Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acute intoxication with trichloroethene: clinical symptoms, toxicokinetics, metabolism, and development of biochemical parameters for renal damage.

The present study reports on a 17-year-old male who ingested approximately 70 ml trichloroethene (TRI) in a suicide attempt. The patient developed fever, tremor, general motor restlessness, and sinus tachycardia and lost consciousness 5 h after poisoning. After 5 days of intubation under narcosis with forced hyperventilation and diuresis he regained consciousness. During this period blood and urine were collected and TRI and its metabolites were quantified. The highest concentration of TRI in blood was detected 13 h after ingestion. Trichloroethanol and trichloroacetic acid, metabolites of the cytochrome P450-mediated pathway, and N-acetyl-S-(1, 2-dichlorovinyl)-l-cysteine and N-acetyl-S-(2, 2-dichlorovinyl)-l-cysteine from the glutathione-dependent pathway of TRI were quantified in urine samples. Besides these known metabolites in humans, chloroacetic acid and dichloroacetic acid were identified for the first time in urine of a human exposed to TRI. Although the patient exhibited normal levels of glucose and total protein in urine, excretion of alpha1- and beta2-microglobulin as well as beta-NAG was significantly increased. In addition to these typical markers of selective tubule damage, analysis of the urinary protein pattern by SDS-PAGE revealed increased excretion of several low-molecular-mass proteins between 10,000 and 50,000 Da, clearly indicating tubular damage. Based on the elucidated glutathione-dependent mechanism for the nephrotoxicity of TRI, activation of the formed S-conjugates by beta-lyases to reactive intermediates may account for the observed renal effects after a single, high dose of TRI.
The role of sedation tests in identifying sedative drug effects in healthy volunteers and their power to dissociate sedative-related impairments from memory dysfunctions

The study investigated whether four specified drugs would show similar patterns on tests considered to measure sedation. In addition, their drug-effect patterns on sedation and memory performance were compared to determine whether the sedative effects could be differentiated from the memory effects. Two double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover studies, each with 16 healthy volunteers, were performed, one testing lorazepam (2.5 mg) and mirtazapine (15 mg) and the other olanzapine (10 mg) and haloperidol (2.5 mg). Subjective sedation was assessed by means of visual analogue scales (VAS) and objective sedation using a simple-reaction-time (SRT) task and a choice-reaction-time (CRT) task, code substitution (symbol digit substitution test (SDST)) and the peak velocity of saccadic eye movements (SEM). A verbal memory test (VMT) was administered to evaluate memory capacity. Apart from haloperidol, all drugs proved to impair performance on all five sedation indices. Contrary to the VAS, the objective measures yielded different response profiles. Two types of drug-effect patterns emerged: one for greater impairments in response speed (SRT, SEM) and one for greater impairments in information processing (CRT, SDST). Lorazepam and olanzapine impeded memory performance, whereas mirtazapine did not. With the use of standardized scores it proved possible to differentiate between the size of the effects of the drugs on the sedation and memory tests. To accurately assess the level and nature of sedation and to differentiate sedation from memory impairments different types of sedation measures are required. Besides studying the subjective effects, it is recommended to also test psychomotor responses and information processing speed.
The LD78β Isoform of MIP-1α Is the Most Potent CC-Chemokine in Inhibiting CCR5-Dependent Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Replication in Human Macrophages

ABSTRACT The CC-chemokines RANTES, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α), and MIP-1β are natural ligands for the CC-chemokine receptor CCR5. MIP-1α, also known as LD78α, has an isoform, LD78β, which was identified as the product of a nonallelic gene. The two isoforms differ in only 3 amino acids. LD78β was recently reported to be a much more potent CCR5 agonist than LD78α and RANTES in inducing intracellular Ca2+ signaling and chemotaxis. CCR5 is expressed by human monocytes/macrophages (M/M) and represents an important coreceptor for macrophage-tropic, CCR5-using (R5) human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains to infect the cells. We compared the antiviral activities of LD78β and the other CC-chemokines in M/M. LD78β at 100 ng/ml almost completely blocked HIV-1 replication, while at the same concentration LD78α had only weak antiviral activity. Moreover, when HIV-1 infection in M/M was monitored by a flow cytometric analysis using p24 antigen intracellular staining, LD78β proved to be the most antivirally active of the chemokines. RANTES, once described as the most potent chemokine in inhibiting R5 HIV-1 infection, was found to be considerably less active than LD78β. LD78β strongly downregulated CCR5 expression in M/M, thereby explaining its potent antiviral activity.
Simultaneous Quantification for Hepatitis B Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Using Real-time PCR Lab-on-a-chip

The current real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) platforms, which can detect and quantify several target DNA simultaneously, are equipped with discrete optics and detectors for different fluorescence wavelengths. However, the optical loss, due to the different lengths of the channels for several dyes, lowers the performance of fluorescence detection. Especially on the PCR platforms of lab-on-a-chip system, for the dispersion of the fluorescence in the micro fluidic channels, the received fluorescence is much lower than the emitted. To enhance the received intensity on the detection system is therefore a critical issue. The proposed fluorescence detection system, composing of an ultra-sensitive spectrometer, can provide continuous wavelength detection and can be employed for multiple DNA quantification and genotyping in a single reaction. For the tests to the genotyping ability, the melting temperatures of B type HBV and C type HBV can be distinguished by the difference of 1.1degC. The test results in this research show the same degree of sensitivity for DNA quantification and reproducibility within five intra assay samples as compared with a commercial one
Efficacy of antisense monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in a rat model of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis

Abstract Objective: The effects of inhibition of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) on a rat model of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN) were evaluated. Methods: The anti-Thy-1 MsPGN model was developed by intravenously injecting anti-Thy-1 monoclonal antibodies into rats, followed by an injection of mesangial cells transfected with antisense MCP-1 into the renal artery. Exogenous cells were detected by in situ hybridization. Rats (40 total) were randomly divided into five groups: SO (sham operation), TG (Thy-1 glomerulonephritis model), MC (non-transfected normal rat mesangial cell), BC (pLXSN empty vector or blank control), and AM (antisense MCP-1 transfection) groups. Effects of exogenous MCP-1 on urinary protein excretion rate, biochemical parameters, and pathological changes were evaluated. Expression of MCP-1 and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were detected by immunohistochemistry. mRNA expression of MCP-1, TGF-β1, and CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) were detected by RT-PCR. Results: Exogenous MCP-1 cDNA was successfully transfected into mesangial cells. Exogenous mesangial cells were detected in glomeruli by in situ hybridization. Glomerular mesangial cell proliferation, 24-h urinary protein excretion rate, mRNA expression of MCP-1, TGF-β1, and CCR2, and protein expression of MCP-1 all decreased in the AM group as compared to the control group (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in the expression level of TGF-β1 protein. Conclusions: (1) Mesangial cells can be used as a vector to transfect exogenous genes into kidneys; (2) antisense MCP-1 decreases mesangial cell proliferation and pathological injury in MsPGN model rats by decreasing expression of MCP-1 and CCR2; and (3) antisense MCP-1 suppressed mesangial cell proliferation and matrix accumulation in anti-Thy-1 MsPGN model rats, which did not entirely depend on TGF-β1.
Human Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells From Human Umbilical Cord Ameliorate Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Rats: Factors to Consider.

REFERENCES 1. Parienti J-J: Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infection in Jugular Versus Subclavian Central Catheterization. Crit Care Med 2017; 45:e734–e735 2. Arvaniti K, Lathyris D, Blot S, et al: Cumulative evidence of randomized controlled and observational studies on catheter-related infection risk of central venous catheter insertion site in ICU patients: A pairwise and network meta-analysis. Crit Care Med 2017; 45:e437–e448 3. Higgins JPT, Green S (Eds): Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1. 0 [Updated March 2011]. The Cochrane Collaboration, 2011. Available at: http://handbook. cochrane.org. Accessed April 10, 2017 4. Timsit JF, Schwebel C, Bouadma L, et al; Dressing Study Group: Chlorhexidine-impregnated sponges and less frequent dressing changes for prevention of catheter-related infections in critically ill adults: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2009; 301:1231–1241 5. Mimoz O, Lucet JC, Kerforne T, et al; CLEAN trial investigators: Skin antisepsis with chlorhexidine-alcohol versus povidone iodine-alcohol, with and without skin scrubbing, for prevention of intravascularcatheterrelated infection (CLEAN): An open-label, multicentre, randomised, controlled, two-by-two factorial trial. Lancet 2015; 386:2069–2077 6. Timsit JF, Bouadma L, Mimoz O, et al: Jugular versus femoral shortterm catheterization and risk of infection in intensive care unit patients. Causal analysis of two randomized trials. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2013; 188:1232–1239 7. Arvaniti K, Lathyris D, Clouva-Molyvdas P, et al; Catheter-Related Infections in ICU (CRI-ICU) Group: Comparison of Oligon Figure 1. Forest plot of catheter-related bloodstream infection risk comparing internal jugular to subclavian site, including the study by Mimoz et al (5). CVC = central venous catheterization, RCT = randomized controlled trial.
SOS current mirror matching at 4K: A brief study

Current architectures for the control and readout of silicon qubits often involve the use of classical CMOS electronics used at temperatures below 4K. Fully depleted silicon on insulator CMOS is a primary candidate for such electronics as they are less affected by low temperature bulk induced hysteresis and kink effects and have lower parasitic capacitances than their bulk counterparts. While MOS transistors are known to work at low temperatures, a hitherto unexplored maxim of integrated circuit design is the use of matched components at low temperatures. In this study, we investigate the effect of low temperature operation on the matching in CMOS current mirrors: we compare measurements of the low frequency accuracy in a silicon on sapphire mirror at 300K and 4K. We find that while matching is reduced at low temperatures, circuit structures relying on matching components can still be employed at low temperatures albeit at reduced performance.
Gene Ontology Consortium: The Gene Ontology (GO) database and informatics resource

The Gene Ontology (GO) project (http://www. geneontology.org/) provides structured, controlled vocabularies and classifications that cover several domains of molecular and cellular biology and are freely available for community use in the annotation of genes, gene products and sequences. Many model organism databases and genome annotation groups use the GO and contribute their annotation sets to the GO resource. The GO database integrates the vocabularies and contributed annotations and provides full access to this information in several formats. Members of the GO Consortium continually work collectively, involving outside experts as needed, to expand and update the GO vocabularies. The GO Web resource also provides access to extensive documentation about the GO project and links to applications that use GO data for functional analyses.
Characteristics of Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae Isolated from Purulent Sputum Samples

ABSTRACT Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae is a recently described streptococcus that is phenotypically and genetically distinct from Streptococcus pneumoniae and other viridans streptococci. Key characteristics of S. pseudopneumoniae are the absence of a pneumococcal capsule, insolubility in bile, resistance or indeterminate susceptibility to optochin when incubated in 5% CO2 but susceptibility to optochin when incubated in ambient air, and a positive reaction with the AccuProbe DNA probe hybridization test. The clinical importance of this bacterium is currently unknown. We report the characteristics and associated clinical data of 35 strains of S. pseudopneumoniae isolated from sputum samples from 33 patients. All isolates produced a positive result with the NOW S. pneumoniae antigen test (Binax, Inc.). No isolate was resistant to penicillin, but 60% were resistant to erythromycin and 77% were resistant to tetracycline. All patients had lower respiratory tract symptoms, 79% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 33% had chest radiographic infiltrates. Compared with matched control patients who had Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from sputum, patients with S. pseudopneumoniae infection were more likely to have a history of COPD (odds ratio [OR], 5.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.67 to 20.11) or exacerbation of COPD (OR, 6.5; 95% CI, 2.61 to 16.20). Further research is needed to better characterize the epidemiology of S. pseudopneumoniae colonization and the role of S. pseudopneumoniae in COPD and other diseases.
Seasonal Effect on Infants' Sleep Regulation: A Preliminary Study in a Mediterranean Climate

Infants' sleep-wake rhythms are influenced by multiple factors, including developmental and contextual aspects, as well as circadian cycles. Empirical studies that address the seasonal impact on infants' sleep are scarce. The present study examined aspects of sleep schedule and quality, comparing summer and winter months in a Mediterranean climate. This report is based on a convenience sample of 34 healthy 7-mo-olds, an age in which sleep is well consolidated and regulated compared with the first few months of life. Sleep was measured with actigraphy, in the home context. It was found that compared with winter, in the summer months, sleep onset occurred at a later hour, and more motor activity during sleep was detected. Although the overall sleep quality, as defined by sleep efficiency score, was similar in the two seasons, in the summer, more active sleep was observed. The authors discuss the finding in terms of circadian rhythms, developmental characteristics, as well as possible environmental factors and family routines, and call for more studies, in different climates and geographical zones, and in different developmental periods. (Author correspondence: cohen.dini@gmail.com or anats@edu.haifa.ac.il)
Efeitos da Volatilidade Idiossincrática na Precificação de Ativos

This paper aims to evaluate the effects of the aggregate market volatility components - average volatility and average correlation - on the pricing of portfolios sorted by idiosyncratic volatility, using Brazilian data. The study investigates whether portfolios with high and low idiosyncratic volatility - in relation to the Fama and French model (1996) - have different exposures to innovations in average market volatility, and consequently, different expectations for return. The results are in line with those found for US data, although they portray the Brazilian reality. Decomposition of volatility allows the average volatility component, without the disturbance generated by the average correlation component, to better price the effects of a worsening or an improvement in the investment environment. This result is also identical to that found for US data. Average variance should thus command a risk premium. For US data, this premium is negative. According to Chen and Petkova (2012), the main reason for this negative sign is the high level of investment in research and development recorded by companies with high idiosyncratic volatility. As in Brazil this type of investment is significantly lower than in the US, it was expected that a result with the opposite sign would be found, which is in fact what occurred.
The Smile of the Cheshire Cat: Central Bank Independence after the Crisis

Before the financial crisis, central bank independence (CBI) was equated with monetary dominance, meaning that central banks could control monetary conditions to achieve their macroeconomic goals. The primary threat was seen as fiscal dominance, whereby the central bank is forced to monetise government debt. The crisis has highlighted that financial dominance can arise, whereby the central bank is forced to monetise private debt to stabilise the financial system. We argue that the monetary dominance view is untenable even in normal times, and propose instead that the central bank has to be seen as part of a system of macrostabilization. Independence arises from jurisdictional autonomy, which gives well-defined powers over specified instruments. A challenge to CBI raised by the financial crisis is that the boundaries of jurisdiction established in normal times need to be crossed to resolve systemic problems. Comparing the Fed, the Bank of England and the ECB, we find different combinations of support, loneliness, and vulnerability to fiscal or financial dominance. The monetary dominance account means that CBI becomes a smile without a cat in a financial crisis; our account shows that cats with bodies as well as smiles need cooperation within a system of governance to avoid recurrent crises and resolve them when they occur.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure at 10 cm H2O During Cardiopulmonary Bypass Improves Postoperative Gas Exchange

Postbypass pulmonary dysfunction including atelectasis and increased shunting is a common problem in the intensive care unit. Negative net fluid balance and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) have been used to reduce the adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on the lung. To determine whether CPAP at 10 cm H2O during CPB results in improved postoperative gas exchange in comparison with deflated lungs during CPB, we examined 14 patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery. Seven patients received CPAP at 10 cm H2O during CPB, and in the other seven patients, the lungs were open to the atmosphere (control). Measurements were taken before and after CPB, after thoracic closure, and 4 h after CPB in the intensive care unit. CPAP at 10 cm H2O resulted in significantly more perfusion of lung areas with a normal ventilation/perfusion distribution (VA/Q) and significantly less shunt and low VA/Q perfusion 4 h after CPB in comparison with the control group. Consequently, arterial oxygen partial pressure was significantly higher and alveolar-arterial oxygen partial pressure difference was significantly smaller. We conclude that CPAP at 10 cm H2O during CPB is a simple maneuver that improves postoperative gas exchange. Implications Inflation of the lungs at a pressure of 10 cm H2O as compared with leaving the lungs deflated during cardiopulmonary bypass was examined. Lung inflation during bypass resulted in significantly improved postoperative gas exchange.
Enhancement of Class II-Restricted T cell Responses by Costimulatory NK Receptors for Class I MHC Proteins

An important feature of the human immune system is the ability of T cells to respond to small quantities of antigen. Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted T cells that expressed a costimulatory natural killer (NK) cell receptor for class I MHC proteins were cloned. In the presence of low doses of superantigen, the proliferative response of these T cell clones was three- to ninefold greater when the T cells were costimulated by way of the NK receptor. Thus, the action of costimulatory NK receptors on T cells may play a significant role in initiating and sustaining immune responses.
Computational prediction of the cross‐reactive neutralizing epitope corresponding to the monoclonal antibody b12 specific for HIV‐1 gp120

Backtracking from antibodies to their corresponding epitopes is a rational approach for vaccine design. Here we apply such a reverse immunological strategy for mapping the cross‐reactive neutralizing epitope corresponding to the monoclonal antibody (mAb) b12 specific for HIV‐1 gp120. b12 was used to screen a combinatorial phage display random peptide library and nineteen 12mer cysteine‐looped peptides were affinity purified. These were used as input for analysis with the predictive algorithm Mapitope. Based on the input panel of peptides and the antigen's atomic structure, Mapitope predicts candidate epitopes on the surface of the antigen. Two major clusters were predicted as candidate b12 epitopes. These could be discriminated by a series of experiments, which included point mutagenesis of selected residues and binding assays. Moreover, the prediction of the b12 epitope was further strengthened by comparison with additional predictions for two competing antibodies, b6 and m14. Finally, support of our prediction was obtained in view of the fact that b12, m14, and b6 were found to compete against mAb 17b binding to gp120. The b12 epitope is predicted to consist of four peptide segments of gp120 (residues V254‐T257, D368‐F376, E381‐Y384, and I420‐I424), which lie at the periphery of the CD4 binding site. —Bublil, E. M. , Yeger‐Azuz, S. , Gershoni, J. M. Computational prediction of the cross‐reactive neutralizing epitope corresponding to monoclonal antibody b12 specific for HIV‐1 gp120. FASEB J. 20, 1762–1774 (2006)
Effect of androgen therapy and anemia on serum erythropoietin levels in patients with aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes

Immunoreactive serum erythropoietin (EPO) was measured in anemic and non‐anemic patients with acquired non‐severe aplastic anemia (AA; n = 22) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS; n = 31) receiving or not androgens to examine the effect of androgen therapy and anemia on EPO levels in these disorders. Soluble transferrin receptor (TfR) and absolute reticulocyte count (ARC) were also assayed in order to evaluate erythropoietic activity. AA and MDS patients were stratified for anemia and androgen treatment as follows: 12 untreated anemic patients; 17 anemic patients during androgen therapy; 14 non‐anemic patients without any treatment (>1 year); and 10 non‐anemic patients on androgen therapy. Although EPO levels in non‐anemic patients were significantly higher than in healthy controls (n = 29) no statistically significant differences in Hb and EPO values were found between non‐anemic patients receiving or not androgen therapy. In the linear regression analysis between Hb and log EPO concentration, no statistically significant differences in the slopes between untreated and androgen‐treated anemic groups nor between both groups and patients with iron deficiency anemia (n = 23) were observed. However, the y intercept (log EPO) of regression line was significantly higher in androgen‐treated anemic patients than in the androgen therapy‐free anemic group. Serum TfR levels were higher in treated than in untreated anemic patients, whereas ARC was not different between both groups. These data seemingly indicate that (1) androgens at pharmacological doses do not increase serum EPO levels in non‐anemic AA and MDS patients, and (2) in patients with AA and MDS, androgen‐driven EPO stimulation is appreciably enhanced by anemia. Am. J. Hematol. 57:113–118, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.