Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deletion of Integrin-Linked Kinase from Skeletal Muscles of Mice Resembles Muscular Dystrophy Due to α7β1-Integrin Deficiency

Integrin-linked kinase (Ilk) is a serine/threonine kinase and an adaptor protein that links integrins to the actin cytoskeleton and to a number of signaling pathways involved in integrin action. We hypothesized that Ilk may act as an important effector of integrins in skeletal muscle, where these receptors provide a critical link between the sarcolemma and the extracellular matrix. Using the cre/lox system, we deleted Ilk from skeletal muscles of mice. The resulting mutants developed a progressive muscular dystrophy with multiple degenerating and regenerating muscle fibers, increased central nuclei, and endomysial fibrosis. These defects were widespread but were most severe near myofascial junctions where Ilk mutants showed displacement of focal adhesion-related proteins, including vinculin, paxillin, focal adhesion kinase, dystrophin, and the α7β1D-integrin subunits. Distal ends of mutant muscle fibers appeared irregular, and there was restructuring of the actin cytoskeleton. These findings resemble those seen in humans and mice lacking the α7-integrin subunit and suggest that Ilk may act as a cytoplasmic effector of α7β1-integrin in the pathogenesis of these deficiencies.
Fournier's Gangrene: Therapeutic Impact of Hyperbaric Oxygen

&NA; Many controversial issues exist surrounding the disease pathogenesis and optimal management of Founier's gangrene. In Fournier's original descriptions, the disease arose in healthy subjects without an obvious cause. Most contemporary studies, however, are able to identify definite urologic or colorectal etiologies in a majority of cases. To investigate disease presentation, treatment modalities, and overall mortality, a retrospective analysis of Fournier's gangrene from a single institution is presented. Since 1990, 26 cases of Fournier's gangrene have been diagnosed at the University of Tennessee. An evaluation of intercurrent disease revealed that 38 percent of the patients had diabetes mellitus, 35 percent manifested ethanol abuse, and 12 percent were systemically immunosuppressed. Fifteen patients (58 percent) presented with identifiable etiologies for their disease: 31 percent (8) urethral disease or trauma, 19 percent (5) colorectal disease, and 8 percent (2) penile prostheses. Management in all cases involved prompt surgical debridement with initiation of broad‐spectrum antibiotics. Multiple debridements, orchiectomy, urinary diversion, and fecal diversion were performed as clinically indicated. Fourteen patients received hyperbaric oxygen as adjuvant therapy. Statistically significant results were noted with mortality rates of 7 percent in the group receiving hyperbaric oxygen (n = 14) versus 42 percent in the group not receiving hyperbaric oxygen (n = 12). Overall mortality was 23 percent. Controversy still surrounds disease pathogenesis in Fournier's gangrene, particularly in regard to etiology. Our study corroborates current trends in that a clear focus of origin was identified in a majority of the cases. Although a grim prognosis usually accompanies the diagnosis, this study shows significant improvement combining traditional surgical and antibiotic regimens with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 101: 94, 1998.)
Precariedad laboral y trayectorias flexibles en México

En el contexto actual de globalizacion, reestructuracion de los procesos productivos y flexibilizacion del trabajo, las investigaciones academicas coinciden en senalar que el trabajo contemporaneo se caracteriza por una condicion de precariedad muy extendida. En este articulo se presentan los principales hallazgos de un estudio sobre la precariedad en Mexico que parte de considerar la heterogeneidad del fenomeno y su fuerte carga subjetiva. Para dar cuenta de dicha diversidad y de su evolucion, se comparo la situacion laboral de individuos de tres ocupaciones contrastantes en diferentes regiones del pais: trabajadores de la industria de la confeccion, trabajadores de centros de atencion de llamadas y musicos profesionales. La investigacion empirica estuvo sostenida por una metodologia mixta que permitio la reconstruccion de los itinerarios laborales de los trabajadores a partir de la informacion obtenida mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas. Se concluye que la inestabilidad y la incertidumbre son predominantes excepto en segmentos de trabajadores de la industria de la confeccion empleados en las grandes multinacionales, en los trabajadores que hacen carrera en los centros de atencion de llamadas y en los musicos con plaza en las orquestas mas estables. En estas condiciones, el significado del trabajo es multiple y exige de los individuos adaptaciones permanentes a lo largo de su vida laboral.
Performance Analysis and Comparison of Routing Protocols in Mobile Ad Hoc Network

Mobile Ad Hoc network (MANET) is a typical self-organizing network, in which the routing mechanism should adapt rapidly to the frequently changing network topology, which remains hot for research. The article described the features of Destination-Sequence Distance Vector (DSDV), Dynamic Source Routing (DSR), Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) and Ad Hoc On-Demand Multi-path Distance Vector (AOMDV), examined the effect of dynamic change in network topology on the performance of these routing protocols based on packet delivery ratio, average end-to-end delay and normalized routing load with NS2 network simulation software. The experiment results show that DSDV protocol is not suitable for frequently changed network, while DSR and AODV can primely adapt to the dynamic change of network topology. The performance of AOMDV is unsatisfactory and therefore some suggestions for improvement are presented.
End-to-End Learnable Histogram Filters

Problem-specific algorithms and generic machine learning approaches have complementary strengths and weaknesses, trading-off data efficiency and generality. To find the right balance between these, we propose to use problem-specific information encoded in algorithms together with the ability to learn details about the problem-instance from data. We demonstrate this approach in the context of state estimation in robotics, where we propose end-to-end learnable histogram filters---a differentiable implementation of histogram filters that encodes the structure of recursive state estimation using prediction and measurement update but allows the specific models to be learned end-to-end, i.e. in such a way that they optimize the performance of the filter, using either supervised or unsupervised learning.
A CLOSER LOOK AT STABILITY OF SURGICALLY-ASSISTED RAPID PALATAL EXPANSION

Objective— To assess the amount of dental and skeletal expansion and stability following surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion,. Methods— Data from 20 patients enrolled in the prospective study were collected prior to treatment, at maximum expansion, at the removal of the expander 6 months later, prior to the second surgical phase if there was one, and at the end of post-surgical orthodontics using P-A cephalograms and dental casts. Results— With SARPE the mean maximum expansion at the first molar was 7.48 ± 1.39 mm and the mean relapse during post-surgical orthodontics was 2.22 ± 1.39 mm (30%). At the maximum, 3.49 ± 1.37 mm skeletal expansion was obtained, and this was stable, so the average net expansion was 67% skeletal. Conclusion— Clinicians should anticipate loss of about one-third of the transverse dental expansion obtained with SARPE although the skeletal expansion is quite stable. The amount of post-surgical relapse with SARPE appears quite similar to the changes in dental arch dimensions after non-surgical rapid palatal expansion, and also quite similar to dental arch changes after segmental maxillary osteotomy for expansion.
A robust 3D high precision radio location system

For the precise measurement of 3D object coordinates a high precision radio location system is introduced for 3D applications and optimized for very high precision. In different test scenarios the system is evaluated with regards to precision, resolution, reproducibility, and robustness. Based on a direct sequence spread spectrum transmission at 24 GHz the radio location system shows high robustness against interferers as well as a high suppression of reflections. After adequate object tracking using a Kalman filter it offers a very high precision with an uncertainty of 0.1 mm also in very general highly reflective indoor environment.
Oral premedication with clonidine: effects on stress responses during general anaesthesia

The effect of clonidine (4.5 μg kg‐1) on haemodynamics and hormonal stress responses was evaluated in 21 female patients undergoing breast surgery. The standardized general anaesthesia included diazepam as premedicant, thiopentone, enflurane, N2O, fentanyl and vecuronium. Venous plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, adrenaline, growth hormone, vasopressin, and Cortisol were assayed at various times before, during and after surgery. Clonidine attenuated the sympathoadrenal response; arterial blood pressure and heart rate increases in association with intubation were lower in clonidine‐premedicated patients. Noradrenaline levels were lower throughout and 3 h after surgery in the clonidine group (P<0.05). Adrenaline levels were lower in this group 2 min after intubation (P<0.05). Growth hormone, vasopressin and Cortisol plasma levels were increased at the end of and after surgery, with no differences between the groups. In spite of the effect on sympathoadrenal response, clonidine did not have any significant additive anxiolytic effect. Statistically significant differences were not found as to need for postoperative analgesics.
Teratogenic Effects and The Role in The Etiology of Atopic Diseases of Erythrosine (FD&C Red No.3)

Erythrosine (FDC is used extensively as a colour additive in foods, drugs and cosmetics. Previous studies have shown that some of the food additives, depending on their long- term and short-term use, have potential carcinogenic, toxic and teratogenic effects. In Turkey this colourant has temporary permission of use until studies are completed about it. In addition food colours may cause allergic reactioins due to food intolerance. In our study 17 pregnant rats are divided into two groups: control and erythrosine group. 7 Wistar albino rats were administered 5 ml erythrosine (2mg/ml) by gavage at 7-8-9-10-11 th days of their pregnancy. 10 rats in positive control group are given distilled water by gavage. At 20 th day of pregnancy, pregnant rats in both groups sacrificed by cervical dislocation and laparotomy applied. Each live fetus was promptly weighed and examined for congenital anomalies and the crown-rump lenght was measured. Routine fetal histologic studies and light microscopic examination of the sections stained with H&E was applied. Mast cells are examined in the fetal dermal sections stained with Toluidine Blue. In erythrosine group, there were no congenital defects, while the number of mast cells of fetal skins were increased and exocytosis was observed. This was statistically significant (U=12 p<0.01**). With respect of the previous studies, we think that erythrosine may be one of the causes of atopic diseases.
Human Hepatic Cell Cultures: In Vitro and In Vivo Drug Metabolism

Drug metabolism is the major determinant of drug clearance, and the factor most frequently responsible for inter-individual differences in drug pharmacokinetics. The expression of drug metabolising enzymes shows significant interspecies differences, and variability among human individuals (polymorphic or inducible enzymes) makes the accurate prediction of the metabolism of a new compound in humans difficult. Several key issues need to be addressed at the early stages of drug development to improve drug candidate selection: a) how fast the compound will be metabolised; b) what metabolites will be formed (metabolic profile); c) which enzymes are involved and to what extent; and d) whether drug metabolism will be affected directly (drug-drug interactions) or indirectly (enzyme induction) by the administered compound. Drug metabolism studies are routinely performed in laboratory animals, but they are not sufficiently accurate to predict the metabolic profiles of drugs in humans. Many of these issues can now be addressed by the use of relevant human in vitro models, which speed up the selection of new candidate drugs. Human hepatocytes are the closest in vitro model to the human liver, and they are the only model which can produce a metabolic profile of a drug which is very similar to that found in vivo. However, the use of human hepatocytes is restricted, because limited access to suitable tissue samples prevents their use in high throughput screening systems. The pharmaceutical industry has made great efforts to develop fast and reliable in vitro models to overcome these drawbacks. Comparative studies on liver microsomes and cells from animal species, including humans, are very useful for demonstrating species differences in the metabolic profile of given drug candidates, and are of great value in the judicious and justifiable selection of animal species for later pharmacokinetic and toxicological studies. Cytochrome P450 (CYP)-engineered cells (or microsomes from CYP-engineered cells, for example, Supersomes™) have made the identification of the CYPs involved in the metabolism of a drug candidate more straightforward and much easier. However, the screening of compounds acting as potential CYP inducers can only be conducted in cellular systems fully capable of transcribing and translating CYP genes.
Comparative analysis of mobility and dopant number fluctuations based models for the threshold voltage fluctuations estimation in 45 nm channel length MOSFET devices in the presence of random traps and random dopants

Proper analytical physically based model to predict the fluctuations in threshold voltage induced by a single interface trap at a random location along the channel in a typical sub-50 nm MOSFET is of utmost significance. To date, the existing analytical models fail to account for the higher fluctuation in threshold voltage near the source of a sub-50 nm MOSFET in presence of a random interface trap. The authors in this paper report for the first time a new analytical model incorporating interface mobility fluctuations of carrier electrons in addition to dopant number fluctuations, which precisely accounts for the higher peak of threshold voltage fluctuations at the source injection barrier of a MOSFET which is also confirmed by Ensemble Monte Carlo ( EMC ) device simulation.
General practitioners' detection of depression and dementia in elderly patients

In a study of 11 general practitioners' detection of dementia and depression in 101 elderly patients it was found that general practitioners were more accurate in their detection of dementia than depression. The general practitioners did not identify 12 of the 15 patients assessed as depressed by a Diagnostic Interview for Depression, but their assessments of dementia corresponded quite well with the results of dementia tests. The general practitioners' knowledge of the symptoms and signs of dementia and depression was limited. If the patient talked to the general practitioner about feeling depressed, sad or irritable, the depression recognition rate increased. (Med J Aust 1990; 153: 192‐196)
Evaluation of the kinetic properties of background parenchymal enhancement throughout the phases of the menstrual cycle.

PURPOSE To develop and apply a semiautomatic method of segmenting fibroglandular tissue to quantify magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast material-enhancement kinetics of breast background parenchyma (BP) and lesions throughout the phases of the menstrual cycle in women with benign and malignant lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS The institutional review board approved this retrospective HIPAA-compliant study, and informed consent was waived. From December 2008 to August 2011, 58 premenopausal women who had undergone contrast material-enhanced MR imaging and MR imaging-guided biopsy were identified. The longest time from the start of the last known period was 34 days. One lesion per patient (37 benign and 21 malignant) was analyzed. The patient groups were stratified according to the week of the menstrual cycle when MR imaging was performed. A method based on principal component analysis (PCA) was applied for quantitative analysis of signal enhancement in the BP and lesions by using the percentage of slope and percentage of enhancement. Linear regression and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to assess the association between the kinetic parameters and the week of the menstrual cycle. RESULTS In the women with benign lesions, percentages of slope and enhancement for both BP and lesions during week 2 were significantly (P < .05) lower than those in week 4. Percentage of enhancement in the lesion in week 2 was lower than that in week 3 (P < .05). The MR images of women with malignant lesions showed no significant difference between the weeks for any of the parameters. There was a strong positive correlation between lesion and BP percentage of slope (r = 0.72) and between lesion and BP percentage of enhancement (r = 0.67) in the benign group. There was also a significant (P = .03) difference in lesion percentage of slope between the benign and malignant groups at week 2. CONCLUSION The PCA-based method can quantify contrast enhancement kinetics of BP semiautomatically, and kinetics of BP and lesions vary according to the week of the menstrual cycle in benign but not in malignant lesions.
Effects of pH on nonenzymatic oxidation of phenylhydroquinone: potential role in urinary bladder carcinogenesis induced by o-phenylphenol in Fischer 344 rats.

o-Phenylphenol (OPP) and its sodium salt (SOPP) are broad spectrum fungicides and antibacterials to which humans are frequently exposed. Both OPP and SOPP have been found to cause cancer in the urinary bladder of male F344 rats at high doses, and the metabolite phenylhydroquinone (PHQ) is believed to play a key role in the carcinogenicity of these compounds. Tumor formation in the treated animals has also been shown to be significantly influenced by urinary pH. To provide additional insights into the mechanisms of OPP carcinogenesis, we have investigated the autoxidation of PHQ over the pH range commonly found in the urine of OPP- and SOPP-treated rats. Over the pH range studied (6.3-7.6), a curvilinear relationship between rate of PHQ oxidation and pH was observed. Phenylbenzoquinone (PBQ) was formed during the autoxidation of PHQ, with a formation yield of 0.92 +/- 0.02. In addition, the effects of PBQ and oxygen concentrations on PHQ autoxidation and the nonenzymatic conversion of PBQ to PHQ were also studied. Our data indicate that the production of reactive metabolites from PHQ involves a pH-independent (i.e., oxygen-dependent) and a pH-dependent pathway and that the rate of pH-dependent PHQ autoxidation was found to be enhanced by the presence of PBQ. A reaction mechanism has been formulated to explain the experimental data observed, with ionization of PHQ semiquinone being identified as a key step in reactive species production for the pH-dependent pathway. By combining data from OPP animal carcinogenicity studies with the proposed reaction pathway, a good correlation between the proposed formation of reactive species and bladder lesions was observed. These results indicate that the pH-dependent autoxidation of free PHQ metabolite in the urine may potentially be responsible for the tumorigenic effects of OPP and SOPP observed in the rat bladder.
Computational analysis of non-adherence and non-attendance using the text of narrative physician notes in the electronic medical record

Non-adherence to physician recommendations is common and is thought to lead to poor clinical outcomes. However, no techniques exist for a large-scale assessment of this phenomenon. We evaluated a computational approach that quantifies patient non-adherence from an analysis of the text of physician notes. Index of non-adherence (INA) was computed based on the number of non-adherence word tags detected in physician notes. INA was evaluated by comparing the results to a manual patient record review at the individual sentence and patient level. The relationship between INA and frequency of Emergency Department visits was determined. The positive predictive value of identification of individual non-adherence word tags was 93.3%. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the INA and the number of documented instances of non-adherence identified by manual review was 0.62. The frequency of ED visits was more than twice as high for patients with INA in the highest quartile (least adherent) than for patients with INA in the lowest (most adherent) quartile (p < 0.0001). We have described the design and evaluation of a novel approach that allows quantification of patient non-adherence with physician recommendations through an analysis of physician notes. This approach has been validated at several levels and demonstrated to correlate with clinical outcomes.
Cutting Edge: An Alternative Pathway of CD4+ T Cell Differentiation Is Induced Following Activation in the Absence of γ-Chain-Dependent Cytokine Signals1

This report addresses the role of γ-chain cytokine signals in regulating CD4+ T cell differentiation following activation. Using murine CD4+ T cells lacking the Jak3 tyrosine kinase, we show that activation of these cells in the absence of γ-chain-dependent cytokine signals induces an alternative pathway of T cell differentiation. Specifically, activated Jak3−/− CD4+ T cells produce IL-10, TGF-β, and IFN-γ, but not IL-2 or IL-4, and are unable to proliferate in vitro. In addition, Jak3−/− CD4+ T cells express high levels of programmed death-1 and lymphocyte activation gene-3 and modestly suppress the proliferation of wild-type CD4+ T cells in coculture assays. Together, these features demonstrate a striking similarity between Jak3−/− CD4+ T cells and the regulatory T cells that have been shown to suppress immune responses in vitro and in vivo. We conclude that Jak3 is a critical component of signaling pathways that regulate T cell differentiation into effector vs regulatory lineages.
Leftward Bias in Number Space Is Modulated by Magical Ideation

BackgroundProductive symptoms of schizophrenia and positive-symptom schizotypy have both been related to signs of right-sided hemispatial inattention (“pseudoneglect”). We here set out to explore, in healthy subjects, the relationship between one form of mild schizotypy (“magical ideation”; MI) and asymmetries in number space, which is a bias toward relatively small numbers, reportedly represented to the left of larger numbers. MethodsForty right-handed participants filled in the MI scale and performed a number-line bisection (NLB) task and a randomization task (the Mental Dice Task, MDT, requiring randomization of the digits from 1 to 6). ResultsWe found pseudoneglect in number space, that is, more errors toward small numbers in the NLB task and an overproduction of small digits in the MDT. Individual participants' MI scores were correlated to the size of pseudoneglect in both numerical tasks. ConclusionsExplicit (NLB) and implicit (MDT) assessments of the exploration of number space may be relevant to studies of the mechanisms underlying the formation of delusional and schizotypal beliefs. We propose that, in healthy subjects, a trait-like imbalance in hemispheric cooperation may not only produce asymmetries in physical and representational space, but also predisposes to develop magical ideas. Specifically, an over-proportional influence of the right hemisphere semantic system (preferentially coding oblique and remote associations) leads to the assumption of connections between randomly associated events.