Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inferior Early Posttransplant Outcomes for Recipients of Right Versus Left Deceased Donor Kidneys: An ANZDATA Registry Analysis

Anatomical differences between right and left kidneys could influence transplant outcome. We compared graft function and survival for left and right kidney recipients transplanted from the same deceased organ donor. Adult recipients of 4900 single kidneys procured from 2450 heart beating deceased donors in Australia and New Zealand from 1995 to 2009 were included in a paired analysis. Right kidneys were associated with more delayed graft function (DGF) (25 vs. 21% for left kidneys, p < 0.001) and, if not affected by DGF, a slower fall in serum creatinine. One‐year graft survival was lower for right kidneys (89.1 vs. 91.1% for left kidneys, p = 0.001), primarily attributed to surgical complications (66 versus 35 failures for left kidneys). Beyond the first posttransplant year, kidney side was not associated with eGFR, graft or patient survival. Receipt of a right kidney is a risk factor for inferior outcomes in the first year after transplantation. A higher incidence of surgical complications suggests the shorter right renal vein may be contributory. The higher susceptibility of right kidneys to injury should be considered in organ allocation.
Expression of myc‐family genes in established human multiple myeloma cell lines: L‐myc but not c‐myc gene expression in the U‐266 myeloma cell line

Deregulated c‐myc expression, as a consequence of translocation of the c‐myc gene to one of the immunoglobulin loci, appears to play an important role in the pathogenesis of several B‐cell tumors, including Burkitt's lymphoma, mouse plasmacytoma and rat immunocytoma. This study investigated the expression of c‐myc and 2 other members of the myc gene family, L‐ and N‐myc, at the mRNA and protein level, and analyzed for possible rearrangements of these genes in the human counterpart to the mouse plasmacytoma—multiple myeloma (MM). Nine well‐characterized MM cell lines were examined by using Northern‐ and Southern‐blot analysis and immunoprecipitation. The c‐myc gene was found to be highly expressed in most MM cell lines. The level of expression was comparable to that observed in the COLO 320 and HL‐60 cell lines, carrying amplified c‐myc genes, and to that of B‐cell lines with a higher proliferative activity than the MM cell lines. In the U‐266 MM cell line, L‐myc, but no c‐myc mRNA or protein, was found. The L‐myc gene was expressed in both early‐ and late‐passage U‐266 cells, suggesting that the L‐myc expression was not the result of the in vitro cultivation. N‐myc was not expressed in any of the MM cell lines. No rearrangements of c‐myc or L‐myc genes were found. We thus conclude that (a) in contrast to the corresponding mouse and rat B‐cell tumors, c‐myc is not frequently rearranged in MM; (b) c‐myc is highly expressed in most MM lines; and (c) L‐myc but not c‐myc is expressed in the U‐266 MM cell line.
SMARTBUS: A Web Application for Smart Urban Mobility and Transportation

Systematic evaluation is crucial to the management and development of smart urban transportation, as it allows transportation planners to better understand the impact of their decisions and design targeted interventions to improve efficiency. Implementation of smart and adaptable public transportation is an important challenge in developing cities and newly industrialized economies where growth characteristics contribute to and can be impacted by factors like overcrowding and travel delays. In this paper, we focus on bus transportation, and present the design and implementation of a 3-layer web-based system for performance evaluation and decision support. This is part of a "Smart Cities" initiative, which is an international collaboration between academia and government. The first layer estimates fundamental indicators such as bus travel time and passenger demands by integrating heterogeneous data sources. A novel bus-stop network is then designed in the second layer, which enables the derivation of passenger patterns in public transit using network analysis. The third layer provides decision support by analyzing causal relationships between indicators. The proposed web-based system called SMARTBUS is being developed and validated with the city of Fortaleza in Brazil. We believe the use of generally available urban transportation data makes our methodology adaptable and customizable for other cities.
Aldosterone synthesis in the brain contributes to Dahl salt‐sensitive rat hypertension

The enzymes required for aldosterone synthesis from cholesterol are expressed in rat and human brains. The hypertension of Dahl salt‐sensitive (SS) rats is mitigated by the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of antagonists of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and downstream effectors of mineralocorticoid action, as well as ablations of brain areas that also abrogate mineralocorticoid–salt excess hypertension in normotensive rats. We used real time RT‐PCR to measure mRNA of aldosterone synthase and 11β‐hydroxylase, the requisite enzymes for the last step in the synthesis of aldosterone and corticosterone, respectively, MR and the determinants of MR ligand specificity, 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase types 1 and 2 (11β‐HSD1&2) and hexose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (H6PDH). A combination of extraction and ELISA was used to measure aldosterone concentrations in tissue and urine of SS and Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. Aldosterone synthase mRNA expression was higher in the brains and lower in the adrenal glands of SS compared with SD rats. The amounts of mRNA for MR, 11β‐hydroxylase, 11β‐HSD1&2 and H6PD were similar. Aldosterone concentrations were greater in brains of SS than SD rats, yet, in keeping with the literature, the circulating and total aldosterone production of aldosterone in SS rats were not. The selective inhibitor of aldosterone synthase, FAD286, was infused i.c. v. or subcutaneously in a cross‐over blood pressure study in hypertensive SS rats further challenged by a high‐salt diet. The i.c. v. infusion of FAD286, at a dose that had no effect systemically, significantly and reversibly lowered blood pressure in SS rats. Aldosterone synthesis in brains of SS rats is greater than in SD rats and is important in the genesis of their salt‐sensitive hypertension.
Chapter 2 Full virulence of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 requires both ApxI and ApxII

Most serotypes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae produce in vivo more than one toxin. To determine the surplus value of the production of more than one toxin in the development of disease, we tested the pathogenicity in vivo of isogenic strains of A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 that are mutated in the toxin genes apxIA and/or apxIIA or in the toxin transport genes apxIBD. Bacteria mutated in both apxIA and apxIIA or in apxIBD were not able to induce pathological lesions, indicating that ApxI and ApxII are essential for the pathogenesis of pleuropneumonia. Infection with isogenic strains lacking either ApxI or ApxII did not consistently lead to pleuropneumonia in contrast to infection with the parent strain S4074. ApxII seemed at least as potent as ApxI for the development of clinical and pathological symptoms. Only one out of four pigs inoculated with an ApxII mutant strain developed mild pneumonia whereas two out of three pigs inoculated with an ApxI mutant strain developed more severe lesions. These results indicate that both ApxI and ApxII of A. pleuropneumoniae serotype 1 are necessary for full virulence.
Detection of motor imagery of swallow EEG signals based on the dual-tree complex wavelet transform and adaptive model selection

Objective. Detection of motor imagery of hand/arm has been extensively studied for stroke rehabilitation. This paper firstly investigates the detection of motor imagery of swallow (MI-SW) and motor imagery of tongue protrusion (MI-Ton) in an attempt to find a novel solution for post-stroke dysphagia rehabilitation. Detection of MI-SW from a simple yet relevant modality such as MI-Ton is then investigated, motivated by the similarity in activation patterns between tongue movements and swallowing and there being fewer movement artifacts in performing tongue movements compared to swallowing. Approach. Novel features were extracted based on the coefficients of the dual-tree complex wavelet transform to build multiple training models for detecting MI-SW. The session-to-session classification accuracy was boosted by adaptively selecting the training model to maximize the ratio of between-classes distances versus within-class distances, using features of training and evaluation data. Main results. Our proposed method yielded averaged cross-validation (CV) classification accuracies of 70.89% and 73.79% for MI-SW and MI-Ton for ten healthy subjects, which are significantly better than the results from existing methods. In addition, averaged CV accuracies of 66.40% and 70.24% for MI-SW and MI-Ton were obtained for one stroke patient, demonstrating the detectability of MI-SW and MI-Ton from the idle state. Furthermore, averaged session-to-session classification accuracies of 72.08% and 70% were achieved for ten healthy subjects and one stroke patient using the MI-Ton model. Significance. These results and the subjectwise strong correlations in classification accuracies between MI-SW and MI-Ton demonstrated the feasibility of detecting MI-SW from MI-Ton models.
New developments in the management of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer

Purpose of review In this review, we summarize the core principles in the management of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with an emphasis on new developments that have emerged over the last year. Recent findings NMIBC has a propensity to recur and progress. Risk stratification has facilitated appropriate patient selection for treatment but improved tools, including biomarkers, are still needed. Enhanced cystoscopy with photodynamic imaging and narrow band imaging show promise for diagnosis, risk stratification, and disease monitoring and has been formally recommended this year by the American Urological Association. Attempts at better treatment, especially in refractory high-risk cases, include the addition of intravesical hyperthermia, combination and sequential therapy with existing agents, and the use of novel agents such as mycobacterial cell wall extract. New data are emerging regarding the potential role of early cystectomy in bacillus Calmette–Guerin-refractory NMIBC patients. Summary NMIBC represents an assortment of disease states and continues to pose management challenges. Continued research is needed to bolster the evidence needed for patients and providers to make data-driven treatment decisions.
CXCR6 Plays a Critical Role in Angiotensin II–Induced Renal Injury and Fibrosis

Objective—Recent studies have shown that angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of hypertensive kidney disease. However, the signaling mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of CXCR6 in Ang II–induced renal injury and fibrosis. Approach and Results—Wild-type and CXCR6-green fluorescent protein (GFP) knockin mice were treated with Ang II via subcutaneous osmotic minipumps at 1500 ng/kg per minute after unilateral nephrectomy for ⩽4 weeks. Wild-type and CXCR6-GFP knockin mice had virtually identical blood pressure at baseline. Ang II treatment led to an increase in blood pressure that was similar between wild-type and CXCR6-GFP knockin mice. CXCR6-GFP knockin mice were protected from Ang II–induced renal dysfunction, proteinuria, and fibrosis. CXCR6-GFP knockin mice accumulated fewer bone marrow–derived fibroblasts and myofibroblasts and produced less extracellular matrix protein in the kidneys after Ang II treatment. Furthermore, CXCR6-GFP knockin mice exhibited fewer F4/80+ macrophages and CD3+ T cells and expressed less proinflammatory cytokines in the kidneys after Ang II treatment. Finally, wild-type mice engrafted with CXCR6−/− bone marrow cells displayed fewer bone marrow–derived fibroblasts, macrophages, and T cells in the kidney after Ang II treatment when compared with wild-type mice engrafted with CXCR6+/+ bone marrow cells. Conclusions—Our results indicate that CXCR6 plays a pivotal role in the development of Ang II–induced renal injury and fibrosis through regulation of macrophage and T-cell infiltration and bone marrow–derived fibroblast accumulation.
A low-power 1GHz super-regenerative transceiver with time-shared PLL control

A Low-Power transceiver for ISM applications in the 900MHz band has been integrated in a 0. 8µm BiCMOS technology. The receiver with its PLL draws 3.6mW for a sensitivity of -105dBm and the Emitter current consumption is 6mA for a 0dBm output power.
Isolation, characterization and N-terminal amino acid sequence of hydrogenase from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Hydrogenase from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was purified to homogeneity by five column-chromatography steps under strict anaerobic conditions. The cells were disrupted by mild treatment with detergent. The enzyme was purified 6100-fold, resulting in a specific activity for H2 evolution of 935 mumol.min-1.mg protein-1 at 25 degrees C, using reduced methyl viologen as electron donor. The optimal temperature for hydrogen evolution is 60 degrees C, the optimal pH value is 6.9. The Km value for methyl viologen is 0.83 mM, for ferredoxin, 35 microM. From SDS/PAGE gels, the protein was judged to be pure. On non-denaturing gels, run under nitrogen, a single band was detected after activity staining. This band corresponded to the single band observed on denaturing SDS gels, which had an apparent molecular mass of 48 kDa. If the band was cut out of the native gel and incubated with reduced methyl viologen, hydrogen evolution could be measured. The purified enzyme contains 4 Fe atoms/mol. The amino acid composition and the N-terminal amino acid sequence (24 residues) of the protein were determined. No significant amino acid sequence homologies could be found to any sequences from prokaryotic hydrogenases.
Low bit-rate scalable video coding with 3-D set partitioning in hierarchical trees (3-D SPIHT)

We propose a low bit-rate embedded video coding scheme that utilizes a 3-D extension of the set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) algorithm which has proved so successful in still image coding. Three-dimensional spatio-temporal orientation trees coupled with powerful SPIHT sorting and refinement renders 3-D SPIHT video coder so efficient that it provides comparable performance to H.263 objectively and subjectively when operated at the bit rates of 30 to 60 kbits/s with minimal system complexity. Extension to color-embedded video coding is accomplished without explicit bit allocation, and can be used for any color plane representation. In addition to being rate scalable, the proposed video coder allows multiresolutional scalability in encoding and decoding in both time and space from one bit stream. This added functionality along with many desirable attributes, such as full embeddedness for progressive transmission, precise rate control for constant bit-rate traffic, and low complexity for possible software-only video applications, makes the proposed video coder an attractive candidate for multimedia applications.
Aiding orientation performance in virtual environments with proprioceptive feedback

In most applications of virtual environments (VEs), like training and design evaluation, a good sense of orientation is needed in the VE. Orientation performance when moving around in the real world relies on visual as well as proprioceptive feedback. However, the navigation metaphors which are used to move around the VE often lack proprioceptive feedback. Furthermore, the visual feedback in a VE is often relatively poor compared to the visual feedback available in the real world. Therefore, we have quantified the influence of visual and proprioceptive feedback on orientation performance in VEs. Subjects were immersed in a virtual forest and were asked to turn specific angles using three navigation metaphors, differing in the kind of proprioceptive feedback which is provided (no proprioceptive feedback, vestibular feedback, and vestibular and kinesthetic feedback). The results indicate that the most accurate turn performance is found when kinesthetic feedback is present, in a condition where subjects use their legs to turn around. This indicates that incorporating this kind of feedback in navigation metaphors is quite beneficial. Orientation on only the visual component is most inaccurate, leading to progressively larger undershoots for larger angles.
Morphological and chemical aspects of Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Dunaliella tertiolecta, Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselmis gracilis microalgae

This study evaluates the growth and chemical composition of the following marine microalgae: Dunaliella tertiolecta, Isochrysis galbana, and Tetraselmis gracilis and the chemical composition of Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Microalgae can produce a number of compounds of high commercial value for the industry, mainly for the food industry. The growth kinetics, cell volume, pigments, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and fatty acid and amino acid composition were evaluated. I. galbana had the largest number of cells per mL-1 (107), concentration of carotenoids (6.33 μg·mL-1), and carbohydrates (34.32%). D. tertiolecta and T. gracilis had the highest cell volume (560.6 and 592.7 μm3, respectively), the highest amount of total dry biomass. D. tertiolecta had the highest chlorophyll concentration (9.05 μg·mL-1), and C. pyrenoidosa had the highest protein (48.16%) and lipid (14.30%) content. The marine species D. Tertiolecta, I. galbana, and T. gracilis had high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (C18:1 n9), and C. pyrenoidosa was high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (C18:2 n6 and C18:3 n3), indicating the present high nutritional value fatty acids. The microalgae studies showed a composition of amino acids that meet the nutritional requirements recommended by the FAO g·100 g-1 (FAO/WHO/UN, 1985) for adults and children (2 - 5 years), indicating that these proteins can be used in foods.
General Anesthetics Inhibit Gap Junction Communication in Cultured Organotypic Hippocampal Slices

Gap junctions are protein channels that directly connect the cytosol of neighboring cells, thus forming electrical synapses and promoting synchronous neuronal activities. Such activities lead to the initiation and propagation of electroencephalogram oscillations implicated in cognition and consciousness. In this study, we investigated the effects of propofol, thiopental, and halothane on gap junction communication in cultured organotypic hippocampal slices by recovery of fluorescence after photo bleaching (FRAP) technique and electrophysiological recordings. Propofol 15 &mgr;M and thiopental 10 &mgr;M attenuated gap junction communication in slice cultures by 46.7% ± 4.5% and 48.8% ± 5.5%, respectively, as measured by FRAP. Smaller concentrations of propofol 5 &mgr;M and thiopental 2 &mgr;M did not change gap junction coupling. Accompanying the decreased gap junction communication, hippocampus slice cultures exposed to propofol 15 &mgr;M and thiopental 10 &mgr;M were found to have reduced electrophysiologic spontaneous discharges and primary after discharges evoked by a tetanic train of 50 Hz for 2 s. On the other hand, halothane 0.64 mM, a concentration slightly larger than twice its minimum alveolar concentration had no effect on gap junction coupling while halothane 2.8 mM blocked FRAP by 70%. The current study illustrates that anesthetic concentrations of propofol and thiopental, but not halothane, attenuate gap junction communication in cultured hippocampal slices. Suppression of gap junction function could compound the mechanisms of anesthetic actions.
Endoscope-based hybrid navigation system for minimally invasive ventral spine surgeries

The availability of high-resolution, magnified, and relatively noise-free endoscopic images in a small workspace, 4–10 cm from the endoscope tip, opens up the possibility of using the endoscope as a tracking tool. We are developing a hybrid navigation system in which image-analysis-based 2D–3D tracking is combined with optoelectronic tracking (Optotrak®) for computer-assisted navigation in laparoscopic ventral spine surgeries. Initial results are encouraging and confirm the ability of the endoscope to serve as a tracking tool in surgical navigation where sub-millimetric accuracy is mandatory.
The Role of Gonadal Steroid Receptor Activation in the Restoration of Sociosexual Behavior in Adult Male Rats

This work tested the hypothesis that gonadal steroid receptor activation was necessary for the restoration of several sociosexual behaviors (such as copulatory behavior, partner preference, 50-kHz vocalizations, and scent marking) in testosterone-treated gonadectomized male rats. Gonadal steroid receptors were blocked by systemic administration of the antiandrogen hydroxyflutamide, the antiestrogen RU 58668, or both antagonists simultaneously in a restoration paradigm. Inhibiting androgen receptors with hydroxyflutamide blocked the restoration of male copulatory behavior, partner preference (time spent with a sexually receptive female over a nonreceptive female), 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations, and scent marking. On the other hand, we did not find that blocking estrogen receptors with RU 58668 inhibited the restoration of copulatory behavior or partner preference in testosterone-treated gonadectomized male rats, even though the level of brain nuclear estrogen receptor occupation was significantly reduced to the level found in gonadectomized males. However, the restoration of scent marking and 50-kHz vocalizations were impaired by RU 58668. Blocking both nuclear androgen and estrogen receptors with the two antagonists simultaneously did not have a greater inhibitory effect than treatment with each antagonist alone. Therefore, the activation of nuclear estrogen receptors is necessary for the restoration of some, but not all, sociosexual behaviors, which are also androgen receptor-dependent. Besides nuclear estrogen receptors, there are additional, but unknown, targets of estradiol that play a role in mediating copulatory behavior in adult male rats. Moreover, the signals from multiple gonadal steroid signaling pathways converge in the regulation of some sociosexual behaviors in adult male rats.
Effects of prolonged walking on neural and mechanical components of stretch responses in the human soleus muscle

After repeated passive stretching, tendinous tissue compliance increases in the human soleus (SOL) muscle–tendon unit. During movement, such changes would have important consequences for neural and mechanical stretch responses. This study examined the existence of such effects in response to a 75 min walking intervention. Eleven healthy subjects walked on a treadmill at 4 km h−1 with a robotic stretch device attached to the left leg. Ultrasonography was used to measure SOL fascicle lengths, and surface EMG activity was recorded in the SOL and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles. Perturbations of 6 deg were imposed at three different measurement intervals: Pre (immediately before the walking intervention), Mid (after approximately 30 min of walking) and Post (immediately after the intervention). Between the Pre–Mid and Mid–Post intervals, subjects walked for 30 min at a gradient of 3%. After the intervention, the amplitude and velocity of fascicle stretch both decreased (by 46 and 59%, respectively; P < 0.001) in response to a constant external perturbation, as did short (33%; P < 0.01) and medium (25%; P < 0.01) latency stretch reflex amplitudes. A faster perturbation elicited at the end of the protocol resulted in a recovery of fascicle stretch velocities and short latency reflex amplitudes to the pre‐exercise values. These findings suggest that repeated stretching and shortening of a muscle–tendon unit can induce short‐term structural changes in the tendinous tissues during human walking. The data also highlight the effect of these changes on neural feedback from muscle sensory afferents.