Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of 1,2-sn diacylglycerol in airway smooth muscle stimulated by carbachol.

Activation of muscarinic receptors in airway smooth muscle leads to breakdown of membrane polyphosphoinositides. In agreement with others, we show here that muscarinic stimulation elicits inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate formation. In addition, we show that carbachol also elicits total diacylglycerol and 1,2-sn diacylglycerol accumulation in a specific and dose-dependent manner (EC50 values: 2.1 x 10(-8) M for 1,2-sn diacylglycerol). The time-course of inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate accumulation is compatible with that of the clonic phase of muscle contraction. Since this derivative can mobilize intracellular Ca2+ stores, it may play a second-messenger role in the initial phase of contraction. The time-course of diacylglycerol accumulation is compatible with the muscarinic-induced tonic phase of smooth-muscle contraction. Carbachol induces similar dose-dependent reductions in isoproterenol-induced muscle relaxation (EC50 values for relaxation concentration-response curves to isoproterenol: 3 x 10(-6) M and 2.1 x 10(-5) M, with carbachol at 10(-7) M and 10(-4) M, respectively), and increases in adenylate cyclase activity (EC50 values for the concentration-response to isoproterenol: 1.2 x 10(-6) M and 1.5 x 10(-5) M, with carbachol at 10(-7) M and 10(-4) M, respectively). Since it is known that carbachol-induced uncoupling of beta 2-adrenergic receptors is proportional to the breakdown of polyphosphoinositides, and that 1,2-sn diacylglycerol is a potent activator of protein kinase C, 1,2-sn diacylglycerol could be mediating the uncoupling of beta 2-adrenergic receptors, via activation of alpha-protein kinase C and subsequent phosphorylation of receptor, and/or cyclase, and/or G proteins. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Genetic Diversity on the Human X Chromosome Does Not Support a Strict Pseudoautosomal Boundary

Unlike the autosomes, recombination between the X chromosome and the Y chromosome is often thought to be constrained to two small pseudoautosomal regions (PARs) at the tips of each sex chromosome. PAR1 spans the first 2.7 Mb of the proximal arm of the human sex chromosomes, whereas the much smaller PAR2 encompasses the distal 320 kb of the long arm of each sex chromosome. In addition to PAR1 and PAR2, there is a human-specific X-transposed region that was duplicated from the X to the Y chromosome. The X-transposed region is often not excluded from X-specific analyses, unlike the PARs, because it is not thought to routinely recombine. Genetic diversity is expected to be higher in recombining regions than in nonrecombining regions because recombination reduces the effect of linked selection. In this study, we investigated patterns of genetic diversity in noncoding regions across the entire X chromosome of a global sample of 26 unrelated genetic females. We found that genetic diversity in PAR1 is significantly greater than in the nonrecombining regions (nonPARs). However, rather than an abrupt drop in diversity at the pseudoautosomal boundary, there is a gradual reduction in diversity from the recombining through the nonrecombining regions, suggesting that recombination between the human sex chromosomes spans across the currently defined pseudoautosomal boundary. A consequence of recombination spanning this boundary potentially includes increasing the rate of sex-linked disorders (e.g., de la Chapelle) and sex chromosome aneuploidies. In contrast, diversity in PAR2 is not significantly elevated compared to the nonPARs, suggesting that recombination is not obligatory in PAR2. Finally, diversity in the X-transposed region is higher than in the surrounding nonPARs, providing evidence that recombination may occur with some frequency between the X and Y chromosomes in the X-transposed region.
Depression among the post stroke patients in the Tertiary hospital and Rehabilitation centre of Bangladesh

A cross sectional study was carried out to see the magnitude of depression as public health problem among purposively selected 291 stroke patients attending for physiotherapy at outpatient department of Physical Medicine Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Center for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed, Dhaka. Data were collected through face to face interview using a pretested questionnaire and document review. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating scale at cut-off value 10 for mild, 14 for moderate and 18 for severe depression. The proportion of depression among the study population was 65% which included 30% with severe depression and rest 17% mild, 18% moderate depression and 35% had no depression. People with ischaemic stroke were more depressed (75.9%) than other types of stroke (p<0.00l). With the duration of stroke both the proportion and level of depression had been increased (p<0.00l. Most of the respondents from low income group were suffering from some level of depression (p<0.05). Both diabetes mellitus (p<0.00l) and hypertension (p<0.005) had significant role in depressive state. This study identified depression among stroke patients as a significant public health problem. Therefore, while planning therapeutic approaches for stroke patients, depression always should be taken into consideration for effective management and improvement of the compliance.
Quantum Chemical Investigations on C14C10-Branched-Chain Glucoside Isomers Towards Understanding Self-Assembly

Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations have been carried out using a Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM) in an attempt to investigate the electro-molecular properties of branched-chain glucoside (C14C10-D-glucoside) isomers. The results showed that αconfiguration of pyranoside form is thermodynamically the most stable, while the solution should contain much more β than α, according to the calculated Boltzmann distribution. Additionally, C14C10-β-D-xylopyranoside is studied for comparison with its glucoside analog in order to investigate the electronic effect of the hydroxymethyl (−CH2-OH) group at position 5-C. The topological parameters of intramolecular X-H∙∙∙Y hydrogen bonds were analyzed and the nature of these interactions were considered using the Atoms in Molecules (AIM) approach. Moreover, natural bond orbital analysis (NBO) was performed to define bond orders, charge, and lone pair electrons on each atom and effective non-bonding interactions. HOMO/LUMO analysis allowed the description of investigated isomers and led to a further understanding of their behaviors. The computational results, especially intramolecular hydrogen bonding and molecular electronic potential analysis are directly relevant to liquid crystal self-assembly and membrane biophysics.
Dual-ports Laparoscopy-assisted Distal Gastrectomy Compared With Conventional Laparoscopy-assisted Distal Gastrectomy

Purpose: We performed laparoscopic gastrectomy using an umbilical port in addition with one other port (dual-ports laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy, DP-LADG) since December 2009. We describe a retrospective study to evaluate the possibility of DP-LADG compared with conventional LADG (C-LADG). Methods: The indication for DP-LADG was preoperative clinical Stage IA gastric cancer. We compared 20 patients who underwent DP-LADG with 24 patients of clinical Stage IA patients who underwent C-LADG. Results: The mean operation time was significantly longer for DP-LADG (250.5 min) than for C-LADG (197.5 min); however, the mean operation time for the last 5 patients undergoing DP-LADG (209±31.1 min) was almost the same as that for C-LADG. There were no significant differences between DP-LADG and C-LADG in terms of blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissected, rates of conversion to open surgery, postoperative complications, and length of postoperative hospital stay. Conclusions: DP-LADG is technically feasible.
Management of a Wilms’ tumor with intracardiac extension using extracorporeal circulation and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest: Case report and review of the literature

ABSTRACT Wilms’ tumor is a relatively common malignancy among childhood cancers. However, intracardiac extension of the lesion is rare and challenging. In this report, the authors present a successful management of intracardiac extension of Wilms’ tumor in a 3-year-old child using cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The authors also reviewed the published literature on Wilms’ tumor with cardiac extension, which were managed by cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest to provide an optimum management plan in this challenging condition.
Lactate and acid base changes during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND The observation of hemodynamic and metabolic impairment related to CO2 pneumoperitoneum and postoperative mesenteric ischemia reports following laparoscopic procedures have raised concern about local and systemic effects of increase intraabdominal pressure during laparoscopic procedures. The present study aims to evaluate the metabolic and acid base responses of using high pressure versus low pressure pneumoperitonium in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a prospective randomized clinical trial. PATIENTS AND METHOD 20 ASA I-II patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly allocated to one of two study groups; high pressure pneumoperitoneum 12-14mmHg (HPP, n=10) versus low pressure pneumoperitoneum 6-8mmHg (LPP, n=10) undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Arterial blood gases and lactate levels were determined after induction of anesthesia (before pneumoperitonium), then after 10 min, then 30 min after insufflations and at the end of surgery and 1 hour postoperatively. Nurses in recovery unit reported pain assessment starting postoperatively until 3 hours on a 10mm VAS (0-10). Statistical significant was established at P<0.05. RESULT Bicarbonate was significantly (P>0.0412) lower in high pressure group at 30 min and 60 min after insufflations. In high pressure group lactate levels increased significantly as compared to low pressure group, (at 30 minutes after the establishment of abdominal pneumatic inflation P<0.006 and remained significantly increased (P<0.001) until the end of surgery and one hour thereafter) (P<0.001). The mean postoperative pain score during second hour (VAS) at HPP group was 7.4 +/- 1.17 which is significantly (P < or = 0.006) higher than pain score in LPP group 5.0 +/- 1.886. Shoulder tip pain was reported in 3 patients in the high pressure group and only one patient in the lower pressure group. CONCLUSION High-pressure pneumoperitonium causes statistically significant elevation in the arterial lactate level intraoperatively until one hour post operatively. It also causes higher pain score and shoulder tip pain.
Neural Mechanisms of Motion Detection, Integration, and Segregation: From Biology to Artificial Image Processing Systems

Object motion can be measured locally by neurons at different stages of the visual hierarchy. Depending on the size of their receptive field apertures they measure either localized or more global configurationally spatiotemporal information. In the visual cortex information processing is based on the mutual interaction of neuronal activities at different levels of representation and scales. Here, we utilize such principles and propose a framework for modelling neural computational mechanisms of motion in primates using biologically inspired principles. In particular, we investigate motion detection and integration in cortical areas V1 and MT utilizing feedforward and modulating feedback processing and the automatic gain control through center-surround interaction and activity normalization. We demonstrate that the model framework is capable of reproducing challenging data from experimental investigations in psychophysics and physiology. Furthermore, the model is also demonstrated to successfully deal with realistic image sequences from benchmark databases and technical applications.
Variable focus video: Reconstructing depth and video for dynamic scenes

Traditional depth from defocus (DFD) algorithms assume that the camera and the scene are static during acquisition time. In this paper, we examine the effects of camera and scene motion on DFD algorithms. We show that, given accurate estimates of optical flow (OF), one can robustly warp the focal stack (FS) images to obtain a virtual static FS and apply traditional DFD algorithms on the static FS. Acquiring accurate OF in the presence of varying focal blur is a challenging task. We show how defocus blur variations cause inherent biases in the estimates of optical flow. We then show how to robustly handle these biases and compute accurate OF estimates in the presence of varying focal blur. This leads to an architecture and an algorithm that converts a traditional 30 fps video camera into a co-located 30 fps image and a range sensor. Further, the ability to extract image and range information allows us to render images with artistic depth-of field effects, both extending and reducing the depth of field of the captured images. We demonstrate experimental results on challenging scenes captured using a camera prototype.
Plasma viral microRNA profiles reveal potential biomarkers for chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection.

BACKGROUND Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection has high mortality and morbidity, and biomarkers for disease severity and prognosis are required. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs, and EBV encodes multiple miRNAs. Because plasma contains sufficiently stable miRNAs, circulating EBV-associated miRNA profiles were investigated as novel biomarkers in CAEBV infection. METHODS Plasma miRNA expression was assessed for 12 miRNAs encoded within 2 EBV open reading frames (BART and BHRF). Expression levels were investigated in 19 patients with CAEBV infection, 14 patients with infectious mononucleosis, and 11 healthy controls. Relative expression levels of plasma miRNAs were determined by TaqMan probe-based quantitative assay. RESULTS Plasma miR-BART1-5p, 2-5p, 5, and 22 levels in patients with CAEBV infection were significantly greater than those in patients with infectious mononucleosis and in controls. Plasma miR-BART2-5p, 4, 7, 13, 15, and 22 levels were significantly elevated in patients with CAEBV infection with systemic symptoms, compared with levels in patients with no systemic symptoms. The levels of miR-BART2-5p, 13, and 15 showed clinical cutoff values associated with specific clinical conditions, in contrast to plasma EBV loads. CONCLUSIONS Levels of specific plasma EBV miRNAs were elevated differentially in patients with CAEBV infection. Several EBV miRNAs, particularly miR-BART2-5p, 13, and 15, are potentially biomarkers of disease severity or prognosis.
Effects of cytochrome P-450 inhibitors on the in vivo metabolism of all-trans-retinoic acid in rats.

This study examines the effects of ketoconazole, R 75 251 and some other cytochrome P-450 inhibitors on the in vivo metabolism of all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) in normal rats. Oral treatment with ketoconazole or R 75 251 (40 mg/kg, -1 hr) reduced the elimination rate of i.v. injected RA from plasma: the half-life of RA increased from 27 min in control-treated animals to 43 min and 76 min after dosing with ketoconazole and R 75 251, respectively. However, neither drug had an effect on the distribution volume of the retinoid. Two hours after i.v. injection of RA, residual plasma levels of the retinoid were 11.2 ng/ml in ketoconazole and 22.7 ng/ml in R 75 251-treated rats. The other P-450 inhibitors, aminoglutethimide, cimetidine, itraconazole, metyrapone and saperconazole, showed no sparing effect on RA elimination: plasma levels of the acid were below 1 ng/ml, as in control-treated animals. Administration of ketoconazole or R 75 251 (40 mg/kg, -2 hr) to rats also enhanced endogenous plasma concentrations of RA. Levels of the retinoid were raised from mostly undetectable values (less than 0.5 ng/ml) to 1.3 +/- 0.1 and 2.5 0.1 ng/ml after treatment with ketoconazole and R 75 251, respectively. These data are indicative of the important contribution of the cytochrome P-450 enzyme system to the in vivo metabolic process of RA. In vivo inhibition of the P-450 pathway not only increased the biological half-life of exogenously administered RA, but also enhanced the endogenous plasma level of this vitamin A derivative.
Antigenic Character of the Cancer Milk Agent in Mice.∗

Conclusions The milk factor of mammary mouse carcinoma is highly antigenic and stimulates the formation of antibodies in both rabbits and rats. The mouse cancer antiserum neutralizes and renders inactive mouse cancer centrifugates. Equally effective antiserums are prepared from spontaneous and from transplant tumors. Normal rabbit and rat serums have a slight effect in inactivating the mouse cancer virus. The finding that antiserum against normal mouse tissue does not have any neutralizing or adverse effect on the milk agent indicates that the agent is a virus of exogenous origin.
Research on motion control system of mine rescue robot

According to demand of six-pedrail mine rescue robot in a complex enfironment, it is designed as modularization of hardware architecture based on upper and lower processor of multi-cpu, using IPC as the central computer. The motion control system software is built though VC++. The experiments show that the system can conrol two drive-motors and four-arm motors well, and the demand of motion montrol mystem of mine rescue robot is met. Motion control system of mine rescue robot has good real-time, reliability, accuracy, and openness.
Quantifying Nondeterminism in Finite Automata

Various ways of quantifying the nondeterminism in finite automata have been considered since the 1970’s. Roughly speaking, a nondeterminism measure can count the number of accepting computations (ambiguity), the number of all computations (computation width) or the amount of nondeterminism on a single best (or worst) computation on a given input. This paper surveys results on the growth rate of the nondeterminism measures and the descriptional complexity of nondeterministic finite automata with limited nondeterminism.
Toxicological effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles: a review of in vitro mammalian studies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Recent rapid advances in nanotechnology raise concerns about development, production route, and diffusion in industrial and consumer products of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs). In fact, compared to recent increase in applications of this nanomaterial, the health effects of human exposure have not been systematically investigated. The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview on the current knowledge regarding the effects of TiO2-NPs on mammalian cells. EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION SOURCES This review is based on an analysis of the current literature on this topic. STATE OF THE ART Fine TiO2 particles have been considered as safe and to pose little risk to humans, suggesting that exposure to this material is relatively harmless. However, available data in the literature showed that TiO2-NPs can cause several adverse effects on mammalian cells such as increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cytokines levels, reduction of cell viability and proliferation, induction of apoptosis and genotoxicity. PERSPECTIVES AND CONCLUSIONS Additional research is needed to obtain up-to-date knowledge on health effects of TiO2-NPs and to avoid any potential risk correlated to their exposure. Consequently, future studies need to: (1) use an homogeneous and rigorous exposure classification to clarify how the physicochemical properties of TiO2-NPs correlate with their toxicological effects; (2) assess the potential adverse effects of low level exposures to TiO2-NPs, as most of the information currently available originates from studies in which exposure levels were excessively and unrealistically high; (3) identify the possible roles of TiO2-NPs in genotoxicity and carcinogenicity (4) carry out epidemiologic studies of exposed workers to provide an assessment of possible risks correlated to the occupational exposure to TiO2-NPs.
A Feasibility Study of an In-the-Wild Experimental Public Access WiFi Network

Universal Internet access has become critical to modern life, leading to many explorations of approaches to increase its availability. In this paper we report on a study of one such approach, PAWS, that seeks to understand the technical and social constraints of providing Internet access, free at the point of use, by sharing existing broadband subscribers' connections. We elaborate the technical and social context of our deployment, a deprived neighbourhood in a medium-sized British city, and discuss the constraints on and resulting architecture of this system, including the authentication and security mechanisms necessary for a service of this kind. We then report on the use of our deployment over a period of seven months from July 2013 to February 2014, including analyses of the performance and usage of the network. Our data show that PAWS is socially and technically feasible and has the potential to provide Internet access economically to many who are currently digitally disenfranchised. However, doing so requires overcoming numerous challenges, both technical and social.
A Hough Based Eye Direction Detection Algorithm without On-site Calibration

This paper proposes an algorithm to estimate gaze direction without on-site calibration even when the position of the head relative to the camera moves. We define eye direction as geometrical direction of the eyeball and gaze direction as long fixed looking detection in this paper. In the algorithm to detect the eye direction, a cornea curvature center is detected based on a relation model between a light source and the cornea curvature center. A shape of the pupil is approximated using the detected center by ellipse Hough transform. The eye direction is estimated as a rotation angle of the approximated pupil using a cornea curvature radius and distance between the cornea curvature center and a pupil rim. This personal information on the eyeball is essential to the eye direction detection and the third personal information, a gap of the fovea, to the gaze direction detection. They are required measuring one time beforehand. However, on-site calibration is never to do in the gaze direction detection, which corrects the eye direction by the gap of the fovea. The effectiveness of our algorithm was confirmed about three point of views. The first is that the cornea curvature center was detected stably, the second that the eye direction for 4 examinees was measured with dispersion of almost same level as the involuntary eye movement, and the third that the gaze direction was detected stably moving the camera instead of the head.
A new efficient vanishing point detection from a single image

Detecting the vanishing point from a single road image is a challenging problem since there is only very limited information in the input image which can help the computer to deduce the genuine location of the vanishing point. Moreover, sometimes the cluttered ambient environment in a real road image will hinder rather than help the detection. Learning the advantages and the limitations of current edge-based and texture-based approaches motivates us to propose a new vanishing point detection method, which integrates the efficiency of edge-based methods and the orientation coherence concept of texture-based methods that can be of a great help to improve the accuracy of detection. The proposed method has been tested on over 200 various road images downloaded from the internet. These images exhibit large variations in color, texture, illumination and ambient environment. The experimental results demonstrate that this new method is both efficient and effective at detecting vanishing point compared with some state-of-the-art edge-based and texture-based methods.