Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential expression of potassium currents by hair cells in thin slices of frog crista ampullaris.

1. Electrical responses in hair cells located in the peripheral regions and in the central region of the frog crista ampullaris were investigated in thin slice preparations by using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. 2. Hair cells from the peripheral regions exhibited mostly a club-like shape and had an average resting potential of -46 mV, whereas cells from the central region had mostly a cylindrical shape and a more negative resting potential (-57 mV). 3. Voltage-clamp recordings revealed that ionic conductances differed in the two epithelial regions. Cells from the peripheral regions exhibited a transient K+ current of A-type (IA) in conjunction with a slow rectifier outward K+ current (IK). Cells from the central region showed little or no IA and generated an IK together with an inward rectifier K+ current (IIR). In both regions, hair cells showed a rapidly activating Ca(2+)-dependent outward K+ current (IK(Ca)) that rapidly inactivated to reach a steady-state level during 150-ms test pulses. 4. IA activated close to -60 mV and was inhibited by 12 mM 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). The time course of this current showed time to peak values of 3-4 ms at 0 mV. Inactivation was fast and almost voltage-independent. The decay time constant was approximately 35 ms at 0 mV. 5. IK was recruited close to -60 mV and activated slowly, reaching peak values in approximately 100 ms at 0 mV. It showed no evidence of inactivation during 150-ms test pulses and it was insensitive to 4-AP. 6. IIR activated at membrane potentials more negative than -90 mV and was blocked by exposure to 6 mM Cs+ or to a K(+)-free medium. This current showed an outward relaxation at potentials more negative than -140 mV, an effect that disappeared after exposure to a Na(+)-free medium. 7. IK(Ca) was recruited close to -40 mV and was inhibited by exposure to a Ca(2+)-free external medium or to 0.5 mM Cd2+. The time to peak of this current was approximately 3 ms at 0 mV and inactivation was very fast and almost independent from the membrane potential. The decay time constant was approximately 4 ms at 0 mV. 8. IK and IA were prominent in hair cells from the peripheral regions, whereas IK accounted for most of the membrane conductance in cells from the central region. The contribution of IK(Ca) was comparable in cells from both epithelial regions. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Assessing Canadian Schedule I banks using DEA window analysis and the Malmquist Index

In today's economy and society, performance analyses in the financial service industry attract more and more attention. The 7 largest Canadian Schedule I banks operate very large nationwide branch networks in all markets. They are not only essential for the security and strength of the Canadian financial system, but also make significant contributions to the economy across the country. They continue to pursue all the opportunities available to enhance their productivity and competitiveness. This paper examines the performance of 7 largest Canadian Schedule I banks using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) window analysis and the Malmquist Productivity Index. The DEA window analysis is applied to obtain the efficiency scores for the involved banks in the period of 1998–2007. Based on the efficiency scores the Malmquist Productivity Index was used to calculate the productivity changes. The results were further investigated and compared with economy development in Canada within the studied period. A good agreement between the model result and real economic situation was observed.
Relationship of reconstituted adaptive and innate cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific immune responses with CMV viremia in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a major cause of morbidity in transplant recipients. An immunologic predictor of protection against CMV reactivation or disease is highly desirable. METHODS Thirty-eight allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients at risk of CMV disease were prospectively monitored using whole blood CMV-DNA polymerase chain reaction assay, lymphocyte proliferation assay (LPA), interferon gamma enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT), and flow cytometric enumeration of CMV-specific CD69+interferon (IFN)gamma+CD4, CD8, natural killer cells, and gammadelta T cells. RESULTS Twenty-one subjects developed > or =1 episode of CMV viremia and 4 developed disease during 360 days of follow-up. Among CMV-seropositive recipients, positive CMV-LPA before transplantation correlated with higher risk of developing viremia after transplantation (P = .02). In contrast, after transplantation, reconstitution of CMV-LPA was significantly associated with absence of CMV viremia over 360 days of follow-up (P = .04) and with faster clearance of viremia during individual episodes of CMV reactivation (P = .03). Reconstitution of CMV-specific natural killer cells was also associated with absence of CMV viremia over 360 days of study (P = .04) but not with faster clearance of viremia. CMV-specific CD4, CD8, gammadelta T cells, and ELISPOT values were not significantly different in viremic subjects, compared with the corresponding values in nonviremic subjects, at any time point. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study to prospectively compare multiple measures of innate and adaptive immune responses in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with CMV viremia. The strongest immune correlates with protection against CMV viremia in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients are reconstitution of CMV-specific T cell memory responses (LPA) and recovery of natural killer cell function. In contrast, positive CMV-LPA before transplantation may be a marker of high risk of CMV reactivation after transplantation.
Serosurvey and laboratory diagnosis of imported sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana, infection in Germany

SUMMARY Of eight acute infections in German tourists caused by sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana (TOS). and diagnosed clinically and serologically, seven were acquired during visits to Tuscany, Italy, and one to Coimbra, Portugal. An indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using infected cells, and a newly developed enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) using crude virus antigen prepared from infected Vero-E6 cells was used to detect anti-TOS IgM and IgG. In a seroepidemiological survey of 859 health care workers and medical students, anti-TOS IgG was detected in 1·0% by IFA, and in 0·7% by EIA. In 2034 German patients hospitalized for various diseases, 1·6% were positive for anti-TOS IgG by IFA, and 0·8% by EIA. Anti-TOS IgG was detected in 43 samples of commercial immunoglobulins at titres of 10–1000 by EIA. Although the seroprevalence of antibodies to TOS is low in Germany, TOS infection should be considered in patients returning from endemic areas who complain of fever, and headaches, and have symptoms of meningitis.
Effects of estrogen plus progesterone on hemodynamic and vascular reactivity in hypertensive postmenopausal women

Abstract Aims. To investigate the medium-term effects of estrogen plus progesterone therapy (EPT) on vascular reactivity, endothelial function and hemodynamic responses in 20 hypertensive postmenopausal women. Methods. This randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled study investigates the effect of 6 months of EPT (conjugated equine estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone). Blood pressure (office and ambulatory), heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured at baseline and following EPT/placebo treatment. In eight women, we used a wire-myograph to assess endothelial function and contractile response of subcutaneous arteries to transmural nerve stimulation (TNS) and exogenous noradrenaline. Results. EPT decreased vascular reactivity to cumulative TNS compared with baseline (p<0.01) and placebo (p<0.05). Moreover, EPT diminished sensitivity to exogenous noradrenaline (p<0.05). Although EPT reinforced response to acetylcholine, we observed no difference in maximal relaxation induced by substance P or acetylcholine. EPT did not affect ambulatory blood pressure, heart rate or HRV. Conclusions. Oral combined medium-term EPT reduces adrenergic reactivity in subcutaneous arteries from treated hypertensive postmenopausal women. EPT might act postjunctionally at the adrenergic vascular receptor level. In the present study, EPT neither reduces sympathetic activity nor increases vagal tone, and thus does not support an effect on the central hemodynamic system.
Thematic review series: Patient-Oriented Research. Recent advances in liver triacylglycerol and fatty acid metabolism using stable isotope labeling techniques Published, JLR Papers in Press, June 1, 2006.

Isotopic measurement of biosynthetic rates of lipids in VLDL particles has long posed difficult technical problems. In this review, key methodologic issues and recent technical advances are discussed. A common problem for all biosynthetic measurements is the requirement to measure isotopic labeling of the true intracellular biosynthetic precursor pool. Two techniques that address this problem for lipid biosynthesis, and that are applicable to humans, have been developed—the combinatorial probability method (or mass isotopomer distribution analysis) and 2H2O incorporation. The theoretical basis and practical application of these methods, both of which involve mass spectrometry, are described. Issues relevant to specific lipid components of VLDL, such as differences in the labeling of the various particle lipids (phospholipid, cholesterol, etc.), and the contribution of an intrahepatic cytosolic triacylglycerol (TG) storage pool to VLDL-TG are discussed. In summary, advances in stable isotope-mass spectrometric techniques now permit accurate measurement of liver-TG synthesis and flux. In vivo regulation of the synthesis, assembly, and secretion of VLDL-TG in humans is thereby accessible to direct investigation. Patient-oriented research in conditions such as dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis is made feasible by these scientific advances.
Contralateral Leg Deficits in Kinetic and Kinematic Variables During Running in Australian Rules Football Players With Previous Hamstring Injuries

Brughelli, M, Cronin, J, Mendiguchia, J, Kinsella, D, and Nosaka, K. Contralateral leg deficits in kinetic and kinematic variables during running in Australian rules football players with previous hamstring injuries. J Strength Cond Res 24(9): 2539-2544, 2010-Contralateral leg deficits between lower limbs during athletic movements are thought to increase the risk of injury and compromise performance. The purpose of this study was to quantify the magnitude of leg deficits during running in noninjured and previously injured Australian Rules football (ARF) players. The players included a group of noninjured ARF players (n = 11) and a group of previously injured ARF players (n = 11; hamstring injuries only). The players in the injured group (IG) had at least 1 acute hamstring injury in the previous 2 years. The legs of the noninjured players (NIG) were classified as right and left, whereas the legs of the injured players were classified as injured or noninjured. The players ran on a nonmotorized force treadmill at approximately 80% of their maximum velocity (Vmax). For the NIG, there were no significant differences between right and left legs for any of the variables. For the IG, the only variable that was significantly (p < 0.001) different between the injured and noninjured leg was horizontal force (175 ± 30 vs. 326 ± 44 N). Furthermore, horizontal force was significantly greater in the noninjured leg (IG) in comparison with either legs in the NIG (19.2% and 20.5%) and significantly less in the injured leg (IG) in comparison with either legs of the NIG (31.5% and 32.7%). In the present study, athletes with previous hamstring injuries had contralateral leg deficits in horizontal but not vertical force during running at submaximal velocities.
Oral administration of antibiotics: a rational alternative to the parenteral route.

Much early experience with antibiotic therapy involved oral administration of sulfonamides, penicillins, tetracyclines, and chloramphenicol. Newer acid-labile, less-soluble agents created the need for intravenous (i.v.) administration, and i.v. technology (hyporeactive catheter polymers, infusion pumps, etc.) improved to where i.v. administration became normative for the treatment of serious infections. Recently, this preference is being reconsidered in light of agents that are highly effective orally, growing appreciation that i.v. treatment has serious complications, and economic pressures to provide the best care at the lowest cost. This article presents a brief history of administration routes and reviews the rationale for considering oral treatment for serious infections, including consideration of pharmacokinetics and minimum inhibitory concentrations. Published reports supporting the efficacy of orally administered antibiotics either as sole treatment or following an initial parenteral course are reviewed in detail, and examples of programs that educate physicians about the rationale, acceptibility, and benefits of oral administration are given.
Parathyroid "double adenomas": fact of fiction?

It has been suggested that primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) may occasionally be caused by "multiple adenomas. " If this is true, then selective excision of the enlarged glands should be curative in such cases. To examine this proposition, we reviewed the records of 1,962 patients with surgically proved HPT and culled all those who met the following criteria: (1) identification and excision of two enlarged and histologically hypercellular parathyroid glands, each weighing more than 70 mg, and (2) identification and preservation of two other normal-sized parathyroid glands. There were 38 such patients (1.9% of the total group). Thirty-seven patients were euparathyroid at follow-up (an average of 4.6 years postoperatively). Only one individual, a member of a kindred with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN), type 1, had persistent HPT; but four other patients with MEN syndromes were among the group cured by surgery. The findings of this study support the notion that more than one adenoma may occasionally be found in primary HPT, and that selective excision of the enlarged glands with preservation of the normal parathyroid glands constitutes adequate treatment. One possible exception to this rule is the patient with either familial HPT or one of the MEN syndromes; subtotal parathyroidectomy is preferred in this situation.
Identification of a cell‐surface glycoprotein mediating cell adhesion in EBV‐immortalized normal B cells

Phorbol ester treatment markedly enhanced aggregation of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐immortalized normal B cells. Monoclonal antibody (MAb) 60.3, recognizing a leukocyte common antigen, completely inhibited intracellular adhesion, whereas MAbs reacting with leukocyte common antigen T200, C3b receptor, T‐cell‐associated antigen TA‐I, C3d (EBV) receptor, brain‐granulocyte/T‐lymphocyte antigen, transferrin receptor, surface immunoglobulin, Class‐I or Class‐II transplantation antigens or a B‐cell‐specific antigen (BI) showed no inhibitory effect. Both the spontaneous and phorbol‐ester‐enhanced cell aggregations were similarly inhibited by Fab fragments made from antibody 60.3. Phorbol esters also enhance binding between EBV‐immortalized normal B cells and autologous or allogeneic blood mononuclear cells depleted of B lymphocytes. This process, which is independent of immunity to EBV, was similarly blocked by the antibody fragments. Antibody 60.3 precipitated 3 non‐covalently associated surface gylcopolypeptides with apparent MW of 90, 130 and 160/kDa from EBV‐infected B cells. Although dissociation of a similar protein complex from granulocytes by sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment clearly indicated the presence of the epitope on the smallest component, the same treatment did not dissociate the protein complex from EBV‐immortalized normal B cells, ft is thus concluded that the 90‐kDa glycopolypeptide, either alone or associated with the larger glycopolypeptides, mediates cell adhesion of the B cells.
Studies on the molecular evolution of the Crocodylia: footprints in the sands of time.

A reasonably large number of studies focusing on the molecular evolution of crocodilians have been completed during the past 100 years. Proteins were initially studied before DNA was known to carry the genetic information of cells and organisms, and were subsequently studied to infer changes at the DNA level. More recently, studies on the DNA itself have been completed. We have had the pleasure of taking part in or facilitating many studies conducted over the past 50 years, especially several of the earliest studies done using newly developed molecular techniques. We provide a review of the molecular genetic studies on crocodilians, summarizing the findings of these studies as well as the context in which they were undertaken. This review is a personal look at the history of molecular studies on the evolutionary biology of crocodilians. Our excuse for this focus is that our professors, our students and we have had the opportunity to be among the first to apply many new techniques to studies of crocodilians since 1950, when one of us (HCD) was a graduate student of Roland Coulson and Tom Hernandez. Although we will review much of the material in this subject area, we do not claim that it is complete. Instead, we focus our presentation on work in which we have participated or with which we are particularly familiar. We especially focus on materials relevant to the research presented at the 2(nd) International Crocodilian DNA Workshop, 7-9 November, 2001, at the San Diego Zoo. Thus, the following review also stands as a tribute to our mentors, students, and colleagues.
Chromosomal Mapping of Genes for Epilepsy in NER: A Rat Strain with Tonic‐Clonic Seizures

Summary: Purpose: NER is a mutant rat strain that exhibits spontaneous tonic‐clonic convulsions accompanied by epileptic discharges on ictal EEG and serves as a model for generalized tonic‐clonic seizures in humans. Our previous experiments have suggested that a major autosomal recessive gene and several minor genes regulate the inheritance of tonic‐clonic seizures in NER. The purpose of this study was to confirm the mode of inheritance and to locate the causative genes for epilepsy in NER on the rat genetic map.
Mitochondrial mutation detection using enhanced multiplex denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography

In this study, we investigated the presence of mutations within the mitochondrial genome in 40 Caucasian subjects using an enhanced multiplex denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) approach. The enhanced DHPLC approach has increased sensitivity and throughput, and reduced analysis time per individual sample compared to conventional methods. This technique involved amplifying the mitochondrial genome in 18 fragments ranging in size from 300 to 2000 bp using a novel proofreading polymerase (OptimaseTM, Transgenomic Inc., Omaha, NE) with a low misincorporation rate. Fourteen of these fragments underwent subsequent restriction digestion using a combination of five restriction enzymes to enable multiplex DHPLC analysis; the remaining four underwent conventional DHPLC. Using this complete mitochondrial genome‐screening approach, we confirmed a number of previously reported mutations and additionally identified a large number of novel mutations using an enhanced DHPLC technique.
Common and distinct fusion proteins in axonal growth and transmitter release

We have used the proteolytic properties of botulinum and tetanus neurotoxins (BoNT, TeNT) to cleave three proteins of the membrane fusion machinery, SNAP‐25, VAMP/synaptobrevin, and syntaxin, in developing and differentiated rat central neurons in vitro. Then, we have studied the capacity of neurons to extend neurites, make synapses, and release neurotransmitters. All the toxins showed the expected specificity with the exception that BoNT/C cleaved SNAP‐25 in addition to syntaxin and induced rapid neuronal death. In developing neurons, cleavage of SNAP‐25 with BoNT/A inhibited axonal growth and prevented synapse formation. In contrast, cleavage of VAMP with TeNT or BoNT/B had no effects on neurite extension and synaptogenesis. All the toxins tested inhibited transmitter release in differentiated neurons, and cleavage of VAMP resulted in the strongest inhibition. These data indicate that SNAP‐25 is involved in vesicle fusion for membrane expansion and transmitter release, whereas VAMP is selectively involved in transmitter release. In addition, our results support the hypothesis that synaptic activity is not essential for synapse formation in vitro. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Solution structure of thanatin, a potent bactericidal and fungicidal insect peptide, determined from proton two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance data.

Thanatin is the first inducible insect peptide that has been found to have, at physiological concentrations, a broad range of activity against bacteria and fungi. Thanatin contains 21 amino acids including two cysteine residues that form a disulfide bridge. Two-dimensional (2D) 1H-NMR spectroscopy and molecular modelling have been used to determine its three-dimensional (3D) structure in water. Thanatin adopts a well-defined anti-parallel beta-sheet structure from residue 8 to the C-terminus, including the disulfide bridge. In spite of the presence of two proline residues, there is a large degree of structural variability in the N-terminal segment. The structure of thanatin is quite different from the known structures of other insect defence peptides, such as antibacterial defensin and antifungal drosomycin. It has more similarities with the structures of various peptides from different origins, such as brevinins, protegrins and tachyplesins, which have a two-stranded beta-sheet stabilized by one or two disulfide bridges. Combined with activity test experiments on several truncated isoforms of thanatin, carried out by Fehlbaum et al. [Fehlbaum, P., Bulet, P., Chernysh, S. , Briand, J. P., Roussel, J. P., Letellier, L. , Hétru, C. & Hoffmann, J. (1996) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 93, 1221-1225], our structural study evidences the importance of the beta-sheet structure and also suggests that anti-Gram-negative activity involves a site formed by the Arg20 side-chain embedded in a hydrophobic cluster.
Conservation of a microRNA cluster in parasitic nematodes and profiling of miRNAs in excretory-secretory products and microvesicles of Haemonchus contortus

microRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that are important regulators of gene expression in a range of animals, including nematodes. We have analysed a cluster of four miRNAs from the pathogenic nematode species Haemonchus contortus that are closely linked in the genome. We find that the cluster is conserved only in clade V parasitic nematodes and in some ascarids, but not in other clade III species nor in clade V free-living nematodes. Members of the cluster are present in parasite excretory-secretory products and can be detected in the abomasum and draining lymph nodes of infected sheep, indicating their release in vitro and in vivo. As observed for other parasitic nematodes, H. contortus adult worms release extracellular vesicles (EV). Small RNA libraries were prepared from vesicle-enriched and vesicle-depleted supernatants from both adult worms and L4 stage larvae. Comparison of the miRNA species in the different fractions indicated that specific miRNAs are packaged within vesicles, while others are more abundant in vesicle-depleted supernatant. Hierarchical clustering analysis indicated that the gut is the likely source of vesicle-associated miRNAs in the L4 stage, but not in the adult worm. These findings add to the growing body of work demonstrating that miRNAs released from parasitic helminths may play an important role in host-parasite interactions.