Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Real-Time Hand-Held Ultrasound Medical-Imaging Device Based on a New Digital Quadrature Demodulation Processor

A fully hardware-based real-time digital wideband quadrature demodulation processor based on the Hilbert transform is proposed to process ultrasound radio frequency signals. The presented architecture combines 2 finite impulse response (FIR) filters to process in-phase and quadrature signals and includes a piecewise linear approximation architecture that performs the required square root operations. The proposed implementation enables flexibility to support different transducers with its ability to load on-the-fly different FIR filter coefficient sets. The complexity and accuracy of the demodulator processor are analyzed with simulated RF data; a normalized residual sum-of-squares cost function is used for comparison with the Matlab Hilbert function. Three implementations are integrated into a hand-held ultrasound system for experimental accuracy and performance evaluation. Real-time images were acquired from a reference phantom, demonstrating the feasibility of using the presented architecture to perform real-time digital quadrature demodulation of ultrasonic signal echoes. Experimental results show that the implementation, using only 2942 slices and 3 dedicated digital multipliers of a low-cost and low-power field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is accurate relative to a comparable software- based system; axial and lateral resolution of 1 mm and 2 mm, respectively, were obtained with a 12-mm piezoelectric transducer without postprocessing. Because the processing and sampling rates are the same, high-frequency ultrasound signals can be processed as well. For a 15-frame-per-second display, the hand-held ultrasonic imaging-processing core (FPGA, memory) requires only 45 mW (dynamic) when using a 5-MHz single-element piezoelectric transducer.
Specific negative effects resulting from elevated levels of the recombinational repair protein Rad54p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

RAD54 is an important gene in the RAD52 group that controls recombinational repair of DNA damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Rad54p is a DNA‐dependent ATPase and shares seven conserved sequence motifs with proteins of the Swi2p/Snf2p family. Genetic analysis of mutations in motif IA, the putative ATP‐binding fold of Rad54p, demonstrated the functional importance of this motif. Overexpression of these mutant proteins resulted in strong, dominant‐negative effects on cell survival. High levels of full‐length wild‐type Rad54p or specific parts of Rad54p also resulted in negative effects, dependent on the ploidy of the host cell. This differential effect was not under a/α mating‐type control. Deletion of the RAD54 gene led to a small but significant increase in the mutation rate. However, the negative overexpression effects in haploid cells could not be explained by an accumulation of (recessive) lethal mutations. All negative overexpression effects were found to be enhanced under genotoxic stress. We suggest that the negative overexpression effects are the result of unbalanced protein–protein interactions, indicating that Rad54p is involved in multiple interactions, dependent on the physiological situation. Diploid wild‐type cells contained an estimated 7000 Rad54p molecules/cell, whereas haploid cells about 3500/cell. Rad54p levels were highest in actively growing cells compared to stationary phase cells. Rad54 protein levels were found to be elevated after DNA damage. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prognostic Value of Reading-to-Reading Blood Pressure Variability Over 24 Hours in 8938 Subjects From 11 Populations

In previous studies, of which several were underpowered, the relation between cardiovascular outcome and blood pressure (BP) variability was inconsistent. We followed health outcomes in 8938 subjects (mean age: 53.0 years; 46.8% women) randomly recruited from 11 populations. At baseline, we assessed BP variability from the SD and average real variability in 24-hour ambulatory BP recordings. We computed standardized hazard ratios (HRs) while stratifying by cohort and adjusting for 24-hour BP and other risk factors. Over 11.3 years (median), 1242 deaths (487 cardiovascular) occurred, and 1049, 577, 421, and 457 participants experienced a fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular, cardiac, or coronary event or a stroke. Higher diastolic average real variability in 24-hour ambulatory BP recordings predicted (P≤0.03) total (HR: 1.14) and cardiovascular (HR: 1.21) mortality and all types of fatal combined with nonfatal end points (HR: ≥1.07) with the exception of cardiac and coronary events (HR: ≤1.02; P≥0.58). Higher systolic average real variability in 24-hour ambulatory BP recordings predicted (P<0.05) total (HR: 1.11) and cardiovascular (HR: 1.16) mortality and all fatal combined with nonfatal end points (HR: ≥1.07), with the exception of cardiac and coronary events (HR: ≤1.03; P≥0.54). SD predicted only total and cardiovascular mortality. While accounting for the 24-hour BP level, average real variability in 24-hour ambulatory BP recordings added <1% to the prediction of a cardiovascular event. Sensitivity analyses considering ethnicity, sex, age, previous cardiovascular disease, antihypertensive treatment, number of BP readings per recording, or the night:day BP ratio were confirmatory. In conclusion, in a large population cohort, which provided sufficient statistical power, BP variability assessed from 24-hour ambulatory recordings did not contribute much to risk stratification over and beyond 24-hour BP.
Habitual dietary intake is associated with stool microbiota composition in monozygotic twins.

The impact of diet on the gut microbiota has usually been assessed by subjecting people to the same controlled diet and thereafter following the shifts in the microbiota. In the present study, we used habitual dietary intake, clinical data, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to characterize the stool microbiota of Finnish monozygotic twins. The effect of diet on the numbers of bacteria was described through a hierarchical linear mixed model that included the twin individuals, stratified by body mass index, and their families as random effects. The abundance and diversity of the bacterial groups studied did not differ between normal-weight, overweight, and obese individuals with the techniques used. Intakes of energy, monounsaturated fatty acids, n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), n6 PUFAs, and soluble fiber had significant associations with the stool bacterial numbers (e.g., increased energy intake was associated with reduced numbers of Bacteroides spp.). In addition, co-twins with identical energy intake had more similar numbers and DGGE-profile diversities of Bacteroides spp. than did the co-twins with different intake. Moreover, the co-twins who ingested the same amounts of saturated fatty acids had very similar DGGE profiles of Bacteroides spp. , whereas the co-twins with similar consumption of fiber had a very low bifidobacterial DGGE-profile similarity. In conclusion, our findings confirm that the diet plays an important role in the modulation of the stool microbiota, in particular Bacteroides spp. and bifidobacteria.
Discrete geometric analysis of message passing algorithm on graphs

We often encounter probability distributions given as unnormalized products of non-negative functions. The factorization structures are represented by hypergraphs called factor graphs. Such distributions appear in various fields, including statistics, artificial intelligence, statistical physics, error correcting codes, etc. Given such a distribution, computations of marginal distributions and the normalization constant are often required. However, they are computationally intractable because of their computational costs. One successful approximation method is Loopy Belief Propagation (LBP) algorithm. The focus of this thesis is an analysis of the LBP algorithm. If the factor graph is a tree, i.e. having no cycle, the algorithm gives the exact quantities. If the factor graph has cycles, however, the LBP algorithm does not give exact results and possibly exhibits oscillatory and non-convergent behaviors. The thematic question of this thesis is "How the behaviors of the LBP algorithm are affected by the discrete geometry of the factor graph? " The primary contribution of this thesis is the discovery of a formula that establishes the relation between the LBP, the Bethe free energy and the graph zeta function. This formula provides new techniques for analysis of the LBP algorithm, connecting properties of the graph and of the LBP and the Bethe free energy. We demonstrate applications of the techniques to several problems including (non) convexity of the Bethe free energy, the uniqueness and stability of the LBP fixed point. We also discuss the loop series initiated by Chertkov and Chernyak. The loop series is a subgraph expansion of the normalization constant, or partition function, and reflects the graph geometry. We investigate theoretical natures of the series. Moreover, we show a partial connection between the loop series and the graph zeta function.
Depression, Healthcare Utilization, and Death in Heart Failure: A Community Study

Background—The increasing prevalence of heart failure (HF) and high associated costs have spurred investigation of factors leading to adverse outcomes in patients with HF. Studies to date report inconsistent evidence on the link between depression and outcomes with only limited data on emergency department and outpatient visits. Methods and Results—Olmsted, Dodge, and Fillmore county, Minnesota residents with HF were prospectively recruited between October 2007 and December 2010 and completed a 1-time 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depression categorized as: none to minimal (Patient Health Questionnaire score, 0–4), mild (5–9), or moderate to severe (≥10). Andersen-Gill models were used to determine whether depression predicted hospitalizations and emergency department visits, whereas negative binomial regression models explored the association of depression with outpatient visits. Cox proportional hazards regression characterized the relationship between depression and all-cause mortality. Among 402 patients with HF (mean age, 73±13 years; 58% men), 15% had moderate to severe depression, 26% mild, and 59% none to minimal depression. During a mean follow-up of 1.6 years, 781 hospitalizations, 1000 emergency department visits, 15 515 outpatient visits, and 74 deaths occurred. After adjustment, moderate to severe depression was associated with nearly a 2-fold increased risk of hospitalization (hazard ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.30–2.47) and emergency department visits (hazard ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.34–2.50), a modest increase in outpatient visits (rate ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–1.45), and a 4-fold increase in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 4.06; 95% confidence interval, 2.35–7.01). Conclusions—In this prospective cohort study, depression independently predicted an increase in the use of healthcare resources and mortality. Greater recognition and management of depression in HF may optimize clinical outcomes and resource utilization.
Probabilistic Evaluation of Blade Impact Damage

The response to high velocity impact of a composite blade is probabilistically evaluated. The evaluation is focused on quantifying probabilistically the effects of uncertainties (scatter) in the variables that describe the impact, the blade make-up (geometry and material), the blade response (displacements, strains, stresses, frequencies), the blade residual strength after impact, and the blade damage tolerance. The results of probabilistic evaluations results are in terms of probability cumulative distribution functions and probabilistic sensitivities. Results show that the blade has relatively low damage tolerance at 0.999 probability of structural failure and substantial at 0.01 probability.
The WHO-DAS II: Psychometric Properties in the Measurement of Functional Health Status in Adults With Acquired Hearing Loss

The World Health Organization's (WHO) Disability Assessment Scale II (WHO-DAS II) is a generic health-status instrument firmly grounded in the WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (WHO-ICF). As such, it assesses functioning for six domains: communication, mobility, self-care, interpersonal, life activities, and participation. Domain scores aggregate to a total score. Because the WHO-DAS II contains questions relevant to hearing and communication, it has good face validity for use as an outcome measure for audiologic intervention. The purpose of the present study was to determine the psychometric properties of the WHO-DAS II on a sample of individuals with adult-onset hearing loss, including convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest stability. Convergent validity was established by examining correlations between the WHO-DAS II (domain and total scores) and the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) and the Hearing Aid Handicap for the Elderly (HHIE), two disease-specific measures, as well as with the Short Form-36 for veterans (SF-36V), a second generic measure. Data on all four measures were collected from 380 older individuals with adult-onset hearing loss who were not hearing aid users. The results of the convergent validity analysis revealed that the WHO-DAS II communication domain score was moderately and significantly correlated with scores on the APHAB and the HHIE. WHO-DAS II interpersonal and participation domain scores and the total scores were also moderately and significantly correlated with HHIE scores. These findings support the validity of using the WHO-DAS II for assessing activity limitations and participation restrictions of adult-onset hearing loss. Several WHO-DAS II domain scores and the total score were also significantly and moderately-markedly correlated with scores from the SF-36V. These findings support the validity of the WHO-DAS II as a generic health-status instrument. Internal consistency reliability for all the domain scores was adequate for all but the interpersonal domain. Test-retest stability for all the domain scores was adequate. Critical difference values were calculated for use in clinical application of the WHO-DAS II. From these findings, we concluded that the WHO-DAS II communication, participation, and total scores can be used to examine the effects of adult-onset hearing loss on functional health status. Further work examining the utility of the WHO-DAS II as an outcome measure for hearing aid intervention is warranted.
Expression of mu-, delta-, and kappa-opioid receptor-like immunoreactivities in rat dorsal root ganglia after carrageenan-induced inflammation

Recently, antisera that recognize unique epitopes of the cloned mu-, delta-, and kappa-opioid, receptors (MOR, DOR, KOR, respectively) have been developed. In the present study MOR-, DOR-, and KOR-like immunoreactivities (LIs) were examined in rat dorsal root ganglia (DRGs, L4-5) after injection of carrageenan (CAR) into the hindpaw. In normal control rats 20.9%, 13.5%, and 9% of the DRG neurons contained MOR-, DOR-, KOR-LI, respectively. A marked upregulation in MOR-LI was observed in DRG neurons 1 and 3 d after inflammation. In contrast, CAR induced a distinct downregulation in DOR- and KOR-LIs. MOR-, DOR-, and KOR-LIs were preferentially localized in small DRG neurons. MOR-LI was often located in patches in the cytoplasm, and in some cells close to the somatic plasmalemma. However, DOR- and KOR-LIs mainly showed a diffuse staining pattern within cytoplasm. Two or even all three receptors could sometimes be found to coexist in DRG neurons. In the spinal cord, these receptors were mainly confined to the superficial dorsal horn, with a somewhat diffuse staining which was strong for MOR- LI, and weak for KOR-LI. DOR-LI had distinctly punctate, varicose distribution. CAG induced-alterations in opioid receptor staining in spinal cord were much less pronounced than those in the DRGs with a small increase in MOR-LI and a slight decrease in DOR-LI ipsilaterally. There was an accumulation of all three types of receptors in the sciatic nerve both proximal and distal to the ligation site as early as 2 hr, indicating both antero- and retrograde transport of multiple opioid receptors. However, DOR-LI accumulation was stronger than that of MOR- and KOR-LIs. Taken together, these results suggest that all three opioid receptors are involved in the response to inflammation and that they may play different roles in this pathological state. The coexistence of MOR, DOR, and KOR in at least some primary sensory neurons provides a substrate for functional interactions between these receptors.
The association between the 844ins68 polymorphism in the CBS gene and breast cancer

Introduction The cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) gene plays an important role in homocysteine metabolism because it catalyzes the first step of the transsulfuration pathway, during which homocysteine is converted to cystathionine. Polymorphisms of CBS have been associated with cancer. Material and methods We examined the role of the 844ins68 polymorphism by comparing the genotypes of 371 healthy Mexican women with the genotypes of 323 Mexican women with breast cancer (BC). Results The observed genotype frequencies for controls and BC patients were 1% and 2% for Ins/Ins, 13% and 26% for W/Ins, and 86% and 72% for W/W, respectively. We found that the odds ratio (OR) was 2.2, with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 1.5–3.3, p = 0.0001. The association was also evident when comparing the distribution of the W/Ins-Ins/Ins genotypes in patients in the following categories: 1) menopause and high γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels (OR of 2.17, 95% CI: 1.17–4.26, p = 0.02), 2) chemotherapy response and high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (OR 2.2, 95% CI: 1.08–4.4, p = 0.027), 3) chemotherapy response and high GGT levels (OR 2.46, 95% CI: 1.2–4.8, p = 0.007), and 4) body mass index (BMI) and III–IV tumor stage (OR 3.2, 95% CI: 1.2–8.3, p = 0.013). Conclusions We conclude that the genotypes W/Ins-Ins/Ins of the 844ins68 polymorphism in the CBS gene contribute significantly to BC susceptibility in the analyzed sample from the Mexican population.
Association Between Food Insecurity And Some Socio-Economic Factors And Functional Dyspepsia In Adult Women

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a gastrointestinal disorder with multi-factorial pathophysiology. Physiological and environmental factors may play a role in its creation. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between food insecurity and some socio-economic factors and functional dyspepsia in adult women. 50 FD patients newly diagnosed (3-6 month) and 50 healthy women in adult aged group (19-60 years) referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran were chosen randomly. Validated food insecurity USDA and a general questionnaire were used. Chi-square test, t-test and simple and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used as statistical tests. The significance level of <0.05 was acceptable.The severity of food insecurity and a recent history of depression-anxiety were in direct statistical correlation with FD (P <0.05); and education level, occupation status and level of physical activity were inversely related with FD (P <0.05). 40.8% of FD patients had a family history of dyspepsia. Considering all the variables in the logistic regression model,only the occupation status, physical activity and recent history of depression-anxiety were associated with FD and the relation between food insecurity and functional dyspepsia disappeared. Occupation status, physical activity and recent history of depression-anxiety as confounding factors in relationship between food insecurity and functional dyspepsia, had the most relevancy with FD.
Sarcolemmal and Sarcoplasmic Reticular ATPase Activities in the Falling Canine Heart

The specific activity of both the sarcoleminal Na+-K+-activated and the sarcoplasmic reticular ATPase systems was studied in dogs with right ventricular hypertrophy and congestive heart failure induced by progressive pulmonary artery stenosis. In these enzyme preparations, mitochondrial or cross contamination of either of the cellular fractions studied did not appear to be a factor. In the sarcoplasmic reticular fraction, ouabain was without effect and succinic dehydrogenase assay showed less that 10% of the activity observed in pure mitochondrial preparations. In the sarcolemmal fraction, sodium azide did not significantly inhibit the ATPase activity, but ouabain inhibited 91% of it. The activity of the sarcolemmal ATPase system of the faihng heart did not differ from that of the control; however, the activity of failing heart sarcolemmal preparations was found to be only 61% inhibited by 10−4M ouabain, and the activity of control preparations was 91% inhibited. The sarcoplasinic reticular ATPase activity from right ventricles of dogs with congestive heart failure was significantly less (P<0.001) than the respective control activity (average 15.9 compared to 28.1 μmole hr−1 mg−1), whereas the activity from left ventricles of failing hearts did not differ significantly from the respective control value. These findings suggest that a possible explanation for the diminished contractility of the chronically failing heart lies within the subcellular enzymatic ion-regulating systems.
Human and mouse gene structure: comparative analysis and application to exon prediction

We describe a novel analytical approach to gene recognition based on cross-species comparison We first undertook a comparison of orthologous genomic look from human and mouse, studying the extent of similarity in the number, size and sequence of exons and introns We then developed an approach for recognizing genes within such orthologous regions, by first aligning the regions using an iterative global alignment system and then identifying genes based on conservation of exonic features at aligned positions in both species The alignment and gene recognition are performed by new programs called GLASS and ROSETTA, respectively ROSETTA performed well at exact identification of coding exons in 117 orthologous pairs tested.
The Effect of Compressive Loading on the Ultrasonic Detectability of Kissing Bonds in Adhesive Joints

The effect of compressive loading on the ultrasonic detectability of kissing bonds in adhesive joints was studied. Two distinct types of kissing bond were considered. The first type was a dry contacting interface that represented a disbonded adhesive interface subsequently subjected to compressive loading. The second type were manufactured by contaminating the joint with a thin layer of various liquids. The interaction of normal incidence 10-MHz ultrasound with both these kissing bond types has been quantified. In particular the effect of compressive loading on their detectability was investigated. A quasistatic spring model has been used to predict the interaction of ultrasound with the solid-solid interfaces in the dry-contacting kissing bonds. The reasons for the discrepancy between the experiments and the model are discussed.