Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving the management of chronic disease

The NHS is trying out a new system of caring for people with chronic disease, designed to prevent hospital admission. Professor Robert Kane evaluated an American version of the system “In effect, we're practising 19th century medicine in the 21st century,” said Robert Kane, professor in long term care and ageing at the University of Minnesota, with emotion, even anger, when I spoke to him recently. “Most health care is concerned with patients with chronic disease, particularly as they age, and yet we still have a system built around individual care events, like office visits and hospital admissions. The epidemiology is out of synch with the system. We need chronic disease management. ” ! [][1] Professor Robert Kane: “Geriatrics is really the intersection of chronic disease management and gerontology Why hasn't the system changed? “In the United States,” answers Kane, “health care is 15% of the economy. There are too many vested interests. Doctors are conservative and their teachers are even more conservative. Then there's no consumer demand for change. ” Kane's interest in improving systems of care began when he did some research in nursing homes in the 1970s, when he was working at the University of Utah. One of his colleagues, the professor of family medicine … [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
T2 Relaxation Time and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient for Noninvasive Assessment of Renal Pathology After Acute Kidney Injury in Mice: Comparison With Histopathology

IntroductionRenal ischemia reperfusion injury leads to acute kidney injury (AKI) and is associated with tissue edema, inflammatory cell infiltration, and subsequent development of interstitial renal fibrosis and tubular atrophy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of the functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, T2 mapping, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in characterizing acute and chronic pathology after unilateral AKI in mice. Materials and MethodsModerate or severe AKIs were induced in C57Bl/6 mice through transient unilateral clamping of the renal pedicle for 35 minutes (moderate AKI) or 45 minutes (severe AKI), respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 10 animals with moderate AKI and 7 animals with severe AKI before surgery and at 5 time points thereafter (days 1, 7, 14, 21, 28) using a 7-T magnet. Fat-saturated T2-weighted images, multiecho turbo spin echo, and diffusion-weighed sequences (7 b values) were acquired in matching coronal planes. Parameter maps of T2 relaxation time and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were calculated, and mean values were determined for the renal cortex, the outer medulla, and the inner medulla. Inflammatory cell infiltration with monocytes/macrophages (F4/80), T-lymphocytes (CD4, CD8), and dendritic cells (CD11c) as well as the degree of interstitial fibrosis 4 weeks after AKI were determined through renal histology and immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis comprised unpaired t tests for group comparisons and correlation analysis between MRI parameters and kidney volume loss. ResultsIncrease of T2 relaxation time, indicating tissue edema, was most pronounced in the outer medulla and reached maximum values at d7 after AKI. At this time point, T2 values in the outer medulla were significantly increased to 53.8 ± 2.5 milliseconds after the severe AKI and to 46.3 ± 2.3 milliseconds after the moderate AKI when compared with the respective contralateral normal kidneys (40.9 ± 0.9 and 36.4 ± 1.2 milliseconds, respectively; P < 0.01). The T2 values reached baseline by d28. Medullary ADC was significantly reduced at all time points after AKI; restriction of diffusion was significantly more pronounced after the severe AKI than after the moderate AKI at d14 and d28. Changes of renal T2 and ADC values were associated with the severity of AKI as well as the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration and interstitial renal fibrosis 4 weeks after AKI. Furthermore, relative changes of both MRI parameters significantly correlated with kidney volume loss 4 weeks after AKI. DiscussionMeasuring T2 and ADC values through MRI is a noninvasive way to determine the presence and severity of acute and chronic renal changes after AKI in mice. Thus, the method should prove useful in animal and human clinical studies.
An improved method for whole protein extraction from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A new method for protein extraction from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells is described. This method involves the use of LiAc and NaOH to enhance the permeability of yeast cell wall prior to protein extraction with SDS‐PAGE sample buffer. It was safe and efficient compared to other methods reported so far in the literature. The proteins extracted with this new method retained their immunoreactive properties and are suitable for most applications in molecular biology studies. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Glomerular hemodynamic and structural alterations in experimental diabetes mellitus

Elevated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a frequent finding in patients with early insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The mechanisms responsible for this glomerular hyperfiltration in IDDM are unclear. Rats made diabetic with alloxan or streptozotocin, and treated daily with supplemental insulin, have moderate hyperglycemia and elevated GFR, and thus have been used to study mechanisms of glomerular hyperfiltration in diabetes. Renal micropuncture techniques have shown that single‐nephron GFR (SNGFR) is elevated in moderately hyperglycemic diabetic rats. In some cases, this is because of elevated glomerular capillary pressure (Pgc), but in other cases, Pgc is normal despite elevated SNGFR. Several potential mediators of increased SNGFR have been examined, including hyperglycemia, increased glomerular prostaglandin production, and decreased sensitivity of the tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism. Renal failure is a common complication of human IDDM. Diabetic rats with long‐term moderate hyperglycemia have been used to study the mechanisms by which glomerular injury develops in diabetes mellitus. It has been postulated that glomerular hyperfiltration or some determinant of elevated GFR in early diabetes may ultimately cause glomerular damage, leading to a progressive loss of renal function (diabetic nephropathy). Diabetic rats with long‐term moderate hyperglycemia, however, do not develop characteristic glomerular lesions of human diabetic nephropathy and, in fact, develop only minimal glomerular injury even after 1 year of diabetes. Thus, although the diabetic rat with moderate hyperglycemia may be useful to study the mechanisms of glomerular hyperfiltration in early diabetes, it may not be an appropriate model of renal failure in IDDM. — O'Donnell, M. P.; Kasiske, B. L. ; Keane, W. F. Glomerular hemodynamic and structural alterations in experimental diabetes mellitus. FASEB J. 2: 2339‐2347; 1988.
Effect of Fluoride on Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Myeloperoxidase

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) myeloperoxidase was previously shown to exert a microbicidal effect when combined with H202 and a halide (Klebanoff, J Clin Invest 46:1078, 1967). Using isolated PMN myeloperoxidase in systems fortified with H202, Klebanoff determined the relative concentration of halide required for equivalent microbicidal effect to be: Iodide, 1; bromide, 15; and chloride, 200. Fluoride (F-) in the same concentration range (0.00 5 to 5.0 mM) was reported to have no bacterial effect (Klebanoff, J Bact 95: 2131, 1968). The lack of microbicidal effect of Fcould be due to several factors including a direct F inhibition of myeloperoxidase reactivity. If PMN myeloperoxidase is sensitive to the anion, Fcontaining mouthrinses could reduce, at least locally, host PMN defense capabilities. Possible direct F inhibition of myeloperoxidase is dealt with in this report. PMN-rich isolates of human blood were prepared by the method of Boyum (Scand J Clin Lab Invest 21:77, 1968). lodination of zymosan correlates with the microbicidal capacity of H202myeloperoxidase-iodide systems. The iodination reaction was quantitated, following the method of Pincus and Klebanoff, (New Eng J Med 284: 744, 1971). Test systems consisted of 2 x 106 PMNs, 0.5 mg zymosan, 5.0 ,umoles glucose, 40 nmoles of Nal containing 0.2 ,uCIl25, 10% serum, and varying concentrations of NaF. All reagents were dissolved in Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer, pH-7.4. Enough buffer was added to bring the final volume to 1 . 0 ml. Reactions were carried out at 370C in a Dubnoff incubator. After 15 minutes, the reaction was stopped by the addition of 0.2 ml of 0.1 M sodium thiosulfate and 1.0 ml of cold 10% TCA. Each tube was centrifuged at 800 xg for five minutes and the supernatant removed. The pellet was resuspended and washed four additional times with TCA and then counted in a well-type gamma counter. Results are expressed in terms of relative activities which is the ratio of the cpm in the presence of F divided by its value in the absence of this ion. Each point on the figure represents at least six runs. Five mM Fsignificantly (P<0.05) inhibits iodination of zymosan by PMNs. Fifty-percent inhibition is reached at around 10 mM F-. Previous work in our laboratory (Gabler and Leong, J Dent Res, in press) has shown that this is approximately the same concentration required to cause 50% inhibition of PMN glucose metabolism, nitroblue tetrazolium reduction and superoxide generation. Our data indicated that inhibition of each of these reactions stemmed primarily from Fsuppression of non-oxidative glucose meta-
A Survey of Leptospiral Reservoir Animals in Okinawa Prefecture

A survey on distribution of Leptospira interrogansamong small mammals and wild boars was performed in order to find new reservoir animals and new leptospiral serovars, which have not been previously reported in Okinawa prefecture. On the survey for small mammals, leptospires were isolated from 10 of 219 small mammals (3 from Rattus rattus, 3 from Mus calori, 2 from Rattus norvegicusand 2 from Suncus murinus ). The prevalence was 4.6%. The 9 isolated serovars were estimated as; javanica(7), hebdomadis(1), castellonis(1), and one unknown. The result suggest that serovar javanica is still the predominant serovar, widely distributed in Okinawa prefecture as previous surveys done on the other animals has shown. The unknown isolate was thought as a possibility of new serovar in Okinawa. On the survey of leptospiral antibodies of wild boar( Sus scrofa riukiuanus ), 51%(67/131)sera showed positive reaction against 6 leptospiral serovars. The result showed that wild boar is one of the significant reservoir of leptospira in Okinawa. The predominant serovar was hebdomadis, which was also the dominant serovar among inhabitants in same area during the survey carried out in 1998 and 2000. In future, the isolation of leptospira from wild boar is necessary.
Genome Sequence of “Candidatus Frankia datiscae” Dg1, the Uncultured Microsymbiont from Nitrogen-Fixing Root Nodules of the Dicot Datisca glomerata

ABSTRACT Members of the noncultured clade of Frankia enter into root nodule symbioses with actinorhizal species from the orders Cucurbitales and Rosales. We report the genome sequence of a member of this clade originally from Pakistan but obtained from root nodules of the American plant Datisca glomerata without isolation in culture.
Breakthrough Technologies Production of a High-Ef fi ciency TILLING Population through Polyploidization 1 [ C ] [ W ] [ OA ]

Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes (TILLING) provides a nontransgenic method for reverse genetics that is widely applicable, even in species where other functional resources are missing or expensive to build. The efficiency of TILLING, however, is greatly facilitated by high mutation density. Species vary in the number of mutations induced by comparable mutagenic treatments, suggesting that genetic background may affect the response. Allopolyploid species have often yielded higher mutation density than diploids. To examine the effect of ploidy, we autotetraploidized the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ecotype Columbia, whose diploid has been used for TILLING extensively, and mutagenized it with 50 mM ethylmethane sulfonate. While the same treatment sterilized diploid Columbia, the tetraploid M1 plants produced good seed. To determine the mutation density, we searched 528 individuals for induced mutations in 15 genes for which few or no knockout alleles were previously available. We constructed tridimensional pools from the genomic DNA of M2 plants, amplified target DNA, and subjected them to Illumina sequencing. The results were analyzed with an improved version of the mutation detection software CAMBa that accepts any pooling scheme. This small population provided a rich resource with approximately 25 mutations per queried 1.5-kb fragment, including on average four severe missense and 1.3 truncation mutations. The overall mutation density of 19.4 mutations Mb is 4 times that achieved in the corresponding diploid accession, indicating that genomic redundancy engenders tolerance to high mutation density. Polyploidization of diploids will allow the production of small populations, such as less than 2,000, that provide allelic series from knockout to mild loss of function for virtually all genes.
Rejoinder - Response to Comments on "Website Morphing"

Website morphing draws on the Expected Gittins' solution to a partially observable Markov process, on the rapid consumer-segment updating with Bayesian methods, and on matching a website's look and feel to a visitor's cognitive style. In each area there are exciting research opportunities including optimality in the presence of switching costs (within a visit), Bayesian updating of cognitive styles across websites, extensions to other segmentation schemes such as cultural styles, morphing of other website characteristics such as advertising, and applications to other media such as smartphones.
Ethical and Regulatory Challenges in Psychophysiology and Neuroscience-Based Technology for Determining Behavior

In the past three decades, there has been an explosion in research to understand the mechanisms of brain function. Recent advances in psychophysiology and neuroscience, while still limited, have sparked great interest in developing technologies that could peer into the brain and be used to identify or indicate certain behaviors. The polygraph (lie detector) represents an old technology used for discerning clues to the human brain; functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) represents one of the newest efforts. The use of these technologies in intelligence and counterintelligence in the field without validation represents a major concern about its usefulness. Both research on this new technology and subsequent use on public raise ethical challenges. This article will address the overall ethical issues associated with these new technologies. The report identifies the ethical and cultural challenges in conducting research on these new tools, explores the possibility of using current U.S. regulatory requirements regarding drugs and devices as a model for regulating these new technologies, and suggests approaches for the future.
Nonlinear dependence of loading intensity and cycle number in the maintenance of bone mass and morphology

The daily stress stimulus theory of bone adaptation was formulated to describe the loading conditions necessary to maintain bone mass. This theory identifies stress/strain magnitude and loading cycle number as sufficient to define an appropriate maintenance loading signal. Here, we extend the range over which loading cycle number has been evaluated to determine whether the daily stress stimulus theory can be applied to conditions of very high numbers of loading cycles at very low strain magnitudes. The ability of a relatively high‐frequency (30‐Hz) and moderate‐duration (60‐minute) loading regimen to maintain bone mass in a turkey ulna model of disuse osteopenia was evaluated by correlating the applied strain distributions to site‐specific remodeling activity. Changes in morphology were investigated following 8 weeks of disuse compared with disuse plus daily exposure to 108,000 applied loading cycles sufficient to induce peak strains of approximately 100 microstrain. A strong correlation was observed between the preservation of bone mass and longitudinal normal strain (R = 0.91) (p < 0.01). The results confirm the strong antiresorptive influence of mechanical loading and identify a threshold near 70 microstrain for a daily loading cycle regimen of approximately 100,000 strain cycles. These results are not consistent with the daily stress stimulus theory and suggest that the frequency or strain rate associated with the loading stimulus must also play a critical role in the mechanism by which bone responds to mechanical strain.
Selective response of gamma delta T-cell hybridomas to orthomyxovirus-infected cells

A gamma delta T-cell hybridoma established from influenza virus-infected mice responded to a reproducible way when cultured with influenza virus-infected stimulators. Subclones of this line responded to cells infected with influenza viruses A/PR/8/34 (H1N1), X-31 (H3N2), and B/HK/8/73 but not to cells infected with vaccinia virus or Sendai virus. This spectrum of response to both type A and type B orthomyxoviruses has never been recognized for the alpha beta T-cell receptor-positive subsets. There was no response to cells infected with a panel of recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing all individual influenza virus proteins, and so it is unlikely that the stimulating antigen is of viral origin. The alternative is that the antigen is a cellular molecule induced in influenza virus-infected cells. Infectious virus was required for stimulation, and immunofluorescence studies showed increased expression of heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) in influenza virus- but not Sendai virus- or vaccinia virus-infected cells. Both the hybridoma generated from influenza virus-infected mice and an established hybridoma which uses the same gamma delta T-cell receptor combination responded to recombinant Hsp60. Furthermore, the Hsp60-reactive hybridoma, which was obtained from an uninfected mouse, also responded to influenza virus-infected cells, indicating that Hsp60 may indeed be the target antigen.
methodological issues in evaluating herbal interventions

Correspondence: Debasish Hota Department of Pharmacology, PN Chhuttani Block, Postgraduate institute of Medical education and research, Sector 12, Chandigarh-160012, india Tel +91-172-2755244 Fax +91-172-2744401 email debhota@gmail.com Abstract: Randomized controlled trials provide the best evidence, and is seen as the gold standard for allopathic research. Herbal therapies are not an integral part of conventional care although they are still used by patients in their health care management. These medicines need to be subjected to rigorous research to establish their effectiveness and safety. Clearly defined treatments are required and should be recorded in a manner that enables other suitably trained researchers to reproduce them reliably. Quality control of herbal products is also a prerequisite of credible clinical trials. Methodological strategies for investigating the herbal interventions and the issues regarding appropriate patient selection, randomization and blinding, placebo effects and choice of comparator, occupational standardization and the selection of appropriate study endpoints to prove efficacy are being discussed. This paper will review research options and propose some suggestions for future research design.
ModelGP: A GP-based Platform for Predictive Model Construction

Resumen: En este artículo se presentan los Seminarios del Grupo de Investigación en Sistemas Inteligentes de Enginyeria i Arquitectura La Salle de la Universitat Ramon Llull, estructurados como un curso de introducción a las técnicas de aprendizaje automático. Este curso ofrece un marco común a los alumnos que cursan asignaturas de libre elección, o bien realizan sus trabajos y/o proyectos de final de carrera, dentro de nuestro grupo de investigación.
NPIDB: a Database of Nucleic Acids-Protein Interactions

UNLABELLED The database NPIDB (Nucleic Acids-Protein Interaction DataBase) contains information derived from structures of DNA-protein and RNA-protein complexes extracted from PDB (1834 complexes in July 2007). It is organized as a collection of files in PDB format and is equipped with a web-interface and a set of tools for extracting biologically meaningful characteristics of complexes. The content of the database is weekly updated. AVAILABILITY http://monkey.belozersky. msu.ru/NPIDB/
Contribution of Subcutaneous Connective Tissues to the Epithelialization and Cyst Formation by the Skin Transplanted Subcutaneously

Skins and hollow organs have been shown to form epithelialized cysts when transplanted into subcutaneous tissue of a recipient animal, expanding their surface areas. This system seems to offer a good potential for regenerating organs. We investigated the functional and structural contribution of epithelia and connective tissue compartments in this regeneration system with two experimental systems. Dispase-separated epidermis often forms epithelialized cysts when combined with dermal connective tissue whereas dispase-separated epidermis alone does not form cysts or epithelialize, indicating the functional importance of the dermal connective tissue in the regeneration process. When GFP rats were used as donors for the skin, the donor-derived tissue was composed of whole epidermis and parts of the connective tissue cells and blood vessels under the newly epithelialized portion of the cyst wall. Small capillaries of granulation tissues were shown to be of recipient origin, but some large vessels were of donor origin. These results showed the significant functional and structural contribution of dermal connective tissue in the regeneration of the skin in subdermal transplant.
CE: Sexually Transmitted Infections in the United States:Overview and Update

OverviewSexually transmitted infections (STIs) are the most common infectious diseases in the United States. They have enormous human consequences, including severe reproductive complications, neonatal injury, and death; and because STIs are associated with social stigma, they also have substantial psychological impact. The economic consequences are also enormous: it's estimated that STIs cost the nation about $16 billion in annual health care costs. All communities are affected, although significant racial, ethnic, and other disparities persist. Nurses play a critical role in educating patients on STIs, screening for disease, and providing treatment. Nurses can also help minimize the impact of social stigma by providing informed, confidential, and sensitive care, and by promoting sexual health. This article provides an overview of the symptoms, screening methods, and treatment recommendations for the most common STIs in the United States and describes the most recent relevant findings in order to inform nursing practice.