Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy Measures Molecular Transport in Cells

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) can measure dynamics of fluorescent molecules in cells. FCS measures the fluctuations in the number of fluorescent molecules in a small volume illuminated by a thin beam of excitation light. These fluctuations are processed statistically to yield an autocorrelation function from which rates of diffusion, convection, chemical reaction, and other processes can be extracted. The advantages of this approach include the ability to measure the mobility of a very small number of molecules, even down to the single molecule level, over a wide range of rates in very small regions of a cell. In addition to rates of diffusion and convection, FCS also provides unique information about the local concentration, states of aggregation and molecular interaction using fluctuation amplitude and cross‐correlation methods. Recent advances in technology have rendered these once difficult measurements accessible to routine use in cell biology and biochemistry. This review provides a summary of the FCS method and describes current areas in which the FCS approach is being extended beyond its original scope.
A novel role for flotillin‐1 in H‐Ras‐regulated breast cancer aggressiveness

Elevated expression and aberrant activation of Ras have been implicated in breast cancer aggressiveness. H‐Ras, but not N‐Ras, induces breast cell invasion. A crucial link between lipid rafts and H‐Ras function has been suggested. This study sought to identify the lipid raft protein(s) responsible for H‐Ras‐induced tumorigenicity and invasiveness of breast cancer. We conducted a comparative proteomic analysis of lipid raft proteins from invasive MCF10A human breast epithelial cells engineered to express active H‐Ras and non‐invasive cells expressing active N‐Ras. Here, we identified a lipid raft protein flotillin‐1 as an important regulator of H‐Ras activation and breast cell invasion. Flotillin‐1 was required for epidermal growth factor‐induced activation of H‐Ras, but not that of N‐Ras, in MDA‐MB‐231 triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Flotillin‐1 knockdown inhibited the invasiveness of MDA‐MB‐231 and Hs578T TNBC cells in vitro and in vivo. In xenograft mouse tumor models of these TNBC cell lines, we showed that flotillin‐1 played a critical role in tumor growth. Using human breast cancer samples, we provided clinical evidence for the metastatic potential of flotillin‐1. Membrane staining of flotillin‐1 was positively correlated with metastatic spread (p = 0.013) and inversely correlated with patient disease‐free survival rates (p = 0.005). Expression of flotillin‐1 was associated with H‐Ras in breast cancer, especially in TNBC (p < 0.001). Our findings provide insight into the molecular basis of Ras isoform‐specific interplay with flotillin‐1, leading to tumorigenicity and aggressiveness of breast cancer.
Prevention of relapse in women who quit smoking during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES This study is an evaluation of relapse prevention interventions for smokers who quit during pregnancy. METHODS Pregnant smokers at 2 managed care organizations were randomized to receive a self-help booklet only, prepartum relapse prevention, or prepartum and postpartum relapse prevention. Follow-up surveys were conducted at 28 weeks of pregnancy and at 8 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postpartum. RESULTS The pre/post intervention delayed but did not prevent postpartum relapse to smoking. Prevalent abstinence was significantly greater for the pre/post intervention group than for the other groups at 8 weeks (booklet group, 30%; prepartum group, 35%; pre/post group, 39%; P = .02 [different superscripts denote differences at P < .05]) and at 6 months (booklet group, 26%, prepartum group, 24%; pre/post group, 33%; P = .04) postpartum. A nonsignificant reduction in relapse among the pre/post group contributed to differences in prevalent abstinence. There was no difference between the groups in prevalent abstinence at 12 months postpartum. CONCLUSIONS Relapse prevention interventions may need to be increased in duration and potency to prevent post-partum relapse.
COSMIC GAMMA-RAY BACKGROUND FROM STAR-FORMING GALAXIES

The origin of the extragalactic gamma-ray background is a pressing cosmological mystery. The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope has recently measured the intensity and spectrum of this background; both are substantially different from previous measurements. We present a novel calculation of the gamma-ray background from normal star-forming galaxies. Contrary to long-standing expectations, we find that numerous but individually faint normal galaxies may comprise the bulk of the Fermi signal, rather than rare but intrinsically bright active galaxies. This result has wide-ranging implications, including: the possibility to probe the cosmic star formation history with gamma rays; the ability to infer the cosmological evolution of cosmic rays and galactic magnetic fields; and an increased likelihood of identifying subdominant components from rare sources (e.g., dark matter clumps) through their large anisotropy.
Mast Cell Migration from the Skin to the Draining Lymph Nodes upon Ultraviolet Irradiation Represents a Key Step in the Induction of Immune Suppression1

The UV radiation in sunlight is the primary cause of skin cancer. UV is also immunosuppressive and numerous studies have shown that UV-induced immune suppression is a major risk factor for skin cancer induction. Previous studies demonstrated that dermal mast cells play a critical role in the induction of immune suppression. Mast cell-deficient mice are resistant to the immunosuppressive effects of UV radiation, and UV-induced immune suppression can be restored by injecting bone marrow-derived mast cells into the skin of mast cell- deficient mice. The exact process however, by which mast cells contribute to immune suppression, is not known. In this study, we show that one of the first steps in the induction of immune suppression is mast cell migration from the skin to the draining lymph nodes. UV exposure, in a dose-dependent manner, causes a significant increase in lymph node mast cell numbers. When GFP+ skin was grafted onto mast cell-deficient mice, we found that GFP+ mast cells preferentially migrated into the lymph nodes draining the skin. The mast cells migrated primarily to the B cell areas of the draining nodes. Mast cells express CXCR4+ and UV exposure up-regulated the expression of its ligand CXCL12 by lymph node B cells. Treating UV-irradiated mice with a CXCR4 antagonist blocked mast cell migration and abrogated UV-induced immune suppression. Our findings indicate that UV-induced mast cell migration to draining lymph nodes, mediated by CXCR4 interacting with CXCL12, represents a key early step in UV-induced immune suppression.
Increased responsiveness may be associated with tripronuclear embryos in both conventional in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles using gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist long protocols: A self‐matched observational study

Aims: In this self‐matched observational study, the factors associated with the presence of tripronuclear (3PN) embryos, in conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles using gonadotropin‐releasing hormone agonist long protocols, were investigated.
Combining VAR Forecast Densities Using Fast Fourier Transform

In this paper, I propose the use of fast Fourier transform (FFT) as a convenient tool for combining forecast densities of vector autoregressive models in a hybrid Bayesian manner. While a vast amount of papers comprises combinations based on normal approximations, Monte Carlo methods were fully utilized here, which made the analysis computationally demanding. For the sake of minimization of computational time, the FFT algorithm was used to combine the densities of poorly simulated partial models. As a result, a minor loss of quality in the final combined model was allowed, in contrast with the reduction in the necessary simulation time. However, it turns out in the end that the FFT-based approach exceeds ´brute-force´ simulation in all aspects. The suggested method is demonstrated on an ex ante prediction of the Czech GDP and on a pair of artificial examples.
Desmodium gangeticum root extract attenuates isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophic growth in rats

Context: Desmodium gangeticum (L) DC (Fabaceae; DG), a medicinal plant that grows in tropical habitats, is widely used to treat various ailments including digestive and inflammatory disorders. Aims: To investigate the possible cardioprotective activity of a DG root extract against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced left ventricular cardiac hypertrophy (LVH) in adult Wistar rats. Methods: Daily intraperitoneal administration of ISO (10 mg/kg body weight, single injection) for 7 days induced LVH in rats. The LVH rats were post-treated orally with DG (100 mg/kg body weight) for a period of 30 days. Thereafter, changes in heart weight (HW) and body weight (BW), HW/BW ratio, percent of hypertrophy, collagen accumulation, activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -2 and -9, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes, and the level of an oxidative stress marker, lipid peroxide (LPO), were determined. Results: HW/BW ratio, an indicator of hypertrophic growth, was significantly reduced in DG root post-treated LVH rats as compared with that for the non-treated LVH rats. The altered levels of ventricular LPO, collagen, MMPs-2 and -9, and antioxidant enzymes in the ISO-treated animals reverted back to near normal upon DG treatment. Further, the anti-hypertrophic activity of DG was comparable to that of the standard drug losartan (10 mg/kg). Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that the aqueous root extract of DG exhibited anti-hypertrophic activity in-vivo by inhibiting ISO-induced ROS generation and MMP activities.
Reply: genetic polymorphisms and cerebrovascular disease in children with sickle cell anemia from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

1BSc, MSc, PhD, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil; 2MD, MSc, PhD, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil; 3 MD, PhD, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil; 4MD, MSc, PhD, Instituto Estadual de Hematologia Arthur de Siqueira Cavalcante, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil; 5MD, Instituto Estadual de Hematologia Arthur de Siqueira Cavalcante, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil; 6MD, MSc, PhD, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói RJ, Brasil. Correspondence: Isaac Lima da Silva Filho; Laboratório de Pesquisa em Patogenia Viral, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Evandro Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; Avenida Brasil 4365; 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro RJ Brasil; E-mail: filho40@gmail.com Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interest to declare. Received 29 March 2012; Accepted 05 April 2012.
High-harmonic gyrodevices with frequency multiplication

Methods for realization of two-wave gyro-oscillators with frequency multiplication provided in a single operating cavity are proposed. A possibility for realization of a moderately-relativistic (250 keV) THz gyro-multiplier operating at 5-6 cyclotron harmonic with the output power of about 1 kW, as well as of an analogous weakly-relativistic (80 keV) CW device with the output power of 1 W, is demonstrated.
Haplotype tests using coalescent simulations conditional on the number of segregating sites.

Recently, we proposed two neutrality tests (Depau-lis and Veuille 1998) based on haplotype number ( K ) and haplotype diversity ( H ). They relied on coalescent simulations conditional on the observed number of segregating sites ( S ) following the coalescent simulation procedure proposed by Hudson (1993). In a companion letter, Markovtsova, Marjoram, and Tavare´ (2001) use an alternative approach, based on the joint distribution of K and S, and show that the corresponding tests are not independent of the population mutational parameter (cid:117) ( (cid:117) (cid:53) 4 N e (cid:109) , where N e is the effective population size and (cid:109) is the neutral mutation rate per generation). They use the classical procedure of coalescent simulations conditional on (cid:117) and restrict their distribution to the particular subset of genealogies consistent with a particular value of S. They show that if (cid:117) is extreme, the probability of rejection can be substantially different from 5%. In another companion letter, Wall and Hudson that the test based on K is reasonably ro-bust in its original form. They perform coalescent simulations conditional on (cid:117) for a wide range of values. In contrast to the previous approach, they consider all the outcomes of the neutral simulations with various S values and look at the corresponding (various) conﬁdence
Active power management of hybrid fuel cell, photovoltaic unit, and supercapacitor power conversion system in a microgrid

This paper presents modeling, active power management strategy, and implementation of a fuel cell, pbotovoltaic, and super-capacitor power conversion system in MATLAB. The micro-grid includes two distributed generation (DG) units. Each DG unit consists of a fuel cell (FC), photovoltaic unit (PV) and super-capacitor (SC). The super-capacitor energy storage compensates the shortage power of FC stack, PV unit and the load demand. The output of DG unit is connected to grid using inverter. Load changes are applied for balanced conditions. The frequency deviation is fed to adaptive proportional resonance controller which adapts to the changes in frequency. This results in eliminating steady state error and output impedance of DG unit is decreased thereby reducing low frequency oscillations in the power components of the DG units. The system is modeled and simulated using software. The dynamic response of the DG units to balanced load changes is investigated using software.
Optical magnetic near-field intensities around nanometer-scale surface structures

Recently, local probes used in optical experiments added a new dimension to the study of the optical properties of small particles lying on a surface. Until now, several theoretical frameworks, developed to understand the interaction of optical fields with mesoscopic and nanoscopic objects, emphasized mainly the prediction of the electric near-field distributions generated by these structures. This paper demonstrates how such subwavelength dielectric surface structures also produce a particular confinement of the optical magnetic near field when the sample is illuminated by a surface wave.
Antibacterial treatment of gastric ulcers associated with Helicobacter pylori.

BACKGROUND There is a strong association between infection with Helicobacter pylori and gastric ulcers that are unrelated to the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medications. We studied the efficacy of antibacterial therapy without medication to suppress gastric acid for the treatment of patients with H. pylori infection and gastric ulcers unrelated to the use of nonsteroidal agents. METHODS Patients with gastric ulcers seen on endoscopy and with H. pylori infection confirmed by smear or culture were randomly assigned to receive either a one-week course of antibacterial agents (120 mg of bismuth subcitrate, 500 mg of tetracycline, and 400 mg of metronidazole, each given orally four times a day) or a four-week course of omeprazole (20 mg orally per day). Follow-up endoscopies were performed after five and nine weeks. The patients and their physicians were aware of the treatment assignments, but the endoscopists were not. RESULTS A total of 100 patients were randomly assigned to treatment, and 85 completed the trial. At five weeks, H. pylori had been eradicated in 41 of the 45 patients in the antibacterial-treatment group (91.1 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 82.9 to 99.3) and in 5 of the 40 in the omeprazole group (12.5 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.3 to 22.7; P < 0.001). The gastric ulcers were healed in 38 of the patients treated with antibacterial drugs (84.4 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 73.9 to 95.0) and in 29 of those treated with omeprazole (72.5 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 58.6 to 86.4; P = 0.28). At nine weeks, ulcer healing was confirmed in 43 of the patients receiving antibacterial therapy and in 37 of those receiving omeprazole (P = 1.0). The mean (+/- SD) duration of pain during the first week of treatment was 1.9 +/- 2.6 days in the omeprazole group, as compared with 3.6 +/- 3.0 days in the antibacterial-treatment group (P = 0.004). One year after treatment, recurrent gastric ulcers were detected in 1 of 22 patients (4.5 percent) in the antibacterial-treatment group and in 12 of 23 (52.2 percent) in the omeprazole group (P = 0.001). H. pylori was detected in the 1 patient with a recurrent ulcer who had received antibacterial treatment and in 10 of the 12 patients with recurrent ulcers who had received omeprazole. CONCLUSIONS In patients with H. pylori infection and gastric ulcers unrelated to the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, one week of antibacterial therapy without acid suppression heals the ulcers as well as omeprazole and reduces the rate of their recurrence.
Malate‐induced feedback regulation of plasma membrane anion channels could provide a CO2 sensor to guard cells.

Plants have developed strategies to circumvent limitations in water supply through the adjustment of stomatal aperture in relation to the photosynthetic capacity (water‐use efficiency). The CO2 sensor of guard cells, reporting on the metabolic status of the photosynthetic tissue, is, however, as yet unknown. We elucidated whether extracellular malate has the capability to serve as a signal metabolite in regulating the membrane properties of guard cells. Patch‐clamp studies showed that slight variations in the external malate concentration induced major alterations in the voltage‐dependent activity of the guard cell anion channel (GCAC1). Superfusion of guard cell protoplasts with malate solutions in the physiological range caused the voltage‐gate to shift towards hyperpolarized potentials (Km(mal) = 0.4 mM elicits a 38 mV shift). The selectivity sequence of the anion channel NO3‐ (4.2) > or = I‐ (3.9) > Br‐ (1.9) > Cl‐ (1) >> mal (0.1) indicates that malate is able to permeate GCAC1. The binding site for shifting the gate is, however, located on the extracellular face of the channel since cytoplasmic malate proved ineffective. Single‐channel analysis indicates that extracellular malate affects the voltage‐dependent mean open time rather than the unitary conductance of GCAC1. In contrast to malate the rise in the extracellular Cl‐ concentration increases the unit conductance of the anion efflux channel. We suggest that stomata sense changes in the intercellular CO2 concentration and thus the photosynthetic activity of the mesophyll via feedback regulation of anion efflux from guard cells through malate‐sensitive GCAC1.
Design of nonlinear PID-smith predictor controllers with large time delays

The process with large time delay exhibit poor stability and significant overshoot with a conventional Smith Predictor or by using a simple PID controller. This is mainly because the additional phase lag contributed by the time delay tends to destabilize the closed loop system. In this work, an improvement by introducing a non-linear PID controller in a Smith predictor compensator is proposed. Therefore, it's important to note that the method can guarantee a small time response and a little overshoot than the conventional Smith predictor controller for a bounded non-linear gain in the sector. Finally, a numerical example is presented to show the applicability and performances of the proposed design.
The impact of Fiera, a women's personal care device, on genital engorgement as measured by thermography: a proof-of-principle study

Objective: To determine the degree of vasoengorgement of the external genitalia caused by Fiera, a personal care device developed specifically to increase sexual arousal and interest. Time to onset of self-reported genital sexual arousal and development of responsive sexual desire were also measured. Methods: This nonblinded, prospective cohort, single-site study was conducted in women without sexual dysfunction between the ages of 18 and 70. Each participant underwent a single-visit procedure that established a baseline temperature of the external genitalia, followed by 15 minutes of Fiera use. A post-Fiera temperature assessment lasting 10 minutes was performed. Subjective measures assessed the development of genital arousal and responsive desire as a result of Fiera use. Results: Fourteen premenopausal and 12 postmenopausal participants completed the study. Mean time to reach genital arousal was 5.2 + 4.2 minutes in the premenopausal group, and 4.5 + 4.3 minutes in the postmenopausal group. Statistically significant increases in the temperature of the clitoris and vestibule were demonstrated in both groups up to 10 minutes after removal of Fiera. At the labia, temperature increase was significant up to 8 minutes in the premenopausal group and up to 2 minutes in the postmenopausal group. All of the participants experienced responsive sexual desire as a result of Fiera. Conclusions: Use of Fiera produced statistically significant increases in the temperature of the external genitalia, markers of vasoengorgement, in both the premenopausal and postmenopausal participants. The onset of genital sexual arousal was rapid in both groups, and responsive sexual desire was experienced by all of the participants.
Design of fractional-order PID controller (FOPID) for a class of fractional-order MIMO systems using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) approach

This paper deals with the tuning of conventional PID and fractional-order PID (FOPID) controllers by using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, for a class of fractional-order MIMO systems. This algorithm is motivated from the organism behavior of fish schooling and bird flocking, and involves the social psychology principles in socio-cognition human agents and evolutionary computations. It has a good numerical convergence for solving optimization problem. To illustrate the validity of the PSO-based FOPID and PID controllers, some simulation results are given. In addition, a comparative study between those optimized controllers is carried out.
Healthcare Epidemiology is the Paradigm for Patient Safety

I was honored to receive the 2001 Lectureship Award from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). It was my intent during the talk to review our field and implications that some of the new initiatives called “patient safety” have for our expertise. This article is based on the SHEA Lectureship that was given April 1, 2001, at the SHEA Annual Meeting in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This article consists of four sections. First, I review lessons learned from colleagues during the 33 years that I have been associated with the field of hospital epidemiology and infection control, since my first days at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Second, I explore issues raised by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on patient safety, adverse events, and medical errors, evaluating research that went into the extrapolation of the numbers of preventable deaths that this report highlighted. Those deaths gained everyone's attention. Third, I review the field of healthcare epidemiology, highlighting the three decades of success in our field in enhancing the safety of patients, improving their outcomes, and making a difference in the quality of medical care received in the United States. Finally, I discuss the challenges that hospital epidemiology currently faces and the opportunities that come with the expertise we have developed during more than 30 years.