Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Agents of the "suis-ide diseases" of swine: Actinobacillus suis, Haemophilus parasuis, and Streptococcus suis.

In recent years, Actinobacillus suis, Haemophilus parasuis, and Streptococcus suis have emerged as important pathogens of swine, particularly in high health status herds. Their association with a wide range of serious clinical conditions and has given rise to the moniker "suis-ide diseases. " These organisms are early colonizers and, for that reason, are difficult to control by management procedures such as segregated early weaning. Vaccination, serodiagnostic testing, and even serotyping are complicated by the presence of multiple serotypes, cross-reactive antigens, and the absence of clear markers for virulence. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the pathogenesis, epidemiology, and management of the causative agents of the "suis-ide diseases" of swine.
Expression of OX40 and OX40 ligand (gp34) in the normal and myasthenic thymus

Objectives– To examine the expression of OX40, an activated memory T‐cell marker, and its ligand (OX40L), a set of molecules for T‐cell–B‐cell interaction, and other lymphocyte activation markers in the thymuses of myasthenia gravis (MG) and controls. Material and methods– We studied the expression of OX40, OX40L, IL‐2Rα and HLA‐DR in the thymic tissues of MG and controls using immunocytochemistry and flowcytometry. Results– In both hyperplastic thymus of MG and control thymus, OX40+ cells were scattered mainly in the medulla with much fewer OX40L+ cells being distributed in the corticomedullary junctions. IL‐2Rα and HLA‐DR were expressed in the medulla at higher frequencies as compared with OX40 in controls as well as MG. In contrast, the numbers of OX40+ cells around the germinal centers (GC) were significantly greater than those of control thymuses, and some mononuclear cells in GC were OX40L+. A considerable number of OX40+ cells were seen in the thymic tissues adjacent to thymomas. OX40+ cells were CD4+CD8− or CD4+CD8+ and were mostly HLA‐DR−. (The coexpression of OX40 and IL‐2Rα on activated CD4+ T cells was previously reported.) Conclusion– OX40, expressed in a fraction of activated CD4+ T cells, may be upregulated in thymic tissues adjacent to GC and thymoma in MG, and OX40 may interact with OX40L in GC to enhance anti‐acetylcholine receptor antibody production in MG.
Extracellular carbonic anhydrase and an acid-base disequilibrium in the blood of the dogfish Squalus acanthias

The electrometric [Delta]pH method and an in vitro radioisotopic HCO3- dehydration assay were used to demonstrate the presence of true extracellular carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in the blood of the Pacific spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias. An extracorporeal circulation and stopflow technique were then used to characterise the acid­base disequilibrium in the arterial (postbranchial) blood. During the stopflow period, arterial pH (pHa) decreased by 0.028±0.003 units (mean ± s.e.m., N=27), in contrast to the increase in pHa of 0.029±0.006 units (mean ± s.e.m., N=6) observed in seawater-acclimated rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss under similar conditions. The negative disequilibrium in dogfish blood was abolished by the addition of bovine CA to the circulation, while inhibition by benzolamide of extracellular and gill membrane-bound CA activities reversed the direction of the acid­base disequilibrium such that pHa increased by 0.059±0.016 units (mean ± s.e.m., N=6) during the stopflow period. When the CA activity of red blood cells (rbcs) was additionally inhibited using acetazolamide, the magnitude of the negative disequilibrium was increased significantly to -0.045±0.007 units (mean ± s.e.m., N=6). Blockage of the rbc Cl-/HCO3- exchanger using 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS) also increased the magnitude of the negative disequilibrium, in this case to -0.089±0.008 units (mean ± s.e.m., N=6). Exposure of dogfish to hypercapnia had no effect on the disequilibrium, whereas the disequilibrium was significantly larger under hypoxic conditions, at -0.049±0.008 units (mean ± s.e.m., N=6). The results are interpreted within a framework in which the absence of a positive CO2 excretion disequilibrium in the arterial blood of the spiny dogfish is attributed to the membrane-bound and extracellular CA activities. The negative disequilibrium may arise from the continuation of Cl-/HCO3- exchange in the postbranchial blood and/or the hydration of CO2 added to the plasma postbranchially. Two possible sources of this CO2 are discussed; rbc CO2 production or the admixture of blood having 'low' and 'high' CO2 tensions, i.e. the mixing of postbranchial blood with blood which has bypassed the respiratory exchange surface.
An inductive buffered transimpedance amplifier stage for optical transceivers in 130nm CMOS

This paper presents a novel CMOS current feed-back inductive buffered trans-impedance amplifier (IBTIA) stage using the IBM 130 nm 8M2P CMOS process technology. Using the novel inductive buffer technique a 10 GHz bandwidth was achieved with a trans-impedance gain of ¿ 47 dB¿ without large gain peaking when compared to the inductive shunt peaking technique. In addition, the inductive buffer also provides an improved signal replica at the source-output at higher frequencies compared to an ordinary output buffer. The output noise voltage spectral density was 2 nV/¿Hz , while, the input referred noise current spectral density was below 10 pA/¿Hz within the -3 dB bandwidth. Eye diagram simulations using a -53 dBm input photo-diode current signal and a 231-1 pseudo random bit sequence data pattern, indicates an eye opening of 100% at 2 Gbits/s, 40% at 5 Gbits/sec and 8% at 11 Gbits/sec. This IBTIA is thus a robust building block for numerous optical transceiver applications with low bit error ratio (BER) figure.
Cash Transfer Policies, Taxation and the Fall in Inequality in Brazil An Integrated Microsimulation-CGE Analysis

Persistent and very high-income inequality is a well-known feature of the Brazilian economy. However, from 2001 to 2014, the Gini index registered an unprecedented fall of 13.5% percent, combined with significant poverty reduction. Previous studies using partial equilibrium analysis have pointed out the important role of federal government transfer programs in this “Bolsa Familia (PBF)” and “Beneficio de Prestacao Continuada (BPC)”, in achieving their purpose of alleviating poverty and reducing inequality in Brazil’s income distribution. The simulation results, using an integrated modeling approach, confirm the importance of these programs in reducing inequality from 2003 to 2005. However, the effect on poverty alleviation was not strong. Finally, the methodological approach reveals some important mechanisms that were not present in previous analyses, such as the role of the tax structure that finances these policies.
Expression and Function of the Collagen Receptor GPVI during Megakaryocyte Maturation*

In this report, the expression and function of the platelet collagen receptor glycoprotein VI (GPVI) were studied in human megakaryocytes during differentiation and maturation of mobilized blood and cord blood derived CD34+ cells. By flow cytometry, using an anti-GPVI monoclonal antibody or convulxin, a GPVI-specific ligand, GPVI was detected only on CD41+ cells including some CD41+/CD34+ cells, suggesting expression at a stage of differentiation similar to CD41. These results were confirmed at the mRNA level using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. GPVI expression was low during megakaryocytic differentiation but increased in the more mature megakaryocytes (CD41high). As in platelets, megakaryocyte GPVI associates with the Fc receptor γ chain (FcRγ). The FcR γ chain was detected at the RNA and protein level at all stages of megakaryocyte maturation preceding the expression of GPVI. The other collagen receptor, α2β1 integrin (CD49b/CD29), had a pattern of expression similar to GPVI. Megakaryocytic GPVI was recognized as a 55-kDa protein by immunoblotting and ligand blotting, and thus it presented a slightly lower apparent molecular mass than platelet GPVI (58 kDa). Megakaryocytes began to adhere to immobilized convulxin via GPVI after only 8–10 days of culture, at a time when megakaryocytes were maturing. At this stage of maturation, they also adhered to immobilized collagen by α2β1integrin-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Convulxin induced a very similar pattern of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in megakaryocytes and platelets including Syk, FcRγ, and PLCγ 2. Our results showed that GPVI is expressed early during megakaryocytic differentiation but functionally allows megakaryocyte adherence to collagen only at late stages of differentiation when its expression increases.
Primary Amino Acid and DNA Sequences of Gassericin T, a Lactacin F-Family Bacteriocin Produced by Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055

A broad-spectral bacteriocin, named gassericin T, produced by Lactobacillus gasseri SBT 2055 (from human feces) was isolated to homogeneity from the culture supernatant by hydrophobic chromatography. By SDS-PAGE and in situ activity assay, the purified gassericin T migrated as a single band with bacteriocin activity and molecular size of 5,400. A 2.9-kbp HindIII-HindIII fragment of chromosome DNA was hybridized with the oligonucleotide probe designed from the partial N-terminal amino acid sequence of gassericin T and was cloned. Six ORFs including the structural gene of gassericin T were deduced by computer analysis and the data bases. The structural gene of gassericin T (gatA) was identified as the fourth ORF, which encoded a protein composed of 75 amino acids that included the GG motif of the cleavage site. Chemical sequencing analysis of the complete amino acid sequence showed that gassericin T (57 amino acids) had a disulfide bond in the molecule and no modified amino acid residues, making it a class II bacteriocin. The gassericin T had 60% sequence similarity to mature LafA (57 amino acids, lactacin F, bacteriocins produced by L. johnsonii VPI11088), and the sequences around the processing site and C-terminal area were well conserved. The fifth ORF was designated as gatX, encoded as a peptide composed of 65 amino acids containing the GG motif of the putative cleavage site, however mature GatX and its antibacterial activity were not detected in the culture supernatant. GatX has higher similarity with LafX than with lactobin A (50 amino acids) belonging to the first lactacin F-family. These results indicated that gassericin T belongs to the hydrophobic class II bacteriocins and the most vicinal lactacin F-family.
Age and blood transfusion: relationship and prognostic implications in cardiac surgery.

Background Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is a well-known predictor of acute kidney injury (AKI) and death after cardiac surgery. This study aimed to define the relationship between age and the need for RBC. Methods Study population included 1,765 consecutive patients undergoing on-pump procedures from 2013 to 2015. The relationship between RBC transfusion and both survival and AKI, and any interaction with age was estimated. A propensity score for the likelihood to receive RBC transfusion was calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis to adjust for the effect of confounding factors. A logistic estimation curve was developed to investigate the interaction between this score and age. Results Patients receiving RBC transfusions had more comorbidities irrespective of age. Elderly patients underwent transfusion more often than younger patients with a 1.3-fold increase in the relative risk for transfusion. Age did not independently predict the need for RBC. AKI and mortality rates were significantly higher in transfused subsets irrespective of age. Conclusions Comorbidity profile and not age per se confers an increased risk of transfusion.
N-acyl-homoserine lactone-mediated regulation of phenazine gene expression by Pseudomonas aureofaciens 30-84 in the wheat rhizosphere

Pseudomonas aureofaciens 30-84 is a soilborne bacterium that colonizes the wheat rhizosphere. This strain produces three phenazine antibiotics which suppress take-all disease of wheat by inhibition of the causative agent Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici. Phenazines also enhance survival of 30-84 within the wheat rhizosphere in competition with other organisms. Expression of the phenazine biosynthetic operon is controlled by the phzR/phzI N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) response system (L. S. Pierson III et al., J. Bacterial 176:3966-3974, 1994; D. W. Wood and L. S. Pierson III, Gene 168:49-53, 1996). By using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry, the AHL produced by PhzI has now been identified as N-hexanoyl-homoserine lactone (HHL). In addition, the ability of HHL to serve as an interpopulation signal molecule in the wheat rhizosphere has been examined by using isogenic reporter strains. Disruption of phzI reduced expression of the phenazine biosynthetic operon 1,000-fold in the wheat rhizosphere. Coinoculation of an isogenic strain which produced the endogenous HHL signal restored phenazine gene expression in the phzI mutant to wild-type levels in situ. These results demonstrate that HHL is required for phenazine expression in situ and is an effective interpopulation signal molecule in the wheat rhizosphere.
QRS detection using novel digital differentiators

one of the important biological signals which is used to measure the health condition of the human being is an Electro Cardio Gram (ECG) Signal. This signal results because of the activity of the heart and consists of P, Q, R, S, T and U waves. QRS Detection is an important problem of research in Biomedical Engineering and Pan Tomkins Algorithm is one of the well-known techniques used for this purpose. The differentiator block forms an important role in the Pan Tompkins Algorithm. So, design of a differentiator with lesser hardware complexity and lesser error at low frequencies is an important research topic. In this paper an attempt is made to detect QRS complexes using novel infinite impulse response type digital differentiators which are obtained by the model order reduction techniques. Second order Savitzky-Golay type digital differentiators are also designed. The results obtained are compared to previous methods. The proposed filters reduce the hardware complexity and make them suitable for real time applications. The simulations are carried out using Matlab environment.
A new satellite selection algorithm in GNSS

In Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS), the visible satellite number can reach more than 30 in the same epoch moment. Therefore, selecting reasonable satellites from the combined constellation is very important. The classical optimal algorithm selects n satellite subset from m visible satellites, the satellite subset has the feature of minimum GDOP(Geometry Dilution of Precision), its computation amount is very large especially for much many satellites. This paper put forwards a new satellite selection algorithm, this algorithm is very effective. And the simulation result indicate the effectiveness of this new satellite selection algorithm, it can shorten greatly the computation time, also it has much lower computation load than traditional algorithm.
Exploring the Development of Teaching Expertise: Novice and Expert Teachers' Reflections upon Professional Development.

CRAWFORD, PAULA HICKMAN. Exploring the Development of Teaching Expertise: Novice and Expert Teachers’ Reflections upon Professional Development. (Under the direction of Saundra Wall Williams.) The purpose of this study was to examine novice teachers’ (n=7) and expert teachers’ (n=7) learning experiences and how these experiences were integrated into the teachers’ practices. The participants reflected upon experiences from professional development and their classroom during a semi-structured audiotaped interview. Data were analyzed using concept maps and matrices to distill the multipage interview transcriptions into manageable and comparable elements. Theoretical constructs underlying the analysis drew from expertise and situated learning theories. Comparisons between novice and expert teachers found that the acquisition of the knowledge bases in developing teaching expertise is a nonlinear process and that there are many factors upon which this development is predicated. The knowledge bases that are constructed as a part of developing teaching expertise are not acquired in a certain sequence, after a designated amount of time, nor as a result of particular experiences in a teacher’s practice. While there are distinct differences between novice and expert teachers, the findings indicate that most teachers seek guidance from colleagues rather than from staff development opportunities. Novices and experts both expressed concern regarding lack of time and that student academic diversity demands impact the quality of their job. Novices’ concerns included classroom discipline, inability to level lessons for student needs, and insufficient time to observe more experienced teachers. The most significant difference between novices and experts was the directly inverse proportional relationship between experts’ abilities to properly level instruction and manage the classroom and the novices’ inability to do so. EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING EXPERTISE: NOVICE AND EXPERT TEACHERS’ REFLECTIONS UPON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Contraceptive failure in the United States.

Data obtained from the 1970 National Fertility Study are analyzed to determine the incidence of contraceptive failure according to intent, social background, and method. Analyzed by life-table procedures, the data indicate that 40% of contraceptive users fail to achieve their goal of either delaying (26%) or preventing (14%) pregnancy. Those women who are relatively young at the beginning of their exposure to risk are much more likely to fail than older women. Pregnancy order and educational attainment do not affect contraceptive failure rates when intent and age are held constant. Blacks are much less successful than whites in delaying and preventing pregnancy, and white Catholics are less successful in delaying, but just as successful in preventing pregnancy as white non-Catholics. Attempts to prevent or delay pregnancy were much more successful in 1970 than 1955, partially because of the use of oral contraceptives, but also because of greater care taken no matter which method was used. Failure rates by method with intent and age constant are as follows: pill--6%, IUD--12%, condom--18%, diaphragm--23%, foam--31%, rhythm--33%, and douche--39%. These figures reflect the characteristics of those who use each method as well as the method itself. Methodological problems with this analysis are discussed along with their implications.
Clozapine pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics studied with CYP1A2-null mice

The aim of this study was to use the CYP1A2-null mouse to investigate the in-vivo contribution of CYP1A2 to clozapine pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. An intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg clozapine was administered to four male CYP1A2 –/– mice and four male wild-type mice. Clozapine, desmethylclozapine, and clozapine N-oxide concentrations in sequential tail blood samples were measured by HPLC with UV detection. Behavioural parameters were recorded at each time point. The area under the curve (AUC) of clozapine was 2.6 times greater, the clearance of clozapine was 2.6 times slower, and the half-life was 1.2 times longer in the CYP1A2 –/– mice (p=0.0143) as compared to the wild-type mice. Sixty-one percent of the clozapine clearance in wild-type mice was calculated to be mediated by CYP1A2. The AUC of desmethylclozapine was 1.6 times lower in the CYP1A2 –/– mice compared to the wild-type mice (p=0.0286), while there was a trend for the AUC of clozapine N-oxide to be greater in the CYP1A2 –/– mice (p=0.0571). The CYP1A2 –/– mice were significantly more drowsy and showed more motor impairment (p = 0.0145) and myoclonus than the wild-type mice. Our results indicate that, in vivo, CYP1A2 is the major determinant of clozapine clearance, contributes significantly to the demethylation of clozapine, and has a negligible contribution to the N-oxidation. Our data also indicate that CYP1A2 poor metabolizers might be more susceptible than extensive metabolizers to dose-related adverse effects of clozapine, such as sedation, myoclonus and seizures.
The Rapid Plasma Reagin Test Cannot Replace the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory Test for Neurosyphilis Diagnosis

Background: The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test is a mainstay for neurosyphilis diagnosis, but it lacks diagnostic sensitivity and is logistically complicated. The rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test is easier to perform, but its appropriateness for use on CSF is controversial. Methods: RPR reactivity was determined for CSF from 149 individuals with syphilis using 2 methods. The CSF-RPR was performed according to the method for serum. The CSF-RPR-V was performed using the method recommended for the CSF-VDRL. Laboratory-defined neurosyphilis included reactive CSF-fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test and CSF white blood cells >20/uL. Symptomatic neurosyphilis was defined as vision loss or hearing loss. Results: CSF-VDRL was reactive in 45 (30.2%) patients. Of these, 29 (64.4%) were CSF-RPR reactive and 37 (82.2%) were CSF-RPR-V reactive. There were no instances where the CSF-VDRL was nonreactive but the CSF-RPR or CSF-RPR-V was reactive. Among the 28 samples that were reactive in all 3 tests, CSF-VDRL titers (median [IQR], 1:4 [1:4–1:16]) were significantly higher than CSF-RPR (1:2 [1:1–1:4], P = 0.0002) and CSF-RPR-V titers (1:4 [1:2–1:8], P = 0.01). The CSF RPR and the CSF-RPR-V tests had lower sensitivities than the CSF-VDRL: 56.4% and 59.0% versus 71.8% for laboratory-diagnosed neurosyphilis and 51.5% and 57.6% versus 66.7% for symptomatic neurosyphilis. Conclusions: Compared with the CSF-VDRL, the CSF-RPR has a high false-negative rate, thus not improving upon this known limitation of the CSF-VDRL for neurosyphilis diagnosis. Adapting the RPR procedure to mimic the CSF-VDRL decreased, but did not eliminate, the number of false negatives and did not avoid all the logistical complications of the CSF-VDRL.
Draft Genome Sequence of Kingella negevensis SW7208426, the First European Strain of K. negevensis Isolated from a Healthy Child in Switzerland

ABSTRACT We report here the draft genome of Kingella negevensis strain SW7208426, isolated from the oropharynx of a healthy 6-year-old boy in Geneva, Switzerland. To our knowledge, this is the first genome report of the newly described K. negevensis species from Europe.