Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of cannabis in digestive disorders

Cannabis sativa, a subspecies of the Cannabis plant, contains aromatic hydrocarbon compounds called cannabinoids. [INCREMENT]9-Tetrahydrocannabinol is the most abundant cannabinoid and is the main psychotropic constituent. Cannabinoids activate two types of G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors: cannabinoid type 1 receptor and cannabinoid type 2 receptor. There has been ongoing interest and development in research to explore the therapeutic potential of cannabis. [INCREMENT]9-Tetrahydrocannabinol exerts biological functions on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Cannabis has been used for the treatment of GI disorders such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. The endocannabinoid system (i.e. endogenous circulating cannabinoids) performs protective activities in the GI tract and presents a promising therapeutic target against various GI conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (especially Crohn’s disease), irritable bowel syndrome, and secretion and motility-related disorders. The present review sheds light on the role of cannabis in the gut, liver, and pancreas and also on other GI symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, anorexia, weight loss, and chronic abdominal pain. Although the current literature supports the use of marijuana for the treatment of digestive disorders, the clinical efficacy of cannabis and its constituents for various GI disorders remains unclear.
Human papillomavirus genotype distribution in external acuminata condylomata: a Large French National Study (EDiTH IV).

BACKGROUND External acuminata condylomata (EAC) are among the most common sexually transmitted diseases. Although it is understood that low-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes 6 and 11 are associated with EAC, there have only been a few, small, published studies reporting the genotype-specific prevalence of HPV. The objective of our study was to assess the prevalence of HPV genotypes for a large number of cases involving both men and women and to evaluate the potential benefit of a quadrivalent (genotypes 6, 11, 16, and 18) HPV vaccine in France. METHODS A total of 256 women and 260 men who presented with EAC to French gynecologists, dermatologists, and proctologists were prospectively recruited during the period January through April 2007. Specimens were collected with a cytobrush, and the HPV genotype was determined using the INNO-LiPA assay (Innogenetics), which detects 24 HPV genotypes. RESULTS Four hundred twenty-three beta-globin-positive samples could be analyzed. The median age of patients was 30 years (range, 18-72 years). The overall prevalence of HPV DNA in patients with EAC was 99% (33% of patients were coinfected with another pathogen). Low-risk genotypes predominated, with a prevalence of 89%. The most prevalent genotypes were 6 (69%) and 11 (16%), followed by 16 (9%), 51 (8%), 52 (7%), 66 (6%) 53 (5%), 31 (3%), and 18 (3%). The cumulative prevalence of genotypes 6 and 11 was 83%, and the cumulative prevalence of genotypes 6, 11, 16, and 18 was 88%. CONCLUSIONS This study is, to our knowledge, the first large, multicenter survey to provide solid data on HPV genotype distribution among patients with EAC. Our results provide strong evidence that, in France, the most prevalent HPV genotypes in persons with EAC are 6 and 11. Because of its 99% efficacy for the prevention of EAC and a vaccine coverage of 100%, the quadrivalent HPV vaccine could prevent 62%-87% of EAC cases in France.
Respiratory and Limb Muscle Dysfunction in COPD

Abstract In the next decade, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) will be a major leading cause of death worldwide. Impaired muscle function and mass are common systemic manifestations in COPD patients and negatively influence survival. Respiratory and limb muscles are usually affected in these patients, thus contributing to poor exercise tolerance and reduced quality of life (QoL). Muscles from the lower limbs are more severely affected than those of the upper limbs and the respiratory muscles. Several epidemiological features of COPD muscle dysfunction are being reviewed. Moreover, the most relevant etiologic factors and biological mechanisms contributing to impaired muscle function and mass loss in respiratory and limb muscles of COPD patients are also being discussed. Currently available therapeutic strategies such as different modalities of exercise training, neuromuscular electrical and magnetic stimulation, respiratory muscle training, pharmacological interventions, nutritional support, and lung volume reduction surgery are also being reviewed, all applied to COPD patients. We claim that body composition and quadriceps muscle strength should be routinely explored in COPD patients in clinical settings, even at early stages of their disease. Despite the progress achieved over the last decade in the description of this relevant systemic manifestation in COPD, much remains to be investigated. Further elucidation of the molecular mechanisms involved in muscle dysfunction, muscle mass loss and poor anabolism will help design novel therapeutic targets. Exercise and muscle training, alone or in combination with nutritional support, is undoubtedly the best treatment option to improve muscle mass and function and QoL in COPD patients.
Simple Sequence Repeats and Genome Plasticity in Streptococcus agalactiae

ABSTRACT Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and their role in phase variation have been extensively studied in Gram-negative organisms, where they have been associated with antigenic variation and other adaptation strategies. In this study, we apply comparative genomics in order to find evidence of slipped-strand mispairing in the human Gram-positive pathogen Streptococcus agalactiae. In two consecutive screenings, 2,233 (650 + 1,583) SSRs were identified in our reference genome 2603V/R, and these loci were examined in seven other S. agalactiae genomes. A total of 56 SSR loci were found to exhibit variation, where gain or loss of repeat units was observed in at least one other genome, resulting in aberrant genotypes. Homopolymeric adenine tracts predominated among the repeats that varied. Positional analysis revealed that long polyadenine tracts were overrepresented in the 5′ ends of open reading frames (ORFs) and underrepresented in the 3′ ends. Repeat clustering in ORFs was also examined, and the highest degree of clustering was observed for a capsule biosynthesis gene and a pilus sortase. A statistical analysis of observed over expected ratios suggested a selective pressure against long homopolymeric tracts. Altered phenotypes were verified for three genes encoding surface-attached proteins, in which frameshifts or fusions led to truncation of proteins and/or affected surface localization through loss or gain of the cell wall sorting signal. The data suggest that SSRs contributes to genome plasticity in S. agalactiae but that the bet-hedging strategy is different from Gram-negative organisms.
A Pattern-Frequency-Dependent Wide-Band Slot Antenna

A new design for a coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed wide-band slot antenna is presented in this letter. The basis for achieving such a broadband operation is to create a multiresonator in a slot cavity. By using a modified fork-like feeding structure, several different equivalent magnetic current paths are alternatively excited when the operated frequency is changed. Due to different radiation regions, the radiation pattern, including the end-fire or bore-sight direction, changes frequency-dependently. A 220% impedance bandwidth ( $ S _11 ¿ -10~ dB$) is demonstrated. Simulated and measured results of the antenna are presented.
The Notion of Good and Bad Governance in Comparative Perspective

A governance crisis may not only be detrimental to public trust of the government, but can also be a source of economic stagnation and social instability. Good and bad governance has become an indispensable line of research in public management. Scholars and practitioners in public management are concerned about what makes some government institutions better than others. This paper first explores the theoretical evolution of the term "governance" as distinct from "government. " Second, it sorts out factors related to definitions and measurements of good and bad governance in comparative perspective based on two competing theoretical frameworks for understanding these concepts: principles and consequences. Third, it provides criteria for the notion of good and bad governance and argues that it is multidimensional, continuous rather than discrete, conditional, consequential, and empirical as well as philosophical. Finally, this paper identifies emerging challenges and opportunities for advancing understanding of good and bad governance.
Peripheral benzodiazepine receptor agonists exhibit potent antiapoptotic activities.

The peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) has been implicated in several mitochondrial functions but the exact physiological role of this receptor is still under debate. Since the mitochondria have been attributed a central role in cell death, we have determined the effects of various PBR agonists and antagonists on the apoptosis of the human lymphoblastoid cell line U937. On this cell type, the PBR agonist Ro5-4864 was found to strongly protect the cells against apoptosis induced by TNFalpha. The antiapoptotic effect of PBR agonists was due to a selective interaction with the PBR as demonstrated by: (1) a close correlation between the antiapoptotic activity of various PBR agonists and their respective affinity for the PBR determined on the same cells, (2) a lack of effect of central benzodiazepine receptors agonists such as clonazepam on cell survival, (3) the lack of an antiapoptotic activity of Ro5-4864 on wild-type Jurkat cells (lacking the PBR receptor) and the reappearance of this effect on PBR-transfected Jurkat cells, and (4) the blockade of the antiapoptotic effect of PBR agonists by a selective PBR antagonist. The present results therefore indicate that PBR agonists are potent antiapoptotic compounds and show that this effect might represent a major function for this enigmatic receptor.
Expression of Virulence Factors by Staphylococcus aureus Grown in Serum

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus produces many virulence factors, including toxins, immune-modulatory factors, and exoenzymes. Previous studies involving the analysis of virulence expression were mainly performed by in vitro experiments using bacterial medium. However, when S. aureus infects a host, the bacterial growth conditions are quite different from those in a medium, which may be related to the different expression of virulence factors in the host. In this study, we investigated the expression of virulence factors in S. aureus grown in calf serum. The expression of many virulence factors, including hemolysins, enterotoxins, proteases, and iron acquisition factors, was significantly increased compared with that in bacterial medium. In addition, the expression of RNA III, a global regulon for virulence expression, was significantly increased. This effect was partially restored by the addition of 300 μM FeCl3 into serum, suggesting that iron depletion is associated with the increased expression of virulence factors in serum. In chemically defined medium without iron, a similar effect was observed. In a mutant with agr inactivated grown in serum, the expression of RNA III, psm, and sec4 was not increased, while other factors were still induced in the mutant, suggesting that another regulatory factor(s) is involved. In addition, we found that serum albumin is a major factor for the capture of free iron to prevent the supply of iron to bacteria grown in serum. These results indicate that S. aureus expresses virulence factors in adaptation to the host environment.
The Restaurant Food Hot Potato: Stop Passing it on—A Commentary on Mah and Timming’s, ‘Equity in Public Health Ethics: The Case of Menu Labelling Policy at the Local Level’

In the case discussion, ‘Equity in Public Health Ethics: The Case of Menu Labelling Policy at the Local Level’ (2014), Mah and Timming state that menu labelling would ‘place requirements for information disclosure on private sector food businesses, which, as a policy instrument, is arguably less intrusive than related activities such as requiring changes to the food content’. In this commentary on Mah and Timming’s case study, I focus on discussing how menu-labelling policy permits governments to avoid addressing the heart of the problem, which is high-calorie, high-sodium restaurant food. Menu labelling policy does not address food content in a way that is meaningful for change, instead relying on individuals to change their behaviour given new information. Besides having questionable efficacy, this raises concerns about moralizing food choices.
Functional Inactivation of Immature Dendritic Cells by the Intracellular Parasite Toxoplasma gondii1

Despite its noted ability to induce strong cellular immunity, and its known susceptibility to IFN-γ-dependent immune effector mechanisms, the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is a highly successful parasite, able to replicate, disseminate, and either kill the host or, more commonly, establish resistant encysted life forms before the emergence of protective immune responses. We sought to understand how the parasite gains the advantage. Using transgenic clonal parasite lines engineered to express fluorescent markers in combination with dendritic cells (DC) grown from the bone marrow of wild-type mice or transgenic mice expressing fluorescent protein-tagged MHC class II molecules, we used flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy to analyze the responses of infected DC to both invasion by the parasite and subsequent DC maturation signals. We found that T. gondii preferentially invades immature dendritic cells but fails to activate them in the process, and renders them resistant to subsequent activation by TLR ligands or the immune-system-intrinsic maturation signal CD40L. The functional consequences of T. gondii-mediated suppression of DC activation are manifested in a relative inability of infected immature DC to activate naive CD4+ Th lymphocytes, or to secrete cytokines, such IL-12 and TNF-α, that play important roles in innate and/or adaptive immunity. The findings reveal that T. gondii suppresses the ability of immature DC to participate in innate immunity and to induce adaptive immune responses. The ability of T. gondii to temporarily evade recognition could provide a selective advantage that permits dissemination and establishment before adaptive immune response initiation.
Effects of plant community and phosphorus loading rate on constructed wetland performance in Florida, USA

We evaluated the effectiveness of constructed wetlands with varying plant communities for phosphorus (P) reduction from the Everglades Agricultural Area runoff in south Florida. Weekly or biweekly water samples from the inflow and outflow regions of 11 test cells (2,000 m2) were analyzed for various forms of P and other selected water quality variables between January 2002 and August 2004. Test cells located at the north site received water with a high average total P (TP) concentration (72 μg L−1), while test cells located at the south site received water with a lower average TP concentration (43 μg L−1). These test cells were dominated by an emergent vascular plant-cattail (Typha latifolia), submerged aquatic vegetation or SAV (Najas guadalupensis, Chara sp., Ceratophyllum demersum, and Hydrilla verticillata), or algal periphyton (mixed with Eleocharis cellulosa and Utricularia spp. in the south site only). Under a constant hydraulic loading rate (9.27 m yr−1), these test cells removed P effectively, with removal efficiencies of 56%–65% at the north site and 35%–62% at the south site. The mass removal rate and rate constant at the north site were also higher than at the south site. Soluble reactive P (SRP) and particulate P were the major forms at inflow and were removed effectively by all of the test cells. The removal of dissolved organic P was significant (∼60%) in the cattail and periphyton test cells, but no removal was detected in the SAV test cells. At the north site, P removal efficiency of the cattail test cells was slightly higher than that of the SAV test cells. At the south site, periphyton test cells were the best performers. The removal of SRP was positively correlated with the removal of calcium in the majority of the test cells, pointing to the potential importance of co-precipitation of calcium carbonate and SRP. Direct plant uptake, wetland filtering, microbial degradation, and co-precipitation with calcium carbonate were mechanisms thought to be responsible for P removal in these wetlands. Outflow TP concentration, an important measure for restoration performance, increased continuously with the increases in the TP mass loading rate at the north site, but peaked at approximately 30 μg L−1 when the TP mass loading rate reached 0.5 g m−2 yr−1 at the south site.
Three dimensional bipedal walking locomotion using dynamic passivization of joint control

A central pattern generator (CPG) and passive dynamic walking (PDW) have attracted much attention in the research field of bipedal locomotion. We describe a motion control method based on dynamic joint passivization for biped robot locomotion. CPG-based motion control is effective for walking on uneven terrain. However, it has serious problems with energy loss. In contrast, PDW saves energy because a robot can walk without any active control or energy input on a downhill slope. However, PDW robot can not walk on uneven terrain, but only on a downhill slope. We think that active walking needs to be mixed with PDW for robot walking. Our motion control method is based on a mixture of the CPG and PDW, that is, the dynamic passivization of joint control. Experiments using the motion control method based on dynamic passivization of joint control successfully generated energy efficient walking and enabled superior gaits.
The social pay gap across occupations: Survey and experimental evidence

Receiving equal wages for work of equal value is a legal right in many countries. However, it remains unknown to what degree the neglect of this principle yields differences in pay between social and other occupations. The results of a task-based analysis with survey data confirm a notable wage penalty of 0.5 standard deviations for social occupations (e.g., health care, education). Based on these results, we design a laboratory experiment that mimics actual income distributions (Germany, USA), incorporates social occupations in the lab society, and allows for (voluntary) redistribution among subjects. The results show that, regardless of (non-)random assignment to social jobs and the level of income inequality, individuals in social jobs are only partly compensated for their social effort. A downward spiral, induced by emotional reactions, results as social effort and donations converge to a 'low' equilibrium. This suggests that a market approach fails to eliminate the social pay gap.
Kinked tail mutation results in notochord defects in heterozygotes and distal visceral endoderm defects in homozygotes

Proper formation of the anterior‐posterior (AP) axis in the developing embryo is critical for the correct patterning and often survival of the organism. In the mouse, an initial step in axis establishment is the specification and migration of the distal visceral endoderm (DVE). We have identified a semi‐dominant spontaneous mutation in mouse, named kinked tail (knk), which when heterozygous results in a kinky tail phenotype due to fusions and dysmorphology of the tail vertebrae. Vertebral fusions appear to be a secondary effect of notochord thickening and branching in the tail region. Homozygosity for knk results in early embryonic lethality by embryonic day 8.5 due to improper timing of DVE specification and migration, and subsequent failure to establish the AP axis. Developmental Dynamics 238:3237–3247, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mohs' micrographic surgery for treatment of basal cell carcinoma of the face——results of a retrospective study and review of the literature

Background The incidence of skin cancer and especially basal cell carcinoma (BCC) has increased in the last decade and is still increasing. Many treatment modalities can be used to treat BCC; surgical excision is the most frequently used. Mohs' micrographic surgery (MMS) is an advanced excision technique which is often used to treat BCC in the U.S.A. In Europe it is practised less frequently.
Plasminogen‐dependent activation of latent transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) by growing cultures of osteoblast‐like cells

Osteoblasts secrete transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) as a biologically inert, latent complex that must be dissociated before the growth factor can exert its effects. We have examined the production and proteolytic activation of latent TGFβ (LTGFβ) by clonal UMR 106‐01 rat osteosarcoma cells and neonatal mouse calvarial (MC) osteoblast‐like cells in vitro. Synthetic bPTH‐(1–34) increased the activity of tissue‐type (tPA) and urokinase‐type (uPA) plasminogen activators (PA) in cell lysates (CL) of UMR 106‐01 cells. The concentration of active TGFβ in serum‐free CM from cultures treated with bPTH‐(1–34) and plasminogen was significantly greater than in CM from untreated controls and cultures treated with either bPTH‐(1–34) or plasminogen alone. This effect occurred at concentrations of PTH‐(1–34) that increased PA activity and was prevented by aprotinin, an inhibitor of plasmin activity. Treatment with bPTH‐(1–34) had no effect on the concentration of TGFβ in acid‐activated samples of CM. Functional consequences of proteolytically activated TGFβ was examined in primary cultures of neonatal MC osteoblast‐like cells. Human platelet TGFβ1 caused a dose‐dependent increase in the migration of these cells in an in vitro wound healing assay. Cell migration was also stimulated in cultures treated with bPTH‐(1–34) and plasminogen together. This effect was blocked by an anti‐TGFβ1 antibody. The results of these studies demonstrate that (1) LTGFβ secreted by osteoblasts in vitro is activated under conditions where the plasmin activity in the cultures is increased, and (2) the TGFβ generated by plasmin‐mediated proteolysis is biologically active. We suggest that the local concentration of TGFβ in bone may be controlled by the osteoblast‐associated plasminogen activator/plasmin system. Furthermore, since several calciotropic factors influence osteoblast PA activity, this system may have an important role in mediating their anabolic and/or catabolic effects. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.