Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of Stable Calcium Isotopes (42Ca & 44Ca) in Evaluation of Calcium Absorption in Beijing Adolescents with Low Vitamin D Status

Female adolescent populations with low calcium intakes and sub-optimal vitamin D status are found in northern China. Whether these individuals are able to adapt by enhancing calcium absorption and reducing calcium excretion for maximizing calcium retention is unknown. This study examined the association between true-fractional-calcium-absorption (TFCA), plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin-D, and urinary calcium excretion among adolescents in Northern China. Twelve healthy girls 9 to 17 years old were recruited from Beijing during a winter. Calcium intake, anthropometry, pubertal status, plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin-Ds (25-OHD), serum calcium, and urinary calcium were determined. TFCA was evaluated by dual stable calcium isotopes. The mean ± SD calcium intake, 24-hour urinary calcium excretion, plasma 25-OHD and TFCA were 591 ± 164 mg/day, 79.9 ± 49.6 mg/day, 30.5 ± 9.8 nmol/L, and 60.4 ± 14.4%, respectively. TFCA was inversely correlated with 25-OHD (r = −0.73, p = .008). Urinary calcium was correlated with the onset of menarche (r = 0.63, p = .027). Post-menarcheal girls had a higher urinary calcium output than premenarcheal girls (p = .03). Adolescents from north China with sub-optimal vitamin-D status are able to adapt by enhancing TFCA and reducing urinary calcium excretion to retain calcium for bone development. TFCA was inversely correlated with plasma 25-OHD. Whether a higher efficiency of calcium absorption is sustainable if the shortfall of vitamin D persisting remains to be studied.
Heteromultimerization Modulates P2X Receptor Functions through Participating Extracellular and C-terminal Subdomains*

P2X purinergic receptors (P2XRs) differ among themselves with respect to their ligand preferences and channel kinetics during activation, desensitization, and recovery. However, the contributions of distinct receptor subdomains to the subtype-specific behavior have been incompletely characterized. Here we show that homomeric receptors having the extracellular domain of the P2X3 subunit in the P2X2a-based backbone (P2X2a/X3ex) mimicked two intrinsic functions of P2X3R, sensitivity to αβ-methylene ATP and ecto-ATPase-dependent recovery from endogenous desensitization; these two functions were localized to the N- and C-terminal halves of the P2X3 extracellular loop, respectively. The chimeric P2X2aR/X3ex receptors also desensitized with accelerated rates compared with native P2X2aR, and the introduction of P2X2 C-terminal splicing into the chimeric subunit (P2X2b/X3ex) further increased the rate of desensitization. Physical and functional heteromerization of native P2X2a and P2X2bsubunits was also demonstrated. In heteromeric receptors, the ectodomain of P2X3 was a structural determinant for ligand selectivity and recovery from desensitization, and the C terminus of P2X2 was an important factor for the desensitization rate. Furthermore, [γ-32P]8-azido ATP, a photoreactive agonist, was effectively cross-linked to P2X3 subunit in homomeric receptors but not in heteromeric P2X2 + P2X3Rs. These results indicate that heteromeric receptors formed by distinct P2XR subunits develop new functions resulting from integrative effects of the participating extracellular and C-terminal subdomains.
Do Formulation Differences Alter Abuse Liability of Methylphenidate?: A Placebo-Controlled, Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Study in Recreational Drug Users

The primary objective of this study was to determine if the abuse liability of methylphenidate is governed by formulation differences that affect rates of drug delivery. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover study, subjects with a history of recreational drug use received single oral doses of placebo, 60 mg of immediate-release methylphenidate (IR) and 108 mg of extended-release methylphenidate (osmotic release oral system [OROS]). Over 24 hours after dosing, blood was collected to determine plasma concentrations of methylphenidate, and subjects completed subjective assessments of abuse liability (Addiction Research Center Inventory, Drug Rating Questionnaire-Subject, and Subjective Drug Value). The abuse-related subjective effects of IR and OROS methylphenidate were statistically significantly different from placebo, confirming the overall validity of the study. Although a higher dose of OROS methylphenidate was used compared with IR methylphenidate (108 mg vs 60 mg), subjective effects were consistently lower for OROS compared with IR methylphenidate (statistically significant for 3 of 6 measures of positive effects), particularly at early time points. In general, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic parameters were correlated from a poor to modest degree, with greater correlations observed for IR methylphenidate. In addition, a post hoc "qualification" method was developed, which demonstrated that pharmacological qualification might improve the assessment of subjective effects. Although requiring epidemiological confirmation, the results suggest that OROS methylphenidate, with its characteristic slow ascending plasma concentration profile, may have lower abuse potential. This conclusion is reflected by lower subjective responses during early hours as compared with the IR formulation with its rapid drug delivery and accompanying greater subjective effects.
Traffic classification using clustering algorithms

Classification of network traffic using port-based or payload-based analysis is becoming increasingly difficult with many peer-to-peer (P2P) applications using dynamic port numbers, masquerading techniques, and encryption to avoid detection. An alternative approach is to classify traffic by exploiting the distinctive characteristics of applications when they communicate on a network. We pursue this latter approach and demonstrate how cluster analysis can be used to effectively identify groups of traffic that are similar using only transport layer statistics. Our work considers two unsupervised clustering algorithms, namely K-Means and DBSCAN, that have previously not been used for network traffic classification. We evaluate these two algorithms and compare them to the previously used AutoClass algorithm, using empirical Internet traces. The experimental results show that both K-Means and DBSCAN work very well and much more quickly then AutoClass. Our results indicate that although DBSCAN has lower accuracy compared to K-Means and AutoClass, DBSCAN produces better clusters.
Projection of rods and cones within human visual cortex

There are two basic types of photoreceptors in the retina: rods and cones. Using a single stimulus viewed at two different light levels, we tested whether input from rods and input from cones are topographically segregated at subsequent levels of human visual cortex. Here we show that rod‐mediated visual input produces robust activation in area MT+, and in the peripheral representations of multiple retinotopic areas. However, such activation was selectively absent in: (1) a cortical area selectively activated by colored stimuli (V8) and (2) the foveal representations of lower tier retinotopic areas. These cortical differences reflect corresponding differences in perception between scotopic and photopic conditions. Hum. Brain Mapping 9:55–63, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Autoinhibition of CYP3A4 Leads to Important Role of CYP2C8 in Imatinib Metabolism: Variability in CYP2C8 Activity May Alter Plasma Concentrations and Response

Recent data suggest that the role of CYP3A4 in imatinib metabolism is smaller than presumed. This study aimed to evaluate the quantitative importance of different cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes in imatinib pharmacokinetics. First, the metabolism of imatinib was investigated using recombinant P450 enzymes and human liver microsomes with P450 isoform-selective inhibitors. Thereafter, an in silico model for imatinib was constructed to perform pharmacokinetic simulations to assess the roles of P450 enzymes in imatinib elimination at clinically used imatinib doses. In vitro, CYP2C8 inhibitors and CYP3A4 inhibitors inhibited the depletion of 0.1 µM imatinib by 45 and 80%, respectively, and the formation of the main metabolite of imatinib, N-desmethylimatinib, by >50%. Likewise, recombinant CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 metabolized imatinib extensively, whereas other isoforms had minor effect on imatinib concentrations. In the beginning of imatinib treatment, the fractions of its hepatic clearance mediated by CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 were predicted to approximate 40 and 60%, respectively. During long-term treatment with imatinib 400 mg once or twice daily, up to 65 or 75% of its hepatic elimination was predicted to occur via CYP2C8, and only about 35 or 25% by CYP3A4, due to dose- and time-dependent autoinactivation of CYP3A4 by imatinib. Thus, although CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 are the main enzymes in imatinib metabolism in vitro, in silico predictions indicate that imatinib inhibits its own CYP3A4-mediated metabolism, assigning a key role for CYP2C8. During multiple dosing, pharmacogenetic polymorphisms and drug interactions affecting CYP2C8 activity may cause marked interindividual variation in the exposure and response to imatinib.
Wolbachia increases susceptibility to Plasmodium infection in a natural system

Current views about the impact of Wolbachia on Plasmodium infections are almost entirely based on data regarding artificially transfected mosquitoes. This work has shown that Wolbachia reduces the intensity of Plasmodium infections in mosquitoes, raising the exciting possibility of using Wolbachia to control or limit the spread of malaria. Whether natural Wolbachia infections have the same parasite-inhibiting properties is not yet clear. Wolbachia–mosquito combinations with a long evolutionary history are, however, key for understanding what may happen with Wolbachia-transfected mosquitoes after several generations of coevolution. We investigate this issue using an entirely natural mosquito–Wolbachia–Plasmodium combination. In contrast to most previous studies, which have been centred on the quantification of the midgut stages of Plasmodium, we obtain a measurement of parasitaemia that relates directly to transmission by following infections to the salivary gland stages. We show that Wolbachia increases the susceptibility of Culex pipiens mosquitoes to Plasmodium relictum, significantly increasing the prevalence of salivary gland stage infections. This effect is independent of the density of Wolbachia in the mosquito. These results suggest that naturally Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes may, in fact, be better vectors of malaria than Wolbachia-free ones.
Runtime verification revisited

In this paper, we address a typical obstacle in runtime verification of linear temporal logic (LTL) formulae: standard models of linear temporal logic are infinite traces, whereas run-time verification has to deal with only finite system behaviours. This problem is usually addressed by defining an LTL semantics for finite traces, which, however, does usually not fit well to the infinite trace semantics. We define a 3-valued semantics (true,false,inconclusive) for LTL on finite traces that resembles the infinite trace semantics in a preferable manner. Furthermore, we describe how to construct, given an LTL formula, a (deterministic) finite state machine with three output symbols. This automaton reads finite traces and yields their 3-valued LTL semantics. Thus, it can directly be deployed for runtime verification. Our concepts are first developed in the setting of LTL and then extended to the timed case for which a linear real-time logic, abbreviated as TLTL, is considered. Consequently, for a TLTL formula a monitor is constructed that operates over finite timed traces. We have implemented the untimed setting and validated our whole approach by examining a real-world case study.
Imagine There Is No Plegia. Mental Motor Imagery Difficulties in Patients with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

In rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), imagination of movement is a candidate tool to promote long-term recovery or to control futuristic neuroprostheses. However, little is known about the ability of patients with spinal cord injury to perform this task. It is likely that without the ability to effectively perform the movement, the imagination of movement is also problematic. We therefore examined, whether patients with SCI experience increased difficulties in motor imagery (MI) compared to healthy controls. We examined 7 male patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (aged 23–70 years, median 53) and 20 healthy controls (aged 21–54 years, median 30). All patients had incomplete SCI, with AIS (ASIA Impairment Scale) grades of C or D. All had cervical lesions, except one who had a thoracic injury level. Duration after injury ranged from 3 to 314 months. We performed the Movement Imagery Questionnaire Revised as well as the Beck Depression Inventory in all participants. The self-assessed ability of patients to visually imagine movements ranged from 7 to 36 (Md = 30) and tended to be decreased in comparison to healthy controls (ranged 16–49, Md = 42.5; W = 326.5, p = 0.055). Also, the self-assessed ability of patients to kinesthetically imagine movements (range = 7–35, Md = 31) differed significantly from the control group (range = 23–49, Md = 41; W = 337.5, p = 0.0047). Two patients yielded tendencies for depressive mood and they also reported most problems with movement imagination. Statistical analysis however did not confirm a general relationship between depressive mood and increased difficulty in MI across both groups. Patients with spinal cord injury seem to experience difficulties in imagining movements compared to healthy controls. This result might not only have implications for training and rehabilitation programs, but also for applications like brain-computer interfaces used to control neuroprostheses, which are often based on the brain signals exhibited during the imagination of movements.
Effect of environmental factors on tenuazonic acid production by Alternaria alternata on soybean‐based media

Aims: To determine the effects of water activity (aW; 0·995–0·90), temperature (5, 18, 25 and 30°C), time of incubation (7–35 days) and their interactions on tenuazonic acid (TA) production on 2% soybean‐based agar by two Alternaria alternata strains isolated from soybean in Argentina.
Amniotic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Can Enhance Angiogenic Capacity via MMPs In Vitro and In Vivo

The aim of this study was to evaluate the angiogenic capacity and proteolytic mechanism of coculture using human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vivo and in vitro by comparing to those of coculture using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells with HUVEC. For the in vivo experiment, cells (HUVEC-monoculture, HUVEC-hAMSC coculture, and HUVEC-BMMSC coculture) were seeded in fibrin gels and injected subcutaneously in nude mice. The samples were collected on days 7 and 14 and histologically analyzed by H&E and CD31 staining. CD31-positive staining percentage and vessel-like structure (VLS) density were evaluated as quantitative parameters for angiogenesis. The increases of CD31-positive staining area and VLS density in both HUVEC-hAMSC group and HUVEC-BMMSC group were found between two time points, while obvious decline of those was observed in HUVEC-only group. For the in vitro experiment, we utilized the same 3D culture model to investigate the proteolytic mechanism related to capillary formation. Intensive vascular networks formed by HUVECs were associated with hAMSCs or BMMSCs and related to MMP2 and MMP9. In conclusion, hAMSCs shared similar capacity and proteolytic mechanism with BMMSCs on neovascularization.
Substrate Elasticity Regulates Skeletal Muscle Stem Cell Self-Renewal in Culture

Environment Matters Stem cells isolated from muscle can be used for muscle regeneration, but only if the stem cells are fresh. Under standard cell culture conditions in the laboratory, muscle stem cells fail to proliferate efficiently and lose their regenerative capacity. Gilbert et al. (p. 1078, published online 15 July; see the Perspective by Bhatia) built an in vitro–culture system that resembles the physical characteristics in which muscle stem cells normally reside: a squishy elastic bed (rather than the hard slab of a plastic culture flask). Laminin tethered to hydrogels was used to generate substrates of varying elasticity. When cultured on these substrates, muscle stem cells remained undifferentiated and were able to support muscle regeneration when transplanted back into mice. Muscle stem cells prefer a soft substrate. Stem cells that naturally reside in adult tissues, such as muscle stem cells (MuSCs), exhibit robust regenerative capacity in vivo that is rapidly lost in culture. Using a bioengineered substrate to recapitulate key biophysical and biochemical niche features in conjunction with a highly automated single-cell tracking algorithm, we show that substrate elasticity is a potent regulator of MuSC fate in culture. Unlike MuSCs on rigid plastic dishes (~106 kilopascals), MuSCs cultured on soft hydrogel substrates that mimic the elasticity of muscle (12 kilopascals) self-renew in vitro and contribute extensively to muscle regeneration when subsequently transplanted into mice and assayed histologically and quantitatively by noninvasive bioluminescence imaging. Our studies provide novel evidence that by recapitulating physiological tissue rigidity, propagation of adult muscle stem cells is possible, enabling future cell-based therapies for muscle-wasting diseases.
Acute electrocardiographic changes during smoking: an observational study

Objective To study the temporal relationship of smoking with electrophysiological changes. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Tertiary cardiac center. Participants Male smokers with atypical chest pain were screened with a treadmill exercise test (TMT). A total of 31 such patients aged 49.8±10.5 years, in whom TMT was either negative or mildly positive were included. Heart rate variability (HRV) parameters of smokers were compared to those of 15 healthy non-smoking participants. Interventions All patients underwent a 24 h Holter monitoring to assess ECG changes during smoking periods. Results Heart rate increased acutely during smoking. Mean heart rate increased from 83.8±13.7 bpm 10 min before smoking, to 90.5±16.4 bpm during smoking, (p<0.0001) and returned to baseline after 30 min. Smoking was also associated with increased ectopic beats (mean of 5.3/h prior to smoking to 9.8/h during smoking to 11.3/h during the hour after smoking; p<0.001). Three patients (9.7%) had significant ST–T changes after smoking. HRV index significantly decreased in smokers (15.2±5.3) as compared to non-smoking controls participants (19.4±3.6; p=0.02), but the other spectral HRV parameters were comparable. Conclusions Heart rate and ectopic beats increase acutely following smoking. Ischaemic ST–T changes were also detected during smoking. Spectral parameters of HRV analysis of smokers remained in normal limits, but more importantly geometrical parameter—HRV index—showed significant abnormality.
Wavelet Multiresolution Analysis on Wake Structure of a Yawed Square Cylinder

The effect of yaw angle on wake characteristics behind a yawed square cylinder was examined at a Reynolds number (Re) of 3600. Velocity and vorticity fluctuations were measured using a one-dimensional hot-wire vorticity probe. It is found that the large-scale structures contribute the most to the streamwise and transverse velocity variances, as well as Reynolds shear stress, despite the reduction as α increases. The most significant contribution to the spanwise vorticity variance comes from the small-scale structures. The independence principle (IP) for vortex shedding is also validated for α  40.
Resampling Approach to Facial Expression Recognition Using 3D Meshes

We propose a novel strategy, based on resampling of 3D meshes, to recognize facial expressions. This entails conversion of the existing irregular 3D mesh structure in the database to a uniformly sampled 3D matrix structure. An important consequence of this operation is that the classical correspondence problem can be dispensed with. In the present paper, in order to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed strategy, we employ only spectral flow matrices as features to recognize facial expressions. Experimental results are presented, along with suggestions for possible refinements to the strategy to improve classification accuracy.
Sub-Optimal Control in Presence of Unobservable Disturbances

We investigate the problem of optimization of a terminal cost function for a system depending on a control, and on two disturbances for which a priori set membership is known. The disturbances are of different natures: One becomes known to the controller at the current time (we called it observable) while the other remains unknown. The state of the system is not measured, therefore not exactly known due to the presence of an unobservable disturbance. We reformulate the problem through a set-valued dynamics describing the evolution of the current set estimation of the state. To reduce the complexity of the problem, we pass to a suboptimal problem where the evolution of the state estimation is restricted to a prescribed collection of sets. The main result of the paper is a characterization of the value function of this problem through a Hamilton–Jacobi inequality in terms of Dini derivatives, which implies a convergent scheme for numerical computations. As necessary auxiliary tools, we provide new results on evolution and viability of tubes in a given collection of sets.
Immunological selection of variant mouse lymphoid cells with altered glucocorticoid responsiveness

We have devised an immunological procedure to separate cells on the basis of expression of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) gene products. Plastic petri dishes coated with specific antibodies against MMTV proteins bind cells with an efficiency that correlates with the level of MMTV gene expression. Glucocorticoid-sensitive mouse thymoma cell line W7 was infected with MMTV. Clones from the infected population retain the relatively slow cytolytic glucocorticoid response and, in addition, exhibit a rapid induction of MMTV-specific RNA and proteins. By combining our immunological selection with the selection for resistance to hormone-mediated cytolysis, we have isolated variant cells which are resistant to the cytotoxic effect of glucocorticoids but which retain the induction of viral gene products and must therefore have a functional glucocorticoid receptor protein.