julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Bitter decoration of vortex patterns in superconducting Nb films with random, triangular, and Penrose arrays of antidots
2011-11-16

We imaged Abrikosov vortex patterns in thin Nb films with random, periodic (triangular), and quasiperiodic (Penrose) arrays of antidots. Vortex positions were visualized by Bitter decoration for a range of applied fields , antidot radii , and densities after field-cooling through the transition temperature to a base temperature . The observed vortex patterns correspond to snapshots of vortex positions at the time of decoration. The effectiveness of antidots as artificial pinning sites for vortices is found to be sensitive to several factors: array geometry, antidot size and density, and applied field. Overall, the triangular lattice provides the most effective pinning landscape, with antidots trapping the highest proportion of vortices, but for a wide range of parameters the Penrose lattice is equally effective. For a quantitative analysis, we determined the occupation number (average number of vortices trapped per antidot) from each image. This revealed a significantly more complicated dependence of antidot occupation on applied field and/or antidot density than that predicted by simple models considering pinning by an isolated antidot. In particular, upon increasing the antidot density , we find a marked increase in for triangular arrays, which we attribute to the additional repulsion from interstitial vortices, pushing more vortices into antidots with decreasing antidot separation. This effect is also present but less pronounced for Penrose arrays, which can be explained by the variation of antidot spacing inherent to the Penrose geometry and accordingly more options for accommodating interstitial vortices.
Topology‐Selective Chromatography Reveals Plasmid Supercoiling Shifts during Fermentation and Allows Rapid and Efficient Preparation of Topoisomers
2011-11-16

Recognizing pDNA supercoils: Differently supercoiled species of the same plasmid DNA can be separated by topology-selective chromatography. Two-dimensional HPLC proved that the supercoiling changes during fermentation. Thus, a new quality criterium might help to optimize the effectivity of future genetic drugs and vaccines.
The Impact of Pregnancy and Vaginal Delivery on Urinary Incontinence
2011-11-16

Log in or Register Subscribe to journalSubscribe Get new issue alertsGet alerts Enter your Email address: Wolters Kluwer Health may email you for journal alerts and information, but is committed to maintaining your privacy and will not share your personal information without your express consent. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. Subscribe to eTOC Secondary Logo Journal Logo All Articles Images Videos Podcasts Blogs Advanced Search Toggle navigation Subscribe Register Login Articles & Issues Current IssuePrevious Issues Collections Obstetric Airway ManagementMaternal EmbolismRegional Anesthesia for Cesarean SectionGeneral Anesthesia for Cesarean SectionAnalgesia for LaborObstetric HemorrhagePre-Eclampsia/EclampsiaPharmacologyTraumaInfection and SepsisMaternal ObesityMaternl Morbidity and MortalityNeonatal Morbidity and MortalityObstetric ComplicationsAnesthetic ComplicationsNon-Obstetric Maternal DiseaseCritical CareDrug Abuse in PregnancyEthicsSystems Based Practice For Authors Information for AuthorsLanguage Editing Services Journal Info About the JournalEditorial BoardAdvertisingOpen AccessSubscription ServicesReprintsRights and Permissions All Articles Images Videos Podcasts Blogs Advanced Search
Jet/medium interactions at large-scales
2011-11-16

High energy emission can be produced in the interaction sites of both galactic and extragalactic jets with the surrounding medium. We have developed a radiative model that accounts for the continuous injection of relativistic electrons in the forward, reverse and recollimation shocks developed in the shell, cocoon and reconfinement interaction regions, respectively. We also performed hydrodynamical simulations to establish the physical properties in both galactic and extragalactic systems. The resulting non-thermal emission is studied assuming different values for the jet power, the external mass density and the source age for both FR I galaxies and galactic microquasars. The obtained fluxes are compared to current instrument sensitivities at radio, X-ray and gamma-ray bands.
Pulse-to-pulse variability of bright accreting pulsars
2011-11-16

In addition to coherent pulsation, many accreting neutron stars exhibit flaring activity and strong aperiodic variability on time scales similar to or shorter than their pulsation period. Such a behavior shows that the accretion flow in the vicinity of the accretor must be highly non-stationary. Although from the theoretical point of view the problem of non-stationary accretion has been addressed by many authors, observational study of this phenomenon is often problematic as it requires very high statistics of X-ray data and a specific analysis technique. In our research we used high-resolution data taken with RXTE and INTEGRAL on a sample of bright transient and persistent pulsars, to perform an in-depth study of their variability on time scales comparable to the pulsation period - "pulse-to-pulse variability". The high-quality data allowed us to collect individual pulses of different amplitude and reveal differences in their spectra (such an analysis we refer to as "pulse-to-pulse spectroscopy"). The described approach allowed us for the first time to study luminosity-dependence of pulsars' X-ray spectra in observations where the averaged (over many pulse cycles) luminosity of the source remained constant and discuss them in the frame of the current physical models of the accretion flow close to the neutron star surface.
Support Vector Machines Under Adversarial Label Noise
2011-11-17

In adversarial classification tasks like spam filtering and intrusion detection, malicious adversaries may manipulate data to thwart the outcome of an automatic analysis. Thus, besides achieving good classification performances, machine learning algorithms have to be robust against adversarial data manipulation to successfully operate in these tasks. While support vector machines (SVMs) have shown to be a very successful approach in classification problems, their effectiveness in adversarial classification tasks has not been extensively investigated yet. In this paper we present a preliminary investigation of the robustness of SVMs against adversarial data manipulation. In particular, we assume that the adversary has control over some training data, and aims to subvert the SVM learning process. Within this assumption, we show that this is indeed possible, and propose a strategy to improve the robustness of SVMs to training data manipulation based on a simple kernel matrix correction.
Diurnal Rhythm of Circulating Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt/Visfatin/PBEF): Impact of Sleep Loss and Relation to Glucose Metabolism
2011-11-17

Serum Nampt concentrations follow a diurnal rhythm, peaking in the afternoon. Sleep loss induces a Nampt rhythm phase shift that is positively related to the impairment of postprandial glucose metabolism due to sleep deprivation, suggesting a regulatory impact of Nampt rhythmicity on glucose homeostasis.
Detection, localisation and characterisation of prostate cancer by Prostate HistoScanning ™
2011-11-17

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Prostate cancer is one of the few solid‐organ cancers in which imaging is not used in the diagnostic process. Novel functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques offer promise but may not be cost‐effective. Prostate HistoScanning TM (PHS) is an ultrasound‐based tissue characterisation technique that has previously shown encouraging results in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer. The present study reports on the open ‘unblinded’ phase of a European multicentre study. The prospective ‘blind’ phase is currently in progress and will determine the value of PHS in a robust fashion overcoming many of the biases inherent in evaluating prostate imaging. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the ability of prostate HistoScanning TM (PHS) an ultrasound (US)‐based tissue characterization application, to detect cancer foci by correlating results with detailed radical prostatectomy (RP) histology. PATIENT AND METHODS In all, 31 patients with organ‐confined prostate cancer, diagnosed on transrectal biopsies taken using US guidance, and scheduled for RP were recruited from six European centres. Before RP three‐dimensional (3D) US raw data for PHS analysis was obtained. Histology by Bostwick Laboratories (London) examined sections obtained from whole mounted glands cut every 3–4 mm. Location and volume estimation of cancer foci by PHS were undertaken using two methods; a manual method and an embedded software tool. In this report we evaluate data obtained from a planned open study phase. The second phase of the study is ‘blinded’, and currently in progress. RESULTS 31 patients were eligible for this phase. Three patients were excluded from analysis due to inadequate scan acquisition and pathology violations of the standard operating procedure. One patient withdrew from the study after 3D TRUS examination. PHS detected cancer ≥0.20 mL in 25/27 prostates (sensitivity 93%). In all, 23 patients had an index focus ≥0.5 mL at pathology, of which 21 were identified as ≥0.5 mL by PHS using the manual method (sensitivity 91%) and 19 were correctly identified as ≥0.5 mL by the embedded tool (sensitivity 83%). In 27 patients, histological analysis found 32 cancerous foci ≥0.2 mL, located in 97 of 162 sextants. After sextant analysis, PHS showed a 90% sensitivity and 72% specificity for the localisation of lesions ≥0.2 mL within a sextant. CONCLUSIONS PHS has the ability to identify and locate prostate cancer and consequently may aid in pre‐treatment and pre‐surgical planning. In men with a lesion identified, it has potential to enable improved targeting, allowing better risk stratification by obtaining more representative cores. However further verification from the results of the blinded phase of this study are awaited.
Olfactomedin-4 is a glycoprotein secreted into mucus in active IBD
2011-11-17

Abstract Background: Olfactomedin-4 (OLFM4) is a glycoprotein characteristic of intestinal stem cells and apparently involved in mucosal defense of the stomach and colon. Here we studied its expression, regulation and function in IBD. Methods: The expression of OLFM4, mucins Muc1 and Muc2, the goblet cell differentiation factor Hath1 and the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8 was measured in inflamed or noninflamed colon in IBD patients and controls. OLFM4 protein was located by immunohistochemistry, quantified by Dot Blot and its binding capacity to defensins HBD1-3 was investigated. The influence of bacteria with or without the Notch blocker dibenzazepine (DBZ) and of several cytokines on OLFM4 expression was determined in LS174T cells. Results: OLFM4 mRNA and protein were significantly upregulated in inflamed CD (4.3 and 1.7-fold) and even more pronounced in UC (24.8 and 3.7-fold). OLFM4 expression was correlated to IL-8 but not to Hath1. In controls immunostaining was restricted to the lower crypts but in inflamed IBD it expanded up to the epithelial surface including the mucus. OLFM4 bound to HBD1-3 without profoundly inactivating these defensins. In LS174T-cells OLFM4 mRNA was significantly augmented after incubation with Escherichia coli K12, Escherichia coli Nissle and Bacteroides vulgatus. DBZ downregulated OLFM4 expression and blocked bacterial induction whereas IL-22 but not TNF-α was stimulatory. Conclusions: OLFM4 is overexpressed in active IBD and secreted into mucus. The induction is triggered by bacteria through the Notch pathway and also by the cytokine IL-22. OLFM4 seems to be of functional relevance in IBD as a mucus component, possibly by binding defensins.
Fetal and neonatal outcome in patients with anterior abdominal wall defects (gastroschisis and omphalocele)
2011-11-17

Fetuses with gastroschisis and omphalocele frequently show intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The aim of our study was to evaluate the intrauterine course of IUGR and the neonatal outcome in a large patient collective. We retrospectively included all euploid fetuses with gastroschisis and omphalocele between 2001 and 2009 in a single tertiary center. Patients' characteristics, serial ultrasound examinations and neonatal outcomes were evaluated. From 39 fetuses (28 gastroschisis, 11 omphalocele) 61.5% had IUGR <5th percentile and 15.4% had IUGR<10th percentile. The rate of IUGR did not differ significantly between the two groups during pregnancy. Newborns with gastroschisis showed an average weight of 2386 g, and those with omphalocele showed an average weight of 3148 g (P<0.001). Nevertheless, newborns with omphalocele were more frequently eutrophic than those with gastroschisis (88.8% vs. 52.2%, P=0.079). On average, only one surgical intervention was necessary for the definitive repair of the defect (65.5% of the newborns). Children with gastroschisis remained hospitalized nearly twice as long as children with an omphalocele (38 vs. 20 days). IUGR rates during pregnancy did not differ significantly between fetuses with gastroschisis and omphalocele although patients with defects of omphalocele were more frequently eutrophic at birth. Most newborns needed only one operation for definitive surgical treatment. The mean hospitalization time after this intervention was 4 weeks.
Microbagging Estimators: An Ensemble Approach to Distance-weighted Classifiers
2011-11-17

Support vector machines (SVMs) have been the predominate approach to kernel-based classification. While SVMs have demonstrated excellent performance in many application domains, they are known to be sensitive to noise in their training dataset. Motivated by the equalizing effect of bagging classifiers, we present a novel approach to kernel-based classification that we call microbagging. This method bags all possible maximal-margin estimators between pairs of training points to create a novel linear kernel classifier with weights defined directly as functions of the pairwise distance matrix induced by the kernel function. We derive relationships between linear and distance-based classifiers and empirically compare microbagging to the SVMs and robust SVMs on several datasets. 1.
Age-Related Changes in the Elastic Tissue of the Human Aorta
2011-11-18

&lt;i&gt;Background:&lt;/i&gt; Age-related arterial alterations affecting cells, matrix and biomolecules are the main culprit for initiation and progression of cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study is to gain further insights into the complex mechanism of elastic tissue ageing in human aortic blood vessels. &lt;i&gt;Methods:&lt;/i&gt; One hundred and nineteen human aortic tissue samples were collected from adult patients (101 males, 18 females; age 40–86 years) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Overall extracellular matrix architecture was examined by multiphoton laser scanning microscopy and histology. Matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9, corresponding tissue inhibitors 1 and 2 as well as desmosine were determined. mRNA levels of tropoelastin were assessed by quantitative RT-PCR. &lt;i&gt;Results:&lt;/i&gt; Age-related destruction of the vascular elastic laminas as well as a loss of interlamina cross-links were observed by laser scanning microscopy. These results were confirmed by histology indicating increasing interlamina gaps. There were no significant differences in matrix turnover or desmosine content. A steady decrease in tropoelastin mRNA by about 50% per 10 years of age increase was observed. &lt;i&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/i&gt; Our findings indicate that ageing is accompanied by a destruction of the elastic vascular structure. However, tropoelastin expression analysis suggests that elastogenesis occurs throughout life with constantly decreasing levels.
HAMP Domain-mediated Signal Transduction Probed with a Mycobacterial Adenylyl Cyclase as a Reporter
2011-11-18

HAMP domains, ∼55 amino acid motifs first identified in histidine kinases, adenylyl cyclases, methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins, and phosphatases, operate as signal mediators in two-component signal transduction proteins. A bioinformatics study identified a coevolving signal-accepting network of 10 amino acids in membrane-delimited HAMP proteins. To probe the functionality of this network we used a HAMP containing mycobacterial adenylyl cyclase, Rv3645, as a reporter enzyme in which the membrane anchor was substituted by the Escherichia coli chemotaxis receptor for serine (Tsr receptor) and the HAMP domain alternately with that from the protein Af1503 of the archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus or the Tsr receptor. In a construct with the Tsr-HAMP, cyclase activity was inhibited by serine, whereas in a construct with the HAMP domain from A. fulgidus, enzyme activity was not responsive to serine. Amino acids of the signal-accepting network were mutually swapped between both HAMP domains, and serine signaling was examined. The data biochemically tentatively established the functionality of the signal-accepting network. Based on a two-state gearbox model of rotation in HAMP domain-mediated signal propagation, we characterized the interaction between permanent and transient core residues in a coiled coil HAMP structure. The data are compatible with HAMP rotation in signal propagation but do not exclude alternative models for HAMP signaling. Finally, we present data indicating that the connector, which links the α-helices of HAMP domains, plays an important structural role in HAMP function.
1,2-Distanna-closo-dodecaborate—a rare example of a 1,2-distannylene ligand in transition metal chemistry
2011-11-18

The coordination chemistry of the novel bidentate tin ligand 1,2-distanna-closo-dodecaborate is illustrated for the first time by reactions with molybdenum, platinum and gold metal complexes. Up to three clusters coordinate two metal centers in close proximity. For all these metal complexes the typical μ-bridging coordination mode was observed exclusively. Furthermore, two cluster anions react with dichloromethane via substitution of the chloride ions. The carbon functionalized tin cluster [Et(4)N](2)[CH(2)(Sn(2)B(10)H(10))(2)] and the coordination complexes [Et(3)NMe](6)[Mo(2)(CO)(6)(Sn(2)B(10)H(10))(3)], [Et(3)NMe](2)[{HPt(PEt(3))(2)(Sn(2)B(10)H(10))}(2)], [Et(4)N](2)[{HPt(PPh(3))(2)(Sn(2)B(10)H(10))}(2)] and [{(TP)Au}(2)(Sn(2)B(10)H(10))] (TP = PhP(o-Ph(2)PC(6)H(4))(2)) are fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analyses and crystal structure analyses.
Effects of T-odd asymmetry of the emission of light charged particles and photons during fission of heavy nuclei by polarized neutrons
2011-11-18

The new physical effects of T-odd asymmetry of the emission of light charged particles (LCPs) during the ternary fission of some heavy nuclei by cold polarized neutrons have been experimentally studied. The coefficients of triple scalar and vector correlation of the pulses of light particles and fission fragments (TRI effect) and the fivefold correlation of the same vectors (ROT effect) have been measured. These effects are believed to be caused by the rotation of polarized fissioning system around its polarization direction. The treatment of the experimental data for LCPs in the framework of this hypothesis leads to a good agreement between the calculation results and experimental data. The calculated value of the angle of rotation of the fission axis in the ternary fission of the polarized fissioning 236U* compound nucleus was used to process the results of measuring the ROT effect for γ photons from binary-fission fragments of the same nucleus. A satisfactory description of these experimental data is obtained which serves a convincing confirmation of the rotation hypothesis.
Case Creation and E-Learning in a Web-Based Virtual Department of Urology Using the INMEDEA Simulator
2011-11-18

Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:With continuing advances in computer and internet technology web based e-learning with virtual patients becomes an option even for undergraduate medical students.We present our experience with the INMEDEA Simultor in the subspecialty of urology.
Immunosuppressive Drugs Upregulate the Immunoinhibitory Receptor Osteoactivin in Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells,
2011-11-18

Abstract Abstract 3232 Osteoactivin, also known as transmembrane glycoprotein NMB (GPNMB) and dendritic cell-associated transmembrane protein (DC-HIL), is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that is detected abundantly in dendritic cells (DC), but not or only at low levels in monocytes. Its expression on antigen-presenting cells (APC) can inhibit T cell activation by binding the type I transmembrane proteoglycan syndecan-4 (SD-4) on T cells. We here studied the influence of different therapeutically used immunosuppressive agents such as the corticosteroid prednisolone and the calcineurin inhibitors tacrolimus or cyclosporine A on the expression of osteoactivin in human monocyte-derived DC. Therefore, DC were generated from blood monocytes isolated by plastic adherence and exposed to GM-CSF and IL-4. Prednisolone, tacrolimus or cyclosporine A were added to the culture medium at concentrations obtained upon clinical application in patients (cyclosporine A: 1μg/ml, prednisolone: 3.5μg/ml, tacrolimus: 10ng/ml) every second day starting from the first day of culture. Cells were harvested for immunophenotyping and osteoactivin expression analysis by immunostaining, western-blotting and real-time RT-PCR or for functional analyses in mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR) on day 7 of culture. DC generated in the presence of therapeutic concentrations of the immunosuppressant drugs showed a reduced expression of CD1a. Furthermore, we observed a clear upregulation of osteoactivin on DC that had been treated with the immunosuppressive agents. In line with osteoactivin up-regulation, exposure to the immunosuppressive drugs resulted in reduced stimulatory capacity of the DC in MLR with allogenic T cells, and this could be restored by addition of blocking osteoactivin antibody. In summary, our results demonstrate that upregulation of osteoactivin is critically involved in the inhibition of DC function upon exposure to different classes of immunosuppressive agents. These findings suggest that upregulation of osteoactivin in DC constitutes a ubiquitous mechanism that may underlie inhibition of T cell activation by these drugs. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.