Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis of gastric intraepithelial neoplasia by narrow-band imaging and confocal laser endomicroscopy.

AIM To evaluate the diagnosis of different differentiated gastric intraepithelial neoplasia (IN) by magnification endoscopy combined with narrow-band imaging (ME-NBI) and confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE). METHODS Eligible patients with suspected gastric IN lesions previously diagnosed by endoscopy in secondary hospitals and scheduled for further diagnosis and treatment were recruited for this study. Excluded from the study were patients who had liver cirrhosis, impaired renal function, acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, coagulopathy, esophageal varices, jaundice, and GI post-surgery. Also excluded were those who were pregnant, breastfeeding, were younger than 18 years old, or were unable to provide informed consent. All patients had all mucus and bile cleared from their stomachs. They then received upper GI endoscopy. When a mucosal lesion is found during observation with white-light imaging, the lesion is visualized using maximal magnification, employing gradual movement of the tip of the endoscope to bring the image into focus. Saved images are analyzed. Confocal images were evaluated by two endoscopists (Huang J and Li MY), who were familiar with CLE, blinded to the related information about the lesions, and asked to classify each lesion as either a low grade dysplasia (LGD) or high grade dysplasia (HGD) according to given criteria. The results were compared with the final histopathologic diagnosis. ME-NBI images were evaluated by two endoscopists (Lu ZS and Ling-Hu EQ) who were familiar with NBI, blinded to the related information about the lesions and CLE images, and were asked to classify each lesion as a LGD or HGD according to the "microvascular pattern and surface pattern" classification system. The results were compared with the final histopathologic diagnosis. RESULTS The study included 32 pathology-proven low grade gastric IN and 26 pathology-proven high grade gastric IN that were detected with any of the modalities. CLE and ME-NBI enabled clear visualization of the vascular microsurface patterns and microvascular structures of the gastric mucosa. The accuracy of the CLE and the ME-NBI diagnosis was 88% (95% CI: 78%-98%) and 81% (95% CI: 69%-93%), respectively. The kappa coefficient of agreement between the histopathology and the in vivo CLE imaging was 0.755; between the histopathology and the in vivo CLE imaging was 0.615. McNemar's test (binomial distribution used) indicated that the agreement was significant (P < 0.05). When patients were diagnosed by ME-NBI with CLE, the overall accuracy of the diagnosis was 86.21% (95% CI: 73%-96%), and the kappa coefficient of agreement was 0.713, according to McNemar's test (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Higher diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of CLE over ME-NBI indicate the feasibility of these two techniques for the efficacious diagnostic classification of gastric IN.
A 13b SAR ADC with eye-opening VCO based comparator

A low-power and high accuracy comparator based on voltage controlled ring-oscillator (VCO) is presented. By using the dead zone of phase detector effectively, the VCO comparator automatically changes its noise level depending on the input voltage level (Δvin). When Δvin is large, the comparator operates as a low-power delay-line based comparator. On the other hand, when Δvin is small, the VCO is enabled and eye is opened during the oscillation. This suppress input referred noise and enables accurate conversion. The number of oscillation cycle for one comparison is inversely proportional to Δvin and adaptive noise reduction is realized. The VCO comparator does not require any sort of tuning. A 13b SAR ADC with proposed VCO based comparator was fabricated in 65-nm CMOS. By off-chip LMS calibration, the ADC achieves SNDR 66 dB at 1 MS/s with FoM of 29fJ/conv. -step.
Characteristics of galactose transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and reconstituted lipid vesicles

Growth on galactose induces two transport processes, a high-affinity and a low-affinity process. The most important results of a comparison of the two processes were that (i) both depended on GAL2 expression, (ii) only the high-affinity process required galactokinase, (iii) both were down-regulated by catabolite inactivation, (iv) neither was significantly inhibited by carbonyl cyanide-p-trifluoromethoxy-phenyl-hydrazone, (v) neither was differentially inhibited by silver nitrate or mercuric chloride, and (vi) transport activity with a Km closer to that of the low-affinity process of whole cells was reconstituted in fused phospholipid membrane vesicles.
Single‐cell analysis of circulating tumor cells identifies cumulative expression patterns of EMT‐related genes in metastatic prostate cancer

Prostate tumors shed circulating tumor cells (CTCs) into the blood stream. Increased evidence shows that CTCs are often present in metastatic prostate cancer and can be alternative sources for disease profiling and prognostication. Here we postulate that CTCs expressing genes related to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) are strong predictors of metastatic prostate cancer.
Multiphysics simulation of wave energy to electric energy conversion by permanent magnet linear generator

The possibility to use three-phase permanent magnet linear generators to convert sea wave energy into electric energy is investigated by multiphysics simulations. The results show a possibility, which needs to be further verified by experimental tests, for a future step toward a sustainable electric power production from ocean waves by using direct conversion. The results suggest that wave energy can have an impact on tomorrow's new sustainable electricity production, not only for large units, but also for units ranging down to 10 kW. This gives wave power a larger economical potential than previously estimated. The study demonstrates the feasibility of computer simulations to give a broad, and in several aspects a detailed, understanding of the energy conversion. The simulation results also give a useful starting point for future experimental work.
Unethical power Europe? Something fishy about EU trade and development policies

Abstract This article analyses the impact of European Union (EU) policies in the field of fisheries on development in Africa. It contests the premise that the EU promotes local economies, and argues that it often contributes to depleting fish stocks, distorting African economic policies and harming fishers’ communities. In so doing, the EU is violating its basic duty to avoid harm to other states. However, it is now committed to sustainable development. This article offers suggestions on policies which would enable the EU to take on both its negative and positive duties.
Very Low 1/f Noise and Radiation-Hardened CMOS Preamplifier for High-Sensitivity Search Coil Magnetometers

A 4 nV/√(Hz) at 10 Hz preamplifier with a 12-mW power consumption in complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor 0.35 μm technology has been developed to go one step further in the integration of the preamplifier of a search coil magnetometer. The present application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) preamplifier, combined with a 10-cm length, 12-mm diameter, and 15 000 turns search coil sensor demonstrates a noise equivalent magnetic induction as low as 2 pT/√(Hz) at 10 Hz and 14 fT/√(Hz) at 4 kHz. The measured current noise is only 46 fA/√(Hz). AC magnetometers (from 100 mHz to a few kHz) based on search coil sensors are used for space plasma physics investigations because of their excellent robustness and very high sensitivity. The present ASIC preamplifier offers a way to considerably save weight, volume, and power. This paper will focus on the design of the ASIC, driven by the following criteria: low thermal and 1/f noise, radiation hardness for space purpose, and power consumption.
A Splice Variant of the ITF-2 Transcript Encodes a Transcription Factor That Inhibits MyoD Activity (*)

Proteins of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family are transcription factors that bind DNA containing the E box motif (CANNTG) found in the promoters of many muscle-specific genes. ITF-2 is a bHLH protein with widespread expression that is thought to form active heterodimers with MyoD, a muscle-specific bHLH transcription factor. We have isolated cDNAs derived from two alternatively spliced forms of mouse ITF-2, termed MITF-2A and −2B. These proteins differ in their N termini. Neither MITF-2A nor −2B transactivated the cardiac α-actin promoter, which contains an E box, when transfected into nonmuscle cells. In fact, MITF-2B inhibited MyoD activation of the cardiac α-actin promoter. This inhibitory activity required the N-terminal 83 amino acids since MITF-2A showed no inhibitory activity, and a mutant MITF-2B with deletion of the N-terminal 83 amino acids failed to inhibit MyoD-mediated transcriptional activation. MyoD activity was also inhibited by Id, a HLH protein, and this inhibition was reversed by the addition of excess E12 or MITF-2A. However, the inhibition of MyoD activity by MITF-2B was not reversed with E12 or MITF-2A. While Id is thought to inhibit MyoD by binding and sequestering potential dimerization partners, MITF-2B appears to inhibit MyoD activity by forming an inactive heterodimer with MyoD. Thus, differentially spliced transcripts of mouse ITF-2 encode different proteins that appear to dimerize with MyoD and activate or repress transcription.
Regulation of signaling interactions and receptor endocytosis in growing blood vessels

Blood vessels and the lymphatic vasculature are extensive tubular networks formed by endothelial cells that have several indispensable functions in the developing and adult organism. During growth and tissue regeneration but also in many pathological settings, these vascular networks expand, which is critically controlled by the receptor EphB4 and the ligand ephrin-B2. An increasing body of evidence links Eph/ephrin molecules to the function of other receptor tyrosine kinases and cell surface receptors. In the endothelium, ephrin-B2 is required for clathrin-dependent internalization and full signaling activity of VEGFR2, the main receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor. In vascular smooth muscle cells, ephrin-B2 antagonizes clathrin-dependent endocytosis of PDGFRβ and controls the balanced activation of different signal transduction processes after stimulation with platelet-derived growth factor. This review summarizes the important roles of Eph/ephrin molecules in vascular morphogenesis and explains the function of ephrin-B2 as a molecular hub for receptor endocytosis in the vasculature.
Evidence summaries tailored to health policy-makers in low- and middle-income countries.

OBJECTIVE To describe how the SUPPORT collaboration developed a short summary format for presenting the results of systematic reviews to policy-makers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS We carried out 21 user tests in six countries to explore users' experiences with the summary format. We modified the summaries based on the results and checked our conclusions through 13 follow-up interviews. To solve the problems uncovered by the user testing, we also obtained advisory group feedback and conducted working group workshops. FINDINGS Policy-makers liked a graded entry format (i.e. short summary with key messages up front). They particularly valued the section on the relevance of the summaries for LMICs, which compensated for the lack of locally-relevant detail in the original review. Some struggled to understand the text and numbers. Three issues made redesigning the summaries particularly challenging: (i) participants had a poor understanding of what a systematic review was; (ii) they expected information not found in the systematic reviews and (iii) they wanted shorter, clearer summaries. Solutions included adding information to help understand the nature of a systematic review, adding more references and making the content clearer and the document quicker to scan. CONCLUSION Presenting evidence from systematic reviews to policy-makers in LMICs in the form of short summaries can render the information easier to assimilate and more useful, but summaries must be clear and easy to read or scan quickly. They should also explain the nature of the information provided by systematic reviews and its relevance for policy decisions.
Asthma and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Asthma and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are among the most prevalent chronic human diseases of the 21st century. They share several risk and aggravating factors such as obesity, smoking, gastroesophageal reflux, sinonasal disease or upper airway involvement, systemic inflammation, etc. Although the association between OSA and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or “overlap syndrome” is better known and characterized, the association of asthma and OSA or “alternative overlap syndrome” is less clearly defined and understood. Nevertheless, their coexistence has synergistic effects on patient symptoms, response to therapy, and general outcomes. Taxonomically, asthma and OSA are syndromically defined entities that are quite heterogeneous, being characterized by a plethora of clinical phenotypes. The complex interactions between these conditions should take into account more specific etiopathogenic mechanisms or distinct disease endotypes. The potential clinical, pathogenic, and therapeutic significance of the disease endotypes is still emerging and needs further evaluation. We present here a review on the bidirectional relationships between asthma and OSA, including their clinical, pathophysiologic, and therapeutic connections. Furthermore, we propose here to look at these interactions beyond the development of comprehensive inventories of genotypes, clinical and pathophysiologic phenotypes, but in the larger context of obstructive lung and airway disorders, with the goal to reassess meaningful syndromes based on natural history and predictable patient outcomes, which will help us better stratify therapy in an era of personalized medicine.
The thoracic muscular system and its innervation in third instar Calliphora vicina Larvae. II. Projection patterns of the nerves associated with the pro‐ and mesothorax and the pharyngeal complex

We describe the anatomy of the nerves that project from the central nervous system (CNS) to the pro‐ and mesothoracic segments and the cephalopharyngeal skeleton (CPS) for third instar Calliphora larvae. Due to the complex branching pattern we introduce a nomenclature that labels side branches of first and second order. Two fine nerves that were not yet described are briefly introduced. One paired nerve projects to the ventral arms (VAs) of the CPS. The second, an unpaired nerve, projects to the ventral surface of the cibarial part of the esophagus (ES). Both nerves were tentatively labeled after the structures they innervate. The antennal nerve (AN) innervates the olfactory dorsal organ (DO). It contains motor pathways that project through the frontal connectives (FC) to the frontal nerve (FN) and innervate the cibarial dilator muscles (CDM) which mediate food ingestion. The maxillary nerve (MN) innervates the sensory terminal organ (TO), ventral organ (VO), and labial organ (LO) and comprises the motor pathways to the mouth hook (MH) elevator, MH depressor, and the labial retractor (LR) which opens the mouth cavity. An anastomosis of unknown function exists between the AN and MN. The prothoracic accessory nerve (PaN) innervates a dorsal protractor muscle of the CPS and sends side branches to the aorta and the bolwig organ (BO) (stemmata). In its further course, this nerve merges with the prothoracic nerve (PN). The architecture of the PN is extremely complex. It innervates a set of accessory pharyngeal muscles attached to the CPS and the body wall musculature of the prothorax. Several anastomoses exist between side branches of this nerve which were shown to contain motor pathways. The mesothoracic nerve (MeN) innervates a MH accessor and the longitudinal and transversal body wall muscles of the second segment. J. Morphol. 271:969–979, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differences in characteristics between glycine and glycylglycine transport in guinea pig small intestine.

The properties of glycylglycine and glycine transport across the mucosal border of the epithelium were studied in isolated guinea pig ileum. The initial influxes of both substances obeyed simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics, but the values of the kinetic parameters were greatly different between two substances; Jmax and Kt for glycine were 290 nmol.cm-2.min-1 and 27 mM, and those for glycylglycine were 57.4 nmol.cm-2.min-1 and 3.4 mM, respectively. Total replacement of Na+ in the incubation medium with mannitol completely suppressed the cellular uptake of glycine, while it reduced glycylglycine uptake only slightly. The omission of Na+ caused a slight increase in Kt for glycylglycine (from 3.4 mM at 100 mM Na+ t0 5.2 mM at 0 mM Na+) without changing the value of Jmax. Glycylglycine taken up by the epithelial cells had been completely hydrolysed into glycine within 2-min incubation period. The results of the present study seem to indicate that there are entirely distinct transport systems for glycine and its dimer and that the membrane digestion and subsequent transport as the monomer may not be involved in the absorption of glycylglycine.
How Many Sources Should Be Cultured for the Diagnosis of a Blood Stream Infection in Children with Cancer?

Blood stream infection (BSI) in a child with cancer is a life-threatening condition while blood cultures (BCs) play a crucial role for the diagnosis. The current practice of obtaining a BC from all sources—peripheral vein, central venous catheter (CVC), all lumens—is controversial and therefore in this study, our aim was to evaluate the utility of obtaining BCs from all these available sources. A retrospective study of BC sets obtained from all newly diagnosed patients with malignancy was conducted. A total number of 633 BC sets from 123 boys and 88 girls (median age: 5 5/12 years) were evaluated during infection episodes from January 1, 2005, to August 31, 2010. Among these cases, 134 were classified as true BSI (21%), 468 as non-BSI, and 31 as false-positive. In 64 cases, the results from peripheral and CVC sources were discordant: 57 catheter positive–peripheral negative and seven catheter negative–peripheral positive. Consequently, seven out of 134 true BSIs (5.2%) would not have been identified if only a BC from a CVC had been obtained. Moreover, if no BCs from all lumens had been obtained we would have missed up to 25% of true-positive BSIs. In the same way, if BCs from all sources had not been drawn we would not have detected up to 52% of true-positive BSIs. Conclusion: Obtaining BCs during an infection episode from all sources in a child with cancer is still mandatory.
Experimental phycomycosis in mice; examination of the role of acquired immunity in resistance to Absidia ramosa

Summary Attempts were made to stimulate acquired immunity to experimental Absidia ramosa infection in mice. Unprotected animals inoculated with large doses of A. ramosa spores frequently developed acute phycomycosis of the central nervous system. Mice previously exposed to sub-lethal doses of spores showed a high resistance to subsequent challenge with A. ramosa. No consistent increase in resistance was observed in mice vaccinated with killed A. ramosa spores, hyphal walls, intracellular mycelial antigens or various combinations of these, with Freund's incomplete adjuvant. Antibodies to soluble mycelial antigens were inconsistently present in the sera of mice vaccinated with sub-lethal doses of viable spores. They were generally present in the sera of animals vaccinated with mycelial extracts or hyphal walls but not killed spores. Delayed hypersensitivity reactions to A. ramosa mycelial antigens could usually be elicited by intradermal tests in mice exposed to viable spores but irregularly in those vaccinated with non-viable preparations. Positive reactions were also frequently given by older mice not deliberately exposed to A. ramosa. Although mice previously exposed to viable A. ramosa spores were highly resistant to intravenous or intracerebral challenge with this fungus, they were more likely to develop persistent local granulomata on subcutaneous injection of spores than were unvaccinated animals.
Isolation and characterization of 28 new microsatellite markers for European flounder (Platichthys flesus L.)

The European flounder (Platichthys flesus L.) is used in ecotoxicological studies to provide detailed information on the effects of pollution on individual fish. Data on population and evolutionary level effects are, however, limited. Here, the isolation and characterization of 28 novel species specific microsatellite loci are presented. The number of alleles ranged from 8 to 38, and observed heterozygosity from 0.542 to 1.
High frequency of antigenic variation in Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infections

SUMMARY Rates at which Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense trypanosomes switch from expression of one variable antigen type (VAT) to that of another have been determined in cloned populations that have been recently tsetse-fly transmitted. Switching rates have been determined between several, specific pairs of VATs in each population. High rates of switching were observed in 2 cloned trypanosome lines, each derived from a separate cyclical transmission of the same parental stock and each expressing a different major VAT. Five estimates of the switching rate between one particular pair of VATs were consistently high (approximately 1 × 103 switches/cell/generation). These high switching rates were similar both in bloodstream populations of mice and in populations confined to subcutaneously implanted growth chambers in mice, thus indicating that the interaction of the bloodstream population with other trypanosome populations in the lymphatics or extravascular sites in systemic infections did not influence the estimates of the rate of switching. Fourteen estimates were made of VAT-specific switching rates in bloodstream infections involving 8 combinations from among 6 VATs. Switching rate estimates were VAT-specific and showed considerable variation between different combinations of VATs — from 1.9 × 10−6 to 6.9 × 10−3 switches/cel/generation. The rates of switching to different metacyclic-VATs were, however, very similar. Summation of between 3 and 5 VAT-specific switching rate values in each of 4 experiments conducted in bloodstream infections has provided minimum estimates of the overall rate of antigenic variation: 2.0−9.3 × 10−3 switches/cell/generation. These values are between 20 and 66000-fold higher than previously published estimates. It is likely that at least 1 in every 100 trypanosomes switches its VAT expression every generation.