Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of hypoxic versus normoxic training on physical fitness and vasculature in diabetes.

BACKGROUND Exercise training improves physical fitness, insulin resistance, and endothelial function in type 2 diabetes. Hypoxia may further optimize these beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of hypoxic versus normoxic exercise training on physical fitness, endothelial function, and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. METHODS Peak oxygen consumption, flow mediated dilation (endothelial function), and glucose homeostasis were assessed in 19 patients (55±7 years) before and after an 8-week intervention. Subjects were randomly allocated to normoxic (21% O2, n=9) or hypoxic (16.5% O2, n=10) exercise training. Endothelium-independent dilation was examined using sublingual administration of glyceryl trinitrate, and used to calculate the ratio between endothelium-dependent and -independent dilation. RESULTS Exercise training improved physical fitness and brachial artery ratio between endothelium-dependent and -independent dilation (both p<0.05), whilst these exercise training-induced changes were similar in both groups (interaction-effects p>0.05). Exercise training did not significantly change brachial artery flow-mediated dilation or glyceryl trinitrate-response, superficial femoral artery flow-mediated dilation, or glucose homeostasis, whilst hypoxia did not alter the impact of exercise training. CONCLUSION Contrary to our hypothesis, hypoxia does not potentiate the effect of exercise training on physical fitness, vascular function, or glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes.
Specific Immunotherapy in Atopic Dermatitis

Allergen specific immunotherapy (SIT) using house dust mite (HDM) extracts has been performed mainly with patients of asthma and allergic rhinitis. In the meanwhile, there has been a long debate on the efficacy of SIT in atopic dermatitis (AD) with only a few double-blind placebo-controlled trials. However, several randomized controlled trials of SIT in AD revealed significant improvement of clinical symptoms and also, positive result was shown by a following meta-analysis study of these trials. In order to predict and evaluate the treatment outcome, finding a biomarker that can predict treatment responses and treatment end-points is critical but it is very challenging at the same time due to the complexity of causes and mechanisms of AD. Other considerations including standardization of the easiest and safest treatment protocol and optimizing the treatment preparations should be studied as well. This review summarizes the basics of SIT in AD including the brief mechanisms, treatment methods and schedules, and also highlights the clinical efficacy of SIT in AD along with mild, controllable adverse reactions. Immunologic effects and studies of various biomarkers are also introduced and finally, future considerations with upcoming studies on SIT were discussed.
Optimal Joint Session Admission Control in Integrated WLAN and CDMA Cellular Networks with Vertical Handoff

This paper considers optimizing the utilization of radio resources in a heterogeneous integrated system consisting of two different networks: a wireless local area network (WLAN) and a wideband code division multiple access (CDMA) network. We propose a joint session admission control scheme for multimedia traffic that maximizes overall network revenue with quality of service (QoS) constraints over both the WLAN and the CDMA cellular networks. The WLAN operates under the IEEE 802.11e medium access control (MAC) protocol, which supports QoS for multimedia traffic. A novel concept of effective bandwidth is used in the CDMA network to derive the unified radio resource usage, taking into account both physical layer linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) receivers and characteristics of the packet traffic. Numerical examples illustrate that the network revenue earned in the proposed joint admission control scheme is significantly larger than that when the individual networks are optimized independently with no vertical handoff between them. The revenue gain is also significant over the scheme in which vertical handoff is supported, but admission control is not done jointly. Furthermore, we show that the optimal joint admission control policy is a randomized policy, i.e., sessions are admitted to the system with probabilities in some states
A cost model for nearest neighbor search in high-dimensional data space

In this paper, we present a new cost model for nearest neighbor search in high-dimensional data space. We first analyze different nearest neighbor algorithms, present a generalization of an algorithm which has been originally proposed for Quadtrees [13], and show that this algorithm is optimal. Then, we develop a cost model which - in contrast to previous models - takes boundary effects into account and therefore also works in high dimensions. The advantages of our model are in particular: Our model works for data sets with an arbitrary number of dimensions and an arbitrary number of data points, is applicable to different data distributions and index structures, and provides accurate estimates of the expected query execution time. To show the practical relevance and accuracy of our model, we perform a detailed analysis using synthetic and real data. The results of applying our model to Hilbert and X-tree indices show that it provides a good estimation of the query performance, which is considerably better than the estimates by previous models especially for highdimensional data.
Combined Fishing and Climate Forcing in the Southern Benguela Upwelling Ecosystem: An End-to-End Modelling Approach Reveals Dampened Effects

The effects of climate and fishing on marine ecosystems have usually been studied separately, but their interactions make ecosystem dynamics difficult to understand and predict. Of particular interest to management, the potential synergism or antagonism between fishing pressure and climate forcing is analysed in this paper, using an end-to-end ecosystem model of the southern Benguela ecosystem, built from coupling hydrodynamic, biogeochemical and multispecies fish models (ROMS-N2P2Z2D2-OSMOSE). Scenarios of different intensities of upwelling-favourable wind stress combined with scenarios of fishing top-predator fish were tested. Analyses of isolated drivers show that the bottom-up effect of the climate forcing propagates up the food chain whereas the top-down effect of fishing cascades down to zooplankton in unfavourable environmental conditions but dampens before it reaches phytoplankton. When considering both climate and fishing drivers together, it appears that top-down control dominates the link between top-predator fish and forage fish, whereas interactions between the lower trophic levels are dominated by bottom-up control. The forage fish functional group appears to be a central component of this ecosystem, being the meeting point of two opposite trophic controls. The set of combined scenarios shows that fishing pressure and upwelling-favourable wind stress have mostly dampened effects on fish populations, compared to predictions from the separate effects of the stressors. Dampened effects result in biomass accumulation at the top predator fish level but a depletion of biomass at the forage fish level. This should draw our attention to the evolution of this functional group, which appears as both structurally important in the trophic functioning of the ecosystem, and very sensitive to climate and fishing pressures. In particular, diagnoses considering fishing pressure only might be more optimistic than those that consider combined effects of fishing and environmental variability.
Traumatic Dislocations of the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint

The mechanics, anatomy, and pathomechanics of traumatic dorsal dislocation of the first metatarsophalangeal joint are discussed. There are two basic types of dislocations. In Type I, dislocation of the hallux with the sesamoids occurs without disrupting the sesamoid mass. Such cases are usually irreducible on closed reduction, the metatarsal head being incarcerated by the conjoined tendons with their intact sesamoids. In Type II, there is either associated disruption of the intersesamoid ligament (Type IIA) or a transverse fracture of one of the sesamoids (Type IIB). In Type II, the sesamoid disruption usually permits closed reduction.
Business-to-consumer e-commerce in Nigeria : Prospects and challenges

The growth of Internet usage in Nigeria continues to increase, recording over 90% growth rate between 2000 and 2008. While businesses in Nigeria are reported to have online access with opportunity for ecommercial activities, customers in the country however access business websites only to source for information but make purchases the traditional way. This paper aims at assessing the prospects and challenges of Business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce implementation in Nigeria from the consumers’ perspective. Survey research was adopted for this study. Research hypotheses were formulated and questionnaire designed and administered randomly to 900 respondents. Collected data was used to evaluate the acceptance of B2C e-commerce using the extended technology acceptance model (TAM). The extended TAM combines task-technology fit, relationship related construct: trust and risk, and the two TAM constructs to determine factors influencing consumer acceptance of B2C e-commerce in Nigeria. Findings revealed that there are significant relationships between the model variables. Tasktechnology fit and perceived usefulness have significant relationships with intentions to use, having a correlation coefficient of 0.2623 and 0.2002 respectively. Similarly, the interrelationship among trust, perceived risk, and behavioral intention are significant. The effect of risk on trust was statistically showing that risk is a predictor of trust. Risk has a high significant on trust and trust in turn has low significant effect on behavioral intention. Adding TTF and its relationships to the TAM also fit the data. The relationship between task-technology fit, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and intention are significant.
The role of fortitude in relation to exposure to violence among adolescents living in lower socio-economic areas in South Africa

Objective: There is compelling evidence that a significant proportion of adolescents exposed to violence do not develop trauma-related symptoms, but adapt successfully. This differential vulnerability has propelled research into identifying factors that promote coping. This study focused on the role of fortitude in the relationship between violence and trauma-related symptoms among South African adolescents living in two low-income communities. Fortitude is derived from positive cognitive appraisals of the self, the family and external sources of support. Method: Adolescents (n = 498) completed an adapted version of the Harvard Trauma Scale (HTS) and the Fortitude Questionnaire (FORQ). Results: Moderated regression analysis demonstrated that fortitude had a health-sustaining and stress-buffering role. Adolescents who displayed high levels of fortitude had lower levels of trauma symptoms in relation to exposure to violence (stress-buffering) and were able to maintain their levels of wellbeing irrespective of the nature and extent of such exposure (health-sustaining). Conclusion: The study provides evidence for fortitude as a protective factor by highlighting the role of specific cognitive appraisals related to fortitude in facilitating adaptation in relation to trauma. The study also underscores the relevance of using clinical interventions that target problematic cognitive appraisals and strengthen perceptions of coping.
Genomic and Proteomic Analysis of Thirty-Nine Structural Proteins of Shrimp White Spot Syndrome Virus

ABSTRACT White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) virions were purified from the hemolymph of experimentally infected crayfish Procambarus clarkii, and their proteins were separated by 8 to 18% gradient sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to give a protein profile. The visible bands were then excised from the gel, and following trypsin digestion of the reduced and alkylated WSSV proteins in the bands, the peptide sequence of each fragment was determined by liquid chromatography-nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-nanoESI-MS/MS) using a quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Comparison of the resulting peptide sequence data against the nonredundant database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information identified 33 WSSV structural genes, 20 of which are reported here for the first time. Since there were six other known WSSV structural proteins that could not be identified from the SDS-PAGE bands, there must therefore be a total of at least 39 (33 + 6) WSSV structural protein genes. Only 61.5% of the WSSV structural genes have a polyadenylation signal, and preliminary analysis by 3′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends suggested that some structural protein genes produced mRNA without a poly(A) tail. Microarray analysis showed that gene expression started at 2, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, and 36 hpi for 7, 1, 4, 12, 9, 5, and 1 of the genes, respectively. Based on similarities in their time course expression patterns, a clustering algorithm was used to group the WSSV structural genes into four clusters. Genes that putatively had common or similar roles in the viral infection cycle tended to appear in the same cluster.
Are coping and catastrophising independently related to disability and depression in patients with whiplash associated disorders?

Purpose. The aim is to study how pain coping strategies and catastrophising are related to disability and depression in patients with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). Specifically, we wanted to test if they are independent predictive variables, after controlling for pain severity, sociodemographic and crash-related variables. Methods. A convenience sample of 147 patients with WAD of less than 3 months of duration was recruited. They were requested to complete the Pain Catastrophising Scale, the two-item version of the Chronic Pain Coping Inventory and to report sociodemographic and crash-related information, pain intensity, disability and depression. Results. Although several pain coping strategies were related with disability in univariate analyses, only asking for assistance was a marginally significant predictive variable in a multiple regression analysis after controlling for catastrophising. Catastrophising was a significant predictive variable after controlling for pain coping strategies. With depression as the outcome, resting and task persistence were the only pain coping strategies which were related in univariate analyses. However, none of them were predictive variables after controlling for catastrophising. Again, catastrophising was a significant predictive variable after controlling for pain coping strategies. Conclusions. Our results show that catastrophising about pain is more important than pain coping strategies in patients with WAD of a short duration. These results can contribute to the conceptual distinction between pain coping strategies and catastrophising.
Probe Selection in Multiprobe OTA Setups

Standardization work for over-the-air (OTA) testing of multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) capable terminals is currently ongoing in COST IC1004, 3GPP, and CTIA, where a multiprobe anechoic chamber based method is a promising candidate. Setting up a multiprobe configuration with channel emulators is costly, so finding ways to limit the number of probes while still reproducing the target channels accurately could make the test system both cheaper and simpler to implement. Several probe selection algorithms are presented in this paper to address this issue. The proposed techniques provide a probe selection framework for the channel emulation techniques published in the literature. Simulation results show that good channel emulation accuracy can be achieved with the selected subset of probes for the considered target channel models. The probe selection algorithm is further supported by measurement results in a practical multiprobe setup.
A YIG/GGG/GaAs-Based Magnetically Tunable Wideband Microwave Band-Pass Filter Using Cascaded Band-Stop Filters

A yttrium iron garnet/gadolinium gallium garnet-gallium arsenide (YIG/GGG-GaAs)-based magnetically-tunable wideband microwave band-pass filter with large tuning ranges for the center frequency (5.90-17.80 GHz) and the bandwidth (1.27-2.08 GHz) in the pass-band using a pair of cascaded band-stop filters is reported. The design and numerical simulation of the band-pass filter that incorporates multisegment microstrip meander-lines and 2-D nonuniform bias magnetic fields were first carried out using Ansoft High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) software suite. The measured transmission characteristics of the band-pass filter at center frequency of 8.28 GHz, using 2-D nonuniform bias magnetic fields centered at 2,750 Oe and 4,150 Oe facilitated by Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets, shows a - 3-dB bandwidth of 1.73 GHz, an out-of-band rejection of -33.5 dB, and an insertion loss of - 4.2 dB. A good agreement between the simulation and experimental results for the band-pass filter in the center frequency and the bandwidths of the pass-band and the two guarding stop-bands has been accomplished.
Activity-Dependent Neurotrophin Signaling Underlies Developmental Switch of Ca2+ Channel Subtypes Mediating Neurotransmitter Release

At the nerve terminal, neurotransmitter release is triggered by Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs). During postnatal development, VGCC subtypes in the nerve terminal switch at many synapses. In immature rodent cerebella, N-type and P/Q-type VGCCs mediate GABAergic neurotransmission from Purkinje cells (PCs) to deep nuclear cells, but as animals mature, neurotransmission becomes entirely P/Q-type dependent. We reproduced this developmental switch in rat cerebellar slice culture to address the underlying mechanism. Chronic block of cerebellar neuronal activity with tetrodotoxin (TTX) in slice culture, or in vivo, reversed the switch, leaving neurotransmission predominantly N-type channel-dependent. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor or neurotrophin-4 rescued this TTX effect, whereas pharmacological blockade of neurotrophin receptors mimicked the TTX effect. In PC somata, unlike in presynaptic terminals, TTX had no effect on the proportion of Ca2+ channel subtype currents. We conclude that neuronal activity activates the neurotrophin–TrkB signaling pathway, thereby causing the N-to-P/Q channel switch in presynaptic terminals.
Network Coding: A Computational Perspective

In this work, we study the computational perspective of network coding, focusing on two issues. First, we address the computational complexity of finding a network code for acyclic multicast networks. Second, we address the issue of reducing the amount of computation performed by network nodes. In particular, we consider the problem of finding a network code with the minimum possible number of encoding nodes, i.e. nodes that generate new packets by performing algebraic operations on packets received over incoming links.We present a deterministic algorithm that finds a feasible network code for a multicast network over an underlying graph G(V,E) in time 0(\E\kh + \V\k2h2 + h4k3(k + h)), where k is the number of destinations and h is the number of packets. Our algorithm improves the best known running time for network code construction. In addition, our algorithm guarantees that the number of encoding nodes in the obtained network code is upper- bounded by 0(h3k2). Next, we address the problem of finding integral and fractional network codes with the minimum number of encoding nodes. We prove that in the majority of settings this problem is NP-hard. However, we show that if h = O(1),k = O(1), and the underlying communication graph is acyclic, then there exists an algorithm that solves this problem in polynomial time.
Dynamics and criteria for bubble instabilities in a single layer film blowing extrusion

In this paper, the performance of a new in-line scanning camera system for the study of various bubble instabilities in film blowing extrusion is critically evaluated. Three commercial film-grade polyethylenes. LmPE, LLDPE and LDPE, were used to generate the bubble instabilities. Reliable and objective criteria for differentiating various bubble instabilities such as draw resonance, helicoidal instability, and frost line height instability are proposed by using the new device. Detailed dynamics of each bubble instability was carefully investigated as a function of time in a broad range of the take-up ratio (TUR), blow-up ratio (BUR) and frost line height (FLH). In addition, effects of melt temperature and mass flow rates on dynamics of the bubble instabilities are discussed. It was found that the new system could capture the main characteristics of ail bubble instabilities quantitatively. It was also found that magnitude and periodicity of radius variation during draw resonance of LmPE decreased as TUR increased at constant FLH and BUR. This implies that the origin of draw resonance in film blowing seems to be different from that observed in fiber spinning. In the case of helicoidal instability, eccentricity, which defmes the deviation of the bubble center from the die center, decreased as TUR increased. However, the bubble could not be stabilized as expected. A graphical quantification approach to determine the stable zone in the bubble stability map is also discussed.
Apoptosis of ATII Cells in Mice Induced by Phosgene

Phosgene inhalation can induced pulmonary edema formation. The purpose of this study was to investigate cell of apoptosis in pulmonary edema mice induced by phosgene. Fifty-two BALB/c mice were random divided into a negative group and a positive group with 26 mice in each. Mice were exposed for 5 min to air and phosgene in the negative group and in the positive one, respectively. The dose of phosgene was 539 ppm. After 4 h of exposure, all mice were anesthetized. Lungs were analyzed for lung wet/dry weight ratio and pathological alternation. The method of isolation and culture of alveolar type II cells (ATII cells) was established to observe their apoptosis by electron microscope and flow cytometry. Apoptosis of lung cells was observed by DNA gel electrophoresis and TUNEL. The lung wet/dry weight ratio was significantly higher in the positive group (6.42 ± 1.00) than in the negative group (4.25 ± 0.47, p < 0.05). A large amount of fluid effusion was observed in the alveolus of mice induced by phosgene. Alveolar type II cells were identified by tannic acid stainning and electron microscope. The apoptotic signs in alveolar type II cells, alveolar type I cells, eosinophils, macrophages, symphocytes, and ciliated cells were viewed under electron microscope in positive group. The ratio of apoptosis cells (40.26 ± 7.74) in positive was higher than that (1.58 ± 1.01, p < 0.001) in the negative group by flow cytometry. DNA ladder alternation was seen through DNA gel electrophoresis. Apoptosis of epithelia and vascular endothelia in lung were found by TUNEL. These results indicate that there is success in establishing a model of pulmonary edema and method of isolation and culture of AT II cells in BALB/c mice. Phosgene can induce apoptosis of cells in the lungs of BALB/c mice, and this indicates that pulmonary edema is related to apoptosis of lung cells in mice, induced by phosgene.