Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA is located within Alzheimer's disease amyloid plaques

The brains of Alzheimer's disease sufferers are characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. However, the cause(s) of these features and those of the disease are unknown, in sporadic cases. We previously showed that herpes simplex virus type 1 is a strong risk factor for Alzheimer's disease when in the brains of possessors of the type 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE‐ε4), and that β‐amyloid, the main component of plaques, accumulates in herpes simplex virus type 1‐infected cell cultures and mouse brain. The present study aimed to elucidate the relationship of the virus to plaques by determining their proximity in human brain sections. We used in situ polymerase chain reaction to detect herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA, and immunohistochemistry or thioflavin S staining to detect amyloid plaques. We discovered a striking localization of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA within plaques: in Alzheimer's disease brains, 90% of the plaques contained the viral DNA and 72% of the DNA was associated with plaques; in aged normal brains, which contain amyloid plaques at a lower frequency, 80% of plaques contained herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA but only 24% of the viral DNA was plaque‐associated (p < 0.001). We suggest that this is because in aged normal individuals, there is a lesser production and/or greater removal of β‐amyloid (Aβ), so that less of the viral DNA is seen to be associated with Aβ in the brain. Our present data, together with our finding of Aβ accumulation in herpes simplex virus type 1‐infected cells and mouse brain, suggest that this virus is a major cause of amyloid plaques and hence probably a significant aetiological factor in Alzheimer's disease. They point to the usage of antiviral agents to treat the disease and possibly of vaccination to prevent it. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Influence of H+ on the Membrane Potential and Ion Fluxes of Nitella

The resting membrane potential of the Nitella cell is relatively insensitive to [K]o, but behaves like a hydrogen electrode. K+ and Cl- effluxes from the cell were measured continuously, while the membrane potential was changed either by means of a negative feedback circuit or by external pH changes. The experiments indicate that P K and P Cl are independent of pH but are a function of membrane potential. Slope ion conductances, G K, G Cl, and G Na were calculated from efflux measurements, and their sum was found to be negligible compared to membrane conductance. The possibility that a boundary potential change might be responsible for the membrane potential change was considered but was ruled out by the fact that the peak of the action potential remained at a constant level regardless of pH changes in the external solution. The conductance for H+ was estimated by measuring the membrane current change during an external pH change while the membrane potential was clamped at K+ equilibrium potential. In the range of external pH 5 to 6, H+ chord conductance was substantially equal to the membrane conductance. However, the [H]i measured by various methods was not such as would be predicted from the [H]o and the membrane potential using the Nernst equation. In artificial pond water containing DNP, the resting membrane potential decreased; this suggested that some energy-consuming mechanism maintains the membrane potential at the resting level. It is probable that there is a H+ extrusion mechanism in the Nitella cell, because the potential difference between the resting potential and the H+ equilibrium potential is always maintained notwithstanding a continuous H+ inward current which should result from the potential difference.
CD52 Is Not a Promising Immunotherapy Target for Most Patients with Multiple Myeloma

The aim of our study was to evaluate CD52 as a target molecule for antibody therapy for multiple myeloma. Twenty consecutive bone marrow samples from myeloma patients were studied by flow cytometry using antibodies against CD45, CD38, CD138, CD3, CD19, and CD52. Most myeloma cells did not express CD52; CD52 expression was found only in a small subpopulation of plasma cells with a CD45+CD38++ phenotype. In contrast, the major fraction of myeloma cells (CD45–CD38++) was CD52−. Treatment of myeloma patients with anti—CD52 antibodies with the aim to reduce the number of myeloma cells in the CD45+CD38++ subfraction, which possibly contains a proliferative progenitor cell pool, would be at best a highly experimental approach.We conclude that CD52 is not a promising target for antibody—based therapies for most patients with multiple myeloma.
A Brain Computer Interface based Humanoid Robot Control System

This paper develops a brain-computer-interface (BCI) based humanoid robot control system. The system consists of an electroencephalograph (EEG), a humanoid robot, and a CCD camera. The goal of our study is to control humanoid walking behavior through neural signals acquired by the 32 channel EEG. The humanoid robot is equipped with an onboard PC and has 20 degrees of freedom (DOFs). The CCD camera takes video clips of a subject or an instructor hand postures to identify mental activities when the subject is thinking “turning right,” “turning left,” or “walking forward. ” The developed control system is a powerful tool to investigate relationships between complex humanoid robot behaviors and human mental activities. As an example, in this study we implement three types of robot walking behaviors: turning right, turning left and walking forward based on robot kinematics, and perform two sets of experiments on acquiring brainwaves correlated to the mental activities. We propose an approach to extracting the features of brainwaves to control the robot walking behaviors.
Spectral domain-transfer learning

Traditional spectral classification has been proved to be effective in dealing with both labeled and unlabeled data when these data are from the same domain. In many real world applications, however, we wish to make use of the labeled data from one domain (called in-domain) to classify the unlabeled data in a different domain (out-of-domain). This problem often happens when obtaining labeled data in one domain is difficult while there are plenty of labeled data from a related but different domain. In general, this is a transfer learning problem where we wish to classify the unlabeled data through the labeled data even though these data are not from the same domain. In this paper, we formulate this domain-transfer learning problem under a novel spectral classification framework, where the objective function is introduced to seek consistency between the in-domain supervision and the out-of-domain intrinsic structure. Through optimization of the cost function, the label information from the in-domain data is effectively transferred to help classify the unlabeled data from the out-of-domain. We conduct extensive experiments to evaluate our method and show that our algorithm achieves significant improvements on classification performance over many state-of-the-art algorithms.
Fluorescent microtubules break up under illumination

We have synthesized three new fluorescent analogues of tubulin, using fluorescein or rhodamine groups attached to N-hydroxy-succinimidyl esters, and have partially characterized the properties of these analogues. We have also further characterized the tubulin derivatized with dichlorotriazinyl-aminofluorescein that has previously been used in this and other laboratories. Our results show that all four analogues assemble into microtubules which break up when exposed to light of the wavelengths that excite fluorescence. This sensitivity places severe constraints on the use of these analogues in studies of microtubule dynamics.
Dark Matter Ignition of Type Ia Supernovae.

Recent studies of low redshift type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) indicate that half explode from less than Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs, implying ignition must proceed from something besides the canonical criticality of Chandrasekhar mass SN Ia progenitors. We show that 1-100 PeV mass asymmetric dark matter, with imminently detectable nucleon scattering interactions, can accumulate to the point of self-gravitation in a white dwarf and collapse, shedding gravitational potential energy by scattering off nuclei, thereby heating the white dwarf and igniting the flame front that precedes SN Ia. We combine data on SN Ia masses with data on the ages of SN Ia-adjacent stars. This combination reveals a 2. 8σ inverse correlation between SN Ia masses and ignition ages, which could result from increased capture of dark matter in 1.4 vs 1.1 solar mass white dwarfs. Future studies of SN Ia in galactic centers will provide additional tests of dark-matter-induced type Ia ignition. Remarkably, both bosonic and fermionic SN Ia-igniting dark matter also resolve the missing pulsar problem by forming black holes in ≳10 Myr old pulsars at the center of the Milky Way.
Male circumcision and risk of male-to-female HIV-1 transmission: a multinational prospective study in African HIV-1-serodiscordant couples

Objective:Male circumcision reduces female-to-male HIV-1 transmission risk by approximately 60%. Data assessing the effect of circumcision on male-to-female HIV-1 transmission are conflicting, with one observational study among HIV-1-serodiscordant couples showing reduced transmission but a randomized trial suggesting no short-term benefit of circumcision. Design/methods:Data collected as part of a prospective study among African HIV-1-serodiscordant couples were analyzed for the relationship between circumcision status of HIV-1-seropositive men and risk of HIV-1 acquisition among their female partners. Circumcision status was determined by physical examination. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used. Results:A total of 1096 HIV-1-serodiscordant couples in which the male partner was HIV-1-infected were followed for a median of 18 months; 374 (34%) male partners were circumcised. Sixty-four female partners seroconverted to HIV-1 (incidence 3.8 per 100 person-years). Circumcision of the male partner was associated with a nonstatistically significant approximately 40% lower risk of HIV-1 acquisition by the female partner (hazard ratio 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.35–1.10, P = 0.10). The magnitude of this effect was similar when restricted to the subset of HIV-1 transmission events confirmed by viral sequencing to have occurred within the partnership (n = 50, hazard ratio 0.57, P = 0.11), after adjustment for male partner plasma HIV-1 concentrations (hazard ratio 0.60, P = 0.13), and when excluding follow-up time for male partners who initiated antiretroviral therapy (hazard ratio 0.53, P = 0.07). Conclusion:Among HIV-1-serodiscordant couples in which the HIV-1-seropositive partner was male, we observed no increased risk and potentially decreased risk from circumcision on male-to-female transmission of HIV-1.
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis For Measurement of Body Fluid Volumes: A Review

The need for a portable, inexpensive, accurate and safe method for measuring body composition is well established. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) has the potential to partially meet this need by estimating the water component of body composition. There are still a number of unresolved questions and limitations to the applications of BIA, however. This paper briefly reviews the theory of BIA, its application and its limitations. Recent progress in the development and validation of swept or multiple frequency BIA used to determine both extracellular water and total body water is discussed in detail.
Delayed administration of VEGF rescues spinal motor neurons from death with a short effective time frame in excitotoxic experimental models in vivo

VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) prevents neuronal death in different models of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), but few studies have addressed the efficacy of VEGF to protect motor neurons after the onset of symptoms, a critical point when considering VEGF as a potential therapeutic target for ALS. We studied the capability of VEGF to protect motor neurons after an excitotoxic challenge in two models of spinal neurodegeneration in rats induced by AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid) administered either chronically with osmotic minipumps or acutely by microdialysis. VEGF was administered through osmotic minipumps in the chronic model or injected intracerebroventricularly in the acute model, and its effects were assessed by immunohistochemical and histological analyses and motor performance tests. In the chronic model, VEGF stopped the progression of the paralysis and protected motor neurons when administered after AMPA before the onset of the motor symptoms, whereas no protection was observed when administered after the onset. VEGF was also protective in the acute model, but with a short time window, since the protection was effective when administered 1 h but not 2 h after AMPA. Our results indicate that while VEGF has an indubitable neuroprotective effect, its therapeutic potential for halting or delaying the progression of motor neuron loss in ALS would likely have a short effective time frame.
Cwc24p Is a General Saccharomyces cerevisiae Splicing Factor Required for the Stable U2 snRNP Binding to Primary Transcripts

Splicing of primary transcripts is an essential process for the control of gene expression. Specific conserved sequences in premature transcripts are important to recruit the spliceosome machinery. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalytic spliceosome is composed of about 60 proteins and 5 snRNAs (U1, U2, U4/U6 and U5). Among these proteins, there are core components and regulatory factors, which might stabilize or facilitate splicing of specific substrates. Assembly of a catalytic complex depends on the dynamics of interactions between these proteins and RNAs. Cwc24p is an essential S. cerevisiae protein, originally identified as a component of the NTC complex, and later shown to affect splicing in vivo. In this work, we show that Cwc24p also affects splicing in vitro. We show that Cwc24p is important for the U2 snRNP binding to primary transcripts, co-migrates with spliceosomes, and that it interacts with Brr2p. Additionally, we show that Cwc24p is important for the stable binding of Prp19p to the spliceosome. We propose a model in which Cwc24p is required for stabilizing the U2 association with primary transcripts, and therefore, especially important for splicing of RNAs containing non-consensus branchpoint sequences.
Morbidity profile of steel pipe production workers

Objective: To study the different morbid conditions among steel pipe producing workers. Methods: The present cross-sectional study has been carried out among the workers of one of the steel pipes and tubes manufacturing factory of Gujarat. Hundred workers from the four major departments of the steel pipe production plant, namely welding, pressing machine, X-ray welding and loading/transportation department were covered. The information regarding demographic, occupational, clinical characteristics and diagnosis were recorded on a pre-designed proforma. Statistical analysis included calculation of percentages and proportions and was carried out using the statistical software Epi Info Version 3.3. 2. Results: The mean age of the study subjects was found to be 38.7±7.1 years. The mean duration of exposure was found to be 9.0±3.4 years. Forty-four percent of the subjects had an upper respiratory tract infection, as evidenced by symptoms like dry cough, cough with rhinitis and cough with fever. Symptoms suggestive of allergic bronchitis were observed in 12% of the subjects while symptoms suggestive of heat stress such as prickly heat, dehydration, perspiration and pyrexia were observed in 13% of the subjects.
Giardia duodenalis Infections in Humans and Other Animals in China

Giardia duodenalis is an important zoonotic pathogen in both public and veterinary health, and has been genotyped into at least eight assemblages (A–H), each with a distinct host range. In recent years, this intestinal protozoan parasite has been identified widely in humans and various other animals, and has even been recorded in environmental contaminants. Along with whole genome sequencing of G. duodenalis, multilocus sequence typing is increasingly being used to characterize G. duodenalis isolates. Here, we review the epidemiology, genotyping, and subtyping of G. duodenalis from humans and a wide range of other animals, as well as from wastewater, in China.
Durability Assessment of Western Juniper from Five Different Growing Regions

The relationship between extractives content and resistance to fungal attack was examined in heartwood samples of western juniper ( Juniperus occidentalis ) collected from across the growing range. Mass losses of juniper samples exposed to Trametes versicolor were generally low and indicated that this species would be classified as highly durable, while mass losses for samples exposed to Gloeophyllum trabeum were higher and suggested that juniper heartwood was slightly less resistant to this fungus. Extractives levels were generally poorly correlated with decay resistance, but there were substantial differences in extractives content between samples from different geographic areas. The results suggest the need for further evaluation of a wider range of samples to better determine the relationship between extractives and decay resistance.
Dietary fat and meat intakes and risk of reflux esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma

The aim of our study was to investigate whether dietary fat and meat intakes are associated with reflux esophagitis (RE), Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). In this all‐Ireland case–control study, dietary intake data were collected using a food frequency questionnaire in 219 RE patients, 220 BE patients, 224 EAC patients and 256 frequency‐matched controls between 2002 and 2005. Unconditional multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between dietary variables and disease risk using quartiles of intake, to attain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), while adjusting for potential confounders. Patients in the highest quartile of total fat intake had a higher risk of RE (OR = 3.54; 95% CI = 1.32–9.46) and EAC (OR = 5.44; 95% CI = 2.08–14.27). A higher risk of RE and EAC was also reported for patients in the highest quartile of saturated fat intake (OR = 2.79; 95% CI = 1.11–7.04; OR = 2.41; 95% CI = 1.14–5.08, respectively) and monounsaturated fat intake (OR = 2.63; 95% CI = 1.01–6.86; OR = 5.35; 95% CI = 2.14–13.34, respectively). Patients in the highest quartile of fresh red meat intake had a higher risk of EAC (OR = 3.15; 95% CI = 1.38–7.20). Patients in the highest category of processed meat intake had a higher risk of RE (OR = 4.67; 95% CI = 1.71–12.74). No consistent associations were seen for BE with either fat or meat intakes. Further studies investigating the association between dietary fat and food sources of fat are needed to confirm these results.
Comparing the accuracy of predictors of mortality in ventilator-associated pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE Levels of procalcitonin, midregional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), C-terminal provasopressin (copeptin), and C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, are associated with severity and described as predictors of outcome in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). This study sought to compare the predictive value of these biomarkers for mortality in VAP. METHODS An observational study of 71 patients with VAP. Levels of procalcitonin, MR-proANP, copeptin, and CRP, together with SOFA scores, were determined at VAP onset, designated day 0 (D0), and on day 4 of treatment (D4). Patients received empirical antimicrobial therapy, with modifications based on culture results. Patients who died before D28 were classified as nonsurvivors. RESULTS Of the 71 patients evaluated, 45 were classified as survivors. Of the 45 survivors, 35 (77.8%) received appropriate antimicrobial therapy, compared with 18 (69.2%) of the 26 nonsurvivors (p = 0.57). On D0 and D4, the levels of all biomarkers (except CRP), as well as SOFA scores, were lower in eventual survivors than in eventual nonsurvivors. For D0 and D4, the area under the ROC curve was largest for procalcitonin. On D0, MR-proANP had the highest positive likelihood ratio (2.71) and positive predictive value (0.60), but procalcitonin had the highest negative predictive value (0.87). On D4, procalcitonin had the highest positive likelihood ratio (3.46), the highest positive predictive value (0.66), and the highest negative predictive value (0.93). CONCLUSIONS The biomarkers procalcitonin, MR-proANP, and copeptin can predict mortality in VAP, as can the SOFA score. Procalcitonin alone has the greatest predictive power for such mortality.
Comparative Histomorphometric Analysis of Maxillary Sinus Augmentation With Absorbable Collagen Membrane and Osteoinductive Replaceable Bony Window in Rabbits

Purpose:The aim of this animal study was to evaluate, through histomorphometric evaluation, bone regeneration in rabbit maxillary sinuses with absorbable collagen membranes and osteoinductive replaceable bony windows over bone grafts. Materials and Methods:Bilateral sinus augmentation procedures were performed in 16 adult male rabbits. The rabbits were randomly assigned to 4 groups of 4 rabbits each. Rectangular replaceable bony windows were made with a piezoelectric thin saw insert. In control group, grafted &bgr;-tricalcium phosphate (&bgr;-TCP) was covered by absorbable collagen membranes. In experimental groups, &bgr;-TCP was grafted and covered by replaceable bony windows. The rabbits were killed at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks postoperatively. The augmented sinuses were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome stains and examined, under light microscopy, for newly formed bone and soft tissue changes in the maxillary sinuses. Results:Histologically, significantly higher and faster new bone formation was observed in the augmented sinuses of the experimental groups, receiving homologous replaceable bony windows than in those of the control group receiving collagen membranes. Conclusion:This study demonstrates that, for augmentation, the use of the homologous replaceable bony window over bone graft material on the maxillary sinus accelerates bone regeneration.
DREAMING SLEEP IN AUTISTIC TWINS.

Beginning with the discoveries of Dement and Kleitman, 2 a cyclical low-voltage fast electroencephalographic pattern occurring during sleep accompanied by rapid conjugate eye movements, decreased muscle tone, irregularity of heart rate, respiration and blood pressure, and frequent twitching movements of the muscles of the distal extremities and facial expression has been associated in the adult human with dreaming. This phase of sleep has been referred to as "dreaming sleep. " 8 Because of the similarities between the expression of thought in schizophrenia and in normal dreaming, these studies have been recently extended to adult schizophrenic subjects. 4 Recently, data have become available on the patterning of the dreaming sleep phase in normal children. 7 It has therefore become possible to extend these studies to young autistic children in whom there is also a deviant expression of thought. Methods The subjects for this study were identical male twins both of