Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of soy protein isolate on bone mineral density and physical performance indices in postmenopausal women-a 2-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Objective: Postmenopausal decreases in body composition, physical performance, and bone mass have been shown to be reversed by estrogen, but given the concerns regarding its use, women are looking for alternatives such as soy isoflavones. Most studies on the effects of soy on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women have been short-term, that is, 3 to 6 months, and failed to provide conclusive evidence. There is no evidence of its effects on physical performance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of soy plus isoflavones on BMD and physical performance in postmenopausal women. Methods: This was a 2-year randomized controlled trial. A total of 203 healthy postmenopausal women were given either 25 g of soy protein without isoflavones, 25 g of soy protein with 90 mg of isoflavones, or 25 g of milk protein (casein and whey) as a control agent for 24 months. Women were followed every 6 months with BMD and physical performance measurements for 2 years. Primary analysis was intent-to-treat analysis. Analysis of variance, &khgr;2 and Fisher's exact tests, and analysis of covariance were used. Results: There was a significant decrease in the BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck in those who completed the study in all groups. Soy isoflavones prevented major bone loss from baseline at the femoral trochanter with no between-group significance. Physical performance measurements decreased in all the groups. Conclusions: Twenty-five grams of soy protein with 90 mg of isoflavones has no added benefit in preventing bone loss or improving physical performance.
Bayes Correlated Equilibrium and the Comparison of Information Structures in Games

A game of incomplete information can be decomposed into a basic game and an information structure. The basic game defines the set of actions, the set of payoff states the payoff functions and the common prior over the payoff states. The information structure refers to the signals that the players receive in the game. We characterize the set of outcomes that can arise in Bayes Nash equilibrium if players observe the given information structure but may also observe additional signals. The characterization corresponds to the set of (a version of) incomplete information correlated equilibria which we dub Bayes correlated equilibria. We identify a partial order on many player information structures (individual sufficiency) under which more information shrinks the set of Bayes correlated equilibria. This order captures the role of information in imposing (incentive) constraints on behavior.
Simulation Study of an Injection Enhanced Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor With p-Base Schottky Contact

This paper proposes a new concept of Schottky contact insulated-gate bipolar transistor (SC-IGBT), which uses a top surface Schottky contact to the p-base as a hole barrier to enhance the conductivity modulation effect. TCAD simulation shows that the SC-IGBT offers a saturation voltage decrease of 19% or turn-OFF loss reduction of 46% when compared with a conventional field-stop IGBT. Furthermore, it potentially offers an alternative method of fabricating injection enhancement IGBTs, which is simpler than the existing buried n-type layer or narrow mesa trench structures.
Unsupervised online adaptation for speaker verification over the telephone

This paper presents experiments of unsupervised adaptation for a speaker detection system. The system used is a standard speaker verification system based on cepstral features and Gaus-sian mixture models. Experiments were performed on cellular speech data taken from the NIST 2002 speaker detection evaluation. There was a total of about 30.000 trials involving 330 target speakers and more than 90% of impostor trials. Unsu-pervised adaptation significantly increases the system accuracy, with a reduction of the minimal detection cost function (DCF) from 0.33 for the baseline system to 0.25 with unsupervised on-line adaptation. Two incremental adaptation modes were tested, either by using a fixed decision threshold for adaptation, or by using the a posteriori probability of the true target for weight-ing the adaptation. Both methods provide similar results in the best configurations, but the latter is less sensitive to the actual threshold value.
Metabolites related to gut bacterial metabolism, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha activation, and insulin sensitivity are associated with physical function in functionally-limited older adults

Identification of mechanisms underlying physical function will be important for addressing the growing challenge that health care will face with physical disablement in the expanding aging population. Therefore, the goals of the current study were to use metabolic profiling to provide insight into biologic mechanisms that may underlie physical function by examining the association between baseline and the 6‐month change in serum mass spectrometry‐obtained amino acids, fatty acids, and acylcarnitines with baseline and the 6‐month change in muscle strength (leg press one repetition maximum divided by total lean mass, LP/Lean), lower extremity function [short physical performance battery (SPPB)], and mobility (400 m gait speed, 400‐m), in response to 6 months of a combined resistance exercise and nutritional supplementation (whey protein or placebo) intervention in functionally‐limited older adults (SPPB ≤ 10; 70–85 years, N = 73). Metabolites related to gut bacterial metabolism (cinnamoylglycine, phenol sulfate, p‐cresol sulfate, 3‐indoxyl sulfate, serotonin, N‐methylproline, hydrocinnamate, dimethylglycine, trans‐urocanate, valerate) that are altered in response to peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐alpha (PPAR‐α) activation (α‐hydroxyisocaproate, α‐hydroxyisovalerate, 2‐hydroxy‐3‐methylvalerate, indolelactate, serotonin, 2‐hydroxypalmitate, glutarylcarnitine, isobutyrylcarnitine, cinnamoylglycine) and that are related to insulin sensitivity (monounsaturated fatty acids: 5‐dodecenoate, myristoleate, palmitoleate; γ‐glutamylamino acids: γ‐glutamylglutamine, γ‐glutamylalanine, γ‐glutamylmethionine, γ‐glutamyltyrosine; branched‐chain amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, valine) were associated with function at baseline, with the 6‐month change in function or were identified in backward elimination regression predictive models. Collectively, these data suggest that gut microbial metabolism, PPAR‐α activation, and insulin sensitivity may be involved in mechanisms that underlie physical function in functionally‐limited older adults.
Optimization of the pelletization process in a fluid-bed rotor granulator using experimental design

This study examined the effect of rotor speed, amount of water sprayed, and atomizing air pressure on the geometric mean diameter and geometric standard deviation of pellets produced in a fluid-bed rotor granulator using a 23 factorial design and an optimization technique.Pellets were prepared by wet granulation. Equal amounts of microcrystalline cellulose, α-lactose monohydrate, and distilled water were used as the granulation liquid. The size and the size distribution of the pellets were determined by sieve analysis.The size of the pellets was found to be dependent on the amount of water added, while an increase in rotor speed decreased their size. Both factors were found to be statistically significant (P<.05). The effect of atomizing air pressure on pellet size was not statistically significant. None of the 3 factors significantly affected the geometric standard deviation of the pellets.The rotor speed and the amount of water sprayed were further selected in order to construct a mathematical model that correlates these factors with the geometric mean diameter of the pellets. For this purpose, the optimization technique 32 was used. The derived equation described the relationship between the the experimental design techniques applied were found to be suitable in optimizing the pelletization process carried out in a fluid-bed rotor granulator.
Clinical applications of therapeutic apheresis

The vast majority of the renal indications for plasmaexchange are related to immunoglobulin removal.Immunoglobulins, especially IgG, have a relativelylong half-life. Thus in antibody-mediated disease, therecould be persistence of significant amounts of antibodyin the circulation despite cessation of antibody produc-tion. The aim of plasma exchange is to significantlyreduce circulating antibodies. Removal of the circulat-ing antibodies constitutes the rationale for using plas-mapheresis to treat antibody-associated glomeruloneph-ritis (GN). Although small molecular weight substancesare removed by plasma exchange, their large volumeof distribution and short half-lives make plasmaexchange an inefficient means of extracorporeal re-moval of these substances. For instance, some comple-ment proteins have a half-life of 2 days. If the goalwere to be to deplete plasma complement levels, virtu-ally daily plasma exchanges would be needed. Discon-tinuation of daily plasma exchange would be followedby rapid resurgence to normal complement titers.Hence the shorter the half-life of the molecule beingremoved, the more aggressive has to be the apheresisschedule.Plasma volume can be estimated using the followingformula:EPV ¼ 0:065 3 TBW 3 ½1 Hctwhere EPV is the estimated plasma volume, TBW isthe total body water, and Hct is hematocrit.The removal of large molecular weight substancesfrom the plasma compartment follows first-orderkinetics. Repetitive treatments should be spaced every24–48 h to allow for extravascular to intravascularequilibration.Apheresis has been used to treat several renal condi-tions including primary renal diseases as well as renalmanifestations of systemic conditions (Table I).
Identification of minimal enhancer elements sufficient for Pax3 expression in neural crest and implication of Tead2 as a regulator of Pax3

Pax3 is a transcription factor that is required by Pre-migratory neural crest cells give rise to the peripheral nervous system, melanocytes, some vascular smooth muscle, and numerous other derivatives. These cells require the transcription factor Pax3, and both mice and humans with Pax3 deficiency exhibit neural crest-related developmental defects. Pax3 is also expressed in the dorsal neural tube, and by myogenic progenitors in the presomitic mesoderm and the hypaxial somites. Molecular pathways that regulate Pax3 expression in the roof plate probably represent early upstream signals in neural crest induction. We have identified an enhancer region in the Pax3 genomic locus that is sufficient to recapitulate expression in neural crest precursors in transgenic mice. We show that Tead2, a member of the Tead box family of transcription factors, binds to a neural crest enhancer and activates Pax3 expression. Tead2, and its co-activator YAP65, are co-expressed with Pax3 in the dorsal neural tube, and mutation of the Tead2 binding site in the context of Pax3 transgenic constructs abolishes neural expression. In addition, a Tead2-Engrailed fusion protein is able to repress retinoic acid-induced Pax3 expression in P19 cells and in vivo. These results suggest that Tead2 is an endogenous activator of Pax3 in neural crest.
Structure and Function of Skeletal Muscle in Zebrafish Early Larvae

Zebrafish muscles were examined at an early developmental stage (larvae 5–7 d). Using aluminum clips, preparations (∼1.5 mm length, 150 μm diameter) were mounted for force registration and small angle x-ray diffraction. Sarcomeres were oriented mainly in parallel with the preparation long axis. Electrical stimulation elicited fast and reproducible single twitch contractions. Length–force relations showed an optimal sarcomere length of 2.15 μm. x-ray diffraction revealed clear equatorial 1.1/1.0 reflections, showing that myofilaments are predominantly arranged along the preparation long axis. In contrast, reflections from older (2 mo) zebrafish showed two main filament orientations each at an ∼25° angle relative to the preparation long axis. Electrical stimulation of larvae muscles increased the 1.1/1.0 intensity ratio, reflecting mass transfer to thin filaments during contraction. The apparent lattice volume was 3.42 × 10−3 μm3, which is smaller than that of mammalian striated muscle and more similar to that of frog muscles. The relation between force and stimulation frequency showed fusion of responses at a comparatively high frequency (∼186 Hz), reflecting a fast muscle phenotype. Inhibition of fast myosin with N-benzyl-p-toluene sulphonamide (BTS) showed that the later phase of the tetanus was less affected than the initial peak. This suggests that, although the main contractile phenotype is fast, slow twitch fibers can contribute to sustained contraction. A fatigue stimulation protocol with repeated 220 ms/186 Hz tetani showed that tetanic force decreased to 50% at a train rate of 0.1 s−1. In conclusion, zebrafish larvae muscles can be examined in vitro using mechanical and x-ray methods. The muscles and myofilaments are mainly orientated in parallel with the larvae long axis and exhibit a significant fast contractile component. Sustained contractions can also involve a small contribution from slower muscle types.
Torsional stress distributions in tubes with external and internal notches

Practical expressions useful to assess the elastic stress distribution in a torque loaded axisymmetric tube, weakened by circumferential U- and blunt V-shaped notches, are presented. The solution is obtained as an extension of a previous analytical solution valid for axisymmetric solid shafts. It accounts for the local geometry (notch tip root radius and notch opening angle) as well as for the global geometry (inner and outer diameter of the tube). Shear stress fields are written as a function of the shear stress at the notch tip. Varying global and local geometries, the obtained equations are compared with a large bulk of finite element results, showing a good agreement.
Segmented swept source optical coherence tomography angiography assessment of the perifoveal vasculature in patients with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis: a serial case report

Purpose To describe perifoveal microvascular changes occurring in X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) using swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS OCTA). Patients and methods This is a serial case report of three patients. Retrospective data of patients affected by XLRS were collected. Structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) and color fundus photography (CFPh) were carried out with Topcon® OCT 2000 3D OCT as part of the standard care. Two patients were imaged on Topcon Atlantis® SS OCTA and one on Topcon Triton® SS OCTA. SS OCTA images were acquired using the 3 × 3 mm fovea-centered cubes scanning protocol. Analysis of both perifoveal superficial vascular plexus (pSVP) and perifoveal deep vascular plexus (pDVP) was performed by two observers after automated segmentation. Results Four eyes of three males (mean age 14 ± 3.8 years) were analyzed. All eyes showed foveoschisis on CFPh images. OCT B-scans of three eyes showed schistic cysts in the ganglion cell layer, inner nuclear layer (INL) and outer nuclear layer (ONL); in one eye, cysts were depicted in INL and ONL only. In two eyes, SS OCTA showed abnormal foveal avascular zone (FAZ) shape in the pSVP, and in the other two, FAZ shape was abnormal in both plexuses. In all eyes, retinal vascular abnormalities (ie, microvascular protrusions) were present in pDVP. Conclusion SS OCTA can depict perifoveal microvascular changes in young patients affected by XLRS. In this study, the structural and vascular changes seem to be more evident in the pDVP and may represent a useful biomarker of prognosis.
Endocrine regulation of energy metabolism: review of pathobiochemical and clinical chemical aspects of leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, and resistin.

BACKGROUND Recent studies point to the adipose tissue as a highly active endocrine organ secreting a range of hormones. Leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, and resistin are considered to take part in the regulation of energy metabolism. APPROACH This review summarizes recent knowledge on leptin and its receptor and on ghrelin, adiponectin, and resistin, and emphasizes their roles in pathobiochemistry and clinical chemistry. CONTENT Leptin, adiponectin, and resistin are produced by the adipose tissue. The protein leptin, a satiety hormone, regulates appetite and energy balance of the body. Adiponectin could suppress the development of atherosclerosis and liver fibrosis and might play a role as an antiinflammatory hormone. Increased resistin concentrations might cause insulin resistance and thus could link obesity with type II diabetes. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach. In addition to its role in long-term regulation of energy metabolism, it is involved in the short-term regulation of feeding. These hormones have important roles in energy homeostasis, glucose and lipid metabolism, reproduction, cardiovascular function, and immunity. They directly influence other organ systems, including the brain, liver, and skeletal muscle, and are significantly regulated by nutritional status. This newly discovered secretory function has extended the biological relevance of adipose tissue, which is no longer considered as only an energy storage site. SUMMARY The functional roles, structures, synthesis, analytical aspects, and clinical significance of leptin, ghrelin, adiponectin, and resistin are summarized.
Who benefits from learning with 3D models? the case of spatial ability

Empirical studies that focus on the impact of three-dimensional (3D) visualizations on learning are to date rare and inconsistent. According to the ability-as-enhancer hypothesis, high spatial ability learners should benefit particularly as they have enough cognitive capacity left for mental model construction. In contrast, the ability-as-compensator hypothesis proposes that low spatial ability learners should gain particular benefit from explicit graphical representations as they have difficulty mentally constructing their own visualizations. This study examines the impact that interactive 3D models implemented within a hypermedia-learning environment have on understanding of cell biology. Test scores in a subsequent knowledge acquisition test demonstrated a significant interaction term between students' spatial ability and presence/absence of 3D models. Only students with high spatial ability benefited from the presence of 3D models, while low spatial ability students got fewer points when learning this way. When using 3D models, high spatial ability students perceived their cognitive load to be low whereas the opposite was true for low spatial ability students. The data suggest that students with low spatial ability became cognitively overloaded by the presence of 3D models, while high spatial ability students benefited from them as their total cognitive load remained within working memory limits.
Framework for characterizing hardware deployed in Wireless Mesh Networking Testbeds

Experimental systems introduce a variable in the analyzed system which is not present in theoretical ones, i.e. real equipment from different vendors. Given a certain standard, different vendors might take different design choices depending on the target equipment being devised. As a consequence, though this equipment fulfills the same functionality, it shows different behavior in equivalent scenarios due to parameters such as power constraints, degree of standard compliance, or CPU processing power. In this paper, we identify and explain the implications that these parameters have on the performance of wireless equipment, with particular emphasis on building a wireless mesh networking testbed. Moreover, this paper outlines techniques and recommended practices to use when selecting equipment in order to assess its behavior. It presents also practical quantitative results illustrating the type of results obtained and the validity of the techniques and procedures proposed.
Single-Machine Scheduling Polyhedra with Precedence Constraints

We consider nonpreemptive single-machine scheduling subject to precedence constraints. We define feasible schedules by the vector of the job completion times and study the structure of the convex hull of all feasible schedules, called the scheduling polyhedron P. We derive classes of valid inequalities for P, and necessary and sufficient conditions under which they are facet-inducing. Our main result is a complete description of the minimal linear system defining P when the precedence constraints are series-parallel. Moreover, this system consists of two classes of facet-inducing inequalities, associated with series and parallel compositions, respectively. If the precedence constraints are not series-parallel, we present another class of facet-inducing inequalities for P, associated with induced Z-subgraphs. We also show that the convex hull of all preemptive feasible schedules is identical to P if and only if the precedence constraints form an out-forest.
Pharmacology of levosimendan: inotropic, vasodilatory and cardioprotective effects

Positive inotropic agents are frequently used in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. These agents are known to improve cardiac performance and peripheral perfusion in the short‐term treatment. However, several preclinical and clinical studies emphasized detrimental effects of these drugs on myocardial oxygen demand and on sympathetic tone entailing arrhythmogenesis. Levosimendan is an inotropic agent with an original mechanism of action. This review focuses on major data available for levosimendan.
Altered RNA splicing contributes to skeletal muscle pathology in Kennedy disease knock-in mice

SUMMARY Here, we used a mouse model of Kennedy disease, a degenerative disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the androgen receptor (AR) gene, to explore pathways leading to cellular dysfunction. We demonstrate that male mice containing a targeted Ar allele with 113 CAG repeats (AR113Q mice) exhibit hormone- and glutamine length-dependent missplicing of Clcn1 RNA in skeletal muscle. Changes in RNA splicing are associated with increased expression of the RNA-binding protein CUGBP1. Furthermore, we show that skeletal muscle denervation in the absence of a repeat expansion leads to increased CUGBP1 expression. However, this induction of CUGBP1 is not sufficient to alter Clcn1 RNA splicing, indicating that changes mediated by both denervation and AR113Q toxicity contribute to altered RNA processing. To test this notion directly, we exogenously expressed the AR in vitro and observed hormone-dependent changes in the splicing of pre-mRNAs from a human cardiac troponin T minigene. These effects were notably similar to changes mediated by RNA with expanded CUG tracts, but not CAG tracts, highlighting unanticipated similarities between CAG and CUG repeat diseases. The expanded glutamine AR also altered hormone-dependent splicing of a calcitonin/calcitonin gene-related peptide minigene, suggesting that toxicity of the mutant protein additionally affects RNA processing pathways that are distinct from those regulated by CUGBP1. Our studies demonstrate the occurrence of hormone-dependent alterations in RNA splicing in Kennedy disease models, and they indicate that these changes are mediated by both the cell-autonomous effects of the expanded glutamine AR protein and by alterations in skeletal muscle that are secondary to denervation.