Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cellular and subcellular distribution of PBP72/74, a peptide-binding protein that plays a role in antigen processing.

A 72/74-kDa peptide binding protein (PBP72/74) was previously described which plays a role in the processing and/or presentation of Ag, possibly by facilitating the association of processed Ag with the MHC class II molecules. PBP72/74 was recently shown to be related to the 70-kDa family of heat shock proteins (hsp70), whose members show the general characteristic of binding to denatured or inappropriately folded proteins. Here we describe the cellular and subcellular distribution of PBP72/74. By flow cytometry with PBP72/74-specific rabbit antisera, PBP72/74 is detected on the surfaces of mouse Ig+ B cells and MAC-1+ macrophages. PBP72/74 74 was not detected on the surfaces of Thy-1+ T cells or NK1.1+ NK cells. The cell surface expression of PBP72/74 does not require MHC class II expression. Indeed, the Ia- variant B cell lymphoma cell line, M12.C3, expresses PBP72/74 at levels equivalent to that of the Ia+ parent cell line, M12.4. 1, from which it was derived. Furthermore, the fibroblast L cell line, DAP.3, shows no cell surface expression of PBP72/74, nor do DAP.3 lines transfected with and expressing genes encoding the alpha- and beta-chain of the I-Ad and I-Ed molecules. Moreover, treatment of B cells with either IL-4 or LPS, which increases Ia expression severalfold, does not affect PBP72/74 expression. Thus, PBP72/74 cell surface expression appears to be a property of B cells and macrophages, independent of Ia expression. In addition, the B cell surface expression of PBP72/74 is not altered by stress in the form of heat shock. Thus, PBP72/74 appears to be a constitutive noninducible member of the hsp70 family. By immunoelectron microscopy, PBP72/74 is detected in approximately 36% of early endocytic vesicles into which surface Ig is internalized after binding to anti-Ig antibodies. This compartment was previously shown to contain class II en route to the cell surface associated with invariant chain and the proteases cathepsin B and D and is suggested to be a subcellular site of antigen processing. PBP72/74 is also found associated with the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, and membranes proximal to the Golgi stacks. The cellular and subcellular distribution of PBP72/74 is consistent with its playing a role in the processing of presentation of Ag with the MHC class II molecules.
Hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C virus antibody, body mass index, and alcohol drinking among workers with elevated serum alanine aminotransferase.

METHODS We conducted a case-control study on liver diseases among Japanese workers to examine associations between elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (alanine aminotransferase value > or = 50 IU/liter) and selected factors such as hepatitis B surface antigen positive, hepatitis C virus antibody positive, body mass index, and alcohol drinking. Out of 3,738 workers (1,477 males and 2,261 females) in a supermarket chain, 91 workers with an elevated serum alanine aminotransferase value (> or = 50 IU/liter) were classified as cases and 182 workers with normal serum alanine aminotransferase value and without an episode of blood transfusion were randomly selected as controls. RESULTS Prevalence rates of hepatitis B surface antigen positive and hepatitis C virus antibody positive were 4.4 and 23.1% among the overall cases, 2.9 and 11.8% among the cases with 100 > alanine aminotransferase value > or = 50, and 8.7 and 56.5% among the cases with alanine aminotransferase value > or = 100. A logistic regression analysis was conducted. Odds ratios were 4.94 for hepatitis B surface antigen positive (P < 0.05) and 77.19 for hepatitis C virus antibody positive (P < 0.001). Odds ratios for body mass index increased with increasing body mass index values; 3.32 for 26 > body mass index > or = 24 (P < 0.01) and 5.03 for body mass index > or = 26 (P < 0.001). No increased risk was observed among regular drinkers of less than 27 g/day of ethanol (odds ratio is 0.23) or of 27-53 g/day of ethanol (odds ratio is 0.47). A slightly increased odds ratio of 1.35 was observed among regular drinkers of 54-81 g/day of ethanol, but this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that hepatitis C virus and high body mass index are predominant factors in elevated serum alanine aminotransferase levels among Japanese workers, while alcohol drinking is a minor factor.
Inflammation in ischaemic heart disease

Recent reports have suggested a link between blood concentrations of C reactive protein and the risk of cardiovascular disease. The ECAT study (European Concerted Action on Thrombosis and Disabilities Angina Pectoris Study) followed 3000 people with chronic stable ischaemic heart disease for three years and found a significant correlation between concentrations of C reactive protein within the normal range and long term cardiovascular risk.1 Raised concentrations have also been shown to be strong prognostic indicators in patients with unstable angina,2 and in this week's BMJ Mendall et al report an association between C reactive protein concentrations and indirect evidence of ischaemic heart disease (p1061). 3 What are the pathogenetic implications of this novel marker of acute and chronic manifestations of ischaemic heart disease and its relevance in clinical practice? Mendall et al studied 303 men aged 50-69 years selected from general practice registers3 and found that the prevalence of indirect evidence of ischaemic heart disease and a history of claudication (together with age, smoking, chronic bronchitis, and most traditional cardiovascular risk factors) increased progressively as blood concentrations of C reactive protein rose. This correlation between C reactive protein and traditional risk factors for ischaemic heart disease may influence prognosis in the long term by favouring the development of atherosclerosis, but the prognostic value of C reactive protein might also result from an increased incidence and worse outcome of …
Anatomy and Physiology of Urinary Continence

Each of the three components of the continence mechanism, that is, proximal urethral support, internal sphincter activity, and external sphincter function, contributes to continence. Any one alone may not be able to keep a patient dry. The pressures generated during a cough may easily overcome the internal and external sphincters closing powers, and the normal supportive mechanism works in such a way as to increase closure during increases in abdominal pressure. Normal support, conversely, is not sufficient in and of itself to maintain continence, and must have sufficient resting sphincteric activity to be effective. When one element is abnormal, the other mechanisms may be able to compensate and maintain continence. It is because there are these several interdependent parts of the continence mechanism that no single urodynamic parameter is predictive of stress continence. Each different etiologic type of stress incontinence reflects the malfunction of an anatomic component of the sphincteric mechanism. Therefore, a knowledge of this mechanism's structure is fundamental to an understanding of this common clinical problem. Technologic advances in assessment of the lower urinary tract have made the separation of different types of stress incontinence possible. The further realization that each type requires different treatment has made the distinctions between these clinically important entities.
Magnetic field inclination and atmospheric oscillations above solar active regions

Recent observational evidence for magnetic field direction effects on helioseismic signals in sunspot penumbrae is suggestive of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) mode conversion occurring at lower levels. This possibility is explored using wave mechanical and ray theory in a model of the Sun's surface layers permeated by uniform inclined magnetic field. It is found that fast-to-slow conversion near the equipartition depth at which the sound and Alfven speeds coincide can indeed greatly enhance the atmospheric acoustic signal at heights observed by Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager and other helioseismic instruments, but that this effect depends crucially on the wave attack angle, i.e. the angle between the wavevector and the magnetic field at the conversion/transmission depth. A major consequence of this insight is that the magnetic field acts as a filter, preferentially allowing through acoustic signal from a narrow range of incident directions. This is potentially testable by observation.
Psychiatry for the Person: articulating medicine's science and humanism.

The WPA Institutional Program on Psychiatry for the Person: from Clinical Care to Public Health (IPPP), approved by the 2005 General Assembly, involves a WPA initiative affirming the whole person of the patient in context as the center and goal of clinical care and health promotion, at both individual and community levels. This involves the articulation of science and humanism to optimize attention to the ill and positive health aspects of the person. Ancient Greek philosophers and physicians, like Socrates, Plato and Hippocrates, advocate holism in medicine (1). Socrates taught that "if the whole is not well it is impossible for the part to be well". It is striking that these perspectives are re-emerging with renewed vigor in today's world through assertions that there is no health without mental health and by focusing local and international health efforts on the totality of the person (2-4). And here the person is to be thought of in a contextualized manner, in the words of the philosopher Ortega y Gasset, I am I and my circumstance. In addition, evidence is growing for the value of integrating mental health in general health and public health practice (5). These concerns are emerging in response to many deficiencies in health care including neglect of the needs of real people (6-9). A major perspective to deal with these limitations emphasizes a comprehensive and holistic concept encompassing ill and positive health as well as a biological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual framework (10-13). The mental health care field in many countries is being stimulated by a recent movement emphasizing recovery and resilience (14,15) which promotes the fulfilment and empowerment of patients as active participants in their own health care. Also, increasing interest is appearing towards clinicians applying themselves as whole human beings (16). All these perspectives reflect growing aspirations towards meeting scientifically, humanistically and ethically our responsibilities as psychiatrists and health professionals (17-19). Given the early programmatic achievements and responses received from throughout WPA and initial contacts with external organizations (World Federation for Mental Health, World Medical Association, World Federation for Neurology, etc.) it is becoming clear that Psychiatry for the Person (and eventually a Medicine for the Person) has to be seen as a long term initiative aimed at innovatively refocusing the objectives of the psychiatric and medical fields in consonance with their fundamental soul.
Breath Condensate Hydrogen Peroxide Correlates with Both Airway Cytology and Epithelial Lining Fluid Ascorbic Acid Concentration in the Horse

The relationship between hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration in expired breath condensate (EBC) and cytology of the respiratory tract obtained from tracheal wash (TW) or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and epithelial lining fluid (ELF) antioxidant status is unknown. To examine this we analysed the concentration of H2O2 in breath condensate from healthy horses and horses affected by recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), a condition considered to be an animal model of human asthma. The degree of airway inflammation was determined by assessing TW inflammation as mucus, cell density and neutrophil scores, and by BAL cytology. ELF antioxidant status was determined by measurement of ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbate, reduced and oxidised glutathione, uric acid and α-tocopherol concentrations. RAO-affected horses with marked airway inflammation had significantly higher concentrations of breath condensate H2O2 than control horses and RAO-affected horses in the absence of inflammation (2.0±0.5 μmol/l, 0.4±0.2 μmol/l and 0.9±0.2 μmol/l H2O2, respectively; p<0.0001). The concentration of breath condensate H2O2 was related inversely to the concentration of ascorbic acid in ELF (r=-0.80; p<0.0001) and correlated positively with TW inflammation score (r=0.76, p<0.0001) and BAL neutrophil count (r=0.80, p<0.0001). We conclude that the concentration of H2O2 in breath condensate influences the ELF ascorbic acid concentration and provides a non-invasive diagnostic indicator of the severity of neutrophilic airway inflammation.
An unusual cause of chest pain.

Letters to the Editor are welcomed. They may report new clinical or laboratory observations and new developments in medical care or may contain comments on recent contents of the Journal. They will be published, if found suitable, as space permits. Like other material submitted for publication, letters must be typewritten, double-spaced, and must not exceed two typewritten pages in length. No more than five references and one figure or table may be used. See “Information for Authors” for format of references, tables, and figures. Editing, possible abridgment, and acceptance remain the prerogative of the Editors.
Web technology in supply chain: an empirical investigation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate empirically the critical factors for the diffusion of web technologies in supply chain management (SCM) functions, based on the technology‐organizational‐environment model, and to identify the benefits resulting from diffusion.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected, via an internet survey, from 251 respondents, ranging from middle‐level to top‐level managers, from firms which currently utilize web technologies for their supply chain activities. Structural equation modelling was employed for five factors: relative advantage; competitive pressure; complexity; trialability; and top management support, which have been hypothesized to affect the diffusion of web technologies in SCM functions.Findings – The results suggest that all the factors except trialability are significant predictors of web technologies' diffusion in supply chain functions. The results show also that by diffusing web technologies, organizations can enhance their supply chain.
A Balanced Surface Parameterization Method and Its Application to Spline Fitting

Surface parameterization refers to the process of mapping a surface into a canonical domain. The goal of parameterization is to minimize geometric distortions, which can be classified as angle and area distortions. Unfortunately, in general it is impossible to achieve both angle-preserving and area-preserving parameterization. This work proposes a novel balanced parameterization method which could produce results with good balancing between the two distortions. This method is rigorous in theory and moderate in computation. Surface parameterization is a fundamental step of spline fitting. This work in further studies the spline fitting results which are respectively based on angle-preserving, area-preserving and different balanced parameterization. The experiment shows that by using balanced parameterization one could improve the spline fitting quality, and demonstrates the efficiency and efficacy of the proposed method.
Design and Development of Multiparticulate System for Targeted Drug Delivery to Colon

A multiparticulate system combining pH-sensitive property and specific biodegradability for colon-targeted delivery of metronidazole has been investigated. Cross-linked chitosan microspheres were prepared from an emulsion system using liquid paraffin as the external phase and solution of chitosan in acetic acid as the disperse phase. The multiparticulate system was prepared by coating cross-linked chitosan microspheres exploiting Eudragit® L-100 and S-100 as pH-sensitive polymers. Morphology and surface characteristics of the formulations were determined by scanning electron microscopy. Particle size of the chitosan microspheres was determined by optical microscopy while that of coated microspheres was determined by particle size analyzer. In vitro drug-release studies were performed in conditions simulating stomach-to-colon transit in presence and absence of rat caecal contents. The size of the microspheres was small and they were efficiently microencapsulated within Eudragit® microspheres, forming a multireservoir system. By coating the microspheres with Eudragit® pH-dependant release profiles were obtained. No release was observed at acidic pH; however, when it reached the pH where Eudragit® starts solublizing there was continuous release of drug from the formulation. Further, the release of drug was found to be higher in the presence of rat caecal contents, indicating the susceptibility of chitosan matrix to colonic enzymes released from rat caecal contents.
Ontologising Relational Triples into a Portuguese Thesaurus

Having in mind the automatic acquisition and integration of knowledge from different heterogeneous resources, this paper proposes several automatic methods for attaching term-based relational triples to the synsets of a thesaurus, without exploiting the extraction context for disambiguation. After using the proposed methods to attach triples, extracted from a Portuguese dictionary, to the synsets of a Portuguese thesaurus, two perspectives on their performance are given. The resulting synset-based triples were automatically validated based on support found in corpus and were then evaluated based on a handcrafted gold resource.
Brain event-related potentials as indicators of early selective processes in auditory target localization.

To establish the stages of brain processing in an auditory stimulus localization task, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 24 normal subjects listening to brief white noise stimuli in a free-field situation from front, back, left and right loudspeakers. The subject's task was to respond to ‘target’ stimuli from one designated speaker. Performance varied as a function of sound location, stimuli in the front/back dimension being more difficult to localize than those in the left/right. ERP results, based on averaged waveforms, difference waveforms and the factors derived from a principal components analysis, revealed a series of task related components. Some were relatively transient, others more sustained in character. One brain component showed task related amplitude changes with an onset as early as 15 msec. These changes were target specific for sounds in the easier left/right dimension only. Later components, such as the P300, also varied in amplitude between targets and non-targets, but showed no significant amplitude or latency differences to target stimuli as a function of location, despite the significant performance differences.
Enhancement in image quality in ultrasonic flaw detection process in rotor turbine using SAFT

A new system for nondestructive evaluation is proposed in this paper. The system performs boresonic analysis for flaw detection in the rotor turbine. In order to enhance the quality of the ultrasonic investigation, a new approach based on the synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) has been applied. The paper provides a brief overview on the boresonic analysis, with emphasis on its use for the evaluation of the residual life or rotors. Moreover, the developed system is described and some preliminary results concerning the post-processing operations are reported.
Presumptive nonthyroidal illness syndrome in critically ill foals.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING THE STUDY Hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis dysfunction is associated with morbidity and mortality in critically ill people. To date, investigations of HPT axis in critically ill foals are limited. OBJECTIVES To document the occurrence of low thyroid hormone concentrations (presumptive nonthyroidal illness syndrome; NTIS) in critically ill newborn foals and investigate whether NTIS is associated with severity of disease and outcome. HYPOTHESIS NTIS occurs frequently in foals with sepsis and is associated with sepsis score and outcome. Reverse T3 (rT3) concentrations will be increased in septic foals and highest in nonsurvivors. METHODS Thyroid hormones (total and free thyroxine [TT4 and fT4], total and free tri-iodothyronine [TT3 and fT3], reverse T3 [rT3]) were prospectively measured in healthy, sick nonseptic and septic foals. Clinical and laboratory information was retrieved from the medical records. Hormones were measured by validated radioimmunoassays. RESULTS Concentrations of all thyroid hormones except rT3 (P = 0.69) were decreased in septic and sick nonseptic foals (P < 0.01). Reductions in hormone concentrations were associated with an increased sepsis score (P < 0.01). Nonsurviving septic foals had lower TT4, fT4, TT3 and fT3 concentrations than surviving septic foals (P < 0.01). rT3 concentrations were higher in nonsurviving septic prematurefoals than surviving septic premature foals (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS NTIS (euthyroid sick syndrome) is frequently observed in critically ill and premature foals, and associated with severity of disease and mortality. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE More research is needed to better understand the mechanism of this finding and determine whether manipulation of the HPT axis or thyroid replacement therapy could be beneficial.
Asymmetry in placement of bilateral skin markers on horses and effects of asymmetric skin marker placement on kinematic variables.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate asymmetry in placement of bilateral skin markers on horses and to determine effect of asymmetric skin marker placement on kinematic variables for trotting horses. ANIMALS 10 horses for evaluation of asymmetry in marker placement; 1 horse for evaluation of effects on kinematic variables. PROCEDURE Asymmetry in marker placement was assessed by attaching markers to horses and comparing radiographs of left and right limbs. An experimental model was developed to determine effects on kinematic variables; accuracy of the model was validated experimentally. Using kinematic data from a clinically normal trotting horse as reference data, effects of asymmetric marker placement on vertical displacement-time and joint angle-time diagrams were determined by use of the model. RESULTS Asymmetry of placement was < 1 cm for markers on the distal portions of the limbs and < 2 cm for markers on the proximal portions. Asymmetric marker placement did not alter general shapes of the vertical displacement-time and joint angle-time curves. In most instances, largest differences in vertical displacement attributable to asymmetric marker placement were equal to or less than magnitude of the asymmetry of placement. Alterations in joint angle-time curves were mainly a result of shifting of the curves on the Y axis. Joint range of motion was only slightly changed by asymmetric marker placement, but maximum flexion and extension angles were greatly altered. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Some kinematic variables can be greatly altered by small differences in skin marker placement. Such effects should be taken into account when evaluating kinematic data for sound and lame horses.
On Stability and Classification Tools for Genetic Algorithms

Convergence of genetic algorithms in the form of asymptotic stability requirements is discussed. Some tools to measure convergence properties of genetic algorithms are introduced. A classification procedure is proposed that is based on the following conjecture: the entropy and the fractal dimension of trajectories of genetic algorithms produced by them are quantities that can characterize the algorithms. The role of these quantities as invariants of the algorithm classes is discussed together with the compression ratio of points of genetic algorithms.