Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular basis for cytadsorption of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Hemadsorbing (HA+) virulent Mycoplasma pneumoniae and spontaneously derived nonhemadsorbing (HA-) avirulent mutants were compared by biochemical and ultrastructural techniques in an attempt to understand the molecular basis for cytadsorption. Lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination of intact mycoplasmas indicated that both virulent and avirulent mycoplasmas displayed similar surface protein patterns. A specific external protein, P1 (molecular weight, 165,000), previously implicated as a major ligand mediating attachment, was readily detected in HA+ and HA- mycoplasma strains. However, immunoferritin electron microscopy, with monospecific antibody against P1, revealed that differences in P1 topography existed among these strains. Only virulent mycoplasmas exhibited high concentrations of P1 at the terminal organelle. Avirulent mycoplasmas which possessed P1 showed no P1 clustering at the terminus. Both virulent M. pneumoniae and avirulent P1-containing mutants possessed numerous less dense P1 regions along the mycoplasma surface. Not surprisingly, an HA- mutant lacking P1 exhibited only background immunoferritin labeling. Negative staining of intact mycoplasmas revealed a well-defined, naplike terminus (associated with P1 clusters) confined at the tip of virulent M. pneumoniae. Previous characterization of HA+ virulent and HA- avirulent strains of M. pneumoniae by one- and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggests that identified groups of mycoplasma proteins, lacking in specific HA- mycoplasmas, regulate the physical arrangement of P1 and the ultrastructure of the terminus, thus influencing adherence to the respiratory epithelium and virulence.
Asymptomatic infection with hepatitis C virus

The history of infectious hepatitis illustrates the ever-challenging battle between humans, micro-organisms, and disease. In the 1970s the organisms causing viral hepatitis type A and B were identified, allowing more accurate diagnosis and treatment, and the battle seemed to be on the way to being won. But nature persisted, and the term non-A non-B hepatitis was coined for the viral liver disease not due to hepatitis A or B virus, cytomegalovirus, or Epstein-Barr virus. Without specific assays the diagnosis of non-A non-B hepatitis was based on exclusion. The disorder accounted for 75-90% of cases of post-transfusion hepatitis, but it also included enterically transmitted, sporadic, endemic, and community acquired disease.1 In developed countries this type of hepatitis is second only to alcohol as a cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, but its treatment remains problematic.2 Most non-A non-B hepatitis is due to a single virus, hepatitis C virus, and with cloning of its virion, a positive single stranded RNA molecule,3 the diagnosis of liver disease became more reliable. Further precision came with assays for specific antibodies to hepatitis C4 and, more recently with identification of hepatitis C virus RNA in the serum by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction - a marker for viraemia and the infectious state.5 Three papers in …
Retinal ganglion cell responses to voltage and current stimulation in wild-type and rd1 mouse retinas

Retinal prostheses are being developed to restore vision for those with retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration. Since neural prostheses depend upon electrical stimulation to control neural activity, optimal stimulation parameters for successful encoding of visual information are one of the most important requirements to enable visual perception. In this paper, we focused on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) responses to different stimulation parameters and compared threshold charge densities in wild-type and rd1 mice. For this purpose, we used in vitro retinal preparations of wild-type and rd1 mice. When the neural network was stimulated with voltage- and current-controlled pulses, RGCs from both wild-type and rd1 mice responded; however the temporal pattern of RGC response is very different. In wild-type RGCs, a single peak within 100 ms appears, while multiple peaks (approximately four peaks) with ∼10 Hz rhythm within 400 ms appear in RGCs in the degenerated retina of rd1 mice. We find that an anodic phase-first biphasic voltage-controlled pulse is more efficient for stimulation than a biphasic current-controlled pulse based on lower threshold charge density. The threshold charge densities for activation of RGCs both with voltage- and current-controlled pulses are overall more elevated for the rd1 mouse than the wild-type mouse. Here, we propose the stimulus range for wild-type and rd1 retinas when the optimal modulation of a RGC response is possible.
Failure In metal honeycombs manufactured by selective laser melting of 304 L stainless steel under compression

ABSTRACT Cellular structures, specifically honeycombs, are commonly used as core materials in sandwich structures. This is especially true in aerospace applications where high bending and out-of-plane compressive stiffness coupled with low component weight is required. Additive manufacturing techniques are well suited for the manufacture of such cellular structures in a cost-effective manner. The current work focuses on honeycombs using selective laser melting of 304 L stainless steel. The mechanical behaviour of honeycombs was evaluated using out-of-plane compression tests. A numerical model was built to describe failure of the additively manufactured honeycombs. Compression tests were performed, on cylindrical samples to build the nonlinear material model. The material behaviour was found to be dependent on the build direction. Results of experiments and simulation show that failure occurs through a plastic buckling mechanism.
Experiences in end-of-life care in the Intensive Care Unit: A survey of resident physicians

Background and Aims: The practice of intensive care includes withholding and withdrawal of care, when appropriate, and the goals of care change around this time to comfort and palliation. We decided to survey the attitudes, training, and skills of intensive care residents in relation to end-of-life (EoL) care. All residents at our institute who has worked for at least a month in an adult Intensive Care Unit were invited to participate. Materials and Methods: After Institutional Ethics Committee approval, a Likert-scale questionnaire, divided into five composite measures of EoL skills including training and attitude, was handed over to individual residents and completed data were anonymized. Frequency and descriptive analysis was performed for the demographic variables. Central tendency, variability, and reliability were examined for the five composite measures. Scale internal consistency was checked by Cronbach's coefficient alpha. Multivariate forward conditional regression analysis was conducted to examine the association of demographic data or EoL experience to composite measures. Results: Of the 170 eligible residents, we received 120 (70.5%) responses. Conclusions: Internal medicine residents have more experience in caring for dying patients and conducting EoL discussions. Even though majority of participants reported that they are comfortable with the concept of EoL care, this does not always reflect the actual practice in the hospital. There is a need for further training in skills around EoL care. As this is a self-assessment survey, the specific measures of attitudes and skills in EoL are poorly reflected, indicating a need for further research.
Daily potassium intake and sodium-to-potassium ratio in the reduction of blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of daily potassium intake on decreasing blood pressure in non-medicated normotensive or hypertensive patients, and to determine the relationship between potassium intake, sodium-to-potassium ratio and reduction in blood pressure. Design: Mixed-effect meta-analyses and meta-regression models. Data sources: Medline and the references of previous meta-analyses. Studies eligibility criteria: Randomized controlled trials with potassium supplementation, with blood pressure as the primary outcome, in non-medicated patients. Results: Fifteen randomized controlled trials of potassium supplementation in patients without antihypertensive medication were selected for the meta-analyses (917 patients). Potassium supplementation resulted in reduction of SBP by 4.7 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.4–7.0] and DBP by 3.5 mmHg (95% CI 1.3–5.7) in all patients. The effect was found to be greater in hypertensive patients, with a reduction of SBP by 6.8 mmHg (95% CI 4.3–9.3) and DBP by 4.6 mmHg (95% CI 1.8–7.5). Meta-regression analysis showed that both increased daily potassium excretion and decreased sodium-to-potassium ratio were associated with blood pressure reduction (P < 0.05). Increased total daily potassium urinary excretion from 60 to 100 mmol/day and decrease of sodium-to-potassium ratio were shown to be necessary to explain the estimated effect. Conclusion: Potassium supplementation is associated with reduction of blood pressure in patients who are not on antihypertensive medication, and the effect is significant in hypertensive patients. The reduction in blood pressure significantly correlates with decreased daily urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio and increased urinary potassium. Patients with elevated blood pressure may benefit from increased potassium intake along with controlled or decreased sodium intake.
Interferon α may be back on track to treat acute myeloid leukemia

Our own experience and a thorough literature review suggest that interferon α (IFNα) should be reconsidered for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia patients. Most likely, the success of such treatment depends on the achievement of high serum levels of IFNα for several months, which can be obtained by using pegylated IFNα.
Very Late Stent Thrombosis in a Patient Presenting with Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Introduction: Carbon monoxide (CO), which is commonly referred to as the silent killer, can cause deleterious and unwanted cardiac effects. Some of these are arrhythmias, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cardiogenic shock, heart failure, and pulmonary edema.Case Report: A 50-year-old man, complaining of dyspnea and chest pain, presented to the emergency room approximately half an hour after exposure to fire smoke. He had a history of anterior myocardial infarction 3 years previously and had been treated with a tacrolimus-eluting stent at that time. On admission, electrocardiography showed ST segment elevation in the leads D1, aVL, and V1–3, and ST segment depression in the reciprocal leads. The patient was transferred to the cardiac catheterization laboratory, and coronary angiography revealed stent thrombosis in the proximal part of the left anterior descending artery, causing 100% occlusion. The patient underwent successful balloon angioplasty and stenting. For the treatment of acute CO poisoning, he was administered oxygen. The patient’s condition continued to be stable, and he was discharged from the coronary intensive care unit.Conclusion: Patients who have undergone coronary stenting, particularly those in whom drug-eluting stents have been implanted, should be carefully investigated for AMI, stent thrombosis, or any other cardiac complications in the emergency room after CO poisoning
Control of tethered airfoils for a new class of wind energy generator

The paper investigates the control of tethered airfoils in order to devise a new class of wind generators able to overcome the main limitations of the present aeolian technology based on wind mills. A model taken from the literature is used to simulate the dynamic of a kite which can be controlled by suitably pulling two lines. Energy is generated by a cycle composed of two phases, indicated as the traction and the recovery one. The control unit has two electric drives which act as motors in pulling the lines for controlling the flight or for recovering the kite and as generators if the kite pulls the lines. In each phase, control is obtained by "fast" implementations of suitable NMPC designs. In the traction phase the control is designed such that the kite pulls the lines, maximizing the amount of generated energy. When the maximal length of the lines is reached, the control enters the recovery phase and the kite is driven to a region where the lines can be pulled by the motors until the minimal length is reached, spending a small fraction of the energy generated in the traction phase, and a new traction phase is undertaken. Simulation results are presented, related to a recently built small scale prototype
In Vivo and In Vitro Inhibition of Monocyte Adhesion to Endothelial Cells and Endothelial Adhesion Molecules by Eicosapentaenoic Acid

Objective—A large-scale, prospective, randomized clinical trial has recently revealed that the addition of highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to low-dose statin therapy significantly reduces the incidence of major coronary events. Here we investigated in vivo and in vitro effect of EPA on monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells and adhesion molecules. Methods and Results—A new en face immunohistochemistry of endothelial surface in combination with confocal microscopy revealed marked reduction of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced monocyte adhesion to the aortic endothelium in parallel with the suppression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-&kgr;B p65 in EPA-treated mice relative to vehicle-treated groups. In an in vitro adhesion assay system under physiological flow conditions, EPA inhibited LPS-induced monocyte adhesion and endothelial adhesion molecules. We found significant decrease in plasma concentrations of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) and sVCAM-1 in patients with the metabolic syndrome after a 3-month administration of highly purified EPA (1.8 g daily). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that EPA administration is the only independent determinant of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1. Conclusions—This study provides evidence that EPA inhibits monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells in parallel with the suppression of endothelial adhesion molecules in vivo and in vitro.
Long-term increase in CD4+ T-cell counts during combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infection

Objective:To inform guidelines concerning when to initiate combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), we investigated whether CD4+ T-cell counts (CD4 cell counts) continue to increase over long periods of time on ART. Losses-to-follow-up and some patients discontinuing ART at higher CD4 cell counts hamper such evaluation, but novel statistical methods can help address these issues. We estimated the long-term CD4 cell count trajectory accounting for losses-to-follow-up and treatment discontinuations. Design:The study population included 898 US patients first initiating ART in a randomized trial (AIDS Clinical Trials Group 384); 575 were subsequently prospectively followed in an observational study (AIDS Clinical Trials Group Longitudinal Linked Randomized Trials). Methods:Inverse probability of censoring weighting statistical methods were used to estimate the CD4 cell count trajectory accounting for losses-to-follow-up and ART discontinuations, overall and for pretreatment CD4 cell count categories (≤200, 201–350, 351–500, and >500 cells/μl). Results:Median CD4 cell count increased from 270 cells/μl pre-ART to an estimated 556 cells/μl at 3 and 532 cells/μl at 7 years after starting ART in analyses ignoring treatment discontinuations, and to 570 and 640 cells/μl, respectively, had all patients continued ART. However, even had ART been continued, an estimated 25, 9, 3, and 2% of patients with pretreatment CD4 cell counts of 200 or less, 201–350, 351–500, and more than 500 cells/μl would have had CD4 cell counts of 350 cells/μl or less after 7 years. Conclusion:If patients remain on ART, CD4 cell counts increase in most patients for at least 7 years. However, the substantial percentage of patients starting therapy at low CD4 cell counts who still had low CD4 cell counts after 7 years provides support for ART initiation at higher CD4 cell counts.
Management of post-traumatic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak of anterior skull base: 10 years experience

Abstract Conclusion: Anterior skull base cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak should be surgically repaired with an endonasal approach first for less morbidity. Pretherapeutic topographical diagnosis increases the success rate of surgical repair. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate our efficiency in taking care of post-traumatic anterior skull base CSF leak, since no consensual algorithms for diagnosis and treatment have been established. Methods: Data from 40 patients treated for post-traumatic CSF leak of the anterior skull base between January 1997 and December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-nine patients were treated with surgery, with an endonasal approach in 14 patients and a neurosurgical approach in 15 patients. A wait and see policy was applied in 11 patients. Results: The overall risk of reccurence was 22.5%. Recurrence was represented by the presence of CSF rhinorrhea in 12.5% and the appearance of meningitis in 10% of patients. The overall risk of postoperative anosmia was 27.5%. A wait and see policy led to a higher risk of developing meningitis than surgical repair (p = 0.0003). The absence of pretherapeutic topographical diagnosis led to a higher risk of recurrence of CSF rhinorrhea (p = 0.01). The endonasal approach resulted in less postoperative anosmia (p = 0.006).
Oral Antidiabetic Agents

surprises. A slightly more critical attitude to treatment, and an attempt to reduce insulin or the sulphonylureas whenever possible, to withdraw them even, has for several years suggested to me the frequent temporary nature of the disease. It is suggested that in suitable diabetic centres attempts might be made to systematically organize patient material in such a way that sixmonthly repeated glucose-tolerance tests might give us a real clue to the nature and time limitation of the diabetic state. -I am, etc.,
Loading Deep Networks Is Hard

The loading problem formulated by J. S. Judd seems to be a relevant model for supervised connectionist learning of the feedforward networks from the complexity point of view. It is known that loading general network architectures is NP-complete (intractable) when the (training) tasks are also general. Many strong restrictions on architectural design and/or on the tasks do not help to avoid the intractability of loading. Judd concentrated on the width expanding architectures with constant depth and found a polynomial time algorithm for loading restricted shallow architectures. He suppressed the effect of depth on loading complexity and left as an open prototypical computational problem the loading of easy regular triangular architectures that might capture the crux of depth difficulties. We have proven this problem to be NP-complete. This result does not give much hope for the existence of an efficient algorithm for loading deep networks.
Enhancer transcribed RNAs arise from hypomethylated, Tet-occupied genomic regions

Enhancers are cis-acting elements capable of regulating transcription in a distance and orientation-independent manner. A subset of enhancers are occupied by RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) and transcribed to produce long non-coding RNAs termed eRNAs. We thoroughly investigated the association between eRNA productivity and various chromatin marks and transcriptional regulators in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) through an integrative approach. We found that eRNA-producing enhancers exhibited elevated levels of the active mark H3K27Ac, decreased DNA methylation, and enrichment for the DNA hydroxylase Tet1. Many eRNA-producing enhancers have recently been characterized as “super-enhancers,” suggesting an important role in the maintenance of pluripotency. Using experimental methods, we focally investigated a well-characterized enhancer linked to the Nanog locus and confirmed its exclusive eRNA productivity in ESCs. We further demonstrate that the binding of Sall4 and Tet family proteins were required for eRNA productivity at this locus. Collectively, we demonstrate that Tet1 binding and DNA hypomethylation are hallmarks of eRNA production.
Design of New Weathering Steels through Thermodynamic Model of Nitrogen Solubility and CALPHAD

In this paper, a new vanadium nitrogen (V-N) microalloyed high strength weathering steel with the yield strength and tensile strength higher than 550 MPa and 650 MPa was designed and developed by using thermodynamic model of nitrogen solubility and phase diagram database of CALPHAD. Based on the established thermodynamic model, the effect of C content on nitrogen solubility in molten steel was investigated. The nitrogen solubility increases with the decrease of C content and the increase of temperature. In order to obtain higher N content in steel, C content must be controlled at a low range of 0.03~0.04%. Furthermore, an allowable concentration range of C and N was selected based on the phases quantity prediction of VN/V(C,N), (Cr, Fe)7C3, AlN and γ through the CALPHAD approach. Consequently, five new weathering steels were designed with variations of (C+N) content or N/C ratio. And then the four selected steels were cast, hot rolled and air cooled. The tensile tests at the room temperature show that the yield strength and tensile strength of steel with 0.032% C and 0.038%N satisfy the requirements of new generational weathering steel.
On the Use of Testability Measures for Dependability Assessment

Program "testability" is informally, the probability that a program will fail under test if it contains at least one fault. When a dependability assessment has to be derived from the observation of a series of failure free test executions (a common need for software subject to "ultra high reliability" requirements), measures of testability can-in theory-be used to draw inferences on program correctness. We rigorously investigate the concept of testability and its use in dependability assessment, criticizing, and improving on, previously published results. We give a general descriptive model of program execution and testing, on which the different measures of interest can be defined. We propose a more precise definition of program testability than that given by other authors, and discuss how to increase testing effectiveness without impairing program reliability in operation. We then study the mathematics of using testability to estimate, from test results: the probability of program correctness and the probability of failures. To derive the probability of program correctness, we use a Bayesian inference procedure and argue that this is more useful than deriving a classical "confidence level". We also show that a high testability is not an unconditionally desirable property for a program. In particular, for programs complex enough that they are unlikely to be completely fault free, increasing testability may produce a program which will be less trustworthy, even after successful testing.
Education and debate

The longstanding and widespread tradition of the person approach focuses on the unsafe acts—errors and procedural violations—of people at the sharp end: nurses, physicians, surgeons, anaesthetists, pharmacists, and the like. It views these unsafe acts as arising primarily from aberrant mental processes such as forgetfulness, inattention, poor motivation, carelessness, negligence, and recklessness. Naturally enough, the associated countermeasures are directed mainly at reducing unwanted variability in human behaviour. These methods include poster campaigns that appeal to people’s sense of fear, writing another procedure (or adding to existing ones), disciplinary measures, threat of litigation, retraining, naming, blaming, and shaming. Followers of this approach tend to treat errors as moral issues, assuming that bad things happen to bad people—what psychologists have called the just world hypothesis.