Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dust exposure: a missed environmental factor of Wegener's granulomatosis

Buerger's disease (BD) is characterised by segmental inflammation of medium and small size arteries, affects mainly young adult men, and is more prevalent in the southeast Mediterranean and the Far East. Its pathogenesis remains unclear, but cigarette smoking is strongly implicated. Autoimmune diseases, hypercoagulable states, diabetes, and emboli need exclusion before a diagnosis is made. The tibial and leg digital arteries are usually affected, and arteriography shows typically “corkscrew” peripheral obstructions. The best treatment is stopping smoking. Prostacyclin infusion is currently the most effective treatment for pain control and healing of ischaemic lesions.1 In selected cases, regional guanethidine block may have good results.2 Sympathectomy does not always provide longstanding benefit,3 and arterial bypass is …
A comparative study of PID control algorithms adapted to send-on-delta sampling

Send-on-delta sampling is used to reduce the number of triggered events (event rates) in networked control systems, allowing more effective utilization of system resources such as network broadband. However, this sampling may result in irregular samples and uncertainties in the inter-sample behavior, which may deteriorate the quality of control and have to be addressed in the control algorithms. This paper compares three variants of control algorithms for closed loops with send-on-delta. These are evaluated based on a typical scenario of building automation. The recommendations for selection of the control algorithms for send-on-delta are made.
Changes of microbial spoilage, lipid-protein oxidation and physicochemical properties during post mortem refrigerated storage of goat meat.

Examined was the effect of post mortem refrigerated storage on microbial spoilage, lipid-protein oxidation and physicochemical traits of goat meat. Seven Boer bucks were slaughtered, eviscerated and aged for 24 h. The Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Semitendinosus (ST) muscles were excised and subjected to 13 days post mortem refrigerated storage. The pH, lipid and protein oxidation, tenderness, color and drip loss were determined in LL while microbiological analysis was performed on ST. Bacterial counts generally increased with increasing aging time and the limit for fresh meat was reached at day 14 post mortem. Significant differences were observed in malondialdehyde (MDA) content at day 7 of storage. The thiol concentration significantly reduced as aging time increased. The band intensities of myosin heavy chain (MHC) and troponin-T significantly decreased as storage progressed, while actin remained relatively stable. After 14 days of aging, tenderness showed significant improvement while muscle pH and drip loss reduced with increase in storage time. Samples aged for 14 days had higher lightness (P < 0.05) and lower (P < 0.05) yellowness and redness. Post mortem refrigerated storage influenced oxidative and microbial stability and physico-chemical properties of goat meat.
Foreign Aid and Labor Productivity in Fiji: An Empirical Investigation within an Endogenous Production Framework

This paper investigates foreign aid"s impact on the Fijian economy using time series data for the period 1980-2011. The empirical model is estimated using two-stage least squares and three-stage least squares to consistently assess foreign aid"s impact. Results provide conclusive evidence that foreign aid and domestic factors are important in explaining output in Fiji.
A 10‐year decrease in plant species richness on a neotropical inselberg: detrimental effects of global warming?

The census of vascular plants across a 10‐year interval (1995–2005) at the fringe of a neotropical rainforest (Nouragues inselberg, French Guiana, South America) revealed that species richness decreased, both at quadrat scale (2 m2) and at the scale of the inselberg (three transects, embracing the whole variation in community composition). Juvenile stages of all tree and shrub species were most severely affected, without any discrimination between life and growth forms, fruit and dispersion types, or seed sizes. Species turnover in time resulted in a net loss of biodiversity, which was inversely related to species occurrence. The most probable cause of the observed species disappearance is global warming, which severely affected northern South America during the last 50 years (+2 °C), with a concomitant increase in the occurrence of aridity.
Display of Passenger Proteins on the Surface ofEscherichia coli K-12 by the Enterohemorrhagic E. coli Intimin EaeA

ABSTRACT Intimins are members of a family of bacterial adhesins from pathogenic Escherichia coli which specifically interact with diverse eukaryotic cell surface receptors. The EaeA intimin from enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 contains an N-terminal transporter domain, which resides in the bacterial outer membrane and promotes the translocation of four C-terminally attached passenger domains across the bacterial cell envelope. We investigated whether truncated EaeA intimin lacking two carboxy-terminal domains could be used as a translocator for heterologous passenger proteins. We found that a variant of the trypsin inhibitor Ecballium elaterium trypsin inhibitor II (EETI-II), interleukin 4, and the Bence-Jones protein REIv were displayed on the surface of E. coli K-12 via fusion to truncated intimin. Fusion protein net accumulation in the outer membrane could be regulated over a broad range by varying the cellular amount of suppressor tRNA that is necessary for translational readthrough at an ambercodon residing within the truncated eaeA gene. Intimin-mediated adhesion of the bacterial cells to eukaryotic target cells could be mimicked by surface display of a short fibrinogen receptor binding peptide containing an arginine-glycine-aspartic acid sequence motif, which promoted binding of E. coli K-12 to human platelets. Cells displaying a particular epitope sequence fused to truncated intimin could be enriched 200,000-fold by immunofluorescence staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting in three sorting rounds. These results demonstrate that truncated intimin can be used as an anchor protein that mediates the translocation of various passenger proteins through the cytoplasmic and outer membranes of E. coli and their exposure on the cell surface. Intimin display may prove a useful tool for future protein translocation studies with interesting biological and biotechnological ramifications.
Pulmonary Gas Trapping in Premature Infants

Extract: Measurements of thoracic gas volume and functional residual capacity were performed serially from birth on 26 premature infants to determine the presence and time course of gas trapping. Nitrogen washouts were carried out on 16 of these infants and urinary-alveolar nitrogen gradients (uADN2) were measured in 7. The infants were divided into two groups, those above and those below 1750 g birth weight. Trapped gas was documented in both groups, but in the smaller infants the condition persisted for a longer time. The mean thoracic gas volume (TGV) in infants over 1750 g birth weight was 2.0 ± 0.7 ml/cm at birth, with a mean functional residual capacity (FRC) of 1.3 ± 0.4 ml/cm; by day 9, the TGV and FRC were 1.5 ± 0.3 and 1.2 ± 0.2 ml/cm, respectively. Infants under 1750 g birth weight had a mean TGV of 1.7 ± 0.2 ml/cm at birth with an FRC of 0.9 ± 0.2 ml/cm; by week 2 of life, mean TGV and FRC were 0.9 ± 0.2 and 0.8 ± 0.2 ml/cm, respectively. When gas trapping was present, nitrogen washouts and uADN2 indicated that the lung was a single well ventilated space with no evidence of an abnormal distribution of ventilation. This indicated that ventilation of the trapped areas was so small that it could not be measured. The possibility that gas trapping is related to the presence of lung fluid and very compliant airways is considered.Speculation: Low birth weight infants have been shown to have high airway resistance, compliant airways, and low lung volume. This combination of findings has been associated with airway closure in adults. The possibility arises that a volume of gas is “trapped” with each expiration until airways are sufficiently stiff and remain patent with every breath.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Diagnostic Tools for Tuberculous Uveitis

Diagnostic criteria for tuberculous uveitis encompass exclusion of other known etiologies of uveitis, suggestive clinical history and signs, supportive systemic investigations, positive response to empiric antituberculosis treatment and evidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis or its DNA in ocular fluids/tissues. Recent advances in diagnostic tools for tuberculous infection, including molecular biology techniques for detection of M. tuberculosis DNA and interferon-gamma release assays, have improved the specificity of the diagnosis and the ability to ascertain exposure to the infectious agent. However even with such advances, establishing the diagnosis of tuberculous uveitis remains a challenging issue because each of these available investigations has its strengths and limitations and tuberculous infection can present with clinical features of any type of extraocular or intraocular inflammation. This article critically analyzes the role of these tests in supporting the diagnosis of tuberculous uveitis and proposes a practical diagnostic approach, based on a judicious combination of these tests.
A Comparative Study between the Effect of Combined Local Anesthetic and Low-dose Ketamine with Local Anesthetic on Postoperative Complications after Impacted Third Molar Surgery.

BACKGROUND Postoperative pain, swelling and trismus are the most common outcome after third molar surgery. Many methods have been tried to improve postoperative comfort after surgery. Ketamine is a phencyclidine derivative that induces a state of dissociative anesthesia. It is a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and has a distinct suppression effect on central nervous system (CNS) sensitization. Ketamine in a subanesthetic dose is set to produce analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty patients, between the age group of 18 and 38 years, undergoing the extraction of impacted mandibular third molar, reporting to the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery were included in the study. Patients were divided randomly into two groups: local anesthetic alone (LAA) and local anesthetic and ketamine (LAK). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U/unpaired--t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULT There was a significant difference in mouth opening in the LAA and LAK group in the immediate postoperative period. There was a significant difference between the two groups after 1 hour (LAA: 2.37; LAK: 1.40), and 4 hours (LAA: 2.37; LAK: 1.40). There was a significant difference in terms of facial swelling in the immediate postoperative period and day 1 between the LAA and LAK group. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Use of subanesthetic dose of ketamine is not only safe but also valuable in reducing patient morbidity after third molar surgery. CONCLUSION Combination of a local anesthetic and subanesthetic dose of ketamine during surgical extraction of third molars provides good postoperative analgesia with less swelling and significantly less trismus.
A new video intubating device: Trachway® intubating stylet

the Endoflex endotracheal tube as a stylet-free alternative in Glidescope intubations. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia 2008; 55: 473–4. 3 Greib N, Dow WA, Henderson J, Diemunsch PA. A combined videolaryngoscopy-flexible fibreoscopy intubation technique under general anesthesia. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia 2007; 54: 492–3. 4 Hsu W, Hsu S, Lee Y, et al. Penetrating injury of the soft palate during GlideScope intubation. Anesthesia and Analgesia 2007; 104: 1609–10. 5 Cross P, Cytryn J, Cheng KK. Perforation of the soft palate using the GlideScope videolaryngoscope. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia 2007; 54: 588–9. 6 Vincent RD, Wimberly MP, Brockwell RC, Magnusson JS. Soft palate perforation during orotracheal intubation facilitated by the GlideScope videolaryngoscope. Journal of Clinical Anesthesia 2007; 19: 619–21.
Separation and collection of leukocytes.

Summary Existing methods for separation and collection of leukocytes permit collection of only limited quantities of leukocytes. An instrument has been designed to process large volumes of blood on a continuous flow basis. The instrument collects venous blood, separates leukocytes in a centrifuge, and reinjects the red cells, plasma, and platelets. The separation process is 30–60% efficient in vitro at flow rates up to 50 ml/min. In vivo tests demonstrated safety, sterility, lack of hemolysis, and adequate anti-coagulation. However, leukocyte recovery in vivo is low (under 20%). If this poor in vivo recovery can be overcome, the instrument should prove useful for collection of large quantities of leukocytes.
Dopamine and Migraine: Biology and Clinical Implications

In the last 30 years dopamine has been considered as playing a role in the pathogenesis of migraine. The literature indicates that migraineurs are hypersensitive to dopamine agonists with respect to some of the premonitory symptoms of migraine such as nausea and yawning. There are various nonspecific dopamine D2 receptor antagonists that show good clinical efficacy in migraine, and also a number of polymorphisms of dopaminergic genes related to migraine. Animal studies have also shown that dopamine receptors are present in the trigeminovascular system, the area believed to be involved in headache pain, and neuronal firing here is reduced by dopamine agonists. There appears to be little effect of dopamine on peripheral trigeminal afferents. We assess some of the limitations of the clinical studies with regard to the therapeutics, and those found in the studies that discovered differences in genetic polymorphisms in migraine, and consider the implications of this on a dopaminergic hypothesis of migraine.
Transverse-resonance analysis of dominant-mode propagation in graphene nano-waveguides

Dispersion properties of the dominant modes supported by two-dimensional graphene-based nano-waveguides are studied by means of an exact approach based on the transverse-resonance technique and using the equivalent circuit representation of graphene sheets. In particular, in the absence of magnetic bias, the graphene is characterized by a scalar conductivity obtained based on semi-classical and quantum-mechanical arguments. Such a description takes into account the possible presence of static electric biasing fields and/or chemical doping. The modal features of graphene nano-waveguides are investigated in detail thus showing their potential in future nano-electromagnetic and nano-photonic applications.
Enzyme replacement therapy with agalsidase beta in kidney transplant patients with Fabry disease: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND We sought to assess the safety and efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant human-alpha-galactosidase A (rh-alpha-Gal A) in kidney transplant recipients with Fabry disease, a previously unstudied population. METHODS Three male kidney transplant recipients with biochemically, genetically, and histologically confirmed Fabry disease and documented Fabry myocardiopathy received the rh-alpha-Gal A, agalsidase beta, 1 mg/kg of body weight every 2 weeks by intravenous infusion and were monitored biochemically, clinically, and electrocardiographically and echocardiographically for 18 months. RESULTS Patients showed biochemical, clinical/functional, and morphologic response to ERT. Plasma globotriaosylceramide decreased 23% to 50%. Extremity pain resolved within 2 months in the patient with this manifestation. On echocardiography, left ventricular mass, end diastolic diameter (EDD), and cardiac contractility, shown by ejection fraction (EF), improved in 2 of the 3 patients receiving essentially all planned infusions. EDD and EF remained basically stable, but cardiac morphologic abnormalities progressed in the other patient, who had a 5-month interruption in ERT after the initial month. Mild mitral insufficiency persisted in all patients, as did atrial fibrillation in the affected individual. After a combined total of 116 infusions, no treatment-related adverse event, intolerance, or seroconversion was seen. Renal function remained stable and the immunosuppression regimen unchanged in all patients. CONCLUSION Our pilot study provides preliminary evidence that ERT with agalsidase beta, 1 mg/kg every 2 weeks, is safe and often effective against extra-renal manifestations in kidney transplant patients with Fabry disease. Studies with longer courses of this and higher doses of ERT are merited in this population.
Isolation and characterization of nine bacteriophages that lyse O 149 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

The goal of this study was to isolate and characterize phages that might be used in prevention and treatment of porcine postweaning diarrhea due to O149 enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). Serotype O149:H10:F4 was especially targeted because this is the dominant ETEC serotype. Mixtures of 10 strains of O149:H10:F4 ETEC and of 10 O149:H43:F4 ETEC were used as hosts for isolation of phages in sewage from 38 Ontario pig farms. Six phages (GJ1–GJ6) that lysed O149:H10:F4 ETEC and three (GJ7–GJ9) that lysed O149:H43:F4 ETEC were isolated. All phages produced large, clear plaques. All nine phages had necks and contractile tails and therefore belonged to the Myoviridae. Their estimated genome sizes were 48.3–50.7 kb and their restriction enzyme fragments suggested that they were closely related. Phages GJ1–GJ6 lysed 99–100% of 85 O149:H10:F4 ETEC, 0–12% of 42 O149:H43:F4 ETEC, 3–35% of 37 non-O149 porcine ETEC, and 6–68% of the 72 strains of the ECOR collection. Phages GJ7–GJ9 lysed 86–98% of the O149:H43:F4 ETEC, 2–53% of the O149:H10:F4 ETEC, and 24–41% of the non-O149 porcine ETEC. Titres of the nine phages were unaffected by exposure for 16 h to pH 5–9. Among phages GJ1–GJ6, resistance of O149:H10:F4 ETEC to one phage was generally not accompanied by resistance to other phages. It is concluded that the nine phages are suitable candidates for prophylaxis and therapy of porcine post-weaning diarrhea due to O149 ETEC. Crown Copyright # 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A Single Point Mutation Creating a Furin Cleavage Site in the Spike Protein Renders Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Coronavirus Trypsin Independent for Cell Entry and Fusion

ABSTRACT The emerging porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) requires trypsin supplementation to activate its S protein for membrane fusion and virus propagation in cell culture. By substitution of a single amino acid in the S protein, we created a recombinant PEDV with an artificial furin protease cleavage site N terminal of the putative fusion peptide (PEDV-SFCS). PEDV-SFCS exhibited trypsin-independent cell-cell fusion and was able to replicate in culture cells independently of trypsin, though to low titer.
The secular trend in the diameter of the femur of American Whites and Negroes.

The transverse diameter of the adult femur at the level of its mid-bicondylar length is related to length, age and year of birth in American White and Negro skeletons of both sexes of the Terry Collection. The coefficients of correlation between age at death and birth year are significant in all four sex-race groups, as are also the regression coefficients of transverse diameter on length and on age. The regression of length on age is negative and on birth year positive, although statistically significant only in the Negro male group. The partial regression coefficients of transverse diameter on length, on age, and on birth year, each eliminating the effects of the other two variables, are significant for length, not significant for age except in the Negro male group, and significant for birth year except in the Negro male group. Thus, the statistics of three of the sex-race groups do not support the hypothesis that transverse diameter of the femur increases with age, but rather suggest a negative secular trend; the apparent inconsistency in these findings of the Negro male group can, however, be considered insignificant from a statistical point of view.
Annexin II Is Required for Apical Transport in Polarized Epithelial Cells*

The sorting of apical proteins comprises an initial recognition step in the trans Golgi network and a final partitioning of the apical pool of proteins into at least two different types of vesicular carriers. One criteria of these carriers is the association or non-association of the protein content with lipid rafts. We have previously characterized a population containing the raft-associated sucrase-isomaltase-carrying vesicles (SAVs) and another one, the non-raft-associated lactase-phlorizin hydrolase-carrrying vesicles (LAVs) that are targeted separately to the apical membrane. Here, we demonstrate biochemically and by employing confocal laser microscopy that the annexin II-S100A10 complex is a component of SAVs and is absent from LAVs. The unequivocal role of annexin II in the apical targeting of SI is clearly demonstrated when down-regulation of this protein by annexin II-specific small interfering RNA drastically decreases the apical delivery of SI in the epithelial cell line Madin-Darby canine kidney. The annexin II-S100A10 complex plays therefore a crucial role in routing SAVs to the apical membrane of epithelial cells.
Circulating levels of human insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐6 (IGFBP‐6) in health and disease as determined by radioimmunoassay

Insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐6 (IGFBP‐6) is a relatively unknown member of a family of six specific structurally related IGF binding proteins which are involved in the modulation of the biological effects of the IGFs. A distinctive property of IGFBP‐6 is its preferential affinity for IGF‐II relative to IGF‐I. In order to obtain more insight into the clinical significance and regulation of circulating levels of IGFBP‐6 we developed a specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) for this protein.
Prosocial affect fusion and player modelling

This document presents a snapshot of the work carried out in WP3 up to M10. It starts with an extensive discussion on the possible approaches to multimodality and on the different facets of multimodal data fusion. It then expands the user model briefly introduced in D2.3 1 st User requirements and Architecture and also includes the first attempt of operationalizing the Prosocial Core Domains presented in D2.1 User requirements. Finally the first outline of the user graphical interface is also discussed. Author(s) Lee Middleton (ITINNOV), Simon Crowle (ITINNOV), Ken Meacham (ITINNOV) Contributor(s) Kostas Apostolakis (CERTH), Kosmas Dimitropoulos (CERTH), Athanasios Psaltis (CERTH), Spyridon Thermos (CERTH), Kyriaki Kaza (CERTH), Kyriakos Stefanidis (CERTH), Stefano Modafferi (ITINNOV), Laura Vullier (UCAM), KAM Star (Playgen) Reviewer(s) Christopher Peters (KTH), Fangkai Yang (KTH), Kosmas Dimitropoulos (CERTH) Dissemination level internal