Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of wakefulness on pharyngeal airway muscle activity

Background: Whether loss of wakefulness itself can influence pharyngeal dilator muscle activity and responsiveness is currently unknown. A study was therefore undertaken to assess the isolated impact of sleep on upper airway muscle activity after minimising respiratory/mechanical inputs. Methods: Ten healthy subjects were studied. Genioglossus (GG), tensor palatini (TP) and diaphragm (DIA) electromyography (EMG), ventilation and sleep-wake status were recorded. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation was applied. Expiratory pressure was adjusted to yield the lowest GGEMG, thereby minimising airway negative pressure (mechanoreceptor) effects. Inspiratory pressure, respiratory rate and inspiratory time were adjusted until the subjects ceased spontaneous ventilation, thereby minimising central respiratory input. Muscle activity during wakefulness, wake-sleep transitions, stable non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep were evaluated in the supine position. Results: In transitions from wakefulness to sleep, significant decrements were observed in both mean GGEMG and TPEMG (1.6 (0.5)% to 1.3 (0.4)% of maximal GGEMG; 4.3 (2.3)% to 3.7 (2.1)% of maximal TPEMG). Compared with sleep onset, the activity of TP during stable NREM sleep and REM sleep was further decreased (3.7 (2.1)% vs 3.0 (2.0)% vs 3.0 (2.0)% of maximal EMG). However, GGEMG was only further reduced during REM sleep (1.3 (0.4)% vs 1.0 (0.3)% vs 1.1 (0.4)% of maximal EMG). Conclusion: This study suggests that wakefulness per se, independent of respiratory/mechanical stimuli, can influence pharyngeal dilator muscle activity.
Bench-scale modeling to evaluate the mechanical effects of subsidence on a monofill-type landfill cover

Bench-Scale Modeling to Evaluate the Mechanical Effects o f Subsidence on a MonofillrType Landfill Cover by Yuboon Tan Barbara A. Luke, Examination Committee Chair Associate Professor o f Civil Engineering University o f Nevada, Las Vegas A bench-scale model, using a test tank with internal dimensions of 61.6 cm high by 10.8 cm thick by 87.8 cm wide, was developed to simulate the effects o f subsidence on compacted monofill-type landfill covers for the low-level radioactive waste landfills o f the Radioactive Waste Management Sites o f the Nevada Test Site. O f particular interest is the collapse mechanism o f the cover with respect to the soil density and compaction water content. To induce subsidence in the compacted cover, a cavity was formed beneath a portion o f it. Surcharge and lateral forces were applied to accelerate subsidence. The targeted ranges o f density and moisture content were fiom the sub­ ambient condition to 90 % o f the maximum according to the modified Proctor test, and fit)m 3 to 9 % respectively. Two distinct collapse modes of the compacted covers were observed. Collapse in covers compacted at higher water content resulted in broad depression foimation, with gradual slumping and multiple sub-parallel fiactures forming through the compacted cover, resulting in fewer distinct pathways for vapor and saturated
Immunogenicity and Safety of 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in HIV-Infected Adults Previously Vaccinated With Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine.

BACKGROUND Persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are at increased risk of pneumococcal disease. We evaluated the safety and immunogenicity of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in this population. METHODS HIV-infected persons ≥ 18 years of age who were previously vaccinated with ≥ 1 dose of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and had CD4 cell counts ≥ 200 cells/mm(3) and HIV viral loads <50 000 copies/mL were enrolled in this 3-dose PCV13 open-label study. RESULTS A total of 329 subjects received ≥ 1 dose, and 279 received 3 doses administered at 6-month intervals. Increases in anticapsular polysaccharide immunoglobulin G concentrations and opsonophagocytic antibody titers were demonstrated 1 month after each of the 3 doses of PCV13. Antibody levels were generally similar after each dose. The responses were similar whether subjects had previously received 1 or ≥ 2 doses of PPSV23. Pain at the injection-site was the most common local reaction. Severe injection site or systemic events were uncommon. CONCLUSIONS Vaccination with PCV13 induces anticapsular immunoglobulin G and opsonophagocytic antibody responses in HIV-infected adults with prior PPSV23 vaccination and CD4 cell counts ≥ 200 cells/mm(3). The observations support the use of PCV13 in this population. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT00963235.
Prospective validation of an immunohistochemical panel (glypican 3, heat shock protein 70 and glutamine synthetase) in liver biopsies for diagnosis of very early hepatocellular carcinoma

Background and aims Conventional pathological analysis fails to achieve sufficient sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in small nodules. Immunohistochemical staining for glypican 3 (GPC3), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and glutamine synthetase (GS) has been suggested to allow a confident diagnosis but no prospective study has established the diagnostic accuracy of this approach. The aim of this study is to assess prospectively the diagnostic accuracy of a panel of markers (GPC3, HSP70, GS) for the diagnosis of HCC in patients with cirrhosis with a small (5–20 mm) nodule detected by ultrasound screening. Methods Sixty patients with cirrhosis with a single nodule 5–20 mm newly detected by ultrasound were included in the study. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound, magnetic resonance and fine needle biopsy of the nodule (gold standard) were performed; the biopsy was repeated in case of diagnostic failures. Three consecutive sections of the first biopsy sample with meaningful material were stained with antibodies against GPC3, HSP70 and GS. Results Forty patients were diagnosed with HCC. The sensitivity and specificity for HCC diagnosis were: GPC3 57.5% and 95%, HSP70 57.5% and 85%, GS 50% and 90%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the different combinations were: GPC3+HSP70 40% and 100%; GPC3+GS 35% and 100%; HSP70+GS 35% and 100%; GPC3+HSP70+GS 25% and 100%. When at least two of the markers were positive (regardless of which), the sensitivity and specificity were 60% and 100%, respectively. Conventional pathological analysis yielded three false negative results, but the addition of this panel only correctly classified one of these cases as HCC. Conclusion These data within a prospective study establish the clinical usefulness of this panel of markers for the diagnosis of early HCC. However, the panel only slightly increases the diagnostic accuracy in an expert setting.
Cardiac uptake of [123I]MIBG separates Parkinson’s disease from multiple system atrophy

Objective: To improve the differential diagnosis between patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and idiopathic PD (IPD) with autonomic failure. Background: Some patients diagnosed with IPD are discovered to have alternative diseases such as MSA, despite the application of stringent diagnostic criteria. This differentiation is particularly difficult if patients with IPD also show symptoms of autonomic failure. In IPD, autonomic failure is caused by damage of the postganglionic part of the autonomic nervous system, whereas in MSA, degeneration of preganglionic and central autonomic neurons is revealed histopathologically. Methods: Scintigraphy with [123I]metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) enables the quantification of postganglionic sympathetic cardiac innervation. Fifteen patients with IPD and 5 patients with MSA underwent standard autonomic function tests and scintigraphy with MIBG. Results: In all patients, cardiovascular testing showed evidence of autonomic failure of varying severity. In all patients with IPD, the heart-mediastinum (H/M) ratio of MIBG uptake was pathologically impaired, independent of duration and severity of autonomic and parkinsonian symptoms. All patients with MSA had a regular H/M ratio. Each patient could be assigned to the correct diagnostic group based on the results of the MIBG scintigraphy, even if the duration of the disease was only 2 years or less. Conclusions: This population assessment of the heart-mediastinum ratio of [123I]metaiodobenzylguanidine uptake showed a high sensitivity for the detection of autonomic involvement in patients with idiopathic IPD and also a high specificity for the discrimination between idiopathic PD and MSA.
Blood Pressure and Plasma Angiotensin II Concentration after Renal Artery Constriction and Angiotensin Infusion in the Dog: [5‐Isoleucine]angiotensin II and Its Breakdown Fragments in Dog Blood

We measured arterial plasma angiotensin II concentration, renal blood flow, and arterial blood pressure in six conscious dogs during intravenous infusion of angiotensin II (5, 10, and 20 ng/kg per min). The same measurements were made on a different occasion in the same six animals, while they were conscious, before and during constriction of a main renal artery. Arterial blood pressure and plasma angiotensin II rose and renal blood flow decreased in both experiments. The similarity of regressions for plasma angiotensin II concentration and arterial blood pressure in the two experiments strongly suggests that the rise of circulating angiotensin II after renal artery constriction is sufficient to account for the hypertension by its direct pressor action. As discussed, a different mechanism seems likely to be involved in the later stages of renal hypertension. Angiotensin II is more likely to be in the 5-isoleucine form than in the 5-valine form in the dog. In contrast to the rat, plasma concentrations of the heptapeptide (angiotensin III), hexa-peptide, and pentapeptide fragments of angiotensin II are low in the dog.
Collection of semen from marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) for experimental use by vaginal washing

Assisted reproductive techniques make an important contribution to the conservation of endangered primate species. In our laboratories marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) are used as a model species for developing assisted reproductive technologies for New World primates. The studies require a reliable method for collecting functional sperm from these small animals. For this purpose a minimally invasive procedure, vaginal washing after natural mating, was evaluated for its suitability as a routine method of obtaining ejaculated sperm of high quality. The objective of the first series of tests was to identify a behavioural pattern which was easily discernible by the observer and provided a reliable indication that ejaculation had occurred. In a second series of tests the influence of length of separation of the male prior to copulation on the quality of the ejaculate was evaluated. Six adult ovariectomized and five adult intact females were used for vaginal washing, while their mates served as donors of ejaculates. Matings at specific times were achieved by separating the males from their females for a certain time period and subsequently introducing either their own mates or unfamiliar males to the females. After each observed mating vaginal washing was performed on the unsedated females. The seminal samples obtained were analysed for sperm concentration, the proportion of motile sperm and the proportion of live sperm. The results have shown (a) that ejaculation was indicated with a reliability of 86.1 % by the behaviour of the female, who terminates a copulation by moving away from her partner; (b) that separation of the male for up to six days had no negative effect on the sperm quality; (c) that the sperm samples were of high quality. Vaginal washing after natural matings appears to be a practical, reliable and gentle method for routinely collecting ejaculates from marmoset monkeys and possibly other New World primates.
The adaptive significance of adult neurogenesis: an integrative approach

Adult neurogenesis in mammals is predominantly restricted to two brain regions, the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus and the olfactory bulb (OB), suggesting that these two brain regions uniquely share functions that mediate its adaptive significance. Benefits of adult neurogenesis across these two regions appear to converge on increased neuronal and structural plasticity that subserves coding of novel, complex, and fine-grained information, usually with contextual components that include spatial positioning. By contrast, costs of adult neurogenesis appear to center on potential for dysregulation resulting in higher risk of brain cancer or psychological dysfunctions, but such costs have yet to be quantified directly. The three main hypotheses for the proximate functions and adaptive significance of adult neurogenesis, pattern separation, memory consolidation, and olfactory spatial, are not mutually exclusive and can be reconciled into a simple general model amenable to targeted experimental and comparative tests. Comparative analysis of brain region sizes across two major social-ecological groups of primates, gregarious (mainly diurnal haplorhines, visually-oriented, and in large social groups) and solitary (mainly noctural, territorial, and highly reliant on olfaction, as in most rodents) suggest that solitary species, but not gregarious species, show positive associations of population densities and home range sizes with sizes of both the hippocampus and OB, implicating their functions in social-territorial systems mediated by olfactory cues. Integrated analyses of the adaptive significance of adult neurogenesis will benefit from experimental studies motivated and structured by ecologically and socially relevant selective contexts.
Anti-diabetic and haematological effects of n-butanol fraction of Alchornea cordifolia leaf extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic wistar rats.

The study investigated the anti-diabetic and haematological effects of n-butanol fraction of Alchornea cordifolia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic wistar rats. In this work, thirty six adult strain of albino wistar rats were used, which included six normal, diabetic untreated and twenty four diabetic treated rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced by single intraperitoneally injection of 60 mg/kg body weight dose of streptozotocin dissolved in 0.1 ml fresh cold citrate buffer pH 4.5 into 16 h-fasted rats. Diabetic rats were randomly divided as follows: Group I served as normal control, Group II served as diabetic untreated rats, while Group III to Group VI received 200, 400 and 800mg/kg b w of the extract and glibenclamide 10mg/kg b w respectively by orally by gavages for a period of 28 days. The animals were weighed weekly to determine the change in body weight. Fasting blood glucose was measured after every seven days. After the last day of treatment, blood samples were collected from the animals from each group on the 29 th day by cardiac puncture in 16 hours fasted animals for the determination of haematological parameters. The results obtained in this present study showed that the blood glucose level was significantly (p<0.05) decreased in the animals administered with 200mg/kg b w of the extract, with a higher decrease (p < 0.01) observed in the group that received 400 and 800mg/kg b w extract respectively when compared to the diabetic control group. However, there was a significantly increased (p<0.05) body weight of diabetic animals that received all doses of the extract after 14 th , 21 st and 28 th day when compared to diabetic control group. There was a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in packed cell volume, red cell count, haemoglobin concentration and total protein in the extract treated diabetic animals. The total white blood cell count and lymphocyte revealed a significantly (p<0.05) increased the levels after treatment with the extract after 28 th days. In conclusion, the plant extract showed a significant hypoglycemic as well as erythropoetic effects in the diabetic animals, justifying its use traditionally in the management of diabetes mellitus.
Gender differences in associations between occlusal support and signs of temporomandibular disorders: results of the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate whether gender-dependent associations exist between signs of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and occlusal support. MATERIALS AND METHODS Stratified by gender, the data of 2,963 35- to 74-year-old participants from the epidemiologic Study of Health in Pomerania were used in logistic regression analyses with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) tenderness and muscle tenderness as the dependent variables. Occlusal support was classified according to the Eichner index, a classification system based on occluding pairs of teeth. The final model was adjusted for bruxism, age, and various sociodemographic data. RESULTS Logistic regression analyses revealed increased odds ratios for TMJ tenderness in men with loss of all four molar and premolar supporting zones (odds ratio 3:9) and without antagonist contact (odds ratio 2:7). Significant relationships in men were also found between muscle tenderness and loss of one (odds ratio 2:1), three (odds ratio 2:1), or four supporting zones (odds ratio 2:7), and loss of any tooth contact (odds ratio 2:3). In women, significant associations between occlusal support and TMD signs were absent. Subjects with bruxism were more likely to have TMJ tenderness (odds ratio women 2:0, men 1:9). In women, an additional relationship existed between bruxism and muscle tenderness (odds ratio 1:7). The following habits showed no significance: gum chewing, unilateral chewing, and lip/tongue/cheek biting. CONCLUSION Only in men was the loss of occlusal support significantly associated with muscle and TMJ tenderness. The association between bruxism and TMD signs supports the theory that repetitive adverse loading of the masticatory system may cause functional disturbances.
Verification and synthesis for failure diagnosis of discrete event systems subject to permanent sensor failures

In this paper, we consider a failure diagnosis problem for discrete event systems subject to permanent sensor failures. A notion of diagnosability subject to permanent sensor failures is introduced with respect to a certain nondeterministic observation mask. For its verification, we define an aggregated Mealy automaton with a deterministic and state-dependent observation mask. We show that diagnosability of the aggregated Mealy automaton is equivalent to diagnosability of the original system subject to permanent sensor failures. Then, we present a method for verifying diagnosability of the aggregated Mealy automaton. Moreover, we synthesize a diagnoser for the original system as an online diagnoser.
Streaming Codes for Multicast Over Burst Erasure Channels

We study low-delay erasure correction codes in a real-time streaming setup. The encoder observes a stream of source packets and outputs the channel packets in a causal fashion, which are broadcast to two receivers over burst-erasure channels. Each receiver must decode the source packets sequentially with a deadline of T<sub>i</sub>, while its channel can introduce an erasure burst of maximum length B<sub>i</sub>, where i ∈ {1,2} and w.l. o.g. B<sub>2</sub> > B1. We study the associated capacity as a function of the burst lengths and decoding deadlines. We observe that the operation of the system can be divided into two main regimes. The so-called large-delay regime corresponds to the case when either T<sub>1</sub> ≥ B<sub>2</sub> or T<sub>2</sub> ≥ B<sub>1</sub> + B<sub>2</sub>. We show that for these parameters, the optimal code is obtained through simple modifications of previously proposed single-user codes by Martinian et al. and the diversity embedded streaming codes proposed by Badr et al. When both T<sub>1</sub> <; B<sub>2</sub> and T<sub>2</sub> <; B<sub>1</sub> + B<sub>2</sub>, the system is said to be in the low-delay regime. We propose a new code construction and establish its optimality when T<sub>2</sub> ≥ T<sub>1</sub> + B<sub>1</sub>. In the case when T<sub>2</sub> <; T<sub>1</sub> + B<sub>1</sub>, we establish upper and lower bounds on the capacity and characterize the exact capacity when either T<sub>1</sub> = B<sub>1</sub> or T<sub>2</sub> = B<sub>2</sub>. Our upper bounds in the low-delay regime are based on novel information theoretic arguments that capture the tension between the decoding constraints at the two receivers.
Selective reduction of T cells bearing invariant V alpha 24J alpha Q antigen receptor in patients with systemic sclerosis

A novel subset of T cells characterized by the expression of an invariant T cell antigen receptor (TCR) encoded by V alpha 24J alpha Q gene segments was investigated in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Polymerase chain reaction analysis demonstrated that the V alpha 24 TCR repertoire was selectively used in CD4-CD8- double-negative T cells both in patients and in healthy individuals, while almost all families of TCR V alpha were expressed in single-positive T cell fractions. The V alpha 24+ double-negative T cells were increased by approximately fivefold in patients. However, sequence analysis clearly showed significant differences in the V alpha 24 TCR repertoire dominating in patients and healthy donors. In healthy individuals, the invariant V alpha 24J alpha Q was expanded and comprised 20-50% of the total TCR-alpha, while their selective reduction was observed in SSc patients who also showed expansion of invariant V alpha 24 TCR other than V alpha 24J alpha Q. Analogous to murine invariant V alpha 14J alpha 281 TCR, these results suggest that T cells with invariant V alpha 24J alpha Q TCR would function as regulatory T cells, whereas T cells bearing other invariant V alpha 24 TCR in SSc patients could be autoaggressive T cells in nature.
Using pilot wells to integrate geological modelling and history matching: applied to the Norne Benchmark case

The inherent uncertainties in numerical reservoir simulation can lead to models with significant differences to observed dynamic data. History matching reduces these differences but often neglects the geological consistency of the models, compromising production forecasting reliability. To address this issue, this work proposes a geological modelling workflow integrated within a probabilistic, multi-objective history-matching workflow, using the concept of pilot points. The pilot-point method is a geostatistical parameterization technique that calibrates a pre-correlated field, generated from measured values, and a set of additional synthetic data at unmeasured locations in the reservoir, referred to as pilot points. In this study, the synthetic data correspond to synthetic wells; henceforth referred to as pilot wells. The methodology is applied to a real dataset, the Norne Field benchmark case. The flexibility of the pilot-well method is the principal advantage, while a key challenge is to optimize the pilot-well configuration. The configuration includes production data, the preferred fluid-flow paths and the geological framework. The flexibility of the method is demonstrated in the two case studies presented here: generating specific sedimentary features (G-segment) and finding the best location for the cemented stringers responsible for the fluid behaviour (C-segment).