Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Band 3 tyr-phosphorylation in normal and glucose-6-phospate dehydrogenase-deficient human erythrocytes

Haemolysis is usually episodic in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, often triggered by a period of oxidative stress. In the present work, we investigate a possible biochemical mechanism underlying the enhanced susceptibility of G6PD deficient red blood cells (RBC) to oxidative stress. We analysed eight male subjects with Mediterranean glucose-6P-dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PDd), class II, for their ability in phosphorylating erythrocyte membrane band 3 following oxidative and osmotic stress. Our findings show that this sensitivity is connected to an early membrane band 3 Tyr-phosphorylation in the presence of diamide. However, since both Syk, and Lyn kinases, and SHP-2 phosphatase, mostly implicated in the band 3 P-Tyr level regulation, are alike in content and activity in normal and patient erythrocytes, an alteration in the membrane organization is likely the cause of the anomalous response to the oxidant. We report, in fact, that hypertonic-induced morphological change in G6PDd erythrocyte induces a higher membrane band 3 Tyr-phosphorylation, suggesting a pre-existing membrane alteration, likely due to the chronic lowering of the redox systems in patients. We also report that 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene-pre-treatment of normal red cells can alter the normal protein–protein and protein–membrane interaction under hypertonic rather than oxidative stress, thus partially resembling the response in patients, and that RBC may utilize a wider range of redox defence, under oxidative conditions, including, but not exclusively, NADPH and glutathione. On the whole, these results would encourage a different approach to the evaluation of the effects of pharmacological administration to patients, giving more attention to the possible drug-induced membrane alteration evidenced by the abnormal band 3 Tyr-phosphorylation.
Efficacy and safety of combination therapy of natural human interferon beta and ribavirin in chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 2 and high virus load.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combination therapy of natural human interferon-beta and ribavirin in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 and high virus load. METHODS Inclusion criteria were HCV-genotype 2, serum HCV RNA level of >or=100 KIU/mL before combination therapy. A total of 24 were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. The treatment period of combination therapy was 24 weeks. RESULTS Of the 24 study patients, no patient stopped the treatment due to treatment-related adverse events. The dose of drugs were reduced in 8 patients. Twenty-one of 24 patients (87.5%) had sustained virological response (SVR) by the intention to treat analysis. The rate of negative HCV RNA at 8 week after the initiation of treatment was 18/21 (86%) in patients with SVR and 1/3 (33%) in patients with non-SVR. Logistic regression analysis showed that SVR occurred when serum HCV RNA at 8 week after the initiation of combination therapy was negative (hazard ratio: 40.0; 95% confidence interval=1.75-914.78; p=0.021) CONCLUSION The combination therapy of IFN-beta and ribavirin offers sufficient safety and efficacy in chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 2 and high virus load.
DNA Damage-binding Proteins and Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein A1 Function as Constitutive KCS Element Components of the Interferon-inducible RNA-dependent Protein Kinase Promoter*

Protein kinase regulated by RNA (PKR) plays important roles in many cellular processes including virus multiplication and cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. The promoter of the PKR gene possesses a novel 15-bp element designated KCS, positioned upstream of a consensus interferon (IFN)-stimulated response element, that is required for both basal and interferon-inducible transcription. Protein binding to the KCS element is not dependent upon IFN treatment and correlates with transcriptional activity of the PKR promoter. The identity of KCS-binding proteins (KBP) that selectively bind at the KCS element is largely unknown, except for the transcription factor Sp1. We now have purified KBP from HeLa cell nuclear extracts by ion-exchange and DNA-affinity chromatography steps and then identified four constituent proteins of the KBP complex by mass spectrometry and immunochemistry: KBP120 and KBP45 are the damaged DNA-binding protein subunits, p127 DDB1 and p48 DDB2, respectively; KBP100 is the transcription factor Sp1; and KBP35 is the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1. The steady-state levels of these four KCS-binding proteins in human cells are not altered by IFN treatment. Components of the KBP complex bind selectively and constitutively to the KCS element in the absence of IFN treatment, both in vitro as measured by competition electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and DNA pull-down assays and in vivo as measured by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Depletion of DDB2 by antisense strategy reduces KBP complex formation by EMSA. These results provide new insight into the biochemical identity and activity of proteins involved in PKR promoter function.
Revision of the Alpheus cristulifrons species complex (Crustacea: Decapoda: Alpheidae), with description of a new species from the tropical eastern Atlantic

The taxonomy of the snapping shrimp Alpheus cristulifrons Rathbun, 1900, previously reported from the eastern Pacific and western and eastern Atlantic, is reviewed based on molecular data (COI), morphology and colour patterns. Three species are recognized in the A. cristulifrons species complex. Alpheus cristulifrons sensu stricto is restricted to the western Atlantic, ranging from Florida and the Caribbean Sea to southern Brazil. The eastern Pacific A. cristulifrons sensu Kim & Abele, 1988 corresponds to A. utriensis Ramos & Von Prahl, 1989, ranging from the Gulf of California to Colombia; this species can be separated from A. cristulifrons by the absence of balaeniceps setae on the male minor chela and the presence of bands on the antennular and antennal flagella. The eastern Atlantic A. cristulifronssensu Crosnier & Forest, 1966 is described as A. xanthocarpus sp. nov. based on recently collected material from the island of São Tomé in the Gulf of Guinea; this species differs from A. cristulifrons by the posteriorly more extending rostral carina and the presence of conspicuous yellow spots on the carpus and chela of the second pereiopod. Molecular data suggest that A. utriensis is the eastern Pacific sister clade to the amphi-Atlntic clade that includes A. cristulifrons and A. xanthocarpus sp. nov.
Micafungin: A brief review of pharmacology, safety, and antifungal efficacy in pediatric patients

Invasive fungal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children with hematological malignancies and those undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem‐cell transplantation (HSCT). Although several new antifungal compounds recently became available, some are not yet approved for the use in the pediatric population. Among the new class of echinocandins, micafungin has been licensed in Europe and Japan for children including neonates. Because micafungin is well tolerated and exhibits few clinical relevant drug–drug interactions, the compound is of particular interest for prophylaxis and treatment of invasive mycoses in pediatric patients with cancer or following allogeneic HSCT. This review will focus on the currently available pediatric data of micafungin with emphasis on pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:229–232. © 2010 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
The first detections of subtype 2-related salmonid alphavirus (SAV2) in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Norway.

Pancreas disease (PD) was first described in farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. , in Scotland in 1976 (Munro et al. 1984). The causative agent was later identified as salmonid alphavirus (SAV), family Togaviridae (Nelson et al. 1995). SAV has also been isolated from rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), with sleeping disease in France (Castric et al. 1997). In Norway, PD has been observed in farmed Atlantic salmon since the 1980s and later also in rainbow trout (Poppe, Rimstad & Hyllset 1989; Hodneland et al. 2005). The species name SAV was proposed by Weston and co-workers (Weston et al. 2002) and has been established among researchers although the species name formally accepted by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses is salmon pancreas disease virus (SPDV). The SAV nomenclature will be used in this study. Pancreas disease causes significant losses for the Norwegian salmonid farming industry (Aunsmo et al. 2010) and is a notifiable disease. The Norwegian coastline has so far been divided into two zones; an endemic zone, where outbreaks are notifiable and a non-endemic zone where stamping out following reporting of PD has been enforced. Within the endemic zone, efforts like restrictions on movement of the fish are made to reduce the impact of the disease. To date, six different SAV subtypes have been recognized based on partial sequences from E2 and nsp3 genes representing the two most variable regions of the genome (Fringuelli et al. 2008). Subtypes 1, 4, 5 and 6 have been isolated from Atlantic salmon in Scotland and Ireland. Subtype 2 (SAV2) is associated with sleeping disease in rainbow trout in continental Europe and the UK. In 2008, strains from marine farmed Atlantic salmon in Scotland belonging to the SAV2 subtype were reported for the first time (Fringuelli et al. 2008). Until recently, characterization of SAV from Norwegian PD outbreaks revealed exclusively subtype 3 (SAV3) showing low sequence variability between the strains. (Hodneland et al. 2005; Weston et al. 2005; Karlsen et al. 2006; Fringuelli et al. 2008; Jansen et al. 2010a). Here, we report the first detections of a SAV2-related virus in Norway.
Assessment of CASP7 predictions for template‐based modeling targets

This manuscript presents the assessment of the template‐based modeling category of the seventh Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP7). The accuracy of predicted protein models for 108 target domains was assessed based on a detailed comparison between the experimental and predicted structures. The assessment was performed using numerical measures for backbone and structural alignment accuracy, and by scoring correctly modeled hydrogen bond interactions in the predictions. Based on these criteria, our statistical analysis identified a number of groups whose predictions were on average significantly more accurate. Furthermore, the predictions for six target proteins were evaluated for the accuracy of their modeled cofactor binding sites. We also assessed the ability of predictors to improve over the best available single template structure, which showed that the best groups produced models closer to the target structure than the best single template for a significant number of targets. In addition, we assessed the accuracy of the error estimates (local confidence values) assigned to predictions on a per residue basis. Finally, we discuss some general conclusions about the state of the art of template‐based modeling methods and their usefulness for practical applications. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Detrimental impact of hydrogen passivation on NBTI and HC degradation

Numerous studies have shown that the passivation of interface states by hydrogen has a significant impact on degradation mechanisms such as the bias temperature instability (BTI) and hot carrier (HC) degradation. By varying the thickness of the titanium layer at the beginning of the back-end-of-line processing we are able to change the hydrogen content near the Si-SiO2 interface. While the precursor density for negative BTI (NBTI) defects with large time constants, typically observed as a quasi-permanent component, is dramatically increased with the hydrogen passivation degree, the distribution of activation energies is left unchanged. For PBTI, the opposite observation is made, that is, the degradation decreases with hydrogen passivation. Interestingly, the recovery activation energy for hot carrier induced degradation is fully consistent with Pb center passivation, while the recovery of the permanent component of BTI appears to be due to a different mechanism.
Changes in Receipt of Cancer Screening in Medicare Beneficiaries Following the Affordable Care Act.

BACKGROUND The Affordable Care Act (ACA) removed copayments for screening mammography and colonoscopy in Medicare beneficiaries, but its clinical impact is unknown. METHODS Using a 5% random sample of Medicare claims from 2009 through 2012 in individuals age 70 years or older who were due for screening, we examined claims for screening mammography and screening or surveillance colonoscopy for two years prior to ACA (2009-2010) and two years post-ACA (2011-2012). Receipt of the procedures at the patient level was compared across years using generalized estimating equations. Statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Compared with 2009, we found an increase in mammography uptake during the ACA coverage period, with multivariable odds ratios (MOR) of 1.22 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20 to 1.25, P < .001) for 2011 and 1.17 (95% CI = 1.15 to 1.20, P < .001) for 2012 and less change in 2010 (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.05, P = .01). In contrast to mammography, uptake of screening or surveillance colonoscopy decreased in 2012 (MOR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.92 to 0.98, P = .002) compared with 2009, with no change in 2010 (MOR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.99 to 1.04, P = .47) or 2011 (MOR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.99 to 1.04, P = .34). Other factors associated with procedure receipt included younger age and prior preventive health visits. In an analysis restricted to patients age 70 to 74 years, colonoscopy use increased slightly in 2011 but was unchanged in 2012, and the findings by year for mammography were consistent with the main analysis. CONCLUSIONS Following ACA implementation with concomitant reduction in out-of-pocket expenditures, there was a statistically significant increment in mammography uptake but not colonoscopy. This suggests that affordability is a necessary but not sufficient facilitator of preventive services.
Appropriateness of bed usage for inpatients admitted as emergencies to internal medicine services.

OBJECTIVE To establish the appropriateness of bed usage for acute care within the medical directorates of two district general hospitals using a validated assessment tool, the Emergency Admission Review (EAR). This tool assesses the appropriateness of day of care against strict criteria and allows classification of care as either acute or non-acute. DESIGN Prospectively, 200 medical emergency admissions, 100 in each of the hospitals, were selected. Following identification patients were assessed every two days during the first fortnight of admission or until discharge. Those patients staying longer than two weeks were then assessed weekly until conclusion of the audit period or discharge whichever was reached first. SETTING The medical directorates of two District General Hospitals within one acute NHS trust. SUBJECTS All patients admitted as medical emergencies, who were 14 years or older and had a length of stay of 24 hours or more. RESULTS A total of 787 acute in-patient bed days were analysed in Hospital A of which 363 (46%) were deemed inappropriate for acute care. In Hospital B 810 bed days were analysed and 44% (363) were deemed inappropriate. In Hospital A the most common reason for bed-days not meeting the acute care criteria was short-term waiting, accounting for 60% (217 days) of the total bed days deemed non-acute. In Hospital B the most common reason for patients receiving non-acute care was that they were having active rehabilitation. This accounted for 29% (105 days) of the total number of non-acute care days. In Hospital B three patients accounted for 28% of the total occupied bed days. CONCLUSIONS The use of the EAR is a systematic and objective approach to the assessment of appropriateness of acute care. It applies strict criteria to determine the reason for a patient's continued hospital stay. From the results it is clear that a significant proportion of medical emergency admissions in both Hospital A and B remain in hospital for care that is deemed non-acute and therefore in theory could be performed in another setting. This information has significant potential in identifying the opportunities for streamlining services within hospitals to reduce short-term delays and also to inform the development of intermediate care services both within and outwith the acute hospital setting.
Feedback Loop and Accurate Training Data for 3D Hand Pose Estimation

In this work, we present an entirely data-driven approach to estimating the 3D pose of a hand given a depth image. We show that we can correct the mistakes made by a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) trained to predict an estimate of the 3D pose by using a feedback loop of Deep Networks, also utilizing a CNN architecture. Since this approach critically relies on a training set of labeled frames, we further present a method for creating the required training data. We propose a semi-automated method for efficiently and accurately labeling each frame of a depth video of a hand with the 3D locations of the joints.
The Well-Being and Personal Wellness Promotion Strategies of Medical Oncologists in the North Central Cancer Treatment Group

Purpose: The well-being of oncologists is important to the well-being of their patients. While much is known about oncologist distress, little is known about oncologist well-being. We set out to evaluate oncologist well-being and the personal wellness promotion strategies used by oncologists. Patients and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey of medical oncologists in the North Central Cancer Treatment Group using a validated instrument to measure quality of life. Study-specific questions explored stressors, wellness promotion strategies and career satisfaction. Results: Of 241 responding oncologists (response rate 61%), 121 (50%) reported high overall well-being. Being age 50 or younger (57 vs. 41%; p = 0.01), male (53 vs. 31%; p = 0.01) and working 60 h or less per week (50 vs. 33%; p = 0.005) were associated with increased overall well-being on bivariate analysis. Ratings of the importance of a number of personal wellness promotion strategies differed for oncologists with high well-being compared with those without high well-being. Developing an approach/philosophy to dealing with death and end-of-life care, using recreation/hobbies/exercise, taking a positive outlook and incorporating a philosophy of balance between personal and professional life were all rated as substantially more important wellness strategies by oncologists with high well-being (p values <0.001). Oncologists with high overall well-being also reported greater career satisfaction. Conclusion: Half of medical oncologists experience high overall well-being. Use of specific personal wellness promotion strategies appears to be associated with oncologist well-being. Further investigations of the prevalence, promotion, causes, inequities and clinical impact of physician well-being are needed.
Human character balancing motion generation based on a double inverted pendulum model

In this study, we propose a motion generation technique which generates natural motions based on a double inverted pendulum model (DIPM) and motion capture data (Mocap). While generating the motions, the proposed controller keeps the balance of the character. A DIPM uses a hip strategy to maintain the character's stability so that the zero moment point (ZMP) stays inside the support area, composed by the feet. The naturalness of the generated motion is inherited from mocap data by aligning the motion capture sequence with the DIPM. We match the DIPM with the motion capture data in order to satisfy both the character's stability and the naturalness. To validate the proposed motion generation technique, we use two kinds of motion capture data: a balancing motion under external forces and a grasping motion with a box.
Occlusion of the vertebral arteries. Causing transient basilar symptoms.

IN A clinicopathologic study of 178 cases of atherosclerosis of the vertebral and carotid arteries, 1 infarction in the vertebral-basilar territory was related to occlusive disease situated intracranially . This was in contrast to the findings in infarction in the territory of the internal carotid artery in which the occlusions lay predominantly extracranially . The number of cases of infarction was small, and generalizations were unwarranted, but we were prompted to make further observations on the tolerance of the cerebral circulation to a reducion in the forward blood flow through the extracranial vertebral arteries bilaterally . Since postmortem examination fails to provide information about hemodynamics, attention has been focused on cases studied arteriographically during life, with particular regard to the pathway by which the intracranial vertebral-basilar system is supplied. Bilateral extracranial vertebral compromise results from occlusion or stenosis of both vertebral arteries, or of one vertebral artery when the other is vestigial
Multiplicity and

This article interprets Jakob von Uexküll’s understanding of different beings’ Innenwelt, Gegenwelt, and umwelt through Deleuzian insights of multiplicity, context, and particularity. This Deleuzian interpolation into Uexküll’s insights acknowledges the absence of a unitary ‘human’ view of nature, recognizing instead that plural viewpoints of cultures, subgroups and individuals understand and interpret natural signs variously not just because of ideology but because of physiology and contrastive fundamental ways of accessing the world. Recent formative research in comparative neurobiology suggests that universal anthropological claims of cross-cultural semiotic similarity are incorrect. Interpreting biosemiotics as the investigation of apprehending the Innenwelt of radically different others (species), such semiotic understandings themselves are not necessarily generalizable between different members of the same species in a group, same-species groups in different natural cultural contexts, or even (as with humans) the same animal at different points of time (based on new understandings, patterns, or events of meaning altering interpretations of self and events). Conjoining Deleuze’s insights of the complexity of multiplicity with Uexküll’s scientific-imaginative system of comprehending other creatures’ ways of understanding their world offers an increased self-reflexivity regarding the simultaneous levels of actual semiotic activity for biosemiotic inquiry.
Oral administration of LPS and lipoteichoic acid prepartum modulated reactants of innate and humoral immunity in periparturient dairy cows

The study evaluated the effects of repeated oral exposure to LPS and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) on immune responses of dairy cows. Thirty pregnant Holstein cows were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. Cows received orally either 2 ml of 0.85% sterile saline solution (control group), or 2 ml of sterile saline solution containing three doses of LPS from Escherichia coli 0111 : B4 along with a flat dose of LTA from Bacillus subtilis. Blood and saliva samples were collected and analyzed for serum amyloid A (SAA); LPS-binding protein (LBP); anti-LPS plasma IgA, IgG and IgM; TNF-α; and IL-1. Results showed greater concentrations of IgA in the saliva of treated cows compared with the controls (P < 0.01). Treated cows had lower plasma concentrations of anti-LPS IgA, IgG and IgM Abs, and TNF-α than the controls (P < 0.05). There was a tendency for the concentrations of plasma LBP (P = 0.06) and haptoglobin (P = 0.10) to be lesser in the treatment group, although no differences were found in the concentration of plasma SAA and IL-1 (P > 0.10). Overall, the results of this study indicate that repeated oral administration with LPS and LTA stimulates innate and humoral immune responses in periparturient dairy cows.