Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients Have a Higher Activity Level Compared to Patients With Osteoarthritis?

Background: Despite the alleviation of osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms that total knee arthroplasty (TKA) provides for patients with end-stage knee OA, recent studies have suggested that TKA may not increase physical activity levels. In this study, we compare the physical activity levels of patients with OA treated nonoperatively (non-TKA) with both patients who had received TKA (post-TKA) and patients who received TKA within 3 years of data collection (pre-TKA). Methods: Utilizing the Osteoarthritis Initiative database, accelerometry data were collected from non-TKA, pre-TKA, and post-TKA patients. Accelerometry data were subdivided by physical activity intensity levels, yielding daily minutes of each level of activity. Physical activity levels were then compared between non-TKA and pre-TKA/post-TKA patients. Physical activity levels for each patient were also compared to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines for physical activity. Results: There was no difference in physical activity between non-TKA and pre-TKA patients, with the exception of non-TKA patients achieving more daily minutes of vigorous activity (P < .001). There was no difference in physical activity between non-TKA and post-TKA patients. Although 11.6% of non-TKA patients met DHHS guidelines, only 4.8% of pre-TKA and 5.3% of post-TKA patients met guidelines. Conclusion: Despite the improvements in patient-reported outcome measures following TKA, we found that TKA alone does not improve physical activity levels beyond those seen in the average patient with OA. In our study, the vast majority of patients with OA, treated nonoperatively or operatively, did not meet current DHHS guidelines for physical activity.
Additive Manufacturing Processes: Selective Laser Melting, Electron Beam Melting and Binder Jetting—Selection Guidelines

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing or rapid prototyping, is gaining increasing attention due to its ability to produce parts with added functionality and increased complexities in geometrical design, on top of the fact that it is theoretically possible to produce any shape without limitations. However, most of the research on additive manufacturing techniques are focused on the development of materials/process parameters/products design with different additive manufacturing processes such as selective laser melting, electron beam melting, or binder jetting. However, we do not have any guidelines that discuss the selection of the most suitable additive manufacturing process, depending on the material to be processed, the complexity of the parts to be produced, or the design considerations. Considering the very fact that no reports deal with this process selection, the present manuscript aims to discuss the different selection criteria that are to be considered, in order to select the best AM process (binder jetting/selective laser melting/electron beam melting) for fabricating a specific component with a defined set of material properties.
Formalizing the slow-roll approximation in inflation.

The meaning of the inflationary slow-roll approximation is formalised. Comparisons are made between an approach based on the Hamilton-Jacobi equations, governing the evolution of the Hubble parameter, and the usual scenario based on the evolution of the potential energy density. The vital role of the inflationary attractor solution is emphasised, and some of its properties described. We propose a new measure of inflation, based upon contraction of the comoving Hubble length as opposed to the usual $e$-foldings of physical expansion, and derive relevant formulae. We introduce an infinite hierarchy of slow-roll parameters, and show that only a finite number of them are required to produce results to a given order. The extension of the slow-roll approximation into an analytic slow-roll {\em expansion}, converging on the exact solution, is provided. Its role in calculations of inflationary dynamics is discussed. We explore rational-approximants as a method of extending the range of convergence of the slow-roll expansion up to, and beyond, the end of inflation.
Natural calcium isotopic composition of urine as a marker of bone mineral balance.

BACKGROUND We investigated whether changes in the natural isotopic composition of calcium in human urine track changes in net bone mineral balance, as predicted by a model of calcium isotopic behavior in vertebrates. If so, isotopic analysis of natural urine or blood calcium could be used to monitor short-term changes in bone mineral balance that cannot be detected with other techniques. METHODS Calcium isotopic compositions are expressed as delta(44)Ca, or the difference in parts per thousand between the (44)Ca/(40)Ca of a sample and the (44)Ca/(40)Ca of a standard reference material. delta(44)Ca was measured in urine samples from 10 persons who participated in a study of the effectiveness of countermeasures to bone loss in spaceflight, in which 17 weeks of bed rest was used to induce bone loss. Study participants were assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: controls received no treatment, one treatment group received alendronate, and another group performed resistive exercise. Measurements were made on urine samples collected before, at 2 or 3 points during, and after bed rest. RESULTS Urine delta(44)Ca values during bed rest were lower in controls than in individuals treated with alendronate (P <0.05, ANOVA) or exercise (P <0.05), and lower than the control group baseline (P <0.05, t-test). Results were consistent with the model and with biochemical and bone mineral density data. CONCLUSION Results confirm the predicted relationship between bone mineral balance and calcium isotopes, suggesting that calcium isotopic analysis of urine might be refined into a clinical and research tool.
A Genetic System for Rhesus Monkey Rhadinovirus: Use of Recombinant Virus To Quantitate Antibody-Mediated Neutralization

ABSTRACT Rhesus monkey rhadinovirus (RRV), a simian gamma-2 herpesvirus closely related to the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, replicates lytically in cultured rhesus monkey fibroblasts and establishes persistence in B cells. Overlapping cosmid clones were generated that encompass the entire 130-kilobase-pair genome of RRV strain 26-95, including the terminal repeat regions required for its replication. Cloned RRV that was produced by cotransfection of overlapping cosmids spanning the entire RRV26-95 genome replicated with growth kinetics and to titers similar to those of the parental, uncloned, wild-type RRV26-95. Expression cassettes for secreted-engineered alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) were inserted upstream of the R1 gene, and the cosmid-based system for RRV genome reconstitution was used to generate replication-competent, recombinant RRV that expressed either the SEAP or GFP reporter gene. Using the SEAP and GFP recombinant RRVs, assays were developed to monitor RRV infection, neutralization, and replication. Heat-inactivated sera from rhesus monkeys that were naturally or experimentally infected with RRV were assayed for their ability to neutralize RRV-SEAP and RRV-GFP infectivity using rhesus monkey fibroblasts. Sera from RRV-positive monkeys, but not RRV-negative monkeys, were consistently able to neutralize RRV infectivity when assayed by the production of SEAP activity or by the ability to express GFP. The neutralizing activity was present in the immunoglobulin fraction. Of the 17 rhesus monkeys tested, sera from rhesus monkey 26-95, i.e., the monkey that yielded the RRV 26-95 isolate, had the highest titer of neutralizing activity against RRV26-95. This cosmid-based genetic system and the reporter virus neutralization assay will facilitate study of the contribution of individual RRV glycoproteins to entry into different cell types, particularly fibroblasts and B cells.
On Generalized Multiple-instance Learning

We describe a generalisation of the multiple-instance learning model in which a bag's label is not based on a single instance's proximity to a single target point. Rather, a bag is positive if and only if it contains a collection of instances, each near one of a set of target points. We then adapt a learning-theoretic algorithm for learning in this model and present empirical results on data from robot vision, content-based image retrieval, and protein sequence identification.
Resonant tunneling through a small quantum dot coupled to superconducting leads

We address the problem of nonlinear transport through discrete electronic levels in a small quantum dot coupled to superconducting electrodes. In our approach the low-temperature I-V characteristics can be calculated including all multiple quasiparticle and Andreev processes. The limit of very weak coupling to the leads and large charging energies is briefly analyzed comparing the calculated line shapes of the I-V curves with recent experimental results. When the coupling to the leads increases and Coulomb blockade effects can be neglected, the combination of multiple Andreev processes and resonant transmission gives rise to a rich subgap structure which largely differs from the one found in the more studied S-N-S systems. We concentrate on this regime showing how multiple processes can be included within a simple sequential tunneling picture qualitatively explaining the subgap structure. We suggest an experimental setup where the predicted effects could be observed.
Inhibition of Herpesvirus Replication by Hexadecyloxypropyl Esters of Purine- and Pyrimidine-Based Phosphonomethoxyethyl Nucleoside Phosphonates

ABSTRACT Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) often suffer from herpesvirus infections as a result of immunosuppression. These infections can occur while patients are receiving antiretroviral therapy, and additional drugs required to treat their infection can adversely affect compliance. It would be useful to have antivirals with a broader spectrum of activity that included both HIV and the herpesviruses. We reported previously that alkoxyalkyl ester prodrugs of cidofovir are up to 3 orders of magnitude more active against herpesvirus replication and may be less toxic than the unmodified drug. To determine if this strategy would be effective for certain phosphonomethoxyethyl nucleoside phosphonates which are also active against HIV infections, the hexadecyloxypropyl (HDP) esters of 1-(phosphonomethoxyethyl)-cytosine, 1-(phosphonomethoxyethyl)-5-bromo-cytosine (PME-5BrC), 1-(phosphonomethoxyethyl)-5-fluoro-cytosine, 9-(phosphonomethoxyethyl)-2,6-diaminopurine (PME-DAP), and 9-(phosphonomethoxyethyl)-2-amino-6-cyclopropylaminopurine (PME-cPrDAP) were evaluated for activity against herpesvirus replication. The HDP esters were substantially more active than the unmodified acyclic nucleoside phosphonates, indicating that esterification with alkoxyalkyl groups increases the antiviral activity of many acyclic nucleoside phosphonates. The most interesting compounds included HDP-PME-cPrDAP and HDP-PME-DAP, which were 12- to 43-fold more active than the parent nucleoside phosphonates against herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus, and HDP-PME-cPrDAP and HDP-PME-5BrC which were especially active against Epstein-Barr virus. The results presented here indicate that HDP-esterified acyclic nucleoside phosphonates with antiviral activity against HIV also inhibit the replication of some herpesviruses and can extend the spectrum of activity for these compounds.
Space Efficiency of Propositional Knowledge Representation Formalisms

We investigate the space efficiency of a Propositional Knowledge Representation (PKR) formalism. Intuitively, the space efficiency of a formalism F in representing a certain piece of knowledge α, is the size of the shortest formula of F that represents α. In this paper we assume that knowledge is either a set of propositional interpretations (models) or a set of propositional formulae (theorems). We provide a formal way of talking about the relative ability of PKR formalisms to compactly represent a set of models or a set of theorems. We introduce two new compactness measures, the corresponding classes, and show that the relative space efficiency of a PKR formalism in representing models/theorems is directly related to such classes. In particular, we consider formalisms for nonmonotonic reasoning, such as circumscription and default logic, as well as belief revision operators and the stable model semantics for logic programs with negation. One interesting result is that formalisms with the same time complexity do not necessarily belong to the same space efficiency class.
General primordial cosmic perturbation

We consider the most general primordial cosmological perturbation in a universe filled with photons, baryons, neutrinos, and a hypothetical cold dark matter (CDM) component within the framework of linearized perturbation theory. We present a careful discussion of the different allowed modes, distinguishing modes which are regular at early times, singular at early times, or pure gauge. As well as the familiar growing and decaying adiabatic modes and the baryonic and CDM isocurvature modes, we identify two neutrino isocurvature modes. In the first, the ratio of neutrinos to photons varies spatially but the net density perturbation vanishes. In the second the photon-baryon plasma and the neutrino fluid have a spatially varying relative bulk velocity balanced so that the net momentum density vanishes. Possible mechanisms which could generate the two neutrino isocurvature modes are discussed. If one allows the most general regular primordial perturbation, all quadratic correlators of observables such as the microwave background anisotropy and matter perturbations are completely determined by a $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}5,$ real, symmetric matrix-valued function of comoving wave number. In a companion paper we examine prospects for detecting or constraining the amplitudes of the most general allowed regular perturbations using present and future CMB data.
Transmission of Influenza on International Flights, May 2009

Understanding the dynamics of influenza transmission on international flights is necessary for prioritizing public health response to pandemic incursions. A retrospective cohort study to ascertain in-flight transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and influenza-like illness (ILI) was undertaken for 2 long-haul flights entering Australia during May 2009. Combined results, including survey responses from 319 (43%) of 738 passengers, showed that 13 (2%) had an ILI in flight and an ILI developed in 32 (5%) passengers during the first week post arrival. Passengers were at 3.6% increased risk of contracting pandemic (H1N1) 2009 if they sat in the same row as or within 2 rows of persons who were symptomatic preflight. A closer exposed zone (2 seats in front, 2 seats behind, and 2 seats either side) increased the risk for postflight disease to 7.7%. Efficiency of contact tracing without compromising the effectiveness of the public health intervention might be improved by limiting the exposed zone.
A Tractable Model for Noncoherent Joint-Transmission Base Station Cooperation

This paper presents a tractable model for analyzing noncoherent joint-transmission base station (BS) cooperation, taking into account the irregular BS deployment typically encountered in practice. In addition to cellular-network specific aspects, such as BS density, channel fading, average path loss, and interference, the model also captures relevant cooperation mechanisms, including user-centric BS clustering and channel-dependent cooperation activation. The locations of all BSs are modeled by a Poisson point process. Using tools from stochastic geometry, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) distribution with cooperation is precisely characterized in a generality-preserving form. The result is then applied to practical design problems of recent interest. We find that increasing the network-wide BS density improves the SINR, while the gains increase with the path loss exponent. For pilot-based channel estimation, the average spectral efficiency saturates at cluster sizes of around seven BSs for typical values, irrespective of backhaul quality. Finally, it is shown that intra-cluster frequency reuse is favorable in moderately loaded cells with generous cooperation activation, while intra-cluster coordinated scheduling may be better in lightly loaded cells with conservative cooperation activation.
Ieee Transactions on Communications, Accepted for Publication Joint Design of Channel and Network Coding for Star Networks Connected by Binary Symmetric Channels

—In a network application, channel coding alone is not sufficient to reliably transmit a message of finite length K from a source to one or more destinations as in, e.g., file transfer. To ensure that no data is lost, it must be combined with rateless erasure correcting schemes on a higher layer, such as a time-division multiple access (TDMA) system paired with automatic repeat request (ARQ) or random linear network coding (RLNC). We consider binary channel coding on a binary symmetric channel (BSC) and q-ary RLNC for erasure correction in a star network, where Y sources send messages to each other with the help of a central relay. In this scenario RLNC has been shown to have a throughput advantage over TDMA schemes as K → ∞ and q → ∞. In this paper we focus on finite block lengths and compare the expected throughputs of RLNC and TDMA. For a total message length of K bits, which can be subdivided into blocks of smaller size prior to channel coding, we obtain the channel code rate and the number of blocks that maximize the expected throughput of both RLNC and TDMA, and we find that TDMA is more throughput-efficient for small message lengths K and small q.
Effect of L-Arginine and Selenium Added to a Hypocaloric Diet Enriched with Legumes on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Women with Central Obesity: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background/Aims: We aimed to discover if L-arginine and selenium alone or together can increase the effect of a hypocaloric diet enriched in legumes (HDEL) on central obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in women with central obesity. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was undertaken in 84 premenopausal women with central obesity. After a 2-week run-in period on an isocaloric diet, participants were randomly assigned to a control diet (HDEL), L-arginine (5 g/day) and HDEL, selenium (200 µg/day) and HDEL or L-arginine, selenium and HDEL for 6 weeks. Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed before intervention and 3 and 6 weeks afterwards. Results: After 6 weeks, L-arginine had significantly reduced waist circumference (WC); selenium had significantly lowered fasting concentrations of serum insulin and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index; the interaction between L-arginine and selenium significantly reduced the fasting concentration of nitric oxides (NOx), and HDEL lowered triglycerides (TG) and WC and significantly increased the fasting concentration of NOx. HDEL reduced high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels in the first half of the study and returned them to basal levels in the second half. Conclusion: These data indicate the beneficial effects of L-arginine on central obesity, selenium on insulin resistance and HDEL on serum concentrations of NOx and TG.
Phosphorylation of NMDA receptor GluN2B subunit at Tyr1472 is important for trigeminal processing of itch

Itch and pain are intimately related and may share similar peripheral and central mechanisms and pathways. However, it has been believed that synaptic glutamate release from a group of peripheral nociceptors is required to sense pain and suppress itch. Although we previously demonstrated that phosphorylation of GluN2B subunits of the NMDA receptor at Tyr1472 is important for central sensitization in a neuropathic pain model of mice with a knock‐in mutation of the Tyr1472 site to phenylalanine of GluN2B (Y1472F‐KI), the role of NMDA receptors in itch transmission remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated that the scratching behaviors elicited by various pruritogens applied to the cheek and c‐fos expression in the region innervated by the trigeminal nerve were markedly attenuated in the Y1472F‐KI mice. The c‐fos immunoreactivity was co‐localized with the receptor of gastrin‐releasing peptide (GRP). Scratching behaviors evoked by chloroquine were inhibited by the NMDA receptor antagonists D‐AP5 and CP101,606 and by the Src kinase inhibitor PP2. Direct activation of the trigeminal region by intracisternal administration of NMDA and GRP induced robust scratching behaviors, both of which were reduced by the GRP receptor antagonist RC‐3095. Taken together, the data obtained in this present study are the first to demonstrate that phosphorylation of GluN2B subunit at Tyr1472 is important for trigeminal transmission of itch and suggest that the NMDA receptor activation occurs upstream of the GRP‐GRP receptor pathway.
Adaptive Output-Feedback Controller Design for Switched Nonlinear Stochastic Systems With a Modified Average Dwell-Time Method

This paper considers the problem of adaptive fuzzy backstepping-based output-feedback controller design for a class of uncertain switched nonlinear stochastic systems in lower-triangular form without the measurements of the system states. By combining fuzzy logic systems’ universal approximation ability and dynamic surface control technique in the adaptive backstepping recursive design with a modified average dwell-time scheme, a new adaptive fuzzy control approach is presented for the switched system. More specifically, a switched observer is constructed to reduce the conservativeness aroused by the employ of a common observer, and individual coordinate transformations for subsystems are given up by adopting a common coordinate transformation of all subsystems. It is proved that the overall closed-loop system is stable in the sense of semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded in mean square, and the output of the switched system converges to a small neighborhood of the origin with appropriate choice of design parameters. Finally, simulation studies are provided to demonstrate the validity of the proposed control method.
Effects of expression of mammalian G alpha and hybrid mammalian-yeast G alpha proteins on the yeast pheromone response signal transduction pathway

Scg1, the product of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SCG1 (also called GPA1) gene, is homologous to the alpha subunits of G proteins involved in signal transduction in mammalian cells. Scg1 negatively controls the pheromone response pathway in haploid cells. Either pheromonal activation or an scg1 null mutation relieves the negative control and leads to an arrest of cell growth in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Expression of rat G alpha s was previously shown to complement the growth defect of scg1 null mutants while not allowing mating. We have extended this analysis to examine the effects of the short form of G alpha s (which lacks 15 amino acids present in the long form), G alpha i2, G alpha o, and Scg1-mammalian G alpha hybrids. In addition, we have found that constructs able to complement scg1 are also able to inhibit the response to pheromone and mating when expressed in a wild-type SCG1 strain. Overexpression of Scg1 has a similar inhibitory effect. These results are consistent with a model proposed for the action of Scg1 as the alpha component of a heterotrimeric G protein in which the beta gamma component (Ste4/Ste18) activates the pheromone response after dissociation from Scg1. They suggest that the G alpha constructs able to complement scg1 can interact with beta gamma to prevent activation of the pathway but are unable to interact with pheromone receptors to activate the pathway.