Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tolerance to marijuana: Heart rate and subjective “high”

In a 94‐day supervised study of 30 subjects smoking marijuana. with drug‐free periods interspersed. mean heart rate and subjective "high" decreased over the smoking period. Light smokers had greater chronotropic and subjective effects than heavy smokers. but both demonstrated evidence of tolerance. Cumulation and minor withdrawal effects were noted.
Hepatitis C Virus Core Mutations Reduce the Sensitivity of a Fluorescence Enzyme Immunoassay

ABSTRACT Four of 107 samples obtained from hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers showed lower HCV core antigen levels in a fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (FEIA) than expected from corresponding HCV RNA levels. Nucleotide sequencing revealed a mutation in the HCV core region (Thr49Pro) that appears to have reduced the FEIA sensitivity.
MUTUAL EXCLUSION BETWEEN RELATED PHAGES

The discovery of the breakdown of superinfecting phage needs to be supplemented by genetic tests to find out whether the phage whose nucleic acid is broken down is, indeed, unable to contribute genetic markers to the progeny. The present paper presents experiments of this kind, whose results leave no doubt that the breakdown of superinfecting phage is strictly paralleled by exclusion from the progeny of the genetic markers it contains. We are presenting also some experiments in which the stimulating phage alone or both the stimulating and the superinfecting phage have been inactivated by irradiation with ultraviolet light. These experiments serve to characterize functions which have remained unimpaired in ultraviolet treated phage and their relation to multiplicity reactivation of ultraviolet treated phage.
Preliminary evaluation of dika fat, a new tablet lubricant

Dika fat, a solid vegetable oil extracted from the kernels of Irvingia gabonensis var excelsia has been evaluated as a lubricant* on the basis of its effect on the flow rate of granules, disintegration time and dissolution rate of tablets. The fat shows a maximal effect on flow at a concentration of 2·5% w/w. It produces better disintegration and dissolution profiles than magnesium stearate at all concentrations tested. The indication is that there is less degradation of aspirin in tablets containing this oil than there is in tablets containing magnesium stearate. The use of Dika fat(m.p. 39–40 °C) eliminates the hydrogenation step often necessary for vegetable oils.
Respiratory syncytial virus increases the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae by binding to penicillin binding protein 1a. A new paradigm in respiratory infection.

RATIONALE Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Streptococcus pneumoniae are major respiratory pathogens. Coinfection with RSV and S. pneumoniae is associated with severe and often fatal pneumonia but the molecular basis for this remains unclear. OBJECTIVES To determine if interaction between RSV and pneumococci enhances pneumococcal virulence. METHODS We used confocal microscopy and Western blot to identify the receptors involved in direct binding of RSV and pneumococci, the effects of which were studied in both in vivo and in vitro models of infection. Human ciliated respiratory epithelial cell cultures were infected with RSV for 72 hours and then challenged with pneumococci. Pneumococci were collected after 2 hours exposure and changes in gene expression determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Following incubation with RSV or purified G protein, pneumococci demonstrated a significant increase in the inflammatory response and bacterial adherence to human ciliated epithelial cultures and markedly increased virulence in a pneumonia model in mice. This was associated with extensive changes in the pneumococcal transcriptome and significant up-regulation in the expression of key pneumococcal virulence genes, including the gene for the pneumococcal toxin, pneumolysin. We show that mechanistically this is caused by RSV G glycoprotein binding penicillin binding protein 1a. CONCLUSIONS The direct interaction between a respiratory virus protein and the pneumococcus resulting in increased bacterial virulence and worsening disease outcome is a new paradigm in respiratory infection.
DESEMPENHO DE CLONES DE EUCALIPTO EM RESPOSTA A DISPONIBILIDADE DE ÁGUA NO SUBSTRATO

A agua e fundamental no metabolismo das plantas, sendo que uma pequena reducao em sua disponibilidade pode afetar o crescimento, desenvolvimento e a produtividade da cultura. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o desempenho de seis clones de eucalipto (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 e 6), crescendo em vasos plasticos, de modo a subsidiar a selecao precoce desses materiais geneticos para estabelecimento em areas com disponibilidade diferenciada de agua no solo. As plantas dos seis clones foram submetidas a tres diferentes niveis de manejos hidricos: sem deficit, com a manutencao da umidade proxima a capacidade de campo ao longo de todo o periodo experimental; deficit com a suspensao da irrigacao aos 150 dias de experimentacao, durante 45 dias e posterior retomada da irrigacao por mais 55 dias; e deficit com a suspensao da irrigacao aos 150 dias de experimentacao, prolongando ate o final do experimento. Foram avaliadas as caracteristicas de crescimento, a saber: diâmetro do coleto; altura das plantas; area foliar; relacao raiz/parte aerea; materia seca de: folhas, haste e ramos, raizes e total; e as taxas fotossinteticas. O deficit hidrico promoveu reducao do crescimento e das taxas fotossinteticas dos seis clones de eucalipto avaliados. A retomada da irrigacao contribuiu para a recuperacao do crescimento e da fotossintese dos clones, em relacao aos mantidos em deficit hidrico ate o final do experimento. O clone 3 apresentou o menor crescimento e a menor taxa fotossintetica nos manejos hidricos adotados, principalmente sob deficiencia hidrica, sendo o menos tolerante ao deficit hidrico.
Engineered 5S ribosomal RNAs displaying aptamers recognizing vascular endothelial growth factor and malachite green

In previous work, Vibrio proteolyticus 5S rRNA was shown to stabilize 13–50 nucleotide “guest” RNA sequences for expression in Escherichia coli. The expressed chimeric RNAs accumulated to high levels in E. coli without being incorporated into ribosomes and without obvious effects on the host cells. In this work, we inserted sequences encoding known aptamers recognizing a protein and an organic dye into the 5S rRNA carrier and showed that aptamer function is preserved in the chimeras. A surface plasmon resonance competitive binding assay demonstrated that a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) aptamer/5S rRNA chimera produced in vitro by transcriptional runoff could compete with a DNA aptamer for VEGF, implying binding of the growth factor by the VEGF “ribosomal RNA aptamer. ” Separately, a 5S rRNA chimera displaying an aptamer known to increase the fluorescence of malachite green (MG) also enhanced MG fluorescence. Closely related control rRNA molecules showed neither activity. The MG aptamer/5S rRNA chimera, like the original MG aptamer, also increased the fluorescence of other triphenyl methane (TPM) dyes such as crystal violet, methyl violet, and brilliant green, although less effectively than with MG. These results indicate that the molecular recognition properties of aptamers are not lost when they are expressed in the context of a stable 5S rRNA carrier. Inclusion of the aptamer in a carrier may facilitate production of large quantities of RNA aptamers, and may open an approach to screening aptamer libraries in vivo. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acute Transverse Myelitis in Children: Clinical Course and Prognostic Factors

The objective of this study was to describe the clinical course of acute transverse myelitis in children, to identify prognostic factors, and to compare our findings with published data. Twenty-four children, aged 2 to 14 years and admitted with a diagnosis of acute transverse myelitis, were studied. Clinical features and results of investigations were collected at admission and during the course of the disease. Motor, sphincter, and global outcomes were compared with those in the main adult and pediatric series. During the initial phase, the most common presenting symptoms were pain (88%) and fever (58%). Motor loss preceded sphincter dysfunction in two thirds of patients and became bilateral in half of the patients. When maximal deficit was achieved (plateau), the patients presented a combination of sensory, motor, and sphincter dysfunctions without radicular involvement. The motor loss consistently involved the lower limbs but was inconsistent and moderate in the upper limbs. The mean duration of the plateau was 1 week. The recovery phase was characterized by a progressive improvement of all deficits. Sphincter dysfunction improved more slowly than did the other deficits. A full recovery was achieved by 31% of the patients; minimal sequelae were present in 25% and mild to severe sequelae in 44%. An unfavorable outcome was associated with complete paraplegia (P = .03) and/or a time to maximal deficit shorter than 24 hours (P = .005). A favorable outcome was associated with a plateau shorter than 8 days ( P = .03), the presence of supraspinal symptoms (P = .01), and a time to independent walking shorter than 1 month (P = .01). The course of acute transverse myelitis in children proceeds through three stages, an initial phase, a plateau, and a recovery phase, each characterized by specific clinical features. The global outcome was favorable in 56% of patients. Several prognostic factors were identified. (J Child Neurol 2003;18:401—406).
Steroid and Xenobiotic Receptor Signalling in Apoptosis and Autophagy of the Nervous System

Apoptosis and autophagy are involved in neural development and in the response of the nervous system to a variety of insults. Apoptosis is responsible for cell elimination, whereas autophagy can eliminate the cells or keep them alive, even in conditions lacking trophic factors. Therefore, both processes may function synergistically or antagonistically. Steroid and xenobiotic receptors are regulators of apoptosis and autophagy; however, their actions in various pathologies are complex. In general, the estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR), and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptors mediate anti-apoptotic signalling, whereas the androgen (AR) and glucocorticoid (GR) receptors participate in pro-apoptotic pathways. ER-mediated neuroprotection is attributed to estrogen and selective ER modulators in apoptosis- and autophagy-related neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and retinopathies. PR activation appeared particularly effective in treating traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries and ischemic stroke. Except for in the retina, activated GR is engaged in neuronal cell death, whereas MR signalling appeared to be associated with neuroprotection. In addition to steroid receptors, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) mediates the induction and propagation of apoptosis, whereas the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) inhibit this programmed cell death. Most of the retinoid X receptor-related xenobiotic receptors stimulate apoptotic processes that accompany neural pathologies. Among the possible therapeutic strategies based on targeting apoptosis via steroid and xenobiotic receptors, the most promising are the selective modulators of the ER, AR, AHR, PPARγ agonists, flavonoids, and miRNAs. The prospective therapies to overcome neuronal cell death by targeting autophagy via steroid and xenobiotic receptors are much less recognized.
Correlates and Changes in Empathy and Attitudes Toward Interprofessional Collaboration in Osteopathic Medical Students

Abstract Context: Many studies have reported a decline in empathy as allopathic medical students progress through medical school. Data are needed to compare the pattern of changes in empathy in osteopathic and allopathic medical students. Also, it is important to investigate the associations between measures of empathy and attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration, which are among major elements of professionalism in medicine. Objectives: (1) To investigate correlations between empathy and interprofessional collaboration in osteopathic medical students; (2) to examine differences in empathy and interprofessional collaboration scores by sex, class year, and specialty interest; and (3) to compare empathy scores by class year between osteopathic and allopathic medical students. Design: Correlational and comparative study. Setting: Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Participants: Osteopathic medical students enrolled in academic year 2011-2012. Main Outcome Measures: The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and the Jefferson Scale of Attitudes toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration (JSAPNC) scores. Results: Student respondents (N=373) included 197 women (53%) and 176 men (47%). Significant correlation was found between scores on the JSE and JSAPNC (r=0.42, P<.01). Women scored higher than men on the JSE (mean scores, 117.1 and 111.9, respectively; F1,371=19.6, P<.01) and the JSAPNC (mean scores, 50.1 and 48.7, respectively; F1,371=6.5, P<.01). No statistically significant difference on the scores of the 2 scales was observed among students who planned to pursue “people-oriented” specialties (150 [40%]) compared with those interested in “technology/procedure-oriented” specialties (170 [45%]). No statistically significant change in empathy scores was found in different class years of the osteopathic medical students. Comparisons of empathy scores with allopathic medical students showed no significant difference in the first and second years, but osteopathic medical students had a higher mean empathy score (M=114.4) than their allopathic counterparts (M=110.9) in the third year (t158=2.31, P<.05), and their empathy scores remained high, although not statistically significant, in the fourth year of osteopathic medical school. Conclusion: The decline in empathy that is often reported among allopathic medical students was not observed. The present study can serve as a step toward further longitudinal research on the development of empathy and attitudes toward teamwork among osteopathic medical students.
Metabolic pathway of paroxetine in animals and man and the comparative pharmacological properties of its metabolites

Radiotracer studies have been carried out in animals and man using paroxetine labelled with carbon-14 either at the methylenedioxy-carbon atom or in the piperidine ring. Major metabolites were isolated from the urine or bile and identified by mass spectrometry and comparison with synthetic reference compounds. The pattern of metabolites in the urine and plasma was assessed using chromatography-based isotope dilution analysis. The in uitro monoamine uptake inhibitory properties of the predominant metabolites and of some of the minor metabolites of paroxetine were investigated using rat hypothalamic synaptosomes. The ability of the predominant metabolites of paroxetine to inhibit the uptake of monoamines into hypothalamic synaptosomes after intravenous administration to rats was also investigated.
Pnc1p-Mediated Nicotinamide Clearance Modifies the Epigenetic Properties of rDNA Silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The histone deacetylase activity of Sir2p is dependent on NAD+ and inhibited by nicotinamide (NAM). As a result, Sir2p-regulated processes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae such as silencing and replicative aging are susceptible to alterations in cellular NAD+ and NAM levels. We have determined that high concentrations of NAM in the growth medium elevate the intracellular NAD+ concentration through a mechanism that is partially dependent on NPT1, an important gene in the Preiss–Handler NAD+ salvage pathway. Overexpression of the nicotinamidase, Pnc1p, prevents inhibition of Sir2p by the excess NAM while maintaining the elevated NAD+ concentration. This growth condition alters the epigenetics of rDNA silencing, such that repression of a URA3 reporter gene located at the rDNA induces growth on media that either lacks uracil or contains 5-fluoroorotic acid (5-FOA), an unusual dual phenotype that is reminiscent of telomeric silencing (TPE) of URA3. Despite the similarities to TPE, the modified rDNA silencing phenotype does not require the SIR complex. Instead, it retains key characteristics of typical rDNA silencing, including RENT and Pol I dependence, as well as a requirement for the Preiss–Handler NAD+ salvage pathway. Exogenous nicotinamide can therefore have negative or positive impacts on rDNA silencing, depending on the PNC1 expression level.
Constraints on pre-big bang models for seeding large-scale anisotropy by massive Kalb-Ramond axions

We discuss the conditions under which pre-big bang models can fit the observed large-scale anisotropy with a primordial spectrum of massive (Kalb– Ramond) axion fluctuations. The primordial spectrum must be sufficiently flat at low frequency and sufficiently steeper at high frequency. For a steep and/or long enough high-frequency branch of the spectrum the bounds imposed by COBE’s normalization allow axion masses of the typical order for a Peccei–Quinn–Weinberg–Wilczek axion. We provide a particular example in which an appropriate axion spectrum is obtained from a class of backgrounds satisfying the low-energy string cosmology equations.
Modeling of associative ionization reactions in hypersonic rarefied flows

When vehicles reenter the Earth’s atmosphere from space, the hypersonic conditions are sufficiently energetic to generate ionizing reactions. The production of a thin plasma layer around a hypersonic vehicle can block radio waves sent to and from the vehicle, leading to communications blackout. For Earth entry from orbit, the maximum energy involved in molecular collisions requires only associative ionization of air-species to be considered. In the present study, the modeling of such reactions is considered in detail using the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. For typical Earth entry conditions, with a velocity near 8km∕s, it is shown that the average ionizing reaction probabilities are small. Special numerical techniques must therefore be used in the DSMC technique in order to numerically resolve these reactions. Additional simulation problems arise from the relatively small mass of the electrons in comparison to the other atoms and molecules in these flow fields. Artificially increasing the e.
Mobility, Housing, and Environment: A Comparative Study

A cross-cultural survey of hunter-gatherers is conducted with particular emphasis on housing, mobility, and subsistence as these features vary with ecological settings and with particular environmental variables. Implications are drawn for investigations of variability as it is documented archaeologically. Particular emphasis is given to the features listed above, and to arguments in the literature that cite these variables and seek to evaluate the relative "complexity" of ancient sociocultural systems known from archaeological materials.
Attitudes towards acceptance of self and others and adjustment to teaching.

Summary. The hypothesis that there is a significant relationship between attitudes towards self and others and adjustment to teaching was supported by the following evidence: scales to measure the attitudes were shown to correlate consistently at the ·01 level with three different estimates of job satisfaction in three different population samples—factor analysis confirmed the relationships; the scales differentiated at the ·01 level between groups of students who had never considered withdrawal (i.e., who were well adjusted), those who had seriously considered withdrawal (less well adjusted) and those who withdrew voluntarily (unable to adjust).
Lead Sorption onto Ferrihydrite. 2. Surface Complexation Modeling

Few studies have combined molecular- and macroscopic-scale investigations with surface complexation model (SCM) development to predict trace metal speciation and partitioning in aqueous systems over a broad range of conditions. In this work, an extensive collection of new macroscopic and spectroscopic data was used to assess the ability of the modified triple-layer model (TLM) to predict single-solute lead(II) [Pb(II)] sorption onto 2-line ferrihydrite in NaNO3 solutions as a function of pH, ionic strength, and concentration. Regression of constant-pH isotherm data together with potentiometric titration and pH edge data was a much more rigorous test of the TLM than fitting pH edge data alone. When combined with spectroscopic data, the choices of feasible surface species/site types were limited to a few. In agreement with the spectroscopic data, very good fits of the isotherm data were obtained with a two-species, one-site model using the bidentate-mononuclear/monodentate-mononuclear species pairs, (≡FeO)2.
Antihypertensive activity of angiotensin II AT1 receptor antagonists: a systematic review of studies with 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring

Objective To perform a systematic review of the antihypertensive activity of the angiotensin II AT1 receptor antagonists (ARB). Methods Studies in which blood pressure (BP) was measured using ambulatory BP monitoring for at least 24 h were collected from MEDLINE. Data for each treatment group, ARB, placebo or the drug used for its comparison were obtained from the selected studies. Only studies with a minimum of quality criteria were selected. The final study group contained 36 publications, with a total of 47 patient cohorts receiving ARB in monotherapy, 10 with placebo, 10 with amlodipine, and five with enalapril. The reduction in clinical and ambulatory BP during 24 h, day, night and the last 4-h period for each of the drugs analysed were calculated and adjusted by age, sex, number of participants and by the initial BP level. Results The global antihypertensive activity of ARB differs from that observed with amlodipine in the sense that the magnitude of the reduction in the BP values does not essentially depend on the initial BP values nor on the dose used. When only ARB were considered, the drug used was a determinant for systolic BP reduction, whereas for diastolic BP the influence was on the BP reduction and the duration of the antihypertensive activity. The dose used had a particular influence on the duration of the antihypertensive activity for both systolic and diastolic BP. Conclusion Among the ARB, the influence is on duration more than on the magnitude of BP reduction. Dose, therefore, is an important factor in the duration of antihypertensive activity.
Comparative analysis of regression and machine learning methods for predicting fault proneness models

Demand for quality software has undergone rapid growth during the last few years. This is leading to increase in development of machine learning techniques for exploring datasets which can be used in constructing models for predicting quality attributes such as Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). This paper examines and compares Logistic Regression (LR), ANN (model predicted in an analogous study using the same dataset), SVM and DT methods. These two methods are explored empirically to find the effect of object-oriented metrics given by Chidamber and Kemerer on the fault proneness of object-oriented system classes. Data collected from Java applications is used in the study. The performance of the methods was compared by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. DT modelling showed 84.7% of correct classifications of faulty classes and is a better model than the model predicted using LR, SVM and ANN method. The area under the ROC curve of LR, ANN, SVM and DT model is 0.826, 0.85, 0.85 and 0.87, respectively. The paper shows that machine learning methods are useful in constructing software quality models.