Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Construction and properties of pseudorabies virus recombinants with altered control of immediate-early gene expression

To investigate how altered control of expression of the essential immediate-early (IE) gene of pseudorabies virus influences virus replication and virulence, we replaced the IE promoter with the tissue-specific promoters of the bovine cytokeratin IV gene (CKIV), the bovine cytokeratin VIb gene (CKVIb), or the inducible promoter of Drosophila heat shock gene HSP70. We compared expression of the IE gene of the wild-type virus and recombinant viruses in different cell types and at different temperatures and found that IE expression had become cell type or temperature dependent. When a recombinant virus was titrated on nonpermissive cells or was titrated at nonpermissive temperatures in vitro, the plating efficiency was reduced by more than 99%. Mice were inoculated subcutaneously (s.c.), intraperitoneally (i.p.), or intranasally (i.n.) with a dose equal to 100 times the 50% lethal dose of the wild-type virus. After inoculation with temperature-sensitive recombinant N-HSP, two (s.c.), two (i.p.), and four (i.n.) of five mice died. However, at this dose, recombinant N-CKIV, which contains a promoter specific for stratified epithelial tissue of the tongue mucosa, was not lethal when inoculated s.c. or i.p. but killed four mice when inoculated i.n. Recombinant N-CKVIb, which contains a promoter specific for the suprabasal layers of the epidermis, was not lethal after inoculation by any of the three routes. In explant cultures of nasal mucosa of pigs, replication of N-CKIV and N-CKVIb was not markedly reduced in the epithelium. However, in contrast to results obtained with wild-type virus, infection of the stroma was not observed. We conclude that the replicative ability and virulence of pseudorabies virus can be influenced by altering control of expression of the IE gene.
Cutaneous melanoma: surveillance of patients for recurrence and new primary melanomas

ABSTRACT: The increasing incidence and overall survival of patients diagnosed with melanoma of the skin are leading to an ever‐increasing population of individuals with a personal history of melanoma. These patients are at risk for developing local, regional, or distant recurrence and are also at greater risk than the general population for developing a new primary melanoma. This article presents the rational for implementing surveillance strategies for patients with a history of melanoma.
When neural crest and placodes collide: interactions between melanophores and the lateral lines that generate stripes in the salamander Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum (Ambystomatidae).

A prominent element of the early larval pigment pattern in the salamander Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum (family Ambystomatidae) is a horizontal stripe over the lateral surface of the myotomes where otherwise abundant, neural crest-derived melanophores are not found. This study examines the formation of this "melanophore-free region". When the trunk lateral lines were ablated (by removing cranial lateral line placodes), the melanophore-free region did not form; instead, melanophores populated the middle of the flank and the distribution of yellow, neural chest-derived zanthophores was perturbed. Time-lapse videomicrography demonstrated that during normal development, the melanophore-free region is established because melanophores retreat from the midbody lateral line primordium as it migrates caudally along the inner side of the epidermis. Melanophores do not repopulate the middle of the flank after primordium migration and heterochronic grafting experiments suggest that extracellular factors contribute to maintaining the melanophore-free region during these later stages. Finally, photographic series, microsurgical manipulations, electron microscopy, and staining for molecules of the extracellular matrix (peanut agglutinin-binding components, tenascin, chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, fibronectin, laminin) suggest that several factors contribute to establishing and maintaining the melanophore-free region, including steric effects of the lateral lines, interactions between melanophores and xanthophores, lateral line-dependent alterations of the subepidermal basement membrane, and a general elaboration of the extracellular matrix. Lateral line effects on melanophores are inferred to be a shared, ancestral feature of pigment pattern development for the families Ambystomatidae and Salamandridae (D.M. Parichy, Dev. Biol. 174, 265-282. 1996). The results of this study thus provide insights into a phylogenetically primitive mechanism for stripe formation, and a context for interpreting evolutionary innovations in pattern-forming mechanisms.
A small-gain theory for infinite networks via infinite-dimensional gain operators

In this paper, we develop a new approach to study gain operators built from the interconnection gains of infinite networks of dynamical systems. Our focus is on the construction of paths of strict decay which are used for building Lyapunov functions for the network and thus proving various stability properties, including input-to-state stability. Our approach is based on the study of an augmented gain operator whose fixed points are precisely the points of decay for the original gain operator. We show that plenty of such fixed points exist under a uniform version of the no-joint-increase condition. Using these fixed points to construct a path of strict decay, in general, requires specific dynamical properties of associated monotone operators. For particular types of gain operators such as max-type operators and subadditive operators, these properties follow from uniform global asymptotic stability of the system induced by the original gain operator. This is consistent with former results in the literature which can readily be recovered from our theory.
Implicit feature detection by ontology aided feature-based opinion summarization

Thanks to e-commerce in an increasingly developing structure the number of customer feedbacks grows rapidly. Due to the great increase in the number of e-commerce enterprises and customers, it becomes difficult for a potential customer to read these feedbacks while decision-making. It becomes almost impossible for the producer to monitor these feedbacks, as well. Product feature extraction from customer reviews is an important sub-research area in opinion mining. The extracted features help to assess the opinions written by customers who have purchased specific products and they provide opinions of customers regarding their positive/negative experiences. Because most of customer reviews are asyntactic plain texts, methods should be developed for extraction of implicit and explicit product features expressed in customer reviews and comments. In this research, we aim at developing a system which reviews and summarizes feedbacks given in Turkish language. Our study differs from others in that it combines synonym word/word groups, that it uses ontology including product features and that it combines Turkish abbreviations/loan words and it increases the success in extraction of product features. Our test results using feedbacks of particular products on the web indicates the impact of our study.
Seasonal and age-related changes in blood parasite prevalence in Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis, Aves, Passeriformes).

We determined seasonal changes in blood parasite infections in a free-living population of Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) breeding in interior Alaska (65 degrees N; 148 degrees W). The common parasites found in blood smears were Leucocytozoon fringillinarum (56%), Trypanosoma avium (33%), and Haemoproteus fringillae (9%). In males, parasite prevalences were relatively high at arrival on breeding grounds and increased during the breeding season. Intensity of infection with Leucocytozoon also increased between spring and summer, and then decreased at the time of migration (September). This decrease did not occur in adult females. Elevated prevalences during the breeding season probably reflected the addition of new cases via vector activity to positive status resulting from spring relapse. We observed neither an association between parasite species nor a consistent relationship between parasite intensity and body condition. To further study relationships between reproductive system activity and parasite infections, we compared prevalences in adult males that were undergoing their first cycle of gonadal development and regression (males in their second calendar year, or SY) with those of older males (males in their third or more calendar year, i.e., after-second-year males or ASY). Circulating testosterone concentrations declined in both groups between arrival on breeding grounds (end of April-early May) and the end of the reproductive period (July), and they were higher in May in ASY than in SY males. At the peak of the breeding season (June), ASY males also had a higher parasite prevalence than SY males. This difference may have resulted from immunosuppressive effects of gonadal hormones and/or from behavioral differences between SY and ASY males such that older males were exposed to more insect vectors than younger males.
Geometric primitive feature extraction - concepts, algorithms, and applications

This thesis presents important insights and concepts related to the topic of the extraction of geometric primitives from the edge contours of digital images. Three specific problems related to this topic have been studied, viz., polygonal approximation of digital curves, tangent estimation of digital curves, and ellipse fitting anddetection from digital curves. For the problem of polygonal approximation, two fundamental problems have been addressed. First, the nature of the performance evaluation metrics in relation to the local and global fitting characteristics has been studied. Second, an explicit error bound of the error introduced by digitizing a continuous line segment has been derived and used to propose a generic non-heuristic parameter independent framework which can be used in several dominant point detection methods. For the problem of tangent estimation for digital curves, a simple method of tangent estimation has been proposed. It is shown that the method has a definite upper bound of the error for conic digital curves. It has been shown that the method performs better than almost all (seventy two) existing tangent estimation methods for conic as well as several non-conic digital curves. For the problem of fitting ellipses on digital curves, a geometric distance minimization model has been considered. An unconstrained, linear, non-iterative, and numerically stable ellipse fitting method has been proposed and it has been shown that the proposed method has better selectivity for elliptic digital curves (high true positive and low false positive) as compared to several other ellipse fitting methods. For the problem of detecting ellipses in a set of digital curves, several innovative and fast pre-processing, grouping, and hypotheses evaluation concepts applicable for digital curves have been proposed and combined to form an ellipse detection method.
Mauch S.N.S. hydraulic knee units in above-knee amputees. A long-term follow-up study.

From 1963 to 1980, 70 Mauch S.N. S. hydraulic knees were prescribed for 60 service-connected, above-knee amputees. The average length of the follow-up period was 7.5 years and the average age of the patient at the time of follow-up evaluation was 47 years. Four of the 60 patients who were given the Mauch S.N. S. units rejected them, for a success rate of 93%. Three of the four patients who opted for devices other than this unit had been given inappropriate prescriptions. Thus, the overall success rate for appropriately prescribed hydraulic knee units was 98.2%. Chart records were available on all patients in the series and 47 patients were available for direct survey, most of whom had used other prosthetic devices prior to receiving the Mauch unit. Survey results and clinical evidence have shown that the hydraulic knee unit is superior to the single-axis hinged device when appropriately prescribed. The hydraulic knee units are recommended for use in the active above-knee amputee who has a strong, relatively long stump and desires a variable cadence gait and more stability in stance, along with the consequent ability to increase activity level. These units are not recommended for use in the weakened, debilitated patient or in patients not willing to care for and maintain the devices.
Reducción de las amputaciones con Heberprot P en la terapia local del pie diabético

INTRODUCCION. El sindrome de Pie diabetico, se ha convertido en un problema sanitario mundial, por su alta frecuencia, recidiva y costos, a su vez, la frecuencia de ulceracion y amputacion aumenta progresivamente. Pretendemos a traves de la siguiente investigacion demostrar el impacto en la reduccion de las tasa de amputaciones por Pie diabetico asociada al uso del Heberprot P. METODOS. Disenamos un estudio analitico retrospectivo con los pacientes ingresados con el diagnostico de Pie diabetico en el Servicio Provincial de Angiologia y Cirugia Vascular del Hospital Clinico-Quirurgico Docente de Matanzas Jose R. Lopez Tabrane, entre enero del 2007 y septiembre del 2010 incluyendo ambos. De ellos seleccionamos nuestra muestra consistente en 2 grupos: Grupo A En los cuales se empleo la terapia convencional aplicada a esta entidad y Grupo B en los cuales ademas de la terapia convencional, se utilizo localmente el heberprot P. RESULTADOS. Se aprecia una significativa reduccion de la frecuencia de amputaciones en el grupo tratado con heberprot P en comparacion con la terapia convencional, demostrando su utilidad en los grados 3,4 y 5 de Wagner y en las lesiones tanto neuropaticas como neuroisquemicas, observandose a su vez una marcada reduccion en el tiempo de granulacion y epitelizacion con el empleo del mismo. Hechos todos que avalan la importancia de su empleo local en el pie diabetico.
Predictors of acute kidney injury in septic shock patients: an observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication in critically ill patients and sepsis is the most common contributing factor. We aimed to determine the risk factors associated with AKI development in patients with septic shock. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Observational cohort study consisted of consecutive adults with septic shock admitted to a medical intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care academic hospital from July 2005 to September 2007. AKI was defined according to RIFLE criteria (urine output and creatinine criteria). Demographic, clinical, and treatment variables were reviewed. Main outcomes measured were AKI occurrence, all-cause hospital mortality, and hospital and ICU length of stay. RESULTS Three hundred ninety patients met inclusion criteria, of which 237 (61%) developed AKI. AKI development was independently associated with delay to initiation of adequate antibiotics, intra-abdominal sepsis, blood product transfusion, use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin-receptor blocker, and body mass index (kg/m²). Higher baseline GFR and successful early goal directed resuscitation were associated with a decreased risk of AKI. Hospital mortality was significantly greater in patients who developed AKI (49 versus 34%). CONCLUSIONS In a contemporary cohort of patients with septic shock, both patient and health care delivery risk factors seemed to be important for AKI development.
Role of fine‐needle aspiration cytology in breast lymphoma

Lymphomas of the breast are rare and may mimic carcinoma clinically. We investigated the ability of fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy combined with adjunctive flow cytometry (FC), immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM), and immunocytochemistry (ICH) to diagnose and eventually subclassify lymphomas of the breast according to the Revised European American Lymphoma/World Health Organization classification. We retrieved 21 breast aspirates from 19 patients with a cytologic diagnosis of lymphoma or plasmacytoma over a 10‐year period (1992–2002), excluding 98 benign intramammary lymph nodes and 1 atypical lymphohistiocytic proliferation (Rosai Dorfman disease). FC was performed in 15/21 aspirates, IFM in 1/21, ICH in 3/21. Histologic follow‐up (HF) was obtained for 10 patients, most of them with primary lymphoma. For the remaining nine patients without HF, flow cytometric analysis, comparative morphology, or remission after chemotherapy regimens supported the cytologic diagnosis. Of 19 patients, 11 patients had a secondary lymphoma (SL) and 8 patients had a primary lymphoma (PL). FNA and FC/IFM/ICH classified 7/8 PLs as B‐cell lymphomas and 1/8 PLs as plasmacytoma. However, FNA could only subclassify 3 of 8 PLs. FNA and/or FC subclassified accurately 10/11 SLs. All cases were accurately immunophenotyped as B‐, T‐cell non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas or plasmacytoma. World Health Organization classification was achieved in 3/8 PLs (42%) and 10/11 SLs (91%; P = 0.04). Subclassification (which has an impact on long‐term management and prognosis) was significantly better in SL, when a previous histologic diagnosis had already been made, when compared to PL, of which 5/8 cases (62.5%) could not be accurately classified. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2004;30:332–340. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Factors influencing the decision to pursue immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) after mastectomy has shown to be oncologically safe and to improve quality of life in breast cancer patients. However, most women undergoing mastectomy do not undergo IBR. In this study, we aim to identify breast surgeon-related factors in considering IBR and factors affecting patients' decision to choose for IBR. METHODS Retrospective analysis of the records of breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomy with or without IBR between 2010 and 2013. We documented all information whether or not a patient underwent IBR after mastectomy. RESULTS Of 437 patients, 97 (22.2%) underwent IBR, 89.8% of which received tissue expanders. Patient who did not undergo IBR had a higher age (62.2 versus 51.9 years, P<0.001) and higher body mass index (BMI) (27.0 versus 24.3, P<0.001). Hundred three patients declined IBR, mainly because considering reconstruction as too much trouble. In 128 cases the breast surgeon did not offer IBR, mostly because of the predicted need for post mastectomy radiation. Approximately 11% of the patients were not informed about IBR. CONCLUSIONS Anticipated radiation therapy, higher age and higher BMI were important breast surgeon-related factors in refraining from IBR. Almost one third of all patients declined IBR. In almost 10% of all patients, IBR was not discussed.
Current-mode control, five different types, used with the three basic classes of power converters: Small-signal AC and large-signal DC characterization, stability requirements, and implementation of practical circuits

Current-mode control effectively eliminates the phase lag of the control function, associated with the output filter inductor or the energy-storage inductor. The several types of current-mode controllers differ slightly in their phase-lag characteristics, but they are all far superior to the commonly used PWM duty-ratio controllers. Unfortunately, industry has been slow to appreciate and exploit the considerable advantages of current-mode control. There seem to be two reasons for that: (a) the unavailability of integrated circuits which are well-suited to implementing current-mode controllers and (b) the lack of detailed, systematically organized, theoretical and practical information on current-mode controllers. The objective of this paper is to fill this gap by providing a well-organized compendium of useful information for the design engineer who wants to understand the operation of a current-mode-controlled power converter and to accomplish an optimal design. Five different control methods are considered, used with the three basic types of regulated rectangular-wave power converters.
Feline chiamydiosis in Italian stray cat homes

Chlamydophila felis is thought to be a significant cause of conjunctivitis in cats in many countries (Moraillon 1988, Wills and others 1988, Hanselaer and others 1989, Pointon and others 1991, Gruffydd-Jones and others 1995, Sykes and others 1997). Chlamydiosis is relatively common in the domestic cat population (Pudjiatmoko and others 1996, McDonald and others 1998, Sykes and others 1999a, 2001, Cai and others 2002), but the infection may become endemic, especially in cat colonies (Wills and others 1988, Yan and others 2000). The causative organism is unstable in the environment and its transmission occurs primarily by direct contact with infective ocular secretions or, rarely, by fomites. Stray cat homes may therefore represent high-risk environments for the transmission of chlamydiosis, as a result of relatively large numbers of animals being quartered in limited spaces and because of the periodic introduction of
Biological Implications of Mycobacterium leprae Gene Expression during Infection

The genome of Mycobacterium leprae, the etiologic agent of leprosy, has been sequenced and annotated revealing a genome in apparent disarray and in stark contrast to the genome of the related human pathogen, M. tuberculosis. With less than 50% coding capacity of a 3.3-Mb genome and 1,116 pseudogenes, the remaining genes help define the minimal gene set necessary for in vivo survival of this mycobacterial pathogen as well as genes potentially required for infection and pathogenesis seen in leprosy. To identify genes transcribed during infection, we surveyed gene transcripts from M. leprae growing in athymic nude mice using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and cross-species DNA microarray technologies. Transcripts were detected for 221 open reading frames, which included genes involved in DNA replication, cell division, SecA-dependent protein secretion, energy production, intermediary metabolism, iron transport and storage and genes associated with virulence. These results suggest that M. leprae actively catabolizes fatty acids for energy, produces a large number of secretory proteins, utilizes the full array of sigma factors available, produces several proteins involved in iron transport, storage and regulation in the absence of recognizable genes encoding iron scavengers and transcribes several genes associated with virulence in M. tuberculosis. When transcript levels of 9 of these genes were compared from M. leprae derived from lesions of multibacillary leprosy patients and infected nude mouse foot pad tissue using quantitative real-time RT-PCR, gene transcript levels were comparable for all but one of these genes, supporting the continued use of the foot pad infection model for M. leprae gene expression profiling. Identifying genes associated with growth and survival during infection should lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the ability of M. leprae to cause disease.