Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Emulsan in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus RAG-1: Distribution of Cell-Free and Cell-Associated Cross-Reacting Material

Emulsan is an extracellular polymeric bioemulsifier produced by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus RAG-1. Antibodies prepared against purified emulsan inhibited the activity of the polymer in a standard emulsification test. These antibodies were used to develop a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to monitor changes in cell-free emulsan throughout the growth cycle. This assay was also used to detect emulsan associated with the cell surface and to monitor changes in the distribution of cell-free and cell-associated emulsan throughout the growth cycle. Cells in the early exponential phase exhibited relatively large amounts of cell-associated emulsan which decreased rapidly between the midexponential and early stationary phases. This drop in cell-associated material was accompanied by a rise in the concentration of extracellular polymer. Moreover, in agreement with previous results (C. Rubinovitz, D. L. Gutnick, and E. Rosenberg, manuscript in press), production of cell-free emulsan was enhanced in the presence of chloramphenicol. The release of this material from the cell surface in the presence of chloramphenicol apparently involved the synthesis of cell-associated cross-reacting material since the relative amount of such cell-bound polymer remained constant during the treatment with the drug.
Gender Differentials in Health: A Differences-in-Decompositions Estimate

We analyse changes in gendered health differentials between 2005 and 2014, using data from population-weighted General Household Surveys (GHS) in South Africa. We also assess the contribution of observed characteristics in explaining those differentials. We find that the gender gap in health narrowed by approximately 2% between 2005 and 2014, and the narrowing of that gap can be mainly attributed to changes in educational attainment and social grant receipt. Specifically, there has been a relative increase in receipt of formal education by women, which explains about 1.11% of the gap reduction, while the relative increase in social grant receipt by women explains approximately 28% of the reduction. Thus, improvements in gender equality, as it relates to health, are furthered by policies addressing inequality in educational attainment and social protection. However, about 76% of the reduction is explained by changes in returns to various male/female attributes.
Short-term Music Training Enhances Complex, Distributed Neural Communication during Music and Linguistic Tasks

Musical training is frequently associated with benefits to linguistic abilities, and recent focus has been placed on possible benefits of bilingualism to lifelong executive functions; however, the neural mechanisms for such effects are unclear. The aim of this study was to gain better understanding of the whole-brain functional effects of music and second-language training that could support such previously observed cognitive transfer effects. We conducted a 28-day longitudinal study of monolingual English-speaking 4- to 6-year-old children randomly selected to receive daily music or French language training, excluding weekends. Children completed passive EEG music note and French vowel auditory oddball detection tasks before and after training. Brain signal complexity was measured on source waveforms at multiple temporal scales as an index of neural information processing and network communication load. Comparing pretraining with posttraining, musical training was associated with increased EEG complexity at coarse temporal scales during the music and French vowel tasks in widely distributed cortical regions. Conversely, very minimal decreases in complexity at fine scales and trends toward coarse-scale increases were displayed after French training during the tasks. Spectral analysis failed to distinguish between training types and found overall theta (3.5–7.5 Hz) power increases after all training forms, with spatially fewer decreases in power at higher frequencies (>10 Hz). These findings demonstrate that musical training increased diversity of brain network states to support domain-specific music skill acquisition and music-to-language transfer effects.
Effect of Time‐of‐Day‐Specific Strength Training on Serum Hormone Concentrations and Isometric Strength in Men

A time‐of‐day influence on the neuromuscular response to strength training has been previously reported. However, no scientific study has examined the influence of the time of day when strength training is performed on hormonal adaptations. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of time‐of‐day‐specific strength training on resting serum concentrations and diurnal patterns of testosterone (T) and cortisol (CORT) as well as maximum isometric strength of knee extensors. Thirty eight diurnally active healthy, previously untrained men (age 20–45 yrs) underwent a ten‐week preparatory strength training period when sessions were conducted between 17:00–19:00 h. Thereafter, these subjects were randomized into either a morning (n=20, training times 07:00–09:00 h) or afternoon (n=18, 7:00–19:00 h) training group for another ten‐week period of time‐of‐day‐specific training (TST). Isometric unilateral knee extension peak torque (MVC) was measured at 07:00, 12:00, 17:00, and 20:30 h over two consecutive days (Day 1 & Day 2) before and after TST. Blood samples were obtained before each clock‐time measurement to assess resting serum T and CORT concentrations. A matched control group (n=11) did not train but participated in the tests. Serum T and CORT concentrations significantly declined from 07:00 to 20:30 h on all test days (Time effect, p<.001). Serum CORT at 07:00 h was significantly higher on Day 1 than Day 2 in the control and afternoon group, both in Pre and Post conditions (Day×Time interaction, p<.01). In the morning group, a similar day‐to‐day difference was present in the Pre but not Post conditions (Time×Group interaction, p<.05). MVC significantly increased after TST in both the morning and afternoon groups (Pre to Post effect, p<.001). In both groups, a typical diurnal variation in MVC (Time effect, p<.001) was found, especially on Day 2 in the Pre condition, and this feature persisted from Pre to Post in the afternoon group. In the morning group, however, diurnal variation was reduced after TST on both Day 1 and Day 2 (Pre to Post×Day×Time×Group interaction, p<.05). In conclusion, 10 weeks of morning time‐of‐day‐specific strength training resulted in reduced morning resting CORT concentrations, presumably as a result of decreased masking effects of anticipatory psychological stress prior to the morning testing. The typical diurnal pattern of maximum isometric strength was blunted by the TST period in the morning but not the afternoon group. However, the TST period had no significant effect on the resting total T concentration and its diurnal pattern and on the absolute increase in maximum strength.
Travel-based multitasking: review of the empirical evidence

ABSTRACT This paper reviews 58 studies with empirical evidence on travel-based multitasking, identifies gaps in terms of data collection methods and provides a comprehensive review of findings about the significance of variables with an impact on the prevalence and type of multitasking. We identified the limitations of quantitative or qualitative surveys and advocate a mixed methods approach to provide an in-depth understanding of travel-based multitasking. We revealed that cross-country comparisons are missing due to the lack of empirical evidence outside the developed countries. While there are indications of increasing multitasking with mobile devices, we found only two longitudinal surveys that provide evidence. We call for a standardisation of definitions of multitasking activities to enable more longitudinal research. We identified 75 variables that were tested for impact on travel-based multitasking in previous research, of which 60 were found to be significant. Sufficient evidence (i.e. minimum three papers), however, only exists for age, gender, trip duration, travel mode, trip purpose, time of the day and day of the week of the trip and the presence of a travel companion. Therefore, more research is suggested to determine the influence of attitude, comfort, availability of equipment, time use and spatial attributes on the type and prevalence of travel-based multitasking.
Ultrasonography shows significant improvement in wrist and ankle tenosynovitis in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with adalimumab

Objective: Tenosynovitis is common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but knowledge is limited regarding its response to anti-inflammatory treatment. This study used ultrasonography (US) to examine the distribution and responsiveness of tenosynovitis to anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) treatment in RA patients. Methods: Twenty patients with RA were examined at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after starting adalimumab treatment, and grey-scale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) US scoring (semi-quantitative range 0–3) of wrist and ankle tendons was performed in addition to assessment of the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Results: The extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon in the wrists and the closely related tendons tibialis posterior (TB) and flexor digitorum longus (FDL) in the ankles were most often inflamed. Median sum scores for this reduced number of tendons at baseline/12-month follow-up were 5/0.5 for GS (p < 0.001) and 4/0 for PD (p < 0.05), with reductions in the US scores during follow-up as large as those found for sum scores of all tendons. The standardized response means (SRMs) for sum GS or PD scores of the reduced number of tendons were higher (range –0.53 to –0.93) than for the sum scores of all tendons (–0.23 to –0.74), and showed larger responsiveness than CRP (–0.10 to –0.43) and ESR (–0.03 to –0.71). Conclusion: Bilateral assessments of ECU, TB, and FDL tendons were as sensitive to change as the sum scores of all tendons, and scoring of this reduced number of tendons is suggested to be included in US scorings for follow-up of RA patients.
Clinical Features of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Patients With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Background—Patients with HIV infection exhibit increased rates of coronary events; however, the clinical features of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in HIV-infected patients have not been well defined. Methods and Results—Between 1993 and 2003, 68 HIV-infected patients were hospitalized with ACS. We compared the clinical features and outcome of these patients with those of 68 randomly selected control patients with ACS without HIV. HIV patients were on average more than a decade younger than controls and more likely to be male and current smokers and to have low HDL cholesterol. They were less likely than controls to have diabetes or hyperlipidemia, and their TIMI (Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction) risk scores on admission were significantly lower. At coronary angiography, the number of vessels with >50% stenosis was 1.3±1.0 in HIV patients and 1.9±1.2 in controls (P =0.007). Restenosis developed in 15 of 29 HIV patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention compared with 3 of 21 controls (52% versus 14%, P =0.006). Conclusions—HIV patients with ACS are younger and more likely to be males and current smokers and to have low HDL cholesterol levels compared with other ACS patients. Their TIMI risk scores are lower, and they are more likely to have single-vessel disease; however, their restenosis rates after percutaneous coronary intervention are unexpectedly high.
Clinical ventilator adjustments that improve speech.

STUDY OBJECTIVES We sought to improve speech in tracheostomized individuals receiving positive-pressure ventilation. Such individuals often speak with short phrases, long pauses, and have problems with loudness and voice quality. SUBJECTS We studied 15 adults with spinal cord injuries or neuromuscular diseases receiving long-term ventilation. INTERVENTIONS The ventilator was adjusted using lengthened inspiratory time (TI), positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), and combinations thereof. RESULTS When TI was lengthened (by 8 to 35% of the ventilator cycle), speaking time increased by 19% and pause time decreased by 12%. When PEEP was added (5 to 10 cm H(2)O), speaking time was 25% longer and obligatory pauses were 21% shorter. When lengthened TI and PEEP were combined (with or without reduced tidal volume), their effects were additive, increasing speaking time by 55% and decreasing pause time by 36%. The combined intervention improved speech timing, loudness, voice quality, and articulation. Individual differences in subject response to the interventions were substantial in some cases. We also tested high PEEP (15 cm H(2)O) in three subjects and found speech to be essentially identical to that produced with a one-way valve. CONCLUSIONS These simple interventions markedly improve ventilator-supported speech and are safe, at least when used on a short-term basis. High PEEP is a safer alternative than a one-way valve.
Predicting The Evolution Of Bet Index, Using An Arima Model

Trying to predict the future price of certain stocks, securities or indexes is quite a common goal, being motivated by different reasons and being based on various techniques. The present article has the same purpose, employing an ARIMA model, due to its proven effectiveness and success. Used data is comprised of monthly values for the mentioned index, on a four-year period, from 2010 to 2014, which lead to 60 recordings. The main steps for the analysis are identifying the model, estimating the parameters and the prediction itself. After each one of them is carefully conducted, a comparison is made: the predicted values for BET versus the real values for BET, in order to see if any resemblances exists, or if the differences are significant. Those resemblances or differences are explained, while the conclusion will highlight ARIMA’s capacity or incapacity of forecasting in an accurate way, in the presented context.
Quantitative bacterial cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids and protected brush catheter specimens from normal subjects.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is quite useful in the diagnosis of nonbacterial lung infections, especially in immunocompromised patients, and recent studies have suggested that BAL may be useful in the diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia as well. Because previous studies indicated that bronchoscopic aspirates are usually contaminated by oropharyngeal flora, we anticipated that BAL fluid would also likely be contaminated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to perform quantitative bacterial cultures on BAL fluids obtained from eight normal subjects. Prior to each procedure, saline was aspirated through the bronchoscope and submitted for culture. A protected brush catheter (PBC) specimen was obtained from each subject's right middle lobe, and then a BAL specimen was obtained from the same location. All specimens were quantitatively cultured for aerobic and anaerobic organisms. In addition, lidocaine concentrations were measured in the BAL fluids and the PBC specimens. Six of the eight bronchoscope cultures were sterile. Seven of the eight PBC specimens were sterile and one yielded less than 10(3) cfu/ml of normal oropharyngeal flora. One BAL fluid specimen was sterile and seven yielded from one to four bacterial strains each; however, quantitation revealed less than 10(4) cfu/ml in all specimens. Lidocaine concentrations (mean +/- 1 SD) were as follows: PBC specimen, 0.81 microgram/ml (+/- 0.62); BAL fluid specimen, 62.6 micrograms/ml (+/- 43). We conclude that BAL fluid obtained from normal subjects is frequently contaminated by oropharyngeal bacterial flora. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Disparities in Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Rural South Africa: Data From the HAALSI Study (Health and Aging in Africa: Longitudinal Studies of International Network for the Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health Communities).

BACKGROUND Optimal secondary prevention is critical for the reduction of repeated cardiovascular events, and the control of cardiovascular risk factors in this context is essential. Data on secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in sub-Saharan Africa are needed to inform intervention strategies with a particular focus on local disparities. The aim of this study was to assess CVD management in a rural community in northeast South Africa. METHODS AND RESULTS We recruited adults aged ≥40 years residing in the Agincourt subdistrict of Mpumalanga province. Data collection included socioeconomic and clinical data, anthropometric measures, blood pressure, human immunodeficiency virus status, and point-of-care glucose and lipid levels. CVD was defined as self-report of myocardial infarction and stroke or angina diagnosed by Rose Criteria. A linear regression model was built to identify variables independently associated with the number of cardiovascular risk factors controlled. Of 5059 subjects, 592 (11.7%) met CVD diagnostic criteria. Angina was reported in 77.0% of these subjects, stroke in 25.2%, and myocardial infarction in 3.7%. Percent controlled of the 5 individual risk factors assessed were as follows: tobacco 92.9%; blood pressure 51.2%; body mass index 33.8%; low-density lipoprotein 31.4%; and waist-to-hip ratio 29.7%. Only 4.4% had all 5 risk factors controlled and 42.4% had ≥3 risk factors controlled. Male sex (β coefficient=0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.63; P<0.001), absence of physical disability (β coefficient=0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.65; P=0.001), and socioeconomic status (β coefficient=0.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.19; P=0.035) were directly associated with the number of risk factors controlled. CONCLUSIONS Currently, CVD is not being optimally managed in this rural area of South Africa. There are significant disparities in control of CVD risk factors by sex, socioeconomic status, and level of disability. Efforts to improve secondary prevention in this population should be focused on females, subjects from lower socioeconomic status, and those with physical disabilities.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Infection of Endothelial Cells Inhibits Neutrophil Recruitment through an Interleukin-6-Dependent Mechanism: a New Paradigm for Viral Immune Evasion

ABSTRACT Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), an endothelial cell (EC) neoplasm characterized by dysregulated angiogenesis and inflammation. KSHV infection of EC causes production of proinflammatory mediators, regarded as possible initiators of the substantial mononuclear leukocyte recruitment seen in KS. Conversely, KSHV immune evasion strategies exist, such as degradation of EC leukocyte adhesion receptors by viral proteins. Here, we report the effects of KSHV infection of primary EC on recruitment of flowing leukocytes. Infection did not initiate adhesion of any leukocyte subset per se. However, on cytokine-stimulated EC, KSHV specifically inhibited neutrophil, but not PBL or monocyte, transmigration, an observation consistent with the inflammatory cell profile found in KS lesions in vivo. This inhibition could be recapitulated on uninfected EC using supernatant from infected cultures. These supernatants contained elevated levels of human interleukin 6 (hIL-6), and both the KSHV- and the supernatant-induced inhibitions of neutrophil transmigration were abrogated in the presence of a hIL-6 neutralizing antibody. Furthermore, preconditioning of EC with hIL-6 mimicked the effect of KSHV. Using RNA interference (RNAi), we show that upregulation of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) was necessary for this effect of hIL-6. These studies reveal a novel paracrine mode of KSHV immune evasion, resulting in reduced recruitment of neutrophils, a cell type whose antiviral and antitumor roles are becoming increasingly appreciated. Moreover, the findings have implications for our understanding of the contribution of hIL-6 to the pathogenesis of other inflammatory disorders and tumors in which this cytokine is abundant.
MP3 player listening sound pressure levels among 10 to 17 year old students.

Using a manikin, equivalent free-field sound pressure level measurements were made from the portable digital audio players of 219 subjects, aged 10 to 17 years (93 males) at their typical and "worst-case" volume levels. Measurements were made in different classrooms with background sound pressure levels between 40 and 52 dBA. After correction for the transfer function of the ear, the median equivalent free field sound pressure levels and interquartile ranges (IQR) at typical and worst-case volume settings were 68 dBA (IQR = 15) and 76 dBA (IQR = 19), respectively. Self-reported mean daily use ranged from 0.014 to 12 h. When typical sound pressure levels were considered in combination with the average daily duration of use, the median noise exposure level, Lex, was 56 dBA (IQR = 18) and 3.2% of subjects were estimated to exceed the most protective occupational noise exposure level limit in Canada, i.e., 85 dBA Lex. Under worst-case listening conditions, 77.6% of the sample was estimated to listen to their device at combinations of sound pressure levels and average daily durations for which there is no known risk of permanent noise-induced hearing loss, i.e., ≤ 75 dBA Lex. Sources and magnitudes of measurement uncertainties are also discussed.
α1-Syntrophin Gene Disruption Results in the Absence of Neuronal-type Nitric-oxide Synthase at the Sarcolemma but Does Not Induce Muscle Degeneration*

α1-Syntrophin is a member of the family of dystrophin-associated proteins and is strongly expressed in the sarcolemma and the neuromuscular junctions. All three syntrophin isoforms have a PDZ domain that appears to participate in protein-protein interactions at the plasma membrane. α1-Syntrophin has additionally been shown to associate with neuronal nitric-oxide synthase (nNOS) through PDZ domains in vitro. These observations suggest that α1-syntrophin may work as a modular adaptor protein that can link nNOS or other signaling enzyme to the sarcolemmal dystrophin complex. In the sarcolemma, nNOS regulates the homeostasis of reactive free radical species and may contribute to the oxidative damage to muscle protein in muscle disease such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In this study, we generated α1-syntrophin knock-out mice to clarify the interaction between α1-syntrophin and nNOS in the skeletal muscle. We observed that nNOS, normally expressed in the sarcolemma, was largely absent from the sarcolemma, but considerably remained in the cytosol of the knock-out mice. Even though the distribution of nNOS was altered, the knock-out mice displayed no gross histological changes in the skeletal muscle. We also discovered that muscle contractile properties have not been influenced in the knock-out mice.
Very long chain acyl‐coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency with adult onset

Very long chain acyl‐coenzyme A (acyl‐CoA) dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency is a severe disorder of mitochondrial β‐oxidation in infants. We report adult onset of attacks of painful rhabdomyolysis. Gas chromatography identified stongly elevated levels of tetradecenoic acid, 14:1(n‐9), tetradecadienoic acid, 14:2(n‐6), and hexadecadienoic acid, 16:2(n‐6). Palmitoyl‐CoA and behenoyl‐CoA dehydrogenase in fibroblasts were deficient. Muscle VLCAD activity was very low. DNA analysis revealed compound heterozygosity for two missense mutations in the VLCAD gene. The relatively mild clinical course may be due to residual enzyme activity as a consequence of the two missense mutations. Treatment with L‐carnitine and medium chain triglycerides in the diet did not reduce the attacks of rhabdomyolysis.