Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of changes in obesity parameters on glucose metabolism and insulin resistance over a one-year period.

AIM Changes in indexes of obesity, such as waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI), may influence some glucose metabolism-related parameters in both obese and non-obese subjects. We have investigated the impact of changes in WC and in BMI on data related to glucose metabolism over a one-year period. METHODS Data from 3213 individuals (2014 men, 1199 women) who underwent a general health screening two years running and were not taking antidiabetic medication were analyzed. RESULTS In men, percent changes in WC (%dWC) and BMI (%dBMI) were both significantly correlated with percent changes in fasting glucose (%dFG), in hemoglobin A(1C) (%dHbA(1C)), and in HOMA-IR (%dHOMA-IR). In women, these relationships were not significant except for the relationship between %dBMI and %dHOMA-IR. In a multivariate linear regression analysis using age, %dBMI, and %dWC as independent variables, %dBMI, but not %dWC, was found to be an independent predictor of %dHOMA-IR in both genders. Furthermore, in men, %dBMI was also an independent factor predicting %dFG and %dHbA(1C). CONCLUSION During the one-year period, a reduction in BMI, and thus weight loss, was found to be associated with the improvement of insulin sensitivity, especially in men. A reduction in WC was also associated with an improvement in insulin sensitivity in men; however, this relationship did not remain significant after controlling for changes in BMI.
Sediment magnetic properties of glacial till deposited since the Little Ice Age maximum for selected glaciers at Svartisen and Okstindan, northern Norway

Samples of glacial till deposited since the Little Ice Age (LIA) maximum by two glaciers, North Bogbre at Svartisen and Corneliussen‐breen at Okstindan, northern Norway, were obtained from transects running from the current glacier snout to the LIA (c. AD 1750) limit. The samples were analysed to determine their sediment magnetic properties, which display considerable variability. Significant trends in some magnetic parameters are evident with distance from the glacier margin and hence length of subaerial exposure. Magnetic susceptibility (X) decreases away from the contemporary snout, perhaps due to the weathering of ferrimagnetic minerals into antiferromagnetic forms, although this trend is generally not statistically significant. Trends in the ratios of soft IRM/hard IRM which are statistically significant support this hypothesis, suggesting that antiferromagnetic minerals are increasing relative to ferrimagnetic minerals towards the LIA maximum. Backfield ratios (IRM — 100mT/SIRM) also display a significant and strong trend towards magnetically harder behaviour with proximity to the LIA maximum. Thus, by employing a chronosequence approach, it may be possible to use sediment magnetics data as a tool for reconstructing glacier retreat in areas where more traditional techniques, such as lichenometry, are not applicable.
Novel Regulation of Aquaporins during Osmotic Stress1

Aquaporin protein regulation and redistribution in response to osmotic stress was investigated. Ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) McTIP1;2 (McMIPF) mediated water flux when expressed in Xenopus leavis oocytes. Mannitol-induced water imbalance resulted in increased protein amounts in tonoplast fractions and a shift in protein distribution to other membrane fractions, suggesting aquaporin relocalization. Indirect immunofluorescence labeling also supports a change in membrane distribution for McTIP1;2 and the appearance of a unique compartment where McTIP1;2 is expressed. Mannitol-induced redistribution of McTIP1;2 was arrested by pretreatment with brefeldin A, wortmannin, and cytochalasin D, inhibitors of vesicle trafficking-related processes. Evidence suggests a role for glycosylation and involvement of a cAMP-dependent signaling pathway in McTIP1;2 redistribution. McTIP1;2 redistribution to endosomal compartments may be part of a homeostatic process to restore and maintain cellular osmolarity under osmotic-stress conditions.
Projections from orbitofrontal cortex to anterior piriform cortex in the rat suggest a role in olfactory information processing

The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has been characterized as a higher‐order, multimodal sensory cortex. Evidence from electrophysiological and behavioral studies in the rat has suggested that OFC plays a role in modulating olfactory guided behavior, and a significant projection to OFC arises from piriform cortex, the traditional primary olfactory cortex. To discern how OFC interacts with primary olfactory structures, the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin was injected into orbitofrontal cortical areas in adult male rats. Labeled fibers were found in the piriform cortex and olfactory bulb on the side ipsilateral to the injection. Notably, the projection to piriform cortex was predominantly from ventrolateral orbital cortex, and was not uniform; rostrally, the projection to the ventral portion of the anterior piriform cortex (APC) was substantial, while the dorsal APC was virtually free of labeled fibers. Labeled fibers were found in both the dorsal and ventral portions in more caudal regions of APC. Most labeled fibers were found in layer III, although a substantial number of fibers were observed in layers Ib and II. Labeled fibers in posterior piriform cortex also were seen after injection into orbitofrontal areas. Taken together with previous reports, these findings suggest that piriform cortex includes multiple subdivisions, which may perform separate, parallel functions in olfactory information processing. Further, these results suggest that the OFC, in addition to its putative role in encoding information about the significance of olfactory stimuli, may play a role in modulating odor response properties of neurons in piriform cortex. J. Comp. Neurol. 488:224–231, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dietary fibre and the irritable bowel syndrome.

The dietary fibre intake of 25 patients with the irritable bowel syndrome was assessed by dietary recall over one week for the period before onset of symptoms, at diagnosis and after six months treatment with bran and a fibre-rich diet, and compared with controls matched for age and sex. Mean intake of patients fell from 20.2 g per day before onset of symptoms to 17.8 g at diagnosis (n.s.), when it was significantly less than the controls' intake of 22.6 g (P less than 0.01). The 20 patients who improved with treatment increased their intake from 18.9 g to 24.8 g (P less than 0.02); the five patients who did not improve did not increase their intake significantly (13.5 g to 15.6 g).
An Audit of Medication Administration: A Glimpse Into School Health Offices

Many students require prescription and nonprescription medication to be administered during the school day for chronic and acute illnesses. School office staff members are typically delegated this task, yet these individuals are unlicensed assistive personnel without medical training. Five school nurses developed and participated in a medication audit providing a glimpse into the administration and management of medications in school health offices. The audit included 154 medications. Results of the audit showed a wide range of errors and discrepancies, including problems with transcription, physician orders or lack thereof, timing, documentation, and storage. Audit results highlight the importance of training in medication administration and management at schools. It also directs attention to view training not as a once-a-year event, but as a process. A process is needed to ensure and sustain the safe and accurate administration of medication. Towards this end, school nurses need to periodically evaluate school office staff, audit school medication records and documents, and conduct refresher classes throughout the school year.
KeBABS: an R package for kernel-based analysis of biological sequences

KeBABS provides a powerful, flexible and easy to use framework for KE: rnel- B: ased A: nalysis of B: iological S: equences in R. It includes efficient implementations of the most important sequence kernels, also including variants that allow for taking sequence annotations and positional information into account. KeBABS seamlessly integrates three common support vector machine (SVM) implementations with a unified interface. It allows for hyperparameter selection by cross validation, nested cross validation and also features grouped cross validation. The biological interpretation of SVM models is supported by (1) the computation of weights of sequence patterns and (2) prediction profiles that highlight the contributions of individual sequence positions or sections.
ArbiLoMod, a Simulation Technique Designed for Arbitrary Local Modifications

Engineers manually optimizing a structure using finite element based simulation software often employ an iterative approach where in each iteration they change the structure slightly and resimulate. Standard finite element based simulation software is usually not well suited for this workflow, as it restarts in each iteration, even for tiny changes. In settings with complex local microstructure, where a fine mesh is required to capture the geometric detail, localized model reduction can improve this workflow. To this end, we introduce ArbiLoMod, a method which allows fast recomputation after arbitrary local modifications. It employs a domain decomposition and a localized form of the reduced basis method for model order reduction. It assumes that the reduced basis on many of the unchanged domains can be reused after a localized change. The reduced model is adapted when necessary, steered by a localized error indicator. The global error introduced by the model order reduction is controlled by a robust and e.
Infliximab Therapy in Pediatric Patients 7 Years of Age and Younger

Background: Infliximab (IFX) is efficacious for induction and maintenance of remission in pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It has, however, not been studied in patients 7 years old and younger. Our aim was to characterize efficacy and safety of IFX therapy in this cohort. Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with IBD ages 7 years and younger, treated with IFX between 1999 and 2011. Medical records were reviewed for age of diagnosis, disease phenotype, therapy, surgery, IFX infusion dates, dose, and intervals. Outcome measures included physician global assessment, corticosteroid requirement, and adverse events. Results: Thirty-three children (ages 2.4–7 years) were included. Twenty patients had Crohn disease, 4 had ulcerative colitis, and 9 had indeterminate colitis. Maintenance of IFX therapy at 1, 2, and 3 years was 36%, 18%, and 12%, respectively. Patients of age 5 years and younger had the lowest rates of maintenance of therapy at 25% at year 1, and 10% at years 2 and 3 combined. Nine percent of all of the patients demonstrated response measured by the physician global assessment and were steroid free at 1 year. There were 8 infusion reactions. There were no malignancies, serious infections, or deaths. Conclusions: IFX demonstrated a modest response rate and a low steroid-sparing effect in patients with IBD 7 years old and younger. Although this is a limited study, there appears to be a trend for decreased sustained efficacy with IFX in this age group, particularly in children 5 years old and younger, when compared with the previously published literature in older children.
LNAPL Thickness in Monitoring Wells Considering Hysteresis and Entrapment

Case histories of LNAPL contaminated sites indicate that LNAPL thicknesses in monitoring wells exhibit certain characteristic behaviors when related to water-table fluctuations. This paper investigates these behaviors using established theories for fluid saturataions in three-phase (air-LNAPL-water) porous media systems. A semianalytical model is developed to predict the LNAPL thickness in a monitoring well considering the effects of saturation hysteresis and air/LNAPL entrapment. Given the total LNAPL volume in the soil profile and the historical sequence of water-table elevations, the model predicts LNAPL thicknesses, based on the assumption of a succession of hydrostatic pressure distributions. For example simulations, the model indicates that the LNAPL thickness in a monitoring well can exhibit complex behaviors that are strongly dependent on the previous saturation history. While many of these predicted behaviors are consistent with field observations, some are not. This suggests that certain aspects of current theories pertaining to three-phase fluid saturations warrant further technical evaluation.
From NAFLD to Cardiovascular Disease. Is it (Still) the Metabolic Syndrome?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease in developed countries. The incidence of NAFLD in the general population is 30–38% deppending on the geographical area and the diagnostic method used. NAFLD is considered to be the liver manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. A better understanding of the natural evolution would have practical consequences related mainly to the need of early and aggressive diagnosis, active monitoring and therapeutic solutions. Cardiovascular disease appears to be the main cause of death in these patients. The mechanisms linking NAFLD with cardiovascular disease are not fully understood yet, but attention was focused primarily on insulin resistance. The visceral adipose tissue, the epicardial adipose tissue, the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, the lipid profile, the procoagulants factors, the oxidative stress, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, they all might play a role in the link between NAFLD and cardiovascular disease. Currently, there isn’t any medication specifically recommended for the treatment of NAFLD. Although the mechanisms underlying the association between NAFLD and cardiovascular disease are not fully known, attention must be paid to this association, given that these patients are more likely to die due to heart disease rather than liver disease.
Likely occurrence of a mega-tsunami in the Middle Pleistocene, near Coquimbo, Chile

RESUMEN. En los alrededores de la Bahia Herradura, en Chile (29°59'S), enormes bloques, incluidos en los depositos de playa de una terraza marina del Pleistoceno medio, indican la ocurrencia de un maremoto de amplitud excepcional. Fue un acontecimiento fuera de lo comun que se produjo una sola vez en todo el transcurso del Plio-Cuaternario.
Empirical formula for rates of hot pixel defects based on pixel size, sensor area, and ISO

Experimentally, image sensors measurements show a continuous development of in-field permanent hot pixel defects increasing in numbers over time. In our tests we accumulated data on defects in cameras ranging from large area (<300 sq mm) DSLR’s, medium sized (~40 sq mm) point and shoot, and small (20 sq mm) cell phone cameras. The results show that the rate of defects depends on the technology (APS or CCD), and on design parameters like imager area, pixel size (from 1.5 to 7 um), and gain (from ISO100 to 1600). Comparing different sensor sizes with similar pixel sizes has shown that defect rates scale linearly with sensor area, suggesting the metric of defects/year/sq mm, which we call defect density. A search was made to model this defect density as a function of the two parameters pixel size and ISO. The best empirical fit was obtained by a power law curve. For CCD imagers, the defect densities are proportional to the pixel size to the power of -2.25 times the ISO to the power of 0.69. For APS (CMOS) sensors the power law had the defect densities proportional to the pixel size to the power of -3.07 times the ISO raised to the power of 0.5. Extending our empirical formula to include ISO allows us to predict the expected defect development rate for a wide set of sensor parameters.
An Elitist Polynomial Mutation Operator for Improved Performance of MOEAs in Computer Networks

Polynomial mutation has been utilized in evolutionary optimization algorithms as a variation operator. In previous work on the use of evolutionary algorithms for solving multiobjective problems, two versions of polynomial mutations were introduced. In this study we will examine the latest version of polynomial mutation, the highly disruptive, which has been utilised in the latest version of NSGA-II. This paper proposes an elitist version of the highly disruptive polynomial mutation. The experimental results show that the proposed elitist polynomial mutation outperforms the existing mutation mechanism when applied in a well known evolutionary multiobjective algorithm (NSGA-II) in terms of hypervolume, spread of solutions and epsilon performance indicator.
SKS/SKKS splitting and Taiwan orogeny

We determine 58 sets of splitting parameters, fast direction (φ) and delay time (δt), from broadband SKS/SKKS waves recorded at temporary and permanent stations in Taiwan. These and earlier results, from S and ScS as well as SKS, show an island‐wide pattern of φ alignment with N–NNE structural trends in southern and central Taiwan and then turn smoothly to EW following the structural bight in northern Taiwan. Remarkable differences in δt for eastern and southwestern events are found, resulting probably from a more anisotropic upper mantle in the east, under the Central Range. With δt an average of 1.3 seconds our observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the orogeny involves shear or flow in the upper mantle in central and southern Taiwan. In northern Taiwan, near the ends of the collision and subduction zones, the extrusion and the hydration of olivine may contribute to the orientation of φ.
Jérôme Casas predator search for prey Ambush frequency should increase over time during optimal

References ref-list-1 http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing. org/content/early/2011/05/10/rsif.2011. 0154.full. html# This article cites 32 articles, 7 of which can be accessed free P<P Published online 13 May 2011 in advance of the print journal. Subject collections (223 articles) biomathematics  Articles on similar topics can be found in the following collections Email alerting service here right-hand corner of the article or click Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article sign up in the box at the top
The Relationship between the Pacific–North American Teleconnection Pattern, the Great Plains Low-Level Jet, and North Central U.S. Heavy Rainfall Events*

AbstractThis study demonstrates the relationship between the Pacific–North American (PNA) teleconnection pattern and the Great Plains low-level jet (GPLLJ). The negative phase of the PNA, which is associated with lower heights over the Great Plains and ridging in the southeastern United States, enhances the GPLLJ by increasing the pressure gradient within the GPLLJ on 6-hourly to monthly time scales. Strong GPLLJ events predominantly occur when the PNA is negative. Warm-season strong GPLLJ events with a very negative PNA (<−1) are associated with more persistent, longer wavelength planetary waves that increase the duration of GPLLJ events and enhance precipitation over the north central United States. When one considers the greatest 5-day north central U.S. precipitation events, a large majority occur when the PNA is negative, with most exhibiting a very negative PNA. Stronger moisture transport during heavy rainfall events with a very negative PNA decreases the precipitation of locally derived moisture c.
Dynamics of Wet and Dry Years in West Africa

Abstract This paper proposes a theoretical framework for describing interannual climatic variability over West Africa. The dynamical theory of zonally symmetrical thermally direct circulations suggests that a meridional monsoon circulation must develop over any tropical region (off the equator) when the absolute vorticity near the tropopause reaches a threshold value of zero. However, for a moist atmosphere that satisfies a quasi-equilibrium balance between moist convection and the radiative forcing, the absolute vorticity at upper-tropospheric levels is a function of both latitude and the meridional distribution of boundary-layer entropy. Hence, the onset of a monsoon circulation depends in a nonlinear fashion on these two factors. The theory predicts that a flat distribution of entropy does not drive any circulation and that a relatively large gradient of entropy should drive a strong monsoon circulation. The location of the region of West Africa, relatively close to the equator, dictates that the dynam.
Blinking and Driving: the Influence of Saccades and Cognitive Workload

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the joint influence of cognitive demands and large amplitude saccades on spontaneous blink rate. Materials and Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study and instructed to follow a 60-minute real-life driving circuit while a video camera recorded ocular movements and blinking. Five different complexity levels were predefined in terms of driving difficulty and traffic intensity, that is, cognitive workload. Five one-minute segments were selected for each complexity level in each driving trial, whereupon spontaneous blink rate and horizontal saccades were monitored. Saccades were classified according to their amplitude and blink-saccade pairs were recorded. Results: Albeit showing a high inter-subject variability, spontaneous blink rate and saccades were consistent within the same complexity level. At different complexity levels, no statistically significant difference in spontaneous blink rate was encountered, with an average of 20.3 ± 1.6 blinks/minute (mean ± SD). The number of large amplitude gaze shifts increased with the level of complexity (F = 15.403; p < 0.001). An average of 87.5% of large amplitude saccades were accompanied by a blink, and this percentage was similar for all complexity levels, that is, the number of blink-saccade pairs increased at higher complexity levels (F = 20.597; p < 0.001). Conclusions: In a complex, dynamic visual setting, spontaneous blinking accompanying large amplitude saccades may help in counteracting the reduction in blink rate associated with high cognitive demands.
Inorganic p-Type Semiconductors: Their Applications and Progress in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells and Perovskite Solar Cells

Considering the increasing global demand for energy and the harmful ecological impact of conventional energy sources, it is obvious that development of clean and renewable energy is a necessity. Since the Sun is our only external energy source, harnessing its energy, which is clean, non-hazardous and infinite, satisfies the main objectives of all alternative energy strategies. With attractive features, i.e., good performance, low-cost potential, simple processibility, a wide range of applications from portable power generation to power-windows, photoelectrochemical solar cells like dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) represent one of the promising methods for future large-scale power production directly from sunlight. While the sensitization of n-type semiconductors (n-SC) has been intensively studied, the use of p-type semiconductor (p-SC), e.g., the sensitization of wide bandgap p-SC and hole transport materials with p-SC have also been attracting great attention. Recently, it has been proved that the p-type inorganic semiconductor as a charge selective material or a charge transport material in organometallic lead halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) shows a significant impact on solar cell performance. Therefore the study of p-type semiconductors is important to rationally design efficient DSCs and PSCs. In this review, recent published works on p-type DSCs and PSCs incorporated with an inorganic p-type semiconductor and our perspectives on this topic are discussed.