Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nitric Oxide–Dependent Renal Vasodilatation Is Not Altered in Rat with rHuEpo–Induced Hypertension

Background: Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) is the treatment of choice in anemia associated with end–stage renal disease. Its major side effect is hypertension, which occurs in 8–30% of uremic patients. The exact mechanism of rHuEpo–induced hypertension has not been fully elucidated, and several possibilities have been proposed, such as a direct vascular effect of the drug with a shift in the balance of constrictor and relaxing endothelial factors (endothelins and nitric oxide (NO)). Recent papers suggested an enhanced rather than reduced activity of endogenous NO system in rats with normal renal function and rHuEpo–induced hypertension. Our study was designed to verify whether, in spite of enhanced activity of the renal NO system, rHuEpo may affect endothelium–dependent (acetylcholine–induced) and/or endothelium–independent (sodium nitroprusside–induced) vasorelaxation and to evaluate basal NO release by the infusion of NG–nitro–L–arginine methyl ester (L–NAME) in an isolated and perfused rat kidney model. Methods: To investigate this hypothesis, we have determined systemic and renal NO activity in Wistar rats treated with a hypertensive dose of rHuEpo (150 IU/kg b.w. every other day for 2 weeks) by measuring stable NO metabolites (NO2+NO3) in the urine and have also evaluated variations in renal vascular resistance after the injection of Ach, SNP and the infusion of L–NAME. Results: Hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration and arterial blood pressure were significantly increased in the treated group as compared with the controls. Urinary excretion of NO2+NO3 was significantly higher in treated than in the controls (438±66 vs. 294±36 nM/ml/min, p<0.01, respectively). There were no significant differences in the dose–response curves to Ach and SNP between the two groups. The renal vasoconstriction following the infusion of L–NAME was also similar in the two groups. Conclusions: The analysis of our results seems to indicate that the endogenous NO system activity was enhanced in rHuEpo–induced hypertension in rats with normal renal function and a resistance to NO was not developed in renal circulation. Further studies seem to be necessary to better clarify the exact mechanisms underlying the development of rHuEpo–induced hypertension.
Structure and relevance of the oligosaccharide hapten of Mycobacterium avium serotype 2

The type-specific antigen of Mycobacterium avium serotype 2, the most ubiquitous of serotypes within the M. avium complex and a major cause of disseminated and localized infections, was isolated and purified. It is of the glycopeptidolipid (mycoside C) class with a characteristic oligosaccharide hapten. This was released as the oligosaccharide alditol by base-catalyzed reductive beta-elimination, and the structure was established by a combination of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, methylation analysis, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, and 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance as 2,3-di-O-methyl-L-fucopyranosyl-(alpha 1----3)-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(alpha 1----2)- 6-deoxytalitol. A feature of the work was the elucidation of the absolute (enantiomeric) configuration of the sugars. This same structure, in much less detail, was previously reported as the species-specific hapten of strains of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Thus, the work raises the intriguing possibility that some M. avium serotypes are synonymous, at least in outer cell wall anatomy, with the agent(s) of paratuberculosis (Johne's disease), an insidious disease of vast proportions in ruminants. In addition, recognition of a specific determinant will allow a precise study of the epidemiology of M. avium infections in humans and animals.
Sero‐epidemiological patterns of epstein‐barr and herpes simplex (HSV‐1 and HSV‐2) viruses in England and Wales

The aim was to carry out a population‐based sero‐prevalence survey of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) across a wide age range in England and Wales and to identify any associations between EBV and herpes simplex virus types one and two (HSV‐1 and 2). Sera from an age‐stratified sample of 2,893 individuals, submitted for diagnostic purposes to 15 public health laboratories in England and Wales in 1994, were tested for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to EBV. The samples had been tested previously for IgG antibody to HSV‐1 and HSV‐2. The serological profile of EBV was consistent with an endemic infection with peaks in transmission in those less than 5 years old and in young adults. An age adjusted analysis found a significant association between EBV and HSV‐1 seropositivity that is most likely explained by similarities in their mode of transmission. The very low seroprevalence of HSV‐2 in this sample complicated the comparisons of EBV and HSV‐1 with HSV‐2. Any associations were most likely explained by chance. Given the association between EBV and HSV‐1, it is likely that recently documented epidemiological changes in HSV‐1 also apply to EBV. Continuing surveillance of these herpes viruses is necessary as the predicted changes could have a significant public health impact, especially in the young adult population. J. Med. Virol. 67:522–527, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An approach to the comparison of fuzzy subsets with an α-cut dependent index

An approach to the comparison of fuzzy subsets or fuzzy numbers is proposed and studied. A function-type index J/sub ij/( alpha ), indicating a degree of dominance of a fuzzy subset A/sub i/ over the other A/sub j/, is derived from an alpha -cut of the difference of the two subsets compared. This index can be converted to a single-valued version F/sub ij//sup 0/ by way of a alpha -weighted averaging over alpha for a quick reference to the conclusion of comparison. Linguistic descriptions of the results of comparison and a fuzzy ordering relation are discussed. For the case of trapezoidal membership functions the shapes of J/sub ij/( alpha ) are classified and the formulas to calculate J/sub ij//sup 0/ are obtained. >
Expression and subcellular localization of poliovirus VPg-precursor protein 3AB in eukaryotic cells: evidence for glycosylation in vitro

The poliovirus-encoded, membrane-associated VPg-precursor polypeptide 3AB has been implicated in the initiation of viral RNA synthesis. We have expressed 3AB and 3A polypeptides in eukaryotic cells and examined their localization using indirect immunofluorescence and a direct in vitro membrane-binding assay. Results presented here demonstrate that both 3AB and 3A are capable of localizing in the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus in transfected HeLa cells in the absence of any other poliovirus protein. We have also shown that the carboxy-terminal 18 amino acids of 3A that constitute an amphipathic domain are important in membrane binding of 3A and 3AB. Additionally, we demonstrate that a significant fraction of both 3A and 3AB can be glycosylated in a membrane-dependent fashion during in vitro translation in reticulocyte lysate. We demonstrate that 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, an inhibitor of glycoprotein synthesis, significantly inhibits poliovirus RNA synthesis in vivo. The implications of glycosylation of 3AB (and 3A) in viral replication are discussed.
PERCH LANDING ASSISTED BY THRUSTER ( PLAT ) : SIX D . O . F TRAJECTORY OPTIMIZATION

This paper handles a trajectory optimization of fixed wing aircraft perch landing assisted by thruster. The paper develops aircraft model and deals with six-degree-of-freedom motion for further understanding of dynamic phenomena of proposed landing method. The landing maneuver is described as an optimal control problem minimizing the fuel consumption with specified terminal landing conditions. The optimal solution is computed by Gauss Pseudo Spectral Method (GPM) and realistic possibility of the method is validated based on the optimized solution.
Lung characteristics in elderly males and females patients with COPD: differences and optimal use of dry powder inhalers (DPIs).

OBJECTIVE We have measured peak inspiratory flow (PIF), inspiratory capacity (IC), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) and other functional parameters in COPD patients to investigate which PIF's patients generate with maximal effort, through three different resistances, representing Diskus, Nexthaler and Turbuhaler. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty patients with COPD were enrolled in this study. All patients were examined: pulmonary function tests, including flow/volume spirometry and N2-wash out, were conducted. MIP and MEP were measured. PIF was measured using the In-check DIAL; patients inhaled through the device set for the optimal Turbuhaler resistance, Nexthaler resistance and Diskus resistance. The relationship between lung function parameters and PIF was studied. RESULTS The mean PIF through Nexthaler resistance was significantly higher than the Turbohaler resistance. We have found a mild correlation between PIF and MIP and between PIF, IC and VC. DISCUSSION All patients could achieve inspiratory flows > 30 l/min with all inhalers used for the trial. The most interesting result is the mild correlation between MIP and PIF, showing that inspiratory muscle force is probably an important predictor of an adequate inspiratory flow in COPD patients. Many studies confirmed that when using a DPI the inhalation flow is dependent on the resistance of the device and the patient's inspiratory effort. CONCLUSIONS Inhalation therapy is the mainstay of treatment of patients with COPD. In the last years, significant developments have been achieved in the field of device formulation, but in daily practice, an appropriate inhaler choice should consider not only device related aspects, but also patient's pulmonary function and in particular patient's respiratory muscle strength.
Long-term study of high-strength hydroxyapatite/poly(L-lactide) composite rods for the internal fixation of bone fractures: a 2-4-year follow-up study in rabbits.

Biodegradation of hydroxyapatite (HA)/poly(L-lactide)(PLLA) composite bone implant rods was studied with the use of two types of HA particles as reinforcing fillers: uncalcined HA (u-HA) or calcined HA (c-HA). Composite rods of u-HA/PLLA and c-HA/PLLA containing 30 or 40% (w/w) HA were implanted in the distal femur of 21 rabbits, and specimens were examined by light microscopy, scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission-electron microscopy (TEM) 2-4 years later. For u-HA/PLLA, trabecular bone bonding directly onto the rod was maintained for up to 2 years. By 3 years, surface collapse had begun, and the implants were shrinking. By 4 years, they had shrunk further, with complete bone encapsulation. The u-HA particles were small and needle shaped in the peripheries, and TEM confirmed their resorption. The cross-sectional area after 4 years decreased by 23.3+/-8.4%. The mean ratio of bony ingrowth to the initial cross-sectional area around the shrunken rods was 6.7+/-1.3 %. The viscosity molecular weight of PLLA reduced from 2 x 10(5) to less than 1 x 10(3). Thus, most of the PLLA had released from the rods. The c-HA/PLLA implants also showed good osteoconductivity, but shrinkage and infiltration of histiocytes were less. No osteolytic or osteoarthritic changes were found.
Parental care buffers against inbreeding depression in burying beetles

Significance When relatives mate, their inbred offspring often suffer a reduction in fitness-related traits known as “inbreeding depression. ” Environmental stresses such as starvation and competition can exacerbate these fitness costs of inbreeding. However, caring parents could mitigate the fitness costs of inbreeding by neutralizing the effects of these environmental stresses. We tested the hypothesis that maternal care can buffer against inbreeding depression in the offspring in burying beetles. Indeed, the female's presence led to a higher increase in larval survival in inbred than in outbred broods, and it increased the lifespan of inbred but not outbred adults. Our findings suggest that parental care can moderate the severity of inbreeding depression, possibly affecting how parental care strategies and inbreeding avoidance mechanisms evolve. When relatives mate, their inbred offspring often suffer a reduction in fitness-related traits known as “inbreeding depression. ” There is mounting evidence that inbreeding depression can be exacerbated by environmental stresses such as starvation, predation, parasitism, and competition. Parental care may play an important role as a buffer against inbreeding depression in the offspring by alleviating these environmental stresses. Here, we examine the effect of parental care on the fitness costs of inbreeding in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, an insect with facultative parental care. We used a 2 × 2 factorial design with the following factors: (i) the presence or absence of a caring female parent during larval development and (ii) inbred or outbred offspring. We examined the joint influence of maternal care and inbreeding status on fitness-related offspring traits to test the hypothesis that maternal care improves the performance of inbred offspring more than that of outbred offspring. Indeed, the female's presence led to a higher increase in larval survival in inbred than in outbred broods. Receiving care at the larval stage also increased the lifespan of inbred but not outbred adults, suggesting that the beneficial buffering effects of maternal care can persist long after the offspring have become independent. Our results show that parental care has the potential to moderate the severity of inbreeding depression, which in turn may favor inbreeding tolerance and influence the evolution of mating systems and other inbreeding-avoidance mechanisms.
The role of periadventitial fat in atherosclerosis.

CONTEXT It has become increasingly evident that adipose tissue is a multifunctional organ that produces and secretes multiple paracrine and endocrine factors. Research into obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes has identified a proinflammatory state associated with obesity. Substantial differences between subcutaneous and omental fat have been noted, including the fact that omental fat produces relatively more inflammatory cytokines. Periadventitial fat, as a specific adipose tissue subset, has been overlooked in the field of atherosclerosis despite its potential diagnostic and therapeutic implications. OBJECTIVE To review (1) evidence for the role of adventitial and periadventitial fat in vessel remodeling after injury, (2) the relationship between adventitial inflammation and atherosclerosis, (3) the association between periadventitial fat and plaque inflammation, and (4) the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of these roles and relationships for the progression of atherosclerosis. DATA SOURCES We present new data showing greater uptake of iron, administered in the form of superparamagnetic iron oxide, in the periadventitial fat of atherosclerotic mice than in control mice. In addition, macrophage density in the periadventitial fat of lipid-rich plaques is increased compared with fibrocalcific plaques. CONCLUSIONS There is a striking paucity of data on the relationship between the periadventitial fat of coronary arteries and atherosclerosis. Greater insight into this relationship might be instrumental in making strides into the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of coronary artery disease.
The Theory-Based Influence of Map Features on Risk Beliefs: Self-Reports of What Is Seen and Understood for Maps Depicting an Environmental Health Hazard

Theory-based research is needed to understand how maps of environmental health risk information influence risk beliefs and protective behavior. Using theoretical concepts from multiple fields of study including visual cognition, semiotics, health behavior, and learning and memory supports a comprehensive assessment of this influence. The authors report results from 13 cognitive interviews that provide theory-based insights into how visual features influenced what participants saw and the meaning of what they saw as they viewed 3 formats of water test results for private wells (choropleth map, dot map, and a table). The unit of perception, color, proximity to hazards, geographic distribution, and visual salience had substantial influences on what participants saw and their resulting risk beliefs. These influences are explained by theoretical factors that shape what is seen, properties of features that shape cognition (preattentive, symbolic, visual salience), information processing (top-down and bottom-up), and the strength of concrete compared with abstract information. Personal relevance guided top-down attention to proximal and larger hazards that shaped stronger risk beliefs. Meaning was more local for small perceptual units and global for large units. Three aspects of color were important: preattentive “incremental risk” meaning of sequential shading, symbolic safety meaning of stoplight colors, and visual salience that drew attention. The lack of imagery, geographic information, and color diminished interest in table information. Numeracy and prior beliefs influenced comprehension for some participants. Results guided the creation of an integrated conceptual framework for application to future studies. Ethics should guide the selection of map features that support appropriate communication goals.
Digital Design of Discrete Exponential Bidirectional Associative Memory

The exponential bidirectional associative memory (eBAM) was proved to be a systematically stable high-capacity memory. Considering the difficulty of the implementation of such an eBAM by analog circuits and the compactability with binary logic circuits, we adopt the digital logic methodology to design such a neural network. Besides, we also count in other factors, e.g., scalability and speed, so that the complete digital design of this neural network is feasible. In order to realize the eBAM by digital circuitry only, some special design is required such that the exponential function can be implemented without the loss of operating speed. For example, a high-speed 8-to-9 exponent value generator is required in the design. In addition, because the traditional add/sub accumulator costs too much area when the dimension of patterns is large, a cascaded increment/decrement accumulator (IDA) is proposed in the design, which can also speed up the addition or subtraction besides the saving of chip area. For the sake of area saving, regenerated IDA is also proposed to reduce the cost of chip area. At last, thorough simulations by MAGIC and IRSIM are proceeded to verify the performance of the design.
Approximate Voltage-Behind-Reactance Induction Machine Model for Efficient Interface With EMTP Network Solution

A so-called voltage-behind-reactance (VBR) induction machine model has recently been proposed for the Electro-Magnetic Transient Program (EMTP) solution as an advantageous alternative to the traditional qd and phase-domain (PD) models. This paper focuses on achieving an efficient interface of the machine models with the EMTP network. It is shown first that a discretized PD model can be formulated to have a constant machine conductance submatrix, which is a very desirable numerical property that allows avoiding the re-factorization of the network conductance matrix at every time step. Furthermore, an approximate voltage-behind-reactance (AVBR) model is proposed where the rotor-speed-dependent coefficients are neglected, thus leading to a similar constant machine conductance submatrix and efficient interface. Case studies demonstrate that the new AVBR model represents a significant improvement in terms of numerical accuracy and efficiency over other established models used in EMTP.
Granulomatous‐lymphocytic interstitial lung disease as the first manifestation of common variable immunodeficiency

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is one of the most common primary immunodeficiencies, which is characterized by reduced serum immunoglobulin levels and B‐lymphocyte dysfunction. There are many clinical manifestations of this disease, the most common of which are recurrent respiratory tract infections. Among the most recently recognized autoimmune manifestation of CVID is a disease described as granulomatous‐lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD), where CVID coexists with a small airway lymphoproliferative disorder, mimicking follicular bronchiolitis, or lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) on histology specimens. We herein describe the clinical and radiological features of GLILD in a 55‐year‐old woman where the diagnosis of CVID was actively pursued and eventually confirmed after her lung biopsy showed characteristic features of GLILD. The patient had dramatic response to treatment with IVIG and corticosteroids for 3 months followed by Mycophenolate mofetil for maintenance therapy.
[Detection of PLA2R1 in renal biopsy specimens of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of PLA2R1 in renal biopsy specimens of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) and explore the relationship between PLA2R1 and IMN. METHODS A total of 108 adult patients with biopsy-proved glomerular diseases were enrolled in this study, including 41 with IMN, 2 with hepatitis B-associated membranous nephropathy, 8 with V lupus nephritis, 27 with IgA nephropathy, 19 with minimal change nephropathy, 5 with mild mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis, and 6 with focal segmental glomeruloselerosis (FSGS). Indirect immunofluorescence assay was used to detect PLA2R1 in the biopsy specimens and the clinical variables of the IMN patients were analyzed. RESULTS In 35 of the 41 (85.37%) patients with IMN, PLA2R1 was detected with a fine granular pattern in the subepithelial deposits along the glomerular capillary loops. PLA2R1 antigen was not detected in patients with other glomerulopathies. No significant differences were found in age, serum creatinine, serum albumin, or 24-h urinary protein level between PLA2R1-positive and negative patients with IMN (P>0.05). CONCLUSION According to our results, 85.37% of adult patients with biopsy-proven IMN are positive for PLA2R1 antigen, which, however, does not contribute to variations of the patients' clinical manifestations.
Many Neuronal and Behavioral Impairments in Transgenic Mouse Models of Alzheimer's Disease Are Independent of Caspase Cleavage of the Amyloid Precursor Protein

Previous studies suggested that cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) at aspartate residue 664 by caspases may play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Mutation of this site (D664A) prevents caspase cleavage and the generation of the C-terminal APP fragments C31 and Jcasp, which have been proposed to mediate amyloid-β (Aβ) neurotoxicity. Here we compared human APP transgenic mice with (B254) and without (J20) the D664A mutation in a battery of tests. Before Aβ deposition, hAPP–B254 and hAPP–J20 mice had comparable hippocampal levels of Aβ1-42. At 2–3 or 5–7 months of age, hAPP–B254 and hAPP–J20 mice had similar abnormalities relative to nontransgenic mice in spatial and nonspatial learning and memory, elevated plus maze performance, electrophysiological measures of synaptic transmission and plasticity, and levels of synaptic activity-related proteins. Thus, caspase cleavage of APP at position D664 and generation of C31 do not play a critical role in the development of these abnormalities.