Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can QRS morphology be used to differentiate between true septal vs. apparently septal lead placement? An analysis of ECG of real mid-septal, apparent mid-septal, and apical pacing

Abstract The location of the pacemaker lead is based on the shape of the lead on fluoroscopy only, typically in the left and right anterior oblique positions. However, these fluoroscopy criteria are insufficient and many leads apparently considered to be in septum are in fact anchored in anterior wall. Periprocedural ECG could determine the correct lead location. The aim of the current analysis is to characterize ECG criteria associated with a correct position of the right ventricular (RV) lead in the mid-septum. Patients with indications for a pacemaker had the RV lead implanted in the apex (Group A) or mid-septum using the standard fluoroscopic criteria. The exact position of the RV lead was verified using computed tomography. Based on the findings, the mid-septal group was divided into two subgroups: (i) true septum, i.e. lead was found in the mid-septum, and (ii) false septum, i.e. lead was in the adjacent areas (anterior wall, anteroseptal groove). Paced ECGs were acquired from all patients and multiple criteria were analysed. Paced ECGs from 106 patients were analysed (27 in A, 36 in true septum, and 43 in false septum group). Group A had a significantly wider QRS, more left-deviated axis and later transition zone compared with the true septum and false septum groups. There were no differences in presence of q in lead I, or notching in inferior or lateral leads between the three groups. QRS patterns of true septum and false septum groups were similar with only one exception of the transition zone. In the multivariate model, the only ECG parameters associated with correct lead placement in the septum was an earlier transition zone (odds ratio (OR) 2.53, P = 0.001). ECGs can be easily used to differentiate apical pacing from septal or septum-close pacing. The only ECG characteristic that could help to identify true septum lead position was the transition zone in the precordial leads. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02412176.
Family-Specific Gains and Losses of Protein Domains in the Legume and Grass Plant Families

Protein domains can be regarded as sections of protein sequences capable of folding independently and performing specific functions. In addition to amino-acid level changes, protein sequences can also evolve through domain shuffling events such as domain insertion, deletion, or duplication. The evolution of protein domains can be studied by tracking domain changes in a selected set of species with known phylogenetic relationships. Here, we conduct such an analysis by defining domains as “features” or “descriptors,” and considering the species (target + outgroup) as instances or data-points in a data matrix. We then look for features (domains) that are significantly different between the target species and the outgroup species. We study the domain changes in 2 large, distinct groups of plant species: legumes (Fabaceae) and grasses (Poaceae), with respect to selected outgroup species. We evaluate 4 types of domain feature matrices: domain content, domain duplication, domain abundance, and domain versatility. The 4 types of domain feature matrices attempt to capture different aspects of domain changes through which the protein sequences may evolve—that is, via gain or loss of domains, increase or decrease in the copy number of domains along the sequences, expansion or contraction of domains, or through changes in the number of adjacent domain partners. All the feature matrices were analyzed using feature selection techniques and statistical tests to select protein domains that have significant different feature values in legumes and grasses. We report the biological functions of the top selected domains from the analysis of all the feature matrices. In addition, we also perform domain-centric gene ontology (dcGO) enrichment analysis on all selected domains from all 4 feature matrices to study the gene ontology terms associated with the significantly evolving domains in legumes and grasses. Domain content analysis revealed a striking loss of protein domains from the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway, the pathway responsible for the repair of interstrand DNA crosslinks. The abundance analysis of domains found in legumes revealed an increase in glutathione synthase enzyme, an antioxidant required from nitrogen fixation, and a decrease in xanthine oxidizing enzymes, a phenomenon confirmed by previous studies. In grasses, the abundance analysis showed increases in domains related to gene silencing which could be due to polyploidy or due to enhanced response to viral infection. We provide a docker container that can be used to perform this analysis workflow on any user-defined sets of species, available at https://cloud.docker. com/u/akshayayadav/repository/docker/akshayayadav/protein-domain-evolution-project.
NEW TAXA OF CONVOLVULUS (CONVOLVULACEAE) FROM THE ARABIAN PENINSULA

Two new species of Convolvulus (Convolvulaceae), C. excelsus R.R. Mill and C. infantispinosus R.R. Mill, are described from Saudi Arabia. Convolvulus excelsus, an exceptionally tall species, has affinities with C. erinaceus Ledeb. but is phytogeographically disjunct from that and other allied species. Two new subspecies are also described: Convolvulus hystrix Vahl subsp. dhofarica R.R. Mill, from Oman, and C. oxyphyllus Boiss. subsp. sheilae R.R. Mill, from Saudi Arabia. Each novelty is given a provisional IUCN conservation assessment.
Profiling Anthocyanins in Thai Purple Yams (Dioscorea alata L.)

Two accessions of Thai purple yam (Dioscorea alata) were investigated for their chemical constituents during tuber development when the vines were 3 to 8 months old. Yam tubers contained total phenolic compounds ranging between 100 and 385 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE), flavonoids 60–160 mg catechin equivalent (CE), monomeric anthocyanin of 10–90 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent (CGE), 70 g starch, and 25–30 g amylose in 100 g yam tuber on a dried weight basis, depending on the accession and age of yam vine. LCMS-IT-TOF mass spectrometry revealed that anthocyanins in both accessions from 8-month-old vines had cyanidin or peonidin nucleus. Their glycosides were nonacylated, monoacylated, or diacylated with sinapic or ferulic acid. The major yam anthocyanins found in both accessions were alatanin C (cyanidin 3-(6-sinapoyl gentiobioside). This study revealed the insights on chemical components during tuber development and characteristics of alatanins for future selection and cultivation of purple yam tubers.
A Case of Cerebral Tumor Embolism from Extracardiac Lung Cancer Treated by Mechanical Thrombectomy

Cerebral tumor embolism is a rare cause of acute ischemic stroke, and extracardiac carcinoma is an extremely rare cause. A 34-year-old man who had been diagnosed with lung cancer developed right hemiparesis and aphasia, with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 17. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed early ischemic change in the insular cortex and frontotemporal lobe and left internal carotid artery (ICA) terminal occlusion was confirmed by magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA). Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) with contact aspiration by a Penumbra ACE 68, followed by combined technique with a stent retriever was performed, and a soft, fragile embolus was retrieved. Finally, good recanalization was achieved (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction [TICI] scale 2b), and on the next day, the right hemiparesis and aphasia were improved. However, the patient’s general condition gradually worsened, and 43 days after thrombectomy, he died from respiratory failure. The retrieved embolus was examined pathologically and diagnosed as mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the same type as his lung cancer. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed that tumor invaded the right pulmonary vein and left atrium; these findings suggested that a piece of the tumor in the left atrium flowed into the left ICA and caused the acute ischemic stroke.
PATHOGENESIS OF EXPERIMENTAL CHOLERA

Choleragen, a diarrheagenic protein enterotoxin elaborated by Vibrio cholerae, has been isolated from the supernate of fermenter cultures by steps involving ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE cellulose, Sephadex G-75, and Agarose A-5m chromatography. The resulting product appears to be pure according to immunoelectrophoretic, disc electrophoretic, ultracentrifugal, and immunologic criteria. Sephadex gel filtration and membrane filtration studies suggest a molecular size of 61,000. The isolated product is highly active in inducing experimental cholera in infant and adult rabbit models. It also elicits, in small dosage, an increased vascular permeability in skin. These observations indicate that choleragenicity and increased vascular permeability are intimately associated phenomena and may be manifestations of the same basic mechanism. An additional, antigenically identical, protein has also been isolated by the same procedures. The latter substance, termed "choleragenoid", lacks the permeability effect and choleragenicity of the choleragen moiety. Its size (estimated from Sephadex gel filtration at 42,000) is smaller than that of choleragen and it also differs in charge. Choleragenoid may prove useful as a nontoxic immunogen to protect against pathologic effects of V. cholerae infection.
Identification and investigation of osmostress-induced genes in Dictyostelium discoideum

D. discoideum is frequently subjected to environmental changes in its natural habitat, the forest soil. In order to survive, the organism had to develop effective mechanisms to sense and respond to such changes. When cells are faced with a hypertonic environment a complex response is triggered. It starts with signal sensing and transduction and leads to changes in cell shape, the cytoskeleton, transport processes, metabolism and gene expression. Certain aspects of the Dictyostelium osmotic stress response have been elucidated, however, no comprehensive picture was available up to now. To better understand the D. discoideum response to hyperosmotic conditions, we applied different methods. We first confirmed that actin is tyrosine phosphorylated, the F-actin cytoskeleton is redistributed, the cell volume is decreased considerably and cell viability is slightly diminished upon sorbitol treatment. Next, gene expression profiling using DNA microarrays was performed. Treatment of Dictyostelium cells with 200 mM sorbitol for 1 hour led to dramatic transcriptional changes, of which some were validated by real time PCR or Northern Blot. The transcriptional profile of cells treated during a 2-hour time course revealed a time-dependent induction or repression of 809 genes, more than 15% of the genes on the array, which peaked 45 to 60 minutes after the hyperosmotic shock. The differentially regulated genes were applied to cluster analysis and functional annotation using gene ontology (GO) terms. Two main responses appear to be the down-regulation of the metabolic machinery and the up-regulation of the stress response system, among them STATc (signal transducer and activator of transcription). Manual annotation revealed that many genes of the major metabolic pathways, including carbohydrate, amino acid and nucleotide metabolism were differentially regulated and could be responsible for the generation of osmolytes. We hypothesize that Dictyostelium uses a mixture of osmolytes to counteract the hyperosmotic stress. Interestingly we also found a number of differentially regulated genes that are involved in development. This is consistent with the notion that the cellular processes that protect amoebae from a hypertonic environment have been adapted for regulatory developmental process. Gene expression profiling with the STATc mutant and appropriate controls showed that STATc is a key regulator of the transcriptional response to hyperosmotic shock. Approximately 20% of the differentially regulated genes that were common between two or three experiments were dependent on the presence of STATc. Our results suggest that at least two signalling pathways are activated in Dictyostelium cells subjected to hypertonicity. STATc is responsible for the transcriptional changes of one of them.
Involvement of Nutrition and Fungi in the Peanut Pod Rot Complex

Several fungi-specific fungicides and the chemicals CaSO4, CaCO3, S, and MgSO4 were evaluated for their influence on development of peanut pod rot in field test plots at Tifton, GA, in 1980–1983. Isolations for Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium spp. were made from soil and decaying pods and pegs throughout the growing season. Yield and sound mature kernel (SMK) were determined and chemical analyses of mature seed and hulls were made. There were no consistent differences found among treatments for fungal soil populations (1980) or isolations from decaying pods (1980 through 1982). Plots treated with a Ca source were generally higher in yield and SMK and lower in pod rot than other treatments. There was a significant positive relation with most elements in fruits and pod rot except Ca, which had a significant inverse relation to pod rot. Most elements in fruits were related inversely to Ca concentration. We propose that fungi are secondary to the disease complex and nutritional deficiency or imbalance may be the primary cause
Performance evaluation of the preclinical PET/MRI nanoScan with NEMA IQ-Phantom and self-designed 3D printed phantoms

PET/MRI combines two imaging modalities to produce hybrid images with advantageous quality. Combined images from PET/MRI present exquisite anatomical and structural details provided by MRI, and functional and molecular imaging from PET. To assess the quality of a state of the art preclinical PET/MRI nanoScan, performance evaluation was done according to National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) NU4-2008 standards [1]. Other evaluations were done with self-designed phantoms created through 3-D printing.
H+-Translocating ATPases: Advances Using Membrane Vesicles

In this paper, two primary active transport systems (H/sup +/ -ATPases) in plant cells are examined using membrane vesicles as a simple experimental tool. One electrogenic, H/sup +/ -translocating ATPase is vanadate-sensitive and associated with the plasma membrane. Another electrogenic, H/sup +/ -translocating ATPases is anion-sensitive, and localized on the tonoplast (and perhaps other membranes). According to the working model, the plasma membrane and tonoplast-type H/sup +/ -ATPases are detectable in inside-out plasma membrane and right-side-out tonoplast vesicles. The direction of H/sup +/ pumping into these vesicles would be consistent with the results from intact cells where H/sup +/ are extruded from the cell across the plasma membrane and pumped into the vacuole from the cytoplasm. Understanding the properties of H/sup +/ -pumping ATPases using membrane vesicles has paved the way for studies to identify secondary active transport systems coupled to the proton electrochemical gradient. Redox-driven transport systems can also be studied directly using the isolated vesicles. As transport proteins are identified, the functional activities can be specifically studied after reconstitution of the purified protein(s) into phospholipid membrane vesicles. 154 references.
Dynamic Growth of Oocytes of the Medaka, Oryzias latipes I. A Relationship between Establishment of the Animal-Vegetal Axis of the Oocyte and Its Surrounding Granulosa Cells

Abstract In previtellogenic oocytes of the freshwater teleost, Oryzias latipes, the yolk nucleus is a prominent structure in the cytoplasm. The process by which the animal-vegetal (A-V) axis is established in these oocytes was observed by focusing on the yolk nucleus, granulosa cells and attaching filaments using light and electron microscopy. Prior to appearance of the rudiments of attaching filaments a special area was recognized near the yolk nucleus of early stage III oocytes by gathering of granulosa cells with irregular-shaped nuclei, The rudiments of attaching filaments clearly appeared in the area where granulosa cells gathered. The area with a cluster of granulosa cells and the rudiments of attaching filaments corresponded to the position of the yolk nucleus. In late stage III, the future vegetal pole area (VPA) was easily recognizable by the presence of the rudiments of attaching filaments. The present results suggest that the vegetal pole may be primarily determined by the random position of the yolk nucleus and established by reciprocal interactions between the cortical cytoplasm containing the yolk nucleus and its surrounding granulosa cells. It was postulated that the animal pole is determined by differentiation of the micropylar cell from a granulosa cell and by locomotion of granulosa cells around the axis connecting the centers of the germinal vesicle and the yolk nucleus before the initiation of vitellogenesis.
Nitrogen Mineralization and Leaching in the Early Stages of a Subtropical Reforestation in Southern China

Nitrogen cycling is a critical component in plantations, yet the spatial and temporal variations of N transformations in different stages of reforestation are often poorly known. Here we report the seasonal variation of soil in situ net N mineralization, net nitrification and N leaching in five young plantations (two monocultures of exotic species: Eucalyptus urophylla and Acacia crassicarpa; a native species monoculture; a 10‐species mixture and a 30‐species mixture) and a shrubland (without experimental planting) in subtropical southern China. Our results show that net N mineralization and nitrification rates in the E. urophylla monoculture (13.5 and 9.98 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively) were the lowest among six planting treatments, less than 1/3 of those in the 10‐species and 30‐species mixtures. Two exotic fast‐growing monocultures had 10–60% lower soil extractable nitrate concentrations than the native plantations and shrubland and had the lowest nitrogen leaching losses. The leguminous A. crassicarpa monoculture did not have higher soil N availability in comparison with non‐leguminous species. Both N mineralization and nitrification varied seasonally; soil moisture seemed to be important in controlling these temporal variations. This study highlights that in the early stages of reforestaion, a better understanding of plant species effects on soil N cycling would be beneficial to forest management decisions and could provide a critical foundation for advancing restoration practices.
N-glycan-dependent apical trafficking of the sialomucin endolyn

Crucial to the function of polarized epithelial cells is the generation and maintenance of distinct protein populations at the apical and basolateral domains. Cellular mechanisms sustain this polarity by properly sorting apical and basolateral proteins in both the biosynthetic and postendocytic pathways via sorting signals inherent within the protein. N-glycosylation has been specifically implicated as one of several sorting signals responsible for delivery of proteins to the apical surface along the biosynthetic pathway. Whether this sorting signal is also used along the postendocytic pathway is currently not known. To examine N-glycan-dependent trafficking along the biosynthetic pathway and explore a possible role for N-glycans in sorting along the postendocytic pathway, this study focuses on the sialomucin endolyn. Characterization of the biosynthetic sorting signal revealed that two glycans at amino acid positions 68 and 74 were necessary and sufficient for apical delivery of endolyn. Terminal processing of N-glycans is also necessary for efficient apical delivery as incubation with kifunensine, a drug that inhibits terminal processing of N-glycans, resulted in the nonpolarized delivery of endolyn. A similar N-glycan-dependent sorting signal was also found to be important for apical recycling of endolyn along the postendocytic pathway. The use of the same sorting signal suggested that endolyn may be sorted in a compartment that is common to both the biosynthetic and postendocytic pathway. However, further studies revealed that endolyn is sorted in distinct compartments along these two pathways. These data enhance our understanding of how and where N-glycans mediate apical sorting to maintain the integrity of polarized sorting in epithelial cells.
Myasthenia gravis: Residues of the α and γ subunits of muscle acetylcholine receptor involved in formation of immunodominant CD4+ epitopes

We propagated from myasthenia gravis (MG) patients by stimulation in vitro with synthetic sequences (alpha 48-67, alpha 304-322, gamma 75-94 and gamma 321-340) of the human muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR), CD4+ lines against four 20-residue sequence regions of the AChR alpha and gamma subunits that are recognized by Th cells of most MG patients. Most lines secreted IL-2 and not IL-4, suggesting that they comprise Th1 cells. For three lines we verified that, as reported previously, AChR epitopes are presented by DR molecules: their response to the relevant peptide was abolished by anti-DR Abs. The DR molecules presenting AChR epitopes were identified by testing the response of the lines to the relevant peptide, using APC from donors homozygous for the different DR alleles of the line. We tested the lines with single residue-substituted analogues of the epitope sequence. The results of these experiments indicated that the lines were polyclonal and recognized overlapping epitopes. Their response was abolished by some substitutions, identifying residues common to all epitopes within a given region, whereas other substitutions reduced but did not obliterate the response, indicating residues included in some but not all epitopes recognized by the line. Comparison of the residues involved in epitope formation for different lines supported the conclusion that within the 20-residue immunodominant regions investigated here, the same sequence segment is involved in formation of epitopes, even in DR-discordant patients.
Mallomonas multiunca var. pocosinensis var. nov. (Synurophyceae) from freshwater localities along coastal sections of North Carolina, U.S.A.

A new variety of Mallomonas multiunca, M. multiunca var. pocosinensis Siver var. nov., is described from very acidic, humic waterbodies situated on the Atlantic Coastal Plain of North Carolina, U.S.A. The new variety is similar to the type in scale structure, but differs in possessing a unique type of bristle. Bristles of M. multiunca var. pocosinensis have a double cleft-like expanded distal end somewhat similar to the plume-like bristles of Mallomonas plumosa. The concave region of the distal hooked end is interrupted by the presence of a long pointed tooth that essentially divides the cleft into two sections. Based on initial findings it appears that this taxon is an important member of the phytoplankton flora in waterbodies along coastal regions of North Carolina.