Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Significant association of FcepsilonRIalpha promoter polymorphisms with aspirin-intolerant chronic urticaria.

BACKGROUND Although the mechanism that underlies aspirin hypersensitivity is not completely understood, an IgE-mediated response was reported for a patient with aspirin-intolerant chronic urticaria (AICU). OBJECTIVE We investigated whether genetic polymorphisms on the alpha-chain of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonRIalpha) gene were associated with the AICU phenotype. METHODS We genotyped 2 promoter polymorphisms (-344C>T and -95T>C) of FcepsilonRIalpha gene in the Korean population, and the functional effect of the -344C>T polymorphism was analyzed by using a luciferase reporter assay and an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. RESULTS The rare allele frequency of the -344C>T polymorphism was significantly higher in the patients with AICU compared with the other subjects (P= .008 for AICU vs aspirin-tolerant chronic urticaria; P= .03 for AICU vs controls). This polymorphism was also significantly associated with total serum IgE concentrations and a higher rate of atopy in the patients with AICU (P= .01 and .05, respectively). The reporter plasmid that carried the -344T allele exhibited significantly higher promoter activity in a rat mast cell line (RBL-2H3) compared with the promoter activity of the -344C allele (P< .001). We found that transcription factor Myc-associated zinc finger protein preferentially bound the -344C promoter. Moreover, patients with AICU with the heterozygous CT genotype of the -344C>T polymorphism exhibited greater anti-IgE-mediated histamine release compared with those with the homozygous CC genotype. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the -344C>T polymorphism of the FcepsilonRIalpha promoter may be associated with increased expression of FcepsilonRIalpha on mast cells and enhanced release of histamine. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The FcepsilonRIalpha -344C>T polymorphism may contribute to the development of AICU.
Recognition of fetal alcohol syndrome.

THERE has been concern since antiquity that the ingestion of alcohol by the pregnant woman could damage her unborn child. Modern scientific warnings about gestational alcoholism began with Sullivan in 1899,1Rouquette in 1957,2and Lemoine et al in 1967,3who all noted the increased rates of stillbirth, growth deficiency, and malformations among the offspring of alcoholic women. Alcohol teratogenesis was brought to widespread public attention by Jones et al4in 1973. These authors believed that alcohol could produce a specific recognizable pattern of malformation, which they termed "fetal alcohol syndrome" (FAS). Over the last eight years, maternal consumption of alcohol has become recognized through extensive human and animal studies as a major fetal health hazard—a leading known cause of mental retardation. Syndrome Recognition Variability in phenotype occurs in most dysmorphic syndromes. By clinical appearance alone, both false-positive and false-negative cases are found in conditions that
Mediterranean diet pyramid: a cultural model for healthy eating.

We present a food pyramid that reflects Mediterranean dietary traditions, which historically have been associated with good health. This Mediterranean diet pyramid is based on food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s, where adult life expectancy was among the highest in the world and rates of coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and other diet-related chronic diseases were among the lowest. Work in the field or kitchen resulted in a lifestyle that included regular physical activity and was associated with low rates of obesity. The diet is characterized by abundant plant foods (fruit, vegetables, breads, other forms of cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, and seeds), fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts, normally with meals. This diet is low in saturated fat (< or = 7-8% of energy), with total fat ranging from < 25% to > 35% of energy throughout the region. The pyramid describes a dietary pattern that is attractive for its famous palatability as well as for its health benefits.
Serum placental lactogen (HPL) levels as an index of placental function.

Abstract A rapid and reproducible radioimmunoassay for serum placental lactogen (HPL) has been developed that permits the endocrine function of the placenta to be quantitated and the progress of gestation followed. Normal levels in the third trimester (over 32 weeks) are 6.8±2.1 μg per milliliter. There is a highly significant correlation between HPL levels and placental weight. The rate and direction of changes in HPL levels in maternal serum appears to be a sensitive indicator of placental function. High levels were noted in diabetic pregnancies, and low levels with placental insufficiency. The relatively large quantities of HPL present, its autonomous production by the placenta and its short half-life combine to make its measurement of practical value in the management of high-risk pregnancies.
Detection of free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA in plasma of colorectal cancer patients and its association with prognosis

Tumor cells are characterized by specific genetic alterations. When such genetic alterations are identified in body fluid including plasma, regardless of the presence of detectable tumor cells, it shows the existence of free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA. The objective of our study was to assess the prognostic value of free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA in colorectal cancer patients' plasma. The first step of our work was to find common genetic alterations in tumors that would subsequently be used for plasma DNA screening. We focused on KRAS2 mutations in codons 12 and 13 by the mutant allele‐specific amplification (MASA) method and p16 hypermethylation by the methylation‐specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) method. Patients with a tumor presenting either alteration were selected for plasma screening; 58 tumors were analyzed for KRAS2 mutations and tested for p16 gene promoter methylation. Survival and recurrence rates were assessed in patients with and without free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA alterations in plasma. Of the 58 tumors analyzed, 39 (67%) demonstrated either one or both of the studied genetic alterations. Twenty‐two (38%) were mutated at KRAS2, and an identical alteration was detected in 10 (45%) of the 22 corresponding plasma samples. Thirty‐one (53%) had p16 gene promoter hypermethylation that could also be detected in the plasma in 21 cases (68%). Among the 39 patients who had one or the other alteration in tumor DNA, 37 had at least one reliable plasma test. In 26 (70%) of the 37 patients, free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA was detected in plasma. The 2‐year overall survival rate was 48% in the group where free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA was detected in plasma and 100% in the one where free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA was not detected in plasma (p < 0.03). Among these 37 patients, 25 patients had a stage I, II or III disease. In this subgroup of patients, the 2‐year recurrence‐free survival rate for the 17 patients with free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA detected in plasma was 66%, compared to 100% for the 8 patients without free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA detected in plasma (p = 0.044). The presence of free‐circulating tumor‐associated DNA in plasma seems to be a relevant prognostic marker for patients with colorectal cancer and may be used to identify patients with a high risk of recurrence. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Serous Hepatosis: A Pathogenesis of Hepatic Fibrosis in Jamaican Children

The object of this communication is to report upon a disease of the liver found in Jamaican children ; because of its clinico-pathological features we have proposed the term " serous hepatosis" (Hill, 1951 ; Hill et al., 1951). In all, 150 cases have been investigated. On clinical analysis it is apparent that they can be classified as conforming to certain different types which are, however, different phases of the same disease with the same underlying pathology. Histologically, this condition resembles that described by Roessle (1930) as " serous hepatitis," or that described by Keschner and Klemperer (1936) as " hepatic oedema. " Three methods of approach were used in the study of these Jamaican children. First, a dietary survey was made; secondly, all children were subjected to a complete examination in which were included certain biochemical tests for liver function; and, thirdly, needlebiopsy examination was carried out on approximately 50% of cases, from some of which serial biopsies were taken. Dietary Survey
Hospital Nurse Job Attitudes and Performance: The Impact of Employment Status

Background: According to the 2007 Taiwan Labor Front Human Resources Report, as much as 47.6% of nurses at some public hospitals were contracted rather than full time. Furthermore, turnover rates for contract nurses were found to be as high as five to eight times of those for full-time nurses. Because high turnover rates are likely to induce negative impacts on the stability of care provided in the absence of staffing continuity, the association between nursing employment arrangement and nursing care quality is attracting greater attention. Purpose: This study was designed to investigate the work status of contract versus full-time nurses at a public hospital in Taiwan and to examine the impact of such on work-related attitudes, organizational citizenship behavior, and job performance. Methods: Samples were recruited from a public hospital in Taiwan. In addition to self-rated items, researchers used supervisor-rated structured questionnaires for job performance to attenuate the possible effect of common method bias. The study investigated the impact of hospital nurse employment status on work-related attitudes, organizational citizenship behavior, and job performance using a regression model that included the critical work-related attitudes variables of job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Results: Study findings included the following: (a) organizational commitment, job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behavior, and job performance correlate positively with one another. (b) No significant difference between contract and full-time nurses was found in terms of organizational commitment, job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behavior, and self-rated job performance. However, when rated by supervisors, reported job performance levels for full-time nurses were significantly higher than those of contract nurses. (c) Organizational citizenship behavior exhibited a mediating effect between job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job performance. Conclusions: In this study, supervisors gave higher job performance ratings to full-time nurses than to contract nurses. This result deserves further investigation.
trans-2-Phenylcyclopropylamine is a mechanism-based inactivator of the histone demethylase LSD1.

The catalytic domain of the flavin-dependent human histone demethylase lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) belongs to the family of amine oxidases including polyamine oxidase and monoamine oxidase (MAO). We previously assessed monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) for their ability to inhibit the reaction catalyzed by LSD1 [Lee, M. G. , et al. (2006) Chem. Biol. 13, 563-567], demonstrating that trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine (2-PCPA, tranylcypromine, Parnate) was the most potent with respect to LSD1. Here we show that 2-PCPA is a time-dependent, mechanism-based irreversible inhibitor of LSD1 with a KI of 242 microM and a kinact of 0.0106 s-1. 2-PCPA shows limited selectivity for human MAOs versus LSD1, with kinact/KI values only 16-fold and 2.4-fold higher for MAO B and MAO A, respectively. Profiles of LSD1 activity and inactivation by 2-PCPA as a function of pH are consistent with a mechanism of inactivation dependent upon enzyme catalysis. Mass spectrometry supports a role for FAD as the site of covalent modification by 2-PCPA. These results will provide a foundation for the design of cyclopropylamine-based inhibitors that are selective for LSD1 to probe its role in vivo.
Endowment Effects in the Field: Evidence from India's IPO Lotteries

Winners of randomly assigned initial public offering (IPO) lottery shares are significantly more likely to hold these shares than lottery losers 1, 6, and even 24 months after the random allocation. This finding persists in samples of highly active investors, suggesting along with additional evidence that this “endowment effect” is not driven by inertia alone. The effect decreases as experience in the IPO market increases, but remains even for very experienced investors. These results provide field evidence derived from the behavior of 1.5 million Indian stock investors consistent with the laboratory literature that documents endowment effects for risky gambles.
Strain specificity and cholinergic modulation of visuospatial attention in three inbred mouse strains

The tremendous increase in the use of mouse inbred strains and mutant mice to study the molecular basis of psychiatric disorders urges for a better understanding of attentional performance in mice. To this aim, we investigated possible strain differences in performance and cholinergic modulation of visuospatial attention in three widely used mouse inbred strains (129S2/SvHsd, C57BL/6JOlaHsd and DBA/2OlaHsd) in the five‐choice serial reaction time task. Results indicated that after extended training, performance of 129S2/SvHsd mice was superior to that of C57BL/6JOlaHsd and DBA/2OlaHsd mice in terms of attention, omission errors, inhibitory control and latencies to correct choice. Increasing the attentional load resulted in comparable decrements in attention in all strains and inhibitory control impairments that were most pronounced in DBA/2OlaHsd mice. Further pharmacological evaluation indicated that all strains showed attentional impairments after treatment with the muscarinic and nicotinic antagonists scopolamine and mecamylamine, respectively. 129S2/SvHsd mice were less sensitive, whereas DBA/2OlaHsd mice appeared more sensitive to the detrimental effects of mecamylamine. In addition, subchronic, but not acute, nicotine treatment slightly improved attentional performance in all strains to the same extent. In conclusion, our data indicate strain specificity with particularly good performance of 129S2/SvHsd mice and strong cholinergic involvement in visuospatial attention in mice.
Purification and characterization of a bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein.

A 67000 Mr bovine pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (bPAG) has been isolated from fetal cotyledons and purified to homogeneity by HPLC. The purification was monitored by a double immunodiffusion test and by RIA in conjunction with an antiserum raised against a crude fraction of placenta-specific antigens. The molecular weight of bPAG was estimated to be 67000 by SDS-PAGE. The isoelectric points (pI) of the four isoforms, determined by high-resolution analytical electrofocusing in polyacrylamide gel, were 4.4, 4.6, 5.2, and 5.4. The carbohydrate content of the bPAG consisted of approximately 10.02 +/- 1.09% neutral sugar and variant amounts of sialic acid (from 0.29 +/- 0.06% in the most basic isoform to 2.1 +/- 0.31% in the most acidic isoform). A specific antiserum was raised against the purified bPAG. A specific RIA showed that the bPAG was antigenically unrelated to BSA, alphafetoprotein (AFP), and human schwangerschafts-spezifischen (pregnancy-specific) beta 1 glycoprotein (SP1). According to some characteristics (e.g. the molecular weight), the purified bPAG may correspond to a form of the pregnancy-specific protein B previously described by Sasser and colleagues (Biol Reprod 1986; 35:936-942).
A Model for the Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-dependent Dimerization and Activation of the dsRNA-activated Protein Kinase PKR*

Binding of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to PKR induces autophosphorylation and activation. However, the requirement for dsRNA in promoting dimerization and the requirement for dimerization in PKR activation are controversial. We have studied the dsRNA binding and dimerization requirements for the activation of PKR in vivo. Co-expression and immunoprecipitation experiments detected an interaction between the K296P mutant and a bacteriophage T7-epitope-tagged K64E mutant of dsRNA binding domain. In contrast, the K64E/K296P double mutant did not form a detectable dimer with the wild-type dsRNA binding domain. These results support that dimerization of intact PKR with the isolated dsRNA binding domain requires dsRNA binding activity. Expression of the isolated PKR kinase domain (residues 228-551) reduced translation of the reporter mRNA even in the presence of PKR inhibitors. Furthermore, the isolated kinase domain (residues 228-551) undergoes autophosphorylation and sequentially trans-phosphorylates both mutant K296P PKR and wild-type eIF-2α in vitro. In contrast, the isolated kinase domain (residues 264-551) lacking the third basic region was not active. These observations lead us to propose that the dsRNA binding domains on intact PKR inhibit kinase activity and that dsRNA binding to intact PKR induces a conformational change to expose dimerization sites within the dsRNA binding domain thereby promoting dimerization and facilitating trans-phosphorylation and activation.
Comparison of direct smear, culture and histology for the diagnosis of onychomycosis

A sensitive and efficient diagnostic strategy is needed to confirm the clinical suspicion of onychomycosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity of three most commonly used diagnostic methods for onychomycosis. Nail specimens of 96 patients with clinically suspected onychomycosis were evaluated using potassium hydroxide smear, culture and histology. A positive result of any of these tests was considered confirmatory for fungal infection and the sensitivity of each test as well as various combinations of them was calculated. The diagnosis of onychomycosis was confirmed in 47 patients (48.9%). Histology was the most sensitive single test for the diagnosis of onychomycosis, although its sensitivity (80.8%) was not statistically different from smear (76.5%). Both histology and smear were significantly more sensitive than culture (53.2%). The most sensitive combination of tests, smear plus histology, was 97.8% sensitive with 98% negative predictive value. In conclusion, direct smear combined with histological examination is the most sensitive diagnostic approach for onychomycosis.
Is the DNA sequence the gold standard in genetic testing? Quality of molecular genetic tests assessed.

Molecular genetic testing is a fast-growing diagnostic discipline. Only a few decades have passed since Kan and Dozy (1) described the first DNA test, which used a restriction enzyme digestion to test for sickle cell disease, and my group (2) reported the first use of linked DNA markers for first-trimester prenatal diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Since then, molecular genetic testing with direct or indirect mutation detection has been widely applied to confirm the clinical diagnosis for many monogenetic disorders and to determine carrier status. It also has been applied to predict presymptomatic cases and to predict, early in pregnancy, whether a fetus will be affected with a severe disorder. Because the complete human genome (sequence) became available in 2003, molecular genetic testing will be applied more widely every day. Risk assessments for multifactorial disorders will gain more attention, as will predictions of genotypes that increase the possibility of adverse outcomes when certain drugs are used (pharmacogenomics). Genetic information usually does not change throughout an individual’s life; therefore, the sequence of a gene need be determined only once in a person’s lifetime. For this reason, the outcome of a genetic test should be unambiguous, time resistant, and universal in nomenclature. The “DNA sequence of a gene” or “of a gene region” is often perceived as the ultimate result of a molecular genetic test. If we consider the nucleotide (A, T, G, or C) as the “SI unit” for DNA, then a nucleotide sequence comes as close to a gold standard as one can get in terms of a …
An intelligent electromyogram signal characterization method based on neuro-fuzzy model

Neuro-muscular and musculoskeletal disorders and injuries highly affect the life style and the motion abilities of an individual. The primary purpose of this work is to develop a systematic method for detection of the level of muscle power declining in musculoskeletal and Neuro-muscular disorders. To this aim, the EMG signals of five skeletal muscles as biceps, deltoid, triceps, tibialis anterior and quadriceps muscles are recorded in three states of isometric contraction (ISO), maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and dynamic contraction from 22 normal subjects aged between 20 and 30 half of them are male. Totally, 14 combinatory extracted features are analyzed to find which of them or a combinatory set of them are discriminative and selective for muscle force quantification and classification. The neuro-fuzzy system is trained with 70 percent of the recorded EMG cut off windows and then it is employed for classification and modeling purposes. For each muscle the most effective extracted features are found for males and females separately by a reference classifier. In the experiments, after the optimum set of combinatory features is found by a reference classifier, the neuro-fuzzy classifier is validated in comparison to some other well-known classifiers in classification of the recorded EMG signals with the three states of contractions corresponding to the extracted features. Then, different structures of the neuro-fuzzy classifier are also comparatively analyzed to find the optimum structure of the classifier used.
Contactless energy transfer using acoustic approach - A review

A coupled of ultrasonic transducer can act as a power transmission device by means of Acoustic Energy Transfer (AET). This method is relatively new method of contactless energy transfer and could be an alternative to the currently established technologies for the contactless transmission of power, such as inductive power transfer (IPT) and capacitive coupled power transfer (CPT). This paper presents a review on energy transmission through ultrasonic transducers as a source of power that has been applied by various researchers. Through this review, we hope that a better understanding of AET concept can be established and therefore can have a bright future.
Elevated low-density lipoprotein in Alzheimer's disease correlates with brain abeta 1-42 levels.

Sera obtained in the immediate postmortem from 100 individuals, 64 neuropathologically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases and 36 nondemented controls, were analyzed for cholesterol, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins (Apo), and triglycerides. All individuals were ApoE genotyped, and the amounts of Abeta (N-40 and N-42) in cerebral cortex of AD and control subjects were determined. When compared to controls, AD individuals had significantly higher LDL cholesterol (P = 0.006), ApoB (P = 0.018), Abeta N-40 (P = 0.024) and Abeta N-42 (P < 0.001), and significantly lower HDL cholesterol (P = 0.040). There were positive correlations between the levels of serum total cholesterol (r = 0.359, P = 0.004), LDL cholesterol (r = 0.328, P = 0.008), and ApoB (r = 0.395, P = 0.001) to the amount of Abeta N-42 in AD brains, but not to Abeta N-40. These correlations were independent of ApoE genotype and were not seen in the control group. The present results suggest for the first time that elevated serum cholesterol, especially in the form of LDL, influences the expression of AD-related pathology.