Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An isotope technique for measuring lactose absorption

Expired radiocarbon dioxide has been collected by a simple autotitration method following the ingestion of lactose-1-14C. With this method, which is suitable for clinical use, 12 subjects with alactasia have been readily separated from 24 normals, both groups being defined by strict criteria. This test, which may be used to measure the absorption of other sugars, is especially suitable for population surveys and may be used to investigate the distribution of disaccharidase deficiency. A further advantage is that false low readings resulting from rapid plasma clearance of absorbed sugar do not occur with this method although they may do so in up to one in three lactose tolerance tests, thereby overestimating the prevalence of alactasia.
Record high current density and low contact resistance in MoS2 FETs by ion doping

Record high current density of 300 μA/μm with low contact resistance of 200 Ω μm and a channel length of 0.8 μm at a drain-source bias of 1.6 V has been achieved for the first time in MoS2 field-effect transistors (FETs) grown by chemical vapor transport. The low contact resistance is achieved using a polyethylene-oxide cesium-perchlorate solid polymer ion conductor formed by drop casting. The charged ions are placed into position over the channel by the application of a bias to a side gate and then locked into place by lowering the temperature. A weak temperature dependence of the drain current after ion doping indicates that transport in the Schottky contacts is dominated by tunneling.
Unrepeatered transmission of 3.2-Tb/s (32×120-Gb/s) over 445-km fiber link with Aeff managed span

We demonstrated 3.2-Tb/s (32×120-Gb/s) unrepeatered transmission over 445-km fiber with Aeff-managed-span. This was achieved by employing co-propagating second-order pumped Raman amplification and ROPA. This paper also discusses design trade-off for performance enhancement of unrepeatered transmission.
SLWWW at the NTCIR-13 WWW Task

SLWWW participated in the Chinese Subtask of the NTCIR13 WWW Task. We applied the query expansion methods based on word embeddings proposed by Kuzi, Shtok, and Kurland. However, according to our comparison with the baseline run, our runs were not successful. As the baseline run provided by the organisers was not included in the pools for constructing relevance assessments, we discuss condensed-list versions of the official evaluation measures in addition to the regular measures.
The multidrug efflux transporter of Bacillus subtilis is a structural and functional homolog of the Staphylococcus NorA protein

The Bacillus subtilis multidrug efflux transporter Bmr demonstrates 44% amino acid sequence identity with a product of the Staphylococcus aureus gene norA, which is responsible for clinically relevant resistance to fluoroquinolones. We show here that overexpression of bmr in B. subtilis provides strong resistance to fluoroquinolones that can be reversed by reserpine, an inhibitor of Bmr.
In situ cell–matrix mechanics in tendon fascicles and seeded collagen gels: implications for the multiscale design of biomaterials

Designing biomaterials to mimic and function within the complex mechanobiological conditions of connective tissues requires a detailed understanding of the micromechanical environment of the cell. The objective of our study was to measure the in situ cell–matrix strains from applied tension in both tendon fascicles and cell-seeded type I collagen scaffolds using laser scanning confocal microscopy techniques. Tendon fascicles and collagen gels were fluorescently labelled to simultaneously visualise the extracellular matrix and cell nuclei under applied tensile strains of 5%. There were significant differences observed in the micromechanics at the cell–matrix scale suggesting that the type I collagen scaffold did not replicate the pattern of native tendon strains. In particular, although the overall in situ tensile strains in the matrix were quite similar (∼2.5%) between the tendon fascicles and the collagen scaffolds, there were significant differences at the cell–matrix boundary with visible shear across cell nuclei of >1 μm measured in native tendon which was not observed at all in the collagen scaffolds. Similarly, there was significant non-uniformity of intercellular strains with relative sliding observed between cell rows in tendon which again was not observed in the collagen scaffolds where the strain environment was much more uniform. If the native micromechanical environment is not replicated in biomaterial scaffolds, then the cells may receive incorrect or mixed mechanical signals which could affect their biosynthetic response to mechanical load in tissue engineering applications. This study highlights the importance of considering the microscale mechanics in the design of biomaterial scaffolds and the need to incorporate such features in computational models of connective tissues.
Novel multi-mode ring resonator transversal array bandpass filter with very high skirt selectivity using multiple transmission zeros

In this paper, we propose a novel transversal array bandpass filter composed of multi-mode ring resonators, and design a bandpass filter with very high skirt selectivity. Based on a conventional filter theory, a bandpass filter is constructed by cascade connection of resonators, while in our proposed filter, two ring resonators are arranged in parallel connection with respect to the input/output lines. The filter can be modeled with a five-path circuit formed by both four resonant modes and direct source/load coupling, thereby enabling to generate multiple transmission zeros. The designed fourth-order Chebyshev-type filter realizes a very sharp roll-off response because of the transmission zeros located very close to the passband edge. The novel filter configuration is validated through the circuit analysis and the measurement of the test filter.
Surgical Treatment of Neuroarthropathic Foot Deformity

Twenty-seven feet with neuroarthropathic fracture resulting in significant deformity were treated with surgical reconstruction. The average age of the patients was 57 years with 21 patients having diabetes mellitus an average of 24 years. Five patterns of midfoot collapse were identified. The most common patterns involved abduction and dorsal displacement of the forefoot with equinus of the hindfoot. Preoperative evaluation included a medical assessment, adequate control of blood sugar, and a comprehensive vascular evaluation. Five patients presented for surgical consultation with open plantar ulcers. Four were healed with total contact casting alone whereas one patient required an exostectomy to heal the ulcer before surgery. After reconstruction, all feet had improvement in their weightbearing posture. For feet with midfoot involvement, the average anteroposterior talo-first metatarsal angle increased 5°, and the average lateral talo-first metatarsal angle decreased 6.5°. There was no significant loss of correction at long term follow-up. The average time in a cast postoperatively was 5.7 months, and the time to unrestricted weightbearing was 7 months. All patients were able to wear over-the-counter footwear postoperatively. Significant complications included six nonunions and two feet with extension of the neuroarthropathic process. One nonunion required revision surgery, and the feet with extension of their neuroarthropathic fractures required conversion of a triple arthrodesis to a pantalar fusion and the addition of a triple arthrodesis after a successful midfoot fusion. No infections or amputations occurred as a result of the surgery. Function increased and pain decreased as a result of successful arthrodesis. Surgical reconstruction of midfoot, hindfoot, and ankle neuroarthropathic deformity is a viable alternative to amputation for patients who fail nonoperative care. Proper preoperative evaluation and assessment will result in a rate of complications comparable to foot surgery in nondiabetic patients.
The Ubiquitous Presence of Channels with Wide Lumens and Their Gating by Voltage a

Fifteen or twenty years ago, the topic of this conference, membrane transport driven by ion gradients, might have evoked images of “carriers” shuttling back and forth across the plasma membrane bearing their appropriate burden of ions and nonelectrolytes. A prototype for these carriers would be the ionophores, such as valinomycin and nigericin-small molecular weight peptides, or peptide-like compounds (molecular weight -lOOO), that truly function in this manner. ’ That fantasy is no longer maintained today by most members of the transport workers union. They have learned from the biochemist that the molecules responsible for ion and nonelectrolyte transport across cell membranes are large proteins, frequently containing bulky carbohydrate groups at one end, that span the membrane. It is very unlikely a priori, both on energetic and on kinetic grounds, that such molecules function as transporters by shuttling across membranes; it is now generally believed that they form channels through the membrane, even though their transport properties may display classic carrier kinetics. * Although the specificity and selectivity of many of these channels implies that they possess a restricted lumen with high-affinity binding sites for the transported species, these characteristics need not apply to the entire length of channel, but rather can be confined to a relatively small domain. This, in fact, is the picture that electrophysiologists have arrived a t for a number of ion-conducting channels, including the voltage-dependent sodium and potassium channels of axonal membranes. A sodium or potassium “selectivity filter” is in series with a wider region of the channel, and it is this latter region that is gated by the transmembrane ~ o l t a g e . ~ The concept that even a highly selective channel can contain a wide, relatively nonselective region as part of its structure, and that this region may be the one that is gated by voltage or ligands, motivates a consideration of wide channels per se; that is, wide channels that lack a selectivity filter. Aside from their intrinsically interesting properties, they offer the prospect of representing a primordial channel form that can be specialized for particular transport functions ranging from the permeation of small ions to the translocation of peptide chains. In this report I shall survey several of these wide channels and describe some of the results obtained in my laboratory with a few of them on lipid bilayer membranes. I use the term “wide” channels rather than “large” channels, because the latter term is often used in the literature to denote channels that have a large conductance, whereas 1 am concerned here with the actual physical size of the lumen. As we shall see, there is no simple correlation between channel conductance and channel size.
Arabidopsis thaliana Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase

In plants, glutathione accumulates in response to different stress stimuli as a protective mechanism, but only limited biochemical information is available on the plant enzymes that synthesize glutathione. Glutamatecysteine ligase (GCL) catalyzes the first step in glutathione biosynthesis and plays an important role in regulating the intracellular redox environment. Because the putative Arabidopsis thaliana GCL (AtGCL) displays no significant homology to the GCL from bacteria and other eukaryotes, the identity of this protein as a GCL has been debated. We have purified AtGCL from an Escherichia coli expression system and demonstrated that the recombinant enzyme catalyzes the ATP-dependent formation of γ-glutamylcysteine from glutamate (Km = 9.1 mm) and cysteine (Km = 2.7 mm). Glutathione feedback inhibits AtGCL (Ki ∼1.0 mm). As with other GCL, buthionine sulfoximine and cystamine inactivate the Arabidopsis enzyme but with inactivation rates much slower than those of the mammalian, bacterial, and nematode enzymes. The slower inactivation rates observed with AtGCL suggest that the active site differs structurally from that of other GCL. Global fitting analysis of initial velocity data indicates that a random terreactant mechanism with a preferred binding order best describes the kinetic mechanism of AtGCL. Unlike the mammalian GCL, which consists of a catalytic subunit and a regulatory subunit, AtGCL functions and is regulated as a monomeric protein. In response to redox environment, AtGCL undergoes a reversible conformational change that modulates the enzymatic activity of the monomer. These results explain the reported posttranslational change in AtGCL activity in response to oxidative stress.
FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT , BORROWING CONSTRAINTS AND THE VOLATILITY OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION

The financial development of a country reduces production volatility in an international panel of manufacturing industries (1963-1999). The effect is stronger among industries that depend more on external funds (as identified by Rajan and Zingales (1998)). At the firm level, I find that the volatility of shortterm debt that is intended to smooth shocks increases with financial development and dependence on external funds in a way that mirrors the reduction in production volatility. Most of the reduction in production volatility comes from idiosyncratic volatility (i.e., volatility that is uncorrelated with the GDP of the country), which in turn implies that correlations of industries with GDP tend to be higher in financially developed countries. The results indicate that changes in volatility are explained by smoothing shocks through financial channels instead of less volatile investment opportunities associated with increased financial development. First Draft: August 2003 This Draft: November 2003 JEL Classification: E32, G0, O16
Relationship of 5‐HTTLPR genotypes and depression risk in the presence of trauma in a female twin sample

Several studies have implicated an insertion/deletion polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4; 5‐HTT) in the development of mood disorders. In the present study of a sample of 247 young adult female twins from Missouri, we examine whether this polymorphism interacts with the effect of adverse life events to increase risk for developing depression. We found a significant interaction between the number of high‐activity LA alleles and exposure to trauma (OR = 1.70, P < 0.0001). This differs from previous reports, in that the higher activity genotypes (LA/LA, LA/S, LA/LG), rather than the low activity genotypes (S/S, S/LG, LG/LG), are associated with an increased incidence of major depressive disease (MDD) in the presence of environmental trauma. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Chordoma of the Mobile Spine: Fifty Years of Experience

Study Design. A consecutive series of 52 chordomas of the mobile spine observed over a 50-year period includes a retrospective review of 15 cases treated prior to 1991 and a prospective group of 37 cases treated from 1991 to 2002. Objectives. This series reviews epidemiologic issues as well as clinical patterns of spinal chordomas. We attempt to correlate tumor extent, treatment, and outcomes over time. Summary of Background Data. Chordoma is the most frequent primary tumor of the mobile spine. Due to slow growth, both initial symptoms and recurrences after treatment arise later, making it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment protocols. Methods. A prospective series of 37 cases is compared with a retrospective group of 15 patients observed between 1954 and 1991. In the prospective study, all patients had imaging studies, and oncologic and surgical staging. When en bloc resection was not feasible, intralesional extracapsular excision was combined with radiation therapy. The prospective patients were clinically evaluated and imaged. Patients in the retrospective group were evaluated by chart and available images; of these, only one en bloc resection (intralesional margin) was performed. Survivors were all evaluated clinically and had radiographic studies. Results. Forty-eight patients were available for long-term follow-up. Four died due to post-operative complications, and six due to disease less than 2 years after treatment. Forty-two patients were followed over 2 years; 26 patients had over 5 years follow-up. All patients having radiation alone, intralesional excision, or a combination had recurrences in less than 2 years, and died in some cases after a long survival with symptomatic disease. Intralesional extracapsular excision with radiation had a high rate of recurrence (12 of 16 at average 30 months), but 3 patients are continuously disease-free (CDF) at mean 52 months and 5 are alive with disease at average 69 months (ranging 24 to 146). Twelve of 18 patients having en bloc resection are CDF at average 8 years (48 to 155 months). The remaining 6 recurred and of these 1 died. All of these (6) had been previously treated and/or had en bloc resections with contaminated margins. Conclusions. The only treatment protocol associated with CDF at follow-up longer than 5 years is margin-free en bloc resection.
Three-year prevalence and incidence of diabetes among American Indian youth in Montana and Wyoming, 1999 to 2001.

OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes among American Indian youth. STUDY DESIGN Medical records were reviewed annually for all patients with diabetes who were <20 years of age at 6 Indian Health Service facilities in Montana and Wyoming. All cases < or =5 years of age or weight per age < or =10th percentile at diagnosis or with islet cell antibodies were considered as probable type 1. Among the remaining cases, probable type 2 diabetes was defined when a child had one or more of the following characteristics: weight per age > or =95th percentile or acanthosis nigricans at diagnosis, elevated C-peptide or insulin, family history of type 2 diabetes; treatment with oral agents with or without insulin or no hypoglycemic therapy after 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS From 1999 to 2001, 53% of prevalent cases and 70% of incident cases were categorized as probable type 2 diabetes. The average annual prevalence of probable type 1 and type 2 diabetes was 0.7 and 1.3 per 1000. The average annual incidence rates for probable type 1, and type 2 diabetes were 5.8, 23.3 per 100,000. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of probable type 2 diabetes was approximately 4 times higher than type 1 diabetes among American Indian youth in Montana and Wyoming
Metastatic Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor in a Newborn

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors are rare tumors, especially in the newborn period. Diagnosis is based on clinical findings, radiography, and fine needle biopsy or tissue sampling. Ideal management is controversial and extremely difficult. The survival rate is extremely low. We present a case of a newborn in which this tumor is diagnosed in the first few days of life as an ulcerating tumor imbedded in the entire forefoot with already metastatic spread to the lymph nodes and abdomen. Questions arose on the best treatment in postpartum life. Below the knee amputation was performed for nursing purposes, but eventually a no-intention-to treat policy was chosen by the multidisciplinary team and parents. Detection of soft tissue tumors in the prenatal period is difficult and not as easy as for other structural defects. Would prenatal detection have changed the course of life of this young infant? Will future opportunities for detection of soft tissue tumors occur? Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations are discussed alongside the present literature.
Model predictive control for permanent magnet synchronous motor drives considering cross-saturation effects

This paper presents a control strategy for permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) based on finite-state model predictive control (FS-MPC). The predictive model is enhanced by incorporating saturation and cross-coupling effects on the dq-axis flux linkages of the motor. Although a surface PMSM is used, the maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) trajectory is found dependent on both dq-axis currents and affected by geometrical saliencies. The dependence of the dq-axis inductances is inserted into the control law of the developed MPC routine, thus improving the model accuracy. The performance of the direct predictive torque controller is tested by controlling a PMSM drive supplied by a neutral-point clamped inverter. Implementation results have proven that the proposed control scheme can effectively satisfy the requirements that arise from both the PMSM and the inverter.
Little Evidence for Developmental Plasticity of Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cells

To rigorously test the in vivo cell fate specificity of bone marrow (BM) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), we generated chimeric animals by transplantation of a single green fluorescent protein (GFP)–marked HSC into lethally irradiated nontransgenic recipients. Single HSCs robustly reconstituted peripheral blood leukocytes in these animals, but did not contribute appreciably to nonhematopoietic tissues, including brain, kidney, gut, liver, and muscle. Similarly, in GFP+:GFP− parabiotic mice, we found substantial chimerism of hematopoietic but not nonhematopoietic cells. These data indicate that “transdifferentiation” of circulating HSCs and/or their progeny is an extremely rare event, if it occurs at all.
Effect of Audio In-vehicle Red Light–Running Warning Message on Driving Behavior Based on a Driving Simulator Experiment

Objective: Drivers’ incorrect decisions of crossing signalized intersections at the onset of the yellow change may lead to red light running (RLR), and RLR crashes result in substantial numbers of severe injuries and property damage. In recent years, some Intelligent Transport System (ITS) concepts have focused on reducing RLR by alerting drivers that they are about to violate the signal. The objective of this study is to conduct an experimental investigation on the effectiveness of the red light violation warning system using a voice message. Methods: In this study, the prototype concept of the RLR audio warning system was modeled and tested in a high-fidelity driving simulator. According to the concept, when a vehicle is approaching an intersection at the onset of yellow and the time to the intersection is longer than the yellow interval, the in-vehicle warning system can activate the following audio message “The red light is impending. Please decelerate! ” The intent of the warning design is to encourage drivers who cannot clear an intersection during the yellow change interval to stop at the intersection. Results: The experimental results showed that the warning message could decrease red light running violations by 84.3 percent. Based on the logistic regression analyses, drivers without a warning were about 86 times more likely to make go decisions at the onset of yellow and about 15 times more likely to run red lights than those with a warning. Additionally, it was found that the audio warning message could significantly reduce RLR severity because the RLR drivers’ red-entry times without a warning were longer than those with a warning. Conclusions: This driving simulator study showed a promising effect of the audio in-vehicle warning message on reducing RLR violations and crashes. It is worthwhile to further develop the proposed technology in field applications.