Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early routine percutaneous coronary intervention after fibrinolysis vs. standard therapy in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis.

AIMS Multiple trials in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) compared early routine percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after successful fibrinolysis vs. standard therapy limiting PCI only to patients without evidence of reperfusion (rescue PCI). These trials suggest that all patients receiving fibrinolysis should receive mechanical revascularization within 24 h from initial hospitalization. However, individual trials could not demonstrate a significant reduction in 'hard' endpoints such as death and reinfarction. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to define the benefits of early PCI after fibrinolysis over standard therapy on clinical and safety endpoints in STEMI. METHODS AND RESULTS We identified seven eligible trials, enrolling a total of 2961 patients. No difference was found in the incidence of death at 30 days between the two strategies. Early PCI after successful fibrinolysis reduced the rate of reinfarction (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36-0.82; P = 0.003), the combined endpoint death/reinfarction (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.49-0.88; P = 0.004) and recurrent ischaemia (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.13-0.49; P < 0.001) at 30-day follow-up. These advantages were achieved without a significant increase in major bleeding (OR: 0.93, 96% CI: 0.67-1.34; P = 0.70) or stroke (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.31-1.26; P = 0.21). The benefits of a routine invasive strategy over standard therapy were maintained at 6-12 months, with persistent significant reduction in the endpoints reinfarction (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.40-0.98; P = 0.01) and combined death/reinfarction (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.52-0.97; P = 0.03). CONCLUSION Early routine PCI after fibrinolysis in STEMI patients significantly reduced reinfarction and recurrent ischaemia at 1 month, with no significant increase in adverse bleeding events compared to standard therapy. Benefits of early PCI persist at 6-12 month follow-up.
Multiple deletions in the polyketide synthase gene repertoire of Mycobacterium tuberculosis reveal functional overlap of cell envelope lipids in host–pathogen interactions

Several specific lipids of the cell envelope are implicated in the pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis (Mtb), including phthiocerol dimycocerosates (DIM) that have clearly been identified as virulence factors. Others, such as trehalose‐derived lipids, sulfolipids (SL), diacyltrehaloses (DAT) and polyacyltrehaloses (PAT), are believed to be essential for Mtb virulence, but the details of their role remain unclear. We therefore investigated the respective contribution of DIM, DAT/PAT and SL to tuberculosis by studying a collection of mutants, each with impaired production of one or several lipids. We confirmed that among those with a single lipid deficiency, only strains lacking DIM were affected in their replication in lungs and spleen of mice in comparison to the WT Mtb strain. We found also that the additional loss of DAT/PAT, and to a lesser extent of SL, increased the attenuated phenotype of the DIM‐less mutant. Importantly, the loss of DAT/PAT and SL in a DIM‐less background also affected Mtb growth in human monocyte‐derived macrophages (hMDMs). Fluorescence microscopy revealed that mutants lacking DIM or DAT/PAT were localized in an acid compartment and that bafilomycin A1, an inhibitor of phagosome acidification, rescued the growth defect of these mutants. These findings provide evidence for DIM being dominant virulence factors that mask the functions of lipids of other families, notably DAT/PAT and to a lesser extent of SL, which we showed for the first time to contribute to Mtb virulence.
New class-dependent feature transformation for intrusion detection systems

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) mainly focus on the original features extracted from the communications networks without complex pre-processing. In this paper, we propose new methods for class-dependent feature transformation to improve the accuracy of the IDS. In the previously known class-dependent feature transformation methods, the mapping process is accomplished by employing separate mapping matrices for each class of the dataset. In the training phase, samples of each class is mapped using only the corresponding matrix, whereas, in the test phase, each sample is mapped using all transformation matrices. This may lead to inaccuracy in classification. We modify the training and test phases of the class-dependent methods to extract more information from the dataset in the training phase that the other class-dependent methods ignore. Unlike the previously known class-dependent methods, the training and test phases of our proposed methods are very similar. We evaluate the performance of the proposed methods by measuring Mutual Information, and Maximum-Relevancy Minimum-Redundancy Information on a benchmark dataset for intrusion detection, namely NSL-KDD dataset, and on three different types of classifiers: distance-based, neural network-based, and decision tree-based classifiers. The experimental results demonstrate that the classifiers trained on the dataset transformed by our proposed feature transformation methods are more accurate in detecting intruders. In all experiments, the proposed methods perform better than their peers in increasing the classifier accuracy and reducing the false alarm of the detection process. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Involvement of the Beta Subunit of RNA Polymerase in Resistance to Streptolydigin and Streptovaricin in the Producer Organisms Streptomyces lydicus and Streptomyces spectabilis

ABSTRACT Streptomyces lydicus NRRL2433 and S. spectabilis NRRL2494 produce two inhibitors of bacterial RNA polymerase: the 3-acyltetramic acid streptolydigin and the naphthalenic ansamycin streptovaricin, respectively. Both strains are highly resistant to their own antibiotics. Independent expression of the S. lydicus and S. spectabilis rpoB and rpoC genes, encoding the β- and β′-subunits of RNA polymerase, respectively, in S. albus showed that resistance is mediated by rpoB, with no effect of rpoC. Within the β-subunit, resistance was confined to an amino acid region harboring the “rif region. ” Comparison of the β-subunit amino acid sequences of this region from the producer strains and those of other streptomycetes and site-directed mutagenesis of specific differential residues located in it (L485 and D486 in S. lydicus and N474 and S475 in S. spectabilis) showed their involvement in streptolydigin and streptovaricin resistance. Other amino acids located close to the “Stl pocket” in the S. lydicus β-subunit (L555, F593, and M594) were also found to exert influence on streptolydigin resistance.
Indigenous Bacteria in Hemolymph and Tissues of Marine Bivalves at Low Temperatures

Hemolymph and soft tissues of Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) kept in sand-filtered seawater at temperatures between 1 and 8°C were normally found to contain bacteria, with viable counts (CFU) in hemolymph in the range 1.4 × 102 to 5.6 × 102 bacteria per ml. Pseudomonas, Alteromonas, Vibrio, and Aeromonas organisms dominated, with a smaller variety of morphologically different unidentified strains. Hemolymph and soft tissues of horse mussels (Modiolus modiolus), locally collected from a 6- to 10-m depth in the sea at temperatures between 4 and 6°C, also contained bacteria. The CFU in horse mussel hemolymph was of the same magnitude as that in oysters (mean, 2.6 × 104), and the bacterial flora was dominated by Pseudomonas (61.3%), Vibrio (27.0%), and Aeromonas (11.7%) organisms. In soft tissues of horse mussels, a mean CFU of 2.9 × 104 bacteria per g was found, with Vibrio (38.5%), Pseudomonas (33.0%), and Aeromonas (28.5%) constituting the major genera. After the challenge of oysters in seawater at 4°C to the psychrotrophic fish pathogen Vibrio salmonicida (strains NCIMB 2245 from Scotland and TEO 84001 from Norway) and a commensal Aeromonas sp. isolated from oysters, the viable count in hemolymph increased 1,000-fold to about 105 bacteria per ml. In soft tissues, about a 1,000-fold increase in CFU to 6 × 107 was observed. V. salmonicida NCIMB 2245 invaded hemolymph and soft tissues after 14 days and dominated these compartments after 41 days, whereas strain TEO 84001 did not invade soft tissues to the same extent. Challenge with V. salmonicida NCIMB 2245 resulted in 100% mortality, whereas about 50% of the oysters survived challenge with the Norwegian strain, TEO 84001. The commensal Aeromonas sp. invaded hemolymph and soft tissues and caused 100% mortality. Oyster hemolymph contained agglutinins for Vibrio anguillarum but not for V. salmonicida, whereas we did not find agglutinins for either of these bacteria in horse mussels. Agglutinins for horse and human erythrocytes were found in hemolymph from both animals. We found no differences in agglutinin titers in oysters from different Norwegian locations, and long-term challenge with bacteria in seawater did not result in changes of agglutinin activity. These studies demonstrate that bacteria exist in hemolymph and soft tissues of marine bivalves at temperatures below 8°C. Increased bacterial numbers in seawater at 4°C result in augmented invasion of bacteria in hemolymph and soft tissues. V. salmonicida, a bacterium pathogenic for fish at low temperatures, invades bivalve hemolymph and soft tissues, and thus bivalves may serve as a reservoir for pathogens of fish at low seawater temperatures.
A comparative study of light transmission aggregometry and automated bedside platelet function assays in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and receiving abciximab, eptifibatide, or tirofiban

Platelet inhibition is central to the efficacy of glycoprotein (GP) IIb‐IIIa antagonist therapy, but is not routinely measured during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Data directly comparing the antiplatelet effects of these agents are also limited. Therefore, we compared ex vivo platelet function by standard light transmission aggregometry (LTA) and two automated bedside platelet function assays in 36 patients undergoing PCI with GP IIb‐IIIa inhibitors. At baseline and 10 min following clinically recommended bolus and infusion of abciximab (0.25 mg/kg, 0.125 μg/kg/min), eptifibatide (180 μg/kg, 2 μg/kg/min), or tirofiban (10 μg/kg, 0.1 μg/kg/min), we measured 20 μM ADP‐ and 1.9 mg/mL collagen‐induced platelet aggregation using LTA. Platelet function was also assessed using the bedside Accumetrics Ultegra‐Rapid Platelet Function Assay (RPFA) and the Xylum Clot Signature Analyzer (CSA). The degree of platelet inhibition, as assessed by LTA, varied significantly between the clinically recommended doses of these GP IIb‐IIIa antagonists. RPFA measurements agreed closely with LTA for abciximab, but tended to overestimate the degree of platelet inhibition for small molecules. CSA demonstrated profoundly inhibited shear‐induced platelet function, but lacked sensitivity to discriminate between agents. These findings may have implications for the results of trials comparing the efficacy of these agents in patients undergoing PCI. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2001;52:425–432. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
[The RHINASTHMA-Quality of Life Scale German Adapted Version: validation of a new disease specific quality of life scale for patients suffering from allergic rhinitis and bronchial hyperreactivity].

BACKGROUND In 2003 Baiardini et al. presented the RHINASTHMA questionnaire, which measures the impairment of quality of life in patients with rhinitis and asthma and takes the "united airway disease" model into its account. The aim of our study was to create a valid version of this questionnaire adapted for use with German-speaking subjects. METHODS Datasets recorded for 85 patients were analysed for sensitivity, reliability and validity of the new questionnaire. For this purpose, as well as the symptom scores, disease-specific and generic quality of life questionnaires were also used as a measure of validity. RESULTS A correlation analysis and Cronbach's alpha indicated that the RHINASTHMA scale is satisfactory from the aspect of reliability. Good validity was also shown in terms of discrimination and agreement for all items and scores. In addition, all the observed parameters reacted sensitively to clinical improvements of the health status. CONCLUSION The RHINASTHMA questionnaire makes it possible to determine how badly the quality of life is impaired by rhinitis and asthma, based on the paradigm of "united airway disease".
A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Genetic Relatedness of Listeria monocytogenes Serotype 4b Variant Strains

Recently, we have identified a link between four listeriosis incidents/outbreaks to a variant of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) serotype 4b strains, 4bV. Although 4bV strains have been reported from clinical specimens as well as from foods, listeriosis outbreaks occurring in 2014–2016 were the first reported outbreaks involving 4bV in the USA. Since traditional typing methods do not detect members of this group, we undertook a systematic and retrospective analysis of all Lm in the NCBI WGS Sequence Read Archive database to investigate the burden of 4bV strains among all listeriosis cases. This analysis identified the presence of isolates causing sporadic cases as well as those associated with the aforementioned outbreaks, as determined by WGS and traditional epidemiology. In total, approximately 350 Lm 4bV strains were identified from multiple parts of the USA as well as from Australia and Chile, dating back to 2001. The genomic relatedness of these strains was compared using the CFSAN SNP Pipeline and multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST). Using the CFSAN Pipeline tool, the 4bV strains were found to group into seven clusters that were separate from 4b strains. All seven clades appeared to contain isolates from both clinical and non-clinical sources. Conversely, the MVLST analysis revealed that practically all of the strains belonged to a single clade, suggesting that 4bV strains from disparate geographic regions and sources are under varied selective pressure, restricting diversity across these six virulence loci while allowing more variability across the genome as a whole. Further evaluation of these 4bV strains identified genes potentially acquired from a lineage II source external to the lmo0733–lmo0739 region, as well as highly conserved SNPs unique to the 4bV strains when compared to those from other lineages. Taken together, these data suggest that 4bV strains have undergone adaptive responses to selective pressures that may enhance survival in the environment while maintaining the pathogenic potential of serotype 4b strains.
Fusiform Vateritic Inclusions Observed in European Eel (Anguilla Anguilla L.) Sagittae

Microscopic inclusions have been observed in 7 out of 106 European eel ( Anguilla anguilla L.) sagittae using polarizing microscope and scanning electron microscope meanwhile the annual increments were studied to characterize the age structure of the population living in Lake Balaton. The presence of vaterite, a rare calcium carbonate polymorph was observed in these inclusions using Raman spectroscopy. Vateritic sagittae in wild fish are usually considered as symptom of physiological stress. The observed fusiform inclusions represent a new morphological type of vaterite inclusions in eel otolith. Two alternatives are hypothesized to explain their formation: 1) metabolic disorder, such as erroneous protein synthesis; 2) introduction of an alien protein into the eel’s inner ear. The origin and physiological significance of this new morphological type of vateritic inclusions is still an open question. Same as whether it can be found in other species or specific only to eel otoliths.
Robust Miller Compensation With Current Amplifiers Applied to LDO Voltage Regulators

This paper presents a general methodology for compensating LDO regulators which exploits a current amplifier to effectively multiply the Miller capacitor. After a general theoretical analysis that takes into account both the external and internal loop stability, it is examined the feasibility of applying this kind of compensation in different LDO applications, showing the role of the design parameters and proposing a specific design procedure for each practical cases which differ in terms of load capacitance and the adoption of a decoupling voltage buffer. Simulations and experimental results which validate the methodology are also included.
Top‐down proteomics: Enhancing 2D gel electrophoresis from tissue processing to high‐sensitivity protein detection

The large‐scale resolution and detection of proteins from complex native mixtures is fundamental to quantitative proteomic analyses. Comprehensive analyses depend on careful tissue handling and quantitative protein extraction and assessment. To most effectively link these analyses with an understanding of underlying molecular mechanisms, it is critical that all protein types – isoforms, splice variants and those with functionally important PTMs – are quantitatively extracted with high reproducibility. Methodological details concerning protein extraction and resolution using 2DE are discussed with reference to current in‐gel protein detection limits. We confirm a significant increase in total protein, and establish that extraction, resolution and detection of phospho‐ and glycoproteins are improved following automated frozen disruption relative to manual homogenisation. The quality of 2DE protein resolution is established using third‐dimension separations and ‘deep imaging’; substantially more proteins/protein species than previously realised are actually resolved by 2DE. Thus, the key issue for effective proteome analyses is most likely to be detection, not resolution. Thus, these systematic methodological and technical advances further solidify the role of 2DE in top‐down proteomics. By routinely assessing as much proteomic data from a sample as possible, 2DE enables more detailed and critical insights into molecular mechanisms underlying different physiological states.
The influence of amitraz on biochemical parameters in mice

In this study, the effect of amitraz on biochemical parameters of mice was studied. Mice were given amitraz by gavage at 15 or 45 mg/kg body weight. Since the drug was diluted with dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), it was administered to another experimental animal group in order to determine its own effects on biochemical parameters. Following drug administration, 48 hours passed to let hepatic lesions develop and after that 1 mL of blood was taken from each mouse. They were killed by ether euthanasia for histopathological examination. The result of the analyses revealed that amitraz had no effect on serum glucose concentration, whereas DMSO led to a significant decrease in blood sugar concentration. Increase in urea, phosphorous, aspartate transaminase and alanine amino transferase values were observed only in the group given 45 mg/kg body weight amitraz. A decrease in creatinine and alkaline phosphatase concentrations was observed in all groups. No differences were observed in serum calcium and bilirubin concentrations. No pathological changes were detected in the kidneys and livers. It was concluded that, even in asymptomatic amitraz toxicity cases, adverse effects on kidney and liver functions were likely to develop.
Genetic and biochemical analysis of Msh2p-Msh6p: role of ATP hydrolysis and Msh2p-Msh6p subunit interactions in mismatch base pair recognition

Recent studies have shown that Saccharomyces cerevisiae Msh2p and Msh6p form a complex that specifically binds to DNA containing base pair mismatches. In this study, we performed a genetic and biochemical analysis of the Msh2p-Msh6p complex by introducing point mutations in the ATP binding and putative helix-turn-helix domains of MSH2. The effects of these mutations were analyzed genetically by measuring mutation frequency and biochemically by measuring the stability, mismatch binding activity, and ATPase activity of msh2p (mutant msh2p)-Msh6p complexes. A mutation in the ATP binding domain of MSH2 did not affect the mismatch binding specificity of the msh2p-Msh6p complex; however, this mutation conferred a dominant negative phenotype when the mutant gene was overexpressed in a wild-type strain, and the mutant protein displayed biochemical defects consistent with defects in mismatch repair downstream of mismatch recognition. Helix-turn-helix domain mutant proteins displayed two different properties. One class of mutant proteins was defective in forming complexes with Msh6p and also failed to recognize base pair mismatches. A second class of mutant proteins displayed properties similar to those observed for the ATP binding domain mutant protein. Taken together, these data suggested that the proposed helix-turn-helix domain of Msh2p was unlikely to be involved in mismatch recognition. We propose that the MSH2 helix-turn-helix domain mediates changes in Msh2p-Msh6p interactions that are induced by ATP hydrolysis; the net result of these changes is a modulation of mismatch recognition.
A Study of the Effect of Social Influence on the College Student’s Attitude and Behavior for Playing Online Games

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of social influence on college students’ attitude and behavior to play online game by examining the moderating effect of gender. First, a two-stage sampling was proceeded to send out 300 questionnaires, including 211 valid questionnaires and 89 invalid questionnaires. According to the result analysis, social influence significantly influenced female college students’ attitude but not significantly influenced male college students’ attitude toward playing online game. Informational social influence had a significant influence on college students’ behavior intensity but not on their behavioral frequency, and normative social influence significantly influenced behavioral intensity and frequency both. For the purpose of exploring the reasons, this study picked 7 male college students to join an online focus group discussion for further interview. The subject of discussion focused on the effect of social influence on attitude and behavior of playing online game. The participants were asked questions about their feelings and real behavior. Then their answers were gathered to undertake a descriptive analysis. The analysis results showed that the inconsistency between male college students’ social influence acceptance and attitude might be caused because of three major causes: 1) their level of involvement and flow in playing online games; 2) they see online game playing as a positive behavior (e.g. to ease their pressure; to while away their extra-time); 3) they could earn psychological benefit from playing online game (e.g. the sense of achievement).