Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polarization of counterions in polyelectrolytes.

A theory of the polarization of counterions bound to a polyion, such as a DNA, in low and high electric field strengths is developed using statistical mechanics of inhomogeneous systems. For low fields, one finds that the polarizability p is (Zq)2rho0betaL3/(12[l + Lrho0sigma(L, b, xi, Z, I, rho0)]), where sigma = integral1 0(lambda' - lambda0) ¿dc(lambda - lambda')/dlambda¿lambda = lambda0 dlambda']), Z and L are the valence and the length of the polyion, respectively, q is the proton charge, beta = 1/kBT, T is the temperature, kB is the Boltzmann constant, I is the ionic strength, lambda = x/L and lambda0 = x0/L are scaled distances, x0 is a reference point such that the inhomogeneous counterion density at x0 is equal to rho0--the uniform density in the absence of an electric field E--and c(x) is the direct correlation function of the homogeneous counterion-polyion phase, which includes attractive and repulsive interactions. If Lsigma(L, .) is much less than one, then the polarizability is proportional to L3. If the term Lsigma(L, .) is much larger than one, the polarizability scales as L2. The induced dipole moment saturates and its value is the same as that of Mandel-Manning theories. The onset of the saturation, however, depends critically on the direct correlation function and hence polyelectrolyte effects. In the formalism, the polarization of the counterions is the equilibrium response to an electric field provided E is less than Esaturated. A dynamical scheme that incorporates the fact that in high fields the bound counterions conduct is discussed.
Competition of Rhizobium japonicum Strains in Early Stages of Soybean Nodulation

The effects of preexposure of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) roots to Rhizobium japonicum strains and subsequent establishment of other strains in the nodules were investigated by using combinations of effective strains (USDA 110 and USDA 138) and effective-ineffective strains (USDA 110 and SM-5). Strain USDA 110 was a better competitor than either USDA 138 or SM-5 on cultivars Lee and Peking. However, when either of the two less-competitive strains was inoculated into 2-day-old seedlings before USDA 110 was, their nodule occupancy increased significantly on both cultivars. With USDA 138 as the primary inoculum and USDA 110 delayed for 6, 48, and 168 h, the incidence of USDA 138 nodules increased on cultivar Peking from 6% (at zero time) to 28, 70, and 82% and on cultivar Lee from 17% (at zero time) to 32, 88, and 95% for the three time delays, respectively. Preexposure of 2-week-old roots of cultivar Lee to USDA 138 had essentially the same effect: the incidence of USDA 138 nodules increased from 23% at zero time to 89 and 97% when USDA 110 was delayed for 24 and 72 h, respectively. When the ineffective strain SM-5 was used as the primary inoculum, followed by USDA 110 72 h later, the percentage of nodules containing SM-5 increased from 7 to 76%. These results indicate that the early events in the nodulation process of soybeans are perhaps the most critical for competition among R. japonicum strains.
Salience in Experimental Tests of the Endowment Effect

We provide a novel account of experimental evidence for the endowment effect using the salience mechanism (Bordalo, Gennaioli, and Shleifer, 2011). The two-stage procedure implemented in experiments implies that the endowed good and other goods are evaluated in different contexts. We describe conditions under which the standard effect occurs, but also account for recent evidence such as a reverse endowment effect for bads and a role for reference prices in modulating the WTA-WTP gap.
Clinical experience with the combined contraceptive vaginal ring in Switzerland, including a subgroup analysis of previous hormonal contraceptive use

Objective To collect data on cycle and cycle-related symptoms during a second clinical experience programme with the contraceptive vaginal ring (NuvaRing®) in Switzerland. Methods Women requiring contraception were recruited by gynaecologists. Questionnaires were used to collect data on cycle and related symptoms, weight, satisfaction and adverse events at baseline and follow-up (typically four cycles). Results Of the 1053 women included, 36.9% were starters, 22.4% starters anew, and 40.6% switchers. At follow-up, improvement in cycle regularity was significantly better for starters compared with switchers (18.5% versus 11%; p < 0.001). Starters showed the greatest improvement in bleeding duration and severity. Improvement in the severity of premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and dysmenorrhoea was significantly (p < 0.001) greater in starters compared with switchers (18.5% vs. 9.1% and 26.5% vs. 9.8%, respectively). Menstrual headache improved in all subgroups. Women were satisfied with changes in weight (92%), cycle control (93.6%) and PMS (86%). Adverse events were reported for 17.5% of women and were most frequently ring-related (such as feeling the ring in situ, vaginal discomfort, ring expulsion). Conclusions The data support previous findings that the vaginal ring improves cycle-related symptoms (moderate or severe PMS, dysmenorrhoea, and menstrual headache). Not only starters experienced improvements in symptoms; switchers also benefited.
Channel Estimation and Mitigation Techniques for OFDM in a Doppler Spread Channel

The performance of OFDM modulation degrades in a Doppler spread channel due to intercarrier interference (ICI). Multirate sampling theory and a detection scheme, called sequential interference cancellation (SIC), are applied to a standard OFDM system to reduce ICI in. The increased sampling rate (upsampling) causes less ICI for the edge subcarriers. The SIC detection scheme recovers the data from the outer carriers first and then detection moves from the outer carriers to the inner carriers to lower the error floor. In this paper, SIC detection with modified time-domain interpolation estimation is presented and its performance is compared to the existing time-domain and low-pass interpolation channel estimations via computer simulation. The results show that the modified method performs better than existing estimation schemes for BPSK and QPSK modulation.
The Latency-associated Nuclear Antigen of Kaposi's Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus Transactivates the Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Promoter*

Telomerase is a multi-subunit ribonucleoprotein holoenzyme that stabilizes telomere length through the addition of new repeat sequence to the ends of chromosomes. Telomerase reverse transcriptase is the subunit of this complex responsible for the enzymatic activity of telomerase. Expression of the reverse transcriptase is regulated at the level of transcription through the action of transcription factors that target its promoter. Most Kaposi's sarcoma tumor cells are latently infected with the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, and the constitutive expression of a viral-encoded latency-associated nuclear antigen has been shown to be important for the maintenance of the viral episome. The proliferative nature of Kaposi's sarcoma suggests that this antigen may also play a critical role in viral-mediated oncogenesis. In this study telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter elements cloned into a luciferase reporter plasmid were analyzed to determine the ability of the latency-associated nuclear antigen to regulate transcription. The latency-associated nuclear antigen transactivated the full-length promoter in 293T, 293, and BJAB cell lines. Furthermore, truncation promoter studies implicated sequence from −130 to +5 in viral-mediated activation. This region contains five Sp1 transcription factor-binding sites. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that the latency-associated nuclear antigen targets and affects the Sp1-DNA complex in the context of BJAB nuclear extracts.
The depolarizing action of 5‐hydroxytryptamine on rabbit vagal afferent and sympathetic neurones in vitro and its selective blockade by ICS 205–930

1 Depolarizing responses to 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) were recorded from rabbit nodose (NG) and superior cervical (SCG) ganglia using the sucrose‐gap technique. The antagonist potency and selectivity of ICS 205–930 ([3α‐tropanyl]‐1H‐indole‐3‐carboxylic acid ester) were investigated. 2 In NG, 5‐HT (5 to 80 nmol) evoked depolarizations of graded amplitude. The ED50 was 18.2 (10.9–30.5) nmol (geometric mean, 95% confidence limits). Responses were blocked surmountably by ICS 205–930, 10−11 and 10−10 M, the threshold for blockade being below 10−11 M. Parallel, rightward shifts in dose‐response curves were seen with these concentrations of antagonist, but at higher concentrations (10−9 and 10−8 M) there was a further rightward shift with reduction in slope and maximum of the curves. 3 In SCG, where 5‐HT (20 to 320 nmol) evoked depolarizations of graded amplitude and the ED50 was 55.8 (22.3–139.6) nmol (geometric mean, 95% confidence limits), ICS 205–930 had a similar inhibitory effect to that observed in NG. 4 The apparent pA2 values for the surmountable blockade produced by ICS 205–930 at concentrations of 10−11 and 10−10 M were 10.2 ± 0.2 for NG and 10.4 ± 0.1 for SCG (means ± s.e. mean). 5 ICS 205–930 was selective in its action since it had no effect on dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP) responses in either ganglion or on GABA responses in NG. 6 This study provides quantitative evidence on the blocking action of ICS 205–930 at neuronal 5‐HT receptors using a technique that allows the depolarizing responses evoked by the amine to be directly recorded.
Implication du système télomères/télomerase au cours de la mastocytose

La mastocytose est une maladie heterogene, caracterisee par une accumulation de mastocytes dans l'organisme. Les enfants et les adultes ont des mutations differentes de c-Kit. Dans un premier travail, nous avons montre que seules les formes adultes sont associees a la reactivation de la telomerase, alors que les formes pediatriques ne sont pas. Cela semble etre lie aux differences de mutations de c-Kit observees entre adultes et enfants et pourrait expliquer pourquoi seules les formes pediatriques de mastocytose regressent spontanement et non les formes adultes. Ces resultats aident a mieux comprendre la physiopathologie de la mastocytose. Dans un second travail, nous a etudie le lien entre la longueur des telomeres et les troubles psychologiques des adultes atteints de mastocytose. Nous avons montre que reactions emotionnelles negatives sont correlees au raccourcissement de la longueur des telomeres des leucocytes et que l'erosion telomerique est fortement predite par les defauts de regulation des emotions. Nous emettons l'hypothese qu'au cours des troubles neuropsychologiques, le mastocyte pourrait etre implique dans le raccourcissement de la longueur des telomeres en peripherie.
A prospective study to evaluate the impact of 31P‐MRS to determinate mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle of ALS patients

Impaired mitochondrial energy production probably plays a role in motor neuron death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and has been found not only in motor neurons but also in skeletal muscle of patients with ALS. 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P‐MRS) has the potential to reflect the energy metabolism of skeletal muscle in vivo. We sought to determine whether an altered mitochondrial energy metabolism of the muscle cell in patients with SALS can be detected by 31P‐MRS, and to this end we recorded 31P‐MR spectra of the gastrocnemius muscle of patients with ALS under a standardized isometric muscle exercise protocol. In a prospective setting we compared ten patients with sporadic ALS and 38 age‐matched controls. The patients were characterized by a disease duration of approximate 18 months and classified as having probable to definite ALS by means of the revised El Escorial criteria. The time constant of oxidative PCr recovery after aerobic (τ1) and ischaemic muscle contraction (τ2) was used to determine the capacity of mitochondrial ATP formation. We found that mitochondrial impairment in skeletal muscle of patients with ALS could not be confirmed by 31P‐MRS and therefore cannot be used as a surrogate factor of the disease.
Risk factors for genital HPV DNA in men resemble those found in women: a study of male attendees at a Danish STD clinic

Objectives: Genital infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most important risk factor for cervical cancer. The male sexual partner is supposed to be the vector of the infection. However, the knowledge of risk factors for genital HPV DNA in men is limited. The objective of this paper is to study the risk factors for HPV infection in men and to compare them with those found in women, including the study of whether there are different risk profiles for oncogenic and non-oncogenic HPV types. Methods: From a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic in Denmark, 216 men were consecutively included. A personal interview was done and material for genital HPV DNA detection was obtained with swabs. HPV DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Odds ratios (OR) for HPV as well as for oncogenic and non-oncogenic types separately were computed with a 95% confidence interval (CI) by means of unconditional multiple logistic regresssion. Results: The most important predictors of any HPV were lifetime number of sex partners (OR = 4.3; 95% CI 1.4 to 13.1 for 25–39 v 1–9 partners), young age, and being uncircumcised. The most important risk factor for oncogenic HPV types was lifetime number of partners, whereas number of partners in the past year and ever having genital warts were risk factors for the non-oncogenic HPV types. Young age predicted risk of both oncogenic and non-oncogenic HPV types. Conclusions: Most risk factors for HPV DNA detection in men resemble those found in women. As in women, the risk factor profile for the oncogenic HPV types was different from that of the non-oncogenic HPV types.
A sheet-type metamaterial with rejection characteristics in a frequency range

A sheet-type metamaterial with rejection characteristics in a frequency range is proposed. It is composed of parallel metal strips put two-dimensionally on a dielectric substrate. The metal strips behave as electric and magnetic particles. They exhibit negative permittivity or permeability in a frequency range, so that the structure works as a single negative material. A wave incident vertically on the structure is reflected, and the transmission coefficient becomes small though the structure is thin. A transmission characteristic below −20 dB over 1 GHz at 5 GHz is designed by choosing the geometrical parameters of the particles. A fabricated metamaterial sheet has the almost same transmission characteristic as the calculated one.
"C"-Type Viral Particles in Plasma of Cats with Feline Leukemia

Linear sucrose-density gradient was used to detect and isolate typical "C"-type viral particles in plasma of cats with spontaneous and experimentally induced leukemia. The density of the agent is similar to known murine leukemia virus (1.15 to 1.17 grams per cubic centimeter). In the electron microscope the virus showed typical "C"-type particle morphology with various maturation stages. The maximum diameter of the mature viral particles in plasma was 115 millimicrons, a diameter slightly larger than budding particles observed in tissue. Leukemia was transmitted with cellular and cell-free inoculum after a 5-week period of latency.
Effects of Co-Culture Media on Hepatic Differentiation of hiPSC with or without HUVEC Co-Culture

The derivation of hepatocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) is of great interest for applications in pharmacological research. However, full maturation of hiPSC-derived hepatocytes has not yet been achieved in vitro. To improve hepatic differentiation, co-cultivation of hiPSC with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) during hepatic differentiation was investigated in this study. In the first step, different culture media variations based on hepatocyte culture medium (HCM) were tested in HUVEC mono-cultures to establish a suitable culture medium for co-culture experiments. Based on the results, two media variants were selected to differentiate hiPSC-derived definitive endodermal (DE) cells into mature hepatocytes with or without HUVEC addition. DE cells differentiated in mono-cultures in the presence of those media variants showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in secretion of α-fetoprotein and in activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 as compared with cells differentiated in unmodified HCM used as control. Co-cultivation with HUVEC did not further improve the differentiation outcome. Thus, it can be concluded that the effect of the used medium outweighed the effect of HUVEC co-culture, emphasizing the importance of the culture medium composition for hiPSC differentiation.
Thermotolerance and multidrug resistance in bacteria isolated from equids and their environment

Sixty-nine vaginal swabs and 138 rectal swabs collected from 195 equids were analysed for the presence of thermotolerant bacteria, that is, bacteria surviving at 60 ± 0.1°C for one hour. Thermotolerant Escherichia coli, Enterobacter species, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus species and Pseudomonas species were isolated from 41, 16, nine, three and three of the 138 rectal swabs, respectively; seven of the E coli and two of the Enterobacter species isolates survived pasteurisation at 63.8 ± 0.1°C for 30 minutes. All except three E coli, two Enterobacter species and one Proteus species isolate were resistant to three or more antimicrobial drugs, that is, they were multidrug resistant. Thermotolerant E coli, Enterobacter species and Proteus species were isolated from 11, two and two of the 69 vaginal swabs, respectively, but only one isolate of E coli survived pasteurisation at 63.8 ± 0.1°C for 30 minutes. All except two of the E coli isolates were multidrug resistant. None of the four thermotolerant isolates from nine soil samples collected on four of the farms where the equids were kept was pasteurisation resistant, but they were all multidrug resistant. Of the 10 pasteurisationresistant isolates, nine were multidrug resistant but none was resistant to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, cotrimazine, cotrimoxazole or streptomycin. All the isolates grew at 42 ± 0.1°C but none grew at 46 ± 0.1°C or above. The Enterobacter isolates were more tolerant to pasteurisation than the E coli isolates, particularly during the first few minutes of exposure.
Are Crackles an Appropriate Outcome Measure for Airway Clearance Therapy?

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need to develop new outcome measures for respiratory therapy, to evaluate its effectiveness. Adventitious sounds generated from the lungs (crackles and wheezes), can now be quantified and characterized objectively with computer technology. To our knowledge, this is the first reported study designed to assess any change in lung crackles before and after a single session of airway clearance therapy. METHODS: Twenty-three stable bronchiectasis patients were recruited from United Kingdom out-patient clinics and treated with a single session of airway clearance therapy, using the active cycle of breathing technique. Sound recordings were made before and after the session at 7 anatomical chest locations. Computerized lung sound analysis was used to measure crackle parameters: 2-cycle deflection width (2CD), and crackle number per breath cycle (nBC). Perceived breathlessness, lung function, and oxygen saturation data were also recorded. RESULTS: Crackle mean 2CD and mean nBC increased post intervention. Sixteen participants (70%) showed a statistically significant difference in mean crackle 2CD before and after the session at ≥ 1 chest location. Thirteen (57%) participants had a difference between mean crackle 2CD before and after the intervention > 1 Smallest Real Difference (SRD, mean SRD = 2.23 ms) at ≥ 1 chest location. Differences in mean crackle nBC before and after the intervention did not exceed the SRD (mean SRD = 32 crackles per breath cycle) in any participant. Perceived breathlessness was significantly reduced post intervention; no significant changes were observed in either lung function or oxygen saturation. CONCLUSIONS: Crackle duration (2CD) was found to change after a single session of airway clearance therapy, and shows promise as a new outcome measure for respiratory therapy interventions.
The Cost of Persistent Asthma in Europe: An International Population-Based Study in Adults

Background: This study is aimed at providing a real-world evaluation of the economic cost of persistent asthma among European adults according to the degree of disease control [as defined by the 2006 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines]. Methods: A prevalence-based cost-of-illness study was carried out on 462 patients aged 30–54 years with persistent asthma (according to the 2002 GINA definition), who were identified in general population samples from 11 European countries and examined in clinical settings in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II between 1999 and 2002. The cost estimates were computed from the societal perspective following the bottom-up approach on the basis of rates, wages and prices in 2004 (obtained at the national level from official sources), and were then converted to the 2010 values. Results: The mean total cost per patient was EUR 1,583 and was largely driven by indirect costs (i.e. lost working days and days with limited, not work-related activities 62.5%). The expected total cost in the population aged 30–54 years of the 11 European countries was EUR 4.3 billion (EUR 19.3 billion when extended to the whole European population aged from 15 to 64 years). The mean total cost per patient ranged from EUR 509 (controlled asthma) to EUR 2,281 (uncontrolled disease). Chronic cough or phlegm and having a high BMI significantly increased the individual total cost. Conclusions: Among European adults, the cost of persistent asthma drastically increases as disease control decreases. Therefore, substantial cost savings could be obtained through the proper management of adult patients in Europe.
Identifying Lynch Syndrome in Patients With Endometrial Carcinoma: Shortcomings of Morphologic and Clinical Schemas

It has been suggested that reflex testing for Lynch syndrome (LS) using mismatch repair immunohistochemistry and/or microsatellite instability analysis in newly diagnosed colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients is an emerging standard of care in the United States. The risk of gynecologic malignancy in women with LS approaches and even exceeds that of CRC. Furthermore, gynecologic malignancies are often the sentinel cancers in these patients. There is significant variation in practice, but some groups have similarly recommended deployment of reflex testing strategies in patients presenting with endometrial cancer (EC). The College of American Pathologists has stated that pathologists should recognize the histologic and clinical features that should prompt at least a recommendation for mismatch repair testing. Morphologic and clinical schemas in EC to identify microsatellite unstable/LS tumors are less refined than the colon-centric schemas (Amsterdam, Bethesda, and MsPath). Studies of LS EC are few and interpretation is limited by recruitment strategies and the myriad of definitions and study designs used. Although serous cell type is used to triage ovarian cancer patients for BRCA screening, cell type correlation in LS is less certain but seems to involve a spectrum of cell types. We review the morphologic and clinical features/schemas in LS EC and highlight limitations of restrictive aged-based screening strategies, uncertainty in current clinical schemas and equivocal results of morphologic studies of LS EC. With uncertainty of histologic and clinical schemas, and following developments in CRC, reflex testing of all/vast majority of newly diagnosed EC for LS should be considered.