Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CMOS digitally programmable lock-in amplifier for EEG detection system

This paper presents a new Lock-in Amplifier used in biomedical applications like Electroencephalogram (EEG) detection system. The proposed lock-in amplifier consists of five stages: the first and third stages are Four Quadrant CMOS Analog multipliers, the second stage is band pass filter with digitally programmable gain amplifier (DPGA), and the last two stages are low pass filter (LPF) and DPGA respectively. The basic building block of the filters and amplifier in this system is the digitally programmable operational transconductance amplifier (DPOTA). LT Spice simulation is done using 0.25-μm CMOS technology. The overall voltage gain for the maximum digital bit of the system is 100dB at ±0.8V supply voltage and input referred noise is 3. 66μV/√Hz.
Pitfalls of processed pseudogenes in RT-PCR.

Pseudogenes are genes with high sequence homology to functional genes that have been rendered obsolete by mutations, preventing their expression. Several genes, such as αand β-globin, have been shown to have duplicated sequences representing nonfunctional genes or pseudogenes. The presence of pseudogenes is common; not every DNA duplication produces a functional gene. Cyclophilin (CyP), an 18-kDa protein originally isolated as the main cyclosporin A-binding protein (1), is a major cellular component, comprising 0.1% to 0.4% of total cellular protein (7). CyP expression is not restricted to a specific cell type but is found in all cells of wide phylogenetic distribution (5,7,9) and might therefore be useful as a housekeeping gene for comparative quantitation of mRNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). However, Southern blot analysis of mammalian genomic DNA has revealed multiple CyP-homologous sequences representing related genes or pseudogenes (2,3). Notwithstanding the existence of these pseudogenes, we investigated its use for this purpose with RNA extracted from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The cyclophilin primer sequences were obtained from the nucleotide sequence of Haendler and Hoffer (4) and designed to span an intron amplifying a 597-bp fragment. The primer pair sequences used in the amplification process were 3317 (5′ATGGTCAACCCCACCGTGTTCTTCGAC-3′) and 3318 (5′-AATCGAGTTGTCCACAGTCAGCAATGG-3′). Initial results showed the presence of an amplified band of the expected size in the controls where the RNA had not been reverse-transcribed. Upon further investigation of the primer sequence and positioning, we discovered that although the primers were designed across an intron, the DNA sequence and RNA sequence showed high homology, and the above primers would therefore be likely to amplify any DNA contaminating the RNA preparations. We describe a simple method for the preparation of RNA suitable for RT-PCR when RNA-specific primers cannot be designed and that can be used even when pseudogenes are a confounding problem. To minimize the amount of cellular DNA contamination within the RNA preparations, two different methods of RNA extraction were compared. First, total RNA was extracted from 1 × 106 PBMCs isolated from buffy packs using Ficoll-Paque density gradients (Pharmacia Biotech, Uppsala, Sweden) using Total RNA Isolation Reagent (Advanced Biotechnologies, London, England, UK) according to the manufacturer’s protocol. First-strand cDNA synthesis was then performed in a 20μL reaction mixture containing 25 ng
Agencies method Q : 1 ; 2 for coalition formation in experimental games

In society, power is often transferred to another person or group. A previous Q:7 work studied the evolution of cooperation among robot players through a coalition formation game with a noncooperative procedure of acceptance of an agency of another player. Motivated by this previous work, we conduct a laboratory experiment on finitely repeated three-person coalition formation games. Human players with different strength according to the coalition payoffs can accept a transfer of power to another player, the agent, who then distributes the coalition payoffs. We find that the agencies method for coalition formation is quite successful in promoting efficiency. However, the agent faces a tension between short-term incentives of not equally distributing the coalition payoff and the long-term concern to keep cooperation going. In a given round, the strong player in our experiment often resolves this tension approximately in line with the Shapley value and the nucleolus. Yet aggregated over all rounds, the payoff differences between players are rather small, and the equal division of payoffs predicts about 80% of all groups best. One reason is that the voting procedure appears to induce a balance of power, independent of the individual player’s strength: Selfish subjects tend to be voted out of their agency and are further disciplined by reciprocal behaviors.
Experimental Evidence of Recombination in Coronavirus Infectious Bronchitis Virus

Abstract Embryonated eggs were coinfected with two strains of the coronavirus avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), IBV-Beaudette and IBV-M41, to investigate whether recombination between the two strains would occur. Virions were isolated from the allantoic fluid of the coinfected eggs and putative hybrid RNAs were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using strain-specific oligonucleotides. PCR products, of the expected sizes, were obtained as predicted from potential recombination events between the nucleoprotein (N) gene and the 3′-untranslated region of the two IBV genomes. Sequencing confirmed that they corresponded to hybrid RNAs. Virus produced as a result of the mixed infection was treated with an M41-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibody and passaged in Vero cells, in which IBV-Beaudette, but not IBV-M41, replicated. Hybrid RNA was still detectable after three serial passages. Since no IBV-M41 was detectable this confirmed that infectious recombinant genomes had been produced in the embryonated eggs. These findings not only support the circumstantial evidence, from sequencing studies of IBV field strains, that recombination occurs during replication of IBV and contributes to the diversity of IBV, but also show that coronavirus RNA recombination is not limited to mouse hepatitis virus.
Prevalence of renal impairment and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in a general population: results of the Swiss SAPALDIA study.

BACKGROUND Impaired renal function is evolving as an independent marker of the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Little is known about the prevalence of impaired renal function and its relationship to cardiovascular risk factors in the Swiss general population. METHODS SAPALDIA comprises a random sample of the Swiss population established in 1991, originally to investigate the health effects of long-term exposure to air pollution. Participants were reassessed in 2002/3 and blood measurements were obtained (n = 6317). Renal function was estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation and the modified MDRD (four-component) equation incorporating age, race, gender and serum creatinine level. RESULTS The estimated prevalence of impaired renal function [estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)] differed substantially between men and women, particularly at higher ages, and amounted to 13% [95% confidence interval (CI) 10-16%] and 36% (95% CI 32-40%) in men and women, respectively, of 65 years or older. Smoking, obesity, blood lipid levels, high systolic blood pressure and hyperuricaemia were all more common in men when compared with women. These cardiovascular risk factors were also associated independently with creatinine in both women and men. Women were less likely to receive cardiovascular drugs, in particular angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and beta-blockers, when compared with men of the same age. CONCLUSION Moderate renal impairment seems to be prevalent in the general population, with an apparent excess in females which is not explained by conventional cardiovascular risk factors. The unexpected finding questions the validity of the prediction equations, in particular in females.
An ultra thin metamaterial absorber using electric field driven LC resonator with meander lines

This paper describes the electric field driven LC (ELC) resonator structure using Meander lines in C-band. The proposed ELC driven metamaterial structure is simulated using Ansoft HFSS which shows an absorption peak at 6.26 GHz with absorbance of 99.1% and S11 of -20.55 dB. The reduction of frequency at which absorption occurs can be explained from the equivalent LC circuit combination of the proposed structure. The incorporation of Meander lines enhances the net inductance, and thus frequency is reduced. The absorbance is supported by the real and imaginary parts of the impedance value extracted from S-parameters. The absorption frequencies can be shifted by varying the gap as well as length-segment of the Meander Line structure.
MORTALITY AFTER ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN HOSPITALS THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY TREAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS

Background: African-Americans are more likely be seen by physicians with less clinical training or treated at hospitals with deficient times to acute reperfusion therapies. Less is known about differences in health outcomes. This paper compares risk-adjusted mortality following Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) between U.S. hospitals with high and low fractions of elderly black AMI patients. Methods and Results: A prospective cohort study was performed for fee-for-service Medicare patients hospitalized for AMI during 1997-2001 (N = 1,136,736). Hospitals (N =4289) were classified into approximate deciles depending on the extent to which the hospital served the African-American population. The lowest category (12.5 percent of AMI patients) included hospitals without any African-American AMI admissions during 1997-2001. Decile 10 (10 percent of AMI patients) included hospitals with the highest fraction of black AMI patients (33.6 percent). The main outcome measures were 90-day and 30-day mortality following AMI. Patients admitted to hospitals disproportionately serving African-Americans experienced no greater level of morbidities or severity of the infarction. Yet hospitals in Decile 10 experienced risk-adjusted 90-day mortality rate of 23.7 percent (95% CI: 23.2–24.2) compared to 20.1 percent (95% CI: 19.7-20.4) in Decile 1 hospitals. Differences in outcomes between hospitals were not explained by income, hospital ownership status, hospital volume, Census region, urban status, or hospital surgical treatment intensity. Conclusions: Risk-adjusted mortality following AMI is significantly higher in U.S. hospitals that disproportionately serve African-Americans. A reduction in overall mortality at these hospitals could reduce dramatically black-white disparities in health care outcomes.
Isolation and characterization of Escherichia coli pili from diverse clinical sources

Bacteria which attach to different mucous membranes should have differing specificities of adherence in vitro. Human Escherichia coli isolates from blood and urine (pathogens) and from stool and throat (commensals) were characterized as to the patterns of hemagglutination (HA), as well as the structure and function of their pili. Bacterial HA was done in microtiter plates and on slides after bacterial growth in broth or agar. Human erythrocytes were agglutinated by 95% of the pathogens and 65 to 70% of the commensals grown in broth or agar. Mannose-resistant HA was characteristically caused by pathogens, and commensals characteristically caused mannose-sensitive HA of guinea pig cells. Strains often had both mannose-resistant and mannose-sensitive reactions, or even a mannose-paradoxical reaction. Pathogens more often caused HA, but titers were lower than those for commensals. Slide HA was less sensitive than the microtiter method. All isolates were piliated. Commensals also had more pili than pathogens when grown in broth (117.8 versus 38.3 pili per bacterium), but pathogens had more pili after growth on agar (32.1 versus 8.1 pili per bacterium). Isolates causing high-titer HA had large numbers of pili (greater than 85 pili per bacterium), but some well-piliated strains were non-hemagglutinating. Pili were purified from seven E. coli strains from different sites of isolation and with different erythrocyte-binding specificity. Pili usually migrated as a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, more than one type of pilus could be copurified from some strains since there were two or more bands after separation in octyl-glucoside and two different amino terminal sequences. Protein sequencing was done on five different pili: four resembled type 1 pili and one was a P fimbria. The type 1-like pili (strains 2239 and 9353) had an initial variable sequence of 1 to 5 residues, followed by a common region of 21 residues. The P fimbria (strain 7714) had different erythrocyte-binding specificity but was still 27% homologous with 2239 and 9353. E. coli strains from different body sites have characteristic attachments to erythrocytes. Pili derived from these different sources may also have different binding specificity, but they are similar in primary structure.
Activity of Moxifloxacin and Twelve Other Antimicrobial Agents against 216 Clinical Isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Background: An increased incidence of macrolide resistance in penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae has been described. Methods: With this in mind, 216 S. pneumoniae isolates were evaluated for their in vitro susceptibility to a new fluoroquinolone, moxifloxacin, which was compared with penicillin, amoxicillin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, ofloxacin, vancomycin and teicoplanin. A broth microdilution assay was performed in cation- adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth with 5% (v/v) lysed horse blood according to NCCLS guidelines. Results: Erythromycin resistance was observed in all the 22 penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (10.1%). All the penicillin- susceptible S. pneumoniae were susceptible to cephalosporins, whereas all the penicillin-resistant ones showed resistance to cefuroxime and only intermediate susceptibility to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone. The 216 tested strains were inhibited by sparfloxacin and moxifloxacin at concentrations of 0.12–0.5 mg/l and 0.06–0.25 mg/l, respectively, regardlesss of whether the strain was penicillin and/or erythromycin resistant. Seven penicillin-resistant strains displayed resistance to ofloxacin. All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin; teicoplanin MIC values ranged from 0.03 to 0.12 mg/l. The excellent in vitro activity of moxifloxacin against S. pneumoniae was not affected by penicillin and/or macrolides. Conclusion: Moxifloxacin appears to be a promising choice for the treatment of pneumococcal infections, including situations where therapeutic choices are limited due to penicillin and macrolide resistance.
Multipotent nestin-expressing stem cells capable of forming neurons are located in the upper, middle and lower part of the vibrissa hair follicle

We have previously demonstrated that the neural stem-cell marker nestin is expressed in hair follicle stem cells. Nestin-expressing cells were initially identified in the hair follicle bulge area (BA) using a transgenic mouse model in which the nestin promoter drives the green fluorescent protein (ND-GFP). The hair-follicle ND-GFP-expressing cells are keratin 15-negative and CD34-positive and could differentiate to neurons, glia, keratinocytes, smooth muscle cells and melanocytes in vitro. Subsequently, we showed that the nestin-expressing stem cells could affect nerve and spinal cord regeneration after injection in mouse models. In the present study, we separated the mouse vibrissa hair follicle into three parts (upper, middle and lower). Each part of the follicle was cultured separately in DMEM-F12 containing B-27 and 1% methylcellulose supplemented with basic FGF. After 2 mo, the nestin-expressing cells from each of the separated parts of the hair follicle proliferated and formed spheres. Upon transfer of the spheres to RPMI 1640 medium containing 10% FBS, the nestin-expressing cells in the spheres differentiated to neurons, as well as glia, keratinocytes, smooth muscle cells and melanocytes. The differentiated cells were produced by spheres which formed from nestin-expressing cells from all segments of the hair follicle. However, the differentiation potential is greatest in the upper part of the follicle. This result is consistent with trafficking of nestin-expressing cells throughout the hair follicle from the bulge area to the dermal papilla that we previously observed. The nestin-expressing cells from the upper part of the follicle produced spheres in very large amounts, which in turn differentiated to neurons and other cell types. The results of the present study demonstrate that multipotent, nestin-expressing stem cells are present throughout the hair follicle and that the upper part of the follicle can produce the stem cells in large amounts that could be used for nerve and spinal cord repair.
Experimental design and model construction algorithms for radial basis function networks

New construction algorithms for radial basis function (RBF) network modelling are introduced based on the A-optimality and D-optimality experimental design criteria respectively. We utilize new cost functions, based on experimental design criteria, for model selection that simultaneously optimizes model approximation, parameter variance (A-optimality) or model robustness (D-optimality). The proposed approaches are based on the forward orthogonal least-squares (OLS) algorithm, such that the new A-optimality- and D-optimality-based cost functions are constructed on the basis of an orthogonalization process that gains computational advantages and hence maintains the inherent computational efficiency associated with the conventional forward OLS approach. The proposed approach enhances the very popular forward OLS-algorithm-based RBF model construction method since the resultant RBF models are constructed in a manner that the system dynamics approximation capability, model adequacy and robustness are optimized simultaneously. The numerical examples provided show significant improvement based on the D-optimality design criterion, demonstrating that there is significant room for improvement in modelling via the popular RBF neural network.
Adsorption and Leaching Potential of Imidacloprid Pesticide through Alluvial Soil

This study was aimed to assess the adsorption and leaching potential of imidacloprid pesticide in column and field soil. To visibly understand these actions and factors affecting them, the experiments were carried out under laboratory and field conditions. Adsorption study was divided into kinetic and equilibrium sections. The evaluation of kinetic data was done through pseudo first and second order models. It was found that kinetic adsorption of imidacloprid on soil followed pseudo second order with rate constant value of 4.333 mg/g/h. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were used to explain equilibrium adsorption, from these isotherms it was evaluated that Freundlich isotherm was obeyed well with adsorption capacity of 2.190 - 4.573 mol/g. Leaching study was performed in laboratory using column made of poly-vinyl chloride having 30 cm length. Known amount of imidacloprid pesticide was applied to column left for adsorption and then eluted with 500 mL water in five equal portions. These water portions and soil of column which was divided into three sections were analyzed by HPLC. The result revealed that the concentration of imidacloprid was decreased from 0.481 ppm in first portion of water to 0.327 ppm in last portion of water while 0.783 ppm in first section of column soil to 0.038 ppm in last section of column soil. In field the leaching power of imidacloprid was observed up to 60 cm depth, its concentration decreased with soil depth. It was 3.311 ppm in first portion of soil and 0.357 ppm in last portion of soil. The leaching potential of imidacloprid pesticide up to 60 cm soil depth was due to less organic matter, sandy texture, alkaline pH, and low cation exchange capacity.
Perfect tracking for maximum-phase nonlinear systems by iterative learning control

A method to track a desired trajectory by iterative learning control is proposed for uncertain maximum-phase nonlinear systems. The relation between the variations in the initial state, input and output is derived and it is shown that the inverse mapping from the desired output to the initial state and input is stable using the time reversal of unstable manifolds for a maximum-phase system as given by Doyle et al. Based on these facts, an input update law is proposed to find the initial state and the input for perfect tracking. Also, it is shown that perfect tracking can be made possible over a finite control horizon by using a non-causal input starting at any fixed state. Simulation results show that the proposed method works well.
Bariatric surgery versus intensive medical therapy for diabetes--3-year outcomes.

BACKGROUND In short-term randomized trials (duration, 1 to 2 years), bariatric surgery has been associated with improvement in type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS We assessed outcomes 3 years after the randomization of 150 obese patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes to receive either intensive medical therapy alone or intensive medical therapy plus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy. The primary end point was a glycated hemoglobin level of 6.0% or less. RESULTS The mean (±SD) age of the patients at baseline was 48±8 years, 68% were women, the mean baseline glycated hemoglobin level was 9.3±1.5%, and the mean baseline body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) was 36.0±3.5. A total of 91% of the patients completed 36 months of follow-up. At 3 years, the criterion for the primary end point was met by 5% of the patients in the medical-therapy group, as compared with 38% of those in the gastric-bypass group (P<0.001) and 24% of those in the sleeve-gastrectomy group (P=0.01). The use of glucose-lowering medications, including insulin, was lower in the surgical groups than in the medical-therapy group. Patients in the surgical groups had greater mean percentage reductions in weight from baseline, with reductions of 24.5±9.1% in the gastric-bypass group and 21.1±8.9% in the sleeve-gastrectomy group, as compared with a reduction of 4.2±8.3% in the medical-therapy group (P<0.001 for both comparisons). Quality-of-life measures were significantly better in the two surgical groups than in the medical-therapy group. There were no major late surgical complications. CONCLUSIONS Among obese patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, 3 years of intensive medical therapy plus bariatric surgery resulted in glycemic control in significantly more patients than did medical therapy alone. Analyses of secondary end points, including body weight, use of glucose-lowering medications, and quality of life, also showed favorable results at 3 years in the surgical groups, as compared with the group receiving medical therapy alone. (Funded by Ethicon and others; STAMPEDE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00432809.).
Designing a Moral Dilemma Support System

Information technology may be able to help people become better ethical decision makers. This paper explores philosophical and psychological issues underlying the design of a moral dilemma support system (MDSS). The effects of schemas, decision strategies, social information, and emotions on dilemma analysis are considered. MDSS features that would help people understand moral dilemmas, choose a response, and explain analyses are identified.