Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of UV‐stimulated recombination in the Drosophila SMART assay

The UV component of solar radiation is classified into UVA (320–400 nm), UVB (290–320 nm), and UVC (200–290 nm). Although all three types of UV light are capable of damaging biological systems, the earth's atmosphere filters out UVC, and a portion of UVB. In this study, we evaluated the induction of mutation and recombination by different wavelengths of UV light in the wing spot test of Drosophila melanogaster (Somatic Mutation and Recombination Test, SMART). Third‐instar larvae that were trans‐heterozygous for the third chromosome recessive markers, multiple wing hairs (mwh) and flare‐3 (flr3), were exposed to different doses of UVA (at 365 nm), UVB (at 312 nm) or UVC (at 254 nm), and transferred to standard Drosophila culture medium. Feeding ended with pupation of the surviving larvae, and the genetic changes induced in the somatic cells of the wing's imaginal discs lead to the formation of mutant clones on the wing blade. Point mutation, chromosome breakage, and mitotic recombination produce single spots, while twin spots are produced only by mitotic recombination. Exposure to 500–4,000 J/cm2 UVA did not increase the frequency of mutant spots. UVB doses of 200, 250, 300, 350, and 400 J/cm2 increased the frequency of all categories of spots, indicating that UVB was potentially both mutagenic and recombinogenic. Assays run in balancer‐heterozygous flies (which are insensitive to recombination) indicated that the fraction of mutants in trans‐heterozygous flies due to recombination increased from 48.57% at 200 J/cm2 UVB to 98.30% at 400 J/cm2 UVB. While 140–480 J/cm2 of UVC was not genotoxic, UVC produced a strong toxic response at doses higher than 140 J/cm2. The results of this study indicate that UVB was much more active than UVC or UVA in the SMART assay, and that UVB was highly recombinogenic. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. , 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Generation of 3.8-GHz Picosecond Pulses From a Diode-Pumped Self-Mode-Locked Yb:YAG Thin Disk Laser

We report on a high-repetition-rate self-mode-locking laser with a diode-pumped Yb:YAG ceramic thin disk. The third nonlinearity of the gain medium is exploited to achieve stable CW mode-locking operation without using any additional components in the cavity. The laser produces 60-ps pulses at the central wavelength of 1032 nm with a repetition rate of 3.8 GHz and an average power of 780 mW.
Genetic association studies in osteoarthritis: is it fairytale?

Purpose of review Osteoarthritis is a common complex disorder with a strong genetic component. Other identified risk factors such as increasing age and overweight do not fully explain the risk of osteoarthritis. Here, we highlight the main findings from genetic association studies on osteoarthritis to date. Recent findings Currently, genetic association studies have identified 21 independent susceptibility loci for osteoarthritis. Studies have focused on hip, knee and hand osteoarthritis, as well as posttotal joint replacement and minimum joint space width, a proxy for cartilage thickness. Four distinct loci have recently been identified in a genome-wide association scan on minimum joint space width. The role of mitochondrial DNA variants has been the focus of a recent meta-analysis. Findings have previously been mixed, however, this study suggests a plausible involvement of mitochondrial DNA in the progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis. Summary Identifying genetic locations of interest provides a framework upon which to base future studies, for example replication analysis and functional work. Genetic association studies have shaped and will continue to shape research in this field. Improving the understanding of osteoarthritis could improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease and improve quality of life for many individuals.
Fault localization in backbone networks

Automated, rapid and effective fault management is a central goal of large operational IP networks. Yet, today's networks suffer from a wide and volatile set of failure modes, where the underlying fault proves difficult to be detected and localized. In this dissertation, we introduce a fault localization methodology based on the use of risk models. At a high level, risk modeling involves constructing a bi-partite dependency relationship between a set of observable failure symptoms and associated root causes. It then uses novel fault-localization algorithms that use the set of observed failure symptoms and the constructed risk models to output a set of candidate root causes that best explain the symptoms. Using observations from monitoring data commonly available today in ISP networks, we apply risk-modeling methodology to two different fault-localization problems—IP link and black hole localization—commonly observed in practice. For these two fault-localization problems, we have designed, implemented, evaluated and deployed systems in a real tier-one ISP network. Our experience indicates that risk modeling is effective in narrowing down the set of root causes of failures significantly, thus assisting network operators respond quickly to common failure modes. While our systems indicate tremendous promise in the risk-modeling approach, still, risk modeling is an indirect inference mechanism born out of necessity, especially in situations where direct isolation mechanisms do not exist. Thus, we propose composition-based architecture called m-Plane that utilizes specialized router primitives to directly isolate the location of failures that affect traffic. In addition to monitoring connectivity problems, our architecture can also generalize to localizing other end-to-end performance degradations such as delay and loss.
Adult Height in Patients Treated for Isolated Growth Hormone Deficiency: Role of Birth Weight

To evaluate the effect of growth hormone (GH) administration on adult height (AH) in two groups of isolated GH-deficient (IGHD) children born either small (birth weight below –2 SD) or appropriate (birth weight above –2 SD) for gestational age (GA). Out of 35 prepubertal IGHD children, 14 small for GA (SGA, group A) and 21 appropriate for GA (AGA, group B) were examined. All patients received continuous GH treatment at a median dose of 0.028 mg/kg/day (range 0.023–0.032) in group A and 0.024 (range 0.023–0.028) in group B. GH treatment was administered for a period of 67.0 months (range 42.37–96.05) in group A and 54.31 months (range 47.14–69.31) in group B. All children were measured using a Harpenden stadiometer every 6 months until they reached AH (growth velocity <1 cm/year). The patients underwent a retesting a few months after stopping GH therapy. A significant difference was found between group A and B as expected for birth weight SD, –2.70 (range –2.87 to –2.29) and –0.73 (range –1.30 to 0.14) respectively (p < 0.000001) and interestingly also for body mass index SDS (BMI SDS) at retesting, 0.08 (range 0.30 to –1.51) and 0.61 (range 0.73 to –1.10) respectively (p < 0.04). We observed no significant differences between groups A and B in height (expressed as the SDS for chronological age, height SDS) at diagnosis (p = 0.75), height SDS at start of puberty (p = 0.51), height SDS at retesting (p = 0.50), target height SDS (TH SDS) (p = 0.47), AH SDS (p = 0.92), corrected height SDS (height SDS – TH SDS) (p = 0.60), BMI SDS at diagnosis (p = 0.25), GH dosage (p = 0.34) and therapy duration (p = 0.52). GH treatment with a standard dose in short IGHD children leads to a normalization of AH without any significant difference between SGA and AGA patients.
A robust reduced-complexity spectrum sensing scheme based on second-order cyclostationarity for OFDM-based primary users

One of the main requirements of cognitive radio systems is the reliable high-speed spectrum sensing. Recently, cyclostationarity-based detection methods, which are generally more complex than energy detection methods, have gained renewed attention because of their reliable detection performance in low-SNR conditions. In cyclostationary detection context, optimum GLRT-based method is a common approach. However, due to its extensive computational complexity, it has the well-known drawback of implementation feasibility. In this paper, we propose a reduced-complexity spectrum sensing method for OFDM-based primary user sensing, which exploits the second-order cyclostationary properties of OFDM signals. The proposed method has good detection performance and is robust against noise uncertainty. We show that the complexity of the proposed suboptimum method is significantly reduced, as compared with the GLRT-based scheme. In order to perform binary hypothesis testing, we also establish the asymptotic F distribution under the null hypothesis. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the detection performances of both schemes.
Effects of salmon calcitonin on patients with atypical (idiopathic) facial pain: a randomized controlled trial.

The analgesic properties of salmon calcitonin for the treatment of atypical facial pain (AFP) were investigated. An initial open-label trial of salmon calcitonin in subjects with refractory AFP was followed with a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of salmon calcitonin in the management of AFP. Salmon calcitonin (100 IU in 1 mL saline) was administered in an open-label fashion to 13 subjects with refractory AFP five times per week for 6 weeks. In the subsequent randomized investigation, salmon calcitonin (100 IU in 1 mL saline) or placebo (1 mL saline) was delivered three times per week for 3 weeks, with a 1-week washout prior to crossover. The percentage of subjects dropping out (57%) exceeded that reported in other pain studies using calcitonin. Therefore, it was imperative to halt the study for ethical reasons. There was no difference in outcome measures (P > .05) in subjects administered either active drug or placebo, and a high incidence of side effects led to dropout in subjects taking salmon calcitonin. Although salmon calcitonin may have analgesic properties, it is not efficacious for AFP, largely because of the side effects.
Reed Solomon Coding for Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum in Jamming Environment

Frequency hopping spread spectrum with noncoherent M-ary frequency shift keying system is considered. In this study Reed Solomon codes RS (255, 223) are employed in a standard error correction role to provide some Anti-Jamming (AJ) capability with 8-bit symbols. Noise has been added to RS encoded data, which is demodulated at RS decoder perfectly. Matlab simulations have been implemented for numerical results. Graphical results have been plotted between the probability of an erasure versus ρ using RS (255, 223) code for 1 and 2 kHz frequencies. The simulation results have proved that system having RS (255, 223) code with M = 32 require substantially less signal to jammer power ratio to achieve the same bit error probability.
Predicting the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

Sir—In his review of antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Doern [1] states that there is convincing evidence that azithromycin is much more likely to select for macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae than is clarithromycin. However, the studies he cites to support this conclusion do not contain any data regarding the relative emergence rates of resistance for these 2 macrolide antimicrobials [2, 3]. One study reports the increasing antimicrobial resistance of S. pneumoniae, but fails to show a correlation with macrolide use. The other study shows that macrolide resistance transiently increased in a population of patients given a single dose of azithromycin; no control population was studied. Doern [1] uses a pharmacodynamic model to predict that azithromycin use will result in more pneumococcal isolates with resistance than will clarithromycin use. He argues that a valid measure of azithromycin tissue concentration is the level of the drug in the alveolar lining fluid. This may not be the correct parameter to assess the pharmacodynamic behavior of azithromycin in the treatment of pneumonia, because it ignores good evidence that azithromycin is delivered to sites of infection by drug-containing neutrophils. More important, it is likely that emergence of pneumococcal resistance to macrolides will not be the result of treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia, but, rather, the use of macrolides to “treat” nonbacterial upper–respiratory tract diseases. In one recent prospective comparative study of the treatment of otitis media [4], emergence of azithromycin resistance was no more likely to occur than was emergence of amoxicillin resistance in patients treated with azithromycin or amoxicillin, respectively. These results suggest that pharmacodynamic models may not always accurately predict the emergence of drug resistance. It is not entirely clear that administration of macrolides is the main force driving the development of macrolide resistance in pneumococci. A recent study found that cephalosporin use, but not macrolide use, was associated with the emergence of multiple-antibiotic–resistant S. pneumoniae [5]. Doern [1] may have the correct model for predicting the emergence of pneumococcal resistance to different macrolides. However, there is currently no convincing evidence for this. His hypothesis should be considered unproven in the absence of convincing randomized, comparative clinical and epidemiologic studies.
Swelling-activated Cl- channels support Cl- secretion by bovine ciliary epithelium.

PURPOSE To determine whether swelling-activated Cl- currents (ICl,swell) observed in isolated nonpigmented ciliary epithelial (NPE) cells contribute to Cl- secretion across the ciliary epithelium. METHODS Ion transport across intact bovine ciliary epithelium was monitored electrically. Native isolated bovine NPE cells were harvested enzymatically. Cell volume changes were measured by calcein-fluorescence quenching. RESULTS Bilateral reduction in osmolality transiently increased short-circuit current (Isc), averaging 60% to 70%. Bilateral pretreatment with 5-nitro-2-(phenylpropylamino)-benzoate (NPPB), a Cl- channel blocker, reduced Isc stimulation by approximately 60%, suggesting that transcellular ICl,swell largely mediates the increased current. The hypotonically-triggered Isc stimulation was also inhibited by phloretin, a blocker of swelling-activated Cl- channels and by flufenamic acid, a blocker of Cl- and nonselective cation channels. Cyclamate substitution for bath Cl- reduced the baseline Isc and the increase in hypotonically-triggered Isc. In that case, addition of either NPPB or flufenamic acid did not produce further inhibition. The transepithelial responses were correlated with regulatory volume responses of freshly harvested NPE cells. Hypotonicity elicited a regulatory volume decrease (RVD) over a period comparable to that of the hypotonicity-triggered increase in Isc. The RVD was also inhibited by Cl--channel blockers and by Cl- substitution. CONCLUSIONS ICl,swell of NPE cells is functionally expressed in intact ciliary epithelium and is oriented to subserve aqueous humor formation. NPE cell volume can be measured with calcein-fluorescence quenching. ICl,swell may be stimulated by increased stromal fluid uptake and delivery to the NPE cells, facilitating Cl- secretion and increasing fluid release into the posterior chamber.
In vitro activity of tigecycline as a therapeutic option against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter spp.

The study was performed to detect the in vitro activity of tigecycline in multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter isolates from patients in Hacettepe University Adult Hospital, Turkey. The microorganisms were isolated from clinical specimens of patients with respiratory and bloodstream infections. Thirty (66.7%) of the 45 inpatients were in ICUs. In vitro activity of imipenem, meropenem, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin and aztreonam in 124 Acinetobacter species isolated was evaluated by microdilution test. Overall, 51 (41%) Acinetobacter spp. were found to be resistant to > or = 3 antibiotics belonging to different antimicrobial classes and defined as multidrug-resistant (MDR). Among the MDR Acinetobacter spp. 32 (62.7%) were Acinetobacter baumannii and 19 (37.3%) Acinetobacter lwoffii. In vitro activity of tigecycline against MDR isolates were studied by E-test. Each MDR isolate was also tested for metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) production using CLSI guidelines. Forty-five (88.2%) of the isolates were found to produce MBL. The MIC90s of all antimicrobial agents tested except tigecycline were > or = 64 microg/ml whereas the MIC50, and MIC90 of tigecycline were found 1 microg/ml and 1.5 microg/ml, respectively. ERIC-PCR results revealed that bloodstream and respiratory isolates had nine and six different patterns, respectively. In conclusion, tigecycline has been shown to have potent in vitro activity against MDR Acinetobacter spp. and might be of therapeutic value in the treatment of infections due to MDR Acinetobacter spp. , including those harbouring MBLs. Further clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of tigecycline in the management of MDR Acinetobacter infections.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering of Rat Tissues

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is proven to be a powerful tool for investigation of biological structures. In this study, tissues obtained from different rat organs are examined using SERS. The tissue samples are crushed with a pestle after sudden freezing in liquid nitrogen and mixed with a concentrated colloidal silver nanoparticle suspension. The reproducibility of SERS spectra acquired from several tissue samples from different organs is demonstrated. The collected spectra are comparatively evaluated based on the physiological function of the organ from which the tissue is obtained. The spectra from the tissues show significant differences and indicate that they can be used for tissue characterization and differentiation. The identification of the origins of the bands on the spectra is also attempted. This study suggests that SERS can be used to monitor the changes at the molecular level during metabolic changes in an organ or tissue as a result of a disease or another cause.
Compulsive eating and weight gain related to dopamine agonist use

Dopamine agonists have been implicated in causing compulsive behaviors in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). These have included gambling, hypersexuality, hobbyism, and other repetitive, purposeless behaviors (“punding”). In this report, we describe 7 patients in whom compulsive eating developed in the context of pramipexole use. All of the affected patients had significant, undesired weight gain; 4 had other comorbid compulsive behaviors. In the 5 patients who lowered the dose of pramipexole or discontinued dopamine agonist treatment, the behavior remitted and no further weight gain occurred. Physicians should be aware that compulsive eating resulting in significant weight gain may occur in PD as a side‐effect of dopamine agonist medications such as pramipexole. Given the known risks of the associated weight gain and obesity, further investigation is warranted. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society
Three-dimensional contrast-ultrasound dispersion imaging for prostate cancer localization, a feasibility study

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the type of cancer with the highest incidence in men in Western countries. To date, reliable tools for PCa localization are lacking. Recently, contrast-ultrasound dispersion imaging (CUDI) by spatiotemporal analysis performed on transrectal dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) has been proposed as a promising option for PCa localization. This technique evaluates the spatial similarity between indicator dilution curves in a ring-shaped kernel and its center pixel. Until now, CUDI has been performed in 2D only. Hence, each imaged plane requires a separate bolus injection of contrast agent, motion compensation is limited, and out-of-plane contrast flow cannot be observed. 3D DCE-US can potentially solve the aforementioned issues, permitting the analysis of the entire prostate with a single bolus injection. In this work, we implemented a full 4D spatiotemporal similarity analysis. Its feasibility to localize PCa was evaluated in 2 patients by qualitatively comparing similarity maps obtained by 3D CUDI with those obtained by 2D CUDI in the corresponding planes and with histopathologic results from 12-core systematic biopsies. All results showed good agreement, confirming the feasibility of 3D CUDI for PCa localization and encouraging extension of the study to a larger dataset. Additionally, the characteristics - and in particular the spatial and temporal resolution - of 3D DCE-US were analyzed with respect to the requirements for CUDI. Both the spatial and temporal resolution were considered to be sufficient for CUDI.
Moving toward a universally accessible web: Web accessibility and education

ABSTRACT The World Wide Web is an extremely powerful source of information, inspiration, ideas, and opportunities. As such, it has become an integral part of daily life for a great majority of people. Yet, for a significant number of others, the internet offers only limited value due to the existence of barriers which make accessing the Web difficult, if not impossible. This article illustrates some of the reasons that achieving equality of access to the online world of education is so critical, explores the current status of Web accessibility, discusses evaluative tools and methods that can help identify accessibility issues in educational websites, and provides practical recommendations and guidelines for resolving some of the obstacles that currently hinder the achievability of the goal of universal Web access.
Neuroprotection and Stroke

The current goal of acute stroke therapy is to restore cerebral perfusion and to protect cerebral tissue before the development of an irreversible damage. This latter is due to the duration and the severity of cerebral ischemia [1]. Recanalization operated by thrombolysis represents the most intuitive and effective treatment of acute cerebral ischemia. Unfortunately, because of the strictly clinical criteria that make thrombolysis feasible, this approach is limited only to few patients, and it is estimated that only about 5% of all acute cerebrovascular patients are suitable for rtPA treatment [2]. The need for new therapeutic strategies appropriate for the majority of acute stroke patients is therefore evident, in order to save as much ischemic brain tissue as possible.
SKEWED ALPHA-STABLE DISTRIBUTIONS FOR MODELLING TEXTURES

In this letter, we introduce a novel family of texture models which provide alternatives to texture models which are based on Gaussian distributions. In particular, we introduce linear textures generated with a member of the a -stable distribution family which is a generalisation of the Gaussian distribution. The new family of texture models is capable of representing both impulsive and unsymmetric (skewed) image data which cannot be accommodated by the Gaussian model. We present new techniques for texture model estimation and we demonstrate the success of the techniques on synthetic data.