Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Semiotic Description of Music Structure: An Introduction to the Quaero/Metiss Structural Annotations

Interest has been steadily growing in semantic audio and music information retrieval for the description of music structure, i.e., the global organization of music pieces in terms of large-scale structural units. This article presents a detailed methodology for the semiotic description of music structure, based on concepts and criteria which are formulated as generically as possible. We sum up the essential principles and practices developed during an annotation effort deployed by our research group (Metiss) on audio data in the context of the Quaero project, which has led to the public release of over 380 annotations of pop songs from three different data sets. The paper also includes a few case studies and a concise statistical overview of the annotated data.
Tumour cell–dendritic cell fusion for cancer immunotherapy: comparison of therapeutic efficiency of polyethylen‐glycol versus electro‐fusion protocols

Background Fusion of tumour cells with dendritic cells (DC) is a powerful new technology to increase tumour vaccine immunogenicity. The aim of this study was to compare fusion protocols with syngenic DCs with respect to the efficiency of polyethylen‐glycol‐(PEG) and electric pulse‐mediated fusions for induction of protective anti‐tumour immune responses. As a model we chose a low immunogenic and metastatic murine mammary carcinoma cell line, which mimics clinically relevant tumour features.
A Single Rep Protein Initiates Replication of Multiple Genome Components of Faba Bean Necrotic Yellows Virus, a Single-Stranded DNA Virus of Plants

ABSTRACT Faba bean necrotic yellows virus (FBNYV) belongs to the nanoviruses, plant viruses whose genome consists of multiple circular single-stranded DNA components. Eleven distinct DNAs, 5 of which encode different replication initiator (Rep) proteins, have been identified in two FBNYV isolates. Origin-specific DNA cleavage and nucleotidyl transfer activities were shown for Rep1 and Rep2 proteins in vitro, and their essential tyrosine residues that catalyze these reactions were identified by site-directed mutagenesis. In addition, we showed that Rep1 and Rep2 proteins hydrolyze ATP, and by changing the key lysine residue in the proteins’ nucleoside triphosphate binding sites, demonstrated that this ATPase activity is essential for multiplication of virus DNA in vivo. Each of the five FBNYV Rep proteins initiated replication of the DNA molecule by which it was encoded, but only Rep2 was able to initiate replication of all the six other genome components. Furthermore, of the fiverep components, only the Rep2-encoding DNA was always detected in 55 FBNYV samples from eight countries. These data provide experimental evidence for a master replication protein encoded by a multicomponent single-stranded DNA virus.
Treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis with rituximab

Purpose of reviewTo review the present knowledge about the use of rituximab (RTX) in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's; GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg–Strauss; EGPA), also collectively referred to as antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. Recent findingsMore than 20 case series and cohort studies involving more than 200 patients focusing on RTX use for patients with refractory GPA and MPA have been reported. Two randomized controlled trials have shown that RTX is not inferior to cyclophosphamide (CYC) for induction of remission in severe GPA and MPA. The RAVE trial has further shown that RTX is superior to CYC for patients with severe disease relapses. In addition, reports are emerging on the use of RTX for remission maintenance in chronically relapsing patients. There are also preliminary reports on the beneficial use of RTX in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg–Strauss). SummaryRTX is the first proven alternative to CYC for remission induction in severe GPA and MPA. RTX is the preferred agent for patients presenting with severe disease flares, and its use had become the de facto standard of care for patients with chronically relapsing refractory GPA. Its use in EGPA requires further investigation.
The Cerebral Neurobiology of Anxiety, Anxiety Displacement, and Anxiety Denial

Background: Previous studies examining the relationship of anxiety scores, derived from the content analysis of speech of normal individuals, have revealed that the anxiety scores occurring in the dreams associated with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep are significantly correlated with localized cerebral glucose metabolic rates assessed by positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. These significant intercorrelations occur in different cerebral areas when the anxiety scores are obtained from mental experiences reported during non-REM sleep or during wakeful silent mentation. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine the intercorrelations found between anxiety attributed to the self, anxiety-displacement, and anxiety denial measured from computerized content analysis of 5-min verbal reports of subjective thoughts and feelings obtained from wakeful normal subjects and localized cerebral glucose metabolic rates during PET scanning. Methods: The subjects were 10 wakeful young males. Their anxiety scores were derived from computerized content analysis of 5-min reports they gave of their subjective thoughts, feelings and fantasies during a 30-min period following an intravenous injection of F D-deoxyglucose (FDG). The subjects were moved 32–45 min after this injection to obtain a PET scan, which records all of the localized cerebral glucose metabolic rates during the 30 min following the FDG injection. Results: Significant intercorrelations of localized cerebral glucose metabolic rates with the scores of self-anxiety, anxiety displacement, and anxiety-denial were found in dissimilar cerebral locations depending on the type of anxiety involved. The significant correlations occurred in brain regions known to be associated with the functions of emotions, cognition, memory, and vision. Conclusions: Specific combinations of cerebral areas, based on glucose metabolic rates, appear to distinguish and be associated with different verbal expressions of anxiety. Replication of this preliminary research will be carried out.
Sodium bicarbonate is associated with an increased incidence of contrast nephropathy: a retrospective cohort study of 7977 patients at mayo clinic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The role of sodium bicarbonate in preventing contrast nephropathy needs to be evaluated in clinical settings. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS We performed a retrospective cohort study at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to assess the risk of contrast nephropathy associated with the use of sodium bicarbonate, N-acetylcysteine, and the combination of sodium bicarbonate with N-acetylcysteine from April 2004 to May 2005. Contrast nephropathy was defined as postexposure creatinine elevation of > or =25% or >0.5 mg/dl within 7 d of contrast exposure. RESULTS A total of 11,516 contrast exposures in 7977 patients had creatinine values available for review before and after contrast exposure. More than 90% of exposures to agents prophylactic for contrast nephropathy were available for analysis. Sodium bicarbonate was used in 268 cases, N-acetylcysteine was used in 616 cases, and both agents were used in combination in 221 cases of contrast exposure. After adjustment for total volume of hydration, medications, age, gender, prior creatinine, contrast iodine load, prior exposure to contrast material, type of imaging study, heart failure, hypertension, renal failure, multiple myeloma, and diabetes mellitus, use of sodium bicarbonate alone was associated with an increased risk of contrast nephropathy compared with no treatment (odds ratio 3.10, 95% confidence interval 2.28 to 4.18; P < 0.001). N-acetylcysteine alone and in combination with sodium bicarbonate was not associated with any significant difference in the incidence of contrast nephropathy. CONCLUSIONS The use of intravenous sodium bicarbonate was associated with increased incidence of contrast nephropathy. Use of sodium bicarbonate to prevent contrast nephropathy should be evaluated further rather than adopted into clinical practice.
Genetic Studies of the Sulfonylurea Receptor Gene Locus in NIDDM and in Morbid Obesity Among French Caucasians

The sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) is a key component in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Obesity and NIDDM are frequently associated and share some metabolic abnormalities, suggesting that they might also share some susceptibility genes. Thus, the SUR encoding gene is a plausible candidate for a primary pancreatic β-cell defect and thus for hyperglycemia and weight gain. Through association and linkage studies, we have investigated the potential role of the SUR gene in families with NIDDM and in two independent sets of morbidly obese families. The exon 22 T-allele at codon 761 was more common in patients with NIDDM (7.7%) and morbid obesity (7.8%) than in control subjects (1.8%, P = 0.030 and P = 0.023, respectively). This variant was associated with morbid obesity (odds ratio 3.71, P = 0.017) and NIDDM (odds ratio 2.20, P = 0.04; association dependent on BMI). Although the frequencies for intron 24 variant were similar in all groups, morbidly obese patients homozygous for the c-allele had a more deleterious form of obesity. Sib-pair linkage studies with NIDDM in French Caucasian families gave no evidence for linkage to the SUR locus. However, in one set of the obese families, we found an indication for linkage with a SUR-linked microsatellite marker (D11S419, P = 0.0032). We conclude that in Caucasians, the SUR locus may contribute to the genetic susceptibility to NIDDM and obesity.
Minimal resistance training improves daily energy expenditure and fat oxidation.

UNLABELLED Long-term resistance training (RT) may result in a chronic increase in 24-h energy expenditure (EE) and fat oxidation to a level sufficient to assist in maintaining energy balance and preventing weight gain. However, the impact of a minimal RT program on these parameters in an overweight college-aged population, a group at high risk for developing obesity, is unknown. PURPOSE We aimed to evaluate the effect of 6 months of supervised minimal RT in previously sedentary, overweight (mean +/- SEM, BMI = 27.7 +/- 0.5 kg x m(-2)) young adults (21.0 +/- 0.5 yr) on 24-h EE, resting metabolic rate (RMR), sleep metabolic rate (SMR), and substrate oxidation using whole-room indirect calorimetry 72 h after the last RT session. METHODS Participants were randomized to RT (one set, 3 d x wk(-1), three to six repetition maximums, nine exercises; N = 22) or control (C, N = 17) groups and completed all assessments at baseline and at 6 months. RESULTS There was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in 24-h EE in the RT (527 +/- 220 kJ x d(-1)) and C (270 +/- 168 kJ x d(-1)) groups; however, the difference between groups was not significant (P = 0.30). Twenty-four hours of fat oxidation (g x d(-1)) was not altered after RT; however, reductions in RT assessed during both rest (P < 0.05) and sleep (P < 0.05) suggested increased fat oxidation in RT compared with C during these periods. SMR (8.4 +/- 8.6%) and RMR (7.4 +/- 8.7%) increased significantly in RT (P < 0.001) but not in C, resulting in significant (P < 0.001) between-group differences for SMR with a trend for significant (P = 0.07) between-group differences for RMR. CONCLUSION A minimal RT program that required little time to complete (11min per session) resulted in a chronic increase in energy expenditure. This adaptation in energy expenditure may have a favorable impact on energy balance and fat oxidation sufficient to assist with the prevention of obesity in sedentary, overweight young adults, a group at high risk for developing obesity.
High-throughput assay for inorganic pyrophosphatases using the cytosolic enzymes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human as an example.

This paper describes the development of a new, malachite green based, enzymatic assay for the identification of specific inhibitors of inorganic pyrophosphatase (iPPase) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae for antifungal drug discovery. The human iPPase was used as counterscreen. The coding regions of both enzymes were amplified, cloned into a vector providing a His-tag at the C-terminus, expressed in Escherichia coli, and purified by metal chelate affinity chromatography. Since the complete human sequence had not been published previously, the human iPPase was cloned on the basis of expressed sequence tag data. The human sequence was confirmed and showed about 55% amino acid identity with the yeast enzyme and 95% identity with an already published bovine enzyme. Both recombinant iPPases were characterized with regard to their biochemical properties, showing that the His-tag did not influence the specific activity, pH optimum, inhibitor profile, or dimerization. The enzyme activity was determined by quantifying released phosphate by complex formation with malachite green. The resulting complex was quantified spectrophotometrically. The assay was adapted to a microtiter plate format. Thus, it is possible to screen a large compound pool for iPPase inhibitors in a short period of time.
Análisis y gestión de flujos turísticos en el centro histórico de Málaga

Se busca a traves del analisis practico y la contextualizacion teorica, arrojar nuevos resultados sobre el comportamiento de los flujos turisticos en el centro historico de Malaga, asi como sobre la relacion de este comportamiento con los principales factores influyentes. Tras determinar la repercusion de estos factores en el movimiento de los flujos turisticos, e identificar las diferentes problematicas y zonas conflictivas causadas por los flujos turisticos, nos basamos en tres lineas de actuacion para gestionar estas situaciones conflictivas. Estas lineas de actuacion son: intervencion urbana, intervencion en las senales turisticas y creacion de productos turisticos. Con la aplicacion de estas acciones en diferentes puntos y areas concretas del centro historico buscamos redistribuir los flujos turisticos por la totalidad del territorio, poniendo en valor los recursos, hitos y areas infrautilizadas. Ademas, conseguiremos mejorar el transito, incrementar la oferta y mejorar la experiencia turistica, solventando con ello los diferentes problemas de aglomeraciones, experiencia turistica negativa, conflicto turista-residente, etc.
An advanced fast charging strategy for lithium polymer batteries

In this paper, an advanced fast-charging strategy for lithium polymer (Li-Po) battery is proposed, in which a two-stage charging current profile is employed. First, the constant charging current is used and when the battery voltage reaches a specified value, the charging current is reduced according to the root square of time. With this strategy, the charging time is shortened and the discharging energy is increased. The experimental results show that it is capable of charging the battery up to 84% capacity in 28 minutes compared with the constant current and constant voltage charging and pulse current charging methods.
Attenuation of pulmonary vascular hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy with sitaxsentan sodium, an orally active ET(A) receptor antagonist.

Effects of sitaxsentan (TBC11251), an orally active, highly selective antagonist of endothelin A receptors, were examined on the development and maintenance of pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and cardiac hypertrophy in the rat. The pulmonary vasoconstrictor response to acute hypoxia (10% O(2)for 90 min) was prevented with sitaxsentan (5 mg/kg infused iv 10 min prior to the onset of hypoxia) while BQ-788 (a specific endothelin B receptor antagonist) was without effect. The same dose of sitaxsentan delivered iv 50 min after the onset of hypoxia reversed the established pulmonary vasoconstriction. In a 2-week model of hypoxia using 10% O(2), treatment with sitaxsentan (15 mg/kg per day in drinking water) attenuated pulmonary hypertension and the associated right ventricular hypertrophy, and prevented the remodeling of small pulmonary arteries (50-100 microM) without affecting systemic arterial blood pressure or heart rate. Institution of sitaxsentan treatment (15 and 30 mg/kg per day in drinking water) for 4 weeks after 2 weeks of untreated hypoxia produced a significant, dose dependent reversal of the established pulmonary hypertension, right heart hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling despite continued hypoxic exposure. Sitaxsentan blocked increased plasma endothelin levels in the prevention protocol but did not affect the established elevated levels in the intervention study. Sitaxsentan dose dependently (10 and 50 mg/kg per day in the drinking water) attenuated right ventricular systolic pressure, right heart hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling observed 3 weeks after a single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline. These findings support the hypothesis that endothelin-1 plays a significant role in the development of pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary vascular remodeling, and the associated cardiac hypertrophy, and further suggest that specific endothelin-A receptor blockade may be useful in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension of diverse etiologies.
Critical Role for the Host GTPase-Activating Protein ARAP2 in InlB-Mediated Entry of Listeria monocytogenes

ABSTRACT The bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes causes food-borne illnesses culminating in gastroenteritis, meningitis, or abortion. Listeria induces its internalization into some mammalian cells through binding of the bacterial surface protein InlB to the host receptor tyrosine kinase Met. Interaction of InlB with the Met receptor elicits host downstream signaling pathways that promote F-actin cytoskeletal changes responsible for pathogen engulfment. Here we show that the mammalian signaling protein ARAP2 plays a critical role in cytoskeletal remodeling and internalization of Listeria. Depletion of ARAP2 through RNA interference (RNAi) caused a marked inhibition of InlB-mediated F-actin rearrangements and bacterial entry. ARAP2 contains multiple functional domains, including a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) domain that antagonizes the GTPase Arf6 and a domain capable of binding the GTPase RhoA. Genetic data indicated roles for both the Arf GAP and RhoA binding domains in Listeria entry. Experiments involving Arf6 RNAi or a constitutively activated allele of Arf6 demonstrated that one of the ways in which ARAP2 promotes bacterial uptake is by restraining the activity of Arf6. Conversely, Rho activity was dispensable for Listeria internalization, suggesting that the RhoA binding domain in ARAP2 acts by engaging a host ligand other than Rho proteins. Collectively, our findings indicate that ARAP2 promotes InlB-mediated entry of Listeria, in part, by antagonizing the host GTPase Arf6.
Physiologic changes associated with endotracheal intubation in preterm infants

Physiologic changes associated with endotracheal intubation were examined in 10 preterm infants. Laryngoscopy was associated with apnea and minor abnormalities in cardiac rhythm in 2 infants. Three infants had nasal airflow recordings which demonstrated obstructed breaths during laryngoscopy. Systolic blood pressure (BP) increased 47% when the trachea was intubated, whereas heart rate and transcutaneous oxygen tension (PtcO2) decreased. Because endotracheal intubation is a physiologically stressful procedure, personnel who intubate preterm infants must be skilled and experienced to minimize the duration of laryngoscopy and the number of intubation attempts.
Grid-Based Zero-Latency Data Warehousing for Continuous Data Streams Processing

Continuous data streams are information sources in which data arrives in high-volume, in unpredictable rapid bursts. Processing data streams, due to the lack of resource, is challenging in that (1) random access to fast and large data streams may be impossible, (2) the exact answers from data streams are often too expensive. The Grid Technology and Zero-Latency Data Warehousing concepts are applied in the framework of building a Grid-based Zero-Latency Data Stream Warehouse (GZLDSWH) to overcomes the resource limitation issue in data stream processing without using traditional approximate approaches. The GZLDSWH is built upon a set of Open Grid Service Infrastructure (OGSI)-based grid services and Globus Toolkit 3 (GT3) with the capable of storing continuous data streams, making analytical processing, and reacting autonomously in near real time with some kinds of events based on well-established Knowledge Base. The architecture of a GZLDWH, the operations and the collaboration between the grid services and several challenging issues are the main topics addressed in the paper.
Use of magnetic particles for sensitizing MR images to blood flow

Magnetic resonance (MR) images made with the IVIM (intravoxel incoherent motion) technique for demonstrating tissue microcirculation are limited in sensitivity because of the small volume of blood involved. This limitation may be overcome by incorporating magnetic particles into the flow. The magnetic perturbation caused by the particles extends beyond the walls of the capillary and affects a much larger volume than that of the flowing material. Imaging experiments conducted with an artificial capillary system for renal dialysis, containing large magnetic particles, showed that signal intensity decreased with increasing flow rate through the dialysis bundle and with increasing particle concentration. Predictions of the effect based on a theoretical model of spin dephasing in the field of a magnetic dipole agreed with the experimental data. The results hold promise for development of the technique in vivo.
A Survey – Audio and Video Synchronization

The audio and video Synchronization is extremely necessary. The synchronization loss between image and sound continues to disturb observers and irritate telecasters. The demand is to assure synchronization without adjusting content at the same time as still retaining price low. The objective of the synchronization is to line up both the audio and video signals that are processed individually. This paper describes the summary of the numerous audio-video synchronization techniques and its performance evaluation in an efficient manner. The various techniques namely audio and video signatures for synchronization, lip localization method, lip contour extraction method, lip reading approach, speech recognition, and audio-visual recognition and methods.
Investition in Humankapital: Auslandsaufenthalte von Schülern

Knapp 4 % der deutschen Jugendlichen ohne Migrationshintergrund waren wahrend ihrer Schulzeit im Ausland. Auf Basis der Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) wurden erstmals der Einfluss der Auslandsaufenthalte auf den schulischen Erfolg und vor allem der personliche Hintergrund der Austauschschuler untersucht. In erster Linie handelt es sich um Gymnasiasten, die meist einen bis zu einjahrigen Austausch wahrnehmen. Bei der Gruppe von Schulern, deren Eltern ein gutes Einkommen oder deren Mutter einen hoheren Bildungsabschluss haben, sind uberdurchschnittlich viele Auslandsaufenthalte zu verzeichnen. Die Austauschteilnehmer sind nach ihrem Aufenthalt im Fremdsprachenunterricht leistungsstark und sprechen im Durchschnitt mehr als eine Fremdsprache.