Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Steven Strauss Insertional mutagenesis in Populus : relevance and feasibility

The recent sequencing of the first tree genome, that of the black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), opens a new chapter in tree functional genomics. While the completion of the genome is a milestone, mobilizing this significant resource for better understanding the growth and development of woody perennials will be an even greater undertaking in the years to come. In other model organisms, a critical tool for high-throughput analysis of gene function has been the generation of large mutagenized populations. Some mutagenesis technologies and approaches cannot be applied to trees because of their typically outcrossing breeding systems, high heterozygosity, large body size, and delayed flowering. In contrast, gene-tagging approaches that use insertional mutagenesis to create dominant phenotypes are ideally suited for trees and, especially, Populus. Both activation tagging and enhancer trap programs have been successful in identifying new genes important to tree development. The generation of genomewide insertional mutant populations, which provide direct functional links between genes and phenotypes, should help to integrate in silico analyses of gene and protein expression, association studies of natural genetic polymorphism, and phenotypic analyses of adaptation and development.
Cytokeratin 19 expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in the peripheral blood of prostate cancer patients.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND Sensitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction-based techniques for detection of epithelial antigen expression, such as cytokeratin 19, in the peripheral blood mononuclear fraction of prostate cancer patients may allow the detection of tumor progression at A molecular level. METHODS We studied cytokeratin 19 expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples of 10 control men and serially in 44 patients with prostate cancer every three months for 18 months. RESULTS None of the 10 normal control men expressed cytokeratin 19 in their peripheral blood mononuclear fraction. In the patients, cytokeratin 19 positivity at entry was not associated with age, Gleason score, clinical stage, prostate-specific antigen or alkaline phosphatase. Interestingly, having at least one positive cytokeratin 19 result during follow-up correlated significantly with time to prostate-specific antigen progression (P = 0.049), especially in the subgroup of metastatic patients (P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that cytokeratin 19 expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell fraction of prostate cancer patients correlates with time to prostate-specific antigen progression. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Low‐dose Lidocaine Suppresses Experimentally Induced Hyperalgesia in Humans

Background The antinociceptive effects of systemically administered local anesthetics have been shown in various conditions, such as neuralgia, polyneuropathy, fibromyalgia, and postoperative pain. The objective of the study was to identify the peripheral mechanisms of action of low‐dose local anesthetics in a model of experimental pain. Methods In a first experimental trial, participants (n = 12) received lidocaine systemically (a bolus injection of 2 mg/kg in 10 min followed by an intravenous infusion of 2 mg [middle dot]‐1 [middle dot] h‐1 for another 50 min). In a second trial, modified intravenous regional anesthesia was administered to exclude possible central analgesic effects. In one arm, patients received an infusion of 40 ml lidocaine, 0.05%; in their other arm, 40 ml NaCl, 0.9%, served as a control. In both trials, calibrated tonic and phasic mechanical and chemical (histamine) stimuli were applied to determine differentially the impairment of tactile and nociceptive perception. Results Mechanical sensitivity to touch, phasic mechanical stimuli of noxious intensity, and heat pain thresholds remained unchanged after systemic and regional application of the anesthetic. In contrast, histamine‐induced itch (intravenous regional anesthesia), axon reflex flare (systemic treatment), and development of acute mechanical hyperalgesia during tonic pressure (12 N; 2 min) of an interdigital web was significantly suppressed after both treatments. Conclusions Increasing painfulness during sustained pinching has been attributed to excitation and simultaneous sensitization of particular A [small sigma, Greek]‐ and C‐nociceptors. This hyperalgesic mechanism seems to be particularly sensitive to low concentrations of lidocaine. These findings confirm clinical experience with lidocaine in pain states dominated by hyperalgesia.
Single Grain Boundary Dopingless PNPN Tunnel FET on Recrystallized Polysilicon: Proposal and Theoretical Analysis

A single grain boundary dopingless PNPN tunnel field effect transistor (TFET) on recrystallized polycrystalline silicon is studied by varying the position of the grain boundary in the channel. The performance of the proposed device is assessed using 2-D simulations. We establish the prospect of realizing low-cost thin-film recrystallized polycrystalline tunnel FETs with: 1) low OFF-state current and low sub-threshold swing (SS) and 2) an ON-state current similar to that of a comparable single grain boundary poly-silicon thin film transistor (TFT). Our results indicate that the proposed single grain boundary dopingless PNPN TFET could be an ideal substitute for the conventional TFTs making it appropriate for low power display applications as well as the driver circuits.
Humanized H19/Igf2 locus reveals diverged imprinting mechanism between mouse and human and reflects Silver–Russell syndrome phenotypes

Significance Genomic imprinting is essential for mammalian development. Curiously, elements that regulate genomic imprinting, the imprinting control regions (ICRs), often diverge across species. To understand whether the diverged ICR sequence plays a species-specific role at the H19/insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf2) imprinted locus, we generated a mouse in which the human ICR (hIC1) sequence replaced the endogenous mouse ICR. We show that the imprinting mechanism has partially diverged between mouse and human, depending on the parental origin of the hIC1 in mouse. We also suggest that our mouse model is optimal for studying the imprinting disorders Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome when hIC1 is maternally transmitted, and Silver–Russell syndrome when hIC1 is paternally transmitted. Genomic imprinting affects a subset of genes in mammals, such that they are expressed in a monoallelic, parent-of-origin–specific manner. These genes are regulated by imprinting control regions (ICRs), cis-regulatory elements that exhibit allele-specific differential DNA methylation. Although genomic imprinting is conserved in mammals, ICRs are genetically divergent across species. This raises the fundamental question of whether the ICR plays a species-specific role in regulating imprinting at a given locus. We addressed this question at the H19/insulin-like growth factor 2 (Igf2) imprinted locus, the misregulation of which is associated with the human imprinting disorders Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) and Silver–Russell syndrome (SRS). We generated a knock-in mouse in which the endogenous H19/Igf2 ICR (mIC1) is replaced by the orthologous human ICR (hIC1) sequence, designated H19hIC1. We show that hIC1 can functionally replace mIC1 on the maternal allele. In contrast, paternally transmitted hIC1 leads to growth restriction, abnormal hIC1 methylation, and loss of H19 and Igf2 imprinted expression. Imprint establishment at hIC1 is impaired in the male germ line, which is associated with an abnormal composition of histone posttranslational modifications compared with mIC1. Overall, this study reveals evolutionarily divergent paternal imprinting at IC1 between mice and humans. The conserved maternal imprinting mechanism and function at IC1 demonstrates the possibility of modeling maternal transmission of hIC1 mutations associated with BWS in mice. In addition, we propose that further analyses in the paternal knock-in H19+/hIC1 mice will elucidate the molecular mechanisms that may underlie SRS.
The Combined Effect of Individualism – Collectivism on Conflict Styles and Satisfaction: An Analysis at the Individual Level

This research examines the relationships among individualism-collectivism (IND-COL), conflict management styles and conflict satisfaction. The authors aim to explain some of the inconclusive findings in the literature related to IND-COL and conflict styles by studying IND-COL as states, rather than dispositional traits. By taking a dynamic approach to conceptualizing IND-COL and measuring IND-COL over time, we investigate how different ratios of individualistic-to-collectivistic orientations are associated with different conflict management styles. Results show that individuals who employed a balanced focus (1:1 ratio) of both individualistic and collectivistic orientations utilized an integrative style in conflict more than individuals with either a strong individualistic or collectivistic orientation. Integrative style was associated with higher levels of satisfaction with conflict outcomes, processes, relationships, goal attainment and job satisfaction at work. Individuals with predominant focus on individualism utilized a dominating style more, whereas individuals with predominant focus on collectivism utilized obliging and avoiding styles. Furthermore, results show that state-level IND-COL is a better predictor of conflict management styles than trait-level IND-COL. Past research has focused on studying IND-COL primarily as a trait variable at the individual level, but we examine IND-COL as states in relation to conflict management styles. In addition, we investigate the combined and optimal effects of both individualism and collectivism value-orientations on conflict management styles.
Clinical importance of microbleeds in patients receiving IV thrombolysis

Background: Cerebral microbleeds (MBs) detected on gradient echo (GRE) imaging may be a risk factor for hemorrhagic complications in patients with stroke treated with IV tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Methods: The authors prospectively evaluated patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with IV tPA between 3 and 6 hours of symptom onset. MRI scans, including GRE imaging, were performed prior to tPA treatment, 3 to 6 hours after treatment and at day 30. The authors compared the frequency of hemorrhagic complications after thrombolysis in patients with and without MBs on their baseline GRE imaging. Results: Seventy consecutive patients (mean age, 71 ± 29 years; 31 men, 39 women) were included. MBs were identified in 11 patients (15.7%) on baseline GRE imaging. There was no significant difference in the frequency of either symptomatic or asymptomatic hemorrhagic complications after thrombolysis between patients with and without MBs at baseline. None of the 11 patients with MBs (0%) at baseline had a symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage compared with 7 of 59 patients who did not have baseline MBs (11.9%). In addition, no patients with baseline MBs had asymptomatic hemorrhagic transformation observed at the site of any pre-treatment MB. Conclusions: The presence of cerebral microbleeds on gradient echo imaging does not appear to substantially increase the risk of either symptomatic or asymptomatic brain hemorrhage following IV tissue plasminogen activator administered between 3 and 6 hours after stroke onset.
The difficult early stages of embedded star clusters and the importance of the pre-gas expulsion virial ratio

We examine the effects of gas expulsion on initially substructured distributions of stars. We perform N-body simulations of the evolution of these distributions in a static background potential to mimic the gas. We remove the static potential instantaneously to model gas expulsion. We find that the exact dynamical state of the cluster plays a very strong role in affecting a cluster's survival, especially at early times: they may be entirely destroyed or only weakly affected. We show that knowing both detailed dynamics and relative star–gas distributions can provide a good estimate of the post-gas expulsion state of the cluster, but even knowing these is not an absolute way of determining the survival or otherwise of the cluster.
Los procesos cognitivos en las aves y sus diversos orígenes

Las aves tienen una morfología cerebral muy distinta dc la de los mamíferos. De hccho, sc puedc considcrar similar a la de los rcptiles. Eltc lcncéfa lo de las aves no posee ninguna estructura directamente comparab le con el isocórtcx dc los mamíferos. El pa/liu111 dorsal podría ser su equivalcntc, aunque, a pesar de su vo lu men, no está tan d iferenciado estructura lmente como el isoeórtex de los mamíferos (Veenman, 1997). En cambio, las aves tienen un sofisticado tectum óptico mesenccfá li eo que pucdc considerarse como la estructura neuralmí\s compleja que existe (Ramón y Cajal, 1911). El hccho es que la capacidad total dc procesamiento de la información dc un ave podría ser similar a la de un mamífero de igua l tamaño y, más importante aún, a la de un mamífero con un cerebro de igual tamélño. Los mamíferos y las aves descienden de un ancestro común reptiliano, de sangre fría , que vivió hace unos 310 millones de años . ¿Entonces por qué muestran estos dos grupos difercncias tan marcadas cn sus cerebros adcmás de, por supuesto, los dcmás caractercs que los diferencian? Quizás se deba en parte a que tanto los mamíferos como las aves propiamente dichos emergieron de dos linajcs samioreptilianos ya divergentes entrc sÍ. Es posible que los terÍlpsidos triÍls icos de hacc unos 250 millones de años, ancestros de los mamíferos, y los terópodos jurásicos de hace unos J 50 millones dc años, ancestros de las aves, tuvieran cerebros quc ya difcrían en a lgunos aspectos. Pcro la razón m,ís probable es que el entorno cvo luti vo durante los períodos jmásico y cretÍlcico confinara a los dos linajes en nichos eco lógicos rad ica lmente distintos (Feduccia, 1996). Aparcntcmente los ccrcbros de los mamíferos ances trales fueron seleccionados para ajustarse al hábitat terrcstre y la vida nocturna, un a combinación que disminuiría la presión selectiva sobre cl sistema visual y la incremcntaría sobre cl o lfator io. Todo esto impulsaría c l cambio
Aging and cardiovascular disease: a summary of the Eighth Münster International Arteriosclerosis Symposium.

This unique symposium focused on the remarkable increase in the older population that is occurring in many countries of the world. The international experts spoke on the effects of aging on cardiovascular disease, which is by far the most prominent cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. The program highlighted some of the most prominent changes that occur in the elderly and influence the toll that cardiovascular disease takes. The program was divided into four sessions: (1) the effects of aging on some of the cardiovascular risk factors; (2) the effects of aging on the heart muscle; (3) reports on recent studies of the effects of aging on morphology and function of the conduction system; and (4) a session featuring outstanding authorities on aging and the elastin, collagen, and calcium of the vessel wall, all of which are frequently added to the artery wall during aging. The speakers were carefully selected from top scholars in England, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States. Professor W.H. Hauss, who pioneered the development of the Institute for Arteriosclerosis Research at the University of Munster, Germany, and is now in his 80s, opened the symposium and introduced four prominent officials in health, education, and other German government posts, who added their words of welcome. The first session was chaired by Professor G. Assmann, who is the current director of the Arteriosclerosis Research Institute in Munster, Germany. He gave the opening presentation on genetic determinants of life expectancy, a subject on which he is a world authority. He began his presentation with a brief description of the very large PROCAM study of more than 35 000 individuals, two thirds of whom are male, being carried out at the University of Munster Arteriosclerosis Institute in Westphalia. This long-term study of the natural history …
Pain sensitivity as a correlate of clinical status in individuals with chronic low back pain.

STUDY DESIGN A cross-sectional study of baseline correlates of clinical pain and functional status in consecutive patients being treated for chronic low back pain. OBJECTIVES To determine if an individual's global pain sensitivity, measured by experimental pain threshold to pressure at various regions of the body, is associated with baseline measures of clinical pain and physical functioning. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Previous studies have demonstrated that in individuals with chronic low back pain, clinical pain and functional status are significantly associated with demographic, structural, and psychosocial factors. However, a large portion of variance remains unexplained. Because pain sensitivity (tenderness) has been shown to occur as a continuum in the population, the authors sought to determine if such sensitivity might be associated with clinical status in chronic low back pain, beyond what is known regarding demographic, structural, and psychosocial factors. METHODS Forty-five patients with chronic low back pain were assessed for a variety of demographic, structural, and psychosocial factors, which previously have been shown to contribute to clinical status. In addition, all patients underwent testing for pain tolerance and threshold at various areas of the body. RESULTS Age, degree of structural abnormality observed on magnetic resonance imaging, and depressive symptoms were all significantly correlated with either clinical pain or functional status. Pain sensitivity, the target of this investigation, accounted for significant proportions of variance in functional status and pain, even after controlling for demographic, structural, and psychosocial variables. CONCLUSIONS These pilot data suggest that an individual's experimental pain threshold (a measure of tenderness) is associated with baseline functional status and pain in cases of chronic low back pain and may represent an important domain warranting further investigation.
Moneyball for TV: A Model for Forecasting the Audience of New Dramatic Television Series

The specific objective of the present study is to develop and test an early-stage, empirical model for predicting the audience of new television series. We test our model on a sample of 107 new dramatic television series that debuted on one of the four major US television networks during the 2010-2014 seasons. In particular we examine the role of three previously untested predictors of the performance of new television shows, all of which can be known prior to the decision to greenlight the pilot script. Those three are the originality of the concept of the show, the track record of success of the showi¯s creative team, and the size of the conceptual network created from the teleplay of the pilot episode.
Terminal care: the last weeks of life.

BACKGROUND The care of patients in their last weeks of life is a fundamental palliative care skill, but few evidence-based reviews have focused on this critical period. METHOD A systematic review of published literature and expert opinion related to care in the last weeks of life. RESULTS The evidence base informing terminal care is largely descriptive, retrospective, or extrapolated. While home deaths and hospice use are increasing, medical care near death is becoming more aggressive and hospice lengths of stay remain short. Though the prediction of impending death remains imprecise, studies have identified several common terminal signs and symptoms. Decreased communication near death complicates the determination of patient wishes, and advanced directives prior to the terminal stage are recommended. Anorexia and cachexia are common in dying patients but there is no evidence that this process is painful or responsive to intervention. While there is general consensus that artificial nutrition is not beneficial in dying patients, the use of artificial hydration is controversial, especially in the setting of delirium. Breathlessness has been shown to benefit from oral and parenteral opioids but not anxiolytics. Accumulation of respiratory tract secretions (death rattle) is common and usually responds to antimuscarinics. Physical pain typically decreases toward death but its assessment in dying patients is difficult. Terminal delirium may occur in up to one-third of patients, may have a reversible cause, and may respond to antipsychotics or benzodiazepines. Palliative sedation is controversial but widely used, especially internationally. Caregiver stress and bereavement may benefit from improved communication and hospice involvement. CONCLUSION While the terminal care literature is characterized by varying quality, numerous knowledge gaps, and frequent inconsistencies, it supports several common clinical interventions. More research is needed to resolve controversies, define effective therapies, and improve the outcomes of dying patients.
Reduced-order observer for discrete systems with noises, delayed controls and outputs

This article researches the observer design approaches for discrete systems with noises, delayed controls and outputs. An approach to delay-free transformation and a novel observer are presented. First, a discrete system with delays and noises is transformed into a delay-free system in form. Based on the transformed system, a novel reduced-order state observer is proposed for the original system with noises, control delays and outputs delays. Simulation example demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of the delay-free transformation and observer design approaches.
Diffusion‐weighted imaging of kainic acid lesions in the rat brain

We present T2‐weighted and diffusion‐weighted images of kainic acid lesions in the rat brain. Our observations show improved image contrast between edematous lesions and unaffected tissue using diffusion‐weighted imaging. Furthermore, we show that the anisotropic intensity changes associated with this sequence can be used to highlight white matter tracts and to provide information concerning their orientation in the rat brain. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
Genetically determined resistance to lethal levels of copper by Daphnia longispina: Association with sublethal response and multiple/coresistance

The development of resistance to toxicants has been reported for a wide range of organisms. Two questions were addressed in the present study: Are genetically determined resistance responses at lethal levels (min to h) of copper associated with responses at extreme lethal (h to d) and sublethal levels and does genetically determined resistance to lethal levels of copper confer resistance to lethal levels of other chemicals? Twelve cloned lineages of Daphnia longispina, differing in their resistance to copper, were exposed to sublethal concentrations of copper and to lethal concentrations of copper, zinc, cadmium, hydrogen ions, and a pyrethroid insecticide (deltamethrin). Three kinds of toxicity assays were carried out: Survival time (death occurs in min to h; only for metals and hydrogen ions), cumulative mortality (death occurs in h to d; for all tested chemicals), and feeding depression assays (only for copper). A correlation between different levels of toxicity was observed only for extreme and moderate lethal responses to copper, and no correlation was found between lethal and sublethal levels of copper. Multiple resistance to lethal levels of toxicants was observed only for the pair copper/zinc.