Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The hyperpolarization-activated channel HCN4 is required for the generation of pacemaker action potentials in the embryonic heart

Hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated cation currents, termed If or Ih, are generated by four members of the hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated cation (HCN) channel family. These currents have been proposed to contribute to several functions including pacemaker activity in heart and brain, control of resting potential, and neuronal plasticity. Transcripts of the HCN4 isoform have been found in cardiomyocytes and neurons, but the physiological role of this channel is unknown. Here we show that HCN4 is essential for the proper function of the developing cardiac conduction system. In wild-type embryos, HCN4 is highly expressed in the cardiac region where the early sinoatrial node develops. Mice lacking HCN4 channels globally, as well as mice with a selective deletion of HCN4 in cardiomyocytes, died between embryonic days 9.5 and 11.5. On average, If in cardiomyocytes from mutant embryos is reduced by 85%. Hearts from HCN4-deficient embryos contracted significantly slower compared with wild type and could not be stimulated by cAMP. In both wild-type and HCN4-/- mice, cardiac cells with “primitive” pacemaker action potentials could be found. However, cardiac cells with “mature” pacemaker potentials, observed in wild-type embryos starting at day 9.0, were not detected in HCN4-deficient embryos. Thus, HCN4 channels are essential for the proper generation of pacemaker potentials in the emerging sinoatrial node.
Antenna modeling considerations for accurate SAR calculations in human phantoms in close proximity to GSM cellular base station antennas

International bodies such as International Commission on Non‐Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) make provision for human exposure assessment based on SAR calculations (or measurements) and basic restrictions. In the case of base station exposure this is mostly applicable to occupational exposure scenarios in the very near field of these antennas where the conservative reference level criteria could be unnecessarily restrictive. This study presents a variety of critical aspects that need to be considered when calculating SAR in a human body close to a mobile phone base station antenna. A hybrid FEM/MoM technique is proposed as a suitable numerical method to obtain accurate results. The verification of the FEM/MoM implementation has been presented in a previous publication; the focus of this study is an investigation into the detail that must be included in a numerical model of the antenna, to accurately represent the real‐world scenario. This is accomplished by comparing numerical results to measurements for a generic GSM base station antenna and appropriate, representative canonical and human phantoms. The results show that it is critical to take the disturbance effect of the human phantom (a large conductive body) on the base station antenna into account when the antenna‐phantom spacing is less than 300 mm. For these small spacings, the antenna structure must be modeled in detail. The conclusion is that it is feasible to calculate, using the proposed techniques and methodology, accurate occupational compliance zones around base station antennas based on a SAR profile and basic restriction guidelines. Bioelectromagnetics 26:502–509, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
PET-FDG as predictor of therapy response in patients with colorectal carcinoma.

AIM The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of quantitative dynamic FDG PET studies in patients with metastastic colorectal cancer receiving FOLFOX (fluorouracil, folinic acid and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy. METHODS The evaluation includes 28 patients with 55 metastases from primary colorectal cancer. Reference for the FDG studies was the clinical response data, according to the WHO classification. Three response groups were defined: progressive disease (PD), stable disease (SD) and partial response (PR). The FDG studies were accomplished as dynamic series for 60 min. The evaluation of the FDG kinetics was performed using the SUV, and fractal dimension (FD) of the time activity curves based on the box counting procedure (parameter for the inhomogeneity of the tumors). RESULTS The median SUV as measured in the tumor lesions prior to onset to FOLFOX was 3.15, in comparison with 2.68 SUV after the first cycle and 2.61 SUV after the second cycle. Discriminant analysis (DA) was used for the classification of the data into the 3 categories. Both parameters SUV and FD provided 2 of the 3 "predicted" categories, namely PD and SD. It was possible to correctly classify PR in only 10% of the patients, using the FD of both studies. Generally, DA inclined to misclassify the data towards PD. Even the first PET study was predictive with respect to therapy outcome (96% for PD and 47% for SD using only the baseline SUV). Metastases with a baseline SUV lower than 4.6 did not respond to FOLFOX chemotherapy. The combination of SUV and FD of the first study lead to a correct classification of 93% of PD and 60% of SD. Best results were obtained for the FD of the initial PET study (90% for PD and 75% for SD) as well as for the FD of both studies (77% for PD, 73% for SD, 10% for PR). CONCLUSION Quantitative, dynamic FDG-PET should be used preferentially for monitoring patients with metastatic colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy. Even the first FDG study prior to onset to chemotherapy is predictive for the therapy outcome.
Just Thinking about It

Suicide ideation is a sensitive indicator of personal well-being. While ideation occurs in roughly 3 percent of the US population annually, in this study rates are 10 times higher. This article explores the role of social capital in mediating negative life circumstances on ideation for a sample of 161 homeless adults in a mid-sized Southern US metropolitan area. Our results imply that social capital does not function the same way for homeless persons as it does for the general population. This finding supports growing evidence that social capital's much touted benefits for personal well-being may not apply to disadvantaged populations.
Fully Parallel Electrical Impedance Tomography Using Code Division Multiplexing

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) has been dominated by the use of Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) and Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) as methods of achieving orthogonal injection of excitation signals. Code Division Multiplexing (CDM), presented in this paper is an alternative that eliminates temporal data inconsistencies of TDM for fast changing systems. Furthermore, this approach eliminates data inconsistencies that arise in FDM when frequency bands of current injecting electrodes are chosen over frequencies that have large changes in the imaged object's impedance. To the authors knowledge no fully functional wideband system or simulation platform using simultaneous injection of Gold codes currents has been reported. In this paper, we formulate, simulate and develop a fully functional pseudo-random (Gold) code driven EIT system with 15 excitation currents and 16 separate voltage measurement electrodes. In the work we verify the use of CDM as a multiplexing modality in simultaneous injection EIT, using a prototype system with an overall bandwidth of 15 kHz, and attainable speed of 462 frames/s using codes with a period of 31 chips. Simulations and experiments are performed using the Electrical Impedance and Diffuse Optics Reconstruction Software (EIDORS). We also propose the use of image processing on reconstructed images to establish their quality quantitatively without access to raw reconstruction data. The results of this study show that CDM can be successfully used in EIT, and gives results of similar visual quality to TDM and FDM. Achieved performance shows average position error of 3.5% and size error of 6.2%.
Control of Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Infesting Power Poles

ABSTRACT A trial was conducted to determine the efficacy of termiticidal dusts (arsenic trioxide, triflumuron, and Metarhizium anisopliae), a timber fumigant (dazomet) and liquid termiticides (bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, chlorpyrifos, fipronil, and imidacloprid) for controlling subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) infesting in-service power poles in New South Wales, Australia. Dusts were applied to parts of the pole where termites were present. Fumigant was inserted into holes drilled into the base of the pole. Liquid termiticides were mixed with soil around the base of the pole and injected into internal voids if present. Poles were inspected for up to 5 yr, and the time taken for reinfestation to occur was recorded. Before the start of the trial, the major Australian pole owners were surveyed to obtain an estimate of the annual national cost of termite infestation to the power supply industry. The annual costs of termite treatment and replacing damaged poles were estimated at AU$2 million and AU$13 million, respectively. Infestation rates were lower for all treatments compared with controls within the first 12 mo of the study. Dazomet, arsenic trioxide, fipronil, and chlorpyrifos were the most efficacious treatments. Efficacy was positively related to the amount of termiticide applied and negatively related to the infestation severity but was unaffected by geographical location. Survival curves were calculated of the time elapsed before the recurrence of termite infestations (survival ≈ absence of reinfestation). Survival was highest for poles treated with liquid termiticides.
Patient guided Piezo-electric Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy as treatment for chronic severe patellar tendinopathy: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Patellar tendinopathy is a common overuse injury for which no evidence-based treatment guidelines exist. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) seems to be an effective treatment for patellar tendinopathy but the most beneficial treatment strategies still need to be ascertained. Aim of this pilot study was to investigate if patient guided Piezo-electric, focused ESWT, without local anesthesia is a safe and well tolerated treatment which improves pain and function in patients with patellar tendinopathy. METHODS Nineteen male athletes with severe chronic patellar tendinopathy received 3 patient guided focused medium to high energy ESWT treatments at a weekly interval. Before and after 3 months VISA-P and VAS (pain) scores were recorded. Data on side effects and complications of treatment were also collected. RESULTS No serious complications were reported and patients tolerated the treatment well. Mean VISA-P score improved from 36.1 to 50.1 (p < 0.05), VAS decreased from to 7.2 to 3.7 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Patient guided Piezo-electric ESWT without local anesthesia is a safe and well tolerated treatment which should be considered as a treatment for patients with patellar tendinopathy.
Concordance between clinical practice and published evidence: findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

BACKGROUND Documenting the gap between what is occurring in clinical practice and what published research findings suggest should be happening is an important step toward improving care. The authors conducted a study to quantify the concordance between clinical practice and published evidence across preventive, diagnostic and treatment procedures among a sample of dentists in The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network ("the network"). METHODS Network dentists completed one questionnaire about their demographic characteristics and another about how they treat patients across 12 scenarios/clinical practice behaviors. The authors coded responses to each scenario/clinical practice behavior as consistent ("1") or inconsistent ("0") with published evidence, summed the coded responses and divided the sum by the number of total responses to create an overall concordance score. The overall concordance score was calculated as the mean percentage of responses that were consistent with published evidence. RESULTS The authors limited analyses to participants in the United States (N = 591). The study results show a mean concordance at the practitioner level of 62 percent (SD = 18 percent); procedure-specific concordance ranged from 8 to 100 percent. Affiliation with a large group practice, being a female practitioner and having received a dental degree before 1990 were independently associated with high concordance (≥ 75 percent). CONCLUSION Dentists reported a medium-range concordance between practice and published evidence. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Efforts to bring research findings into routine practice are needed.
Accuracy of aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of breast disease

The accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology has been assessed in 480 consecutive breast lesions where definitive histology was later available. The results in terms of specificity and sensitivity have also been compared to mammography and clinical examination. With adequate smears aspiration cytology was 100 per cent specific with no false positive diagnosis. This compares with 15 false positive mammograms and 12 false positive diagnoses on clinical examination. Cytology was unsatisfactory in 36 per cent of benign lesions owing to poor cellularity of the sample but when considered with mammography and examination led to a reduction in biopsies for benign disease. A definitive cytological diagnosis of malignant tumours resulted in a reduction in frozen sections with a substantial saving of resources and improvement in patient counselling. No mastectomy was performed for benign disease.
Preclinical Development The Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibitor IPI-504 Induces KIT Degradation , Tumor Shrinkage , and Cell Proliferation Arrest in Xenograft Models of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

The activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT is crucial for gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) growth and survival. Imatinib and sunitinib are very effective in advanced GIST, but have no curative potential. The observation that heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) inhibition results in KIT degradation prompted us to assess the efficacy of the HSP90 inhibitor retaspimycin hydrochloride (IPI-504) alone or in combination with imatinib or sunitinib in two GIST xenografts with distinctive KIT mutations. Nude mice were grafted with human GIST carrying KIT exon 13 (GIST-882; n 1⁄4 59) or exon 11 (GIST-PSW; n 1⁄4 44) mutations and dosed with imatinib (50 mg/kg twice daily), sunitinib (40 mg/kg once daily), IPI-504 (100 mg/kg 3 times per week), IPI-504 þ imatinib, or IPI-504þ sunitinib. We evaluated tumor volume, proliferation and apoptosis, KIT expression and activation, as well as adverse events during treatment. Treatment with IPI-504 alone resulted in tumor regression, proliferation arrest, and induction of tumor necrosis. We documented downregulation of KIT and its signaling cascade in IPI-504–treated animals. Treatment effects were enhanced by combining IPI-504 with imatinib or sunitinib. On histologic examination, liver damagewas frequently observed in animals exposed to combination treatments. In conclusion, IPI-504 shows consistent antitumor activity and induces KIT downregulation in GIST, as a single agent, and is more potent in combination with imatinib or sunitinib. The sequence of drug administration in the combination arms warrants further studies. Mol Cancer Ther; 10(10); 1897–908. 2011 AACR.
Glucose tolerance in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract– Blood glucose and plasma insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test were determined in 21 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and in 10 control patients matched for age, obesity and physical activity. In addition, 125I‐insulin binding to circulating erythrocytes were studied in a subgroup of 4 ALS patients and 8 controls.
Electrophysiological evidence for the morpheme-based combinatoric processing of English compounds

The extent to which the processing of compounds (e.g., “catfish”) makes recourse to morphological-level representations remains a matter of debate. Moreover, positing a morpheme-level route to complex word recognition entails not only access to morphological constituents, but also combinatoric processes operating on the constituent representations; however, the neurophysiological mechanisms subserving decomposition, and in particular morpheme combination, have yet to be fully elucidated. The current study presents electrophysiological evidence for the morpheme-based processing of both lexicalized (e.g., “teacup”) and novel (e.g., “tombnote”) visually presented English compounds; these brain responses appear prior to and are dissociable from the eventual overt lexical decision response. The electrophysiological results reveal increased negativities for conditions with compound structure, including effects shared by lexicalized and novel compounds, as well as effects unique to each compound type, which may be related to aspects of morpheme combination. These findings support models positing across-the-board morphological decomposition, counter to models proposing that putatively complex words are primarily or solely processed as undecomposed representations, and motivate further electrophysiological research toward a more precise characterization of the nature and neurophysiological instantiation of complex word recognition.
Life cycle theory of dividends: a review of literature

Purpose: This study aimed at reviewing life cycle theory of dividends based on summarized empirical evidences provided in the previous studies.Design/methodology/approach: The key theoretical and empirical studies on life cycle theory of dividends have been reviewed. Findings: It has been found in the review that more attention needs to be given to the role of governance in the life cycle theory of dividends. Corporate governance indicators change with the life cycle stage of the firm and governance provisions are adopted based on firm characteristics. Furthermore, culture and investor protection vary across countries and their impact depends on firm life cycle. Thus, more flexible models should be designed to capture the role of individual governance measures in the pay‐out policy based on firm characteristics, national culture and investor protection under life cycle theory of dividends.Originality/value: Through this study, the role of culture and investor protection in life cycle theory of dividends has been emphasized and the necessity of considering such studies has been specified for researchers. Limitations: Since the life cycle theory of dividends was the very focus of the current study, other theories of dividend policy have not been paid heed to. Paper type: Literature review
Characteristics of hospital- and community-acquired meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Tehran, Iran.

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of hospital-acquired (HA) and community-acquired (CA) infections worldwide. Recently, S. aureus strains resistant to meticillin (MRSA) have become established within both communities. We isolated 314 isolates of MRSA from hospitalized patients in a referral hospital (HA isolates) and 268 isolates from its outpatient clinic (CA isolates) in Tehran, Iran, between February 2008 and December 2010. These isolates were tested for their susceptibility to 17 antibiotics and typed using the PhPlate system. The diversity in the structures of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) elements and ccr types was also detected using a multiplex-PCR assay and isolates were examined for the presence of different classes of prophages. Whilst all isolates were resistant to penicillin, the HA isolates were significantly more resistant to all other antibiotics tested than the CA isolates. Isolates carrying only SCCmec type III and ccr type 3 were dominant (91 %), but 20 % of the CA isolates belonging to less prevalent types carried only SCCmec types IVa, c and ccr type 2. These isolates also carried pvl genes and contained SGA prophage type. Our results indicate that whilst the dominant clonal groups of HA- and CA-MRSA belong to SCCmec type III and carry ccr type 3 genes, several distinct but less prevalent types of CA-MRSA carrying SCCmec type IVa, c and type 2 ccr are also found in Tehran. These strains carry pvl genes and the SGA prophage type, a characteristic that might be used as a marker for detection of CA-MRSA in this country.
Ring resonators for bandwidth and center frequency tunable filter

This paper presents a novel tunable resonator for a filter that independently changes its center frequency and bandwidth. The proposed resonator comprises a closed ring shaped transmission line with switches and three tunable reactive elements. The switches tune the frequencies at which transmission zeros appear (fzeros) and do not degrade the insertion loss at the resonant frequency (fr). The tunable reactive elements enable control of the fr. The prototype of the resonator is fabricated, and the measured characteristics demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed resonator. The fr of the resonator varies from 3.5 GHz to 5.1 GHz. A bandwidth tunable filter is also fabricated. Tuning range from 8% to 25% is obtained in the fractional bandwidth. These results approve the tuning of bandwidth by controlling fzeros.
Injuries involving off-road cycling.

BACKGROUND Data on injuries due to off-road bicycling are scarce, but do indicate that injuries in this sport are frequent. We examined the pattern of injuries to off-road riders as part of a larger study of bicycle injuries and helmet use. METHODS We undertook a prospective study of bicycle-related injuries identified at seven emergency departments in Seattle, Washington, between March 1992 and August 1994. Hospitalized patients and medical examiners' cases were included. Detailed questionnaires and abstraction of all medical records provided information on crash and rider characteristics and injury type and severity. RESULTS A total of 3390 injured riders participated, representing an 88% response rate. Of all injured cyclists, 127 (3.7%) were injured riding "off road. " Seventy-three percent of off-road cyclists were 20 to 39 years of age, and 86.6% were male. Helmet use was 80.3% for off-road cyclists as compared with 49.5% for other cyclists. The number of head and face injuries for the off-road cyclists was only 40% of the number incurred by other cyclists. Four percent of off-road cyclists had severe injuries (injury Severity Score > 8), and 6.3% were hospitalized, compared with 6.8% and 9.4%, respectively, of other cyclists. CONCLUSIONS The majority of off-road bicycling injuries are minor. Off-road cyclists are less likely to have head and face injuries than other cyclists and are more likely to wear helmets.
Spatial segregation of neuronal calcium signals encodes different forms of LTP in rat hippocampus

Calcium regulates numerous processes in the brain. How one signal can coordinate so many diverse actions, even within the same neurone, is the subject of intense investigation. Here we have used two‐photon calcium imaging to determine the mechanism that enables calcium to selectively and appropriately induce different forms of long‐term potentiation (LTP) in rat hippocampus. Short‐lasting LTP (LTP 1) required activation of ryanodine receptors (RyRs), which selectively increased calcium in synaptic spines. LTP of intermediate duration (LTP 2) was dependent on activation of inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate (IP3) receptors (IP3Rs) and subsequent calcium release specifically in dendrites. Long‐lasting LTP (LTP 3) was selectively dependent on L‐type voltage‐dependent calcium channels (L‐VDCCs), which generated somatic calcium influx. Activation of NMDA receptors was necessary, but not sufficient, for the generation of appropriate calcium signals in spines and dendrites, and the induction of LTP 1 and LTP 2. These results suggest that the selective induction of different forms of LTP is achieved via spatial segregation of functionally distinct calcium signals.