Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-glycemic-index carbohydrate meals shorten sleep onset.

BACKGROUND Dietary carbohydrate intake has been shown to increase the plasma concentration of tryptophan, a precursor of serotonin and sleep-inducing agent. OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of carbohydrate in sleep induction, we explored the effect of glycemic index (GI) and meal time on sleep in healthy volunteers. DESIGN We compared the effect of high- and low-GI carbohydrate-based meals ingested 4 h before bedtime on sleep quality. We also evaluated the effect of the timing of high-GI meals (4 h compared with 1 h) on sleep quality. Twelve healthy men (aged 18-35 y) were administered standard, isocaloric (3212 kJ; 8% of energy as protein, 1.6% of energy as fat, and 90.4% of energy as carbohydrate) meals of either Mahatma (low GI = 50) or Jasmine (high GI = 109) rice 4 h before their usual bedtime. On another occasion, the high-GI meal was given 1 h before bedtime. The participants underwent a familiarization night followed by 3 test nights in random order 1 wk apart. RESULTS A significant (P = 0.009) reduction in the mean (+/-SD) sleep onset latency (SOL) was observed with a high-GI (9.0 +/- 6.2 min) compared with a low-GI (17.5 +/- 6.2 min) meal consumed 4 h before bedtime. The high-GI meal given 4 h before bedtime showed a significantly shortened SOL compared with the same meal given 1 h before bedtime (9.0 +/- 6.2 min compared with 14.6 +/- 9.9 min; P = 0.01). No effects on other sleep variables were observed. CONCLUSIONS We showed that a carbohydrate-based high-GI meal resulted in a significant shortening of SOL in healthy sleepers compared with a low-GI meal and was most effective when consumed 4 h before bedtime. The relevance of these findings to persons with sleep disturbance should be determined in future trials.
To Study the Effect of Surface Roughness and Embedded Length in Steel-Polyester Composite

Fabrication properties are strongly influenced by the proportions and properties of matrix and reinforcements. The chemical and strength characteristics of the interface between fibers and matrix are particularly important in determining the properties of the composites. The interfacial bond strength has to be sufficient for a load to be transferred from the matrix to the fibers if the composite is to be stronger. To get good interfacial bonding surface treatment, chemical method and temperature must be considered. To study the interface/interphase, it was primarily decided to prepare and test a pull-out specimen. The pull-out test was carried out for different specimens to study the effect of fiber surface roughness and embedded length of the fiber. It was carried out for different specimens, and the pattern of load v/s displacement pattern was observed. One or more peaks in the ascending part of the curve were found which shows that the debonding process is stepwise for steel polyester composite. The CAD/FEA tool was used to simulate a fiber pull-out mechanism, and the results obtained had a deviation of 5% to 8% with the experimental displacements.
Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science

1359-0286/$ see front matter 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.cossms. 2013.08. 003 Abbreviations: AFM, atomic force microscopy; AMP, antimicrobial peptide; CD, circular dichroism; CL, cardiolipin; DHPC, 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine; Di(16:1)PE, 1,2-dipalmitoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanol amine; Di(18:1-D9-trans)PE, 1,2-dielaidoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanol amine; DMPC, 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine; DOPC, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine; DOPE, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylethanolamine; DOPS, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylserine; DPPC, 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine; DPPE, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3phosphatidylethanolamine; DPPG, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphat idylglycerol; d-DPPG, deuterated 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol; DSC, differential scanning calorimetry; DSPC, 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3phosphatidylcholine; GIXD, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction; GUV, giant unilamellar vesicle; HC50, hemolytic concentration; MD, molecular dynamics; MIC, minimum inhibitory concentration; MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance; OCD, oriented circular dichroism; PC, phosphatidylcholine; PE, phosphatidylethanolamine; PG, phosphatidylglycerol; POPE, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3phosphatidylethanolamine; POPG, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylglycerol; PS, phosphatidylserine; RBC, red blood cell; SAXS, small-angle X-ray scattering; SFG, sum frequency generation; SMAMPs, synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides; SUV, small unilamellar vesicle; XR, X-ray reflectivity. ⇑ Corresponding author. Address: Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 929 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, United States. Tel. : +1 773 702 7068; fax: +1 773 702 0805. E-mail address: kayeelee@uchicago.edu (K.Y.C. Lee). J. Michael Henderson, Ka Yee C. Lee ⇑
Detection Method for Bean Cotyledon Locations under Vinyl Mulch Using Multiple Infrared Sensors

Purpose: Pulse crop damage due to wild birds is a serious problem, to the extent that the rate of damage during the period of time between seeding and the stage of cotyledon reaches 45.4% on average. This study investigated a method of fundamentally blocking birds from eating crops by conducting vinyl mulching after seeding and identifying the growing locations for beans to perform punching. Methods: Infrared (IR) sensors that could measure the temperature without contact were used to recognize the locations of soybean cotyledons below vinyl mulch. To expand the measurable range, 10 IR sensors were arranged in a linear array. A sliding mechanical device was used to reconstruct the two-dimensional spatial variance information of targets. Spatial interpolation was applied to the two-dimensional temperature distribution information measured in real time to improve the resolution of the bean coleoptile locations. The temperature distributions above the vinyl mulch for five species of soybeans over a period of six days from the appearance of the cotyledon stage were analyzed. Results: During the experimental period, cases where bean cotyledons did and did not come into contact with the bottom of the vinyl mulch were both observed, and depended on the degree of growth of the bean cotyledons. Although the locations of bean cotyledons could be estimated through temperature distribution analyses in cases where they came into contact with the bottom of the vinyl mulch, this estimation showed somewhat large errors according to the time that had passed after the cotyledon stage. The detection results were similar for similar types of crops. Thus, this method could be applied to crops with similar growth patterns. According to the results of 360 experiments that were conducted (five species of bean × six days × four speed levels × three repetitions), the location detection performance had an accuracy of 36.9%, and the range of location errors was 0-4.9 cm (RMSE = 3.1 cm). During a period of 3-5 days after the cotyledon stage, the location detection performance had an accuracy of 59% (RMSE = 3.9 cm). Conclusions: In the present study, to fundamentally solve the problem of damage to beans from birds in the early stage after seeding, a working method was proposed in which punching is carried out after seeding, thereby breaking away from the existing method in which seeding is carried out after punching. Methods for the accurate detection of soybean growing locations were studied to allow punching to promote the continuous growth of soybeans that had reached the cotyledon stage. Through experiments using multiple IR sensors and a sliding mechanical device, it was found that the locations of the crop could be partially identified 3-5 days after reaching the cotyledon stage regardless of the kind of pulse crop. It can be concluded that additional studies of robust detection methods considering environmental factors and factors for crop growth are necessary.
Associations between physical fitness and adherence to the Mediterranean diet with health-related quality of life in adolescents: results from the LabMed Physical Activity Study

Background Physical fitness (PF) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet are important indicators of healthy lifestyles. The purpose of this study is to analyze the independent and combined associations between PF and adherence to Mediterranean diet with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescents. Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis with 956 Portuguese adolescents aged 12-18 years. HRQoL was measured with the Kidscreen-10 questionnaire. PF was assessed with the ALPHA health-related fitness battery. The 20-m shuttle run test was used for the estimation of cardiorespiratory fitness; handgrip strength and standing long jump tests were applied for the assessment of muscular fitness and the 4 × 10 m shuttle run test for the assessment of motor fitness (speed and agility). The results of the PF tests (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness and motor fitness) were transformed into standardized values (Z-scores) by age and sex. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed with the KIDMED index. Regression analysis and analysis of covariance were performed. Results PF (B = 0.228; P < 0.05) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (B = 0.259; P < 0.05) were positively associated with HRQoL, after controlling for several variables. Participants classified as high PF and high adherence to Mediterranean diet had on average the highest HRQoL score compared with those with low PF and low adherence to Mediterranean diet (F(3, 939) = 4.270; P = 0.005), after adjustments for potential confounders. Conclusions The combination of high PF levels and optimal adherence to Mediterranean diet is positively associated with HRQoL.
Beta-carotene-rich orange-fleshed sweet potato improves the vitamin A status of primary school children assessed with the modified-relative-dose-response test.

BACKGROUND Beta-carotene-rich orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is an excellent source of provitamin A. In many developing countries, sweet potato is a secondary staple food and may play a role in controlling vitamin A deficiency. OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine the efficacy of daily consumption of boiled and mashed OFSP in improving the vitamin A status of primary school children. DESIGN Children aged 5-10 y were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The treatment group (n = 90) consumed 125 g boiled and mashed OFSP (1031 retinol activity equivalents/d as beta-carotene), and the control group (n = 90) consumed an equal amount of white-fleshed sweet potato devoid of beta-carotene for 53 school days. All children were dewormed to exclude helminthic infection. The modified-relative-dose-response test for vitamin A status was conducted before and after intervention. RESULTS The estimated intervention effect for the ratio of 3,4-didehydroretinol to retinol (DR:R) was -0.008 (95% CI: -0.015, -0.001; P = 0.0203), which indicated a greater improvement in vitamin A liver stores in the treatment group than in the control group. The proportions of children with normal vitamin A status (DR:R < 0.060) in the treatment group tended to increase from 78% to 87% (P = 0.096) and did not change significantly (from 86% to 82%) in the control group (P = 0.267). These proportions were not used to test the intervention effect or within-group changes because the study was powered to test the intervention effect on DR:R. CONCLUSIONS Consumption of OFSP improves vitamin A status and can play a significant role in developing countries as a viable long-term food-based strategy for controlling vitamin A deficiency in children.
Correlates of individual differences in body-composition changes resulting from physical training in obese children.

BACKGROUND No studies have been reported in children that assess correlates of body-composition changes in response to a physical training intervention. OBJECTIVE The hypothesis studied was that variation in diet and physical activity would explain a significant portion of the interindividual variation in the response of body composition to physical training. DESIGN The participants were 71 obese children aged 7-11 y (22 boys, 49 girls; 31 whites, 40 blacks). Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, physical activity by a 7-d recall interview, and diet by two, 2-d recalls. The children underwent 4 mo of physical training. RESULTS The mean attendance was 4 d/wk, the mean (+/-SD) heart rate for the 40-min sessions was 157 +/- 7 beats/min, and the mean energy expenditure was 946 +/- 201 kJ/session. On average, the percentage body fat decreased significantly in the total group, and total mass, fat-free soft tissue, bone mineral content, and bone mineral density increased, but there was a good deal of individual variability. Multiple regression models indicated that in general, more frequent attendance, being a boy, lower energy intake, and more vigorous activity were associated with healthier body-composition changes with physical training. Ethnicity was not retained as a correlate of the change of any component of body composition. CONCLUSIONS In obese children, age, vigorous activity, diet, and baseline percentage body fat together accounted for 25% of the variance in the change in percentage body fat with physical training.
Sex differences in the associations of HIV disease characteristics and body composition in antiretroviral-naive persons.

BACKGROUND Data on associations of body composition with HIV disease characteristics are limited. OBJECTIVE We compared sex-specific associations between HIV disease characteristics and body composition in an racially-ethnically diverse cohort of antiretroviral-naive patients. DESIGN The study was a cross-sectional analysis of participants enrolled in a metabolic substudy of a multicenter trial. Regional fat was measured, and total body fat (TBF) was derived by using the Durnin-Womersley formula (DWF) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Body cell mass (BCM) was measured by BIA. RESULTS Among 422 participants, 22% were women, 60% were African American, and 36% had prior AIDS-defining illnesses. Mean (+/-SD) age was 38.2 +/- 9.6 y, CD4+ count was 215 +/- 184 cells/mm3, and HIV RNA log10 was 5.0 +/- 0.8 copies/mL. On multivariate analysis, women with AIDS-defining illness had significantly (P < 0.005) lower regional body fat and TBF (BIA: -9.5 kg; DWF: -7.3 kg) but nonsignificantly lower BCM (-1.3 kg) than did women without such illnesses, whereas men with AIDS-defining illness had significantly (P < 0.005) lower BCM (-1.7 kg) but nonsignificantly lower TBF (BIA: -1.3 kg; DWF: -1.83 kg) than did men without such illnesses (P < 0.05 for sex differences in TBF). Significant negative associations of HIV RNA with BCM (-0.9 kg/log RNA; P = 0.03), TBF by BIA (-1.4 kg/log RNA; P = 0.05) and by DWF (-1.6 kg/log RNA; P = 0.01), and regional fat were observed in men only. CONCLUSIONS The effect of prior AIDS illness on body fat differed significantly between the sexes: women with prior AIDS-defining illness had significantly less fat than did women without such illnesses. An independent effect of HIV viremia on BCM and fat was seen in men. These distinctions may be due to inherent biological differences between the sexes.
Microwave Meat Roasting

ABSTRACTInvestigation of microwave and conventional heating of cylindrically shaped beef roasts, excluding end heating effects, has led to a better understanding of the microwave and heat transfer phenomena involved. A computer program written to simulate microwave/conventional cooking of cylindrical meat roasts has demonstrated good agreement with limited experimental data. It was found that the cylindrical shape of roasts used in this work gave an advantage to the microwave frequency with deepest penetration, 915 MHz, in both cooking time and final temperature uniformity due to “focusing” of microwave energy at the roast central axis. Widely used 2450 MHz microwave power was shown to be notably inferior to 915 MHz for roasting beef cylinders with diameters greater than 6 cm. While no definite conclusion can be made concerning an optimum cooking method, methods using 300 Wat 915 MHz, or the combination of 600 Wat 915 MHz for the first 20 min and 300 W at 915 MHz thereafter appear to be superior.
Cats require more dietary phenylalanine or tyrosine for melanin deposition in hair than for maximal growth.

In 1986, the NRC recommended a dietary concentration of 4.0 g/kg of phenylalanine and 8.5 g/kg of total aromatic amino acids for growing kittens on the basis of maximal growth rate and nitrogen balance. Black hair-coated cats were given purified diets containing the following phenylalanine + tyrosine (Phe + Tyr) concentrations (g/kg diet): 4 + 2, 4 + 4, 4 + 6, 4 + 8, 10 + 0, 10 + 2, 10 + 4, 10 + 6, 10 + 8, 10 + 10, 24 + 0 for at least 6 mo. All other amino acids were present at about twice the requirements. Total melanin and the oxidation product of eumelanin, pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (PTCA) were measured in hair. There was a significant linear relationship between the concentrations of tyrosine in plasma and PTCA in hair. The relationship between PTCA concentration in hair and Phe + Tyr in the diet had a point of inflection at approximately 16 g/kg Phe + Tyr. Cats fed diets with <16 g Phe + Tyr developed "red hair. " We confirmed the anecdotal reports that the black hair of cats can change from black to reddish brown. An aromatic amino acid concentration > or =18 g/kg is recommended for the prevention of visually discernible red hair in black-coated cats. Dietary concentrations >18 g total aromatic amino acids/kg diet promote a greater ratio of PTCA:total melanin in hair. We are unaware of a secondary nutrient requirement being so much greater than the requirement for growth.
Association of Vitamin D Deficiency With Peripheral Arterial Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Literature Studies

Context Vitamin D deficiency patients have an increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Contrasting data are available about the association between peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and Vitamin D status. Objective To perform a meta-analysis of studies evaluating the association between Vitamin D status and PAD. Data sources Studies were systematically searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and EMBASE databases. Results Ten studies with data on Vitamin D levels in 2,079 PAD patients and 18,233 non-PAD controls and 6 studies on the prevalence of PAD in 23,171 subjects with Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml), 48,311 subjects with Vitamin D insufficiency (20-30 ng/ml) and 27,910 with normal Vitamin D levels (>30 ng/ml) were included. Compared to controls, PAD patients showed significantly lower Vitamin D levels (MD: -2.24 ng/ml; 95%CI: -3.38, -1.10; p<0.001, I2=86.5%; p<0.001). Moreover, a higher prevalence of PAD was found both in subjects with Vitamin D insufficiency (OR: 1.098, 95%CI: 1.010-1.195, p=0.029, I2: 0%, p=0,600) and in subjects with Vitamin D deficiency (OR: 1.484, 95%CI: 1.348-1.635, p<0.001, I2: 7.65%, p=0,367) compared with controls with normal Vitamin D levels. Sensitivity analyses and the analysis of data on the cumulative risk of PAD according to Vitamin D levels derived from multivariate analysis consistently confirmed results. Conclusions PAD patients have lower vitamin D levels than controls and both Vitamin D deficiency and Vitamin D insufficiency are significantly associated with PAD. Reduced Vitamin D levels might represent an independent risk factor for PAD and, in turn, for CV events.
Body mass index and preinfarction angina in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND Preinfarction angina, a clinical equivalent of ischemic preconditioning, seems to protect against in-hospital death, cardiogenic shock, and the combined endpoints in adult but not in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction. Experimental evidence indicates that caloric restriction may restore ischemic preconditioning in aged animals. OBJECTIVE The objective was to verify whether body mass index (BMI) influences the cardioprotective effect of preinfarction angina in the elderly. DESIGN We retrospectively studied 820 patients aged >/= 65 y with acute myocardial infarction by evaluating BMI and major (death and cardiogenic shock) and minor in-hospital outcomes. RESULTS In-hospital death, cardiogenic shock, and the combined endpoints were not significantly different between elderly patients with and without preinfarction angina. Interestingly, in-hospital death, cardiogenic shock, and the combined endpoints were significantly fewer in elderly patients with than without preinfarction angina in the subset of patients with the lowest BMI (P < 0.01, < 0.01, and < 0.01, respectively). Regression analysis showed that preinfarction angina did not protect against in-hospital death when analyzed in all patients independently of BMI, whereas it was protective in the subset of patients with the lowest BMI (odds ratio: 0.06; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.54). CONCLUSIONS Preinfarction angina does not protect against in-hospital death, cardiogenic shock, or the combined endpoints in elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction. With stratification by quartiles of BMI, the protective effect of preinfarction angina is preserved in elderly patients with the lowest BMI.
Developmental expression of the epithelial Na+ channel in kidney and uroepithelia.

The epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) plays an important role in regulating Na+ balance in neonatal and adult life. Using in situ hybridization, we localized α-, β-, and γ-rat ENaC (rENaC) mRNA in developing rat kidney and uroepithelia. rENaC mRNA was first detectable on fetal day 16, and by fetal day 17, mRNA was abundant in the terminal collecting duct and uroepithelia. After birth, the intensity of the signals for all three subunits increased in the cortical collecting ducts and by 9 days after birth had diminished in the inner medullary collecting ducts. Expression in uroepithelial cells was different. mRNA for β- and γ-rENaC, but not α-rENaC, was detected in pelvis, ureters, and bladder at all stages of development beyond fetal day 16. By RNase protection assay (RPA), the greatest increase in subunit abundance in the kidney occurred before birth. Between postnatal days 9 and 30, the abundance of β- and γ-rENaC decreased relative to α-rENaC in outer and inner medulla. The urinary bladder, in contrast, demonstrated the greatest increase in β- and γ-rENaC mRNA abundance after birth. We were generally unable to detect α-rENaC by RPA in urinary bladder. Feeding weaned rats a diet of high or low NaCl did not change the abundance of any of the subunit mRNAs in bladder. These results demonstrate additional heterogeneity of developmental expression and regulation of ENaC. The differences between the collecting duct and uroepithelial cell rENaC mRNA regulation raise the possibility of significant differences in function.