Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of topical anti-ischemic agents in the salvage of failing random-pattern skin flaps in rats.

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of topical anti-ischemic drug therapy in the salvage of failing, random-pattern skin flaps. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, therapeutic trial. SETTING Academic medical center. SUBJECTS Sixty-one adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. INTERVENTION Each experimental rat underwent a caudally based random-pattern skin flap using the modified McFarlane technique. Rats were randomized to 1 of 6 treatment groups: topical nifedipine, topical trolamine salicylate, topical nitroglycerin, topical trolamine salicylate-nitroglycerin combination, topical nifedipine-trolamine salicylate-nitroglycerin combination, or inert carrier ointment (control). Treatment was initiated immediately following flap closure and continued every 6 hours for 7 days. At the end of the treatment period, animals were euthanized and flap survival was determined for each one. RESULTS Topical anti-ischemic drug therapy resulted in a statistically significant reduction in ischemic flap necrosis for each drug (or combination) tested relative to the 44.2% mean necrosis observed in control animals. Treatment with the combination of topical nitroglycerin and topical trolamine salicylate resulted in the best salvage response (25.2% mean necrosis) with a statistically significant improvement in flap survival relative to both controls and nitroglycerin alone. CONCLUSIONS Topical anti-ischemic agents are effective in reducing ischemic necrosis of failing, random-pattern skin flaps in the rat model. Although nitroglycerin, trolamine salicylate, and nifedipine possess unique pharmacologic mechanisms of action, each drug produced a statistically significant improvement in flap survival. The results of this study suggest that topical drug therapy may play an important role in clinical salvage of the failing skin flap. Further studies are needed to explore the potential of combination drug therapy.
Cardio-ankle vascular index is a candidate predictor of coronary atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND Recently, arterial stiffness parameter called cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) has been developed. In the current study, using coronary angiographic (CAG) findings, the usefulness of CAVI as a marker of the severity of coronary atherosclerosis was compared with that of carotid atherosclerosis parameters obtained from high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography. METHOD AND RESULT A total of 109 participants who underwent CAG were enrolled in the current study. They were divided into 4 groups according to the number of stenotic vessels on CAG; no lesion (0VD), 1-vessel (1VD), 2-vessel (2VD) and 3-vessel (3VD) groups. CAVI was significantly higher in 1VD group compared with the 0VD group (p<0.05), and was significantly higher in 2VD and 3VD group compared with the 1VD group. In single regression analysis, CAVI correlated positively with maximum intima-media thickness (IMT) (p<0.01) and plaque score (p<0.0001). A stepwise ordinal logistic regression analysis using mean IMT, maximum IMT, plaque score and CAVI as independent variables identified only CAVI as positively related to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve defined by CAVI was the greatest. CONCLUSION CAVI might be more useful for discriminating the probability of coronary atherosclerosis than findings of carotid atherosclerosis by high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography.
Cancer Cells Bypass Normal Proliferation Controls and Colonize Other Tissues

About one in five of us will die of cancer, but that is not why we devote a chapter to this disease. Cancer cells break the most basic rules of cell behavior by which multicellular organisms are built and maintained, and they exploit every kind of opportunity to do so. These transgressions help to reveal what the normal rules are and how they are enforced. As a result, cancer research helps to illuminate the fundamentals of cell biology—especially cell signaling (Chapter 15), the cell cycle and cell growth (Chapter 17), programmed cell death (apoptosis, Chapter 18), and the control of tissue architecture (Chapters 19 and 22). Of course, with a deeper understanding of these normal processes, we also gain a deeper understanding of the disease and better tools to treat it. In this chapter, we first consider what cancer is and describe the natural history of the disease from a cellular standpoint. We then discuss the molecular changes that make a cell cancerous. And we end the chapter by considering how our enhanced understanding of the molecular basis of cancer is leading to improved methods for its prevention and treatment. The body of an animal operates as a society or ecosystem, whose individual members are cells that reproduce by cell division and organize themselves into collabo-rative assemblies called tissues. This ecosystem is very peculiar, however, because self-sacrifice—as opposed to survival of the fittest—is the rule. Ultimately, all of the somatic cell lineages in animals are committed to die: they leave no progeny and instead dedicate their existence to the support of the germ cells, which alone have a chance of continued survival (discussed in Chapter 21). There is no mystery in this, for the body is a clone derived from a fertilized egg, and the genome of the somatic cells is the same as that of the germ-cell lineage that gives rise to sperm or eggs. By their self-sacrifice for the sake of the germ cells, the somatic cells help to propagate copies of their own genes. Thus, unlike free-living cells such as bacteria, which compete to survive, the cells of a multicellular organism are committed to collaboration. To coordinate their behavior, the cells send, receive, and interpret an elaborate set of extracel-lular signals that serve as social controls, directing cells how to act (discussed in Chapter 15). As a result, each cell behaves in a socially responsible manner—rest-ing, growing, …
Exploring the Genes of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) by NGS and De Novo Transcriptome Assembly

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) is an important subtropical tree crop cultivated on 326,000 ha in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, with a total yield production of more than 1,000,000 t. Yerba mate presents a strong limitation regarding sequence information. The NCBI GenBank lacks an EST database of yerba mate and depicts only 80 DNA sequences, mostly uncharacterized. In this scenario, in order to elucidate the yerba mate gene landscape by means of NGS, we explored and discovered a vast collection of I. paraguariensis transcripts. Total RNA from I. paraguariensis was sequenced by Illumina HiSeq-2000 obtaining 72,031,388 pair-end 100 bp sequences. High quality reads were de novo assembled into 44,907 transcripts encompassing 40 million bases with an estimated coverage of 180X. Multiple sequence analysis allowed us to predict that yerba mate contains ∼32,355 genes and 12,551 gene variants or isoforms. We identified and categorized members of more than 100 metabolic pathways. Overall, we have identified ∼1,000 putative transcription factors, genes involved in heat and oxidative stress, pathogen response, as well as disease resistance and hormone response. We have also identified, based in sequence homology searches, novel transcripts related to osmotic, drought, salinity and cold stress, senescence and early flowering. We have also pinpointed several members of the gene silencing pathway, and characterized the silencing effector Argonaute1. We predicted a diverse supply of putative microRNA precursors involved in developmental processes. We present here the first draft of the transcribed genomes of the yerba mate chloroplast and mitochondrion. The putative sequence and predicted structure of the caffeine synthase of yerba mate is presented. Moreover, we provide a collection of over 10,800 SSR accessible to the scientific community interested in yerba mate genetic improvement. This contribution broadly expands the limited knowledge of yerba mate genes, and is presented as the first genomic resource of this important crop.
On the design of unilateral dual-loop feedback low-noise amplifiers with simultaneous noise, impedance, and IIP3 match

This work describes the theory and design of a nonenergetic dual-loop feedback low-noise amplifier (LNA) that provides maximum unilateral gain and simultaneous noise and impedance matching conditions. The dual-loop feedback is implemented in the form of transformer current-feedback and inductive series feedback (emitter degeneration). The current-feedback transformer is also used to neutralize the base-collector capacitance (C/sub bc/), by combining it with a properly dimensioned shunt admittance at the collector output. The result is a single-transistor unilateral-gain amplifier with high isolation and good stability, eliminating the need for a cascode stage and thus enableing the use of a lower dc-supply voltage. For the complete LNA, simple design equations are derived for the unilateralization, noise, and impedance matching requirements. Finally, second-harmonic tuning at the source improves the linearity without compromising the simultaneous noise and impedance match. To verify the presented theory, a 900-MHz hybrid Si BJT LNA has been implemented, which achieves 1.3-dB noise figure, 15-dB gain, -55dB isolation, and +10dBm IIP3 using a conventional double poly transistor, consuming I/sub C/=2.5 mA at V/sub CE/=1.5 V.
Existence of Weak Solutions for the Unsteady Interaction of a Viscous Fluid with an Elastic Plate

Abstract.The purpose of this work is to study the existence of solutions for an unsteady fluid-structure interaction problem. We consider a three-dimensional viscous incompressible fluid governed by the Navier–Stokes equations, interacting with a flexible elastic plate located on one part of the fluid boundary. The fluid domain evolves according to the structure’s displacement, itself resulting from the fluid force. We prove the existence of at least one weak solution as long as the structure does not touch the fixed part of the fluid boundary. The same result holds also for a two-dimensional fluid interacting with a one-dimensional membrane.
INCLUDING ALL OF OUR LIVES: RENEWING THE SOCIAL MODEL OF DISABILITY

This chapter has its origins in an article written for Coalition one of the journals of the British disabled people's movement. In the four years since it appeared in that initial form, both discussions with other disabled people and my own circumstances have influenced my thinking. During that time, we have started to talk more freely about our experiences of impairment and the more fully developed form of the social model of disability that is advocated here is already beginning to be applied informally within the disabled people's movement.
Dielectric Properties of Biological Materials: Biophysical and Medical Applications

A review is given of the dielectric properties of mammalian tissues for the frequency range 1 Hz to 10 GHz. Such information is of relevance to a number of medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications which involve the use of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation, as well as to studies of the possible biological effects arising from exposure to electric and magnetic fields. Dielectric studies of tissues and biomolecules can also aid the further understanding of some biochemical and physiological processes. The dielectric properties of amino acids, proteins, biological electrolytes, cell membranes, tissue-bound water and of normal and cancerous tissues are discussed with the emphasis being directed at the underlying molecular and biophysical processes involved. Clinical aspects such as the hyperthermic treatment of cancer and the stimulation of bone healing are discussed also.
Pricing of basket options using univariate normal inverse Gaussian approximations

In this paper we study the approximation of a sum of assets having marginal log-returns being multivariate normal inverse Gaussian distributed. We analyse the choice of a univariate exponential NIG distribution, where the approximation is based on matching of moments. Probability densities and European basket call option prices of the two‐asset and univariate approximations are studied and analysed in two cases, each case consisting of nine scenarios of different volatilities and correlations, to assess the accuracy of the approximation. We find that the sum can be well approximated, failing, however, to match the tails for some extreme parameter choices. The approximated option prices are close to the true ones, although becoming significantly underestimated for far out‐of‐the‐money call options. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Randomized Hough transform-based vision algorithm for small unmanned aerial vehicles using an airbag

Safe landing of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is not an easy task due to complex external aiding devices. Likewise external piloting also involves risks of false landings. Hu's moment based vision algorithms that aids automatic landing of UAVs prove to be satisfying regarding speed but lack accuracy and efficiency. This paper proposes Randomized Hough transform (RHT) based vision algorithm for accurate landing of small UAVs employing an inflated bag. Uniqueness of the airbag's color and shape are well exploited for its detection from any viewing angle. Color based detection of the airbag is soon followed by Randomized Hough transform based shape detection. The accuracy of proposed method and Hu's method is tested in a series of flight trials and the results are tabulated.
A Prospective Study on Algorithms Adapted to the Spatial Frequency in Tomography

The use of iterative algorithms in tomographic reconstruction always leads to a frequency adapted rate of convergence in that low frequencies are accurately reconstructed after a few iterations, while high frequencies sometimes require many more computations. In this paper, we propose to build frequency adapted (FA) algorithms based on a condition of incomplete backprojection and propose an FA simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (FA-SART) algorithm as an example. The results obtained with the FA-SART algorithm demonstrate a very fast convergence on a highly detailed phantom when compared to the original SART algorithm. Though the use of such an FA algorithm may seem difficult, we specify in which case it is relevant and propose several ways to improve the reconstruction process with FA algorithms.
PPAR Gamma: Coordinating Metabolic and Immune Contributions to Female Fertility

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) regulates cellular functions such as adipogenesis and immune cell activation. However, new information has indicated additional roles of PPARG directing the cyclic changes that occur within ovarian tissue of female mammals, including those that facilitate the release of oocytes each estrous cycle. In addition to ovarian PPARG expression and function, many PPARG actions within adipocytes and macrophages have additional direct and indirect implications for ovarian function and female fertility. This encompasses the regulation of lipid uptake and transport, insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, and the regulation of inflammatory mediator synthesis and release. This review discusses the developing links between PPARG activity and female reproductive function, and highlights several mechanisms that may facilitate such a relationship.
Understanding and Rejecting Errant Touches on Multi-touch Tablets

Given the pervasion of multi-touch tablet, pen-based applications have rapidly moved onto this new platform. Users draw both with bare fingers and using capacitive pens as they would do on paper in the past. Unlike paper, these tablets cannot distinguish legitimate finger/pen input from accidental touches by other parts of the user’s hand. In this thesis, we refer it to as errant touch rejection problem since users may unintentionally touch the screen with other parts of their hand. In this thesis, I design, implement and evaluate new approaches, bezel-focus rejection, of preventing errant touches on multi-touch tablets. I began the research by conducting a formal study to collect and characterize errant touches. I analyzed the data collected from the study and the results are guiding me to design rejection techniques. I will conclude this research by developing bezel-focus rejection and evaluate its performance. The results show that bezel-focus rejection yields high rejection rate of errant touches and make users more inclined to rest hands on tablet than comparison techniques. This research has two major contributions to Human Computer Interaction (HCI) community. First, my proposed errant touch rejection approaches can be applied the other pen-based note-taking applications. Second, my experimental results can serve as a guide to other developing similar techniques.
Ethanol Extract of Atractylodes macrocephala Protects Bone Loss by Inhibiting Osteoclast Differentiation

The rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala has been used mainly in Traditional Chinese Medicine for invigorating the functions of the stomach and spleen. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of the 70% ethanol extract of the rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala (AMEE) on osteoclast differentiation. We found that AMEE inhibits osteoclast differentiation from its precursors induced by receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), an essential cytokine required for osteoclast differentiation. AMEE attenuated RANKL-induced activation of NF-κB signaling pathway, subsequently inhibiting the induction of osteoclastogenic transcription factors, c-Fos and nuclear factor of activated T cells cytoplasmic 1. Consistent with the in vitro results, administration of AMEE protected RANKL-induced bone loss in mice. We also identified atractylenolide I and II as active constituents contributing to the anti-osteoclastogenic effect of AMEE. Taken together, our results demonstrate that AMEE has a protective effect on bone loss via inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and suggest that AMEE may be useful in preventing and treating various bone diseases associated with excessive bone resorption.
Targeting Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase Overcome Tumor Evasion of Immunotherapy by CTLs

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is an enzyme essential for the generation of Ab diversity in B cells and is considered to be a general gene mutator. In addition, AID expression was also implicated in the pathogenesis of human B cell malignancies and associated with poor prognosis. In this study, we report that small interfering RNA silencing of AID in plasmacytoma dramatically increased its susceptibility to immunotherapy by CTLs. AID silencing did not decrease the mutation frequencies of tumor Ag gene P1A. Gene-array analysis showed dramatically altered expression of a number of genes in AID-silenced plasmacytoma cells, and upregulation of CD200 was shown to be in favor of tumor eradication by CTLs. Taken together, we demonstrate a novel function of AID in tumor evasion of CTL therapy and that targeting AID should be beneficial in the immunotherapy of AID-positive tumors.
Iterated learning and grounding: from holistic to compositional languages

This paper presents a new computational model for studying the origins and evolution of compositional languages grounded through the interaction between agents and their environment. The model is based on previous work on adaptive grounding of lexicons and the iterated learning model. Although the model is still in a developmental phase, the first results show that a compositional language can emerge in which the structure reflects regularities present in the population's environment.
Inhibitory Action of Adenosine on Histamine‐ and Dopamine‐Stimulated Cardiac Contractility and Adenylate Cyclase in Guinea Pigs

Infusion of adenosine into the coronary arteries of isolated guinea pig hearts produced a dose-dependent inhibition of cardiac contractile force development elicited by bolus injections of histamine (7.5 x 10~9 mol) or dopamine (1.5 X 10"8 mol). Threshold concentration of adenosine was 1(T7M and maximal inhibition (90%) was obtained at 3 x 10"5 M. Adenosine in the effective concentration range did not alter Ca2+-induced increases in contractile force. The rise in tissue levels of cAMP induced by equieffective doses of histamine (7.5 x 10~9 mol) and dopamine (1.5 x 10~8 was inhibited by adenosine (3.5 x 10"5 M) by about 60%. In a particular membrane preparation of guinea pig ventricles the adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by the histamine (10~5 M) and dopamine (10~4 was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by adenosine. This effect could be reversed by theophylline (5 x 10"5 M) in a competitive manner. The hormone-insensitive adenylate cyclase of a Lubrol-PX solubilized membrane preparation stimulated by NaF or 5'-guanylylimido-diphosphate (GppNHp) was also inhibited by adenosine (40% and 90% inhibition at 10"5 M and 10~4 M, respectively). Adenosine did not influence the Km value of the adenylate cyclase for ATP, but markedly lowered V ma x of the enzyme. From additional studies with purine-substituted (7V 8-methyl-adenosine, JV 6-phenylisopropyl-adenosine) and ribose-sub stituted (2'-deoxy-adenosine and arabino-furanosyl-adenine) adenosine analogues, we conclude that adenosine may inhibit the inotropic responses to hormones as well as the adenylate cyclase activity by specifically interacting with at least two different sites associated with the adenylate cyclase. Circ Res 48: 259-266, 1981
Combining phylogenetic and hidden Markov models in biosequence analysis

A few models have appeared in recent years that consider not only the way substitutions occur through evolutionary history at each site of a genome, but also the way the process changes from one site to the next. These models combine phylogenetic models of molecular evolution, which apply to individual sites, and hidden Markov models, which allow for changes from site to site. Besides improving the realism of ordinary phylogenetic models, they are potentially very powerful tools for inference and prediction---for gene finding, for example, or prediction of secondary structure. In this paper, we review progress on combined phylogenetic and hidden Markov models and present some extensions to previous work. Our main result is a simple and efficient method for accommodating higher-order states in the HMM, which allows for context-sensitive models of substitution---that is, models that consider the effects of neighboring bases on the pattern of substitution. We present experimental results indicating that higher-order states, autocorrelated rates, and multiple functional categories all lead to significant improvements in the fit of a combined phylogenetic and hidden Markov model, with the effect of higher-order states being particularly pronounced.
Treating arterial disease to prevent brain injury

Markers of subclinical vascular disease, including arterial stiffness and carotid intima-media thickness, are seen as emerging markers of arterial aging and may serve as risk markers for brain injury and vascular cognitive impairment.1 Arterial stiffening, especially of the aorta, plays a key role in the initiation and progression of hypertension. It also directly relates the effects of hypertension to peripheral organs, with dire consequences for organs with extensive microvasculature like the kidney and brain.2 Hypertension contributes to the formation of atheromatous plaques in larger arteries3; directly causes vascular remodeling, lumen narrowing, and rarefaction of small vessels4; and ultimately leads to the impairment of vascular function. The underlying stiffening of the aorta transmits more pulsatile pressure farther into the periphery. High pulsatile flow within the microvasculature causes damage to the endothelium with shedding of endothelial cells. In the brain, this leads to microinfarction, lacunar stroke, cerebral microbleeds, and white matter hyperintensities on MRI.1