Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Subanesthetic Isoflurane Affects Task-induced Brain Activation in a Highly Specific Manner: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging of blood oxygenation level–dependent signal changes offers a very promising approach to investigate activated neural networks during anesthesia. Methods Sixteen healthy male volunteers, assigned into two groups of eight subjects (isoflurane group, control group), were investigated by functional magnetic resonance imaging during different experimental conditions. The isoflurane group successively breathed air (baseline condition), isoflurane in air (0.42 vol% inspiratory; isoflurane condition) and air again (recovery condition) while performing a visual search task, whereas the control group breathed air during all experimental conditions. Functional magnetic resonance images were acquired during the entire experimental session. In addition, reaction times and error rates were recorded. Results A significant isoflurane-related decrease (z > 3.1 corresponding to P < 0.001) in task-induced brain activation was found in three distinct cortical regions: the right anterio-superior insula (Talairach coordinates: x = 32, y = 22, z = 8) and the banks of the left and right intraparietal sulcus (Talairach coordinates: x = −34, y = −36, z = 32; x = 22, y = −60, z = 41, respectively). Subcortical structures (lateral geniculate nucleus) and the primary cortices (motor cortex, visual cortex) were not affected. All measured parameters indicated a nearly complete recovery of the affected networks within 5 min. Conclusions Our findings indicate that subanesthetic isoflurane affected task-induced activation in specific neural networks rather than causing a global decrease in functional activation.
Employment of single‐strand conformation polymorphism analysis in screening for α‐1,3 glucosyltransferase gene mutation A333V in Croatian population

Congenital disorder of glycosylation type Ic (CDG‐Ic) is caused by mutations in hALG6 gene encoding α‐1,3 glucosyltransferase (NP_037471.2), an enzyme that catalyzes the addition of the first glucose residue to the growing lipid‐linked oligosaccharide precursor in N‐glycosylation process. The most frequent mutation in hALG6 gene causing CDG‐Ic is c.998C>T that results in p.A333V substitution. Up‐to‐date, no CDG‐Ic patient has been detected in Croatia. However, as a part of the comprehensive project undertaken with the aim to estimate the frequencies of the carriers for specific mutations and polymorphisms related to particular CDGs in Croatian population, we screened genomic DNA samples obtained from 600 healthy nonconsanguineous Croatian residents to determine the frequency of the A333V mutation. For that purpose, we established the conditions for polymerase chain reaction‐based single‐strand conformation polymorphism analysis that is suitable for primary screening and in population studies, especially when the initial sample volume is small or DNA quantity is limited. None of the analyzed samples carried this mutation, indicating that the frequency of the patients carrying this homozygous mutation in Croatian population would be <1 in 1.4×106. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 25:65;–70, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Improved Efficiency of Budesonide Nebulization Using Surface-Active Agents

Our aim was to improve the efficiency of nebulised budesonide using surface-active agents. Cationic, anionic, and nonionic detergents were added to commercial budesonide suspension, and the particle size distribution during nebulization was measured using both cascade impaction and laser diffraction. Our results showed that the emitted dose was increased after addition of cationic (p < 0.001) and nonionic detergents (p < 0.01) compared with the commercial formulation alone. The respirable fraction was increased for all detergent formulations (p < 0.001) compared with the commercial formulation. We concluded that cationic and nonionic detergent increased the total output of budesonide from the Sidestream. All detergent formulations increased the respirable fraction of nebulized budesonide.
Bispectral Index Values and Spectral Edge Frequency at Different Stages of Physiologic Sleep

Bispectral index (BIS) and spectral edge frequency (SEF) are used as measures of depth of anesthesia and sedation. We tested whether these signals could predict physiologic sleep stages, by taking processed electroencephalogram measurements and recording full polysomnography through a night’s sleep in 10 subjects being investigated for mild sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. Computerized polysomnograph signals were analyzed manually according to standard criteria, classifying each 30-s epoch as a specific sleep stage. The BIS and SEF values were taken at the end of each period of sleep when the same stage had lasted for at least 2 min. Before sleep, median values for BIS were 97 ± 12.1 and for SEF 23 ± 4.2 Hz. After sleep initiation, the median BIS values for arousal, light, slow wave, and rapid eye movement sleep were 67 ± 20.2, 50 ± 16.5, 42 ± 11.2, and 48 ± 7.1, respectively, and the median SEF values were 20 ± 4.7, 15 ± 3.6, 10 ± 2.6, and 19 ± 4.1 Hz, respectively. Although both BIS and SEF decreased with increasing sleep depth, the distribution of values at each sleep depth was considerable, with overlap between each sleep stage. Neither BIS nor SEF reliably indicated conventionally determined sleep stages. In addition, the response of the BIS was slow and patients could arouse with low BIS values, which then took some time to increase.
A Genetic Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans Detoxification Response

Oxidative damage contributes to human diseases of aging including diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. Reactive oxygen species resulting from xenobiotic and endogenous metabolites are sensed by a poorly understood process, triggering a cascade of regulatory factors and leading to the activation of the transcription factor Nrf2 (Nuclear factor-erythroid-related factor 2, SKN-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans). Nrf2/SKN-1 activation promotes the induction of the phase II detoxification system that serves to limit oxidative stress. We have extended a previous C. elegans genetic approach to explore the mechanisms by which a phase II enzyme is induced by endogenous and exogenous oxidants. The xrep (xenobiotics response pathway) mutants were isolated as defective in their ability to properly regulate the induction of a glutathione S-transferase (GST) reporter. The xrep-1 gene was previously identified as wdr-23, which encodes a C. elegans homolog of the mammalian β-propeller repeat-containing protein WDR-23. Here, we identify and confirm the mutations in xrep-2, xrep-3, and xrep-4. The xrep-2 gene is alh-6, an ortholog of a human gene mutated in familial hyperprolinemia. The xrep-3 mutation is a gain-of-function allele of skn-1. The xrep-4 gene is F46F11.6, which encodes a F-box-containing protein. We demonstrate that xrep-4 alters the stability of WDR-23 (xrep-1), a key regulator of SKN-1 (xrep-3). Epistatic relationships among the xrep mutants and their interacting partners allow us to propose an ordered genetic pathway by which endogenous and exogenous stressors induce the phase II detoxification response.
Influence of donor and recipient gender on cardiac allograft vasculopathy. An intravascular ultrasound study.

BACKGROUND Cardiac allograft vasculopathy remains the leading limitation to long-term survival after cardiac transplantation. While the influence of donor and recipient gender in the pathogenesis of cardiac vasculopathy is still poorly understood, studies have indicated that female allografts may be at higher risk for the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy. The purpose of this study was to characterize the influence of donor and recipient gender on the early genesis of cardiac allograft vasculopathy by using intravascular ultrasound. METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty-six consecutive cardiac transplant recipients were divided into three groups on the basis of donor and recipient gender as follows: group 1, female donor and male recipient (n = 8); group 2, male donor and female recipient (n = 7); and group 3, male donor and male recipient (n = 21). The three groups were similar with regard to donor and recipient age, weight, body surface area, serum lipids, left ventricular function, histocompatibility, cellular and vascular rejection, and cytomegalovirus infection. To precisely quantitate the extent of cardiac allograft vasculopathy, intravascular ultrasound was performed in all patients at the time of first annual angiography. Intimal thickening and intimal index were accurately quantitated by intravascular ultrasound. Intimal thickening was significantly greater in group 1 (0.55 +/- 0.15 mm) than in group 2 (0.18 +/- 0.04 mm) or group 3 (0.29 +/- 0.05 mm) (P < .05). In addition, the intimal index was greater in group 1 (0.20 +/- 0.04) than in group 2 (0.07 +/- 0.02) or group 3 (0.15 +/- 0.02) (P < .01, group 1 versus group 2). CONCLUSIONS Male recipients of female allografts have a higher degree of vascular intimal hyperplasia detected by intravascular ultrasound at 1 year after heart transplantation. These findings indicate that donor and recipient gender influences the early genesis of cardiac allograft vasculopathy.
Fungal liver infection in immunocompromised patients: depiction with multiphasic contrast-enhanced helical CT.

PURPOSE To retrospectively assess multiphasic (nonenhanced, arterial phase, and portal venous phase) computed tomography (CT) of the liver for depiction of hepatic fungal infection in immunocompromised patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS The institutional ethics review board approved the study and waived the requirement for informed consent. Sixty multiphasic hepatic CT examinations were performed in 39 immunocompromised patients who fulfilled the criteria for having probable or proved fungal liver infection. The detection and conspicuity of focal liver lesions were assessed on scans obtained during each CT phase. The lesion enhancement pattern was determined, and, accordingly, lesions were stratified into two groups: lesions suggestive of infection (with ring enhancement patterns or high attenuation) and nonspecific hypoattenuating lesions. Statistical analyses were performed by using logistic regression with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS A total of 536 liver lesions detected at 36 CT examinations with results positive for fungal infection were assessed. All 36 (100%) examinations yielded positive results during the arterial phase, whereas 25 (69%) of them yielded positive results during the portal venous phase (P < .001). At lesion-by-lesion analysis, the arterial phase scans depicted significantly more lesions (483 of 536 [90%]) than the portal venous phase (329 of 536 [61%]) and nonenhanced (265 of 465 [57%]) scans (P < .001 for both comparisons). In addition, on arterial phase scans, 386 of 483 lesions, as compared with 134 of 329 lesions on portal venous phase scans (P < .001), were judged to have an enhancement pattern suggestive of infection. The CT phases did not differ significantly in terms of the conspicuity of detected lesions. CONCLUSION In patients suspected of having hepatic fungal infection, arterial phase CT depicts significantly more hepatic lesions than does CT performed during the other phases, and it reveals more lesions with enhancement patterns suggestive of infection. Arterial phase CT should be performed in addition to portal venous phase CT in patients suspected of having hepatic fungal infection.
Thoracic sympathectomy at the level of the fourth and fifth ribs for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical results and the degree of satisfaction of patients submitted to thoracic sympathectomy at the level of the fourth and fifth ribs (R4-R5) for the treatment of axillary hyperhidrosis. METHODS We included 118 patients diagnosed with axillary hyperhidrosis and having undergone axillary sympathectomy at the R4-R5 level between March of 2003 and December of 2007 at the Paraná Federal University Hospital de Clínicas, located in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. All procedures were carried out by the same surgeon. Data regarding the resolution of axillary hyperhidrosis and the degree of patient satisfaction with the surgical outcome, as well as compensatory hyperhidrosis in the early and late postoperative periods (after 7 days and after 12 months, respectively), were collected. RESULTS Of the 118 patients evaluated, 99 (83.9%) and 81 (68.6%) showed complete resolution of the symptoms in the early and late postoperative periods, respectively. Compensatory hyperhidrosis occurred in 49 patients (41.5%) in the early postoperative period and in 77 (65.2%) in the late postoperative period. Of those 77, 55 (71.4%) categorized the compensatory hyperhidrosis as mild. In the early postoperative period, 110 patients (93.2%) were satisfied with the surgical results, and 104 (88.1%) remained so in the late postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS Sympathectomy at the R4-R5 level is efficient in the resolution of primary axillary hyperhidrosis. The degree of patient satisfaction with the long-term surgical results is high. Mild compensatory hyperhidrosis is the main side effect associated with this technique.
Sensorimotor integration is abnormal in asymptomatic Parkin mutation carriers

Background: In patients with Parkinson disease (PD), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies have consistently demonstrated a reduced inhibitory tone in the sensorimotor cortex. It remains unclear whether this is related to motor symptoms or represents adaptive compensatory changes to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Here we used short-interval afferent inhibition after digital stimulation (dSAI) and intracortical paired-pulse inhibition and facilitation to probe intracortical sensorimotor excitability in clinically asymptomatic carriers of a single mutant Parkin allele who have a latent nigrostriatal dopaminergic dysfunction. Methods: Nine heterozygous mutation carriers and nine healthy controls were investigated. For dSAI testing, electrical pulses were applied to the right index finger followed by TMS pulses over the left motor cortex at interstimulus intervals (ISI) of 25, 30, and 40 msec. Intracortical paired-pulse excitability was tested at ISIs of 2 to 15 msec. Results: dSAI was reduced at an ISI of 25 msec in carriers of a single mutant Parkin allele, whereas paired-pulse TMS was normal. Conclusion: The relative decrease in sensorimotor inhibition may be a direct consequence of the Parkin mutation or represent adaptive changes at the cortical level in response to a subcortical dysfunction, but is not caused by motor symptoms.
Low FPGA area multiplier blocks for full parallel FIR filters

A new algorithm is presented that synthesises multiplier blocks with the goal of minimising FPGA hardware cost. Comparisons with existing algorithms are made via implementing synthesised blocks as the multiplication hardware of fully-pipelined, full-parallel transposed form FIR filters. Results establish that the classic optimisation goal of minimising adders does not minimise FPGA hardware. Instead, minimising multiplier block logic depth is shown to be the primary factor for low area FPGA implementation. Filters generated using the new algorithm are also shown to consume less FPGA area than equivalents implemented using the distributed arithmetic technique.
“Holy anorexia”—relevant or relic? Religiosity and anorexia nervosa among Finnish women

Since medieval times, an association between religiosity and anorexia nervosa has been suggested, but few systematic studies exist. This study examines in a nationwide setting whether personal or family religiosity is associated with lifetime anorexia nervosa among women in adolescence and early adulthood. Women (N = 2,825) from the 1975 to 1979 birth cohorts of Finnish twins were screened for lifetime DSM-5 anorexia nervosa (N = 92). Parental religiosity was assessed by self-report when the women were aged 16 years. The women self-reported their religiosity at ages 16 and 22 to 27 years. Parental religiosity did not increase the risk of lifetime anorexia nervosa, and neither did religiosity of the women themselves in adolescence. In early adulthood, a J-shaped curve was compatible with the data, indicating increased risk both at low and high levels of religiosity, but this result was statistically non-significant. Religiosity was weakly negatively correlated with body dissatisfaction. There was some suggestive evidence for socioregional variation in the association of religiosity with lifetime anorexia nervosa. In this first population study to directly address religiosity and anorexia nervosa, no evidence was found for a significant association of religiosity with anorexia nervosa either at the personal or family level. Some regional differences are possible. A modest protective association of religiosity with body dissatisfaction is also possible. Despite compelling case descriptions of "holy anorexia," religiosity does not appear to be a central factor in the development of anorexia nervosa in Finland, a highly secularized Christian country.
Roles for Fis and YafK in biofilm formation by enteroaggregative Escherichia coli

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) forms thick biofilms on the intestinal mucosa. Here, we show that most EAEC strains form a biofilm on glass or plastic surfaces when grown in cell culture medium with high sugar and osmolarity. Biofilm‐forming ability in two prototype EAEC strains required aggregative adherence fimbriae (AAF), although many other EAEC strains that do not express AAF also developed biofilms under these conditions. Ten thousand transposon mutants of EAEC strain 042 were isolated, and 100 were found to be deficient in biofilm formation. Of these, 93 were either deficient in in vitro growth or mapped to genes known to be required for AAF/II expression. Of the seven remaining insertions, five mapped to one of two unsuspected loci. Two insertions involved the E. coli chromosomal fis gene, a DNA‐binding protein that is involved in growth phase‐dependent regulation. Using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR), we determined that the effect of fis was at the level of transcription of the AAF/II activator aggR. Biofilm formation also required the product of the yafK gene, which is predicted to encode a secreted 28 kDa protein. The yafK product is required for transcription of AAF/II‐encoding genes. Our data do not suggest a role for type 1 fimbriae or motility in biofilm formation. EAEC appears to form a novel biofilm, which may be mediated solely by AAF and may reflect its interactions with the intestinal mucosa.
Development of a quantitative quality grading system for mature cow carcasses.

Data from 400 cow carcasses were used to develop a new quality grading system. First principal component (FPC) values were determined for shear force (SHR) and palatability attributes of tenderness, connective tissue amount, flavor, and juiciness (JUC). Associated eigenvector load values for those traits were -. 48, . 54, . 51, . 46, and . 05, respectively, and FPC values ranged from -3.20 to 2.18. Linear regression, using FPC as the independent variate, and SHR and palatability attributes (8-point scale, where 8 was highest) as dependent variates explained a significant amount of variation (P less than .001) in all traits, except JUC, and resulted in R2 values of . 71, . 89, . 80, . 66, and . 01, respectively. A predictive quality-grade equation was developed using FPC as the dependent variate, and overall maturity (OM), lean color, marbling score (MS), lean firmness, lean texture, fat color (FC), and marbling fineness ([marbling texture + marbling distribution]/2; 8-point scale, where 8 was highest) as independent variates. The resulting best-fit prediction equation (FPC = -.052-[.0031 x OM] + [.0013 x MS] + [.31 x FC]) explained a significant amount (P less than .001) of variation in FPC with R2 = . 53, Cp = 15.0, and residual standard deviation = . 69. A short-cut equation was developed from this prediction equation. Simple correlations for OM, MS, and FC with FPC were -. 56, . 39, and . 64, respectively. Cow carcasses were assigned to one of three quality grades based on FPC values that corresponded with predetermined acceptability levels for each palatability trait. Newly developed grades were quantitative and less variable than existing grades. Future grades for cow carcasses should include fat color to predict palatability.
Three-Dimensional Gabor Wavelets for Pixel-Based Hyperspectral Imagery Classification

The rich information available in hyperspectral imagery not only poses significant opportunities but also makes big challenges for material classification. Discriminative features seem to be crucial for the system to achieve accurate and robust performance. In this paper, we propose a 3-D Gabor-wavelet-based approach for pixel-based hyperspectral imagery classification. A set of complex Gabor wavelets with different frequencies and orientations is first designed to extract signal variances in space, spectrum, and joint spatial/spectral domains. The magnitude of the response at each sampled location (x, y) for spectral band b contains rich information about the signal variances in the local region. Each pixel can be well represented by the rich information extracted by Gabor wavelets. A feature selection and fusion process has also been developed to reduce the redundancy among Gabor features and make the fused feature more discriminative. The proposed approach was fully tested on two real-world hyperspectral data sets, i.e., the widely used Indian Pine site and Kennedy Space Center. The results show that our method achieves as high as 96.04% and 95.36% accuracies, respectively, even when only few samples, i.e., 5% of the total samples per class, are labeled.
Rv1675c (cmr) regulates intramacrophage and cyclic AMP‐induced gene expression in Mycobacterium tuberculosis‐complex mycobacteria

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) has recently been shown to be a global regulator of gene expression in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). In this study we identified a new cAMP‐associated regulon in Mtb and Mycobacterium bovis BCG, which is distinct from the previously described CRPMt regulon. Proteomic comparison of wild‐type M. bovis BCG with a Rv1675c (cmr) knockout strain showed dysregulated expression of four previously identified proteins encoded by the cAMP‐induced genes (cAIGs) mdh, groEL2, Rv1265 and PE_PGRS6a. Regulated expression of these four cAIGs also occurred during macrophage infection, and this regulation required cmr in both Mtb and M. bovis BCG. Purified His‐Cmr bound to the DNA sequences upstream of three cAIGs (mdh, groEL2, Rv1265) in electrophoretic mobility shift assays, suggesting direct regulation of these genes by Cmr. We also found that low pH stimulated cAMP production in both Mtb and M. bovis BCG, but broadly affected cAIG regulation only in M. bovis BCG. These studies identify Cmr as a transcription factor that regulates cAIGs within macrophages, and suggest that multiple factors affect cAMP‐associated gene regulation in tuberculosis‐complex mycobacteria. cAMP signalling and Cmr‐mediated gene regulation during Mtb infection of macrophages may have implications for TB pathogenesis.