Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis associated with corn contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes.

BACKGROUND On May 21, 1997, numerous cases of febrile gastrointestinal illness were reported among the students and staff of two primary schools in northern Italy, all of whom had eaten at cafeterias served by the same caterer. METHODS We interviewed people who ate at the cafeterias about symptoms and foods consumed on May 20. There were no samples of foods left at the cafeterias, but we tested routine samples taken on May 20 by the caterer and environmental specimens at the catering plant. The hospitalized patients were tested for common enteropathogens and toxins. RESULTS Of the 2189 persons interviewed (82 percent of those exposed), 1566 (72 percent) reported symptoms; of these, 292 (19 percent) were hospitalized. Among samples obtained from hospitalized patients, all but two of the stool specimens and all blood specimens were negative for common enteropathogens. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from one blood specimen and from 123 of the 141 stool specimens. Consumption of a cold salad of corn and tuna was associated with the development of symptoms (relative risk, 6.19; 95 percent confidence interval, 4.81 to 7.98; P<0.001). L. monocytogenes was isolated from the caterer's sample of the salad and from environmental specimens collected from the catering plant. All listeria isolates were serotype 4b and were found to be identical on DNA analysis. Experimental contamination of sterile samples of the implicated foods showed that L. monocytogenes grew on corn when kept for at least 10 hours at 25 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS Food-borne infection with L. monocytogenes can cause febrile illness with gastroenteritis in immunocompetent persons.
Constitutive expression of recombinant proteins in the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha using the PMA1 promoter

The methylotrophic yeast H. polymorpha is a popular system for the expression of recombinant proteins using the strong and regulatable methanol oxidase (MOX) promoter. Here we show that the constitutive PMA1 promoter can programme the expression of two heterologous proteins, glucose oxidase and human serum albumin. A constitutive promoter provides a useful additional facility to the H. polymorpha expression system because it allows a simplified fermentation regime, avoids the use of methanol, which is both toxic and an explosive hazard, and allows more flexibility for ectopic gene expression during the course of academic studies. A fragment previously isolated in a promoter screen, using glucose oxidase (GOD) as a reporter gene, was shown to consist of the promoter region and the first 659 bp of the H. polymorpha PMA1 gene, encoding the plasma membrane H+‐ATPase. When the PMA1 promoter was optimally aligned with the GOD coding region, it produced 185 mg/l glucose oxidase in high cell density fed batch fermentations, whereas in previous experiments using the MOX promoter, a yield of 500 mg/l was recovered. The PMA1 promoter was also used to express recombinant human serum albumin (rHA) in H. polymorpha. In high cell density fermentations the PMA1 promoter produced 460 mg/l rHA, whereas 280 mg/l rHA was obtained using the MOX promoter. Taken together, these experiments show that the HpPMA1 programmes the constitutive expression of recombinant proteins and provides a yield comparable to that from the MOX promoter. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prevention of oro-facial clefts in developing world

Oro-facial cleft (OFC) remains a prominent health issue in developed and developing countries alike. It is the commonest craniofacial birth defect in humans. Mounting evidence suggest a polygenic, multifactorial and a list of epigenetic events. Primary prevention of OFC is based on recognition of the etiologic and risk factors. While a number of preventive strategies are in place for OFC in most developed countries of the world, the majority of developing countries are distant from achieving this goal for a number of reasons. Notable among these are a huge knowledge and practice gap in the field of genetics and dearth of accurate data. In addition, improper coordination and absenteeism from antenatal care contributed greatly to this set back. With ongoing efforts aimed at determining the genetics of nonsyndromic OFC in developing countries, researches directed at identifying environmental factors should equally be in place. Pending the outcome of these, implicated environmental and attitudinal risk factors in other populations could serve as preventive template in health education and interventions. Since risk factors vary between populations, definitive and effective preventive strategies and models would vary from place to place and from time to time. Frantic effort directed at identifying specific implicated risk factors in developing countries should include developing and keeping comprehensive national perinatal database and centralization of antenatal care protocol. Additionally, active health education at every level and a focus on developing manpower in the field of genetics should be in place. These would be designed and tailored toward identified, proven, and emerging risk factors.
Accessing Carboxylesterase Diversity from Termite Hindgut Symbionts through Metagenomics

A shotgun metagenomic library was constructed from termite hindgut symbionts and subsequently screened for esterase activities. A total of 68 recombinant clones conferring esterolytic phenotypes were identified, of which the 14 most active were subcloned and sequenced. The nucleotide lengths of the esterase-encoding open reading frames (ORFs) ranged from 783 to 2,592 bp and encoded proteins with predicted molecular masses of between 28.8 and 97.5 kDa. The highest identity scores in the GenBank database, from a global amino acid alignment ranged from 39 to 83%. The identified ORFs revealed the presence of the G-X-S-X-D, G-D-S-X, and S-X-X-K sequence motifs that have been reported to harbour a catalytic serine residue in other previously reported esterase primary structures. Five of the ORFs (EstT5, EstT7, EstT9, EstT10, and EstT12) could not be classified into any of the original eight esterase families. One of the ORFs (EstT9) showed a unique primary structure consisting of an amidohydrolase-esterase fusion. Six of the 14 esterase-encoding genes were recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli and the purified enzymes exhibited temperature optima of between 40–50°C. Substrate-profiling studies revealed that the characterised enzymes were ‘true’ carboxylesterases based on their preferences for short to medium chain length p-nitrophenyl ester substrates. This study has demonstrated a successful application of a metagenomic approach in accessing novel esterase-encoding genes from the gut of termites that could otherwise have been missed by classical culture enrichment approaches.
Vitamin E Forms in Alzheimer's Disease: A Review of Controversial and Clinical Experiences

Vitamin E is a collective term for eight naturally occurring compounds, four tocopherols (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-) and four tocotrienols (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-). Although it is the major form of vitamin E in US diets, gamma-tocopherol receives little attention when compared to alpha-tocopherol, which is generally found in supplements and most studied for its effects on progression of cognitive impairment. Many clinical trials had been conducted with vitamin E and neurodegenerative disorders, with controversial results, including a recent study which disproves the benefit of vitamin E for Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. This study examined the alpha-tocopherol supplement instead of gamma–tocopherol. Gamma-tocopherol has been found to be more effective in scavenging free radicals and nitrogen oxygen species that cause inflammation; both of these are components of neurodegenerative disorders. Secondly, the use of alpha-tocopherol supplements significantly reduces serum gamma-tocopherol, and this may have important biological effects. Therefore, any potential health benefits of alpha–tocopherol supplements may be offset by deleterious changes in the bioavailability of other forms of tocopherols and tocotrienols. This might account for the null effects of alpha tocopherol supplementation in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease.
Suicidal thoughts in cancer patients: Clinical experience in psycho‐oncology

Because cancer is a life‐threatening illness, its impact on the patient’s emotional well‐being, such as suicidal thoughts, has become a significant problem in public health as well as in clinical oncology. Factors such as the pain and hopelessness are suggested as making cancer patients more vulnerable to suicide. On the other hand, euthanasia and physician‐assisted suicide are now important medical and social issues all over the world. However, little is known about the relationship between the characteristics of cancer patients and suicidal thoughts. The present study investigated the characteristics of patients who were referred to the Psychiatry Division, National Cancer Center Hospital East, due to risk of suicide or suicide attempts. Fourteen patients were referred, representing 3.9% of all consultations. Most of these patients suffered from advanced cancer and poor physical functioning. The most frequent psychiatric diagnosis was mood disorder (57%), and the next was delirium (29%). In patients with mood disorders (8 cases), suicidal thoughts disappeared after psychiatric treatment in 5 cases, but not in 3 cases. Those three patients survived a significantly shorter time than the others after psychiatric consultation. These empirical data might indicate that most suicidal thoughts experienced by cancer patients are not rational, and a careful evaluation, including psychiatric assessment, should be conducted in such patients.
Cognitive and behavioural aspects of Prader–Willi syndrome

Purpose of review To provide a review of the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS). Recent findings Research in the last 12 months has provided a descriptive prognosis of psychosis in PWS and highlighted the possible genes associated with the increased risk of psychosis for those with maternal uniparental disomy (mUPD). Several studies investigating social and communication skills have shown people with PWS to have difficulty with core, receptive and expressive language skills, interpreting emotional valence in faces, playing with children of their own age, understanding personal space and a developmental delay in the theory of mind. These social and communication deficits are often more pronounced in those with mUPD. Two recent clinical trials of oxytocin provide mixed results and highlight the need for an improved understanding of the neurobiological characteristics of the PWS brain. A recent pilot study suggests N-acetylcysteine may be a viable treatment for skin picking. Summary Recent advances have contributed to our understanding of the emotional and behavioural problems associated with PWS, and provided directions for further research.
Direct transcriptional targets of sex steroid hormones in bone

The sex steroid hormones, androgens and estrogens, via their respective nuclear receptors, regulate bone mineral density in humans and mice. Very little is known about the direct targets of the androgen and estrogen receptors in bone cells. First, models of hormone and receptor deficiency in mouse and human bone are discussed. This review then focuses on the direct targets of the receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts. A direct target of a NR is defined here as a gene that is regulated by NR binding to the DNA (either through DNA binding or association with a DNA binding protein) at an enhancer or promoter of that gene. The experimental evidence that illustrates androgen and estrogen gene regulation in osteoblasts and osteoclasts will be summarized and compared with the phenotype of the hormones in vivo. J. Cell. Biochem. 112: 401–408, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Diagnosis of breast cancer using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy: Comparison of a Monte Carlo versus partial least squares analysis based feature extraction technique

We explored the use of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐VIS) spectrum for the diagnosis of breast cancer. A physical model (Monte Carlo inverse model) and an empirical model (partial least squares analysis) based approach, were compared for extracting diagnostic features from the diffuse reflectance spectra.
The nature of interferon-alpha resistance in hepatitis C virus infection.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW HCV infection becomes chronic in 50-85% of cases. The treatment of chronic hepatitis C is currently based on a combination of pegylated interferon (IFN)-alpha and ribavirin. With this regimen, a failure to eradicate infection occurs in 18-24% of patients infected by genotype 2 or 3, and in 54-58% of patients infected by genotype 1. IFN resistance, i.e. the capacity of HCV strains to attenuate IFN antiviral responses in order to evade them, could play a role in the establishment of chronic infection at the acute stage of infection. IFN resistance could also play a role in the virological response to IFN therapy through similar or different mechanisms. The involved mechanisms however remain unclear. RECENT FINDINGS Several viral proteins were recently shown to mediate IFN resistance through inhibition of IFN antiviral effectors in vitro, but the relevance of such mechanisms in vivo is not proven. Whatever the mechanisms, IFN resistance could play a role at the early stages of infection, but a qualitative and quantitative defect of both CD4-positive and CD8-positive immune responses appears as the main determinant of viral persistence. IFN treatment failure to eradicate infection is multifactorial. IFN resistance could play a partial role through unclear mechanisms. However, immune clearance of infected cells appears to be the principal determinant of IFN treatment success. SUMMARY In spite of active research, the role and the mechanisms of IFN resistance in HCV persistence and IFN treatment failure remain partly unknown. A better understanding is needed in order to further improve IFN treatment strategies.
Adolescent females with a substance use disorder: affiliations with adult male sexual partners.

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that low socioeconomic status (SES), a disturbed parent-daughter relationship, early sexual development, and antisocial behavior are risk factors in adolescent females affiliating with adult male sexual partners. To determine whether the relation between these risk factors and affiliating with adult male sexual partners is stronger in females with greater, rather than fewer, substance use disorders (SUD). METHOD Subjects were 180 adolescent females with SUD and 87 normal controls (14-18 years of age). RESULTS The SUD group had a lower SES and more negative parent-daughter interactions, and exhibited greater antisocial tendencies. Also, the SUD group showed a more frequent affiliation with adult male sexual partners. Chronological age, age of menarche (sexual development), antisocial behavior, and quality of the parent-daughter relationship were significantly associated with affiliation with adult male sexual partners. Moreover, the number of SUD diagnoses enhanced the relation between the quality of the parent-daughter relationship and antisocial behavior with affiliation with adult male sexual partners. CONCLUSIONS From a prevention perspective, interventions directed at enhancing child rearing practices, communication skills, and involvement in children's needs and activities might result in improved parent-child attachments that may attentuate young women's propensities to become involved in antisocial behavior and affiliate with adult sexual partners. Also, the risk imposed by an early sexual maturation may be offset by enhancing the female adolescent's social skills to select non-deviant and supportive male partners.
A Review of DNA Methylation and microRNA Expression in Recurrent Pediatric Acute Leukemia

Acute leukemia is the most common childhood cancer diagnosis and leading cause of cancer-related death among children and adolescents. Despite substantial improvements in the survival rate of childhood acute leukemia, approximately 20-40% of the patients who undergo treatment develop relapse, with a dismal one third of these patients surviving in the long term. Epigenetics plays an important role in the progression of cancer, and existing evidence suggests a role in childhood acute leukemia relapse. A better understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms in recurrent acute leukemia could potentially lead to novel therapeutic regimens to prevent or treat disease recurrences. In this review, we summarize existing evidence on two of the most studied epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation and microRNA expression, in recurrent pediatric acute leukemia.
Pre-natal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances may be associated with altered vaccine antibody levels and immune-related health outcomes in early childhood

Abstract Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are suggested to have immunosuppressive effects; exposure in utero and in the first years of life is of special concern as fetuses and small children are highly vulnerable to toxicant exposure. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of pre-natal exposure to PFAS on responses to pediatric vaccines and immune-related health outcomes in children up to 3 years of age. In the prospective birth-cohort BraMat, a sub-cohort of the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), pregnant women from Oslo and Akershus, Norway, were recruited during 2007–2008. Three annual questionnaire-based follow-ups were performed. Blood samples were collected from the mothers at the time of delivery and from the children at the age of 3 years. As a measure of pre-natal exposure to PFAS, the concentrations of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorononanoate (PFNA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were determined in maternal blood from 99 BraMat participants. Main outcome measures were anti-vaccine antibody levels, common infectious diseases and allergy- and asthma-related health outcomes in the children up to the age of 3 years. There was an inverse association between the level of anti-rubella antibodies in the children’s serum at age 3 years and the concentrations of the four PFAS. Furthermore, there was a positive association between the maternal concentrations of PFOA and PFNA and the number of episodes of common cold for the children, and between PFOA and PFHxS and the number of episodes of gastroenteritis. No associations were found between maternal PFAS concentrations and the allergy- and asthma-related health outcomes investigated. The results indicate that pre-natal exposure to PFAS may be associated with immunosuppression in early childhood.
A critical overview of the chemistry of copper-dependent low density lipoprotein oxidation: roles of lipid hydroperoxides, alpha-tocopherol, thiols, and ceruloplasmin.

The mechanisms by which low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles undergo oxidative modification to an atherogenic form that is taken up by the macrophage scavenger-receptor pathway have been the subject of extensive research for almost two decades. The most common method for the initiation of LDL oxidation in vitro involves incubation with Cu(II) ions. Although various mechanisms have been proposed to explain the ability of Cu(II) to promote LDL modification, the precise reactions involved in initiating the process remain a matter of contention in the literature. This review provides a critical overview and evaluation of the current theories describing the interactions of copper with the LDL particle. Following discussion of the thermodynamics of reactions dependent upon the decomposition of preexisting lipid hydroperoxides, which are present in all crude LDL preparations, attention is turned to the more difficult (but perhaps more physiologically-relevant) system of the hydroperoxide-free LDL particle. In both systems, the key role of alpha-tocopherol is discussed. In addition to its protective, radical-scavenging action, alpha-tocopherol can also behave as a prooxidant via its reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I). Generation of Cu(I) greatly facilitates the decomposition of lipid hydroperoxides to chain-carrying radicals, but the mechanisms by which the vitamin promotes LDL oxidation in the absence of preformed hydroperoxides remain more speculative. In addition to the so-called tocopherol-mediated peroxidation model, in which polyunsaturated fatty acid oxidation is initiated by the alpha-tocopheroxyl radical (generated during the reduction of Cu(II) by alpha-tocopherol), an evaluation of the role of the hydroxyl radical is provided. Important interactions between copper ions and thiols are also discussed, particularly in the context of cell-mediated LDL oxidation. Finally, the mechanisms by which ceruloplasmin, a copper-containing plasma protein, can bring about LDL modification are discussed. Improved understanding of the mechanisms of LDL oxidation by copper ions should facilitate the establishment of any physiological role of the metal in LDL modification. It will also assist in the interpretation of studies in which copper systems of LDL oxidation are used in vitro to evaluate potential antioxidants.
Availability of prostate cancer exercise rehabilitation resources and practice patterns in Belgium: Results of a cross‐sectional study

Exercise is recommended for prostate cancer (PCa) patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy. The goal of the study was to assess the availability of hospital-based rehabilitation resources and national practice patterns for PCa in Belgium. A questionnaire was conducted with rehabilitation physical therapists in all Belgian hospital with urology and rehabilitation departments. Practice patterns were compared with the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines. PCa prevalence data were obtained from the Belgian Cancer Registry and attitude of physicians towards physical activity was documented. We included 98 Belgian hospitals. Only 25% of the PCa population had access to PCa-specific programmes. The occupancy rate of PCa-specific rehabilitation slots was 69%. The main perceived barriers to organise PCa-specific rehabilitation were existence of general programmes (40%) and low referrals (18%). All PCa programmes consisted of aerobic and resistance exercise and 62% included flexibility. Minimal criteria for frequency and duration per session were followed in 83%. The majority (89%) of physicians believed in the positive effects of supervised exercise programmes. The majority of PCa programmes follow the evidence-based guidelines except for flexibility exercises. The minority of PCa patients has access to specific programmes, although not all treatment slots are occupied.