Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DNA-mediated gene transfer into adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture

Proliferation-competent and differentiation-competent adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture were investigated for their ability to express reporter genes (firefly luciferase, bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, and bacterial beta-galactosidase) driven by tumor virus or eucaryotic promoters that vary in transcriptional efficiency and tissue specificity. Supercoiled plasmid DNA molecules were introduced into the cells by the calcium phosphate coprecipitation protocol of C. Chen and H. Okayama (Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:2745-2752, 1987). Reporter gene expression was virtually restricted to hepatocytes and was efficient (2 to 20% of the cells). The patterns and absolute levels of reporter gene expression depended on assay conditions employed (plasmid concentration [optimal at 2.4 micrograms of DNA per ml] and duration of exposure [optimal between 5 and 10 h]), culture growth cycle stages (lag, log, or stationary phase), properties and tissue specificity of the promoter(s) tested, and composition (and timing of fluid change) of the culture medium with or without the hepatocyte mitogen human transforming growth factor-alpha. Initial observations suggest that during hepatocellular growth transitions, human transforming growth factor-alpha differentially regulates exogenously introduced promoters associated with hepatocyte-specific function and proliferation. These findings provide a simple, fast, and powerful approach to analyzing the molecular and cellular biology of hepatocyte growth control.
Efficient pre-quantization techniques based on probability density for speaker recognition system

The amount of speaker specific information in speech signal varies from frame to frame depending on spoken text and environmental conditions. A frame selection at the preprocessing stage can be an added advantage in this context. In pre-quantization (PQ) we select a new sequence of frames Y from the original frames X such that length of Y is less than X. In this paper, we first analyze a number of distance measure techniques for frame selection to exploit the redundancies of consecutive frames. Then we propose efficient techniques based on Probability Density Function (PDF) that not only reduces the number of frames before feature extraction but also increases the recognition accuracy. The proposed methods are evaluated on two different databases, POLYCOST (telephone speech) and YOHO (microphone speech), and is shown to provide significant improvement in performance for speaker recognition.
Immunization of Macaques with Single-Cycle Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) Stimulates Diverse Virus-Specific Immune Responses and Reduces Viral Loads after Challenge with SIVmac239

ABSTRACT Genetically engineered simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV) that is limited to a single cycle of infection was evaluated as a nonreplicating AIDS vaccine approach for rhesus macaques. Four Mamu-A*01+ macaques were inoculated intravenously with three concentrated doses of single-cycle SIV (scSIV). Each dose consisted of a mixture of approximately equivalent amounts of scSIV strains expressing the SIVmac239 and SIVmac316 envelope glycoproteins with mutations in nef that prevent major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I downregulation. Viral loads in plasma peaked between 104 and 105 RNA copies/ml on day 4 after the first inoculation and then steadily declined to undetectable levels over the next 4 weeks. SIV Gag-specific T-cell responses were detected in peripheral blood by MHC class I tetramer staining (peak, 0.07 to 0.2% CD8+ T cells at week 2) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays (peak, 50 to 250 spot forming cells/106 peripheral blood mononuclear cell at week 3). Following the second and third inoculations at weeks 8 and 33, respectively, viral loads in plasma peaked between 102 and 104 RNA copies/ml on day 2 and were cleared over a 1-week period. T-cell-proliferative responses and antibodies to SIV were also observed after the second inoculation. Six weeks after the third dose, each animal was challenged intravenously with SIVmac239. All four animals became infected. However, three of the four scSIV-immunized animals exhibited 1 to 3 log reductions in acute-phase plasma viral loads relative to two Mamu-A*01+ control animals. Additionally, two of these animals were able to contain their viral loads below 2,000 RNA copies/ml as late as 35 weeks into the chronic phase of infection. Given the extraordinary difficulty in protecting against SIVmac239, these results are encouraging and support further evaluation of lentiviruses that are limited to a single cycle of infection as a preclinical AIDS vaccine approach.
Clustering wind turbines for a large wind farm using spectral clustering approach based on diffusion mapping theory

Increasing number of wind farms connected to power system calls for a simplified equivalent model of wind farm so that it can be represented by only a few equivalent wind turbines for dynamic system studies. In order to aggregate wind turbines in complex terrain or irregular layout, this paper presents a new wind turbine clustering method based on spectral clustering algorithm. The clustering principle relies on the same or similar operating points of selected wind turbines. The proposed method is used to capture the similarity of characteristics of wind turbines by analyzing real-time data sets of wind turbines in a wind farm. Thus wind turbines of a wind farm can be clustered into different groups. The clustering method is demonstrated and tested in an actual wind power system. A good performance is achieved for all simulation scenarios while comparing the aggregated and detailed models.
ABCB1-C3435T polymorphism and breast cancer risk: a case-control study and a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE To investigate the association of ABCB1-C3435T transition with breast cancer risk which was followed by a meta-analysis. METHODS In a case-control study we collected blood samples from 290 women (including 150 breast cancer patients and 140 healthy controls). ABCB1-C3435T genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. A meta- analysis was performed for a total of 13 eligible studies involving 5,835 cases and 8,178 controls. RESULTS The results of case-control study revealed a significant association between T allele (OR=1.770, 95% CI=1.236- 2.535, p=0.002), CT genotype (OR=1.661, 95% CI=1.017- 2.713, p=0.042), and TT genotype (OR=3.399, 95% CI=1.409- 8.197, p=0.006) with breast cancer risk. Data from meta- analysis revealed a significant association between ABCB1-C3435T polymorphism and breast cancer risk in allelic (OR=1.243, 95% CI=1.079-1.432, p=0.003), co-dominant (OR=1.349, 95% CI=1.042-1.746, p=0.023), dominant (OR=1.204, 95% CI=1.019-1.422, p=0.029), and recessive (OR=1.226, 95% CI=1.011-1.488, p=0.039) models. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the ABCB1-C3435T gene polymorphism might be a genetic risk factor and a potential biomarker for breast cancer.
Dual-beam antenna for MIMO WiFi base stations

In this paper a dual polarised antenna array for outdoor WiFi access points, e.g. hotspots is described. The proposed antenna structure is operating at 5.8 GHz and consists of 64 (8×8) antenna elements. The waveguide radiators are fed simultaneously by two strip line distribution networks to excite both polarisations. This allows for a deployment of the presented antenna in MIMO antenna systems.
Decreased expression of AQP2 and AQP4 water channels and Na, K‐ATPase in kidney collecting duct in AQP3 null mice

Background information. Phenotype analysis has demonstrated that AQP3 (aquaporin 3) null mice are polyuric and manifest a urinary concentration defect. In the present study, we report that deletion of AQP3 is also associated with an increased urinary sodium excretion. To investigate further the mechanism of the decreased urinary concentration and significant natriuresis, we examined the segmental and subcellular localization of collecting duct AQPs [AQP2, p‐AQP2 (phosphorylated AQP2), AQP3 and AQP4], ENaC (epithelial sodium channel) subunits and Na, K‐ATPase by immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence microscopy in AQP3 null (−/−), heterozygous (+/−) mice, wild‐type and unrelated strain of normal mice.
Can Chronic Nasal Obstruction Cause Dysfunction of the Paratubal Muscles and Otitis Media? An Experimental Study in Developing Wistar Rats

Objective—To quantitatively analyze modifications of the paratubal muscles in developing Wistar rats following nasal obstruction. Material and Methods—Twenty-four Wistar rats were used. Twelve were examined at 6, 8 and 12 weeks after birth and were considered normal controls. The nostrils of the remaining 12 rats were bilaterally obstructed by means of a synthetic resin 28 days after birth. The animals were sacrificed at either 2, 4 or 8 weeks after nostril occlusion. Serial sections were made in the dorsoventral plane and stained with hematoxylin–eosin. Four 5×5 μm2 areas, selected within the paratubal muscles, were histologically analyzed and the number of muscular fibers was counted manually. Results—The number of tensor veli palatini muscle fibers progressively decreased in the obstructed rats compared with age-matched normal controls and in those that had been obstructed for 4 and 8 weeks these reductions were statistically significant. Conclusion—The correct development of the paratubal muscles seems to be linked to physiological nasal breathing and is negatively affected by oral breathing.
Predictors of Quality of Life in Women with a Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life in women who had previously undergone a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy and to determine what factors predict quality of life in this population. Women in Ontario who had undergone prophylactic mastectomy between 1991 and 2000 were asked to complete several questionnaires that assessed current psychosocial functioning, including the Quality of Life Index (QLI). The mean score for the QLI was 23.34 (range 9.53–30.00). QLI scores were negatively correlated with cancer‐related distress, body image difficulties, and psychological distress. Conversely, QLI scores were positively correlated with social support. Significant predictors of quality of life included psychological distress and one subscale of body image (vulnerability). Vulnerability and psychological distress are important predictors of quality of life in women who have previously undergone bilateral prophylactic mastectomy.
Quantitative imaging of magnetization transfer exchange and relaxation properties in vivo using MRI

We describe a novel imaging technique that yields all of the observable properties of the binary spin‐bath model for magnetization transfer (MT) and demonstrate this method for in vivo studies of the human head. Based on a new model of the steady‐state behavior of the magnetization during a pulsed MT‐weighted imaging sequence, this approach yields parametric images of the fractional size of the restricted pool, the magnetization exchange rate, the T2 of the restricted pool, as well as the relaxation times in the free pool. Validated experimentally on agar gels and samples of uncooked beef, we demonstrate the method's application on two normal subjects and a patient with multiple sclerosis. Magn Reson Med 46:923–931, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Subjective endpoints in clinical trials: the case for blinded independent central review

Primary efficacy and safety endpoints in clinical trials are often subjective assessments made by site personnel. For international confirmatory trials conducted over broad geographic regions and different clinical practice settings, variability in these subjective assessments can be substantial. Centralized endpoint assessment committees (EACs) offer a mechanism through which to reduce assessment bias and potentially increase assessment precision and accuracy, particularly in open-label trials. An overview of regulatory agencies' rationales for an EAC is reviewed. In addition, the two main types of EACs, the blinded independent central review, and the consensus panel are compared. Selection of endpoints for EAC evaluation and design of EAC process to maximize EAC value proposition are also discussed.
Resistance mechanisms in HCV: from evolution to intervention

Recent advances in our understanding of the HCV life cycle and the functions of virally encoded proteins enabled the development of specifically targeted antiviral therapies for HCV, which directly inhibit HCV replication. Early clinical trials show great efficacy; however, from the first trials it became evident that, similar to HIV and HBV, selection of resistant variants will be problematic. Error-prone replication of HCV, resulting in a complex quasispecies population within each infected individual, enables rapid adaptation to changing environments. In this review, the evolutionary mechanisms involved in the selection process resulting in drug resistance are discussed. We give an overview of the resistance profiles to recently developed HCV protease and polymerase inhibitors and discuss potential implications for future treatment developments.
Sculpturing the Neoclitoris in Vaginoplasty for Male‐to‐Female Transsexuals

One of the goals of vaginoplasty for transsexuals is the construction of an aesthetically appealing female perineum. Cosmetic considerations imply the creation of a clitoris-like structure ventral to the urethral orifice. A review of the scarce references on neoclitorplasty in the literature on vaginoplasty is given. In our hospital, the neoclitoris is usually sculptured to its final appearance during the actual vaginoplasty, employing a free composite graft of the tip of the penile glans to cover the shortened dorsal neurovascular bundle.From the review of the literature and from our experience one may conclude that our technique presents hardly any complications and leads to acceptable results, both functionally and cosmetically. We consider transpo-sitioning of the glans on its long dorsal neurovascular pedicle a technique with too high a risk. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 93: 358, 1994.)
Will the genomics revolution revolutionize psychiatry?

At the time DNA was discovered 50 years ago, psychiatric genetics was in a state of relative dormancy, resulting from the misuse of genetic theories during the World War II era. As the excitement generated by the “new genetics” spread across medical specialty areas, the second half of the century was declared the century of the biological sciences, and genetics research blossomed (1). Dismissing the widespread notion of a basic conflict between human genetics and religious tenets, Pope Pius XII gave a policysetting address in 1953, encouraging the need for systematic and ideologically unshackled research in human genetics (1). In the same year as the discovery of DNA, Franz Kallman’s review of progress in psychiatric genetics, published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, described a sophisticated series of twin and family studies in the United States (1–3) and Europe (4, 5) that corroborated the genetic roots of schizophrenia and manic depressive psychosis that had been demonstrated in the early part of the 20th century. Subsequent research has continued to expand our knowledge of the genetics of psychiatric disorders. As the classification system has grown more specific, genetic investigations have continued to demonstrate the importance of familial and genetic factors underlying most of the major psychiatric conditions.
Molecular taxonomy of Pseudapocryptes (Bleeker, 1874) mudskippers from Sundarban mangroves, India

Abstract Background: More than 40 species of mudskipper is recorded worldwide, but the molecular taxonomy of very few species is studied so far. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the molecular taxonomy and phylogenetic relationship of the Pseudapocryptes elongatus and Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus collected from the mudflats of Sundarban, India. Methods: The mitochondrial COI gene was sequenced to analyze the molecular taxonomy. The species name associated with the present analyzed sequence as shown by BLAST searches of GenBank was used to define the phylogenetic relationship. Results: Mitochondrial COI gene sequences of collected mudskippers were submitted to GenBank to get accession numbers. The BLAST search of GenBank matched 100% with the species name associated with the present analyzed sequence. Conclusions: The present study reveals the phylogenetic similarity between the species.
Clostridium novyi type A intra-abdominal abscess in a horse.

An 8-year-old 433-kg Quarter Horse gelding was evaluated for severe weight loss, poor appetite, and lethargy by the Equine Field Service of the University of California–Davis. The horse had no previous medical problems. The owner reported that the horse had lost approximately 150 kg in a period of 2 weeks. During that time, the horse had a poor appetite and appeared lethargic. The horse’s diet consisted of alfalfa, oat hay, fresh grass, and grain, and he shared a pasture with other horses. On presentation, the horse was lethargic and emaciated and had mild abdominal distension and ventral abdominal and limb edema but no obvious lymphadenopathy. Rectal temperature was 37.18C, heart rate was 40 beats/min, and respiratory rate was 20 beats/min. Capillary refill time was 1 second, mucous membranes were pale, and mild bilateral petechial hemorrhages were observed on the 3rd eyelid. No cough or nasal discharge was noted, but thoracic auscultation and percussion were suggestive of mild bilateral pleural effusion. During the examination, the horse exhibited mild signs of colic. Abdominal palpation via rectal examination was unremarkable, except for loose feces with traces of sand. Nasogastric (NG) intubation disclosed no gastric reflux. The horse received 6 L of water with a commercial mix of electrolytes via NG tube. Blood and urine samples were collected before fluid administration. A CBC was performed, and findings included a normocytic, normochromic anemia (PCV 24%; reference range 32–50%) and mild lymphopenia (1,222/mL; reference range 1,500–7,700/mL). Serum biochemistry findings included hyperglobulinemia (9.1 g/dL; reference range 1.7– 4.7 g/dL), hypoalbuminemia (1.6 g/dL; reference range 2.3–3.6 g/dL), and low albumin-to-globulin ratio (A : G 0.22; reference range 0.5–1.9). A polyclonal gammopathy was observed on serum protein electrophoresis. Urinalysis was normal. A small amount of free fluid and a mass caudal to the liver, visible from the 7th to the 12th intercostal spaces in the left ventral quadrant, were observed on ultrasonography (Fig 1A). Abdominocentesis was performed and 2 L of fluid were drained from the peritoneal cavity. Abdominal fluid analysis indicated marked purulent inflammation supported by total protein concentration of 7.8 g/dL and total nucleated cell count of 123,500/mL with 90% degenerate neu-
Is Polymorphism Within eNOS Gene Associated With the Late Onset of Myocardial Infarction? A Pilot Study

Introduction: Nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is a potent vasodilator. Several polymorphisms in the eNOS gene have been described, some of them being linked with the increased risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease (CHD), and coronary spasm. Methods and Results: We studied 3 polymorphisms within the gene of eNOS (-786T/C, G10T, and 894 G/T) in patients with their first myocardial infarction (MI) younger than 45 years and in healthy volunteers. We found the relation between the occurrence of eNOS 894G allele and the Gensini score, which describes the severity of CHD (P = .020). Conclusions: The fact that first clinical manifestation of MI occurred in G carriers when the atherosclerotic plaque was much more advanced than in T carriers may suggest that wild-type genotype provided a better compensatory mechanisms due to NO synthesis and/or release. The polymorphisms within eNOS gene G10T, 894G/T, and -786T/C were not associated with the increased risk of MI.
A Role for 5Alpha‐Reductase Activity in the Development of Male Homosexuality?

Abstract: Higher body hair with lower mesmorphism ratings were observed in Caucasian homosexual men compared with the general male population, reflecting elevated 5alpha‐reductase (5αR) activity, and higher dihydrotestosterone‐to‐testosterone (DHT‐to‐T) ratio, in sharp contrast to 46,XY 5αR 2 deficiency subjects, who are often born with ambiguous, or female genitalia, but tend to grow up to be muscular, heterosexual men with very little body hair, or beard. One study also showed them scoring around dull normal IQs. A greater prevalence of liberal body hair growth in men with higher IQs and/or educational levels was also observed in several samples. The exceptions to this statistical trend are too unsettling, however. Nevertheless, the results of a number of published studies, including one showing higher DHT‐to‐T ratio in homosexual men, done with different objectives over a span of 80 years, together strongly support these findings. Furthermore, in an animal model, “cognitive‐enhancing effects” of “5α‐reduced androgen [metabolites]” were recently demonstrated.
A PCR‐ELISA for the detection of potential fumonisin producing Fusarium species

A PCR‐ELISA for the detection of potential fumonisin producing Fusarium species has been developed, using the ribosomal ITS1 sequence as target. For this purpose, the sequences of the ITS1 regions of different fumonisin producing Fusarium species have been determined and compared to the sequences of fumonisin non‐producing species. In general, the ITS1 sequences were highly homologous. However, some minor sequence polymorphisms were detected, which differentiates potential fumonisin producing Fusarium species from non‐producing species. By using these sequence differences, a PCR‐ELISA for potential fumonisin producing Fusarium species was developed. All other ubiquitously occurring food‐borne fungi tested showed negative results with this test.
Separation of T and B lymphocytes by nylon wool columns: evaluation of efficacy by functional assays in vivo.

A study was made of antibody-forming cell precursors (B cells) and thymus-derived helper cells (T cells) of mouse spleen filtered through nylon wool columns. Two populations of spleen cells were separated: effluent cells nonadhering to the nylon fibers, and nylon-adherent cells which could be eluted from the columns by mechanical agitation. The presence or absence of functional lymphocytes was demonstrated by transplantation into irradiated syngeneic recipients, challenge with antigen, and assay for specific antibody-forming cells. By transplanting each of the column-filtered subpopulations separately, in combination, and with either bone marrow or thymus cells (known sources of B or T lymphocytes, respectively), it was possible to establish that B and T cells were separated by the column filtration; the effluent population was enriched with functional helper cells and depleted of precursor cells, whereas the nylon-adherent population was enriched with competent precursors and depleted of helpers.