Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Interaction of Fibulin-1 with Fibrinogen

The fibulins are an emerging family of extracellular matrix and blood proteins presently having two members designated fibulin-1 and −2. Fibulin-1 is the predominant fibulin in blood, present at a concentration of 30-40 μg/ml (1000-fold higher than fibulin-2). During the course of isolating fibulin-1 from plasma by immunoaffinity chromatography, a 340-kDa polypeptide was consistently found to co-purify. This protein was identified as fibrinogen (Fg) based on its electrophoretic behavior and reactivity with Fg monoclonal antibodies. Radioiodinated fibulin-1 was shown to bind to Fg transferred onto nitrocellulose filters after SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, fibulin-1 bound to Fg (and fibrin) adsorbed onto microtiter well plastic, and conversely, Fg bound to fibulin-1-coated wells. The binding of Fg to fibulin-1 was also observed in surface plasmon resonance assays, and a dissociation constant (K) of 2.9 ± 1.6 μM was derived. In addition, fluorescence anisotropy experiments demonstrated that the interaction was also able to occur in fluid phase, which suggests that complexes of fibulin-1 and Fg could exist in the blood. To localize the portion of Fg that is responsible for interacting with fibulin-1, proteolytic fragments of Fg were evaluated for their ability to promote fibulin-1 binding. Fragments containing the carboxyl-terminal region of the Bβ chain (residues 216-468) were able to bind to fibulin-1. In addition, it was found that fibulin-1 was able to incorporate into fibrin clots formed in vitro and was immunologically detected within newly formed fibrin-containing thrombi associated with human atherectomy specimens. The interaction between fibulin-1 and Fg highlights potential new roles for fibulin-1 in hemostasis as well as thrombosis.
Co2 laser in vitreoretinal surgery

Radiation from a CO2 laser has the dual effect of phototransection and photo‐coagulation. Incisions have been made in scleral‐chorioretinal tissue, lens tissue, and the vitreous body (with and without membrane formation). Results indicate that the CO2 laser may be useful in intravitreal surgery. Its simultaneous cutting and coagulating properties may make the experimental trans‐vitreal chorioretinal biopsy reported by Griffin et al [12] and the full‐thickness ocular wall resection for small melanosarcomas of the choroid reported by Peyman and Sanders [13] clinical possibilities in the not too distant future. Finally, the effects of CO2 laser radiation on the normal human lens suggests the possibility of the dissolution of cataracts by laser irradiation.
A UWB antenna combined with a reconfigurable bandpass filter for cognitive radio applications

A single-port small-size antenna for cognitive radio (CR) applications is presented. The antenna is based on an ultra-wideband (UWB) design and has a reconfigurable bandpass filter integrated in its feed line. The UWB operation is required for the sensing task in a CR system. Upon activating the filter, the UWB frequency response is transformed into a tunable narrowband one, which is needed for the communication task.
Seamless Model-based Requirements Engineering: Models, Guidelines, Tools

A practical model-based approach for requirements engineering (RE) should address all of the following challenges: Textual documentation; analysis, validation and verification of requirements; the integration of RE into a comprehensive development approach; guidance and tool support. These challenges have previously been studied in isolation. This work examines these challenges holisticly, selects models, guidelines and tool support, and integrates them into a seamless model-based RE approach.
Secular changes in American and British stature and nutrition.

Secular Changes in American and British Stature and Nutrition This article reports on a collaborative project which is investigating the usefulness of data on height for the analysis of the impact of long-term changes in nutritional status and health on economic, social, and demographic behavior. In this project, measures of height are used for two related purposes. First, mean height at specific ages is used as a measure of the standard of living. When used in this way, data on height supplement other evidence, such as indexes of real wages, estimates of per capita income, and measures of food consumption. One
Quantitative analysis of thymus lymphoid cells during murine radioleukemogenesis.

Fractionated irradiation by four doses of 150 R leads to the development of lymphoma in the thymus of C57BL mice, after a long latent period (4 to 12 months) during which thymic subcapsular blast cells undergo neoplastic transformation. Electron microscope studies on this blast cell population have revealed several types that are distinguishable on the basis of nuclear ultrastructure and activity in the cell cycle. These blast cells are lymphoblasts, ring-shaped nucleolus cells, and X-cells. A stereological analysis demonstrates that the result of the irradiations is not an increase of the thymic blast cell number during the preleukemic period, as generally thought before, but important modifications in the relative proportion of the three cell types forming the blastic population. X-cells, which essentially appear in S phase, are more numerous after the third and fourth doses of radiation. They might be more “sensitive” to the action of the leukemogenic virus and facilitate the leukemogenic process. In contrast, in the preleukemic atrophic thymus just before the appearance of the lymphoma, X-cells are scarce, and ring-shaped nucleolus cells are more frequent than in the controls, suggesting important changes in thymus cell kinetics. The only modification detected in the blast cells at any time after irradiation concerns the surface of Golgi membranes, which decreases in X-cells and ring-shaped nucleolus cells of the atrophic thymus. Because the same change is observed later on in the lymphomatous cells, it is suggested that the change might be related to the transformation of the thymic blast cells into cancerous cells.
Anatomical constraints generate honesty: acoustic cues to age and weight in the roars of red deer stags

Early work on loud calling in mammals emphasized the importance of dynamic characteristics such as calling rate as cues to fitness and fighting ability. In contrast, little is known of the potential for fine-scaled acoustic cues to provide receivers with direct information on fitness. Fundamental frequency has typically been considered a good potential indicator of body size in the literature, but resonance frequencies (formants), which should be constrained by the length of the vocal tract, have received less attention. We conducted a detailed acoustic analysis on an extensive database of roars from red deer stags, Cervus elaphus, in a free-ranging population to investigate which variables provided honest information on age, body weight and reproductive success. Although fundamental frequency was higher in young stags than in adults, it did not decrease with body weight within adults and source cues (i.e. those generated by the larynx) in general did not provide clear information on fitness-related characteristics. In contrast, minimum formant frequencies, reached during the part of the roar when the mobile larynx is most fully retracted towards the sternum, decreased with body weight and age and were strongly negatively correlated with our index of reproductive success. Such production-related acoustic cues to body size and fitness, rendered honest by an anatomical constraint limiting the downward movement of the larynx, provide receivers with accurate information that could be used to assess rivals and choose mates.
Padrão e ritmo de aquisição das habilidades motoras de lactentes nascidos pré-termo saudáveis

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: identificar o padrao e o ritmo de desenvolvimento motor, durante o primeiro ano de idade corrigida; de um grupo de lactentes brasileiros nascidos pre-termo e considerados saudaveis, bem como, comparar estes aspectos com os apresentados por um grupo de lactentes brasileiros nascido a termo e com os dados normativos dos instrumentos de avaliacao utilizados (Test of Infant Motor Peformance - TIMP e a Alberta Infant Motor Scale AIMS. Para tanto, foram elaborados dois estudos: no ESTUDO 1, participaram 12 lactentes pre-termo saudaveis, (MD=33,6 semanas IG, ± 1,25) e 10 lactentes a termo saudaveis (MD=39,1 semanas de IG, ± 0,73). Estes lactentes foram avaliados mensalmente (0 - 4 meses de idade), em domicilio, com o TIMP. O desempenho motor aumentou em ambos os grupos, constatando variabilidade nos escores totais em todas as idades. No grupo pretermo, o ritmo de aquisicao motora foi maior de 0 a 1 do que de 3 a 4 meses (p= 0,016). A partir dos resultados obtidos conclui-se que os lactentes nascidos pre-termo, saudaveis, com idade gestacional maior do que 32 semanas, apresentaram um padrao de aquisicao das habilidades motoras semelhante aos lactentes tipicos quanto a sequencia de habilidades adquiridas, mas com um ritmo proprio de aquisicao destas habilidades, que se pode considerar uma variacao dentro do espectro de normalidade. No ESTUDO 2, participaram do estudo 13 lactentes pre-termo saudaveis, (MD=33,5 semanas de IG, ± 1,33) e 15 lactentes a termo saudaveis (MD=39,1 semanas de IG, ± 0,65). Estes lactentes foram avaliados em domicilio de 1 a 4 meses com o TIMP e apos, aos 6, 9 e 12 meses com a AIMS. Verificou-se que o grupo pre-termo apresentou escore medio superior ao grupo a termo no sexto (p= 0,03) e decimo segundo (p= 0,006) meses. Constatou-se que no grupo pre-termo, nos quatro primeiros meses, maior aquisicao no intervalo do segundo ao terceiro mes em relacao aos demais intervalos (1-2 e 2-3 p=0,05; 2-3 e 3-4 p=0,01). No segundo semestre, o intervalo do sexto ao nono mes apresentou maior aquisicao nos dois grupos (pre-termo, p= 0, 001 e a termo, p=0,03). Ambos os grupos apresentaram desempenho inferior aos valores estabelecidos pelo TIMP no primeiro mes (pre-termo, p < 0,008 e a termo, p < 0,001) e apenas o grupo a termo no segundo mes. (p = 0,005) No segundo semestre, o grupo pre-termo apresentou valores superiores ao percentil 50 da AIMS em todos os meses, entretanto, apenas no decimo segundo mes essa diferenca foi significante (p= 0,003). Os resultados constataram-se caracteristicas peculiares no ritmo de aquisicao das habilidades motoras dos lactentes pre-termo durante o primeiro ano de idade corrigida, sendo que a qualidade do desempenho motor apresentado no terceiro mes pode ser utilizada como um indicativo para deficits motores futuros. Sugere-se que a intervencao deve ser iniciada o quanto antes, de modo a se beneficiar-se desses momentos em que observouse maior predisposicao para a aquisicao de habilidades motoras (do segundo ao terceiro e do sexto ao nono mes).
Determination of Enterococcus faecalis groESL Full-Length Sequence and Application for Species Identification

ABSTRACT Amplification of the partial Cpn60 (or GroEL) gene segment has been used for identification of many bacteria, includingEnterococcus species. To obtain more sequence data fromgroESL genes of Enterococcus faecalis, the full-length sequence of the E. faecalis groESL genes containing groES (285 bp), spacer (57 bp), andgroEL (1,626 bp) was determined. A database search of GenBank revealed that the deduced E. faecalis GroES and GroEL proteins show significant homology to the GroES and GroEL proteins of other bacteria. The GroEL (groEL) ofE. faecalis had the highest identity withStreptococcus pneumoniae (81.8% amino acid sequence identity and 73.0% nucleotide sequence identity), followed byLactococcus zeae, while GroES (groES) had 60.2% (64.6%) identity with Lactobacillus zeae and 58.5% (66.2%) identity with Lactococcus lactis, followed by 57.0% (65.5%) identity with Bacillus subtilis. Based on the groES sequence, anE. faecalis-specific PCR assay was developed, and this PCR assay was positive for all the E. faecalis strains tested. Dot blot hybridization using either groES orgroEL as the probe distinguished E. faecalis clearly from other species, indicating that both genes can be used as suitable targets for E. faecalisidentification. Moreover, broad-range PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism of groESL was designed to differentiate eight commonly encountered Enterococcus species. TheEnterococcus species of reference strains could be easily differentiated on the basis of restriction patterns produced byHaeIII and RsaI. The DNA-based assays developed in this study provide an alternative to currently used methods of identification for clinically important enterococcal species.
Un système d'observation et d'analyse en direct de séances d'enseignement

Nous presentons les fonctionnalites et les premiers tests d’un systeme d’observation et d’analyse de seances d’enseignement, en direct. Nous montrons que ce systeme prend mieux en compte certains parametres importants des situations scolaires que les methodes d’observation classiques, comme leur temporalite complexe et le fait que les actions de l’enseignant et des eleves ne sont pas seulement dependantes de l’action qui precede.
Inhibition of the acute‐phase response in vivo by anti‐gp130 monoclonal antibodies

The acute‐phase response is believed to be an important systemic defence reaction to inflammation during infection, trauma, injury or neoplasia. Although the interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) family of cytokines appear to be the major regulators of the acute‐phase reaction, the exact biological significance of this process remains unknown. In this study, a panel of monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) was raised against the extracellular domain of human gp130 (the common signal transducing chain of the IL‐6 cytokine family) in order to inhibit the biological activity of IL‐6‐like cytokines in vivo. Mabs designated 4B11 and 2H4 were most effective in the inhibition of the in vitro acute‐phase response on hepatoma cells and prevented the IL‐6‐induced growth inhibition of A375 cells. Administration of the antibodies to dogs at a dosage of 8 mg/kg/d showed that 2H4 was a potent inhibitor of the IL‐6‐induced (40 μg/kg/d) acute‐phase response, abrogating IL‐6‐mediated increments in fibrinogen, C‐reactive protein and the platelet count. This antibody, the first described to abrogate the acute‐phase response in vivo, may not only permit development of a new anti‐inflammatory strategy, but provides an excellent tool for defining the function of acute‐phase proteins in inflammation and infection.
Metabotropic Glutamate Agonist-Induced Rotation: A Pharmacological, FOS Immunohistochemical, and [14C]-2-Deoxyglucose Autoradiographic Study

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are a major class of excitatory amino acid receptors. Eight mGluR subtypes, coupled to a variety of effector systems, have been cloned. These receptors have been classified into three groups based on amino acid sequence homology, effector systems, and pharmacological profile. Group I mGluRs increase phosphoinositide turnover, whereas groups II and III mGluRs are negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase. The striatum possesses a high density of mGluR binding sites, and several mGluR mRNAs and proteins are expressed by striatal neurons. In rats, unilateral striatal injection of the nonsubtype selective mGluR agonist 1-aminocyclopentane-1S,3R-dicarboxylic acid (1S,3R-ACPD) results in contralateral rotation with delayed onset, thought to be secondary to an increase in dopamine release. We sought to determine the mGluR subtype(s) involved, the modulation of the rotation by other basal ganglia neurotransmitter systems, and the functional anatomy underlying the rotational behavior. The group I mGluR agonist 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) induced contralateral rotation in a dose-dependent manner, whereas group II and group III agonists were ineffective. Rotation induced by DHPG or 1S,3R-ACPD was attenuated by group I antagonists, but not by group II or group III antagonists. This suggests that the rotation is mediated by group I mGluRs. Rotation induced by DHPG or 1S,3R-ACPD was attenuated by pretreatment with antagonists at muscarinic cholinergic, adenosine A2, dopamine D2, or dopamine D1 receptors. Examination of FOS-like immunoreactivity after group I and group II mGluR agonist administration suggests increased activity in the striatopallidal pathway. However, [14C]-2-deoxyglucose uptake studies indicate increased activity in nuclei of the striatopallidal (indirect) pathway, particularly in the subthalamic nucleus, only after group I mGluR activation.
Attainment of Competencies in Clinical Psychology Training: Ways Forward in the Australian Context

Debates over models of professional training have occurred in several health disciplines, including psychology. Currently, clinical competencies form the backbone of training in clinical psychology and in standards for the accreditation of such training programs, with sample domains including ethical and legal issues, assessment, intervention, and experience with a diversity of clients across cultures and the lifespan. We review a range of models for clinical competencies that have been put forth in the international literature and report on results of a survey of students undertaking clinical training as to the methods of assessment used in their training programs. Results showed that direct competency assessment was less commonly used than expected from the stated accreditation standards. One factor behind the results may be that ways to assess such competencies remain elusive. In this article, several models of clinical competencies are put forward, along with a method of assessing such competencies within an Australian context.
Neural correlates of semantic effects on grasping familiar objects

This study used event-related fMRI to explore the neural basis of semantic involvement when performing a visually guided grasping movement. Three types of object images were presented in random order: familiar objects with handles (FH+) familiar objects without handles (FH−) and geometrical objects with a handle-like part (GH+). Subjects were then instructed to configure an appropriate hand shape for grasping the object. Common activations were found for all event types when contrasted with baseline. Activation of the anterior part of the rostral cingulate motor area was detected for only the FH+ condition and these results imply that the appropriate selection of multiple motor schemata took place in this region.
Labor concerns of women two months after delivery.

BACKGROUND Women strive to incorporate their labor and delivery experiences into their self-system as they form an identity as a mother. As part of a larger study examining the development of maternal identity, women were asked to respond to a single open-ended question-"Is there anything about your labor and delivery that is still bothering you? "-to determine if women experienced any discrepancies between the expectations and realities of their births. METHODS A descriptive, qualitative design was applied to examine responses to an open-ended question from a convenience sample of 77 women from three geographically diverse Midwest hospitals who were nine weeks postpartum. Responses were subjected to content analysis to identify major categories of concerns related to labor and delivery. RESULTS Women expressed positive responses, which related to who helped them in labor and to the context of the experience, and frustrations, which related to pain, negative reactions to health caregivers, lack of control, and lack of knowledge. CONCLUSIONS These findings offer direction to health care professionals for making labor and childbirth a positive experience, thus easing the transition to motherhood.
Optimal motion planning for parallel robots via convex optimization and receding horizon

Graphical Abstract In this paper, the problem of motion planning for parallel robots in the presence of static and dynamic obstacles has been investigated. The proposed algorithm can be regarded as a synergy of convex optimization with discrete optimization and receding horizon. This algorithm has several advantages, including absence of trapping in local optimums and a high computational speed. This problem has been fully analyzed for two three-DOF parallel robots, ie 3s-RPR parallel mechanism and the so-called Tripteron, while the shortest path is selected as the objective function. It should be noted that the first case study is a parallel mechanism with complex singularity loci expression from a convex optimization problem standpoint, while the second case is a parallel manipulator for which each limb has two links, an issue which increases the complexity of the optimization problem. Since some of the constraints are non-convex, two approaches are introduced in order to convexify them: (1) A McCormick-based relaxation merged with a branch-and-prune algorithm to prevent it from becoming too loose and (2) a first-order approximation which linearizes the non-convex quadratic constraints. The computational time for the approaches presented in this paper is considerably low, which will pave the way for online applications.
Understanding and Informing Policy Implementation

The Maryland Gun Violence Act, enacted into law in 1996, explicitly authorized courts to order batterers to surrender their firearms through civil protective orders. It also vested law enforcement with the explicit authority to remove guns when responding to a domestic violence complaint. In order to assess how these laws were implemented, we designed a case study and collected data from in-depth, key informant interviews, court observations, and relevant documents. We present findings from this study and recommend how to increase the likelihood that policies designed to separate batterers and guns are implemented in a way that will result in greater protections for victims of domestic violence.
Long‐term survival in patients with human immunodeficiency virus‐associated small non‐cleaved cell lymphoma: the role for short course intensive chemotherapy

While intensive chemotherapy is recommended for the treatment of non‐HIV related adult small non‐cleaved lymphoma (SNCL), including Burkitt's and Burkitt‐like lymphoma, optimal treatment for patients with HIV‐associated SNCL is not known. We assessed remissions and survival in a cohort of 44 consecutive HIV positive patients diagnosed with SNCL at our hospital between June 2000 and November 2001 using chart and pathology data. Median follow‐up, survival and survival at the median follow‐up time were 4.5 months, 4 months and 49% respectively. Of this cohort 39% were complete responders (CR) and 36% were long‐term lymphoma‐free survivors. Two patients relapsed from CR. Short course intensive chemotherapy (McMaster) was administered to 23 patients; 17 received less intensive conventional combination chemotherapy; and four received single‐agent chemotherapy or no treatment. In the McMaster group, 38% (9/23) achieved CR with no relapses. Seven patients (30%) died of toxicity compared with one (6%) in the less intensively treated group. Of the stage I patients, 75% (6/8) achieved long‐term CR with half being treated conventionally. Conventional chemotherapy may be curative for early stage HIV‐SNCL. In advanced disease, McMaster chemotherapy was found to be associated with substantial early mortality but was curative in a significant number of patients. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.