Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a hyperpolarization‐activated time‐dependent potassium current in canine cardiomyocytes from pulmonary vein myocardial sleeves and left atrium

Cardiomyocytes from the pulmonary vein sleeves (PVs) are known to play an important role in atrial fibrillation. PVs have been shown to exhibit time‐dependent hyperpolarization‐induced inward currents of uncertain nature. We observed a time‐dependent K+ current upon hyperpolarization of PV and left atrial (LA) cardiomyocytes (IKH) and characterized its biophysical and pharmacological properties. The activation time constant was weakly voltage dependent, ranging from 386 ± 14 to 427 ± 37 ms between −120 and −90 mV, and the half‐activation voltage averaged −93 ± 4 mV. IKH was larger in PV than LA cells (e.g. at −120 mV: −2.8 ± 0.3 versus−1.9 ± 0.2 pA pF−1, respectively, P < 0.01). The reversal potential was ∼−84 mV with 5.4 mm[K+]o and changed by 55.7 ± 2.4 mV per decade [K+]o change. IKH was exquisitely Ba2+ sensitive, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 2.0 ± 0.3 μm (versus 76.0 ± 17.9 μm for instantaneous inward‐rectifier current, P < 0.01), and showed similar Cs+ sensitivity to instantaneous current. IKH was potently blocked by tertiapin‐Q, a selective Kir3‐subunit channel blocker (IC50 10.0 ± 2.1 nm), was unaffected by atropine and was significantly increased by isoproterenol (isoprenaline), carbachol and the non‐hydrolysable guanosine triphosphate analogue GTPγS. IKH activation by carbachol required GTP in the pipette and was prevented by pertussis toxin pretreatment. Tertiapin‐Q delayed repolarization in atropine‐exposed multicellular atrial preparations studied with standard microelectrodes (action potential duration pre‐ versus post‐tertiapin‐Q: 190.4 ± 4.3 versus 234.2 ± 9.9 ms, PV; 202.6 ± 2.6 versus 242.7 ± 6.2 ms, LA; 2 Hz, P < 0.05 each). Seven‐day atrial tachypacing significantly increased IKH (e.g. at −120 mV in PV: from −2.8 ± 0.3 to −4.5 ± 0.5 pA pF−1, P < 0.01). We conclude that IKH is a time‐dependent, hyperpolarization‐activated K+ current that likely involves Kir3 subunits and appears to play a significant role in atrial physiology.
Ectothermy and endothermy: evolutionary perspectives of thermoprotection by HSPs

SUMMARY Living organisms respond to heat exposure by selectively expressing heat shock proteins (HSPs). Accumulation of HSPs confers thermotolerance in cell cultures and in ectotherms and is an important component of the heat shock response. This response, however, has not been directly examined in relation to different `thermal states', namely ectothermy vs endothermy. By using avian development as a model system for transition from ectothermy to endothermy, we show that, in contrast to the ectothermic state, in the endothermic state the organism is more resistant to heat but relies less on HSPs as a first-line thermoprotective mechanism. Moreover, intraspecific, real-time, in vivo measurements in genetically diverse fowl strains relate improvement of thermoresistance in endotherms to improved body temperature (Tb) regulation, with a concomitant delay in the expression of HSPs. The time course of this delay and the Tb at which it occurs imply that the ontogenetic and evolutionary pathways leading to improved thermoresistance may have followed two, apparently non-related, parallel routes – cellular and peripheral (non-cellular). In search of other cellular components that differentially participate in the heat shock response, we revealed a significant expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) in heat-exposed endotherms but not in ectotherms.
Neck biomechanics indicate that giant Transylvanian azhdarchid pterosaurs were short-necked arch predators

Azhdarchid pterosaurs include the largest animals to ever take to the skies with some species exceeding 10 metres in wingspan and 220 kg in mass. Associated skeletons show that azhdarchids were long-necked, long-jawed predators that combined a wing planform suited for soaring with limb adaptations indicative of quadrupedal terrestrial foraging. The postcranial proportions of the group have been regarded as uniform overall, irrespective of their overall size, notwithstanding suggestions that minor variation may have been present. Here, we discuss a recently discovered giant azhdarchid neck vertebra referable to Hatzegopteryx from the Maastrichtian Sebeş Formation of the Transylvanian Basin, Romania, which shows how some azhdarchids departed markedly from conventional views on their proportions. This vertebra, which we consider a cervical VII, is 240 mm long as preserved and almost as wide. Among azhdarchid cervicals, it is remarkable for the thickness of its cortex (4–6 mm along its ventral wall) and robust proportions. By comparing its dimensions to other giant azhdarchid cervicals and to the more completely known necks of smaller taxa, we argue that Hatzegopteryx had a proportionally short, stocky neck highly resistant to torsion and compression. This specimen is one of several hinting at greater disparity within Azhdarchidae than previously considered, but is the first to demonstrate such proportional differences within giant taxa. On the assumption that other aspects of Hatzegopteryx functional anatomy were similar to those of other azhdarchids, and with reference to the absence of large terrestrial predators in the Maastrichtian of Transylvania, we suggest that this pterosaur played a dominant predatory role among the unusual palaeofauna of ancient Haţeg.
Effects of Selective Attention on the Electrophysiological Representation of Concurrent Sounds in the Human Auditory Cortex

In noisy environments, we use auditory selective attention to actively ignore distracting sounds and select relevant information, as during a cocktail party to follow one particular conversation. The present electrophysiological study aims at deciphering the spatiotemporal organization of the effect of selective attention on the representation of concurrent sounds in the human auditory cortex. Sound onset asynchrony was manipulated to induce the segregation of two concurrent auditory streams. Each stream consisted of amplitude modulated tones at different carrier and modulation frequencies. Electrophysiological recordings were performed in epileptic patients with pharmacologically resistant partial epilepsy, implanted with depth electrodes in the temporal cortex. Patients were presented with the stimuli while they either performed an auditory distracting task or actively selected one of the two concurrent streams. Selective attention was found to affect steady-state responses in the primary auditory cortex, and transient and sustained evoked responses in secondary auditory areas. The results provide new insights on the neural mechanisms of auditory selective attention: stream selection during sound rivalry would be facilitated not only by enhancing the neural representation of relevant sounds, but also by reducing the representation of irrelevant information in the auditory cortex. Finally, they suggest a specialization of the left hemisphere in the attentional selection of fine-grained acoustic information.
Cardiac Molecular-Acclimation Mechanisms in Response to Swimming-Induced Exercise in Atlantic Salmon

Cardiac muscle is a principal target organ for exercise-induced acclimation mechanisms in fish and mammals, given that sustained aerobic exercise training improves cardiac output. Yet, the molecular mechanisms underlying such cardiac acclimation have been scarcely investigated in teleosts. Consequently, we studied mechanisms related to cardiac growth, contractility, vascularization, energy metabolism and myokine production in Atlantic salmon pre-smolts resulting from 10 weeks exercise-training at three different swimming intensities: 0.32 (control), 0.65 (medium intensity) and 1.31 (high intensity) body lengths s−1. Cardiac responses were characterized using growth, immunofluorescence and qPCR analysis of a large number of target genes encoding proteins with significant and well-characterized function. The overall stimulatory effect of exercise on cardiac muscle was dependent on training intensity, with changes elicited by high intensity training being of greater magnitude than either medium intensity or control. Higher protein levels of PCNA were indicative of cardiac growth being driven by cardiomyocyte hyperplasia, while elevated cardiac mRNA levels of MEF2C, GATA4 and ACTA1 suggested cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In addition, up-regulation of EC coupling-related genes suggested that exercised hearts may have improved contractile function, while higher mRNA levels of EPO and VEGF were suggestive of a more efficient oxygen supply network. Furthermore, higher mRNA levels of PPARα, PGC1α and CPT1 all suggested a higher capacity for lipid oxidation, which along with a significant enlargement of mitochondrial size in cardiac myocytes of the compact layer of fish exercised at high intensity, suggested an enhanced energetic support system. Training also elevated transcription of a set of myokines and other gene products related to the inflammatory process, such as TNFα, NFκB, COX2, IL1RA and TNF decoy receptor. This study provides the first characterization of the underlying molecular acclimation mechanisms in the heart of exercise-trained fish, which resemble those reported for mammalian physiological cardiac growth.
The influence of diabetes mellitus on the risk of abdominal aortic surgery.

Risk factors and postoperative complications of 153 diabetics (DM) who underwent an abdominal aortic operation for occlusive disease or an intact aneurysm from 1964 through June, 1988 were compared with 970 nondiabetics (nonDM) who underwent similar operations during the same time period. Heart disease, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, and renal insufficiency were more prevalent in diabetics. Postoperatively, DM had a statistically significant increase in the incidence of myocardial infarction (DM 5.2%, nonDM 2.1%, P = .0434) and wound infection (DM 2.6%, nonDM 0.6%, P = .0359). The incidence of renal failure (DM 1.3%, nonDM 1.0%), stroke (DM 2.0%, nonDM 0.6%), and death (DM 3.9%, nonDM 2.9%) was higher in diabetics, but the differences were not statistically significant (P = NS). Operative mortality was greater for patients operated on for aneurysm (DM 5.3%, nonDM 3.2%) than for patients operated for occlusive disease (DM 3.3% versus nonDM 2.7%). Diabetics treated with insulin or oral agents had a higher complication rate than diabetics treated with diet alone or nondiabetics (insulin 13.0%, oral 13.4%, diet 4.2%, nonDM 8.6%). This study finds that diabetic patients can undergo an abdominal aortic operation with operative mortality comparable to that of nondiabetics. Diabetics have more postoperative complications than nondiabetics, but only myocardial infarction and wound infection are of statistical significance. Diabetics treated with insulin or oral agents have more complications than do diabetics treated by diet alone or nondiabetics.
The effects of temperature, mechanical pressure and air pressure on the dielectric properties of multilayers of dry kraft paper

Kraft paper is used extensively in the electrical engineering industry for the insulation of high-voltage cables, capacitors and transformers. Methods used to assess the quality of the paper include: measurement of the capacitance, the dispersion of capacitance with change of frequency, the dielectric loss tangent, the DC insulation resistance and the moisture content. The paper presents experimental results of the variation of the loss tangent of a 40 layer stack of 10 /spl mu/m thick capacitor tissues under vacuum in the frequency range 50 Hz-20 kHz, the temperature range 20-130/spl deg/C and the compression range 3-336 kPa. The variations of the DC insulation resistance and the dielectric dispersion are also given. The long-term variation of the loss tangent after a step change in either the temperature or the air pressure is shown. <<ETX>>
Credit Ratings Failures and Policy Options

This paper examines the role of credit rating agencies in the subprime crisis that triggered the 2007-08 financial turmoil. The focus of the paper is on two aspects of ratings that contributed to the boom and bust of the market for asset-backed securities: rating inflation and coarse information disclosure. The paper discusses how regulation can be designed to mitigate these problems in the future. The suggestion is that regulators should require rating agencies to be paid by investors rather than by issuers (or at least constrain the way they are paid by issuers) and force greater disclosure of information about the underlying pool of securities.
Delirium in critically ill patients: Impact on long-term health-related quality of life and cognitive functioning*

Objective:To examine the impact of delirium during intensive care unit stay on long-term health-related quality of life and cognitive function in intensive care unit survivors. Design:Prospective 18-month follow-up study. Setting:Four intensive care units of a university hospital. Patients:A median of 18 months after intensive care discharge, questionnaires were sent to 1,292 intensive care survivors with (n = 272) and without (n = 1020) delirium during their intensive care stay. Measurements and Main Results:The Short Form-36v1, checklist individual strength-fatigue, and cognitive failure questionnaire were used. Covariance analysis was performed to adjust for relevant covariates. Of the 915 responders, 171 patients were delirious during their intensive care stay (median age 65 [interquartile range 58–85], Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score 17 [interquartile range 14–20]), and 745 patients were not (median age 65 [interquartile range 57–72], Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score 13 [interquartile range 10–16]). After adjusting for covariates, no differences were found between delirium and nondelirium survivors on the Short Form-36 and checklist individual strength-fatigue. However, survivors who had suffered from delirium reported that they made significantly more social blunders, and their total cognitive failure questionnaire score was significantly higher, compared to survivors who had not been delirious. Survivors of a hypoactive delirium subtype performed significantly better on the domain mental health than mixed and hyperactive delirium patients. Duration of delirium was significantly correlated to problems with memory and names. Conclusions:Intensive care survivors with delirium during their intensive care unit stay had a similar adjusted health-related quality of life evaluation, but significantly more cognitive problems than those who did not suffer from delirium, even after adjusting for relevant covariates. In addition, the duration of delirium was related to long-term cognitive problems.
Using women advocacy groups to enhance knowledge and home management of febrile convulsion amongst mothers in a rural community of Sokoto State, Nigeria

Introduction Febrile convulsions (FC) are a common paediatric problem worldwide. Between 1 and 4% of children will have a febrile convulsion with about 4% of cases arising before the age of six months. Although FC is benign and does not cause death, brain damage or learning disorders, it is quite frightening to observers and parents who witness an episode of FC, would think the child is going to die. Methods This was a quasi-experimental study (a pre and post-test interventional, one group), aimed at assessing the impact of health education on knowledge and home management of febrile convulsion amongst mothers in a rural community in North Western Nigeria. A one in three samples of fifty mothers that met the eligibility criteria where selected using systematic random sampling. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire with close and open-ended questions was administered to obtain data at pre- and post intervention. Results The ages of the mothers ranged from 18-47 with a mean age of 33 ± 7.14years. The perceived causes of febrile convulsion included fever (28%), witch craft (80%) with majority (98%) of the mothers administering traditional medications. Proportion of study subjects with adequate knowledge of febrile convulsion at baseline and post intervention were 4% (mean knowledge score of 35.3± 9.48) and 96.0% (mean knowledge score of 77.69 ± 10.75) respectively (P < 0.0001). Conclusion Although inadequate knowledge and inappropriate home practices about FC were rampant in the study community, using community members to teach and sensitize the mothers on FC improved their knowledge base significantly. The use of effective educational intervention programmes and parental support groups will go a long way in reducing the incidence of FC among children in our communities.
Conservation tillage and traffic effects on soil condition

The soil condition resulting from a five-year cotton-wheat double cropping experiment in a sandy loam Coastal Plain soil was investigated using intensive measurements of cone index and dry bulk density. Four tillage treatments including a strip-till (no surface tillage with in-row subsoiling) conservation tillage practice were analyzed. The traffic was controlled in the experimental plots with the USDA-ARS Wide-Frame Tractive Vehicle. Besides the environmental benefits of maintaining the surface residue, the strip-till treatment decreased cone index directly beneath the row, decreased surface bulk density, increased surface moisture content, decreased energy usage, and increased yields. Controlled traffic was beneficial only when in-row subsoiling was not used as an annual tillage treatment. Although differences in soil condition were seen beneath the row middles where traffic occurred, this did not affect the soil condition directly beneath the row.
The Effect of Lateral Cortex Disruption and Repair on the Stability of the Medial Opening Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy

Background Medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy is gaining popularity as a treatment option for medial compartment degenerative disease in the young, active patient. One of the potential technical pitfalls of this procedure is inadvertent disruption of the lateral tibial cortex during distraction at the osteotomy site. Purpose (1) To investigate the effect of lateral cortex disruption on stability during medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy and (2) to evaluate 3 different methods of repair of the disrupted lateral cortex. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods A total of 50 validated replicate tibias were evaluated in a medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy model. Specimens were divided into 5 groups: (1) control, or intact lateral cortex (n = 10); (2) disrupted lateral cortex (n = 10); (3) lateral cortex repaired with 1 staple (n = 10); (4) lateral cortex repaired with 2 staples (n = 10); and (5) lateral cortex repaired with a periarticular plate and screws (n = 10). Specimens were placed in compression and torsion under physiologic loads, and stiffness and micromotion were calculated. Results Disruption of the lateral cortex resulted in a 58% reduction in axial stiffness and a 68% reduction in torsional stiffness compared to control specimens (P<. 05). Disruption of the lateral cortex also resulted in increased micromotion at the osteotomy site. All 3 methods of repair of the lateral cortex restored stiffness and micromotion values to those of the control group (P<. 05). Conclusions Instability at the osteotomy site may contribute to the high rate of delayed union or nonunion associated with medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy. Repair of the lateral tibial cortex by each of these techniques restored stability to the osteotomy site in this replicate tibia model and might be effective in clinical use. However, more studies are needed to further explore the relationship between lateral cortex disruption and patient outcomes in the clinical setting before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
A cloud-assisted design for autonomous driving

This paper presents Carcel, a cloud-assisted system for autonomous driving. Carcel enables the cloud to have access to sensor data from autonomous vehicles as well as the roadside infrastructure. The cloud assists autonomous vehicles that use this system to avoid obstacles such as pedestrians and other vehicles that may not be directly detected by sensors on the vehicle. Further, Carcel enables vehicles to plan efficient paths that account for unexpected events such as road-work or accidents. We evaluate a preliminary prototype of Carcel on a state-of-the-art autonomous driving system in an outdoor testbed including an autonomous golf car and six iRobot Create robots. Results show that Carcel reduces the average time vehicles need to detect obstacles such as pedestrians by 4.6x compared to today's systems that do not have access to the cloud.
The Role of Hypoxia-Induced miR-210 in Cancer Progression

Prolonged hypoxia, the event of insufficient oxygen, is known to upregulate tumor development and growth by promoting the formation of a neoplastic environment. The recent discovery that a subset of cellular microRNAs (miRs) are upregulated during hypoxia, where they function to promote tumor development, highlights the importance of hypoxia-induced miRs as targets for continued investigation. miRs are short, non-coding transcripts involved in gene expression and regulation. Under hypoxic conditions, miR-210 becomes highly upregulated in response to hypoxia inducing factors (HIFs). HIF-1α drives miR-210’s overexpression and the resultant alteration of cellular processes, including cell cycle regulation, mitochondria function, apoptosis, angiogenesis and metastasis. Here we discuss hypoxia-induced dysregulation of miR-210 and the resultant changes in miR-210 protein targets that regulate cancer progression. Potential methods of targeting miR-210 as a therapeutic tool are also explored.
The impact of the new FISH technologies on the cytogenetics of haematological malignancies

The role of cytogenetic analysis in the diagnosis and management of haematological malignancies is undisputed. The accuracy of cytogenetic diagnosis has improved steadily over the past 20 years, primarily due to a series of technical developments. However, despite improvements in highresolution banding and culture methods to detect the chromosomally abnormal cells, many haematological malignancies are retractable to conventional cytogenetic analysis. This may be due to the presence of multiple abnormal clones, complex rearrangements, a low mitotic index, or poor chromosome morphology. Since the late 1980s a range of techniques based around fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) have greatly enhanced cytogenetic analysis. These use a variety of nucleic acid sequences as probes to cellular DNA targets and serve to bridge the gap between molecular genetic and conventional cytogenetic methods. Virtually any genomic DNA can now be used as a probe with which to investigate a wide variety of DNA targets, from metaphase chromosomes to mechanically stretched DNA fibres. The simultaneous detection of multiple target regions is also possible, using differentially labelled probes detected by different colours. In research, FISH has played a pivotal role in the identification of non-random translocations and deletions, pinpointing regions which contain genes involved in leukaemogenesis. Now, at the cutting edge, a new set of resources and technical innovations herald a new era for molecular cytogenetics, with colour karyotyping, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) microarrays and mutation detection using padlock probes providing the promise of the future. The number of applications for FISH is almost unlimited (see Table I for some pertinent examples). This review will concentrate on the most recent developments in FISH which have had a considerable impact on the cytogenetic diagnosis and study of haematological malignancies, with some insight into the possible future roles for this flexible technology.