Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-Performance Resistorless Sub-1V Bandgap Reference Circuit Based on Piecewise Compensation Technique

A piecewise compensated sub-lV CMOS bandgap reference without using any resistors is presented. The design reduces the silicon chip area with improved circuit robustness. The bandgap reference is simulated with Spectre using SMIC 0.18 mum CMOS technology. It operates at a minimum voltage of 1.5 V and generates a stable voltage at 0.658 V with minimal temperature coefficient of plusmn 5.36 ppm/degC for temperature ranging from -10 to 130degC. It has a line regulation of 0.89% and a high power supply rejection ratio of -42.3 dB. The power consumption of this circuit is as low as 0.229 mA at 1.5 V input voltage.
Misdiagnosis versus missed diagnosis: diagnosing autism spectrum disorder in adolescents

Objective: The diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is sometimes delayed until adolescence. This study tries to identify the symptoms in clients that initiated a referral to an autism team of an early intervention service providing psychiatric care for young people between the ages of 15 and 25 and who subsequently receive a new diagnosis of autism. Methods: Thirty-one ASD assessments were carried out during a period of 3 years in an early intervention service in Australia. An attempt to identify the common presenting symptoms and trends in the referrals for ASD assessment within the service was made. Results: Most common presentation of adolescents getting referred for ASD assessment was with depressive symptoms followed by mixed anxiety and depression and primary psychotic symptoms. There was a significant gender difference, with a higher number of males getting referred for ASD assessment. Conclusion: ASDs can go undetected during childhood and these clients can sometimes present during adolescence to mental health services for a psychiatric comorbidity. Regular training opportunities for clinicians dealing with them could improve the chances of ASDs being picked up during their episode of care at an early intervention service, thus optimizing their management.
Why patients choose paracetamol for self poisoning and their knowledge of its dangers

Paracetamol is the most commonly used substance in deliberate self poisoning.1 As a result, hepatic toxicity due to paracetamol accounts for over half of all cases referred to liver units because of fulminant liver failure,2 is the definite cause of at least 150 deaths a year in the United Kingdom3 and is now an important reason for liver transplanation.4 The reasons why people choose paracetamol for self poisoning and their understanding of its effects have been little studied. Nearly 20 years ago a study of patients with self poisoning by paracetamol admitted to London's King's College Hospital—a tertiary referral centre for patients with liver problems—showed that most patients did not know that paracetamol was dangerous in overdose.5 That study was conducted when self poisoning with …
Environmental Factors in the First Trimester and Risk of Oral-Facial Clefts in the Offspring

The averaged incidences of nonsyndromal/isolated cleft lip (CL), cleft palate (CP), and cleft lip with cleft palate (CLCP) by each month-of-conception, and managed in our hospital in from 2002 to 2009 were correlated with the reported levels of sunshine, ultraviolet radiation, and ambient nitrogen oxides (nitrogen oxide, nitrogen monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide), sulfur dioxide, and ozone, at the month of, and then at 4 and 8 weeks after, conception. There were 25, 12, and 22 cases each of CL, CP, and CLCP, respectively, totaling 59 cases (1.21 of 1000 births). On regression analysis, sunshine correlated inversely with the isolated CL at (P = .009) 4 weeks (P = .005) and 8 weeks (P = .008) postconception, and with CP (P = .009) and CLCP (P < .001) at 8 weeks postconception, while NOx correlated inversely with CL (P = .018) and NO with CLCP (P = .031), at 8 weeks postconception. Our results suggested that the interaction between sunshine and nitrogen oxides with other factors results in the reported seasonal variation in the incidence of isolated oral-facial clefts.
Irritability: an underappreciated side effect of interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C?

AIM AND OBJECTIVES The research literature was reviewed with the aim of answering the question 'is irritability an underappreciated side effect of interferon and ribavirin treatment for hepatitis C'. BACKGROUND The majority of information regarding interferon treatment identifies depression as the main psychological side effect. However, clinical observation and patient reports suggest that irritability, not depression, is the predominant side effect. DESIGN The literature review included research and discussion papers. Data bases were searched using the keywords interferon and hepatitis C in combination with one of the following: side effects, depression, mood alteration/change, irritability, anger, impulse control, psychiatric side effects or neuropsychiatric side effects. RESULTS The review revealed a gap in the literature regarding interferon-related irritability. Whereas depression was well researched and described, irritability was afforded little research time. However, where irritability was assessed, it was found to occur to a significant degree. Issues identified were difficulty defining and categorising irritability; lack of irritability-specific assessment tools and failure of depression rating scales to adequately discern irritable mood; and the confounding effect of physiological side effects on mood alteration. Relevance to clinical practice. Underappreciation and underrecognition of irritability have implications for clinical practice. Good research is the foundation for evidence-based practice; therefore, the possibility exists that, based on current research evidence, patients may not be receiving a standard care that adequately addresses the entirety of the side effect spectrum. CONCLUSION Irritability is an underappreciated psychological side effect of interferon therapy. Although irritability is recognised as a side effect of interferon, there is considerable discordance between clinical observation, patient reports and research evidence as reported in the literature.
Issues in the Development of Thrombin Receptor Antagonists

The identification of the human thrombin receptor has prompted considerable interest in the development of receptor antagonists that can inhibit the effects of thrombin on cells without affecting fibrin formation. Increasing information about the biology of the receptor highlights some of the potential pitfalls in the development and application of such agents. However, it also provides additional insights into the potential mechanisms by which an antagonist might work beyond the original approach of developing competitive inhibitors of the tethered ligand domain. Thrombin receptors have proved to be present on a variety of cells other than platelets, including other vascular cells and cells within the central nervous system. Although most of the recent emphasis in thinking about the need for anti-thrombin receptor agents has focused on their use as anti-platelet agents, it is worth considering that the best clinical uses of such drugs may ultimately prove to have little to do with platelets.
Parasuicide and general elections.

of abuse. ' The present study was conducted while there was intense public interest in the subject, and some abused children may have been kept away from clinics, which may have reduced the prevalence of reflex anal dilatation. Failure to elicit a history does not necessarily exclude the possibility of child sexual abuse. A recent poll (Market and Opinion Research Institute, 1988) of 664 people aged 15 to 24 from the London area suggested that far fewer than 1% had suffered anal abuse in childhood. This is considerably less than the prevalence of reflex anal dilatation found in this study. Our data raise several questions. Does the changing prevalence of reflex anal dilatation with age indicate a normal stage of development? Does the higher prevalence in children in the renal clinic indicate a marker of cloacal dysfunction or, despite published doubts,' an association between urinary infection and child sexual abuse? Might the presence of stools in the anal canal be a causative factor? Reflex anal dilatation is a sign with poor discriminatory value in diagnosing anal abuse in children. Despite our attempts at reassurance we were informed later that some parents had been distressed by the study and had sought transfer of care. This must temper the Department of Health and Social Security's recommendation that children with reflex anal dilatation "be seen again at a later date for reassessment. "'
Chondrocytes isolated from tibial dyschondroplasia lesions and articular cartilage revert to a growth plate‐like phenotype when cultured in vitro

We report here a comparative study of the development and behavior of chondrocytes isolated from normal growth plate tissue, tibial dyschondroplasic lesions, and from articular cartilage. The objective of these studies was to determine whether the properties exhibited by chondrocytes in dysplasic lesions or in articular cartilage were due to their cellular phenotype, their environment, or both. We had previously analyzed the electrolytes and amino acid levels in the extracellular fluid of avian growth plate chondrocytes. Using these data, we constructed a culture medium (DATP5) in which growth plate cells essentially recapitulate their normal behavior in vivo. Here, we used DATP5 to examine the behavior of chondrocytes isolated from lesions of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD). We found that once isolated from lesion and grown in this supportive medium, dysplasic chondrocytes behaved essentially like normal growth plate cells. These findings suggest that the cause of TD is local factors operating in vivo to prevent these cells from developing normally. With respect to articular chondrocytes, our data indicate that they more closely retain normal protein and proteoglycan synthesis when grown in serum‐free media. These cells readily induced mineral formation in vitro, both in the presence and absence of serum. However, in serum‐containing media, mineralization was significantly enhanced when the cells were exposed to retinoic acid (RA) or osteogenic protein‐1 (OP‐1). Our studies support previous work indicating the presence of autocrine factors produced by articular chondrocytes in vivo that prevent mineralization and preserve matrix integrity. The lack of inhibitory factors and the presence of supporting factors are likely reasons for the induction of mineralization by articular chondrocytes in vitro. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Induction of Nonspecific Resistance and Stimulation of Granulopoiesis by Endotoxins and Nontoxic Bacterial Cell Wall Components and Their Passive Transfer

The ability of endotoxins, the lipopolysaccharides of gram-negative bacteria, to enhance nonspecifically host resistance to bacterial infections was described in 1956. '** Enhanced host resistance could also be demonstrated after 24 hr pretreatment with endotoxin in mice in which septicemia, due to gut-derived bacteria, was induced by cecal ligation and puncture. ' Moreover, endotoxins have been shown to protect animals against the lethal effects of irradiati~n? ~ The stimulation of hematopoiesis by endotoxins,"8 first studied in the context of endotoxin-induced radioprotection,9. " is one of the mechanisms involved in enhanced nonspecific resistance. Many attempts have been made to modify the lipopolysaccharide structure of endotoxins to eliminate their toxicity and pyrogenicity while retaining their beneficial activitie~. "-'~ We have demonstrated that a potassium methylated endotoxin" induced nonspecifically within 24 hr tolerance against the lethal effects of endotoxins of various gram-negative ba~teria. '~"' This preparation also prevented or mitigated severe disturbances of the microcirculation following endotoxin or bum trauma as observed by vitalmicr~scopy. '~~~~ The classic phenomenon of tolerance to the pyrogenic and lethal effects of endotoxin achieved by the injection of toxic endotoxins was recognized early to be mediated by nonspecific enhancement of reticuloendothelial system (RES) uptake of circulating endotoxin? " The complexity of endotoxin tolerance involving many target cells with generalized cytotoxicity and release of numerous mediators was recently reviewed. " Induction of nonspecific resistance to endotoxins and to lethal irradiation will be described here using several experimental models. These studies indicate the central role of the mediator-releasing activity of endotoxins in enhanced nonspecific host defense.
A new method for the verification of effective medium parameters for metamaterials

In this study, a new method is proposed to verify the estimated effective medium parameters which are extracted from the transmission and reflection characteristics of metamaterial arrays. For this purpose, transmission and reflection characteristics of a broadside-coupled split ring resonator (BC-SRR) array are obtained by using CST Microwave Studio (CST MWS) and effective medium parameters (εeff and μeff) are extracted from these data. The extracted parameters are fitted to the Lorentz model and Lorentz parameters are obtained. These Lorentz parameters are used to construct an equivalent dispersive homogeneous slab in CST MWS. In the last stage, the transmission and reflection characteristics obtained from BC-SRR array and from the newly defined homogeneous medium are compared and the extracted effective medium parameters are verified.
Annexin A2 is a new antigenic target for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy

In our recent publication (Zheng et al., PLoS ONE) we described the identification of annexin A2 as a new pancreatic cancer associated tumor antigen. Its involvement in pancreatic cancer progression and metastases supports its role as an antigenic target for the development of both therapeutic antibody and T cell immunotherapy.
Reduction of angiotensin A and alamandine vasoactivity in the rabbit model of atherogenesis: differential effects of alamandine and Ang(1‐7)

Novel treatments are necessary to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Alamandine binds to MrgD and is reported to induce vasodilation via stimulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), but its role in atherogenic blood vessels is yet to be determined. To determine the vasoactive role of alamandine and its precursor AngA in diseased aorta, New Zealand White rabbits were fed a diet containing 1% methionine + 0.5% cholesterol + 5% peanut oil for 4 weeks (MC, n = 5) or control (n = 6). In abdominal aorta, alamandine (1 μM) was added 30 min before a dose–response curve to angiotensin II or AngA (1 nM–1 μM), and immunohistochemistry was used to identify MrgD receptors and eNOS. The thoracic aorta, renal, carotid and iliac arteries were mounted in organ baths. Rings were precontracted with phenylephrine, then a bolus dose of alamandine (1 μM) was added 10 min before a dose–response curve to acetylcholine (0.01 μM–10 μM). The MrgD receptor was localized to normal and diseased aorta and colocalized with eNOS. In control but not diseased blood vessels, alamandine enhanced acetylcholine‐mediated vasodilation in the thoracic aorta and the iliac artery (P < 0.05) and reduced it in the renal artery (P < 0.05). In control abdominal aorta, AngA evoked less desensitization than AngII (P < 0.05) and alamandine reduced AngA‐mediated vasoconstriction (P < 0.05). In MC, AngA constriction was markedly reduced vs. control (P < 0.05). The vasoactivity of alamandine and AngA are reduced in atherogenesis. Its role in the prevention of CVD remains to be validated.
Mucosal expression of basic fibroblastic growth factor, syndecan 1 and tumour necrosis factor-α in Crohn's disease in deep remission under treatment with anti-TNFα antibodies.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Both inflammation and fibrosis may be detected in Crohn's disease (CD). The molecular pattern of Basic Fibroblastic Growth Factor (bFGF) and Syndecan-1 (SD1) expression is altered in stenosing CD, but we do not know what the behaviour of this teamwork factor is in CD in deep remission under treatment with anti-TNFα antibodies. Our aim was to compare the expression of bFGF, SD1 and TNF-α in patients with CD in deep remission under treatment with Infliximab (IFX) or Adalimumab (ADA) and a control group of patients with active CD. METHODS We assessed the expression of bFGF, SD1 and TNF-α in 10 patients with active CD and in 28 patients with CD in sustained deep remission for at least 6 months. All patients underwent surveillance colonoscopy with biopsies, while receiving maintenance therapy with IFX or ADA. Analysis was conducted by real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) in biopsy samples. RESULTS We found that bFGF, SD1 and TNF-α were significantly reduced under treatment with anti-TNFα versus controls (p=0.000). bFGF and SD1 expression were similar between IFX and ADA patients (p=0.335 and p=0.289, respectively), while TNF-α was significantly under-expressed in ADA patients (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS bFGF, SD1 and TNF-α are significantly reduced in CD patients in deep remission under treatment with anti-TNFα, likely as an expression of optimal control of inflammation. The significance of the TNF-α under-expression in patients under treatment with ADA with respect to those under treatment with IFX should be elucidated in further studies.
Emerging opportunities to prevent occupational lung disease

How to tackle new causes of occupational lung disease over the next decade New opportunities to prevent occupational lung diseases require the discovery of new occupational lung diseases, new settings for recognised occupational lung diseases, and new approaches to their prevention. Reviewing the last decade’s discoveries, we can learn how to recognise new prevention opportunities involving emerging occupational lung diseases. Since 1996, some examples of newly recognised occupational lung disease include flock workers’ lung,1 hypersensitivity pneumonitis associated with biocontaminated synthetic metal working fluids,2 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), asthma associated with 3-amino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole (AMT) in herbicide manufacture;3 and bronchiolitis obliterans from flavouring chemicals.4 If the past is paradigm, approaches to recognition and prevention can proceed without knowing how to measure causal agents and without regulating them. Astute clinicians can play a vital role in suspecting an emerging occupational cause when they diagnose a rare disease or a cluster of more common or severe disease. For example, Dr David Kern recognised that the occurrence of interstitial lung disease in two young men from the same small nylon flock plant indicated a likely risk for other employees.1 Similarly, Dr Alan Parmet reviewed medical records compiled by a lawyer for eight former microwave popcorn plant workers with bronchiolitis obliterans.4 Half of these cases were on lung transplant lists—hardly to be expected in a young worker group from one small plant—and he reported the cases to public health authorities. In automotive plants with clusters of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, labour unions pressed for investigations of work-related aetiology across the industry. At a plant in Massachusetts, herbicide workers and …
Identification of 58 novel mutations in Niemann‐Pick disease type C: Correlation with biochemical phenotype and importance of PTC1‐like domains in NPC1

The two known complementation groups of Niemann‐Pick Type C disease, NPC1 and NPC2, result from non‐allelic protein defects. Both the NPC1 and NPC2 (HE1) gene products are intimately involved in cholesterol and glycolipid trafficking and/or transport. We describe mutation analysis on samples from 143 unrelated affected NPC patients using conformation sensitive gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing as the primary mutation screening methods for NPC1 and NPC2, respectively. These methods are robust, sensitive, and do not require any specialized laboratory equipment. Analyses identified two NPC1 mutations for 115 (80.4%) patients, one NPC1 mutation for 10 (7.0%) patients, two NPC2 mutations for five (3.5%) patients, one NPC2 mutation for one (0.7%) patient, and no mutations for 12 (8.4%) patients. Thus, mutations were identified on 251 of 286 (88%) disease alleles, including 121 different mutations (114 in NPC1 and seven in NPC2), 58 of which are previously unreported. The most common NPC1 mutation, I1061T, was detected on 18% of NPC alleles. Other NPC1 mutations were mostly private, missense mutations located throughout the gene with clustering in the cysteine‐rich luminal domain. Correlation with biochemical data suggests classification of several mutations as severe and others as moderate or variable. The region between amino acids 1038 and 1253, which shares 35% identity with Patched 1, appears to be a hot spot for mutations. Additionally, a high percentage of mutations were located at amino acids identical to the NPC1 homolog, NPC1L1. Biochemical complementation analysis of cases negative for mutations revealed a high percentage of equivocal results where the complementation group appeared to be non‐NPC1 and non‐NPC2. This raises the possibilities of an additional NPC complementation group(s) or non‐specificity of the biochemical testing for NPC. These caveats must be considered when offering mutation testing as a clinical service. Hum Mutat 22:313–325, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of age of acquisition and priming on picture naming

Four experiments examined the interaction of age of acquisition (AoA) and priming on picture naming. Experiment 1 found that initial-letter priming and AoA significantly affected picture-naming latencies, but there was no interaction between them. Experiment 2 found that initial-phoneme priming and AoA significantly affected picture-naming latencies, but again there was no interaction. Experiment 3 repeated Barry, Hirsh, Johnston, and Williams's (2001) priming study using a very short interval between prime and target. Experiment 3 replicated previous findings of a significant interaction between priming and AoA. Experiment 4 repeated this investigation with a procedure that did not require participants to articulate the prime. Once again, there were significant effects of priming, AoA, and the interaction between them. The implications of these findings in relation to accounts of AoA and its locus of effect are discussed.