Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparison of slow, uphill and fast, level walking on lower extremity biomechanics and tibiofemoral joint loading in obese and nonobese adults

We determined if slow, uphill walking (0.75 m/s, 6°) reduced tibiofemoral (TF) loading compared to faster, level walking (1.50 m/s) in obese and nonobese adults. We collected kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic data as 9 moderately obese and 10 nonobese participants walked on a dual‐belt instrumented treadmill. We used OpenSim to scale a musculoskeletal model and calculate joint kinematics, kinetics, muscle forces, and TF forces. Compressive TF forces were greater in the obese adults during both speed/grade combinations. During level walking, obese participants walked with a straighter leg than nonobese participants, resulting in early stance vasti muscle forces that were similar in the obese and nonobese participants. Early stance peak compressive TF forces were reduced by 23% in obese (2,352 to 1,811 N) and 35% in nonobese (1,994 to 1,303 N) individuals during slow, uphill walking compared to brisk level walking. Late stance peak TF forces were similar across speeds/grades, but were greater in obese (∼2,900 N) compared to nonobese (∼1,700 N) individuals. Smaller early stance TF loads and loading rates suggest that slow, uphill walking may be appropriate exercise for obese individuals at risk for musculoskeletal pathology or pain. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 32:324–330, 2014.
Structure of the Mitochondrial Translocator Protein in Complex with a Diagnostic Ligand

Translocation in Injury The translocator protein TSPO is essential for the import of cholesterol and porphyrins into mitochondria. TSPO expression increases in areas of brain injury and during neuroinflammation and, thus, has diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Jaremko et al. (p. 1363) used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine the high-resolution structure of the 18- kilodalton mammalian TSPO with the ligand PK11195, which stabilized the structure and resolved the conformation as a tight bundle of five helices. A ligand stabilizes a mammalian mitochondrial cholesterol transporter, allowing high-resolution structural analysis. The 18-kilodalton translocator protein TSPO is found in mitochondrial membranes and mediates the import of cholesterol and porphyrins into mitochondria. In line with the role of TSPO in mitochondrial function, TSPO ligands are used for a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic applications in animals and humans. We present the three-dimensional high-resolution structure of mammalian TSPO reconstituted in detergent micelles in complex with its high-affinity ligand PK11195. The TSPO-PK11195 structure is described by a tight bundle of five transmembrane α helices that form a hydrophobic pocket accepting PK11195. Ligand-induced stabilization of the structure of TSPO suggests a molecular mechanism for the stimulation of cholesterol transport into mitochondria.
Comparison of Two Home Blood Pressure Monitors with a Mercury Sphygmomanometer in an Ambulatory Population

We performed a randomized, single‐visit, crossover study to compare the precision of a digital monitor and an aneroid monitor relative to a desktop mercury sphygmomanometer (DMS). Three blood pressure measurements per patient, one per device, were taken over 25 minutes. Of 99 patients, 95 had complete blood pressure data. Systolic blood pressures measured with the digital monitor were significantly different from those with the DMS (p<0.01). Thirty‐four percent of systolic and 48% of diastolic pressures measured with the digital monitor were within ± 5 mm Hg of the DMS. The aneroid monitor performed significantly better than the digital monitor, with 54% of systolic (p<0.01) and 58% of diastolic blood pressures within ± 5 mm Hg of the DMS standard. Health care providers are encouraged to supervise patients' initial use of a home blood pressure monitor and calibrate readings against a standard mercury sphygmomanometer.
Implication of neuropilin 2/semaphorin 3F in retinocollicular map formation

Neural representations of the environment within the brain take the form of topographic maps whose formation relies on graded expression of axon guidance molecules. Retinocollicular map formation, from retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to the superior colliculus (SC) in the midbrain, is mainly driven by Eph receptors and their ligands ephrins. However, other guidance molecules participate in the formation of this map. Here we demonstrate that the receptor Neuropilin‐2 is expressed in an increasing nasal–temporal gradient in RGCs, whereas one of its ligands, Semaphorin3F, but not other Sema3 molecules, presents a graded low‐rostral to high‐caudal expression in the SC when mapping is underway. Neuropilin‐2 and its coreceptor Plexin A1 are present on RGC growth cones. Collapse assays demonstrate that Semaphorin3F induces significant growth cone collapse of temporal, but not nasal, RGCs expressing high levels of Neuropilin‐2. Our results suggest that Neuropilin‐2/Semaphorin3F are new candidates involved in retinotopy formation within the SC. Developmental Dynamics 237:3394–3403, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Decay kinetics and Bose condensation in a gas of spin-polarized triplet helium.

We consider the decay kinetics of a trapped spin-polarized gas of metastable triplet helium 4He(2'S) at ultralow temperatures. The sample lifetime is found to be determined by spin relaxation and Penning ionization, both induced by spin-dipole interaction in pair collisions. The rates of these processes are calculated. The Penning ionization proves to be 5 orders of magnitude slower than in the unpolarized case. The results indicate that spin-polarized triplet helium is a promising candidate for Bose-Einstein condensation.
Observations of Ablation Dynamics in Wire-Array $Z$-Pinch Experiments on the Llampüdkeñ Generator

Wire-array Z-pinch experiments have been performed on the Llampüdkeñ generator (~470 kA in ~410 ns) [Chuaqui et al., Laser Part. Beams 15, 241 (1997)] using an overmassed load of aluminum wires. Time-resolved optical laser schlieren and extreme ultraviolet imaging were used in order to study the plasma ablation dynamics. The results show the formation and subsequent ablation of plasma from the wires, followed by the appearance of a precursor plasma column on the axis. According to these results and to the rocket model of wire ablation, an ablation velocity of (1.7-2.6) × 105 m/s is estimated, which is larger than those obtained in faster generators. Additionally, the main resemblances and differences with previous experiments are presented, allowing in this way to open the study of this configuration in smaller scale machines.
Influence of Chloroquine or Acid Treatment of Human Platelets on the Antigenicity of HLA and the ‘Thrombocyte‐Specific’ Glycoproteins Ia/IIa, IIb, and IIb/IIIa

The influence of treatment of platelets with citrate buffer (pH 7.2), chloroquine, or citric acid at pH 3 on the expression of HLA class I antigens and ‘thrombocyte‐specific’ glycoproteins was investigated by means of flow cytometry. After treatment with citric acid at pH 3 and chloroquine, the expression of HLA class I was significantly reduced, while the density of the molecules GPIa/IIa, GPIIb, and GPIIb/IIIa (GP = glycoprotein) carrying ‘thrombocyte‐specific’ antigens was not or only weakly decreased on the surface of the platelets. The use of two monoclonal antibodies (HC‐10 and HC‐A2) against the native heavy chain of the HLA class I molecule revealed that ‘antigen stripping’ with chloroquine or citric acid does not affect the entire molecule: only the β2‐microglobulin is cleaved, or only some epitopes on the heavy chain are altered by this procedure. The treatment with citric acid yielded better results with respect to the removal of HLA class I activity and the preservation of ‘thrombocyte‐specific’ glycoproteins. The presence of the heavy chain of HLA class I molecules on the surface of platelets after treatment with citric acid and chloroquine confirms the hypothesis that platelets ‐ like nucleated cells ‐ bear HLA class I antigens inserted in the cell by a cytoplasmic and a transmembrane domain.
Effect of carbon and nitrogen nutrition on growth and sporulation of Trichoderma viride Pers. ex Fries.

Three isolates of Trichoderma viride Pers. ex Fries were grown in liquid cultures. The isolates grew best on media containing glucose, sucrose, cellobiose, and mannitol.Asparagine and ammonium nitrate proved to be the best sources of nitrogen for the three isolates although isolate 1503 did not show any significant preferences for the five sources of nitrogen. The amounts of carbon and nitrogen in the basal medium significantly influenced the growth of the three isolates. However, the addition of asparagine alone did not produce a better growth than in the control. There is no correlation between sporulation and dry weight of culture, the amounts of carbon in the medium, and C/N ratio. Implications of the findings are briefly discussed.
A Carboxy-Terminally Truncated Form of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vpr Protein Induces Apoptosis via G1 Cell Cycle Arrest

ABSTRACT Viral protein R (Vpr) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 inhibits cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G2 phase and inducing to apoptosis after G2arrest. We have reported previously that C81, a carboxy-terminally truncated form of Vpr, interferes with cell proliferation via a novel pathway that is distinct from G2 arrest. However, the mechanism of this effect of C81 is unknown. We demonstrate here that C81 can induce apoptosis via G1 arrest of the cell cycle. Immunostaining for various markers of stages of the cell cycle and flow cytometry analysis of DNA content showed that most HeLa cells that had been transiently transfected with a C81 expression vector were arrested at the G1 phase and not at the G2 or S phase of the cell cycle. Staining for annexin V, which binds phosphatidylserine on the plasma membrane, as an early indicator of apoptosis and measurement of the activity of caspase-3, a signaling molecule in apoptotic pathways, indicated that C81 is a strong inducer of apoptosis. Expression of C81 induced the condensation, fragmentation, and clumping of chromatin that are typical of apoptosis. Furthermore, the kinetics of the C81-induced G1 arrest were closely correlated with changes in the number of annexin V-positive cells and the activity of caspase-3. Replacement of Ile or Leu residues by Pro at positions 60, 67, 74, and 81 within the leucine zipper-like domain of C81 revealed that Ile60, Leu67, and Ile74 play important roles both in the C81-induced G1 arrest and in apoptosis. Thus, it appears that C81 induces apoptosis through pathways that are identical to those utilized for G1 arrest of the cell cycle. It has been reported that Ile60, Leu67, and Ile74 also play an important role in the C81-induced suppression of growth. These results suggest that the suppression of growth induced by C81 result in apoptosis that is independent of G2 arrest of the cell cycle.
[Chronic fatigue syndrome treated with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical therapeutic effects and safety of chronic fatigue syndrome treated with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the conception vessel and the governor vessel. METHODS Eighty-nine patients of chronic fatigue syndrome were randomized into an observation group (46 cases) and a control group (43 cases). In the observation group, TEAS was applied at Dazhui (GV 14) and Mingmen (GV 4), Shenque (CV 8) and Guanyuan (CV 4) [the current intensity: (14±2) mA]. In the control group, the simulated TEAS was applied at the same acupoints as the observation group (the current intensity: 1 mA). The treatment was given for 30 min, once a day, 5 times a week and the treatment of 4 weeks was as 1 session in the two groups. One session of treatment was required. Before treatment and at the end of 1 session of treatment, the fatigue severity scale (FSS) was adopted to evaluate the fatigue symptoms and the somatic and psychological health report (SPHERE) was adopted to evaluate the potential symptoms and observe the safety of TEAS therapy. RESULTS At the end of treatment, FSS score and SPHERE score in the control group were not different significantly as compared with those before treatment (both P>0.05). FSS score and SPHERE score in the observation group were reduced significantly as compared with those before treatment (both P<0.01). FSS score and SPHERE score in the observation group were reduced apparently as compared with those in the control group (both P<0.001). In the entire process of treatment with TEAS, no any adverse reaction occurred. CONCLUSION TEAS on the conception vessel and the governor vessel relieves fatigue symptoms and the potential symptoms in the patients of chronic fatigue syndrome. It is a safe therapy.
IL‐17 Deficiency Attenuates Allograft Injury and Prolongs Survival in a Murine Model of Fully MHC‐Mismatched Renal Allograft Transplantation

IL‐17 is a pro‐inflammatory cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However the role of IL‐17 in renal allograft rejection has not been fully explored. Here, we investigate the impact of IL‐17 in a fully MHC‐mismatched, life‐sustaining, murine model of kidney allograft rejection using IL‐17 deficient donors and recipients (IL‐17−/− allografts). IL‐17−/− allografts exhibited prolonged survival which was associated with reduced expression of the Th1 cytokine IFN‐γ and histological attenuation of acute and chronic allograft rejection, as compared to wild‐type allograft recipients. Results were confirmed in WT allograft recipients treated with an IL‐17 blocking antibody. Subsequent experiments using either donors or recipients deficient in IL‐17 showed a trend towards prolongation of survival only when recipients were IL‐17−/−. Administration of a depleting anti‐CD25 antibody to IL‐17−/− recipients abrogated the survival advantage conferred by IL‐17 deficiency, suggesting the involvement of a CD4+CD25+ T cell regulatory mechanism. Therefore, IL‐17 deficiency or neutralization was protective against the development of kidney allograft rejection, which may be mediated by impairment of Th1 responses and/or enhanced protection by Tregs.
Cotard delusion after brain injury

Synopsis A right-handed young man with contusions affecting temporo-parietal areas of the right cerebral hemisphere and some bilateral frontal lobe damage became convinced that he was dead (the Cotard delusion), and experienced difficulties in recognizing familiar faces, buildings and places, as well as feelings of derealization. Neuropsychological investigation while these symptoms were resolving revealed impairment on face processing tests. We suggest that these impairments contributed to his Cotard delusion by heightening feelings of unreality, and that the underlying pathophysiology and neuropsychology of the Cotard delusion may be related to other problems involving delusional misidentification.
On the Characteristics of Radome Enclosed Archimedean Spiral Antennas

The effects of the superspheroidal radomes on the characteristics of Archimedean spiral antennas are investigated in detail, which may provide some useful insights in the design of the radome-antenna system in practical engineering. All interactions between the radome and antennas are rigorously included in the coupled surface integral equation (CSIE) model, which leads to more accurate results than those of the existing methods based on the high-frequency algorithm or the decoupled radome-antenna analysis procedure especially when the antennas are placed in the close proximity of the radome. Numerical results show that the performance of the spiral antenna is significantly changed due to the presence of the radome.
Developing fruit direct post-floral morphogenesis in Helleborus niger L.

In fertilized flowers of Helleborus niger L. , the sepals (the showy elements of the perianth at anthesis) grow, spread, and turn green, and the peduncles elongate. These processes did not proceed to completion when the pistils were removed at the bud stage, but could be restored by the application of plant growth regulators. Cytokinins and gibberellins stimulated the formation of well-developed chloroplasts in, and spreading of, the sepals; the gibberellin, GA3, and the auxin, 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid, promoted peduncle elongation. In fruit-bearing flowers, on the other hand, paclobutrazol, an inhibitor of gibberellin biosynthesis, reduced chlorophyll formation in the sepals, reversed sepal spreading, and inhibited peduncle elongation. Of the endogenous growth regulators in developing fruit, the following cytokinins were identified: zeatin, dihydrozeatin, N6-(2-isopentenyl)adenine and their ribosides and 9-glucosides. Zeatin riboside drastically increased in abundance (about 200 times), shortly after fertilization, when chlorophyll accumulation in the sepals occurred at the fastest rate, and remained the most prominent identified cytokinin until seed ripening.
Reliability of Differentiating Human Coronary Plaque Morphology Using Contrast-Enhanced Multislice Spiral Computed Tomography: A Comparison With Histology

Background: Initial clinical results indicate that multislice spiral computed tomography (MDCT) might be useful for the noninvasive characterization of human coronary plaque morphology by determining tissue density within the lesions. This seems to be of clinical relevance, because coronary artery disease might be detected at an early stage before calcifications occur and noncalcified plaques that may be more likely to rupture could also be visualized noninvasively. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reliability of contrast-enhanced MDCT in differentiating human atherosclerotic coronary plaque morphology by comparing it with the histopathologic gold standard. Methods and Results: Twelve human hearts were scanned postmortem using an MDCT (Somatom Volume Zoom; Siemens, Forchheim, Germany) high-resolution computed tomography scanner to detect atherosclerotic coronary plaques. Density measurements were performed within detected plaque areas. The exact location of each plaque was marked at the surface of the heart to assure accurate histopathologic sectioning of these lesions. The plaques were classified according to a modified Stary classification. Seventeen plaques were identified by MDCT. Six plaques were histopathologically classified as lipid rich (Stary III/IV), 6 plaques as intermediate (Stary V), and 5 plaques as calcific (Stary VII). Lipid-rich plaques had a mean density on MDCT of 42 ± 22 Hounsfield units (HU), intermediate plaques had a mean density of 70 ± 21 HU, and calcific plaques had a mean density of 715 ± 328 HU. ANOVA analysis revealed a significant difference in plaque density between the 3 groups (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The comparison with histopathology confirms that tissue density as determined by contrast-enhanced MDCT might be used to differentiate atherosclerotic plaque morphology.
Sequence Analysis of Fluoroquinolone Resistance-Associated Genes gyrA and gyrB in Clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from Patients Suspected of Having Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in New Delhi, India

ABSTRACT Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are broad-spectrum antibiotics recommended for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients. FQ resistance, caused by mutations in the gyrA and gyrB genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is increasingly reported worldwide; however, information on mutations occurring in strains from the Indian subcontinent is scarce. Hence, in this study, we aimed to characterize mutations in the gyrA and gyrB genes of acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear-positive sediments or of M. tuberculosis isolates from AFB smear-negative samples from patients in India suspected of having MDR-TB. A total of 152 samples from patients suspected of having MDR-TB were included in the study. One hundred forty-six strains detected in these samples were characterized by sequencing of the gyrA and gyrB genes. The extracted DNA was subjected to successive amplifications using a nested PCR protocol, followed by sequencing. A total of 27 mutations were observed in the gyrA genes of 25 strains, while no mutations were observed in the gyrB genes. The most common mutations occurred at amino acid position 94 (13/27 [48.1%]); of these, the D94G mutation was the most prevalent. The gyrA mutations were significantly associated with patients with rifampin (RIF)-resistant TB. Heterozygosity was seen in 4/27 (14.8%) mutations, suggesting the occurrence of mixed populations with different antimicrobial susceptibilities. A high rate of FQ-resistant mutations (17.1%) was obtained among the isolates of TB patients suspected of having MDR-TB. These observations emphasize the need for accurate and rapid molecular tests for the detection of FQ-resistant mutations at the time of MDR-TB diagnosis.
Multicenter phase II study to evaluate a 28-day regimen of oral fluorouracil plus eniluracil in the treatment of patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE To determine the efficacy of fluorouracil (5-FU) plus eniluracil when administered to patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this single-arm phase II study, patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer received oral eniluracil plus 5-FU (10:1 dose ratio), at 5-FU doses of 1.00 mg/m(2) or 1.15 mg/m(2) twice daily (every 12 hours) for 28 consecutive days repeated every 5 weeks (one cycle). Treatment continued until there was documented disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS Thirty and 25 patients were enrolled at a starting dose of 1.00 mg/m(2) and 1.15 mg/m(2), respectively. Fourteen (25%) of 55 patients (95% confidence interval, 15% to 39%) had a partial response, and 20 patients (36%) had stable disease. The median durations of the partial responses and stable disease were 23.9 weeks (range, 12.3 to 52.1+ weeks) and 24.1 weeks (range, 17.1 to 55.6+ weeks), respectively. The median durations of progression-free and overall survival were 22.6 weeks (range, 21.0 to 29.0 weeks) and 59 weeks (range, 4 to 84+ weeks), respectively. The response rate in the 1.15 mg/m(2)-dose group was similar to the 1.00 mg/m(2)-dose group (28% v 23%, respectively). Severe (grade 3/4) nonhematologic treatment-related toxicity included diarrhea (nine patients), nausea/vomiting (one patient each), mucositis (two patients), and anorexia (one patient). Severe hematologic toxicities were rare. At the 1.15 mg/m(2)-dose level, two patients exhibited grade 3 granulocytopenia, and two patients had grade 3 anemia. CONCLUSION The response rate with oral 5-FU plus eniluracil is comparable with that observed with infusional 5-FU or bolus 5-FU and leucovorin. The toxicity profile of this oral regimen is acceptable for use in an outpatient home-based setting.