Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a Novel PCR Restriction Analysis of the hsp65 Gene as a Rapid Method To Screen for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in High-Burden Countries

ABSTRACT The limitations of conventional methods of identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have led to the development of several nucleic acid amplification techniques which have the advantage of being rapid, sensitive, and specific. However, their expense or the need for technical expertise makes it difficult to use them in regions in which tuberculosis is endemic. A novel PCR restriction analysis (PRA) of the hsp65 gene was therefore developed for rapid screening of clinical isolates to identify Mycobacterium spp. The restriction enzymes NruI and BamHI were selected to obtain a limited number of restriction patterns to further differentiate between Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Three hundred ten isolates from clinical specimens and 24 reference strains were tested. The assay correctly identified 295 of the 310 culture isolates as MTBC, while the remaining 15 isolates were identified as NTM. Of the isolates tested, 135 MTBC strains and all 15 NTM were also confirmed by PRA using Sau96I and CfoI. Thirty-eight randomly selected MTBC strains and all 15 NTM were further confirmed by sequencing. The NruI/BamHI PRA was simple, as it did not require any elaborate analyses. It was cost-effective, rapid, highly sensitive, and specific and did not require technical expertise. The assay can, therefore, be used as a simple screening test not only to detect Mycobacterium spp. but also to differentiate MTBC from NTM in peripheral laboratories with minimal availability of funds.
Controlling interactions between highly magnetic atoms with Feshbach resonances

This paper reviews current experimental and theoretical progress in the study of dipolar quantum gases of ground and meta-stable atoms with a large magnetic moment. We emphasize the anisotropic nature of Feshbach resonances due to coupling to fast-rotating resonant molecular states in ultracold s-wave collisions between magnetic atoms in external magnetic fields. The dramatic differences in the distribution of resonances of magnetic 7S3 chromium and magnetic lanthanide atoms with a submerged 4f shell and non-zero electron angular momentum is analyzed. We focus on dysprosium and erbium as important experimental advances have been recently made to cool and create quantum-degenerate gases for these atoms. Finally, we describe progress in locating resonances in collisions of meta-stable magnetic atoms in electronic P-states with ground-state atoms, where an interplay between collisional anisotropies and spin–orbit coupling exists.
Infection with GB virus C/hepatitis G virus in Brazilian hemodialysis and hepatitis patients and asymptomatic individuals

Recently, sequences from a novel human flavivirus, termed GB virus C (GBV‐C) or hepatitis G virus (HGV), have been identified in serum from patients with cryptogenic hepatitis and others. Sera from 116 patients with different clinical backgrounds were tested for the presence of GBV‐C/HGV RNA by a reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction with primers from the nonstructural (NS) 5 region. Ten (15%) patients on maintenance hemodialysis and 5 (19%) non A‐C hepatitis patients with GBV‐C/HGV RNA positive, along with one patient with chronic hepatitis B, one patient with chronic hepatitis C, and two asymptomatic individuals. Sequence comparison within 354 base pairs in the NS5 region showed homology rates varying from 87% to 97% among five Brazilian isolates, and from 86% to 93% between Brazilian strains and GBV‐C/HGV isolates from other countries previously sequenced. Homology rates were higher at the amino acid level since most substitutions occurred at the third nucleotide position of codons without changing the codon meaning. J. Med. Virol. 52:61–67, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Heterospecific transcription of the Escherichia coli rpoB-3 allele in gram-negative bacteria.

rpoB is the structural gene for the /? -subunit of E. coli RNA polymerase. The rpoB-3 allele confers resistance to the antibiotic rifampicin and is unusual in being dominant to the wild-type allele. We used the plasmid pZD23, a derivative of the broad host range conjugative plasmid RP4, to introduce the rpoB-3 allele into a range of bacterial species. Species belonging to the same family as E. coli {Enterobacter aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii, Hafnia alvei mailer, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium) expressed rpoB-3 to give a rifampicin resistant phenotype; this demonstrated heterospecific transcription. The transfer of pZD23 to the non-Enterobacteriaceae species Azotobacter vinelandii and Rhizobium leguminosarum did not result in rifampicin resistance. In the former case this was due to non-expression of the rpoB-3 resistance phenotype, in the latter case the dominant resistance phenotype had been lost from pZD23. Heterospecific transcription can be used as a criterion for the investigation of genetic relatedness between bacterial species.
Concepts of perceived noisiness, their implementation and application.

The concepts and methods of estimating the perceived noisiness of sounds from subjective and physical measurements are described. A general method, called Effective Perceived Noise Level (EPNL), of estimating the perceived noisiness of a single sound or a total sound environment taken over a 24‐hour period is proposed, and its relations to the Effective Composite Noise Rating (ECNR) scheme are discussed. It would appear that the average threshold of general noisiness or annoyance for the sound environment of a typical residential area occurs at about 50 PNdBt for sounds measured indoors and at 70 PNdBt for sounds measured outdoors; these threshold values can be utilized to advantage in conjunction with EPNL and ECNR. The virtue of using EPNL and ECNR, which in essence, are the same in certain applications as “CNR,” “NNI,” and “Q” quantities developed in the U. S. A. , Great Britain, and Germany, respectively, is that they can combine the variable factors of duration, number of occurrences, spectrum and in.
Glucose-Induced Insulin Receptor Tyrosine Phosphorylation in Insulin-Secreting β-Cells

In the βTC3 insulin-secreting β-cell line, glucose rapidly induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of the 97-kDa insulin receptor β-subunit. Phosphorylation is transient, with fourfold stimulation by 2 min and subsequent dephosphorylation to basal levels by 10–15 min. Elevating the extracellular KC1 concentration equipotently initiates receptor phosphorylation. Preventing insulin secretion with 1 μmol/l epinephrine or by removing extracellular Ca2+ blocks the effect. In the absence of glucose-induced secretion, exogenous insulin also stimulated insulin receptor autophosphorylation transiently and with an ED50 of 4 × 10−9 mol/1. In addition, functional insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptors are also expressed by these β-cells, as indicated by IGF-I-induced receptor tyrosine phosphorylation (ED50 = 5 × 10−9 mol/1) and also by detection of hybrid insulin/IGF-I receptor autophosphorylation at 10−7 mol/1 IGF-I. Both glucose and insulin stimulate the tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) IRS-1 and increase by two- to fivefold the rapid association of IRS-1 with the 85-kDa α-subunit of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, as determined by co-immunoprecipitation assays. These results demonstrate that in these β-cells, glucose-induced insulin secretion activates the β-cell surface insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and its intracellular signal transduction pathway, suggesting a new autocrine mechanism for the regulation of β-cell function.
Hepatic failure and liver transplant: Working Group report of the second World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition.

Definition(s) of acute liver failure in childhood. Establish reliable predictive (prognostic) factors for acute liver failure. Gain insight into the mechanisms that control proliferation of residual hepatocytes. Establish guidelines for the recognition of acute liver failure and optimal hospital management. Establish an international committee to evaluate ethical aspects of obtaining materials and criteria to balance risk with benefit in treatment strategies devised to prevent liver transplantation. Conduct randomized multicenter‐controlled trials to establish optimal use, indications and complications of liver support devices in acute liver failure. Provide primary health workers with guidelines for early recognition of acute liver failure and optimal hospital management including transfer to services with intensive care facilities and orthotopic liver transplantation. Provide such guidelines with particular emphasis on treatments seen as harmless, and disseminate them to all health professionals likely to be involved with acute liver failure.
Optimización mediante diseño de mezclas de sinéresis y textura sensorial de yogurt natural batido utilizando tres tipos de hidrocoloides

Fue investigado el efecto de la combinacion de tres proporciones de hidrocoloides (carboximetilcelulosa, gelatina y pectina), sobre la sineresis y textura sensorial del yogurt natural batido, utilizando un Diseno de Mezclas Simplex con Centroide Ampliado. Se determino las combinaciones optimas para obtener valor bajo de sineresis (24.29%) y mayor calificacion en textura sensorial de 3.7 (aproximado a 4 de calificacion = “me gusta moderadamente”), se obtuvieron valores de mezcla optima de carboximetilcelulosa, gelatina y pectina de 0.24%, 0.005% y 0.004%, respectivamente. El modelo mas adecuado para representar el comportamiento de cada variable respuesta fue el modelo cuadratico con valores de R 2 de 0.951 y 0.932 para sineresis y textura sensorial respectivamente. Para validar los resultados de la investigacion, los valores obtenidos mediante la optimizacion fueron comparados con valores reales, para lo cual se elaboro una muestra de yogurt natural con las proporciones optimas de hidrocoloides, efectuandose nuevamente un analisis de sineresis y textura sensorial, lo que proporciono valores de 24.3% y 4.2 (calificacion de “me gusta moderadamente”) respectivamente.
Use of Bacteriophage λ Recombination Functions To Promote Gene Replacement in Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Replacement of Escherichia coli’s RecBCD function with phage λ’s Red function generates a strain whose chromosome recombines with short linear DNA fragments at a greatly elevated rate. The rate is at least 70-fold higher than that exhibited by arecBC sbcBC or recD strain. The value of the system is highlighted by gene replacement with a PCR-generated DNA fragment. The ΔrecBCD::Plac-red kanreplacement allele can be P1 transduced to other E. colistrains, making the hyper-Rec phenotype easily transferable.
Catalytic and DNA binding properties of the ogg1 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: comparison between the wild type and the K241R and K241Q active-site mutant proteins.

The Ogg1 protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae belongs to a family of DNA glycosylases and apurinic/apyrimidinic site (AP) lyases, the signature of which is the alpha-helix-hairpin-alpha-helix-Gly/Pro-Asp (HhH-GPD) active site motif together with a conserved catalytic lysine residue, to which we refer as the HhH-GPD/K family. In the yeast Ogg1 protein, yOgg1, the HhH-GPD/K motif spans residues 225-260 and the conserved lysine is K241. In this study, we have purified the K241R and K241Q mutant proteins and compared their catalytic and DNA binding properties to that of the wild-type yOgg1. The results show that the K241R mutation greatly impairs both the DNA glycosylase and the AP lyase activities of yOgg1. Specificity constants for cleavage of a 34mer oligodeoxyribonucleotide containing a 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-OxoG) paired with a cytosine, [8-OxoG.C], are 56 x 10(-)(3) and 5 x 10(-)(3) min(-)(1) nM(-)(1) for the wild-type and the K241R protein, respectively. On the other hand, the K241Q mutation abolishes the DNA glycosylase and AP lyase activities of yOgg1. In contrast, the K241R and K241Q proteins have conserved wild-type DNA binding properties. K(dapp) values for binding of [8-OxoG.C] are 6.9, 7.4, and 4.8 nM for the wild-type, K241R, and K241Q proteins, respectively. The results also show that AP site analogues such as 1, 3-propanediol (Pr), tetrahydrofuran (F), or cyclopentanol (Cy) are not substrates but constitute good inhibitors of the wild-type yOgg1. Therefore, we have used a 59mer [Pr.C] duplex to further analyze the DNA binding properties of the wild-type, K241R, and K241Q proteins. Hydroxyl radical footprints of the wild-type yOgg1 show strong protection of six nucleotides centered around the Pr lesion in the damaged strand. On the complementary strand, only the cytosine placed opposite Pr was strongly protected. The same footprints were observed with the K241R and K241Q proteins, confirming their wild-type DNA binding properties. These results indicate that the K241Q mutant protein can be used to study interactions between yOgg1 and DNA containing metabolizable substrates such as 8-OxoG or an AP site.
Authority from Grief, Presence and Place in the Making of Roadside Memorials

Those who make memorials for the victims of motor vehicle crashes assume an authority to do so that stems from three main elements of experience: the overwhelming empowerment of grief; the belief that the presence of the deceased can be felt and recognized; and the understanding that the place where life was lost is a special place for memorialization. The strength of grief, the power of presence and the importance of place allows ordinary people to assume and, therefore, challenge the authority of the church and the government as official purveyors and regulators of mourning ritual.
EXTLex: um analisador léxico extensível capaz de detectar erros lexicais

Analisadores lexicos sao componentes fundamentais dos compiladores de linguagens de programacao. No desenvolvimento de um compilador, a funcionalidade do analisador lexico, assim como a funcionalidade do restante dos componentes, comumente se limita apenas a linguagem de programacao para qual o compilador foi desenvolvido. Com o objetivo de promover reusabilidade no âmbito de desenvolvimento de compiladores, este artigo apresenta um analisador lexico extensivel. Por meio de dois arquivos de configuracao, o analisador lexico EXTLex e capaz de realizar a analise lexical de multiplas linguagens distintas. A ferramenta inova por utilizar automatos finitos na representacao de linguagens, e tambem por fornecer uma plataforma de deteccao de erros lexicais. O resultado dos experimentos conduzidos revela que a ferramenta e capaz de enriquecer as informacoes obtidas na analise lexical sem grande comprometimento em desempenho.
Procalcitonin, neopterin and C-reactive protein after pediatric cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

BACKGROUND Kinetics of activation of newly introduced inflammatory markers is of particular value in their use in postoperative setting after pediatric cardiac surgery. OBJECTIVE To assess the influence of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on activation of inflammatory markers. METHODS Procalcitonin, neopterin and C-reactive protein (CRP) blood levels were measured before, on day 1 and day 2 after surgery in 152 pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. All patients had infection-free postoperative course. RESULTS Procalcitonin blood levels increased from 0.08 (0.001-0.19) ng/mL before surgery to 0.79 (0.13-3.5) ng/mL on day 1 (p < 0.001) and 0.52 (0.07-2.7) ng/mL on day 2 (p < 0.001) after surgery. Procalcitonin levels on day 1 correlated with CPB duration, cross-clamping time and use of aprotinin. Neopterin values increased from 8.4 (4.4-32) nmol/L before surgery to 16.1 (6.8-37.6) nmol/L on day 1 (p < 0.001) and 10.9 (5.3-31.1) nmol/L on day 2 (p < 0.001) after surgery. Neopterin levels on day 1 correlated negatively with age, lowest esophageal temperature and use of aprotinin; and positively with circulatory arrest, length of stay and use of modified ultrafiltration. CRP values increased from 4.7 (2.7-9.6) mg/L before surgery to 38.8 (13-73.5) mg/L (p < 0.001) on day 1 and 38.3 (15-88) mg/L (p < 0.001) on day 2 after surgery. CRP levels correlated positively with age at surgery, use of aprotinin and lowest esophageal temperature; and negatively with circulatory arrest and modified ultrafiltration. CONCLUSIONS Procalcitonin and neopterin levels peaked on day 1, CRP levels remained elevated during first two postoperative days. Neopterin and CRP had age dependent kinetics (Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 18). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj. sk.
La Réfrigération Magnétique : Conceptualisation, Caractérisation et Simulation

La refrigeration magnetique est une alternative pertinente dans un contexte ou les gaz refrigerants sont soumis a des restrictions environnementales. Ces restrictions necessitent l'evolution de la technologie actuelle ou bien l'emergence d'une nouvelle, d'ou l'opportunite pour la refrigeration magnetique de prouver son potentiel. En effet, elle pourrait s'averer energiquement plus efficace et avec des densites de puissance superieure. Ces travaux de these apportent des reponses sur le potentiel de la refrigeration magnetique. Dans cette logique, la thermodynamique et le magnetisme, outils indispensables a notre etude, sont developpes dans le cas des materiaux a effet magnetocalorique. Puis, nous verrons que les caracterisations de ces derniers sont en mesure de fournir des modeles materiaux coherents et realistes, si des precautions sont prises. L'effet magnetocalorique etant limite en termes de variation de temperature, nous allons etudier differentes structures de refrigeration. Enfin, des modeles numeriques sont developpes pour permettre d'optimiser les structures a regenerations actives, qui sont les plus utilisees. Ces modeles doivent permettre de dimensionner des systemes proches de leurs optimums.
Bio-Behavioral Control, Glucose Variability, and Hypoglycemia-Associated Autonomic Failure in Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM)

In this paper we present a mathematical model and a computer simulation of the relationship between behavioral control of Type 1 diabetes (T1DM), blood glucose (BG) variability, and hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF). A stochastic behavioral self-control process was coupled with a dynamical system simulation of the dampening effect of counterregulation on BG oscillations. The resulting bio-behavioral control system was able to reproduce characteristics of hypoglycemic events in the field, such as temporal clustering of hypoglycemic episodes associated with HAAF, and occurrence of severe hypoglycemia as a result of periods of HAAF augmented by increased BG variability
How to Deal with Measures of Association: A Short Guide for the Clinician

When reading medical literature as a clinician, many different measures of association are presented. To judge whether results of studies can be applied to clinical practice, it is essential to understand and to be able to interpret the measure of association reported in the article. In this paper, we will present how to deal with the most commonly used measures of association including the risk and rate difference, number needed to treat, risk and rate ratio, hazard ratio and odds ratio. By means of examples, we will discuss the different measures of association for the three main study designs used in clinical research: randomized controlled trial, observational cohort study and case-control study.
Shared and specific synchronous muscle synergies arisen from optimal feedback control theory

In this study the properties of muscle synergies, arising from optimal feedback control are investigated. Three different tasks namely reaching, via-point, and hitting are performed using optimization of corresponding cost functions. Then by applying non-negative matrix factorization method to a dataset of muscle tensions, synchronous muscle synergies are obtained. In this way, different muscle patterns can be generated by linear combination of these basis vectors with non-negative time-varying scaling coefficients. According to our simulations some of obtained muscle synergies are shared between tasks and some of them are specific for one task. This finding is also in agreement with the properties of extracted muscle synergies from experimental approach.
Clinical trial of methysergide and other preparations in the management of migraine

The treatment of migraine has been bedevilled by the multitude of drugs which improve the condition and the lack of any which cure it. This situation indicates the considerable knowledge acquired about factors contributing to the migraine attack, without the formation of any firm concept of the underlying disturbance. It is now well accepted that the extracranial blood vessels undergo phases of constriction, dilatation, and possibly fixation of the vessel wall by oedema as a part of the migraine attack (Tunis and Wolff, 1952; Wolff, 1955; Lund, 1957). The most likely explanation of transient paraesthesiae, aphasia, or hemi-paresis in migraine is constriction of the middle cerebral artery and its branches. Fortification spectra (turret-shaped or zig-zag hallucinations of light and colour) are probably the result of changes in the posterior cerebral artery supplying the visual cortex, and slow waves may appear in the E.E.G. tracing from the appropriate posterior quadrant. Unformed flashes of light indicate spasm of the ophthalmic artery if they are restricted to the field of one eye, or of the posterior cerebral artery if they occupy homonymous half-fields. Constriction of the basilar artery may contribute brain-stem symptoms of tinnitus, vertigo, dysarthria, dyscoordination, ataxia, or loss of consciousness (Bickerstaff, 1961a, b). Fluid retention is common at the time ofthe migraine headache (Schottstaedt
Extremely scaled gate-first high-k/metal gate stack with EOT of 0.55 nm using novel interfacial layer scavenging techniques for 22nm technology node and beyond

We report for the first time that extreme EOT scaling and low n/p VTHs can be achieved simultaneously. Underlying mechanisms that enable EOT scaling and EWF tuning are explained and the fundamental device parameters including reliability of the extremely scaled devices are discussed. Record low gate leakage, appropriately low VTHs and competitive carrier mobilities in this work demonstrate the gate stack technology that is consistent with the sub-22 nm node requirements.
Dynamic Signaling Network for the Specification of Embryonic Pancreas and Liver Progenitors

Integrating Organ Induction During animal development, multiple signaling pathways specify the induction of organ progenitors such as those in the pancreas and liver. Wandzioch and Zaret (p. 1707) investigated how three signaling pathways converge on the earliest genes specifying these organs. Within hours, multiple changes were observed in the inductive network with different signals operating in parallel. The findings may help to explain the incomplete programming seen in various stem cell differentiation protocols. During mammalian development, networks of signals coordinate cell-type programming into specific organs. Studies of the formation of pancreas and liver progenitors have focused on individual inductive signals and cellular responses. Here, we investigated how bone morphogenetic protein, transforming growth factor–β (TGFβ), and fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways converge on the earliest genes that elicit pancreas and liver induction in mouse embryos. The inductive network was found to be dynamic; it changed within hours. Different signals functioned in parallel to induce different early genes, and two permutations of signals induced liver progenitor domains, which revealed flexibility in cell programming. Also, the specification of pancreas and liver progenitors was restricted by the TGFβ pathway. These findings may enhance progenitor cell specification from stem cells for biomedical purposes and can help explain incomplete programming in stem cell differentiation protocols.