Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparison of affected and unaffected relatives of patients with bipolar disorder using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVE Bipolar disorders have a strong genetic underpinning. Little is known about biological predispositions that convey vulnerability for the illness. We searched for biological vulnerability markers using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in both affected and unaffected participants at high genetic risk for bipolar disorder. METHODS We recruited high-risk participants aged 15-30 years from families in which multiple members were affected with bipolar disorder. Our primary sample included 14 affected and 15 unaffected relatives of probands with bipolar I disorder. Our extended sample comprised 19 affected and 21 unaffected participants with a family history of either bipolar I or bipolar II disorders. We matched both samples by age and sex with 31 control participants without a personal or family history of psychiatric disorders. We performed single voxel proton MRS at 1.5 T in bilateral dorsal and ventral medial prefrontal cortices with correction for grey matter proportion. RESULTS We found comparable levels of choline, creatine, myo-inositol and N-acetylaspartate among the groups in both samples. There were no differences between regions of the medial prefrontal cortex or between hemispheres for any of the metabolites in any of the samples. The exclusion of 5 participants taking medication did not change our results. CONCLUSION Neurochemical changes in the medial prefrontal cortex that are measurable using proton MRS do not appear to be antecedent to the onset of mood disorders in genetically susceptible individuals.
Outcomes After Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty in Glaucoma Patients With Previous Trabeculectomy and Tube Shunt Implantation

Purpose: To describe the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications and visual outcomes in eyes with previous penetrating glaucoma surgery undergoing Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). Methods: A retrospective review of the first 227 cases of DSEK performed by 2 surgeons at a single institution. Data were collected regarding the performance of concurrent ocular procedures, intraoperative complications, postoperative visual outcomes, and postoperative complications, including primary graft failure, donor dislocation, endothelial rejection, and intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. Results: Fifty-six of the 227 DSEK procedures were performed in 52 eyes with previous trabeculectomy and/or tube shunt implantation. The percentage of procedures performed in eyes with and without a history of penetrating glaucoma surgery that resulted in primary graft failure (5.4% vs. 4.1%; P = 0.71) and donor dislocation (12.5% vs. 15.2%; P = 0.83) were not statistically significantly different. Additionally, the endothelial rejection rate was not significantly different between cases performed in eyes with (1/19.2 eye-years) and without (1/20.1 eye-years) a history of glaucoma surgery (P = 0.99). The incidence of elevated IOP (≥25 mm Hg) after DSEK was the highest in eyes with medically controlled glaucoma (47.4%), followed by eyes without a history of glaucoma (18.3%), and was the lowest in eyes with previous glaucoma surgery (11.5%). Postoperative corrected distance visual acuity was improved over the preoperative corrected distance visual acuity in 81%, 95%, and 88% of eyes with previous glaucoma surgery, medically controlled glaucoma, and no glaucoma, respectively. Conclusions: DSEK is an effective procedure to improve vision in the majority of eyes with advanced glaucoma after trabeculectomy and/or tube shunt implantation. The incidence of postoperative complications, such as donor dislocation, primary graft failure, and endothelial rejection, is not significantly higher in eyes with a history of glaucoma surgery before DSEK. Because almost 50% of eyes with medically controlled glaucoma before DSEK experienced IOP elevation after surgery, careful monitoring of the IOP after DSEK is especially important in this patient population.
Functional Analysis of Human Herpesvirus 8-Encoded Viral Interferon Regulatory Factor 1 and Its Association with Cellular Interferon Regulatory Factors and p 300

Human herpesvirus 8/Kaposi sarcoma-associated virus (HHV-8/KSHV) contains, in addition to genes required for viral replication, a unique set of nonstructural genes which may be part of viral mimicry and contribute to viral replication and pathogenesis in vivo. Among these, HHV-8 encodes four open reading frames (ORFs) that showed homology to the transcription factors of the interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family. The ORF K9, viral IRF 1 (vIRF-1), has been cloned, and it was shown that, when overexpressed, it down modulates the interferon-mediated transcriptional activation of the interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG 15) promoter, and the role of vIRF-1 in viral mimicry was implied. However, the molecular mechanism of this effect has not been clarified. Here, we extend this observation and show that vIRF-1 also downregulates the transcriptional activity of IFNA gene promoter in infected cells by interfering with the transactivating activity of cellular IRFs, including IRF-1 and IRF-3. We further show that ectopic expression of vIRF-1 in NIH 3T3 cells confers resistance to tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced apoptosis. While vIRF-1 is unable to bind DNA with the same specificity as cellular IRFs, we demonstrate by in vitro binding assay that it can associate with the family of cellular IRFs, such as IRF-1 and the interferon consensus sequence binding protein. vIRF-1 interaction domain was localized between amino acids (aa) 152 and 243. While no binding between the full-size IRF-3 and vIRF-1 could be detected by the same assay, we show that vIRF-1 also targets the carboxy-terminal region (aa 1623 to 2414) of the transcriptional coactivator p300 which could also bind IRF-3 and IRF-1. These results demonstrate that vIRF-1 can modulate the transcription of the IFNA genes by direct heterodimerization with members of the IRF family, as well as by competitive binding with cellular transcription factors to the carboxy-terminal region of p300.
Factors affecting griseofulvin susceptibility testing of Trichophyton rubrum in microcultures

A microculture broth assay system for griseofulvin susceptibility testing of Trichophyton rubrum was further characterized. The effects of mass and number of colony-forming units of a fragmented mycelial inoculum, 5- or 8-day incubation periods, 25 or 32 degrees C incubation temperatures, and the solvents used to dissolve griseofulvin on the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of griseofulvin were determined. An inoculum density with an absorbance of 0.600 at 450 nm ensured successful inoculation of all microcultures. Reduction of the inoculum mass to an absorbance of 0.200 lowered the number of colony-forming units in the inoculum by 60 to 80%. This decreased the efficiency of inoculation but did not alter the resulting MIC. There was no correlation between MIC and the number of colony-forming units used to initiate growth. Neither incubation temperature nor the length of incubation affected the MIC. The use of either acetone or ethanol to solubilize griseofulvin likewise had no effect on the MIC. The mean reproducibility of the MICs determined with the microculture method was 96%.
CT-guided transthoracic core needle biopsy for small pulmonary lesions: diagnostic performance and adequacy for molecular testing.

BACKGROUND Computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic needle biopsy is a well-established, minimally invasive diagnostic tool for pulmonary lesions. Few large studies have been conducted on the diagnostic performance and adequacy for molecular testing of transthoracic core needle biopsy (TCNB) for small pulmonary lesions. METHODS This study included CT-guided TCNB with 18-gauge cutting needles in 560 consecutive patients with small (≤3 cm) pulmonary lesions from January 2012 to January 2015. There were 323 males and 237 females, aged 51.8±12.7 years. The size of the pulmonary lesions was 1.8±0.6 cm. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and complications of the biopsies were investigated. The risk factors of diagnostic failure were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. The sample's adequacy for molecular testing of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was analyzed. RESULTS The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diagnosis of malignancy were 92.0% (311/338), 98.6% (219/222), and 94.6% (530/560), respectively. The incidence of bleeding complications was 22.9% (128/560), and the incidence of pneumothorax was 10.4% (58/560). Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that the independent risk factors for diagnostic failure were a lesion size ≤1 cm [odds ratio (OR), 3.95; P=0.007], lower lobe lesions (OR, 2.83; P=0.001), and pneumothorax (OR, 1.98; P=0.004). Genetic analysis was successfully performed on 95.45% (168/176) of specimens diagnosed as NSCLC. At least 96.8% of samples with two or more passes from a lesion were sufficient for molecular testing. CONCLUSIONS The diagnostic yield of small pulmonary lesions by CT-guided TCNB is high, and the procedure is relatively safe. A lesion size ≤1 cm, lower lobe lesions, and pneumothorax are independent risk factors for biopsy diagnostic failure. TCNB specimens could provide adequate tissues for molecular testing.
EVIDENCE FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF PRO-AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN ALVEOLAR EPITHELIAL CELLS

From the Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care, University of California, Medical Center S-261, San Francisco, California 94143-0542, USA Correspondence to: E-mail: haddadj@anesthesia.ucsf. edu Received 25 July 2001; received in revised form 2 January 2002; accepted for publication 5 January 2002 1043–4666/02/$-see front matter 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
About Oxygen, Cytochrome P450 and Titanium: Learning from Ron Estabrook

We learned from Ron Estabrook to consider the complexity of the cytochrome P450 system and to appreciate insights coming from other fields. Two issues from different fields are comparatively discussed which both have formally in common to reflect the response of the human body on foreign compounds and materials. The former ones are environmental pollutants and drugs, while the latter are solid materials such as titanium, used for orthopedic implants. It will be reviewed that both show rich oxygen chemistry as catalysts and are involved in complex biochemical responses at different regulatory levels in foreign body reactions.
Fabrication of dual patterned nanocavities using double layer nanosphere lithography

A new nanosphere lithography technique is presented to produce a periodic nanocavities of two sizes. The process starts by deposition of a bilayer of polystyrene microspheres on photoresist through self assembly as a mask. The spheres act as microlenses to direct UV light both to the centers of the bottom spheres and between these centers, resulting in bigger and smaller nanocavities. The appearance and size of small cavities can be controlled through adjusting exposure and development time. Among the achieved ordered patterns, the diameter of the big cavities ranges from 610 to 660 nm and the small cavities from zero to 250 nm. The diameter of the big cavities and spacing are also tunable by using spheres of different diameters. The approach presented in this paper can be extended to fabrication of mixed arrays of nanocolumns with controlled size.
When Veps Cry: Two-Year-Olds Efficiently Learn Novel Words from Linguistic Contexts Alone

ABSTRACT We assessed 24-month-old infants’ lexical processing efficiency for both novel and familiar words. Prior work documented that 19-month-olds successfully identify referents of familiar words (e.g., The dog is so little) as well as novel words whose meanings were informed only by the surrounding sentence (e.g., The vep is crying), but that the speed with which they identify the referents of novel words lagged far behind that for familiar words. Here we take a developmental approach, extending this work to 24-month-olds. By comparing the performance of 19- and 24-month-olds directly, we document that during this period of rapid vocabulary growth, infants make significant processing gains for both familiar and novel words. We also offer the first evidence to date that, at both 19- and 24-months, the number of verbs infants know predicts their ability to use known verbs to learn novel nouns. These results reveal that 24-month-olds can efficiently learn novel words just by listening to the conversations around them.
A multi-input bi-directional converter with decoupled power distribution control

A decoupled structure for multi-input bi-directional converter based on the concept of paralleled current sources is proposed in this paper. In order to minimize the interaction between the multiple control loops associated with different energy sources or storages, a decoupled control strategy is implemented by dividing the load power demand into several frequency ranges according to the frequency characteristics of the energy sources or storages. The operating principles of the proposed topology and its control system design are analyzed in detail and verified by simulation results. It is shown that the proposed topology and control method can be adopted for systems containing multiple energy sources or storages, such as micro-grid and hybrid electric vehicles.
Characterization of elk, a brain-specific receptor tyrosine kinase

The elk gene encodes a novel receptorlike protein-tyrosine kinase, which belongs to the eph subfamily. We have previously identified a partial cDNA encompassing the elk catalytic domain (K. Letwin, S.-P. Yee, and T. Pawson, Oncogene 3:621-678, 1988). Using this cDNA as a probe, we have isolated cDNAs spanning the entire rat elk coding sequence. The predicted Elk protein contains all the hallmarks of a receptor tyrosine kinase, including an N-terminal signal sequence, a cysteine-rich extracellular domain, a membrane-spanning segment, a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase domain, and a C-terminal tail. In both amino acid sequence and overall structure, Elk is most similar to the Eph and Eck protein-tyrosine kinases, suggesting that the eph, elk, and eck genes encode members of a new subfamily of receptorlike tyrosine kinases. Among rat tissues, elk expression appears restricted to brain and testes, with the brain having higher levels of both elk RNA and protein. Elk protein immunoprecipitated from a rat brain lysate becomes phosphorylated on tyrosine in an in vitro kinase reaction, consistent with the prediction that the mammalian elk gene encodes a tyrosine kinase capable of autophosphorylation. The characteristics of the Elk tyrosine kinase suggest that it may be involved in cell-cell interactions in the nervous system.
Dependence of thyroidal clearance rate on plasma iodide level.

ABSTRACT Data for 1420 euthyroid subjects observed by 32 groups of authors were analyzed to find the relationship between fractional thyroidal clearance rate (k1) and average plasma level of iodide (σ). A formula was derived expressing log k1 as a polynomial function of log σ. This function was found to be statistically independent of the age and sex of the subjects, but dependent upon the presence of goiter.
Evaluation of the Sysmex Xe‐2100® hematology analyzer in hospital use

The Sysmex XE‐2100® (Sysmex Corp. Kobe, Japan) is a latest‐generation hematology analyzer. Its optical and electrical measuring technology is improved by the addition of flux cytometry, fluorescence, and differential lysis. Its analytical performance in terms of precision, reproducibility, linearity, carryover, and time stability was found to be entirely satisfactory. In addition, the results of 500 complete blood counts and differentials correlated perfectly with those obtained by the Coulter STKS® (Beckman Coulter, Villapointe, France). The comparison of 500 leukocyte differential count results analyzed in parallel with optical microscopy and the XE‐2100® were surprising, and favorable to the XE‐2100®. This analyzer provides the user with an undeniable feeling of security concerning its reliability in detecting and identifying anomalies in the automated leukocyte differential count. With a sensitivity of 96%, a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98%, and a false‐negative (FN) rate of 4%, the XE‐2100® has perhaps reached the technological limits for a machine performing morphological recognition of normal and pathological blood cells. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 17:113–123, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Percutaneous therapy of dialysis access failure

Approximately 300,000 patients in the United States require dialytic therapy for end-stage renal disease, and more than 80% of these patients undergo hemodialysis. The major limitation of successful hemodialysis is the frequent failure of dialysis grafts. The high prevalence of comorbid disease in dialysis patients [1] prevents the widespread use of the BresciaCimino end-to-side radio-cephalic fistula at the wrist. Instead, 80% of dialysis patients in the United States rely on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) loop grafts, which run subcutaneously from an arterial inflow to a venous outflow in the arm or leg. These dialysis loop grafts have a 1-year patency of only 41% to 75% [2]. Surgical methods to revise clotted grafts are highly successful, but there has been a recent shift to percutaneous methods in order to preserve venous conduit for future grafts [3]. The ability to treat thrombosed dialysis grafts using catheter-based methods depends on an understanding of the pathogenesis of graft failure and requires the skills possessed by most intermediate-level interventional cardiologists. The purpose of this report is to review methods for diagnosing failing grafts and to recommend techniques for successful graft salvage. Although the discussion here will focus on loop grafts, the techniques presented are also applicable to Brescia-Cimino radial fistulas in the forearm [4] and to transposed brachial artery fistulas in the upper arm.
Role for Autonomic Nervous System to Increase Pancreatic Glucagon Secretion During Marked Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia in Dogs

To determine the role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in mediating the glucagon response to marked insulin-induced hypoglycemia in dogs, we measured arterial and pancreatic venous glucagon responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia during acute, terminal experiments in halothane-anesthetized dogs in which the ANS was intact (control; n = 9), pharmacologically blocked by the nicotinic ganglionic antagonist hexamethonium (n = 6), or surgically ablated by cervical vagotomy and cervical spinal cord section (n = 6). In control dogs, insulin injection caused plasma glucose to fall by 4.4 ± 0.2 mM to a nadir of 1.7 ± 0.2 mM. Arterial epinephrine (EPI) levels increased by 13,980 ± 1860 pM (P < 0.005), confirming marked activation of the ANS. Pancreatic output of glucagon increased from 0.53 ± 0.12 to 2.04 ± 0.38 ng/min during hypoglycemia (change [Δ] + 1.51 ± 0.33 ng/min, P < 0.005). This increased arterial plasma glucagon from 27 ± 3 to 80 ± 15 ng/L (Δ + 52 ± 14 ng/L, P < 0.025). Hexamethonium markedly reduced the ANS response to insulin injection (ΔEPI + 2130 ± 600 pM, P < 0.025 vs. control) despite a similar fall of plasma glucose (Δ −4.1 ± 0.2 mM) and a lower nadir (0.6 ± 0.1 mM). Both the pancreatic glucagon response (delta glucagon output +0.45 ± 0.2 ng/min) and the arterial immunoreactive glucagon response (Δ + 5 ± 4 ng/L) were substantially reduced by hexamethonium (P < 0.025). Vagotomy plus spinal cord section totally abolished the arterial EPI response to insulin injection despite a larger fall of plasma glucose (Δ −5.4 ± 0.4 mM) and a lower nadir (0.9 ± 0.2 mM). Again, both the pancreatic glucagon response (Δglucagon output +0.27 ± 0.23 ng min) and the arterial glucagon response (Δ +5 ± 2 ng/L) were significantly reduced (both P < 0.025 vs. control). We conclude that autonomic activation contributes to the glucagon response to marked insulin-induced hypoglycemia in dogs.
v‐Ha‐ras‐induced mouse skin papillomas exhibit aberrant expression of keratin K13 as do their 7,12‐dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol‐13‐acetate‐induced analogues

Introduction of the v‐Ha‐ras gene into primary epidermal keratinocytes, followed by grafting of these cells to animals, leads to the formation of benign epidermal tumors that resemble papillomas induced chemically by a two‐stage carcinogenesis protocol. In this study, we investigated v‐Ha‐ras‐induced papillomas for aberrant expression of type I keratin K13, previously described in 7,12‐dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol ‐13‐acetate (DMBA/TPA)‐induced mouse epidermal tumors. Papillomas produced from three independent infection series were removed 3 wk after grafting concomitant with control grafts originating from mock‐, neo‐, and v‐fos‐infected primary keratinocytes. Combined analysis of the grafts by western blotting of extracted keratins and immunofluorescence studies of frozen sections with a K13‐monospecific antibody revealed K13 expression in all v‐Ha‐ras‐induced papillomas and absence of this keratin in all control grafts. K13‐positive cells in papillomas were restricted to the suprabasal cell layers of the lesions and, at this stage of papilloma development, occurred as foci of varying extensions. Analysis of genomic DNA from v‐Ha‐ras‐induced papillomas for the methylation state of a CpG dinucleotide in the distant promoter region of the K13 gene revealed the occurrence of unmethylated DNA copies that were generated at the expense of methylated DNA copies ubiquitously present in normal epidermis. The ratio of unmethylated to methylated DNA copies correlated with the extent of suprabasal K13 protein expression. Thus, all features of aberrant K13 expression previously described in DMBA/TPA‐induced papillomas were shared by v‐Ha‐ras‐induced papillomas.
A differentiated quality of service oriented multimedia multicast protocol

Modern multimedia (MM) communication systems aim to provide new services such as multicast (MC) communication. But the rising of new very different MM capable devices and the growing number of clients drive to new requirements for mechanisms and protocols. In a MM communication, there are some flows that have constraints different from others and the required QoS for each flow is not the same. Furthermore, in MC communications, all the users do not want or are not able to receive the same QoS. These constraints imply that new communication mechanisms have to take into account the user requirements in order to provide an ad hoc service to each user and to avoid wasting the network resources. This dissertation proposes a new differentiated QoS multicast architecture, based on client/server proxies, called M-FPTP, which relays many MC LANs by single partially reliable links. This architecture provides a different QoS to each LAN depending on the users requirements. For doing so, it is also provided a network model called Hierarchized Graph (HG) which represents at the same time the network performances and the users QoS constraints. Nevertheless, the application of standard tree creation methods on an HG can lead to source overloading problems. It is then proposed a new algorithm called Degree-Bounded Shortest-Path-Tree (DgB-SPT) which solves this problem. However, the deployment of such a service needs a new protocol in order to collect users requirements and correctly deploy the proxies. This protocol is called Simple Session Protocol for QoS MC (SSP-QoM). The proposed solutions have been modeled, verified, validated and tested by using UML 2.0 and TAU G2 CASE tool.