Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Oils and Essential Oils from Seeds of Zanthoxylum schinifolium against Foodborne Viral Surrogates

Human noroviruses are the most frequent cause of foodborne viral disease and are responsible for the vast majority of nonbacterial gastroenteritis. However, no specific therapies are available for the efficient control or prevention of foodborne viral disease. Here, we determined the antiviral activities of oils from seeds of Zanthoxylum schinifolium (ZSO) against foodborne viral surrogates, feline calicivirus-F9 (FCV-F9), and murine norovirus-1 (MNV-1), using plaque assay. Time-of-addition experiments were designed to determine the antiviral mechanism of action of ZSO against the surrogates. Maximal antiviral effect was observed upon pretreatment of FCV-F9 or MNV-1 with ZSO, which comprised oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, and linolenic acid as the major fatty acids. FCV-F9 was more sensitive to ZSO than MNV-1, and the 50% effective concentration of ZSO against pretreatment of FCV-F9 was 0.0007%. However, essential oils from Z. schinifolium (ZSE), which comprised 42% estragole, showed no inhibitory effects against FCV-F9 and MNV-1. These results suggest that the inhibitory activities of ZSO were exerted by direct interaction of FCV-F9 or MNV-1 virion with ZSO, which may be a food material candidate for control of foodborne viral disease.
Measuring Cognitive Conflict in Virtual Reality with Feedback-Related Negativity

As virtual reality (VR) emerges as a mainstream platform, designers have started to experiment new interaction techniques to enhance the user experience. This is a challenging task because designers not only strive to provide designs with good performance, but also carefully ensure not to disrupt users’ immersive experience. There is a dire need for a new evaluation tool that extends beyond traditional quantitative measurements to assist designers in the design process. We propose an EEG-based experiment framework that evaluates interaction techniques in VR by measuring intentionally elicited cognitive conflict. Through the analysis of the feedback-related negativity (FRN) as well as other quantitative measurements, this framework allows designers to evaluate the effect of the variables of interest. We studied the framework by applying it to the fundamental task of 3D object selection using direct 3D input, i.e. tracked hand in VR. The cognitive conflict is intentionally elicited by manipulating the selection radius of the target object. Our first behavior experiment validated the framework in line with the findings of conflict-induced behavior adjustments similar to those reported in other classical psychology experiment paradigms. Our second EEG-based experiment examins the effect of the appearance of virtual hands. We found that the amplitude of FRN correlates with the level of realism of the virtual hands, which concurs with the Uncanny Valley theory. Author
Early goal-directed therapy in severe sepsis and septic shock: a contemporary review of the literature

Purpose of review Aggressive approaches to acute diseases such as acute myocardial infarction, trauma, and stroke have improved outcomes. Early goal-directed therapy for severe sepsis and septic shock represents a similar approach. An analysis of the literature assessing external validity and generalizability of this intervention is lacking. Recent findings Eleven peer-reviewed publications (1569 patients) and 28 abstracts (4429 patients) after the original early goal-directed therapy study were identified from academic, community and international settings. These publications total 5998 patients (3042 before and 2956 after early goal-directed therapy). The mean age, sex, APACHE II scores and mortality were similar across all studies. The mean relative and absolute risk reduction was 0.46 ± 26% and 20.3 ± 12.7%, respectively. These findings are superior to the original early goal-directed therapy trial which showed figures of 34% and 16%, respectively. A consistent and similar decrease in healthcare resource consumption was also found. Summary Early goal-directed therapy modulates systemic inflammation and results in significant reductions in morbidity, mortality, and healthcare resource consumption. Early goal-directed therapy has been externally validated and is generalizable across multiple healthcare settings. Because of these robust findings, further emphasis should be placed on overcoming logistical, institutional, and professional barriers to implementation which can save the life of one of every six patients presenting with severe sepsis and septic shock.
Promoting careers in health care for urban youth: What students, parents and educators can teach us

There are many obstacles that urban youth experience in pursuing health careers, but the benefits of diversifying the classroom and workforce are clear. This is especially true today as educators and policymakers seek to enhance underrepresented minority students' access to health careers, and also achieve the health workforce needed to support the Affordable Care Act. The creation of student pipeline programs began more than 40 years ago, but success has been equivocal. In 2008, Mentoring in Medicine (MIM) conducted a research project to identify how students learn about health careers; develop strategies for an integrated, experiential learning program that encourages underrepresented minority students to pursue careers in health; and translate these into best practices for supporting students through their entire preparatory journey. Six focus groups were conducted with educators, students, and their parents. The inclusion of parents was unusual in studies of this kind. The outcome yielded important and surprising differences between student and parent knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. They informed our understanding of the factors that motivate and deter underrepresented minority students to pursue careers in health care. Specific programmatic strategies emerged that found their place in the subsequent development of new MIM programming that falls into the following three categories: community-based, school-based and Internet based. Best practices derived from these MIM programs are summarized and offered for consideration by other health career education program developers targeting underrepresented minority students, particularly those located in urban settings.
Lack of Short-Term Effectiveness of Rotating Treadmill Training on Turning in People with Mild-to-Moderate Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Study

Since turning is often impaired in Parkinson's disease (PD) and may lead to falls, it is important to develop targeted treatment strategies for turning. We determined the effects of rotating treadmill training on turning in individuals with PD. This randomized controlled study evaluated 180° in-place turns, functional turning (timed-up-and-go), and gait velocity before and after 15 minutes of rotating treadmill training or stepping in place in 26 people with PD and 27 age-matched controls. A subset of participants with PD (n = 3) completed five consecutive days of rotating treadmill training. Fast as possible gait velocity, timed-up-and-go time, 180° turn duration, and steps to turn 180° were impaired in PD compared to controls (P < 0.05) and did not improve following either intervention (P > 0.05). Preferred pace gait velocity and timing of yaw rotation onset of body segments (head, trunk, pelvis) during 180° turns were not different in PD (P > 0.05) and did not change following either intervention. No improvements in gait or turning occurred after five days of rotating treadmill training, compared to one day. The rotating treadmill is not recommended for short-term rehabilitation of impaired in-place turning in the general PD population.
Extraction and Purification of a Lectin from Red Kidney Bean and Preliminary Immune Function Studies of the Lectin and Four Chinese Herbal Polysaccharides

Reversed micelles were used to extract lectin from red kidney beans and factors affecting reverse micellar systems (pH value, ionic strength and extraction time) were studied. The optimal conditions were extraction at pH 4–6, back extraction at pH 9–11, ion strength at 0.15 M NaCl, extraction for 4–6 minutes and back extraction for 8 minutes. The reverse micellar system was compared with traditional extraction methods and demonstrated to be a time-saving method for the extraction of red kidney bean lectin. Mitogenic activity of the lectin was reasonably good compared with commercial phytohemagglutinin (extracted from Phaseolus vulgaris) Mitogenic properties of the lectin were enhanced when four Chinese herbal polysaccharides were applied concurrently, among which 50 μg/mL Astragalus mongholicus polysaccharides (APS) with 12.5 μg/mL red kidney bean lectin yielded the highest mitogenic activity and 100 mg/kg/bw APS with 12.5 mg/kg/bw red kidney bean lectin elevated mouse nonspecific immunity.
Improving Time-Series Momentum Strategies : The Role of Volatility Estimators and Trading Signals

The aim of this paper is to examine the effect of risk-weighting and of the choice of trading signal on the performance of time-series momentum strategies using a broad dataset of 75 futures contracts over the period 1974-2013. Time-series momentum strategies have received increased attention after they provided again, as in previous business cycle downturns, impressive diversification benefits during the recent financial crisis in 2008. Motivated by recent asset pricing literature that examines the effect of frictions on asset prices and the link between portfolio volatility and turnover, we highlight the effect of the choice of volatility estimator and trading signal on turnover and performance of timeseries momentum strategies. We find that by increasing the efficiency of volatility estimation using estimators with desirable theoretical properties, such as range-based estimators, the net of transaction costs performance improves, but the effect on turnover is relatively small compared to that of the trading signal. Momentum trading signals generated by fitting a linear trend on the asset price path maximise the out-of-sample performance by reducing portfolio turnover by about two thirds, hence dominating other momentum trading signals commonly used in the literature. JEL CLASSIFICATION CODES: D23, E3, G14.
Massive Machine Type Communication With Data Aggregation and Resource Scheduling

To enable massive machine type communication (mMTC), data aggregation is a promising approach to reduce the congestion caused by a massive number of machine type devices (MTDs). In this paper, we consider a two-phase cellular-based mMTC network, where MTDs transmit to aggregators (i.e., aggregation phase) and the aggregated data is then relayed to base stations (i.e., relaying phase). Due to the limited resources, the aggregators not only aggregate data, but also schedule resources among MTDs. We consider two scheduling schemes: random resource scheduling (RRS) and channel-aware resource scheduling (CRS). By leveraging the stochastic geometry, we present a tractable analytical framework to investigate the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) for each phase, thereby computing the MTD success probability, the average number of successful MTDs and probability of successful channel utilization, which are the key metrics characterizing the overall mMTC performance. Our numerical results show that, although the CRS outperforms the RRS in terms of SIR at the aggregation phase, the simpler RRS has almost the same performance as the CRS for most of the cases with regards to the overall mMTC performance. Furthermore, the provision of more resources at the aggregation phase is not always beneficial to the mMTC performance.
The Detection and Characterization of Extrasolar Planets

We have now confirmed the existence of > 1800 planets orbiting stars other thanthe Sun; known as extrasolar planets or exoplanets. The different methods for detectingsuch planets are sensitive to different regions of parameter space, and so, we are discoveringa wide diversity of exoplanets and exoplanetary systems. Characterizing such planets isdifficult, but we are starting to be able to determine something of their internal compositionand are beginning to be able to probe their atmospheres, the first step towards the detectionof bio-signatures and, hence, determining if a planet could be habitable or not. Here, Iwill review how we detect exoplanets, how we characterize exoplanetary systems and theexoplanets themselves, where we stand with respect to potentially habitable planets and howwe are progressing towards being able to actually determine if a planet could host life or not.
Transcriptomes of major renal collecting duct cell types in mouse identified by single-cell RNA-seq

Significance A long-term goal in mammalian biology is to identify the genes expressed in every cell type of the body. In the kidney, the expressed genes (i.e., transcriptome) of all epithelial cell types have already been identified with the exception of the cells that make up the renal collecting duct, which is responsible for regulation of blood pressure and body fluid composition. Here, single-cell RNA-sequencing was used in mouse to identify transcriptomes for the major collecting duct cell types: type A intercalated cells, type B intercalated cells, and principal cells. The information was used to create a publicly accessible online resource. The data allowed identification of genes that are selectively expressed in each cell type, which is informative for cell-level understanding of physiology and pathophysiology. Prior RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) studies have identified complete transcriptomes for most renal epithelial cell types. The exceptions are the cell types that make up the renal collecting duct, namely intercalated cells (ICs) and principal cells (PCs), which account for only a small fraction of the kidney mass, but play critical physiological roles in the regulation of blood pressure, extracellular fluid volume, and extracellular fluid composition. To enrich these cell types, we used FACS that employed well-established lectin cell surface markers for PCs and type B ICs, as well as a newly identified cell surface marker for type A ICs, c-Kit. Single-cell RNA-seq using the IC- and PC-enriched populations as input enabled identification of complete transcriptomes of A-ICs, B-ICs, and PCs. The data were used to create a freely accessible online gene-expression database for collecting duct cells. This database allowed identification of genes that are selectively expressed in each cell type, including cell-surface receptors, transcription factors, transporters, and secreted proteins. The analysis also identified a small fraction of hybrid cells expressing aquaporin-2 and anion exchanger 1 or pendrin transcripts. In many cases, mRNAs for receptors and their ligands were identified in different cells (e.g., Notch2 chiefly in PCs vs. Jag1 chiefly in ICs), suggesting signaling cross-talk among the three cell types. The identified patterns of gene expression among the three types of collecting duct cells provide a foundation for understanding physiological regulation and pathophysiology in the renal collecting duct.
Receiver-Based Recovery of Clipped OFDM Signals for PAPR Reduction: A Bayesian Approach

Clipping is one of the simplest peak-to-average power ratio reduction schemes for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). Deliberately clipping the transmission signal degrades system performance, and clipping mitigation is required at the receiver for information restoration. In this paper, we acknowledge the sparse nature of the clipping signal and propose a low-complexity Bayesian clipping estimation scheme. The proposed scheme utilizes a priori information about the sparsity rate and noise variance for enhanced recovery. At the same time, the proposed scheme is robust against inaccurate estimates of the clipping signal statistics. The undistorted phase property of the clipped signal, as well as the clipping likelihood, is utilized for enhanced reconstruction. Furthermore, motivated by the nature of modern OFDM-based communication systems, we extend our clipping reconstruction approach to multiple antenna receivers and multi-user OFDM.We also address the problem of channel estimation from pilots contaminated by the clipping distortion. Numerical findings are presented that depict favorable results for the proposed scheme compared to the established sparse reconstruction schemes.
“Do none of you talk to each other?”: the challenges facing the implementation of interprofessional education *

There is a growing interest internationally in the development of interprofessional education (IPE), with the potential goal of achieving more effective healthcare delivery. The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of introducing IPE within undergraduate health professional programmes, using a systematic review of the evidence and focus-group interviews. This paper reports findings from the focus-group interviews. Three focus-group interviews, each lasting two hours, were conducted. Participants (n = 34) were drawn from the clinical and academic environments, from health service consumers and from health professional students. Two areas were explored: (1) the feasibility of IPE and (2) perceptions of its effects. Each focus group had a primary facilitator who led the group discussion and a second facilitator audiotaping discussions and writing observational notes. Three main themes emerged: the advantages of IPE, the challenges of initiating IPE, and the role of IPE in the creation of professional identification. There was consensus in the view that IPE had much potential in breaking down traditional barriers to team working, including professional ‘tribalism’. It is important for IPE to be integrated with interprofessional experiences in clinical practice. Further empirical work, focusing on student and patient outcomes in IPE, is needed.
A Comparison of Tear Volume (by Tear Meniscus Height and Phenol Red Thread Test) and Tear Fluid Osmolality Measures in Non-Lens Wearers and in Contact Lens Wearers

Purpose. Various measures are available to assess the tear film, yet little specific information is available on how they relate to each other. An exploratory study was undertaken to assess three measures and their relationship in non-contact lens wearers and in contact lens wearers. Methods. Forty-three young subjects (mean age, 25.0 ± 3.1 years; 19 men and 24 women) without overt ocular disease were recruited and categorized into four similarly sized groups based on contact lens wear (no lens wear, conventional daily wear hydrogels, silicone hydrogel lenses worn on a continuous basis, and gas-permeable contact lenses). Sets of measures, in random order and from both eyes whenever possible, were made using a phenol red thread (PRT) test over 15 seconds (open eye), biomicroscopy to assess tear meniscus height (TMH) from a perpendicular perspective using a 0.05-mm resolution graticule, and a borosilicate glass micropipette used to collect a 5-μL sample of tears for assessment of osmolality by vapor pressure measures. Results. For the complete group of subjects, the TMH data averaged 0.22 ± 0.07 mm; the average PRT wetting length was 18.0 ± 6.1 mm; and the tear osmolality averaged 317 ± 28 mOsm/kg. The intereye differences averaged 0.04 mm for TMH, 3.7 mm for PRT, and 15 mOsm/kg for tear osmolality. There were no detectable sex-related differences in the measures. Compared with the control group (average, 0.25 mm), the TMH data showed a trend to be lower in daily hydrogel (0.21 mm) and silicone hydrogel (0.20 mm) lens wearers, but not in gas-permeable lens wearers (0.24 mm). PRT data was bimodally distributed, with the control group showing slightly higher (average, 21.1 mm) wetting compared with hydrogel lens wearers (16.7 and 17.4 mm) and gas-permeable lens wearers (average, 17.3 mm). Hydrogel (319 mOsm/kg for both groups) and gas-permeable lens wearers (average, 324 mOsm/kg) had higher tear osmolality measures compared with the control group (average, 305 mOsm/kg). Although some of the differences approached statistical significance, any statistical differences were evident only after outliers were removed. However, on pooling all data, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between TMH and open-eye PRT measures (P < 0.001) and an indication of a negative correlation between open-eye PRT and tear osmolality measures. Conclusions. Even contemporary contact lens wear can have a small but measurable impact on the precorneal tear film osmolality or volume. The changes are internally consistent and, overall, support the idea that the PRT test provides a useful measure of tear meniscus volume.
Differential loading by prograding sedimentary wedges on continental margins: An arch‐forming mechanism

[1] Rapid deposition of prograding sedimentary wedges on continental margins will cause excess pore pressure, fluid flow, and compaction as they load the substratum. They may also cause faulting and structural deformation in the sedimentary succession below and in front of the load. Large depositional units are in addition associated with pronounced isostatic subsidence. The magnitude and effects each component has on the basin as a whole is often debated. To address this problem, we use a quantitative approach with a coupled hydromechanical mathematical model based on linear isotropic elasticity. The equations are solved by the finite element method (FEM). In the modeling, a wedge-shaped load emplaced successively over a period of 1.5 Myr is used to simulate the progradation of a thick sedimentary wedge. Results show that the differential load generates excess pressure below the prograding depocenter with lateral fluid flow in front and a tail of draining pore pressure behind. The sediments are pushed downward and laterally in front of the wedge and vertical and horizontal compressional and shear stresses are generated below the wedge. The formation of the Helland Hansen Arch, located in the Voring Basin off mid-Norway, is genetically associated with differential loading. Our results indicate that the whole eastern flank of the arch is a result of differential loading, whereas the western flank is mainly related to thermal subsidence since Paleogene times. Thus, alternative explanations like intraplate stress seem to be irrelevant as a genetic mechanism.
Fractional wave equations with attenuation

Fractional wave equations with attenuation have been proposed by Caputo [5], Szabo [28], Chen and Holm [7], and Kelly et al. [11]. These equations capture the power-law attenuation with frequency observed in many experimental settings when sound waves travel through inhomogeneous media. In particular, these models are useful for medical ultrasound. This paper develops stochastic solutions and weak solutions to the power law wave equation of Kelly et al. [11].