Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of hydrostatic pressure to produce 'native' monomers of yeast enolase.

The effects of hydrostatic pressure on yeast enolase have been studied in the presence of 1 mm Mn(2+). When compared with apo-enolase, and Mg-enolase, the Mn-enzyme differs from the others in three ways. Exposure to hydrostatic pressure does not inactivate the enzyme. If the experiments are performed in the presence of 1 mm Mg(2+), or with apo-enzyme, the enzyme is inactivated [Kornblatt, M.J., Lange R. , Balny C. (1998) Eur. J. Biochem 251, 775-780]. The UV spectra of the high pressure forms of the Mg(2+)- and apo-forms of enolase are identical and distinct from the spectrum of the form obtained in the presence of 1 mm Mn(2+); this suggests that Mn(2+) remains bound to the high pressure form of enolase. With Mn-enolase, the various spectral changes do not occur in the same pressure range, indicating that multiple processes are occurring. Pressure experiments were performed as a function of [Mn(2+)] and [protein]. One of the changes in the UV spectra shows a dependence on protein concentration, indicating that enolase is dissociating into monomers. The small changes in the UV spectrum and the retention of activity lead to a model in which enolase, in the presence of high concentrations of Mn(2+), dissociates into native monomers; upon release of pressure, the enzyme is fully active. Although further spectral changes occur at higher pressures, there is no inactivation as long as Mn(2+) remains bound. We propose that the relatively small and polar nature of the subunit interface of yeast enolase, including the presence of several salt bridges, is responsible for the ability of hydrostatic pressure to dissociate this enzyme into monomers with a native-like structure.
Volatile Components from Old Plum Brandies

Summary Gas chromatography and GC/MS methods were used to detect volatile components of three home-made natural old plum brandy samples and one sample of industrially-produced plum brandy. Gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis of this extracts led to the identification of 99 components, including 46 esters, 7 hydrocarbons (alkanes and alkenes), 3 aldehydes, 9 alcohols, 1 lactone, 1 ketone, 8 acetals, 14 terpenes, 8 acids and 2 phenols. Ethyl esters of C8–C18 acids were the most abundant in all samples. In addition, the content of methanol, ethanol and higher alcohols C3–C5 was determined.
Effect of exercise training on heart rate variability in patients with new-onset left ventricular dysfunction after myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND Cardiac rehabilitation with exercise training alters sympathovagal control of heart rate variability (HRV) toward parasympathetic dominance in patients after acute myocardial infarction (MI). However, its effects on HRV in patients after MI with new-onset left ventricular dysfunction are yet unknown. We aimed to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of supervised, high-intensity exercise training on time- and frequency-domain measures of HRV in this selected patient population. METHODS AND RESULTS Twenty-five men with an acute MI and a low ejection fraction were randomly assigned to enter or not to enter a training program in a regional rehabilitation center. HRV was evaluated before and after 1 and 2 months of training and at 12 months. Maximal exercise testing with respiratory gas exchange was performed at baseline and after training. Resting heart rate decreased (P <. 01) and the percentage of R-R intervals differing >50 ms from the preceding one (pNN50) increased (P <.05) after training. The standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDRR) tended to increase, but frequency-domain indexes remained unchanged. There was a significant decrease in SDRR (P <.05) and high-frequency power (P <.01) at 12 months in untrained patients. Exercise time increased by 38% and maximal oxygen uptake increased by 29% in the training group (P <. 01). CONCLUSIONS Despite beneficial effects on clinical variables, exercise training did not markedly alter HRV indexes. A significant decrease in SDRR and high-frequency power in the control group suggests an ongoing process of sympathovagal imbalance in favor of sympathetic dominance in untrained patients after MI with new-onset left ventricular dysfunction.
Progressive chronic Chagas heart disease ten years after treatment with anti-Trypanosoma cruzi nitroderivatives.

A randomized ten-year follow-up study involving 91 Chagas patients and 41 uninfected controls was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of nitroderivative therapy. Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies were consistently lower one year after treatment than 10 years thereafter (P < 0.001). The blood of all treated and 93.7% of untreated Chagas patients yielded polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product from probes annealing to T. cruzi nuclear DNA, indicating active infection. Competitive PCR showed means +/- standard deviations of 20.1+/-22.6 T. cruzi/ml of blood from untreated and 13.8+/-14.9 from treated Chagas patients, but the differences between means were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Electrocardiograms recorded a gamut of alterations several-fold more frequent in Chagas patients, regardless of treatment, than in uninfected controls (P < 0.001). These results show that nitroderivative therapy for T. cruzi infections is unsatisfactory and cannot be recommended since it fails to eradicate the parasite or change the progression of heart disease in chronic Chagas patients.
Active nuclear material detection and imaging

An experimental evaluation has been conducted to assess the operational performance of a coded-aperture, thermal neutron imaging system and its detection and imaging capability for shielded nuclear material in pulsed photonuclear environments. This evaluation used an imaging system developed by Brookhaven National Laboratory. The active photonuclear environment was produced by an operationally-flexible, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) pulsed electron accelerator. The neutron environments were monitored using INL photonuclear neutron detectors. Results include experimental images, operational imaging system assessments and recommendations that would enhance nuclear material detection and imaging performance.
Power control of a stand-alone photovoltaic/ wind/ energy storage hybrid generation system with Maximum Power Point Tracker

In this paper, a hybrid generation system combining photovoltaic (PV), wind turbine (WT) and Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC) is presented to supply stable power to residential power applications as stand-alone loads. The photovoltaic and wind systems are used as main energy sources while the EDLC is used as storage device. Three individual DC/DC converters are used to control the power flow to the load. Control with DC/DC converters is used for Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) and hence maximum power extracting from the solar photovoltaic systems and wind turbine. The aim of this paper is to compensate power fluctuation of renewable energy using Maximum Power Point Tracker. The system controls EDLC power to match demand and supply power. If PV and WT generate power is lower than demand power, the EDLC is controlled to discharge power to complete the difference of supply and demand power. If PV and WT generate power is higher than demand power, the EDLC is controlled to charge power. The system was simulated by using MATLAB/Simulink. The simulation results show the proposed system can compensate power fluctuation.
LH Supplementation for Low LH Levels during Antagonist IVF Cycles Improves Live Birth Rates

Introduction: Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist IVF protocols often induce a significant decrease in serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels that may affect assisted reproductive technology cycle outcomes. However, supplementing all women undergoing antagonist cycles with recombinant LH does not improve clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of LH supplementation specifically in those who had low intra-cycle LH levels. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, women undergoing IVF/ICSI antagonist cycles had blood tests for LH, oestradiol and progesterone on day 5 of stimulation and then every 1-2 days until the trigger injection leading to egg collection. One group followed the current standard protocol of no LH supplementation given. The other had LH supplementation in the form of either recombinant LH (Luveris; Merck Serono, Switzerland) or urinary human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (Pregnyl; MSD, USA) when any intra-cycle blood test showed LH < 1 mIU/. Results: Between February 2010 and December 2011, 3 groups of women undergoing antagonist cycles were identified: (1) Cycles in which LH ≥ 1 (n = 81), (2) LH < 1 with no supplement given (n = 75) and (3) LH < 1 in which LH supplementation was given (n = 51). There were no significant differences in age, FSH starting dose, days of stimulation, number of embryos transferred, number of embryos frozen or endometrial thickness. Women given LH supplementation had significantly higher peak oestradiol levels. Live birth rates per cycle completed were (1) 43.2%, (2) 30.7% and (3) 45.1%. Women who had adequate LH or were supplemented during antagonist IVF cycles had a significantly better live birth rate (58/132) than women with low LH levels who were not given supplementation (24/75) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study, though relatively small, demonstrated significantly higher live birth rates in women given LH supplementation in antagonist cycles in which their intra-cycle LH levels were very low. Our monitoring indicates this occurs in over half of antagonist cycles. While there is ongoing debate about the potential benefit of LH supplementation, we propose that it is most likely to be useful when cycles are individualized and given when LH levels are shown to be low. More studies to examine this hypothesis are needed.
Failure to infect rhesus monkeys with hepatitis C virus strains of genotypes 1a, 2a or 3a

The chimpanzee is the only recognized animal model for the study of hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, recently it was reported that rhesus monkeys were susceptible to HCV and developed hepatitis during infection. In the present study, we inoculated two rhesus monkeys each with HCV strain H77 (genotype 1a), strain HC‐J6 (genotype 2a) or strain S52 (genotype 3a). Weekly serum samples were tested for liver enzyme values, HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. We did not find evidence of HCV infection in any of the monkeys during 24 weeks of follow‐up. Our study demonstrates that rhesus monkeys are not readily infected with HCV and apparently do not represent a useful animal model for the study of HCV.
The Anti-Fatigue Effect of Eucommia ulmoides Leaves in Mice

Abstract-The anti-fatigue effect of Eucommia ulmoids leaves in mice was studied in this research. Different extracts were prepared: water extract (EUH) and 80% ethanol extract (EUE) of Eucommia ulmoids leaves. The weight-loaded swimming time and biochemical parameters, such as blood lactic acid (LA), serum urea nitrogen (SUN), hepatic glycogen and muscle glycogen were investigated. The results showed that both EUH and EUE exhibited the anti-fatigue effect, but EUE represented more obvious capacity than EUH. In order to learn the mechanism of anti-fatigue effect from Eucommia ulmoids leaves, the hypoxia tolerance test and antioxidation test in vitro were taken. The results showed that compared with control group, EUH or EHE could not prolong the hypoxia tolerance time. However, both EUH and EUE had significant anti-oxidative activity, and antioxidation of EUE was higher than EUH. That meant the anti-fatigue effect of Eucommia ulmoids leaves was related to its anti-oxidative activity.
Deficiency of DAF and Crry on murine platelets leads to complement-dependent clearance via the macrophage phagocytic receptor CRIg

Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr. Wen-Chao Song Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics and Department of Pharmacology University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Rm 1254 BRBII/III, 421 Curie Blvd Philadelphia, PA 19104, Tel: 215-573-6641, Fax: 215-746-8941 song@spirit.gcrc. upenn.edu Blood First Edition Paper, prepublished online June 4, 2008; DOI 10.1182/blood-2008-01-134304
An adaptive predictive current control technique for permanent magnet synchronous motors

Producing the required magnitude and shape of reference current is necessary to achieve precise torque control in motor control applications. A deadbeat predictive current controller provides very good dynamic performance. In order to achieve very accurate reference current production the machine and inverter should be modeled properly with accurate parameters. Parameter changes, especially the back emf voltages and inverter delay elements, cause deadbeat current regulator performance to deteriorate significantly. This paper addresses accurate determination of permanent magnet synchronous machine parameters dynamically on-line, taking into account the delay elements such as inverter output filters, calculation time steps of the control algorithm within the DSP, and updating the current regulation accordingly. The new algorithm is simulated and experimentally tested. The simulation and experimental results of the new current regulation technique provide very good dynamic and steady state results, validating regulator performance.
Review of the clinical practice literature on patient characteristics associated with perioperative allogeneic red blood cell transfusion.

There is evidence to suggest that there exists considerable variation in red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practices, especially in the surgical specialties. This is in large part related to difficulties in defining specific transfusion threshold criteria, given that there is no minimum acceptable hemoglobin threshold concentration and there is variability in assigning importance to patient factors. The purpose of this study is to identify patient-related factors that might be associated with the need for allogeneic RBC transfusion in surgical patients. We systematically identified, selected, and reviewed all observational or interventional studies describing patient-specific or related variables associated with the need for allogeneic RBC transfusion in the surgical patient population. We also evaluated the methodological characteristics of the individual studies. Sixty-two studies met our inclusion criteria and were analyzed for this review. Most of these studies were conducted in patients undergoing cardiac surgery (n = 30) and orthopedic surgery (n = 16). Decreased preoperative red cell reserve was most frequently associated with RBC transfusions, being identified as a significant variable in 46 studies. The other factors commonly associated with transfusion were advancing age (n = 28), female gender (n = 21), and small body size (n = 14). Only 2 studies attempted to prospectively validate a predictive model for RBC transfusion based on the variables identified. This systematic review shows that preoperative anemia, advancing age, female gender, and small body size are often associated with perioperative allogeneic RBC transfusion. However, the retrospective nature of most of the studies and the small sample sizes make it difficult to formulate a clinically useful prediction rules regarding allogeneic RBC transfusion. Ongoing research in designing large prospective cohort studies evaluating transfusion patterns are needed to further elucidate how patient characteristics impact the transfusion threshold.
Averting Lemur Extinctions amid Madagascar's Political Crisis

Community-based management, ecotourism, and researchers' presence are proposed to prevent lemur extinctions. The most threatened mammal group on Earth, Madagascar's five endemic lemur families (lemurs are found nowhere else) (1), represent more than 20% of the world's primate species and 30% of family-level diversity. This combination of diversity and uniqueness is unmatched by any other country—remarkable considering that Madagascar is only 1.3 to 2.9% the size of the Neotropics, Africa, or Asia, the other three landmasses where nonhuman primates occur. But lemurs face extinction risks driven by human disturbance of forest habitats. We discuss these challenges and reasons for hope in light of site-specific, local actions proposed in an emergency conservation action plan (2).
FROM CONCEPTUALIZATION TO MODEL GENERATION : THE ROLES OF ONTOLOGIES IN PROCESS MODELING

The expanding scope of systems tackled by process engineering and the increasing interest in different scales of systems require process modeling tools to be generic and extensible. These requirements are addressed in this work by employing ontologies in two different modeling phases. Firstly, a domain ontology providing a conceptualization of process systems is used by a conceptual modeling tool to generate conceptual process models. They are composed of instances of concepts and their relations as defined in the domain ontology. Secondly, a mathematical model generation engine is implemented using a general systems meta ontology. Employing the knowledge embodied in the meta ontology, this engine takes a conceptual process model as input and composes a mathematical model by means of selecting and customizing model building blocks stored in a library. In addition to the above roles of ontologies in developing models, it is also briefly discussed how ontology-based modeling can support the exchange of information between tools for modeling and design.
Satellite Cells on Isolated Myofibers from Normal and Denervated Adult Rat Muscle

Satellite cells (SCs) in normal adult muscle are quiescent. They can enter the mitotic program when stimulated with growth factors such as basic FGF. Short-term denervation stimulates SC to enter the mitotic cycle in vivo, whereas long-term denervation depletes the SC pool. The molecular basis for the neural influence on SCs has not been established. We studied the phenotype and the proliferative capacity of SCs from muscle that had been denervated before being cultured in vitro. The expression of PCNA, myogenin, and muscle (M)-cadherin in SCs of normal and denervated muscle fibers was examined at the single-cell level by immunolabeling in a culture system of isolated rat muscle fibers with attached SCs. Immediately after plating (Day 0), neither PCNA nor myogenin was present on normal muscle fibers, but we detected an average of 0.5 M-cadherin+ SCs per muscle fiber. The number of these M-cadherin+ cells (which are negative for PCNA and myogenin) increased over the time course examined. A larger fraction of cells negative for M-cadherin underwent mitosis and expressed PCNA, followed by myogenin. The kinetics of SCs from muscle fibers denervated for 4 days before culturing were similar to those of normal controls. Denervation from 1 to 32 weeks before plating, however, suppressed PCNA and myogenin expression almost completely. The fraction of M-cadherin+ (PCNA−/myogenin−) SCs was decreased after 1 week of denervation, increased above normal after denervation for 4 or 8 weeks, and decreased again after denervation for 16 or 32 weeks. We suggest that the M-cadherin+ cells are nondividing SCs because they co-express neither PCNA or myogenin, whereas the cells positive for PCNA or myogenin (and negative for M-cadherin) have entered the mitotic cycle. SCs from denervated muscle were different from normal controls when denervated for 1 week or longer. The effect of denervation on the phenotypic modulation of SCs includes resistance to recruitment into the mitotic cycle under the conditions studied here and a robust extension of the nonproliferative compartment. These characteristics of SCs deprived of neural influence may account for the failure of denervated muscle to fully regenerate.
Propriedade aversiva da extincao operante de comportamentos positivamente reforcados

O conceito de extincao operante e composto, em sua definicao, de aspectos referentes a operacao e aoprocesso. Para uma resposta reforcada positivamente, a extincao (a) como operacao, refere-se a suspensaodo reforco do responder; e (b) como processo, refere-se a reducao no responder que tal operacao produz.Este trabalho discute as propriedades aversivas na operacao de extincao para comportamentos previamentemantidos sob reforcamento positivo. As evidencias sao organizadas em tres categorias: evidencias funcionais(destaque sobre a funcao supressora e reforcadora negativa da extincao); evidencias topograficas eestruturais (destaque sobre a classe de respostas eliciada/evocada pela extincao comparando-a com a classeeliciada/evocada por estimulos tradicionalmente considerados aversivos incondicionados); e evidenciasbiologicas (destaque sobre a influencia nos sistemas biologicos decorrente da extincao, comparando-a cominfluencias biologicas dependentes de estimulos aversivos convencionais). Ao final, conclui-se que a extincaode fato apresenta um subproduto aversivo, o que deve ser considerado em contextos e manipulacoesexperimentais ou aplicadas. Salienta-se a necessidade de mais investigacoes teorico-conceituais e empiricasa respeito deste tema.
Association of genotypes affecting the expression of interleukin-1beta or interleukin-1 receptor antagonist with osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE The majority of cytokines and growth factors known to be involved in cartilage metabolism are synthesized by the chondrocytes themselves. They are up-regulated in osteoarthritic (OA) cartilage, resulting in 2 opposite phenotypes, TNFalpha(high) and TNFalpha(low), that are characterized by an elevated number of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha)-positive and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-positive chondrocytes, respectively. To establish a hierarchy among the cytokines and growth factors expressed in articular chondrocytes, this study investigated cytokine genes for known polymorphisms that may contribute to the deregulated expression in OA cartilage. METHODS Polymerase chain reaction techniques were performed either in a thermal cycler using standard methods or in a light cycler to analyze the frequencies of the TNFalpha (-308), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) (intron 2), IL-1beta (exon 5), and IL-6 (-174) polymorphisms in 61 OA patients and 254 randomly chosen controls. RESULTS For the TNFalpha(low) phenotype, a statistically significant association was found with the less frequent allele of IL-1beta, which carries a single-basepair substitution in exon 5 and may contribute to the characteristic increase in IL-beta-positive chondrocytes. In contrast, the TNFalpha(high) phenotype was significantly associated with the less frequent allele of IL-1Ra, which carries two 86-bp repeats in the second intron and is assumed to lead to an elevated expression of the antagonist. CONCLUSION These results point to an association between the IL-1beta polymorphism and the TNFalpha(high) phenotype and between the IL-1Ra polymorphism and the TNFalpha(low) phenotype found in OA. Both associations suggest that IL-1beta may be more important than TNFalpha for the regulation of cytokine and growth factor expression in articular chondrocytes.
Weight loss attitudes and social forces in urban poor Black and White women.

OBJECTIVE To explore differences between Blacks and Whites in perceived influences on weight-related behaviors among obese urban poor women. METHODS Participants (N = 27) received physician referrals to a weight loss program located in Federally Qualified Health Centers and either never attended or stopped attending. We conducted in-depth, in home interviews using a script informed by focus groups, pilot discussions, and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to learn about participants' weight loss attitudes, social forces and perceived behavioral control. RESULTS White women reported having more social support and social pressure for weight management activities. Black women reported eating for positive reasons whereas white women associated eating with negative emotions. CONCLUSION Social networks and emotions may be critical factors in weight management and lifestyle program participation.