Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shoulder Muscle Recruitment Patterns During Commonly Used Rotator Cuff Exercises: An Electromyographic Study

Background and Purpose: Graduated rotation exercises performed with the arm by the side are commonly used to improve rotator cuff (RC) muscle function. The aim of this study was to compare the pattern of recruitment of the RC muscles with that of other shoulder muscles that rotate the shoulder joint during these exercises. Subjects: The nondominant shoulders of 15 subjects who were healthy were tested. Methods: Activity in the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, and posterior deltoid muscles was recorded. Low-, medium-, and high-intensity rotation exercises were performed with a pulley system. Results: As the intensity of both internal and external rotation exercises increased, activity increased in a systematic manner in all muscles capable of producing rotation torque during concentric and eccentric contractions. Discussion and Conclusion: The results indicate that, in people who are healthy, the motor strategy used to deal with increasing rotation resistance with the arm in a pendant position is to gradually increase activity in all shoulder rotation torque-generating muscles.
[Analysis of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Guizhou area, using second generation line probe assay].

OBJECTIVE To analyse the frequency of various hepatitis C virus genotypes in different populations with HCV infection from Guizhou area. METHODS Ninty-eight HCV isolates obtained by using RT-nested PCR from 37 patients with chronic hepatitis C (PHCs), 15 patients with hemopathy (PHs), 12 blood donors (BDs) and 34 intravenous drug-users (IVDUs) were genotyped by using the second generation line probe assay. RESULTS Among 37 HCV isolates from PHCs, there were 34 (91.9%) genotype 1b, 3 (8.1%) mixted genotypes (1 for 1a + 1b, 1 for 1b + 2, 1 for 1a + 1b + 2a/2c, respectively). Among 15 PHs, 14 (93.3%) were type 1b, 1(6.7%) were type 1b + 2, among 12 BDs, all(100.0%) were type 1b. Among 34 IVDUs, 13(38.2%) were type 1b, 10(29.4%) were type 6a, 1(2.9%) was type 3a, 4(11.8%) were type 3b and 6(17.6%) were mixed types(2 for 1a + 2, 1 for 1a, 1b + 2, 1 for 1b + 3b, 1 for 3b + 2, 1 for 1b + 6a, respectively). CONCLUSION The results showed that HCV subtypes 1a, 1b, 2a/2c, 3a, 3b and 6a belonging to 4 HCV genotypes(1,2,3,6) were found from different populations in Guizhou, of these, 3a, 3b and 6a were only found in IVDUs and their total frequency was above 50%.
The importance of Na + /H + exchanger for the generation of procoagulant activity by porcine blood platelets

This study addresses the role of the Na + /H + exchanger (NHE) in the generation of procoagulant activity in blood platelets. It was found that monensin (simulating the action of NHE) and gramicidin (causing sodium influx without concomitant H + efflux) produced a dose- and time-dependent increase in platelet procoagulant activity. Alkalinization of platelet cytosol by NH 4 Cl failed to evoke a procoagulant response. Collagen-induced procoagulant response was diminished in the absence of external Na + and in the presence of EIPA (NHE inhibitor) or GF 109203X (protein kinase C inhibitor). Phorbol ester (PMA) produced a dose- and time-dependent generation of procoagulant response which was inhibited in the absence of the external Na+ and in the presence of EIPA. Platelets stimulated by collagen and PMA accumulated 22 Na + , a phenomenon inhibited in the presence of EIPA. The data indicate that development of procoagulant activity in platelets may occur as a result of Na + influx via Na + /H + exchanger.
Decoding Cancer Variants of Unknown Significance for Helicase–Nuclease–RPA Complexes Orchestrating DNA Repair During Transcription and Replication

All tumors have DNA mutations, and a predictive understanding of those mutations could inform clinical treatments. However, 40% of the mutations are variants of unknown significance (VUS), with the challenge being to objectively predict whether a VUS is pathogenic and supports the tumor or whether it is benign. To objectively decode VUS, we mapped cancer sequence data and evolutionary trace (ET) scores onto crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy structures with variant impacts quantitated by evolutionary action (EA) measures. As tumors depend on helicases and nucleases to deal with transcription/replication stress, we targeted helicase–nuclease–RPA complexes: (1) XPB-XPD (within TFIIH), XPF-ERCC1, XPG, and RPA for transcription and nucleotide excision repair pathways and (2) BLM, EXO5, and RPA plus DNA2 for stalled replication fork restart. As validation, EA scoring predicts severe effects for most disease mutations, but disease mutants with low ET scores not only are likely destabilizing but also disrupt sophisticated allosteric mechanisms. For sites of disease mutations and VUS predicted to be severe, we found strong co-localization to ordered regions. Rare discrepancies highlighted the different survival requirements between disease and tumor mutations, as well as the value of examining proteins within complexes. In a genome-wide analysis of 33 cancer types, we found correlation between the number of mutations in each tumor and which pathways or functional processes in which the mutations occur, revealing different mutagenic routes to tumorigenesis. We also found upregulation of ancient genes including BLM, which supports a non-random and concerted cancer process: reversion to a unicellular, proliferation-uncontrolled, status by breaking multicellular constraints on cell division. Together, these genes and global analyses challenge the binary “driver” and “passenger” mutation paradigm, support a gradient impact as revealed by EA scoring from moderate to severe at a single gene level, and indicate reduced regulation as well as activity. The objective quantitative assessment of VUS scoring and gene overexpression in the context of functional interactions and pathways provides insights for biology, oncology, and precision medicine.
Polyadenylation in Rice Tungro Bacilliform Virus:cis-Acting Signals and Regulation

ABSTRACT The polyadenylation signal of rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) was characterized by mutational and deletion analysis. Thecis-acting signals required to direct polyadenylation conformed to what is known for plant poly(A) signals in general and were very similar to those of the related cauliflower mosaic virus. Processing was directed by a canonical AAUAAA poly(A) signal, an upstream UG-rich region considerably enhanced processing efficiency, and sequences downstream of the cleavage site were not required. When present at the end of a transcription unit, thecis-acting signals for 3′-end processing were highly efficient in both monocot (rice) and dicot (Nicotiana plumbaginifolia) protoplasts. In a promoter-proximal position, as in the viral genome, the signal was also efficiently processed in rice protoplasts, giving rise to an abundant “short-stop” (SS-) RNA. The proportion of SS-RNA was considerably lower in N. plumbaginifolia protoplasts. In infected plants, SS-RNA was hardly detectable, suggesting either that SS-RNA is unstable in infected plants or that read-through of the promoter-proximal poly(A) site is very efficient. SS-RNA is readily detectable in transgenic rice plants (A. Klöti, C. Henrich, S. Bieri, X. He, G. Chen, P. K. Burkhardt, J. Wünn, P. Lucca, T. Hohn, I. Potrylus, and J. Fütterer, 1999. Plant Mol. Biol. 40:249–266), thus the absence of SS-RNA in infected plants can be attributed to poly(A) site bypass in the viral context to ensure production of the full-length pregenomic viral RNA. RTBV poly(A) site suppression thus depends both on context and the expression system; our results suggest that the circular viral minichromosome directs assembly of a transcription-processing complex with specific properties to effect read-through of the promoter-proximal poly(A) signal.
Brain response to viewing others being harmed in children with conduct disorder symptoms.

BACKGROUND Deficient empathic processing is thought to foster conduct disorder (CD). It is important to determine the extent to which neural response associated with perceiving harm to others predicts CD symptoms and callous disregard for others. METHODS A total of 107 9- to 11-year-old children (52 female) were recruited from pediatric and mental health clinics, representing a wide range of CD symptoms. Children were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging while viewing brief video clips of persons being harmed intentionally or accidentally. RESULTS Perceiving harm evoked increased hemodynamic response in the anterior insula (aINS), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala, periaqueductal gray (PAG), caudate, and inferior parietal lobe (IPL) across all participants. Intentionally caused, relative to unintentional harm was associated with greater activity in the aINS, amygdala, and temporal pole. There was an inverse association of number of CD symptoms with right posterior insula in both the Harm > No Harm and the Intentional > Unintentional Harm contrasts. Furthermore, an inverse association between callousness and posterior insula activation was found in the Harm > No Harm contrast, with the opposite pattern for reactive aggression scores. An interaction revealed a stronger association in girls between CD symptoms and the right posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) in the Intentional Harm versus Unintentional Harm contrast. CONCLUSIONS Children with greater CD and callousness exhibit dampened hemodynamic response to viewing others being harmed in the insula, a region which plays a key role in empathy and emotional awareness. Sex differences in the neural correlates of CD were observed.
Stimulus-dependent secretion of plasma proteins from human neutrophils.

In search for matrix proteins released from secretory vesicles of human neutrophils, a prominent 67-kD protein was identified in the extracellular medium of neutrophils stimulated by the chemotactic peptide, FMLP. The protein was purified to apparent homogeneity and partially sequenced. The sequence of the first 32 NH2-terminal amino acids was identical to the sequence of albumin. mRNA for human albumin could not be detected in bone marrow cells, nor could biosynthetic labeling of albumin be demonstrated in bone marrow cells during incubation with [14C]leucine. Immunofluorescence studies on single cells demonstrated the presence of intracellular albumin in fixed permeabilized neutrophils. Light microscopy of immunogold-silver-stained cryosections visualized albumin in cytoplasmic "granules. " The morphology of these was determined by immunoelectron microscopy as vesicles of varying form and size. Subcellular fractionation studies on unstimulated neutrophils demonstrated the presence of albumin in the low density pre-gamma and gamma-regions that contain secretory vesicles, but are devoid of specific granules and azurophil granules. Albumin was readily released from these structures during activation of neutrophils with inflammatory mediators. Immunoblotting demonstrated the presence of immunoglobulin and transferrin along with albumin in exocytosed material from stimulated neutrophils. This indicates that secretory vesicles are unique endocytic vesicles that can be triggered to exocytose by inflammatory stimuli.
Dipeptidyl Peptidase I-Dependent Neutrophil Recruitment Modulates the Inflammatory Response to Sendai Virus Infection1

The role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of asthma is unclear. Although increased presence of neutrophils is associated with persistent asthma and asthma exacerbations, how neutrophils participate in the pathogenesis of asthma remains controversial. In this study, we show that the absence of dipeptidyl peptidase I (DPPI), a lysosomal cysteine protease found in neutrophils, dampens the acute inflammatory response and the subsequent mucous cell metaplasia that accompanies the asthma phenotype induced by Sendai virus infection. This attenuated phenotype is accompanied by a significant decrease in the accumulation of neutrophils and the local production of CXCL2, TNF, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the lung of infected DPPI−/− mice. Adoptive transfer of DPPI-sufficient neutrophils into DPPI−/− mice restored the levels of CXCL2 and enhanced cytokine production on day 4 postinfection and subsequent mucous cell metaplasia on day 21 postinfection. These results indicate that DPPI and neutrophils play a critical role in Sendai virus-induced asthma phenotype as a result of a DPPI-dependent neutrophil recruitment and cytokine response.
Specialty-related differences in the epidemiology, clinical profile, management and outcome of patients hospitalized for heart failure; the OSCUR study. Oucome dello Scompenso Cardiaco in relazione all'Utilizzo delle Risore.

AIMS This study was designed to identify potential specialty-related differences in the epidemiology, clinical profile, management and outcome of patients hospitalized for congestive heart failure in departments of cardiology or internal medicine. METHODS AND RESULTS From 1 July to 31 December 1998, we prospectively recorded epidemiological and clinical data from patients with congestive heart failure consecutively admitted to 11 departments of cardiology and 12 departments of internal medicine in Liguria, a northern area of Italy. The overall study population included 749 patients; 22% were treated by cardiologists and 78% by internists (P<0.0001). Patients managed by cardiologists were more likely to undergo echocardiography (92% vs 37%), Holter monitoring (25% vs 3%) and exercise stress testing (20% vs 0.5%) than those managed by internists (P=0.001). At discharge, patients treated by cardiologists were more likely to be prescribed beta-blockers (41% to 4%) and ACE inhibitors (100% to 74%) than those treated by internists (P<0.0001), and the latter medication at higher dosages by cardiologists than internists. In addition, patients followed by cardiologists were younger (70+/-9 to 79+/-1 years;P<0.0001), more likely to be male (61% to 50%;P=0.011) and to have coronary artery disease (57% to 45%;P<0.006) than those followed by internists. Conversely, patients followed by internists were more likely to have diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, atrial fibrillation and renal failure (P<0.03). In the overall study population, 53 patients (7%) died during hospitalization. Patients treated by cardiologists had a mortality not significantly different from that of patients treated by internists (10% and 6%, respectively;P=0.067), although congestive heart failure was more severe on admission in patients treated by cardiologists. CONCLUSION Cardiologists follow published guidelines for congestive heart failure more strictly than internists, but treat a smaller number of patients who are younger, have more severe congestive heart failure and fewer co-morbidities than those managed by internists.
A Controlled Evaluation of Web-Based Training for Teachers and Public Health Practitioners on the Prevention of Eating Disorders

The effectiveness of a web-based prevention program designed for elementary school teachers was examined in 78 elementary school teachers and 89 local public health practitioners (who provide support to schools). Participants were assigned to either the intervention (n = 95) or comparison (n = 72) study groups. All participants completed self-report online measures prior to, and following, the 60-day study period assessing knowledge about various factors that influence body image in children and efficacy to fight weight bias in the school. Information was also solicited on the feasibility of, and on the perceived benefit of the web-based program as a knowledge translation tool, in terms of layout and content. The Student Body program was found to be successful in improving knowledge concerning facts about dieting among the teacher participants, and in increasing efficacy to fight weight bias among the public health participants. Overall, the feedback was very positive concerning the layout and content of the Student Body. Participants reported an overall improvement in their awareness about how weight bias can be present in their teaching practices, and how this can trigger body image concerns among their students. Findings have implications for using the web to engage teachers in the prevention of disordered eating among school age children.
Incident Occurrence of Depressive Symptoms among Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment – The Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Aims: We estimated the prevalence and incidence rates of depressive symptoms and the role of vascular risk factors and sociodemographic variables on the occurrence of depressive symptoms in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: In the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging, 2,963 individuals from 5,632 65- to 84-year-old subjects were evaluated at the 1st and 2nd survey, with a 3.5-year follow-up. Dementia and MCI were classified using current criteria. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results: Among the 2,963 participants, 139 prevalent MCI cases were diagnosed with a depressive symptoms prevalence rate of 63.3%. During the 3.5-year follow-up, we estimated an incidence rate of depressive symptoms of 29.6 per 100 person-years. No sociodemographic variables or vascular risk factors modified the incidence of depressive symptoms in cognitively stable MCI patients or in MCI patients who reverted to normal cognition. Conclusion: In our population, there was a high prevalence and incidence of depressive symptoms in MCI. Our findings do not provide support for a possible role of vascular risk factors in the development of depressive symptoms in MCI, although these findings were based on relatively few cases of MCI, limiting the capacity to draw definitive conclusions.
Cerebral non‐oxidative carbohydrate consumption in humans driven by adrenaline

During brain activation, the decrease in the ratio between cerebral oxygen and carbohydrate uptake (6 O2/(glucose +1/2 lactate); the oxygen–carbohydrate index, OCI) is attenuated by the non‐selective β‐adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol, whereas OCI remains unaffected by the β1‐adrenergic receptor antagonist metroprolol. These observations suggest involvement of a β2‐adrenergic mechanism in non‐oxidative metabolism for the brain. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of adrenaline (0.08 μg kg−1 min−1i.v. for 15 min) and noradrenaline (0.5, 0.1 and 0.15 μg kg−1 min−1i.v. for 20 min) on the arterial to internal jugular venous concentration differences (a‐v diff) of O2, glucose and lactate in healthy humans. Adrenaline (n= 10) increased the arterial concentrations of O2, glucose and lactate (P < 0.05) and also increased the a‐v diff for glucose from 0.6 ± 0.1 to 0.8 ± 0.2 mm (mean ±s.d.; P < 0.05). The a‐v diff for lactate shifted from a net cerebral release to an uptake and OCI was lowered from 5.1 ± 1.5 to 3.6 ± 0.4 (P < 0.05) indicating an 8‐fold increase in the rate of non‐oxidative carbohydrate uptake during adrenaline infusion (P < 0.01). Conversely, noradrenaline (n= 8) did not affect the OCI despite an increase in the a‐v diff for glucose (P < 0.05). These results support that non‐oxidative carbohydrate consumption for the brain is driven by a β2‐adrenergic mechanism, giving neurons an abundant provision of energy when plasma adrenaline increases.
Multiple I-Type Lysozymes in the Hydrothermal Vent Mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus and Their Role in Symbiotic Plasticity

The aim of this study was first to identify lysozymes paralogs in the deep sea mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus then to measure their relative expression or activity in different tissue or conditions. B. azoricus is a bivalve that lives close to hydrothermal chimney in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). They harbour in specialized gill cells two types of endosymbiont (gram—bacteria): sulphide oxidizing bacteria (SOX) and methanotrophic bacteria (MOX). This association is thought to be ruled by specific mechanism or actors of regulation to deal with the presence of symbiont but these mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we focused on the implication of lysozyme, a bactericidal enzyme, in this endosymbiosis. The relative expression of Ba-lysozymes paralogs and the global anti-microbial activity, were measured in natural population (Lucky Strike -1700m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge), and in in situ experimental conditions. B. azoricus individuals were moved away from the hydrothermal fluid to induce a loss of symbiont. Then after 6 days some mussels were brought back to the mussel bed to induce a re-acquisition of symbiotic bacteria. Results show the presence of 6 paralogs in B. azoricus. In absence of symbionts, 3 paralogs are up-regulated while others are not differentially expressed. Moreover the global activity of lysozyme is increasing with the loss of symbiont. All together these results suggest that lysozyme may play a crucial role in symbiont regulation.
A Nine-Switch-Converter-Based Integrated Motor Drive and Battery Charger System for EVs Using Symmetrical Six-Phase Machines

This paper presents a new configuration for integrated on-board battery chargers of electric vehicles (EVs) incorporating symmetrical six-phase machines. The configuration proposes an exclusive utilization of a nine-switch converter (NSC) along with the machine windings during both propulsion and charging of EVs. The proposed configuration has the advantage of employing a reduced number of components in both the EV (on-board) and charging station (off-board), with the privilege of avoiding machine electromagnetic torque production during charging/vehicle-to-grid (V2G) mode of operation. During charging/V2G mode, the NSC is turned into a conventional three-phase pulse width modulation rectifier and is directly connected to the three-phase mains through the machine windings. Conventional three-phase transformers can be employed for galvanic isolation. Switching between propulsion and charging modes is carried out using a simple hardware reconfiguration. Control schemes for both propulsion and charging/V2G modes are elaborated, along with the principles of operation of the NSC. Experimental results are provided to validate the theoretical deductions for the different operating modes.
Therapeutic effectiveness of slow-release PLGA-oxaliplatin microsphere on human colorectal tumor-bearing mice

The aim was to develop a slow-release poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-oxaliplatin microsphere and to assess the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of this preparation on colorectal tumor in vivo. The PLGA-oxaliplatin microsphere was prepared based on a spray-drying method, and the drug loading and in-vitro oxaliplatin release profile were carried out using high performance liquid chromatography. The inhibiting effect on tumor growth was examined using in-vivo subcutaneously inoculated colorectal tumor models of nude mice. The size of the microsphere was less than 100 μm, drug loading was 18–22% and drug release time lasted as long as 30 days. PLGA-oxaliplatin microspheres significantly restrained tumor growth and this effect correlated with decreased expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and increased expression of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling in tumor cells. Body weight measurement and blood analysis did not suggest significant adverse effects on the mice during the study. The PLGA-oxaliplatin microsphere developed here was suitable for regional use; it appears safe and effective in controlling the tumor growth. This preparation shows promise in reducing local recurrence of colorectal cancer after resection, but needs further investigation.