Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic CT myocardial perfusion measurements of resting and hyperaemic blood flow in low-risk subjects with 128-slice dual-source CT.

AIMS The aim of the study was to measure rest and stress myocardial blood flow (MBF) values prospectively in a low-risk population with 128-slice dual-source computed tomography (CT) and to compare MBF/coronary flow reserve (CFR) values to that of a second population with a documented coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS AND RESULTS This study evaluates resting and hyperaemic MBF in 35 low-risk individuals identified by the modified Framingham Risk score and a calcium score of <100. The patients were scanned using 80 kV and quantitative blood flow values were generated using complete time-attenuation curves. Global resting and hyperaemic MBF was 74.08 ± 16.30 and 135.24 ± 28.89 mL/100 g/min, respectively, with CFR of 1.86 ± 0.38. Resting MBF was 76.98 ± 25.68, 66.98 ± 19.66, 81.34 ± 21.40, and 63.35 ± 16.35 mL/100 g/min in anterior, septal, lateral, and inferior walls, respectively, and corresponding hyperaemic MBF was 133.25 ± 29.80, 123.47 ± 31.03, 148.60 ± 32.69, and 124.21 ± 31.54 mL/100 g/min, respectively. In the population with CAD, global resting and hyperaemic MBF were 82.29 ± 16.87 and 81.98 ± 18.54 mL/100 g/min and 107.95 ± 25.25 and 106.93 ± 32.91 mL/100 g/min in the group with ischaemia only and infarction only, respectively, with corresponding CFR of 1.33 ± 0.27 and 1.33 ± 0.46, respectively (statistically different from the low-risk population). Radiation dose for CT myocardial perfusion imaging (CTMPI) was 6.72 ± 2.71 and 6.19 ± 2.19 mSv for stress and rest scans, respectively. This was 30% lower than a radiation dose in the scanning historical cohort at 100 kV. There was no significant difference in the signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio between low-risk cohort and historical cohort scanned at 80 and 100 kV, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Baseline, hyperaemic MBF and CFR values in a low-risk cohort can be evaluated with dynamic myocardial perfusion imaging using 80 kV.
HDO of Methyl Palmitate over Silica-Supported Ni Phosphides: Insight into Ni/P Effect

Two sets of silica-supported nickel phosphide catalysts with a nickel content of about 2.5 and 10 wt % and Ni/P molar ratio 2/1, 1/1 and 1/2 in each set, were prepared by way of a temperature-programmed reduction method using (Ni(CH3COO)2) and ((NH4)2HPO4) as a precursor. The NixPy/SiO2 catalysts were characterized using chemical analysis N2 physisorption, XRD, TEM, 31P MAS NMR. Methyl palmitate hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) was performed in a trickle-bed reactor at 3 MPa and 290 °C with LHSV ranging from 0.3 to 16 h−1. The Ni/P ratio was found to affect the nickel phosphide phase composition, POx groups content and catalytic properties in methyl palmitate HDO with the TOF increased along with a decline of Ni/P ratio and a growth of POx groups’ content. Taking into account the possible routes of methyl palmitate conversion (metal-catalyzed hydrogenolysis or acid-catalyzed hydrolysis), we proposed that the enhancement of acid POx groups’ content with the Ni/P ratio decrease provides an enhancement of the rate of methyl palmitate conversion through the acceleration of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis.
Privacy, Security and Trust in P2P environments: A Perspective

The peer-to-peer (P2P) paradigm of computing has been growing dramatically in popularity over the last decade. Consequently, large amounts of data are being shared among P2P users on a global-scale. Given the inherently untrustworthy nature of P2P networks, this paper provides a perspective concerning trust, privacy and security issues in P2P networks. Additionally, we discuss the applicability of the P2P paradigm to new application domains, the aim being to ensure that the power of the P2P paradigm goes well beyond P2Pfile-sharing interactions
Early stridor onset and stridor treatment predict survival in 136 patients with MSA

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of stridor and its latency of onset and to investigate the role of stridor treatment in a cohort of patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) referred to a tertiary center. Methods: We retrospectively identified patients diagnosed with MSA referred to our department beginning in 1991 and evaluated at least yearly during the disease course. Stridor was defined as present when confirmed by a whole night video-polysomnography and as early if presenting within 3 years of disease onset. Survival data, from disease onset to time of death, were calculated with Kaplan-Meier curves. Predictors were identified in univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses. Results: We included 136 patients with MSA; 113 were deceased at the time of study. Stridor was diagnosed in 42 patients, and 22 presented early stridor onset. Twelve of the 31 patients treated for stridor received tracheostomy, and 19 received continuous positive airway pressure. Overall survival did not differ between patients with and without stridor, while patients with early stridor onset had a worse prognosis than those developing this symptom later. In the stridor subgroup, early stridor onset was an unfavorable survival predictor. Stridor treatment was significantly associated with survival in our population. The Kaplan-Meier curve did not reveal significant differences in survival between the 2 treatments even though there was a trend toward longer disease duration in patients receiving tracheostomy. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that early stridor onset is an independent predictor for shorter survival and that tracheostomy could control stridor, influencing disease duration.
Hemispheric asymmetries in cortical and subcortical anatomy

Previous research studies have reported many hemispherical asymmetries in cortical and subcortical anatomy, but only a subset of findings is consistent across studies. Here, we used improved Freesurfer-based automated methods to analyse the properties of the cortex and seven subcortical structures in 138 young adult subjects. Male and female subjects showed similar hemispheric asymmetries in gyral and sulcal structures, with many areas associated with language processing enlarged in the left hemisphere (LH) and a number of areas associated with visuospatial processing enlarged in the right hemisphere (RH). In addition, we found greater (non-directional) cortical asymmetries in subjects with larger brains. Asymmetries in subcortical structures included larger LH volumes of thalamus, putamen and globus pallidus and larger RH volumes of the cerebellum and the amygdala. We also found significant correlations between the subcortical structural volumes, particularly of the thalamus and cerebellum, with cortical area. These results help to resolve some of the inconsistencies in previous studies of hemispheric asymmetries in brain anatomy.
Fracture propagation in brittle granular matter

It is nearly a century since Alan Arnold Griffith developed his energy criterion for the fracture propagation of cracks in ‘near-continuous’ solids. Needless to say that his celebrated work has revolutionized the world of material science. In a very succinct way, Griffith connected between three important aspects of the fracture process: (i) the material, (ii) the stress level, and (iii) the geometry of the crack. Nothing similar was developed for brittle granular matter, although in these materials fracture propagates in the sense of comminution. Recently, I have developed an energy theory, called breakage mechanics, based on the concept of breakage. However, the analogy between the mechanics of breakage and fracture is missing. Here I establish this relation using energy principles and derive a critical comminution pressure for brittle granular materials. This critical pressure is surprisingly complementary to Griffith's critical tensile stress for near-continuous materials. This step enables for the first time to apply the principles of fracture mechanics to all disciplines dealing with confined particles comminution such as geophysics, geology, geotechnical engineering, mineral processing, agriculture and food industry, pharmaceutics and powder technology.
Self-Selection and the Efficiency of Tournaments

When exogenously imposed, rank-order tournaments have incentive properties but their overall efficiency is reduced by a high variance in performance (Bull, Schotter, and Weigelt 1987). However, since the efficiency of performance-related pay is attributable both to its incentive effect and to its selection effect among employees (Lazear, 2000), it is important to investigate the ex ante sorting effect of tournaments. This paper reports results from an experiment analyzing whether allowing subjects to self-select into different payment schemes helps in reducing the variability of performance in tournaments. We show that when the subjects choose to enter a tournament, the average effort is higher and the between-subject variance is substantially lower than when the same payment scheme is imposed. Sorting is efficiency-enhancing since it increases the homogeneity of the contestants. We suggest that the flexibility of the labor market is an important condition for a higher efficiency of relative performance pay.
Prediction of Screw Length Required for Polymer Melting and Melting Characteristics

Abstract The previous study on the dynamic processing characteristics of co-rotating twin-screw extruder based on a visible technique (which employed a “transparent” extruder) performed by the authors Wong et al. [1 and 2] had enabled a quantitative treatment to be carried out in the present paper on the melting behaviour of polymer during an extrusion process. The qualitative analysis performed previously [1] had led to the development of a melting model which was capable of revealing some of the fundamental melting behaviour. The model also enabled the determination of the length of screw required for completing melting (Zr). Melting characteristics in terms of effects of solid feeding rate, temperature, screw speed and channel depth on the predicted Zr were discussed to further our understanding on melting performance of polymer melt in intermeshing corotating twin-screw extruder.
Spatial organization of RYRs and BK channels underlying the activation of STOCs by Ca2+ sparks in airway myocytes

Short-lived, localized Ca2+ events mediate Ca2+ signaling with high efficiency and great fidelity largely as a result of the close proximity between Ca2+-permeable ion channels and their molecular targets. However, in most cases, direct evidence of the spatial relationship between these two types of molecules is lacking, and, thus, mechanistic understanding of local Ca2+ signaling is incomplete. In this study, we use an integrated approach to tackling this issue on a prototypical local Ca2+ signaling system composed of Ca2+ sparks resulting from the opening of ryanodine receptors (RYRs) and spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs) caused by the opening of Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels in airway smooth muscle. Biophysical analyses of STOCs and Ca2+ sparks acquired at 333 Hz demonstrate that these two events are associated closely in time, and approximately eight RYRs open to give rise to a Ca2+ spark, which activates ∼15 BK channels to generate a STOC at 0 mV. Dual immunocytochemistry and 3-D deconvolution at high spatial resolution reveal that both RYRs and BK channels form clusters and RYR1 and RYR2 (but not RYR3) localize near the membrane. Using the spatial relationship between RYRs and BK channels, the spatial-temporal profile of [Ca2+] resulting from Ca2+ sparks, and the kinetic model of BK channels, we estimate that an average Ca2+ spark caused by the opening of a cluster of RYR1 or RYR2 acts on BK channels from two to three clusters that are randomly distributed within an ∼600-nm radius of RYRs. With this spatial organization of RYRs and BK channels, we are able to model BK channel currents with the same salient features as those observed in STOCs across a range of physiological membrane potentials. Thus, this study provides a mechanistic understanding of the activation of STOCs by Ca2+ sparks using explicit knowledge of the spatial relationship between RYRs (the Ca2+ source) and BK channels (the Ca2+ target).
A neural network-based estimate of the seasonal to inter-annual variability of the Atlantic Ocean carbon sink

The Atlantic Ocean is one of the most important sinks for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), but this sink has been shown to vary substantially in time. Here we use surface ocean CO 2 observations to estimate this sink and the temporal variability from 1998 through 2007 in the Atlantic Ocean. We benefit from (i) a continuous improvement of the observations, i.e. the Surface Ocean CO 2 Atlas (SOCAT) v1.5 database and (ii) a newly developed technique to interpolate the observations in space and time. In particular, we use a two-step neural network approach to reconstruct basin-wide monthly maps of the sea surface partial pressure of CO 2 ( p CO 2 ) at a resolution of 1° × 1°. From those, we compute the air–sea CO 2 flux maps using a standard gas exchange parameterization and high-resolution wind speeds. The neural networks fit the observed p CO 2 data with a root mean square error (RMSE) of about 10 μatm and with almost no bias. A check against independent time-series data and new data from SOCAT v2 reveals a larger RMSE of 22.8 μatm for the entire Atlantic Ocean, which decreases to 16.3 μatm for data south of 40° N. We estimate a decadal mean uptake flux of −0.45 ± 0.15 Pg C yr −1 for the Atlantic between 44° S and 79° N, representing the sum of a strong uptake north of 18° N (−0.39 ± 0.10 Pg C yr −1 ), outgassing in the tropics (18° S–18° N, 0.11 ± 0.07 Pg C yr −1 ), and uptake in the subtropical/temperate South Atlantic south of 18° S (−0.16 ± 0.06 Pg C yr −1 ), consistent with recent studies. The strongest seasonal variability of the CO 2 flux occurs in the temperature-driven subtropical North Atlantic, with uptake in winter and outgassing in summer. The seasonal cycle is antiphased in the subpolar latitudes relative to the subtropics largely as a result of the biologically driven winter-to-summer drawdown of CO 2 . Over the 10 yr analysis period (1998 through 2007), sea surface p CO 2 increased faster than that of the atmosphere in large areas poleward of 40° N, while in other regions of the North Atlantic the sea surface p CO 2 increased at a slower rate, resulting in a barely changing Atlantic carbon sink north of the Equator (−0.01 ± 0.02 Pg C yr −1 decade −1 ). Surface ocean p CO 2 increased at a slower rate relative to atmospheric CO 2 over most of the Atlantic south of the Equator, leading to a substantial trend toward a stronger CO 2 sink for the entire South Atlantic (−0.14 ± 0.02 Pg C yr −1 decade −1 ). In contrast to the 10 yr trends, the Atlantic Ocean carbon sink varies relatively little on inter-annual timescales (±0.04 Pg C yr −1 ; 1 σ).
Friction and Lubrication of Synthetic Fibers

Methods and instrumentation are desnibed for determining the frictional properties of continuous filament textile yarns over a wide speed range and for the measurement of antistatic properties. The effect of guide and fiber surface roughness and speed on friction are presented. A discussion of the stick-slip phenomenon is included. It is concluded that in analogy with metal lubrication distinct differences in the frictional behavior of synthetic fibers exist under boundary, semi boundary, and hydrodynamic conditions. The data support the contention that intermittent contacts between fiber and substrate exist in the houndary region, whereas a continuous fluid film separates fiber from substrate in the hydrodynamic region.
Epoxides of lanosterol and some related compounds.

A convenient method for the separation of the two isomers of 24ξ,25-epoxy-5α-lanost-8-en-3β-yl acetate is described. The absolute configuration of these compounds is established by their conversion into the corresponding 5α-lanost-8-ene-3β,24ξ-diol 3-acetates, and thence by Horeau's method (treatment with α-phenylbutyric anhydride), and by the method of molecular rotation differences. A number of related compounds have also been prepared and their absolute configurations determined by correlation with the above compounds.
Plasma Membrane Profiling Reveals Upregulation of ABCA1 by Infected Macrophages Leading to Restriction of Mycobacterial Growth

The plasma membrane represents a critical interface between the internal and extracellular environments, and harbors multiple proteins key receptors and transporters that play important roles in restriction of intracellular infection. We applied plasma membrane profiling, a technique that combines quantitative mass spectrometry with selective cell surface aminooxy-biotinylation, to Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG)-infected THP-1 macrophages. We quantified 559 PM proteins in BCG-infected THP-1 cells. One significantly upregulated cell-surface protein was the cholesterol transporter ABCA1. We showed that ABCA1 was upregulated on the macrophage cell-surface following infection with pathogenic mycobacteria and knockdown of ABCA1 resulted in increased mycobacterial survival within macrophages, suggesting that it may be a novel mycobacterial host-restriction factor.
Biochemical Characterization of the Naturally Occurring Oxacillinase OXA-50 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT The blaOXA-50 gene (formerly known as the PA5514 gene) is an oxacillinase gene identified in silico in the genome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. By using a mutant strain of P. aeruginosa PAO1 that had an inactivated blaAmpC cephalosporinase gene, the blaOXA-50 gene was shown to be expressed constitutively in P. aeruginosa. This β-lactamase gene was cloned onto a multicopy plasmid and expressed in P. aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. It conferred decreased susceptibility to ampicillin and ticarcillin and, interestingly, to moxalactam and meropenem in P. aeruginosa but not in E. coli. Overexpression and purification enabled us to determine the molecular mass (25 kDa), the pI value (8.6), and the hydrolysis spectrum of the OXA-50 β-lactamase. It is a narrow-spectrum oxacillinase that uncommonly hydrolyzes imipenem, although at a low level. Very similar oxacillinase genes were identified in all P. aeruginosa isolates from various geographical origins tested. The weak variability of the nucleotide sequence of this gene (0 to 2%) corresponded to that found for the naturally occurring blaAmpC cephalosporinase gene of P. aeruginosa. The study indicated that P. aeruginosa harbors two naturally encoded β-lactamase genes, one of which encodes an inducible cephalosporinase and the other of which encodes a constitutively expressed oxacillinase.
Biochemical analysis of human PIF1 helicase and functions of its N-terminal domain

The evolutionary conserved PIF1 DNA helicase family appears to have largely nonoverlapping cellular functions. To better understand the functions of human PIF1, we investigated biochemical properties of this protein. Analysis of single-stranded (ss) DNA-dependent ATPase activity revealed nonstructural ssDNA to greatly stimulate ATPase activity due to a high affinity for PIF1, even though PIF1 preferentially unwinds forked substrates. This suggests that PIF1 needs a ssDNA region for loading and a forked structure for translocation entrance into a double strand region. Deletion analysis demonstrated novel functions of a unique N-terminal portion, named the PIF1 N-terminal (PINT) domain. When the PINT domain was truncated, apparent affinity for ssDNA and unwinding activity were much reduced, even though the maximum velocity of ATPase activity and Km value for ATP were not affected. We suggest that the PINT domain contributes to enhancing the interaction with ssDNA through intrinsic binding activity. In addition, we found DNA strand-annealing activity, also residing in the PINT domain. Notably, the unwinding and annealing activities were inhibited by replication protein A. These results suggest that the functions of PIF1 might be restricted with particular situations and DNA structures.
Atherogenic dyslipidaemia but not total- and high-molecular weight adiponectin are associated with the prognostic outcome in patients with coronary heart disease.

AIMS Adiponectin is closely related to atherogenic dyslipidaemia and may be a clinical important mediator of recurrent coronary heart disease (CHD). However, studies with emphasis on secondary disease prevention are rare. We report data from a prospective study investigating the prognostic value of adiponectin, its high-molecular weight (HMW) form, and of markers of lipid metabolism in patients after their first acute CHD event. METHODS AND RESULTS We measured baseline total- and HMW-adiponectin in 1051 patients aged 30-70 years with incident CHD and a prospective follow-up was conducted [median: 56.6 months (interquartile range: 53.2; 57.5)]. During this period, 95 patients (incidence: 22.3/1000 patient years) experienced a secondary cardiovascular disease (CVD) event. After adjustment by Cox proportional hazard models, neither total- nor HMW-adiponectin was associated with secondary CVD events. In contrast, LDL-cholesterol and markers of atherogenic dyslipidaemia were independently associated with secondary CVD events (relative risk per unit increase: LDL-cholesterol: 1.54; 95%CI 1.18-2.01; P = 0.001, triglycerides: 1.58; 95%CI 1.31-1.90; P < 0.0001 and HDL-cholesterol: 0.34; 95%CI 0.14-0.79; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION Measurement of total- and HMW-adiponectin may add no significant value to risk stratifications in patients with incident CHD. In contrast, approaching atherogenic dyslipidaemia may represent a promising target in secondary prevention programs for high-risk patients.
Energy efficiency in waste-to-energy and its relevance with regard to climate control

This article focuses on systematically highlighting the ways to optimize waste-to-energy plants in terms of their energy efficiency as an indicator of the positive effect with regard to climate control. Potentials for increasing energy efficiency are identified and grouped into categories. The measures mentioned are illustrated by real-world examples. As an example, district cooling as a means for increasing energy efficiency in the district heating network of Vienna is described. Furthermore a scenario analysis shows the relevance of energy efficiency in waste management scenarios based on thermal treatment of waste with regard to climate control. The description is based on a model that comprises all relevant processes from the collection and transportation up to the thermal treatment of waste. The model has been applied for household-like commercial waste. The alternatives compared are a combined heat and power incinerator, which is being introduced in many places as an industrial utility boiler or in metropolitan areas where there is a demand for district heating and a classical municipal solid waste incinerator producing solely electrical power. For comparative purposes a direct landfilling scenario has been included in the scenario analysis. It is shown that the energy efficiency of thermal treatment facilities is crucial to the quantity of greenhouse gases emitted.
Linear m -Consecutive- k , l -Out-of- n : F System

We propose a new model which generalizes the linear m-consecutive-k-out-of-n:F system to the case of the m-consecutive-k-out-of-n:F system with l-overlapping runs. The new system is called the m-consecutive-k, l-out-of-n:F system, and consists of linearly ordered components such that the system fails iff there are at least m l-overlapping runs of k consecutive failed components. The number of path sets including a specified number of working components is obtained via a combinatorial method, and this quantity is used to obtain the reliability and the signature of the system.