Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Growth characteristics and pathogenesis of experimental Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was produced in two groups of rats by the administration of corticosteroids, a low-protein (8%) diet, and tetracycline in the drinking water. A third group not on corticosteroids or a low-protein diet served as controls. Members of the first group were sacrificed weekly for 8 weeks, and lungs were examined. A highly significant correlation was found between the histopathological assessment of the intensity of P. carinii infection and the number of cysts counted in enzyme-digested lungs. P. carinii progressively filled alveoli, and cyst counts increased from less than or equal to 10(4) to 10(9) cysts/g of lung at peak intensity of infection at 7 to 8 weeks. The second group of rats was placed on a regular diet and tapering doses of corticosteroids after week 4, and they were sacrificed at varying intervals for up to 21 weeks. P. carinii was not cleared from the lungs until after week 13 (more than 6 weeks after discontinuation of all steroids). Histologically, there was an increased prominence of alveolar macrophages and the progressive development of interstitial mononuclear cell infiltrate and fibrosis. Thus, P. carinii grows grows slowly in vivo and interacts with specific host cells. The resulting changes may be important in the pathogenesis of the infection and in the clearance of the organism from the lung after immunocompetence has been restored.
Routing and spectrum sharing in geo-location database assisted secondary multi-hop networks

Users in secondary multi-hop networks have to select paths and obtain spectrum for the selected paths to deliver their traffic. We consider a case that users obtain TV white spaces from a geo-location database for their selected paths at some cost. To reduce the cost of routing, users will reuse their spectrum along the paths. Due to link diversity, redundant spectrum exists on some links. To further improve spectrum utilization in the network, we propose a Nash bargaining based spectrum sharing rule for users to share and reduce redundant spectrum. Analytical and simulation results show that our proposal reduces the total spectrum requirement in the network.
Architecture and design of real-time system for elderly health monitoring

Despite the decreased human mortality rate, heart disorders are one of the main causes of death around the world. As a result, detection of irregularities in the rhythms of the heart is a growing concern in medical researches. The collection, processing, and visualisation of such biomedical data in real-time is a challenging task due to the large amounts of data that need to be processed, especially when the records are made for a long time. Recent technological advances in sensors and low-power microelectronics enabled the development of a single embedded biomedical chip capable of running computationally intensive biomedical applications, such as remote analysis and monitoring of human heart activity, which is still a challenging problem for biomedical engineers. In this work, we present a novel architecture and hardware/software prototyping of a real-time system, targeted for elderly health monitoring, named BANSMOM. The proposed system achieves its real-time performance via parallel processing techniques and a period-peak-detection algorithm (PPD) for processing multi-lead electrocardiography records in parallel. We tested the proposed system with real ECG fixed length records (10 s/sample) from the MIT database. From the evaluation results, we found that the system meets its real-time requirements and achieves about 69% accuracy.
Transcriptome analysis of reproductive-stage Arabidopsis plants exposed gamma-ray irradiation at various doses

Abstract Purpose: Gamma rays (GR) induce significant changes in the structure and expression of genes involved in the regulation of diverse biochemical and physiological processes. Arabidopsis plants exhibit different growth and development patterns in response to exposure to GR. The effects on gene expression of different radiation doses of GR (100 and 800 Gy) administered to Arabidopsis plants were examined at the reproductive stage. Materials and methods: We irradiated 26-day-old plants with three replications [developmental stages 5.1–6.0, according to Boyes et al. (2001)] using a GR irradiator (60 Co, ca. 150 TBq capacity, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Ontario, Canada) at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Plants were treated with 100, 200, 300, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, or 2000 Gy, and the doses were made from varying the distance to the source. Results: We conducted a high-throughput screening analysis and detected 883 GR-responsive genes that showed significant changes; these were involved in several putative metabolic pathways related to biotic stress. Additionally, five overrepresented cis-regulatory elements were identified in the 1-kb upstream regions of GR-responsive genes by using motif enrichment analysis. We also detected three GR-responsive genes associated with stamen development and confirmed their co-regulation with functionally interacting genes. Conclusions: This finding suggests that a network-based analysis is a viable approach to identify significant GR-responsive genes associated with the reproductive stage of Arabidopsis. Our results provide further insights into the complex biological systems involved in the response to different doses of GR in plants.
Fuzzy logic modelling for thermophilic anaerobic digestion of palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment

Treatment of POME has become more challenging with stringent effluent discharge standards and difficulty of current treatment processes to meet the standards due to the complex nature of POME. Utilization of high-rate anaerobic reactor operated under thermophilic condition is proposed for primary POME treatment due to low energy requirements and biogas production that could generate revenue to the industry. However, successful implementation of such system is dependent on the availability of a well-defined model. Hence, fuzzy inference method was employed to model the thermophilic anaerobic digestion of POME. Fuzzy Inference Model (FIM) which utilizes historical data of the reactor condition and digestion performance showed worthy estimation, with an average error and standard deviation of 2.81% and 2.10%; 10.35% and 8.67%; 12.22% and 10.40% for pH, COD and TSS correspondingly.
RAPID FRACTIONATION OF BOVINE TRANSFERRIN USING IMMOBILIZED GANGLIOSIDES

Bovine transferrin (BTF) was fractionated from bovine whey using ganglioside affinity chromatography. After loading the immobilized matrix with a 2% whey solution, the matrix was washed with sodium acetate buffer at pH 4 containing1 M NaCl before elution of BTF with sodium phosphate buffers at pH 7. Concanavalin-A affinity and ion exchange chromatography were used for further purification. The ganglioside column showed a 74.2% BTF recovery from whey and BTF was enriched to 61% purity with ion exchange chromatography. Bovine transferrin was identified by SDS-PAGE and western analysis. The Concanavalin-A affinity and ion exchange chromatography steps enriched BTF in the samples and removed other whey proteins from ganglioside purified fractions. These results indicate that immobilized ganglioside can be used to fractionate BTF from bovine whey. Our novel ganglioside affinity chromatography is rapid and efficient for the fractionation of BTF from whey.
Mouse S-factors based on Monte Carlo simulations in the anatomical realistic Moby phantom for internal dosimetry.

INTRODUCTION Biokinetic and dosimetry studies in small animals often precede clinical radionuclide therapies. As in human studies, a reliable evaluation of therapeutic efficacy is essential and must be based on accurate dosimetry, which must be based on a realistic dosimetry model. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in the results when using a more anatomic realistic mouse phantom, as compared to previously mathematically described phantoms, based mainly on ellipsoids and cylinders. The difference in results from the two Monte Carlo codes, EGS4 and MCNPX 2.6a, was also evaluated. METHODS An anatomical correct mouse phantom (Moby) was developed by Segars et al. for the evaluation and optimization of the in vivo imaging of mice. The Moby phantom is based on surfaces, which allows for an easy and flexible definition of organ sizes. It includes respiratory movements and a beating heart. It also allows for a redefinition of the location of several internal organs. The execution of the Moby program generates a three-dimensional voxel-based phantom of a specified size, which was modified and used as input for Monte Carlo simulations of absorbed fractions and S-factors. The radiation transport was simulated both with the EGS4 system and the MCNPX 2.6a code. Calculations were done for the radionuclides (18)F, (124)I, (131)I, (111)In, (177)Lu, and (90)Y. S-factors were calculated using in-house-developed IDL programs and compared with results from previously published models. RESULTS The comparison of S-factors obtained by the Moby model and mathematical phantoms showed that these, in many cases, were within the same range, whereas for some organs, they were underestimated in the mathematical phantoms. The results were closer to the more anatomically realistic phantom than to the mathematical phantoms, with some exceptions. When investing differences between MCNPX 2.6a and EGS4 using the Moby phantom, results indicated some differences in absorbed fractions for electrons. This reason may be owing to differences in the codes regarding the theory for which electron transport are simulated. CONCLUSIONS It is possible to calculate S-factors that are specific for small animals, such as mice. The Moby phantom is useful as a dosimetry model because it is anatomically realistic, but still very flexible, with 35 accurately segmented regions.
Introduction to Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in Biology

The atomic force microscope (AFM) has the unique capability of imaging biological samples with molecular resolution in buffer solution. In addition to providing topographical images of surfaces with nanometer‐ to angstrom‐scale resolution, forces between single molecules and mechanical properties of biological samples can be investigated from the nanoscale to the microscale. Importantly, the measurements are made in buffer solutions, allowing biological samples to “stay alive” within a physiological‐like environment while temporal changes in structure are measured—e.g., before and after addition of chemical reagents. These qualities distinguish AFM from conventional imaging techniques of comparable resolution, e.g., electron microscopy (EM). This unit provides an introduction to AFM on biological systems and describes specific examples of AFM on proteins, cells, and tissues. The physical principles of the technique and methodological aspects of its practical use and applications are also described. Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci. 58:17.7. 1‐17.7. 19. © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs in Sweden with Zero Concentration Limits in Blood for Controlled Substances

Objective. This article describes the background and implementation in Sweden of zero-concentration limits for controlled drugs in the blood of drivers. Eliminating the need to prove that a person's ability to drive safely was impaired by drugs has greatly simplified the prosecution case, which now rests primarily on the forensic toxicology report. Driving under the influence of a prescription drug listed as a controlled substance is exempt from the zero-limit law provided the medication was being used in accordance with a physician's direction and the person was not considered unfit to drive. Methods. The prevalence of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) in Sweden was evaluated from police reports with the main focus on the toxicological findings. A large case series of DUID suspects was compared before and after introducing zero concentration limits in blood for controlled substances on July 1, 1999. The spectrum of drugs used by typical offenders and the concentrations of various licit and illicit substances in blood were evaluated and compared. Results. Immediately after the zero-limit law came into force, the number of cases of DUID submitted by the police for toxicological analysis increased sharply and is currently ten-fold higher than before the new legislation. Statistics show that about 85% of all blood samples sent for toxicological analysis have one or more banned substances present. Amphetamine is by far the leading drug of abuse in Sweden and was identified in about 50–60% of all DUID suspects either alone or together with other controlled substances. The next most frequently encountered illicit drug was tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), with positive findings in about 20–25% of cases. Various prescription drugs, mainly sedative-hypnotics like diazepam and flunitrazepam, were also highly prevalent and these occurred mostly together with illicit substances. Opiates, such as 6-acetyl morphine and morphine, the metabolites of heroin, were high on the list of substances identified. Most DUID suspects in Sweden were men (85%) who were poly-drug users combining illicit substances, like amphetamine and/or cannabis, with a prescription medication such as various benzodiazepines. Conclusions. Sweden's zero-concentration limit has done nothing to reduce DUID or deter the typical offender because recidivism is high in this population of individuals (40–50%). Indeed, many traffic delinquents in Sweden are criminal elements in society with previous convictions for drunk and/or drugged driving as well as other offenses. The spectrum of drugs identified in blood samples from DUID suspects has not changed much since the zero-limit law was introduced.
Suppression of leakage on stripline and microstrip structures

Recent investigations have shown that leaky dominant modes exist on various planar transmission lines. Two specific structures that support leaky modes are a conventional stripline with a small air gap above the conducting strip, and a conventional microstrip. The leaky dominant mode leaks into only the fundamental guided-wave mode of the background structure in each case. For stripline, the leakage occurs over a wide frequency range, down to zero frequency. For microstrip, the leakage occurs only at high frequencies. For both structures, the leakage results in spurious performance and crosstalk, and thus it is important to investigate methods for suppressing the leaky modes. It is demonstrated here that the leakage can be eliminated by the use of suitable bonding films or superstrate layers. Anisotropic as well as isotropic substrates are treated, and interesting differences are found. Furthermore, it is shown that certain structures, such as suspended stripline and inverted microstrip, do not support leaky modes for most practical ranges of parameters. <<ETX>>
Porous polymer monoliths: Simple and efficient mixers prepared by direct polymerization in the channels of microfluidic chips

Porous monolithic polymers have been prepared by photoinitiated polymerization of mixtures consisting of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, ethylene dimethacrylate, UV‐sensitive free radical initiator and porogenic solvent within channels of specifically designed microfluidic chips and used as micromixers. Substituting azobisisobutyronitrile with 2,2‐dimethoxy‐2‐phenylacetophenone considerably accelerated the kinetics of the polymerization. Mixtures of cyclohexanol and 1‐dodecanol and of hexane and methanol were used, respectively, to control the porous properties and therefore the mixing efficiency of the device. The performance of the monolithic mixers has been tested by pumping aqueous solutions of two fluorescent dyes at various flow rates and monitoring the point at which the boundary of both streams completely disappears. Best results were achieved with a monolithic mixer containing very large irregular pores.
Association between anti-pGL-I IgM and clinical and demographic parameters in leprosy.

OBJECTIVE To determine the risk factors and clinical significance of anti-PGL-I seropositivity. DESIGN A large-scale sero-epidemiological study (COLEP) was carried out in northwest Bangladesh. Blood on filter paper from 1025 newly diagnosed patients was collected before treatment was started and tested with an anti-PGL-I ELISA; the relation between patient determinants and seropositivity was calculated using logistic regression. RESULTS The median age was 30 years and the male:female ratio 1.9. Overall, 342 patients (33.4%) were seropositive. The following determinants showed a significant correlation with seropositivity (P < 0-05) in multivariate analysis: sex, age, disability grade, bacterial index and classification according to the World Health Organization (WHO) system. The number and extent of clinical signs correlated with seropositivity, except for the presence of satellite lesions. People with or without a BCG vaccination scar had a similar risk to be seropositive. CONCLUSION Serology is a marker for a higher systemic bacterial load and may identify potential infectious sources among patients with few clinical signs. The size of skin lesions was positively correlated with seropositivity. We did not find different levels of seropositivity among patients with one or two skin lesions, neither did we find different levels among patients with or without satellite
Efficacy of recombinant adenovirus‐mediated double suicide gene therapy in human keloid fibroblasts

Background. The recombinant adenovirus‐mediated double suicide gene CDglyTK has been widely used for gene therapy of cancer. The biological behaviour of keloids is similar to that of cancer, in that they may extend beyond the site of injury, and do not subside. There are no effective strategies available for keloid therapy. Gene therapy is gaining greater importance in the field of plastic surgery, and the CDglyTK double suicide gene/prodrug system has been receiving greater attention.
The University of California, San Francisco Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment score: a straightforward and reliable preoperative predictor of disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE Multivariate prognostic instruments aim to predict risk of recurrence among patients with localized prostate cancer. We devised a novel risk assessment tool which would be a strong predictor of outcome across various levels of risk, and which could be easily applied and intuitively understood. MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied 1,439 men diagnosed between 1992 and 2001 who had undergone radical prostatectomy and were followed in the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE) database, a longitudinal, community based disease registry of patients with prostate cancer. Disease recurrence was defined as prostate specific antigen (PSA) 0.2 ng/ml or greater on 2 consecutive occasions following prostatectomy or a second cancer treatment more than 6 months after surgery. The University of California, San Francisco-Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (UCSF-CAPRA) score was developed using preoperative PSA, Gleason score, clinical T stage, biopsy results and age. The index was developed and validated using Cox proportional hazards and life table analyses. RESULTS A total of 210 patients (15%) had recurrence, 145 by PSA criteria and 65 by second treatment. Based on the results of the Cox analysis, points were assigned based on PSA (0 to 4 points), Gleason score (0 to 3), T stage (0 to 1), age (0 to 1) and percent of biopsy positive cores (0 to 1). The UCSF-CAPRA score range is 0 to 10, with roughly double the risk of recurrence for each 2-point increase in score. Recurrence-free survival at 5 years ranged from 85% for a UCSF-CAPRA score of 0 to 1 (95% CI 73%-92%) to 8% for a score of 7 to 10 (95% CI 0%-28%). The concordance index for the UCSF-CAPRA score was 0.66. CONCLUSIONS The UCSF-CAPRA score is a straightforward yet powerful preoperative risk assessment tool. It must be externally validated in future studies.
RhoA, encoding a Rho GTPase, is associated with smoking initiation

We used microarray analysis of acute nicotine responses in mouse brain to choose rationale candidates for human association studies on tobacco smoking and nicotine dependence (ND). Microarray studies on the time–course of acute response to nicotine in mouse brain identified 95 genes regulated in ventral tegmental area. Among these, 30 genes were part of a gene network, with functions relevant to neural plasticity. On this basis and their known roles in drug abuse or synaptic plasticity, we chose the genes RhoA and Ywhag as candidates for human association studies. A synteny search identified human orthologs and we investigated their role in tobacco smoking and ND in a human case–control association study. We genotyped five and three single nucleotide polymorphisms from the RhoA and Ywhag genes, respectively. Both single marker and haplotype analyses were negative for the Ywhag gene. For the RhoA gene, rs2878298 showed highly significant genotypic association with both smoking initiation (SI) and ND (P = 0.00005 for SI and P = 0.0007 for ND). In the allelic analyses, rs2878298 was only significant for SI. In the multimarker haplotype analyses, significant association with SI was found for the RhoA gene (empirical global P values ranged from 9 × 10−5 to 10−5). In all multimarker combinations analyzed, with or without inclusion of the single most significant marker rs2878298, identical risk and protective haplotypes were identified. Our results indicated that the RhoA gene is likely involved in initiation of tobacco smoking and ND. Replication and future model system studies will be needed to validate the role of RhoA gene in SI and ND.
Causes and Prognosis of Acute Renal Failure in the Very Old

OBJECTIVES: There is a tendency to treat older people with Acute Renal Failure (ARF) less aggressively because of the presumed less acceptable end results. This has not been proved, and their prognosis may be similar to that found in the younger population. There are no studies on the incidence, causes, and evolution of ARF in patients 80 years of age and older.
A modular converter with embedded battery cell balancing for electric vehicles

New topologies of switching power converters could improve the efficiency of the energy conversion of battery electric vehicles, by achieving low cell unbalance and reduced harmonic content of the output currents. This article proposes a modular multi-cell converter with embedded cell balancing for battery electric vehicles. In this new topology, the series connection of the cell is obtained by means of chopper cells, allowing the highest flexibility for the discharge and recharge of each individual cell. The balancing algorithm is presented and discussed in the paper, showing that the converter is capable of producing symmetric three-phase voltages with low harmonic content even for significantly unbalanced cells. The modular multi-cell converter is simulated for the application to a city car to demonstrate the main features of the balancing algorithm and the technical features of the proposed converter.