Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The elasticity of cervical-vaginal secretions is abnormal in polycystic ovary syndrome: Case report of five PCOS women

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a leading cause of infertility. We studied the rheological properties of cervical-vaginal secretions in five PCOS patients during variable treatment intervals with metformin. Five ovulatory normal women for a total of thirteen cycles served as control patients. All subjects collected daily cervical-vaginal fluid(CVF) samples with an aspirator, and CVF samples were characterized by a flow metric, die swell ratio (B), which measured CVF elasticity. Ovulatory cycles were indexed to the day of positive urine or serum LH (luteinizing hormone). CVF B levels from ovulatory normal women had a characteristic concave parabolic pattern of a minimum near the day of ovulation with higher values outside the periovulatory phase. In contrast, the five PCOS patients with or without metformin treatment had no periodicity of CVF B, and their CVF B levels were typically less compared to those in the early preovulatory and luteal phases of normal patients.
Distributed fixed-time consensus algorithms for second-order multi-agent systems under directed topology: A motion-planning approach

This paper studies the distributed consensus problems for a group of second-order multi-agent systems under directed communication topology. A class of distributed fixed-time consensus protocols are designed by using motion planning approaches and Pontryagins principle. The proposed protocol only requires relative information measurements at the sampling instants, without requiring information exchanges over the sampled interval. By using stability principle and the properties of stochastic matrixes, it is proved that distributed fixed-time consensus problem can be solved in the motion planning framework. Compared with the existing consensus algorithms, one of main contributions of this paper is that by using the proposed fixed-time control algorithms, the consensus control problems are solved over directed graphs and the fixed settling time can be off-line pre-specified according to task requirements. Further, when the frequency of the oscillators is zero, the proposed fixed-time control algorithms can also solve the consensus control problems for multiple double-integrator dynamics over directed graphs. Finally, a numerical example is also given to illustrate the effectiveness of the analytical results.
A neuropathological study of vascular factors in late-life depression

OBJECTIVES Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in late life and it may be associated with vascular disease processes. Although there are clinical and neuroimaging studies lending support to such a “vascular depression” hypothesis there have been no neuropathological studies to directly test this. Postmortem tissue was investigated to determine whether late life depression was associated with atheromatous change in large and medium vessels and microvascular disease in the brain. METHODS Postmortem tissue wae obtained from 20 patients with a history of at least one episode of DSM-IV major depression and 20 control subjects. Standard procedures were carried out to analyze and quantify Alzheimer type pathology (plaques, tangles, Braak staging) and cortical Lewy bodies. Coronary arteries, cerebral vessels, and aorta were rated for atheromatous disease on a 0–3 scale and the four neocortical areas were rated for microvascular disease. RESULTS The two groups showed no significant differences in age, sex, or postmortem delay. There was a significant increase in atheromatous disease in the depressed group (p=0.023). No differences were found for microvascular disease, either in the brain generally or locally in the frontal lobes. No subject had any significant Alzheimer type or Lewy body pathology. CONCLUSIONS Neuropathological evidence was found for an excess of atheromatous disease, related to the aortic and cerebral vessels, in late life depression. However, there was no evidence of an increase in microvascular disease. The findings broadly support the vascular depression hypothesis.
Basic electrotonic properties of primate pallidal neurons as inferred from a detailed analysis of their morphology: A modeling study

We used a biophysical model to gain insight into the electrotonic properties of primate pallidal neurons. The model was built from the quantitative morphological analysis of internal (GPi) and external (GPe) pallidal neurons, labeled with biocytin filling or Golgi staining. Simulations showed a strong location dependence of the efficacy of single fast excitatory synaptic inputs, synaptic efficacy being the peak amplitude of somatic postsynaptic potentials (PPSs) evoked from dendritic sites. It markedly decreased with distance from the soma. The efficacy was also dependent on the dendritic branch order. At identical distances from the soma, there were no differences between the mean efficacy of GPi and GPe dendritic synaptic sites. However, the attenuation of the propagated PPSs was higher in GPi dendrites. This difference resulted from the smaller mean diameters of GPi dendrites. Diameters were also shown to often maximize the distal sites efficacy. A clear distance dependence was also found when simulating GABAA inhibitory activations. It was weaker than the one observed with fast excitatory PPSs. It is proposed that this difference could constitute a simple basis to create opposing center‐surround patterns of activity in the basal ganglia output. In conclusion, this study suggests that GPi and GPe neurons have very similar electrotonic properties and that in such passive conditions all parts of their long dendrites significantly influence the somatic membrane potential. It suggests also that in spite of this similarity, neurons of the two pallidal segments differ in the way they integrate their synaptic inputs. Synapse 54:11–23, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Increased frequency of expression of elevated dihydrofolate reductase in T-cell versus B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children.

The relationships between dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) levels or methotrexate membrane transport and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) immunophenotype were evaluated on 51 T-cell and 44 B-precursor ALL specimens from 90 pediatric ALL patients at diagnosis and relapse, using a fluorescent methotrexate analog (PT430) and flow cytometry assay (Matherly et al, Blood 85:500, 1995). For T-cell ALL, 35 of 45 (78%) of newly diagnosed patients' specimens exhibited elevated DHFR relative to DHFR levels in ALL blasts from methotrexate-responsive patients. For 30 of 45 diagnostic T-ALL specimens, DHFR expression was heterogeneous, with up to 3 separate subpopulations covering a 44-fold range; the DHFR-overproducing fractions comprised 10% to 88% of the total blasts. Elevated DHFR was less common in B-precursor ALL at diagnosis, being detected in only 17 of 36 specimens (47%); 11 of these samples exhibited DHFR heterogeneity. Median maximal DHFR levels were fourfold higher in T-cell than B-precursor ALL at diagnosis. Within a particular phenotypic group, there were no correlations between DHFR levels and patient prognostic features, including age, sex, chromosomal abnormalities, white blood cell counts (WBCs), and percentage of S-phase. However, for B-precursor ALL, there was a notably higher fraction of African-American than white patients with elevated DHFR. For patients (both phenotypes) with low WBCs (<50,000/ microL), event-free survival times were significantly shorter for those expressing DHFR above a threshold level than for patients expressing DHFR below this level (P < .016); this relationship was not seen for patients with high WBCs (>50,000/microL). Elevated DHFR was detected in 11 of 14 relapse specimens (5 of 6 T-cell and 6 of 8 B-precursor). Two of five paired relapse specimens (both T-cell) from patients treated with methotrexate exhibited increased DHFR levels over those at diagnosis (2.5- to 5-fold); the fraction of DHFR-overproducing blasts was also increased in 4 of 5 paired relapse specimens (2 B-precursor and 2 T-cell). In contrast to the variations in DHFR, highly impaired methotrexate transport was detected in only 6 of 95 ALL specimens, including both diagnosis and relapse. There was no correlation between phenotype and impaired transport. These data provide further rationale for the use of mechanistically based prognostic factors to complement known biologic or disease-based prognostic indicators in the design of ALL therapy including methotrexate, particularly with patients presenting with low WBCs. The finding of a markedly increased frequency of DHFR overexpression in T-cell over B-precursor ALL suggests that this difference is associated with the poorer prognosis of patients with T-cell ALL treated with standard-dose antimetabolite therapy and implies that higher-dose methotrexate (> or = 1 g/m2) during consolidation therapy may be useful in the treatment of this disease.
Hierarchy of Epstein-Barr virus-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses in individuals carrying different subtypes of an HLA allele: implications for epitope-based antiviral vaccines

Major histocompatibility complex class I-restricted Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in healthy virus carriers constitute a primary effector arm of the immune system in controlling the proliferation of virus-infected B cells in vivo. These CTLs generally recognize target epitopes included within the latent antigens of the virus. For example, CTLs from HLA B44+ healthy virus carriers often recognize peptide EENLLDFVRF [corrected] from EBV nuclear antigen 6. However, the strength of this response directly correlates with the HLA B44 subtype expressed by the individual donor. Indeed, HLA B*4405+ virus carriers consistently show a very high frequency of CTL precursors for the EENLLDFVRF [corrected] epitope, while a much weaker response is seen in HLA B*4403+ and HLA B*4402+ individuals. This disparity is not due to an intrinsic difference in the CTLs generated by individuals carrying different subtypes of HLA B44. In fact, virus-specific CTLs recognize EENLLDFVRF [corrected] peptide-sensitized HLA B*4405+ target cells more efficiently than B*4402+ or B*4403+ target cells irrespective of the HLA B44 subtype expressed by the donors from whom these effectors were isolated. This effect is evident whether the CTL epitope is endogenously processed or exogenously presented. In addition, a comparison of the intracellular transport kinetics of different B44 subtypes revealed that the B*4405 allele is rapidly assembled and arrives in the trans-Golgi compartment at a faster rate than B*4402 or B*4403. Based on these results, we propose that HLA class I alleles that are capable of binding peptides more efficiently from the intracellular pool, and are rapidly assembled and transported, may confer a protective advantage against viral infection.
Differential development of 5‐HT receptor and the serotonin transporter binding in the human infant medulla

Tissue receptor autoradiography with 3H‐lysergic acid diethylamide (3H‐LSD), 3H‐8‐hydroxy‐2‐[di‐N‐propylamine] tetralin (3H‐8‐OH‐DPAT), and 125I‐RTI‐55 was used to map the distribution and developmental profile of 5‐HT1A–1D and 5‐HT2 receptors, 5‐HT1A receptors, and the serotonin (5‐HT) transporter (SERT), respectively, to nuclei with cardiorespiratory function in the human medulla from midgestation to maturity. The distribution pattern of the 5‐HT markers was heterogeneous, with variable densities of binding of each observed both in nuclei with and without 5‐HT cell bodies. The highest density of binding for each marker was observed in the raphé nuclei, the site of the highest density of 5‐HT cell bodies. A significant reduction in 5‐HT receptor binding measured with 3H‐LSD was observed between midgestation and infancy, and between infancy and maturity in multiple nuclei, but no changes were observed across infancy. A significant increase in 5‐HT1A receptor binding density was observed across infancy in the hypoglossal nucleus (regression slope coefficient = 0.008 ± 0.002, P = 0.02), and a marginally significant increase was observed in the raphé obscurus (regression slope coefficient = 0.061 ± 0.026 [mean ± SEM], P = 0.05). No significant age‐related changes in SERT binding were observed at any time. With the exception of the hypoglossal nucleus, where 5‐HT1A receptor binding increases while SERT binding remains stable, the medullary 5‐HT markers analyzed in the study are essentially “in place” at birth. This study provides important baseline data that serve as a foundation for future work in pediatric 5‐HT brainstem disorders, including sudden infant death syndrome. J. Comp. Neurol. 472:221–231, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interferometric CO Observations of Submillimeter-faint, Radio-selected Starburst Galaxies at z ~ 2

High-redshift, dust-obscured galaxies, selected to be luminous in the radio but relatively faint at 850 μm, appear to represent a different population from the ultraluminous submillimeter-bright population. They may be star-forming galaxies with hotter dust temperatures, or they may have lower far-infrared luminosities and larger contributions from obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Here we present observations of three z ∼ 2 examples of this population, which we term “submillimeter-faint radio galaxies” (SFRGs; RG J163655, RG J131236, and RG J123711) in CO(3-2) using the IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer to study their gas and dynamical properties. We estimate the molecular gas mass in each of the three SFRGs (8.3 × 109, <5.6 × 109, and 15.4 × 109 M☉, respectively) and, in the case of RG J163655, a dynamical mass by measurement of the width of the CO(3-2) line (8 × 1010csc2i M☉). While these gas masses are substantial, on average they are 4 times lower than submillimeter-selected galaxies (SMGs). Radio-inferred star formation rates ( = 970 M☉ yr−1) suggest much higher star formation efficiencies than are found for SMGs and shorter gas depletion timescales (~11 Myr), much shorter than the time required to form their current stellar masses (~160 Myr; ~1011 M☉). By contrast, star formation rates (SFRs) may be overestimated by factors of a few, bringing the efficiencies in line with those typically measured for other ultraluminous star-forming galaxies and suggesting that SFRGs are more like ultraviolet-selected (UV-selected) star-forming galaxies with enhanced radio emission. A tentative detection of RG J163655 at 350 μm suggests hotter dust temperatures, and thus gas-to-dust mass fractions, similar to the SMGs.
Multistrategy Health Education Program To lncrease Mammography Use Among Women Ages 65 and Older

Dr. Rimer is Director, Cancer Control Research, Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duke University Medical Center. Ms. Resch, Dr. King, Mr. Ross, Dr. Lerman, and Ms. Boyce are at Fox Chase Cancer Center, in Cheltenham, PA. Ms. Resch is a Research Specialist, Dr. King is Assistant Member, Mr. Ross is a Biostatistician, Dr. Lerman is Associate Member, and Ms. Boyce is a Research Coordinator. Dr. Kessler is a Radiologist, and Dr. Engstrom is Vice President, Population Science, Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Support for this study was provided by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Aging through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant No. CA45834 and institutional grants awarded to Fox Chase Cancer Center, NIH CA927 and RR05895, and an appropriation from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Surveys were conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., Princeton, NJ. Tearsheet requests to Barbara K. Rimer, DrPH, Duke University Medical Center, Box 2949, Durham, NC 27710, telephone 919-286-2233.
Body composition and cardiac dimensions in elite rhythmic gymnasts.

AIM Rhythmic gymnasts are often believed to be a population at risk of malnutrition because of their tendency to keep a low weight and a lean appearance for better athletic performance, and because they start intensive training at a very young age. The purpose of this study was to evaluate in adolescent elite gymnasts the effects of physical activity on body composition and cardiac morphology and function. METHODS Sixteen national level rhythmic gymnasts and 16 control adolescent female underwent anthropometric measurements, bioelectric impedance and echocardiography to assess body composition and cardiac morphology and function. RESULTS As compared to controls, gymnasts had lower body mass index (16.9±1.1 vs. 18.7±1.0, P<0.001), fatty mass (14.2±4.5 vs. 15.8±2.9 %, P<0.05) and greater fat-free mass (84.0±4.7 vs. 80.5±5.0 %, P<0.05), left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (4.7±0.4 vs. 4.4±0.3 cm) and left ventricular mass, as absolute (132.8±21.2 vs. 112.5±22.8 g, P<0.01) and indexed (44.5±9.3 vs. 36.1±8.2 g/m2.7, P<0.01). Left ventricular mass was directly related to fat-free mass as absolute (r=0.37, P<0.05) and indexed (r=0.43, P<0.02). CONCLUSION Body composition analysis showed a lower percentage of body fat in the gymnasts, together with a higher percentage of fat-free mass. Echocardiographic findings indicate that elite rhythmic gymnastics present left ventricular remodeling as training-induced cardiac adaptation. Intensive training, dietary attitude and evident leanness of rhythmic gymnasts are not associated with cardiac abnormalities, as it is the case of pathological leanness.
Vitronectin-binding staphylococci enhance surface-associated complement activation

Coagulase-negative staphylococci are well recognized in medical device-associated infections. Complement activation is known to occur at the biomaterial surface, resulting in unspecific inflammation around the biomaterial. The human serum protein vitronectin (Vn), a potent inhibitor of complement activation by formation of an inactive terminal complement complex, adsorbs to biomaterial surfaces in contact with blood. In this report, we discuss the possibility that surface-immobilized Vn inhibits complement activation and the effect of Vn-binding staphylococci on complement activation on surfaces precoated with Vn. The extent of complement activation was measured with a rabbit anti-human C3c antibody and a mouse anti-human C9 antibody, raised against the neoepitope of C9. Our data show that Vn immobilized on a biomaterial surface retains its ability to inhibit complement activation. The additive complement activation-inhibitory effect of Vn on a heparinized surface is very small. In the presence of Vn-binding strain, Staphylococcus hemolyticus SM131, complement activation on a surface precoated with Vn occurred as it did in the absence of Vn precoating. For S. epidermidis 3380, which does not express binding of Vn, complement activation on a Vn-precoated surface was significantly decreased. The results could be repeated on heparinized surfaces. These data suggest that Vn adsorbed to a biomaterial surface may serve to protect against surface-associated complement activation. Furthermore, Vn-binding staphylococcal cells may enhance surface-associated complement activation by blocking the inhibitory effect of preadsorbed Vn.
Improved Neutral Current Compensation With a Four-Leg PV Smart VSI in a LV Residential Network

Loads in low voltage (LV) residential areas are mainly single-phase types which are supplied from a delta/wye connected distribution transformer with a grounded neutral conductor creating a three-phase (3P) four-wire (4W) distribution system. The unbalanced single-phase load distributions in traditional 3P-4W LV networks cause significant neutral currents which can result in the overloading of the neutral conductor and electrical safety concerns for customers. In this paper, the dependency of the load generated neutral current on the distribution line variable zero sequence R/X ratios is developed, and a new decentralized robust active neutral compensation method is proposed using a multifunctional transformerless 3P four-leg (4L) photovoltaic (PV) smart voltage source inverter (SVSI). System stability is verified from the bode analysis and the improved neutral compensation is evaluated from the circuitry model analysis. Actual single-phase customer loads with real sun irradiance and temperature profiles are used with an urban 3P-4W LV network model from Australia and implemented in simulation using the PSCAD/EMTDC software to verify the efficacy of the proposed controller in real world distribution networks. Different transient faults analyses and point of common coupling dynamic voltage regulation are also performed and faster fault recovery, better neutral compensation, and optimized voltage profile are achieved from the designed PV-SVSI.
The Influence of Chronological Age on Periods of Accelerated Adaptation of Stretch-Shortening Cycle Performance in Pre and Postpubescent Boys

Lloyd, RS, Oliver, JL, Hughes, MG, and Williams, CA. The influence of chronological age on periods of accelerated adaptation of stretch-shortening cycle performance in pre and postpubescent boys. J Strength Cond Res 25(7): 1889-1897, 2011—Although it is suggested that periods of naturally occurring accelerated adaptation may exist for various physical parameters, it would appear that no such evidence exists for stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) development. Two hundred and fifty male youths aged 7-17 years were tested for squat (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) height, reactive strength index (RSI), and leg stiffness, with analyses of variance used to establish any significant between-group differences. Additionally, to ascertain the existence of periods of accelerated adaptation, inferences were made about the magnitudes of change between consecutive chronological age groups in relation to the smallest worthwhile change. The largest mean differences (±90% confidence limits) occurred between age groups 10 and 11 (G10-G11) for squat jump (SJ) height (21.61 ± 12.08-31.94%), CMJ height (20.80 ± 11.1-44.1%), and RSI (26.51 ± 11.07-44.10%); and between G12 and G13 for SJ (15.31 ± 7.47-23.73%) and CMJ (16.09 ± 7.50-25.38%) height. Negative mean differences occurred between G11 and G12 for SJ height (−1.32 ± −9.30 to 7.37%), CMJ jump height (−7.68 ± −15.15 to 0.45%) and RSI (−11.48 ± −22.21 to 0.74%); and between G10 and G11 for leg stiffness (−8.87 ± −18.85 to 2.34%). It would appear almost certain that windows of accelerated adaptation may exist for SJ and CMJ height and RSI in male youths; however, leg stiffness results would suggest that fast-SSC function may follow a different developmental trend.