Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gecko-Inspired, Controlled Adhesion and Its Applications

Gecko feet stick to almost anything, in almost any condition (including underwater and in space), but do not stick unintentionally, do not stick to dirt, and enable the gecko to literally run up the walls. When climbing a smooth surface, geckos can attach and detach each foot very quickly (detaching a foot takes 15 milliseconds) and with almost no noticeable force, but if attached perfectly they could theoretically hold tens of times their body weight. In contrast to gecko adhesion, conventional adhesives, made of soft tacky materials, tend to leave residues, pick up dirt easily, stick to themselves strongly and are useless underwater. Gecko feet rely on completely different principles, utilizing arrays of tiny mechanical structures made of very stiff protein which react to pressing and dragging with some very smart behavior. This thesis work is primarily concerned with taking inspiration from the principles of gecko-adhesion in order to control the attachment of synthetic structured adhesives. We present gecko-inspired angled elastomer micropillars with flat or round tip endings as compliant pick-and-place micromanipulators. The pillars are 35 μm in diameter, 90 μm tall, and angled at an inclination of 20◦. By gently pressing the tip of a pillar to a part, the pillar adheres to it through intermolecular forces. Next, by retracting quickly, the part is picked from a given donor substrate. During transferring, the adhesion between the pillar and the part is high enough to withstand disturbances due to external forces or the weight of the part. During release of the part onto a receiver substrate, the contact area of the pillar to the part is drastically reduced by controlled vertical or shear displacement, which results in reduced adhesive forces. The maximum repeatable ratio of pick-to-release adhesive forces was measured as 39 to 1. We find that a flat tip shape and shear displacement control provide a higher pick-to-release adhesion ratio than a round tip and vertical displacement control, respectively. We present a model of forces to serve as a framework for the operation of this micromanipulator. Finally, demonstrations of pick-and-place manipulation of μm-scale silicon microplatelets and a cm-scale glass cover slip serve as proofs of concept. The compliant polymer micropillars are safe for use with fragile parts, and, due to exploiting intermolecular
Does Intracranial Venous Thrombosis Cause Subdural Hemorrhage in the Pediatric Population?

In children with subdural hematomas, can the cause be intracranial venous thrombosis? This is an important question, particularly if child abuse is also being considered as subdural hematomas are commonly associated with abuse. These authors retrospectively looked for subdural hematomas in 36 children with venous thrombosis and discovered that even if the latter was extensive and severe, no subdural hematomas were present. SUMMARY: Unexplained SDH in infants and children is an accepted marker for AHT. It has been proposed that IVT may be the initiating event leading to the development of acute SDH, mimicking the appearance of traumatic SDH. Our study aims to investigate if nontraumatic IVT causes SDH in the pediatric population. We retrospectively identified 36 patients with IVT and reviewed neuroimaging studies for the concurrent presence of SDH. In our 36 patients with IVT, no associated SDH was observed. Even with extensive IVT, no SDH was present. Three false-positive diagnoses of IVT were identified in the setting of mastoiditis and traumatic SDH, demonstrating pitfalls in imaging. In conclusion, our findings do not support the previous AHT literature stating that IVT is associated with, or leads to, SDH in neonates, infants, or children.
Ischemic Preconditioning During Coronary Angioplast Is Prevented by Glibenclamide, a Selective ATP‐Sensitive K+ Channel Blocker

BackgroundBrief episodes of ischemia render the heart more resistant to subsequent ischemia; this phenomenon has been called ischemic preconditioning. In some animal species, myocardial preconditioning appears to be due to activation of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels. The role played by KATP channels in preconditioning in humans remains unknown. The aim of this study was to establish whether glibenclamide, a selective KATP channel blocker, abolishes the ischemic preconditioning observed in humans during coronary angioplasty following repeated balloon inflations. Methods and ResultsTwenty consecutive patients undergoing one-vessel coronary angioplasty were randomized to receive 10 mg oral glibenclamide or placebo. Sixty minutes after glibenclamide or placebo administration, patients were given an infusion of 10% dextrose (8 mL/min) to correct glucose plasma levels or, respectively, an infusion of saline at the same infusion rate. Thirty minutes after the beginning of the infusion, both patient groups underwent coronary angioplasty. The mean values (± 1 SD) of ST-segment shifts on the surface 12-lead ECG and the intracoronary ECG were measured at the end of the first and second balloon inflations, both 2 minutes long. In glibenclamide-treated patients, the mean ST-segment shift during the second balloon inflation was similar to that observed during the first inflation (23± 13 versus 20±8 mm, P=NS), and the severity of cardiac pain was greater (55±21 versus 43±23 mm on a scale of 0 to 100, P<.05). Conversely, in placebo-treated patients the mean ST-segment shift during the second inflation was less than that during the first inflation (9±5 versus 23±13 mm, P<.001), as was the severity of cardiac pain (15±15 versus 42±19 mm, P<.01). Blood glucose levels were significantly reduced 60 minutes after glibenclamide compared with those at baseline (53±9 versus 102±10 mg/100 mL, P<.001) in the glibenclamide group; however, before coronary angioplasty, blood glucose levels increased to 95±19 mg/100 mL, a value similar to that found in placebo group (96±11 mg/100 mL, P=NS). ConclusionsIn humans, ischemic preconditioning during brief repeated coronary occlusions is completely abolished by pretreatment with glibenclamide, thus suggesting that it is mainly mediated by KATP channels.
Effect of Inhibition of the bc1 Complex on Gene Expression Profile in Yeast*

Because the respiratory chain is the major site of oxidation of the reduced equivalents and of energy production in aerobic cells, its inhibition has severe impact on the cells. Communication pathways from the respiratory chain are required to allow the cell to sense the defect and respond to it. In this work, we studied changes in gene expression induced by the treatment of yeast cells with myxothiazol, an inhibitor of the bc1 complex, an enzyme of the respiratory chain. The pattern and time-course expression of the genes resemble those of the environmental stress response, a common gene expression program induced by sudden changes in the environment. In addition, the changes were, for most of the genes, mediated through the transcription factors Msn2/4, which play a central role in the cellular response to these stresses. By using a mutant with a myxothiazol-resistant bc1 complex, we showed that the changes of expression of the majority of the genes was caused by the inhibition of the bc1 complex but that other stresses might be involved. The expression pattern of CTT1, coding for a cytoplasmic catalase, was further studied. The expression of this gene was largely dependent on Msn2/4 and the inhibition of the cytochrome bc1. Addition of oxidants of NADH was found to decrease the expression of CTT1 induced by myxothiazol treatment, suggesting that the accumulation of NADH caused by the inhibition of the respiratory chain may be involved in the signaling pathway from the mitochondria to the transcription factor.
Human cytomegalovirus carries serine/threonine protein phosphatases PP1 and a host-cell derived PP2A

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV), a herpesvirus, is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. When studying hyper-immediate-early events after contact between CMV virions and the cell membrane, we observed a hypophosphorylation of cellular proteins within 10 min. This can be explained in part by our finding that purified CMV contains serine/threonine protein phosphatase activities. Biochemical analyses indicate that this protein phosphatase activity has all characteristics of type 1 and 2A protein phosphatases (PP1 and PP2A). Specifically, PP1 accounts for approximately 30% and PP2A accounts for the remaining 70% of the phosphorylase phosphatase activity found. CMV produced in astrocytoma cells stably expressing an amino-terminally tagged PP2A catalytic subunit contained tagged enzyme, thus demonstrating the cellular origin of CMV-associated PP2A. PP2A is specifically found inside the virus, associated with the nucleocapsid fraction. Western blot (immunoblot) analysis of purified virus revealed the presence of the catalytic subunits of PP2A and PP1. Furthermore, the catalytic subunit of PP2A appears to be complexed to the regulatory subunits PR65 and PR55, which is also the most abundant configuration of this enzyme found in the host cells. Incubation of virus with okadaic acid before contact of CMV with cells prevented hypophosphorylation of cellular proteins, thus demonstrating the role of CMV-associated phosphatases in this phenomenon. CMV can thus transport an active enzyme from one cell to another.
Brain Computation :

The brain carries out tasks that are very demanding from 13 a computational perspective, apparently powered by a mere 20 Watts. 14 This fact has intrigued computer scientists for many decades, and is cur15 rently drawing many of them to the quest of acquiring a computational 16 understanding of the brain. Yet, at present there is no productive inter17 action of computer scientists with neuroscientists in this quest. Research 18 in computational neuroscience is advancing at a rapid pace, and the 19 resulting abundance of facts and models makes it increasingly difficult 20 for scientists from other fields to engage in brain research. The goal of 21 this article is to provide — along with a few words of caution — back22 ground, up-to-date references on data and models in neuroscience, and 23 open problems that appear to provide good opportunities for theoretical 24 computer scientists to enter the fascinating field of brain computation. 25
Absence of radiation-induced G1 arrest in two closely related human lymphoblast cell lines that differ in p53 status

In order to examine more precisely the role of p53 in the activation of the G1/S checkpoint by ionizing radiation, we examined two human lymphoblast cell lines derived from the same donor. The TK6 line had a doubling time of 12.2 h and expressed wild type p53, while the WTK1 line had a doubling time of 12.7 h and expressed mutant p53. The two lines differ significantly in their susceptibility to radiation-induced cell killing and apoptosis. Cells were examined by flow cytometry at regular intervals from 0 to 12 h after irradiation with two different doses designed to yield equivalent survival levels in both cell lines. In some experiments, cells were incubated with colcemid to block them in the first postirradiation mitosis and prevent contamination of the flow cytometric profiles with second cycle cells. There was no significant difference between the two cell lines in the progression of irradiated cells out of G1 and into the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. In particular, there was no evidence for a prolonged arrest in G1 in the TK6 cell line expressing wild type p53. Furthermore, expression of the p53 downstream genes WAF1/CIP1 and RB appeared normal in TK6 cells. These results suggest that factors other than those in the p53 signal transduction pathway alone may be required to activate the G1/S checkpoint in irradiated human cells and that apoptosis and G1 arrest may utilize different pathways.
A Prospective Blinded Evaluation of the Accuracy of Frozen Section for the Surgical Management of Endometrial Cancer

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate in a blinded fashion the accuracy of frozen section in endometrial cancer. METHODS: Sixty patients with endometrial cancer or complex atypical hyperplasia were consecutively enrolled. Intraoperatively, a frozen section was obtained, processed, and stored for interpretation by blinded pathologists. Final pathologic diagnosis was conducted in the usual fashion with the pathologists blinded to frozen results. Histologic grade and myometrial invasion on frozen section was correlated with final pathology. RESULTS: Median age was 61 years (range, 39–82 years). Fifty-seven percent of patients were white, and mean body mass index was 40 mg/kg.2 Depth of invasion on frozen correlated with final pathology in 67% (95% confidence interval [CI] 55–79%). Twenty-eight percent (95% CI 17–39%) of patients were upstaged from frozen to final. Patients with no invasion on frozen were upstaged in 46% (95% CI 28–64%). Histologic grade on frozen correlated with final pathology in 58% (95% CI 46–70%); 38% (95% CI 26–50%) of patients were upgraded by final grade. Patients with frozen grade 1 histology or less were upgraded in 61% (95% CI 45–77%). Clinically relevant upstaging occurred in 11 patients (18%) (95% CI 8–28%). CONCLUSION: Frozen section for histologic grade and depth of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer correlates poorly with final pathology. Because a large number of patients are potentially understaged with the use of frozen section with a subsequent risk of over and under treatment, we recommend consideration of comprehensive surgical staging for all patients with endometrial cancer. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2
Peer Review History

BMJ Open publishes all reviews undertaken for accepted manuscripts. Reviewers are asked to complete a checklist review form (see an example) and are provided with free text boxes to elaborate on their assessment. These free text comments are reproduced below. Some articles will have been accepted based in part or entirely on reviews undertaken for other BMJ Group journals. These will be reproduced where possible. ARTICLE DETAILS TITLE (PROVISIONAL) Efficacy of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for patients with degenerative meniscus injury A protocol for a randomized, placebo-surgery controlled, double–blind trial with a novel " RCT within-a-cohort " study design THE STUDY Englund et al, ARthritis Rheum 2007 (provided in review) GENERAL COMMENTS The authors present the study design and rationale for a placebo surgery controlled arthroscopy treatment of partial meniscectomy. There are a number of concerns with this paper. 1. This paper is too long by around 50%. (the instructions to authors recommend less than 4000 words and this article is over 7900 words). While it is well written, the introduction and the discussion text can be made much more concise. The discussion is 8.5 pages long and could be cut by more than 50%. Much of this section could be eliminated altogether with little effect on this paper. The discussion about the placebo effect is adequately dealt with in the introduction. Also, the IRB discussion should be moved earlier and the issues posed could be moved into the introduction which covers some of the same concerns. 2. The distinction in other arthroscopy studies has been whether the patients are required to have mechanical symptoms (locking, buckling). Can the authors please comment on this. Were those with mechanical symptoms actually excluded? If so, how is this trial different from the Moseley et al and Kirkley et al trials which also excluded patients with mechanical symptoms. 3. Generally, meniscal tear designation on MRI requires the MRI changes on two slices. Was that required in this case? 4. What types of MRI/arthroscopy findings constituted reasons for exclusion? Given that these were degenerative tears, one would expect a large percentage of knees (even with normal x-rays) to show cartilage lesions-either erosions, fibrillation or loss. What happened when this was seen? How does a " chondral injury " relate to these? What other MRI findings constituted reasons for exclusion? 5. The authors write that degenerative meniscal tears are associated with knee pain but that is …
Hot beverage and food intake and esophageal cancer in southern China.

AIM Hot beverage and food intake may be associated with increased risks of esophageal cancer. In this study, we analyzed data from two hospital based case-control studies to examine this question. METHODS A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on potential risk factors of esophageal cancer from 213 cases and 213 controls in southern of China from Jan. 2007 to Dec. 2010. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using conditional multivariable adjusted logistic regression, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS Those who consumed hot and very hot beverages demonstrated significantly increased risk of esophageal cancer (OR=4.13, 95% CI: 2.13-8.05; OR=8.55, 95% CI: 3.67-20.9, respectively), related to increasing temperature. A high frequency of barbecued and fried food was also revealed to elevate risk of esophageal cancer (OR=3.44, 95% CI: 1.12-8.34, p for trend 0.034; OR=2.39, 95% CI: 1.25-6.32, p for trend 0.035). Furthermore, we found evidence for an association with a fast eating habit in our Chinese (OR=4.76, 95% CI: 2.12-7.74). CONCLUSION This study found hot beverage and high-temperature cooking methods might greatly increase the risk of esophageal cancer. Further studies in Chinese populations with larger sample size are warranted.
The use of eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine in mice (Mus musculus) for tail vein injections.

OBJECTIVE To investigate a topical local anesthesia technique as a means to prevent and/or diminish pain in mice in a laboratory setting associated with tail vein injections performed by personnel in training. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, randomized experimental trial. ANIMALS Thirty six adult female, 23-28 g CD-1 mice from an in-house training colony. They were acclimated to routine training and handling classes. METHODS Eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) cream (2.5% lidocaine/2.5% prilocaine) or a bland ointment control (n = 18) was applied on the tail prior to intravenous injection. The injections were performed by novices, who had never attempted the procedure, and experienced personnel. All participants were blinded to treatment groups. Three injection attempts were allowed per animal. The mice were observed and scored by blinded evaluators for behavioral and physiological changes, including respiratory rate, vocalization, tail flick, and escape behaviors, during and after the injection. RESULTS This study demonstrates that aversive behaviors induced by lateral tail vein injection were not changed by the preemptive application of EMLA cream. The aversive behaviors associated with lateral tail vein injection were significantly affected by the number of injection attempts and the individual's experience level. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Topical EMLA cream did not reduce signs of aversive reaction to tail vein injection and thus we did not find support for its use in mouse training programs for tail vein injections.
Is undifferentiated seronegative spondyloarthropathy a forme fruste of reactive arthritis?

Undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy (USpa) may either represent a forme fruste of other spondyloarthropathies like reactive arthritis or be a different disease entity. To study the link between USpa and reactive arthritis, we studied the presence of IgA antibodies to Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella flexneri, Campylobacter jejuni and Chlamydia trachomatis in sera from 14 patients with USpa (European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group criteria) using ELISA. Escherichia coli was used as a control antigen. An OD value of more than the mean +/- 2 S.D. of 51 blood donors was considered positive. Five patients had elevated IgA antibodies to S. flexneri, while two patients each had elevated antibody levels to S. typhimurium and Chlamydia. No patient had elevated antibodies to Y. enterocolitica, C. jejuni and E. coli. Among 51 normals, 1, 4, 3, 2 and 3 had elevated antibodies to S. flexneri, S. typhimurium, Y. enterocolitica, C. jejuni and E. coli, respectively. Nine of 14 patients with USpa had antibodies to one of the bacteria implicated in reactive arthritis: of these, antibodies to Shigella were the most frequent. Thus, a proportion of patients with USpa may in fact have reactive arthritis.
By Michael Mandel DECEMbEr 2011 Scale and Innovation in Today ’ s Economy

In this policy memo we will reconsider the link between scale (size) and innovation. After 20 years where startups have rightly dominated the innovation headlines, we will show that the pendulum may be swinging back. As a result, there are reasons to believe that scale may be a plus for innovation in today’s economy, not a minus. We will then relate scale to government policy, U.S. competitiveness and prosperity. IntroductIon The now-heretical idea that scale is an advantage for innovation actually dates back more than 60 years. Back then, Harvard economist Joseph Schumpeter, the inventor of the term ‘creative destruction’, suggested that large-scale firms were “the most powerful engine of progress. ” Following after his work, economists developed what came to be known as the “Schumpeterian Hypothesis. ” The first part of the Schumpeterian Hypothesis was the argument that bigger firms have more of an incentive to spend on innovation than a smaller one. For example, if we compare a company that manufactures 50 million t-shirts a year versus one that manufactures 10,000 t-shirts a year, the larger company is much more like to spend the big bucks needed to develop and test a new process for dyeing the t-shirts.
GQR models for multipath Rayleigh fading channels

In this paper, reduced complexity statistical models for the representation of wide sense stationary-uncorrelated scattering doubly selective fading channels are developed. Their derivation is based on the evaluation of Fourier integrals by means of Gaussian quadrature rules. The accuracy and the complexity of the proposed models is assessed, and is then compared to that provided by other modeling techniques available in the literature.
Library abstraction for C/C++ concurrency

When constructing complex concurrent systems, abstraction is vital: programmers should be able to reason about concurrent libraries in terms of abstract specifications that hide the implementation details. Relaxed memory models present substantial challenges in this respect, as libraries need not provide sequentially consistent abstractions: to avoid unnecessary synchronisation, they may allow clients to observe relaxed memory effects, and library specifications must capture these. In this paper, we propose a criterion for sound library abstraction in the new C11 and C++11 memory model, generalising the standard sequentially consistent notion of linearizability. We prove that our criterion soundly captures all client-library interactions, both through call and return values, and through the subtle synchronisation effects arising from the memory model. To illustrate our approach, we verify implementations against specifications for the lock-free Treiber stack and a producer-consumer queue. Ours is the first approach to compositional reasoning for concurrent C11/C++11 programs.