Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Essential Role for the Lectin Pathway in Collagen Antibody–Induced Arthritis Revealed through Use of Adenovirus Programming Complement Inhibitor MAp44 Expression

Previous studies using mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and complement C4–deficient mice have suggested that the lectin pathway (LP) is not required for the development of inflammatory arthritis in the collagen Ab–induced arthritis (CAIA) model. MBL, ficolins and collectin-11 are key LP pattern recognition molecules that associate with three serine proteases—MASP-1, MASP-2, and MASP-3—and with two MBL-associated proteins designated sMAP and MBL-associated protein of 44kDA (MAp44). Recent studies have shown that MAp44, an alternatively spliced product of the MASP-1/3 gene, is a competitive inhibitor of the binding of the recognition molecules to all three MASPs. In these studies, we examined the effect of treatment of mice with adenovirus (Ad) programmed to express human MAp44 (AdhMAp44) on the development of CAIA. AdhMAp44 and Ad programming GFP (AdGFP) expression were injected i.p. in C57BL/6 wild type mice prior to the induction of CAIA. AdhMAp44 significantly reduced the clinical disease activity (CDA) score by 81% compared with mice injected with AdGFP. Similarly, histopathologic injury scores for inflammation, pannus, cartilage and bone damage, as well as C3 deposition in the cartilage and synovium, were significantly reduced by AdhMAp44 pretreatment. Mice treated with AdmMAp44, programming expression of mouse MAp44, also showed significantly decreased CDA score and histopathologic injury scores. In addition, administration of AdhMAp44 significantly diminished the severity of Ross River virus–induced arthritis, an LP-dependent model. Our study provides conclusive evidence that an intact complement LP is essential to initiate CAIA, and that MAp44 may be an appropriate treatment for inflammatory arthritis.
Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparison Between Incarcerated and Community Offenders

The literature considers intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators to be a heterogeneous group. In Portugal, IPV perpetrators may be sentenced to either of two types of sentences: deprivation of freedom or alternatives to prison (in the community). In the present study, we performed a comparative analysis between 76 male individuals sentenced to prison and 76 male individuals sentenced to community measures for crimes against their current or former partners, using a set of psychological measures. The results indicate that although incarcerated and nonincarcerated IPV perpetrators demonstrate considerable differences, some similarities may also be observed. Incarcerated IPV perpetrators present the lowest socioeconomic status and education, perpetrate more severe IPV, and have more criminal convictions. A hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the use of weapons and objects increased the probability of IPV perpetrators belonging to the prison group above and beyond sociodemographic variables. Based on these results, implications for IPV perpetrators’ treatment are discussed.
Fetal Nucleic Acids in Maternal Body Fluids

Abstract: Our laboratory continues to be actively involved in the development of new biomarkers for prenatal diagnosis using maternal blood and amniotic fluid. We have also developed a mouse model that demonstrates that cell‐free fetal (cff) DNA is detectable in the pregnant maternal mouse. In human maternal plasma and serum we have analyzed factors that are important in the clinical interpretation of cff DNA levels. Maternal race, parity, and type of conception (natural or assisted) do not affect cff DNA levels, but maternal weight does. We have also analyzed the relationship between placental volume, using a three‐dimensionsal ultrasound examination, and cff DNA levels. Surprisingly, there is no association between these values. Finally, we are using specific disease models (such as congenital diaphragmatic hernia and twin‐to‐twin transfusion) to understand the effects of gestational age and specific pathology on fetal gene expression by analyzing cell‐free mRNA levels in maternal plasma. In the amniotic fluid we have focused on improvements in recovery of cff DNA and mRNA. By optimizing recovery we have made some interesting observations about differences in fetal DNA between blood and amniotic fluid. In addition, we have successfully hybridized cff DNA in amniotic fluid to DNA microarrays, permitting assessment of fetal molecular karyotype. We also have preliminary data on fetal gene expression in amniotic fluid. Finally, we remain actively involved in promoting noninvasive prenatal testing in the United States, such as encouraging the use of fetal DNA for fetal rhesus D assessment. On the other hand, we are cautious and concerned about the accuracy of “at‐home” kits for fetal gender detection.
Zinc-induced copper deficiency in an infant.

OBJECTIVE To describe the case of a 13-month-old girl who developed copper deficiency as a result of excessive zinc gluconate ingestion. SETTING Tertiary care hospital in Syracuse, NY. INTERVENTIONS Cessation of zinc ingestion followed by intravenous and oral copper chloride therapy. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS Ingestion of zinc gluconate, 120 mg/d for 6 months, and thereafter 180 mg/d for 1 month, preceded the clinical presentation of listlessness, anemia, neutropenia, poor weight gain, abnormal sparse hair, and scorbuticlike bone changes. Findings on a bone marrow examination included ring sideroblasts and suggested copper deficiency. Plasma zinc level was 36.7 mumol/L, serum ceruloplasmin level was 20 mg/L, and serum copper level was undetectable. Clinical and laboratory abnormalities resolved shortly after initiation of copper therapy. CONCLUSIONS This case demonstrates the reciprocal relationship of copper and zinc metabolism and exemplifies the important interrelationships of dietary trace minerals.
Volatility Modelling of the Nairobi Securities Exchange Weekly Returns Using the Arch-Type Models

In this paper we identify the most efficient ARCH-type model that can be applied to the Nairobi stock exchange data for forecasting and prediction of volatility which in turn is important in pricing financial derivatives, selecting portfolios, measuring and managing risks more accurately. The establishment of an efficient stock market is indispensable for an economy that is keen on utilizing scarce capital resources to achieve its economic growth. The purpose of this study was to determine the most efficient model from the symmetric and the asymmetric GARCH models. The models were evaluated by use of the Shwartz Bayesian Criteria (SBC), Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) and the Mean Squared Error (MSE). The results show that the AR-Integrated GARCH (IGARCH) models with student’s t-distribution are the best models for modelling volatility in the Nairobi Stock Market data.
A 2-6 GHz fully integrated tunable CMOS power amplifier for multi-standard transmitters

A tunable power amplifier (PA) from 2.1 GHz to 6.0 GHz is presented for multi-standard radios. The proposed multi-band PA can tune the output impedance to 50 Ω over a wide frequency range, so external isolators following PAs can be eliminated. The PA is implemented by using a 0.18 µm CMOS process, and the supply voltage is 3.3 V. Over all of the frequency range, the PA realizes output return loss S22 of smaller than −8 dB, power gain of larger than 12 dB, output 1-dB compression point of larger than 15 dBm.
Diagnostic Accuracy of CT for Local Staging of Colon Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to determine the accuracy of CT in the detection of tumor invasion beyond the bowel wall and nodal involvement of colon carcinomas. A literature search was performed to identify studies describing the accuracy of CT in the staging of colon carcinomas. Studies including rectal carcinomas that were inseparable from colon carcinomas were excluded. Publication bias was explored by using a Deeks funnel plot asymmetry test. A hierarchic summary ROC model was used to construct a summary ROC curve and to calculate summary estimates of sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios (ORs). CONCLUSION On the basis of a total of 13 studies, pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic ORs for detection of tumor invasion beyond the bowel wall (T3-T4) were 90% (95% CI, 83-95%), 69% (95% CI, 62-75%), and 20.6 (95% CI, 10.2-41.5), respectively. For detection of tumor invasion depth of 5 mm or greater (T3cd-T4), estimates from four studies were 77% (95% CI, 66-85%), 70% (95% CI, 53-83%), and 7.8 (95% CI, 4.2-14.2), respectively. For nodal involvement (N+), 16 studies were included with values of 71% (95% CI, 59-81%), 67% (95% CI, 46-83%), and 4.8 (95% CI, 2.5-9.4), respectively. Two studies using CT colonography were included with sensitivity and specificity of 97% (95% CI, 90-99%) and 81% (95% CI, 65-91%), respectively, for detecting T3-T4 tumors. CT has good sensitivity for the detection of T3-T4 tumors, and evidence suggests that CT colonography increases its accuracy. Discriminating between T1-T3ab and T3cd-T4 cancer is challenging, but data were limited. CT has a low accuracy in detecting nodal involvement.
Wind, Storage, Interconnection and the Cost of Electricity

Abstract We evaluate how increasing wind generation affects wholesale electricity prices, balancing payments and the cost of subsidies using the Irish Single Electricity Market (SEM) as a test system, with hourly data from 1 January 2008 to 28 August 2012. We model the spot market using a system of seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR) where the regressions are the 24 hours of the day. Wind has a negative impact on the system marginal price, with every MWh increase in wind generation (equal to about 0.2% of the average wind generation in our sample) leading to a decrease of the system marginal price of €0.018 MWh, or about 0.3% of its average value. We use time series models to analyse the balancing market and show that wind generation increases balancing payments, as do the forecast errors of demand and wind. Every MWh of additional wind generation is associated with an increase in constraint payments of €3.2, or about 0.01%. Lack of storage increases the impact of wind on balancing payments whereas the lack of interconnection has no effect. Overall, wind decreases costs through its effect on the electricity price more than it increases constraint payments, even when storage is on outage. The effect of wind remains positive after including the cost of subsidies given to wind generation.
Spectrum of ENU‐induced mutations in phenotype‐driven and gene‐driven screens in the mouse

N‐ethyl‐N‐nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis in mice has become a standard tool for (i) increasing the pool of mutants in many areas of biology, (ii) identifying novel genes involved in physiological processes and disease, and (iii) in assisting in assigning functions to genes. ENU is assumed to cause random mutations throughout the mouse genome, but this presumption has never been analyzed. This is a crucial point, especially for large‐scale mutagenesis, as a bias would reflect a constraint on identifying possible genetic targets. There is a significant body of published data now available from both phenotype‐driven and gene‐driven ENU mutagenesis screens in the mouse that can be used to reveal the effectiveness and limitations of an ENU mutagenesis approach. Analysis of the published data is presented in this paper. As expected for a randomly acting mutagen, ENU‐induced mutations identified in phenotype‐driven screens were in genes that had higher coding sequence length and higher exon number than the average for the mouse genome. Unexpectedly, the data showed that ENU‐induced mutations were more likely to be found in genes that had a higher G + C content and neighboring base analysis revealed that the identified ENU mutations were more often directly flanked by G or C nucleotides. ENU mutations from phenotype‐driven and gene‐driven screens were dominantly A:T to T:A transversions or A:T to G:C transitions. Knowledge of the spectrum of mutations that ENU elicits will assist in positional cloning of ENU‐induced mutations by allowing prioritization of candidate genes based on some of their inherent features. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. , 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Incidence and Natural History of Paget's Disease of Bone in England and Wales

This study used a large, primary care, record‐linkage resource (the General Practice Research Database [GPRD]) to evaluate the incidence, clinical presentation, and natural history of Paget's disease of bone in England and Wales. Between 1988 and 1999, we identified 2465 patients with the recorded diagnosis of Paget's disease of bone, within the five million subjects ≥18 years old who were registered in the GPRD. The validity of diagnostic recording was assessed by questionnaire to individual general practitioners (GPs) in 150 patients; the diagnosis was confirmed in 93.8% of responders. The mean age of patients with Paget's disease was 75 years and 51% were men. The prevalence of the disorder was 0.3% among men and women aged ≥55 years; incidence rates for clinically diagnosed Paget's disease rose steeply with age (men, 5 per 10,000 person‐years; women, 3 per 10,000 person‐years at the age of 75 years). Over the 11‐year period of the study, the age‐ and sex‐adjusted incidence rate of clinically diagnosed Paget's disease declined from 1.1 per 10,000 person‐years to 0.7 per 10,000 person‐years. Each patient with Paget's disease was matched to three controls matched by age, gender, and general practice. Cases had a greater risk of back pain (relative risk [RR], 2.1; 95% CI, 1.9‐2.3), osteoarthritis (OA; RR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5‐1.9), hip arthroplasty (RR, 3.1; 95% CI, 2.4‐4.1), knee arthroplasty (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0‐2.6), fracture (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0‐1.5), and hearing loss (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3‐1.9). Seven patients with Paget's disease developed a malignant bone neoplasm (0.3%). Using life table methodology, the estimated number of people who died within 5 years of follow‐up was 32.7% among the patients with Paget's disease and 28.0% among the control patients.
Inter- and intra-molecular distances determined by EPR spectroscopy and site-directed spin labeling reveal protein-protein and protein-oligonucleotide interaction

Abstract Recent developments including pulse and multi-frequency techniques make the combination of site-directed spin labeling and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy an attractive approach for the study of protein-protein or protein-oligonucleotide interaction. Analysis of the spin label side chain mobility, its solvent accessibility, the polarity of the spin label micro-environment and distances between spin label side chains allow the modeling of protein domains or protein-protein interaction sites and their conformational changes with a spatial resolution at the level of the backbone fold. Structural changes can be detected with millisecond time resolution. Inter- and intra-molecular distances are accessible in the range from approximately 0.5 to 8 nm by the combination of continuous wave and pulse EPR methods. Recent applications include the study of transmembrane substrate transport, membrane channel gating, gene regulation and signal transfer.
Pulse rate and pulse rate variability decrease after adenotonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnea

Data suggest that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) results in sympathetic stimulation, brady/tachycardia and cardiac stress. Heart rate variability, but not baseline heart rate, is known to be elevated in pediatric OSA. Our patients with moderate to severe OSA (McGill Oximetry Scores of 3 or 4) have been re‐evaluated with pulse oximetry after adenotonsillectomy (T&A). We hypothesized that pulse rate (PR) and pulse rate variability (PRV) would decrease after treatment of OSA with T&A.
Metallothionein Is Part of a Zinc-scavenging Mechanism for Cell Survival under Conditions of Extreme Zinc Deprivation*

Metallothionein (MT) is a small cysteine-rich protein thought to play a critical role in cellular detoxification of inorganic species by sequestering metal ions that are present in elevated concentrations. We demonstrate here that metallothionein can play an important role at the other end of the homeostatic spectrum by scavenging an essential metal in a mouse fibroblast cell line that has been cultured under conditions of extreme zinc deprivation (LZA-LTK−). These cells unexpectedly produce constitutively high levels of metallothionein mRNA; however, the MT protein accumulates only when high concentrations of zinc are provided in the media. Until this MT pool is saturated, no measurable zinc remains in the external media. In this case, zinc deprivation leads to amplification of the MT gene locus in the LZA-LTK− cell line. Furthermore, the intracellular zinc levels in the fully adapted cells remain at the normal level of 0.4 fmol zinc/cell, even when extracellular zinc concentration is decreased by 2 orders of magnitude relative to normal media.
Target state estimation for vision-based landing on a moving ground target

This paper describes vision-based target state estimation approaches for autonomous landing on a moving ground target. The state of moving ground target is estimated by using vision information from a gimbaled camera on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). Using the information from vision system, the UAV estimates the state of a moving target on the ground using the Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF). In this paper, three types of process model are compared by numerical simulations: state in inertial frame, state in inertial frame with position uncertainty of UAV, and relative state with acceleration of UAV.
On the reduction of power loss caused by imperfect spectrum sensing in OFDMA-based Cognitive Radio access

Cognitive Radio provides a promising solution for the spectrum scarcity in wireless systems. The main stage of a successful cognitive transmission is the spectrum sensing stage, where the spectrum is sensed to detect and avoid interfering with licensed users. Unfortunately, regardless of the type of the spectrum sensing technique employed, the probability of missed detection can still be relevant. This paper investigates the effects of missed detection probability on the energy resources of the cognitive system, and provides a new algorithm for power allocation in OFDM systems, which reduces the loss in energy resources, and guarantees the target Quality-of-Service (QoS) of the served users. Unlike the current algorithms, the proposed algorithm is based on the Sensing Side Information (SSI) and the Channel State Information (CSI) as well. Simulation results underline a relevant reduction in terms of power loss (with gains up to 50%) and a consequent improvement in QoS satisfaction.
Impact of single dose azithromycin on group A streptococci in the upper respiratory tract and skin of Aboriginal children

Background. Aboriginal children living in remote Australia experience high rates of bacterial infection such as trachoma, otitis media and streptococcal skin infection, which often progress to associated chronic diseases in later life. Methods. In February, 1995, single dose azithromycin was given to 130 Aboriginal children with trachoma and their contacts. The impact of this program on respiratory and skin group A Streptococcus pyogenes carriage and infection was also monitored. Results. Immediately before treatment 90% of children had skin sores, 38% of sores had pus and 74% of sores with pus had group A Streptococcus (GAS). Overall 57% of children had GAS skin infections. At 2 to 3 weeks and 2 and 6 months after treatment, this proportion was 10, 32 and 51%, respectively. For the upper respiratory tract GAS recovery rates were 8% before treatment and 0, 11 and 15% at the 2- to 3-week, 2-month and 6-month posttreatment visits, respectively. Multiple types occurred concurrently in individuals, particularly after treatment. Identical types were sometimes recovered simultaneously from the upper respiratory tract and skin, suggesting that the high rates of acute rheumatic fever in this population in the absence of high rates of detectable throat GAS carriage could be related to high rates of skin GAS infection. Conclusions. There is an urgent need for education, adequate housing, scabies eradication and improved hygiene to reduce skin trauma and subsequent GAS infection in this population. Clinical trials are needed to determine how these measures can best be integrated with the trachoma eradication program to maximize health outcomes.
Xanthopterin in the Oriental Hornet (Vespa orientalis): Light Absorbance Is Increased with Maturation of Yellow Pigment Granules

The Oriental hornet bears both brown and yellow colors on its cuticle. The brown component is contributed by the pigment melanin, which is dispersed in the brown cuticle and provides protection against insolation, while the yellow‐colored part contains within pockets in the cuticle granules possessing a yellow pigment. These yellow granules (YG) are formed about 2 days prior to eclosion of the imago, and their production continues for about 3 days posteclosion. Xanthopterin is the main component of the granule and lends it its yellow color. Xanthopterin produces a characteristic excitation/emission maximum at 386/456 nm. Characterization by use of mass spectrometry showed the compound to have a molecular ion of 179, as expected from xanthopterin. Spectroscopic examination of the absorption of an entire stripe of yellow cuticle in the course of its metamorphosis revealed that the absorption steadily increases throughout the process to a maximal level of absorption about 3 days posteclosion. In the absence of the YG, the cuticle is permeable to the passage of all wavelengths within the visible range and to the UV range (290–750 nm) in all age groups of hornets. The newly ecloded hornets depart the nest to engage in activities requiring exposure to insolation only as the process of granule formation terminates, namely, when the layer of YG in the cuticle suffices to absorb all the harmful UV radiation.
Registering of synthetic aperture radar and optical data

The registration of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and optical images is a challenging problem, notably in the perspective of the future launch of the Cosmo-SkyMed sensors in the framework of Orfeo program, which will provide high resolution images (below 1 meter). In this paper, we first present the registration of SAR and optical images using a perfect knowledge of the sensor parameters (position, speed, etc, but also the ground height) and we study the influence of a bad knowledge of these parameters. One then shows that feature extraction can be used to perform parameter refining. Finally, one points out that this SAR and optical image registration can be approximated by simple polynomial transformations.
Surrogate endpoint validation: statistical elegance versus clinical relevance

A variety of approaches have been proposed to provide formal and informal validation of proposed surrogate markers. To achieve true clinical impact, the validation must convince both the statistical and clinical communities. In this paper, we argue that the best approach is not a single method but a multi-faceted exploration, using multiple approaches, including those that directly appeal to clinicians but with less statistical foundation and those arising from statistical considerations but more difficult to interpret clinically. We illustrate our approach using data from clinical trials in both early and advanced colorectal cancer.