Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adenosine actions are preserved in corpus cavernosum from obese and type II diabetic db/db mouse.

INTRODUCTION Erectile dysfunction (ED) in diabetes is associated with autonomic neuropathy and endothelial dysfunction. Whereas the nonadrenergic-noncholinergic (NANC)/neurogenic nitric oxide pathway has received great attention in diabetes-associated ED, few studies have addressed sympathetic overactivity. AIM To test the hypothesis that adenosine-induced inhibition of adrenergic-mediated contractile responses in mouse corpus cavernosum is impaired in the presence of diabetes. METHODS The db/db (obesity and type II diabetes caused by a leptin receptor mutation) mouse strain was used as a model of obesity and type II diabetes, and standard procedures were performed to evaluate functional cavernosal responses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Increased cavernosal responses to sympathetic stimulation in db/db mice are not associated with impaired prejunctional actions of adenosine. RESULTS Electrical field stimulation (EFS)-, but not phenylephrine (PE)-, induced contractions are enhanced in cavernosal strips from db/db mice in comparison with those from lean littermates. Direct effects of adenosine, 2-chloro-adenosine, A(1) receptor agonist C-8031 (N6 cyclopentyladenosine), and sodium nitroprusside are similar between the strips from lean and db/db mice, whereas relaxant responses to acetylcholine and NANC stimulation are significantly impaired in the cavernosal strips from db/db mice. 5'-Iodotubercidin (adenosine kinase inhibitor) and dipyridamole (inhibitor of adenosine transport), as well as the A(1) agonist C-8031, significantly and similarly inhibit contractions induced by stimulation of adrenergic nerves in the cavernosal strips from lean and db/db mice. CONCLUSIONS Results from this study suggest that corpora cavernosa from obese and diabetic db/db mice display altered neural-mediated responses that would favor penile detumescence, i.e., increased contractile response to adrenergic nerve stimulation and decreased relaxant responses upon activation of NANC nerves. However, increased cavernosal responses to adrenergic nerve stimulation are not due to impaired negative modulation of sympathetic neurotransmission by adenosine in this diabetic model.
STOCK PORTFOLIO PERFORMANCE BASED ON STOCK VOLATILITY: A STUDY OF INDONESIA STOCK MARKET

The aim of the study was to investigate the relevancy of capital asset pricing model (CAPM) in Indonesia. CAPM states investor who has willingness to take higher risk should compensate with higher return as compensation. Hypothesis testing uses the one sample t-test to validate the return portfolio is not equal to zero. The result of the study revealed that portfolio with highest risk did not provide highest return. Supposition of the results is because limitation of CAPM theory (frictionless market and everyone has risk averse profile). This creates low risk anomaly phenomenon in Indonesia stock market which lower risk portfolio can provide higher return and contractive monetary policy magnify the portfolio performance differences.
Miniature and Reconfigurable CPW Folded Slot Antennas Employing Liquid-Metal Capacitive Loading

Microfluidic channels filled with liquid metal are used to realize miniature and reconfigurable CPW folded slot antennas. The method is based on employing the reactive loading effect of fluid metal bridges on top of the CPW slot antenna. As a result of this reactive loading, the frequency of the antenna reduces and the antenna is miniaturized by a factor of 85%. Also, by changing the configuration of filled and empty channels, each channel can be used as a switch. By using two pairs of microfluidic channels, three different frequency bands of 2.4, 3.5, and 5.8 GHz can be achieved. This translates to a switching ratio (fTR = f2/f1) of more than 2.5. The antenna is realized using common PCB techniques for the antenna circuit board and three-dimensional (3-D) printing technology for PDMS-based microfluidics structure. The antenna circuit board and the PDMS structure are bonded to each other using a very thin spin-coated PDMS layer. Design methodology, simulation, and measurement results of both antenna prototypes are presented. Both the miniature and reconfigurable antennas have similar radiation patterns to a normal CPW folded slot antenna and show low cross-polarization levels at all operating frequencies.
Modeling the perception of walking environmental quality in a traffic-free tourist destination

ABSTRACT This study aims to determine how tourists perceive the quality of a walking system in a traffic-free destination. We conducted a questionnaire survey on tourist satisfaction with attributes and overall performance of the walking system at Kulangsu (China) in October 2017 and February 2018. We developed an ordered probit model to evaluate the relative importance of each attribute by employing the pooled cross-sectional data. Results show that the attributes that need an enhancement in the view of tourists are the level of crowding and cleanliness. The two attributes have not been pointed out in previous literature. Accordingly, policy implications are proposed. The ﬁndings enhance our understanding of tourist satisfaction with the walking system.
Optimization of tumour radiotherapy: Part V--Radiosensitization by 2-deoxy-D-glucose and DNA ligand Hoechst-33342 in a murine tumour.

Radiosensitizing effects of combination of a minor groove DNA ligand, Hoechst-33342, with the glucose analogue and inhibitor of glycolysis, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) have been investigated in Ehrlich ascites tumour (EAT) bearing mice following focal irradiation of the tumour with 60Co gamma-rays. Treatment-induced tumour growth delay and tumour free animal survival were evaluated as parameters of radiation response. Focal irradiation of the tumour with a single fraction of 10 Gy induced a moderate delay in tumour growth but did not lead to complete regression in any of the tumours. Intravenous administration of H-342 1 hr before irradiation enhanced radiation-induced growth delay in a dose dependent manner. Complete regression of the tumour was observed only at a dose of 10 mg/kg body wt, leading to a cure (tumour free survival for more than 100 days) rate of 55%. Administration of 2-DG (2 g/kg body wt; i.v.), immediately before irradiation significantly enhanced radiation-induced growth delay and resulted in a cure rate of 45%. In combination with this dose of 2-DG (2 g/kg body wt), H-342 at a lower dose (5 mg/kg body wt) significantly enhanced the cure rate to 66%. H-342 or 2-DG given alone or in combination at the doses investigated here did not show any significant effects on the unirradiated tumour.
COMPREHENSIVE FUNCTIONAL VISION ASSESSMENT OF PATIENTS WITH NORTH CAROLINA MACULAR DYSTROPHY (MCDR1)

Purpose: Previous studies indicated abnormal development of fixation toward the optic nerve head in patients with the inherited retinal disease North Carolina macular dystrophy (NCMD). The implication of this development on functional vision and structural characteristics has not been described. Methods: The anatomical characteristics of five NCMD-affected individuals were assessed by measuring the retinal thickness of the macula using optical coherence tomography. The underlying physiologic health of the retina was assessed using the multifocal ERG. Psychophysical assessment of remaining vision in the affected areas was done with a new microperimetry system that measures functional visual acuity at 27 discrete locations and the Humphrey visual field analyzer. Results: All patients had better areas of visual sensitivity toward the nasal macula. Follow-up examination showed no changes in the clinical appearance of the retina. Visual acuities ranged from −0.10 logMAR (Snellen equivalent, approximately 20/16) to 0.50 logMAR (Snellen equivalent, approximately 20/63) in the better eye. No significant changes in visual acuity were found over time. Local multifocal electroretinogram deficits were found in all patients. Patients with grade 2 or 3 disease had large patches of decreased amplitudes and delayed implicit times. Results of the anatomical, electrophysiological, and psychophysical tests were consistent. Conclusion: The electrophysiological and psychophysical deficits found in patients with more severe disease were consistent with an abnormal development of fixation from the anatomical fovea toward the optic nerve head with the placement of the lesion temporal to fixation (into the nasal visual field).
Simulated annealing with restrained molecular dynamics using CONGEN: Energy refinement of the NMR solution structures of epidermal and type‐α transforming growth factors

The new functionality of the program CONGEN (Bruccoleri RE, Karplus M, 1987, Biopolymers 26:137–168; Bassolino‐Klimas D et al., 1996, Protein Sci 5:593–603) has been applied for energy refinement of two previously determined solution NMR structures, murine epidermal growth factor (mEGF) and human type‐α transforming growth factor (hTGFα). A summary of considerations used in converting experimental NMR data into distance constraints for CONGEN is presented. A general protocol for simulated annealing with restrained molecular dynamics is applied to generate NMR solution structures using CONGEN together with real experimental NMR data. A total of 730 NMR‐derived constraints for mEGF and 424 NMR‐derived constraints for hTGFα were used in these energy‐refinement calculations. Different weighting schemes and starting conformations were studied to check and/or improve the sampling of the low‐energy conformational space that is consistent with all constraints. The results demonstrate that loosened (i.e., “relaxed”) sets of the EGF and hTGFα internuclear distance constraints allow molecules to overcome local minima in the search for a global minimum with respect to both distance restraints and conformational energy. The resulting energy‐refined structures of mEGF and hTGFα are compared with structures determined previously and with structures of homologous proteins determined by NMR and X‐ray crystallography.
Overview of International Arbitration in the Intellectual Property Context

I. ARBITRATION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ISSUES: THE BASICS 8 A. Why Arbitration in Intellectual Property Rights Conflicts 8 B. Arbitration Requires a Contractual Underpinning . 8 C. Binding/Non-Binding Arbitration 9 D. Who Determines Whether an IPR Issue May be Resolved by Arbitration? 9 E. Law Governing Arbitration Proceeding and Award . 10 II. PROCEDURAL PRACTICES: AD HOC VS. ADMINISTERED ARBITRATIONS 11 A. Specific IPR Arbitration Rules 12 B. Advantages of Arbitration for IPR Disputes 13 C. Disadvantage of Arbitration Regarding IPR Disputes 14 D. Summary of U.S. Arbitration Regarding IPR 14 1. Patent Issues 14 2. Copyright Issues 15 3. Trademark Issues 15 III. ARBITRATION EFFECTS REGARDING USITC 15 IV. WHAT IS ARBITRABLE IN WHICH COUNTRY, REGARDING IPR? 16 A. Patents 17 B. Trademark, Trade Dress, and Trade Secrets 18 C. Copyright 19 V. CONCLUSION 19 ADDENDUM 1 19 Practical Issues and Problems in the Drafting of
Clinical efficacy of Yingliu treatment for Graves disease.

OBJECTIVE To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) mixture Yingliu combined with methimazole medication for the treatment of Graves disease (GD). METHOD In a randomized, paralleled control study, 92 GD patients were randomized into a Yingliu mixture treatment and a control treatment group, both receiving methimazole. Both treatments lasted for 12 weeks and outcome parameter were thyroid function, thyroid autoantibodies, TCM symptome scores and safety indicators. RESULTS The clinical efficiency of the Yingliu mixture-methimazole combination was 92.5% vs. 82.5% (P < 0.05) of the solely methimazole medication group. After 12 weeks treatments the Yingliu mixture in combination with methimazole improved free triiodothyronine (FT3), free tetraiodothyronine (FT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibody (TRAb) and thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) values significantly more than methimazole alone and TCM symptome scores were significant lower after 12 week treatment in the Yingliu mixture- methimazole group (P < 0.05). The thyroid enlargement (21 vs. 10, P < 0.05), fatigue (39 vs. 30, P < 0.01) and dry mouth symptoms (37 vs. 29, P < 0.05) were superior improved in the Yingliu than in the control medication group, respectively. There was no significant difference regarding safety evaluations between both treatment groups (P = 0.499). CONCLUSION Yingliu mixture as combined medication with methimazole can significantly improve the outcome of a solely methimazole application for GD treatments.
Development and Clinical Trial of Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Assessment in People with Stroke: Preliminary Study

Stroke and traumatic brain injury affect an increasing number of people, many of whom retain permanent damage in cognitive functions. Conventionally, cognitive function has been assessed by a paper-based neuropsychological evaluation. However these test environments differ substantially from everyday life. This problem can be overcome by using virtual reality (VR) to objectively evaluate behaviors and cognitive function in simulated daily activities. With our virtual shopping simulation, we compared people who had undergone a stroke with control participants in an immersive VR program that used a head-mounted display (HMD). We evaluated user satisfaction with the tests, complications, and the user interface. Significant differences were consistently found between the stroke group and the control group for the following tasks: stage 1 performance index, interaction error; stage 2 delayed recognition memory score, attention index; and stage 3 executive index (p < 0.001). Perceptive dysfunction, visuospatial dysfunction, level of computer experience, and level of education affected the performance of the stroke group. The frequency of complications in the stroke group, calculated using the cut-off score for the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, was 9.6% for nausea, 41.9% for oculomotor complications, and 25.8% for disorientation. The frequency of complications between the stroke and control groups was not significantly different. Thirty-five percent of participants in the stroke group and 13% in the control group reported difficulties with using the joystick. This computer-generated VR-based cognitive test shows promise in assessing cognitive function in patients with stroke. More refinements are needed in the user interface and the projection methods.
Increased Antifungal Drug Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans in Uganda

ABSTRACT Cryptococcal antigen screening is recommended among people living with AIDS when entering HIV care with a CD4 count of <100 cells/μl, and preemptive fluconazole monotherapy treatment is recommended for those with subclinical cryptococcal antigenemia. Yet, knowledge is limited of current antimicrobial resistance in Africa. We examined antifungal drug susceptibility in 198 clinical isolates collected from Kampala, Uganda, between 2010 and 2014 using the CLSI broth microdilution assay. In comparison with two previous studies from 1998 to 1999 that reported an MIC50 of 4 μg/ml and an MIC90 of 8 μg/ml prior to widespread human fluconazole and agricultural azole fungicide usage, we report an upward shift in the fluconazole MIC50 to 8 μg/ml and an MIC90 value of 32 μg/ml, with 31% of isolates with a fluconazole MIC of ≥16 μg/ml. We observed an amphotericin B MIC50 of 0.5 μg/ml and an MIC90 of 1 μg/ml, of which 99.5% of isolates (197 of 198 isolates) were still susceptible. No correlation between MIC and clinical outcome was observed in the context of amphotericin B and fluconazole combination induction therapy. We also analyzed Cryptococcus susceptibility to sertraline, with an MIC50 of 4 μg/ml, suggesting that sertraline is a promising oral, low-cost, available, novel medication and a possible alternative to fluconazole. Although the CLSI broth microdilution assay is ideal to standardize results, limit human bias, and increase assay capacity, such assays are often inaccessible in low-income countries. Thus, we also developed and validated an assay that could easily be implemented in a resource-limited setting, with similar susceptibility results (P = 0.52).
Improved DSP matching with space-spanning scales and SLIC superpixels for dense scene correspondences

The Deformable Spatial Pyramid (DSP) Matching algorithm is popular for densely matching images with similar content but from different scenes. It achieves high matching accuracy by regularizing matching consistency at multiple spatial extends. Nevertheless, DSP computes dense SIFTs at a fixed scale across different spatial levels. Considering scale difference between images is crucial to matching accuracy, we propose to use space-spanning scales to improve DSP by extracting dense SIFTs at different scales for different pyramid level. Qualitative and quantitative experiments show our approach gains significant improvements, especially in dealing with images containing multiple objects from the same category. Moreover, SLIC superpixel algorithm is exploited to further refine the generated flow field. Experimental results show that this post-process is very efficient in reducing clutters and preserves much more texture information.
A pilot study of proximal strength training in Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease

Gait analysis of people with Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth (CMT) disease revealed proximal adaptive gait strategies to compensate for foot drop. We previously demonstrated that hip flexor muscle fatigue can limit walking endurance. This pilot study used a single‐blinded cross over design to investigate the effect of a 16‐week home‐based programme of resistance training on hip flexor muscle strength. Measures of walking endurance, gait speed, exertion, fatigue, and general activity were also recorded. The exercise protocol was based on American College of Sports Medicine recommendations. A mixed effects model was used for analysis. Twenty‐six people finished the study, with average reported exercise participation of 93%. No negative effects of exercise were observed. Significant increase in hip flexor muscle strength was observed on the left, but not the right. No changes were observed in walking speed and endurance measures. This pilot study of home‐based resistance training showed a modest improvement in hip strength but only on one side. The lack of a more significant improvement and no improvement in walking measures suggests that this training protocol may not be optimal for people with CMT and that patients may need to stratified differently for training studies in CMT.
Somatic uniparental disomy of Chromosome 16p in hemimegalencephaly

Hemimegalencephaly (HME) is a heterogeneous cortical malformation characterized by enlargement of one cerebral hemisphere. Somatic variants in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulatory genes have been implicated in some HME cases; however, ∼70% have no identified genetic etiology. Here, we screened two HME patients to identify disease-causing somatic variants. DNA from leukocytes, buccal swabs, and surgically resected brain tissue from two HME patients were screened for somatic variants using genome-wide genotyping arrays or sequencing of the protein-coding regions of the genome. Functional studies were performed to evaluate the molecular consequences of candidate disease-causing variants. Both HME patients evaluated were found to have likely disease-causing variants in DNA extracted from brain tissue but not in buccal swab or leukocyte DNA, consistent with a somatic mutational mechanism. In the first case, a previously identified disease-causing somatic single nucleotide in MTOR was identified. In the second case, we detected an overrepresentation of the alleles inherited from the mother on Chromosome 16 in brain tissue DNA only, indicative of somatic uniparental disomy (UPD) of the p-arm of Chromosome 16. Using methylation analyses, an imprinted locus on 16p spanning ZNF597 was identified, which results in increased expression of ZNF597 mRNA and protein in the brain tissue of the second case. Enhanced mTOR signaling was observed in tissue specimens from both patients. We speculate that overexpression of maternally expressed ZNF597 led to aberrant hemispheric development in the patient with somatic UPD of Chromosome 16p possibly through modulation of mTOR signaling.
Diffuse esophageal spasm: has the term lost its relevance? Analysis of 217 cases.

Diffuse esophageal spasm (DES) has been reported as a potential cause of dysphagia or chest pain; however, the patho-physiology of DES is unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the manometric correlates of dysphagia and chest pain in this patient population. All patients undergoing manometry at our institution are entered into a prospectively maintained database. After institutional review board approval, the database was queried to identify patients meeting criteria for DES (≥20% simultaneous waves with greater than 30 mm Hg pressure in the distal esophagus). The patient-reported symptoms and manometric data, along with the results of a 24-hour pH study (if done), were extracted for further analysis. Out of 4923 patients, 240 (4.9%) met the manometric criteria for DES. Of these, 217 patients had complete manometry data along with at least one reported symptom. Of the patients with DES, 159 (73.3%) had dysphagia or chest pain as a reported symptom. Patients reporting either dysphagia or chest pain had significantly higher lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure than patients without these symptoms (P= 0.007). Significant association was noted between reported dysphagia and percentage of simultaneous waves. Chest pain did not correlate with percent of simultaneous waves, mean amplitude of peristalsis, or 24-hour pH score. The origin of reported chest pain in patients with DES is not clear but may be related to higher LES pressure. Simultaneous waves were associated with reported dysphagia. Using current diagnostic criteria, the term DES has no clinical relevance.
Flexible FR-4 based novel ultra-wide band microstrip patch antenna for buried landmine detection applications

The motive behind this research is to design, implement and analyze the flexible FR-4 (Flame Retardant 4) based novel wide band microstrip patch antenna operating at resonant frequency of 790 MHz for buried landmines detection applications. The proposed microstrip patch antenna has been designed using flexible FR-4 having dielectric constant (Єr) of 4.4 and thickness of 1.5mm with slotted patch on the top of substrate and a reduced ground at its lower side. The radiating patch and conducting ground are made of copper material having thickness 17 microns. The ground plane has been defected and reduced so as to escalate the antenna performance in terms of bandwidth and return loss. The feed line has to be of appropriate width so as to match the antenna impedance with port impedance of 50 ohms for maximum power transfer with minimal reflections. The performance of proposed antenna is analyzed in terms of return loss (dB), directivity (dBi), gain (dB), smith chart and VSWR. The antenna has a gain of 2.474 dB and directivity of 1.957 dBi at resonant frequency of 790 MHz. The antenna has VSWR less than 2 in the operating frequency range (761 MHz to 966 MHz). The antenna has been designed and simulated using CST Microwave Studio 2014. The antenna has been fabricated and tested for experimental validation using Network Analyzer E5071C and anechoic chamber. It has been observed that the practical results closely match with the simulated results of the antenna.