Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution of vanilloid receptors in the rat laryngeal innervation

Objective Capsaicin is known to selectively activate nociceptic sensory neurons through vanilloid receptors. In this study we investigated the distribution of vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1) and vanilloid receptor-like protein 1 (VRL-1) in the rat larynx. Material and Methods The distributions of VR1 and VRL-1 were determined immunohistochemically. The colocalization of vanilloid receptors with common choline acetyltransferase (cChAT), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (SP) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) was also studied using an immunohistochemical double-labeling technique. Results VRL-1-positive fibers were detected in the laryngeal epithelium and lamina propria. VR1-positive nerve fibers were seen in the lamina propria but not in the mucosal epithelium. VR1- and VRL-1-positive cells were distributed in the intralaryngeal ganglia and colocalization of capsaicin receptors with VIP, nNOS and cChAT was seen. Conclusion These findings suggest that these capsaicin receptors participate in the parasympathetic innervation as well as in nociception of the rat larynx.
Rhinovirus‐induced airway cytokines and respiratory morbidity in severely premature children

Rhinovirus (RV) has been linked to the pathogenesis of asthma. Prematurity is a risk factor for severe RV infection in early life, but is unknown if RV elicits enhanced pro‐asthmatic airway cytokine responses in premature infants. This study investigated whether young children born severely premature (<32 wks gestation) exhibit airway secretion of Th2 and Th17 cytokines during natural RV infections and whether RV‐induced Th2–Th17 responses are linked to more respiratory morbidity in premature children during the first 2 yrs of life.
Government Spending Effects in a Small Open Economy ∗

In this paper, the government consumption spending effects in a small open economy(SOE), are explored. In a standard active monetary/passive fiscal policy(AM/PF) regime, openness reduces the effectiveness of the government spending on output through the terms of trade decrease. Consumption decreases less than in the closed economy, but this effect is so weak that the output does not rise more than that of the closed economy. In a passive monetary/active fiscal policy(PM/AF) regime, openness induces little change on output. With the existence of the terms of trade, openness causes less decrease in the primary surplus(by revaluating the government spending in CPI terms). Households feel wealthier than in the closed economy. This effect is compensated by the negative effects of the terms of trade(decrease) on output. In the standard AM/PF regime, an increase in the government spending does not increae output and inflation more, compared with the closed economy. In contrast, in the PM/AF regime, the difference between open and closed economies are small in terms of output and inflation.
Effects of cigarette smoke dose and time after smoke exposure on uptake of asbestos fibers by rat tracheal epithelial cells.

We have previously shown that exposure of excised rat tracheal segments to cigarette smoke followed by exposure to a solution of amosite asbestos increases uptake of asbestos fibers compared to exposure to air followed by asbestos. To learn more about the mechanism of smoke-enhanced fiber uptake, we evaluated the effects of amount of smoke and time delay between smoke exposure and asbestos exposure on fiber penetration into the epithelium. To determine whether amount of smoke exposure affected this process, we exposed tracheal segments to 1, 3, or 6 puffs of smoke and subsequently to 5 mg/ml amosite asbestos for 1 h. The segments were then maintained in organ culture for up to 7 d. Asbestos uptake was evaluated by counting fibers in the epithelium by light microscopy. Exposure to increasing numbers of puffs of smoke produced a dose-related increase in fiber uptake at 1 d, 3 d, and 7 d after exposure. To determine whether asbestos exposure needed to occur immediately after smoke exposure for enhanced uptake of fibers to occur, we exposed tracheal segments to 6 puffs of smoke and then delayed exposure to asbestos for 0 (immediate exposure), 3, 18, or 48 h. Tracheas were again maintained in organ culture for up to 7 d after asbestos exposure. Delayed exposure to asbestos after 6 puffs of smoke produced an increase in fiber uptake, even with an interval as long as 48 h between smoke and asbestos exposure; however, the absolute magnitude of fiber uptake was less than that seen with immediate postsmoke asbestos exposure. If catalase was added to the asbestos solution, the smoke-enhanced uptake was abolished, no matter what the time delay. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Pain, Analgesia, and Stress: An Integrated View

The different theories on the neuroanatomical substrate of pain have been revised in the frame of new concepts on the intercellular communication in the central nervous system. In fact, it has recently been proposed that two kinds of electrochemical transmission exist in the brain: the first one, called wiring transmission (WT), uses neuronal chains (neuronal plasma membranes and synaptic contacts), whereas the second one, called volume transmission (VT), uses the extracellular fluid as physical substrate. The old concept of a separate system of afferents and central cells that constitute the pain mechanism is no more longer tenable. To reach a better understanding of the psychophysiological basis of pain, we should consider a view where WT and VT cooperate within neuronal systems functionally affected by the pervading modulatory action of endocrine signals.
Awareness and Knowledge of Glaucoma Among Adult Patients at the Eye Clinic of a Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is an irreversible blinding disease that often presents late because it is symptomless in the early stages. Prognosis depends on early diagnosis and treatment and patient understanding of their condition. Many patients present late because of poor awareness and knowledge. This study was conducted to assess patient's awareness and knowledge of glaucoma in a referral Teaching Hospital. METHODS Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among glaucoma patients aged 40 years and above attending the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Patients were selected by simple random sampling. They were recruited after informed consent had been given. A questionnaire on demographics, socio-economics and awareness of glaucoma was administered. RESULTS There were a total of 117 participants, 61 males and 56 females. The median and modal age group was 50 and 59 years. Amongst the participants, 74% were aware of glaucoma. There were no significant statistical difference in the various age groups, sex, ethnic group or religion and their awareness of glaucoma (P > 0.05). There were statistically significant differences between those who had higher education and their awareness of glaucoma (P < 0.001). Yet only 27% of these had accurate knowledge of glaucoma. CONCLUSION Glaucoma awareness in patients attending Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital is high. Higher education was associated with higher awareness yet this was not translated into accurate knowledge as there were significant misconceptions. There is the need to review the contents of health education with the aim of reducing dangerous misconception of glaucoma and targeting the lower socioeconomic population.
Acid adaptation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 increases survival in acidic foods

Escherichia coli O157:H7 was adapted to acid by culturing for one to two doublings at pH 5.0. Acid-adapted cells had an increased resistance to lactic acid, survived better than nonadapted cells during a sausage fermentation, and showed enhanced survival in shredded dry salami (pH 5.0) and apple cider (pH 3.4). Acid adaptation is important for the survival of E. coli O157:H7 in acidic foods and should be considered a prerequisite for inocula used in food challenge studies.
Autism spectrum disorders in institutionalized subjects

What do we know about the prevalence and the specific features of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) among subjects in forensic psychiatry and special youth centres? A clinical case series consisting of 42 subjects with ASD, recruited from three well-characterized populations in forensic psychiatry and special youth care, was used to determine: 1) the prevalence of ASD in these institutions (at least 13%), 2) the distribution of diagnostic criteria in this special population (mostly social interaction and communication problems, few or atypical flexibility problems), 3) the degree of comorbidity (the rule rather than the exception), 4) neuropsychological test profiles (lowered IQ with uneven profiles), 5) types of crimes and offences (very heterogeneous, often stress-related with dissociated features), 6) mental health care needs (high), and 7) special clinical features (especially expressions of flexibility deficits in non-classical areas and proneness to dissociation). This descriptive study indicates that ASD is a clinically relevant problem among forensic populations that has to be considered in diagnostics, assessments of needs and treatment planning.
Poor Glucose Control in the Year Before Admission as a Powerful Predictor of Amputation in Hospitalized Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulceration

Although there is a strong association between lower-extremity amputation (LEA) and HbA1c (A1C) in diabetic patients (1,2), little information is available on glucose control in the period preceding and following LEA (3). Our objective was to evaluate the predictors of LEA and to examine the role of blood glucose control during the year before and the year after admission. A total of 122 diabetic patients (82 men and 40 women aged 69.7 ± 10.9 years, disease duration 19.7 ± 10.4 years) consecutively admitted for diabetic foot ulcers to the Medicine Department of United Hospitals of Bergamo between January 2003 and December 2004 were enrolled in our observational study and assigned to one …
Cell Surface and Transcriptional Characterization of Human Adipose‐Derived Adherent Stromal (hADAS) Cells

Adult human subcutaneous adipose tissue contains cells with intriguing multilineage developmental plasticity, much like marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells. Putative stem or progenitor cells from fat have been given many different names in the literature, reflecting an early and evolving consensus regarding their phenotypic characterization. The study reported here used microarrays to evaluate over 170 genes relating to angiogenesis and extracellular matrix in undifferentiated, early‐passage human adipose‐derived adherent stromal (hADAS) cells isolated from three separate donors. The hADAS populations unanimously transcribed 66% of the screened genes, and 83% were transcribed by at least two of the three populations. The most highly transcribed genes relate to functional groupings such as cell adhesion, matrix proteins, growth factors and receptors, and proteases. The transcriptome of hADAS cells demonstrated by this work reveals many similarities to published profiles of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In addition, flow analysis of over 24 hADAS cell surface proteins (n = 7 donors) both confirms and expands on the existing literature and reveals strong intergroup correlation, despite an inconsistent nomenclature and the lack of standardized protocols for cell isolation and culture. Finally, based on flow analysis and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction studies, our results suggest that hADAS cells do not express several proteins that are implicated as markers of “stemness” in other stem cell populations, including telomerase, CD133, and the membrane transporter ABCG2.
Focusing Time-Harmonic Scalar Fields in Complex Scenarios: A Comparison

This letter deals with the problem of focusing a time-harmonic wave into a target point embedded into a known complex scenario. In particular, we compare the performances of the Time Reversal approach and the Optimal Constrained Focusing technique, which relies on the formulation of the focusing problem in terms of convex programming. Both techniques guarantee a fast and adaptive design of effective applicators, but the second one allows to control the sidelobes of the field, providing a higher selectivity and a more flexible shaping of the field. Some numerical examples relevant to microwave hyperthermia, including a case where the scenario at hand is not exactly known, are given to appraise the importance of this capability.
Using Superfolder Green Fluorescent Protein for Periplasmic Protein Localization Studies

ABSTRACT Studies investigating the subcellular localization of periplasmic proteins have been hampered by problems with the export of green fluorescent protein (GFP). Here we show that a superfolding variant of GFP (sfGFP) is fluorescent following Sec-mediated transport and works best when the cotranslational branch of the pathway is employed.
Factor analysis of metabolic syndrome components and predicting type 2 diabetes: Results of 10‐year follow‐up in a Middle Eastern population

The relationship among components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and their association with diabetes is unclear in West Asia. The aim of the present study was to conduct factor analysis of MetS components and the effect these factors have on the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a population‐based cohort study of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS).
Emotion-Focused Therapy for Couples in the Treatment of Depression: A Pilot Study

Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for couples was compared to pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Eighteen distressed couples in which the female partner met diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to 16 weekly sessions of emotion-focused therapy or pharmacotherapy with desipramine, trimipramine, or trazadone. Twelve couples completed the study. Both interventions were equally effective in symptom reduction. There was some evidence that females receiving EFT made greater improvement after the conclusion of treatment than those receiving pharmacotherapy. The results suggest EFT might be useful in the treatment of comorbid major depressive disorder and relational distress.
Streptoccocus Pyogenes: A Forgotten Cause of Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia

We report a case of severe community-acquired pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Lancefield Group A streptoccocus) that was complicated by a streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Although this micro-organism is an uncommon cause of community-acquired pneumonia, previously well individuals may be infected and the clinical course may be fulminant. A household contact was the likely point of infection. Invasive group A streptococcal disease continues to remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the community and therefore will continue to be encountered by intensive care physicians. Treatment of Group A streptococcal infection remains penicillin; however, clindamycin should be added in severe infection.
Android App copy protection mechanism with semi-trusted loader

In 2014, Tsai et al. propose an Android App copy protection mechanism based on dynamic loading, in which an Android App is composed of an incomplete main App (IMA for short, such as an APK file) file and a separate essential class (SES for short, such as a Jar file)file. After purchasing an App, a mobile user firstly downloads the APK file from the Android market. Then, the mobile user installs the APK file in his/her mobile device. As the mobile user attempts to run the App, the embedded dynamic loading function will download the Jar file from the market and execute dynamic loading for all functionalities. The dynamic loading function will delete the SES file as all functionalities are loaded. However, the mobile user has to download the Jar file every time as he/she wants to execute all functionalities of the Android App. In addition, the dynamic loading function might be replaced with another malicious loading function. In this paper, we propose an Android App Copy protection mechanism with a semi-trusted loader. In our proposed mechanism, an Android App is also composed of an APK file and a Jar file. At the first execution time, the embedded semi-trusted loader will download the encrypted Jar file from the market and the corresponding decryption key for the Jar file. Then, the semi-trusted loader decrypts the Jar file by using the decryption key and executes the loading for all functionalities. After the loading, the semi-trusted loader will delete the decryption key and store the encrypted Jar file in the mobile device. After that, the semi-trusted loader only download the decryption key from the market as the mobile user wants to execute all functionalities of the App.
Association of Antibiotic Resistance in Agricultural Escherichia coli Isolates with Attachment to Quartz

ABSTRACT Surface water can be contaminated by bacteria from various sources, including manure from agricultural facilities. Attachment of these bacteria to soil and organic particles contributes to their transport through the environment, though the mechanism of attachment is unknown. As bacterial attachment to human tissues is known to be correlated with antibiotic resistance, we have investigated here the relationship between bacterial attachment to environmental particles and antibiotic resistance in agricultural isolates. We evaluated 203 Escherichia coli isolates collected from swine facilities for attachment to quartz, resistance to 13 antibiotics, and the presence of genes encoding 13 attachment factors. The genes encoding type I, EcpA, P pili, and Ag43 were detected, though none was significantly related to attachment. Quartz attachment was positively and significantly (P < 0.0038) related to combined resistance to amoxicillin/streptomycin/tetracycline/sulfamethazine/tylosin/chlortetracycline and negatively and significantly (P < 0.0038) related to combined resistance to nalidixic acid/kanamycin/neomycin. These results provide clear evidence for a link between antibiotic resistance and attachment to quartz in agricultural isolates. We propose that this may be due to encoding by the responsible genes on a mobile genetic element. Further exploration of the relationship between antibiotic resistance and attachment to environmental particles will improve the understanding and modeling of environmental transport processes, with the goal of preventing human exposure to antibiotic-resistant or virulent microorganisms.
The Use of Autologous Fascia Lata Graft Aided with Pedicled Muscle Flap in the Repair of Pharyngeal

Introduction: Management of pharyngo-esophageal tears is challenging as it can end in mediastinitis and/or carotid blow out. Pharyngo-esophageal tears accompanied by suppuration or other neck’s vital structures injuries are more complicated. Patients and Methods: This study addressed the use of non-vascularized autologous fascia lata graft in addition to a pedicled sternomastoid flap as a second layer in the repair of wide, primary irreparable pharyngeal tears. This was done to four patients with pharyngeal tears at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. Pre and post-operative laryngeal examination, CT scan neck with contrast swallow were done. Results: All patients showed complete closure of the pharyngeal tear. The harvesting of the grafts produced neither functional deficits nor complications at the donor site. Discussion: The procedure was found to be effective with complete sealing of the tear as proved clinically and radiologically.
Extremely-high sensitive terahertz detector based on dual-grating gate InP-HEMTs

We report on an extremely-high sensitive terahertz (THz) detector based on our original asymmetric dual-grating gate high electron mobility transistors (A-DGG HEMTs) designed and fabricated using InAlAs/InGaAs/InP material systems. The obtained responsivity is 22.7 kV/W at 200 GHz. To the best of our knowledge, this value is the record responsivity ever reported for this frequency range at room temperature.
Perimortem cesarean section after utilization of surgeon-performed trauma ultrasound.

Caring for a pregnant trauma patient can be exceedingly demanding. The traditional teaching has been that the best way to care for the fetus is by optimizing the mother’s hemodynamics and following the fetus’s status through the use of tocographic monitoring, Doppler exams, and formal ultrasonography. When the mother of a viable fetus presents in extremis, however, maternal and fetal concerns compete during the primary survey because it is during this time that the decision to perform more aggressive interventions is made. Foremost among these is the use of the perimortem cesarean section. Fetal outcomes are best if delivery is accomplished within 5 minutes of maternal cardiac arrest, 1 so the key pieces of information that must be quickly ascertained before undertaking this desperate procedure are the gestational age of the fetus and the presence or absence of signs of life in mother and fetus. Surgeon-performed ultrasound has become widely used in many centers as a quick and reliable tool for the bedside assessment of trauma patients. Its expansion to the role of assessing fetal cardiac activity in this unique subset of patients makes intuitive sense. We present a case of a gravid trauma patient who presented in cardiac arrest and in whom surgeon-performed ultrasound was the primary determinant for the decision to proceed with perimortem cesarean section. To our knowledge, this is the first description of this application of surgeon-performed ultrasound in the literature.
Criteria for the global existence of functional expansions for input/output maps

Much has been learned in recent years about the existence, determination, and properties of power-series-like expansions for expressing a nonlinear system's outputs in terms of its inputs. In particular, the existence and local convergence of expansions, and of certain “associated expansions,” for important large classes of systems are now well established. While the focus of attention has been on questions such that the size of the inputs for which convergence is guaranteed is not the main issue, some related material has appeared that bears on the problem of determining the extent of the region of convergence. The result most closely related to this paper is a recent theorem that gives necessary and sufficient conditions under which f−1 has a generalized power-series expansion when f is an invertible locally-Lipshitz map between certain general subsets of two complex Banach spaces. In applications involving nonlinear models, ordinarily only real spaces of inputs and outputs are of direct interest. A “complexification” involving a certain solvability condition in complex spaces has to be able to be carried out to use the theorem referred to above. This paper reports on pertinent general results concerning invertible maps between subsets of real Banach spaces, with their complex extensions, and with generalized power-series expansions in both real and complex spaces. It focuses on questions concerning expansions for inverses of maps defined in real spaces. The results show that for a very large class of systems that have input/output maps, the ability to complexify is not just a useful sufficient condition for expandability, but is in fact the key condition for an input/output map to be representable by a generalized power-series expansion.
The Local Linear M-Estimation with Missing Response Data

This paper studies the nonparametric regressive function with missing response data. Three local linear -estimators with the robustness of local linear regression smoothers are presented such that they have the same asymptotic normality and consistency. Then finite-sample performance is examined via simulation studies. Simulations demonstrate that the complete-case data -estimator is not superior to the other two local linear -estimators.