Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of dichloroacetate infusion on human skeletal muscle metabolism at the onset of exercise.

This study investigated whether dichloroacetate (DCA) decreases the reliance on substrate level phosphorylation during the transition from rest to moderate-intensity exercise in humans. Nine subjects cycled at ∼65% of maximal oxygen uptake (V˙o 2 max) after a saline or DCA (100 mg/kg body wt) infusion, with muscle biopsies taken at rest and at 30 s and 2 and 10 min of exercise. DCA infusion increased pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activation at rest (4.0 ± 0.3 vs. 0.9 ± 0.1 mmol ⋅ kg wet wt-1 ⋅ min-1) and at 30 s (3.6 ± 0.2 vs. 2.5 ± 0.4 mmol ⋅ kg-1 ⋅ min-1) of exercise. As a result, acetyl-CoA (45.9 ± 5.9 vs. 11.3 ± 1.5 μmol/kg dry wt) and acetylcarnitine (13.1 ± 1.0 vs. 1.6 ± 0.3 mmol/kg dry wt) were markedly increased by DCA infusion at rest. These differences were maintained at 30 s and 2 min for both acetyl-CoA and acetylcarnitine. Resting muscle lactate and phosphocreatine (PCr) were not different between trials, but DCA infusion resulted in lower lactate accumulation throughout exercise, especially at 2 min (21.6 ± 3.1 vs. 44.6 ± 8.0 mmol/kg dry wt). PCr utilization in the initial 30 s (16.9 ± 0.4 vs. 31.7 ± 2.6 mmol/kg dry wt) and 2 min (27.8 ± 4.7 vs. 45.1 ± 2.6 mmol/kg dry wt) of exercise was decreased with DCA. This resulted in a lower accumulation of free inorganic phosphate at 30 s (25.4 ± 2.0 vs. 36.4 ± 2.8 mmol/kg dry wt) and 2 min (34.6 ± 4.7 vs. 50.5 ± 2.2 mmol/kg dry wt) with DCA and decreased glycogenolysis over 10 min. The data from this study support the hypothesis that increased provision of substrate by DCA infusion increases oxidative metabolism during the rest-to-work transition, resulting in decreased PCr utilization and an improved cellular energy state at the onset of exercise. The transitory improvement in energy state decreased glycogenolysis and lactate accumulation during moderate-intensity exercise.
Scalable Garbage Collection with Guaranteed MMU

Regional garbage collection offers a useful compromise between real-time and generational collection. Regional collectors resemble generational collectors, but are scalable: our main theorem guarantees a positive lower bound, independent of mutator and live storage, for the theoretical worst-case minimum mutator utilization (MMU). The theorem also establishes upper bounds for worst-case space usage and collection pauses. Standard generational collectors are not scalable. Some realtime collectors are scalable, while others assume a well-behaved mutator or provide no worst-case guarantees at all. Regional collectors cannot compete with hard real-time collectors at millisecond resolutions, but offer efficiency comparable to contemporary generational collectors combined with improved latency and MMU at resolutions on the order of hundreds of milliseconds to a few seconds.
Differential expression of intracisternal A-particle transcripts in immunogenic versus tumorigenic S49 murine lymphoma cells.

Tumorigenic S49 mouse lymphoma cells (T-25) were compared to their nontumorigenic (immunogenic) substrate-adherent descendants (T-25-Adh), using the differential display technique. A 784-bp fragment with 92% sequence homology to the intracisternal A-particle (IAP) element family was isolated from the latter cells. IAP sequences are endogenous, noninfectious retroviral elements that can undergo transpositions and act as mutagens. Expression of IAP transcripts (as detected by the isolated fragment) was 5- to 10-fold higher in T-25-Adh cells than in T-25 cells. IAP RT-PCR cDNA clones derived from the immunogenic T-25-Adh cells, but not from T-25 cells, contain two distinctive motifs: (i) a motif characteristic of IAP elements expressed in lymphoid cells (lymphocyte specific, LS); (ii) a nonapeptide sequence known to stimulate cytotoxic T lymphocytes in a leukemia cell line expressing IAP sequences. In addition, expression of transcripts containing these motifs is enhanced in the immunogenic cells as opposed to the tumorigenic cells. Furthermore, one of the IAP elements (belonging to the LS1 subfamily) is specifically hypomethylated in the DNA of the immunogenic cells. The above-mentioned relationship was strengthened when tumorigenic revertants derived from T-25-Adh cells, as well as independently selected tumorigenic and immunogenic S49 sublines, were studied. In all cases, enhanced immunogenicity was linked to the up-regulation of specific IAP elements. No transpositions of LS1 elements were observed among the different sublines studied. These findings suggest that, in the S49 lymphoma, selectively expressed IAP retroviral elements may function in a tumor suppressive capacity by affecting the immunogenic potential of these cells.
Tsetse Control and Gambian Sleeping Sickness; Implications for Control Strategy

Background Gambian sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis, HAT) outbreaks are brought under control by case detection and treatment although it is recognised that this typically only reaches about 75% of the population. Vector control is capable of completely interrupting HAT transmission but is not used because it is considered too expensive and difficult to organise in resource-poor settings. We conducted a full scale field trial of a refined vector control technology to determine its utility in control of Gambian HAT. Methods and Findings The major vector of Gambian HAT is the tsetse fly Glossina fuscipes which lives in the humid zone immediately adjacent to water bodies. From a series of preliminary trials we determined the number of tiny targets required to reduce G. fuscipes populations by more than 90%. Using these data for model calibration we predicted we needed a target density of 20 per linear km of river in riverine savannah to achieve >90% tsetse control. We then carried out a full scale, 500 km2 field trial covering two HAT foci in Northern Uganda to determine the efficacy of tiny targets (overall target density 5.7/km2). In 12 months, tsetse populations declined by more than 90%. As a guide we used a published HAT transmission model and calculated that a 72% reduction in tsetse population is required to stop transmission in those settings. Interpretation The Ugandan census suggests population density in the HAT foci is approximately 500 per km2. The estimated cost for a single round of active case detection (excluding treatment), covering 80% of the population, is US$433,333 (WHO figures). One year of vector control organised within the country, which can completely stop HAT transmission, would cost US$42,700. The case for adding this method of vector control to case detection and treatment is strong. We outline how such a component could be organised.
Working Memory Load Affects Processing Time in Spoken Word Recognition: Evidence from Eye-Movements

In daily life, speech perception is usually accompanied by other tasks that tap into working memory capacity. However, the role of working memory on speech processing is not clear. The goal of this study was to examine how working memory load affects the timeline for spoken word recognition in ideal listening conditions. We used the “visual world” eye-tracking paradigm. The task consisted of spoken instructions referring to one of four objects depicted on a computer monitor (e.g., “point at the candle”). Half of the trials presented a phonological competitor to the target word that either overlapped in the initial syllable (onset) or at the last syllable (offset). Eye movements captured listeners' ability to differentiate the target noun from its depicted phonological competitor (e.g., candy or sandal). We manipulated working memory load by using a digit pre-load task, where participants had to retain either one (low-load) or four (high-load) spoken digits for the duration of a spoken word recognition trial. The data show that the high-load condition delayed real-time target discrimination. Specifically, a four-digit load was sufficient to delay the point of discrimination between the spoken target word and its phonological competitor. Our results emphasize the important role working memory plays in speech perception, even when performed by young adults in ideal listening conditions.
The debriefing "controversy" and crisis intervention: a review of lexical and substantive issues.

Despite a long and rich history as a specialty within applied mental health, crisis intervention has, within recent years, been the target of criticism. Singled out for specific criticism has been the intervention referred to as "debriefing. " Some authors have not only challenged its effectiveness but have raised the specter that it may cause significant harm. While superficially such arguments appear to have merit, closer scrutiny reveals an antiquated interpretation of even the most fundamental of terms and concepts inextricably intertwined with research based upon applications contrary to the most recent principles, prescriptions, and protocols regarding clinical use. A review of research based upon more extant formulations reveals many crisis intervention practices, including the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing model of "debriefing" and the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) model of crisis intervention to be highly clinically effective, indeed. This paper will review the terms and concepts which serve as the foundation of the field of crisis intervention, while subsequently reviewing key research investigations addressing its efficacy. It may be that outcome research directed toward assessing the effectiveness of crisis intervention can prosper from following trails blazed by psychotherapy researchers. The parallels seem striking. It may be that outcome research in crisis intervention (and "debriefing") needs to now focus upon "who" does crisis intervention, to "whom," and in "what specific situations," so as to maximize outcome associated with this clinically effective tool [International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 2000, 2(4), 211-225].
An architecture for adaptive intrusion‐tolerant applications

Applications that are part of a mission‐critical information system need to maintain a usable level of key services through ongoing cyber‐attacks. In addition to the well‐publicized denial of service (DoS) attacks, these networked and distributed applications are increasingly threatened by sophisticated attacks that attempt to corrupt system components and violate service integrity. While various approaches have been explored to deal with DoS attacks, corruption‐inducing attacks remain largely unaddressed. We have developed a collection of mechanisms based on redundancy, Byzantine fault tolerance, and adaptive middleware that help distributed, object‐based applications tolerate corruption‐inducing attacks. In this paper, we present the ITUA architecture, which integrates these mechanisms in a framework for auto‐adaptive intrusion‐tolerant systems, and we describe our experience in using the technology to defend a critical application that is part of a larger avionics system as an example. We also motivate the adaptive responses that are key to intrusion tolerance, and explain the use of the ITUA architecture to support them in an architectural framework. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Interaction Between Tolvaptan and Warfarin in Healthy Subjects

Purpose: Tolvaptan, a nonpeptide V2 receptor antagonist approved in Japan and in the United States, is likely to be co‐administered with warfarin in patients with heart failure (HF). Therefore, the effect of tolvaptan on warfarin pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and protein binding was evaluated. Methods: An open‐label, randomized, 2‐period crossover trial was conducted involving healthy subjects (N = 24) administered 25 mg warfarin sodium on day 4 of a 13‐day regimen of either 60 mg once daily tolvaptan or matching placebo. Blood samples were taken over 240 hours postdose for analysis of tolvaptan, R‐ and S‐warfarin, and 7‐ and 10‐hydroxywarfarin concentrations and for the measurement of activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and international normalized ratio. Results: For S‐warfarin, the geometric mean ratios (warfarin+tolvaptan/warfarin alone; 90% confidence interval) for maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration‐time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUC∞) were 1.09 (1.05, 1.12) and 1.09 (1.04, 1.13), respectively. Corresponding ratios for R‐warfarin were 1.06 (1.02, 1.09) and 1.05 (1.01, 1.11), respectively. No changes were observed in 7‐ or 10‐hydroxywarfarin Cmax or AUC∞ values, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and international normalized ratio. The protein binding of racemic warfarin and tolvaptan was not significantly altered by the presence of the other compound. Conclusion: Warfarin doses do not need to be altered when co‐administered with tolvaptan.
Polymorphisms of ST2‐IL18R1‐IL18RAP gene cluster: a new risk for autoimmune thyroid diseases

Interleukin 33 (IL33) / ST2 pathway and ST2‐interlukin18 receptor1‐interlukin18 receptor accessory protein (ST2‐IL18R1‐IL18RAP) gene cluster have been involved in many autoimmune diseases but few report in autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD). In this study, we investigated whether polymorphisms of IL33, ST2, IL18R1, and IL18RAP are associated with Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), two major forms of AITD, among a Chinese population. A total of 11 SNPs were explored in a case–control study including 417 patients with GD, 250 HT patients and 301 controls, including rs1929992, rs10975519, rs10208293, rs6543116, rs1041973, rs3732127, rs11465597, rs1035130, rs2293225, rs1035127, rs917997 of IL 33, ST2‐IL18R1‐IL18RAP gene cluster. Genotyping of these SNPs was performed using matrix‐assisted laser desorption / ionization–time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) platform from Sequenom. The frequencies of allele A and AA+AG genotype of rs6543116 (ST2) in HT patients were significantly increased compared with those of the controls (P = 0.029/0.021, OR = 1.31/1.62). And in another SNP rs917997, AA+AG genotype presented an increased frequency in HT subjects compared with controls (P = 0.046, OR = 1.53). Furthermore, the haplotype GAGCCCG from ST2‐IL18R1‐IL18RAP gene cluster (rs6543116, rs1041973, rs1035130, rs3732127, rs1035127, rs2293225, rs917997) was associated with increased susceptibility to GD with an OR of 2.03 (P = 0.022, 95% CI = 1.07–3.86). Some SNPs of ST2‐IL18R1‐IL18RAP gene cluster might increase the risk of susceptibility of HT and GD in Chinese Han population.
Discriminative Learning on Exemplary Patterns of Sequential Numerical Data

One of the effective methodologies for time series classification is to identify informative subsequence patterns in time series and exploit them as discriminative features. Previous studies on this methodology have achieved promising results using a small number of individually selected patterns. However, there remain difficulties in finding a set of related patterns or patterns of a minor class, which can be critical in real-world applications. In this paper, we exploit the sparse learning technique for the support vector machine (SVM) to identify informative and exemplary patterns. We first present a representation of time series as a vector of distances to exemplary patterns. It allows a structural SVM to handle distance space data and function as the nearest neighbor classifier, the combination of which is known to be highly competitive in time series classification. We then extend the zero-norm approximation method for the structural SVM, which can eliminate non-essential patterns from the classification model. The resulting model makes predictions by a simple modified nearest neighbor rule, yet has a strong mathematical support for empirical risk minimization and feature selection. We conduct an empirical study on real-world behavior and sequential data to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method and graphically examine the exemplary patterns.
Breastfeeding after cesarean delivery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of world literature.

BACKGROUND The rate of exclusive breastfeeding remains low in many countries. Furthermore, cesarean delivery (CD) is increasing and may affect breastfeeding success. OBJECTIVE The objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies to determine whether CD (prelabor or in-labor) is associated with a lower rate of breastfeeding compared with vaginal delivery (VD). DESIGN Studies published before January 2011 that reported breastfeeding up to 6 mo postpartum and compared outcomes after CD or VD, including foreign language publications, were identified through PubMed and bibliographic review. Prespecified data were extracted independently by multiple observers. The types of CD [prelabor (elective/scheduled) or in-labor (emergency)] were compared by subgroup analyses. Potential sources of study-level bias were analyzed by using meta-regression and sensitivity analyses. RESULTS The systematic review included 53 studies (554,568 subjects, 33 countries); 25 authors contributed additional data (245,455 subjects), and 48 studies (553,306 subjects, 31 countries) were included in the meta-analysis. Rates of early breastfeeding (any initiation or at hospital discharge) were lower after CD compared with after VD (pooled OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.50, 0.64; P < 0.00001) and lower after prelabor but not after in-labor CD (prelabor OR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.86; P < 0.00001; in-labor OR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.04; P = 0.86). In mothers who initiated breastfeeding, CD had no significant effect on any breastfeeding at 6 mo (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.89, 1.01; P = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS There was a negative association between prelabor CD and early breastfeeding. If breastfeeding is initiated, mode of delivery has no apparent effect on the number of mothers still breastfeeding at 6 mo. Women and health care workers should be aware of the negative associations between CD and early breastfeeding and consequent implications for infants' well-being.
Activity profile of top-class association football referees in relation to performance in selected physical tests

Abstract The aims of the present study were (1) to analyse the physical demands of top-class referees and (2) to compare their official FIFA fitness test results with physical performance during a match. The work rate profiles of 11 international referees were assessed during 12 competitive matches at the 2003 FIFA Under-17 World Cup and then analysed using a bi-dimensional photogrammetric video analysis system based on direct lineal transformation (DLT) algorithms. In the first 15 min of matches, the referees were more active, performing more high-intensity exercise (P < 0.01) than in the first 15 min of the second half. During the second half of matches, the referees covered a shorter distance (P < 0.01), spent more time standing still (P < 0.05), and covered less ground cruising (P < 0.05), sprinting (P < 0.05), and moving backwards (P < 0.001) than in the first half. Also in the second 45 min, the distance of referees from infringements increased (P < 0.05) in the left attacking zone of the filed. There was also a decrease (P < 0.05) in performance in the period following the most high-intensity activity, compared with the mean for the 90 min. Time spent performing high-intensity activities during a match was not related to performance in the 12-min run (r 2 = 0.30; P < 0.05), the 200-m sprint (r 2 = 0.05; P < 0.05), or the 50-m sprint (r 2 = 0.001; P < 0.05). The results of this study show that: (1) top-class referees experienced fatigue at different stages of the match, and (2) the typical field tests used by FIFA (two 50-m and 200-m sprints, followed by a 12-min run) are not correlated with match activities.
Effect of a semi‐permanent road on N, P, and CO2 dynamics in a poor fen on the Western Boreal Plain, Canada

Peatlands of the Western Boreal Plains are under stress from oil and gas development and associated infrastructure such as road construction and removal. An improved understanding of nutrient cycling and atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange interactions in peatlands can assist in recommending best management practices to industry to minimize the ecohydrological disturbance footprint of road features. Peat nutrient (nitrogen, N, and phosphorus, P) supply, net mineralization, groundwater concentrations, and peatland‐atmosphere CO2 exchange rates were quantified within a poor fen bisected by a semi‐permanent road located in the Athabasca Oil Sands region of Alberta, Canada, over one growing season. Results demonstrate that the road impeded groundwater movement across the site; however, water table and moisture differences were minimal, likely due to the unusually wet season. No clear impacts of the road on nutrient dynamics were observed, but subtle differences in productivity and respiration resulted in significantly lower net CO2 sequestration (net ecosystem exchange) on the down‐flow side of the road. Differences in vegetation composition between sides of the road were apparent and likely indicate longer‐term moisture differences at the site. Elevated rates of productivity and respiration coincided with a seasonal change in the relative supplies of N and P (increased N : P ratios), suggesting that the relative availability of N versus P may be important to CO2 fluxes in Western Boreal Plains peatlands. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the need to capture interactions between hydrology, ecology and nutrient biogeochemistry when evaluating peatland carbon cycling response to road disturbances across this region.
Mitigating Non-contractible Actions by Randomness

This paper studies non-contractibility of a contract designer's actions in an agency model with costly monitoring. It shows that non-contractibility may lead to an explicit randomness, which is not optimal under full contractibility. The randomness mitigates non-contractibility. Its e ectiveness increases with the ex post deducibility of the non-contractible variable. Mitigation is perfect, if the non-contractible action can be deduced perfectly from other contractible variables. Consequently, non-contractibility is less severe than some recent literature indicates. (JEL classi cation: D82)
Special Series: Empirical Findings on the Employment of PWDs

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are disproportionately unemployed, underpaid, and underemployed despite their desire and capacity to work. The U.S. federal/state vocational rehabilitation (VR) program, under the supervision of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), is charged with providing services to assist eligible PWDs (VR consumers) in achieving employment. Despite research showing that VR consumers closed to self-employment (vs. non-self-employment closures) have better outcomes, self-employment is often considered as a last resort. Moreover, some evidence suggests self-employment (like non-self-employment) outcomes are associated with VR consumers’ gender and racial/ethnic identity. The objective of this study was to determine trends of case closures in self-employment among PWDs within the VR program from 2011–2013 to 2017–2019 and to examine the effects of gender and race/ethnicity on self-employment outcomes. Variables of interest were obtained from RSA’s Case Service Report (RSA-911) data set for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Data were recoded and analyzed. The number of closures in self-employment declined significantly. Weekly earnings in self-employment increased. Time from application to closure in self-employment decreased. Differences in VR self-employment outcomes by race/ethnicity and gender were noted. Efforts should be made to increase competency in self-employment of VR counselors and promote self-employment within the VR program.