Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacodynamic effects of antibiotics and antibiotic combinations on growing and nongrowing Staphylococcus epidermidis cells

The pharmacodynamic effects of amikacin, imipenem, ofloxacin, rifampin, and vancomycin were studied on the slime-producing, oxacillin-resistant strain Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 35984 growing in Mueller Hinton broth or, in order to inhibit growth, incubated in phosphate-buffered saline. The investigated parameters were postantibiotic effect (PAE) and control-related effective regrowth time (CERT), which were determined by bioluminescence assay of bacterial ATP. PAE describes the delayed regrowth after drug removal, and CERT describes the combined effects of initial change in bacterial density during antibiotic exposure and delayed regrowth after drug removal. In growth cultures, PAE and CERT were drug concentration dependent for all antibiotics. The length of the PAE and CERT in the growing cultures were as follows: ofloxacin > rifampin > amikacin > vancomycin > imipenem. Imipenem combined with amikacin and vancomycin, respectively, induced a synergistic effect against growing cultures. In nongrowing cultures rifampin was the only drug that induced strong concentration-dependent effects. The combination of drugs induced no synergistic effects against nongrowing bacteria.
Involvement of osteopontin upregulation on mesangial cells growth and collagen synthesis induced by intermittent high glucose

Glucose fluctuations are strong predictor of diabetic vascular complications. We explored the effects of constant and intermittent high glucose on the proliferation and collagen synthesis of cultured rat mesangial cells. Furthermore, the possible involvement of osteopontin (OPN) was assessed. In rat mesangial cells cultured in 5, 25, or 5 mmol/L alternating with 25 mmol/L glucose in the absence or presence of neutralizing antibodies to OPN, β3 integrin receptor and β5 integrin receptor, the cell proliferation, collagen synthesis, and the expression of OPN and type IV collagen were assessed. In cultured mesangial cells, treatment with constant or intermittent high glucose significantly increased [3H]thymidine incorporation in a time‐dependent manner. A modest increase was observed at 12 h, and further deteriorated afterwards, and reached the maximum incorporation at 48 h. Treatment with constant high glucose for 48 h resulted in significant increases in [3H]thymidine incorporation, cell number, [3H]proline incorporation, mRNA, and protein levels of type IV collagen and OPN compared with mesangial cells treated with the normal glucose, which were markedly enhanced in cells exposed to intermittent high glucose medium. In addition, neutralizing antibodies to either OPN or its receptor β3 integrin but not neutralizing antibodies to β5 integrin can effectively prevented proliferation and collagen synthesis of mesangial cells induced by constant or intermittent high glucose. Intermittent high glucose exacerbates mesangial cells growth and collagen synthesis by upregulation of OPN expression, indicating that glycemic variability have important pathological effects on the development of diabetic nephropathy, which is mediated by the stimulation of OPN expression and synthesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 1210–1221, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Can A Single Imagery Session Positively Change Sense of Wellbeing

C l i n M e d International Library Citation: Rosario JL, Leite JR (2015) Can A Single Imagery Session Positively Change Sense of Wellbeing? Int J Psychol Psychoanal 1:006 Received: March 30, 2015: Accepted: June 23, 2015: Published: June 25, 2015 Copyright: © 2015 Rosario JL. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Rosario and Leite. Int J Psychol Psychoanal 2015, 1:1
Significance of pelvic ultrasonographic examinations in girls with pubertal precocity and premature thelarche before and after GnRH-analogues treatment

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ovarian volume and the number of follicles before and after GnRH analogues therapy in girls with previous diagnosis of precocious puberty or thelarche. We collected data from all the girls afferent to the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Clinic of Pediatrics in the University Hospital of Udine (Italy) between 2005 and 2009. 85 girls with a diagnosis of precocious puberty or thelarche were analyzed. We treated 29 of these with GnRH analogues (34.12%), and they were monitored by pelvic ultrasonography before and at a median of 14 months (IQR 5-29) after the beginning of the therapy. Pelvic ultrasonography was performed by two operators. The girls with precocious puberty have a median age of 8 years (IQR 7-9). In the 29 cases treated with GnRH analogues, they presented, after the treatment, a trend to decrease the ovarian volume, but this is not statistically significant (Wilcoxon test: p n.s.). If we consider the observed follicles in the right and left ovaries during the first and the second ultrasonography, we can observe a decreased number of follicles in the follow up, but this is not statistically significant (Chi-square test p n.s.). In our study, we observed a trend in ovarian volume reduction and a decreased number of follicles after GnRH analogues therapy but without statistical significance.
A W-band MMIC vector modulator utilizing tandem couplers and 50nm MHEMTs

We present design and measurement results for the first W-band (75–110GHz) monolithic vector modulator employing tandem couplers and 50nm GaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistors (MHEMT). Different gate-width MHEMT devices in the cold configuration were fabricated and characterized up to 110GHz. The 2×50μm gate geometry device was selected as the best compromise between low off-state capacitive reactance and on-state resistance. On-wafer measurement results revealed less than 15dB insertion loss and better than 27dB of isolation across the full 75–110GHz band.
Ensuring the Success of Women in Academic Orthopaedics

In spring of 1995, the Academic Orthopaedic Society convened a panel of 21 female academic orthopaedists and 24 senior members of the society to discuss the challenges facing female orthopaedic residents and women in academic orthopaedics. Participants began by reviewing results of a 200 item mail survey of fulltime and parttime female academic orthopaedic surgeons. The survey had been conducted in early 1995. Using the Delphi technique, the panelists identified challenges facing women and ranked them in priority order. Although the challenges identified by survey respondents and panelists were similar, the priority assigned to them varied. Panel and survey findings pointed to a need for action in six areas: increasing mentoring; overcoming gender bias; reducing women's social and professional isolation; increasing attention to promotion and salary equity; providing greater accomodation for family responsibilities; and expanding recruitment efforts. This paper suggests actions that department chairpersons and the Academic Orthopaedic Society may take to attract more women to academic orthopaedics. Because many of the issues emerging from the survey and panel were not gender specific, implementation of the recommendations may benefit male and female orthopaedic residents and academic surgeons in general.
Electroacupuncture Protects against Articular Cartilage Erosion by Inhibiting Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases in a Rat Model of Osteoarthritis

Objective The therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on osteoarthritis (OA) are well documented; however, the precise mechanisms of action have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of EA on cartilage in an experimental animal model of OA induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) and to examine for concomitant changes in the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the articular cartilage. Methods Thirty-three-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following three groups (n=10 each): sham operated group (Control group), ACLT without treatment (ACLT group), and ACLT with EA treatment (ACLT+EA group). One week after ACLT, rats in the ACLT+EA group received 12 weeks of EA treatment. Histological analysis and quantitative real-time PCR were used to investigate the effects of EA on cartilage morphology (quantified using modified Mankin scores) and expression of MAPKs (p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (c-Jun), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1), respectively. Results ACLT produced coarse cartilage surfaces, fibrous degeneration, and fissuring, all of which were suppressed by EA treatment. Although Mankin scores in the ACLT+EA group were significantly higher compared to the Control group (p<0.01), they were significantly lower than the (untreated) ACLT group (p<0.01). The increase in mRNA expression of p38, c-Jun, ERK1, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 observed in cartilage after ACLT was significantly inhibited by EA. Conclusions EA appears to prevent the degeneration of articular cartilage, at least partly through regulation of MMP-13 and inhibition of MAPKs in the cartilage of rats with ACLT-induced OA.
Vitamin D Status in an Elective Orthopedic Surgical Population

Background: Adequate vitamin D availability is required for normal bone metabolism. Hypovitaminosis D is highly prevalent in latitudes above 30 degrees. The goal of this prospective study was to determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in an unselected population of patients undergoing major ankle or hindfoot arthrodesis in Burlington, Vermont (latitude 44.5° N). Methods One hundred eighteen patients undergoing a major ankle, hindfoot, or midfoot arthrodesis between May 2012 and February 2014 were eligible for the study, of which 81 participated. All clinical data, including comorbidities, demographics, and lab values, were obtained from the comprehensive electronic medical record system that encompassed all inpatient and outpatient care. Based on the recommendations published by the Vitamin D Task Force Committee of the Endocrine Society, vitamin D levels above 30 ng/mL were considered normal. Statistical analyses were performed using a significance level of P <. 05. Results Of 81 patients tested, 54 (67%) had low serum vitamin D. Older patients had lower risk for hypovitaminosis D (RR = 0.953, CI = 0.908, 0.999, P = .046), whereas a Charlson Index ≥3 had increased risk (RR = 16.8, CI = 1.5, 192.3, P = .023). Of the 16 patients retested after vitamin supplementation, only 9 (56%) corrected to normal. Conclusions: In an unselected population in Vermont undergoing hindfoot and ankle arthrodesis, there was a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, even in patients without predisposing risk factors. Consequently, routine testing or presumptive high-dose vitamin D replenishment therapy should be considered for all patients scheduled for such surgery, primarily to promote adequate skeletal calcium metabolism. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective study.
Characterization of a Rice WRKY Gene Whose Expression Is Induced upon Pathogen Attack and Mechanical Wounding

WRKY genes encode plant specific transcription factors that have been extensively studied in dicotyledonous plant species. To investigate the function of these genes in monocots, we isolated a full length cDNA clone of the rice WRKY gene which we tentatively named as OsiWRKY. The open reading frame of OsiWRKY cDNA encoded a polypeptide of 482 amino acid residues. The deduced primary structure of OsiWRKY contained a single WRKY domain of a typical C2-H2 zinc finger motif. A putative nuclear localization signal was also predicted in OsiWRKY. Potential targeting of OsiWRKY to the nucleus was confirmed by transient expression of an OsiWRKY::GFP fusion protein in rice cells. The recombinant OsiWRKY protein bound specifically to the W-box element in electrophoretic mobility shift assay. In inoculation experiments with Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, OsiWRKY transcription was increased more dramatically in the resistant variety IR-26 than in the susceptible variety Jingang 30. Interestingly, an increase in OsiWRKY transcription was also observed in the mock-inoculated control plants of both IR-26 and Jingang 30. However, the induction of OsiWRKY transcription occurred much earlier and more substantial in pathogen-infected plants than in mock-inoculated controls. These results suggest that OsiWRKY encodes a potential WRKY transcription factor that may function in responses of rice plants to both pathogen attack and mechanical wounding. But the mechanisms underlying the function of OsiWRKY in the two processes may be different.
Not All Perlecans Are Created Equal

Human basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) perlecan binds and activates fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 through its heparan sulfate (HS) chains. Here we show that perlecans immunopurified from three cellular sources possess different HS structures and subsequently different FGF-2 binding and activating capabilities. Perlecan isolated from human umbilical arterial endothelial cells (HUAEC) and a continuous endothelial cell line (C11 STH) bound similar amounts of FGF-2 either alone or complexed with FGFRα1-IIIc or FGFR3α-IIIc. Both perlecans stimulated the growth of BaF3 cell lines expressing FGFR1b/c; however, only HUAEC perlecan stimulated those cells expressing FGFR3c, suggesting that the source of perlecan confers FGF and FGFR binding specificity. Despite these differences in FGF-2 activation, the level of 2-O-and 6-O-sulfation was similar for both perlecans. Interestingly, perlecan isolated from a colon carcinoma cell line that was capable of binding FGF-2 was incapable of activating any BaF3 cell line unless the HS was removed from the protein core. The HS chains also exhibited greater bioactivity after digestion with heparinase III. Collectively, these data clearly demonstrate that the bioactivity of HS decorating a single PG is dependent on its cell source and that subtle changes in structure including secondary interactions have a profound effect on biological activity.
Review point on neural stem cells and neurogenic areas of the central nervous system.

The potential applications of neural stem cells (NSC) in the therapy of degenerative and traumatic diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) have aroused great scientific interest. NSCs can be recovered from specific areas of the CNS from fetuses, embryos and from adult brain as well, and under appropriate culture conditions, may be induced to differentiate into the three major neural cell types, neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The main neurogenic areas of mammals are the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus, yet other areas of neurogenic potential have been identified, including frontal and parietal cortices, hippocampus and lateral wall of the lateral ventricle. Neural stem cells and differentiated neural cells are usually identified by expression of specific markers, proteins that are expressed by different cell types and/or at different stages of differentiation. The main cell markers are nestin and Sox-2 for undifferentiated NSCs, beta-III tubulin (B-III tubulin) for neurons, Galactocerebroside (GalC) for oligodendrocytes and Glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) for astrocytes. In general, the main neurogenic areas, the neurogenic potential of NSC and the morphological and biological characteristics of differentiated neural cells are strikingly similar among species, yet some differences have been reported. This article presents a brief review of NSCs, neurogenic areas and techniques used for their identification and characterization in humans and experimental animals.
A Study of Effects of European Tourists’ Satisfaction on Destination Loyalty in Phuket

The European travelers market is one of the important international tourist markets to Phuket. However, little is known on their intention to revisit Phuket. Destination loyalty is an important marketing factor in sustaining the destination attractiveness. It is necessary for tourism managers to understand the relationship between tourist destination and destination loyalty to develop proper plans or strategies to attract more repeat tourists to the destination. Thus, this study has an objective to investigate an effect of European tourists’ satisfaction on destination loyalty in Phuket. Data were collected from 225 European tourists through the convenience sampling, and were analyzed by the multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that tourist satisfaction on natural environment, local culture, and safety were found to affect tourists’ destination loyalty. Recommendations for Phuket’s tourism industry are addressed.
Modeling of partially inserted connector faults

A partially inserted electrical connector model based on a two-level nonlinear least squares (NLS) approach is proposed. The connector is characterized as a transmission line, broken into sections. The model precisely captures resonant frequency shifts as insertion depth changes from a fully inserted to a barely touching contact by varying only two length parameters.
Entrapment of right atrial pacemaker lead by patent foramen ovale closure device: Successful percutaneous salvage

Percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is being performed with increasing frequency in patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO on the basis of either clinical indications or as part of ongoing investigational trials [1–3]. Devices currently in clinical use employ transvenous, self-expanding, two-disk systems positioned on either side of the atrial septum. Although procedural success rates are high, various complications have been reported [4–10]. We report a novel problem of right atrial pacemaker lead entrapment against the atrial septum by the right atrial disk of a CardioSEAL device (NMT Medical, Boston, MA) successfully managed by percutaneous techniques.
Reconfigurable acceleration of genetic sequence alignment: A survey of two decades of efforts

Genetic sequence alignment has always been a computational challenge in bioinformatics. Depending on the problem size, software-based aligners can take multiple CPU-days to process the sequence data, creating a bottleneck point in bioinformatic analysis flow. Reconfigurable accelerator can achieve high performance for such computation by providing massive parallelism, but at the expense of programming flexibility and thus has not been commensurately used by practitioners. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a thorough survey of the proposed accelerators by giving a qualitative categorization based on their algorithms and speedup. A comprehensive comparison between work is also presented so as to guide selection for biologist, and to provide insight on future research direction for FPGA scientists.
Control of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis in a Bacillus subtilis Mutant Temperature Sensitive for Initiation of Chromosome Replication

We used a Bacillus subtilis mutant described previously, which is temperature sensitive for initiation of replication. The inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis occurring at 45 C was shown to be reversed when the temperature is lowered even in the absence of protein synthesis. If the bacteria are returned to 30 C, after a prior period at 45 C, they are able to initiate the first round of replication in the presence of chloramphenicol, but the initiation of the second round still requires protein synthesis. This paper shows that the proteins necessary to initiate the second round of replication can be present in bacteria long before this round is initiated. In addition, the appearance of these proteins seems to be influenced by the length of the previous 45 C period. Although similar reinitiation kinetics are observed at 30 C after prior 45 C periods of 30 or 65 min, the ability to initiate the second round without further protein synthesis appears much earlier after a longer exposure at 45 C. To explain these results, a hypothesis is presented which assumes that two different proteins are both necessary for initiation. Only one of these proteins could be accumulated at 45 C during the inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis. A peculiarity of initiation material in mutant Ts 37 is that it may be active at 45 C if it has been exposed previously at 30 C.
The Value of Stock Options to Non-Executive Employees

This study empirically investigates the value employees place on stock options using information from the option exercise behavior of individuals. Employees hold options for another period if the value from holding them and reserving the right to exercise them later is higher than the value of exercising them immediately and collecting a profit equal to the stock price minus the exercise price. This simple model implies the hazard describing employee exercise behavior reveals information about the value to employees of holding options another time period. We show the parameters of this model are identified with data on multiple option grants per employee and we apply this model to the disposition of options received in the 1990s by a sample of over 2000 middle-level managers from a large, established firm outside of manufacturing. Exercise behavior is modeled using a random effects probit model of monthly exercise behavior that is estimated using simulated maximum likelihood estimation methods. Our estimates show there is substantial heterogeneity (observed and unobserved) among employees in the value they place on their options. Our estimates show most employees value their options at a value greater than the option's Black-Scholes value.
Practical solution of the Diophantine equation y2 = x(x+2apb)(x-2apb)

Let p be an odd prime and a, b positive integers. In this note we prove that the problem of the determination of the integer solutions to the equation y 2 = x(x + 2 a p b )(x - 2 a p b ) can be easily reduced to the resolution of the unit equation u + 2v = 1 over Q(2, p). The solutions of the latter equation are given by Wildanger's algorithm.
Building a Social Network for Success

This article proposes a framework for studying how a brand, firm, or individual can use networking activities to manage a social network and drive its success. Using data from ego networks of music artists, the article models how artists can enhance their social networking presence and stimulate relationships between fans to achieve long-term benefits in terms of music plays. The authors use a Bayesian modeling framework to model the heterogeneous and dynamic impact of networking activities on network structure and on music popularity, while relying on instrumental variables from another independent online social network to handle potential endogeneity. The results imply that artists can shape network structure via marketing activities and thereby achieve a long-term impact on success that far exceeds the direct and short-term impact in magnitude. Specifically, improving the density of ego networks enables long-term effects beyond those that stem from growth in network size.