Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Receptor cell habituation in the A1 auditory receptor of four noctuoid moths.

Moths of both sexes of Empyreuma affinis (=pugione) and Syntomeida epilais (Arctiidae, Ctenuchinae), Maenas jussiae (Arctiidae, Arctiinae) and Spodoptera frugiperda (Noctuidae, Amphipyrinae) were studied. Spike activity in the A1 cell was recorded using a stainless-steel hook electrode from the tympanic nerve in the mesothorax. Acoustic stimuli consisting of 25 and 100 ms pulses at the best frequency for the species and at intensities that evoke A1 cell saturation response were used at repetition rates of 0.5 and 5 Hz for 100 ms stimuli, and between 2 and 20 Hz for 25 ms stimuli. Stimuli at a repetition rate corresponding to a duty cycle of 5 % (25 ms at 2 Hz and 100 ms at 0.5 Hz) did not evoke monotonic changes in the responses of the A1 cell. With 25 ms pulses, rates above 5 Hz evoked an exponential decrease in the number of spikes and an increase in the latency of the responses of all the 37 specimens tested. The response duration showed no apparent change with stimulus repetition rates even at the highest duty cycle used (50 %), i.e. 25 ms at 20 Hz and 100 ms at 5 Hz. The higher the rate of stimulus repetition, the more marked were the changes in the A1 cell responses. In 16 of 17 preparations from two species, habituation had no effect on the adaptation rate in each response, while in seven of eight specimens of another species, the adaptation rate decreased with stimulus repetition. These results, and those from another mechanoreceptor cell, indicate that receptor cell adaptation (changes evoked in the response by a stimulus of constant intensity) and habituation (changes in the responses due to stimulus repetition rate) are two distinctive phenomena. The A1 cell in its habituated state showed an increase in its response to incremental increases in stimulus intensity of 10 dB. This result supports the idea that receptor cell habituation does not seem to be due to fatigue, i.e. to a temporary loss of the ability to respond to stimulation induced in a sensory receptor by continued stimulation.
Failure of a Quality Improvement Process to Increase Nutrition Delivery to Intensive Care Patients

The importance of nutrition support in intensive care has been recognised, but many factors may limit successful provision of patients’ requirements. We conducted a twelve-month prospective audit, with intervention after six months, to determine whether longer-stay (>3 days) patients in our intensive care unit were receiving their nutritional requirements and to identify and improve factors limiting nutrition provision. Data was collected for 379 consecutive patients admitted to intensive care longer than three days. Total energy provided to each patient was recorded daily and compared with the predicted requirement. In the first six months, patients commenced nutrition 2.2±1.3 days after intensive care admission and were receiving 100% of predicted energy requirement by 4.8±3.3 days. Patients received nutrition on 82.3% of total patient-days, daily average 71.7% (43.2) of their energy requirement. Nutrition was interrupted on 30% of total patient-days. After six months, a Clinical Practice Improvement model was used to analyse reasons for inadequate feeding and introduce changes in practice. Main reasons for interruption included preparation for extubation and upper gastrointestinal intolerance. After intervention, interruptions due to these reasons were significantly reduced, however, no significant improvement was observed overall, either in the time to reach nutritional goals, or in the amount of energy received. Successful changes in practice, targeting only one or two main issues, can be overwhelmed by other factors. To effect significant improvement, a wider approach may be required.
Cardioprotective Activity of Garlic ( Allium sativum ) in Isoproterenol-Induced Rat Myocardial Necrosis : A Biochemical and Histoarchitectural Evaluation

The current study dealt with the protective role of garlic oil on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in rats. Subcutaneous injection of ISO (20 mg/kg body weight in1ml saline) to rats for 2 consecutive days offered significant alteration in biochemical parameters and moderate necrosis in heart. Effect of garlic oil oral treatment for 60 days (75 mg /kg body weight) was evaluated against ISO (20 mg/kg, sc)-induced cardiac necrosis. Levels of marker enzymes (AST, ALT, LDH and CPK) were assessed in serum, antioxidant parameters viz., reduced glutathione (GSH), and lipid peroxides were assayed in serum and heart homogenate. Significant myocardial necrosis, depletion of endogenous antioxidants and increase in serum levels of marker enzymes were observed in ISO-treated animals when compared with the normal animals. Garlic oil elicited a significant cardio protective activity by lowering the levels of serum marker enzymes and lipid peroxidation and elevated the levels of GSH. The present findings have demonstrated that the cardioprotective effects of garlic oil in ISO-induced oxidative damage may be due to an augmentation of the endogenous antioxidants and inhibition of lipid peroxidation of membrane.
Classification of duty pulses affecting energy storage systems in vehicular applications

The study of traction batteries real-world usage in vehicular applications faces a handful of serious challenges. In this paper, we propose a new approach to evaluate real-world collected data of battery usage in EVs and HEVs. This automated method relies on K-means clustering technique and aims at classifying duty pulses according to their current and energy distributions. We present the way data must be prepared and we discuss the results of the clustering. We believe this method enables meaningful comparison of vehicles architectures, road conditions, battery management strategies or driving behaviours. Ultimately, it allows for the elaboration of battery ageing profiles which should be more representative of real-world usage.
Parents’ preferences for participation in decisions made regarding their child’s anaesthetic care

Background: The traditional paternalistic approach to medical decision‐making is moving towards a climate of greater patient and/or surrogate involvement. Despite this, there is considerable debate regarding patient preferences for participation in medical decision‐making and its effect on patient satisfaction and outcome. This study was designed to examine parents’ preferences for participation in decisions regarding their child’s anaesthetic care and to determine if active participation is associated with greater parental satisfaction.
Multiplication of parvovirus LuIII in a synchronized culture system. III. Replication of viral DNA

The replication of the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) of parvovirus LuIII was studied in synchronized HeLa cells. After infection of the cells in early S phase, synthesis of a replicative form (RF) DNA became detectable as early as 9 h postinfection, i.e., after display of the cellular helper function(s) indispensable for the replication of LuIII virus. According to digestion with nuclease S1, hybridization studies, and electron microscopy, RF DNA is a linear, double-stranded molecule comparable in length to mature ssDNA. It sedimented around 15S in neutral solution and banded at 1.714 g/ml in CsCl. Moreover, replication of LuIII DNA obviously includes a further replicative intermediate DNA which sedimented in front of RF DNA and bore single-stranded side-chains. Newly synthesized DNA disappeared from pools containing both RF DNA and replicative intermediate DNA within 5 min and reappeared in progeny virions only after 15 min. Intranuclear accumulation of significant amounts of progeny ssDNA could not be detected. It was postulated, therefore, that newly synthesized ssDNA is immediately enclosed in a stable maturation complex and resists extraction by the method of Hirt (1967).
Sequence Analysis and Expression of a Blue-Light Photoreceptor Gene, Le.phrA from the Basidiomycetous Mushroom Lentinula edodes

We cloned and sequenced a photoreceptor gene (Le.phrA) from the basidiomycete Lentinula edodes. The product of Le.phrA, Le.PHRA (924 aa residues) contained a serine-rich region, an LOV domain and two PAS domains. It was clearly smaller than other fungal LOV domain-containing blue-light photoreceptors such as Coprinopsis cinerea Dst1 (1,175 aa), Neurospora crassa WC-1 (1,167 aa), and Cryptococcus neoformans WC-1 (1,141 aa). The Le.phrA gene was found to be transcribed at all stages of the fruiting-body formation of L. edodes, but it was most abundantly transcribed in the immature fruiting body. Fully-matured fruiting body also contained relatively large amounts of Le.phrA transcript. Although the transcript level was lower, preprimordial aggregated mycelial cells grown under a light environment contained larger amounts of the transcript than those grown under continuous darkness, suggesting a light-enhanced expression of the Le.phrA gene. Hymenophore-depleted pileus contained a markedly higher level of the transcript than the stipe.
Self-Organized Criticality in Time Series of Power Systems Fault, Its Mechanism, and Potential Application

The paper analyzed time series of fault in four transmission and distribution systems for evidence of self-organized criticality (SOC). The detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) of the time series shows prominent long-time correlations. Furthermore, the probability distribution of number of faults per day has a power law tail. Thus, the time series of power system fault seem consistent with SOC. Detailed analysis showed that time series of fault in transmission systems derives its SOC from cascading outage within power system and SOC of atmosphere system, while the time series of fault in distribution systems derive its SOC from that of atmosphere system. The roles that cascade outage play in SOC of the time series of fault in distribution systems remain unknown. Since extreme climate will be more intense and frequent with climate variation, the skewed distribution of power systems fault will be intensified as a consequence. Potential application using SOC feature of time series of fault can be developed to facilitate power systems adaptation to climate change in an economical way.
What causes economics losses from natural disasters in India

The reported economic losses due to natural disasters show an increasing trend over time for India. This is due to the influence of three factors: bio-physical drivers, exposure and vulnerability. Normalising the influence of exposure and vulnerability of socio-economic factors, this chapter potentially detects the influence of climate, caused by natural climate variability as well as anthropogenic climate change, in determining the damages from natural disasters. It analyses the trends in both the reported and normalised economic losses from natural disasters in India during 1964 and 2012. Similar analysis is also carried out for a subset of major disaster events like cyclonic storms and floods. No significant trend is found either for the normalised damage costs from natural disasters or for individual extreme events like floods and cyclonic storms. The findings suggest that the increases in damage costs is due to higher exposure and vulnerability of the socio-economic conditions of those affected, and recommends for additional investments on infrastructure to strengthen the adaptive capacity of the vulnerable sections with respect to the socio-economic factors.
C5a is important in the tubulointerstitial component of experimental immune complex glomerulonephritis

Interstitial injury is the hallmark of glomerulonephritis which is progressing to end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). In humans and experimental animals, we have shown that interstitial disease is accompanied by up‐regulation of complement components in tubular epithelial cells. Glomerulonephritis was induced in mice by the intraperitoneal injection of horse spleen apoferritin (HSA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In addition to wild‐type C57/B6 mice, animals in which the C5a receptor had been deleted (C5aR KO) were used. Animals were killed after 3 or 6 weeks, and kidneys harvested. At three weeks, both groups had evidence of mild mesangial matrix expansion and increased cellularity; there were no crescents, sclerotic lesions, or interstitial disease. At six weeks, glomerular lesions were advanced, but identical in the two groups. Both groups had evidence of an identical pattern of C3 gene expression in the tubular epithelium by in situ hybridization. There was a marked difference, however, in the extent of interstitial injury. Wild‐type animals had significantly greater numbers of infiltrating interstitial cells, greater expansion of the peritubular space, more tubular atrophy, and more apoptotic tubular cells than did C5aR KOs. The anaphylotoxic fragment of C5, C5a, is not likely to be important in the glomerular component of this model of progressive glomerulonephritis. On the other hand, the interstitial component is markedly attenuated in knockout animals. These data support a role for complement in the interstitial component of this glomerulonephritis model. They are consistent with our hypotheses of a role for complement in the progression of some forms of glomerulonephritis to ESRD.
Irregular Model Synthesis via Boundary Consistency Analysis

The detailed 3D environment becomes an essential way for offering the richest user experience in the digital entertainment or virtual reality application. Model synthesis [Mer07,MM08,MM09,MM11] is one of the effective methods to create 3D complex shapes from an example. Compared with other methods, this method can realize multidirectional extending easily. Besides, it is a general-purpose modeling tool, which can accept many different example models. One problem of prior work in model synthesis is that it can only extend example models on the regular grid structure. It is inefficient when people need to create some non-parallel or curved structures, which are more popular in the real world. To solve it, we extend the previous adjacent constraint by relaxing the boundary matching constraint, and the constraint is called generalized adjacent constraint. Through a boundary consistency analysis, more adjacent relation can be found to support synthesis on the irregular structure. Then an optimization framework is introduced to refine the synthesis result by maximizing an energy function.
Management of Symptomatic Lumbar Pseudarthrosis With Anteroposterior Fusion: A Functional and Radiographic Outcome Study

Study Design. An independent retrospective review of 37 patients undergoing 39 anteroposterior lumbar fusions for lumbar pseudarthrosis repair between 1984 and 1990. Objectives. To evaluate radiographically and functionally the results of the combined anteroposterior fusion for the management of symptomatic lumbar pseudarthrosis, and to assess risk factors for functional failure after the procedure. Summary of Background Data. Most reported techniques of pseudarthrosis repair involve posterior fusion with no instrumentation, posterior fusion with instrumentation, or anterior fusion alone. The results of lumbar pseudarthrosis repair are poor. Fusion rates range from 30% to 70%, with only a 30% to 50% rate of functional success. Methods. Thirty-nine procedures were assessed in 37 patients. The outcomes were assessed radiographically (solid fusion vs. pseudarthrosis) and functionally (success vs. failure). Radiographs were assessed at follow-up examination for consolidation of fusion anteriorly and posteriorly. Functional outcome was graded by using multiple instruments, including data from chart review and the follow-up outcome questionnaire. A functional failure score that took into account 10 items was developed. Results. In this patient population (37 patients, 59% with a smoking history, 71% with compensation or legal claims), there was a 10% pseudarthrosis rate. Pseudarthrosis was defined when one or more levels were involved and when it occurred anteriorly and posteriorly. In 12 patients (35%), the outcome was rated as functional failure. The presence of one or more abnormal neurologic findings and significant narcotic use before surgery significantly increased the chance of a patient’s outcome being functional failure. Workmen’s Compensation or legal status before surgery also increased the chance of functional failure, though this correlation was not statistically significant. Conclusions. A combined anterior and posterior approach for the management of symptomatic lumbar pseudarthrosis is a viable alternative to posterior fusion alone. In fact, this procedure affords a higher fusion rate based on radiographic assessment. Functional failure rates may be decreased by using caution for those patients using narcotics regularly before surgery or in those with unexplained preoperative neurologic abnormal findings.
WT1-mediated Transcriptional Activation Is Inhibited by Dominant Negative Mutant Proteins (*)

The WT1 tumor suppressor gene encodes four isoforms of a zinc finger transcription factor with both activation and repression functions which are dependent upon promoter architecture. Using a simple HSV- tk promoter containing 5′-Egr-1/WT1-binding sites, we found that WT1 isoforms (A) and (B) strongly activated transcription. WT1(A) and (B) bound equally well to the Egr-1/WT1-binding site, but WT1(B), which contains a 17 amino acid insertion compared to WT1(A), was a consistently stronger activator of transcription than WT1(A). Transcriptional activation by wild-type WT1 was inhibited by coexpression of WT(PM) or WT(AR), genetically defined dominant negative alleles of WT1. In vitro, as well as in the yeast two-hybrid system, WT1 protein associated with itself and with dominant negative mutant proteins. The major domain required for self-association and inhibition of transcriptional activation mapped to the first 182 amino acids of WT1. Dominant negative WT1 alleles may play a role in tumorigenesis by associating with wild-type WT1 proteins and decreasing their transcriptional activity.
An Adaptable Framework for Interoperating Between Wireless Sensor Networks and External Applications

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are considered the bridge to connect physical and digital worlds and thus an important element of the Future Internet. Consequently, integrating WSNs with external applications is an undeniable requirement. A gateway-based solution in which the sensed data and functions of WSNs are exposed as web services is a common approach. The problem of current integration solutions for WSNs is their adaptability, i.e., the ability to reuse gateways and proxies in a multitude of sensor networks with different types of applications and data frames. In this paper, we present our proposal for this problem by proposing a framework that uses a language for describing the traffic in sensor networks named Sensor Traffic Description Language (STDL). In order to reuse the framework on a new sensor network, it is only necessary to describe the network’s frame structures using STDL.
2011 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused update on the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (updating the 2006 guideline): a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines.

Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA, FESC, Co-Chair; Lars E. Ryden, MD, PhD, FACC, FESC, FAHA, Co-Chair; David S. Cannom, MD, FACC; Harry J. Crijns, MD, FACC, FESC; Anne B. Curtis, MD, FACC, FAHA; Kenneth A. Ellenbogen, MD, FACC, FHRS† Jonathan L. Halperin, MD, FACC, FAHA; G. Neal Kay, MD, FACC
Combined Fractures of the Distal Radius and Scaphoid

Combined fractures of the distal radius and scaphoid are uncommon, are usually the result of a high-energy trauma and there is no consensus regarding their optimal management. We present a retrospective study of ten patients, out of whom nine underwent internal fixation of their fractures. Open reduction and internal fixation were performed in six of the eight intraarticular fractures of the distal radius. After a mean follow-up of 40 months, eight patients reported no pain and the mean range of wrist motion was 55° flexion and 71° extension. Our current management protocol is outlined. Emphasis on treatment of this combined fracture should be placed on the management of the distal radius fracture. Internal fixation of both fractures, followed by early rehabilitation, optimises outcomes. Cast treatment is indicated only in patients with completely undisplaced fractures of both the radius and the scaphoid.
The integrity of lexical acquisition mechanisms in autism spectrum disorders: A research review

Research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has rapidly expanded in recent years, yielding important developments in both theory and practice. While we have gained important insights into how children with ASD differ from typically developing (TD) children in terms of phenotypic features, less has been learned about if and how development in ASD differs from typical development in terms of underlying mechanisms of change. This article aims to provide a review of processes subserving lexical development in ASD, with the goal of identifying contributing factors to the heterogeneity of language outcomes in ASD. The focus is on available evidence of the integrity or disruption of these mechanisms in ASD, as well as their significance for vocabulary development; topics include early speech perception and preference, speech segmentation, word learning, and category formation. Significant gaps in the literature are identified and future directions are suggested. Autism Res 2016, 9: 810–828. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Vasorelaxant Effects of Icariin on Isolated Canine Coronary Artery

Owing to its cardiovascular therapeutical effects, icariin, a flavonoid isolated from Epimedii herba, is considered to be the major active constituent of Epimedii herba. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of icariin on precontracted coronary artery isolated from canine. Coronary artery segments were isolated from normal anesthetized Beagle dogs and cut into 5-mm rings. The rings were mounted in an organ chamber and contracted by either 40 mM KCl or 10 μM PGF2α, and vasorelaxant tone to icariin was measured. Treatment of icariin could significantly produce a relaxation of precontracted coronary arterial rings with intact endothelium in a concentration-dependent manner. Comparatively, the vasorelaxation disappeared in denuded-endothelium rings. Furthermore, the vasorelaxant effect of icariin was blocked by Nw-Nitro- L-arginine Methyl Ester (L-NAME), 1H-[1, 2, 4]-oxadiazolo [4, 3-a] quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) but not by indomethacin and glibenclamide, respectively. Tetraethylammonium (TEA) could partly antagonize the vasorelaxant effect triggered by icariin. There was no significant gene expression difference of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene in coronary arterial rings among the different concentrations of icariin by RT-PCR, but the activity of eNOS was increased in a concentration-dependent manner after icariin exposure. These results suggest that icariin produces NO-dependent relaxation in the isolated canine coronary artery, and the possible mechanism is involved in the activation of eNOS protein and NO-cGMP pathway.