Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acute and chronic stroke: navigated spin-echo diffusion-weighted MR imaging.

PURPOSE The authors evaluated a phase-navigated spin-echo (SE) motion-correction sequence for use at diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging after cerebral infarction. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-nine patients underwent 32 conventional T2-weighted fast SE and SE DW imaging after stroke (n=25), transient ischemic attack (n=3), or reversible ischemic neurologic deficit (n=1). Imaging was performed in a standard head holder with standard padding. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were constructed. RESULTS DW images depicted high signal intensity compatible with localization of the ischemic symptoms in all cases. Lesions were depicted more clearly on DW than on T2-weighted images. On DW images, acute infarct ADC values were uniformly low (mean, 0.401x10(-5) cm2/sec =+/- 0.143 [standard deviation]) compared with control ADC values (mean, 0.754x10(-5) cm2/sec +/- 0.201). ADC values of chronic infarcts were supranormal (mean, 1.591x10(-5) cm2/sec +/- 0.840) compared with control values (mean, 0.788x10(-5) cm2/sec +/- 0.166). DW imaging did not show a change after transient ischemic attack. with reversible ischemic neurologic deficit, however, hyperintensity on DW images and low ADC resolved after symptoms abated. CONCLUSION Clinical phase-navigated SE DW imaging improved early diagnosis of stroke and helped differentiate acute from chronic stroke. Changes on DW images are reversed after symptoms resolve.
Impact of Clinical Alerts Within an Electronic Health Record on Routine Childhood Immunization in an Urban Pediatric Population

OBJECTIVES. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that clinical alerts for routine pediatric vaccinations within an electronic health record would reduce missed opportunities for vaccination and improve immunization rates for young children in an inner-city population. METHODS. A 1-year intervention study (September 1, 2004, to August 31, 2005) with historical controls was conducted in 4 urban primary care centers affiliated with an academic medical center. All children who were younger than 24 months were enrolled. Electronic health record–based clinical reminders for routine childhood vaccinations were programmed to appear prominently at every patient encounter with vaccines due. The main outcome measures were rates of captured immunization opportunities and overall immunization rates at 24 months of age. RESULTS. Immunization alerts appeared at 15928 visits during the intervention. Alert implementation was associated with increases in captured immunization opportunities from 78.2% to 90.3% at well visits and from 11.3% to 32.0% at sick visits. Adjusted up-to-date immunization rates at 24 months of age increased from 81.7% to 90.1% from the control to intervention period. Children in the intervention group also became up-to-date earlier than control patients. Patient characteristics were stable throughout the study. CONCLUSIONS. An electronic health record–based clinical alert intervention was associated with increases in captured opportunities for vaccination at both sick and well visits and significant improvements in immunization rates at 2 years of age. As electronic health records become more common in medical practice, such systems may transform immunization delivery to children.
A 40-Gb/s Quarter-Rate SerDes Transmitter and Receiver Chipset in 65-nm CMOS

This paper presents a 40-Gb/s transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX) chipset for chip-to-chip communications in a 65-nm CMOS process. The TX implements a quarter-rate multi-multiplexer (MUX)-based four-tap feed-forward equalizer (FFE), where a charge-sharing-effect elimination technique is introduced into the 4:1 MUX to optimize its jitter performance and power efficiency. The RX employs a two-stage continuous-time linear equalizer as the analog front end and integrates a low-cost sign-based zero-forcing engine relying on edge-data correlation to automatically adjust the tap weights of the TX-FFE. By embedding low-pass filters with an adaptively adjusting bandwidth into the data-sampling path and adopting high-linearity compensating phase interpolators, the clock data recovery achieves both high jitter tolerance and low jitter generation. The fabricated TX and RX chipset delivers 40-Gb/s PRBS data at BER < 10−12 over a channel with > 16-dB loss at half-baud frequency, while consuming a total power of 370 mW.
Implementation of a MPPT algorithm and supervision of a shading on photovoltaic panel

This paper presents an implementation of the maximum power point tracking algorithm based on the real time measurements and model based simulation. For the supervision of a photovoltaic panel, different cases of shading are used. We want to focus our attention on the advanced control for the supervision of a photovoltaic system in accordance with the need to maximize the energy output of the photovoltaic systems. The experimental results have verified the performance and the feasibility of the proposed system.
Peroxiredoxin Q of Arabidopsis thaliana is attached to the thylakoids and functions in context of photosynthesis.

Peroxiredoxin Q (Prx Q) is one out of 10 peroxiredoxins encoded in the genome of Arabidopsis thaliana, and one out of four that are targeted to plastids. Peroxiredoxin Q functions as a monomeric protein and represents about 0.3% of chloroplast proteins. It attaches to the thylakoid membrane and is detected in preparations enriched in photosystem II complexes. Peroxiredoxin Q decomposes peroxides using thioredoxin as an electron donor with a substrate preference of H(2)O(2) > cumene hydroperoxide >> butyl hydroperoxide >> linoleoyl hydroperoxide and insignificant affinity towards complex phospholipid hydroperoxide. Plants with decreased levels of Prx Q did not have an apparently different phenotype from wildtype at the plant level. However, similar to antisense 2-cysteine (2-Cys) Prx plants [Baier, M. et al. (2000)Plant Physiol. , 124, 823-832], Prx Q-deficient plants had a decreased sensitivity to oxidants in a leaf slice test as indicated by chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. Increased fluorescence ratios of photosystem II to I at 77 K and modified transcript levels of plastid- and nuclear-encoded proteins show that regulatory mechanisms are at work to compensate for the lack of Prx Q. Apparently Prx Q attaches to photosystem II and has a specific function distinct from 2-Cys peroxiredoxin in protecting photosynthesis. Its absence causes metabolic changes that are sensed and trigger appropriate compensatory responses.
Patients' perceptions of the process of consenting to electroconvulsive therapy

Background. The concept of valid consent has become important for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). However, many patients feel that they do not have enough information before consenting and a significant minority feel coerced into consenting. Little is known about what factors account for these views. Aim. To explore patients' perceptions about how they consented to ECT. Method. Twelve participants were interviewed about their experiences of consenting to ECT. Interviews were subjected to a thematic analysis. Results. Participants' perceptions of consenting to ECT were complex, and interpersonal factors were found to be important. Many participants felt that they had consented without adequate information from medical sources and that they had little choice to agree. Two participants consented to ECT as either a form of self-harm or hoping it would kill them. Conclusion. Consenting to ECT is more complex than currently recognised and involves interpersonal and systemic factors. As a result, people may consent because they feel that they have little choice. Implications for practice are discussed.
IS6110 Mediates Increased Transcription of the phoP Virulence Gene in a Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Isolate Responsible for Tuberculosis Outbreaks

ABSTRACT Drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains is solely due to chromosomal mutations that could affect bacterial virulence. Molecular epidemiology studies have shown that resistant strains are less likely to be clustered than susceptible strains. However, a few multidrug-resistant (MDR) M. tuberculosis complex strains have been described as causing outbreaks, suggesting that they have restored virulence or increased transmission. One of the biggest MDR tuberculosis outbreaks documented to date was caused by the B strain of M. bovis. Restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting revealed that the B strain contains two copies of IS6110. Here, we mapped and sequenced the regions flanking the two copies of IS6110 in the B strain. Ligation-mediated PCR showed that one of these IS6110 copies is located within the promoter region of phoP, a transcriptional regulator that is essential for M. tuberculosis virulence. We used PCR to screen 219 MDR M. tuberculosis complex strains (90.4% of all MDR isolates) isolated in Spain between 1998 and 2002 and found that the B strain was the only strain that contained a copy of IS6110 in the phoP promoter. To determine whether IS6110 affects phoP promoter activity in the B strain, we individually cloned the phoP gene and its promoter region (including IS6110 from the B strain and the equivalent region from M. tuberculosis without IS6110 as a control) into a mycobacterial replicative plasmid and transformed M. smegmatis with the resulting plasmid. Primer extension analysis showed that phoP transcription was strongly upregulated when the promoter region contained IS6110, as in the case of the B strain.
Entamoeba histolytica: monoclonal antibody against the beta1 integrin-like molecule (140 kDa) inhibits cell adhesion to extracellular matrix components.

We describe a monoclonal antibody (3C10) against the beta1 integrin-like molecule which immunoprecipitates two polypeptides of 140 and 155 kDa from detergent-soluble extract of Entamoeba histolytica. The 140-kDa polypeptide has been described as a beta subunit of the amoebic fibronectin receptor as it is recognized by an anti-integrin beta1 (human) monoclonal antibody in immunoblot assay. The receptor molecules were localized with the 3C10 monoclonal antibody in intracellular and surface membranes of E. histolytica trophozoites by immunofluorescence and immunogold labeling methods. Significant inhibitions of cell adhesion on extracellular matrix proteins such as fibronectin (56%) (P < 0.001) and collagen (50%) (P < 0.001) and partial inhibition on laminin (23%) (P > 0.1) were achieved by the monoclonal antibody.
Atypical and Malignant Variants of Ossifying Fibromyxoid Tumor: Clinicopathologic Analysis of Six Cases

Ossifying sibromyxoid tumor (OFMT) of soft parts is a recently defined fibro-osseous neoplasm. the biologic behavior of which is generally regarded as benign. We report six variant cases of OFMT with histologic features of malignancy, two of which behaved aggressively. All these tumors arose in the extremities of adults (aged 36–76 years), and five of the six were subcutaneous. Four patients were men. Macroscopically, all the tumors were well circumscribed and somewhat lobulated. Cardinal morphologic features included lobulates of round to spinded cells within a fibromyxoid matrix and randomly distributed, often centrally located osteoid within which were plump neoplastic cells. In contrast to typical OFMT, a hypocellular, cytologically benign, lamellar bony shell was observed only focally: cellularity was increased (four cases), and mitotic activity was frequent, exceeding two mitotic figures per 10 high-power fields (three cases). One case associated with metastases was morphologically bland. Immunohistochemically, positivity for S-100 protein was observed in the primary tumors of three cases and in the pulmonary metastasis of a fourth. Desmin was positive in one case. Ultrastructural features in three cases were very similar to usual OFMT. Clinical follow-up revealed local recurrence in two cases: one patient has developed recurrent pulmonary metastases. We believe these findings support the view that some atypical cases of OFMT exhibit morphologic patterns that might predict more aggressive behavior.
Heparinase I from Flavobacterium heparinum

Heparinases are bacterial enzymes that are powerful tools to study the physiological roles of heparin-like complex polysaccharides. In addition, heparinases have significant therapeutic applications. We had proposed earlier that cysteine 135 and histidine 203 together form the catalytic domain in heparinase I. We had also identified a heparin binding domain in heparinase I containing two positively charged clusters HB-1 and HB-2 in a primary heparin binding site and other positively charged residues in the vicinity of cysteine 135. In this study, through systematic site-directed mutagenesis studies, we show that the alteration of the positive charge of the HB-1 region has a pronounced effect on heparinase I activity. More specifically, site-directed mutagenesis of K199A (contained in HB-1) results in a 15-fold reduction in catalytic activity, whereas a K198A mutation (also in HB-1) results in only a 2- to 3-fold reduction in heparinase I activity. A K132A mutation, in close proximity to cysteine 135, also resulted in reduced (8-fold) activity. Heparin affinity chromatography experiments indicated moderately lowered binding affinities for the K132A, K198A, and the K199A mutant enzymes. The above results, taken together with our previous observations, lead us to propose that the positively charged heparin binding domain provides the necessary microenvironment for the catalytic domain of heparinase I. The dominant effect of lysine 199 suggests an additional, more direct, role in catalysis for this residue.
Clinical applications of gene therapy for cancer.

The number of gene therapy protocols for the treatment of cancer is growing rapidly. The most common type of approved clinical trial for cancer gene therapy involves the ex vivo gene transfer of cytokine genes (e.g., tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-2, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) into tumor cells. The idea behind this approach is to use gene transfer to induce a patient's tumor to become more immunogenic. The genetically altered tumor cells are reinjected into the patient in an effort to induce a systemic antitumor immune response against residual tumor cells. In other trials, investigators are using in situ gene transfer to selectively destroy cancer cells, sparing normal tissues. Continuing advances in molecular biology are likely to allow the development of new cancer treatments and methods of cancer prevention that will redefine cancer therapy.
Improving Asthma during Pregnancy with Dietary Antioxidants: The Current Evidence

The complication of asthma during pregnancy is associated with a number of poor outcomes for the mother and fetus. This may be partially driven by increased oxidative stress induced by the combination of asthma and pregnancy. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways associated with systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, which contributes to worsening asthma symptoms. Pregnancy alone also intensifies oxidative stress through the systemic generation of excess reactive oxidative species (ROS). Antioxidants combat the damaging effects of ROS; yet antioxidant defenses are reduced in asthma. Diet and nutrition have been postulated as potential factors to combat the damaging effects of asthma. In particular, dietary antioxidants may play a role in alleviating the heightened oxidative stress in asthma. Although there are some observational and interventional studies that have shown protective effects of antioxidants in asthma, assessment of antioxidants in pregnancy are limited and there are no antioxidant intervention studies in asthmatic pregnancies on asthma outcomes. The aims of this paper are to (i) review the relationships between oxidative stress and dietary antioxidants in adults with asthma and asthma during pregnancy, and (ii) provide the rationale for which dietary management strategies, specifically increased dietary antioxidants, might positively impact maternal asthma outcomes. Improving asthma control through a holistic antioxidant dietary approach might be valuable in reducing asthma exacerbations and improving asthma management during pregnancy, subsequently impacting perinatal health.
Processing occlusions using elastic-net hierarchical MAX model of the visual cortex

Humans can recognise objects under partial occlusion. Machine-based approaches cannot reliably recognise objects and scenes in the presence of occlusion. This paper investigates the use of the elastic net hierarchical MAX (En-HMAX) model to handle occlusions. Our experiments show that the En-HMAX model achieves an accuracy of ∼70%, when ∼50% artificial occlusions are applied to the centre of the visual object-field. Furthermore, when the same percentage of occlusion is applied to the peripheral, the model reports higher accuracies. A similar degree of robustness has been observed when recognising scenes. The results suggest that cortex-like models, such as the En-HMAX are reliable for solving the occlusion challenge.
Genistein inhibits proliferation similarly in estrogen receptor‐positive and negative human breast carcinoma cell lines characterized by P21WAF1/CIP1 induction, G2/M arrest, and apoptosis

Genistein has been proposed to be responsible for lowering the rate of breast cancer in Asian women but the mechanism for this chemopreventive effect in vivo is unknown. In this study, we present in vitro evidence that genistein inhibits cell proliferation similarly in ER‐positive and ER‐negative human breast carcinoma cell lines. This inhibition is associated with specific G2/M arrest and induction of p21WAF1/CIP1 expression. Genistein results in a five‐ to six‐fold increase in p21WAF1/CIP1 mRNA levels and a three‐ to four‐fold increase in protein levels, only a 1.5‐fold increase in p21WAF1/CIP1 transcription but a three‐ to six‐fold increase in p21WAF1/CIP1 mRNA stability. The increase in p21WAF1/CIP1 is followed by increased apoptosis. The similar effects of genistein on a number of breast carcinoma cell lines with different ER and p53 status suggest that the actions of genistein reported here are mediated through ER and p53 independent mechanisms. The chemopreventive effects of genistein in vivo could be mediated along an identical or similar anti‐proliferative pathway. J. Cell. Biochem. 69:44–54, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
CXCL12 and CXCR4 expression by human gingival fibroblasts in periodontal disease

CXCL12 is a CXC chemokine that is related to lymphocyte infiltration and angiogenesis in inflammatory sites such as arthritis. However, the expression and roles of CXCL12 in periodontal disease are uncertain. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of CXCL12 and its receptor, CXCR4, in periodontal tissue and to investigate the properties of CXCL12 and CXCR4 expression by human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). RT‐PCR analysis revealed that CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNA were expressed in both normal gingival tissues and periodontal diseased tissues. Immunohistochemistry disclosed that CXCL12 was expressed and CXCR4 positive cells were found in both normal and periodontal diseased gingival tissues. Our in vitro experiments elucidated that HGF constitutively produced CXCL12, and the levels were enhanced by stimulation with tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), transforming growth factor‐β (TGF–β), regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and macrophage inflammatory protein 3α (MIP‐3α). On the other hand, heat killed Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) and P. gingivalis LPS reduced the CXCL12 production by HGF. Flow cytometry analysis clarified that CXCR4 was highly expressed on HGF, and CXCR4 expression was abrogated by TNF‐α, IFN‐γ and P. gingivalis LPS. Moreover, CXCL12 induced vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production by HGF. Our results demonstrated that CXCL12 might be related to CXCR4+ cells infiltration and angiogenesis both in normal periodontal tissues and periodontal diseased tissue. P. gingivalis, a known periodontal pathogen, inhibits the production of CXCL12 and the expression of CXCR4 by HGF. This fact means that P. gingivalis may inhibit CXCR4+ cells infiltration and neovascularization in periodontal tissue and escape from the immune response.
Relationship between Helicobacter pylori CagA status and colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVES:Infection with Helicobacter pylori, particularly with strains positive for CagA protein, increases the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma. Few studies have explored the possible association between H. pylori infection and colorectal cancer. This study evaluated whether the seroprevalence of CagA in H. pylori-infected patients affected risk for colorectal cancer independently of H. pylori status.METHODS:In this study, we tested serum IgG antibodies against H. pylori (ELISA) and CagA protein (Western blot assay) in 67 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma, 36 with gastric adenocarcinoma, 47 with other malignancies (cancer controls), and 45 hospitalized for transesophageal echocardiography (TEE controls). Colonic cancer and gastric cancer patients with H. pylori infection were compared to each control group and to the pooled controls using simple and adjusted analyses.RESULTS:H. pylori infection was noted in 50 colon cancer patients, 31 gastric cancer patients, 31 cancer controls, and 32 TEE controls. In all, 41 (82%), 29 (94%), 11 (35%), and 13 (41%), respectively, of these H. pylori-positive sera expressed CagA reactivity (p < 0.001 for all pairwise comparisons between cases and controls). In the adjusted analysis, infection with H. pylori CagA+ compared to H. pylori CagA− was associated with increased risk for colorectal adenocarcinoma (odds ratio = 10.6; 95% CI = 2.7–41.3; p = 0.001) and gastric adenocarcinoma (odds ratio = 88.1; 95% CI = 6.3–1229.2; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Among patients infected with H. pylori, CagA+ seropositivity is associated with increased risk for both gastric and colonic cancer. This finding should stimulate additional research into the role of cagA+ H. pylori infection in the development of colorectal cancer.
PREVALENCE OF CYSTOID MACULAR EDEMA AND STABILITY IN OCT RETINAL THICKNESS IN EYES WITH RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA DURING A 48-WEEK LUTEIN TRIAL

Purpose: To describe, in a group of patients with moderately advanced retinitis pigmentosa (RP), the prevalence of cystoid macular edema (CME), the variation in foveal thickness over a 48-week period, the correlation of visual acuity (VA) with retinal thickness, and the lack of response of CME to lutein administration. Methods: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of the macula and clinical examination were evaluated for 77 eyes of 39 patients with RP over 11 months, with a scan done every 6 weeks. Results: The prevalence of CME, defined by cysts visible on OCT, was 49%. Bilateral CME was present in 44% of patients (17 of 39), and an additional two patients had unilateral CME. Central retinal thickness varied little over the 48 weeks. Sixty-six percent of the eyes with CME had VA of 20/40 or better. The eyes with CME with VA worse than 20/40 had either greater degrees of thickening or in fact had lower thickness measures. For the eyes without CME, the eyes with VA worse than 20/40 tended to have lower retinal thickness than the eyes with VA of 20/40 or better. VA was highly concordant between eyes, and did not differ significantly between the groups with and without CME. Lutein did not show a statistically significant effect on retinal thickness in the patients with or without CME, nor was such an effect observed in subgroups of patients with vision better or worse than 20/40. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of CME is higher than in previous reports, perhaps because the patients had some preserved macular vision and because of the use of a definition based on OCT findings. Retinal thickness remains fairly stable over time, both in eyes with CME and in eyes without CME.