Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Feeding ecology of Xenoturbella bocki (phylum Xenoturbellida) revealed by genetic barcoding

The benthic marine worm Xenoturbella is frequently contaminated with molluscan DNA, which had earlier caused confusion resulting in a suggested bivalve relationship. In order to find the source of the contaminant, we have used molluscan sequences derived from Xenoturbella and compared them to barcodes obtained from several individuals of the nonmicroscopic molluscs sharing the same environment as Xenoturbella. Using cytochrome oxidase 1, we found the contaminating sequences to be 98% similar to the bivalve Ennucula tenuis. Using the highly variable D1–D2 region of the large ribosomal subunit in Xenoturbella, we found three distinct species of contaminating molluscs, one of which is 99% similar to the bivalve Abra nitida, one of the most abundant bivalves in the Gullmarsfjord where Xenoturbella was found, and another 99% similar to the bivalve Nucula sulcata. These data clearly show that Xenoturbella only contains molluscan DNA originating from bivalves living in the same environment, refuting former hypotheses of a bivalve relationship. In addition, these data suggest that Xenoturbella feeds specifically on bivalve prey from multiple species, possibly in the form of eggs and larvae.
Erythropoietin Induces Excessive Neointima Formation: A Study in a Rat Carotid Artery Model of Vascular Injury

A therapeutic strategy that would mitigate the events leading to hyperplasia and facilitate re-endothelialization of an injured artery after balloon angioplasty could be effective for a long-term patency of the artery. It is hypothesized that erythropoietin (EPO), which has both anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties, will prevent hyperplasia, and its ability to proliferate and mobilize endothelial progenitor cells will re-endothelialize the injured artery. To test this hypothesis, EPO (5000 IU/kg) in solution was injected intraperitoneally 6 hours before vascular injury and then on every alternate day for a week or as a single dose (5000 IU/kg) in a sustained release gel formulation 1 week before the vascular injury. Morphometric analysis revealed nearly continuous re-endothelialization of the injured artery in EPO solution-treated animals (90% vs less than 20% in saline control); however, the treatment also caused excessive neointima formation (intima/media ratio, 2.10 ± 0.09 vs 1.60 ± 0.02 saline control, n = 5, P < .001). The EPO gel also induced similar excessive neointima formation. Immunohistochemical analysis of the injured arteries from the animals treated with EPO solution demonstrated a significant angiogenic response in adventitia and media, thus explaining the formation of excessive neointima. Although the results are in contrast to expectation, they explain a greater degree of stenosis seen in hemodialysis access fistulas in patients who are on EPO therapy for anemic condition. The results also caution the use of EPO, particularly in patients who are at a risk of vascular injury or are suffering from an atherosclerotic condition.
Temporal coupling between neuronal activity and blood flow in rat cerebellar cortex as indicated by field potential analysis

Laser‐Doppler flowmetry and extracellular recordings of field potentials were used to examine the temporal coupling between neuronal activity and increases in cerebellar blood flow (CeBF). Climbing fibre‐evoked increases in CeBF were dependent on stimulus duration, indicating that increases in CeBF reflected a time integral in neuronal activity. The simplest way to represent neuronal activity over time was to obtain a running summation of evoked field potential amplitudes (runΣFP). RunΣFP was calculated for each stimulus protocol and compared with the time course of the CeBF responses to demonstrate coupling between nerve cell activity and CeBF. In the climbing fibre system, the amplitude and time course of CeBF were in agreement with the calculated postsynaptic runΣFP (2–20 Hz for 60 s). This suggested coupling between CeBF and neuronal activity in this excitatory, monosynaptic, afferent‐input system under these conditions. There was no correlation between runΣFP and CeBF during prolonged stimulation. Parallel fibre‐evoked increases in CeBF correlated with runΣFP of pre‐ and postsynaptic potentials (2–15 Hz for 60 s). At higher stimulation frequencies and during longer‐lasting stimulation the time course and amplitudes of CeBF responses correlated with runΣFP of presynaptic, but not postsynaptic potentials. This suggested a more complex relationship in this mixed inhibitory‐excitatory, disynaptic, afferent‐input system. This study has demonstrated temporal coupling between neuronal activity and CeBF in the monosynaptic, excitatory climbing‐fibre system. In the mixed mono‐ and disynaptic parallel fibre system, temporal coupling was most clearly observed at low stimulation frequencies. We propose that appropriate modelling of electrophysiological data is needed to document functional coupling of neuronal activity and blood flow.
FceRI density and spontaneous secretion from human basophils

Mast cells and basophils depend on aggregation of the high-affinity IgE receptor, FceRI, to initiate secretion. A variety of studies have shown that FceRI densities vary 100 fold among subjects’ basophils and it has been speculated that high densities might be responsible for unusual behaviors of the cells, notably sensitivity to certain monomeric IgE antibodies or spontaneous release. These studies experimentally examined the density dependence of spontaneous release and signaling element expression in subjects’ basophils with FceRI densities ranging from approximately 6000 to 600,000 per cell. Through the use of numerical simulation, this study examined the expectations for spontaneous receptor aggregation and aggregate persistence at densities of FceRI ranging from 5000 to 500,000. Experimentally, FceRI density was not associated with greater spontaneous histamine release even when secretion was enhanced by the inclusion of deuterium oxide in the buffers. There was also no association of 15 activating or de-activating signaling elements with FceRI density. The numerical simulations demonstrated that at densities of ≈500,000 receptors, 13% of receptors were involved in transient aggregates at any given moment but that these aggregates rarely persisted for greater than 10 milliseconds. In contrast, a weak linear antigen aggregator, with ligand affinities known to induce secretion, would generate aggregates persisting for an average of ≈60 milliseconds. These results suggest that although a high density of FceRI likely produces a large number of transient aggregates, these aggregates do not persist long enough to induce signaling that results in secretion and do not induce the cells to alter their expression of several signaling elements known to be important in regulating secretion from human basophils. The results set some boundaries on the aggregation requirements for inducing histamine release from human basophils.
Does the CDM discourage emission reduction targets in advanced developing countries?

Under the Kyoto Protocol, developing countries can voluntarily participate in climate change mitigation through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), in which industrialized countries, in order to meet their mitigation commitments, can buy emission reduction credits from projects in developing countries. Before its implementation, developing-country experts opposed the CDM, arguing that it would sell-off their countries’ cheapest emission reduction options and force them to invest in more expensive measures to meet their future reduction targets. This ‘low-hanging fruit’ argument is analysed empirically by comparing marginal abatement cost curves. Emissions abatement costs and potentials for CDM projects are estimated for different technologies in eight countries, using capital budgeting tools and information from project documentation. It is found that the CDM is not yet capturing a large portion of the identified abatement potential in most countries. Although the costs of most emissions reduction opportunities grasped are below the average credit price, there are still plenty of available low-cost opportunities. Mexico and Argentina appear to use the CDM predominantly for harvesting the low-hanging fruit, whereas in the other countries more expensive projects are accessing the CDM. This evidence at first sight challenges the low-hanging fruit claim, but needs to be understood in the light of the barriers for the adoption of low-cost abatement options.
TiNbO2-Based Photodetectors With Low Dark Current and High UV-to-Visible Rejection Ratio

We reported on metal-semiconductor-metal ultraviolet (UV) photodetector (PD) based on pulse-laser-deposited TiNbO<sub>2</sub> alloy film. The TiNbO<sub>2</sub> PD exhibited a low dark current density of ~0.46 nA/cm<sup>2</sup>, a high UV-to-visible rejection ratio of ~10<sup>6</sup>, and a high responsivity of ~0.22 A/W under the illumination of 310-nm light (~1.86 mW/cm<sup>2</sup>). Interestingly, the TiNbO<sub>2</sub> alloy PD presents a blue-shift cutoff wavelength of 350 nm due to quantum size effect and alloy characteristics, which would be promising for the further research in the UV detection.
The Histopathological Changes Associated with Allograft Rejection and Drug Toxicity in Renal Transplant Recipients Maintained on FK506: Clinical Significance and Comparison with Cyclosporine

The histopathological changes in 51 renal allograft biopsies from patients immunosuppressed with FK506 were compared with those seen in 30 needle biopsies obtained from patients on cyclosporine. The frequency and severity of rejection episodes were similar in both groups. Tubular vacuolation and myocyte vacuolation were found to be useful morphological markers to monitor short-term drug toxicity associated with both drugs. Long-term administration of FK506 led to striped interstitial fibrosis and arteriolar hyalinosis, similar to that previously documented for cyclosporine. One case each of hemolytic uremic syndrome and necrotizing arteriopathy was noted in patients receiving FK506. FK506 and cyclosporine are structurally unrelated compounds; hence the parallelism observed in their nephrotoxicity profile suggests that the interactions of these drugs with renal tissue involves the operation of two different initial signal-transducing mechanisms, ultimately activating the same final metabolic pathways.
Association of prenatal exposure to benzodiazepines and child internalizing problems: A sibling-controlled cohort study

Background During pregnancy, many women experience sleep problems and anxiety that require treatment. The long-term safety for the child of maternal benzodiazepine (BZD) and z-hypnotic use during pregnancy remains controversial. Method We conducted a cohort and a sibling control study using data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Data on use of BZD and z-hypnotics, internalizing and externalizing outcomes, and covariates were collected from mothers at gestational weeks 17 and 30 and when children were 0.5, 1.5, and 3 years of age. The total sample consisted of 71,996 children (19,297 siblings) at 1.5 years and 55,081 children (13,779 siblings) at 3 years. Short-term use was defined as use in one pregnancy period only. Long-term use was defined as use in two or more pregnancy periods. Linear full cohort random-effect and sibling-matched fixed-effect regression models were used to compare internalizing and externalizing behavior in children prenatally exposed compared to those unexposed in the full cohort of pregnancies accounting for family clusters, as well as within sibling clusters comparing pregnancies with discordant exposures. Propensity score (PS) adjustment included variables on indication for use (sleep problems, symptoms of anxiety and depression) and other potential confounding factors. Results Long-term prenatal exposure to BZD or z-hypnotics was associated with increased internalizing behavior in crude cohort analyses and at age 1.5 years after PS adjustment in sibling-matched fixed-effect models [β 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.17–0.95]. Analyses on specific drug groups showed that prenatal exposure to BZD-anxiolytics was associated with increased internalizing problems at both 1.5 years [β 0.25, 0.01–0.49] and 3 years [β 0.26, 0.002–0.52] while exposure to z-hypnotics was not associated with any adverse outcomes after adjustment. Conclusion The findings suggest a moderate association between BZD-anxiolytic exposure and child internalizing problems that is not likely due to stable familial confounding factors.
Assessing evidence in public health: the added value of GRADE.

Akl EA, 2012, BMC PUBLIC HEALTH, V12, DOI 10.1186-1471-2458-12-386; Barbui C, 2010, PLOS MED, V7, DOI 10.1371-journal.pmed. 1000322; Deeks JJ, 2003, HEALTH TECHNOL ASSES, V7, p[iii, 1]; Duclos P, 2012, VACCINE, V31, P12, DOI 10.1016-j.vaccine. 2012.02. 041; Durrheim DN, 2010, J EPIDEMIOL COMMUN H, V64, P387, DOI 10.1136-jech.2009. 103226; European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 2011, EV BAS METH PUBL HLT; Guyatt GH, 2011, J CLIN EPIDEMIOL, V64, P380, DOI 10.1016-j.jclinepi. 2010.09. 011; Guyatt GH, 2011, J CLIN EPIDEMIOL, V64, P1283, DOI 10.1016-j.jclinepi. 2011.01. 012; Rehfuess EA, 2011, J EPIDEMIOL COMMUN H, V65, P559, DOI 10.1136-jech.2010. 130013; Schunemann H, 2010, J EPIDEMIOL COMMUNIT, V65; Sun X, 2010, BRIT MED J, V340, DOI 10.1136-bmj.c117; Sun X, 2012, BRIT MED J, V344, DOI 10.1136-bmj.e1553; WHO, GUID DEV EV BAS VACC
A hierarchical demand-side management system for MV networks with high RES penetration

This paper presents a hierarchical demand-side management (DSM) system designed for medium-voltage (MV) networks with high penetration of renewable energy sources (RES). The system is formed by extending an existing system designed for DSM of electric water heaters in low-voltage (LV) networks. The proposed extension introduces additional control layer which coordinates operation of LV DSM systems located in the examined MV distribution network. The objective is to maximize local consumption of the energy produced by RES and level the transmission profile at the interconnection of the MV and the HV networks. The performance of the proposed system is tested in simulations on a part of MV distribution network in the Czech Republic. The simulations show that the proposed system is capable of significantly increasing local consumption of energy produced by RES. The simulations also demonstrate advantages of coordinated dispatch of LV DSM systems over the case when they are operated autonomously since the former allows to fully exploit demand-side potential of LV areas with low amount of installed RES.
Local television news coverage of President Clinton's introduction of the Health Security Act.

OBJECTIVE To investigate how local television news reported on health system reform during the week President Clinton presented his health system reform bill. DESIGN Retrospective content analysis of the 1342-page Health Security Act of 1993, the printed text of President Clinton's speech before Congress on September 22, 1993, and a sample of local television news stories on health system reform broadcast during the week of September 19 through 25, 1993. SETTING The state of California. RESULTS During the week, 316 television news stories on health system reform were aired during the 166 local news broadcasts sampled. Health system reform was the second most frequently reported topic, second to stories on violent crime. News stories on health system reform averaged 1 minute 38 seconds in length, compared with 57 seconds for violent crime. Fifty-seven percent of the local news stories focused on interest group politics. Compared with the content of the Health Security Act, local news broadcasts devoted a significantly greater portion of their stories to financing, eligibility, and preventive services. Local news stories gave significantly less attention to cost-saving mechanisms, long-term care benefits, and changes in Medicare and Medicaid, and less than 2% of stories mentioned quality assurance mechanisms, malpractice reform, or new public health initiatives. Of the 316 televised news stories, 53 reported on the president's speech, covering many of the same topics emphasized in the speech (financing, organization and administration, and eligibility) and de-emphasizing many of the same topics (Medicare and Medicaid, quality assurance, and malpractice reform). Two percent of the president's speech covered partisan politics; 45% of the local news stories on the speech featured challenges from partisan politicians. CONCLUSIONS Although health system reform was the focus of a large number of local television news stories during the week, in-depth explanation was scarce. In general, the news stories provided superficial coverage framed largely in terms of the risks and costs of reform to specific stakeholders.
Decreased CD161 activating and increased CD158a inhibitory receptor expression on NK cells underlies impaired NK cell cytotoxicity in patients with multiple myeloma

Aim As innate immune cells natural killer (NK), NK-like T and CTLγδ are important in antitumour response in multiple myeloma (MM), the aim of this study was to investigate some functional and phenotypical characteristics of these cells in MM. Methods 29 patients with MM prior to therapy, in clinical stage I-III and 15 healthy controls (HCs) were investigated. Percent of immune cells in peripheral blood, NK cell activity, expression of activating (CD161) and inhibitory (CD158a, CD158b) NK cell receptors on CD3−CD16+ NK cells were evaluated using 51-chromium-release assay and by flow cytometry. Production of interleukin (IL) 2 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)α was analysed in supernatants from in vitro activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results In patients with MM the percent of NK cells and their two subsets did not differ from controls, while NK-like T and CTLγδ cells were significantly decreased. Significant impairment of NK cell cytotoxicity, CD107a expression and interferon γ intracellular level was also shown. There was a significant decrease in CD161 and an increase in CD158a receptor expression on NK cells in these patients. Also IL-2 production was lowest in clinical stage III. However, TNF-α production did not differ between patients and HCs. Conclusions Altered expression of CD161 activating and CD158a KIR inhibitory receptor is responsible for impaired antitumour activity of NK cells in MM patients. These new biomarkers may be helpful for patient selection for immunotherapy with cytokines, and novel KIR blocking monoclonal antibodies that enhance NK cell antimyeloma activity and provide clinical benefit.
Longitudinal study of cognitive function in first-episode and recent-onset schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE Whether cognitive function in schizophrenia deteriorates, improves, or remains stable is a crucial question. Few studies have examined the longitudinal stability of cognitive function and the relationship between cognitive performance and clinical symptoms over time in a cohort of well-treated patients with schizophrenia. METHOD In the present study, 54 patients with first-episode and recent-onset schizophrenia completed a comprehensive cognitive test battery and were rated on symptom measures at index hospitalization and again after 5 years. RESULTS Performance IQ and full-scale IQ significantly improved, whereas verbal IQ did not change. Group performance improved on some of the neuropsychological tests, including the Circle A letter-cancellation task, free recall of logical memory test score, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Mean finger-tapping performance worsened over time, whereas performance on other neuropsychological tests did not change. Negative, psychotic, and disorganized symptoms significantly improved over the time period. Changes in negative symptoms were correlated with performance changes in verbal IQ and full-scale IQ but not performance IQ. Improvement in verbal cognition was observed when negative symptoms improved. Psychotic and disorganized symptom dimensions were not correlated with any IQ measure. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that in a cohort of young patients receiving neuroleptic treatment early in their illness, cognitive performance does not deteriorate--and may improve. Only one of the three symptom dimensions--negative--was associated with change in cognitive performance. This study supports the view that negative symptoms are associated with a poor long-term cognitive outcome and may be closely related to the primary cognitive deficit in schizophrenia.
A multifactorial fall prevention programme in the community-dwelling aged: predictors of adherence.

BACKGROUND Overall adherence rates have usually been reported in fall prevention studies, but predictors of adherence have rarely been described. The aim of this study was to determine the adherence rates and the predictors of adherence in four key activities of a multifactorial fall prevention trial. METHODS This study is part of a multifactorial fall prevention programme implemented among the 65-year-old or older community-dwelling aged who had fallen at least once during the previous 12 months. Subjects (n = 591) were randomly assigned to an intensive prevention programme or to a counselling group. Four key activities of prevention programme included physical exercise in small groups, psychosocial group activities, lectures and home exercises. Associations between adherence rates and potential predictors were analysed using cumulative logistic regression. RESULTS The mean adherence rate was 58% in the physical exercise groups, 25% in the psychosocial groups and 33% in lectures. Subjects performed home-exercises on average 11 times per month. In multivariate analyses, infrequent feelings of loneliness, low self-perceived probability of falling at home and good physical functional abilities were significant predictors of active physical exercise group adherence. Good physical and cognitive functional abilities predicted active psychosocial group adherence. Female gender and good physical and cognitive functional abilities predicted more active lecture adherence. CONCLUSION Persons with the poorest physical, cognitive and psychological functional abilities representing the part of the population at highest risk of falling do not seem reachable in multifactorial risk-based intervention.