Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling of Glucose-Insulin System Dynamics in Diabetic Goettingen Minipigs

Development of an artificial pancreas which regulates blood glucose in a closed loop framework is the ultimate goal in the treatment of diabetes. Development of a model which captures the glucose-insulin dynamic is a mandatory step prior to the in vivo-test and validation of a feedback controller. Towards this end, the focus of this paper is on the development of a glucose-insulin model for diabetic Goettingen minipigs, which will serve as a proxy for human testing of a blood glucose regulator. This paper presents an eighth-order model to capture the glucose-insulin dynamics in diabetic Goettingen minipigs. Comparison of the measurement data with the calculated evolution of the blood glucose trajectories illustrate satisfactory results providing a basis of optimism for the ultimate implementation of a closed loop controller.
The VPAC1 receptor: structure and function of a class B GPCR prototype

The class B G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represents a small sub-family encompassing 15 members, and are very promising targets for the development of drugs to treat many diseases such as chronic inflammation, neurodegeneration, diabetes, stress, and osteoporosis. The VPAC1 receptor which is an archetype of the class B GPCRs binds Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP), a neuropeptide widely distributed in central and peripheral nervous system modulating many physiological processes including regulation of exocrine secretions, hormone release, foetal development, immune response … VIP appears to exert beneficial effect in neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. This article reviews the current knowledge regarding the structure and molecular pharmacology of VPAC1 receptors. Over the past decade, structure–function relationship studies have demonstrated that the N-terminal ectodomain (N-ted) of VPAC1 plays a pivotal role in VIP recognition. The use of different approaches such as directed mutagenesis, photoaffinity labeling, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), molecular modeling, and molecular dynamic simulation has led to demonstrate that: (1) the central and C-terminal part of the VIP molecule interacts with the N-ted of VPAC1 receptor which is itself structured as a « Sushi » domain; (2) the N-terminal end of the VIP molecule interacts with the first transmembrane domain of the receptor where three residues (K143, T144, and T147) play an important role in VPAC1 interaction with the first histidine residue of VIP.
Estacionalidad turística y dinámicas metropolitanas: un análisis a partir de la movilidad en transporte público en el Camp de Tarragona

espanolSe analizan las pautas de movilidad en el Camp de Tarragona (Cataluna) a partir de una explotacion exhaustiva del registro de viajeros en transporte publico de la region durante el periodo 2010-2013. El trabajo aporta evidencias de los efectos de la estacionalidad turistica en los nucleos del litoral (Costa Dorada), pero tambien demuestra como esta revoluciona las pautas de movilidad del conjunto de la region. De ello se desprende la identificacion de unas jerarquias urbanas y unas centralidades regionales flexibles y variables durante el ano. Los resultados del trabajo evidencian el papel del turismo como motor de profundos procesos de reestructuracion territorial y vertebrador de dinamicas metropolitanas en regiones turisticas del Mediterraneo. EnglishIt has been analyzed the mobility patterns in the Camp de Tarragona (Catalonia) towards a complete exploitation of the record of public transport passengers in the region during the period 2010-2013. The paper provides evidences of the effects of tourist seasonality in the coastal urban areas (Costa Dorada), but also shows how it revolutionizes the mobility patterns of the whole region. It allows the identification of an urban hierarchies and regional centralities that become flexible and variables during the year. The results of the work highlight how tourism is fuelling deep processes of territorial restructuring and building new metropolitan dynamics in Mediterranean tourist regions.
Causal Role of Alcohol Consumption in an Improved Lipid Profile: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Introduction Health benefits of low-to-moderate alcohol consumption may operate through an improved lipid profile. A Mendelian randomization (MR) approach was used to examine whether alcohol consumption causally affects lipid levels. Methods This analysis involved 10,893 European Americans (EA) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Common and rare variants in alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase genes were evaluated for MR assumptions. Five variants, residing in the ADH1B, ADH1C, and ADH4 genes, were selected as genetic instruments and were combined into an unweighted genetic score. Triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and its subfractions (HDL2-c and HDL3-c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), small dense LDL-c (sdLDL-c), apolipoprotein B (apoB), and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) levels were analyzed. Results Alcohol consumption significantly increased HDL2-c and reduced TG, total cholesterol, LDL-c, sdLDL-c, and apoB levels. For each of these lipids a non-linear trend was observed. Compared to the first quartile of alcohol consumption, the third quartile had a 12.3% lower level of TG (p < 0.001), a 7.71 mg/dL lower level of total cholesterol (p = 0.007), a 10.3% higher level of HDL2-c (p = 0.007), a 6.87 mg/dL lower level of LDL-c (p = 0.012), a 7.4% lower level of sdLDL-c (p = 0.037), and a 3.5% lower level of apoB (p = 0.058, poverall = 0.022). Conclusions This study supports the causal role of regular low-to-moderate alcohol consumption in increasing HDL2-c, reducing TG, total cholesterol, and LDL-c, and provides evidence for the novel finding that low-to-moderate consumption of alcohol reduces apoB and sdLDL-c levels among EA. However, given the nonlinearity of the effect of alcohol consumption, even within the range of low-to-moderate drinking, increased consumption does not always result in a larger benefit.
Measuring attachment security via the Security Scale: Latent structure, invariance across mothers and fathers and convergent validity

Abstract The Security Scale (SS) is a widely used questionnaire measuring attachment towards mother and father in school-aged children. Whilst existing evidence supports concurrent and discriminant validity of the SS, its factorial structure remains largely underexplored. The current study examined the factorial structure of the SS, explored its measurement invariance across mother and father, and evaluated its convergent validity with the Coping Strategies Questionnaire in a sample of 149 Italian children aged 8–10 years. In statistical analyses, we accounted for the ordinal nature of the data and adopted an ad hoc bootstrap procedure for the estimation of measurement invariance. Results supported the factorial validity of the SS and the structural invariance of its underlying construct across parents. Evidence for convergent validity was also found. Overall, the Italian version of the SS is a promising tool to assess attachment in school-aged children.
Distributed Uplink Resource Allocation in Cognitive Radio Networks -- Part II: Equilibria and Algorithms for Joint Access Point Selection and Power Allocation

The main objective of this two part paper is to formulate and address the problem of distributed uplink resource allocation in multi-carrier cognitive rad io networks (CRN) with multiple Access Points (APs). When the APs operate on non-overlapping spectrum bands, such problem is essentially a joint spectrum decision and spectrum sharing problem. In this network, the cognitive users (CUs) are endowed with greater flexibility than the single AP network we consid ered in the first part of the paper [2]: they can optimize their uplink transmission rates by means of: 1) association to a suitable AP and 2) sharing the set of channels that belong to this AP with other CUs associated with this AP. Clearly these two steps are interdependent, and our objective is to devise suitable algorithms by which the CUs can perform these two steps in a distributed and efficient fashion. In the first part of this paper, we have studied solely the spec trum sharing aspect of the above problem, and proposed algorithms for the CUs in the single AP network to efficiently share the spectrum. In this second part of the paper, we build upon our previous understanding of the single AP network, and formulate the joint spectrum decision and spectrum sharing problem in a multiple AP network into a non-cooperative game, in which the feasible strategy of a player contains a discrete variable (the AP/spectrum decision) and a continuous vector (the power allocation among multiple channels). The structure of the game is hence very different from most non-cooperative spectrum management game proposed in the literature. We provide characterization of the Nash Equilibrium (NE) of this game, and
Measuring systemic risk

The role of systemic risk in the recent crisis and the failure of current risk measurement and management methods to cope with it bring under question some of the premises underlying traditional approaches to risk measurement of portfolios. We first outline some of the shortcomings associated with distributionbased (law-invariant) risk measures and explain why risk measurement and regulation based on such measures cannot effectively monitor or mitigate systemic risk. We explore an alternative approach, based on explicit modeling of counterparty relations between financial institutions as a weighted graph, and propose in this framework a simple measure of systemic risk. We show how this approach can lead to regulatory capital requirements which are quite different from those based on stand-alone risk measures. Based on recent empirical data on bank leverage ratios and the structure of interbank lending networks, we propose a model for such a graph and examine the stability of the financial market under various regulatory structures. We argue that such an approach to systemic risk supports a “too connected to fail” rather than a “too big to fail” paradigm and show how the impact of the default of Lehman Brothers may be placed in this perspective. As an example, we show how this framework allows a meaningful analysis of the role of a clearinghouse in financial stability. We analyze how the introduction of a clearinghouse can reduce the overall level of systemic risk of a financial market Our approach leads to some recommendations concerning disclosure practices of financial institutions in view of the monitoring of systemic risk and financial stability.
Empathy predicting career choice in future physicians

Background: Empathy is an integral part of a quality doctor-patient relationship and one of the basic conditions for a quality patient care. Aim: This study addresses the differences in empathy in the context of career decision making by future physicians. Materials and methods: A survey was administered to 363 medical students selected by a random cluster sampling. They answered questions regarding their socio-demographic data, personal or close family members' medical history, and future career choice. A 16-item Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) was administered to evaluate their empathy. Results: The results showed that high levels of empathy were related to the choice of people-oriented vs. technology-oriented medical disciplines as a future career, even when controlled for female gender and education. Conclusion: Empathy is a salient factor in medical education and professional orientation, principally connected to some medical disciplines and essential to be taken into account in the early phases of future physicians' careers.
ARDSnet ventilatory protocol and alveolar hyperinflation: role of positive end-expiratory pressure.

RATIONALE In patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a focal distribution of loss of aeration in lung computed tomography predicts low potential for alveolar recruitment and susceptibility to alveolar hyperinflation with high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). OBJECTIVES We tested the hypothesis that, in this cohort of patients, the table-based PEEP setting criteria of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's ARDS Network (ARDSnet) low tidal volume ventilatory protocol could induce tidal alveolar hyperinflation. METHODS In 15 patients, physiologic parameters and plasma inflammatory mediators were measured during two ventilatory strategies, applied randomly: the ARDSnet and the stress index strategy. The latter used the same ARDSnet ventilatory pattern except for the PEEP level, which was adjusted based on the stress index, a monitoring tool intended to quantify tidal alveolar hyperinflation and/or recruiting/derecruiting that occurs during constant-flow ventilation, on a breath-by-breath basis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS In all patients, the stress index revealed alveolar hyperinflation during application of the ARDSnet strategy, and consequently, PEEP was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) to normalize the stress index value. Static lung elastance (P = 0.01), plasma concentrations of interleukin-6 (P < 0.01), interleukin-8 (P = 0.031), and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (P = 0.013) were significantly lower during the stress index as compared with the ARDSnet strategy-guided ventilation. CONCLUSIONS Alveolar hyperinflation in patients with focal ARDS ventilated with the ARDSnet protocol is attenuated by a physiologic approach to PEEP setting based on the stress index measurement.
Comparison of Pediatric and Adult Tonsillectomies Performed by Thermal Welding System

Objective. To compare pediatric and adult age groups in terms of postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by thermal welding system (TWS). Method. The study consisted of 213 patients, of whom 178 were children and 35 were adults. The mean age of the pediatric patients (81 girls and 97 females) was 6.7 ± 2.4 years (range 3–13 years) and the mean age of the adults (20 males and 15 females) was 21.8 ± 7.07 years (range 15–41 years). All of the patients were evaluated in terms of postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by TWS. Results. Bleeding was detected in the late postoperative period in 11 pediatric and 7 adult patients and of them 2 pediatric and 3 adult patients controlled under general. Postoperative bleeding was significantly less prevalent in the pediatric age group compared to the adult age group (P = 0.04). Likewise, postoperative pain was significantly less prevalent in the pediatric age group as compared to the adult age group (P < 0.001). Conclusion. Both postoperative bleeding and pain following tonsillectomy performed by TWS were more prevalent in the adult age group compared to the pediatric age group.
Social concepts are represented in the superior anterior temporal cortex

Social concepts such as “tactless” or “honorable” enable us to describe our own as well as others' social behaviors. The prevailing view is that this abstract social semantic knowledge is mainly subserved by the same medial prefrontal regions that are considered essential for mental state attribution and self-reflection. Nevertheless, neurodegeneration of the anterior temporal cortex typically leads to impairments of social behavior as well as general conceptual knowledge. By using functional MRI, we demonstrate that the anterior temporal lobe represents abstract social semantic knowledge in agreement with this patient evidence. The bilateral superior anterior temporal lobes (Brodmann's area 38) are selectively activated when participants judge the meaning relatedness of social concepts (e.g., honor–brave) as compared with concepts describing general animal functions (e.g., nutritious–useful). Remarkably, only activity in the superior anterior temporal cortex, but not the medial prefrontal cortex, correlates with the richness of detail with which social concepts describe social behavior. Furthermore, this anterior temporal lobe activation is independent of emotional valence, whereas medial prefrontal regions show enhanced activation for positive social concepts. Our results demonstrate that the superior anterior temporal cortex plays a key role in social cognition by providing abstract conceptual knowledge of social behaviors. We further speculate that these abstract conceptual representations can be associated with different contexts of social actions and emotions through integration with frontolimbic circuits to enable flexible evaluations of social behavior.
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

A sizable body of research has now examined the complex relationship between quality of life (QoL) and depressive disorder. Uptake of QoL research in relation to bipolar disorder (BD) has been comparatively slow, although increasing numbers of QoL studies are now being conducted in bipolar populations. We aimed to perform a review of studies addressing the assessment of generic and health-related QoL in patients with bipolar disorder. A literature search was conducted in a comprehensive selection of databases including MEDLINE up to November 2004.
Epidemiology and Viral Etiology of the Influenza-Like Illness in Corsica during the 2012–2013 Winter: An Analysis of Several Sentinel Surveillance Systems

Influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance is important to identify circulating and emerging/reemerging strains and unusual epidemiological trends. The present study aimed to give an accurate picture of the 2012–2013 ILI outbreak in Corsica by combining data from several surveillance systems: general practice, emergency general practice, hospital emergency units, intensive care units, and nursing homes. Twenty-eight respiratory viruses were retrospectively investigated from patients in general practice with ILI. Sequence analysis of the genetic changes in the hemagglutinin gene of influenza viruses (A(H1N1)pdm2009, A(H3N2) and B) was performed. The trends in ILI/influenza consultation rates and the relative illness ratios (RIRs) of having an ILI consultation were estimated by age group for the different surveillance systems analyzed. Of the 182 ILI patients enrolled by general practitioners, 57.7% tested positive for influenza viruses. Phylogenetic analyses suggested a genetic drift for influenza B and A(H3N2) viruses. The ILI/influenza surveillance systems showed similar trends and were well correlated. In accordance with virological data, the RIRs of having an ILI consultation were highest among the young (<15 years old) and decreased with age. No clusters of acute respiratory illness were declared by the sentinel nursing homes. This study is noteworthy in that it is the first extensive description of the 2012–2013 ILI outbreak in Corsica as monitored through several surveillance systems. To improve ILI surveillance in Corsica, a consortium that links together the complementary regional surveillance ILI systems described here is being implemented.
Impact of a novel protein meal on the gastrointestinal microbiota and the host transcriptome of larval zebrafish Danio rerio

Larval zebrafish was subjected to a methodological exploration of the gastrointestinal microbiota and transcriptome. Assessed was the impact of two dietary inclusion levels of a novel protein meal (NPM) of animal origin (ragworm Nereis virens) on the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Microbial development was assessed over the first 21 days post egg fertilization (dpf) through 16S rRNA gene-based microbial composition profiling by pyrosequencing. Differentially expressed genes in the GIT were demonstrated at 21 dpf by whole transcriptome sequencing (mRNAseq). Larval zebrafish showed rapid temporal changes in microbial colonization but domination occurred by one to three bacterial species generally belonging to Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. The high iron content of NPM may have led to an increased relative abundance of bacteria that were related to potential pathogens and bacteria with an increased iron metabolism. Functional classification of the 328 differentially expressed genes indicated that the GIT of larvae fed at higher NPM level was more active in transmembrane ion transport and protein synthesis. mRNAseq analysis did not reveal a major activation of genes involved in the immune response or indicating differences in iron uptake and homeostasis in zebrafish fed at the high inclusion level of NPM.
Functional Faceted Web Query Analysis

We propose a faceted classification scheme for web queries. Unlike previous work, our functional scheme ties its classification to actionable strategies for search engines to take. Our scheme consists of four facets of ambiguity, authority sensitivity, temporal sensitivity and spatial sensitivity. We hypothesize that the classification of queries into such facets yields insight on user intent and information needs. To validate our classification scheme, we asked users to annotate queries with respect to our facets and obtained high agreement. We also assess the coverage of our faceted classification on a random sample of queries from logs. Finally, we discuss the algorithmic approaches we take in our current work to automate such faceted classification.
Resonance for maass forms in the spectral aspect

Let f be a Maass cusp form for Γ0(N) with Fourier coefficients λf (n) and Laplace eigenvalue 1/4 + k. For real α 6= 0 and β > 0 consider the sum: ∑ n λf (n)e(αn )φ ( n X ) , where φ is a smooth function of compact support. We prove bounds on the second spectral moment of this sum, with the eigenvalue tending toward infinity. When the eigenvalue is sufficiently large we obtain an average bound for this sum in terms of X. The method is adopted from proofs of subconvexity bounds for Rankin-Selberg L-functions for GL(2)×GL(2). It contains in particular the Kuznetsov trace formula and an asymptotic expansion of a well-known oscillatory integral with an enlarged range of K ≤ L ≤ K1−e. The same bounds can be proved in an analogous way for holomorphic cusp forms. Furthermore, we prove similar bounds for ∑ n λf (n)λg(n)e(αn )φ ( n X ) , where g is a holomorphic cusp form. As a corollary, we obtain a subconvexity bound for the L-function L(s, f × g). This bound has the significant property of breaking convexity even with a trivial bound toward the Ramanujan Conjecture.
Water resources assessment at El-Arish area, using remote sensing and GIS, North Sinai, Egypt

This research aims at to analyse the pattern and rate of shoreline changes at the El-Arish area during the period 1984-2006, which represents the time at which the El-Arish harbour has affected along the coastline. Detecting salinity distribution of the ground water is the second objective of this study. The enhanced Landsat Thematic Mapper images utilised in this study were geometrically corrected. GIS techniques were used to produce vector maps for El-Arish coastline positions and estimate shoreline displacement during the last two decades. The measured shoreline changes derived from remote sensing data indicate accretion along the western coast of El-Arish harbour with +160 m/22 yr, at a rate of +8 m/yr. However, neighbour shore is suffering from erosion with -80 m/22 yr (-4 m/yr). Downdrift erosion occurred along the eastern coast of El-Arish harbour with -140 m/22 yr, at a rate of -7 m/yr. Physical and chemical properties of the El-Arish groundwater are analysed in 48 groundwater samples collected from pumping wells discharged from the Quaternary aquifer during July 2006. Assessment maps constructed by the integrated GIS techniques indicate that, eroded beach was observed at the area subjected high salinity ground water. Two main factors controlling salt water intrusion at El-Arish area are recognized, including the concentration of pumping wells which enhanced upward leakage of saline water from deeper formation and coastal erosion created by natural and human factors. This research indicates significant positive relationship between the groundwater salinity problem and coastal erosion at El-Arish area.