Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alpha2-adrenoceptor function in arterial hypertension associated with obesity in dogs fed a high-fat diet

Objective To investigate the status of α2-adrenoceptors in a model of obesity-related arterial hypertension. Design A parallel study in dogs randomly assigned to a high-fat diet (HFD group, n = 6) or normal canine food (controls, n = 6) for 9 weeks. Methods Postsynaptic vascular α2-adrenoceptors were assessed through analysis of dose–pressor responses to clonidine [2.5, 5.0 and 15.0 μg/kg intravenously (i.v.)] after muscarinic, β- and α1-adrenergic receptor blockade. Presynaptic and central α2-adrenoceptors were studied through measurement of changes in plasma concentrations of catecholamine induced by yohimbine (0.05 mg/kg i.v.). The number of platelet α2-adrenoceptors (expressed as fmol/mg protein) and the percentage in a state of high affinity were measured using [3H]RX821002. Results Clonidine, when adminstered to dogs that were under autonomic blockade, elicited a dose-dependent increase in blood pressure. The doses of clonidine required to induce a 50% maximum increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressures remained unchanged after 9 weeks of a high-fat diet (systolic: 6.0 ± 0.3 μg/kg at baseline and 5.6 ± 0.2 μg/kg after 9 weeks; diastolic: 4.2 ± 0.2 μg/kg at baseline and 3.9 ± 0.2 μg/kg after 9 weeks). After 9 weeks of the regimen, plasma concentrations of noradrenaline were significantly greater in the HFD group than in controls (337 ± 22 pg/ml compared with 212 ± 37 pg/ml). The increment in plasma concentrations of noradrenaline elicited by yohimbine after 9 weeks was smaller in the HFD group than in controls (93 ± 44% compared with 181 ± 46%;P = 0.024). In the HFD group, the number of platelet α2-adrenoceptors and the percentage that were in a state of high affinity were significantly lower after 9 weeks, compared with baseline (number: 239 ± 21 fmol/mg protein at baseline and 95 ± 7 fmol/mg protein after 9 weeks; high-affinity: 30 ± 3% at baseline and 21 ± 4% after 9 weeks;P < 0.05). Conclusions These results suggest that presynaptic or central α2-adrenoceptor function, or both, is specifically impaired after 9 weeks of a high-fat diet. These modifications may account for the development of arterial hypertension in this model.
Development of melanocytic nevi in the first three years of life.

Extract: Interest in melanocytic nevi (moles) stems from their clinical, histologic, and epidemiologic association with melanoma. Few studies of nevi have been longitudinal (1,2), and all, apart from our own (3), have involved subjects 3 years old or older. Hence, little is known about the age at which nevi begin to develop. We compared rates of development of nevi from birth to 3 years of age in two cohorts of Caucasian children of similar ethnicity from the contrasting climates of Townsville, Australia [19° S; high levels of ambient UV radiation (4)], and Glasgow, U.K. [55° N; low levels of ambient UV radiation (5)]. The Australian cohort was recruited by approaching postpartum women at three maternity hospitals in Townsville during September and October 1994; 96.7% of the eligible mothers participated, resulting in a cohort of 115 babies of European ancestry. Scottish neonates were recruited from October 1993 through August 1994 by inviting postpartum women at the Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow, to participate in a randomized intervention trial focused on sun avoidance in infancy (consent rate for parents at Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow = 97.4%). From the latter group, only control subjects (no intervention; n = 157) were included in this study.
Enfumafungin Derivative MK-3118 Shows Increased In Vitro Potency against Clinical Echinocandin-Resistant Candida Species and Aspergillus Species Isolates

ABSTRACT MK-3118 is as an orally active new antifungal in the early stage of clinical development that inhibits the biosynthesis of β-(1,3)-glucan. We evaluated the in vitro activity of this compound against wild-type and echinocandin-resistant (ER) isolates containing mutations in the FKS gene(s) of Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp. MK-3118 demonstrated enhanced efficacy for most C. albicans and C. glabrata ER isolates relative to caspofungin, with decreased MICs and half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50s).
Localization of a repressive sequence contributing to B-cell specificity in the immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer

The immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer is a cis-acting element which activates transcription of nearby genes only in cells of the lymphoid lineage. To identify the minimal sequences necessary to impart cell type transcriptional specificity, we tested the activity of several deletions and internal mutations in the mu enhancer. Experiments involving measurement of both chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity and RNA levels indicated the presence of a dominant repressor element within the mu enhancer. This repressive activity was detected in fibroblasts but not in myeloma cells. Removal or disruption of this repressor element revealed the presence of elements within the mu enhancer that activate transcription in fibroblasts. Thus, enhancer tissue specificity is in part due to the composite of both constitutive activation and cell-type-specific repressive activity. The possible biological roles of this phenomenon are discussed.
Investigation of Multi- $V_{\mathrm {th}}$  Efficiency for Trigate GeOI p-MOSFETs Using Analytical Solution of 3-D Poisson’s Equation

This paper provides an analytical subthreshold model for trigate MOSFETs with thin buried oxide (BOX) for multithreshold (multi-Vth) applications. This model shows a fairly good scalability in substrate bias and BOX thickness, which is crucial to the prediction of multi-Vth modulation through BOX. In addition, we demonstrate the application of our model in multi-Vth device design for trigate GeOI p-MOSFETs with the body-effect coefficient (γ) over a wide range of design space efficiently examined. We have shown an enhanced multi-Vth modulation behavior in trigate GeOI p-MOSFETs. Our study indicates that, for a given subthreshold swing and γ, the GeOI trigate p-MOSFET can possess a higher fin aspect ratio than the SOI counterpart.
Why You Should Use Routines...Routinely

As an undergraduate computer science student, the author thought that the main reason to create new routines, instead of leaving all the code in one big routine, was to avoid duplicate code. This is undoubtedly the most popular reason for creating a routine, and it's a good one. Similar code in two routines is a warning sign. David Parnas says that if you use copy and paste while you're coding, you're probably committing a design error. Instead of copying code, move it into its own routine. Future modifications will be easier because you will need to modify the code in only one location. The code will be more reliable because you will have only one place in which to be sure that the code is correct. That is one good reason to create a routine, but it hardly makes a complete list. There are many additional reasons to create routines, and many of them are more important than avoiding duplicate code: reducing complexity; limiting effects of changes; hiding sequences; improving performance; hiding data structures; hiding global data; promoting code reuse; planning for a family of programs; improving readability; improving portability; isolating use of nonstandard language functions; and isolating complex operations.
Culturally Competent Care of Patients with Acute Chest Pain

Purpose To inform nurse practitioners (NPs) about the influence of culture on patients’ responses to pain using the example of acute chest pain. Data sources Selected clinical and research articles on pain and culture and the authors’ clinical experiences providing care across a variety of cultures. Conclusions There is very little written and even fewer studies on the connection of culture and the response to acute chest pain. This topic needs more attention by nurse researchers. Implications for practice If NPs are not aware that some patients may not demonstrate behavior typically expected in acute myocardial infarction, they may miss the diagnosis and fail to treat or refer these patients for immediate treatment.
Metabolic Cost of Stride Rate, Resistance, and Combined Use of Arms and Legs on the Elliptical Trainer

We measured the effects of stride rate, resistance, and combined arm-leg use on energy expenditure during elliptical trainer exercise and assessed the accuracy of the manufacturer's energy expenditure calculations. Twenty-six men and women (M age = 29 years, SD = 8; M body weight = 73.0 kg, SD = 15.2) participated. Twenty-two participants performed two tests, one without the arm poles (leg-only) and the other with arm poles (combined arm-leg). The other 4 participants performed one test without the arm poles. Both tests consisted of six 5-min stages (two stride rates, 110 and 134 strides.min-1, and three resistance settings: 2, 5, and 8). Steady-state oxygen uptake (VO2), minute ventilation (VE), heart rate (HR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured. Repeated measures analysis of variance determined higher (p < .001) VO2, VE, and RPE, but not HR, during combined arm-leg versus leg-only exercise at any given intensity. Increases in stride rate and resistance increased VO2, VE, RPE, and HR with the greatest effect on VE and HR from Levels 5 to 8. The manufacturer's calculated energy expenditure was overestimated during both tests. Although the oxygen cost for elliptical trainer exercise was calculated to be approximately 0.1 ml.kg-1 per stride and 0.7 ml.kg-1.min-1 per resistance level, VO2 varied widely among individuals, possibly due to differences in experience using the elliptical trainer, gender, and body composition. The elliptical trainer offers (a) a variety of intensities appropriate for most individuals and (b) both arm and leg exercise. Due to the wide variability in VO2, predicting the metabolic cost during elliptical trainer exercise for an individual is not appropriate.
Systematic review of evidence for the prevalence of food sensitivity in dogs

Twelve papers giving original data on canine food sensitivity in an acceptable form were reviewed, and the disorder was confirmed in 390 dogs. Most of the papers did not give either the criteria by which dogs were included in a trial, or information about dogs which had undergone a trial with a restricted diet but in which food sensitivity had not been observed. Only one author indicated how the degree of pruritus of the dogs in the study was assessed. The question of owner compliance in conducting a diet trial was not considered in any of the papers. The best available evidence comes from three of the studies covering 534 dogs in total, of which 93 (17 per cent) suffered food sensitivity.
Identification of peroxisomal membrane ghosts with an epitope‐tagged integral membrane protein in yeast mutants lacking peroxisomes

Many yeast peroxisome biogenesis mutants have been isolate in which peroxisomes appear to be completely absent. Introduction of a wild‐type copy of the defective gene causes the reappearance of peroxisomes, despite the fact that new peroxisomes are thought to form only from pre‐existing peroxisomes. This apparent paradox has been explained for similar human mutant cell lines (from patients with Zellweger syndrome) by the discovery of peroxisomal membrane ghosts in the mutant cells (Santos, M. J., T. Imanaka, H. Shio, G. M. Small and P. B. Lazarow. 1988. Science 239, 1536–1538). Introduction of a wild‐type gene is thought to restore to the ghosts the ability to import matrix proteins, and thus lead to the refilling of the peroxisomes. It is vitally important to our understanding of peroxisome biogenesis to determine whether the yeast mutants contain ghosts. We have solved this problem by introducing an epitope‐tagged version of Pas3p, a peroxisome integral membrane protein (that is essential for peroxisome biogenesis). Nucleotides encoding a nine amino acid HA epitope were added to the PAS3 gene immediately before the stop codon. The tagged gene (PAS3HA) was inserted in the genome, replacing the wild‐type gene at its normal locus. It was fully functional (the cells assembled peroxisomes normally and grew on oleic acid) but the expression level was too low to detect the protein with monoclonal antibody 12CA5. PAS3HA was expressed in greater quantity from an episomal plasmid with the CUP1 promoter. The gene product, Pas3pHA, was detected by immunogold labelling on the membranes of individual and clustered peroxisomes; the clusters appeared as large spots in immunofluorescence. PAS3HA was similarly expressed in peroxisome biogenesis mutants peb2 and peb4, which lack morphologically recognizable peroxisomes. Gold‐labelled membranes were clearly visible in both mutants: in peb2 the labelled membrane vesicles were generally much smaller than those in peb4, which resembled normal peroxisomes in size.
Ontogeny of architectural complexity in embryonic quail visceral arch muscles.

Understanding the mechanisms of muscle pattern formation requires that the complete sequence of ontogenetic events be defined, particularly in the emergence of architectural complexity and in the spatial relations between muscles and skeletal elements. This analysis of visceral arch myogenesis in quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) embryos identifies the location of premuscle condensations and subsequent segregation of individual muscles, documents the initial orientation of myofibers and changes in alignment associated with maturation, and describes the spatial and temporal relations between muscle development and the formation of connective tissues. Premuscle condensations form within the visceral arches on embryonic days 2-4, before skeletal elements make their appearance. Discrete muscles may form from the subdivision of a muscle mass after fiber orientations have been established (e.g., jaw adductor and hyobranchial muscles) or by the segregation of a mesenchymal cluster from the condensation prior to the appearance of oriented fibers (e.g., protractor, muscle of the columella). The rate and pattern of subsequent muscle maturation are closely associated with the development of the hard tissues. Myogenesis in 4-9-day embryos centers around the quadrate cartilage, the retroarticular process of the mandibular (Meckel's) cartilage, and the epibranchial cartilage. Muscles form attachments on these elements and remain without additional attachments until the appropriate elements (e.g., otic capsule, pterygoid bone) develop. No single description of myogenic events applies to all visceral arch muscles, nor is there an arch-specific pattern of ontogeny. Rather, each muscle has distinctive characteristics based on its spatial relations within the developing head.
Neuropeptide Y acts in the paraventricular nucleus to suppress sympathetic nerve activity and its baroreflex regulation

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) acts in the brain to decrease sympathetic nerve activity (SNA); however, the specific site is unknown. We identify the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) as a site of action, since nanoinjection of NPY into the PVN dose‐dependently decreases SNA, whereas PVN injection of NPY Y1 and Y5 receptor antagonists increases SNA. NPY may directly inhibit PVN presympathetic neurons, since these neurons express Y1 receptors and, in patch‐clamp experiments, are inhibited by NPY. Our data also indicate that identified PVN presympathetic neurons that are inhibited by NPY are also excited by α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone. These results identify endogenous PVN NPY as a novel and potent inhibitory neuromodulator that may contribute to changes in SNA that occur in states associated with altered energy balance, such as obesity and pregnancy.
Impact of antiretroviral therapy among HIV-1-infected patients with pulmonary hypertension.

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A 12-Bit 10 MS/s SAR ADC With High Linearity and Energy-Efficient Switching

A 12-bit 10 MS/s SAR ADC with enhanced linearity and energy efficiency is presented in this paper. A novel switching scheme (COSS) is proposed to reduce the power consumption and the matching requirement for capacitors in SAR ADCs. The switching energy (including switching energy and reset energy), total capacitance and static performance (INL & DNL) of the proposed scheme are reduced by 98.08%, 75%, and 75%, respectively, compared with the conventional architecture. Based on analysis of the non-linear errors caused by comparator input parasitic capacitance, an improved comparator with push-pull pre-amplifier and output offset storage (OOS) strategy is proposed to diminish non-linearity in the input parasitic capacitance. The offset cancellation signal for the comparator can be generated by asynchronous timing automatically, without any extra clock. Additionally, an SFDR enhancement bootstrap switch is proposed to eliminate the distortion induced by parasitic capacitance and threshold voltage that results in insufficient precision for mediumspeed 12-bit ADCs. The proposed ADC was fabricated in a 0.18 μm 1P6M CMOS process, and the measured results show that the ADC achieves an SNDR of 66.9 dB and an SFDR of 75.8 dB with a 10 MS/s sampling rate and consumes 0.82 mW, resulting in a figure of merit (FOM) of 44.2 fJ/conversion-step. The peak DNL error is +0.36/-0.33 LSB, and the peak INL error is +0.55 LSB/-0.6 LSB. The ADC core occupies an active area of only 630 μm×570 μm2.
QUANTITATION OF PYRIMIDINE DIMERS BY IMMUNOSLOT BLOT FOLLOWING SUBLETHAL UV‐IRRADIATION OF HUMAN CELLS

An immunoslot blot assay was developed to detect pyrimidine dimers induced in DNA by sublethal doses of UV (254 nm) radiation. Using this assay, one dimer could be detected in 10 megabase DNA using 200 ng or 0.5 megabase DNA using 20 ng irradiated DNA. The level of detection, as measured by dimer specific antibody binding, was proportional to the dose of UV and amount of irradiated DNA used. The repair of pyrimidine dimers was measured in human skin fibroblastic cells in culture following exposure to 0.5 to 5 J m‐2 of 254 nm UV radiation. The half‐life of repair was approximately 24, 7 and 6 h in cells exposed to 0.5, 2 and 5 J m‐2 UV radiation, respectively. This immunological approach utilizing irradiated DNA immobilized to nitrocellulose should allow the direct quantitation of dimers following very low levels of irradiation in small biological samples and isolated gene fragments.
Learning a reactive posture control on the four-legged walking machine BISAM

Presents methods and experiments of adaptive posture control for a four legged walking machine. Starting from the analysis of the implemented movement behaviour of BISAM we identify adequate tasks for adaptive control components and present adaptive posture control mechanisms for statically stable and dynamically stable movements. The reflex-based posture control is implemented via fuzzy control and reinforcement learning. The integration of the posture control in the control architecture is also described.
Genetic resistance to Marek's disease. Delineation of the response of genetically resistant chickens to Marek's disease virus infection.

SUMMARY Genetically resistant chickens (Line 6) were inoculated at one day old with a cloned preparation of the JM strain of Marek's disease virus (MDV), and their response was compared, on a chronologic basis, with that of similarly inoculated genetically susceptible (Line 7) chickens. The susceptible chickens developed severe clinical Marek's disease (MD) and died within 8 weeks of inoculation. Many had gross lesions and all examined after 2 weeks postinoculation had microscopic lesions in the nerves. In contrast, the resistant chickens showed no overt signs of clinical disease throughout the observation period of 14 weeks. None had gross or microscopic nerve lesions characteristic of MD although they developed low levels of persistent viremia. Thus: a) "regression" of lesions was not a major factor involved in resistance to MD; and b) the presence or absence of microscopic nerve lesions 3 weeks postinoculation or later may be a qualitative "genetic marker" of MD response in Line 7 and Line 6 chickens. Although the resistant and susceptible chickens had no striking differences in precipitating antibody levels, they differed markedly in virus-neutralizing (VN) antibody response. Both lines acquired passive VN antibody which disappeared by the 5th week of hatching. Line 6 chickens began to develop active VN antibody by the 6th week and maintained high levels through the 14th week, whereas Line 7 chickens developed no detectable active VN antibody. The possible role of VN antibody in resistance to MD is discussed. 894
Fast Isomorphism Testing of Graphs with Regularly-Connected Components

The Graph Isomorphism problem has both theoretical and practical interest. In this paper we present an algorithm, called conauto-1.2, that efficiently tests whether two graphs are isomorphic, and finds an isomorphism if they are. This algorithm is an improved version of the algorithm conauto, which has been shown to be very fast for random graphs and several families of hard graphs. In this paper we establish a new theorem that allows, at very low cost, the easy discovery of many automorphisms. This result is especially suited for graphs with regularly connected components, and can be applied in any isomorphism testing and canonical labeling algorithm to drastically improve its performance. In particular, algorithm conauto-1.2 is obtained by the application of this result to conauto. The resulting algorithm preserves all the nice features of conauto, but drastically improves the testing of graphs with regularly connected components. We run extensive experiments, which show that the most popular algorithms (namely, nauty and bliss) can not compete with conauto-1.2 for these graph families.