Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thumb invariance during prehension movement: effects of object orientation

The aim of the present study was to examine the contribution of the thumb and index finger during the task of reaching to grasp a cylinder positioned at different orientations. To this end an axis was defined between a marker positioned on the subjects’ wrist and the target. For each frame the perpendicular distances of the thumb and index finger from this axis were determined. The perpendicular distance was greater for the index finger than the thumb, confirming a relative stability of the thumb during natural prehension and supporting the notion of the thumb as a guide for the transport component of reaching. Further, index finger perpendicular distance was varied according to object orientation. When the object was positioned at an angle that requires hand pronation, the perpendicular distance for the index finger was the greatest. It is concluded that changes in the index finger distance are necessary to allow the thumb to maintain stability in order to provide appropriate movement guidance.
Mobile Ad Hoc Networks and It’s Routing Protocols

— A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a self configuring network, without any centralized control. The topology of this network is not always defined. The main objective of this paper is to introduce the fundamental concepts of MANETs to the researchers and practitioners, who are involved in the work in the area of modeling and simulation of MANETs. This paper begins with an overview of mobile ad hoc networks. Then it proceeds with the overview of routing protocols used in the MANETS, their properties and simulation methods. A brief tabular comparison between the routing protocols is also given in this paper considering different routing protocol parameters. This paper introduces a new routing scheme developed by the use of evolutionary algorithms (EA) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) which will be used for getting the optimized output of MANET. In this paper cryptographic technique, ceaser cipher is also employed for making the optimized route secure.
Radical surgery for gastric cancer. A review of the Japanese experience

Overall results after operations for gastric cancer in Japan are far superior to results obtained in the US and Europe. We have reviewed the Japanese literature in an effort to determine what factors explain this difference. It appears that the survival differences are due mainly to a greater frequency of early gastric cancer in Japan; meticulous histopathologic evaluation of the surgical specimens, resulting in more accurate pathologic staging; and the presumed benefit of extended nodal dissection when it extends outside of the level of node‐positive disease. Although patients with both apparent and confirmed direct adjacent organ invasion can be helped by resection of those organs, extended resections of uninvolved pancreas and spleen do not improve rate of survival beyond the benefit of improved nodal dissection. Overall, there would appear to be justification for reexamining extended nodal dissection for gastric cancer in the US. Opportunities for a meaningful national study are significant.
Type 1 Cannabinoid Receptor Ligands Display Functional Selectivity in a Cell Culture Model of Striatal Medium Spiny Projection Neurons*

Background: To understand the differential response to cannabinoids, we examined the functional selectivity of type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) agonists in a cell model of striatal neurons. Results: 2-Arachidonylglycerol, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and CP55,940 were arrestin2-selective; endocannabinoids and WIN55,212-2 activated Gαi/o, Gβγ, and Gαq; and cannabidiol activated Gαs independent of CB1. Conclusion: Cannabinoids displayed functional selectivity. Significance: CB1 functional selectivity may be exploited to maximize therapeutic efficacy. Modulation of type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) activity has been touted as a potential means of treating addiction, anxiety, depression, and neurodegeneration. Different agonists of CB1 are known to evoke varied responses in vivo. Functional selectivity is the ligand-specific activation of certain signal transduction pathways at a receptor that can signal through multiple pathways. To understand cannabinoid-specific functional selectivity, different groups have examined the effect of individual cannabinoids on various signaling pathways in heterologous expression systems. In the current study, we compared the functional selectivity of six cannabinoids, including two endocannabinoids (2-arachidonyl glycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA)), two synthetic cannabinoids (WIN55,212-2 and CP55,940), and two phytocannabinoids (cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)) on arrestin2-, Gαi/o-, Gβγ-, Gαs-, and Gαq-mediated intracellular signaling in the mouse STHdhQ7/Q7 cell culture model of striatal medium spiny projection neurons that endogenously express CB1. In this system, 2-AG, THC, and CP55,940 were more potent mediators of arrestin2 recruitment than other cannabinoids tested. 2-AG, AEA, and WIN55,212-2, enhanced Gαi/o and Gβγ signaling, with 2-AG and AEA treatment leading to increased total CB1 levels. 2-AG, AEA, THC, and WIN55,212-2 also activated Gαq-dependent pathways. CP55,940 and CBD both signaled through Gαs. CP55,940, but not CBD, activated downstream Gαs pathways via CB1 targets. THC and CP55,940 promoted CB1 internalization and decreased CB1 protein levels over an 18-h period. These data demonstrate that individual cannabinoids display functional selectivity at CB1 leading to activation of distinct signaling pathways. To effectively match cannabinoids with therapeutic goals, these compounds must be screened for their signaling bias.
[Urinary proteins during pregnancy in women with and without pregnancy induced hypertension].

OBJECTIVE To study the excretion of urinary proteins in women at different periods of pregnancy and women with pregnancy induced hypertension. METHODS Urinary proteins (albumin, IgA, IgG, IgM) were measured at random with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 101 normal pregnant women, 25 women with pregnancy induced hypertension and 28 nonpregnant women. RESULTS Urinary albumin and IgM levels in women of early pregnancy were significantly higher than those in nonpregnant women (P < 0.05-0.01). Urinary IgG level was also increased during pregnancy. Urinary excretion of albumin, IgA, and IgG, but not IgM excretion was significantly elevated in women with pregnancy induced hypertension compared to normal pregnant women at different gestational ages (P < 0.05-0.01). Urinary IgM level in postpartum period was significantly lower than that in late pregnancy (P < 0.05). Urinary protein excretion increased with gestational age during normal pregnancy, but the changes were not statistically significant. However, the protein excretion was associated with severity of the diseases. Urinary albumin and IgG excretions in hypertensive pregnant women were correlated positively with mean arterial blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS The change in glomerular filtration in pregnant women with mild to moderate hypertension is reversible. It is important to control blood perssure to avoid impairment of kidney function in pregnancy induced hypertension.
First Demonstration of Virtual Transport Network Services With Multi-layer Protection Schemes over Flexi-grid Optical Networks

Based on the virtualization technique in optical networks, virtual transport network services (VTNS) has been introduced as a new kind of service in transport networks. With VTNS, transport providers are able to provide their customers entire virtual topologies instead of traditional end-to-end connections. This letter analyzes the new characteristics (i.e., multiple operators, diversified services) aiming at the survivability problem in virtualized optical transport networks, and proposes three novel protection schemes for VTNS against the new features. For the first time, VTNS with the proposed protection schemes are demonstrated on the flexi-grid optical networks testbed with commercial optical transport equipments. Additionally, the performances of the proposed protection schemes have been evaluated via simulations.
Joint subcarrier and power allocation for uplink relay‐enhanced OFDM systems

There has been a lot of research works considering the resource allocation of the downlink multihop orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems. However, due to the distributed nature of the uplink power constraints, the resource allocation in the uplink multihop systems, where multiple mobile stations transmit to one base station with the aid of one or many relay stations, has much difference and has not been well investigated so far. In this paper, we originally study the joint subcarrier and power allocation problem for the uplink dual‐hop transmission with the aim to maximize the system transmit rate. The resource allocation problem is approximated to be a concave maximization problem. By using mathematical decomposition techniques, the problem is first decoupled and solved by the proposed near‐optimal method, which has low‐computation complexity. Then, our algorithm is extended to the case with subcarrier matching on the dual hops. Numerical results show that our proposed algorithm improves the system transmission rate. Compared with the equal power allocation schemes, our algorithm can achieve significant gain in system transmit rate. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in specific airways conductance and forced expiratory volume in one second after a bronchodilator in normal subjects and patients with airways obstruction

Skinner, C. and Palmer, K.N. V. (1974). Thorax, 29, 574-577. Changes in specific airways conductance and forced expiratory volume in one second after a bronchodilator in normal subjects and patients with airways obstruction. Specific conductance (SGaw) and the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were measured in 10 normal, 10 asthmatic, and 10 obstructive bronchitic subjects before and after aerosol salbutamol. Mean SGaw increased by 37% in normals, by 109% in asthmatics, and by 38% in obstructive bronchitics. Mean FEV1 increased by 2% in normals, by 32% in asthmatics, and by 12% in obstructive bronchitics. SGaw appears to be a more sensitive indicator than FEV1 of changes in airways calibre following a bronchodilator drug in normal subjects, but FEV1 is as good an indicator of these changes as SGaw in patients with airways obstruction.
Effect of Lesion Characteristics and Mineralising Solution Type on Enamel Remineralisation in vitro

The aim was to study the effect of lesion preparation technique and solution composition on remineralisation of artificial lesions in vitro. Lesions were prepared with similar total mineral loss, but different mineral distribution, i.e., low (14.0) or high R (34.8) values. Lesions from both groups were remineralised (10 days, 37°C) in two different solutions, with similar supersaturation with respect to hydroxyapatite (St), but calcium:phosphate ratios representing either hydroxyapatite stoichiometry or plaque fluid (PF). Remineralisation was quantified microradiographically, mineral distribution was compared with natural white-spot lesions. Mineral loss and depth decreased significantly, and surface-zone mineral content (Zmax) increased significantly, in all lesions. Overall there was a significant relationship of decreasing remineralisation with increasing Zmax, but not within either lesion type. PF was significantly more efficient than St in high-R lesions, with lesions remineralising almost completely in PF. Remineralisation was not significantly different in PF or St for low-R lesions but in high-R lesions, PF was more efficient than St, possibly through differences in relative saturations with respect to different calcium phosphates. Differences in area:solution ratios and baseline Zmax values may also have explained the different response to PF. Low-R lesions were similar to natural white-spot lesions in terms of mineral distribution, whereas high-R were not. Concluding, both lesion and remineralising solution type had a marked influence on remineralisation. It is proposed that use of low-R lesions would be more appropriate where more physiologically relevant mineral distribution is required, whereas high-R lesions would be appropriate for studying inherent remineralising efficiency.
Chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) during the course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL): correlation of blood, marrow, and spleen morphology and cytogenetics.

Second malignancies occur with a greater frequency in patients with chronic lymphatic leukemia than in the general population. Previously, 20 patients having CLL have been reported as developing acute leukemia, but no cases of development of chronic granulocytic leukemia have been observed. In the present report, we will describe patients with Ph1 chromosome positive CGL associated with previously described CLL. One patient received total body radiation treatment for his CLL, while the second was not treated. It is apparent that previous therapy may not necessarily be a prerequisite for the development of a second malignancy in CLL. Cytogenetics offers a useful tool to confirm morphologic criteria in establishing the diagnosis of a second neoplasm.
Measurement of Cerebral Blood Flow Volume by Extracranial Sonography

Measurement of global cerebral blood flow (CBF) using extracranial duplex sonography has been described, but normal values are still lacking. In 85 healthy adults (median age 43.4 years, range 20 to 80 years), CBF was determined by duplex sonographic examination of both internal carotid arteries and vertebral arteries. The mean global CBF was 630 ± 97 mL/min. Global CBF declined with age; sex did not influence the total CBF. When measurements were repeated, the intraindividual variability was low. This noninvasive sonographic measurement of CBF is reproducible, and values correspond closely to those obtained with positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
Trkb receptors modulation of glutamate release is limited to a subset of nerve terminals in the adult rat hippocampus

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) modulates glutamatergic excitatory transmission in hippocampal primary cultures by acting at a presynaptic locus. Although it has been suggested that BDNF also modulates adult hippocampus glutamatergic transmission, this remains a matter of controversy. To clarify a putative role for this neurotrophin in the modulation of glutamate release we applied exogenous BDNF to isolated adult rat hippocampal nerve terminals. BDNF, at 100 ng/ml, potentiated by 25% the K+‐evoked release of [3H]glutamate from hippocampal synaptosomes. The small effect of BDNF on [3H]glutamate release correlated with a modest increase in phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ) phosphorylation, and with the lack of effect of BDNF on extracellular‐signal regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt phosphorylation. Immunocytochemistry studies demonstrated that only about one‐third of glutamatergic synaptosomes were positive for TrkB immunoreactivity. Furthermore, biotinylation and subsynaptic fractionation studies showed that only one‐fourth of total full‐length TrkB was present at the plasma membrane, evenly distributed between the presynaptic active zone and the postsynaptic density. These results indicate that BDNF modulates synaptic transmission presynaptically in a small subset of hippocampal glutamatergic synapses that contain TrkB and that express the receptor on the plasma membrane. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ambiguous Loss in Families of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract: Learning that a child has a lifelong developmental disorder is stressful and challenging to any family, yet it is clear that some families adapt and adjust more readily than others. In this article, it is proposed that a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is especially likely to be experienced as ambiguous loss. Interviews with mothers of children with ASDs are used to identify whether mothers express feelings of ambiguous loss when talking about their child. Then, a specific hypothesis derived from ambiguous loss theory—that higher levels of identity ambiguity in mothers are linked to higher levels of depressive symptoms and perceived stress independent of the severity of the child’s diagnosis—is tested and found to be supported. Recognition of ambiguous loss in families of children with ASDs would help professionals provide more effective support and assistance to families.
Epidemiology of childhood ocular trauma in a northeastern Colombian region.

OBJECTIVE To describe the epidemiology of ocular trauma in children 15 years and younger who underwent evaluation during a 5-year period in the emergency department of a tertiary referral center in northeastern Colombia. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children 15 years and younger. Records of 393 children with 415 incidents of eye injury were included in the study, of whom 22 were initially treated for bilateral ocular trauma. RESULTS Most patients (64.9%) were boys. The highest proportion of injuries (44.4%) occurred at home, followed by streets and roads (28.6%). Blunt (35.1%) and sharp (22.6%) objects represented the most frequent causes of trauma. Closed-globe injuries were far more frequent than open-globe injuries for boys (82.4% vs 17.6%) and girls (83.8% vs 16.2%). Of those with closed-globe injuries, 253 injuries (80.0%) registered an initial visual acuity of greater than 20/60, whereas 31 open-globe injuries (52.5%) registered an initial visual acuity of less than 20/400. Most closed-globe injuries (223 [92.1%]) did not cause any final visual impairment in the affected eye, whereas 26 open-globe injuries (55.3%) caused severe visual impairment or blindness. CONCLUSIONS Most of the accidents reported in this study could have been avoided; the data demonstrate a clear need for primary prevention and control measures.
Epicuticular wax components preserved in potsherds as chemical indicators of leafy vegetables in ancient diets

The determination of the leafy vegetable constituents of the diets of early societies is notoriously difficult using traditional archaeobotanical techniques. In an effort to provide a solution to this problem, a new approach, using gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), has been adopted to detect the presence of preserved epicuticular leaf wax components absorbed in potsherds. The characteristic compounds identified can serve as chemotaxonomic indicators of the vegetables prepared in vessels during their usage.
Serotonergic mechanisms enhance platelet-mediated thrombogenicity

Summary Although it is generally acknowledged that serotonin (5-HT) is a weak agonist for human platelets, recent information suggests an association between serotonergic mechanisms and cardiovascular risk. We investigated the action of 5-HT on adhesive, cohesive and procoagulant properties of human platelets. Impact of 5-HT on whole blood coagulation and thrombin generation was measured by modified thromboelastometry (TEM) and specific fluorogenic assays. We evaluated the effects of 5-HT on thrombus formation in an in-vitro model of thrombosis using human flowing blood. In platelet-rich plasma (PRP), 5-HT favoured the expression of CD62-P, and procoagulant molecules on platelet membranes. These effects were potentiated in the presence of Ca++ and/or ADP. Incubation with 5-HT accelerated clotting times and augmented clot strength in whole blood TEM, and enhanced thrombin generation in PRP. In perfusion studies, 5-HT significantly increased fibrin deposition at low shear (300s-1) and enhanced platelet thrombus formation on the damaged vascular surface at high shear (1,200s-1). Selective inhibition of serotonin reuptake (SSRI) attenuated effects of 5-HT on platelet activation and downregulated the prothrombotic tendencies observed in the previous experimental conditions. In general, reductions of thrombogenic patterns observed with SSRI were more evident under shear conditions (aggregation and perfusion systems) and less evident under steady conditions (TEM and thrombin generation assays). In conclusion, 5-HT is not a weak agonist for human platelets; instead it accentuates platelet activation, potentiates procoagulant responses on human blood and increases thrombogenesis on damaged vascular surfaces. The remarkable antithrombotic actions achieved through SSRI deserve further mechanistic and clinical investigations.
Researching Ekina ta Khronia [Times Past] in a Rural Greek Community

Abstract This contribution addresses recent reconsiderations of the work of ethnographers working with regional archaeological surveys in Greece. It discusses the relationship of oral histories to historical documents as representations of the past, in the context of long-term ethnographic and archaeological research on the peninsula of Methana in the Peloponnese. It investigates the historicity of oral stories as genuine rememberings of life in the past, arguing that while recent studies have focused on how people remember, there is also value in exploring what they remember and the sorts of pasts represented. Recent publications emphasizing that the classical past and its monuments represent crucial cultural and symbolic capital resources for Greeks, present largely the views of the urbanized middle classes and intellectuals engaging with non-Greeks in presenting Greece's specialness in an increasingly culturally homogenized world. Methanites, excluded from such privileged positions and traditionally denigrated by Greeks closer to the centres of power, see their past(s) in a very different way. The pasts of this marginalized rural community incorporate many of the details of traditional agriculture commented upon unfavourably by critics of village ethnographies that were conducted in the context of regional survey.
Generation of Pancreatic Hormone‐Expressing Islet‐Like Cell Aggregates from Murine Adipose Tissue‐Derived Stem Cells

The success of cell replacement therapy for diabetes depends on the availability and generation of an adequate number of islets, preferably from an autologous origin. Stem cells are now being probed for the generation of physiologically competent, insulin‐producing cells. In this investigation, we explored the potential of adipose tissue‐derived stem cells (ASCs) to differentiate into pancreatic hormone‐expressing islet‐like cell aggregates (ICAs). We initiated ASC culture from epididymal fat pads of Swiss albino mice to obtain mesenchymal cells, murine epididymal (mE)‐ASCs. Subsequent single‐cell cloning resulted in a homogeneous cell population with a CD29+CD44+Sca‐1+ surface antigen expression profile. We formulated a 10‐day differentiation protocol to generate insulin‐expressing ICAs from mE‐ASCs by progressively changing the differentiation cocktail on day 1, day 3, and day 5. Our stage‐specific approach successfully differentiated mesodermic mE‐ASCs into definitive endoderm (cells expressing Sox17, Foxa2, GATA‐4, and cytokeratin [CK]‐19), then into pancreatic endoderm (cells expressing pancreatic and duodenal homeobox [PDX]‐1, Ngn3, NeuroD, Pax4, and glucose transporter 2), and finally into cells expressing pancreatic hormones (insulin, glucagon, somatostatin). Fluorescence‐activated cell sorting analysis showed that day 5 ICAs contained 64.84% ± 7.03% PDX‐1+ cells, and in day 10 mature ICAs, 48.17% ± 3% of cells expressed C‐peptide. Day 10 ICAs released C‐peptide in a glucose‐dependent manner, exhibiting in vitro functionality. Electron microscopy of day 10 ICAs revealed the presence of numerous secretory granules within the cell cytoplasm. Calcium alginate‐encapsulated day 10 ICAs (1,000–1,200), when transplanted i.p. into streptozotocin‐induced diabetic mice, restored normoglycemia within 2 weeks. The data presented here demonstrate the feasibility of using ASCs as a source of autologous stem cells to differentiate into the pancreatic lineage. STEM CELLS 2009;27:1941–1953