Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Effects of Laparotomy and Laparoscopy on the Immune System in Intra-Abdominal Sepsis—A Review

This review portrays the most common experimental models of intra-abdominal sepsis. Additionally, it outlines the facts that distinguish laparotomy from laparoscopy, in respect to the immune response, when comparing these two techniques in experimental models of intra-abdominal sepsis. It describes the consequences of pneumoperitoneum and trauma produced by laparoscopy or laparotomy, respectively, on bacterial translocation and immunity. Furthermore, we report the few efforts that have been made in clinical settings, where surgeons have attempted to utilize laparoscopy as a therapeutic module when treating peritonitis or sepsis of abdominal origin. Certainly there is a need for more research in order to fortify the role of pneumoperitoneum in sepsis of abdominal origin. It seems that minimally invasive surgery will inevitably gain acceptance by surgeons, as evidence points that by inflicting less trauma the healing response is expected to be more efficient, especially in septic patients.
Integration of Shaker-type K+ channel, KAT1, into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane: Synergistic insertion of voltage-sensing segments, S3–S4, and independent insertion of pore-forming segments, S5–P–S6

KAT1 is a member of the Shaker family of voltage-dependent K+ channels, which has six transmembrane segments (called S1–S6), including an amphipathic S4 with several positively charged residues and a hydrophobic pore-forming region (called P) between S5 and S6. In this study, we systematically evaluated the function of individual and combined transmembrane segments of KAT1 to direct the final topology in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane by in vitro translation and translocation experiments. The assay with single-transmembrane constructs showed that S1 possesses the type II signal-anchor function, whereas S2 has the stop-transfer function. The properties fit well with the results derived from combined insertion of S1 and S2. S3 and S4 failed to integrate into the membrane by themselves. The inserted glycosylation sequence at the S3–S4 loop neither prevented the translocation of S3 and S4 nor impaired the function of voltage-dependent K+ transport regardless of the changed length of the S3–S4 loop. S3 and S4 are likely to be posttranslationally integrated into the membrane only when somewhat specific interaction occurs between them. S5 had the ability of translocation reinitiation, and S6 had a strong preference for Nexo/Ccyt orientation. The pore region resided outside because of its lack of its transmembrane-spanning property. According to their own topogenic function, combined constructs of S5–P–S6 conferred the membrane-pore-membrane topology. This finding supports the notion that a set of S5–P–S6 can be independently integrated into the membrane. The results in this study provide the fundamental topogenesis mechanism of transmembrane segments involving voltage sensor and pore region in KAT1.
SINGULAR: a computer algebra system for polynomial computations

SINGULAR is a specialized computer algebra system for polynomial computations with emphasize on the needs of commutative algebra, algebraic geometry, and singularity theory. SINGULAR’s main computational objects are polynomials, ideals and modules over a large variety of rings, including important non-commutative rings. SINGULAR features one of the fastest and most general implementations of various algorithms for computing standard resp. Gröbner bases. Furthermore, it provides multivariate polynomial factorization, resultant, characteristic set and gcd computations, syzygy and free-resolution computations, numerical root–finding, visualization, and many more related functionalities.
Modulation of intein activity by its neighboring extein substrates

Inteins comprise a large family of phylogenetically widespread self-splicing protein catalysts that colonize diverse host proteins. The evolutionary and functional relationship between the intein and the split-host protein, the exteins, is largely unknown. To probe an association, we developed an in vivo and in vitro intein assay based on FRET. The FRET assay reports cleavage of the intein from its N-terminal extein. Applying this assay to randomized extein libraries, we show that the nature of the extein substrate bordering the intein can profoundly influence intein activity. Residues proximal to the intein-splicing junction in both N- and C-terminal exteins can accelerate the N-terminal cleavage rate by >4-fold or attenuate cleavage by 1,000-fold, both resulting in compromised self-splicing efficiency. The existence and the magnitude of extein effects require consideration for maximizing the utility of inteins in biotechnological applications, and they predict biases in intein integration sites in nature.
Explorations fonctionnelles respiratoires de la demande ventilatoire, de la bronchomotricité et à l'exercice

L’exploration fonctionnelle respiratoire (EFR) réalisée au repos comprend l’évaluation de la capacité mécanique ventilatoire : mesure de spirométrie, de résistance des voies aériennes ou du système respiratoire et mesure des volumes pulmonaires. On peut y associer l’évaluation de la composante mécanique active c’est-à-dire la mesure des pressions maximales statiques générées à la bouche, évaluant la force des muscles respiratoires (partie 1 : 6-000-A-71). Il est important d’avoir à l’esprit que cette évaluation est partielle, qu’il faut bien souvent y associer une évaluation de la demande ventilatoire (partie 2 : 6-000A-72) : mesure de l’hématose de repos et mesure du coefficient de transfert du monoxyde de carbone (permettant avec la mesure du volume alvéolaire de calculer la capacité de diffusion du monoxyde de carbone [DLCO]). L’ensemble de ces explorations fonctionnelles (hors évaluation musculaire) a fait l’objet d’une conférence de consensus européenne et américaine en 2005, dont la traduction française est parue en 2007. L’interprétation des EFR doit donc logiquement s’effectuer selon ces recommandations internationales et nécessite de se référer aux limites inférieures et parfois supérieures de valeurs théoriques. L’exploration fonctionnelle à l’exercice la plus simple est le test de marche de six minutes (TM6) qui donne une idée de la performance à la marche, permet de rechercher une désaturation artérielle et de quantifier l’éventuelle plainte dyspnéique. Plus rarement, notamment en cas de dyspnée d’exercice restant inexpliquée, une épreuve d’exercice avec mesure de V’O2/V’CO2 pourra apporter des éléments diagnostiques pour une pathologie vasculaire et/ou interstitielle débutante, une myopathie ou un syndrome d’hyperventilation alvéolaire chronique ou déclenché par l’effort (partie 2 : 6-000-A-72).
Development of a Biogeochemical and Carbon Model Related to Ocean Acidification Indices with an Operational Ocean Model Product in the North Western Pacific

We developed a biogeochemical and carbon model (JCOPE_EC) coupled with an operational ocean model for the North Western Pacific. JCOPE_EC represents ocean acidification indices on the background of the risks due to ocean acidification and our model experiences. It is an off-line tracer model driven by a high-resolution regional ocean general circulation model (JCOPE2M). The results showed that the model adequately reproduced the general patterns in the observed data, including the seasonal variability of chlorophyll-a, dissolved inorganic nitrogen/phosphorus, dissolved inorganic carbon, and total alkalinity. We provide an overview of this system and the results of the model validation based on the available observed data. Sensitivity analysis using fixed values for temperature, salinity, dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity helped us identify which variables contributed most to seasonal variations in the ocean acidification indices, pH and Ωarg. The seasonal variation in the pHinsitu was governed mainly by balances of the change in temperature and dissolved inorganic carbon. The seasonal increase in Ωarg from winter to summer was governed mainly by dissolved inorganic carbon levels.
Development of a High-Energy Gamma Camera for use with NSECT Imaging of the Breast

A new imaging technique, neutron stimulated emission computed tomography (NSECT), is being developed that has potential for utilization in breast cancer imaging. NSECT is a spectroscopic imaging technique that is able to produce elemental concentration images and previous studies have identified differences in trace element concentrations between malignant and benign tissues. NSECT illuminates the body via a beam of neutrons causing elemental nuclei to become excited and emit characteristic gamma radiation. By imaging the gamma rays in a tomographic manner it is possible to reconstruct elemental composition images. This method requires high-resolution spectroscopy, thereby eliminating the use conventional scintillation gamma cameras; in this case, spectral information is obtained from high-purity germanium (HPGe) semiconductor detectors, providing only 1D spatial information. To obtain 2D elemental concentration images, we are adapting high-energy solar spectroscopy technology. A rotating modulation collimator (RMC) consisting of two parallel-slat collimators is placed in front of the detector and modulates the incoming signal in a manner predicted by its geometry. Reconstruction of 2D images is possible by counting the number incident gammas at each rotation angle. A significant challenge is presented when attempting to modify the RMC for use in the near field and a prototype camera has been constructed to verify the geometric validity of a RMC for this use. Herein we present the progress to date in the design and development of a high-energy spectroscopic gamma camera for use with NSECT imaging of the breast.
Design of Microstrip Triplexer with High Isolation Based on Parallel Coupled-Line Filters Using T-Shaped Short-Circuited Resonators

Design approach for simultaneously achieving impedance matching and enhancing the isolation of multiplexer has been proposed. The channel filters constituting the multiplexer utilize the T-shaped short-circuited resonators as resonant components and short-circuited parallel-coupled lines as interstage couplings. The embedded open-ended stubs of resonators intentionally placed along the main transmission path of each channel contribute the virtual-shorts by creating transmission zeros thereby making the matching and isolation improvement possible. A triplexer with satisfactorily high output isolation is designed and implemented to validate the concept.
Statistical Testing of Segment Homogeneity in Classification of Piecewise–Regular Objects

Abstract The paper is focused on the problem of multi-class classification of composite (piecewise-regular) objects (e.g., speech signals, complex images, etc.). We propose a mathematical model of composite object representation as a sequence of independent segments. Each segment is represented as a random sample of independent identically distributed feature vectors. Based on this model and a statistical approach, we reduce the task to a problem of composite hypothesis testing of segment homogeneity. Several nearest-neighbor criteria are implemented, and for some of them the well-known special cases (e.g., the Kullback–Leibler minimum information discrimination principle, the probabilistic neural network) are highlighted. It is experimentally shown that the proposed approach improves the accuracy when compared with contemporary classifiers.
Reorienting health services with capacity building: a case study of the Core Skills in Health Promotion Project.

This paper presents a case study of the application of a framework for capacity building [Hawe, P., King, L. , Noort, M. , Jordens, C. and Lloyd, B. (2000) Indicators to Help with Capacity Building in Health Promotion. NSW Health, Sydney] to describe actions aimed at building organizational support for health promotion within an area health service in New South Wales, Australia. The Core Skills in Health Promotion Project (CSHPP) arose from an investigation which reported that participants of a health promotion training course had increased health promotion skills but that they lacked the support to apply their skills in the workplace. The project was action-research based. It investigated and facilitated the implementation of a range of initiatives to support community health staff to apply a more preventive approach in their practice and it contributed to the establishment of new organizational structures for health promotion. An evaluation was undertaken 4 years after the CSHPP was established, and 2 years after it had submitted its final report. Interviews with senior managers, document analysis of written reports, and focus groups with middle managers and service delivery staff were undertaken. Change was achieved in the three dimensions of health infrastructure, program maintenance and problem solving capacity of the organization. It was identified that the critically important elements in achieving the aims of the project-partnership, leadership and commitment-were also key elements of the capacity building framework. This case study provides a practical example of the usefulness of the capacity building framework in orienting health services to be supportive of health promotion.
ADR Monitoring in Psychiatric Out Patient Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Aim: To study the incidence of ADRs’ in psychiatry OPD. Material and Methods: During the study period of 12 months, 167 patients with ADRs to psychopharmacological agents (PPAs) were detected by spontaneous and intensive reporting system from the health care professionals which was accomplished either by filling the notification slip and communicating personally. Observations: Patients experienced maximum ADRs in Age group of (21 to 35 years) that is 62 (37.12%) followed by 40 (23.95%) in age group of 36 to 50 years. Majority of patients who developed ADRs were male 107 (64.07%). central nervous system is most commonly affected system was involved in 93 (47.20%) patients followed by gastrointestinal system in 27 (13.70%) patients. By Naranjo’s scale, Majority of the ADRs 171 (86.80%) were scored probable, 26 (13.19), were scored possible 26 (13.19%). Conclusion: Maximum number of ADRs observed with Olanzapine 28(14.21%) followed by Risperidone 23(11.67%), Trifluoperazine 20(10.15%), Haloperidol 18(9.13%), Clozapine 17(8.62%).
Demonstration of a tumor‐specific antigen in spontaneously developing AKR lymphomas

By using the cytotoxic technique, a tumor‐specific antigen was detected in six out of ten spontaneously developing AKR lymphomas investigated. With more sensitive methods such as induction of cytotoxic antibodies in allogeneic hosts and quantitative absorptions, a tumor antigen could be detected in all the AKR lymphomas studied. Cross‐reaction was demonstrated between the AKR tumor antigen and a tumor antigen previously reported for Gross passage A virus‐induced lymphomas. The cross‐reactivity supports the theory that Gross virus acts as one etiological agent of the AKR lymphomas.
Deep-learning Versus OBIA for Scattered Shrub Detection with Google Earth Imagery: Ziziphus lotus as Case Study

There is a growing demand for accurate high-resolution land cover maps in many fields, e.g., in land-use planning and biodiversity conservation. Developing such maps has been performed using Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) methods, which usually reach good accuracies, but require a high human supervision and the best configuration for one image can hardly be extrapolated to a different image. Recently, the deep learning Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have shown outstanding results in object recognition in the field of computer vision. However, they have not been fully explored yet in land cover mapping for detecting species of high biodiversity conservation interest. This paper analyzes the potential of CNNs-based methods for plant species detection using free high-resolution Google Earth T M images and provides an objective comparison with the state-of-the-art OBIA-methods. We consider as case study the detection of Ziziphus lotus shrubs, which are protected as a priority habitat under the European Union Habitats Directive. According to our results, compared to OBIA-based methods, the proposed CNN-based detection model, in combination with data-augmentation, transfer learning and pre-processing, achieves higher performance with less human intervention and the knowledge it acquires in the first image can be transferred to other images, which makes the detection process very fast. The provided methodology can be systematically reproduced for other species detection.
Quantitative trait loci affecting dengue midgut infection barriers in an advanced intercross line of Aedes aegypti

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting the ability of the Aedes aegypti midgut to become infected with Dengue 2 virus (DEN2) were mapped in the F5 generation of an advanced intercross line (AIL). A strain of Ae. aegypti previously selected for DEN2 susceptibility was crossed to a new strain selected for refractoriness to midgut infection. In P1 and F1 parents and 147 F5 offspring, genotypes at forty‐four cDNA loci were analysed. A new sex linked QTL and a second QTL on chromosome II with genotypes subject to balancing selection were detected that condition midgut susceptibility. Alleles at these QTL contributed additively in determining susceptibility and accounted for ∼24% of the phenotypic variance. Markers associated with a midgut escape barrier were inconsistently supported.
' s personal copy A novel P 300-based brain – computer interface stimulus presentation paradigm : Moving beyond rows and columns q

Objective: An electroencephalographic brain–computer interface (BCI) can provide a non-muscular means of communication for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or other neuromuscular disorders. We present a novel P300-based BCI stimulus presentation – the checkerboard paradigm (CBP). CBP performance is compared to that of the standard row/column paradigm (RCP) introduced by Farwell
A comparison of methods to estimate nutritional requirements from experimental data

1. Research papers use a variety of methods for evaluating experiments designed to determine nutritional requirements of poultry. Growth trials result in a set of ordered pairs of data. Often, point-by-point comparisons are made between treatments using analysis of variance. This approach ignores that response variables (body weight, feed efficiency, bone ash, etc.) are continuous rather than discrete. Point-by-point analyses harvest much less than the total amount of information from the data. Regression models are more effective at gleaning information from data, but the concept of “requirements” is poorly defined by many regression models. 2. Response data from a study of the lysine requirements of young broilers was used to compare methods of determining requirements. In this study, multiple range tests were compared with quadratic polynomials (QP), broken line models with linear (BLL) or quadratic (BLQ) ascending portions, the saturation kinetics model (SK) a logistic model (LM) and a compartmental (CM) model. 3. The sum of total residuals squared was used to compare the models. The SK and LM were the best fit models, followed by the CM, BLL, BLQ, and QP models. A plot of the residuals versus nutrient intake showed clearly that the BLQ and SK models fitted the data best in the important region where the ascending portion meets the plateau. 4. The BLQ model clearly defines the technical concept of nutritional requirements as typically defined by nutritionists. However, the SK, LM and CM models better depict the relationship typically defined by economists as the “law of diminishing marginal productivity”. The SK model was used to demonstrate how the law of diminishing marginal productivity can be applied to poultry nutrition, and how the “most economical feeding level” may replace the concept of “requirements”.
Fates of Murine Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Progenitors following Transplantation into Mouse Cochleae

This study evaluated the tumorigenesis risk of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells after transplantation into the cochlea. One mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell line and three mouse iPS cell lines, one derived from adult mouse tail-tip fibroblasts (TTFs) and two from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), were neurally induced by stromal cell-inducing activity. Before transplantation, the efficiency of neural induction and the proportion of residual undifferentiated cells were evaluated using immunocytochemistry, and no significant differences were observed in the ratios of colonies expressing βIII tubulin, nestin, or octamer (Oct)3/4. Four weeks after transplantation into the cochleae of neonatal mice, the number of surviving transplants of TTF-derived iPS cells generated by retroviral infection was significantly higher than those of MEF-derived iPS cells generated by plasmid transfection. Teratoma formation was identified in one of five cochleae transplanted with TTF-derived iPS cells. However, no significant differences were found in the cell proliferation activity or the extent of differentiation into mature neurons among the cell lines. These findings emphasize the necessity of selecting appropriate iPS cell lines and developing methods to eliminate undifferentiated cells after neural induction, in order to establish safe iPS cell-based therapy for the inner ear.
Ventricular non-compaction--a frequently ignored finding?

The investigation by Kohli and his colleagues1 reveals startling findings. In a population of almost 200 patients referred to a dedicated clinic investigating cardiac failure in the UK, almost one-quarter were found to satisfy the currently accepted diagnostic criteria for ventricular non-compaction, or hypertrabeculation to give the finding its alternative name.2 Significantly, these criteria were also satisfied by five of 60 control subjects, of whom 30 were black, with four of these showing the features of non-compaction. The authors rightly conclude that the current criteria used for diagnosis of non-compaction are too sensitive, particularly amongst the black population. The alternative conclusion is that non-compaction, or hypertrabeculation, is simply a variant of normal maturation of the ventricular myocardium, with only the most severe forms producing a pathological entity. Both interpretations beg the question as to why the entity is now being recognized with such frequency, having come to clinical attention as recently as 1990.3 It is also the case that examples of what we would now call non-compaction were recognized prior to the important study of Chin et al. 3 Dusek and his colleagues,4 in 1975, are usually credited with being the first to describe ‘spongy myocardium’, but most of the hearts they described had associated congenital malformations, and not all would … *Corresponding author. Tel: +44 20 7905 2295, Fax: +44 20 7905 2324. Email: r.anderson{at}ich.ucl. ac.uk
Peer Influences and Proenvironmental Behavior: Panel Evidence for the Role of Regional Prevalence and Diversity

Pro-environmental behavior depends on the behavior of others. For a UK panel data set, we find that individuals' pro-environmental behavior increases in the behavior of peers in their region. This happens the more so, the greener the self-image of an individual. Diversity of regional green behavior plays a further role, with fractionalization negatively related to pro-environmental behavior and polarization positively so: peer pressure exerts a less strong influence when behaviors are diverse, and a stronger influence when behaviors are very polarized.