Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Time-Based Angle-of-Arrival Sensor Using CMOS IR-UWB Transceivers

In this paper, we present a time-based angle-of-arrival (AoA) sensor using the impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) technology. Arrival angles are estimated using the time difference of the received signal, which is transmitted from a target between two IR-UWB receivers. The most salient feature of this system is high precision angle estimation, which is possible with simple and compact hardware, because its operation is based on a time-based approach. The receiver in the AoA sensor consumes 50 mA at 1.2 V supply voltage and the sensitivity is -61 dBm. The measurement result shows that angle error is lower than ±1°.
Rates of Spontaneous Mutation in the Second Chromosomes of the Sibling Species, Drosophila Pseudoobscura and Drosophila Persimilis.

E have recently reported the results of a comparison of the spontaneous mutation rates for recessive lethals and semilethals in the second and third, chromosomes (autosomes) of two neotropical species of Drosophila, namely D. willistoni and D. prosaltans ( DOBZHANSKY, SPASSKY and SPASSKY 1952). The chromosomes of these species are known to be homologous, since they contain mostly the same gene loci. Although the mutation rates in both species varied from strain to strain, and probably from locality to locality, the material at hand indicated that lethal and semilethal mutations are roughly twice as frequent in D. m'llistoni as in D. prosaltans. This may possibly be correlated with the fact that D. willistoni is a very common and ecologically highly versatile species, while D. prosaltans is much less common, spotty in its distribution, and ecologically apparently more specialized. The only other species which the D. zPvillistoni and D. may compared respect their mutation rates is D. melanogaster, since the second chromosomes of these three species are supposed to be homologous. The mutation rates recorded in the literature for the second chromosome of D. melanogaster about as high as they in D. m2listoni. unreliable. The only species spontaneous mutation rates have been recorded is D. pseudoobscura. The rate of origin of recessive lethals and semilethals studied for the third chromosome of the last named species ( DOBZHANSKY and WRIGHT 1941). D.
'Behavioral' Addictions: Do They Exist?

Scientists have traditionally confined their use of the term addiction to substances that clearly foster physical dependence. That9s changing, however. New knowledge suggests that, as far as the brain is concerned, a reward9s a reward, regardless of whether it comes from a chemical or an experience. And where there9s a reward--as in gambling, eating, sex, or shopping--there9s the risk of getting trapped in a compulsion.
Health‐related quality of life in pediatric intestinal transplantation

To determine HRQOL after pediatric intestinal transplantation. Thirty‐four IT survivors from 1999 to 2012 were asked to complete age‐specific HRQOL non‐disease‐specific questionnaires: TAPQOL (0–4 yr), KINDL‐R (5–7 yr; 8–12 yr; 13–17 yr), and SF‐36v2 (>18 yr), all validated with Spanish population. Primary caregiver completed a SF‐36 questionnaire and CBI. Thirty‐one participants were included. Median age was 10.2 yr (1–29) and time after transplant 4.4 yr (0–13). Overall patient scores were 78.2 ± 10.6 (n = 8), 83.3 ± 9.7 (n = 6), 72.2 ± 9.21 (n = 6), 80.5 ± 12.4 (n = 7), and 82.2 ± 12.4 (n = 4) for each age group. Highest scores were obtained for vitality (group I), self‐esteem (group IV), and physical and social functioning and emotions (group V). Lowest scores were obtained in appetite and behavior (I), family and school (III), and chronic disease perception (III, IV). No significant differences were found between caregivers and their children. CBI showed stress in 52%. SF‐36 for caregivers was lower than general population. No significant differences were found depending on relevant clinical and sociodemographic data. HRQOL was acceptable and improved with age and time since transplantation. Parents had a slighter own QOL and worse perception of health than their children. When successful, intestinal transplantation allows a normal life in most patients and can be offered as an attractive option.
RF MOSFET modeling accounting for distributed substrate and channel resistances with emphasis on the BSIM3v3 SPICE model

A r.f. MOSFET model generated for use in LIBRA simulation typically applies to only one bias point. The model and its parameters can be unphysical. It is desirable to establish a physical, scalable model capable of simulating both d.c. and r.f. characteristics and applicable to all the bias ranges. BSIM3 is a potential candidate, having demonstrated accuracy and scalability in the devices' d.c. characteristics. When it is applied to simulate the s-parameters at r.f. , we find BSIM3 to be somewhat problematic and two modifications are necessary to obtain a good fit. The first modification involves the addition of a bulk resistive network, achievable with a simple circuit extension to the existing BSIM3 model. The second improvement accounts for the finite channel resistance, whose origin lies in a nonquasi-static analysis. Since BSIM3 employs a quasi-static assumption, this improvement, while important, involves some changes in the BSIM3 source code.
Oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury‐mediated cytotoxicity induced by silver nanoparticles in human A549 and HepG2 cells

Considering the increasing applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in food‐ and cosmetic‐related products worldwide, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential adverse health effects induced by AgNPs exposure in terms of cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial injury in human A549 and HepG2 cells.
Principes structurants et construction de savoirs en sciences de la vie et de la Terre

Dans cet article, nous travaillons sur les principes structurants, qui organisent les domaines de savoirs scientifiques mais dont l’affichage est limite dans les programmes d’enseignement actuel. Nous recourons a trois exemples dont l’importance est reconnue dans le fonctionnement des sciences de la vie et de la Terre : le principe de l’actualisme, le principe d’unite de fonctionnement des animaux et des vegetaux, le principe d’unite de fonctionnement des cellules nerveuses. Notre etude, qui s’inscrit dans le cadre theorique de la problematisation, construit des reperes epistemologiques permettant de caracteriser l’appropriation par les eleves et les etudiants des problemes de la geologie historique et de la physiologie, et de preciser les rapports qu’entretiennent leur raisonnement avec ces principes structurants. Elle met en valeur la portee heuristique de ces principes, leur intervention dans l’acces a la maitrise du fonctionnement de systemes complexes, et plus generalement leur role de barrage contre les irrationalismes.
Die Bedeutung des Transkriptionsfaktors MTF-1 für die Aufnahme, Zytotoxizität und Genotoxizität von anorganischem Arsenit

Anorganisches Arsenit wurde sowohl durch die „International Agency for Research on Cancer“ (IARC) als auch durch die Senatskommission der DFG zur Prufung gesundheitschadlicher Arbeitsstoffe (MAK-Komission) als Humankanzerogen eingestuft. Dennoch sind zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt die zugrunde liegenden Mechanismen nur unzureichend verstanden. Eine wesentliche Rolle wird der Metabolisierung von anorganischem Arsenit zu dreiund funfwertigen methylierten bzw. Schwefel-konjugierten Verbindungen sowie deren Interaktion mit thiolhaltigen Molekulen zugeschrieben. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, die Bedeutung des Zusammenhang von Arsenit und MTF-1 179 Transkriptionsfaktors MTF-1 fur die Aufnahme, Zytotoxizitat und Genotoxizitat von anorganischem Arsenit zu untersuchen. Modellhaft wurden hierfur embryonale Mausfibroblasten mit funktionellem MTF-1 (3T3) bzw. aus MTF-1-knockout Mausen generierte defiziente Zellen (dko7) verwendet. Die Aufgabe von MTF-1 besteht in einer metallvermittelten Induktion der Metallothioneinbiosynthese. Das gewahlte Modellsystem erfasst somit auch die Bedeutung dieser metallbindenden Proteine fur die Aufnahme, Biotransformation und Zytotoxiziat von anorganischem Arsenit. Die durchgefuhrten Untersuchungen zeigen mit Bezug auf die Zellzahl und die Koloniebildungsfahigkeit eine vergleichbare zytotoxische Wirkung von iAs 3+ in beiden Zelllinien; bezogen auf die intrazellular akkumulierten Mengen an Arsen erwiesen sich die MTF-1-defizienten Zellen jedoch als deutlich sensitiver. Die Untersuchungen zur Genotoxizitat ergaben, dass es in beiden Mausfibroblastenlinien erst bei hohen Konzentrationen an anorganischem Arsenit zur Induktion von Strangbruchen kommt. Im Vergleich war das Ausmas der Schadigung groser in den MTF-1-defizienten Fibroblasten, im Einklang mit einer protektiven Funktion von MTF-1 gegenuber oxidativem Stress. Erfolgte eine Koinkubation mit Wasserstoffperoxid, so resultierte dies in der synergistischen Erhohung der Anzahl an Strangbruchen in den 3T3-Zellen bereits bei niedrigen mikromolaren Konzentrationen. Dieser Effekt wurde jedoch nicht in MTF-1-defizienten Fibroblasten beobachtet. In weiteren Versuchen soll geklart werden, inwieweit diese erhohte DNA-schadigende Wirkung auf eine regulatorische Funktion von MTF-1 auf die Entgiftung von Wasserstoffperoxid oder auf den Einfluss von DNA-Reparaturprozessen zuruckzufuhren ist.
Induction of stress response proteins and experimental renal ischemia/reperfusion.

BACKGROUND The induction of stress response (heat shock) proteins (HSPs) is a highly conserved response that protects many cell types from diverse physiological and environmental stressors. We tested the hypothesis that the induction of HSPs is protective in experimental renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. METHODS The effect of prior heat stress was examined in a rat model of renal ischemia. Postischemic renal function, histopathology, myeloperoxidase activity, and mortality were determined in hyperthermia and sham hyperthermia groups. RESULTS HSP84, HSP70, and HSP22 mRNA were increased after eight minutes but not four minutes of hyperthermia. The induction of HSP84 and HSP70 was blocked by pretreatment with quercetin. Improvement in renal function, mortality, and histologic abnormalities was seen with eight minutes of hyperthermia six hours before ischemia. Protection was dependent on the timing of ischemia relative to heat stress and was not observed when HSPs were not induced. Postischemic increases in renal myeloperoxidase activity were markedly attenuated in the hyperthermia compared with the sham hyperthermia group. CONCLUSION Endogenous protective mechanisms may be important in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Changes in membrane currents in bullfrog atrium produced by acetylcholine.

1. A double sucrose‐gap voltage‐clamp technique has been used to study the effects of acetylcholine on the membrane currents in atrial trabeculae of the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana. 2. The second, or slow inward (Ca2+/Na+) current, was found to be markedly reduced by concentrations of acetylcholine greater than approximately 2‐0 X 10(‐8)M. The resulting decrease in net calcium entry provides a straightforward explanation for the negative inotropic action of acetylcholine in atrial muscle. 3. Measurements of membrane resistance near the resting potential showed that relatively high doses of acetylcholine (approximately 10(‐7) M) decrease membrane resistance by about twofold. This effect is shown to be the result of an increase in a time‐independent background current which appears to be carried mainly by potassium ions. 4. Using appropriate pharmacological techniques, it has been possible to demonstrate: (i) that the peak slow inward current is reduced to about half its initial value before any significant increase in background current occurs; (ii) that even when a sufficient dose of acetylcholine to produce an increase in background current is used, the background current shows inward‐going rectification and cannot account for the observed reduction in the slow inward current. 5. No consistent change was observed in the degree of activation of the time‐dependent outward membrane currents after application of concentrations of acetylcholine which produced large decreases in the peak slow inward current. 6. These results are discussed in relation to previous electro‐physiological and radioisotope studies of the mechanism of the negative inotropic effect of acetylcholine in cardiac muscle.
Conservation in an Era of Boom and Bust

This paper describes simulated scenarios for power plant construction in the western United States. The simulations show construction lagging behind the growth in demand, allowing prices to climb to surprisingly high values during the years 2000 and 2001. When construction is completed, new power plants come on line in great number, allowing market prices to fall surprisingly rapidly in the years 2001 and 2002. These results indicate that the restructured electric industry will experience the classic pattern of boom and bust that has been seen in the commodity industries and in capital intensive industries like real estate. The model is then used to simulate the impact of major conservation savings in an era of boom and bust. Background on Boom and Bust Many industries have experienced persistent cycles of boom and bust. The cyclical tendency is especially strong in the commodities. A commodity is usually defined as an undifferentiated product, often supplied by many small, independent producers. Examples include mineral products (i.e. aluminum and copper), forest products (i.e. lumber and pulp) and agricultural products (i.e. coffee and cattle). The instability in the commodity industries is costly for each industry, for its customers and for the nations that depend on commodity exports for the bulk of their hard currency. Cycles of boom and bust also appear in non-commodities, industries dominated by a small number of large producers or industries with highly differentiated products. Examples include aircraft and real estate. Real estate and electric power are similar in many important respects. For example, there are no inventories in these industries to serve as a buffer between producers and consumers. Also, developers in both industries confront significant delays for permitting and for construction. Developers also face high fixed costs which they hope to recover through high capacity utilization.
A Limited Measles Outbreak in a Highly Vaccinated US Boarding School

Objectives. We investigated a measles outbreak that began in March 2003 in a Pennsylvania boarding school with >600 students to identify all cases, including the source; implement outbreak control measures; and evaluate vaccine effectiveness. Methods. Measles was suspected in any person at the school with a generalized rash and fever during March 21 to May 28, 2003 and investigated with serologic testing. We reviewed vaccination history from school records and conducted a survey to determine country of measles vaccination. Vaccine effectiveness was calculated using the cohort method. Results. We identified 9 laboratory-confirmed cases at the school: 8 students and 1 staff member. Among them, 2 had never received any doses of measles-containing vaccine (MCV), 1 received 1 dose of MCV, and 6 received 2 doses of MCV. Three of the 6 who received 2 doses of MCV received both doses outside the United States. The source case had been infected in Lebanon. Two laboratory-confirmed spread cases were identified in New York City. Measles virus of genotype D4 was isolated in cases from the school and New York City. Of the 663 students in the school, 8 (1.2%) had never received any doses of MCV, 26 (3.9%) had received 1 dose, and 629 (94.9%) had received 2 doses before the outbreak. Vaccine effectiveness among students who had received 2 doses of MCV was 98.6%. However, students who received both doses outside the United States had a higher attack rate (3 of 75) than those who received both doses in the United States (3 of 509; rate ratio: 6.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.4–33.0). Conclusions. This is the largest measles outbreak to occur in a school in the United States since 1998, but it was limited to only 9 cases in a boarding school with >600 students. The limited extent of this outbreak highlights the high level of population immunity achieved in the United States through widespread implementation of a 2-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccination strategy in school-aged children. States and schools should continue to enforce strictly the 2-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccination requirement and, in an outbreak setting, consider revaccinating students who received measles vaccine outside of the United States. Continued vigilance by health care providers is needed to recognize measles cases.
Age is no barrier to muscle structural, biochemical and angiogenic adaptations to training up to 24 months in female rats

Ageing is associated with reduced transport and utilization of O2, diminishing exercise tolerance. Reductions may occur in cardiac output (delivery), and skeletal muscle oxidative capacity (utilization). To determine the reversibility of the declines in the muscular determinants of these limitations, skeletal muscle morphological, angiogenic and biochemical responses to acute exercise and endurance training were investigated in female Fischer 344 rats (n= 42; seven groups of six rats) aged 6 (Y) and 24 (O) months compared with resting untrained controls (YC, OC). Treadmill training lasted 8 weeks (10 deg incline, 1 h per day, 5 days per week). Two groups ran at maximum tolerated speeds (YTR, OTR), while an additional Y group (YTM) trained at OTR speed. There was no effect of age on vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in gastrocnemius muscles after acute exercise. Similarly, age did not impair the effects of training, with increases (P < 0.05; ±s.e.m.) occurring in all of the following: 1 h exercise running speed (YTR 92 ± 4%versus OTR 140 ± 25%); citrate synthase (YTR 37 ± 8%versus OTR 97 ± 33%) and β‐hydroxyacyl‐CoA‐dehydrogenase (YTR 31 ± 7%, versus OTR 72 ± 24%) activities; and capillary‐to‐fibre ratio (YTR 5.2 ± 0.2%versus OTR 8.1 ± 0.2%). However, YTM muscle was unchanged in each measure compared with YC. In conclusion, these muscular responses to training were (1) not reduced by ageing, but (2) dependent on relative and not absolute work rate, since, at the same speed, OTR rats showed greater changes than YTM. Therefore, increases in exercise tolerance and muscle adaptations are not impaired in female rats up to 24 months of age, and require a smaller absolute exercise stimulus (than young) to be manifest.
Renaissance of the Blocking Antibody Concept in Type I Allergy

Formation of IgE antibodies against per se harmless antigens (i.e. allergens) is the hallmark and key pathomechanism of type I allergy, a hypersensitivity disease affecting more than 25% of the population. Classical experiments performed more than 65 years ago demonstrated that allergen-specific IgG antibodies, termed blocking antibodies, can antagonize the cascade of allergic inflammation resulting from allergen recognition by IgE antibodies. However, controversial results have questioned the protective role of IgG antibodies in allergic diseases. Here, we review recent data demonstrating that blocking antibodies inhibit allergen-induced release of inflammatory mediators from basophils and mast cells as well as IgE-facilitated allergen presentation to T cells, thus leading to suppression of T cell activation. Furthermore, it has been reported that the development of blocking antibodies is associated with reduced boosts of allergen-specific IgE production in patients receiving allergen-specific immunotherapy. These findings suggest that blocking antibodies have protective activity by inhibiting immediate as well as late inflammatory responses and long-term ameliorating activity on the allergic immune response by antagonizing the underlying IgE production. Induction of blocking antibodies is thus an important mechanism underlying allergen-specific immunotherapy. In addition, passive administration of blocking antibodies may be considered as a potential therapeutic strategy for allergic diseases.
EPIDEMIOLOGIA DA DOENÇA DIARREICA ASSOCIADA ÀS Escherichia coli DIARREIOGÊNICAS EM CRIANÇAS RESIDENTES EM UMA ÁREA ALAGADA DE MACAPÁ – AMAPÁ, BRASIL

Foi realizado um estudo epidemiologico envolvendo 81 criancas com diarreia e 81 assintomaticas (grupo controle), menores de cinco anos, residentes em uma area alagada em Macapa, Amapa. Foram analisados os aspectos epidemiologicos e a significância das diferentes categorias de Escherichia coli na etiologia da diarreia infantil nessas areas. Amostras de fezes foram coletadas processadas para pesquisa de parasitas intestinais pelo metodo de Hoffman, pesquisa para Rotavirus por ELISA e cultura de bacterias enteropatogenicas, incluindo-se a caracterizacao molecular das E. coli diarreiogenicas por PCR. A prevalencia de diarreia foi maior em maio e junho de 2009, meses de maior pluviosidade em Macapa. A distribuicao dos casos por idade mostrou uma maior prevalencia de doenca diarreica entre criancas de 0 a 12 meses (61,73%). Os principais agentes etiologicos foram as E. coli diarreiogenicas (P = 0,0003), sendo que a ETEC, EAEC e EPEC foram as mais prevalentes. Foram considerados fatores de protecao: sanitario no interior do domicilio (OR = 0,3834), vasos sanitarios com dispositivo de descarga (OR = 0,3638) e presenca de pia para lavar as maos dentro do banheiro (OR = 0,4845). As variaveis relacionadas como fatores de risco foram: o uso de sanitario coletivo (OR = 2,6794), de cama coletiva (OR = 3, 7415) e o uso de mamadeiras (P < 0,05, OR = 2,7875). Estes achados sao fundamentais para que medidas preventivas e terapeuticas possam ser implementadas pelas autoridades em saude de Macapa, com consequente reducao na morbimortalidade.
Newly emerging Ca2+ entry channel molecules that regulate the vascular tone

Local blood flow is critically determined by the arterial tone in which sustained Ca2+ influx, activated by a variety of mechanisms, plays a central regulatory role. Recent progress in molecular biological research has disclosed unexpectedly diverse and complex facets of Ca2+ entry channel molecules involved in this Ca2+ influx. Candidates include several transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily members such as TRPC1, TRPC4, TRPC6, TRPV2, TRPV4 and TRPM4, none of which exhibit simple properties attributable to a single particular role. Rather, they appear to be multimodally activated or modulated by receptor stimulation, temperature, mechanical stress or lipid second messengers generated from various sources, and may be involved in both acute vasomotor control and long-term vascular remodelling. This paper provides an overview of existing knowledge of TRP proteins, and their possible relationships with principal factors regulating the arterial tone (i.e., autonomic nerves, various autocrine and paracrine factors, and intravascular pressure).