Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of epidermal primary cilia in the homeostasis of skin and hair follicles

Skin and hair follicle morphogenesis and homeostasis require the integration of multiple signaling pathways, including Hedgehog (Hh) and Wingless (Wnt), and oriented cell divisions, all of which have been associated with primary cilia. Although studies have shown that disrupting dermal cilia causes follicular arrest and attenuated Hh signaling, little is known about the role of epidermal cilia. Here, epidermal cilia function was analyzed using conditional alleles of the ciliogenic genes Ift88 and Kif3a. At birth, epidermal cilia mutants appeared normal, but developed basaloid hyperplasia and ingrowths into the dermis of the ventrum with age. In addition, follicles in the tail were disorganized and had excess sebaceous gland lobules. Epidermal cilia mutants displayed fewer long-term label-retaining cells, suggesting altered stem cell homeostasis. Abnormal proliferation and differentiation were evident from lineage-tracing studies and showed an expansion of follicular cells into the interfollicular epidermis, as is seen during wound repair. These phenotypes were not associated with changes in canonical Wnt activity or oriented cell division. However, nuclear accumulation of the ΔNp63 transcription factor, which is involved in stratification, keratinocyte differentiation and wound repair, was increased, whereas the Hh pathway was repressed. Intriguingly, the phenotypes were not typical of those associated with loss of Hh signaling but exhibited similarities with those of mice in which ΔNp63 is overexpressed in the epidermis. Collectively, these data indicate that epidermal primary cilia may function in stress responses and epidermal homeostasis involving pathways other than those typically associated with primary cilia.
Aid, Volatility and Growth Again. When Aid Volatility Matters and When it Does Not

In previous papers we have argued that aid is likely to mitigate the negative effects of external shocks on economic growth ( i.e. that aid is more effective in countries which are more vulnerable to external shocks). Recently an important debate has emerged about the possible negative effects of aid volatility itself. However, the cushioning effect of aid may involve some volatility in aid flows, which then is not necessarily negative for growth. In this paper we examine to what extent the time profile of aid disbursements may contribute to an increase or a decrease of aid effectiveness. We first show that aid, even if volatile, is not clearly as pro-cyclical as often argued, and, even if pro-cyclical, is not necessarily destabilizing. We measure aid volatility by several methods and assess pro-cyclicality of aid with respect to exports, thus departing from previous literature, which usually assess pro-cyclicality of aid with respect to national income or fiscal receipts. The stabilizing/destabilizing nature of aid is measured by the difference in the volatility of exports and the volatility of the aid plus exports flows. Then, in order to take into account the diversity of shocks to which aid can respond, we consider the effect of aid on income volatility and again find that aid is making growth more stable, while its volatility reduces this effect. We finally evidence through growth regressions that the higher effectiveness of aid in vulnerable countries is to a large extent due to its stabilizing effect.
A Novel Erythrocyte Binding Protein of Plasmodium vivax Suggests an Alternate Invasion Pathway into Duffy-Positive Reticulocytes

ABSTRACT Erythrocyte invasion by malaria parasites is essential for blood-stage development and an important determinant of host range. In Plasmodium vivax, the interaction between the Duffy binding protein (DBP) and its cognate receptor, the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC), on human erythrocytes is central to blood-stage infection. Contrary to this established pathway of invasion, there is growing evidence of P. vivax infections occurring in Duffy blood group-negative individuals, suggesting that the parasite might have gained an alternative pathway to infect this group of individuals. Supporting this concept, a second distinct erythrocyte binding protein (EBP2), representing a new member of the DBP family, was discovered in P. vivax and may be the ligand in an alternate invasion pathway. Our study characterizes this novel ligand and determines its potential role in reticulocyte invasion by P. vivax merozoites. EBP2 binds preferentially to young (CD71high) Duffy-positive (Fy+) reticulocytes and has minimal binding capacity for Duffy-negative reticulocytes. Importantly, EBP2 is antigenically distinct from DBP and cannot be functionally inhibited by anti-DBP antibodies. Consequently, our results do not support EBP2 as a ligand for invasion of Duffy-negative blood cells, but instead, EBP2 may represent a novel ligand for an alternate invasion pathway of Duffy-positive reticulocytes. IMPORTANCE For decades, P. vivax infections in humans have been defined by a unique requirement for the interaction between the Duffy binding protein ligand of the parasite and the Duffy blood group antigen receptor (DARC). Recent reports of P. vivax infections in Duffy-negative individuals challenge this paradigm and suggest an alternate pathway of infection, potentially using the recently discovered EBP2. However, we demonstrate that EBP2 host cell specificity is more restricted than DBP binding and that EBP2 binds preferentially to Duffy-positive, young reticulocytes. This finding indicates that this DBP paralog does mediate a Duffy-independent pathway of infection. For decades, P. vivax infections in humans have been defined by a unique requirement for the interaction between the Duffy binding protein ligand of the parasite and the Duffy blood group antigen receptor (DARC). Recent reports of P. vivax infections in Duffy-negative individuals challenge this paradigm and suggest an alternate pathway of infection, potentially using the recently discovered EBP2. However, we demonstrate that EBP2 host cell specificity is more restricted than DBP binding and that EBP2 binds preferentially to Duffy-positive, young reticulocytes. This finding indicates that this DBP paralog does mediate a Duffy-independent pathway of infection.
Safety of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation with respect to blood-brain barrier permeability in the rat

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is currently used based on its potential to treat a wide range of neurological diseases. Although previous studies have demonstrated an intensitydependent effect of anodal tDCS, few studies have evaluated the safety of this procedure regarding the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the safety of anodal tDCS in terms of BBB permeability in rats because maintenance of BBB function during tDCS is particularly important to protect the brain from foreign substances, and to maintain a stable environment. For the present study, an electrode was directly fixed onto the cranium and anodal tDCS was applied using a constant current stimulator that delivered a 500 μA current for 30 min. Possible BBB dysfunction was assessed by intravenously administering Evans blue dye and performing immunohistochemical analyses of the tight junction protein Claudin-5. Anodal tDCS did not affect BBB permeability or Claudin-5 expression levels, even under relatively high current stimulus conditions; specifically, 144.9 A/m2 for 30 min (i.e., 260820 C/m2). Although further studies will be necessary, the present results indicate that anodal tDCS is relatively safe compared to cathodal tDCS.
Tuberculous meningitis in BCG vaccinated and unvaccinated children

Background: A modified clinical presentation of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in children vaccinated with BCG has been described in the literature. However, most reports are old and not based on actual comparisons and tests of significance. Also, neuroimaging features were not compared. With large scale BCG coverage, it becomes pertinent to describe the “modified” presentation and identify any significant differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated children with TBM. Methods: A total of 150 consecutive hospitalised children (96 unvaccinated, 54 vaccinated) were enrolled. They all satisfied predefined criteria for diagnosis of TBM. Clinical and radiological features of children with/without a BCG scar were compared. Results: Univariate analysis revealed that the vaccinated children with TBM had significantly lower rates of altered sensorium (68.5% v 85.4% unvaccinated; OR 2.2 (1.1 to 6.2); p = 0.019) and focal neurological deficits (20.3% v 39.5% unvaccinated; OR 2.6 (1.1 to 6.0); p = 0.016), and higher mean (SD) Glasgow Coma Scale score (10.2 (3.4) v 8.76 (2.7) unvaccinated; p = 0.010) and cerebrospinal fluid cell count (210.9 v 140.9 unvaccinated; p = 0.019). No significant radiological differences were seen. Short term outcome was significantly better in the vaccinated group with 70% of the total severe sequelae and 75% of the total deaths occurring in the unvaccinated group (p = 0.018). Conclusion: Children with TBM who have been vaccinated with BCG appear to maintain better mentation and have a superior outcome. This may in part be explained by the better immune response to infection, as reflected in the higher CSF cell counts in this group in the present study.
Multiple Access Scheme for Multi User Cognitive Radio Based on Wavelet Transforms

The main application of Cognitive Radio (CR) is for the broadband wireless access in the rural areas which demand adequate data rate and multi user support. IEEE 802.22 , the first standard evolved for CR suggests Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) as the physical layer technique. In this paper wavelet packet based multi carrier multiple access scheme is proposed which can be an equally promising candidate for high data rate multi user CR applications. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated using standard wavelet bases and is compared with OFDMA.
Isolated Presynaptic Inotropic β‐Adrenergic Supersensitivity of the Transplanted Denervated Human Heart In Vivo

BackgroundThe regulation of contractility of the transplanted heart depends on circulating catecholamines resulting from cardiac denervation. Supersensitivity to circulating catecholamines may result from loss of presynaptic neuronal uptake or upregulation of postsynaptic β-adrenergic receptors. Methods and ResultsDose-response curves using the β-adrenergic receptor agonists isoprenaline (no neuronal uptake) and epinephrine (neuronal uptake) were performed in vivo. The inotropic response was measured echocardiographically as the increase of fractional shortening (ΔFS) and the increase of the systolic pressure/dimension ratio (ΔP/D). The inotropic response to increasing doses of isoprenaline (5–20 ng/kg· min) was identical in 36 heart transplant recipients compared with 13 control subjects: AFS during 20 ng/kg · min isoprenaline amounted to 18.2±6.2% versus 17.4±4.0% (NS) and ΔP/D to 2.3±1.2 mm Hg/mm versus 2.2±0.5 mm Hg/mm (NS), respectively. A vagally mediated indirect negative inotropic effect in the innervated hearts was excluded by identical inotropic responses to isoprenaline in control subjects without and after atropine pretreatment. The inotropic response to increasing doses of epinephrine (10–40 ng/kg · min) was significantly augmented in 13 heart transplant recipients compared with 11 control subjects: ΔFS during 40 ng/kg · min epinephrine amounted to 19.9±2.6% versus 8.6±2.0% (p<0.001) and ΔP/D to 2.3±0.9 mm Hg/mm versus 0.6±0.3 mm Hg/mm (p<0.001), respectively. Pretreatment with desipramine (blockade of neuronal uptake) in control subjects resulted in a significantly increased inotropic response: ΔFS during 40 ng/kg · min epinephrine amounted to 17.6±3.6% (p<0.001 versus untreated controls, NS versus heart transplant recipients) and ΔP/D to 1.7±0.8 mm Hg/mm (p<0.001 versus untreated controls, NS versus heart transplant recipients). ConclusionsThese findings provide evidence against a postsynaptic inotropic supersensitivity or subsensitivity of the β-adrenergic receptor-effector system of the transplanted denervated human heart in vivo. However, a marked presynaptic inotropic supersensitivity is present because of denervation-associated loss of neuronal catecholamine uptake.
The relationship between clinicobiochemical markers and depression in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that clinical features of Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are associated with a lower degree of health, self, and sex satisfaction. Objective: Our study aimed to investigate possible associations between depression and different clinicobiochemical markers of PCOS. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional analytic study, 120 PCOS women aged 18-45 yr, were enrolled. Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess depression. Also, all participants underwent biochemical studies. Individuals with 15 points and more in Beck test were referred to a psychiatrist to participate in a complementary interview for the diagnosis of depression based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSMIV-TR) criteria. Results: Among the study participants, 82 women (68.3%) were non-depressed, and 38 patients (31.7%) had some degrees of depression. According to the psychiatric interview, 10 patients (8.3%) had major depression, 22 patients (18.3%) had minor depression and 6 patients (5%) had dysthymia. We failed to show any significant difference in body mass index, hirsutism, infertility, serum total testosterone, lipid profile, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) between depressed and non-depressed subjects (p>0.05). Using Spearman correlation, we did not find a positive correlation between BDI scores and clinicobiochemical markers for all PCOS subjects (-0.139≤r≤+0.121, p>0.05). Conclusion: In spite of high rate of depression in women with PCOS, there was no significant association between Clinicobiochemical Markers and depression.
Mathematical Physics Supertori Are Algebraic Curves*

Super Riemann surfaces of genus 1, with arbitrary spin structures, are shown to be the sets of zeroes of certain polynomial equations in projective superspace. We conjecture that the same is true for arbitrary genus. Properties of superelliptic functions and super theta functions are discussed. The boundary of the genus I super moduli space is determined.
High-Throughput, Sensitive, and Accurate Multiplex PCR-Microsphere Flow Cytometry System for Large-Scale Comprehensive Detection of Respiratory Viruses

ABSTRACT Human respiratory viruses are a diverse group of pathogens composed of hundreds of virus strains, and this presents a major challenge for diagnostic laboratories. To efficiently detect numerous viruses in a large epidemiologic study, we developed a fast, multitarget, sensitive, and specific assay named the Respiratory MultiCode-PLx Assay (RMA). The RMA utilizes improved multiplex PCR chemistry (EraGen MultiCode-PLx technology) coupled with high-throughput microsphere flow cytometry (Luminex). Eighteen sets of virus-specific multiplex PCR primers were developed based on the conserved sequences of all available respiratory-virus sequences for eight distinct groups: human rhinovirus (HRV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (PIV), influenza virus (InfV), metapneumovirus, adenovirus (Ad), coronavirus, and enterovirus. Each primer set detected 20 cDNA copies of the intended target per sample and had no reaction with 60,000 copies of human genomic DNA. The accuracy and sensitivity of the RMA for detecting respiratory viruses in human samples were tested with two sets of clinical specimens. First, 101 nasal-wash specimens that were positive for HRV, RSV, InfV, PIV, or Ad by traditional techniques were reanalyzed by RMA, and all target viruses were detected with an overall sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 99%. Second, 103 nasal-wash samples from 5-year-old children with asthma and respiratory symptoms were analyzed; RMA detected viruses in 74 specimens (71.8%) compared to only 24 (23.3%) by traditional culture and immunofluorescent-staining techniques. These results show that RMA is an accurate, sensitive, and practical test for respiratory-virus infections.
Airspace block organization with metaheurisitics and partitioning packages

In this paper, different metaheuristics applied on an air traffic control problem. This problem is a graph partitioning problem. It can be solved by classical methods which are spectral and multilevel methods. State-of-the-art public-domain graph partitioning packages, CHACO and METIS are used to resolve it. A comparison between results return by these packages and metaheuristics implementations is made for different objective functions of the literature.Metaheuristics used are simulated annealing, ant colony and a new one called fusion fission developed in the LOG laboratory. Experimental results show that metaheuristics find better results than classical packages.
Reordering for Better Compressibility: Efficient Spatial Sampling in Wireless Sensor Networks

Compressed Sensing (CS) is a novel sampling paradigm that tries to take data-compression concepts down to the sampling layer of a sensory system. It states that discrete compressible signals are recoverable from sub-sampled data, when the data vector is acquired by a special linear transform of the original discrete signal vector. Distributed sampling problems especially in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are good candidates to apply CS and increase sensing efficiency without sacrificing accuracy. In this paper, we discuss how to reorder the samples of a discrete spatial signal vector by defining an alternative permutation of the sensor nodes (SN). Accordingly, we propose a method to enhance CS in WSN through improving signal compressibility by finding a sub-optimal permutation of the SNs. Permutation doesn't involve physical relocation of the SNs. It is a reordering function computed at the sink to gain a more compressible view of the spatial signal. We show that sub-optimal reordering stably maintains a more compressible view of the signal until the state of the environment changes so that another up-to-date reordering has to be computed. Our method can increase signal reconstruction accuracy at the same spatial sampling rate, or recover the state of the operational environment with the same quality at lower spatial sampling rate. Sub-sampling takes place during the interval that our reordered version of the spatial signal remains more compressible than the original signal.
Designing an Internationally Accessible Web-Based Questionnaire to Discover Risk Factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study

Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with a typical survival of three to five years. Epidemiological studies using paper-based questionnaires in individual countries or continents have failed to find widely accepted risk factors for the disease. The advantages of online versus paper-based questionnaires have been extensively reviewed, but few online epidemiological studies into human neurodegenerative diseases have so far been undertaken. Objective To design a Web-based questionnaire to identify environmental risk factors for ALS and enable international comparisons of these risk factors. Methods A Web-based epidemiological questionnaire for ALS has been developed based on experience gained from administering a previous continent-wide paper-based questionnaire for this disease. New and modified questions have been added from our previous paper-based questionnaire, from literature searches, and from validated ALS questionnaires supplied by other investigators. New criteria to allow the separation of familial and sporadic ALS cases have been included. The questionnaire addresses many risk factors that have already been proposed for ALS, as well as a number that have not yet been rigorously examined. To encourage participation, responses are collected anonymously and no personally identifiable information is requested. The survey is being translated into a number of languages which will allow many people around the world to read and answer it in their own language. Results After the questionnaire had been online for 4 months, it had 379 respondents compared to only 46 respondents for the same initial period using a paper-based questionnaire. The average age of the first 379 web questionnaire respondents was 54 years compared to the average age of 60 years for the first 379 paper questionnaire respondents. The questionnaire is soon to be promoted in a number of countries through ALS associations and disease registries. Conclusions Web-based questionnaires are a time- and resource-efficient method for performing large epidemiological studies of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. The ability to compare risk factors between different countries using the same analysis tool will be of particular value for finding robust risk factors that underlie ALS.
Dynamic Shader Generation for Flexible Multi-Volume Visualization

Volume rendering of multiple intersecting volumetric objects is a difficult visualization task, especially if different rendering styles need to be applied to the components, in order to achieve the desired illustration effect. Real-time performance for even complex scenarios is obtained by exploiting the speed and flexibility of modern GPUs, but at the same time programming the necessary shaders turned into a task for GPU experts only. We foresee the demand for an intermediate level of programming abstraction where visualization specialists can realize advanced applications without the need to deal with shader programming intricacies. In this paper, we describe a generic technique for multi-volume rendering, which generates shader code dynamically from an abstract render graph. By combining pre-defined nodes, complex volume operations can be realized. Our system efficiently creates GPU-based fragment shader and vertex shader programs "on-the-fly" to achieve the desired visual results. We demonstrate the flexibility of our technique by applying several dynamically generated volume rendering styles to multi-modal medical datasets.
The topology of spaces of knots

We present two models for the space of knots which have endpoints at fixed boundary points in a manifold with boundary, one model defined as an inverse limit of spaces of maps between configuration spaces and another which is cosimplicial. These models build on the calculus of isotopy functors and are weakly homotopy equivalent to knot spaces when the ambient dimension is greater than three. The mapping space model, and the evaluation map on which it builds, is suitable for analysis through differential topology. The cosimplicial model gives rise to spectral sequences which converge to cohomology and homotopy groups of spaces of knots when they are connected. We explicitly identify and establish vanishing lines in these spectral sequences.
Seroincidence of Influenza Among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected Men During the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic, Bangkok, Thailand

Among 368 Thai men who have sex with men with paired serum samples collected before and during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, we determined influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 seroconversion rates (≥4-fold rise in antibody titers by hemagglutination inhibition or microneutralization assays). Overall, 66 of 232 (28%) participants seroconverted after the first year of A(H1N1)pdm09 activity, and 83 of 234 (35%) participants seroconverted after the second year. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 seroconversion did not differ between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected (55 of 2157 [35%]) and HIV-uninfected (71 of 2211 [34%]) participants (P = .78). Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 seroconversion occurred in approximately one third of our Thai study population and was similar among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected participants.