Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rigidity and Persistence of Meta-Formations

This paper treats the problem of the merging of formations, where the underlying model of a formation is graphical. We first analyze the persistence of meta-formations, which are formations obtained by connecting several persistent formations. Persistence is a generalization to directed graphs of the undirected notion of rigidity. In the context of moving autonomous agent formations, persistence characterizes the efficacy of a directed structure of unilateral distance constraints seeking to preserve a formation shape. We derive then, for agents evolving in a two- or three-dimensional space, the conditions under which a set of persistent formations can be merged into a persistent meta-formation, and give the minimal number of interconnections needed for such a merging. We also give conditions for a meta-formation obtained by merging several persistent formations to be persistent
Synergistic Antifungal Effect of Glabridin and Fluconazole

The incidence of invasive fungal infections is increasing in recent years. The present study mainly investigated glabridin (Gla) alone and especially in combination with fluconazole (FLC) against Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida species (Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis and Candida Glabratas) by different methods. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) indicated that Gla possessed a broad-spectrum antifungal activity at relatively high concentrations. After combining with FLC, Gla exerted a potent synergistic effect against drug-resistant C. albicans and C. tropicalis at lower concentrations when interpreted by fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI). Disk diffusion test and time-killing test confirming the synergistic fungicidal effect. Cell growth tests suggested that the synergistic effect of the two drugs depended more on the concentration of Gla. The cell envelop damage including a significant decrease of cell size and membrane permeability increasing were found after Gla treatment. Together, our results suggested that Gla possessed a synergistic effect with FLC and the cell envelope damage maybe contributed to the synergistic effect, which providing new information for developing novel antifungal agents.
The Usefulness of Percutaneous Transhepatic Cholangioscopy for Identifying Malignancies in Distal Commom Bile Duct Strictures

The diagnostic accuracy of percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) was compared to that of three radiologic modalities in distal common bile duct (CBD) strictures for the evaluation of clinical application. Ninety-five patients who underwent PTCS for the evaluation of distal CBD strictures (35 malignant and 60 benign) whose masses were not obvious from radiologic imagings were included. Confirmative diagnosis could not be reached by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or radiologic findings in all cases. Specific findings on the computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and direct cholangiography were analyzed among 68 (25 malignant and 43 benign) out of the 95 patients in order to determine the sensitivity and specificity of three radiologic studies for the diagnosis of malignant distal CBD strictures, and to compare those results with those by a combination of PTCS-guided biopsy and tumor vessel observation on cholangioscopy. The sensitivity/specificity of CT, MRCP and direct cholangiography including ERCP in diagnosing malignant distal CBD strictures were 42.9%/65.8%, 53.3%/58.3%, and 70.8%/47.6% respectively, while it was 96%/100% for the combination of PTCS-guided biopsy and tumor vessel. PTCS is a useful method for differential diagnosis of distal CBD strictures, particularly when it is difficult to distinguish benign from malignant strictures by radiologic studies and when peroral approach is not feasible.
AP39, a Mitochondria-Targeted Hydrogen Sulfide Donor, Supports Cellular Bioenergetics and Protects against Alzheimer's Disease by Preserving Mitochondrial Function in APP/PS1 Mice and Neurons

Increasing evidence suggests that mitochondrial functions are altered in AD and play an important role in AD pathogenesis. It has been established that H2S homeostasis is balanced in AD. The emerging mitochondrial roles of H2S include antioxidation, antiapoptosis, and the modulation of cellular bioenergetics. Here, using primary neurons from the well-characterized APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model, we studied the effects of AP39 (a newly synthesized mitochondrially targeted H2S donor) on mitochondrial function. AP39 increased intracellular H2S levels, mainly in mitochondrial regions. AP39 exerted dose-dependent effects on mitochondrial activity in APP/PS1 neurons, including increased cellular bioenergy metabolism and cell viability at low concentrations (25–100 nM) and decreased energy production and cell viability at a high concentration (250 nM). Furthermore, AP39 (100 nM) increased ATP levels, protected mitochondrial DNA, and decreased ROS generation. AP39 regulated mitochondrial dynamics, shifting from fission toward fusion. After 6 weeks, AP39 administration to APP/PS1 mice significantly ameliorated their spatial memory deficits in the Morris water maze and NORT and reduced Aβ deposition in their brains. Additionally, AP39 inhibited brain atrophy in APP/PS1 mice. Based on these results, AP39 was proposed as a promising drug candidate for AD treatment, and its anti-AD mechanism may involve protection against mitochondrial damage.
ESIMS - An Ongoing Clinical Trial in Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

The design of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, European-Canadian Study on IVIG treatment in multiple sclerosis-ESIMS- is described. Three hundred and eighteen multiple sclerosis patients with a secondary progressive course, are treated with monthly infusions of immunoglobulin 10% I g/kg bodyweight or with 0.1 g albumin/vial for 27 months. The primary efficacy parameter is the percentage of patients with a confirmed treatment failure in the EDSS scale and/or the Nine Hole Peg Test Secondary outcome measures are MRI T2 lesion load, Magnetization Transfer Imaging, and MRI brainatrophy measures. Documentation of health resource utilisation and ability to work will cover socio-economic aspects. Recruitment of patients was completed in October 1998. The clinical part of the trial will be completed in April 2001.
Uncertainty Evaluation of an In-Flight Absolute Radiometric Calibration Using a Statistical Monte Carlo Method

The absolute radiometric calibration of remote sensing sensors is crucial to the accurate retrieval of biogeophysical parameters through remote sensing. The radiometric calibration uncertainty is the index that describes the reliability of a calibration result and is usually empirically determined by assuming that all of the factors involved are independent of each other. Through a field campaign carried out in Inner Mongolia, China, which aimed to accurately calibrate remote sensing sensors, we developed a Monte Carlo method that statistically evaluates the radiometric calibration uncertainty. From Monte Carlo simulations, it was revealed that the overall uncertainty is much smaller than the root sum of squares of each factor, suggesting that there is some negative correlation among some of the factors. For a surface with a low reflectance (~5%), the radiometric calibration uncertainty was ~7.0%, whereas for a surface with a reflectance larger than 20%, the uncertainty was stable at ~3.0%. This result suggests that the quality of remote sensing data should be carefully examined for surfaces with a low reflectance.
An effect on the subjective sexual response in premenopausal women with sexual arousal disorder by bremelanotide (PT-141), a melanocortin receptor agonist.

INTRODUCTION Melanocortins affect multiple physiological responses, including sexual behaviors. Bremelanotide is a synthetic peptide melanocortin analog of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone that is an agonist at melanocortin receptors MC3R and MC4R. AIM To evaluate a single intranasal dose of bremelanotide for potential effects on physiological and subjective measurements of sexual arousal and desire in premenopausal women with sexual arousal disorder. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in vaginal pulse amplitude during neutral and erotic videos after treatment with bremelanotide or placebo and subjects' perceptions of physiological and sexual response within 24 hours of treatment with bremelanotide or placebo. METHODS Eighteen premenopausal women with a primary diagnosis of female sexual arousal disorder were randomly assigned to receive a single intranasal dose of 20 mg bremelanotide or matching placebo in a double-blind manner during the first in-clinic treatment session, and the alternate medication during the second in-clinic treatment session. During each session, subjects viewed a 20-minute neutral video followed by a 20-minute sexually explicit video. Vaginal photoplethysmography was used to monitor vaginal vasocongestion and questionnaires were used to evaluate perceptions of sexual response within the following 24-hour period. RESULTS More women reported moderate or high sexual desire following bremelanotide treatment vs. placebo (P = 0.0114), and a trend toward more positive responses regarding feelings of genital arousal occurred after bremelanotide compared with placebo (P = 0.0833). Among women who attempted sexual intercourse within 24 hours after treatment, significantly more were satisfied with their level of sexual arousal following bremelanotide, compared with placebo (P = 0.0256). Vaginal vasocongestion did not change significantly while viewing erotic videos following bremelanotide administration compared with placebo. CONCLUSION This preliminary evaluation suggests the potential for bremelanotide to positively affect desire and arousal in women with female sexual arousal disorder and indicates that bremelanotide is a promising candidate for further evaluation in an at-home study.
Robot-Assisted Surgery for Gastric Cancer: Experience at Our Institute

Objective: The robot-assisted surgical system was developed for minimally invasive surgery and is thought to have the potential to overcome the shortcomings of laparoscopic surgery. We introduced this system for the treatment of gastric cancer in 2008. Here we report our initial experiences of robot-assisted surgery using the da Vinci system. Methods: A retrospective review of robot-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients was performed in our institute. The clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes were analyzed. Whereas the procedures of the gastrectomy were similar to those of the usual laparoscopic surgery, several aspects such as the port placement and the role of the assistant were modified from those for conventional laparoscopic surgery. Results: From January 2008 to December 2010, 61 patients with gastric cancer underwent robot-assisted surgery. Gastrectomy was distal in 46 patients, total in 14, proximal in 1 and no operation was converted to the open procedure. D2 lymph node dissection was performed on 28 patients in the distal gastrectomy group and on 11 in the total gastrectomy group. Complications occurred in 2 cases (4%): these consisted of ruptured sutures and hemorrhage from the anastomotic site. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that robot-assisted gastrectomy using the da Vinci system can be applied safely and effectively for patients with gastric cancer.
THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL TRANSPORT CHARACTERISTICS OF POLYCRYSTALLINE GOLD NANOFILMS

The in-plane thermal and electrical conductivities of several suspended polycrystalline gold nanofilms with thickness of 20.0–54.0 nm have been measured simultaneously at 100–310 K. Both the thermal and electrical conductivities drop greatly compared to the corresponding bulk value, and the electrical conductivity reduction is larger. Fits to the temperature-dependent electrical conductivity confirm that the scattering of electrons by softened phonons is significant and cannot be reconciled with the classical size-effect model considering only surface and grain boundary. Taking into account the enhanced electron-phonon scattering, the electrical conductivity is well predicted over the whole temperature range and the obtained Debye temperature agrees well with the calculated value from the elastic continuum model. Furthermore, a new model on the thermal transport of metallic nanofilm is proposed based on the Energy Conservation Law, in which the electron-phonon scattering induced electron energy decrease is supposed to be counteracted by the phonon energy increase. The present model greatly improves the prediction of thermal conductivity in thin films compared to the corresponding result directly from electrical thermal analogy applied to bulk metals.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
TAK1 Is Required for Survival of Mouse Fibroblasts Treated with TRAIL, and Does So by NF-κB Dependent Induction of cFLIPL

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is known as a “death ligand”—a member of the TNF superfamily that binds to receptors bearing death domains. As well as causing apoptosis of certain types of tumor cells, TRAIL can activate both NF-κB and JNK signalling pathways. To determine the role of TGF-β-Activated Kinase-1 (TAK1) in TRAIL signalling, we analyzed the effects of adding TRAIL to mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from TAK1 conditional knockout mice. TAK1−/− MEFs were significantly more sensitive to killing by TRAIL than wild-type MEFs, and failed to activate NF-κB or JNK. Overexpression of IKK2-EE, a constitutive activator of NF-κB, protected TAK1−/− MEFs against TRAIL killing, suggesting that TAK1 activation of NF-κB is critical for the viability of cells treated with TRAIL. Consistent with this model, TRAIL failed to induce the survival genes cIAP2 and cFlipL in the absence of TAK1, whereas activation of NF-κB by IKK2-EE restored the levels of both proteins. Moreover, ectopic expression of cFlipL, but not cIAP2, in TAK1−/− MEFs strongly inhibited TRAIL-induced cell death. These results indicate that cells that survive TRAIL treatment may do so by activation of a TAK1–NF-κB pathway that drives expression of cFlipL, and suggest that TAK1 may be a good target for overcoming TRAIL resistance.
Orthodontic treatment need for adolescents in the Campania region: the malocclusion impact on self-concept

Background Dental malocclusions can be considered not only as an oral health problem, because they are linked to quality of life perception. Many factors related to malocclusion have strong influences on the perception of facial esthetics (eg, anterior tooth alignment, tooth shape and position, lip thickness, symmetric gingival or tooth contour, lip profile, and overjet). Many reports have shown that the perception of facial esthetics can influence psychological development from early childhood to adulthood. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of dental malocclusion on self-esteem in a sample of adolescents. Materials and methods The study population was composed of 516 orthodontically untreated subjects (256 males) mean ages 13.75±1.977 years recruited from schools in the Campania region of Italy between January 2011 and July 2011. To evaluate the self-esteem grade in our population, all subjects filled out the Multidimensional Self Concept Scale questionnaire and attended an orthodontic clinical evaluation to estimate dental occlusal aspects. Results Pearson’s analysis shows the relationship in our sample between some occlusal characteristics (crossbite and dental crowding) and aspects of self-concept evaluation (social, competence, academic, physical, and global score) of the Multidimensional Self Concept Scale questionnaire. Moreover, logistic regression analysis shows the potential role of dental crowding (odds ratio 5.359; 95% confidence interval 3.492–8.225) and crossbite (odds ratio 6.153; 95% confidence interval 3.545–10.678) as risk factors for development of global self-concept score abnormalities. Conclusion Our findings confirm the relationship between psychosocial well-being, self-esteem, and dental malocclusion among adolescents.
Genome-wide studies of the multi-zinc finger Drosophila Suppressor of Hairy-wing protein in the ovary

The Drosophila Suppressor of Hairy-wing [Su(Hw)] protein is a globally expressed, multi-zinc finger (ZnF) DNA-binding protein. Su(Hw) forms a classic insulator when bound to the gypsy retrotransposon and is essential for female germline development. These functions are genetically separable, as exemplified by Su(Hw)f that carries a defective ZnF10, causing a loss of insulator but not germline function. Here, we completed the first genome-wide analysis of Su(Hw)-binding sites (SBSs) in the ovary, showing that tissue-specific binding is not responsible for the restricted developmental requirements for Su(Hw). Mapping of ovary Su(Hw)f SBSs revealed that female fertility requires binding to only one third of the wild-type sites. We demonstrate that Su(Hw)f retention correlates with binding site affinity and partnership with Modifier of (mdg4) 67.2 protein. Finally, we identify clusters of co-regulated ovary genes flanked by Su(Hw)f bound sites and show that loss of Su(Hw) has limited effects on transcription of these genes. These data imply that the fertility function of Su(Hw) may not depend upon the demarcation of transcriptional domains. Our studies establish a framework for understanding the germline Su(Hw) function and provide insights into how chromatin occupancy is achieved by multi-ZnF proteins, the most common transcription factor class in metazoans.
Consumer / Patient Encounters with Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs : Evidence from a Medicaid Population

Results: Most Medicaid patients are unaffected by the PDMP; however, patients diagnosed with chronic non-cancer pain conditions and patients reporting a Hispanic ethnicity are significantly more likely to have a physician discuss their PDMP report with them. Patients diagnosed with chronic non-cancer pain conditions are also significantly more likely to report difficulty obtaining a prescription for a controlled substance than patients that have not been diagnosed with chronic non-cancer pain conditions. Patients living in rural areas are significantly less likely than patients in urban areas to report difficulty obtaining a prescription for a controlled substance.
Male mice emit distinct ultrasonic vocalizations when the female leaves the social interaction arena

Adult male mice emit large number of complex ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) when interacting with adult females. Call numbers and call categories differ greatly among inbred mouse strains. Little is known about USV emissions when the social partner departs. To investigate whether call repertoires and call rates are different when the male is interacting with a female and after the removal of the female, we designed a novel male-female social interaction test in which vocalizations were recorded across three phases. During phase 1, the male subject freely interacts with an unfamiliar estrus female mouse in a clean cage for 5 min. During phase 2, the female is removed while the male remains in the cage for 3 min. During phase 3, the same female is returned to the cage to rejoin the male subject mouse for 3 min. C57BL/6J (B6), FVB.129P2-Pde6b(+) Tyr(c-ch)/Ant (FVB), and BTBR T+ tf/J (BTBR) male subject mice were tested in this paradigm. All three strains emitted USVs during their initial interaction with the female partner. When the female was reintroduced in phase 3, numbers of USVs were similar to the initial introductory phase 1. Strain comparisons indicated fewer calls in pairs of BTBR males and stimulus females than in pairs of B6 males and stimulus females and pairs of FVB males and stimulus females. In the absence of the female, all FVB males vocalized, while only one third of B6 males and one third of BTBR males vocalized. In all three strains, changes in call category repertoires were detected after the female was removed. Call categories reverted to the phase 1 pattern when the female was returned in phase 3. Present findings indicate that males of commonly used inbred strains emit USVs when a partner female leaves the testing arena, suggesting that removing a salient social stimulus may be a unique approach to elicit USVs from mice. Our three-phase paradigm may also be useful for studying attention to social cues, and qualitative differences in vocalizations when a social partner is present vs. suddenly absent.
Does globalization alter the monetary transmission mechanism ? ∗

In this paper we quantify effects of globalization measured by increased goods markets integration on the monetary transmission mechanism within a two country general equilibrium model. The model is specified to give a quantitatively realistic account of the actual transmission mechanism. Most notably, it features strategic complementarities in price setting such that relative import prices directly impact on domestic inflation. In a first step, we pin down parameter values of the model by matching empirical impulse responses to a monetary policy shock. We compute the latter running vector autoregressions on U.S. time series and an aggregate of industrialized countries. We find that the model is able to mimic the empirical impulse responses quite closely for plausible parameter estimates. In a second step, we use the model to perform counterfactual experiments in order to assess possible changes in the transmission mechanism induced by globalization.
Soluble and membrane-bound aspartate-binding activities in Salmonella typhimurium

The specificities of the soluble and membrane aspartate-binding activities were compared with each other and with the specificity of aspartate chemotaxis and were found to be distinct. The soluble aspartate-binding protein was purified to homogeneity and had a molecular weight of 30,000. The dissociation constant was 10(-6) M for aspartate, and the protein bound glutamate, cysteic acid, and 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate. Aspartate transport was inhibited by cysteic acid.