Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robot-Assisted Posterior C1–2 Transarticular Screw Fixation for Atlantoaxial Instability: A Case Report

Study Design. Case report. Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, safety, and accuracy of a new robotic system for performing posterior C1–2 transarticular screw fixation for atlantoaxial instability. Summary of Background Data. C1–2 transarticular fixation is a reliable procedure. However, the procedure is high-risk because of the important structures and frequent anatomical variation around the atlantoaxial region. Navigation improves the accuracy, but it might require repeated adjustments of the trajectories, which is inconvenient. Robot-assisted surgery can make this process easier and has the potential to improve the safety and accuracy. Methods. A 43-year-old man with atlantoaxial deformity and instability underwent posterior C1–2 transarticular screw fixation under the guidance of the new robotic system (TiRobot, co-designed by Beijing Jishuitan hospital and TINAVI Medical Technologies Co., Ltd.). We performed a surgery of posterior decompression and C0–2 fusion. Based on the intraoperative 3D images, we planned the trajectory on the robot system. Then, the robotic arm spontaneously moved to guide the screw insertion. Results. A unilateral C1–2 transarticular screw was safely placed with good accuracy. The calculated deviation of the planned position and actual position was 0.8798 mm. There were no intraoperative complications. Postoperative computed tomography showed there were no perforations and loosening of the screw. Conclusion. We report the first case of atlantoaxial transarticular screw fixation using the TiRobot system. Robotic guidance for complex upper cervical deformity based on intraoperative 3D images could be feasible, safe, and accurate, and has a significant clinical potential in spine surgery. Level of Evidence: 4
Effects of rotor faults in squirrel-cage induction motors on the torque-speed curve

This study presents analysis and effects of rotor faults in squirrel cage induction motor on the torque-speed curve. In the study, the used experimental data were obtained from 10 HP, 25 HP, 30 HP and 50HP submersible induction motors. The experiments were made during the motors start up under no-load condition. Torque and speed of the motors were sampled and saved for every starting. The motor speed was computed from these data by using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT). The motor torque values were computed by using average of the torque data window which represents every STFT window. So, the speed- torque curve was occurred. In the experiments; (i) a rotor with one broken rotor bar, (ii) a rotor with two adjacent broken rotor bars, (iii) a rotor with three adjacent broken rotor bars, (iv) a rotor with a highly resistance rotor bar, (v) a rotor with a broken end-ring faults and (vi) healthy motor were used. Then the results were analyzed. The effects of rotor faults on the speed- torque curve were ranked according to size of the rotor faults. The study differentiates in two points from the literature. The first point is the method of obtaining of the torque-speed curve and the second point is rank of the faults effects according to size of the faults. Test results revealed that the size of the rotor fault is directly proportional to its effects on the curve. And broken end-ring fault was found to procedure similar effects to broken bar faults.
Pilgrim tracking and identification using the mobile phone

This paper describes a system developed for the tracking and identification of pilgrims in the Holy areas, in Makkah-Saudi Arabia, during Hajj (Pilgrimage). The area is already covered by a sophisticated 3.5G network by several service providers. Upon request or periodically, the mobile phone sends its UID, latitude, longitude, and time stamp. A server maps the latitude and longitude information on a Google map or any geographical information system. If the Internet connection is lost the mobile phone stores the location information in its memory until the Internet connection is restored, then it sends all stored location information and clears this information from memory. The developed system can be used to track a specific pilgrim. Alternatively any pilgrim can request emergency help using the same system. The developed system works in coordination with an RFID identification system that was proposed earlier. The developed system was tested successfully during the recent pilgrimage season.
Effect of Thermal Loading on ${\rm Nb}_{3}{\rm Sn}$ CICC Performance

The ITER CICC will undergo a number of cool-down and warm-up cycles over the lifetime of the plant. The standard SULTAN based ITER conductor qualification test normally includes one thermal cycle in the test sequence. In many samples a performance degradation was observed following this thermal loading. In order to investigate the effect of multiple thermal cycles on the TF conductor short sample, additional repeated thermal cycles to liquid nitrogen temperature were carried out on the left leg of the CNTF3 sample and the JATF5 sample. Thermal cycles using SULTAN are very time consuming, about four days, with a corresponding cost of around 32 kEuro. Ten thermal cycles will give an estimation of the degradation upon repeated thermal loading, but would require a prohibitive amount of time in SULTAN, and therefore cause a significant delay in the testing of other time critical samples. As a large fraction of the change in thermal contraction occurs between room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature, a purpose made facility and program was developed. This ad-hoc facility allowed faster, more cost effective thermal cycles that crucially did not interfere with SULTAN's ongoing test program. Cooling and heating was provided by means of forced flow nitrogen. The sample was contained within a vacuum to pre- vent the formation of moisture or ice. During warm-up, a heater distributed around the CNTF3A was also used. These cycles were performed both before and after electromagnetic loading. The results of these tests indicated that thermal loading before the first electromagnetic load cycle did not result in a worsening of the conductor performance. The tests following repeated thermal cycling after electromagnetic loading show a thermal cycle causes a performance degradation but a large number of consecutive thermal cycles do not appear to have a significant effect.
Failure to detect hepatitis C virus genome in human secretions with the polymerase chain reaction

Although hepatitis C infection has been clearly demonstrated to be transmitted through blood products or blood contamination, most cases of sporadic hepatitis C infection are unassociated with parenteral risk factors, and it is unclear how infection might be acquired by nonparenteral means. One potential mode of nonparenteral transmission is through body secretions. We used a highly sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction assay to determine whether hepatitis C viral genomic RNA could be detected in secretions obtained from nineteen individuals with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Although hepatitis C genomic RNA was found in all 19 sera, hepatitis C virus RNA was not detected in any samples of saliva, semen, urine, stool or vaginal secretions from these patients. Viral titers in serum ranged from 102 to 107 polymerase chain reaction units/ml. The sensitivity of our polymerase chain reaction assay indicates that, if hepatitis C virus were in secretions, it would be present in amounts less than 1 to 4 polymerase chain reaction units/ml. This contrasts with hepatitis B virus infection, in which serum titers frequently are in excess of 109 copies of hepatitis B genomes/ml. Body secretions have been found to contain up to 106 copies of hepatitis B genomes/ml. Our findings support seroepidemiological studies indicating that nonparenteral transmission of hepatitis C through secretions is uncommon and probably much less efficient than hepatitis B virus infection. (HEPATOLOGY 1991;14:763–767).
Insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of a 195K protein from muscle and liver in the presence of poly-L-lysine.

Substrates of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase have not been identified in skeletal muscle, a major target organ of insulin action. We observed the insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of a 195K protein (pp195) in extracts prepared from rat skeletal muscle and liver. pp195 copurifies with the insulin receptor on wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography. pp195 is not related to the insulin receptor, as assessed by lack of recognition by antinsulin receptor antibodies and by phosphopeptide mapping. Reduction of sulfhydryl bonds does not affect its apparent mol wt. Phosphorylation of pp195 has an absolute requirement in vitro for Mn2+ or Mg2+ and for certain basic poly-amino acids, i.e. poly-L-lysine or poly-L-ornithine. In the presence of 1 microM poly-L-lysine insulin stimulates pp195 phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner (k0.5, approximately 5 x 10(-10) M; maximum approximately 10(-8) M insulin); pp195 phosphorylation by insulin-like growth factor-I requires about 100-fold higher doses. By phosphoamino acid analysis, pp195 is predominantly phosphorylated on tyrosine, and it is recognized by antiphosphotyrosine antibodies. Insulin receptors isolated from rat muscles 5 min after insulin injection induce about 2-fold greater phosphorylation of pp195 in vitro than receptors isolated from saline-injected controls. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes results in marked diminution of insulin-stimulated pp195 phosphorylation in extracts of muscle and liver (approximately 50% when normalized to protein content of wheat germ agglutinin eluates or approximately 80% reduction when normalized to equal receptor number). The defect is reversible by insulin therapy in vivo.
Macroporous gel particles as robust macroporous matrices for cell immobilization

A new design of robust matrices for cell immobilization is described. Macroporous gels (MGs) with immobilized microbial cells were prepared at subzero temperatures and were formed inside a plastic core (so‐called, protective housing). Due to the protective housing the macroporous gel particles with immobilized cells can be used in well‐stirred bioreactors. High retained activity of yeast (77–92%) and Escherichia coli (50–91%) cells immobilized in MGs after drying and storage in the dried state was due to the high structural stability and heterogeneous porous structure of the MGs.
Food Allergy Herbal Formula-1 (FAHF-1) blocks peanut-induced anaphylaxis in a murine model.

BACKGROUND Peanut allergy is a major cause of fatal and near-fatal anaphylactic reactions to foods. There is no curative therapy for this condition. Traditional Chinese medicines have been reported to have antiallergic properties, which might be useful for treating peanut allergy. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a Chinese herbal formula, FAHF-1, on peanut anaphylactic reactions in a mouse model of peanut allergy. METHODS Mice were sensitized with freshly ground whole peanut in the presence of cholera toxin and boosted 1 and 3 weeks later. FAHF-1 treatment was initiated 1 week later and continued for 7 weeks. After treatment, mice were challenged with peanut, and anaphylactic symptoms, body temperatures, and plasma histamine and IgE levels were measured. T-cell proliferative responses and cytokine production were also determined. RESULTS FAHF-1 completely blocked peanut-induced anaphylactic symptoms and markedly reduced mast cell degranulation and histamine release. Peanut-specific serum IgE levels were significantly reduced by 2 weeks of treatment at the time of challenge, and they remained lower 4 weeks after discontinuation of treatment. FAHF-1 significantly reduced peanut-induced lymphocyte proliferation as well as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 synthesis but not IFN-gamma synthesis. No toxic effects on liver or kidney functions were observed, nor was there any overall immune suppression. CONCLUSION FAHF-1 protected peanut-sensitized mice from anaphylactic reactions and significantly reversed established IgE-mediated peanut allergy. This suggests that FAHF-1 might prove valuable for the treatment of peanut allergy.
Structural model of the dimeric Parkinson’s protein LRRK2 reveals a compact architecture involving distant interdomain contacts

Significance Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) represents a promising drug target for treatment and prevention of Parkinson’s disease (PD), because mutations in LRRK2 are the most common cause of Mendelian forms of the disease. PD-associated LRRK2 variants show decreased GTPase and increased kinase activity. By integrating multiple experimental inputs provided by chemical cross-linking, small-angle X-ray scattering, and a negative-stain EM map, we present, to our knowledge, the first structural model of the full-length LRRK2 dimer. The model reveals a compact folding of the LRRK2 dimer with multiple domain–domain interactions that might be involved in the regulation of LRRK2 enzymatic properties. Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) is a large, multidomain protein containing two catalytic domains: a Ras of complex proteins (Roc) G-domain and a kinase domain. Mutations associated with familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been identified in both catalytic domains, as well as in several of its multiple putative regulatory domains. Several of these mutations have been linked to increased kinase activity. Despite the role of LRRK2 in the pathogenesis of PD, little is known about its overall architecture and how PD-linked mutations alter its function and enzymatic activities. Here, we have modeled the 3D structure of dimeric, full-length LRRK2 by combining domain-based homology models with multiple experimental constraints provided by chemical cross-linking combined with mass spectrometry, negative-stain EM, and small-angle X-ray scattering. Our model reveals dimeric LRRK2 has a compact overall architecture with a tight, multidomain organization. Close contacts between the N-terminal ankyrin and C-terminal WD40 domains, and their proximity—together with the LRR domain—to the kinase domain suggest an intramolecular mechanism for LRRK2 kinase activity regulation. Overall, our studies provide, to our knowledge, the first structural framework for understanding the role of the different domains of full-length LRRK2 in the pathogenesis of PD.
Research on a Novel Miniaturized Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna With Improved Radiation

A novel antipodal Vivaldi antenna (AVA) is proposed in this letter. The addition of regular slot edges (RSE) helps the antenna lower the low-end operating frequency by 9% with the dimension unaltered, while the radiation patterns at higher frequencies are improved due to the loaded lens and the choke slot edges (CSE) configuration at the termination of the flares, which also contribute to the enhancement of antenna gain. The improved antenna is fabricated and verified experimentally. The measured results coincide with the simulated ones perfectly, which proves the feasibility of the novel design.
Downlink Throughput Enhancement of a Cellular Network using Two-Hop User-Deployable Indoor Relays

In this paper, we propose two-hop user-deployable indoor relays for CDMA systems with signal bandwidth 5 MHz or less. We assume concurrent relaying wherein macro base stations (BS) are allowed to transmit when a relay is forwarding. The two-hop indoor relay is studied using a generalized model for outdoor-to-indoor communication in a frequency-selective channel in the presence of co-channel interference. We propose an equalize-and-forward relay that employs multiple-antenna interference-aware equalization before forwarding. We present a unified solution to minimize interference (due to concurrent transmissions) at the relay-served destination and the BS-served destination, using power control and exploiting spatial reuse. A systematic method to enable indoor relays with the proposed interference management solutions is presented that is applicable to existing CDMA systems, without additional requirements in Access Terminal (AT)/User Equipment. Simulation results in the context of High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) CDMA network shows that the ATs served through the indoor relays experience throughput improvement by at least a factor of two, whereas the ATs served by the BS experienced a gain of around 6% in spite of concurrent relaying. The results also show an overall system throughput gain upto 30% when compared to the existing network with only single hops.
Using Viral Gene Sequences to Compare and Explain the Heterogeneous Spatial Dynamics of Virus Epidemics

Rabies is an important zoonotic disease distributed worldwide. A key question in rabies epidemiology is the identification of factors that impact virus dispersion. Here we apply new analytical methods, based on phylogeographic reconstructions of viral lineage movement, to undertake a comparative evolutionary-epidemiological study of the spatial dynamics of rabies virus (RABV) epidemics in different hosts and habitats. We compiled RABV data sets from skunk, raccoon, bat and domestic dog populations in order to investigate the viral diffusivity of different RABV epidemics, and to detect and compare the environmental factors that impact the velocity of viral spread in continuous spatial landscapes. We build on a recently developed statistical framework that uses spatially- and temporally-referenced phylogenies. We estimate several spatial statistics of virus spread, which reveal a higher diffusivity of RABV in domestic dogs compared with RABV in other mammals. This finding is explained by subsequent analyses of environmental heterogeneity, which indicate that factors relating to human geography play a significant role in RABV dispersion in domestic dogs. More generally, our results suggest that human-related factors are important worldwide in explaining RABV dispersion in terrestrial host species. Our study shows that phylogenetically informed viral movements can be used to elucidate the factors that impact virus dispersal, opening new opportunities for a better understanding of the impact of host species and environmental conditions on the spatial dynamics of rapidly evolving populations.
Holotranscobalamin in laboratory diagnosis of cobalamin deficiency compared to total cobalamin and methylmalonic acid

Abstract Background: Cobalamin-saturated transcobalamin, also called holotranscobalamin (holoTC), constitutes only between 6% and 20% of total plasma B12. Serum concentration of holoTC is a new marker in laboratory diagnosis of cobalamin deficiency. We tested the utility of holoTC in assessing vitamin B12 status. Methods: We measured concentrations of holoTC and methylmalonic acid (MMA) in 1018 serum samples that were referred to our laboratory for total cobalamin testing. Results: Concentrations of MMA were lower in females compared to males and this difference was no more significant after adjusting for serum creatinine. Moreover, age was associated with higher concentrations of serum MMA, higher holoTC and slightly higher concentrations of total cobalamin. Higher concentrations of serum creatinine were associated with higher concentrations of MMA and holoTC. However, no association between serum creatinine and total cobalamin was observed. Only subjects with normal serum creatinine showed a negative correlation between serum holoTC and MMA (r= –0.36, p<0.001). In subjects with MMA ≥300 nmol/L and holoTC ≤35 pmol/L, concentrations of total cobalamin were well within the normal range (median; 25th/75th percentiles=212; 171/272 pmol/L). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis displayed a higher sensitivity and specificity for holoTC compared with vitamin B12 for detecting concentrations of MMA ≥300 nmol/L in individuals with normal renal function. Conclusions: Compared to total cobalamin, we observed a better performance of holoTC assay in detecting elevated concentrations of MMA in subjects with normal renal function. The majority of subjects with combined low holoTC and elevated MMA had normal concentrations of total cobalamin. HoloTC can be used as a first line parameter in detecting cobalamin deficiency. Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:1746–50.
The mechanism of mode selection for an external cavity laser

The process of mode hopping between external cavity modes of a laser diode with optical feedback is described by analogy with noise driven transitions of a particle between potential valleys. The model explains why the dominant mode is the mode with the lowest linewidth and not the mode with the lowest carrier density. It also gives a simple analytic expression for the rate of mode hopping. The expression is shown to predict the results of computer simulations to a good approximation. <<ETX>>
Distribution of Cepacian Biosynthesis Genes among Environmental and Clinical Burkholderia Strains and Role of Cepacian Exopolysaccharide in Resistance to Stress Conditions

ABSTRACT The genus Burkholderia includes strains pathogenic to animals and plants, bioremediators, or plant growth promoters. Genome sequence analyses of representative Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) and non-Bcc strains for the presence of the bce-I gene cluster, directing the biosynthesis of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) cepacian, further extended this previously described cluster by another 9 genes. The genes in the bce-II cluster were named bceM to bceU and encode products putatively involved in nucleotide sugar precursor biosynthesis and repeat unit assembly, modification, and translocation across the cytoplasmic membrane. Disruption of the B. cepacia IST408 bceQ and bceR genes, encoding a putative repeat unit flippase and a glycosyltransferase, respectively, resulted in the abolishment of cepacian biosynthesis. A mutation in the bceS gene, encoding a putative acyltransferase, did not affect EPS production yield significantly but decreased its acetylation content by approximately 20%. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR experiments confirmed the induction of genes in the bce-I and bce-II clusters in a Burkholderia multivorans EPS producer clinical isolate in comparison to the level for its isogenic EPS-defective strain. Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed that the exopolysaccharide produced by 10 Burkholderia isolates tested was cepacian. The ability of Burkholderia strains to withstand desiccation and metal ion stress was higher when bacteria were incubated in the presence of 2.5 g/liter of cepacian, suggesting that this EPS plays a role in the survival of these bacteria by contributing to their ability to thrive in different environments.