Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cleavage of SIgA by gram negative respiratory pathogens enhance neutrophil inflammatory potential.

OBJECTIVE Secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), the principle immune defense at respiratory and other mucosal sites in the body, is highly dependant on its molecular structure for effective antibody function. Previous studies have demonstrated that gram-negative but not gram-positive isolates from patients with nosocomial pneumonia have IgA protease activity that contributes to the development of infection. We postulate that SIgA cleavage by bacteria would also affect anti-inflammatory properties of IgA and studied this in vitro. METHODS Sterile filtrates obtained from Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) held in culture with SIgA were used to challenge polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) obtained from healthy volunteers. In a second group of experiments, blood monocytes were incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or LPS + IgA, and the resulting culture supernatants was used to stimulate PMNs in vitro. RESULTS LPS-stimulated monocytes increased CD11b expression, O2-generation and elastase release by PMNs. Secretory IgA but not IgG abrogated this response. Cleavage of SIgA by the gram-negative respiratory isolates, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumanii also led to the loss of cellular effector function noted with intact SIgA. Additionally, PMN cytotoxic potential was similar to that noted with PMNs treated with supernatant from LPS-stimulated monocytes. CONCLUSION IgA cleavage by gram-negative respiratory isolates may lead to the development of pneumonia and the subsequent severity of the infection as a result of uncontrolled inflammatory responses by the host.
First Experiences with a New Device for Mechanical Thrombectomy in Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion

Background and Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate our first results using a new device for mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion. Methods: Between May 2009 and September 2010 a new device for aspiration thrombectomy (The Penumbra System™; Penumbra Inc., Alameda, Calif., USA) was used in 12 patients with acute basilar artery occlusion. We performed a retrospective review of these patients’ medical records. Results: One patient received endovascular treatment without intravenous (IV) thrombolysis because of infarction on the initial CT scan. Eleven of 12 patients received IV thrombolysis with rtPA followed by endovascular thrombectomy according to a bridging concept. After thrombolysis, the basilar artery was patent in 1 patient (9%), partially recanalized in 3 (27%) and still occluded in 7 (64%). The endovascular device could not access in 2 patients (17%). Among the remaining 10 patients, the patency rate after thrombectomy was 100%. The overall patency rate after treatment was 9 of 12 (75%) at the time of discharge. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale improved from a median of 27 to a median of 18 after treatment. Four patients died (33%). The survivors had a mean modified Rankin Scale before discharge of 2.3 (range 0–4). Conclusions: A bridging therapy with the combination of IV thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and continuous aspiration thrombectomy seems to be a promising therapy strategy for acute basilar artery occlusion. Furthermore, our results confirm the advantage of the additional use of this new thrombectomy device, working with thrombus aspiration, with a satisfactory patency rate and a good clinical outcome.
Researches on real-time satellite data flow processing based on file buffer

In the field of aerospace, all of real-time data sent by satellites and spaceships need to be stored into a relational database, and it is essential to develop real-time applications in order to implement the storing process automatically. Based on the implementation of a real-time satellite data flow storing application, this paper introduces features of real-time satellite data processing problem, and design architecture of pipeline-filter style as the framework of the application. As the indeterminacy of duration of insert operation in non-real-time database and the limited memory in the server, a method using the file to implement blocking queue for fault-tolerance is designed. With the pipeline/filter architecture design and the file blocking queue buffer method, a detail of implementation and an overall solution of application deployment are provided. In order to verify that the method of the file blocking queue has a better performance than that of the memory blocking queue, a comparative experiment simulating a real environment is designed. Our work proves that it is feasible and rational to use the file buffer in the specific application including non-real-time factors; in addition a non-real-time database can be used in the field of real-time with the proper mechanism of fault-tolerance.
Mineral anisotropy in mineralized tissues is similar among species and mineral growth occurs independently of collagen orientation in rats: Results from acoustic velocity measurements

It has been reported that the mineral crystals in long bones have their c‐axis aligned with the bone axis, presumably because collagen fibrils in bone also align with the bone axis. However, the predominant collagen orientation in bone often does not appear to be aligned with the mineral crystals, especially in rat primary bone. We hypothesized that mineral orientation in bone is not necessarily related to collagen orientation. An acoustic microscope was used to measure elastic constants of mineralized tissues from rat, cow, monkey, and human bone, and mineralized turkey leg tendon (MTLT). Measurements were made before and after demineralization with 10% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or decollagenization with 7% sodium hypochlorite. The elastic anisotropy ratio (AR) was defined as the ratio of the elastic coefficient in the longitudinal direction to the elastic coefficient in the transverse direction. Anisotropy ratios of mineralized tissues were not affected by formalin fixation or plastic embedding. An evaluation of tissues from the different species showed that the AR after decollagenization was not significantly different (p > 0.4, analysis of variance) among the groups, while AR after demineralization varied from 1.04 (rat bone) to 1.51 (MTLT). There was no correlation between AR after demineralization and AR after decollagenization (r = 0.13, p = 0.5). This showed that the elastic anisotropy of collagen is more variable than mineral anisotropy in bone and MTLT. Another experiment showed that mineralization of turkey leg tendon changes the elasticity of the collagen matrix, making it less anisotropic. A final, prospective experiment was performed in which tibiae of rats were subjected to mechanical loading for 16 weeks. After 12 days, new periosteal woven bone was observed on the tibiae and, after 16 weeks, this new bone was consolidated and mineralized. Mineral in the newly formed woven bone was virtually isotropic (AR = 1.07) after 12 days of loading, then became more anisotropic (AR = 1.52) after 16 weeks of mechanical loading, as the mineral density of the new bone increased. This increase in anisotropy of bone mineral occurred even though the collagen matrix was woven and had no measureable fibril orientation. We conclude that (1) collagen anisotropy and mineral anisotropy are not necessarily correlated in mineralized tissues, (2) mineralization can affect the collagen matrix elasticity of mineralized tissues, and (3) an organized mineral structure can form in the absence of an organized collagen matrix.
Distribution and Ecology of Campylobacters in Coastal Plain Streams (Georgia, United States of America)

ABSTRACT Campylobacter is the leading cause of bacterium-associated diarrhea in the United States and most developed countries. While this disease is considered a food-borne disease, many clinical cases cannot be linked to a food source. In rural and agrarian areas environmental transmission may be an important factor contributing to case loads. Here we investigated the waterborne prevalence of campylobacters in a mixed-use rural watershed in the coastal plain of southern Georgia (United States). Six sites representing various degrees of agricultural and human influence were surveyed biweekly to monthly for 1 year for the presence of culturable thermophilic campylobacters and other measures of water quality. Campylobacters were frequently present in agriculture- and sewage-impacted stretches of streams. The mean campylobacter counts and overall prevalence were highest downstream from a wastewater treatment plant that handled both human and poultry slaughterhouse waste (≤595 CFU ml−1; 100% positive); the concentrations were significantly higher than those for the four upstream sites (P < 0.05). The counts were significantly correlated with the number of fecal coliform bacteria, conductivity, pH, and concentrations of nutrients (NO3−, PO43−, and NH3). Campylobacters were isolated more frequently and larger numbers were present during the summer months, similar to the occurrence of clinical cases of campylobacteriosis in this region. A multivariate model showed that the levels were significantly influenced by increasing precipitation, which also peaked in the summer. The results indicate that loading from both human and domestic animal waste may be high in the watershed studied during the summer months. Mixed-use watersheds supporting agriculture production, human populations, and wildlife may be at risk for contamination by campylobacters and may be an important route for human exposure.
Telaprevir user's guide

Telaprevir is a potent HCV NS3/4A protease inhibitor. A completed development program has demonstrated the superior efficacy of a regimen of telaprevir combined with pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin (PR) over PR alone in patients with HCV genotype 1. In the ADVANCE trial in treatment‐naïve patients, 12 weeks of telaprevir, peginterferon alfa‐2a and ribavirin followed by either 12 or 36 weeks of PR alone (depending upon extended rapid virologic response, or eRVR, i.e. HCV RNA undetectability at weeks 4 and 12), was associated with sustained virological response (SVR) in 75% of patients compared with 46% receiving PR for 48 weeks. The ILLUMINATE trial established the foundation for response‐guided therapy in patients with eRVR. The REALIZE trial in treatment‐experienced patients showed a gradient of SVR from prior relapsers (86%) to partial responders (57%) to null responders (31%), with rates of virologic failure and emergent resistance highest in the latter group. Incremental adverse effects of telaprevir include rash, anemia, pruritus, diarrhea, and nausea. Treatment naïve patients and relapsers are eligible for response‐guided therapy. Stopping rules of telaprevir‐based treatment include HCV RNA > 1000 IU/ml at weeks 4 and 12.
Balanced realisation and Hankel-norm approximation of systems involving delays

Approximation of the transfer functions G(s)e-ST (with G(s) rational) is considered via the singular values, ¿i, of its Hankel operator. It is first shown how to calculate ¿i and the corresponding Schmidt vectors for this class of transfer functions. Then bounds on the singular values of more general Hankel operators are derived and this gives asymptotic estimates for the ¿i above. The results can be used to construct balanced realisations or Hankel norm approximations.
Determinants of anisotropic water diffusion in nerves

We report NMR diffusion measurements of water in three central nervous system models, namely the nonmyelinated olfactory, and the myelinated trigeminal and optic nerves of the spotted and long‐nosed garfish. A similar degree of anisotropy of the average diffusion coefficients (DNMR) is observed for all three freshly excised nerve types (DNMR parallel)/DNMR‐(perpendicular) is 3.6 ± 1.2, 3.2 ± 0.9, and 2.6 ± 0.4 for the olfactory, trigeminal, and optic nerves, respectively). The anisotropy of DNHR for the nonmyelinated olfactory nerve argues strongly that myelin is not a necessary determinant of diffusional anisotropy in ordered axonal systems (even though it may contribute when present). Garfish nerves treated with vinblastine, in order to depolymerize microtubules and inhibit fast axonal transport, also exhibit diffusional anisotropy {DNMR(parallel)/DNMR (perpendicular) is 2.6 ± 0.4,2.8 ± 0.8, and 2.2 ± 0.7 for the olfactory, trigeminal, and optic nerves, respectively) thus excluding a significant role for microtubules and fast axonal transport in that observed anisotropy.
Systematic evaluation of vibrational behavior of electric drive trains

The design and engineering of electrical drive trains is a multi disciplinary task. Usually several teams of different technical fields are involved in the development of new drive trains. Each team focuses on their own field of expertise. Even though the interactions of the described teams are well defined, acoustic irregularities are determined not before prototype stage frequently. This leads to the demand of systematic evaluation of the exciting sources and their transfer paths to the radiating surfaces. Once the sound radiating surfaces are identified, the main challenge is the decoupling of the excitation of different components of the drive train, such as electrical machine, gears, bearings etc. This step is crucial for the identification of design steps to improve the acoustic behavior. This paper presents a methodology to estimate structural transfer functions from the stator teeth of an electrical machine to the surface of its housing. The methodology is based on an operational transfer path approach and relies on a set of measurements where the force excitation is delivered by the machine itself. Since these forces are coupled a procedure for the decoupling of the transfer paths is presented. The whole model is in time domain and allow for the consideration of non linear structural behavior.
[A study on the expression of opsins in form-deprived myopia retina of guinea pig].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of cone opsins in form-deprived myopia (FDM) of guinea pig. METHODS Twenty-eight pigmented guinea pigs aged one-week were randomly divided into two groups: FDM group (n = 14) and control group (n = 14). White translucent vinyl diffuse attached to one randomly selected eye was used to deprive eyes of form-vision in FDM group. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed to compare the opsin mRNA expression and spatial density of photoreceptor opsin in the ventral, central and dorsal retinal areas of two groups using antibody against short and medium-wave-length-sensitive cone opsin. Slides were viewed using Leica confocal microscope and Leica light microscope. RESULTS The distribution of opsin across the guinea pig retinae as determined by antibody labeling of cone opsin was asymmetric, with the dorsal retina dominated by M-opsin, and the ventral retinae by S-opsin. But the ventral area also showed positive staining for the M-opsin. Opsin spatial density decreased with increasing retinal eccentricity for both M and S opsins. The spatial density of S-opsin decreased most steeply for eccentricity up to one-third distance from optic disc to retinal edge. The spatial density of M-opsin gradually decreased with eccentricity. The expression of spatial density of M-opsin was higher than that of S-opsin in all three regions. The expression of density of S-opsin in normal control eye is as follow: (805.0 +/- 203.3) mm(-2) (ventral); (100.0 +/- 57.7) mm(-2) (dorsal); (1637.2 +/- 314.1) mm(-2) (Central). FDM eye: (640.9 +/- 196.8) mm(-2) (ventral); (1016.7 +/- 144.6) mm(-2) (central); (70.9 +/- 30.8) mm(-2); where The expression of spatial density of M-opsin in normal control eye are: (946.2 +/- 388.5) mm(-2) (dorsal); (1666.7 +/- 137.8) mm(-2) (central); (175.0 +/- 100.9) mm(-2) (ventral). FDM eye: (1436.7 +/- 366.0) mm(-2) (dorsal); (2780.0 +/- 180.5) mm(-2) (central); (318.2 +/- 172.7) mm(-2) (ventral). The results of RT-PCR examination showed that the relative optical density (OD) value of M-opsin and S-opsin are: 1.06 +/- 0.07 (FDM eye), 0.51 +/- 0.10 (control eye), and 0.70 +/- 0.07 (FDM eye), 1.25 +/- 0.06 (control eye) respectively. The expression of both opsins in FDM eyes was significant differences compared with control (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION FDM can increase the expression of M-opsin and decrease the S-opsin expression in guinea pig. cone opsins may play a role in the development of myopia.
Genetic transformation in Lactobacillus sp. strain 100-33 of the capacity to colonize the nonsecreting gastric epithelium in mice

Lactobacillus isolates able to colonize the surfaces of the nonsecreting epithelia in the stomachs of monoassociated ex-germfree mice were derived from Lactobacillus acidophilus 100-33. Strain 100-33 was originally isolated from pig feces and is unable to colonize the murine gastric epithelium. In experiments involving attempts genetically to transform the capacity to colonize the epithelium, cells of strain 100-33 were treated with muralytic enzymes and mixed with polyethylene glycol and genomic or plasmid DNA extracted from Lactobacillus fermentum RI. Strain RI was originally isolated from a conventional mouse and has the capacity to colonize the nonsecreting gastric epithelium. The mixtures containing cells, polyethylene glycol, and DNA were plated on a regeneration medium. After overnight incubation, the cells were washed from the plates and introduced by gastric gavage into germfree mice. Only mice that received regenerated 100-33 cells previously mixed with genomic DNA from strain RI had layers of gram-positive bacteria on the keratinized epithelia of their stomachs. Six isolates cultured from the washed gastric tissues of these animals were characterized. When a culture of each or a pool of cultures of the six were orally administered to germfree mice, layers of gram-positive bacterial cells were visible on the keratinized gastric epithelia of the animals within 1 to 3 weeks. Cells of all six, but not of strain 100-33, reacted with antibody made in rabbits to L. fermentum RI cells, as determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nevertheless, all six had fermentation profiles identical to that of strain 100-33. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Hair growth induction by the tellurium immunomodulator AS101: association with delayed terminal differentiation of follicular keratinocytes and ras‐dependent up‐regulation of KGF expression

The synthetic immunomodulator AS101{ammonium trichloro(dioxoethylene‐o,o’)tellurate} was previously found to protect cancer patients from chemotherapy‐induced bone marrow toxicity and alopecia. Here we show that AS101 induces hair growth in nude and normal mice. AS101 possesses the dual ability to both induce anagen and retard spontaneous catagen in the C57BL/6 mouse model. Anagen induced by AS101 is mediated by keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), as it is abrogated both in nude mice co‐treated with AS101 plus neutralizing anti KGF antibodies and in AS101‐treated transgenic mice expressing a dominant‐negative KGF receptor transgene in basal keratinocytes. AS101 up‐regulates KGF expression by activating the ras signaling pathway in cultured fibroblasts. AS101‐induced delayed catagen is associated with inhibition of terminal differentiation marker expression both in nude and C57BL/6 mice epidermal follicular keratinocytes and in cultures of primary mouse follicular keratinocytes induced to differentiate. This activity is associated with relatively sustained elevation of p21waf. Delayed expression of terminal differentiation markers was not induced by AS101 in follicular keratinocytes from p21waf knockout mice. Because similar results were obtained with cultures of primary human keratinocytes and fibroblasts, preliminary case report studies revealed substantial hair growth when AS101 was topically applied on three adolescents who had remained alopeciac 1–2 years after chemotherapy. The results emphasize the unique mode of action of AS101 and highlight its potential clinical use for treating certain types of alopecia.
Haemodynamic changes early in prodromal symptoms of vasovagal syncope.

AIMS Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is often preceded by prodromal symptoms. The haemodynamic changes occurring during the prodrome have not been systematically investigated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the behaviour of blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and sympathetic activity at the beginning of the prodrome in patients with tilt-induced VVS. METHODS AND RESULTS Sixty-three patients with VVS underwent tilt testing. BP and HR were measured and blood samples for plasma catecholamine determination were obtained during the test. Twenty-seven patients developed syncope of whom all had a prodrome. From the last scheduled measurement before prodromal symptoms to the beginning of the prodrome, both systolic and diastolic BP decreased in all patients (from 105 +/- 16 to 74 +/- 20 mmHg, P<0.001, and from 68 +/- 13 to 51 +/- 12 mmHg, P<0 001, respectively) and HR decreased in 18 (67%) (from 89 +/- 22 to 80 +/- 25 beats/ min P<0 02). At the onset of loss of consciousness both BP and HR showed a further decrease (P<0.001). Plasma adrenaline significantly increased from the last sample before prodromal symptoms to the beginning of the prodrome (P<0.01) and showed a further increase during loss of consciousness (P<0.05), whereas plasma noradrenaline did not increase, as an expression of inhibition of sympathetic neural outflow. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that in patients with tilt-induced VVS, BP is consistently decreased at the beginning of prodromal symptoms because of the withdrawal of sympathetic activity, and HR is often reduced, probably because of increased vagal activity. We may infer that similar haemodynamic features also occur during spontaneous VVS.
Ship deck landing of a quadrotor using the invariant ellipsoid technique

Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations on ships enhance the mission capabilities for military and civilian users. However, landing operations on a ship requires precise control to avoid collision with the ship superstructures. Current approach involves modelling and prediction of the ship deck motion. However, model mismatch often results in a non-zero bounded error response. The approach in this paper eliminates modelling of the ship deck motion and focuses on an analysis method based on the invariant ellipsoid technique to obtain an optimal gain such that the tracking error is restricted to within an optimal bound. Simulations are performed using a realistic ship deck model with the quadrotor tracking a point at a prescribed height above the ship deck before landing. The performance of the proposed controller on a quadrotor was evaluated and is shown to achieve the control objective.
Localization of Dysfunctional Tight Junctions inSalmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium-Infected Epithelial Layers

ABSTRACT Infection of polarized MDCK epithelial layers by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is accompanied by increased tight junction permeability and by contraction of perijunctional actinomyosin. We localized dysfunctional tight junctions in serovar Typhimurium-infected MDCK layers by imaging apical-basolateral intramembrane diffusion of fluorescent lipid and found that loss of the apical-basolateral diffusion barrier (tight junction fence function) was most marked in areas of prominent perijunctional contraction. The protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine prevented perijunctional contraction but did not reverse the effects of serovar Typhimurium on tight junction barrier function. Hence, perijunctional contraction is not required for Salmonella-induced tight junction dysfunction and this epithelial response to infection may be multifactorial.