Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Concomitant zoonotic infections with ovine Chlamydia and ‘Q’ fever in pregnancy: clinical features, diagnosis, management and public health implications. Case report

Dear Sir, I would like to congratulate McGivern etal. [ BrJ Obstet Gyriuecol (1988) 95, 294-2981 for once again drawing attention to the especial risk in pregnant women due to enzootic abortions of ewes caused by ovine Chlarnydiapsirtaci. This is often neglected despite circulars from the Scottish Home and Health Department and news bulletins such as The Times newspaper (Prentice 1986). I would, however, like to make several comments. namely: (1) That miscarriage in women may be caused by chlamydiae was first suggcsted by French workers in 19.56 (Giroud et ul. 1956). (2) Thc year of the reference ‘Abortion due to infection with Chlumydiu ysiliaci in a sheep farmer’s wife’ by Johnson rt al. was misquoted throughout the whole paper, i.e. i t should be 1985 instead of 1982. In later publications (Wong et ul. 1985, 1986), the pathology of the chlamydia! abortion duc to severe placentitis has been well described. This was characterized by focal acute intervillitis which indicates the haematological route of spread of the infection. In addition, the chlamydial inclusions seen in trophoblasts were densely packed with elementary bodies, with less reticulate and intermediate forms. Various histochemical stains for glycogen did not demonstrate the presence of glycogcn in these trophoblasts’ inclusions, while inclusions due t o Chlamydia trachornutis contained glycogen. This was further substantiated by transmission clectron microscopy (Wong er al. 1985, 1986). In addition, Herring etal. (1987) had proved conclusively beyond any doubt that, by the restrictive endonuclease technique, the case by Johnson et al. (198.5) was an abortion strain of ovine C. psittaci that had been acquired from the aborting ewe. (3) There was n o mention of the differences among the different strains of ovine C. ps~ittuci, namely arthritis, enteric or abortion strains. It is imperative that these strains are identified genpathological and ultrastructural examination as this could help in understanding the pathology of chlamydial abortion. Su Yong Wong Department of Pathology University Medical Biiildings Foresterhill. Aberdeen AB9 2ZD
Exploratory comparison of vaginal glycogen and Lactobacillus levels in premenopausal and postmenopausal women

ObjectivePrevious studies have suggested that glycogen expression in the vaginal epithelium decreases during menopause, resulting in reduced levels of lactobacilli. However, free glycogen in genital fluids and its relationship with Lactobacillus levels have not been compared in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. MethodsEighty-two cervicovaginal lavage samples were collected at different phases of the menstrual cycle from 11 premenopausal (4 HIV-uninfected and 7 HIV-infected) and 12 postmenopausal (7 HIV-uninfected and 5 HIV-infected) women during a 1- to 3-month period. Free glycogen was quantified in genital fluids. Lactobacillus levels were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Estrogen and progesterone levels in blood were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ResultsFree glycogen was detected in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Across all samples, those from postmenopausal women had significantly lower levels of free glycogen than those from premenopausal women (median, 0.002 vs 0.065 &mgr;g/&mgr;L, respectively; P = 0.03). Lactobacillus levels correlated positively with free glycogen in both premenopausal (Spearman r = 0.68, P < 0.0001) and postmenopausal (r = 0.60, P < 0.002) women. Samples from premenopausal women had higher Lactobacillus levels and lower vaginal pH (median log, 8.1; median pH, 4) than those from postmenopausal women (median log, 7.1; median pH, 4.6), although these differences were not significant. HIV status had no significant effect on these relationships. ConclusionsFree glycogen is detected in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women and correlates with Lactobacillus in both groups. These results point to the complexity of the relationship between menopause and vaginal microbiota and indicate that more careful studies of the role of glycogen are warranted.
Progress report on the effect of a fissure sealant on bacteria in dental caries.

Teeth in which caries had penetrated the pits and fissures were sealed with an ultraviolet-light-polymerized adhesive. Samples of carious dentin from both experimental and contralateral control teeth were taken one, two, four, and six months after the sealant had been placed. After six months, the number of microorganisms from the dentin of sealed teeth was substantially lower than that from the dentin of control teeth.
Numerical Analysis for Double Skin Profiled Steel-Concrete Shear Wall

This paper presents a symmetric finite element model to simulate the behavior of a composite profiled steelconcrete shear wall. The objective of this research paper is to gain more understanding of the behavior of the double skin profiled steel-concrete shear wall. The new model was validated with Rafiei experimental tests [1]. Extensive parametric study on steel and concrete grades, profiled steel thicknesses with ECC [2] and SCC [3] concrete, the effect of changing concrete thickness with the same profiling shape, using embossment with the steel sheet and also using steel sheet and concrete as alone was performed. A comparison between this model and Rafiei finite element model shows that the symmetric model able to simulate the behavior of composite profiled composite shear wall with high accuracy and more faster in computational run time after using adequate mass scaling Keywords—double skin, profiled steel-concrete, composite wall, shear wall, mass scaling, SCC Concrte, ECC Concrete symmetric, finite element model, Numerical analysis, ABAQUS
Patterns and drivers of zoogeographical regions of terrestrial vertebrates in China

Zoogeographical regionalizations have recently seen a revived interest, which has provided new insights into biogeographical patterns. However, few quantitative studies have focused on zoogeographical regions of China. Here, we analyse zoogeographical regions for terrestrial vertebrates in China and how these regions relate to environmental and geological drivers and evaluate levels of cross‐taxon congruence.
Modulation of cytosolic and intra‐sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium waves by calsequestrin in rat cardiac myocytes

Waves of Ca2+‐induced Ca2+ release occur in various cell types and are involved in the pathology of certain forms of cardiac arrhythmia. These arrhythmias include catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), certain cases of which are associated with mutations in the cardiac calsequestrin gene (CASQ2). To explore the mechanisms of Ca2+ wave generation and unravel the underlying causes of CPVT, we investigated the effects of adenoviral‐mediated changes in CASQ2 protein levels on the properties of cytosolic and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ waves in permeabilized rat ventricular myocytes. The free [Ca2+] inside the sarcoplasmic reticulum ([Ca2+]SR) was monitored by fluo‐5N entrapped into the SR, and cytosolic Ca2+ was imaged using fluo‐3. Overexpression of CASQ2 resulted in significant increases in the amplitude of Ca2+ waves and interwave intervals, whereas reduced CASQ2 levels caused drastic reductions in the amplitude and period of Ca2+ waves. CASQ2 abundance had no impact on resting diastolic [Ca2+]SR or on the amplitude of the [Ca2+]SR depletion signal during the Ca2+ wave. However, the recovery dynamics of [Ca2+]SR following Ca2+ release were dramatically altered as the rate of [Ca2+]SR recovery increased ∼3‐fold in CASQ2‐overexpressing myocytes and decreased to 30% of control in CASQ2‐underexpressing myocytes. There was a direct linear relationship between Ca2+ wave period and the half‐time of basal [Ca2+]SR recovery following Ca2+ release. Loading the SR with the low affinity exogenous Ca2+ buffer citrate exerted effects quantitatively similar to those observed on overexpressing CASQ2. We conclude that free intra‐SR [Ca2+] is a critical determinant of cardiac Ca2+ wave generation. Our data indicate that reduced intra‐SR Ca2+ binding activity promotes the generation of Ca2+ waves by accelerating the dynamics of attaining a threshold free [Ca2+]SR required for Ca2+ wave initiation, potentially accounting for arrythmogenesis in CPVT linked to mutations in CASQ2.
The Question of Bone Marrow Stromal Fibroblast Traffic a

Bone marrow stromal fibroblasts (CFU-F) normally do not exchange bone marrow sites in vivo. Restitution of the CFU-F after radiation damage is primarily recovery by the local fibroblasts from potentially lethal damage. Migration of stromal fibroblasts from shielded sites to an irradiated site makes a minimal contribution, if any, to CFU-F recovery. Determination of the relative contribution of donor stromal cells in bone marrow transplants by karyotyping the proliferating bone marrow stromal cells in vitro may not reflect the relative distribution of fibroblasts in the marrow. If there is residual damage to the host stromal fibroblasts from treatment before transplantation, these cells may not be able to proliferate in vitro. Therefore, an occasional transplanted fibroblast may contribute most of the metaphase figures scored for karyotype.
Conserved Initiator Proteins in Eukaryotes

The origin recognition complex (ORC), a multisubunit protein identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, binds to chromosomal replicators and is required for the initiation of cellular DNA replication. Complementary DNAs (cDNAs) encoding proteins related to the two largest subunits of ORC were cloned from various eukaryotes. The cDNAs encoding proteins related to S. cerevisiae Orc1p were cloned from the budding yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe,and human cells. These proteins show similarity to regulators of the S and M phases of the cell cycle. Genetic analysis of orc1+ from S. pombe reveals that it is essential for cell viability. The cDNAs encoding proteins related to S. cerevisiae Orc2p were cloned from Arabidopsis thaliana, Caenorhabditis elegans, and human cells. The human ORC-related proteins interact in vivo to form a complex. These studies suggest that ORC subunits are conserved and that the role of ORC is a general feature of eukaryotic DNA replication.
Sturge-Weber syndrome and port-wine stains caused by somatic mutation in GNAQ.

BACKGROUND The Sturge-Weber syndrome is a sporadic congenital neurocutaneous disorder characterized by a port-wine stain affecting the skin in the distribution of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, abnormal capillary venous vessels in the leptomeninges of the brain and choroid, glaucoma, seizures, stroke, and intellectual disability. It has been hypothesized that somatic mosaic mutations disrupting vascular development cause both the Sturge-Weber syndrome and port-wine stains, and the severity and extent of presentation are determined by the developmental time point at which the mutations occurred. To date, no such mutation has been identified. METHODS We performed whole-genome sequencing of DNA from paired samples of visibly affected and normal tissue from 3 persons with the Sturge-Weber syndrome. We tested for the presence of a somatic mosaic mutation in 97 samples from 50 persons with the Sturge-Weber syndrome, a port-wine stain, or neither (controls), using amplicon sequencing and SNaPshot assays, and investigated the effects of the mutation on downstream signaling, using phosphorylation-specific antibodies for relevant effectors and a luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS We identified a nonsynonymous single-nucleotide variant (c.548G→A, p.Arg183Gln) in GNAQ in samples of affected tissue from 88% of the participants (23 of 26) with the Sturge-Weber syndrome and from 92% of the participants (12 of 13) with apparently nonsyndromic port-wine stains, but not in any of the samples of affected tissue from 4 participants with an unrelated cerebrovascular malformation or in any of the samples from the 6 controls. The prevalence of the mutant allele in affected tissues ranged from 1.0 to 18.1%. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity was modestly increased during transgenic expression of mutant Gαq. CONCLUSIONS The Sturge-Weber syndrome and port-wine stains are caused by a somatic activating mutation in GNAQ. This finding confirms a long-standing hypothesis. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and Hunter's Dream for a Cure Foundation.).
Using the Bivariate Dale Model to jointly estimate predictors of frequency and quantity of alcohol use.

OBJECTIVE This study demonstrates the usefulness of the Bivariate Dale Model (BDM) as a method for estimating the relationship between risk factors and the quantity and frequency of alcohol use, as well as the degree of association between these highly correlated drinking measures. METHOD The BDM is used to evaluate childhood sexual abuse, along with age and gender, as risk factors for the quantity and frequency of beer consumption in a sample of driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) offenders (N = 1,964; 1,612 men). The BDM allows one to estimate the relative odds of drinking up to each level of ordinal-scaled quantity and frequency of alcohol use, as well as model the degree of association between quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption as a function of covariates. RESULTS Individuals who experienced childhood sexual abuse have increased risks of higher quantity and frequency of beer consumption. History of childhood sexual abuse has a greater effect on women, causing them to drink higher quantities of beer per drinking occasion. CONCLUSIONS The BDM is a useful method for evaluating predictors of the quantity-frequency of alcohol consumption. SAS macrocode for fitting the BDM model is provided.
EFFECT OF ARGININE ON CELLULAR ADHESION MOLECULE EXPRESSION AND LEUKOCYTE TRANSMIGRATION IN ENDOTHELIAL CELLS STIMULATED BY BIOLOGICAL FLUID FROM SURGICAL PATIENTS

This study investigated the effect of different arginine (Arg) concentrations on adhesion molecule expression on endothelial cells (ECs) and leukocytes and the transendothelial migration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) through ECs stimulated by plasma or peritoneal drain fluid (PDF) from surgical patients. Human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) and PMNs from healthy subjects were treated with different concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 1000 &mgr;mol/L) of Arg for 24 h. After that, HUVECs were stimulated for 3 h with plasma or PDF from patients who underwent abdominal surgery, and PMNs were allowed to transmigrate through ECs for 2 h. The HUVEC expression of cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) and integrin (CD11b) and the interleukin (IL) 8 receptor expression on PMNs were measured by flow cytometry. The PMNs transmigrating through ECs were also analyzed. The results showed that CAM and integrin expressions in PDF groups were higher than those in control groups. Among the PDF groups, IL-8 secretions from ECs and PMNs were lower with 100 and 1000 &mgr;mol/L Arg than with 0 and 50 &mgr;mol/L Arg, and this was consistent with the expression of the IL-8 receptor on PMNs. In addition, CAM expressions on ECs and CD11b expression on PMNs, as well as PMN transmigration, were lower with 100 and 1000 &mgr;mol/L Arg than with 0 and 50 &mgr;mol/L Arg. The HUVECs stimulated by plasma from surgical patients had similar effects on surface molecule expression as PDF; however, as shown in PDF stimulation, the effects were not so obvious. Inhibition of nitric oxide production results in high CAM and IL-8 expressions comparable with groups with low Arg administration. The results of this in vitro study suggest that ECs and PMNs were activated after patients' plasma or PDF stimulation. A low Arg concentration comparable with catabolic conditions resulted in higher adhesion molecule expression and greater transendothelial migration of neutrophils. Arginine administration at levels similar to or higher than physiological concentrations reduced IL-8 and CAM expression, and PMN transmigration was also decreased after stimulation with plasma or PDF from surgical patients. Inactivation of NO results in high CAM and IL-8 expression. This finding indicated that NO may be an important endogenous inhibitor for EC-PMN interaction and neutrophil transmigration.
Reconstruction de défauts à partir de données issues de capteurs à courants de Foucault avec modèle direct différentiel. (Eddy current tomography with a differential forward model)

RESUME La tomographie par courants de Foucault peut etre utilisee pour evaluer la forme et le volume de defauts dans des plaques metalliques de generateur de vapeur de centrale nucleaire. L’objectif du travail presente est de cartographier la distribution d’une grandeur representative du defaut, ici la conductivite relative. Ce probleme est difficile a resoudre car mal-pose et non-lineaire. Afin de le resoudre un modele numerique est necessaire. Nos travaux ont tout d’abord consiste a etudier les modeles directs existants pour choisir le plus adapte a notre cas. Il s’est avere que les methodes differentielles, differences finies ou elements finis, etaient les plus adaptees a notre cas. Une fois que le modele direct a ete choisi, nous avons adapte les methodes de type contrast source inversion (CSI) a ce modele, puis propose un nouveau critere a minimiser. Les methodes de type CSI sont basees sur la minimisation de l’erreur quadratique ponderee des equations du modele, observation et couplage. Par construction, elles autorisent une erreur sur ces equations. Il apparait que les resultats de reconstruction s’ameliorent lorsque l’erreur sur l’equation de couplage diminue. Afin de contraindre cette equation en evitant des problemes de conditionnement, on a eu recours a une technique de Lagrangien augmente. Enfin, le caractere mal-pose de ce probleme peut etre contourne en introduisant des informations a priori adequates notamment sur la forme generale des defauts a reconstruire ainsi que sur les valeurs possibles de la conductivite relative. L’efficacite des methodes developpees est illustree avec des cas simules en 2D. ----------ABSTRACT Eddy current tomography can be employed to caracterize flaws in metal plates in steam generators of nuclear power plants. Our goal is to evaluate a map of the relative conductivity that represents the flaw. This nonlinear ill-posed problem is difficult to solve and a forward model is needed. First, we studied existing forward models to chose the one that is the most adapted to our case. Finite difference and finite element methods matched very good to our application. We adapted contrast source inversion (CSI) type methods to the chosen model and a new criterion was proposed. These methods are based on the minimization of the weighted errors of the model equations, coupling and observation. They allow an error on the equations. It appeared that reconstruction quality grows with the decay of the error on the coupling equation. We resorted to augmented Lagrangiantechniques to constrain coupling equation and to avoid conditioning problems. In order to overcome the ill-posed character of the problem, prior information was introduced about the shape of the flaw and the values of the relative conductivity. Efficiency of the methods are illustrated with simulated flaws in 2D case.
Sirolimus for rescue and primary immunosuppression in transplanted children receiving tacrolimus.

AIMS The role of sirolimus (SRL) as a rescue agent (n=42) and as a component of primary immunosuppression (n=8) was evaluated in a mixed population of 50 transplanted children receiving tacrolimus (liver: 26, heart: 5, intestinal: 5, liver-intestine: 9, lung: 1, bone marrow: 1, liver-kidney: 1, multivisceral: 1). Rescue indications for tacrolimus (TAC) failure were recurrent acute rejection and acute rejection complicating withdrawal of immunosuppression in posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). Rescue indications for TAC toxicity were nephrotoxicity, pancreatitis, seizures, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and graft-versus-host disease. RESULTS Mean age at rescue was 11.5 years and mean follow-up was 204 (range 18-800) days. As primary immunosuppression, SRL+TAC prevented early acute rejection in 7/8 children. The indication for rescue resolved in 33/42 children. In children with TAC toxicity, this was associated with decrease in TAC doses by 50%, significant improvements in renal function, and continuing decline in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral load in PTLD patients. Serious adverse events led to discontinuation of SRL in 9/42 rescue patients, 3 of them also experienced acute rejection. Three additional children also experienced acute rejection on SRL therapy (overall incidence 6/50, 12%). Pharmacokinetic analysis in the first week of SRL administration suggested a short half-life (11.8+/-5.5 hr, n=21). CONCLUSIONS SRL and reduced-dose TAC may achieve adequate immunosuppression without compromising renal function or enhancing EBV viremia significantly.
BMW's dynamic drive: an active stabilizer bar system

BMW has developed an active stabilizer bar system, called Dynamic Drive, which significantly reduces roll angle during cornering. For higher lateral accelerations, the roll angle increases gradually at the same rate as in conventional cars to alert the driver to the proximity of the stability limit. In addition, the self-steering properties of the vehicle, including understeering and oversteering, improve handling, agility, steering precision, and safety. The Dynamic Drive system consists of a hydraulic valve block with integrated sensors, a hydraulic pump coupled to the power steering pump, a lateral acceleration sensor, a control unit, several hydraulic lines, and two active stabilizer bars with rotating hydraulic actuators. The main control inputs for the Dynamic Drive system are steering angle and lateral acceleration. A dynamic observer implemented in the electronic control unit calculates the necessary vehicle stabilization torque based on a prediction derived from the steering angle signal and lateral acceleration.
Translation of the Glenohumeral Joint With Simulated Active Elevation

&NA; Translation of the glenohumeral joint was measured with a dynamic shoulder model during elevation of the arm in 8 cadaveric specimens. Controlled hydrodynamic actuator forces were applied to the deltoid muscle and the rotator cuff through wire cables. Using a constant force ratio, the glenohumeral joint was elevated to 90°. The position of the arm in all spatial orientations was measured with an ultrasonic device. Reproducibility of glenohumeral joint motion was demonstrated on the basis of 5 cycles of glenohumeral joint elevation. The rotational center of the humeral head was used as the reference point for translation. Translation during elevation of the glenohumeral joint between 20° and 90° averaged 9.0 mm ± 5.2 mm superiorly and 4.4 mm ± 1.3 mm anteriorly. Physiologic variation of muscle activity, which is not yet fully understood, was not included in the model. In vivo, translation may be diminished by coordinated activity of the rotator cuff. The presence of significant glenohumeral joint translation underlines the importance of active, muscular guidance at the shoulder. Physiologic translation must be considered in the design of total shoulder arthroplasty, in shoulder instability, and in the impingement syndrome.