Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in cortical acetyl‐CoA metabolism after selective basal forebrain cholinergic degeneration by 192IgG‐saporin

The aim of the present study was to reveal whether reduced cortical cholinergic input affects the acetyl‐CoA metabolism in cholinoceptive cortical target regions which may play a causative role for the deficits in cerebral glucose metabolism observed in Alzheimer's disease. The effect of cortical cholinergic denervation produced by a single intracerebroventricular application of the cholinergic immunotoxin 192IgG‐saporin, on activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)‐citrate lyase as well as on the level of synaptoplasmic and mitochondrial acetyl‐CoA and acetylcholine release in cortical target regions was studied. Cholinergic lesion produced 83%, 72% and 32% decreases in the activities of choline acetyltransferase, acetylcholinesterase and ATP‐citrate lyase in nerve terminals isolated from rat brain cortex, respectively, but no change in pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. Spontaneous and Ca2+‐evoked acetylcholine release from synaptosomes was inhibited by 76% and 73%, respectively, following immunolesion. The lesion‐induced 39% decrease of acetyl‐CoA level in synaptosomal mitochondria was accompanied by 74% increase in synaptoplasmic fraction. Levels of acetyl‐CoA and CoASH assayed in fraction of whole brain mitochondria from lesioned cortex were 61% and 48%, respectively, higher as compared to controls. The data suggest a preferential localization of ATP‐citrate lyase in cholinergic nerve terminals, where it may contribute to the transport of acetyl‐CoA from the mitochondrial to the cytoplasmic compartment. They provide evidence on differential distribution of acetyl‐CoA in subcellular compartments of cholinergic and non‐cholinergic nerve terminals. There are also indications that cholinergic activity affects acetyl‐CoA level and its intracellular distribution in glial and other non‐cholinergic cortical cells.
Automatic Segmentation and Classification of Outdoor Images Using Neural Networks

The paper describes how neural networks may be used to segment and label objects in images. A self-organising feature map is used for the segmentation phase, and we quantify the quality of the segmentations produced as well as the contribution made by colour and texture features. A multi-layer perception is trained to label the regions produced by the segmentation process. It is shown that 91.1% of the image area is correctly classified into one of eleven categories which include cars, houses, fences, roads, vegetation and sky.
Attributions in the Board Room: Causal Reasoning in Corporate Annual Reports

The authors gratefully acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Harish Sujan and Mita Sujan in conducting the research. This study was supported in part by a grant from the Marketing Study Center at UCLA. The patterns of causal reasoning used to explain corporate performance outcomes were analyzed using data from Letters to Shareholders in 181 annual reports published in 1972 and 1974. These data were used to analyze the nature of self-serving attributions, and other attributional phenomena, and the factors affecting the amount of causal reasoning. The typical self-serving pattern of attributions found in studies of individual performance was also found in this study of corporate performance. Neither a purely informational nor a purely motivational explanation was supported by these attributions. Unfavorable outcomes were attributed more to external, unstable, and uncontrollable causes than were favorable outcomes. Attributions were most prevalent when a corporation did worse than expected and chose to talk mostly about unfavorable outcomes. These findings contribute new insights to several theoretical issues and support the use of annual report data in analyzing organizational phenomena.
Results of treatment for pT1/pT2 carcinomas of the floor of mouth

Abstract Conclusion: In pT2 floor of mouth cancer (FOMC), a standardized neck dissection (ND) should be carried out, due to the high risk of occult metastases. In cases of pT1 carcinomas with a clinically negative neck using high imaging standards and expertise a tight ‘wait and watch' strategy can be used. Objective: To report on the oncologic results with primary surgical treatment of pT1/pT2 FOMC and to examine the benefit of elective ND in cN0. Methods: This was a retrospective study design including 216 patients who were treated between 1980 and 2010 for pT1/2 FOMC. The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS), local and (loco)regional control based on the T and N classification and depth of infiltration were investigated. Results: DSS was 79.5% and (loco)regional control was 89.8%. DSS in patients staged pN0 was significantly higher, at 84.6%, than in those staged pN+, at 60%. ND was performed in 165 patients, and adjuvant therapy was administered in 124 patients. Ninety patients (41.7%) were staged cN0, and 53.3% of them underwent elective ND. The risk of occult metastases was 4.8% in pT1 and 28.6% in pT2. A depth of infiltration of ≥ 5 mm showed a markedly higher relative frequency of occult neck metastases and pN+ status.
In vitro effect of the Escherichia coli heat shock regulatory protein on expression of heat shock genes

In Escherichia coli, the ability to elicit a heat shock response depends on the htpR gene product. Previous work has shown that the HtpR protein serves as a sigma factor (sigma 32) for RNA polymerase that specifically recognizes heat shock promoters (A.D. Grossman, J.W. Erickson, and C.A. Gross Cell 38:383-390, 1984). In the present study we showed that sigma 32 synthesized in vitro could stimulate the expression of heat shock genes. The in vitro-synthesized sigma 32 was found to be associated with RNA polymerase. In vivo-synthesized sigma 32 was also associated with RNA polymerase, and this polymerase (E sigma 32) could be isolated free of the standard polymerase (E sigma 70). E sigma 32 was more active than E sigma 70 with heat shock genes; however, non-heat-shock genes were not transcribed by E sigma 32. The in vitro expression of the htpR gene required E sigma 70 but did not require E sigma 32.
Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for antibodies to a recombinant Blastomyces adhesin-1 repeat antigen as an aid in the diagnosis of blastomycosis in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for antibodies to a recombinant Blastomyces adhesin-1 repeat antigen (rBAD-1) to aid in the diagnosis of blastomycosis in dogs and compare the findings with results from other tests used for this purpose. DESIGN Prospective analytic study. SAMPLE Serum and urine from 70 dogs with and without blastomycosis. PROCEDURES Serum and urine samples were collected from dogs with blastomycosis (n = 21), histoplasmosis (8), or nonfungal pulmonary disease (21) and from healthy control dogs living in a blastomycosis-endemic area (20). Serum was tested for antibodies against Blastomyces dermatitidis with the rBAD-1 antibody EIA and an A-antigen antibody agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) assay. Serum and urine were tested for B dermatitidis antigen with a quantitative EIA. RESULTS Sensitivity of the quantitative antigen EIA was 100% in serum and urine samples from dogs with blastomycosis, with specificity of 95% in urine samples from dogs with nonfungal pulmonary disease and 100% in urine samples from healthy dogs. Sensitivity of the rBAD-1 antibody EIA (95%) was significantly greater than that of the A-antigen antibody AGID assay (65%). Specificity of the antibody EIA was 88% in dogs with histoplasmosis, 95% in healthy dogs, and 100% in dogs with nonfungal pulmonary disease. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The rBAD-1 antibody EIA had greater sensitivity than the A-antigen antibody AGID assay in dogs with blastomycosis. This antibody EIA may assist in distinguishing histoplasmosis from blastomycosis. Further evaluation in a larger prospective study is needed to verify these results.
Antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E) and malondialdehyde levels in acute exacerbation and stable periods of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergo oxidative damage during exacerbations that continues in stable periods, gradually contributing to pathogenesis. Since serum concentrations of antioxidant vitamins in COPD patients have been little investigated, we studied antioxidant vitamin and lipid peroxidation concentrations in patients during acute exacerbations and stable periods. METHODS We prospectively recruited 24 patients with COPD (mean age 51.8 yr, standard deviation [SD] 6.7 yr) in acute exacerbation. Serum concentrations of vitamins A, C and E and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined before treatment and during stable periods with high-performance liquid chromatography, and in 23 healthy controls (mean age 48.0 yr; SD 5.9 yr) with established methods. RESULTS The mean vitamin A level in patients during acute exacerbation was 0.8 (SD 0.2) microg/mL, rising to 1.0 (SD 0.2) microg/mL during stable periods, both significantly less than that of controls (1.0 [SD 0.2] microg/mL; p <0.01); vitamin C, 5.0 (SD 2.2) microg/mL acute and 7.5 (SD 2.7) stable, neither significantly differing from the mean level in controls (8.6 [SD 1.8] microg/mL; p > 0.05); vitamin E, 10.0 (SD 2.4) microg/mL acute and 11.1 (SD 2.6) stable, both lower than in controls (11.0 [SD 2.86] microg/mL; p <0.01); and MDA, 2.4 (SD 0.7) nmol/mL acute and 1.2 (SD 0.4) stable, both higher than in controls (0.9 [SD 0.2] nmol/mL; p< 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Whereas patients with COPD undergo increased oxidative stress during exacerbations and in stable periods, their serum concentrations of antioxidant vitamins A and E decrease during exacerbations. Our findings suggest that the administration of vitamins A and E may be beneficial in the prevention and treatment of the harmful effects of COPD.
Intra-axonal location of herpes simplex virus particles.

There is increasing evidence that herpes simplex virus (HSV) may reach the central nervous system along peripheral nerves (Johnson, 1964; Wildy, 1967). Johnson showed that after subcutaneous or intranasal inoculation of mice with HSV, there was spread of virus along corresponding cranial and peripheral nerves. The spread was thought to result from the centripetal infection of endoneural (Schwann and/or fibroblast) cells. Johnson was unable to demonstrate antigen inside axons by means of immunofluoresence, even when the corresponding ganglion cell perikaryon was infected. However, the recent work of Kristensson, Lycke & Sjostrand (1971a) gives further weight to the much older hypothesis that the most important mode of spread is inside the axons (Goodpasture & Teague, 1923). Using 3-week-old suckling mice, inoculated intradermally in the hind footpad, the appearance of virus could be demonstrated in dorsal-root ganglion cells within 3 days of inoculation (Kristensson et al. 1971a; Wildy, 1967).
ATP sensitivity of ATP‐sensitive K+ channels: role of the γ phosphate group of ATP and the R50 residue of mouse Kir6.2

ATP‐sensitive K (KATP) channels are composed of Kir6, the pore‐forming protein, and the sulphonylurea receptor SUR, a regulatory protein. We and others have previously shown that positively charged residues in the C terminus of Kir6.2, including R201 and K185, interact with the α and β phosphate groups of ATP, respectively, to induce channel closure. A positively charged residue in the N terminus, R50, is also important, and has been proposed to interact with either the γ or β phosphate group of ATP. To examine this issue, we systematically mutated R50 to residues of different size, charge and hydropathy, and examined the effects on adenine nucleotide sensitivity in the absence and presence of SUR1. In the absence of SUR1, only the size of residue 50 significantly altered ATP sensitivity, with smaller side chains decreasing ATP sensitivity. In the presence of SUR1, however, hydrophathy and charge also played a role. Hydrophilic residues decreased ATP sensitivity more than hydrophobic residues for small size residues, and, surprisingly, negatively charged residues E and D preserved ATP sensitivity and increased ADP sensitivity relative to the wild‐type residue R. These observations suggest that a negative charge near position 50, due to either mutation of R50 or the interaction of the γ phosphate group of ATP with R50, facilitates closure of the ATP‐dependent gate. Mutation of the nearby positively charged residue R54, known to be involved in stabilizing channel opening via electrostatic interactions with phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP2), also caused increased ADP sensitivity as compared with ATP, suggesting a loss of function of ATP's γ phosphate. Based on these results, we propose that a phosphate group or a negative charge at position 50 initiates channel closure by destabilizing the electrostatic interactions between negative phosphate groups of PIP2 and residues such as R54.
Clinical predictors of non-response to any tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers: a retrospective study

Background: Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α therapies represent a significant innovation in therapy for psoriasis. However, a significant number of psoriasis patients do not respond well to TNF blockers or show an insufficient control of disease activity on a long-term basis. Objective/aim: The aim of this study was to recognize specific clinical factors that could be associated with a non-response to any available TNF blockers in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Materials and methods: The authors reviewed the medical records of all patients who had started etanercept, infliximab, adalimumab and had achieved a minimum of 24 months follow-up. The authors identified subjects who were not responsive to all available anti-TNF agents, whatever the chronology of their use. Results: A total of 110 patients were retrospectively examined. Thirteen patients were identified as “non-responders” to all available TNF-α blockers. Current smoking at the start of anti-TNF therapy was associated with non-response to TNF blockers. The group of “non-responders” presented a high mean body mass index and a high baseline PASI score with respect to the group of responders. Conclusions: The data showed that the majority of non-responder patients were smokers, overweight or obese and had a high baseline PASI score. Concomitant arthritis was not significantly associated with non-response.
FUCOSE INCORPORATION INTO GLYCOPROTEINS OF MOUSE BRAIN

—Radioactive fucose was incorporated into glycoproteins of brain in vivo. After intracerebral administration of this precursor, radioactive glycoproteins were the sole detectable product. The glycoproteins formed appeared to have a slow turnover but this was due, at least in part, to re‐utilization of fucose released from degraded glycoproteins. Incorporation of fucose into glycoproteins differed from that of glucosamine, since a much smaller proportion of the radioactive fucose was incorporated into soluble glycoproteins. Fucose was rapidly incorporated into glycoproteins of nerve endings, although there was relatively little incorporation into glycoproteins associated with the soluble component of the nerve‐ending fraction. As found in previous studies with glucosamine, soluble glycoproteins of nerve endings turned over relatively rapidly. Pretreatment with acetoxycycloheximide markedly inhibited incorporation of fucose into glycoproteins of brain. In contrast to the results with glucosamine, comparable inhibition was observed for fucose in all subcellular fractions of brain including the particulate and soluble components derived from the nerve‐ending fraction.
Delirium predicts 12-month mortality.

BACKGROUND Delirium has not been found to be a significant predictor of postdischarge mortality, but previous research has methodologic limitations including small sample sizes and inadequate control of confounding. This study aimed to determine the independent effects of presence of delirium, type of delirium (incident vs prevalent), and severity of delirium symptoms on 12-month mortality among older medical inpatients. METHODS A prospective, observational study of 2 cohorts of medical inpatients was conducted with patients 65 years or older: 243 patients had prevalent or incident delirium, and 118 controls had no delirium. Baseline measures included presence of delirium and/or dementia, severity of delirium symptoms, physical function, comorbidity, and physiological and clinical severity of illness. Mortality during the 12 months after enrollment was analyzed with the Cox proportional hazards model with adjustment for covariates. RESULTS The unadjusted hazard ratio of delirium with mortality was 3.44 (95% confidence interval, 2.05-5.75); the adjusted hazard ratio was 2.11 (95% confidence interval, 1.18-3.77). The effect of delirium was sustained over the entire 12-month period after adjustment for covariates and was stronger among patients without dementia. Among patients with dementia, there was a weak, nonsignificant effect of delirium on survival. After adjustment for covariates, mortality did not differ between patients with incident and prevalent delirium, but among patients with delirium without dementia, greater severity of delirium symptoms was associated with higher mortality. CONCLUSIONS Delirium is an independent marker for increased mortality among older medical inpatients during the 12 months after hospital admission. It is a particularly important prognostic marker among patients without dementia.
Incidence and predictors of inadequate bowel preparation before elective colonoscopy in Thai patients.

BACKGROUND The incidence of inadequate bowel preparation before elective colonoscopy in this region has never been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS The authors prospectively described the incidence and factors related to inadequate bowel preparation in Thammasat university hospital. Bowel preparation quality was accessed by using Aronchick scale. Factors associated with inadequate bowel preparation were also recorded. RESULTS Two hundred patients undergoing elective outpatient colonoscopy were enrolled. Inadequate and fair bowel preparation was documented in 9 and 43%, respectively. Factors associated with inadequate bowel preparation were incomplete cleansing agent ingestion (odds ratio 7.7; 95%CI 1.62-36.64) and patient's unrecognization of vegetable avoidance (odds ratio 3.26; 95%CI 1.14-9.28). CONCLUSIONS Compared with previous reported, inadequate bowel preparation was seen less in our study, however, more patients with fair bowel preparation was documented. Further study aiming at investigating the type and amount of fiber contained in diet before elective colonoscopy should be commenced.
Ultrasonographic reference values for assessing normal radial nerve ultrasonography in the normal population

High-resolution ultrasound has been used recently to characterize median and ulnar nerves, but is seldom used to characterize radial nerves. The radial nerve is more frequently involved in entrapment syndromes than the ulnar and median nerves. However, the reference standard for normal radial nerves has not been established. Thus, this study measured the cross-sectional areas of radial nerves of 200 healthy male or female volunteers, aged 18 to 75, using high-resolution ultrasound. The results showed that mean cross-sectional areas of radial nerves at 4 cm upon the lateral epicondyle of the humerus and mid-humerus (midpoint between the elbow crease and axilla) were 5.14 ± 1.24 and 5.08 ± 1.23 mm2, respectively. The age and the dominant side did not affect the results, but the above-mentioned cross-sectional areas were larger in males (5.31 ± 1.25 and 5.19 ± 1.23 mm2) than in females (4.93 ± 1.21 and 4.93 ± 1.23 mm2, respectively). In addition, the cross-sectional areas of radial nerves were positively correlated with height and weight (r = 0.38, 0.36, respectively, both P < 0.05). These data provide basic clinical data for the use of high-resolution ultrasound for the future diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic evaluation of peripheral neuropathies.
An O-antigen processing function for Wzx (RfbX): a promising candidate for O-unit flippase

O antigen is the major cell surface antigen of gram-negative bacteria, and the genes responsible for its synthesis are located in a single gene cluster. The wzx (rbfX) gene, which is characteristic of the major class of O-antigen gene clusters, encodes a hydrophobic protein with 12 potential transmembrane segments. We demonstrate that a wzx mutant accumulates undecaprenol pyrophosphate-linked O units which appear to be on the cytoplasmic side of the cytoplasmic membrane, suggesting that the wzx gene encodes a flippase for O-unit translocation across that membrane.
Office noise and employee concentration: Identifying causes of disruption and potential improvements

A field study assessed subjective reports of distraction from various office sounds among 88 employees at two sites. In addition, the study examined the amount of exposure the workers had to the noise in order to determine any evidence for habituation. Finally, respondents were asked how they would improve their environment (with respect to noise), and to rate examples of improvements with regards to their job satisfaction and performance. Out of the sample, 99% reported that their concentration was impaired by various components of office noise, especially telephones left ringing at vacant desks and people talking in the background. No evidence for habituation to these sounds was found. These results are interpreted in the light of previous research regarding the effects of noise in offices and the ‘irrelevant sound effect’.
Finite Position Set-Phase Locked Loop for Sensorless Control of Direct-Driven Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Generators

This paper presents a novel finite position set-phase locked loop (FPS-PLL) for sensorless control of surface-mounted permanent-magnet synchronous generators (PMSGs) in variable-speed wind turbines. The proposed FPS-PLL is based on the finite control set-model predictive control concept, where a finite number of rotor positions are used to estimate the back electromotive force of the PMSG. Then, the estimated rotor position, which minimizes a certain cost function, is selected to be the optimal rotor position. This eliminates the need of a fixed-gain proportional-integral controller, which is commonly utilized in the conventional PLL. The performance of the proposed FPS-PLL has been experimentally investigated and compared with that of the conventional one using a 14.5 kW PMSG with a field-oriented control scheme utilized as the generator control strategy. Furthermore, the robustness of the proposed FPS-PLL is investigated against PMSG parameters variations.
CLEAVAGE PATTERNS AND MESENTOBLAST FORMATION IN THE GASTROPODA: AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE

The larger gastropod taxa are characterized by distinctive cleavage patterns. The cell stage at which the mesentoblast is formed appears to be crucial. In none of the taxa is it formed earlier than the 24‐ and not later than the 63‐cell stage. A heterochronic shift from late to early mesentoblast formation appears to coincide with successive steps in gastropod evolution. Comparison of the early cleavage patterns appears to be a powerful method for investigating the evolutionary relations between major gastropod taxa.