Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of CART neurons in the rat and human hypothalamus

Cocaine‐ and amphetamine‐regulated transcript (CART) is a recently described neuropeptide widely expressed in the rat brain. CART mRNA and peptides are found in hypothalamic sites such as the paraventricular nucleus (PVH), the supraoptic nucleus (SON), the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), the dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (DMH), the arcuate nucleus (Arc), the periventricular nucleus (Pe), and the ventral premammillary nucleus (PMV). Intracerebroventricular administration of recombinant CART peptide decreases food intake and CART mRNA levels in the Arc are regulated by leptin. Leptin administration induces Fos expression in hypothalamic CART neurons in the PVH, the DMH, the Arc, and the PMV. In the current study, we used double label in situ hybridization histochemistry to investigate the potential direct action of leptin on hypothalamic CART neurons and to define the chemical identity of the hypothalamic CART neurons in the rat brain. We found that CART neurons in the Arc, DMH, and PMV express long form leptin‐receptor mRNA, and the suppressor of cytokine signaling‐3 (SOCS‐3) mRNA after an acute dose of intravenous leptin. We also found that CART neurons in the parvicellular PVH, in the DMH and in the posterior Pe coexpress thyrotropin‐releasing hormone (TRH) mRNA. CART neurons in the magnocellular PVH and in the SON coexpress dynorphin (DYN), and CART cell bodies in the LHA and in the posterior Pe coexpress melanin‐concentrating hormone (MCH) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD‐67) mRNA. In the Arc, a few CART neurons coexpress neurotensin (NT) mRNA. In addition, we examined the distribution of CART immunoreactivity in the human hypothalamus. We found CART cell bodies in the PVH, in the SON, in the LHA, in the Arc (infundibular nucleus) and in the DMH. We also observed CART fibers throughout the hypothalamus, in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and in the amygdala. Our results indicate that leptin directly acts on CART neurons in distinct nuclei of the rat hypothalamus. Furthermore, hypothalamic CART neurons coexpress neuropeptides involved in energy homeostasis, including MCH, TRH, DYN, and NT. The distribution of CART cell bodies and fibers in the human hypothalamus indicates that CART may also play a role in the regulation of energy homeostasis in humans. J. Comp. Neurol. 432:1–19, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Carotid atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease in the metabolic syndrome: prospective data from the Bruneck study.

OBJECTIVE The present study aimed at prospectively evaluating carotid atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD) in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Within a prospective population-based survey examining 888 subjects aged 40-79 years, 303 subjects were identified as fulfilling World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and 158 as fulfilling the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)-Adult Treatment Panel (ATP)-III criteria for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome. The 5-year change in carotid status, as assessed by echo-duplex scanning, and incident fatal and nonfatal CHD, as assessed by medical history and death certificates, were compared in subjects with the metabolic syndrome and in the rest of the sample (control subjects). RESULTS Compared with the control subjects, subjects with the metabolic syndrome by WHO criteria had an increased 5-year incidence and progression of carotid atherosclerosis: 51 vs. 35% developed new plaques (P = 0.021) and 34 vs. 19% developed carotid stenosis >40% (P = 0.002) after adjusting for several confounders. Subjects with the metabolic syndrome by these criteria also had an increased incidence of CHD during follow-up: 8 vs. 3% in control subjects (P = 0.012). Similar results were found when the NCEP-ATPIII criteria were used. CONCLUSIONS Subjects with the metabolic syndrome are at increased risk for both progressive carotid atherosclerosis and CHD.
Genetic Fingerprints of Parasites Causing Severe Malaria in a Setting of Low Transmission in Sudan

In this study we intended to examine the extent of genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum parasites causing severe malaria (SM). For this purpose, 100 parasite isolates were obtained from patients with SM and uncomplicated malaria, from an area of low and unstable malaria transmission in Sudan. The diversity of infection (DOI) was estimated by relating the number of the different parasite genotypes that were detected to the total number of parasites that were genotyped (parasite population/subpopulation). We used different molecular markers individually (pfcrt-76, pfmr1-86, GLURP size and MSP2 family and size) and as a group to set a multilocus genetic profile for each parasite isolate. The DOI as estimated by MSP2 and GLURP was 0.553 and 0.435, respectively. However, combination of all four molecular markers (multilocus genetic profile) revealed a fingerprint pattern of genetic diversity with a DOI of 0.936, indicating that in SM infection, diversity is the rule and homogeny is the exception. Furthermore, our clinical data suggest that the virulence markers might also be more diverse than expected. In conclusion, the results are unexpected and overturn the assumption that parasites causing SM are a limited subpopulation of virulent parasites or of a clonal nature. However, it was more likely that there was a genetically unique parasite in each infection.
Weblogs : un nouveau paradigme pour les systèmes d'information et la diffusion de connaissances ? Applications et cas d'usage en contexte de veille et d'intelligence économique.

L'explosion des weblogs est aujourd'hui averee sur le net. Ils sont en France et depuis deja quelques annees outre-atlantique un vrai phenomene de masse. Un certain nombre d'indicateurs permettent de comparer l'engouement pour leur utilisation a celui rencontre pour l'usage du courrier electronique il y de cela quelques annees, et leur taux de croissance a celui du web a ses debuts. Apres avoir brievement presente le contexte d'emergence de ces outils et leur principales fonctionnalites nous montrerons comment leur couplage avec les technologies RSS (Really Simple Syndication) permet, lorsqu'ils sont deployes dans le cadre d'un systeme d'information (SI) finalise, de se recentrer sur le contenu et sur les usages dudit SI. Nous prendrons l'exemple du processus de veille dans un contexte d'intelligence economique pour demontrer comment les usages en entreprise de ces weblogs permettent non seulement d'optimiser le taux de couverture d'un processus de veille au travers de la syndication de contenu – un individu pouvant surveiller quotidiennement (monitoring) plusieurs centaines de sites – mais egalement et surtout d'agir au niveau de la qualification (sourcing) des informations sous surveillance en autorisant pour le veilleur des niveaux de granularite inedits au niveau du fond comme de la forme des contenus surveilles, nous permettant de parler de granularite adaptative et contextuelle. Nous centrerons notre demonstration sur les etapes d'identification et de collecte des sources d'information dans le cadre d'un processus de veille et montrerons le gain qualitatif et quantitatif que representent ces outils pour une demarche d'intelligence economique au niveau des actions de veille que celle-ci peut englober. Nous montrerons enfin comment le positionnement technique de ces outils (RSS, RDF, XML ) permet de depasser leurs actuelles limitations et en fait la premiere application « resistante aux usages » du web semantique, permettant egalement d'envisager des schemas d'interoperabilite valides avec des progiciels necessitant une forte structuration de l'information.
Histopathologic Characteristics Predicting HER‐2/neu Amplification in Breast Cancer

Abstract: The HER‐2/neu gene is a proto‐oncogene that is amplified in 10–30% of breast cancers. New drugs for targeted therapy, such as Herceptin, are effective for patients with HER‐2/neu‐positive tumors, making it necessary to have a noncostly and accurate method to assess HER‐2/neu status. We studied the correlation of findings made by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and the possibility of combining IHC and other clinicopathologic characteristics of breast tumors to predict FISH‐determined HER‐2/neu status. The clinicopathologic characteristics analyzed were the size of the tumor, p53, lymph‐vascular invasion, estrogen/progesterone receptors (ER/PR), tumor grade, axillary lymph node status, and patient age. A total of 199 cases of invasive breast cancer studied at the UCLA Pathology Laboratory during 2003 were included in this study. Tumors with IHC 0, 1+, 2+, and 3+ scores were found to be FISH positive in 3.5%, 6.4%, 25.7%, and 81.5% of the respective groups. Our study showed a strong association between the FISH‐negative and IHC scored 0 and 1+ tumors, suggesting that the FISH test may not be necessary in these cases (p < 0.0001). Although the concordance between IHC 3+ and FISH positive is high, 18% of the patients with overexpression of HER‐2/neu fail to show gene amplification by FISH. HER‐2/neu positivity was found to be proportionally associated with increasing grade in infiltrating ductal carcinoma (p < 0.0001). p53‐positive tumors are more likely to be HER‐2/neu amplified (p = 0.0003). Tumors that are negative for ER/PR are also associated with HER‐2/neu positivity by FISH (31.15%, p = 0.0016). FISH‐determined HER‐2/neu status is not associated with histologic type, tumor size, nodal status, lymph‐vascular invasion, or patient age.
Treatment of Biceps Tendon Lesions in the Setting of Rotator Cuff Tears

Background: During rotator cuff repair, biceps tendon lesions are frequently encountered. However, there is still controversy about optimal treatment for these lesions. Purpose: To compare the results of tenotomy and suture anchor tenodesis prospectively. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: From January 2006 to June 2007, 90 patients (age, >55 years) with a rotator cuff tear and biceps tendon lesion (tear more than 30%, subluxation or dislocation, or degenerative superior labrum anterior to posterior lesion type II) were evaluated prospectively. The first 45 patients treated consecutively underwent biceps tenodesis, and the next 45 underwent biceps tenotomy. Postoperatively, patient evaluations were conducted with a focus on (1) “Popeye” deformity, (2) arm cramping pain, and (3) elbow flexion powers (measured with a hand dynamometer). Overall shoulder function was assessed with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score and the Constant score. Results: At final follow-up, 43 in the tenodesis and 41 in the tenotomy groups were available for evaluation. There was no difference between groups in demographic data such as age, sex, dominant arm, and the time from symptom to surgery and in preoperative ASES score, Constant score, and rotator cuff tear size. A Popeye deformity occurred in 4 (9%) in the tenodesis group and in 11 (27%) in the tenotomy group (P = .0360). Mild cramping pain was observed in 2 in the tenodesis group and 4 in the tenotomy group (P = .4274). Mean elbow flexor power ratio (vs the contralateral side) showed no difference between the 2 groups, with mean values of 0.92 ± 0.15 (tenodesis) and 0.94 ± 0.19 (tenotomy) (P = .7475). The ASES and Constant scores were improved from 38.9 ± 14.2 and 52.1 ± 21.3 to 84.7 ± 13.6 and 82.9 ± 13.5 in the tenodesis group (P < .0001) and from 35.2 ± 10.5 and 48.1 ± 21.3 to 79.6 ± 15.8 and 78.3 ± 14.1 in the tenotomy group (P < .0001), respectively. Conclusion: Suture anchor tenodesis of the long head of the biceps tendon appears to lead to less Popeye deformity than tenotomy. No other clinical variables showed a difference between the 2 modalities.
The Metastasis Suppressor Gene KiSS-1 Encodes Kisspeptins, the Natural Ligands of the Orphan G Protein-coupled Receptor GPR54*

Natural peptides displaying agonist activity on the orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPR54 were isolated from human placenta. These 54-, 14,- and 13-amino acid peptides, with a common RF-amide C terminus, derive from the product of KiSS-1, a metastasis suppressor gene for melanoma cells, and were therefore designated kisspeptins. They bound with low nanomolar affinities to rat and human GPR54 expressed in Chinese hamster ovary K1 cells and stimulated PIP2 hydrolysis, Ca2+ mobilization, arachidonic acid release, ERK1/2 and p38 MAP kinase phosphorylation, and stress fiber formation but inhibited cell proliferation. Human GPR54 was highly expressed in placenta, pituitary, pancreas, and spinal cord, suggesting a role in the regulation of endocrine function. Stimulation of oxytocin secretion after kisspeptin administration to rats confirmed this hypothesis.
Two different types of diabetes mellitus in pancreatic cancer population. Comparative study between new onset and long standing diabetes mellitus on 76 patients with pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND There are some studies which have reported a higher diagnosis probability for PC if the DM occurred within the past 2-3 years. Information on the clinical profile of pancreatic cancer (PC) associated with diabetes mellitus (DM) is limited. The aim of the study was to compare clinic-morphological features in patients with new onset DM and PC and long lasting DM and PC, in order to detect new factors or markers which can help in early diagnosis of PC. METHODS This study included 76 patients with pancreatic cancer admitted between 2000-2009 in the 4th Medical Clinic Cluj-Napoca; in group A 56 patients with PC and new onset of DM (< 24 months duration) were included and in group B 20 patients with PC and long standing diabetes (> 60 months duration) were included. We compared the demographic, clinical, biochemical and morphological characteristics of new onset or long lasting DM and pancreatic cancer. RESULTS New onset DM was more prevalent (74% vs. 26%, p < .05) than long lasting DM among patients with PC. The patients with long lasting DM had a greater frequency of urban environment (100% vs. 55.6% p = .02), a higher body mass index (BMI)(32.1 SD 8.4 vs. 29.9 SD 6.7 kg/m2, p = .05), higher fasting blood glucose levels (182 mg/dL vs. 134 mg/dL, p = .008) and urinary ketone bodies (60% vs. 10.7%, p = .002) compared with those with new-onset DM and PC. There was no statistical difference regarding gender, median age, blood group, location and staging of tumours, long and hard alcohol and cigarettes consumption, between group A and B. CONCLUSIONS New onset DM was more significantly frequent than long lasting DM in patients with PC. New onset diabetes DM associated with PC is frequent, mild and non-decompensated. In patients with PC and long lasting DM, the metabolic status and diabetes are imbalanced.
Accelerator-rich architectures — from single-chip to datacenters

In order to drastically improve energy efficiency, we believe that future processor architectures will make extensive use of accelerators from single-chip implementation to datacenter-level integration, as custom-designed accelerators often provide 10-1000X performance/energy efficiency over the general-purpose processors [1]. Such an accelerator-rich architecture presents a fundamental departure from the classical von Neumann architecture, which emphasizes efficient sharing of the executions of different instructions on a common pipeline, providing an elegant solution when the computing resource is scarce. In constrast, the accelerator-rich architecture features heterogeneity and customizaiton for energy efficiency, which is better suited for energy-constrained design where the silicon resource is abundant. There are several concerns with the extensive usage of accelerators: (1) low utilization, (2) narrow workload coverage, (3) high design cost, and (4) unfamiliar programming interfaces. In this talk, I shall discuss recent progresses and ongoing work to address these concerns. Due to tight power and thermal budgets, only a fraction of computing elements on-chip can be active in future technologies (so called dark silicon [2]). This means low utilization (but much higher energy efficiency) will be an inherent characteristic of future chips. To address the problem of narrow workload coverage, we look to the use of composable accelerators and programmable fabrics to virtualize and accelerate larger blocks of computation [3]. The design cost can properly managed by leveraing the recent advances in high-level synthesis coupled with efficient parameterized architecture template generation. The programming interface is a critical issue for successful adaption of accelerator-rich architectures. It needs to support extensive use of accelerators from single-chip to datacenter scales [4]. We have made significant progress in compilation and runtime support to enable programmers to make use the existing programming interfaces (e.g. C/C++ for computation tasks and MapReduce or Hadoop for large-scale distributed computation in dataceners) for efficient use of accelerators at all scales.
Annotation and merging of SBML models with semanticSBML

SUMMARY Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) is the leading exchange format for mathematical models in Systems Biology. Semantic annotations link model elements with external knowledge via unique database identifiers and ontology terms, enabling software to check and process models by their biochemical meaning. Such information is essential for model merging, one of the key steps towards the construction of large kinetic models. SemanticSBML is a tool that helps users to check and edit MIRIAM annotations and SBO terms in SBML models. Using a large collection of biochemical names and database identifiers, it supports modellers in finding the right annotations and in merging existing models. Initially, an element matching is derived from the MIRIAM annotations and conflicting element attributes are categorized and highlighted. Conflicts can then be resolved automatically or manually, allowing the user to control the merging process in detail. AVAILABILITY SemanticSBML comes as a free software written in Python and released under the GPL 3. A Debian package, a source package for other Linux distributions, a Windows installer and an online version of semanticSBML with limited functionality are available at http://www.semanticsbml. org. A preinstalled version can be found on the Linux live DVD SB.OS, available at http://www.sbos. eu. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
CT and MRI findings of human herpesvirus 6-associated encephalopathy: comparison with findings of herpes simplex virus encephalitis.

OBJECTIVE It is important to differentiate human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6)-associated encephalopathy from herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). Although these conditions are similar with regard to involvement of the mesial temporal lobe, HSE is sensitive to acyclovir but HHV-6 encephalopathy is not. We compared the imaging findings of the two conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS We encountered eight cases of HHV-6 encephalopathy and nine cases of HSE. We divided an observation time into early, middle, and late periods defined as 0-2, 3-30, and more than 30 days from the onset of neurologic symptoms. Differences between HHV-6 encephalopathy and HSE on CT scans in the early period and in distribution and temporal changes in the affected regions on MR images in the three periods were analyzed. RESULTS At MRI in the early and middle periods, all eight patients with HHV-6 encephalopathy had exclusive involvement of the mesial temporal lobes, and all nine patients with HSE had involvement of both the mesial temporal lobes and the extratemporal regions (p < 0.01). Among patients who underwent head MRI, six of six with HHV-6 encephalopathy but none of six with HSE had resolution of high signal intensity on T2-weighted and FLAIR images (p < 0.01). Among patients who underwent head CT in the early period, none of the four with HHV-6 encephalopathy and six of the seven with HSE had abnormal findings, including parenchymal swelling, decreased attenuation of affected regions, and abnormal gyral enhancement (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Serial MRI showed transient abnormal signal intensity in the mesial temporal lobes in patients with HHV-6 encephalopathy but persistent abnormal signal intensity in both the mesial temporal lobes and the extratemporal regions in patients with HSE. CT in the early period showed no abnormality in patients with HHV-6 encephalopathy but definite abnormal findings in patients with HSE. These differences may be useful in the differential diagnosis of the two conditions.
CD5-Negative Regulation of B Cell Receptor Signaling Pathways Originates from Tyrosine Residue Y429 Outside an Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-Based Inhibitory Motif1

CD5 is a cell surface receptor that negatively regulates B cell function, but whose relationship to the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM) family of B cell inhibitory receptors is unclear. Using Fcγ type IIB receptor-CD5 chimeras encompassing the cytoplasmic domain of CD5, we previously showed that a particular region of the molecule containing two tyrosine residues, Y429 and Y441, in an amino acid stretch similar to the Src autophosphorylation motif and a putative ITIM, respectively, antagonized early signaling events triggered through the B cell receptor (BCR). In this study, we provide evidences that only Y429 is mandatory for the inhibition by CD5 of the calcium response activated via the BCR. This residue also efficiently controls inhibition of the Ras/extracellular signal-related kinase-2 pathway. Analyzing the membrane translocation of the AKT protooncogene using its 3′-phosphoinositide-specific pleckstrin homology domain fused to the green fluorescent protein as a probe, we also show that CD5 strongly impairs its cellular redistribution and demonstrate the role played by Y429 in this process. We finally report that Y429 controls almost exclusively CD5 phosphorylation as well as inhibition of BCR-triggered IL-2 production upon coaggregation of the two receptors. Thus, CD5 uses an ITIM-independent strategy, centered on Y429, the major tyrosine-phosphorylated residue in its cytoplasmic domain, to inhibit BCR activation.
Diversity of Helicobacter pylori among Chinese persons with H. pylori infection

To determine whether there is diversity among clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori in Chinese patients with peptic ulcer disease, 40 strains of H. pylori were isolated from antral biopsy specimens obtained at the gastroenterology clinic of Xiangya Hospital from January 1996 to June 1998. Total protein profile by sodium dodecyl sulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) and DNA diversity by polymerase chain reaction‐random amplified polymorphic DNA (PCR‐RAPD) fingerprinting were performed with these isolates. All the isolates from peptic ulcer disease were relatively homogeneous in protein profiles, but they showed a great DNA sequence diversity by PCR‐RAPD fingerprinting. In Chinese patients H. pylori demonstrated an enormous diversity. The diversity among clinical isolates of H. pylori could be distinctly demonstrated and this observation will be helpful in the management of intrafamilial and recurrent H. pylori infection. PCR‐RAPD fingerprinting is an efficient method of distinguishing between clinical isolates of H. pylori.
Current and potential therapeutic strategies for mucopolysaccharidoses

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of rare inherited metabolic diseases caused by genetic defects in the production of lysosomal enzymes. MPSs are clinically heterogeneous and are characterized by progressive deterioration in visceral, skeletal and neurological functions. This article aims to review the classification and pathophysiology of MPSs and discuss current therapies and new targeted agents under development.