Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genomic Landscape of the Alzheimer’s Disease Brain: Chromosome Instability – Aneuploidy, but Not Tetraploidy – Mediates Neurodegeneration

cycle events are an unlikely mechanism for neurodegeneration in AD [1] . In this light, we would like to mention another recently published study of the normal and diseased human brain, reporting possible associations between chromosome instability (CIN) and neurodegeneration [7] . Using a set of newly introduced techniques for visualization of whole chromosomes in the human brain [7–9] , the unaffected and AD brain were shown to exhibit aneuploidy. The AD brain did not demonstrate increased rates of sporadic aneuploidy. However, chromosome 21-specific aneuploidy ( fig. 1 a, b) was an exception and showed a dramatic 5to 10-fold increase in the AD cerebral cortex compared to the unaffected brain. The presence of tetraploid cells was equally observed in the normal and AD brain. The main outcome of this study was the highlighting of brain-confined CIN involving exclusively chromosome 21 as a pathogenic process specific to AD. Together with data of Westra et al. [1] , one can conclude that the first hypothesis is more applicable. A critical point to note is that while both studies (Westra et al. [1] and Iourov et al. [7] ) have used state-of-the-art approaches for evaluating chromosome numbers in brain cells, there are differences between them. Westra et al. [1] have applied a 2-color fluorescence in situ hybridization A study recently published in Neurodegenerative Diseases has addressed an important problem that concerns the genomic landscape of cells populating the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brain. More precisely, Jerold Chun and colleagues [1] have challenged a relatively well-recognized model that proposes abnormal neuronal cell cycle events leading to a gain of 2 haploid sets of chromosomes or tetraploidy playing a role in AD pathogenesis [2] . The presence of chromosome number variations (i.e. aneuploidy or loss/gain of whole chromosomes) in AD individuals has been debated for decades [3–6] . However, the link between numerical chromosome abnormalities and AD pathogenesis has remained a matter of conjecture. Nevertheless, studies of chromosomes in AD have resulted in two main hypotheses. The first one is based on neuropathologic parallels between AD and Down syndrome (trisomy of chromosome 21) and suggests aneuploidy of chromosome 21 as a mechanism of the disease [5] . The second hypothesis results from an observation, i.e. that DNA replication precedes neuronal death in the AD brain and initiates ‘tetraploidization’, and suggests neuronal cell cycle errors as a mechanism of AD [2] . The reevaluation of the second hypothesis by Chun and colleagues has not demonstrated tetraploidy in the AD brain. This led the authors to conclude that abnormal cell Received: October 29, 2009 Accepted after revision: February 1, 2010 Published online: September 3, 2010 D i s e a s e s
Exotic bark- and wood-boring Coleoptera in the United States: recent establishments and interceptions

Summary data are given for the 25 new species of exotic bark- and wood-boring Coleoptera first reported in the continental United States between 1985 and 2005, including 2 Buprestidae (Agrilus planipennis and Agrilus prionurus), 5 Cerambycidae (Anoplophora glabripennis, Callidiellum rufipenne, Phoracantha recurva, Sybra alternans, and Tetrops praeusta), and 18 Scolytidae (Ambrosiodmus lewisi, Euwallacea fornicatus, Hylastes opacus, Hylurgops palliatus, Hylurgus ligniperda, Orthotomicus erosus, Phloeosinus armatus, Pityogenes bidentatus, Scolytus schevyrewi, Tomicus piniperda, Xyleborinus alni, Xyleborus atratus, Xyleborus glabratus, Xyleborus pelliculosus, Xyleborus pfeilii, Xyleborus seriatus, Xyleborus similis, and Xylosandrus mutilatus). In addition, summary interception data are presented for the wood-associated beetles in the families Bostrichidae, Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Curculionidae, Lyctidae, Platypodidae, and Scolytidae, based on the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service "Port Infor.
Compact modeling of the contact effects in organic thin film transistors

The performance of modern organic semiconductor devices is limited by non-ideal effects which are not characterized by traditional models of transport. In this work, we use experimental data from organic thin-film transistors (OTFT) based on Zinc Phthalocyanine that showed a significant influence of contact effects to illustrate how this nonideal effect can be modeled. Using the output current voltage (ID—VD) curves of these OTFTs, and different transistor models available in the literature, we illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of each model. We then demonstrate that only a combination of different approaches can accurately describe the experiments in both linear and saturation regions of operation of these OTFTs. The modified procedure has been tested with output characteristics of an ideal transistor with added contact effects with known parameters for the complete transistor.
Ontogeny of the pineal melatonin rhythm in the Syrian (Mesocricetus auratus) and Siverian (Phodopus sungorus) hamsters and in the rat.

The ontogeny of the pineal melatonin rhythm was determined in three rodent species. Pineal glands were obtained either during the day or during the expected peak in melatonin at night. In all species the rhythm was first detected during the second week of life. Investigations of the photic regulation of pineal melatonin revealed that light could inhibit the nocturnal increase in melatonin in all species by the end of the second week of life. These studies indicate that for these species the development of the rhythm in pineal melatonin and the development of the mechanism involved in the photic suppression of the nocturnal increase in melatonin are independent of the role the pineal gland plays in regulating reproductive function in response to changes in environmental lighting.
Explaining variations in survival in breast cancer in the Eastern Region of England.

In their study on treatment and survival of patients with breast cancer treated in 10 hospitals in the Eastern Region of England from 1999 to 2003, Wishart et al. [1] found significant interhospital survival differences for patients with 1–3 positive axillary lymph nodes but not for patients with negative lymph nodes. Differences in the selection of appropriate adjuvant systemic treatment between hospitals are mentioned as a possible explanation for this finding. The authors provide no data to support their assertion, although data on the use of adjuvant systemic treatment for each hospital were available to them. But the explanation given seems unlikely because treatment guidelines for the use of adjuvant systemic treatment have always been much more straightforward for patients with positive lymph nodes than with negative nodes. Therefore, one would expect the variation in adjuvant systemic treatment to have been much larger for patients with negative axillary lymph nodes than with 1–3 positive nodes. Already since the 1980s, or at least since the early 1990s, all node-positive patients are recommended to receive hormonal treatment or chemotherapy, depending on their menopausal status and the hormone receptor status of their tumour. It has taken much more effort to reach consensus about the use of systemic treatment in node-negative patients and guidelines have changed rapidly since the first publications by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group [2]. Age, estrogen receptor or progesterone receptor status, tumour size and tumour grade all play a role in the decision to use chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or a combination of both when nodes are negative [3]. In our view, only if variation in the use of systemic treatment appears to be larger for patients with 1–3 positive lymph nodes than for patients with negative lymph nodes, this could be a plausible explanation for the observed survival differences between the hospitals in this subgroup. Perhaps, the authors could provide such data.
A community intervention trial to promote judicious antibiotic use and reduce penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage in children.

OBJECTIVE Inappropriate use of antibiotics is common in primary care, and effective interventions are needed to promote judicious antibiotic use and reduce antibiotic resistance. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of parent and clinician education on pediatric antibiotic prescribing and carriage of penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae in child care facilities. METHODS A nonrandomized, controlled, community intervention trial was conducted in northern Wisconsin Clinicians. Clinic staff received educational materials and small-group presentations; materials were distributed to parents through clinics, child care facilities, and community organizations. Prescribing data were analyzed for 151 clinicians who provided primary pediatric care; nasopharyngeal carriage of penicillin-nonsusceptible S pneumoniae was assessed for 664 children in the baseline period (January-June 1997) and for 472 children in the postintervention period (January-June 1998). RESULTS The median number of solid antibiotic prescriptions per clinician declined 19% in the intervention region and 8% in the control region. The median number of liquid antibiotic prescriptions per clinician declined 11% in the intervention region, compared with an increase of 12% in the control region. Retail antibiotic sales declined in the intervention region but not in the control region. Among participating children in child care facilities, there were no significant differences in antibiotic use or penicillin-nonsusceptible S pneumoniae colonization between the intervention and control regions. CONCLUSIONS A multifaceted educational program for clinicians and parents led to community-wide reductions in antibiotic prescribing, but in child care facilities, there was no apparent impact on judicious antibiotic use or colonization with drug-resistant S pneumoniae. Longer follow-up time or greater reductions in antibiotic use may be required to identify changes in the pneumococcal susceptibility.
Antitrypanosomal Properties of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer: New Possibilities for a Remarkable Traditional Drug

African trypanosomiasis is still a major health problem in many sub‐Saharan countries in Africa. We investigated the effects of three preparations of Panax ginseng, Panax notoginseng, isolated ginsenosides, and the polyacetylene panaxynol on Trypanosoma brucei brucei and the human cancer cell line HeLa. Hexane extracts and the pure panaxynol were toxic and at the same time highly selective against T. b. brucei, whereas methanol extracts and 12 isolated ginsenosides were significantly less toxic and showed only weak selectivity. Panaxynol was cytotoxic against T. b. brucei at the concentration of 0.01 µg/mL with a selectivity index of 858, superior even to established antitrypanosomal drugs. We suggest that the inhibition of trypanothione reductase, which is only found in trypanosomes, might explain the observed selectivity. The high selectivity together with a cytotoxic concentration in the range of the bioavailability makes panaxynol and other polyacetylenes in general very promising lead compounds for the treatment of African trypanosomiasis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evidence-Based Medicine: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Learning Objectives: After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Describe and apply the best current high-level evidence in carpal tunnel syndrome. 2. Design a treatment plan to offer tourniquet-free, sedation-free local anesthesia for patients who wish it or who are at high risk with sedation. 3. Describe the evidence and outcomes as they relate to splinting carpal tunnel patients after surgery. Summary: This is the third Maintenance of Certification article on carpal tunnel syndrome. Hentz and Lalonde summarized the best literature in 2008 in the first article. The second article, by Shores and Lee, presented the best evidence regarding assessment, surgical treatment, and outcomes from the literature published between 1999 and 2009. In this article, the author has concentrated on topics not covered in depth in the first two articles and provides an update of the highest level evidence on important topics from 2009 to 2013. Although there is some Level IV and V evidence cited in this article, most is Level I, II, and III.
Unexpected distribution of Hepatitis B genotypes in patients with kidney disease: Comparison with immunocompetent subjects

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has a high prevalence among hemodialysis and renal transplant patients. Data regarding genotype distribution in these populations are scarce and are still under investigation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of HBV genotypes in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD)‐patients and renal transplant patients and to compare with the distribution observed in immunocompetent patients from the same geographic region. From a population of 213 patients evaluated initially, 120 patients with detectable HBV‐DNA were included in the study and submitted to genotype determination by amplification of S gene by nested PCR followed by sequencing method. Among 41 hemodialysis patients the most frequent genotype was D (83%), followed by genotype A (10%), C (5%), and F (2%). Genotype D was also the most prevalent (73%) among 33 renal transplant patients, followed by genotype A (18%), F (6%), and B (3%). This distribution was similar in these two groups of patients and for the comparative analysis they were considered in the kidney disease group. Compared to immunocompetents, patients with kidney disease (ESRD and renal transplant patients) showed a distinct distribution, with a higher prevalence of genotype D (78% vs. 17%, P < 0.001) whereas genotype A was the most prevalent among immunocompetent patients (70% vs. 14%, P < 0.001). In conclusion, the higher frequency of genotype A in immunocompetent patients and of genotype D in patients with renal disease suggest a higher capacity of environmental transmission or a better adaptability of this genotype in patients with a different pattern of immunologic response. J. Med. Virol. 84:1548–1552, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Physical-Layer Security in Free-Space Optical Communications

The communication between two legitimate peers in the presence of an external eavesdropper is studied from a physical-layer security perspective in the context of free-space optical (FSO) communications. We discuss viable mechanisms to eavesdrop the communication and study the effect of random optical irradiance fluctuations inherent to FSO communications on the probability of achieving a secure transmission. We observe that the joint effect of laser-beam divergence and turbulence-induced fading on the received irradiance, under certain conditions, allows an external eavesdropper close to the legitimate receiver to compromise the communication. Interestingly, we also observe that an eavesdropper placed close to the legitimate transmitter can easily compromise the communication by taking advantage of the larger attenuation suffered by the signal when propagating through the FSO link.
Differential Binding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to Alfalfa, Human Epithelial Cells, and Plastic Is Mediated by a Variety of Surface Structures

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli O157:H7 carried on plant surfaces, including alfalfa sprouts, has been implicated in food poisoning and outbreaks of disease in the United States. Adhesion to cell surfaces is a key component for bacterial establishment and colonization on many types of surfaces. Several E. coli O157:H7 surface proteins are thought to be important for adhesion and/or biofilm formation. Therefore, we examined whether mutations in several genes encoding potential adhesins and regulators of adherence have an effect on bacterial binding to plants and also examined the role of these genes during adhesion to Caco-2 cells and during biofilm formation on plastic in vitro. The genes tested included those encoding adhesins (cah, aidA1, and ompA) and mediators of hyperadherence (tdcA, yidE, waaI, and cadA) and those associated with fimbria formation (csgA, csgD, and lpfD2). The introduction of some of these genes (cah, aidA1, and csg loci) into an E. coli K-12 strain markedly increased its ability to bind to alfalfa sprouts and seed coats. The addition of more than one of these genes did not show an additive effect. In contrast, deletion of one or more of these genes in a strain of E. coli O157:H7 did not affect its ability to bind to alfalfa. Only the absence of the ompA gene had a significant effect on binding, and the plant-bacterium interaction was markedly reduced in a tdcA ompA double mutant. In contrast, the E. coli O157:H7 ompA and tdcA ompA mutant strains were only slightly affected in adhesion to Caco-2 cells and during biofilm formation. These findings suggest that some adhesins alone are sufficient to promote binding to alfalfa and that they may exist in E. coli O157:H7 as redundant systems, allowing it to compensate for the loss of one or more of these systems. Binding to the three types of surfaces appeared to be mediated by overlapping but distinct sets of genes. The only gene which appeared to be irreplaceable for binding to plant surfaces was ompA.
A Common Computational Framework for Semiring-based Argumentation Systems

We suggest semirings as a mean to parametrically represent “weighted” Argumentation frameworks (AF): different kinds of preference levels related to arguments, e.g. a score representing a “fuzziness”, a “cost” or a probability level of each argument, can be represented by choosing different semirings. The novel idea is to provide a common computational and quantitative framework where attacks (and/or supports) have an associated weight and, consequently, also the computation of the classical Dung's semantics has an associated weight representing how much inconsistency we tolerate in the solution. The proposed semiring-based AF is then casted into a Soft Constraint Satisfaction Problem. Adding suitable sets of constraints permits to characterize the solution of the soft CSP as the desired Dung semantics. This allows for the application of the several solution techniques developed for Soft CSPs to AFs.
Stochastic Classifier Integration Model and Its Application to Satellite Image Classification

A classifier called SCIM (Stochastic Classifier Integration Model) is proposed in this paper for achieving higher accuracy in classification tasks. The proposed SCIM utilizes Naive Bayes Classifier as its local classifiers and performs the classification task optimally by combining the decision results from local classifiers while minimizing computational costs required for the classification task. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed SCIM, experiments on a satellite image classification task is conducted in this paper. The results show that the proposed SCIM outperforms individual classifiers based on individual features and the conventional CIM in terms of classification accuracy.
Effects of Brief Separation from Mother on Rhesus Monkeys

To summarize, data on the course of development of mother-infant relations in rhesus monkeys have been presented; a method for teasing apart the relative roles of mother and infant in causing changes or differences in the interaction described; and the complexity of the social nexus, within which the relationship is set, stressed. When the mother is removed for a few days, the infant calls a great deal at first and then shows depressed locomotor and play activity. These symptoms may last for a month after the mother's return. Simple tests given 6 months and even 2 years later strongly suggest that the differences (between infants that have had such a separation experience and infants that have not) are persistent. Are these data relevant to the human case? The rhesus monkey has no verbal language and a much less complex social development than man. Furthermore, its social environment is quite different from that found in any human culture. Parallels between monkey and man must therefore be scrutinized carefully before being used as a basis for generalization. But the facts show that a brief separation experience produces in rhesus monkey infants symptoms that are very similar (except for the apparent absence of a "phase of detachment" on reunion) to those in human infants (25). While age of separation, within the rather narrow limits used here, was a variable of minor importance, the effects of the separation varied, as in the human case, with the length of the separation experience and the sex of the infant. Differences in the techniques of experimenters, as well as differences in the species, prevent precise comparisons of the roles of the mother-infant relationships; nevertheless, the nature of the relationship appears to be an important variable in both monkey and man. There would seem, therefore, to be strong reasons for thinking that we are dealing with comparable phenomena. If that is the case, the fact that monkeys function at a simpler conceptual level than man limits the complexity of the explanatory hypotheses necessary in the human case. In addition, the finding that such a brief separation experience, involving removal of the mother but no exposure to a strange environment, can produce effects lasting for months or years in rhesus monkeys strengthens the evidence that long-term effects may occur also in man. Finally, this analysis provides bases for attempts to predict individual differences in the effects of a period of separation on rhesus infants, and the parallels with man suggest that examination of the same variables in the human case would be worthwhile.
Creatinine Increases After Intravenous Contrast Administration: Incidence and Impact

Objective:The incidence of creatinine increases after intravenous contrast (postcontrast creatinine increases, PCCI) is controversial, ranging from 0% to >25%. We sought to determine what factors influenced these divergent estimates of PCCI incidence. Where possible, the association of PCCI with long-term adverse outcomes was also studied. Materials and Methods:Both observational studies and prospective randomized trials were reviewed. Definitions of clinically significant PCCI, incidence of PCCI, and its association with baseline kidney function, the setting in which intravenous contrast was administered, and the short- and long-term consequences of PCCI were extracted. Results:Baseline renal function impairment and inpatient versus outpatient status are the major risk factors for PCCI. PCCI is possibly associated with clinically significant short- and long-term adverse events. Conclusions:PCCI occurs despite a number of potential confounding issues. The incidence is increased as kidney function at baseline is diminished and for inpatients. There is limited data on long-term outcomes following PCCI in this setting.