Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Postural threat differentially affects the feedforward and feedback components of the vestibular‐evoked balance response

Circumstances may render the consequence of falling quite severe, thus maximising the motivation to control postural sway. This commonly occurs when exposed to height and may result from the interaction of many factors, including fear, arousal, sensory information and perception. Here, we examined human vestibular‐evoked balance responses during exposure to a highly threatening postural context. Nine subjects stood with eyes closed on a narrow walkway elevated 3.85 m above ground level. This evoked an altered psycho‐physiological state, demonstrated by a twofold increase in skin conductance. Balance responses were then evoked by galvanic vestibular stimulation. The sway response, which comprised a whole‐body lean in the direction of the edge of the walkway, was significantly and substantially attenuated after ~800 ms. This demonstrates that a strong reason to modify the balance control strategy was created and subjects were highly motivated to minimise sway. Despite this, the initial response remained unchanged. This suggests little effect on the feedforward settings of the nervous system responsible for coupling pure vestibular input to functional motor output. The much stronger, later effect can be attributed to an integration of balance‐relevant sensory feedback once the body was in motion. These results demonstrate that the feedforward and feedback components of a vestibular‐evoked balance response are differently affected by postural threat. Although a fear of falling has previously been linked with instability and even falling itself, our findings suggest that this relationship is not attributable to changes in the feedforward vestibular control of balance.
Markers of oxidative damage and antioxidant protection: assessment of LDL oxidation.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation in vivo is likely to contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerosis and other chronic degenerative diseases such as cancers. LDL oxidation in the human body can be assessed by measuring LDL oxidation products, such as hydroxy-fatty acids and oxysterols or indirect indicators of lipid peroxidation, e.g. F2-isoprostanes. A second approach is to measure the immunologic response to antigenic lipid peroxidation products. In vitro measurements such as the susceptibility of isolated lipoprotein to oxidants are less preferable.
Chlamydia psittaci elementary body envelopes: ingestion and inhibition of phagolysosome fusion

The cell surface of Chlamydia psittaci seems important for establishing infection since (i) UV-treated elementary bodies (EB) attach to and are ingested by L cells and (ii) heat or antibody treatment decreases attachment to L cells and promotes the fusion of chlamydiae-containing phagosomes with lysosomes in macrophages. In the studies reported here, [3H]uridine-labeled UV-treated EB also persisted in mouse resident peritoneal macrophages and L cells, suggesting that phagosome-lysosome fusion is inhibited. We therefore chose to investigate the ingestion and internal fate of isolated purified EB envelopes in both nonprofessional and professional phagocytic cells. EB envelopes are internalized by target host cells as efficiently as are whole EB. Transmission electron microscopy of macrophages whose lysosomes were marked with ferritin revealed the persistence of individual envelopes in phagosomes devoid of ferritin for the 3-h observation period. In contrast, EB envelopes heated to 56 degrees C for 15 min were consistently found in ferritin-labeled phagolysosomes as early as 30 min. As another index of persistence, isolated EB envelopes were radioisotopically labeled with a Bolton-Hunter analog, [3H]N-succinimidyl propionate, and their fate as trichloroacetic acid-precipitable material was followed. A third probe, employed to detect the persistence of non-biodegradable antigen, was indirect immunofluorescence. Fluorescein-positive antigens were brightly visible for 7 days in both macrophages and L cells when they were inoculated with untreated EB or EB maintained in penicillin. But L cells inoculated with EB envelopes or EB treated with UV or chloramphenicol, all of which prevent the conversion of infectious EB into the metabolically active reticulate bodies, displayed reduced internal fluorescence by 2 days and the appearance of fluorescent material on the cell surface. This release of EB envelope material occurred in the absence of phagolysosome fusion. The data add credence to the belief that the spontaneous breakdown or autolytic enzyme release of EB envelope components must occur preparatory to the conversion of EB to reticulate bodies.
Economic burden associated with the management of cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia and genital warts in Belgium

Abstract Objective: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections can lead to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions, cervical cancer (CC) and genital warts (GWs). This study intended to assess the annual cost of CC, CIN and GW management in Belgium. Method: A retrospective study using a Belgian Hospital Disease Database (for yearly hospital cost of CC and GW patients) and a clinical expert survey were performed to assess the medical management of CC, CIN and GW patients. Belgian official sources were used to estimate the annual costs of management of CC, CIN and GW patients both from a healthcare payer perspectives (HCPP) and a societal perspective. Results: Based on the 667 patients diagnosed annually in Belgium with CC and an annual cost per patient of €9,716, the total annual cost of CC is €6.5 million (HCPP). The 10,495 estimated CIN 1, 2 and 3 patients led to an annual cost of €1.97 million (HCPP). The 7,989 estimated annual number of diagnosed GW patients led to an estimated annual cost of €2.53 million (HCPP). Conclusion: HPV-related diseases represent an important burden on Belgian society, especially when considering that the estimates in this study are probably underestimations, as the management costs of other HPV-related diseases (vulvar, vaginal, penile, oropharyngeal (pre-) cancers, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis etc.) are not included in this analysis.
The phylogenetic relationships of the shags and cormorants: can sequence data resolve a disagreement between behavior and morphology?

Taxonomic arrangements for the cormorants and shags (Phalacrocoracidae) had varied greatly until two quite similar arrangements, one based on behavior and the other on osteological characters, became the basis for current thought on the evolutionary relationships of these birds. The terms cormorant and shag, which had previously been haphazardly applied to members of the group, became the vernacular terms for the two major subdivisions within this family. The two taxonomies differ in places, however, with the behavioral taxonomy placing several species within the shags and the osteological taxonomy and phylogeny grouping those species (as the marine cormorants) and placing them within the cormorants. In an attempt to resolve the differences in the relationships hypothesized by behavior and morphology, we sequenced three mitochondrial genes (12S, ATPase 6, and ATPase 8). Initial equally weighted parsimony trees differed slightly from our two weighted parsimony trees, one of which was also our maximum-likelihood tree. Many of the branches within our trees were well supported, but some sections of the phylogeny proved difficult to resolve with confidence. Our sequence trees differ substantially from the morphological phylogeny and show that neither the shags nor the cormorants are monophyletic, but form an intermingled group. Some of the groups supported by both the behavioral and the morphological taxonomies (e.g., the cliff shags, Stictocarbo) appear to be polyphyletic. Conversely, the monophyly of the blue-eyed shags, a traditional group that the osteological analysis had found to be paraphyletic, was supported by the sequence data. Until more taxa are sampled and a fully robust phylogeny is obtained, a conservative approach accepting a single genus, Phalacrocorax, for the shags and cormorants is recommended.
Recombinant thiopeptides containing noncanonical amino acids

Significance Thiopeptides are a subclass of ribosomally synthesized natural products with complex structures and potent antimicrobial activities. Here we describe a general strategy that allows the incorporation of noncanonical amino acids into thiopeptides by introducing orthogonal amber suppressor aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs into a thiocillin-producing strain of Bacillus cereus. We show that thiocillin variants harboring a noncanonical amino acid with bioorthogonal chemical reactivity can be further modified to create probes for biological studies. This work should significantly enhance our ability to manipulate the structures and properties of ribosomally produced natural products by recombinant methods. Thiopeptides are a subclass of ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) with complex molecular architectures and an array of biological activities, including potent antimicrobial activity. Here we report the generation of thiopeptides containing noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) by introducing orthogonal amber suppressor aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs into a thiocillin producer strain of Bacillus cereus. We demonstrate that thiopeptide variants containing ncAAs with bioorthogonal chemical reactivity can be further postbiosynthetically modified with biophysical probes, including fluorophores and photo-cross-linkers. This work allows the site-specific incorporation of ncAAs into thiopeptides to increase their structural diversity and probe their biological activity; similar approaches can likely be applied to other classes of RiPPs.
Longer-run distributive cycles: wavelet decompositions for the US, 1948–2011

This paper presents an analysis of the comovement of the incomeâ€“capital ratio, output gap, and employment rate vis-A -vis the functional distribution of income. We decompose time series into wavelets of varying periodicity. Cycles at all periodicities in all three variables vis-A -vis wage share show a counter-clockwise (â€˜Goodwinâ€™) pattern. The well-known regular cycles appear at business cycle frequency. Furthermore, a roughly 30-year cycle exists before 1980. Post-1980, no clear medium-run cyclical picture emerges. This finding is complemented by wavelet covariance analysis, which suggests that covariance of longer period cycles is negative before 1980, but positive thereafter. Crucially, trajectories of trends across the entire postwar period raise the possibility of one â€˜longâ€™ 60-year Goodwin cycle in all three variables vis-A -vis the wage share, which would suggest that sustained growth after c.2000 required much broader real wage increases relative to labor productivity. We conduct non-parametric Granger tests, which indicate that systematic interaction at all periodicities exist. We discuss our findings in relation to the debate on wage-led and profit-led demand regimes.
Calorimetry and Thermodynamics in Drug Design

Modern instrumentation for calorimetry permits direct determination of enthalpy values for binding reactions and conformational transitions in biomolecules. Complete thermodynamic profiles consisting of free energy, enthalpy, and entropy may be obtained for reactions of interest in a relatively straightforward manner. Such profiles are of enormous value in drug design because they provide information about the balance of driving forces that cannot be obtained from structural or computational methods alone. This perspective shows several examples of the insight provided by thermodynamic data in drug design. 135 A nn u. R ev . B io ph ys . 2 00 8. 37 :1 35 -1 51 . D ow nl oa de d fr om a rj ou rn al s. an nu al re vi ew s. or g by U ni ve rs id ad N ac io na l A ut on om a de M ex ic o on 0 5/ 08 /0 8. F or p er so na l u se o nl y. ANRV343-BB37-07 ARI 24 April 2008 15:14
Staphylococcus aureus in the lesions of atopic dermatitis

Quantitative aerobic cultures were obtained from fifty patients with chronic plaques, and from twenty with exudative lesions of atopic dermatitis. In the former, Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 90% and the density exceeded 1 × 106/cm2 in 45% of the samples. In the exudative form, Staph. aureus was recovered in every case with a mean density of 14 × 106 organisms per cm2. Staph. aureus was the dominant organism not only in the lesions but in nearby clinically normal skin. Despite these high numbers, clinical signs of infection were lacking. Systemic and topical antibiotic therapy pro‐duced a profound decrease in Staph. aureus density.
Changes in Sexual Risk Behavior Before and After HIV Seroconversion in Southern African Women Enrolled in a HIV Prevention Trial

Background:We examine changes in sexual risk behaviors before and after HIV seroconversion in southern African women enrolled in the Methods for Improving Reproductive Health in Africa trial. Methods:HIV testing and counseling, and assessment of sexual behaviors by audio computer-assisted self-interviewing were performed approximately every 3 months. We compared the following sexual behaviors: being sexually active, coital frequency, consistent male condom use, use of any female condoms, anal sex, and >1 sex partner, at study visits before and after HIV seroconversion. Results:During the trial, 327 women seroconverted to HIV, contributing 718 pre-HIV and 1110 post-HIV study visits. Women were significantly more likely to report consistent condom use at visits after HIV seroconversion compared with visits before HIV infection [adjusted odds ratio, (AOR): 1.36 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11 to 1.67)] and were less likely to have >1 male sex partner after serconversion [AOR: 0.66 (95% CI: 0.48 to 0.91)]. Women reported less frequently being sexually active [AOR: 0.63 (95% CI: 0.39 to 1.02)], fewer episodes of sex [>4 sex acts over the past week AOR: 0.74 (95% CI: 0.60 to 0.91)], and a reduction in anal sex [AOR: 0.58 (95% CI: 0.36 to 0.95)] at visits after HIV seroconversion. The observed reductions in sexual risk behaviors persisted over time. Conclusions:Women significantly decreased their sexual risk behaviors after HIV seroconversion, but these changes were relatively modest, suggesting the need for further secondary prevention. Timely notification of HIV status coupled with prevention messages can contribute to reductions in sexual risk behaviors.
Knock‐out of the chloroplast‐encoded PSI‐J subunit of photosystem I in Nicotiana tabacum

The plastid‐encoded psaJ gene encodes a hydrophobic low‐molecular‐mass subunit of photosystem I (PSI) containing one transmembrane helix. Homoplastomic transformants with an inactivated psaJ gene were devoid of PSI‐J protein. The mutant plants were slightly smaller and paler than wild‐type because of a 13% reduction in chlorophyll content per leaf area caused by an ≈ 20% reduction in PSI. The amount of the peripheral antenna proteins, Lhca2 and Lhca3, was decreased to the same level as the core subunits, but Lhca1 and Lhca4 were present in relative excess. The functional size of the PSI antenna was not affected, suggesting that PSI‐J is not involved in binding of light‐harvesting complex I. The specific PSI activity, measured as NADP+ photoreduction in vitro, revealed a 55% reduction in electron transport through PSI in the mutant. No significant difference in the second‐order rate constant for electron transfer from reduced plastocyanin to oxidized P700 was observed in the absence of PSI‐J. Instead, a large fraction of PSI was found to be inactive. Immunoblotting analysis revealed a secondary loss of the luminal PSI‐N subunit in PSI particles devoid of PSI‐J. Presumably PSI‐J affects the conformation of PSI‐F, which in turn affects the binding of PSI‐N. This together renders a fraction of the PSI particles inactive. Thus, PSI‐J is an important subunit that, together with PSI‐F and PSI‐N, is required for formation of the plastocyanin‐binding domain of PSI. PSI‐J is furthermore important for stability or assembly of the PSI complex.
Comparative Analysis of Sequence Periodicity among Prokaryotic Genomes Points to Differences in Nucleoid Structure and a Relationship to Gene Expression

ABSTRACT Regular spacing of short runs of A or T nucleotides in DNA sequences with a period close to the helical period of the DNA double helix has been associated with intrinsic DNA bending and nucleosome positioning in eukaryotes. Analogous periodic signals were also observed in prokaryotic genomes. While the exact role of this periodicity in prokaryotes is not known, it has been proposed to facilitate the DNA packaging in the prokaryotic nucleoid and/or to promote negative or positive supercoiling. We developed a methodology for assessments of intragenomic heterogeneity of these periodic patterns and applied it in analysis of 1,025 prokaryotic chromosomes. This technique allows more detailed analysis of sequence periodicity than previous methods where sequence periodicity was assessed in an integral form across the whole chromosome. We found that most genomes have the periodic signal confined to several chromosomal segments while most of the chromosome lacks a strong sequence periodicity. Moreover, there are significant differences among different prokaryotes in both the intensity and persistency of sequence periodicity related to DNA curvature. We proffer that the prokaryotic nucleoid consists of relatively rigid sections stabilized by short intrinsically bent DNA segments and characterized by locally strong periodic patterns alternating with regions featuring a weak periodic signal, which presumably permits higher structural flexibility. This model applies to most bacteria and archaea. In genomes with an exceptionally persistent periodic signal, highly expressed genes tend to concentrate in aperiodic sections, suggesting that structural heterogeneity of the nucleoid is related to local differences in transcriptional activity.
Comparing the use of the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire and Beck Depression Inventory for screening depression in patients with chronic pain.

BACKGROUND Studies have shown that the validity of self-reported depression questionnaires may be influenced by somatic symptoms such as chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to compare the validity of two self-reported questionnaires, the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), for screening depression in patients with chronic pain. METHODS One hundred patients with chronic pain were enrolled and assessed using the TDQ, BDI, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R. Seventy-three of them were diagnosed with depressive disorders. Conventional validity indices of the TDQ and BDI were examined and compared. RESULTS Both the TDQ and BDI had satisfactory sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Our results showed a trend that the validity of the TDQ was better than that of the BDI, and the validity of the cognitive/affective components of the TDQ was significantly better than that of the BDI. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the TDQ is superior to the BDI in detecting depression in patients with chronic pain in Taiwan.
Blood Glucose Control by Intermittent Loop Closure in the Basal Mode: Computer Simulation Studies with a Diabetic Model

A semiclosed loop, bedside insulin infusion system using a simple basal infusion algorithm consisting of a linear transition between two insulin delivery rates as blood glucose (BG) increases has been developed. A theoretical study using computer simulation has now been undertaken to examine the effect of BG sampling frequency and algorithm parameters on BG control. A model for BG control by exogenous insulin in the individual with diabetes was developed from a model for healthy subjects and from clinical data in the literature. Results of computer simulation using this model showed a decrease in BG stability as the sampling interval increased from 1 to 4 h. Simulations also showed a decrease in BG stability as the sensitivity of the control algorithm increased. Choice of an appropriate basal control algorithm involved a compromise between stability, sampling interval, and metabolic control. We conclude that satisfactory metabolic control can be obtained using intermittent BG sampling in the basal state; sampling at intervals of 3 h combined with a basal control algorithm whereby insulin delivery rate increases linearly from 0.5 to 2.5 U/h over the BG range 2–12 mmol/L appears suitable for most diabetic persons. Three-hour sampling offers a good compromise between degree of metabolic control and clinical effort involved.
Spatiotemporal vegetation dynamics and their influence factors at a large coal-fired power plant in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia

ABSTRACT We monitored the vegetation dynamics in a large coal-fired power plant and investigated the factors influencing these dynamics. The findings improve the understanding of the impact of climate change and human activities on vulnerable ecosystems and contribute to the sustainable development of these regions. We used normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) images derived from a 16-day maximum-value composite of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data and employed the rate of change in greenness and coefficient of variation as indicators of the vegetation dynamics in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia, from 2001 to 2013. We investigated the driving factors of vegetation dynamics in regions with different vegetation variations based on correlation and stepwise regression analyses. The results show that the vegetation dynamics of the study area have improved over the past 13 years. The vegetation dynamics were highly correlated with the average relative humidity of the current month. That is, the vegetation dynamics in the study area were mainly influenced by meteorological factors. Some regions suffered from vegetation degradation, accounting for 15.27% of the total area. The NDVI values of regions displaying vegetation degradation were jointly influenced by meteorological and human factors. The degree of vegetation degradation was negatively correlated with the population engaged in secondary industry. This indicates that industrial and mining development was the primary cause of vegetation degradation. However, the development of animal husbandry (characterized by the number of livestock on hand at the end of the year) had no significant influence on the vegetation dynamics.