Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kainic acid lesions of striatum and decortication reduce specific [3H]sulpiride binding in rats, so D‐2 receptors exist post‐synaptically on corticostriate afferents and striatal neurons

Unilateral kainic acid lesions of rat striatum reduced specific striatal [3H]spiperone and [3H]sulpiride binding sites (Bmax) by 52 and 67% respectively compared with the intact side. The dissociation constant (KD) for [3H]spiperone binding was unchanged but that for [3H]]sulpiride binding was reduced. Specific striatal [3H]spiperone and [3H]sulpiride binding was reduced by 22 and 37% respectively in unilateral decorticate animals, but there was no change in KD. Unilateral 6‐hydroxydopamine lesions of the medial forebrain bundle caused no change in striatal [3H]spiperone binding sites or KD value, but produced a 27% increase in [3H]sulpiride binding sites with no change in KD. These data support the hypothesis of D‐2 receptors located on cortico‐striate glutamate fibres, but also indicate the presence of both D‐1 and D‐2 receptors on the cell bodies of striatal neurons.
Relationships between Hotel Room Pricing, Occupancy, and Guest Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Case of a Midscale Hotel in the United States

This case study examined the relationship among hotel room prices, occupancy percentage, and guest satisfaction using 3 years of data from 3,875 actual guest satisfaction surveys at an upper-midscale hotel. The study concludes that price was a significant predictor of overall guest satisfaction and three key guest-satisfaction components: guest room cleanliness, maintenance, and attentiveness of staff (with negative, curvilinear relationships in all cases). Conversely, occupancy percentage failed to be a significant predictor of guest satisfaction.
Posttetanic changes in the human neuromuscular system.

Percutaneous stimulation of the human ulnar nerve produced muscle action potentials from the adductor pollicis muscle and twitch tension responses from thumb adduction. With increase in the stimulus strength, approximately proportional increases were found in the height of the muscle action potential and twitch tension. Tetanization can produce a long lasting potentiation of twitch tension which is accompanied by either increased, decreased or unchanged amplitude of muscle action potentials. With increase in the duration, frequency or intensity of the tetanus, an additional effect producing decreased muscle action potentials and twitch tension responses appeared, particularly at 20–30 seconds after the cessation of the tetanus. Possible mechanisms and sites of action of posttetanic potentiation in the neuromuscular system are mentioned. Submitted on December 28, 1956
Circulating concentration of FGF-23 increases as renal function declines in patients with chronic kidney disease, but does not change in response to variation in phosphate intake in healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND Hyperphosphatemia is a risk factor for the development of several different complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD), including secondary hyperparathyroidism and cardiovascular complications, due to the formation of calcium-phosphate deposits. Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) is a recently discovered protein that is mutated in autosomal-dominant hypophosphatemic rickets, an inherited phosphate wasting disorder, and it may represent a novel hormonal regulator of phosphate homeostasis. We therefore hypothesized that FGF-23 levels may be altered in hyperphosphatemia associated with renal failure and that its concentration changes in response to different levels of phosphate intake. METHODS Using a two-site enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detecting the C-terminal portion of FGF-23, serum concentration was measured in 20 patients with different stages of renal failure (creatinine range 155 to 724 micromol/L), in 33 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis treatment, and in 30 patients with functioning renal grafts. Furthermore, six healthy males were given oral phosphate binders in combination with low dietary phosphate intake for 2 days followed by 3 days of repletion with inorganic phosphate. FGF-23 levels were determined at multiple time points. RESULTS FGF-23 serum levels were significantly elevated in CKD with a strong correlation between serum creatinine and FGF-23 concentration. Independent correlations were also seen between FGF-23 and phosphate, calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and 1,25(OH)2D3. No changes in serum FGF-23 levels were observed in volunteers following ingestion of oral phosphate binders/low dietary phosphate intake, which led to a decline in phosphate excretion or during the subsequent repletion with inorganic phosphate through oral phosphate and a normal diet. CONCLUSION Circulating FGF-23 was significantly elevated in patients with CKD and its concentration correlated with renal creatinine clearance. In healthy volunteers, FGF-23 levels did not change after phosphate deprivation or phosphate loading.
Subcellular shift of the hepatic growth hormone receptor with progression of hepatitis C virus‐related chronic liver disease

Aims : To evaluate the cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of hepatic growth hormone receptor (GHR) in different stages (S0, S1, S3 and S4, according to Knodell's classification) of chronic liver disease (CLD) and in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
RhoB Is Dispensable for Mouse Development, but It Modifies Susceptibility to Tumor Formation as Well as Cell Adhesion and Growth Factor Signaling in Transformed Cells

ABSTRACT RhoB is an endosomal small GTPase that is implicated in the response to growth factors, genotoxic stress, and farnesyltransferase inhibitors. To gain insight into its physiological functions we examined the consequences of homozygous gene deletion in the mouse. Loss of RhoB did not adversely affect mouse development, fertility, or wound healing. However, embryo fibroblasts cultured in vitro exhibited a defect in motility, suggesting that RhoB has a role in this process that is conditional on cell stress. Neoplastic transformation by adenovirus E1A and mutant Ras yielded differences in cell attachment and spreading that were not apparent in primary cells. In addition, transformed −/− cells displayed altered actin and proliferative responses to transforming growth factor β. A negative modifier role in transformation was suggested by the increased susceptibility of −/− mice to 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced skin carcinogenesis and by the increased efficiency of intraperitoneal tumor formation by −/− cells. Our findings suggest that RhoB is a negative regulator of integrin and growth factor signals that are involved in neoplastic transformation and possibly other stress or disease states.
Numerical Computation of Temperature Elevation in Human Skin Due to Electromagnetic Exposure in the THz Frequency Range

The ongoing development of new applications in the terahertz (THz) frequency range, such as wireless communication systems, full-body scanners, or other imaging procedures for biological and medical techniques, rapidly increases the number of persons who are potentially exposed to the electromagnetic radiation of those devices. Studies of thermal effects in humans caused by electromagnetic (EM) exposure with frequencies in the THz frequency range can rarely be found in the literature. In this paper, a method for the numerical computation of a potential thermal response in human skin due to EM fields between 0.1 and 10 THz is introduced. The method starts with the development of adequate simulation models for EM fields with penetration depths less than 1 mm. In a further step, it covers the provision of absolutely needed dielectric tissue parameters with help of the “effective medium theory,” since material properties above 100 GHz are not listed in the commonly consulted databases. The absorbed power in EM exposed human skin models of different complexity is calculated and subsequently used as heat source for temperature simulations. Spatial and time-dependent temperature profiles in the tissue are analyzed for transient and continuous exposures.
A simple design of structured space-time block codes for communication in spread systems

Recently, the problem of space-time codebook construction for both spread and nonspread multiple-antenna wireless systems was addressed.1 The state-of-art solutions do not possess any specific structure which could be exploited to reduce the storage complexity and/or simplify coding process. In this paper, we treat the problem of designing structured space-time constellations for communication in spread multiple-antenna wireless systems over Rayleigh fading channel. A discrete Fourier transform-based approach is adopted and explicit constructions for some particular wireless scenarios, along with their performance assessment, are provided. Computer simulations demonstrate that significant improvement over state-of-art structured schemes can be obtained.
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation: Future Directions for Air Disinfection and Building Applications

Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) for air disinfection applications has relied on low‐pressure mercury vapor lamps for decades. New design requirements have generated the need for alternatives in some uses. This study describes the current state of UVGI technology and describes future directions for technology development, including the use of lamps produced from nontoxic materials and light‐emitting diode lamps. Important applications are discussed such as the use of ultraviolet germicidal lamps in developing countries, in heating, ventilating and air‐conditioning systems to improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality, and for whole room disinfection.
FOCAL CHORIORETINITIS IN THAILAND

Purpose: To report the clinical features of patients with focal chorioretinitis (FCR), as well as toxoplasma serology. Methods: We included 25 (4%) consecutive patients with FCR of 593 with uveitis. Controls consisted of 127 patients with posterior and panuveitis and clinical features other than FCR. Results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for anti-Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM, demographic data, and clinical features of patients were registered. Results: Positive anti-T. gondii IgG levels were observed in 21 of 25 patients (84%) with FCR in contrast to 14 of 127 patients (11%) with non-FCR (P < 0.001, Fisher test). The IgG levels >600 IU were found in 19 of 25 patients (76%) with FCR and in none of the patients with non-FCR (P < 0.001). All cases had unilateral involvement. Ocular features consisting of FCR and vitritis were present in all patients, but associated chorioretinal atrophic scars were not commonly seen (7/25 eyes; 28%). Retinal vasculitis was found in 9 of 25 eyes (36%) and affected solely the arteries. Conclusion: The majority of patients with FCR in Thailand exhibit highly positive anti-T. gondii IgG levels suggesting the presence of active systemic infection, which is also consistent with the absence of old scars. The absence of old scars and retinal arteritis were the features distinct from typical ocular toxoplasmosis lesions reported in the European and the U.S. series.
Automated Segmentation of Brightfield Images using the Bhattacharyya Measure via Graph-Cut Segmentation

Segmentation of brightfield microscopy images can provide useful information about the behaviour of the cells to biologists. However, its features: poor contrast, broken halo, and missing boundaries, bring great challenges for programmers to develop an automated algorithm that can detect the boundaries of the cells as accurately as the human eye. In this paper, we present two algorithms based on graph-cut segmentation via Bhattacharyya measure to segment cells in brightfield images. The first model, referred to as the global-local technique, is a two-step procedure. It begins by segmenting the entire image to obtain a global information, the location of isolated cells or groups of cells. It is then followed by a segmentation process that focuses on individual blobs to obtain a refined segmentation result of that specified blob. The second model, referred to as the λ1-λ2 technique, is also a two-step process. It uses the effect of underand over-segmentation that result from two different parameters, λ1 and λ2, to obtain a result that is in-between. The effectiveness of both methods are demonstrated on C2C12 cells of brightfield images.
Characterisation of a South African human astrovirus as type 8 by antigenic and genetic analyses

Human astroviruses (HAstV) can, on the basis of immunoassays using type‐specific rabbit antisera, be classified into eight serotypes that correlate with genotypes. Very few isolates of HAstV type 8 have been described and there is a paucity of data available with regard to the antigenic and genetic relationships between HAstV type 8 (HAstV‐8) and HAstV types 1 (HAstV‐1) to 7 (HAstV‐7). A wild‐type HAstV from a South African paediatric patient with diarrhoea was analysed antigenically, by immune electron microscopy and enzyme immunoassay, and genetically in selected regions of the ORF1a, ORF1b and ORF2 and characterised as a HAstV‐8. This HAstV‐8 strain exhibited greatest homology with HAstV‐4 in the 5′ end of the capsid gene and ORF1a and 1b, and greatest homology with HAstV‐5 in the 3′ end of the capsid region. This study confirms, by both antigenic and genetic analyses, that HAstV‐8 represents a distinct antigenic and genotype and is the first report of a HAstV‐8 from a hospitalised paediatric patient with diarrhoea in southern Africa. J. Med. Virol. 64:256–261, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Incremental computation of information landscapes for dynamic web interfaces

This paper presents a technique for the visual analysis of topical shifts in dynamically changing textual archives. Our approach is based on the well-known information landscape metaphor, whereby topical changes are represented by changes in landscape topography. Incremental clustering and multi-dimensional scaling algorithms are periodically applied to a changing document set for generating a series of information landscapes. The resulting landscapes are suitable for dynamic Web interfaces, enabling the user to explore topical relationships and understand topical shifts and trends in changing document repositories.
RELEASE OF AUTONOMIC MEDIATORS IN CARDIAC TISSUE BY DIRECT SUBTHRESHOLD ELECTRICAL STIMULATION.

Electrical stimuli which are subthreshold for myocardial excitation have been shown to be effective in causing the release of autonomic mediators in several types of cardiac tissue derived from rabbit, guinea pig, dog, and cat. Strength-duration data have been presented illustrating the relative case with which subthreshold release of the autonomic mediators may be demonstrated in rabbit SA node, AV node, and left atrium. It is proposed that both subthreshold and threshold electrical stimulation act upon intramyocardial autonomic nervous elements to cause the release of acetylcholine and norepinephrine. The significance of the release of acetylchohine and/or norepinephrine in procedures involving electrical stimulation is discussed.
Anthrax: Biology of Bacillus anthracis

Perhaps no other microorganism has received as much attention for its use as a potential agent for bioterrorism as Bacillus anthracis. In spite of the fact that the organism has been known for a very long time, limited progress has been made in developing a vaccine or understanding its biochemical and genetic properties. The genus Bacillus includes aerobic bacilli forming heat-resistant spores. B. anthracis are the only non-motile and the most pathogenic bacilli in this genus. Pulmonary anthrax can be caused by inhalation of just 10,000 spores of anthrax and is fatal unless treated immediately with antibiotics. Anthrax is actually a disease of herbivorous animals with humans getting infected by spores due to accidental entry into the body by contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products, insect bites, inhalation or ingestion. This lethality is principally due to the polysaccharide capsule that helps the bacterium to evade immune attack and the tripartite toxin that can kill the host depending on the mode of entry of the bacillus into the host and the host’s immune status.
Effects of the Total Triterpenic Fraction of Centella asiatica in Venous Hypertensive Microangiopathy: A Prospective, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial

The aim of this study was to demonstrate whether total triterpenic fraction of Centella asiatica (TTFCA), was effective in improving the microcirculation in venous hypertension and microangiopathy. Forty patients with severe venous hypertension, ankle swelling, lipodermatosclerosis were included, After informed consent, patients were randomized into a treatment and a placebo group: those in the treatment group received TTFCA (tablets, 60 mg, twice daily for 8 weeks). The two groups of subjects were comparable for age and sex distribution. The mean age was 48 years (SD 9; M:F = 11:11) in the treatment group (22 patients) and 47.6 (SD 7; M:F = 10:8) in the placebo group (18 patients). There were no differences between placebo and treatment group at inclusion; there was no change between inclusion and measurements at 8 weeks in the placebo group. A decrease (p<0.05) in RF (flux at rest) and RAS (rate of ankle swelling) were observed in the treatment group. The decrease in capillary filtration was associated with improvement in signs and symptoms (p<0.05). The difference in flux, signs and symptoms, and filtration was clinically important at 8 weeks. No side effects were observed. In conclusion venous microangiopathy was improved by TTFCA treatment.
A new compact low-offset push-pull output buffer with current positive feedback for a 10-bit LCD source driver

In this study, a low-offset push-pull output buffer and an area-efficient resistor-capacitor digital-to-analogue converter for a 10-bit liquid crystal display (LCD) source driver are presented. Compared to other push-pull output buffers, the proposed output buffer has a smaller area and lower power consumption. Two complementary push-pull output buffers driving a pair of column lines realise a rail-to-rail driver. The output buffer has strong driving capability with push-pull function by the current positive feedback (CPF). Therefore the source driver can drive the pixel with two-dot inversion to decrease power consumption. On the other hand, the proposed output buffer with CPF can integrate the offset average to reduce the offset voltage. The performance is experimentally verified with a prototype chip that occupies a silicon area of 1700-260--m 2 in a 0.35-μm 2P4M CMOS process. The measured settling time is less than 7.8 μμs.
Effects of the preferential segregation of droplets on evaporation and turbulent mixing

Droplet segregation in isotropic homogeneous turbulence is analysed using a spectral direct numerical simulation solver to describe the evolution of the turbulent carrier phase, whose characteristic properties remain statistically stationary due to a semi-deterministic forcing scheme. Lagrangian dilute spray modelling is employed to describe the discrete-phase evolution. The liquid density is distributed on an Eulerian mesh to analyse the evolution of the spray and its spatial distribution. This gives results in accordance with classical methods for droplet segregation. It also allows a deeper analysis of the spray evolution. In particular, droplet segregation and vapour mass fraction may be analysed jointly. First, droplet segregation phenomena are studied through the analysis of the formation and the geometry of the droplet clusters. Then, the effects of segregation on spray evaporation are investigated from both the dispersed and carrier phase points of view. At equilibrium, droplet dynamics leads to different segregation levels that are associated with characteristic Stokes numbers. It appears that the evaporation process evolves in three different stages in time: single-droplet mode in the early stage, cluster mode in the intermediate stage and a gaseous mode in the late stage. Segregation levels strongly affect the evolution of the mean vapour mixture fraction during the second stage, while the corresponding standard deviation is affected for longer, up to the third stage in our simulations. However, from the evolution of the integral scale and the shape of the energy spectrum, it appears that turbulent mixing eliminates the segregation effects, apart from the first evaporation stage when the droplet segregation determines the vapour distribution.
Eavesdropping on a Quantum Channel with a Unitarily Interacting Probe

Eavesdropper tapping communication links is a common problem encountered in communication systems. The famous no cloning theorem and the uncertainity principle are instrumental in ensuring secrecy of classical information when transmitted using quantum states. With Wyner's wiretap channel as motivation, we study the effect of a unitarily interacting probe on the extraction of information by an eavesdropper. We motivate the theoretical results by considering a practical example of a unitary interaction between the transmitted qubit and the probe used by an eavesdropper. The role played by entanglement is also studied in the setting of single shot communication between sender and receiver nodes.
CD43 Collaborates with P-Selectin Glycoprotein Ligand-1 to Mediate E-Selectin-Dependent T Cell Migration into Inflamed Skin1

Activated T cell migration into nonlymphoid tissues is initiated by the interactions of P- and E-selectin expressed on endothelial cells and their ligands on T cells. P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) has been the only E-selectin ligand demonstrated to function during the in vivo migration of activated T cells. We show in this study that CD43-deficient Th1 cells, like PSGL-1-deficient cells, exhibited reduced E-selectin-binding activity compared with wild-type cells. Th1 cells with a PSGL-1 and CD43 double deficiency showed even less E-selectin-binding activity. In migration assays in which adoptively transferred cells migrate to inflamed skin P- and E-selectin dependently, CD43 contributed significantly to PSGL-1-independent Th1 cell migration. In addition, in vivo activated T cells from the draining lymph nodes of sensitized mice deficient in PSGL-1 and/or CD43 showed significantly decreased E-selectin-binding activity and migration efficiency, with T cells from double-deficient mice showing the most profound decrease. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the CD43 expressed on activated T cells functions as an E-selectin ligand and thereby mediates T cell migration to inflamed sites, in collaboration with PSGL-1.
HCBHRP-CS : Effective Routing Protocol for Multi-level Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks

A wireless sensor network (WSN) consists of thousands of sensornodes with limited energy, memory, and computation capability. Theapplications of WSN in some extreme environment make sensor nodesdifficult to replace once they use up the resource. Hence, manyresearchers in this field focus on how to design a propertyrouting protocol to prolong the life span of the network. Theclassical hierarchical protocols such as CBHRP, WEEC and IMP-EELhave better performance in saving the energy consumption. However,the energy consumed for data aggregation among the nodes will makethe nodes that act as cluster heads too many times die early owingto the consumption of too much energy. In this paper, a heterogeneous clusterbased hierarchical routing protocol using compressing sensing(HCBHRP-CS) is proposed, which efficiently improves dataaggregation and therefore significantly reduce the energyconsumed in the process of sampling and transmission, and lowerthe wireless bandwidth required for communication under heterogeneousenvironment in WSNs. Simulations show that our improved protocol performsbetter than the CBHRP, WEEC and IMP-EEL.