Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mixed bio-signal lossless data compressor for portable brain-heart monitoring systems

This paper presents a highly integrated VLSI implementation of a mixed bio-signal lossless data compressor capable of handling multichannel electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG) and diffuse optical tomography (DOT) bio-signal data for reduced storage and communication bandwidth requirements in portable, wireless brain-heart monitoring systems used in hospital or home care settings. The compressor integrated in a multiprocessor brain-heart monitoring IC comprises 15 k gates and 12 kbits of RAM, occupying a total area of 58 k μm2 in 65 nm CMOS technology. Results demonstrate an average compression ratio (CR) of 2.05, and a simulated power consumption of 170 μW at an operating condition of 24 MHz clock and 1.0 V core voltage. Nominal power savings of 43% and 47% at the transmitter can be achieved when employing Bluetooth and Zigbee transceivers, respectively.
EFFECTS OF STRESS PRETREATMENT ON THE DYNAMICS OF BLOOD CHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITY AFTER EXPOSURE TO AN ORGANOPHOSPHORUS PESTICIDE IN THE RAT

A single i.p administration of 1.0 mg/kg of chlorphenvinphos (CVP), an organophosphorus pesticide, results in an acute stress response, evidenced by a marked (6–7 fold) rise in plasma corticosterone (CORT) concentration, and a diminished behavioural sensitivity to amphetamine (AMPH) three weeks postexposure. Surprisingly, in rats subjected to a single series of inescapable electric footshocks (60 10 msec triplets of 3.0 mA, 2 msec, square pulses during 20 min – IF ) two weeks prior to the CVP exposure, these effects are not observed. It has been assumed that the reduced effectiveness of CVP might be related to some persisting alterations in the functional state of the cholinergic system. The aim of the present work was to discover whether and in what way the IF pretreatment affects i) the cholinesterase activity in blood, and ii) the dynamics of the alterations in the cholinesterase (ChE) activity following the CVP exposure. The experiments were performed on 3 mo. old, male Wistar rats. In the fi rst experiment, the blood samples were taken from the tail vein 15, 60 and 180 min after the IF. In the second experiment, the rats were pretreated with IF and 14 days later given 1.0 mg/kg of CVP i.p. Blood samples were taken 15 min, 60 min, 180 min, 24 h, 7 days, and 14 days after the CVP exposure. In the fi rst experiment no differences in the ChE activity in plasma (pChE) and erythrocytes (rbcChE) were found between the shocked and control rats. In the second experiment, however, in rats pretreated with IF the rbcChE activity of was reduced by CVP less and pChE activity returned to normal faster than in rats not pretreated with IF. The results confi rm that exposure to IF, a nonchemical stressor, induces some long-lasting adaptive changes which render the cholinergic system less susceptible to the harmful action of ChE inhibitors. It has been hypothesized that the changes consist in an increase of the antioxidant potential in blood and possibly other tissues. Address for correspondence: Sławomir Gralewicz, Department of Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Teresy 8, 90-950 Łódź, Poland. E-mail: gralslaw@imp.lodz. pl
A New Drop‐Weight Impact Machine for Studying Fracture Processes in Structural Concrete

Abstract: This paper describes the main characteristics of a new drop‐weight impact machine that has been specifically designed for studying the dynamic mechanical behaviour of structural concrete samples. Such a type of equipment has been used to generate simple and measurable fracture processes under moderate‐to‐fast loading rates, contrary to blast chambers, which produce complicated crack patterns that are difficult to analyse. The machine consists of two main parts, the mechanical structure and the data acquisition system. The former is just a hammer, guided by two robust columns, which can impact the specimen with energy up to 7860 J. The latter consists of piezoelectric force sensors, accelerometers and optical fibre photoelectric sensors plus oscilloscopes and signal conditioners. The paper also presents the results of some preliminary tests on plain‐notched specimens that show the sensitivity of the work of fracture of a high‐strength concrete to the loading rate.
Short-term adaptations following Complex Training in team-sports: A meta-analysis

Objective The purpose of this meta-analysis was to study the short-term adaptations on sprint and vertical jump (VJ) performance following Complex Training (CT) in team-sports. CT is a resistance training method aimed at developing both strength and power, which has a direct effect on sprint and VJ. It consists on alternating heavy resistance training exercises with plyometric/power ones, set for set, on the same workout. Methods A search of electronic databases up to July 2016 (PubMed-MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Web of Knowledge) was conducted. Inclusion criteria: 1) at least one CT intervention group; 2) training protocols ≥4-wks; 3) sample of team-sport players; 4) sprint or VJ as an outcome variable. Effect sizes (ES) of each intervention were calculated and subgroup analyses were performed. Results A total of 9 studies (13 CT groups) met the inclusion criteria. Medium effect sizes (ES) (ES = 0.73) were obtained for pre-post improvements in sprint, and small (ES = 0.41) in VJ, following CT. Experimental-groups presented better post-intervention sprint (ES = 1.01) and VJ (ES = 0.63) performance than control-groups. Sprint large ESs were exhibited in younger athletes (<20 years old; ES = 1.13); longer CT interventions (≥6 weeks; ES = 0.95); conditioning activities with intensities ≤85% 1RM (ES = 0.96) and protocols with frequencies of <3 sessions/week (ES = 0.84). Medium ESs were obtained in Division I players (ES = 0.76); training programs >12 total sessions (ES = 0.74). VJ Large ESs in programs with >12 total sessions (ES = 0.81). Medium ESs obtained for under-Division I individuals (ES = 0.56); protocols with intracomplex rest intervals ≥2 min (ES = 0.55); conditioning activities with intensities ≤85% 1RM (ES = 0.64); basketball/volleyball players (ES = 0.55). Small ESs were found for younger athletes (ES = 0.42); interventions ≥6 weeks (ES = 0.45). Conclusions CT interventions have positive medium effects on sprint performance and small effects on VJ in team-sport athletes. This training method is a suitable option to include in the season planning.
Alcohol Inhibits Organic Dust-induced ICAM-1 Expression on Bronchial Epithelial Cells

Aims: Exposure to dusts/bioaerosols in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) results in inflammatory lung diseases in workers. Hog CAFOs dust extract (HDE) increases expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), neutrophil adhesion, and TNFα release in bronchial epithelial cells. Alcohol consumption is increasingly recognized to impair lung immunity. We hypothesized that alcohol impairs HDE-induced TNFα, ICAM-1 expression and neutrophil adhesion by directly inhibiting TNFα converting enzyme (TACE) activity. Methods Bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) and primary human bronchial epithelial cells were pretreated with ethanol (EtOH) or TACE inhibitor. ICAM-1 surface expression, TNFα release, and TACE activity were analyzed following HDE stimulation. The effect of alcohol and TACE inhibition on HDE-regulated epithelial cell/neutrophil adhesion interactions was investigated. Finally, utilizing an established animal model, C57BL/6 mice were fed ad libitum ethanol (20%) in drinking water for 8 wk followed by daily intranasal inhalation of HDE or saline during the final two weeks. Mice were sacrificed and lung sections immunostained for ICAM-1. Results Pretreatment with alcohol or TACE inhibitor significantly decreased HDE-induced ICAM-1 expression and TNFα release. HDE augmented neutrophil adhesion to epithelial cells, which was decreased with alcohol (32% decrease) or TACE inhibitor (55% decrease) pretreatment. TACE activity increased following HDE exposure, but TACE activity was inhibited following alcohol pretreatment. Alcohol-fed mice demonstrated decreased HDE-induced airway epithelium ICAM-1 expression. Conclusions Alcohol diminishes HDE-induced ICAM-1 expression, TNFα release, and neutrophil adhesion via inhibition of TACE activity. These results suggest that alcohol may be an important modulator of lung innate immune responses following CAFO exposure.
Selenium metabolism in Trypanosoma: characterization of selenoproteomes and identification of a Kinetoplastida-specific selenoprotein

Proteins containing the 21st amino acid selenocysteine (Sec) are present in the three domains of life. However, within lower eukaryotes, particularly parasitic protists, the dependence on the trace element selenium is variable as many organisms lost the ability to utilize Sec. Herein, we analyzed the genomes of Trypanosoma and Leishmania for the presence of genes coding for Sec-containing proteins. The selenoproteomes of these flagellated protozoa have three selenoproteins, including distant homologs of mammalian SelK and SelT, and a novel multidomain selenoprotein designated SelTryp. In SelK and SelTryp, Sec is near the C-terminus, and in all three selenoproteins, it is within predicted redox motifs. SelTryp has neither Sec- nor cysteine-containing homologs in the human host and appears to be a Kinetoplastida-specific protein. The use of selenium for protein synthesis was verified by metabolically labeling Trypanosoma cells with 75Se. In addition, genes coding for components of the Sec insertion machinery were identified in the Kinetoplastida genomes. Finally, we found that Trypanosoma brucei brucei cells were highly sensitive to auranofin, a compound that specifically targets selenoproteins. Overall, these data establish that Trypanosoma, Leishmania and likely other Kinetoplastida utilize and depend on the trace element selenium, and this dependence is due to occurrence of selenium in at least three selenoproteins.
In vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo efficacy of 5-fluorouracil-loaded enteric-coated PEG-cross-linked chitosan microspheres in colorectal cancer therapy in rats

Abstract Purpose: Microspheres of chitosan (CS) cross-linked with polyethylene glycol (PEG) were prepared by emulsion-cross-linking followed by the solvent evaporation technique. The formulations were characterized and subjected to in vitro and in vivo tests to assess cell growth, changes in cell morphology, and activities by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on human HT-29 colon cancer cell-lines. Methods: In vivo activity was evaluated for dimethyl hydrazine-induced colorectal cancer in albino male Wistar rats. Biochemical and histological parameters were evaluated to understand their effectiveness for colon cancer therapy. Results: The 5-FU immediate release (IR) formulations suspended in SCMC produced an immediate cytotoxic effect, whereas microspheres inhibited proliferation of tumor cells to induce apoptosis over an extended time. Minimum inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for both standard plain 5-FU and 5-FU-loaded microspheres were respectively 5.00 ± 0.004 µg/mL and 165 ± 1.9 µg/mL which showed the improved safety profile of the microsphere formulation. Tissue distribution showed high concentration of 5-FU in colon that was higher than IC50 value required to stop the growth or death of colon cancer cells from the colonic dysplasia in Duke’s stage A. Significant reduction in tumor volume and multiplicity was observed with increased levels of liver enzymes in animals when treated with standard 5-FU formulation compared with 5-FU loaded microspheres. Elevated levels of serum albumin, creatinine, leukocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia were observed in animals for the standard 5-FU formulation. Conclusion: The PEG cross-linked CS microspheres of this study slowly released 5-FU up to 24 h to colonic region and enhanced the antitumor activity.
Exertional breathlessness in patients with chronic airflow limitation. The role of lung hyperinflation.

There is considerable intersubject variability in the perceived intensity of breathlessness for a given level of activity among patients with chronic airflow limitation (CAL). To examine possible factors contributing to this variability we compared breathing pattern parameters, dynamic operational lung volumes, and Borg dyspnea ratings in 23 patients with severe CAL and in 10 healthy age-matched normal subjects during cycle ergometry to symptom-limitation. Patients with CAL had significantly (p < 0.01) higher levels of ventilation (% maximal voluntary ventilation) for a given work rate (slope of VE(%MVV)/WR(% pred max) = 1.51 +/- 0.18 versus 0.63 +/- 0.10; mean +/- SEM) and greater dynamic lung hyperinflation (DH) (change [delta] in end-expiratory lung volume [EELVdyn] = +0.31 +/- 0.11 L versus -0.16 +/- 0.22 L). Compared with normal subjects at a standardized VE (30 L/min), the CAL group was more breathless Borg = 4 +/- 1 versus 2 +/- 1, p < 0.01) and hyperinflated (EELVdyn = 75 +/- 3 versus 46 +/- 6% TLC, p < 0.001; end-inspiratory lung volume [EILVdyn] = 85 +/- 3 versus 67 +/- 5% TLC, p < 0.01). Within the CAL group, change in Borg ratings correlated with delta VE(%MVV) (r = 0.77, p < 0.001) and with slope of VE(%MVV)/WR(% pred max) (r = 0.48, p < 0.01). Regression analysis selected delta EILVdyn (or delta inspiratory reserve volume [delta IRVdyn]) from various dynamic ventilatory parameters as the strongest predictor of delta Borg (r = 0.63, p < 0.001). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Inverse Roles Make Conjunctive Queries Hard

Conjunctive query answering is an important DL reasoning task. Although this task is by now quite well-understood, tight complexity bounds for conjunctive query answering in expressive DLs have never been obtained: all known algorithms run in deterministic double exponential time, but the existing lower bound is only an EXPTIME one. In this paper, we prove that conjunctive query answering in ALCI is 2-EXPTIME-hard (and thus complete), and that it becomes NEXPTIME-complete under some reasonable assumptions.
Energy transfer in multi field inflation and cosmological perturbations

In cascade inflation and some other string inflation models, collisions of mobile branes with other branes or orbifold planes occur and lead to interesting cosmological signatures. The fundamental M/string-theory description of these collisions is still lacking but it is clear that the inflaton looses part of its energy to some form of brane matter, e.g. a component of tensionless strings. In the absence of a fundamental description, we assume a general barotropic fluid on the brane, which absorbs part of the inflaton's energy. The fluid is modeled by a scalar with a suitable exponential potential to arrive at a full-fledged field theory model. We study numerically the impact of the energy transfer from the inflaton to the scalar on curvature and isocurvature perturbations and demonstrate explicitly that the curvature power spectrum gets modulated by oscillations which damp away toward smaller scales. Even though, the contribution of isocurvature perturbations decays toward the end of inflation, they induce curvature perturbations on scales that exit the horizon before the collision. We consider cases where the scalar behaves like radiation, matter or a web of cosmic strings and discuss the differences in the resulting power spectra.
Differential Effect of Three Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors on Human Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity and Carbon Dioxide Reactivity

Prostaglandins are believed to play an important role in maintenance of cerebral blood flow and possibly in the vasodilatory response to carbon dioxide. Therefore, the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin, which inhibit cyclooxygenase, might be expected to reduce cerebral blood flow and the response to hypercapnia. This could induce cerebral ischemia in patients with a hemodynamically critical circulation. It would also interfere with the measurement of cerebrovascular reserve using carbon dioxide. Methods The effect of a single dose of indomethacin and of two other cyclooxygenase inhibitors (aspirin and sulindac) on the cerebral circulation was measured using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography of the middle cerebral artery. Seven normal adults were studied in each drug group. Resting blood flow velocity and the responses to hypercapnia and to hyperventilation were measured. Results Indomethacin resulted in a fall in basal middle cerebral artery flow velocity from a mean of 48.9 cm/s to 34.0 cm/s (p<.002). It also reduced the vasoconstrictor response to hypocapnia (induced by hyperventilation) from 37.5% to 20.7% (P<.003). There was a nonsignificant reduction in the vasodilatory response to 8% carbon dioxide (mean: predrug, 87.7%; postdrug, 61.0%), with marked intersubject variability. In contrast, basal middle cerebral artery velocity and vasoconstrictor and vasodilatory responses to changes in carbon dioxide were unchanged after aspirin or sulindac administration. Conclusions The lack of effect of aspirin on basal cerebral blood flow velocity and on vasodilatory reserve is reassuring; aspirin will not reduce cerebral blood flow or the response to a reduced perfusion pressure in patients with critically impaired cerebral hemodynamics. However, indomethacin should be avoided in such patients.
Human Cytomegalovirus UL144 Open Reading Frame: Sequence Hypervariability in Low-Passage Clinical Isolates

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infects a number of organs and cell types in vivo, leading to the hypothesis that HCMV disease and tissue tropism may be related to specific sequence variants. A potential component of HCMV variant strains is the UL144 open reading frame (ORF), which encodes a homologue of the herpesvirus entry mediator, HveA, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily. Sequence analysis of the UL144 ORF in 45 low-passage clinical isolates demonstrated significant strain-specific variability. In individual isolates, nucleotide substitutions occur at up to 21% of the 531 positions, resulting in approximately the same percentage of substitutions in the predicted 176-amino-acid sequence. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the nucleotide and amino acid sequences diverge into three major groups. For genotypic comparison, the known hypervariable region encompassing the proteolytic cleavage site of the glycoprotein B (gB) gene was also sequenced. All of the isolates could be typed according to the four known gB groups; however, the gB and UL144 sequence groups appeared to be phylogenetically unlinked. The predicted UL144 product homology with tumor necrosis factor receptor family members, along with the unexpectedly high level of sequence variability of the UL144 ORF, suggests that the predicted product may play a role in HCMV infectivity and subsequent host disease.
A Conflict-Free Replicated JSON Datatype

Many applications model their data in a general-purpose storage format such as JSON. This data structure is modified by the application as a result of user input. Such modifications are well understood if performed sequentially on a single copy of the data, but if the data is replicated and modified concurrently on multiple devices, it is unclear what the semantics should be. In this paper we present an algorithm and formal semantics for a JSON data structure that automatically resolves concurrent modifications such that no updates are lost, and such that all replicas converge towards the same state (a conflict-free replicated datatype or CRDT). It supports arbitrarily nested list and map types, which can be modified by insertion, deletion and assignment. The algorithm performs all merging client-side and does not depend on ordering guarantees from the network, making it suitable for deployment on mobile devices with poor network connectivity, in peer-to-peer networks, and in messaging systems with end-to-end encryption.
Optimal Portfolio Choice for Long-Horizon Investors with Nontradable Labor Income

This paper analyzes optimal portfolio decisions of long-horizon investors with undiversifiable labor income risk and exogenous expected retirement and lifetime horizons. It shows that the fraction of savings optimally invested in stocks is unambiguously larger for employed investors than for retired investors when labor income risk is uncorrelated with stock return risk. This result provides support for the popular recommendation by investment advisors that employed investors should invest in stocks a larger proportion of their savings than retired investors. This paper also examines the effect of increasing labor income risk on savings and portfolio choice and finds that, when labor income risk is independent of stock market risk, a mean-preserving increases in the variance of labor income growth increases the investor's willingness to save and reduce her willingness to hold the risky asset in her portfolio. A sensible calibration of the model shows that savings are relatively more responsive to changes in labor income risk than portfolio demands. Positive correlation between labor income innovations and unexpected asset returns also reduces the investor's willingness to hold the risky asset, because of its poor properties as a hedge against unexpected declines in labor income. This paper also provides intuition on the peculiar form of optimal portfolio choice of very young investors predicted by the standard life-cycle model.
A Motor Function for the DEAD-Box RNA Helicase, Gemin3, in Drosophila

The survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, the determining factor for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), is complexed with a group of proteins in human cells. Gemin3 is the only RNA helicase in the SMN complex. Here, we report the identification of Drosophila melanogaster Gemin3 and investigate its function in vivo. Like in vertebrates, Gemin3 physically interacts with SMN in Drosophila. Loss of function of gemin3 results in lethality at larval and/or prepupal stages. Before they die, gemin3 mutant larvae exhibit declined mobility and expanded neuromuscular junctions. Expression of a dominant-negative transgene and knockdown of Gemin3 in mesoderm cause lethality. A less severe Gemin3 disruption in developing muscles leads to flightless adults and flight muscle degeneration. Our findings suggest that Drosophila Gemin3 is required for larval development and motor function.
Convergence Properties of a Sequential Regression Multiple Imputation Algorithm

A sequential regression or chained equations imputation approach uses a Gibbs sampling-type iterative algorithm that imputes the missing values using a sequence of conditional regression models. It is a flexible approach for handling different types of variables and complex data structures. Many simulation studies have shown that the multiple imputation inferences based on this procedure have desirable repeated sampling properties. However, a theoretical weakness of this approach is that the specification of a set of conditional regression models may not be compatible with a joint distribution of the variables being imputed. Hence, the convergence properties of the iterative algorithm are not well understood. This article develops conditions for convergence and assesses the properties of inferences from both compatible and incompatible sequence of regression models. The results are established for the missing data pattern where each subject may be missing a value on at most one variable. The sequence of regression models are assumed to be empirically good fit for the data chosen by the imputer based on appropriate model diagnostics. The results are used to develop criteria for the choice of regression models. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.