Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Activation of ERK or inhibition of JNK ameliorates H(2)O(2) cytotoxicity in mouse renal proximal tubule cells.

BACKGROUND Our previous studies suggest that the balance between the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the c-Jun N-terminal/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK) might determine cell fate following oxidant injury in vivo. METHODS The mouse proximal tubule cell line (TKPTS) was used to study hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced death and survival. The role of ERK and JNK in this process was studied by using adenoviruses that contain either a constitutively active mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MEK1) or a dominant-negative JNK. Acridine orange plus ethidium bromide staining was applied to distinguish between viable, apoptotic, and necrotic cells following H(2)O(2) treatment. We analyzed cell cycle events by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis and the phosphorylation status of ERK and JNK by Western blotting. RESULTS TKPTS cells survived a moderate level of oxidative stress (0.5 mM/L H(2)O(2)) via temporary growth arrest, while high dose of H(2)O(2) (1 mM/L) caused extensive necrosis. Survival was associated with activation of both ERK and JNK, while death was associated with JNK activation only. Prior adenovirus-mediated up-regulation of ERK or inhibition of JNK function increased the survival (8- or 7-fold, respectively) of TKPTS cells after 1 mmol/L H(2)O(2) treatment. Interestingly, ERK activation and, thus, survival was associated with growth arrest not proliferation. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that oxidant injury-induced necrosis could be ameliorated by either up-regulation of endogenous ERK or by inhibition of JNK-related pathways. These results directly demonstrate that the intracellular balance between prosurvival and prodeath mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) determine proximal tubule cell survival from oxidant injury and reveal possible mediators of survival.
[A case of diffuse pulmonary fibrosis in a diamond cutter].

Observation d'un cas de fibrose pulmonaire diffuse d'evolution rapide chez une jeune fille de 20 ans travaillant depuis 2 ans dans une usine de taille de diamant. Les auteurs soulignent l'importance de l'enquete environnementale complementaire qui a permis de retenir le diagnostic de F.I. D. d'origine professionnelle analogue a celle engendree par les metaux durs
Alteration of chromatin in early experimental arteriosclerosis.

Our approach serves several purposes: To demonstrate the response of aortic cell nuclei to a changing environment (e.g. hypercholesterolemia, experimental diabetes, drug treatment), to apply the acridine orange (AO) ultracytochemical method, and to determine the euchromatin/heterochromatin (EU/HET) ratio by morphometric procedures as suitable criteria, and to emphasize the differential nuclear activity of adventitial cells. Hypercholesterolemia in rabbits results in an increase of AO positive nuclei in the adventitia. Additional treatment with tinofedrine, a new cerebral vasodilator drug, reveals an even higher number of AO positive nuclei in adventitial and also in endothelial and plaque cells. In streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats the increased number of AO positive cells coincides with an elevated EU/HET ratio.
Percutaneous Epiphysiodesis Using Transphyseal Screws in the Management of Leg Length Discrepancy: Optimal Operation Timing and Techniques to Avoid Complications

Background: Percutaneous epiphysiodesis using transphyseal screws (PETS) has been used to manage leg length discrepancy (LLD) in growing children. The purposes of this study were to analyze effects of PETS on LLD, its associated complications, to determine optimal operation timing, and find ways of preventing complications. Patients and Methods: The data of 59 patients obtained up to screw removal or at skeletal maturity were retrospectively analyzed. Retrospective growth calculations were done using multiplier method. The efficacy of LLD correction was calculated, and the predicted segment length with the index operation was compared with the final measured length and final LLD was measured. The screw insertion angle in 3-dimension was calculated, and it was correlated with the efficacy. Complications associated with screw design and the techniques used were analyzed. Results: The LLD correction efficacy averaged 75.5% (5.0 to 114.0) at the distal femur and 78.9% (11.0 to 111.0) at the proximal tibia. However, mean final LLD was 3.0 mm (range, −10.0 to 16.7 mm), presumably because operations were performed on average 1.3 years earlier than estimated by growth calculation. Three-dimensional screw insertion angle was positively correlated with LLD correction efficacy. Complications were closely related to the screw design and the implantation techniques. Conclusions: PETS provides a minimally invasive and effective means of LLD correction. In view of its delayed effect, we recommend that PETS be performed at least 1 year earlier than estimated optimal epiphysiodesis timing. The careful selection of screw design and length and accurate screw placement are the keys to successful results. Level of Evidence: Level IV prognostic studies.
Tone Recognition of Continuous Mandarin Speech Based on Tone Nucleus Model and Neural Network

A method was developed for automatic recognition of syllable tone types in continuous speech of Mandarin by integrating two techniques, tone nucleus modeling and neural network classifier. The tone nucleus modeling considers a syllable F0 contour as consisting of three parts: onset course, tone nucleus, and offset course. Two courses are transitions from/to neighboring syllable F0 contours, while the tone nucleus is intrinsic part of the F0 contour. By viewing only the tone nucleus, acoustic features less affected by neighboring syllables are obtained. When using the tone nucleus modeling, automatic detection of tone nucleus comes crucial. An improvement was added to the original detection method. Distinctive acoustic features for tone types are not limited to F0 contours. Other prosodic features, such as waveform power and syllable duration, are also useful for tone recognition. Their heterogeneous features are rather difficult to be handled simultaneously in hidden Markov models (HMM), but are easy in neural networks. We adopted multi-layer perceptron (MLP) as a neural network. Tone recognition experiments were conducted for speaker dependent and independent cases. In order to show the effect of integration, experiments were conducted also for two baselines: HMM classifier with tone nucleus modeling, and MLP classifier viewing entire syllable instead of tone nucleus. The integrated method showed 87.1% of tone recognition rate in speaker dependent case, and 80.9% in speaker independent case, which was about 10% relative error reduction as compared to the baselines.
Dynamical differences of hemoglobin and the ionotropic glutamate receptor in different states revealed by a new dynamics alignment method

A new algorithm for comparison of protein dynamics is presented. Compared protein structures are superposed and their modes of motions are calculated using the anisotropic network model. The obtained modes are aligned using the dynamic programming algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch, commonly used for sequence alignment. Dynamical comparison of hemoglobin in the T and R2 states reveals that the dynamics of the allosteric effector 2,3‐bisphosphoglycerate binding site is different in the two states. These differences can contribute to the selectivity of the effector to the T state. Similar comparison of the ionotropic glutamate receptor in the kainate+(R,R)‐2b and ZK bound states reveals that the kainate+(R,R)‐2b bound states slow modes describe upward motions of ligand binding domain and the transmembrane domain regions. Such motions may lead to the opening of the receptor. The upper lobes of the LBDs of the ZK bound state have a smaller interface with the amino terminal domains above them and have a better ability to move together. The present study exemplifies the use of dynamics comparison as a tool to study protein function. Proteins 2017; 85:1507–1517. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Difficulties with physical function associated with obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic-obesity in community-dwelling elderly women: the EPIDOS (EPIDemiologie de l'OSteoporose) Study.

BACKGROUND In elders, decreased muscle mass (sarcopenia) and increased fat mass (obesity) may contribute to difficulties with physical function. OBJECTIVE The objective was to examine the association of obesity, sarcopenia, and their combination (sarcopenic-obesity) with self-reported difficulties performing physical function in a cohort of community-dwelling elderly women. DESIGN We assessed muscle and fat mass by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and self-reported difficulties with physical function in 1308 healthy women aged > or =75 y. Sarcopenia was defined as an appendicular skeletal muscle mass < or =2 SD below the mean in a young female reference group. Obesity was defined as a percentage body fat above the 60th percentile. Thirty-six sarcopenic-obese, 90 purely sarcopenic, 435 purely obese, and 747 women with a healthy body composition were studied. Anthropometric measures, health status, lifestyle habits, and self-reported difficulties with 6 different physical functions were obtained. RESULTS Compared with women with a healthy body composition and after adjustment for confounders, purely sarcopenic women had no increased odds of having difficulties for all of the physical functions assessed, purely obese women had a 44-79% higher odds of having difficulties with most of the physical functions assessed (P < 0.05), and sarcopenic-obese women had a 2.60 higher odds of having difficulty climbing stairs and a 2.35 higher odds of having difficulty going down stairs (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Sarcopenia is not associated with physical difficulties in the absence of obesity. However, in the presence of obesity, sarcopenia tends to add difficulty for some physical functions.
Discovering Behavior Patterns from Social Data for Managing Personal Life

In this thesis, we show the possibility of extracting personal behavior patterns from social data of integrated sources, namely Gmail, Facebook and Twitter, in order to help people understanding the causes and consequences of their behaviors for better managing the daily life. First we show how behaviors affect the quality of the day by predicting daily performance and sentiment with behavior features built from social data. By using collective data in one year period, we can predict one’s daily performance and sentiment versus one’s personal average with accuracy of 83.7% and 73.0% respectively. We also found general behavior patterns such as, excessive social networking tend to affect the performance of the next day negatively, or people who sleep earlier and longer tend to be happier. Next we further explore how factors such as performance or sentiment in return affect behaviors. We found general patterns such as people tend to tweet more when they are in a negative mood. Finally we show that by using only individual data, we can extract behavior patterns of a particular person, which can be different from general behavior patterns extracted from collective data, also by using only the data of a certain period, we can find time-specific patterns such as higher humidity can affect personal performance in summer. By extracting behavior patterns from social data, we show the possibility of helping people to better understand and control their behavior, in order to lead a more autonomous and fulfilled life.
Short-Term Treatment of Acrophobia with Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT): A Case Report

ACROPHOBIA (HEIGHT PHOBIA) is classified as a Specific Phobia, Natural Environment Type in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.1 Natural Environment Type should be specified if objects in the natural environment, such as storms, heights, or water cue the fear. Height phobia generally has a childhood onset and is diagnosed somewhat more frequently in females than in males. This disorder may result in a restricted lifestyle or interference with certain occupations, depending on the severity. There have been relatively few publications that focused on controlled research on the therapy for treating acrophobia. Behavioral therapy has included exposing the subject to anxiety-producing stimuli. These stimuli are generated through a variety of modalities including imaginary (subject generates stimulus via imagination) and in vivo (subject experiences the real world). 2 In addition to current in vivo and imaginary modalities, virtual environments (VEs) can also generate stimuli that will be utilized in desensitization therapy. As in in vivo, systematic desensitization provides stimuli for the patient who cannot imagine well. VE based on stereoscopic head-mounted displays with head tracking will produce visual and auditory stimuli. Unlike the in vivo technique, VE allows therapist-assisted systematic desensitization (SD) within the confines of a clinician’s office, thus avoiding public embarrassment and violation of the patient’s confidentiality. VE adds the advantage of greater control over graded exposure stimulus parameters, and the ability to isolate which virtual stimulus parameters are essential in generating a phobic response, as well as greater efficiency and economy in delivering the equivalent of in vivo exposure within the therapist’s office.3 Several studies for treating patients with acrophobia using virtual reality therapy (VRT) have been published and results were relatively good.4,5 The authors have been treating patients with various phobias during the last 2 years and we found rapid improvement of phobic symptoms among patients who received VRT.
Jaubert (Jacques), Lorblanchet (Michel), Laville (Henri), Slott-Moller (René), Turq (Alain) et Brugal (Jean-Philip). Les chasseurs d'Aurochs de La Borde. Un site du Paléolithique moyen (Livernon, Lot)

Otte Marcel. Jaubert (Jacques), Lorblanchet (Michel), Laville (Henri), Slott-Moller (Rene), Turq (Alain) et Brugal (Jean-Philip). Les chasseurs d'Aurochs de La Borde. Un site du Paleolithique moyen (Livernon, Lot). In: Revue belge de philologie et d'histoire, tome 71, fasc. 1, 1993. Antiquite — Oudheid. p. 217.
Tissue-specific Characteristics and Requirements for Long- Term Scoliosis Rehabilitation: An ICSB Position Paper

Objective: To outline some of the tissue characteristics that must be dealt with in order to achieve sustainable corrections in the scoliotic spine on a theoretical basis Methods: We conducted review of the PubMed and Index to Chiropractic Literature databases, as well as our own personal libraries Discussion: All of the tissues of the spinal system, including nervous, ligament, muscle, and bone are discussed in detail, relating specifically to their involvement in the totality of scoliosis. None of these tissues respond to short term rehabilitation techniques in a corrective manner. Short term treatments may create plastic deformation forces that may be detrimental to long term outcomes. Conclusion: Although short term treatments for scoliosis have resulted in positive outcomes, none of these changes have been supported by long#term follow#up studies. Scoliosis treatment involving chiropractic rehabilitation should focus on obtaining long term outcomes for skeletally immature patients, and avoid reporting only short term outcomes in both the adolescent and adult scoliosis populations.
Low-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions of the Cervix With Marked Cytological Atypia-Clinical Follow-Up and Human Papillomavirus Genotyping

Summary: The majority of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs) of the cervix regress spontaneously; however, a small proportion of LSILs progress to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) if the lesion is not excised. The guidelines for which patients with LSIL should be treated and which may be followed safely are not well established. The goal of this study was to identify a subgroup of patients with LSIL who may require surgical treatment. We hypothesized that patients with LSILs with marked cytological atypia (LSIL-MA) may be at higher risk for subsequent HSIL. In addition, we were interested in whether LSIL-MA was associated with specific human papillomavirus genotypes. Consecutive patients with biopsy diagnosis of LSIL (n = 30) and LSIL-MA (n = 30) were identified. Marked atypia was defined as 5 or more cells with nuclear enlargement of at least 5 times the size of an intermediate cell nucleus or multinucleation with 5 or more nuclei. Patient follow-up was recorded for up to 24 months. Human papillomavirus genotyping was performed using SPF10 PCR and line probe assay. High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion on follow-up was significantly more common in patients with LSIL-MA (36%) than in patients with LSIL (7%), and negative follow-up was significantly more common in patients with LSIL (50%) than LSIL-MA (23%). Cases of LSIL and LSIL-MA showed similar spectrum of human papillomavirus genotypes. Marked cytological atypia in LSILs identifies a subset of patients with a high rate of HSIL on follow-up. In such patients, an excisional cone biopsy should be strongly considered.
' s personal copy Editorial Reprint of : NewApplications of TraceMetals as Proxies inMarine Paleoenvironments ☆

Trace metals that can provide insight into the long-term evolution of Earth-surface conditions are proving to be increasingly important for paleoceanographic studies (Anbar et al., 2007; Lyons et al., 2009). They play an essential role in many biogeochemical cycles, such as Mo and V in nitrogenase, an enzyme used by nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and Cu and Zn in many other enzymes and proteins (Kieffer, 1991; Glass et al., 2009). Because of such roles, the relative availability of trace metals in ancient seawater may have been an important factor that regulated the development of microbial communities and, hence, chemical changes in the ocean and atmosphere through time (Canfield, 1998; Anbar and Knoll, 2002; Saito et al., 2003; Konhauser et al., 2009). The extant evidence suggests that large changes in the trace-metal inventory of seawater have occurred during both the Precambrian and Phanerozoic (Algeo, 2004; Scott et al., 2008). Our ability to track such changes in seawater composition and to determine their relationship to the evolution of biogeochemical systems through time depends on a thorough understanding of the processes that influence trace-metal uptake by the sediment and on the development of suitable trace-metal proxies for paleoceanographic research. The present issue of Chemical Geology consists of 11 papers on the theme of “New applications of trace metals as proxies in marine paleoenvironments. ” The volume is an outgrowth of a theme session organized for the 20th Annual V.M. Goldschmidt International Geochemistry Conference held in Knoxville, Tennessee, in June 2010. The contributions to this issue include one review paper, eight case studies (two on modern sediments, six on Ordovician to Cretaceous paleomarine units), and twomethods papers (Table 1). All of the contributions consider applications of trace-metal concentration data— primarily molybdenum (Mo) and uranium (U), although one study has a focus on rhenium (Re) and a few papers consider other metals. In addition, three studies investigate the utility of Mo isotopes for paleoceanographic research.
3 Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase expression in rat spinal cord.

In adult male rats, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta5-delta4-isomerase (3beta-HSD) expressing cells were identified in the spinal cord from the cervical to the sacral segments. An in situ hybridization study, using an oligonucleotide common to the four known isoforms of rat 3beta-HSD, revealed its mRNA in gray matter. Measurements of optical densities in autoradiograms showed the following regional distribution: dorsal horn (layers I-III) > central canal (layer X) > or = ventral horn (layers VIII-IX) > ventral funiculus = lateral funiculus. At the cellular level, the number of grains was higher on the large motoneurons than on small neurons of the dorsal horn, but the grain density per cell was similar. Further evidence for the expression of 3beta-HSD in the spinal cord was obtained by western blot analysis, which revealed an immunoreactive protein of approximately 45 kDa in the dorsal and ventral parts of the spinal cord. Castration and adrenalectomy did not influence the expression of 3beta-HSD mRNA and protein. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry measurements showed higher levels of pregnenolone and progesterone in the spinal cord than in the plasma. After castration and adrenalectomy, their levels remained elevated in the spinal cord, suggesting that these neurosteroids may be synthesized locally. The wide distribution of 3beta-HSD, and the high levels of pregnenolone and progesterone in the spinal cord even after castration and adrenalectomy, strongly suggest a potential endogenous production of progesterone and an important signalling function of this steroid in the spinal cord.
Globalization and modernization: an obesogenic combination

Animal research has well established that a link exists between variations in corticosteroids and the proneness to excess body fat accumulation. Accordingly, it is known that adrenalectomy is an efficient approach to counteract weight gain in most animal models of obesity. In humans, the association between variations in corticosteroids, its stress‐related environmental effects and the predisposition to obesity is more difficult to demonstrate. In this paper, we propose that this relationship is accentuated by globalization and modernization which favour a labour context imposing additional stress and changes in life habits promoting a positive energy balance. Our main hypothesis is that the increase in knowledge‐based work, and the decrease of quality and duration of sleep both induce an increase in cortisolaemia and glycaemia instability, which results in an increase in food intake, a reduction in energy expenditure and body fat gain. The authors of this paper believe that, from a socioeconomic perspective, globalization leads every nation of the world in conflict with itself and may consequently represent a real problem. On one hand, there are preoccupations related to productivity and money making. On the other hand, people have to adopt a daily lifestyle leading to hyperphagia and decreased energy expenditure in order to maintain their economic competitiveness.
Spa-Typisierung von Methicillin-resistenten Staphylococcus aureus Stämmen am Universitätsklinikum Würzburg

Methicillin-resistente Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Stamme stellen ein zunehmendes Problem fur die Krankenversorgung dar. In einigen europaischen Landern betragt der Anteil der MRSA an der Gesamtzahl von S. aureus Nachweisen aus Blutkulturen in Kliniken bereits uber 40% (16). In Deutschland wurden ein drastischer Anstieg in den vergangenen Jahren sowie deutliche Unterschiede der MRSA-Raten in verschiedenen Krankenhausern verzeichnet. Auserhalb des Krankenhauses erworbene MRSA wurden in der letzten Zeit weltweit als Ursache von Hautinfektionen und nekrotisierenden Pneumonien beobachtet (3,8,11). Diese Stamme sind haufig mit dem durch das lukS-lukF kodierte Panton-Valentine Leukozidin (PVL) ausgestattet. Da eine Transmission von MRSA aus der belebten (uber Menschen und Tiere) und aus der unbelebten Umwelt erfolgen kann, ist insbesondere im Krankenhaus eine Feintypisierung zur Aufklarung von Infektketten erforderlich. Laut Ratgeber des Robert Koch-Instituts zu Staphylokokken-Erkrankungen (aktualisiert im November 2003; www.rki.de) ist zumindest bei Ausbruchen eine Genotypisierung der Erreger anzustreben (z.B. beim Nationalen Referenzzentrum [NRZ] fur Staphylokokken in Wernigerode). Die grose Zahl an MRSA in Deutschland macht es dem NRZ unmoglich, eine Feintypisierung fur alle Stamme anzubieten. Insbesondere Kliniken der Maximalversorgung profitieren daher vom Angebot einer reproduzierbaren und schnellen MRSA-Feintypisierung durch den lokalen Anbieter der mikrobiologischen Diagnostik.