Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Control of Immunoglobulin Class Switch Recombination

The comparative analysis of Ig class switch recombination in a priori IgG/IgA-expressing myelomas and hybridomas, in switch variants and in activated normal B cells shows the following characteristics of class switch recombination in activated B cells: It is prevented during most of B cell ontogeny. It happens on both IgH loci of activated and switched B cells. The recombination is programmed in that on both IgH loci of switched cells the same switch regions recombine with Smu. This is true at least for the IgG1 pathway. IgM-expressing cells show no class switch recombination on the inactive IgH locus. Thus, physiological class switch recombination is a programmed rather than a random event and is controlled as such. The initial stages of class switching and the molecules involved in these are largely unclear: What is the nature of the protection of switch regions and how is this protection abrogated? Do specific recombinases exist? What is the role of large transcription units? Is the specificity of class switch recombination a result of specific "opening" of the DNA for transcription? Do all B cells use the same switch mechanism? What is the role of switch factors (such as lymphokines)? These and more questions await answers and although a variety of switch scenarios could be discussed at present a detailed speculation seems premature.
Prospective diagnosis of the initial prodrome for schizophrenia based on the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes: preliminary evidence of interrater reliability and predictive validity.

OBJECTIVE This study was conducted to determine the interrater reliability and predictive validity of a set of diagnostic criteria for the prodrome of the first episode of schizophrenic psychosis when based on the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes. METHOD The subjects were patients referred for evaluation because of a suspected schizophrenia prodromal syndrome. For the reliability study, two to four raters independently diagnosed 18 patients on the basis of face-to-face or videotaped interviews. For the validity study, 6- and 12-month outcome data were collected for 29 patients. RESULTS Agreement in differentiating prodromal from nonprodromal patients was 93%. The prodromal features had converted to schizophrenic psychosis for 46% of the prodromal patients at 6 months and for 54% at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS In small groups of subjects, these diagnostic criteria for the schizophrenic prodrome and the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes showed promising interrater reliability and predictive validity.
Using Computational Simulation for Analysis and Development of Next-generation Orthopaedic Devices.

Orthopaedic fracture fixation encompasses a broad range of fracture types. An orthopaedic surgeon may select from a wide array of commercially available devices for the surgical repair of a given fracture type. Complexity of fracture repair increases with the number of fracture fragments that result from the injury and with the level of displacement of these fragments. In the case of proximal humeral fractures, for example, several types of fixation devices have been developed and implemented clinically, ranging from locking plates to intramedullary nails. Standard finite element analysis of fracture fixation devices models cortical bone as an isotropic elastic material, with material inhomogeneity based on Hounsfield units taken from CT scans. This simplified approach to the modeling of cortical bone allows for a preliminary assessment of device performance in terms of identification of stress concentrations in the device and in the bone. A recent study has extended this method to assess micromotion between fracture fragments. Additionally, the use of emerging device materials such as carbon fiber–reinforced polyetheretherketone has been investigated. Device failure commonly occurs because of pullout/pushout of orthopaedic screws from the surrounding cortical bone. Periprosthetic stress concentrations in the region of screw threads have been identified for locking plate and intramedullary nail simulations (Figure 1, A). Therefore, an improved understanding of the mechanism of bone damage leading to screw pullout is required to develop computational models that will guide the development of next-generation devices. The alignment of the cortical bone microstructure relative to the screw axis is a critical factor in the force required for screw pullout. When osteons are aligned perpendicular to the screw axis (ie, transverse alignment), the experimentally measured screw pullout force is approximately two times higher than that recorded when osteons are aligned parallel to the screw axis (ie, longitudinal alignment). Furthermore, a novel experimental screw-pullout damage visualization technique has revealed an extensive zone of material damage and crack growth perpendicular to the screw axis for transverse osteon alignment (Figure 1, B, panel 2). In contrast, localized cracks parallel to the screw axis allow for pullout with minimal material damage for longitudinal osteon alignment (Figure 1, B, panel 1). The strong influence of osteon alignment on crack propagation in bone has also been observed in single mode and mixed-mode fracture mechanics tests. To provide reliable analysis and design of next-generation orthopaedic devices, the complex damage and fracture mechanics of bone must be incorporated into finite element models. Feerick and McGarry have demonstrated that influence of osteon alignment on bone fracture during screw pullout can be accurately simulated using a Emer M. Feerick, PhD
Performance of LVCSR with morpheme-based and syllable-based recognition units

For large vocabulary continuous speech recognition of highly inflected languages, it is the first step to determine an appropriate speech recognition unit to reduce high out-of-vocabulary rate. We investigate two kinds of approaches to select recognition units. In the morpheme-based approach, we use morpheme as basic recognition unit and merge frequent morpheme pairs into phrases by rule-based method or statistical unit merging method. In statistical unit merging, we investigate the effects of part-of-speech constraints used in selecting merging candidates. In the syllable-based approach, assuming that only text data and pronunciation are available, we obtain merged syllables by using the same statistical merging method where pronunciation variation is taken into account. The experimental results showed that the statistical merging method with appropriate linguistic constraints yields best recognition accuracy. Although the syllable-based approach did not show comparable performance, it has the advantage that it does not require a part-of-speech tagging system.
Indoor localisation using a context-aware dynamic position tracking model

Indoor wireless localisation is a widely sought feature for use in logistics, health, and social networking applications. Low-powered localisation will become important for the next generation of pervasive media applications that operate on mobile platforms. We present an inexpensive and robust context-aware tracking system that can track the position of users in an indoor environment, using a wireless smart meter network. Our context-aware tracking system combines wireless trilateration with a dynamic position tracking model and a probability density map to estimate indoor positions. The localisation network consisted of power meter nodes placed at known positions in a building. The power meter nodes are tracked by mobile nodes which are carried by users to localise their position. We conducted an extensive trial of the context-aware tracking system and performed a comparison analysis with existing localisation techniques. The context-aware tracking system was able to localise a person's indoor position with an average error of 1.21 m.
A multi-link robotic finger-type soft touch-sensor system

As few research works have been done on robotic finger-type soft touch-sensor systems for classifying the multiple features of objects such as size and softness, we have developed a soft touch-sensor array system of 5-links robotic finger-type together with a statistical data processing of spatial-temporal on-off switch data that are obtained in the course of grasping an object. The finger-type touch-sensor body is covered with a semi-circular soft silicone rubber with compliance of 0.004m/N within which small mechanical touch-sensor switches (compliance = 0.001m/N) are implanted at 5 /spl times/ 47 grid points. The spatial and temporal on-off switch data are decomposed into the frequency distribution of 8-neighborhood-cell patterns. By applying the Maharanobis distance categorization method, the dynamic sensing is found more effective to achieve the 100% multiple-feature classification of the 12 tested circular cylinders with respect to size and softness than the static one.
Observations of artificial and natural optical emissions at the HAARP facility

Extensive optical observations have been carried out at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) ionospheric heating facility since it began operations in 1999. A number of modern optical diagnostic instruments are hosted at remote sites as well as the main transmitter facility, which has recently been expanded from the initial 960 kW prototype configuration to its full 3.6 MW design capability. Upgrades to optical diagnostics have allowed a number of interesting new observations to be made at the 960 kW power level since 2004. Systematic beam-swinging experiments generating quantifiable levels of optical emission at various regions in the sky for the first time clearly show that emission intensity is very sensitive to distance from the magnetic zenith, and drops off rapidly at about 15° zenith angle in directions other than magnetic south. High temporal resolution measurements of emissions in the 557.7 nm green line at start-up and in short transmitter pulses demonstrate that localized irregularities are preferentially excited in the initial seconds of heating, with evolution into a more homogenous spot occurring over a period of about 1 min. High-quality emission altitude profiles at both 630.0 and 557.7 nm have recently been isolated from side-looking data, spanning an altitude extent of over 200 km, which has allowed determination of the effective lifetime of O ( 1 D) over an unprecedented altitude range. An innovative automated remote imager network utilizing low-cost mirror optics has been designed and deployed to make such measurements routinely. Observations of natural optical emissions at the site have revealed the common presence of highly structured but faint co-rotating subauroral precipitation that acts to suppress excitation of artificial F region optical emissions in areas of active precipitation. The observed spatial modulation of artificial optical emissions by structured precipitation is consistent with localized absorption of HF waves in the ionospheric D layer enhanced by the energetic particle precipitation.
Physical therapist practice and the role of diagnostic imaging.

SYNOPSIS For healthcare providers involved in the management of patients with musculoskeletal disorders, the ability to order diagnostic imaging is a beneficial adjunct to screening for medical referral and differential diagnosis. A trial of conservative treatment, such as physical therapy, is often recommended prior to the use of imaging in many treatment guidelines for the management of musculoskeletal conditions. In the United States, physical therapists are becoming more autonomous and can practice some degree of direct access in 48 states and Washington, DC. Referral for imaging privileges could increase the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare delivery, particularly in combination with direct access management. This clinical commentary proposes that, given the American Physical Therapy Association's goal to have physical therapists as primary care musculoskeletal specialists of choice, it would be beneficial for physical therapists to have imaging privileges in their practice. The purpose of this commentary is 3-fold: (1) to make a case for the use of imaging privileges by physical therapists, using a historical perspective; (2) to discuss the barriers preventing physical therapists from having this privilege; and (3) to offer suggestions on strategies and guidelines to facilitate the appropriate inclusion of referral for imaging privileges in physical therapist practice. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2011;41(11):829-837. doi:10.2519/jospt.2011. 3556.
Development of a Short-Term Fluorescence-Based Assay to Assess the Toxicity of Anticancer Drugs on Rat Stem/Progenitor Spermatogonia In Vitro1

In vitro culture of rodent spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) has become an important asset in the study of mammalian SSC biology. Supported by added growth factors, SSCs divide in culture and form aggregates of stem/progenitor spermatogonia, termed clusters. Recent studies have shown that serial passaging of clusters results in long-term maintenance and amplification of the SSC pool and that this culture system can also be used for short-term semiquantification of SSC activity. Here, we report the development of an automated assay to assess the activity of rat stem/progenitor spermatogonia in vitro and its application for investigating the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs on these cells. Cultures of EGFP-expressing rat spermatogenic cells allowed us to determine the number and two-dimensional surface area of clusters using an automated fluorescence imaging system, thereby providing quantitative data of SSC activity. Using this assay, we examined the germ cell toxicity of three drugs that are routinely used in testicular cancer therapy, namely, bleomycin, cisplatin, and etoposide, alone and in combination. All three drugs showed a significant and dose-dependent reduction of cluster number and surface area, indicating their adverse effects specific to spermatogonia. The inhibitory concentration at which cluster number and surface area are inhibited by 50% (IC50) was the lowest with etoposide and the highest with cisplatin, implying that etoposide was most toxic to spermatogonia in vitro. These results suggest that the SSC culture should provide an effective and efficient system to assess the germ cell toxicity of various drugs and chemical compounds.
Web filtering using text classification

Web filtering is used to prevent access to undesirable Web pages. In this paper we review a number of existing approaches and point out the shortcomings of each. We then propose a Web filtering system that uses text classification approach to classify Web pages into desirable and undesirable ones, and propose a text classification algorithm that is well suited to this application.
Role of axonal components during myelination

Myelination is a multistep ordered process whereby Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS), produce and extend membranous processes that envelop axons. Mechanisms that regulate this complex process are not well understood. Advances in deciphering the regulatory components of myelination have been carried out primarily in the PNS and although the mechanisms for triggering and directing myelination are not known, it is well established that myelination does not occur in the absence of axons or axon/neuron‐derived factors. This appears to be true both in PNS and CNS. Progress in understanding CNS myelinogenesis has been relatively slow because of the unavailability of a suitable culture system, which, in turn, is partly due to complexity in the cellular organization of the CNS. Though the myelin composition differs between PNS and CNS, the regulation of myelination seems to parallel rather than differ between these two systems. This article reviews the regulatory role of axonal components during myelination. The first half consists of an overview of in vitro and in vivo studies carried out in the nervous system. The second half discusses the use of a cerebellar slice culture system and generation of anti‐axolemma monoclonal antibodies to investigate the role of axonal membrane components that participate in myelination. It also describes the characterization of an axonal protein involved in myelination. Microsc. Res. Tech. 41:379–392, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
GENOMIC MEDICINE enomics and Cardiac Arrhythmias

Sudden cardiac death in patients younger than 35 years of age is primarily due to genetic causes. Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy accounting for 30% to 40% is associated with structural heart disease while the Brugada syndrome and the long QT syndrome (LQTS) are associated with normal cardiac function. This is a review of the genetics of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation is mapped to nine chromosomal loci and four genes are identified. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase is one gene responsible for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. The LQTS and the Brugada syndromes are due to defects primarily in cardiac sodium and potassium ion channels. The role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in predisposing to arrhythmias in acquired disorders such as hypertrophy is discussed. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2006;47:9–21) © 2006 by the American ublished by Elsevier Inc. doi:10.1016/j.jacc. 2005.08. 059
Self-Rated Physical Attractiveness, Attractiveness Standards, and Expectation Deviations in Romantic Partners Among Non-Married University Students

This study surveyed unmarried, randomly selected university students to discover how they rated themselves regarding physical attractiveness, what range of attractiveness they would consider in a romantic partner, and what would cause them to deviate from this range. The results showed that the most frequently chosen rating for self-attractiveness was a 7 (on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the most attractive) for both men and women. A t-test showed that men had a slightly higher mean of rating than women in their own level of attractiveness, though these results were not statistically significant. When asked for a range of attractiveness that respondents were willing to consider in a dating partner, the most frequently chosen number for the lowest level was 7. For the highest level of attractiveness in their range, about half of the participants selected 10. A t-test revealed that women had a slightly lower mean for the low end of the range of attractiveness they were willing to accept in a dating partner than males, which was statistically significant. Another t-test, though not statistically significant, revealed that men had a slightly higher mean in the high range of attractiveness they were willing to accept in a dating partner than women. Perhaps the most interesting finding was that not only were both genders willing to deviate from their standard of attractiveness in a dating partner (given the right circumstances), but women were much more likely to
Paternal drinking, intimate relationship quality, and alcohol consumption in pregnant Ukrainian women.

OBJECTIVE Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) represent a significant public health problem. The influence of the male partner's alcohol consumption patterns and the quality of the partner's intimate relationship might be important factors to consider in the design of successful FASD prevention programs. METHOD As part of the Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, 166 pregnant women in two regions in Ukraine participated in an in-person interview at an average gestational age of 18-19 weeks. Subjects were classified cross-sectionally as abstainers/light drinkers (n = 80), defined as low or no consumption of alcohol in the periconceptional period and none in the most recent 2 weeks of pregnancy; discontinuers (n = 43), defined as moderate to heavy alcohol use in the periconceptional period but none during the most recent 2 weeks of pregnancy; or continuing drinkers (n = 43), defined as continued moderate to heavy alcohol use within the most recent 2 weeks of pregnancy. Women also reported on their partner's drinking behavior and on the quality of their intimate relationship. RESULTS Heavy paternal drinking was significantly associated with both continuing maternal drinking in the most recent 2 weeks (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 34.1; 95% CI [5.9, 195.8]) and being a risky drinker only around conception (adjusted OR = 27.0; 95% CI [5.0, 147.7]). In addition, women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy had lower mean scores for satisfaction with partners' relationship and ability to discuss problems (p < .05) compared with light drinkers/abstainers. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that development of partner-based interventions, as opposed to those solely focused on maternal drinking, might be warranted as a strategy to prevent FASD.
High-level synthesis of self-recovering microarchitectures

A methodology for the computer aided synthesis of microarchitectures that can recover from transient faults is presented. The synthesis is formulated as a two-step procedure of checkpoint insertion followed by duplication. The checkpoint insertion technique minimizes the voting overhead subject to input constraints on maximum allowable recovery time and the maximum number of retries. Additionally checkpoint insertion is interspersed with the scheduling decisions of a novel edge-based scheduler. Self-recovering microarchitectures which perform optimally but require less than proportional increase in hardware are generated by exploiting cost minimizing transformations. <<ETX>>
Reports of pancreatitis are 20-30 times more likely with GLP-1 drugs, analysis finds

A class of antidiabetes drugs is associated with an increase in safety alerts for pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, a new analysis has found. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a US non-profit organisation that promotes the safe use of drugs, monitored reports of serious adverse events to the US Food and Drug Administration from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012 concerning five glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) based agents (exenatide, liraglutide, sitagliptin, saxagliptin, and linagliptin) used to lower blood glucose concentrations. It compared these against the rates of adverse event reporting for a control group of drugs comprising other drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes (three sulfonylureas and metformin) and drugs for treating other diseases. GLP-1 …
A conventional 45nm CMOS node low-cost platform for general purpose and low power applications

In this work, a low-cost 45nm node platform for general purpose and low power applications based on conventional bulk approach is proposed. Performant Lg=30nm/45nm devices with SiON gate oxide, shallow junctions and process induced strain are demonstrated. GP nFET/pFET devices feature I/sub on/= 820/spl mu/A//spl mu/m/340 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m at I/sub off/ = 20nA//spl mu/m at V/sub dd/=1.0V. RO features Tp < 10ps. LP devices feature I/sub on/= 505 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m 1240 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m at I/sub off/ = 0.1 nA//spl mu/m at V/sub dd/= 1.2V. In addition, high-voltage 50A/2.5V devices are made to complete the CMOS platform.