Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oxidative Stress and Drugs of Abuse: An Update

Drug addiction is a public health and social burden. Presently, the most abused illicit substance is cannabis, fol- lowed by amphetamines, cocaine and opioids, with different prevalence in different countries. Several evidences support a role for oxidative stress in the toxicity induced by many drugs of abuse in different organs, such as the brain, heart, liver or kidneys. This leads to oxidation of important cellular macromolecules, and may culminate in cell dysfunction and death. In this review we describe the evidences for oxidative damage and depletion of antioxidants upon exposure to drugs of abuse, especially amphetamines, cocaine and opiates. We also discuss the sources of oxidative stress induced by drugs of abuse, including oxidative metabolism of drugs, oxidative metabolism of monoamines by monoamine oxidases or by auto-oxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, excitotoxicity, microglial activation, inflammation, hyperthermia and the ef- fects of drug interactions. These consolidate oxidative stress as a relevant mechanism contributing for the cytotoxicity of drugs of abuse and for behavioral changes associated with drug addiction.
Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification for Rapid Detection and Differentiation of Wild-Type Bovine Herpesvirus-1 and Glycoprotein E-Deleted Marker Vaccine Strain

Bovine herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1) is an important viral pathogen affecting cattle and causing numerous reproductive disorders leading to significant economic losses to the cattle industry. The control programs for BoHV-1 are widely based on the use of glycoprotein E-deleted marker vaccines, wherein detection and differentiation of wild-type and gE-deleted vaccine strains is of crucial importance for proper disease management. In this study, we report rapid and simple loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for detection and differentiation of gE-deleted BoHV-1 from wild-type virus under isothermal conditions. The assays could be completed in 90 mintes, including viral DNA isolation, target amplification and visual interpretation of results with naked eye. The analytical sensitivity of the assays was 10 times higher than conventional PCR and could detect as little as 100 fg of viral DNA per reaction. The applicability of LAMP for detection of BoHV-1 in bovine semen was assessed by testing semen samples collected from breeding bulls and compared with TaqMan real-time PCR (as gold standard). The LAMP assays had diagnostic specificity of 100%. The diagnostic sensitivity was 88.2% and 83.3% for gB- and gE-LAMP, respectively, when compared with TaqMan real-time PCR. Our results have shown that the LAMP method developed in this study is a potential tool for rapid, sensitive, specific, cost-effective, and user-friendly detection and differentiation of wild type BoHV-1 from gE-deleted marker vaccine.
Protective efficacy, immunotherapeutic potential, and safety of hepatitis B vaccines

Hepatitis B vaccines are highly effective and safe and have been incorporated into national immunization programs in over 150 countries. The major humoral immune response is to the common a determinant of the surface antigen protein of the virus. Approximately 5–10% of healthy immunocompetent subjects do not mount an antibody response (anti‐HBs). Non‐response is associated with different HLA‐DR alleles and impaired Th cell response, among other factors such as route of injection, age, gender, body mass, and other factors. Important hepatitis B surface antigen variants have also been identified, which may have a potential impact on immunization and routine screening of blood, blood products and tissues, and organs for transplantation. Strategies for hepatitis B immunization are reviewed. Over 1,000 million doses of hepatitis B vaccine have been used with an outstanding record of safety. There is no evidence of an association between hepatitis B vaccines and the sudden infant death syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and multiple sclerosis (MS). Several studies are in progress on treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection by immunization with multiple antigenic components, combination of vaccine with antiviral drugs and cytokines, T cell vaccines, DNA vaccines alone or with DNA encoded immunomodulatory cytokines, and direct genetic manipulation of antigen presenting cells. J. Med. Virol. 78:169–177, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
[Vagal nerve stimulation in children with drug-resistant epilepsy].

BACKGROUND To evaluate the clinical efficacy and side effects of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) in Norwegian children with difficult-to-treat epilepsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS We have performed an open retrospective study of 60 children with pharmaco-resistant epilepsy who had a VNS implantation between October 1996 and May 2003. The effects and side effects of VNS were evaluated on the basis of the medical records and a questionnaire filled in by the patients and/or their relatives. RESULTS Forty-six patients (77%), 25 females and 21 males, aged 4-16 years at the time of implantation, filled in the questionnaire. All patients had tried > or = 6 antiepileptic drugs prior to the implantation. Five of them had undergone resective epilepsy surgery. After a mean of 2.5 years of follow up, 33 patients (72 %) reported positive effects of VNS. Twenty-nine patients (63%) reported decreased seizure frequency and/or less severe seizures, 20 (43%) achieved > or = 50 % seizure reduction, but only two became seizure free. Sixteen (35%) experienced a shorter and milder postictal phase. In 10 patients (22%) the need of diazepam treatment to terminate seizures was considerably reduced. Twenty-eight of the children (61%) experienced a positive effect of magnet activation. Twenty-three patients (50%) reported minor and waning side effects. Because most of the patients (32) had their antiepileptic medication changed after the implantation, the results should be interpreted with caution. CONCLUSIONS A majority of the patients (72%) reported positive effects on seizure frequency and/or epilepsy-related symptoms. The side effects were modest. Our findings support previous reports about VNS being an effective additional treatment in children with refractory epilepsy.
Impaired Default-Mode Network Activity in Schizophrenia : A Resting-State fMRI Study

T. Starck, H. Littow, J. Anttola, M. Greicius, O. Tervonen, M. Isohanni, V. J. Kiviniemi Department of Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Oulu, Finland, Departments of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, Finland, Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Oulu, Finland Introduction: Over a decade ago Biswal detected low frequency signal fluctuations in functionally connected bilateral motor cortices [1]. Since then the same method and variations on it using independent component analysis (ICA) have proven robust in detecting several other resting-state neuronal networks [2]. Brain pathology alters the spatial characteristics and temporal coherence of the detected network components [3]. Functional task related connectivity has been shown to been altered in schizophrenics [4]. To our knowledge there are no studies on resting-state ICA signal sources of schizophrenic subjects compared to the birth cohort controls. The current study focuses on detecting schizophrenia-induced changes in defaultmode network activity [3]. The results demonstrate clear defects in functional network connectivity in schizophrenia and also support recent studies suggesting that inverse correlations in these resting-state networks may also be informative [5,6,7].
Extrathyroidal extension predicts extranodal extension in patients with positive lymph nodes: an important association that may affect clinical management.

BACKGROUND While there is consensus that significant extrathyroidal extension (ETE) (T4) should upstage a patient with well-differentiated thyroid cancer, the importance of minimal ETE (T3) remains controversial. Additionally, the importance of nodal metastases on prognosis has come under scrutiny. Recent publications highlight the importance of size, number of positive nodes, and, in particular, the presence of extranodal extension (ENE) as measures of disease aggressiveness. In this study, we examined whether ETE is a predictor of ENE. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted from January 2004 to March 2013. All node-positive patients who underwent total or completion thyroidectomy were included. Histologic features defined by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) protocol for thyroid carcinoma were recorded. RESULTS A total of 193 patients qualified for review. Patients who were found to have ETE were 12 times more likely to have lymph nodes in the primary setting with ENE than patients with intrathyroidal primary tumors (p<0.000). After exclusion of all T4 cases (n=6), patients with minimal ETE were 13 times more likely to have ENE than those with no ETE (p<0.000). Twenty percent of microcarcinomas with ETE demonstrated ENE. CONCLUSION We have found that the biology of the primary tumor is conferred to the lymph node in that the presence of ETE leads to a significantly higher incidence of ENE. Awareness of this relationship should be accounted for in the management of primary and recurrent lymph nodes. This study shows that minimal ETE is a significant predictor of ENE. Although long-term survival and recurrence follow-up is not available for the majority of patients in this series, the presence of ENE as a surrogate for more aggressive disease biology and its strong association with minimal ETE supports the upstaging of patients with minimal ETE.
Approche générique pour l'extraction de relations à partir de textes

Resume : Cet article s’interesse a l’extraction de relations dans le contexte du web semantique, en vue de proceder a de la construction d’ontologies aussi bien qu’a de l’annotation automatique de documents. Notre approche permet l’extraction de relations entre entites a partir de textes. Elle ne fait pas d’hypothese sur les entites, de maniere a la rendre aussi generique que possible, et a autoriser par exemple l’extraction de relations entre concepts aussi bien que l’extraction de relations entre instances de concepts. Pour atteindre cet objectif, nous nous fondons sur l’algorithme LP. Afin d’adapter cet algorithme a l’extraction de relations, nous proposons une nouvelle notion de contexte reposant sur un graphe de dependances, genere par un analyseur syntaxique. Un tel graphe de dependances est bien adapte a la representation de relations, puisqu’il permet, notamment, de reperer aisement les differents arguments d’un verbe dans une phrase. Nous presentons l’implementation realisee suivie d’une premiere phase d’experimentations.
ConA‐binding proteins of the sperm surface are conserved through evolution and in sperm maturation

Summary Lectin‐binding glycoconjugates present on the surface of spermatozoa are believed to play a crucial role in sperm maturation, capacitation, acrosome reaction, or sperm‐egg interaction. We have studied ConA‐binding surface proteins on spermatozoa from different mammalian species. First, ConA‐binding proteins were isolated from boar spermatozoa by affinity chromatography. ConA‐binding ability was confirmed by Enzyme‐linked Lectin assay (ELLA). Monoclonal (MAb436/10) and polyclonal antibodies were raised against chromatography fractions containing purified ConA‐binding proteins of boar spermatozoa. MAb436/10 (IgG2a) recognizes a 40 kD ConA‐binding antigen. Indirect immunofluorescence on fixed and unfixed boar spermatozoa with MAb436/10 indicated a plasma membrane localization of antigen 436/10 in the acrosomal macrodomain. Interspecies cross‐reactivity with MAb436/10 was found by whole cell ELISA and immunocytochemistry. MAb436/10 cross‐reacted with human, horse, guinea‐pig, bull, and ram spermatozoa in both assays. Expression of ConA‐binding antigen 436/10 on guinea pig sperm surface was detectable during spermiogenesis and in early stages of sperm maturation. Change of regionalization of the antigen did not occur during the epididymal passage. ConA‐binding antigen 436/10 was also detectable in testis and caudal segments of the epididymis. These findings suggest that ConA‐binding proteins located in the acrosomal region are highly conserved through evolution as well as in sperm maturation indicating an important role for the physiology of spermatozoa.
Méthodologie de développement des services de communication temps-réel d'un intergiciel embarqué dans l'automobile. (Design methodology of real-time communication services for an automotive embedded middleware)

Notre objectif est de proposer une methodologie pour le developpement d'un intergiciel embarque dans l'automobile offrant des services de communication aux applications. Le cadre d'utilisation de nos travaux est la conception de systemes embarques dans les vehicules. Ces applications requierent un intergiciel capable de fournir des services standards de communication, qui cachent la localisation des participants aux echanges, qui masquent l'heterogeneite des plates-formes de communication, et qui garantissent le respect des contraintes temporelles imposees sur les echanges et sur l'execution des participants. La methodologie proposee vise la conception d'un intergiciel optimise et pour cela aborde deux aspects : la specification d'une architecture d'implementation, et la construction d'une configuration faisable. L'architecture d'implementation est optimisee dans le sens ou l'intergiciel est adapte a l'environnement d'execution (le systeme d'exploitation OSEK/VDX OS), et minimise son utilisation des ressources disponibles. Elle apporte une reponse, d'une part, au niveau de la specification d'une architecture logicielle (construite a l'aide de design patterns), et, d'autre part, a la maniere dont cette architecture est deployee sur une plate-forme concrete (sous la forme d'un ensemble de tâches). La procedure proposee pour la construction de la configuration de l'intergiciel calcule les caracteristiques temporelles faisables de l'intergiciel et des trames emises par les stations d'un reseau CAN. Elle prevoit aussi une etape pour le calcul d'une allocation de priorites faisable pour les tâches de l'application sur chaque station. L'optimalite de la configuration est atteinte en assurant le respect de toutes les contraintes temporelles imposees sur les echanges et sur l'execution des tâches de l'application et de l'intergiciel.
Predicting Peer-Review Participation at Large Scale Using an Ensemble Learning Method

Peer review has been an effective approach for the assessment of massive numbers of student artefacts in MOOCs. However, low student participation is a barrier that can result in inefficiencies in the implementation of peer reviews, disrupting student learning. In this regard, knowing earlier the estimate number of peer works that students will review may bring numerous pedagogical utilities in MOOCs. Previously, we have attempted to predict student participation in peer review in a MOOC context. Building on our previous work, in this study we propose an ensemble learning approach with a refined set of features. Results show that the prediction performance improves when a preceding classification model is trained to identify students with no peer-review participation and that the refined features were effective with more transferability to other contexts.
Different characteristics of postoperative heart failure after surgery for aortic stenosis and coronary disease

Objective—Postoperative heart failure (PHF) remains a major determinant of outcome after cardiac surgery. However, possible differences in characteristics of PHF after valve surgery and coronary surgery (CABG) have received little attention. Therefore, this issue was studied in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) and CABG, respectively. Design—Three hundred and ninety‐eight patients undergoing isolated AVR for aortic stenosis were compared with 398 patients, matched for age and sex, undergoing on‐pump isolated CABG. Forty‐five AVR and 47 CABG patients required treatment for PHF and these were studied in detail. Results—The AVR group had longer aortic cross‐clamp time and higher rate of isolated right ventricular heart failure postoperatively. Myocardial ischemia during induction and perioperative myocardial infarction were more common in the CABG group. One‐year mortality was 8.9% in the AVR group vs 25.5% in the CABG group (p = 0.05). Conclusions—The incidence of PHF was similar in both groups but different characteristics were found. Isolated right ventricular failure and PHF precipitated by septicemia were more common in AVR patients. PHF was more clearly associated with myocardial ischemia and infarction in CABG patients, which could explain their less favorable survival.
Riboswitch folding: One at a time and step by step

Riboswitches are mRNAs that regulate gene expression upon specific binding of a small metabolite (vitamin cofactors, nucleobases, amino acids, carbohydrates or even metal ions). Riboswitches must fold into very intricate 3D structures to accomplish their function. Single-molecule studies are very powerful techniques that allow the characterization and elucidation of complex folding paths as well as the identification of intermediate conformational states that an RNA must traverse to acquire its native, functional structure. We review some recent reports on the folding of the adenine-binding riboswitch as studied by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and force-measuring optical tweezers (FMOT) techniques.
Thyroid hormone–dependent adult pigment cell lineage and pattern in zebrafish

Origin of fish pigment cell for pattern Zebrafish stripes arise from the interactions of pigment cells: black melanophores, iridescent iridophores, and yellow-orange xanthophores. Melanophores and iridophores develop from nerve-associated stem cells, but the origin of xanthophores is unclear. Two studies now reveal that adult xanthophores originate from xanthophores in embryonic and larval fish, when they proliferate to cover the skin before the arrival of black and silver cells in a striped arrangement. Mahalwar et al. show that xanthophores change their final shape and color depending on their location. In black cells, xanthophores appear faint and stellate, but in silver cells, they are bright and compact. Precise superposition creates the blue and golden colors. McMenamin et al. observe the loss of pigment in embryonic xanthophores and the later reappearance in the adult. They show that redifferentiation depends on the thyroid hormone that also limits melanophore population expansion. Science, this issue p. 1362 and p. 1358 Zebrafish adult pigment cells arise from several lineages and require thyroid hormone for pattern development. Pigment patterns are useful for elucidating fundamental mechanisms of pattern formation and how these mechanisms evolve. In zebrafish, several pigment cell classes interact to generate stripes, yet the developmental requirements and origins of these cells remain poorly understood. Using zebrafish and a related species, we identified roles for thyroid hormone (TH) in pigment cell development and patterning, and in postembryonic development more generally. We show that adult pigment cells arise from distinct lineages having distinct requirements for TH and that differential TH dependence can evolve within lineages. Our findings demonstrate critical functions for TH in determining pigment pattern phenotype and highlight the potential for evolutionary diversification at the intersection of developmental and endocrine mechanisms.
Management and Care of Women With Invasive Cervical Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Resource-Stratified Clinical Practice Guideline Summary.

PurposeToprovideevidence-based,resource-stratifiedglobalrecommendationstocliniciansandpolicymakers on the management and palliative care of women diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer. Methods ASCO convened a multidisciplinary, multinational panel of cancer control, medical and radiation oncology,healtheconomic,obstetricandgynecologic,andpalliativecareexpertstoproducerecommendations reflectingresource-tieredsettings.Asystematicreviewofliteraturefrom1966to2015failedtoyieldsufficiently strong quality evidence to support basic- and limited-resource setting recommendations; a formal consensusbased process was used to develop recommendations. A modified ADAPTE process was also used to adapt recommendations from existing guidelines. ResultsFive existing sets of guidelines were identified and reviewed, and adapted recommendations form the evidence base. Eight systematic reviews, along with cost-effectiveness analyses, provided indirect evidence to inform the consensus process, which resulted in agreement of 75% or greater. Recommendations Clinicians and planners should strive to provide access to the most effective evidencebased antitumor and palliative care interventions. If a woman cannot access these within her own or neighboringcountryorregion,shemayneedtobetreatedwithlower-tiermodalities,dependingoncapacity and resources for surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and supportive and palliative care. For women with early-stage cervical cancer in basic settings, cone biopsy or extrafascial hysterectomy may be performed. Fertility-sparing procedures or modified radical or radical hysterectomy may be additional options in nonbasic settings. Combinations of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy (including brachytherapy) should be used for women with stage IB to IVA disease, depending on available resources. Pain controlisavitalcomponentofpalliativecare.Additionalinformationisavailableatwww. asco.org/rs-cervicalcancer-treatment-guidelineandwww.asco.org/guidelineswiki.ItistheviewofASCOthathealthcareproviders and health care system decision makers should be guided by the recommendations for the highest stratum of resources available. The guideline is intended to complement but not replace local guidelines.
Hodgkin's cells express CD83, a dendritic cell lineage associated antigen

Summary Hodgkin's cells (HC) are considered to be the malignant cells of Hodgkin's disease (HD), but despite extensive studies, no conclusive evidence has emerged regarding their non‐malignant counterpart and the ontogeny of these cells remains controversial. The analysis of a possible dendritic cell (DC) origin of HC has been hampered to date by the lack of a DC lineage specific marker. The expression of the two DC‐associated antigens CD83 and CMRF‐44, the B lymphocyte restricted molecule CD79, and the costimulator molecule CD86, was examined in lymph nodes from 23 HD patients using immunohistological techniques. The majority of HC expressed the CD83 (22/23) and CD86 antigens (20/23), whereas expression of the CMRF‐44 antigen was variable (10/23) and usually only a subpopulation of HC stained. In contrast, the CD79 antigen was absent from most HC (17/23). The presence of the CD83 antigen on HC in the absence of the CD79 antigen supports a possible DC lineage origin for some HC. Regardless of its role in lineage assignment, CD83 may become a useful immunohistological marker for HD as the CD83 antigen was present on most HC.Abbreviations: HC, Hodgkin's cells; HD, Hodgkin's disease; DC, dendritic cell; LP, lymphocyte predominant; MC, mixed cellularity; NS, nodular sclerosing; LD, lymphocyte depleted; MoAb, monoclonal antibodies; UPN, unique patient number.