Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Utility of a Forehead-to-Inion Derivation in Recording the Subcortical Far-Field Potential (P14) During Median Nerve Somatosensory-Evoked Potential Testing

American Clinical Neurophysiology Society (ACNS) guidelines recommend recording P14 between an ipsilateral centroparietal electrode (CPi) and a noncephalic reference, typically the contralateral Erb’s point (EPc) (American Clinical Neurophysiology Society. Guideline 9D: guidelines on short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials. J Clin Neurophysiol. 2006;23(2):168-179). We investigated the utility of a forehead (Fpz)-to-inion derivation for recording P14. We analyzed 74 median nerve somatosensory-evoked potential (SEP) studies (148 nerves) with bilaterally normal peripheral and central conductions. The presence of an identifiable P14 and its amplitude and latency were assessed in both the CPi-EPc and Fpz-inion derivations. In 7 of the 148 recordings, P14 was not identifiable in either derivation. The P14 was only identifiable in CPi-EPc in 9 recordings, and only identifiable in Fpz-inion in 4 recordings. In the remaining 128 recordings, the mean P14 latency was 13.2 ± 1.1 ms in both derivations. The mean P14 amplitude using CPi-EPc was 2.0 ± 0.6 µV, significantly larger than that using Fpz-inion, 1.2 ± 0.6 µV (P < .001). In conclusion, the CPi-EPc derivation and the Fpz-inion derivation both record the same P14 component, and latency norms based on either derivation are interchangeable. Although the CPi-EPc derivation typically yields a larger and more identifiable P14, occasionally Fpz-inion yields a larger P14, and rarely P14 is only identifiable using Fpz-inion. Thus, recording of the Fpz-inion derivation may be a useful adjunct during median nerve SEP testing.
Design and Development of a Bi -Metallic Based Micro Pump

Growing need for a variety of micro electro-mechanical systems necessitates advances in manufacturing technologies for high volume production at low cost. In this study, a mechanical micro pump actuator will be modelled using MEMS module of COMSOL simulation tool. The micro pump actuator will be based on bimetallic actuation which in-turn is based on the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of materials. The objective of this study is to determine deflection and temperature characteristics for a range of applied voltage and varying size to optimize the values.
Variación "versus" estándar. Las estructuras con "avec" prepausal

A partir de la discusion critica de las hipotesis propuestas hasta el momento a proposito de las construcciones francesas con avec antes de pausa, este trabajo se propone justificar dos hechos fundamentales: 1) las insuficiencias teorico-metodologicas de que adolecen, derivadas de la adopcion de puntos de vista excluyentes, han de ser subsanadas por una concepcion integradora de los niveles y perspectivas de estudio linguistico; y 2) llegar a la conclusion de que tales construcciones, aun no del todo normativamente aceptadas, prosiguen su muy avanzado camino a la estandarizacion, hecho favorecido por el proceso de cambio linguistico interno y altamente rentable en su sistema: el detachement
Bihormonal control of blood glucose in people with type 1 diabetes

This paper presents a bihormonal artificial pancreas (AP) for people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) designed to provide a safe blood glucose control with minimal use of glucagon. The control algorithm uses insulin as well as glucagon to prevent hyper- and hypoglycemia. We employ a novel prediction-based activation of glucagon administration. The control algorithm consists of a Kalman filter, an insulin infusion model predictive controller (MPC), a proportional-derivative (PD) controller for glucagon infusion, and a meal time insulin bolus calculator. The PD controller is activated if the Kalman filter predicts hypoglycemia. Predictions utilize an ARMAX model describing glucose-insulin and glucose-glucagon dynamics. The model parameters are estimated from basic patient-specific data. A continuous glucose monitor provides feedback. We test the control algorithm using a simulation model with time-varying parameters available for 3 patients. We consider a simulation scenario where meals are estimated correctly as well as overestimated by 30%. The simulation results demonstrate that during normal operation, the controller only needs insulin and does not need glucagon. During unexpected events, such as insulin overdose due to an overestimated meal, the control algorithm uses glucagon efficiently to avoid severe hypoglycemia.
Immune mechanisms of allergen‐specific sublingual immunotherapy

Sublingual immunotherapy has been shown in some clinical studies to modulate allergen‐specific antibody responses [with a decrease in the immunoglobulin E/immunoglobulin G4 (IgE/IgG4) ratio] and to reduce the recruitment and activation of proinflammatory cells in target mucosa. Whereas a central paradigm for successful immunotherapy has been to reorient the pattern of allergen‐specific T‐cell responses in atopic patients from a T helper (Th)2 to Th1 profile, there is currently a growing interest in eliciting regulatory T cells, capable of downregulating both Th1 and Th2 responses through the production of interleukin (IL)‐10 and/or transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β. We discuss herein immune mechanisms involved during allergen‐specific sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), in comparison with subcutaneous immunotherapy. During SLIT, the allergen is captured within the oral mucosa by Langerhans‐like dendritic cells expressing high‐affinity IgE receptors, producing IL‐10 and TGF‐β, and upregulating indoleamine dioxygenase (IDO), suggesting that such cells are prone to induce tolerance. The oral mucosa contains limited number of proinflammatory cells, such as mast cells, thereby explaining the well‐established safety profile of SLIT. In this context, second‐generation vaccines based on recombinant allergens in a native conformation formulated with adjuvants are designed to target Langerhans‐like cells in the sublingual mucosa, with the aim to induce allergen‐specific regulatory T cells. Importantly, such recombinant vaccines should facilitate the identification of biological markers of SLIT efficacy in humans.
Equine herpesvirus-1 and 4 : investigating the disease humoral immunity profile among some Native , Arabian and Foreign horses

A preliminary field-based investigative study was conducted for screening, possible detection and determination of equine anti-herpesvirus-1 and 4 antibodies in blood sera collected from 230 adult Native, Arabian and Foreign Qatari and Egyptian horses. Using commercial kits, 99% (120/121) of the screened serum samples belonging to the Qatari horses seroconverted to either EHV-1 or EHV-4 subtypes. All of the total antibody positive sera were also anti-EHV-4 antibody positive. 16% (20/120) of the total positive were anti-EHV-1 antibody positive and they were also anti-EHV-4 antibody positive. Only 0.06% (8 sera) of the positive serum samples were from horses of a history of vaccination against the two viruses. None of the 49 corresponding peripheral mononuclear cells, randomly selected from 3 ELISA positive groups were real time PCR positive for either EHV-1 or 4 specific primer sets. Screening results against total anti-EHV1, 4 antibodies of the 109 Egyptian horses’ sera indicated positive anti-EHV 1, 4 antibodies in 21% (23 sera). While 65% (15 sera) of the positive samples were originating from vaccinated horses, 34% (8 sera) were not. Based on the epidemiology of EHV-1 and 4, their infection and pathogenic potentialities, the antibody threshold of the positive sera and the natural habitat of the candidate horses; the obtained results infer previous natural exposure to EHV and possible circulation of EHV-1, 4 among these animals.
[The effect of sibutramine on weight loss in obese adolescents].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of sibutramine on weight loss in obese adolescents. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A double-blind controlled study lasting 13 months. The study included 73 obese adolescents of both sexes aged between 10 and 18 years. Laboratory tests and imaging studies were performed before, during wash-out, and at the end of 13 months. RESULTS The percentage of patients who lost 10% of their initial weight in the placebo group was 46%, and in the sibutramine group was 75%. When placebo was used, average weight rose by 1.61 kg, and BMI decreased by 0.24 kg/m(2) whereas with the use of sibutramine, weight decreased by 4.47 kg, and average BMI decreased, 2.38 kg/m(2), with p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS Sibutramine induced significantly more weight loss in obese adolescents compared with placebo, without significant side effects. The weight loss curve was different depending on the moment sibutramine was introduced. This finding indicates that the best time to start sibutramine is when adhesion begins to fail.
Lymphocyte Mediated Cytotoxicity in Vitro. Induction and Inhibition by Humoral Antibody and Nature of Effector Cells

During the past decade, experimental evidence has been brought forward in many laboratories that lymphocytes are capable of destroying appropriate target cells in vitro. These cytotoxic effects of lymphocytes have been assumed to reflect their effector role in tissue damaging immune responses such as occur in allograft rejection, tumor surveillance and certain autoimmune diseases (Perlmann & Holm 1969). Lymphocyte mediated cytotoxicity in vitro is complex and may involve a number of different pathways. The contention that a cytotoxic reaction is lymphocyte induced does not necessarily imply that the lymphocytes which start the reaction also are the cytotoxic effector cells, nor that the latter are lymphocytes at all. In addition, even in those instances in which there is evidence that both inducerand effector cells are lymphocytic, lymphocytes of different origin and function may participate in the cytotoxic reaction. Work with mice in alloimmune situations, involving the H2 system, has provided evidence that thymus derived lymphocytes (T-cells) are required for cytotoxicity (Blomgren et at. 1970, Cerottini et al. 1970a,b, Golstein et al. 1972a). In a few instances available data suggest that T-cells may be both inducerand effector cells (Golstein et al. I972a,b). Recent evidence also indicates that humoral antibodies may induce cytotoxicity of thymus-independent lymphoid cells (Harding et al. 1971, Van Boxel ct al.
Extracellular divalent cations block a cation non‐selective conductance unrelated to calcium channels in rat cardiac muscle

1 The effect of removing extracellular divalent cations on resting potential (Vrest) and background conductance of rat cardiac muscle was studied. Vrest was measured with 3 M KCl‐filled microelectrodes in papillary muscles, or with a patch electrode in ventricular myocytes. Whole‐cell membrane currents were measured in myocytes using step or ramp voltage commands. 2 In both muscles and single cells, decrease or removal of Ca2+o and Mg2+o caused a nifedipine‐resistant depolarization, which was reversed upon readmission of Ca2+o or Mg2+o (half‐maximal effect at 0.8 mM Ca2+o or 3 mM Mg2+o in muscles). 3 In single myocytes, removal of Ca2+o and Mg2+o had no effect on the seal resistance in non‐ruptured cell‐attached recordings, but reversibly induced a current with a reversal potential (Vrev) of −8 ± 3.4 mV (with internal Cs+; mean. s.e.m., n= 23) during whole‐cell recordings. The current was insensitive to nifedipine (3–100 μM) or amiloride (1 mM). Vrev was insensitive to changes in the equilibrium potential for chloride ions (Ecl. 4 The current induced in the absence of extracellular divalent cations was blocked in a concentration‐dependent manner by Ca2+o. (At −80 mV, the affinity constant Kca was 60 μM with a Hill coefficient of 0.9.) KCa was voltage dependent at positive but not negative potentials. Mg2+o, Ni2+o, Sr2+o, Ba2+o, Cd2+o and Gd3+o also blocked the current. 5 In 0 mM Na+ (145 mM NMDG+), the inward component of the divalent cation‐sensitive current was decreased and Vrev shifted to more negative potentials. 6 These results suggest that a novel conductance pathway, permeable to monovalent cations but not to OF and blocked by divalent cations, exists in ventricular myocytes.
Triple specificity of ZnT8 autoantibodies in relation to HLA and other islet autoantibodies in childhood and adolescent type 1 diabetes

To establish the diagnostic sensitivity of and the relationships between autoantibodies to all three Zinc transporter 8 (Zinc transporter 8 autoantibody to either one, two, or all three amino acid variants at position 325, ZnT8A) variants to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐DQ and to autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA), insulinoma‐associated protein 2 (IA‐2A), and insulin (IAA).
Homer1 proteins and AMPA receptors modulate cocaine‐induced behavioural plasticity

Homer proteins form functional assemblies in the excitatory postsynaptic density, and withdrawal from repeated cocaine administration reduces the expression of Homer1b/c in the nucleus accumbens. To determine if the reduction in Homer1b/c may be contributing to cocaine‐induced behavioural sensitization, antisense oligonucleotides were infused over two weeks into the nucleus accumbens of rats to reduce Homer1 gene expression by approximately 35%. Infusion of antisense sequences (AS1 and AS2) caused a sensitization‐like augmentation in the motor response to acute cocaine administration in naive rats. One of the sequences (AS1) also prevented the development of sensitization to repeated cocaine treatment, while AS2 was without effect. A panel of immunoblots for other proteins in the excitatory postsynaptic density revealed that AS1, but not AS2 reduced the level of the α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐propionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit GluR1 protein. This posed the possibility that altered AMPA signalling may mediate the inhibitory effect of AS1 on the development of sensitization. To examine this possibility, rats were pretreated in the accumbens with drugs to block AMPA/kainate, N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate, group 1 metabotropic glutamate or dopamine receptors prior to each daily injection of cocaine. Only AMPA/kainate receptor blockade prevented the development of behavioural sensitization to cocaine. These data indicate that the expression of behavioural sensitization arises in part from a reduction in Homer1 gene products in the accumbens, while the development of sensitization requires stimulation of AMPA/kainate receptors.
Antigen-induced and zymosan-induced arthritis in mice: studies on in vivo cartilage proteoglycan synthesis and chondrocyte death.

The influence of joint inflammation on patellar hyaline articular cartilage was studied in mice. Antigen-induced and zymosan-induced arthritis were used as models for immunologically and non-immunologically induced joint inflammation. The contribution of newly formed proteoglycan to the cartilage proteoglycan content, as measured by labelling of the cartilage after i.v. administration of 35S-sulphate, was decreased in parallel with the severity of inflammation during both zymosan-induced and antigen-induced arthritis. The decreased 35S content of the cartilage was due to inhibition of synthesis rather than breakdown of newly synthesized proteoglycan, since no accelerated release of 35S from arthritic cartilage could be demonstrated in vitro. Antigen-induced arthritis was associated with progressive chondrocyte damage. Loss of chondrocytes was consistently found in the central part of the patella, without nearby presence of pannus. It would appear that, in addition to enzymatic breakdown of cartilage, other phenomena are important in cartilage destruction: inhibition of proteoglycan synthesis and chondrocyte death, apparently unrelated to pannus formation.
[Clinical analysis of a Chinese child with leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1].

OBJECTIVE Leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 (LAD-I) is rare. We present 1 case of LAD-I patient diagnosed by gene analysis. His clinical manifestations and genetic mutation features are analyzed in this article. METHOD The clinical material of the LAD-I patient who was diagnosed by gene analysis was retrospectively analyzed. RESULT The patient was a 2-month-old boy. He had a complaint of recurrent fever and cough for 30 days. Pulmonary CT indicated a small to moderate quantity pleural effusion on the right side. His peripheral blood leukocyte and C-reactive protein (CRP) was always significantly higher than normal. After hospitalization he had diarrheal diseases, routine stool test showed 2 RBC cells/high power (HP), WBC 30 cells/HP, stool cultures were negative, digestive tract ultrasonography showed an array of defects, in the sigmoid colon and rectal mucosa suggestive of ulcerative colitis. He was treated with cefoperazone and sulbactam and vancomycin. He had a history of impetigo in his neonatal period and without delayed umbilical cord exfoliation. His family history was normal. ITGB2 genetic mutation analysis revealed a homozygous mutation (1062A > T). His parents did not participate in this study. He had no fever but had diarrheal disease after 1 month of follow up. CONCLUSION This patient had suffered from impetigo, pleural effusion, diarrheal diseases, markedly increased peripheral white blood cell and ITGB2 genetic mutation analysis showed that homozygous mutation (1062A > T). He received a diagnosis of LAD-I.
Metastasis after radical prostatectomy or external beam radiotherapy for patients with clinically localized prostate cancer: a comparison of clinical cohorts adjusted for case mix.

PURPOSE We assessed the effect of radical prostatectomy (RP) and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) on distant metastases (DM) rates in patients with localized prostate cancer treated with RP or EBRT at a single specialized cancer center. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with clinical stages T1c-T3b prostate cancer were treated with intensity-modulated EBRT (> or = 81 Gy) or RP. Both cohorts included patients treated with salvage radiotherapy or androgen-deprivation therapy for biochemical failure. Salvage therapy for patients with RP was delivered a median of 13 months after biochemical failure compared with 69 months for EBRT patients. DM was compared controlling for patient age, clinical stage, serum prostate-specific antigen level, biopsy Gleason score, and year of treatment. RESULTS The 8-year probability of freedom from metastatic progression was 97% for RP patients and 93% for EBRT patients. After adjustment for case mix, surgery was associated with a reduced risk of metastasis (hazard ratio, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.19 to 0.65; P < .001). Results were similar for prostate cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.80; P = .015). Rates of metastatic progression were similar for favorable-risk disease (1.9% difference in 8-year metastasis-free survival), somewhat reduced for intermediate-risk disease (3.3%), and more substantially reduced in unfavorable-risk disease (7.8% in 8-year metastatic progression). CONCLUSION Metastatic progression is infrequent in men with low-risk prostate cancer treated with either RP or EBRT. RP patients with higher-risk disease treated had a lower risk of metastatic progression and prostate cancer-specific death than EBRT patients. These results may be confounded by differences in the use and timing of salvage therapy.
Increased Cholesterol Efflux in Apolipoprotein AI (ApoAI)–Producing Macrophages as a Mechanism for Reduced Atherosclerosis in ApoAI(−/−) Mice

The concentration of apolipoprotein (apo) AI in the artery wall is thought to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and protect against atherosclerosis. It has been shown that although macrophages do not make apoAI, they respond to it by increased cholesterol efflux. We hypothesized that macrophage production of apoAI would increase cholesterol efflux and reduce atherogenesis. In this study, we produced mice expressing human apoAI under the control of the macrophage-specific scavenger receptor-A promoter (m&phgr;-AI). Human apoAI was detectable in the serum HDL fraction of m&phgr;-AI transgenic mice at concentrations too low to affect serum cholesterol or HDL levels. Immunoblotting showed the presence of human apoAI in transgenic macrophage culture supernatants, mostly as lipoprotein-free protein, with a small component associated with HDL-like particles. Atherosclerosis studies using apoAI(−/−) mice transplanted with m&phgr;-AI bone marrow showed that in the absence of macrophage-derived apoE, local expression of apoAI reduced diet-induced lesions in the proximal aorta. Additionally, m&phgr;-AI macrophages showed a 40% increase in cholesterol efflux compared with control macrophages. These data support the hypothesis that apoAI production by macrophages in the artery wall is protective against atherosclerosis. This protection is likely mediated by increased cholesterol efflux and decreased foam cell formation in vivo.
Design and Implementation of an Online Tuning Adaptive Controller for Synchronous Reluctance Motor Drives

The paper proposes a new adaptive controller design for a synchronous reluctance motor drive system. In this paper, an online tuning adaptive controller, which is based on the least-mean-square algorithm, is proposed. The adaptive controller is constructed by using an adaptive model and an adaptive control. Both the adaptive-model parameters and the adaptive-control parameters are online tuned. A nonlinear programming optimization technique is used to improve the convergence rate of the online tuning method. By using the proposed method, the transient responses, load disturbance responses, and tracking responses of the drive system are improved. The experimental results show that the implemented drive system can perform a wide range in adjustable speed from 1 to 1800 r/min and a precise position control as well. A digital signal processor, TMS-320F-28335, is used to execute the adaptive current-loop, speed-loop, and position-loop controllers. Experimental results can validate the theoretical analysis and show the feasibility and correctness of the proposed method.
Regulation of Cardiac Stress Signaling by Protein Kinase D1

ABSTRACT In response to pathological stresses such as hypertension or myocardial infarction, the heart undergoes a remodeling process that is associated with myocyte hypertrophy, myocyte death, and fibrosis. Histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) is a transcriptional repressor of cardiac remodeling that is subject to phosphorylation-dependent neutralization in response to stress signaling. Recent studies have suggested a role for protein kinase C (PKC) and its downstream effector, protein kinase D1 (PKD1), in the control of HDAC5 phosphorylation. While PKCs are well-documented regulators of cardiac signaling, the function of PKD1 in heart muscle remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that PKD1 catalytic activity is stimulated in cardiac myocytes by diverse hypertrophic agonists that signal through G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and Rho GTPases. PKD1 activation in cardiomyocytes occurs through PKC-dependent and -independent mechanisms. In vivo, cardiac PKD1 is activated in multiple rodent models of pathological cardiac remodeling. PKD1 activation correlates with phosphorylation-dependent nuclear export of HDAC5, and reduction of endogenous PKD1 expression with small interfering RNA suppresses HDAC5 shuttling and associated cardiomyocyte growth. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of constitutively active PKD1 in mouse heart leads to dilated cardiomyopathy. These findings support a role for PKD1 in the control of pathological remodeling of the heart via its ability to phosphorylate and neutralize HDAC5.