Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of the alpha3 nicotinic receptor subunit mRNA in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

Changes in the number of high-affinity nicotine binding sites have been widely reported in specific regions of the human brain during aging and in degenerative neurological diseases associated with aging, such as Alzheimer's disease. Nicotinic receptors are highly diverse and a description of the molecular subtypes affected in such conditions has not been achieved to date. To investigate the status of the alpha3 subunit-containing subtypes in such conditions, we assessed by in situ hybridisation the alpha3 mRNA density in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and thalamus of Alzheimer's patients and age-matched controls. No significant difference in the expression of the alpha3 mRNA, either qualitative or quantitative, was found between Alzheimer's individuals and controls in any of the analysed areas. This result suggests that the nicotine binding changes occurring in these areas in Alzheimer's patients are not correlated to a variation of the alpha3 mRNA in the same regions. Nevertheless, a negative correlation between the alpha3 mRNA density and the age was observed in the entorhinal cortex of both the Alzheimer's and the normal subjects, suggesting a potentially extensive decay of the alpha3-expressing neurons or loss of alpha3-containing receptors in intact neurons of the entorhinal cortex in the late elderly.
Behçet Disease: Evolution of Clinical Manifestations

Clinical phenotypes of Behçet disease (BD) vary among ethnic groups. We chronologically analyzed the clinical manifestations of BD in 412 patients meeting the Japanese criteria for BD seen at 2 Yokohama City University hospitals from July 1991 to December 2007. We examined the onset of individual symptoms in each patient.A single initial symptom appeared earlier than any other manifestation in 78% of the patients. Time from the initial symptom to diagnosis was 8.6 ± 10.1 years. Oral ulcer, the most common initial manifestation, preceded the diagnosis by 7.5 ± 10.2 years. Genital ulcer and eye and skin involvement appeared 1 or 2 years before diagnosis, whereas gastrointestinal, central nervous system, or vascular involvement developed later. The frequency of eye involvement was significantly higher in patients with neurologic lesions, but significantly lower in those with gastrointestinal or vascular involvement. However, no particular combination of major symptoms predicted the development of organ involvement. There has been a recent decrease in the rate of "complete" BD (patients having all 4 of the major symptoms of oral ulcers, genital ulcers, and eye and skin lesions), whereas the frequencies of arthritis, gastrointestinal, and vascular involvement have been increasing.Further assessment may allow the detection of early predictors of the more aggressive disease, which requires more intensive treatment.Abbreviations: BD = Behçet disease, CNS = central nervous system, ISG = International Study Group, SPT = skin pathergy test.
Inhibition of skiA and skiB gene expression ventralizes zebrafish embryos

Univ Minnesota, Dept Genet Cell Biol & Dev, Biol Sci Ctr 250, St Paul, MN 55108 USA; Univ Minnesota, Arnold & Mabel Beckman Ctr TRansposon Res, St Paul, MN 55108 USA; Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Hydrobiol, Wuhan, Peoples R China; Discovery Genom Inc, St Paul, MN USA
A shadow elimination method for vehicle analysis based on random walk

A novel method is proposed for solving the shadow and occlusion problems of vehicle analysis. Kalman filter is combined with random walk algorithm. First, the computation region of random walk is reduced through the prediction information from the Kalman filter, then the seed points is extracted in this region for segmentation. Further, the segmentation of random walk is implemented, and the results of which is used to update the filter parameters. In order to obtain the initial state vector for Kalman filter, the random walk based on car bottom shadow is proposed too. Experiment results show that the problem of moving vehicles shadows, tracking and occlusion can be solved.
Examination of the Correlation Between Internet Addiction and Social Phobia in Adolescents

This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted with adolescents to examine the correlation between Internet addiction and social phobia. The population of the study consisted of 24,260 students aged between 11 and 15 years. Sampling method was used from population with known number, and 1,450 students were calculated as sample of the study. In this study, 13.7% of the adolescents had an Internet addiction, and 4.2% spent more than 5 hr on the computer every day. There was a positive correlation between Internet addiction and social phobia. The form of time spent on Internet was examined in terms of addiction and social phobia; although Internet addiction was related to games, dating sites, and web surfing, social phobia was related to homework, games, and web surfing. It was hypothesized that adolescents with social phobia were Internet addicts, and the participants used the Internet to spend time rather than socialize.
The spectral composition of evening light and individual differences in the suppression of melatonin and delay of sleep in humans

Abstract: The effect of light on circadian rhythms and sleep is mediated by a multi‐component photoreceptive system of rods, cones and melanopsin‐expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. The intensity and spectral sensitivity characteristics of this system are to be fully determined. Whether the intensity and spectral composition of light exposure at home in the evening is such that it delays circadian rhythms and sleep also remains to be established. We monitored light exposure at home during 6–8 wk and assessed light effects on sleep and circadian rhythms in the laboratory. Twenty‐two women and men (23.1 ± 4.7 yr) participated in a six‐way, cross‐over design using polychromatic light conditions relevant to the light exposure at home, but with reduced, intermediate or enhanced efficacy with respect to the photopic and melanopsin systems. The evening rise of melatonin, sleepiness and EEG‐assessed sleep onset varied significantly (P < 0.01) across the light conditions, and these effects appeared to be largely mediated by the melanopsin, rather than the photopic system. Moreover, there were individual differences in the sensitivity to the disruptive effect of light on melatonin, which were robust against experimental manipulations (intra‐class correlation = 0.44). The data show that light at home in the evening affects circadian physiology and imply that the spectral composition of artificial light can be modified to minimize this disruptive effect on sleep and circadian rhythms. These findings have implications for our understanding of the contribution of artificial light exposure to sleep and circadian rhythm disorders such as delayed sleep phase disorder.
Identification of spontaneous mutations within the long‐range limb‐specific Sonic hedgehog enhancer (ZRS) that alter Sonic hedgehog expression in the chicken limb mutants oligozeugodactyly and silkie breed

The evolutionarily conserved, non‐coding ∼800‐base‐pair (bp) zone of polarizing activity (ZPA) regulatory sequence (ZRS) controls Shh expression in the posterior limb. We report that the chicken mutant oligozeugodactyly (ozd), which lacks limb Shh expression, has a large deletion within the ZRS. Furthermore, the preaxial polydactylous, Silkie Breed chicken, which develops ectopic anterior limb Shh expression, has a single bp change within the ZRS. Using an in vivo reporter assay to examine enhancer function in the chick limb, we demonstrate that the wild‐type ZRS drives β‐galactosidase reporter expression in the ZPA of both wild‐type and ozd limbs. The Silkie ZRS drives β‐galactosidase in both posterior and anterior Shh domains in wild‐type limb buds. These results support the hypothesis that the ZRS integrates positive and negative prepatterned regulatory inputs in the chicken model system and demonstrate the utility of the chicken limb as an efficient genetic system for gene regulatory studies. Developmental Dynamics 240:1212–1222, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical comparison of branched DNA and reverse transcriptase-PCR and nucleic acid sequence-based amplification assay for the quantitation of circulating recombinant form_BC HIV-1 RNA in plasma

Objective:To investigate the correlation between three viral load assays for circulating recombinant form (CRF)_BC. Design:Recent studies in HIV-1 molecular epidemiology, reveals that CRF_BC is the dominant subtype of HIV-1 virus in mainland China, representing over 45% of the HIV-1 infected population. The performances of nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), branched DNA (bDNA) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were compared for the HIV-1 viral load detection and quantitation of CRF_BC in China. Methods:Sixteen HIV-1 positive and three HIV-1 negative samples were collected. Sequencing of the positive samples in the gp41 region was conducted. The HIV-1 viral load values were determined using bDNA, RT-PCR and NASBA assays. Deming regression analysis with SPSS 12.0 (SPS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) was performed for data analysis. Results:Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of env gene (gp41) region of the 16 HIV-1 positive clinical specimens from Guizhou Province in southwest China revealed the dominance of the subtype CRF_BC in that region. A good correlation of their viral load values was observed among three assays. Pearson's correlation between RT-PCR and bDNA is 0.969, Lg(VL)RT-PCR = 0.969 * Lg(VL)bDNA + 0.55; Pearson's correlation between RT-PCR and NASBA is 0.968, Lg(VL)RT-PCR = 0.968 * Lg(VL)NASBA + 0.937; Pearson's correlation between NASBA and bDNA is 0.980, Lg(VL)NASBA = 0.980 * Lg(VL)bDNA - 0.318. Conclusion:When testing with 3 different assays, RT-PCR, bDNA and NASBA, the group of 16 HIV-1 positive samples showed the viral load value was highest for RT-PCR, followed by bDNA then NASBA, which is consistent with the former results in subtype B. The three viral load assays are highly correlative for CRF_BC in China.
GC-Based Techniques for Breath Analysis: Current Status, Challenges, and Prospects

Breath analysis is a noninvasive diagnostic method that profiles a person's physical state by volatile organic compounds in the breath. It has huge potential in the field of disease diagnosis. In order to offer opportunities for practical applications, various GC-based techniques have been investigated for on-line breath analysis since GC is the most preferred technique for mixed gas separation. This article reviews the development of breath analysis and GC-based techniques in basic breath research, involving sampling methods, preconcentration methods, conventional GC-based techniques, and newly developed GC techniques for breath analysis. The combination of GC and newly developed detection techniques takes advantages of the virtues of each. In addition, portable GC or micro GC are poised to become field GC-based techniques in breath analysis. Challenges faced in GC-based techniques for breath analysis are discussed candidly. Effective cooperation of experts from different fields is urgent to promote the development of breath analysis.
Silica-on-silicon waveguides with MgF2 cladding layers

we report on the choice of MgF2 as cladding layers on silica-on-silicon optical waveguides fabricated by electron beam irradiation. The deposition methods need to be chosen carefully with low temperature as not to damage the low refractive index change during fabrication process. The main consideration is that the refractive index of the cladding layer should be very close to that of silica and it have good transparency, as well as be capable of being deposited at low temperature. The thickness profile then examined using DEKTAK II surface profiler.
An improved ultracapacitor equivalent circuit model for the design of energy storage power systems

As a new device in energy storage systems, ultracapacitor has drawn more and more attention recently. Many equivalent circuit models have been proposed to analyze its characteristics. However, for the design of energy storage systems, more insights are needed to analyze the transient response for many design aspects, such as the design of the voltage balance circuit, the optimization of the energy management scheme, etc. In this paper, an improved ultracapacitor equivalent circuit model is proposed, and the parameter identification algorithm based on nonlinear least-squares fitting of time response data is designed. The experimental results are presented and some important parameters regarding the proposed equivalent circuit model are discussed in detail.
NET‐DBSCAN: clustering the nodes of a dynamic linear network

NET‐DBSCAN, a method for clustering the nodes of a linear network, whose edges may be temporarily inaccessible, is introduced. The new method extends the idea of a well‐known spatial clustering method, named density‐based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN). The new algorithm is described in detail and through a series of examples. A prototype system, which implements the algorithm, developed in Java and tested through a series of synthetic networks, is also presented. Finally, the application of NET‐DBSCAN method to support real‐world situations is briefly discussed.
Morphology and quantitative changes of transient NPY‐ir neuronal populations during early postnatal development of the cat visual cortex

The early postnatal development of neuropeptide Y‐containing neurons in the visual cortex of the cat was analyzed. Immunohistochemistry reveals several stages of morphological differentiation and degeneration. Completely undifferentiated neurons have very small somata with nuclei surrounded by a thin rim of cytoplasm and processes unclearly differentiated into dendrites and axons. Processes bear growth cones. Differentiating neurons show an increase in soma size and complexity of processes. Axons are recognizable. Fully differentiated neurons have well‐defined axonal and dendritic patterns. Degenerating neurons are identified by thick, heavily beaded processes covered by hairy appendages and vacuolar inclusions in the somata. Cell death is expressed by shrunken somata and lysed, fragmented processes.
Chemical manipulation of the heat resistance of Clostridium botulinum spores

The chemical forms of Clostridium botulinum 62A and 213B were prepared, and their heat resistances were determined in several heating media, including some low-acid foods. The heat resistance of C. botulinum spores can be manipulated up and down by changing chemical forms between the resistant calcium form and the sensitive hydrogen form. The resistant chemical form of type B spores has about three times the classical PO4 resistance at 235 F (112.8 C). As measured in peas and asparagus, both types of C. botulinum spores came directly from the culture at only a small fraction of the potential heat resistance shown by the same spores when chemically converted to the resistant form. The resistant spore form of both types (62A and 213B), when present in a low-acid food, can be sensitized to heating at the normal pH of the food.
Microfabrication of short pin fins on heat sink surfaces to augment heat transfer performance

Plate-fin heat sinks have been a successful technology in electronics cooling. Thermal performance of such heat sinks, however, has been driven to improve due to increasing heat generation in modern electronics devices. This paper proposes to introduce short pin fins on surfaces of plate-fin heat sinks to address such challenges. A microfabrication approach based on photolithography and electroplating technologies is devised to fabricate short copper pin fins on copper plates. The photolithography implements desired patterns of pin fins, and the electroplating enables pin fins to directly grow out of the base plate. A series of pin-fin coupons were fabricated using the devised method. A heat transfer test was designed to evaluate heat transfer augmentation by the pin fins. Fabricated coupons were tested in a rectangular channel and their thermal conductance and channel pressure drop were measured. A Design of Experiments (DoE) procedure via the Taguchi method was employed to find the influence of four factors: pin-fin height, diameter, spacing, and cross sectional shape, on the combination of thermal conductance and channel pressure drop for the coupons of different pin-fin parameters. Compared with similar plain coupons, pin-fin coupons of the best design parameters increase the thermal conductance by 78.3 % with only 7.8% increase of channel pressure drop. The devised micro-pin-fin fabrication has been proved as an effective approach to augmenting heat transfer of air-cooled plate-fin heat sinks.
Ökonometrische Analyse der Entscheidungspraxis des Bundeskartellamtes / Econometric Analysis of the Decisions of the German Federal Cartel Office

Zusammenfassung Die Arbeit untersucht Entscheidungen des Bundeskartellamtes in den Bereichen „Missbrauchsaufsicht" und „Wettbewerbsbeschränkende Vereinbarungen". Die hier interessierende Frage ist, inwieweit die Entscheidungen der Kartellbehörde durch Kenntnis des Vorwurfs und einiger beobachtbarer Marktstrukturmerkmale erklärt werden können. Für die ökonometrische Analyse wurde in 196 Kartell- und Missbrauchsfällen der Jahre 1985-2000 recherchiert. Ergebnis der Analyse ist, dass Marktstrukturmerkmale einen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Entscheidungen des BKartA haben. Ca. 75 % der Entscheidungen können mit Kenntnis einiger beobachtbarer Marktstrukturmerkmale und dem kartellbehördlichen Vorwurf erklärt werden. Summary In economic theory there is invariably a credible defence for all corporate competition practices. For the most part, the effects on static and dynamic competition functions cannot be uniquely identified. This gives economic policymakers a certain scope of discretion, and responsible decision makers have to weigh the possible positive and negative consequences of horizontal and vertical strategies. It also raises the question of the extent to which economic theory influences the decisions of cartel authorities. This paper will survey the decisions of the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt or BKartA) on abusive practices and cartels. It will focus mainly on to what extent the decisions of the Bundeskartellamt can be "explained" through knowledge of the criticised "anti-competitive" practice and observable market structure features. The intention is to draw conclusions about the competition model used as a policy guideline in German Competition Law. The data presented was collected within an protracted and costly case analysis at the German Cartel Office in Bonn. The discrete-choice analysis includes 196 cases and appendant decisions in the field of abusive practices and cartels between 1985-2000. An important finding of the paper is that, besides type of anticompetitive conduct, concentrations measures and an involvement of the market leader have a significant and robust effect on the decisions of the Cartel Office. The "mechanistic" method of explanation shows a reasonably high success rate of 75,69 %.
The arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis promotes the systemic induction of regulatory defence-related genes in rice leaves and confers resistance to pathogen infection.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses are mutualistic associations between soil fungi and most vascular plants. Their association benefits the host plant by improving nutrition, mainly phosphorus nutrition, and by providing increased capability to cope with adverse conditions. In this study, we investigated the transcriptional changes triggered in rice leaves as a result of AM symbiosis, focusing on the relevance of the plant defence response. We showed that root colonization by the AM fungus Glomus intraradices is accompanied by the systemic induction of genes that play a regulatory role in the host defence response, such as OsNPR1, OsAP2, OsEREBP and OsJAmyb. Genes involved in signal transduction processes (OsDUF26 and OsMPK6) and genes that function in calcium-mediated signalling processes (OsCBP, OsCaM and OsCML4) are also up-regulated in leaves of mycorrhizal rice plants in the absence of pathogen infection. In addition, the mycorrhizal rice plants exhibit a stronger induction of defence marker genes [i.e. pathogenesis-related (PR) genes] in their leaves in response to infection by the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae. Evidence indicates that mycorrhizal rice plants show enhanced resistance to the rice blast fungus. Overall, these results suggest that the protective effect of the AM symbiosis in rice plants relies on both the systemic activation of defence regulatory genes in the absence of pathogen challenge and the priming for stronger expression of defence effector genes during pathogen infection. The possible mechanisms involved in the mycorrhiza-induced resistance to M. oryzae infection are discussed.
Effect of Puberty on Markers of Glomerular Hypertrophy and Hypertension in IDDM

Epidemiological data implicate puberty as a factor in the initiation of diabetic nephropathy. However, the mechanism remains unclear. We hypothesized that puberty would result in an increase in glomerular hypertrophy and hypertension; these two early concomitant events are seen as pivotal to the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy. We studied the effect of pubertal duration on three surrogate markers of glomerular hypertrophy/hypertension: kidney volume (KV), microalbuminuria (MA), and Na-Li countertransport (CT). We recruited 177 subjects (87 female and 90 male; aged 6.2–22.1 years) with IDDM of 5 to 10 years' duration (6.8 ± 1.6 years) into three groups with different pubertal duration: prepubertal since IDDM diagnosis; prepubertal at diagnosis, now pubertal; or early puberty at diagnosis, now postpubertal. KV was measured by ultrasound and corrected for body surface area; MA was defined as urinary albumin excretion of 15–200 μg/min in two of three 24-h samples, and Na-Li CT was measured in erythrocytes. As pubertal duration increased, there was a disproportionate increase in mean KV (prepubertal, 247 ± 6 [SE] ml/1.73 m2; pubertal, 282 ± 7/1.73 m2; postpubertal, 295 ± 7/1.73 m2 P = 0.001), prevalence of nephromegaly (KV > 300 ml/1.73 m2) (14, 31, and 45%, respectively, P = 0.001), and prevalence of MA (0, 9.7, and 20.5%, respectively, P = 0.003). Subjects with KV > 300 ml/1.73 m2 were eight times more likely to have MA than those with KV <300 (odds ratio 8.1, 95% confidence interval 2.4–27.4, P = 0.0001). There was no effect of pubertal duration on Na-Li CT. Multiple regression with KV as the dependent variable found an association with pubertal duration, MA, Na-Li CT, and current HbA1c (P < 0.0001). Our findings indicate that pubertal duration is an important determinant of both KV and MA and suggest that nephromegaly precedes microalbuminuria. We postulate that these effects are attributable to the influence of the pubertal milieu on glomerular hypertrophy/hypertension.