Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association between MTHFR polymorphisms and orofacial clefts risk: a meta-analysis.

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND The roles of C677T and A1298C polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene in orofacial clefts (OFCs) risk have been substantially explored, but the results remain conflicting. To address this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis involving all eligible studies. METHODS Electronic literature searches of the PubMed, EmBase, and Medline databases were performed up to October 31, 2011. Fixed-effects or random-effects models were used to calculate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) for two genetic comparisons (heterozygous mutation vs. wild type, homozygous mutation vs. wild type). RESULTS A total of 18 studies were ultimately identified. The pooled results revealed no statistical association between infant and maternal C677T and A1298C variants and risk of cleft lip with or without palate (CL/P) or cleft palate only (CPO), except for the maternal 677TT genotype for CL/P, the OR was 1.32 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-1.63) as compared to the normal 677CC genotype. In the subgroup analyses on CL/P data based on ethnicity and source of control subjects, almost all of the results were replicated as nonsignificant associations in both examined polymorphisms, whereas the pooled risk estimate calculated for maternal 677TT genotype in the white population remained statistically significant, with an OR of 1.36 (95% CI, 1.05-1.76). CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis suggests that maternal MTHFR 677TT genotype might increase the risk of having a CL/P offspring in the white population. However, these findings remain to be confirmed by additional investigations.
Plasma Lipids and Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Undernourished Diabetic Subjects and Adults with Protein Energy Malnutrition

Estimation of triglycerides (Tg), total cholesterol (Tc), HDLs, LDLc, and VLDLc was carried out in 46 undernourished diabetic subjects (UND); 21 untreated and 25 on insulin; 44 well-nourished diabetic subjects (WND); 22 untreated and 22 on insulin; together with 25 patients with protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and 25 healthy controls <50 yr of age. Compared with controls, in the untreated diabetic subjects Tg, Tc, LDLc, and VLDLc were significantly higher in both classes, while HDLc was lower only in WND. Among the treated diabetic subjects, Tg were higher in WND, LDLc lower in UND, and VLDLc higher in both. With regard to relative distribution of cholesterol in the untreated patients, HDLc/Tc was lower in WND, but this was not so in UND. HDLc/Tc was higher in treated UND. Between undernourished and well-nourished groups of diabetic subjects in the untreated patients, HDLc was significantly higher and LDLc lower in the former. Both Tc and LDLc were lower in UND on insulin compared with WND. HDLc/Tc was higher and LDLc/Tc lower in both untreated and treated UND. In adults with PEM, mean values of Tg, Tc, and LDLc were much lower than in controls, as well as in both groups of UND. On the other hand, values of HDLc/Tc were higher and LDLc/Tc lower in PEM compared with controls, but this was not so for treated UND. It is evident from the results of this study that the undernourished have lower levels of plasma lipids and a favorable distribution of cholesterol among the lipid fractions from the point of view of vulnerability to development of atherosclerosis.
Allogeneic Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation for Periodontal Regeneration

In this study, we investigated the possibility of using local administration of allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) to induce tissue regeneration in periodontal defects in a rat model of periodontitis. BMMSCs isolated from rats were mixed with 0.9% NaCl solution and injected into periodontal defects. Control groups were 0.9% NaCl solution or left untreated. The clinical assessments, x-rays, and histological examinations were used to evaluate the effect. At 12 wks post-transplantation, quantitative analysis revealed average probing bone loss values of 1.2 ± 0.19, 1.6 ± 0.2, and 1.7 ± 0.14; the bone regeneration rate was 53%, 45%, and 44% in the BMMSC+NaCl group, NaCl group, and untreated group, respectively. The clinical assessments, x-rays, and histological examinations revealed significant periodontal tissue regeneration in the BMMSC injection group, compared with the control groups. The ELISA results showed that TNFα, IFNγ, and IL1β were 2,674.88 ± 102.77 pg/mL vs. 3,422.1 ± 51.98 pg/mL, 609.85 ± 25.5 pg/mL vs. 803.79 ± 33.85 pg/mL, and 1,038.46 ± 76.29 pg/mL vs. 1,175.26 ± 105.55 pg/mL in the BMMSC+NaCl group and NaCl group, respectively, indicating that BMMSC injection inhibited the inflammatory factors TNFα, IFNγ, and IL1β. Our results indicate that local administration of BMMSCs can repair defects due to periodontitis, exerting anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory functions.
TLR3 Deletion Limits Mortality and Disease Severity due to Phlebovirus Infection1

TLR3 was the first member of the TLR family of pattern recognition receptors found to detect a conserved viral molecular pattern, dsRNA, yet supporting evidence for a major role in host defense against viral pathogens is limited. Punta Toro virus (PTV) has been shown to produce severe infection in mice, modeling disease caused by the related highly pathogenic Rift Valley fever phlebovirus in humans and domesticated ungulates. Using TLR3-deficient mice, we investigated the involvement of TLR3 in host defense against PTV infection. Compared with wild-type, TLR3−/− mice demonstrate increased resistance to lethal infection and have reduced liver disease associated with hepatotropic PTV infection. Infectious challenge produced comparable peak liver and serum viral loads; however, TLR3−/− mice were able to clear systemic virus at a slightly faster rate. Cytokine profiling suggests that TLR3 plays an important role in PTV pathogenesis through the overproduction of inflammatory mediators, which may be central to the observed differences in survival and disease severity. Compared with TLR3-deficient mice, IL-6, MCP-1, IFN-γ, and RANTES were all present at higher levels in wild-type animals. Most dramatic was the exaggerated levels of IL-6 found systemically and in liver tissue of infected wild-type mice; however, IL-6-deficient animals were found to be more susceptible to lethal PTV infection. Taken together, we conclude that the TLR3-mediated response to PTV infection is detrimental to disease outcome and propose that IL-6, although critical to establishing antiviral defense, contributes to pathogenesis when released in excess, necessitating its controlled production as is seen with TLR3−/− mice.
Efficacy of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in large scale field trials

Background. Each year Streptococcus pneumoniae causes ˜1.2 million deaths worldwide from pneumonia. In the United States S. pneumoniae is estimated to cause 500 000 cases of pneumonia and 7 million episodes of acute otitis media annually. Conjugate vaccines. The current pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is ineffective in children <2 years old and may not produce an adequate antibody response until children reach the age of 5 years. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are immunogenic after primary and booster vaccination in young children and in children and adults with immunodeficiencies. Immunization with conjugate vaccines also induces a strong and rapid anamnestic response and enhanced functional activity of antibodies. Two large scale field trials of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines were initiated in 1995, 1 in California and 1 in Finland. The California trial, involving 37 868 children, evaluated the efficacy of a 7‐valent conjugate for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease and secondarily evaluated its efficacy for acute otitis media and pneumonia. Results. Preliminary results indicate 94% efficacy against invasive pneumococcal disease caused by serotypes included in the vaccine in fully or partially vaccinated children. Preliminary evidence from large scale field trials indicates that pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are effective in reducing invasive pneumococcal disease as well as acute otitis media and pneumonia in children and represents a significant advance in the prevention of childhood infectious diseases.
Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in the human lens, the first enzyme in the synthesis of UV filters.

Tryptophan-derived UV filters have recently been shown to bind to human lens proteins. These UV filter adducts increase in amount with age and appear to be mainly responsible for the yellowing of the lens in man. On the basis of research performed in other tissues, it has been assumed that indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) may be the first and probably rate-limiting enzyme in UV filter biosynthesis. In this study, 25 human lenses were examined by a reliable and sensitive assay method with a monoclonal antibody specific for IDO. IDO activity was detected in all lenses ranging from 26 to 80 years, and there was no clear relationship of IDO activity with age. The mean activity was 0.85 +/- 0.49 nmol of kynurenine formed hr(-1)per lens. IDO expression was found to be localized in the anterior cortex of the lens with little or no activity in the posterior cortex or nucleus. The level in the iris/ciliary body was negligible (<0.05 nmol of kynurenine formed hr(-1)). The lens IDO activity is consistent with UV filter turnover values obtained previously. These findings indicate that IDO is the first enzyme in the UV filter pathway and that UV filter biosynthesis is active even in aged lenses. Yellowing of the aged lens may therefore be preventable by drug-induced suppression of lens IDO activity.
Effects of chronic smoking on exercise tolerance and on heart rate-systolic blood pressure product in young healthy adults

Background Smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Smoking-related deaths in Greece account for 23%, whereas 41% of young Greeks are smokers, the highest percentage in Europe. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of chronic smoking on the rate-pressure product and exercise tolerance in young, healthy male smokers. Design and methods Forty-two smokers and 51 nonsmokers were selected from a population of 543 students based on their age, sex, body mass index, physical fitness, smoking habit and health status. All participants were tested with the standard Bruce treadmill protocol. The rate-pressure product was obtained at rest and during exercise at a given submaximal workload. The evaluation of exercise tolerance was based on peak workload achieved and maximal exercise test duration. Results The smokers had a higher rate-pressure product at rest (P < 0.001) due to their higher resting heart rate (P < 0.001). Resting values of blood pressure did not differ significantly between the two groups. During exercise, smokers had a greater rate-pressure product (P < 0.001), mainly due to their significantly higher systolic blood pressure (P = 0.008). The smokers had a higher submaximal heart rate (P = 0.005), but the differences in heart rate between groups were reduced for smokers during exercise when compared to rest. The smokers' exercise tolerance was impaired and their maximal exercise test duration time was significantly shorter (P < 0.001). Conclusions Chronic smoking was found to affect young male smokers' cardiovascular fitness, impairing the economy and decreasing the capacity of their circulatory system. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 14:646-652 © 2007 The European Society of Cardiology
Aminoglycoside Adaptive Resistance

Aminoglycoside adaptive resistance is defined as reduced antimicrobial killing in originally susceptible bacterial populations after initial incubation with aminoglycoside. It is observed in vitro and in vivo, most commonly with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It appears to correlate with a marked reduction in intracellular aminoglycoside accumulation, although its specific mechanism and the cellular structures responsible remain unknown in P. aeruginosa. Recent work suggests that adaptive resistance develops coincident with cytoplasmic membranes protein changes and regulated expression of genes in the anaerobic respiratory pathway of the organism. It is clinically most relevant in immunocompromised patients and in those with serious infections, especially infections due to gram‐negative rods. Treatment of these patients by targeting high peak concentration:minimum inhibitory concentration ratios with once‐daily dosing may result in the best outcome. A major unresolved issue concerns the effect of combination therapy on the development of aminoglycoside adaptive resistance.
A new approach to DC removal in high gain, low noise voltage amplifiers

When performing voltage noise measurements on a biased device, the DC component due to the bias must be rejected in order to avoid saturation of the high gain low noise input stage of the voltage amplifier employed to raise the level of the signal prior to sampling for spectral analysis. This is normally done by interposing an RC high pass filter between the device and the DC coupled amplifier input. The problem with this approach is that in order to reduce the noise contribution coming from the resistance R in the filter, its corner frequency must be chosen much smaller than the minimum frequency of interest, thus resulting in extremely long transients upon device connection or bias change. In order to address this problem we propose to employ a low noise, programmable floating voltage source that, together with a proper feedback loop, behaves as a noiseless AC coupling filter, thus allowing to considerably reduce the duration of the transients.
Microvesicles derived from human adult mesenchymal stem cells protect against ischaemia-reperfusion-induced acute and chronic kidney injury.

BACKGROUND Several studies demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reverse acute kidney injury (AKI) by a paracrine mechanism rather than by MSC transdifferentiation. We recently demonstrated that microvesicles (MVs) released from MSCs may account for this paracrine mechanism by a horizontal transfer of messenger RNA and microRNA. METHODS MVs isolated from MSCs were injected intravenously in rats (30 μg/rat) immediately after monolateral nephrectomy and renal artery and vein occlusion for 45 min. To evaluate the MV effects on AKI induced by ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), the animals were divided into different groups: normal rats (n = 4), sham-operated rats (n = 6), IRI rats (n = 6), IRI + MV rats (n = 6), and IRI + RNase-MV rats (n = 6), and all animals were sacrificed at Day 2 after the operation. To evaluate the chronic kidney damage consequent to IRI, the rats were divided into different groups: sham-operated rats (n = 6) and IRI rats (n = 6), IRI + MV rats (n = 6), and all animal were sacrificed 6 months after the operation. RESULTS We found that a single administration of MVs, immediately after IRI, protects rats from AKI by inhibiting apoptosis and stimulating tubular epithelial cell proliferation. The MVs also significantly reduced the impairment of renal function. Pretreatment of MVs with RNase to inactivate their RNA cargo abrogated these protective effects. Moreover, MVs by reducing the acute injury also protected from later chronic kidney disease. CONCLUSION MVs released from MSCs protect from AKI induced by ischaemia reperfusion injury and from subsequent chronic renal damage. This suggest that MVs could be exploited as a potential new therapeutic approach.
Cooperative Beamforming for Cognitive Radio Networks: A Cross-Layer Design

Cognitive Radio (CR) can significantly improve the utilization of the precious radio spectrum by allowing Secondary Users (SUs) to borrow the licensed spectrum if they do not cause harmful interference to Primary Users (PUs). As a wireless technology, CR confronts the challenges of wireless channels inevitably and thus wishes to employ node cooperation to achieve spatial diversity gain. However, conventional cooperative diversity technologies require two idle timeslots for each transmission. This implies two temporal spectrum holes are needed for each transmission when the technologies are applied to CR Networks (CRNs). This can cause severe delay, as temporal spectrum holes are only available from time to time in CRNs. In this paper, we present a cross-layer approach, where cooperative beamforming is adopted to forward messages in busy timeslots without causing interference to PUs, so as to achieve cooperative diversity gain and improve Quality of Service (QoS) for SUs without consuming additional idle timeslots or temporal spectrum holes. In the physical layer, the beamforming weight vector and the cooperative diversity gain are obtained using a geometric approach. The MAC layer of the cooperative communication in CRNs can be modeled by a tandem queue, where the source queue is the bottleneck. Therefore, we propose an optimal opportunistic priority scheduling scheme in the MAC layer, the timeout probability of which is obtained using an absorbing Markov chain. A cross-layer optimization of the transmission rate is then carried out to jointly reduce the timeout and outage probabilities. Its significant QoS gain is demonstrated by simulations.
Child sexual abuse in the etiology of depression: A systematic review of reviews

Background: Despite a large amount of research, there is considerable controversy about the role that child sexual abuse plays in the etiology of depression. To prevent interpretative difficulties, mistaken beliefs, or confusion among professionals who turn to this literature for guidance, this article addresses the best available scientific evidence on the topic, by providing a systematic review of the several reviews that have investigated the literature on the issue. Methods: Seven databases were searched, supplemented with hand search of reference lists from retrieved papers. The author and a psychiatrist independently evaluated the eligibility of all studies identified, abstracted data, and assessed study quality. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Results: Four reviews, including about 60,000 subjects from 160 studies and having no limitations that could invalidate their results, were analyzed. There is evidence that child sexual abuse is a significant, although general and nonspecific, risk factor for depression. The relationship ranges from small‐to‐medium in magnitude and is moderated by sample source. Additional variables may either act independently to promote depression in people with a history of sexual abuse or interact with such traumatic experience to increase the likelihood of depression in child abuse survivors. Conclusions: For all victims of abuse, programs should focus not only on treating symptoms, but also on reducing additional risk factors. Depressed adults who seek psychiatric treatment should be enquired about early abuse within admission procedures. Depression and Anxiety, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Learning Dynamics and the Co-Evolution of Competing Sexual Species

We analyze a stylized model of co-evolution between any two purely competing species (e.g., host and parasite), both sexually reproducing. Similarly to a recent model of Livnat \etal~\cite{evolfocs14} the fitness of an individual depends on whether the truth assignments on $n$ variables that reproduce through recombination satisfy a particular Boolean function. Whereas in the original model a satisfying assignment always confers a small evolutionary advantage, in our model the two species are in an evolutionary race with the parasite enjoying the advantage if the value of its Boolean function matches its host, and the host wishing to mismatch its parasite. Surprisingly, this model makes a simple and robust behavioral prediction. The typical system behavior is \textit{periodic}. These cycles stay bounded away from the boundary and thus, \textit{learning-dynamics competition between sexual species can provide an explanation for genetic diversity. } This explanation is due solely to the natural selection process. No mutations, environmental changes, etc., need be invoked. The game played at the gene level may have many Nash equilibria with widely diverse fitness levels. Nevertheless, sexual evolution leads to gene coordination that implements an optimal strategy, i.e., an optimal population mixture, at the species level. Namely, the play of the many "selfish genes" implements a time-averaged correlated equilibrium where the average fitness of each species is exactly equal to its value in the two species zero-sum competition. Our analysis combines tools from game theory, dynamical systems and Boolean functions to establish a novel class of conservative dynamical systems.
Congenital Transmission of Chagas Disease in Latin American Immigrants in Switzerland

International migration has changed the epidemiologic patterns of Chagas disease. Recently, 2 cases of Chagas disease transmitted from Latin American women to their newborns were diagnosed in Geneva, Switzerland. A retrospective study to detect Chagas disease showed a prevalence of 9.7% among 72 Latin American women tested during pregnancy in Switzerland.
Transport of vitamin E by differentiated Caco-2 cells Published, JLR Papers in Press, March 28, 2006.

In hepatocytes, vitamin E is secreted via the efflux pathway and is believed to associate with apolipoprotein B (apoB)-lipoproteins extracellularly. The molecular mechanisms involved in the uptake, intracellular trafficking, and secretion of dietary vitamin E by the intestinal cells are unknown. We observed that low concentrations of Tween-40 were better for the solubilization and delivery of vitamin E to differentiated Caco-2 cells, whereas high concentrations of Tween-40 and sera inhibited this uptake. Vitamin E uptake was initially rapid and then reached saturation. Subcellular localization revealed that vitamin E primarily accumulated in microsomal membranes. Oleic acid (OA) treatment, which induces chylomicron assembly and secretion, decreased microsomal membrane-bound vitamin E in a time-dependent manner. To study secretion, differentiated Caco-2 cells were pulse-labeled with vitamin E and chased in the presence and absence of OA. In the absence of OA, vitamin E was associated with intestinal high density lipoprotein (I-HDL), whereas OA-treated cells secreted vitamin E with I-HDL and chylomicrons. No extracellular transfer of vitamin E between these lipoproteins was observed. Glyburide, an antagonist of ABCA1, partially inhibited its secretion with I-HDL, whereas plasma HDL increased vitamin E efflux. An antagonist of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, brefeldin A, and monensin specifically inhibited vitamin E secretion with chylomicrons. These studies indicate that vitamin E taken up by Caco-2 cells is stored in the microsomal membranes and secreted with chylomicrons and I-HDL. Transport via I-HDL might contribute to vitamin E absorption in patients with abetalipoproteinemia receiving large oral doses of the vitamin.