Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling and design of parallel-fed continuous transverse stub (CTS) arrays

This work presents a rigorous and efficient framework for the analysis of continuous transverse stub (CTS) arrays, based on a mode-matching technique. The model focuses on an infinite array of long slots fed in parallel by parallel plate waveguides (PPWs). Closed-form expressions are provided for the active impedance of the array. The accuracy and the simplicity of the model are due to an effective decomposition of the equivalent currents over the slots in PPW modes. An excellent agreement with full-wave simulations is achieved. The developed fast code has been used for the design of a flat, broadband 16-elements CTS array in Ka-band. The main beam can be steered mechanically in H-plane. The scanning capabilities are experimentally demonstrated for several beam pointing directions, up to 27°, and are in very good agreement with simulations. The -3 dB beamwidth in H-plane is 6° at 30 GHz. The radiated performance are stable in the 27.5-31 GHz band. Simulated peak gain values are > 28 dBi, within the targeted scanning range and frequency band.
Does inhibiting Sur1 complement rt‐PA in cerebral ischemia?

Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) associated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt‐PA) complicates and limits its use in stroke. Here, we provide a focused review on the involvement of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP‐9) in rt‐PA–associated HT in cerebral ischemia, and we review emerging evidence that the selective inhibitor of the sulfonylurea receptor 1 (Sur1), glibenclamide (U.S. adopted name, glyburide), may provide protection against rt‐PA–associated HT in cerebral ischemia. Glyburide inhibits activation of MMP‐9, ameliorates edema formation, swelling, and symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation, and improves preclinical outcomes in several clinically relevant models of stroke, both without and with rt‐PA treatment. A retrospective clinical study comparing outcomes in diabetic patients with stroke treated with rt‐PA showed that those who were previously on and were maintained on a sulfonylurea fared significantly better than those whose diabetes was managed without sulfonylureas. Inhibition of Sur1 with injectable glyburide holds promise for ameliorating rt‐PA–associated HT in stroke.
Vehicular dataset for road assessment conditions

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a very promising concept that by connecting numerous devices to the internet and extracting large sums of information (BigData) can enable the realisation of various futuristic scenarios. In order to develop and assess future applications and services, it is necessary the availability of datasets that can be used to train, test and cross validate. Project SCoT (Smart Cloud of Things) has developed an M2M platform capable of collecting information from heterogeneous devices and collide that information in a large data repository. During its pilot phase, the project made the assessment of the road conditions in the region of Aveiro, Portugal. In this work we make the dataset used on the previous mentioned pilot publicly available. With this dataset our road assessment algorithm reached 80% accuracy in the task of pothole detection, other scenarios (that take into account vehicular speed, position and acceleration) can also be explored. The dataset was not pre-processed in anyway, the only transformation was made to protect the identity of the volunteers.
Survival of Diabetic Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis Or Hemodialysis

Our objective was to analyze the survival of diabetic patients on renal replacement therapy and to compare their survival on extracorporeal and on peritoneal dialysis. All data regarding diabetic patients admitted to dialysis between 1 January 1983 and 31 December 1993 were collected by means of individual patient questionnaires sent to all of the 44 regional Renal Units (100% answers) of Lombardy, Italy. Cox proportional hazards model, stepwise procedure, was applied in order to select the covariates significantly associated with survival. Age (at baseline), sex, type of diabetes, initial modality of treatment (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis), and initial clinical risk factors (malignancies, serious heart disease, vascular disease, cirrhosis of the liver, cachexia) were considered. Descriptive analysis of survival was performed using the Kaplan-Meier technique. The survival of all diabetic patients (895) was 86.5% at one year, 52% at three years, an d 34% at five years. The main causes of the 488 deaths of diabetic patients were cardiovascular diseases (56%), cachexia (18%), and infections (11%). The relative death risk of patients on peritoneal dialysis versus those on hemodialysis, after taking into account the main comorbid conditions, did not significantly differ from 1, as estimated by the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Five-year survival of diabetic patients was 34%, and no differences were found between peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis as far as mortality is concerned.
Assembly and remodeling of the fibrillar fibronectin extracellular matrix during gastrulation and neurulation in Xenopus laevis

Fibronectin, a major component of the extracellular matrix is critical for processes of cell traction and cell motility. Whole‐mount confocal imaging of the three‐dimensional architecture of the extracellular matrix is used to describe dynamic assembly and remodeling of fibronectin fibrils during gastrulation and neurulation in the early frog embryo. As previously reported, fibrils first appear under the prospective ectoderm. We describe here the first evidence for regulated assembly of fibrils along the somitic mesoderm/endoderm boundary as well as at the notochord/somitic mesoderm boundary and clearing of fibrils from the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the notochord that occurs over the course of a few hours. As gastrulation proceeds, fibrils are restored to the dorsal surface of the notochord, where the notochord contacts the prospective floor plate. As the neural folds form, fibrils are again remodeled as deep neural plate cells move medially. The process of neural tube closure leaves a region of the ectoderm overlying the neural crest transiently bare of fibrils. Fibrils are assembled surrounding the dorsal surface of the neural tube as the neural tube lumen is restored. Developmental Dynamics 231:888–895, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Detection of Hepatitis B and C Viruses in Almost All Hepatocytes by Modified PCR-Based In Situ Hybridization

ABSTRACT Although PCR-based in situ hybridization (PCR-ISH) can be used to determine the distribution and localization of pathogens in tissues, this approach is hampered by its low specificity. Therefore, we used a highly specific and sensitive PCR-ISH method to reveal the lobular distribution and intracellular localization of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV in chronic liver disease and to clarify the state of persistent HBV and HCV infection in the liver. HBV genomic DNA was detected in almost all hepatocytes, whereas HBV RNA or protein was differentially distributed only in a subset of the HBV DNA-positive region. Further, HCV genomic RNA was detected in almost all hepatocytes and was localized to the cytoplasm. HCV RNA was also detected in the epithelium of the large bile duct but not in endothelial cells, portal tracts, or sinusoidal lymphocytes. In patients with HBV and HCV coinfection, HCV RNA was localized to the noncancerous tissue, whereas HBV DNA was found only in the cancerous tissue. Using this novel PCR-ISH method, we could visualize the staining pattern of HBV and HCV in liver sections, and we obtained results consistent with those of real-time detection (RTD)-PCR analysis. In conclusion, almost all hepatocytes are infected with HBV or HCV in chronic liver disease; this finding implies that the viruses spreads throughout the liver in the chronic stage.
Projections of the hand field of the macaque ventral premotor area F5 to the brainstem and spinal cord

In the present study we first assessed that the hand motor field of the macaque ventral premotor area F5, involved in visuomotor control of hand actions, is connected to both the hand field of the primary motor cortex (M1) and the spinal cord. We then injected retroanterograde tracers in this field to completely illustrate its possible descending motor projections. In the brainstem the F5 hand motor field projects to the intermediate and deep layers of the superior colliculus (SC) and to sectors of the mesencephalic, pontine, and bulbar reticular formation, which are the sources of spinal projections. In the spinal cord, labeled terminals were virtually all confined to the C2–T1 segments, mostly contralaterally. At C6–T1 levels the labeling was weaker and mostly clustered laterally in the intermediate zone. At C2–C5 levels, labeled terminals were much denser and diffusely distributed over the mid‐dorsal part of the intermediate zone where a propriospinal system that directly controls hand muscle motoneurons and mediates commands for the control of dexterous finger movements is located (Isa et al. [2007] Physiology 22:145–152). Thus, the F5 hand motor field has a weaker direct access and a stronger indirect access to spinal segments where hand muscle motoneurons are located, suggesting a role of this field in the generation and control of hand movements not only at the M1 level, but also at the spinal cord level. These projections may represent the neural substrate for the F5 hand motor field's role in the recovery of manual dexterity after M1 lesions. J. Comp. Neurol. 518:2570–2591, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quality of life measures as a preliminary clinical indicator in patients with primary brain tumors

Background: The health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures serve as valuable indicators of survival in patients with newly diagnosed primary brain tumors (PBTs). HRQOL outcomes may benefit clinical decision-making by individualizing patient treatment and improving communications between the doctor, patient, and families. Exploring the individual items of the European Organization and Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QOL) measures may be predictive of prognosis. Methods: We prospectively collected the validated HRQOL and standard clinical and radiological measures from 48 patients with newly diagnosed PBT. The patients were followed every 3 months over 2 years. No proxies were allowed. Questionnaire responses were compared between two groups: Patients with recurrence and/or death (n = 26) and patients without a recurrence (n = 22). A total of 17 patients succumbed to a tumor-related death. Statistical analysis utilizing nonparametric t-tests and Wilcoxon sign tests assessed QOL responses. Results: Significant group differences were noted in the QOL measures with more negative responses in the recurrence group. EORTC QLQ-C30 questions revealed a poor global HRQOL scale (P < 0.005) and pain interfering with daily activities (P < 0.05). EORTC QLQ-BN20 questions revealed weakness of the legs (P < 0.05), coordination difficulties (P < 0.005), and unsteady gait (P < 0.05). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questions reflected a patient who is slowed down (P < 0.01) and “frightened” (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our analysis of longitudinal HRQOL measures may shed light on the prognostic significance of HRQOL measures in patients with newly diagnosed PBT. Further research is warranted to determine which selected individual measures of the EORTC QOL measures may be predictive of a patient's progression-free and overall survival and to test their validity and reliability in clinical trials.
Highly efficient siRNA delivery system into human and murine cells using single-wall carbon nanotubes

Development of RNA interference (RNAi) technology utilizing short interfering RNA sequences (siRNA) has focused on creating methods for delivering siRNAs to cells and for enhancing siRNA stability in vitro and in vivo. Here, we describe a novel approach for siRNA cellular delivery using siRNA coiling into carboxyl-functionalized single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The CNT–siRNA delivery system successfully demonstrates nonspecific toxicity and transfection efficiency greater than 95%. This approach offers the potential for siRNA delivery into different types of cells, including hard-to-transfect cells, such as neuronal cells and cardiomyocytes. We also tested the CNT–siRNA system in a non-metastatic human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (SKHep1). In all types of cells used in this work the CNT–siRNA delivery system showed high efficiency and apparent no side effects for various in vitro applications.
Pharmacovigilance in the 21st Century: New Systematic Tools for an Old Problem

The large number of adverse‐event reports generated by marketed drugs and devices argues for the application of validated computerized algorithms to supplement traditional methods of detecting adverse‐event signals. Difficulties in accurately estimating patient exposure and background rates for a given event in a specific population hinder risk estimation in spontaneous adverse‐event databases. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is evaluating a Bayesian data mining system called Multi‐item Gamma Poisson Shrinker (MGPS) to enhance the FDA's ability to monitor the safety of drugs, biologics, and vaccines after they have been approved for use. The MGPS computes adjusted higher‐than‐expected reporting relationships between drugs and adverse events across 35 years of data relative to internal background rates. The MGPS can also adjust for random noise by using a model derived from the data, and corrects for temporal trends and confounding related to age, sex, and other variables by stratifying over 900 categories. Signals can then be compared with or used in conjunction with other sources (e.g. clinical trials, general practice databases) to further study the adverse‐event risk. The example of pancreatitis risk with atypical antipsychotics, valproic acid, and valproate is used to discuss the strengths and limitations of MGPS versus traditional methods. Validated data mining techniques offer great promise to enhance pharmacovigilance practices.
Modelling Natural Resources, Oil and Economic Growth in Africa

Using panel data from 1980 to 2010 on 34 sub-Saharan African countries, this paper examines whether institutionalised authority, which is a proxy for state authority, can change the negative relationship between natural resources and economic growth. The key finding is that, institutionalised authority can alter the negative relationship that exists between natural resources and economic growth. We also model the relationship between the oil revenue (fuel exports) and economic growth, and how institutionalised authority can alter this relationship as well.
Fourier Transform Infrared Reflectance Microspectroscopy Study of Bacillus Subtilis Engineered without Dipicolinic Acid: The Contribution of Calcium Dipicolinate to the Mid-Infrared Absorbance of Bacillus Subtilis Endospores

Mid-infrared spectra of spores of two strains of Bacillus subtilis, PS832 (wild-type) and FB122 (sleB spoVF), that are isogenic except for the two mutations in FB122 were obtained by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) reflectance microspectroscopy. The mutations in FB122 cause the spores of this strain to be devoid of dipicolinic acid (pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid; DPA), a biomarker characteristic of bacterial spores. Analysis of these two strains by difference spectroscopy revealed a spectrum similar to that of calcium dipicolinate (CaDPA), a chelate salt of DPA. This difference spectrum was compared to mid-infrared spectra of both DPA and CaDPA, and was attributed to CaDPA only. This is the first report known to the authors of a genetically engineered organism being used to identify the spectral contribution of a particular cellular component.
Inhibition of interferon-α-induced signaling by hyperosmolarity and hydrophobic bile acids

Abstract Apart from viral conditions, host factors such as elevated bile acid concentrations are determinants of successful interferon-α (IFN-α) treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C or B. The present study demonstrates that hydrophobic bile acids inhibit Jak1- and Tyk2-phosphorylation, which lead to blockade of STAT1-mediated IFN-α-signaling in the sodium-taurocholate cotransporting peptide (NTCP)-transfected human hepatoma cell line HepG2, resulting in a decreased mRNA and protein expression of IFN-stimulated genes such as myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) or dsRNA-activated protein kinase (PKR). In addition, hyperosmotic stress leads to an inhibition of IFN-α-induced Jak1- and Tyk2-phosphorylation, and STAT1/STAT2-phosphorylation and gene expression. This inhibitory effect of hydrophobic bile acids or hyperosmolarity is not due to caspase-mediated cleavage or lysosomal degradation of the cognate receptors or to the generation of oxidative stress, activation of p38- or Erk-mediated MAPK pathways or phosphatase activity. Preincubation with the organic osmolyte betaine blocked the inhibitory effect of bile acids or hyperosmolarity on MxA protein expression, but had no effect on transcript levels or activation of STAT1, suggesting that betaine mediates its effects on MxA expression at a translational or post-translational level. Our findings could provide a rationale for betaine use in cholestatic HBV/HCV patients undergoing interferon therapy.
Liver stiffness predicts variceal bleeding in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis

Background:A liver stiffness below 21 kPa has a high negative predictive value to exclude the presence of esophageal varices at risk of bleeding in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected patients. Consequently, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) for the screening of esophageal varices could be avoided in these patients. However, this strategy has not been widely accepted due to concerns about its safety. Objective:To assess the ability of liver stiffness to predict the risk of portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding (PHGB) in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis. Methods:Prospective study of 446 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with a new diagnosis of cirrhosis and no previous decompensation. All patients underwent a UGE for the screening of esophageal varices at entry in the cohort before November 2009. From this date, UGE was not recommended in patients with liver stiffness below 21 kPa. The time from diagnosis of cirrhosis to the emergence of PHGB was evaluated. Results:After a median (quartile1–quartile3) follow-up of 49 (25–68) months, 15 (3.4%, 95% confidence interval 1.7–5%) patients developed a first PHGB episode. In all cases, baseline liver stiffness was at least 21 kPa. Thus, the negative predictive value of a liver stiffness below 21 kPa to predict PHGB during follow-up was 100%. At the time of the bleeding episode, liver stiffness was above this threshold in all patients. Conclusions:Liver stiffness identifies HIV/HCV-coinfected patients with compensated cirrhosis with a very low risk of PHGB. In fact, no individual with liver stiffness below 21 kPa developed this outcome. Our results confirm that UGE can be safely spared in patients with liver stiffness below 21 kPa.
Arm morbidity of axillary dissection with sentinel node biopsy versus delayed axillary dissection

Staging of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer is important for prognostication and planning of adjuvant therapy. The traditional practice of proceeding to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) if sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is positive is being challenged and clinical trials are underway. For many centres, this will mean a move away from intra‐operative SLNB assessment and utilization of a second procedure to perform ALND. It is sometimes perceived that a delayed ALND results in increased tissue damage and thus increased morbidity. We compared morbidity in those undergoing SLNB only, or ALND as a one‐ or two‐stage procedure.
On optimal link scheduling with deadlines for emptying a wireless network

We consider link scheduling in wireless networks for emptying the queues at the transmitters in minimum time, with time constraints, or deadlines, for one or multiple individual links. We formulate the minimum-time scheduling problem with deadlines (MTSD) mathematically and derive the optimal activation order of the link sets in a schedule solution. Theoretical results are obtained, showing that the MTSD can be treated as the conventional minimum-time scheduling problem by “absorbing” the deadline constraints into the rate region where the scheduling problem is defined. By this approach, optimality characterization and geometric interpretation for the MTSD are provided. Furthermore, we extend the results to the MTSD in a general form that accommodates an arbitrary rate region.
‘It seems at the moment my career is dependent on factors outside of my control’: reflections on graduates’ experiences of employment and career enactment in an era of economic uncertainty and austerity

ABSTRACT This paper explores contested notions of the purpose of education and careers work. The research for the paper examines public sector employee reactions to notion of a psychological contract breach, when cuts in funding put their jobs and careers at risk. It argues that, in this environment, the search for career fulfilment can be marked by feelings of cruel optimism, wicked problems and broken expectations. The findings are then used to present the case for further research, firstly, to address the notion of possible selves, as individuals explore alternative identity affirming career opportunities; and secondly, the impact of changes in public policy on the processes of psychological contracting between students and staff in further and higher education.
The interleukin‐23 axis in intestinal inflammation

Summary: Immune responses in the intestine are tightly regulated to ensure host protective immunity in the absence of immune pathology. Interleukin‐23 (IL‐23) has recently been shown to be a key player in influencing the balance between tolerance and immunity in the intestine. Production of IL‐23 is enriched within the intestine and has been shown to orchestrate T‐cell‐dependent and T‐cell‐independent pathways of intestinal inflammation through effects on T‐helper 1 (Th1) and Th17‐associated cytokines. Furthermore, IL‐23 restrains regulatory T‐cell responses in the gut, favoring inflammation. Polymorphisms in the IL‐23 receptor have been associated with susceptibility to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) in humans, pinpointing the IL‐23 axis as a key, conserved pathway in intestinal homeostasis. In addition to its role in dysregulated inflammatory responses, there is also evidence that IL‐23 and the Th17 axis mediate beneficial roles in host protective immunity and barrier function in the intestine. Here we discuss the dual roles of IL‐23 in intestinal immunity and how IL‐23 and downstream effector pathways may make novel targets for the treatment of IBD.