Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Older, sociable capuchins (Cebus capucinus) invent more social behaviors, but younger monkeys innovate more in other contexts

An important extension to our understanding of evolutionary processes has been the discovery of the roles that individual and social learning play in creating recurring phenotypes on which selection can act. Cultural change occurs chiefly through invention of new behavioral variants combined with social transmission of the novel behaviors to new practitioners. Therefore, understanding what makes some individuals more likely to innovate and/or transmit new behaviors is critical for creating realistic models of culture change. The difficulty in identifying what behaviors qualify as new in wild animal populations has inhibited researchers from understanding the characteristics of behavioral innovations and innovators. Here, we present the findings of a long-term, systematic study of innovation (10 y, 10 groups, and 234 individuals) in wild capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) in Lomas Barbudal, Costa Rica. Our methodology explicitly seeks novel behaviors, requiring their absence during the first 5 y of the study to qualify as novel in the second 5 y of the study. Only about 20% of 187 innovations identified were retained in innovators’ individual behavioral repertoires, and 22% were subsequently seen in other group members. Older, more social monkeys were more likely to invent new forms of social interaction, whereas younger monkeys were more likely to innovate in other behavioral domains (foraging, investigative, and self-directed behaviors). Sex and rank had little effect on innovative tendencies. Relative to apes, capuchins devote more of their innovations repertoire to investigative behaviors and social bonding behaviors and less to foraging and comfort behaviors.
Mulheres obesas de baixa estatura e seus filhos desnutridos

APRESENTA-SE uma sintese dos estudos sobre nutricao e saude desenvolvidos pelo grupo liderado pelo autor, envolvendo populacoes urbanas e rurais do Estado de Alagoas. Destacam-se a alta prevalencia de deficit estatural entre as criancas, indicativa de desnutricao cronica, e a frequencia acentuada de obesidade na populacao adulta, especialmente entre as mulheres. Esses dados, aliados a estudos de consumo alimentar e inqueritos bioquimicos e de morbidade, corroboram a teoria de que a desnutricao no inicio da vida aumenta a suscetibilidade, na idade adulta, as doencas cronicas nao-transmissiveis.
Expression Aire in Mice Lacking T Cells + Diversity of TCRs on Natural Foxp3

Medullary thymic epithelial cells expressing the Aire gene play a critical role in the induction of tolerance to tissue-speciﬁc Ags (TSAs). It was postulated that recognition of Aire-controlled TSAs by immature thymocytes results in the selection of natural CD4 + Foxp3 + regulatory T cells (Tregs) and enriches this repertoire in self-reactive receptors, contributing to its vast diversity. In this study, we compared the TCRs on individual Tregs in Aire + and Aire 2 mice expressing a miniature TCR repertoire (TCR mini ) along with GFP driven by the Foxp3 promoter (Foxp3 GFP ). The Treg TCR repertoires in Aire + and Aire 2 TCR mini Foxp3 GFP mice were similar and more diverse than their repertoires on CD4 + Foxp3 2 thymocytes. Further, TCRs found on potentially self-reactive T cells, with an activated phenotype (CD4 + Foxp3 2 CD62L low ) in Aire 2 TCR mini Foxp3 GFP mice, appear distinct from TCRs found on Tregs in Aire + TCR mini Foxp3 GFP mice. Lastly, we found no evidence that TSAs presented by medullary thymic epithelial cells in Aire + TCR mini mice are often recognized as agonists by Treg-derived TCR hybridomas or CD4 + CD25 + thymocytes, containing both natural Tregs and precursors. Thus, positive selection and self-reactivity of the global Treg repertoire are not controlled by Aire-dependent TSAs. The Journal of Immunology , 2010, 184: 6865–6873.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses Do Not Inhibit Interferon Synthesis in Infected Chickens but Can Override the Interferon-Induced Antiviral State

ABSTRACT From infection studies with cultured chicken cells and experimental mammalian hosts, it is well known that influenza viruses use the nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) to suppress the synthesis of interferon (IFN). However, our current knowledge regarding the in vivo role of virus-encoded NS1 in chickens is much more limited. Here, we report that highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of subtypes H5N1 and H7N7 lacking fully functional NS1 genes were attenuated in 5-week-old chickens. Surprisingly, in diseased birds infected with NS1 mutants, the IFN levels were not higher than in diseased birds infected with wild-type virus, suggesting that NS1 cannot suppress IFN gene expression in at least one cell population of infected chickens that produces large amounts of the cytokine in vivo. To address the question of why influenza viruses are highly pathogenic in chickens although they strongly activate the innate immune system, we determined whether recombinant chicken alpha interferon (IFN-α) can inhibit the growth of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in cultured chicken cells and whether it can ameliorate virus-induced disease in 5-week-old birds. We found that IFN treatment failed to confer substantial protection against challenge with highly pathogenic viruses, although it was effective against viruses with low pathogenic potential. Taken together, our data demonstrate that preventing the synthesis of IFN is not the primary role of the viral NS1 protein during infection of chickens. Our results further suggest that virus-induced IFN does not contribute substantially to resistance of chickens against highly pathogenic influenza viruses.
Geometric Morphometrics

Geometric morphometrics are a class of multivariate methods for measuring and analyzing the shapes of objects. Geometric morphometrics are distinctive in that they use Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) of landmark points in place of linear measurements as variables (Bookstein 1991). Most geometric morphometric methods use Procrustes superimposition to remove scale, rotation, and translation from the coordinates, which eliminates confounding effects of size, but which limits analyses to rigid objects. A wide range of multivariate statistical tests can be employed to assess the relationship of shape to other variables of interest (Dryden and Mardia 1998). One of the most popular features of geometric morphometric methods are that analytical results can be presented visually as deformations of objects instead of as tables of numbers.
Las infecciones emergentes transmitidas por garrapatas

Las infecciones transmitidas por garrapatas aparecen por todo el mundo y son bien conocidas desde hace más de 100 años. Algunas enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas son muy comunes mientras que otras son extremadamente raras. Las técnicas genéticas moleculares modernas (y la mayor disponibilidad de la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa) han llevado al descubrimiento y la clasificación de nuevos agentes patógenos, especialmente del orden de los Rickettsiales. En esta revisión se abordan los agentes víricos, bacterianos y protozoarios que pueden causar enfermedades humanas. La mayoría de las picaduras de garrapatas y, en consecuencia, las enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas, aparecen durante el periodo más cálido del año. Con respecto a los reservorios naturales, existe una fuerte variación geográfica entre diferentes enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas. La historia de una picadura de garrapata no siempre es confiable, debido a que dicha picadura puede pasar inadvertida. Las enfermedades más corrientes son la borreliosis de Lyme y la encefalitis transmitida por garrapatas, causada por un falvivirus. Lo más frecuente es que las infecciones víricas presenten signos neurológicos de encefalitis, mientras que las infecciones rickettsiales se caracterizan por fiebre (bifásica), síntomas sistémicos de infección y, a menudo, erupción con petequias. Algunas de las enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas son evitables por inmunización, como la encefalitis transmitida por garrapatas. Las infecciones cuyo origen no es vírico deben ser tratadas precozmente con antibióticos, predominantemente después de la sospecha clínica, con objeto de obtener un resultado satisfactorio. Bien sea debido a la virulencia del patógeno, la falta de utilización de medidas preventivas o a causa del retraso en el diagnóstico y el tratamiento, las tasas de mortalidad pueden variar; sin embargo, las infecciones transmitidas por garrapatas todavía siguen costando vidas.
Functional Studies of Sodium Channels: From Target to Compound Identification

Over the last six decades, voltage‐gated sodium (Nav) channels have attracted a great deal of scientific and pharmaceutical interest, driving fundamental advances in both biology and technology. The structure and physiological function of these channels have been extensively studied; clinical and genetic data have uncovered their implication in diseases such as epilepsy, arrhythmias, and pain, bringing them into focus as current and future drug targets. While different techniques have been established to record the activity of Nav channels, proper determination of their properties still presents serious challenges, depending upon the experimental conditions and the desired subtype of channel to be characterized. The aim of this unit is to review the characteristics of Nav channels, their properties, the cells in which they can be studied, and the currently available techniques. Topics covered include the determination of Nav‐channel biophysical properties as well as the use of toxins to discriminate between subtypes using electrophysiological or optical methods. Perspectives on the development of high‐throughput screening assays with their advantages and limitations are also discussed to allow a better understanding of the challenges encountered in voltage‐gated sodium channel preclinical drug discovery. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Analysis of a horse simulator’s locomotion by inertial sensors

To determine the imbalance of each, horse or rider, the balance’s quality of the rider will be expertise and improve by an adjusted simulator, without the unpredictable reactions of a real horse. The use of an equestrian simulator enables the rider to improve his technique without the different risks linked to the practice on a real horse. These simulators are sold without any specification regarding the operation, validity and regularity. Such a device has to be however controlled in terms of movement stability (Mager-Maury et al. 2012). This study aims to verify this aspect on a mechanical horse by using an inertial measurement unit (IMU), in order to improve the rider’s training programs by adapting the different protocols to the inter-individual differences between the riders. This will allow us to be relevant to the session’s repeatability and riders monitoring. The unpredictable reactions of a real horse prevent the accuracy and secure rider’s balance studies. The weight and rider’s experience has an effect on the horse’s behaviour (Clayton 1997; Eckardt et al. 2014).
Blood Concentrations of Selected Volatile Organic Compounds and Neurobehavioral Performance in a Population-Based Sample

The authors analyzed data from a national sample to examine the relationships between blood concentrations of selected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the assessment scores of neurobehavioral evaluation tests. They calculated summary statistics to describe blood concentrations of 30 VOCs. For instance, the 95th percentiles were as follows: 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 0.799 μg/l; 1,4-dichlorobenzene, 11.081 μg/l; benzene, 0.476 μg/l; and toluene, 0.281 μg/l. For 1,4-dichlorobenzene, benzene, dibromochloromethane, and trichloroethene, a blood level higher than the 95th percentile was associated with a poorer neurobehavioral assessment score than was a blood level up to the 95th percentile. The authors found a linear relationship between blood toluene concentration and the Serial Digit Learning Test score. The findings suggest that exposure to certain VOCs may result in poor neurobehavioral performance. The study was exploratory and precludes a conclusive statement, so further investigation is warranted.
Correlation between cognitive impairment and cerebral hemodynamic disturbances on perfusion magnetic resonance imaging in European adults with moyamoya disease. Clinical article.

OBJECT Although cognitive impairment has been reported in adults with moyamoya disease (MMD), its relationship with cerebral hemodynamic disturbances has not been investigated. The aims of the present study were to confirm the presence of dysexecutive cognitive syndrome (DCS) in adults with MMD and to explore the relationship of DCS with frontal lobe perfusion as measured by perfusion MR imaging. METHODS Cerebral blood volume (CBV) ratio and mean transit time delay were measured in frontal and temporoparietal regions using the cerebellum as a reference region in 10 European adults with MMD. In addition, the authors calculated the cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) using the CBV ratio and the acetazolamide challenge. All patients underwent a standardized neuropsychological assessment test battery. The authors defined DCS as an impairment shown on 3 tests or more of executive function. RESULTS The authors found DCS in 6 patients. The frontal CVR was lower in patients with DCS than in patients without DCS (mean ± SD: -13.5 ± 13.2% and 20.3 ± 21.3%; p = 0.019, Mann-Whitney U-test). Other parameters of frontal perfusion and temporoparietal CVR were not correlated with DCS. CONCLUSIONS The authors' findings suggest that DCS is common in European adults with MMD and may be related to frontal perfusion impairment.
Managed care in three states: experiences of low-income African Americans and Hispanics.

This article examines the experiences of low-income, nonelderly Hispanics, African Americans, and whites in managed care (MC), and compares them to their racial/ethnic counterparts enrolled in fee-for-service (FFS) health plans. Survey findings from Florida, Tennessee, and Texas show that MC and FFS enrollees do not differ substantially on most access and satisfaction measures, with a few notable exceptions. When compared with their FFS counterparts, African-American MC enrollees are twice as likely to report problems in obtaining needed care, and Hispanic MC enrollees are nearly twice as likely to rate the extent to which their providers care about them as "fair" or "poor. " In contrast, whites in MC are less likely to be without a regular provider than their FFS counterparts, but report greater dissatisfaction with the extent to which providers care about them.
Association between chlorthalidone treatment of systolic hypertension and long-term survival.

CONTEXT In the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP) trial, conducted between 1985 and 1990, antihypertensive therapy with chlorthalidone-based stepped-care therapy resulted in a lower rate of cardiovascular events than placebo but effects on mortality were not significant. OBJECTIVE To study the gain in life expectancy of participants randomized to active therapy at the 22-year follow-up. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A National Death Index ascertainment of death in the long-term follow-up of a randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial (SHEP) of patients aged 60 years or older with isolated systolic hypertension. Recruitment was between March 1, 1985, and January 15, 1988. After the end of a 4.5-year randomized phase of the SHEP trial, all participants were advised to receive active therapy. The time interval between the beginning of recruitment and the ascertainment of death by National Death Index (December 31, 2006) was approximately 22 years (21 years 10 months). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Cardiovascular death and all-cause mortality. RESULTS At the 22-year follow-up, life expectancy gain, expressed as the area between active (n = 2365) and placebo (n = 2371) survival curves, was 105 days (95% CI, -39 to 242; P = .07) for all-cause mortality and 158 days (95% CI, 36-287; P = .009) for cardiovascular death. Each month of active treatment was therefore associated with approximately 1 day extension in life expectancy. The active treatment group had higher survival free from cardiovascular death vs the placebo group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80-0.99; P = .03) but similar survival for all-cause mortality (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90-1.04; P = .42). There were 1416 deaths (59.9%) in the active treatment group and 1435 deaths (60.5%) in the placebo group (log-rank P = .38, Wilcoxon P = .24). Cardiovascular death was lower in the active treatment group (669 deaths [28.3%]) vs the placebo group (735 deaths [31.0%]; log-rank P = .03, Wilcoxon P = .02). Time to 70th percentile survival was 0.56 years (95% CI, -0.14 to 1.23) longer in the active treatment group vs the placebo group (11.53 vs 10.98 years; P = .03) for all-cause mortality and 1.41 years (95% CI, 0.34-2.61; 17.81 vs 16.39 years; P = .01) for survival free from cardiovascular death. CONCLUSION In the SHEP trial, treatment of isolated systolic hypertension with chlorthalidone stepped-care therapy for 4.5 years was associated with longer life expectancy at 22 years of follow-up.
Metabolic costs of heat solicitation calls in relation to thermal need in embryos of American white pelicans

Chilled embryos of pelicans, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, begin to vocally solicit parental heat at the pipped-egg stage. Honest signalling models predict that if vocal heat solicitation is a true reflection of need, then solicitation should be costly and costs should increase with the embryo's need for warmth. Using open-flow respirometry, we measured the metabolic costs associated with vocal heat solicitation by exposing embryos to either a decreasing or increasing series of body temperatures, ranging from 25 to 37.8 degrees C. We measured baseline costs (stable temperature, embryo silent) and costs associated with cold-induced calling at each temperature. At natural incubation temperature (37.8 degrees C), call rates and costs associated with calling were negligible, as was thermal need. Metabolic costs relative to baseline costs and costs per call increased with thermal need as body temperature declined. Absolute metabolic costs increased between 37.8 and 35 degrees C, then remained stable down to 25 degrees C. Call rates increased as embryos were chilled within the range of temperatures most frequently experienced in nature (35-37.8 degrees C), then decreased significantly for all lower temperatures, probably owing to reduced overall metabolic rate at lower temperatures (25-37.8 degrees C). The results generally support the honest signalling prediction that vocal heat solicitation is metabolically costly, and that costs increase with need. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
[A comparison of the measurements with biochemical markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density in the assessment of the efficiency of osteoporosis treatment].

OBJECTIVES This study aims to compare the measurements using biochemical markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density (BMD) in the assessment of the efficiency of osteoporosis treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between March 2006 and December 2008, 166 patients with osteoporosis in our clinic were included. Patients who were out of contact due to death or other reasons during follow-up were excluded. We compared the measurements of urinary biochemical markers of bone turnover using cross-linked N-telopeptide (Ntx) values and BMD in 60 patients (49 females, 11 males; mean age: 65.7 years; range: 42 to 87 years) with osteoporosis who were treatment-naive and completed study. RESULTS Twenty-nine (48.3%) of the patients received surgical treatment, while 31 (51.7%) received conservative therapy. Urine NTx values of the patients decreased 38.82% at three months; 51.99% at six months and 66.41% at 12 months. Lumbar vertebra BMD increased by 20.7% and femur neck BMD increased by 11.9% at the end of the first year. CONCLUSION Urine NTx values respond to osteoporosis treatment faster than BMD measurements; thereby it may be suitable to use this parameter for the monitorization of the treatment efficiency.
Emotions for sale: cigarette advertising and women’s psychosocial needs

Objective: To explore messages of psychosocial needs satisfaction in cigarette advertising targeting women and implications for tobacco control policy. Methods: Analysis of internal tobacco industry documents and public advertising collections. Results: Tobacco industry market research attempted to identify the psychosocial needs of different groups of women, and cigarette advertising campaigns for brands that women smoke explicitly aimed to position cigarettes as capable of satisfying these needs. Such positioning can be accomplished with advertising that downplays or excludes smoking imagery. As women’s needs change with age and over time, advertisements were developed to reflect the needs encountered at different stages in women’s lives. Cigarette brands for younger women stressed female camaraderie, self confidence, freedom, and independence; cigarette brands for older women addressed needs for pleasure, relaxation, social acceptability, and escape from daily stresses. Conclusions: Psychosocial needs satisfaction can be communicated without reference to cigarettes or smoking. This may explain why partial advertising bans are ineffective and comprehensive bans on all forms of tobacco marketing are effective. Counter-advertising should attempt to expose and undermine the needs satisfaction messages of cigarette advertising campaigns directed at women.
Long-term survival in renal transplant recipients with graft function.

UNLABELLED Long-term survival in renal transplant recipients with graft function. BACKGROUND Death with graft function (DWGF) is a common cause of graft loss. The risks and determinants of DWGF have not been studied in a recent cohort of renal transplant recipients. We performed a population-based survival analysis of U.S. patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) transplanted between 1988 and 1997. METHODS Registry data were used to evaluate long-term patient survival and cause-specific risks of DWGF in 86,502 adult (>/=18 years) renal transplant recipients. RESULTS Out of 18,482 deaths, 38% (N = 7040) were deaths with graft function. This accounts for 42. 5% of all graft loss. Patient survival with graft function was 97, 91, and 86% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. The risk of DWGF decreased by 67% (RR = 0.33, P < 0.001) between 1988 and 1997. The adjusted rate of DWGF was 4.6, 0.8, 2.2, and 1.4 deaths per 1000 person-years for cardiovascular disease, stroke, infections, and malignancy, respectively. The suicide rate was 15.7 versus 9.0 deaths per 100,000 person-years in the general population (P < 0. 001). In multivariate analysis, the following factors were independently and significantly predictive of DWGF: white recipient, age at transplantation, ESRD caused by hypertension or diabetes mellitus, length of pretransplant dialysis, delayed graft function, acute rejection, panel reactive antibody> 30%, African American donor race, age> 45 years, and donor death caused by cerebrovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS Patients with graft function have a high long-term survival. Although DWGF is a major cause of graft loss, the risk has declined substantially since 1990. Cardiovascular disease was the predominant reported cause of DWGF. Other causes vary by post-transplant time period. Attention to atherosclerotic risk factors may be the most important challenge to further improve the longevity of patients with successful renal transplants.