Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CHROMATOGRAPHlC SEPARATION OF HUMAN BRAIN GANGLIOSIDES *

GANGLIOSIDES are defined as acylsphingosyl oligosaccharides containing sialic acid (KLENK, 1942). For several years brain gangliosides were considered to contain a common carbohydrate moiety (KLENK and LAUENSTEIN, 1953 ; BOGOCH, 1958). The occurrence of brain gangliosides with different carbohydrate moieties was suggested (SVENNERHOLM, 1956, 1957a), since different ganglioside preparations varied in their composition and behaviour on cellulose columns. KUHN and EGGE (1959) confirmed the chromatographic separation of brain gangliosides and showed that the slowmoving gangliosides had a considerably more complicated structure than the fastmoving ones. During the last two years reports have appeared from many laboratories on the complexity of brain gangliosides. SVENNEMOLM and RAAL (1961) isolated monoand disialogangliosides from human brains, KUHN, WIEGANDT and EGGE (1961) found one inonosialoganglioside, two disialogangliosides and one trisialoganglioside in human and calf brains, and DAIN, et al. (1962) isolated four components from ox brain with similar composition to those of KUHN et al. (1961). KLENK and GIELEN (19614 isolated the hexosamine-containing and the hexosaniinefree monosialogangliosides originally postulated by SVENNERHOLM (19576). In a recent communication (SVENNERHOLM, 1962) it was shown that predominantly the gangliosides have a common basic structure : N-acyl-sphingosine-glucose-galactoseN-acetylgalactosamine-galactose to which one or more molecules of N-acetylneuraininic acid are bound. In the present report chromatographic methods for the quantitative isolation and separation of human brain gangliosides are described. These methods have been applied to studies of the ganglioside fraction of normal foetal, infant and adult brains while several different gangliosides have been isolated and further characterized. A knowledge of the normal ganglioside pattern is important in the study of the metabolism of the gangliosides but it is also necessary for the detection of disturbances in ganglioside metabolism. In infantile amaurotic idiocy (SVENNERHOLM, 1962) for example, there are no abnormal gangliosides but excessive amounts of a ganglioside are present which normally constitute only a few per cent of the total ganglioside fraction. It is likely that in several other mental or neurological disorders there is a disturbance of the normal ganglioside pattern. As this can now be determined by simple chromatographic methods it will be quite easy to detect minor deviations from the normal ganglioside metabolism.
Biocompatibility of electroactive polymers in tissues.

The biocompatibility of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVAc), polyethylene (PE), and polyaniline (PANi) films in the emeraldine (EM), nigraniline (NA) and leucoemeraldine (LM) intrinsic oxidation states were assessed through subcutaneous implantation into male Sprague-Dawley rats beneath the dorsal skin, for a period ranging from 19 to 90 weeks. Histological examination, interstitial pressure measurement, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to determine the biocompatibility of the polymers. The polymers did not provoke inflammatory responses in the subcutaneous tissues over the entire implantation period. Characteristics features associated with tissue-implant incompatibility were not evident near the implantation. Interstitial pressure was measured to evaluate the development of tissue. Low interstitial pressure readings on the region of implantation confirmed the biocompatibility of these polymer types. The surface composition of the electroactive aniline polymers before and after the implantation was characterized by XPS.
FUNDAMENTALS OF AGING: IMMOBILIZATION OF PROTEINS IN WHOLE‐BODY IRRADIATED WHITE RATS

This study covers one phase of a larger program dealing in both natural and accelerated aging. In this instance, aging of rats has been accelerated using fractionated doses of whole-body X-irradiation a t weekly intervals over a twentyweek period. Subsequent reports will cover biochemical findings on naturally aged and chemically aged animals. The similarity between natural aging and the effects of ionizing irradiation has been emphasized by several authors (14). It therefore appeared of interest to determine whether or not immobilization of protein material was taking place in conjunction with continued whole-body irradiation, inasmuch as such immobilization by cross-linkage or otherwise, could be a common molecular basis for natural aging and irradiation toxicity (5-8). Although excellent reports are available in the literature which indicate that irradiation induces precocious aging, there are few direct comparisons of irradiated tissues with non-irradiated old tissues at the biochemical level. It is also noteworthy that there has been little or no standardization of dose or type of ionizing irradiation employed in the experimental development of senescence in mammals. The problem becomes even more complex when it is realized that the study of aging has been largely empirical in nature, and that few analytical data have thus far been amassed. In short, there is little scientific background to guide the researcher in this area of study.
Percepção dos usuários sobre acesso aos medicamentos na atenção primária

Pretende-se a avaliar o acesso aos medicamentos na atencao primaria a partir da perspectiva do usuario. Trata-se de estudo seccional com 692 usuarios, entrevistados na atencao primaria em Blumenau, no Estado de Santa Catarina, no ano de 2010. Foram estudadas variaveis que estimam algumas dimensoes do acesso em relacao a duas modalidades de atencao primaria. As associacoes foram testadas por meio dos testes de qui-quadrado e t de Student. A maioria era do sexo feminino (78,0%), com media de idade de 43,3 anos, e utilizava 2,6 medicamentos em media. O acesso a medicamentos foi de 75,0%. A mediana de tempo de espera foi de 3,0 minutos, e de dispensacao, 2,0 minutos. Usuarios assistidos por equipes de Estrategias Saude da Familia, quando comparados com aqueles dos Ambulatorios Gerais, eram mais idosos (26,8% vs 18,5%; p<0,0001), de menor escolaridade (74,6% vs 60,9%; p<0,01), tomavam em media mais medicamentos (3,0 vs 2,2; p<0,0001), estocavam menos medicamentos nos domicilios (37,2% vs 63,5%; p<0,0001) e recebiam menos informacoes sobre como acessar medicamentos nao disponiveis (56,9% vs 90,1%; p<0,0001), e mais informacoes sobre as possiveis interacoes medicamentosas (13,6% vs 6,6%; p<0,005) e sobre as reacoes adversas (23,5% vs 11,9%; p<0,0001), respectivamente. A avaliacao do acesso aos medicamentos pode fornecer subsidios para melhorar as praticas profissionais nas diversas modalidades de atencao primaria.
Critical remarks on Landauer's principle of erasure-dissipation: Including notes on Maxwell demons and Szilard engines

We briefly address Landauer's Principle and some related issues in thermal demons. We show that an error-free Turing computer works in the zero-entropy limit, which proves Landauer's derivation incorrect. To have a physical logic gate, memory or information-engine, a few essential components necessary for the operation of these devices are often neglected, such as various aspects of control, damping and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. We also point out that bit erasure is typically not needed or used for the functioning of computers or engines (except for secure erasure).
Structural heterogeneity in the megathrust zone and mechanism of the 2011 Tohoku‐oki earthquake (Mw 9.0)

The great 2011 Tohoku‐oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) and its 339 foreshocks and 5,609 aftershocks (9–27 March 2011) were relocated using a three‐dimensional seismic velocity model and local P and S wave arrival times. The distribution of relocated hypocenters was compared with a tomographic image of the Northeast Japan forearc. The comparison indicates that the rupture nucleation of the largest events in the Tohoku‐oki sequence, including the mainshock, was controlled by structural heterogeneities in the megathrust zone.
Interpreting Bistability Using Probabilistic Inference

Perceptual multistability refers to the phenomenon of spontaneous perceptual switching between two or more likely interpretations of an image. Although frequently explained by processes of adaptation or hysteresis, we show that perceptual switching can arise as a natural by-product of performing probabilistic (Bayesian) inference, which interprets images by combining probabilistic models of image formation with knowledge of scene regularities. Empirically, we investigated the effect of introducing scene regularities on Necker cube bistability by flanking the Necker cube with fields of unambiguous cubes that are oriented to coincide with one of the Necker cube percepts. We show that background cubes increase the time spent in percepts most similar to the background. To characterize changes in the temporal dynamics of the perceptual alternations beyond percept durations, we introduce Markov Renewal Processes (MRPs). MRPs provide a general mathematical framework for describing probabilistic switching behavior in finite state processes. Finally, we introduce a simple theoretical model consistent with Bayesian models of vision that involves searching for good interpretations of an image by sampling a posterior distribution coupled with a decay process that favors recent to old interpretations. The model has the same quantitative characteristics as our human data and variation in model parameters can capture between-subject variation. Because the model produces the same kind of stochastic process found in human perceptual behavior, we conclude that multistability may represent an unavoidable by-product normal perceptual inference with ambiguous images.
How should we construct psychiatric family history scores? A comparison of alternative approaches from the Dunedin Family Health History Study

Background There is increased interest in assessing the family history of psychiatric disorders for both genetic research and public health screening. It is unclear how best to combine family history reports into an overall score. We compare the predictive validity of different family history scores. Method Probands from the Dunedin Study (n=981, 51% male) had their family history assessed for nine different conditions. We computed four family history scores for each disorder: (1) a simple dichotomous categorization of whether or not probands had any disordered first-degree relatives; (2) the observed number of disordered first-degree relatives; (3) the proportion of first-degree relatives who are disordered; and (4) Reed's score, which expressed the observed number of disordered first-degree relatives in terms of the number expected given the age and sex of each relative. We compared the strength of association between each family history score and probands' disorder outcome. Results Each score produced significant family history associations for all disorders. The scores that took account of the number of disordered relatives within families (i.e. the observed, proportion, and Reed's scores) produced significantly stronger associations than the dichotomous score for conduct disorder, alcohol dependence and smoking. Taking account of family size (i.e. using the proportion or Reed's score) produced stronger family history associations depending on the prevalence of the disorder among family members. Conclusions Dichotomous family history scores can be improved upon by considering the number of disordered relatives in a family and the population prevalence of the disorder.
Energetics of Base Pairs in B-DNA in Solution: An Appraisal of Potential Functions and Dielectric Treatments

The energetics of base pairs in B-DNA in solution has been estimated via recently reported versions of someempirical potential energy functions, namely, AMBER, CHARMM, GROMOS, and OPLS used commonlyin biomolecular simulations. The electrostatic component of the interaction energy between bases involvedin Watson-Crick pairing in B-DNA in aqueous environment, evaluated via the finite difference Poisson-Boltzmann methodology with all the above force fields, is in the range of -2to-3 kcal/mol per H-bond.An examination of different dielectric functions used in conjunction with the above force fields suggests thata sigmoidal function, with an estimate of -2 kcal/mol per H-bond, comes closest to mimicking the electrostaticsof AT and GC base pairs under aqueous conditions.
Sex‐specific familial risks of urinary bladder cancer and associated neoplasms in Sweden

Male gender and a family history of cancer are established risk factors for urinary bladder neoplasms. This study used the latest update of the Swedish Family‐Cancer Database, which includes 42,255 bladder cancer patients, to investigate the sex‐specific incidences and types of tumors in relatives of bladder cancer patients. Men with parents or siblings affected by lung cancer did not show an increased risk of bladder neoplasms. Among women, the familial association was restricted to daughters of women with lung cancer. Brothers showed higher risks than the sons of bladder cancer patients. Men older than 54 years were at an increased risk of bladder cancer only if their fathers or siblings were diagnosed after age 65 years. The present data indicated a limited contribution of smoking to the familial clustering of bladder cancer with other neoplasms. The dependence of the relative risks on the type of familial relationship probably reflected a heterogeneous character of familial aggregation. Age‐specific results suggested differential risk factors for tumors diagnosed before 50 years of age versus neoplasms detected later in life. The present data may guide the design of forthcoming gene identification studies and the interpretation of the genome‐wide association studies that are about to be published. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Slit/Robo‐mediated chemorepulsion of vagal sensory axons in the fetal gut

Background: The vagus nerve descends from the brain to the gut during fetal life to reach specific targets in the bowel wall. Vagal sensory axons have been shown to respond to the axon guidance molecule netrin and to its receptor, deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC). As there are regions of the gut wall into which vagal axons do and do not extend, it is likely that a combination of attractive and repellent cues are involved in how vagal axons reach specific targets. We tested the hypothesis that Slit/Robo chemorepulsion can contribute to the restriction of vagal sensory axons to specific targets in the gut wall. Results: Transcripts encoding Robo1 and Robo2 were expressed in the nodose ganglia throughout development and mRNA encoding the Robo ligands Slit1, Slit2, and Slit3 were all found in the fetal and adult bowel. Slit2 protein was located in the outer gut mesenchyme in regions that partially overlap with the secretion of netrin‐1. Neurites extending from explanted nodose ganglia were repelled by Slit2. Conclusions: These observations suggest that vagal sensory axons are responsive to Slit proteins and are thus repelled by Slits secreted in the gut wall and prevented from reaching inappropriate targets. Developmental Dynamics 242:9–15, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
146Sm–142Nd systematics measured in enstatite chondrites reveals a heterogeneous distribution of 142Nd in the solar nebula

The short-lived 146Sm–142Nd chronometer (T1/2 = 103 Ma) is used to constrain the early silicate evolution of planetary bodies. The composition of bulk terrestrial planets is then considered to be similar to that of primitive chondrites that represent the building blocks of rocky planets. However for many elements chondrites preserve small isotope differences. In this case it is not always clear to what extent these variations reflect the isotope heterogeneity of the protosolar nebula rather than being produced by the decay of parent isotopes. Here we present Sm–Nd isotopes data measured in a comprehensive suite of enstatite chondrites (EC). The EC preserve 142Nd/144Nd ratios that range from those of ordinary chondrites to values similar to terrestrial samples. The EC having terrestrial 142Nd/144Nd ratios are also characterized by small 144Sm excesses, which is a pure p-process nuclide. The correlation between 144Sm and 142Nd for chondrites may indicate a heterogeneous distribution in the solar nebula of p-process matter synthesized in supernovae. However to explain the difference in 142Nd/144Nd ratios, 20% of the p-process contribution to 142Nd is required, at odds with the value of 4% currently proposed in stellar models. This study highlights the necessity of obtaining high-precision 144Sm measurements to interpret properly measured 142Nd signatures. Another explanation could be that the chondrites sample material formed in different pulses of the lifetime of asymptotic giant branch stars. Then the isotope signature measured in SiC presolar would not represent the unique s-process signature of the material present in the solar nebula during accretion.
Additive effects of hypertension and diabetes on renal cortical expression of PKC-alpha and -epsilon and alpha-tubulin but not PKC-beta 1 and -beta 2.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the separate and combined effects of hypertension and diabetes on renal cortical expression of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms -beta 1, -beta 2, -alpha and -epsilon, to determine whether albuminuria is the result of an increase in the expression of one or a combination of PKC isoforms. Corresponding changes in renal microtubules were also assessed. METHODS Diabetes (D) was induced in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) by streptozotocin. After 24 weeks, PKC expression was determined by Western blot and microtubules were assessed by immunohistochemistry for alpha-tubulin protein. RESULTS Diabetes was characterized by significant increases in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) as compared to controls (C). There was a significant increase of three- to four-fold in PKC protein content for all four isoforms in renal cortex from SHR-C and WKY-D, and similar and significant levels of albuminuria (approximately 10 mg/24 h) observed in these groups in comparison to WKY-C (approximately 1 mg/24 h). Interestingly, PKC-alpha and -epsilon but not PKC-beta 1 and -beta 2 protein content was doubled in SHR-D, and albuminuria increased tenfold (approximately 100 mg/24 h) in comparison to SHR-C and WKY-D. These changes were paralleled by a significant decrease in alpha-tubulin protein content of approximately 50% in SHR-C and approximately 33% in WKY-D compared to WKY-C, with a further decrease of approximately 67% in SHR-D compared to WKY-C. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that PKC expression can be increased by either diabetes or hypertension, and that there are further specific increases in the expression of PKC isoforms -alpha and -epsilon in the model of combined diabetes and hypertension. In addition, the degree of disruption in microtubular cytoskeleton appears to be correlated with PKC activation and levels of albuminuria.
[Risk factors of progressive brain contusion and relationship with outcome].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the risk factors of progressive brain contusion and to evaluate their impact on patients' outcome. METHODS One hundred and thirty two patients with traumatic brain contusion were enrolled in the study, including 70 cases with progressive contusion and 62 cases with non-progressive contusion. The risk factors were investigated with univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The univariate analysis showed that Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) at admission, contusion volume at the first brain CT scans, midline shift, combined with skull fracture, subarachnoid hemorrhage, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, location of brain contusion, D-dimer levels, combined with type 2 diabetes were associated with progressive brain contusion. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that GCS at admission, contusion volume at the first CT scans, combined with subarachnoid hemorrhage, combined with type 2 diabetes were the independent risk factors for disease progression. The outcome in the progressive group was more aggravated than that in non-progressive group (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION Patients with disturbance of consciousness, the larger contusion volume, combined with subarachnoid hemorrhage and diabetes are at risk for progressive brain contusion and unfavorable outcome.
Dexamethasone modulates osteogenesis and adipogenesis with regulation of osterix expression in rat calvaria‐derived cells

Osteoblasts and adipocytes originate from common mesenchymal progenitor cells and although a number of compounds can induce osteoblastic and adipogenic differentiation from progenitor cells, the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. The present study examined the synergistic effects of dexamethasone (Dex) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)‐2 on the differentiation of clonal mesenchymal progenitor cells isolated from rat calvaria into osteoblasts and adipocytes, as well as the effects of the timing of treatment. Cells were cultured for various periods of time in the presence of Dex and/or BMP‐2. When cells were treated with Dex + BMP‐2 during the early phase of differentiation, they differentiated into adipocytes. However, when cells were treated with Dex + BMP‐2 during the late phase of differentiation, a synergistic effect on in vitro matrix mineralization was observed. To examine differences between the early and late phases of differentiation, ALP activity was measured in the presence of BMP‐2. ALP activity increased markedly on Day 9, corresponding to the onset of the synergistic effect of Dex. Dex treatment inhibited osterix (OSX) expression in cells committed to adipogenic differentiation, but not in cells committed to osteogenic differentiation following BMP‐2 treatment. The isoform2 OSX promoter region was found to be involved in the effects of Dex on cells during the early phase of differentiation. Furthermore, cells stably expressing OSX (isoform2) formed mineralized nodules even though they had been treated with Dex + BMP‐2 during the early phase of differentiation. It appears that Dex modulates osteogenesis and adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells by regulating OSX expression. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 739–748, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Duration of incubation of fungal cultures

To determine the optimum duration of incubation for recovery of fungi, the results of 2,173 consecutive clinical cultures were reviewed. Overall, 94% of fungal isolates were detected by day 7 and 98% were detected by day 14. Yeasts were usually (98%) detected within the first week of incubation. Recovery of molds required more time, but 81% were detected by day 7 and more than 96% were detected by day 14.