Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cheyne-Stokes Breathing During Sleep in Patients With Left Ventricular Heart Failure

Fifteen patients with left ventricular heart failure (LVF) without known breathing disorders during sleep had full-night recordings of sleep and breathing to study the incidence and impact of the apnea of Cheyne-Stokes breathing. This group showed a marked degree of sleep-related breathing abnormalities, 40% demonstrating Cheyne-Stokes breathing with five or more central apneas per hour of sleep. Cheyrne-Stokes breathing during sleep in patients with LVF predicted an increased short-term mortality rate. All six patients with LVF and Cheyne-Stokes breathing with more than five apneas per hour of sleep were dead within six months, while only three of nine patients without recurrent apnea died within six months, a significant difference (P < .05) even in this small group. Among seven patients with LVF studied with the polysomnogram, there were statistically significant differences between the Cheyne-Stokes and non-apnea groups in total sleep time, awakenings per hour, and the number of arterial desaturations. Although sleep disturbances have been anecdotally described in patients with LVF, no previous investigation has determined the incidence and impact of Cheyne-Stokes breathing during sleep in LVF. Our findings that Cheyne-Stokes breathing predicts an adverse short-term mortality rate confirm the clinical impression that Cheyne-Stokes breathing is a poor prognostic sign in LVF.
Aplicaciones de modos deslizantes para el control de movimiento de un robot laparoscópico experimental

En este trabajo se presenta la implementacion de dos leyes de control por modos deslizantes aplicada en el control de movimiento del robot laparoscopico desarrollado por el Grupo Robotica y Sistemas Integrados de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Con el objeto de comparar cuantitativamente la respuesta de los controladores se introducen una serie de indices de bondad para la evaluacion de la respuesta del sistema ante entradas complejas y perturbaciones. Se presentan los modelos cinematico y dinamico del robot, asi como los requerimientos especificos de control de trayectoria. Dado que las leyes de control implementadas requieren contar con referencias de posicion y velocidad articular, se comenta una alternativa para la generacion de estados de referencia en tiempo real.
Effects of Glare and Background Luminance on Visual Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity: Implications for Driver Night Vision Testing.

The visual acuity and contrast sensitivity of two groups of 30 male and female drivers (aged 20–25, 40–45, and 60–65 years) were measured over a range of background luminances and in the presence of glare. Results showed that (1) visual acuity decreased significantly with both increasing age and decreasing background luminance, (2) threshold target luminance increased significantly with age, (3) glare had a multiplicative effect on threshold target luminance that was independent of age, and (4) there were high correlations between vision measures made at "high" and "low" background luminances and under glare. It is concluded that a "night driving" vision test could be successfully based upon measurement of visual acuity at low luminance. Whereas the rate at which drivers would fail such a test is dependent upon the acuity required and the definition of "low" luminance chosen, the failure rate would increase significantly with age; this would primarily affect the older portion of the driving population.
A reverse passive haemagglutination test for the detection of respiratory syncytial virus in nasal secretions from infants

A reverse passive haemagglutination (RPH) test has been developed for the detection of respiratory syncytial (RS) virus in nasal secretions, taken from infants with acute respiratory illness. In the final form of the procedure, RS virus was detected in 24 of 25 samples positive for RS virus by tissue culture and/or fluorescence antibody staining and in two samples negative for RS virus by these techniques. The simplicity of the technique and the rapidity with which it may be performed together with its apparently high degree of sensitivity should make RPH useful in the rapid diagnosis of RS virus.
Time Course of Dehydrating Effects of Isosorbide on Experimentally Induced Endolymphatic Hydrops in Guinea Pigs

Osmotic diuretics are therapeutic agents used to reduce endolymphatic hydrops. However, glycerol-induced change in endolymph volume is followed by a rebound phenomenon. In this study, we investigated the rebound phenomenon occurring with isosorbide, an osmotic diuretic used as a therapeutic agent for Ménière’s disease in Japan. Forty guinea pigs underwent surgical obliteration of the endolymphatic sac. Thirty received isosorbide orally 1 month after surgery. These animals were sacrificed 3, 6, or 12 h after isosorbide intake. The remaining 10 animals served as controls. Quantitative assessment of changes in the endolymphatic space was performed light-microscopically. Isosorbide reduced cochlear endolymph volume, with a peak reduction 6 h after intake. Thereafter, no prominent rebound phenomenon was noted. Clinically, since isosorbide is orally administered every 8 h, rebound phenomenon need not be considered in the treatment with isosorbide.
Hyponatrémie chez la personne âgée : orientation diagnostique et prise en charge thérapeutique

L’hyponatremie est un desordre hydro-electrolytique frequemment observe chez la personne âgee. La connaissance des mecanismes physiopathologiques elementaires est indispensable pour en assurer une prise en charge therapeutique optimale.L’hyponatremie ne doit pas etre systematiquement associee a une diminution du capital sode et donc ne doit pas etre automatiquement corrigee par l’administration d’une solution salee.La premiere etape de la demarche diagnostique doit s’assurer de l’authenticite d’une hyperhydratation intracellulaire devant la decouverte d’une hyponatremie (hyponatremie hypotonique). L’appreciation clinico-biologique de l’etat d’hydratation extracellulaire est la deuxieme etape qui permet de caracteriser les trois types d’hyponatremie hypotonique: hypovolemique, hypervolemique et euvolemique.La prise en charge therapeutique est avant tout etiologique.La restriction hydrique reste la pierre angulaire de la prise en charge therapeutique des hyponatremies hypotoniques asymptomatiques ou pauci-symptomatiques, en s’assurant d’une vitesse de correction moderee, surtout devant une hyponatremie chronique.L’utilisation des antagonistes des recepteurs de l’ADH est une avancee therapeutique interessante, mais son rapport benefice /risque doit etre evalue plus precisement chez le sujet âge.
FtsA is localized to the septum in an FtsZ-dependent manner

The localization of the cell division protein FtsA in E. coli was examined. FtsA was found to localize to the septum in a ring pattern as previously shown for FtsZ. The localization of FtsA was completely dependent on the localization of FtsZ. Under a variety of conditions that prevented formation of the Z ring, FtsA was unable to localize. In mutants where FtsZ forms structures in addition to Z rings, the pattern of FtsA duplicated these structures. These results suggest that the Z ring recruits FtsA to the septum.
Improvement of Power-Conversion Efficiency of a DC–DC Boost Converter Using a Passive Snubber Circuit

This paper proposes a method of improving the power-conversion efficiency of a direct-current-direct-current boost converter. The proposed method uses a passive snubber circuit, which consists of two inductors, a capacitor, and a diode, to reduce switching loss. The proposed boost converter was built and tested on 42-, 47-, and 55-in edge-lit light-emitting-diode (LED) backlight units (BLUs). The power-conversion efficiency for an input voltage of 24 V was measured as 96%, 95.1%, and 93.7% for the 42-, 47-, and 55-in edge-lit LED BLUs, respectively; these values were 2.3%, 2.2%, and 2% higher than those of the conventional boost converters in the corresponding BLUs. The proposed boost converter ensured reliable operation and high-power efficiency under a ±10% variation of input voltage and a ±20% variation of the passive snubber component values.
DNA Microarray Gene Expression Profile of Marginal Zone versus Follicular B Cells and Idiotype Positive Marginal Zone B Cells before and after Immunization with Streptococcus pneumoniae1

Marginal zone (MZ) B cells play an important role in the clearance of blood-borne bacterial infections via rapid T-independent IgM responses. We have previously demonstrated that MZ B cells respond rapidly and robustly to bacterial particulates. To determine the MZ-specific genes that are expressed to allow for this response, MZ and follicular (FO) B cells were sort purified and analyzed via DNA microarray analysis. We identified 181 genes that were significantly different between the two B cell populations. Ninety-nine genes were more highly expressed in MZ B cells while 82 genes were more highly expressed in FO B cells. To further understand the molecular mechanisms by which MZ B cells respond so rapidly to bacterial challenge, Id-positive and -negative MZ B cells were sort purified before (0 h) or after (1 h) i.v. immunization with heat-killed Streptococcus pneumoniae, R36A, and analyzed via DNA microarray analysis. We identified genes specifically up-regulated or down-regulated at 1 h following immunization in the Id-positive MZ B cells. These results give insight into the gene expression pattern in resting MZ vs FO B cells and the specific regulation of gene expression in Ag-specific MZ B cells following interaction with Ag.
Impact of elevated ozone concentration on growth, physiology, and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): a meta‐analysis

We quantitatively evaluated the effects of elevated concentration of ozone (O3) on growth, leaf chemistry, gas exchange, grain yield, and grain quality relative to carbon‐filtered air (CF) by means of meta‐analysis of published data. Our database consisted of 53 peer‐reviewed studies published between 1980 and 2007, taking into account wheat type, O3 fumigation method, rooting environment, O3 concentration ([O3]), developmental stage, and additional treatments such as drought and elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]). The results suggested that elevated [O3] decreased wheat grain yield by 29% (CI: 24–34%) and aboveground biomass by 18% (CI: 13–24%), where CI is the 95% confidence interval. Even in studies where the [O3] range was between 31 and 59 ppb (average 43 ppb), there was a significant decrease in the grain yield (18%) and biomass (16%) relative to CF. Despite the increase in the grain protein content (6.8%), elevated [O3] significantly decreased the grain protein yield (−18%). Relative to CF, elevated [O3] significantly decreased photosynthetic rates (−20%), Rubisco activity (−19%), stomatal conductance (−22%), and chlorophyll content (−40%). For the whole plant, rising [O3] induced a larger decrease in belowground (−27%) biomass than in aboveground (−18%) biomass. There was no significant response difference between spring wheat and winter wheat. Wheat grown in the field showed larger decreases in leaf photosynthesis parameters than wheat grown in < 5 L pots. Open‐top chamber fumigation induced a larger reduction than indoor growth chambers, when plants were exposed to elevated [O3]. The detrimental effect was progressively greater as the average daily [O3] increased, with very few exceptions. The impact of O3 increased with developmental stages, with the largest detrimental impact during grain filling. Both drought and elevated [CO2] significantly ameliorated the detrimental effects of elevated [O3], which could be explained by a significant decrease in O3 uptake resulting from decreased stomatal conductance.
Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria, all hemibiotrophs after all?

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria, all hemibiotrophs after all? Yvan Kraepiel, Marie-Anne Barny
Two Different Combinations of RNA-binding Domains Determine the RNA Binding Specificity of Nucleolin*

Nucleolin is an abundant nucleolar protein involved in several steps of ribosome biogenesis. The protein is highly conserved through evolution and possesses four RNA-binding domains (RBD), which are likely to determine its RNA binding specificity. Previous studies have shown that nucleolin interacts with two different RNA targets. The first is a small stem-loop structure, the nucleolin recognition element (NRE), found all along the pre-ribosomal RNA. The second is a short single-stranded RNA sequence, the evolutionary conserved motif (ECM), located five nucleotides downstream of the first processing site in the pre-ribosomal RNA 5′ external transcribed spacer. Biochemical, genetic, and structural studies have shown that the first two RBD of nucleolin are necessary and sufficient for the specific interaction of nucleolin with the NRE motif. In this work, we have studied the interaction of nucleolin with the ECM sequence. Deletion and mutational analyses showed that all four RBDs of hamster nucleolin were required for the interaction with the ECM sequence. This RNA binding specificity is conserved between hamster and Xenopus laevis, whereas the Xenopus protein does not interact with the NRE. Nucleolin is the first example of a protein that requires four RBDs for its interaction with an RNA target, demonstrating that a single protein can use different combinations of RBD to interact specifically with several RNA sequences.
Obstetric hysterectomy: fifteen years' experience in a Nigerian tertiary centre

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, indications, associations and complications of obstetric hysterectomy in our centre with a view to suggesting ways of improving outcome. This is a descriptive study of patients who had obstetric hysterectomy in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital from January 1986 to December 2000. Data obtained from hospital records were analysed using appropriate computer statistical software for graphs and ξ2 test. In the period under study there were 20 344 deliveries. There were 46 obstetric hysterectomies, resulting in an incidence of 0.226%. Incidence increased with increasing maternal age from 0.10% at 20 years to 0.706% at 40 years and above. Incidence also increased with parity from 0.028% at para 0 to 1.298% for grandmultiparous women. The indications for the procedure were ruptured uterus 14/40 (35.0%), atonic postpartum haemorrhage 13/40 (32.5%) and placenta praevia 9/40 (22.5%); 12/40 (30.0%) of patients had previous caesarean sections. Subtotal hysterectomy had been undertaken in 43.5% of cases. There was a maternal mortality rate of 12.5%. Mortality was associated with torrential continuing haemorrhage and septicaemia. Urinary tract injury occurred in 7.50% of patients. Injury to the urinary tract was associated with previous caesarean section and total hysterectomy. Obstetric hysterectomy can have grave consequences. Availability of blood products, intensive monitors and limitation of family size is advised.
Liver Regeneration Is Suppressed in Small-for-Size Liver Grafts after Transplantation: Involvement of c-Jun N-terminal Kinase, Cyclin D1, and Defective Energy Supply

Background. Small-for-size liver grafts have decreased survival compared to full-size grafts. This study investigated mechanisms of suppression of liver regeneration in small-for-size grafts. Methods. Rat liver explants were reduced in size to 50% and implanted into recipients of different body weights, resulting in graft weight/standard liver weights of ∼50% (half-size) and ∼25% (quarter-size). Results. Hepatic cellular 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation increased from 0.2% after sham operation to 2%, 18%, and 1.2% in full-size, half-size, and quarter-size grafts, respectively. Graft weight did not increase in full- and quarter-size grafts but increased 40% in half-size grafts. By contrast, apoptosis remained low (≤0.7%) and stem cells did not increase in all conditions. Phospho-c-Jun increased 27-fold in half-size grafts but only sevenfold in quarter-size grafts. Activating protein-1 activation increased 14-fold in half-size grafts but only fivefold in quarter-size grafts. Cyclin D1 (CyD1), which was barely detectable in full- and quarter-size grafts, increased 8.3-fold in half-size grafts. Adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) per gram tissue decreased 70% in quarter-size grafts. Treatment of quarter-size grafts with radical scavenging C. sinenesis polyphenols (20 μg/ml) increased BrdU labeling and weight gain to 35% and 56%, respectively, reversed inhibition of CyD1 expression, c-Jun phosphorylation, and AP-1 activation in quarter-size grafts compared to half-size grafts, and restored ATP levels to 75%. Conclusions. Liver regeneration is stimulated in half-size grafts but suppressed in quarter-size grafts. Defective liver regeneration in small grafts is associated with an inhibition of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/c-Jun and CyD1 pathways and compromised energy production.
Acute lowering of plasma fatty acids lowers basal insulin secretion in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects.

The objective of this study was to determine whether basal plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations affect basal insulin secretion rates (ISRs). Effects of FFA levels on basal ISRs were evaluated by lowering basal plasma FFA levels with nicotinic acid (NA) (100-150 mg p.o., q 30 min x 4 h) in type 2 diabetic patients and in normal volunteers. Lowering of FFAs (from approximately 600 to approximately 100 micromol/l) lowered ISRs in type 2 diabetic patients during isoglycemic clamping (from 139 to 101 pmol/min; -23%; P < 0.02) and euglycemic clamping (from 99 to 63 pmol/min; -36%; P < 0.03) and in normal subjects during euglycemic clamping (from 127 to 96 pmol/min; -25%; P < 0.03). In addition, peripheral insulin concentrations decreased by approximately 30% in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. NA had no direct effect on ISRs; that is, NA did not change ISRs when plasma FFAs were prevented from decreasing with a lipid/heparin infusion. We concluded that 1) basal plasma FFAs exerted physiologically important, long-lasting effects supporting 25-33% of basal insulin secretion in nondiabetic and diabetic subjects; 2) basal plasma FFAs were responsible for some of the hyperinsulinemia in normoglycemic obese subjects; and 3) NA had no direct effect on insulin secretion.
Primer on medical management of severe brain injury

Objective:To review the current understanding of the medical management of severe brain injury. Data Source:The MEDLINE database, bibliographies of selected articles, and current English-language texts on the subject. Study Selection:Studies related to management of intracranial hypertension, traumatic brain injury, and brain edema. Data Extraction:All studies relevant to the subject under consideration were considered, with a focus on clinical studies in adults. Data Synthesis:Basic rules of resuscitation must apply, including adequate ventilation, appropriate fluid administration, and cardiovascular support. The control of intracranial pressure can be considered in three steps. The first step should be initial slight hyperventilation with a target PaCO2 of 35 mm Hg and cerebrospinal fluid drainage for intracranial pressure of >15–20 mm Hg. The second step should be mannitol or hypertonic saline and hyperventilation to target PaCO2 of 28–35 mm Hg. The third step should be barbiturate coma or decompressive craniectomy. Additional management issues, including seizure prophylaxis, sedation, nutritional support, use of hypothermia, and corticosteroids, are also discussed. Conclusions:Brain injury is frequently associated with the development of brain edema and the development of intracranial hypertension. However, with a coordinated, stepwise, and aggressive approach to management, focusing on control of intracranial pressure without adversely affecting cerebral perfusion pressure, outcomes can be good.
Mad3 and Mad4: novel Max‐interacting transcriptional repressors that suppress c‐myc dependent transformation and are expressed during neural and epidermal differentiation.

The basic helix‐loop‐helix‐leucine zipper (bHLHZip) protein Max associates with members of the Myc family, as well as with the related proteins Mad (Mad1) and Mxi1. Whereas both Myc:Max and Mad:Max heterodimers bind related E‐box sequences, Myc:Max activates transcription and promotes proliferation while Mad:Max represses transcription and suppresses Myc dependent transformation. Here we report the identification and characterization of two novel Mad1‐ and Mxi1‐related proteins, Mad3 and Mad4. Mad3 and Mad4 interact with both Max and mSin3 and repress transcription from a promoter containing CACGTG binding sites. Using a rat embryo fibroblast transformation assay, we show that both Mad3 and Mad4 inhibit c‐Myc dependent cell transformation. An examination of the expression patterns of all mad genes during murine embryogenesis reveals that mad1, mad3 and mad4 are expressed primarily in growth‐arrested differentiating cells. mxi1 is also expressed in differentiating cells, but is co‐expressed with either c‐myc, N‐myc, or both in proliferating cells of the developing central nervous system and the epidermis. In the developing central nervous system and epidermis, downregulation of myc genes occurs concomitant with upregulation of mad family genes. These expression patterns, together with the demonstrated ability of Mad family proteins to interfere with the proliferation promoting activities of Myc, suggest that the regulated expression of Myc and Mad family proteins function in a concerted fashion to regulate cell growth in differentiating tissues.
Estimating image quality for future generations of TOF PET scanners

Time-of-flight (TOF) positron emission tomography (PET) scanners produces improved image quality compared to the equivalent non-TOF images, and such improvement is dependent on the scanner time resolution. The present generation of commercial TOF scanners has a time resolution in the range 500–600 ps full width half maximum (FWHM). In this work we investigate how the image quality will improve for future generations of TOF PET. A Geant4 simulation was performed of a 30-cm uniform cylinder containing hot spheres, with time resolution ranging from 600 to 200 ps. Data were reconstructed using TOF FBP, TOF OP-OSEM3D reconstruction, and nonTOF reconstruction as a reference. Images were compared in terms of contrast recovery and the TOF SNR gain was evaluated for both reconstruction methods. The TOF gain was also evaluated vs. count statistics, in order to understand the behavior of such gain at very low counts.