Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sesamol down-regulates the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response by inhibiting nuclear factor-kappa B activation

We examined the effects of sesamol on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response. Sesamol inhibited serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and nitrite production in LPS-treated mice, and inhibited LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in mouse leukocytes. Sesamol also down-regulated TNF-α, IL-1β, and nitrite production as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Further, sesamol inhibited LPS-induced nuclear factor (NF)-κB translocation and inhibitor (I)κB-α phosphorylation in RAW 264.7 cells. By inhibiting TNF-α, IL-1β, and nitrite levels, and interfering with the NFκB pathway, sesamol down-regulated the LPS-initiated inflammatory response.
Recombination and mammalian genome evolution

Several lines of evidence are presented which suggest that sequence G + C content and recombination frequency are related in mammals: (i) chromosome G + C content is positively correlated to chiasmata density; (ii) the non-pairing region of the Y chromosome has one of the lowest G + C contents of any chromosomal segment; (iii) a reduction in the rate of recombination at several loci is mirrored by a decrease in G + C content; and (iv) when compared with humans, mice have a lower variance in chiasmata density which is reflected in a lower variance in G + C content. The observed relation between recombination frequency and sequence G + C content provides an elegant explanation of why gene density is higher in G + C rich isochores than in other parts of the genome, and why long interspersed elements (lines) are exclusive to G + C poor isochores. However, the cause of the relation is as yet unknown. Several possibilities are considered, including gene conversion.
An intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging study of prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) parameters are different between prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and healthy peripheral zone (PZ). MATERIALS AND METHODS Detailed diffusion measurements of 26 patients with histologically proven prostate cancer have been made in this retrospective study. Trace IVIM DWI was performed using 10 b values (0, 10, 20, 30, 50, 80, 100, 200, 400, and 1000 s/mm2). Biexponential fits were applied to diffusion decay curves to calculate molecular diffusion coefficient, perfusion-related diffusion coefficient, and perfusion fraction on the basis of the IVIM model. Decay curves were also fit with monoexponential decay functions, and a statistical comparison between mono- and biexponential fits was performed. Paired t tests were performed to evaluate the statistical significance of the parameters of IVIM DWI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) between prostate cancer, BPH, and PZ. RESULTS The chi-square values of biexponential fits were smaller than those from monoexponential fits in all cases. Biexponential functions provided statistically improved fits over monoexponential functions in 81% of cases. The ADC, molecular diffusion coefficient, and perfusion fraction in prostate cancer were significantly lower than those found in the PZ; however, perfusion fractions in prostate cancer and BPH were not significantly different. There were no significant differences in the prostate cancer, BPH, and PZ for the perfusion-related diffusion coefficient, which had large SDs. CONCLUSION IVIM DWI parameters are significantly different between prostate cancer and PZ. IVIM DWI may offer additional information for tissue characterization in the prostate gland.
Plasma Cell Myeloma: Literature Review and Case Study

Introduction Plasma cell myeloma (multiple myeloma, myelomatosis, medullary plasmacytosis, Kahler's disease) is a B-cell neoplasm resulting from the expansion of a single clone of plasma cells (PC). The PCs synthesize a monoclonal immunoglobulin (paraprotein), a monoclonal immunoglobulin light chain (Bence-Jones protein) or both.1 The Bence-Jones proteins may lead to renal failure and the paraproteins can lead to peripheral blood (PB) hyperviscosity.2 Plasma cell myeloma (PCM) is clinically heterogeneous and may present with no symptoms or as an extremely aggressive disease.3 PCM is usually confined to the bone marrow (BM), with extramedullary involvement seen only in end stage cases.4,5 Epidemiology and Etiologies PCM constitutes 10-15% of all hematologic malignancies and 1% of all malignancies.6,7,8 PCM incidence increases with age with 40% of patients presenting under 60 years and only 2% occurring under the age of 40. The median age at diagnosis is 70. Incidence is greater in men than women (1.4:1), and occurs twice as frequently in African Americans than in Caucasians. The risk of PCM increases by 3.7 fold for individuals with a first degree relative with the disease.9,10 In 2007 approximately 20,000 new cases were diagnosed and 11,000 patients died from the disease.11,12 Clinical Features/Diagnostic Criteria The patients usually present with bone pain and pathologic fractures (due to lytic bone lesions). Anemia (due to bone marrow replacement of clonal PCs), recurrent infections (decreased normal immunoglobulin levels), and renal failure (Bence Jones deposition in kidneys) are common findings. Other clinical findings include hyperviscosity syndrome, hypercalcemia (increased osteoclastic activity), and epidural… ABBREVIATIONS: PCM – plasma cell myeloma, PC – plasma cell, PB – peripheral blood, BM – bone marrow, NCAM - neural cell adhesion mutation, VDC – cyclophosphamide, dexamethazone, bortezimib
Infection and Co-infection Rates of Anaplasma phagocytophilum Variants, Babesia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi, and the Rickettsial Endosymbiont in Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) from Sites in Indiana, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin

Abstract In total, 394 questing adult blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), collected at four sites were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for five microbial species: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Babesia odocoilei, Borrelia burgdorferi, and the rickettsial I. scapularis endosymbiont. Identities of genetic variants of A. phagocytophilum were determined by sequencing a portion of the 16S DNA. In 55% of infected ticks (193/351), a single agent was detected. In 45% (158/351), two or more agents were detected; 37% harbored two agents and 8% harbored three agents. One male tick, collected from Ft. McCoy, WI, harbored all four microbial genera. The highest rates of co-infection were by the Ixodes endosymbiont and B. burgdorferi (95/351). Two species of Babesia co-occurred within a single tick population in Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wells, ME, whereas only B. odocoilei was found in other tick populations. Only A. phagocytophilum human anaplasmosis variant was detected in questing ticks from Tippecanoe River State Park, IN; from Wells; and Ft. McCoy, whereas a single infected tick from Presque Isle, PA, was infected by AP-Variant 1. Partially engorged ticks from deer in Tippecanoe River State Park were all infected with AP-Variant 1. Frequency of infections with each agent varied among populations. Rates and types of co-infections were not significantly different from random except for the Ixodes endosymbiont and B. burgdorferi in male ticks, which co-occurred less frequently than expected. Thus, I. scapularis hosts an array of pathogenic and symbiotic agents and potential evidence of interactions among microbial species was observed.
The OECD program to validate the rat uterotrophic bioassay. Phase 2: dose-response studies.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has completed phase 2 of an international validation program for the rodent uterotrophic bioassay. The purpose of the validation program was to demonstrate the performance of two versions of the uterotrophic bioassay, the immature female rat and the adult ovariectomized rat, in four standardized protocols. This article reports the dose-response studies of the validation program; the coded single-dose studies are reported in an accompanying paper. The dose-response study design used five selected weak estrogen agonists, bisphenol A, genistein, methoxychlor, nonylphenol, and o,p -DDT. These weak agonists were administered in a prescribed series of doses to measure the performance and reproducibility of the protocols among the participating laboratories. All protocols successfully detected increases in uterine weights when the weak agonists were administered. Within each protocol, there was good agreement and reproducibility of the dose response among laboratories with each substance. Substance-specific variations were observed in the influence of the route of administration on the uterine response, the potency as related to the dose producing the first statistically significant increase in uterine weights, and the maximum increase in uterine weight. Substantive performance differences were not observed between the uterotrophic bioassay versions or among the standardized protocols, and these were judged to be qualitatively equivalent. It is noteworthy that these results were reproducible under a variety of different experimental conditions (e.g., animal strain, diet, housing, bedding, vehicle, animal age), indicating that the bioassay's performance as a screen is robust. In conclusion, both the intact, immature, and adult OVX versions, and all protocols appear to be reproducible and transferable across laboratories and are able to detect weak estrogen agonists.
Pneumococcal vaccination among HIV-infected adult patients in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy

HIV-infected patients remain at higher risk for pneumococcal disease than the general population despite immune reconstitution and suppression of HIV replication with combination antiretroviral therapy. Vaccination with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) composed of T-cell-independent antigens has been recommended to reduce the risk of pneumococcal disease in HIV-infected adults. However, given the heterogeneity of study design, execution and subjects enrolled, studies examining serological responses to PPV23 yielded conflicting results and observational studies of clinical effectiveness only provided moderate evidence to support the routine use of PPV23 in HIV-infected adults. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), with conjugation of the capsular polysaccharide to a protein carrier, is more immunogenic than PPV23 and has been demonstrated to protect against pneumococcal disease in HIV-infected children and recurrent invasive pneumococcal disease in HIV-infected adolescents and adults. Guidelines have recently been revised to recommend that HIV-infected patients aged 19 y or older receive one dose of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) followed by a booster vaccination with PPV23. In this paper, we review the studies using different vaccination strategies to improve immunogenicity among HIV-infected adult patients.
The Relationship between Menstrual Cycle Phase and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Background Female athletes suffer a greater incidence of anterior cruciate ligament tears compared with male athletes when participating in common sports; however, very little is known about the factors that explain this disparity. Study Design Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods Female recreational alpine skiers with an anterior cruciate ligament rupture and age-matched control skiers provided a serum sample and self-reported menstrual history data immediately after injury. Both serum concentrations of progesterone and menstrual history were then used to group subjects into either preovulatory or postovulatory phases of the menstrual cycle. Results Analysis of serum concentrations of progesterone revealed that alpine skiers in the preovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle were significantly more likely to tear their anterior cruciate ligaments than were skiers in the postovulatory phase (odds ratio, 3.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-9.52; P = .027). Analysis of menstrual history data found similar results, but the difference was not statistically significant (odds ratio, 2.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.86-6.54; P = .086). Conclusion The likelihood of sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury does not remain constant during the menstrual cycle; instead, the risk of suffering an anterior cruciate ligament disruption is significantly greater during the preovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle compared with the postovulatory phase. Clinical Relevance Phase of menstrual cycle may be one of the risk factors that influence knee ligament injury among female alpine skiers. The findings from this study should be considered in subsequent studies designed to identify persons at risk for anterior cruciate ligament injury and to develop intervention strategies.
Hypermethylation and aberrant expression of Wnt antagonist secreted frizzled-related protein 1 in gastric cancer.

AIM To identify the methylation of secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) in gastric cancer and to investigate the aberrant expression of SFRP1 and its correlation with the clinical pathological features of patients. METHODS We determined SFRP1 methylation and SFRP1 mRNA expression in 3 gastric cancer cell lines SGC-7901, BGC-823, HGC-27, from 52 primary gastric cancer specimens and matched tumor adjacent tissue specimens by methylation-specific (MSP) PCR and RT-PCR respectively. Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the statistical association between clinical pathological data and aberrant expression of SFRP1. RESULTS In 3 cancer cell lines, BGC-823 and HGC-27 had methylated SFRP1 and lost SFRP1 mRNA expression. After treatment of BGC-823 and HGC-27 with the demethylating agent, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, SFRP1 was re-expressed. In 52 primary gastric cancer specimens and matched tumor adjacent tissue specimens, hypermethylation of SFRP1 was detected in 23 (44%) and 8 (15%) specimens respectively (chi(2) = 10.34, P < 0.01). Loss of SFRP1 expression was detected in 17(33%) and 6 (12%) specimens respectively (chi(2) = 6.75, P < 0.01). There was a significant correlation between SFRP1 hypermethylation and SFRP1 expression loss. SFRP1 expression was also correlated significantly with tumor stage and lymph node status, but not with patient sex, age and histological type. CONCLUSION SFRP1 inactivation is a common and early event caused mainly by hypermethylation in gastric cancer. SFRP1 expression loss may be correlated with tumor metastasis in primary gastric cancer.
Effect of Increased Blood Flow on Pulmonary Circulation Before and During High Altitude Acclimatization.

Matthias Peter Hilty, Andrea Mueller, Daniela Flück, Christoph Siebenmann, Peter Rasmussen, Stefanie Keiser, Katja Auinger, Carsten Lundby, and Marco Maggiorini. Effect of increased blood flow on the pulmonary circulation before and during high altitude acclimatization. High Alt Med Biol. 17:305-314, 2016. -Introduction and Methods: Acute exposure to high altitude increases pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). The evolution of Ppa and PVR with continuous hypoxic exposure remains, however, elusive. To test the hypothesis that altitude exposure leads to a persistent elevation in Ppa and PVR throughout acclimatization in seven healthy male subjects, echocardiography was performed at sea level (SL; 488 m) weekly during a 4-week sojourn at 3454 m (HA1-HA4) and upon return (SL2). Pulmonary artery catheterization and bilateral thigh cuff release maneuver were performed at SL and HA3 to study the properties of pulmonary circulation after 3 weeks of acclimatization. RESULTS Pulmonary artery catheter determined that systolic Ppa (mean ± SEM) was increased from 20 ± 1 at SL to 27 ± 2 mmHg at HA3 (p < 0.01). Echocardiography assessed that systolic Ppa remained equally increased throughout acclimatization (26 ± 2, 25 ± 2, 25 ± 2, and 24 ± 2 mmHg at HA1-HA4; p = 0.93) and returned to baseline upon return (17 ± 2, 18 ± 1 mmHg at SL, SL2; p = 0.3). The same was shown for PVR. Right heart function remained unaffected. Thigh cuff release maneuvers at SL and HA3 resulted in similar increase in cardiac output (2.5 ± 0.5 and 2.2 ± 0.4 L/min; p = 0.61) without affecting mean Ppa. CONCLUSIONS Prolonged altitude exposure leads to a persistent increase in Ppa and PVR without affecting right heart function and is fully reversible within 1 week after return to SL. The thigh cuff release maneuver-induced increase in cardiac output suggests a preserved ability of pulmonary circulation to cope with sudden remarkable increase in pulmonary blood flow throughout acclimatization.
Robust Aeroservoelastic Control Utilizing Physics-Based Aerodynamic Sensing

The paper describes the design of aeroservoelastic controllers using H1 and LPV control design techniques for a Body Freedom Flutter aircraft. The controllers are compared in the frequency and time domain The LPV controller does not achieve the level of performance of the individual H1 controllers, though the performance achieves the desired objectives. The similarities and difference between the designs are discussed. The need for improved performance and reduced operating costs has led modern aircraft designers to adopt lightweight, high aspect ratio wings. However, the high flexibility and significant deformation in flight exhibited by these aircraft increase the interaction between the rigid body and structural dynamics modes resulting in Body Freedom Flutter. This phenomenon occurs as the aircraft short period mode frequency increases with airspeed and comes close to a wing vibration mode. This lead to poor handling qualities and may even generate dynamics instability. Hence, an integrated active approach to flight control and flutter suppression is required to meet the desired handling quality performance without compromise structural weight and flight envelope. This paper presents the design ofHinf and linear, parameter-varying controller for a Body Freedom Flutter (BFF) vehicle developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory to demonstrate active aeroelastic control technologies. The vehicle is a high aspect ratio flying wing with light weight airfoil. The aircraft configuration with the location of accelerometers and control surfaces for flutter suppression is presented in the Figure 1. The aeroservoelastic (ASE) model of the BFF vehicle was assembled using MSC/NASTRAN. A Ground Vibration Test was performed to validate the structural model and six critical modes were found. Table 1 lists the mode shapes and frequency values of the structural model. 1‐3
Milgram, Genocide and Bureaucracy: A Post-Weberian Perspective

: The link between Stanley Milgram’s experimental study of obedience in 1963 and the explanation of the Holocaust during the Second World War has been the subject of controversy for the past five decades. Russell and Gregory (2015) offer the latest reflections on this relationship. Hannah Arendt’s analysis of Eichmann centred on the image of desk murderers mindlessly processing military orders. Milgram invoked pervasive evidence of compliance to morally reprehensible commands in his experimental study of obedience. The joint Arendt–Milgram perspective has recently fallen into disrespect as a result of voluntarism evidenced in recent studies of ordinary Germans in participation in mass murder. Russell and Gregory’s contribution advances an essentially Weberian explanation for the behaviour of perpetrators. Their analysis of the obedience experiments concludes that all the participants were constrained by a normative structure that led them to ignore harm to subjects as a result of the larger bureaucratic mindset that allowed Mil-gram’s assistants, his funders and his subjects to suppress acknowledgement of injury. They argue that this recapitulates key features of the Holocaust. The recent historiogra-phy of the Holocaust points to a post-Weberian understanding of the bureaucracies at the heart of the genocide – the slave labour program in Germany and German-occupied territory, and the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front, where evidence points to a conscious and enthusiastic endorsement of the homicidal objectives of the Nazi regime.
Economic burden of venous thromboembolism: a systematic review

Abstract Objective: Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – together referred to as venous thromboembolism (VTE) – result in a major burden on healthcare systems. However, to the authors’ knowledge no comprehensive review of the economic burden of VTE has so far been published. Methods: A literature search was carried out to identify references published in English since 1997 using Medline, the Cochrane Library and the Health Economic Evaluations Database. The primary outcomes of interest were ‘all-cause’ VTE and VTE after major orthopedic surgery. Results: A total of 1,037 full research articles and abstracts were screened for inclusion in the review. Of these, ten cost-of-illness studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria and are included in the current review. The results of large US database analyses vary, indicating costs of the initial VTE of approximately US$3,000–9,500. The total costs related to VTE over 3 months (US$5,000), 6 months (US$10,000) and 1 year (US$33,000) were considerable. Studies conducted in the European Union indicate lower additional inpatient costs after VTE of €1,800 after 3 months and €3,200 after 1 year, which still represent a considerable impact on healthcare systems. Complications after VTE can be very expensive, with estimates of the additional cost of treating the post-thrombotic syndrome ranging from $426 to $11,700 and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia from $3,118 to $41,133. A limitation of studies using older data is that recent changes in the treatment of VTE may affect the generalizability of these findings. Conclusions: Complications associated with VTE are frequent and costly. In particular, the cost of complications resulting from prophylaxis and treatment of VTE, such as post-thrombotic syndrome and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, had a considerable economic impact.
Microprocessor in Biomedical Instrumentation

Present and future trends of microprocessor applications in biomedical instrumentation are discussed, with emphasis on data acquisition. Their expanding role in laboratory and hospital instrumentation is described with a few application examples. A few microprocessor-based instrument architectures for data acquisition are discussed. The advantages and tradeoffs involved in their use in biomedical instrumentation are discussed.
Psychotic and Depressive Symptoms in Parkinson's Disease a Study of the Growth Hormone Response to Apomorphine

Background The growth hormone (GH) response to apomorphine, thought to reflect central dopaminergic receptor sensitivity, has been reported as enhanced in acute schizophrenia. We investigated this response in relation to the psychotic episodes associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Method The GH response to apomorphine was measured in three groups of patients with Parkinson's disease: those currently psychotic (n = 9), those with a past history of psychosis (n = 7) and those who had never been psychotic (n = 8). Results Apomorphine-induced GH response was not related to psychosis but was unexpectedly associated with measures of depression. Conclusions Visual hallucinations were a prominent feature in the psychotic patients and the atypical nature of these psychoses might explain why we found no evidence of dopaminergic sensitivity. Serotonergic dysfunction would be in keeping with this. Dopaminergic mechanisms may contribute to the minor depressive symptomatology seen in PD.