Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma and the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a population based CAIDE study.

BACKGROUND Previous research indicates that persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma may have more cognitive impairment compared to persons without these diseases. However, there are no previous studies regarding long-term effects of these diseases on the risk of clinically diagnosed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. We examined the association between midlife and late-life self-reported COPD and asthma and the lifelong risk of cognitive impairment (MCI/dementia) in a population-based study with a follow-up of over 25 years. METHODS Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study includes 2000 participants who were randomly selected from four separate, population-based samples originally studied in midlife (1972, 1977, 1982 or 1988). Re-examinations were carried out in 1998 and 2005-8 (N=1511, 75.6 %) during which 172 persons were diagnosed with MCI and 117 with dementia. RESULTS Midlife COPD (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.05 - 3.28), asthma (HR 1.88, 95% CI 0.77 - 4.63) and both pulmonary diseases combined (HR 1.94, 95% CI 1.16 - 3.27) increased the later risk of cognitive impairment even after full adjustments. However, pulmonary diseases diagnosed later in life seemed to be inversely related to cognitive impairment (fully adjusted model for both pulmonary diseases combined HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.19 - 0.93). CONCLUSIONS In this population-based study, with more than 25 years of follow-up, midlife COPD and asthma were associated with an almost two-fold risk of MCI and dementia later in life. Pulmonary diseases diagnosed later in life seemed to have an inverse relationship with cognitive impairment probably reflecting survival bias.
Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) expression in plant cell culture: Kinetics of antigen accumulation in batch culture and its intracellular form.

The production of edible vaccines in transgenic plants and plant cell culture may be improved through a better understanding of antigen processing and assembly. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was chosen for study because it undergoes substantial and complex post-translational modifications, which are necessary for its immunogenicity. This antigen was expressed in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv Williams 82) and tobacco NT1 (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cell suspension cultures, and HBsAg production in batch culture was characterized. The plant-derived antigen consisted predominantly of disulfide cross-linked HBsAg protein (p24(s)) dimers, which were all membrane associated. Similar to yeast, the plant-expressed HBsAg was retained intracellularly. The maximal HBsAg titers were obtained with soybean suspension cultures (20-22 mg/L) with titers in tobacco cultures being approximately 10-fold lower. For soybean cells, electron microscopy and immunolocalization demonstrated that all the HBsAg was localized to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and provoked dilation and proliferation of the ER network. Sucrose gradient analysis of crude extracts showed that HBsAg had a complex size distribution uncharacteristic of the antigen's normal structure of uniform 22-nm virus-like particles. The extent of authentic epitope formation was assessed by comparing total p24(s) synthesized to that reactive by polyclonal and monoclonal immunoassays. Depending on culture age, between 40% and 100% of total p24(s) was polyclonal antibody reactive whereas between 6% and 37% was recognized by a commercial monoclonal antibody assay. Possible strategies to increase HBsAg production and improve post-translational processing are discussed.
[Growth of human respiratory epithelium on collagen foil].

BACKGROUND Clinical application of bioartificial tracheal prosthesis must still be regarded as an experimental concept because restoration of a functional respiratory epithelium outlining the prosthesis is still not possible. Tissue engineering as a relatively new biotechnological discipline may offer new methods in expanding differentiated respiratory epithelium in vitro. In this study we compare two different cell and tissue culture procedures for growing human nasal mucosa on commercially available collagen foil. MATERIAL AND METHODS Harvested specimens of human nasal mucosa (n = 6, 4 x 4 cm) were placed on collagen foil and incubated as tissue cultures for 4, 6 and 8 weeks. A suspension of enzymatically dispersed nasal epithelium seeded on collagen foil (5 x 10(5) cells) served as control. Cell growth and ciliary beat were monitored through an inverted microscope with Hoffman's modulation contrast and video set-up. Histological examination was performed after 4, 6 and 8 weeks. RESULTS In the tissue cultures, the collagen foil was initially covered with fibroblasts growing from the mucosa specimen before epithelial cells spread out. The epithelial layer showed mostly ciliated cells which developed metachronous ciliary beat after 4 weeks in vitro. Ciliary activity was observed until the end of the experiments in 8 weeks. New cells on the suspension cultures were mesenchymal and did not exhibit any ciliary activity. CONCLUSIONS Mucosa specimens seem to be more appropriate for tissue engineering of respiratory epithelium than cell suspensions from nasal epithelium. Collagen foil as tissue scaffold initiates epithelial-mesenchymal interaction and may play an important role in epithelial differentiation of new respiratory epithelium.
Use of cross-institutional progress test as a predictor of performance in a new medical college

Background The progress test was initiated by Qassim University in 2000 as a tool to evaluate the educational process among Saudi medical colleges. Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University (PNU) College of Medicine is a new medical college established in 2012 that implemented the same innovative reformed curriculum of King Saud University College of Medicine. Objectives The objective of this study was to use the progress test to evaluate the rate of knowledge acquisition among a new medical school compared to other long-established medical schools in Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods As part of an ongoing strategy, the progress test was administered before the end of the academic year. Students in PNU were enrolled for 2 years in the progress test. We compared the mean progress test scores for PNU students compared to students at comparable stages in other medical schools in Saudi Arabia. Results The results showed that the rate of knowledge acquisition was similar in students at PNU to students in other well-established medical schools in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion The present study showed that the interinstitutional progress test demonstrated that the level of acquisition of knowledge and performance of students in a new medical school was similar to other medical colleges in Saudi Arabia.
One-Tube Real-Time Isothermal Amplification Assay To Identify and Distinguish Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Subtypes A, B, and C and Circulating Recombinant Forms AE and AG

ABSTRACT To halt the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) epidemic requires interventions that can prevent transmission of numerous HIV-1 subtypes. The most frequently transmitted viruses belong to the subtypes A, B, and C and the circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) AE and AG. A fast one-tube assay that identifies and distinguishes among subtypes A, B, and C and CRFs AE and AG of HIV-1 was developed. The assay amplifies a part of the gag gene sequence of the genome of all currently known HIV-1 subtypes and can identify and distinguish among the targeted subtypes as the reaction proceeds, because of the addition of subtype-specific molecular beacons with multiple fluorophores. The combination of isothermal nucleic acid sequence-based amplification and molecular beacons is a new approach in the design of real-time assays. To obtain a sufficiently specific assay, we developed a new strategy in the design of molecular beacons, purposely introducing mismatches in the molecular beacons. The subtype A and CRF AG isolates reacted with the same molecular beacon. We tested the specificity and sensitivity of the assay on a panel of the culture supernatant of 34 viruses encompassing all HIV-1 subtypes: subtypes A through G, CRF AE and AG, a group O isolate, and a group N isolate. Assay sensitivity on this panel was 92%, with 89% correct subtype identification relative to sequence analysis. A linear relationship was found between the amount of input RNA in the reaction mixture and the time that the reaction became positive. The lower detection level of the assay was approximately 103 copies of HIV-1 RNA per reaction. In 38% of 50 serum samples from HIV-1-infected individuals with a detectable amount of virus, we could identify subtype sequences with a specificity of 94% by using sequencing and phylogenetic analysis as the “gold standard. ” In conclusion, we showed the feasibility of the approach of using multiple molecular beacons labeled with different fluorophores in combination with isothermal amplification to identify and distinguish subtypes A, B, and C and CRFs AE and AG of HIV-1. Because of the low sensitivity, the assay in this format would not be suited for clinical use but can possibly be used for epidemiological monitoring as well as vaccine research studies.
Dynamique du glacier émissaire des processus à l'application sur un glacier école, Astrolabe, Antarctique de l'Est

Le bilan de masse de l'Antarctique depend de deux contributions principales: le bilan de masse de surface constitue par l'ensemble des processus de perte et de gain de masse agissant en surface (precipitations, fonte, sublimation, tranport par le vent.) et le transfert dynamique de glace de la calotte vers la mer. Ce transfert a lieu au niveau des glaciers emissaires cotiers et represente 90% de la perte du volume total de glace de la calotte. Ces systemes cotiers constituent ainsi les principaux regulateurs de l'evolution du bilan de masse de la calotte et de la contribution de cette derniere a l'elevation du niveau des mers. Les observations recentes revelent une diminution accrue du bilan de masse en certaines zones de la calotte polaire telle que la partie Ouest et une contribution a l'elevation du niveau des mers de la part de la calotte qui augmente progressivement par rapport a l'expansion thermique. L'etude de la dynamique des glaciers emissaires par modelisation permet ainsi de mieux comprendre leur fonctionnement, de predire leur reponse a une quelconque sollicitation, et d'evaluer l'impact potentiel sur l'elevation du niveau des mers. Ce travail de these vise a apporter de nouveaux elements pour mieux contraindre ces modeles d'ecoulement de la calotte antarctique. Il se scinde en deux axes principaux. La premiere partie s'interesse a l'implementation des processus physiques dans le modele numerique, en particulier represente par la migration de la ligne d'echouage qui separe la partie posee de la partie flottante. Elle se base sur des cas synthetiques 2D. Nous mettons en evidence dans cette partie la diversite des modeles d'ecoulement de calotte impliques et les differences et similitudes associees. En particulier, la majorite de ces modeles repose sur deux hypotheses fortes que sont la stationnarite et la predominance du glissement basal sur l'ecoulement dont le bien-fonde est remis en question. L'etude d'intercomparaison revele certaines divergences entre les modeles en terme de contribution a l'elevation du niveau des mers, les resultats necessitent donc d'etre pris avec precaution et les efforts doivent se concentrer sur la validite des hypotheses et l'implementation du processus de migration de la ligne d'echouage. La deuxieme partie consiste a appliquer le modele Elmer/ice, qualifie de 'full-stokes', au cas reel 3D du Glacier de l'Astrolabe situe en Terre Adelie en Antarctique de l'Est.Cette application nous a permis de tester la sensibilite du modele full-Stokes aux incertitudes sur les donnees d'entrees telles que la description du socle rocheux. Cette sensibilite s'avere significative recommandant une bonne connaissance de l'elevation du socle sous jacent a la glace et des methodes appropriees pour sa determination sur les noeuds du maillage associe au modele.
Dipeptides as effective prodrugs of the unnatural amino acid (+)-2-aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (LY354740), a selective group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist.

(+)-2-Aminobicyclo[3.1. 0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (1), also known as LY354740, is a highly potent and selective agonist for group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu receptors 2 and 3) tested in clinical trials. It has been shown to block anxiety in the fear-potentiated startle model. Its relatively low bioavailability in different animal species drove the need for an effective prodrug form that would produce a therapeutic response at lower doses for the treatment of anxiety disorders. We have investigated the increase of intestinal absorption of this compound by targeting the human peptide transporter hPepT1 for active transport of di- and tripeptides derived from 1. We have found that oral administration of an N dipeptide derivative of 1 (12a) in rats shows up to an 8-fold increase in drug absorption and a 300-fold increase in potency in the fear-potentiated startle model in rats when compared with the parent drug 1.
EEG feature extraction and classification using feed forward backpropogation algorithm for emotion detection

Electroencephalography is a clinical technique which reads the scalp electrical activity from brain structures. The electroencephalogram (EEG) records the scalp surface using metal electrodes and conductive media[6], and inhibits lots of information to different emotional states and the recorded data is very complex. In the present work EEG signal is used to detect emotions at different situations. The real emotions are detected which acts as a real indicator described by the human subject. In this paper, the EEG signals are analyzed for feature extraction using “db4” wavelet using multilevel decomposition. 10 real human subjects real EEG samples are collected using standard International 10–20 Electrode placement system which is placed over an entire scalp of human subject and it is decomposed into 5 different EEG bands using Discrete wavelet Transform (DWT). Emotion detection is the task of emotional state like recognizing a person's happiness, fear, anger, confusion or deceit across both voice and non voice channels. Emotion detection is based on a set of conventional features which are extracted like energy, Power spectral density, from the EEG signals for classifying emotions and to identify the intensity level of different bands of EEG signal. Feature extraction results are obtained by using “Bior 5.5” and “db4” wavelet for signal decomposition and to obtain the accurate frequency bands and feature Classification is performed by obtaining an accuracy of 75% for normal patient and 65% for abnormal patient.
A Vicilin-Like Seed Storage Protein, PAP85, Is Involved in Tobacco Mosaic Virus Replication

ABSTRACT One striking feature of viruses with RNA genomes is the modification of the host membrane structure during early infection. This process requires both virus- and host-encoded proteins; however, the host factors involved and their role in this process remain largely unknown. On infection with Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), a positive-strand RNA virus, the filamentous and tubular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) converts to aggregations at the early stage and returns to filamentous at the late infectious stage, termed the ER transition. Also, membrane- or vesicle-packaged viral replication complexes (VRCs) are induced early during infection. We used microarray assays to screen the Arabidopsis thaliana gene(s) responding to infection with TMV in the initial infection stage and identified an Arabidopsis gene, PAP85 (annotated as a vicilin-like seed storage protein), with upregulated expression during 0.5 to 6 h of TMV infection. TMV accumulation was reduced in pap85-RNA interference (RNAi) Arabidopsis and restored to wild-type levels when PAP85 was overexpressed in pap85-RNAi Arabidopsis. We did not observe the ER transition in TMV-infected PAP85-knockdown Arabidopsis protoplasts. In addition, TMV accumulation was reduced in PAP85-knockdown protoplasts. VRC accumulation was reduced, but not significantly (P = 0.06), in PAP85-knockdown protoplasts. Coexpression of PAP85 and the TMV main replicase (P126), but not their expression alone in Arabidopsis protoplasts, could induce ER aggregations.
Whole-Body Imaging of Sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum in the Rat

ABSTRACT The occlusion of vessels by packed Plasmodium falciparum-infected (iRBC) and uninfected erythrocytes is a characteristic postmortem finding in the microvasculature of patients with severe malaria. Here we have employed immunocompetent Sprague-Dawley rats to establish sequestration in vivo. Human iRBC cultivated in vitro and purified in a single step over a magnet were labeled with 99mtechnetium, injected into the tail vein of the rat, and monitored dynamically for adhesion in the microvasculature using whole-body imaging or imaging of the lungs subsequent to surgical removal. iRBC of different lines and clones sequester avidly in vivo while uninfected erythrocytes did not. Histological examination revealed that a multiadhesive parasite adhered in the larger microvasculature, inducing extensive intravascular changes while CD36- and chondroitin sulfate A-specific parasites predominantly sequester in capillaries, inducing no or minor pathology. Removal of the adhesive ligand Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), preincubation of the iRBC with sera to PfEMP1 or preincubation with soluble PfEMP1-receptors prior to injection significantly reduced the sequestration. The specificity of iRBC binding to the heterologous murine receptors was confirmed in vitro, using primary rat lung endothelial cells and rat lung cryosections. In offering flow dynamics, nonmanipulated endothelial cells, and an intact immune system, we believe this syngeneic animal model to be an important complement to existing in vitro systems for the screening of vaccines and adjunct therapies aiming at the prevention and treatment of severe malaria.
Multiparametric MRI changes persist beyond recovery in concussed adolescent hockey players

Objective: To determine whether multiparametric MRI data can provide insight into the acute and long-lasting neuronal sequelae after a concussion in adolescent athletes. Methods: Players were recruited from Bantam hockey leagues in which body checking is first introduced (male, age 11–14 years). Clinical measures, diffusion metrics, resting-state network and region-to-region functional connectivity patterns, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy absolute metabolite concentrations were analyzed from an independent, age-matched control group of hockey players (n = 26) and longitudinally in concussed athletes within 24 to 72 hours (n = 17) and 3 months (n = 14) after a diagnosed concussion. Results: There were diffusion abnormalities within multiple white matter tracts, functional hyperconnectivity, and decreases in choline 3 months after concussion. Tract-specific spatial statistics revealed a large region along the superior longitudinal fasciculus with the largest decreases in diffusivity measures, which significantly correlated with clinical deficits. This region also spatially intersected with probabilistic tracts connecting cortical regions where we found acute functional connectivity changes. Hyperconnectivity patterns at 3 months after concussion were present only in players with relatively less severe clinical outcomes, higher choline concentrations, and diffusivity indicative of relatively less axonal disruption. Conclusions: Changes persisted well after players' clinical scores had returned to normal and they had been cleared to return to play. Ongoing white matter maturation may make adolescent athletes particularly vulnerable to brain injury, and they may require extended recovery periods. The consequences of early brain injury for ongoing brain development and risk of more serious conditions such as second impact syndrome or neural degenerative processes need to be elucidated.
Devenir à long terme de couples traités par fécondation in vitro dans la cohorte DAIFI

Les etudes sur les couples traites par fecondation in vitro (FIV) ont jusqu’a present porte essentiellement sur l’evaluation du succes en FIV. Tres peu de donnees sont disponibles sur le devenir a long terme de couples traites par FIV. L’objectif de ce travail etait d’estimer la frequence de realisation du projet parental a long terme, et d’etudier les facteurs associes aux interruptions precoces des traitements et aux naissances naturelles.L’enquete DAIFI-2009 a inclus 6 507 couples ayant debute un programme de FIV en 2000-2002 dans l’un des 8 centres de FIV participant a l’etude. Les donnees medicales des couples et leur parcours dans le centre ont ete obtenus a partir des dossiers medicaux des centres de FIV pour tous les couples. L’information sur le devenir des couples apres le depart du centre a ete obtenue par questionnaire postal aupres des couples en 2008-2009 (38% de participation 7 a 9 ans apres l’initiation des FIV). L’etude des facteurs associes a la participation a l’enquete postale suggerait que la frequence de realisation du projet parental estimee sur les repondants seulement pourrait etre biaisee. Les differentes methodes mises en œuvre pour corriger la non reponse (ponderation, imputation multiple) n’ont pas modifie l’estimation de la frequence de realisation du projet parental. Au total, 7 a 9 ans apres l’initiation des FIV, 60% des couples ont realise leur projet parental de facon biologique, suite a un traitement ou suite a une conception naturelle. Lorsque les adoptions sont aussi prises en compte, 71% des couples ont realise leur projet parental. Apres l’echec d’une premiere tentative de FIV, un couple sur 4 (26%) a interrompu les FIV dans le centre d’inclusion. Globalement, les couples avec de mauvais facteurs pronostiques ont un plus grand risque d’interrompre les FIV. Cependant, la proportion plus importante d’interruption parmi les couples avec une origine inexpliquee de l’infecondite pourrait s’expliquer par la survenue plus frequente de naissance naturelle dans ce sous-groupe de couples. Parmi les couples n’ayant pas eu d’enfant suite aux traitements, 24% ont ensuite concu naturellement en mediane 28 mois apres l’initiation des FIV. Parmi les couples ayant eu un enfant suite aux traitements, 17% ont ensuite concu naturellement en mediane 33 mois apres la naissance de l’enfant concu par AMP. Les facteurs associes aux naissances naturelles sont des indicateurs d’un meilleur pronostic de fertilite, particulierement chez les couples sans enfant AMP.L’enquete DAIFI-2009 a permis d’apporter des informations sur le parcours a long terme des couples traites par FIV qui n’avait jusqu’a present ete que peu etudie, souvent sur de faibles effectifs et avec un suivi plus court. Ces resultats doivent apporter de l’espoir aux couples infeconds, puisque la majorite d’entre eux ont finalement realise leur projet parental, meme si cela peut prendre de nombreuses annees.