Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic analysis of HAV strains recovered from patients with acute hepatitis from Southern Italy

Southern Italy is an endemic area for HAV infection contributing to the majority of Italian hepatitis A cases. Using molecular analysis, HAV strains have been classified in distinct genotypes and subgenotypes. To characterize HAV wild‐type strains circulating in Southern Italy, sequence analysis of VP3‐VP1 and VP1/2A junction regions of HAV isolates recovered from 25 patients with acute hepatitis during 2000 and 2001 was carried out. HAV isolates showed a degree of identity, after pairwise comparison with one another, ranging from 91.9–100% in the VP3‐VP1 junction region and 89.9–100% in the VP1/2A junction region. All strains belonged to genotype I, with 84% (21/25) of samples clustering in subgenotype IA and 16% (4/25) in subgenotype IB. Cocirculation of subgenotypes IA and IB was observed among isolates from 2000, whereas all strains from 2001 were subgenotype IA. In addition, the subgenotype IA strains formed different clusters, one of which was related closely to some Cuban strains, showing a percent similarity of 98.8% in the 168‐base pair segment encompassing the VP1/2A junction and the same amino acid substitution. The latter finding suggests that this subgenotype variant circulates also in the Mediterranean area. The results of the phylogenetic analysis confirm the genetic heterogeneity among HAV strains in Western Europe. J. Med. Virol. 70:343–349, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Refractive change following pterygium surgery.

PURPOSE We conducted a prospective study of patients with primary pterygia to analyze surgically-induced astigmatic changes following pterygium surgery and their relation to pterygium morphology and size. METHODS One hundred twenty-three eyes of 123 adult patients with primary pterygia were evaluated. Pterygium was graded according to morphology and the extent of corneal encroachment. Manifest refraction was performed preoperatively and at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Patients underwent either the bare sclera technique of pterygium excision or conjunctival grafting. Surgery was performed by one surgeon. Olsen's method of vector decomposition was used to analyze surgically-induced astigmatism. RESULTS The mean magnitude of preoperative astigmatism was 0.99 D, with vector decomposition revealing a relative flattening of the cornea in the horizontal meridian. Astigmatism of 1.00 D or more was seen when the pterygium exceeded 3.5 mm beyond the limbus. Postoperatively, a steepening of the cornea in the horizontal meridian was demonstrated, the magnitude of which was related to pterygium size (P = 0.0001). ANOVA testing showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) when pterygia were divided according to morphology. CONCLUSIONS This study confirms that pterygium excision induces a reversal of pterygium-related corneal flattening. A strong correlation was also found between the horizontal extent of pterygium encroachment and astigmatic change following surgery.
An autoregressive linear mixed effects model for the analysis of longitudinal data which include dropouts and show profiles approaching asymptotes

We are interested in longitudinal data of a continuous response that show profiles with an initial sharp change and approaching asymptotes for each patient, and many patients drop out with a reason related to the response. In this paper, we focus on a model that assumes a dropout process is missing at random (MAR). In this dropout process, we can obtain consistent maximum likelihood estimators as long as both the mean and covariance structures are correctly specified. However, parsimonious covariance structures for the profiles approaching asymptotes are unclear. An autoregressive linear mixed effects model can express the profile with random individual asymptotes. We show that this model provides a new parsimonious covariance structure. The covariance structure at steady state is compound symmetry and the other elements of the covariance depend on the measurement points. In simulation studies, the estimate of the asymptote is unbiased in MAR dropouts, but biased in non‐ignorable dropouts. We also applied this model to actual schizophrenia trial data. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The ischemia-selective KATP channel antagonist, 5-hydroxydecanoate, blocks ischemic preconditioning in the rat heart.

Although the KATP channel has been demonstrated to be involved in ischemic preconditioning (IPC) in most species, controversy still exists as to the role of this channel as a mediator of PC in the rat heart. Previously, the authors' laboratories have shown that glibenclamide blocks IPC in the intact rat heart, in a time-dependent manner; however, since glibenclamide has been shown to have non-selective effects unrelated to KATP channel blockade, a structurally dissimilar and ischemia-selective KATP channel blocker, 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD), was used to further elucidate the role of KATP channels in mediating IPC in the rat heart. Anesthetized, open-chested Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to one of four protocols. In Group I, control (C), rats were subjected to 30 min of left coronary artery occlusion and 90 min of reperfusion. In Group II, IPC was elicited by 1 x 5 min occlusion followed by 10 min of reperfusion, prior to the 30 min occlusion and 90 min reperfusion periods, 5-HD (5 mg/kg, i.v.) was given 15 min prior to the 30 min occlusion period in non-preconditioned animals, or given 15 min prior to IPC (5-HD+IPC) (Groups III and IV, respectively). Infarct size (IS), as a percentage of the area at risk (AAR), was determined by triphenyltetrazolium staining. Ischemic preconditioning produced a marked reduction in infarct size (47.5 +/- 3.8% to 7.9 +/- 1.9%, *P < 0.01), which was completely abolished by 5-HD (50.5 +/- 2.6%). These data further suggest that the opening of KATP channels is an important component of IPC in the intact rat heart, similar to that observed in other species.
Successful enhancement of lifetime for SiO/sub 2/ on 4H-SiC by N/sub 2/O anneal

Time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) measurement by constant current stress has been performed to investigate the oxide (SiO/sub 2/) reliability grown on n-type 4H-SiC. At 300K, the intrinsic injected charge to breakdown (Q/sub BD/) of thermally grown SiO/sub 2/ in wet O/sub 2/ ambience is about 0.1 C/cm/sup 2/, whereas N/sub 2/O anneal after the thermal oxidation results in the drastic improvement of the reliability. The intrinsic Q/sub BD/ of N/sub 2/O annealed SiO/sub 2/ is found to be 10 C/cm/sup 2/, which is two orders of magnitude larger than that of the oxide without N/sub 2/O anneal, suggesting that the quality of SiO/sub 2/ and/or SiO/sub 2//SiC interface is improved. TDDB measurement has been also performed at high temperatures up to 423 K. The activation energy of oxide lifetime estimated from time to failure of 80% is 0.35 and 0.10 eV for the oxide with and without N/sub 2/O anneal, respectively.
Cloning and characterization of pvdS, a gene required for pyoverdine synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: PvdS is probably an alternative sigma factor

Cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa secrete a fluorescent yellow-green siderophore, pyoverdine, when grown under iron-deficient conditions. We describe here the cloning and characterization of a gene, pvdS, which is required for this process. The pvdS gene is required for expression from promoters of at least two pyoverdine synthesis genes and can cause expression from these promoters in Escherichia coli, where they are otherwise inactive. Sequencing of pvdS revealed that it is a member of a subfamily of RNA polymerase sigma factors which direct the synthesis of extracellular products by bacteria. The pvdS gene is expressed only in iron-starved bacteria, and in E. coli cells at least, expression is regulated by the Fur repressor protein. We propose that in iron-rich cells of P. aeruginosa, Fur binds to the pvdS promoter and prevents expression of the gene; under conditions of iron starvation, repression is relieved and PvdS is made, reprogramming the cells for pyoverdine synthesis.
Differential effects on fast and slow spindle activity, and the sleep slow oscillation in humans with carbamazepine and flunarizine to antagonize voltage-dependent Na+ and Ca2+ channel activity.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Sleep spindles play an important functional role in sleep-dependent memory consolidation. They are a hallmark of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and are grouped by the sleep slow oscillation. Spindles are not a unitary phenomenon but are differentiated by oscillatory frequency and topography. Yet, it is still a matter of debate whether these differences relate to different generating mechanisms. As corticothalamic networks are known to be involved in the generation of spindles and the slow oscillation, with Ca2+ and Na+ conductances playing crucial roles, we employed the actions of carbamazepine and flunarizine to reduce the efficacy of Na+ and Ca2+ channels, respectively, for probing in healthy human subjects mechanisms of corticothalamocortical excitability. DESIGN For each pharmacologic substance a within-design study was conducted on 2 experimental nights in young, healthy adults. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Results indicate differential effects for slow frontocortical (approximately 10 Hz) and fast centroparietal (approximately 14 Hz) spindles. Carbamazepine enhanced slow frontal spindle activity conjointly with an increment in slow oscillation power (approximately 0.75 Hz) during deep NREM sleep. In contrast, fast centroparietal spindle activity (approximately 14 Hz) was decreased by carbamazepine. Flunarizine also decreased fast-spindle electroencephalogram power, but affected neither slow frontal spindle nor slow oscillation frequency bands. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate a differential pharmacologic response of the two types of sleep spindles and underscore a close linkage of the generating mechanisms underlying the sleep slow oscillation and the slow frontal sleep spindles for the signal transmission processes manipulated in the current study.
Delayed hypersensitivity and acquired cellular resistance in guinea pigs infected with Listeria monocytogenes

Randomly bred pigs of both sexes were injected intracardially with one-half of a 50% lethal dose of Listeria monocytogenes. When infected animals were skin tested with 30 mug of a water-soluble extract of sonically disrupted Listeria, both males and females had uniformly detectable levels of delayed hypersensitivity (DH) 4 days after infection. In males, cutaneous hypersensitivity to Listeria antigens reached a peak on day 5 or 6 of infection, and high levels of DH persisted through the 7th week. In females, DH reached a peak on day 6 or 7, remained at this level through the 4th week, and then dropped sharply. Cutaneous reactivity was usually higher for males than for females, and differences between the sexes were statistically significant 5, 6, and 7 weeks after infection. Low levels of DH were still present 41 weeks (females) or 46 weeks (males) after infection. Assays to determine the number of viable Listeria present in spleen homogenates indicated that bacterial multiplication occurred only during the first 24 hours of infection. The number of Listeria declined steadily thereafter, and by day 13 no bacteria could be recovered from the spleens of infected animals. Spleen assays indicated that Listeria-infected animals of both sexes were resistant to a small challenge dose of Listeria given 48 hours, 7 days, or 2 weeks after the primary infection. Resistance to re-infection was absent in females challenged at 41 weeks and in males challenged at 46 weeks.
A scalable and bandwidth-efficient multicast algorithm based on segment routing in software-defined networking

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is an emerging architecture and offers advantages over traditional network architecture, while there exist some scalability challenges. In this paper, we propose a multicast routing algorithm for SDN with segment routing to serve the bandwidth requirement of a multicast routing request. Our algorithm considers the balance of traffic load for network resource of link bandwidth and node flow entries both. Simulation results show that the performance of our algorithm is better than previous works in terms of average network throughput and average rejection rate of routing requests. Besides, the results also show that our multicast architecture improve scalability problem of original SDN model in terms of number of flow entries used.
On the Openness of China's Grain Market: Evidence from Integration with International Soybean Market

This paper attempts to measure the market integration degree of Chinese soybean market with the international market, through which to investigate the general effect of market reform since mid-1990s on China's grain market efficiency. An extended regime-switching model is utilized to accommodate the distinct features in the agricultural trade. The findings indicate that the development of futures market, decentralization of exports and imports, and the entry to WTO remarkably improve the market integration. The link of China-US soybean market is also found becoming weaker during the US off-season.
Inverse Agonists: Tools to Reveal Ligand-Specific Conformations of G Protein–Coupled Receptors

G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) traverse the plasma membrane seven times and produce intracellular effects through interaction with G proteins. Three classes of ligands bind and regulate the activity of GPCRs: agonists, antagonists, and inverse agonists. To describe the activity of these ligands at GPCRs, a two-state receptor model has been proposed in which receptors exist in an equilibrium between inactive (R) and active (R*) states. Agonists preferentially bind and stabilize the active (R*) state. This results in an enrichment of the proportion of active receptors, producing an increase in receptor activity. In contrast, inverse agonists preferentially bind and stabilize receptors in the inactive (R) state. This results in an enrichment of the proportion of inactive receptors, producing a reduction in spontaneous receptor activity. Neutral antagonists have equal preferences for both R and R* states, lack any intrinsic activity, and are able to block actions produced by either agonists or inverse agonists. Exciting observations reported in two recent manuscripts by Gbahou et al. and Azzi et al. indicate that some inverse agonists act not only in opposition to agonists by suppressing constitutive receptor activity, but may also initiate unique signal transduction cascades as well. Specifically, it is proposed that these unique ligands are able to enrich several distinct active receptor conformations, each demonstrating a preference for regulation of a discrete intracellular effector. This suggests that inverse agonists are not merely "the opposite of agonists," but instead may serve as useful tools to investigate ligand-specific conformations of GPCRs.
The effect of training and detraining on muscle composition in the horse.

1. Percutaneous needle biopsies were obtained from six limb muscles in six horses before and during a training programme of 10 or 15 weeks designed to involve both aerobic and anaerobic work. In a subsequent detraining period, biopsies were also taken after 5 and 10 weeks. 2. Samples were analysed biochemically for enzyme activity of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aldolase (ALD), citrate synthase (CS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and for glycogen content. Fibre typing was carried out histochemically before and 10 weeks after commencement of training. 3. There was a significant increase in the percentage of high myosin ATPase activity pH 9‐4/high oxidative (FTH) fibres with a corresponding decrease in high myosin ATPase activity pH 9‐4/low oxidative (FT) fibres and low myosin ATPase activity pH 9‐4/high oxidative (ST) fibres after 10 weeks training. 4. During training, enzyme activities increased progressively but at different rates with an approximate twofold increase in all of the enzymes except CPK by the end of the training period. Changes in all the muscles studied were similar. Glycogen content increased by approximately 33% which was significant when all the muscles were considered together. 5. A decrease in enzyme activity occurred after 5 weeks detraining. However at 10 weeks a consistent but inexplicable increase in all enzyme levels, except CS again occurred. 6. It is concluded that training increased greatly the activity of enzymes involved in both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism.
Sonohysterography compared with endometrial biopsy for evaluation of the endometrium in tamoxifen-treated women.

OBJECTIVE This study was performed to compare endometrial biopsy and sonohysterography for evaluation of the endometrium in tamoxifen-treated women. METHODS Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to identify 51 consecutive tamoxifen-treated women who had sonohysterography and correlative endometrial biopsy for evaluation of postmenopausal bleeding or thickened endometrium of greater than 8 mm. Endometrial biopsy and sonohysterographic results were compared in all women, and for 27 (53%) women who had hysteroscopy with dilation and curettage, endometrial biopsy and sonohysterographic findings also were compared with surgical pathologic findings. RESULTS Thirty-two (63%) of 51 sonohysterograms revealed endometrial polyps; 4 (8%) showed endometrium of greater than 5 mm; 14 (27%) showed endometrium of less than 5 mm; and 1 (2%) was inadequate. Endometrial biopsy findings were benign endometrium in 42 (82%), polyps in 4 (8%), and insufficient samples in 5 (10%). Among the adequate sonohysterograms, 64% (32 of 50) resulted in a diagnosis of polyps (95% confidence interval, 49%-77%) whereas the corresponding proportion for endometrial biopsy was 9% (4 of 46; 95% confidence interval, 2%-21%). For the group with hysteroscopy, 24 (92%) of 26 polyps were confirmed histopathologically; 1 polyp had complex hyperplasia. Polyps were present in 23 (89%) of 26 women with benign endometrium or insufficient samples by endometrial biopsy, and only 1 confirmed polyp was identified by endometrial biopsy. The sensitivity of sonohysterography for diagnosis of endometrial polyps (100%) was significantly higher than for endometrial biopsy (4%; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS In tamoxifen-treated women, sonohysterography provides a significant improvement in sensitivity for diagnosis of endometrial polyps compared with endometrial biopsy.
Inhibition of Thr-55 phosphorylation restores p53 nuclear localization and sensitizes cancer cells to DNA damage

The p53 tumor suppressor induces cell growth arrest and apoptosis in response to DNA damage. Because these functions are achieved largely by the transcriptional properties of p53, nuclear localization of the protein is essential. Indeed, the tumors with aberrant cytoplasmic localization of wild-type p53 often exhibit an impaired response to DNA damage. In this study, we report that Thr-55 phosphorylation induces the association of p53 with the nuclear export factor CRM1, leading to p53 nuclear export. We further show that MDM2 also promotes the CRM1-p53 association and Thr-55 phosphorylation is required for this process. Interestingly, inhibition of Thr-55 phosphorylation by a dietary flavonoid, apigenin, specifically blocks the CRM1-p53 association, restores p53 nuclear localization, and sensitizes tumor cells with cytoplasm localized wild-type p53 to DNA damage. These data provide insights into the regulation of p53 nuclear localization by post-translational modification and suggest an avenue for targeted therapy for cancers caused by aberrant cytoplasm localization of wild-type p53.
The use of gonadotrophin releasing-hormone analogues (GnRHa), in in-vitro fertilization: some clinical and experimental investigations of a direct effect on the human ovary.

Several lines of investigation suggest a direct modulatory role for gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) on granulosa cell functions. Also, GnRH and its analogues (GnRHa) have been implicated in the resumption of meiosis, both in vivo and in vitro. Despite the presence of specific receptors for GnRH on human granulosa and luteal cells, very little is known about the possible effects of this hormone on the ovary. The use of GnRHa for long periods of time in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) may influence granulosa cell function and/or oocyte maturation. We describe our clinical and experimental data in which we have searched for evidence of a direct action of GnRHa on the ovary. We have found that the retrieval of higher numbers of oocytes in women treated with GnRHa is correlated with oocytes of lower quality, manifested by a decreased fertilization and implantation rate. This impairment seems to be the consequence of oocyte immaturity, as ascertained by cytogenetic analysis of unfertilized oocytes in which an increase in diploidy, as well as prematurely condensed sperm chromosomes of the G1 phase, was observed in women with an excessive response to the stimulating drugs. Follicular atresia was not increased in women treated with GnRHa. Thus, there was no evidence for a direct effect of GnRHa on the human oocyte. Rather, the observations reflect the harmful effect of pushing follicles in early stages of development using this stimulation protocol. We have also searched for possible effects of GnRHa on granulosa-luteal cells obtained at ovum collection. In vitro culture of these cells has shown that the steroidogenic pathway is affected. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Wage Inequality Takes a Great U-Turn

Inequality among the annual wage and salary incomes of American workers declined steadily throughout the 1960s and well into the decade of the 1970s. Then, somewhere between 1975 and 1978, the distribution of wages and salaries took a sharp U-turn. This was before the election of Ronald Reagan, before the passage of the sharply regressive tax act of 1981, and even before the official commencement of the monetarist
Insight into Insiders: A Survey of Insider Threat Taxonomies, Analysis, Modeling, and Countermeasures

Insider threats are one of today’s most challenging cybersecurity issues that are not well addressed by commonly employed security solutions. Despite several scientific works published in this domain, we argue that the field can benefit from the proposed structural taxonomy and novel categorization of research that contribute to the organization and disambiguation of insider threat incidents and the defense solutions used against them. The objective of our categorization is to systematize knowledge in insider threat research, while leveraging existing grounded theory method for rigorous literature review. The proposed categorization depicts the workflow among particular categories that include: 1) Incidents and datasets, 2) Analysis of attackers, 3) Simulations, and 4) Defense solutions. Special attention is paid to the definitions and taxonomies of the insider threat; we present a structural taxonomy of insider threat incidents, which is based on existing taxonomies and the 5W1H questions of the information gathering problem. Our survey will enhance researchers’ efforts in the domain of insider threat, because it provides: a) a novel structural taxonomy that contributes to orthogonal classification of incidents and defining the scope of defense solutions employed against them, b) an updated overview on publicly available datasets that can be used to test new detection solutions against other works, c) references of existing case studies and frameworks modeling insiders’ behaviors for the purpose of reviewing defense solutions or extending their coverage, and d) a discussion of existing trends and further research directions that can be used for reasoning in the insider threat domain.