Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes of vitamin D3 serum concentrations at the onset of immune-mediated type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus.

Several hormones such as 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3), alpha-MSH, or ACTH have been found to interact extensively with the immune system. In view of the immune-mediated nature of Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, 49 recently diagnosed diabetic patients were investigated in terms of serum 1,25-(OH)2D3-levels, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3(25-(OH)D3), alpha-MSH and ACTH, and compared with 42 healthy controls. A marked decrease of 1,25-(OH)2D3-levels was found at onset of Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes compared to normal controls (39 +/- 2 vs 55 +/- 4 pg/ml, p less than 0.01). Grouping patients according to season (winter or summer) of diabetes onset and blood sampling, it was demonstrated that the decrease of 1,25-(OH)2D3 was primarily present during summer and due to a loss of the seasonal rhythm of this hormone observed in healthy controls (summer: patients vs controls 41 +/- 2 vs 63 +/- 4 pg/ml, p less than 0.001; winter: 37 +/- 3 vs 33 +/- 3 pg/ml, n.s.). Serum concentrations of 25-(OH)D3 were closely correlated with those of 1,25-(OH)2D3, both in controls (r = 0.55, p less than 0.002) and diabetic patients (r = 0.41, p less than 0.05), yielding a similar loss of seasonal variation also of this vitamin D3 metabolite in Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients. No difference was found in the mean and median values of alpha-MSH and ACTH between IDDM patients and controls, although patients exhibited much higher variation of alpha-MSH levels than did controls. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Assessing the association between environmental impacts and health outcomes: A case study from Florida

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) program to integrate hazard monitoring, exposure, and health effects surveillance into a cohesive tracking network. Part of Florida's effort to move toward implementation of EPHT is to develop models of the spatial and temporal association between myocardial infarctions (MIs) and ambient ozone levels in Florida. Existing data were obtained from Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, Florida's Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Census Bureau, and CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. These data were linked by both ignoring spatial support and using block kriging, a support‐adjusted approach. The MI data were indirectly standardized by age, race/ethnicity, and sex. The state of Florida was used as the comparison standard to compute the MI standardized event ratio (SER) for each county and each month. After the data were linked, global models were used initially to relate MIs to ambient ozone levels, adjusting for covariates. The global models provide an estimated relative MI SER for the state. Realizing that the association in MIs and ozone might change across locations, local models were used to estimate the relative MI SER for each county, again adjusting for covariates. Results differed, depending on whether the spatial support was ignored or accounted for in the models. The opportunities and challenges associated with EPHT analyses are discussed and future directions highlighted. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status, socioeconomic factors and mortality in hospitalized children in Addis Ababa

Summary The influence of some household and maternal variables on three anthropometric nutritional status indices of hospitalized children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, are examined. On admission, only 30% of these children can be classified as being of a normal overall nutritional status. There are no significant differences in weight-for-age of hospitalized children between those residing in Addis Ababa and those residing in the rural areas. Income and father's occupation appear to be the major household factors influencing the level of two of the three indices (weight-for-age and weight-for-height). Length of last closed birth interval and, to a lesser degree, maternal age appear to have significant effects on all three nutritional status indices. Upon admission to hospital, children who will in the end survive their hospital stay are on average nutritionally normal or in a mild state of malnutrition, whereas children who will die during their stay arrive in a moderate or severe state of malnutrition. The degree of malnutrition is positively related to the risk of mortality in respiratory disease patients.
An immunohistochemical evaluation of progesterone receptor in frozen sections, paraffin sections, and cytologic imprints of breast carcinomas

Two monoclonal antibodies to progesterone receptor (PR), JZB39 and KD68, were used for the immunocytochemical visualization of PR in different kinds of breast cancer specimens including (1) cryostat sections of tumors frozen at −80°C; (2) paraffin sections of tumors fixed in formalin or in Bouin's fixative for varying periods of time at room temperature or at 4°C; and (3) imprints and cryostat sections prepared from the tissue used for frozen section diagnosis and stored at −80°C after fixation in Zamboni's solution. Sections of conventionally frozen specimens as well as imprints and cryostat sections stored for varying periods of time were stained with the peroxidase–antiperoxidase technique, whereas the avidin–biotin technique was used for paraffin sections. In all types of specimens the PR immunostaining was localized to the nuclei of carcinoma cells and displayed considerable heterogeneity both in intensity and in distribution of positive cells. Close correspondence was found between the different immunohistochemical techniques as well as between immunostaining and steroid‐binding assays. PR staining was more frequently positive in well‐differentiated than in moderately or poorly differentiated carcinomas, whereas no meaningful correlation was found between PR staining and extent of the disease. Similar results were obtained with the immunostaining of estrogen receptor in the same material using monoclonal antibodies H222 and D75P3γ. Thus, by choosing the technique that best suits the type of specimen available, it is possible to obtain valid information on the receptor status of any breast carcinoma, regardless of its size and clinical presentation.
Investment Risk Profiling: Lessons from Psychology

The risk profiling process is one of the most under-utilised assets the financial planning profession has at its disposal. This paper presents a novel approach to risk profiling, which is based on the application of the psychology literature to develop an empirical risk profiling system. This paper provides a theoretical foundation for considering the risk profiling system by applying the literature from self-control, optimism, financial literacy, and risk tolerance, to a risk profiling system. This paper discusses how understanding client levels of self-control can impact ‘stickability’ to a financial plan, and how prior knowledge of optimism, financial literacy and risk tolerance can enable financial planners to have more engaging discussions and design more tailored financial plans for their clients. This is the first stage of the research project, with the second stage the development and testing of a risk profiling system based on the theory within this paper.
Stimulation of Lipolysis in Humans by Physiological Hypercortisolemia

The effect of glucocorticoids on adipose tissue lipolysis in animals and humans is controversial. To determine whether a physiological increase in plasma cortisol, similar to that observed in diabetic ketoacidosis and other stress conditions, stimulates lipolysis, palmitate kinetics were measured in seven nondiabetic volunteers on two occasions with [1-14C]palmitate as a tracer. Subjects received a 6-h infusion of either 2 μg · kg−1 · min−1 hydrocortisone or saline in random order. On both occasions, a pancreatic clamp (0.12 μg · kg−1 · min−1 somatostatin, 0.05 mU · kg−1 · min−1 insulin, and 3 ng · kg−1 · min−1 growth hormone) was used to maintain plasma hormone concentrations at desired levels. Plasma cortisol concentrations increased to ∼970 nM during cortisol infusion. Palmitate rate of appearance (Ra) and concentration increased by ∼60% during cortisol infusion but did not change during saline infusion. Increments in palmitate Ra and concentration over the 6-h study were significantly greater during cortisol than saline infusion when compared by area-under-the-curve analysis (152 ± 52 vs. −48 ± 23 μmol · kg−1 and 12.2 ± 4.1 vs. −4.9 ± 4.1 mmol · min−1 · L−1, respectively; P < 0.02). Plasma glucose concentrations did not change significantly during cortisol (5.0 ± 0.3 vs. 6.1 ± 0.6 mM, NS) or saline (4.9 ± 0.2 vs. 4.9 ± 0.1 mM, NS) infusion. In nondiabetic volunteers, a 6-h cortisol infusion was associated with a 60% increase in palmitate Ra that did not occur with saline infusion. Thus, physiological hypercortisolemia may contribute to the increased rates of lipolysis observed in humans during stress.
The C. elegans che-1 gene encodes a zinc finger transcription factor required for specification of the ASE chemosensory neurons

Chemotaxis to water-soluble chemicals such as NaCl is an important behavior of C. elegans when seeking food. ASE chemosensory neurons have a major role in this behavior. We show that che-1, defined by chemotaxis defects, encodes a zinc-finger protein similar to the GLASS transcription factor required for photoreceptor cell differentiation in Drosophila, and that che-1 is essential for specification and function of ASE neurons. Expression of a che-1::gfp fusion construct was predominant in ASE. In che-1 mutants, expression of genes characterizing ASE such as seven-transmembrane receptors, guanylate cyclases and a cyclic-nucleotide gated channel is lost. Ectopic expression of che-1 cDNA induced expression of ASE-specific marker genes, a dye-filling defect in neurons other than ASE and dauer formation.
The power to detect linkage in complex disease by means of simple LOD-score analyses.

Maximum-likelihood analysis (via LOD score) provides the most powerful method for finding linkage when the mode of inheritance (MOI) is known. However, because one must assume an MOI, the application of LOD-score analysis to complex disease has been questioned. Although it is known that one can legitimately maximize the maximum LOD score with respect to genetic parameters, this approach raises three concerns: (1) multiple testing, (2) effect on power to detect linkage, and (3) adequacy of the approximate MOI for the true MOI. We evaluated the power of LOD scores to detect linkage when the true MOI was complex but a LOD score analysis assumed simple models. We simulated data from 14 different genetic models, including dominant and recessive at high (80%) and low (20%) penetrances, intermediate models, and several additive two-locus models. We calculated LOD scores by assuming two simple models, dominant and recessive, each with 50% penetrance, then took the higher of the two LOD scores as the raw test statistic and corrected for multiple tests. We call this test statistic "MMLS-C. " We found that the ELODs for MMLS-C are >=80% of the ELOD under the true model when the ELOD for the true model is >=3. Similarly, the power to reach a given LOD score was usually >=80% that of the true model, when the power under the true model was >=60%. These results underscore that a critical factor in LOD-score analysis is the MOI at the linked locus, not that of the disease or trait per se. Thus, a limited set of simple genetic models in LOD-score analysis can work well in testing for linkage.
HIV multidisciplinary teams work: Support services improve access to and retention in HIV primary care

The multidisciplinary team model of HIV care evolved out of necessity due to the diverse characteristics and needs of people living with HIV disease. Though it is now accepted as the international standard of care, it represents a significant departure from methods of care for other infectious diseases, and debate continues regarding the effectiveness of its interventions. The debate has been largely uninformed by data; for example, little is known about the relationship between ancillary support services and primary care outcomes. We hypothesized that support services increase access to and retention in HIV primary care in an inner city public hospital clinic. We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data sets on 2,647 patients at the CORE Center, Chicago from 1997-1998 to investigate the relationship between four support services--case management (CM), transportation (TRANS), mental health (MH) and chemical dependency (CD)--and access to and retention in HIV primary care. We found that patients who received each of these services were significantly more likely to receive any care, regular care and had more visits than patients with no service, and retention increased by 15-18%. Female gender, younger age, self-pay status and IDU predicted less regular care. Need for all services was substantial and significantly greater in women. Outcomes improved to the greatest extent among patients who needed and received each service. We conclude that support services significantly increased access to and retention in HIV primary care. Our findings validate the multidisciplinary team model of HIV care, and suggest that health services that are tailored to the express needs of patients lead to better care and improved health outcomes. Further testing of changes in health care delivery to meet the rapidly changing needs of people living with HIV disease and respond to the constantly changing practice of HIV medicine is urgently needed to maintain and extend the advances in HIV care outcomes of the past decade.
The major herpes simplex virus DNA-binding protein holds single-stranded DNA in an extended configuration

Properties of the major DNA-binding protein found in herpes simplex virus-infected cells were investigated by using a filter binding assay and electron microscopy. Filter binding indicated that the stoichiometry of binding of the protein with single-stranded DNA is approximately 40 nucleotides per protein molecule at saturation. Strong clustering of the protein in DNA-protein complexes, indicative of cooperative binding, was seen with the electron microscope. Measurements of single-stranded fd DNA molecules saturated with protein and spread for electron microscopy by using both the aqueous and formamide spreading techniques indicated that the DNA is held in an extended configuration with a base spacing of approximately 0.13 nm per base.
Clinical characteristics of responders to interferon therapy for relapsing MS

To the Editor: Waubant et al. assessed the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients associated with a favorable response to interferon beta (IFNB) therapy based on a retrospective analysis of 200 relapsing-remitting and 62 secondaryprogressive affecteds with at least 6 months of treatment.1 We assessed 202 MS patients starting IFNB treatment between January 1995 and December 1998. They were ascertained according to rigorous recruitment criteria at the Neuroimmunology Unit, Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain. Patients were followed prospectively for 2 years from initiation of therapy and clinical data, including Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores, were recorded every 3 months.2-4 Using primary and secondary endpoints, patients were categorized as follows: Criteria A: Responders were defined as having no relapses and no increase in the EDSS after 2 years follow-up period; nonresponders were defined as having two or more relapses or having an increase of 1 point in the EDSS score, or both. Criteria B: Responders were defined as having decrease in the relapse rate (RR) 30% in the 2-year follow-up compared with the 2 years before IFNB onset; nonresponders were defined as having a decrease in RR 30%, the same RR, or an increase in the RR in the same period. Criteria A classification was more stringent to avoid misclassifying patients who would compromise statistics in genetic studies.2-3 The second criteria classification was more realistic based on the results of the IFNB clinical trials and is also close to the definition of responders from Waubant et al. As expected, we found significant differences in the number of relapses, RR, EDSS status, and EDSS increase after the 2-year follow-up between responders and nonresponders by using either of the two criteria. In agreement with Waubant et al. we found that responder MS patients defined by criteria B (the closest to the one used in their work) were older (p 0.013) and tended to have a longer duration of their disease (p 0.087). This may be because responders represent a subset of MS patients with milder disease. Interestingly, we found no significant differences when applying more stringent criteria such as criteria A, suggesting that the evolution in the natural history of the disease outweighs the effect of IFNB, introducing an important confounding factor for analysis of trials data.
Use of Social Microblogging to Motivate Young People (NEETs) to Participate in Distance Education through www.eBig3.eu

Young people, who are the fundamental asset of our economies and societies across the world, face a real and increasing difficulty in finding a decent job with each day. Three additional merging factors are worsening the youth employment crisis even further, causing challenges while transiting to decent jobs, namely (i) numbers of discouraged youth, in other words, young people, who are neither in education nor in employment or training (NEETs) are increasing, (ii) unemployment among university graduates of tertiary education in general are rising and (iii) potential NEET group students, especially in the 1st year, who, apart from reduced study fees, require extra motivation and moral support from educators. What can be done to solve the dropout crisis with microblogging possibilities? Many educators have found that microblog Twitter is a great help tool to increase student participation and further engagement in lifelong education once they have left the classroom. The use of e-learning in itself does not constitute an enhancement of the quality of teaching and learning, but it is a potential enabler for such enhancement. The provided examples of good practice illustrate how certain initiatives address challenges and seek to effectively engage learners. The study aim to make young people NEET problem analysis in order to understand their motivation to engage in distance learning process. The first insurance against unemployment is quality education and training. Distance learning project eBig3 is example of unique way to promote reintegrating young people into the labour market and education too. Keywords–youth; NEET group; microblogging; Twitter; elearning; distance education; www.eBig3. eu.
Adaptive response to hypoxia and remote ischaemia pre‐conditioning: a new hypoxia‐inducible factors era in clinical medicine

Transient ischaemia leads to tolerance to subsequent protracted ischaemia. This ‘ischaemia pre‐conditioning’ results from the induction of numerous protective genes, involved in cell metabolism, proliferation and survival, in antioxidant capacity, angiogenesis, vascular tone and erythropoiesis. Hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIF) play a pivotal role in this transcriptional adaptive response. HIF prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs), serving as oxygen sensors, control HIFα degradation. HIF‐mediated ischaemic pre‐conditioning can be achieved with the administration of PHD inhibitors, with the attenuation of organ injury under various hypoxic and toxic insults. Clinical trials are currently under way, evaluating PHD inhibitors as inducers of erythropoietin. Once their safety is established, their potential use might be further tested in clinical trials in various forms of acute ischaemic and toxic organ damage.
Sources of subcortical projections to the superior colliculus in the cat

A comprehensive search for subcortical projections to the cat superior colliculus was conducted using the retrograde horseradish peroxidase (HRP) method. Over 40 different subcortical structures project to the superior colliculus. The more notable among these are grouped under the following categories.
Querying Music Notation

We consider the emerging field of music score libraries, where documents rely on a music notation markup language such as MusicXML or MEI. We propose to model as synchronized time-series the music structure that can be extracted from such documents, together with an algebra that operates in closed form and allows manipulations, restructurings, and combinations of music scores stored in a database. We formally present the model, its algebraic operators, and finally show how our approach can serve as a building block for a query and analytic language on large collections of XML-encoded music scores.
Thrombocytopenia in patients with dengue virus infection in the Brazilian Amazon

Thrombocytopenia may be occasionally observed in dengue fever (DF) but is a constant feature and one of the diagnostic criteria of dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). Its clinical presentation and relevance is still poorly described in the literature. Patients with fever and bleeding were referred to a tertiary care center in Manaus, in the Western Brazilian Amazon during the outbreak of dengue in 2001. They were hospitalized for clinical observation and supportive care. Platelet counts were performed on admission and throughout the hospitalization. Only patients with a serological confirmation or viral isolation of the dengue virus were included. One hundred and seventy eight patients were enrolled in the study (118 with DF and 60 with DHF). There was no association between the presence of active bleeding and the degree of thrombocytopenia on admission (P = 0.302). A positive tourniquet test, hematemesis and ecchymoses were more frequent in DHF patients (P < 0.05). Patients with DHF had lower platelet counts than patients with DF (P < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between platelet counts and plasma albumin levels (r = 0.217; P = 0.016) and a negative correlation with ALT values (r = −0.3; P = 0.001). Clinical manifestations of thrombocytopenia are not related only to the number of peripheral platelets in dengue infection, but its recovery is associated with clinical improvement. The level of platelets correlates with the vascular leakage of proteins and liver damage.