Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conservation of synteny between the genome of the pufferfish (Fugu rubripes) and the region on human chromosome 14 (14q24.3) associated with familial Alzheimer disease (AD3 locus)

The genome of the pufferfish (Fugu rubripes) (400 Mb) is approximately 7.5 times smaller than the human genome, but it has a similar gene repertoire to that of man. If regions of the two genomes exhibited conservation of gene order (i.e., were syntenic), it should be possible to reduce dramatically the effort required for identification of candidate genes in human disease loci by sequencing syntenic regions of the compact Fugu genome. We have demonstrated that three genes (dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase, S31iii125, and S20i15), which are linked to FOS in the familial Alzheimer disease focus (AD3) on human chromosome 14, have homologues in the Fugu genome adjacent to Fugu cFOS. The relative gene order of cFOS, S31iii125, and S20i15 was the same in both genomes, but in Fugu these three genes lay within a 12.4-kb region, compared to >600 kb in the human AD3 locus. These results demonstrate the conservation of synteny between the genomes of Fugu and man and highlight the utility of this approach for sequence-based identification of genes in human disease loci.
Effectiveness of GF-120 Fruit Fly Bait Spray Applied to Border Area Plants for Control of Melon Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract In a field study in Hawaii, color-marked protein-deprived and protein-fed female melon flies, Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett, were released within canopies of unsprayed sorghum plants (a nonhost of melon flies) outside of a border area of unsprayed or bait-sprayed sorghum plants or open space that surrounded cucumbers, a favored host of melon flies. Application of bait spray to sorghum or sugarcane surrounding host plants of melon flies is a common practice for melon fly control in Hawaii. GF-120 Fruit Fly Bait spray proved very effective in preventing protein-deprived females from alighting on cucumbers (23% of released females were observed dead on bait-sprayed sorghum; 0% were observed alive on cucumbers), but proved less effective in suppressing protein-fed females (14% of released females were observed dead on bait-sprayed sorghum; 11% were observed alive on cucumbers). No females were found dead on unsprayed sorghum. Compared with open space surrounding cucumbers, the presence of unsprayed sorghum as surrounding border area neither significantly enhanced nor significantly inhibited the ability of either type of female with respect to finding cucumbers. Greenhouse cage assays revealed that compared with droplets of water, droplets of GF-120 Fruit Fly Bait spray were highly attractive to protein-deprived females within 1 h of bait spray application to sorghum, but lost about half of their attractiveness within 5 h and all of it within 24 h under the dry greenhouse conditions used for maintaining baited-sprayed sorghum plants in these assays. Laboratory cup assays showed that bait spray droplets remained highly toxic to protein-deprived females 24 h after application, but lost nearly half of their toxicity within 4 d under laboratory exposure and nearly all of it after ≈8 mm of rainfall. Combined findings suggest that application of GF-120 Fruit Fly Bait spray to nonhost plants for melon fly control either be made often enough to overcome loss of attractiveness of bait spray droplets to females or that bait spray be applied to nonhost plants that are themselves attractive to the females.
Genetic Analysis of the Carboxy-Terminal Region of the Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a liver-tropic pathogen with severe health consequences for infected individuals. Chronic HCV infection can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and is a leading indicator for liver transplantation. The HCV core protein is an essential component of the infectious virus particle, but many aspects of its role remain undefined. The C-terminal region of the core protein acts as a signal sequence for the E1 glycoprotein and undergoes dual processing events during infectious virus assembly. The exact C terminus of the mature, virion-associated core protein is not known. Here, we performed genetic analyses to map the essential determinants of the HCV core C-terminal region, as well as to define the minimal length of the protein that can function for infectious virus production in trans.
The management of spermatic cord sarcoma

Between April 1963 and July 1991, 18 patients were treated for spermatic cord sarcoma. The histologic subtype distribution was: 7 leiomyosarcoma, 7 liposarcoma, 2 malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and 1 mesothelioma.
Concomitant polyarticular septic and gouty arthritis.

Although some clinicians believe that concomitant septic and gouty arthritis is rare, this phenomenon has been documented1-10. Since both conditions cause redness and swelling of the affected joint, it is often difficult to distinguish them from one another1. We present a case of a 75-year-old diabetic African American man with end-stage renal disease and history of gout who presented to our inpatient internal medicine service from a nursing home with sepsis syndrome (hypotension, fever of 39 ̊C, altered mental status, leukocytosis) and polyarthritis. His medical history was significant for a diagnosis of gout 30 years prior to our evaluation. He was largely symptom-free for 10 years prior to our evaluation but had repeated polyarticular, crystal-proven flares in the months before initiating hemodialysis. He did not take colchicine or allopurinol but was treated with several rounds of systemic corticosteroid therapy for his polyarticular gouty flares. He had had chronic renal insufficiency for years attributed to hypertension/diabetes mellitus and was started on hemodialysis (via tunneled internal jugular hemodialysis catheter) approximately 2 months prior to hospital presentation. The patient developed inflammatory polyarthritis that was presumed to be polyarticular gout 6 days before development of sepsis syndrome. On initial presentation, examination revealed a subcutaneous, large tophus with an ulcerative area over the right olecranon bursa; in addition, the following were swollen, tender, and warm: left elbow joint, left 2nd and 3rd proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, bilateral knee joints, and bilateral 1st metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. Laboratory investigations revealed a leukocyte count of 15,000/mm3, hemoglobin 9.8 g/dl, serum creatinine 4.7 mg/dl, and serum uric acid 9.8 mg/dl. Blood cultures grew methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). On serial occasions, the above joints were aspirated; grossly, the synovial fluids (SF) were thick and tan colored, inflammatory (white cell count of 286,000/mm3 from left knee), and loaded with intra/extracellular monosodium urate (MSU) crystals with some sheets of long needles. Gram stains were positive for gram positive cocci (GPC) in clusters. Wright stains allowed visualization of the MSU crystals and the extracellular cocci (Figure 1). SF cultures from the left and right knees,
Widespread amyloid deposition in transplanted human pancreatic islets.

To the Editor: We report on a patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus, diagnosed at 16 years of age, in whom widespread amyloid deposits developed many years later in transplanted human islets. The islets were administered through three intraportal infusions: two infusions were administered 4 months apart when the patient was 50 years of age, and one infusion was administered when he was 54 years of age. Before the first implantation, the treatment of the patient, who had a functioning renal transplant, was switched to the Edmonton immunosuppression protocol (i.e., daclizumab, tacrolimus, and sirolimus). After the second islet transplantation, the .
Genetic and Phenotypic Analyses of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Escape from a Small-Molecule CCR5 Inhibitor

ABSTRACT We have described previously the generation of an escape variant of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), under the selection pressure of AD101, a small molecule inhibitor that binds the CCR5 coreceptor (A. Trkola, S. E. Kuhmann, J. M. Strizki, E. Maxwell, T. Ketas, T. Morgan, P. Pugach, S. X. L. Wojcik, J. Tagat, A. Palani, S. Shapiro, J. W. Clader, S. McCombie, G. R. Reyes, B. M. Baroudy, and J. P. Moore, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99:395-400, 2002). The escape mutant, CC101.19, continued to use CCR5 for entry, but it was at least 20,000-fold more resistant to AD101 than the parental virus, CC1/85. We have now cloned the env genes from the the parental and escape mutant isolates and made chimeric infectious molecular clones that fully recapitulate the phenotypes of the corresponding isolates. Sequence analysis of the evolution of the escape mutants suggested that the most relevant changes were likely to be in the V3 loop of the gp120 glycoprotein. We therefore made a series of mutant viruses and found that full AD101 resistance was conferred by four amino acid changes in V3. Each change individually caused partial resistance when they were introduced into the V3 loop of a CC1/85 clone, but their impact was dependent on the gp120 context in which they were made. We assume that these amino acid changes alter how the HIV-1 Env complex interacts with CCR5. Perhaps unexpectedly, given the complete dependence of the escape mutant on CCR5 for entry, monomeric gp120 proteins expressed from clones of the fully resistant isolate failed to bind to CCR5 on the surface of L1.2-CCR5 cells under conditions where gp120 proteins from the parental virus and a partially AD101-resistant virus bound strongly. Hence, the full impact of the V3 substitutions may only be apparent at the level of the native Env complex.
Diffusion-Weighted Imaging with Two Different b-Values in Detection of Solid Focal Liver Lesions

One hundred and eighty-two consecutive patients with suspected liver disease were recruited to receive diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with two different b-values, in comparison with T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). The detection rate of three MR sequences in solid focal liver lesions (FLLs) and subgroup analyses were performed. Our prospective study found that DWI600 was equivalent to DWI100 and T2WI for the detection of solid FLLs overall but was significantly more accurate in the detection of malignant solid FLLs and lesions larger than 10 mm.
Stage‐dependent fetal umbilical blood flow changes induced by laser therapy and amniodrainage in twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome

To estimate changes in umbilical blood flow (UBF) and Doppler indices in pregnancies complicated by twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome (TTS) treated with either laser therapy or amniodrainage, and to evaluate the influence of the presence of hemodynamic deterioration prior to therapy, as determined by the Quintero stages of severity.
Critical Infrastructure Management for Telecommunication Networks

Telecommunication network infrastructures such as cables, satellites, and cellular towers, play an important role in maintaining the stability of society worldwide. The protection of these critical infrastructures and their supporting structure become highly challenged to both public and private organizations. The understanding of interdependency of these infrastructures is the essential step to protect these infrastructures. This paper presents a critical infrastructure detection model to discover the interdependency based on the model from social network and new telecommunication pathways, while this study focuses on social theory into computational constructs. The policy and procedure of protecting critical infrastructures are discussed, and computational results from the proposed model are presented.
Melting Glaciers and Soil Development in the Proglacial Area Morteratsch (Swiss Alps): II. Modeling the Present and Future Soil State

ABSTRACT Climate change due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases is predicted to increase the average surface temperature. The most evident soil changes in the Alps will occur in proglacial areas where already existing young soils (with an age in most cases of up to 150 years) will continuously develop and new soils will form due to glacier retreat. Based on existing soil chronosequence data and statistical analyses in the proglacial area Morteratsch (Switzerland), the present-day state of the soils as well as their future development in the next 100 years in the existing and new proglacial area has been modeled taking the retreat of the glacier into consideration. The present-day as well as the future soil distribution was modeled using a probabilistic approach. Several soil characteristics have been modeled such as the pH value, the skeleton content, and the soil depth relevant to plant growth. To model soil properties in a future proglacial area (that is now covered by ice), the glacier-bed morphology had to be modeled. The calculations were performed using the cubic Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline (NURBS) curve to parameterize the course of a branch in flow direction. With the help of the ice cap and relief factor the thickness of the glacier was modeled. Climate change was introduced numerically by changing the mass balance of the glacier. For the area of interest a temperature increase of +1.6°C by the year 2050 and +3°C by the year 2100 can be assumed (according to the scenario A1B of IPCC). In the upper part of the proglacial area mostly Skeletic/Lithic Leptosols and Humi-Skeletic Leptosols will be found. In flat parts close to the main river, additional Fluvisols will develop. A considerable part of the upper proglacial area does not have any soil cover. Lithic/Skeletic to Humi-Skeletic Leptosols are modeled on the young lateral moraines. Chronosequences were vital to make any (4D) predictions of soil evolution in the proglacial area. The statistically and probabilistically based model also had, however, its weaknesses. The problems are related to the sediment properties in the glacier bed and the stability of new moraines.
Drivers to and Barriers against Sustainable Consumption : Exploring the Role of Consumer Anticipated Emotions In the Context of Consumer Adoption of Alternative Fuel

With the increasing environmental problems, sustainable consumption is an important consumer behavior. Therefore, it is important to investigate further the significant drivers to and barriers against sustainable consumption, in order to increase the share of sustainable consumption and understanding of consumer behavior. This dissertation identifies two gaps. The first is in understanding consumer positive and negative anticipated emotions as an important factor influencing high-involvement sustainable consumption. The second gap relates to the lack of understanding about the associations between anticipated emotions and personal moral norms in high-involvement sustainable consumption. Against this background, the aim is to contribute to the sustainable consumption literature by investigating the roles and relations of anticipated emotions, personal moral norms, and weighing costs and benefits as drivers to and barriers against consumer adoption of a high-involvement sustainable product. A literature review and two empirical studies were conducted. Consumer adoption of alternative fuel vehicles is the specific sustainable consumption. Using quantitative methods, this phenomenon is investigated in the empirical studies conducted in Sweden. It was shown that anticipated emotions have direct effects on consumers’ intention to adopt alternative fuel vehicles. Moreover, positive anticipated emotions (e.g. pride, pleasure, happiness) are drivers of sustainable consumption, while negative anticipated emotions (e.g. regret, embarrassment) are barriers against the sustainable consumption. This dissertation suggests an extension to the norm activation model, and shows that moral norms, ascription of responsibility, and awareness of environmental problems influence consumers’ intentions through consumers’ anticipated emotions. For people who perceive high social norms related to decreasing the environmental impacts of car driving, the influence of positive anticipated emotions and personal moral norms are stronger. This points toward the social aspect of sustainable consumption and suggests that targeting the consumers who perceive high social norms is an important step to promoting sustainable consumption. Findings would be of relevance to marketers, policymakers and environmental organizations. Creating awareness and communicating personal responsibilities and moral norms related to the environment and consumption are important drivers for consumer adoption of sustainable products. However, it is noteworthy that consumer anticipated emotions about high-involvement sustainable products (such as alternative fuel vehicle) have also important influence on the sustainable consumption. Thus, consumer anticipated emotions should be considered in designing promotion programs.
Regulation of wound healing from a connective tissue perspective

Tissue injury resulting in irreversible tissue loss initiates the repair process. The restoration of dermal loss is by scarring, where a new cell population resides in a new connective tissue matrix. The chemical composition of a scar is similar to normal dermis, but the organization of that tissue is altered. The inability of the organism to reassemble collagen into a normal dermal pattern is an attribute of a scar, but in most cases it restores normal function. With impaired scarring, wound dehiscence or chronic wounds arise, whereas the overproduction of scar tissue results in keloid or hypertrophic scarring. In both situations a catastrophic end point occurs. The volume of scar tissue deposited, as well as its organization, is critical for determining the scar's integrity, stability, and restoration of function. The maturation of scar depends on the character of its resident cell populations, the quality of deposited connective tissue, and the interactions between those components. In this Perspective article, the focus will be on the repair process in terms of collagen fiber organization. As our knowledge of cell‐cell and cell‐matrix interactions in the repair process increases, we may be able to direct the pattern of scar collagen fibers to resemble that of dermis and thereby provide better wound care to the patient of the future.
Structure of Acyl Carrier Protein Bound to FabI, the FASII Enoyl Reductase from Escherichia coli*

Acyl carrier proteins play a central role in metabolism by transporting substrates in a wide variety of pathways including the biosynthesis of fatty acids and polyketides. However, despite their importance, there is a paucity of direct structural information concerning the interaction of ACPs with enzymes in these pathways. Here we report the structure of an acyl-ACP substrate bound to the Escherichia coli fatty acid biosynthesis enoyl reductase enzyme (FabI), based on a combination of x-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics simulation. The structural data are in agreement with kinetic studies on wild-type and mutant FabIs, and reveal that the complex is primarily stabilized by interactions between acidic residues in the ACP helix α2 and a patch of basic residues adjacent to the FabI substrate-binding loop. Unexpectedly, the acyl-pantetheine thioester carbonyl is not hydrogen-bonded to Tyr156, a conserved component of the short chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily active site triad. FabI is a proven target for drug discovery and the present structure provides insight into the molecular determinants that regulate the interaction of ACPs with target proteins.
Colonoscopy after CT diagnosis of diverticulitis to exclude colon cancer: a systematic literature review.

PURPOSE To estimate the prevalence of underlying adenocarcinoma of the colon in patients in whom acute diverticulitis was diagnosed at computed tomography (CT) and to compare that to the prevalence of colon cancer in the general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS A comprehensive literature review was performed to find articles in which patients with CT diagnosis of acute diverticulitis underwent surgery, colonoscopy, or barium enema study within 24 weeks. Patients meeting these criteria were included for analysis. A pooled prevalence of cancer was calculated on the basis of a random effects model and compared qualitatively with the prevalence of cancer in the general population. The 95% confidence intervals around the prevalence of cancer in the study populations were determined. RESULTS Ten articles met the inclusion criteria. Data from these articles included only 771 patients who underwent surgery, colonoscopy, or barium enema study within 24 weeks of diagnosis. Fourteen patients were found to have colon cancer, for a prevalence of 2.1% (95% confidence interval: 1.2%, 3.2%). This compares to a calculated estimated prevalence of 0.68% among U.S. adults older than 55 years. CONCLUSION There are limited data to support the recommendation to perform colonoscopy after a diagnosis of acute diverticulitis.
Ordered Liquid Aluminum at the Interface with Sapphire

Understanding the nature of solid-liquid interfaces is important for many processes of technological interest, such as solidification, liquid-phase epitaxial growth, wetting, liquid-phase joining, crystal growth, and lubrication. Recent studies have reported on indirect evidence of density fluctuations at solid-liquid interfaces on the basis of x-ray scattering methods that have been complemented by atomistic simulations. We provide evidence for ordering of liquid atoms adjacent to an interface with a crystal, based on real-time high-temperature observations of alumina-aluminum solid-liquid interfaces at the atomic-length scale. In addition, crystal growth of alumina into liquid aluminum, facilitated by interfacial transport of oxygen from the microscope column, was observed in situ with the use of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.
Diabetic demyelinating polyneuropathy responsive to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.

BACKGROUND There is growing evidence that idiopathic chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and polyneuropathy in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) that meets the electrophysiological criteria for CIDP (DM-CIDP) have many similarities. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether DM-CIDP responds to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty-six patients (mean [SD] age, 64 [8.9] years; age range, 40-80 years) with type 2 DM (n = 25), who met the electrophysiological criteria for CIDP, were given IVIG therapy (400 mg/kg body weight per day for 5 days) in a prospective open-label pilot study. All patients had quantitative evaluation using the Neuropathy Impairment Score at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks from the initiation of IVIG therapy. RESULTS The mean Neuropathy Impairment Score improved significantly from baseline (mean [SD], 61.5 [26.0] points) to the end of the fourth week (33 [29.6] points; P<.00l). This clinically significant improvement occurred in 21 (80.8%) of the 26 patients. Conduction block occurred in 11 (42.3%) of the 26 patients; improvement in the Neuropathy Impairment Score was more frequent in patients who had a conduction block (11 of 11 patients) than in those who did not (10/15 [66.7%]; P =.03). Adverse reactions to IVIG included reversible renal dysfunction in 3 patients, flulike symptoms in 5, headache in 5, and chest pain and shortness of breath in 1. CONCLUSION Although IVIG therapy seemed to improve DM-CIDP in this uncontrolled trial, a controlled trial is required for confirmation of our findings.