Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incidence of colorectal cancer in West Virginia from 1993-1999: an update by gender, age, subsite and stage.

The sensitivities of different screening methods for pre-cancerous adenomas may affect the apparent anatomical distribution of colorectal cancers. Our objective was to describe changes in the distribution of left and right-sided colon cancers by time while adjusting for age, gender, stage and year of diagnosis. We studied the 7,895 cases of colorectal cancer reported to the West Virginia Cancer Registry between 1993 and 1999 and termed cancers proximal to, but not including the sigmoid colon as "right-sided," and the remaining tumors as "left-sided. " Multivariate analyses were used to differentiate the effects of age and gender on changes in tumor location over time. The impact of screening was shown by the increase in the percentage of localized disease from 30.5% among cancers in the proximal colon to 37.6% in the distal colorectum. In contrast, the percentage of regional disease decreased from 50% among cancers in the proximal colon to the distal colorectum. The male to female ratios also increased from the proximal colon to the distal colorectum. Incidence rates, regardless of time, increased with advancing age for cancers located in all anatomical subsite groups, but more substantially for proximal colon cancer than for descending and distal colorectal cancers. For males ages > 85 and for females who are > 75 years of age, the cancer rates arising in the proximal colon exceeded observed in groups but more substantially for proximal colon cancer than for descending and distal colorectal cancers. For males age > 85 and females > 75, the cancer rates arising in the proximal colon exceeded those arising in the distal colorectum. This shift occurred at a younger age among females than males. The apparent shift of colorectal cancers to more proximal locations with advancing age has important implications for screening strategies. A further decrease in the relative incidence of left-sided colon cancers may require modifying current practices to include more frequent use of screening colonoscopy, particularly in women ages 75 years or older.
The Lewis blood group—a new genetic marker of ischaemic heart disease

Abstract. In a cohort of 3383 men aged 53 to 74 in the Copenhagen Male Study we investigated the association between ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and the Lewis blood group, assigned to chromosome 19. Among men with the Le(a ‐ b ‐) phenotype, 8% had a history of non‐fatal myocardial infarction, among others the frequency was 4%. The corresponding odds ratio was (95% confidence interval: CI) 1.9 (1.2–3.0) P < 0.01. men with Le(a ‐ b ‐) had a risk‐factor profile and pattern of disease resembling that of Reaven's syndrome X. In a subsequent prospective study 343 men with arteriosclerotic stigmas were excluded. The men had their morbidity and mortality recorded over the next 4 years. One‐hundred‐and‐one men suffered IHD; 26 dying from IHD. In total 162 men died. Men with Le(a ‐ b ‐) had an increased risk of death from IHD compared with others. Adjusted for age, relative risk (RR) (95% CI) was: 4.4 (1.9–10.3), P < 0.001, and for all causes of mortality: RR = 1.6 (1.0–2.6), P < 0.05. Men with the Le(a‐b‐) phenotype had an increased risk of an IHD event compared to men with other phenotypes (RR = 1.6 (0.9‐2.8), P = 0.10) and a significantly higher IHD case fatality rate (RR = 2.8 (1.5‐5.2), P = 0.0]). The finding that the Le(a‐ b‐) phenotype is a genetic marker of IHD risk may have implications in terms of prevention. The Le(a‐b‐) phenotype may also contribute to providing an explanation for the substantial ethnic differences found in the incidence of IHD. The similar risk‐factor profile and pattern of disease found between Le(a ‐ b ‐) men and individuals with Reaven's syndrome X is hypothesized to be due to a close genetic relationship on chromosome 19.
Growth and microbial flora of nonmedicated, segregated, early weaned pigs from a commercial swine operation.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether segregated, early weaned pigs have better growth performance and different microbial flora than those pigs raised on-site. DESIGN Prospective, observational study. ANIMALS Pigs from a commercial operation that were known to be infected with several common swine pathogens. PROCEDURE Pigs (7 to 10 days old) were weaned and segregated from the farm of origin and compared with littermate control pigs (14 to 17 days old) that were weaned and raised on-site. Pig weight was measured and microbial flora were isolated at 14-day intervals for 84 days, beginning when the pigs were 7 to 10 days old. RESULTS At 50 days of age, the segregated, early weaned pigs had a mean weight of 23.7 kg, compared with a mean weight of 12.5 kg for control pigs. Pasteurella multocida was isolated from fewer segregated, early weaned pigs than from controls. Signs of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection were detected in control pigs but not in segregated early weaned pigs. Clinical, serologic, or bacteriologic signs of early postnatal vertical transmission of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae were not detected in either group. CLINICAL IMPLICATION Vertical transmission of M hyopneumoniae was prevented by weaning pigs at 7 to 10 days of age and segregating them off-site, without the use of medication. Although medicated controls were not compared, results from this herd revealed that use of antibiotics is not the most important factor for disease control in segregated, early weaning programs. Minimizing antibiotic use in disease-control protocols reduces costs as well as removes the need for extra-label drugs.
Preemptive Intravenous Morphine-6-glucuronide Is Ineffective for Postoperative Pain Relief

Background Morphine-6-glucuronide (M-6-G), a major metabolite of morphine, is reported to be more potent than morphine when administered intrathecally; however, its efficiency remains under debate when administered intravenously. This study was designed to assess the analgesic efficiency of intravenous M-6-G for the treatment of acute postoperative pain. Methods After informed consent was obtained, 37 adults (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I–II) who were scheduled for elective open knee surgery were enrolled in the study. General anesthesia was induced with thiopental, alfentanil, and vecuronium and was maintained with a mixture of nitrous oxide/isoflurane and bolus doses of alfentanil. At skin closure, patients were randomized into three groups: (1) morphine group (n = 13), which received morphine 0.15 mg/kg; (2) M-6-G group (n = 12), which received M-6-G 0.1 mg/kg; and (3) placebo group (n = 12), which received saline. At the time of extubation, plasma concentration of morphine and M-6-G was measured. Postoperative analgesic efficiency was assessed by the cumulative dose of morphine delivered by patient-controlled analgesia. Opioid-related side effects were also evaluated. Results No difference was noted in patient characteristics and opioid-related side effects. Morphine requirements (mean ± SD) during the first 24 h in the M-6-G group (41 ± 9 mg) and the placebo group (49 ± 8 mg) were significantly greater (P < 0.05) compared with the morphine group (29 ± 8 mg). Conclusion A single intravenous bolus dose of M-6-G was found to be ineffective in the treatment of acute postoperative pain. This might be related to the low permeability of the blood–brain barrier for M-6-G.
Passive immunity to yersiniae mediated by anti-recombinant V antigen and protein A-V antigen fusion peptide

LcrV (V antigen), a known unstable 37.3-kDa monomeric peptide encoded on the ca. 70-kb Lcr plasmid of Yersinia pestis, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and Yersinia enterocolitica, has been implicated as a regulator of the low-calcium response, virulence factor, and protective antigen. In this study, lcrV of Y. pestis was cloned into protease-deficient Escherichia coli BL21. The resulting recombinant V antigen underwent marked degradation from the C-terminal end during purification, yielding major peptides of 36, 35, 34, and 32 to 29 kDa. Rabbit gamma globulin raised against this mixture of cleavage products provided significant protection against 10 minimum lethal doses of Y. pestis (P < 0.01) and Y. pseudotuberculosis (P < 0.02). To both stabilize V antigen and facilitate its purification, plasmid pPAV13 was constructed so as to encode a fusion of lcrV and the structural gene for protein A (i.e., all but the first 67 N-terminal amino acids of V antigen plus the signal sequence and immunoglobulin G-binding domains but not the cell wall-associated region of protein A). The resulting fusion peptide, termed PAV, could be purified to homogeneity in one step by immunoglobulin G affinity chromatography and was stable thereafter. Rabbit polyclonal gamma globulin directed against PAV provided excellent passive immunity against 10 minimum lethal doses of Y. pestis (P < 0.005) and Y. pseudotuberculosis (P < 0.005) but was ineffective against Y. enterocolitica. Protection failed after absorption with excess PAV, cloned whole V antigen, or a large (31.5-kDa) truncated derivative of the latter but was retained (P < 0.005) upon similar absorption with a smaller (19.3-kDa) truncated variant, indicating that at least one protective epitope resides internally between amino acids 168 and 275.
[Investigation on the association of interleukin-1 genotype polymorphism with chronic periodontitis].

OBJECTIVE To examine the distribution of IL-1 genotypes among the people with Han nationality of different periodontal health status and to evaluate if there is an association between the genotype of IL-1 and the severity of periodontitis. METHODS 271 subjects of Han nationality were selected, among them there were 182 cases of chronic periodontitis and 89 subjects of periodontal healthy control. Full periodontal examinations were taken including full-mouth clinical attachment loss measurements, probing depths and bleeding on probing. DNA samples were obtained with buccal swabbing technique and were further analyzed for IL-1 genotype polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP-based method. RESULTS The results showed a significant increase in the frequency of IL-1A-889/Nco I allele 2, IL-1B + 3953/Taq I allele 2, IL-1B-511/Ava I allele 2, IL-1A-889 plus IL-1B-511 allele 2 and IL-1B + 3953 plus IL-1B-511 allele 2 in patients with severe chronic periodontitis as compared with periodontally healthy controls. CONCLUSION Findings from this study bring into question the usefulness of the genotypes of allele 2 of IL-1A-889, IL-1B-511 and IL-1B + 3953 as a method for determining the susceptibility of Chinese patients to chronic periodontitis. There is a possible role of IL-1 gene polymorphisms in the susceptibility to chronic periodontitis for some patients.
Zinc enhances ionic currents induced in skate Mϋller (glial) cells by the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA

We describe here a novel effect of zinc on GABA receptors of glial cells in the skate retina. The GABA-induced currents of skate Mϋller cells, the radial glia of the retina, are mediated by activation of GABAA receptors (GABAARs). In other parts of the nervous system, GABAA-mediated currents are inhibited by zinc. However, in isolated, voltage-clamped Mϋller cells, coapplication of zinc (10 μM) and GABA (1 μM) resulted in an enhancement of the GABAAR current. Surprisingly, zinc alone induced a current similar in many respects to that elicited by GABA, i. e. the reversal potential was the same as for the GABA-induced current, the current was blocked by bicuculline and picrotoxin, and the current-voltage relation obtained in the presence of 10 μM zinc was virtually identical to that obtained with 1 μM GABA. Both bicuculline and picrotoxin suppressed a current that was present with cells bathed only in Ringer, suggesting that some of the GABA channels were spontaneously open in the absence of externally applied GABA. This possibility was supported by cell-attached patch recordings. Under conditions in which potassium and calcium currents were suppressed, spontaneous channel activity was observed. Moreover, the frequency of these channel openings was greater when zinc was included in the pipette solution, and reduced when bicuculline was added. These findings suggest that zinc acts directly to enhance the GABAA receptor activity of the Mϋller cells, and raise the possibility that the subunit composition of the GABAARs of skate Mϋller cells differs from that of GABAARs identified previously in other neuronal and glial preparations.
Oxygen consumption in rabbit Langendorff hearts perfused with a saline medium.

Isolated rabbit hearts were perfused according to Langendorff at a temperature of 38 degrees C and a pressure of 5.9 kPa with gassed Tyrode solution. Gas mixtures containing 5% CO2 and 15, 20, 30, 60, or 95% O2 in N2 were used to saturate the perfusion medium. In some cases lactate (50 or 500 microM) was present in the medium perfusing the heart. Coronary flow (CF), oxygen pressure in the perfusion medium and in the cardiac effluent and lactate in the effluent were analysed in all experiments. The oxygen uptake in the hearts perfused with a medium equilibrated at atmospheric pressure with 95% O2 and 5% CO2 (oxygen pressure approximately 87 kPa, oxygen content 19 ml X 1(-1)), averaged 3 ml X 100 g w.w. -1 X min-1. Reduction of the oxygen pressure in the perfusion medium resulted in an increase in CF and in the fractional extraction of oxygen from the medium, making it possible to maintain the heart's oxygen uptake (VO2) down to an oxygen pressure in the perfusion medium of about 24 kPa (oxygen content approximately 5 ml X 1(-1), the perfusion medium equilibrated with 20% O2 and 5% CO2 in N2). Myocardial lactate production was low during perfusion at pO2 approximately 87 kPa but increased rapidly when the oxygen pressure was lowered. The addition of lactate (500 microM) to the perfusion medium at pO2 approximately 87 kP induced a fractional uptake of about 20%. It is concluded that the VO2 observed during perfusion at pO2 approximately 87 kPa mainly reflects aerobic myocardial metabolism in this preparation. This assumption is based on the facts that coronary flow and fractional oxygen extraction are submaximal and that a considerable uptake of lactate occurs concurrently with a very limited production. However, even moderate reduction of the oxygen pressure in the perfusion medium (to approximately 61 kPa) is followed by a significant increase in lactate production, indicating that myocardial oxygenation is inefficient.
Bck2 Acts through the MADS Box Protein Mcm1 to Activate Cell-Cycle-Regulated Genes in Budding Yeast

The Bck2 protein is a potent genetic regulator of cell-cycle-dependent gene expression in budding yeast. To date, most experiments have focused on assessing a potential role for Bck2 in activation of the G1/S-specific transcription factors SBF (Swi4, Swi6) and MBF (Mbp1, Swi6), yet the mechanism of gene activation by Bck2 has remained obscure. We performed a yeast two-hybrid screen using a truncated version of Bck2 and discovered six novel Bck2-binding partners including Mcm1, an essential protein that binds to and activates M/G1 promoters through Early Cell cycle Box (ECB) elements as well as to G2/M promoters. At M/G1 promoters Mcm1 is inhibited by association with two repressors, Yox1 or Yhp1, and gene activation ensues once repression is relieved by an unknown activating signal. Here, we show that Bck2 interacts physically with Mcm1 to activate genes during G1 phase. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments to show that Bck2 localizes to the promoters of M/G1-specific genes, in a manner dependent on functional ECB elements, as well as to the promoters of G1/S and G2/M genes. The Bck2-Mcm1 interaction requires valine 69 on Mcm1, a residue known to be required for interaction with Yox1. Overexpression of BCK2 decreases Yox1 localization to the early G1-specific CLN3 promoter and rescues the lethality caused by overexpression of YOX1. Our data suggest that Yox1 and Bck2 may compete for access to the Mcm1-ECB scaffold to ensure appropriate activation of the initial suite of genes required for cell cycle commitment.
Genetically engineered, attenuated whole-cell vaccine approaches for malaria

The quest for an efficacious malaria vaccine has been ongoing for nearly a century with limited success. Malaria remains one of the most significant infectious diseases affecting human populations in developing countries. The identification of a number of major malaria parasite antigens focused efforts on the development of subunit vaccines but has so far yielded only one partially efficacious vaccine candidate, RTS/S. The lack of high vaccine efficacy observed with subunit vaccine candidates raises principal doubts that the development of a single antigen- or even a multi-antigen malaria subunit vaccine is possible. Fortunately, it has been demonstrated in animal studies and experimental clinical studies that immunizations with live-attenuated sporozoite stages of the malaria parasite confer long lasting, sterile protection against infection, providing a benchmark for vaccine development. These early successful vaccinations with live-attenuated malaria parasites did not however, promote a developmental path forward for such a vaccine approach. The discovery of genetically engineered parasite strains that are fully attenuated during the early asymptomatic liver infection and confer complete sterile protection in animal malaria models support the development of a live attenuated sporozoite vaccine for Plasmodium falciparum and its accelerated safety and efficacy testing in malaria challenge models and in malaria endemic areas.
Evaluation of anti-PLA2R1 as measured by a novel ELISA in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVES Autoantibodies against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (anti-PLA2R1) have been demonstrated to be very specific for idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN). We studied a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and compared results with results obtained using an indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and a Western blotting test (WB). METHODS One-hundred nine patients with idiopathic MN were recruited between November 1979 and March 2011. The control cohort comprised serum samples from patients with secondary MN (n = 16) and nephrotic controls (n = 17). The presence of anti-PLA2R1 in serum samples obtained at the time of renal biopsy was determined using ELISA, IIF, and WB. RESULTS With similar specificity (≥ 97%), sensitivity varied from 68% (IIF) to 72% (ELISA, WB). Remarkably, patients who were seronegative for anti-PLA2R1 more often entered spontaneous remission (P = .038), whereas seropositive patients were more frequently treated with immunosuppressive agents (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS ELISA performs excellently in differentiating idiopathic from secondary MN. Furthermore, ELISA shared high agreement with WB and IIF.
Changes in performance of the surviving myocardium after left ventricular infarction in rats.

STUDY OBJECTIVE The aim was to investigate left ventricular performance of infarcted hearts during scar formation and development of hypertrophy in the surviving myocardium. DESIGN Hearts were perfused according to the Langendorff technique and left ventricular function curves were obtained by inserting a distensible balloon into the ventricular cavity. The isovolumetric systolic pressure was measured as diastolic pressure was changed from 0 to 25 mm Hg and during inotropic interventions produced by Ca and isoprenaline. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS Hearts were obtained from albino rats of either sex, 180-250 g, killed 1, 3, 7 or 14 d after left coronary artery ligation (n = 24) or sham operation (n = 26). Normal rats (n = 6) were used as additional controls. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS After infarction, there was a progressive and almost parallel displacement of the ventricular function curves toward higher diastolic pressures. The positive chronotropic response to isoprenaline was similar in infarcted and non-infarcted hearts. The inotropic response to Ca and isoprenaline, however, was significantly depressed in the infarcted hearts throughout the observation period. CONCLUSIONS Hypertrophy in the surviving myocardium did not result in improvement of the left ventricular systolic function assessed under in vitro conditions during the first two weeks after infarction. The decreased inotropic response of the infarcted left ventricle to isoprenaline is likely to be dependent on the reduced Ca sensitivity of the surviving myocardium.
Transmission of Xylella fastidiosa to Grapevines by Homalodisca coagulata (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Abstract Pierce’s disease (PD) of grapevines is caused by a xylem-limited bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Wells, Raju, Hung, Weisburg, Mandelco-Paul, and Brenner) that is transmitted to plants by xylem sap-feeding insects. The introduction of the sharpshooter leafhopper Homalodisca coagulata (Say) into California has initiated new PD epidemics in southern California. In laboratory experiments, the major characteristics of H. coagulata’s transmission of X. fastidiosa to grapevines were the same as reported for other vectors: short or absent latent period; nymphs transmitted but lost infectivity after molting and regained infectivity after feeding on infected plants; and infectivity persisted in adults. Adult H. coagulata acquired and inoculated X. fastidiosa in <1 h of access time on a plant. Inoculation rates increased with access time, but acquisition efficiency (20% per individual) did not increase significantly beyond 6-h access. Estimated inoculation efficiency per individual per day was 19.6, 17.9, and 10.3% for experiments where plant access was 1, 2, and 4 d, respectively. Freshly molted adults and nymphs acquired and transmitted X. fastidiosa more efficiently than did older, field-collected insects. H. coagulata transmitted X. fastidiosa to 2-yr-old woody tissues of grapevines as efficiently as to green shoots. H. coagulata transmitted X. fastidiosa 3.5 mo after acquisition, demonstrating persistence of infectivity in adults. About half (14/29) of the H. coagulata from which we failed to culture X. fastidiosa from homogenized heads (with a detection threshold of 265 CFU/head) transmitted the pathogen to grape, and 17 of 24 from which we cultured X. fastidiosa transmitted.
How directional microphones affect speech recognition, listening effort and localisation for listeners with moderate-to-severe hearing loss

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of directional microphone use on laboratory measures of sentence recognition, listening effort and localisation. An additional purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of asymmetric directional microphone use on the same laboratory measures. Design: Three hearing aid conditions were evaluated: (1) bilateral omnidirectional microphones, (2) bilateral directional microphones and (3) asymmetric microphones (directional microphone for only one hearing aid). Sentence recognition performance was evaluated using a connected speech test. Listening effort was evaluated using a dual-task paradigm with a response time-based secondary task requiring word categorisation. Localisation was examined using a complex task requiring localisation and recall of speech originating from one of four loudspeakers in the horizontal plane (−60°, −45°, +45°, +60°). Study sample: Eighteen adults (M = 61.8 years) with symmetrical, moderate-to-severe hearing loss participated. Results: Performance on each task was analysed separately using a repeated measures analysis of variance. Results revealed directional benefits for sentence recognition and listening effort, but microphone setting did not affect localisation. Performance was equivalent with symmetric and asymmetric directional configurations. Conclusions: Bilateral and asymmetric directional microphone configurations equally improved sentence recognition and listening effort; neither affected localisation or recall.