Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extracellular SOD and VEGF are increased in vitreous bodies from proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients

Purpose To evaluate the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) in vitreous body and serum in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and investigate the role of EC-SOD in PDR by evaluating its angiostatic effect, using an in vitro angiogenesis model. To investigate the role of EC-SOD in PDR by evaluating its angiostatic effect, using an in vitro angiogenesis model. Methods EC-SOD and VEGF concentrations in vitreous and serum samples from PDR and macular hole (MH) were measured by ELISA. The effects of EC-SOD on VEGF-induced proliferation, migration, and tube formation were evaluated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Moreover, the effects of EC-SOD on VEGF-induced proliferation and migration were evaluated in HUVECs and primary normal human retinal microvascular endothelial cells. Results Intravitreal concentrations of EC-SOD were significantly higher (p<0.01) in PDR (58.0±23.8 ng/ml, mean±SD) than in MH (29.3±6.6 ng/ml). Intravitreal concentrations of VEGF were dramatically higher (p<0.01) in PDR (798.2±882.7 pg/ml) than in MH (17.7±15.5 pg/ml). The serum concentrations of EC-SOD and VEGF did not differ between the two patient groups. The vitreous concentrations of VEGF correlated with those of EC-SOD in all patients (rs=0.61, p<0.001). In HUVECs, EC-SOD at 100 ng/ml significantly suppressed VEGF-induced proliferation and tube formation, but not VEGF-induced migration. Conclusions EC-SOD was increased together with VEGF in the vitreous body from PDR patients, suggesting that EC-SOD may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of angiogenesis.
A Non-Work-Conserving Model for P-FRP Fixed Priority Scheduling

In real-time systems, Functional Reactive Programming (FRP) is already playing an important role and will potentially be more so in the future. Priority-based (preemptive) FRP (P-FRP), a variant of FRP with more real-time characteristics, demands more research in its scheduling and timing analysis. Its Abort-and-Restart (AR) nature indicates that reducing preemptions can be critical for improving system performance. In this paper, we present a new non-work-conserving scheduling model, P-FRP Deferred Start (DS) model, to reduce certain preemptions under fixed priority scheduling. We analyze some properties of the P-FRP DS model. Experiments show the domination on schedulability rate and task response time to those of the P-FRP AR model. The schedulability rate increases up to 243.1% and the portion of task sets that have response time decreased ranges from 15.49% for 3-task sets to 98.28% for 10-task sets.
Fast, cell-compatible click chemistry with copper-chelating azides for biomolecular labeling.

We report that azides capable of copper-chelation undergo much faster “Click chemistry” (copper-accelerated azide-alkyne cycloaddition, or CuAAC) than nonchelating azides under a variety of biocompatible conditions. This kinetic enhancement allowed us to perform site-specific protein labeling on the surface of living cells with only 10–40 µM CuI/II and much higher signal than could be obtained using the best previously-reported live-cell compatible CuAAC labeling conditions. Detection sensitivity was also increased for CuAAC detection of alkyne-modified proteins and RNA labeled by metabolic feeding.
Nest of Origin Predicts Adult Neuron Addition Rates in the Vocal Control System of the Zebra Finch

Neurogenesis and neuronal replacement in adulthood represent dramatic forms of plasticity that might serve as a substrate for behavioral flexibility. In songbirds, neurons are continually replaced in HVC (used as a proper name), a pre-motor region necessary for the production of learned vocalizations. There are large individual differences in HVC neuron addition. Some of this variation is probably due to individual differences in adult experience; however, it is also possible that heritability or experience early in development constrains the levels of adult neuron addition. As a step toward addressing the latter two possibilities, we explored the extent to which nest of origin predicts rates of HVC neuron addition in adult male zebra finches. One month after injections of [3H]-thymidine to mark dividing cells, neuron addition in HVC was found to co-vary among birds that had been nest mates, even when they were housed in different cages as adults. We also tested whether nest mate co-variation might be due to shared adult auditory experience by measuring neuron addition in nest mate pairs after one member was deafened. There were significant differences in neuron addition between hearing and deaf birds but nest mate relationships persisted. These results suggest that variation in genotype and/or early pre- or postnatal experience can account for a large fraction of adult variation in rates of neuron addition. These results also suggest that a major constraint on neurogenesis and the capacity to adjust rates of neuron addition in response to adult auditory experience is established early in development.
The Effect of Hemostatic Method on Ovarian Reserve following Endometrioma Excision

Figure 1: The generation of an ovarian endometrioma as observed in Trans Vaginal Hydrolaparoscopy confirming Sampson hypothesis for pathogenesis. a. Implantation of regurgitated endometrial cells during menses via tube on ovarian surface b. Persistent inflammation Neoangiogenesis, lesion spreading Bleeding at implantation site c. Chronic inflammation causes adhesions, cortex invagination and endometrioma formation
Effect of composite beam action on the hysteretic behavior of fully-restrained beam-to-column connections under cyclic loading

This paper assesses the composite beam effects on the hysteretic behavior of fully-restrained beam-to-column connections as part of steel moment-resisting frames (MRFs) designed in highly seismic regions. A practical approach is developed based on available experimental data to simulate the hysteretic behavior of composite beams including the effects of assymetric deterioration of the beam flexural strength and stiffness. A system-level analytical study is then performed that evaluates the collapse resistance of steel frame buildings designed with steel MRFs including the composite beam effects. It is demonstrated that when steel MRFs are designed with a SCWB ratio larger than 1.5 a tolerable probability of collapse is achieved over the life cycle of the steel frame building. It is also shown that controlled panel zone yielding can be achieved while reducing the required number of welded doubler plates in beam-to-column panel zone joints.
The experience of the Empty Museum: displaying cultural contents on an immersive, walkable VR room

We describe the use of an immersive, walkable VR system called The Empty Museum that the authors have developed to allow the users to walk in virtual spaces where they can experience interactive 3D cultural contents. We briefly describe the architecture of the system, to focus on the analysis of the modes of interaction between user and content in this hybrid space where the user itself takes the role of the cursor and the physical space constitutes the interface. Finally, it shows several examples of its use on a real exhibition to display contents related to local topics, from traditions to art
An efficient feedback scheme with adaptive bit allocation for dispersive MISO channels

In this paper, we focus on a cellular system with M transmit antennas at the base station (BTS) and one receive antenna at the mobile (i.e. an M-input/single-output (MISO) channel), where the BTS commands each mobile to transmit its channel state information back to the BTS. Our main result is a specific feedback scheme with adaptive bit allocation, where a binary tree-structured vector quantizer is used to separately quantize each channel tap at a different level of quantization. We show that the proposed feedback scheme allows us to exploit the different statistics of the channel taps and results in a performance very close (within 1dB) to the performance that can be obtained with perfect channel knowledge at the BTS.
Insights into the neural basis of paradoxical kinesia in Parkinson's disease

Enhancements in peak motor performance have been demonstrated in response to intense stimuli both in healthy subjects and in the form of ‘paradoxical kinesis’ in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Might the latter phenomenon thus reflect a physiological process? The first study outlined in this thesis suggests this may be the case, as maximal effort grips in healthy subjects undergo dramatic enhancements when the imperative visual cue is accompanied by an intense auditory tone. Analogous enhancements in motor performance are demonstrated in a second study of patients with Parkinson’s disease and age-matched healthy controls. Remarkably, the facilitating effect of loud auditory tones is similar whether patients are off or on dopaminergic medication, suggesting a potentially non-dopaminergic basis for the phenomenon. A role of sub-cortical systems in the performance enhancements engendered by intense stimuli is next considered. Local field potentials recorded from the subthalamic nuclei of patients with Parkinson’s disease, whilst they undertake the above established paradigm, identify both theta/alpha (5-12 Hz) and high gamma/high frequency (55-375 Hz) activity as exhibiting remarkable scaling with maximal motor responses to the visual cue alone, but having little explanatory influence on performance enhancements beyond this. In the final study, a short-latency evoked potential in subthalamic nucleus local field potential recordings, which scales in amplitude with both stimulus intensity and corresponding enhancements in biomechanical measures of maximal handgrips, is identified. Interference with this potential through high frequency deep brain stimulation of the same nucleus, leads to a diminished behavioural effect of stimulus intensity. Recordings of a similar evoked potential in the related pedunculopontine nucleus – a key component of the reticular activating system – provide support for this neural signature as a physiological correlate of ascending arousal, propagated from the reticular activating system to exert an ‘energizing’ influence on motor circuitry through the subthalamic nucleus.
Gestational diabetes mellitus epigenetically affects genes predominantly involved in metabolic diseases

Offspring exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have an increased risk for chronic diseases, and one promising mechanism for fetal metabolic programming is epigenetics. Therefore, we postulated that GDM exposure impacts the offspring’s methylome and used an epigenomic approach to explore this hypothesis. Placenta and cord blood samples were obtained from 44 newborns, including 30 exposed to GDM. Women were recruited at first trimester of pregnancy and followed until delivery. GDM was assessed after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 weeks of pregnancy. DNA methylation was measured at > 485,000 CpG sites (Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChips). Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was conducted to identify metabolic pathways epigenetically affected by GDM. Our results showed that 3,271 and 3,758 genes in placenta and cord blood, respectively, were potentially differentially methylated between samples exposed or not to GDM (p-values down to 1 × 10−06; none reached the genome-wide significance levels), with more than 25% (n = 1,029) being common to both tissues. Mean DNA methylation differences between groups were 5.7 ± 3.2% and 3.4 ± 1.9% for placenta and cord blood, respectively. These genes were likely involved in the metabolic diseases pathway (up to 115 genes (11%), p-values for pathways = 1.9 × 10−13 < p < 4.0 × 10−03; including diabetes mellitus p = 4.3 × 10−11). Among the differentially methylated genes, 326 in placenta and 117 in cord blood were also associated with newborn weight. Our results therefore suggest that GDM has epigenetic effects on genes preferentially involved in the metabolic diseases pathway, with consequences on fetal growth and development, and provide supportive evidence that DNA methylation is involved in fetal metabolic programming.
Designing for Emotional Expressivity

In our daily lives we communicate emotions not only in face-to-face situations, but also in the digital world. When communicating emotions to other people we are not always aware of exactly what we are expressing. Emotions are communicated not only by the actual words we say, but through physical expressions like gestures, body posture and tone of voice. Designing for emotional expressivity requires a design that can capture the characteristics of emotions as well as the subjective experiences. This design should also mirror the communicative reality that we live in and open up for personality, context and situation to be expressed. In order to explore emotional communication in the digital world we have designed, implemented and evaluated eMoto, a mobile service for sending text messages that can be enhanced with emotional content. In this thesis we will present a detailed description of the design process, including user studies, leading to the design of the emotional expressivity in the eMoto prototype. Through the use of a body movement analysis and a dimensional model of emotion experiences, we arrived at the final design. The service makes use of the sub-symbolic expressions; colours, shapes and animations, for expressing emotions in an open-ended way. The results from the user studies show that the use of these sub-symbolic expressions can work as a foundation to use as a creative tool, but still allowing for the communication to be situated. The inspiration taken from body movements proved to be very useful as a design input. From the design process and the user studied we have extracted four desirable qualities when designing for emotional expressivity: to consider the media specific qualities, to provide cues of emotional expressivity building on familiarity, to be aware of contradictions between the modalities, and to open for personal expressivity. Incorporating these qualities open up for more expressivity when designing within this area. The actual design process is itself another example that can be used as inspiration in future designs aiming at emotional expressivity.
Mechanism of antidiarrhoeal effect of ethanolic extract of Psidium guajava leaves

The mechanisms by which the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Psidium guajava exerts its antidiarrhoeal effect were investigated. Antimicrobial analyses of the extracts were carried out using standard cultures of Escherichia coli (ATCC 15597) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538). There was a concentration dependent inhibition of growth that was less significant for S. aureus (p < 001). Zones of inhibition remained clear without bacterial regrowth even after 72 hours. Diarrhea was induced with castor oil (10ml/kg body weight) in different groups of Wister albino rats (A - E) and treated per os with normal saline for the positive control (1ml/kg body weight); extract (40 mg/kg body weight); extract (80 mg/kg body weight), loperamide as standard drug (10 mg/kg body weight); gum acacia (10 mg/kg body weight) respectively. Group F which received no treatment served as the negative control. Results showed that the inhibition of diarrhea, measured as percentage faecal output relative to the positive control, was dose - dependent and comparable to the standard drug. The plant extract also showed a reduction in gastrointestinal motility, measured as the distance traveled by the charcoal plug in the small intestine. This was non – significantly different from the standard drug, loperamide (p < 0.05). The leaf of P. guajava therefore exerted its antidiarrhoeal effect by a dual action of its antimicrobial effect and reduction in gastrointestinal motility.
The Effect of the Hydraulic Retention Time on the Performance of an Ecological Wastewater Treatment System: An Anaerobic Filter with a Constructed Wetland

Abstract: This work assesses the performance of a municipal pilot wastewater treatment system employing an up-flow anaerobic filter (UAF) followed by a horizontal subsurface constructed wetland (HSSCW). This pilot scale demonstration project was implemented in a zone with subtropical climate in order to pr otect Lake Chapala from wastewater loads that are discharged by small communities in the Lake’s vicinity. The filters were filled with tezontle as the media for biofilm support and the HSSCW was planted with two ornamental plants species, Canna hybrids and Strelitzia reginae . The experiment evaluated three hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 18, 28 and 38 h in the UAF, which corresponds to two, three and four days in HSSCW over 66 weeks. The mean efficiencies found for the complete system were 80% and 90% of BOD, 80% a nd 86% of COD, 30% and 33% of N tot and between 24% and 44% of P tot . It was possible to remove almost 80% of organic matter in 18 h in the UAF while the HSSCW reached 30% of removal for N
Pharmacometabolomics of Response to Sertraline and to Placebo in Major Depressive Disorder – Possible Role for Methoxyindole Pathway

Therapeutic response to selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) varies considerably among patients, and the onset of antidepressant therapeutic action is delayed until after 2 to 4 weeks of treatment. The objective of this study was to analyze changes within methoxyindole and kynurenine (KYN) branches of tryptophan pathway to determine whether differential regulation within these branches may contribute to mechanism of variation in response to treatment. Metabolomics approach was used to characterize early biochemical changes in tryptophan pathway and correlated biochemical changes with treatment outcome. Outpatients with MDD were randomly assigned to sertraline (n = 35) or placebo (n = 40) in a double-blind 4-week trial; response to treatment was measured using the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD17). Targeted electrochemistry based metabolomic platform (LCECA) was used to profile serum samples from MDD patients. The response rate was slightly higher for sertraline than for placebo (21/35 [60%] vs. 20/40 [50%], respectively, χ2(1) = 0.75, p = 0.39). Patients showing a good response to sertraline had higher pretreatment levels of 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MTPM), greater reduction in 5-MTPM levels after treatment, an increase in 5-Methoxytryptophol (5-MTPOL) and Melatonin (MEL) levels, and decreases in the (KYN)/MEL and 3-Hydroxykynurenine (3-OHKY)/MEL ratios post-treatment compared to pretreatment. These changes were not seen in the patients showing poor response to sertraline. In the placebo group, more favorable treatment outcome was associated with increases in 5-MTPOL and MEL levels and significant decreases in the KYN/MEL and 3-OHKY/MEL; changes in 5-MTPM levels were not associated with the 4-week response. These results suggest that recovery from a depressed state due to treatment with drug or with placebo could be associated with preferential utilization of serotonin for production of melatonin and 5-MTPOL.
A Fatal Case of Fulminant Hepatic Necrosis Following Sevoflurane Anesthesia

Volatile anesthetics can elevate cytosolic free Ca2+ by releasing calcium from internal calcium stores and uptaking calcium from extracellular medium. Sevoflurane is an inhaled anesthetic used worldwide. A clear understanding of the exact mechanism of hepatic injury induced by sevoflurane remains elusive. A 69-year-old man with preexisting mild renal dysfunction, having undergone sevoflurane general anesthesia twice in 2 days, developed moderate jaundice. Liver enzymes strongly increased and remained elevated until death, which occurred on the 6th day after the first surgical intervention. The microscopic liver examination revealed an extensive and confluent hepatic necrosis, characterised by a large amount of calcium deposition in hepatic cell cytoplasm. These data were confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and a 3-D visualization of calcium depositions was evident in hepatocytes cytoplasm. Our findings are suggestive with the previous experimental reports that consider elevation of cytoplasmic calcium may be the basis of sevoflurane – induced hepatotoxicity.
Usefulness of myocardial necrosis triad markers for predicting 4-year mortality in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome

Objective — Cardiac troponins (cTn), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), myoglobin (MYO) are commonly used biochemical markers for risk stratification and diagnosis in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The aim of the study was to analyse the prognostic implications of 3 myocardial necrosis markers measured at admission in the long-term observation. Methods — The study group consisted of 336 consecutive patients whose concentration of cTnI, CK-MB and MYO were measured at admission. Patients were categorized into 4 groups according to the number of positive myocardial necrosis markers. Results — There was a significant increase in the mean marker levels with increasing numbers of positive markers (over upper normal range): cTnI (0.02 ± 0.06; 0.7 ± 1.9; 3.4 ± 8.8; 5.1 ± 9.2 ng/ml; P < 0.001), CK-MB (1.3 ± 1.1; 3.3 ± 3.9; 21.9 ± 39.4; 37.5 ± 48.4 ng/ml; P < 0.001), MYO (39.4 ± 16.5; 94.5 ± 91; 202.2 ± 172.2; 320.3 ± 234.3 ng/ml; P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant increase in the 4-year all-cause mortality with increasing numbers of positive markers; Pvalue for trend < 0.0001. Conclusions — All 3 marker levels at admission may be an important addition to the risk stratification of patients with suspected ACS and a potentially important target for therapy. They have prognostic implications in the long-term observation of patients with chest pain and suspected ACS.
Helicobacter pylori and interleukin 1 genotyping: an opportunity to identify high-risk individuals for gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Both Helicobacter pylori genotype and host genetic polymorphisms play a role in determining the clinical consequences of H. pylori infection. We investigated whether there are any combinations of bacterial and host genotypes that are particularly associated with the occurrence of gastric carcinoma. METHODS Genotypic variations in virulence-associated genes of H. pylori vacA (s and m regions) and cagA were determined in 221 subjects with chronic gastritis and 222 patients with gastric carcinoma by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-line probe assay. Polymorphisms in the human interleukin 1 beta (IL-1B) gene (IL-1B-511*C or IL-1B-511*T) and in the IL-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL-1RN intron 2 variable number of tandem repeats) were evaluated by PCR and single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Infection with vacAs1-, vacAm1-, and cagA-positive strains of H. pylori was associated with an increased risk for gastric carcinoma, with odds ratios (ORs) of 17 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.8 to 38), 6.7 (95% CI = 3.6 to 12), and 15 (95% CI = 7.4 to 29), respectively. IL-1B-511*T carriers (IL-1B-511*T/*T or IL-1B-511*T/*C) homozygous for the short allele of IL-1RN (IL-1RN*2/*2) had an increased gastric carcinoma risk (OR = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.3 to 8.2). For each combination of bacterial/host genotype, the odds of having gastric carcinoma were greatest in those with both bacterial and host high-risk genotypes: vacAs1/IL-1B-511*T carrier (OR = 87, 95% CI = 11 to 679), vacAm1/IL-1B-511*T carrier (OR = 7.4, 95% CI = 3.2 to 17), cagA-positive/IL-1B-511*T carrier (OR = 25, 95% CI = 8.2 to 77), vacAs1/IL-1RN*2/*2 (OR = 32, 95% CI = 7.8 to 134), vacAm1/IL-1RN*2/*2 (OR = 8.8, 95% CI = 2.2 to 35), and cagA-positive/IL-1RN*2/*2 (OR = 23, 95% CI = 7.0 to 72). CONCLUSION Combined bacterial/host genotyping may provide an important tool in defining disease risk and targeting H. pylori eradication to high-risk individuals.