Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Better than expected survival after primary intracerebral hemorrhage in patients with untreated hypertension despite high admission blood pressures

Background: Hypertension is the most important modifiable risk factor for primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but little is known of the effect of preceding hypertension on outcome. Because high mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) at admission is an independent predictor of early death in patients with ICH, we explored its role on survival and poor outcome separately in normotensive subjects and subjects with treated and untreated hypertension.
An Experiment in Hybrid Dictionary and Statistical Sentence Alignment

The task of aligning sentences in parallel corpora of two languages has been well studied using pure statistical or linguistic models. We developed a linguistic method based on lexical matching with a bilingual dictionary and two statistical methods based on sentence length ratios and sentence offset probabilities. This paper seeks to further our knowledge of the alignment task by comparing the performance of the alignment models when used separately and together, i.e. as a hybrid system. Our results show that for our English-Japanese corpus of newspaper articles, the hybrid system using lexical matching and sentence length ratios outperforms the pure methods.
Laser Metal Deposition of Ti6Al4V/Cu Composite: A Study of the Effect of Laser Power on the Evolving Properties

 Abstract— A study of the effect of laser power was investigated over the volume of deposited composite, microstructure and microhardness. The laser power was varied between 600 and 1800 W while keeping all other parameters constant. An indication shows that the area and the volume of the deposited composites are directly proportional to the laser power employed. The volume of the deposit obtained falls between 358.6 mm 3 and 1009 mm 3 . The microstructures were analyzed and found that the formation of the Widmanstatten structures improved the hardness of Ti6Al4V/Cu composites. The hardness values of the deposits varied between HV335 and HV490. The percentages of porosities of the samples were also presented and found to have an inverse relationship with the laser power. The results are presented and discussed.
REVIEW: Preweaning,Postweaning, and CarcassTrait Comparisons for ProgenySired by Subtropically AdaptedBeef Sire Breeds at Various USLocations

ABSTRACT This review, which represents a summarization of research results generated during an approximately 22-yr period, involves preweaning, postweaning, and carcass trait comparisons of progeny sired by Bos indicus (Brahman, Boran, Nellore, Indu-Brazil, Gir, Sahiwal), B. indicus-derivative (Brangus, Beefmaster, Santa Gertrudis, Gelbray, Simbrah), non-B. indicus (Tuli, Romosinuano, Bonsmara, Senepol) subtropically adapted, and traditional Bos taurus (Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Gelbvieh, Red Poll) sire breeds. Relative to Brahman-sired progeny, preweaning (weaning weight) and postweaning (postweaning ADG, feedlot ADG, final feedlot BW) performance is expected to be less for progeny sired by non-B. indicus subtropically adapted sire breeds. The non-B. indicus subtropically adapted sire breeds do contribute to less dystocia and appear to improve carcass merit, especially carcass tenderness, over the Brahman breed. Other B. indicus sire breeds, such as the Gir and Sahiwal, but not the Indu-Brazil, contribute to less dystocia compared with the Brahman breed. Relative to B. indicus and non-B. indicus subtropically adapted sire breeds, B. taurus sire breeds, especially Angus and Hereford, express superior carcass merit in regard to marbling score, QG, and tenderness.
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PERCEIVED TEACHER’S AUTONOMY SUPPORT, EFFORT AND PHYSICAL SELF-ESTEEM

Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), this study aimed at testing the hypothesis that students’ perceptions of autonomy support from physical education (PE) teachers is related via the perceived need satisfaction for autonomy with self-determined motivation, which is in turn related to effort via physical selfesteem. School students from Latvia (n=382) and Estonia (n=345), aged 14-18 years, completed measures of perceived autonomy support from PE teachers, need satisfaction for autonomy, self-determined motivation, perceived effort and physical self-esteem. These study variables were found to be invariant across samples. The results of the structural model showed that perceived autonomy support from a teacher was directly related to perceived effort of students (β=0.24, p<.01), need satisfaction for autonomy (β=0.81, p<.01) and motivation (β=0.30, p<.01). The effect of motivation on perceived effort was partially mediated by physical self-esteem. The results of the proposed model highlighted the role of the students’ perception autonomy support from teachers on their perceived effort and physical self-esteem via need satisfaction for autonomy and motivation.
Chemical Constituents from Licania cruegeriana and Their Cardiovascular and Antiplatelet Effects

Three new lupane-type triterpenoids: 6β,30-dihydroxybetulinic acid glucopyranosyl ester (4), 6β,30-dihydroxybetulinic acid (5) and 6β-hydroxybetulinic acid (6), were isolated from Licania cruegeriana Urb. along with six known compounds. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including IR, ESIMS, 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments, as well as by comparison of their spectral data with those of related compounds. All compounds were evaluated in vivo for their effects on the mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and heart rate (HR) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and also in vitro for their capacity to inhibit the human platelet aggregation. None of the isolated flavonoids 1–3 showed cardiovascular effects on SHR and among the isolated triterpenoids 4–9 only 5 and 6 produced a significant reduction in MABP (60.1% and 17.2%, respectively) and an elevation in HR (11.0% and 41.2%, respectively). Compounds 3, 4, 5 and 6 were able to inhibit human platelet aggregation induced by ADP, collagen and arachidonic acid with different selectivity profiles.
Right‐hemispheric dominance of spatial memory in split‐brain mice

Left‐right asymmetry of human brain function has been known for a century, although much of molecular and cellular basis of brain laterality remains to be elusive. Recent studies suggest that hippocampal CA3‐CA1 excitatory synapses are asymmetrically arranged, however, the functional implication of the asymmetrical circuitry has not been studied at the behavioral level. In order to address the left‐right asymmetry of hippocampal function in behaving mice, we analyzed the performance of “split‐brain” mice in the Barnes maze. The “split‐brain” mice received ventral hippocampal commissure and corpus callosum transection in addition to deprivation of visual input from one eye. In such mice, the hippocampus in the side of visual deprivation receives sensory‐driven input. Better spatial task performance was achieved by the mice which were forced to use the right hippocampus than those which were forced to use the left hippocampus. In two‐choice spatial maze, forced usage of left hippocampus resulted in a comparable performance to the right counterpart, suggesting that both hippocampal hemispheres are capable of conducting spatial learning. Therefore, the results obtained from the Barnes maze suggest that the usage of the right hippocampus improves the accuracy of spatial memory. Performance of non‐spatial yet hippocampus‐dependent tasks (e.g. fear conditioning) was not influenced by the laterality of the hippocampus. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Age-related changes in photosensitive melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells correlate with circadian rhythm impairments in sighted and blind rats

ABSTRACT The melanopsin system consists of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells containing the photopigment melanopsin (mRGCs). These mRGCs mediate several non-image-forming visual functions, including light entrainment of circadian rhythms. Here we evaluate age-related alterations of the melanopsin system and circadian rhythms in P23H line 1 (P23H-1) rats, a rodent model of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). In homozygous P23H-1 rats and wild-type control rats from the same genetic background (Sprague–Dawley), body temperature and locomotor activity were continuously monitored at 10-min intervals for 7 days, once every 4–5 weeks, between 2 and 24 months of age, using a telemetry transmitter. The distribution and number of mRGCs were assessed in control rats at 12, 18, and 24 months of age and in P23H-1 rats aged 12, 18, 24, and 30 months by immunostaining whole-mount retinas with antibodies against melanopsin. The mean density of mRGCs in control rats showed no significant variations when evaluated at 12 and 18 months of age, and fell by approximately 56% between 18 and 24 months of age. Meanwhile, a significant decrease in the mean number of mRGCs was found in 18-month-old P23H-1 rats as compared to 18-month-old control rats (81% decrease). Parametric and non-parametric analyses of the records showed a gradual age-dependent weakening of body temperature and locomotor activity circadian rhythms robustness in both control and P23H-1 rats from 2 to 24 months of age. However, body temperature and locomotor activity circadian patterns were less robust throughout the experiment in P23H-1 as compared to control rats, with lower amplitude, weaker coupling strength to environmental zeitgebers and higher fragmentation of the rhythms. The present study shows that the degeneration of photoreceptors and inner retinal neurons, characteristic of RP, has age-related degenerative effects on the melanopsin system and is associated with weaker circadian patterns.
Psoriasis pathophysiology: current concepts of pathogenesis

Psoriasis vulgaris is a common skin disorder characterised by focal formation of inflamed, raised plaques that constantly shed scales derived from excessive growth of skin epithelial cells. The disease is defined by a series of linked cellular changes in the skin: hyperplasia of epidermal keratinocytes, vascular hyperplasia and ectasia, and infiltration of T lymphocytes, neutrophils, and other types of leucocyte in affected skin. In a relatively short period, psoriasis vulgaris has been conceptualised as a T lymphocyte mediated autoimmune disease and new biological therapies that target T cells have just entered routine clinical practice. Similarly, rapid progress has been made towards dissecting cellular and molecular pathways of inflammation that contribute to disease pathogenesis. This short review presents current pathogenic concepts that have emerged from genetic, genomic, and cellular information obtained in basic studies and from clinical studies of selective immune targeting drugs.
A Basic Approach Toward the Development of Nanocomposite Magnetic Scaffolds for Advanced Bone Tissue Engineering

Magnetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineer- ing based on a poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) matrix and iron oxide (Fe3O4) magnetic nanoparticles were designed and developed through a three-dimensional (3D) fiber-deposi- tion technique. PCL/Fe3O4 scaffolds were characterized by a 90/10 w/w composition. Tensile and magnetic measure- ments were carried out, and nondestructive 3D imaging was performed through microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT). Furthermore, confocal analysis was under- taken to investigate human mesenchymal stem cell adhe- sion and spreading on the PCL/Fe3O4 nanocomposite fibers. The results suggest that nanoparticles mechanically reinforced the PCL matrix; the elastic modulus and the maximum stress increased about 10 and 30%, respectively. However, the maximum strain decreased about 50%; this suggested an enhanced brittleness. Magnetic results evi- denced a superparamagnetic behavior for these nano- composite scaffolds. Micro-CT suggested an almost uniform distribution of nanoparticles. Confocal analysis highlighted interesting results in terms of cell adhesion and spreading. All of these results show that a magnetic feature could be incorporated into a polymeric matrix that could be processed to manufacture scaffolds for advanced bone tissue engineering and, thus, provide new opportunity in terms of scaffold fixation and functionaliza- tion. V C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 122: 3599- 3605, 2011
Cervical lymph node thyroglobulin measurement in washout of fine-needle aspirates for diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer metastases

Abstract Background: Patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and enlarged cervical lymph nodes (CLNs) are usually assessed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy cytology (FNAB-C). Thyroglobulin (Tg) is frequently detected in washout of fine-needle aspirates (FNA) of these lymph nodes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the measurement of FNAB-Tg in the washout of FNAB in combination with FNAB-C to detect CLN metastases in PTC. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 163 surgically proven CLNs. Ultrasound-guided FNAB-C and FNAB-Tg measurements were performed and the ultrasound features were evaluated. Results: The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNAB-C, FNAB-Tg and FNAB-C/FNAB-Tg in diagnosis of metastatic CLNs were 85.7, 87.8 and 71.6%, were 80.5, 87 and 82.8% and were 97.1, 96.3 and 95.7%, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of FNAB-C/FNAB-Tg for metastatic CLNs was significantly higher than that of FNAB-C or FNAB-Tg alone (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Combined US-guided FNAB-C and FNAB-Tg can improve the accuracy for diagnosis of metastatic CLNs in patients with PTC.
Influence of polyamide 6 as a charring agent on the flame retardancy, thermal, and mechanical properties of polypropylene composites

In this work, polyamide 6 (PA6) as a charring agent has been used in combination with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate (MTAPP) forming intumescent flame retardants (IFRs) which applies in polypropylene (PP). The effects of the IFRs on the flame retardancy, morphology of char layers, water resistance, thermal properties and mechanical properties of flame-retardant PP composites are investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and mechanical properties test. The results show that the PP/MTAPP/PA6 composites exhibit much better flame-retardant performances than the PP/MTAPP composites. The higher LOI values and UL-94 V-2 of the PP/MTAPP composites with suitable amount of PA6 are obtained, which is attributed to the thick and compact char layer structure evidenced by SEM. The results from TGA and DSC demonstrate that the introduction of PA6 into PP/MTAPP composites has a great effect on the thermal stability and crystallization behaviors of the composites. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of PP/MTAPP/PA6 composites are also improved greatly due to the presence of PA6 as a charring agent. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1355–1360, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Experimental Determination of the Q‐factors of Microcantilevers Coated With Thin Metal Films

Abstract: Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are typically fabricated out of materials that are mechanically sound at the microscale, but can be relatively poor electrical conductors. For this reason, areas of MEMS can be coated with various thin metal films to provide electrical pathways. These films, however, may drastically alter mechanical properties of the device. In this paper we investigate how metallization of microcantilevers affects the quality factors, (Q). Using two sets of silicon microcantilevers that are coated with aluminium films from 5 nm to 30 nm thick, on one side and two sides, respectively, the Q‐factors are experimentally determined using the ring‐down method. The ring‐down method entails mechanically exciting the microcantilevers at their fundamental resonance frequency, abruptly stopping the excitation, and then measuring the decay of oscillation amplitude as a function of time. From this ring‐down curve, the Q‐factor of each microcantilever can be determined. Results show that the greater the thickness of the aluminium film, the lower the Q‐factor will be. We also show a significant temperature dependency of the Q‐factor of aluminium coated microcantilevers.
A Fast Randomized Algorithm for Multi-Objective Query Optimization

Query plans are compared according to multiple cost metrics in multi-objective query optimization. The goal is to find the set of Pareto plans realizing optimal cost tradeoffs for a given query. So far, only algorithms with exponential complexity in the number of query tables have been proposed for multi-objective query optimization. In this work, we present the first algorithm with polynomial complexity in the query size. Our algorithm is randomized and iterative. It improves query plans via a multi-objective version of hill climbing that applies multiple transformations in each climbing step for maximal efficiency. Based on a locally optimal plan, we approximate the Pareto plan set within the restricted space of plans with similar join orders. We maintain a cache of Pareto-optimal plans for each potentially useful intermediate result to share partial plans that were discovered in different iterations. We show that each iteration of our algorithm performs in expected polynomial time based on an analysis of the expected path length between a random plan and local optima reached by hill climbing. We experimentally show that our algorithm can optimize queries with hundreds of tables and outperforms other randomized algorithms such as the NSGA-II genetic algorithm over a wide range of scenarios.
Memory Complaints Associated with Seeking Clinical Care

Diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment relies on the presence of memory complaints. However, memory complaints are very frequent in healthy people. The objective of this study was to determine the severity and type of memory difficulties presented by elderly patients who seek for clinical help, as compared to the memory difficulties reported by subjects in the community. Assessment of subjective memory complaints was done with the subjective memory complaints scale (SMC). The mini-mental state examination was used for general cognitive evaluation and the geriatric depression scale for the assessment of depressive symptoms. Eight-hundred and seventy-one nondemented subjects older than 50 years were included. Participants in the clinical setting had a higher total SMC score (10.3 ± 4.2) than those in the community (5.1 ± 3.0). Item 3 of the SMC, Do you ever forget names of family members or friends? contributed significantly more to the variance of the total SMC score in the clinical sample (18%) as compared to the community sample (11%). Forgetting names of family members or friends plays an important role in subjective memory complaints in the clinical setting. This symptom is possibly perceived as particularly worrisome and likely drives people to seek for clinical help.
Effects of Environmental Changes in a Stair Climbing Intervention: Generalization to Stair Descent

Purpose. Visual improvements have been shown to encourage stair use in worksites independently of written prompts. This study examined whether visual modifications alone can influence behavior in a shopping mall. Climbing one flight of stairs, however, will not confer health benefits. Therefore, this study also assessed whether exposure to the intervention encouraged subsequent stair use. Design. Interrupted time-series design. Settings. Escalators flanked by a staircase on either side. Subjects. Ascending and descending pedestrians (N = 81,948). Interventions. Following baseline monitoring, a colorful design was introduced on the stair risers of one staircase (the target staircase). A health promotion message was superimposed later on top. The intervention was visible only to ascending pedestrians. Thus, any rise in descending stair use would indicate increased intention to use stairs, which endured after initial exposure to the intervention. Measures. Observers inconspicuously coded pedestrians' means of ascent/descent and demographic characteristics. Results. The design alone had no meaningful impact. Addition of the message, however, increased stair climbing at the target and nontarget staircases by 190% and 52%, respectively. The message also produced a modest increase in stair descent at the target (25%) and nontarget (9%) staircases. Conclusions. In public venues, a message component is critical to the success of interventions. In addition, it appears that exposure to an intervention can encourage pedestrians to use stairs on a subsequent occasion.
THE BEHAVIOR OF BITUMINOUS MATERIALS FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE ABSOLUTE RATE THEORY (WITH DISCUSSION)

As the behavior of a bituminous material in shear is influenced to a considerable extent by the temperature of the material and the rate of movement, it is then desirable to have some theoretical method not only to relate these factors but also to explain the behavior of the material. The Absolute Rate Theory, based upon statistical and quantum mechanics, appears to be applicable to many materials. In this research, the reliability and limitations of this theory, when applied to bituminous materials, was investigated and the theory of movement of units from a space into an unoccupied hole was used to explain certain aspects of the behavior of bituminous materials.
Tilting the Supply Schedule to Enhance Competition in Uniform-Price Auctions

Uniform-price auctions of a divisible good in fixed supply admit underpricing equilibria, where bidders submit high inframarginal bids to prevent competition on prices. The seller can obstruct this behavior by tilting her supply schedule and making the amount of divisible good on offer change endogenously with its (uniform) price. Precommitting to an increasing supply curve is a strategic instrument to reward aggressive bidding and enhance expected revenue. A fixed supply may not be optimal even when accounting for the cost to the seller of issuing a quantity different from her target supply.
Current and Future of Laser Therapy in the Management of Glaucoma

There has been tremendous progress in the past decades in the utilization of lasers for treating patients with glaucoma. This article reviews the use of lasers in different areas of glaucoma, including the shift from argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) to selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), laser trabeculoplasty as an initial treatment for glaucoma, new laser trabeculoplasty procedures under investigation, and other recent laser treatment modalities such as endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation and laser-assisted deep sclerectomy.