Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Frequency-Tunable Differentially Fed Rectangular Dielectric Resonator Antennas

The frequency-tunable differentially fed rectangular dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) loaded by chip capacitors or chip varactors is investigated. Two conducting strips are attached on two opposite DRA side walls for soldering the loading elements. In each loading case, a frequency-tunable DRA with good match and stable radiation patterns can be obtained. Also, the cross-polarized field level is relatively low. Reasonable agreement between the measured and simulated results is obtained. It is found that the frequency tuning ratio can be controlled by the loading elements and the sizes of the DRA and conducting strips. In particular, for the varactor-loaded case, a frequency-reconfigurable DRA can be obtained by varying the biasing voltage of the varactors.
Development of a Nascent Galectin-1 Chimeric Molecule for Studying the Role of Leukocyte Galectin-1 Ligands and Immune Disease Modulation

Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a β-galactoside–binding lectin, plays a profound role in modulating adaptive immune responses by altering the phenotype and fate of T cells. Experimental data showing recombinant Gal-1 (rGal-1) efficacy on T cell viability and cytokine production, nevertheless, is controversial due to the necessity of using stabilizing chemicals to help retain Gal-1 structure and function. To address this drawback, we developed a mouse Gal-1 human Ig chimera (Gal-1hFc) that did not need chemical stabilization for Gal-1 ligand recognition, apoptosis induction, and cytokine modulation in a variety of leukocyte models. At high concentrations, Gal-1hFc induced apoptosis in Gal-1 ligand+ Th1 and Th17 cells, leukemic cells, and granulocytes from synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Importantly, at low, more physiologic concentrations, Gal-1hFc retained its homodimeric form without losing functionality. Not only did Gal-1hFc–binding trigger IL-10 and Th2 cytokine expression in activated T cells, but members of the CD28 family and several other immunomodulatory molecules were upregulated. In a mouse model of contact hypersensitivity, we found that a non-Fc receptor-binding isoform of Gal-1hFc, Gal-1hFc2, alleviated T cell-dependent inflammation by increasing IL-4+, IL-10+, TGF-β+, and CD25high/FoxP3+ T cells, and by decreasing IFN-γ+ and IL-17+ T cells. Moreover, in human skin-resident T cell cultures, Gal-1hFc diminished IL-17+ T cells and increased IL-4+ and IL-10+ T cells. Gal-1hFc will not only be a useful new tool for investigating the role of Gal-1 ligands in leukocyte death and cytokine stimulation, but for studying how Gal-1–Gal-1 ligand binding shapes the intensity of immune responses.
Direct, indirect and total bilirubin and risk of incident coronary heart disease in the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort

Abstract Background: Total bilirubin (TBIL) is known to be inversely associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, however, whether this association is dose-response remains inconsistent and it is unclear which subtype of bilirubin is responsible for the potential protective effect. Methods: We included 12,097 participants who were free of CHD, stroke, cancer and potential liver, biliary and renal diseases at baseline from September 2008 to June 2010 and were followed-up until October 2013. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of bilirubin with incident CHD risk. Results: The adjusted HRs for incident CHD increased with increasing direct bilirubin (DBIL) (p for trend = .013). Participants within the highest quintile of DBIL had 30% higher risk of incident CHD compared to those in the lowest quintile (95% CI: 1.07, 1.58). In contrast, compared with subjects in the lowest quintile of TBIL, those in the third quintile had the lowest of 24% risk for CHD incidence (95% CI: 0.63, 0.92), which showed a U-shaped association (p for quadratic trend = .040). Conclusions: DBIL was associated with a dose-response increased risk for CHD incidence. However, a U-shaped association existed between TBIL, indirect bilirubin and incident CHD risk. Key messages Direct bilirubin is independently associated with incident coronary heart disease (CHD) in a dose-response manner. A similarly consistent U-shaped association was found between total bilirubin, indirect bilirubin and incident CHD. The potential protective effect of total bilirubin within the normal range on incident CHD should be mainly attributed to mild-to moderate elevated levels of indirect bilirubin.
Testing for Additivity at Select Mixture Groups of Interest Based on Statistical Equivalence Testing Methods

Several assumptions, defined and undefined, are used in the toxicity assessment of chemical mixtures. In scientific practice mixture components in the low‐dose region, particularly subthreshold doses, are often assumed to behave additively (i.e., zero interaction) based on heuristic arguments. This assumption has important implications in the practice of risk assessment, but has not been experimentally tested. We have developed methodology to test for additivity in the sense of Berenbaum (Advances in Cancer Research, 1981), based on the statistical equivalence testing literature where the null hypothesis of interaction is rejected for the alternative hypothesis of additivity when data support the claim. The implication of this approach is that conclusions of additivity are made with a false positive rate controlled by the experimenter. The claim of additivity is based on prespecified additivity margins, which are chosen using expert biological judgment such that small deviations from additivity, which are not considered to be biologically important, are not statistically significant. This approach is in contrast to the usual hypothesis‐testing framework that assumes additivity in the null hypothesis and rejects when there is significant evidence of interaction. In this scenario, failure to reject may be due to lack of statistical power making the claim of additivity problematic. The proposed method is illustrated in a mixture of five organophosphorus pesticides that were experimentally evaluated alone and at relevant mixing ratios. Motor activity was assessed in adult male rats following acute exposure. Four low‐dose mixture groups were evaluated. Evidence of additivity is found in three of the four low‐dose mixture groups. The proposed method tests for additivity of the whole mixture and does not take into account subset interactions (e.g., synergistic, antagonistic) that may have occurred and cancelled each other out.
Macrophage Activation Syndrome in Autoimmune Disease

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a phenomenon characterized by cytopenia, organ dysfunction, and coagulopathy associated with an inappropriate activation of macrophages. Current diagnostic criteria are imprecise, but the syndrome is now recognized as a form of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis that is characteristically associated with autoimmune diatheses. The diagnosis of incipient MAS in patients with autoimmune disease requires a high index of suspicion, as several characteristics of the disorder may be present in the underlying condition or infectious complications associated with the treatment thereof. Proposed treatment regimens include aggressive approaches that require validation in future controlled studies. This review discusses the major aspects of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of MAS with a focus on the association with autoimmune disease.
An in vitro assay reveals a role for the diaphragm protein PV-1 in endothelial fenestra morphogenesis

Fenestrae are small pores in the endothelium of renal glomerular, gastrointestinal, and endocrine gland capillaries and are involved in the bidirectional exchange of molecules between blood and tissues. Although decades of studies have characterized fenestrae at the ultrastructural level, little is known on the mechanisms by which fenestrae form. We present the development of an in vitro assay in which rapid and abundant fenestra induction enables a detailed study of their biogenesis. Through the use of agents that stabilize or disassemble actin microfilaments, we show that actin microfilament remodeling is part of fenestra biogenesis in this model. Furthermore, by using a loss-of-function approach, we show that the diaphragm protein PV-1 is necessary for fenestral pore architecture and the ordered arrangement of fenestrae in sieve plates. Together, these data provide insight into the cell biology of fenestra formation and open up the future study of the fenestra to a combined morphological and biochemical analysis.
Influence of Artisan Bakery- or Laboratory-Propagated Sourdoughs on the Diversity of Lactic Acid Bacterium and Yeast Microbiotas

ABSTRACT Seven mature type I sourdoughs were comparatively back-slopped (80 days) at artisan bakery and laboratory levels under constant technology parameters. The cell density of presumptive lactic acid bacteria and related biochemical features were not affected by the environment of propagation. On the contrary, the number of yeasts markedly decreased from artisan bakery to laboratory propagation. During late laboratory propagation, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) showed that the DNA band corresponding to Saccharomyces cerevisiae was no longer detectable in several sourdoughs. Twelve species of lactic acid bacteria were variously identified through a culture-dependent approach. All sourdoughs harbored a certain number of species and strains, which were dominant throughout time and, in several cases, varied depending on the environment of propagation. As shown by statistical permutation analysis, the lactic acid bacterium populations differed among sourdoughs propagated at artisan bakery and laboratory levels. Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus sakei, and Weissella cibaria dominated in only some sourdoughs back-slopped at artisan bakeries, and Leuconostoc citreum seemed to be more persistent under laboratory conditions. Strains of Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis were indifferently found in some sourdoughs. Together with the other stable species and strains, other lactic acid bacteria temporarily contaminated the sourdoughs and largely differed between artisan bakery and laboratory levels. The environment of propagation has an undoubted influence on the composition of sourdough yeast and lactic acid bacterium microbiotas.
Review: Adoption research: Trends, topics, outcomes

The current article provides a review of adoption research since its inception as a field of study. Three historical trends in adoption research are identified: the first focusing on risk in adoption and identifying adoptee—nonadoptee differences in adjustment; the second examining the capacity of adopted children to recover from early adversity; and the third focusing on biological, psychosocial, and contextual factors and processes underlying variability in adopted children’s adjustment. Suggestions for future areas of empirical investigation are offered, with an emphasis on the need to integrate research, policy, and practice.
Autophagy delays apoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells in cisplatin cytotoxicity

One of the major side effects of cisplatin chemotherapy is toxic acute kidney injury due to preferential accumulation of cisplatin in renal proximal tubule epithelial cells and the subsequent injury to these cells. Apoptosis is known as a major mechanism of cisplatin-induced cell death in renal tubular cells. We have also recently demonstrated that autophagy induction is an immediate response of renal tubular epithelial cell exposure to cisplatin. Inhibition of cisplatin-induced autophagy blocks the formation of autophagosomes and enhances cisplatin-induced caspase-3, -6, and -7 activation, nuclear fragmentation, and apoptosis. The switch from autophagy to apoptosis by autophagic inhibitors suggests that autophagy induction was responsible for a pre-apoptotic lag phase observed on exposure of renal tubular cells to cisplatin. Our studies provide evidence that autophagy induction in response to cisplatin mounts an adaptive response that suppresses and delays apoptosis. The beneficial effect of autophagy has a potential clinical significance in minimizing or preventing cisplatin nephrotoxicity. Addedum to: Yang C, Kaushal V, Shah SV, Kaushal GP. Autophagy and apoptosis are associated in cisplatin injury to renal tubular epithelial cell injury. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 2008; 294:F777-87.
Final height in congenital adrenal hyperplasia: the dilemma of hypercortisolism versus hyperandrogenism.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to identify factors that might interfere with reaching the final height in patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS Thirty-one patients with classical 21-OHD who reached their FH in our Institution were evaluated in order to compare the Z score for final height (FHZ) with: (1) the target height, (2) the standard height for the population, and (3) the hydrocortisone treatment schedule. RESULTS The FHZ of -2.13 ± 1.11 had a significant negative correlation with the hydrocortisone doses used throughout the period of study. Patients who reached FH within the normal population range were those who received lower doses of hydrocortisone, as compared to those whose FH remained below -2 SDS. CONCLUSION We conclude that careful treatment adjustments have a major influence on growth of children with CAH, and that the dose range for hydrocortisone replacement that does not lead to side effects is relatively narrow. The better height outcome was achieved in 21-OHD patients who received lower doses of hydrocortisone.
Specific antibody response of village chickens to single or combined Newcastle disease and infectious bursal disease vaccines

This study was conducted to assess the interaction of specific immune responses produced after vaccination using live attenuated Newcastle disease (ND) LaSota and infectious bursal disease (IBD) vaccines in village chickens of Nigeria. After immunization with the vaccines (individually or in different combinations), specific antibody levels in the chickens were measured using hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) tests. The cases of administration of ND LaSota alone, ND LaSota followed by IBD vaccine after one week, and simultaneous use of ND LaSota and IBD vaccines were seroconverted against ND virus. Interference of antibody production against NDV or IBDV was observed when primary vaccination was done by using any one of the two and the remaining one was given after one week. However, simultaneous administration of the vaccines did not interfere with each other in terms of antibody responses. In all the vaccination trials, elicited immunity conferred protection to the chickens challenged with virulent NDV and IBDV. Individual vaccination with ND LaSota followed by IBD vaccines or vice versa giving an interval of more than one week, or simultaneous use of both vaccines are recommended to confer protective antibody levels against NDV and IBDV in village chickens.
Total ionizing dose effects on the noise performances of a 0.13 /spl mu/m CMOS technology

This paper presents a study of the ionizing radiation tolerance of 0.13 /spl mu/m CMOS transistors, in view of the application to the design of rad-hard analog integrated circuits. Static, signal and noise parameters of the devices were monitored before and after irradiation with /sup 60/Co /spl gamma/-rays at a 10 Mrad total ionizing dose. The effects on key parameters such as threshold voltage shift and 1/f noise are studied and compared with the behavior under irradiation of devices in previous CMOS generations.
A genetic model for evaluation of susceptibility to ozone-induced inflammation.

We examined ozone-induced airway inflammatory responses in inbred mice, and progeny of crosses between them, to investigate genetic susceptibility to ozone. Nine strains of male mice (18-23 g, 5-7 wk) were exposed for 3 h to 2 ppm ozone (O3) or filtered air (control), and pulmonary inflammation was assessed 2, 6, and 24 h after exposure by inflammatory cell counts and total protein content in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). The time course of the response to O3 was consistent between the strains. The maximum change in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was detected 6 h after O3, and the maximum increase in BAL protein occurred 24 h postexposure. Air controls exhibited no detectable changes in the parameters of inflammation at any time. The phenotypes of the C57BL/6J (B6, termed susceptible) and C3H/HeJ (C3, termed resistant) strains were easily distinguished by the magnitude of their inflammatory responses to O3. A 22-fold difference in PMNs was detected between the two strains 2 h after O3 (P less than 0.001), and a sixfold difference was found 6 h after O3 (P less than 0.001). Total BAL proteins were also significantly different between the B6 and C3 strains 6 h (P less than 0.01) and 24 h after O3 (P less than 0.001). To further evaluate the potential genetic contribution to the inflammatory response, the F1, F2, and backcross progeny from crosses between B6 and C3 strains were examined. The phenotypes of these progeny were consistent with the hypothesis that a single autosomal recessive gene at the Inf locus confers susceptibility to acute O3-induced influx of PMNs, but the genetic control of altered permeability is not clear. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Sopranos but not tenors live longer

The longer life spans of females compared to males has been attributed to the effects of sex hormones. Since experimental tests of this possibility in humans are unethical, indirect studies have been relied on for evidence. The present study offers such indirect evidence by comparing life spans of female and male opera singers, since sex hormones are known to influence development of voice. Life spans of sopranos were found to be significantly greater than those of lower voice registered contraltos, even after controlling for birth year. Differences among male opera singers were not statistically significant. The data support the hypothesis that females live longer than males because of the beneficial effects of estrogens on longevity-related genes.
Polysaccharide-based nanoparticles for co-loading mitoxantrone and verapamil to overcome multidrug resistance in breast tumor

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles (PENPs) based on hyaluronic acid/chitosan hydrochloride (HA/HCS) for co-loading mitoxantrone (MTO) and verapamil (VRP) to overcome multidrug resistance in breast tumors. PENPs co-loaded with MTO and VRP (MTO-VRP-PENPs) were affected by the method of preparation, molecular weight of HA, mass ratios and initial concentrations of HA/HCS, pH, and drug quantities. Optimized MTO-VRP-PENPs were ~209 nm in size with a zeta potential of approximately −24 mV. Encapsulation efficiencies (%) of MTO and VRP were 98.33%±0.27% and 44.21%±8.62%, respectively. MTO and VRP were successfully encapsulated in PENPs in a molecular or amorphous state. MTO-VRP-PENPs showed significant cytotoxicity in MCF-7/ADR cells in contrast to MTO-loaded PENPs (MTO-PENPs). The reversal index of MTO-VRP-PENPs was 13.25 and 10.33 times greater than that of the free MTO and MTO-PENPs, respectively. In conclusion, MTO-VRP-PENPs may serve as a promising carrier to overcome tumor drug resistance.
Reproductive Disorders in Cattle due to Nutritional Status

This review presents a brief overview on nutrition and incidences of reproductive problems in cattle. Overfeeding and underfeeding are equally detrimental to normal reproductive function. The exact mechanism of nutrition on reproduction is still not clear, but it is clear that the primary target area for sensing and reacting to nutritional status is the hypothalamus. Nutrition or perhaps more specifically certain food nutrients can influence the hormonal status of animals at several levels. Generally, energy and protein are the major nutritional factors which affect reproductive process. Inadequate amount of energy develops sexual maturity in heifer cows with a low body condition score at parturition which have poor reproductive performance, possibly due to delay in onset of cyclicity. Cows overconditioned at calving will exhibit decreased appetite and develop severe negative energy balance which causes a linear decrease in the maximum diameter of successive dominant follicle, eventually resulting in anoestrus due to suppressed luteinizing hormone pulse frequency in the final oestrus cycle before anovulation. Dietary increase in protein intake can increase milk production, but can reduce fertility. It is due to the alterations in the oviduct environment or deleterious changes in the follicle. Besides these, deficiency of minerals and vitamins are also equally important from the viewpoint of infertility. However, the specific action of vitamins and minerals in reproduction needs further study. A multitude factors must be considered to understand the complex coordination of the nutrition-reproduction interface.
An active search strategy for efficient object detection

Object class detectors typically apply a window classifier to all the windows in a large set, either in a sliding window manner or using object proposals. In this paper, we develop an active search strategy that sequentially chooses the next window to evaluate based on all the information gathered before. This results in a substantial reduction in the number of classifier evaluations and in a more elegant approach in general. Our search strategy is guided by two forces. First, we exploit context as the statistical relation between the appearance of a window and its location relative to the object, as observed in the training set. This enables to jump across distant regions in the image (e.g. observing a sky region suggests that cars might be far below) and is done efficiently in a Random Forest framework. Second, we exploit the score of the classifier to attract the search to promising areas surrounding a highly scored window, and to keep away from areas near low scored ones. Our search strategy can be applied on top of any classifier as it treats it as a black-box. In experiments with R-CNN on the challenging SUN2012 dataset, our method matches the detection accuracy of evaluating all windows independently, while evaluating 9x fewer windows.
Stable growth of simian virus 40 recombinants containing multimerized enhancers

Multiple copies of each of three genetically defined simian virus 40 protoenhancers, A, B, and C, were able to substitute for the wild-type simian virus 40 enhancer. Although the recombinant viruses grew poorly, they could be propagated without the accumulation of enhancer rearrangements that might improve viability. Mutations that inactivate the multimerized B and C protoenhancers abolished virus growth, but, unexpectedly, a mutation that inactivates the octamer-enhanson within the B protoenhancer increased virus viability. This positive effect may reflect loss of repression of the B protoenhancer by the ubiquitous octamer-motif-binding protein Oct-1.
Simple Microdilution Test for Detection of Metallo-β-Lactamase Production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT A microdilution test measuring imipenem MICs in the presence or absence of a mixture of EDTA plus 1,10-phenanthroline was developed and tested on 190 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates, including 18 VIM- and 4 IMP-type metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) producers. The chelator mixture reduced by fourfold or more the imipenem MICs for MBL producers, while a lower effect or no effect was usually observed with MBL nonproducers.