Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential Effect of Hexoses on Hamster Embryo Development in Culture1

Abstract The effects of glucose, fructose, and galactose on hamster embryo development in the absence of phosphate were studied in culture. One- and two-cell embryos were cultured to the blastocyst stage in HECM-9 medium without hexose or in medium with increasing concentrations of hexoses. Embryo development, cell number, and cell allocation were assessed in blastocysts. Blastocyst viability was determined by transfer to pseudopregnant recipients. Although 0.25 mM fructose increased mean cell number, low glucose concentrations had no stimulatory effect on development to blastocyst. Both galactose and 5.0 mM glucose were detrimental to embryos. Addition of 0.5 mM glucose increased implantation and fetal viability as compared with controls. Compared with 0.5 mM glucose, treatment with 0.25 mM fructose gave similar implantation and fetal viability, whereas 5.0 mM glucose tended to decrease implantation and significantly decreased fetal development. These data demonstrate that morphology is a poor indicator of embryo viability and that exposure of preimplantation embryos to glucose or fructose is important for embryo viability post-transfer. Although no difference in blastocyst viability was detected between embryos cultured with 0.25 mM fructose and those cultured with 0.5 mM glucose, increased cell numbers obtained with fructose suggest that fructose may be more appropriate than glucose for inclusion in culture medium.
Laccase‐Mediated Remazol Brilliant Blue R Decolorization in a Fixed‐Bed Bioreactor

A crude laccase mixture preparation from Pleurotus ostreatus cultures supplemented with copper and ferulic acid was used to decolorize the anthraquinonic dye Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR). Performance of this enzymatic system was tested, and a maximum of 70% decolorization was achievable under optimal conditions. The crude preparation was immobilized by entrapment in copper alginate beads attaining 65% yield of laccase activity. Stability of the immobilized laccases was remarkably increased in comparison with that of the free enzyme preparation. Efficiency of the immobilized system was evaluated during stepwise dye additions in batch operations. Under the best conditions, 70% RBBR decolorization was achieved even after 20 cycles, although decolorization time exponentially increased after the 10th cycle. Different fixed‐bed bioreactors were prepared and analyzed in continuous decolorization processes. The best performance was obtained by decreasing the amount of enzyme loaded and by improving laccase retention using chitosan‐coated alginate beads.
Increased MRI activity and immune activation in two multiple sclerosis patients treated with the monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody cA2

There is evidence that treatment with an antibody to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) improves an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS) and is beneficial in two systemic inflammatory diseases in humans, but there are no reports about anti-TNF treatment of MS. Therefore, we treated two rapidly progressive MS patients with intravenous infusions of a humanized mouse monoclonal anti-TNF antibody (cA2) in an open-label phase I safety trial and monitored their clinical status, gadolinium-enhanced brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) immunologic status. We did not notice any clinically significant neurologic changes in either patient.The number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions increased transiently after each treatment in both patients. CSF leukocyte counts and IgG index increased after each treatment. The transient increase in the number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions that followed each infusion of cA2 together with the increase in cells and immunoglobulin in the CSF of each patient suggest that the treatment caused immune activation and an increase in disease activity. These results suggest that further use of cA2 in MS is not warranted and that studies of other agents that antagonize TNF alpha should be carried out with frequent monitoring of gadolinium-enhanced MRIs. NEUROLOGY 1996;47: 1531-1534
Uplink power distribution in MC-CDMA systems supporting heterogeneous services

Power distribution for multicode code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) systems supporting heterogeneous services is investigated. Power distribution laws under perfect and imperfect power control conditions are derived for the MC-CDMA systems to satisfy the required quality-of-service (QoS) while supporting more simultaneously transmitting users. Numerical results calculated based on the analyses are shown to demonstrate the impact of imperfect power control on the required receive powers.
Epidemiology of sarcoidosis recorded in 2006-2010 in the Silesian voivodeship on the basis of routine medical reporting.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE The incidence of sarcoidosis (D.86.0, D.86.2) varies worldwide, although published data suggest that the rate remains at the level 10-40/100 000 population. In Poland, statistics are not conducted on sarcoidosis. The etiology of the disease remains unclear, but researchers suggest that one of causes is the exposure to environmental factors. The aim of this study is to determine territorial and temporal variations of incidence and hospitalized prevalence of sarcoidosis for adults aged 19 and older living in the Silesian voivodeship in south-western Poland. MATERIALS AND METHODS To identify the number of cases of sarcoidosis and the number of hospitalized patients in 2006-2010, the database of the National Health Fund in Katowice, Silesia, was used. Data related to adults aged 19 and older who were inhabitants of the Silesian voivodeship. Standardized incidence and prevalence rates for total sarcoidosis per 100,000 population were calculated using the world standard population. Temporal and spatial variability of both rates in the Silesian voivodeship were presented according to ArcGIS 9.2. RESULTS The number of new cases of sarcoidosis is still increasing. The disease occurred primarily in younger men (25-50 years of age), as well as in some older women (age group 50-64 years). Standardized incidence rates of total sarcoidosis are in the range 3.8-4.5/100,000 population. There was a probable relationship between the incidence of sarcoidosis and the area of forest (r=0.4) or arable land (r=0.3). CONCLUSIONS Sarcoidosis is a rare disease in the Silesian voivodeship and the standardized incidence and prevalence rates are slightly higher in men than in women. In the study period, spatial variability was observed. The highest rates were typical for districts with a predominance of forests and arable land.
The incidence of deep venous thrombosis in ICU patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence, clinical presentation, and risk factors of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in a high-risk group of ICU patients receiving DVT prophylaxis. DESIGN A prospective cohort study. SETTING Two ICUs of a university-affiliated teaching hospital. PATIENTS Patients admitted to the ICUs within 48 h of hospitalization and who had an ICU stay of > or = 4 days underwent venous duplex scans. INTERVENTIONS None. RESULTS One hundred two patients were studied. Ninety-four (92%) patients received DVT prophylaxis. Twelve patients (12%) were documented to have DVT by venous duplex scans. There was proximal clot extension in eight of these patients, four of whom had high-probability ventilation/perfusion scans. Of the 56 patients without signs or symptoms of DVT, only two (3.6%) had abnormal scans. Leg swelling was present in 11 patients, six of whom had DVT (p = 0.004). One of 11 patients with unexplained fever had an abnormal scan. Five of the 26 patients (19%) receiving pneumatic compression developed DVT compared with five of 68 patients (7.4%) receiving subcutaneous heparin (not significant). No specific factor was identified that increased the risk of DVT. CONCLUSION In this study, the incidence of DVT in a group of high-risk ICU patients receiving DVT prophylaxis was 12%. Since scans in patients without signs or symptoms suggestive of DVT were abnormal in only 3.6% of patients, venous scans should be performed only in patients with features suggestive of DVT or pulmonary embolism.
Relation of Temperature, Moisture, Salinity, and Slope to Nest Site Selection in Loggerhead Sea Turtles

Abstract Nest site selection in reptiles can affect the fitness of the parents through the survival of their offspring because environmental factors influence embryo survivorship, hatchling quality, and sex ratio. In sea turtles, nest site selection is influenced by selective forces that drive nest placement inland and those that drive nest placement seaward. Nests deposited close to the ocean have a greater likelihood of inundation and egg loss to erosion whereas nest placement farther inland results in greater likelihood of desiccation, hatchling misorientation, and predation on nesting females, eggs, and hatchlings. To evaluate the role of microhabitat cues in nest site selection in Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta), we assessed temperature, moisture, salinity (conductivity), and slope along the tracks of 45 female loggerheads during their beach ascent from the ocean to nest sites in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Florida on the beach with the greatest density of loggerhead nesting in the Atlantic. Of the four environmental factors evaluated (slope, temperature, moisture, and salinity), slope appears to have the greatest influence on nest site selection, perhaps because it is associated with nest elevation. Our results refute the current hypothesis that an abrupt increase in temperature is used by loggerheads as a cue for excavating a nest. Moisture content and salinity of surface sand are potential cues but may not be reliable for nest site selection because they can vary substantially and rapidly in response to rainfall and changes in the water table. Sea turtles may use multiple cues for nest site selection either in series with a threshold that must be reached for each environmental factor before the turtle initiates nest excavation or integrated as specific patterns of associations.
Modeling HIV vaccine trials of the future

Purpose of reviewModels of implementation of known-effective interventions for HIV prevention indicate that an efficacious vaccine to prevent HIV infection would be critical for controlling the HIV pandemic. Key issues in the design of future HIV vaccine trials are: first, how to develop reliable immunological correlates of vaccine efficacy, second, how to down-select candidate vaccine regimens into efficacy trials, and third, how to learn about vaccine efficacy in the context of the evolving HIV prevention landscape. Recent findingsWhereas in the past phase-I/-II HIV vaccine trials have addressed the first and second points using a small set of immunological assays and readouts, recently they have used a battery of assays with highly multivariate readouts. In addition, systems vaccinology studies of other pathogens measuring PBMC transcriptomics and other immunological features pre- and postfirst vaccination are demonstrating value, for example, providing discoveries that preimmunization and early postimmunization cell population markers can predict the influenza-specific antibody titer that is a correlate of vaccine protection. The HIV prevention landscape continues to evolve, and the design and analysis of vaccine trials is evolving alongside, to accommodate increasingly dynamic and regional standards of HIV prevention. SummaryDevelopment of interpretable and robust functional assays, in addition to the associated bioinformatics and statistical analytic tools, is needed to improve the assessment of correlates of protection in efficacy trials and the down-selection of candidate vaccine regimens into efficacy trials. Moreover, high-priority trials should integrate systems vaccinology, including the analysis of prevaccination and early postvaccination markers.
Phononic Crystal Made of Multilayered Ridges on a Substrate for Rayleigh Waves Manipulation

We present a phononic crystal to achieve efficient manipulation of surface acoustic waves (SAW). The structure is made of finite phononic micro-ridges arranged periodically in a substrate surface. Each ridge is constructed by staking silicon and tungsten layers so that it behaves as one-dimensional phononic crystal which exhibits band gaps for elastic waves. The band gap allows the existence of resonance modes where the elastic energy is either confined within units in the free end of the ridge or the ones in contact with the substrate. We show that SAW interaction with localized modes in the free surface of the ridge gives rise to sharp attenuation in the SAW transmission, while the modes confined within the ridge/substrate interface cause broad band attenuations of SAW. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the coupling between the two kinds of modes within the band gap gives high SAW transmission amplitude in the form of Fano-like peaks with high quality factor. The structure could provide an interesting solution for accurate SAW control for sensing applications, for instance.
INTRASELLAR GANGLIOCYTOMA CONTAINING GASTRIN AND GROWTH HORMONE‐RELEASING HORMONE ASSOCIATED WITH A GROWTH HORMONE‐SECRETING PITUITARY ADENOMA

A 74‐year‐old acromegalic found to have an intrasellar gangliocytocytoma and GH‐secreting pituitary adenoma is described. The gangliocytoma contained immunoreactive gastrin and, to a lesser extent, GHRH, and the adenoma immunostained for GH. Gastrin has not been previously reported in hypothalamic gangliocytomas. Since this peptide has been demonstrated in normal hypothalamus and pituitary, and provokes GH release when administered intraventricularly, it may have caused GHRH release from the gangliocytoma by a local paracrine action and led to adenoma formation and acromegaly.
Characterization of TauC3 antibody and demonstration of its potential to block tau propagation

The spread of neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology through the human brain is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is thought to be caused by the propagation of “seeding” competent soluble misfolded tau. “TauC3”, a C-terminally truncated form of tau that is generated by caspase-3 cleavage at D421, has previously been observed in NFTs and has been implicated in tau toxicity. Here we show that TauC3 is found in the seeding competent high molecular weight (HMW) protein fraction of human AD brain. Using a specific TauC3 antibody, we were able to substantially block the HMW tau seeding activity of human AD brain extracts in an in vitro tau seeding FRET assay. We propose that TauC3 could contribute to the templated tau misfolding that leads to NFT spread in AD brains.
Supporting Ease of Change in the Context of Code

Ease of change is an important software property; unfortunately, it is difficult to achieve and sustain. One cause for this difficulty is the semantic gap that divides code from the discourse of ease of change. Design snippets are partial design representations that scaffold connections between code and ease of change design principles. Design snippets integrate into existing evolution processes by codisplaying selected design information with existing units of code (e.g., files). In this paper, we introduce design snippets and the design principles that inform snippet content. We also present the Design Snippets Tool, which generates four types of design snippets from Java code. Initial assessments suggest that design snippets can be used to identify design problems, plan changes, and confirm that improvements have been made.
Improving SAR-Based Urban Change Detection by Combining MAP-MRF Classifier and Nonlocal Means Similarity Weights

In remote sensing change detection, Markov random field (MRF) has been used successfully to model the prior probability using class-labels dependencies. MRF has played an important role in the detection of complex urban changes using optical images. However, the preservation of details in urban change analysis turns out to be a highly complex task if multitemporal SAR images with their speckle are to be used. Here, the ability of MRF to preserve geometric details and to combat speckle effect at the same time becomes questionable. Blob-region phenomenon and fine structures removal are common consequences of the application of traditional MRF-based change detection algorithm. To overcome these limitations, the iterated conditional modes (ICM) framework for the optimization of the maximum a posteriori (MAP-MRF) criterion function is extended to include a nonlocal probability maximization step. This probability model, which characterizes the relationship between pixels' class-labels in a nonlocal scale, has the potential to preserve spatial details and to reduce speckle effects. Two multitemporal SAR datasets were used to assess the proposed algorithm. Experimental results using three density functions [i.e., the log normal (LN), generalized Gaussian (GG), and normal distributions (ND)] have demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed approach in terms of detail preservation and noise suppression. Compared with the traditional MRF algorithm, the proposed approach proved to be less-sensitive to the value of the contextual parameter and the chosen density function. The proposed approach has also shown less sensitivity to the quality of the initial change map when compared with the ICM algorithm.
Organization, Integration, and Assembly of Genetic and Epigenetic Regulatory Machinery in Nuclear Microenvironments

There is growing awareness that the fidelity of gene expression necessitates coordination of transcription factor metabolism and organization of genes and regulatory proteins within the three‐dimensional context of nuclear architecture. The regulatory machinery that governs genetic and epigenetic control of gene expression is compartmentalized in nuclear microenvironments. Temporal and spatial parameters of regulatory complex organization and assembly are functionally linked to biological control and are compromised with the onset and progression of tumorigenesis. High throughput imaging of cells, tissues, and tumors, including live cell analysis, is expanding research's capabilities toward translating components of nuclear organization into novel strategies for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
Recent trends in stabilizing protein structure upon encapsulation and release from bioerodible polymers

Sustained release of pharmaceutical proteins from biocompatible polymers offers new opportunities in the treatment and prevention of disease. The manufacturing of such sustained‐release dosage forms, and also the release from them, can impose substantial stresses on the chemical integrity and native, three‐dimensional structure of proteins. Recently, novel strategies have been developed towards elucidation and amelioration of these stresses. Non‐invasive technologies have been implemented to investigate the complex destabilization pathways that can occur. Such insights allow for rational approaches to protect proteins upon encapsulation and release from bioerodible systems. Stabilization of proteins when utilizing the most commonly employed procedure, the water‐in‐oil‐in‐water (w/o/w) double emulsion technique, requires approaches that are based mainly on either increasing the thermodynamic stability of the protein or preventing contact of the protein with the destabilizing agent (e.g. the water/oil interface) by use of various additives. However, protein stability is still often problematic when using the w/o/w technique, and thus alternative methods have become increasingly popular. These methods, such as the solid‐in‐oil‐in‐oil (s/o/o) and solid‐in‐oil‐in‐water (s/o/w) techniques, are based on the suspension of dry protein powders in an anhydrous organic solvent. It has become apparent that protein structure in the organic phase is stabilized because the protein is “rigidified” and therefore unfolding and large protein structural perturbations are kinetically prohibited. This review focuses on strategies leading to the stabilization of protein structure when employing these different encapsulation procedures.
TOWARDS ROBOT VISION MODULE DEVELOPMENT

In this paper we present a thrust in three directions of visual development using supervised and semi-supervised techniques. The first is an implementation of semi-supervised object detection and recognition using the principles of Soft Attention and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). The second and the third are supervised networks that learn basic concepts of spatial locality and quantity respectively using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). The three thrusts together are based on the approach of Experiential Robot Learning, introduced in previous publication. While the results are unripe for implementation, we believe they constitute a stepping stone towards autonomous development of robotic visual modules.
A 100-channel analog CMOS auditory filter bank for speech recognition

An ASIC emulates the inner ear as a bank of 100 exponentially distributed asymmetric band-pass filters that roll off at up to 450dB/dec and have individually tunable Q-factors. The output is encoded into an auditory-nerve-like pulsed format on a digital port. The chip is integrated in a 0.5/spl mu/m process and consumes 2.6mW at 3.3V.
System Engineering, for a Cognitive Sciences Approach

This article proposes to throw some light on the strong relationship between Cognitive Science and System Engineering. In the same manner that Herbert Simon justified hierarchical organizations with the argument that individuals had “bounded rationality”, this article tries to show that most of our System Engineering processes are techniques to compensate for our cognitive boundaries. Practical implications for SE justification and SE education are discussed. 1 MOSS SAS? 86 rue Henri Farman, 92130 Issy Les Moulinaux, France thomas.peugeot@moss.fr
PT‐141: A Melanocortin Agonist for the Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction

Abstract: PT‐141, a synthetic peptide analogue of α‐MSH, is an agonist at melanocortin receptors including the MC3R and MC4R, which are expressed primarily in the central nervous system. Administration of PT‐141 to rats and nonhuman primates results in penile erections. Systemic administration of PT‐141 to rats activates neurons in the hypothalamus as shown by an increase in c‐Fos immunoreactivity. Neurons in the same region of the central nervous system take up pseudorabies virus injected into the corpus cavernosum of the rat penis. Administration of PT‐141 to normal men and to patients with erectile dysfunction resulted in a rapid dose‐dependent increase in erectile activity. The results suggest that PT‐141 holds promise as a new treatment for sexual dysfunction.