Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences in follicular aromatase activity between Meishan and large-white hybrid gilts.

Two experiments were carried out in which follicular aromatase activity was compared between Meishan and Large-White hybrid gilts. In Expt 1, preovulatory follicles (n = 10 largest per animal) were recovered from Meishan and Large-White hybrid gilts (n = 5 per breed) on the day before predicted onset of behavioural oestrus, and the granulosa cells and theca tissue incubated to determine aromatase activity. Follicles recovered from Meishan pigs were smaller (P < 0.01) and contained fewer granulosa cells (P < 0.05), but follicular oestradiol content of the breeds was similar (P > 0.1). Aromatase activity was higher in the theca tissue (P < 0.05) and tended to be higher in the granulosa cells recovered from Meishan follicles (P = 0.065). In Expt 2, granulosa cell aromatase activity was investigated during the early follicular phase (estimated day 16 of cycle) in Meishan and Large-White hybrid gilts (n = 6 and 5, respectively). The number of follicles > or = 1 mm diameter recovered per animal was 171 for both breeds (P > 0.1), whereas the number of follicles > or = 2 mm diameter was 65 and 101 (P < 0.05) from Meishan and Large-White hybrid gilts, respectively. The mean diameter of all follicles recovered was smaller in the Meishan gilts (P < 0.001). Overall, neither the number of granulosa cells per follicle, as indicated by DNA estimation, nor the oestradiol content differed between the breeds at this time (P > 0.1). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The use of routine non density calibrated clinical computed tomography data as a potentially useful screening tool for identifying patients with osteoporosis.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate whether lumbar vertebral body density CT attenuation values measured in Hounsfield Units (HUs) on routine Computed Tomography (CT) examinations can be reliably measured with limited variability, and to evaluate for a correlation between HUs and bone mineral density as measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan. METHODS Retrospective review of a total of 249 routine MDCT examinations, performed to measure HUs at the first non-rib bearing lumbar vertebral body on axial images, cross-referenced to the lateral scout image. RESULTS The overall ICC and RC for intra-reader variability on CT HU were 0.987 (95% CI 0.973 - 0.999) and 15.664 (95% CI 11.66-16.97). The overall ICC and RDC for inter-reader variability on CT HU were 0.952 (95% CI 0.892 - 0.999) and 30.20 (95% CI 23.73 - 34.48). The ICC and RC for interscanner variability were 0.98 (95% CI 0.95 - 0.99) and 16.67 (95% CI 13.13 - 22.85). The correlation between the L1 HUs and L1 BMD, L1 t-score, and overall t-score was 0.437, 0.392, and 0.400, respectively. CONCLUSIONS CT attenuation values of the first lumbar vertebra can be measured on routine abdomen CTs with limited variability despite multiple readers and scanners. Correlation between HU and BMD as measured by DXA scan was only weakly positive, and by this method measuring the density of a lumbar vertebral body from a routine MDCT scan does not provide the sensitivity or specificity necessary for a screening test. However above a certain measured value (180 HU), patients have a low chance of osteoporosis and therefore may not need additional screening, potentially limiting radiation exposure and cost.
Astrocyte Responses after Neonatal Ischemia: The Yin and the Yang

Neonatal encephalopathy is a major predictor of neurodevelopmental disability in term infants and occurs in 1 to 6 of every 1000 live term births. Despite improvements in perinatal practice during the past several decades, the incidence of cerebral palsy attributed to neonatal asphyxia remained essentially unchanged, primarily because management strategies were supportive and not targeted toward the processes of ongoing injury. Traditionally, experimental research in vivo focused on neurons, and more recently, oligodendrocytes whereas astrocytes have been more or less neglected. This review aims at dissecting possible protective as well as destructive roles of astrocytes in the immature ischemic brain to stimulate further research into this unexplored aspect of brain pathophysiology. NEUROSCIENTIST 14(4):339ndash;344, 2008. DOI: 10.1177/1073858408316003
Increasing consumer well-being: risk as potential driver of happiness

ABSTRACT This article investigates the relation between risk and individual well-being. We propose a theoretical model of happiness that makes a distinction between ex ante evaluations of happiness and ex post assessments. The main assumptions of the model are tested through three studies based on anchoring vignettes. We show that, even if, ex ante, consumers fear high risk and do not associate it to a high level of happiness, their ex post evaluation of well-being is generally higher when identical consequences result from a high-risk situation than from a low-risk situation. Control over risk-taking reinforces the gap between ex ante and ex post measures of happiness. Thus, our article provides empirical evidence about a positive relation between risk and individual well-being, suggesting that risky experiences have the potential to increase consumer well-being.
Transient concentrations and agonist potency of PGH2 in platelet activation by endogenous arachidonate.

Human platelets were prelabelled with [14C]arachidonate and stimulated with thrombin or methyl mercury. [14C]PGH2 and the more stable of the other [14C]eicosanoids formed were rapidly extracted with organic solvent cooled to -30 degrees C and analyzed by radio-TLC. TXB2 and PGH2 were also quantified by radioimmunoassay, the latter as its index metabolite PGE2. PGH2 reached its peak concentration of 12 nmol/l after 20-30 s when it amounted to approximately 2/3 of the TXB2 concentration. In the presence of the thromboxane synthase inhibitor dazoxiben, PGH2 peaked after 60 s and afterwards declined in favour of PGE2, PGD2 and PGF2 alpha. Thirty seconds after stimulation with thrombin 1 IU/ml or methyl mercury 20 mumol/l, PGH2 amounted to 35 or 28% of the cyclooxygenase products in the absence and to 66 or 63% in the presence of dazoxiben, respectively. The platelet-activating potency of PGH2 was evaluated with purified PGH2 in platelets pretreated with acetylsalicylic acid. The EC50 values of PGH2 were 0.69 and 19 nmol/l for shape change and aggregation, respectively. U 46619 produced the same effects at 4.1 and 23 nmol/l. PGH2-induced [3H]serotonin release did not exceed 25%, whereas U 46619 was able to induce approximately 50% [3H]serotonin release. Dazoxiben enhanced the aggregation induced by PGH2. Human serum albumin inhibited the aggregating effect of PGH2, suppressed the enhancing effect of dazoxiben and shifted the metabolism of PGH2 to the inhibitory PGD2. The TXA2/PGH2 receptor antagonist daltroban suppressed the agonistic effects of endogenous or added PGH2, demonstrating that the TXA2/PGH2 receptor was its site of action. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Somatically acquired recombinant murine leukemia proviruses in thymic leukemias of AKR/J mice

We have probed the structure and arrangement of murine leukemia virus genomes in eight spontaneous AKR thymic leukemias by Southern hybridization with one ecotropic pol and four ecotropic env probes. These probes revealed many (in 2 cases over 15) somatically acquired proviruses that had undergone complex patterns of recombination. The large majority were not deleted and were structurally analogous to the oncogenic mink cell focus-inducing murine leukemia viruses isolated from AKR tumors in that the amino-terminal p15E-coding region derived from ecotropic AKR murine leukemia virus sequences, whereas certain gp70-coding sequences were nonecotropic. Nevertheless, we observed a few proviruses which did not appear to be gp70 recombinants; however, these proviruses were in general clearly recombinant within the p15E-coding sequences. Although the proviral recombination patterns were quite variable, in general the large majority of recombinant proviruses within each tumor appeared structurally identical, indicating that they originate from a common parent. Each tumor contained a unique pattern of provirus integrations; densitometer tracings of the Southern hybridizations indicated that many of the integrated proviruses were present at one copy per cell, suggesting that the tumors derive from a single cell which contained multiple integrated copies of a unique recombinant virus structurally similar to the mink cell focus-inducing viruses.
ISM band aggregate interference in BAN-working environments

Estimating the aggregate interference is required in order to predict the performance of a wireless system in its working environment. Body Area Networks (BANs) for healthcare applications are becoming a reality, allowing patients to be monitored continuously without forcing them to stay in bed. Hospital, and in particular the emergency ward, is a harsh environment for wireless communications. The information over the air in a hospital is very important. The increasing number of wireless medical devices makes the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band particularly crowded. If new smart BANs have to correctly operate in hospital, coexistence with the existing wireless devices must be accurately investigated, starting with studying the interference in the operating frequency band. In this paper we propose an interference model based on real measurements carried out in the emergency ward of a modern city hospital. The measurements are used to derive the main parameters (first and second order statistics) of the probability density function of the aggregate interference.
Salt Sensitivity and Resistance of Blood Pressure Age and Race As Factors in Physiological Responses

To identify characteristics that may contribute to salt sensitivity, we conducted studies of normal subjects who are at risk for hypertension, namely blacks, subjects older than 40 years of age, and first-degree relatives of subjects with essential hypertension. We also formulated definitions for salt sensitivity and resistance with a short-term volume expansion and contraction protocol and additionally from data derived from studies of long-term reduced dietary salt intake. We examined the effects of augmented potassium and calcium intake and also those of sodium as the chloride or the bicarbonate salt Finally, we sought genetic markers that are associated with salt sensitivity. We found that salt sensitivity is a function of age and is more common in blacks than whites. These groups also have relatively delayed acute salt excretion compared with controls. We were unable to identify effects of gender. Haptoglobin phenotypes (HP 1-1) may facilitate identification of salt-sensitive individuals. A high potassium intake may make individuals less salt sensitive. Sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate differ in their effects on blood pressure. Sodium chloride augments urinary calcium excretion, but sodium bicarbonate does not Differences between susceptible and nonsusceptible groups, together with improved knowledge of electrolyte interactions, may facilitate our understanding of salt-sensitive hypertension.
One-Way, Positive-Pressure Speaking Valve During Mechanical Ventilation Via Tracheostomy Tube: Risks or Benefits?

To the Editor: We read with great interest the randomized controlled trial by Freeman-Sanderson et al (1). The authors reported that an early use of one-way, positivepressure speaking valve during mechanical ventilation via tracheostomy tube significantly hastened the return to phonation compared with cuff deflated tracheostomy tube with standard hospital in southern Taiwan because the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) does not have data regarding SIRS criteria and laboratory results (5). The contents of the hospital claims data were used for reimbursements and similar to those of the inpatient claims files of the NHIRD (5). We found that the proportion of patients with infection and organ failure (identified by chart reviews) but not coded with the diagnoses (in the claims data), that is, false negative, were higher than those without infection and organ failure but coded with the diagnoses, that is, false positive, which leads to a lower sensitivity (83.3%) than specificity (98.9%) of the diagnostic performance calculated against the old definition of SS (3, 5). It should be noted that the purpose, method, and setting of our validation are somewhat different from those by Kaukonen et al (4, 5). Regarding the timing of calculating Charlson comorbidity index, we believe that the “carry-over effect” does not exist because the index was calculated in the first-ever SS admission and the diagnostic codes for comorbidities and organ failures are different (5). The authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest.
Demographic but not geographic insularity in HIV transmission among young black MSM

Objective:To understand patterns of HIV transmission among young black MSM and others in Mississippi. Design:Phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 polymerase (pol) sequences from 799 antiretroviral-naive persons newly diagnosed with HIV infection in Mississippi during 2005–2008, 130 (16%) of whom were black MSM aged 16–25 years. Methods:We identified phylogenetic clusters and used surveillance data to evaluate demographic attributes and risk factors of all persons in clusters that included black MSM aged 16–25 years. Results:We identified 82 phylogenetic clusters, 21 (26%) of which included HIV strains from at least one young black MSM. Of the 69 persons in these clusters, 59 were black MSM and seven were black men with unknown transmission category; the remaining three were MSM of white or Hispanic race/ethnicity. Of these 21 clusters, 10 included residents of one geographic region of Mississippi, whereas 11 included residents of multiple regions or outside of the state. Conclusion:Phylogenetic clusters involving HIV-infected young black MSM were homogeneous with respect to demographic and risk characteristics, suggesting insularity of this population with respect to HIV transmission, but were geographically heterogeneous. Reducing HIV transmission among young black MSM in Mississippi may require prevention strategies that are tailored to young black MSM and those in their sexual networks, and prevention interventions should be delivered in a manner to reach young black MSM throughout the state. Phylogenetic analysis can be a tool for local jurisdictions to understand the transmission dynamics in their areas.
Sperm immobilization activity of Allium sativum L. and other plant extracts.

AIM To identify possible spermicidal agents through screening a number of edible medicinal plants with antimicrobial activity. METHODS Initial screening was made on the basis of ram cauda epididymal sperm immobilization immediately after addition of extracts. The most potent extract was selected and was evaluated on both ram and human spermatozoa. To unravel its mode of action several sperm functional tests were carried out, namely viability of cells, hypo-osmotic swelling test for membrane integrity and assays of membrane-bound enzyme 5'-nucleotidase and acrosomal marker enzyme acrosin. RESULTS The crude aqueous extract of the bulb of Allium sativum L. showed the most promising results by instant immobilization of the ram epididymal sperm at 0.25 g/mL and human ejaculated sperm at 0.5 g/mL. Sperm immobilizing effects were irreversible and the factor of the extract responsible for immobilization was thermostable up to 90 deg. On boiling at 100 deg for 10 minutes, this activity was markedly reduced. Moreover, this extract was able to cause aggregation of ram sperms into small clusters after 30 minutes of incubation at 37 deg. However this property was not found in human spermatozoa. More than 50 % reduction in sperm viability and hypo-osmotic swelling occurred in treated sperm as compared with the controls, indicating the possibility of plasma membrane disintegration which was further supported by the significant reduction in the activity of membrane bound 5'-nucleotidase and acrosomal acrosin. CONCLUSION The crude aqueous extract of A. sativum bulb possesses spermicidal activity in vitro.
The Jonas study: evaluation of the retrievability of the Cordis OptEase inferior vena cava filter.

PURPOSE To evaluate the success, safety, and efficacy of the retrieval of the OptEase Permanent/Retrievable Vena Cava Filter (Cordis, Warren, NJ), when implanted for temporary protection against venous thromboembolism. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective, multicenter, non-randomized study enrolled 27 patients who needed temporary protection against pulmonary embolism in whom the intent at the time of filter insertion was retrieval of the OptEase filter. Patients presented with deep venous thrombosis (n = 17), pulmonary embolism (PE) (n = 6), and high risk for PE without thromboembolic disease (n = 4). Assessments included duplex sonography of the access site performed within 24 hours of device implantation and retrieval. All patients underwent cavography before and after filter placement and filter retrieval. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and clinical follow-up was performed at 1 month after device retrieval. RESULTS Of the 27 enrolled patients, 21 patients (77.8%) met the criteria for retrieval and all 21 patients (100%) had filters successfully retrieved with no associated adverse events. Retrieval was not attempted in six patients as a result of ongoing contraindication to anticoagulation (n = 3), large trapped thrombi within the filter (n = 2), and poor patient prognosis (n = 1). Time to retrieval ranged from 5 to 14 days with a mean implantation time of 11.1 days +/- 1.82. No symptomatic pulmonary embolism, vena cava wall injury, vena cava stenosis, significant bleeding, filter fracture, or filter migration was observed. Nineteen of the 21 patients (90.5%) were followed for 1-month post-retrieval with no device-related adverse events or symptomatic PE. Caval patency was documented in 18 of these 19 patients with CT. Two patients were lost to follow-up, and one patient refused to undergo CT examination. CONCLUSION The OptEase permanent/retrievable vena cava filter can be safely and successfully retrieved up to 14 days in patients who no longer require inferior vena cava filter protection against pulmonary embolism.
Intranucleolar localization of DNA topoisomerase IIα is a distinctive feature of necrotic, but not of apoptotic, Jurkat T‐cells

Two distinct types of cell death have been described: apoptosis and necrosis. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the differences between these two types are far less numerous than initially thought. Morphological analyses might provide important information to distinguish apoptotic from necrotic samples. We recently reported that in necrotic, but not apoptotic, HL‐60 human myeloid leukaemia cells, the nuclear protein topoisomerase IIα concentrated in nucleoli. In order to ascertain whether or not this phenomenon was restricted to a peculiar cell type or could be detected also in cells of lymphoid lineage, we performed an investigation aimed at defining the localization of topoisomerase IIα in apoptotic and necrotic Jurkat human T lymphoblastoid cells. Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that topoisomerase IIα was excluded from the condensed chromatin of apoptotic cells, whereas in necrotic cells it was localized in discrete nuclear dots. Immuno‐electron microscopy analysis showed that topoisomerase IIα was undetectable in nucleoli of normal and apoptotic cells, whereas it was present in the nucleolus of necrotic cells irrespectively of the type of inducer used (ethanol, H2O2, HgCl2). Taken together, our findings identify topoisomerase IIα as a potential morphological marker useful to discriminate between apoptotic and necrotic cells. Microsc. Res. Tech. 62:192–200, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spatial and temporal patterns of genetic variation in the widespread antitropical deep‐sea coral Paragorgia arborea

Numerous deep‐sea species have apparent widespread and discontinuous distributions. Many of these are important foundation species, structuring hard‐bottom benthic ecosystems. Theoretically, differences in the genetic composition of their populations vary geographically and with depth. Previous studies have examined the genetic diversity of some of these taxa in a regional context, suggesting that genetic differentiation does not occur at scales of discrete features such as seamounts or canyons, but at larger scales (e.g. ocean basins). However, to date, few studies have evaluated such diversity throughout the known distribution of a putative deep‐sea species. We utilized sequences from seven mitochondrial gene regions and nuclear genetic variants of the deep‐sea coral Paragorgia arborea in a phylogeographic context to examine the global patterns of genetic variation and their possible correlation with the spatial variables of geographic position and depth. We also examined the compatibility of this morphospecies with the genealogical‐phylospecies concept by examining specimens collected worldwide. We show that the morphospecies P. arborea can be defined as a genealogical‐phylospecies, in contrast to the hypothesis that P. arborea represents a cryptic species complex. Genetic variation is correlated with geographic location at the basin‐scale level, but not with depth. Additionally, we present a phylogeographic hypothesis in which P. arborea originates from the North Pacific, followed by colonization of the Southern Hemisphere prior to migration to the North Atlantic. This hypothesis is consistent with the latest ocean circulation model for the Miocene.
Sinusoidal and Residual Decomposition and Residual Modeling of Musical Tones Using the QUASAR Signal Model

A novel approach to the analysis and synthesis of musical tones based on a Quadratic polynomial-phase Sinusoids And Residual (QUASAR) signal model is presented. Taking advantage of the fact that musical signals are usually analyzed o -line, the proposed approach estimates the sinusoidal parameters using a global waveform tting criterion and uses LPC-based waveform coding techniques for synthesizing residuals. An example of piano note is included to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed approach in terms of memory use (data reduction), computational complexity, and synthesis quality.