Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The feline model of neuroAIDS: understanding the progression towards AIDS dementia

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a neurotropic lentivirus that produces a protracted state of immunodeficiency and encephalopathy in the cat. Recent evidence has shown several similarities to the natural progression of human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV-1) associated degenerative effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems. Similar to HIV-1, FIV-induced encephalopathy neurovirulence is strain dependent, results in progressive immunodeficiency and increasing early peripheral but not brain viral load, preferentially affects the developing nervous system, produces quantifiable behavioural and neurophysiological impairment that is not directly linked to neuronal infectivity, and induces neuronal injury and loss both in vivo and in vitro. This paper highlights the cumulative scientific body of evidence supporting the use of the feline model of neuroAIDS.
Multi-national transmission planning using joint and disjoint solutions

Transmission systems have a critical role in well-functioning of liberalised electricity markets. Diversity in generation portfolio and improving system reliability are the main incentives for significant cross-border trades between Transmission System Operators (TSOs) in Europe. Nowadays, two ways are discussed for investment in additional transmission capacity by multiple TSOs: (1) Cooperative approach and (2) non-cooperative approache. In cooperative planning, the governing body looks for the highest overall social welfare while in non-cooperative approach, each TSO decides on his own transmission system based on his social welfare. The problem is that the outcome of these two approaches might be different. Each TSO tries to maximise his own social welfare and they are reluctant to act in a joint solution where they are losing some of their social welfare. In the context, they prefer to act strategically in order to maximise their social welfare. This paper evaluates the joint and disjoint solutions of the multi-national transmission planning. We propose a simultaneous-move game between the involved TSOs. The game is formulated as a one-shot mixed-integer linear programming problem. Then the joint solution is developed by merging all TSOs in one TSO responsible for transmission planning in all TSOs' regions. The joint solution is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming and used as the benchmark in our studies.
Implementation and evaluation of an undergraduate emergency medicine curriculum.

OBJECTIVE To describe the implementation and evaluation of an undergraduate course in the first Australian academic emergency medicine unit. METHODS A descriptive study of a course involving fifth year medical students at the University of Western Australia was undertaken. Teaching included self-directed case problem solving, small group tutorials, practical-skills teaching, clinical attachments and information handouts. Evaluation involved questionnaire scores and written feedback regarding life-support skills, tutorial teaching, course materials, clinical attachments and the course in general. Some groups of students underwent pre-course and post-course examinations. RESULTS Subjective and objective testing showed that student knowledge significantly improved. Feedback was especially positive toward clinical attachments in emergency departments, practical skills tutorials and the case-based learning method. Students requested longer attachments to emergency departments, and more practical, case-based, interactive and bedside teaching. Problems encountered included inadequate time for teaching, vagueness about student roles and objectives, and dealing with death for the first time without adequate preparation. CONCLUSION Undergraduate emergency medicine education should become an essential part of Australian and international undergraduate medical education. Emergency medicine is enjoyable and eminently suitable for problem-based, interactive and integrated teaching and improves confidence, clinical experience in emergencies, practical skills and teamwork. Improvements include more problem-based teaching, more practical skills sessions and better definition of student roles. These are general principles that can be applied to other undergraduate courses and to designers of other emergency medicine courses, both undergraduate and postgraduate.
Long-distance abscisic acid signalling under different vertical soil moisture gradients depends on bulk root water potential and average soil water content in the root zone.

To determine how root-to-shoot abscisic acid (ABA) signalling is regulated by vertical soil moisture gradients, root ABA concentration ([ABA](root)), the fraction of root water uptake from, and root water potential of different parts of the root zone, along with bulk root water potential, were measured to test various predictive models of root xylem ABA concentration [RX-ABA](sap). Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Nassau) were grown in soil columns and received different irrigation treatments (top and basal watering, and withholding water for varying lengths of time) to induce different vertical soil moisture gradients. Root water uptake was measured at four positions within the column by continuously recording volumetric soil water content (θv). Average θv was inversely related to bulk root water potential (Ψ(root)). In turn, Ψ(root) was correlated with both average [ABA](root) and [RX-ABA](sap). Despite large gradients in θv, [ABA](root) and root water potential was homogenous within the root zone. Consequently, unlike some split-root studies, root water uptake fraction from layers with different soil moisture did not influence xylem sap (ABA). This suggests two different patterns of ABA signalling, depending on how soil moisture heterogeneity is distributed within the root zone, which might have implications for implementing water-saving irrigation techniques.
Acute psychological effects of suspected bioterrorism

It has been suggested that the psychological implications of chemical and biological weapons may be more serious than any potential acute physical effects.1 We report an investigation into the acute psychological effects of exposure to packages suspected of containing anthrax spores. In October 2001 13 people were exposed to packages suspected of containing anthrax spores in two separate incidents in government offices in South Wales. The management of both incidents was based on the local health authority’s major incident procedure and emergency response plan for chemical incidents. The multi-agency response included evacuation and establishment of a cordon around the area where the packages were handled by the police; removal of the suspect packages by the fire service and submission to the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research for testing; full decontamination of the exposed individuals by the ambulance service using a mobile chemical decontamination …
Bacteriology of histopathologically defined appendicitis in children.

BACKGROUND Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in childhood. However, the pathogenesis and detailed microbiology are obscure. OBJECTIVE To determine in detail the bacterial etiology of appendicitis in children in relation to the histologic tissue pathology. STUDY DESIGN Tissue samples obtained at surgery from 41 children with suspected acute appendicitis were examined histologically and by culture for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The patients were analyzed according to histopathologic and clinical findings. RESULTS Aerobic and anaerobic species were isolated from 40 of 41 (98%) samples; on average, 14.1 isolates per specimen (10.4 anaerobes and 3.7 aerobes). Specimens from patients with gangrenous appendices yielded significantly higher numbers of anaerobic isolates per specimen than did specimens from patients with healthy appendices (11.7 vs. 7.7; P < 0.01). Bacteria belonging to the Bacteroides fragilis group were the most frequently isolated anaerobic microorganisms (95%). Other organisms frequently isolated in all histology groups were Peptostreptococcus micros (66%), Bilophila wadsworthia (63%), Fusobacterium nucleatum (44%), Eggerthella lenta (44%) and a hitherto undescribed bile-resistant, pigment-producing Gram-negative rod (41%). Of the aerobes Escherichia coli (88%) and Streptococcus anginosus group (former Streptococcus "milleri" group) organisms (61%) were the most frequent findings. CONCLUSIONS The shift from histologically normal toward gangrenous appendices was clearly associated with markedly elevated anaerobic bacterial counts in terms of species. The unusually high frequencies of B. wadsworthia (75%) and the hitherto undescribed bile-resistant, pigment-producing Gram-negative rod (56%) in gangrenous appendices represent unique and different findings from those reported in adults.
Analysis of Axial Magnetic Field Characteristics of Coil Type Axial Magnetic Field Vacuum Interrupters

Axial magnetic field (AMF) characteristics of coil type AMF vacuum interrupters are analyzed by 3D finite element method. Seven contact parameters are taken into account in this paper. Analysis results show that: (1) Axial magnetic flux density decreases with increase of contact diameter, coil height, and gap distance. Axial magnetic flux density is not sensitive to coil thickness. So is contact plate material. Axial magnetic flux density is strongly influenced by welding of stainless steel plates to contact plate and coil. (2) Phase shift time between AMF and source current decreases with decrease of contact diameter and increase of contact gap. And it also decreases when contact material is CuCr50. (3) Maximum current density in coils or contact plates decreases with increase of contact diameter, coil thickness. And it also decreases when contact material is CuCr25. So does conductor resistance
Comparison of preoperative nepafenac (0.1%) and flurbiprofen (0.03%) eye drops in maintaining mydriasis during small incision cataract surgery in patients with senile cataract: A randomized, double-blind study

Aims: This study compared the effectiveness of prophylactic administration of topical flurbiprofen 0.03% and nepafenac 0.1% in maintaining mydriasis during small incision cataract surgery (SICS). Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind comparative study in adult cataract patients given topical flurbiprofen or nepafenac prior to SICS and capsular bag intraocular lens (IOL) implantation at a tertiary care hospital. Horizontal and vertical diameters of pupil were measured at the beginning and end of surgery, and the mean values were compared across the two groups. Unpaired t-test and Fisher's exact test were used to analyse the results. Results: A total of 70 eyes of cataract surgery patients, 33 males and 37 females, with a mean age of 58.5 ± 11.24 years, were included in the study. The mean horizontal and vertical diameters of the two groups were similar at the start of surgery. Significant differences were seen after IOL implantation, with the nepafenac group having the larger mean diameters in both horizontal (P = 0.03) and vertical (P = 0.04) pupillary measurements. Conclusions: Topical nepafenac has been shown to be a more effective inhibitor of meiosis during SICS and provides a more stable mydriatic effect compared to topical flurbiprofen.
In vitro models of lymphatic endothelial cells: cytokine receptor expression profiling and incorporation into organotypic culture models

Lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) line the lymphatic vessels and lymph node sinuses. They function in balancing tissue interstitial fluid, trafficking of dendritic cells and lymphocyte movement into and out of lymph nodes, (lymph node-LECs), and can modulate self-tolerance. LECs also are important for viral pathogenesis and malignant cell migration. The discovery of LEC-specific markers has enabled the isolation and culture of LECs during the past decade, thereby increasing knowledge of LECs biology. Cytokines are small proteins secreted by cells that have pleiotropic effects on cell survival, growth, and functional activities. The expression of cytokine receptors on LECs, if present, could provide insight into the potential functions of LECs. The current study has defined the cytokine receptor expression profile, especially the IL6 family receptors, for three LEC populations: human dermal microvascular lymphatic endothelial cells (HMVEC-dLy), human lung lymphatic microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-LLy), and human telomerase reverse transcriptase transfected human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (hTERT-HDLEC), either with or without viral infection mimicry through the use of poly I:C treatment. Cytokine receptor expression was examined at the RNA, protein and function levels, as a strong reference for further LECs study. In vitro 3-dimensional (3D) cell culture is an important substitute for in vivo experiments. It is also a meaningful improvement to 2-dimensional cell culture through the modification of culture environments to better mimic in vivo situations. Using an extracellular matrix extraction called MatrigelTM as a simplified 3D model substrate, we demonstrated that five kinds of LECs (HMVEC-dLy, HMVEC-LLy, hTERT-HDLEC, ferret lung isolated LECs and macaque jejunal LECs) can form a network-like structure on it (this process may be regarded as modeling the growth of lymphatic vessels or lymphangiogenesis). In addition, in this study we adapted an organotypic culture model containing lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) to preliminary build a new powerful tool for in vitro study of LECs and also provide insights into the interactions between LECs and their environment. The work represented by this thesis holds public health significances lying mainly in enriching the knowledge of human LECs, considering the importance of LECs and lymphatic biology in cancer development and immunology.
Are Shadow System Users the Better IS Users ? – Insights of a Lab Experiment Completed Research Paper

Prior research argues that the effective usage of a mandatory system varies with users’ individual differences and engagement, the tasks carried out, and the system features applied. In this study, we analyze individual-level system usage to improve performance by adapting and expanding the number and configuration of systems in use. Thus, we address IT executives’ increasing challenge of users deploying shadow systems besides or instead of the mandatory system. Integrating the existing knowledge of adaptive system use and shadow IT, we theoretically conceptualize individuals’ shadow system usage, hypothesize cognitive, affective, and behavioral drivers, and its impact on job performance. Results of a lab experiment show that compared to nonusers, shadow system users are more intrinsically motivated, easier accept neutralization techniques, and perform significantly better, regarding both task output and task behavior. New insights are provided that deviant usage behavior improves not only task achievement, but also the mandatory system’s functionality.
Source Mechanism and Rupture Directivity of the 18 May 2009 MW 4.6 Inglewood, California, Earthquake

On 18 May 2009, an M_w 4.6 earthquake occurred beneath Inglewood, California, and was widely felt. Though source mechanism and its location suggest that the Newport–Inglewood fault (NIF) may be involved in generating the earthquake, rupture directivity must be modeled to establish the connection between the fault and the earthquake. We first invert for the event’s source mechanism and depth with the cut-and-paste method in the long-period band (>5 s). Because of the low velocity shallow sediments in the Los Angeles (LA) basin, we use two velocity models in the inversion for stations inside and outside the LA basin. However, little difference is observed in the resolved source mechanism (M_w 4.6, strike 246°/145°, dip 50°/77°, rake 17°/138°) and depth (7 to ~9 km), compared to an inversion using the standard southern Calfornia model. With the resolved source parameters, we calibrate the amplitude anomaly of the short-period (0.5–2 Hz) P waves with amplitude adjustment factors (AAF). These AAFs are used as corrections when retrieving source mechanisms of the smaller aftershocks using short-period P waves alone. Most of the aftershocks show similar source mechanisms as that of the mainshock, providing ideal empirical Green’s functions (EGFs) for studying its rupture process. We use a forward modeling approach to retrieve rupture directivity of the mainshock, consistent with movement on the NIF with rupture toward the southeast. Although we focus on P waves for analyzing rupture directivity, the resolved unilateral pattern is also confirmed with the azimuthal variation of the duration of SH waves observed in the basin. The high rupture velocity near the shear velocity and relatively low stress drop are consistent with the hypothesis of rupture on a mature fault.
Linear Accelerator Simulations with Bmad

Bmad is a subroutine library for modeling relativistic charged-particle dynamics. It has been used extensively as a diagnostic tool at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR). The Bmad libraries have recently been extended to include modeling of the dynamics of linear accelerators. Calculations of emittance dilution due to orbit offsets and misalignments have been compared with LIAR, Merlin and PLACET. Good agreement is found with both particle and macroparticle tracking through the NLC and TESLA lattices for the bunch compressor, main linac and final focus regions.
A New Rank‐based Multivariate CUSUM Approach for Monitoring the Process Mean

In many cases, data do not follow a specific probability distribution in practice. As a result, a variety of distribution‐free control charts have been developed to monitor changes in the processes. An existing rank‐based multivariate cumulative sum (CUSUM) procedure based on the antirank vector does not quickly detect the large shift levels of the process mean. In this paper, we explore and develop an improved version of the existing rank‐based multivariate CUSUM procedure in order to overcome the difficulty. The numerical experiments show that the proposed approach dramatically outperforms the existing rank‐based multivariate CUSUM procedure in terms of the out‐of‐control average run length. In addition, the proposed approach particularly resolves the critical problem of the original approach, which occurs in the simultaneous shifts whose components are all the same but not 0. We believe that the proposed approach can be utilized for monitoring real data. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Chronic Alcohol Abuse on Anabolic and Catabolic Signaling Pathways in Human Skeletal Muscle

BACKGROUND Animal studies showed that alcoholic myopathy is characterized by the reduction in myofiber cross-sectional area (CSA) and by impaired anabolic signaling. The goal of this study was to compare changes in CSA and fiber type composition with modifications in anabolic and catabolic signaling pathways at the early stages of alcohol misuse in humans. METHODS Skeletal muscle samples from 7 male patients with chronic alcohol abuse (AL; 47.7 ± 2.0 years old; alcohol misuse duration 7.7 ± 0.6 years) were compared with muscle from a control group of 7 healthy men (C; 39.7 ± 5.0 years old). Biopsies from vastus lateralis muscles were taken and analyzed for the changes in fiber type composition, fiber CSA, and for the alterations in anabolic and catabolic signaling pathways. RESULTS AL patients did not have detectable clinical myopathy symptoms or muscle fiber atrophy, but the relative proportion of fast fibers was increased. There was a significant decrease in IGF-1 in plasma and IRS-1 protein content in muscle of AL group. Levels of total and phosphorylated p70S6K1, GSK3β, and p90RSK1 were not different between AL and C groups. Muscle of AL patients had increased mRNA expression of HSP70 and HSP90. A marker of anabolic pathway p-4E-BP1 was decreased, while catabolic markers (MuRF-1, MAFbx, ubiquitinated proteins) were increased in AL patients when compared with C group. CONCLUSIONS At the early stages of alcohol misuse in humans, changes in the regulation of anabolic and catabolic signaling pathways precede the development of skeletal muscle atrophy and manifestation of clinical symptoms of alcoholic myopathy.
SINGLE INJECTION OF INSULIN DELAYS THE RECURRENCE OF DIABETES IN SYNGENEIC ISLET-TRANSPLANTED DIABETIC NOD MICE 1

Background. Insulin has been implicated in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes and oral administration of insulin has been shown to delay the onset of diabetes in NOD mice.In this study we determined whether a single footpad injection of insulin will protect syngeneic islet grafts from autoimmune destruction when placed under the kidney capsule of diabetic NOD mice. Methods. Five hundred islets were transplanted under the kidney capsule of diabetic female NOD mice in conjunction with a single footpad injection of either pork insulin in saline or mixed with incomplete Freund’s adjuvant (IFA). Control groups received either IFA or saline alone. Results. Seven of 11 animals (63.6%) given insulin in IFA exhibit long-term graft survival (>75 days; mean±SEM >85.4±16.1) whereas only 3 of 12 animals (25.0%) in the IFA group had graft survival longer than 75 days (mean±SEM >41.9±12.8 days). In contrast, none of the animals that received insulin in saline (17.3±2.5 days) and saline only (16.1±2.0 days) exhibit prolonged graft survival. Conclusion. These results suggest that a single footpad injection of insulin can protect the islet graft from immune attack in NOD mice.
Epigenesis: roles of nanotopography, nanoforces and nanovibration

We consider three biophysical factors operating at the nanoscale which can affect gene expression, and thus, differentiation, in cultured mammalian cells. These factors are nanovibration, nanoforces and the local nanotopography. Work supporting these conclusions is reviewed. It is argued that stirring of the medium close to the cells cannot contribute to the effects. It is suggested that the three factors interact. Possible pathways by which this could occur are outlined.
Synchronization of cortical activity and its putative role in information processing and learning.

The first measurements of the electrical activity of the brain, performed more than 60 years ago with recordings from the scalp, revealed prominent oscillatory activity (19), and until more recently the analysis of oscillatory patterns in the electroencephalogram and in field potentials recorded with intracerebral macroelectrodes has remained a major research tool of neuro­ physiology. Analyzing the time structure of these wave patterns has estab­ lished close correlations between the frequency sp�ctrum of the oscillations and changes in the central state of the brain. Different stages of sleep and arousal and also abnormal states such as coma and anesthesia could be identified by relying exclusively on the spectral composition of frequencies in the EEG (for review see 14). However, once it became possible to record the activity of individual nerve cells, interest in field potentials and temporal structures declined. The discovery that the firing rate of neurons in peripheral structures of the nervous system reflected the intensity of sensory stimuli and the speed and force of muscle contractions introduced the notion of rate coding. The evidence of a close relation between the position of a neuron in the brain and its functional properties led to the concept of place coding. The