Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimization of on‐resonant magnetization transfer contrast in coronary vein MRI

Magnetization transfer contrast has been used commonly for endogenous tissue contrast improvements in angiography, brain, body, and cardiac imaging. Both off‐resonant and on‐resonant RF pulses can be used to generate magnetization transfer based contrast. In this study, on‐resonant magnetization transfer preparation using binomial pulses were optimized and compared with off‐resonant magnetization transfer for imaging of coronary veins. Three parameters were studied with simulations and in vivo measurements: flip angle, pulse repetitions, and binomial pulse order. Subsequently, first or second order binomial on‐resonant magnetization transfer pulses with eight repetitions of 720° and 240° flip angle were used for coronary vein MRI. Flip angles of 720° yielded contrast enhancement of 115% (P < 0.0006) for first order on‐resonant and 95% (P < 0.0006) for off‐resonant magnetization transfer. There was no statistically significance difference between off‐resonant and on‐resonant first order binomial Magnetization transfer at 720°. However, for off‐resonance pulses, much more preparation time is needed when compared with the binomials but with considerably reduced specific absorption rate. Magn Reson Med, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Solid state controller for an isolated wind energy conversion system feeding dynamic loads

This paper deals with a solid state voltage and frequency controller for an isolated wind energy conversion system (WECS) based on capacitor excited asynchronous generator (CEAG) and feeding an induction motor load. The proposed voltage and frequency controller consists of an IGBT (insulated gate bipolar junction transistor) based voltage source converter along-with battery energy storage system (BESS) at its DC link. By controlling the reactive and active power simultaneously, the proposed controller contcls the magnitude and frequency of the generated voltage. The proposed electro-mechanical system along with its controller is modeled and simulated in MATLAB using Simulink and PSB (power system block-set) toolboxes. The performance of the controller is studied under direct on line starting of a 3-phase induction motor and an application of the load torque, as well as uider the condition of varying wind speeds and it is observed that the proposed controller responds in desired manner as a voltage and frequency regulator, a load balancer and the load leveler.
When Noise Accumulates

We propose a model for noisy quantum evolutions where the noise is forced to accumulate, and consider related noise models, called “detrimental noise,” that will cause quantum error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computation to fail. We start with properties of detrimental noise for two qubits and proceed to a discussion of highly entangled states, the rate of noise, and general noisy quantum systems.
A Feature-based Ensemble Approach to Recognition of Emerging and Rare Named Entities

Detecting previously unseen named entities in text is a challenging task. The paper describes how three initial classifier models were built using Conditional Random Fields (CRFs), Support Vector Machines (SVMs) and a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network. The outputs of these three classifiers were then used as features to train another CRF classifier working as an ensemble. 5-fold cross-validation based on training and development data for the emerging and rare named entity recognition shared task showed precision, recall and F1-score of 66.87%, 46.75% and 54.97%, respectively. For surface form evaluation, the CRF ensemble-based system achieved precision, recall and F1 scores of 65.18%, 45.20% and 53.30%. When applied to unseen test data, the model reached 47.92% precision, 31.97% recall and 38.55% F1-score for entity level evaluation, with the corresponding surface form evaluation values of 44.91%, 30.47% and 36.31%.
Strategies to promote better research on oral health in Africa: A Delphi consensus study

Background: Research on oral health contributes to improved health outcomes; it is an indispensable tool in health policy. But how to fill the gaps in research oral health and to strengthen its capacity is the question. The main objective of the present study is to identify the current status of oral health research and potential strategies, thereby strengthening the research infrastructure and capacity. Delphi consultation, in the perspective of assisting decision-makers to identify strategies to promote better research on oral health in Africa, was initiated. Design and Methods: The panels of 30 experts were asked to complete the questionnaire with 42 items into four groups by web survey. Each indicator statement was considered to be in consensus if the expert's opinion rating was of “A or B” for more than 75% in a scale of seven categories. Quantitative analysis was made from the answers of Delphi round. Results: There was a strong consensus about three items concerning the role of oral health research, the development of research policy for oral health going through an effective governance of research institutes, migration of researchers and fund raising. Conclusion: This study shows strong many dispersal opinions by experts, but highlights the need for to improve the effectiveness of oral health research capacity strengthening activities. Africa's researchers, policy makers and partners will have to give special attention to ensuring that knowledge generated from oral health research is acted on to improve health for all.
Energy Hole Minimization Using Redundant Route in Wireless Sensor Network

: Energy consumption is crucial issue in wireless sensor network. Typically in a sensor network moves on a low traffic load but in case of detection of an event it becomes high. In high traffic load situation, a lot of packets forwarded and also collisions increased. Due to increased collision and a lot of packets forwarding consumes a lot of energy of a sensor node. A few media access control (MAC) protocol has been proposed to handle the variety of both light and heavy traffic load situation among them RC-MAC is one which allows switching of modes to handle different traffic loads. In RC-MAC, nodes waste energy to stay awake and create energy hole in a network. In order to better utilize the conserve energy of a sensor node, we propose a energy hole mitigation technique of Receiver-Centric MAC (RC-MAC) which has better energy conservation and better throughput than RC-MAC. The proposed research work uses a beacon technique that lets nodes to get sleep appropriately between data transmission and change the data routing path to avoid energy hole problem.
IgG4 related sclerosing mastitis: expanding the morphological spectrum of IgG4 related diseases

Summary IgG4 related disease (IgG4RD) is a recently recognised condition characterised by mass forming lesions associated with storiform fibrosis, obliterative phlebitis, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate rich in IgG4 positive plasma cells and elevated serum IgG4 levels. Although rare, mammary involvement has been reported as IgG4 related sclerosing mastitis, the morphological counterpart of a growing family of IgG4 related diseases. A total of 17 cases belonging to mass forming benign inflammatory breast lesions such as plasma cell mastitis, granulomatous lobular mastitis, non-specific mastitis and inflammatory pseudotumour were investigated as a possible member of IgG4 related sclerosing mastitis. Clinical, radiological, histopathological and immunohistochemistry findings were noted in all cases. Cases diagnosed as inflammatory pseudotumour showed all the histopathological features of IgG4RD along with increased number of IgG4 positive plasma cells and IgG4/IgG ratio >40%. However, only a few IgG4 positive cells were seen in plasma cell mastitis, granulomatous lobular mastitis and non-specific mastitis cases. These cases also did not fulfill the morphological criteria for the diagnosis of IgG4 related diseases. IgG4RD should be excluded in plasma cell rich lesions diagnosed on core biopsies by IgG4 immunostaining. This can avoid unnecessary surgery as IgG4 related diseases respond to simple and effective steroid treatment.
Chimeric snRNA molecules carrying antisense sequences against the splice junctions of exon 51 of the dystrophin pre-mRNA induce exon skipping and restoration of a dystrophin synthesis in Δ48-50 DMD cells

Deletions and point mutations in the dystrophin gene cause either the severe progressive myopathy Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) or the milder Becker muscular dystrophy, depending on whether the translational reading frame is lost or maintained. Because internal in-frame deletions in the protein produce only mild myopathic symptoms, it should be possible, by preventing the inclusion of specific mutated exon(s) in the mature dystrophin mRNA, to restore a partially corrected phenotype. Such control has been previously accomplished by the use of synthetic oligonucleotides; nevertheless, a significant drawback to this approach is caused by the fact that oligonucleotides would require periodic administrations. To circumvent this problem, we have produced several constructs able to express in vivo, in a stable fashion, large amounts of chimeric RNAs containing antisense sequences. In this paper we show that antisense molecules against exon 51 splice junctions are able to direct skipping of this exon in the human DMD deletion 48–50 and to rescue dystrophin synthesis. We also show that the highest skipping activity was found when antisense constructs against the 5′ and 3′ splice sites are coexpressed in the same cell.
Cloning and expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa of a gene involved in the production of alginate

Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from patients with cystic fibrosis commonly produce a capsule-like exopolysaccharide called alginate. The alginate-producing (Alg+) phenotype results in a mucoid colony morphology and is an unstable trait. A mutant of P. aeruginosa FRD (a cystic fibrosis isolate) was obtained which was temperature sensitive for alginate production ( Algts ). At elevated growth temperatures (41 degrees C), no alginate was detected in culture supernatants of the Algts mutant, but yields of alginate increased as the temperature of incubation was reduced. The mutation responsible for the Algts phenotype, alg-50(Ts), has been mapped to a region of the FRD chromosome closely linked to trp-2. The alg-50(Ts) marker did not map near the met-l-linked chromosomal mutations responsible for the instability of the Alg+ phenotype. A broad host range cosmid cloning system based upon derivatives of plasmid RK2 was used to construct a P. aeruginosa clone bank. After transfer of the clone bank to the Algts mutant, hybrid plasmids were obtained which complemented the Algts defect. Deletion mapping of the original 20.3 kilobases of P. aeruginosa DNA cloned showed that a 4.7-kilobase fragment would complement the alg-50(Ts) mutation.
Intrasinusoidal bone marrow infiltration and splenic marginal zone lymphoma: a quantitative study

Abstract: Intrasinusoidal infiltration (ISI) is a pattern of invasion that is rarely found on bone marrow (BM) biopsies, and is considered as a hallmark of splenic marginal zone cell lymphoma (SMZL). We analysed BM biopsies showing intrasinusoidal infiltration from 54 consecutive patients with different types of lymphoma to verify if ISI quantity was a diagnostic criterion for SMZL. There were 35 primary splenic lymphoma (PSL) and 19 non‐PSL; 28 SMZL, three non‐splenic MZL, six mantle cell, six small lymphocytic, four follicular, four diffuse large B cell, one peripheral T cell, one lymphoplasmacytic and one anaplastic large‐cell lymphoma. The quantity of BM infiltrate was assessed on CD45, CD20 and CD3 stained sections. The mean percentage of total (TI) and intrasinusoidal (ISI) lymphocytes was calculated in 10 areas for each case. TI quantity was 21.57 in PSL and 35.05 in non‐PSL (P = 0.04). ISI quantity was 5.23 in PSL and 7.62 in non‐PSL (P = 0.08), 5.83 in SMZL and 2.83 in other types of PSL (P = 0.12), 4.46 in non‐splenic MZL and 8.21 in other types of non‐PSL (P = 0.28). No difference in ISI quantity was found among the lymphoma subtypes, either in PSL (P = 0.74) or non‐PSL (P = 0.3). The data demonstrate that ISI quantity in BM biopsies is not a reliable diagnostic parameter for SMZL.
Discrimination of Differences in Digitally Manipulated Phoneme Length during Speech

The present study investigated differences in the thresholds of phoneme duration in word and sentence contexts by participants' sex. In the word condition, 27 participants listened to two pairs of words in a dual pair discrimination task. One pair contained the same durations of /s/, and the other pair contained different durations of /s/. Participants were to select the pair which contained different durations of /s/ in the words. In the sentence condition, the other set of 27 participants listened to two pairs of sentences and selected the pair containing different durations of /s/ in the sentences. Throughout these tasks, the participants' just-noticeable-difference and trials-to-completion were analyzed. The results showed that the participants demonstrated better performance in detecting just-noticeable-difference in the sentence condition than in the word condition. In addition, a sex difference was found in just-noticeable-difference in both conditions with better performance in men than women. No significant differences in trials-to-completion were found in either condition.
Bioimpedance measurement system for smart clothing

Bioimpedance of a human body produces a great dealof information about the changes of the body duringdifferent kinds of activities. According to the measuredimpedance for example the amount of water in the bodycan be derived. This kind of information would be veryuseful e.g. for many athletes. At the moment theimpedance measurement systems, intended for measuringthe human body, are quite complex, expensive, and theyare not designed for measuring a mobile user.In this research a wearable bioimpedancemeasurement system has been implemented. Themeasurement system has been integrated into a shell suit.Many tests have been carried out. From the measurementresults the behavior of the Total Body Water value can becalculated.
Evaluation of peptide- and recombinant protein-based assays for detection of anti-Ehrlichia ewingii antibodies in experimentally and naturally infected dogs. [corrected]

OBJECTIVE To evaluate microtiter-plate format ELISAs constructed by use of different diagnostic targets derived from the Ehrlichia ewingii p28 outer membrane protein for detection of E ewingii antibodies in experimentally and naturally infected dogs. SAMPLE POPULATION Serum samples from 87 kenneled dogs, 9 dogs experimentally infected with anti-E ewingii, and 180 potentially naturally exposed dogs from Missouri. PROCEDURES The capacities of the synthetic peptide and truncated recombinant protein to function as detection reagents in ELISAs were compared by use of PCR assay, western blot analysis, and a full-length recombinant protein ELISA. Diagnostic targets included an E ewingii synthetic peptide (EESP) and 2 recombinant proteins: a full-length E ewingii outer membrane protein (EEp28) and a truncated E ewingii outer membrane protein (EETp28) RESULTS A subset of Ehrlichia canis-positive samples cross-reacted in the EEp28 ELISA; none were reactive in the EESP and EETp28 ELISAs. The EESP- and EETp28-based ELISAs detected E ewingii seroconversion at approximately the same time after infection as the EEp28 ELISAs. In afield population, each of the ELISAs identified the same 35 samples as reactive and 27 samples as nonreactive. Anaplasma and E can is peptides used in a commercially available ELISA platform did not detect anti-E ewingii antibodies in experimentally infected dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The EESP and EETp28 ELISAs were suitable for specifically detecting anti-E ewingii antibodies in experimentally and naturally infected dogs.
Genotype analysis of tumor‐initiating cells expressing CD133 in neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common and lethal extracranial solid tumor of childhood. Despite aggressive therapy, more than half of the children with advanced NB will die of uncontrolled metastatic disease. After chemotherapy, tumor‐initiating cells (TICs) could persist, cause relapses and metastasis. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the tumor‐initiating properties of CD133high NB cells and to identify new specific genetic abnormalities. Isolation of the CD133high cell population from NB cell lines was followed by neurosphere formation, soft agar assays, and orthotopic injections in NOD/SCID/IL2Rγc‐null mice. A differential genotyping analysis was performed with Affymetrix SNP 6.0 arrays on CD133low and CD133high populations and the frequency of the abnormalities of 36 NB tumors was determined. Our results show that CD133high NB cells possess tumor‐initiating properties, as CD133high cells formed significantly more neurospheres and produced significantly more colonies in soft agar than CD133low. Injection of 500 CD133high cells was sufficient to generate primary tumors and frequent metastases in mice. Differential genotyping analysis demonstrated two common regions with gains (16p13.3 and 19p13.3) including the gene EFNA2 in the CD133high population, and two with loss of heterozygosity (16q12.1 and 21q21.3) in the CD133low population. The gain of EFNA2 correlated with increased expression of the corresponding protein. These abnormalities were found in NB samples and some were significantly correlated with CD133 expression. Our results show that CD133high NB cells have TICs properties and present different genotyping characteristics compared to CD133low cells. Our findings reveal insights into new therapeutic targets in NB TICs. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Regulation of translation initiation by the yeast eIF4E binding proteins is required for the pseudohyphal response

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF4E is responsible for the recognition of the mRNA cap structure and, as such, plays a key role in the selection of mRNAs for translation. The interaction of eIF4E with the ‘multi‐adaptor’ eIF4G (and thus recruitment of ribosomes to mRNA) can be regulated via competitive binding of 4E‐binding proteins (4E‐BPs). 4E‐BPs have broad functions in cell growth, proliferation and development. We have found that disruption of the genes for either of the yeast 4E‐BPs (Eap1p or Caf20p) leads to an inhibition of pseudohyphal growth in the resulting diploid yeast strain following nitrogen limitation. Specific 4E‐binding domain mutations destroy the capacity of each 4E‐BP gene to complement the non‐pseudohyphal phenotype, suggesting that a translational function for the 4E‐BPs is important for pseudohyphal growth. In addition, neither of the 4E‐BP deletion strains is deficient in global or stress‐regulated protein synthesis. However, our evidence reveals that the two 4E‐BPs are functionally distinct with regard to pseudohyphal growth. Therefore, this work supports a model where the yeast 4E‐BPs are acting on specific mRNAs to facilitate a defined proliferative response to environmental stress in yeast. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeting of angiogenic endothelial cells at sites of inflammation by dexamethasone phosphate-containing RGD peptide liposomes inhibits experimental arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether RGD peptide-exposing long circulating polyethylene glycol (PEG) liposomes (RGD-PEG-L) targeted to alphavbeta3 integrins expressed on angiogenic vascular endothelial cells (VECs) are able to bind VECs at sites of inflammation and whether such liposomes containing dexamethasone phosphate (DEXP) can be used as carriers to interfere with the development of experimental arthritis. METHODS Binding and internalization of RGD-PEG-L were studied by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and confocal microscopy using fluorescently labeled liposomes. Radiolabeled liposomes were used to test in vivo pharmacokinetics and inflammation site targeting in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rats. In vivo inflammation targeting was visualized by intravital microscopy using fluorescently labeled RGD-PEG-L. Therapeutic efficacy of DEXP-encapsulating RGD-PEG-L compared with nontargeted liposomes was evaluated in rats with AIA. RESULTS RGD-PEG-L bound to and were taken up by proliferating human VECs in vitro. In vivo, increased targeting of radiolabeled RGD-PEG-L to areas of LPS-induced inflammation in rats was observed. Specific association with the blood vessel wall at the site of inflammation was confirmed by intravital microscopy. One single intravenous injection of DEXP encapsulated in RGD-PEG-L resulted in a strong and long-lasting antiarthritic effect in rat AIA. CONCLUSION RGD-targeted PEG liposomes represent an endothelial cell-specific drug delivery system that targets VECs at sites of inflammation. Use of these liposomes to deliver DEXP to VECs at arthritis-affected sites proved efficacious in rat adjuvant arthritis. These data indicate that VECs have an essential role in the inflammation process and suggest the possibility of using VEC targeting for therapeutic intervention in inflammatory processes such as arthritis.
VOLUNTARY CONTROL OF INTERNAL STATES : PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL 1

The first part of this article is a summary of a technological paper presented at the 1969 International Congress of Cybernetics (Green, Green, and Walters, 1970) and is included in order to explain the elcctrophysiological instrumentation and the methodological developments that make possible an instrumented transpersonal research project, psychophysiological training tor creativity, which is a primary aim of our work.
Ciprofloxacin selects for RNA polymerase mutations with pleiotropic antibiotic resistance effects

Objectives Resistance to the fluoroquinolone drug ciprofloxacin is commonly linked to mutations that alter the drug target or increase drug efflux via the major AcrAB-TolC transporter. Very little is known about other mutations that might also reduce susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. We discovered that an Escherichia coli strain experimentally evolved for resistance to ciprofloxacin had acquired a mutation in rpoB, the gene coding for the &bgr;-subunit of RNA polymerase. The aim of this work was to determine whether this mutation, and other mutations in rpoB, contribute to ciprofloxacin resistance and, if so, by which mechanism. Methods Independent lineages of E. coli were evolved in the presence of ciprofloxacin and clones from endpoint cultures were screened for mutations in rpoB. Ciprofloxacin-selected rpoB mutations were identified and characterized in terms of effects on susceptibility and mode of action. Results Mutations in rpoB were selected at a high frequency in 3 out of 10 evolved lineages, in each case arising after the occurrence of mutations affecting topoisomerases and drug efflux. All ciprofloxacin-selected rpoB mutations had a high fitness cost in the absence of drug, but conferred a competitive advantage in the presence of ciprofloxacin. RNA sequencing and quantitative RT–PCR analysis showed that expression of mdtK, encoding a multidrug efflux transporter, was significantly increased by the ciprofloxacin-selected rpoB mutations. The susceptibility phenotype was shown to depend on the presence of an active mdtK and a mutant rpoB allele. Conclusions These data identify mutations in RNA polymerase as novel contributors to the evolution of resistance to ciprofloxacin and show that the phenotype is mediated by increased MdtK-dependent drug efflux.