Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates from Wildlife Meat as Potential Pathogens for Humans

ABSTRACT A total of 140 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains from wildlife meat (deer, wild boar, and hare) isolated in Germany between 1998 and 2006 were characterized with respect to their serotypes and virulence markers associated with human pathogenicity. The strains grouped into 38 serotypes, but eight O groups (21, 146, 128, 113, 22, 88, 6, and 91) and four H types (21, 28, 2, and 8) accounted for 71.4% and 75.7% of all STEC strains from game, respectively. Eighteen of the serotypes, including enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O26:[H11] and O103:H2, were previously found to be associated with human illness. Genes linked to high-level virulence for humans (stx2, stx2d, and eae) were present in 46 (32.8%) STEC strains from game. Fifty-four STEC isolates from game belonged to serotypes which are frequently found in human patients (O103:H2, O26:H11, O113:H21, O91:H21, O128:H2, O146:H21, and O146:H28). These 54 STEC isolates were compared with 101 STEC isolates belonging to the same serotypes isolated from farm animals, from their food products, and from human patients. Within a given serotype, most STEC strains were similar with respect to their stx genotypes and other virulence attributes, regardless of origin. The 155 STEC strains were analyzed for genetic similarity by XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. O103:H2, O26:H11, O113:H21, O128:H2, and O146:H28 STEC isolates from game were 85 to 100% similar to STEC isolates of the same strains from human patients. By multilocus sequence typing, game EHEC O103:H2 strains were attributed to a clonal lineage associated with hemorrhagic diseases in humans. The results from our study indicate that game animals represent a reservoir for and a potential source of human pathogenic STEC and EHEC strains.
Outcomes following acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in relation to time to endoscopy: results from a nationwide study

Background and study aims: Despite the established efficacy of therapeutic endoscopy, the optimum timeframe for performing endoscopy in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) remains unclear. The aim of the current audit study was to examine the relationship between time to endoscopy and clinical outcomes in patients presenting with NVUGIB. Patients and methods: This study was a prospective national audit performed in 212 UK hospitals. Regression models examined the relationship between time to endoscopy and mortality, rebleeding, need for surgery, and length of hospital stay. Results: In 4478 patients, earlier endoscopy ( < 12 hours) was not associated with a lower mortality or need for surgery compared with later ( > 24 hours) endoscopy (odds ratio [OR] for mortality 0.98, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.88 – 1.09 for endoscopy > 24 hours vs. < 12 hours; P = 0.70). In patients receiving therapeutic endoscopy, there was a nonsignificant trend towards an increase in rebleeding associated with later endoscopy (OR 1.13, 95 %CI 0.97 – 1.32 for endoscopy > 24 hours vs. < 12 hours), with the converse seen in patients not requiring therapeutic endoscopy (OR 0.83, 95 %CI 0.73 – 0.95 for endoscopy > 24 hours vs. < 12 hours; interaction P = 0.003). Later endoscopy ( > 24 hours) was associated with an increase in risk-adjusted length of hospital stay (1.7 days longer, 95 %CI 1.39 – 1.99 vs. < 12 hours; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Earlier endoscopy was not associated with a reduction in mortality or need for surgery. However, it was associated with an increased efficiency of care and potentially improved control of hemorrhage in higher risk patients, supporting the routine use of early endoscopy unless specific contraindications exist. These results may help inform the debate about emergency endoscopy service provision.
Gate-drain avalanche breakdown in GaAs power MESFET's

The voltage breakdown behavior of a number of different MESFET structures has been investigated using a two-dimensional numerical model. The site of the avalanche is found to be under the drain edge of the gate in recessed devices under all bias conditions, but moves towards the drain contact in planar structures when the channel is not pinched off. The dependence of the breakdown voltage on a variety of geometrical and physical variables has been studied. In particular the surface is shown to play an important part in determining the breakdown voltage.
Design of an ultra-small distributed low-noise-amplifier for ultra-wideband applications

A ultra-small distributed low noise amplifier was developed in a standard JAZZ 0.18-μm RF/mixed signal CMOS process. The 3-stage distributed amplifier occupies just 288 x 291 ¿m or 0.08 mm2 of die area, making it the smallest distributed amplifier reported to date. The circuit exhibits a relatively flat gain of 6 dB from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz with less than 0.5 dB ripple, with excellent input and output match of less than -12 dB and -25 dB, respectively. The noise figure is less than 5 dB to 14 GHz, with only 2.7 dB across 8-10 GHz, while the power consumption is about 22 mW.
Monolithic integration of carbon nanotubes based physical sensors

This study establishes a batch fabricated process to implement and monolithically integrate CNTs (carbon nanotubes) based physical sensors. In this process, vertically aligned CNTs (not horizontally aligned or mixed CNTs) are grown and patterned on Si-wafer as sensing elements, and also integrated with MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) structures. The mechanical deformation and temperature change is thus detected by the resistance change of such CNTs sensing elements. In applications, the CNTs-based pressure sensor and temperature sensor are monolithically fabricated on a chip. Preliminary measurements indicate the presented CNTs-based piezoresistive pressure sensor has a gauge factor of ∼20, and the sensitivity of CNTs-based temperature sensor is 0.19/°C.
Soluble HLA‐G Molecules Induce Apoptosis in Natural Killer Cells

Membrane‐bound human leukocyte antigen‐G (HLA‐G) molecules are primarily expressed by cytotrophoblasts of the fetus. They are thought to protect the fetus from immunologic attack by the maternal immune system and have recently been associated with transplantation graft acceptance. In addition, soluble HLA‐G molecules (sHLA‐G) have been shown to play a role in the success of pregnancies, but are upregulated in certain cancers. However, the exact mechanism for this regulation has remained elusive. The aim of this study was to examine the mechanism by which sHLA‐G interact with natural killer (NK) cells in vitro. sHLA‐G effectively blocked NK lysis of target cells via fracticide killing of NK cells by apoptosis. These studies support the protective role of sHLA‐G in immunologic reactions by interacting with NK cells, thus providing a regulatory function.
Complete Genome Sequences of Chikungunya Viruses Isolated from Plasma Specimens Collected from Haitians in 2014

ABSTRACT Ten chikungunya virus isolates from human plasma collected in Haiti from May to August 2014, in the midst of a chikungunya fever outbreak, were fully sequenced. The resulting genomic sequences are nearly identical, and phylogenetic analyses indicate they belong to the Asian lineage of the virus.
Clinical Evaluation of Intra-Arterial Thrombolysis Treatment of Wake-UpStroke under CT Perfusion Imaging Guidance.

This study aims to assess the efficiency and safety of intra-arterial thrombolysis treatment for wake-up stroke under the supervision of CT perfusion (CTP). 12 wake-up stroke patients fit for intra-arterial thrombolysis were checked with CTP before thrombolysis treatment; cranial CTP was checked after treatment. Neural function defect scores (NIHSS), Barthel Index (BI) of activity of daily life (ADL) and mRS scores were evaluated at 6 hour and 7 day after thrombolysis treatment. Results found that, the cranial CT at 24 hour after thrombolysis showed HI-1 type hemorrhage in 2 patients and HI-2 hemorrhage in 1 patient. No PH-1 or PH-2 hemorrhage was observed. At 7 day after thrombolysis the hypoperfusion was greatly improved. Before thrombolysis, the NIHSS, ADL (BI) and mRS of 12 patients were 12.0 ± 4.0, 45.4 ± 16.0 and 3.7 ± 0.8, respectively. At 6 hour after thrombolysis, the NIHSS, ADL (BI) and mRS were 2.0 ± 2.1, 85.4 ± 16.0 and 0.6 ± 0.9, respectively, which were significantly different with before thrombolysis (P < 0.05). At 7 day after thrombolysis, the NIHSS, ADL (BI) and mRS of 12 patients were 0.4 ± 0.8, 95.5 ± 8.4 and 0.3 ± 0.8, respectively, which were highly significantly different with before thrombolysis (P < 0.01). CTP can be applied for intra-arterial thrombolysis treatment of wake-up stroke, with definite efficacy and safety.
Expression, Purification, and Characterization of (R)-Sulfolactate Dehydrogenase (ComC) from the Rumen Methanogen Methanobrevibacter millerae SM9

(R)-Sulfolactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.337), termed ComC, is a member of an NADH/NADPH-dependent oxidoreductase family of enzymes that catalyze the interconversion of 2-hydroxyacids into their corresponding 2-oxoacids. The ComC reaction is reversible and in the biosynthetic direction causes the conversion of (R)-sulfolactate to sulfopyruvate in the production of coenzyme M (2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid). Coenzyme M is an essential cofactor required for the production of methane by the methyl-coenzyme M reductase complex. ComC catalyzes the third step in the first established biosynthetic pathway of coenzyme M and is also involved in methanopterin biosynthesis. In this study, ComC from Methanobrevibacter millerae SM9 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and biochemically characterized. Sulfopyruvate was the preferred substrate using the reduction reaction, with 31% activity seen for oxaloacetate and 0.2% seen for α-ketoglutarate. Optimal activity was observed at pH 6.5. The apparent KM for coenzyme (NADH) was 55.1 μM, and for sulfopyruvate, it was 196 μM (for sulfopyruvate the Vmax was 93.9 μmol min−1 mg−1 and kcat was 62.8 s−1). The critical role of ComC in two separate cofactor pathways makes this enzyme a potential means of developing methanogen-specific inhibitors for controlling ruminant methane emissions which are increasingly being recognized as contributing to climate change.
The effect of lactulose on DNA damage induced by DMH in the colon of human flora-associated rats.

Germ-free rats were fed purified diets containing sucrose (0.3%, wt/wt) as control or the synthetic disaccharide lactulose (0.3% wt/wt) and were then dosed orally with a human fecal suspension. After five weeks on the diets, these "human flora-associated" rats were transferred to diets in which the sucrose or lactulose level was raised to 3% (wt/wt). Four weeks later, the rats from each dietary group were dosed orally with saline (controls) or 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH, 15 mg/kg). Sixteen hours after the carcinogen dose, the rats were killed, colon cells were isolated, and the degree of DNA damage in the cells was assessed using the single cell microgel electrophoresis (Comet) assay. Samples of cecal contents were also removed from the saline-treated rats to determine changes in composition of the gut microflora. No significant diet-related differences in cecal bacterial numbers were observed, although there was a trend for the numbers of lactobacilli to be higher in the lactulose-fed animals. DNA damage in colon cells was quantified by measurement of the length of the cellular DNA image after electrophoresis, and the evaluated cells were assigned to classes according to the degree of damage: undamaged (< 40 microns), moderately damaged (40-80 microns), or severely damaged (> 80 microns). There were no significant diet-related differences in DNA damage in colon cells from rats treated with saline. Treatment with DMH induced a highly significant increase in DNA damage in sucrose- and lactulose-fed rats. However, in the rats treated with DMH, the degree of DNA damage was significantly (p < 0.05) less in the lactulose-fed animals than in those given the sucrose diet, as evidenced by a decrease in the percentage of cells with severe damage. In the sucrose-fed rats, severely damaged cells accounted for 33% of the total compared with only 12.6% in the lactulose-fed DMH-treated animals. The results of this study, which was performed in human flora-associated rats to provide data of relevance to humans, indicate that lactulose consumption offered a degree of protection from the genotoxic effects in the colonic mucosa of a known colon carcinogen.
Structural abnormalities in the cerebellum and sensorimotor circuit in writer's cramp

Background: Structural abnormalities were detected in bilateral primary sensorimotor areas in writer's cramp. Evidence in other primary dystonia, including blepharospasm and cervical dystonia, suggest that structural abnormalities may be observed in other brain areas such as the cerebellum in writer's cramp. Objective: To test the hypothesis that structural abnormalities are present along the sensorimotor and cerebellar circuits in patients with writer's cramp. Methods: Using voxel-based morphometry, the authors compared the brain structure of 30 right-handed patients with writer's cramp with that of 30 healthy control subjects matched for gender, age, and handedness. Results: Gray matter decrease was found in the hand area of the left primary sensorimotor cortex, bilateral thalamus, and cerebellum (height threshold p < 0.01, cluster significant at p < 0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons). Conclusions: These results demonstrate in writer's cramp the presence of structural abnormalities in brain structures interconnected within the sensorimotor network including the cerebellum and the cortical representation of the affected hand. These abnormalities may be related to the pathophysiology of writer's cramp, questioning the role of the cerebellum, or to maladaptive plasticity in a task-related dystonia.
Disease The Immunogenetic Architecture of Autoimmune An Goris and Adrian Liston Self-Control ? Natural Killer Cell Tolerance : Control by Self or

Subject Collection Immune Tolerance Treg Cells, Life History, and Diversity Christophe Benoist and Diane Mathis T-Cell Tolerance: Central and Peripheral Yan Xing and Kristin A. Hogquist Commensalism Gone Awry? Infectious (Non)tolerance--Frustrated Jesse C. Nussbaum and Richard M. Locksley Central B-Cell Tolerance: Where Selection Begins Roberta Pelanda and Raul M. Torres Historical Overview of Immunological Tolerance Ronald H. Schwartz Disease The Immunogenetic Architecture of Autoimmune An Goris and Adrian Liston Self-Control? Natural Killer Cell Tolerance: Control by Self or Baptiste N. Jaeger and Eric Vivier
Spectral narrowing of emission in self-assembled colloidal photonic superlattices

This paper reports on the influence of a well-designed passband in the stopband of a suitably engineered self-assembled colloidal photonic crystal superlattice on the steady-state and time-resolved emission properties of infiltrated fluorophores. Efficient all-optical integrated circuits can be realized from photonic superlattices and heterostructures.
Fuzzy sets for words: a new beginning

This paper begins with a delineation of two approaches to fuzzy sets, abstract mathematics and models for words. It demonstrates, by using Karl Popper's Falsificationism, the present approach to fuzzy sets (FSs) for words is scientifically incorrect. A new theory of fuzzy sets is then presented for words that is based on collecting data from people -person MFs-that reflect intra- and inter-levels of uncertainties about a word, and defines a word FS as the union of all such person fuzzy sets. It also demonstrates that intra-uncertainty about a word can be modeled using type-2 person fuzzy sets, and that inter-uncertainty about a word can be modeled by means of an equally weighted union of each person's type-2 fuzzy set. Finally, it proposes a methodology for obtaining a parsimonious parametric type-2 fuzzy set approximation to the aggregated type-2 person FSs. This new theory of fuzzy sets for words is testable and is therefore subject to refutation.
Genetic origins and clinical phenotype of familial and acquired erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis

Familial and acquired erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis are characterized by myeloid lineage hyperproliferation, which is either single or multi‐lineage in origin. The single lineage disorders exhibit Mendelian inheritance with polyclonal hematopoiesis and often arise from a single genetic defect. In contrast, the multi‐lineage disorders exhibit complex patterns of inheritance with multi‐genetic origins and clonal hematopoiesis. They have the potential to acquire JAK2 somatic mutations, but this is not the primary event. Identification of the disease‐causing genes will enable better classification of familial and acquired erythrocytosis and thrombocytosis. Furthermore, it will provide an insight into the mechanisms regulating myeloid cell proliferation. Am. J. Hematol. , 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quantitative relations between hypertonia and stretch reflex threshold in spastic hemiparesis

The relative contributions of variations in stretch reflex threshold and total joint stiffness to changes in stretch‐evoked torque were assessed in the spastic elbow muscles of 14 hemiparetic spastic subjects. For a given subject, variations in torque, measured after a constant angular deflection, were mediated largely by changes in stretch reflex threshold, rather than by changes in reflex stiffness. Between‐subject comparisons were sensitive to stiffness differences between limbs, but reflex thresholds were still broadly correlated with torque magnitude, suggesting that reductions in stretch reflex threshold are uniformly present in spastic muscles. These findings, coupled with the apparent similarity of reflex stiffness estimates in voluntarily activated spastic and normal muscles, suggest that the central disturbance in spasticity is a reduction in the threshold of the stretch reflex, without a significant enhancement of reflex gain.
Progression of renal disease and renal hypertrophy.

Growth of residual renal tissue in response to loss of other renal tissue is usually termed compensatory hypertrophy. This process occurs not only when unilateral nephrectomy is performed with the contralateral organ increasing its mass but also when undamaged nephrons within a kidney undergo enlargement as other nephron units in that same kidney are destroyed either by natural disease or experimentally (34, 41, 49, 51). Allhough compensatory hypertro­ phy is a standard term for this phenomenon, it deserves some further clarifi­ cation. Hyperplasia (often experimentally defined as an increase in DNA content) as well as hypertrophy (often defined as an increase of proteinIDNA ratio) underlie compensatory hypertrophy. Although the compensatory nature of the response seems obvious, the exact physiologic functions of the kidney targeted for compensation are undefined. Furthermore, it is possible that com­ pensatory growth and associated functional alterations, despite mitigating the fall in renal function for the organism, have long-term deleterious conse­ quences for these residual nephrons. Along with structural enlargement, the residual nephrons take on a large number of functional adaptations, most notably, an increase in single-nephron filtration rate and net reabsorption of solutes and water (32). Other metabolic processes presumably associated with heightened transport, such as oxygen consumption, increase in remaining nephrons as do synthetic pathways such as ammoniagenesis (32, 40, 56). Undoubtedly, structural growth and functional
Statistical Discrimination of Liquid Gasoline Samples from Casework

Abstract: The intention of this study was to differentiate liquid gasoline samples from casework by utilizing multivariate pattern recognition procedures on data from gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. A supervised learning approach was undertaken to achieve this goal employing the methods of principal component analysis (PCA), canonical variate analysis (CVA), orthogonal canonical variate analysis (OCVA), and linear discriminant analysis. The study revealed that the variability in the sample population was sufficient enough to distinguish all the samples from one another knowing their groups a priori. CVA was able to differentiate all samples in the population using only three dimensions, while OCVA required four dimensions. PCA required 10 dimensions of data in order to predict the correct groupings. These results were all cross‐validated using the “jackknife” method to confirm the classification functions and compute estimates of error rates. The results of this initial study have helped to develop procedures for the application of multivariate analysis to fire debris casework.
Activity-induced spontaneous spikes in GABAergic neurons suppress seizure discharges: an implication of computational modeling

Background Epilepsy, a prevalent neurological disorder, appears self-termination. The endogenous mechanism for seizure self-termination remains to be addressed in order to develop new strategies for epilepsy treatment. We aim to examine the role of activity-induced spontaneous spikes at GABAergic neurons as an endogenous mechanism in the seizure self-termination. Methods and Results Neuronal spikes were induced by depolarization pulses at cortical GABAergic neurons from temporal lobe epilepsy patients and mice, in which some of these neurons fired activity-induced spontaneous spikes. Neural networks including excitatory and inhibitory neurons were computationally constructed, and their functional properties were based on our studies from whole-cell recordings. With the changes in the portion and excitability of inhibitory neurons that generated activity-induced spontaneous spike, the efficacies to suppress synchronous seizure activity were analyzed, such as its onset time, decay slope and spike frequency. The increases in the proportion and excitability of inhibitory neurons that generated activity-induced spontaneous spikes effectively suppressed seizure activity in neural networks. These factors synergistically strengthened the efficacy of seizure activity suppression. Conclusion Our study supports a notion that activity-induced spontaneous spikes in GABAergic neurons may be an endogenous mechanism for seizure self-termination. A potential therapeutic strategy for epilepsy is to upregulate the cortical inhibitory neurons that generate activity-induced spontaneous spikes.
Is Social Jetlag Associated with an Adverse Endocrine, Behavioral, and Cardiovascular Risk Profile?

Social jetlag represents the discrepancy between circadian and social clocks, which is measured as the difference in hours in midpoint of sleep between work days and free days. Previous studies have shown social jetlag to be associated with body mass index (BMI), glycated hemoglobin levels, heart rate, depressive symptoms, smoking, mental distress and alcohol use. The objective of our current study was to investigate, in a group of 145 apparently healthy participants (67 men and 78 women, aged 18-55 years, BMI 18-35 kg/m2), the prevalence of social jetlag and its association with adverse endocrine, behavioral and cardiovascular risk profiles as measured in vivo. participants with ≥2 h social jetlag had higher 5-h cortisol levels, slept less during the week, were more often physically inactive and had an increased resting heart rate, compared with participants who had ≤1 h social jetlag. We therefore concluded that social jetlag is associated with an adverse endocrine, behavioral and cardiovascular risk profile in apparently healthy participants. These adverse profiles put healthy participants at risk for development of metabolic diseases and mental disorders, including diabetes and depression, in the near future.