Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adipocytokines in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5.

BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD) leading to kidney failure and end stage renal disease (ESRD) is a common health problem associated with wasting syndrome characterized by inadequate nutrient intake and decrease tissue anabolism and/or catabolism. In CKD adipokines, especially leptin and adiponectin (ADPN), accumulate in serum due to reduced renal clearance. Although, rapidly growing, knowledge of adipocytokines is limited and much is still unknown of the altered adipocytokine pattern in patients with impaired renal function. The aim of this study is to assess the adipocytokines, leptin, and adiponectin in relation to weight loss in pediatric patients with CKD stage-5 treated conservatively (CT) or undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). METHODS 41 CKD stage-5 patients and 20 healthy controls were included in this study. Serum levels of leptin and adiponectin were determined by ELISA. Leptin gene expression was analyzed using quantitative real time-polymerase chain reactions (QPCR). RESULTS Patients had significantly elevated ADPN levels and non significantly elevated serum leptin levels as compared to controls (p < 0.001, p = 0.354, respectively). Leptin gene expression and body mass index (BMI) were highly significantly reduced in CKD stage-5 compared to controls (p < 0.001 for each). There were no significant differences between patients treated conservatively and those undergoing MHD with respect to all studied parameters. Finally, univariate logistic regression analysis revealed no association between leptin, ADPN, and weight loss in CKD stage-5 patients. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed non significantly elevated or even normalized serum leptin levels, elevated serum adiponectin level and reduced leptin gene expression in CKD stage-5 patients as compared to healthy controls. Patients had significantly lower weight than healthy controls but there was no association between leptin, adiponectin, and weight loss in CKD stage-5 studied patients so, further studies are needed to clarify the role of the two adipokines in body weight loss in those patients.
Developmental Exposure to a Toxic Spill Compromises Long-Term Reproductive Performance in a Wild, Long-Lived Bird: The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Background/Objective Exposure to environmental contaminants may result in reduced reproductive success and long-lasting population declines in vertebrates. Emerging data from laboratory studies on model species suggest that certain life-stages, such as development, should be of special concern. However, detailed investigations of long-term consequences of developmental exposure to environmental chemicals on breeding performance are currently lacking in wild populations of long-lived vertebrates. Here, we studied how the developmental exposure to a mine spill (Aznalcóllar, SW Spain, April 1998) may affect fitness under natural conditions in a long-lived bird, the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). Methodology The reproductive performance of individually-banded storks that were or not developmentally exposed to the spill (i.e. hatched before or after the spill) was compared when these individuals were simultaneously breeding during the seven years after the spill occurred (1999–2005). Principal Findings Female storks developmentally exposed to the spill experienced a premature breeding senescence compared with their non-developmentally exposed counterparts, doing so after departing from an unusually higher productivity in their early reproductive life (non-developmentally exposed females: 0.5±0.33SE fledglings/year at 3-yr old vs. 1.38±0.31SE at 6–7 yr old; developmentally exposed females: 1.5±0.30SE fledglings/year at 3-yr old vs. 0.86±0.25SE at 6–7 yr old). Conclusions/Significance Following life-history theory, we propose that costly sub-lethal effects reported in stork nestlings after low-level exposure to the spill-derived contaminants might play an important role in shaping this pattern of reproduction, with a clear potential impact on population dynamics. Overall, our study provides evidence that environmental disasters can have long-term, multigenerational consequences on wildlife, particularly when affecting developing individuals, and warns about the risk of widespread low-level contamination in realistic scenarios.
Morphological Study of Spleen

Background :-The spleen is a haemo-lymph organ and belongs to the reticulo-endothelial system. It consist of a large encapsulated mass of lymphoid and vascular tissue. spleen is highly vascular, friable and elastic, purple in color, moving with respiration. Spleen filter blood by taking out worn-out erythrocytes or may microbial antigens from the circulation, where as lymph nodes filter lymphs. Materials and methods:The study included 50 human adult cadaveric spleens. Apparently normal human cadaveric spleens from both sexes were selected. Spleens were removed from abdominal cavity by conventional dissection method. They were washed with tap water to clean debris and fatty tissue. Then they were weighed and their length, breadth, width were measured. Also shape of spleens were observed. Result :In present study, we measured length of 50 spleens, the length was in range of <5 cm were 2 (4%), range between 5cm to 7 cm were 8 (16%), range between 7.1 to 9 cm 32 (64%) and length was more than 9 cm were 8 (16%). Their breadth was observed, <4 cm were 4 ( 82%), range in between 4 cm to 6 cm were 41 (82%) and more than 6 cm were 5 (10%). It was found that width of spleens were, <2 cm was 1 (2%), 2 cm to 4 cm were 40 (80%) and more than 4 cm were 9 (18%). Out of 50 spleens shape were, wedge shaped spleens were 35 (70%), tetrahedral spleens were 9 (18%), oval shaped spleens were 3 (6%), triangular spleens were 2 (4%), and irregular shaped spleen was 1 (2%). Also measured weight of spleens, we noted that, below 80 gms were 7 (14%), range in between 80 gms to 150 gms were 31 (62%), range in between 151 gms to 200 gms 8 (16%) and range in between 201 gms to 300 gms were 4 (8%). Conclusion :Knowledge about the morphology of spleen is helpful for the surgeon in doing partial splenectomy. the spleen is an organ which is required for immunological functions and filtration of blood, which is thus preserved by doing partial splenectomy.
Erythropoietin and renoprotection

In the haematopoietic system, the principal function of erythropoietin (EPO) is the regulation of RBC production. Consequently, following the cloning of the EPO gene, recombinant human EPO (rHuEPO) forms have been widely used for treatment of anaemia in chronic kidney disease and chemotherapy-induced anaemia in cancer patients. However, a steadily growing body of evidence indicates that the therapeutic benefits of rHuEPO could be far beyond the correction of anaemia. Several articles have been recently published on the tissue-protective, nonhaematological effects of rHuEPO that prevent ischaemia-induced tissue damage in several organs including the kidney.In this review, we focus on nonhaematological effects of rHuEPO in various experimental settings of acute and chronic kidney injury. Because this tissue-protective action of rHuEPO is not the result of correction of anaemia-related tissue hypoxia, we will also discuss potential molecular pathways involved. Finally, we will review the current literature on clinical studies with rHuEPO or analogous substances and progression of chronic kidney disease, and propose possible clinical renoprotective strategies.
Evidence on Investors' Assessment of the Plausibility of Seemingly Self-Serving Attributions of Earnings Performance

This study investigates investors’ responses to seemingly self-serving attributions provided in quarterly earnings releases. Seemingly self-serving attributions either attribute poor performance to external causes (i.e., defensive attributions) or favorable performance to internal causes (i.e., enhancing attributions). Using a random sample of press releases from 1999-2005, we document cross-sectional differences in the market’s response to both types of attributions based on factors we predict to be useful in assessing their plausibility. Specifically, we find that defensive attributions are associated with less severe market penalties for bad news earnings announcements when the majority of the firm’s industry peers also experience earnings disappointments and when the firm’s earnings has higher commonality with industryand market-level earnings. We also document that enhancing attributions are associated with greater market rewards for good news earnings announcements when the majority of the firm’s industry peers experience earnings disappointments and when the firm’s earnings has lower commonality with industryand market-level earnings. Collectively, our results demonstrate that investors do not accept seemingly self-serving attributions at face value, but respond to them based on both industryand firm-specific information.
Phagocytosis of Picornavirus-Infected Cells Induces an RNA-Dependent Antiviral State in Human Dendritic Cells

ABSTRACT Dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in instructing antiviral immune responses. DCs, however, can become targeted by different viruses themselves. We recently demonstrated that human DCs can be productively infected with echoviruses (EVs), but not coxsackie B viruses (CVBs), both of which are RNA viruses belonging to the Enterovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family. We now show that phagocytosis of CVB-infected, type I interferon-deficient cells induces an antiviral state in human DCs. Uptake of infected cells increased the expression of the cytoplasmic RNA helicases retinoic acid-inducible gene I and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 as well as other interferon-stimulated genes and protected DCs against subsequent infection with EV9. These effects depended on recognition of viral RNA and could be mimicked by exposure to the synthetic double-stranded RNA analogue poly(I:C) but not other Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. Blocking endosomal acidification abrogated protection, suggesting a role for TLRs in the acquisition of an antiviral state in DCs. In conclusion, recognition of viral RNA rapidly induces an antiviral state in human DCs. This might provide a mechanism by which DCs protect themselves against viruses when attracted to an environment with ongoing infection.
The Hypervariable Region 1 of the E2 Glycoprotein of Hepatitis C Virus Binds to Glycosaminoglycans, but This Binding Does Not Lead to Infection in a Pseudotype System

ABSTRACT The hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 envelope glycoprotein is a 27-amino-acid sequence located at its N terminus. In this study, we investigated the functional role of HVR1 for interaction with the mammalian cell surface. The C-terminal truncated E2 glycoprotein was appended to a transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G protein for generation of the chimeric E2-G gene construct. A deletion of the HVR1 sequence from E2 was created for the construction of E2ΔHVR1-G. Pseudotype virus, generated separately by infection of a stable cell line expressing E2-G or E2ΔHVR1-G with a temperature-sensitive mutant of VSV (VSVts045), displayed unique functional properties compared to VSVts045 as a negative control. Virus generated from E2ΔHVR1-G had a reduced plaquing efficiency (∼50%) in HepG2 cells compared to that for the E2-G virus. Cells prior treated with pronase (0.5 U/ml) displayed a complete inhibition of infectivity of the E2ΔHVR1-G or E2-G pseudotypes, whereas heparinase I treatment (8 U/ml) of cells reduced 40% E2-G pseudotype virus titer only. E2ΔHVR1-G pseudotypes were not sensitive to heparin (6 to 50 μg/ml) as an inhibitor of plaque formation compared to the E2-G pseudotype virus. Although the HVR1 sequence itself does not match with the known heparin-binding domain, a synthetic peptide representing 27 amino acids of the E2 HVR1 displayed a strong affinity for heparin in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This binding was competitively inhibited by a peptide from the V3 loop of a human immunodeficiency virus glycoprotein subunit (gp120) known to bind with cell surface heparin. Taken together, our results suggest that the HVR1 of E2 glycoprotein binds to the cell surface proteoglycans and may facilitate virus-host interaction for replication cycle of HCV.
Data growth and its impact on the SCOP database: new developments

The Structural Classification of Proteins (SCOP) database is a comprehensive ordering of all proteins of known structure, according to their evolutionary and structural relationships. The SCOP hierarchy comprises the following levels: Species, Protein, Family, Superfamily, Fold and Class. While keeping the original classification scheme intact, we have changed the production of SCOP in order to cope with a rapid growth of new structural data and to facilitate the discovery of new protein relationships. We describe ongoing developments and new features implemented in SCOP. A new update protocol supports batch classification of new protein structures by their detected relationships at Family and Superfamily levels in contrast to our previous sequential handling of new structural data by release date. We introduce pre-SCOP, a preview of the SCOP developmental version that enables earlier access to the information on new relationships. We also discuss the impact of worldwide Structural Genomics initiatives, which are producing new protein structures at an increasing rate, on the rates of discovery and growth of protein families and superfamilies. SCOP can be accessed at http://scop.mrc-lmb.cam. ac.uk/scop.
Latent feature representation with depth directional long-term recurrent learning for breast masses in digital breast tomosynthesis

Characterization of masses in computer-aided detection systems for digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is an important step to reduce false positive (FP) rates. To effectively differentiate masses from FPs in DBT, discriminative mass feature representation is required. In this paper, we propose a new latent feature representation boosted by depth directional long-term recurrent learning for characterizing malignant masses. The proposed network is designed to encode mass characteristics in two parts. First, 2D spatial image characteristics of DBT slices are encoded as a slice feature representation by convolutional neural network (CNN). Then, depth directional characteristics of masses among the slice feature representations are encoded by the proposed depth directional long-term recurrent learning. In addition, to further improve the class discriminability of latent feature representation, we have devised three objective functions aiming to (a) minimize classification error, (b) minimize intra-class variation within the same class, and (c) preserve feature representation consistency in a central slice. Experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed latent feature representation achieves a higher level of classification performance in terms of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the ROC curve values compared to performance with feature representation learned by conventional CNN and hand-crafted features.
Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics and Moral Education

Ethics has been discussed largely in the language of the father, Nel Noddings believes: in principles and propositions, in terms such as justification, fairness, and equity. The mother's voice has been silent. The view of ethics Noddings offers in this book is a feminine view. "This does not imply," she writes, "that all women will accept it or that most men will reject it; indeed there is no reason why men should not embrace it. It is feminine in the deep classical sense - rooted in receptivity, relatedness, and responsiveness. It does not imply either that logic is to be discarded or that logic is alien to women. It represents an alternative to present views, one that begins with the moral attitude or longing for goodness and not with moral reasoning. "What is at the basis of moral action? An altruism acquired by the application of rule and principle? Or, as Noddings asserts, caring and the memory of being cared for? With numerous examples to supplement her rich theoretical discussion, Noddings builds a compelling philosophical argument for an ethics based on natural caring, as in the care of a mother for her child. The ethical behaviour that grows out of natural caring has at its core as care-filled receptivity to those involved in any moral situation, and leaves behind the rigidity of rule and principle to focus on what is particular and unique in human relations. "The hand that steadied us as we learned to ride our first bicycle did not provide propositional knowledge, but it guided and supported us all the same, and we finished up 'knowing how. '" Noddings' discussion is far-ranging, as she considers whether organizations, which operate at a remove from the caring relationship, can truly be called ethical. She discusses the extent to which we may truly care for plants, animals, or ideas. Finally, she proposes a realignment of education to encourage and reward not just rationality and trained intelligence, but also enhanced sensitivity in moral matters.
Development of Myeloid (Chloro-) Leukemia in Thymectomized C3H Mice Following Inoculation of Lymphatic Leukemia Virus.∗

Summary 1. Thirty-nine C3H mice were thymectomized at 4 to 6 weeks of age and inoculated a few days later with passage A leukemic filtrates. None developed leukemia, although observed until they were 15 months old. Of 41 non-thymectomized adult control mice injected simultaneously with the same filtrates, 63% developed leukemia at 8.7 months average age. 2. Of 60 C3H mice inoculated with passage A leukemic virus at average age of 3 days and thymectomized a month later, 26 (43%) developed leukemia at 10 months average age. Among leukemic mice in this group. 8 developed myelogenous (chloro) leukemia. Of 85 litter-mate controls injected simultaneously with the same filtrates. but not thymectomized, 93% developed lymphatic leukemia at 3.6 months average age. 3. Myelogenous leukemia developing in some virus-injected and subsequently thymectomized mice could be readily transplanted to mice of the same strain, retaining its myelogenous form or changing to lymphoid. 4. Susceptibility of thymectomized mice to the leukemogenic action of passage A virus could be restored by subcutaneous implantation of thymuses from young normal C3H mice. Of 20 C3H mice injected with the leukemic virus, then thymectomized, and which subsequently received subcutaneous implants of normal C3H thymuses, 18 developed leukemia (2 of these were myelogenous), as compared with 35 of 36 non-thymectomized controls that had received the same filtrates.
Gay Marriage Affiliation and Location in Return of Lost Letters: Reply to Waugh, Plake, and Rienzi (2000)

Reinspection of Waugh, Plake, and Rienzi's 2000 data allowed for several additional analyses. Statistical confirmation was found for no more negative attitudes toward gay marriage as measured by returned responses among churchgoers than among the general public. Confirmation was also found for their previous conclusion that the putative gay marriage controversy among Christian church attendees would be greater than among the general public, but for reasons different from those they proposed. Finally, it is argued that the limitations for the lost letter technique in “prohibiting fine distinctions” is not always correct because their analysis of one research question seemed not too subtle a distinction for the technique.
Levodopa inhibits the development of form-deprivation myopia in guinea pigs.

PURPOSE It has been shown that visual deprivation leads to a myopic refractive error and also reduces the retinal concentration of dopamine. Exogenously 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (levodopa, L-DOPA) can be converted into dopamine in vivo, which safely and effectively treats Parkinson disease. Moreover, L-DOPA was also used in the treatment of amblyopia in clinical studies. However, the effect of L-DOPA on the development of myopia has not been studied. The aim of this study was to investigate whether intraperitoneal injection of L-DOPA could inhibit form-deprivation myopia in guinea pigs and to explore a new strategy for drug treatment of myopia. METHODS Sixty guinea pigs, at age of 4 weeks, were randomly divided into six groups: normal control, L-DOPA group, saline group, deprived group, deprived plus L-DOPA group, and deprived plus saline group. Form deprivation was induced with translucent eye shields on the right eye and lasted for 10 days. L-DOPA was injected intraperitoneally into the guinea pig once a day. The corneal radius of curvature, refraction, and axial length were measured in all animals. Subsequently, retinal dopamine content was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. RESULTS Ten days of eye occlusion caused the form-deprived eyes to elongate and become myopic, and retinal dopamine content to decrease, but the corneal radius of curvature was not affected. Repeated intraperitoneal injection of L-DOPA could inhibit the myopic shift (from -3.62 +/- 0.98 D to -1.50 +/- 0.38 D; p < 0.001) due to goggles occluding and compensate retinal dopamine (from 0.65 +/- 0.10 ng to 1.33 +/- 0.23 ng; p < 0.001). Administration of L-DOPA to the unoccluded animals had no effect on its ocular refraction. There was no effect of intraperitoneal saline on the ocular refractive state and retinal dopamine. CONCLUSIONS Systemic L-DOPA was partly effective in this guinea pig model and, therefore, is worth testing for effectiveness in progressing human myopes.
The effect of adding intrathecal magnesium sulphate to bupivacaine–fentanyl spinal anaesthesia

Background: The addition of intrathecal (IT) magnesium to spinal fentanyl prolongs the duration of spinal analgesia for vaginal delivery. In this prospective, randomized, double‐blind, controlled study, we investigated the effect of adding IT magnesium sulphate to bupivacaine–fentanyl spinal anaesthesia.
Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on glucose tolerance in the rat offspring.

Low birth weight in humans predisposes to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes in adult life. Alcohol exposure during pregnancy has been associated with fetal growth restriction. We investigated the effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol on glucose metabolism later in the offspring. Female Sprague Dawley rats were given ethanol (ETOH), 4 g/kg/day by gavage throughout pregnancy. Compared with controls, newborn ETOH rats had decreased body size (5.1 +/- 0.1 v 6.3 +/- 0.1 g, P <.001), plasma insulin (0.44 +/- 0.4 v 0.67 +/- 0.1 ng/mL, P <.05), and leptin mRNA (P <.05), but they had normal beta-cell mass and elevated adipose resistin mRNA and plasma glucose (5.0 +/- 0.5 v 3.6 +/- 0.3 mmol/L, P <.01). Food intake was decreased in ETOH rats during the fourth week of life, and body weight remained decreased compared with controls until a catch-up growth occurred by 7 weeks of life. At 13 weeks of age, body weight and beta-cell mass of ETOH offspring were normal, but plasma glucose and insulin after a glucose challenge were increased compared with controls (P <.05). Adipose leptin and hypothalamic Ob-R mRNA were not different from controls, but resistin was increased (P <.05), and muscle GLUT4 content was decreased (P <.05) in ETOH offspring compared with controls. The data suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure impairs glucose tolerance in the offspring by both inducing insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction. The prevailing mechanism in 3-month-old rat offspring appears to be insulin resistance, manifested by glucose intolerance and decreased GLUT4 despite hyperinsulinemia.