Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mastitis, a Health- Related Indicator of Dairy Cow Welfare and Productivity

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of dairy cow mastitis in the Northwest of Argentina and to estimate its validity as an animal welfare (AW) target through its relation to the cow’s cleanliness, milk somatic cell counts (SCC) and productive losses. The prevalence of mastitis and the degree of udder cleanliness were observed in milking cows from 16 dairy farms in the province of Salta (Argentina) during the rainfall and dry seasons. On the other hand, records of cows with 2 or more parities with clinical mastitis (n=34) and cows without mastitis (n=27) were acquired from farms with database; in addition, cow calving to calving interval (CCI), number of services per conception and cow end (earlier culling or death-euthanized) were recorded. The annual subclinical mastitis (CMT 1, 2, 3 as positive scores) and bulk tank SCC prevalence were high: 48.5±17.9% and 558.7±238.1 respectively. A positive association between CMT prevalence (r2=0.29, p <0.002) determined from the degree of cow udder cleanliness were obtained. The total number of culling or death-euthanized cows that had mastitis (65.4%) was higher (Chi 8.3, p<0.004) than those recorded in cows without mastitis (25.9%), showing a higher probability of occurrence (OR= 5.4). Also, cows with mastitis needed higher (Chi 7.7, p <0.006) number of more than 2 services per conception (mean=4.14) than healthy ones (mean=2.2) and an OR of 7.0. A lower number (Chi 2.56, p<0.10) of cows with mastitis (mean=15.3%) had a CCI of less than 400 days than healthy cows (mean=34.6%) and with an OR of 2.9. These results demonstrate the value of mastitis as a measure target for on-farm AW assessment protocols under Argentina´s Northwest dairy systems.
Regulatory and Effector T Cell Activation Levels Are Prime Determinants of In Vivo Immune Regulation1

Little is known about the in vivo conditions in which CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) exert their suppressive effect in nonlymphopenic mice. To this end, we analyzed Treg-mediated suppression of expansion and cytokine production at different levels of Ag-specific CD4+CD25− T cell activation. Using Ab-mediated depletion of endogenous Treg, we show that basal immunosuppression is dependent on effector T cell activation. These polyclonal Treg, which were poorly activated in our immunization conditions, were effective in weak but not high T cell activation context. In contrast, the same immunization conditions led to proliferation of cotransferred Ag-specific Treg. Those efficiently inhibited T cell proliferation and cytokine production even in strong T cell activation context. Interestingly, Treg selectively suppressed expansion or cytokine production depending on the experimental approach. The importance of the immune context for efficient suppression is further supported by the observation that Treg depletion exacerbated diabetes of NOD mice only at the early stage of the disease. Overall, our study suggests that Treg-mediated suppression depends on the relative activation of Treg and effector T cells in vivo. This balance may be a critical factor in the regulation of immune responses.
Effect of Glutamine Dipeptide Supplementation on Primary Outcomes for Elective Major Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

To evaluate if glutamine (GLN) supplementation may affect primary outcomes in patients undergoing major elective abdominal operations, we performed a systematic literature review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) published from 1983 to 2013 and comparing intravenous glutamine dipeptide supplementation to no supplementation in elective surgical abdominal procedures. A meta-analysis for each outcome (overall and infectious morbidity and length of stay) of interest was carried out. The effect size was estimated by the risk ratio (RR) or by the weighted mean difference (WMD). Nineteen RCTs were identified with a total of 1243 patients (640 receiving GLN and 603 controls). In general, the studies were underpowered and of medium or low quality. GLN supplementation did not affect overall morbidity (RR = 0.84, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.36; p = 0.473) and infectious morbidity (RR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.38 to 1.07; p = 0.087). Patients treated with glutamine had a significant reduction in length of hospital stay (WMD = −2.67; 95% CI = −3.83 to −1.50; p < 0.0001). In conclusion, GLN supplementation appears to reduce hospital stay without affecting the rate of complications. The positive effect of GLN on time of hospitalization is difficult to interpret due to the lack of significant effects on surgery-related morbidity.
Perioperative outcomes after three different single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt attenuation techniques in dogs: partial ligation, complete ligation and ameroid constrictor placement.

OBJECTIVE To compare the perioperative outcomes of single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt occlusion by complete and partial silk ligation and ameroid constrictor placement in dogs. DESIGN A retrospective analysis of 30 dogs with single congenital extrahepatic shunts. PROCEDURE Records between 1990 and 2000 were reviewed. Patient age, breed, weight, presenting clinical signs, clinical pathology results, diagnostic imaging results, the surgery procedure performed, implant used, time taken, intra operative complications and perioperative complications were recorded. Mortality rates were calculated. RESULTS Twenty dogs had a silk ligation procedure, 10 partially occluded and 10 completely. Ten dogs had an ameroid constrictor placement procedure. Ameroid constrictor surgery was significantly shorter in duration than silk ligation. Time for silk ligation was 91.8 +/- 35.2 minutes (median 90.0); time for ameroid constrictor placement was 71.5 +/- 12.0 (median 72.5, P = 0.049). A reduction in intraoperative complications was also noted in the ameroid constrictor surgery group. CONCLUSION The ameroid constrictor offered a surgical occlusion procedure of single extrahepatic portosystemic shunts in dogs that was clinically as effective as silk ligation in the perioperative period, with a significantly shorter surgery time.
Ear length and kidney function decline after kidney donation

The preservation of kidney function after kidney donation depends on the kidney reserve – the potential of the remaining kidney to boost their function after loss of the other kidney. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, size and shape of the external ears are examined to evaluate the person's kidney health. We hypothesized that ear size might be a practical yet overlooked marker of kidney reserve. Fifty kidney transplantation donors were participated in this study. The length and width of both ears of all participants were measured during one of the post‐donation visits. Pre‐donation serum creatinine and post‐donation serum creatinine as well as other relevant parameters (age, sex, weight, height, etc.) of the participants were extracted from medical records. The estimated GFR was calculated from serum creatinine, age and sex using the CKD‐EPI equation. Ear length negatively associated with %GFR decline after kidney donation. For every 1 cm increase in ear length, it was associated with 5.7% less GFR decline after kidney donation (95% Confidence Interval 0.2 to 11.3, P = 0.04). Ear width, as well as age, sex, body weight, height, body mass index, and pre‐donation eGFR did not significantly associate with the GFR decline. Our findings support the notion of Traditional Chinese Medicine that ear morphology may be associated with kidney health and suggest that ear length might be a useful predictor of kidney function decline after kidney donation.
A single amino acid in E‐cadherin responsible for host specificity towards the human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes

Human E‐cadherin promotes entry of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes into mammalian cells by interacting with internalin (InlA), a bacterial surface protein. Here we show that mouse E‐cadherin, although very similar to human E‐cadherin (85% identity), is not a receptor for internalin. By a series of domain‐swapping and mutagenesis experiments, we identify Pro16 of E‐cadherin as a residue critical for specificity: a Pro→Glu substitution in human E‐cadherin totally abrogates interaction, whereas a Glu→Pro substitution in mouse E‐cadherin results in a complete gain of function. A correlation between cell permissivity and the nature of residue 16 in E‐cadherins from several species is established. The location of this key specificity residue in a region of E‐cadherin not involved in cell–cell adhesion and the stringency of the interaction demonstrated here have important consequences not only for the understanding of internalin function but also for the choice of the animal model to be used to study human listeriosis: mouse, albeit previously widely used, and rat appear as inappropriate animal models to study all aspects of human listeriosis, as opposed to guinea‐pig, which now stands as a small animal of choice for future in vivo studies.
Developmental Regulation and In Vitro Culture Effects on Expression of DNA Repair and Cell Cycle Checkpoint Control Genes in Rhesus Monkey Oocytes and Embryos1

Abstract DNA repair is essential for maintaining genomic integrity, and may be required in the early embryo to correct damage inherited via the gametes, damage that arises during DNA replication, or damage that arises in response to exposure to genotoxic agents. The capacity of preimplantation stage mammalian embryos to repair damaged DNA has not been well characterized, particularly in primate embryos. In this study, we examined the expression of 48 mRNAs related to sensing different kinds of DNA damage, repairing that DNA damage, and controlling the cell cycle to provide an opportunity for DNA repair. The expression data reveal dynamic temporal changes, indicating a changing ability of the rhesus embryo to detect and repair different kinds of DNA damage. Low expression or overexpression of specific DNA repair genes may limit the ability of the embryo to respond to DNA damage at certain stages. Additionally, our data reveal that in vitro culture may lead to dysregulation of many such genes and a potentially impaired ability to repair DNA damage, thus affecting cellular viability and long-term embryo viability via effects on genome integrity. This effect of in vitro culture on nonhuman primate embryos may be relevant to assessing the potential advantages and disadvantages of prolonged in vitro culture of human embryos.
In Vitro Susceptibilities of the MicrosporidiaEncephalitozoon cuniculi, Encephalitozoon hellem, and Encephalitozoon intestinalis to Albendazole and Its Sulfoxide and Sulfone Metabolites

ABSTRACT In vitro comparisons demonstrated that the efficacy of albendazole, albendazole-sulfoxide, and albendazole-sulfone against pathogenicEncephalitozoon species was proportional to the degree of oxidation at a concentration of >10−3 μg/ml. Furthermore, at a concentration of <10−2 μg/ml, benzimidazoles were more effective against Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Encephalitozoon hellem than againstEncephalitozoon intestinalis.
Decreased circulatory microRNA-4478 as a specific biomarker for diagnosing non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and its association with soluble leptin receptor.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the usefulness of circulatory microRNA-4478 (miR-4478) and soluble leptin receptor (sLEPR) in prognosis and diagnosis of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and to introduce miR-4478 as a new biomarker for NSTEMI disease. This study aimed also to examine correlation between miR-4478 and soluble leptin receptor and effects of miR-4478 on leptin receptor concentration. BACKGROUND MicroRNAs could be used as predictive biomarkers for diseases. METHODS We collected sera of 80 angiographically confirmed NSTEMI patients and 80 healthy individuals and performed RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, measurement of microRNAs, sLEPR and other chemistries. Statistical analyses were done using excel, XLSAT, and SPSS. Quality control analysis was done triplicated for 7 serial dilution of stock cDNA solution. RESULTS The patients with NSTEMI had higher serum levels of miR-4478, sLEPR, cTnI, CKMB, Urea, creatinine, glucose, cholesterol, TG, and ALP but lower levels of ALT compared with the normal healthy individuals. We detected decrease in expression of miR-4478 (2^-∆∆Cq = 0.161 ± 0.211) along with increase in sLEPR levels (F = 3.645, p < 0.001) in the NSTEMI group compared with normal individuals. Pearson's correlation tests indicated positive correlation of miR-4478 and sLEPR (p < 0.001, R² = 0.698). There was sensitivity and specificity of 87.5% and 98.8% for miR-4478 and 92.5% and 87.5% for sLEPR. CONCLUSION Circulatory miR-4478 and sLEPR may be used as predictors of NSTEMI. miR-4478 may also be used as a new biomarker for NSTEMI disease (Tab. 3, Fig. 6, Ref. 30).
Ang-2/VEGF bispecific antibody reprograms macrophages and resident microglia to anti-tumor phenotype and prolongs glioblastoma survival

Significance Improving survival of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) using antiangiogenic therapy remains a challenge. In this study we show that dual blockade of angiopoietin-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor delays tumor growth and enhances survival benefits through reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages toward an antitumor phenotype as well as by pruning immature tumor vessels. The antitumor immunomodulatory potential of this dual blockade supports clinical testing of this approach for GBM with other immunotherapeutic approaches such as checkpoint blockers. Inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway has failed to improve overall survival of patients with glioblastoma (GBM). We previously showed that angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) overexpression compromised the benefit from anti-VEGF therapy in a preclinical GBM model. Here we investigated whether dual Ang-2/VEGF inhibition could overcome resistance to anti-VEGF treatment. We treated mice bearing orthotopic syngeneic (Gl261) GBMs or human (MGG8) GBM xenografts with antibodies inhibiting VEGF (B20), or Ang-2/VEGF (CrossMab, A2V). We examined the effects of treatment on the tumor vasculature, immune cell populations, tumor growth, and survival in both the Gl261 and MGG8 tumor models. We found that in the Gl261 model, which displays a highly abnormal tumor vasculature, A2V decreased vessel density, delayed tumor growth, and prolonged survival compared with B20. In the MGG8 model, which displays a low degree of vessel abnormality, A2V induced no significant changes in the tumor vasculature but still prolonged survival. In both the Gl261 and MGG8 models A2V reprogrammed protumor M2 macrophages toward the antitumor M1 phenotype. Our findings indicate that A2V may prolong survival in mice with GBM by reprogramming the tumor immune microenvironment and delaying tumor growth.
Enabling or constraining? Unraveling the influence of organizational slack on innovation

We employ theories of organizational search and agency costs to propose a contingency perspective that reconciles mutually contradictory prior findings on the relationship between organizational slack and innovation. First, we argue that influences of organizational slack depend on whether we consider exploitative innovation or exploratory innovation. Further, absorbed slack and unabsorbed slack differ in their forms of relationship with innovation. The ways in which a certain type of innovation is enabled by organizational slack are conditioned by distinct modes of organizational search associated with alternative types of innovation, as well as by the extent to which effective shareholder monitoring is disturbed by different types of organizational slack. An empirical analysis of 37 Japanese pharmaceutical firms’ new product developments over a 20-year period supports our argument.
Interactions between RASA2, CADM1, HIF1AN gene polymorphisms and body fatness with breast cancer: a population-based case–control study in China

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have indicated that gene polymorphisms in alleles of RAS p21 protein activator 2 (RASA2), cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) and hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha subunit inhibitor (HIF1AN) are associated with the risk of obesity. In this study, we explored the interactions between candidate SNPs of RASA2 (rs16851483), CADM1 (rs12286929) and HIF1AN (rs17094222) and body fatness for breast cancer risk. Unconditional logistic regression models were applied to measure the associations of related factors with breast cancer by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). It was observed that cases had a statistically higher body mass index (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2, OR = 1.77), waist circumference (WC ≥ 90cm, OR = 2.89) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR ≥ 0.9, OR = 3.41) as compared to controls. Significant differences were also found in the genotype distributions of RASA2 rs16851483 T/T homozygote and CADM1 rs12286929 G/A heterozygote between cases and controls, with an OR of 1.68 (95% CI: 1.10–2.56) and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.64–0.99), respectively. Furthermore, significant interactions were observed between polymorphisms of three genes and body fatness for the risk of breast cancer based on both additive and multiplicative scales. These results of our study suggest that body fatness possibly plays an important role in the development of breast cancer and this risk might be modified by specific genotypes of some potential genes, especially for obese women in China.
A correlation‐based and spectrum‐aware admission control mechanism for multimedia streaming in cognitive radio sensor networks

Bandwidth management and traffic control are critical issues to guarantee the quality of service in cognitive radio networks. This paper exploits a network load refinement approach to achieve the efficient resource utilization and provide the required quality of service. A connection admission control approach is introduced in cognitive radio multimedia sensor networks to provide the data transmission reliability and decrease jitter and packet end‐to‐end delay. In this approach, the admission of multimedia flows is controlled based on multimedia sensors' correlation information and traffic characteristics. We propose a problem, connection admission control optimization problem, to optimize the connection admission control operation. Furthermore, using a proposed weighting scheme according to the correlation of flows issued by multimedia sensors enables us to convert the connection admission control optimization problem to a binary integer‐programming problem. This problem is a kind of a Knapsack problem that is solved by a branch and bound method. Simulation results verify the proposed admission control method's effectiveness and demonstrate the benefits of admission control and traffic management in cognitive radio multimedia sensor networks. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Association Between CYP3A5 Polymorphisms and Blood Pressure in Kidney Transplant Recipients Receiving Calcineurin Inhibitors

Abstract Renal cytochrome P450 3A5 (CYP3A5) has been associated with blood pressure (BP) control in humans. We investigated whether CYP3A5 polymorphisms are associated with post- transplant hypertension in a selected population of kidney recipients receiving calcineurin inhibitors. Ninety-two kidney transplant recipients receiving cyclosporine (CyA) or tacrolimus (Tac) were genotyped for CYP3A5 polymorphisms, and the association between the CYP3A5 alleles (*1,*3) and hypertension on post-operative day (POD) 6 and POD 180 was verified, with multiple regression being used to identify the putative co-variates that may predict the extent and severity of hypertension in transplant recipients at different post-transplant times. The CYP3A5*1 carriers had higher systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in both the immediate and delayed post-transplant period when adjusted for anti-hypertensive medication (POD 6: SBP = 161 ± 23 vs. 140 ± 23 mmHg; DBP = 120 ± 15 vs. 87 ± 14 mmHg, p < 0.05. POD 180: SBP = 136 ± 16 vs. 129 ± 14 mmHg; DBP = 89 ± 15 vs. 80 ± 15 mmHg, p < 0.05). The severity of hypertension between the CYP3A5*1 carriers and noncarriers on POD 6 was documented by the significantly different distribution of hypertension classes, but this was not confirmed on POD 180. The CYP3A5 genotype was the only independent variable affecting mean arterial pressure. The results of this study show that CYP3A5 polymorphisms are associated with the severity and degree of hypertension in kidney transplant recipients receiving calcineurin inhibitors regardless of the time of recording. However, the role of concomitant medications such as steroids with strong CYP3A5 inducing activity, should be taken into account.
A weak adaptive response to alkylation damage in Salmonella typhimurium

An efficient adaptive response to alkylation damage was observed in several enterobacterial species, including Klebsiella aerogenes, Shigella sonnei, Shigella boydii, Escherichia alkalescens, Escherichia hermanii, and Escherichia fergusonii. Increased O6-methylguanine-DNA and methylphosphotriester-DNA methyltransferase activities correlated with the induction of a 39-kDa protein recognized by monoclonal antibodies raised against the Escherichia coli Ada protein. Induced methyltransferase activities were similarly observed in Aerobacter aerogenes and Citrobacter intermedius, although no antigenically cross-reacting material was present. Weak induction of a 39-kDa protein immunologically related to the E. coli Ada protein occurred in Salmonella typhimurium. This protein encoded by the cloned S. typhimurium ada gene was shown to be an active methyltransferase which repaired O6-methylguanine and methylphosphotriesters in DNA as efficiently as did the E. coli Ada protein. However, the mehtyltransferase activity of the weakly induced 39-kDa protein in S. typhimurium was not detected, apparently because it was self-methylated and thus inactivated during the adaptive N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine pretreatment. In contrast, the E. coli ada gene on a low-copy-number plasmid was efficiently induced in S. typhimurium, and high methyltransferase activities were observed. We concluded that the inefficient induction of the adaptive response in S. typhimurium results from weak transcriptional activation of its ada gene by the self-methylated protein.