Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stability of tactile‐ and pain‐related fMRI brain activations: An examination of threshold‐dependent and threshold‐independent methods

Functional MRI can be used to assess brain plasticity over time. To confidently attribute changes in activation patterns to cortical plasticity, it is important to establish the stability of cortical activation patterns. Because little is known concerning the stability of somatosensory‐evoked brain responses, we assessed the reproducibility of within‐subject responses in key somatosensory regions [thalamus, primary and secondary cortex (S1, S2)] to tactile and painful stimuli using threshold‐dependent and threshold‐independent analyses. Six subjects underwent four biweekly scanning sessions during which tactile and painful stimuli were applied to the hand. Standard thresholding and voxel counting techniques were compared with a novel threshold‐independent method utilizing percent signal change within the regions of interest. Contralateral S1 and S2 were qualitatively reproducible during tactile stimulation, with overlapping activations >85% of the time. S2 was also highly reproducible during painful stimulation (88%), whereas S1 was less reproducible (44%). However, activation in the thalamus to both tactile and painful stimulation was highly variable. Ipsilateral activation was consistent within S2 but sparse within S1 and thalamus. Deactivations within ipsilateral S1 occurred 48% of the time with tactile stimuli, and 90% of the time with painful stimuli. Within contralaterally activated regions intraclass correlations (ICCs) were very high using the unthresholded method regardless of the type of stimulation, whereas much lower ICCs arose from the thresholded analyses. These data indicate that a threshold‐independent analysis can produce more reproducible outcomes than a standard threshold‐dependent analysis. Hum Brain Mapp, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Helminth Immunomodulator Reduces Allergic and Inflammatory Responses by Induction of IL-10-Producing Macrophages1

The coincidence between infections with parasitic worms and the reduced prevalence of allergic disease in humans and in animal models has prompted the search for helminth molecules with antiallergic and antiinflammatory potential. We report herein that filarial cystatin, a secreted protease inhibitor of filarial nematodes, suppresses Th2-related inflammation and the ensuing asthmatic disease in a murine model of OVA-induced allergic airway responsiveness. Treatment with recombinant filarial cystatin inhibited eosinophil recruitment, reduced levels of OVA-specific and total IgE, down-regulated IL-4 production, and suppressed allergic airway hyperreactivity when applied during or after sensitization and before challenge with the allergen. Depletion of macrophages by clodronate-containing liposomes prevented the curative effects and restored the levels of infiltrating cells, IgE, and allergic airway reactivity. Blocking of IL-10 by application of anti-IL-10 receptor Abs restored the reduced number of infiltrating cells and the levels of OVA-specific IgE. In contrast, depletion of regulatory T cells by anti-CD25 Abs had only limited effects. Cystatin also modulated macrophage-mediated inflammation in a murine model of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis, leading to reduction of inflammatory infiltrations and epithelial damage. Our data demonstrate that treatment with a single helminth protein can exert the antiallergic effects of helminth infections.
Predictors of new-onset decline in kidney function in a general middle-european population.

BACKGROUND Limited epidemiological data are available on predictors of new-onset kidney disease. METHODS In this longitudinal cohort study, 17 375 apparently healthy volunteers of the general Viennese population (46.4% women, age range 20-84 years, men 20-89 years) performed a baseline examination at some time within the study period (1990-2005) and completed a median of two follow-up examinations [interquartile range (IQR) 1 to 4]; the median follow-up period was 7 years (IQR 4 to 11). The outcome of interest was the development of kidney disease, defined as a decrease of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) at the follow-up examinations [calculated by the abbreviated modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) equation]. Logistic generalized estimating equations were used to analyse the relationship between the covariates and the outcome variable. RESULTS The following parameters [odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals] predicted new-onset kidney disease: Age (increase by 5 years), OR = 1.36 (1.34-1.40); National Kidney Foundation-chronic kidney disease (NKF-CKD) stage 1 with proteinuria (+), OR = 1.39 (1.10-1.75); NKF-CKD stage 1 with proteinuria (>/=++), OR = 2.07 (1.11-3.87); NKF-CKD stage 2 with proteinuria (+), OR = 2.71 (2.10-3.51); NKF-CKD stage 2 with proteinuria (>/=++), OR = 3.80 (2.29-6.31); body mass index, OR = 1.04 (1.02-1.06); current-smoker, OR = 1.20 (1.01-1.43); performing no sports, OR = 1.57 (1.27-1.95); uric acid (increase by 2 mg/dl), OR = 1.69 (1.59-1.80); HDL-cholesterol (decrease by 10 mg/dl), OR = 1.12 (1.07-1.17); hypertension stage 1, OR = 1.35 (1.08-1.67); hypertension stage 2, OR = 2.01 (1.62-2.51); diabetes mellitus, OR = 1.44 (1.07-1.93). CONCLUSIONS Cardiovascular risk factors as well as NKF-CKD stages 1 and 2 and proteinuria, the more the higher and an entirely novel finding, performing no sports, predicted new-onset kidney disease.
Overexpression of c-met as a prognostic indicator for transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a comparison with p53 nuclear accumulation.

PURPOSE The c-met proto-oncogene encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase (Met) and has been shown to play a role in oncogenesis. Given that high titers of hepatocyte growth factor, the specific ligand for Met, are excreted in the urine and tend to reflect disease activity of bladder cancer, we performed this study to examine the clinical significance of Met in human bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied the mRNA expression and genomic alteration of c-met in five bladder cancer cell lines. Significance of Met overexpression was then compared with p53 nuclear accumulation (TP53) in primary bladder cancer (n = 142 patients). RESULTS Expression of c-met mRNA tended to positively correlate with differentiation of cancer cell lines in the absence of point mutation. High expression of Met was found in seven cases (4.9%), low expression in 32 cases (22.5%), and negative expression in 103 cases (72.5%). Expression of Met was positively associated with histologic grade, stage classification, tumor size, and nodular tumor growth (P <.05, respectively); however, it was not related to TP53 status. Factors that predicted disease progression were tumor stage, Met status, and TP53 accumulation (P <.05, respectively). Indicators for poor long-term survival were invasive cancer, multiple tumors, and Met overexpression (P =.0006,.01, and.04, respectively). CONCLUSION The c-met proto-oncogene plays a more important role in the progression of bladder carcinogenesis than p53. Evaluation of Met expression could identify a subset of bladder cancer patients who may require a more intensive treatment strategy.
An admission control algorithm for WCDMA considering mobile speed and service characteristics

This paper deals with the problem of the downlink admission control for UTRA-FBD systems. In W-CDMA systems, elements such as traffic variability or user mobility cause that the resource requirements for each user in order to guarantee its QoS (quality of service) vary along time, making very difficult to estimate whether there will be or not available resources to satisfy the user demands. Admission control and other RRM (radio resource management) strategies play an important role in order to achieve an efficient use of the radio interface. In this context, information of certain user characteristics (such as user location or user mobility) would be prime important to obtain a more accurate estimation of the required resources for each user during its connection lifetime. This paper proposes an admission control algorithm which takes into account user mobility and service characteristics in order to obtain better decisions of admission or rejection of connection requests. The obtained results show the improvement of this new admission control proposal in heterogeneous scenarios when low-speed indoor users and medium/high-speed outdoor users have to coexist.
Joint downlink and uplink resource allocation for energy-efficient carrier aggregation

In this paper, we propose a novel energy-efficient resource allocation method to simultaneously improve both downlink and uplink energy efficiency (EE) for time division duplex (TDD) systems with carrier aggregation (CA). We aim at EE tradeoff between downlink and uplink by optimizing the power and bandwidth allocation on each carrier component (CC) for each user. The objective function is a sum of several fractional functions, therefore, a novel nonlinear sum-of-ratios programming technique is used to solve it. We first transform the problem into an equivalent and better tractable one and then propose an iterative algorithm to find the global optimum solution. Numerical results show that our method can converge with an acceptable number of iterations and achieve flexible EE tradeoff between downlink and uplink.
Detection, Characterization, and In Vitro and In Vivo Expression of Genes Encoding S-Proteins in Lactobacillus gallinarum Strains Isolated from Chicken Crops

ABSTRACT Thirty-eight isolates of Lactobacillus gallinarum cultured from the crops of broiler chickens were screened for the presence of genes encoding S-layer proteins. All of the isolates had two S-protein genes, which were designated Lactobacillus gallinarum S-protein (lgs) genes. One gene in each isolate was either lgsA or lgsB. The Lactobacillus isolates were further characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of DNA digests, which grouped the isolates into 17 genotypes (strains). The second gene in each of eight representative strains was sequenced and shown to differ among strains (lgsC, lgsD, lgsE, lgsF, lgsG, lgsH, and lgsI). The genome of each strain thus encoded a common S-protein (encoded by either lgsA or lgsB) and a strain-specific S-protein. The extraction of cell surface proteins from cultures of the eight strains showed that each strain produced a single S-protein that was always encoded by the strain-specific lgs gene. Two of the strains were used to inoculate chickens maintained in a protected environment which were Lactobacillus-free prior to inoculation. DNAs and RNAs extracted from the digesta of the chickens were used for PCR and reverse transcription-PCR, respectively, to demonstrate the presence and transcription of lgs genes in vivo. In both cases, only the strain-specific gene was transcribed. Both of the strains adhered to the crop epithelium, consistent with published data predicting that S-proteins of lactobacilli are adhesins. The results of this study provide a basis for the investigation of gene duplication and sequence variation as mechanisms by which bacterial strains of the same species can share the same habitat.
Comprehensive Characterization of HIV-1 Molecular Epidemiology and Demographic History in the Brazilian Region Most Heavily Affected by AIDS

ABSTRACT The high incidence of AIDS cases and the dominance of HIV-1 subtype C infections are two features that distinguish the HIV-1 epidemic in the two southernmost Brazilian states (Rio Grande do Sul [RS] and Santa Catarina [SC]) from the epidemic in other parts of the country. Nevertheless, previous studies on HIV molecular epidemiology were conducted mainly in capital cities, and a more comprehensive understanding of factors driving this unique epidemic in Brazil is necessary. Blood samples were collected from individuals in 13 municipalities in the Brazilian southern region. HIV-1 env and pol genes were submitted to phylogenetic analyses for assignment of subtype, and viral population phylodynamics were reconstructed by applying Skygrid and logistic coalescent models in a Bayesian analysis. A high prevalence of subtype C was observed in all sampled locations; however, an increased frequency of recombinant strains was found in RS, with evidence for new circulating forms (CRFs). In the SC state, subtype B and C epidemics were associated with distinct exposure groups. Although logistic models estimated similar growth rates for HIV-1 subtype C (HIV-1C) and HIV-1B, a Skygrid plot reveals that the former epidemic has been expanding for a longer time. Our results highlight a consistent expansion of HIV-1C in south Brazil, and we also discuss how heterosexual and men who have sex with men (MSM) transmission chains might have impacted the current prevalence of HIV-1 subtypes in this region. IMPORTANCE The AIDS epidemic in south Brazil is expanding rapidly, but the circumstances driving this condition are not well known. A high prevalence of HIV-1 subtype C was reported in the capital cities of this region, in contrast to the subtype B dominance in the rest of the country. This study sought to comparatively investigate the HIV-1 subtype B and C epidemics by sampling individuals from several cities in the two states with the highest AIDS incidences in Brazil. Our analyses showed distinct epidemic growth curves for the two epidemics, and we also found evidence suggesting that separate transmission chains may be impacting the viral phylodynamics and the emergence of new recombinant forms.
Combined perfusion and doppler imaging using plane-wave nonlinear detection and microbubble contrast agents

Plane-wave imaging offers image acquisition rates at the pulse repetition frequency, effectively increasing the imaging frame rates by up to two orders of magnitude over conventional line-by-line imaging. This form of acquisition can be used to achieve very long ensemble lengths in nonlinear modes such as pulse inversion Doppler, which enables new imaging trade-offs that were previously unattainable. We first demonstrate in this paper that the coherence of microbubble signals under repeated exposure to acoustic pulses of low mechanical index can be as high as 204 ± 5 pulses, which is long enough to allow an accurate power Doppler measurement. We then show that external factors, such as tissue acceleration, restrict the detection of perfusion at the capillary level with linear Doppler, even if long Doppler ensembles are considered. Hence, perfusion at the capillary level can only be detected with ultrasound through combined microbubbles and Doppler imaging. Finally, plane-wave contrast-enhanced power and color Doppler are performed on a rabbit kidney in vivo as a proof of principle. We establish that long pulse-inversion Doppler sequences and conventional wall-filters can create an image that simultaneously resolves both the vascular morphology of veins and arteries, and perfusion at the capillary level with frame rates above 100 Hz.
Resource Aware Distributed Knowledge

It is now possible to envision having intelligent appliances and, in general, ambient intelligence aimed at easing our life. [29] gives illustrative and futurist scenarios. But this requires to know how to embed these new heterogeneous appliances with the right kind of sensors and of intelligence in order to give them the capability to sense their environment and be able to communicate and cooperate, while at the same time be able to interact gracefully and naturally with human users. Furthermore, these intelligent items, and the networks they will be part of, require the ability to adapt continuously to ever changing environmental conditions and needs of the users. The pervasiveness of mobile phones in the population attracts the attention of the actors in this sector to the wealth of data that could be extracted from simple measurements automatically sent by the phones during their lifetime. It is therefore clear that a wide spectrum of learning abilities is in demand for these new developments to take place. First, smart devices adaptable to a diversity of users and ready to accompany them for years, will need to:
Low Complexity Digit Serial Systolic Montgomery Multipliers for Special Class of ${\rm GF}(2^{m})$

Montgomery Algorithm for modular multiplication with a large modulus has been widely used in public key cryptosystems for secured data communication. This paper presents a digit-serial systolic multiplication architecture for all-one polynomials (AOP) over GF(2m) for efficient implementation of Montgomery Multiplication (MM) Algorithm suitable for cryptosystem. Analysis shows that the latency and circuit complexity of the proposed architecture are significantly less than those of earlier designs for same classes of polynomials. Since the systolic multiplier has the features of regularity, modularity and unidirectional data flow, this structure is well suited to VLSI implementations. The proposed multipliers have clock cycle latency of (2N - 1), where N = ¿m/L¿, m is the word size and L is the digit size. No digit serial systolic architecture based on MM algorithm over GF(2m) is reported before. The architecture is also compared to two well known digit serial systolic architectures.
Detection of a transforming fragment of herpes simplex virus type 2 in clinical specimens by PCR. The Canadian Women's HIV Study Group

A PCR assay for the sensitive detection of a transforming fragment of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) was developed. Oligonucleotide primers were selected in Xho-2, a transforming region of the BglII N fragment of HSV-2. The assay reached a sensitivity endpoint of 10 copies of the Xho-2 subfragment and did not show cross-reactivity with other herpesviruses, including HSV-1. All 42 HSV-2 isolates scored positive in the assay. The Xho-2 PCR assay was evaluated with 216 clinical specimens and the results were compared with those of cell culture. The best protocol for processing specimens contained in viral transport medium included a centrifugation step followed by cell lysis. Of the 107 specimens positive for HSV-2 by culture, 105 were PCR positive (sensitivity, 98.1%). For one of the two falsely negative samples, beta-globin as well as sequences from the HSV-2 DNA polymerase gene could not be amplified. The other sample scored positive in both of these reactions but was indeterminate in duplicate tests by Xho-2 PCR. Two of 109 HSV-2 culture-negative specimens tested positive in the PCR assay (specificity, 98.2%). The latter two samples tested positive in a PCR test for the HSV-2 DNA polymerase gene. This novel tool was shown to be sensitive and specific for HSV-2 sequences and should allow for the investigation of the role of HSV-2 in genital cancers.
Design of novel injectable cationic microspheres based on aminated gelatin for prolonged insulin action

The aim of this study was to prepare two types of injectable cationized microspheres based on a native gelatin (NGMS) and aminated gelatin with ethylenediamine (CGMS) to prolong the action of insulin. Release of rhodamin B isothiocyanate insulin from CGMS was compared with that from NGMS under in‐vitro and in‐vivo conditions. Lower release of insulin from CGMS compared with that from NGMS was caused by the suppression of initial release. The disappearance of 125I‐insulin from the injection site after intramuscular administration by NGMS and CGMS had a biphasic profile in mice. Almost all the 125I‐insulin had disappeared from the injection site one day after administration by NGMS. The remaining insulin at the injection site after administration by CGMS was prolonged, with approximately 59% remaining after one day and 16% after 14 days. The disappearance of CGMS from the injection site was lower than that of NGMS. However, the difference in these disappearance rates was not great compared with those of 125I‐insulin from the injection site by NGMS and CGMS. The time course of disappearance of 125I‐CGMS from the injection site was similar to that of 125I‐insulin by CGMS. The initial hypoglycaemic effect was observed 1h after administration of insulin by NGMS, thereafter its effect rapidly disappeared. The hypoglycaemic effect was observed 2–4h after administration by CGMS and continued to be exhibited for 7 days. The prolonged hypoglycaemic action by CGMS depended on the time profiles of the disappearance of insulin from muscular tissues, which occurs due to the enzymatic degradation of CGMS.
Nidovirus Infections: Experimental Model Systems of Human Neurologic Diseases

Abstract The presence of terminally differentiated slow- and non-dividing cells in the central nervous system (CNS) provides a safe harbor for viral persistence and latency and constitutes a unique immunologic environment for viral infections. Studies of experimental model systems of viral infections of the CNS provide insight into mechanisms of viral persistence and immune-mediated pathology. Nidoviruses are comprised of 2 families of viruses, coronaviruses and arteriviruses, and are common pathogens of humans and a variety of animal species. Both families of viruses contain neurotropic strains that produce experimental neurologic diseases in rodents. These include acute meningitis and encephalitis; acute poliomyelitis; and chronic inflammatory, immune-mediated, demyelination. Coronavirus-induced demyelinating disease mimics many of the pathologic features of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Genistein elicits biphasic effects on L-type Ca 2 1 current in feline atrial myocytes

Wang, Yong G. , and Stephen L. Lipsius. Genistein elicits biphasic effects on L-type Ca21 current in feline atrial myocytes. Am. J. Physiol. 275 (Heart Circ. Physiol. 44): H204–H212, 1998. —A perforated patch recording method was used to determine the effects of genistein (Gen), a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor, on basal L-type Ca21 current (ICa,L) in feline atrial myocytes. Gen (50 μM) elicited biphasic changes in ICa,L: an initial inhibition (255 6 4%; phase 1) followed by a secondary stimulation (34 6 9%; phase 2) of ICa,L. Withdrawal of Gen elicited a further potentiation of ICa,L (152 6 19%; phase 3) above control (n 5 46). In general, phase 1 inhibition and phase 3 potentiation varied directly with Gen concentration, and phase 2 stimulation exhibited biphasic concentration-dependent changes compared with control. When cells were dialyzed using a ruptured patch recording method, Gen elicited only inhibition of ICa,L; phases 2 and 3 were abolished. Vanadate (1 mM), an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase, abolished both Gen-induced inhibition and stimulation of ICa,L. Daidzein (50 μM), a weakly active analog of Gen, exerted no significant effects on ICa,L, and withdrawal of daidzein failed to potentiate ICa,L. In a few cells, Gen elicited a prominent vanadate-sensitive stimulation of ICa,L in the absence of any significant inhibition of ICa,L. Gen-induced changes in ICa,L were unaffected by either 100 μM 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N8,N8-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA)-acetoxymethyl ester (AM) or 1 μM ryanodine, agents that alter intracellular Ca21; 4 μM H-89 or 50 μM Rp diastereomer of adenosine 38,58-monophosphothioate (RP-cAMPS), inhibitors of protein kinase A (PKA); 0.1 μM calphostin C or 2 μM chelerythrine, inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC); or 100 μM NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (LNMMA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase. We conclude that in feline atrial myocytes, Gen acts via membrane-bound PTKs to inhibit ICa,L and via cytosolic PTKs to stimulate ICa,L. Gen-induced changes in ICa,L are not related to changes in intracellular Ca21 or to secondary interactions with either PKA, PKC, or NO signaling pathways. These results indicate that in atrial myocytes ICa,L is regulated by two independent and competing PTK signaling mechanisms.