Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recording nerve signals in canine sciatic nerves with a flexible penetrating microelectrode array

Objective. Previously, we presented the fabrication and characterization of a flexible penetrating microelectrode array (FPMA) as a neural interface device. In the present study, we aim to prove the feasibility of the developed FPMA as a chronic intrafascicular recording tool for peripheral applications. Approach. For recording from the peripheral nerves of medium-sized animals, the FPMA was integrated with an interconnection cable and other parts that were designed to fit canine sciatic nerves. The uniformity of tip exposure and in vitro electrochemical properties of the electrodes were characterized. The capability of the device to acquire in vivo electrophysiological signals was evaluated by implanting the FPMA assembly in canine sciatic nerves acutely as well as chronically for 4 weeks. We also examined the histology of implanted tissues to evaluate the damage caused by the device. Main results. Throughout recording sessions, we observed successful multi-channel recordings (up to 73% of viable electrode channels) of evoked afferent and spontaneous nerve unit spikes with high signal quality (SNR > 4.9). Also, minor influences of the device implantation on the morphology of nerve tissues were found. Significance. The presented results demonstrate the viability of the developed FPMA device in the peripheral nerves of medium-sized animals, thereby bringing us a step closer to human applications. Furthermore, the obtained data provide a driving force toward a further study for device improvements to be used as a bidirectional neural interface in humans.
Phased array calibration and characterization based on orthogonal coding: Theory and experimental validation

This paper presents the Control Circuit Encoding (CCE) technique used for calibrating digitally controlled phased arrays. The CCE method employs sets of orthogonal codes that are sequentially applied to all attenuators and phase-shifters in the beamformer, allowing elements to be measured in-situ simultaneously with a calibration probe in the far or near field of the array. In addition to calibrating commanded gain & phase settings the technique enables the assessment of antenna array RMS gain & phase error, as well as fast and accurate measurement of in-situ element patterns and amplifier characteristics. The paper describes the theory and presents measured results performed on various active phased array antennas.
MECHANISMS OF IMPAIRMENT OF ENDOTHELIUM‐DEPENDENT RELAXATION TO ACETYLCHOLINE IN WATANABE HERITABLE HYPERLIPIDAEMIC RABBIT AORTAS

1. The mechanism of impairment of the endothelium‐dependent relaxation in response to acetylcholine (ACh) in aortas from Watanabe heritable hyperlipidaemic (WHHL) rabbits was investigated using a modified sandwich (layered) technique. Intact aortas from WHHL rabbits or Japanese white (JW) rabbits as the control were used as donor strips of endothelium‐derived relaxing factor (EDFU? ) and endothelium‐denuded aortas from JW rabbits were used as detector strips. The EDRF released from a donor strip could be directly detected as the relaxation response in a detector strip.
Umbilical Cord Blood Lipid Parameters and its Correlation with Birth Weight of Neonates

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality in India. The important factor associated is dyslipidemia. A strong relationship has been seen in epidemiological studies between cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. The present study was planned to analyse cord blood lipid profile, apolipoproteins and atherogenic index and to see their relationship with birth weight. Method: Our study group consisted of 300 healthy fullterm newborn. The cord blood was collected immediately after a normal delivery. The blood was tested to determine lipid parameters and was correlated with birth weight. Result: The results showed that the levels of (TC), triglyceride, (HDL) and atherogenic index was higher whereas LDL was lower in high birth weight babies as compared to low birth weight and normal birth weight newborns. The correlation was positive with TC, LDL-Cholesterol, ApoB and atherogenic index but negative with TG, HDL-C and ApoA-1.
The Agency Model for Digital Goods

While digital goods industries such as entertainment, software, and publishing are growing at a rapid pace, traditional supply chain contract models have failed to evolve with the new digital economy. To illustrate, the agency model utilized by the e-book publishing industry has recently received much negative attention brought by the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit against Apple, Inc. The emerging agency model in the e-book industry works as follows: the publisher sets the price of the digital goods and the retailers who serve as agents retain a percentage of the revenue associated with a consumer purchase. The regulators claim that the agency model is hurting this industry as well as the consumer's welfare because e-book prices have increased after the introduction of the agency model. We investigate the strategic impact of the agency model by examining a digital goods supply chain with one supplier and two competing retailers. In comparison to the benchmark wholesale model, we find that the agency model can coordinate the competing retailers by dividing the coordinated profits into a prenegotiated revenue sharing proportion. Further, we also identify the Pareto improving region whereby both the supplier and the retailers prefer the agency model to the wholesale model. Our main qualitative insight regarding the agency model still holds even when we consider the presence of the printed books in the marketplace. Thus, contrary to current press presaging the negative impact of the agency model on the e-books industry, we find the agency model to be superior to the traditional wholesale contracts for publishers, retailers and consumers in this digital goods industry.
Concurrent Error Detection of Binary and Nonbinary OLS Parallel Decoders

This paper presents a concurrent error detection (CED) scheme for orthogonal Latin square (OLS) parallel decoders. Different from a CED scheme found in the technical literature that protects only the syndrome generator, the proposed CED scheme protects the whole OLS decoder for single stuck-at faults. This paper presents the detailed design and analysis of the proposed CED scheme and shows that it is strongly fault secured for single stuck-at faults. Extensive simulation results are also provided; different figures of merit such as area, power dissipation, gate depth, and coverage are assessed. It is shown that the proposed decoder designs for ( n, k) t-bit error correcting OLS codes (k = 16 .256; t = 2 .5) have reasonable overhead; for example, the average area overhead of the proposed CED is 35.5 (23.6) % compared with an OLS decoder with no CED (i.e., the previously reported CED scheme). However, the most significant advantage of the proposed scheme is that it achieves 100% fault coverage for the whole CED circuit, thus providing a very efficient and fully fault-tolerant implementation. The proposed CED is applicable to both binary and nonbinary OLS codes; the CED for a nonbinary OLS decoder achieves comparable or better results than a binary OLS decoder. Moreover, simulation shows that the proposed CED scheme is better than double modular redundancy.
Hardware design of fast HEVC 2-D IDCT targeting real-time UHD 4K applications

This paper presented a hardware design of an 4-points IDCT inverse transform module defined in the newest video coding standard, the HEVC. This work proposes a simpler way to calculate the HEVC 4-points IDCT. This approach focuses in the occurrence of special cases where the result can be calculated without the full IDCT processing. These simplifications reduced about 87.5% the number of 1-D IDCT calculations in the whole 2-D IDCT process, with an increasing of 0.4% in BD-Rate. The focus of the developed hardware design is to achieve real-time processing for UHD 4K (3840×2160 pixels) video sequences, with low hardware resources use and high performance. The architecture was implemented targeting a Cyclone V FPGA device. Synthesis results show that the designed hardware is capable to process UHD 4K videos in real time, processing up to 100 UHD 4K frames per second. Moreover, compared to the IDCT hardware design, without the proposed approach, the reduction in terms of hardware resources consumption achieves 72.3%.
THE ASSESMENT OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROGRAMS

In this essay, I present a framework for assessing conflict resolution programs and indicate how practitioners or educators can do research which will enable them to productively reflect on their practice. There are many kinds ofresearch, all ofwhich have merit. They have different purposes and often require varying types of skills. There is a tendency among both researchers and practitioners to derogate research that does not satisfy their specific needs or does not require their particular expertise. This is a profound mistake since both professional researchers and practitioners have much to contribute to the development ofknowledge about conflict resolution programs.
Cardiac Imaging: New, Innovative Techniques in Ischemia Detection

The aim of this chapter is to explain why it is necessary to go beyond routine angiography and use new and innovative techniques to diagnose myocardial ischemia. Anesthesiologists frequently encounter patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), which is a source of significant cardiac complications in the perioperative period. In the United States alone, nearly 600,000 people die annually of IHD, accounting for 1 in every 4 deaths. IHD is largely preventable, with many contributing modifiable risk factors such as smoking, diet, obesity, hypertension, sedentary lifestyle, and diabetes mellitus (DM). Perioperative ischemia is common, especially in the postoperative period, with the majority of ischemic episodes presenting as “silent” ischemia. In a study of 1487 male patients over the age of 40 years undergoing noncardiac surgery, it was shown that the incidence of postoperative myocardial infarction was approximately 1% in patients without IHD but it increased >4 times in patients with IHD. Patients with IHD demonstrating signs of ischemia in the perioperative period are more likely to sustain myocardial infarction. DM is an established, independent risk factor for IHD, resulting in more than double the mortality rate found in nondiabetic subjects. The prevalence of DM in the United States has rapidly increased from 4% to 6.3% in the past 20 years, with the result that physicians are seeing
Subclavian Central Venous Catheters and Ultrasound Guidance: Policy vs Practice

Purpose Policy statements recommend the use of ultrasound guidance (USG) to improve patient safety during placement of central venous catheters (CVCs). Studies have conclusively demonstrated greater success rates and fewer complications with the use of USG in catheter placement using the internal jugular vein approach. Data supporting the use of USG for the subclavian vein (SCV) approach, however, have been less conclusive, and USG for SCV cannulation is rarely used in clinical practice. We compared USG placement versus anatomic placement during subclavian insertion of a CVC. Methods A prospective randomized study was performed in March 2010 using a simulation model. Results Ultrasound guidance did not provide a statistically significant benefit for successful cannulation of the SCV (93.3% with USG and 100% without; P=0.15 or 2) or for rate of inadvertent arterial puncture (3.3% with USG and 0% without; P=0.31). Conclusions The use of USG to access the SCV utilizing a task trainer did not improve time to cannulation or success rates. Further study is required to delineate why USG for SCV cannulation has not been widely adopted in clinical practice.
THE IMPACT OF PREDATOR-INDUCED STRESS ON THE SNOWSHOE HARE CYCLE

The sublethal effects of high predation risk on both prey behavior and phys- iology may have long-term consequences for prey population dynamics. We tested the hypothesis that snowshoe hares during the population decline are chronically stressed be- cause of high predation risk whereas those during the population low are not, and that this has negative effects on both their physiology and demography. Snowshoe hares exhibit 10- yr population cycles; during declines, virtually every hare that dies is killed by a predator. We assessed the physiological responsiveness of the stress axis and of energy mobilization by subjecting hares during the population decline and low to a hormonal-challenge protocol. We monitored the population demography through live-trapping and assessed reproduction through a maternal-cage technique. During the 1990s' decline in the Yukon, Canada, hares were chronically stressed-as indicated by higher levels of free cortisol, reduced maximum corticosteroid-binding ca- pacity, reduced testosterone response, reduced index of body condition, reduced leucocyte counts, increased overwinter body-mass loss, and increased glucose mobilization, relative to hares during the population low. This evidence is consistent with the explanation that predation risk, not high hare density or poor nutritional condition, accounted for the chronic stress and for the marked deterioration of reproduction during the decline. Reproduction and indices of stress physiology did not improve until predation risk declined. These findings may also account for the lag in recovery of hare reproduction after predator densities have declined and thus may implicate the long-term consequences of predation risk on prey populations beyond the immediate effects of predators on prey behavior and physiology.
Immunogenicity of Allo-Vesicle Carrying ERBB2 Tumor Antigen for Dendritic Cell-Based Anti-Tumor Immunotherapy

Dendritic cells (DCs) are able to orchestrate innate and acquired immunity and can activate and sustain a long-lasting anti-tumor immune response in vivo when used as anti-tumor cell therapy. The selection of the antigen and the choice of its formulation are key points in designing anti-cancer DC-based vaccines. Cell released vesicles/exosomes have been shown to transfer antigens, HLAI/peptide complexes and co-stimulatory molecules to recipient cells. In this study we describe the generation of an allogenic microvesicle cell factory in which the expression of a specific tumor antigen was combined to the expression of co-stimulatory and allogeneic molecules. The DG75 lymphoblastoid cell line was selected as microvesicle producer and transfected with ErbB2, as tumor antigen prototype. The shed microvesicles transferred antigenic components to recipient DCs, increasing their immunogenicity. DC pulsing resulted in cross-presentation of ErbB2 both in HLAI and HLAII compartments, and ErbB2-specific CD8+ T cells from cancer patients were activated by DCs pulsed with vesicle-bound ErbB2. The microvesicle cell factory proposed may represent a source of cell free immunogen to be used for DC-based cancer therapy.
Investigational parathyroid hormone receptor analogs for the treatment of osteoporosis

Introduction: Intermittent parathyroid hormone (PTH) administration, acting through multiple signaling pathways, exerts an osteoanabolic effect on the skeleton that surpasses the effect of other antiosteoporotic agents. However, its efficacy is limited by the coupling effect and relatively common adverse events. Thus, the development of more sophisticated PTH receptor analogs seems imperative. Areas covered: In this review, the authors summarize the role of PTH signaling pathway in bone remodeling. The authors also summarize investigational analogs targeting this pathway, which may be potential treatments for osteoporosis. Expert opinion: β-arrestins are multifunctional cytoplasmic molecules that are decisive for regulating intracellular PTH signaling. Recently, in preclinical studies, arrestin analogs have achieved the anabolic bone effect of PTH without an accompanying increase in bone resorption. However, it is not yet known whether these analogs have adverse effects and there are no clinical data for their efficacy to date. On the other hand, several molecules derived either from PTH and PTH-related protein (PTHrP) molecules have been developed. Alternative routes of PTH 1 – 34 delivery (oral, transdermal), the PTH analog ostabolin and the N-terminal PTHrP analogs PTHrP 1 – 36 and abaloparatide, have recently been or are currently being tested in clinical trials and are more likely to become available for use in the near future.
Subcellular trafficking of the yeast plasma membrane ABC transporter, Pdr5, is impaired by a mutation in the N‐terminal nucleotide‐binding fold

The plasma membrane ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporter, Pdr5p, mediates resistance to many different xenobiotic compounds in yeast. We have isolated several mutated forms that fail to confer resistance to cycloheximide and itraconazole. Here, we examined two variants, the expression of which was abnormally low when cells reach the stationary phase of growth. The Pdr51157 variant lacked the C‐terminal transmembrane domain due to the presence of a nonsense mutation at codon 1158. The second variant, Pdr5L183P, contained a Leu183Pro substitution close to the Walker A motif in the N‐terminal nucleotide‐binding domain. This substitution impaired UTPase activity as well as protein stability. The Pdr5L183P variant induced the unfolded protein response and was targeted to the proteasome for degradation. Fluorescence microscopy showed that the highly unstable Pdr5L183P was mislocalized to endoplasmic reticulum (ER)‐associated compartments, whereas the truncated Pdr51157 protein was retained in the ER. When threonine 363 (located in the first nucleotide‐binding domain, close to the Walker B motif) in Pdr5L183P was replaced with isoleucine, this double mutant conferred partial drug resistance. These results suggest that Pdr5p requires a properly folded nucleotide‐binding domain for trafficking to the plasma membrane.
The use of the indicator fluo‐5N to measure sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium in single muscle fibres of the cane toad

1 Single fibres from the lumbrical muscles of the cane toad (Bufo marinus) were incubated in fluo‐5N AM for 2 h at 35 °C in order to load the indicator into the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Fluo‐5N is a low‐affinity calcium indicator (KCa 90 μm). Successful sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) loading was indicated by a fluorescence signal that declined during contraction. 2 Confocal microscopy showed that the dye loaded principally in lines perpendicular to the long axis of the fibre that repeated each sarcomere. This is consistent with much of the dye residing in the SR. 3 To establish the site of loading, fibres were exposed to 30 mm caffeine in the presence of 20 μm 2,5‐di(tert‐butyl)1,4‐hydroquinone (TBQ, an SR pump inhibitor) which should release most Ca2+ from the SR; this procedure reduced the fluorescence to 46 ± 4 % of the control value. To determine how much indicator was in the myoplasm, fibres were exposed to 100 μg ml−1 saponin which permeabilizes the surface membrane; saponin treatment reduced the fluorescence to 51 ± 2 % of the control value. 4 During maximally activated tetani (100 Hz stimulation rate, 22 °C) the component of signal from the SR declined by 33 ± 4 %. During relaxation the SR signal recovered in two phases with time constants of 0.38 ± 0.14 s and 10.1 ± 1.7 s. Partially activated tetani (30 Hz stimulation rate) showed a smaller SR signal. Application of the SR Ca2+ pump inhibitor TBQ slowed the rate of recovery of the SR signal. 5 Muscle fatigue was produced by repeated short tetani until tension was reduced to 50 %. The SR signal during the periods between tetani declined steadily and the SR Ca2+ signal was eventually reduced to 71 ± 8 % of the control signal. This signal recovered in two phases when the muscle was rested. An initial phase had a time constant of 1.7 ± 0.2 s so that by 20 s of recovery the SR Ca2+ signal was 86 ± 7 % of control; the second phase was slower and by 5 min the SR Ca2+ signal was back to control values (98 ± 5 % control). In addition the magnitude of the SR signal decline associated with each tetanus (Δ[Ca2+]SR) declined monotonically throughout fatigue and returned to control after 5 min recovery. 6 This approach can monitor the SR Ca2+ concentration in normally functioning muscle fibres with good time resolution. The method confirms other approaches that show that the free Ca2+ available for release in the SR declines during fatigue. This reduction in [Ca2+]SR will contribute to the failure of Ca2+ delivery to the myofilaments which is an important cause of muscle fatigue.
Reversal of hyperglycemia in diabetic mice by a marginal islet mass together with human blood outgrowth endothelial cells is independent of the delivery technique and blood clot-induced processes

We recently reported that human blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOEC) are supportive to reverse hyperglycemia in marginal islet mass-transplanted diabetic mice. In this report, we investigated whether the observed effect was evoked by islet packing in a blood clot prior to transplantation or could be mimicked by another method of islet/cell delivery. A marginal islet mass with or without BOEC was grafted underneath the kidney capsule of diabetic recipient mice via a (blood clot-independent) tubing system and compared with previous islet packing in a blood clot. The effect on metabolic outcome of both delivery techniques as well as the additive effect of BOEC was subsequently evaluated. Marginal islet mass transplantation via a tubing system required more islets per recipient than via a blood clot. Using the tubing method, transplantation of a marginal islet mass combined with 5 x 105 BOEC resulted in reversal of hyperglycemia, improved glucose tolerance and increased kidney insulin content. The present study provides evidence that (1) previous packing in a blood clot results in more effective islet delivery compared with tubing; (2) BOEC exert a beneficial effect on marginal islet transplantation, independent of grafting technique and potential blood clot-induced processes. These data further support the use of BOEC in (pre-) clinical studies that aim to improve current islet transplantation protocols.
Iodine-123-MIBG imaging of neuroblastoma: utility of SPECT and delayed imaging.

UNLABELLED Possible incremental diagnostic benefits of SPECT and delayed planar imaging with [123I]MIBG in neuroblastoma have not yet been fully established. METHODS Whole-body delayed planar [123I]MIBG imaging at 48 hr and SPECT imaging of the chest-abdomen or other suspected sites obtained at 24 hr were compared with routine planar imaging at 24 hr in 83 studies of 29 children with neuroblastoma. The sensitivity for each of the [123I]MIBG imaging methods was calculated on a study-by-study and on a lesion-by-lesion basis. RESULTS Fifty-one planar imaging studies were performed in 20 patients with evidence of disease which was detected in 48 studies by 24-hr imaging (94.1% sensitivity) and in 44 studies by 48-hr imaging (86.3% sensitivity). On a lesion-by-lesion basis, sensitivity was 88.8% for the 24-hr scan, 86.7% for the 48-hr scan and 92.2% for a combination of the two (p = ns). Forty-three SPECT studies were performed in 20 patients with evidence of disease in the field of view of the SPECT camera. Disease was detected in 40 SPECT studies (93% sensitivity), in 38 planar scans at 24 hr (84.4% sensitivity) and in 37 planar scans at 48 hr (86.0% sensitivity). On a lesion-by-lesion basis, sensitivity was 83.6% for the 24-hr planar scan, 86.1% for the 48-hr planar scan, 88.2% for a combination of the two planar scans and 97.9% for SPECT (p < 0.001 compared with planar). The anatomic locations of tumors were clearer on SPECT in 15 studies. CONCLUSION Delayed 48-hr planar scanning may occasionally depict more lesions than 24-hr imaging, but it may also miss lesions with rapid washout. SPECT imaging significantly increases the number of lesions detected and better defines anatomic location of tumors.