Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid receptor distribution in rat testis during postnatal development and effects of dexamethasone on immature peritubular cells in vitro

Summary. In this study, the occurrence of the glucocorticoid receptor in the rat testis during early stages of postnatal development and its potential functional significance were investigated. Quantitative analyses of immunohistochemically labelled paraffin sections revealed that the receptor was present during all stages of postnatal development in the nuclei of interstitial cells such as Leydig cells, macrophages and fibroblasts, and endothelial cells of blood vessels. The labelling index increased initially, with maximum levels reached within the second week of postnatal development, and decreased thereafter. Within the seminiferous tubules, the glucocorticoid receptor could be detected in the nuclei of germ cells as well as Sertoli cells, reaching the highest levels in 3‐week‐old rats, mainly due to immature germ cell staining. In contrast, approximately 50% of the peritubular cell nuclei were stained throughout postnatal development. In vitro experiments on immature and immortalized peritubular cells demonstrated a dose‐dependent and significant decrease in proliferation and fibronectin secretion after administration of dexamethasone. The data of this study suggest that glucocorticoids have a consistently repressive effect on peritubular cells throughout postnatal development. In summary, labelling of germ cells, especially in immature rats, might indicate an inhibition of spermatogenesis by corticosteroids.
The Incubation Period of Kuru

Background. Kuru is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy that was identified in Papua New Guinea in the late 1950s. Several thousand cases of the disease occurred during a period of several decades. Epidemiologic investigations implicated ritual endocannibalistic funeral feasts as the likely route through which the infectious agent was spread. Methods. We estimated the incubation period distribution of kuru using a back-calculation model and explored the relation among sex, age at infection, and incubation period. Key assumptions in the model were that the number of new kuru infections in a year was proportional to the number of kuru cases dying that year, and that the epidemic arose from a single case of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease occurring around 1900. Results. The mean incubation period of kuru was estimated at between 10.3 and 13.2 years. Point estimates of the 90th percentile ranged from 21.1 to 27.0 years. The incubation period in females was estimated to be shorter than that in males. The shortest incubation periods were estimated in adult women, who may have been exposed to the largest doses of infectious material. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that the relatively young age of cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease probably reflects increased levels of exposure in young people, rather than age-dependency in the incubation period.
Comparison of the action of baclofen with gamma‐aminobutyric acid on rat hippocampal pyramidal cells in vitro.

Intracellular recordings from CA1 pyramidal cells in the hippocampal slice preparation were used to compare the action of baclofen, a gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogue, with GABA. Ionophoretic application of GABA or baclofen into stratum (s.) pyramidale evoked hyperpolarizations associated with reductions in the input resistance of the cell. Baclofen responses were easier to elicit in the dendrites than in the cell body layer. Blockade of synaptic transmission, with tetrodotoxin or cadmium, did not reduce baclofen responses, indicating a direct post‐synaptic action. (+)‐Bicuculline (10 microM) and bicuculline methiodide (100 microM) had little effect on baclofen responses but strongly antagonized somatic GABA responses of equal amplitude. The bicuculline resistance of the baclofen response was not absolute, as higher concentrations of these compounds did reduce it. Pentobarbitone (100 microM) enhanced somatic GABA responses without affecting baclofen responses. (‐)‐Baclofen was approximately 200 times more potent than (+)‐baclofen. The reversal potentials for the somatic GABA and baclofen responses were ‐70 mV and ‐85 mV respectively. When the membrane was depolarized, the baclofen response was reduced. This apparent voltage sensitivity was not seen with somatic GABA responses. Altering the chloride gradient across the cell membrane altered the reversal potential of the somatic GABA response but not that of the baclofen response. It was extrapolated that a tenfold shift in the extracellular potassium concentration would cause a 48 mV shift in the reversal potential of the baclofen response. Barium ions reduced the baclofen response, but not the GABA response. Orthodromic stimulation produced a fast inhibitory post‐synaptic potential (i.p.s.p.) and a slow i.p.s.p. The properties of the fast and slow i.p.s.p.s were remarkably similar to those of the somatic GABA and baclofen responses, respectively. Application of GABA to the pyramidal cell dendrites evoked, in addition to a depolarization, two types of hyperpolarization. One type of hyperpolarization was bicuculline sensitive, had a reversal potential of about ‐65 mV and appeared to be chloride dependent. The other hyperpolarization was more easily observed in bicuculline methiodide (100 microM). This response was similar to that evoked by baclofen since it had a high reversal potential (about ‐90 mV), was relatively insensitive to changes in the chloride gradient across the cell membrane and was reduced by barium. The bicuculline‐sensitive hyperpolarization could be evoked by the dendritic or somatic ionophoresis of muscimol and THIP (4,5,6,7‐tetrahydroisoxazolo‐[5,4‐c]pyridin‐3(2H)‐one. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Infection control practices (safe injection and medication vial utilization) for interventional techniques: are they based on relative risk management or evidence?

BACKGROUND Recently, multiple regulations and recommendations for safe infection control practices and safe injection and medication vial utilization have been implemented. These include single dose and multi-dose vials for a single patient and regulations. It is a well known fact that transmission of bloodborne pathogens during health care procedures continues to occur because of the use of unsafe and improper injection, infusion, and medication administration. Multiple case reports have been published illustrating the occurrence of infections in interventional pain management and other minor techniques because of lack of safe injection practices, and noncompliance with other precautions. However, there are no studies or case reports illustrating the transmission of infection due to the use of single dose vials in multiple patients when appropriate precautions are observed. Similarly, the preparation standards for simple procedures such as medial branch blocks or transforaminal epidurals have not been proven to be essential. Further, the effectiveness or necessity of surgical face masks and hats, etc., for interventional techniques has not been proven. OBJECTIVE To assess the rates of infection in patients undergoing interventional techniques. STUDY DESIGN A prospective, non-randomized study of patients undergoing interventional techniques from May 2008 to December 2009. STUDY SETTING An interventional pain management practice, a specialty referral center, a private practice setting in the United States. METHODS All patients presenting for interventional techniques from May 2008 to December 2009 are included with documentation of various complications related to interventional techniques including infection. RESULTS May 2008 to December 2009 a total of 3,179 patients underwent 12,000 encounters with 18,472 procedures. A total of 12 patients reported suspicion of infection. All of them were evaluated by a physician and only one of them was a superficial infection due to the patient's poor hygienic practices which required no antibiotic therapy. LIMITATIONS Limitations include the nonrandomized observational nature of the study. CONCLUSION There were no infections of any significance noted in approximately 3,200 patients with over 18,000 procedures performed during a 20-month period in an ambulatory surgery center utilizing simple precautions for clean procedures with the use of single dose vials for multiple patients and using safe injection practices.
Left-right asymmetry of the hippocampal synapses with differential subunit allocation of glutamate receptors

Left-right asymmetry of the brain has been studied mostly through psychological examination and functional imaging in primates, leaving its molecular and synaptic aspects largely unaddressed. Here, we show that hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell synapses differ in size, shape, and glutamate receptor expression depending on the laterality of presynaptic origin. CA1 synapses receiving neuronal input from the right CA3 pyramidal cells are larger and have more perforated PSD and a GluR1 expression level twice as high as those receiving input from the left CA3. The synaptic density of GluR1 increases as the size of a synapse increases, whereas that of NR2B decreases because of the relatively constant NR2B expression in CA1 regardless of synapse size. Densities of other major glutamate receptor subunits show no correlation with synapse size, thus resulting in higher net expression in synapses having right input. Our study demonstrates universal left-right asymmetry of hippocampal synapses with a fundamental relationship between synaptic area and the expression of glutamate receptor subunits.
Social Media for Message Testing: A Multilevel Approach to Linking Favorable Viewer Responses with Message, Producer, and Viewer Influence on YouTube

To explore the feasibility of social media for message testing, this study connects favorable viewer responses to antismoking videos on YouTube with the videos' message characteristics (message sensation value [MSV] and appeals), producer types, and viewer influences (viewer rating and number of viewers). Through multilevel modeling, a content analysis of 7,561 viewer comments on antismoking videos is linked with a content analysis of 87 antismoking videos. Based on a cognitive response approach, viewer comments are classified and coded as message-oriented thought, video feature-relevant thought, and audience-generated thought. The three mixed logit models indicate that videos with a greater number of viewers consistently increased the odds of favorable viewer responses, while those presenting humor appeals decreased the odds of favorable message-oriented and audience-generated thoughts. Some significant interaction effects show that videos produced by laypeople may hinder favorable viewer responses, while a greater number of viewer comments can work jointly with videos presenting threat appeals to predict favorable viewer responses. Also, for a more accurate understanding of audience responses to the messages, nuance cues should be considered together with message features and viewer influences.
DNA Adducts Formed by Aristolochic Acid Are Unique Biomarkers of Exposure and Explain the Initiation Phase of Upper Urothelial Cancer

Aristolochic acid (AA) is a plant alkaloid that causes aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) and Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), unique renal diseases frequently associated with upper urothelial cancer (UUC). This review summarizes the significance of AA-derived DNA adducts in the aetiology of UUC leading to specific A:T to T:A transversion mutations (mutational signature) in AAN/BEN-associated tumours, which are otherwise rare in individuals with UCC not exposed to AA. Therefore, such DNA damage produced by AA-DNA adducts is one rare example of the direct association of exposure and cancer development (UUC) in humans, confirming that the covalent binding of carcinogens to DNA is causally related to tumourigenesis. Although aristolochic acid I (AAI), the major component of the natural plant extract AA, might directly cause interstitial nephropathy, enzymatic activation of AAI to reactive intermediates capable of binding to DNA is a necessary step leading to the formation of AA-DNA adducts and subsequently AA-induced malignant transformation. Therefore, AA-DNA adducts can not only be utilized as biomarkers for the assessment of AA exposure and markers of AA-induced UUC, but also be used for the mechanistic evaluation of its enzymatic activation and detoxification. Differences in AA metabolism might be one of the reasons for an individual’s susceptibility in the multi-step process of AA carcinogenesis and studying associations between activities and/or polymorphisms of the enzymes metabolising AA is an important determinant to identify individuals having a high risk of developing AA-mediated UUC.
Patient Preference in Clinical Trials for Headache Medication: The Patient's View

From a clinical point of view, the subjective preference of the patient regarding headache medication is imperative. Consequently, a new trial design for headache medication, the so-called patient preference trial, has been vividly discussed. However, some critical questions have been raised concerning preference trials, such as whether placebos should be used, the necessity of blinding, and how to assess the data if a patient does not prefer medication A over B. As patient preference is the topic, we passed these questions on to headache patients using a questionnaire, which was handed out to 1112 headache patients. Out of 612, 486 returned questionnaires were correctly completed and analysed. Complete pain relief was the most important factor for 61% of patients to qualify a therapy effective. This is in contrast to the literature, where rapid speed of onset of the drug is discussed as the most important factor for migraineurs. Regarding the study design, 80% of the patients want to decide the time-point of taking acute medication themselves. About 60% of the patients would participate in placebo-controlled clinical trials and agree that studies should be blinded. If patients had to decide between two equally effective drugs, most would vote for the drug which is available in different application forms. Furthermore, we used the same questionnaire to ask headache specialists with expertise in performing headache studies the same questions. This was mailed to and completed by 22 experts in Germany. In this article, we discuss the patient preference compared with the expert preference regarding clinic trials and drug therapy.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH—WOMEN'S SEXUAL HEALTH: Chocolate and Women's Sexual Health: An Intriguing Correlation

ABSTRACT Introduction Historically chocolate has been reported to exert several effects on human sexuality, mainly acting as an effective aphrodisiac, increasing sexual desire, and improving sexual pleasure. Aim The aim of our study was to assess whether there is an association between daily chocolate intake and sexual function in a convenience sample of Northern Italian women. Methods A convenience sample of 163 women (mean ± SD age: 35.3 ± 9.2 years; body mass index [BMI]: 22.5 ± 3.5 kg/m 2 ), recruited through advertising, completed an anonymous semistructured interview on recreational habits and questionnaires to assess sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI]), sexual distress (Female Sexual Distress Scale), and depression (Beck Depression Inventory and Center for Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale). Results Complete data were available for 153/163 (93.8%) women. Participants who reported daily chocolate intake (Group 1: 120 women) were significantly younger than those (Group 2: 33 women) who did not report to eat chocolate (33.9 ± 0.8 years vs. 40.4 ± 1.6 years, respectively) ( P = 0.0003), despite a similar BMI. Participants in Group 1 had significantly higher total ( P = 0.002) and desire domain ( P = 0.01) FSFI scores than participants in Group 2. No differences between the two groups were observed concerning sexual arousal and satisfaction, sexual distress and depression. Our data also confirm that aging has a high statistically significant impact on women's sexual function. Conclusions It is alluring to hypothesize that chocolate can have either a psychological or a biological positive impact on women's sexuality. In our sample women reporting chocolate consumption have higher FSFI scores than women who do not eat chocolate. However, when data are adjusted for age FSFI scores are similar, regardless of chocolate consumption. Salonia A, Fabbri F, Zanni G, Scavini M, Fantini GV, Briganti A, Naspro R, Parazzini F, Gori E, Rigatti P, and Montorsi F. Chocolate and women's sexual health: An intriguing correlation. J Sex Med 2006;3:476–482.
A genetic analysis of the function of LuxO, a two‐component response regulator involved in quorum sensing in Vibrio harveyi

Two independent quorum‐sensing systems control the expression of bioluminescence (lux) in the marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi. Each system is composed of an autoinducer (AI‐1 or AI‐2) and its cognate sensor (LuxN or LuxQ). The sensors are two‐component hybrid kinases, containing both sensor kinase domains and response regulator domains. Sensory information from the two systems is relayed by a phosphotransfer mechanism to a shared integrator protein called LuxO. LuxO is a member of the response regulator class of the two‐component family of signal transduction proteins, and LuxO acts negatively to control luminescence. In this report, missense and in frame deletion mutations were constructed in luxO that encoded proteins mimicking either the phosphorylated or the unphosphorylated form, and these mutations were introduced into the V. harveyi chromosome at the luxO locus. Phenotypical analyses of the resulting mutant V. harveyi strains indicate that the phosphorylated form of LuxO is the repressor, and that the unphosphorylated form of the protein is inactive. Analysis of the lux phenotypes of V. harveyi strains containing single and double luxN and luxQ mutations indicate that LuxN and LuxQ have two activities on LuxO. They act as LuxO protein kinases at low cell density in the absence of autoinducers, and they switch to LuxO protein phosphatases at high cell density in the presence of autoinducers. Furthermore, the timing and potency of inputs from the two systems into regulation of quorum sensing are different.
Drobne gospodarstwa rolne we współczesnych łańcuchach żywnościowych* Participation of small farms in modern food supply chains

Streszczenie. Ostatnie dwie dekady w krajach Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej cechują sie dynamicznymi zmianami w lancuchach zywnościowych. Najwazniejsze z nich to przemiana struktury agrarnej, wzrost konkurencyjności firm przetworstwa spozywczego, konsolidacja segmentu hurtowego i rosnące znaczenie sieci wielkich marketow. Szereg badan wskazuje na problemy rolnikow związane z rosnącymi wymogami i standardami na nowoczesnych rynkach zywnościowych. Problemem jest np. wybieranie wiekszych i nowocześniejszych dostawcow przez sieci duzych marketow. Istnieją jednak doniesienia, ze uczestniczenie w nowoczesnych kanalach dystrybucji moze wplywac pozytywnie na sytuacje drobnych producentow rolnych. Jednym z waznych czynnikow wplywających na wykluczenie drobnych producentow rolnych z nowoczesnych rynkow zywnościowych lub wlączenie ich do tych rynkow jest sila przetargowa. Liczne opracowania wskazują, ze sila przetargowa rolnikow jest znacznie mniejsza od sily podmiotow na poziomie przetworstwa i handlu detalicznego. Moze to prowadzic do wykluczania drobnych producentow z rynku, zwiekszania produkcji na wlasne potrzeby i poszerzania zasiegu ubostwa. Do glownych rozwiązan wzmacniających pozycje drobnych gospodarstw w lancuchu zywnościowym nalezy ulatwianie dostepu do uslug finansowych i inne dzialania nakierowane na wspieranie inwestycji w gospodarstwach. Slowa kluczowe: drobne gospodarstwa rolne, lancuchy zywnościowe, sila przetargowa, Europa Środkowo-Wschodnia
Validation of color Doppler EUS for azygos blood flow measurement in patients with cirrhosis: application to the acute hemodynamic effects of somatostatin, octreotide, or placebo.

BACKGROUND Color Doppler EUS (CD-EUS) allows minimally invasive measurement of azygos blood flow (AzBF) in portal hypertension, but further validation of the method is needed. Because a limited number of patients has been studied, the acute hemodynamic effects of somatostatin and octreotide on AzBF and gastric mucosal perfusion are poorly defined in portal hypertension. METHODS A double-blind hemodynamic study was designed to assess rapid changes in AzBF over a 60-minute period after intravenous administration of somatostatin, octreotide, and placebo in 30 stable patients with biopsy-proven cirrhosis. AzBF was measured by using both CD-EUS and the invasive thermal dilution technique in the first 10 patients (phase 1). Then, with CD-EUS alone, the hemodynamic study was extended to a further 20 patients (phase 2). In addition, gastric mucosal perfusion changes were assessed by using laser Doppler flowmetry at endoscopy. RESULTS In phase 1, the 2 methods for AzBF measurement showed significant correlations both for baseline values (r = 0.685) and for AzBF changes over 60 minutes after drug administration (r = 0.733). In phase 2, a reduction was observed in AzBF 10 minutes after octreotide or somatostatin administration (-47% and -23%, p < 0.0001 vs. placebo, p = 0.058 vs. placebo, respectively). After 60 minutes of somatostatin infusion, AzBF increased 27% over placebo values (p < 0.04). Gastric mucosal perfusion was transiently reduced 5 minutes after octreotide or somatostatin (-21% and -32%, respectively, p < 0.02 vs. placebo). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to validate CD-EUS AzBF measurement with reference to the invasive thermodilution technique in cirrhosis. It confirmed the transient effects of somatostatin and octreotide on both AzBF and gastric mucosal perfusion. In addition, a significant rebound phenomenon after 60 minutes of continuous intravenous somatostatin infusion was observed.
Mannose‐binding lectin is involved in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome after cardiac surgery: effects of blood transfusions

BACKGROUND: Serum levels of mannose‐binding lectin (MBL), a recognition molecule of the lectin pathway of complement, are highly variable, based on genetic variation. After cardiac surgery, extracorporeal circulation and ischemia‐reperfusion injury initiate a systemic inflammatory response, which can evolve to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Preoperative transfusions of allogeneic white blood cells (WBCs) contribute to infectious and inflammatory complications. This study investigates the role of MBL in relation to blood transfusions and complications after cardiac surgery.
Tests of the Contrarian Strategy Evidence from the Chinese Stock Market

The Contrarian Strategy implies buying the "value stock" which is priced too low and selling the "glamour stock" which is priced too high. The empirical research in many stock markets indicate that the contrarian strategy outperforms the market. This study researches whether the contrarian strategy can yield higher returns in Chinese stock market. The result reveals that using proper indexes and terms, the contrarian strategy is effective in China. But as an emerging stock market, the condition in China is not the same as in the western countries. The effective contrarian cycle is much shorter in China than in the US. This phenomenon may be caused by the high turnover ratios of the Chinese stock market.