Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contractile Activity of Neonatal Platelets

ABSTRACT: Platelet contractile activity was evaluated by observation of tension development during isometric contraction of platelet-fibrin clots. Cylindrical clots were made with platelet-rich plasma obtained from cord blood or from adult controls. These clots were allowed to contract isometrically at 37° C while attached to a transducer to record tension development. The rate of tension development was dependent on platelet concentration but was equivalent for neonatal and adult platelet clots. Although abnormalities in neonatal platelet aggregation and secretion have been well documented the platelet functions required for clot contraction such as fibrin binding and actin-myosin interaction appear to be intact in neonatal platelets.
A field-funneling effect on the collection of alpha-particle-generated carriers in silicon devices

We studied the transient characteristics of charge collection from alpha-particle tracks in silicon devices. We have run computer calculations using the finite element method, in parallel with experimental work. When an alpha particle penetrates a pn-junction, the generated carriers drastically distort the junction field. After the alpha particle penetration, the field, which was originally limited to the depletion region, extends far down into the bulk silicon along the length of the alpha-particle track and funnels a large number of carriers into the struck junction. After a few nanoseconds, the field recovers to its position in the normal depletion layer, and, if the track is long enough, a residue of carriers is left to be transported by diffusion. The extent of this field funneling is a function of substrate concentration, bias voltage, and the alpha-particle energy.
Effect of neighbourhood deprivation and social cohesion on mental health inequality: a multilevel population-based longitudinal study

Background The common mental disorders (CMDs) of anxiety and depression are the most common form of poor mental health in the general population. Evidence from the small number of previous cohort studies on the role of neighbourhood factors in mental health is inconclusive. We tested the hypothesis that high levels of neighbourhood social cohesion modify an adverse association between change in individual mental health and neighbourhood deprivation. Method We carried out a longitudinal multilevel analysis using data from the Caerphilly Health and Social Needs Cohort Study with a 7-year follow-up (n = 4426; age range 18–74 years at baseline). Neighbourhood deprivation and neighbourhood social cohesion were assessed at baseline and change in mental health between follow-up and baseline was assessed using the five-item Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5). Results Residence in the most deprived neighbourhoods was negatively associated with change in mental health, after adjusting for baseline individual socio-economic risk factors and transitions in life events. This negative effect was significantly reduced in high social cohesion neighbourhoods. The predicted change in mental health score was calculated for the 10th and 90th centiles of the household low-income distribution. The difference between them was −2.8 in the low social cohesion group and 1.1 in the high cohesion group. The difference between the groups was 3.9 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2–7.6]. Conclusions The public health burden of poor mental health and mental health inequality could potentially be reduced by strengthening social cohesion in deprived neighbourhoods. This offers a mechanism to address the adverse effect of neighbourhood deprivation on population mental health.
An Economic Theory of Common Property Fishery Resources

A model of an economic theory of commercial fisheries is developed. The model integrates a biological growth model and a production function into a yield function for commerical fisheries. This function lays the basis for a supply function for commercial fishery products. A demand functionis introduced and equilibrium conditions are discussed. In addition, schemes for management of a commercial fishery are discussed briefly.
Genome-Wide Comparison of Medieval and Modern Mycobacterium leprae

Leprosy: Ancient and Modern In medieval Europe, leprosy was greatly feared: Sufferers had to wear bells and were shunned and kept isolated from society. Although leprosy largely disappeared from Europe in the 16th century, elsewhere in the world almost a quarter of a million cases are still reported annually, despite the availability of effective drugs. Schuenemann et al. (p. 179, published online 13 June; see the 14 June News story by Gibbons, p. 1278) probed the origins of leprosy bacilli by using a genomic capture-based approach on DNA obtained from skeletal remains from the 10th to 14th centuries. Because the unique mycolic acids of this mycobacterium protect its DNA, for one Danish sample over 100-fold, coverage of the genome was possible. Sequencing suggests a link between the middle-eastern and medieval European strains, which falls in line with social historical expectations that the returning expeditionary forces of antiquity originally spread the pathogen. Subsequently, Europeans took the bacterium westward to the Americas. Overall, ancient and modern strains remain remarkably similar, with no apparent loss of virulence genes, indicating it was most probably improvements in social conditions that led to leprosy's demise in Europe. Five European individuals who lived during the Middle Ages provide a look backward at leprosy. Leprosy was endemic in Europe until the Middle Ages. Using DNA array capture, we have obtained genome sequences of Mycobacterium leprae from skeletons of five medieval leprosy cases from the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In one case, the DNA was so well preserved that full de novo assembly of the ancient bacterial genome could be achieved through shotgun sequencing alone. The ancient M. leprae sequences were compared with those of 11 modern strains, representing diverse genotypes and geographic origins. The comparisons revealed remarkable genomic conservation during the past 1000 years, a European origin for leprosy in the Americas, and the presence of an M. leprae genotype in medieval Europe now commonly associated with the Middle East. The exceptional preservation of M. leprae biomarkers, both DNA and mycolic acids, in ancient skeletons has major implications for palaeomicrobiology and human pathogen evolution.
Visitors' experience, place attachment and sustainable behaviour at cultural heritage sites: A conceptual framework

Sustainable tourism research has attracted wide interest from scholars and practitioners. While several heritage sites are mandated to provide optimum visitor satisfaction with increasing competition in the market, managers of heritage sites face growing challenges in striking a balance between consumption and conservation. This calls for promoting more sustainable behaviours among consumers of heritage. This study proposes a conceptualization of sustainable behaviour for heritage consumers. Using the attitude–behaviour relationship underpinned by the Theory of Reasoned Action, it develops and proposes a conceptual framework that integrates visitors’ heritage experiences, their attachment to heritage sites, and their general and site-specific sustainable heritage behaviour and presents their interrelationships as proposed hypotheses. Theoretical contributions and practical implications for heritage site managers are discussed.
Current concepts in the management of metastatic spinal disease. The role of minimally-invasive approaches.

The spine is the most frequent location for skeletal metastases[1][1] which occur in up to 40% of patients with cancer. [2][2],[3][3] The most common primary sites are the breast, prostate and lung, with involvement of 39.3%, 23.5%, and 19.9%, respectively[1][1] and with a slight male predominance. [4
The ubiquitin ligase SCFGrr1 is necessary for pheromone sensitivity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The presence of the appropriate pheromone induces α and a cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to activate both changes in transcriptional expression and cell polarity that eventually lead to the mating of α and a cells to form a/α diploid cells. A third response after exposure to mating pheromone is a transient cell cycle arrest, allowing synchronization of the two cell types in G1 prior to cell fusion. At least in part, this cell cycle arrest requires the inactivation of Cln‐kinase activity through transcriptional inactivation of the CLN1 and CLN2 genes, degradation of the Cln proteins and direct inhibition of Cln‐kinase complexes. Here we report that GRR1, which encodes a substrate recognition subunit of SCF complexes, is critical for pheromone sensitivity and likely for this arrest. Loss of SCFGrr1 function by deletion of the GRR1 gene causes pheromone resistance. However, deletion of CLN1 and CLN2 restores pheromone sensitivity to grr1Δ cells. Thus, rapid loss of Cln‐kinase activity during mating may require coordinated inactivation of the Cln‐kinase complexes, inactivation of CLN transcription and SCFGrr1‐dependent Cln degradation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of Suture Materials in the Development of Wound Infection

THE SEARCH for an ideal suture material suitable for all purposes has been pursued by surgeons since the time of Pare. None has been found, however, and despite numerous investigations concerning tissue reaction, handling qualities, holding strength, etc., surprisingly little has been written concerning the ability of various types of suture material commonly in use to resist bacterial infection after their introduction into contaminated wounds. Several investigators have compared the incidence of infection in wounds closed with various suture materials both experimentally and clinically. Halsted,5 in 1913, expressed a strong preference for the use of silk in clean surgical wounds, but stated that it should be avoided in contaminated or infected ones. Whipple,8 in 1933, strongly advocated the use of silk in repair of clean wounds, indicating that the incidence of infection was actually less than when chromicized catgut was used. In 1937, Shambaugh and Dunphy7 studied the comparative incidence of infection in contaminated wounds closed with silk or with chromicized catgut in dogs. The wounds were contaminated either with feces or an uncounted staphylococcal culture. They found that infection actually occurred less frequently with silk than with catgut, and there was little problem with extrusion of the silk. In 1940, Elkin4 published a clinical study which compared the incidence of infection between silk and catgut in both clean and potentially infected cases. Infection occurred considerably more frequently in the catgut group than in the silk group in both categories. It was not stated whether chromic catgut or plain catgut was used in that particular study. Nonetheless, the methods of preparation and sterilization of catgut materials have changed considerably since that time, leaving some doubt about the present-day application of these studies. James and MacLeod6 performed a more complete study in 1961, implanting small pieces of contaminated suture material subcutaneously into mice. Although their problems included extrusion of suture material and only fair quantitation of the numbers of viable organisms introduced, much significant information was obtained. Their experiments indicated that silicone-treated silk was similar to untreated silk in the ability to withstand contamination and that cotton and merseline sutures resembled silk. Nylon, however, withstood contamination somewhat better than the other materials tested. Catgut and steel wire could not be evaluated because of the problem of extrusion. They concluded that the degree of enhancement of infection by the suture material roughly paralleled the inflammatory reaction caused by the suture material itself. Elek and Conen,3 in their studies with normal human subjects observed that approximately 1,000,000 staphylococci were
Obstetric complications and affective psychoses

Background Unlike schizophrenia, little interest has been taken in the incidence of obstetric complications in affective psychoses. Aims To find out whether obstetric complications are more common in affective psychoses than matched controls. Method Two hundred and seventeen probands with an in-patient diagnosis of affective psychosis who had been born in Scotland in 1971–74, and a further 84 born in 1975–78, were closely matched with controls and the incidence of obstetric complications in the two compared using obstetric data recorded in a set format shortly after birth. Results Abnormal presentation of the foetus was the only complication significantly more common in the affective probands in the 1971–74 birth cohort and artificial rupture of the membranes was the only event more common in the probands in the 1975–78 cohort. Both are probably chance findings. Conclusion It is unlikely that the incidence of obstetric complications is raised in people with affective psychoses of early onset.
A fully integrated 5.3-GHz 2.4-V 0.3-W SiGe bipolar power amplifier with 50-/spl Omega/ output

A radio frequency power amplifier for 4.8-5.7 GHz has been realized in a 0.35-/spl mu/m SiGe bipolar technology. The balanced two-stage push-pull power amplifier uses two on-chip transformers as input-balun and for interstage matching. Further, it uses three coils for the integrated LC-output balun and the RF choke. Thus, the power amplifier does not require any external components. At 1.0-V, 1.5-V, and 2.4-V supply voltages, output powers of 17.7 dBm, 21.6 dBm, and 25 dBm are achieved at 5.3 GHz. The respective power-added efficiencies (PAE) are 15%, 22%, and 24%. The small-signal gain is 26 dB. The output 1-dB compression point at 2.4 V is 22 dBm with a PAE of 14%.
Calcium currents during contraction and shortening in enzymatically isolated murine skeletal muscle fibres

1 Calcium currents (ICa) were monitored in enzymatically isolated murine toe muscle fibres using the two‐microelectrode voltage‐clamp technique. ICa was recorded (i) in hypertonic solution to suppress contraction, and (ii) in actively shortening fibres in isotonic solution. 2 In hypertonic solution the threshold potential for ICa was about −30 mV for both 2 and 10 mM external Ca2+ solution. Maximum peak currents measured −12.6 ± 2.3 nA (mean ± s.d.; n= 4) in 2 mM Ca2+ and −65 ± 15 nA (n= 7) in 10 mM Ca2+. The time to peak (TTP) ICa was 96 ± 22 ms (n= 4) in 2 mM Ca2+ and 132 ± 13 ms (n= 7) in 10 mM Ca2+. The exponential decay of ICa was similar in 2 and 10 mM Ca2+ with rate constants (τ−1(V)) of 3.7 s−1 (2 mM) and 3.8 s−1 (10 mM) at +10 mV. 3 I Ca in isotonic 10 mM Ca2+ solution was recorded by inserting the micropipettes exactly opposite to each other close to the centre of mass of the fibre where negligible contraction‐induced movement occurs. 4 In isotonic 10 mM Ca2+ solution ICa had a smaller peak amplitude (−45 ± 5 nA; n= 7) and faster TTP (82.8 ± 22.1 ms; n= 7) than in hypertonic solution. The exponential decay of ICa showed a significantly larger τ−1(V) of 6.4 s−1 at +10 mV (P < 0.03). 5 To test for calcium depletion, extracellular Ca2+ was buffered by malic acid in isotonic solution to 9 mM. The decay of ICa had a time constant of 348 ± 175 ms (n= 14) vs. 107 ± 24 ms (n= 12; P < 0.001) at 0 mV in unbuffered 10 mM Ca2+ solution. 6 We conclude that calcium depletion from the transverse tubular system contributes significantly to the decay of calcium currents in murine toe muscle fibres under hypertonic as well as isotonic conditions. In the latter, depletion is even more prominent.
Systematic review and meta‐analysis: non‐invasive detection of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease related fibrosis in the obese

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a significant disease burden in obesity. Liver fibrosis is an important prognostic factor in NAFLD, and detection is vital. The pathophysiological changes of obesity can alter the accuracy of non‐invasive NAFLD tests. We aimed to review current evidence for common non‐invasive tests for NAFLD‐related fibrosis in obesity.
Environmental factors as predictors of alcohol use among ninth-grade adolescents in Pitkäranta (Russian Karelia) and in eastern Finland

Background: In Russia, tobacco and alcohol use by adolescents are serious problems. In Finland, as in many other European countries, alcohol use is a growing concern. Aims: This study aimed to find out whether similar environmental factors predict adolescents' alcohol use among 15-year old adolescents in two politically and economically different cultures: in the Pitkäranta district in Russian Karelia and in eastern Finland. Methods: Research data gathered by self-administered questionnaires from the second North Karelia Youth Study and the Pitkäranta Youth Study were analysed. Path models using the structural equation modelling (SEM) approach were constructed to test whether similar path structures fit for boys and girls in both countries, and to test whether regression coefficients are similar between the cultures and by gender. Results: The results showed that alcohol use by family members and best friend is positively related to adolescents' alcohol use both directly and indirectly. The best friend's alcohol use was the most important predictor of adolescents' own alcohol use in every sub-sample. When indirect influences were also identified, the significance of parents' and siblings' alcohol use, in addition to alcohol use by the best friends, was strongly supported. Conclusions: The results highlighted the importance of the process of peer selection for adolescents' choices, and the importance of offering support to the parents and to the health personnel working with children and adolescents.
Cell locomotion, a contributing factor in spread of the v2 rabbit carcinoma

In histological sections of s.c. transplanted V2 rabbit carcinoma, single tumor cells and small tumor cell groups were found at some distance from the main tumor mass. This led to the question of whether locomotion could represent a contributing factor in the invasiveness of the V2 carcinoma. The behavior of V2 cells was therefore recorded under experimental conditions of increasing complexity: on glass, on the surface of a normal explanted rabbit mesentery, and on and within mesenteries of rabbits which had received intraperitoneal implants of V2 carcinoma. Time lapse cinematography showed the locomotory activity of V2 cells to be unaffected by the different substrates. In all instances the carcinoma cells migrated singly, on the two plane substrates also in small groups, under production of large leading lamellae. Intraperitoneally implanted V2 cells, in addition to their migration on the surface of the mesentery, penetrated into the interior with continuation of their characteristic translocative motility. Although cell locomotion could be established as a mechanism in the invasiveness of the V2 carcinoma, we do not consider it to be the only relevant factor. Tumor cell proliferation and destructive effects of proteinases appear to be other mechanisms contributing to the functional complex of local spread.
Longitudinal Reliability of Focus Glycoprotein G-Based Type-Specific Enzyme Immunoassays for Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 in Women

ABSTRACT Serologic assays that utilize herpes simplex virus (HSV) type-specific glycoproteins G-1 (HSV-1) and G-2 (HSV-2) to discriminate between antibodies against HSV-1 and HSV-2 are sensitive and specific. However, the high rates of seroreversion, defined as the change in an individual's antibody status from positive to negative over time, previously reported in longitudinal evaluations of glycoprotein G type-specific tests suggests that their use in HSV acquisitional studies would be problematic. To further explore the reliability of the glycoprotein G-based serologic tests, we evaluated HSV-1 and HSV-2 enzyme immunoassays from Focus Technologies in a longitudinal cohort of 1,207 young women from Pittsburgh, Pa. On enrollment of the women in the study, HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies were detected in 46.6 and 24.9% of the women, respectively. Among the women with at least three visits, 3.4% (15 of 447) of those who were HSV-1 antibody positive had a subsequent negative result while fewer than 1% (2 of 227) of those who were HSV-2 antibody positive seroreverted. The median of mean positive index values for women who seroreverted to HSV-1 antibody was lower than that for women who remained seropositive (1.25 versus 7.06; P < 0.001). Similarly, the median of mean positive index values for women whose HSV-2 antibody status reverted from positive to negative was lower than that for those women who did not serorevert (1.83 versus 7.46; P = 0.02). Comparative Western blot analysis demonstrated that the lower positive index values, seen more often among the HSV seroreverters, often signified false-positive immunoassay results. Overall, the seroreversion rates were low; the use of glycoprotein G-based serologic tests for the measurement of HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies in incidence studies therefore appears warranted.
An adaptive type-2 fuzzy logic controller for dynamic positioning

This paper presents an indirect adaptive type-2 fuzzy logic controller (FLC) for dynamic positioning (DP) vessels with attached thrusters under various time-varying hydrodynamic disturbances. Approximation-based adaptive control technique in combination with type-2 fuzzy logic system (FLS) is employed in the design of the control. The stability of the design is demonstrated through Lyapunov analysis where globally asymptotical convergence of the regulation error is guaranteed. Rigorous analysis shows the resultant closed-loop system is passive. The proposed adaptive type-2 FLC is able to reject the hydrodynamic disturbances without exact information on them. Comparative simulations with linear proportional derivative (PD) controller and adaptive type-1 FLC are carried out. The proposed technique is found to be effective, robust, and has better performance.
A graph theoretic approach to dynamic functional connectivity tracking and network state identification

With the advances in neuroimaging technology, it is now possible to measure human brain activity with increasing temporal and spatial resolution. This vast amount of spatio-temporal data requires the development of computational methods capable of building an integrated picture of the functional networks for a better understanding of the healthy and diseased brain [1]. Although the construction of these networks from neuroimaging data is well-established [2], current approaches are limited to the characterization of the global topology of static networks where the links between different brain regions represent average connectivity over a long time period [3], [2]. Recent studies suggest that human cognition arises from the rapid formation and dissociation of synchronized neural activity on short time scales in the order of milliseconds [4]. There is a strong need for new electroencephalogram (EEG)-based analytic frameworks for monitoring dynamic functional network activity. In this paper, we propose a graph theoretic approach for tracking the changing topology of functional connectivity networks across time. First, we introduce an event detection algorithm based on node level feature extraction and principal components analysis of time-dependent node correlation matrices. Then, we propose a k-means based clustering approach to characterize each time interval with the most common connectivity states. Finally, the proposed methodology is applied to the study of the dynamics of functional connectivity networks during error-related negativity (ERN).