Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Introduction, Evolution, and Dissemination of Influenza A Viruses in Exhibition Swine in the United States during 2009 to 2013

ABSTRACT The swine-human interface created at agricultural fairs, along with the generation of and maintenance of influenza A virus diversity in exhibition swine, presents an ongoing threat to public health. Nucleotide sequences of influenza A virus isolates collected from exhibition swine in Ohio (n = 262) and Indiana (n = 103) during 2009 to 2013 were used to investigate viral evolution and movement within this niche sector of the swine industry. Phylogenetic and Bayesian analyses were employed to identify introductions of influenza A virus to exhibition swine and study viral population dynamics. In 2013 alone, we identified 10 independent introductions of influenza A virus into Ohio and/or Indiana exhibition swine. Frequently, viruses from the same introduction were identified at multiple fairs within the region, providing evidence of rapid and widespread viral movement within the exhibition swine populations of the two states. While pigs moving from fair to fair to fair is possible in some locations, the concurrent detection of nearly identical strains at several fairs indicates that a common viral source was more likely. Importantly, we detected an association between the high number of human variant H3N2 (H3N2v) virus infections in 2012 and the widespread circulation of influenza A viruses of the same genotype in exhibition swine in Ohio fairs sampled that year. The extent of viral diversity observed in exhibition swine and the rapidity with which it disseminated across long distances indicate that novel strains of influenza A virus will continue to emerge and spread within exhibition swine populations, presenting an ongoing threat to humans. IMPORTANCE Understanding the underlying population dynamics of influenza A viruses in commercial and exhibition swine is central to assessing the risk for human infections with variant viruses, including H3N2v. We used viral genomic sequences from isolates collected from exhibition swine during 2009 to 2013 to understand how the peak of H3N2v cases in 2012 relates to long-term trends in the population dynamics of pandemic viruses recently introduced into commercial and exhibition swine in the United States. The results of our spatial analysis underscore the key role of rapid viral dispersal in spreading multiple genetic lineages throughout a multistate network of agricultural fairs, providing opportunities for divergent lineages to coinfect, reassort, and generate new viral genotypes. The higher genetic diversity of genotypes cocirculating in exhibition swine since 2013 could facilitate the evolution of new reassortants, potentially with even greater ability to cause severe infections in humans or cause human-to-human transmission, highlighting the need for continued vigilance.
On capacity scaling of (long) MIMO amplify-and-forward multihop networks

Consider a multiple-input-multiple-output-multihop network consisting of n<sub>S</sub> noncooperating source antennas, n<sub>D</sub> fully cooperating destination antennas, and L clusters of n<sub>R</sub> noncooperating relay antennas each. The source signals reach the destination antennas via L + 1 hops by traversing all relay clusters. Relay antennas scale their received signals by a common constant before retransmission (amplify-and-forward). We perform an asymptotic capacity analysis assuming the elements of the (per hop) channel matrices to satisfy the conditions for the Marcenko-Pastur law. Our result: In the limit L rarr infin sum-capacity scales linearly with min{n<sub>S</sub>, n<sub>D</sub>}, if and only if L scales no faster than linearly with the ratio n<sub>R</sub>/ min{n<sub>S</sub>, n<sub>D</sub>}.
Inflammatory liver disease shortens atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade in rats

Background and objective Inflammatory liver dysfunction in rats leads to a prolonged vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade due to insufficient metabolism. A coexisting resistance against the drug partly counteracts this prolongation. The present study investigates the pharmacodynamics of atracurium whose metabolism does not depend on liver function. Methods Male Sprague–Dawley rats (n =14; 290 ± 30 g) were randomly allocated to either a group in which liver inflammation was induced by intravenous injection of 60 mg kg−1 heat-killed Corynebacterium parvum or to a control group. On day 5 after injection, liver function was assessed using the aminopyrine breath test. Under propofol anaesthesia, duration of action of atracurium (4.8 mg kg−1) was measured by evoked mechanomyography (stimulation of the sciatic nerve; contraction of the gastrocnemius muscle). Nitric oxide concentrations, as variables for the severity of the inflammation, were assessed by measurement of nitrite/nitrate plasma concentrations. Results In C. parvum-injected rats, nitrite/nitrate plasma concentrations were increased (972 ± 597 vs. 25 ± 7 &mgr;mol L−1), the aminopyrine turnover was depressed (1.7 ± 0.4% vs. 3.5 ± 0.5%), and the atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade was shortened (372 ± 128 s vs. 1081 ± 234 s). Conclusions A systemic inflammatory response syndrome with liver dysfunction results in decreased sensitivity to atracurium. Further investigations are needed regarding a possible up-regulation of acetylcholine receptors or an increased protein binding of atracurium during sepsis to clarify reasons behind this phenomenon.
Alveolar volume-surface area relation in air- and saline-filled lungs fixed by vascular perfusion.

The influence of volume changes and interfacial forces on the geometry of peripheral air spaces was studied in excised rabbit lungs inflated with either air or saline and fixed by vascular perfusion at four points of the deflation limb of the pressure-volume curve corresponding to 100, 80, 60, and 40% of the total lung capacity (TLC). In air-filled lungs pleating and folding of alveolar septa were observed, especially in alveolar corners. However, the alveolar surfaces were smooth, except at low lung volumes where some surface crumpling occurred. In saline-filled lungs pleats were absent; the alveolar surface was irregular at all inflation levels due to undulating walls and bulging capillaries. Morphometry indicated that at all alveolar volumes (VA) the surface areas (SA) were larger in saline- than air-filled lungs. No simple mathematical function was found to characterize the relation between SA and VA over the entire volume range studied. Within the range of normal breaths (80 to 40% TLC) the best fit for n in the function SA = k.VnA was 0.58 for saline-filled lungs (r = 0.93) and 0.33 for air-filled lungs (r = 0.68), suggesting different and complex deflation patterns.
Diagnosis of Retrobulbar Round Cell Neoplasia in a Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) Through Use of Computed Tomography

Abstract A 25-year-old female macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) was diagnosed with exophthalmos secondary to retrobulbar neoplasia through use of computed tomography (CT). Histopathologic examination of the mass supported a diagnosis of malignant round cell neoplasia. Immunohistochemical (IHC) labeling was applied to determine cell origin; the neoplastic cells did not label with T-cell marker CD3 or B-cell marker BLA.36 and could not be further characterized. The scleral ossicles precluded evaluation of the retrobulbar space by ultrasonography; therefore, CT scanning is recommended for examination of intraorbital structures in penguin and other avian species.
Regulation of galactose operon expression: glucose effects and role of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate

We studied the following two aspects of the glucose effect on galactose operon expression in Escherichia coli K-12: catabolite repression and inducer exclusion. Using both inducible and constitutive strains and measuring the rate of promoter-proximal enzyme synthesis, we found that the galactose operon did not seem to exhibit catabolite repression. The only glucose effect on galactose operon expression which we observed was inducer exclusion, as shown by the existence of diauxic growth in the presence of glucose and galactose. This diauxie was not relieved by cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate. Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate did not seem to be an antagonist of any glucose effect on galactose operon expression; its only effect was to stimulate promoter-distal gene expression.
Biodegradation of malachite green by Kocuria rosea MTCC 1532

Malachite green (50 mg/L) was completely decolorized under static anoxic condition within 5 h by bacteria Kocuria rosea MTCC 1532; however decolorization was not observed at shaking condition. K. rosea have also shown decolorization of azo, triphenylmethane and industrial dyes (cotton blue, methyl orange, reactive blue 25, direct blue-6, reactive yellow 81, and red HE4B). Semi-synthetic media containing molasses, urea and sucrose have shown 100, 91, 81% decolorization respectively. Induction in the activities of malachite green reductase and DCIP reductase was observed during MG decolorization suggesting their involvement in the decolorization process. UV-Visible absorption spectrum, HPLC and FTIR analysis showed degradation of MG. Toxicity study revealed the degradation of MG into non-toxic products by K. rosea.
Characterization of enterotoxin purified from Clostridium perfringens type C

Enterotoxin produced by a sporulating culture of Clostridium perfringens type C, which had been isolated from a case of severe necrotic enteritis, was purified. The molecular weight was estimated to be 36,000 by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-100 and 33,400 by ultracentrifugation. The sedimentation coefficient S20,W was 2.92. The toxin protein exhibited unusual behavior on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, and toxin aggregates having molecular weights of 68,000, 85,000, 105,000, and 140,000 were obtained. The purified enterotoxin often separated, apparently due to slight charge differences, into two protein bands on 7% polyacrylamide gels. Electrofocusing of enterotoxin on polyacrylamide gels gave an approximate isoelectric point of 4.3, with the enterotoxin being fractionated into four distinct protein bands. The specific toxicity of the enterotoxin was about 1,900 mouse mean lethal doses per mg of calculated nitrogen. The data obtained indicate that the enterotoxin from C. perfringens type C is identical in most respects to that obtained from type A strains. Whether or not this toxin plays a role in the necrotic enteritis caused by type C strains is unknown at present.
Epidemiological study of dysphonia in 4-12 year-old children

Abstract Children dysphonia studies have reported an incidence of 4.4 to 30.3%. Goals To establish the prevalence of dysphonia in children, based on the opinion of the parents, acoustic and vocal-perceptual assessments, associated symptoms, risk factors and videolaryngoscopy findings. Materials and Methods The parents from 2,000 children answered a questionnaire about the vocal quality of their children, and these children were submitted to perceptual vocal, acoustic and videolaryngoscopy assessments. Results We had 1,007 boys and 993 girls; sporadic symptoms were reported by 206 parents and permanent symptoms were reported by 123. In the perceptual assessment, the G parameter (degree of dysphonia) had a score of 0 in 694 voices; 1 in 1,065 and 2 in 228. There was f0 reduction with age and the remaining acoustic parameters were high in children with a G score of 2. Nodules, thickening and inflammation were the most common in the videolaryngoscopy exams. Conclusions Parental judgment indicated a prevalence of dysphonia in 6.15%, and perceptual analysis yielded a value of 11.4%. Vocal symptoms were associated with a phonatory overload. sinonasal disorders, vocal abuse and noise were considered relevant risk factors. The acoustic analysis kept a direct association with the perceptual-auditory. Laryngeal lesions were found in the videolaryngoscopy exams, stressing nodules, thickening and inflammation.
Effects of cytoskeletal disrupting agents on replication of bovine endothelium

Colchicine and vinblastine inhibited endothelial cell migration but had no effect on the stimulation of replication seen at wound edges in cultures of endothelium at stationary density. This is in contrast to the effects of cyto‐chalasins which inhibit both migration and replication at wound edges. Moreover, colchicine and vinblastine stimulated cell replication in the unwounded, confluent monolayer. This effect has kinetics similar to the stimulation of replication at a wound edge and is associated with an initial retraction of cell borders, leaving gaps between cells. Cytochalasin D inhibited the growth response to microtubule disrupting agents but did not prevent cell retraction. Stimulation of replication by microtubule disrupting agents was not dependent on serum but was synergistic with serum in cultures rinsed repeatedly with serum‐free medium. The replication occurred prior to any cell loss. When, however, cells were allowed to complete mitosis, about one‐half of the daughter cells detached from the monolayer so that there was no increase in cell density. We conclude that microtubule disrupting agents are the first agents found to be effective in stimumating growth of vascular endothelium at saturation density. These data further suggest that colchicine and vinblastine stimulate cell growth in a manner similar to wounding, where cell movement is a prerequisite to cell replication.
On Multiple Controller Mapping in Software Defined Networks With Resilience Constraints

We propose an effective switch-controller mapping scheme for distributed controller architectures in software defined networks. Our scheme maps a switch to multiple controllers and distributes flow setup requests among them to minimize flow setup time, satisfying the resilience constraint, which requires that a specified fraction of setup requests at each switch is not affected upon a controller failure. We develop an optimization formulation for the problem and compare our scheme against the single controller mapping. The results show that our scheme reduces flow setup time, provides better fairness among switches and that it is more stable against dynamic traffic fluctuations.
Effects of image noise, respiratory motion, and motion compensation on 3D activity quantification in count-limited PET images

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of noise, motion blur, and motion compensation using quiescent-period gating (QPG) on the activity concentration (AC) distribution—quantified using the cumulative AC volume histogram (ACVH)—in count-limited studies such as 90Y-PET/CT. An International Electrotechnical Commission phantom filled with low 18F activity was used to simulate clinical 90Y-PET images. PET data were acquired using a GE-D690 when the phantom was static and subject to 1–4 cm periodic 1D motion. The static data were down-sampled into shorter durations to determine the effect of noise on ACVH. Motion-degraded PET data were sorted into multiple gates to assess the effect of motion and QPG on ACVH. Errors in ACVH at AC90 (minimum AC that covers 90% of the volume of interest (VOI)), AC80, and ACmean (average AC in the VOI) were characterized as a function of noise and amplitude before and after QPG. Scan-time reduction increased the apparent non-uniformity of sphere doses and the dispersion of ACVH. These effects were more pronounced in smaller spheres. Noise-related errors in ACVH at AC20 to AC70 were smaller (<15%) compared to the errors between AC80 to AC90 (>15%). The accuracy of ACmean was largely independent of the total count. Motion decreased the observed AC and skewed the ACVH toward lower values; the severity of this effect depended on motion amplitude and tumor diameter. The errors in AC20 to AC80 for the 17 mm sphere were −25% and −55% for motion amplitudes of 2 cm and 4 cm, respectively. With QPG, the errors in AC20 to AC80 of the 17 mm sphere were reduced to −15% for motion amplitudes <4 cm. For spheres with motion amplitude to diameter ratio >0.5, QPG was effective at reducing errors in ACVH despite increases in image non-uniformity due to increased noise. ACVH is believed to be more relevant than mean or maximum AC to calculate tumor control and normal tissue complication probability. However, caution needs to be exercised when using ACVH in post-therapy 90Y imaging because of its susceptibility to image degradation from both image noise and respiratory motion.
Malignant chondroid syringoma—a rare cause of secondary bone tumour

Sweat‐gland carcinomas are very rare, comprising only 0.01% of primary tumours of the skin.1 Malignant chondroid syringoma is the least common variety, of which less than twenty cases have been recorded. We report a case in which this tumour presented as an osteolytic secondary deposit.
Overexpression of the TXNDC5 protein in non-small cell lung carcinoma.

UNLABELLED Thioredoxin domain containing protein 5 (TXNDC5) is a member of the thioredoxin (Trx) domain-containing family of proteins that have been implicated in cancer progression. The expression of TXNDC5 in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) tumours compared to patient-matched normal lung tissue was determined and cell line models were used to determine if expression was regulated by hypoxia. PATIENTS AND METHODS Samples of tumour and normal lung tissue were taken during surgery and immediately frozen. The expression of TXNDC5 was determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. To analyse the effect of hypoxia on TXNDC5 expression NSCLC cell lines were used. RESULTS Tumours from 18/29 (62%) individuals exhibited an increase in TXNDC5 expression compared to normal lung tissue (p<0.05). TXNDC5 expression was not elevated by hypoxia. CONCLUSION TXNDC5 is up-regulated in the majority of resected human NSCLC. Cell line data indicates that the expression of TXNDC5 in tumour cells is not regulated by hypoxia.
Rivaroxaban-related nephropathy

Novel oral anticoagulants (NOAC) are a group of drugs recently approved for the treatment of patients at high risk of arterial or venous thrombosis. Unlike vitamin K antagonists, NOAC have a faster onset of action, less drug interactions and do not need frequent monitoring, making their prescription more convenient for physicians and patients. However, both classes of drugs have the potential for nephrotoxicity. Anticoagulation-related nephropathy is a form of acute kidney injury caused by excessive anticoagulation, resulting in glomerular haemorrhage and tubular obstruction by red blood casts. It was first described with warfarin, but new cases have been reported with acenocumarol and dabigatran. We report a case of a 82-year-old woman suffering from atrial fibrillation under rivaroxaban treatment with previous normal renal function, admitted to our unit with gross haematuria and acute kidney injury. A renal biopsy revealed typical features of anticoagulant-related nephropathy superimposed on chronic interstitial nephritis and hypertensive nephroangiosclerosis. There was no recovery of renal function despite withdrawal of rivaroxaban and the patient started on chronic haemodialysis three months after initial episode. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a patient with a biopsy-proven anticoagulant nephropathy related to rivaroxaban. As novel oral anticoagulants are increasingly being prescribed and available data on their safety concerning renal toxicity are scarce, this report highlights the importance of a cautious prescription of these drugs and regular clinical and laboratory evaluation to avoid poor clinical outcomes.
Outcomes and expectations in dilemmas of trust

Rational trust decisions depend on potential outcomes and expectations of reciprocity. In the trust game, outcomes and expectations correspond to the structural factors of risk and temptation. Two experiments investigated how risk and temptation influenced information search and final decisions in the trust game. The central finding was that trustors underemphasized temptation relative to its effects on the expected value of trust. Instead, trustors made decisions egocentrically, focusing on potential outcomes. In Experiment 1, information search data revealed that trustors often made decisions without learning about the payoffs related to temptation. Experiment 2 investigated whether trustors were able to use temptation to form accurate expectations of reciprocity. Trustors understood, but underestimated, the relationship between temptation and the probability of reciprocity. Moreover, they did not fully consider expectations in their final trust decisions. Changes in potential outcomes had larger effects on trust than comparable changes in expectations. These results suggest that levels of trust are too high when the probability of reciprocity is low and too low when that probability is high.
ZSstrS: A string solver with theory-aware heuristics

We present a new string SMT solver, Z3str3, that is faster than its competitors Z3str2, Norn, CVC4, S3, and S3P over a majority of three industrial-strength benchmarks, namely, Kaluza, PISA, and IBM AppScan. Z3str3 supports string equations, linear arithmetic over length function, and regular language membership predicate. The key algorithmic innovation behind the efficiency of Z3str3 is a technique we call theory-aware branching, wherein we modify Z3's branching heuristic to take into account the structure of theory literals to compute branching activities. In the traditional DPLL(T) architecture, the structure of theory literals is hidden from the DPLL(T) SAT solver because of the Boolean abstraction constructed over the input theory formula. By contrast, the theory-aware technique presented in this paper exposes the structure of theory literals to the DPLL(T) SAT solver's branching heuristic, thus enabling it to make much smarter decisions during its search than otherwise. As a consequence, Z3str3 has better performance than its competitors.
The role of diffusion in the photoresponse of an extraretinal photoreceptor of Aplysia.

1. Membrane currents produced by flashes and steps of light (photo‐current) were recorded from the ventral photoresponsive neurone of Aplysia californica. The effects of background illumination and changes in temperature were also examined. 2. The falling phase of the response wave form may be separated into two components with time constants of 10‐‐12 sec and 50 sec. 3. Background illumination reduced the response amplitude to light impulses without appreciably altering the response wave form. 4. Lowering the temperature greatly reduced the amplitude of the photo‐current with a Q10 of 2.91 (25‐‐15 degrees C) and greatly prolonged the duration of the response. 5. Because of the relatively large distance between the plasma membrane and the pigmented cytoplasmic lipochondria where light is absorbed, a diffusion‐based model with Ca as the internal‐transmitter (Andresen & Brown, 1979) was developed. 6. In this model diffusion of Ca2+ released from the lipochondria upon photon absorption is slowed by the reversible uptake of Ca2+ at cytoplasmic binding sites. Ca2+ interacts with sites at the plasma membrane to increase GK and Ca2+ levels are subsequently restored by irreversible uptake processes. Ca2+ release and its adsorption and desorption from the more numerous plasma membrane binding sites were assumed to be instantaneous with respect to the duration of the light‐evoked response. 7. The linearized model equations adequately predict the experimental response wave forms, the effects of temperature, and saturation of the steady‐state amplitude‐‐stimulus relationship. Aside from amplitude scaling, no curve‐fitting was used. 8. The model also gives realistic values for the cytoplasmic diffusion coefficient of Ca and the net rate of Ca efflux required to restore dark Ca activity.