Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reduction in Visceral Adiposity is Highly Related to Improvement in Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction among Obese Women: An Assessment of Endothelial Function by Radial Artery Pulse Wave Analysis

Because obesity is frequently complicated by other cardiovascular risk factors, the impact of a reduction in visceral adiposity on vascular endothelial dysfunction (VED) in obese patients is difficult to determine. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of a reduction in visceral adiposity on VED in obese women. Thirty-six premenopausal obese women (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) without complications were enrolled in the study. VED was evaluated by determining the augmentation index (AIx) from radial artery pulse waves obtained by applanation tonometry. Changes in AIx in response to nitroglycerin-induced endothelium-independent vasodilatation (ΔAIx-NTG) and in response to salbutamol administration (ΔAIx-Salb) were determined before and after weight reduction. After a 12-week weight reduction program, the average weight loss was 7.96±3.47 kg, with losses of 21.88±20.39 cm2 in visceral fat areas (p < 0.001). Pulse wave analysis combined with provocative pharmacological testing demonstrated preserved endothelium-independent vasodilation in healthy premenopausal obese women (ΔAIx-NTG: 31.36±9.80% before weight reduction vs. 28.25 ± 11.21% after weight reduction, p > 0.1) and an improvement in endothelial-dependent vasodilation following weight reduction (ΔAIx-Salb: 10.03±6.49% before weight reduction vs. 19.33 ± 9.28% after reduction, p < 0.001). A reduction in visceral adipose tissue was found to be most significantly related to an increase in ΔAIx-Salb (β=-0.57, p < 0.001). A reduction in visceral adiposity was significantly related to an improvement in VED. This finding suggests that reduction of visceral adiposity may be as important as the control of other major risk factors in the prevention of atherosclerosis in obese women.
The Compass Error Comparison of an Onboard Standard Gyrocompass, Fiber-Optic Gyrocompass (FOG) and Satellite Compass

The aim of the presented research was to analyze the accuracy indications of three types of compass systems for the purposes of meeting warship modernization requirements. The authors of this paper have made an attempt to compare the accuracy of an onboard standard gyrocompass, a fiber-optic gyrocompass (FOG) and a satellite compass in real shipping circumstances. The research was carried out in the Gulf of Gdansk area, during the preparation of hydrographic surveys on stable courses. Three heading recordings have been taken into consideration. The helmsman’s operation and vessel inertia were analyzed and removed according to a spectrum analysis. Transient characteristics and the spectrum analysis (based on the Fourier transform theory and headings descriptions in the frequency domain) are presented. Data, processed using a band-stop finite impulse response (FIR) filter to reduce low-frequency heading distortions, are presented for further analyses. The statistics of errors of the compasses investigated, as well as the spectrum of these errors, are also presented. Based on accuracy measurements, the possibility of using the most accurate heading data as the input signal to the automatic ship control system was considered.
A Platform for Content-based Partial Replication

Increasingly people manage and share information across a wide variety of computing devices from cell phones to Internet services. Selective replication of content is essential because devices, especially portable ones, have limited resources for storage and communication. Cimbiosys is a novel replication platform that permits each device to define its own content-based filtering criteria and to share updates directly with other devices. In the face of fluid network connectivity, redefinable content filters, and changing content, Cimbiosys ensures two properties not achieved by previous systems. First, every device eventually stores exactly those items whose latest version matches its filter. Second, every device represents its replication-specific metadata in a compact form, with state proportional to the number of devices rather than the number of items. Such compact representation results in low data synchronization overhead, which permits ad hoc replication between newly encountered devices and frequent replication between established partners, even over low bandwidth wireless networks.
Top-down modulation in the infant brain: Learning-induced expectations rapidly affect the sensory cortex at 6 months

Significance Although infants are excellent learners, it is unclear whether infants use neural strategies similar to those of adults to track changes in their environment. One adult neural strategy is to use feedback connections to modulate sensory cortices based on their expectations. The current study provides, to our knowledge, the first evidence that the fundamental architecture required for sensory feedback is already in place in infancy. This top-down modulation is especially impressive because the study employs an audiovisual task that requires the flexible use of long-range neural connections, and the infant brain is dominated by short-range neural connections with weak (e.g., unmyelinated) long-range connections. These results suggest that learners can use sophisticated top-down feedback neural strategies from an early age. Recent theoretical work emphasizes the role of expectation in neural processing, shifting the focus from feed-forward cortical hierarchies to models that include extensive feedback (e.g., predictive coding). Empirical support for expectation-related feedback is compelling but restricted to adult humans and nonhuman animals. Given the considerable differences in neural organization, connectivity, and efficiency between infant and adult brains, it is a crucial yet open question whether expectation-related feedback is an inherent property of the cortex (i.e., operational early in development) or whether expectation-related feedback develops with extensive experience and neural maturation. To determine whether infants’ expectations about future sensory input modulate their sensory cortices without the confounds of stimulus novelty or repetition suppression, we used a cross-modal (audiovisual) omission paradigm and used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to record hemodynamic responses in the infant cortex. We show that the occipital cortex of 6-month-old infants exhibits the signature of expectation-based feedback. Crucially, we found that this region does not respond to auditory stimuli if they are not predictive of a visual event. Overall, these findings suggest that the young infant’s brain is already capable of some rudimentary form of expectation-based feedback.
MPO-ANCA-positive Wegener’s granulomatosis presenting with hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis: case report and review of the literature

We describe a case of hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis (HCP) associated with Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG) in a 60-year-old man presenting with chronic headache and multiple cranial nerve neuropathies. A test for antibodies to the neutrophil cytoplasmic protein myeloperoxidase (MPO-ANCA) was positive in this case. We review the literature on perinuclear (p)-ANCA-related HCP, including our case. This case indicates the link between MPO-ANCA-positive WG and HCP.
Category Fluency as a Screening Test for Alzheimer Disease in Illiterate and Literate Patients

Brief cognitive tests are widely used for dementia screening, but are usually influenced by education. The present work aimed to determine education-adjusted cut-off scores and correspondent sensitivity (S) and specificity (Sp) values of the category fluency (CF) test (animals/min) as a screening tool for Alzheimer disease (AD). Eighty-eight patients with mild AD and 117 normal matched controls were evaluated. Patients and controls were divided into 4 groups according to educational level (illiterates, 1 to 3, 4 to 7, and ≥8 y) and were administered the CF test. In each group, cut-off values were determined using Receiver Operator Characteristic analysis. The areas under Receiver Operator Characteristic curves were 0.922/0.914/0.963/0.954, for the identification of AD among the groups of illiterates, 1 to 3, 4 to 7, and ≥8 years of education, respectively. The cut-off points for each group were 9 (S=90.5% and Sp=80.6%) for illiterates; 12 (S=95.2%% and Sp=80.0%) for 1 to 3 years; 12 (S=91.3% and Sp=91.9%) for 4 to 7 years, and 13 for those with ≥8 years (S=82.6% and Sp=100.0%). These results suggest that the CF may be a useful screening test for mild AD in different educational levels, with the need of using specific cut-off scores adjusted for each range of schooling.
Improvement of Temperature Distribution across Thick Thermoset Composites Using Carbon Nanotubes

The effect of adding carbon nanotubes (CNT) into epoxy on the temperature gradient in thick thermoset composites was studied and presented. Addition of CNT increases the thermal diffusivity of the resin and reduces the curing reaction speed. The latter slows down the rate of energy liberation, while the former helps to dissipate faster the released heat in the exothermic reaction. The results showed that the addition of up to 1 wt% CNT can reduce the difference between temperatures at the center and at the surface of 1.5-inch thick column of epoxy by 41%. Measured variations of heat capacity and thermal diffusivity by changes in both temperature and carbon nanotube contents as well as the empirically-evaluated cure kinetics of epoxy were used in a transient one-dimensional heat transfer finite difference model to determine the temperature distribution across thickness during the cure. Good agreement was obtained between calculated and experimental trends.
Plant MicroRNAs—Novel Players in Natural Medicine?

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small non-coding RNAs that act as efficient gene expression regulators and thus play many important roles in living organisms. Due to their involvement in several known human pathological and pathogenic states, miRNA molecules have become an important issue in medicine and gained the attention of scientists from the pharmaceutical industry. In recent few years, a growing number of studies have provided evidence that miRNAs may be transferred from one species to another and regulate gene expression in the recipients’ cells. The most intriguing results revealed that stable miRNAs derived from food plants may enter the mammals’ circulatory system and, after reaching the target, inhibit the production of specific mammalian protein. Part of the scientific community has perceived this as an attractive hypothesis that may provide a foundation for novel therapeutic approaches. In turn, others are convinced about the “false positive” effect of performed experiments from which the mentioned results were achieved. In this article, we review the recent literature that provides evidence (from both fronts) of dietary, plant miRNA uptake and functionality in various consumers. Additionally, we discuss possible miRNA transport mechanisms from plant food sources to human cells.
The Relationship Between EMIC Wave Properties and Proton Distributions Based on Van Allen Probes Observations

Plasma kinetic theory predicts that sufficiently anisotropic proton distribution will excite electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves, which in turn relax the proton distribution to a marginally stable state creating an upper bound on the relaxed proton anisotropy. Here, using EMIC wave observations and coincident plasma measurements made by Van Allen Probes in the inner magnetosphere, we show that the proton distributions are well constrained by this instability to a marginally stable state. Near the threshold, the probability of EMIC wave occurrence is highest, having left‐handed polarization and observed near the magnetic equator with relatively small wave normal angles, indicating that these waves are locally generated. In addition, EMIC waves are distributed in two magnetic local time regions with different intensity. Compared with helium band waves, hydrogen band waves behave similarly except that they are often observed in low‐density regions. These results reveal several important features regarding EMIC waves excitation and propagation.
[Common problems during lactation and their management].

OBJECTIVE To present an updated review on common problems associated with breastfeeding and their management. SOURCE OF DATA A comprehensive bibliographic review on the issue was performed by searching publications from the MEDLINE database and from national and international organizations. Books and some key articles cited in other sources were also selected. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS Several common problems that may arise during the breastfeeding period, such as breast engorgement, plugged milk duct, breast infection and insufficient milk supply, originate from conditions that lead the mother to inadequate empty the breasts. Incorrect techniques, not frequent breastfeeding and breastfeeding on scheduled times, pacifiers and food suppliers are important risk factors that can predispose to lactation problems. The adequate management of those conditions is fundamental, as if not treated they frequently lead to early weaning. There are specific measures that should be taken to empty the breasts effectively. Besides, the emotional support and actions that yield more comfort to the lactating mother can not be neglected. CONCLUSIONS Most common problems associated with breastfeeding can be prevented if the mother empties her breasts effectively. If they occur, they should be carefully and adequately approached, thus avoiding the early weaning resultant from painful and stressing situations the mother may face.
Nicotine Protects Kidney from Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury through the Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway

Kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R) is characterized by renal dysfunction and tubular damages resulting from an early activation of innate immunity. Recently, nicotine administration has been shown to be a powerful inhibitor of a variety of innate immune responses, including LPS-induced toxaemia. This cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway acts via the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR). Herein, we tested the potential protective effect of nicotine administration in a mouse model of renal I/R injury induced by bilateral clamping of kidney arteries. Renal function, tubular damages and inflammatory response were compared between control animals and mice receiving nicotine at the time of ischemia. Nicotine pretreatment protected mice from renal dysfunction in a dose-dependent manner and through the α7nAChR, as attested by the absence of protection in α7nAChR-deficient mice. Additionally, nicotine significantly reduced tubular damages, prevented neutrophil infiltration and decreased productions of the CXC-chemokine KC, TNF-α and the proinflammatory high-mobility group box 1 protein. Reduced tubular damage in nicotine pre-treated mice was associated with a decrease in tubular cell apoptosis and proliferative response as attested by the reduction of caspase-3 and Ki67 positive cells, respectively. All together, these data highlight that nicotine exerts a protective anti-inflammatory effect during kidney I/R through the cholinergic α7nAChR pathway. In addition, this could provide an opportunity to overcome the effect of surgical cholinergic denervation during kidney transplantation.
Artificial-noise aided transmit design for multi-user MISO systems with service integration and energy harvesting

This paper considers an artificial noise (AN)-aided transmit design for multi-user MISO systems in the eyes of service integration. Specifically, three sorts of services, i.e., multicast message transfer, confidential message transfer and energy transfer, are combined and offered simultaneously. The confidential message is kept perfectly secure from all receivers except an authorized receiver. Assuming that power splitting (PS) is employed at each receiver to decode information and harvest energy simultaneously, our goal is to jointly design the PS ratio for each receiver and the input covariances of the multicast message, confidential message and AN such that the total transmit power consumption is minimized while satisfying given quality of service (QoS) constraints for the three sorts of services. Due to the intractability of this problem, a provably convergent semidefinite programming (SDP)-based algorithm is applied to solve this problem in an iterative fashion. Furthermore, we also give an approach to constructing a rank-one covariance matrix of the confidential message from this algorithm. Finally, numerical results are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed scheme.
Biogenesis of HDL by SAA is dependent on ABCA1 in the liver in vivos⃞ Published, JLR Papers in Press, November 21, 2007.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) was markedly increased in the plasma and in the liver upon acute inflammation induced by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in mice, and SAA in the plasma was exclusively associated with HDL. In contrast, no HDL was present in the plasma and only a small amount of SAA was found in the VLDL/LDL fraction (d < 1.063 g/ml) after the induction of inflammation in ABCA1-knockout (KO) mice, although SAA increased in the liver. Primary hepatocytes isolated from LPS-treated wild-type (WT) and ABCA1-KO mice both secreted SAA into the medium. SAA secreted from WT hepatocytes was associated with HDL, whereas SAA from ABCA1-KO hepatocytes was recovered in the fraction that was >1.21 g/ml. The behavior of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) was the same as that of SAA in HDL biogenesis by WT and ABCA1-KO mouse hepatocytes. Lipid-free SAA and apoA-I both stabilized ABCA1 and caused cellular lipid release in WT mouse-derived fibroblasts, but not in ABCA1-KO mouse-derived fibroblasts, in vitro when added exogenously. We conclude that both SAA and apoA-I generate HDL largely in hepatocytes only in the presence of ABCA1, likely being secreted in a lipid-free form to interact with cellular ABCA1. In the absence of ABCA1, nonlipidated SAA is seemingly removed rapidly from the extracellular space.
A class-feature-centroid classifier for text categorization

Automated text categorization is an important technique for many web applications, such as document indexing, document filtering, and cataloging web resources. Many different approaches have been proposed for the automated text categorization problem. Among them, centroid-based approaches have the advantages of short training time and testing time due to its computational efficiency. As a result, centroid-based classifiers have been widely used in many web applications. However, the accuracy of centroid-based classifiers is inferior to SVM, mainly because centroids found during construction are far from perfect locations. We design a fast Class-Feature-Centroid (CFC) classifier for multi-class, single-label text categorization. In CFC, a centroid is built from two important class distributions: inter-class term index and inner-class term index. CFC proposes a novel combination of these indices and employs a denormalized cosine measure to calculate the similarity score between a text vector and a centroid. Experiments on the Reuters-21578 corpus and 20-newsgroup email collection show that CFC consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art SVM classifiers on both micro-F1 and macro-F1 scores. Particularly, CFC is more effective and robust than SVM when data is sparse.
Cross-ISA machine emulation for multicores

Speed, portability and correctness have traditionally been the main requirements for dynamic binary translation (DBT) systems. Given the increasing availability of multi-core machines as both emulation guests and hosts, scalability has emerged as an additional design objective. It has however been an elusive goal for two reasons: contention on common data structures such as the translation cache is difficult to avoid without hurting performance, and instruction set architecture (ISA) disparities between guest and host (such as mismatches in the memory consistency model and the semantics of atomic operations) can compromise correctness. In this paper we address these challenges in a simple and memory-efficient way, demonstrating a multi-threaded DBT-based emulator that scales in an architecture-independent manner. Furthermore, we explore the trade-offs that exist when emulating atomic operations across ISAs, and present a novel approach for correct and scalable emulation of load-locked/store-conditional instructions based on hardware transactional memory (HTM). By adding around 1000 lines of code to QEMU, we demonstrate the scalability of both user-mode and full-system emulation on a 64-core x86_64 host running x86_64 guest code, and a 12-core, 96-thread POWER8 host running x86_64 and Aarch64 guest code.
Welfare of ducks in European duck husbandry systems

European duck meat production is based on the use of Pekin, Muscovy and Mule duck genotypes that vary in their behavioural and physiological characteristics. Furthermore, large differences exist in their housing and management conditions. The aim of this review is to discuss the welfare of these different genotypes in typical husbandry systems, focusing on ducks kept for meat production. Firstly, factors that can affect duck welfare, such as stocking density and group size, access to straw, an outdoor run, or open water, are described. Secondly, welfare problems such as feather pecking, fear and stress, and health problems are assessed. Thirdly, the various systems used in Europe are described for these aspects. Giving ducks access to straw, an outdoor run, or open water increases the behavioural opportunities of the ducks (foraging, preening, bathing, and swimming), but can also lead to poor hygiene and increased health- and food safety risks. Therefore, practical solutions that allow expression of natural behaviour, but do not lead to hygiene or health problems have to be found and some practical suggestions are provided.