Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pseudotumor cerebri associated with Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection

A 14-year-old girl had a fever on July 30, 1988, and a generalized maculopapular eruption and injected eyes on August 1. These findings had continued until admission. She had watery diarrhea transiently on August 1. She was admitted on August 5, day 7 of the illness, to Fukuoka University Hospital. On admission her body temperature was 38.9"C and her bulbar conjunctivae were injected. Her throat was injected and her tongue was strawberry-like. A maculopapular eruption was detected predominantly in the extremities. She was obese (height 153.5 cm; body weight 61.0 kg). She had no pathological lymph-node swelling. Her white blood cell count was 9.7 x 103/mm3 and C-reactive protein concentration was 10.2 mg/dl. Thrombocytopenia (3.9 x 104/mm3) and elevation of blood urea nitrogen (71 mg/dl) and creatinine (2.8 mg/ dl) were detected. There was no finding indicating intravascular hemolysis. Antinuclear antibody was negative and C3, C4, CH50 and immunoglobulins were all within normal limits. Cultures from blood and stools were negative. Chest X-ray examination revealed left pneumonia and pleural effusion. Urine was not tested because she was menstruating. She was administered cephoperazone/sulbactum 2 g/ day iv and erythromycin 1.2 g/day perorally. Her fever had disappeared by August 8 and her general condition was improved. She then complained of double vision, which lasted until August 14. Funduscopy showed bilateral papilledema. Neurologic examination revealed bilateral abducens paresis that had concomitantly developed on August 9, which disappeared by August 16. Computed tomography of the head conducted on August 10 showed no abnormalities. A lumbar puncture on August 12 yielded clear, sterile cerebrospinal fluid with an opening pressure of 430 mmH20, 1.7 cells/mm3, 44 mg/dl of glucose and 22 mg/dl of total protein. Opening pressure was decreased to 295 mmHzO on September 1. She was discharged on September 3 without abnormal neurological findings. Titers of agglutination antibody against Y. pseudotuberculosis I-VI and Y . enterocolitica 0 : 3 were determined and only antiY . pseudotuberculosis IVa antibody showed a significant four-fold increase ( x 20x 80). Serologic tests for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, EpsteinBarr virus and Streptococcus pyogenes were all negative and Widal (Vi, A, B, D) and Weil-Felix tests showed no significant increase.
A rescue factor abolishing neuronal cell death by a wide spectrum of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and Aβ

Through functional expression screening, we identified a gene, designated Humanin (HN) cDNA, which encodes a short polypeptide and abolishes death of neuronal cells caused by multiple different types of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and by Aβ amyloid, without effect on death by Q79 or superoxide dismutase-1 mutants. Transfected HN cDNA was transcribed to the corresponding polypeptide and then was secreted into the cultured medium. The rescue action clearly depended on the primary structure of HN. This polypeptide would serve as a molecular clue for the development of new therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease targeting neuroprotection.
Camphor Pathway Redux: Functional Recombinant Expression of 2,5- and 3,6-Diketocamphane Monooxygenases of Pseudomonas putida ATCC 17453 with Their Cognate Flavin Reductase Catalyzing Baeyer-Villiger Reactions

ABSTRACT Whereas the biochemical properties of the monooxygenase components that catalyze the oxidation of 2,5-diketocamphane and 3,6-diketocamphane (2,5-DKCMO and 3,6-DKCMO, respectively) in the initial catabolic steps of (+) and (−) isomeric forms of camphor (CAM) metabolism in Pseudomonas putida ATCC 17453 are relatively well characterized, the actual identity of the flavin reductase (Fred) component that provides the reduced flavin to the oxygenases has hitherto been ill defined. In this study, a 37-kDa Fred was purified from a camphor-induced culture of P. putida ATCC 17453 and this facilitated cloning and characterization of the requisite protein. The active Fred is a homodimer with a subunit molecular weight of 18,000 that uses NADH as an electron donor (K m = 32 μM), and it catalyzes the reduction of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) (K m = 3.6 μM; k cat = 283 s−1) in preference to flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) (K m = 19 μM; k cat = 128 s−1). Sequence determination of ∼40 kb of the CAM degradation plasmid revealed the locations of two isofunctional 2,5-DKCMO genes (camE 25–1 for 2,5-DKCMO-1 and camE 25–2 for 2,5-DKCMO-2) as well as that of a 3,6-DKCMO-encoding gene (camE 36). In addition, by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, the CAM plasmid was established to be linear and ∼533 kb in length. To enable functional assessment of the two-component monooxygenase system in Baeyer-Villiger oxidations, recombinant plasmids expressing Fred in tandem with the respective 2,5-DKCMO- and 3,6-DKCMO-encoding genes in Escherichia coli were constructed. Comparative substrate profiling of the isofunctional 2,5-DCKMOs did not yield obvious differences in Baeyer-Villiger biooxidations, but they are distinct from 3,6-DKCMO in the stereoselective oxygenations with various mono- and bicyclic ketone substrates.
Modulation of the antigenicity of C1r and C1s by C1 inactivator.

The first complement component, C1, was activated in normal human sera by addition of aggregated IgG, immune complexes, and lipopolysaccharide, after which the concentrations of the C1 subcomponents, C1r and C1s, were measured by single radial immunodiffusion. A progressive reduction in C1r antigen content was observed as greater amounts of activator were added to normal human sera. Three lines of evidence proved that the apparent disappearance of C1r was due to interaction of C1r̅ with C1̄ Inactivator (C1̄ In). First, no loss of C1r antigen was detected in sera from patients with hereditary angioneurotic edema, which lack functional C1̄ Inactivator. Second, reconstitution of these patients' sera with physiologic concentrations of purified C1̄ In resulted in the disappearance of C1r antigen. Third, purified C1̄ In greatly reduced the intensity of the precipitin line formed between purified C1r̅ and anti-C1r̅. In parallel experiments, certain antisera to C1s were found to show a comparable disappearance of C1s antigenic content in activated human sera. This antigenic loss was similarly shown to be due to the interaction of C1s̅ with C1̄ In. However, it should be noted that the detection of changes of C1s̅ antigenicity was dependent on the specificity of the C1s antisera employed, since antisera with antigenic specificities apparently directed to determinants on the C1s molecule distant from the region of interaction with C1̄ In did not show changes with activation. Ultracentrifugal studies demonstrated that C1r̅ and C1s̅ formed soluble complexes with C1̄ In in activated serum, thus precluding the possibility that C1r̅ and C1s̅ escape immunochemical detection in activated serum by being present in large aggregated complexes. Also ruled out, in the case of C1s̅, is the possibility that the binding of C1̄ In leads to a major conformational rearrangement of C1s̅ with resulting changes in exposed antigens of the molecule. It is most likely that the loss in C1r̅ and C1s̅ antigenic content with activation of C1 in serum occurs because of simple physical masking of the relevant antigens of C1r̅ and C1s̅ by the relatively large C1̄ In molecule.
Das razões da utilização do EBITDA por profissionais de mercado: uma contribuição prática

Este trabalho buscou entender a utilizacao do EBITDA por profissionais atuantes no mercado profissional brasileiro. O EBITDA, que despontou na decada de 1970 nos Estados Unidos da America como uma ferramenta para medir o desempenho operacional de empresas com pesados investimentos em capital intensivo e/ou empresas altamente alavancadas, devido ao seu sucesso rapidamente se disseminou por todo o mundo como uma importante proxy para fluxos de caixa. No entanto, ao longo dos anos a comunidade academica e profissional, assim como orgaos reguladores e normatizadores, levantaram uma serie de criticas e ponderacoes quanto ao seu uso, possivelmente maiores que suas virtudes. Assim, nasceu a motivacao deste trabalho: por que e como profissionais tao gabaritados continuam utilizando o EBITDA em seu dia a dia, apesar de suas fragilidades conceituais? Tambem teve-se a motivacao de discutir um tema pouco aprofundado no Brasil. Trata-se de um trabalho de cunho qualitativo e exploratorio, realizado atraves de entrevista com amostra de profissionais selecionados por conveniencia e com os dados analisados pela tecnica de analise de conteudo, com suporte do software ATLAS.ti. Os resultados apontaram que os profissionais da amostra continuam utilizando o EBITDA principalmente pela facilidade de uso e de calculo, alem de entenderem ser uma boa medida de desempenho operacional. No entanto, alem das diversas criticas tecidas, apontam tambem que o utilizam devido a falta de uma boa proxy para fluxo de caixa que tenha custo beneficio de utilizacao semelhante. Por fim, identificamos que uma das razoes para sua utilizacao reside no Isomorfismo Mimetico, conforme analisado pela Nova Sociologia Institucional, ou Neo-institucionalismo.
Biomimetic Materials in Our World: A Review.

The study of biomineralization offers valuable and incredible insights into the scope and nature of material chemistry at the inorganic and organic surfaces. Biological systems (architecture) are replete with examples of organic supramolecular assemblies (double and triplet helices, multisubunit proteins, membranebound reaction centres, vesicle, tubules e. t. c.), some of which (collagen, cellulose and chitin) extend to microscopic dimensions in the form of hierarchical structure, There are ample opportunities of lessons from the biological (on growth and functional adaptation), and physical (properties and compositions) world. This review explores the field of biomimetic material chemistry as it relates to fibres with respect to their historical perspective, the use of the products of biomimetic material, the progressive efforts and a general overview. Conclusively, biomimetic materials research is indeed a rapidly growing and enormously promising field that needs to be explored.
Selenium deficiency impairs corticosterone and leptin responses to adrenocorticotropin in the rat

Selenium deficiency causes oxidative stress and impairs steroidogenesis in vitro. Leptin is closely related to the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis. Leptin inhibits the HPA axis at the central level while corticosteroids have been shown to stimulate leptin secretion in most studies. We hypothesized that oxidative stress impairs adrenal steroidogenesis and decreases leptin production in vivo. The goal of this study was to investigate in rats the effects of selenium deficiency and oxidative stress on adrenal function and on leptin concentrations.
Comparative Analysis of the Free Oscillations Generated by the Sumatra- Andaman Islands 2004 and the Chile 1960 Earthquakes

The Chile 1960 and Sumatra-Andaman Islands 2004 earthquakes are among the three greatest events that have occurred since the instrumental recording of seismic waves. The two events have similarities in hypocentral depth and focal mechanism but are very different when considering the extension of the fault plane. The recent event has close to 50% greater length than the Chile event, and although the moment magnitude of the Chile event is 0.2 to 0.5 points greater, the magnitude determination of the Sumatra-Andaman depends on the frequency range considered in the calculations (free oscillations with periods 1000 sec or seismic waves, with periods of 300-500 sec). For the Chile event only the seismic moment for periods of T 1000 sec is presently available, although the estimate of seismic moment at larger periods is crucial for a comparison of the two events. Our study makes a direct comparison of the free oscillation amplitudes of the two events by analyzing the records of the Grotta Gigante long-base tiltmeters, which have been recording tilt continuously since 1960. The particular mountings and physical dimension of the instruments make them particularly apt to record the torsional free oscillation waves, scarcely observed by standard long-period seismographs and not directly observable by the gravity meters. We determine the singlet frequencies for some of the lower spheroidal and torsional modes and a broad spectrum of multiplet frequencies for the higher modes. After correcting for the decay of the modes, we determine the amplitude ratios of the activated modes for the two events. The amplitude ratios vary between 1.5 and 3. Our results can be used directly for determining the ratios of the seismic moments of the two events over the frequency range 0.3-3 mHz, the only necessary correction being that of the site dependence of the free mode amplitudes.
Wireless Geolocation Systems and Services

ireless communications systems, mobile cellular and PCS alike, now face the responsibility of locating emergency callers, as specified in the recent FCC ruling, and return the location information to public safety answering points (PSAPs). While the FCC ruling is the major driver for wireless providers to offer location capability, location services other than 911 emergency calls are emerging as potential value-added services and network management aids. Examples are prioritized differently by different network operators; nevertheless, they range from zone-based billing to mobile yellow pages, from roadside assistance to fleet management. Geolocation technology is a broad topic that has been established and progressed in its own right. Radar technology, the Global Positioning System (GPS), and other examples are in place. This issue is dedicated to making a wireless communications system provide geolocation services without the full-blown capabilities of these existing geolocation systems. Indeed, making a wireless communication system provide location services is a nontrivial task. The mobile phone is not a device that was designed to be “locatable. ” There are numerous other challenges at every layer of the wireless communication network that need to be overcome. Some solutions involve overlaying the communications system with a location system, while others suggest integrated configurations or modifications to the mobile terminals.
Monitoring visual sustained attention with a low-cost EEG headset

In this preliminary study, we explore the brain activity of healthy subjects during visual sustained attention task using a low-cost electroencephalography headset. The main objective is to study the ability of subjects to detect and respond to stimulus changes which occur infrequently during the time using Emotiv EPOC system. 14-Channels EEG data were recorded while subjects participated in 10 minutes arrows direction task. They were asked to press the left button when the arrow is directed to left and stop pressing when the arrow is directed to right. EEG data were analyzed using brain topography map. Results showed high activation in the brain areas in the beginning of the experiment and low activation over time for next trials. When the right arrow appears on the screen a high activation is observed on all the brain regions.
A Similar Incidence of Transient Neurologic Symptoms After Spinal Anesthesia with 2% and 5% Lidocaine

Recent reports suggest that transient neurologic symptoms are common after spinal anesthesia with 5% lidocaine.To determine whether reducing the anesthetic concentration might decrease the incidence of symptoms, 50 ASA class I or II patients undergoing brief gynecologic procedures under spinal anesthesia were randomly allocated to receive 1 mg/kg of either 5% or 2% lidocaine in 7.5% glucose. Patients were evaluated on the first postoperative day by an anesthesiologist who was unaware of the solution administered or the details of the anesthetic procedure. Symptoms suggestive of transient radicular irritation were observed in 8 patients (32%) receiving 5% lidocaine, and in 10 patients (40%) receiving 2% lidocaine (NS). These results confirm our previous findings that transient neurologic symptoms may occur in up to one third of the patients receiving 5% lidocaine, and indicate that a modest reduction in lidocaine concentration does not reduce risk. (Anesth Analg 1996;83:1051-4)
rho family GTPase activating proteins p190, bcr and rhoGAP show distinct specificities in vitro and in vivo.

rho family GTPases link extracellular signals to changes in the organization of cytoskeletal actin. Serum stimulation of quiescent Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts leads to rho‐dependent actin stress fibre formation and focal adhesions, whilst several growth factors initiate signalling pathways leading to rac‐dependent actin polymerization at the plasma membrane, and membrane ruffling. The product of the breakpoint cluster region gene bcr, rho GTPase accelerating protein (rhoGAP) and rasGAP‐associated p190 share structurally related rho GAP domains, and possess GAP activity for rho family members in vitro. We have directly compared the activities of the isolated GAP domains of these three proteins in regulating different rho family GTPases, both by in vitro assays and by microinjection, to address their possible physiologic functions. We show that bcr accelerates the GTPase activity of rac, but not rho in vitro, and inhibits rac‐mediated membrane ruffling, but not rho‐mediated stress fibre formation, after microinjection into Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts. In vitro, rhoGAP has a striking preference for G25K as a substrate, whilst p190GAP has marked preferential activity for rho. Furthermore, p190 preferentially inhibits rho‐mediated stress fibre formation in vivo. Our data suggest that p190, rhoGAP and bcr play distinct roles in signalling pathways mediated through different rho family GTPases.
Revisiting context-based code smells prioritization: on supporting referred context

Because numerous code smells are revealed by code smell detectors, many attempts have been undertaken to mitigate related problems by prioritizing and filtering code smells. We earlier proposed a technique to prioritize code smells by leveraging the context of the developers, i.e., the modules that the developers plan to implement. Our empirical studies revealed that the results of code smells prioritized using our technique are useful to support developers' implementation on the modules they intend to change. Nonetheless, in software change processes, developers often navigate through many modules and refer to them before making actual changes. Such modules are important when considering the developers' context. Therefore, it is essential to ascertain whether our technique can also support developers on modules to which they are going to refer to make changes. We conducted an empirical study of an open source project adopting tools for recording developers' interaction history. Our results demonstrate that the code smells prioritized using our approach can also be used to support developers for modules to which developers are going to refer, irrespective of the need for modification.
Analysis and modeling pf passive stereo and time-of-flight imaging

This thesis is concerned with the analysis and modeling of effects which cause errors in passive stereo and Time-of-Flight imaging systems. The main topics are covered in four chapters: I commence with a treatment of a system combining Time-of-Flight imaging with passive stereo and show how commonly used fusion models relate to the measurements of the individual modalities. In addition, I present novel fusion techniques capable of improving the depth reconstruction over those obtained separately by either modality. Next, I present a pipeline and uncertainty analysis for the generation of large amounts of reference data for quantitative stereo evaluation. The resulting datasets not only contain reference geometry, but also per pixel measures of reference data uncertainty. The next two parts deal with individual effects observed: Time-of-Flight cameras suffer from range ambiguity if the scene extends beyond a certain distance. I show that it is possible to extend the valid range by changing design parameters of the underlying measurement system. Finally, I present methods that make it possible to amend model violation errors in stereo due to reflections. This is done by means of modeling a limited level of light transport and material properties in the scene.
Pseudouridine: Still mysterious, but never a fake (uridine)!

Pseudouridine (Ψ) is the most abundant of >150 nucleoside modifications in RNA. Although Ψ was discovered as the first modified nucleoside more than half a century ago, neither the enzymatic mechanism of its formation, nor the function of this modification are fully elucidated. We present the consistent picture of Ψ synthases, their substrates and their substrate positions in model organisms of all domains of life as it has emerged to date and point out the challenges that remain concerning higher eukaryotes and the elucidation of the enzymatic mechanism.
Biomarkers and Peak Oxygen Uptake in Patients with Chronic Lung Disease

Background: Peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) is a predictor of outcome in patients with lung disease. In these patients, peak VO2 is typically determined by ventilation and gas exchange. However, it is not well known whether cardiac strain contributes to peak VO2 in patients with chronic lung disease. Objective: To assess the relationship between several novel biomarkers reflecting different aspects of cardiac function and peak VO2 in patients with chronic lung disease. Methods: Plasma concentrations of midregional pro-A-type natriuret- ic peptide (MR-proANP), midregional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM), C-terminal proendothelin-1 (CT-proET-1), and C-terminal provasopressin (copeptin) were measured in 85 patients with a variety of chronic pulmonary diseases [age 57 ± 14 years, forced expiratory volume in the 1st second (FEV1) 76 ± 23% of the predicted value] undergoing maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (peak VO2 18.6 ± 6.6 ml/kg/min). Results: Raised MR-proANP (r = –0.54), MR- proADM (r = –0.54), and CT-proET-1 (r = –0.49; p < 0.001 for all) but not copeptin (r = –0.05; p = 0.68) concentrations were associated with lower peak VO2, and these associations were independent of age, gender, medication, FEV1 and oxygenation. The relationship between MR-proANP, MR-proADM, and CT-proET-1 and peak VO2 was significant whether patients had an obstructive ventilatory disease or not. Conclusions: In patients with chronic lung disease, several biomarkers known to reflect measures of cardiac function were associated with peak VO2 independent of lung function, indicating that cardiac strain may contribute to exercise limitation in these patients due to concomitant cardiac disease or in the context of a pulmonary-cardiac interaction.
Is ephedrine the best vasopressor for treating spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension in patients with pre-eclampsia?

To the Editor: I enjoyed your recent articles regarding spinal anesthesia and preeclampsia (1,2). Both studies used ephedrine to treat spinal anesthesiainduced hypotension. On December 30, 2003, the Food and Drug Administration released a Consumer Alert (P03-106) alerting the public about the risks of ephedra and its active ingredient, ephedrine. The risk of seizures with ephedra and ephedrine is well documented (3–6). If ephedrine evokes seizures, perhaps it is not the best vasopressor for treating spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension in patients with preeclampsia. A significant percentage of pre-eclamptics develop eclampsia after delivery (7). Is it possible that the treatment of spinal anesthesiainduced hypotension with ephedrine is lowering the seizure threshold in these patients, predisposing them to seizures?