Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Involvement of BKCa alpha subunit tyrosine phosphorylation in vascular hyporesponsiveness of superior mesenteric artery following hemorrhagic shock in rats.

OBJECTIVE Vascular hyporesponsiveness is a major complication following severe trauma and shock. It plays important roles in the development of shock and seriously interferes with the treatment of shock. The mechanism responsible for the occurrence of vascular hyporesponsiveness has not been fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the alpha subunit tyrosine sites of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel (BK(Ca)) could be phosphorylated and whether the phosphorylation of BK(Ca) was closely associated with the activation of BK(Ca) and the development of vascular hyporesponsiveness following hemorrhagic shock in rats. METHODS A hemorrhagic shock (30 mm Hg for 0.5, 2, 4 h) model of Wistar rats was established. Phosphorylation of tyrosine residues of the BK(Ca) alpha subunit from vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in superior mesenteric arteries (SMA) was detected by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. BK(Ca) activity was evaluated by cell-attached patch clamping. The vascular responsiveness of SMA to norepinephrine was measured with an isolated organ perfusion system. RESULTS The level of BK(Ca) alpha subunit tyrosine phosphorylation was increased in a time-dependent manner following hemorrhagic shock, which was mediated by protein tyrosine kinases (PTK) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP). The activation of VSMC BK(Ca) following hemorrhagic shock was inhibited by genistein (2x10(-5) mol/L), the permeable isoflavone PTK inhibitor, and was potentiated by the PTP inhibitor sodium orthovanadate (Na(3)VO(4), 10(-3) mol/L). The decreased vasoresponsiveness following hemorrhagic shock was partly restored by genistein (10(-5) mol/L) or by the BK(Ca)-selective inhibitor tetrabutylammonium chloride (0.1 mmol/L), while it was further decreased by Na(3)VO(4) (10(-5) mol/L). CONCLUSION The tyrosine residues of BK(Ca) alpha subunit of SMA were phosphorylated following hemorrhagic shock, which was regulated by PTK and PTP and appeared to be related to the activation of BK(Ca) and the development of vascular hyporesponsiveness following hemorrhagic shock.
Quantitatively Reduced Participation of Anti-Nuclear Antigen B Cells That Down-Regulate B Cell Receptor during Primary Development in the Germinal Center/Memory B Cell Response to Foreign Antigen1

The peripheral B cell compartment contains high levels of “polyreactivity” including autospecificities. We have described a pathway that certain autoreactive B cells may take in gaining stable access to the foreign Ag-responsive peripheral compartment. This pathway was revealed in mice expressing a targeted Ig H chain transgene encoding BCRs with “multireactivity” for the hapten arsonate and DNA-based autoantigens. B cells expressing such BCRs develop to mature follicular phenotype and locale, and are not short-lived. These B cells express very low levels of BCR, indicating that they are not “ignorant” of self Ag, but do not display features of anergy in in vitro assays. Nonetheless, a variety of states of lymphocyte anergy has been described, and some may only be manifested in vivo. As such, we analyzed the ability of these B cells to participate in a T cell-dependent immune response to arsonate in vivo. These B cells mount an early primary response similar to control B cells, including homing to follicles, migration to the T-B interface, and induction of costimulatory molecules, proliferation, differentiation to AFCs, class switching, and entry into GCs and somatic hypermutation. Nonetheless, these B cells display reduced participation in the latter stages of the GC response and in the anamnestic AFC response. In total, these data suggest that while the autoreactivity of this type of B cell does not result in anergy, the ability of such B cells to participate in a cross-reactive immune response to foreign Ag is compromised.
Toxocara infections and kennel workers.

SIR,-It is now widely recognised that the embryonated ova of the common roundworm of the dog, Toxocara canis, are infective for man. Surveys have shown that approximately 2`, of normal healthy adults in the UK possess demonstrable antibodies to toxocara antigen and in certain circumstances infection can produce clinical disease.1 2 Borg and Woodruff3 reported that 24 4°0 of 800 soil samples from public places all over Britain contained Toxocara spp eggs, but still heavier contamination may be found in special situations such as, for example, some breeding kennels and dog training schools.4 One such location was identified during a recent study of the helminth parasites of greyhounds.5 The establishment in question consists of a central complex of buildings, including administrative offices and residential quarters for dog handlers. These are surrounded by kennels and 56 hectares (140 acres) of exercising paddocks and walks. More than 500 adult greyhounds are kept for racing and 12 5`0 of these carry patent T canis infection-that is, about 19m eggs are deposited on the estate each day. Examination of 10 g of soil taken from each of 12 sites on the estate revealed the presence of T canis ova in 11, with up to 18 eggs per sample. In addition, grass collections from small exercising paddocks yielded up to 828 ova per kg of foliage, although only 0 70, of these were embyronated. It was considered that this high degree of contamination might present a potential health hazard to the 70 employees working at the kennels, particularly as the majority also live on the estate. An attempt was therefore made to evaluate the degree of risk involved. Serum was collected from 34 volunteers and examined by a fluorescent antibody test using a T canis larval antigen. ' It was found that none of the 24 people who had worked at the kennels for between 6 months and 10 years showed evidence of infection (see table ), but two workers with 22 and 43 years' service respectively had positive antibody titres. A further two long-term employees were, however, negative. Although no general conclusions can be drawn from this one small study the results suggest that, at least in this instance, infection with T canis is not readily acquired by kennel
Class 1 Integron Containing a New Gene Cassette, aadA10, Associated with Tn1404 from R151

ABSTRACT The carbenicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, spectinomycin, sulfonamide, and tobramycin resistance determinants found on Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmid R151 have previously been shown to translocate to another plasmid, R388, and it was inferred that a transposon, Tn1404, carried the resistance determinants. Sequencing of the cassette array from the plasmid known as R388::Tn1404 revealed two known gene cassettes, oxa10 and aadB, and a previously unidentified cassette determining resistance to streptomycin and spectinomycin, here designated aadA10, in the order oxa10-aadB-aadA10. These cassettes replaced the dfrB2-orfA cassette array of R388, indicating that movement of the resistance determinants from R151 to R388 resulted from recombinational exchange between two class 1 integrons rather than transposition. The AadA10 protein is most closely related to AadA6 (85% identical) and AadA7 (80% identical). The aadA10 cassette found here has only a simple site containing a 7-bp spacer derived from attI1 in place of a 59-base element and is likely to represent a derivative of the complete cassette. IntI1-mediated deletion of the aadA10 cassette was not detected, indicating that this single simple site is either inactive or only weakly active.
The relationship of female physical attractiveness to body fatness

Aspects of the female body may be attractive because they signal evolutionary fitness. Greater body fatness might reflect greater potential to survive famines, but individuals carrying larger fat stores may have poor health and lower fertility in non-famine conditions. A mathematical statistical model using epidemiological data linking fatness to fitness traits, predicted a peaked relationship between fatness and attractiveness (maximum at body mass index (BMI) = 22.8 to 24.8 depending on ethnicity and assumptions). Participants from three Caucasian populations (Austria, Lithuania and the UK), three Asian populations (China, Iran and Mauritius) and four African populations (Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Senegal) rated attractiveness of a series of female images varying in fatness (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR). There was an inverse linear relationship between physical attractiveness and body fatness or BMI in all populations. Lower body fat was more attractive, down to at least BMI = 19. There was no peak in the relationship over the range we studied in any population. WHR was a significant independent but less important factor, which was more important (greater r2) in African populations. Predictions based on the fitness model were not supported. Raters appeared to use body fat percentage (BF%) and BMI as markers of age. The covariance of BF% and BMI with age indicates that the role of body fatness alone, as a marker of attractiveness, has been overestimated.
Developmental differences in neuronal engagement during implicit encoding of emotional faces: an event-related fMRI study.

BACKGROUND Prior studies document strong interactions between emotional and mnemonic processes. These interactions have been shown to vary across development and psychopathology, particularly mood and anxiety disorders. METHODS The present study used functional neuroimaging to assess the degree to which adolescents and adults differ in patterns of neuronal engagement during implicit encoding of affective stimuli. Subjects underwent rapid event-related fMRI while viewing faces with angry, fearful, happy, and neutral expressions. A surprise post-scan memory test was administered. RESULTS Consistent with previous findings, both adolescents and adults displayed engagement of left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex when viewing subsequently recognized stimuli. Age differences emerged in patterns of neuronal activation associated with subsequent recognition of specific face-emotion types. Relative to adults, adolescents displayed more activity in the anterior cingulate when viewing subsequently remembered angry faces, and more activity in the right temporal pole when viewing subsequently remembered fear faces. Conversely, adults displayed more activity in the subgenual anterior cingulate when viewing subsequently remembered happy faces and more activity in the right posterior hippocampus when viewing subsequently remembered neutral faces. These age-related differences emerged in the absence of differences in behavioral performance. CONCLUSIONS These findings document developmental differences in the degree to which engagement of affective circuitry contributes to memory formation.
K562—A human erythroleukemic cell line

We have studied the surface membrane properties of the human leukemic cell line K562 which previously has been reported to represent an early stage of granulocyte maturation. The surface glycoprotein pattern of the K562 cells obtained after galactose oxidase‐NaB[3H]4 labelling and slab gel electrophoresis shows striking similarities with that of normal erythrocytes but is completely different from the patterns of normal and malignant cells of various stages of the myeloblast to granulocyte differentiation. Moreover, the K562 cell expressed the major red cell sialoglycoprotein, glycophorin, on its surface as shown by immuno‐fluorescence and by immuneprecipitation from labelled membrane preparations. As glycophorin is exclusively found on erythroid cells in human bone marrow we conclude that the K562 is a human erythroleukemic line.
Analysis of hepatitis C virus resistance to silibinin in vitro and in vivo points to a novel mechanism involving nonstructural protein 4B

Intravenous silibinin (SIL) is an approved therapeutic that has recently been applied to patients with chronic hepatitis C, successfully clearing hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in some patients even in monotherapy. Previous studies suggested multiple antiviral mechanisms of SIL; however, the dominant mode of action has not been determined. We first analyzed the impact of SIL on replication of subgenomic replicons from different HCV genotypes in vitro and found a strong inhibition of RNA replication for genotype 1a and genotype 1b. In contrast, RNA replication and infection of genotype 2a were minimally affected by SIL. To identify the viral target of SIL we analyzed resistance to SIL in vitro and in vivo. Selection for drug resistance in cell culture identified a mutation in HCV nonstructural protein (NS) 4B conferring partial resistance to SIL. This was corroborated by sequence analyses of HCV from a liver transplant recipient experiencing viral breakthrough under SIL monotherapy. Again, we identified distinct mutations affecting highly conserved amino acid residues within NS4B, which mediated phenotypic SIL resistance also in vitro. Analyses of chimeric viral genomes suggest that SIL might target an interaction between NS4B and NS3/4A. Ultrastructural studies revealed changes in the morphology of viral membrane alterations upon SIL treatment of a susceptible genotype 1b isolate, but not of a resistant NS4B mutant or genotype 2a, indicating that SIL might interfere with the formation of HCV replication sites. Conclusion: Mutations conferring partial resistance to SIL treatment in vivo and in cell culture argue for a mechanism involving NS4B. This novel mode of action renders SIL an attractive candidate for combination therapies with other directly acting antiviral drugs, particularly in difficult‐to‐treat patient cohorts. (HEPATOLOGY 2013)
Method of Moments Simulation of Infinitely Periodic Structures Combining Metal With Connected Dielectric Objects

A method of moments (MoM) technique is described for the simulation of infinitely periodic structures made of complex elements, involving both metal and dielectric parts. A numerical approach based on the MoM was developed, using the EFIE formulation for metallic objects and a modified PMCHWT formulation for the air-dielectric interfaces. The method is also based on an efficient algorithm for the computation of the singly and doubly periodic Green's functions and their gradients. The use of such functions for both inside and outside problems enables the analysis of. structures where the dielectric volumes of successive cells are connected. The accuracy of the MoM approach is assessed in several cases, based on energy conservation checks and on comparisons with analytical models and data available in the literature. Examples are shown for arrays of disconnected and connected dielectric objects, dielectric electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) superstrates and dielectric slabs. Examples with metallic parts embedded in connected dielectric material are given in the case of frequency selective surfaces (FSS) and tapered-slot antennas.
Isolation of simian immunodeficiency virus from african green monkeys and seroepidemiologic survey of the virus in various non‐human primates

Sixteen isolates of simian retrovirus closely related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were obtained from healthy African green monkeys (AGM) (Cercopithecus aethiops). The first isolate was obtained from a monkey seropositive for HIV, and the others were isolated from monkeys harboring antibodies to the first isolate. These simian retro‐viruses were referred to as simian immunodeficiency virus from AGM, SIV[AGM], due to their cross‐reactivities with HIV structural proteins. These SIV[AGM] isolates were found by Western blotting analysis to have virus‐specific proteins of 120, 66, 55, 32–40, 24 and 17 kDa, which were all similar in size to the analogous proteins of HIV. Putative gas proteins of p55, p24 and pl7 were recognized by sera of human AIDS patients, but the corresponding env proteins of 32–40 and 120 kDa showed only weak cross‐reactivity with those of HIV. The transmembrane glycoproteins of these 3 SIV[AGM] isolates showed size heterogeneity, being 32, 35 and 40 kDa. This virus had particles that were morphologically similar to those of HIV, and had Mg2+ ‐dependent reverse transcriptase. Furthermore, the SIV[AGM] showed tropism and cytopathic effects on CD4‐positive human cell tines. In a sero‐epidemiological survey of SIV[AGM] in various non‐human primates, 2 other African monkey species, the mandrill and de Brazza's monkey, were also found to have antibodies to SIV[AGM]. These HIV‐related simian retroviruses will be important in determining the origin and transmission of HIV group viruses, and may provide useful animal models for studies on the infection and pathogenesis of HIV and AIDS.
Mothers' mental health and infant growth: a case-control study from Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies in Pakistan show high rates of depression in women, while rates of malnutrition in children are also high. This study aimed to determine whether poor maternal mental health is associated with an increased risk of infant undernutrition. METHODS Clinic-based case-control study. A total of 172 consecutive infants and their mothers attending for 9-month measles immunization were recruited over a 3-month period. Eighty-two undernourished infants [weight for age below the National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS)/World Health Organization (WHO) third centile] were matched to 90 controls (weight for age above 10th centile), and their mothers interviewed for mental distress using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (WHO SRQ-20, a psychiatric screening instrument). Infants' exposure to maternal distress (score > or = 10 on SRQ-20) and other potential risk or protective biological, social, socio-economic and family factors were measured. RESULTS Mental distress determined by WHO SRQ-20 was associated with increased risk of undernutrition in infants (odds ratio 3.91, 95% confidence interval 1.95-7.86). This association remained significant after controlling for birthweight and social factors. CONCLUSION Exposure to maternal mental distress is associated with undernutrition in 9-month infants in urban Pakistan. These mothers may represent a group whose children are at higher risk of ill health, and potentially be a specific target for advice on infant care. Early recognition and treatment of mental health problems in mothers may help reduce morbidity and mortality rates in children.
Association study of the short tandem repeat in the 5' upstream region of the cholecystokinin gene with mood disorders in the Japanese population.

We have recently identified a novel polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) in the 5' upstream region of the cholecystokinin (CCK) gene and reported its association with panic disorder. A linkage study of affective disorder showed a modest linkage signal on the short arm of chromosome 3, the location of the CCK gene. Furthermore, clinical comorbidity of depression and anxiety disorders have been documented. In the present study, we examined a possible association of the CCK STR with mood disorders. We genotyped 165 subjects with mood disorders consisting of unipolar and bipolar disorders and 253 control samples. However, no significant allelic associations were detected between the STR and either the combined mood disorders (P = 0.885), the unipolar group (P = 0.296), or the bipolar group (P = 0.605). These data suggest that the CCK promoter STR is unlikely to have a major genetic effect on the development of mood disorders in the Japanese population.
G3-PLC specification for powerline communication: Overview, system simulation and field trial results

An overview of a new physical layer specification for powerline communication, named G3-PLC, is presented. The specification uses OFDM for data transmission and is intended to operate in the low-frequency band, from 35.9 kHz to 90.6 kHz. Simulation results are presented showing the expected performance of a typical G3-PLC-compliant modem when operating in a powerline channel, followed by field trial results showing performance of several G3-PLC modems operating on actual MV and LV powerline channels. In particular, results are presented for the first time showing performance of modems residing on opposite sides of a 20kV – 220V transformer that interfaces an MV powerline to an LV powerline.
Pre-operative hypoalbuminemia in colorectal cancer patients undergoing elective surgery - a major risk factor for postoperative outcome.

BACKGROUND The incidence of hypoalbuminemia in surgical patients varies in different studies with age, tumor stage, time interval to the first referral to a doctor, symptoms of disease and nutritional habits of the population. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of hypoalbuminemia in colorectal cancer patients undergoing scheduled surgery in an academic hospital in Romania and the impact of hypoalbuminemia on perioperative outcome. The secondary objective was to identify other possible risk factors for the post operative outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS 252 patients undergoing scheduled colorectal surgery with anastomosis have been enrolled in the study. Incidence of hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin 3.5 g dL), fistulas and other postoperative complications (e.g.infections) has been evaluated. LOS and 30-days mortality have also been evaluated comparatively in patients with normal and low serum albumin. RESULTS 28.9% of our patients were hypoalbuminemic. The incidence of fistulas was 5.5 % in the study group and 2.3% and 13.3% in patients with normal serum albumin and hypoalbuminemic patients, respectively (p=0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the OR was 6.65 [95% CI:2.01-21.96] inpatients with moderate hypoalbuminemia and 24.75 [95% CI:6.75-90.67] in patients with severe hypoalbuminemia.Association between alcohol consumption and smoking increased risk ratio to 1.96 [95% CI: 0.51-7.46]. CONCLUSION The high incidence of hypoalbuminemia in our patients justifies preoperative nutritional interventions and specific surgical protocols in emergency cases. Further studies are needed to exactly quantify the impact of smoking and alcohol consumption on postoperative outcome.
Adaptation of the attention network in human immunodeficiency virus brain injury

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–positive patients commonly have attention and concentration problems. However, it remains unclear how HIV infection affects the attention network. Therefore, blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD‐fMRI) was performed in 36 subjects (18 HIV and 18 seronegative [SN] controls) during a set of visual attention tasks with increasing levels of attentional load. Compared with SN controls, HIV subjects showed similar task performance (accuracies and reaction times) but decreased activation in the normal visual attention network (dorsal parietal, bilateral prefrontal, and cerebellar regions) and increased activation in adjacent or contralateral brain regions. Cognitive performance (assessed with NPZ‐8), CD4, and viral load all correlated with activated BOLD signals in brain regions that activated more in HIV subjects. Furthermore, HIV subjects activated more than SN controls in brain regions that showed load‐dependent increase in activation (right prefrontal and right parietal regions) but less in regions that showed a saturation effect with increasing load. These findings suggest that HIV‐associated brain injury leads to reduced efficiency in the normal attention network, thus requiring reorganization and increased usage of neural reserves to maintain performance during attention‐requiring tasks. Exceeding the brain reserve capacity may lead to attention deficits and cognitive impairment in HIV patients. Ann Neurol 2004;56:259–272