Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic and biochemical evidence of a Campylobacter jejuni capsular polysaccharide that accounts for Penner serotype specificity

Campylobacter jejuni, a Gram‐negative spiral bacterium, is the most common bacterial cause of acute human gastroenteritis and is increasingly recognized for its association with the serious post‐infection neurological complications of the Miller–Fisher and Guillain–Barré syndromes. C. jejuni lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of both uncomplicated infection and more serious sequelae, yet the LPS remains poorly characterized. Current studies on C. jejuni suggest that all strains produce lipooligosaccharide (LOS), with about one‐third of strains also producing high‐molecular‐weight LPS (referred to as O‐antigen). In this report, we demonstrate the presence of the high‐molecular‐weight LPS in all C. jejuni strains tested. Furthermore, we show that this LPS is biochemically and genetically unrelated to LOS and is similar to group II and group III capsular polysaccharides. All tested kpsM, kpsS and kpsC mutants of C. jejuni lost the ability to produce O‐antigen. Moreover, this correlated with serotype changes. We demonstrate for the first time that the previously described O‐antigen of C. jejuni is a capsular polysaccharide and a common component of the thermostable antigen used for serotyping of C. jejuni.
Development of dendritic trees of rabbit retinal alpha ganglion cells: Relation to differential retinal growth

Abstract To provide a quantitative description of the postnatal development of dendritic trees in alpha ganglion cells of the rabbit retina, these cells were stained either by intracellular injection of Lucifer yellow or by application of the lipophilic dye Oil. This was done at three developmental stages: postnatal day (P) 8/9, P 16/17, and in adults. For different retinal locations we quantified the alpha cell dendritic field area, the number of dendritic branch points, and the average dendritic length between branch points. According to the alpha cell location, the data were collected in three groups representing the retinal center, midperiphery, and far periphery, respectively. The data were then correlated with the postnatal retinal expansion which is known to differ among the above topographic regions of the retinae (Reichenbach et al., 1993). Our results show that the growth of alpha ganglion cell dendrites is not proportional to, but significantly exceeds, that of the local retinal tissue. Between P 8/9 and adulthood, the area of central alpha cells increases almost six-fold from 26,000 to 144,000 μm2 (retinal expansion: 2.2-fold), and that of peripheral cells more than 15-fold from 35,000 to 556,000 μm2 (retinal expansion: four-fold). During this period, the coverage factor of alpha cell dendritic fields increases about three-fold, and reaches adult levels of about 3 (retinal center) and 2.2 (periphery), respectively. The number of dendritic branch points remains nearly constant, and the distance between them increases by a factor close to the square root of the factor by which the dendritic field area grows. Thus, it appears that, from the second postnatal week on, dendritic trees of rabbit alpha ganglion cells increase by intense “interstitial growth,” rather than by outgrowth of (new) dendritic branches. This growth pattern is different from that of some other rabbit retinal ganglion cell types, and of alpha ganglion cells of the cat retina, whose dendritic trees expand at a rate equal to or less than that of the surrounding retinal tissue. The consequences for synaptic contacts with bipolar and amacrine cells are discussed; they suggest a high degree of synaptic plasticity during normal postnatal retinal growth.
Morphological variation in Echinorhynchus truttae Schrank, 1788 and the Echinorhynchus bothniensis Zdzitowiecki & Valtonen, 1987 species complex from freshwater fishes of northern Europe

Abstract Echinorhynchus truttae and the Echinorhynchus bothniensis species complex are common parasites of salmoniform and other fishes in northern Europe. Echinorhynchus bothniensis and its sibling species Echinorhynchus 'bothniensis' are thought to be closely related to the Nearctic Echinorhynchus leidyi Van Cleave, 1924 based on morphological similarity and common usage of a mysid intermediate host. This study provides the first analysis of morphological and meristic variation in Echinorhynchus truttae and expands our knowledge of anatomical variability in the Echinorhynchus bothniensis group. Morphological variability in Echinorhynchus truttae was found to be far greater than previously reported, with part of the variance attributable to sexual dimorphism. Echinorhynchus truttae, the two species of the Echinorhynchus bothniensis group and Echinorhynchus leidyi displayed considerable interspecific overlap in the ranges of all conventional morphological characters. However, Proboscis profiler, a tool for detecting acanthocephalan morphotypes using multivariate analysis of hook morphometrics, successfully separated Echinorhynchus truttae from the other taxa. The Echinorhynchus bothniensis species group could not be reliably distinguished from Echinorhynchus leidyi (or each other), providing further evidence of the affinity of these taxa. Observations on the distribution of Echinorhynchus truttae in its definitive host population are also reported.
Wearable computers

Since 1980, technology has reduced the size and the weight of personal computers; without substantially changing the way users interact with their computing environment. Conventional input/output devices place an ultimate limit on the size and the weight of personal computers. Size is limited by the conventional typewriter-like keyboard whose dimensions have not really changed this past hundred years. Both size and weight are limited by displays the size of notebook paper intended to be viewed from several feet away. Since the size of the display places a lower bound on the personal computer's energy consumption, weight is dictated primarily by the weight of the energy storage devices, such as batteries. <<ETX>>
ACTIVATION OF HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL TYPE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR (PAI-1) BY NEGATIVELY CHARGED PHOSPHOLIPIDS

The endothelial cell type plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) may exist in an active, latent form that can be converted into an active form upon exposure to denaturants such as sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), guanidine-HCl or urea. Here we show that latent PAI-1 can be activated with lipid vesicles, consisting of the negatively charged phospholipids phosphatidylserine (PS) or phosphatidylinositol (PI). The presence of a net negative charge on the phospholipid headgroup is essential for activation. Incubation with lipid vesicles, consisting of the zwitterionic phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanol-amine (PE), does not result in activation of the inhibitor. In the presence of PS vesicles, the capacity of PAI-1 to inhibit tissue type plasminogen activator (t-PA) is 50-fold higher than that of the untreated protein. For comparison, the activity of PAI-1 was enhanced 25-fold by treatment of the protein with SDS. PS induces activation of the inhibitor at much lower concentrations than SDS. For example, to achieve 50% inhibition of t-PA with a more than 100-fold excess of PAI-1, 0.25 nmoles of PS are required, whereas L.60 nmoles of SDS are necessary to reach half maximal inactivation of t-PA. Activation of PAI-1 by PS can be reversed by the addition of Ca2+-ions, suggesting that Ca2+-ions interfere with the interaction of PAI-1 with the negatively charged lipid surface, thus preventing its activation. The lipid-induced activation of PAI-1 points to a possibly important role of phospholipids in fibrinolysis; regulation of the fibrinolytic activity in blood plasma may ultimately be determined by the extent to which these phospholipids activate the inhibitor of t-PA. This study was supported by the Netherlands Thrombosis Foundation.
Electrically silent potassium channel subunits from human lens epithelium.

We describe the cloning and characterization of the first human members, hKv9.1 and hKv9.3, of the electrically silent delayed-rectifying-like K+ channel subfamily. Their modulatory effects on the electrically active subfamily member hKv2.1 are also quantified. The hKv9 K+ channels were isolated from a human lens epithelium cDNA library, but both hKv9.1 mRNA and hKv9.3 mRNA were found to coexist with the mRNA for hKv2.1 in a large number of human tissues. The hKv9.1 gene is composed of a minimum of five exons, with at least two alternatively spliced exons in the 5'-untranslated region (UTR). In contrast, the hKv9.3 gene is intronless across the coding region, 3'-UTR, and all of the analyzed 5'-UTR. Radiation hybrid mapping localized the hKv9.1 gene to 20q12 and the hKv9.3 gene to 2p24. Each electrically silent subunit, when coexpressed with hKv2.l, slows deactivation and inactivation compared with hKv2. 1 expressed alone. In addition, each results in an increment in the single channel conductance.
La preocupación por la privacidad/seguridad como barrera al desarrollo del comercio electrónico: evaluación, evaluación y propuestas de futuro

Uno de los principales factores que limita el desarrollo del comercio electronico es la percepcion de falta de privacidad y seguridad del cliente en Internet. Este trabajo pretende realizar una aproximacion a tres aspectos de dicha barrera. En primer lugar, se tratara de conocer la verdadera relevancia de la misma, en segundo lugar, se intentara aproximar cual va a ser su evolucion futura y, en tercer lugar, se identificaran algunas medidas que permitan superarla. Los resultados demuestran que la preocupacion por la privacidad/seguridad del cliente en Internet es mayor que en cualquier otro canal de venta, que la citada preocupacion no desaparecera a medida que el usuario gane experiencia con el medio y que es la confianza, basada en un comportamiento coherente de los negocios electronicos y en la asociacion entre estos y entidades aseguradoras de la privacidad/ seguridad, es la principal via para superar tal barrera.
Forearm haemodynamics, arterial stiffness and microcirculatory reactivity in rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This work studied the presence of impaired forearm haemodynamics, arterial stiffness and microcirculatory reactivity in young women with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Sixty-five women aged 41–52 years, with rheumatoid arthritis, were screened for the absence of common cardiovascular risk factors. They underwent laser Doppler study on the hand at rest and after ischaemia, endothelium-dependent dilation with colour Doppler ultrasound and pulsewave velocity (PWV). Forty healthy subjects were also examined. Results Microcirculatory flux at rest with laser Doppler was reduced in rheumatoid arthritis patients (112 ± 45 versus 220 ± 65 perfusion units (PU, arbitrary units); P < 0.005), post-ischaemic peak flow was lower in rheumatoid arthritis patients (235 ± 65 versus 329 ± 76 PU; P < 0.05); percentage increase in peak flow was higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared with healthy subjects (153 ± 12 versus 65 ± 18%; P < 0.005). Time to peak flow was longer in rheumatoid arthritis patients (12.7 ± 8 versus 6.2 ± 2 s; P < 0.005). Higher microcirculatory resistance was detected in rheumatoid arthritis patients (0.656 ± 0.011 versus 0.358 ± 0.009 mmHg/PU; P < 0.05). Endothelium-dependent dilation was impaired in rheumatoid arthritis patients (increase in artery dilation 8.2 ± 2 versus 11.5 ± 3%; P < 0.05) and correlated directly with actual C-reactive protein. PWV was higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients (9.3 ± 0.2 versus 8.4 ± 0.4 m/s; P < 0.05) and correlated directly with the duration of disease. District resistance by the arm was higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients (1098 ± 190 versus 661 ± 55 mmHg/l per minute; P < 0.005). Conclusion Female rheumatoid arthritis patients present with impaired microcirculatory reactivity, endothelial dysfunction and increased arterial stiffness. Alterations in the vascular bed are extended and may explain the increased incidence of cardiovascular events in these patients.
Anterior expandable strut cage replacement for osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral collapse.

OBJECT The authors investigated the usefulness of using an expandable cage strut in anterior reconstruction after osteoporotic vertebral collapse in patients with neurological deficits. METHODS Twenty-eight patients who had undergone expandable cage strut-augmented anterior thoracolumbar reconstruction participated in a follow-up review for a mean of 4.9 years. Radiographs were reviewed for kyphosis, lateral tilt of the implant, cage subsidence, the presence of a solid fusion mass, and instrumentation failure. Changes in neurological status and visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, as well as technique-related complications, were examined. The mean angles +/- the standard deviations of kyphosis correction 4 to 6 weeks after surgery and at final follow-up examination were 10.4 +/- 7.6 degrees and 5.6 +/- 6.0 degrees, respectively. The mean subsidence of the expandable cage within the adjacent vertebrae was 2.5 +/- 3.0 mm at the final follow-up examination. Neurological improvement at the final follow up was more significant in patients with Type I (wedge-type) than Type 2 (flat-type) (p = 0.037) or Type 3 (concave-type) (p = 0.006) vertebral collapse. Follow-up VAS scores were significantly higher in patients with Type 1 than Type 3 collapse (p = 0.012). In all cases the authors observed solid union with incorporation of the cage. There were no surgery-related complications. CONCLUSIONS An expandable titanium cage strut seems useful in vertebral body replacement in patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar collapse. Favorable results were obtained in cases of Type I collapse (wedge type) in which the middle and posterior columns remained comparatively intact.
Reduced Atherogenesis in Cholesterol‐fed Diabetic Rabbits: Giant Lipoproteins Do Not Enter the Arterial Wall

In cholesterol-fed rabbits, alloxan-dlabetes has an antt-atherogenlc effect, which is associated with severe elevation of plasma triglyceride concentrations. To study this effect, we measured llpoprotein sizes and aortic permeability coefficients for chotesteryl ester and for albumin In hypertriglycerldemlc diabetic cholesterol-fed rabbits and In normotriglyceridemlc cholesterol-fed rabbits. With the same high cholesterol concentration in plasma, hypertrlglyceridemlc diabetic rabbits had 70% of plasma cholesterol In very large llpoprotelns (diameter >75 nm), whereas normotrlglycerldemlc rabbits had only about 10% of plasma cholesterol in these giant llpoprotelns. The aortic permeability coefficients for cholesteryl ester In hypertriglycerldemlc diabetic cholesterol-fed rabbits was only 10% to 50% of that In normotriglyceridemlc cholesterol-fed rabbits. Aortic permeability coefficients for albumin did not differ significantly between the hypertrlglyceridemlc and normotriglyceridemlc rabbits. The results suggest that the large size of a major fraction of plasma llpoprotelns in the hypertrlglyceridemlc diabetic cholesterol-fed rabbits Is responsible for the relatively low aortic permeability coefficient for cholesteryl ester from plasma and hence for reduced atherogenesis In these animals.
Screening for distress in cancer patients

Routine screening for distress is internationally recommended as a necessary standard for good cancer care, given its high prevalence and negative consequences on quality of life. The objective of the current study was to contribute to the Italian validation of the Distress Thermometer (DT) to determine whether the single item DT compared favorably with referent criterion measures.
The Effects of the Contact Activation System on Hemorrhage

The contact activation system (CAS) exerts effects on coagulation via multiple mechanisms, which modulate both the intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation cascades as well as fibrinolysis and platelet activation. While the effects of the CAS on blood coagulation measured as activated partial thromboplastin time shortening are well documented, genetic mutations that result in deficiencies in the expression of either plasma prekallikrein (PPK) or factor XII (FXII) are not associated with spontaneous bleeding or increased bleeding risk during surgery. Deficiencies in these proteins are often undiagnosed for decades and detected later in life during routine coagulation assays without an apparent clinical phenotype. Increased interest in the CAS as a potentially safe target for antithrombotic therapies has emerged, in large part, from studies on animal models with provoked thrombosis, which have shown that deficiencies in PPK or FXII can reduce thrombus formation without increasing bleeding. Gene targeting and pharmacological studies in healthy animals have confirmed that PPK and FXII blockade does not cause coagulopathies. These findings support the conclusion that CAS is not required for hemostasis. However, while deficiencies in FXII and PPK do not significantly affect bleeding associated with peripheral wounds, recent reports have demonstrated that these proteins can promote hemorrhage in the retina and brain. Intravitreal injection of plasma kallikrein (PKal) induces retinal hemorrhage and intracerebral injection of PKal increases intracranial bleeding. PPK deficiency and PKal inhibition ameliorates hematoma formation following cerebrovascular injury in diabetic animals. Moreover, both PPK and FXII deficiency are protective against intracerebral hemorrhage caused by tissue plasminogen activator-mediated thrombolytic therapy in mice with thrombotic middle cerebral artery occlusion. Thus, while the CAS is not required for hemostasis, its inhibition may provide an opportunity to reduce hemorrhage in the retina and brain. Characterization of the mechanisms and potential clinical implications associated with the effects of the CAS on hemorrhage requires further consideration of the effects of PPK and FXII on hemorrhage beyond their putative effects on coagulation cascades. Here, we review the experimental and clinical evidence on the effects of the CAS on bleeding and hemostatic mechanisms.
The MasPar MP-1 architecture

The MasPar MP-1 architecture is described. It is a massively parallel SIMD machine with the following key characteristics: scalable architecture in terms of the number of processing elements, system memory, and system communication bandwidth; reduced-instruction-set-computer-like instruction set design which leverages optimizing compiler technology; adherence to industry-standard floating point formats, specifically VAX and IEEE floating point; and an architectural design amenable to a VLSI implementation. The architecture provides not only high computational capability, but also a mesh and global interconnect style of communication. The computational model and subsystems of the MP-1, including the interconnection mechanisms, are described. <<ETX>>
Effects of fatty acids on cardioprotection by pre‐ischaemic inhibition of the malate–aspartate shuttle

The malate–aspartate shuttle (MAS) is the main pathway for balancing extra‐ and intramitochondrial glucose metabolism. Pre‐ischaemic shutdown of the MAS by aminooxyacetate (AOA) mimics ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) in rat glucose‐perfused hearts. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of fatty acids (FA) on cardioprotection by pre‐ischaemic inhibition of the MAS. Isolated rat hearts were divided into four groups (control; pre‐ischaemic AOA (0.2 mmol/L); IPC; and AOA + IPC) and were perfused with 11 mmol/L glucose, 3% bovine serum albumin plus 0, 0.4 or 1.2 mmol/L FA. The perfusion protocol included 30 min global no‐flow ischaemia and 120 min reperfusion. Infarct size (IS), haemodynamic recovery, glucose oxidation and lactate release were evaluated in all four groups. Pre‐ischaemic AOA reduced the IS of the left ventricle in hearts perfused with 0, 0.4 and 1.2 mmol/L FA compared with that in control hearts (26 ± 2% vs 53 ± 4%, 29 ± 3% vs 53 ± 4% and 61 ± 4% vs 81 ± 3%, respectively; P < 0.01 for all). After 2 h reperfusion, AOA improved haemodynamic recovery in the absence (52 ± 2 vs 27 ± 3 mmHg in the AOA and control groups, respectively; P < 0.001) but not in the presence, of FA. Both IPC and AOA + IPC reduced IS and improved haemodynamic recovery regardless of FA levels. Postischaemic glucose oxidation was suppressed by FA and did not differ significantly between the different groups. In conclusion, the reduction in IS induced by pre‐ischaemic MAS shutdown is not compromised by physiological FA concentrations. Transient MAS shutdown may be involved in IPC, but is not sufficient on its own as the underlying mechanism for IPC.
Social goals and conflict strategies of individuals with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities who present problems of aggression.

BACKGROUND A few recent studies have adopted a social cognitive perspective to explore how individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs), who present problems of aggression, view their social world. The focus has mainly been on participants' perceptions of others' behaviour within conflict situations. The present exploratory study aims to compliment existing research by exploring social cognitive factors that may influence how individuals respond to conflict. METHODS Study was carried out with 20 aggressive and 20 non-aggressive men and women who have a mild to moderate ID. The 'Social Goals and Strategies for Conflict' (SGASC) assessment was devised to explore whether group or gender differences could be found in participants' expected outcomes of aggressive strategies, their expected outcomes of submissive strategies and their emotional reaction to these outcomes. Participants' social goals within hypothetical situations of conflict were also explored. RESULTS It was found that aggressive and non-aggressive participants have different social goals. There were no significant differences for expected outcomes of aggression or submissiveness. Nevertheless, a number of trends suggest that more aggressive participants expect negative outcomes for submissiveness compared with their non-aggressive peers. CONCLUSIONS While the findings of this study are tentative, investigating the social outcomes that are valued by individuals with ID who present problems of aggression appears to be a promising area for further research, with possible implications for clinical assessment and treatment.