Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Children's anticipation of impending surgery. Shifts in object-representational paradigms.

The authors used Rorschach assessments of the quality of object-representations to measure psychological shifts in children facing surgery. Fifteen children, ages 7 to 11, were given the Rorschach test three times: one week prior to elective hernia surgery, the day before the surgery, and 3 weeks after hospitalization. These children were compared with a nonsurgical group of 13 children matched for age and IQ and tested at the same time intervals. The authors hypothesized that the two groups would have similar Rorschach Mutuality of Autonomy (MOA) scale scores at Times 1 and 3, but would differ substantially at Time 2. This hypothesis was confirmed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Within the surgical group, there was an overall significant difference in MOA scores over time, and, as hypothesized, these children's scores at Time 2 were significantly more malevolent than at Time 1 (p less than .003). The effects of surgery were somewhat attenuated by Time 3, but the Time 3 MOA scores were still more malevolent than at Time 1 (p = .05) and were not significantly different from those at Time 2 (p = .18). The authors highlight the need to amply prepare children for even minor surgical procedures.
Diagnostic Accuracy on Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Diagnosis of Osteoarthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint.

OBJECTIVES Osteoarthritis, which is also called degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is primarily a disease that results from the breakdown and loss of cartilage in joints. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance images for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty patients (50 joints) with closed locking of the temporomandibular joint were examined with magnetic resonance imaging and then underwent arthroscopic surgery. The agreement of osteoarthritis between magnetic resonance images and arthroscopic findings was studied using the κ coefficient. RESULTS The incidence of osteoarthritis on magnetic resonance images (38%) was significantly lower than that in arthroscopic findings (78%). There was no significant agreement between these two findings (p=.108). The κ coefficient was 0.154. CONCLUSION The diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance images for osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint was low; early osteoarthritis could not be diagnosed from magnetic resonance images. Clinicians should understand that the diagnostic accuracy of osteoarthritis without arthroscopy is not always high.
NIT-1, a pancreatic beta-cell line established from a transgenic NOD/Lt mouse.

NOD/Lt mice harboring a hybrid rat insulin-promoter/SV40 large T-antigen gene spontaneously develop beta-cell adenomas. NIT-1 is a pancreatic beta-cell line established from one of these transgenic mice. Immunocytochemical staining of passage 18 cells showed most contained insulin, with less than 5% containing glucagon, and none containing pancreatic polypeptide or somatostatin. Glucagon content radioimmunoassayed in cell extracts was only 0.27% of the insulin content. Two-hour insulin secretion at 16.5 mM glucose was 638 ng/10(6) cells (41% of intracellular content) compared to only 1.3 ng glucagon (32% of intracellular content). Stimulated insulin secretion was consistently observed in response to 11 and 16.5 mM glucose between passages 11 and 19. At passage 19, both theophylline and tolbutamide stimulated insulin secretion at 5.5 mM glucose. Northern-blot analysis confirmed high levels of insulin mRNA but only trace glucagon mRNA and undetectable somatostatin mRNA. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-induced MHC class I RNA expression was correlated with markedly increased antigen expression at the cell surface. Similarly, a MHC-linked "occult" class I-like antigen detected by Cr release assay only after exposure of standard NOD/Lt islet cells to IFN-gamma was strongly induced by IFN-gamma in NIT-1 cells. Cell surface MHC class II antigen was not constitutively expressed on NIT-1 cells and could not be detected after IFN-gamma incubation, despite demonstration of IFN-gamma-induced Aa, Ab, and Li invariant-chain RNA transcripts. Similarly IFN-gamma induction of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (Icam-1) transcripts was not accompanied by demonstrable cell surface expression of ICAM-1 antigen. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Celiac Disease: Prevention and Treatment

Celiac disease is a common multisystemic disorder that may be diagnosed at any age. Owing to the increasing prevalence, prevention strategies, including encouragement of breastfeeding and introduction of small amounts of gluten whereas still on breastfeeding at fourth to sixth month of age, become more important than before. For avoiding complications of celiac disease, a strict gluten-free diet is essential. A lifelong gluten-free diet may bring about difficulties as avoiding gluten completely is problematic owing to the contamination with gluten of presumably gluten free foods. New therapeutic approaches include enzyme supplementation, correction of the intestinal barrier defect against gluten entry, blocking of gliadin presentation by human leukocyte antigen blockers and tissue transglutaminase inhibitors.
Baicalin inhibits biofilm formation, attenuates the quorum sensing-controlled virulence and enhances Pseudomonas aeruginosa clearance in a mouse peritoneal implant infection model

The quorum sensing (QS) circuit plays a role in the precise regulation of genes controlling virulence factors and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. QS-controlled biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in clinical settings has remained controversial due to emerging drug resistance; therefore, screening diverse compounds for anti-biofilm or anti-QS activities is important. This study demonstrates the ability of sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of baicalin, an active natural compound extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal Scutellaria baicalensis, to inhibit the formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and enhance the bactericidal effects of various conventional antibiotics in vitro. In addition, baicalin exerted dose-dependent inhibitory effects on virulence phenotypes (LasA protease, LasB elastase, pyocyanin, rhamnolipid, motilities and exotoxin A) regulated by QS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Moreover, the expression levels of QS-regulatory genes, including lasI, lasR, rhlI, rhlR, pqsR and pqsA, were repressed after sub-MIC baicalin treatment, resulting in significant decreases in the QS signaling molecules 3-oxo-C12-HSL and C4-HSL, confirming the ability of baicalin-mediated QS inhibition to alter gene and protein expression. In vivo experiments indicated that baicalin treatment reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenicity in Caenorhabditis elegans. Greater worm survival in the baicalin-treated group manifested as an increase in the LT50 from 24 to 96 h. In a mouse peritoneal implant infection model, baicalin treatment enhanced the clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the implants of mice infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared with the control group. Moreover, the combination of baicalin and antibiotics significantly reduced the numbers of colony-forming units in the implants to a significantly greater degree than antibiotic treatment alone. Pathological and histological analyses revealed mitigation of the inflammatory response and reduced cell infiltration in the peritoneal tissue surrounding the implants after baicalin treatment. Measurement of the cytokine levels in the peritoneal lavage fluid of mice in the baicalin treatment group revealed a decrease in IL-4, an increase in interferon γ (IFN-γ), and a reversed IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio compared with the control group, indicating that baicalin treatment activated the Th1-induced immune response to expedite bacterial load clearance. Based on these results, baicalin might be a potent QS inhibitor and anti-biofilm agent for combating Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm-related infections.
SLAM family predicting the initiation potential of human acute lymphoblastic leukemia in NOD/SCID mice.

BACKGROUND The SLAM family recently has been reported to show an important biological role in lymphocyte development and immunological function, and it is efficient to highly purify hematopoietic stem cells using a simple combination of SLAM family members. To elucidate the presence of this family on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), as well as its relationship with the leukemia-initiating potential, we analyzed the expression pattern of this family members on human ALL progenitor cells, combined with serial xenotransplantation assay. METHODS Expression analysis was carried out by flow cytometry. We combined the expression pattern of human CD(150), CD(244) and CD(48) with serial xenotransplantation of B-ALL progenitor cells to indicate their relationship. RESULTS CD(48) and CD(244) were expressed on most B-ALL progenitor cells, the percentage being (93.08 ± 6.46)% and (63.37 ± 29.31)%, respectively. Interestingly, the proportion of CD(150)(+) cells declined obviously in engrafted cases ((24.94 ± 7.32)%) compared with non-engrafted cases ((77.54 ± 5.93)%, P < 0.01), which indicated that only blast cells with low percentage of CD(150)(+) population were able to reconstitute leukemia into primary, secondary and tertiary NOD/SCID mice. CONCLUSIONS SLAM family members are present on B-ALL progenitor cells and the leukemia-initiating potential of leukemic blasts is correlated negatively with the proportion of CD(150)(+) cells, the percentage of which can serve as a useful predictor for engraftment success of B-ALL to immune deficient mice.
Multilevel analysis of risk factors for Salmonella shedding in Ontario finishing pigs

SUMMARY The objectives of this study were to identify factors associated with Salmonella status at the farm, pen, and pig level; explore the nature of variation in the association between the pen-level Salmonella status and pen-level covariates, and pig-level Salmonella status and pig- and pen-level covariates; and to identify the relative importance of factors operating at geographical, farm, and pen level for Salmonella shedding of pigs. For these purposes, samples from 799 pigs and 374 pens on 80 farms in Ontario in 2004 were collected and bacteriologically tested in a cross-sectional study. Census division was the least variable level, and farm the most variable level for shedding. Increased frequency of disinfection and washing with cold water were positively associated with Salmonella positivity, whereas liquid and mash feed and completely closed barns were sparing factors. After farm, pen was the second most variable level for shedding. However, no measured pen-level variables were associated with Salmonella status of pigs or pens. The shedding of Salmonella at the pig level tended to be associated with pig weight, and there was no random variation around this association. Results of this study suggest that a herd test based on bacteriological culture would probably have higher sensitivity if growing animals of lower weight were sampled instead of market weight animals, and this might be beneficial for Salmonella monitoring.
3D Model Retrieval Based on Matching Characters of Volume Distribution

A novel 3D retrieval method was proposed based on extracting geometric features of 3D mesh models with arbitrary topology according to their volume distributions.The method first searches three principal directions for mesh model by employing famous principal component analysis(PCA)method and rotates the model to align its principal directions to the axes of reference frame.Supported by half-edge data structure,the algorithm slices the model using three sets of parallel and equidistant planes along to the three principal directions respectively.Subsequently,three character curves of the model can be obtained by calculating signed-areas of section-polygons on the planes.The curves give a geometric descriptor of the model and can be used to key the model in 3D mesh model library.By comparing descriptors of two models,the method can compute measure of similarity of them.Experiences show that the method is rapid,stable and robust to deal with various mesh models with arbitrary geometric and topological complexity.
The Effects of Cytokines on Suppression of Lymphocyte Proliferation by Dexamethasone1

Treatment failure occurs in up to 30% of patients treated with steroids for inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the potential role of 21 cytokines in steroid-resistant inflammatory disease and to develop methods to restore steroid sensitivity through cytokine manipulation. The dexamethasone inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation assay correlates with the outcome of steroid therapy in ulcerative colitis (UC) and other inflammatory diseases. Using this assay, PBMC production of 21 cytokines, assayed by cytokine bead array, was correlated with percentage of suppression of proliferation by 10−6 M dexamethasone (Imax) in 26 healthy volunteers. Effects of the addition of exogenous cytokines to induce steroid resistance in PBMCs from healthy volunteers and cytokine blockade to improve steroid sensitivity in PBMCs from patients with steroid-resistant UC were then explored. Production of IL-1α, IL-10, IL-17, IFN-γ, G-CSF, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and IFN-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) correlated significantly with in vitro steroid sensitivity; however, only IL-2 and TNF-α reduced steroid sensitivity when added exogenously. Addition of IL-10 enhanced steroid suppression. Immunoneutralization or receptor blockade of IL-2, but not TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17, or IP-10 increased steroid sensitivity in cells from steroid-resistant UC patients. Neutralization of IL-10 reduced steroid sensitivity. Of the large panel of cytokines studied, IL-2 appears to have the greatest antagonistic effect on the antiproliferative effect of steroids. These data suggest that IL-2 inhibition in vivo may improve the response to steroids in steroid-resistant individuals.
Effective Treatment of Established Human Breast Tumor Xenografts in Immunodeficient Mice with a Single Dose of the α-Emitting Radioisotope Astatine-211 Conjugated to Anti-HER2/neu Diabodies

Purpose: Successful radioimmunotherapy strategies depend on selecting radioisotopes with physical properties complementary to the biological properties of the targeting vehicle. Small, engineered antitumor antibody fragments are capable of rapid, highly specific tumor targeting in immunodeficient mouse models. We hypothesized that the C6.5 diabody, a noncovalent anti-HER2 single-chain Fv dimer, would be an ideal radioisotope carrier for the radioimmunotherapy of established tumors using the short-lived α-emitting radioisotope 211At. Experimental Design: Immunodeficient nude mice bearing established HER2/neu–positive MDA-MB-361/DYT2 tumors treated with N-succinimidyl N-(4-[211At]astatophenethyl)succinamate (211At-SAPS)-C6.5 diabody. Additional cohorts of mice were treated with 211At-SAPS T84.66 diabody targeting the carcinoembryonic antigen or 211At-SAPS on a diabody specific for the Müllerian inhibiting substance type II receptor, which is minimally expressed on this tumor cell line. Results: A single i.v. injection of 211At-SAPS C6.5 diabody led to a 30-day delay in tumor growth when a 20 μCi dose was administered and a 57-day delay in tumor growth (60% tumor-free after 1 year) when a 45 μCi dose was used. Treatment of mice bearing the same tumors with 211At-SAPS T84.66 diabody at the same doses led to a delay in tumor growth, but no complete responses, likely due to substantially lower expression of this antigen on the MDA-MB-361/DYT2 tumors. In contrast, a dose of 20 μCi of 211At-SAPS on the anti–Müllerian-inhibiting substance type II receptor diabody did not affect tumor growth rate, demonstrating specificity of the therapeutic effect. Conclusions: These findings indicate that diabody molecules can be effective agents for targeted radioimmunotherapy of solid tumors using powerful, short-lived α-emitting radioisotopes.
An iterative algorithm for locating the minimal eigenvector of a symmetric matrix

A new iterative method of finding the minimum eigenvalue of a symmetric matrix is described. This method does not utilize matrix inversions and is applicable to any matrix R for which the matrix-vector product Rx is rapidly computable. It seeks the minimum eigenvalue of R by minimizing the quadratic form XTRx on the unit hypersphere, using a search technique derived from the conjugate gradient method. The computational complexity of each step of the algorithm depends on the speed with which Rx can be computed.
Apoptotic cell death of proliferating neuroepithelial cells in the embryonic retina is prevented by insulin

The role of programmed cell death is well established for connecting neurons. Conversely, much less is known about apoptosis affecting proliferating neuroepithelial cells. Chick retina from day 4 to day 6 of embryonic development (E), essentially proliferative, presented a defined distribution of apoptotic cells during normal in vivo development, as visualized by TdT‐mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL). Insulin, expressed in the early chick embryonic retina as proinsulin, attenuated apoptosis in growth factor‐deprived organotypic culture of E5 retina. This effect was demonstrated both by TUNEL and by staining of pyknotic nuclei, as well as by release of nucleosomes. Application of a 1 h [methyl‐3H]thymidine pulse in ovo at E5, followed by organotypic culture in the presence or absence of insulin, showed that this factor alone decreased the degradation of labelled DNA to nucleosomes by 40%, as well as the proportion of labelled pyknotic nuclei. Both features are a consequence of apoptosis affecting neuroepithelial cells, which were in S‐phase or shortly after. In addition, when the E5 embryos were maintained in ovo after the application of [methyl‐3H]thymidine, 70% of the apoptotic retinal cells were labelled, indicating the in vivo prevalence of cell death among actively proliferating neuroepithelial cells. Apoptotic cell death is thus temporally and spatially regulated during proliferative stages of retinal neurogenesis, and embryonic proinsulin is presumably an endogenous protective factor.
Dietary fiber intake is inversely associated with risk of pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The association between fiber intake and pancreatic cancer risk is conflicting and poorly explored. The aim of study was to investigate the association between dietary fiber intake and the risk of pancreatic cancer by conducting a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN Systematic search of PubMed and Embase databases up to April 2015 were conducted to identify relevant studies. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were combined using random-effects models to assess the risk of pancreatic cancer when comparing extreme categories of fiber intake. Dose-response meta-analysis was performed for studies reporting categorical risk estimates for at least 3 exposure levels. RESULTS One cohort and thirteen case-control studies were identified. The overall analysis revealed a strong inverse association between risk of pancreatic cancer and high fiber intake (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.44-0.61). No publication bias was detected by Egger's or Begg's test. The dose-response analyses showed that the summary OR for an increment of 10 g daily intake of fiber was 0.88 (0.84 to 0.92). CONCLUSION A high intake of dietary fiber was associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer. Further well-designed prospective studies are warranted to confirm the inverse association and to identify the dietary fiber types involved.
Characterization of thermophilic consortia from two souring oil reservoirs

The microbial consortia from produced water at two different oil fields in Alaska (Kuparuk) and the North Sea (Ninian) were investigated for sulfate-reducing and methanogenic activity over a range of temperatures and for a variety of substrates. The consortia were sampled on site, and samples were either incubated on site at 60(deg)C with various substrates or frozen for later incubation and analyses. Temperature influenced the rates of sulfate reduction, hydrogen sulfide production, and substrate oxidation, as well as the cell morphology. The highest rates of sulfate reduction and substrate oxidation were found between 50 and 60(deg)C. Formate and n-butyrate were the most favorable electron donors at any tested temperature. Acetate was utilized at 35(deg)C but not at 50 or 70(deg)C and was produced at 60(deg)C. This indicates that the high levels of acetate found in produced water from souring oil formations are due mainly to an incomplete oxidation of volatile fatty acids to acetate. The cell size distribution of the microbial consortium indicated a nonuniform microbial composition in the original sample from the Kuparuk field. At different temperatures, different microbial morphologies and physiologies were observed. Methane-producing activity at thermophilic temperatures (60(deg)C) was found only for the Kuparuk consortium when hydrogen and carbon dioxide were present. No methane production from acetate was observed. Suppression of methanogenic activity in the presence of sulfate indicated a competition with sulfate-reducing bacteria for hydrogen.
Diversity of diurnal Lepidoptera across an elevational gradient above the timberline

Bisher existieren nur wenige quantitativ-empirische Arbeiten, die sich mit den Veranderungen von Artenreichtum und Artenzusammensetzung sowie dem komplexen Zusammenspiel von Umweltvariablen und Verbreitungsmustern von Lepidopteren in den Alpen beschaftigen. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Hohenverbreitung tagaktiver Schmetterlinge oberhalb der Waldgrenze am Schrankogel (3.497m) in den Stubaier Alpen (Tirol/Osterreich). Zonosen tagaktiver Schmetterlinge wurden im Juni und Juli 2009 entlang von 25 Linientransekten, mit einer Lange von je 100 m, die einen Hohengradient zwischen 2.050 und 3.200 m abdecken, erforscht. Insgesamt wurden 75 tagaktive Schmetterlingsarten (1.087 Einzelsichtungen) aus 15 Familien nachgewiesen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine kontinuierliche Abnahme des Artenreichtums und der Abundanz der Schmetterlinge mit zunehmender Hohe. Weiters ist ein positiver Zusammenhang zwischen Artenreichtum und der Nektarverfugbarkeit, der Vegetationsbedeckung und dem Pflanzenartenreichtum zu erkennen. Die Artenzusammensetzung von Schmetterlingen andert sich kontinuierlich entlang des Hohengradienten. Dies wird durch eine steigende Unahnlichkeit innerhalb der Schmetterlingsgesellschaften mit zunehmender Vertikaldistanz zwischen den Transekten sichtbar. Eine ahnlich kontinuierliche Abnahme des Artenreichtums von Lepidopteren mit zunehmender Hohe lasst sich erkennen, wenn man den Artenpool gemas der larvalen Ressourcenanspruche in 3 Phagie-Klassen unterteilt (monophag, oligophag, polyphag). Diese Ergebnisse stutzen die Annahme eines kontinuierlichen Okotons von der alpinen in die subnivale Vegetation und geben keine Hinweise auf scharfe zonale Grenzen. Ein langfristiges Monitoring ware hilfreich, um die mogliche Hohenverschiebung von Verbreitungsmustern alpiner Schmetterlingsarten zu dokumentieren, welche einher gehen mit der bereits vielseitig bestatigten Wanderung von Pflanzenarten in hohere Lagen auf Grund des Klimawandels.