Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tidal breathing flow-volume loop analysis for the diagnosis and staging of tracheal collapse in dogs.

BACKGROUND Tracheoscopy is generally used for the diagnosis of tracheal collapse (TC) in dogs; yet, it is costly, requires anesthesia, and can irritate the airway. The tidal breathing flow-volume loop (TBFVL) is a safe, quick, and noninvasive pulmonary function test currently used in humans. HYPOTHESIS TBFVL will differentiate dogs with TC from healthy controls and contribute to disease grading. ANIMALS Twenty-eight dogs with naturally occurring TC and 10 healthy controls. METHODS Cross-sectional, prospective clinical study: The 38 dogs were assigned to one of 4 groups based on tracheoscopy results: group A (n=10, healthy controls), group B (n=10, grade I TC), group C (n=10, grade II TC), and group D (n=8, grade III TC). The TBFVL measurement was performed on all dogs and loops were assessed for their shape. Forty-four TBFVL parameters were calculated. RESULTS Two types of TBFVL shapes were identified: Type I, representative of the 10 healthy controls, and Type II, representative of the 28 dogs with TC. Statistical analysis showed the dogs could be differentiated into healthy or affected by TC by 3 indices, TE/TI (expiratory time divided by inspiratory time), TI/TTOT (inspiratory time divided by total respiratory time), and EF75/IF75 (expiratory flow at end tidal volume plus 75% end tidal volume divided by inspiratory flow at end tidal volume plus 75% end tidal volume). The TC could also be graded as mild-moderate (grades I and II) or severe (grade III), showing a diagnostic value of 97.4%. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE TBFVL is accurate, quick, noninvasive, and safe and can contribute to the diagnosis of TC in dogs.
Impact of IEEE 802.11n/ac PHY/MAC High Throughput Enhancements on Transport and Application Protocols—A Survey

Since the inception of IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks (WLANs) in 1997, wireless networking technologies have tremendously grown in the last few decades. The fundamental IEEE 802.11 physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) protocols have continuously been enriched with new technologies to provide the last mile wireless broadband connectivity to end users. Consequently, several new amendments of the basic IEEE 802.11 gradually came up in the forms of IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, and IEEE 802.11g. More recently, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, and IEEE 802.11ad are introduced with enhanced PHY and MAC layers that boost up physical data rates to the order of Gigabit per second. So, these amendments are generally known as high throughput WLANs (HT-WLANs). In HT-WLANs, PHY layer is enhanced with multiple-input multiple-output antenna technologies, channel bonding, short guard intervals, enhanced modulation and coding schemes. The MAC sublayer overhead is reduced by introducing frame aggregation and block acknowledgement technologies. However, several existing studies reveal that, many a time, the aforesaid PHY and MAC enhancements yield negative impact on various upper layer protocols, that is end-to-end transport and application layer protocols. As a consequence, a large number of researchers have focused on improving the coordination among PHY/MAC and upper layer protocols. In this survey, we discuss impact of HT-WLAN PHY and MAC layer enhancements on various transport and application layer protocols. This paper also summarizes several research works that use aforesaid enhancements effectively to boost up data rate of end-to-end protocols. We also point out limitations of the existing researches and list down different open challenges that can be meaningfully explored for the development of the next generation HT-WLAN technologies.
Evaluations of retrieved cloud liquid water from AMSR-E, and impacts on numerical weather prediction

Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) uses the observations from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) in the data assimilation systems for the numerical weather prediction (NWP). In the JMA mesoscale model (MSM), retrievals of total column precipitable water (TCPW) and precipitation (PR) are assimilated. A MSC (Meteorological Satellite Center) algorithm is used to retrieve them. In the global spectral model (GSM), radiances of vertically polarized channels in less-cloudy area are assimilated. But cloud-affected radiances are also used. In our NWP experiments, retrievals of cloud liquid water (CLW) from AMSR-E with the MSC algorithm were used to remove the strongly cloud-affected data and to correct the bias which is derived from the thin cloud. The most significant impact on the forecast experiment was the improvement of the temperature at 850 hPa in the tropics.
Socio-economic characteristics of adult frequent attenders in general practice: secondary analysis of data.

OBJECTIVE This study was carried out to determine the effect of a range of socio-economic features on frequent attendance in general practice from a large database of general practice consultations using two definitions of frequent attendance. METHODS Secondary analyses were carried out of data from the Fourth National Survey of Morbidity in General Practice covering 60 general practices in England and Wales. A total of 283 842 adult patients and their consultations between September 1991 and August 1992 were examined. The main outcome measure was the odds ratio of being a frequent attender (95% confidence intervals). RESULTS Using a definition of 12+ consultations/year, men were less likely to be frequent attenders (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.13-0.17); however, the difference between men and women lessens with age. Patients who were more likely to be frequent attenders included those who were divorced or widowed (1.41, 1.31-1.51); from social classes IIIM (1.23, 1.17-1.29) and IV/V (1.33, 1.26-1.41); South Asian people (1.38, 1.16-1.65); or unemployed (1.61, 1.46-1.77). Other factors signifying isolation or poverty were also linked to frequent attendance. Using the definition of '6+ consultations for minor problems' produced broadly similar results although the relative weight of the factors showed some differences. CONCLUSIONS Socio-economic factors were important indicators of frequent attendance in general practice. Results were very similar using either definition, suggesting that both are valid for further work. Furthermore, frequent attendance is a complex process associated with many factors outside the control of the GP.
Induction of Autophagy and Autophagic Cell Death in Damaged Neural Tissue After Acute Spinal Cord Injury in Mice

Study Design. Expression of light chain 3 (LC3), a characteristic marker of autophagy, was examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot using a spinal cord injury (SCI) model in mice. Electron microscopic analysis was also performed to examine the anatomic formation of autophagy and autophagic cell death in the injured spinal cord. Objective. To examine both biochemically and anatomically the activity of autophagy in the damaged neural tissue after SCI. Summary of Background Data. Autophagy is the bulk degradation of intracellular proteins and organelles, and it is involved in a number of diseases. Autophagy can lead to nonapoptotic programmed cell death, which is called autophagic cell death. Recent researches have revealed the increased expression of LC3 and the anatomic formation of autophagy and autophagic cell death in damaged tissues of various disease models. However, previous studies have focused on apoptotic process but not autophagic activity as mechanism of neural tissue damage after SCI. To date, there has been no study to examine the expression of LC3 and the anatomic formation of autophagy after SCI. Methods. The spinal cord was hemitransected at T10 in adult female C57BL/6J mice. The LC3 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The anatomic formation of autophagic activity was investigated using electron microscopy. Results. Immunohistochemistry showed that the number of the LC3-positive cells significantly increased at the lesion site after hemisection. The increase of LC3-positive cells was observed from 4 hours and peaked at 3 days, and it lasted for at least 21 days after hemisection. The LC3-positive cells were observed in neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the level of LC3-II protein expression significantly increased in the injured spinal cord. Electron microscopy showed the formation of autophagic vacuoles to increase in the damaged cells. Furthermore, the nuclei in the transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling–positive cells expressed LC3 were round, which is consistent with autophagic cell death, and they were neither shrunken nor fragmented as is observed in apoptotic nuclei. Conclusion. This study suggested both biochemically and anatomically that autophagy was clearly activated and autophagic cell death was induced in the damaged neural tissue after SCI.
Responses to Offense at Work and the Impact of Hierarchical Status: The Fault of the Leader, Causal Attributions, and Social Support During the Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis

The study explores the mechanism by which unadapted causal attributions and the perception of social support stimulate revenge and reconciliation at the social and professional level in the context of the current pandemic. In particular, the purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between the accused, the victim and offender status and the search for revenge or reconciliation following a personal offense. To test the suggested research model, we analyzed the data collected by 167 (m = 28.52; SD = 8.98) employees in different organizations using a multifactorial experimental design. The results support the influence of attributional predictions in forming revenge and reconciliation and show that they are involved in the decision to carry out revenge, but especially in the way the employee interprets the trigger situation. In conclusion, the revenge is based on a negative attributional mechanism that produces the greatest deficit of adaptation to the situation and a weakening of the perception of social support, while reconciliation seems to be based on a much more complex socio-occupational mechanism. Leaders should pay attention to organizational communication during a crisis as they could encourage hopelessness depression. Adjusting crisis communication is crucial to ensuring job satisfaction that could mitigate negative effects.
Using service design to understand digital preferences for improving applications for tertiary education in under-represented markets

Participation in tertiary education is an important factor in achieving social parity and access to opportunity for Australians. The current government agenda is to increase participation amongst low socio-economic, culturally and linguistic diverse, Indigenous and remote peoples to be representative of their proportion in the population. This paper draws on the field of service design to bring an innovative approach to developing social marketing strategy. This research reports the findings of two qualitative studies involving 211 participants across Australia to elicit a psychologically based approach to segmentation and generate innovative digital solutions that will increase applications to participate in tertiary education. This work is the result of a multidisciplinary team that brought together practioners from the widening participation and equity fields along with social marketers and service marketers.
Autophagy releases lipid that promotes fibrogenesis by activated hepatic stellate cells in mice and in human tissues.

BACKGROUND & AIMS The pathogenesis of liver fibrosis involves activation of hepatic stellate cells, which is associated with depletion of intracellular lipid droplets. When hepatocytes undergo autophagy, intracellular lipids are degraded in lysosomes. We investigated whether autophagy also promotes loss of lipids in hepatic stellate cells to provide energy for their activation and extended these findings to other fibrogenic cells. METHODS We analyzed hepatic stellate cells from C57BL/6 wild-type, Atg7(F/F), and Atg7(F/F)-GFAP-Cre mice, as well as the mouse stellate cell line JS1. Fibrosis was induced in mice using CCl(4) or thioacetamide (TAA); liver tissues and stellate cells were analyzed. Autophagy was blocked in fibrogenic cells from liver and other tissues using small interfering RNAs against Atg5 or Atg7 and chemical antagonists. Human pulmonary fibroblasts were isolated from samples of lung tissue from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or from healthy donors. RESULTS In mice, induction of liver injury with CCl(4) or TAA increased levels of autophagy. We also observed features of autophagy in activated stellate cells within injured human liver tissue. Loss of autophagic function in cultured mouse stellate cells and in mice following injury reduced fibrogenesis and matrix accumulation; this effect was partially overcome by providing oleic acid as an energy substrate. Autophagy also regulated expression of fibrogenic genes in embryonic, lung, and renal fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS Autophagy of activated stellate cells is required for hepatic fibrogenesis in mice. Selective reduction of autophagic activity in fibrogenic cells in liver and other tissues might be used to treat patients with fibrotic diseases.
Role of Metalloproteases in Vaccinia Virus Epitope Processing for Transporter Associated with Antigen Processing (TAP)-independent Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-B7 Class I Antigen Presentation*

Background: Individuals with nonfunctional transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) present HLA class I ligands generated by TAP-independent processing pathways. Results: Different subsets of metalloproteinases generate two vaccinia-derived TAP-independent epitopes. Conclusion: Various proteolytic systems contribute to the antiviral cellular immune response, thereby facilitating immunosurveillance. Significance: This may explain why TAP-deficient individuals live normal life spans without any increased susceptibility to viral infections. The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) translocates the viral proteolytic peptides generated by the proteasome and other proteases in the cytosol to the endoplasmic reticulum lumen. There, they complex with nascent human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules, which are subsequently recognized by the CD8+ lymphocyte cellular response. However, individuals with nonfunctional TAP complexes or tumor or infected cells with blocked TAP molecules are able to present HLA class I ligands generated by TAP-independent processing pathways. Herein, using a TAP-independent polyclonal vaccinia virus-polyspecific CD8+ T cell line, two conserved vaccinia-derived TAP-independent HLA-B*0702 epitopes were identified. The presentation of these epitopes in normal cells occurs via complex antigen-processing pathways involving the proteasome and/or different subsets of metalloproteinases (amino-, carboxy-, and endoproteases), which were blocked in infected cells with specific chemical inhibitors. These data support the hypothesis that the abundant cellular proteolytic systems contribute to the supply of peptides recognized by the antiviral cellular immune response, thereby facilitating immunosurveillance. These data may explain why TAP-deficient individuals live normal life spans without any increased susceptibility to viral infections.
Transport of L‐phenylalanine and related amino acids at the ovine blood‐brain barrier.

1. Unidirectional influx of amino acids at the blood‐brain barrier was studied in the lamb and sheep under barbiturate anaesthesia using the single‐pass indicator‐dilution technique. 2. In the lamb, influx of both L‐phenylalanine (14 +/‐ 1 nmol g‐1 min‐1) and L‐alanine (12 +/‐ 2 nmol g‐1 min‐1) was greater than in the sheep: L‐phenylalanine influx, 9 +/‐ 1 nmol g‐1 min‐1; L‐alanine influx, 5 +/‐ 1 nmol g‐1 min‐1 (P less than 0.01). This difference reflected higher blood concentrations of these amino acids in the younger animal. 3. The kinetic parameters of transport for L‐phenylalanine were determined in the lamb and sheep from measurements of influx over a range of blood concentrations. The concentration dependence of L‐phenylalanine influx was best described by a model with a saturable and non‐saturable component. Maximum influx (Jmax) was higher and apparent transport constant (km, app) lower in the lamb. Values obtained (mean +/‐ S.E.M.) were: lamb, Jmax, 138 +/‐ 6 nmol g‐1 min; km, app, 0.85 +/‐ 0.10 mmol l‐1; sheep, Jmax, 107 +/‐ 7 nmol g‐1 min‐1; km, app, 2.25 +/‐ 0.25 mmol l‐1. 4. L‐Phenylalanine inhibited influx of L‐leucine, L‐tyrosine, L‐valine and L‐glutamine but not L‐arginine and L‐lysine. Its influx was inhibited by L‐histidine, L‐valine and L‐leucine, but not by L‐glutamine or L‐alanine. In the lamb, L‐phenylalanine inhibited L‐histidine influx with an apparent inhibitor constant (kh) of 139 mumol l‐1, and a maximum inhibition of 92%. In the sheep, L‐phenylalanine inhibited L‐methionine influx with an apparent kh of 33 mumol l‐1 and a maximum inhibition of 82%. 5. Fractional extraction of phenylalanine and alanine was stereospecific with preference for the L‐enantiomer. In the lamb, fractional extraction values (mean +/‐ S.E.M.) were: L‐phenylalanine, 0.58 +/‐ 0.03; D‐phenylalanine, 0.20 +/‐ 0.02; L‐alanine, 0.16 +/‐ 0.03; D‐alanine, 0.05 +/‐ 0.02. Self‐inhibition of extraction was evident for L‐phenylalanine and L‐alanine in both lamb and sheep.
A 90 nm CMOS wideband low noise amplifier using bandwidth extension technique

A compact 90 nm CMOS wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) adopting bandwidth extension techniques is presented. The low noise characteristic of the LNA is achieved by the noise canceling technique and its gain flatness and bandwidth is enhanced by the gate inductive-peaking technique. The peaking inductor is realized by an active inductor for compact size and stability control. Without using any passive inductor, the size of the LNA core circuit is only 100 µm × 150 µm. From measurement results, the CMOS wideband LNA achieves a flat power gain of 12 dB with maximum variation of 0.5 dB from 100 MHz to 3600 MHz. The measured noise figure is 2.3 dB. Operated at 1.2 V, the CMOS LNA consumes 13 mW of power.
Progress toward an optical frequency chain at NPL

/sup A/n optical frequency chain is being constructed at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Teddington, U.K., with the object of making absolute frequency measurements of optical frequency standards in single, cold, trapped Sr/sup +/ and Yb/sup +/ ions. The initial frequency reference is a methane-stabilized He-Ne laser system, but our ultimate goal is an all-optical chain to the caesium primary microwave frequency standard. We have constructed a CW singly resonant PPLN optical parametric oscillator, pumped by a high-power single-frequency Nd:YLF ring laser, yielding 0.45 W of light at the methane frequency. By cascaded frequency doubling of this output, a near-IR reference can be established at four times the methane frequency. We are developing optical frequency divider stages, and an optical frequency comb generator, as tools for linkages to the ion trap frequencies.
Spontaneous In Vivo Gene Transcription of Interleukin‐2, Interleukin‐3, Interleukin‐4, Interleukin‐6, Interferon‐Gamma, Interleukin‐2 Receptor (CD25) and Proto‐Oncogene c‐myc by Rheumatoid Synovial T Lymphocytes

Rheumatoid synovial T lymphocytes were investigaled for the presence of mRNA for the cytokines interleukin‐2, ‐3, ‐4, ‐6, interferon‐gamma, the interleukin‐2 receptor (CD25) and the proto‐oncogene c‐myc. The isolated RNAs were analysed by dot blot and Northern blot hybridization. Our results show that synovial T lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n= 12) had spontaneous tn vivo gene transcription of interleukin‐2 (93%), interleukin‐4 (67%), interleukin‐6 (92%), interleukin‐2 receptor (92%) and the proto‐oncogene c‐myc (67%). Only a few of the RA patients had synovial T cells with increased expression of mRNA for interleukin‐3 (25%) and interferon‐gamma (25%). The amounts of mRNA for the various cytokines and activation molecules produced by the rheumatoid synovial T lymphocytes were in most instances comparable to those of normal peripheral blood T lymphocytes activated in vitro by the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin. The data thus indicate that the synovial T lymphocytes are activated in viov in the majority of rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Design optimization for wafer level package reliability by using artificial neural network

An artificial neural network (ANN) based multi-objective design optimization for a wafer level package (WLP) is presented. Design factors including bump pad configuration, solder alloy composition, bump pad opening diameter, pad overhang (Cu pad radius minus pad opening radius), redistribution layer (RDL) polymer dielectric thickness and under-bump Cu thickness are grouped and considered by using a 3-level full factorial design of simulations (DoS) procedure. Key failure indices corresponding to solder joint fatigue fracture, RDL trace fatigue fracture and polymer dielectric cracking are selected as the objective functions for the design optimization. The Pareto optimal solutions are determined by using a genetic algorithm, and the compromise programming method is applied to determine the most reliable design.
The E3 Ubiquitin Ligase TRAF6 Intercedes in Starvation-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy through Multiple Mechanisms

ABSTRACT Starvation, like many other catabolic conditions, induces loss of skeletal muscle mass by promoting fiber atrophy. In addition to the canonical processes, the starvation-induced response employs many distinct pathways that make it a unique atrophic program. However, in the multiplex of the underlying mechanisms, several components of starvation-induced atrophy have yet to be fully understood and their roles and interplay remain to be elucidated. Here we unveiled the role of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), a unique E3 ubiquitin ligase and adaptor protein, in starvation-induced muscle atrophy. Targeted ablation of TRAF6 suppresses the expression of key regulators of atrophy, including MAFBx, MuRF1, p62, LC3B, Beclin1, Atg12, and Fn14. Ablation of TRAF6 also improved the phosphorylation of Akt and FoxO3a and inhibited the activation of 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase in skeletal muscle in response to starvation. In addition, our study provides the first evidence of the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolding protein response pathways in starvation-induced muscle atrophy and its regulation through TRAF6. Finally, our results also identify lysine 63-linked autoubiquitination of TRAF6 as a process essential for its regulatory role in starvation-induced muscle atrophy.
Bridging Ends and Means: The Centrality of Targets in Comparative Policy Analysis with Illustrations in the United States, New Zealand, and Germany

Abstract Policy means are shaped not only by policy goals, but also by the groups of actors targeted through policies for change. Yet the importance of targets is not visible in current frameworks describing policy development. The article advances a modified version of Howlett and Cashore’s nested model of policy instrument choice that makes explicit the centrality of targets as a bridging step between policy means and ends. It illustrates application of this target-centered framework for comparative policy analysis through three evaluations of transformative environmental policy regimes implemented in the United States, New Zealand, and Germany. Target-centered analysis provides insights into the development of each policy by separating out target and client selection from the goals and means of each policy, and shows how including targets as an explicit step in policy analysis clarifies and extends our understanding of both formulation and reform. In particular, distinguishing the calibration of policy mechanisms from the rules that define which entities are impacted by a given tool reveals patterns by which policymakers tailor interventions in the distribution of burdens and benefits to various social groups.