Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Imposing constraints on fragmented body motion for synthesis

The generation of realistic motion of human figures for computer games and animation has been under active research in recent years. Since the nature of human motion is complex, motion capture is commonly used to obtain high-quality motion. Although capturing motions directly from human can acquire life-like motion, these motions cannot be easily reused. In order to maximize usage of captured motions, existing approaches attempt to reuse by combining motions of specific parts of the body [Ikemoto and Forsyth 2004] or by splicing actions with locomotion [Heck et al. 2006] to create new motions. While these approaches explore conditions for combining specific body parts to generate convincing full body motions, we lack a generalized representation for animators to specify the conditions under which motions from which body parts can be synthesized to produce convincing full body motions. With a generalized representation, it is possible for animators to make use of a motion library of body parts to synthesize a wide variety of motions.
EGFR, HER2 and HER3 dimerization patterns guide targeted inhibition in two histotypes of esophageal cancer

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are in the focus of targeted therapy for epithelial tumors. Our study addressed the role of EGFR, HER2 and HER3 expression and dimerization in esophageal cancers in situ and in vitro in the context of therapeutic EGFR and HER2 inhibitors. In archival pretreatment biopsies of esophageal carcinomas (n = 110), EGFR was preferentially expressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) (22.4%; p = 0.088) and HER2 (34.4%; p < 0.001) with HER3 (91.5%; p < 0.001) in esophageal (Barrett's) adenocarcinomas (EACs). In situ proximity ligation assays revealed mainly EGFR and HER2 homodimers in ESCC and EAC cases, respectively. However, EAC cases also exhibited HER2/HER3 heterodimers. In vitro ESCC (OE21) cells displayed a significant response to erlotinib, gefitinib and lapatinib, with loss of AKT phosphorylation, G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis. In EAC cells (OE19, OE33 and SK‐GT‐4), lapatinib was similarly effective in strongly HER2‐positive (mainly HER2 homodimers and some HER2/EGFR heterodimers) OE19 and OE33 cells. The HER2‐targeting antibodies (trastuzumab and pertuzumab) given alone were largely ineffective in ESCC and EAC cells. However, both antibodies significantly induced antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity in EAC (OE19 and OE33) cells upon co‐culture with peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The study reveals that overexpression of EGFR and HER2 predominantly results in homodimers in ESCCs and EACs, respectively. Still, some EACs also show HER2 dimerization plasticity, e.g., with HER3. Such RTK dimerization patterns affect responses to EGFR and HER2 targeting inhibitors in ESCC and EAC cells in vitro and hence may influence future prediction for particularly HER2‐targeting inhibitors in EACs.
Modeling Noise Coupling Between Package and PCB Power/Ground Planes With an Efficient 2-D FDTD/Lumped Element Method

An efficient numerical approach based on the 2-D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is proposed to model the power/ground plane noise or simultaneously switching noise (SSN), including the interconnect effect between the package and the print circuit board (PCB). The space between the power and ground planes on the package and PCB are meshed with 2-D cells. The equivalent R-L-C circuits of the via and the solder balls connecting the package and PCB can be incorporated into a 2-D Yee cell based on a novel integral formulation in the time domain. An efficient recursive updating algorithm is proposed to fit the lumped networks into the Yee equations. A test sample of a ball grid array (BGA) package mounted on a PCB was fabricated. The power/ground noise coupling behavior was measured and compared with the simulation. The proposed method significantly reduces the computing time compared with other full-wave numerical approaches.
Relation of ex vivo stimulated blood cytokine synthesis to post-traumatic sepsis.

The cytokine production in endotoxin stimulated blood of patients immediately after polytrauma with high risk for developing sepsis or multi organ failure was analysed. Forty patients sustaining traumatic injury with >/=317 pts according to the Injury Severity Score (ISS), 10 of whom developed severe sepsis (ACCP/SCCM conference 1992) were included in the study. Levels of interleukin 8 (IL-8), IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) were measured by ELISA in endotoxin-stimulated whole blood and IL-10 and IL-6 in serum. The allotype for the bi-allelic Nco I restriction length polymorphism in the TNF locus was determined for each patient.Two to four hours after polytrauma endotoxin-stimulated synthesis of TNF and IL-6 was found to be reduced in whole blood from patients compared to healthy donors, whereas no such differences were found for IL-8 synthesis. At this time, however, the patients who developed sepsis at a later stage (day 4-6) showed significantly (P<0.05) enhanced IL-8 synthesis in endotoxin stimulated whole blood in comparison to healthy donors. The IL-6 and TNF production of their blood was significantly enhanced compared to patients with uncomplicated recovery. Ninety per cent of the patients developing sepsis were of the TNFB2/TNFB2 allotype, whereas this was the case for only 30% of the non-septic group. Assessment of endotoxin-stimulated cytokine synthesis may provide a prognostic indicator for patients at high risk for developing a sepsis syndrome.
RNA-binding proteins of bovine rotavirus

Two major bovine rotavirus proteins have RNA-binding activity as shown by an RNA overlay-protein blot assay. Of the six proteins in purified virions, only one showed RNA-binding activity. This 92,000-molecular-weight (92K) protein was present in both single- and double-shelled particles. Its RNA-binding activity was blocked by preincubation with monospecific antibody to VP2. Thus, the 92K RNA-binding protein in rotavirus virions is VP2, the second most abundant protein in single-shelled particles. In infected cell extracts, numerous cellular RNA-binding proteins and two virus-specific RNA-binding proteins were detected, VP2 and a 31K nonstructural (NS31) protein. VP2 bound single-stranded RNA in preference to double-stranded RNA, whereas NS31 bound both single- and double-stranded RNA equally well. Binding did not appear to be nucleotide sequence specific, because RNA from uninfected cells and an unrelated RNA virus bound to VP2 and to NS31 as did rotavirus RNA. This technique showed that both cellular and rotavirus RNA-binding proteins also bound DNA. VP2 interacted with rotavirus RNA over a broad pH range, with an optimum at pH 6.4 to 6.8, and at NaCl concentrations between 0 and 100 mM. The RNA-binding activity of NS31 exhibited similar pH and NaCl dependency. Sequence-specific nucleic acid binding could be detected by this method. When labeled synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides corresponding to the 3' and 5' plus-sense terminal sequences of rotavirus gene segments were used as probes, the 3' synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide bound to one 48K protein in control and infected cells. This suggests that there may be a specific functional interaction between the 48K cellular protein and this 3'-terminal noncoding region of the rotavirus genome or mRNA. These data show that the RNA overlay-protein blot assay is a useful test to identify some cellular and viral proteins with RNA-binding activity. For bovine rotavirus, the evidence suggests that, of all the virus-specific proteins, VP2 and NS31 are most likely to interact with RNA during transcription and replication or virus assembly or both.
Proliferation of the endoplasmic reticulum occurs normally in cells that lack a functional unfolded protein response

Increased expression of certain ER membrane proteins leads to biogenesis of novel ER membrane arrays. These structures provide models in which to explore the mechanisms by which cells control the size and organization of organelles in response to changing physiological demands. In yeast, elevated levels of HMG‐CoA reductase induce ER arrays known as karmellae. Cox and co‐workers (1997) discovered that karmellae assembly is toxic to ire1 mutants. These mutants are unable to initiate the unfolded protein response, which enables cells to adjust levels of ER chaperones in response to stresses. We sought to determine whether the karmellae‐dependent death of ire1 mutants was due to karmellae assembly or to increased levels of HMG‐CoA reductase activity. Unexpectedly, we found that ire1 cells could assemble normal levels of karmellae that were structurally identical to those of wild‐type cells. In addition, karmellae assembly did not itself induce the unfolded protein response. Certain ire1 strains produced significant numbers of transformants that were unable to utilize galactose as sole carbon source. These results suggest that the karmellae‐dependent death of certain ire1 strains may simply reflect their inability to grow on galactose. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Costa Rican Adolescents have a Deleterious Nutritional Profile as Compared to Adults in Terms of Lower Dietary and Plasma Concentrations of Antioxidant Micronutrients

Objective: Most prospective studies in adult populations show an inverse association between consumption of fruits and vegetables and the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants. The objective was to determine whether nutrient intakes and plasma concentrations of antioxidants of adolescents are similar to those of their parents or grandparents as a way of assessing whether dietary habits of parents are passed on to their adolescent children. Methods Parents or grandparents (n = 159) aged 29–77 y were selected from the participants of the myocardial case-control study in Costa Rica. One adolescent child or grandchild (12–20 y) was identified for each parent or grandparent. Nutrient intakes and plasma antioxidant concentrations were assessed using a validated food-frequency questionnaire and by high performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Results As compared to adults, adolescents consumed greater quantities of fruit, dairy products, red meat, carbonated drinks and polyunsaturated fat, but lower quantities of fiber and micronutrients (carotenoids, vitamins A and B6, folate, potassium, magnesium and zinc). Plasma concentrations of all carotenoids, except for lycopene, were lower in adolescents than in adults (p < 0.05). Intakes of lycopene (r = 0.16, p = 0.05), α-tocopherol (r = 0.19, p = 0.03) and γ-tocopherol (r = 0.21, p = 0.01) in adolescents were correlated with those of adults. Plasma concentrations of lycopene (r = 0.20, p = 0.02), α-tocopherol (r = 0.18, p = 0.03) and γ-tocopherol (r = 0.28, p = 0.001) in adolescents were also correlated with those of adults. These data may suggest that adolescents may acquire habitual consumption of foods rich in micronutrients from adults. Conclusion: As a proportion of energy, diets of Costa Rican adolescents contain less micronutrients than those of their adult relatives. Parents should be aware of this trend and its association with poor health status.
Uses and Limitations of Electrophysiology with Hearing Aids

Abstract There is currently a strong interest among both audiologists and hearing researchers to find a physiological measure that can be used as a marker of how amplified sounds are processed by the brain (i.e., hearing aid fitting) or how the brain changes with exposure to amplified sounds (i.e., hearing aid acclimatization). Currently, auditory evoked potentials are used, or proposed to be used, for both of these purposes to some degree. It is clear from the literature that some of these uses are potentially useful clinically and others are quite problematic. The current state of aided cortical auditory evoked potentials will be discussed relative to their application to hearing aid fitting/verification and in understanding hearing aid acclimatization. Future areas of promise as well as current gaps in the literature will be addressed.
Technology-aided leisure and communication: Opportunities for persons with advanced Parkinson’s disease

Abstract Objective: This study investigated whether simple technology-aided programs could be used to promote leisure and communication engagement in three persons with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Method: The programs included music and video options, which were combined with (a) text messaging and telephone calls for the first participant, (b) verbal statements/requests, text messaging, and reading for the second participant, and (c) verbal statements/requests and prayers for the third participant. The participants could activate those options via hand movement or vocal emission and specific microswitches. Results: All three participants were successful in activating the options available. The mean cumulative frequencies of option activations were about five per 15-min session for the first two participants and about four per 10-min session for the third participant. Conclusion: The results were considered encouraging and relevant given the limited amount of evidence available on helping persons with advanced Parkinson’s disease with leisure and communication.
Enhanced Enzyme Immunoassay with Negative-Gray-Zone Testing Compared to a Single Nucleic Acid Amplification Technique for Community-Based Chlamydial Screening of Men

ABSTRACT We evaluated a low-cost diagnostic strategy for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis in a low-prevalence population. We used an amplified enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with a reduced-cutoff “negative gray zone” to identify reactive specimens for confirmation by a nucleic acid amplification test. As part of the Chlamydia Screening Studies project, men provided a first-pass urine specimen, which they returned by post for testing. We tested 1,003 specimens by IDEIA PCE EIA (Dako) and Cobas PCR (Roche). There were 32 (3.2%) true positive specimens according to a combined standard using an algorithm requiring concordant results from at least two independent tests. All of these were positive by Cobas PCR and 24 were confirmed to be positive by PCE EIA, including 2 that gave results in the negative gray zone. There were 971 true negative specimens, 2 of which were positive by Cobas PCR and 19 of which were initially inhibitory for PCR. The relative sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of PCE EIA with PCR confirmation were 75.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 56.6 to 88.5%), 100% (95% CI, 99.7 to 100%), 100% (95% CI, 88.3 to 100%), and 99.2% (95% CI, 98.4 to 99.6%), respectively. The corresponding values for Cobas PCR were 100% (95% CI, 89.1 to 100%), 99.8% (95% CI, 99.3 to 100%), 94.1% (95% CI, 76.9 to 98.2%), and 100% (95% CI, 99.6 to 100%), respectively, with 1.9% (19/1003) of the samples being initially indeterminate. When the prevalence of C. trachomatis is low, the use of an amplified EIA on urine specimens, with confirmation of results in the negative gray zone by use of a nucleic acid amplification technique, is not suitable for screening asymptomatic men. In addition, positive nucleic acid amplification test results should be confirmed and an inhibition control should be used.
The effects of shallow breathing

THE question as to the means by which the respiration is regulated so as to harmonise with the metabolism of the body has been the subject of many investigations. These have in the main led to two theories as to the nature of this regulation, namely (a) that it is a matter of reflex nervous control, and (b) that it is a chemical regulation. Foll-owing on the classical research of Hering and Breuer l) in 1868 the first theory became predominant, but a paper published by Halda n e and Pri estI ey (2) in 190)5 led to a recognition of the fundamental predominance of the chemical regulation. A period then followed in-which the nervous mechanism of the regulation of respiration did not receive so much attention and. was indeed largely neglected until Haldan e and Mavrogordato (3) investigated the relation between the chemical regulation and the Hering-Breuer reflex. Their results clearly demonstrated for the first time the connection between the nervous control and the chemical control. Recent investigations carried out in this laboratory into the cause of the synmptoms met with in men suffering chronically from the effects of gas poisoning, and from a group of symptoms known as D.A. H. , "Soldier's Heart," "Irritable Heart," "Effort Syndrome," etc., have turned our attention to the importance of the regulation of the depth of respiration and have led to results which are of much physiological importance. A summary of these investigations in their more practical aspects was given in a report circulated for official purposes1. The present paper is a full account of one part of that work,namely the experimental investigation of the effects of shallow breathing.
Evaluation of the polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of Lassa virus infection.

We evaluated the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and hybridization procedures for diagnosis of Lassa fever. Primers were derived from a region of the small RNA segment of Lassa virus coding for the glycoprotein. Serum samples stored for a 14-year period from patients in Sierra Leone, West Africa were examined retrospectively. Blinded samples were then tested prospectively. Eighty-eight virus isolation-negative control sera were negative by PCR and hybridization. In the retrospective study, virus was isolated from 51 of 98 specimens from patients with Lassa fever, and 33 of these were positive for Lassa virus RNA by PCR, and 42 by PCR and hybridization. Fifteen were positive by PCR and hybridization but isolation-negative, and nine were positive by isolation but PCR/hybridization-negative. Thirty-two were negative by all methods (sensitivity by PCR/hybridization compared with virus isolation 0.82, specificity 0.68). In a prospective blinded study of 195 patient sera, 51 were positive by PCR and virus isolation, and 24 were PCR positive but virus isolation-negative (sensitivity 0.66, specificity 0.71). After hybridization, 66 virus isolation-positive sera were positive. The sensitivity was 0.86 and the specificity was 0.59, and the probability of false-positive results compared with virus isolation was 32%, (chi 2 = 21.9, by McNemar's test). Since some specimens may not have contained viable virus, we re-analyzed the data of individual patients using laboratory-confirmed case definitions for Lassa fever. All specimens from patients in whom Lassa fever was excluded by serologic tests were negative by PCR/hybridization. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The debate on Islam and secularism in Egypt

L'Egypte contemporaine est secouee par un debat national : le probleme de la secularisation de l'Islam dans ce pays arabe. L'A. s'attache ici a poser la problematique en decrivant les enjeux que ce debat met en ligne de compte. Il decrit les causes de ce probleme : une crise intellectuelle agite les musulmans d'aujourd'hui en les renvoyant a leur relation avec le passe du pays. Il s'agit de determiner la position de l'Islam en face de la culture et des valeurs occidentales. C'est aussi l'occasion de retracer le developpement de la problematique au cours du XX e siecle
N-Cyclohexyl-2-fluorobenzamide

In the title compound, C13H16FNO, the fluorobenzene ring plane and the plane through the amide unit are inclined at a dihedral angle of 29.92 (7)°. The cyclohexane ring adopts a chair conformation. In the crystal structure, N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, augmented by weak C—H⋯O interactions, link the molecules into transverse chains along a. These chains are linked into zigzag columns down a by C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds and C—H⋯π interactions.
Characterization of the L-glutamate clearance pathways across the blood–brain barrier and the effect of astrocytes in an in vitro blood–brain barrier model

The aim was to characterize the clearance pathways for L-glutamate from the brain interstitial fluid across the blood–brain barrier using a primary in vitro bovine endothelial/rat astrocyte co-culture. Transporter profiling was performed using uptake studies of radiolabeled L-glutamate with co-application of transporter inhibitors and competing amino acids. Endothelial abluminal L-glutamate uptake was almost abolished by co-application of an EAAT-1 specific inhibitor, whereas luminal uptake was inhibited by L-glutamate and L-aspartate (1 mM). L-glutamate uptake followed Michaelis–Menten-like kinetics with high and low affinity at the abluminal and luminal membrane, respectively. This indicated that L-glutamate is taken up via EAAT-1 at the abluminal membrane and exits at the luminal membrane via a low affinity glutamate/aspartate transporter. Metabolism of L-glutamate and transport of metabolites was examined using [U-13C] L-glutamate. Intact L-glutamate and metabolites derived from oxidative metabolism were transported through the endothelial cells. High amounts of L-glutamate-derived lactate in the luminal medium indicated cataplerosis via malic enzyme. Thus, L-glutamate can be transported intact from brain to blood via the concerted action of abluminal and luminal transport proteins, but the total brain clearance is highly dependent on metabolism in astrocytes and endothelial cells followed by transport of metabolites.
Conductance oscillations periodic in the density of one-dimensional electron gases.

Les resultats de cette etude sont compares a ceux des couches d'accumulation de GaAs. La conductance oscille d'un facteur 100 et est precisement periodique dans le nombre d'electrons par unite de longueur. La periode est determinee par la distance entre les defauts charges pres du canal une dimension
Overview of diffuse optical tomography and its clinical applications

Abstract. Near-infrared diffuse optical tomography (DOT), one of the most sophisticated optical imaging techniques for observations through biological tissue, allows 3-D quantitative imaging of optical properties, which include functional and anatomical information. With DOT, it is expected to be possible to overcome the limitations of conventional near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as well as offering the potential for diagnostic optical imaging. However, DOT has been under development for more than 30 years, and the difficulties in development are attributed to the fact that light is strongly scattered and that diffusive photons are used for the image reconstruction. The DOT algorithm is based on the techniques of inverse problems. The radiative transfer equation accurately describes photon propagation in biological tissue, while, because of its high computation load, the diffusion equation (DE) is often used as the forward model. However, the DE is invalid in low-scattering and/or highly absorbing regions and in the vicinity of light sources. The inverse problem is inherently ill-posed and highly undetermined. Here, we first summarize NIRS and then describe various approaches in the efforts to develop accurate and efficient DOT algorithms and present some examples of clinical applications. Finally, we discuss the future prospects of DOT.