Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mapping of a Hypovirus p29 Protease Symptom Determinant Domain with Sequence Similarity to Potyvirus HC-Pro Protease

ABSTRACT Hypovirus infection of the chestnut blight fungusCryphonectria parasitica results in a spectrum of phenotypic changes that can include alterations in colony morphology and significant reductions in pigmentation, asexual sporulation, and virulence (hypovirulence). Deletion of 88% [Phe(25) to Pro(243)] of the virus-encoded papain-like protease, p29, in the context of an infectious cDNA clone of the prototypic hypovirus CHV1-EP713 (recombinant virus Δp29) partially relieved virus-mediated suppression of pigmentation and sporulation without altering the level of hypovirulence. We now report mapping of the p29 symptom determinant domain to a region extending from Phe(25) through Gln(73) by a gain-of-function analysis following progressive repair of the Δp29 deletion mutant. This domain was previously shown to share sequence similarity [including conserved cysteine residues Cys(38), Cys(48), Cys(70), and Cys(72)] with the N-terminal portion of the potyvirus-encoded helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro), a multifunctional protein implicated in aphid-mediated transmission, genome amplification, polyprotein processing, long-distance movement, and suppression of posttranscriptional silencing. Substitution of a glycine residue for either Cys(38) or Cys(48) resulted in no qualitative or quantitative changes in virus-mediated symptoms. Unexpectedly, mutation of Cys(70) resulted in a very severe phenotype that included significantly reduced mycelial growth and profoundly altered colony morphology. In contrast, substitution for Cys(72) resulted in a less severe symptom phenotype approaching that observed for Δp29. The finding that p29-mediated symptom expression is influenced by two cysteine residues that are conserved in the potyvirus-encoded HC-Pro raises the possibility that these related viral-papain-like proteases function in their respective fungal and plant hosts by impacting ancestrally related regulatory pathways.
A new adaptive single phase auto-reclosure scheme for EHV transmission lines

Almost 70-90 % of faults in extra high voltage (EHV) transmission lines in modern interconnected power systems are intrinsically transient. The necessity of rapid fault clearing results in fast developing of protection equipments. Morever, need for reliable supplying of loads, lead to improve in single phase auto-reclosing equipments. In this paper, a new method is proposed to reduce dead time of transmission lines. Leads to improve the performance and efficiency of single phase auto-reclosing. In the occurrence of permanent faults, the proposed yardstick is accurate and authentic to diagnose fault's type (transient or permanent). To validate accuracy and authenticity of proposed method, a 765 kV transmission system is simulated in Electromagnetic Transients Program Software and results are presented.
Treatment options for patients with suboptimal response to surgery for stress urinary incontinence

ABSTRACT Background: Many women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) undergo surgery to relieve their symptoms. Currently, tension-free vaginal tape or transobturator tape sling procedures are the surgical treatments of choice. Although these procedures are often successful, a growing number of women experience suboptimal results ranging from improvement without cure to postoperative failure. Follow-up surgery often improves residual or recurrent symptoms but generally carries lower success rates and higher complication risks. Additionally, many women with suboptimal results are reluctant to undergo further surgery. Scope: A PubMed literature search for studies of SUI treatment options published from 1986 to 2006 was performed. Findings: The literature revealed a gap in published studies addressing non-surgical options for patients with failed SUI surgeries. Studies of non-surgical treatments for SUI often exclude women who have had prior surgeries, or do not analyze this subgroup. It is, therefore, difficult to assess non-surgical treatment options for women with failed surgeries. Women whose residual or recurring SUI is attributable to intrinsic sphincter deficiency may instead elect the injection of a bulking agent. Bulking agents are associated with a low rate of complications but frequently require several injections to be successful. Women experiencing suboptimal surgical results whose SUI is attributable to hypermobility may select a new non-surgical treatment, radiofrequency collagen denaturation. This non-invasive procedure has also demonstrated a low rate of complications. Conclusions: Considering the effect of SUI symptoms on women's quality of life, and with more women experiencing suboptimal results after surgery for SUI, it is important to assess alternatives to further surgery.
Glycosaminoglycan production by murine melanoma variants in vivo and in vitro.

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis of B-16 melanoma metastatic variants was examined in vivo and in vitro to begin to assess the relationship between the presence of these polymers and the process of primary invasion and metastasis. The variants that were examined for GAG production included the F-1 line that exhibits low metastatic potential, the F-10 line selected for high metastatic potential, and the BL6 line selected for high invasiveness. The F-1 cell line was routinely less invasive than the F-10 and BL6 lines when injected s.c. into the legs of irradiated Swiss Webster mice. All cell lines formed palpable tumors after s.c. injection, but histological sections revealed early and extensive invasion in only F-10 and BL6 tumors. The F-1 tumors were surrounded by a connective tissue capsule and did not begin to invade into host tissue until this structure disappeared approximately 16 days after injection of tumor cells. Some consistent alterations in GAG synthesis, particularly the release of hyaluronic acid and heparan sulfate, were observed among the cell lines in vivo and in vitro, although differences observed in vitro were small and variable. In vivo all tumors were surrounded by a hyaluronic acid-rich zone that was concentrated at the tumor-stromal interface and was transitory. Hyaluronate occurred as a diffuse band around BL6 and F-10 tumors but was confined to a capsule surrounding the less aggressive F-1 tumor. In vitro the BL6 and F-10 cell lines released larger amounts of heparan sulfate and hyaluronic acid than did the F-1 cell line. Differences in release of chondroitin sulfate by the cell lines were not observed. Differences in trypsin-releasable GAG, presumably associated with the glycocalyx, were also not apparent. These results link the release in vitro and organization in vivo of hyaluronic acid and heparan sulfate to invasion and metastasis.
Should the treatment paradigms for oral and oropharyngeal cancers be changed now: the role of human papilloma virus?

all situations, but they are recommended for trainees in the listed specialties. The purchase of this piece of equipment needs to follow careful consideration and discussion with senior surgeons. Price is an issue, but it is tax deductible in Australia and in the UK. The starting point is 2.5¥ to 3.5¥ magnification, on compound or prismatic lenses of appropriate working distance, using headlamps where necessary (i.e. compound lenses, magnification above 4.0¥). Benefits will show immediately in trauma management, but comfort in the operating room will only be achieved after a relatively short learning curve. Once the surgeon is comfortable, careful maintenance will lead to a long working life of this piece of equipment.
Histochemical Study of Innervation and NADPH‐D Activity of the Thymus

Acetylcholinesterase (ACHE)‐positive nerve fibres in the thymus of the rat form perivascular plexuses as well as free ACHE‐positive nerves, which do not follow the course of the vessels. A higher number of ACHE‐positive nerves was observed in corticomedullary border and the medulla, a lower number in the cortex of the thymus lobuli. A gradual reduction of ACHE‐positive intrathymus nerve formation was recorded and correlated with the increasing age of the rats. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate‐diaphorase positive cells observed in the rat thymus were irregular with numerous projections and were located on the boundary of the cortex and medulla.
Effective epilation of white and blond hair using combined radiofrequency and optical energy

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the long‐term photoepilatory effect on blond and white hair of a combined intense pulsed light (680–980 nm) device with a bipolar radiofrequency component producing electrical current at a depth of 4 mm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty‐six adult women with white and blond hair (skin phenotypes I–V) were included in the study. The chin and upper lip were treated with four treatment sessions over 9–12 months with long‐term follow‐up performed at month 18 (6 months after the last treatment). The level of RF energy was 20 J/cm3, while optical fluences varied from 24 to 30 J/cm2. Hair counts and photographic evaluation of some sites were obtained at baseline, months 1, 3 and 5 and the final treatment session. RESULTS: An average hair removal of 48% was observed at month 18 (6 months following the final treatment session). A slightly higher photoepilatory efficiency was noted for blond hair (52%) versus white hair (44%) treatment sites. CONCLUSION: Combined radiofrequency and optical energy technology may produce effective photoepilation of blond and white hair phenotypes.
Prevalence and risk factors for early, undesired weaning attributed to lactation dysfunction.

BACKGROUND Breastfeeding durations in the United States fall short of public health objectives. We sought to quantify the prevalence and identify risk factors for early, undesired weaning that mothers attribute to physiologic difficulties with breastfeeding. METHODS We analyzed data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study (IFPS) II, a longitudinal study of US women. We defined disrupted lactation as early, undesired weaning attributed to at least two of the following three problems: breast pain, low milk supply, and difficulty with infant latch. We used logistic regression to estimate the association maternal body mass index (BMI), postpartum depressive symptoms, and disrupted lactation. RESULTS Of 4,902 women enrolled in the IFPS II, we analyzed 2,335 women who reported prenatal intention and breastfeeding initiation. The prevalence of disrupted lactation was 12 per 100 women (95% confidence interval [CI] 11, 13) during the first year of life. Women in this group weaned earlier (median 1.2 months, interquartile range [IQR] 0.5-2.8) than women without disrupted lactation (median 7.0 months, IQR 2.8-2.0, p<0.01). In multivariable-adjusted (MV-adj.) models, we found increased odds of disrupted lactation among overweight (odds ratio [OR] 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.3) or obese (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.6) women, compared with women with a normal pregravid BMI. Maternal depressive symptoms at 2 months, defined as Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale ≥13, were also associated with disrupted lactation (MV-adj. OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.7). CONCLUSION In a longitudinal sample of US women, disrupted lactation affected one in eight mothers who initiated breastfeeding. These findings underscore the need for both improved early breastfeeding support and targeted research to define the underlying pathophysiology and to determine management strategies that will enable more mothers to achieve their breastfeeding goals.
Formulating Secondary-Level Reading Interventions

Recent advances concerning emerging/beginning reading skills, positive behavioral support (PBS), and three-tiered schoolwide prevention models combined with federal mandates (i.e., IDEA and No Child Left Behind) have stimulated interest in providing early and intensive instructional intervention services to children at risk for reading and behavior problems. New measures for identifying students as early as kindergarten who are not acquiring early basic literacy skills make this possible. However, questions regarding exactly how to formulate, deliver, sustain, and manage secondary-level interventions remain to be addressed. This paper describes first-year, first-grade findings for students participating in secondary-level interventions (i.e., small-group reading instruction) in a randomized trial of the efficacy of secondary and tertiary reading and behavior interventions under way at the Center for Early Intervention in Reading and Behavior, University of Kansas. The formulation of the experimental secondary-level intervention was guided by evidence supporting the efficacy of (a) small groups of 3 to 6 participating students and low student—teacher ratio combined with (b) explicit, phonics-based instruction. Selected curricula were Reading Mastery, Proactive Reading, Programmed Reading, and Read Well, use of which varied by choice across experimental-group schools. PBS was an additional intervention context in experimental schools. Comparison schools and first-grade teachers did not employ the three-tiered model, early screening, or PBS; most students were taught using conventional whole-group instruction, little or no individualization, and curricula with weak scientific evidence. Initial results indicate significantly larger growth for experimental secondary-level at-risk students than for comparisons. Experimental-group first graders not showing growth were those identified with disabilities or behavioral risks and English language learners. Implications are discussed.
CHANGES IN TONE OF LIMB VEINS DURING SUPINE EXERCISE.

Normal subjects have been studied to assess the response of the capacitance vessels in the forearm during supine leg exercise. Measurements were made of changes in forearm volume (strain-gauge and water-filled plethysmographs) at a given pressure in the large forearm veins, of changes in pressure in the forearm veins with the circulation to the forearm arrested and in “isolated” vein segments. The results were consistent and demonstrated that exercise with a work load of 270–810 kg/min caused constriction of forearm capacitance vessels via the sympathetic nerves proportional to the severity of the exercise. Venoconstriction also occurred in the hand, and in the calf during arm exercise. Local exercise of the forearm muscles during supine leg exercise, which increased forearm blood flow by dilating the resistance vessels, did not prevent the increase in venous tone in the forearm. Thus a reflex increase in tone in the limb veins, both in the exercising and in the nonexercising parts, contributes to the car.
Uptake of dissolved free amino acids by the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata

SUMMARY This study was designed to assess the importance of dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) as a nitrogen source for the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata. For this purpose, experiments were performed using 15N-enriched DFAAs, and %15N enrichment was measured both in animal tissue and zooxanthellae at different DFAA concentrations, incubation time and light levels. As previously observed for urea, which is another source of organic nitrogen, DFAA uptake exhibited a biphasic mode consisting of an active carrier-mediated transport for concentrations below 3μ mol l–1 and a linear uptake for higher concentrations. The value of the carrier affinity (Km=1.23 μmol l–1 DFAA) indicated good adaptation of the corals to the low levels of DFAA concentrations measured in most oligotrophic waters. DFAA uptake was also correlated with light. The DFAA contribution to the nitrogen requirements for tissue growth was compared to the contribution of ammonia, nitrate and urea, for which uptake was also measured in S. pistillata. Inorganic sources (NH4+ and NO3–) contributed 75% of the daily nitrogen needs against 24% for organic sources. Taken altogether, dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen can supply almost 100% of the nitrogen needs for tissue growth.
Evaluation of in vitro antiviral activity in methanol extracts against inﬂuenza virus type A from Korean medicinal plants

Methanol extracts from 101 Korean medicinal plants were tested for inhibitory activity against inﬂuenza virus type A by means of a modiﬁed haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. MM‐57, MM‐72, MM‐104 and MM‐110, four of 101 extracts tested exhibited strong anti‐inﬂuenza virus type A activity at concentration ranges of 0.78–6.25 mg/mL, 0.78–3.13 mg/mL, 0.78–1.56 mg/mL and 0.0975–0.39 mg/mL, respectively. The extracts MM‐57, MM‐72 and MM‐110 showed very strong anti‐inﬂuenza virus type A activity in the range 1.56–6.25 mg/mL, 1.56–3.13 mg/mL and 195–390 µg/mL, respectively. The four methanol extracts were weakly cytotoxic to red blood cells. These results demonstrated that four methanol extracts of Korean medicinal plants exhibit strong anti‐inﬂuenza virus type A activity, and weak cytotoxic effects. They may inhibit attachment of the virus to the cell and may therefore be used for prophylaxis. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bacterial vaginosis and preterm birth: a prospective community-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND Preterm birth before 37 weeks' gestation is associated with 70% of perinatal morbidity and nearly half of long-term neurological morbidity. Hospital-based studies have shown that bacterial vaginosis is associated with preterm birth. AIM To estimate the relative risk of preterm birth in women with and without bacterial vaginosis, detected by self-administered vaginal swab at < 10 weeks' gestation. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Thirty-two general practices and five family planning clinics in South London. PARTICIPANTS A total of 1216 women with bacterial vaginosis status established before 10 weeks' gestation, by analysis of Gram stained vaginal smears by two independent observers. METHOD All women who did not miscarry or have a termination of pregnancy before 16 weeks' gestation were sent a brief confidential questionnaire at 16 weeks and at term asking about pregnancy outcome. Data on non-responders were obtained by searches of hospital and general practice records and by telephone calls to patients. RESULTS Ascertainment was 87% (937/1072). The mean age of the women was 31 years. Thirteen per cent (122/925) had bacterial vaginosis and 5% (44/897) had a spontaneous preterm birth. The relative risk (RR) of preterm birth in women with bacterial vaginosis was 0.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.4 to 2.2). However, bacterial vaginosis was associated with late miscarriage at 13-23 weeks (R = 4.0, 95%CI = 1.3 to 12.1). Preterm birth was not associated with previous preterm birth, black ethnicity, age < 20 years, low social class, single marital status, or chlamydial infection. However, it was more common in women who reported smoking in pregnancy (RR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.5 to 5.5). Of 867 responders, 552 (64%) said that providing a vaginal swab was at least as easy as providing a urine specimen. CONCLUSIONS In this low-risk community-based cohort, bacterial vaginosis was not a strong risk factor for preterm birth.
Fixing thresholds along the continuum of depressive states

nation to determining ‘caseness’, whereas a Bayesian analysis might identify differential discriminatory signals for each criterion and their variable combination. An extension study would be of great interest – whether within the NESARC data base or involving another large data set – with analyses examining each of MDD’s integral features to determine empirically those which both weight definition of MDD as a pathological state and as a predictor of a poor outcome, in essence, removing the weeds. In fairness to DSM classification, DSM-III did allow that major depression could be manifested as a single episode or as recurrent, and this specifier has been preserved in the DSM-5 definition. Thus, positioning major depression as an ‘it’ and emphasising it as a recurrent and/or chronic condition in the conventional introductory statements to scientific articles, as well as research and clinical support applications, should not be completely sheeted home to DSM, but more to those have transmogrified its formal classificatory options to weight its more gravid expressions to advance their case. To conclude, in this neat study, Wakefield and Schmitz (1) show us the signal importance of respecting the ‘recurrence’ distinction in the light of its ‘major’ research and clinical implications. G. Parker University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia E-mail: g.parker@unsw.edu. au
Dependence of acetylcholine receptor channel kinetics on agonist concentration in cultured mouse muscle fibres.

1. The patch‐clamp technique was used to study channel gating kinetics of the acetylcholine receptor. The agonist carbachol was used at concentrations varying from 0.10 to 20 microM. 2. Data in which many channels were often open at the same time were analysed with the aid of mathematical expressions that relate the stochastic behaviour of a many‐channel system to the kinetic parameters of a single channel. These methods provide consistent estimates of parameters. This consistency suggests that there is no correlation between the kinetics of channel closure and the density of channels in a patch of membrane. 3. Closed times were well fitted by a sum of two exponentials. Addition of a third exponential component never significantly improved the quality of the fit. 4. A sum of two exponentials usually provided the best fit to open times. The ratio of the fractions of slowly closing and rapidly closing channels increased linearly with agonist concentration, in a manner consistent with the opening of singly and doubly liganded receptor channels. 5. Analysis of closed‐time densities at various times after seal formation was used to follow the time course of desensitization. No changes in the kinetics of closure were detected during desensitization. 6. At 0.10 microM‐carbachol the frequency at which openings were observed was only slightly more than the background frequency of spontaneous opening. At 20 microM‐carbachol, immediately after seal formation and before the onset of desensitization, the frequency of opening was approximately 300 times higher. 7. The frequency of appearance of brief‐duration openings increased linearly with carbachol concentration and saturated at approximately 5 microM. The frequency of appearance of long‐duration openings increased as the square of the agonist concentration, with only a slight hint of saturation. 8. The results presented here are discussed within the framework of a two‐binding‐site model for the allosteric activation of the acetylcholine receptor. Estimates are made of all of the equilibrium constants and many of the rate constants of the relevant reaction scheme. The two ligand binding sites are found to be very different in terms of their dissociation constants and their influence on the channel gating transitions. These results have implications for the energetics of receptor activation and for the utilization of binding energy by the receptor.