Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcus aureus accessory gene regulator (agr) group II: is there a relationship to the development of intermediate-level glycopeptide resistance?

We previously determined that all 6 Staphylococcus aureus strains with confirmed intermediate-level resistance to glycopeptides (glycopeptide intermediate S. aureus [GISA]) from the United States that we tested belonged to accessory gene regulator (agr) group II. In the present study, we found that 56% of surveyed bloodstream methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolates (n = 148) at our hospital were agr group II, whereas only 24% of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates (n = 33) were agr group II (P = .001). Population analysis of genetically engineered agr-null and parent wild-type strains of groups I, II, and IV revealed that, when agr function is lost, the agr group II knockout S. aureus was most likely to develop glycopeptide heteroresistance after growth in 1 microg/mL but not 16 microg/mL vancomycin. This strain was unique in showing decreased autolysis after growth in these conditions. This study suggests that some S. aureus strains have an intrinsic survival advantage under a glycopeptide selective pressure, which is possibly related to reduced autolysis after exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of glycopeptide.
Electrophysiological Analysis of Human Neocortex In Vitro: Experimental Techniques and Methodological Approaches

ABSTRACT: In this review we summarize a number of technical and methodological approaches that have been used in our laboratory to study human brain slices maintained in vitro. The findings obtained in the course of these studies appear to be relevant in establishing he mechanisms that underlie physiological phenomena of the human brain such as synaptic plasticity or responses to neuroactive drugs. Moreover, these data are important for understanding certain fundamental mechanisms of epilepsy. In this respect, however, we aution that the mechanisms that apply to different forms of clinical epilepsy might be ifficult to find given the variability present in the pathogenesis of human epilepsy.
Contribution of 5-HT2 Receptor Subtypes to Sleep–Wakefulness and Respiratory Control, and Functional Adaptations in Knock-Out Mice Lacking 5-HT2A Receptors

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) plays key roles in sleep–wakefulness regulation. Evidence indicates that 5-HT2 receptors are involved mainly in non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) regulation and respiratory control. Here, we investigated the relative contribution of 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, and 5-HT2C receptor subtypes to NREMS and breathing during sleep, using 5-HT2 subtype-selective ligands in wild-type (5-HT2A+/+) and knock-out (5-HT2A–/–) mice that do not express 5-HT2A receptors. Acute blockade of 5-HT2A receptors induced an increase in NREMS in 5-HT2A+/+ mice, but not 5-HT2A–/– mutants, which spontaneously expressed less NREMS than wild-type animals. In 5-HT2A+/+ mice, 5-HT2B receptor blockade produced a reduction of NREMS, whereas receptor activation induced an increase in this sleep stage. These effects were less pronounced in 5-HT2A–/– mice, indicating a lower sensitivity of 5-HT2B receptors in mutants, with no change in 5-HT2B mRNA. Blockade of 5-HT2C receptors had no effect on NREMS in both strains. In addition, an increase in EEG power density after sleep deprivation was observed in 5-HT2A+/+ mice but not in 5-HT2A–/– mice. Whole-body plethysmographic recordings indicated that 5-HT2A receptor blockade in 5-HT2A+/+ mice reduced NREMS apneas and bradypneas that occurred after sighs. In contrast, in 5-HT2A–/– mutants, NREMS apneas were not modified, and bradypnea after sighs were more pronounced. Our results demonstrate that 5-HT exerts a 5-HT2B-mediated facilitation of NREMS, and an influence respectively inhibitory on NREMS and facilitatory on sleep apnea generation, via 5-HT2A receptors. Moreover, 5-HT2A gene knock-out leads to functional compensations yielding adaptive changes opposite to those caused by pharmacological blockade of 5-HT2A receptors in 5-HT2A+/+ mice.
Low-Current Vacuum Arcs With Short Arc Length in Magnetic Fields of Different Orientations: A Review

Investigations, carried out in recent years, of such characteristics of short-length low-current vacuum arcs as the mean current, conducted by the cathode spot; direction and velocity of motion of the spot; and arc voltage as a function of magnitude of the magnetic field vector and the angle of its inclination to the arc axis are discussed. Also, recent spectroscopic investigations of the column of the arc stabilized by a magnetic field normal to the cathode surface are discussed.
Usefulness of quantitative cultures of BAL fluid for diagnosing nosocomial pneumonia in ventilated patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of quantitative cultures of BAL for diagnosing nosocomial pneumonia in mechanically ventilated patients. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING Medical ICU, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France, an academic tertiary care center. PATIENTS A total of 141 episodes of suspected lung infection in 84 consecutive patients mechanically ventilated for 48 h or more. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Microbiologic findings obtained using BAL were compared with those obtained with protected specimen brush (PSB) samples and their operating characteristics were determined. The level of qualitative agreement between BAL and PSB specimen cultures was high, with 83% of the organisms isolated in PSB specimens being recovered simultaneously from BAL fluid. In addition, the results of quantitative BAL and PSB cultures were significantly correlated (rho = 0.46, p < 0.0001). Fifty-seven cases of pneumonia were diagnosed based on the following criteria: PSB sample yielding > or = 10(3) cfu/mL of at least one microorganism and/or > or = 5% of cells containing intracellular bacteria on direct examination of BAL. The operating characteristics of BAL fluid cultures were determined using different ways to report the results and over a range of values. The discriminative value of 10(4) cfu/mL was found to be an optimal threshold, with a sensitivity of 82% (95% confidence interval [CI], 76 to 88) and a specificity of 84.5% (95% CI, 79 to 90). CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that BAL fluid cultures can offer a sensitive and specific means to diagnose pneumonia in ventilated patients and may provide relevant information about the causative pathogens.
An Intelligent Agent and FSO Based Efficient Routing Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Network

Wireless sensor network is a collection of distributed tiny sensor nodes, which sense the natural phenomenon and transmits the sensed information to the base station using multi-hop communication. Most of the existing systems use the routing techniques which consume lot of energy during data communication. Hence, the energy of sensor nodes depletes and results in decrease its lifetime. To overcome the above limitation in this paper we propose a new routing technique called agent based fuzzy swarm optimization (FSO) routing technique which provides dynamic clustering and effective optimized routing. Because of this technique the energy of sensor nodes has been conserved and used effectively which ultimately increases the lifetime of the network. The proposed system has been implemented by using MATLAB and for correctness purpose the results are taken after repeated measurement.
2 Bioinformatics Approaches to Cancer Gene Discovery

The Cancer Gene Anatomy Project (CGAP) database of the National Cancer Institute has thousands of known and novel expressed sequence tags (ESTs). These ESTs, derived from diverse normal and tumor cDNA libraries, offer an attractive starting point for cancer gene discovery. Data-mining the CGAP database led to the identification of ESTs that were predicted to be specific to select solid tumors. Two genes from these efforts were taken to proof of concept for diagnostic and therapeutics indications of cancer. Microarray technology was used in conjunction with bioinformatics to understand the mechanism of one of the targets discovered. These efforts provide an example of gene discovery by using bioinformatics approaches. The strengths and weaknesses of this approach are discussed in this review.
Lactate measurement: arterial versus venous blood sampling

Lactate is the end product of the metabolic process of glucose utilization, known as anaerobic glycolysis, which occurs in the cytoplasm of all cells. In well-oxygenated tissues this lactate is metabolized further, but if tissues are inadequately oxygenated, lactate accumulates locally and blood concentration increases. As a blood marker of tissue hypoxia, lactate measurement has long-established clinical utility, most notably in the assessment and monitoring of acutely/critically ill patients and major trauma victims in emergency room and intensive care units. Arterial blood is the gold standard sample for lactate measurement, but a reading of the literature and current practice suggests that venous blood is considered an acceptable alternative.
Improving the Selection of Public School Principals in Al-Ain Education Office

Thi stud) ai med t i m e t igate the perceptions of principals, v ice principal . and teach rs n c lecti n cri teria and recrui tment procedure for I Ain publ ic chool pri ncipals. The tud) \\ as guided by three research question and used the quantitat i \ e research method. Data [or this tudy were col l ected through a quest ionnaire divided into three ecti n . The fi r t ection included demographic information of part ic ipants. The ec nd part inc l uded 48 items about recruitment and election, which measure agreement or di agTeement of part ic ipant 0 er the i tems in the five components. These components \\cre appl i at ion requirements, se lection responsib i l i ty. selection methods, election criteria, and recru i t ing procedure . The third part inc luded an open-ended question e l ic i t ing part ic ipants' suggestions for impro ing the recruitment and selection of school principals . The que t ionnaire was sent to Al Ain publ ic schools, and was completed by 5 5 0 male and female part ic ipants of principals ice principals, and teacher . The means and tandard d viat ion were used to describe the perceptions of school principals, vice princ ipals . and school teachers on the five component mentioned above. Then stat istical analysis ( i .e . , mean and standard deviat ions) was used for descript ing the percept ions. The Manl1-Whitney Test wa used to fmd out whether perceptions of part ic ipants di ffered according to gender and the Chi -Square test was used to find out whether perceptions d iffered according to posit ion and cyc le . The results of the study showed general agreement of part ic ipants on the five components of recrui tment and selection. I nterest ingly, agreement fl uctuated on some items such as the language requirement, who hould have responsib i l i ty for e lect ion, and duration and condit ions of recrui tment. Regarding gender, the study found that male and female part ic ipants in the sample genera l ly had not had signi ficant di fferences in their views about the five components but
Learned voiding dysfunction (non‐neurogenic, neurogenic bladder) among adults

Data concerning learned voiding dysfunction (Hinman syndrome; non‐neurogenic, neurogenic bladder) in adults are scarce. The present study was conducted to assess the pre‐valence and clinical characteristics of this dysfunction among adults referred for evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms. Learned voiding dysfunction was suggested by a characteristic clinical history and intermittent “free” uroflow pattern and by the absence of any detectable neurological abnormality or anatomic urethral obstruction. A definitive diagnosis was made by the demonstration of typical external urethral sphincter contractions during micturition by EMG or fluoroscopy. A urodynamic database of 1,015 consecutive adults was reviewed. Twenty‐one (2%) patients (age, 24–76 years) met our strict criteria of learned voiding dysfunction. Obstructive symptoms were the most common presenting symptoms, followed by frequency, nocturia, and urgency. Eight (35%) patients had recurrent urinary tract infections, seven of these being women. None of the patients had any clinically significant upper urinary tract damage. First sensation volume was significantly lower in women than in men. Both detrusor pressure at maximum flow and maximum detrusor pressure during voiding were found to be significantly higher in men than in women. Further differentiation between adult women and men failed to reveal any other clinically significant differences. In conclusion, by strict video‐urodynamic criteria, 2% of our patients had learned voiding dysfunction. Other patients, with presumed learned voiding dysfunction, who did not undergo video‐urodynamics were not included in the present series. Thus, the prevalence of learned voiding dysfunction among adults referred for evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms is likely to be even higher. Neurourol. Urodynam. 20:259–268, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Simulating the impact of genetic diversity of Medicago truncatula on germination and emergence using a crop emergence model for ideotype breeding.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Germination and heterotrophic growth are crucial steps for stand establishment. Numerical experiments based on the modelling of these early stages in relation to major environmental factors at sowing were used as a powerful tool to browse the effects of the genetic diversity of Medicago truncatula, one of the model legume species, under a range of agronomic scenarios, and to highlight the most important plant parameters for emergence. To this end, the emergence of several genotypes of M. truncatula was simulated under a range of sowing conditions with a germination and emergence simulation model. METHODS After testing the predictive quality of the model by comparing simulations to field observations of several genotypes of M. truncatula, numerical experiments were performed under a wide range of environmental conditions (sowing dates × years × seedbed structure). Germination and emergence was simulated for a set of five genotypes previously parameterized and for two virtual genotypes engineered to maximize the potential effects of genetic diversity. KEY RESULTS The simulation results gave an average value of 5-10 % difference in final emergence between genotypes, which was low, but the analysis underlined considerable inter-annual variation. The effects of parameters describing germination and emergence processes were quantified and ranked according to their contribution to the variation in emergence. Seedling non-emergence was mainly related to mechanical obstacles (40-50 %). More generally, plant parameters that accelerated the emergence time course significantly contributed to limiting the risk of soil surface crusting occurring before seedling emergence. CONCLUSIONS The model-assisted analysis of the effects of genetic diversity demonstrated its usefulness in helping to identify the parameters which have most influence that could be improved by breeding programmes. These results should also enable a deeper analysis of the genetic determinism of the main plant parameters influencing emergence, using the genomic tools available for this model plant.
International survey of emergency physicians' priorities for clinical decision rules.

OBJECTIVES One of the first stages in the development of new clinical decision rules (CDRs) is determination of need. This study examined the clinical priorities of emergency physicians (EPs) working in Australasia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States for the development of future CDRs. METHODS The authors administered an e-mail and postal survey to members of the national emergency medicine (EM) associations in Australasia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Results were analyzed via frequency distributions. RESULTS The total response rate was 54.8% (1,150/2,100). The respondents were primarily male (74%), with a mean age of 42.5 years (SD +/- 8), and a mean of 12 years of experience (SD +/- 7). The top 10 clinical priorities (% selected) were: 1) investigation of febrile child < 36 months (62%); 2) identification of central or serious vertigo (42%); 3) lumbar puncture or admission of febrile child < 3 months (41%); 4) imaging for suspected transient ischemic attack (39%); 5) admission for anterior chest pain (37%); 6) computed tomography (CT) angiography for pulmonary embolus (30%); 7) admission for suicide risk (29%); 8) ultrasound for pain or bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy (28%); 9) nonspecific weakness in elders (26%); and 10) CT for abdominal pain (25%). Between study countries, there was consistency in identification of clinical problems, but variation in prioritization. CONCLUSIONS This international survey identified the sampled EPs' priorities for the future development of CDRs. The top priority overall was investigation of the febrile child < 36 months. These results will be valuable to researchers for future development of CDRs in EM that are relevant internationally.
Development of Hsp25 expression compartments is not constrained by Purkinje cell defects in the Lurcher mouse mutant

Four transverse zones can be distinguished in the adult mouse cerebellar cortex based on differential expression of cell‐specific antigens, termination patterns of mossy fiber afferents, and phenotypes of mouse mutants with cerebellar defects: the anterior zone (AZ), central zone (CZ), posterior zone (PZ), and nodular zone (NZ). In the heterozygous Lurcher (Lc/+) mouse a zonally restricted abnormality in Purkinje cell development is seen. The Purkinje cell‐specific antigen zebrin II is normally differentially expressed in all four zones of the adult cerebellum, but in the Lc/+ mutant is confined to the PZ and NZ, caudal to a transverse boundary in the dorsal aspect of lobule VIII. In this study we wanted to understand why zebrin II expression is arrested at this boundary and whether the Lc mutation affects the differentiation of additional Purkinje cell antigens in a similar manner. To determine this, we took advantage of the dynamic developmental timetable of another Purkinje cell antigen, the small heat shock protein Hsp25. Using immunohistochemistry we demonstrate that cerebellar maturation anterior to the CZ/PZ transverse boundary appears to be unaffected by the Lc allele, in that initial progression of Hsp25 expression in the Lc/+ cerebellum was similar to controls. Double‐labeling experiments with anti‐Hsp25 and anti‐calbindin suggest that characteristic banding patterns of Hsp25 in Lc/+ cerebellum develop and are preserved despite cell loss. Thus, since simple temporal or spatial models cannot account for the zonal restriction seen during Lc/+ cerebellar development, the abnormality may be zebrin II‐specific. J. Comp. Neurol. 491:69–78, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Risk factors for animal-related injury among Iowa large-livestock farmers: a case-control study nested in the Agricultural Health Study.

CONTEXT Although farmers are at risk for injuries from contact with large livestock, few previous studies have examined risk factors for animal-related injuries. PURPOSE This case-control study, nested in the Agricultural Health Study, aimed to assess risk factors for animal-related injury among Iowa large-livestock farmers. METHODS A screener questionnaire sent to 6999 farmers identified 116 farmers with large livestock who had an animal-related injury requiring medical advice/treatment in the previous year. Several possible risk factors for injury were assessed by comparing these farmers with 342 farmers who had livestock but were not injured in the previous year. FINDINGS A multiple logistic regression analysis showed significant associations between animal-related injury and the use of a hearing aid (odds ratio [OR] = 5.4 [95% CI, 1.6 to 18.0]), doctor-diagnosed arthritis or rheumatism (OR = 3.0 [95% CI, 1.7 to 5.2]), education beyond high school (OR = 1.8 [95% CI, 1.1 to 2.8]), and a younger age. Farmers engaged in off-farm work were less likely to sustain animal-related injuries (OR = 0.4 [95% CI, 0.2 to 0.8]). CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to show associations between animal-related injury and a younger age, hearing difficulties, and doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Hearing loss and arthritis, which are more common among farmers than among other workers, may be particularly important risk factors to address in future preventive studies.
The effectiveness of policy interventions in CEE countries

This paper assesses the effectiveness of intervention measures adopted by central authorities during 2005-2012 in CEE. We investigate their impact on bank stability in 15 countries from CEE using bank-level data and OLS estimation method. The bank stability is proxied by the natural logarithm of the Z-Score and the non-performing loans to gross loans ratio. Empirical findings suggest that interest rates cuts, as well as domestic and foreign liquidity injections have a significant impact on bank stability in Emerging Europe. Moreover, their effectiveness differs according to several bank characteristics. Policy measures adopted by CEE countries significantly reduced the stability of domestic banks, but increased the stability of banks with a lower level of capitalization. The impact on the Z–score of banking system liquidity policy measures and the policy interest rates cuts is significantly lower in the case of domestic banks, amplified for less-capitalized banks (except for the category regarding banks’ solvency), while their impact on large banks remains statistically insignificant.
Life‐long growth of Quercus ilex L. at natural CO2 springs acclimates sulphur, nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism of the progeny to elevated pCO2

The aim of the present study was to analyse whether offspring of mature Quercus ilex trees grown under life-long elevated pCO2 show alterations in the physiological response to elevated pCO2 in comparison with those originating from mature trees grown at current ambient pCO2. To investigate changes in C- (for changes in photosynthesis, biomass and lignin see Polle, McKee & Blaschke Plant, Cell and Environment 24, 1075–1083, 2001), N-, and S-metabolism soluble sugar, soluble non-proteinogenic nitrogen compounds (TSNN), nitrate reductase (NR), thiols, adenosine 5′-phosphosulphate (APS) reductase, and anions were analysed. For this purpose Q. ilex seedlings were grown from acorns of mother tree stands at a natural spring site (elevated pCO2) and a control site (ambient pCO2) of the Laiatico spring, Central Italy. Short-term elevated pCO2 exposure of the offspring of control oaks lead to higher sugar contents in stem tissues, to a reduced TSNN content in leaves, and basipetal stem tissues, to diminished thiol contents in all tissues analysed, and to reduced APS reductase activity in both, leaves and roots. Most of the components of C-, N- and S-metabolism including APS reductase activity which were reduced due to short-term elevated pCO2 exposure were recovered by life-long growth under elevated pCO2 in the offspring of spring oaks. Still TSNN contents in phloem exudates increased, nitrate contents in lateral roots and glutathione in leaves and phloem exudates remained reduced in these plants. The present results demonstrated that metabolic adaptations of Q. ilex mother trees to elevated pCO2 can be passed to the next generation. Short- and long-term effects on source-to-sink relation and physiological and genetic acclimation to elevated pCO2 are discussed.