Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pigments of Staphylococcus aureus, a series of triterpenoid carotenoids

The pigments of Staphylococcus aureus were isolated and purified, and their chemical structures were determined. All of the 17 compounds identified were triterpenoid carotenoids possessing a C30 chain instead of the C40 carotenoid structure found in most other organisms. The main pigment, staphyloxanthin, was shown to be alpha-D-glucopyranosyl 1-O-(4,4'-diaponeurosporen-4-oate) 6-O-(12-methyltetradecanoate), in which glucose is esterified with both a triterpenoid carotenoid carboxylic acid and a C15 fatty acid. It is accompanied by isomers containing other hexoses and homologs containing C17 fatty acids. The carotenes 4,4'-diapophytoene, 4,4'-diapophytofluene, 4-4'-diapophytofluene, 4-4'-diapo-zeta-carotene, 4,4'-diapo-7,8,11,12-tetrahydrolycopene, and 4,4'-diaponeurosporene and the xanthophylls 4,4'-diaponeurosporenal, 4,4'-diaponeurosporenoic acid, and glucosyl diaponeurosporenoate were also identified, together with some of their isomers or breakdown products. The symmetrical 4,4'-diapo- structure was adopted for these triterpenoid carotenoids, but an alternative unsymmetrical 8'-apo-structure could not be excluded.
Magnetization transfer time‐of‐flight magnetic resonance angiography

Time‐of‐flight (TOF) angiography based on inflow enhancement is limited by the steady‐state signal differences between blood and the surrounding stationary tissues. We present a new TOF sequence in which magnetization transfer contrast is used to supplement wash. in effects. Angiograms demonstrating the superior performance of this technique are presented. © 1992 Academic Press, Inc.
Local well-posedness of the contact line problem in 2-D Stokes flow

We consider the evolution of contact lines for viscous fluids in a two-dimensional open-top vessel. The domain is bounded above by a free moving boundary and otherwise by the solid wall of a vessel. The dynamics of the fluid are governed by the incompressible Stokes equations under the influence of gravity, and the interface between fluid and air is under the effect of capillary forces. Here we develop a local well-posedness theory of the problem in the framework of nonlinear energy methods. We utilize several techniques, including: energy estimates of a geometric formulation of the Stokes equations, a Galerkin method with a time-dependent basis for an $\epsilon$--perturbed linear Stokes problem in moving domains, the contraction mapping principle for the $\epsilon$--perturbed nonlinear full contact line problem, and a continuity argument for uniform energy estimates.
A reconfigurable 6-20 GHz RF MEMS impedance tuner

A 6-20 GHz reconfigurable triple-stub impedance tuner has been developed. It is based on a 11-switched MEMS capacitor network producing 2/sup 11/ different impedances. The measured and simulated impedance coverage is the widest ever measured to-date from any RF MEMS tuner. This network is most suitable for noise parameters and load-pull measurements of transistors at 6-20 GHz.
Virological and pharmacological factors associated with virological response to salvage therapy after an 8‐week of treatment interruption in a context of very advanced HIV disease (GigHAART ANRS 097)

Both highly potent antiretroviral drug rescue multi therapy and treatment interruption (TI) have been suggested to be effective in HIV‐1 infected‐patients with multiple treatment failure. GigHAART‐ANRS 097 was the only randomized trial during which an 8‐week TI was beneficial in heavily pre‐treated patients with multi‐drug resistant virus on resuming a multiple‐drug salvage regimen. The aim of this study was to analyze virological and pharmacological factors associated with a virological response. Clonal resistance analysis showed that although the viral population was highly mutated and nearly monoclonal at baseline, the 8‐week interruption therapy allowed the re‐emergence of more susceptible quasispecies to the subsequent salvage therapy, which were not detected by classical genotypic resistance testing. The fact that not every viral clone harbored all resistance viral mutations could explain a part of the virological response to a six to eight drug regimen for patients enrolled in the TI group. This phenomenon was associated with a transient virological response after the use of a GigHAART therapy, but was followed by the re‐emergence of baseline resistance pattern and acquisition of additional mutations in patients failing this strategy. A combined factor of protease inhibitor (PI) concentration and genotypic score, expressed as a genotypic inhibitory quotient (GIQ), was used to assess the importance of genotypic resistance and plasma drug levels in the rate of response to multiple PI combination. The GIQ of each PI used in the regimen was not associated with virological success. However, the sum of PI GIQs was predictive of a virological response. These results suggest that pharmacological enhancement might overcome viral resistance and that there is some benefit in adding the activity of several boosted‐PIs to improve the response to a salvage regimen. J. Med. Virol. 77:345–350, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index and the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcome in Two Thousand Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Bangladeshi Women

Background: The aim of the present study were to evaluate the frequency of maternal complications and adverse fetal outcomes in a group of singleton pregnant women with type 2 diabetes mellitus to compare the outcome in three groups (lean, normal and overweight). Materials and Methods: The women were categorized into three groups: lean 25.0-29.9 kg/m2. The effect of pre-pregnancy BMI was analyzed by comparing the frequencies of various outcomes in three BMI groups. The results were expressed as odds ratio (ORs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) & p values. Results: The risk of late fetal death was consistently increasing with BMI (ORs were 1.2 (0.9-1.7), 1.6 (1.1-2.3) & 2.6 (1.7-3.8) for lean, normal & overweight respectively). The risk of early neonatal death was also higher among women with higher BMI (ORs was 1.6 (1.1-2.3) for overweight). The rate of preeclampsia is higher among women with lean and overweight BMI in compares to normal BMI (the values were 2.5%, 1.8%, & 7.0% for lean, normal & overweight respectively). Hypertensive disorders was also more common among lean (3.8%) and overweight (3.6%) compared to normal (1.6%). The risk of preterm delivery was significantly increased for overweight group (4.2%) and lean (2.4%), as compare to normal. The risk of SGA was significantly more in lean (2.7%) compared to normal weight (1.5%) & overweight group (1.9%). Conclusion: Pre-pregnancy overweight increases the risk of late fetal death and perinatal mortality.
Allelopathic Potential of Various Plant Species on Downy Brome: Implications for Weed Control in Wheat Production

Allelopathy, the ability of plants to inhibit germination of other plants, is an untapped resource for weed control in crops that could revolutionize organic crop production. The main objective of the study was to evaluate allelopathic potential of various plant species on downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.), a major pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). To screen for potential allelopathy, plants were grown to flowering stage in a greenhouse, separated into shoots and roots, dried, and ground. Five percent aqueous extracts (w/v) were prepared by extracting 5 g of dried, ground plant samples with 100 mL of deionized water. Downy brome seeds were germinated on extract-amended sand. Extracts from most plant species tested inhibited downy brome and wheat seed germination. Extracts from broadleaf plants were more inhibitory than extracts from cereal plants. In most plant species, shoot extracts were more inhibitory to growth of the root and shoot of downy brome than root extracts. Meadowfoam seed meal (Limnanthes alba Hartw.), yard-long bean [Vigna sesquipedalis (L.) Fruw. ], blue spruce (Picea pungens pungens Engelm), and pine (Pinus spp.) extracts, which completely inhibited the germination of downy brome seed, have the potential for use in the control of downy brome in wheat-based cropping systems. Meadowfoam seed meal extract inhibited wheat germination by 77% and root and shoot growth by 97 and 96%, respectively. Radishes reduced wheat germination by 75 to 100%, root growth by 54 to 80% and shoot growth by 45 to 81%. Plants evaluated in this study have the potential to be used for biologically based weed control methods in organic cropping systems.
Long-term sun exposure alters the collagen of the papillary dermis. Comparison of sun-protected and photoaged skin by northern analysis, immunohistochemical staining, and confocal laser scanning microscopy.

BACKGROUND Long-term solar irradiation produces both morphologic and functional changes in affected skin. Because collagen is the major structural component of skin, any alteration in its production or degradation could have profound effects on cutaneous functional integrity. OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to investigate alterations in the production and morphology of collagen fibers brought about by long-term sun exposure. METHODS We compared collagen and collagenase gene expression and collagen immunohistochemical staining and used confocal laser scanning microscopy for morphologic examination of dermal collagen fibers in photodamaged compared with sun-protected skin from the same persons. RESULTS Despite a large increase in elastin messenger RNA in sun-damaged skin, collagen and collagenase gene expression remained essentially unchanged. However, striking alterations in the papillary dermis of photoaged skin were found, which revealed large, abnormally clumped elastic fibers and deformed collagen fibers of various diameters, replacing the normal architecture of the papillary dermis. CONCLUSION Our data provide evidence for normal collagen gene expression in sun-damaged skin and suggest that degradation and remodeling of collagen take place in the papillary dermis accompanied by deposition of other matrix components, predominantly abnormal elastic fibers.
Routine developmental screening at 5.5 and 7 years of age is not an efficient predictor of attention‐deficit / hyperactivity disorder at age 10

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of developmental screening for deficits in attention, motor control and perception or attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (DAMP/ADHD) at 5.5 and 7 years of age for diagnosing ADHD in grade 4.
Hair cortisol in drug-naïve first-episode individuals with psychosis

Objectives: To compare hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in drug-naïve first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and healthy controls and to investigate the correlations between HCC and psychopathology. Methods: Twenty-four drug-naïve FEP patients and 27 gender- and age-matched healthy control subjects were recruited. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-1) was used to confirm/rule out diagnoses, and the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) was used to assess symptom severity. Hair samples (2-3 cm long) obtained from the posterior vertex region of the scalp were processed in 1-cm segments considering a hair growth rate of 1 cm per month. The 1-cm segments were classified according to their proximity to the scalp: segment A was the closest to the scalp and referred to the month prior to inclusion in the study. Segments B and C referred to the 2nd and 3rd months prior to the time of evaluation respectively. Hair steroid extraction was performed using a known protocol. Results: Two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with gender and age as covariates revealed a group effect (F1.106 = 4.899, p = 0.029) on HCC. Between-segment differences correlated with total PANSS score and with PANSS General Psychopathology subscale and total score. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as assessed by long-term (3-month) cortisol concentration, is abnormal in the early stages of psychosis. The magnitude of changes in HCC over time prior to the FEP correlates to psychopathology. HPA axis abnormalities might begin prior to full-blown clinical presentation requiring hospital admission.
Intraoperative preservation of corticospinal function in the brainstem

Background: The corticospinal tract features a largely exposed course through the brainstem, and is therefore at risk in many brainstem-related procedures. No large case series on motor-evoked potential (MEP) monitoring during brainstem surgery have been reported as yet. Objective: To understand intraoperative MEP changes during brainstem-related surgery, and to explore the value of MEP monitoring for preventing permanent new paresis. Methods: Myogenic MEPs after transcranial electrical train stimulation were monitored in 70 cases of intraparenchymal (n = 39) and extraparenchymal (n = 31) brainstem-related tumours and vascular lesions. MEP recordings failed in another five cases. Motor outcome and intraoperative MEP results were documented prospectively and correlated for this study. Results: Significant MEP changes occurred in 46% of cases. Stable and only reversibly deteriorated MEPs warranted unimpaired motor outcome (n = 50, 71% of all cases). Irreversible deterioration and reversible loss (n = 19, 27%) indicated a 37% risk for transient deficit. Irreversible loss (one case, 1.5%) predicted permanent paresis. MEPs and motor outcome correlated equally well in intra- and extraparenchymal lesions. Somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) did not reliably reflect motor outcome. Permanent motor deficit occurred in one out five cases (20%) with failed MEP recordings. Conclusions: MEP monitoring—as opposed to SEPs—is a valid indicator of corticospinal function in brainstem-related surgery, independent from the type of lesion operated on. New deficit occurs only after more pronounced MEP changes than in supratentorial surgery, but complete loss as in spinal surgery is not required. MEPs may help to prevent permanent new paresis.
Age at diagnosis predicts local recurrence in women treated with breast-conserving surgery and postoperative radiation therapy for ductal carcinoma in situ: a population-based outcomes analysis.

PURPOSE The main goal of treating ductal carcinoma in situ (dcis) is to prevent the development of invasive breast cancer. Most women are treated with breast-conserving surgery (bcs) and radiotherapy. Age at diagnosis may be a risk factor for recurrence, leading to concerns that additional treatment may be necessary for younger women. We report a population-based study of women with dcis treated with bcs and radiotherapy and an evaluation of the effect of age on local recurrence (lr). METHODS All women diagnosed with dcis in Ontario from 1994 to 2003 were identified. Treatments and outcomes were collected through administrative databases and validated by chart review. Women treated with bcs and radiotherapy were included. Survival analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of age on outcomes. RESULTS We identified 5752 cases of dcis; 1607 women received bcs and radiotherapy. The median follow-up was 10.0 years. The 10-year cumulative lr rate was 27% for women younger than 45 years, 14% for women 45-50 years, and 11% for women more than 50 years of age (p < 0.0001). The 10-year cumulative invasive lr rate was 22% for women younger than 45 years, 10% for women 45-50 years, and 7% for women more than 50 years of age (p < 0.0001). On multivariate analyses, young age (<45 years) was significantly associated with lr and invasive lr [hazard ratio (hr) for lr: 2.6; 95% confidence interval (ci): 1.9 to 3.7; p < 0.0001; hr for invasive lr: 3.0; 95% ci: 2.0 to 4.4; p < 0.0001]. An age of 45-50 years was also significantly associated with invasive lr (hr: 1.6; 95% ci: 1.0 to 2.4; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Age at diagnosis is a strong predictor of lr in women with dcis after treatment with bcs and radiotherapy.
Keratoacanthoma in Kauai, Hawaii. The first documented incidence in a defined population.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN A prospective 5-year population-based incidence study was conducted on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, from 1983 through 1987 to investigate the frequency of keratoacanthoma in white residents. RESULTS A total of 53 residents, 36 men and 17 women, were identified with an initial episode of keratoacanthoma during the 5-year study. The average annual incidence rate per 100,000 Kauai residents, standardized to the US white population, was 144 for men and 73 for women, with a combined rate of 104. The average patient age was 63.5 years. The limbs, particularly the hands and arms, were the most common anatomic site, with the trunk second. Only one patient developed a new subsequent keratoacanthoma, and no recurrent lesions were observed. Three patients had two keratoacanthomas when they first presented, and 13 patients had concurrent skin cancer. Sixty percent (32) of our patients developed skin cancer at one time or another. CONCLUSIONS We report the first population-based keratoacanthoma incidence rates documented in the United States, which are almost equal to those of squamous cell carcinoma. Keratoacanthoma also shares many common epidemiological features with squamous cell carcinoma, such as increasing incidence in progressively older age groups.
System-Z+: A Formalism for Reasoning with Variable-Strength Defaults

We develop a formalism for reasoning with defaults that are expressed with different levels of firmness. Necessary and sufficient conditions for consistency are established, and a unique ranking of the rules is found, called Z+, which renders models as normal as possible subject to the consistency conditions. We provide the necessary machinery for testing consistency, computing the Z+ ranking and drawing the set of plausible conclusions it entails.
Detection and Parameter Estimation for Jitterbug Covert Channel Based on Coefficient of Variation

Jitterbug is a passive network covert timing channel supplying reliable stealthy transmission. It is also the basic manner of some improved covert timing channels designed for higher undetectability. The existing entropy-based detection scheme based on training sample binning may suffer from model mismatching, which results in detection performance deterioration. In this paper, a new detection method based on the feature of Jitterbug covert channel traffic is proposed. A fixed binning strategy without training samples is used to obtain bins distribution feature. Coefficient of variation (CV) is calculated for several sets of selected bins and the weighted mean is used to calculate the final CV value to distinguish Jitterbug from normal traffic. Furthermore, the timing window parameter of Jitterbug is estimated based on the detected traffic. Experimental results show that the proposed detection method can achieve high detection performance even with interference of network jitter, and the parameter estimation method can provide accurate values after accumulating plenty of detected samples.
Aetiological spectrum of obstructive jaundice and diagnostic ability of ultrasonography: a clinician's perspective.

BACKGROUND A vast array of invasive and non invasive diagnostic tests are available to diagnose and establish the etiology of surgical obstructive jaundice (SOJ). Invasive tests may cause cholangitis and imaging techniques like computed tomography(CT) scan and MRI are expensive. The aim of the present study was to test ultrasonography as the primary investigation in patients with SOJ and to elucidate the aetiological spectrum of obstructive jaundice as seen at a tertiary referral center. METHODS 429 patients diagnosed as having obstructive jaundice on the basis of either CT, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP), fine needle aspiration cytology(FNAC) or surgery underwent real time sonography over a 10 year period from May 1988 to Dec 1997. The diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography for SOJ was established. RESULTS Sonography correctly established the presence of obstructive jaundice in 380 of 429 patients. Of 429 patients (mean age 62.5 +/- 34.2 yrs, 229 males and 194 females) the sensitivity of ultrasound to correctly diagnose and establish the site of etiology of obstruction was 94% with a specificity of 96%. Malignant SOJ was much more common than benign causes (75.3% Vs. 24.7%). Carcinoma (Ca) of the gallbladder (28.7%) was the commonest aetiology followed by Ca pancreas (26.5%), choledocholithiasis (12.4%), cholangio Ca (10.8%) benign stricture (10.8%) and ampullary Ca (9.8%). A total of 167 subjects (44%) had high block while 213 (56%) had low block. Block at the porta hepatis was due to gallbladder Ca in 91% of patients. Ca pancreas was the cause of lower end block in 76% of patients. CONCLUSION SOJ, as seen in this large series of patients was most often due to malignant cause and gallbladder Ca was the commonest cause in North Indian patients. The clinician should utilize the ability of the ultrasound to diagnose the presence of obstructive jaundice and its location.
Relative age, talent identification and youth skill development: Do relatively younger athletes have superior technical skills?

Relative age effects (RAEs) refer to differences among individuals in age-based cohorts typically used in sport. These effects usually favour relatively older members of the cohort and are thought to result from differences in maturation and experience among athletes of different chronological age. Recently, researchers suggested that relatively younger participants may not be as disadvantaged as previously thought. In two studies, we examined whether relatively younger athletes who were able to survive in a system that advantages their relatively older counterparts would develop superior technical skills. In study one, participants aged 13-15 years (n=140) drawn from a regional handball talent selection camp in Germany demonstrated a general relative age effect but no differences between relatively older and relatively younger athletes in physical body size (i.e., height/weight) or technical skills. In study two, similar tests were considered with a larger sample (n=478) and revealed similar results. Furthermore, there were no differences between those selected for the national youth team and those not selected. Differences in RAEs do not seem to be due to technical skills or body size variables. Moreover, the homogeneity of these results suggests causes of the relative age effect occur early in development.
Spindle‐cell variant of primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma spreading to the hepatobiliary tree, mimicking Klatskin tumor

Primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma (pcFCL) is an indolent type of primary cutaneous B‐cell lymphoma (pcBCL) rarely disseminating to other organs. PcBCL with spindle‐cell morphology has been described as a rare variant of pcFCL but the prognosis data of this variant is sparse.