Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Two previously undescribed members of the mouse CPEB family of genes and their inducible expression in the principal cell layers of the hippocampus

Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding (CPEB) proteins control polyadenylation-induced translation in early development. Studies in oocytes led to the delineation of Xenopus CPEB, the first member of the family to be identified, and its mouse homologue mCPEB-1. Recently, a second mouse family member, mCPEB-2, has been described in germ cells. Increasing evidence also implicates CPEB proteins as being important in the hippocampus, where these proteins are thought to regulate local protein synthesis and synaptic plasticity. We therefore carried out a systematic screen for CPEB genes in the mouse brain and report two previously undescribed gene family members: mCPEB-3 and -4. We next examined the expression of all four genes in the hippocampus and found that mCPEB-1, -2, and -4 transcripts are expressed in the principal cell layer in the CA3 and CA1 region and in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. mCPEB-3 was barely expressed in naïve animals but together with mCPEB-4 was strongly up-regulated after injection of kainate to initiate seizure activity. Whereas mCPEB-1 is regulated by the Aurora kinase, mCPEB-2, -3, and -4 do not contain Aurora kinase phosphorylation sites. However, alternative splice isoforms of mCPEB-2, -3, and -4 encode the so-called B region with phosphorylation sites for cAMP-dependent protein kinase, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, and S6 kinase. Only isoforms that encode the B region were expressed in the principal cell layer. Coexpression of mCPEB-1 and the B region-containing splice isoforms suggests that a variety of different signaling pathways can recruit CPEB activity in hippocampal neurons.
A new universal approach to modeling and simulation of UWB channels containing convex obstacles using SPICE-like programs

The paper presents a new approach to time domain modeling of UWB channels with elliptical shape convex obstacles. Rational approximation exploiting the vector fitting algorithm (VF) is used for deriving the closed form impulse response of a diffraction ray creeping on a convex obstacle. The VF algorithm is performed with respect to new generalized variables proportional to frequency but also taking into account geometrical parameters of the obstacles. Obtained impulse response is a sum of exponential functions. As a consequence, in simulations of electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation we can perform simulations implementing SPICE-like programs.
Clinical outcome of adalimumab therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis previously treated with infliximab: a Danish single-center cohort study

Abstract Objective. TNF inhibitors are effective in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Adalimumab (ADL), a fully human TNF inhibitor, is increasingly used both as primary anti-TNF agent and in patients switching from another TNF inhibitor due to treatment failure or side effects. This study investigated clinical outcomes of ADL therapy in a clinical setting where infliximab (IFX) had been used as first choice of anti-TNF agent, and followed by ADL as second line agent. Methods. Retrospective, observational single-center cohort study including all ulcerative colitis patients treated with ADL at a tertiary Danish inflammatory bowel disease center until 2014. Clinical outcomes were assessed after 12 and 52 weeks and classified according to physician’s global evaluation. Results. The study population comprised 33 patients. Main reasons for switching from IFX to ADL were infusion reactions to IFX (45%) or IFX treatment failure (33%). Short-term efficacy of ADL after 12 weeks revealed 15 patients (45%) with clinical response, and 6 (18%) in clinical remission. Twenty-three patients continued ADL for more than 12 weeks, and at long-term follow-up after 1 year of ADL treatment, eight of these (34%) had clinical response (24% of the entire cohort) and six (26%) were in clinical remission (18% of the entire cohort). A total of five patients (15%) were colectomized mainly due to primary ADL failure (four of five patients). Conclusion. Efficacy of ADL therapy in ulcerative colitis patients previously treated with IFX appears to be modest in clinical practice, and with higher colectomy rates than reported for anti-TNF-naive patients in the registration trials.
A psychometric evaluation of the four-item version of the Control Attitudes Scale for patients with cardiac disease and their partners

Background: The four-item Control Attitudes Scale (CAS) was developed to measure control perceived by patients with cardiac disease and their family members, but extensive psychometric evaluation has not been performed. Objective: The aim was to translate, culturally adapt and psychometrically evaluate the CAS in a Swedish sample of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients, heart failure (HF) patients and their partners. Methods: A sample (n=391) of ICD recipients, HF patients and partners were used. Descriptive statistics, item-total and inter-item correlations, exploratory factor analysis, ordinal regression modelling and Cronbach’s alpha were used to validate the CAS. Results: The findings from the factor analyses revealed that the CAS is a multidimensional scale including two factors, Control and Helplessness. The internal consistency was satisfactory for all scales (α=0.74–0.85), except the family version total scale (α=0.62). No differential item functioning was detected which implies that the CAS can be used to make invariant comparisons between groups of different age and sex. Conclusions: The psychometric properties, together with the simple and short format of the CAS, make it to a useful tool for measuring perceived control among patients with cardiac diseases and their family members. When using the CAS, subscale scores should be preferred.
Immunization against SIVmne in macaques using multigenic DNA vaccines

Abstract: All structural and regulatory genes of SIVmne were cloned into mammalian expression vectors to optimize expression in vitro and immunogenicity in mice. Macaca fascicularis were immunized four times with plasmid DNA (n = 4), or two DNA priming inoculations followed by two boosts of recombinant gp160 plus Gag‐Pol particles (n = 4). Following intrarectal challenge with SIVmne, all macaques became infected. Three monkeys immunized with DNA alone maintained low plasma virus loads by 1 year post‐challenge; the fourth exhibited high virus loads and significant CD4 + cell decline. Two of the DNA plus boost and three control macaques had high virus loads and associated CD4 + cell decline. Both vaccine protocols elicited antibodies and comparable helper T‐cell proliferative responses to gp160. Cytokine mRNA levels in activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) taken at time of challenge suggested a dominant T helper (Th) 1 state in three DNA‐immunized and one protein‐boosted macaque, which correlated with low virus loads and high CD4 + cell counts post‐challenge.
Retraining therapy for chronic tinnitus: A critical analysis of its status

Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), as conceived of mainly by PJ Jastreboff, has recently received increasing attention in the media, as well as in seminars and congresses on treatment methods for chronic tinnitus. It is often claimed, though not explicitly in scientific publications, that TRT is currently the most efficacious therapy for tinnitus, obtaining improvement rates exceeding 80%. This assertion is highly significant in light of the most likely increasing prevalence of chronic tinnitus and ensuing urgent demand for effective therapies. Before examining the evidence regarding the effectiveness of TRT, Jastreboff's theoretical idea of tinnitus as a neurophysiological disorder is examined and evaluated. This idea is plausible and is supported by some evidence. The interaction between neuroacoustic and emotional processes emphasized by Jastreboff is, however, neither new nor sufficiently elaborated with respect to the underlying psychological factors. The TRT intervention technique and its main components `directive counselling' and use of `noise generators' are found to be theoretically well grounded. The lack of detailed information concerning TRT implementation and the potential consequence that differing interventions may be labelled TRT are criticized. Jastreboff's obvious opposition to psychologists' participation in TRT, despite the increase in efficacy they could affect through utilization of cognitive restructuring techniques and behaviour modification interventions, is also criticized. Finally, studies regarding the efficacy of TRT are reviewed and severe methodological shortcomings (e.g. lack of controlled randomized group studies) in TRT research are noted. Taking the current state of evidence into account, we conclude that there is no convincing empirical support for the assumption that TRT is superior to other treatments, since no comparative studies have been conducted. It is contended that there is more substantial empirical support for the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural interventions in reducing tinnitus annoyance and tinnitus-related suffering. The necessity for methodologically well-designed studies to pinpoint effect sizes of TRT and compare them with other techniques, especially cognitive-behavioural ones, is emphasized.
Use of pop-up satellite archival tag technology to study postrelease survival of and habitat use by estuarine and coastal fishes: an application to striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

Pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) have been used to study movements, habitat use, and postrelease survival of large pelagic vertebrates, but the size of these tags has historically precluded their use on smaller coastal species. To evaluate a new generation of smaller PSATs for the study of postrelease survival and habitat use of coastal species, we attached Microwave Telemetry, Inc., X-tags to ten striped bass (Morone saxatilis) 94–112 cm total length (TL) caught on J hooks and circle hooks during the winter recreational fishery in Virginia. Tags collected temperature and depth information every five minutes and detached from the fish after 30 days. Nine of the ten tags released on schedule and eight transmitted 30% to 96% (mean 78.6%) of the archived data. Three tags were physically recovered during or after the transmission period, allowing retrieval of all archived data. All eight striped bass whose tags transmitted data survived for 30 days after release, including two fish that were hooked deeply with J hooks. The eight fish spent more than 90% of their time at depths less than 10 m and in temperatures of 6–9°C, demonstrated no significant diel differences in depth or temperature utilization (P>0.05), and exhibited weak periodicities in vertical movements consistent with daily and tidal cycles.
ATTRIBUTABLE RISK ESTIMATION USING SAS / STAT SOFTWARE

In epidemiologic studies devot~d to . the analysis of the relationship between an exposure characteristic and a disease the attributable risk constitutes an interesting epidemiologic risk measure. It can be interpreted as the proportion of cases of disease due to the exposure under study among all cases of disease in the study population. Thus, it indicates the impact of the exposure factor on the disease load of the population and can aid public health administrators in determining promising targets for disease preventive strategies in the population. The estimation of attributable risk from data arranged in contingency tables has received much attention in the statistical literature during recent years. However, none of the leading statistical software packages including SAS has incorporated the attributable risk in the catalogue of measures of association to be automatically calculated in some procedure. In the paper a brief introduction to the theory and application of attributable risk estimation from epidemiologic data is provided. Then, a general method is shown how to calculate attributable risk estimators under the multinomial sampling model usingSAS/STAT* software. Data from the Luebeck Blood Pressure Study, a cross-sectional study in the field of cardiovascular disease epidemiology, are used to illustrate the practical application of the method.
Vision-servo system for middle ear treatment

Round window, the boundary between the middle and inner ear, plays a well-established role in cochlear physiology. It is usually inaccessible to localized medical treatment. In this paper, a novel approach is presented to explore local therapy of round window, leveraging on an intelligent vision component for visualizing and locating the round window, and a servo controlled working channel to administer drug implant placement. Deviating from the current and conventional methods of carrying out these operations, the proposed approach can be automated with high precision and control, resulting in efficient and less invasive execution of such middle ear treatment. The vision-servo system incorporates intelligent algorithms to carry out Haar-like features detection, image processing and PID motion control. When the round window is detected via computer vision, the working channel (needle) carrying medication is controlled by a precise motion controller with feedback from the vision component to move the dispensing tip to the target point automatically. Compared to traditional approaches, the proposed one is more efficient, employing precise sensing and manipulation technology outperforming the human senses and operations, and thus reducing invasiveness, enhancing wound healing rate and reducing the risk of infections. Pre-clinical experiments are carried out to verify the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed approach.
The effect of historical legacy on adaptation: do closely related species respond to the environment in the same way?

The many documented examples of parallel and convergent evolution in similar environments are strong evidence for the role of natural selection in the evolution of trait variation. However, species may respond to selection in different ways; idiosyncrasies of their evolutionary history may affect how different species respond to the same selective pressure. To determine whether evolutionary history affects trait–environment associations in a recently diverged lineage, we investigated within‐species trait–environment associations in the white proteas, a closely related monophyletic group. We first used manovas to determine the relative importance of shared response to selection, evolutionary history and unique responses to selection on trait variation. We found that on average, similar associations to the environment across species explained trait variation, but that the species had different mean trait values. We also detected species‐specific associations of traits with the environmental gradients. To identify the traits associated uniquely with the environment, we used a structural equation model. Our analysis showed that the species differed in how their traits were associated with each of the environmental variables. Further, in the cases of two root traits (root mass and root length/mass ratio), two species differed in the direction of their associations (e.g. populations in one species had heavier roots in warmer areas, and populations in the other species had lighter roots in warmer areas). Our study shows that even in a closely related group of species, evolutionary history may have an effect on both the size and direction of adaptations to the environment.
Fault Detection based on Gaussian Process Models - An Application to the Rolling Mill

In this paper a fault detection approach based on Gaussian process model is proposed. The problem we raise is how to deal with insufficiently validated models during surveillance of nonlinear plants given the fact that tentative model-plant miss-match in such a case can cause false alarms. To avoid the risk, a novel model validity index is suggested in order to quantify the level of confidence associated to the detection results. This index is based on estimated ‘distance’ between the current process data from data employed in the learning set. The effectiveness of the test is demonstrated on data records obtained from operating cold rolling mill.
A cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding transcriptional activator in Drosophila melanogaster, dCREB-A, is a member of the leucine zipper family

In this report, we describe the isolation and initial characterization of a Drosophila protein, dCREB-A, that can bind the somatostatin cyclic AMP (cAMP)-responsive element and is capable of activating transcription in cell culture. Sequence analysis demonstrates that this protein is a member of the leucine zipper family of transcription factors. dCREB-A is unusual in that it contains six hydrophobic residue iterations in the zipper domain rather than the four or five commonly found in this group of proteins. The DNA-binding domain is more closely related to mammalian CREB than to the AP-1 factors in both sequence homology and specificity of cAMP-responsive element binding. In embryos, dCREB-A is expressed in the developing salivary gland. A more complex pattern of expression is detected in the adult; transcripts are found in the brain and optic lobe cell bodies, salivary gland, and midgut epithelial cells of the cardia. In females, dCREB-A is expressed in the ovarian columnar follicle cells, and in males, dCREB-A RNA is seen in the seminal vesicle, ejaculatory duct, and ejaculatory bulb. These results suggest that the dCREB-A transcription factor may be involved in fertility and neurological functions.
Hybrid Passive Filter Design for Distribution Systems with Adjustable Speed Drives

Drive systems inject significant low order harmonics currents into distribution system and deteriorate the quality of electric power. This paper models variable frequency and PWM adjustable speed drives as harmonic current sources and performs power flow analysis before filtering to identify highly distorted buses and the spectrum of harmonic frequencies with unacceptable THD levels as specified by IEEE-519 standard. The IEEE 30-bus system with penetration of nonlinear adjustable speed drive loads is used to study the effectiveness of passive filters and to investigate the impact of their location and tuning frequencies on the quality of voltage and current waveforms. Simulation results before and after the installations of filters are presented, compared and analyzed for different nonlinear loading and filter configurations. It is shown that the number, locations and tuning frequencies of filters have major impacts on the overall quality of the distribution system.
Diabetes‐induced expression of activating transcription factor 3 in mouse primary sensory neurons

Abstract Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a complication of diabetes that affects the distal terminals of lengthy‐projecting sensory axons. To determine whether diabetes‐induced axonal degeneration induces gene expression similar to nerve injury, the expression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) by primary sensory neurons was examined in an experimental mouse model of DN. Diabetes was induced using streptozotocin in C57BL/6 mice, and ATF3 expression in lumbar dorsal root ganglia was assessed at different time points and correlated with the markers of unmyelinated and myelinated neuronal populations. ATF expression was first evident 3 weeks after diabetes induction in both small unmyelinated and large myelinated neurons, but it was more prevalent in larger neurons. At 6 weeks, ATF3 was expressed by neurons among smaller size ranges, but this shift occurred principally within myelinated populations. The retrograde labeling of neurons innervating the flank and paw skin using Fluoro‐Gold labeled appropriate percentages of ATF3‐positive neurons at 3 weeks, suggesting ATF3 is expressed by neurons capable of transporting substances. However, the percentage of double‐labeled neurons was substantially reduced at 6 weeks, suggesting this capacity decreases during disease progression. Finally, behavioral responses to noxious cutaneous stimuli were assessed. Although no differences to radiant heat were observed, diabetic mice developed severe mechanical hypoalgesia 4–5 weeks after diabetes induction. These results demonstrate that the diabetes‐induced damage of sensory axons can induce the expression of genes linked to peripheral nerve injury and may identify neurons undergoing nerve damage. Finally, the ability to detect sensory deficits in diabetic mice occurs after the expression of injury‐related gene ATF3, suggesting that nerve damage may be underway prior to the appearance of behavioral deficits.
A Note on Linkage Analysis with Affected Sib Triplets

Previously, it has been shown for affected sib pairs that the mean test is the uniformly (in Θ) most powerful test in case of a multiplicative mode of inheritance and that the mean test is equivalent to parametric linkage analysis calculated under an assumed multiplicative mode of inheritance. Here, these two results are extended to samples consisting of affected sib triplets. For affected sib quadruplets, however, it is shown that these results are no longer valid.
Generation and Performance of R132H Mutant IDH1 Rabbit Monoclonal Antibody

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene mutations have been observed in a majority of diffuse astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, and secondary glioblastomas, and the mutant IDH1 R132H is detectable in most of these lesions. By specifically targeting the R132H mutation through B-cell cloning, a novel rabbit monoclonal antibody, MRQ-67, was produced that can recognize mutant IDH1 R132H and does not react with the wild type protein as demonstrated by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting. Through immunohistochemistry, the antibody is able to highlight neoplastic cells in glioma tissue specimens, and can be used as a tool in glioma subtyping. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) detection of IDH1 mutant protein may also be used to visualize single infiltrating tumor cells in surrounding brain tissue with an otherwise normal appearance.