Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychophysiological responses to drug‐associated stimuli in chronic heavy cannabis use

Due to learning processes originally neutral stimuli become drug‐associated and can activate an implicit drug memory, which leads to a conditioned arousing ‘drug‐seeking’ state. This condition is accompanied by specific psychophysiological responses. The goal of the present study was the analysis of changes in cortical and peripheral reactivity to cannabis as well as alcohol‐associated pictures compared with emotionally significant drug‐unrelated and neutral pictures in long‐term heavy cannabis users. Participants were 15 chronic heavy cannabis users and 15 healthy controls. Verbal reports as well as event‐related potentials of the electroencephalogram and skin conductance responses were assessed in a cue‐reactivity paradigm to determine the psychophysiological effects caused by drug‐related visual stimulus material. The evaluation of self‐reported craving and emotional processing showed that cannabis stimuli were perceived as more arousing and pleasant and elicited significantly more cannabis craving in cannabis users than in healthy controls. Cannabis users also demonstrated higher cannabis stimulus‐induced arousal, as indicated by significantly increased skin conductance and a larger late positivity of the visual event‐related brain potential. These findings support the assumption that drug‐associated stimuli acquire increased incentive salience in addiction history and induce conditioned physiological patterns, which lead to craving and potentially to drug intake. The potency of visual drug‐associated cues to capture attention and to activate drug‐specific memory traces and accompanying physiological symptoms embedded in a cycle of abstinence and relapse – even in a ‘so‐called’ soft drug – was assessed for the first time.
Vector-optimized request used to MAG-μ IMU aiming at influence depression of linear acceleration

The widely-used attitude algorithms for geomagnetic and inertial measurement unit (MAG-μIMU) are extended Kalman filter and complementary filter, which aim to fuse the outputs of the sensors in MAG-μIMU for attitude determination of the carrier. How to determine whether the carrier is moving or not so as to depress the influences of linear acceleration to attitude determination is the key and however not-well-settled problem to those attitude algorithms. In this paper, taking REQUEST as attitude algorithm, a movement decision method is proposed, which regulates the weight of gravity acceleration vector of REQUEST at each sampling time according to its accuracy, modeled by the amplitude of the carrier's linear acceleration vector plus the angle between it and geomagnetic field vector. Our experiments show that, our method performs well, and make REQUEST have both good static and good dynamic performance.
A Tel1/MRX-Dependent Checkpoint Inhibits the Metaphase-to-Anaphase Transition after UV Irradiation in the Absence of Mec1

ABSTRACT In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Mec1/ATR plays a primary role in sensing and transducing checkpoint signals in response to different types of DNA lesions, while the role of the Tel1/ATM kinase in DNA damage checkpoints is not as well defined. We found that UV irradiation in G1 in the absence of Mec1 activates a Tel1/MRX-dependent checkpoint, which specifically inhibits the metaphase-to-anaphase transition. Activation of this checkpoint leads to phosphorylation of the downstream checkpoint kinases Rad53 and Chk1, which are required for Tel1-dependent cell cycle arrest, and their adaptor Rad9. The spindle assembly checkpoint protein Mad2 also partially contributes to the G2/M arrest of UV-irradiated mec1Δ cells independently of Rad53 phosphorylation and activation. The inability of UV-irradiated mec1Δ cells to undergo anaphase can be relieved by eliminating the anaphase inhibitor Pds1, whose phosphorylation and stabilization in these cells depend on Tel1, suggesting that Pds1 persistence may be responsible for the inability to undergo anaphase. Moreover, while UV irradiation can trigger Mec1-dependent Rad53 phosphorylation and activation in G1- and G2-arrested cells, Tel1-dependent checkpoint activation requires entry into S phase independently of the cell cycle phase at which cells are UV irradiated, and it is decreased when single-stranded DNA signaling is affected by the rfa1-t11 allele. This indicates that UV-damaged DNA molecules need to undergo structural changes in order to activate the Tel1-dependent checkpoint. Active Clb-cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) complexes also participate in triggering this checkpoint and are required to maintain both Mec1- and Tel1-dependent Rad53 phosphorylation, suggesting that they may provide critical phosphorylation events in the DNA damage checkpoint cascade.
[Effects of ABA and its biosynthetic inhibitor fluridone on accumulation of penolic acids and activity of PAL and TAT in hairy root of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

OBJECTIVE To study the function of ABA and fluridone on the contents of penolic acids and two key synthetases (PAL and TAT). METHOD Conducted 4 different concentrations in the hairy root of Salvia miltiorrhiza after culturing 18 days and treated with fluridone. One day later, harvested the hairy root and measured the activity of PAL and TAT; Treatment for 6 days, gathered and determined the contents of phenolic acids. RESULT In certain concentration of ABA, lower ABA could induced the production of growth and higher ABA inhibitor the growth in hairy roots of S. miltiorrhiza; ABA induced the accumulation of caffeic acid considerably, and the effect on the contents of coffee acid show positive correlation; As for the RA and LAB, the low dosage of ABA simulated the production and higher ABA inhibited the production of them; the ABA biosynthetic inhibitor fluridone can decreases ABA's the effect; The different of ABA activated the activity of PAL and TAT, but the impact were discriminating, when treatment with ABA and fluridone, the inducing were declined. CONCLUSION ABA induced the accumulation of.
Increased risk of myocardial infarction and stroke following exacerbation of COPD.

OBJECTIVE Patients with COPD are at risk for cardiovascular events. This is attributed to increased systemic inflammation. The course of COPD is punctuated by exacerbations, which further increase systemic inflammation, but the risk of vascular events in the postexacerbation period has never been defined. METHODS We analyzed data from 25,857 patients with COPD entered in The Health Improvement Network database over a 2-year period. Exacerbations were defined using a health-care use definition of prescription of oral corticosteroids > 20 mg/d and/or selected oral antibiotics. The risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in the postexacerbation period was calculated relative to the patient's baseline risk using the self-controlled case series approach. RESULTS We identified 524 MIs in 426 patients and 633 ischemic strokes in 482 patients. The incidence rates of MI and stroke were 1.1 and 1.4 per 100 patient-years, respectively. There was a 2.27-fold (95% CI, 1.1-4.7; P = .03) increased risk of MI 1 to 5 days after exacerbation (defined by prescription of both steroids and antibiotics). This relative risk diminished progressively with time and was not significantly different from the baseline MI risk at any other postexacerbation time interval. One in 2,513 exacerbations was associated with MI within 1 to 5 days. There was a 1.26-fold (95% CI, 1.0-1.6; P = .05) increased risk of stroke 1 to 49 days after exacerbation. CONCLUSION The results suggest that exacerbations of COPD increase the risk of MI and stroke. This may have implications for therapy in both stable and exacerbated COPD.
Dendritic Mechanisms Underlying Rapid Synaptic Activation of Fast-Spiking Hippocampal Interneurons

Dendrites Shape Interneuron Firing Basket cells, a group of fast-spiking inhibitory interneurons, play an important part in the function of neuronal networks. The mechanisms underlying the high temporal precision and short latency of basket cell activity are unclear. Hu et al. (p. 52, published online 3 December) investigated dendrite functions in fast-spiking hippocampal basket cells and found that action potentials are initiated in the axon and propagate back into the dendrites without activity dependence but with strongly reduced amplitude. This is very different from what has been observed previously in widely investigated pyramidal cell dendrites, probably due to the high potassium to sodium conductance ratios in the dendrites of the interneurons. These dendritic mechanisms can explain the high-frequency firing and precise timing of basket cells seen in network activity in vivo. Potassium channel enrichment in the dendrites of hippocampal basket cells defines a mechanism of neural network function. Fast-spiking, parvalbumin-expressing basket cells (BCs) are important for feedforward and feedback inhibition. During network activity, BCs respond with short latency and high temporal precision. It is thought that the specific properties of input synapses are responsible for rapid recruitment. However, a potential contribution of active dendritic conductances has not been addressed. We combined confocal imaging and patch-clamp techniques to obtain simultaneous somatodendritic recordings from BCs. Action potentials were initiated in the BC axon and backpropagated into the dendrites with reduced amplitude and little activity dependence. These properties were explained by a high K+ to Na+ conductance ratio in BC dendrites. Computational analysis indicated that dendritic K+ channels convey unique integration properties to BCs, leading to the rapid and temporally precise activation by excitatory inputs.
Temporal trends in in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated from foals with sepsis: 1979-2010.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING THE STUDY Monitoring the development of antimicrobial resistance is important for the rational selection of appropriate antimicrobial drugs to initiate treatment of foals with sepsis. OBJECTIVES To identify temporal trends in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated from foals with sepsis. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective review of medical records. METHODS Foals aged <30 days with a diagnosis of sepsis, confirmed by culture of bacteria, were included. Susceptibility data, expressed as minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) (MIC50 , MIC90 , MIC range) and percent of isolates that were susceptible to a particular antimicrobial drug, were compared for bacteria isolated from foals during 3 different time periods: 1979-1990, 1991-1997 and 1998-2010. The Cochran-Armitage trend test and the Jonckheere-Terpstra test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 1091 bacterial isolates were cultured from 588 foals. Enterobacteriaceae, Actinobacillus spp. and β-haemolytic Streptococcus spp. showed a decrease in percent of isolates susceptible to gentamicin over time. Enterobacteriaceae, Actinobacillus spp. and β-haemolytic Streptococcus spp. showed an increase in MIC values for amikacin. Enterobacteriaceae showed a decrease in percent of isolates susceptible to ceftiofur. Enterococcus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. showed increased MIC values to ceftiofur. Enterobacteriaceae showed increased MIC values to ceftizoxime. Enterococcus spp. became more resistant to imipenem and showed increased MIC values to ticarcillin/clavulanic acid. In contrast, several trends in increased susceptibility were also seen. CONCLUSIONS Based on these in vitro results, the combination of amikacin and ampicillin remains an appropriate choice for initiating treatment of sepsis in foals while awaiting culture and susceptibility test results, although increasing development of resistance to amikacin was demonstrated. The decrease in in vitro activity of ceftiofur against Enterobacteriaceae is of concern. Similarly, the development of resistance of Enterococcus spp. to imipenem is an important finding that warrants monitoring in the future. Judicious use of antimicrobials is therefore crucial.
Effects of Icodextrin on Glycemic and Lipid Profiles in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Peritoneal Dialysis

Aim: Icodextrin reduces glucose absorption from the peritoneal dialysate. We conducted this prospective, open-labeled, multicenter study to determine the effects of icodextrin on glycemic and lipid parameters in diabetic patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD) or automated PD. Methods: Patients were recruited from 15 institutions in Japan, and a total of 51 patients (15 women and 36 men, mean age: 59 ± 10 years, median duration of PD: 13 months) were enrolled. The patients were administered an overnight or daytime dwell of 1.5 or 2.0 l of 7.5% icodextrin-containing solution. At baseline and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the start of icodextrin, nonfasting blood was drawn for measurement of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and serum lipids. Results: During icodextrin treatment, there was no change in overall HbA1C levels compared to baseline values; however, for those with baseline HbA1C ≧6.5% (n = 22), significant decreases in HbA1C were observed. Mean total/LDL cholesterol and triglycerides were decreased significantly during icodextrin treatment, with greater decreases for patients with baseline total cholesterol ≧220 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol ≧120 mg/dl or triglycerides ≧150 mg/dl. HDL cholesterol did not differ at any time point; however, values for patients with baseline HDL cholesterol <40 mg/dl tended to increase with marginal significance. Conclusions: In the current study, switching from glucose-containing dialysis solution to icodextrin resulted in improved lipid profiles and possibly a favorable metabolic profile, particularly in patients with poor glycemic control. These hypotheses remain to be proven in controlled clinical trials.
Moloney murine leukemia virus long terminal repeat activates monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 protein expression and chemotactic activity

Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo‐MuLV) is a thymotropic and leukemogenic retrovirus which causes T lymphomas. Recently, Mo‐MuLV has been shown to trans‐activate cellular genes. Monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) is a chemokine which can promote the migration and diapedesis of monocytes and lymphocytes, as well as inducing metastasis of lymphomas. Here we demonstrate that introduction of Mo‐MuLV or the MuLV LTR alone, transiently or stably, into Balb/c‐3T3 cells or HeLa cells resulted in 9–11 fold increases in MCP‐1 transcripts. This trans‐activation of the MCP‐1 gene by the Mo‐MuLV LTR is independent of the physical location of the MCP‐1 gene or of the LTR, occurring whether the LTR or the MCP‐1 gene is integrated in the genome or transiently expressed. Immunoblot analysis using an anti‐MCP‐1 polyclonal antibody showed that the expression of the MuLV LTR in HeLa cells also induced the appearance of the MCP‐1 protein. Boyden Chamber analysis demonstrated that the MCP‐1 chemotactic activity produced by HeLa cells with an integrated MuLV LTR was elevated by 11 fold and that neutralizing antibody to human MCP‐1 abrogated monocyte migration in response to MuLV LTR expression. Promoter deletional analysis showed the LTR responsive cis‐acting element in the MCP‐1 promoter is located between ‐141 and ‐88. Deletion of this region abolished the trans‐activation of MCP‐1 by the LTR. These LTR‐mediated activations of a chemotactic and inflammatory cytokine may be relevant as mechanisms whereby retroviruses which do not contain oncogenes can induce neoplasia. J. Cell. Physiol. 172:240–252, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Systematic hybrid LOH: a new method to reduce false positives and negatives during screening of yeast gene deletion libraries

We have developed a new method, systematic hybrid loss of heterozygosity, to facilitate genomic screens utilizing the yeast gene deletion library. Screening is performed using hybrid diploid strains produced through mating the library haploids with strains from a different genetic background, to minimize the contribution of unpredicted recessive genetic factors present in the individual library strains. We utilize a set of strains where each contains a conditional centromere construct on one of the 16 yeast chromosomes that allows the destabilization and selectable loss of that chromosome. After mating a library gene deletion haploid to such a conditional centromere strain, which corresponds to the chromosome carrying the gene deletion, loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the gene deletion locus can be generated in these otherwise hybrid diploids. The use of hybrid diploid strains permits complementation of any spurious recessive mutations in the library strain, facilitating attribution of the observed phenotype to the documented gene deletion and dramatically reducing false positive results commonly obtained in library screens. The systematic hybrid LOH method can be applied to virtually any screen utilizing the yeast non‐essential gene deletion library and is particularly useful for screens requiring the introduction of a genetic assay into the library strains. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pleistocene Brown Bears in the Mid-Continent of North America

Current biogeographic models hypothesize that brown bears migrated from Asia to the New World ~100 to 50 thousand years ago but did not reach areas south of Beringia until ~13 to 12 thousand years ago, after the opening of a mid-continental ice-free corridor. We report a 26-thousand-year-old brown bear fossil from central Alberta, well south of Beringia. Mitochondrial DNA recovered from the specimen shows that it belongs to the same clade of bears inhabiting southern Canada and the northern United States today and that modern brown bears in this region are probably descended from populations that persisted south of the southern glacial margin during the Last Glacial Maximum.
Descriptive epidemiology of collegiate women's soccer injuries: National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System, 1988-1989 through 2002-2003.

OBJECTIVE To review 15 years of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) injury surveillance data for women's soccer and identify potential areas for injury prevention initiatives. BACKGROUND The number of NCAA schools sponsoring women's soccer has grown tremendously, from 271 in 1988- 1989 to 879 schools in 2002-2003. During that time, the NCAA Injury Surveillance System has collected game and practice injury data for women's soccer across all 3 NCAA divisions. MAIN RESULTS The rate of injury was more than 3 times higher in games than in practices (16.44 versus 5.23 injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures, rate ratio = 3.2, 95% confidence interval = 3.1, 3.4, P < .01), and preseason practices had an injury rate that was more than 3 times greater than the rate for in-season practices (9.52 versus 2.91 injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures, rate ratio = 3.3, 95% confidence interval = 3.1, 3.5, P < .01). Approximately 70% of all game and practice injuries affected the lower extremities. Ankle ligament sprains (18.3%), knee internal derangements (15.9%), concussions (8.6%), and leg contusions (8.3%) accounted for a substantial portion of game injuries. Upper leg muscle-tendon strains (21.3%), ankle ligament sprains (15.3%), knee internal derangements (7.7%), and pelvis and hip muscle strains (7.6%) represented most of the practice injuries. Injuries were categorized as attributable to player contact, "other contact" (eg, contact with the ball, ground, or other object), or no contact. Player-to-player contact accounted for more than half of all game injuries (approximately 54%) but less than 20% of all practice injuries. The majority of practice injuries involved noncontact injury mechanisms. Knee internal derangements, ankle ligament sprains, and concussions were the leading game injuries that resulted in 10 or more days of time lost as a result of injury. RECOMMENDATIONS Ankle ligament sprains, knee internal derangements, and concussions are common injuries in women's soccer. Research efforts have focused on knee injuries and concussions in soccer, and further epidemiologic data are needed to determine if preventive strategies will help to alter the incidence of these injuries. Furthermore, the specific nature of the player contact leading to concussions and lower extremity injuries should be investigated. Preventive efforts should continue to focus on reducing knee injuries, ankle injuries, and concussions in women collegiate soccer players.
Testosterone and doping control

Background and objectives: Anabolic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, modified to enhance its anabolic actions (promotion of protein synthesis and muscle growth). They have numerous side effects, and are on the International Olympic Committee’s list of banned substances. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry allows identification and characterisation of steroids and their metabolites in the urine but may not distinguish between pharmaceutical and natural testosterone. Indirect methods to detect doping include determination of the testosterone/epitestosterone glucuronide ratio with suitable cut-off values. Direct evidence may be obtained with a method based on the determination of the carbon isotope ratio of the urinary steroids. This paper aims to give an overview of the use of anabolic-androgenic steroids in sport and methods used in anti-doping laboratories for their detection in urine, with special emphasis on doping with testosterone. Methods: Review of the recent literature of anabolic steroid testing, athletic use, and adverse effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids. Results: Procedures used for detection of doping with endogenous steroids are outlined. The World Anti-Doping Agency provided a guide in August 2004 to ensure that laboratories can report, in a uniform way, the presence of abnormal profiles of urinary steroids resulting from the administration of testosterone or its precursors, androstenediol, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone or a testosterone metabolite, dihydrotestosterone, or a masking agent, epitestosterone. Conclusions: Technology developed for detection of testosterone in urine samples appears suitable when the substance has been administered intramuscularly. Oral administration leads to rapid pharmacokinetics, so urine samples need to be collected in the initial hours after intake. Thus there is a need to find specific biomarkers in urine or plasma to enable detection of long term oral administration of testosterone.
Restricting Fermentative Potential by Proteome Remodeling

Pathogenesis hinges on successful colonization of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract by pathogenic facultative anaerobes. The GI tract is a carbohydrate-limited environment with varying oxygen availability and oxidoreduction potential (ORP). How pathogenic bacteria are able to adapt and grow in these varying conditions remains a key fundamental question. Here, we designed a system biology-inspired approach to pinpoint the key regulators allowing Bacillus cereus to survive and grow efficiently under low ORP anoxic conditions mimicking those encountered in the intestinal lumen. We assessed the proteome components using high throughput nanoLC-MS/MS techniques, reconstituted the main metabolic circuits, constructed ΔohrA and ΔohrR mutants, and analyzed the impacts of ohrA and ohrR disruptions by a novel round of shotgun proteomics. Our study revealed that OhrR and OhrA are crucial to the successful adaptation of B. cereus to the GI tract environment. Specifically, we showed that B. cereus restricts its fermentative growth under low ORP anaerobiosis and sustains efficient aerobic respiratory metabolism, motility, and stress response via OhrRA-dependent proteome remodeling. Finally, our results introduced a new adaptive strategy where facultative anaerobes prefer to restrict their fermentative potential for a long term benefit.