Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in cardiac mechanics and coronary blood flow of regionally ischemic porcine myocardium induced by diltiazem.

The effect of diltiazem on the relationship between myocardial blood flow and regional myocardial mechanical performance was examined in nine open-chest anesthetized pigs of mixed breed and sex, weighing 20 to 32 kg. A transmural ischemic region of the left ventricular anterior free wall was created by acute ligation of three or four terminal branches of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Regional myocardial mechanics measured by implanted sonomicrometers and regional myocardial blood flow measured by 15 µ radionuclide-labeled microspheres were made during 5 to 60 minutes of coronary ligation. Regional epicardial blood flow in normal and moderately and severely ischemic myocardium was 120±10, 55±10, 5±2 ml/min/100 g, and was 84±14, 32±3 and 9±3 ml/min/100 g in endocardium in the respective regions. The endocardial to epicardial ratio was . 69±. 09 for normal myocardium and . 71 ±. 15 for moderately ischemic myocardium. Analysis of 2-mm sequential sections of the left ventricular anterior free wall indicated that a precipitous margin of 2 mm in width existed between normally perfused myocardium and severely ischemic myocardium. Diltiazem 20 to 80 µ g/min/kg, significantly increased Mood flow by 20 percent to 80 percent in all regions of normal and ischemic myocardium that had detectable flow by the microsphere technique without modifying the transmural flow distribution or inducing a coronary “steal,” while slightly increasing regional myocardial shortening. In conclusion, the acutely ischemic pig myocardium that lacks collaterals and presents a sharp demarcation between transmural ischemic and normal myocardium shows a vasodilator reserve that is recruited by the calcium antagonist, diltiazem, in all regions where blood flow is detectable by the microsphere technique. Diltiazem improves myocardial Mood flow at ischemic margins without concomitant myocardial depression typical of other calcium antagonists. Thus, diltiazem may prove useful in the prevention of acute myocardial infarct extension during the acute phases of myocardial ischemia.
Hemoglobin Receptor in Leishmania Is a Hexokinase Located in the Flagellar Pocket*

Hb endocytosis in Leishmania is mediated through a 46-kDa protein located in the flagellar pocket. To understand the nature of the Hb receptor (HbR), we have purified the 46-kDa protein to homogeneity from Leishmania promastigote membrane. Purified HbR specifically binds Hb. The gene for HbR was cloned, and sequence analysis of the full-length HbR gene indicates the presence of hexokinase (HK) signature sequences, ATP-binding domain, and PTS-II motif. Four lines of evidence indicate that HbR in Leishmania is a hexokinase: 1) the recombinant HbR binds Hb, and the Hb-binding domain resides in the N terminus of the protein; 2) recombinant proteins and cell lysate prepared from HbR-overexpressing Leishmania promastigotes show enhanced HK activity in comparison with untransfected cells; 3) immunolocalization studies using antibodies against the N-terminal fragment (Ld-HbR-ΔC) of Ld-HbR indicate that this protein is located in the flagellar pocket of Leishmania; and 4) binding and uptake of 125I-Hb by Leishmania is significantly inhibited by anti-Ld-HbR-ΔC antibody and Ld-HbR-ΔC, respectively. Taken together, these results indicate that HK present in the flagellar pocket of Leishmania is involved in Hb endocytosis.
Acute myocardial infarction in idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis.

ANGINA pectoris, syncope, sudden death, and ECG changes simulating acute myocardial infarction are all well-recognized features of idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS). 1,2Acute myocardial infarction associated with coronary artery disease has been described in patients with IHSS.3Acute myocardial infarction occurring in young patients with IHSS in the presence of normal coronary arteries, verified by either arteriography or necropsy, has been described only rarely.4 Report of a Case A 19-year-old man was seen in the emergency room of Providence Hospital, Southfield, Mich, complaining of palpitations and severe crushing retrosternal chest pain starting suddenly after shoveling snow on Jan 27, 1978. Idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis had been diagnosed in this patient in June 1973. An echocardiogram in May 1977 showed asymmetric septal hypertrophy with a septal thickness of 18 to 20 mm and left ventricular wall thickness of 8 mm, giving a ratio of 2.25 to 2.5, and marked systolic
M2 polarization of monocytes in ankylosing spondylitis and relationship with inflammation and structural damage

The aim of this study was to evaluate the polarization of peripheral blood monocytes in the patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to determine the correlations between monocyte polarization and inflammation and structural damage. A total of 120 AS patients, 50 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 100 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. M1 (CD68+CD192+) and M2 (CX3CR1+CD163+) monocytes were characterized by flow cytometry. Demographic, clinical, radiographic and laboratory data were collected and analyzed. A large increase in M2 (CX3CR1+CD163+) monocytes was observed in AS, and M2/M1 ratio was 7.18 ± 6.12, 2.54 ± 3.14 and 35.61 ± 20.04 in control, RA and AS, respectively. The M2/M1 ratio correlated with modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spine Score (mSASSS) (r = 0.565; p < 0.001), ESR (r = −0.321; p < 0.001, CRP (r = −0.265; p < 0.001) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) (r = −0.201; p = 0.028). Anti‐TNF‐α therapy induced a significant reduction in the percentage of M1 monocyte, ESR, CRP and BASDAI in AS patients. The present results demonstrated that M2 type polarized monocytes are predominant in the peripheral blood in AS and the M2/M1 ratio is correlated with structural damage (mSASSS), inflammatory biomarkers (ESR and CRP) and BASDAI.
Explosive heavy‐resistance training in old and very old adults: changes in rapid muscle force, strength and power

Age‐related decline in muscle power predicts falls, motor impairments and disability. Recent guidelines suggested that training programs should be tailored to maximize muscle power. This study investigated the effects of 12 weeks of explosive‐type heavy‐resistance training (75–80% of 1 repetition maximum) in old (60–65 years, TG60) and very old (80–89 years, TG80) community‐dwelling women. Training was performed with maximal intentional acceleration of the training load during the concentric movement phase. Maximal isometric voluntary muscle strength (MVC), rapid force capacity, assessed as rate of force development (RFD), and impulse, maximal muscle power during a countermovement jump (CMJ) and during unilateral leg extension task (LEP) were evaluated. RFD, impulse and MVC increased by 51%, 42% and 28% in TG80, and by 21%, 18% and 18% in TG60, respectively. CMJ jump height increased by 18% and 10% in TG80 and TG60, respectively, while jump peak power increased in TG60 (5%). Finally, LEP increased 28% in TG80 and 12% in TG60. These findings demonstrate that explosive‐type heavy‐resistance training seems to be safe and well tolerated in healthy women even in the eighth decade of life and elicits adaptive neuromuscular changes in selected physiological variables that are commonly associated with the risk of falls and disability in aged individuals.
Differential central projections of vestibular afferents in pigeons

The question of whether a differential distribution of vestibular afferent information to central nuclear neurons is present in pigeons was studied using neural tracer compounds. Discrete tracing of afferent fibers innervating the individual semicircular canal and otolith organs was produced by sectioning individual branches of the vestibular nerve that innervate the different receptor organs and applying crystals of horseradish peroxidase, or a horseradish peroxidase/cholera toxin mixture, or a biocytin compound for neuronal uptake and transport. Afferent fibers and their terminal distributions within the brainstem and cerebellum were visualized subsequently. Discrete areas in the pigeon central nervous system that receive primary vestibular input include the superior, dorsal lateral, ventral lateral, medial, descending, and tangential vestibular nuclei; the A and B groups; the intermediate, medial, and lateral cerebellar nuclei; and the nodulus, the uvula, and the paraflocculus. Generally, the vertical canal afferents projected heavily to medial regions in the superior and descending vestibular nuclei as well as the A group. Vertical canal projections to the medial and lateral vestibular nuclei were observed but were less prominent. Horizontal canal projections to the superior and descending vestibular nuclei were much more centrally located than those of the vertical canals. A more substantial projection to the medial and lateral vestibular nuclei was seen with horizontal canal afferents compared to vertical canal fibers. Afferents innervating the utricle and saccule terminated generally in the lateral regions of all vestibular nuclei in areas that were separate from the projections of the semicircular canals. In addition, utricular fibers projected to regions in the vestibular nuclei that overlapped with the horizontal semicircular canal terminal fields, whereas saccular afferents projected to regions that received vertical canal fiber terminations. Lagenar afferents projected throughout the cochlear nuclei, to the dorsolateral regions of the cerebellar nuclei, and to lateral regions of the superior, lateral, medial, and descending vestibular nuclei. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Model Disease for Targeted Cancer Therapy

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a distinct subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) characterized by a severe bleeding tendency, accumulation of abnormal promyelocytes in the bone marrow and a reciprocal t(15;17) chromosomal translocation that fuses the gene encoding the promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) to that encoding retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA) (de The & Chen, 2010). During the past 30 years two therapeutic drugs have been introduced into the clinic that have dramatically improved the treatment outcome of this disease (Wang & Chen, 2008). The first of these components was all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a vitamin A derivative that significantly increased clinical remission and improved the 5-years disease-free survival rates from below 40% to more than 80% (Huang et al., 1988). The second drug was arsenic trioxide (ATO), a component that was discovered to be remarkably effective in treating APL as a single agent (Sun et al., 1992). Today, most hospitals employ ATRA in combination with chemotherapy as frontline therapy, while ATO is being used for refractory or relapsed patients. Recent clinical studies have also revealed a positive synergistic effect between the two drugs, suggesting that future therapy of newly diagnosed patients may involve a combination of the two reagents (Estey et al., 2006; Hu et al., 2009; Shen et al., 2004; Wang et al., 2004). The success of using ATRA and ATO in APL therapy appears to be linked to the ability of these drugs to interact with the fusion oncoprotein PML/RARA, which is produced by the APL-associated t(15;17) translocation, and that causes the disease. ATRA contacts a ligand binding domain present within the RARA moiety of this chimeric protein and promotes differentiation of APL cells along the granulocyte linage (Huang et al., 1988). ATO, on the other hand, has recently been shown to bind one or more cysteine rich motifs within the PML protein (Jeanne et al., 2010; Zhang et al., 2010) and contributes to the cure of APL through a mechanism that involves eradication of leukemic-initiating cells (LICs) (Nasr et al., 2008; Ito et al., 2008; Zheng et al., 2007). Due to the success of using ATRA and ATO in the clinic, and because of the ability of these drugs to promote clinical remission through a direct contact with PML/RARA, APL has become one of the most attractive model diseases for the development of targeted cancer therapy. The APL cure offers a proof of principle that a cancer can be cured through targeted inactivation of an oncoprotein, and it provides a rationale for the development of novel therapeutic strategies that target fusion oncoproteins produced by chromosomal translocations. In this chapter we will summarize the current knowledge of the biological
Existence and Homogenization for a Singular Problem Through Rough Surfaces

The paper deals with existence and homogenization for elliptic problems with lower order terms singular in the u-variable (u is the solution) in a cylinder $Q$ in $\mathbb{R}^N$, so that the lower order term becomes infinite on the set $\{u=0\}$. A rapidly oscillating interface inside $Q$ separates the cylinder in two composite connected components. The interface has a periodic microstructure and it is situated in a small neighborhood of a hyperplane which separates the two components of $Q$. At the interface we suppose the following transmission conditions: (i) the flux is continuous, (ii) the jump of a solution at the interface is proportional to the flux through the interface. This is a steady state model for the heat conduction in two heterogeneous electrically conducting materials with an imperfect contact between them. On the exterior boundary Dirichlet boundary conditions are prescribed. We also derive a corrector result for every value of the two parameters $\gamma$ and $\kappa$ which are related,.
Elimination of position and current sensors in high performance adjustable speed AC drives

Fault tolerance is a critical attribute in numerous systems. In this paper, a control scheme is presented that allows an induction motor drive system to operate in the event of multiple sensor failures. Automatic diagnosis of sensor fault and recovery is performed and used to reconfigure the drive system controls to achieve the best performance in lieu of component degradation. This approach couples a new digital delta-hysteresis regulation (DDHR) scheme with a model reference adaptive system (MRAS) scheme in order to provide fault tolerance for both phase-current and rotor position (speed) sensors. Simulation and experimental results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme
Neisseria meningitidis with decreased susceptibility to penicillin in Saskatchewan, Canada

Moderately penicillin-resistant Neisseria meningitidis is rare in North America. We report an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, with serogroup C N. meningitidis. The MICs of penicillin ranged from 0.12 to 0.25 micrograms/ml, and all isolates showing decreased susceptibility had identical genomic fingerprints when they were compared by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Our data indicate that N. meningitidis that is moderately resistant to penicillin is prevalent in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Deep Learning in Genomic and Medical Image Data Analysis: Challenges and Approaches

Artificial intelligence, especially deep learning technology, is penetrating the majority of research areas, including the field of bioinformatics. However, deep learning has some limitations, such as the complexity of parameter tuning, architecture design, and so forth. In this study, we analyze these issues and challenges in regards to its applications in bioinformatics, particularly genomic analysis and medical image analytics, and give the corresponding approaches and solutions. Although these solutions are mostly rule of thumb, they can effectively handle the issues connected to training learning machines. As such, we explore the tendency of deep learning technology by examining several directions, such as automation, scalability, individuality, mobility, integration, and intelligence warehousing.
Music, Relaxation, or Silence: What Facilitates Optimal Spatial-Reasoning?

A controversy exists over the “Mozart effect,” which is the influence of Mozart’s classical music on spatial-reasoning abilities. There are contradicting studies of whether listening to Mozart’s music improves performance on spatial-reasoning tasks. This study tested the effect of classical music on performance and investigated the role of arousal and relaxation. Participants were randomly assigned to Mozart music, techno music, vocal relaxation, or silence, where they then completed a matrix reasoning task. The results revealed no significant differences between the conditions and no significant correlation between the number of answers wrong for those listening to music and whether that participant was a musician or a non-musician. The lack of significant results for this study provides support for those researchers who were unable to observe a Mozart effect. However, an interaction of musician by group was found, thus, providing an interesting effect of musical training on how one performs in a particular listening condition.
Job crafting and job performance: A longitudinal study

In this three-wave study (N = 288), we examined whether job crafting intentions and work engagement led to actual job crafting behaviours and, in turn, to higher levels of prospective work engagement and job performance. We used the Job Demands-Resources model as a theoretical framework and defined job crafting as the self-initiated changes that employees make in their job demands and resources. One month after reporting their job crafting intentions, respondents rated their actual job crafting behaviours. Again one month later, they rated their levels of work engagement, in-role performance, and organizational citizenship behaviour towards individuals (OCBI). Results of structural equation modelling showed that job crafting intentions and work engagement significantly related to actual job crafting, which, in turn, related to higher levels of work engagement, while controlling for job characteristics. Results further showed that engaged employees performed better on their in-role tasks but did not perform more OCBIs. The findings suggest that employees can increase their own work engagement and job performance through job crafting.
Carbohydrate Metabolism in the Toxoplasma gondii Apicoplast: Localization of Three Glycolytic Isoenzymes, the Single Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex, and a Plastid Phosphate Translocator

ABSTRACT Many apicomplexan parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium species, possess a nonphotosynthetic plastid, referred to as the apicoplast, which is essential for the parasites’ viability and displays characteristics similar to those of nongreen plastids in plants. In this study, we localized several key enzymes of the carbohydrate metabolism of T. gondii to either the apicoplast or the cytosol by engineering parasites which express epitope-tagged fusion proteins. The cytosol contains a complete set of enzymes for glycolysis, which should enable the parasite to metabolize imported glucose into pyruvate. All the glycolytic enzymes, from phosphofructokinase up to pyruvate kinase, are present in the T. gondii genome, as duplicates and isoforms of triose phosphate isomerase, phosphoglycerate kinase, and pyruvate kinase were found to localize to the apicoplast. The mRNA expression levels of all genes with glycolytic products were compared between tachyzoites and bradyzoites; however, a strict bradyzoite-specific expression pattern was observed only for enolase I. The T. gondii genome encodes a single pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, which was located in the apicoplast and absent in the mitochondrion, as shown by targeting of epitope-tagged fusion proteins and by immunolocalization of the native pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. The exchange of metabolites between the cytosol and the apicoplast is likely to be mediated by a phosphate translocator which was localized to the apicoplast. Based on these localization studies, a model is proposed that explains the supply of the apicoplast with ATP and the reduction power, as well as the exchange of metabolites between the cytosol and the apicoplast.
Bacterial delivery of functional messenger RNA to mammalian cells

The limited access to the nuclear compartment may constitute one of the major barriers after bacteria‐mediated expression plasmid DNA delivery to eukaryotic cells. Alternatively, a self‐destructing Listeria monocytogenes strain was used to release translation‐competent mRNA directly into the cytosol of epithelial cells, macrophages and human dendritic cells. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)‐encoding mRNA, adapted for translation in mammalian cells by linking an IRES element to the 5′‐end of the egfp coding sequence, was produced by T7 RNA polymerase in the carrier bacteria upon entry into the cytosol where the mRNA is efficiently released from the lysed bacteria and immediately translated in eukaryotic host cells. Besides the much earlier expression of EGFP being detectable already 4 h after infection, the number of EGFP expressing mammalian cells obtained with this novel RNA delivery technique is comparable to or – especially in phagocytic cells – even higher than that obtained with the expression plasmid DNA delivery strategy. Accordingly, bacteria‐mediated delivery of ovalbumin‐encoding mRNA to macrophages resulted in efficient antigen processing and presentation in vitro indicating that this approach may also be adapted for the in vivo delivery of antigen‐encoding mRNA leading to a more efficient immune response when applied to vaccine development.
CAR might provide a survival signal for myocardial cells

We read with great interest the Research Article by Dorner et al. ([Dorner et al., 2005][1]) describing their coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR)-deficient mouse, as we have previously published details of our own CAR-knockout mouse ([Asher et al., 2005][2]). Our findings of embryonic death
In Vitro antimicrobial photoinactivation with methylene blue in different microorganisms

AIM: To evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT). METHODS: The microorganism indicators were: Candida albicans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. A microbial pool was prepared (10 8 cells/mL), from which aliquots were transferred to culture plates for carrying out the PDT using methylene blue (50 µM) and low-power laser (660 nm, 100 mW and 9 J). The effect of methylene blue alone, low power laser and the absence of treatments were evaluated. Then, aliquots of 1 µL were plated in a media culture, the number of colony forming units (CFU/mL) was obtained and the data submitted to the F test (ANOVA) with Tamhane's comparisons. RESULTS: The laser radiation in the presence of methylene blue was able to eliminate 74.90% of C. albicans, 72.41% of P. aeruginosa, 96.44% of E. faecalis and 95.42% of S. aureus, thus statistically significant differences were found among the groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PDT was effective in reducing the number of viable cells in the studiedmicroorganisms, especially E. faecalis and S. aureus.