Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serological Evidence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in Rodents Captured at Four Sites in Switzerland

ABSTRACT In a previous study, the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in questing Ixodes ricinus L. ticks and in field derived ticks that engorged on small mammals (n = 9,986) was investigated at four sites located in a TBE area in Switzerland. Two of these sites were already recognized as TBE foci (Thun and Belp) and the screening of ticks revealed the presence of TBEV in ticks at a third site, Kiesen, but not at the fourth one, Trimstein. The aim here was to test another approach to detect TBE endemic areas. Sera from 333 small mammals (Apodemus flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, Myodes glareolus) captured in 2006 and 2007 at the four sites were examined for the presence of antibodies against TBEV using immunofluorescence and avidity tests. Overall the prevalence of antibodies against TBEV in rodents reached 3.6% (12/333). At two sites known as TBE foci, Thun and Belp, anti-TBEV antibodies were detected in 9.9% (9/91) and 1.6% (1/63) of rodent sera, respectively. At the third site, Kiesen, recently identified as a TBE focus by the detection of TBEV in ticks, anti-TBEV antibodies were detected in 1.8% (2/113) of rodent sera. Finally, at Trimstein, none of the examined rodent sera had antibodies against TBEV (0/66). This study shows another approach to detect TBE foci by testing antibodies in small mammal sera that is less time-consuming and less expensive than molecular tools.
Relationships between body size satisfaction and weight control practices among US adults.

CONTEXT Few studies of US adults have specifically examined body size satisfaction OBJECTIVES Describe correlates of body size satisfaction and examine whether satisfaction was associated with trying to lose weight or specific weight control practices among US adults using a national sample of women and men. DESIGN, SETTING & PARTICIPANTS The National Physical Activity and Weight Loss Survey (NPAWLS) was a population-based, cross-sectional telephone survey of US adults (n = 9740). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Participants reported their weight, height, body size satisfaction, and weight loss practices. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each dependent variable. RESULTS Among women and men, higher body mass index (BMI) was significantly associated with body size dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction, compared with being very satisfied, was positively associated with trying to lose weight among women and men. This association was modified by BMI for women (OR normal weight = 19.69, overweight = 8.79, obese = 4.05; P < .01 for interaction) but not men (OR normal weight = 8.72, overweight = 10.50, obese = 7.86; P = 0.93 for interaction). Compared with women who were very satisfied, dissatisfied women used diet more (OR = 2.03), but not physical activity/exercise (OR = 0.55) or both strategies (OR = 0.63), to try to lose weight. Men who were somewhat satisfied, compared with those who were very satisfied, were more likely to use physical activity/exercise (OR = 1.64) and both diet and physical activity/exercise (OR = 1.54) to try to lose weight. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the sex differences in body size satisfaction, actions taken to try to lose weight, and the importance of considering body size satisfaction when designing weight-management programs.
Women's Retirement and Self-Assessed Well-Being: An Analysis of Three Measures of Well-Being Among Recent and Long-Term Retirees Relative to Homemakers

Focusing on women from the U.S. over 60 years old in 2006, this study analyzed the relationship between retirement and three subjective measures of well-being: depressive symptoms, financial worries, and health. Drawing on the life course perspective and the heterogeneity of women's labor force experiences, this study contrasted the well-being of recent retirees with those who self-identified as homemakers (n = 1695) and long-term retirees with homemakers (n = 2012). Findings indicated that being a recent retiree was associated with more favorable reports of health and that being a long-term retiree was more favorably associated with accounts of all three outcome measures relative to homemakers. Thus, despite the major role change they experienced, findings support the notion that participating in the paid labor force may have been a protective factor with regard to self-assessed well-being.
Cell-free fusion of bacteria-containing phagosomes with endocytic compartments

Uptake of microorganisms by professional phagocytic cells leads to formation of a new subcellular compartment, the phagosome, which matures by sequential fusion with early and late endocytic compartments, resulting in oxidative and nonoxidative killing of the enclosed microbe. Few tools are available to study membrane fusion between phagocytic and late endocytic compartments in general and with pathogen-containing phagosomes in particular. We have developed and applied a fluorescence microscopy assay to study fusion of microbe-containing phagosomes with different-aged endocytic compartments in vitro. This revealed that fusion of phagosomes containing nonpathogenic Escherichia coli with lysosomes requires Rab7 and SNARE proteins but not organelle acidification. In vitro fusion experiments with phagosomes containing pathogenic Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium indicated that reduced fusion of these phagosomes with early and late endocytic compartments was independent of endosome and cytosol sources and, hence, a consequence of altered phagosome quality.
Transient electrophoretic motion of a charged particle through a converging–diverging microchannel: Effect of direct current‐dielectrophoretic force

Transient electrophoretic motion of a charged particle through a converging–diverging microchannel is studied by solving the coupled system of the Navier–Stokes equations for fluid flow and the Laplace equation for electrical field with an arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian finite‐element method. A spatially non‐uniform electric field is induced in the converging–diverging section, which gives rise to a direct current dielectrophoretic (DEP) force in addition to the electrostatic force acting on the charged particle. As a sequence, the symmetry of the particle velocity and trajectory with respect to the throat is broken. We demonstrate that the predicted particle trajectory shifts due to DEP show quantitative agreements with the existing experimental data. Although converging–diverging microchannels can be used for super fast electrophoresis due to the enhancement of the local electric field, it is shown that large particles may be blocked due to the induced DEP force, which thus must be taken into account in the study of electrophoresis in microfluidic devices where non‐uniform electric fields are present.
Tracking the southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis) through environmental DNA: prospects and challenges

Abstract Environmental DNA detection has emerged as a powerful tool to monitor aquatic species without the need for capture or visual identification and is particularly useful for rare or elusive species. Our objective was to develop an eDNA approach for detecting the southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis) in Malaysia. We designed species-specific primers for a fragment of B. affinis mtDNA and evaluated their effectiveness in silico, in vitro and in situ. The primers amplified 110 bp of the cytochrome b mtDNA sequence of B. affinis from aquarium water samples housing nine juvenile B. affinis. We also successfully detected B. affinis eDNA from river samples taken from a site where turtles were known to be in the vicinity. Prospects and challenges of using an eDNA approach to help determine the distribution of B. affinis, essential information for an effective conservation plan, are discussed.
Mid-term results of robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery for aortoiliac occlusive disease

The aim of this study was to evaluate middle-term clinical results of robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) to treat aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD). Between 2002 and 2007, 28 consecutive patients received robot-assisted laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass grafting (n = 24) or aortoiliac endarterectomy (n = 4). Patients were followed prospectively. RALS could be completed successfully in 24 patients; conversion to open surgery was necessary in four patients (14%). Median operative time was 350 min. Median aortic clamping time was 70 min. Median hospital stay was five days. One patient died within 30 days. Non-lethal complications occurred in four patients (14%). Clinical symptoms improved in all patients. Primary and secondary limb-based patencies at 36 months were 89% and 91%, respectively. In conclusion, RALS is a feasible and durable technique for patients with AIOD. Although operative times are long, RALS allows rapid postoperative recovery.
Differential regulation of transcripts encoding cytosolic NADP-malic enzyme in C3 and C4 Flaveria species.

A cytosolic NADP-malic enzyme (CYTME) has been described previously in several plants, all C3 species. CYTME is distinct from the chloroplastic NADP-malic enzyme (CHLME) that is highly active in C4 species. We show that at least one CytMe gene is present in all Flaveria spp. , including C3, C4, and C3-C4 intermediate types. Based on the CytMe expression patterns in Flaveria pringlei (C3) and Flaveria trinervia (C4), we suggest CYTME has several distinct roles, including the supplying of NADPH for cytosolic metabolism, the supporting of wound response or repair, and the balancing of cellular pH in illuminated leaves. These three roles are likely correlated with CytMe mRNAs of apparent sizes 2.0, 2.2, and 2.4 kb, respectively, which differ in the length of the 5' untranslated regions. Various regulatory mechanisms involving RNA processing and translational efficiency are discussed.
Hepatic drug transporters: the journey so far

ABSTRACT Introduction: The key role of transporter biology in both the manifestation and treatment of disease is now firmly established. Experiences of sub-optimal drug exposure due to drug-transporter interplay have supported incorporation of studies aimed at understanding the interactions between compounds and drug transporters much earlier in drug discovery. While drug transporters can impact the most pivotal pharmacokinetic parameter with respect to human dose and exposure projections, clearance, at a renal or hepatobiliary level, the latter will form the focus of this perspective. Areas covered: A synopsis of guidelines on which transporters to study together with an overview of the currently available toolkit is presented. A perspective on when to conduct studies with various hepatic transporters is also provided together with structural “alerts” which should prompt early investigation. Expert opinion: Great progress has been made in individual laboratories and via consortia to understand the role of drug transporters in disease, drug disposition, drug-drug interactions and toxicity. A systematic analysis of the value posed by the available approaches and an inter-lab comparison now seems warranted. The emerging ability to use physico-chemical properties to guide future screening cascades promises to revolutionise the efficiency of early drug discovery.
Pasteurellamultocida subsp.multocida and P. multocida subsp.septica Differentiation by PCR Fingerprinting and α-Glucosidase Activity

ABSTRACT Pasteurella multocida is composed of three subspecies that are often differentiated by fermentation of sorbitol and dulcitol. We studied 35 dulcitol-negative P. multocida isolates from infected dog and cat bite wounds, 16 of which yielded weak and/or conflicting fermentation reactions in Andrades sorbitol, thus making it difficult to distinguish between the two dulcitol-negative subspecies of P. multocida, i.e.,P. multocida subsp. multocida andP. multocida subsp. septica. All isolates and two control strains were further analyzed using a PCR fingerprinting technique with a single primer (M13 core) and assessed for α-glucosidase (α-Glu) activity. Although the PCR fingerprint patterns and α-Glu activity did not correlate well with the sorbitol fermentation reactions, they did correlate well with each other. All strains identified as P. multocida subsp.septica were positive for α-Glu activity and exhibited the group I PCR fingerprint profile. All strains categorized asP. multocida subsp. multocida displayed either the group II or group III PCR fingerprint profile; 9 of 11 of these isolates were α-Glu negative. These data suggest that both PCR fingerprinting and α-Glu activity provide reliable means for differentiating P. multocida subsp.multocida from P. multocida subsp.septica, particularly in strains that produce weak and/or discrepant sorbitol fermentation reactions.
Heregulin Regulates Cytoskeletal Reorganization and Cell Migration through the p21-activated Kinase-1 via Phosphatidylinositol-3 Kinase*

The mechanisms through which heregulin (HRG) regulates the activities of breast cancer cells are currently unknown. We demonstrate that HRG stimulation of noninvasive breast cancer cells enhanced the conversion of globular to filamentous actin and the formation of membrane ruffles, stress fibers, filopodia, and lamellipodia and accompanied by increased cell migration. In addition, HRG triggered a rapid stimulation of p21-activated kinase1 (PAK1) activity and its redistribution into the leading edges of motile cells. The HRG-induced stimulation of PAK1 kinase activity followed phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3 kinase) activation. Inhibition of PI-3 kinase activity blocked the activation of PAK1 kinase and also blocked cell migration in response to HRG. Furthermore, direct inhibition of PAK1 functions by the dominant-negative mutant suppressed the capacity of HRG to reorganize actin cytoskeleon structures. We also demonstrated that HRG stimulation promoted physical interactions between PAK1, actin, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptors, and these interactions were dependent on the activation of PI-3 kinase. The blockade of HER2 receptor by an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody resulted in the inhibition of HRG-mediated stimulation of PI-3 kinase/PAK pathway and also the formation of motile actin cytoskeleton structures but not extracellular signal-regulated kinases. These findings suggest a role of PI-3 kinase/PAK1-dependent reorganization of the cortical actin cytoskeleton in HRG-mediated increased cell migration, and these changes may have significant consequences leading to enhanced invasion by breast cancer cells.
A Fast-Transient Quasi-V$^{\bf 2}$ Switching Buck Regulator Using AOT Control With a Load Current Correction (LCC) Technique

A switching regulator with quasi-V2 adaptive on-time (AOT) control that provides a fast load transient response is proposed in this paper. The feed-forward path network allows the proposed switching regulator to achieve a fast transient response and stable operation without requiring an output capacitor with large equivalent series resistance. The proposed adaptive on-time controller makes the switching frequency pseudofixed in the continuous conduction mode and works in the pulse-frequency modulation mode under ultralight-load conditions to maintain the conversion efficiency. The AOT controller adjusts the on-time according to the supply voltage and load current conditions. The measurement results verify that the switching regulator can operate under load current between 5 and 800 mA for the supply voltage of 3.3-4.2 V and an output voltage of 1.2 V. The recovery time is 3.6 μs and the voltage drop is 75 mV when the load current is increased from 5 to 750 mA.
Alignment of contrast enhanced medical images

The re-alignment of series of medical images in which there are multiple contrast variations is difficult. The reason for this is that the popularmeasures of image similarity used to drive the alignment procedure do not separate the influence of intensity variation due to image feature motion and intensity variation due to feature enhancement. In particular, the appearance of new structure poses problems when it has no representation in the original image. The acquisition of many images over time, such as in dynamic contrast enhanced MRI, requires that many images with different contrast be registered to the same coordinate system, compounding the problem. This thesis addresses these issues, beginning by presenting conditions under which conventional registration fails and proposing a solution in the form of a ’progressive principal component registration’. The algorithm uses a statistical analysis of a series of contrast varying images in order to reduce the influence of contrast-enhancement that would otherwise distort the calculation of the image similarity measures used in image registration. The algorithm is shown to be versatile in that it may be applied to series of images in which contrast variation is due to either temporal contrast enhancement changes, as in dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI or intrinsically in the image selection procedure as in diffusion weighted MRI.
Magnetic Resonance Super-resolution Imaging Measurement with Dictionary-optimized Sparse Learning

Abstract Magnetic Resonance Super-resolution Imaging Measurement (MRIM) is an effective way of measuring materials. MRIM has wide applications in physics, chemistry, biology, geology, medical and material science, especially in medical diagnosis. It is feasible to improve the resolution of MR imaging through increasing radiation intensity, but the high radiation intensity and the longtime of magnetic field harm the human body. Thus, in the practical applications the resolution of hardware imaging reaches the limitation of resolution. Software-based super-resolution technology is effective to improve the resolution of image. This work proposes a framework of dictionary-optimized sparse learning based MR super-resolution method. The framework is to solve the problem of sample selection for dictionary learning of sparse reconstruction. The textural complexity-based image quality representation is proposed to choose the optimal samples for dictionary learning. Comprehensive experiments show that the dictionary-optimized sparse learning improves the performance of sparse representation.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor: a multifunctional chemical sensor for host defense and homeostatic maintenance

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a pivotal chemical sensor that transduces extrinsic and intrinsic signals into cellular responses. AHR was originally thought to be involved in not only drug metabolism but also carcinogenic and toxicological responses against environmental contaminants, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. However, recent studies demonstrate that the AHR plays multiple intrinsic roles in host defense and homeostasis as well, including immunity, stem cell maintenance, and cell differentiation, upon binding with an increasing number of newly defined dietary, cellular, and microbe-derived ligands. In addition, AHR is a convergence point for several signaling cascades, which may be involved in the diverse diseases caused by binding of the persistent ligand TCDD with extremely high affinity to AHR. A comprehensive understanding of physiological and pathological processes initiated by endogenous AHR agonists and antagonists may allow for the therapeutic regulation of AHR activity. Thus, the AHR can be a valuable diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for human diseases.
Antenna developments of the 1950s to the 1980s

The three decades after 1950 marked a period of intense and wide-ranging antenna accomplishment. Large reflector antennas were built for communications, radar, and radio astronomy. Founded on the developments of World War II and driven by cold war programs, the technology for phased arrays was refined and realized in several versions. The understanding of array effects was greatly advanced, and the fundamental ideas of adaptive arrays were put into practice. Several significant developments addressed the goals of the radio astronomy community, and the emerging space programs led to a deep space communications network that required steerable antennas with very high gain/effective temperature (G/T) ratios. This paper illustrates the developments of this period with examples of three antenna types: reflector antennas, phased arrays, and signal processing arrays. These examples are just a sampling of the many diverse antennas created during this prolific period in electromagnetics.
Multi-Scale Queuing Analysis of Long-Range Dependent Traffic and Variable Service Rates

This paper proposes a multi-scale queuing (MSQ) analysis for long-range dependent traffic inputs and both fixed and variable service rates. Based on the observation that the queue length actually shapes both the traffic and service distributions at each time scale, the proposed queue-constrained (QC)-MSQ framework includes this inter-scale coupling effect in the queuing analytical models in order to enhance the estimation accuracy. Simulations are used to verify the accuracy of the analysis. The results show that the proposed analytical technique provides a more accurate estimation of the queue length and delay distributions, and that this accuracy is less affected by the traffic loading, correlation level, and variation.
To sense and make sense of anxiety: Physiotherapists' perceptions of their treatment for patients with generalized anxiety

The generalized anxiety is characterized by long-term psychological and physiological discomfort. Pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions have been extensively examined, whereas knowledge is scant regarding other professional perspectives. This article focuses on the physiotherapeutic perspective on anxiety, exploring physiotherapists' perceptions of their treatment for patients with generalized anxiety. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 physiotherapists working in psychiatry or primary health care. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis, resulting in one main category and five subcategories. The main category “To sense and make sense of one's anxiety” reflects the idea that physiotherapy works through immediate, tangible bodily experiences to help a person understand and handle his or her anxiety better. Five subcategories reflected different aspects of this main category: (1) the body is the arena of anxiety, (2) to get in touch with oneself, (3) to get down-to-earth with oneself, (4) to make sense of bodily sensations, and (5) to gain trust in one's capability to handle anxiety. In conclusion, the gradual bodily awareness of sensations, to sense and make sense of anxiety in physiotherapy treatment, becomes an opportunity to find ways to withstand and to manage symptoms of anxiety, encouraging an embodied self-trust. The emphasis on the immediately lived body involves the potential to learn how to endure anxiety instead of running away from it, to discern and to understand different sensations, leading to an integration of anxiety as being part of oneself rather than overflowing oneself.