Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Earthquake Scenario Reduction by Symmetry Reasoning

A recently identified problem is that of finding an optimal investment plan for a transportation network, given that a disaster such as an earthquake may destroy links in the network. The aim is to strengthen key links to preserve the expected network connectivity. A network based on the Istanbul highway system has thirty links and therefore a billion scenarios, but it has been estimated that sampling a million scenarios gives reasonable accuracy. In this paper we use symmetry reasoning to reduce the number of scenarios to a much smaller number, making sampling unnecessary. This result can be used to facilitate metaheuristic and exact approaches to the problem.
Secondary malignancies among nonseminomatous germ cell tumor cancer survivors

Men on active surveillance for clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) undergo frequent computed tomography imaging to avoid delayed detection of disease. Irradiation from frequent imaging and chemotherapy upon progression may place patients at increased risk of a second malignancy. In this study, the authors sought to identify such an increased risk among men who chose initial surveillance for NSGCT.
Regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise in ageing humans

The regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow and oxygen delivery to contracting skeletal muscle is complex and involves the mechanical effects of muscle contraction; local metabolic, red blood cell and endothelium‐derived substances; and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). With advancing age in humans, skeletal muscle blood flow is typically reduced during dynamic exercise and this is due to a lower vascular conductance, which could ultimately contribute to age‐associated reductions in aerobic exercise capacity, a primary predictor of mortality in both healthy and diseased ageing populations. Recent findings have highlighted the contribution of endothelium‐derived substances to blood flow control in contracting muscle of older adults. With advancing age, impaired nitric oxide availability due to scavenging by reactive oxygen species, in conjunction with elevated vasoconstrictor signalling via endothelin‐1, reduces the local vasodilatory response to muscle contraction. Additionally, ageing impairs the ability of contracting skeletal muscle to blunt sympathetic vasoconstriction (i.e. ‘functional sympatholysis’), which is critical for the proper regulation of tissue blood flow distribution and oxygen delivery, and could further reduce skeletal muscle perfusion during high intensity and/or large muscle mass exercise in older adults. We propose that initiation of endothelium‐dependent hyperpolarization is the underlying signalling event necessary to properly modulate sympathetic vasoconstriction in contracting muscle, and that age‐associated impairments in red blood cell adenosine triphosphate release and stimulation of endothelium‐dependent vasodilatation may explain impairments in both local vasodilatation and functional sympatholysis with advancing age in humans.
Regulation of amino acid transport and protein metabolism in myotubes derived from chicken muscle satellite cells by insulin‐like growth factor‐I

The effects of insulin and insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) on amino acid transport and protein metabolism were compared in myotubes derived from chicken breast muscle satellite cells. Protein synthesis was assessed by continuous labelling with [3H]‐tyrosine. Protein degradation was estimated by the release of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) soluble radioactivity by cells which had been previously labelled with [3H]‐tyrosine for 3 days. Amino acid transport was measured in myotubes incubated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA) with or without insulin or IGF‐I. Subsequent [3H]‐aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) uptake was then measured in amino acid‐free medium. IGF‐I was more efficient than insulin at equimolar concentration (3.2 nmol/l) in stimulating protein synthesis (127 and 113% of basal, respectively) and inhibiting protein degradation (32% and 13% inhibition of protein degradation following 4 h incubation). Half maximal effective concentrations for stimulation of AIB uptake were 0.27 ± 0.03 nmol/l and 34.8 ± 3.1 nmol/l for IGF‐I and insulin respectively, with maximal stimulation of about 340% of basal. Cycloheximide (3.6 μmol/l) diminished IGF‐I‐stimulated AIB uptake by 55%. Chicken growth hormone had no effect on basal AIB uptake in these cells and neither glucagon nor dexamethasone had an effect on basal or IGF‐I‐stimulated AIB uptake. This study demonstrates an anabolic effect for IGF‐I in myotubes derived from primary chicken satellite cells which is mediated by the type I IGF receptor, since the cation‐independent mannose 6‐phosphate receptor does not bind IGF‐II in chicken cells. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Overexpression of annexin a1 induced by terephthalic acid calculi in rat bladder cancer

Prolonged cell proliferation in response to irritation by bladder calculi can evoke malignant transformation of the urothelium. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for calculi‐associated bladder carcinogenesis are unknown. We compared the protein expression pattern of rat bladder transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs) induced by terephthalic acid with that of normal bladder tissues using 2‐DE. Comparative analysis of the respective spot patterns on 2‐DE showed 146 spots that were markedly changed in TCC samples. Subsequently, 56 of the variant protein spots were identified by MALDI‐TOF MS. Among them, overexpression of annexin a1 (ANNA1) in rat TCCs was confirmed by Western blotting and real‐time RT‐PCR analysis. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that ANNA1, usually a cytoplasmic protein in normal urothelium, was translocated to the nucleus in rat bladder cancer cells. In contrast to the animal studies, examination of human clinical specimens showed that ANNA1 expression was reduced in TCC compared to normal urothelium. The expression of ANNA1 was inversely related to the level of differentiation of TCC. Our data suggest that overexpression of ANNA1 is involved in bladder carcinogenesis induced by bladder calculi and that translocation of the protein may be partly responsible for the effect. ANNA1 may serve as a new marker of differentiation for the histopathological grading of human TCC.
Acute kidney injury associated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole.

OBJECTIVES Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole effectively treats community-acquired soft tissue infections and urinary tract infections, both of which occur in patients with risk factors for renal impairment. We systematically studied the adverse renal effects of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in a middle-aged veteran population. METHODS We reviewed complete electronic records for all patients who, during a 3 year period, had received ≥6 days of treatment with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and for whom a baseline and follow-up determination of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were available. RESULTS Of 573 patients who met inclusion criteria, 64 (11.2%) had increases in both serum creatinine and BUN that met predetermined criteria for acute kidney injury (AKI): in 33 (5.8%), AKI was judged likely due to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole; in 28 (4.9%), possibly due to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole; and in 3 (0.52%), unrelated to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Five additional patients (0.9%) had elevations only in serum creatinine. In nearly all cases likely due to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, AKI resolved promptly after discontinuation of therapy, but one patient required dialysis. Pyuria appeared in only 2 of 37 patients who had urinalyses; eosinophiluria was not observed. In a multivariate model, patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus had increased risk for renal insufficiency, especially if these conditions were considered poorly controlled. CONCLUSIONS In a middle-aged male inpatient population treated for a minimum of 6 days, AKI is much more common with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole therapy than previously reported. Intrinsic renal impairment rather than interstitial nephritis or competition for creatinine clearance appears responsible for the great majority of cases, and neither an effect of dose nor duration was detected in a univariate analysis. Impairment is transient if therapy is discontinued.
CD31+ Naïve Th Cells Are Stable during Six Months Following Kidney Transplantation: Implications for Post‐transplant Thymic Function

Little is known about thymus function in transplant patients. Until recently, the phenotype of T cells that recently emigrated the thymus was unknown. Now it has been demonstrated that CD4+ recent thymus emigrants coexpress CD31 and CD45RA. Here, we investigated whether uremia and immunosuppression influence CD31+ CD45RA+ Th cells before and after kidney transplantation, respectively. Forty‐eight renal transplant patients were included receiving either standard triple/quadruple (n = 35) immunosuppression, OKT‐3 induction (n = 7) or FTY‐720 (n = 6), respectively. Peripheral CD31+ CD45RA+ Th cells were quantified flowcytometrically before and at week 1, 4, 12 and 24 post‐transplantation. Thirty‐nine healthy adults served as controls. CD31+ CD45RA+ Th cells correlated inversely with age in patients and controls and were comparable in patients before transplantation and age‐matched controls. Importantly, CD31+ CD45RA+ Th cell frequencies remained stable during 6 months post‐transplantation. In conclusion, CD31+ CD45RA+ Th cells are not significantly altered by uremia before and during 6 months of immunosuppressive therapy after kidney transplantation. Implications for thymus function are discussed.
The Mga virulence regulon: infection where the grass is greener

Co‐ordinate regulation of virulence gene expression in response to different host environments is central to the success of the group A streptococcus (GAS, Streptococcus pyogenes) as an important human pathogen. Mga represents a ubiquitous stand‐alone virulence regulator that controls genes (Mga regulon) whose products are necessary for adherence, internalization and host immune evasion. Mga highly activates a core set of virulence genes, including its own gene, by directly binding to their promoters. Yet, Mga also influences expression of over 10% of the GAS genome, primarily genes and operons involved in metabolism and sugar utilization. Expression of the Mga regulon is influenced by conditions that signify favourable growth conditions, presumably allowing GAS to take advantage of promising new niches in the host. The ability of Mga to respond to growth signals clearly involves regulation of mga expression via global regulatory networks such as RALPs, Rgg/RopB and the catabolite control protein CcpA. However, the presence of predicted PTS regulatory domains (PRDs) within Mga suggests an intriguing model whereby phosphorylation of Mga by the PTS phosphorelay might link growth and sugar utilization with virulence in GAS. As Mga homologues have been found in several important Gram‐positive pathogens, the Mga regulon could provide a valuable paradigm for increasing our understanding of global virulence networks in bacteria.
Rotavirus Infection Frequency and Risk of Celiac Disease Autoimmunity in Early Childhood: A Longitudinal Study

OBJECTIVE:Few studies have assessed the role of specific gastrointestinal infections in celiac disease. We investigated whether increased frequency of rotavirus infection, a common cause of gastrointestinal infection and inflammation, predicts increased risk of celiac disease autoimmunity.METHODS:A cohort of 1,931 children from the Denver metropolitan area who carried celiac disease human leukocyte antigen (HLA) risk alleles were followed from infancy for development of celiac disease autoimmunity, defined as positivity at two or more subsequent clinic visits for tissue transglutaminase (tTG) autoantibodies measured using a radioimmunoassay with human recombinant tTG. Blood samples were obtained at ages 9, 15, and 24 months, and annually thereafter. Rotavirus antibodies were assayed using an indirect enzyme immunoassay in serial serum samples from each case and two matched controls. Frequency of infections were estimated by the number of increases (>2 assay coefficient of variation) in rotavirus antibody between clinic visits.RESULTS:Fifty-four cases developed celiac disease autoimmunity at a median age of 4.4 yr. Thirty-six had an intestinal biopsy, of which 27 (75%) were positive for celiac disease. Frequent rotavirus infections predicted a higher risk of celiac disease autoimmunity (compared with zero infections, rate ratio 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39–9.56, for one infection and rate ratio 3.76, 95% CI 0.76–18.7, for ≥2 infections, rate ratio for trend per increase in number of infections = 1.94, 95% CI 1.04–3.61, p = 0.037). The result was similar after adjustment for gender, ethnic group, maternal education, breast-feeding, day-care attendance, number of siblings, season of birth, and number of HLA DR3-DQ2 haplotypes.CONCLUSIONS:This prospective study provides the first indication that a high frequency of rotavirus infections may increase the risk of celiac disease autoimmunity in childhood in genetically predisposed individuals.
LMI Based Digital State Feedback Controller for a Wound Rotor Induction Drive with Guaranteed Closed Loop Stability

In this write-up, a novel approach for the design of a digital state feedback controller for the speed control of slip energy recovery system employing a wound rotor induction machine is proposed using digital redesign approach. The state feedback controllers for digital implementation are suitably redesigned in such a way that the discrete-time-system response and continuous-time response match at all sampling instants. As the digital implementation of the continuous time controller is very desirable when the designed continuous-time controller uses some recent and advanced control algorithms, the redesign problem boils down to an optimization problem minimizing the difference between the continuous-time system and discrete-time system subjected to some constraints. In this paper, the redesign problem is formulated as a generalized eigenvalue problem with linear matrix inequality constraints. The results obtained are compared with other methods. The proposed algorithm uses LQR approaches for the design of continuous-time controller and the approach is illustrated for slip energy recovery system with encouraging results.
Muir-Torre syndrome caused by exonic deletion of MLH1 due to homologous recombination

BackgroundMuir-Torre syndrome (MTS) is characterized by sebaceous neoplasms with internal malignancies and regarded as a variant of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Pathogenic variations of MTS have been identified in the MSH2, MLH1, and MSH6 genes, with the majority of variations located in MSH2.ObjectivesTo present an MTS patient who was the only individual with skin malignancies within a cancer-prone pedigree and to showthe usefulness ofRNA-based genetic analysis in the investigation of MTS.Materials & methodsA 77-year-old man who had operated X-ray equipment at his workplace in his twenties was clinically diagnosed with MTS and investigated by RNA-based analysis, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, and genomic DNA sequencing.ResultsThe patient had suffered from sebaceous tumours, squamous cell carcinomas of the skin, and colon cancer. The patient’s family history was remarkable for visceral malignant diseases. Genetic analysis revealed homologous recombination between two Alu elements within intron 4 and 5 of the MLH1 gene. The rearrangement caused a 1,222-bp deletion, including the entire exon 5. Deletion of exon 5 has previously been reported only in two patients with HNPCC, and not in patients with MTS.ConclusionsFor the genetic analysis of MTS, the possibility of rare copy number variations of MLH1, as well as MSH2 variations, should be considered. RNA-based screening using puromycin is recommended in order to identify such variations. It remains unclear why only the proband among the pedigree had skin malignancies, however, the skin carcinogenesis might have been related to occupational radiation exposure.
Novel compact wideband differential reflective phase shifters with wide range of phase application

This paper presents wideband compact differential reflective phase shifters based on the double layer slot-coupled coupler configuration. These novel phase shifters arrangement consists of a 3-dB hybrid coupler with the coupled and transmission ports terminated with elliptically shaped microstrip loads. By altering the ports termination of the coupler, phase shifters propose differential phase ranging from -90° to +90° over 1.2-6 GHz (137%) frequency band. To achieve different range of phase performance, the proper reactance is calculated at the outputs of coupler. These reactances are transformed to the elliptical-shaped microstrip load with various dimensions for every phase shifter. The calculation and simulations results show that the developed circuits provide ±30°, ±45°, ±60° and ±90° differential phase shifts with deviation less than 2.1°. The achieved return loss is better than 10dB as well as insertion loss is less than 1dB. The simulated phase shifters including reference line occupy maximum an area of 25 mm × 50 mm (0.14 λ × 0.28 λ). Simulated results demonstrate that the proposed phase shifters are well suited for use in GPS/DCS/PCS/UMTS/WiBro/ Bluetooth/S-DMB/ WiMax/WLAN frequency bands.
The development and initial validation of the geriatric suicide ideation scale.

OBJECTIVE The authors report on the development and initial validation of the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale (GSIS), a new multidimensional measure of suicide ideation and related factors in older adults. METHODS Study 1 involved development of an initial 66-item measure, administration to a heterogeneous sample of 172 adults 65 years or older, assessment of the measure's factor structure, and subsequent scale reduction and correlation with social desirability. Study 2 involved validation of the reduced scale with a new sample of 107 older adults and psychometric assessment of the measure's reliability and initial validity. RESULTS Factor analysis indicated a four-factor structure for the GSIS, with subscales assessing Suicide Ideation, Death Ideation, Loss of Personal and Social Worth, and Perceived Meaning in Life. Psychometric analyses with a new sample indicated strong internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Construct and criterion validity for the GSIS and its subscales were demonstrated by positive associations with measures of depression, hopelessness, and self-reported health problems, and negative associations with life satisfaction and psychological well-being. The 10-item Suicide Ideation subscale also differentiated psychiatric patients from nonpatients. CONCLUSIONS The GSIS is a psychometrically sound measure of late-life suicide ideation. Findings support the use of its subscales as standalone measures of late-life suicide risk and psychological resilience.
Central Neuroplasticity and Pathological Pain

Abstract: The traditional specificity theory of pain perception holds that pain involves a direct transmission system from somatic receptors to the brain. The amount of pain perceived, moreover, is assumed to be directly proportional to the extent of injury. Recent research, however, indicates far more complex mechanisms. Clinical and experimental evidence shows that noxious stimuli may sensitize central neural structures involved in pain perception. Salient clinical examples of these effects include amputees with pains in a phantom limb that are similar or identical to those felt in the limb before it was amputated, and patients after surgery who have benefited from preemptive analgesia which blocks the surgery‐induced afferent barrage and/or its central consequences. Experimental evidence of these changes is illustrated by the development of sensitization, wind‐up, or expansion of receptive fields of CNS neurons, as well as by the enhancement of flexion reflexes and the persistence of pain or hyperalgesia after inputs from injured tissues are blocked. It is clear from the material presented that the perception of pain does not simply involve a moment‐to‐moment analysis of afferent noxious input, but rather involves a dynamic process that is influenced by the effects of past experiences. Sensory stimuli act on neural systems that have been modified by past inputs, and the behavioral output is significantly influenced by the “memory” of these prior events. An increased understanding of the central changes induced by peripheral injury or noxious stimulation should lead to new and improved clinical treatment for the relief and prevention of pathological pain.
Prostaglandin E2 Receptor EP1 Transactivates EGFR/MET Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and Enhances Invasiveness in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Recent evidence indicates that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. This study was designed to evaluate the possible interaction between the COX-2 and EGFR signaling pathways in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Immunohistochemical analysis using serial sections of human HCC tissues revealed positive correlation between COX-2 and EGFR in HCC cells (P < 0.01). Overexpression of COX-2 in cultured HCC cells (Hep3B) or treatment with PGE(2) or the selective EP(1) receptor agonist, ONO-DI-004, increased EGFR phosphorylation and tumor cell invasion. The PGE(2)-induced EGFR phosphorylation and cell invasiveness were blocked by the EP(1) receptor siRNA or antagonist ONO-8711 and by two EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, AG1478 and PD153035. The EP(1)-induced EGFR transactivation and cell invasion involves c-Src, in light of the presence of native binding complex of EP(1)/Src/EGFR and the inhibition of PGE(2)-induced EGFR phosphorylation and cell invasion by the Src siRNA and the Src inhibitor, PP2. Further, overexpression of COX-2 or treatment with PGE(2) also induced phosphorylation of c-Met, another receptor tyrosine kinase critical for HCC cell invasion. Moreover, activation of EGFR by EGF increased COX-2 promoter activity and protein expression in Hep3B and Huh-7 cells, whereas blocking PGE(2) synthesis or EP(1) attenuated EGFR phosphorylation induced by EGF, suggesting that the COX-2/PGE(2)/EP(1) pathway also modulate the activation of EGFR by its cognate ligand. These findings disclose a cross-talk between the COX-2/PGE(2)/EP(1) and EGFR/c-Met signaling pathways that coordinately regulate human HCC cell invasion.
Short-range UWB radar: Surveillance robot equipment of the future

Autonomous robots are intelligent machines capable of performing tasks by themselves, without explicit human control. They can find quit a number of unique applications. Here, their utilisation for surveillance, monitoring and reconnaissance in hostile and dangerous to life environment intent on human being detection and/or static object imaging is up-to-date, promising and challenging as well. The fruitfulness of this application of robot systems is determined by many factors. The effective and reliable sensor system for human being detection and localization and static object imaging under wide variety of scenarios can be rated among them. In the last decade, it has been shown that ultra-wideband (UWB) radars (sensors) can be used with advantage as day and night, and under all-weather conditions sensors for person localization and static object imaging. Taking into account this fact, this paper will be intent on the analyses of UWB sensor applicability as the part of the smart sensor systems of robots to be used at emergency situation solutions. Summarizing the results of theoretical analyses and experiments with UWB sensors presented in the paper, it will be concluded that the short-range UWB radars have the great potential to be used as a standard equipment of surveillance and reconnaissance robot systems of future.