Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of 2011 and 2007 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines for predicting mortality and hospitalization.

RATIONALE The GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) 2011 update on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) bases disease classification on level of dyspnea, exacerbation history, and FEV1, whereas the previous GOLD categorized disease severity according to FEV1 only. Information on how the new classification predicts long-term hospitalizations and mortality is limited. OBJECTIVES To examine how GOLD 2011 predicts hospitalizations and mortality over an 8-year period and to assess differences in predictive ability between GOLD 2011 and GOLD 2007. METHODS In the GenKOLS study, 912 patients with COPD (FEV1/FVC < 0.7 and FEV1 < 80% predicted) aged 40 to 91 years were clinically examined. Patients answered questionnaires and performed lung function testing in 2003-2005. The population was followed for 8 years regarding hospitalizations (all-cause, respiratory) and mortality (all-cause, respiratory, cardiovascular). We performed logistic regression and receiver operating curve analyses for GOLD 2007 and GOLD 2011 with estimations of area under the curve (AUC) to compare the different classifications. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Twenty percent of patients were classified as GOLD 2011 group A (mild), 30% as group B, 6% group as C, and 44% as group D (very severe). Patients in GOLD 2011 group D had odds ratios of 4.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.5-6.7), 9.6 (95% CI, 3.4-27.0), and 3.0 (95% CI, 0.7-13.2) relative to group A for all-cause, respiratory, and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, and 3.8 (95% CI, 2.4-5.9) and 13.0 (95% CI, 6.6-25.6) for all-cause and respiratory hospitalizations, respectively. Associations were similar also for GOLD 2007. The adjusted AUC values for GOLD 2011 and GOLD 2007 were 0.82/0.82 for respiratory mortality (P = 0.87) and 0.77/0.76 for respiratory hospitalizations (P = 0.51). CONCLUSIONS The predictive ability of GOLD 2011 did not differ significantly from GOLD 2007 in terms of hospitalizations and mortality.
Correlation of glutamate levels in the anterior cingulate cortex with self-reported impulsivity in patients with borderline personality disorder and healthy controls.

CONTEXT Dysfunction and deficits in the structure of the anterior cingulate cortex have been reported in borderline personality disorder (BPD). To our knowledge, there is only 1 published study to date investigating anterior cingulate cortex metabolism in subjects with BPD and co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Impulsivity is a key feature of BPD and can be related to anterior cingulate cortex function. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether anterior cingulate cortex metabolism may be altered in BPD and correlates with BPD pathology. DESIGN Cross-sectional proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. SETTING Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. PARTICIPANTS AND PATIENTS Thirty unmedicated female subjects meeting DSM-IV criteria for BPD and 31 age-matched healthy female control participants. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Neurometabolite concentrations in the anterior cingulate cortex and correlation of glutamate levels with self-reported measures of impulsivity and severity of borderline symptoms. RESULTS Significantly higher levels of glutamate in the anterior cingulate cortex were found in subjects with BPD as compared with healthy controls. A positive correlation between glutamate concentration and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale total score as well as between glutamate concentration and the subscore for cognitive impulsivity were observed irrespective of diagnosis. We also found a positive correlation between glutamate concentrations and dissociation as well as between glutamate concentration and subscores of the Borderline Symptom List in the patient group. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the hypothesis that higher glutamate concentration in the anterior cingulate cortex is associated with both severity of BPD symptoms and subjective impulsivity ratings, the latter independent of BPD. Further studies should confirm the association between enhanced glutamate concentration in the anterior cingulate cortex and behavioral measures of impulsivity.
Motility of Helicobacter pylori Is Coordinately Regulated by the Transcriptional Activator FlgR, an NtrC Homolog

ABSTRACT ς54 is the subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase that transcribes from promoters with enhancer elements bound by enhancer-binding proteins. By computer searches of Helicobacter pylori genomic sequences, chromosomal gene disruption, and RNA analyses, we have identified ς54-recognized promoters that regulate transcription of flagellar basal body and hook genes, as well as the enhancer-binding protein FlgR (flagellum regulator), a transactivating protein of the NtrC family. We demonstrate that FlgR is required for bacterial motility and transcription of five promoters for seven basal body and hook genes. In addition, FlgR acts as a repressor of transcription of the ς28-regulated flaAflagellin gene promoter, while changes in DNA topology repress transcription of the ς54-regulated flaBflagellin gene promoter. Our data indicate that regulation of flagellar gene expression in H. pylori shows similarities with that in enterobacteriaceae and Caulobacter.
Genus g Graphs Have Pagenumber O(sqrt(g))

Abstract A book embedding of a graph consists of a linear ordering of the vertices along the spine of a book and an assignment of edges to pages so that edges residing on the same page do not intersect. The minimum number of pages in which a graph can be embedded is its pagenumber . We verify a conjecture due to Heath and Istrail which asserts that any graph of genus g has pagenumber O (√ g ). This bound is optimal in the worst case. A randomized algorithm to embed a genus g graph in O (√ g ) pages is presented.
Reconstitution of nude mouse T cell function in vivo: IL 2-independent effect of human T cells.

The i.p. injection of 1 to 5 X 10(6) heavily irradiated human T lymphocytes resulted in the lasting reconstitution of T cell functions in young mice bearing the nu/nu mutation. IgM and IgG responses to immunization with sheep red cells or ovalbumin, splenic lectin responses, and the expression of easily detectable Thy-1 determinants on up to 20% of spleen cells could be documented for several months after the injection of human cells. Only a narrow cell dose range was effective. Injection of larger cell numbers not only failed to induce immune reconstitution but also resulted in the development of resistance to subsequent treatments. Only mature T cells, but not thymocytes, could induce nude mouse T cell development. Lymphoblasts from one patient with acute T cell leukemia consistently immune-reconstituted nude recipients. These cells were completely unable to produce IL 2 in vitro. In contrast, the IL 2-producing T cell line Jurkat was ineffective, indicating that the abilities to produce IL 2 and to induce nude mouse T cell development are independent. In an extension of earlier models of the nude mouse immune defect, two distinct T precursor cell pools are proposed as the major components of an extrathymic differentiation pathway. As an adequate trigger of differentiation, interaction with thymus-processed T cells guides the development of precursors in the first cell pool towards populating the second IL 2-responsive pool of T precursor cells.
Alternative splicing of a Drosophila tropomyosin gene generates muscle tropomyosin isoforms with different carboxy-terminal ends

The muscle tropomyosin I (mTm I) gene from Drosophila melanogaster has been analyzed and shown to express a complex transcription unit consisting of two sets of tissue-specific mRNAs. A 1.3- and 1.6-kilobase set of mRNAs is expressed during myogenesis in embryos, and in myogenic cell cultures. The mRNAs encode a 34,000-dalton muscle tropomyosin isoform. The same mTm I gene expresses a different set of 1.7- and 1.9-kilobase mRNAs in thoracic flight muscle tissue of the adult. The thorax RNAs encode a new tropomyosin isoform resolved on two-dimensional gels. The structure of the gene has been determined, and we show that the embryonic and thoracic mRNAs are generated by alternative splicing. The alternate exon splicing patterns determine a different 27 amino acids at the carboxy-terminal end of the two tropomyosin isoforms. These results show that the carboxy-terminal domain of tropomyosin is highly regulated in determining tropomyosin function. The results also show that contractile protein isoforms can be generated by single as well as multiple genes.
CRESCIMENTO COMPENSATÓRIO DE JUVENIS DE TAMBAQUIS (COLOSSOMA MACROPOMUM) TRATADOS COM TRICLORFOM

1 – INSTITUTO FEDERAL DO TOCANTINS/Campus Araguatins – Prof. Msc em Ciencia Animal Tropical 2 – UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO TOCANTINS/Campus Palmas – Prof. Dra. do curso de Ciencias Biologicas da UFT 3 – INSTITUTO FEDERAL DO TOCANTINS/Campus Palmas – Prof. Msc em Ciencia Animal Tropical 4 INSTITUTO FEDERAL DO TOCANTINS/Campus Araguatins – Aluno do curso tecnico em Agropecuaria, modalidade subsequente
Diagnosis of interconnects and FPICs using a structured walking-1 approach

This paper presents a generalized new approach for testing interconnects (for boundary scan architectures) as well as field programmable interconnect chips (FPICs). The proposed structural test method explicitly avoids aliasing and confounding and as applicable to dense as well as sparse layouts. The proposed method is applicable to both one-step and two-step test generation and diagnosis. Two algorithms with an execution complexity of O(n/sup 2/), where n is the number of nets in the interconnect, are given. Simulation results for benchmark and randomly generated layouts show a substantial reduction in the number of tests using the proposed approaches compared with previous approaches. The applicability of the proposed approach to FPICs is discussed and evaluated by simulation.
Effect of age on the frequency of active Campylobacter pylori infection diagnosed by the [13C]urea breath test in normal subjects and patients with peptic ulcer disease.

We studied the frequency of active Campylobacter pylori infection in persons from North America (n = 53) or the People's Republic of China (n = 15) who had no gastrointestinal symptoms or a history of ulcer disease and in patients with active or recently active duodenal or gastric ulcers diagnosed by endoscopy (n = 105). C. pylori infection was significantly (P less than .001) more frequent in patients with peptic ulcers (88%) than in the normal group (45%). An age-related increase in the frequency of C. pylori infection in subjects with no gastrointestinal symptoms paralleled the known age-related increase in prevalence of gastritis. The frequency of C. pylori infection in patients with duodenal ulcers was greater than 80%, irrespective of age. C. pylori infection was more common in the Chinese group (age, 20-39 y) than in the North American group of the same age (60% vs. 24%). Association of C. pylori with specific diseases should not be inferred without knowing the prevalence of C. pylori infection in reference populations of the same age and ethnic background.
Melting Inhibition and Superheating of Ice by an Antifreeze Glycopeptide

The melting of pure ice single crystals can be inhibited by the presence of an antifreeze glycopeptide isolated from an Antarctic fish. This inhibition effect exhibits crystallographic dependence and can result in superheating of the crystal by heat conduction across the ice-solution interface. The antifreeze molecules inhibit melting in a manner more or less symmetrical to their well-known effect of inhibiting freezing. The melting effect is best expressed at concave ice interfaces, whereas the freezing effect is best expressed at convex ones. Both are restricted to orientations near (1010) with the particular antifreeze that was used.
Measuring absorbed dose for i-CAT CBCT examinations in child, adolescent and adult phantoms.

OBJECTIVES Design and construct child and adolescent head phantoms to measure the absorbed doses imparted during dental CBCT and compare with the absorbed dose measured in an adult phantom. METHODS A child phantom was developed to represent the smallest patients receiving CBCT, usually for craniofacial developmental concerns, and an adolescent phantom was developed to represent healthy orthodontic patients. Absorbed doses were measured using a thimble ionization chamber for the custom-built child and adolescent phantoms and compared with measurements using a commercially available adult phantom. Imaging was performed with an i-CAT Next Generation (Imaging Sciences International, Hatfield, PA) CBCT using two different fields of view covering the craniofacial complex (130 mm high) or maxilla/mandible (60 mm high). RESULTS Measured absorbed doses varied depending on the location of the ionization chamber within the phantoms. For CBCT images obtained using the same protocol for all phantoms, the highest absorbed dose was measured in all locations of the small child phantom. The lowest absorbed dose was measured in the adult phantom. CONCLUSIONS Images were obtained with the same protocol for the adult, adolescent and child phantoms. A consistent trend was observed with the highest absorbed dose being measured in the smallest phantom (child), while the lowest absorbed dose was measured in the largest phantom (adult). This study demonstrates the importance of child-sizing the dose by using dedicated paediatric protocols optimized for the imaging task, which is critical as children are more sensitive to harmful effects of radiation and have a longer life-span post-irradiation for radiation-induced symptoms to develop than do adults.
Pharmacologic treatment of migraine. Comparison of guidelines.

OBJECTIVE To compare guidelines (not the primary studies) for pharmacologic treatment of migraine as to methods of guideline development; recommendations, particularly on triptans; and quality of supporting evidence (with emphasis on comparative studies of triptans versus ergot alkaloids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs]). DATA SOURCES We searched MEDLINE via PubMed for guidelines on migraine management published since 1990 in any language; in addition, we browsed the Internet for information. STUDY SELECTION We found nine clinical guidelines on migraine; one guideline, not supported by references, was excluded. SYNTHESIS Preference for triptans is not well founded and is largely based on comparisons with placebo. Too few studies compared new drugs with established ones (NSAIDs or dihydroergotamine). Guidelines that propose a hierarchy for selection of drugs are opinion-based rather than evidence-based. CONCLUSION The current lack of evidence from comparative studies seriously limits development of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for pharmacologic treatment of migraine.
Biochemical sensors based on polymer microrings with sharp asymmetrical resonance

Photonic microresonators have great potential in the application of highly sensitive sensors due to high Q-factor resonances and steep slopes between zero and unity transmission. A microring resonator with increased resonance slopes is proposed by introducing two partially reflecting elements implemented by waveguide offsets. This configuration produces a Fano-resonant line shape and can greatly enhance the sensitivity of the sensor. Polystyrene microring resonators were fabricated by the nanoimprinting technique, and the optical spectra were measured in glucose solutions of different concentrations. The shift in resonant wavelength and variation of the normalized transmitted intensity are linearly related to the concentration of the glucose solution.
Detection of Cryptosporidium and Identification to the Species Level by Nested PCR and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism

ABSTRACT Cryptosporidiosis is an emerging protozoan disease associated with large waterborne outbreaks. Diagnosis relies on microscopic examination of stools, but this method cannot identify the infecting species of Cryptosporidium. We have developed a test based on nested PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) that offers simple identification of Cryptosporidium hominis, Cryptosporidium parvum, and most other human infective species in stool samples. Purified C. parvum oocysts were used for PCR development. Extracted DNA was amplified by nested PCR targeting a 214-bp fragment of the 18S RNA gene. Enzymatic restriction sites were identified by bioinformatic analysis of all published Cryptosporidium 18S rRNA sequences. Experiments with spiked stool samples gave an estimated PCR detection limit of one oocyst. Specificity was assessed by testing 68 stool samples from patients with microscopically proven cryptosporidiosis and 31 Cryptosporidium-negative stools. Sixty-seven (98.5%) of the 68 stool samples from patients with microscopically proven cryptosporidiosis and 2 of the other stool samples were positive by PCR and could be genotyped. RFLP analysis identified 36 C. hominis, 19 C. parvum, 8 Cryptosporidium meleagridis, and 6 Cryptosporidium felis or Cryptosporidium canis samples. Species determination in 26 PCR-positive cases was in full agreement with DNA sequencing of the 18S rRNA hypervariable region. The excellent sensitivity of PCR, coupled with the accuracy of RFLP for species identification, make this method a suitable tool for routine diagnosis and genotyping of Cryptosporidium in stools.
The effect of short-duration sprint interval exercise on plasma postprandial triacylglycerol levels in young men

Abstract It is well established that regular exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, although the most time-efficient exercise protocol to confer benefits has yet to be established. The aim of the current study was to determine the effects of short-duration sprint interval exercise on postprandial triacylglycerol. Fifteen healthy male participants completed two 2 day trials. On day 1, participants rested (control) or carried out twenty 6 s sprints, interspersed with 24 s recovery (sprint interval exercise – 14 min for total exercise session). On day 2, participants consumed a high-fat meal for breakfast with blood samples collected at baseline, 2 h and 4 h. Gas exchange was also measured at these time points. On day 2 of control and sprint interval exercise trials, there were no differences (P < 0.05) between trials in plasma glucose, triacylglycerol, insulin or respiratory exchange ratio (RER). The area under the curve for plasma triacylglycerol was 7.67 ± 2.37 mmol · l–1.4 h–1 in the control trial and 7.26 ± 2.49 mmol · l–1.4 h–1 in the sprint interval exercise trial. Although the sprint exercise protocol employed had no significant effect on postprandial triacylglycerol, there was a clear variability in responses that warrants further investigation.
Reversing the Inactivation of Peroxiredoxins Caused by Cysteine Sulfinic Acid Formation

The active-site cysteine of peroxiredoxins is selectively oxidized to cysteine sulfinic acid during catalysis, which leads to inactivation of peroxidase activity. This oxidation was thought to be irreversible. However, by metabolic labeling of mammalian cells with 35S, we show that the sulfinic form of peroxiredoxin I, produced during the exposure of cells to H2O2, is rapidly reduced to the catalytically active thiol form. The mammalian cells' ability to reduce protein sulfinic acid might serve as a mechanism to repair oxidatively damaged proteins or represent a new type of cyclic modification by which the function of various proteins is regulated.
Comparative Analysis of Docking Motifs in MAP-Kinases and Nuclear Receptors

Abstract Nuclear receptor (NR) agonists induce activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) through an yet unknown rapid non-genomic mechanism. Vice versa, NR are targets for phosphorylation by MAPK. By multiple alignment of the amino acid sequences and comparative analysis of the secondary and tertiary structures we identified four peptides in MAPK with similarity to bona fide protein-protein-interaction motifs in NR. In both molecule species, these motifs mediate selective docking to dimerization partners, coregulators or phosphoacceptors. We therefore propose that similar motifs may direct the site-specific association of NR with MAPK. Based on mutual allosteric interactions within a kinase-receptor complex, we discuss a novel principle how NR-agonists may regulate kinase activity and thus expression of hormone-dependent genes.
Overestimation of Heights in Virtual Reality is Influenced more by Perceived Distal Size than by the 2-D versus 3-D Dimensionality of the Display

One important aspect of the pictorial representation of a scene is the depiction of object proportions. Yang, Dixon, and Proffitt (1999 Perception 28 445–467) recently reported that the magnitude of the vertical – horizontal illusion was greater for vertical extents presented in three-dimensional (3-D) environments compared to two-dimensional (2-D) displays. However, because all of the 3-D environments were large and all of the 2-D displays were small, the question remains whether the observed magnitude differences were due solely to the dimensionality of the displays (2-D versus 3-D) or to the perceived distal size of the extents (small versus large). We investigated this question by comparing observers' judgments of vertical relative to horizontal extents on a large but 2-D display compared to the large 3-D and the small 2-D displays used by Yang et al (1999). The results confirmed that the magnitude differences for vertical over-estimation between display media are influenced more by the perceived distal object size rather than by the dimensionality of the display.
Dissolution and Degradation of Bacillus thuringiensis δ-Endotoxin by Gut Juice Protease of the Silkworm Bombyx mori

The dissolution and degradation of †-endotoxin (crystal) of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki strain HD-1 were investigated. Crystals were dissolved in 0.1 M phosphate-carbonate-NaOH buffer at pH > 12. Swelling of crystals occurred in the buffer between pH 10 and 11, and crystals dissolved in the same buffer supplemented with gut juice protease of the silkworm Bombyx mori. The proteolytic dissolution of crystals occurred after a time lag of several minutes in 0.1 M carbonate-NaOH buffer, pH 10.2. The time lag was not observed when crystals were suspended in the buffer for 30 min before the addition of protease. After the dissolution of the crystals and further degradation of the solubilized protein, the appearance of a toxic protein with a molecular weight of 59,000, designated P-59, was observed. Lower-molecular-weight peptides (less than 40,000) showed no toxicity to the silkworm larvae on feeding. Digestion of the 120,000-dalton subunit of the crystal by gut juice protease also produced P-59. These observations suggest the occurrence of a similar process in vivo, i.e., the swelling of crystals due to the alkalinity of gut juice and the production of P-59, dependent on the hydrolysis of swollen crystals by gut juice protease.