Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Structure of the Acinetobacter baumannii Dithiol Oxidase DsbA Bound to Elongation Factor EF-Tu Reveals a Novel Protein Interaction Site

Background: DsbA is a master virulence determinant of bacterial pathogens and a target for antivirulence drugs. Results: AbDsbA is a class I dithiol oxidase that binds EF-Tu-derived and DsbB-derived peptides on different enzyme surfaces. Conclusion: Discovery of high affinity peptide interaction sites provides a platform for inhibitor design. Significance: AbDsbA inhibitors could have anti-biofilm activity against multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. The multidrug resistant bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii is a significant cause of nosocomial infection. Biofilm formation, that requires both disulfide bond forming and chaperone-usher pathways, is a major virulence trait in this bacterium. Our biochemical characterizations show that the periplasmic A. baumannii DsbA (AbDsbA) enzyme has an oxidizing redox potential and dithiol oxidase activity. We found an unexpected non-covalent interaction between AbDsbA and the highly conserved prokaryotic elongation factor, EF-Tu. EF-Tu is a cytoplasmic protein but has been localized extracellularly in many bacterial pathogens. The crystal structure of this complex revealed that the EF-Tu switch I region binds to the non-catalytic surface of AbDsbA. Although the physiological and pathological significance of a DsbA/EF-Tu association is unknown, peptides derived from the EF-Tu switch I region bound to AbDsbA with submicromolar affinity. We also identified a seven-residue DsbB-derived peptide that bound to AbDsbA with low micromolar affinity. Further characterization confirmed that the EF-Tu- and DsbB-derived peptides bind at two distinct sites. These data point to the possibility that the non-catalytic surface of DsbA is a potential substrate or regulatory protein interaction site. The two peptides identified in this work together with the newly characterized interaction site provide a novel starting point for inhibitor design targeting AbDsbA.
FAIR exempting separate T 1 measurement (FAIREST): a novel technique for online quantitative perfusion imaging and multi‐contrast fMRI

A new pulse sequence, dubbed FAIR exempting separate T1 measurement (FAIREST) in which a slice‐selective saturation recovery acquisition is added in addition to the standard FAIR (flow‐sensitive alternating inversion recovery) scheme, was developed for quantitative perfusion imaging and multi‐contrast fMRI. The technique allows for clean separation between and thus simultaneous assessment of BOLD and perfusion effects, whereas quantitative cerebral blood flow (CBF) and tissue T1 values are monitored online. Online CBF maps were obtained using the FAIREST technique and the measured CBF values were consistent with the off‐line CBF maps obtained from using the FAIR technique in combination with a separate sequence for T1 measurement. Finger tapping activation studies were carried out to demonstrate the applicability of the FAIREST technique in a typical fMRI setting for multi‐contrast fMRI. The relative CBF and BOLD changes induced by finger‐tapping were 75.1 ± 18.3 and 1.8 ± 0.4%, respectively, and the relative oxygen consumption rate change was 2.5 ± 7.7%. The results from correlation of the T1 maps with the activation images on a pixel‐by‐pixel basis show that the mean T1 value of the CBF activation pixels is close to the T1 of gray matter while the mean T1 value of the BOLD activation pixels is close to the T1 range of blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Wearable Inertial Pedestrian Navigation System With Quaternion-Based Extended Kalman Filter for Pedestrian Localization

This paper presents a wearable inertial pedestrian navigation system and its associated pedestrian trajectory reconstruction algorithm for reconstructing pedestrian walking trajectories in indoor and outdoor environments. The proposed wearable inertial pedestrian navigation system is constructed by integrating a triaxial accelerometer, a triaxial gyroscope, a triaxial magnetometer, a microcontroller, and a Bluetooth wireless transmission module. Users wear the system on foot while walking in indoor and outdoor environments at normal speed without any external positioning techniques. During walking movement, the measured inertial signals generated from walking movements are transmitted to a computer via the wireless module. Based on the foot-mounted inertial pedestrian navigation system, a pedestrian trajectory reconstruction algorithm composed of the procedures of inertial signal acquisition, signal preprocessing, trajectory reconstruction, and trajectory height estimation has been developed to reconstruct floor walking and stair climbing trajectories. In order to minimize the cumulative error of the inertial signals, we have utilized a sensor fusion technique based on a double-stage quaternion-based extended Kalman filter to fuse acceleration, angular velocity, and magnetic signals. Experimental results have successfully validated the effectiveness of the proposed wearable inertial pedestrian navigation system and its associated pedestrian trajectory reconstruction algorithm.
Computer‐assisted learning in anatomy at the International Medical School in Debrecen, Hungary: A preliminary report

The University of Debrecen's Faculty of Medicine has an international, multilingual student population with anatomy courses taught in English to all but Hungarian students. An elective computer‐assisted gross anatomy course, the Computer Human Anatomy (CHA), has been taught in English at the Anatomy Department since 2008. This course focuses on an introduction to anatomical digital images along with clinical cases. This low‐budget course has a large visual component using images from magnetic resonance imaging and computer axial tomogram scans, ultrasound clinical studies, and readily available anatomy software that presents topics which run in parallel to the university's core anatomy curriculum. From the combined computer images and CHA lecture information, students are asked to solve computer‐based clinical anatomy problems in the CHA computer laboratory. A statistical comparison was undertaken of core anatomy oral examination performances of English program first‐year medical students who took the elective CHA course and those who did not in the three academic years 2007–2008, 2008–2009, and 2009–2010. The results of this study indicate that the CHA‐enrolled students improved their performance on required anatomy core curriculum oral examinations (P < 0.001), suggesting that computer‐assisted learning may play an active role in anatomy curriculum improvement. These preliminary results have prompted ongoing evaluation of what specific aspects of CHA are valuable and which students benefit from computer‐assisted learning in a multilingual and diverse cultural environment. Anat Sci Educ. © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.
Role of Bv8 in neutrophil-dependent angiogenesis in a transgenic model of cancer progression

The secreted Bv8 protein has been recently characterized as a regulator of myeloid cell mobilization and a neutrophil-derived mediator of tumor angiogenesis in several xenografts, but its role in tumor progression in an endogenous setting was unknown. The rat insulin promoter (RIP)–T-antigen (Tag) is a well characterized transgenic mouse model of multistage pancreatic β-cell tumorigenesis. Also, the role of neutrophils in RIP-Tag angiogenic switching, as assessed by systemic ablation using anti-Gr1 antibodies at different stages of tumor progression, has been recently described. Here, we show that early treatment of RIP-Tag mice with anti-Bv8 antibodies resulted in a significant reduction in the number of angiogenic islets relative to control antibody-treated mice, implicating Bv8 in the angiogenic switch during neoplasia. Histological analysis showed a significant reduction in vascular surface areas in hyperplastic and angiogenic lesions in pancreatic islets from anti-Bv8-treated mice. Anti-Bv8 treatment also inhibited the mobilization and homing of CD11b+Gr1+ cells to the peripheral blood and the emerging neoplastic lesions. However, anti-Bv8 treatment had no effect on tumor vascularization or burden when initiated at later stages of tumor progression. The stage-dependent efficacy of anti-Bv8 treatment appears remarkably similar to that reported after neutrophil ablation, suggesting that Bv8 is an important mediator of neutrophil-dependent angiogenesis in this transgenic model. In summary, our studies verify a role for Bv8 in the mobilization and recruitment of myeloid cells and in the induction of tumor angiogenesis in the early stages of neoplastic progression.
Detection of cytokine mRNA in the brains of mice with toxoplasmic encephalitis

Summary C57B1/10 ScSn mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii developed a meningoencephalitis, characterized by areas of tissue destruction and cellular infiltration including foci of neutrophils. Large numbers of cyst stages were found throughout the brain but were not always associated with inflammation. The use of immunocytochemistry to detect glial fibrillary acidic protein, an astrocyte specific marker, showed a widespread astrocyte activation. This was particularly prominent in areas of intense inflammation but cysts were negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein, indicating that astrocytes were not host cells for the bradyzoites. The use of the polymerase chain reaction to assist in the amplification of total brain RNA allowed the characterization of the cytokines being produced locally within the brains of infected animals. β‐ actin transcripts were detected in all of the uninfected and infected mice. In only one of the seven uninfected control mice were other transcripts found. Transcripts for tumour necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1α and β, interleukin‐6, macrophage inflammatory protein‐1 and interferon‐γ as well as the CD4 marker were detected in all of the infected mice. However, transcripts for IL‐2 and IL‐4 were not present. Several of the cytokines present are capable of initiating meningeal inflammation and may play a role in the immunopathogensis of toxoplasmic encephalitis.
Analysis of Chromosome Band Ip36 Alterations by Chromosomal In Situ Suppression Hybridization With a Microclone DNA Bank

Alterations of the distal portion of chromosome 1p are a recurrent abnormality of several types of human cancer. In this study we show that chromosomal in situ suppression hybridization with a regional 1p36 DNA bank generated by microdissection and microcloning can be employed to detect translocations involving 1p36.
A Spurious Category-Specific Visual Agnosia for Living Things in Normal Human and Nonhuman Primates

Patients with visual associative agnosia have a particular difficulty in identifying visually presented living things (plants and animals) as opposed to nonliving things. It has been claimed that this effect cannot be explained by differences in the inherent visual discriminability of living and nonliving things. To test this claim further, we performed two experiments with normal subjects. In Experiment 1 normal human observers were asked to identify objects in tachistoscopically presented line drawings. They made more errors with living things than with nonliving things. In Experiment 2 normal monkeys learned to discriminate among the same line drawings for food reward. They made many more errors in discriminating among living things than nonliving things. Agnosic patients' responses to the same line drawings were made available to us for correlative analysis with the subjects' responses to these drawings in Experiments 1 and 2. We conclude that a category-specific visual agnosia for living things can arise as a consequence of a modality-specific but not category-specific impairment in visual representation, since living things are more similar to each other visually than nonliving things are.
Stability and Stabilization Analysis of Positive Polynomial Fuzzy Systems With Time Delay Considering Piecewise Membership Functions

This paper is concerned with the stability analysis of positive polynomial-fuzzy-model-based control systems with time delay. Each of the polynomial fuzzy model and the polynomial fuzzy controller is allowed to have its own set of premise membership functions, which can improve the design and realization flexibility. Conditions showing the positivity of the system are first obtained. Then, to deal with the difficulty resulting from the mismatched premise membership functions to the stability/stabilization analysis, approximated membership functions representing the original ones are constructed, and the information of membership functions is brought into the stability conditions. This way, the stability conditions can be relaxed, since the extra knowledge on the system is considered. Stability conditions are obtained by using the sum-of squares approach based on the Lyapunov stability theory. A simulation example is provided to verify the effectiveness of this method.
Prevalence and correlates of erectile dysfunction by race and ethnicity among men aged 40 or older in the United States: from the male attitudes regarding sexual health survey.

INTRODUCTION Most U.S. population-based estimates of erectile dysfunction (ED) prevalence restricted upper age, were not nationally representative, or underrepresented minority groups. AIM To estimate, by race/ethnicity in the United States, the prevalence of ED and the impact of sociodemographic, health, relationship, psychological, and lifestyle variables. METHODS This cross-sectional, population-based, nationally representative probability survey conducted between May 2001 and January 2002 in the general community setting facilitated equivalent representation among U.S. non-Hispanic white (N = 901), non-Hispanic black (N = 596), and Hispanic (N = 676) men aged 40 and older by using targeted phone lists to oversample the minority populations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Estimated prevalence of moderate or severe ED, defined as a response of "sometimes" or "never" to the question "How would you describe your ability to get and keep an erection adequate for satisfactory intercourse? " RESULTS The estimated prevalence was 22.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 19.4-24.6) overall, 21.9% (95% CI, 18.8-24.9) in whites, 24.4% (95% CI, 18.4-30.5) in blacks, and 19.9% (95% CI, 13.9-25.9) in Hispanics, and increased with increasing age. The odds ratio increased with increasing age. Probability also increased with diabetes, hypertension, and moderate or severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) overall; age > or =70 years and diabetes in whites; severe LUTS in blacks; and age > or =60 years, moderate LUTS, hypertension, and depression in Hispanics. It decreased with exercise and college vs. less than high school education overall; with exercise, good relationship quality, and according to alcohol intake in blacks; and with high school or college education in Hispanics. CONCLUSIONS The odds of ED increased with increasing age across race/ethnicity when controlling for sociodemographic, health, relationship, psychological, and lifestyle variables. These initial analyses suggest further study of the interrelationships among risk factors for ED.
IFN-γ at the Site of Infection Determines Rate of Clearance of Infection in Cryptococcal Meningitis1

In animal models, immunity to cryptococcal infection, as in many chronic fungal and bacterial infections, is associated with a granulomatous inflammatory response, intact cell-mediated immunity, and a Th1 pattern of cytokine release. To examine the correlates of human immunity to cryptococcal infection in vivo, we analyzed immune parameters at the site of infection over time and assessed the rate of clearance of infection by serial quantitative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fungal cultures in 62 patients in a trial of antifungal therapy for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. CSF IL-6, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-8 were significantly higher in survivors compared with nonsurvivors. There were negative correlations between log TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-6 levels and baseline cryptococcal CFU. Log IFN-γ, G-CSF, TNF-α, and IL-6 were correlated positively with the rate of fall in log CFU/ml CSF/day. In a linear regression model including antifungal treatment group, baseline CFU, and these cytokines, only treatment group and log IFN-γ remained independently associated with rate of clearance of infection. The results provide direct in vivo evidence for the importance of quantitative differences in IFN-γ secretion in human immune control of granulomatous infections, and increase the rationale for adjunctive IFN-γ in the treatment of refractory HIV-associated cryptococcosis.
Analysis of EEG variables to measure the affective dimensions of arousal and valence related to the vision of emotional pictures

The present work aims to investigate the electroencephalographic (EEG) activity elicited by the observation of emotional pictures selected from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) database. We analyzed the evoked activity within time intervals of increasing duration taking into account the related ratings of Valence and Arousal. The scalp statistical maps of Power Spectral Density (PSD), related to pictures with high valence, revealed an enhanced activity across frontal areas in the theta band and the involvement of fronto-parietal circuits in the alpha band. Difference in the processing of low and high arousing pictures, however, seems to be highly dependent on the valence dimension: for low valenced pictures, the difference in arousal was processed immediately after the observation of the picture, while for the high-valenced ones the processing took part in the second part of the observation. These results appear to be congruent with the literature, while the novelty of the current study is represented by the comparison of the activity elicited in different time windows by both the Arousal and Valence dimensions. It is possible, in this way, to observe how the processing of one variable influences the other, creating a dynamic description of the Valence-Arousal space.
Territorial Aggression and Dawn Song are Modulated by Septal Vasotocin and Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide in Male Field Sparrows (Spizella pusilla)

Previous experiments demonstrate that lesions of the septum produce opposite effects on intraspecific male aggression in the territorial field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) and the colonial zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata; facilitate vs inhibit, respectively) and intraseptal infusions of arginine vasotocin (AVT) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) modulate aggression in the male zebra finch (facilitate and inhibit, respectively). The present experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses that (1) septal AVT and VIP modulate both overt territorial aggression and the production of territorial song during the dawn chorus in male field sparrows and (2) these neuropeptides will exert effects opposite of those observed in the zebra finch, consistent with the prediction that social organization is associated with septal neuropeptide function. Wild-caught male field sparrows were fitted with chronic guide cannulae directed at the septum and were tested in outdoor aviaries placed in their natural habitat. Intrusion tests (introduction of a stimulus male) and dawn song observations were conducted following infusion of AVT, VIP, or saline control. Consistent with predictions, infusion of AVT significantly inhibited chases and significantly increased chase latency. No significant effects of VIP on chasing or chase latency were observed, although most subjects were more aggressive following infusion of VIP. Both AVT and VIP produced significant, selective effects on the complex (agonistic) song type (facilitation and inhibition, respectively) and produced no effect on the simple (multipurpose) song type. Thus, song and overt aggression appear be modulated independently by septal neuropeptides, and septal AVT and VIP function may differ between species which differ in the expression of territorial or colonial social organizations.
The role of angiotensin II AT1 receptor in the maintenance of hemodynamics in a canine model of coronary microembolization-induced heart failure.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Angiotensin II (Ang II) contributes to the regulation of resting hemodynamics via Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptors in awake dogs with coronary microembolization-induced heart failure. Six dogs were surgically instrumented for measurement of systemic hemodynamics and for coronary microembolization. The acute hemodynamic effects of a selective AT1-receptor antagonist, GR138950 (1 mg/kg, i.v.), were determined before and after congestive heart failure (CHF). GR138950 had no effects on hemodynamics before CHF Daily coronary microembolizations (through the previously implanted coronary catheter) resulted in CHF, as documented by hemodynamic measurements, a slight but significant increased Ang II plasma level (17.4 +/- 1.6 vs. 23 +/- 1.0 pg/ml; p < 0.05), and characteristic clinical signs of CHF. After CHF, GR138950 significantly increased left ventricular dP/dt(max) (LVdP/dt(max)) from 1,754 +/- 68 to 2,347 +/- 114 mm Hg/s and decreased LV systolic pressure (LVSP) from 118 +/- 5 to 101 +/- 7 mm Hg; meanwhile, heart rate (from 132 +/- 4 to 102 +/- 6 beats/min) and LV end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP; from 17 +/- 3 to 9 +/- 1.5 mm Hg) were significantly decreased. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was not affected. The peak effects occurred 90 min after administration. Thus Ang II contributes significantly to resting hemodynamics via AT1 receptors in this CHF model; that is, the specific AT1 blocker inhibits the negative inotropic actions of Ang II in the CHF state.
Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration in children - diagnostic value of symptoms and signs.

OBJECTIVE Tracheobronchial foreign body (TFB) aspiration is a common cause of respiratory compromise in early childhood. Research indicates that a high number of children are missed with TFB aspiration. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of potential TFB aspiration. STUDY DESIGN We analysed 370 endoscopic reports of children admitted to our emergency department who underwent explorative rigid bronchoscopy to exclude/remove a TFB (1989-2003). Patient characteristics, history, clinical, radiographic and bronchoscopic findings were noted. Sensitivities and specificities for TFB aspiration were calculated for patient history, clinical and radiographic findings. RESULTS The median age was 1.8 years. In 59.7% of patients a TFB was found and removed. A group analysis was performed on children with symptoms less than 2 weeks (group A) and those more than 2 weeks (group B). The results showed that unilateral diminished breath sounds and unilateral overdistension on chest X-ray were the most sensitive (53-79%) and specific (68-88%) findings in both groups. The clinical triad of acute choking/coughing, wheezing and unilateral diminished breath sounds had a high specificity (96-98%) in both groups. In contrast, a positive history of acute choking/coughing in group A or a permanent cough in group B showed a low specificity (8-16%). CONCLUSION In a paediatric respiratory compromise, the presence of unilateral diminished breath sounds, pathological chest X-ray or clinical triad is a powerful indicator for occurred TFB aspiration. Since no single or combined variables can predict TFB aspiration with full certainty, bronchoscopic exploration should be performed if TFB aspiration is suspected.