Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SAMMLUNG UND AUSWERTUNG VON STRASSENUNEBENHEITEN - UNTERSUCHUNG UND VERGLEICH VERSCHIEDENER MESSGERAETE UND AUSWERTEVERFAHREN AUF EIGNUNG ZUR ROUTINEMAESSIGEN ERFASSUNG UND BEWERTUNG DES EBENHEITSZUSTANDES

In der zukuenftig vorgesehenen Systematik der Strassenerhaltung werden zur routinemassigen Beobachtung und Beurteilung des Ebenheitszustandes auf unterschiedlichen Entscheidungsebenen geeignete Systeme zur Messung von Fahrbahnunebenheiten benoetigt. Um die aus den Messungen resultierenden Ergebnisse vergleichbar zu machen, muessen Verfahren zur Beschreibung beziehungsweise Bewertung von Unebenheiten zur Verfuegung stehen, die sich einheitlicher Entscheidungsgrundlagen bedienen und deren Ergebnisse dazu ineinander ueberfuehrbar sind. Der Teil 1 der Gesamtaufgabe beschaeftigt sich mit der Sammlung einer repraesentativen Anzahl von Zustandswerten fuer das Fahrbahnoberflaechenprofil in Laengsrichtung und mit dem Vergleich von Mess- und Beschreibungsverfahren fuer Unebenheiten des Laengs- beziehungsweise des Querprofils. Im Teil 2 werden die theoretischen Grundlagen zur Beurteilung der Mess- und Beschreibungsverfahren gelegt, wobei die Betrachtung auf die Messung der Ebenheit im Laengsprofil beschraenkt werden sollte. Die theoretischen Untersuchungen ergaben, dass allein die folgenden Geraete sich zur Messung der Ebenheit im Laengsprofil eignen: Analyseur Dynamique de Profil en Long (APL), Automatic Road Analyzer (ARAN) und High Speed-Road Monitor (HPM). Alle drei Geraete messen das Strassenlaengsprofil und eignen sich zur Ermittlung der Spektralen Dichte der Profilhoehen Omega(Index 0 hoch 1), die zur Zeit die einzige Beschreibungsgroesse ist, die die Laengsebenheit charakterisieren kann. Um die gemessenen Spektralen Dichten bewerten zu koennen, wurde eine Bewertungsgroesse fuer die Laengsebenheit, der Spektrale Ebenheits-Index (SEI) entwickelt, mit dessen Hilfe auch die in Teil 1 gesammelten Ebenheitsdaten von 180 km bundesdeutschen Strassen zu einem ersten Bewertungshintergrund ausgewertet werden konnten. Mit der Einfuehrung der Spektralen Dichte Phi(Index h)Omega als Beschreibungs- und der Schaffung des SEI als Bewertungsgroesse fuer die Ebenheit ist die Voraussetzung fuer eine sachgerechte und aussagekraeftige Charakterisierung fuer die Allgemeinunebenheit im Laengsprofil gegeben. Darueber hinaus stehen repraesentative Zustandswerte der Ebenheit aus dem aktuellen Strassennetz der Bundesrepublik Deutschland zur Verfuegung.
Host-specific induction of Escherichia coli fitness genes during human urinary tract infection

Significance Escherichia coli is the most common cause of urinary tract infections (UTI) in humans. This bacterium is a major global public health concern because it is becoming resistant to currently available antibiotics. Therefore, it is imperative to develop new treatment and prevention strategies against this bacterium. However, the processes that promote survival of this bacterium within the human urinary tract during UTI are not clearly understood. Here we identify E. coli genes that promote survival within the urinary tract during naturally occurring UTI in women. Genes identified in this study represent targets for development of new therapies against UTI caused by E. coli. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the predominant etiological agent of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI), manifested by inflammation of the urinary bladder, in humans and is a major global public health concern. Molecular pathogenesis of UPEC has been primarily examined using murine models of UTI. Translational research to develop novel therapeutics against this major pathogen, which is becoming increasingly antibiotic resistant, requires a thorough understanding of mechanisms involved in pathogenesis during human UTIs. Total RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and comparative transcriptional analysis of UTI samples to the UPEC isolates cultured in human urine and laboratory medium were used to identify novel fitness genes that were specifically expressed during human infection. Evidence for UPEC genes involved in ion transport, including copper efflux, nickel and potassium import systems, as key fitness factors in uropathogenesis were generated using an experimental model of UTI. Translational application of this study was investigated by targeting Cus, a bacterial copper efflux system. Copper supplementation in drinking water reduces E. coli colonization in the urinary bladder of mice. Additionally, our results suggest that anaerobic processes in UPEC are involved in promoting fitness during UTI in humans. In summary, RNA-seq was used to establish the transcriptional signature in UPEC during naturally occurring, community acquired UTI in women and multiple novel fitness genes used by UPEC during human infection were identified. The repertoire of UPEC genes involved in UTI presented here will facilitate further translational studies to develop innovative strategies against UTI caused by UPEC.
Combined effect of bradykinin B2 and neurokinin‐1 receptor activation on endothelial cell proliferation in acute synovitis.

During acute synovitis, early angiogenesis may enhance inflammation by facilitating edema formation and cellular infiltration. We have investigated the in vivo modulation by bradykinin of neurally enhanced early angiogenesis in rat models of knee synovitis. The increased endothelial cell proliferation that was observed 24 h after intra‐articular injection of substance P (10 nmols) was completely blocked by either NK1 or B2 receptor antagonists (SR140333 or FR172357, respectively). In mild synovitis induced by 0.03% Carrageenan, but not in naïve animals, injection of bradykinin (100 nmols) increased endothelial cell proliferation. In moderate synovitis induced by 3% kaolin and 3% carrageenan, the combined blockade of both NK1 and B2 receptors inhibited 64% of the synovitis‐enhanced endothelial cell proliferation. Synovitis‐enhanced endothelial cell proliferation was also inhibited by the B2 receptor antagonist alone (27%) but not by the NK1 receptor antagonist alone. B1 receptor agonist (des‐Arg9‐bradykinin) and antagonist (SR240612A) did not significantly modulate endothelial cell proliferation. B2 receptor mRNA was constitutively expressed in both mild and moderate inflammation, whereas B1 mRNA production was induced in the moderate inflammation model. These findings demonstrate that substance P and bradykinin can act on NK1 and B2 receptors, respectively, to promote endothelial cell proliferation in acute synovitis.
Consensus statement from European experts on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of multiple myeloma: from standard therapy to novel approaches

Treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) has changed beyond recognition over the past two decades. During the early 1980s, MM inevitably resulted in a slow progressive decline in quality of life until death after about 2 years, while today patients can expect a 50% chance of achieving a complete remission, median survival of 5 years, and a 20% chance of surviving longer than 10 years. An international expert opinion meeting (including members of the GIMEMA and DSMM study groups) was held in 2009. One of the outcomes of the meeting was the development of a consensus statement outlining contemporary optimal clinical practice for the treatment of MM. The international panel recommended that the state of the art therapy for MM should comprise: (a) evidence-based supportive care, (b) effective and well-tolerated chemotherapeutic regimens, (c) autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (ASCT) for patients suitable for intensive conditioning therapy, and (d) evidence-based incorporation of novel anti-MM agents. Maintenance strategies have also become increasingly important for the prolongation of remission after front-line therapies. In addition, improved understanding of the biology of MM has led to the development of novel biological therapeutic agents such as thalidomide, lenalidomide, bortezomib, and others. These agents specifically target intracellular mechanisms and interactions, such as those within the bone marrow microenvironment, and have been integrated into MM treatment. This report reviews recent clinical advances in the treatment strategies available for MM and provides an overview of the state of the art management of patients with MM.
Immune responses of prematurely born infants to hepatitis B vaccination: results through three years of age.

BACKGROUND Hepatitis B vaccine is effective in infants. Preterm infants also respond but information on long term immunogenicity is limited. PURPOSE OF STUDY To compare response of premature and full term infants to hepatitis B vaccine. METHODS Sixty-nine prematurely born Alaska Native infants received three doses of hepatitis B vaccine beginning at discharge. Thirty-seven infants had paired serum samples drawn at approximately 1 and 3 years of life which were tested for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen. One hundred eight infants born at full term enrolled in a separate study were used for comparison. RESULTS Both early and late blood sample antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen titers were lower in preterm than in term infants (23.1 mIU/ml vs. 56.8 mIU/ml, early blood sample; and 0.7 mIU/ml vs. 1.32 mIU/ml, late blood sample); however, these values were not statistically different. The drop in titer over time, however, was significant in both groups as was the decrease in the percent of infants with titers > or = 10 mIU/ml (preterm infants 75.7% early specimen and 8.1% late specimen compared with term infants 87% early specimen and 15% late specimen). Both prematurity and longer interval between third vaccination and blood sample were associated with a decreased antibody titer. No infant had evidence of hepatitis B viral infection by developing antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. CONCLUSIONS Preterm and term infants have a similar decline in antibody titers during the first 3 years, but preterm infants generally have a lower titer. The immunogenicity of the vaccine beyond 3 years and the need for revaccination in these populations requires further study.
Survival of Escherichia coli Cells on Solid Copper Surfaces Is Increased by Glutathione

ABSTRACT Bacteria are rapidly killed on solid copper surfaces, so this material could be useful to limit the spread of multiple-drug-resistant bacteria in hospitals. In Escherichia coli, the DNA-protecting Dps protein and the NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase II Ndh were not involved in tolerance to copper ions or survival on solid copper surfaces. Decreased copper tolerance under anaerobic growth conditions in the presence of ascorbate and with melibiose as the carbon source indicated that sodium-dependent symport systems may provide an import route for CuI into the cytoplasm. Glutathione-free ΔcopA ΔgshA double mutants of E. coli were more rapidly inactivated on solid copper surfaces than glutathione-containing wild-type cells. Therefore, while DNA protection by Dps was not required, glutathione was needed to protect the cytoplasm and the DNA against damage mediated by solid copper surfaces, which may explain the differences in the molecular mechanisms of killing between glutathione-containing Gram-negative and glutathione-free Gram-positive bacteria.
Pheochromocytomas: detection with 18F DOPA whole body PET--initial results..

PURPOSE To evaluate fluorine 18 ((18)F) dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) as a biochemical imaging approach for detection of pheochromocytomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS (18)F DOPA PET and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were performed in 14 consecutive patients suspected of having pheochromocytomas (five sporadic, nine with von Hippel-Lindau disease); metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy was performed in 12 of these patients. The individual imaging findings were assessed in consensus by specialists in nuclear medicine and radiologists blinded to the results of the other methods. The findings of the functional imaging methods were compared with those of MR imaging, the reference standard. Histologic verification could be obtained in eight patients with nine tumors. RESULTS Seventeen pheochromocytomas (11 solitary, three bifocal; 14 adrenal, three extraadrenal) were detected with MR imaging. (18)F DOPA PET and MR imaging had concordant results in all 17 tumors. In contrast, MIBG scintigraphy had false-negative results in four patients with three adrenal tumors smaller than 2 cm and one extraadrenal tumor with a diameter of 3.6 cm. On the basis of these data, sensitivities of 100% for (18)F DOPA PET and of 71% for MIBG scintigraphy were calculated. Specificity was 100% for both procedures. CONCLUSION (18)F DOPA PET is highly sensitive and specific for detection of pheochromocytomas and has potential as the functional imaging method of the future.
Distinctive Maturation of In Vitro Versus In Vivo Anti-CD40 mAb-Matured Dendritic Cells in Mice

Dendritic cells (DCs) can be matured by CD40 stimulation to upregulate their MHC class II/peptide complexes and costimulatory molecule surface expression to become adept at presenting antigen to and activating naive T lymphocytes. The use of anti-CD40 antibodies as adjuvants for DC-based therapy has been advanced. Little is known as to how DC biology in response to CD40 ligation differs between in vitro versus in vivo ligation. Therefore, the authors analyzed the expression kinetics of MHC class II (I-Ak)/HEL peptide “complex,” total MHC class II, CD80, and CD86 on in vitro or in vivo CD40-stimulated DCs over a period of 5 days. MHC class II, “complex,” and costimulatory molecule expression was elevated at 1 day in vitro and stayed high for the culture period, whereas in vivo expression of the cohort of molecules peaked earlier and then declined. When purified DCs were co-cultured in vitro with antigen-specific T cell hybridomas, the DCs had lower expression of total MHC class II and “complex,” but did not reduce their CD80 and CD86 expression. The lower expression was dependent on cognate interaction as a non-antigen-specific T cell hybridoma was without effect. Blocking antigen-specific MHC class II/peptide-T cell receptor (TcR) complex interaction with antibody inhibited the reduction of MHC class II expression on CD40-stimulated DCs in vitro. Overall, their studies suggest distinct response of DCs to typical conditions that feature anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody (mAb)-activated DCs in vitro or in vivo.
Template Sequence near the Initiation Nucleotide Can Modulate Brome Mosaic Virus RNA Accumulation in Plant Protoplasts

ABSTRACT Bromoviral templates for plus-strand RNA synthesis are rich in A or U nucleotides in comparison to templates for minus-strand RNA synthesis. Previous studies demonstrated that plus-strand RNA synthesis by the brome mosaic virus (BMV) RNA replicase is more efficient if the template contains an A/U-rich template sequence near the initiation site (K. Sivakumaran and C. C. Kao, J. Virol. 73:6415-6423, 1999). These observations led us to examine the effects of nucleotide changes near the template's initiation site on the accumulation of BMV RNA3 genomic minus-strand, genomic plus-strand, and subgenomic RNAs in barley protoplasts transfected with wild-type and mutant BMV transcripts. Mutations in the template for minus-strand synthesis had only modest effects on BMV replication in barley protoplasts. Mutants with changes to the +3, +5, and +7 template nucleotides accumulated minus-strand RNA at levels similar to the the wild-type level. However, mutations at positions adjacent to the initiation cytidylate in the templates for genomic and subgenomic plus-strand RNA synthesis significantly decreased RNA accumulation. For example, changes at the third template nucleotide for plus-strand RNA3 synthesis resulted in RNA accumulation at between 18 and 24% of the wild-type level, and mutations in the third template nucleotide for subgenomic RNA4 resulted in accumulations at between 7 and 14% of the wild-type level. The effects of the mutations generally decreased as the mutations occurred further from the initiation nucleotide. These findings demonstrate that there are different requirements of the template sequence near the initiation nucleotide for BMV RNA accumulation in plant cells.
Clinical significance and management of cervical atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance.

OBJECTIVES To assess the clinical significance of a cervical cytological diagnosis of atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance and to formulate the most appropriate management guidelines for patients with such a diagnosis. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Regional hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS Seventy-two patients with diagnoses of atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance who were managed in a colposcopy clinic between January 1998 and December 1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Age, cytological diagnoses of atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance and its subtypes, method of evaluation, final diagnosis, and outcome after 2 years. RESULTS Atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance were diagnosed in 83 (0.4%) of 21 854 cervical smear samples taken during the 2-year study period. Follow-up data were available from 72 patients, whose mean age was 43 years (range, 22-69 years). Forty-three percent of these patients had significant diseases of the genital tract. Patients with the subtype diagnosis of atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance-favour neoplasia had the worst outcome, with 90% of patients having significant disease, followed by patients with atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance "not otherwise specified" (43%), and atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance-favour reactive (8%). CONCLUSION Patients with atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance should be investigated early and thoroughly, because many of them will have premalignant or malignant disease.
Urinary free fatty acids bound to albumin aggravate tubulointerstitial damage.

BACKGROUND Evidence indicates that urinary protein is associated with tubulointerstitial damage and thus it is an aggravating factor for chronic renal disease. As free fatty acids (FFAs) are bound to serum albumin, we hypothesized that FFAs were overloaded to the proximal tubule in massive proteinuria and thus caused tubulointerstitial damage. To test this hypothesis, massive proteinuria was provoked in mice and the renal damage examined. METHODS Mice were intraperitoneally injected with bovine serum albumin (BSA) replete with FFAs (r-BSA group, N = 10), FFA-depleted BSA (d-BSA group, N = 10), or saline (saline group, N = 9) for 14 days. RESULTS The kidneys of the r-BSA group showed severe tubulointerstitial damage and those of the d-BSA group showed mild tubulointerstitial damage. Urinary excretion of both total protein and mouse albumin were significantly higher in the r-BSA group than in the d-BSA group. To examine the proximal tubular uptake of albumin, the BSA content in the cultured mouse proximal tubules was measured by ELISA after 90 minutes of incubation with each BSA. In terms of the BSA content in the proximal tubules, there was no significant difference between the r-BSA and the d-BSA groups. These results indicate that r-BSA and d-BSA were similarly reabsorbed into the proximal tubule and that r-BSA causes severe tubulointerstitial damage. CONCLUSIONS It is the FFAs bound to albumin, rather than albumin itself, which cause severe tubulointerstitial damage by being reabsorbed into the proximal tubule. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo observation in which FFAs have caused severe tubulointerstitial injury.
Evaluating the effects of a brief motivational intervention for injured drinkers in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE The study aim was to test whether a brief motivational intervention, with or without a booster session, would improve drinking-related outcomes more than standard Emergency Department (ED) treatment. METHOD The study population consisted of 539 (78% male) injured patients treated in the ED and discharged to the community following their treatment. Injured patients met inclusion criteria if they were assessed as hazardous or harmful drinkers by scoring eight or more on the AUDIT and/or having alcohol in their system at the time of their injury or ED visit. Patients were randomly assigned to either standard care (SC), brief intervention (BI) or brief intervention plus a booster session (BIB). At 1-year follow-up, 447 patients (83% of the sample) were re-interviewed to measure alcohol-related negative consequences, injuries and drinking. RESULTS Patients receiving BIB, but not B1 patients, reduced alcohol-related negative consequences and alcohol-related injuries more than did those in the SC group. All three groups reduced their days of heavy drinking. Patients with histories of hazardous drinking responded to BIB, whether or not they had consumed alcohol prior to their injury. CONCLUSIONS Together, these results indicate that the effects of a booster session that is added to a brief intervention in the ED can be helpful to injured patients with a history of hazardous or harmful drinking, irrespective of whether they have consumed alcohol prior to their injury.
Expression of immediate-early genes reveals functional compartments within ocular dominance columns after brief monocular inactivation

Visual inputs from the 2 eyes in most primates activate alternating bands of cortex in layer 4C of primary visual cortex, thereby forming the well-studied ocular dominance columns (ODCs). In addition, the enzymatic reactivity of cytochrome oxidase (CO) reveals “blob” structures within the supragranular layers of ODCs. Here, we present evidence for compartments within ODCs that have not been clearly defined previously. These compartments are revealed by the activity-dependent mRNA expression of immediate-early genes (IEGs), zif268 and c-fos, after brief periods of monocular inactivation (MI). After a 1–3-h period of MI produced by an injection of tetrodotoxin, IEGs were expressed in a patchy pattern that included infragranular layers, as well as supragranular layers, where they corresponded to the CO blobs. In addition, the expressions of IEGs in layer 4C were especially high in narrow zones along boundaries of ODCs, referred to here as the “border strips” of the ODCs. After longer periods of MI (>5 h), the border strips were no longer apparent. When either eyelid was sutured, changes in IEG expression were not evident in layer 4C; however, the patchy pattern of the expression in the infragranular and supragranular layers remained. These changes of IEG expression after MI indicate that cortical circuits involving the CO blobs of the supragranular layers include aligned groups of neurons in the infragranular layers and that the border strip neurons of layer 4C are highly active for a 3-h period after MI.
Hyperspectral Image Denoising Using First Order Spectral Roughness Penalty in Wavelet Domain

In this paper, a new denoising method for hyperspectral images is proposed using First Order Roughness Penalty (FORP). FORP is applied in the wavelet domain to exploit the Multi-Resolution Analysis (MRA) property of wavelets. Stein's Unbiased Risk Estimator (SURE) is used to choose the tuning parameters automatically. The simulation results show that the penalized least squares using FORP can improve the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) compared to other denoising methods. The proposed method is also applied to a corrupted hyperspectral data set and it is shown that certain classification indices improve significantly.