Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Haplotypes βs-globin and its clinical-haematological correlation in patients with sickle-cell anemia in Triângulo Mineiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Introduction: Sickle-cell anemia (SCA) is the most severe form of sickle-cell disease, and is characterized by homozygous hemoglobin S (α2βS2). Objective: Determine the haplotypes frequency in patients with SCA and their correlation with clinical and hematological profile. Method: We performed a retrospective descriptive study by reading the charts and a cross-sectional study for molecular analysis to determine the haplotypes of the gene βS globin in 61 patients with sickle-cell anemia (SS) by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), using restriction endonucleases Xmn I, Hind III, Hinf I and Hinc II for analysis of six polymorphic sites in the beta cluster. Result: The genotypes were Central African Republic (CAR)/CAR (60.8%), CAR/Benin type (BEN) (13.1%), CAR/ Cameroon type (CAM) (1.6%), CAR/atypical (ATP) (13.1%), BEN/BEN (13.1%), BEN/ATP (4.9%) and ATP/ATP (3.3%). Among the analyzed chromosomes, 64.8% were CAR type, 22.1% were BEN, 12.3% ATP and 0.8% CAM. Levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) were significantly lower in CAR/CAR than in ATP/ATP, BEN/ATP and CAR/BEN. No association was observed between the different genotypes and clinical manifestations. Conclusion: Despite the lack of association between genotypes and clinical profiles, higher frequency of clinical events was observed in patients with at least one type of CAR chromosome. A significant association was also observed between lower average levels of HbF and CAR/CAR genotype compared to other genotypes.
Heterotrophic Bacterial Growth Efficiency and Community Structure at Different Natural Organic Carbon Concentrations

ABSTRACT Batch cultures of aquatic bacteria and dissolved organic matter were used to examine the impact of carbon source concentration on bacterial growth, biomass, growth efficiency, and community composition. An aged concentrate of dissolved organic matter from a humic lake was diluted with organic compound-free artificial lake water to obtain concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) ranging from 0.04 to 2.53 mM. The bacterial biomass produced in the cultures increased linearly with the DOC concentration, indicating that bacterial biomass production was limited by the supply of carbon. The bacterial growth rate in the exponential growth phase exhibited a hyperbolic response to the DOC concentration, suggesting that the maximum growth rate was constrained by the substrate concentration at low DOC concentrations. Likewise, the bacterial growth efficiency calculated from the production of biomass and CO2 increased asymptotically from 0.4 to 10.4% with increasing DOC concentration. The compositions of the microbial communities that emerged in the cultures were assessed by separation of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA fragments by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling of the gel profiles showed that there was a gradual change in the community composition along the DOC gradient; members of the β subclass of the class Proteobacteria and members of the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium group were well represented at all concentrations, whereas members of the α subclass of the Proteobacteria were found exclusively at the lowest carbon concentration. The shift in community composition along the DOC gradient was similar to the patterns of growth efficiency and growth rate. The results suggest that the bacterial growth efficiencies, the rates of bacterial growth, and the compositions of bacterial communities are not constrained by substrate concentrations in most natural waters, with the possible exception of the most oligotrophic environments.
The neurotic citizen

Over the last three decades we have witnessed the birth of a subject that has constituted the foundations of a regime change in state societies: the neoliberal subject. As much as neoliberalism came to mean the withdrawal of the state from certain arenas, the decline of social citizenship, privatization, downloading, and so forth, it also meant, if not predicated upon, the production of an image of the subject as sufficient, calculating, responsible, autonomous, and unencumbered. While the latter point has been a topic of debate concerning the rational subject, I wish to argue that the rational subject has itself been predicated upon and accompanied by another subject: the neurotic subject. More recently, it is this neurotic subject that has become the object of various governmental projects whose conduct is based not merely on calculating rationalities but also arises from and responds to fears, anxieties and insecurities, which I consider as ‘governing through neurosis’. The rise of the neurotic citizen signals a new type of politics (neuropolitics) and power (neuropower). I suggest a new concept, neuroliberalism—a rationality of government that takes its subject as the neurotic citizen—as an object of analysis.
An Overview on the Crystal Toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis

Strains of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are known to produce crystalline proteins (δ-endotoxins) concomitantly with sporulation during their stationary phase of growth, which are demonstrated as lethal to lepidopeterous, coleopeterous and dipterous insects in addition to mites, nematodes, protozoa and flukes. Upon ingestion, the δ-nascent endotoxin is an inactive protoxin complex of (Cry alone or Cry and Cyt toxins together) high molecular mass, which is cleaved upon ingestion into the active component proteins at the high alkaline environments in the digestive tract of these agricultural pests. Conventionally, Bt-crystals are being produced employing submerged or liquid fermentation techniques in commercial media, but recently many workers have used solid-state fermentation strategy for the enhanced production of Bt-toxin at low cost. Apart from δ-endotoxin, some isolates of Bt produce another class of insecticidal small molecules called β-exotoxin (thuringiensin), which may be harmful to humans. Moreover, resistance to Bt developed in various target pest is yet another concern for Bt-industry. Following a brief introduction, this review addresses various toxins produced by various strains of Bt, Bt production media and media formulations with emphasis to solid-state fermentation, general structure of Cry toxin, its mode of action, target pests, bioassay, resistance to Bt toxins and resistance management. Briefly, this review would provide the readers an overview on the general aspects of Bt toxin, its general structure and mechanism of action.
Evolutionary significance of delayed neurogenesis in the core versus shell auditory areas of Mus musculus

Early comparative embryogenesis can reflect the organization and evolutionary origins of brain areas. Neurogenesis in the auditory areas of sauropsids displays a clear core‐to‐shell distinction, but it remains unclear in mammals. To address this issue, [3H]‐thymidine was injected into pregnant mice on consecutive embryonic (E) days (E10–E19) to date neuronal birthdays. Immunohistochemistry for substance P, calbindin, and parvalbumin was conducted to distinguish the core and shell auditory regions. The results showed that: 1) cell generation began at E13 in the external or dorsal nucleus of the inferior colliculus (IC), but it did not start in the caudomedial portion of the central nucleus of IC, and significantly fewer cells were produced in the medial and rostromedial portions of the central nucleus of IC; 2) cells were generated at E11 in the dorsal and medial divisions of the medial geniculate complex (MGd and MGm, respectively), whereas cell generation was absent in the medial and rostromedial portions of the ventral medial geniculate complex (MGv), and fewer cells were produced in the caudomedial portion of MGv; 3) in the telencephalic auditory cortex, cells were produced at E11 or E12 in layer I and the subplate, which receive projections from the MGd and MGm. However, cell generation occurred at E13–E18 in layers II–VI, including the area receiving projections from the MGv. The core‐to‐shell distinction of neurogenesis is thus present in the mesencephalic to telencephalic auditory areas in the mouse. This distinction of neurogenesis is discussed from an evolutionary perspective. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:600–613, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Impact of Iron Core Model on Dynamic Behavior of Three-Phase Power Transformer Dynamic Model

This paper deals with the evaluation of various dynamic models for modeling of three-limb core power transformers. Due to the specific construction of such transformers, the magnetic fluxes in individual core limbs are interdependent. For applications, such as simulations and testing protection devices and algorithms, adequate prediction of inrush currents waveforms is crucial and indispensable. In this paper, various different dynamic models are tested where the limitations of standard models that are available in commercial program packages are pointed out. Two groups of models are evaluated separately: standard three-phase models composed of three-single phase transformer models and advanced three-phase models, where the topology of the magnetic circuit is considered. Furthermore, in both transformer model groups, three different material descriptions are evaluated, where linear, non-linear, and hysteretic material properties are considered. The comparison between measured and calculated waveforms of inrush currents is used to evaluate individual models. The comparison of evaluated models shows that standard dynamic models cannot provide proper waveforms of inrush currents regardless of which magnetically non-linear behavior of the iron core is considered. For adequate modeling of discussed transformers the consideration of the topology of the magnetic circuit is crucial.
Unsteady flow and particle migration in dense, non-Brownian suspensions

We present experimental results on dense corn-starch suspensions as examples of non-Brownian, nearly hard particles that undergo continuous and discontinuous shear thickening (DST) at intermediate and high densities, respectively. Our results offer strong support for recent theories involving a stress-dependent effective contact friction among particles. We show, however, that in the DST regime, where theory might lead one to expect steady-state shear bands oriented layerwise along the vorticity axis, the real flow is unsteady. To explain this, we argue that steady-state banding is generically ruled out by the requirement that, for hard non-Brownian particles, the solvent pressure and the normal-normal component of the particle stress must balance separately across the interface between bands. (Otherwise, there is an unbalanced migration flux.) However, long-lived transient shear bands remain possible.
PROPELLER EPI: An MRI technique suitable for diffusion tensor imaging at high field strength with reduced geometric distortions

A technique suitable for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at high field strengths is presented in this work. The method is based on a periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) k‐space trajectory using EPI as the signal readout module, and hence is dubbed PROPELLER EPI. The implementation of PROPELLER EPI included a series of correction schemes to reduce possible errors associated with the intrinsically higher sensitivity of EPI to off‐resonance effects. Experimental results on a 3.0 Tesla MR system showed that the PROPELLER EPI images exhibit substantially reduced geometric distortions compared with single‐shot EPI, at a much lower RF specific absorption rate (SAR) than the original version of the PROPELLER fast spin‐echo (FSE) technique. For DTI, the self‐navigated phase‐correction capability of the PROPELLER EPI sequence was shown to be effective for in vivo imaging. A higher signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) compared to single‐shot EPI at an identical total scan time was achieved, which is advantageous for routine DTI applications in clinical practice. Magn Reson Med, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Vocal Cord Dysfunction in Athletes: Clinical Presentation and Review of the Literature

Abstract Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is a syndrome characterized by the intermittent, abnormal paradoxical adduction of the true vocal cords during respiration resulting in variable upper airway obstruction. It is also commonly referred to as paradoxical vocal fold motion disorder. Patients with VCD usually present with intermittent shortness of breath of varying intensity, wheezing, stridor, choking, throat tightness, voice changes, or cough, and these symptoms often resolve quickly after relaxation or cessation of activity. Since first described as a distinct clinical entity in 1983, VCD remains underrecognized and the underlying cause(s) is not fully understood. Several studies suggest psychogenic or laryngeal hyperresponsiveness as possible underlying causes. Although VCD may have many causes, it can be a unique problem, especially in athletes because it often mimics and can be easily mistaken for exercise-induced bronchospasm, which may result in unnecessary medical treatment and delay in diagnosis. A detailed history, physical examination, and pulmonary function tests with flow-volume loops are important for excluding other diagnoses; however, the gold standard method for diagnosing VCD is by observation of the vocal cords with flexible laryngoscopy. The mainstay of treatment includes behavioral management guided by a speech-language pathologist, but optimal therapy often requires a multidisciplinary team involving a variety of specialties, including certified athletic training, pulmonology, otolaryngology, speech-language pathology, gastroenterology, allergy and immunology, and psychology, as appropriate. We reviewed the medical literature for VCD specifically in athletes, and this article discusses in detail the definition, epidemiology, possible pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment options.
Scalable and optimal coalition formation of microgrids in a distribution system

This paper presents an optimal coalition formation mechanism of microgrids in a smart distribution system and analyzes the characteristics from the coalitional game theoretical perspective. Microgrids coalitions can minimize the energy burden and dependency on the utility grid by maximizing intra-coalition energy transfer. A Hierarchical Coalition Formation (HR Coalition) mechanism is designed to form cooperative microgrids by determining optimal coalition among microgrids. The optimality is realized by reaching a state of cooperative equilibrium where sticking to the associated coalitions is the best response for all microgirds. We argued that the proposed HR Coalition scheme contains the optimality property and is proved to be scalable enough to participate in real-time operation. An equivalent pricing mechanism is also designed to support the coalition formation. Conducted simulation results back the claims while presenting the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of forming optimal coalition and minimizing loss in distribution system.
Constrained structural maximum a posteriori linear regression for average-voice-based speech synthesis

This paper proposes a constrained structural maximum a posteriori linear regression (CSMAPLR) algorithm for further improvement of speaker adaptation performance in HMM-based speech synthesis. In the algorithm, the concept of structural maximum a posteriori (SMAP) adaptation is applied to estimation of transformation matrices of the constrained MLLR (CMLLR), where recursive MAP-based estimation of the transformation matrices from the root node to lower nodes of context decision tree is conducted. We incorporate the algorithm into HSMM-based speech synthesis system and show that CSMAPLR adaptation utilizes both of the advantage of CMLLR and SMAPLR adaptation from the result of objective evaluation test. We also show that CSMAPLR adaptation provides more similar synthetic speech to the target speaker than CMLLR and SMAPLR adaptation from the result of subjective evaluation test.
Uncoupling Protein 1 and Sarcolipin Are Required to Maintain Optimal Thermogenesis, and Loss of Both Systems Compromises Survival of Mice under Cold Stress*

Background: The mechanisms underlying UCP1-independent thermogenesis are not well understood. Results: Loss of both SLN and UCP1 results in compromised thermogenic ability and severe sensitivity to acute cold. Conclusion: Sarcolipin-mediated thermogenesis is required for optimal thermogenesis and is up-regulated in the absence of UCP1. Significance: Sarcolipin is a crucial contributor to thermogenesis and energy expenditure. The importance of brown adipose tissue as a site of nonshivering thermogenesis has been well documented. Emerging studies suggest that skeletal muscle is also an important site of thermogenesis especially when brown adipose tissue function is lacking. We recently showed that sarcolipin (SLN), an uncoupler of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) pump, could contribute to heat production in skeletal muscle. In this study, we sought to understand how loss of UCP1 or SLN is compensated during cold exposure and whether they are both necessary for thermogenesis. Toward this goal, we generated a UCP1;SLN double knock-out (DKO) mouse model and challenged the single and DKO mice to acute and long-term cold exposures. Results from this study show that there is up-regulation of SLN expression in UCP1-KO mice, and loss of SLN is compensated by increased expression of UCP1 and browning of white adipose tissue. We found that the DKO mice were viable when reared at thermoneutrality. When challenged to acute cold, the DKO were extremely cold-sensitive and became hypothermic. Paradoxically, the DKO mice were able to survive gradual cold challenge, but these mice lost significant weight and depleted their fat stores, despite having higher caloric intake. These studies suggest that UCP1 and SLN are required to maintain optimal thermogenesis and that loss of both systems compromises survival of mice under cold stress.
Comparison of abuse, suspected suicidal intent, and fatalities related to the 7-day buprenorphine transdermal patch versus other opioid analgesics in the National Poison Data System

ABSTRACT Objective: Prescription opioid related abuse, suicide and death are significant public health problems. This study compares rates of poison center calls categorized as intentional abuse, suspected suicidal intent or fatality for the 7-day buprenorphine transdermal system/patch (BTDS) with other extended-release and long-acting (ER/LA) opioids indicated for chronic pain. Methods: Retrospective 24-month cohort study using National Poison Data System data from July 2012 through June 2014. BTDS was introduced in the United States in January 2011. Numbers and rates of calls of intentional abuse, suspected suicidal intent and fatalities were evaluated for BTDS, ER morphine, ER oxycodone, fentanyl patch, ER oxymorphone and methadone tablets/capsules, using prescription adjustment to account for community availability. Rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: Absolute numbers and prescription-adjusted rates of intentional abuse and suspected suicidal intent with BTDS were significantly lower (p < .0001) than for all other ER/LA opioid analgesics examined. No fatalities associated with BTDS exposure were reported. Conclusion: This post-marketing evaluation of BTDS indicates infrequent poison center calls for intentional abuse and suspected suicidal intent events, suggesting lower rates of these risks with BTDS compared to other ER/LA opioids.
Managing Conversation Uncertainty in TutorJ

Uncertainty in natural language dialogue is often treated through stochastic models. Some of the authors already presented TutorJ that is an Intelligent Tutoring System, whose interaction with the user is very intensive, and makes use of both dialogic and graphical modality. When managing the interaction, the system needs to cope with uncertainty due to the understanding of the user's needs and wishes. In this paper we present the extended version of TutorJ, focusing on the new features added to its chatbot module. These features allow to merge deterministic and probabilistic reasoning in dialogue management, and in writing the rules of the system's procedural memory.
Assembly in vitro of nuclei active in nuclear protein transport: ATP is required for nucleoplasmin accumulation.

DNA (from bacteriophage lambda or Xenopus) is assembled into nucleus‐like structures when mixed with an extract from Xenopus eggs. Electron microscopy shows that these in vitro‐reconstituted nuclei possess complete double membranes; some, but not all, nuclei have pore complexes. Extracts depleted of their endogenous ATP (by addition of ATPases) cannot assemble nuclear envelopes visible by phase‐contrast microscopy. Once synthetic nuclei are assembled, however, they are stable when ATP is subsequently depleted, although their chromatin becomes condensed. About one‐fourth of the nuclei assembled in vitro from lambda DNA accumulate nuclear proteins such as nucleoplasmin. ATP depletion blocks nucleoplasmin accumulation both in vitro, in pre‐assembled synthetic nuclei, and in vivo, in the nucleus of microinjected oocytes. However, nucleoplasmin previously accumulated by reconstituted nuclei or by the germinal vesicle in microinjected oocytes is retained after ATP depletion.
Risk factors for recurrence of primary bile duct stones after endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy.

BACKGROUND Endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy (EST) is a well-established procedure for bile duct stone extraction. Bile duct stones can be classified as primary or secondary. However, few data are available on the recurrence of primary and secondary bile duct stones after EST. Therefore risk factors for the recurrence of primary bile duct stones after EST were prospectively studied. METHODS Between 1991 and 1997, 61 patients underwent EST for primary bile duct stones. All met the following criteria: (1) previous cholecystectomy without bile duct exploration, (2) detection of bile duct stones at least 2 years after initial cholecystectomy. Mean follow-up was 2.2 years. Fourteen patients were lost to follow-up. The recurrence of primary bile duct stones was defined as the detection of bile duct stones no sooner than 6 months after complete clearance of primary bile duct stones. RESULTS The overall recurrence rate of primary bile duct stones was 21% (10 of 47). Two significant risk factors for recurrence were identified by multivariate analysis: (1) patients with a bile duct diameter of 13 mm or greater after stone removal had recurrences more frequently than those with a duct diameter of 13 mm or less, and (2) patients whose papilla was located on the inner rim or deep within a diverticulum, so that the papillary orifice was not visible endoscopically, had more frequent recurrences than patients with a papilla outside the diverticulum, or no peripapillary diverticulum. CONCLUSION The independent risk factors for recurrence of primary bile duct stones were sustained dilation of the bile duct even after complete removal of stones and location of the papilla on the inner rim or deep within a diverticulum.