Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ambulatory cardiac arrhythmias in relation to mild hypokalaemia and prognosis in community dwelling middle-aged and elderly subjects.

AIMS Severe hypokalaemia can aggravate arrhythmia tendency and prognosis, but less is known about risk of mild hypokalaemia, which is a frequent finding. We examined the associations between mild hypokalaemia and ambulatory cardiac arrhythmias and their prognosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Subjects from the cohort of the 'Copenhagen Holter Study' (n = 671), with no history of manifest cardiovascular (CV) disease or stroke, were studied. All had laboratory tests and 48-h ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) recording. The median follow-up was 6.3 years. p-Potassium was inversely associated with frequency of premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) especially in combination with diuretic treatment (r = -0.22, P = 0.015). Hypokalaemia was not associated with supraventricular arrhythmias. Subjects at lowest quintile of p-potassium (mean 3.42, range 2.7-3.6 mmol/L) were defined as hypokalaemic. Cardiovascular mortality was higher in the hypokalaemic group (hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals: 2.62 (1.11-6.18) after relevant adjustments). Hypokalaemia in combination with excessive PVC worsened the prognosis synergistically; event rates: 83 per 1000 patient-year in subjects with both abnormalities, 10 and 15 per 1000 patient-year in those with one abnormality, and 3 per 1000 patient-year in subjects with no abnormality. One variable combining hypokalaemia with excessive supraventricular arrhythmias gave similar results in univariate analysis, but not after multivariate adjustments. CONCLUSION In middle-aged and elderly subjects with no manifest heart disease, mild hypokalaemia is associated with increased rate of ventricular but not supraventricular arrhythmias. Hypokalaemia interacts synergistically with increased ventricular ectopy to increase the risk of adverse events.
Advances in Polymer-based Nanostructured Membranes for Water Treatment

Water pollution has become the most severe dilemma in the entire world. In this review, we have discussed the advancement in preparation and properties, plus background and challenges regarding polymer-based nanocomposite membranes. Nanofiltration thin film composite membranes have been given tremendous attention over last two decades relative to conventional systems in desalination of sea water, waste water from industries and ultra pure water production etc. In recent years, significant research efforts have been devoted towards the development of high-performance membranes through surface modification of polymers and nanoparticles, nanotubes, etc. to achieve appreciable salt rejection, water flux and antifouling properties.
Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits: A Meta-Analysis of Data Submitted to the Food and Drug Administration

Background Meta-analyses of antidepressant medications have reported only modest benefits over placebo treatment, and when unpublished trial data are included, the benefit falls below accepted criteria for clinical significance. Yet, the efficacy of the antidepressants may also depend on the severity of initial depression scores. The purpose of this analysis is to establish the relation of baseline severity and antidepressant efficacy using a relevant dataset of published and unpublished clinical trials. Methods and Findings We obtained data on all clinical trials submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the licensing of the four new-generation antidepressants for which full datasets were available. We then used meta-analytic techniques to assess linear and quadratic effects of initial severity on improvement scores for drug and placebo groups and on drug–placebo difference scores. Drug–placebo differences increased as a function of initial severity, rising from virtually no difference at moderate levels of initial depression to a relatively small difference for patients with very severe depression, reaching conventional criteria for clinical significance only for patients at the upper end of the very severely depressed category. Meta-regression analyses indicated that the relation of baseline severity and improvement was curvilinear in drug groups and showed a strong, negative linear component in placebo groups. Conclusions Drug–placebo differences in antidepressant efficacy increase as a function of baseline severity, but are relatively small even for severely depressed patients. The relationship between initial severity and antidepressant efficacy is attributable to decreased responsiveness to placebo among very severely depressed patients, rather than to increased responsiveness to medication.
Research Note - How Much Should You Invest in Each Customer Relationship? A Competitive Strategic Approach

We analyze firms' decisions to invest in customer relationship management CRM initiatives such as acquisition and retention in a competitive context, a topic largely ignored in past CRM research. We characterize each customer by her intrinsic preference towards each firm, the contribution margin she generates for each firm, and her responsiveness to each firm's retention and acquisition efforts. We show that a firm should invest most heavily in retaining those customers that exhibit moderate responsiveness to its CRM efforts. Further, a firm should most aggressively seek to attract those customers that exhibit moderate responsiveness to their provider's CRM efforts and those that are moderately profitable for their current provider. Investing more in customers that are more responsive does not always lead to higher firm profits, because stronger competition for such customers tends to erode the effects of higher CRM efforts of an individual firm. When firms develop a customer relationship over time to generate higher contribution margin or customer responsiveness, we show that such developments may not always be desirable, because sometimes these future benefits may lead to more intense competition and hence lower profits for both firms.
Patent overlay mapping: Visualizing technological distance

This paper presents a new global patent map that represents all technological categories and a method to locate patent data of individual organizations and technological fields on the global map. This overlay map technique may support competitive intelligence and policy decision making. The global patent map is based on similarities in citing‐to‐cited relationships between categories of the International Patent Classification (IPC) of European Patent Office (EPO) patents from 2000 to 2006. This patent data set, extracted from the PATSTAT database, includes 760,000 patent records in 466 IPC‐based categories. We compare the global patent maps derived from this categorization to related efforts of other global patent maps. The paper overlays the nanotechnology‐related patenting activities of two companies and two different nanotechnology subfields on the global patent map. The exercise shows the potential of patent overlay maps to visualize technological areas and potentially support decision making. Furthermore, this study shows that IPC categories that are similar to one another based on citing‐to‐cited patterns (and thus close in the global patent map) are not necessarily in the same hierarchical IPC branch, thereby revealing new relationships between technologies that are classified as pertaining to different (and sometimes distant) subject areas in the IPC scheme.
Adaptive dynamic sliding mode control for overhead cranes

This paper analyzes the dynamics of overhead cranes suffering from uncertain disturbances, and then proposes a novel adaptive dynamic integral sliding mode control law for the underactuated overhead cranes with uncertainties. This method solve the problem of the tradeoff between the steady-state error and the chattering effect by employing the dynamic sliding mode technique, moreover, the self-tuning laws for the switching controller are developed to eliminate unknown disturbances exerted on the overhead crane systems. None of the prior information about the upper bound of uncertainties is needed in the sliding mode controller design. The global stability of the proposed controller is proven. Simulation study shows the good performance of the suggested method.
Effects of 5-Fluorouracil and 5-Fluorodeoxyuridine on Growth and Tumor-Inducing Ability of Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Beardsley, Robert E. (Manhattan College, Bronx, N.Y.), and Jacques Lipetz Effects of 5-fluorouracil and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine on growth and tumor-inducing ability of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. J. Bacteriol. 92:346–348. 1966. —Agrobacterium tumefaciens B6, grown in the presence of 5-fluorouracil or 5-fluodeoxyuridine, exhibited a prolonged lag phase. The tumor-inducing ability of bacteria grown in the presence of these compounds was decreased even after exposures as short as 40 min. A positive correlation was found between the growth-inhibitory effects of these compounds and their effects on the tumor-inducing ability of the bacteria.
Multiple breath washout: From renaissance to enlightenment?

Much has been made of the “renaissance” of the multiple breath washout (MBW) technique, a test dating as far back as the 1940s for the measurement of lung volumes and ventilation heterogeneity. This rebirth has been made possible with the emergence of new technologies capable of measuring or deducing inert gas concentration with high precision and accuracy as it changes throughout the breathing cycle. The increasing acceptance of the test can also be attributed to its relative ease (i.e., high feasibility) in those age groups where conventional lung function is challenging, such as in infants and young children, and its ability to detect structural lung involvement in important respiratory conditions, such as cystic fibrosis (CF). More recently, similar clinical comparisons between MBW outcomes and lung structure have emerged in younger infants as well as initial reports suggesting beneficial effect of interventions and prognostic information about later lung function achieved with MBW outcomes. A variety of MBW techniques have been developed, which measure inert gas concentration either directly or indirectly. While most MBW research to date has been performed on custom-built, highly specialized equipment (e.g., using a respiratory mass-spectrometer), this is now changing with the availability of commercial devices, which may utilize one of several different gas concentration measurement technique options (e.g., using molar mass analysis). In recognition of this, recent efforts have focused on improving standardization of MBW equipment and procedures for testing and data analysis across laboratories, culminating in the publication of a consensus statement in 2013 for MBW testing in school-aged children and above. A current ATS task force is addressing the issues specific to the preschool age group because of the unique challenges of MBW testing in this age group and the exciting initial data suggesting potential clinical utility as an assessment tool. Thework presented in this journal, byAnagnostopoulou et al., is based on specific commercial infant MBW equipment (Exhalyzer D, Eco Medics AG, Switzerland) and analysis software (WBreath Version 3.28.0.0, ndd Medizintechnik AG, Switzerland). This equipment and analysis approach calculates inert gas concentration indirectly by examining changes in mainstream molar mass. The work focuses on identification of the start point of the washout, conventionally the starting inert gas concentration, or in this case starting molar mass value. This is important because the end point of the MBW is set at 1/40th of this value, and contributes to the calculation of all MBW variables. The authors demonstrated how variation in start point identification, and therefore the step change in molar mass used (between the start and end
Degradation of cellulosic insulation in power transformers. I. Factors affecting the measurement of the average viscometric degree of polymerisation of new and aged electrical papers

The degree of polymerisation (DP) of electrical insulation paper is an invaluable tool for assessing its condition and is extensively used in laboratory tests to assess the life expectancy of transformer insulation. Accurate and reproducible determinations are essential if the results are to be used to calculate a meaningful life. Publication IEC 450 was prepared in 1974 as a standard for the measurement of the DP of new and aged electrical papers (the equivalent US standard is ASTM D4243). However, experience across a number of laboratories has indicated the need for further clarification in the experimental method, whichever standard is adopted. Errors arise during preparation of solutions, measurement of viscosity and calculation of DP, due to oxidative degradation of the solution, inconsistencies in the measurement temperature and the conversion of intrinsic viscosity to DP using the Mark Houwink Sakurada relationship. This paper quantifies errors associated with DP measurement which are not described in existing standards.
Macroscopic Yield Criterion for Ductile Materials Containing Randomly Oriented Spheroidal Cavities

This study is devoted to a micromechanical approach of the macroscopic yield criterion of ductile porous materials made up of a perfectly plastic von Mises matrix and randomly oriented spheroidal voids (with a same shape ratio, prolate or oblate including penny-shaped crack). The approach is based on recent results established by Monchiet et al. [Monchiet, V. , Charkaluk, E. and Kondo, D. (2007). An Improvement of Gurson-type Models of Porous Materials by using Eshelby-like Trial Velocity Fields, Comptes Rendus Mecanique, 335: 32–41. ] for a unit cell containing a single family of spheroidal cavities. By adopting an approximation introduced by previous authors and which consists in embedding each void family in a medium submitted to the macroscopic stress, we provide for the studied class of materials closed-form expressions of the isotropic macroscopic yield function. The established results are compared with existing ones, and their interest is clearly shown.
The dynamics of transitions in socio-technical systems: A multi-level analysis of the transition pathway from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles (1860–1930)

Abstract This article investigates transitions at the level of societal functions (e.g. transport, communication, housing). Societal functions are fulfilled by socio-technical systems, which consist of a cluster of aligned elements, e.g. artefacts, knowledge, user practices and markets, regulation, cultural meaning, infrastructure, maintenance networks and supply networks. To understand how transitions from one socio-technical system to another come about, the article describes a conceptual multi-level perspective. The perspective is illustrated with a historical case study: the transition from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles in the USA (1860–1930). The case study shows that technological substitution approaches to this transition are too simple, because they neglect the electric tram and bicycle, which acted as important stepping stones. The case study also corrects another mistake, namely that the gasoline car won by chance from steam and electric automobiles. It will be shown that particular niches played a crucial role in this competition, as well as the wider socio-technical context. The case study deviates on three points from the multi-level perspective. These deviations are used to conceptualize a particular transition pathway, called ‘de-alignment and re-alignment’.
Understanding the High Sensitivity of Parallel WO3 Sensor Toward NO2 Gas at Low Temperature

Tungsten trioxide (WO3-x) with different morphologies was synthesized by hydrothermal method. Using a pair of Pt electrodes and Al2O3 ceramics tube as a substrate, NO2 sensing properties of the WO3 products were measured at different working temperatures. And the high sensing properties at low working temperature were also investigated. The results showed that the sensitivity of WO3 product is strongly dependent on morphology and structure. The parallel circuit mode also plays an important role in the NO2 sensing characteristics. The low working temperature can be attributed to the competitive reaction between O2 and NO2 gas. The parallel mode may increase the lifetime of sensor.
An investigation of the neural circuits underlying reaching and reach-to-grasp movements: from planning to execution

Experimental evidence suggests the existence of a sophisticated brain circuit specifically dedicated to reach-to-grasp planning and execution, both in human and non-human primates (Castiello, 2005). Studies accomplished by means of neuroimaging techniques suggest the hypothesis of a dichotomy between a “reach-to-grasp” circuit, involving the anterior intraparietal area, the dorsal and ventral premotor cortices (PMd and PMv – Castiello and Begliomini, 2008; Filimon, 2010) and a “reaching” circuit involving the medial intraparietal area and the superior parieto-occipital cortex (Culham et al., 2006). However, the time course characterizing the involvement of these regions during the planning and execution of these two types of movements has yet to be delineated. A functional magnetic resonance imaging study has been conducted, including reach-to-grasp and reaching only movements, performed toward either a small or a large stimulus, and Finite Impulse Response model (Henson, 2003) was adopted to monitor activation patterns from stimulus onset for a time window of 10 s duration. Data analysis focused on brain regions belonging either to the reaching or to the grasping network, as suggested by Castiello and Begliomini (2008). Results suggest that reaching and grasping movements planning and execution might share a common brain network, providing further confirmation to the idea that the neural underpinnings of reaching and grasping may overlap in both spatial and temporal terms (Verhagen et al., 2013). But, although responsive for both actions, they show a significant predominance for either one of the two actions and such a preference is evident on a temporal scale.
The energetic cost of vision and the evolution of eyeless Mexican cavefish

The loss of vision during the evolution of cave Mexican tetra considerably reduced the energetic burden of neural tissue. One hypothesis for the reduction of vision in cave animals, such as the eyeless Mexican cavefish, is the high energetic cost of neural tissue and low food availability in subterranean habitats. However, data on relative brain and eye mass in this species or on any measure of the energetic cost of neural tissue are not available, making it difficult to evaluate the “expensive tissue hypothesis. ” We show that the eyes and optic tectum represent significant metabolic costs in the eyed phenotype. The cost of vision was calculated to be 15% of resting metabolism for a 1-g fish, decreasing to 5% in an 8.5-g fish as relative eye and brain size declined during growth. Our results demonstrate that the loss of the visual system in the cave phenotype substantially lowered the amount of energy expended on expensive neural tissue during diversification into subterranean rivers, in particular for juvenile fish.
Human-Robot Cooperative Manipulation Using a Virtual Nonholonomic Constraint

A robotic assistance system is presented which enables a human to handle unwieldy long objects by providing only one point of support. The robot grasps one end of the object and helps the human operator carry it at the other end. The proposed control method uses a virtual nonholonomic constraint. The movement of the object is constrained as if it were being carried on a wheel attached to the object. This method prevents the object from slipping sideways and simplifies the carrying operation. In spite of the constraint, the object can reach any position and orientation due to the nonholonomy. Cooperative manipulation in a horizontal plane is considered first, and then it is extended to 6-DoF manipulation in 3-D space. Experimental results show that an operator can easily handle a long object when aided by the robot.
Hybrid aluminium matrix composites containing boron carbide and quasicrystals: manufacturing and characterisation

ABSTRACT Hybrid composites of boron carbide (B4C) and Al62.5Cu25Fe12. 5 quasicrystals (QCs) were prepared by ball milling and pressureless sintering in aluminium matrix to investigate their individual and hybrid effects on microstructural and mechanical properties. Hybrid composite contained B4C and QCs in 3 wt-% each, making a total of 6 wt-%. For reference, specimens of pure aluminium and two composites containing 6 wt-%B4C and 6 wt-% QCs were prepared. Microstructural characterisation was performed using optical, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, while evaluation of mechanical properties was carried out by hardness and compression tests. Uniform dispersion of reinforcements in composites was observed along with significant increase in the mechanical properties. The composite containing 6 wt-% QCs demonstrated the highest hardness, while the hybrid composite showed better compressive properties.
Latent Topic Conversational Models

Despite much success in many large-scale language tasks, sequence-to-sequence (seq2seq) models have not been an ideal choice for conversational modeling as they tend to generate generic and repetitive responses. In this paper, we propose a Latent Topic Conversational Model (LTCM) that augments the seq2seq model with a neural topic component to better model human-human conversations. The neural topic component encodes information from the source sentence to build a global “topic” distribution over words, which is then consulted by the seq2seq model to improve generation at each time step. The experimental results show that the proposed LTCM can generate more diverse and interesting responses by sampling from its learnt latent representations. In a subjective human evaluation, the judges also confirm that LTCM is the preferred option comparing to competitive baseline models.
Differential Induction of Antiviral Effects against West Nile Virus in Primary Mouse Macrophages Derived from Flavivirus-Susceptible and Congenic Resistant Mice by Alpha/Beta Interferon and Poly(I-C)

ABSTRACT A cell model of primary macrophages isolated from the peritoneal cavity of flavivirus-susceptible and congenic resistant mice has been used to study the extent and kinetics of antiviral effects against West Nile virus upon priming with alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) or poly(I-C) (pIC). The pattern of flavivirus resistance expressed after priming of cells in this model was in good agreement with the pattern of flavivirus resistance described in the brains of the corresponding mouse strains. While priming with either IFN-α/β or pIC completely blocked flavivirus replication in macrophages from resistant mice, it only transiently reduced flavivirus replication in macrophages from susceptible mice. It was only the combined pretreatment with IFN-α/β and pIC that elicited strong antiviral responses that completely prevented flavivirus replication in macrophages from susceptible mice. Primary macrophages isolated from the blood of healthy human donors expressed a similar need for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) cofactor in developing efficient antiviral responses against West Nile virus. These findings reveal that the inefficient IFN-α/β-induced antiviral effects against flaviviruses in cells from susceptible hosts could be successfully complemented by an external dsRNA factor leading to the complete eradication of the virus. This treatment appears to compensate for the lack of an inborn resistance mechanism in cells from the susceptible host. Furthermore, it may also provide useful clues for the prevention and treatment of flavivirus infections.