Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A minor high-molecular-weight outer membrane protein of Haemophilus influenzae type b is a protective antigen

Cell surface-exposed antigenic determinants of several high-molecular-weight outer membrane proteins of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) have been shown to be consistently immunogenic in human infants convalescing from Hib meningitis. A monoclonal antibody (mab), 6G12, directed against one of these cell surface-exposed outer membrane proteins that has an apparent molecular weight of 98,000 (98K) was identified by radioimmunoprecipitation analysis. Of 120 clinical isolates of Hib, 83 were found to possess antigenic determinants which reacted with mab 6G12 in a colony blot-radioimmunoassay procedure, indicating that the antigenic determinant recognized by mab 6G12 is present in the majority of Hib strains. A different radioimmunoassay, which uses whole Hib cells as antigen, confirmed that strains reactive with mab 6G12 in the colony blot-radioimmunoassay procedure possessed a cell surface-exposed and antibody-accessible antigenic determinant recognized by this mab. Hib strains which did not react with mab 6G12 were found to lack a 98K protein. Passive immunization with mab 6G12 reduced the level of bacteremia that developed in infant rats challenged with the homologous Hib strain against which this mab was raised. In contrast, no protection was observed when the challenge strain was one which lacks the antigenic determinant recognized by mab 6G12. Radioimmunoprecipitation analysis of sera from human infants convalescing from Hib meningitis detected an antibody response directed against the 98K protein. The protection against experimental Hib disease provided by antibody to the 98K protein, the immunogenicity of this protein in human infants, and its presence in a majority of Hib strains indicate that the 98K outer membrane protein may have potential for vaccine development.
The Metal Ion-induced Cooperative Binding of HIV-1 Integrase to DNA Exhibits a Marked Preference for Mn(II) Rather than Mg(II) (*)

In this investigation, we examine the interaction between the human immunodeficiency virus type I integrase and oligonucleotides that reflect the sequences of the extreme termini of the viral long terminal repeats (LTRs). The results of gel filtration and a detailed binding density analysis indicate that the integrase binds to the LTR as a high-order oligomer at a density equivalent to 10 ± 0.8 integrase monomers per 21-base pair LTR. The corresponding binding isotherm displays a Hill coefficient of 2, suggesting that the binding mechanism involves the cooperative interaction between two oligomers. This interaction is quite stable, exhibiting a prolonged half-life (t≈ 13 h) in the presence of Mn cations. Complexes were less stable when formed with Mg (t≈ 1 h). The role of Mn appears to be in the induction of the protein-protein interactions that stabilize the bound complexes. In terms of the 3′-end processing of the LTR, similar catalytic rates (k ≈ 0.06 min) were obtained for the stable complex in the presence of either cation. Hence, the apparent preference observed for Mn in standard in vitro integration assays can be attributed entirely to the augmentation in the DNA binding affinity of the integrase.
Carnitine Metabolism and Morphometric Change of Liver Mitochondria in Valproate-Treated Rats

The effect of the administration for 7 or 28 days of 50 mg/kg/day valproate (VPA) on carnitine metabolism and morphological changes of liver mitochondria in immature rats was evaluated. The dose of VPA was almost the same as that we clinically used. Carnitine concentrations in serum, red blood cells (RBC), muscle, liver and urine were measured. The rats treated with VPA for 7 days showed no significant change in carnitine concentration in each tissue examined or by morphology. In the serum, RBC and muscle of rats treated with VPA for 28 days, free carnitine levels decreased, while acylcarnitine levels and the ratio of acylcarnitine to free carnitine (acyl/free ratio) increased. Mitochondrial enlargement was also induced and urinary acyl/free ratio of VPA treated rats was higher than that of control rats after the 14th day of the treatment. These results suggest that carnitine deficiency and morphometric changes in mitochondria occur time dependent even if the dose of VPA is clinically appropriate.
Blood component transfusion in critically ill patients

Purpose of reviewThis review summarizes the current evidence base for commonly transfused blood components with a particular focus on the nonacutely bleeding patient. Recent findingsThere remains little definitive evidence to guide transfusion practices in the critically ill. The most rigorous evidence to guide red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practice is derived from the Transfusion in Critical Care Trial (TRICC Trial) that was published in 1999. Specific subgroups of patients may be at particular risk of the adverse effects of anemia, and require further study. There are no randomized controlled trials addressing clinically important outcomes evaluating frozen plasma, platelet thresholds, or impaired platelet activity in the critically ill. SummaryAs all blood components have some level of risk, the general approach to transfusion should be one of minimization. For the nonacutely bleeding critically ill patient, a RBC transfusion trigger of 70 g/l is clinically acceptable. For patients at potentially higher risk of adverse effects related to anemia such as those with septic shock, severe and/or acute ischemic heart disease, or brain injury, a higher threshold (80–90 g/l) may be considered. There is insufficient evidence to recommend specific thresholds for transfusion of frozen plasma or platelets in the critically ill.
Neglect and visual recognition.

B.Q. , a right-handed woman who had suffered a stroke affecting the right parietal region, showed visuospatial neglect and problems in recognizing seen objects and faces. Investigation of her visual recognition problems revealed a striking inability to identify the left sides of chimaeric objects and faces. Often, B.Q. would deny that the stimulus was chimaeric at all, and she was remarkably poor (though above chance) at discriminating chimaeric from normal faces. Even when left-sided details had been accurately traced or described, they were often either ignored in reporting the identities of the constituent parts of a chimaeric or assimilated in some way to the information from the right side. Neglect of the left side was more pronounced for chimaerics which approximated an individual face or object. It occurred regardless of the chimaeric's position in B.Q. 's field of vision, and was found with brief (200 ms) presentations of stimuli confined to her (perimetrically intact) right visual field. When chimaeric faces were inverted, B.Q. continued to neglect the side of the chimaeric falling to her left, which implies that the neglect did not operate in entirely object-centered coordinates. However, left-sided information could be used if it was critical in determining the identity of an object or a face. We suggest that this could explain B.Q. 's lack of neglect of individual words, for which left-sided (initial) letters are often crucial to successful recognition. An account of her deficit is proposed, involving an interaction between moderately defective pick-up of left-sided information in an object-based coding system and preserved access to stored representations of familiar visual stimuli.
Subcutaneous administration of glargine to diabetic patients receiving insulin infusion prevents rebound hyperglycemia.

CONTEXT Transition of diabetic patients from iv insulin infusion to s.c. insulin frequently results in rebound hyperglycemia. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that initiation of a long-acting insulin therapy concurrently with i.v. insulin infusion would decrease the rate of rebound hyperglycemia after discontinuation of the insulin infusion. DESIGN AND INTERVENTION Sixty-one diabetic patients receiving i.v. insulin therapy participated in this prospective randomized study. Subjects in the intervention group received daily injections of glargine s.c. (0.25 U/kg body weight) starting within 12 h of initiation of i.v. insulin infusion. Capillary blood glucose measurements were obtained up to 12 h after discontinuation of insulin infusion. Rebound hyperglycemia was defined as a blood glucose level greater than 180 mg/dl. SETTING The study was conducted at the University of Colorado Hospital. PATIENTS Sixty-one hospitalized patients with known type 1 or type 2 diabetes receiving i.v. insulin infusion participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME The primary outcome of this study was to compare the rates of rebound hyperglycemia between the control and the intervention groups after i.v. insulin infusion is discontinued. RESULTS Overall, 29 subjects in the control group (93.5%) had at least one glucose value above 180 mg/dl during the 12-h follow-up period. This was significantly greater than the rate of rebound hyperglycemia in the intervention group (10 subjects or 33.3%, P < 0.001). The effect of the intervention was apparent in subjects who presented with diabetic ketoacidosis, after solid organ transplantation, and in patients with other surgical and medical diagnoses. There were three hypoglycemic measurements in two control subjects (68, 62, and 58 mg/dl) and none in the intervention group. CONCLUSIONS Once-daily s.c. insulin glargine administered during i.v. insulin infusion is a safe method for preventing future rebound hyperglycemia, without increased risk of hypoglycemia.
Involucrin Cross-linking by Transglutaminase 1

The transglutaminase 1 (TGase 1) enzyme is essential for the assembly of the cell envelope barrier in stratified squamous epithelia. It is usually bound to membranes, but to date most studies with it have involved solution assays. Here we describe anin vitro model system for characterizing the function of TGase 1 on the surface of synthetic lipid vesicles (SLV) of composition similar to eukaryote plasma membranes. Recombinant baculovirus-expressed human TGase 1 readily binds to SLV and becomes active in cross-linking above 10 μm Ca2+, in comparison to above 100 μm in solution assays, suggesting that the membrane surface is important for enzyme function. Involucrin also binds to SLV containing 12–18% phosphatidylserine and at Ca2+ concentrations above 1 μm. In reactions of involucrin with TGase 1 enzyme in solution, 80 of its 150 glutamines serve as donor residues. However, on SLV carrying both involucrin and TGase 1, only five glutamines serve as donors, of which glutamine 496 was the most favored. As controls, there was no change in specificity toward the glutamines of other substrates used by free or SLV-bound TGase 1 enzyme. We propose a model in which involucrin and TGase 1 bind to membranes shortly after expression in differentiating keratinocytes, but cross-linking begins only later as intracellular Ca2+levels increase. Furthermore, the data suggest that the membrane surface regulates the steric interaction of TGase 1 with substrates such as involucrin to permit specific cross-linking for initiation of cell envelope barrier formation.
Logistic discrimination of mixtures of M. tuberculosis and non‐specific tuberculin reactions

Interpretation of the Mantoux test for tuberculous infection can be complicated by cross‐reactions caused by infection with non‐specific mycobacteria. Thus, the distribution of positive indurations is a mixture of two distributions. To estimate tuberculous infection prevalence, the marginal distribution of indurations needs to be separated into its component distributions. Observations from several populations with different mixes of the two types of infection are required. Homogeneity across populations of distributions of indurations for each type of infection is assumed. A logistic model is specified for the probability of having tuberculous infection conditional on the observed induration size. No other assumptions about the two distributions are made. Maximum likelihood is used to estimate the logistic function. Goodness‐of‐fit criteria are discussed. The method is applied to a series of tuberculin surveys carried out in (South) Korea. Estimated infection prevalence agrees reasonably well with several ad hoc criteria. The goodness‐of‐fit test rejects underlying assumptions of homogeneity. One reason appears to be a decline over time in induration sizes caused by tuberculous infection. However, not all reasons for this rejection are obvious. The proposed method of mixture analysis provides an additional tool for the interpretation of prevalence survey data where the diagnostic test lacks specificity as a result of cross‐reactions. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An endogenous inhibitor of calcium‐activated neutral protease in UMX 7.1 hamster dystrophy

An endogenous inhibitor for calcium‐activated neutral protease (CANP) from skeletal and cardiac muscles of muscular dystrophic hamsters (UMX 7.1) was compared with that from normal control animals at 4 and 10 weeks of age by Western blotting using antibody raised against CANP inhibitor. Fragmented CANP inhibitor was found in dystrophic skeletal muscles in all cases at both ages, while only intact inhibitor was detected in the skeletal muscle of the normal hamsters. A total absence of intact inhibitor was shown in one 10‐week‐old dystrophic hamster. In contrast, there was little difference in CANP inhibitor from heart between dystrophic and control hamsters at 4 weeks. However, fragmentation similar to that in skeletal muscle was seen in the heart inhibitor in a few of the 10‐week‐old dystrophic hamsters.
Atrial-selective antiarrhythmic actions of novel Ikur vs. Ikr, Iks, and IKAch class Ic drugs and beta blockers in pigs.

BACKGROUND The Kv1.5 channel, underlying IKur, is supposed to be atrial selective in pigs and humans. We investigated the effects of different potassium channel blockers, i.e. the IKur blockers AVE 0118, S9947 and S20951, with amiodarone (AM), dofetilide (DO), azimilide (AZ), ibutilide (IB), the IKs blocker HMR 1556, atropine (ATR), flecainide (FL), propafenone (PR), d,l-sotalol (SO), atenolol (ATE), and esmolol (ES), on the left and right atrial and ventricular refractoriness and left atrial vulnerability (LAV) in vivo in pigs. MATERIAL/METHODS In pentobarbital-anesthetized pigs (n=81), atrial and ventricular effective refractory periods (ERPs) were measured with the S1-S2-extrastimulus-method and QTc time from electrocardiograms. LAV was assessed after S2-extrastimulus to the left atrium. RESULTS All IKur blockers prolonged left stronger than right atrial ERP and did not change QTc. All IKr blockers predominantly prolonged the right vs. left atria. AM prolonged both atria equally, and ATR the left only. Pure beta blockers acted predominantly on the left atrium, as did FL and PR, while d,l-sotalol acted predominantly on the right. AVE 0118, S9947, S20951, ibutilide, and d,l-sotalol significantly decreased LAV (-100%, -100%, -82%, -53%, -42%; p<0.05), in contrast to all other drugs. CONCLUSIONS The IKur blockers exhibited stronger effects on the left atrium, which itself has shorter refractoriness, but strikingly with no effect on ventricular repolarization, while IKr blockers, IKs blockers, and d,l-sotalol exerted predominantly right atrial effects and known ventricular effects. IKur blockers inhibited atrial tachyarrhythmias stronger than all available drugs. Therefore, IKur blockers seem to be promising new atrial-selective antiarrhythmic drugs.
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Children Seen in a Practice-Based Research Network

OBJECTIVE. We sought to define the prevalence of and risk factors for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in the St Louis pediatric population. METHODS. Children from birth to 18 years of age presenting for sick and well visits were recruited from pediatric practices affiliated with a practice-based research network. Nasal swabs were obtained, and a questionnaire was administered. RESULTS. We enrolled 1300 participants from 11 practices. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant S aureus nasal colonization varied according to practice, from 0% to 9% (mean: 2.6%). The estimated population prevalence of methicillin-resistant S aureus nasal colonization for the 2 main counties of the St Louis metropolitan area was 2.4%. Of the 32 methicillin-resistant S aureus isolates, 9 (28%) were health care-associated types and 21 (66%) were community-acquired types. A significantly greater number of children with community-acquired methicillin-resistant S aureus were black and were enrolled in Medicaid, in comparison with children colonized with health care-associated methicillin-resistant S aureus. Children with both types of methicillin-resistant S aureus colonization had increased contact with health care, compared with children without colonization. Methicillin-sensitive S aureus nasal colonization ranged from 9% to 31% among practices (mean: 24%). The estimated population prevalence of methicillin-sensitive S aureus was 24.6%. Risk factors associated with methicillin-sensitive S aureus colonization included pet ownership, fingernail biting, and sports participation. CONCLUSIONS. Methicillin-resistant S aureus colonization is widespread among children in our community and includes strains associated with health care-associated and community-acquired infections.
Dietary fiber and plant foods in relation to colorectal cancer mortality: the Seven Countries Study.

Many observational studies have found that higher consumption of vegetables, and to a lesser extent of fruits, was associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer. In particular, fiber or foods high in fiber have received attention in the potential prevention of colorectal cancer. We performed an ecological analysis with data of the Seven Countries Study, to investigate whether intake of fiber and plant foods contributes to cross-cultural differences in 25-year colorectal-cancer mortality in men. In the Seven Countries Study, around 1960 12,763 men aged 40 to 59 were enrolled in 16 cohorts in 7 countries. Baseline dietary information was gathered in small random samples per cohort, and nutrient intakes were based on chemical analyses of the average diets per cohort. Crude and energy-adjusted mortality-rate ratios were calculated for a change of 10% of the mean intake of fiber and plant foods, i.e., total plant foods, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, grains, and related sub-groups. Fiber intake was inversely associated with colorectal-cancer mortality with an energy-adjusted rate ratio of 0.89 (95% confidence interval 0.80-0.97). An increase of 10 gram of daily intake of fiber was associated with a 33% lower 25-year colorectal-cancer mortality risk. Intakes of vitamin B6 [0.84 (0.71-0.99)] and alpha-tocopherol [0.94 (0.89-0.99)] were also inversely associated with risk. Consumption of plant foods and related sub-groups was not related to colorectal cancer. It appears that fiber intake best indicates the part of plant food consumption, including whole grains, that is relevant for lowering colorectal cancer risk.
Isolation and characterization of mouse probasin: An androgen‐regulated protein specifically expressed in the differentiated prostate

The development and growth of the prostate gland is regulated, in part, by a variety of steroid and polypeptide growth‐factor hormones. As a consequence of hormone action, the prostate gland will produce a number of tissue‐restricted gene products. Characterization of the regulation, expression, and function of genes encoding prostate‐specific proteins is critical to our understanding of prostate biology. Probasin is a prostate‐specific gene originally isolated from the rat and has been exploited as a marker of prostate differentiation and to elucidate androgen action. Furthermore, a number of transgenic mouse models of prostate cancer have been established based on the regulatory elements derived from the rat probasin gene. In this report, we describe the isolation and characterization of the mouse probasin ortholog to further facilitate studies related to hormone action in the prostate and the generation and characterization of novel autochthonous models of prostate cancer.
Numerical and experimental analysis in multilayer coupling structures

A novel broadband multilayer stripline coupler consisting of two parallel striplines coupled through a small aperture is reported in this paper. Experimental and numerical results based on the Transmission Line Matrix (TLM) method show that the coupler provides ¿15 dB coupling over the entire band from 15 to 45 GHz. A hybrid technique combining the TLM numencal method with a linear simulator was used to optimize the coupling between two striplines etched on different substrates in a considerably reduced time. Also, the effect of shorting pins on the parallel plate modes of inhomogeneous stripline was considered in the analysis in order to suppress these modes and to improve the coupling.
A magyar hallgatók vállalkozásindító szándékát befolyásoló tényezők modellje - Ajzen tervezett magatartás elméletének kiterjesztése (Model of the Hungarian students’ business start-up intention influencing factors – Extending of Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior)

A vallalkozasi tevekenyseg a munkahelyteremtes es a gazdasagi novekedes egyik dontő tenyezője. Ennek a jovőbeli kedvező alakulasat a fiatalok mai attitűdjei hatarozzak meg. Ha be tudjuk azonositani a legfontosabb tenyezőket, amelyek a fiatalok vallalkozasinditasi szandekat befolyasoljak, el tudjuk donteni azt is, mely teruleten lehet es erdemes beavatkozni annak erdekeben, hogy minel tobb uj, eletkepes vallalkozas szulessen. A cikk a GUESSS kutatasi projekt magyarorszagi adatbazisanak koszonhetően kozel 6000 hallgato valaszait elemezve rendszerezi a felsőoktatasban resztvevők vallalkozasinditasi szandekara hato legfontosabb tenyezőcsoportokat. Első lepesben Ajzen tervezett magatartas elmeletenek alkalmazasaval vizsgalja a vallalkozasinditasi szandek alakitoit, majd tovabbi tenyezők, igy a felsőoktatasi intezmenyek altal nyujtott szolgaltatasok, a csaladi hatter es a demografiai jellemzők bevonasaval igyekszik minel pontosabban leirni a szandek alakulasat. _____ Entrepreneurial activity is a decisive factor in the dynamics of job creation and economic growth. The future level of this activity highly depends on the attitudes of today’s youth towards this. If the most important factors influencing attitudes are identified and the entrepreneurial intentions towards entrepreneurship are determined, the fields of intervention targeting the creation of as many new and viable enterprises as possible can be defined. This article aims to systematise the most important factor groups that influence the decisions of students studying in higher education in terms of start-up activities and is based on the Hungarian database of the GUESSS research project, containing almost 6000 respondents. Firstly, it tests Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior. Then such factors as supportive services provided by higher education institutions, family background and demographic factors are analysed in order to improve the explanatory power of the model.
Parameter Estimation of Ventricular Myocardial Cell Model Using an On-Line Learning Algorithm

The Luo-Rudy dynamic (LRd) model is the one of typical models of ventricular myocardial cell and described by Hodgkin-Huxley-type nonlinear ordinary differential equations. By changing various parameters of the LRd model, we can reproduce heart conditions, which trigger heart diseases such as arrhythmia. It is, however, very difficult to understand the relation between the parameters in the LRd model and a heart cell's behavior (action potential) because the LRd model has high complexity and nonlinearity. We demonstrate to estimate the parameters in the LRd model easily and automatically with a learning algorithm. Thus we show that the automatic parameter estimation is very useful to identify the cause of heart diseases in clinical applications