Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dust in the Wind: The Growing Use of Embalming Fluid Among Youth in Hartford, CT

This study suggests that use of embalming fluid as a mind-altering drug has been underreported. Based on a social network recruitment strategy, findings from a study in 2000 of 401 outreach worker-recruited polydrug-involved youth (ages 16–24 years) from the inner city of Hartford, CT indicate widespread (over 80% of study participants had used the drug at least once) and regular use of embalming fluid mixed with either marijuana or mint. This paper reports findings on frequency and distribution of use, experience, and consequences of use, access to the drug, and characteristics of embalming fluid users. Given the toxic substances that comprise embalming fluid, and the tendency, affirmed in the present study, of the drug to be associated with violent behavior, there is a need to recognize embalming fluid as a drug of concern among youth.
Harmonic resonance mode analysis

Harmonic resonance often manifests as high harmonic voltages in a power system. It was found that such resonance phenomenon is associated with the singularity of the network admittance matrix. The singularity, in turn, is due to the fact that one of the eigenvalues of the matrix approaches zero. By analyzing the characteristics of the eigenvalue, one can find useful information on the nature and extent of the resonance. The objective of this paper is to present our findings on this interesting subject. Based on the results, a technique called resonance mode analysis is proposed. Analytical and case study results have confirmed that the proposed method is a valuable tool for power system harmonic analysis.
Features of the Streptomyces hygroscopicus HtpG reveal how partial geldanamycin resistance can arise with mutation to the ATP binding pocket of a eukaryotic Hsp90

Much attention is focused on the benzo‐quinone ansamycins as anticancer agents, with several derivatives of the natural product geldanamycin (GdA) now in clinical trials. These drugs are selective inhibitors of Hsp90, a molecular chaperone vital for many of the activities that drive cancer progression. Mutational changes to their interaction site, the extremely conserved ATP binding site of Hsp90, would mostly be predicted to inactivate the chaperone. As a result, drug resistance should not arise readily this way. Nevertheless, Streptomyces hygroscopicus, the actinomycete that produces GdA, has evolved an Hsp90 family protein (HtpG) that lacks GdA binding. It is altered in certain of the highly conserved amino acids making contacts to this antibiotic in crystal structures of GdA bound to eukaryotic forms of Hsp90. Two of these amino acid changes, located on one side of the nucleotide‐binding cleft, weakened GdA/Hsp90 binding and conferred partial GdA resistance when inserted into the endogenous Hsp90 of yeast cells. Crystal structures revealed their main effect to be a weakening of interactions with the C‐12 methoxy group of the GdA ansamycin ring. This is the first study to demonstrate that partial GdA resistance is possible by mutation within the ATP binding pocket of Hsp90. —Millson, S. H. , Chua, C. ‐S. , Roe, S. M. , Polier, S. , Solovieva, S. , Pearl, L. H. , Sim, T. ‐S. , Prodromou, C. , Piper, P. W. Features of the Streptomyces hygroscopicus HtpG reveal how partial geldanamycin resistance can arise with mutation to the ATP binding pocket of a eukaryotic Hsp90. FASEB J. 25, 3828–3837 (2011). www.fasebj. org
Measuring the thickness—is that all we have to do for sonographic assessment of endometrium in postmenopausal women?

For sonographic assessment of the endometrium in postmenopausal women, measurement of the maximum thickness is used in many cases as the sole criterion. The cut‐off values stated in the literature, however, vary considerably. This prospective study examined 200 female patients in order to ascertain the value of echomorphology in addition to endometrial biometry.
Ecology of the Brain Trematode Euhaplorchis californiensis and Its Host, the California Killifish (Fundulus parvipinnis)

Abstract We describe the distribution and abundance of the brain-encysting trematode Euhaplorchis californiensis and its second intermediate host, the California killifish (Fundulus parvipinnis), in 3 estuaries in southern California and Baja California. We quantified the density of fish and metacercariae at 13–14 sites per estuary and dissected 375 killifish. Density (numbers and biomass) was examined at 3 spatial scales, i.e., small replicate sites, habitats, and entire estuaries. At those same scales, factors that might influence metacercaria prevalence, abundance, and aggregation in host individuals and populations were also examined. Metacercaria prevalence was 94–100% among the estuaries. Most fish were infected with 100s to 1,000s of E. californiensis metacercariae, with mean abundance generally increasing with host size. Although body condition of fish did not vary among sites or estuaries, the abundance of metacercariae varied significantly among sites, habitats, estuaries, and substantially with host size and gender. Metacercariae were modestly aggregated in killifish (k > 1), with aggregation decreasing in larger hosts. Across the 3 estuaries, the total populations of killifish ranged from 9,000–12,000 individuals/ha and from 7–43 kg/ha. The component populations of E. californiensis metacercariae ranged from 78–200 million individuals/ha and from 0.1–0.3 kg/ha. Biomass of E. californiensis metacercariae constituted 0.5–1.7% of the killifish biomass in the estuaries. Our findings, in conjunction with previously documented effects of E. californiensis, suggest a strong influence of this parasite on the size, distribution, biomass, and abundance of its killifish host.
Segmentation in virtual colonoscopy using a geometric deformable model

The Geometric Deformable Model is developed for accurate colon lumen segmentation as part of an automatic Virtual Colonoscopy system. The deformable model refines the lumen surface found by an automatic seed location and thresholding procedure. The challenges to applying the deformable model are described, showing the definition of the stopping function as the key to accurate segmentation. The limitations of current stopping criteria are examined and a new definition, tailored to the task of colon segmentation, is given. First, a multiscale edge operator is used to locate high confidence boundaries. These boundaries are then integrated into the stopping function using a distance transform. The hypothesis is that the new stopping function results in a more accurate representation of the lumen surface compared to previous monotonic functions of the gradient magnitude. This hypothesis is tested using observer ratings of colon surface fidelity at 100 hundred randomly selected locations in each of four datasets. The results show that the surfaces determined by the modified deformable model better represent the lumen surface overall.
Challenges in Design of Multicenter Trials

OBJECTIVE—Assessing clinimetric performance of diabetic sensorimotor polyneuropathy (DSPN) end points in single and multicenter trials. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Assessed were placebo-treated patients with DSPN in the Viatris and Eli Lilly trials and an epidemiologic cohort. RESULTS—Test reproducibility in clinical trial cohorts (rI ∼ 0.7–0.85) approached that in the epidemiologic cohort (rI ∼ 0.85–0.95). Associations between pairs of end points explained <10% of the variability of data (sometimes 15–35%), being higher in the epidemiologic cohort and the Viatris trial than in the Lilly trial. Most end points did not show monotonic worsening over 4 years. However, sural nerve amplitude and peroneal motor conduction velocity did. A nerve conduction score (Σ 5 NC nds [5 attributes of nerve conduction expressed as normal deviates]) did not show monotonic worsening in established DSPN. In the epidemiologic cohort followed for 9.5 years, monotonic worsening of small magnitude occurred for sural amplitude, vibration detection threshold, and especially for composite quantitative sensation. CONCLUSIONS—The main reason why it is difficult to demonstrate monotonic worsening of neuropathic end points appears to be a very slow worsening of DSPN, a placebo effect for symptoms and signs, and measurement noise. Demonstrating disease progression in controlled trials of DSPN is more likely when 1) patients with developing rather than established DSPN are selected, 2) type 1 diabetic patients are preferentially recruited, 3) patients are selected who cannot or will not achieve ideal glycemic control, 4) end points chosen are known to show monotonic worsening, and 5) a restricted number of centers and expert examiners (trained, certified, using standard approaches, and reference values and interactive surveillance of tests) are used.
IMEC: A Fully Morphable In-Memory Computing Fabric Enabled by Resistive Crossbar

In this paper, we propose a fully morphable In-MEmory Computing (IMEC) fabric to better implement the concept of <italic>processing inside memory</italic> (PIM). Enabled by emerging nonvolatile memory, i.e., RRAM and its monolithic 3D integration, IMEC can be configured into one or a combination of four distinct functions, 1) logic, 2) ternary content addressable memory, 3) memory, and 4) interconnect. Thus, IMEC exploits a continuum of PIM capabilities across the whole spectrum, ranging from 0 percent (pure data storage) to 100 percent (pure compute engine), or intermediate states in between. IMEC can be modularly integrated into the DDRx memory subsystem, communicating with processors by the ordinary DRAM commands. Additionally, to reduce the programming burden, we provide a complete framework to compile applications written in high-level programming language (e.g., OpenCL) onto IMEC. This framework also enables code portability across different platforms for heterogeneous computing. By using this framework, several benchmarks are mapped onto IMEC for evaluating its performance, energy and resource utilization. The simulation results show that, IMEC reduces the energy consumption by 99.6 percent, and achieves <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX"> $644\times$</tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="zha-ieq1-2672558.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> speedup, compared to a baseline CPU system. We further compare IMEC with FPGA architecture, and demonstrate that the performance improvement is not simply obtained by replacing SRAM cells with denser RRAM cells.
Gemcitabine: a promising new agent in the treatment of advanced urothelial cancer.

PURPOSE To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine (2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine) in previously untreated patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-one patients with measurable advanced transitional cell carcinoma who had received no prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease were scheduled to receive gemcitabine 1,200 mg/m2 intravenously over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced disease was allowed if this was completed greater than 1 year prior to study entry. All patients were treated on an outpatient basis. RESULTS There were three complete responses and six partial responses seen in 37 assessable patients, for an overall response rate of nine of 37 (24.3%; 95% confidence interval, 12 to 41). Four patients remain in remission at 14, 23, 24, and 31 months. The median survival was 8 months with 17% of patients alive at 2 years. Treatment generally was well-tolerated with three patients having > or = grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity, five having grade 3 neutropenia, two having grade 3 thrombocytopenia, and two episodes of febrile neutropenia. Most patients were able to receive the drug as scheduled with the primary reason for dose reduction or dose delay being neutropenia. CONCLUSION Gemcitabine has promising single-agent activity against urothelial cancer with a favorable toxicity profile. Further studies in combination with other active agents are warranted.
Effects of temperature and pH on growth and antioxidant content of the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus

Reactive forms of oxygen can damage DNA (among other molecules), thus triggering, e.g., atherogenesis and carcinogenesis. However, such dietary antioxidants as lutein and β‐carotene can effectively inactivate them; these compounds were found to high levels in a novel strain (M2‐1) of the microalga Scenedesmus obliquus. The independent and combined effects of pH and temperature on its rates of growth and production of antioxidants were experimentally assessed, via a full factorial experimental design; the effects of each parameter independently, and of their interactions were accordingly quantified by ANOVA. Our results indicated that temperature plays a more important role on the maximum specific growth rate than pH; in terms of antioxidant content, pH and, to a lesser extent, temperature also have relevant effects. Consequently, the highest rate of biomass specific growth (0.294 ± 0.013 day−1) and biomass productivity (0.837 ± 0.054 mg L−1 day−1) were associated with relatively low pH (6) and relatively high temperature (30°C). Conversely, the antioxidant production rate increased with pH; hence, the highest productivity (0.638 mg L−1 day−1) was attained at pH 8 and 30°C. At the best operating conditions for antioxidant content, the levels of lutein and β‐carotene were 203.57 ± 1.41 and 18.20 ± 0.33 mg mL−1, respectively; the maximum production of either one occurred at the early exponential phase. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2011
High Frequency of Genetic Aberrations in Enteropathy-Type T-Cell Lymphoma

To define genetic aberrations playing a role in the development of enteropathy-type T-cell lymphoma (ETL), we examined 26 such tumors using a battery of 47 microsatellite markers. The most frequent aberration (seen in 40% of informative genotypes) was amplification of genomic material in region 9q34 encompassing c-abl and Notch-1 gene loci. Other frequent amplifications were detected in regions 5q33.3–34 and 7q31 (both in more than 30%). Multiple losses of heterozygosity were detected in 6p24, 7p21, 17q23–25, regions containing putative tumor suppressor genes, and in the p53 locus in 17p13.1. Analysis of the pattern of occurrence of these aberrations revealed existence of two ETL subgroups: one of them characterized by the 9q34 aberration and another smaller one showing allelic imbalances in 3q27. These two aberrations were mutually exclusive. Microsatellite instability (MSI) was detected in 69% of the examined lymphomas; the percentage of MSI-positive genotypes per tumor ranged from 2% to 12%. The spectrum of genetic alterations detected showed patterns dependent on morphology. Monomorpic ETLs displayed frequently biallelic TCR-γ gene rearrangement (p = 0078, χ2 test). They showed a different pattern and fewer allelic imbalances (no 3q27, 4q28, 13q14, fewer 5q21, or 5q33.3–34 aberrations) and a lower frequency of MSI than pleomorphic ETLs.
Stripe based clothes segmentation

In this paper, a clothes segmentation method for fashion parsing is described. This method does not rely in a previous pose estimation but people segmentation. Therefore, novel and classic segmentation techniques have been considered and improved in order to achieve accurate people segmentation. Unlike other methods described in the literature, the output is the bounding box and the predominant color of the different clothes and not a pixel level segmentation. The proposal is based on dividing the person area into an initial fixed number of stripes, that are later fused according to similar color distribution. To assess the quality of the proposed method the experiments are carried out with the Fashionista dataset that is widely used in the fashion parsing community.
Prediction Intervals for Short-Term Wind Farm Power Generation Forecasts

Quantification of uncertainties associated with wind power generation forecasts is essential for optimal management of wind farms and their successful integration into power systems. This paper investigates two neural network-based methods for direct and rapid construction of prediction intervals (PIs) for short-term forecasting of power generation in wind farms. The lower upper bound estimation and bootstrap methods are used to quantify uncertainties associated with forecasts. The effectiveness and efficiency of these two general methods for uncertainty quantification is examined using twenty four month data from a wind farm in Australia. PIs with a confidence level of 90% are constructed for four forecasting horizons: five, ten, fifteen, and thirty minutes. Quantitative measures are applied for objective evaluation and unbiased comparison of PI quality. Demonstrated results indicate that reliable PIs can be constructed in a short time without resorting to complicate computational methods or models. Also quantitative comparison reveals that bootstrap PIs are more suitable for short prediction horizon, and lower upper bound estimation PIs are more appropriate for longer forecasting horizons.
Do different standard plate counting (IDF/ISSO or AOAC) methods interfere in the conversion of individual bacteria counts to colony forming units in raw milk?

This study aimed to establish the correlation between individual bacterial count (IBC) obtained by flow cytometry and the number of colony forming units (CFU) determined by standard plate count (SPC) in raw milk using two different reference methodologies: the methodology of the International Dairy Federation (IDF) – International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4833, incubation for 72 h at 30°C and the methodology of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), incubation for 48 h at 35°C.
Available Bandwidth Estimation with Consideration of Broadband Convergence Networks

We propose new available bandwidth estimation method with considerations of broadband convergence network (BcN) where one can make use of quality guaranteed service. When customers are connected with each other through the best-effort network as well as BcN, it is hard to guarantee quality of service (QoS) over the best-effort network. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate accurate end-to-end available bandwidth to support end-to-end QoS. To address this issue, we use measurement algorithm, which are performed on the terminal equipment. In addition, the concept of the proportional share of link capacity is used for estimating available bandwidth.
A high frequency resolution digitally controlled oscillator with differential tapped inductor

A novel architecture of high frequency resolution LC-tank based digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) is presented in this paper. The proposed architecture utilizes a differential tapped inductor and a capacitor array within the taps for fine frequency tuning. A prototype of 1.6 GHz DCO integrated in 0.18-μm CMOS technology exhibits a tuning range of 40.2% and a phase noise of -123.6 dBc/Hz@1MHz. With a minimal capacitance step of 7.5 fF, the frequency resolution is improved to 7.6 kHz/LSB. The DCO dissipates 3.2 mA from a 1.8 V supply and occupies an area of 0.46 mm2.
Preferential Stimulation of Human Progesterone Receptor B Expression by Estrogen in T-47D Human Breast Cancer Cells (*)

Human progesterone receptor (PR) expression is controlled by two promoter regions giving rise to transcripts encoding PR A and B proteins. It is unknown whether estrogen and progesterone, the major physiological modulators of PR expression, exert their effects equally on the PR promoters. The aim of this study was to analyze estrogen and progestin effects on PR promoters, PR-encoding transcripts, and PR A and B proteins in T-47D human breast cancer cells. The progestin ORG 2058 caused a prolonged decrease in transcription of the PR gene and also abrogated estrogen stimulation of PR transcription. Estradiol (E2) treatment increased the activity of the B but not the A promoter transfected into T-47D cells. ORG 2058 had no effect on the basal or E2-stimulated activity of either promoter. E2 caused a preferential increase in transcripts derived from promoter B, whereas progestins decreased the levels of all PR transcripts. E2 preferentially increased the concentration of the PR B protein and caused a decrease in the PR A/B ratio. This demonstration that estrogen and progestin independently control the synthesis of transcripts arising from the PR promoters and that estrogen alters the cellular PR A/B ratio provides possible mechanisms underlying the cell and tissue specificity of PR regulation.
Supermode stabilized coupled-cavity 5- and 10-GHz mode-locked Ti:Er:LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguide lasers

By coupling the active laser cavity to a passive low-finesse Fabry-Perot resonator, supermode stabilization of mode-locked Ti:Er:LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguide lasers for 5- and 10-GHz pulse repetition rates with side mode suppression ratios of 60 and 55 dB has been achieved. The 10-GHz source emits pulses with a pulsewidth of 5.7 ps and a time-bandwidth product lower than 0.52 within an RF frequency tuning range of 3.2 MHz. The 5-GHz source has been used in a 2/spl times/5 Gbit/s soliton transmitter. In a back-to-back measurement, a Q-factor of 25.1 dB has been obtained. In soliton transmission experiments over 160 km on a step-index fiber, an extrapolated bit error rate of 6/spl middot/10/sup -17/ has been measured. The passive cavity can serve also as a pulse repetition rate multiplier. Pulse repetition rate multiplication from 2.5 to 10 GHz has been demonstrated.
Activating Ly‐49D NK receptors: expression and function in relation to ontogeny and Ly‐49 inhibitor receptors

Developmental changes in the repertoire of activating Ly‐49 family members have not been examined previously. In the present study, we have examined the expression and function of the activating Ly‐49s (D and H) from birth through 8 weeks of age. We demonstrate that 1) activating Ly‐49s are expressed early, 2) their expression intensity is not different from adult NK cells, and 3) activating receptors are functional. Examination of the inhibitory Ly‐49s also demonstrated functional capacity immediately upon expression. To examine the kinetics of expression of the repertoire of activating Ly‐49 members, we utilized five‐ and six‐color flow cytometric analyses of NK cells from birth through adulthood. Previous studies examining the inhibitory Ly‐49 repertoire have proposed that expression is regulated by the product rule. Our results indicated that Ly‐49D, which recognizes H‐2Dd, had a discordantly high coexpression of the inhibitory Ly‐49s that recognized H‐2Dd (Ly‐49A and Ly‐49G2). The product rule of Ly‐49 expression does not explain the coexpression of selected activating and inhibitory receptors. This high level of coexpression of H‐2Dd recognizing activating and inhibitory Ly‐ 49s suggests an in vivo selection or regulated coexpression.