Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Mucin Muc2 Limits Pathogen Burdens and Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction during Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Colitis

ABSTRACT Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a model organism used to explore the virulence strategies underlying Salmonella pathogenesis. Although intestinal mucus is the first line of defense in the intestine, its role in protection against Salmonella is still unclear. The intestinal mucus layer is composed primarily of the Muc2 mucin, a heavily O-glycosylated glycoprotein. The core 3-derived O-glycans of Muc2 are synthesized by core 3 β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (C3GnT). Mice lacking these glycans still produce Muc2 but display a thinner intestinal mucus barrier. We began our investigations by comparing Salmonella-induced colitis and mucus dynamics in Muc2-deficient (Muc2 −/−) mice, C3GnT −/− mice, and wild-type C57BL/6 (WT) mice. Salmonella infection led to increases in luminal Muc2 secretion in WT and C3GnT −/− mice. When Muc2 −/− mice were infected with Salmonella, they showed dramatic susceptibility to infection, carrying significantly higher cecal and liver pathogen burdens, and developing significantly higher barrier disruption and higher mortality rates, than WT mice. We found that the exaggerated barrier disruption in infected Muc2 −/− mice was invA dependent. We also tested the susceptibility of C3GnT −/− mice and found that they carried pathogen burdens similar to those of WT mice but developed exaggerated barrier disruption. Moreover, we found that Muc2 −/− mice were impaired in intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) expression and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) detoxification activity in their ceca, potentially explaining their high mortality rates during infection. Our data suggest that the intestinal mucus layer (Muc2) and core 3 O-glycosylation play critical roles in controlling Salmonella intestinal burdens and intestinal epithelial barrier function, respectively.
Integrated polymer optoelectronic time delay device for an x-band phased array antenna system

A 4-bit polymer optoelectronic true time delay device is demonstrated. The device is composed of monolithically integrated, low loss, passive polymer waveguide delay lines and 2x2 polymer thermo-optic switches. Waveguide junction offsets and air trenches simultaneously reduce the bending loss and device area. Simulations are used to optimize the trench and offset structures for fabrication. The 16 time delays generated by the device are measured to range from 0 to 177 ps in 11.8 ps increments. The packaged device has an insertion loss of 14.5 dB and the delay switching speed is 2 ms. The delays generated by the device are suitable for steering a 1D or 2D sub-array of an X-band phased array antenna system.
Left ventricular noncompaction and cardiomyopathy: cause, contributor, or epiphenomenon?

Purpose of review To discuss unresolved issues pertaining to aetiology and diagnosis of isolated left ventricular noncompaction. Recent findings Left ventricular noncompaction may be sporadic or familial and is linked to mutations in mitochondrial, cytoskeletal, Z-line, and sarcomeric proteins. Severe childhood manifestations include fetal hydrops or sudden infant death syndrome. Adults with severe phenotypes have a similarly guarded prognosis due to heart failure, arrhythmia and thromboembolism. Conversely, healthy individuals may fulfil current imaging criteria for diagnosis. Left ventricular noncompaction is also observed in families with hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy, casting doubt on its acceptance as a distinct disease entity. Summary The extent of myocardial compaction may be a continuous trait within the population. Sensitive imaging techniques may detect subtle variations in morphology that fall within the normal range, underscoring the need for more restrictive diagnostic criteria, as in mitral valve prolapse. Conversely, rather than being a root cause of myocardial dysfunction, left ventricular noncompaction may represent a secondary consequence of a genetic alteration, well-tolerated when the heart is otherwise normal. In the presence of a pathogenic mutation, disruption to myocyte function at a molecular level may be the primary disease determinant, with noncompaction arising as a maladaptive remodelling response that compounds the disease process through subendocardial ischaemia and fibrosis.
DERRIC: A Tool for Unified Logic Diagnosis

This paper presents DERRIC (Diagnosis of logic ERRors in VLSI Integrated Circuits), a diagnostic tool targeting most of the fault models used in practice today. This tool is intended to be used to diagnose faulty behaviors in nanometric circuits for which the classical stuck-at fault model is far to cover all the realistic failures. The underlying method of DERRIC is based on the Effect-Cause approach which relies on the two following main operations. The first one is based on critical path tracing (CPT) that consists in identifying critical lines in the Circuit Under Test (CUT) which can be the source of observed errors. The second one consists in allocating a set of possible fault models to each critical line, so that root causes of failures can be finally determined. The main advantage of this method is that it does not need to explicitly consider each fault model during the diagnosis process. Experiments on ISCAS'85 and ITC'99 benchmarks show the efficiency of the proposed tool in terms of diagnosis resolution.
Pulmonary distribution and kinetics of inhaled [11C]triamcinolone acetonide.

UNLABELLED Triamcinolone acetonide (TAA) is an anti-inflammatory steroid used for topical treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Drug deposition onto target tissues is an important parameter, so methods for accurate deposition measurement are needed. Lung deposition is especially problematic to measure because of the large field of view and low relative drug penetration. Our main objective was to use PET to measure the deposition and postdeposition kinetics of TAA in the lung after administration from the Azmacort inhaler. The second objective was to evaluate changes in distribution caused by the inhalation spacer that is built into the product. METHODS 11C-labeled TAA was formulated as the Azmacort product, 5 healthy volunteers inhaled it, and PET scans were obtained of its distribution in the head and chest. Region-of-interest analysis with CT overlay was used to analyze the distribution and kinetics in the airway and lung. RESULTS From 10% to 15% of the inhaled drug dose was deposited in target airway regions in a distally decreasing pattern. Deposition in the oral cavity was about 30% of the dose. Slow absorption or clearance of drug from target tissues was observed over time. Use of the inhalation spacer caused statistically significant increases in all target tissues (factor of 2-5) and a roughly 40% decrease in oral deposition. Measurable amounts of the drug remained in target regions throughout the scanning period. CONCLUSION Local pulmonary distribution and kinetics of inhaled drugs can be measured accurately by PET for drug development. The integrated actuator-spacer significantly enhanced deposition of TAA in target tissues and reduced deposition in the oropharyngeal region.
nNOS polymorphisms are associated with responsiveness to sildenafil in clinical and postoperative erectile dysfunction.

AIM Sildenafil potentiates the nitric oxide (NO) signaling pathway. Since neuronal NOS is very important in the penis, we assessed whether NOS1 polymorphisms are associated with altered responsiveness to sildenafil in erectile dysfunction (ED). MATERIALS & METHODS Patients (n = 137) were divided as clinical ED or postoperative ED. They were subdivided as good responders or poor responders to sildenafil, and genotypes for rs41279104 and rs2682826 NOS1 polymorphisms were determined. RESULTS We found that the rs41279104 CT genotype was associated with good responders in postoperative ED patients, while rs2682826 CT genotype was associated with good responders in postoperative ED, and the TT genotype associated with good responders in both groups. Finally, the CT haplotype was associated with good responders in postoperative ED. CONCLUSION NOS1 polymorphisms are associated with responsiveness to sildenafil in ED. Original submitted 20 November 2013; Revision submitted 31 January 2014.
Transcriptional repressor DREAM regulates trigeminal noxious perception

Expression of the downstream regulatory element antagonist modulator (DREAM) protein in dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord is related to endogenous control mechanisms of acute and chronic pain. In primary sensory trigeminal neurons, high levels of endogenous DREAM protein are preferentially localized in the nucleus, suggesting a major transcriptional role. Here, we show that transgenic mice expressing a dominant active mutant of DREAM in trigeminal neurons show increased responses following orofacial sensory stimulation, which correlates with a decreased expression of prodynorphin and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in trigeminal ganglia. Genome‐wide analysis of trigeminal neurons in daDREAM transgenic mice identified cathepsin L and the monoglyceride lipase as two new DREAM transcriptional targets related to pain. Our results suggest a role for DREAM in the regulation of trigeminal nociception.
A novel method for capacity fade analysis of lithium-ion batteries based on multi-physics model

Detailed information of the capacity fade mechanisms can be very beneficial for the prognostics and health management (PHM) study of lithium-ion batteries. This paper reports a novel capacity fade analysis method. The parameter degradation of multi-physics model is achieved, and the three main factors of capacity fade is quantitatively calculated by using the obtained parameters. The results show that the loss of active material and the loss of Li inventory is the main reason of capacity fade at high temperature and room temperature, respectively. And the proposed method can further help improving battery (pack) management, reliability and safety.
Clinical Holistic Medicine (Mindful, Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Complemented with Bodywork) Improves Quality of Life, Health, and Ability by Induction of Antonovsky-Salutogenesis

We had a success rate of treating low, self-assessed, global quality of life (measured by QOL1: How would you assess the quality of your life now? ) with clinical holistic medicine of 56.4% (95% CI: 42.3–69.7%) and calculated from this the Number Needed to Treat (NNT) as 1.43–2.36. We found that during treatment, (in average 20 sessions of psychodynamic psychotherapy complemented with bodywork at a cost of 1600 EURO), the patients entered a state of Antonovsky-salutogenesis (holistic, existential healing), which also improved their self-assessed health and general ability one whole step up a 5-point Likert Scale. The treatment responders radically improved their self-assessed physical health (0.6 step), self-assessed mental health (1.6 step), their relation to self (1.2 step), friends (0.3 step), and partner (2.1 step on a 6-step scale), and their ability to love (1.2 step) and work (0.8 step), and to function socially (1.0 step) and sexually (0.8 step). It seems that treatment with clinical holistic medicine is the cure of choice when the patients (1) present the triad of low quality of life, poor self-assessed physical and/or mental health, and poor ability to function; and (2) are willing to suffer during the therapy by confronting and integrating old emotional problems and trauma(s) from the past. For these patients, the treatment provided lasting benefits, without the negative side effects of drugs. A lasting, positive effect might also prevent many different types of problems in the future. The therapy was “mindful” in its focus on existential and spiritual issues.
The effect of triple pelvic osteotomy on the articular contact area of the hip joint in dysplastic dogs: an in vitro experimental study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) on articular contact area and acetabular coverage of dysplastic hip joints in dogs. STUDY DESIGN Articular contact area and femoral head coverage by the acetabulum were computed in vitro in normal and dysplastic canine hips. The effect of TPO on articular contact and coverage was then analyzed in the dysplastic hips. Sample Population-Five normal and six dysplastic canine cadaver specimens. METHODS Contact area and coverage of loaded hips were computed using serial computed tomography scan images before and after TPO. Three angles of acetabular ventroversion (AVV) were studied (20 degrees, 30 degrees, and 40 degrees). Using a custom-designed hinge plate, angles of spontaneous hip reduction in dysplastic hips were compared with previously recorded angles of reduction determined by the Ortolani test. RESULTS Contact area significantly increased from 0 degrees to 30 degrees of AVV, then remained virtually unchanged. Coverage significantly increased from 0 degrees to 20 degrees of AVV. Both contact and coverage of normal hips were similar, yet significantly smaller than those of dysplastic hips once reduction had occurred. The experimental angles of reduction were significantly smaller and poorly correlated with the angles of reduction determined by the Ortolani test. Although coverage continued to increase with AVV, the actual joint contact area did not significantly vary after relocation of the femoral head. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that increasing AVV beyond 20 degrees does not significantly improve the beneficial effects of TPO and therefore should be carefully weighed against increased risks of postoperative complications associated with large angles of AVV.
Dissecting the transcriptional activation function of the cell wall integrity MAP kinase

The cell wall integrity signalling MAP kinase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Slt2p/ Mpk1p, is activated in response to cell wall stress. Slt2 and its mammalian orthologue ERK5 are unusual among MAP kinases, in that they possess the ability to activate transcription of a GAL1‐lacZ reporter when fused to the DNA‐binding domain of the Gal4 transcription factor. In this study, we demonstrate that transcriptional activation of a Gal4–Slt2p fusion is responsive to cell wall stress and requires phosphorylation of Slt2p. We identify two neighbouring but separable transcription activation domains within the C‐terminal half of Slt2p. Additionally, we present data suggesting that intramolecular interactions controlled by phosphorylation of Slt2p regulate the function of these domains, which are masked by the N‐terminal catalytic domain under inactive conditions. Finally, we demonstrate that Slt2p self‐associates, probably through a glutamine‐rich region within the C‐terminal half of the protein. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Xp11.2 Translocation Renal Cell Carcinomas Have a Poorer Prognosis Than Non-Xp11.2 Translocation Carcinomas in Children and Young Adults: A Meta-analysis

Objectives. Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) in children and adolescents are much rarer than in adults. In this age group, Xp11.2 translocation RCCs were the most common subtype of pediatric RCCs. Information regarding the clinical behavior of pediatric RCCs remains controversial because of their relatively rare incidence. The authors aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to better define the biological features of pediatric RCCs. Methods. Eligible studies were identified through multiple search strategies. Studies were assessed for quality using the Jadad Quality Scale. Data were collected comparing overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and stage in patients with TFE3 + pediatric RCCs and TFE3 − RCCs. Results. A total of 4 studies were included for meta-analysis, and pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. The meta-analysis outcomes showed that TFE3 + pediatric RCCs were significantly associated with poorer outcomes (OS and DFS) and a higher stage (III/IV) than TFE3 − RCCs (pooled ORs for each group: 4.59 [95% CI = 1.46-14.42] for OS; 5.79 [95% CI = 1.85-18.16] for DFS; and 5.89 [95% CI = 2.23-15.52] for stage). This result was also confirmed by OS and DFS curves (P = .005 and P = .001). Conclusions. Xp11.2 translocation carcinomas appear to have a poorer prognosis than non-Xp11.2 translocation carcinomas in children and young adults.
Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Escherichia coli Isolates from Feces, Hands, and Soils in Rural Bangladesh via the Colilert Quanti-Tray System

ABSTRACT The increased awareness of the role of environmental matrices in enteric disease transmission has resulted in the need for rapid, field-based methods for fecal indicator bacteria and pathogen detection. Evidence of the specificity of β-glucuronidase-based assays for detection of Escherichia coli from environmental matrices relevant to enteric pathogen transmission in developing countries, such as hands, soils, and surfaces, is limited. In this study, we quantify the false-positive rate of a β-glucuronidase-based E. coli detection assay (Colilert) for two environmental reservoirs in Bangladeshi households (hands and soils) and three fecal composite sources (cattle, chicken, and humans). We investigate whether or not the isolation source of E. coli influences phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. Phenotypic characteristics include results of biochemical assays provided by the API-20E test; genotypic characteristics include the Clermont phylogroup and the presence of enteric and/or environmental indicator genes sfmH, rfaI, and fucK. Our findings demonstrate no statistically significant difference in the false-positive rate of Colilert for environmental compared to enteric samples. E. coli isolates from all source types are genetically diverse, representing six of the seven phylogroups, and there is no difference in relative frequency of phylogroups between enteric and environmental samples. We conclude that Colilert, and likely other β-glucuronidase-based assays, is appropriate for detection of E. coli on hands and in soils with low false-positive rates. Furthermore, E. coli isolated from hands and soils in Bangladeshi households are diverse and indistinguishable from cattle, chicken, and human fecal isolates, using traditional biochemical assays and phylogrouping.
Extrapyramidal signs in patients with probable Alzheimer disease.

OBJECTIVE To examine whether extrapyramidal signs (EPSs) were associated with more rapid progression of Alzheimer disease (AD). DESIGN Cross-sectional with longitudinal follow-up and the likelihood of arriving at 4 end points: Mini-Mental State Examination score of less than 9, Blessed Dementia Rating Scale score for activities of daily living of 15 or more, institutionalization, and death using a proportional hazard model with 6 variables: overall EPSs, bradykinesia, tremors, abnormal gait, cogwheel rigidity, and postural instability. SETTING Multidisciplinary behavioral neurology research clinic. PATIENTS We examined the individual EPS characteristics of 164 patients with mild-moderately probable AD, free of neuroleptic medication, participating in a longitudinal study of dementia. RESULTS Patients with AD with EPSs (n= 51 [31%]) were older (P>.001) and had lower Mini-Mental State Examination scores (P=.003) than those without EPSs at study entry. Bradykinesia was present in 35 (69%) of the 51 patients with EPSs, abnormal gait in 18 (35%), rigidity in 10 (20%), postural instability in 10 (20%), tremors in 7 (14%), and oral-mandibular dyskinesia in 2 (4%). Using proportional hazard analysis with time-dependent covariates for overall EPSs and individual EPSs, adjusted by age at study entry, education, Mini-Mental State Examination score, and Blessed Dementia Rating Scale score for activities of daily living, the development of EPSs was associated with time to institutionalization (P<.001) but not with cognitive (eg, Mini-Mental State Examination score <9) or functional (eg, Blessed Dementia Rating Scale score > or = 15) decline or death. However, when we examined severity of the EPSs, as measured by the New York University Parkinson's Disease Scale, the development of EPSs was associated with functional decline (P=.005). Of the individual EPSs, rigidity predicted death (P<.001) and institutionalization (P=.03), whereas tremors predicted functional decline (P=.02). CONCLUSIONS In this cohort, the presence or absence of EPSs is related to time to institutionalization, but not to severe cognitive or functional impairment or death. However, when severity of the extrapyramidal phenomenon is taken into account, EPSs are related to functional decline. Further, it appears that a subgroup of patients with AD with EPSs, where cogwheel rigidity and tremors are the core signs, can have a worse outcome.
Gyroscopic corrections improve wearable sensor data prior to measuring dynamic sway in the gait of people with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract Accelerometers are incorporated into many consumer devices providing new ways to monitor gait, mobility, and fall risk. However, many health benefits have not been realised because of issues with data quality that results from gravitational ‘cross-talk’ when the wearable device is tilted. Here we present an adaptive filter designed to improve the quality of accelerometer data prior to measuring dynamic pelvic sway patterns during a six minute walk test in people with and without Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Optical motion capture was used as the gold standard. Improved wearable device accuracy (≤4.4% NRMSE) was achieved using gyroscopic corrections and scaling filter thresholds by step frequency. The people with MS presented significantly greater pelvis sway range to compensate for their lower limb weaknesses and joint contractures. The visualisation of asymmetric pelvic sway in people with MS illustrates the potential to better understand their mobility impairments for reducing fall risk.
Prediction of reactor vessel water level using GMDH in severe accidents due to LOCA

In certain circumstances of the severe accident, it is essential to confirm major parameters of a nuclear power plant. The reason of confirmation is to check the status of a nuclear power plant and to respond appropriately to each situation. Particularly, the reactor vessel water level is important data in order to confirm the reactor core condition. Therefore, in preparation for the uncertainty of a sensor in severe accident situations, the reactor vessel water level was predicted using a group method of data handling (GMDH) algorithm. The prediction model of a reactor vessel water level was developed based upon numerical simulation data such as development data and test data. These data were generated by simulating the severe accidents of a total of 810 cases using MAAP4 code about the OPR1000 nuclear power plant. As a result of predictions, the prediction performance of the developed GMDH model was quite satisfactory. Therefore, the developed GMDH model could be successfully applied for providing effective information for operators in severe accident situations.
Characterization of the Arabidopsis Lysine-Rich Arabinogalactan-Protein AtAGP17 Mutant (rat1) That Results in a Decreased Efficiency of Agrobacterium Transformation1[w]

Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) are a family of complex proteoglycans widely distributed in plants. The Arabidopsis rat1 mutant, previously characterized as resistant to Agrobacterium tumefaciens root transformation, is due to a mutation in the gene for the Lys-rich AGP, AtAGP17. We show that the phenotype of rat1 correlates with down-regulation of AGP17 in the root as a result of a T-DNA insertion into the promoter of AGP17. Complementation of rat1 plants by a floral dip method with either the wild-type AGP17 gene or cDNA can restore the plant to a wild-type phenotype in several independent transformants. Based on changes in PR1 gene expression and a decrease in free salicylic acid levels upon Agrobacterium infection, we suggest mechanisms by which AGP17 allows Agrobacterium rapidly to reduce the systemic acquired resistance response during the infection process.