Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnetic fingerprints of sub-100 nm Fe dots

Author(s): Dumas, Randy K. ; Li, Chang-Peng; Roshchin, Igor V. ; Schuller, Ivan K. ; Liu, Kai | Abstract: Sub-100 nm nanomagnets not only are technologically important, but also exhibit complex magnetization reversal behaviors as their dimensions are comparable to typical magnetic domain wall widths. Here we capture magnetic "fingerprints" of 10(9) Fe nanodots as they undergo a single domain to vortex state transition, using a first-order reversal curve (FORC) method. As the nanodot size increases from 52 nm to 67 nm, the FORC diagrams reveal striking differences, despite only subtle changes in their major hysteresis loops. The 52 nm nanodots exhibit single domain behavior and the coercivity distribution extracted from the FORC distribution agrees well with a calculation based on the measured nanodot size distribution. The 58 and 67 nm nanodots exhibit vortex states, where the nucleation and annihilation of the vortices are manifested as butterflylike features in the FORC distribution and confirmed by micromagnetic simulations. Furthermore, the FORC method gives quantitative measures of the magnetic phase fractions, and vortex nucleation and annihilation fields.
Direction selectivity in V1 of alert monkeys: evidence for parallel pathways for motion processing

In primary visual cortex (V1) of macaque monkeys, motion selective cells form three parallel pathways. Two sets of direction selective cells, one in layer 4B, and the other in layer 6, send parallel direct outputs to area MT in the dorsal cortical stream. We show that these two outputs carry different types of spatial information. Direction selective cells in layer 4B have smaller receptive fields than those in layer 6, and layer 4B cells are more selective for orientation. We present evidence for a third direction selective pathway that flows through V1 layers 4Cm (the middle tier of layer 4C) to layer 3. Cells in layer 3 are very selective for orientation, have the smallest receptive fields in V1, and send direct outputs to area V2. Layer 3 neurons are well suited to contribute to detection and recognition of small objects by the ventral cortical stream, as well as to sense subtle motions within objects, such as changes in facial expressions.
A case of a patient positive for anti-cardiolipin antibodies with recurrent fetal wastage and cerebral infarction who was successfully treated with Sairei-to, low dose aspirin, and heparin

We report a successful case of a pregnant female positive for anti-cardiolipin antibodies who experienced two abnormal pregnancies with postpartum cerebral hemispheric infarctions. A 38-year-old female diagnosed as being positive for anti-cardiolipin antibodies was referred to our hospital due to her strong desire to have a baby. The administration of Japanese herbal medicine, Sairei-to, as immunosuppressive therapy, and low dose aspirin, as anti-coagulation therapy, were initiated prior to the patient’s pregnancy. Five months after beginning the treatment, the patient conceived spontaneously. At 34 weeks of gestation, emergency cesarean section was performed due to increasing genital bleeding resulting from coincidental placenta previa and the patient delivered an appropriate-for-date female infant (1970 g). Treatment with Japanese herbal medicine (Sairei-to) and low-dose aspirin is considered to be an effective treatment option for patients positive for anti-phospholipid antibodies with past histories of abnormal pregnancies.
Thirty‐one cases of Marjolin's ulcer

Marjolin's ulcer is a rare and often aggressive cutaneous malignancy that arises in previously traumatized or chronically inflamed skin, particularly after burns. We reviewed 264 burns cases treated in our departments to assess the frequency and clinicopathological features of this malignant complication. We found 31 cases of Marjolin's ulcer and a further 14 cases of nonmalignant ulceration at previous burn sites. Eighteen Marjolin's ulcers were located on the extremities, six on the scalp, six on the trunk, and one on the nose. Most malignancies were squamous cell carcinomas. The average time lag between the burns and subsequent malignant ulceration was 19 years. Four of the malignant ulcers had spread to regional lymph nodes, but there were no distant metastases. This study emphasizes that Marjolin's ulcer should be considered as a significant postburn complication.
Comparison of Modified Biophysical Profile and Doppler Ultrasound in Predicting the Perinatal Outcome at or over 36 Weeks of Gestation

Aims: In this study, modified biophysical profile (MBP) and uterine and umbilical artery Doppler ultrasonographic (USG) analysis were compared in predicting the perinatal outcome of pregnancies at ≧36 weeks. Methods: Three hundred and fifteen pregnant women were included in this study. Following routine examination, amniotic fluid index, uterine and umbilical artery Doppler indices were evaluated. Nonstress test (NST) was done and MBP was generated. Non-reassuring fetal status (NRFS), perinatal mortality, 5-min APGAR score and umbilical artery pH results were used in evaluating the perinatal outcome. Results: In groups with abnormal MBP and Doppler analysis the results of all parameters were bad. The statistical difference between the groups of normal and abnormal MBP and Doppler analysis was significant. In predicting the NRFS, MBP sensitivity was 60%, umbilical artery Doppler was 50% and uterine artery Doppler was 30%. In case of combination of findings of MBP and umbilical artery Doppler, the sensitivity rose to 70%. Conclusion: MBP was proved to be more significant than Doppler analysis in prediction of NRFS and perinatal results, but the sensitivity was increased when both were combined, so combination of MBP and Doppler analysis instead of MBP alone is more significant in antenatal assessment.
Optimal Scheduling for Real-Time Parallel Tasks

We propose an optimal algorithm for the real-time scheduling of parallel tasks on multiprocessors, where the tasks have the properties of flexible preemption, linear speedup, bounded parallelism, and arbitrary deadline. The proposed algorithm is optimal in the sense that it always finds out a feasible schedule if one exists. Furthermore, the algorithm delivers the best schedule consuming the fewest processors among feasible schedules. In this letter, we prove the optimality of the proposed algorithm. Also, we show that the time complexity of the algorithm is O(M2 · N2) in the worst case, where M and N are the number of tasks and the number of processors, respectively.
Southeastern data inconsistent with Paleoindian demographic reconstruction

Buchanan et al.'s (1) statistical evaluation of radiocarbon dates as a demographic proxy depends on accurate and complete datasets. However, their database is incomplete for the Southeast, where 181 radiocarbon dates from Paleoindian and Early Archaic deposits are now available (2). Only a fraction of these are included in their …
Chiropody May Prevent Amputations in Diabetic Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis

← Background A multidisciplinary approach has been shown to be of benefit in the prevention of lower limb ulceration and amputation in patients with diabetes, but there is less information on the role of such an approach in patients receiving dialysis treatment. ← Objective The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the institution of a chiropody program would result in fewer amputations in diabetic patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD). ← Design Retrospective chart review. ← Setting The PD program at a tertiary-care hospital. ← Patients Patients with diabetes that were enrolled in the PD program between January 1997 and December 1999, inclusive, that were offered the opportunity to see a chiropodist, and that agreed to be seen. A total of 132 patients were included. ← Intervention Education about foot care, assessment, and, in some instances, treatment by a chiropodist. ← Results Patients with an amputation were more likely to be male (p < 0.01) and have peripheral vascular disease (p < 0.001) compared to those without an amputation. They also had a lower average mean arterial pressure (p < 0.05), lower weekly creatinine clearance (p < 0.01), higher mean erythropoietin dose (p < 0.05), and longer duration of end-stage renal disease (p < 0.001). Factors that were predictive of shorter time to death or amputation were older age [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.03, p < 0.05], peripheral vascular disease (HR = 2.66, p < 0.01), and cerebrovascular disease (HR = 2.70, p < 0.01). Being seen by a chiropodist was protective (HR = 0.39, p < 0.01). ← Conclusion The current study suggests that a chiropody program may help to prevent amputation in patients with diabetes on PD.
Assessment and Application of the Biotin Switch Technique for Examining Protein S-Nitrosylation under Conditions of Pharmacologically Induced Oxidative Stress*

Protein S-nitrosylation has emerged as a principal mechanism by which nitric oxide exerts biological effects. Among methods for studying protein S-nitrosylation, the biotin switch technique (BST) has rapidly gained popularity because of the ease with which it can detect individual S-nitrosylated (SNO) proteins in biological samples. The identification of SNO sites by the BST relies on the ability of ascorbate to generate a thiol from an S-nitrosothiol, but not from alternatively S-oxidized thiols (e.g. disulfides, sulfenic acids). However, the specificity of this reaction has recently been challenged, prompting several claims that the BST may produce false-positive results and raising concerns about the application of the BST under oxidizing conditions. Here we perform a comparative analysis of the BST using differentially S-oxidized and S-nitrosylated forms of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, as well as intact and lysed human embryonic kidney 293 cells treated with S-oxidizing and S-nitrosylating agents, and verify that the assay is highly specific for SNO. Strikingly, exposure of samples to indirect sunlight from a laboratory window resulted in artifactual ascorbate-dependent signals that are likely promoted by the semidehydroascorbate radical; protection from sunlight eliminated the artifact. In contrast, exposure of SNO proteins to a strong ultraviolet light source (SNO photolysis) prior to the BST provided independent verification of assay specificity. By combining BST with photolysis, we have shown that anti-cancer drug-induced oxidative stress facilitates the S-nitrosylation of the major apoptotic effector glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate that SNO-dependent signaling pathways can be modulated by oxidative conditions and suggest a potential role for S-nitrosylation in antineoplastic drug action.
External standard method for the in vivo quantification of choline‐containing compounds in breast tumors by proton MR spectroscopy at 1.5 Tesla

Quantification of choline‐containing compounds observed with 1H MRS of breast tumors is of interest since such compounds have been linked to malignancy. Experiments were performed at 1.5 T with an external standard containing phosphocholine for calibration. In phantom studies, good precision was achieved after correction for T1/T2 effects. T2 values for choline were estimated for two breast cancer patients. A choline concentration of 2.0 mM was calculated for a third patient, a result comparable to in vitro findings. Magn Reson Med 46:189–192, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Systoles and kissing numbers of finite area hyperbolic surfaces

We study the number and the length of systoles on complete finite area orientable hyperbolic surfaces. In particular, we prove upper bounds on the number of systoles that a surface can have (the so-called kissing number for hyperbolic surfaces). Our main result is a bound which only depends on the topology of the surface and which grows subquadratically in the genus.
Prevalence of Protein C Deficiency in the Healthy Population

Summary Reported prevalence rates for protein C (PC) deficiency in the population at large have varied widely. The differences presumably reflect the existence of an apparently high number of clinically recessive forms of the deficiency. In an attempt to document more precisely the prevalence of PC deficiency in the healthy population we have measured PC activity in just under 10,000 blood donors in the West of Scotland. After repeat testing of donors with low results and then further observation and selection, 32 donors were identified who had individual mean PC activities below the age- and gender-specific study reference range. Assessment of available first degree relatives, and also PC gene analysis in 23 of these donors, allowed identification of at least 14 with an inheritable deficiency (8 by both family study and gene analysis, 3 by family study alone and 3 by gene analysis alone). Two recurring and seven unique point mutations, only one of which has been previously described, were identified. The observed prevalence of inherited PC deficiency was 1.45 per 1000 (95% Cl, 0.79/1000 to 2.43/1000). However after correcting for the possibility of missing some genuine inherited deficiencies we estimated the prevalence to be as high as 1 in 500. All cases of hereditary deficiency were asymptomatic with regard to thrombosis and none had a strong family history of thrombosis. These findings confirm the rather frequent occurrence of asymptomatic individuals with PC deficiency and support the hypothesis that additional defects in the anticoagulant pathways may be required to confer a high-thrombotic-risk phenotype.
Muscle sparing‐2 transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap for breast reconstruction: A comparison with deep inferior epigastric perforator flap

Breast reconstruction using free transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap can be divided into 4 muscle‐sparing (MS) types: conventional TRAM flap containing full width muscle as MS‐0, while deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap containing absolutely no muscle as MS‐3. We include only the muscle portion between the medial row and lateral row perforator vessels in TRAM flap, which is designated as MS‐2. Between October 1999 and April 2006, the same surgeon performed 82 breast constructions using MS‐2 free TRAM flaps in 79 patients. All the flaps survived. Postoperative complications included partial fat necrosis in 8 cases, all corresponding to zone IV or zone II. Bulging of donor site occurred in 5 patients, 4 of whom were obese and 1 had bilateral flap harvest. Compared with our own reconstructions using DIEP flap (30 cases), there were no significant differences in operative time and blood loss between the two techniques. In conclusion, MS‐2 free TRAM flap is a useful technique for breast construction considering the easy surgical techniques, length of the vascular pedicle that can be harvested, and the degree of freedom of the flap. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2008.
Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Gallbladder: An Evaluation and Reassessment of Management Strategy

Background Gallbladder neuroendocrine tumors (GB-NETs) represent only 0.5% of all NETs, and little is known about their biological behavior. We sought to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge about GB-NETs and provide a recommendation for management. Study A PubMed search was undertaken using the following criteria: primary gallbladder and carcinoid or NET. We also interrogated the SEER 9, 13 and 17 registries (1973 to 2005) and the Niigata registry (2003) to assess the epidemiology and clinicopathological characteristics. Finally, we compared the clinical presentation, management and prognosis of GB-NETs to that of gallbladder adenocarcinoma. Results GB-NETs probably derive from either a multipotent stem cell or neuroendocrine cells in intestinal or gastric metaplasia of the gallbladder epithelium, which occurs consequent upon cholelithiasis/chronic inflammation. Clinically and at surgery, GB-NETs are indistinguishable from gallbladder cancer (GBC) and “carcinoid syndrome” is evident in only ∼1%. The median survival was only 9.8 months among 278 cases of GB-NETs reported in SEER. The 5 year survival rate for tumors classified as carcinoids/neuroendocrine carcinoma or small cell cancer (SCC) was 36.9 and 0%, respectively. Soga divided GB-NETs into typical and variant carcinoids with 5 year survival rates of 60.4% and 21.3% respectively. Conclusions GB-NETs have an aggressive behavior, and once diagnosed, extensive surgical management and careful NET follow up with CT scan is mandatory to facilitate early detection of recurrence. Since more aggressive surgical management for GBC has shown increased survival rates for these tumors, a similar strategy seems reasonable for GB-NETs. However, in high grade metastatic tumors, the primary management is mainly medical.
Transfer of dietary selenium to milk.

Twenty-five lactating cows were used in groups of five to study the amounts of dietary selenium transferred to milk. Amounts of dietary selenium varied from deficient to five times the adequate concentration and ranged between 41 ppb and 828 ppb. Sodium selenite and brewers grains, a rich naturally occurring source of selenium, supplied supplemental selenium. Selenium in milk and plasma were related to the amount consumed, but the response was nonlinear since 4.8% of the added selenium was transferred to milk with a deficient diet but only . 9% of the amount of added selenium was in milk of cows consuming diets adequate in selenium. Nineteen percent of the selenium furnished in brewers grains appeared in the milk when the ration was deficient in selenium. The small amounts of selenite selenium transferred from the diet to milk were too little (5.5 micrograms/kg) to be a potential hazard to human health when a diet containing . 1 to . 2 ppm of selenium was fed to dairy cows, an amount sufficient to meet the cow's dietary needs.
Implementing Project Management Category Process Areas of CMMI Version 1.3 Using Scrum Practices, and Assets

Software development organizations that rely on Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) to assess and improve their processes have realized that agile approaches can provide improvements as well. CMMI and agile methods can work well together and exploit synergies that have the potential to improve dramatically business performance. The major question is: How to realize the integration of these two seemingly different approaches? In an earlier work, we have conducted a field study within six companies. These companies worked with agile methods for years and the Egyptian Software Engineering Competence Center (SECC), which is the regional CMMI appraisal center, assessed them. This study was mainly conducted to enhance the empirical understanding in this research field. Additionally, it showed that companies usually don’t use agile in a good way that helps in covering the CMMI specific practices. In this paper, we present a new approach for mapping between CMMI and Scrum method. This mapping has been analyzed, enhanced, and then applied to the same companies. Putting in considerations that other previous efforts have worked in the same context but for an older version of CMMI, our research is using the latest CMMI version, which is 1.3. The research shows that our mapping approach has resulted in 37% satisfaction and achieved 17% partial satisfaction for CMMI specific practices. This resembles 19.4% enhancement in the satisfaction, and 6.2% improvement in the partial satisfaction against the previous related research effort that was already not targeting the latest CMMI version.
Comprehensive Proteomic Analysis of Interphase and Mitotic 14-3-3-binding Proteins*

14-3-3 proteins regulate the cell division cycle and play a pivotal role in blocking cell cycle advancement after activation of the DNA replication and DNA damage checkpoints. Here we describe a global proteomics analysis to identify proteins that bind to 14-3-3s during interphase and mitosis. 14-3-3-binding proteins were purified from extracts of interphase and mitotic HeLa cells using specific peptide elution from 14-3-3ζ affinity columns. Proteins that specifically bound and eluted from the affinity columns were identified by microcapillary high pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Several known and novel 14-3-3-interacting proteins were identified in this screen. Identified proteins are involved in cell cycle regulation, signaling, metabolism, protein synthesis, nucleic acid binding, chromatin structure, protein folding, proteolysis, nucleolar function, and nuclear transport as well as several other cellular processes. In some cases 14-3-3 binding was cell cycle-dependent, whereas in other cases the binding was shown to be cell cycle-independent. This study adds to the growing list of human 14-3-3-binding proteins and implicates a role for 14-3-3 proteins in a plethora of essential biological processes.
Growth and development of rats artificially reared on a high or a low plane of nutrition

1. In order to exclude the possibility of differences in maternal care which are known to result from typical methods of undernutrition during the suckling period, rat pups were reared artificially on different planes of nutrition away from their mothers. 2. Artificial rearing was accomplished by fitting infant rats with a gastric cannula through which a milk substitute was infused intermittently. Rats were fed thus from 4 to 21 d on a high (ARHI) or a low (ARLO; 44% of ARHI level) plane of nutrition. Underfeeding of the ARLO group was continued till 25 d, after which all rats were given a good-quality pelleted diet ad lib. 3. Compared with mother-reared (MR) litter-mates, ARHI rats showed advanced eye-opening and, at 21 and 25 d, they resisted restraint more strongly. 4. Growth in body-weight of ARHI and MR rats was similar but, when autopsied at 32 weeks, the ARHI rats were shorter (nose–rump length) and had lighter gastrocnemius muscles, adrenals and brains, but heavier epididymal-fat pads. 5. ARLO rats had deficits at 32 weeks compared with ARHI rats in whole body, kidney and epididymal-fat-pad weights, and in tibia length. 6. In a second experiment, ARHI and MR rats were killed at 21 d. All the differences found at 32 weeks were already present at 21 d. In addition, the ARHI pups had enlarged livers and intestines but shorter tibias. 7. The milk substitute, which is one commonly used in such studies, has a low protein and high carbohydrate content compared with rats' milk. This difference probably caused the abnormal organ growth of ARHI rats.
Functional properties of gelatin recovered from scales of farmed sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

In the current study gelatin was recovered from scales of farmed sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). The first part of the study was planned to determine the yield of acid-soluble collagen and pepsin-soluble collagen from the scales. Both collagens were characterized as type I collagen, containing a-1 and a-2 chains. In the second part, gelatin was extracted using acetic acid and functional properties were determined in this product. Gelatin protein value was found to be 96% and the yield was found to be 18.49%. Proline and hydroxyproline values in the amino acid were found to be high. The gel strength of gelatin was 305 g and viscosity of the gelatin was 33 cP. The gelatin was identified as type A gelatin due to its properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis showed the characteristic similarities of gelatin produced from sea bass scales and calf skin.