Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relative red-green sensitivity as a function of retinal position.

Hue cancellation was employed to obtain sensitivity curves for red and for green by the method of constant stimuli. Data were taken at the fovea, and at points every 2 deg along the lower vertical meridian of the visual field. The results show that sensitivity to red, relative to green, is highest at the fovea, and decreases as the peripheral angle is increased. The relative sensitivity to green is highest in the near periphery, from 2 to 10 deg from the fovea. Beyond this point it falls rapidly, and is no longer measurable at positions where red responses are still obtained.
Persistence of Marek's disease virus in a subpopulation of B cells that is transformed by avian leukosis virus, but not in normal bursal B cells

Previous studies have described an augmentation of avian leukosis virus (ALV)-induced lymphoid leukosis in chickens that were coinfected with a serotype 2 Marek's disease virus (MDV) strain, SB-1. As a first step toward understanding the mechanism of this augmentation, we have analyzed the tropism of the MDV for the ALV-transformed B cell. After hatching, chickens were coinfected with ALV and a nonpathogenic strain of MDV, SB-1. Seventy primary and metastatic ALV-induced lymphomas that developed in chickens between 14 and 20 weeks of age were found, with only one exception, to carry SB-1 DNA. The MDV genome was maintained in cell lines derived from the tumors. However, MDV DNA could not be detected in nontransformed bursal B cells from chickens carrying ALV lymphomas. Moreover, during and after the lytic phase of MDV infection, SB-1 DNA was near or below the level of detection in bursal cells, suggesting that MDV most likely infects only a small subpopulation of bursal cells. By contrast, ALV-transformed B cells from MDV-free chickens could be persistently infected with MDV in vitro. These findings indicate that ALV lymphoma cells, unlike nontransformed bursal B cells, are susceptible to persistent MDV infection and can serve as a reservoir of MDV that can potentially influence the physiology of the transformed cell.
Endocannabinoids and pain: spinal and peripheral analgesia in inflammation and neuropathy.

Analgesia is an important physiological function of the endocannabinoid system and one of significant clinical relevance. This review discusses the analgesic effects of endocannabinoids at spinal and peripheral levels, firstly by describing the physiological framework for analgesia and secondly by reviewing the evidence for analgesic effects of endocannabinoids obtained using animal models of clinical pain conditions. In the spinal cord, CB(1) receptors have been demonstrated in laminae of the dorsal horn intimately concerned with the processing of nociceptive information and the modulation thereof. Similarly, CB(1) receptors have been demonstrated on the cell bodies of primary afferent neurones; however, the exact phenotype of cells which express this receptor requires further elucidation. Local administration, peptide release and electrophysiological studies support the concept of spinally mediated endocannabinoid-induced analgesia. Whilst a proportion of the peripheral analgesic effect of endocannabinoids can be attributed to a neuronal mechanism acting through CB(1) receptors expressed by primary afferent neurones, the antiinflammatory actions of endocannabinoids, mediated through CB(2) receptors, also appears to contribute to local analgesic effects. Possible mechanisms of this CB(2)-mediated effect include the attenuation of NGF-induced mast cell degranulation and of neutrophil accumulation, both of which are processes known to contribute to the generation of inflammatory hyperalgesia. The analgesic effects of cannabinoids have been demonstrated in models of somatic and visceral inflammatory pain and of neuropathic pain, the latter being an important area of therapeutic need. Analgesia is one of the principal therapeutic targets of cannabinoids. This review will discuss the analgesic effects of endocannabinoids in relation to two areas of therapeutic need, persistent inflammation and neuropathic pain. The more general aspects of the role of cannabinoids, endogenous and exogenous, in analgesia have been recently reviewed elsewhere (Rice, Curr Opi Invest Drugs 2001; 2: 399-414; Pertwee, Prog Neurobil 2001; 63: 569-611; Rice, Mackie, In: Evers A. S, ed. Anesthetic Pharmacology: Physiologic Principles and Clinical Practice. St. Louis: Harcourt Health Sciences, 2002). Since a major goal in the development of cannabinoid-based analgesics is to divorce the antinociceptive effects from the psychotrophic effects, the discussion will focus on the antinociceptive effects produced at the spinal cord and/or peripheral level as these areas are the most attractive targets in this regard. A mechanistic discussion of the "framework" for analgesia will be followed by a description of studies examining the role of endocannabinoids in relieving pain; since the elucidation of these effects was undertaken using synthetic cannabinoids, reference will also be made to such studies, in the context of endocannabinoids.
Sub-60nm Si tunnel field effect transistors with Ion >100 µA/µm

Si-tunneling field effect transistors (TFETs) with a record I<inf>on</inf> >100 µA/µm and high I<inf>on</inf>/I<inf>off</inf> ratio (> 10<sup>5</sup>) at V<inf>ds</inf>=1V are reported. Using an optimal spike and millisec flash anneal coupled with an engineered source-gate overlap through a gate-last process, Si TFETs have been demonstrated with 10 to 1000 times greater current than previously reported. The devices exhibit negative differential resistance and temperature dependencies consistent with band-to-band tunneling and current characteristics in excellent agreement with 2D TCAD simulations.
Responsive design for household surveys: tools for actively controlling survey errors and costs

Summary. Over the past few years surveys have expanded to new populations, have incorporated measurement of new and more complex substantive issues and have adopted new data collection tools. At the same time there has been a growing reluctance among many household populations to participate in surveys. These factors have combined to present survey designers and survey researchers with increased uncertainty about the performance of any given survey design at any particular point in time. This uncertainty has, in turn, challenged the survey practitioner's ability to control the cost of data collection and quality of resulting statistics. The development of computer‐assisted methods for data collection has provided survey researchers with tools to capture a variety of process data (‘paradata’) that can be used to inform cost–quality trade‐off decisions in realtime. The ability to monitor continually the streams of process data and survey data creates the opportunity to alter the design during the course of data collection to improve survey cost efficiency and to achieve more precise, less biased estimates. We label such surveys as ‘responsive designs’. The paper defines responsive design and uses examples to illustrate the responsive use of paradata to guide mid‐survey decisions affecting the non‐response, measurement and sampling variance properties of resulting statistics.
THE NEXT GENERATION VIRGO CLUSTER SURVEY (NGVS). XXV. FIDUCIAL PANCHROMATIC COLORS OF VIRGO CORE GLOBULAR CLUSTERS AND THEIR COMPARISON TO MODEL PREDICTIONS

The central region of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies contains thousands of globular clusters (GCs), an order of magnitude more than the number of clusters found in the Local Group. Relics of early star formation epochs in the universe, these GCs also provide ideal targets to test our understanding of the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of old stellar populations. Based on photometric data from the Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey (NGVS) and its near-infrared counterpart NGVS-IR, we select a robust sample of GCs with excellent photometry and tha span the full range of colors present in the Virgo core. The selection exploits the well-defined locus of GCs in the uiK diagram and the fact that the GCs are marginally resolved in the images. We show that the GCs define a narrow sequence in five-dimensional color space, with limited but real dispersion around the mean sequence. The comparison of these SEDs with the predictions of 11 widely used population synthesis models highlights differences between the models and also shows that no single model adequately matches the data in all colors. We discuss possible causes for some of these discrepancies. Forthcoming papers of this series will examine how best to estimate photometric metallicities in this context, and compare the Virgo GC colors with those in other environments.
Non-linear model for reinforced concrete under cyclic loading

Most of the available shear models for reinforced concrete rely on empirical formulations. In this study, a rational shear stress function is used to define the shear stress–strain envelope for reinforced concrete. Cyclic rules are proposed to define the loading, unloading and reloading relationships for reinforced concrete under shear stress reversals. A normal stress function describing the cyclic relationship of concrete under axial stress is also introduced. The proposed functions are verified using experimental data of reinforced concrete panels tested under monotonic and cyclic loading. Subsequently, the normal and shear stress functions along with their cyclic rules are integrated in a non-linear finite element analysis code. The resulting model accounts for tension stiffening, crack opening and closing, compression hardening and softening, degradation of concrete strength and stiffness in the direction parallel to the crack, compression unloading and reloading, as well as non-linear steel behaviou.
Dosimetric Characteristic of Enhanced Dynamic Wedges used in Radiation Therapy

Modern linear accelerators are equipped with a dynamic wedge option. It is a form of dose distribution which makes use of dynamic movement pairs of collimator jaws to improve the dose uniformity from the target. The aim of this study is to compare the calculated and measured dosimetric properties of enhanced dynamic wedges used in radiation therapy. The effect of enhanced dynamic wedge on the photon beam produced by Varian 2100C accelerator was studied with the EGSnrc Monte Carlo code. Depth doses and beam profiles for wedged photon beams were obtained for 6 and 15 MV. Four standard wedge angles of 15, 30, 45 and 60 were modelled in this study. Various field sizes were defined at 100 SSD in water phantom. Data calculated with our simulation model and measurements agreed well within 2% for all wedges. The calculated wedge dose profiles matched very well with the measurement, except at the toe area of 60 wedge angle for 20×20 cm. The observed wedged PDD increased with increasing wedge angle, field size and decreasing the beam energy. The results evidently showed that the Monte Carlo simulation is a useful method for evaluating the dosimetric properties of enhanced dynamic wedge.
Angiotensin Blockade Is Associated With Early Graft Dysfunction After Live Donor Renal Transplantation

Background. Activation of the renin angiotensin system may contribute to the development of delayed graft function after renal transplantation. We, therefore, examined the impact of pretransplant treatment with blockers of the renin angiotensin system on early graft function after renal transplantation. Method. The case records of all patients who received a live donor transplant between January 2001 and August 2008 were reviewed. Results. Serum creatinine measurements were recorded for the first nine posttransplant days, in 94 recipients of live donor kidneys, where there were neither surgical nor hemodynamic complications and no documented rejection or infection. Forty patients (43%) were treated with a blocker of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system before transplantation. Serum creatinine levels fell more slowly in these patients (P=0.02). Two patients required hemodialysis after transplantation; both were on an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker. Conclusion. Live donor renal transplant recipients who are taking a renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blocker at the time of transplantation are more likely to have impaired graft function postoperatively in the absence of other explanations. This observation requires further exploration in live and deceased donor renal transplantation.
Predefined massive transfusion protocols are associated with a reduction in organ failure and postinjury complications.

INTRODUCTION Massive transfusion (MT) protocols have been shown to improve survival in severely injured patients. However, others have noted that these higher fresh frozen plasma (FFP):red blood cell (RBC) ratios are associated with increased risk of organ failure. The purpose of this study was to determine whether MT protocols are associated with increased organ failure and complications. METHODS Our institution's exsanguination protocol (TEP) involves the immediate delivery of products in a 3:2 ratio of RBC:FFP and 5:1 for RBC:platelets. All patients receiving TEP between February 2006 and January 2008 were compared with a cohort (pre-TEP) of all patients from February 2004 to January 2006 that (1) went immediately to the operating room and (2) received MT (>or=10 units of RBC in first 24 hours). RESULTS Two hundred sixty-four patients met inclusion (125 in the TEP group, 141 in the pre-TEP). Demographics and Injury Severity Score were similar. TEP received more intraoperative FFP and platelets but less in first 24 hours (p < 0.01). There was no difference in renal failure or systemic inflammatory response syndrome, but pneumonia, pulmonary failure, open abdomens, and abdominal compartment syndrome were lower in TEP. In addition, severe sepsis or septic shock and multiorgan failure were both lower in the TEP patients (9% vs. 20%, p = 0.011 and 16% vs. 37%, p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Although MT has been associated with higher organ failure and complication rates, this risk appears to be reduced when blood products are delivered early in the resuscitation through a predefined protocol. Our institution's TEP was associated with a reduction in multiorgan failure and infectious complications, as well as an increase in ventilator-free days. In addition, implementation of this protocol was followed by a dramatic reduction in development of abdominal compartment syndrome and the incidence of open abdomens.
The ultrastructure of skin in progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma). I. Dermal collagen fibers.

PREvious uLTR sFRucTuRAL SruDms on the skin of patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) have failed to reveal abnormalities other than an increased number of collagen fibrils with diameters smaller than those found in normal adult skin.16 Bahr described a bimodal distribution of collagen fibril diameters in scleroderma with maxima at 500 and 935 A. These results were confirmed by Rupec and Braun-Falco,4 who found maxima at 500 and 800 A. Fibers outside of this range were relatively infrequent. These distribu-tions are to be compared with collagen fibril diameters of normal adults, which range from 700 to 1400 A, and exhibit a maximum at 1000 A.478 In none of these studies of scleroderma were alterations observed in the periodicitv, cross-banding pattern or internal structure of these fibrils. Sensitivity to collagenase digestion was considered normal. ) we using stained samples of Our findings confirm previous reports concerning the presence of thin fibrils and reveal that these fibrils possess morphologic characteristics typical of embrvonic include the presence of an especiallv thin fibril the fflamant. " The fibril are accompanied by ultrastuctural features in the fibrocytes suggestive of active protein svnthesis.
[The relationship of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and regional sympathetic innervations in the atria and pulmonary veins: experiment with dogs].

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that regional sympathetic innervation in the atria and pulmonary veins are correlated with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS Sixteen adult mongrel dogs underwent thoracotomy under general anesthesia. Bilateral cervical vagal trunks were decentralized. Multipolar catheters were placed into right atrial appendage (RAA), left atrial appendage (LAA), left atrium (LA), left superior pulmonary vein (LSPV), left inferior pulmonary vein (LIPV), right superior pulmonary vein (RSPV), and left inferior pulmonary vein (LIPV). The bilateral sympathovagal trunks were stimulated, S1S1 burst stimulation and S1S2 stimulation procedure were performed on different points of RAA, LAA, LA, LSPV, LIPV, RSPV, and LIPV. The TF thus induced was monitored. After that, the dogs were killed with their hearts and lungs were taken out. Immunocytochemical staining of cardiac nerves was performed using anti-tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) antibodies. The nerve fiber density was counted manually for each case and expressed as the mean number per slice. RESULTS Two dogs died during the experiment and the whole procedure was completed on 14 dogs. There was no significant difference in the AF induction rate among the most points, however, the AF induction rate of the RIPV was significantly lower than those of the other points (all P < 0.05). The levels of density of TH-positive nerves in the atria and atrial appendages were significantly higher than those in the pulmonary veins (P = 0.02). The density of TH-positive nerves in the dogs with AF was significantly higher than that in the dog without AF (P < 0.05). The innervation of sympathetic nerves in atria and pulmonary veins was highly correlated to the induction of atrial fibrillation (r = 0.83). CONCLUSION Regional sympathetic hyperinnervation plays an important role in atrial fibrillation induction.
How Hibernation Factors RMF, HPF, and YfiA Turn Off Protein Synthesis

The Hibernating Ribosome When bacteria enter stationary phase, their ribosomes are inactivated. In Escherichia coli, ribosome modulation factor (RMF) causes dimerization of the 70S ribosome and the dimer is stabilized by, hibernation promotion factor (HPF). Alternately, the stationary phase protein, YfiA, inactivates 70S ribosomes. Polikanov et al. (p. 915) present high-resolution structures of the Thermus thermophilus 70S ribosome bound to each of these three factors. The structures suggest that RMF binding inhibits protein synthesis by preventing initial messenger RNA (mRNA) binding and that HPF and YfiA have overlapping binding sites and would both interfere with binding of mRNA, transfer RNA, and initiation factors. Three crystal structures show why bacteria stop making proteins when they enter the stationary phase. Eubacteria inactivate their ribosomes as 100S dimers or 70S monomers upon entry into stationary phase. In Escherichia coli, 100S dimer formation is mediated by ribosome modulation factor (RMF) and hibernation promoting factor (HPF), or alternatively, the YfiA protein inactivates ribosomes as 70S monomers. Here, we present high-resolution crystal structures of the Thermus thermophilus 70S ribosome in complex with each of these stationary-phase factors. The binding site of RMF overlaps with that of the messenger RNA (mRNA) Shine-Dalgarno sequence, which prevents the interaction between the mRNA and the 16S ribosomal RNA. The nearly identical binding sites of HPF and YfiA overlap with those of the mRNA, transfer RNA, and initiation factors, which prevents translation initiation. The binding of RMF and HPF, but not YfiA, to the ribosome induces a conformational change of the 30S head domain that promotes 100S dimer formation.
Assessment of Fosfomycin for Complicated or Multidrug-Resistant Urinary Tract Infections: Patient Characteristics and Outcomes

Background: Bacterial resistance among uropathogens is on the rise and has led to a decreased effectiveness of oral therapies. Fosfomycin tromethamine (fosfomycin) is indicated for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) and displays in vitro activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates; however, clinical data assessing fosfomycin for the treatment of complicated or MDR UTIs are limited. Methods: We conducted a retrospective evaluation of patients who received ≥1 dose of fosfomycin between January 2009 and September 2015 for treatment of a UTI. Patients were included if they had a positive urine culture and documented signs/symptoms of a UTI. Results: Fifty-seven patients were included; 44 (77.2%) had complicated UTIs, 36 (63.2%) had MDR UTIs, and a total of 23 (40.4%) patients had a UTI that was both complicated and MDR. The majority of patients were female (66.7%) and elderly (median age, 79 years). Overall, the most common pathogens isolated were Escherichia coli (n = 28), Enterococcus spp. (n = 22), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 8). Twenty-eight patients (49.1%) were clinically evaluable; the preponderance achieved clinical success (96.4%). Fifteen out of 20 (75%) patients with repeat urine cultures had a microbiological cure. Conclusions: This retrospective study adds to the limited literature exploring alternative therapies for complicated and MDR UTIs with results providing additional evidence that fosfomycin may be an effective oral option.
Sex ratio imbalance and birth weight in newborns with isolated hypertrophic pyloric stenosis

The exact aetiology of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) remains unclear, although several predisposing risk factors are associated with the condition. The recurrence of the condition observed in several families is compatible with a multifactorial threshold inheritance or the effects of multiple interacting loci (Mitchell and Risch, 1993). The incidence is estimated to be between 1 and 5 per 1000 live births, with significant differences between male and female infants (Davison, 1946; Dodge, 1975). Prompted by the literature (Gomex-Alcala, 1999) suggesting a possible relationship between sex ratio (male/ female) imbalance and birth weight (BW), we studied 202 neonates affected by hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and referred to the Sicilian Registry of Congenital Malformations from 1991 to 1999. Statistical analysis involved 2 and Student’s t-test where appropriate. Values of P<0.05 were regarded as significant. The sex ratio (SR) of our affected cases was 2.9 : 1 with a high predominance of males affected, similar to other published data (Walpole, 1981). To verify the hypothetical relationship between sex ratio and birth weight, we stratified our cases by gender and BW rank (500 g increments, beginning at 2000 g or less and ending at 4000 g or more). We found no sex ratio imbalance in IHPS newborns of 2500 g or less and a statistically significant sex ratio imbalance in newborns with BW of 3000 g or more (P1⁄4 0.003) (Table I). Recently we published a study on sex ratio imbalance in Down syndrome neonates (Bianca et al., 2001) in which we stratified our cases for maternal age, but we did not find any statistical evidence. To search for other possible correlations with sex ratio imbalance in IHPS newborns, we also stratified our cases for maternal age (two groups, one less than 30 years old and one 30 or more) and sex ratio and for maternal age and birth weight, but we did not find any significant proof for either hypothesis (P1⁄4 0.7). The relationship between sex ratio and higher birth weight for IHPS is statistically evident. This feature, is not recognised in other congenital malformations. We think that some unknown perinatal factors are involved in the sex ratio imbalance of IHPS newborns and in the apparent relationship with birth weight; it is also possible, as suggested by other authors (Walpole, 1981), that a range of environmental factors affect the liability to develop IHPS differently according to sex. Further investigation is needed to clarify the genetic factors involved in the pathogenesis and the relationship between gene and environmental or other perinatal factors involved in the etiology of IHPS.