Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tridimensional study of the deep cortex of the rat lymph node. I: Topography of the deep cortex

Diagrams of the lymph node currently represent its deep cortex (paracortex) as a layer of rather uniform thickness underlying the whole peripheral cortex. However, this concept has not been supported by actual observations; previous nvestigators have observed, instead, related structures whose appearance varied greatly from nodule‐like to ill‐defined components. Clearly, the present knowledge of the histology of the deep cortex is inadequate and confusing. Therefore, we undertook a tridimensional study of the region in different nodes of rats. The present work, bearing on the topography of the region, revealed that the deep cortex of the rat node is formed of one to several basic “units”. Each unit is a semi‐rounded structure, varying from semispheric to semi‐ovoid in shape and contiguous to a portion of peripheral cortex. The work further showed that two to several units can fuse to form a “complex”. The data indicated that the number, the size and the shape of the units and/or of the complexes of a node differ to some extent according to its anatomical location. These differences probably reflect corresponding variations in the nature and importance of the antigenic stimulation in the different sites of the organism. Finally, the study demonstrated the necessity of tridimensional examination of a node to obtain adequate information on its overall architecture and, particularly, on its deep cortex topography.
[Difference between arterial and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension during surgery of lumbar herniated disk in general anesthesia].

OBJECTIVE To determine the correlation of PaCO2 and ETCO2 during operations for lumbar disk herniation in prone position: the influence of position and deliberate hypotension. DESIGN Prospective, to compare PaCO2, ETCO2, pH, SBE, Pa max, in a group of 10 patients undergoing elective intervention for lumbar disk herniation in prone position and in a control group of 10 patients undergoing interventions for elective non traumatologic orthopaedic surgery of the lower limbs in supine position. SETTING Orthopaedic department of a non teaching hospital. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The results for the patients of the supine group were: mean PaCO2 35.26 mmHg (SD 3.045), mean P(a-ET)CO2 3.46 mmHg (SD 1.898), mean pH 7.433 (SD 0.044), mean SBE - 1.16 (SD 1.718), mean Pa max 122.5 mmHg (SD 17.989). In the prone group: mean PaCO2 30.3 mmHg (SD 5.819), mean P(a-ET)CO2 1.4 mmHg (SD 4.445), mean pH 7.430 (SD 0.052), mean SBE-3.93 (SD 3.255), mean Pa max 100.3 (SD 10.945). The difference was significant (p < 0.05) for pH, PaCO2, SBE; in the prone group the variability of P(a-ET)CO2 was greater and the values related with SBE. CONCLUSIONS ETCO2 is a useful monitoring for PaCO2 in the situation evaluated but the accuracy of the correlation with PaCO2 is lesser than during standard surgical techniques, the metabolic acidosis observed is probably related to the effects of the peculiar position and the anaesthetic technique.
Recovery Expectations Predict Recovery in Workers With Back Pain but Not Other Musculoskeletal Conditions

Study Design Prospective cohort study. Objective We examined whether recovery expectations predict future return-to-work in workers filing injury claims for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Summary of Background Data Recovery expectations seem to influence recovery and return-to-work after back pain, but their role in other compensable conditions is uncertain. Methods All workers' compensation claimants receiving time-loss benefits for a musculoskeletal condition and undergoing return-to-work assessment were enrolled. Claimants completed a work-related recovery expectations questionnaire. Outcomes during the 1-year follow-up included surrogate indicators of timely return-to-work (days until suspension of time-loss benefits) and recovery (claim closure). Analysis included multivariable Cox regression. Results The sample consisted of 1040 claimants of whom 298 (29%) had back pain, 461 (44%) had sprains, strains, or pain of other body parts besides the back, 234 (23%) had specific injuries such as fracture, dislocation, or amputation, and 47 (5%) had other compensable conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome or knee internal derangement. The majority of participants had chronic conditions (mean duration >6 mo). Negative work-related recovery expectations were consistently associated with slower suspension of time-loss benefits (Hazard Ratio 0.83) and slower claim closure (Hazard Ratio 0.84) in claimants with back pain, but associations in other diagnostic groups were inconsistent and not statistically significant. Associations were slightly larger within the group of claimants with back pain of less than 3-month duration. Conclusions Recovery expectations provide some information for predicting future recovery in workers filing injury claims for back pain, but do not seem to predict recovery in claimants with other musculoskeletal conditions.
The Growth Factor Independence-1 (Gfi1) Is Overexpressed in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

The activation of ABL tyrosine kinase in BCR/ABL-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) leads to a diversity of biological changes related to the pathogenesis of the disease. In CML patients, we determined the expression of growth factor independence-1 (Gfi1), a transcription repressor with weak oncogenic activity. Our data demonstrated that the Gfi1 mRNA level in both the mononuclear cells and purified CD34+ cells from CML were significantly higher as measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Using flow cytometry and Western blot, we also showed that the Gfi1 protein content was increased in CML CD34+ cells. The expression of Gfi1 was correlated with BCR/ABL significantly. Gfi1 may be implicated in the pathogenesis of CML and can serve as a potential target for the management of the disease.
Building and evaluating the autoverification of coagulation items in the laboratory information system.

BACKGROUND The increasing number of specimens, the decreasing number of proficient staff, and clinical demands make autoverification important in the laboratory's future development. However, although autoverification has been widely applied, a full coverage of its technique is hard to achieve in a laboratory. The establishment of the autoverification rules and parameters is still unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to fill the vacancy by the method described below. METHODS First, all logic processes and autoverification rules were established with reference to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) document Auto10-A-Autoverification of Clinical Laboratory Test Results-Approved Guideline. Second, we established rules in the LIS, collected clinical specimens for validation, and assessed the results in a "live" environment. RESULTS The whole passing rate of autoverification was 82.0% and the manual intervention rate was 18.0%. The highest passing rate of a single project was activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), approximately 96.1%, followed by prothrombin time (PT), approximately 95.1%, and fibrinogen, approximately 90.9%. The turnaround time (TAT) was shortened by 31.8% (90 minutes vs. 132 minutes). CONCLUSIONS Through implementing the autoverification, which accelerated verification and decreased the TAT and the odds of human review errors in the released results, we can save more time and concentrate on verifying the abnormal results and proceeding emergency tests.
Expression and function of TrkB variants in developing sensory neurons.

Mouse trigeminal neurons survive independently of neurotrophins when their axons are growing to their targets, and are then transiently supported by BDNF before becoming NGF dependent. During the stage of neurotrophin independence, transcripts encoding the BDNF receptor, TrkB, were expressed at very low levels. During the stage of BDNF dependence, high levels of a transcript encoding a receptor with the catalytic tyrosine kinase domain were expressed. Although the levels of this transcript fell as the neurons lost responsiveness to BDNF, there were concomitant increases in the expression of transcripts encoding TrkB variants lacking the kinase domain. Analysis of RNA from purified neurons showed that all of these transcripts were present in neurons. BDNF and NGF up‐regulated the expression of these transcripts early in development but had little effect later on. To test whether truncated TrkB modulates BDNF signalling via catalytic TrkB, we injected TrkB expression plasmids into NGF‐dependent sympathetic neurons. Whereas expression of catalytic TrkB alone conferred a BDNF survival response, co‐expression of non‐catalytic TrkB substantially reduced this response. Our results suggest that BDNF responsiveness in sensory neurons during development is modulated by the relative levels of catalytic and non‐catalytic TrkB.
An Examination of Gender Effects on the Career Success of Information Systems Employees

In this paper we examined the differences and similarities in the human capitalvariables of male and female information system (IS) workers and the affect thesedifferences had on job outcomes. The human capital variables studied included: age,education, organization and job tenure, and number of years in the IS occupation. Wefound that, even when controlling for the differences in human capital, women in ISstill tended to be employed at lower levels of the organization, made less money, andhad greater intentions to leave the organization.
The impact of fluctuations in coal prices on financial risk of China's coal listed companies

With the rise in coal price, the proportion of loss-making enterprises show an upward trend in China's coal industry. The paper uses Altman Z-Score model to measure financial risk of 19 listed companies in the coal industry in A-share market from 1995 to 2007. Empirical results show that Year-Based price index of coal price has a negative correlation with the financial risk but not significantly, and coal chain price has a significant negative correlation with the financial risk. Further research indicates that enterprises increase bad investment and a lot of debts caused by short-term rise in coal prices, The results also show that the financial risk in the coal industry declines with the rise of GDP growth rate and increases with the rise of inflation rate.
CdZnTe Semiconductor Detectors for Spectroscopic X-ray Imaging

Next generation high-flux X-ray imaging technology is expected to advance towards multi-color or spectroscopic imaging and will significantly expand the capabilities of the technique in a multitude of applications. Spectroscopic X-ray imaging will require energy-sensitive detector arrays. In this work we evaluated the applicability of pulse-mode CdZnTe detector arrays to high-flux spectroscopic imaging. To study the material and device performance limitations of currently available CdZnTe detectors under high-flux X-ray irradiation we designed a 2D monolithic CdZnTe test array and associated test system. The detector arrays were 16 times 16 pixel devices with 0.4 mm times 0.4 mm area pixels on a 0.5 mm pitch and were fabricated using 8.7 mm times 8.7 mm times 3.0 mm CdZnTe single crystals. We measured the high-flux performance of over 1200 such arrays with various bulk CdZnTe crystal properties using a 120 kVp X-ray source and our custom built test system. We studied the various static and dynamic charge collection effects typically not observed in low-flux applications. These included dynamic polarization, static charge steering and dynamic lateral polarization and charge steering. In parallel with the experimental effort we developed a dynamic charge transport and trapping model to describe the experimentally observed static, dynamic and transient phenomena. For the first time we demonstrated > 15 times 106 counts/s/mm2 count-rate for several hundred such CdZnTe detector arrays. In addition we demonstrated good < 1% short term count-rate stability of the detector arrays.
Systemic and intestinal antibody responses to NSP4 enterotoxin of Wa human rotavirus in a gnotobiotic pig model of human rotavirus disease

Antibody responses to the Wa human rotavirus (HRV) nonstructural protein NSP4, a viral enterotoxin, were evaluated in neonatal gnotobiotic (Gn) pigs. Gn pigs were inoculated orally with one dose of 105 fluorescent focus units (FFU) of virulent Wa HRV (HRV‐V), to mimic natural infection, or with three doses of 5 × 107 FFU attenuated Wa HRV (HRV‐A) at 10‐day intervals, to mimic oral attenuated rotavirus vaccines, or they were mock inoculated (mock). Subsets of pigs were challenged with 106 FFU of virulent Wa HRV at post‐inoculation day 28 (PID 28). Post‐challenge, the HRV‐V pigs were completely protected against diarrhea and virus shedding, whereas the HRV‐A pigs had a 50% protection rate against diarrhea and a 67% protection rate against virus shedding. All mock‐inoculated pigs shed virus and had diarrhea post‐challenge. Isotype antibody titers to NSP4 were compared in serum and intestinal contents, at post‐inoculation day (PID) 28 and at post‐challenge day 7 (PCD 7/PID 35) by indirect ELISA, using purified recombinant NH2‐6xHis‐tagged NSP4 of virulent Wa HRV. Pre‐challenge, both the HRV‐V and HRV‐A‐inoculated pigs had similar moderate titers of serum IgG antibodies to NSP4. However, only the HRV‐V‐inoculated pigs developed detectable serum and intestinal IgA antibody titers to NSP4 pre‐challenge, compared with the HRV‐A‐inoculated pigs. The mock‐inoculated pigs had no IgM, IgA, or IgG antibodies to NSP4 pre‐challenge. All Wa HRV‐inoculated pigs developed low to moderate titers of serum IgM, IgG, and IgA antibodies to NSP4 post‐challenge, but the mock‐inoculated pigs had only IgM antibodies post‐challenge. Both Wa HRV‐inoculated groups developed low titers of IgA antibody to NSP4 in the small intestinal contents post‐challenge, but titers were 5.8‐fold higher in the HRV‐V pigs. Our results concur with findings that both rotavirus vaccinated and naturally infected children seroconvert with modest IgG antibodies to NSP4 [Johansen et al. ( 1999 ) J Med Virol 59:369–367]. These data suggest that Gn pigs could be a useful model to evaluate serum and intestinal IgA antibodies to NSP4 and their role in protection against HRV infection. Further experiments may clarify whether (1) the NSP4 antibodies detected pre‐challenge in the HRV‐V pigs contribute to the higher protection rates observed, or (2) the reduced or delayed NSP4 antibody responses of the HRV‐A pigs are associated with the lower protection rates in these pigs. J. Med. Virol. 68:119–128, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Propriedades conformacionais de hormônios peptídicos ligantes de receptores acoplados a proteínas G em solução e em presença de membranas modelo

Marín Huachaca, N. S. Conformational properties of peptide hormones binding to G Protein Coupled Receptors in solution and in the presence of model membranes. 2007. 195p. PhD Thesis Graduate Program in Biochemistry. Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo. The peptide hormones Angiotensin II (Ang II) and bradykinin (BK) trigger signal transduction by binding to G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCR). This work proposes the study of conformational properties of Ang II and BK, as well as their analogues containing the spin label 2,2,6,6–tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl-4-amino-4-carboxylic acid, TOAC (TOAC-Ang II, TOAC-Ang II, TOAC-BK, TOAC-BK) making use of fluorescence spectroscopy. Studies were performed in solution (effect of pH) and also of the interaction between the peptides and model membranes – micelles and bilayers – formed by amphiphiles, either zwitterionic or negatively charged. The intrinsic fluorescence of aromatic residues (Tyr in Ang II and Phe and Phe in BK) was monitored. Fluorescence quenching by the TOAC-carrying analogues provided information about the proximity between TOAC and the fluorophores. The fluorescence was pH-dependent and evinced regions corresponding to pKs of ionizable groups. Peptide-model membrane interactions were also examined. Stronger interactions were detected between the peptides and membranes formed by negatively charged amphiphiles, pointing to the importance of electrostatic interactions for binding. However, hydrophobic interactions were also involved, as suggested by the fact that the peptides also bound to zwitterionic membranes. Variable pH studies showed the effect of this parameter on peptide-membrane interaction. The peptide-membrane interactions promoted changes in the pKs of ionizable residues. Titrations with increasing membrane concentrations allowed calculation of binding constants. Binding to membranes is a function of peptide conformation. In particular, TOAC at position 3 seems to decrease the affinity of both Ang II and BK for membranes. Fluorescence quenching studies made use of three different approaches: 1) quenching by water soluble acrylamide, 2) quenching of the fluorescence of phospholipids carrying the fluorescent group NBD in different positions by the spinlabeled TOACbearing analogues, 3) quenching of the peptides fluorescence by methyl esters of stearic acid containing the nitroxide moiety at different positions in the acyl chain. These studies indicated that the peptides are located at the water-membrane interface. Measurements of fluorescence anisotropy also evinced binding of the peptides to the membranes and showed that the peptides undergo more restricted motion under these
Enhanced Expression of Heme Oxygenase‐1 and Carbon Monoxide Excitatory Effects in Oxytocin and Vasopressin Neurones During Water Deprivation

A growing body of evidence indiates that carbon monoxide (CO) acts as a gas neurotransmitter within the central nervous system. Although CO has been shown to affect neurohypophyseal hormone release in response to osmotic stimuli, the precise sources, targets and mechanisms underlying the actions of CO within the magnocellular neurosecretory system remain largely unknown. In the present study, we combined immunohistochemistry and patch‐clamp electrophysiology to study the cellular distribution of the CO‐synthase enzyme heme oxygenase type 1 (HO‐1), as well as the actions of CO on oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) magnocellular neurosecretory cells (MNCs), in euhydrated (EU) and 48‐h water‐deprived rats (48WD). Our results show the expression of HO‐1 immunoreactivity both in OT and VP neurones, as well as in a small proportion of astrocytes, both in supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei. HO‐1 expression, and its colocalisation with OT and VP neurones within the SON and PVN, was significantly enhanced in 48WD rats. Inhibition of HO activity with chromium mesoporphyrin IX chloride (CrMP; 20 μm) resulted in a slight membrane hyperpolarisation in SON neurones from EU rats, without significantly affecting their firing activity. In 48WD rats, on the other hand, CrMP resulted in a more robust membrane hyperpolarisation, significantly decreasing neuronal firing discharge. Taken together, our results indicate that magnocellular SON and PVN neurones express HO‐1, and that CO acts as an excitatory gas neurotransmitter in this system. Moreover, we found that the expression and actions of CO were enhanced in water‐deprived rats, suggesting that the state‐dependent up‐regulation of the HO‐1/CO signalling pathway contributes to enhance MNCs firing activity during an osmotic challenge.
Retinoid X receptors stimulate and 9-cis retinoic acid inhibits 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-activated expression of the rat osteocalcin gene

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) binds the vitamin D-responsive element (VDRE) as a heterodimer with an unidentified receptor auxiliary factor (RAF) present in mammalian cell nuclear extracts. VDR also interacts with the retinoid X receptors (RXRs), implying that RAF may be related to the RXRs. Here we demonstrate that highly purified HeLa cell RAF contained RXR beta immunoreactivity and that both activities copurified and precisely coeluted in high-resolution hydroxylapatite chromatography. Furthermore, an RXR beta-specific antibody disrupted VDR-RAF-VDRE complexes in mobility shift assays. These data strongly indicate that HeLa RAF is highly related to or is identical to RXR beta. Consequently, the effect of the 9-cis retinoic acid ligand for RXRs was examined in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3]-activated gene expression systems. Increasing concentrations of 9-cis retinoic acid (1 nM to 1 microM) markedly reduced 1,25(OH)2D3-dependent accumulation of osteocalcin mRNA in osteoblast-like ROS 17/2.8 cells. All-trans retinoic acid also interfered with vitamin D responsiveness, but it was consistently less potent than the 9-cis isomer. Transient transfection studies revealed that attenuation by 9-cis retinoic acid was at the transcriptional level and was mediated through interactions at the osteocalcin VDRE. Furthermore, overexpression of both RXR beta and RXR alpha augmented 1,25(OH)2D3 responsiveness in transient expression studies. Direct analysis of VDRE binding in mobility shift assays demonstrated that heteromeric interactions between VDR and RXR were enhanced by 1,25(OH)2D3 and were not affected appreciably by 9-cis retinoic acid, except that inhibition was observed at high retinoid concentrations. These data suggest a regulatory mechanism for osteocalcin gene expression that involves 1,25(OH)2D3-induced heterodimerization of VDR and unliganded RXR. 9-cis retinoic acid may attenuate 1,25(OH)2D3 responsiveness by diverting RXRs away from VDR-mediated transcription and towards other RXR-dependent transcriptional pathways.
Zona pellucida protein B2 messenger ribonucleic acid expression varies with follicular development and granulosa cell locationc1

ABSTRACT The freshly ovulated ovum in avian species is surrounded by a protein layer called the inner perivitelline layer (IPVL). The IPVL contains zona pellucida proteins and 6 distinct zona pellucida genes have been identified (ZPA, ZPB1, ZPB2, ZPC, ZPD and ZPX1) in the chicken. In the present research, the expression of the mRNA for ZPA, ZPB2, and ZPX1 was investigated in 2 lines of turkey hens selected for either increased egg production (E line) or increased body weight (F line). Theca and granulosa cell expression of the mRNA for ZPA and ZPB2 was also investigated in hierarchical and prehierarchical follicles from broiler breeder hens. Granulosa tissue was collected from F1 through F4 and F1 through F10 follicles in E line and F line hens, respectively. A one cm2 section of the granulosa layer around the germinal disc (GD) and an equivalent sized nongerminal disc (NGD) area was also collected from the F1 and F2 follicles from other hens from each genetic line. Granulosa and theca tissue was collected from hierarchical and prehierarchical follicles of broiler breeder hens. Total RNA was extracted from the samples. Minor groove‐binding probes and primers for detecting ZPA, ZPB2, and ZPX1, were made for real‐time PCR analyses. Expression of ZPA, ZPB2, and ZPX1 was detected in all follicle sizes from both genetic lines of hens. No significant differences in ZPA and ZPX1 mRNA expression were detected between the GD and NGD granulosa cells. However, the expression of the mRNA for ZPB2 was significantly greater in the GD granulosa cells when compared to the NGD granulosa cells in F1 and F2 follicles from E line and F line hens. In broiler breeder hens, the mRNA expression of ZPA and ZPB2 was greatest in the smallest prehierarchical follicles. The results suggest that higher expression of ZPB2 in the germinal disc area may be important for the preferential binding of sperm to this region of the IPVL.