Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneous Regulation of Brain Blood Flow during Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise.

PURPOSE The present study was designed to explore to what extent low-intensity resistance exercise-induced acute hypertension influences intracranial cerebral perfusion. METHODS Twelve healthy participants performed one-legged static knee extension exercise at 30% maximal voluntary contraction for 2 min. Blood flow to the internal and external carotid arteries (ICA/ECA) were evaluated by duplex ultrasonography. RESULTS ICA blood flow increased and reached a plateau before stabilizing 60 s into exercise despite continued increases in cardiac output and arterial blood pressure. ICA conductance significantly decreased by -14.4% ±13.8% at the end of exercise (P < 0.01), whereas in contrast, ECA blood flow (P < 0.01) and conductance were shown to increase (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The present findings demonstrate that low-intensity resistance exercise was associated with vasodilation of the ECA that was accompanied by vasoconstriction of the ICA. We propose that the heterogeneity and reciprocal regulation of intracranial cerebral blood flow reflect an adaptive neuroprotective mechanism that serves to protect the brain and associated vasculature against the structural damage associated with resistance exercise-induced hypertension.
A role for a bacterial ortholog of the Ro autoantigen in starvation-induced rRNA degradation

Cellular adaptations to stress often involve changes in RNA metabolism. One RNA-binding protein that has been implicated in RNA handling during environmental stress in both animal cells and prokaryotes is the Ro autoantigen. However, the function of Ro in stress conditions has been unknown. We report that a Ro protein in the radiation-resistant eubacterium Deinococcus radiodurans participates in ribosomal RNA (rRNA) degradation during growth in stationary phase, a form of starvation. Levels of the Ro ortholog Rsr increase dramatically during growth in stationary phase and the presence of Rsr confers a growth advantage. Examination of rRNA profiles reveals that Rsr, the 3′ to 5′ exoribonuclease polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNP) and additional nucleases are all involved in the extensive rRNA decay that occurs during starvation of this bacterium. We show that Rsr, PNP, and an Rsr-PNP complex exhibit increased sedimentation with ribosomal subunits during stationary phase. As the fractionation of PNP with ribosomal subunits is strongly enhanced in the presence of Rsr, we propose that Ro proteins function as cofactors to increase the association of exonucleases with certain substrates during stress.
Elevated endogenous GABA level correlates with decreased fMRI signals in the rat brain during acute inhibition of GABA transaminase

Vigabatrin and gabaculine, both highly specific inhibitors of GABA (γ‐aminobutyric acid) transaminase, cause significant elevation of endogenous GABA levels in brain. The time course of GABA concentration after acute GABA transaminase inhibition was measured quantitatively in the α‐chloralose‐anesthetized rat brain using in vivo selective homonuclear polarization transfer spectroscopy. The blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) effect in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been considered to be coupled tightly to neuronal activation via the metabolic demand of associated glutamate transport. Correlated with the rise in endogenous GABA level after vigabatrin or gabaculine treatment, the intensity of BOLD‐weighted fMRI signals in rat somatosensory cortex during forepaw stimulation was found to be reduced significantly. These results are consistent with previous findings that inhibition of GABA transaminase leads to augmented GABA release and potentiation of GABAergic inhibition. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antibody-conjugated gold-gold sulfide nanoparticles as multifunctional agents for imaging and therapy of breast cancer

The goal of this study was to develop near-infrared (NIR) resonant gold-gold sulfide nanoparticles (GGS-NPs) as dual contrast and therapeutic agents for cancer management via multiphoton microscopy followed by higher intensity photoablation. We demonstrate that GGS-NPs exposed to a pulsed, NIR laser exhibit two-photon induced photoluminescence that can be utilized to visualize cancerous cells in vitro. When conjugated with anti-HER2 antibodies, these nanoparticles specifically bind SK-BR-3 breast carcinoma cells that over-express the HER2 receptor, enabling the cells to be imaged via multiphoton microscopy with an incident laser power of 1 mW. Higher excitation power (50 mW) could be employed to induce thermal damage to the cancerous cells, producing extensive membrane blebbing within seconds leading to cell death. GGS-NPs are ideal multifunctional agents for cancer management because they offer the ability to pinpoint precise treatment sites and perform subsequent thermal ablation in a single setting.
K2 DISCOVERY OF YOUNG ECLIPSING BINARIES IN UPPER SCORPIUS: DIRECT MASS AND RADIUS DETERMINATIONS FOR THE LOWEST MASS STARS AND INITIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AN ECLIPSING BROWN DWARF BINARY

We report the discovery of three low-mass double-lined eclipsing binaries in the pre-main sequence Upper Scorpius association, revealed by K2 photometric monitoring of the region over ∼78 days. The orbital periods of all three systems are <5 days. We use the K2 photometry plus multiple Keck/HIRES radial velocities (RVs) and spectroscopic flux ratios to determine fundamental stellar parameters for both the primary and secondary components of each system, along with the orbital parameters. We present tentative evidence that EPIC 203868608 is a hierarchical triple system comprised of an eclipsing pair of ∼25 MJup brown dwarfs with a wide M-type companion. If confirmed, it would constitute only the second double-lined eclipsing brown dwarf binary system discovered to date. The double-lined system EPIC 203710387 is composed of nearly identical M4.5-M5 stars with fundamentally determined masses and radii measured to better than 3% precision ( M 1 = 0.1183 ± 0.0028 M ⊙ ? > , M 2 = 0.1076 ± 0.0031 M ⊙ ? > and R 1 = 0.417 ± 0.010 R ⊙ ? > , R 2 = 0.450 ± 0.012 R ⊙ ? > ) from combination of the light curve and RV time series. These stars have the lowest masses of any stellar mass double-lined eclipsing binary to date. Comparing our derived stellar parameters with evolutionary models, we suggest an age of ∼10–11 Myr for this system, in contrast to the canonical age of 3–5 Myr for the association. Finally, EPIC 203476597 is a compact single-lined system with a G8-K0 primary and a likely mid-K secondary whose lines are revealed in spectral ratios. Continued measurement of RVs and spectroscopic flux ratios will better constrain fundamental parameters and should elevate the objects to benchmark status. We also present revised parameters for the double-lined eclipsing binary UScoCTIO 5 ( M 1 = 0.3336 ± 0.0022 M ⊙ ? > , M 2 = 0.3200 ± 0.0022 M ⊙ ? > and R 1 = 0.862 ± 0.012 ? > , R 2 = 0.852 ± 0.013 R ⊙ ? > ), which are suggestive of a system age younger than previously reported. We discuss the implications of our results on these ∼0.1–1.5 M ⊙ ? > stars for pre-main-sequence evolutionary models.
Management of fatty liver disease with vitamin E and C compared to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Despite a proposed role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, antioxidant approaches have not been investigated sufficiently in the therapy of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Our aim was to determine whether vitamin E plus C therapy is effective in normalization of liver enzymes compared to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in patients with fatty liver disease. METHODS This was an open-labeled, prospective, randomized study enrolling patients with histologically proven fatty liver disease who had chronically elevated alanine aminotransferase, despite a three-month reducing diet. Patients consuming alcohol (more than 20 g/day) were excluded. The patients were randomly prescribed either oral vitamin E (600 IU/day) plus vitamin C (500 mg/day) or ursodeoxycholic acid (10 mg/kg/day). Patients were randomized as two groups to receive vitamin E plus vitamin C combination (28 patients, 10 F) or ursodeoxycholic acid treatment (29 patients, 13 F). RESULTS There was no significant change in body mass index before and after the treatment in both groups. At the end of six months of therapy, serum aspartate aminotransferase and aminotransferase levels significantly decreased in both treatment options. Vitamin E and C combination was more efficacious on serum aminotransferase levels than ursodeoxycholic acid, but the difference was not significant. Alanine aminotransferase decreased to normal levels in 17 of 27 (63%) and in 16 of 29 patients (55%), respectively, in the two groups. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase decreased in patients receiving ursodeoxycholic acid, but no change was obtained in the vitamin-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin E plus C combination treatment is a safe, inexpensive and effective treatment option in patients with fatty liver disease, with results comparable to those obtained with ursodeoxycholic acid. Since more effective new therapeutic options are lacking, patients with fatty liver disease should be encouraged to take vitamin E and C supplements, which are safe and affordable.
Renegotiable quality of service-a new scheme for fault tolerance in wireless networks

In this paper we propose the concept that faults in telecommunications networks often manifest themselves as reductions in service quality, which can be addressed by using the notion of Quality of Service (QoS). In wireless ATM networks, the ability to provide QoS guarantees for high priority traffic in the presence of noise or faults is of utmost importance. Moreover there is a need for renegotiating existing QoS on an established connection, since the characteristics of a wireless link may well change during the lifetime of a connection due to mobile hosts' movements or external interference. In this paper we describe a general QoS strategy as a fault tolerance mechanism, and address the problems associated with providing QoS over a wireless link. We present a QoS scheme with renegotiation capability, define an API (application programming interface) for the access to this scheme and describe our implementation for this QoS API on the SWAN system, a wireless ATM network, and summarize its performance using measurements obtained from a series of experiments based on different fault scenarios.
Effect and process evaluation of a kindergarten-based, family-involved intervention with a randomized cluster design on sedentary behaviour in 4- to 6- year old European preschool children: The ToyBox-study

Background The aim of the present study evaluated the effect and process of the ToyBox-intervention on proxy-reported sedentary behaviours in 4- to 6-year-old preschoolers from six European countries. Methods In total, 2434 preschoolers’ parents/primary caregivers (mean age: 4.7±0.4 years, 52.2% boys) filled out a questionnaire, assessing preschoolers’ sedentary behaviours (TV/DVD/video viewing, computer/video games use and quiet play) on weekdays and weekend days. Multilevel repeated measures analyses were conducted to measure the intervention effects. Additionally, process evaluation data were included to better understand the intervention effects. Results Positive intervention effects were found for computer/video games use. In the total sample, the intervention group showed a smaller increase in computer/video games use on weekdays (ß = -3.40, p = 0.06; intervention: +5.48 min/day, control: +8.89 min/day) and on weekend days (ß = -5.97, p = 0.05; intervention: +9.46 min/day, control: +15.43 min/day) from baseline to follow-up, compared to the control group. Country-specific analyses showed similar effects in Belgium and Bulgaria, while no significant intervention effects were found in the other countries. Process evaluation data showed relatively low teachers’ and low parents’ process evaluation scores for the sedentary behaviour component of the intervention (mean: 15.6/24, range: 2.5–23.5 and mean: 8.7/17, range: 0–17, respectively). Higher parents’ process evaluation scores were related to a larger intervention effect, but higher teachers’ process evaluation scores were not. Conclusions The ToyBox-intervention had a small, positive effect on European preschoolers’ computer/video games use on both weekdays and weekend days, but not on TV/DVD/video viewing or quiet play. The lack of larger effects can possibly be due to the fact that parents were only passively involved in the intervention and to the fact that the intervention was too demanding for the teachers. Future interventions targeting preschoolers' behaviours should involve parents more actively in both the development and the implementation of the intervention and, when involving schools, less demanding activities for teachers should be developed. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov NCT02116296
Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in urine of asymptomatic men

In a study of 1,486 men attending two sexually transmitted disease clinics, of whom 891 had no symptoms of urethritis, we compared an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (Baxter-Bartels, formerly Northumbria AntigEnz) of urine sediment to urethral culture for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis. C. trachomatis prevalence by culture alone was 7.7% in asymptomatic men and 10.9% in symptomatic men. Discrepant results between EIA of urine and urethral culture were evaluated by direct fluorescent-antibody staining (DFA) for elementary bodies in urine sediment or in culture transport media. When chlamydial infection was defined as either a positive urethral culture or positive EIA confirmed by DFA, chlamydia prevalence increased to 8.9% in asymptomatic men and 11.6% in symptomatic men. The urine EIA sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for chlamydia detection in asymptomatic men were 84.8, 99.3, 91.8, and 98.5%, respectively, with nearly identical results for symptomatic men. The sensitivities of urethral culture alone compared with the combination of urethral culture and urine EIA (with DFA confirmation) were 87.3 and 94.3% for asymptomatic and symptomatic men, respectively. The present EIA of urine sediment is both highly sensitive and specific for the detection of C. trachomatis in asymptomatic men, thus providing a noninvasive screening method for chlamydia infection in asymptomatic men attending sexually transmitted disease clinics.
Arrhythmia Burden in Elderly Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis as Determined by Continuous Electrocardiographic Recording: Toward a Better Understanding of Arrhythmic Events After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Background— This study sought to evaluate the prevalence of previously undiagnosed arrhythmias in candidates for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and to determine the impact on therapy changes and arrhythmic events after the procedure. Methods and Results— A total of 435 candidates for TAVR underwent 24-hour continuous ECG monitoring the day before the procedure. Newly diagnosed arrhythmias were observed in 70 patients (16.1%) before TAVR: paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF)/atrial tachycardia (AT) in 28, advanced atrioventricular block or severe bradycardia in 24, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in 26, and intermittent left bundle-branch block in 3 patients. All arrhythmic events but one were asymptomatic and led to a therapy change in 43% of patients. In patients without known AF/AT, the occurrence of AF/AT during 24-hour ECG recording was associated with a higher rate of 30-day cerebrovascular events (7.1% versus 0.4%; P=0.030). Among the 53 patients with new-onset AF/AT after TAVR, 30.2% had newly diagnosed paroxysmal AF/AT before the procedure. In patients who needed permanent pacemaker implantation after the procedure (n=35), 31.4% had newly diagnosed advanced atrioventricular block or severe bradycardia before TAVR. New-onset persistent left bundle-branch block after TAVR occurred in 37 patients, 8.1% of whom had intermittent left bundle-branch block before the procedure. Conclusions— Newly diagnosed arrhythmias were observed in approximately a fifth of TAVR candidates, led to a higher rate of cerebrovascular events, and accounted for a third of arrhythmic events after the procedure. This high arrhythmia burden highlights the importance of an early diagnosis of arrhythmic events in such patients to implement the appropriate therapeutic measures earlier.
Nonlinear Wave Equations

where := −∂2 t +∆ and u[0] := (u, ut)|t=0. The equation is semi-linear if F is a function only of u, (i.e. F = F (u)), and quasi-linear if F is also a function of the derivatives of u (i.e. F = F (u,Du), where D := (∂t,∇)). The goal is to use energy methods to prove local well-posedness for quasilinear equations with data (f, g) ∈ Hs × Hs−1 for large enough s, and then to derive Strichartz estimates to deal with semi-linear problems with data (f, g) ∈ Ḣ1 × L2. We begin, however, by deriving various conservation laws for solutions of wave equations.
Short Communication: Efficacy and Safety of Treatment Simplification to Lopinavir/Ritonavir or Darunavir/Ritonavir Monotherapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Antiretroviral treatment simplification strategies based on monotherapy with darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) or lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) have not been directly compared in clinical trials. We evaluated the 48-week efficacy and safety of DRV/r versus LPV/r monotherapy as a treatment simplification strategy in a multicenter, randomized open-label study. Maintenance of viral suppression in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and semen was also explored. An intention to treat efficacy analysis was performed considering missing equals to failure (ITT:M = F). Virological failure (VF) was defined as a confirmed increase in plasma HIV-1 RNA >50 copies/mL. A total of 75 patients were enrolled: 40 were allocated to DRVr and 33 to LPVr. In the ITT: M = F analysis, 77.5% of patients on DRV/r and 66.6% of patients on LPV/r maintained HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL at week 48 (p = .302, treatment difference 10.8% [95% CI,-12.6 to 34.2]). In the DRV/r arm, no patients developed VF and 15.0% discontinued treatment due to adverse events. In the LPV/r arm, 2 (6.1%) patients developed VF and 18.2% discontinued monotherapy due to adverse events. Gastrointestinal disturbances were experienced by 18.2% and 2.5% of patients in the LPV/r and DRV/r arms, respectively (p = .019). Two patients had detectable HIV-1 RNA ≥50 copies/mL in CSF or semen. Monotherapy with LPV/r or DRV/r seems to be virologically effective in selected HIV-1-infected patients with sustained viral suppression. Differences between both regimens seem driven mainly by the better tolerability profile of DRV/r.
Task Allocation in Production Systems - Measuring and Analysing Levels of Automation

Due to the paradigm of mass customisation, most of the tasks in final assembly are still performed by humans. Hence, the tasks are becoming more and more complex and the operators need not only physical but also cognitive support to perform their work. The paper discusses the need for a quantitative and easy-to-use method, which simultaneously considers physical and cognitive automation in order to choose and use the best suited Levels of Automation. A concept model used for task allocation is presented. It consists of a five-step main loop supported by other areas or relations were information is gathered to enable a decision in the main loop. The model is compared to Olders’ et al. (1997) sixteen requirements for a task allocation method in order to prove its usefulness. The method has been developed, validated, and verified together with end-users (industry and novice users) in twenty companies to verify its practical ease-of-use.
Absence of MERS-Coronavirus in Bactrian Camels, Southern Mongolia, November 2014

To the Editor: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first identified among humans in 2012 in Saudi Arabia (1). As of February 5, 2015, a total of 971 MERS cases and 356 associated deaths had been confirmed (2). Because MERS is a zoonotic disease, it is essential that the animal reservoirs and hosts that sustain virus circulation in nature be identified.
Genome editing for scalable production of alloantigen‐free lentiviral vectors for in vivo gene therapy

Lentiviral vectors (LV) are powerful and versatile vehicles for gene therapy. However, their complex biological composition challenges large‐scale manufacturing and raises concerns for in vivo applications, because particle components and contaminants may trigger immune responses. Here, we show that producer cell‐derived polymorphic class‐I major histocompatibility complexes (MHC‐I) are incorporated into the LV surface and trigger allogeneic T‐cell responses. By disrupting the beta‐2 microglobulin gene in producer cells, we obtained MHC‐free LV with substantially reduced immunogenicity. We introduce this targeted editing into a novel stable LV packaging cell line, carrying single‐copy inducible vector components, which can be reproducibly converted into high‐yield LV producers upon site‐specific integration of the LV genome of interest. These LV efficiently transfer genes into relevant targets and are more resistant to complement‐mediated inactivation, because of reduced content of the vesicular stomatitis virus envelope glycoprotein G compared to vectors produced by transient transfection. Altogether, these advances support scalable manufacturing of alloantigen‐free LV with higher purity and increased complement resistance that are better suited for in vivo gene therapy.
Metabolic syndrome, circulating RBP4, testosterone, and SHBG predict weight regain at 6 months after weight loss in men

Weight loss helps reduce the symptoms of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the obese, but weight regain after active weight loss is common. The changes and predictive role of circulating adipokines and sex hormones for weight regain in men during dietary intervention, and also the effect of basal MetS status on weight regain, were investigated.
Early and locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC): ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool; University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; Center for Medical Imaging, University of Groningen, Groningen; Department of Radiation Oncology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK; University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Oncology Department, Service d’Oncologie Médicale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland