diagnosis of FLHS in laying hens.
Evaluation of the Cobas u 701 microscopy analyser compared with urine culture in screening for urinary tract infection

Purpose. A new automated Cobas u 701 microscopy analyser for urine sediment examination was introduced. The aim of this study was to evaluate the analyser in comparison with urine culture in screening for urinary tract infection (UTI). Methodology. A total of 852 urine specimens submitted for culture were included in this study. Urine sediment examination was performed using the Cobas u 701 microscopy analyser. The results of the bacteria (BAC) and yeast (YEA) analyses were compared with the results from urine culture as a method for UTI screening. In addition, we compared the BAC results with white blood cells (WBCs) and leukocyte and nitrite measurement in the Cobas u 601 system. Results. Of the 852 urine specimens, 16.1% (N=137) were positive by urine culture, yielding 130 bacteria from 124 specimens and 14 yeasts from 14 specimens. The Cobas u 701 microscopy analyser provided no result for 52 specimens because of their high turbidity. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 85.8, 69.4, 33.1 and 96.5%, respectively. For YEA, these figures were 100, 91.9, 15.8 and 100%, respectively. The areas under the curve for BAC and WBCs were 0.827 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.799, 0.852] and 0.727 (95% CI 0.695, 0.757), respectively. The sensitivity of the leukocyte and nitrite was 63.5 and 54.6%, respectively. Conclusion. The Cobas u 701 microscopy analyser showed good diagnostic performance. It can be used for rapid screening for UTI and can reduce the number of cultures required.
Concentrations of dioxins and other organochlorines (PCBs, DDTs, HCHs) in human milk from Seveso, Milan and a Lombardian rural area in Italy: a study performed 25 years after the heavy dioxin exposure in Seveso

Aim: To investigate whether those who were exposed to high levels of the dioxin TCDD 25 years ago in Seveso, northern Italy still have higher than the expected levels of dioxins in their fat stores, and to investigate the concentrations of dioxins in the breast milk of mothers in Seveso and in two other regions in Italy. The load of vertically transmitted dioxins to the next generation, if being breastfed, was also investigated. Methods: As there may be a synergistic effect of mixtures of organic chlorines, the concentrations of pesticides such as DDTs and PCBs have also been studied in the same human milk samples. Breast milk from 12 mothers from Seveso, Central Milan and a Lombardian village was collected for analysis during the first week and 1 and 3 mo after delivery. Individual samples were used for the analysis of pesticides and PCBs, whereas dioxins were analysed in pooled samples from all 12 mothers on each occasion. Results: In human milk from Seveso, the TCDD concentration in fat calculated on a fresh weight basis was more than twice as high as the level in the other two regions, whereas the concentrations of investigated other toxins were lower in Seveso possible due to induction of the enzyme cytochrome P4501A, which means that the total level of dioxins was the same in all three locations. The congener profile, measured as mean toxic equivalency (TEQ) values, was the same in the Italian samples as previously reported from Stockholm. The calculations are based on the most recent WHO TCDD equivalency factors (TEF). The DDE concentration was higher in the samples from Milan than in the samples from the other two Italian regions, which may be due to the fact that, to a greater extent than in the other regions, Milanese food is imported from countries where DDT is still used as a pesticide.
Active opinion-formation in online social networks

Recommendation systems usually try to “guess” a user's preferences from the system's view. We study another side of recommendation: active opinion-formation from the perspective of the user. In real life, a user's opinion evolves with time and refines when new evidence occurs. Then, how does an online user form his/her own opinion actively in large social networks? The problem has three challenges: the factor, the effect and the open environment. To address those challenges, we investigate: (1) what factors or channels a user will consider, (2) how those channels will take effect, and (3) an incremental approach to incorporate multiple channels. We explore three types of channels: the internal opinion of an individual user, influences from trusted friends, and influences from public channels. A novel simulator, OpinionFormer, is proposed to incorporate those channels incrementally. It differentiates the effects of friends and public channels as well as positive and negative opinions. We validate the performance of OpinionFormer by predicting users' opinions using real-world data sets. Experimental results show that our model can improve accuracy over other models that ignore some channels or that neglect the evolving features.
IMMOBILIZATION OF FREE-RANGING MANED WOLF (CHRYSOCYON BRACHYURUS) WITH TILETAMINE AND ZOLAZEPAM IN CENTRAL BRAZIL

Abstract A tiletamine hydrochloride–zolazepam hydrochloride combination was used successfully to immobilize 27 free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) at a mean dose of 2.77 ± 0.56 (mean ± SD) mg/kg. The induction time ranged from 3–15 min. Animals remained immobilized for periods of 48.56 ± 12.65 min. Compulsive licking, excessive salivation, muscle twitching, muscle tremors, tachypnea, and bradycardia were observed associated with the induction of the anesthesia in 13 of 27 maned wolves. Muscle twitching, pedal withdrawal reflex, muscle tremors, and ataxia were observed during recovery in three (11%) maned wolves. There were no significant differences in heart rates (P = 0.44), respiratory rates (P = 0.82), and rectal temperatures (P = 0.54) recorded at 5, 15, and 25 min after induction at these dosages. The tiletamine hydrochloride–zolazepam hydrochloride combination was shown to be an effective and safe immobilizing agent for free-ranging maned wolves.
The role of negative pressure wound therapy in the management of hidradenitis suppurativa: a case report and literature review

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), also known as acne inversa, is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory disease affecting skin that bears apocrine glands. It is characterised by the presence of tender subcutaneous nodules that may rupture, resulting in deep dermal abscesses, fibrosis with dermal contractures and induration of the skin. The management of HS is a challenge for physicians as the pathogenesis is not clearly defined and prevents the use and development of directed therapies. Treatment options are oral agents (antibiotics, immunomodulators) and surgical excision. Historically, surgical management has been complicated by difficult closure and high recurrent rates. In the last 10 years, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has proven to be a great adjunct for wound management as it provides the adequate conditions for wound healing, promotes granulation and helps to control infection. Here, we report a case of severe perineal HS treated with radical excision and NPWT as an adjunct. The patient only had a recurrence 3 years after primary treatment and was surgically treated for cosmetic reasons without any complications. Finally, we present a review of the relevant literature.
Excess death of lung cancer among sarcoidosis patients.

This study is to calculate a risk of lung cancer in a cohort of 1411 sarcoidosis cases which were followed for a 3 year period from 1984 to 1987. The physicians were requested to answer the questionnaire about progress of the disease by mail. Excess death was investigated using standardized mortality ratio (SMR). The expected number of deaths was calculated from Japanese sex-age specific mortality rate in 1985, using person-year method. Death from all causes and cancers did not show any excess. SMR being 0.98 and 0.97 respectively. The SMR of lung cancer was 3.26 (male: 5.56, female: 3.03), being statistically significant. The SMR of lung infection was 4.2, with statistical significance. The SMR of other main causes of death in Japan i.e., cerebrovascular accident, ischemic heart diseases and heart failure was less than 0.88. It is probably that sarcoidosis is a risk factor of lung cancer. The SMR of leukemia and uterine cancer was 5.88 and 8.70, respectively, though the observed number of leukemia was too small to conclude how high the cancer risk is among sarcoidosis patients. Gastric cancer, hepatic cancer and colon cancers were not observed.
The long-term economic impact of leaving the EU

*National Institute of Economic and Social Research. E-mail: m.ebell@niesr.ac. uk; j.warren@niesr.ac. uk. This project was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council under the UK in a Changing Europe programme. We thank Angus Armstrong, Oriol Carreras, Jagjit Chadha, Ian Hurst, Simon Kirby, Jack Meaning, Rebecca Piggott, Jonathan Portes and Albrecht Ritschl for helpful discussions. THE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC IMPACT OF LEAVING THE EU
Growth and biochemical response of preterm infants fed human milk or modified infant formula.

My colleagues and I compared the biochemical status and rates of growth of three groups of preterm infants: one group was fed milk obtained early from mothers of preterm infants; one group received milk produced during the mature stage of lactation by mothers of term infants; and one group received a whey-based infant formula. Sixty healthy preterm infants with birth weights of 1600 g or less were randomly assigned to one of the three feedings groups. The 20 infants in each group were followed until they reached a weight of 1800 g. The mean (+/- S.E.M.) number of days required to regain birth weight was similar for infants receiving the formula (10.3 +/- 0.8) and those receiving milk from mothers of preterm infants (11.4 +/- 0.8); both were significantly less than the number (18.8 +/- 1.7) for infants receiving milk from mothers of term infants (P less than 0.001). Subsequent rates of weight gain were greater for the groups receiving formula (27.0 +/- 0.8 g per day) and milk from mothers of preterm infants (23.7 +/- 1.1) than for the group receiving milk from mothers of term infants (15.8 +/- 0.8) (P less than 0.001). Similarly, the average increments in crown-to-heel length and in the head circumference were significantly greater for the groups given formula and milk from mothers of preterm infants (P less than 0.005 and P less than 0.001, respectively). These data indicate that feeding with either milk from mothers of preterm infants or a whey-based infant formula results in more appropriate growth in preterm infants than feeding with milk from mothers of term infants.
Cold Atmospheric Plasma Induces Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress Pathway Regulation in T-Lymphoblastoid Leukemia Cells

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has shown its antitumor activity in both in vitro and in vivo systems. However, the mechanisms at the basis of CAP-cell interaction are not yet completely understood. The aim of this study is to investigate CAP proapoptotic effect and identify some of the molecular mechanisms triggered by CAP in human T-lymphoblastoid leukemia cells. CAP treatment was performed by means of a wand electrode DBD source driven by nanosecond high-voltage pulses under different operating conditions. The biological endpoints were assessed through flow cytometry and real-time PCR. CAP caused apoptosis in Jurkat cells mediated by p53 upregulation. To test the involvement of intrinsic and/or extrinsic pathway, the expression of Bax/Bcl-2 and caspase-8 was analyzed. The activation of caspase-8 and the upregulation of Bax and Bcl-2 were observed. Moreover, CAP treatment increased ROS intracellular level. The situation reverts after a longer time of treatment. This is probably due to compensatory cellular mechanisms such as the posttranscriptional upregulation of SOD1, CAT, and GSR2. According to ROS increase, CAP induced a significant increase in DNA damage at all treatment conditions. In conclusion, our results provide a deeper understanding of CAP potential in the oncological field and pose the basis for the evaluation of its toxicological profile.
Benchmarking the Effect of Flow Exporters and Protocol Filters on Botnet Traffic Classification

Botnets represent one of the most aggressive threats against cyber security. Different techniques using different feature sets have been proposed for botnet traffic analysis and classification. However, no work has been performed to study the effect of such differences. In this paper, we perform a study on the effect of (if any) the feature sets of network traffic flow exporters. To this end, we explore five different traffic flow exporters (each with a different set of flow features) using two different protocol filters [Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Domain Name System (DNS)] and five different classifiers. We evaluate all these on eight different botnet traffic data sets. Our results indicate that the use of a flow exporter and a protocol filter indeed has an effect on the performance of botnet traffic classification. Experimental results show that the best performance is achieved using Tranalyzer flow exporter and HTTP filter with the C4.5 classifier.
HYPOMAGNESEMIA IN DIABETIC CHILDREN

ABSTRACT. Serum concentrations of iron, copper, zinc and magnesium were determined in 27 Swedish children with well controlled diabetes without longterm diabetic complications. Thirteen of the diabetic children had age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. Significantly lower serum magnesium concentrations were found in the diabetic children than in the matched healthy controls (p <0.01). The levels of iron, copper and zinc did not differ in the diabetic children from those in the controls. A negative correlation between serum magnesium level and duration of diabetes was found (p <0.05). This is seemingly the first report of hypomagnesemia in diabetic children.
Do intentions predict condom use? Meta-analysis and examination of six moderator variables.

This study used meta-analysis to quantify the relationship between intentions and behaviour in prospective studies of condom use. The effects of six moderator variables were also examined: sexual orientation, gender, sample age, time interval, intention versus expectation and condom use with 'steady' versus 'casual' partners. Literature searches revealed 28 hypotheses based on a total sample of 2532 which could be included in the review. Overall, there was a medium to strong sample-weighted average correlation between intentions and condom use (r+ = .44), and this correlation was similar to the effect sizes obtained in previous reviews. There were too few studies of gay men to permit meaningful comparison of effect sizes between homosexual versus heterosexual samples. Gender and measurement of intention did not moderate the intention-behaviour relationship. However, shorter time intervals, older samples and condom use with 'steady' rather than 'casual' partners were each associated with stronger correlations between intentions and condom use. Factors which might explain the significant effects of moderator variables are discussed and implications of the study for future research on intention-behaviour consistency are outlined.