Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardiovascular actions of the κ‐agonist, U‐50,488H, in the absence and presence of opioid receptor blockade

1 The cardiovascular actions of U‐50,488H, a κ‐receptor agonist, were studied in rat isolated perfused hearts, and in anaesthetized rats, over concentrations or doses generally above those required to produce κ‐receptor‐mediated effects. 2 U‐50,488H dose‐dependently decreased left‐ventricular peak systolic pressure and beating rate in vitro and reduced blood pressure and heart rate in vivo. 3 Over the concentration range of 1–30 μm in vitro, and the dose‐range of 0.5–32 μmol kg−1 in vivo, U‐50,488H prolonged the P—R, QRS and Q—T intervals of the ECG. 4 The effects of U‐50,488H were not antagonized by an opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone (1 μm or 8 μmol kg−1). Similarly, the opioid receptor antagonist, MR 2266, at 8 μmol kg−1 did not significantly reduce the cardiovascular actions of U‐50,488H in vivo. 5 The actions of U‐50,488H on responses to electrical stimulation were also studied. Over the dose range of 0.5–32 μmol kg−1, U‐50,488H altered thresholds and effective refractory period. It had a biphasic action on thresholds for induction of ventricular fibrillation. Thresholds were decreased at lower doses (0.5–4 μmol kg−1) but increased at higher doses (8–32 μmol kg−1). The effects of lower doses were blocked by naloxone. Effective refractory period and threshold pulse width only increased with dose. 6 In conclusion, U‐50,488H at high concentration, had direct depressant actions on cardiac contractility, electrical excitability and the ECG. These depressant effects were not antagonized by the opioid receptor antagonists, naloxone and MR 2266, and probably do not involve opioid receptors. Furthermore, some of the observed effects were those expected to result from sodium channel blockade.
Radiation Effects in InGaAs and Microbolometer Infrared Sensor Arrays for Space Applications

Cobalt60, 60 MeV proton and heavy ion tests have been performed on InGaAs and amorphous silicon microbolometer arrays with CMOS readout circuits. The readout circuits showed latch-up at threshold LETs~14 MeV/mg/cm2, but the total dose and displacement damage effects were negligible for low earth orbit conditions. Effects in a microbolometer array tested, for use in Mercury orbit, to 100 krd(Si) and 3.2 1011 60 MeV p/cm2 showed acceptable performance, though there was a significant increase in power consumption for the CMOS readout circuit when biased during cobalt60 irradiation.
Unacknowledged Rape: The Influences of Child Sexual Abuse and Personality Traits

Evidence supports that the majority of young women who experience sexual victimization that meets the legal definition of rape do not label their experiences as rape—this has been termed unacknowledged rape. In a sample of 77 young adult women, the odds of unacknowledged rape significantly increased as a function of less severe child sexual abuse histories and greater levels of dysfunctional personality traits. Potential explanations for these findings as well as clinical implications are discussed. Because of the potential psychological and societal consequences of unacknowledged rape, it is vital that researchers continue to examine this phenomenon.
Convolutional Neural Network for Detection and Identification of Interstitial Lung Diseases

Automated tissue characterization is standout amongst the most essential parts of computer aided diagnosis (CAD) system for interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Deep learning strategies provides impressive results in variety of computer vision problems such as medicinal picture investigation. In this paper, we plan and evaluate a convolutional neural network (CNN) for the classification of ILD patterns. The proposed system comprises of 5 convolutional layers, trailed by two fully connected layers. The last thick layer has different outputs, equivalent to the classes like ground glass opacity (GGO), micronodules, consolidation, reticulation, honeycombing etc. Future work incorporates extending CNN to three-dimensional data (information) gave by CT volume scans and integrating the proposed method into CAD framework that intends differential diagnosis for ILDs as a strong device for radiologists.
A Ras subfamily GTPase shows cell cycle‐dependent nuclear localization

Previously characterized Ras subfamily proteins have been found tobe predominantly associated with the plasma membrane where they function in signal transduction pathways to convey extracellular signals to intracellular targets. Here, we provide evidence that the Dictyostelium Ras subfamily protein RasB has a novel subcellular localization and function. The protein is predominantly localized in the nucleus during most of the cell cycle. Furthermore, during mitosis and cytokinesis RasB assumes a diffuse cellular localization despite the fact that the nuclear membrane stays intact. The linkage between the position of RasB in the cell and division suggests that it may have a role in nuclear division. Consistent with this idea, rasB− cells exhibit severe growth defects and cells overexpressing an activated version of RasB are multinucleate.
6.1-1 efficient true motion estimation using integral frame attributes

Although many approaches for true motion estimation have been proposed in the academic literature, relatively few have been implemented in actual products due to their complexity. This paper proposes the usage of integral frame attributes in a proven method for robust true motion estimation, i.e. recursive search block matching. This combination enables a 64-fold reduction in arithmetic operations while largely maintaining the match quality.
Use of locking-loop pigtail nephrostomy catheters in dogs and cats: 20 cases (2004-2009).

OBJECTIVE To describe the procedure and clinical usefulness of locking-loop pigtail nephrostomy catheter (PNC) placement in dogs and cats. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 16 cats (18 kidneys) and 4 dogs (4 kidneys) that underwent PNC placement. PROCEDURES Medical records of patients that underwent PNC placement were reviewed. The PNCs were placed percutaneously with ultrasonographic and fluoroscopic guidance or via a ventral midline laparotomy with fluoroscopic guidance. Either a modified Seldinger technique or a 1-stab trocar introduction technique was used for PNC placement. Preoperative renal pelvic size, postoperative renal pelvic decompression, catheter patency, serum biochemical changes, and results of microbial culture of urine samples were reviewed. Length of time the catheter was in place, reason and method for catheter removal, complications, and clinical outcomes were noted. RESULTS Reasons for PNC placement were ureterolithiasis (15 kidneys), ureteral stricture (3), malignant obstruction (2), and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (2). Seven of 22 catheters were placed percutaneously, and 15 were placed via a ventral midline laparotomy. Catheters were either size 5F (n = 17) or 6F (5). The PNCs remained indwelling for a median of 7 days (range, 1 to 28 days). Catheter-associated complications included urine leakage (n = 1) and accidental dislodgement by the patient at home (1). All catheters performed successfully by providing temporary urine diversion and drainage for successful renal pelvis decompression. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Placement of locking-loop PNCs was safe, effective, and well tolerated in dogs and cats for temporary urine diversion to achieve renal pelvis decompression.
An investigation into the psychometric properties of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome

The study sought to determine the psychometric properties of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) assessed using a web-based data collection tool. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on the HADS to determine its psychometric properties in 117 individuals with CFS. Seven models were tested to determine model fit to the data. Internal reliability estimations of the anxiety and depression sub-scales were found to be acceptable, however, a three-factor model was found to provide a significantly better fit to the data when compared to the bi-dimensional two-factor structure previously assumed to underpin the HADS’ construct validity. The clinical utility of the HADS in the assessment of anxiety and depression in CFS appears to be fundamentally compromised by the presence of a three-dimensional underlying factor structure. Future revision of the HADS is recommended if the instrument is to be used reliably to screen CFS patients.
The impact of a 9-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the public health burden of pneumonia in HIV-infected and -uninfected children.

INTRODUCTION Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PnCV) may be used as a probe to define the burden of pneumococcal disease and better characterize the clinical presentation of pneumococcal pneumonia. METHODS This study used a 9-valent PnCV to define different end points of vaccine efficacy and the preventable burden of pneumococcal pneumonia in 39,836 children who were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in South Africa. RESULTS Whereas the point-estimate of vaccine efficacy was greatest when measured against the outcome of vaccine-serotype specific pneumococcal bacteremic pneumonia (61%; P = .01), the sensitivity of blood culture to measure the burden of pneumococcal pneumonia prevented by vaccination was only 2.6% in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-uninfected children and 18.8% in HIV-infected children. Only 37.8% of cases of pneumococcal pneumonia prevented by PnCV were detected by means of chest radiographs showing alveolar consolidation. A clinical diagnosis of pneumonia provided the best estimate of the burden of pneumococcal pneumonia prevented through vaccination in HIV-uninfected children (267 cases prevented per 100,000 child-years) and HIV-infected children (2573 cases prevented per 100,000 child-years). CONCLUSION Although outcome measures with high specificity, such as bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia, provide a better estimate as to vaccine efficacy, the burden of disease prevented by vaccination is best evaluated using outcome measures with high sensitivity, such as a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia.
Comparison of Lipoteichoic Acid from Different Serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae*

Pneumococcal lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is known to have a completely different chemical structure compared with that of Staphylococcus aureus: the polyglycerophosphate in the backbone is replaced in the pneumococcal LTA by a pentamer repeating unit consisting of one ribitol and a tetrasaccharide carrying the unusual substituents phosphocholine and N-acetyl-d-galactosamine. Neither d-alanine nor N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, which play central roles in the biological activity of the staphylococcal LTA, has been reported. The extraction using butanol is more gentle compared with the previously reported chloroform-methanol extraction and results in a higher yield of LTA. We characterized the LTA of two different strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae:R6 (serotype 2) and Fp23 (serotype 4). NMR analysis confirmed the structure of LTA from R6 but showed that its ribitol carries an N-acetyl-d-galactosamine substituent. The NMR data for the LTA from Fp23 indicate that this LTA additionally contains ribitol-bound d-alanine. Dose-response curves of the two pneumococcal LTAs in human whole blood revealed that LTA from Fp23 was significantly more potent than LTA from R6 with regard to the induction of all cytokines measured (tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-8, IL-10, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and interferon γ). However, other characteristics, such as lack of inhibition by endotoxin-specific LAL-F, Toll-like receptor 2 and not 4 dependence, and lack of stimulation of neutrophilic granulocytes, were shared by both LTAs. This is the first report of a difference in the structure of LTA between two pneumococcal serotypes resulting in different immunostimulatory potencies.
Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on depression and anxiety in the patients with incomplete spinal cord injury (a STROBE-compliant article)

Abstract Little research has been done on the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on depression and anxiety after spinal cord injury (SCI). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HBO on psychological problems and never function, especially on depression and anxiety in the patients with incomplete SCI (ISCI). Sixty patients with ISCI combined with depression and anxiety were randomly divided into HBO group (20 cases), psychotherapy group (20 cases), and conventional rehabilitation control group (20 cases). All patients received routine rehabilitation therapy. However, in HBO group and psychotherapy group, patients also received HBO and psychotherapy, respectively. These therapies lasted for a total of 8 weeks (once a day and 6 days per week). Before and after 8 weeks of treatment, depression and anxiety, nerve function, and activities of daily living were, respectively, evaluated according to Hamilton Depression (HAMD) scale, Hamilton Anxiety (HAMA) scale, American Spinal Injury Association score, and functional independence measure score in all patients. After 8 weeks of treatment, HAMD score was significantly lower in both HBO group and psychotherapy group than in control group (all P < .05), but there was no statistical difference in HAMD score between HBO group and psychotherapy group (P > .05). HAMA score was significantly lower in HBO group than in control group (P < .05), but there was no statistical difference in HAMA score between HBO group and psychotherapy group, and between psychotherapy group and control group (all P > .05). After 8 weeks of treatment, American Spinal Injury Association and functional independence measure scores were significantly higher in HBO group than in both psychological and control groups, and also higher in psychotherapy group than in control group (all P < .05). The effects of HBO on depression and anxiety are similar to that of psychotherapy. HBO can significantly improve nerve function and activities of daily living in the patients with ISCI, which either psychotherapy or routine rehabilitation therapy can not substitute.
Approximate series representations of second-order stochastic processes: applications to signal detection and estimation

Two distinct approximate series representations are obtained for the entire class of measurable, second-order stochastic processes defined on any interval of the real line. They include as particular cases all earlier approximate representations based on the Rayleigh-Ritz method. It is also shown that each of them converges with a different type of convergence. Finally, two applications in statistical communication theory are presented.
Single-Stranded DNA Library Preparation Preferentially Enriches Short Maternal DNA in Maternal Plasma.

BACKGROUND Recent studies have suggested that single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) library preparation can enrich short DNA species from the plasma of healthy individuals, cancer patients, and transplant recipients. Based on previous observations that fetal DNA molecules in the maternal plasma are shorter than maternal DNA molecules, ssDNA library preparation may potentially enrich fetal DNA and provide substantial improvement in noninvasive prenatal testing. METHODS We tested this hypothesis by comparing the maternal plasma DNA sequencing results using 2 types of ssDNA library preparation methods and a standard double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) library method using samples from first- and third-trimester pregnancies. We also evaluated the performance of ssDNA and dsDNA library methods in the noninvasive prenatal detection of trisomy 21 from maternal plasma. RESULTS Short DNA species were significantly enriched in ssDNA libraries. However, contrary to previous speculation, no significant enrichment was observed in the overall fetal fraction in maternal plasma collected in the first trimester. Our use of an ssDNA library did not reduce the variation in chromosomal representation when compared with a standard dsDNA library in the first-trimester plasma samples. ssDNA libraries also showed inferior performance in the noninvasive prenatal detection of trisomy 21 from maternal plasma. Detailed fetal fraction analysis using size-fractionated Y chromosome sequences and fetal-specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) revealed an unexpected finding that short maternal DNA was preferentially enriched over short fetal DNA in an ssDNA library irrespective of GC content. CONCLUSIONS Our findings have shown that ssDNA library preparation preferentially enriches short maternally derived DNA in maternal plasma.
Up‐regulation of expression of selected genes in human bone cells with specific capacitively coupled electric fields

The objective of the described experiments was to determine the electrical parameters that lead to optimal expression of a number of bone‐related genes in cultured human bone cells exposed to a capacitively coupled electric field. Human calvarial osteoblasts were grown in modified plastic Cooper dishes in which the cells could be exposed to various capacitively coupled electric fields. The optimal duration of stimulation and optimal duration of response to the electrical field, and the optimal amplitude, frequency and duty cycle were all determined for each of the genes analyzed. Results indicated that a capacitively coupled electric field of 60 kHz, 20 mV/cm, 50% duty cycle for 2 h duration per day significantly up‐regulated mRNA expression of a number of transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β family genes (bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP)‐2 and ‐4, TGF‐β1, ‐ β2 and ‐β3) as well as fibroblast growth factor (FGF)‐2, osteocalcin (BGP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Protein levels of BMP‐2 and ‐4, and TGF‐β1 and ‐ β2 were also elevated. The clinical relevance of these findings in the context of a noninvasive treatment modality for delayed union and nonunion fracture healing is discussed. © 2014 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 32:894–903, 2014.
The Binocular Combination of Chromatic Contrast

How is chromatic contrast combined binocularly? One index of binocularity is the binocular contrast summation ratio (BCSR), which is the improvement in contrast sensitivity with binocular rather than monocular presentation. Simmons and Kingdom (1998, Vision Research 38 1063–1071) noted that BCSRs with some red-green isoluminant stimuli were suggestive of full linear summation. This suggestion was investigated further in four subjects by measuring binocular and monocular contrast thresholds for the detection of 0.5 cycle deg−1 isoluminant (red-green) and isochromatic (yellow-black) Gabor patches. These Gabor patches had either vertically or horizontally oriented carrier gratings and were either dichoptically in phase (same coloured bars in binocular correspondence) or in dichoptic anti-phase (opposite coloured bars in binocular correspondence). Full linear summation would be indicated by BCSRs of 2 for the in-phase and close to 0 for the anti-phase conditions. Mean BCSRs at isoluminance were 1.93 and 0.90, respectively, for the in-phase and anti-phase stimuli with horizontal carriers, the former being consistent with full linear summation, but the latter not. Despite these results, BCSRs obtained with isoluminant and isochromatic stimuli under similar conditions were not statistically distinguishable from each other, although there was a tendency for summation at isoluminance with in-phase stimuli to be higher and anti-phase stimuli to be lower. These data fall short of demonstrating full linear summation of chromatic contrast between the eyes under all presentation conditions, but they do indicate that there are strong binocular interactions at red-green isoluminance, which are similar to, and possibly even stronger than, those obtained with luminance stimuli.
EFFECTS OF CHRONIC ETHANOL INGESTION ON TIGHT JUNCTION PROTEINS AND BARRIER FUNCTION OF ALVEOLAR EPITHELIUM IN THE RAT

Previous studies show that chronic alcohol abuse is an independent risk factor for acute lung injury (ALI) and impairs alveolar epithelial barrier function through glutathione depletion. However, the precise molecular structures that are damaged by chronic ethanol ingestion have not been identified. To test whether chronic ethanol ingestion impairs the alveolar epithelium barrier by tight junction protein deterioration and predisposes to ALI, this study determined the alterations in tight junction proteins occludin, zonula occludens (ZO)-1, and adherens junction protein E-cadherin in alveolar epithelium and observed the protective effect of glutamine (Gln) supplementation. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to control, ethanol (6 weeks' ethanol feeding), lipopolysaccharide ([LPS] 2 mg/kg, i.v.), ethanol plus LPS, ethanol plus Gln (0.3 g/kg, gavage daily), and ethanol plus Gln plus LPS groups. Treatment with both ethanol and LPS significantly increased bronchoalveolar epithelial permeability, and treatment with ethanol plus LPS further increased the permeability. Using immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, this study shows that treatment with both ethanol and LPS induced partial breakdown of membrane staining and decreased cytoplasm staining in alveolar epithelium and decreased the messenger RNA and protein expression of those molecules in alveolar epithelial cells. Treatment with ethanol plus LPS caused further deterioration. Moreover, Gln supplementation markedly attenuated the enhanced bronchoalveolar epithelial permeability and decreased messenger RNA and protein expression of those molecules induced by ethanol and ethanol plus LPS. These data suggest that chronic ethanol ingestion impairs the alveolar epithelial barrier function via occludin, ZO-1, and E-cadherin deterioration, and predisposes to ALI. Glutamine supplementation has protective effect.
The bacterial flagellar motor.

It has been known for some time that bacterial flagella are powered by remarkable rotary motors and that flagellar rotation is energized by transmembrane-proton, or sodium, electrochemical gradients rather than ATP (7). Recently, a combined assault of genetic, biochemical, and biophysical approaches has laid the groundwork for elaboration of the molecular mechanism: (a) A set of proteins, defects in which abolish motor function, has been identified and their interactions are being characterized. (b) New structural components of flagellar bases that are likely to harbor the motor machinery have been visualized. (c) The steady-state relations between the electrochemical potentials, motor torque, and velocity have been determined in detail sufficient to constrain construction of explicit molecular models. This chapter reviews the current understanding of the operation of the bacterial flagellar motor in the light of emerging principles underlying motile phenomena and their regulation. General reviews on bacterial motility have been published (37, 41, 62). Caplan & Kari-Ivanov (18) have written a review on the flagellar motor, focused on analysis of motor models.
From Transitional to Transformative Justice: A New Agenda for Practice

Transitional justice has become a globally dominant lens through which to approach states addressing legacies of a violent past, most often implemented as a component of larger efforts at liberal statebuilding. From its beginnings as a largely legal approach to human rights violations committed by departed regimes, understandings of transitional justice have expanded to encompass largely state-led practices such as trials, truth-telling, institutional reform and reparations processes. An industry of praxis has emerged, supported by dedicated NGOs and large-scale funding from Western donors. Yet, the performance and impact of transitional justice mechanisms has been at best ambiguous and at times disappointing – critiqued, for example, for treating the symptoms rather than the causes of conflict. This suggests the need for a new agenda for practice, one that offers a concept of justice that is more ‘transformative’.