Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus Cell Wall Glycan Strands, Evidence for a New β-N-Acetylglucosaminidase Activity*

Using sequential digestion with the glycyl-glycine endopeptidase lysostaphin followed by the pneumococcalN-acetylmuramyl-l-alanine amidase (amidase), the glycan strands of the peptidoglycan of Staphylococcus aureus were purified and analyzed by a combination of reverse-phase-high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry. Reverse-phase-HPLC resolved the glycan strands to a family of major peaks, which represented oligosaccharides composed of repeating disaccharide units (N-acetylglucosamine-[β-1,4]-N-acetylmuramic acid) with different degrees of polymerization and terminating withN-acetylmuramic acid residues at the reducing ends. The method allowed separation of strands up to 23–26 disaccharide units with a predominant length between 3 and 10 and an average degree of polymerization of ∼6. Glycan strands with a higher degree of polymerization (>26 disaccharide units) represented 10–15% of the total UV absorbing glycan material. A unique feature of the staphylococcal glycan strands was the presence of minor satellite peaks that were present throughout the HPLC elution profile eluting either just prior or shortly after the major oligosaccharide peaks. A number of observations including mass spectrometric analysis suggest that the satellites are the products of an N-acetylglucosaminidase activity that differs from the atl gene product and that appears to be involved with modification of the glycan strand structure.
Sequencing of the Second Exon of the MHC Class II DQ6 Alleles in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes

The MHC class II molecule DQ6 is strongly associated with protection from type 1 diabetes. A small number of diabetic subjects have been typed as positive for DQ6, but it has been suggested that these individuals may possess a mutant form of the molecule, which is structurally altered in such a way as to abrogate its protective effect. In order to test this hypothesis, eight diabetic individuals positive for DQ6 were investigated. The second exons of the alleles encoding DQ6, DQA1*0102 and DQB1*0602, were sequenced using fluorescently labelled dideoxynucleotides. No mutations were found. This suggests that all the subjects possessed the "wild-type" second exons of the DQ6 alleles and, hence, that the protective effect associated with the antigen-binding domain of DQ6 is not absolute.
Comparative Studies of Two Nigerian Ecotypes Chicken Kept in Battery Cage for Reproductive Performance and Egg Quality Traits

This study was conducted to evaluate and determine the effects of ecotype on laying performance and some egg quality traits in two indigenous chickens ecotype commonly found in Kwara state Nigeria {Fulani Ecotype chicken (FE) and Yoruba Ecotype chicken (YE)}. They were kept in battery cages for a period of fifty two (52) weeks. It was observed that the YE matured earlier than FE with Age at First Egg (AFE) of 20.56 (20 – 23 weeks) compared to 26.73 weeks (22-31 wks) obtained for FE. Significant (p<0.05) difference existed between their body weight at first egg (BFE), with FE significantly bigger 1437.5g than the YE 1314.60g. The mean Egg weight (EW), Total Egg Number (TEN), Hen House Production (HHP) in FE were 44.11g, 128 and 53.16%, and significantly (p<0.05) higher than 42.44g, 98, 45.50% obtained for YE. YE had a lower clutch size (CS) of 26 eggs per clutch and a longer pause length (PL) of 16 days while the FE had a larger Clutch size of 3-9 eggs per clutch and a shorter pause length of 1-3 days. External and internal quality traits of eggs from both ecotypes were similar except shell thickness that was significantly (p<0.05) thicker in the YE and yolk height that was significantly (p<0.05) higher in FE. The results of this finding indicated a marked difference in laying performances of the two indigenous chickens, yolk height and shell thickness and no significant (p>0.05) differences in other egg quality traits.
Diarrhea, respiratory infections, protozoan gastrointestinal parasites, and child growth in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The differential impact of diarrhea, respiratory infections, and protozoan parasitism on growth is investigated among children under five years of age living in periurban Kathmandu, Nepal. The children's parents are all carpet-making workers who live in an environment with crowded living conditions, poor sanitation, and contaminated water. Anthropometric data, both cross-sectional and longitudinal, were collected over a 9-month period. Morbidity data were gathered from maternal reports, and a subsample of children's stools were examined for gastrointestinal parasites. In a comparison of current growth status and growth velocity for children with and without diarrhea and respiratory infections, it is found that body weight is most affected by infections, particularly for children under 24 months of age. For a subsample of children whose stools were tested for parasites, there is a statistically significant association between stunting (low height-for-age) and the presence of a protozoan gastrointestinal parasite. It is concluded that although growth faltering is associated with diarrhea and respiratory infections, the impact of these infections is of less importance for long-term linear growth retardation than is infection by protozoan gastrointestinal parasites.
Increased synovial fluid levels of soluble CD23 are associated with an erosive status in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Synovial fluid (SF) levels of soluble CD23 (sCD23) were determined in 96 patients presenting with an inflammatory knee effusion (73 with RA and 23 with reactive arthritis (ReA) serving as a control inflammatory non‐erosive group) and were correlated with the degree of joint destruction, with local immune parameters (IL‐1β, IL‐3, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐10, IL‐12 and sCD25) and with serum markers of inflammation, C‐reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. RA patients, classified as erosive or not according to Larsen’s grade, were separated as follows: (i) 13 patients with non‐erosive RA; (ii) 16 RA patients with erosions in hands but not in knees, matched for disease duration with the first group; (iii) 44 RA patients with hand and knee erosions, matched with the second group for rheumatoid factor positivity but of longer disease duration. SF sCD23 levels were significantly increased in both erosive RA groups compared with non‐erosive diseases, whether RA or ReA (P < 0·05), whose SF levels were not different. SF IL‐10 showed a similar profile to that of SF sCD23 and was the only other parameter characteristic of erosive RA, but no direct correlation was found between the two. SF sCD23 was significantly correlated with IL‐12 (r = 0·65, P = 0·0001) and sCD25 (r = 0·39, P = 0·0019) exclusively in the two erosive RA populations. In conclusion, these data showing that increased levels of sCD23 are not only found in the SF of erosive joints but also in knee SF of patients with erosive RA but without knee x‐ray‐diagnosed erosions suggest that this parameter might be of predictive value for joint destruction. Longitudinal studies are however needed to confirm its potential clinical interest.
Isolated Systolic Hypertension in Young Healthy Adults-A Review

ISH have quite high prevalence in young adults and is more common than SDH. The high prevalence rate may account in part for the higher cardiovascular mortality and this should be considered an important target for cardiovascular preventive strategy. Female gender, age, non-vegetarian diet, low socio-economic status, smoking, BMI and Serum Cholesterol level are important determinants of ISH in young adults.
Effects of Knee Flexion Angles for Graft Fixation on Force Distribution in Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Grafts

Background In double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, overloading either 1 of the 2 grafts should be avoided to decrease the risk of graft failure. Hypothesis Overloading of the posterolateral graft may occur when it is fixed at 30 ° of knee flexion because the posterolateral bundle is elongated as the knee approaches extension. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Ten human cadaveric knees were tested at (1) intact, (2) anterior cruciate ligament–deficient, (3) double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with the anteromedial and posterolateral grafts fixed at 60 ° of flexion and full extension, respectively (fixation 60/FE), and (4) double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with both grafts fixed at 30 ° of flexion simultaneously (fixation 30/30). Two external loading conditions simulating clinical examinations were used: (1) 134-N anterior tibial load and (2) combined rotatory loads of 10 N·m valgus and 5 N·m internal tibial torques. Data on knee kinematics and in situ forces in the 2 bundles of the intact anterior cruciate ligament and the respective grafts were obtained. Results In response to 134-N anterior tibial load, knee kinematics and in situ force in the grafts were similar to the intact knee for both fixation protocols. The force in the anteromedial graft for fixation 60/FE was 34% higher, whereas the posterolateral graft for fixation 30/30 was 46% higher, compared with the intact anteromedial and posterolateral bundles, respectively. In response to combined rotatory loads, the posterolateral graft for fixation 30/30 carried 67% higher load than did the intact posterolateral bundle. Conclusion Fixation 30/30 overloaded the posterolateral graft, whereas fixation 60/FE overloaded the anteromedial graft. Clinical Relevance In double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, even though overall forces in the graft are the same as intact anterior cruciate ligament, the force distributions may not be the same as the intact bundles, and overloading of 1 of the 2 grafts may occur.
Human basophils express CD22 without expression of CD19.

BACKGROUND Even modern automatic cell counters cannot count basophils precisely. Therefore, we need a rapid, accurate, precise, and easy method for counting basophils. METHODS Using flow cytometry, basophils (CD22+/CD19-) and B cells (CD22+/CD19+) were counted. Within a large lymphocyte light scatter gate, % basophils (G%baso) and % B cells (G%B) were determined from the total count. Another method of analysis was to make two regions (R1 for basophils and R2 for B cells) and to determine in those the % basophils (R1%baso) and % B cells (R2%B) without gating. The flow cytometric basophil counts of the blood of 21 normal controls and 43 chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients were compared with manual basophil count (Ma%baso) and basophil count by Coulter electronic cell counter (Hialeah, FL) (Auto%baso). CD22+/CD19- cells were sorted by a FACSCalibur (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA). RESULTS The G%baso of all samples was 4.66 +/- 5.35%, and R1%baso was 4.23 +/- 4.88%, and they were well-correlated (r = 0.996, P < 0.001). The G%B of all samples was 1.55 +/- 1.68%, and R2%B was 1.59 +/- 1.67%, and they were also well-correlated (r = 0.993, P < 0.001). Their correlation was better in normal controls than in CML. G%baso was well-correlated to Ma%baso (r = 0.827) and Auto%baso (r = 0.806), and R1%baso was well-correlated to Ma%baso (r = 0.831) but showed poor correlation to Auto%baso (r = 0.734). Auto%baso revealed the poorest correlation to Ma%baso (r = 0.692). The sorted CD22+/CD19- cells were all basophils (99.48 +/- 0.30%), and they revealed CD13, CD33, and dim CD45 expression, whereas CD3, CD14, CD16, and HLA-DR were not detected on them. CONCLUSIONS We discovered a specific marker combination to identify basophils (CD22+/CD19-), and we suggest that flow cytometric analysis using these markers is an easy, reliable, and accurate method of basophil counting.
Effect of single-agent rituximab given at the standard schedule or as prolonged treatment in patients with mantle cell lymphoma: a study of the Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK).

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of single-agent rituximab given at the standard or a prolonged schedule in patients with newly diagnosed, or refractory or relapsed mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). PATIENTS AND METHODS After induction treatment with the standard schedule (375 mg/m2 weekly x 4), patients who were responding or who had stable disease at week 12 from the start of treatment were randomly assigned to no further treatment (arm A) or prolonged rituximab administration (375 mg/m2) every 8 weeks for four times (arm B). RESULTS The trial enrolled 104 patients. After induction, clinical response was 27% with 2% complete responses. Among patients with detectable t(11;14)-positive cells in blood and bone marrow at baseline, four of 20, and one of 14, respectively, became polymerase chain-reaction-negative after induction. Anemia was the only adverse predictor of response in the multivariate analysis. After a median follow-up of 29 months, response rate and duration of response were not significantly different between the two schedules in 61 randomly assigned patients. Median event-free survival (EFS) was 6 months in arm A versus 12 months in arm B; the difference was not significant (P = .1). Prolonged treatment seemed to improve EFS in the subgroup of pretreated patients (5 months in arm A v 11 months in arm B; P = .04). Thirteen percent of patients in arm A and 9% in arm B presented with grade 3 to 4 hematologic toxicity. CONCLUSION Single-agent rituximab is active in MCL, but the addition of four single doses at 8-week intervals does not seem to significantly improve response rate, duration of response, or EFS after treatment with the standard schedule.
A systematic review of pathways to and processes associated with radicalization and extremism amongst Muslims in Western societies

Abstract Following the terrorist attacks of 9/11 in the USA and 7/7 in the UK, academic interest in factors involved in radicalization and terrorism has increased dramatically. Many related social and psychological theories have been put forward, however terrorism literature still lacks empirical research. In particular, little is known about the early processes and pathways to radicalization. Our aim is to investigate original research on pathways and processes associated with radicalization and extremism amongst people of Muslim heritage living in Western societies, that is, the group prioritized by counter-terrorism policy. Studies included in the review were original qualitative or quantitative primary research published in peer-reviewed journals, identified by searching research databases. All disciplines of journals were included. No single cause or pathway was implicated in radicalization and violent extremism. Individuals may demonstrate vulnerabilities that increase exposure to radicalization; however, the only common characteristic determined that terrorists are generally well-integrated, ‘normal’ individuals. Engagement in such activity is dependent on a wide range of interacting variables influenced by personal, localized and externalized factors. Further research should examine broader determinants of radicalization in susceptible populations. Future policy should follow this public health approach rather than constructing from perpetrators already committed to engaging in terrorism.
Calretinin Immunohistochemistry versus Acetylcholinesterase Histochemistry in the Evaluation of Suction Rectal Biopsies for Hirschsprung Disease

Diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) relies on histologic and/or histochemical staining of sections from suction rectal biopsies. Acetylcholinesterase histochemistry (AChE) facilitates diagnosis but is not universally employed, in part because it requires special tissue handling. Calretinin immunohistochemistry (IHC) may be a useful alternative, because loss of calretinin immunoreactive nerves reportedly correlates spatially with aganglionosis. We investigated the patterns of calretinin IHC in suction rectal biopsies from HSCR and non-HSCR patients and compared the diagnostic value of calretinin IHC with a widely used rapid AChE method. In suction rectal biopsies that contain ganglion cells, small nerves in the lamina propria, muscularis mucosae, and superficial submucosa contain granular aggregates of calretinin immunoreactivity. Immunolabeling of these nerves is completely absent in the aganglionic biopsies of HSCR patients. Multiple observers independently reviewed calretinin IHC and AChE sections of suction rectal biopsies from 14 HSCR patients and 17 non-HSCR controls. Five observers, blinded to the correct diagnosis, scored each patient's calretinin IHC and AChE slides as HSCR, not HSCR, or equivocal. The frequencies of major and minor discrepant diagnoses were compared. Calretinin IHC yielded no misdiagnoses or major discrepancies between observers. In contrast, 2 misdiagnoses and significantly more interobserver disagreement resulted from the AChE-stained sections. Calretinin IHC appears to be a reasonable, and potentially superior, alternative to AChE as an adjunctive diagnostic method for evaluating suction rectal biopsies for HSCR.
The Activity of Class I and II Alcohol Dehydrogenase Isoenzymes in the Sera of Patients with Liver Tumours

Abstract We have measured the activity of class I and II alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes in the sera of patients with liver tumours, using class-specific fluorogenic naphthaldehydes as substrates. The activity of the tested isoenzymes was unchanged in primary tumours and significantly increased (class I) in metastatic liver tumours. The total enzyme activity was also increased (3-fold) in this group of patients. The elevated activity of class I isoenzymes in secondary tumours seems to be caused by the enzyme released from primary cells originating in the other organs, but increased total enzyme activity measured with chromogenic substrates may be proof of the presence of other classes of isoenzymes. These results show that the elevated class I isoenzymes and total enzyme activity in the sera of patients with liver tumours may indicate the metastatic origin of these tumours.
Maintaining a Reputation when Strategies are Imperfectly Observed

This paper studies reputation effects in games with a single long-run player whose choice of stage-game strategy is imperfectly observed by his opponents. We obtain lower and upper bounds on the long-run player's payoff in any Nash equilibrium of the game. If the long-run player's stage-game strategy is statistically identified by the observed outcomes, then for generic payoffs the upper and lower bounds both converge, as the discount factor tends to 1, to the long-run player's Stackelberg payoff, which is the most he could obtain by publicly committing himself to any strategy.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and stress.

As part of a study on risk factors for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, we compared frequencies of stressful life events in cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and controls. Cases were patients classified as definite or probable sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease according to the criteria of Masters et all; they were matched on sex and age (± five years) with non-demented hospital controls. Data on history of patients with CreutzfeldtJakob disease were obtained from close relatives. The study sample consisted of 55 casecontrol pairs (61-8% women); mean ages were 64-0 for cases and 63-8 years for controls. In the present analysis, we focused on events which had occurred between one year and five years before the onset of disease. Overall, we found that 27 patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (49%) and four controls (7-2%) had experienced emotional disturbances due to life events (table). The proportion of major life events was significantly higher in patients with CreutzfeldtJakob disease than in controls (X2 (matched pairs) = 19-6, df = 1, P < 0-001). Studies on life events are subjected to much criticism. Recall bias is the most important issue. Relatives of patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may pay more attention to the occurrence of life events than controls. However, as shown in the table, we have restricted analysis to major events. It is unlikely that relatives of patients have reported events which have not occurred and that controls have forgotten such important personal events. Differential referral of cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and hospital controls according to past life events may be another issue. Other studies have shown that stressful life events could be risk factors for different diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Mechanisms of the associations have not been totally elucidated, but some plausible hypotheses have been proposed. Regarding the association between Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and life events, different interpretations can be proposed. Stress related biological conditions might enhance the formation of abnormal prion protein. Stress might also increase the severity of subclinical symptoms. This hypothesis has been proposed to explain the early age of onset of bovine spongiform encephalitis in animals which had been moved between herds.2 JEAN-PHILIPPE BRANDEL NICOLE DELASNERIE-LAUPRETRE INSERM U 360, H6pital de la Salpitriere
A Miniaturized Dual-Band FSS With Stable Resonance Frequencies of 2.4 GHz/5 GHz for WLAN Applications

In this letter, we propose an anchor-shaped loop unit-cell structure for compact frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) with dual-bandstop behavior in two wireless local area network (WLAN) frequencies 2.4 and 5.0 GHz. The proposed FSS possesses 230- and 300-MHz bandwidths with insertion loss less than -20 dB around the two central operating frequencies 2.4 and 5.0 GHz, respectively. In addition, the FSS exhibits excellent miniaturization with 0.065 λ × 0.076 λ unit cells, where λ represents the free-space wavelength. Furthermore, the unit-cell structure provides a stable performance for both TE- and TM- polarizations under incident angles 0°-60°. A prototype of the proposed FSS is fabricated and measured. Good agreement between the simulated and measured results is obtained.
Preserved microcirculatory response to acute estrogen not reflected by exercise capacity

Background. To assess the acute effect of a single dose of 10 mg oral micronized 17β‐estradiol on microcirculation in postmenopausal women with and without coronary artery disease and its potential influence on exercise capacity. Methods. Postmenopausal women (n=11) with coronary artery disease had symptoms of ischemic heart disease and at least 1 mm ST depression at exercise. Microcirculation was examined by vital microscopy, with and without the acute administration of estrogen in a placebo‐controlled cross‐over design. Exercise test was performed on bicycle. The microcirculatory findings were contrasted to those in 14 healthy postmenopausal women. Results. 17β‐Estradiol in serum and blood flow velocity increased significantly after acute oral estrogen administration both in women with coronary artery disease (p<0.001) and in healthy women (p<0.0001), with no significant difference between the two groups. No effect on exercise capacity or ST depression at exercise was detected. Conclusions. Previously reported data that a single dose of estrogen administered to postmenopausal women results in positive effects on exercise was not reproduced. An increased peripheral microvascular flow velocity was detected in women with coronary artery disease and this increase was not accompanied by an increased exercise capacity.