Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Slew Controlled LVDS Output Driver Circuit in 0.18 $\mu$m CMOS Technology

This article presents a power-efficient low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) output driver circuit. The proposed approach helps to reduce the total input capacitance of the LVDS driver circuit and hence relaxes the tradeoffs in designing a low-power pre-driver stage. A slew control technique has also been introduced to reduce the impedance mismatch effect between the output driver circuit and the line. The pre-driver stage shows a total input capacitance of 50 fF and also controls the voltage swing and common-mode voltage at the input of the LVDS driver output stage. This makes the operation at low supply voltages using a conventional 0.18 mum CMOS technology feasible. The output driver circuit consumes 4.5 mA while driving an external 100 Omega resistor with an output voltage swing of VOD = 400 mV, achieving a normalized power dissipation of 3.42 mW/Gbps. The area of the LVDS driver circuit is 0.067 mm2 and the measured output jitter is sigmarms = 4.5 ps. Measurements show that the proposed LVDS driver can be used at frequencies as high as 2.5 Gbps where the speed will be limited by the load RC time constant.
CD34/CXCR4 stem cell dynamics in acute stroke patients.

INTRODUCTION Non-hematopoietic stem cells may be a source of paracrine and structural regeneration for brain damaged by acute ischemic stroke. In this study, we investigated correlations of CD34-, CD34/CXCR4-, and CXCR4-positive peripheral blood CD45-negative stem cells with the neurological and functional status of 34 acute stroke patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Blood was sampled and assessed by flow cytometry on days 1, 2, 4, and 6 after stroke onset. Parallel to blood sampling and after 3 and 6 months, patients were assessed with the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, Barthel Index, Scandinavian Stroke Scale, and modified Rankin Scale. Blood was also sampled in 15 control subjects matched for age and sex, without history of previous stroke. RESULTS We observed very low levels of the observed stem cells resident in peripheral blood. Higher baseline numbers of all 3 stem cell types correlated with better neurological or functional status on admission. Additionally, higher increases in CD34- and CD34/CXCR4-positive stem cell number and lower increase in CXCR4-positive cells correlated with initially worse neurological status. However, increased CD34- and CD34/CXCR4-positive cell induction in patients correlated with better functional/neurological status after the 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS We report that the number and dynamic changes in levels of non-hematopoietic CD34-, CD34/CXCR4-, and CXCR4-positive stem cells tend to correlate with acute stroke patients' neurologic and functional status.
The epidemiology of cervical carcinogenesis

Epidemiologic and laboratory data suggest that cervical cancer typically arises from a series of causal steps. Each step can be studied separately in the hope of better etiologic understanding and improved cancer prevention. The earliest identified etiologic step is infection of young women with specific types of venereally transmissible human papillomaviruses (HPVs). Cervical HPV infections often lead to low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (mildly abnormal Pap smears). Human papillomavirus infections and their associated lesions are extremely common among young, sexually active women. The infections typically resolve spontaneously even at the molecular level within months to a few years. Uncommonly, HPV infections and/or low grade lesions persist and progress to high grade lesions. The risk factors for progression are mainly unknown but include HPV type and intensity, cell‐mediated immunity, and reproductive factors. Nutritional factors or co‐infection with other pathogens may also be involved at this apparently critical etiologic step between common low grade and uncommon high grade intraepithelial lesions. Except for advancing age, no epidemiologic risk factors have been found for the next step between high grade intraepithelial lesions and invasive cancer. At the molecular level, invasion is associated with integration of viral DNA. Based on worldwide research, the steps in cervical carcinogenesis appear to be fundamentally the same everywhere, with a central role for HPV infection. The importance of etiologic cofactors like smoking, however, may vary by region. Cancer 1995; 76:1888–901.
Human disc degeneration is associated with increased MMP 7 expression

During intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, normal matrix synthesis decreases and degradation of disc matrix increases. A number of proteases that are increased during disc degeneration are thought to be involved in its pathogenesis. Matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP 7) (Matrilysin, PUMP-1) is known to cleave the major matrix molecules found within the IVD, i.e., the proteoglycan aggrecan and collagen type II. To date, however, it is not known how its expression changes with degeneration or its exact location. We investigated the localization of MMP 7 in human, histologically graded, nondegenerate, degenerated and prolapsed discs to ascertain whether MMP 7 is up-regulated during disc degeneration. Samples of human IVD tissue were fixed in neutral buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin, and sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin to score the degree of morphological degeneration. Immunohistochemistry was performed to localize MMP 7 in 41 human IVDs with varying degrees of degeneration. We found that the chondrocyte-like cells of the nucleus pulposus and inner annulus fibrosus were MMP 7 immunopositive; little immunopositivity was observed in the outer annulus. Nondegenerate discs showed few immunopositive cells. A significant increase in the proportion of MMP 7 immunopositive cells was seen in the nucleus pulposus of discs classified as showing intermediate levels of degeneration and a further increase was seen in discs with severe degeneration. Prolapsed discs showed more MMP 7 immunopositive cells compared to nondegenerated discs, but fewer than those seen in cases of severe degeneration.
Isolation and identification of anti-proliferative peptides from Spirulina platensis using three-step hydrolysis.

BACKGROUND Spirulina platensis is an excellent source of proteins (>60%) that can be hydrolyzed into bioactive peptides. RESULTS In this study, whole proteins of Spirulina platensis were extracted and hydrolyzed using three gastrointestinal endopeptidases (pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin). Subsequently, gel filtration chromatography was employed to separate hydrolysates, and four fractions (Tr1-Tr4) were obtained. Among them, Tr2 showed the strongest anti-proliferation activities on three cancer cells (MCF-7, HepG-2 and SGC-7901), with IC50 values of <31.25, 36.42 and 48.25 µg mL-1 , respectively. Furthermore, a new peptide, HVLSRAPR, was identified from fraction Tr1. This peptide exhibited strong inhibition on HT-29 cancer cells with an IC50 value of 99.88 µg mL-1 . CONCLUSION Taken together, these peptides possessed anti-proliferation activities on cancer cells and low cytotoxicity on normal cells, suggesting that they might serve as a natural anticancer agent for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
Optimization of culturing conditions for toxicity testing with the alga Oophila sp. (Chlorophyceae), an amphibian endosymbiont

Eggs of the yellow‐spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) have a symbiotic relationship with green algae. It has been suggested that contaminants that are preferentially toxic to algae, such as herbicides, may impair the symbiont and, hence, indirectly affect the development of the salamander embryo. To enable testing under near‐standard conditions for first‐tier toxicity screening, the authors isolated the alga from field‐collected eggs and identified conditions providing exponential growth rates in the apparent asexual phase of the alga. This approach provided a uniform, single‐species culture, facilitating assessment of common toxicity end points and comparison of sensitivity relative to other species. Sequencing of the 18s ribosomal DNA indicated that the isolated alga is closely related to the recently described Oophila amblystomatis but is more similar to other known Chlamydomonas species, suggesting possible biogeographical variability in the genetic identity of the algal symbiont. After a tiered approach to culturing method refinement, a modified Bristol's media with 1 mM NH4+ as nitrogen source was found to provide suitable conditions for toxicity testing at 18 °C and 200 µmol m−2 s−1 photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on a 24‐h light cycle. The validity of the approach was demonstrated with Zn2+ as a reference toxicant. Overall, the present study shows that screening for direct effects of contaminants on the algal symbiont without the presence of the host salamander is possible under certain laboratory conditions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:2566–2575. © 2014 SETAC
Surgical management of strabismus for dysthyroid ophthalmopathy.

BACKGROUND The study reports our 8-year experience in the surgical treatment of restrictive myopathy resulting from dysthyroid ophthalmopathy. We tried to determine the factors that contributed to favorable surgical outcomes. METHODS The charts of patients who had surgical treatment for strabismus related to dysthyroid ophthalmopathy at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between January 1995 and December 2002 (n=25) were retrospectively reviewed, and factors that possibly influenced the outcome were statistically analyzed for significance. RESULTS The mean pre-operative vertical deviation of the 25 patients was 23.3 prism diopters and the pre-operative horizontal deviation was 11.3 prism diopters. The mean follow-up time was 29.7 months. Each patient had strabismus surgery an average of 1.5 times. The majority of patients (84%) were satisfied with the result. No significant difference in the success rate was evident between patients who waited less than 3 months before the surgery and those who waited for a longer period. The repeat surgery rate was significantly higher in the latter group. A shorter duration of diplopia and smaller angle of pre-operative horizontal deviation were contributors towards a favorable outcome. CONCLUSIONS A waiting time of less than 3 months prior to treatment of strabismus associated with dysthyroid ophthalmopathy produced a favorable outcome. The duration of diplopia and the pre-operative angle of horizontal deviation were the most important prognostic factors.
Pulmonary health effects of air pollution

Purpose of the review Air pollution continues to be a major public health concern affecting nine out of 10 individuals living in urban areas worldwide. Exposure to air pollution is the ninth leading risk factor for cardiopulmonary mortality. The aim of this review is to examine the current literature for the most recent updates on health effects of specific air pollutants and their impact on asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infection. Recent findings A total of 52 publications were reviewed to establish new insights as to how air pollution is associated with pulmonary morbidity and mortality. Considerable past evidence suggests that air pollution is an important factor that enhances pulmonary disease, while also causing greater harm in susceptible populations, such as children, the elderly, and those of low socio-economic status worldwide. Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infections all seem to be exacerbated because of exposure to a variety of environmental air pollutants with the greatest effects because of particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen oxides. New publications reviewed reaffirm these findings. Summary Continued vigilance will be essential to lessen the effects of air pollution on human health and pulmonary disease. Cooperation at a multinational level will be required on the part of governments, industry, energy-based enterprises, and the public working together to solve our air quality issues at the local, national, and global level.
Osteogenic sarcoma with clinically detectable metastasis at initial presentation.

PURPOSE Chemotherapy and surgery have improved the length of survival for patients with osteogenic sarcoma (OS) who present without metastatic disease. We reviewed our experience with patients with OS who presented with clinically detectable metastasis to determine the prognostic factors and the effects of surgery on the primary tumor and on metastatic disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS From 1975 to 1984 we treated 62 patients who had previously untreated OS with metastasis detected at presentation. All of these patients received intensive chemotherapy that included high-dose methotrexate; doxorubicin; and bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, and dactinomycin (BCD). Selected patients also received cisplatin. The intent of surgery was resection of the primary tumor and metastatic disease. RESULTS Survival was extremely poor; only 11% of patients survived, with a median survival of 20 months. Survival was not affected by use of preoperative chemotherapy versus immediate surgery, and did not correlate with serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, alkaline phosphatase level, or the site of the primary tumor. Survival did correlate with age, location of metastatic disease, histologic response to preoperative chemotherapy, and completeness of surgical resection of all sites of tumor. Resection of all sites of tumor identified at initial presentation was necessary for survival. CONCLUSION OS that presents with metastatic disease has a very poor prognosis with therapy, although therapy has achieved good results for patients without metastasis detected at diagnosis. Aggressive surgical resection of tumor is necessary for survival. The use of novel therapies at initial presentation is justified with this group of patients.
Disruption and functional analysis of seven ORFs on chromosome IV: YDL057w, YDL012c, YDL010w, YDL009c, YDL008w ( APC11), YDL005c ( MED2) and YDL003w ( MCD1)

In the context of the EUROFAN project, we have carried out the systematic disruption of seven ORFs on chromosome IV of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using the long flanking homology technique to replace each ORF with the KanMX cassette. Targeted disruption of YDL057w, YDL012c, or YDL010w with YDL009c (the two ORFs overlap) confers no overt defects in haploid growth on a variety of media at different temperatures, in mating, or in the sporulation of diploids homozygous for the disruption. By contrast, YDL008w and YDL003w disruptants are non‐viable. The product of YDL008w (elsewhere identified as APC11) is a component of the anaphase promoting complex. YDL003w (also termed MCD1) is a homologue of Schizosaccharomyces pombe rad21, an essential gene implicated in DNA double‐strand break repair and nuclear organization in fission yeast. In budding yeast, this ORF has been shown by several laboratories to encode a protein involved in sister chromatid cohesion and chromosome condensation. The remaining ORF, YDL005c (also termed MED2), encodes a component of the transcriptional activator complex known as Mediator. Disruption of YDL005c confers a modest slow growth phenotype on rich medium and a more severe phenotype on minimal medium, aberrant cellular morphology, and mating defects; diploids homozygous for the disruption cannot sporulate. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Low-dose methadone has an analgesic effect in neuropathic pain: a double-blind randomized controlled crossover trial

The analgesic effectiveness and adverse effect incidence of a daily dose of 10 or 20 mg of oral methadone were evaluated in 18 patients with a diverse range of chronic neuropathic pain syndromes, who had all responded poorly to traditional analgesic regimens. Analgesia was seen after each dose of methadone. As compared with placebo, the 20 mg daily dose (given as 10 mg bd) resulted in statistically significant (P=0.013–0.020) improvements in patient Visual Analogue Scale ratings of maximum pain intensity, average pain intensity and pain relief, recorded at the same time daily. The analgesic effects extended over 48 hours, as shown by statistically significant (P=0.013–0.020) improvements in all three outcomes on the rest days instituted between each daily dose. Analgesic effects (lowered maximum pain intensity and increased pain relief, on the day of dosing only) were also seen when the lower daily dose of 10 mg methadone (given as 5 mg bd) was used, but these failed to reach statistical significance (P=0.064 and 0.065, respectively). Interpatient analysis showed that the analgesic effects were not restricted to any particular type of neuropathic pain. Patient compliance was high throughout the trial. One patient withdrew during the 10 mg and six during the 20 mg methadone treatment periods. This is the first double-blind randomized controlled trial to demonstrate that methadone has an analgesic effect in neuropathic pain.
The prediction of major depression in women: toward an integrated etiologic model.

OBJECTIVE The authors develop an exploratory, integrated etiologic model for the prediction of episodes of major depression in an epidemiologic sample of women. METHOD Both members of 680 female-female twin pairs of known zygosity from a population-based register were assessed three times at greater than 1-year intervals. The last two assessments included a structured interview evaluation for presence of episodes of major depression, defined by DSM-III-R, in the preceding year. The final structural equation model contained nine predictor variables: genetic factors, parental warmth, childhood parental loss, lifetime traumas, neuroticism, social support, past depressive episodes, recent difficulties, and recent stressful life events. RESULTS The best-fitting model predicted 50.1% of the variance in the liability to major depression. The strongest predictors of this liability were, in descending order, 1) stressful life events, 2) genetic factors, 3) previous history of major depression, and 4) neuroticism. While 60% of the effect of genetic factors on the liability to major depression was direct, the remaining 40% was indirect and mediated largely by a history of prior depressive episodes, stressful life events, lifetime traumas, and neuroticism. The model suggested that at least four major and interacting risk factor domains are needed to understand the etiology of major depression: traumatic experiences, genetic factors, temperament, and interpersonal relations. CONCLUSIONS Major depression is a multifactorial disorder, and understanding its etiology will require the rigorous integration of genetic, temperamental, and environmental risk factors.
La evaluación de la política regional: propuestas para evaluar las nuevas políticas regionales

El objetivo de la tesis doctoral es investigar nuevos enfoques de evaluacion que puedan ser aplicados a las nuevas politicas regionales. La investigacion se construye, por tanto, a partir de la confluencia de dos disciplinas academicas que, hasta fechas muy recientes, han evolucionado como dos ambitos separados de estudio: la ciencia economica regional y la evaluacion de las acciones publicas. El tratamientoi ntegrado y complementario a ambas areas, junto a un revision en detalle de estudios de caso de evaluaciones previamente seleccionados para representar las practicas evaluadoras mas habituales, han permitido obtener recomendaciones generales y propuestas operativas concretas que facilitaran el reconocimiento de los efectos reales y el impacto sobre la economia regional, asi como los beneficios obtenidos por las empresas que participan en las estrategias de innovacion regional y/o en las de competitividad.
Weak GPS Signal Acquisition Algorithm Based on Chaotic Oscillator

To detect weak Global Position System (GPS) signal indoors, various high-sensitivity detection algorithms have been proposed. However, a common tradeoff between high-sensitivity and computation burden impedes development of high sensitivity GPS receiver. As another strategy, chaotic oscillator, sensitive to periodic signal and inert to noise, possesses huge advantage in weak signal acquisition. In this paper chaotic oscillator is employed in weak GPS signal acquisition. With numerical indication of Lyapunov exponents (LEs), chaotic oscillator can achieve acquisition in extremely weak GPS signal. Compared with conventional algorithm, chaotic oscillator consumes less acquisition time and is capable of detecting weak GPS signal. In the final section of paper, results from computer simulation illustrate that chaotic oscillator algorithm can acquire GPS signal at 48 dB/2MHz SNR.
Apolipoprotein C-III Gene Polymorphism and Several Environmental Factors With Serum Lipid Levels in the Guangxi Hei Yi Zhuang and Han Populations

Background Apolipoprotein (apo) C-III gene polymorphisms have been associated with increased plasma triglycerides (TGs) and coronary artery disease, but the results have not always been concordant among diverse populations. The present study was undertaken to detect the association of the apoC-III 3238C>G polymorphism and several environmental factors with serum lipid profiles in the Guangxi Hei Yi Zhuang and Han populations. Methods A total of 490 subjects of Hei Yi Zhuang and 540 participants of Han Chinese aged 15 to 89 years were randomly selected from our previous stratified randomized cluster samples. Genotyping of the apoC-III 3238C>G was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with gel electrophoresis and then confirmed by direct sequencing. Results There was no difference in the genotype and allele frequencies between the 2 ethnic groups (P > 0.05), but G allele and GG genotype frequencies were higher in females than in males, or in high TG than in normal TG individuals in Hei Yi Zhuang (P < 0.01); and in high total cholesterol than in normal total cholesterol subgroups, in high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) than in normal LDL-C subgroups, or in high apoB than in normal apoB subgroups in Han (P < 0.05). There were also differences in the genotypic frequencies between normal apoA-I and low apoA-I subjects in Hei Yi Zhuang, and between males and females or between normal TG and high TG subgroups in Han (P < 0.05). Serum TG and apoA-I levels were correlated with genotype or allele in Hei Yi Zhuang, and TG, LDL-C, and apoB levels were associated with genotype in Han (P < 0.05). Serum lipid parameters were also correlated with age, sex, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, blood pressure, body weight, and body mass index. Conclusions There were no significant differences in genotypic and allelic frequencies between the Hei Yi Zhuang and Han populations. But the 3238G carriers have unfavorable serum lipid profiles. The differences in the serum lipid profiles between the 2 ethnic groups might result from different gene-environmental interactions.