Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterisation of Cl‐ transporter and channels in experimentally induced myopic chick eyes

Background: Experimental evidence has shown that myopic and hyperopic optical defocus induces thickening and thinning of the choroids, respectively, moving the retina forward and backward toward the plane of focus; however, the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon remains elusive. It has been hypothesised that the change in choroidal thickness might be elicited by the alteration of ion and fluid transport across the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Therefore, the aims of the present study were to determine the content of specific Cl‐ transporter/channel mRNA and proteins in chick RPE in a normal, untreated state and in lens‐induced myopia.
Do Approach-Avoidance Actions Create Attitudes?

Do approach-avoidance actions create attitudes? Prior influential studies suggested that rudimentary attitudes could be established by simply pairing novel stimuli (Chinese ideographs) with arm flexion (approach) or arm extension (avoidance). In three experiments, we found that approach-avoidance actions alone were insufficient to account for such effects. Instead, we found that these affective influences resulted from the interaction of these actions with a priori differences in stimulus valence. Thus, with negative stimuli, the effect of extension on attitude was more positive than the effect of flexion. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the affect from motivationally compatible or incompatible action can also influence task evaluations. A final experiment, using Chinese ideographs from the original studies, confirmed these findings. Both approach and avoidance actions led to more positive evaluations of the ideographs when the actions were motivationally compatible with the prior valence of the ideographs. The attitudinal impact of approach-avoidance action thus reflects its situated meaning, which depends on the valence of stimuli being approached or avoided.
Efficacy of triple therapy with a proton pump inhibitor, levofloxacin, and amoxicillin as first-line treatment to eradicate Helicobacter pylori.

BACKGROUND Triple therapy including a proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin (PPI-CA) is the first-choice treatment used for H. pylori eradication. The efficacy of this treatment is declining of late, and alternative therapies are currently under evaluation. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy, safety and compliance of a triple therapy with a PPI, amoxicillin and levofloxacin (PPI-LA)--replacing clarithromycin--for the eradication of H. pylori. METHODS The study included 135 patients (65% women), mean age 53 years, with dyspeptic symptoms and H. pylori infection proven by a positive urease rapid test, histological analysis, or C13-urea breath test. DIAGNOSIS non-investigated dyspepsia 48.9%, functional dyspepsia 36.3%, and ulcerative dyspepsia 14.8%. Treatment was indicated with a proton pump inhibitor at usual doses, amoxicillin 1 g, and levofloxacin 500 mg, administered jointly during breakfast and dinner for 10 days. We studied the performance of this triple therapy and its effects using a questionnaire, and effectiveness by the negativity of the C13-urea breath test after 6-8 weeks after treatment discontinuation. Per protocol, we compared the effectiveness of PPI-LA with a control group of 270 patients treated with PPI-CA for 10 days. RESULTS 130 patients (96.2%) could complete the treatment and follow-up protocol. Effectiveness (intention to treat) was 71.8% (97/135) and 74.6% (per protocol) (97/130). Sixteen patients (11.8%) had well-tolerated adverse effects, except for 5 subjects (3.7%) who dropped out. PPI-CA was effective (per protocol) in 204 patients out of 270 (75.5%) in the control group. CONCLUSIONS Triple therapy with a PPI, amoxicillin and levofloxacin for 10 days is a well-tolerated treatment that is easy to comply with; however it has low efficiency - less than 80% - and is not recommended as a first-choice treatment for H. pylori eradication. Similar results were obtained with the classic triple therapy using a PPI, clarithromycin and amoxicillin.
The unique gene expression profile of the anti-tumour agent, cisplatin, compared with its clinically ineffective isomer, transplatin

Cisplatin is one of the most widely used cancer chemotherapeutic agents and is utilised to treat testicular and ovarian carcinomas as well as certain sarcomas and lymphomas. However, despite its clinical success, cisplatin treatment is still associated with a number of dose-limiting toxic side effects. The purpose of this study was to clarify the molecular events that are important in the anti-tumour activity of cisplatin, using gene expression profiling techniques. Cisplatin acts by forming covalent adducts with DNA. As well as inhibiting DNA replication and cell division, cisplatin DNA adducts also affect the level of transcription of human genes. In our study we found hundreds of human genes that were down-regulated in response to cisplatin as well genes that were up-regulated. We utilised a particularly powerful analysis technique to reveal the genes that were important in the anti-tumour activity of cisplatin. This involved the cisplatin analogue, transplatin, that although it produces DNA adducts, it does not have any anti-tumour activity. Hence by comparing the gene expression profiles of cisplatin and transplatin, the genes that are important in the anti-tumour activity of cisplatin can be revealed. Using this technique, we identified 27 genes that were up-regulated and 12 genes that were down-regulated, in response to cisplatin (but not transplatin) treatment of human cells. Ultimately, the identification of gene expression responses unique to cisplatin, could greatly benefit the design and development of improved cancer chemotherapeutics.
Pacific Acuity Test: Testability, Validity, and Interobserver Reliability

Purpose The Pacific Acuity Test (PAT) is a new vanishing optotype test designed to measure recognition visual acuities in preverbal children using a face and opposing oval figure in a forced-choice preferential looking format. This study evaluates the testability, validity, and interobserver reliability of the PAT. Methods Fifty-two subjects, aged 6 to 36 months, were tested by a primary observer to determine both recognition and resolution visual acuities using the PAT. Subjects were also tested using the Cardiff Acuity Test (CAT) to provide comparative resolution acuities. Two additional observers independently evaluated video-recorded subject responses for testability and interobserver reliability analysis. An independent grader determined acuity thresholds from each observer’s observations, and a logistic regression model was used for additional analysis of acuity thresholds, validity, and testability. Results Forty-seven of 52 subjects completed testing to obtain visual acuities with the PAT. Sixty-nine percent of subjects followed the desired forced-choice strategy to yield recognition acuities with the PAT. Testability for children younger than 18 months was 44%, whereas 96% of children 18 months and older responded to the recognition testing format. Testability for resolution acuity was 92% and 98% for the PAT and CAT, respectively. The mean difference between PAT recognition and CAT resolution acuity thresholds (PAT-CAT) was +0.11 logMAR (0.15 SD, p < 0.001). The observers were in agreement as determined by intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.90 for both PAT recognition and the CAT. Conclusions High testability and valid recognition acuity measures were achieved using the PAT with children by approximately 18 months of age. The recognition acuities obtained with the PAT were higher, particularly for younger subjects, than comparative resolution acuities found with both the PAT and CAT. Interobserver reliability of observers was the same between the PAT and the CAT.
Macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer: automated detection and thickness reproducibility with spectral domain-optical coherence tomography in glaucoma.

PURPOSE To demonstrate the capability of SD-OCT to measure macular retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness and to assess its reproducibility in glaucomatous eyes. METHODS Fifty-one glaucomatous eyes (26 mild, 11 moderate, 14 severe) of 51 patients underwent macular scanning using the Cirrus HD-OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA) macula 200×200 acquisition protocol. Five scans were obtained on 5 days within 2 months. The ganglion cell analysis (GCA) algorithm was used to detect the macular GCIPL and to measure the thickness of the overall average, minimum, superotemporal, superior, superonasal, inferonasal, inferior, and inferotemporal GCIPL. The reproducibility of the measurements was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), coefficients of variation (COVs), and test-retest standard deviations (TRTSDs). RESULTS Segmentation and measurement of GCIPL thickness were successful in 50 of 51 subjects. All ICCs ranged between 0.94 and 0.98, but ICCs for average and superior GCIPL parameters (0.97-0.98) were slightly higher than for inferior GCIPL parameters (0.94-0.97). All COVs were <5%, with 1.8% for average GCIPL and COVs for superior GCIPL parameters (2.2%-3.0%) slightly lower than those for inferior GCIPL parameters (2.5%-3.6%). The TRTSD was lowest for average GCIPL (1.16 μm) and varied from 1.43 to 2.15 μm for sectoral GCIPL CONCLUSIONS: The Cirrus HD-OCT GCA algorithm can successfully segment macular GCIPL and measure GCIPL thickness with excellent intervisit reproducibility. Longitudinal monitoring of GCIPL thickness may be possible with Cirrus HD-OCT for assessing glaucoma progression.
One efficient facet-based small target detection technique

This paper presents a method for the detection of small objects from the infrared images. The detection is performed on the intensity surface well fitted by the cubic facet model. The small target energy distribution presents as a convex surface on the image intensity surface and the target center is the maximal extremum points of the convex surface. According to the extremum theory, the possible small target position is analytically determined by directly convolving the original image with the derivative operators deduced from the bivariate cubic function. With the available coarse target locations, the potential target is separated from the background by examining the intensity features of the target cluster. Experimental results on the sample infrared images demonstrate the proposed algorithm provides a robust and efficient performance.
Hamilton-Jacobi formulation for reach-avoid problems with an application to air traffic management

A new framework for formulating reachability problems with nonlinear dynamics and state constraints as optimal control problems is developed. The work in this paper is motivated by such problems in the area of air traffic management, in particular the problem of collision avoidance in the presence of 4D constraints, called Target Windows, that the aircraft have to respect to meet their schedule. Earlier approaches to reach-avoid computations are either restricted to linear systems, or face numerical difficulties due to possible discontinuities in the Hamiltonian of the optimal control problem. The main advantage of the approach proposed in this paper is that it can be applied to nonlinear dynamics and has very good properties in terms of its numerical solution, since the value function and the Hamiltonian of the system are both continuous. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated by applying it to conflict detection and resolution under Target Window constraints in a two aircraft scenario.
Research on clustering algorithm for dynamic equivalence of doubly-fed wind farms

The dynamic equivalent model of large-scale wind farms is the basis of wind power system stability analysis. This paper presents a novel approach of DFIGs grouping and clustering. The proposed approach takes the differences of triggered control strategies and initial operating points as the grouping indexes. Besides, compared with the conventional equivalent analysis, this paper comprehensively analyses the effect of various influencing factors on doubly-fed wind farm modeling. Simulation results show that the clustering criterion is reasonable, and the equivalent model can accurately reflect the dynamic characteristics of the detailed model.
Construction of recombinant industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain with bglS gene insertion into PEP4 locus by homologous recombination

The bglS gene encoding endo-1,3-1,4-β-glucanase from Bacillus subtilis was cloned and sequenced in this study. The bglS expression cassette, including PGK1 promoter, bglS gene fused to the signal sequence of the yeast mating pheromone α-factor (MFα1s), and ADH1 terminator with G418-resistance as the selected marker, was constructed. Then one of the PEP4 allele of Saccharomyces cerevisiae WZ65 strain was replaced by bglS expression cassette using chromosomal integration of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-mediated homologous recombination, and the bglS gene was expressed simultaneously. The recombinant strain S. cerevisiae (SC-βG) was preliminarily screened by the clearing hydrolysis zone formed after the barley β-glucan was hydrolyzed in the plate and no proteinase A (PrA) activity was measured in fermenting liquor. The results of PCR analysis of genome DNA showed that one of the PEP4 allele had been replaced and bglS gene had been inserted into the locus of PEP4 gene in recombinant strains. Different endo-1,3-1,4-β-glucanase assay methods showed that the recombinant strain SC-βG had high endo-1,3-1,4-β-glucanase expression level with the maximum of 69.3 U/(h·ml) after 60 h of incubation. Meanwhile, the Congo Red method was suitable for the determination of endo-1,3-1,4-β-glucanase activity during the actual brewing process. The current research implies that the constructed yeast strain could be utilized to improve the industrial brewing property of beer.
A mathematical method for the 3D analysis of rotating deformable systems applied on lumen‐forming MDCK cell aggregates

Cell motility contributes to the formation of organs and tissues, into which multiple cells self‐organize. However such mammalian cellular motilities are not characterized in a quantitative manner and the systemic consequences are thus unknown. A mathematical tool to decipher cell motility, accounting for changes in cell shape, within a three‐dimensional (3D) cell system was missing. We report here such a tool, usable on segmented images reporting the outline of clusters (cells) and allowing the time‐resolved 3D analysis of circular motility of these as parts of a system (cell aggregate). Our method can analyze circular motility in sub‐cellular, cellular, multi‐cellular, and also non‐cellular systems for which time‐resolved segmented cluster outlines are available. To exemplify, we characterized the circular motility of lumen‐initiating MDCK cell aggregates, embedded in extracellular matrix. We show that the organization of the major surrounding matrix fibers was not significantly affected during this cohort rotation. Using our developed tool, we discovered two classes of circular motion, rotation and random walk, organized in three behavior patterns during lumen initiation. As rotational movements were more rapid than random walk and as both could continue during lumen initiation, we conclude that neither the class nor the rate of motion regulates lumen initiation. We thus reveal a high degree of plasticity during a developmentally critical cell polarization step, indicating that lumen initiation is a robust process. However, motility rates decreased with increasing cell number, previously shown to correlate with epithelial polarization, suggesting that migratory polarization is converted into epithelial polarization during aggregate development. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Speaker identification using row mean vector of spectrogram

In this paper a simple approach to text dependent speaker identification using spectrograms and row mean is presented. This, mainly, revolves around trapping the complex patterns of variation in frequency and amplitude with time while an individual utters a given word through equalized spectrogram. These equalized spectrograms are used as a database to successfully identify the unknown individual from his/her voice. The features used for identifying, rely on optimal spectrogram segmentation and the Euclidean distance of the distributional features of the spectrograms of the unknown voice with that of a given known speaker in the database. Performance of this novel approach on a sample collected as two separate databases from 12 speakers and 28 speakers show that this methodology can be effectively used to produce a desirable success rate.
Design and implementation of the knowledge base for battlefield task management system

In order to reduce the operators on the battlefield, and obtain adequate knowledge and improve reaction speed to enhance combat efficiency, the paper builds a knowledge base of battlefield mission management system to manage a variety of required knowledge on the battlefield and supervise each mission profile. Knowledge is presented by production method and is reasoned by forward reasoning method. According to different levels of battlefield tasks, task links are used to organize knowledge. Take combat preparation mission profile as an example, we design every data sheet of the knowledge base. The knowledge base of the battlefield management system could enhance the reusability, sharing and timeliness of knowledge on the battlefield.
The Usefulness of the New “Double-Catheter Technique” in the Treatment of Parent Artery Incorporated Wide-Necked Aneurysm with Guglielmi Detachable Coils

We describe a technique used to treat a wide-necked aneurysm in which the neck is incorporated with the parent artery. The patient was a 54-year-old woman who had suffered a grade III subarachnoid haemorrhage. Angiogram and three-dimensional CT showed a large, wide-necked aneurysm of the basilar bifurcation area with the right posterior cerebral artery incorporated in the aneurysm sac. A microcatheter was placed in the right posterior cerebral artery (PCA). Another catheter was placed within the aneurysm lumen. When making a first frame with a GDC, we made sure that the frame of the coil did not overlap the PCA positioned microcatheter. Then, with the microcatheter positioned at the PCA, the angiogram was done. The flow pattern and dye-disappearance time were checked. Subsequent coils were introduced, but not beyond the frame of the first coil to maintain PCA flow. This new “double-catheter technique” represents a viable option for treating wide-necked aneurysms, especially when the parent artery is incorporated in a wide-necked aneurysm and the delineation of the parent artery is impossible.
Basal and hormone-activated calcium absorption in mouse renal thick ascending limbs.

These studies examined transepithelial routes of basal and hormone-activated calcium absorption in thick ascending limbs of Henle's loop perfused in vitro. Single cortical (cTAL) or medullary (mTAL) thick ascending limbs were dissected from kidneys of normal mice. Tubules were perfused at 37 degrees C at pH 7.4 in bicarbonate-buffered media for cTALs and in N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid-buffered solutions for mTALs. Calcium was determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry. External driving forces for calcium were eliminated by perfusing and bathing tubules with symmetric solutions containing identical calcium concentrations and by abolishing the transepithelial voltage (VT), by adding furosemide or bumetanide to the luminal perfusate. Basal calcium absorption averaged 60 X 10(-12) mol.s-1.cm-2 in cTAL. After addition of 1 U/ml parathyroid hormone (PTH)-(1-34), net calcium absorption increased to 162 X 10(-12) mol.s-1.cm-2 (P less than 0.05) with no change in VT. Similarly, addition of 10(-3) M dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) to external bathing solutions increased net calcium absorption to 201 from 70 X 10(-12) mol.s-1.cm-2 in control conditions (P less than 0.025). These results demonstrate that PTH, acting at least in part through cAMP, activates a cellular pathway for calcium absorption in cTAL. In segments of mTAL, calcium absorption was strictly voltage dependent: when VT was abolished, net calcium absorption fell to values indistinguishable from zero and was not altered in the presence of dibutyryl cAMP. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mesenchymal multipotency of adult human periosteal cells demonstrated by single-cell lineage analysis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether periosteal cells from adult humans have features of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) at the single-cell level. METHODS Cell populations were enzymatically released from the periosteum of the proximal tibia obtained from adult human donors and then expanded in monolayer. Single-cell-derived clonal populations were obtained by limiting dilution. Culture-expanded periosteal cell populations were tested for their growth potential and for expression of conventional markers of MSCs and were subjected to in vitro assays to investigate their multilineage potential. To assess their multipotency in vivo, periosteal cells were injected into a regenerating mouse tibialis anterior muscle for skeletal myogenesis or were either seeded into an osteoinductive matrix and implanted subcutaneously into nude mice for osteogenesis or implanted in a joint surface defect under a periosteal flap into goats for chondrogenesis. Cell phenotypes were analyzed by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry and by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for the expression of lineage-related marker genes. RESULTS Regardless of donor age, periosteal cells were clonogenic and could be expanded extensively in monolayer, maintaining linear growth curves over at least 30 population doublings. They displayed long telomeres and expressed markers of MSCs. Under specific conditions, both parental and single-cell-derived clonal cell populations differentiated to the chondrocyte, osteoblast, adipocyte, and skeletal myocyte lineages in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that, regardless of donor age, the adult human periosteum contains cells that, upon enzymatic release and culture expansion, are multipotent MSCs at the single-cell level.
Application about Ac Servo System Based on Variable Structure Dynamic Sliding Mode Control

The paper introduces the algorithms of dynamic sliding mode control and applies this way into speed control of alternating current servo system. Comparing with traditional variable structure control method, we could find the chattering produced by variable structure control is greatly alleviated. The theoretical analysis and simulated results show that dynamic integral sliding mode control can eliminate the chattering of system basically, furthermore, it can let system respond quickly and have not static. When the load changed suddenly, the system only produces tiny dithering and the resuming time is very short. These phenomena show that it has better adaptability