Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting analysis of smooth-lipopolysaccharide heterogeneity among Brucella biovars related to A and M specificities

Smooth (S)-lipopolysaccharide (LPS) preparations from reference and field strains of several biovars of Brucella abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis were prepared by (i) the hot phenol-water method, (ii) hot sodium dodecyl sulfate extraction and proteinase K digestion, or (iii) dimethyl sulfoxide extraction. These S-LPS-enriched fractions were further analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining after periodate oxidation. Immunoblots were developed by using either monoclonal antibodies specific for Brucella A or M antigens or polyclonal polyspecific or monospecific sera from rabbits, cattle, and goats. The specificity of monoclonal antibodies reactive with Brucella unique (A or M) epitopes was demonstrated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, LPS latex agglutination, or agglutination inhibition. The most-represented subunits of S-LPS ranged in Mr from 30,000 to 70,000 relative to marker proteins. According to A or M immunodominance, two sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis banding patterns were clearly distinguished among biovars, whatever the fraction tested: a close succession of regularly spaced narrow bands for A greater than M strains and regularly spaced triplets of bands including either (i) a first thin band followed by two thick bands for B. abortus M greater than A strains or (ii) one thick band between two thin bands for B. melitensis or B. suis M greater than A strains. Moreover, A and M specificities were reaffirmed by sandwich enzyme immunoassay and latex agglutination inhibition with monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal sera.
Liposomal Bupivacaine for Pain Control After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background: Local anesthetics are commonly administered into surgical sites as a part of multimodal pain control regimens. Liposomal bupivacaine is a novel formulation of bupivacaine designed for slow diffusion of a single dose of local anesthetic over a 72-hour period. While early results are promising in various settings, no studies have compared pain management regimens containing liposomal bupivacaine to traditional regimens in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Purpose: To evaluate liposomal bupivacaine in comparison with 0.25% bupivacaine hydrochloride (HCl) for pain control after ACL reconstruction. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: A total of 32 adult patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction with a soft tissue quadriceps tendon autograft between July 2014 and March 2015 were enrolled. All patients received a femoral nerve block immediately before surgery. Patients then received either a 40-mL suspension of 20 mL Exparel (1 vial of bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) and 20 mL 0.9% injectable saline or 20 mL 0.5% bupivacaine HCl and 20 mL 0.9% injectable saline, which was administered into the graft harvest site and portal sites during surgery. Patients were given either a postoperative smartphone application or paper-based journal to record data for 1 week after ACL reconstruction. Results: Of the 32 patients recruited, 29 patients were analyzed (90.6%). Two patients were lost to follow-up, and 1 was excluded because of a postoperative hematoma. There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative pain, medication use, pain location, recovery room time, or mobility between the 2 study groups. Conclusion: There were comparable outcomes with 0.25% bupivacaine HCl at a 200-fold lower cost than liposomal bupivacaine. This study does not support the widespread use of liposomal bupivacaine for pain control after ACL reconstruction in the setting of a femoral nerve block. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02189317
Pole mounted distribution transformers insulation condition assessment

Hydro-Québec (HQ) Distribution grid has close to 600,000 overhead distribution transformers in service. On average, every year 10,000 units are taken out of service for various reasons such as failures, replacement due to load rise and network reconfiguration. In 2006/07, HQ Distribution started a refurbishment program to give them a second life on the distribution grid. It is neither acceptable nor efficient to proceed with the refurbishment of a transformer having a degraded solid insulation and consequently an expected low residual life. In 2010, a project was started to assess the condition of the insulation of different service-aged transformers. 121 distributions transformers were randomly sampled from the units sent for refurbishment. Samples were taken from the following manufacturing year ranges: before 1985, 1985-1989, 19901994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004 and 20052010. In this evaluation, oil samples were taken from each transformer to assess oil quality and transformer condition. Paper sampled from the coils, were also taken in specific cases amongst the faulty transformers. The preliminary conclusions that can be drawn from this study are that transformers manufactured after 1985 do not seem to experience any major aging with respect to their insulation. It therefore appears that if no faults are present, the transformers should be refurbished since the insulation basically in a good condition.
Implementation of a 4D fast SLAM including volumetric sum of the UAV

Traditionally, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) involved a development of map using the actual map coordinates, with the robot itself occupying some 3-dimensional space. SLAM forms an indispensable part of navigation system of an autonomous system. In this paper, we try to assess a method for implementation of a full 4D (4 degree of freedom) solution to SLAM using range and bearing sensors LIDAR (light detection and ranging) and camera for indoor navigation and GPS for outdoor navigation coupled with an Inertial Navigation System (INS) which include inertial sensors such as gyroscopes and accelerometer along with a magnetometer. The method for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is further modified through volumetric addition into Landmarks and thus into map, in our SLAM procedure in order to decrease the computational complexities and also increase the efficiency of the collision detection algorithms. The UAV motions are restricted to the motion in the three degrees of freedom and yaw, while the pitch and roll are neglected as the UAV is always restricted to move at a constant altitude for a stipulated time-period. This method is significant as it serves for UAV's as Fast SLAM served for ground vehicles.
Proportional assist ventilation as an aid to exercise training in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: The effects of providing ventilatory assistance to patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during a high intensity outpatient cycle exercise programme were examined. Methods: Nineteen patients (17 men) with severe COPD (mean (SD) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) 27 (7)% predicted) underwent a 6 week supervised outpatient cycle exercise programme. Ten patients were randomised to exercise with ventilatory assistance using proportional assist ventilation (PAV) and nine (two women) to exercise unaided. Before and after training patients performed a maximal symptom limited incremental cycle test to determine peak work rate (Wpeak) followed by a constant work rate (CWR) test at 70% of Wpeak achieved in the baseline incremental test. Minute ventilation (Ve), heart rate, and arterialised venous plasma lactate concentration [La+] were measured before and after each test. Results: Mean training intensity (Wt/Wpeak) at 6 weeks was 15.2% (95% CI 3.2 to 27.1) higher in the group that used ventilatory assistance (p=0.016). Peak work rate after training was 18.4% (95% CI 6.4 to 30.5) higher (p=0.005) in the assisted group (p=0.09). [La+] at an identical workload after training was reduced by 30% (95% CI 16 to 44) in the assisted group (p=0.002 compared with baseline) and by 11% (95% CI –7 to 31) (p=0.08 compared with baseline) in the unassisted group (mean difference 18.4% (95% CI 3.3 to 40), p=0.09). A significant inverse relationship was found between reduction in plasma lactate concentration (ΔL) at an equivalent workload after training during the CWR test and Wt/Wpeak achieved during the last week of training (r=–0.7, p=0.0006). Conclusions: PAV enables a higher intensity of training in patients with severe COPD, leading to greater improvements in maximum exercise capacity with evidence of true physiological adaptation.
Dose response and time course of alterations in tryptophan metabolism by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in the most TCDD-susceptible and the most TCDD-resistant rat strain: relationship with TCDD lethality.

It has previously been shown that an increase in plasma free tryptophan and a consequent increase in brain serotonin (5-HT) metabolism may be associated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) lethality. In the present study we have studied the dose-response and time course relationships of these phenomena in the most TCDD-susceptible Long-Evans (Turku AB [L-E]; LD50 ca. 10 micrograms/kg) and the most TCDD-resistant Han/Wistar (Kuopio [H/W], LD50 > 7200 micrograms/kg) rat strains. Six days after exposure, there was a dose-related increase in brain 5-HT turnover and plasma free tryptophan in both male and female L-E rats. Pair-fed control rats did not exhibit changes in these parameters. The increases emerged in the dose range known to elicit lethality in L-E rats. Furthermore, the increases in plasma free tryptophan correlated well with the changes in body weight caused by TCDD. In contrast, in H/W rats no such increases in brain 5-HT metabolism or plasma free tryptophan were discernible. Similarly, body weight changes were minor in H/W rats despite almost 1000-fold greater doses of TCDD. Large neutral amino acids other than tryptophan were not markedly changed in the plasma of either rat strain. In attempts to identify the mechanism by which TCDD might affect tryptophan binding to albumin, some other physiological factors known to be carried by albumin were determined. Nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) in the plasma were dose dependently elevated in male and female L-E rats and there was a moderate or good correlation (r = 0.654 for male and r = 0.731 for female rats) between this parameter and plasma free tryptophan. A moderate increase in plasma NEFA was also seen in pair-fed control rats. Bilirubin was dose dependently increased in the plasma of female L-E rats and there was a good correlation between plasma free tryptophan and total (r = 0.779) or conjugated (r = 0.825) bilirubin. The concentration of albumin tended to be suppressed in female L-E rats. The main tryptophan metabolizing enzyme, hepatic tryptophan pyrrolase, was inhibited in female L-E rats but not in male L-E rats or H/W rats of either gender. Moreover, in female L-E rats the time course for changes in plasma free tryptophan and in body weight was remarkably similar, with both effects emerging early (1 or 2 days) after TCDD exposure and showing progressive development thereafter until the last time point of 10 days. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Assessment of the reliability of amplitude histograms from excitatory synapses in rat hippocampal CA1 In Vitro

1 Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were evoked using minimal extracellular stimulation and recorded from pyramidal cells from the CA1 region of slices taken from adult rats and maintained in vitro. 2 Segments of data were selected that gave EPSP amplitude frequency histograms that showed approximately equally spaced peaks. Selection was performed either on the basis of stationarity of the EPSP mean and standard deviation, or on the trajectory of a graph of the (coefficient of variation)−2 against mean for the EPSP, or, in some cases, by trial and error. 3 For each histogram, we determined the likelihood that peaks of similar sharpness and equality of spacing could have arisen by sampling artifact from a smooth distribution, using a method based on autocorrelation and Monte Carlo simulation. 4 Thirty‐three histograms were analysed. For twenty‐six of these, the likelihood of sampling artifact was estimated at 1 in 100 or less, and for eleven histograms the likelihood was less than 1 in 1000. For the histogram with the clearest peaks, the likelihood was less than 1 in 350000. Histograms judged to be reliable by this method could occur when the EPSP mean amplitude was changing. 5 We conclude that random sampling artifact is very unlikely to be the explanation for the peaks in our data histograms. It seems more likely that they are due to a quantal synaptic transmission mechanism with low quantal variability. 6 The autocorrelation method also gives a measure of the mean peak spacing, and hence the mean quantal size, for each histogram. Quantal sizes ranged from 93 to 285 μV, with a mean ±s.d. of 172 ± 47 μV. 7 From these quantal sizes and the EPSP mean amplitudes we calculated the mean number of quanta released per trial for each histogram. This ranged from 0.36 to 6.9, with a mean of 3.3 ± 1.67.
An Econometric Analysis of the Determinants of Private Consumption in Cote d’Ivoire

This study investigates the determinants of private consumption expenditure in Cote d’Ivoire using time series data from 1970 to 2016. The Autoregressive Distributed Lags bounds testing approach to cointegration is employed to depict the presence of a long run relationship between private consumption and its determinants and an error correction model is estimated to derive short run dynamics. The results show the presence of a long run relationship among the selected variables. In the long run, current income, wealth and government consumption expenditure play a positive role in determining private consumption, with the effect of current income being higher. Furthermore, consumption expenditure is negatively affected by inflation rate and real interest rate on deposits. In the short run, only income and wealth appear to have positive effects on private consumption while the effects of government consumption, inflation and interest rate were found to be insignificant. This study provides evidence for government to improve the level of private consumption.
Multipath adaptive cancellation of divider non-linearity in fractional-N PLLs

The mismatch-induced fractional spurs have so far limited the adoption of phase-interpolation-based fractional-N PLLs. Only recently a background cancellation technique, embedded in a digital fractional-N PLL, has faced this issue. In this paper, we will show that this technique is equivalent to a multi-path adaptive circuit that cancels the effects of the phase interpolator non-linearity. This analysis allows highlighting the speed/accuracy trade-off inherent in these algorithms. Simulation results verify the validity of the proposed approach.
Retrograde recanalization of native coronary artery chronic occlusions via acutely occluded vein grafts

Treatment of acutely occluded saphenous vein grafts may be challenging due to large thrombus burden and diffuse disease. We report two cases of thrombotic saphenous vein graft occlusion, in which after percutaneous attempts to recanalize the saphenous vein graft failed, the target native coronary artery chronic total occlusions were successfully treated using a retrograde approach. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Phone-FITT: a brief physical activity interview for older adults.

The purpose of this study was to develop a brief physical activity interview for older adults (Phone-FITT) and evaluate its test-retest reliability and validity. Summary scores were derived for household, recreational, and total PA. Reliability was evaluated in a convenience sample from a fall-prevention study (N = 43, 79.4 +/- 2.9 years, 51% male), and validity, in a random sample of individuals in older adult exercise programs (N = 48, 77.4 +/- 4.7 years, 25% male). Mean time to complete the Phone-FITT was 10 min for participants sampled from exercise programs. Evaluation of test-retest reliability indicated substantial to almost perfect agreement for all scores, with intraclass correlation coefficients (95% confidence intervals) ranging from . 74 (.58-.85) to . 88 (.8-.94). For validity, Spearman's rho correlations of Phone-FITT scores with accelerometer counts ranged from . 29 (.01-.53) to . 57 (.34-.73). Correlations of Phone-FITT recreational scores with age and seconds to complete a self-paced step test ranged from -. 29 (-.53 to -.01) to -. 45 (-.68 to -.14). This study contributes preliminary evidence of the reliability and validity of the Phone-FITT.
Pragmatic skills in people with HIV/AIDS

Purpose. Carers and health professionals who work with people with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are reported to think that the communication skills of people with HIV are “odd” and a range of difficulties with communication have been identified. However, little research has examined the “pragmatic” skills of people with HIV. Method. Five men living with AIDS were assessed on a battery of measures of componential language to exclude aphasia. Their pragmatic appropriateness as judged using the the Pragmatic Protocol was then rated by ten experienced raters from representative portions of a semi-structured interview. Results. All cases were rated by some raters as inappropriate on: Lexical selection specificity/accuracy. 4/5 cases had problems with: fluency, turn taking quantity, turn taking interruption/overlap and vocal quality. 3/5 were scored by some raters as having problems with: intelligibility, lexical selection: cohesion, prosody, turn taking pauses, turn taking repair/revision and vocal intensity. Conclusions. Several pragmatic behaviours consistent with what might be expected in people with mild diffuse or subcortical brain impairment were clearly observed. Whilst the cause of their perceived pragmatic inappropriateness cannot be established, the results suggest that cognitive-communication problems might be a feature of language use in people with HIV-AIDS even when AIDS-related dementia has not been diagnosed.
A Comparison of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Attending Separate Fatigue Clinics Based in Immunology and Psychiatry

Hospital clinics for patients with chronic unexplained fatigue are held in departments of various disciplines. This causes difficulties for referrers in choosing the appropriate clinic and for researchers in generalizing findings from one type of clinic to others. We randomly selected 37 outpatients attending an immunology fatigue clinic and 36 outpatients attending a psychiatry fatigue clinic, all of whom had chronic fatigue syndrome. We compared demographic factors, symptoms, disability, quality of life, psychological distress and illness attributions. The patients from the two clinics were closely similar in their specific symptoms, disability, quality of life, psychological distress and previous attendance to mental health professionals. Psychological distress was high and equal in the two samples. The proportion of men was greater among patients attending the immunology clinic. In a post-hoc analysis, 64% of immunology attenders attributed their fatigue to physical factors, compared with 31% of psychiatry clinic attenders (χ2=6.35, 1 d.f., P=0.01). These findings suggest that research data from one type of chronic fatigue clinic can be generalized to others. Clinically similar patients are referred to different clinics, and the choice of clinic may be influenced by the patients’ illness beliefs. The high levels of emotional distress suggest that psychosocial management is as important as physical management in hospital outpatients with chronic fatigue syndrome, irrespective of its aetiology.
3,5‐Dihydroxyphenylglycine Is a Highly Selective Agonist for Phosphoinositide‐Linked Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in the Rat Hippocampus

Abstract: Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are a heterogeneous family of G protein‐coupled glutamate receptors that are linked to multiple second messenger systems in the CNS. In this study the selectivity of mGluR agonists for different mGluR second messenger effects was characterized in slices of the rat hippocampus. The mGluR agonists (1S,3R)‐1‐aminocyclopentane‐1,3‐dicarboxylic acid and (2S,3S,4S)α‐(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine produced multiple effects on second messengers that included enhanced phosphoinositide hydrolysis in both adult and neonatal rat hippocampus, inhibition of forskolin‐stimulated cyclic AMP (cAMP) formation in adult tissue, and increases in basal cAMP formation in the neonatal hippocampus. In contrast, 3,5‐dihydroxyphenylglycine was potent and effective in increasing phosphoinositide hydrolysis in both adult and neonatal hippocampus but unlike the other mGluR agonists did not inhibit forskolin‐stimulated cAMP formation (in the adult) or substantially enhance basal cAMP formation (in the neonate). Thus, in the rat hippocampus mGluR agonist‐mediated increases or decreases in cAMP formation are not secondary to mGluR‐mediated changes in phosphoinositide hydrolysis. Furthermore, 3,5‐dihydroxyphenylglycine can be used to activate subpopulations of mGluRs coupled to phosphoinositide hydrolysis with minimal effects on cAMP‐mGluR second messenger systems.
Expression of growth factor receptors on human melanoma cells: Comparison of modulating effects of interferons and retinoids

Abstract Amocrine and paracrine growth factors are important mediators in malignant transformation. Interferons (IFN) and retinoids (RX) are well‐known differentiative and immunomodulating agents with effects on subsets of different human tumors including malignant melanoma. In this study, we examined the modulating effects of three IFN and seven different RX on human melanoma cell lines regarding growth factor receptor expression. Growth factor receptor expression, including PDGF‐R, NGF‐R, EGF‐R, IR, IGF‐l‐R, TFR and c‐kil. was studied by immunhislochemistry and FACSsean analysis. Both groups of sub‐stances modulated the expression of some growth factor receptors. Upre‐gulation of PDGF‐R was seen after treatment with IFN as well as with RX. In contrast, EGF‐R was found to be downregulated in two EGF‐R‐positive cell lines by IFN and. on the other hand, induced by RX in two EGF‐R‐negalive cell lines. The expression of NGF‐R was modulated am‐biguously by these substances but demonstrated a cell line specificity in the different melanoma cell lines tested. Additionally, some of the tested growth factor receptors were not markedly changed regarding their ex‐pression by treatment with IFN and RX (IR. 1GF‐I‐R, e‐kit, TFR).
Capability of 3-D Ray Tracing for Defining Parameter Sets for the Specification of Future Mobile Communications Systems

Three-dimensional (3-D) ray tracing has advanced to such a degree that it can provide channel parameters like delay spread, Doppler spread, angular spread, and distribution functions of long- and short-term fading with high accuracy for fixed to mobile and mobile to mobile communications. These parameters are absolutely required during the specification phase of future mobile communications systems in order to define the air interface and a variety of other relevant system parameters. This paper describes state-of-the-art ray tracing capabilities. A 3-D ray tracing model developed at the Universitaumlt Karlsruhe is presented. Important characteristic channel parameters are briefly discussed. Based on these parameters the model is verified by wideband nondirectional and directional measurements at 2 and 5.2 GHz, respectively, showing a good agreement. The proposed 3-D ray tracing model can therefore be used in order to extract parameter sets for the specification of future mobile communications systems and to optimize existing ones