Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computational simulation of hematocrit effects on arterial gas embolism dynamics.

BACKGROUND Recent computational investigations have shed light into the various hydrodynamic mechanisms at play during arterial gas embolism that may result in endothelial cell (EC) injury. Other recent studies have suggested that variations in hematocrit level may play an important role in determining the severity of neurological complications due to decompression sickness associated with gas embolism. METHODS To develop a comprehensive picture, we computationally modeled the effect of hematocrit variations on the motion of a nearly occluding gas bubble in arterial blood vessels of various sizes. The computational methodology is based on an axisymmetric finite difference immersed boundary numerical method to precisely track the blood-bubble dynamics of the interface. Hematocrit variations are taken to be in the range of 0.2-0.6. The chosen blood vessel sizes correspond to small arteries and small and large arterioles in normal humans. RESULTS Relevant hydrodynamic interactions between the gas bubble and EC-lined vessel lumen have been characterized and quantified as a function of hematocrit levels. In particular, the variations in shear stress, spatial and temporal shear stress gradients, and the gap between bubble and vascular endothelium surfaces that contribute to EC injury have been computed. DISCUSSION The results suggest that in small arteries, the deleterious hydrodynamic effects of the gas embolism on an EC-lined cell wall are significantly amplified as the hematocrit levels increase. However, such pronounced variations with hematocrit levels are not observed in the arterioles.
Interactive proofs in higher-order concurrent separation logic

When using a proof assistant to reason in an embedded logic -- like separation logic -- one cannot benefit from the proof contexts and basic tactics of the proof assistant. This results in proofs that are at a too low level of abstraction because they are cluttered with bookkeeping code related to manipulating the object logic. In this paper, we introduce a so-called proof mode that extends the Coq proof assistant with (spatial and non-spatial) named proof contexts for the object logic. We show that thanks to these contexts we can implement high-level tactics for introduction and elimination of the connectives of the object logic, and thereby make reasoning in the embedded logic as seamless as reasoning in the meta logic of the proof assistant. We apply our method to Iris: a state of the art higher-order impredicative concurrent separation logic. We show that our method is very general, and is not just limited to program verification. We demonstrate its generality by formalizing correctness proofs of fine-grained concurrent algorithms, derived constructs of the Iris logic, and a unary and binary logical relation for a language with concurrency, higher-order store, polymorphism, and recursive types. This is the first formalization of a binary logical relation for such an expressive language. We also show how to use the logical relation to prove contextual refinement of fine-grained concurrent algorithms.
Tail probabilities of the maxima of multilinear forms and their applications

Let Z be a k­way array consisting of independent standard normal variables. For column vectors h1, …, hk, define a multilinear form of degree k by $(h_1 \otimes \cdots \otimes h_k)' \vec(Z)$. We derive formulas for upper tail probabilities of the maximum of a multilinear form with respect to the hi’s under the condition that the hi’s are unit vectors, and of its standardized statistic obtained by dividing by the norm of Z. We also give formulas for the maximum of a symmetric multilinear form $(h_1 \otimes \cdots \otimes h_k)' \sym(Z)$, where sym (Z) denotes the symmetrization of Z with respect to indices. These classes of statistics are used for testing hypotheses in the analysis of variance of multiway layout data and for testing multivariate normality. In order to derive the tail probabilities we employ a geometric approach developed by Hotelling, Weyl and Sun. Upper and lower bounds for the tail probabilities are given by reexamining Sun's results. Some numerical examples are given to illustrate the practical usefulness of the obtained formulas, including the upper and lower bounds.
Explosive Volatility: A Model of Financial Contagion

This paper proposes a model of nancial contagion that accounts for explosive, as excess correlation in the residuals from a factor model incorporating global and regional market risk factors. Some of this excess correlation can be explained by quantifying the impact of shocks to aggregate volatility in the cross-section of expected returns|but only, it turns out, if one is extremely careful in accounting for the explosive nature of these shocks. We show that global markets have time-varying cross-sectional sensitivities to these shocks, and that high sensitivities strongly predict periods of nancial crisis. Moreover, the pattern of temporal changes in correlation structure between volatility and returns is readily interpretable in terms of the major events of the periods in question.
Notch signaling in hematopoiesis and lymphopoiesis: Lessons from Drosophila

The evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling pathway regulates a broad spectrum of cell fate decisions and differentiation processes during fetal and postnatal life. It is involved in embryonic organogenesis as well as in the maintenance of homeostasis of self‐renewing systems. In this article, we review the role of Notch signaling in the hematopoietic system with particular emphasis on lymphocyte development and highlight the similarities in Notch function between Drosophila and mammalian differentiation processes. Recent studies indicating that aberrant NOTCH signaling is frequently linked to the induction of T leukemia in humans will also be discussed. BioEssays 27:1117–1128, 2005. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
In-Play Cooling Interventions for Simulated Match-Play Tennis in Hot/Humid Conditions

Purpose This study aimed to assess the efficacy of different in-play cooling strategies for mitigating heat strain during simulated tennis match-play activity in a hot/humid environment representing the most extreme conditions during the US Open (36°C, 50% relative humidity). Methods On three occasions, nine males completed an intermittent treadmill protocol with an exercise intensity and activity profile simulating a four-set tennis match, with 90-s breaks between odd-numbered games and 120-s breaks between sets, according to International Tennis Federation rules. During breaks, 1) the currently used cooling strategy—an ice-filled damp towel around the neck and a cold-damp towel on the head and thighs (ICE); 2) wetting of arms, neck, face, and lower legs with a sponge in front of an electric fan (FANwet); or 3) no cooling (CON) were applied. Rectal (Tre) and mean skin (Tsk) temperature and HR were measured throughout. Thermal sensation and RPE were assessed during breaks. Trials were terminated upon reaching a Tre ≥ 39.5°C or volitional exhaustion. Results Seven, five, and one participant completed FANwet, ICE, and CON, respectively. By end set 1, &Dgr;Tre was lower in FANwet (0.92°C ± 0.15°C) compared with CON (1.09°C ± 0.09°C, P = 0.01), and by end set 2, &Dgr;Tre was lower (P < 0.001) in FANwet (1.55°C ± 0.23°C) and ICE (1.59°C ± 0.17°C) compared with CON (1.99°C ± 0.19°C). Mean RPE (FANwet = 13.9 ± 2.2, ICE = 13.6 ± 1.8, CON = 16.6 ± 1.8), HR (FANwet = 163 ± 21, ICE 164 ± 22, CON = 175 ± 19 bpm), Tsk (FANwet = 36.56°C ± 0.69°C, ICE 36.12°C ± 0.44°C, CON = 37.21°C ± 0.42°C), and thermal sensation were lower in FANwet and ICE (P < 0.05) compared with CON by end set 2. Conclusions The currently recommended ICE strategy successfully mitigates thermal strain during simulated tennis match play in hot/humid conditions. The FANwet intervention is an equally effective alternative that may be more practical in limited resource settings.
Relevance: Communication and Cognition

The book sets out to lay the foundation for a unified theory of cognitive science. The authors argue than human cognition has a goal: we pay attention only to information which seems to us relevant. To communicate is to claim someone's attention, and hence to imply that the information communicated is relevant. Thus, a single property relevance is seen as the key to human communication and cognition.
Religious food as a tourism attraction: the roles of Buddhist temple food in Western tourist experience

Recently, the needs and interests in local food-related tourism research are growing as the local food plays an important role in overall tourist experience and destination branding. However, research on the religious food as a culinary heritage has received relatively little attention and particularly an understanding of tourists' religious food consumption in a tourist destination has been little discussed in the literature of tourism research. Given the scarcity of research on the religious food as a tourist attraction, this study attempts to explore the roles of the Buddhist temple food in Western tourists' experience. To identify the objective of this study, travel blogs written in English were applied. As a result of content analysis, a total of six themes in their travel dining experiences were identified. They were classified under the following six categories: as a means for novelty-seeking, as a means for sensory pleasure, as a peak tourist experience, as a symbol of authenticity, as a symbol of prestige and as a medium for cultural exploration. The study also found that Buddhist temple cuisine, as a cultural resource, can be a good example of an experience-based tourist attraction.
The measurement of gaseous exchange during nitrous oxide anaesthesia.

SUMMARY A method is described for the estimation of carbon dioxide output, oxygen uptake, and respiratory exchange ratio during nitrous oxide anaesthesia. The inspired and expired minute volumes are measured with a box-bag system, the carbon dioxide concentrations with a carbon dioxide sensitive electrode, and the oxygen concentrations with a polaro-graph. Carbon dioxide output can be measured with a coefficient of variation of 1.1 per cent. The error in the measured oxygen uptake is largely dependent upon the total inspired oxygen but the error has a standard deviation of the order of 13 ml. Applications of the technique are discussed.
Human Skeletal Muscle Drug Transporters Determine Local Exposure and Toxicity of Statins

Rationale: The 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, or statins, are important drugs used in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease. Although statins are well tolerated, many patients develop myopathy manifesting as muscle aches and pain. Rhabdomyolysis is a rare but severe toxicity of statins. Interindividual differences in the activities of hepatic membrane drug transporters and metabolic enzymes are known to influence statin plasma pharmacokinetics and risk for myopathy. Interestingly, little is known regarding the molecular determinants of statin distribution into skeletal muscle and its relevance to toxicity. Objective: We sought to identify statin transporters in human skeletal muscle and determine their impact on statin toxicity in vitro. Methods and Results: We demonstrate that the uptake transporter OATP2B1 (human organic anion transporting polypeptide 2B1) and the efflux transporters, multidrug resistance–associated protein (MRP)1, MRP4, and MRP5 are expressed on the sarcolemmal membrane of human skeletal muscle fibers and that atorvastatin and rosuvastatin are substrates of these transporters when assessed using a heterologous expression system. In an in vitro model of differentiated, primary human skeletal muscle myoblast cells, we demonstrate basal membrane expression and drug efflux activity of MRP1, which contributes to reducing intracellular statin accumulation. Furthermore, we show that expression of human OATP2B1 in human skeletal muscle myoblast cells by adenoviral vectors increases intracellular accumulation and toxicity of statins and such effects were abrogated when cells overexpressed MRP1. Conclusions: These results identify key membrane transporters as modulators of skeletal muscle statin exposure and toxicity.
Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells and the Risk of Vascular Events after Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose We evaluated the hypothesis that the number of circulating EPC could be associated with the risk of stroke recurrence (SR) or vascular events (VE) after an ischemic stroke. Methods We studied prospectively consecutive patients with cerebral infarction within the first 48 hours after the onset. We recorded demographic factors, vascular risk factors, previous Rankin scale (RS) score, and etiology. We analyzed EPC counts by flow cytometry in blood collected at day 7 and defined EPC as CD34+/CD133+/KDR+ cells. Mean follow-up was 29.3 ± 16 months. We evaluated SR as well as VE. Patients were classified as to the presence or absence of EPC in the circulation (either EPC+ or EPC-). Bivariate analyses, Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression models were used. Results We included 121 patients (mean age 70.1±12.6 years; 65% were men). The percentage of EPC+ patients was 47.1%. SR occurred in 12 (9.9%) and VE in 18 (14.9%) patients. SR was associated significantly with a worse prior RS score, previous stroke and etiology, but not with EPC count. VE were associated significantly with EPC-, worse prior RS score, previous stroke, high age, peripheral artery disease and etiology. Cox regression model showed that EPC- (HR 7.07, p=0.003), age (HR 1.08, p=0.004) and a worse prior RS score (HR 5.8, p=0.004) were associated significantly with an increased risk of VE. Conclusions The absence of circulating EPC is not associated with the risk of stroke recurrence, but is associated with an increased risk of future vascular events.
Behavioral responses of big brown bats to dives by praying mantises

SUMMARY Insectivorous echolocating bats face a formidable array of defenses employed by their airborne prey. One such insect defense is the ultrasound-triggered dive, which is a sudden, rapid drop in altitude, sometimes all the way to the ground. Although many previous studies have investigated the dynamics of such dives and their effect on insect survival rate, there has been little work on how bats may adapt to such an insect defense employed in the middle of pursuit. In this study we investigated how big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) adjust their pursuit strategy when flying praying mantises (Parasphendale agrionina) execute evasive, ultrasound-triggered dives. Although the mantis dive occasionally forced the bat to completely abort its chase (25% trials), in a number of cases (75% trials) the bat followed the mantis into the dive. In such cases the bat kept its sonar beam locked onto the target and maneuvered to maintain the same time efficient strategy it adopted during level flight pursuit, though it was ultimately defeated by the dive. This study suggests that although the mantis dive can be effective in evading the bat, it does not always deter the bat from continuing pursuit and, given enough altitude, the bat can potentially capture diving prey using the same flight strategy it employs to intercept prey in level flight.
Determinants of radicalization of Islamic youth in the Netherlands: personal uncertainty, perceived injustice, and perceived group threat

In this study among Dutch Muslim youth (N = 131), we focus on the process of radicalization. We hypothesize that this process is driven by three main factors: (a) personal uncertainty, (b) perceived injustice, and (c) perceived group threat. Using structural equation modeling, we demonstrate that personal uncertainty, perceived injustice, and group-threat factors are important determinants of a radical belief system (e.g., perceived superiority of Muslims, perceived illegitimacy of Dutch authorities, perceived distance to others, and a feeling of being disconnected from society). This radical belief system in turn predicts attitudes toward violence by other Muslims, which is a determinant of own violent intentions. Results are discussed in terms of the role of individual and group-based determinants of radicalization.
The Effect of Augmented Feedback on Foot Pronation during Barre Exercise in Dance

Abstract Three experiments examined the effectiveness of augmented feedback (AFB) on the performance of a relatively complex, applied task. The objective was to reduce foot pronation during barre exercise in dance. Experiment 1: Ten novice performers were assigned to either an AFB group or an appropriate control group and were tested on three days. A greater decrease in foot pronation over days was found for the AFB group. Experiment 2: Eight experienced dancers with chronic foot pronation were tested pre, mid, and post use of a feedback unit (n = 4) or a “dummy” unit (n = 4). The feedback group demonstrated the greater decrease in foot pronation. Experiment 3: Four dancers with chronic foot pronation were monitored during an entire barre of an actual dance class prior to and following use of a feedback unit. A significant and similar decrease in foot pronation was found for all barre exercises. The data suggest that AFB would effectively accelerate the correction of foot pronation in dance. These results.
Seasonal Pacing - Match Importance Affects Activity in Professional Soccer

This research explores the influence of match importance on player activity in professional soccer. Therefore, we used an observational approach and analyzed 1,211 matches of German Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga. The importance measurement employed is based on post season consequences of teams involved in a match. This means, if a match result could potentially influence the final rank, and this rank would lead to different consequences for a team, such as qualification for Champions League opposed to qualification for Europe League, then this match is classified as important; otherwise not. Activity was quantified by TOTAL DISTANCE COVERED, SPRINTS, FAST RUNS, DUELS, FOULS and ATTEMPTS. Running parameters were recorded using a semi-automatic optical tracking system, while technical variables were collected by professional data loggers. Based on our importance classification, low important matches occurred at the beginning of round 29. A two-way ANOVA indicates significantly increased FAST RUNS (+4%, d = 0.3), DUELS (+16%, d = 1.0) and FOULS (+36%, d = 1.2) in important matches compared to low important ones. For FAST RUNS and FOULS, this effect only exists in Bundesliga. A comparison of the two leagues show that TOTAL DISTANCE COVERED (+3%, d = 0.9), SPRINTS (+25%, d = 1.4) and FAST RUNS (+15%, d = 1.4) are higher compared to 2nd Bundesliga, whilst FOULS is less in Bundesliga (-7%, d = 0.3). No difference in player activity was found between matches at the beginning of a season (round 1–6) and at the end of a season (round 29–34). We conclude that match importance influences player activity in German professional soccer. The most reasonable explanation is a conscious or unconscious pacing strategy, motivated by preserving abilities or preventing injury. Since this tendency mainly exists in Bundesliga, this may suggest that more skilled players show a higher awareness for the need of pacing.
Grey Matter Alterations Co-Localize with Functional Abnormalities in Developmental Dyslexia: An ALE Meta-Analysis

The neural correlates of developmental dyslexia have been investigated intensively over the last two decades and reliable evidence for a dysfunction of left-hemispheric reading systems in dyslexic readers has been found in functional neuroimaging studies. In addition, structural imaging studies using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) demonstrated grey matter reductions in dyslexics in several brain regions. To objectively assess the consistency of these findings, we performed activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis on nine published VBM studies reporting 62 foci of grey matter reduction in dyslexic readers. We found six significant clusters of convergence in bilateral temporo-parietal and left occipito-temporal cortical regions and in the cerebellum bilaterally. To identify possible overlaps between structural and functional deviations in dyslexic readers, we conducted additional ALE meta-analyses of imaging studies reporting functional underactivations (125 foci from 24 studies) or overactivations (95 foci from 11 studies ) in dyslexics. Subsequent conjunction analyses revealed overlaps between the results of the VBM meta-analysis and the meta-analysis of functional underactivations in the fusiform and supramarginal gyri of the left hemisphere. An overlap between VBM results and the meta-analysis of functional overactivations was found in the left cerebellum. The results of our study provide evidence for consistent grey matter variations bilaterally in the dyslexic brain and substantial overlap of these structural variations with functional abnormalities in left hemispheric regions.
Semi-metric Behavior in Document Networks and its Application to Recommendation Systems

Recommendation systems for different Document Networks (DN) such as the World Wide Web (WWW), Digital Libraries, or Scientific Databases, often make use of distance functions extracted from relationships among documents and between documents and semantic tags. For instance, documents in the WWW are related via a hyperlink network, while documents in bibliographic databases are related by citation and collaboration networks. Furthermore, documents can be related to semantic tags such as keywords used to describe their content. The distance functions computed from these relations establish associative networks among items of the DN, referred to as Distance Graphs, which allow recommendation systems to identify relevant associations for individual users. However, modern recommendation systems need to integrate associative data (defined by distance graphs) generated from multiple sources such as different databases, web sites, and even other users. Thus, we are presented with a problem of combining evidence (about associations between items) from different sources characterized by distance functions. In this paper we describe our work on (1) inferring relevant associations from, as well as characterizing, semi-metric distance graphs and (2) combining evidence from different distance graphs in a recommendation system. Regarding (1), we present the idea of semi-metric distance graphs, and introduce ratios to measure semi-metric behavior. We compute these ratios for several DN such as digital libraries and web sites and show that they are useful to identify implicit associations. We also propose a model based on semimetric behavior that allow us to quantify the amount of important latent associations in a DN. Regarding (2), we describe an algorithm to combine evidence from distance graphs that uses Evidence Sets, a set structure based