Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Muscle full effect after oral protein: time-dependent concordance and discordance between human muscle protein synthesis and mTORC1 signaling.

BACKGROUND We previously showed that human muscle protein synthesis (MPS) increased during infusion of amino acids (AAs) and peaked at ≈120 min before returning to baseline rates, despite elevated plasma AA concentrations. OBJECTIVE We tested whether a protein meal elicited a similar response and whether signaling responses that regulate messenger RNA translation matched MPS changes. DESIGN Eight postabsorptive healthy men (≈21 y of age) were studied during 8.5 h of primed continuous infusion of [1,2-¹³C₂]leucine with intermittent quadriceps biopsies for determination of MPS and anabolic signaling. After 2.5 h, subjects consumed 48 g whey protein. RESULTS At 45-90 min after oral protein bolus, mean (± SEM) myofibrillar protein synthesis increased from 0.03 ± 0.003% to 0.10 ± 0.01%/h; thereafter, myofibrillar protein synthesis returned to baseline rates even though plasma essential AA (EAA) concentrations remained elevated (+130% at 120 min, +80% at 180 min). The activity of protein kinase B (PKB) and phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4G preceded the rise of MPS and increases in phosphorylation of ribosomal protein kinase S6 (S6K1), and 4E-binding protein 1 (4EBP1) was superimposable with MPS responses until 90 min. However, although MPS decreased thereafter, all signals, with the exception of PKB activity (which mirrored insulin responses), remained elevated, which echoed the slowly declining plasma EAA profile. The phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α increased only at 180 min. Thus, discordance existed between MPS and the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and signaling (ie, S6K1 and 4EBP1 phosphorylation). CONCLUSIONS We confirm our previous findings that MPS responses to AAs are transient, even with oral protein bolus. However, changes in MPS only reflect elevated mTORC1 signaling during the upswing in MPS.
Perceived Emotional Intelligence, Stress Reactivity, and Symptom Reports: Further Explorations Using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale

We examined the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence (PEI), measured by the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS), and psychophysiological measures of adaptive coping. The TMMS assesses perceived ability to (a) attend to moods (Attention), (b) discriminate clearly among moods (Clarity), and (c) regulate moods (Repair). Study 1 showed significant positive associations between PEI and psychological and interpersonal functioning. In Study 2, skill at mood Repair was associated with less passive coping and perceptions of repeated laboratory stressors as less threatening; Clarity was related to greater increases in negative mood, but lower cortisol release during repeated stress. In Study 3, Repair was associated with active coping and lower levels of rumination; Attention was associated with lowered cortisol and blood pressure responses to acute laboratory challenges. These findings suggest that psychophysiological responses to stress may be one potential mechanism underlying the relationship between emotional functioning and health.
Large Scale In Vivo Recording of Sensory Neuron Activity with GCaMP6

Abstract Greater emphasis on the study of intact cellular networks in their physiological environment has led to rapid advances in intravital imaging of the central nervous system (CNS), while the peripheral system remains largely unexplored. To assess large networks of sensory neurons, we selectively label primary afferents with GCaMP6s in male and female C57bl/6 mice and visualize their functional responses to peripheral stimulation in vivo. We show that we are able to monitor the activity of hundreds of sensory neurons simultaneously, with sufficient sensitivity to detect, in most cases, single action potentials with a typical rise time of around 200 ms, and an exponential decay with a time constant of approximately 700 ms. With this technique we are able to characterize the responses of large populations of sensory neurons to innocuous and noxious mechanical and thermal stimuli under normal and inflammatory conditions. We demonstrate that the majority of primary afferents are polymodal with between 50–80% of thermally sensitive DRG neurons responding also to noxious mechanical stimulation. We also specifically assess the small population of peripheral cold neurons and demonstrate significant sensitization to cooling after a model of sterile and persistent inflammation, with significantly increased sensitivity already at decreases of 5°C when compared to uninflamed responses. This not only reveals interesting new insights into the (patho)physiology of the peripheral nervous system but also demonstrates the sensitivity of this imaging technique to physiological changes in primary afferents.
Time Expression Recognition Using a Constituent-based Tagging Scheme

We find from four datasets that time expressions are formed by loose structure and the words used to express time information can differentiate time expressions from common text. The findings drive us to design a learning method named TOMN to model time expressions. TOMN defines a time-related tagging scheme named TOMN scheme with four tags, namely \tomnT,\tomnO, \tomnM,and \tomnN, indicating the constituents of time expression, namely \tomnT ime token, \tomnM odifier, \tomnN umeral, and the words \tomnO utside time expression. In modeling, TOMN assigns a word with a TOMN tag under conditional random fields with minimal features. Essentially, our constituent-based TOMN scheme overcomes the problem of inconsistent tag assignment that is caused by the conventional position-based tagging schemes (\eg BIO scheme and BILOU scheme). Experiments show that TOMN is equally or more effective than state-of-the-art methods on various datasets, and much more robust on cross-datasets. Moreover, our analysis can explain many empirical observations in other works about time expression recognition and named entity recognition.
Searching optimal movements in multi-player games with imperfect information

This paper proposes a search method of optimal movements in multi-player games with imperfect information in order to implement a Mahjong player exceeding human top players. The proposed method uses tabu search. It does not use the record of a game. Tabu search is applied to the states of discarding tiles and using the tile that other players discarded. The experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the proposed method. In the experiment of evaluating the rate of concordance of the usage of tiles, the maximum rate of concordance reached to 83%. This means effective winning hands could be found in the initial states. In the experiment of playing a game with benchmark players, it is shown that the proposed method is better than benchmark players. From these results, the possibility of the effective search of optimal solution by using tabu search was indicated.
β1 subunit stabilises sodium channel Nav1.7 against mechanical stress

The voltage‐gated sodium channel Nav1.7 is a key player in neuronal excitability and pain signalling. In addition to voltage sensing, the channel is also modulated by mechanical stress. Using whole‐cell patch‐clamp experiments, we discovered that the sodium channel subunit β1 is able to prevent the impact of mechanical stress on Nav1.7. An intramolecular disulfide bond of β1 was identified to be essential for stabilisation of inactivation, but not activation, against mechanical stress using molecular dynamics simulations, homology modelling and site‐directed mutagenesis. Our results highlight the role of segment 6 of domain IV in fast inactivation. We present a candidate mechanism for sodium channel stabilisation against mechanical stress, ensuring reliable channel functionality in living systems.
Key signaling pathways, genes and transcription factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using bioinformatics approaches. The microarray dataset GSE64041 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, which included 60 tumor liver samples and 60 matched control samples. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC and control groups were identified. Then functional enrichment analyses, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, sub-network and integrated transcription factor (TF)-microRNA (miRNA)-target network analyses were performed for these DEGs. A total of 378 DEGs were obtained, including 101 upregulated and 277 downregulated DEGs. In addition, functional enrichment analysis for DEGs in the sub-network revealed ‘cell division’ and ‘cell cycle’ as key Gene Ontology (GO) terms and pathways. Topoisomerase (DNA) IIα (TOP2A) and integrin subunit α2 (ITGA2) were hub nodes in the PPI network. TOP2A, cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and polo like kinase 1 (PLK1) were revealed to be hub nodes in the sub-network. Finally, 4 TFs including forkhead box M1 (FOXM1), E2F transcription factor 4 (E2F4), SIN3 transcription regulator family member A (SIN3A) and transcription factor 7 like 1 (TCF7L1) were obtained through integrated network analysis. TOP2A, ITGA2, PLK1 and CDK1 may be key genes involved in HCC development. ‘Cell division’ and ‘cell cycle’ were indicated to act as key GO terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways in HCC. In addition, FOXM1, TCF7L1, E2F4 and SIN3A were revealed to be key TFs associated with HCC.
CD30 expression and survival in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background The paradoxical reports about the prognostic value of the CD30 expression in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) have restricted its further applications in clinical practice. To identify the common effects and the variation, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were searched between January 1975 and 31 January 2017. The pooled hazard ratio was used to estimate the effect of the CD30 expression on overall survival. Bias was assessed by prespecified criteria referring to Reporting Recommendations for Tumor Marker Prognostic Studies and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results Ten retrospective cohort studies with 310 patients are included. CD30 is associated with better overall survival significantly (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.99, I2 = 0%). A greater effect is observed among studies including participants predominant in regional involvement (HR 0.31, 95%CI 0.13 to 0.76, I2 = 0%) compared with those in systemic involvement. Conclusions This study indicates that the CD30 expression is significantly associated with better prognosis in ENKTL, especially for patients with regional lymphoma involvement.
Socioeconomic level and bilinguals' performance on language and cognitive measures

The performance of bilingual children and adults in Wales on Welsh and English vocabulary and grammar and on cognitive measures is re-analysed in relation to SES indicators of parental education and parental professions. Results are reported for 732 participants ranging across seven age groups from age 3 to over 60 and from four home language types, monolingual English, and bilinguals with only English at home, Welsh and English at home, or only Welsh at home. Results reveal extensive evidence of SES influence on performance, and of a complex relation of exposure in the home and SES level on performance, modulated by the age of the participant and whether one is considering the majority or minority language.
Prostate Cancer Screening Perception, Beliefs, and Practices Among Men in Bamenda, Cameroon

Prostate Cancer (CaP) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Cameroonian men. Due to inadequate infrastructure, record keeping, and resources, little is known about its true burden on the population. There are rural/urban disparities with regards to awareness, screening, treatment, and survivorship. Furthermore, use of traditional medicine and homeopathic remedies is widespread, and some men delay seeking conventional medical treatment until advanced stages of CaP. This study examined the perceptions, beliefs, and practices of men in Cameroon regarding late stage CaP diagnoses; identified factors that influence screening decision; and ascertained how men decided between traditional or conventional medicine for CaP diagnosis and treatment. Semistructured focus groups were used to collect data from men in Bamenda, Cameroon. Qualitative data analysis was used to analyze transcripts for emerging themes and constructs using a socio-ecological framework. Twenty-five men participated in the study, with an average age of 59. Most of the participants had never received a prostate screening recommendation. Socioeconomic status, local beliefs, knowledge levels, awareness of CaP and screening methods, and stigma were prominent themes. A significant number of Cameroonian men receive late stage CaP diagnosis due to lack of awareness, attitudes, cultural beliefs, self-medication, and economic limitation. To effectively address these contributing factors to late stage CaP diagnosis, a contextually based health education program is warranted and should be tailored to fill knowledge gaps about the disease, dispel misconceptions, and focus on reducing barriers to utilization of health services.
Mining the Costa Rican Web

There is much to say about the structure and composition of a local web. Identification of authorities, topics and web communities can be used to improve search engines, change a portal design or to develop marketing strategies. The Costa Rican web was chosen as a test case for web mining analysis. After the study we obtained several descriptors of the web as well as the answers to typical questions like how many pages on average a site has, which file type is preferred for building a dynamic site, what is the most referenced site, which sites are similar, and many more.
Prevalence of dental caries, severity, and pattern in age 6 to 7-year-old children in a selected community in Saudi Arabia.

AIMS The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, severity, and pattern of dental caries in 6 to 7-year-old children in military primary schools in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. METHODS AND MATERIALS A random sample of 300 children (6 to 7-year-olds) was drawn from six schools of military dependents. Clinical examinations were carried out under standardized conditions by two trained and calibrated examiners (MAM) and (YR). Caries were diagnosed using the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry (BASCD) criteria. RESULTS Caries were diagnosed in 288 (96%) of the children, and only 4% were clinically caries free. Mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) for the 300 children was 8.06 (+ 4.04) per child and mean decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (dmfs) was 23.18 (+ 15.64). The teeth most affected by caries were mandibular primary second molars (83.35%), and the least affected were mandibular primary central incisors (1.15%). CONCLUSIONS The level of caries was higher than seen in children of equivalent age in other studies. The level of caries is expected to increase in permanent dentition. The above findings stress the need for an effective program of oral prevention in these children, such as a school dental health education program for children and their parents in order to improve their oral health status.
Monitoring ultradian changes in cardiorespiratory control in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is commonly employed to track changes in autonomic nervous system and respiratory activity during sleep. However, conventional HRV spectral indices can be seriously confounded by inter-subject differences or intra-individual changes in ventilation and ventilatory pattern, especially in subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We highlight the approach we have undertaken to circumvent this problem by introducing “respiration-adjusted” spectral indices of HRV. Since fluctuations in sleep state also affect HRV considerably, we describe a method for combining the information derived from sleep staging and the information derived from cardiorespiratory measurements. We also introduce a new complementary index of autonomic function, BRSPTT, based on measurements of heart period and pulse transit time. We demonstrate that this surrogate measure of baroreflex gain correlates well with the corresponding measures of baroreflex sensitivity based on noninvasive blood pressure measurements. Our experience to date suggests that BRSPTT, along with respiration-adjusted spectral measures of HRV, are useful as clinical tools for assessing autonomic dysfunction in OSAS.
Graphic patterns of cortical functional connectivity of depressed patients on the basis of EEG measurements

Considerable evidences have shown a decrease of neu-ronal activity in the left frontal lobe of depressed patients, but the underlying cortical network is still unclear. The present study intends to investigate the conscious-state brain network patterns in depressed patients compared with control individuals. Cortical functional connectivity is quantified by the partial directed coherence (PDC) analysis of multichannel EEG signals from 12 depressed patients and 12 healthy volunteers. The corresponding PDC matrices are first converted into unweighted graphs by applying a threshold to obtain the topographic property in-degree (Kin). A significantly larger Kin in the left hemisphere is identified in depressed patients, while a symmetric pattern is found in the control group. Another two topographic measures, i.e., clustering coefficients (C) and characteristic path length (L), are obtained from the original weighted PDC digraphs. Compared with control individuals, significantly smaller C and L are revealed in the depression group, indicating a random network-like architecture due to affective disorder. This study thereby provides further support for the presence of a hemispheric asymmetry syndrome in the depressed patients. More importantly, we present evidence that depression is characterized by a loss of optimal small-world network characteristics in conscious state.
Effect of storage periods and containers on the germinablity of mungbean seeds

A germination test was carried out to observe the germinability of mungbean seed under storage periods and storage containers at Agronomy laboratory of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), Dinajpur, Bangladesh during April-May 2014. The experiment was designed completely randomized design (CRD) with eight replications under three storage periods (15, 30 and 45 days after storage (DAS)) and three seed containers (tin container, polythene bag and gunny bag). The maximum values of germination percentages (GP) were recorded of mungbean seed with 15 days after storage (DAS) and the GP reduced significantly with increasing storage periods from 15 to 30 and 45 DAS. The highest GP (82.00%) was found at 15 DAS in tin container while the lowest (51.01%) at 45 DAS in gunny bag. The rate of reduction was found to increase with the advancement of storage periods. The germinability of mungbean seed was observed maximum levels (82.00, 80.89 and 72.68%) when seeds stored in tin container, and the minimum levels (72.42, 66.11 and 51.01%) whilst the seeds stored in gunny bags among the three storage containers under all storage conditions. Mungbean seed kept in gunny bag and tin container provide the highest and lowest reduction of GP, respectively. An excellent performance of germination was observed in tin containers seed while the gunny bag provided the inferior seed germination among all of the three containers. Finally, it could be possible to enhance and maintain the quality of mungbean seeds through proper storage medium with the adequate periods.
Learning Simple Thresholded Features With Sparse Support Recovery

The thresholded feature has recently emerged as an extremely efficient, yet rough empirical approximation, of the time-consuming sparse coding inference process. Such an approximation has not yet been rigorously examined, and standard dictionaries often lead to non-optimal performance when used for computing thresholded features. In this paper, we first present two theoretical recovery guarantees for the thresholded feature to exactly recover the nonzero support of the sparse code. Motivated by them, we then formulate the <italic>Dictionary Learning for Thresholded Features</italic> (DLTF) model, which learns an optimized dictionary for applying the thresholded feature. In particular, for the <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$(k, 2)$ </tex-math></inline-formula> norm involved, a novel proximal operator with log-linear time complexity <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(m\log m)$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is derived. We evaluate the performance of DLTF on a vast range of synthetic and real-data tasks, where DLTF demonstrates remarkable efficiency, effectiveness, and robustness in all experiments. In addition, we briefly discuss the potential link between DLTF and deep learning building blocks.
Comparison of corneal flap morphology using AS-OCT in LASIK with the WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser versus a mechanical microkeratome.

PURPOSE To evaluate and compare the thickness and the morphology of femtosecond and mechanical microkeratome LASIK flaps using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). METHODS Bilateral LASIK was performed in 132 eyes from 61 myopic patients. Flaps were created in 72 eyes using the WaveLight FS200 femtosecond laser (Wave-Light GmbH, Erlangen, Germany) and in 50 eyes using the Moria microkeratome (Moria SA, Antony, France). AS-OCT was used 1 week postoperatively to evaluate the thickness of 17 points across each flap, which were 0, 2, and 3.5 mm to the corneal vertex on the horizontal, vertical, 45°, and 135° meridians. RESULTS The mean central flap thickness was 105.53 ± 5.86 μm in the WaveLight group and 132.96 ± 13.91 μm in the Moria group (P < .001). The difference between the achieved and the intended flap thickness (accuracy) was 6.17 ± 3.98 and 23.60 ± 12.64 μm, respectively (P < .001). The standard deviation within individual flap (uniformity) was smaller in the WaveLight group. The symmetry and regularity were also better in the WaveLight group. Flap morphology showed a more regular planar shape in the WaveLight group and a meniscus shape in the Moria group. CONCLUSIONS AS-OCT showed that the flaps created by the WaveLight femtosecond laser were more accurate, reproducible, and uniform than those created by the Moria microkeratome.
Private Nearest Neighbors Classification in Federated Databases

Privacy-preserving data analysis in the context of federated databases distributed across multiple parties has the potential to produce richer and more accurate models than what each party can learn with their own data. Secure Multi-Party Computation (MPC) offers a robust cryptographic approach to this problem, and in fact several protocols have been proposed for various learning tasks on parametric models. In this paper we focus on k-NN, shifting the attention towards nonparametric models. We tackle several challenges arising in privacy-preserving k-NN classification on federated databases, and implement a concrete protocol for document classification. Our solution is faster than the state-of-the-art custom MPC protocol by at least one an order of magnitude.